Tinokla Scribbles and Doodles » Uncategorized

Is My Being a Teacher Complicating my Pregnancy?

Tinokla — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:37:19 +0000

I’m on my 11th week of pregnancy and I am getting pretty excited about the whole thing. A recent visit to my OB revealed fantastic fetal condition results. My baby is healthy as a horse- so tiny yet so active! As I have mentioned before, I go through my pregnancies like a breeze… That’s why, my life goes on the way it usually is- pregnant or not.
History tells me that being a Teacher won’t hurt my baby. I’ve experience strenuous teaching loads while I was pregnant with my second child, Amber, and I ended up OK. Well, yeah, technically, Amber was not my second. I have had one miscarriage prior. Miscarriages are awful… so much bleeding and all! My unpleasant experience started with a simple ‘spotting’- what we normally call a brownish discharge. Then, the situation escalated- suddenly the discharge turned into a bloody red color and I panicked. An ultrasound revealed no fetal heartbeat. It turned out, it was a blighted ovum. They had to abort before I get infections. It was a sad experience really…. Good thing I got pregnant again after a couple of months- and then finally, Amber arrived.
Well, I was a Teacher already when I had a miscarriage. I am posing this question now because I’ve met plenty of teachers who have had similar misfortunes. I could not help thinking that our demanding profession has a lot to do with the outcome of our pregnancies. But then again, there have been pleasant stories as well. These events may as well remind us to be careful and to stay in pristine health.
The ‘spotting’ that I am having right now is exactly reiterating that important message for us pregnant mommies— be careful and healthy! My OB confirmed that it is definitely stress-related. I need a ton of rest, healthy food, and ‘special’ medicines. As per the doctor, the baby is well and good, the best news so far!… I just need to take it slow and easy… for now.

The 2009 Highlights of My Life

Tinokla — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 10:00:26 +0000

2009 had been a year of many ups and downs for me… nonetheless, I feel blessed. Being with the family I love and seeing them healthy and happy are reasons enough for me to feel enormous gratitude. Before I close this chapter of my life I thought of doing a flashback of the significant happenings I’ve has this past year… In a sense, this activity gave closure to the aches that I’ve had- urging me to move forward and pursue better and greater endeavors. It has also brought forth a sense of inspiration and optimism. Yes, I believe that 2010 is going to be heaven sent for me and my family… So, here it is, in no particular order, my simple rundown of 2009.

My Resignation from BWS
It was not easy for me to quit the job I’ve had for 7 years. It was painful and scary. However, I have learned that God is good for he did not leave me destitute. For whatever amount I lost, it has been compensated with more time spent with my kids. That alone is priceless.

I lost my Aveo
This may appear trivial to some but for us, this brought monumental agony. We lost the car by the time it was fully paid… Just as we are enjoying freedom from monthly amortizations, the car succumbed to a lethal crash. However, I am still glad because the car did not take my husband’s life with it. We are still complete and ready to re-build what we have lost.

My Bag Collection
This year, I was finally able to save enough money to afford a Louis Vuitton. I now have in my possession a simple collection of a newbie baghag… Though not financially wise, it gives me a feeling of insane contentment. I am now eying to buy my 3rd LV…

My Ebay Addiction
Coining it as an addiction is based on the perspective of other people. My intention was for me to get the best at an affordable cost. I am now learning to be wiser… bidding only on items that I really need.

Singapore Trip
Singapore has been a glorious place! More so, having to go on this trip with my husband even made it more special. Would love to visit this place again…

Unleashing the Blogger in Me
2009 has been the height of my blogging career. At one point, I even considered giving everything up and focusing all my energy into blogging. Due to financial and rational considerations, I decided to maintain my day job and continue writing for pleasure.

Paulo’s Car Accident
Incidents such as this can bring about profound realizations in us. It makes us more spiritual and grateful. It makes us appreciate life as a whole. Life is a gift that was lent to us. In return, we should accord it with the care and nurturing that it deserves.

