Solemnity of Christ, the King

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on his head was a crown of thorns, not of gold.
in his hands were nails pierced to his flesh, not a royal staff.
in his body was blood poured for our salvation, not fine garments decked with jewels.
behind him was a heavy wooden cross, not a lofty regal throne.

he fed the hungry, he was not the one who must be fed.
he came to serve, not to be served.
he was available to all, not to a few.

the real king is not adorned in gold,
but christ on the cross.

Highlights of San Jose Seminary's 82nd Alumni Homecoming

Here is a short video presentation made by Rev. Raymund Cruz (Batch 2012, Tarlac) on the recently concluded 82nd Alumni Homecoming of San Jose Seminary, with the theme "Josefinos: Stewards of Christ in the spirit of PCP II." 

HAIL SAN JOSE!

Sinag goes for gold

(photo source)

sinag pilipinas had scary moments through three quarters of the game until they get their composure back and defeated malaysia, 103-74, to advance to the gold medal match against thailand.

ateneo blue eagle greg slaughter led sinag's scoring with 16 points, as malaysia had problems challenging the big man down the paint. cliff hodge and chris ellis, the duo from the nlex road warriors, combined for 19 points for sinag pilipinas. collegiate standouts rr garcia, jake pascual and nico salva remained steady in the offensive front as they scored 11 pointd apiece.

however, garvo lanete suffered a shoulder injury during the game. he might miss the next game against thailand, which will be for the men's basketball championship in the biennial meet.

there were times in the game when malaysia even took the lead from the philippines and sinag just can't pull away earlier in the game just like they did against cambodia, vietnam, and thailand. but consecutive three point plays from chris tiu and jake pascual early in the third quarter sparked a 15-3 run that helped the team claim the victory.

in fairness to malaysia, which fielded players from the westport kuala lumpur dragons of abl fame, they were aggressive in offense through three quarters - attacking the rim, exploiting height mismatches against smaller and younger filipinos, and getting the shots from both the three point range and the charity stripe. in fact, they had more free throw attempts than sinag throughout the game. it seems that the malaysians did their homework by scouting sinag pilipinas well. however, the adjustments made by coach norman black after three quarters caught them by surprise and eventually held them to just 14 points in the final quarter.

once again, every player in sinag's rotation scored in this game. but i give credit to chris tiu for his leadership on court especially in those stretches when malaysia was threatening to upset sinag. since kiefer ravena was mismatched against older and taller malaysian guards, tiu used his experience in international basketball against his malaysian rivals. he might have only scored 7 points in this game, but it was that and-one play and three pointer that bolstered sinag's play in the fourth quarter.

i fell asleep by the end game (with all the work we did for the alumni homecoming) when sinag already led by 15 points midway through the fourth quarter. but i read in the news that a malaysian player hit kiefer ravena with a closed fist in the head towards the end of the game. these malaysians might have just fueled the fire for the philippines' drive for gold as they take on thailand next game.

what could be a concern for sinag pilipinas in their gold medal match is the spotty officiating in the past two games. the number of free throw attempts by their opponents may point to two things: it's either the opponent attacked the rim a lot or the referees blew their whistle too frequently in the game. discovery perlas ng pilipinas, their female counterparts, fell prey to some interesting calls in the endgame of their gold medal match against thailand, including the three pointer at the buzzer which they claim should have only been a two as the thai player stepped on the line. referees and their calls are part of the proverbial breaks of the game, but if philippines want to win it clean, they have to come out the locker room with guns ablaze and thrash thailand on sunday. they might as well avenge perlas' loss to the thai women's basketball team in the process.

The Scores:

Sinag Pilipinas 103 – Slaughter 16, Hodge 12, Garcia 11, Pascual 11, Salva 11, Parks 8, Ellis 7, Tiu 7, Lanete 7, Monfort 6, Ravena 5, Marcelo 2.

Malaysia 74 – Batumalai 24, Kwaan 11, Ooi 10, Wee 8, Ng 7, Chee 5, Kuppusamy 5, Loh 2, Wong 2, Lau 0, Ong 0, Kuek 0.

