https://www.istorya.net/forums/blog.php?65876-A-Recluse-Out-of-the-Hinterlands en Sun, 17 May 2026 21:11:30 GMT vBulletin 300 https://www.istorya.net/forums/images/metro/blue/misc/rss.jpg https://www.istorya.net/forums/blog.php?65876-A-Recluse-Out-of-the-Hinterlands https://www.istorya.net/forums/entry.php?2536-Sembreak-A-Week-of-Drama-and-Diguise Thu, 29 Oct 2015 08:24:10 GMT "Yes!"

This sign of affirmation is one of the few words that are now screaming
at the top of each student's lungs, for they have been granted a
temporary break from the haggard of early morning rush and the
chaos inside the four-cornered walls of a classroom.

Semestral break spells bliss to almost every student who couldn't get
enough from the flooding quizzes, projects, reports to the mind-bleeding exams.
It is one of the anticipated weeks where students
get a chance to expose themselves to longer hours of deep slumber
(and maybe even to sunlight too ^_^).

Though, sembreaks are mostly short-term, students really savor
these days and mostly get the hang out of it, by attending parties,
outings, get-aways, vacations and out-of-town trips. Some even
retire to their comfortable bed and spend most of the time reading books or
novels, watching television, or envisioning themselves of their dream
wedding or a trip to the moon.

However, there are those few students who couldn't actually grasp the
magnitude of what the majority labelled as "sembreak".
Students who are stuck with work, barely grasp freedom on all shapes
and sizes. They are likely being tangled with fate until the time when
they'll be freed from their imaginary shackles. They envy the "normal"
students and feast their eyes on paper-works and move their way out
of errands that seem to last forever. They find momentarily bliss in the
smiles of others or in the company of a friend. They are set to have this
misery and gratefulness at the same time.

In my case, two years ago, I had the very same feeling of what is it like
to be deprived of having a sembreak. Requirements were lining-up, from
clearances to exams, all were candidates to an uneasy and a ruthless week
(not mentioning the holidays). And while the real world poses a threat to a
laid-back and an unstressful life, being in the OJT state is not far away from
being there.

Unlike any occasions and holidays, a semestral break brings extreme delight to
children, where they could play like there's no tomorrow without the thought of
school and homework.

Sembreak is supposedly the week of merriment. A week to relax and to chill-out.
A week to recover from sleepless nights and all-nighters. A week to meditate.
A week to work-out and get back into shape. A week to decide from things
that are holding you back. A week to see yourself in someone else's shoes.
A week full of plans that couldn't meet your schedules.
And a week you try to hold-on and wish it would never let go.

It would be best to let semestral break do its job rather than feeling sunken and suicidal with the side-lines and stuff you're involved.

At least, we are all thankful ( or are we?) that such week exists and that it really help us drag to our comfort zones again.

Yes, it might just be only for a few days, but it's somehow therapeutical and remedial.

Who couldn't say NO to that? ]]> Peenut https://www.istorya.net/forums/entry.php?2536-Sembreak-A-Week-of-Drama-and-Diguise https://www.istorya.net/forums/entry.php?2412-One-Beat-One-Dance-One-Vision Wed, 15 Oct 2014 02:40:33 GMT January spells, vibrant, picturesque and magnificent to tourist and local alike whenever they visit Cebu, the Queen City of the South. Fiesta banners and mini-flaglets already lined-up the streets in the first two week of January, getting ready for the grandest Festival in the Philippines, Sinulog.
Hotels are fully booked, restaurants are full and balik-bayan presents are screaming sale in every malls in the city.

Since I was kid, it was a tradition to witness the Sinulog festival, whether in the streets or just watching television at home.

I hope this upcoming year, Sinulog will give me a different perspective about the festival. Not the clogged streets piled up with both people and vehicles nor a congested network where people had a hard time of reaching out through their mobile phones.

Albeit, I still want some of the festival's highlights to remain as it is.
The beat of the instruments, the chant of the dancers, the howl of the crowd, and the experience of a lifetime are among what makes Sinulog at its best.

