Today's a great day. One of the usual days in school, actually, except for the fact that God answered one of our prayers. Nope, I'm not yet pregnant, but the good news we got today is something really important to P and me.

Anyhow, today was also extraordinarily tiring. Was in school at 8:30am, tried to work on some stuff but caught in discussions with my colleagues. Had classes at 1030am to 12 noon. Lunchbreak, choir class (in which I'm the pretentious pianist), English class again, faculty meeting from 4:30 to 6:30, then that PETA-sponsored talk on Phil. Art History til 9pm. Had dinner at Wan Chai, grabbed a cup of Chai latte at Coffee Bean and now, trying to come up with a decent blog entry.

I'm tired and sleepy but I just wanted to make sure I'd write something today.

Oh and the kids are actually seriously working on the newsletter this time. It's amazing to see them--my editors--badgering their schoolmates about their articles. Kina-career he he.

Also in my eighth grade class, which is my most fun class, I felt that I didnt give them enough; like they wanted more. We started discussing Flowers for Algernon as a lesson on character development in fiction and point of view and truth be told, I wasn't as prepared for that class this afternoon, and I hate that. It's like I'm cheating my students and kids sense that.

I hope I'd be more focused on my work and on my writing. It's just about simply doing it, I know. Alright, I'm going to doze off any minute now. More on the next post.

28 and (trying to be) Fabulous

I turned 28 three days ago. I must say it was really a blessed day as 1) I had a steaming hot venti cup of Starbucks Sumatra and sweet birthday notes on a wad of Starbucks napkins on my desk waiting for me while they pretended not to notice me or cared about my birthday as I passed by them in the mess hall. After I read all their notes, I went to them feigning annoyance at them when they suddenly broke into a chorus of the birthday song; 2) P took me out for a Japanese lunch and 3) P's family gave me a dinner party and the best chocolate cake in the world. Last night, 4)my own family came over for another birthday salu-salo.

Of course, my family and friends' text messages made me feel so loved. Thanks to them for that.

All day long, I was searching inside me for that familiar birthday feeling that I used to feel as a kid--that giddy, excited tickle in your tummy, expecting great things to come. Iba na nga yata talaga pag tumatanda, right? Well, I can't wait when I turn 30. I guess that would feel different. It ought to.

I have so many things to be thankful for. P and I are still together, thank God, haha ;p Our families are doing well, and my work is something that I really love.

And now that I'm older, I still find myself having more wishes though. Life will be better I know. It ought to.

Hmmm, I don't like where this post is going so i better end it now. Happy birthday, tintin! It's been 28 years, can you believe that? : )

P and I rushed Papa (my father-in-law) to the NKI late this afternoon. He had just come from the dialysis center when Mommy called us up, telling us that Papa was having bad ab pains and was having body spasms. It turned out his potassium level has shot up and the doctors are suspecting dyspepsia. They were also concerned about his heart and his blood pressure was really high, too. Papa has had triple heart bypass years ago.

I wish I could be there with him at the hospital tonight...

***

I am so disappointed with my eleventh graders. Well, at least with the girls. I gave them a pre-test on The Grapes of Wrath today and all the girls DID NOT finish reading it because 1) they found it boring and dragging, and 2) they were just not interested in it. One of my best students who also happens to be a literature major in the making and a very good writer does not even have her own copy of the book!

It is not an easy read but I think it's one of the best American novels I've ever read. Nakakainis sila. How can I make them see its beauty? A part of me is challenged to really work hard and make them love it but another part of me, the tired and drained part, just wants to give up and give them boring lectures to just get it over and done with. Bad trip.

Same case with my ninth graders. One boy did not read To Kill A Mockingbird at all and was so shameless about it. Well, this book isn't really my favorite but I still think it suits the class not to mention it's in the curriculum.

These kids think that they always have to like what they read. If it's any consolation, I haven't had this problem with my classes before. Waldorf kids, at least my students that is, are readers. This time, though, they were just brats...

I have all sorts of creative lesson plans (this is Waldorf so everything should really be done creatively and not in the traditional, dead way) and activities for them. I just hope that they'd be able to see that literature doesnt always have to be "enjoyable". That's actually something that I always tell my students, that they can take literature apart and put it back together; to see our lives in it. Oh well, I hope something better comes up. This is a time when I badly need their enthusiasm or I'd just give up...