Why after eight years...

...we know there's hope.
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by PAM

Eight years ago, I was working on getting 're-integrated' to the Philippine society. I just got back from the United States of America (USA) then, fresh from five years of stay previously in NY State.  I watched the Americans eagerly as one of their major political parties, the Democratic Party, nominated the man to become the first black President of the USA, Barack Obama.  He went on to win the election and took up the Presidency.  It was a defining moment for the USA.  They just broke through the racial discrimination barrier in such a powerful and meaningful manner. 

Now, eight years have passed... amid all the stirring rhetoric, post-slavery discrimination is stronger and more divisive than ever, not just in the USA, but all around the world. The manifestation of meaningless hatred and discrimination these days have been violent and gruesome - an utter disrespect to human life.  Therefore, it was wonderful to listen to the 'quiet force' beside President Obama - the First Lady, Michelle Obama - speaking eloquently in the Democratic National Convention (DNC) to rekindle the message of hope against discrimination... not just racial discrimination, but discrimination in all its many forms, such as gender, age, ethnicity, body size and shape, and religion.  What struck me the most in her speech, however, was how she spoke beautifully on how leaders impact the lives and the future of children through education, health care, safety and security, and just being a good example as leaders.

"...when we go to the polls, that's what we're deciding... this election, and every election, is about who will have the power to shape our children for the next four or eight years of their lives."

Indeed, an incredible speech!  Speeches like this one are some of the reasons why I thank God for technology, because now, it's easy to capture and preserve the moment; and in one's very own cyber space, too.  At times when despair looms, our 'cyber repository' helps us too keep rekindling the message of hope... in just a press of a button and a few strokes on the keyboard.  And it helps us to keep going... keep hoping, keep the inspiration to work towards a happy world where there are no discrimination, no inequality, and where children are loved and cared for, where children grow up to become very good people.

***

What it all means to us...

It's incredible how a speech of the First Lady of USA could mean something for someone in another country.  I guess, we all do live in a moral world where certain truths are shared.  Therefore, some messages issued in one place resonate in another.

I just hope that the message lasts... and appreciated, and put to practice and good use - in our daily lives.  Even in our workplace, and especially in the Academia... when we "choose" the people to lead our organizations, our groups, our teams, we should think about how they will be shaping our Institution, and especially our students, for the next

It's all about students' success, and just a little bit about our own.

years.  Are they going to be good examples to our students... are they going to be models worth emulating?  In the first place, would they be able to, at least, communicate effectively with our new generation of learners?  Are they willing to learn 'the language' of our new generation of learners, and reach them in their 'own space' to understand how they thrive, and what makes them thrive in knowledge?  Are they willing to persevere towards this end... learning new things, exploring possibilities?  Are they willing to open their minds to understand the 'new style of learning' that this new generation adhere to and fight for rather than forcing upon them old and outdated methods that should have been long buried six feet below the hallowed ground of innovation in teaching-learning?  Do they have the drive, energy, inspiration and the right motivation to persevere towards this end?  After all, in this profession, isn't effective communication the key to successful teaching-learning; and that effective communication begins from the teacher's knowing and understanding the learner, and vice versa?

We often talk about commitment at work, and I believe that commitment is, indeed, very important to be effective in one's duties and responsibilities.  And yet, in the teaching profession, one need not have a lofty leadership platform to illustrate commitment, in ways that are both effective and positively 'affective' to help our students, and even our colleagues, to discover the very best version of themselves.  In fact, the 'quiet places' where one can concentrate deeply on one's mission as educator can be more conducive in creating avenues for student success in learning.  Often, it is these creations that endure the test of time, more so than those created in the often 'busy and noisy' environment that surrounds the leadership 'perched seats'. 