I look forward to Sinulog 2015. And yes, Sinulog is truly the mother of all festivals, a true-blue mouth-watering event packed with emotions, choreography, colors, people and life. ]]> Peenut https://www.istorya.net/forums/entry.php?2412-One-Beat-One-Dance-One-Vision https://www.istorya.net/forums/entry.php?2047-Hang-in-there Wed, 02 Jan 2013 05:46:01 GMT We are too young to know that if we hang in there, our troubles, whatever they are, will pass.


Of course, I do not believe that all problems will pass with time. However, one does have a point to think that MOST problems pass with time. It isn't that they simply disappear. It's just that with time, we somehow work them out or situations change in such a way that what was once a problem is no longer.

The ability "to hang in there" is a big "IF". The main reason why people fail to solve their problems is that they give up trying. Difficulties and obstacles have a way of wearing us down. The resistance that arises and blocks our path creates stress and tension that tires even the strongest. There is need to have a very strong character and a gutsy personality to stand up to this kind of pressure over an extended period of time.

However, this ability to continue and not turn back is a condition for success in conquering problems. Without it, one would have to hope that a quick resolution can be found. Now, some difficulties need lots of time and sustained effort. To overcome them, it will be necessary to fight a good battle. These problems just do not allow shortcuts and quick solutions.

It takes a certain degree of maturity to understand this. It calls for a level of understanding that many people have not yet reached. It means making connections. It also is the result of personal observation, a kind of awareness of what reality is all about.

Those who fail to understand that life is carpeted with trials and tribulations of all kinds, get confused when confronted with trouble. They struggle. And when their efforts to extricate themselves do not bear immediate fruit, they get angry. After a while, their anger turns to frustration and a sense of hopelessness. They are like animals in a cage with no way out. Trapped forever in an illusion, a dilemma, a curse.

In reality, there always IS a way out. Hanging in there does not mean to sit and bear the pain. It means making every conceivable effort to find a way out. Most of us wait for someone to come along and make things happen for us. But it's only in us that we could get out of trouble.

That kind of attitude is NOT what I call hanging in there. To hang in there means to bear whatever the suffering while constantly exerting every kind of effort to work out the problem. It means to be tough not only in handling pain and pressure but in working consistwntly under such tension in order to bring about a solution. It means working hard while we struggle.


As long as we breathe, there will be always a tiny thread of hope in us that makes us hang a little longer. ]]> Peenut https://www.istorya.net/forums/entry.php?2047-Hang-in-there https://www.istorya.net/forums/entry.php?2045-Crazy-little-thing-called-writing Sat, 29 Dec 2012 08:45:32 GMT While ultraviolet rays are merely invisible in my eyes, I was patiently waiting for the vehicle to start.
I pulled up my phone from my pocket and tried to text some people, but despite, these days are considered zero like a well that has been dried up.


As the jeepney started, I find myself engrossed in the most desperate thought: to write and draft topics.
I was feeling a "writer" at the moment.


I wouldn't mind passengers that come and go. I didn't even care if they were staring at me, mocking me as if I'm just plainly addicted in texting.
I was just only aware that my mind was runnning and flowing of ideas and that smoke, dust, and wind came crashing my face.




Then, I paused for a moment, smiled and I told myself.


"What's up with me? How could I be more focused on a moving vehicle, with noise pollution than at home where there is serenity and stillness? Am I going crazy? Or just acting dumb?"


Reality check:
My mind is half-empty whenever I stay at home. I just don't really understand. I guess would be more comfortable when I'm squatting in the grass, surrounded by trees and fresh air gettin inside my nose or in a hammock under the palm trees and white sand below it while facing the sea.




Well now, as I was close to my destination. Anytime at that moment, I had joined a sea of people in downtown Cebu. And by the time that I had posted this, my phone would be retiring back from where it should be.