For now, this is a partial list of some unforgettable events of my 2009 existence. I plan to add more in the coming days…

Ciao and Happy New Year to everybody!

Another Day at Marquee Mall

Tinokla — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:33:47 +0000

Marquee Mall is now, undoubtedly, the favorite hang out of Angeles City mall rats such as yours truly. Being closer to the town proper, a lot of Kapampangans are now opting to go here, hence, giving SM City Clark and SM Pampanga one hell of a competition. I mean, seriously, it is so hard to find a decent parking area nowadays… today alone, I had to circle the area 2 times just to find a spot for my car. This leaves me feeling annoyed. I think Marquee’s parking lot is poorly designed. However, I have no right to complain. What they lack in motorists’ convenience they made up for their huge and beautifully built grounds.
I have been a certified SM loyalist for quite a long time… not because I love Henry Sy but probably because I abhor traffic. Yep, it is more convenient and comfortable for me to drive a longer but traffic free route. However, these past few weeks, I find myself frequenting Marquee. I am kinda enjoying the atmosphere there… I don’t know but I am starting to realize that this place was designed not only for die hard shopaholics but also for the family. Indeed, you cannot overlook the hordes of people pouring in the mall- usually, coming in big groups, tagging along their children, their yaya’s, lolas, lolos, etc..etc… Some families would even go there just to bum around their wonderfully designed park- with its manicured lawns and colorful fountains… My daughter for example, would run tirelessly around the park, carefree and utterly happy… while I enjoy a cup of Starbucks on a bench nearby (oohh my idea of short term happiness…). Maybe, this familial atmosphere is what entices people to come and visit the place… plus, of course, the novelty of the whole thing… Let’s see what happens in a year or two, when people have started to memorize every nook and cranny of the building and can practically walk blind without getting lost. Will people be shifting loyalties again and run back to the comfort and familiarity that SM brings? Well, for me, I will go where my feet brings me… anywhere is fine for as long as I get to spend some QT with the loves of my life…:-D

The Tinokla Effect

Tinokla — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:20:43 +0000

I find the name of this new lay-out funny… Well, I would not expect anything less from the man who named and created it- my super uber talented and hilarious husband- Paulo…. Thank you so much!

I guess, the Tinokla Effect was just something that popped out of nowhere… I told him to modify the information behind this new theme and there it was- the Tinokla Effect… just reading it makes me LMAO… har har har… well just for documentation, this will do..

For the longest time, I have been bugging Pao to design me a new one. Finally, after squeezing this task many times in his loaded work schedule, he finally managed to finish it. The first lay-out of this page was inspired by my true love- preschool teaching. As time went by, my write-ups became as crazy as I was- touching topics that range from fashion to spirituality. That’s why I feel that this current theme is so much more fitting to the kind of person that I am- twisted, eccentric, impulsive, reflective, introvert, girly, etc… etc… Now, I feel that I am liberated from my own invented perception of writing something thoroughly researched and scholarly… I want to be me and that is what this page will be!

BDO Credit Card Injustice– Help Needed!!

Tinokla — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:12:42 +0000

Just recently, I emailed this letter to Banco De Oro’s Customer Relations Officer for Credit Cards… I do not want to say anything about my case- I guess, reading this email will give you already an idea as to how unfair their system is… To clarify, I am not trying to evade my responsibilities (excuse me…). I can outright pay what I am reasonably due- no questions asked. I do not have money problems, (and suppose I do, I can instantly ask the help of my mom, heheheh… Anyway, I do not need help for a 10 thousand debt eeeww..) I just want a fair treatment, that’s all… Any advice as regards to my situation right now will be very much appreciated…
I will be sharing the contents of my email- no holds barred, hehehe… I was not really in my sensible and reasonable self when I wrote it… I mean, to hell with editing and correct grammar… my mouth, if ever everything was verbal, was already akin to a machine gun… unstoppable and deadly… so, for all of you who care enough to know, here it is…

To whom it may concern:
Let me just blurt out the circumstances of my concern. As I am not a sucker for insignificant details so I am not sure about the exact dates of the following:

I have been an Equitable-JCB member for more or less 2 or 3 years. I am what credit card companies would love to have- as I religiously pay the interest of my credit every month . On rare occasions, I would pay a big amount but I never reached zero balance.