Quarters: 23-19, 44-41, 73-60, 103-74

Maligayang pagbabalik, mga anak ni San Jose!

photo courtesy of dino tariman

photo courtesy of fr. didoy molina

 

photo courtesy of fr. arnie bugtas sj

HAIL SAN JOSE!

TIMEOUT: Please don't give me that look :|

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kd4 - december 3

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air jordan 14 "last shot"retro - december 17

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air jordan 11 "concord" retro - december 23

this coming christmas season is the worst time to be unemployed...

IMBA pa rin

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sinag pilipinas rolled past its opponents in the men's basketball competition in the 26th southeast asia games with two resounding victories in the past two days.

yesterday, philippines led more than vietnam scored, 107-53. greg slaughter, the tallest basketball player in the competition, scored 20 points, hauled 6 rebounds, and had 2 blocks. rayray parks, reigning uaap mvp, was also impressive with a 19 point performance.

we all know that basketball is not (yet) vietnam's sport, but most of the players in their national squad will be part of the team called saigon heat in the forthcoming asean basketball league season this january. still, sinag, bolstered by collegiate and pba-dl standouts, outworked the taller and older opponents from the other side of the sea.



and today, philippines beat perennial contender thailand, 103-69. the 34 point lead is the slimmest margin so far among sinag's games. this time, it was cliff hodge's time to lead the team in scoring with 15 points. kiefer ravena continued to provide numbers that would bring smiles to fantasy basketball gms: 14 points on 6/9 field goal shooting including 3 treys, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. the thai national team was composed of players from the chang thailand slammers in the abl but are still outplayed by the younger and faster filipinos.

as i mentioned in a previous post, i'm still looking forward to see "real" competition to test the team. i would love to see how coach norman black's system has been adapted by players coming from various collegiate teams as well as two additional d-league players. but since this is the sea games, we will most likely be dominating like a big fish in a small pond. it may take a little more time and development for us to play with the rest of the ocean predators in asia and the world.

The Scores: 

November 15, 2011

Philippines (107) - Slaughter 20, Parks 19, Ellis 11, Lanete 11, Marcelo 9, Pascual 8, Ravena 8, Hodge 8, Salva 4, Tiu 4, Monfort 3, Garcia 2

Vietnam (53) - H. Nguyen 11, N. Le 10, Trieu 8, Doan 7, Duong 7, Hoang 6, Ngo 2, Vu 2

Quarters: 32-4, 59-23, 84-41, 107-53

November 16, 2011

Philippines (103) - Hodge 15, Ravena 14, Salva 12, Slaugther 11, Ellis 11, Parks 10, Lanete 8, Garcia 7, Monfort 6, Tiu 6, Marcelo 3

Thailand (69) - D. Apiromvilaichai 12, Klahan 11, Kaedum 8, Kongkum 8, Jantuma 7, Sangthong 6, Lertmalaiporn 5, Kruatiwa 5, Dasom 3, D. Apiromvilaichai 2, Ghogar 2

Quarterscores: 37-21; 54-34; 75-49; 103-69

TIMEOUT: On the Diocesan Priesthood

photo courtesy of fr. didoy molina

join us.

IMBA

(photo source)

sinag pilipinas, the philippine basketball team competing in the 2011 southeast asian games, razed its cambodian counterparts with a 59 point blowout, 127-68.

the team shot a blistering 71% from the field, with every member of the lineup lighting up the scoreboard, 7 of them even scoring in double figures. kiefer ravena led the pack with 17 points on 8/8 shooting as rr garcia, garvo lanete, nico salva, dave marcelo, chris ellis, and rayray parks also scored in double figures for sinag pilipinas.

it was a delight watching sinag play together, despite only practicing with each other for only three weeks. competing against professional basketball players from their asean counterparts, this team is relatively young yet loves to run and has an advantage in terms of basketball iq. under coach norman black, defense is the forte of the team, and such is evident in the manner they outrebounded, outran, and outhustled the opponent.



of course, one can say that "it's just cambodia", but this game served as a good preparation for sinag as they face "tougher" opponents in the competition. it would be nice to see them play against "real" competition though in the years to come.

finally, it was nice to see an all-ateneo five on the floor at one part of the game: greg slaughter at center, salva at pf, chris tiu at sf, ravena at sg, and emman monfort at pg. though armchair coaches in the internet have raised eyebrows on the number of ateneo players in the line-up, i have to say that these players have been well-accustomed with the coach's system. they might not have much offensive firepower as others, but they follow the team concept of playing. besides, statistically, these players are quite efficient - in scoring, fg%, assist-turnover ratio, etc. - compared to other players who can score chunks yet can throw more bricks along the way. in the end, it's about efficiency and team play that will lead this team to another gold medal finish.