Sounds crazy right? Well, madness it is. ;) ]]> Peenut https://www.istorya.net/forums/entry.php?2045-Crazy-little-thing-called-writing https://www.istorya.net/forums/entry.php?1959-Questions-you-might-want-to-answer-before-giving-up-your-virginity-%28For-women%29 Sun, 28 Oct 2012 14:25:08 GMT Reader Discretion: Parental guidance is highly advised for ages 18 below. :)


Virginity is such a personal thing. You can't judge anyone on it.
It is the Pandora's Box that women are trying to conceal and keep hidden.
But do these questions pop-up on your mind?

Let's face it.



Am I trying to prove something?

-Despite *** education in schools, despite the trend toward honesty and openness about ***, many parents continue to believe that *** talk is not fit for the ears of children and that anyone under 18 is a child, therefore to be protected from movies or magazines that touch on matters like this, parents must guide them. But young people sometimes go to extremes to prove their parents wrong.


Am I afraid of losing HIM?

-Often a guy, physically and emotionally less complicated wil press for intimacy before a girl is sure she wants it. She owes it to herself and to the guy to hold back.
Full participation in sexual intercourse is a major milestone in female psychology. For most, it has profound impact. It is not uncommon for a young woman to discover the unexpected force of her sexuality in her first intercourse, thus forming an attachment stronger than she had imagined possible. For this reason, many girls who are neither prudish nor inhibited choose to defer intercourse until a mutually responsible relationship has been formed.
The vast majority of girls look forward to marriage and a family. Many feel that this is the context in which they want to enjoy a total relationship with a man. They need conditions of permanence, security and mutual support before they feel right and ready for sexual commitment.


How will I feel tomorrow? Next week? Next month?

-In a culture that has come to value instant pleasure, people tend to grasp at the fun of the moment without much thought of after-effects. But the emotional charges set off by physical intimacy are tremendous and cannot be turned off the next day.
While there are some women who can bed down quite casually with various partners, this facility usually comes with broad experience and at the cost of blunted emotions. The great majority of women take *** seriously. Even ie they would like to be casual, they find that *** takes them seriously.
A guy and girl who have entered into a sexual relationship too early often find that they've established a bond neither of them really wants. Yet once this bond is formed, they're likely to feel locked in, to defend the decision (as we all tend to do), to rationalize an error, Sometimes, a dismal marriage has been the crushing consequence of a girl and a guy's quick decision to have some fun.


Do I know as much about *** as I think I know?

-Thanks to *** education in schools, most teens know how to spell the word coitus. But what they don't know is often considerable. This striking ignorance of birth-control method is common. Young people who are not conscientious enough to learn the facts and consider the consequences are clearly not ready to experiment with ***. Sadly, *** education is not commonly taught here.


Are WE both ready?

-There is an awkward gap between the time when people become physically capable of having intercourse and the time when they are psychologically competent to handle a loving relationship. The building of such a relationship is usually a long process, requiring sensitivity, sympathy, the ability to care about someone else as much as you care about yourself.
This is a big order for teens, who are characteristically, and for sound psychological reasons, self-involved.
If you are ready to commit another person, that's about half the requirement. Is He? That's the other half.
Some girls have strong, built-in religious or moral convictions about premarital ***. For them, there is no other way than to defer *** experience until marriage. Other girls faced with the necessity of making up their own mind, working out their own standards. The power to choose carries with it the obligation to choose wisely. It's a responsibility of no small consequence.


Remember:
If the guy really loves you, he will respect your values and decisions or unless you're ready. It's up to you if you just jump the gun. ]]> Peenut https://www.istorya.net/forums/entry.php?1959-Questions-you-might-want-to-answer-before-giving-up-your-virginity-%28For-women%29 https://www.istorya.net/forums/entry.php?725-Timeless-Traits Sun, 18 Apr 2010 14:55:44 GMT While fashion may change with the times, having the right attitude never goes out of style!


Being Respectful - Politeness doesn't fade with time, while being rude or disrespectful to others has never been cool. Bear in mind that a harsh word can spell the difference between having a good or bad relationship with others. Respect begets respect---when you are considerate to others, they will show respect for you as well.

