How Bad I Can Be?

I can still vividly remember when I started working here at DepEd-CO and you might curse me on this story of mine.  But my decision became my choice.

I am still mourning the death of my mother (a retired teacher) and since she is a member of my family and I work at the CO I thought that I was entitled (oh, that entitlement mentality) to ask for some help from employees of DepEd.  It would be a great help also.  

The paperwork has begun and I sent a letter to our welfare unit requesting for alms.  Before the letter, of course, my colleagues in the bureau helped me financially and I am so elated.  Perhaps greediness was all over me at that time for I was asking for more.  Bad me.

So the communication letter started to roll from office to offices and room to rooms.  After 2 to 3 weeks I made a follow-up at the welfare division I was told that I got nothing.  No one helped me.  Ouch.  I still waited for 1 more week for some help but there was no response.

Current time:

I've been receiving emails and getting envelopes from other offices asking for help especially during the pandemic and until this time.  The motto, "It is better to give than to receive." is no longer relevant to me now.  They should help me first back then.  That is my story and now my choice.  

Mga Kapalpakan at Lapses ko Noong Kabataan Ko

Story #2

On one of my vacations (college days) in Mindoro, dumiretso ako sa maliit na tindahan namin sa Barcenaga (my hometown) para makatulong sa Nanay ko.  Ang setting, may maliit kaming tindahan then iyong kalahati naman ay bakery.  Oo may pugon kami (gawaan ng tinapay) pero hindi naman functional kaya umaangkat kami ng mga tinapay sa isa ring malayong kamag-anak sa Dose (KM 12).  To cut the story short, our family has had a bakery but does not bake our own bread.  

Isang araw (hapon na nga e) naubos iyong inangkat na tinapay namin sa Dose and there was a need to buy more bread for stock purposes for the next day and reserba na rin sa current day (surtidos, atbp) basta iyong matitigas na tinapay na isinasawsaw sa kape.  My sister, Ate Margie, rushed to KM 12 to buy goods.

After 30 minutes, I received a message from Ate Margie that she was near the crossing na.  So I immediately went to the designated waiting area to wait for her.  There she was carrying slices of bread in boxes.  After unloading from the PUJ, I carried a box (one by one) from the crossing to our store.  On my 3rd attempt to carry the rest of the boxes,  Nakita ko na umaatras iyong PUJ papunta doon sa boxes namin at napasigaw ako kasi maaatrasan na talaga iyong mga tinapay.  I can vividly remember that I said these words to the driver, "Dapat nag-aaral ka muna mag-drive para hindi ka nakaka-disgrasya."  My sister kept on pulling my hands to stop me from further bickering.  

After 5 minutes, I was able to collect all the goods and successfully placed them in our store.  Ate Margie told me that I should have not done what I did.  Transportation was very difficult at that time and that driver was the only one who helped her!

I felt devastated.  Sorry talaga.

 

It's Joke Time #3

Mga jokes na napulot sa kung saan...

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#1  Dahil sikat na sikat ang mga dancers and performers may scenario ako sa iyo.

Male 1:  Use K-Pop in a sentence

Male 2:  Ano?

Male 1: Ang galing-galing naman ng mga anak mo.  K-Pop the good work.

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#2  

Male 1: Sa kadahilanang matagal ka ng nakatira dito sa National Capital Region may tanong ako sa iyo.  Ano ang mas malaki sa city?

Male 2:  Ano?

Male 1:  E di otso!

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Webinar: Becoming Leaders in Sustainability Education

Hello Friends,

I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Michelle Leong (Singapore) and Wang Da (Malaysia) at the SEAMEO Council Conference in Manila on February 7, 2023. They shared important information with me about Making HEADway - Handbook for Educators. I am excited to inform you that they are now offering a new innovation under Making HEADway.

The first offering is Making HEADway Book 6 "Becoming Leaders in Sustainability Education" which is available in e-copies here. The second offering is a launch webinar on August 24-25 from 2:00-4:30 p.m. on Zoom (GMT+8). Please register here.