The scores:

Philippines (127) – Ravena 17, Garcia 16, Lanete 15, Salva 14, Marcelo 12, Ellis 12, Parks 10, Tiu 9, Hodge 9, Pascual 6, Monfort 2.

Cambodia (68) – Sophoeun 24, Pek 24, Boroth 15, Kim, V. 3, Kim 0, Sovann 0, Meas 0, Monh 0, Lov 0, Chom 0.

Quarterscores: 35-20; 61-39; 93-56; 127-68

TIMEOUT: A Postscript on Pacquiao-Marquez III

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“The secret to happiness is to face the fact that the world is horrible”

- Bertrand Russell

TIMEOUT: Philosophy and Boxing mix together

"Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich stärker"

 - Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

"Twilight of the Idols" (1888)

11 basketball wishes for 11/11/11

 

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today is november 11, 2011 - or in pop culture, 11-11-11. i'm not really a fan of superstition and numbers, but some people consider this day to be a lucky one, while others don't really give a damn. nonetheless, this phenomenon won't happen again in a century, and that perhaps is the reason why a lot of people are making a fuss out of it.

they say 11/11/11 is a good day to make wishes. this might just be my lucky day to wish some things for the love of basketball, and lady luck might just smile upon me. who knows? anyway, here are 11 wishes - all basketball-related - that i have for 11/11/11.

AND 1: Kampante

what do allan evangelista, tim duncan, and bojan bogdanovic have in common except playing basketball?
mga kampante sila.

what are your prosthetic arms? (sapi's best with jessica cox)

the san jose seminary community was graced with the presence of ms. jessica cox tonight for a special talk sponsored by the social advocacy and political involvement committee. she is known as the world's first licensed armless pilot as listed in the guinness book of world records. she also holds a black-belt in taekwondo, can surf and scuba dive, drive a car, and a lot of other things that normal people can do. she talked about how she achieved her goals in life by acceptance, overcoming fear ("false evidence appearing real"), and being a blessing to others through small things.

one of the things that struck me in tonight's talk was what she shared regarding her experience on wearing prosthetic arms. when she was young, she tried putting on prosthetic arms to somehow address her situation. one day, on her way to school, she accidentally left her "arms" at home. when she rode the school bus, she never felt so light and easy. actually, she found wearing them to be heavy and burdensome for her as they weigh around ten pounds. from then on, she decided not to use those prosthetic arms anymore.

she concluded with a question: what do you consider the prosthetic arms in your life? what are the things that if you let go can actually make you feel light and free, and eventually make you do more and be more?

AND 1: Basketball never stops

even in my schedule, basketball never stops.

Leather Bound

i have not been much of a music person growing up, with both my feet turning left and my fingers too crooked to make a bar on the fret. i only learned to play the guitar in the latter part of my college years, though i already know how to play songs with simple chords as early as grade 6. there was early attempt to be in a band called g minor together with fellow minor seminarians - as a vocalist. and in my first few years in san jose, i also became part of that famed acoustic band that often took over the stage of any resident band's performance in bonfire grill in marikina riverbanks.

one of the high points of my stay in xavier was being part of a band. together with peers in the faculty room, we just had an impromptu jam session in one of those hidden studios in the streets of little baguio, and voila, we have a band. we even had a gig at the now-defunct mag:net bar in katipunan, and it was forgettable to say the least. to redeem ourseleves, we decided to join a competition among the school's faculty and staff entitled "xavier's got talent" where we performed for sm gift cheques. hahaha!

before i forget, our band had a name: leather bound.

AND 1: i want my nba (part II)

too much basketball action, no nba games to watch. please end this lockout and let me defend my xs fantasy basketball title!

