Physical Fitness Thoughts

Three months.

I have been doing my gym workout for three months now. It all started last October 24, 2011 when I started to feel the need of physical exercise to help myself conquer hypersensitivity. Two years, prior to going to the gym, my doctor told me to find time everyday to do physical exercise at least three times a week. But that medical advice was left undone until I experienced some of the dangerous symptoms of heart problems if I will not do something about it. So, that semestral break last year, I made a decision and mustered courage to commence this long over due promise I made to myself to do physical exercise before it's too late for preventing a fatal blow in my health. And to sustain the decision, I decided to enroll myself in a physical fitness gym to have the right work out program that I need in my journey to a more healthier and happier lifestyle. And for this, I will always be grateful to my kind and dedicated fitness instructor, Noy Abe.

Three realizations...

First is discipline and hardwork as keys to a healthier lifestyle. Discipline in terms of time management, diet, activities and spending so that everything would be set in the right direction. I always believe that if there's a will, there's way. In effect, I made sure that I go to the gym six times a week as scheduled, I have to eat the right food (less salt and sugar and kamote), to refrain from unnecessary activities (like sleeping late and playing online games), to save money for my supplements and other needs for the gym work out, and  saying "yes" to an alcohol, sugar and caffeine free lifestyle. At first, I found it very hard to embrace the needed discipline I have to impose to myself. But as the days unfolded, I acquired the habit of saying no and saying yes to learn saying "no" to many things that can harm my health and put to waste my physical fitness activity. And this made me realize that if you have the focus, the will and the courage with the help of God's grace to pursue what you think is good for your self, your health, nothing is impossible. Believe in it and coupled it with prayer, dedication and discipline. After three months, I lost 35 lbs. When I first started my gym work out, I had 220 lbs weight. Now, I am down to 195 lbs as of January 28, 2012. This was all hardwork and discipline.

Second is fun. There's so much energy when you're enjoying what you do. And I believe, this what keeps me going despite the inconveniences and sacrifices I experienced in making myself faithful to my daily physical fitness schedule and routine. I enjoy my diet meal, fitness work outs, protien supplements, gym outfit and a lot more which make me look forward for another day, another week of physical fitness routine. The routine sometimes can make you feel bored and giving up going to the gym. But when fun is there, it can keep the passion, enthusiasm, the energy burning. Fun is like an oil of a lamp... it will keep you going.

Third is confidence. The strenuous physical fitness work out has gradually shaping up my body and toning my skin. This gives me so much joy and confidence because I have afforded my body the vigor and strength, healthier condition and sexier shape. The physical and health confidence that I have experienced now is worth all the sweat and pains, the injuries and physical discomforts of the hard physical activities that I've been doing in the gym these past few weeks. This drives me more to do more and give more all for a healthier lifestyle.

Three resolutions...

First, sustain the passion on physical fitness work out.

Second, continue the healthy diet (less oil, salt and sugar, more fiber, vegetable and fruits, more water, no to soft drinks and preservatives).

Third, improve sleeping hours and avoid unnecessary stresses.

Prayer...

Lord God, the Giver of all that is good,

thank you for giving me this opportunity to realize that I have to be

a responsible steward of your gift of physical body and wellness. 

Sustain me with your grace that I may do whatever I can do

to live a healthier, meaningful and happy life all these earthly days of my life. 

I trust in You and a lift everything to You all that I do 

for your greater glory and service in Jesus' name. 

Amen.

Seminar-Workshop on Basic Filming and Acting

Finally, the much awaited seminar-workshop on basic filming and acting was pushed thru last January 14 at High School Academic and Cultural Center from 8:00 AM until 12:00 NN. Approved by the Director of Religious Education Department, Fr. Cornelio E. Moral, the half-day activity was envisioned to provide necessary inputs on basic concepts and technical aspects of filming and acting in helping our REED students prepare for and come up their own short films based on the Ten Commandments and Parables of Jesus written and presented in the modern context. 

Mr. Erwin Nicavera

Mr. Erwin Nicavera of GMA TV Network, an alumnus and working student of the University was the resource speaker. His simple yet concise presentation of the fundamentals in filming and acting, citing his personal experience on production and utilizing some short films as samples, made easy for our students to grasp and assimilate the ideas they needed most. To make his talk more interesting, he provided short activities in between to allow active participation of the students and gather their ideas, too.

On our end, this activity is really bringing Religious Education to a new level by adapting modern approaches in making the subject more interesting, fascinating, and relevant. And I believe filming can be a powerful and creative tool/venue to draw out students' interest and creativity in REED subjects by allowing them to create a meaningful, creative and relevant learning output. By using ways familiar to them as young people of this generation such as filming, learning experience can be fun, and they can best articulate their learning in ways they can best express themselves. Learning the Ten Commandments and Parables of Jesus can be very boring. But using the film, students are asked to explore and communicate the moral issues and values in the commandment or parable they have chosen using their own creativity, imagination, research, and significant human  experiences. This is what drives me most why I require my students to do film projects in my class. I just simply believe in their creative minds and skills. They just simply need an inspiration, encouragement and guidance to do it. And as their adviser, I am just here to give them the right push, motivation and supervision to make their wonderful ideas and over-brimming energy be put into good use.

