anyare?

sabi ko, i'll become as active as ever dito sa aking blog. however, the turn of events and the kind of work that i have made things hard. plus, wala pang internet connections na magagamit. so basically, my target of becoming active here in blogger dissipated in the air. nakakalungkot but i'm hopeful that there will still be chance to do one thing that i would want to do. sooon. real soon! but for now, i would like to share the view from my office's window during a fine sunny day. :)

Employed!

In a span of two days, the number of valid IDs that I have jumped from one to four. Aside from my Driver's License, i now have my BIR TIN ID, PhilHealth ID and of course my Professional License! wohooo! aside from that, i also now have my SSS number and my very own LandBank account. I  underwent medical check-ups and filled-up many forms as well.

And all that happened because of one very important thing - i'm EMPLOYED! yohooo! I'll be working with and for the DSWD Field Office V and i'm hoping for simply the best of the things to come with a little bit of extra challenge and opportunities to prove my worth as a person and as a professional. As a tribute to my status as a newly employed as a challenge to myself, i decided to change my twitter bio with words that fit my eagerness, excitement and enthusiasm for my job and my practice of profession. ;))))))

Wow Cubao!

Spent some time in Cubao going around SM Cubao, Gateway Mall and Ali Mall with Ruksii and Pareng MJ. After more or less six (6) hours, we ended up with the items pictured above. That's what we call Shopping Galore! Hahaha. Excited to do that again soon! :)))

siyanasiBUDOY

haha. madali akong kausap. :)

experience

11/19/11
been to the beautiful town of Casiguran in Sorsogon province to facilitate a personality development training for children and youth beneficiaries of the Green Valley Development Program and World Vision Development Foundation, Inc. the experience was exhausting and the hardest sa lahat ng training na nagfacilitate ako. but the tiredness is all worth it seeing from the children's faces that they learned something. plus, mas masaya dahil kasama ko ang mga kaibigan and i have received my first token as a facilitator. haha. :)

umpisa ng laban?

MY FIRST "HOMEWORK" FOR THE SECOND SEMESTER!

but not technically though, it's somehow a requirement for an extra-curricular undertaking i had way back July. haha. anyway, good thing i was able to produce a 25 pages reflection/insight paper for my art therapy experience. haha. well, joking aside, 3 pages lang ho. at nilabas ko na ang saloobin ko!

second semester schedule

second semester is up and running. this time, all my subjects are MAJOR! first week of classes, pagod na ako sa list of requirements! haha. anyway, i'm up for the challenge. i know i can do this! haha. ALL WILL BE WELL FOR SECOND SEMESTER!

realization 4

interviewing is never easy. right question should be asked, good follow-ups should be raised and non-verbal should always be guarded.

this photo on the left are some of the moments captured while we are interviewing in line of a requirement in Communication in Social Work course. i interviewed an alumna of the department while melvz interviewed street children who sells sampaguita in front of Pacific Mall. share lang. :D

rush

i just got home from Albay, specifically from BU though our semestral break actually started a week before or on the 18th to be particular. i can't blame anybody because the delay in my sought after semestral break is the product of undone academic requirements, heavy load of extra-curricular commitments and personal urges for me to stay in legazpi and have some bonding time with friends which fortunately pushed through in a from of a swimming/excursion in the resort town of Sto. Domingo in Albay.

well, i don't have any motivation in writing this post. haha. i just wanted to post for the sake of self-fulfillment or satisfaction amidst the ordinary stressful days that i have in legazpi coupled with cough, headache and colds thus, making me not so feeling well. and though i'm not that feeling well, i can say that i'm proud of myself because at least, i have performed what was expected of me as the president of the human welfare advocates. though i'm usually late in the morning, at least i was able to help in the facilitation of the community first aid training for the senior social work students plus self defense and i was able to share what i know about Art Therapy as speaker-facilitator during a re-echo seminar workshop.  but then again, i think that's not the reason why i wanted to post here.

hmmm. i remember! we, in bicol university still have our clearances to finished every after semester so that we can enroll for the next sem. something that doesn't exist in the most universities in manila and even in Naga as far as i know. it's as if, only in BU thing. and since i'm the president of all social work students of BUCSSP, i am one of the signatories for the clearance. feeling ko sikat ako dahil maraming humihingi ng autograph ko. come to think of it, i am the self-proclaimed john lloyd cruz of the social work department. haha. moving on, sympre sa pagpirma dapat responsible that's why i signed with vigilance at walang makakontra sa akin dahil takot sila sa akin lalo na ang mga lower years na come to think of it ay hindi pa naman ako nangangain and the last time i checked, i think i am approachable. nagkwento kasi si margie (a friend and the org's treasurer) na nagpumilit daw ang ibang lower years na magpapirma sa kanya at kahit sinabihan na niya na hindi siya pipirma dahil walang resibo (one of the requirements and resibo of payment sa org dues and the other ay ang legibly printed na pangalan ko sa tamang lugar. share lang) eh nagpumilit pa rin kaya pinirmahan niya na. samantalang ako, eh isang sabi ko lang na hindi ako pipirma, walang kumontra at nagmatigas ng ulo. bad trip! takot sila! masama ito! tsktsk. anyway...