Equitable was then acquired by BDO and all hell broke lose. I was suddenly getting calls from customer service representatives inquiring about my payments where in fact I do pay! That was probably around May when I realized that my credit card had expired January of 2009 and I could not use it. I was not given a new card and honestly, that made me lose interest to pay my dues on time.

Since that incident, I have been frequently contacted by BDO and in turn, I would always make a follow-up as to when my card would be renewed. My request was due to the fact that, basing from my experience with other credit card companies, they would automatically give me a new card.

Then in early October of 2009, I was texted by BDO saying that my request for renewal was not approved. This was a surprise to me because aren’t clients supposed to be the one to say that? I mean, its OK because I did not like ‘really’ request for one, hello…. what I believed was that it was automatic considering the fact that I still have a balance and I do pay my interests (anyway, I do not give a S – - -… there are other credit card companies who would treat me better, and I likewise will do the same for them).

Given the information, I asked that the membership fee from February to date be waived as I am not a member anymore. The CSR stated that she will give me an update in a few days time, but nobody called me about this matter.

Now, I have received another text message stating that I am due to pay last October 9, but I did not even receive a billing statement.

Honestly, this is making me crazy! If they did not approve my renewal, why didn’t they inform me last February so I could have paid in full by that time and not pay the monthly interests!!! And to think that for every month since I have found out that it was expired, the CSR’s were assuring me that they would follow-up!!!

About the said matter, I want to rid myself of this monthly hassle and pay my due in full so that these people can get out of my life!!
To be exact, I would want the following to be done:
1) deduct the membership fee from February to date to my final bill.
2) deduct the interest that I have paid from February to date to my final bill (if they would have informed me, I would have paid my total debt right there and then!)
3) provide me with a REASONABLE final billing statement and I will pay before October ends

Honestly, I think BDO has very poor customer relations. My sister works in Citibank and they do not treat their customers like pieces of crap! Regardless of how big or small their accounts are, or whether they are platinum card holders or poor JCB cardholders like I once was, they do not give a rat’s ass… all are treated justly and equally.

I am willing to pay the amount in FULL but I will not do so without you removing the membership fee starting from the time you cut your ties with me… Also, I am filing for a complaint for not notifying me earlier— this led me to believing that my card has been renewed, costing me thousands of pesos in interest….
* I have talked to your CSR today and as per him, the complaint for a callback has been denied again… You are such crazy people… Why will I pay for a membership fee if I was not even a member??? He said he is going to file for another request…. With all my bantering over the phone, his responses were “I understand” I do not need your understanding— i need a fair and just assessment of my situation… Do this and accomplish me my final billing statement and I will slap my measly 10 thousand or so debt to you sick people… But NEVER will I pay for something that I never OWED you in the first place…

BDW… I will be blogging about how you treated me… I will make sure that all my friends are aware of how sick and unjust you guys are to your customers.

If any of you guys have any helpful advices… please let me know… As I have said, I just want this over and done with… Thanks…

**** Update: After being denied 3 times, BDO finally deducted the membership fee charges from my account… I paid the amount in full last December 11… with a note, get the hell out of my life… I am now seriously considering to never get another credit card… ever…

Discrimination Against Lady Drivers

Tinokla — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:56:32 +0000

Don’t you just hate it when you hear comments such as “Ah kaya pala…. babae kasi…” Remarks such as this seriously tick me off… I mean, so what if women tend to reverse at a slower pace, or be more cautious when parallel parking. That does not imply that we are poor drivers. In my opinion, it’s more of being defensive and careful. I, for one, could not risk bumping into anything or running over someone just to show everybody that I am a hotshot driver. I would rather be on the safe side and have my car and my record in pristine condition for the longest time possible…