Shine on us

shown to us last night during our recollection points with fr. teodulo gonzales sj.
may the lord continue to shine on us in our todays and tomorrows! god bless!

Feast of Saint Charles Borromeo

(photo source)

silang man sa kayamanan, sa 'sang angkang may pangalan
di binigyang halaga ang buhay na maginhawa

buhay ay tinalaga sa paglilingkod sa kanyang kapwa
ang tangi niyang kayamanan pag-ibig sa diyos na mapagmahal

san carlos, san carlos kami ay ipanalangin!
san carlos, san carlos kami ay ipagdasal!

happy feast day of saint charles borromeo, reformer of the church and patron of seminarians!

happy feast day also to my fellow karlistas! HUMILITAS!

AND 1: i want my nba

since the nba and the players association still can't decide on how to break this lockout, i have no other choice but to watch highlights of retro nba games like this one.

please settle the lockout. i want my nba. and i want to defend my nba fantasy basketball championship this season.

on a positive note, it's nice to take a look at some of the nice kicks sported by players way back in 1996: jordan 11 (which will release this december), penny 1 (which i copped last march), air uptempos (worn by scotty pippen, ron harper, and some magic players on the black colorway), and of course, shaqnosis (a classmate of mine used to have this way back in the minor seminary).

with that, just like you, i ask the same question:

Back in the Home of the Sons of San Jose

photo by fr. arnulfo bugtas sj

TIMEOUT: what kept me busy this week II

ParDS general assembly (oct. 25, st. joseph parish, tambo)

ParDS audience with bishop jesse mercado (october 28, presentation of the child jesus parish)

blessing of tombs (november 1, manila memorial park)

TIMEOUT: What Catholics should know about respect for the dead, the souls in purgatory, and cremation

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saw this from my facebook notes two years ago. it's worth the read especially for those with questions regarding our yearly visit to our departed loved ones (which is commemorated in the philippines on november 1 - feast of all saints)

Anyway, I will be assisting in the blessing of tombs in Manila Memorial Park on November 1, 2011 together with the rest of the Paranaque Diocesan Seminarians (ParDS). For those who have their departed loved ones in the area, please feel free to contact me (through FB or SMS) so we can pray for them and bless their tombs.

Why do Catholics pray for the dead? 
We Catholics believe in the power of love. Love is present among us who live on earth. But love does not stop after a person dies. Love can reach even into the after life. After death, it is possible to experience a reciprocal giving and receiving. Our affection for each other continues even after death has occurred. Our dead brothers and sisters “seem, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace…yet their hope full of immortality” (Wisdom 3:3-4). This means that the departed are alive in the eyes of God. “He is not God of the dead but of the living” (MK12:27). Prayers for the dead reflect this fundamental Christian belief that through the love of Christ, we are still connected to those who have gone before us.

another title for the blue eagles

the ateneo blue eagles add another championship to 2011 by winning the 16th psc university games basketball championship. with the "big" manila-based teams not participating in the event, the blue eagles are undoubtedly the favorites to win the competition even without the following key members of the team: greg slaughter, nico salva, kiefer ravena, emman monfort, and coach norman black (training with sinag pilipinas); oping sumalinog and bacon austria (playing for adamson-freego in the pba d-league); frank golla (out with illness); and kirk long (graduation break? haha!).

the team was impressive during the competition, winning mostly by double digits and sporting their patented pesky defense on teams who relied much on physical play. this could be a good ground to further develop the likes of jp erram (he displayed a good touch in his mid-range jumper and was rattling the rim with vicious dunks against hercor college jaguars), gwynne capacio (he will surely get into the rotation next season), and juami tiongson (he led the blue eagles in scoring in most games). of course, justin chua and tonino gonzaga continued their brilliance and veteran presence with a team comprised of eight team glory b players. if joma adornado and paul siarot develop in the off-season, we might see them in our drive for five next season.

so far, the team has won several titles this year, including their first fil-oil pre-season championship, their 4th straight uaap championship, and the uni-games championship. they are heavy favorites for the philippine collegiate champions league and we do hope they win it for a record third consecutive year.

