Saturday photo

 

One of the components of the Humbert H. Humphrey (HHH) Fellowship Program is Professional Affiliations (PA) - local (within the community of the host University) and non-local (outside the community of the host University).  This comprised of a six-week (210 to 240 hours) experiential learning in a 'workplace' with mutually beneficial outcomes.  The more important outcome of this immersion is the long-term relation established between the Fellow and his/her PA host institution, or even just with the PA supervisor.  Ideally, this can be planned well such that any experiential learning can be translated to a new concept that can contribute to a Fellow's Capstone Project - a culmination project of sorts that a Fellow can bring home and implement to create a positive impact on his/her workplace and its stakeholders, or in his/her country as a whole.  So, I'd say that the PA is a rather important component of the Humphrey Fellowship.

I consider myself very lucky to have found an excellent place in Penn State that could host me for my local PA - the Innovation Park at Penn State.  This is a University facility that assists faculty and students, and other stakeholders in the State of Pennsylvania and in the US, in translating their innovative ideas to commercialization.  They have business incubation and acceleration programs as well as the infrastructure, facilities and expertise to support entrepreneurs.  They also collaborate with established companies on new projects; and they provide the venue to take on-going industry-academe research and innovation collaborations in different academic units at Penn State to go to the next level of commercialization.  As such, the general oversight for this facility is under the Office of the Senior Vice-President for Research (OSVPR) of the University.  There are at least three Offices of Associate Vice-Presidents for Research (OAVPR) that are working to provide this oversight.  One of these offices is the OAVPR Office of Industrial Partnerships (OIP).  The OAVPR-OIP has three Offices under it, one of which is the Office that manages the Innovation Park.  The Director of the Innovation Park is my local PA supervisor, Mr. Dan Leri, and I am, indeed, very happy that I could be professionally affiliated with his Team.

For my experiential learning, I 'shadow' Dan.  I sit in some of his meetings, attend some of his engagements related to the management of the Innovation Park, and I hold meetings with the officials of other offices with which his office deal with.  This is in order for me to understand how his office works together with other offices to deliver the services that the Innovation Park commits to its stakeholders while sustaining regular operations, continuous quality improvement and growth.  As I progressed, I am now able to provide support to the Innovation Park by creating linkages with key players in research, innovation and entrepreneurship in the Philippines.  This can contribute in the continuous expansion of the Innovation Park's global reach that can improve its positive impact.  More, importantly, as I move along, I am also able to continuously build on my Capstone Project.

Last Wednesday, I am happy that my HHH Fellowship cohort at Penn State are able to visit the Innovation Park.  Dan shared with them information on Innovation Park, and took them around to see the startups at the Technology Center where his Office is located and where I work on my PA.  I hope that, in the future, by spreading the word to their own countries about the Innovation Park, my colleagues can help Penn State in showcasing what this wonderful facility does and can do for the benefit of many stakeholders.   

***

Photo credit:  I took the photos used in this post.

BTS is that K-Pop act...

 ...that pops up the 'ARMY' in me.

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by PAM

Every now and then, a new music sensation comes to being, and it just captures the imagination and vibes of a generation.  The sensation is either the music itself or the artist.  In some cases, it's both.  If the artist is brilliant, the song, or songs, become the 'anthem' of the captivated generation... the artist becomes iconic, and the music becomes the very symbol of the said generation.  The '50s had the likes of Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry; '60s had the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan to name a few; the '70s had Stevie Wonder, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and the Queen among many others; the '80s had Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince and a host of British acts like U2, Wham, The Police and Culture Club; the '90s had the grunge music with Nirvana and Pearl Jam leading the pack, and a host of American and British boy bands; the early 2000s had Eminem, Justin Timberlake and Coldplay as well as Beyonce, Lady Gaga and more; and now, this generation (and all the others who are occupying space in this generation from previous generations) have no other than...

"So, I'ma light it up like dynamite..."

...BTS, of course!

This is a much delayed post on this iconic act of the 21st century from South Korea!  I have been meaning to write this post since 2019 - when, in principle (yes, I am talking about 'principle' here), I signed on to become a 'card-carrying' ARMY - the worldwide fandom of BTS!  Believe it or not, the decision paralysis to post was because I cannot make up my mind about what 'iconic' video to feature given the hundreds of great ones they have had, and still having... and yeah, it was hard to make time to post, too.  I gotta admit that their dancing in this video is a bit tamed compared with their all-out bone-breaking, death-defying moves in their past live performances and videos.  However, I do believe that this video is 'iconic' in that these young men finally totally captured the world's wildest imagination on what an Asian act could do.  Yes, I am saying "Asian" rather than just South Korean... because I am so proud to share the same natural hair color with these young men as many Asians, I'm sure, are, too.  Hehe... I'm just kidding.  It isn't about race or ethnicity, it's about being, uhm, just 'an ARMY'!  To be sure, the ARMY transcends all sorts of boundary, and this is why I love BTS!  