As an educator, whose mission, first and foremost, is to educate students successfully,

one has to be prepared to commit to the mission be it on "perched seats" or in "quiet

Leadership is an opportunity to serve, not an ascension to unbridled
source of authority that shackles one to its enslaving allure.

places".  And yet, there could be time to be effective in one or the other.  The opportunity to fulfill the educator's mission from a 'perched seat' comes rarely, and it is a "call to serve". Therefore, when an opportunity presents itself to perform one's duty as educator in it, one has to humbly seize the opportunity to serve and work one's heart out to fulfill the mission from there.   However, one has to be very careful not to be too attached to the seat lest it becomes a shackle in its 'imagined allure', and one is unable to extricate one's self from it without a crushing heartbreak in the end.  

Therefore, the 'perched seat' must be treated as a golden opportunity to serve - with humility.  And when serving, one must do so to the best of one's ability and with all of one's heart... but with a heart that's anchored on God.  So that when the heart 'whispers' something, one knows that that is God's voice, and following one's heart is following God's will.  One has to commit fully to accomplishing the task at hand at all times - joyfully and with love, always working like there is no tomorrow... so that when the time is up, when the time comes to pass on the baton to someone else, one moves on happily and freely with no feeling of dejection.  Instead, there will be a joyful feeling of fulfillment and a deep sense of gratitude to God for an accomplished mission... no heartaches, no regrets... only a priceless peace of mind.

***

Video credit:  Thanks, YouTube, for the video link.

***

'Royally mental'...

...and it's awesome!

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by PAM

"It's okay to suffer as long as you talk about it - it's not a weakness."

Prince Harry hosts a BBQ for @heads_together with sports stars to talk mental health. Here's what they had to say...https://t.co/nQhrLKwI4t

— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) July 25, 2016

It's really good that someone of 'royal stature' like Prince Harry (and even the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge) are not afraid to speak about about mental health, and how their own mental health is also vulnerable to being compromised by untoward experiences - like all of us.  It is excellent that, with Prince Harry's 'princely crusade on mental health, there is now greater awareness and interest in it because this is one aspect of human health that is often neglected, and even ignored altogether. And this is odd because, in many cases, crippling physical pains can be manifestations of poor mental health.

These days, we have students who were star students in High School, and they go through College showing less than stellar performance.  And, it makes me wonder all the time why this is.  You ask them about it, and they just give you a shrug of disinterest... or avoid the question altogether.  They suffer silently... and their performance in the University is

On his mother's death, H said, "you know, I really regret
not ever talking about it."

compromised, when they should be having the time of their lives, transitioning from kids with big dreams to responsible and capable adults - well-shaped by their education.  They shy away from talking about their ordeals, allowing these to gnaw at their minds, and their mental health suffers... their insecurities taking up a great space in their minds, and the little part that's free from insecurities are used in figuring out ways to dodge situations that would expose their insecurities.  Their whole mental energy is exhausted by this fruitless cycle.  With their mental health compromised, they fail to progress in their studies... and their insecurities grow even bigger and more crippling.  In the end, their personalities are altered - for the worst, and their future, adversely affected.  The failure just keeps mounting, one on top of another.

Sometimes though, I ask myself, was that their failure... or ours?

It's great that Prince Harry lends his royal star power to shed light on this issue... encourage young and old people alike to come out of their shell and speak up, speak out... talk about their issues, and unload their minds from their troubles.  Free their minds from the weight of fear of being judged, self-doubt and uncertainties; allow their minds to breathe and gain health... in order for the cloud to lift, and for them to have a clear vision of themselves in the future, and allow this vision to guide them as they move forward... enjoying life, as they do!

Aaww, H, you're such a true princely hero! :) 

***
Photo credit:  The photos were grabbed from the BBC video - thanks. Also, embedded is the tweet from @KensingtonRoyal - thanks.

*** 

Friday night music...

...just because.
===========================================================================
by PAM

Whoa!  I know I need a little something to sooth the soul as 'good old' stomach flu struck again, and it's physically painful. In other words, I need to listen to some music to dull the pain.  And, since my iPod is busted - clearly, I don't recall what life was before these 'enslaving i-stuffs' came to be - and there's nothing remotely close to even a merely "passable" music for me on the radio at this point, then I have no choice but to ring in good old reliable YouTube!  