ANG KASO:

alam ko nabinyagan na ako ng pangalan of all sorts. both yung medyo realistic na malapit sa pangalan ko at meron din namang halos walang konek na parang nakuha lang sa kanto ng leon sa aureus corner magsaysay ave, going somewhere down the road. ewan. pero isa sa pinakamalapit ay ang RUSH. the good ma'am chavez ang naalala ko sa rush, ngayon pati si madam france din rush ang tawag sa akin minsan at may isang ate na bininyagan na ako ng bagong pangalan, RUSH. haha. ewan. mahirap ba talaga ang four letter name ko? alam ko hindi na bago, pero this is the first time na written kaya sabi ko pagkakita ko, IBBLOG KO TO! kaya ni-blog ko na siya ngayon. haha. :D

resignation

if you have the patience to read my past blog posts, perhaps you know what blue feather society is and that i am the chancellor of the prestigious honor society in BU. things change now because i choose what i think i should do and what i think is right.

Supposedly, i will post this after being signed and approved by Dr. Lauraya but due to the usual process in the bureaucracy (i think), the president has yet to sign my resignation letter. Considering that it will be almost a month now after i formally submitted the letter, it would be good that everyone would know.

I hope you'll find time in reading my resignation letter, as to give light on why i choose to resign irrevocably. It is a pleasure working with you as your former chancellor and rest assured that i will always be in support for the officers and its society. Good day!

****************************************************************************

THE ORDER OF THE BICOL UNIVERSITY ORDER OF THE BLUE FEATHER SOCIETY
The Official Honor Society of Bicol University
Daraga, Albay

05 September 2011

Dr. FAY LEA PATRIA MATA – LAURAYA

Adviser, The Order of the Bicol University Blue Feather Society

SUC President IV, Bicol University

                            Through: Dr. BABY BOY BENJAMIN D. NEBRES III 

                                           Asst. Adviser, The Order of the BU Blue Feather Society

                                           University Scholarship, Financial and Grants-in-Aid Officer

Dear Dr. LAURAYA:

Greetings of Peace and Prosperity!

It is on March 2011 that the first cornerstone of the first honor society in Bicol University was laid on the ground through the First Scholars’ Assembly organized by the Office of Student Services through Dr. Baby Boy Benjamin Nebres III, gathering the top students of the different academic units of the university to select the would be interim officers of The Order of the Bicol University Blue Feather Society, the first honor society in the university and perhaps in the entire Bicol Region.  With pride and honor, I accepted the challenge to become the first president of the Society with the first mission of establishing a strong foundation for the Society as I am proud that together with my fellow interim officers, we have achieved what was expected of us through framing the Constitution and By-Laws of the Society.

After four months, the Second Scholars’ Assembly was called to adopt the Constitution and By-Laws prepared by the interim officers and to elect full pledged officers who shall lead the organization in forming its identity and attaining its vision of promoting excellence in scholarship, leadership, character and service in the entire university. Again, with pride and honor, I accepted the challenge to become the first-ever Chancellor of the Society.

Since my election to the office, I have yet to prove my worth and my capability in leading this prestigious organization to greater heights and making the BUeños proud and aware of its existence. Sadly and truthfully, I must accept the fact that I am failing myself, the Society’s members and I am failing the Society as a whole. It is as if it was caught on a standstill with just papers and officers to prove its existence, nothing more, nothing less. I must accept the fact that while I am proving myself in my department and the college as the president of the Human Welfare Advocates in BUCSSP, I am failing in the university as the chancellor of the Society.  Perhaps in simpler term, I must admit my incompetence as the chancellor of the Society.

In this regard, I am submitting my irrevocable resignation as the chancellor of The Order of the Bicol University Blue Feather Society: The Official Honor Society in Bicol University effective immediately due to the following reasons, to wit:

1. Incompetence to perform the duties expected of me as indicated above;
2. Conflict with some of the values that the Society wish to impart;
3. Desire to focus more on my studies and my extra-curricular commitments to my college and department; and
4. Personal reasons related to family which I do not wish to disclose.

