Stories and More!

I am back! When the coffee reaches the brim, it overflows. Exactly how I felt right now. I am quite excited writing again. I have so much in mind that it speaks more than my fingers could transcribe.

Writing relaxes me. It’s rejuvenating. It’s my idea of relaxing a quite busy life for me these days.

As I write this, its 11:00 late night. I just finished attending our 4th Regular Meeting. Earlier, around 7:00 am, I took the hardest step to begin a day. That’s getting up from my bed and remove myself from the blanket of coldness in my room. I am scheduled that day to take my Midterm exam in Iloilo for my Masters which I am already in my second year. Although at times, I felt I am overloaded, I just close my eyes and sleep. That means I need to disconnect from the world. When I wake up, life is a promise again.

Second. I am now the President of Riverside Toastmasters Club. Clap! Haha! Toastmasters has always been a gift to me. In 2007, when I decided to become part of the organization, I felt that it was one of the most important decisions I have made. Not only that fellow Riverside Toastmasters became my second family in Bacolod, they made my Saturdays more fun, more exciting, and more fulfilling. Plus of course the fact that I enjoyed what we do as toastmasters.

Third. I am now exercising. Finally! It took me a while to decide on this. Until one day I just saw myself in front of the mirror. I didn’t like it. Although the result is not quite evident yet, wait. Patience is a virtue, isn’t it! When I attended a one-day seminar on dynamics of personal effectiveness, I learned that one of the seven characteristics of a good leader is they exercise for self-renewal. I said, never mind the six others! Haha!

Oh before I forget, I need your yells and shouts of congratulations! The reason? Just text me.

At the end of the day, life is not purely all about achieving all our goals. The recipe should include enjoying every bit and every minute in the process. That is why when I laugh; it’s as if, it’s going to be my last. Although someone threatened me to count my teeth when I open my mouth in laughter, I am not giving up. I have my two hands anyway. Good night folks!

Don Salvador Benedicto

Ninong For The First Time!

May 12, 2010 was the christening day of Baby Kryztahl Jade or Baby KJ. 'Twas also the first time that I became a "Ninong" after 26 years!

An Evening With Mr. C

These photos were taken before the regular meeting of the Riverside Toastmasters Club last July 12, 2010. The maestro Ryan Cayabyab together with his youthful singers were having a chitchat at the coffee shop near the Planters Den of Sugarland Hotel.

4 out of 5 Innovation Awards Finalists from SU.

An Old Clipping from:
The SU NetNEWS Volume 11 Number 7
Tuesday, February 22, 2005

For out of five finalists that qualified for the Oriental Negros Innovation Awards are from Silliman University, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) announced last February 15.

This year’s finalists from Silliman are Engr. Bonifacio F. Commandante, Jr. (Ph.D. in Marine Biology student at SU) and Prof. Wilma Tejero (SU Economics Professor) with their business proposal named Oriental Negros Coconut Milk Processing Plant, Jay Cris Famoso (BS Chem IV), The use of crude flower extract in the Spectrophotometric Determination of Sulfite in White Wines; Klint Austero (BS Computer Engineering III), Oscar Opsima (BS Computer Engineering V), and Anthony Logronio (BS Mechanical Engineering V), E-ad board; and Aldin Lapinig (BS Computer Engineering V), Ian John Caluscusan (BS Computer Engineering V) and Dwight Sabio (BS Computer Engineering V), Intelligent and Multifunctional Personal Identification System. Commandante was last year’s champion, with his entry on a technology that makes possible waterless transport of live fish.

The final competition is set on February 25 at Bethel Guest House. It will start with the finalists’ project presentations. Awarding will follow in the afternoon. The grand prize winner will receive P50,000, while the second and third placers will receive P25,000 and P10,000, respectively. The rest will each receive P5,000 as consolation prize.

Judging this year’s competition will be Prof. Jay Bernardo and Prof. Richard Cruz of the Asian Institute of Management, and DTI Assistant Secretary Carissa Cruz. (Florita Belle O. Ipong)

AN ARTSY AFTERNOON

What I thought to be an ordinary Saturday came out pleasurable with an exhilarating combo of trick and treat.

