Cramming on the conferment program

I was called upon by Sir Donne last Tuesday (March 24) or Wednesday, I forgot. I thought it wasn’t a serious thing. Mali pala ako.

I was tasked to help Ma’am Tin-tin and Sir Donne and the other faculty involved to make a separate conferment program for Mr. Reynaldo G. David (President and CEO of DBP) who is the speaker for the commencement exercises on 31. Sir David is to be honored with a doctorate degree in Humanities that day.

The first thing that came to me was, What? Ngaman ako? Hala. I have terrible self perception. And thinking that this is an important not-in-my-level-of-expertise task, I stumbled to thinking that. Another thing is that I don’t think I could do it. I fear errors in this type of projects, Mr. and Ms. West pa lang gani nga program gapangurog naku.

Second thing is that, Okay, sounds cool. Kaya ni. I was also half curious on how to do it how to elaborate and further enhance Sir Don’s and Ma’am Tin’s design which I am so digging. So I programmed myself that okay, kaya ni. Program lang na, mapa name-nami ka naman it balasahun.

So I had a day or two to start on the design overhaul. I worked at the office, with usual intervals of RPG gaming and I finished half day of the front cover. The hardest part of doing the cover is that you’ve got to make it cohesive. Dapat mag-blend ang gold at blue. Which is hard kasi contrasting colors ito. Pero nagawa ko rin with a few tweaks in photoshop.

I presented my design and output to the committee, medyo marami ang corrections, hehe. But its nice kasi napuna nila ang palagi kong di makita na mga mistakes.

Una, font style cohesiveness. Kung ang font style sa taas at ilalim at sa gitna ay iba-iba, you’re on the brink of overhaul. Dapat cohesive at medyo similar ang font styles. Dahil medyo eccentric ako, iniba-iba ko. Edi yun, ulit. Hehe. Pero it’s okay naman kasi maganda pala ang mukha nang program na pare-pareho ang font. Siguro in the middle of the” lay-outing” na-iwan ang serious statement na “Conferment Program” at nawili na lang ako sa creative exploration ko.

Second, color color coordination. Like what I’ve said, mahirap I mix ang gold at blue. Choose colors that compliment. Huwag mag black nang text pag dark color na ang background color. Sasabihin nang babasa, “Asan ang text?” Pag medyo impossible ang mix, katulad ng blue at gold dahil analogous, use the gradient effect. Gradient effects work wonders when doing a background.

Except for the mistakes I committed there are factor which I mostly see as “new” in the life of an instigator of the commencement exercises. Very weird things.

Please let me quote Sir Donne, “Never work with o.c.d.’s . (obsessive compulsive disorder-s.)” That suits it! People in the office tend to be over-the-top because it’s the DBP president. Ha, even to the most microbic detail, they will bug and bug you to death. Who ever battle’s for the word “on” and “upon”?

Then, there’s the constant phrase “Ano na?” buzzing around the room. Parang hindi mapakali ang mga tao sa lugar. Naggers.

But then I am lucky to have this project. Honest po na statement yan. Imagine mo, ang dean na sayahan sa layout at outcome? ha. bluffing pero when you're being praised parang lumalaki talaga ulo mo. At talagang lumalaki.

Imagine, parang katulad nang playbill na "mano-mano" ang pag-gawa nito. Thank the Lord at 130 copies lang. hehe. Thanks to Palmsdale at nagpaprint sila ng rush.


Somethings you need when doing stuffs like this:

First, being conscientious is great when doing these kinds of jobs. Di bale na ang mahuli basta tama. Slow and steady kung baga.

Second, be creative. Let the magical genetic juices of spatial, naturalistic at lahat nang M.I.'s mo to flow. Minsan lang ito na project so give it your best. Plus, imagine mo nalang na mapapahiya ang college mo pag medyo "law-'law" ang output.

Third, Patayin ang kahihiyan. Shyness as always is a hinderance to accomplish any job. Not to the extent that medyo ksp ka na, but you should be "brave" (term ko yan) enough to face people who should and needs to be talked to.

At ang mahabang listahan nang pasasalamat.
sir don, mam tin, coe, silak, palmsdale, bhouse ko. my beloved laftaf. at si bossing sa taas.

Parang nanalo lang nang Famas ba! At least, I've made people happy.

I hope pati si Sir David. hehe. By the way, hindi ko ini-extort ang school ko at si Sir David. Peace kami.

There goes another Filipino

In peace lies one of my greatest idol.

Father. Photographer. Comedian. Dancer. Singer. FILIPINO.

Francis Magalona
4 October 1964 - 6 March 2009

*you will be remembered.

Leon Leon Sinta

I was gone a few weekends to join our community outreach at Sitio Miac-ac (me-yakh-ahk), Brgy. Poblacion, Leon, Iloilo. We spread out 48 hours of community service for six days, each interluded by a week. The first batch was on February 5-7, then the second on February 19-21. And I am here to tell you all about the things I learned, I loathe, I like, I love and I leave out during our very enjoyable discovery of Leon. The first thing that I would say is my "Thank you very many dialogue". Bear with the swimming flattering words (but truths!).