Moreover, I would like to extend my appreciation to Dr. Baby Boy Benjamin D. Nebres III, the Society assistant adviser who unselfishly offered his time, ideas and efforts in organizing and guiding the Society, to the officers and members of the Order of the Bicol University Order of the Blue Feather Society who placed their trust to me since the First Scholars’ Assembly up to this day. I would also like to wish Mark Evan Aniel, the Society Vice-Chancellor for Internal Affairs, my constitutional and rightful successor all the best and that he may be able to fulfill the duties and responsibilities that I failed to meet and so as with all the officers of the Society. Rest assured that I will be supporting the Society one hundred percent in attaining its vision, mission and the purpose why it was founded.

Furthermore, before I end this resignation letter, I wish to convey three recommendations to the officers and to the administration as well on how the Society can be improved:

1. First, given the special nature of the organization as the official honor society of the university, it shall be accorded the same privileges given to the University Student Council as the Official Student Organization and Council of the whole of the university, The Bicol Universitarian as the Official University Publication and should not be simply regarded as just another university based organization left to stand on its own. Unlike other UBOs who get support outside the university, the Society must be supported by the university itself considering that the Society speaks of the best of Bicol University. For instance, financially, without the aid of the university, the Society can do less to become financially viable to create programs and projects especially that its members are academic scholars who perhaps worked hard for them to pay less tuition fee;
2. Second, political patronage must not be promoted in the Society by not allowing the nominations and eventual granting of honorary, emeritus and distinguished membership to politicians as a way to secure funds or funding. By doing so, the Society is sending the wrong message to the good breed of future leaders that Bicol University wish to produce; and,
3. Create and organize programs, with the aid of the University Administration who can encourage more BUeños to aspire to become a member of the Society and to do all things necessary to discourage the division that the Society could promote given that its members are branded as the crème de la crème of the university.

Again, my utmost gratitude and appreciation for this opportunity and my fervent wish for the Society’s success under a new leadership.

I am hoping for your favorable response regarding this matter and God bless!

Sincerely yours,

(SGD) RUSS DANIEL O. BALDOZA

Chancellor, The Order of the Bicol University Blue Feather Society

Recommending Approval:

(SGD) Dr. BABY BOY BENJAMIN D. NEBRES III

Assistant Adviser, The Order of the Bicol University Blue Feather Society

University Scholarship, Financial and Grants-in-Aid Officer

Approved:

Dr. FAY LEA PATRIA MATA – LAURAYA

Adviser, The Order of the Bicol University Blue Feather Society

SUC President IV, Bicol University

***i originally posted this in the facebook group page of BFS and there are some who leave their comments and some did...

while a member from BUPC chose to write on my wall... 

and these people make resignations regrettable. i owe them some appreciation but i must stand by my decision. ADIOS BLUE FEATHERS! i started with a happy heart and i leave with a heavy heart but with a smiling face looking in the future. wish them all the luck!

groupdy

one of the most challenging requirements that we had for first semester of our junior college life is the practicum in facilitation under the subject, Group Dynamics. well, honestly, i thought that Group Dy will be an easy subject for us to conquer and that only group dynamics activities will be done during the final period at first and I WAS WRONG.

we went out of the four corners of AH ICTC and went to what i consider as public secondary schools in located in rural Daraga (in our group's case). Banadero, Anislag and Bascaran National High Schools.

my group decided to conduct self-awareness activities, something that our public secondary high school system don't mind because values education is by the books which is something i deem improper. we choose self-awareness because adolescents in high school are experiencing identity vs role confusion (according to Erikson's Psychosocial Stages of Development). through the activities we had conducted, we want high school students to get to know more about themselves because in knowing more about themselves, they can become better persons and that's what we would want them to become - a better person in relation to others but more importantly to themselves.

honestly, the whole of it (at least 21 hours of exposure) was very, very, very tiring but at the end, the smiles of the participants, their exhibit of appreciation and positive feedback made everything (effort, financial expenses and others) worth it and even worth repeating for. more so, perhaps my dream of becoming a values education teacher someday in my alma mater ncshs provided motivation. haha. ewan. pero parang ganun yun. i'm happy that we were able to experienced this facilitation thing and i'll be glad to repeat it, if given the opportunity. i just hope that the kids we facilitated will become successful in knowing themselves more. :)