Anyway, I apologize as I cannot say anything else that will not sound incoherent, or worse, stupid at this point... just because I am hyperventilating right now.... as I always do when I watch BTS.  So, let's just be fully captivated by these young men and their total performance.  And, if this is not enough, we can also view this...

...or this...

And while we're at it, why don't we add a little humor with this...

...and this, too...

And if these are not enough, perhaps this and this can fill your need for some BTS love today.

Yes, I waited for almost three years before posting something on BTS.  I even went to S. Korea in early 2019 to have a taste of the beauty of the place that inspired them to work hard and be who they are today.  Although, that trip, of course, was all about fulfilling a promise, too.  Perhaps, that's what made traveling to Seoul that time so apt to become an ARMY.  Our BTS was a promise: a promise of excellent iconic music of a generation that was so difficult to define; and now, that promise has been fulfilled.  Now, we can just go about admiring them, and just being a part of that incredible, loyal ARMY that love these seven beautiful souls because our mutual desire to make this life beautiful is mirrored by every single note they sing, every move they make in their performances, and every sincerely happy smile they flash to their army.  I am sure it was never an easy ride for them... we can see the tremendous sacrifice and discipline they impose on themselves, which make them a great reminder that good things do not come overnight.  We have to work with constant commitment and heartfelt tenacity... and in unison and harmony with one another to make a truly positive and lasting impact.  

So, really, BTS is just happiness, and I love them!

***

Video credit:  The videos used in this post belong to BTS, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the Late, Late Show with James Corden and Billboard Music Awards.  Thanks to YouTube for the video links.     

Saturday photo

 

The event was HUGE!  It was educational, fun... and it served up nuggets of inspiration in between.

Back to Penn State physically real quick, and dived in into the swing of things this spring semester.  My first official activity in the semester was to attend our Humphrey Meeting and Seminar on Wednesday and then my meeting with our coordinator for my weekly progress updates last Thursday, but I participated in both of these virtually.  On Friday, I joined the first official but optional activity, which is to visit the annual Pennsylvania Farm Show held in Harrisburg, together with my community host, Jane Reese, and two of my colleagues in the Humphrey Program: Vuyo Jamieson from South Africa and Dunstan Dirua from Papua New Guinea.  

The Farm Show underlines the important role of the Agriculture sector in the Pennsylvania industry, and its role in the sustained economic growth of the State of Pennsylvania.  It was such a HUGE event that I took more than 10,000 steps in just three hours of leisurely walking around the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center.  That was equivalent to almost 8 km!  

Anyway, the subtitle of the event, which was "Reflect, Educate, Inspire", was true to itself.  Watching the animals that were entered by their owners in various competitions (cows, goats and rabbits; chickens, ducks and turkey), a mama cow that just gave birth and urging her young to walk, and a horse tending to its newborn all in a venue that was converted to a giant barn was an incredible experience!  There was a huge part of the venue that featured fresh produce for purchase - Farmer's Market style, and stalls where farm products such as honey and maple syrup were featured and sold.  There was even a quad for different kinds of Christmas trees, which I didn't realize were so many, and so beautiful, too!  There was a competition on baked products, including ginger house bread making competition.  That made us hungry, and Jane treated us to the BEST milkshake that I've ever tasted in my whole life! I gathered that this is one of the reasons why people make visiting the Farm Show a tradition for their families!  

We enjoyed our milkshakes while we watched cowboys 'horse around' in the arena.  After which, we resumed our tour.  There was a quilt making competition that featured a great array of colorful quilts, the number of which I never imagined could be in one place all at the same time in the middle of all the other things that were already there!  There was a competition on flower arrangements in various categories as well as miniature sustainable farm house design.  A section of the venue was dedicated to farming machinery with different implements, automobiles of various sizes, and farming gears that range from traditional to space age.  A spacious part of the venue featured state-of-the-art of agriculture education and training, which included a stall of Penn State Extension and an impressive Mobile Ag Ed Science Lab prototype.  There were handmade pieces of wood furniture as well as home furniture made from recycled plastics.  We saw a number of tiny house prototypes, too.  But what was unforgettable for me was seeing the giant butter sculpture made of half a ton of butter donated by Land O'Lakes!  I think I will be waking up in the middle of the night from the nightmare of drowning from a melting giant butter sculpture for a long time!