Say "po" and "opo" to elders, including your household help, the village security guard, and those who serve you lunch at the canteen/cafeteria. When you feel like you're about to have a brat attack (whether big or small), hold it right there. Think of the possible consequences your words or actions might create.


Being attentive to others - Giving your undivided attention to the person you're with shows that you're genuinely interested in what he or she is saying. Using your cellphone or checking your watch all the time while talking to someone can give the signal that you are bored and you wish you were somewhere else.

When talking to someone, look the person in the eyes and pay attention to what the person is saying. If you absolutely need to text or answer a call, excuse yourself. Think it this way---you wouldn't want others to listen to their iPod while you're speaking, would you?


Being Courteous - Remember when your parents told you to say the "magic words" when asking for something? Well, what you learned in kindergarten stands true until today. Saying "please", "thank you", and "sorry" are basic units of courtesy. These words show how much you value a person or an object.

Just because you're all grown up doesn't mean you're exempted from saying these simple yet often forgotten words. Whenever you say "please" or "thank you", accompany them with a smile. If you are saying "sorry", make sure it's a genuine apology.

Being Punctual - Don't you just hate it when you spend so much time waiting for people who are late? Being punctual shows that you respect other people's time. If your group agrees to meet a certain time for an activity, for instance, one person's delay creates a ripple-effect. Thus, the activity ends later than expected.

Being punctual is an attitude you must develop because it fosters professionalism, which you'll need in college and when you start working.

Avoid being labeled as the perennial late-comer by taking concrete measure like setting your watch in advance. Get plenty of rest at night so waking up early won't be such a chore. If you really have punctuality issues, seek help from others. Perhaps your friends can set up a reward system that will encourage you to come on time, every time.


Being Honest - An honest person shows courage by standing up for the truth or facing the truth despite the possible repercussions. just when you thought a little lie was harmless, it has already evolved into a rumor that can wreck a person's reputation. As the timeless saying goes, "Honesty is the best policy."

Unless absolutely necessary, stick to the truth at all times. But be careful not to confuse honesty with tactlessness.

If you want to tell you friend that she/he needs to improve her/his attitude, you can always do so in a nice manner. Being too up-front and argumentative might just her/his feelings.


Being Generous - Studies show that generous people are happy people. Why? It's simply because generosity invokes a sense of fulfillment that you were able to make a person's life better. It also gives you the idea that you have more than enough and your supply is full---that's why you are able to give. People also say that being generous attracts more blessings!

Do not wait for Christmas or a special occasion to feel the spirit of giving. There will always be someone waiting to receive what you have to share, so why not be generous now?

Generosity is not limited to material things either. Spending you time with others despite your busy schedule is also a selfless act. try going out and share an afternoon with a classmate who thinks he/she has few friends.


Being Patient - In this era when nearly everything is delivered faster than you can say "yes", the value of patience has become almost a thing of the past. The influx of everything "instant" has diminished the value of patience, when in fact, this understated virtue is a hallmark of maturity and perseverance.

Don't throw tantrums when the waiter takes forever to give your order. Even if you're entitled to good service, it doesn't give you the license to stomp your feet and be mean to the people serving you. Instead, focus your energy on telling the service crew nicely what they need to work on. In the same way, don't act out when your parents don't grant your requests right away or when you don't get what you want in an instant. Do away with the "I want it right here, right now" attitude, and remember that good things come to those who wait.


Being Kind - If an "unlike" button were among Facebook's features, nitpickers or judgmental people would be delighted. But who wants to hang-out with people who keep criticizing what others do? Kind people attract more friends because they look beyond the flaws and zero in on the positive.

Go easy on the nasty comments. Though you may be making a witty or funny remark, resist the urge to bash a certain celebrity or even what your crush's partner. Michael Jackson;s song says it best: "Take a look at yourself and then make an change."
Sometimes, being overly critical of others exposes the nitpicker's hidden insecurities. So remember, when you don't have anything nice to say, it's best to keep you mouth shut. ]]> Peenut https://www.istorya.net/forums/entry.php?725-Timeless-Traits https://www.istorya.net/forums/entry.php?724-10-Ways-to-Care-for-the-Environment-Over-the-Holidays Sun, 18 Apr 2010 11:48:33 GMT Are you Pro-earth?
Are you in a Clean-and-Green Campaign?
If you really care for our environment, read over this tips and you might follow this some time in the future.