Saturday morning, I was asked if I am free in the afternoon. I don’t have a toastmasters meeting in the evening so she got a yes. My lab mate, our microbiologist, is thrilled to attend the graduation of her brother in the Negros Summer Workshop by the award-winning director Peque Gallaga. Her brother, a registered nurse, took basic acting. Now, I am excited too! What added more delight to her invitation is the treat she promised.

At around 10:00am, she came out from her room with a frown. She informed me, we will not anymore attend the graduation. Her brother decided not to. I inquired why. She explained that her brother is quite confused what to do with his life. He is torn.

So we had a change of plan. After office, instead of going to Bobs La Salle, we went to Bascon Café Lacson for the promised treat. I was starving when we arrived so I ordered a breakfast meal. I gobbled Hungarian sausage, sunny side-up egg, rice, bottomless orange juice at 5:00 in the afternoon.

Supposedly, her brother will follow. And we will act as advisers. Since when? Well, it would have launched our guidance counseling career.

Until a text message beeped. And guess what? Her brother can’t come. Because right now, he is already inside the Gallaga Theater at the University of Saint La Salle.

We were tricked! All the drama was a well-thought of plan to deceive us. So we cannot go. And so I wonder why. Suddenly I thought maybe there’s a recital where he will act on stage. And probably our presence will just add to his jitters that will render him incorrigible.

So we hurried our way to La Salle. Our steps doubled. When we entered the theater, it was full. People at the back were already standing. And so are we. But it was too late. We did not see her brother’s part. A sister who is just so thrilled to see her brother perform just missed it. The trick was victorious. I could even hear her brother’s well modulated, reverberating cackle.

That was the first time that I saw in person the iconic, long gray-haired Peque Galllaga.

There were short speeches delivered. Some are comical. Some are seriously dramatic. The speech of Peque capped the graduation night. It was both riveting and heart-warming. I quote from his speech, “Work is what you do for others, and Art is what you do for yourself.”

NEW DIRECTION

Two days ago, I was literally jumping for joy. Here I am again with my being “shallow” on being happy. I sold two books at eBay. Yippee!

I never thought of selling or should I say becoming an online entrepreneur. Until I get hold and voraciously read Chinkee Tan’s book, “For Richer or For Poorer. I thank the good-hearted TM Emmylou for actually introducing the book to me. I remember a toastmaster friend named TM Gay (I felt the need to name!) who exclaimed that after she read the book she does not want to ride a cabbie anymore. After enjoying our appetite for Hungarian sausage and mashed potato at Imbiss, we almost walked our way home. Huh! But she was still able to coax me to walk a little father to save some coins in our pocket.

I became a member of eBay on March 25, 2009. This piece of information is of course not im my memory bank. I researched it. That time, it was more of an act of feeding my curiosity.

Most books I acquired were classics. To mention a few were A Tale of Two Cities, The Good Earth, Moby Dick.

My first bank deposit to my seller felt like I was standing on loose ground. But not scared enough though. After all, it was just a petty sum of money. So I did try. Huh! Until I developed the addiction of bidding. I remember in less than five minutes, I bid in four items and luckily won. That’s how fast it can be! And exciting too!

Until one day, I saw my room shrinking in space. I have a miniature three-storey shelf already filled with books. That is how selling them came to be the answer. And that’s how I am reunited with EBay. Now I’m into online selling/marketing. And I am very excited of the idea. That is even an understatement.

People who are strictly on a timetable do not have the affluence of time to pick their books in bookstores. There are also those who have the time yet find searching-and-waiting-in-line-to-the-counter very taxing. Any of these two categories would prefer buying on-line. I, for one, am excited to receive a package even though I already expect one.

Nowadays, whenever I am in front of the computer, after I check my mail at yahoo and read rants and melodramatic expose at FB, I open my online store at eBay with heart pounding brimming with a smile!