My Socially Constructed Reality

Eight years. That was 8 long years in this school. For the past years, I've witnessed how students just came and left -- and were buried into oblivion. This fact never made me feel bad before. In the past, I didn't even mind seeing my students graduate. After all, students are meant to leave school to face the real world. And I didn't hang out with students. I saw them in classroom -- that was it. I never had casual conversation with them , no texting then, no calling, no e-mail, no blog, nothing. Just plain teaching. I never even had a chance to know all the names of my students then. I just knew their faces but I couldn't label those faces with their names. It was a shame on my part, I absolutely agree! But things have changed. Now, I have a "sad feeling" whenever a student leaves -- but of course, it also depends on the kind of students. There are two possible reasons for this feeling. And this is based only on my personal experience. I started feeling this...

I stopped blogging for a few days. Well, I've been busy tending to another blog-- our Communication Theory blog. I used a different approach in blogging for class. If, in the previous semesters, I required the students in my E-newsroom class to create their own web logs, this time, I created a class blog then required my students to post entries on the same blog. All of us are contributors this time. It's good because I can see that the students are thinking! It's a good venue for interaction. I always go there to check on students' entries and to make comments, if necessary. This made me forget my own blog. Check out my Comm. theory blog here .

I felt uneasy after I replied to our Chair's text message to tell her that I can't accept any extra load. I told her I want to help her but not by taking the loads with no teachers yet. I will help her find teachers, that was what I said in my text message. I felt uneasy because I'm not used to saying NO.

Check out my COMMUNICATION THEORY class web blog now!

Check out Howie Severino's SIDETRIP.

Tony Schwartz' RESONANCE theory states that a communication becomes successful not because of the message but because it brings out something from the viewer's past experiences (Griffin, p. 8, 2006). I think this theory was working when I was watching the TRANSFORMERS during the long holidays. I loved the film, not just because the story was brilliant or because of the outstanding visual effects but because I could recall how I loved Bumble Bee and Optimus Prime when I was a young girl. The movie is actually from a famous animated series featuring the Autobots and Decepticons. Well, of course, I still remember Megatron very much. Seeing all the familiar characters I used to see on screen during my childhood years made me love the movie more. Because of this, I was motivated to buy an original VCD of the movie and include it in our collection of original films. And this is what resonance theory is all about. According to Griffin (2006), "Personal memories, emotions, and p...

The second sem of this academic year starts on November 5. My teaching loads are: INTRO TO MASS COMMUNICATION, ADVERTISING PRINCIPLES & PRACTICE, THESIS WRITING, PRINT INTERNSHIP, and COMMUNICATION THEORY Note: I was given PR Principles and Practice by the Chair instead of Advertising, just like what she first gave to me. When I asked her why she changed her mind about one of my teaching loads, she said it was because the native speaker is teaching Advertising instead. Dati na raw niya naituro iyon kaya ayaw nang palitan ang load niya. I felt bad about it. Why should I make adjustment for a faculty that is, in the first place, not qualified to teach Communication subjects? I didn't like the decision so I told the chair about it but she never wanted to give Advertising to me. What I did was to go directly to the Assistant Dean and ask if she could re-shuffle the sked so I would be given Advertising.

Nabalitaan ko kanina sa isang kasama sa trabaho na tinanggap na niya ang posisyon na inalok sa kanya ng school. Nasiyahan ako para sa kanya. Totoo yan ha -- dahil alam ko ang pinagdaanan niya habang nagdedesisyon siya kung bibitawan niya ang pagtuturo sa isang school at papasok dito bilang direktor ng isang opisina. Dahil sa tuwa ko para sa kanya, agad kong binalita iyon sa iba pang kasamahan ko sa departamento namin. Nagulat lang ako sa reaksyon nila. Ang sabi ng isa, nagulat sya dahil ang kinuhang direktor ay "bago" sa school na ito at wala pang Master's degree. Naniniwala ang mga kasamahan ko na sa akin dapat mapunta ang posisyon na iyon. Nakakagulat. Alam ko na noon pa na nirekomenda ako ng bise-presidente at sinabi na niya iyon sa dekana namin. Pero aaminin ko na noong nalaman ko iyon - na iniisip nilang ako ang ipalit sa paalis na direktor -- ay hindi ako natuwa. Ayokong humawak ng posisyon dito. Ayoko na. Kaya nga natuwa ako nang malaman kong ang isang ...

Another sem has ended. I finally finished computation of grades. Now, i need to sit down and prepare for the next semester. Well, I can't let another sem begin without my sem-ender reflection. The past sem was a sem of realization, of tension at the faculty room, of continual struggle, and of mixed emotions. I started the sem feeling so frustrated about how things are in the workplace. I found myself wondering why I was still here -- in the middle of the sem. And I ended the sem today, still feeling disappointed about certain matters. Not everything that happened to me was negative and disappointing, though. I can proudly say that my relationship with my students is getting stronger. I feel more at ease with them, without compromising my credibility. I feel their sincerity (Of course, not all of them are sincere -- some pretend to be real so they could get the "what they want" from teachers). And I'd like to believe they're learning from me, just as I ...

