A child's battle and a father's rescue: A book review

When Joel and his best buddy, Tony, decided to take a ride to the State park, they started on a journey to push their limit on what their juvenile mind and body could endure like any other 10-year olds. Joel made a promise to his father that they will be back home safe. ”On my honor” he said and was warned not to go near the Vermillion River.
Along the way, the two boys decided to take a detour and explore the river instead. Tony initiated to take a dip but Joel initially declined. With Tony’s persuasive bullying on Joel, he decided to challenge Tony for a swim. When he reached the sandbar, Tony was not within sight. Fearing the death of his friend, Joel must face the consequences: to go home alone and tell his parents about the news.
In the book, the author, Marion Dane Bauer, distinctly contrasted the characters of the two boys, Tony as a daredevil cloaked under an underprivileged living while Joel is a good son to a more blessed family. And what I found most interesting in the book is how Bauer narrated the panic that Joel felt when he realized Tony had drowned; the rush of guilt on how to tell the bad news to their parents; and the depression that he had lost the company of a best friend. The interpersonal conflict was grippingly and perfectly told, and the experience of reading the book was like getting into the mind of a real Joel.
Personally, I also had a close encounter to drowning. I was with my brother when it happened. And while indulging into the book, the memories flooded my mind. While on the water, I can only see water bubbles, white light and the screaming of my sister in the background. And after all that, my father was quick to save us. We did not lose a life, but the experience made the story closer at bay.
Aside from being a book on pain, guilt and conscience, it also holds a space for healing. The last scene, when Joel finally told his parents about what happened, Joel found refuge in the arms of his father, a father who understands and ready to help a battered soul pick-up the pieces of a shattered life. This reminds me of a course in a seminar I had attended before about Ancient Paths. It is about endowing of blessings, how parents are responsible to the emotional and spiritual wellness of their children, form conception, to birth, to adolescence until death.
On my honor is a book that chronicles a boy’s struggle with conscience, told simply and timelessly. It is an ageless contemporary classic. A must read for those seeking a place where to start their soul search.


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"On my Honor" is a book by Marion Dane Bauer, a Newberry Honor Book Awardee in 1987

A garden's silent cry

I find nature as an amazing subject for photography. Plants, specifically, are my preference for I love the majesty of the shapes and the beauty of its colors.



I’m not exactly sure how my interest on plants started, perhaps the environment where I grew up played the part. My father is also an agriculture teacher and sometimes we attend to in his classes.

Looking back, it is interesting to note that in my junior year in high school, I did a research paper about “plants and gardening” which included what soil type is suitable for what type of garden. Also, in my English Communication II class in UP Los Banos, I did a research paper on the “economic effects of Philippine endemic plants”. I was taking up BS Agricultural Economics then.

Having spent 5 years of college education in UP Los Banos, where the mythical Mt. Makiling rest, where nature is abounty of its natural assets, I have come to note that there, in the Senior’s Social Garden, garden shows are regularly held. These events are normally held in April in time for the graduation rites and in October for the Loyalty Day.

This year, I got the chance to visit the garden show held from October 9-18 presented by the Los Banos Orchid Society. As the sponsoring group’s name imply, the show exhibited mostly orchid varieties and the staple landscape/booth design contest.


The Orchids

 

The Landscape/Booth designs

 

 

And since it is a garden show, other garden staples are also present like:

Bromeliads: are tropical plants with sturdy and overlapping leaves. The overlapping leaves are able to store water which makes it a low maintenance plant suitable for gardens and the indoors. It could be grown on trees, rocks and pots making it the fastest growing pot plants and is best propagated with seeds.

Mussaendas are ornamental shrubs characterized by its distinct and colorful petaloids. Philippine mussaendas are hybrid of the endemic M. philippica discovered in Mt. Makiling in 1915. Mussaendas are named after the Philippine first ladies collectively termed as “Doñas”. The first hybrid was named Doña Aurora, after the wife of President Manual L. Quezon. Shown in the picture is Mussaenda “Corazon C. Aquino”.

Novelty items decorated with various flora species and even dried flowers framed to serve as decorative ornaments were also on display.

Tissue cultured varieties of orchids were also available. The orchids were grown and cultured by the Department of Horticulture. When the orchids in the bottle sprout to reach out the opening of its containers, it is then transferred and transplanted to grow like a normal plant.

Also on display are various ornamental plants cultured and cultivated mainly for aestetic value like criss-crossed stems and are believed to be signs of prosperity and goodluck

Some, I just took the time to admire the beauty of the varigiated colors...that I didn't even care if I knew what they're called

In the end, its not how cheap the plants are or how many new plants I had acquaintance with...but its about knowing that nature is abounty of treasures. And mostly, its about nature's silent cry for preservation and propagation. But that is secondary for me.

After all, I heed the call, heard the cry, enjoyed its beauty...and I took her picture. And that's one reason why I created this blog. Perhaps, this is my way of reaching out to a garden's silent cry.

Astro's Flight

I watched Astroboy just today, though I promised myself to watch it on its opening date last October 28. I am an Astroboy fan and yes I am stating the obvious.
Who is Astroboy
Astroboy is the story of a boy robot who was created by Dr. Tenma after the death of his son Toby. Dr. Tenma used the positive energy 'blue core' to bring Toby back to life and incorporated his son's memory into Toby's system. As he discovers his real identity, Toby was pursued by the greedy Dr. Stone in an attempt to get the 'blue core' in his hands to use for personal gains. In his attempt to capture him, Toby was thrown out of Metro City and into a robotics junkyard where he met his friends who renamed him Astro. Also, using his blue core powers, he brought Zog, a giant century-old construction robot, back to life.