1. Save the really nice wrapping paper form the presents you get.

2. Recycle old phonebooks by using their pages as gift wrappers. It'll give your presents a character.

3. Instead of buying a new pen, keep the old one and buy an ink refill.

4. Write the name of your gift recipient right on the wrapping paper itself. use thick magic markers or puff paint to make your gifts stand out.

5. Give environmentally-friendly gifts, like colorful bayong bags or canvas totes. They're great alternatives to plastic bags!

6. While Christmas shopping, tell the salesperson you don't need a bag if their merchandise comes in plastic.

7. Give potted plants wrapped with colorful bows as gifts.

8. Make a small donation to Greenpeace.

9. Put your CD's in big albums instead of individual plastic cases.

10. Forget the firecrackers and stock up on light-emitting toys and noisemakers. ]]> Peenut https://www.istorya.net/forums/entry.php?724-10-Ways-to-Care-for-the-Environment-Over-the-Holidays https://www.istorya.net/forums/entry.php?650-Farewell-2009-Welcome-2010-%28Late%29 Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:35:10 GMT I know this is soo late.
But as I've searched from my archives.
I found this and decided to post it here.






It's just like yesterday when I've celebrated "New Year" with my family..
A new year of hope, blessing, and memories to cherish.

And now here I go again, feeling a little bliss and discouraged about '09


January the year starter was full of tension. As a frustrated photographer, I tried to take pics of the Sinulog events (from lalawigan - the mardigras). Those times, I feel like pressured without a PnS camera and even havent felt a dlsr in my hands. My photos was quite impressive (at that time) using a cellphone camera with 1.3MP lol...
And January was the month where I first signed up at istorya.net


December, the year ender month. The month where I also take a grip of a dslr

A feeling of christmas breeze struck me out of my thoughts.
"What will be my Christmas celebration be?"
As I've taken a glimpse of Christmas lights, lanters, Parols, and children's carols every night, I felt that Christmas is just heating up.
The cold wind at night made me feel numb everytime I go home from school.

But, December also was a month of discouragement and awe.
One night, someone stole my happiness from me.
My only PnS camera (Pentax Optio A20) and my beloved cellphone (Nokia 3110c that just turned 1 year old this December) was stolen from me.
A great disbelief stunned me the whole day.
Feeling low and down, I didn't have enough rest and eat.

Then I realized to myself that Not all things last (it' true), and I'm thankful that no one was hurt from us. The important thing is that we are safe from harm's way.

We spend Christmas at the province. We had a family reunion and it was very unforgettable.
I cook some dishes from our Noche Buena and I was proud of myself! lol


Their was sufficient food, and the music was great too (Club and House)

We felt the spirit of Christmas by celebrating it with laughters, giving of gifts, and the best....we spend it as a whole family.


Days after Christmas, we spend our post-christmas celebration at Moalboal.
The experience was very worth-it. The famouse "little boracay" as what they said was wonderful. White sand and a very long shoreline met our eyes as we arrived at the place. The beach was crystal clear when the sun is at its highest peak, and the waves drags us to the sea. Plus, the coral bed is visible above the water. ^_^

The three hour travel was tiring but it was worth the day.
Note: If you want to enjoy your stay at Moalboal, go for an overnight.




Well 2009 was pretty great. I've learned a lot and my experiences taught me well.
It molded me as a man, a citizen, and as ME!

I learned that not all things are meant to be with us, and if we have it, it will not last long though.

Having badluck this year ender is a challenge.

Maybe 2010 will be full of blessings....

I hope so... ]]> Peenut https://www.istorya.net/forums/entry.php?650-Farewell-2009-Welcome-2010-%28Late%29