Look what I found... 

@FLOTUS: "I felt the spirit!"

...it was something more than just music.  It was a horde of a laugh, and some reason for admiration, too! :) The First Lady of the United States of America, Michelle Obama, no less, hamming it out with 'the James' in Carpool Karaoke! And, Missy Elliot joined in as well to spike up the attitude. That worked, too.

I saw that episode of The Late, late Night with James Corden earlier this week when 'the James' showed a preview of the Carpool Karaoke with @FLOTUS.  That got me really curious, although I wasn't expecting to come across it so soon.  I gotta say, it's really something... and it's all fun!

Speaking of fun, here's when 'the James' actually went to a different level of stardom - getting Clooney and the Pretty Woman herself, Ms. Julia Roberts, carpooling with him... and karaoke-ing as well with the gorgeousness of Gwen Stefani.

Clooney to 'the James':  "As long as you get to work, we're happy."

What fun that was!  Oh, dear James, you are so close to awesomeness now!  I'm almost convinced that you are truly awesome, actually, but see if I'd admit it. ;)  Yep, if the Brits can do it, I can do some snobbery as well, mate... and why not? :)

And here's one of my personal favorites - the crazy carpool with Red Hot Chili Peppers...

"I always knew that this would be like a fun part of my life - being in a car with you.

It wasn't up for debate that it would be one."

Haha... good time!  Alright, James dear, go and get Duran Duran, and let them take you to work, too, will ya now?  Go on... while I fight death from this awful stomach pain!  Ugh!

***

Video credit:  Thanks, YouTube, for the video link.

***

So long, Dave...

...you'll be missed.
===========================================================================
by PAM

"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve our country
as Prime Minister..."

Just when I'm really, really liking David Cameron, UK's immediate past Prime Minister (PM), due mainly to the wider involvement of UK in global development through education and cultural exchange; and have been considering his opinion on many things in my collage-of-things-that-I-enjoy-thinking-about just because we are in the same age bracket, he decided to exit 10 Downing Street prematurely - after merely a year into his second term as British PM. Okay... from another perspective, it could also be said that fate decided to evict him from 10 Downing Street.

Of course, his move out of 10 Downing Street crystallized from 'Brexit', UK's decision to leave the European Union in a tumultuous referendum, which happened about three weeks back.  People would argue that Cameron brought this to himself by calling the referendum,

Giving tribute to his beloved wife and children as he said his last
goodbye to the country that he so ably served as Prime Minister
for six years.

which exposed a horrendously messy Tory Party, and divided UK to a bitter debate.  Cameron was usually adept in taking 'calculated risk' since his fresh-faced MP days... and he is a real risk taker, too.  But he got this one wrong... obviously!  

The EU leave-remain referendum eventually resulted to a 52%-48% win for the Brexiteers, led by one of Cameron's old friends from his Old Etonian boyhood, the flamboyantly indomitable former Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.  While in heated and bitter debate, it was indeed remarkable to watch the two prominent Old Etonian battle it out, making their case to the British public with Cameron campaigning to remain in EU and BoJo campaigning for the opposite.  It turned out that Cameron's charm, or the lack of it, was no match to Johnson's no holds barred messily out-and-out appeal that incited the British public to let the worst in them poke its nasty head through, especially on the issue of immigration. The scandal on his late father's involvement in seeking to grow his business through investment in tax havens, implicating Cameron, which unfolded prior to the vote didn't help his case. His popularity dipped as more and more flaws in hid government were found and magnified under the lenses of the referendum.  These got everyone's mind wandering away from all the other practical issues of being in or out of EU.  I watched in awe of the eloquence, and admittedly, sometimes in pure disgust, as the debate between the two camps went bitter and ugly.  While always remaining quite intelligent in words, the opposite sides missed going in depth on essential aspects of their respective arguments.  And yet, I have to admit that it was a wonderfully entertaining alternative to the Philippines' own Presidential and Vice-Presidential race around the same time.  But, let's not go there... because I cannot say that I've recovered from that as of yet.

