Shrouded with Darkness

Millions of Asians turned their eyes skyward Wednesday as dawn suddenly turned to darkness across the continent in the longest total solar eclipse of this century.

The eclipse is the longest since July 11, 1991, when a total eclipse lasting 6 minutes, 53 seconds was visible from Hawaii to South America. There will not be a longer eclipse than Wednesday's until 2132.

The celestial event was met by a mixture of awe, excitement and fear. -Yahoo News!

And it’s history, today was the record-breaking Longest Total Solar Eclipse ever experienced by the Human race - 6 minutes and 39 seconds total at its maximum point.

Most only experienced a partial eclipse like us in the Philippines, but regardless, it was still an experience we will treasure and pass on to the next generation.

It so happened that I first read it on Reader's Digest month of July edition. I was excited and really planned to watch it since I don't have class this week. Actually, it's not about curiosity why I'm very excited. It's just, I want to see something bizarre this year.

I woke up early in the morning just to witness the bizarre, once in a lifetime phenomenon. The eclipse started at exactly 8:33:01 a.m., with maximum visibility at 9:43 a.m and ends at 11:01:51 a.m. I was really excited (as you can imagine) that I prepared my digicam and a camera film just to watch it.

I feel the thrill and excitement though I'm here in the Philippines. How much more if I'm in India where the total eclipse is very visible in the dawn, or in China, Bangladesh and Japan? Which the Solar eclipse shrouds some parts of Asia in cloak of darkness? Maybe I'll be jumpin' and jumpin' because of the excitement or drop my jaw because Total eclipses of the sun are breathtaking, jaw-dropping.


Although partial in a sense (here in the Philippines), this phenomenon is still a sight to behold. During a partial eclipse the moon never completely covers the Sun. The sky never darkens. The corona never appears. But something wonderful does happen. Little crescents pop up everywhere.

Partial Eclipse: photo taken July 22, 2009 by ME



I took this picture with my digicam covering the lens with a camera film. Hmmm... this is the reason why it has a red background. Next time I will buy a powerful camera to capture good moments like this. Or any sponsor outhere who wants to share or offer or give their 'extra' camera??? hehe...Thanks in advance! lols...

Thus, I say, A total eclipse can change your life.

Partial eclipses, on the other hand, are just plain fun. *wink*

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HP 6

As you all know, I’m a pretty big Harry Potter fan. Shut up.

But anyway, my friend and I went to the cinema earlier before the movie will start because I am not willing to wait for an hour for tickets just to sit in a cramped cinema, with some kid with a bad cold sitting beside me, trying to remind me of his existence (and the snot that’s flowing down his nose) every time he inhales. Eww. But really, I do not want to miss Harry Potter 6. I mean, as much as I’m a big fan. I didn't miss any movie from 1-5 at all.

But hey! I saw Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince the other day. I was shocked because there were less people in the cinema to watch the movie. Hmmm... it made me feel curious about it. Usually, every time HP movie will be showing, a lot of people and kids were lining up to bought tickets, and chairs inside the cinema are already full.

After watching the movie, honestly I didn’t like it . Aside from the laughs it gave in a number of scenes because of it’s humor, in spite of it’s 2 and a half hour showtime, it did not impress me much. In short, I didn’t like it! Yeah sure the effects were great but honestly I feel it was too shallow. Maybe because I was expecting too much.

But really, I was a fan of the books and I read them all (except the 7th book which I don't have it yet), I didn’t fell in love with the movie as much as I did with Transformers 2. I think most of the moviegoers agree with me in this. People were too silent after the last scene unfolded and the credits came out. Going out you can here them say “That’s it?” “That’s all?” “This is what I paid P90 for?” (Well, P90 for a movie here is yet really expensive for some people here in my place. Not everyone can afford it).

I felt guily for dragging my friend to watch HP movie. Though I know she's not fond of HP series, she still accompany me to watch it because she knows I'm fanatic to it. As the scenes gets sooo boring and boring, she always yawn and yawn and getting so sleepy which I am also doing it.