 

But more than just coming up an entertainment output, the films they have to produce are intended for evangelizing, social awareness and transformation. As part of the guiding criteria for coming up their films, students are asked how effective and relevant are their films in making their audience realize and respond to the issues and values they are presenting in their films. At the onset, the film makers are told that more than just entertaining people, their films must teach the values of the Gospel to highlight the religious education dimension of their opus. This simply means putting modern technology at the service of life and the Gospel. And I strongly convinced that REED students can make this happen given an opportunity and  supportive environment.

Those who participated in this seminar-workshop were REED students under my class and under Mrs. Genie Pedrosa and Mrs. Evalyn Recaido. 

Paper Wedding Anniversary

December 22, 2010 - December 22, 2011

To my ever dearest, loving and lovely spouse, you’re such a wonderful blessing that God has given me. Thank you for your faithful and generous love, care, support and understanding. No one else in this world would give me love, care, support and understanding the way you do. I just don't know what my life would be now without you... and for that, I will always be grateful to you. With you, my life has been so blessed and filled with endless excitement and adventure.

Happy Paper Wedding Anniversary, Sweetie!

Today we celebrate our most difficult accomplishment, staying married together for one year time na gid! Hehehe :)

... Thank you for your love and understanding that you showed me every day. You are so generous with your time, energy, and forgiveness in moments that ginaabot ko sang akon pagka-moody, suplado kag insensitive sa imo. I know that each day of our married life will always be a daily adjustment and knowing you more… and this will not be easy for me without your constant love and understanding. May God be always the Rock, the strong foundation of our married life. Without Him, ambot lang if nakasurvive pa ta one year… hehe! It’s His grace that I am always able to swallow my pride, conquer my ego and cope in every challenge that came, comes, and will come in our life… and ang pinagid ka importante, it’s He who enables me to love you the way you…bisan kis-a budlay gid e-understand kag himuon. I just love you sweetie the way that you are… may baby or wala… that’s always been my promise to you... nothing will change. 

Photo Courtesy of OpenRice.com

A romantic dinner @ 21 Bar Resto

 ... It's already 12:30 am December 23, 2011... just arrived home with my sweetheart, enjoying the night together on our Paper Wedding Anniversary! After a sumptuous and very romantic dinner at 21 Bar Resto, we enjoyed the rest of the night at Black Velvet comedy bar. It was so much fun for both of us as we enjoyed the food and the fun at the comedy bar. I never thought we can reach this far... I'm counting more more years to be with my ONE and ONLY Bella and Vanilla Twilight... I love you so much sweetie.... and for the many times I fell short of expressing the love that you expected me to show, I'll try my very best to make it up with you... The five glasses of Screwdriver screwed me up as we heed off for home. Thank you sweetie for the love and so much fun and adventure with your company...

I just thank the Lord so much for all His blessing for us in our married life for the past year despite the many challenges that we faced together... The Lord has been good to us that's why we celebrate His unfailing love and providence to us. Praise and thanksgiving to You oh Lord, now and always...

Inug-tabang unta pero wala nakatabang...

Mapa-utwas lang gid ko sang pwerte nga kalain sang bu-ot kay daw indin ko nagid matulon ang ini nga hitabo. Indi ko makapati nga ang isa ka institution nga amo dapat ang bulwark sang pagserbisyo kag hustisya, indi makahatag mismo sang nagakaigo nga bulig o serbisyo sa iya nga empleyado sa tiempo nga gakinahanglan gid sang bulig.

Ang asawa ko nagmaternity leave last September 20...nagbalik na obra sang November 22... hasta subong ang SSS Maternity Leave nga gn-applyan namon nga tani dapat gamiton sa amon kinahanglanon sang tiempo nga pi-ot gid kaayo sang amon situasyon wala na hatag... asta subong nga adlaw (December 20) masukat na isa kabulan nga nakabalik na sa trabaho ang akon asawa wala gyapon nahatag... ang indi maintiendihan nga ang tanan nga papeles nahatag naman... narelease na gani sang SSS ang Maternity Benefit chequesang nagligad pa nga mga sinemana... nga indi pa marelease...? Sa tuod-tuod lang need gid na namon ang kwarta subong para makabayad sa mga utang halin pa sang pagka-ospital namon sang September 20...hasta sa og bakal bulong sang asawa ko para dasig mag-ayo para makabalik sa obra...

Ang punto man lang tani kasimple: sin-o pa bala mabulig sa imo sa tiempo sang ital-ital kundi dapat ang institution nga ginaserbisyohan mo but kasubo dumdumon nga amo pa ang madugang sakit sang ulo mo kag problema... galain gid ang buot ko kay kadako sang akon regards tani sa mga tawo sa sini nga institution... gabulig sa iban nga tawo pero ang tawo nga bululigan nga yara mismo sa ila ugsaran indi pa matalupangdan... kabay pa tani mapinsaran man ninyo kon ano nga kalain sang buot ang inyo ginhiatag sa asawa ko nga nagserbisyo todo-todo pero daw napabay-an pa sa tiempo nga nagakinahanglan sang inyo bulig... indi ko gid malipatan nga wala pa gani nakabalik ang asawa ko, nga bisan tani garecuperate pa, bisan sa balay ginapadal-an obra pero ginabatun nga wala sang reklamo tunog na lang gid sa ngalan sang serbisyo... pero sa katapusan siya nga dapat buligan... wal gid na-ulikdan nga buligan sang dapat magbulig sa iya nga mga tawo... kasubo...

Sa mga natungdan nga dapat maghikutar sini... tani makonsensiya man kamo kag mabutang man tani ninyoang kaugalingon nyo sa lugar sang akon nga asawa ko... charity begins in your own backyard...