Going back to David Cameron, I'm really fascinated by his sharp mind and eloquence, becoming the

Farewell, PM Dave!  
Will miss all the eloquence and rhetorical swagger.

youngest British PM in almost 200 years at the age of 43 years... it's the UK, so that's gotta mean something huge.  While he did have a 'snubbish' upbringing... and many believed he brought this to 10 Downing Street, including myself, he got a number of things good for UK.  He moved to 10 Downing Street while raising a young family, and that's after the world saw him and his beautiful wife, Samantha, mourn the death of their eldest son, Ivan, from a neurological disorder.  I also enjoyed tremendously his gag of a sense of humor - that 'very British' kind - that he used so masterfully in besting counterparts across the aisle in the Commons. :)  Amid the challenges that go with his work as British Prime Minister, he seems to be a good family man.  It is particularly wonderful to see how he beams with pride of his wife, and what tender words he has for his children.  All the wonderful speeches, all the progress that UK enjoyed under his Premiership... there are simply so many things to think and marvel about his brand of leadership.  Although, of course, other people have other ideas, believing he made a mess of the government he led and failed miserably to forge unity in the Tory party on the way to Brexit.  Anyway, I just realized that I took all the good 'Cameronian' stuff for granted over the last six years.  In fact, I'm so utterly surprised that, after all these years, I can't find a 'David Cameron' tag in my blog!  I was fascinated, but I never actually expressed it, believing then that there was plenty of time to, one day, write something here about David Cameron.  

And then... Brexit happens.  And the 'future' suddenly became the past.

And all that was left for me to do is to stay up all night and watch him go about the business - a remarkable British tradition with Her Majesty, The Queen - of "changing of guards" in the highest office of the British government, family in tow.  And, I have to say that, with a shade of yellow in her first-day-as-PM coat, Theresa May is probably off to a good start... never mind that she doesn't have children!  *wink-wink*... *sigh*  See, if some Brits can hurl something hurtful like that to a woman who was bound to become their PM, there is no telling how they'd rate their outgoing PM based on 'sky-high standard'. 

Anyway, I wish Cameron and his family the most wonderful days after life at 10 Downing Street.  I will always be fascinated... then again, from the "Lord of the Rings" to James Bond to Beatles to Adele, I've always been fascinated by many things British since girlhood... it just doesn't always seem that way.  Or, doesn't it?

***
Photo credit:  Grabbed from the BBC video - many thanks!

***

And Andy grabs the big green one...

...for the 'first time'.
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by PAM

It must have been truly special for Andy Murray, as he hugged the Wimbledon Gentlemen's Singles Championship trophy to himself, after beating Milos Raonic from Canada in this year's championship in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-2) at the All England Club.  

The temperamental Scot was absolutely emotional from the time he raised his hands in victory, more so when he received his trophy.  One would think it was his first time to win the championships when, in truth, it was his second time.  The first time he won in

To win the second time is sweet, one can cry.

Wimbledon was three years ago, in 2013 - against the Number One player in the world, Novak Djokovic.  The year before that, he was runner-up to Roger Federer, who collected his 7th Wimbledon title to equal the record set by Pete Sampras in 2000.  Prior to this, Murray and Federer clashed at SW19 for the 2012 Summer Olympics where the Scot emerged on top of the Swiss Maestro to win his Olympic gold for Great Britain. It was a big win for Andy, and for Team GB, too.  But the man and the country remained wanting for more, hungry for more, thirsty for the 'big green one', the one that belonged to the British soil.  Both finally quenched their thirst when, after 77 years, Murray won their first Wimbledon - and from a back-breaking, nail-biting terribly exciting of a contest with the 'iron man' himself, the World #1, who was perceived by many then as utterly unbeatable.  That year, Murray took the Wimbledon title as the reigning Olympics gold medalist - only the second tennis male player to do so in the open era, after Rafael Nadal.  Now, he is the first male tennis player in the Open Era to win SW19 twice as the reigning Olympics gold medalist.  