Well, it's okay since Ron Weasley was there to give humor to the audience. Some of the funny scenes are done with him and his new love affair.


Thus, the movie is soo ewww. and Corny. and a little bit of sad. 'beard man' Dumbledore is dead.

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NO CLASS due to "ahh(HiNi)"

It's been awhile since I last posted here in my blog.

Hmmm... what had happened to me. Maybe I just got busy on so many things that I already forgot I still have a Blog, short for web log which is my online diary or a journal.

Well anyways, moving along.... Today is Monday! and yeah, what a gloomy day today... it's cloudy outside and seems to rain.

I have NO classes today and for the rest of the week, which I almost forgot.



Remember a month ago, maybe 2 months ago? H1N1, or Swine Flu as it was called back then was a hot topic on the news. Mexico was ground zero for the swine flu. The USA was not far behind, with plenty of cases of Swine Flu showing up in many US States. There were many deaths in both the USA and Mexico.

These days, though, when I watch foreign news channels like CNN or others, H1N1 is rarely a topic any longer. However, the virus has not gone away. In fact, it seems to be getting even more widespread. The Philippines was one of the few H1N1 free countries in the early days of the Virus, but these days H1N1 seems to be spreading fast in my country! What the heck?

Now, the Philippine Department of Education is postponing classes in many Universities as a precaution toward stopping the spread of the H1N1 Virus. And yeah you guessed it. Our school is a victim of H1N1. Their are 8 cases in Xavier Highschool and reported recently 1 instructor has a swine flu in exact Xavier college where I'm studying.

Our school was the first one to suspend classes in Universities and schools in Cagayan de oro at the height of the Influenza AH1N1 virus issue.

Well well well... because I don't have classes for the rest of the week then maybe I can enjoy a lot spending here in our house relaxing and getting busy for my online shop. Hope you'll visit it soon!


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Finally I can take a bath..tomorrow

I'm at home with a cough and runny nose and fever a few days ago and I'm basically not feeling well.

It's just one of those days where you throw up absolutely everywhere, lost track of where you are, get really disorientated and unable to balance and even wake up at night with a cough and have a high fever. And you know what you want to go to school to be enrolled! I'm not yet enrolled though.

First, a confession. I’m not a very good patient. When I’m sick (and I mean really sick), I don’t want to do anything. I want to stay in bed, watch bad movies and drink lots of water. I mostly, forgot to take my medicine in exact hours.

This past few days I was sick. Very ill. And I strongly believe, it is due to the sudden change of weather here in our place and also to my exposure to crowded people in one of gov't offices here as I posted an entry few days ago.

Fevers, chills, sweats while wearing sweats, and then having to get out of my sweats because of the sweat; with plenty of nausea, ageusia (lack of taste for food), insomnia, headaches. Weakness or asthenia, it really is all the same. Cough, ahem, with little apathy and body aches.

So in my recent illness, while I cursed my microscopic enemies, I am also grateful for the occasional (but not too often, OK?) reminder of what it is like to lose your health. Paradoxically, my first day back today was as refreshing to my part. I can enroll tomorrow and take a bath, Finally! lols! Ahm, I do still have a hard cough though.. *cough* *cough*


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Photo Hunt: BOOK(s)

This week's theme: Book(s)

The books are page turners and I could not sleep properly until I am done reading until the end. Also, I like witchcraft and other worldly stories. Somehow, the books make me recall my late maternal grandmother’s penchant for story telling about aswang, mangkukulam, and such.

Harry Potter (Series) by JK Rowling - magic has always fascinated me, but the Harry Potter books got me: hook, line and sinker. Young, ordinary but not-so-ordinary people, thrust into two realities and forged in battles of the wizarding world and pubescent angst — what’s not to love?

But sad to say, I don't have the 2 last books. Hope someone with a good heart will give or offer me those books. I'm pleading..... coz I just love reading it!

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Quite an experience

One of the most visited and busiest public offices in downtown Cagayan de oro City is the National Statistics Office (NSO).