This latest offering is of great value to teachers as the theme is relevant to current trends and the resources are made by educators. Please feel free to forward this information to your colleagues. 

Best regards.

Surpassed the 2100 Rating at lichess.org

 Dear Friends,

After series of attempts to breach the 2100 ranking at lichess, I finally got what I wanted this morning.  I have been streaming my games every now and then to surpass, this seemingly, insurmountable task in the past only to fail.

I was trying to involve the audience to cheer me up during the games but it didn't help. I got some stars but not my solid performance.  I always blame the poor internet connection for not achieving success and this time I got it and I was so happy.

Though I could say, I came very close to achieving this dream of mine in many times that I played, this time I felt this inner satisfaction and I could say that nothing is impossible.

My constant practice with my teammates at the UNASAF group consisting of top players from the UAAP, NCAA, and carefully selected friends proved to be essential in my victories.  

Here I am now savoring this moment.  Cheers to all chess players!

As a Chess Player, What is Your Real Strength?

 Dear Friends,

I have been playing chess for three decades but I really cannot quantify my strength. With the absence of an over-the-board (OTB) title, I really cannot back up any claim as regards my toughness. Basing on my previous games, I could say that my level must be around 2100 to 2200 rating points.  I have beaten a bunch of strong players in the past ranging from GMs, WGMs, IMs, WIMs, FMs, NMs, CMs, and other highly rated opponents.  If you are not familiar with the abbreviations I made please google it but I'll give you a clue - GM stands for a chess Grand Master and the list goes on and on.  Yes, you are correct. 

During this time of the pandemic, I got accustomed to playing online and there I got my share of victories.  I am proud to say that I never and would ever use an engine to beat my opponents because I play fair and square.  So, if you are a titled player and were able to beat you it was because I did my best.  

Of course, there are ups and downs in playing chess. I remembered playing in a FIDE and NCFP rated event here in Manila and I suffered miserably during the games.  I have been constantly affected by my need to take a pee because of my diabetes and had to go to the comfort room every now and then. But I was afraid my opponent would suspect me of getting assistance from a friend or an engine.  So what I did was to keep that urge of urinating on hold and suffered setbacks along the way.  Though I had winning positions I blew it not only because of the time control but also because of my previous reason. If you see my FIDE rating on a website I could say it was not accurate, at least in my honest opinion, because I can do better than that (applause).

Currently, I am a member of the Mindoro Tamaraws associated with the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) where I play as a homegrown talent. Also, I am an Arena International Master (AIM). 

Should you be asking who the top-rated opponents I have beaten are, I am sharing with you these screenshots from my journey in the online tournaments. I have been searching for the titled players I have beaten but they were not in these lists.  I presume their ratings were not this high our I have beaten them on other chess websites. 

Bullet

 Blitz

Rapid

The data above were from lichess and soon  I will be posting some of my notable games in the future. Again, thank you for your time.  All the best. 

Sad Fate During the PCAP Quarterfinals

 Dear readers,

Our team, Mindoro Tamaraws won a quarterfinals berth at the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines by beating Palawan Queens Gambit team and faced Camarines Chessers earlier this evening.  I was paired with its top 2 players GM Mark Paragua and Ellan Asuela both topnotch players in the Philippines.  I suffered 4 consecutive losses and would you believe it, I lost the black pieces with the same line of opening.  My positions were wrecked already in the opening stage.  I think I have to change my opening repertoire as black.

I visited my teammates' games through chess.com, and I found out that most of them were losing and in  disadvantage positions. Incidentally, our team lost the first match, we were massacred.  

 The second match was equally devastating. After scoring low on blitz games we were then wiped out on rapid games, our team just scored a draw against Ellan Asuela courtesy of AGM Nezil Arj Merilles and lost every game on each board.  Thereby ending our chances in the GM Wesley So Cup in a sad note.  We will now be going home with only sweet memories to keep.  

Thank you teammates, gracias Mindoro Tamaraws.  See you in the next conference.