(ewan ko lang kung tama ang sentences ko dito but i hope the thought is correct and can be understood well)

fun. photos. lessons.

for the last couple of weeks, i'm having much lone times because everyone (my college friends) including me, seems busy with thesis and other requirements while ate dianne is in Naga because tapos na siya sa mga dapat niyang tapusin, sembreak na siya. that's why i would usually look for someone to accompany me for dinner. ang lungkot sa feeling ng mag-isang kumain. this time, kuya bjorn and mean joined me for dinner. actually, if i am right, kasama din dapat namin si ruksii and sime pero dahil umuwi na sila eh kami na lang ang naiwan. and since may camera si kuya bjorn, we started taking some shots and do whatever things we can like mean drawing the 'floorplan' of jollibee albay and pose in front of the camera with whatever we have in mind.

the simple fun evening of picture taking ended as a photography 101 session (someday, i'll be a professional photographer) with kuya bjorn teaching us what he knows with photography. ayos! the Dong-A My-Gel Pen shot above is the first shot i have wherein the focus is the focus emphasized by the blurred background. kung may pera lang ako, i would buy my SLR pero dahil wala pa ngayon, someday i will. :)

agony amidst the darkness

Today is the 5^th day of October, 2011. WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY! Kaya HAPPY TEACHERS’ DAY sa past and present mentors and professors ko simula pa noong isang hamak na bata pa lang ako. Well, the day started just right. Just right pero late pa rin ako sa aking 8:00 am appointment with Laisa. Sabi na nga ba at wag dapat magpapaniwala sa mga oras na sine-set ng College Student Council because the Surprise Tribute Program for the faculty members started at 9:15 am, 1 hour and 15 minutes late. Kakahiya sa faculty and nakakasayang ng effort. Well, maayos naman ang program and I did my part habang humihingal. As the president of HWA (organization of all social work students), I was asked to give a testimonial to our faculty members. English! Wohooo! Pero feeling ko mas benta kung Filipino or even Bicol pero at the back of my mind kahit anong language naman kasi what matters most is the content of the message. So yun, everything just turned out well with my personal favorite mentor winning the Female Fashionista Award for Faculty Members! Rock on si madam vidz!

In the afternoon, basag-ulo, bukas utak, pagod katawan at gutom tiyan ang epekto ng findings, diagnosis at findings and diagnosis sa paggawa ng case study. ANG HIRAP! After the subject, Sir Guab (ethics professor) meet us and naglabas ng hinanakit. Tsktsk. Anyway, pagkatapos ay nag-asikaso para sa group dynamics field exposure naming sa Friday kung saan magfafacilitate kami for the third and last time sa Bascaran National High School, which can be found in the upland Daraga. Ang topic: SELF-AWARENESS. Isa namang nakakapagod pero masaya at fulfilling na araw ang magaganap by helping the students become better individuals through knowing more about themselves.

Ngayon, sa baba ay mababasa ang blow-by-blow account ng pangyayaring hindi ko inaasahang mangyayari. BAD TRIP! Haha. Pero ayos lang.

5:30 PM – Pumunta sa LCC Daraga para magpaprint ng certificates para sa Friday.

6:00 PM – Hindi pa rin kami nakakapaprint  dahil sa technical error at madaming customers.

6:30 PM – Sa wakas ay piniprint na ang aming certificates.

6:35 PM – Binigyan ako ni angel ng pudding pie at nanlibre din si diane ng banana cake at pudding pie habang hinihintay ang certificates.

6:40 PM – Nag-shopping kami ni Diane (aka Ms. Beautiful) ng prizes for the Saturday activity.

6:50 PM – Sinabihan namin si kuya sa paprintan na icut ang certificates namin and he generously did.

6:52 PM – Pumunta si Diane sa department store para tumingin at bumili ng notebook na pandagdag sa prize.

6:54 PM – Bumalik siya at tinawag niya akong MAHAL <3 (pero actually, she was referring to the notebook na mahal daw at sa kabilang store na lang siya bibili)

6:57 PM – Natapos si kuya sa pag-cut at nagbayad kami ng bayad.

6:58 PM – Pumunta kami ng JY Department Store at bumili ng notebook.

7:00 PM – Pabalik na kami ng department para sa dagdag preparation at iba pang bagay.

7:10 PM – Nasa department na kami at nadatnan na nagpapraktis ang second year na magkakaroon ng showcase of talents sa Friday na hindi ko mapapanood. SAYANG!

7:15 PM – Nasa HWA kami at nagtatambay habang busy si MAHAL (diane).