What we saw made Vuyo and I reflect on our past.  We were both born in a family of farmers.  As kids, both of us used to help in our families' respective farms; and growing up, we maintained our own little garden plot in our elementary schools since agriculture and eating healthy using our own produce was part of our education at a young age.  We lamented the fact that the new generation in our respective countries no longer experience this as more and more agricultural lands are converted to urban dwellings.  As such, most schools are built on concrete, and one can hardly see soil for agricultural education - even the simplest and most basic aspects.  And there we were, talking about the sustainability of farming for sustainable food production.  Being in Penn State now, we see that this is a real possibility in the State of Pennsylvania as they have so much land, and the interest and commitment in sustainable farming is maintained.  I did enjoy my reflection and discussion with Vuyo, as we both learned along the way with the help of Jane.  Meanwhile, Dunstan and Jane had been exchanging information on agriculture in the US and in Papua New Guinea.  

As educators, Vuyo and I also appreciated how the Farm Show engaged children who visited.  There were activities for all ages, such as coloring contest where coloring sets are in farm settings, and miniature farm house design.  It was fascinating to see how the same picture looked completely different when colored by kids of different ages, background, gender, and perhaps, disposition.  There was a carousel and merry-go-round with fancy little cars.  It was so nice to watch little kids who were so brave and enjoyed the merry-go-round on their own while our hearts went to others who cried the whole time.  Vuyo and and I felt like those little kids somehow as we are currently in our own 'merry-go-round for adults', a.k.a Humphrey Fellowship.  Some of us are enjoying the ride and cannot get enough of it, others are addressing some challenges, which can be disconcerting.  In the end, we hope that the ride is worth it.  Right now, we are making the most of it... and visiting the Farm Show certainly added to the positive side of our experience that we cannot get enough of.  We do hope that the new semester will be as productive and exciting.

Seeming to hear our aspiration and prayers, God answered it immediately.  Through Jane's initiative, on our drive back to State College, we had the opportunity to speak with the former Director of the Humphrey Fellowship Program in Penn State, albeit only via phone.  He did gift us readily with a few nuggets of inspiration and wisdom that we can use to 'enjoy the ride'.  That made the day's experience even more productive and fun!

***

Photo credit:  I took all the photos used in this post.  

My first...

...reads for 2022.

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by PAM

Yes, it looks like we are back on track this first few days of 2022 in terms of giving due attention to special interests, which are reading and writing in my case.  All my new five books arrived last week, two of which arrived yesterday.  The books are:  (1) The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway (c.1987), (2) The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (c.1952), (3) Servant Leadership by Liam Taylor (c.2020), (4) Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell (c.2019), and (5) Ikigai: the Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Hector Garcia and Frances Miralles (c. 2016).

Book #2 is just a re-read since this was a required reading back in my High School days in the Philippines, which was almost four decades ago now.  So far, I've read one short story in Book #1, "My old man", and it was awesome!  It was about a jockey who was very good but became part of the corruption ring in the world of horse racing.  He reached a point where he wished to walk away from the callousness of  game fixing, and wanted to 

Five books to start the year 2022 with a  mix of creativity,
 practicality and guidance in putting things to perspective. 

make amends for himself and his son as he neared retirement age.  However, he was in-too-deep in that muddy world, and there was no way out.  He tried nevertheless.  He thought he had a chance, and he took it.  In the end, all were taken from him, including his very life.  

The story was told from the perspective of the jockey's son, Joe, who adored him, wondered about his father's 'secret life' at times but brushed off whatever possible ugliness there was because he loved and believed in his father.  In the end, when his father was stripped of every shred of honor that he might have had left or trying to restore, and in the base brutality of his father's death, Joe accepted what he vaguely knew all along.  He said, "...when they get started, they don't leave a guy nothing."  And it was a powerful realization.  The seemingly simple story was told with that vintage Hemingway sparklingly clear writing, not in an academic sense but rather in drawing a picture and getting the reader to become a part of the vividly painted scenes through the powerful strokes of his words.  My heart was pounding, and I can almost hear the horses galloping down the race track as Joe described what he was seeing through his telescopes as he watched his father compete.  As the tragedy approached, and collided with his father and his horse, I sat there shocked and speechless as if I was a live witness of the horrible 'accident'.  I believe that no one can write with such clarity and precision that engage the reader intellectually and emotionally if the writer was not a true witness of similar or the same incidents in real life... hence, the importance of varied experiences with deep involvement in such experiences in any brilliant writer's life.  Ah... someday!

 As far as the other books, I've read about a quarter of Book #3.  So far, so good... the writing is fine - not stellar, just fine, but the content is very useful.  I am excited to begin reading books #4 and #5!  I wonder when that could be, given the bulk of work that awaits me in the coming spring semester.  Oh, well... as Captain Sulu of Star Trek said, "when something is important enough, you make the time."  So, there.

***

Photo credit:  The photo used in this post is mine, and was taken for the sole purpose of this post.

Saturday photo

 

My last impression of 2021: cold - very cold, mostly grey and white
with streaks of striking colors in such amazing depth.