Paranaque Diocesan Seminarians (ParDS) in Mission Possible 5

here's a video featuring the participation of Parañaque Diocesan Seminarians ParDS during Mission Possible 5 (MP5) last october 22, 2011.

presented during pards general assembly last october 25, 2011 at st. joseph parish, tambo, paranaque

TIMEOUT: what kept me busy this week

"Praedica verbum insta opportune, importune." - 2 Timothy 4:2
INSTA Volume 71 Numbers 1 and 2... coming this november!

Pagninilay sa Taxi

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may mga bagay sa buhay na tulad ng taxi.
kung kailan hindi mo kailangan, tsaka nandyan.
kung kailan mo naman kailangan, tsaka wala.
ano ba yan.

Gawing Langit ang Mundo

bahagi ng homiliyang ibinahagi sa pagdiriwang ng ika-29 na linggo sa karaniwang panahon sa parokya ng santo cristo de las pinas.

ibigay kay cesar ang kay cesar, at ibigay sa diyos ang sa diyos.

lahat tayo ay may kanya-kanyang responsibilidad hindi lamang sa lipunan ng tao ngunit lalung-lalo na sa bayan ng diyos.

ang hamon ng ating ebanghelyo ngayon ay magtulungan at magkaisa upang gawing langit ang mundo.

finally home :)

"Home is not where you live, but where they understand you”

- Christian Morganstern

TIMEOUT: teen read week

teen read week has been one of the most anticipated events of the school year at xavier. as a program of the english department, it aims at promoting the "lost art" of reading to xavierians. one of the highlights of this week is the "dress me a literary" event where teachers, and eventually students, are asked to wear a costume based on a literary character, preferably from a book that students can easily identify.

during the first edition of dress me a literary, i wore a pharaoh costume because the week actually coincides with our lesson on the book of exodus. since then, i was known to high 1 students as "pharaoh" especially to my first and second batch of students. the year later, i dressed up as darth vader to coincide with my advisory class' "star wars" concept.

personally, this is one of the things i will miss in xavier. it brings much excitement to see fellow teachers do some sort of "cosplay" at least once a year. though san jose has been notoriously known for its "costume party" masses, the practice was unfortunately "outlawed" after the first class sponsored mass of the year. well, we still have the annual picnic for all our costume making and wearing needs.

since today is "dress me a literary" day in xavier, here's my advisory class' performance in last year's culmination of teen read week!

Josefino (once again) named New Archbishop of Manila

from the San Jose Seminary website

San Jose Major Seminary joins the Archdiocese of Manila in welcoming the news of the appointment of our esteemed alumnus, His Excellency, Most Rev. Luis Antonio G. Tagle, D.D., as the 32^nd Archbishop of Manila. The appointment was announced at the Vatican today, October 13, at noontime (6:00 P.M. Manila time).

Bishop Tagle succeeds His Eminence Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales, D.D., also an alumnus of San Jose Seminary (Batch 58), who retires after eight years of service in the country’s primatial see.

Bishop Tagle finished his undergraduate degree in Philosophy at San Jose Seminary and Ateneo de Manila in 1977 and his Masters degree in Theology in the same seminary and Loyola School of Theology in 1982.  He earned both degrees, summa cum laude.

On this important occasion, Bishop Tagle declared:

"His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI appointed me, a humble servant, to succeed His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales to the Metropolitan See of Manila. I face this heavy responsibility with much trepidation. Leaving the Diocese of Imus, my beloved home, at the threshold of its Golden Jubilee is not easy. But faith in the gracious Lord and love of the Church give me strength. I know that I would find much good will and zeal for mission in the clergy, religious and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Manila. In our openness to the Holy Spirit, we could render a joyful and robust witness to Jesus Christ, all for the glory of the Father and the good of the Church and of society, especially of the poor. I entrust the Archdiocese of Manila and my ministry to the loving care of our Lady, Mary Immaculate."

We congratulate Cardinal Rosales for his accomplished service to the Archdiocese and to the local Church in the Philippines. We pray for and wish our dear Archbishop-Elect Tagle many happy and fruitful years of ministry in his new assignment.

Hail San Jose!

TIMEOUT: a friendly message from Fritskie

just like fritskie, i can finally get some sleep.

AND 1: Blue Eagles 4peat Bonfire Video

FINALLY! i've been looking for this video since sunday!

