Worth Missing For...

Honestly, I am getting used to this blogging activity.  And I learn to love this somehow.  Even though this might be my last learning blog to complete the requirement for blogging activity in my English 2 subject, I'm still hoping to continue blogging in my beloved blogspot: Aisha's Notebook in the future.  

I'm going to miss this for sure.  Though I can't deny to myself that this learning blog do add in my weekly budget and consume almost two hours time of my hectic schedule, blogging is absolutely fun.  It stirred up my thoughts and really forced me to remember what I've been doing in my English every week.  When I happen to reminisce them, I began remembering our activities that are worth writing for. 

Every day is both a blessing and a gift from God.  That's is why it's worth living for.  As I live my life to the fullest, this blog will be my friend for all seasons.

No Time to Waste...

Stop the time for me please!...

This Saturday will never be a free weekend for my usual habit for movie marathons and gigs. I suppose my deadlines in English 2 and Natural Science subjects won't be that fun.  I will be writing and thinking and eating and thinking and writing again.  It's just the usual process that won't stop your mind from deep thinking all day through.

Why too pressured?  It's all because of my English term paper requirements that are to be passed next week.  If you like it, I'll be enumerating them one by one.  First on Tuesday: the complete sentence outline of my term paper from introduction, body, to conclusion; and also the note cards with the their references.  Then on Thursday: I am going to submit my term paper's first draft of ten pages, following the correct format as stated in the workbook.  Not to mention my other assignments in my other subjects, my tasks for this week is not that easy to start.  Every time I have many things to do, I simply eat it out, and unfortunately ending the day without any accomplishments.

So pathetic me but true.  It's like my mind hung up with the queues of tasks to be done.  

P.S.  I hope I can meet my deadlines this time.  I hope I can finish them before next week.

Aspiring Critics

As a group activity, we were tasked to comment on another group's sentence outline of their assigned topic.  My group, group 3, was to comment to the work of group 2.  On the other hand, group 4 will give critics on our outline.

Group 3 came up with an "impromptu" outline.  Just another way of confessing of being cramming (LoL). Honestly, that was not a well-thought-of assignment.  Yet we were able to finish our outline when our turn came.  Ma'am asked us to post it on the board.  And one funny thing about it was that Teacher Lynnie asked "what do you call that reading that must be read from left to right?"  Oops, our outline started from the left portion of the manila paper.

Every time there's a "criticizing" activity, there's always that negative notion telling "it's a bit harsh to comment on someone's work well in fact you have your own mistakes.   Maybe, he' just afraid that the owner will be mad at him for giving bad comments (Please don't be...).

However, for my part, giving critics has a positive approach.  It's one way to improve my work by letting other people correct my errors.  Sometimes, there are things that you haven't noticed yet the people around you know about it all the way.  That is why it's always good to ask for others opinions.  In that way, I can be assured of my own lapses.

Underpressured

Our referencing activity was absolutely fun! Though we were only given less time to write all the data from those books and online journals, all five groups really showed how teamwork affects the group's performance.  The time given for every reference we had was only one minute and thirty seconds (OH NO!).

I was one of the representatives of our group who was tasked to write all the needed information for reference writing.  Honestly, I was tensed and pressured because I represent my group.  Well, I just did my best efforts. 

Unfortunately, Group 1, my group, got only 19 points over 40.  We got deductions from the lack of information written in the reference and those extra infos that were not supposed to be there.  Our score did not even reached half.  However, looking at the brighter side of the week's activity, it was fantastic!

Stop Plagiarism!

The highlight for our week's topic was about writing bibliographies.  The purpose of such bibliographies is to give credits to those persons of whom we borrowed ideas and knowledge from.  Our teacher made emphasis on the case of plagiarism, commonly among students, which involves stealing of someone else ideas and making it their own.  Everybody should be aware of the possible consequences of this criminal assault!

Plagiarism is considered to be a mere theft of another persons ideas.  However, this can be avoided by making citations and references from the sources of such data and putting it all in the bibliography of the term paper. As discussed in the class, we are going to have a guide for writing the correct format of the references we have gathered from books, journals, magazines, periodicals, and internet sources.  Ma'am Lynnie required us to follow the APA (American Psychological Association) Style of citing the sources.  This APA format is widely used in public documentations.

Next meeting, we are going to have an activity about writing bibliographies in the APA Format.  I'm looking forward to it because I am certain that this is going to be fun! The activity will be time bound! (wh00o, I feel the pressure!)

Reminder: Bring manila paper, a marker pen, and masking tape. 

Strictly, NO MATERIALS, NO PARTICIPATION!

Reaction Essay: The Cory Aquino Monument Stands

Long live the Filipino democracy!

Though I was still in my father's imagination during the time of Marshall Law, I could tell that what the late former President Corazon Aquino had contributed to this country is not a negligible fact to ignore.  What I want to say that the monument built for her is worth it.  She was been a mother to our country during the times when we were striving to escape from those abuses of human rights.  However, one thing I want to clear is that God is above all these struggles that we had surpassed and the trials we are fighting now. Cory is just an instrument of the Father to save us Filipinos. Thus, we admired Cory for her legacy but the true praise should be lifted up to heaven. Cory herself was a faithful Christian who put Jesus Christ above all else.  She even believed in the power of prayer.  Now, for once in the Philippine history, we have had a president who was indeed an example of an admirable faithful follower of  Jesus.  

She flashes the "Laban!" (Fight!) sign on her right hand while holding up the 1987 Constitution on the other.  Her legacy to the Filipinos lives forever.  Yes, the Cory Aquino monument beams with the hopes and dreams of the Philippine nation as one light. 

In commemoration of the 77th birthday anniversary of the late former president Corazon "Cory" Aquino, the 15-foot bronze statue of her as the Mother of Philippine Democracy was unveiled on Monday, January 25, 2010.  It was built to honor Aquino as the mother who led the Filipino people out from the aristocratic rule of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.  The monument is placed right beside her husband, Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, on Roxas Boulevard and Padre Burgos Drive across the Manila Hotel.

Cory is yellow.  Yellow stands for freedom and courage.  Her undying love for the Filipinos was absolutely immeasurable.  Like a mother who only wanted what is best for her child, Cory is just a symbol of an unconditional mother's love.  The Mother of Democracy, a fitting tribute indeed, proved that not only did she perform as family mother, but also a mother of the whole crying nation.  She was an inspiration and the living symbol of a faith that never halters even if times are extremely hopeless for those who suffer.  During Marshall Law, Filipinos were called a nation of cowards.  We were ruled by people who hungers power. Yet Cory changed that perception.  Leading the People Power Revolution, she enlightened the views of the people that there's the power of faith - faith in ourselves, faith in our democratic values, and  faith in God.

Now, we have that monument of Cory as the reminder to every Filipino that it is high time to emerge as one democratic children of this nation in words and in deeds.  In life, we start to mature and accept responsibilities after we sever the umbilical cord that brought the undefined connection to our mother.   She bestowed us the power of independence and gave us the inheritance of faith but the first step begins within us.  The decision is ours to make.  Do you have the courage to pursue what the mother of democracy has started?