Goodbye SM Megamall Bowling Center

My friends and I played our last bowling game at SM Megamall last night. �We were told that today (31 March 2010) will be their last day of operations and they are only going to stay open up to 9pm. �The current location of the bowling lanes will be the new location of Toy Kingdom. �The current location of Toy Kingdom will be turned into a Hypermart.

So after our games we took some pictures by the lanes instead. �I will repost some pics as soon as Icheb, Nick, and Duday have posted the shots they took.

I guess it's back to AMF Puyat in Cubao for me.

"Wala akong pakialam."

I went to school yesterday to enroll for the summer. �While I was there I bumped into one of the officers of the Society and since I am still a fairly new student I asked him about the enrollment procedures for the summer. �His answer to me was "wala akong pakialam"�(translation: �"I don't care.)

I won't deny it, not only was I shocked at his answer I was, quite frankly, disappointed at him.

I get it. �He had no plans of enrolling for the summer. �I wasn't even asking him if he was. My question was quite simple. �How do we enroll? �It was a legitimate question of a newbie to a veteran, right? �I didn't need nor deserve any lip for that.

Plus, he is an OFFICER. �It is part of his responsibilities to guide and assist members of the society when he is able to. �And giving instructions on enrollment procedures certainly falls into that category. �

If he didn't know the answer then all he had to say was that he didn't know, right? �That would have been acceptable. �But to tell me that he didn't care? �If you were in my shoes how would you have reacted to that?

When he told me that, this is what I said, "I'm not asking you if you are enrolling this summer. �I am asking if you know HOW we are taking summer classes are supposed to do it." �At which he answered, "Wala akong pakialam. �Ewan ko."

I will be charitable and think he was just having a bad day. �But, nonetheless, tthat is no reason to be rude to people. �Our brains still control our bodies. �How we act when we are in an emotional state can still be controlled by our will if we just exert some effort into it. �All it would have taken was a breath, a mind shift, and a pleasant answer. �If he had simply said "ewan ko" I would have accepted that. �After all, I can't blame the guy for being ignorant of the procedures, right? �That's where I was coming from. �But to tell me he didn't care?

Dude, if you don't care, then what the hell are you doing here?!? �If you are not fit for company, then better to just stay home.

Time to relax

After 3 weeks of stress, what with working on all my papers for school and my lectures for my class i finally get to relax. �Phew! �School is out for grad school and in Benilde the next few weeks are for consultation by my students. �I can finally catch up on my sleep.

I look back at the sem that was and I can honestly say, I enjoyed going back to school as a student. �Fulfilling requirements was difficult, for sure, but not insurmountable. �I am optimistic about getting a good grade from my professors. �My only worry, if any, would be with my org. culture class because our professor in that subject was more distant with the students than the other professors.

For our ICT class we had to organize a seminar for our final requirement and submit a book report. �The last sounds very high school, I know, but that is what Dr. Garcia asked for.

For our Research Seminar 1 class Sir Dodi had us write three chapters of a research paper. �At the beginning of the semester he told me to write a qualitative research paper so I had to think of a topic that would require qualitative research. �Thankfully I was able to think of something fairly early and had time to work on it and submit on time.

For our Org. Culture class Sir Don's final requirement was a case study analysis and a communication plan. � Yes, in essence TWO papers. �We had only 10 days to work on it. �Thankfully I was able to submit on Day 9.

With all that paperwork ahead of me, I decided to start working on them as early as I can. �Good thing I did! �I still needed time to work on my lectures for my WebDev1 class. �Part of what I do to prepare for class is to create a "for dummies" instruction sheet on how to execute and use different webdev tricks on Dreamweaver for my kids.

I get about two weeks of rest and it is back to school and work for me. �Hello, summer class!

Buried in work

Stress, we meet again, old friend. �It's been a while since you've been on my back.

I won't deny it, I find you exhilirating and motivating on one end, yet tiring at the same time.

And you had to bring your friend, Writer's Block, with you, didn't you? �Just to make it more challenging for me? �So here I am writing you a letter instead of working, just to de-stress for a tiny bit.

I'm glad I was able to finish that research paper for Research Seminar 1 (under Sir Dodi Dizon) with days to spare. �And that I had time to study for the final exam. �I also finished my book review on Inventing The Internet for my Information and Communication Technology class (under Dr. Malou Garcia) with more than a week to submission. �So now I have only 10 days left to work on the case study analysis and the communication plan for my Org. Culture class (under Sir Don Bernarte). �I'm doing my best not to freak out! �I know that if I keep calm I will be able to do it.

I still need to work on my lecture for this Thursday at Benilde. �My topics are DIVs, rollover, and spry. �I haven't done CSS code in a while so I need to refresh soon and fast!

Ok, Stress, you are starting to get to me again. �Here's the deal, I'll acknowledge you are there, you push me to do well and complete my work on time, and I promise not to go and do something crazy. �Deal?

While we are at it, could you please tell your friend, Writer's Block, that I need to work now, so please leave me? �Thank you.

Goodbye, Tito Fred

As if my family has not suffered enough my dad told me a few days ago that my Uncle Fred (Lumilan) who lives in Canada has passed away. �He had stage 4 cancer (I don't know what kind, sorry.)

He leaves behind my Aunt Cherry and my cousins Cecille, Christine, Cheryl, and Ted. �I don't know exactly how old he is but I would assume he was in his 60s only.

Tita Tindeng is in heaven now

It's been years since I spent any time with Tita Tindeng. �Ever since her Alzheimer's progressed to the point where she wasn't recognizing us anymore I found it difficult to be with her. �I felt sad because just months before she was very vital and alert. �Before she retired, she had reached her career peak as President of PICPA.

She was a very important person to the accounting community and to CEU (Centro Escolar University) where she was Dean of Commerce for many years.

She never married. �Instead she took care of her family. �She raised and put her siblings through school until all of them graduated from college. �Later she accepted their spouses as if they were her siblings, too. �Then she took care of her nephews and nieces and years later their spouses. �And she still had enough love for the "grandchildren".

Cleotilde G. Protomartir was the matriarch of the clan. �Everyone respected her, feared her, and loved her. �And now she's gone.

She was 89 years old when she passed away. �She was mere days shy of turning 90.

Tita Tindeng, we love you and we miss you, but we believe you are in a better place now. �Thank you for everything.