TIMEOUT: AMDG

sa panahon ng exams, tandaang ang mga letrang AMDG:
"ad majorem dei gloriam"
at... "ayaw mag-aral di ga-graduate!"

TIMEOUT: Dogs go to heaven too

while at mass in gesu yesterday, i received yet another shocking news of death in our household. chowchow, the only female dog in the house and the last of our three original dogs, already joined al ghozi, moe, and pocknut in dog heaven. it has been a sad week for our household dogs, i guess.

(photo source)

i stumbled upon this photo in the internet containing 10 canine commandments. such should serve as a reminder to me on how i should value dogs - more than just a pet but as a best friend of sorts. i actually want to take care of a dog when i have my own parish soon. even if i still have josie (the seminary dog) and kicker (our family dog) to take care of, these 10 commandments post as a challenge for me to really value and take care of them.

interestingly, when moe died last february, "molly and me" was being shown at hbo. and my tears just flowed instantaneously. when i get home this friday, i will surely miss their presence in the house, especially because i'm the one in charge of feeding them daily. but i will surely see them in heaven, together with members of our family who have gone ahead, some of the greatest people in world history, as well as a bottle of san miguel beer. as a friend of mine commented, i'll see moe, ghozi, pocknut, and chowchow someday playing around the meadows in the nearby rainbow bridge.

FIRST 5: 5 thank you's for the 4-peat

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mission accomplished. the ateneo blue eagles won their fourth consecutive uaap men's basketball championship exactly a week ago, and the experience of winning never really gets old. nonetheless, this championship was not give on a silver platter. players worked hard to win, coaches planned and run practices to perfection, and games were waged like wars - with the blue and white emerging victorious in the end. and so, here are five people who have been instrumental in the team's four-peat feat this season:

A call for help for victims of Typhoons Pedring and Quiel

Reposted from Fr. Ted Gonzales SJ's Facebook post

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS TO ASSIST IN DISASTER RESPONSE MANAGEMENT
The Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan is currently building its volunteer base for disaster relief operations. At the moment, volunteer tasks include:

Command Center Operations (ADMU-based) – will monitor updates from affected areas, help receive and channel volunteers where necessary; coordinate with suppliers and deployed volunteers; document needs assessed and services delivered.

Deployment of Relief Goods – will travel to affected areas to accompany delivery of relief goods. Must be prepared and willing to travel to affected areas. No need for own vehicle, but if willing to volunteer a vehicle/drive (possibly within Metro Manila or to Northern Luzon, as per availability and willingness) – this will be a big help.

Time / commitment from volunteers may range from 1 day to a few hours a day over the next 2-3 weeks as we continue to respond to appeals from communities affected by Pedring and Quiel.

Anyone interested in helping with the above or through other means should kindly contact Br. Mark Lopez,SJ. 0915.2200330, mark.lopez.sj@gmail.com or 4266101 loc. 3440 or 426-5968.

Upon doing so, your name will be put in our data base and we will get back to you as soon as deployment to specific tasks will be necessary.

Maraming salamat po!

TIMEOUT: Bahala na si Batman

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4 oral exams.
3 term papers.
1 greek exam.
1 recording.
1 final presentation.
sa mga panahon ng exam at pagtapos ng papers, kaw na ang bahala sa amin.

R.I.P. Pocknut

Yesterday, on the eve of the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals, Pocknot, one of our dogs joined Moe and Al Ghozi in Dog Heaven.

As my sister said, "he had a hard life, but he is a fighter and he never gave up, until yesterday."

Bye Pocky. Rest well, we will miss you!

Missing A-Day

one of the things that i will surely miss as a former teacher in xavier school is the appreciation day. known to most as a-day, this is the time of the year when the boys of xavier high pull out something really spectacular for their 'chers. well, it's not hard to love and appreciate xavier students despite all their antics in the classroom. but a-day is that time when students take the extra mile to show how much they appreciate our work and person in school.

here's a trip down memory lane to the three a-days that i experienced in xavier school.