Ingatan mo Ako
It comes to a fact that when handling money matters on any given trip/excursion/outing/outreach/out-of-town/spring break/adventour, you need to have a good treasurer (ingat yaman kasi Filipino major siya); this time it's Romeilyn. And that is why I really love Romeilyn during the trip. She has all the money (Kidding folks)! No, seriously, she is great at the money dealings (which unluckily I don't have) and keeping the cash. Ano na lang ang gagawin ko pag wala ka Roms?

Instant pre-school teachers (na mukhang pre school rin!)
I knew they were the perfect tandem. Child friendly mukha nila e. It has always been a plus factor that you look young and this trip just proves it. Take two freshmen students who look like 4th grade students, add twenty pre school children, ten other small children, twenty five feeling children teenagers, two special childs and what do you get? One classroom full of fun. Sina Chinkay at Nini ang buhay nang classroom. Dyan lang ako nakakita nang mga teachers overnight. Salamat at they had an edge for these kind of stuff. Plus, enjoy naman sila!

Yaya's and Yayo
A big thank you to my classmates who showed their maternal instincts evern just for a day or two. I really appreciate it. And for those who help carry the extra luggage, thank you. Thanks for the overwhelmingly long patience for the kids at Miac-ac, for the travel experience, for the walkathons. THANK YOU!

The one who adds up my gray hairs whom I will christen, Uban Growers
Thank the Boss above you are there so that I have something to do; to scold you! If you bug me with all your ranting and yapping and endless complaints, thank you so much! That really tested my strength, character and resistance for my impulse to punch someone in the face. Thank you so much!

Phew! Now that is over, let me tell you the over-all impact (like a judging factor) of this activity for me.

We start by the budget.
Never under estimate the power of an emergency fund. If not for that, wow, second day pa lang namin at hindi na kami makaka-uwi ng Iloilo City! It's a good thing that we had the budget allotment or else, kinulang talaga kami nang pera. But always chip in the collected amount in advance! Ang iba sobrang wais allthrough out the trip ang siba kumain, di naman nagbayad! Hello, di nakaramdam nang hiya, even for just one moment!

That person makes up my "Uban Growers" (yung mga pasaway). At take note, marami sila!

Next is the activities. Plan the activities ahead and collaborate with your group effectively. Yan ang hindi ko nagawa nang maayos. Hinila ko lang si Elna at Krisma the night before to do their child antics. And thank Bossing above they know how to deal with children. The activities were so-child friendly that even my classmates all felty jumpy and excited. Gusto talagang manalo kaya ganun.haha. Mas excited pa sila kesa sa child partners nila!

Third is travel time. Warning: If you happen to ask someone from Leon of how far is a certain place, never trust on their answer. When they say malapit, its malayo. And when they say malayo, they mean it. Siguro, dahil sanay na ang mga taga-roon nang walkahons, kaya nasasabi nila na malapit. Maybe they're right. Pag masanay ka, malapit na yan.

Fourth is food. Make sure that all are fed or else it will rain complaints. At diyan sumusutsot ang mga uban growers. Nakikibagay.

Fifth is safety. Why only 5th? hello, your parents signed the waiver! You know the risk! Pero still, essential ito. Besides, I don't want the trip to be a "Jeepers Creepers" localization.

Sixth, instruction-ing. Make sure clear ang instructions. Huwag kalimutan even the minute details! You will suffer the consequences if you do. Trust me on that one.

Seventh, patience-meter. You need those things in-order to know who is bored, tired, faking an illness, enjoying, disgusted, obliged, tinatamad at mga walang ideya kung ano ang ginagawa nila. I hope they invent those things. Plus a time portal and a laser bazooka para I could go back in time to see who's the who and then boom! Ultimate enjoyment. haha

Next is connection and coordination with the venue. Never ever forget this! Sitting duck ka na lang pag nalimutan mo to. Have phone numbers, full names of the people involved. That way, madali nalang ang communication. Salamat pala kay Capt. Cantara, sa mga kagawad, sa Pamilya Cabarles, dahil binulabog namin kayo at sa mga taga-Miac-ac.

Preparation. Prepare the list of things to buy for who and what. Mahirap na nasa bukid na kayo, nalimutan mo pa ang this and that.

Be an "old maid"-male version for once. That surely helped me in conducting this activity.

It was refreshing to see the people there, a break from the city life, if I were to be asked. But for the Uban Growers, bah, they thinks it all gross and this and that. Di naman mayaman aasta astang mayaman at di makahawak nang maruruming bagay. Hay nako. Uban growers are the Urban-obssessed freaks of our group.

Kawawa ang iba, they have to listen on your continuous never-ending reklamos. If you are looking for service, sana di na kayo sumama. We are serving these people you know. Outreach nga diba? How hard could that be?

Tama na sa Uban growers. Dumadami na ang gray hairs ko.

Plus pa pala, always wear a smile sa mga bata and don't be more noisy than them. Matatakot sila sa iyo. Huwag na huwag mong paiiyakin ang di mo kaano-anong bata. Baka sugurin ka nang nanay. haha. Huwag umasa na may kuryente, electric fan, NAWASA, pagkain, good sleeping area, good toilet IF you are going to this kind of trip. Ok?