7:17 PM – Drinamahan ko si triina dahil pinagpalit niya na ako kay sime gamit ang mga linya sa No Other Woman.

7:20 PM – Hinanap ko si Renna sa practice ng second year dahil gusto ko siyang makitang sumayaw pero hindi ko nahanap

7:25 PM – Naghahanap na ako ng ibang kabubusyhan at wala si renna.

7:30 PM – Dumating si madam vidz at sumugod kami sa kanya para sa pagpapirm ng certificates, nagkwentuhan, nagcopy ng mga movies, kumain ng biscocho, iminom ng tubig, pinanood si renna ng advocacy video na gawa ko para sa deviant psychology naming at kung anu-ano pang kalokohan kasama na ang kokology ni friend.

8:30 PM – Hinatid namin si madam vidz sa sakayan.

9:00 PM – Papunta na kaming FCG (First Colonial Grill) para kumain ng dinner.

9:40 PM – Tapos ang dinner. Home bound.

****DITO NA ANG MAINSTREAM AGONY******

9:50 PM – dumating ako at laking gulat ko ng sarado na ang gate ng nadatnan ko. Agad akong nagtanong sa mga tao sa baba kung sino ang may hawak ng susi pero wala pa daw. Send ako agad ng *808 kay ate Dianne at sa pinsan ko para sa tulong.

10:30 PM – zzzzzzz. Inaantok na ako habang nagpaplano ng over the bakod ko.

10:45 PM – may lumilipad na ipis na dumiretso sa mukha ko. Buti nakasara ang bibig ko. Madilim pero alam kong ipis yun. At nag-umpisag katihin ang bibig ko.

10:50 PM – sinilip ako ni bhem mula sa terrace after one hour pagkatapos kong mag *808, binaba niya ako at tinulungan ako sa pamamagitan ng pagkuha ng bag ko.

10:59 PM – desperado na ako at gustong-gusto ko ng umakyat. Maraming gagawin. Kung walang tambay, nag-over the bakod na ako.

11:00 PM – inaantok na ako habang naghihintay. Zzzzzzz

11:11 PM – Nagwish ako na sana makapasok na ako agad.

11:19 PM – dumating ang may hawak ng susi at presto, nakapasok din ako. Hugas bibig, sipilyo, blog at manonood ng movie na ako.

Well, ang bottomline lang ata ng walang kwentang post na ito ay naumpisahan ang araw ko sa paghihintay kaya natapos din siya sa pamamagitan ng pagpapahintay sa akon ng 1 hour and 20 minutes kung hindi ako nagkakamali. Aba! Ayos! Grabe ang patience ko. Haha. Pasensya! Pasensya! Pasensya! Speaking of pasensya, I was reminded of Mavic. Sino siya? Malalaman mo din sa takdang panahon. Good night! :)

world of goo

hindi ako nakontento sa mga galit na ibon, pinatulan ko din ang world of goo, a game about goos na dapat ay mahigop ng isang bagay na nanghihigop na parang ganun na yun. pero as usual, just after few games i'm not interested anymore. haha. come to think of it, ni hindi ko pa nga tapos ang angry birds. i feel i'm running out of patience in playing these games. hala! hahaha. :D

oktoberfest!

HELLO OCTOBER! :)

starting october (perhaps the busiest month for the first semester of AY 2011-2012)

with optimism and joy! KAYA TO!

art therapy

Last September 24, i had the opportunity to share before my batchmates the things i learned during our Art Therapy Seminar-Workshop in Manila (and attend princess Zarah's debut celebration as well). This time, i was one of the resource speakers and facilitators. As usual, masaya pero nakakapagod pero masaya naman talaga pag-Art Therapy. You'll get to know other persons like you've never known them before using colors, shapes coupled with their own interpretation pa. Happiness, ika nga. moreover, i am excited in sharing the knowledge about Art Therapy again to our BU Tabaco counterparts (social work students) before or during the semestral break, i guess.

well, naalala ko lang at natuwa lang ako sa mga pangyayari. a friend asked me kung ano ang mga issues ko sa buhay dala na rin siguro na hindi nila ako kasabay sa Art Therapy and the usual notion with me goes on, na walang problema si russ, na maligaya si russ, at si russ ay SuperRuss. pero sinagot ko siya ng diretso, sabi ko issues ko sa buhay? APPRECIATION and Love (ata), friend. haha. :D 

microblogging

Know what? I just decided to make this blog of mine, my own micro-blogging site. meaning, i will be posting short blog posts which could be attributed to my very busy academic life. wala lang. share lang. :)