I have been driving for quite some time now… give or take, 15 years. I cannot say that I am an expert driver- especially based on pathetic male standards. If there is really such a thing as defensive driving, then I do qualify myself as one. I enjoy driving better than being a passenger. I have driven to work for the entirety of my professional life and being so, I believe that I have earned the right to be a certified and expert driver…
However, I still have my share of stares and frowns from masochistic male drivers who seem to believe that they are the only ones who deserve to dominate the highway. Honestly, I could not help throwing a few curses over jeepney drivers who stop anywhere and anytime they feel like it, with no courtesy at all for other people on the road. I guess, this scenario is especially common in our country where rule bending is regarded as normal human behavior. If I have the power, I would make a total reformation of our public transport system and adopt a more organized scheme of using buses and cabs such as those in developed countries. If that were the case, I would even opt to leave my car at home.
I don’t know about other lady drivers out there but me, I won’t let anybody trample over my right to drive at will and for pleasure. I will do as I please and drive within the confines of the rules and regulations of LTRFB. In the end, it’s not how fast you drive or how good you are in parking that counts… it’s how you have been responsible enough to care for your own and your loved ones’ well being, your hard-earned possession, and other people’s safety.

Oakley RX Halo Seaweed

Tinokla — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:53:09 +0000

I have been into ebay for quite sometime now and as of the moment… I am really trying my best to lay low and be more discerning in terms of the things I buy. I have gone through the crazy spending spree stage and it has truly crippled my finances hehehe… Well, as a fact, people get addicted at something because they experience pleasure and satisfaction. That is my relationship with ebay… Do not fret, though, because the truth is… there are really tons of great finds on line… That is why I thought of sharing some of the wonderful and gratifying items I got from ebay.

I have worn glasses for 10 years or so now. Given my carelessness, I prefer using the sturdy and heavily framed ones (also, I guess I look better in them). I have had two Replay prescription glasses before which costs roughly about 4 to 5 thousand pesos each. That’s why I thought that it was a blessing for me to discover this Oakley RX glasses from ebay. I got them for around 4000 and had the lenses replaced for 1000 pesos. This Oakley Halo Seaweed RX glasses are kinda Lisa Loeb looking… retro but still very fashionable… This style was released in 2003 so I do not know if they still manufacture this model. Anyways, there are plenty of other designer prescription glasses available on ebay that you can get for a fraction of its mall price.

Missing the Blogger in Me

Tinokla — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:24:30 +0000

OMG! It felt like years since my last entry… What is the matter with me? So many meaningful events have transpired since my last post. As far as I can recall, I was blogging about my 3 day Singapore trip with my husband. But I somehow never had the chance to finish it… Well, I will try to complete my ‘Singapore Article’ one of these days and share my experiences for the sake of other Lion City first timers like I was…

It’s 12 midnight and I should be sleeping right now but my body won’t cooperate. I guess, the three day vacation did its wonders quite well- amply rejuvenating my body and spirit for the impending workload ahead…

As I have said, so many… many… things have happened in the last month or so… SY 2009-2010 has officially started in Noblesse last September 1. I am going to miss Amber since I am not her teacher anymore. I was able to convince Teacher Anji to swap teaching assignments with me- she handled the Pre-Nursery tots while I took charge of the older (and apparently rowdier) nursery kids… Also, we still get to enjoy the added perks of having one class to teach and going home by 3:45… However, the work load is still heavy in many respects since we get to do everything! From worksheets preparation, concept teaching materials production, lesson planning, etc… etc… Now, as an added extra, we have been also requested to form clubs… We are still at a lost as to how we can come up with enticing club titles and programs that will cater to the youngest students in the school… I wanted to start something like a Baby Ballet Club but I feel that I am not competent enough to teach it… Suggestions from preschool teachers out there will be very much appreciated…

Well, I will be trying my best to blog some more in the coming days… Hope to see more visitors soon…

Teacher Mommy

Tinokla — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 08:13:58 +0000

When asked who her teacher is, my daughter, Amber, would immediately reply, ” Titsa Mami…!” Yup… I get to be the teacher of my daughter in her first ever school experience.