While living with his friends, Astro met Hamegg, a frustrated robotics scientist who repairs defective robots and uses them on a gladiator like robot festival where robots fight each other to determine the best. Upon discovering Astro being a robot, he set him up as an entry to the festival which gave Dr. Stone a venue to capture Astroboy.

Upon capture, he directed Dr. Tenma to remove the blue core into Astro's system. Dr. Tenma retaliated and set Astro free. Mad about what happened, Dr. Stone took the negative energy-'red core' to bring a giant robot to life in a pursuit to kill Astro.

Astro then was set into a battle against the giant robot. But to kill the robot, Astro must use the power of the blue core, but using cost Astro's life. Astro died, but with the use of Zog's blue core power, he was repaired, ready to save the planet from any bad robot.
How was it
The movie is a visual treat for the young ones and young once. The story is packed with humor, heart and brain that capitalizes on a young robot's journey through self discovery, acceptance of his destiny and how he became Metro City's hero and defender against the evil robots. However, after watching the movie, I was left with a void feeling of disappointment much less dissatisfaction. While the movie did great on its effect, there was something lacking which I could not possibly say what.

Probably it has to do with the major deviation from its original story: Toby was killed from a car accident while the movie showed Toby died out of a failed robot test run. Another reason may be: while Astro's TV life is colorful because of his many and varied opponents, the climax ran around his battle against the evil robot who had the red core on it.

Again, technical and production wise was great. Probably the most visually appealing and visually entertaining cartoon-animated movie we ever had in theaters. I am happy that finally I saw Astro in a movie, but I want more. And that's the reason why I had a void depressed feeling after the movie.

Stunningly created as it was, I must say again....I want more more.

The Neighbor's Creed

We got this in the mail and I guess it was circulated within our village. If this was from the management of our Homeowners Association, I must commend them for this information drive and for at least trying. The management may have good intentions but I guess the intentions have gone from good to crap.

However cool as it may have sounded, I think this is a failed attempt and an apathetic was of making themselves visible. Its a crap because they not only reinstated the obvious.

I live in the village, I know what I have to do, needless to say, and if I am to be reminded of it, they need not use funds to print such crap.

The sun, the sea and the Laiya sand

Summer is always a welcome treat for those who love the outdoors, for this is the time of the year when families and friends get together for outings and gatherings. And if you speak of hot summer sun, the most refreshing getaway would be to head for the waters and beat the sand or dip into pools and slides.

One place that is now gaining popularity as a summer destination is Laiya in San Juan, Batangas. It is about 3 hours drive south of Manila with a number of beach resorts along its shore. During summer season and Holy week, locals and foreigners flock to its beaches to enjoy the sun, sea and sand.

With its close-to-white sand shore and the scenic backdrop of a nature, this could well be a good place to enjoy the company of friends, families and even company outings, not to mention a good and reasonable price. Also, just a few hundred meters from the shore is a dive site where you can snorkel and enjoy its wide variety of marine ecosystem.

In the three occasions that I have set foot into the waters of Laiya, I have so far visited 2 of its beach resorts: Pahiyas Beach Resort and Laiya Coco Grove.

Pahiyas Beach Resort

In the two occasions that I have been into this resort, nothing much has changed from 2006 to 2009. The facilities are well maintained and cleanliness is a management priority. However, the shores are well becoming too polluted, or maybe because on the two occasions that I have been there, the shore was too crowded with people.

The only drawback that I would consider is the availability of water in the rest rooms. Prepare to fall in line while waiting for a chance to get your after-the-sea and before-I-go-home shower. While the sea is a bounty of it, unfortunately the showers are not.

Cottages and nipa huts are available for day tour and overnight stay. While private cottages can hold up to 10 people, open cottages can accommodate more. A private cottage has its own restroom while communal restrooms are available for day tourists.

The tour prices are well regulated for most of the beaches in Laiya. Entrance fees are charged for individual tourists and separate fees are for other amenities like cottages, beach volleyball facilities. Life guards are also within the beach premises so you’ll feel safe while in the waters and being extra careful comes at no cost.

For Pahiyas Beach resort, visitors are allowed to bring food and additional fees may be charged for use of appliances like rice cookers and corkage fees. Hard drinks and other alcoholic beverages are only available in the beach store and selling is as well regulated.

Pahiyas Beach resort is a good option for tourists under limited budget. But then, its always best to bring some extra cash, for the trip would not be complete without the .....snorkeling.

Laiya Coco Grove

This resort has 2 beaches, the white sand beach and the main beach. For day tour company functions, the white sand beach is a great option to consider. It has a pavilion that could hold buffet dining while beach tents and umbrellas are available along its shores. The main beach is for travelers wanting a room to take naps and spend overnights.

Click here to view pictures of the white sand beach

After a day’s fun in the white sand beach, you can opt to relax and spend the night in the main beach. The landscape with its cottages and tree houses is poetry in itself.

I came across Laiya Coco Grove from of a company outing. And what made it more fun and memorable is that, I together with a team had the rare chance to enjoy the beach and an overnight stay for free in one of its tree houses. Truly hard work and good luck can bring you good memories and great bonding time.

As the afternoon fades into dusk, you get a dramatic view of the sunset.

And when you wake up, the cool morning sea breeze will certainly leave you mystified and will make you keep a promise to come back for more.

Along with great amenities, air-conditioned tree houses and yes, as the name implies, quite a number of coconut trees, you will certainly get the value of your money by spending more. A budget of $80-$100 will be worthless as compared to the value and experience you get. Also, just a 10 minute boat ride is the dive site which one should never miss.

I kept a promise that one day, I will take my wife in this resort for this has been one of the most romantic, peaceful and scenic place I have seen so far.