Transacting business at the National Statistics Office (NSO) in Cagayan de oro City is quite an experience – a chaotic experience that could test our patience and our resistance to dehydration.

Whether we like it or not, the NSO is now a part of our existence. Virtually all proofs of our identities, driver license, professional license, passport, etc., now require us to obtain “official” records from the NSO as support documents.

I went there Last Thursday May 28, 2009 to get my authenticated birth certificate for some purposes.

Sad to say, my experience at the particular public establishment got me so disgusted about. It does not dwell though, on official responsibilities and accountabilities attendant hereto. But mind you, it could drive some applicants to the brink of a heatstroke.

On that same day, I woke up very much early which is beyond my 'usual wake up hours' just to get my birth certificate. I arrived at around 7:30 in the morning and whoa! when I saw the people, I thought it was some kind of fiesta around there. I got my priority no. which written to be no. 35.. So, at that very moment, I felt very happy. Who would not be? Receiving that no. is an accomplishment, thinking that it's just paid off my early morning breakthrough.. But oh well, I was thinking too much. Guess what? That no. 35 is good for 2nd batch role call. The first batch is until 600. What the heck?

I waited there for almost 3 hrs. Thinking and hoping that their system would be fast like their motto 'serbilis' or in short for 'serbisyo bilis' or to translate in english, 'fast service'. But it was a total opposite. There comes an announcement that their system has encountered problems, so on and so forth.

The queue of people with assigned numbers is brain-cracking. The situation inside and outside the office made it looked like sardines. the surrounding was so hot maybe just because, they do not have the best location that is accessible to residents here and other people in Region 10.

So I decided to go back later in the afternoon. I ate my lunch here in our house and slept for almost 1 hour. When I get back, I thought again that maybe my priority no. would be called super later in the afternoon maybe around 4pm. But hey! I was wrong. It was just so timing when I arrived around 1pm, my no. was called. Well, I just believe miracles do happen. Finally, I got my birth certificate and there, I'm glad I'm done.

As I walked far, I glanced back to all the people who are left in there, waiting, starving, tired and maybe dieing (i think) then, I just thought...

What really matters here is not only the tenants or even guards in there but the top NSO officials who failed to have a proper organizational plan to make things easy. If only NSO personnel empathize with our situation by means of implementing an organized and efficient service that any income-generating government office should deliver. It was very unfortunate that they overlooked this little hole of justice in their hasty compliance with the rule of law.

There is no intent to offend anybody but for as long as this simple mess is left unattended by NSO officials, the ones who get screwed in the end are still the people from far flung areas –as usual.

Finally, NSO-Cagayan de oro City and NSO branches all over the Philippines should realize that we are humans, too, who could get dehydrated and could become weak when subjected to agonizing humidity and heat for hours. It could at least install more electric fans to provide adequate ventilation, or better still, install air conditioning units in the waiting/transaction area. Or at a very least provide some chairs and roof covering (if this is the right term) for all the people waiting outside rather than letting the people sat everywhere and heated by direct sunlight.

Because it is earning at least a Hundred thousand from us every day, we believe that these little suggestions would not be such a big burden to NSO-CDOC. We look forward to the day when every transaction we process at NSO-CDOC would be a pleasant experience.

Sorry to comment about the system of your services in office, but if I won’t do it, who will? I just hope to have made your day in this column. You ask for it and I believe ex uno disce omnes - from this one – you may learn all!


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Been very busy lately

Yes I got new theme again. I’m into plain and quite artistic right now. I mean, I want a simple but cute layout.

Finally SUMMER CLASSES are gone! and actually it was just last Wednesday when it ended and was my happiest day! Lol! no more daily quizzes no more early wake ups. Moreover, even finally summer classes is OFFICIALLY over, but 1st semester is coming. I’m planning to again to have a full load of units.

It seems like time is just flying and I have really been busy working on a number of things, my two elder brothers just got home a couple weeks ago and there are times we spent bonding times with each other, watching downloaded movies, going to mall, eating and playing Xbox.

Well, just right now I'm catching up for the things I've been missing a lot.

Hope to see you around folks!

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