Since we are just starting our Early Years Program in NIS, Amber does not have any other choice but me for her teacher. We have only one class open for her age this summer (It’s still summer in NIS… the SY officially starts in September) and the teacher in that class is none other than me…
Well… having her in my class has its ups and downs. As regards to the downside, She is still relatively young, and thus, capable of throwing one hell of a tantrum… She is overly possessive and highly territorial- often wrestling her way into my arms every time one of her classmates embrace me. Overall, she honestly makes me feel like a novice teacher, given my surprising lapses in classroom management…
On the other hand, her 2 month-school experience has been rewarding in many respects. I have seen her happiness as she sings and dances with her classmates… I have witnessed the gradual unfolding of her speaking and vocabulary skills… I have observed that no matter how she fights incessantly with other children over toys and puzzles, she is slowly becoming socially mature as she now shares her food during snacktime…In fact, regardless of how hard headed and hot tempered she is at times, she is well-loved and adored by many.
I myself cannot exactly deny that she lifts my spirits up every time she steps inside the classroom. I miss her when she cannot make it to school (mostly because she wants to sleep more or because she is sick)… I enjoy our ride back home during lunch hours… I like the challenge of teaching her numbers, colors, and shapes… I marvel and celebrate with her in her daily achievements… Thus, over and above all, I would still opt to have her in school and provide her with as many learning experiences as possible…
Yes… I am willing to endure her whining and complaining… I am ready to tolerate her tendency to initiate chaos in class… I am taking on the challenge of giving all my students equal treatment, attention, affection, love, and patience (being my daughter, I seem to be less patient with her…)
Because… beyond the many day-to-day challenges that she brings in the classroom, I have realized that her presence means more to me…. I would not throw away the opportunity of spending 2 out of my 8 working hours to be with her…and of course, I would not disregard the fact that she is undoubtedly improving and learning a lot! Given all of these wonderful advantages, who am I to still complain? Thus, I decide to share these glorious moments with her… to embrace this rare opportunity to bond and be together…
(However, given an option, a different teacher for her would of course be more preferable…:-) )

Tracing Worksheets Generator! A Great Find!

Tinokla — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:56:00 +0000

For Preschool teachers like yours truly, this site is undoubtedly HEAVEN SENT! Now you can have your children trace letters, numerals, words, phrases, and sentences anytime! All you need is a reliable internet connection and printer and voila! Instant Tracing worksheets at your own disposal!

Tracing is one of the activities that reinforce young learners’ fine motor abilities. Before they can be taught how to write letters and numerals freehand, it is best that you expose them to a variety of enjoyable and relevant tracing tasks…
I remember how Ate Mhel of BWS would painstakingly write the names of 96 or so Kinder students using broken lines so that they can trace them later on… For many years also, we have asked Jhoan to look for fonts that are in traceable form… Who would have guessed that a website actually exists for that purpose! What’s more, it is absolutely free! Teachers, I urge you to try this site for yourselves!!

http://www.handwritingworksheets.com/print-k/choose.htm

For us, the Early Years Teachers of Noblesse (… who are essentially starting everything from scratch … ), we are tremendously grateful for this site… of course, along with the other wonderful educational websites who serve as our valuable references as we start to pool our own resources…

Some useful guides, though, before you embark on your own worksheets production…
- Children who are 2 years of age, or those who are just starting to be familiar with pencils and other writing implements should be first exposed to activities such as scribbling, connecting dots, and tracing straight lines (in other words, don’t use this site, yet… ). Allow them to be comfortable with a pencil (preferably, the fat, tripod types) and do not set high expectations! Just as any, make this a fun and enjoyable bonding activity!
- As they progress, you can start introducing more challenging tracing activities, such as those involving curved or zigzag lines… The internet has TONS of materials that you can download for FREE!
- Tracing letters, numerals, and words can then be presented. You can also make it more fun by letting them trace the outlines of their favorite pictures, or use markers, colored pencils, and the like to make the activity more enticing to engage in…

So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and try it! I already did….