RAIGE-O-LOGY

I'm currently en route to Manila, specifically Pasay City. Starting from Angeles City, I had two bus stations to choose from: Dau Terminal and Marquee Mall Terminal. Although there were more buses at Dau Terminal, it was located in Mabalacat City, which meant I would have to take two jeepney rides to reach there (since jeepneys operate within city limits only). Opting for convenience, I headed to Marquee Mall, which was closer to my starting point. When I arrived, there were three buses waiting for passengers. Two were bound for Cubao, while the other was heading to Dagupan. I contemplated riding the buses to Cubao and then taking the MRT to Pasay City, but just the thought of that journey seemed exhausting. Instead, I decided to wait for a bus that would take me directly to Pasay. After a few minutes, one bus arrived, but it was already full. Minutes turned into an hour, and yet no bus with an available seat came along. This was not looking good. If the next bus was also full, I w...

The holiday season has come to an end, and just like that, a year of anticipation is over in a flash. It's time to return to school... Let's go back in time for a moment. Last June, a friend approached me with an interesting opportunity. Their family owned a training center that provided skill-based courses for individuals seeking employment, both locally and abroad. They were planning to introduce call center training, and considering my previous experience in the industry, my friend asked if I would be interested in becoming one of the trainers. However, there was a catch. The training center was located in Paranaque City, which meant I would have to relocate to Metro Manila—a significant step for me. Coincidentally, a family friend was also moving to Manila. She was in need of a tutor for her son, who would be attending a prestigious private high school in Makati. I was offered the tutoring position. I was growing tired of my job in the call center and saw this as a chance t...

Another year has passed since my dad's passing. It has been nine years now, but my memories of him are still as vivid as if it were yesterday. We visited his grave to honor him by offering flowers, lighting candles, and saying a heartfelt prayer. My dad was far from perfect. Like everyone else, he made mistakes. There were many times when we didn't see eye to eye. However, it's true what they say: you truly understand a person's worth once they're no longer with you. It didn't matter that he often criticized me; what mattered was that he wanted me to strive for excellence. It didn't matter that he scolded me when I neglected to eat my vegetables; what mattered was that he wanted me to prioritize my health. It didn't matter that he didn't give me the money I asked for when I wanted to buy something; what mattered was that he wanted me to learn the value of saving and being self-reliant. It didn't matter that I didn't always get my way when he ...

It's been quite a while since I've been active in the blogosphere (not even sure if they still call it that). I used to make posts every now and then, but not as frequently as before. Hopefully, this year I'll be able to get back into the rhythm again. There's so much that has happened in my life that it would be impossible to update you on everything. I'll just mention things occasionally when necessary. Let me start by sharing what I did yesterday. The Christmas break is almost over, and most schools have already resumed classes. Yesterday, I met up with one of my students (I've been working part-time as a tutor since June of last year). We embarked on the challenging task of reawakening his brain cells that were dedicated to schoolwork. He was experiencing what I call CBS or Christmas Break Syndrome. It's a condition where the parts of the brain responsible for studying seem to be sluggish or sometimes nonexistent. Meanwhile, his brain was showing signs o...