my very first a-day was quite special. more than the ateneo blue eagles winning their first of four straight uaap basketball championships the night before a-day, it was the first time i experienced such a celebration for teachers. the "vacation" concept was quite creative and cute: i came to school with the boys taking me to the "airport" (the lobby converted as such, with the elevator turned into a plane). a student of mine was the flight attendant and provided some "unexpected turbulence" by rocking the elevator! at the third floor, a bunch of students composed of the class presidents of each class gave a flower necklace to the teachers and staff. but what caught my attention was the gift they gave to us: a clipboard (which i still use until now) with some small notebook containing messages from students! awww, it was so cheesy! i was reading the notes from the boys and i was amused with their comments ranging from "sorry cher for being noisy and inattentive in class" and "thanks for being the best angas CLE teacher."

my second a-day was spent with one of the memorable classes i handled, h1a. they are memorable because they are a rowdy bunch of students but they changed for the better by the end of the year. the celebration may not be as memorable as the first year (the concept unfortunately escapes my memory while writing this entry), but the gift i got that year - a tumbler with my name - is something that i use in the seminary until this very day. of course, i still kept the small notebook of cheesy notes from my students. hahahaha!

my last a-day was ironically my first as a class adviser. a few days before a-day, i was not in good terms with my class due to their behavior in the classroom. other sections actually invited me to join their a-day celebration instead. but my class pulled quite a surprise: they had this cake with the words inscribed "we're sorry mr. crisostomo, happy a-day!" it had to be the most touching gift i ever received as a xavier teacher. hahaha! they also had a short video presentation for the teachers of their section.


the video used to be in youtube, but since i can't find it, i just posted the last part. you just have to tilt your head a bit though. hahahaha!

this year, i got the annual a-day pin courtesy of dandi who gave it to me during our invitational dinner last week. i guess the pin's caption says it all: i transform lives daily. i am a teacher. though i'm now at the other side of the classroom as a student, my experience as a teacher is something that i will always cherish and remember. and of course, as a priest someday, it is part of our ministry not just to teach people but to ignite the light of the people's faith and let it shine to the rest of the world.

on a final note, i was tagged by one of this videos by my former students. interestingly, they were the first batch of students i taught in xavier. they are now in their final year in high school. time flies fast!



happy appreciation day! LUCEAT LUX!

where's wally?

the four championship runs of the ateneo blue eagles have been photo opportunities for me and my friends in the ateneo sports shooters' website (fabilioh.com). however, it seems that every year i have this "where's wally?" type of photo that somehow finds its way to the pages of fabilioh.

this is a challenge for people with 20/20 vision, or better yet, for those who can afford to waste some of their luxurious time. hahahaha!

here's a helpful tip: in all pictures, i wear an ateneo jersey of the current season, featuring my favorite color and number. let's see if you can spot me in these photos! GOOD LUCK!

NOTE: click photos to enlarge!

uaap season 72: ateneo vs. ue (game 1)

uaap season 73: ateneo vs. feu (game 1)

uaap season 73: ateneo vs. feu (game 2)

uaap season 74: ateneo vs. feu (game 2)

P.S. i will post my write-up on the blue eagles' four-peat when i finish more "pressing" stuff, like two term papers, a counseling interview, and my laundry. hahahaha :)

AND 1: Mission Accomplished

(photo source)

BLUE EAGLE, THE KING!

Today's Wishes

first, i wish the best to my former students in xavier school, especially my former advisees (h1h 2010-2011) as they receive the sacrament of confirmation today. this sacrament formally opens a new chapter in your commitment, growth, and maturity in the catholic christian faith. may the power of the holy spirit inspire, guide, and transform you as you write pages in this new chapter of your life.

second, i wish the best to my contemporaries in san carlos seminary - rev. herbert camacho (my classmate), rev. edric bedural (my jabuk), and rev. kristoffer habal (a contemporary) - for their ordination to the priesthood this morning. may you have a fruitful ministry as priests in the archdiocese of manila! please continue to pray for me as i continue to persevere in responding to god's call in the seminary.

(photo source)

and finally, i wish the best to the ateneo blue eagles for game 2 of the uaap seniors' basketball finals in the afternoon! i hope to witness history today as the team goes for its fourth consecutive seniors' basketball championship. as i mentioned before, every game should be taken as an elimination game. i hope you guys win this one, because i, like many others, want to move on with their lives. hahahaha!