My Socially Constructed Reality

Experience WORDS WITHOUT BORDERS at SMX Convention Center at SM Mall of Asia. Numerous books will be exhibited and several seminars and conferences are scheduled. The book I co-authored with Dr. Umaly will also be launched on the said book fair, particularly on Sept. 15. The book TEACHING-LEARNING ENGLISH THROUGH NEWSPAPER is published by Vibal Publishing House. The book fair runs from Sept. 12 till Sept. 15, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The book is juxtaposed with my mom's books on her book shelf.

September isn't really special to me because it will just add another year to my age -- ha ha. The thought that tomorrow starts the last month for the third quarter of the year makes me feel worried. Yeah -- worried. At the beginning of the year, I expected to leave the country, even just for a trip, this year. The first two quarters are done and the third quarter is about to end as September ends, and I haven't done any preparation re my plan to leave the Philippines, even just for a while. In fact, I haven't got the time to fix my passport problem. That's more alarming. With so many things to do, I couldn't find time to do what I want to. I hope that it's not too late. Getting a passport and preparing for our marketing will be my priority this September.

"Kung ayaw n'yo na dito, bukas ang pinto. Kung gusto nyo, ipahahatid ko pa kayo sa brass band palabas ng eskwelahan." Ganun lang kasimple. Kapag may general meeting, walang umiimik kapag sya na ang nagsasalita. At walang kahit sinuman sa mga naroroon ang may halaga. Lahat pwedeng palitan kahit anumang oras. Tama naman. Pero ito marahil ang dahilan kung bakit walang tumatagal na magagaling na empleyado. Hindi pinapahalagahan ang mga tao kaya umaalis ang lahat ng may pagkakataon. Tapos nakaluklok sya ngayon sa pwesto na dapat sana ay nakalaan sa taong may malasakit sa kapwa. Paano magsisilbi sa publiko ang tulad nya na walang 'amor' sa taong tumutulong sa kanya upang patakbuhin ang pinagkakakitaan nya? Ewan.

Hindi ko alam kung matatawa ako o manlulumo sa narinig kong balita. Siya na ang bagong **** *****. HIndi na ako nabigla sa balita dahil noon pang Enero ko narinig ang posibilidad na ito . At alam ko rin na inaasahan na rin iyon ng mga propesyunal sa ********. Alam ng mga nakapaligid na tauhan ng pangulo ng bansang ito na malakas sya dito. Nakakapanlumo. Bakit kamo? Maraming nangyayaring hindi patas sa unibersidad na sya ang may-ari. Ang binabayaran ng mga estudyante, pataas nang pataas. Bawat kilos sa eskwelahan nya, may bayad. Bayad ng membership fee sa organisasyon, bayad ng tubig para sa mga estudyante sa elementarya. Pati mga guro hindi man lang mabigyan ng maiinom na tubig. Mismong mga guro nagbabayad ng tubig buwan-buwan para sila may inumin. At tanungin mo kung sino ang nagtitinda ng tubig -- ang koop na pag-aari din ng taong ito. Dito pa lang sa tubig na binabayaran buwan-buwan, makikita mo na kung anong klaseng kawalan ng concern meron ang taong ito. Ang kuya ko kas...

Congratulations to Ninang Tessa and Ninong Boyet for having such a talented daughter, Maia San Diego, who had her first SOLO EXHIBIT which opened on Aug. 16 at UP Diliman. They must be the proudest parents that day! CONGRATS MAIA! In this photo op, Maia, known to her family as Ingkay, is surrounded by writers. I wonder how a talented writer nurtures a daughter with spatial and artistic intelligence... (From left) Lesli Navarro , Ofelia Concepcion, Josie Aventurado, Maia, Tessa San Diego, and Glady Gimena

This is not the first time that I've watched THE LAKE HOUSE but until now, I still cry whenever I see this film. This film shows that indeed, love knows no boundaries. Well, the film is fictional. It's not gonna happen in reality. But the message is clear: LOVE CAN MAKE US DO THINGS WHICH WE THINK ARE IMPOSSIBLE. ********************* Communication theories in the film: SOCIAL PENETRATION THEORY by Irvin Altman and Dalmas Taylor: Kate and Alex started exchanging information about themselves. This allowed them to develop relational closeness. Of course, exchange of personal information started with knowing each other's biographical information and the information becomes more personal and intimate as they develop closeness. Knowing each other, according to Altman & Taylor, is just like peeling an onion. The outer layer of the onion pertains to the biographical info like Kate being a doctor, working at Chicago, living in 1620 N. Racine and Alex being an archite...

Just to summarize the result of the survey: Question: IF MY CLASS WERE OPTIONAL, WOULD YOU ATTEND? SURE 14 (87%) I DON'T THINK SO 0 (0%) MAYBE 2 (12%) The survey respondents included only the students who replied to my e-mail inviting them to participate in the said poll. Some of them left messages on the chatterbox to inform me that they participated though I didn't know what their answers were. I didn't have any idea on who else, aside from them, answered the question.