Dear John February 11, 2010

Dear John,

Happy 20th Birthday!!

I hope I could have spent more time with you.  Today, if you would ask me to stay just to see how you draw such a complicated aircraft, I would do so.  Even if it would take a whole day to just be with you and enjoy the things you love.

I wonder if you still have the same smile.  I wonder if you still have the sweet voice that calls me every time.  I wonder if you would still be proud that you picked yellow as your favorite color (and green of course J).  I wonder if you would still make paper boats and planes.  Time flies so fast.  Ten years… I miss you.

I’m sorry I was selfish.  I thought only of myself when I shouted at you.  I could have spent more time taking care of you when you were sick.  I wish I could do it today.  But SOMEONE is already taking care of you right now.  I wish I could have been better. 

I hope you could read this.  And if you do, I’m sure you would be happy that I changed… a lot.  But I know that’s not going to happen…   If you would be here just for a moment, I want to say I love you very much.  You are the best brother in the world, Nathan John A. Galzote.  I would never forget you.  Goodbye.  See you in heaven.

Hate History?? July 14, 2008

You’re not alone

Dates, stats, names, places.. Not to mention the memorization part.

This afternoon, as I was reading, I came across a material that talks about the significance of history.  Whether we like it or not, we are always faced with the fact that we are dealing with history almost every second of our lives.

 

History is one of the ways in which we think and it is the way we live (usually)… 

Come to think of it, we read the daily newspapers, watch “24 ORAS”, etc… Only to know what has happened since yesterday up to the present.  News report is history.  

We write letters to friends (experiences in the past), we blog, e-mail, etc.  And all of the things we write are part of history.  We write diaries to record our activities and thoughts on that day or take pictures to capture moments.  And all of these things will be history just after you’ve finished putting down on paper what’s on your mind and right after you clicked your camera.

Life stops when information stops coming in.  Agree?

 

Nothing is contemporary except what is being done right now, at this very moment.  Barzun wrote: “There is one point which must always be kept in mind in thinking about contemporary painting and sculpture: that work of art is truly contemporary only to the artist whicle he is actually producing it.  Once he lays down his brush or chisel on the completion of his workit is already history — yesterday’s work.”

 

Even though you hate history (and I sometimes do), one cannot just ignore the significance of it. 

By looking at the studies done in the past regarding church ministries and problems encountered in church, we can avoid future mistakes and frustrations.

We need news for us not to feel insecure because through the reports, we know what’s happenning around us. 

When we tell stories to friends, we feel connected to them.  There is a sense of belonging.

Pictures bring good memories.

We understand the people around us by knowing their past and backgrounds.

We find our worth by looking at what God has done for us and how He has moved in our lives.

We find strength to live for today and hope to face the future by looking back — how God has been faithful.

 

History… boring as it may seem is valuable.

Rummage Sale Today!! July 12, 2008

We’re supposed to have our general cleaning in our dorm this morning at 8am but it seemed like everyone’s tired so nobody got up until almost 9am.

 

Some went to the rummage sale in the cafeteria.  It was an exciting experience.  You get to choose what you want and pay it at a very low price.  I got two pillow cases.  I love them! 

 

Thank God for the automatic washing machine available for everybody inside the campus.  I was able to wash my clothes while doing other things.

 

When I went back to the dorm, Kyung Hee and I decided to clean the comfort room/ shower since Ate Michelle said that we could choose what part of the dorm we wanted to clean. 

 

Ate Lany called me today.  We talked for about 30mins.  She calls weekly to update me about the progress she’s making for her uniqa hija’s debut on August 2.  She asked me to organize it and prepare a program.. and to be the emcee.

A whole NEW world… July 11, 2008

NCEE Building

A whole new world
A dazzling place I never knew
But when I’m way up here
It’s crystal clear
That now I’m in a whole new world with you

 

New place, new friends, new professors, new crowd, new schedule, new room mate (Korean.. her name is Kyung Hee), new books (yey!!) new pens…Everything is new! NEW BLOG! Thanks Jana!!

 

Today is the 8th day of our semester.  This morning I arrived 1 minute before the class began.  I had to go up to the library for me to print our first assignment in INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION so I was running down the stairs and tried to be in the classroom before the professor arrives.                                                

I wasn’t successful though.   Prof. San Young Lee was already there. 

 

It was time for us to read the essays we wrote.  All of us, except for one student read about the most painful experience of our lives.  From the first student up to the last reader, I was crying over what they shared in class.  I cried even more when I read mine.  [I remembered my dad.  He used to call me "Ga", it came from the word pagaga which means crybaby in Kapampangan.  He said that since I was born, I never stopped crying...that I cry whenever I'm happy or sad or nervous or hungry... He still calls me "Ga" sometimes... when he forgets that I'm not in elementary anymore.]  After each student has shared her story, our professor gives her comments and suggests ways on how to start the healing process if the person is still in pain.  After the class, we hugged each other.  I love this class.  It allows us to open up our hearts and share whatever is in our minds without being criticized or judged.

 

The Greek Class was fun!! We read I John in Greek!

 

This afternoon, the SBO president asked me to help in the preparation for the acquaintance party.  Kuya Mark asked me to prepare a game which allows the students to get to know each other.  I suggested “human bingo” as one of the games.

 

Acquaintance party.. we started at 5:15 and ended around 6:30.  We had games: Zip, Zap, Zoom; Blanket; and Human Bingo.  At least I have memorized most of the names of the students now.  Thank you Jana for facilitating.