Window Of Opportunity

"I was told that the University is in need of instructors when I was introduced to the dean of the Mass Communications Department during the PUP College Entrance Test sometime last year. I accompanied my mother, 'Dear Matriarch' when she became a proctor. It was there where I expressed my desire to apply for a part-time teaching job. It took me a year of reflection to make good of this promise.""

Reality Check

But what if some brilliant twerp decides to put up a website, a travel blog smeared and spoiled with facts telling about how ugly the destination is. Would it catch the world's attention? Would readers and vacation planners have informed choices when they get to know the lies behind a historic landmark, a proud people, an exotic country parading itself as the best in the world? Would it be more

Remember Us

Rock Paintings, Tadart Acacus, LibyaOnce upon a time, the Sahara was green and animals such as giraffes, elephants and wildebeests grazed in the savanna. Men lived in caves, others in thatched huts made of wood and reed. They fashioned tools with flint and bones and spent the day hunting animals for food. At night, perhaps after their meals were eaten and they get tired of sitting by the camp

Tala

Note: Growing up in the city has deprived me a window to the sky. With lights from street lamps, billboard signs and buildings constantly overwhelming the heavens, it's hard to spot even a single star at night. They say, in remote towns and mountain hideaways, an explosion of lights still illuminates the great beyond. Once, I was treated to this spectacle while our car cruises an unlit highway.

Warp and Weft

In a big city often covered in thick smog, there was once a family who owned a very large junkyard. The junkyard is full of rusted cars and trucks that were thrown away when their owners bought new automobiles. These cars will be then sold for scraps.Alas! A time came when the junkyard hardly makes any money. The old cars that used to pile up in the vacant lot now directly goes to the factories

A Sad Children's Story

“Wake up my fledglings!” Eden said. The graceful Cattle Egret stood up from her moist nest not far from a rice field to gather around her three babies. The young Cattle Egrets had just learned to fly.“Today we will go on a vacation.” The young birds started jumping upon hearing the news. It was the last day of November, and the breeze has become colder. “Where are we going mom?” Tony, the eldest

Writing For Children: Second Verse

After Jojo P. Belated Happy Birthday, Ate.In the forest live three bears. Papa bear works in a bank. Mama bear picks the honey and berries and baby bear goes to school. Every breakfast they see each other on the table. Having to spend all day out in the woodlands, they need energy to stay healthy.On the table are three kinds of food. Papa bear's favorite is oatmeal porridge with berries. Mama

Musa

Been writing children's stories for Bentusi since last year. So far, this is my most rewarding project with her. And since I'm allowed to pick names for my characters, I decided to use my partner's name hoping it gets published too, and be read by children everywhere.This is for you Baabaa.In a fruits basket were several different fruits. They were freshly bought from the supermarket to help JC

Cramming | Resurfacing

Mom gave a  photocopy of her grading sheet last Friday. Though she didn't say when it is due for submission, the matriarch was hoping I could finish posting her student's grades by Sunday afternoon. The State University's computer lab was closed on weekends - a fact I didn't take into consideration. Since it is forbidden to access the website outside the campus for fear of  hackers, I  was only

Por Favor

3ow mga parekoy pohwz!Hingi naman ako ng favor, if you got time.Bentusi is doing a survey and she wants to know two things.   Have you ever paid for an online subscription or membership?If yes, what was the subscription or membership for?Please send your responses to: badlaon@gmail.com or nanaynotebook@gmail.com.Bentusi ReimaginedThank you.  As a trade-off I will blog about that one time I used

Colorful Skies

Too attached to this short story, its hard to let go.But its the raket season and Bentusi's assignment requires writing for very young children.  I hope the new revision is more apt for grade one pupils. Apologies for not publishing the Golden Gays final installment. Babawi ako pagkatapos ng mga raket.  Once there was a mother tree who stood on top of a small hill. As the tree grew leaves, she

Bentusi

We are the Bentusi and welcome you among space-faring cultures.The Unbound. The Outer Limb.Trade routes were established atthe time of our ancestors.HomeworldRelic Entertainment It was during the closing days of September when the Project Raketship took form. In the absence of the Patroness, the company suddenly lost its rudder.  The management sailed without direction, our ship went close to

Writing For Children

The muses are once again on vacation, and I am in no mood to write a composition. My head is like a primordial soup these days. Ideas slip like a drinking glass held by a well-lubricated hand. But in an effort to share something I learned, let me tell you a story about how my mentorship with Bentusi is evolving lately.Raket season has begun and I was once again asked to write articles for kids.

Raket Season

Nega kung nega ang self-assessment ko sa unang raket ni Bentusi. Dahil isa siyang mabusising editor, tadtad ng red marks ang word document na sinubmit ko sa kanya.  Ang masagwa pa sa mga articles ay obvious na minadali ko ang pagsusulat nito. Not really the professional I presented myself to be. Mabuti na lang at maganda daw ang aking mga ideas. On time rin ang submission kahit todo cramming ang

Paypal

Never did I think it would become handy for the Raketship Project.The year was 2007.  I signed up at Paypal with Mami Athena's prodding.  She needed to use my credit card to donate to some file hosting sites where she gets her daily dose of  zombie films.  She promised to share her access but since I still use dial-up at home, I merely let her pay the bill.Word spread that Paypal allows its users

McDonald's Twister Fries

May isang bata na ang pangalan ay Kulasa. Siya ay marikit, makulit at sobrang adik sa McDonald's Twister Fries. Tuwing umaga kapag papasok siya sa Mababang Paaralan ng Santa Ines ay dadaan muna siya sa tahanan ni Ronald McDonald. Tuwing recess naman ay magpapasama siya sa kanyang teacher na si Ditas (na nililibre niya ng Cheeseburger Meal) para bumili ng Twister Fries sa McDonald's. Comfort

The Betlog Experiment

Grade Two.I would like to remember Science as fun and exciting.   There were activities where we would dissect a Gumamela plant to identify what the pistil, corona and hymen were. Sometimes we would use magnets to explain a scientific idea.   But other than these hazed reflections, I cannot recall a time when Science had a profound impact on my childhood.When I was in Grade Four, our Science

Assignment

receiving coded transmission from the raketship:While all these talk about link-building, data mining, search engine optimization and content writing make you a little giddy these days, the raketship committee is sending some blueprints for a project you might want to take in your free time.Choose a product you patronize. May it be a beverage, a radio station, or something that you can't live

The Great Soul Searching | Last Part

Exhaustion claws dragging the weary to sleep. It was the first time in recent memory when the call of slumber came and slipped through the comfort of dreams. It must have been the business meeting earlier that night and the promises it brings. A start-up company, a passion I've been doing for ages, a good pay, a boss who is the husband of a former teacher. The elements are all present, the only

Project Raketship

Permission to accept the sideline was already granted. Mami Athena has expressed her best wishes and even said that I will shine in such environment. But on the eve of signing the contract with the agency, it appears they have fallen short of my expectations. I will fail in my commitment.  A content writer position may sound tempting to any job-searcher. But realities now tell that it is not as