As of blogtime, Christmas is finally over and I am currently transforming my room into a mini-faculty room, with all the students’ thingamajigs sprawled all over the bed (usually, of course, they are testpapers and book reports, all of which are unchecked). We teachers are not really required to go to work during the Christmas break, but there are some who are very hardworking and who do not want to spend their future sick leave and vacation leave (uh… we new teachers do not have a leave yet) at this point in time. Well, of course, this is a manifestation of an unfair labor practice (although my professor has said that an unfair labor practice only covers the restrictions of employers for their employees to engage in a labor union). I’ll bet that the principal and the president are just quite lonely because they are all alone in their penthouse, with nothing more but their faces to view, and that is quite not a good thing to happen.

I have checked two sections of Second Year students (a big YIPPEE for that) and later on after this blog entry, I will check the papers of the Fourth Year and Third Year students, both in English and Logic, respectively. Then, I will be checking the book reports of "The Old Man and the Sea" and the theater critiques (from our recent field trip) of "The Sound of Music." And so far for my personal life, I still have to accomplish the report that I am supposed to do for my studies in PNU. To tell you frankly, I AM QUITE TIRED. That’s why I blog. I think that this is my only escape from the brutal yet rewarding work of teaching (minus the student stalkers, that is). I often wonder if I am getting the best out of my youth, since I am given a job which requires a lot of maturity far from the work that my colleagues have (no offense intended - let me explain). When I graduated, I often dream of becoming a bigshot yuppie strolling the streets of Makati with a Starbucks coffee in one hand while carelessly yapping on the phone with another yuppie. Being employed in a corporate world involves one to deal with more personal/social issues - you know, trying to find ways how to feed oneself and as well as the family, or complaining how your boss really sucks that you want to suck the brains out of him - and of course, family issues as well, such as how to deal with an income of seven thousand pesos for a family of eight. But when you’re a teacher, you have to deal with issues other than your home. You have to meddle (quite frequently) with the lives of the students you teach, hoping to help them straighten out their lives. I am truly living the life of Amelie - she keeps on straightening other peoples’ lives when she couldn’t straighten out her own. And more importantly, one has to act mature enough (which I fear that I am not doing) so as you would establish a difference with the young people that you teach. You know who I am, and you know that I am probably one of the quirkiest people you’ll meet in your entire life. I am a perpetual youth, a true quality of a Gemini.

Sigh.

Anyway, I haven’t heard any news yet about our Christmas party. I wasn’t able to attend it… Okay, I deliberately planned not to attend it because I don’t want to mingle with the president and the principal. I know that they’d probably deduct a inconsiderate amount of my salary, but nevertheless, I have my principles that I stand for. With the kind of boss I have, the only thing that will keep you going apart from the monetary rewards, of course, is the appreciation you get from the students. Then, everything is finito.

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Last Sunday, I talked with one of my good college friends over the phone. I am quite ashamed that I haven’t been keeping in touch because of the work that I am given, and I am quite thankful that they understand. My college friends and I haven’t seen each other for quite sometime; if I remember it well, it was still last year since we have last seen each other. After graduation, all that has been left with us is the wonder of texting to keep us updated with what happens to our lives. God, I really miss them.

I really admire the strength of character of this girl (you know who you are. Ü) because she has underwent a lot of trials more than enough for a girl of her age to bear. The things that we often complain about - how our boss sucks, how angry we are when we run out of money to buy some capricious item to feed our ego and the likes - they are nothing compared to what my friend has experienced. And with that, I salute her, and pray to God to bless her this new year. I have also managed to text my college friends and I was glad to know that they were all doing fine (and I guess that makes my Christmas vacation worthwhile, not to mention the fact that I am able to rest a bit). There are a few friends whom I wasn’t able to keep in touch with (again, you know who you guys are), but at least we have Friendster and texting.hehe. Just hope that you can visit me once in a while at PNU or at SM Manila… just for once, for a change.

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CONTENT EDITED.

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I’ll write again soon. I have to go back to my workplace, checking papers. And to think that it’s already 9pm.

Walang tulugan to.

P.S. I was able to find a copy of Lolita yesterday in A Different Bookstore. Yehey!