to the new superheroes...

[Sir Jeff's Message to all his Graduating Students]

          The first time I've heard the 'graduation march' played during the first graduation rehearsal I feel saddened. Again, another batch of students are leaving.

          I am in the prime years of my career as a teacher compared to my fellows and I've been always observant with the usual trend. Napapanahon ngayon ang mga istorya tungkol sa mga supernaturals. Sa katunayan, ito na halos ang laman ng primetime TV Programs. Dati may Darna, Dyesebel, May Bukas Pa (Si Bro), Machete; ngayon naman may Captain Barbell, Immortal, Dwarfina... meron pang Babaeng Hampas Lupa (kasama ba un? hehehe). Sa madalas na pagkakataon, hindi makatotohanan kasi nga supernatural o higit sa normal pero patok sa panlasa ng nakararami (ayon na rin sa mga ratings ng primetime shows).

          Ako sa sarili ko, ayoko ng mga ganito, pero dahil yan ang pinapanood ng mga kasama ko sa bahay, minsan mapapansin ko nalang na ako pala ay sumusubaybay narin, lalo na sa Temptation of Wife (supernatural ba un?).

          Naging student din ako at  sa paniniwala ko, hanggang ngaun student pa rin ako. Sa halos 10 months sa isang School Year na puro pagod dahil sa mga assignments, tests, practices, projects, school requirements, dagdag mo pa ang Research - nakakapagod to the 23rd power! Mahirap, minsan pakiramdam mo pati parents naten hindi tayo naiintindihan. Sa bahay nagagalit sila kasi halos wala na tayong maitulong dahil maghapon nating tinatapos ang drowing na isasubmit sa Drafting Class. Tapos minsan pag ginagabi ng uwi, nagagalit din eh sinasabi mo naman na galing ka sa practice, na hinaluan ng konting gala at date (xempre hindi mo na sasabihin un hehehehe). Pag maaga ka naman umuwi nagagalit din, baka daw nag cutting classes ka. Pero kahit minsan hindi tayo nila maintindihan, luv natin sila, dahil hindi sila nagsasawang bigyan tayo ng baon. Well, seriously, we love them kasi ramdam naten na they love and care for us. Sa mga PARENTS naten, THANK YOU PO sa inyo!

          Sa mga titsers naten, may mga pagkakataong sumasama ang loob naten sa kanila dahil nahuli tayong nangopya, maingay, mahaba ang buhok (sa lalaki), natutulog sa klase, etc. etc. pero alam nating may dahilan tayo bakit ganun. Hindi naten masabe dahil minsan nauna ng nagalit... pero alam naten na limited din ang capacity nila, marahil expert sila sa lessons naten, pero the fact still remains na hindi nila alam ang buong detalye ng buhay naten. Pero dahil diyan, luv din naten sila kasi naging part sila ng buhay natin at naging inspirasyon naten. Naging part sila ng development naten at alam nateng nagmamalasakit sila para sa atein. THANK YOU PO MA'AM AT SIR!

          Sa loob ng sampung buwan, hindi mo alam kung makakasurvive ka. Andaming mga hadlang. Gaya rin ng common na istorya ng superhero, hindi nya rin alam kung makaksurvive siya - may mga kalaban at nakahanay pa sila mula sa guards, officials then sa master. Ang mahalaga ay hindi tayo sumuko o umatras sa laban. Minsan bumabagsak tayo, pero sinisikap naten na makabawi at makabangon para matapos ang laban. Ngaun? Alam na naten na nakasurvive tayo! After all those tests and hindrances, at last you are now graduating! Gaya ng isang superhero o bida sa isang pelikula na sabi nga ng ilan ay nagpapabugbog muna pero sa huli siya parin ang bida. Gaya ng superhero na hindi nawawalan ng source ng lakas at determination. Alam naten na may source din tayo ng lakas at determination. We acknowledge the source of everything in us... Alam naten na WE DIDN'T DO IT IN OUR OWN WAY! Sa lahat ng bagay, THANKS BE TO GOD!

          I won't forget what my Ingkong (grandfather in Kapampangan) have taught me & I want to share it with you.

