An Afternoon with Amyel

Amyel was home today and she requested a ride elsewhere just to relax, I guess. So off we rode to Tagaytay via Amadeo. We passed by Bonifacio Shrine in Limbon. I wanted to take a photo of the shrine but it was showering and there was no good parking area along the curved road so we just proceeded. It was indeed relaxing passing by the farms and looking at the greenery along the way. We reached the newly-opened Summit Ridge and Promenade in Tagaytay City which is owned by Robinsons Land Corporation. Amyel took some shots of the area, after which we had our snacks. Bobby and I chose Razon's halo-halo while Amyel had her Ted's La Paz batchoy. From Tagaytay we drove back to Indang via Mendez. More Amyel?

Personality Tests

Now that I'm out of school, I have been interested in taking tests particularly those about personality. I took the Tree Test and What Tropical Fruit Are You?.

You Are Kind and Sensitive

You relate to others easily. You have many friends, and you love making their lives better. You are genuinely warm and radiant. People feel comforted by your presence. Becoming a better person is something you think about every day. You want to be interesting, insightful, and special. You need love more than most people in the world. You're willing to love those who don't love you in return.

The Tree Test

You Are a Papaya

You are a calm, balanced, and mild mannered person. While you're peaceful and together, you're also quite complex. You are authentic and honest. There are some very distinct elements to your personality. You are exotic and original, but you don't flaunt it. You allow others to discover your subtle complexities.

What Tropical Fruit Are You?

Mao's Last Dancer

I have just finished reading Mao's Last Dancer which is an autobiography of Li Cunxin. The book is truly inspirational because it tells about Li's determination to achieve his dreams against all odds. Li wrote about his childhood days with his family. He clearly described the living conditions in the commune. Bobby could relate very well to what he went through. I was also reminded of the similarity with some portions in the movie Slumdog Millionaire. Despite poverty and the harsh realities of life, the love of his family, most especially from his loving and hardworking mother, fired him to excel when he was chosen to be a scholar at Madame Mao's Beijing Dance Academy and later became an excellent ballet dancer in the US. I like the way the book was written. Simple but Li wrote from his heart. There were times I was moved to tears by the way he described the situations he was in. His life's journey is full of lessons of love, passion, and determination.

Thank you, Pres. Cory

Today Pres. Cory's remains will be laid to rest right beside the tomb of Ninoy Aquino. Never did I get the chance to see her personally even during the wake. But I saw the millions of people who mourn the loss of a "true icon of democracy" and I heard the countless testimonies about how they were touched by Cory's life in one way or another. She was the president during my young adult years. Me, I will always remember her courage, integrity, humility, dedication, and faith in God. Goodbye, Pres. Cory. Thank you so much. Your legacy lives on!

UPCAT Craze

Yesterday we left the house early morning to accompany my son to UP Diliman for the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT). Cyril saw to it that we're on the road by 2 a.m. to make allowance for possible delays along the way. He knocked at our door even before the alarm went off. He was worried about the traffic because of the experience of some of his classmates who were scheduled on Saturday morning. Good thing, that it was not raining and the ride was smooth except for an accident that happened in a lane next to us. 

The car was driving fast as if in a race with another car. Then all of a sudden, the driver lost control of his vehicle which spun around maybe after putting too much pressure on the brakes. The site is still vivid in our minds except for Amyel who was in deep sleep because she worked on her seminar report the whole night until we left. We arrived 15 min before 4 a.m. and parked near the School of Labor and Industrial Relations (SOLAIR). Cyril's testing center is at the National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG). By 6 a.m. the queues of examinees were already long, the roads got clogged due to heavy traffic, and parking areas were full of vehicles. Visitors were not allowed to enter the testing areas so we just stayed in the parking area and used the portalets in between. After sending Amyel to the bus terminal (she has her NSTP community outreach service every Sunday afternoon at UP Los Banos), we rushed back to the same parking lot and we were fortunate enough to find a space. In UP Diliman alone, 30,000 examinees were expected on the two-day schedule (August 1 and 2). There's more on the other campuses of the system. These are the graduating high school students who aspire to become "iskolar ng bayan" next year and avail of the best that UP can offer them.