I watched A LOVE STORY last night with my husband. We rented a VCD copy at Video City and stayed awake until 1 a.m. just to watch the film. Well, the story was quite different from the other love stories I've watched. The plot was actually unpredictable. Before watching, I thought Aga and Maricel are married and that Angelica is a mistress. It turned out that Angelica, the young lady, is the wife and Maricel's character, the older lady, is the mistress. The film's unpredictable plot, and Aga's & Maricel's unbeatable acting made the movie worth watching.

Different emotions, same experiences. Everybody has questions. Nobody gets any answer. At the end of the day, there's only one solution: SHUT UP! I can't elaborate anymore. I must shut up -- that's the reality. Maybe I can say something -- at the right time. Definitely not today.

This is my second time to see a book which caught my attention on Sir Colle's (a colleauge) table. The book is authored by Dr. Myles Munroe. Its title is T HE PRINCIPLES AND POWER OF VISION: KEYS TO ACHIEVING PERSONAL AND CORPORATE DESTINY . Munroe defines VISION as "a clear conception of something that is not yet a reality, but which can exist." It's also noteworthy to quote what Munroe mentioned on the Preface of his book: The greatest gift ever given to mankind is not the gift of sight, but the gift of vision. This book fascinated me because I do believe that we SEE SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN --- YET. And I am a believer of the quote used in a vitamin advertisement that says, "WHAT YOUR MIND CAN CONCEIVE, YOUR BODY CAN ACHIEVE." I believe in VISION. I believe that nothing happens without a clear vision. I also think that the "visually-impaired" individuals jsut do not know how to set definite goals and do exactly what they need to in...

Ilang araw na lang, start na ng Study Tour sa Singapore. I was supposed to attend the tour kaso nagkaproblema ako sa documents para sa passport. Sayang pero buti na lang dahil sa invitation for a tour in Singapore, nalaman ko na may problema pala documents ko --- or may problema pala ang sistema sa DFA Clark. Imposible at matagal na proseso ang pinagagawa nila sa akin para maaprubahan ang passport application ko. Sa tingin ko, insulto sa akin na ipabago ang entries sa birth certificate ko ngayong trenta anyos na ako. Hindi typographical error ang problema ko. At alam ng DFA na wala akong kontrol sa kung anuman ang mali sa documents ko. Ang tingin ko lang, ang trabaho ng DFA ay i-examine ang mga dokumento na pinakikita ng aplikante para patunayan na sarili niya ang iniaaplay niya ng passport at hindi siya gumagamit ng pangalan ng may pangalan. May iba pang paraan para sagutin ko ang tanong nila tungkol sa nakita nilang inconsistency ng pangalan or apelyido ng nanay ko sa birth c...

There are many hate-blogs circulating in the blogosphere for the controversy where Teri Hatcher `insults' Filipino doctors by implying that doctors who got their diplomas from `some med schools in the Philippines' are substandard. Of course, my first reaction (as obviously shown in my first blog about this) was that I felt bad about the producer and writer of the TV series. However, after thinking about the controversy quite a few times, I realized that the incident should serve as a lesson to the Filipino community. The show had clearly communicated how some Americans, (and perhaps even other nationalities) perceive the professionalism and credibility of med schools in the Philippines. We keep sending nurses abroad but we were reported to have Nursing Licensure Test Scam. And the latest was not the first. So how do we expect non-Filipinos to think? Do we expect them to have a notion that Filipino nurses and doctors are ALL qualified and exemplary in performance? We, F...

With the promises , uncertainties and wishes that come my way lately, which one should I rely on? Or should I need to even think about them? ******* One person promised to "take care" of my academic endeavor in one of the countries in Asia. He asked if I could be on leave for at least two months to conduct seminar abroad. I was excited to hear the promise -- or should I call this OFFER? The same person also invited me to become an official member of an international association of professors. Wow, I think I would grab this chance. ****** I am scheduled to go to Singapore for a study tour in a couple of weeks. I should be excited -- but I'm not. I don't understand why. Perhaps, it is because of the uncertainty that I'm going through regarding my passport application. I find it hard to get a passport because of technical problem that a person who's now in hell, I suppose, created. (It's a long explanation). ****** I wish I could finish my Docto...

Today, today I bet my life You have no idea What I feel inside Don't, be afraid to let it show For you'll never know If you let it hide I love you You love me Take this gift and don't ask why Cause if you will let me I'll take what scares you Hold it deep inside And if you ask me why I'm with you And why I'll never Leave Love will show you everything One day When youth is just a memory I know you'll be standing right next to me I love you You love me Take this gift and don't ask why Cause if you will let me I'll take what scares you Hold it deep inside And if you ask me why I'm with you And why I'll never Leave My love will show you everything My love will show you everything My love will show you everything My love will show you everything I posted a review of the movie IF ONLY over a year ago. Check it out here.

Question: What kind of program would insult Filipino doctors? Answer: DESPERATE The racist and derogatory remark about the doctors from "some med schools in the PHilippines" is a sign that RACISM in the US is still alive. The writer and director were too insensitive not to notice that they're insulting another race. I was actually curious about the program and even planned to watch it if I have free time because the title DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES made me curious. I wondered what would make a housewife desperate and I wondered what kind of marital problems are shown in the show. Unfortunately, the controversy came out even before I get to watch a single episode of the program. And because of this stupid remark which was approved by the PRODUCER of the show (and written by misinformed and racist scriptwriter), I never plan to even glance at the program. I just watched the controversy from YOUTUBE web page. And this, I bet is the last time I will watch this. The PRODUCER didn...