          Today, we all celebrate our success... But keep this in mind... this is not yet the end. Gaya ng isang manga (mango), kung itoy hinog na, ang kasunod nito ay ang pagkabulok. Gaya rin ng isang mountaineer na umaakyat ng bundok, kung narating nya na ang tuktok ng bundok, wala ng ibang direksyon kundi pababa.

          Guys, you've already felt success but don't claim that you've already reached it. Always aim for it and you will continue to grow. Wag nyo isipin na hinog na kayo dahil ang kasunod nun ay pagkabulok. Wag nyo isipin na narating nyo na ang tuktok ng tagumpay dahil ang kasunod nun ay ang direksyon pababa, pabulusok.

          Spiderman says that 'with great power, comes great responsibility.' You, yourself will understand these words as time goes by...

          To all my students, I thank God for giving me an opportunity to be a part of your life. I will surely miss you guys!

          Lagi nyong tatandaan na kahit mga  superhero, marunong ding umapak sa lupa!

          Congratulations!

Image Source:

illustrationsource.com (thru Google Images)

Ophiucus causes confusion

Astrology has been always commonly associated with astronomy, but they are actually not related with each other. The latter is a field of science but the former is not.

According to dictionary;

Astrology is the study of planets and human behavior: the study of the positions of the Moon, other planets and stars in the belief that their motions or movements affect human beings.

Astronomy is the scientific study of universe, especially of the motions, positions, sizes, composition, and behavior of heavenly bodies. These bodies are studied and interpreted from the radiation they emit and from data gathered by interplanetary probes.

Recently, the addition of the 13^th zodiac sign causes discomfort to astrology believers. Let’s try to look into the science aspect of the issue.

There are actually 88 constellations (star patterns or group of stars in a definite area of the sky) identified officially, most of which were named in the ancient times. Most of these had been recorded by Babylonian astronomers before 2000 BC. In 150 AD, Ptolemy, a Greek astronomer, described 48 star patterns, including the famous ones like Ursa Major (the Great Bear).

To an observer on Earth, the stars appear to be attached to the inside of a vast hollow globe which spins around the Earth from East to West once a day. Although this is not true, (since the Earth, and not the sky, is the one spinning) it is often useful for astronomers to pretend that this globe in the sky really does exist. This is called as the “celestial sphere” which is of great help to astronomers to plot the position of stars in the sky. During a year, the sun appears to take a particular path through this celestial sphere. This path marks the center of the band of sky known as the Zodiac. There are 12 divisions of the zodiac, each of one represented by a constellation. The Sun seems to stay for about a month in each constellation.

The addition of the 13^th zodiac was proposed as early as 1930. Based on the 1930 IAU constellation boundaries, suggestions that "there are really 13 astrological signs" because "the Sun is in the sign of Ophiuchus" between November 29 and December 17 have been published since at least the 1970s. In 1970, Stephen Schmidt in his Astrology 14 advocated a 14-sign zodiac, introducing Ophiuchus (December 6 to December 31) and Cetus (May 12 to June 6) as new signs. The idea was taken up by Walter Berg in his The 13 Signs of the Zodiac (1995), a suggestion that achieved some popularity in Japan (where Ophiuchus is known as snake messenger). 

The following are the "real" dates of astrological signs according to astronomers;

Capricorn: Jan. 20-Feb. 16.
Aquarius: Feb. 16-March 11.
Pisces: March 11-April 18.
Aries: April 18-May 13.
Taurus: May 13-June 21.
Gemini: June 21-July 20.
Cancer: July 20-Aug. 10.
Leo: Aug. 10-Sept. 16.
Virgo: Sept. 16-Oct. 30.
Libra: Oct. 30-Nov. 23.
Scorpio: Nov. 23-29.
Ophiuchus: Nov. 29-Dec. 17.
Sagittarius: Dec. 17-Jan. 20.

On my personal perspective, we have nothing to worry about this thing. I believe that most of us, even astrologers themselves believe that human behaviour or fate is not dependent to the motions of these celestial bodies. We are the one making our own course; it is a God-given gift to all of us to have freewill. So don’t over react… it doesn’t changes anything.

Sources:

Microsoft® Encarta® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Muirden, J (1993). Visual Factfinder Stars and Planets.

LiveScience.com

Wikipedia.com
starryskies.com (Image Source)