In 2013, when he collected his first Wimbledon championship trophy, it was for his

country, and only a little bit for himself.  UK had waited long enough to see a Brit win in

Dave Cameron, the outgoing Brit PM, took the jeering with humor.

the most revered tennis court in the world.  Before seeing Murray win in 2013, the whole nation would usually express their 'eloquent disappointment' whenever he came up short within mere inches from the trophy... and it drove him over the edge, making him not just temperamental and moody, but utterly sulky.  His self-doubt was almost tangible, palpable, always muttering to himself on court at every error - forced or unforced... and the whole tennis world grieved with him, while the Brit crowd expressed how unforgiving they can be.  Such is the terrible cruelty of the British public when their lofty expectations are not met.  Andy knows this, that was why he felt compelled to sort of defend the outgoing British Prime Minister, David Cameron, when he was jeered at by Brit fans when Andy acknowledged his presence. 

But, yes, in 2013, UK's #1 son in tennis finally delivered the goods: he won Wimbledon for the 'first time'... and it heralded a national celebration that freed Murray from the 'obligation' to win any more.

Therefore, when lady luck favored the Scot to get a hold of the Wimbledon trophy once again, he hugged it to himself - this time, he won it for himself.  This one he will keep as his, and his alone.  This one he will actually enjoy, and the taste of victory in garnering it he will savor with true gusto.  And we all rejoice with him - nuts of tennis fans that we all are!

Congrats, Andy!  Enjoy your victory... you so deserve it!

***
Photo credit: The photos are a screen captures I took from the live telecast by Fox Sport - thanks.

***

Saturday photo

Jinguashi Gold Ecological Park in New Taipei City, Taiwan

I had a chance to see the breathtaking view shown in this Saturday's featured photo, which was taken from the Gold Museum at Jinguashi Eco-Park in Ruifang, New Taipei City. The Eco-Park was a mining site. In front of the Museum, after emerging from the Benshan Fifth Tunnels, one can have a sweeping view of the mountain town with the East China Sea in the background.  

A big part of the town used to be a mining site, which was closed after its service years have been reached.  Upon the closure of the mining business, the town that used to be a rich community was plunged to poverty, and became a "ghost town".  The mining site was

The Gold Eco-Park or Gold Museum could be
a place for cozy stroll, not just for tourists
but for the locals as well.

then re-opened into a "Gold Ecological Park" in 2004.  It was then renamed "Gold Museum" after the renaming of the former Taipei County to "New Taipei City" in 2010.

I was very much interested in visiting the Park as I wanted to see how "abandoned" mines could be converted to Eco-Parks - tourists destination - that could fetch sustained income for the community even after the surge of income when the Mines were still operational dies down.  This is because I strongly believe that, if responsible mining is observed, the mine sites could be maintained and kept safe for the community while operational, and then restored to their original beauty after the mine site's service years.  If converted to museum, or even laboratory for aspiring mining engineers, they may provide opportunities for education about the interesting science of mining and mineral processing.  This could even heighten people's awareness and discipline in how we could use the gifts of nature, and take care of it, give back to it by restoring its former beauty, and even enhancing it, making it resistant to even the harshest parts of the cycle of natural renewal.

Yes, I strongly believe that there is, indeed, such thing as RESPONSIBLE MINING.  There are sophisticated technologies that allow for this, that make this possible and achievable.  What we need to establish is INSPIRED AND INSPIRING but FIRM LEADERSHIP in making sure that policies are strictly observed... and, in fact, happily observed because of people's love for nature and country, which can be inspired by an inspiring leadership rather than a hysterically threatening one.

***