Yes, it's a "Saturday photo" posted on a Sunday!  It's called confusion, eagerness and, uhm, finding an excuse to post something here just because it is fun!  The photos were taken close enough to Saturday (MST zone) though, which was Saturday in most places in the world, including my home country, the Philippines.  Therefore, the label is not totally incorrect.  Again, an excuse!

The above collage of photos are images of the last few hours of 2021 viewed from Boise, ID, which include a photo each of my sister and myself walking around her neighborhood and around a small park that is meant mostly for small kids and pets.  The pictures are true to what 2021 had been for us - grey, cold, looking lifeless... but also made beautiful by the pristine powdery snow, the streaks of dramatic colors of sunset... promising a new day!  Every now and then, my sister and I stopped to greet or return the greetings of home owners who were clearing out snow from their walkway, or neighbors who were walking their dogs.  It made the cold walk quite warm.  Once again, the whole scenario felt like the summary of 2021 for us.  Despair and sadness, hope and faith, optimism and kindness, and, yes, holding on steadfastly to the promise of love - God's love.

As we walked amid about six inches of snow on the ground, my sister and I picked what were beautiful and amazing around us, and enjoyed them!  This was the exact same attitude that we adopted as we went through 2021... emotionally crippled by the loss of our father just a few days before Christmas 2020, frightened by the twin blow of the dreadful pandemic on our family when my brother and I fought for our lives in the hospital against COVID-19 back in August 2021, and felt insecure the whole year from the uncertainty of the times due to the disruption from a combo of global crises.  And yet, there we were, enjoying white Christmas and the marvels of discovery from traveling.  

We closed 2021 believing with all our hearts that life is worth-living for.  Life is still good, will always be good, because God is always good - and He is good to us all!

***

Photo credit:  The photos used in this post all belong to me.     .   

Hello...

...2022!

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by PAM 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The many new and not-so-new things that 2022 is offering...

very promising!

I started the year 2022 at my sister and brother-in-law's home in Boise, Idaho.  They live in the Southeast side of Boise, close to downtown and walking distance to the Boise State University where my sister works. There are a number of Parks around the area, and many local establishments such as coffee shops and other eating places that are unique and offer fresh and refreshing experiences.

Idaho is one of the most understated places in the United States of America (USA). It is usually described by those living in the more prominent States in the USA as provincial and backward, and mostly small town, therefore, boring and unappealing.  And yet, I found so many things that I thoroughly enjoyed and loved in Idaho, two of which are Sun Valley and Ketchum.  I enjoyed myself visiting these places in a way that I never did before while visiting some of the most prominent States, including California and New York. I even started posting about my experience in Idaho in this blog. Boise is also wonderful.  It is cosmopolitan enough but retains that small town charm in which people are nice, courteous and warm.  The place is quiet and peaceful, and the surrounding of mostly well-preserved environment is just beautiful.  So, sometimes it makes me wonder... those who say unfavorable things about Idaho, have they visited Idaho at all? 

***

In the year 2021, I saw many things that I've never seen before in my life - twists and turns, and the extreme kinds at that, too - that are mostly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. I even found myself at death's doorstep.  It was sobering and humbling.  And yet, there were many things to rejoice about, including my 'disqualification' to continue on 'to the other side' with death, and my sojourn at the Penn State University as a Humphrey Fellow that started in September 2021.  As such, I stepped aside from being Dean of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) to be on Sabbatical to pursue my Humphrey Fellowship.  While I am meeting many new people at Penn State, the whole experience is nothing life-changing as of yet, but it is giving me a break from my highly stressful life for the past nine years, and that's wonderful!  

The past years have been difficult, and it got difficult still when the pandemic unfolded. We lost family members, friends and other loved ones... and it was devastating.  However, those are all water under the bridge now, and we can only keep clutching the good memories to our chest while we keep moving forward past the devastation - guided by faith and propelled by hope.

***

The collage of photos above serves as my 'mood board' for 2022... I think.  I feel like 'slowing down' to a pace where I can appreciate God's beautiful creations more, and reflect on the blessings that I receive everyday.  As I move on to the next chapter of my personal and professional life, I feel its important now, more than ever before, to think about how I am making the most of these blessings, and whether or not I am taking and making enough opportunities to share them with those who have less.  As such, I need to prioritize by determining what is most important and essential as I reload my plate for 2022. So, help me God!

***

Photo credit:  I own all the photos used in this blog.         

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Woot, woot!

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by PAM

Simulating our simple aspiration for abundance for the year 2022.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

And so, here we are... we survived 2021, and we are moving on to 2022!  As we do, my sister and I tried to usher in the year with our humble version of sumptuous home-cooked meal (well, mostly home-cooked, anyway), filling my sister and brother-in-law's little dining table. In the end, it was not the individual dishes that mattered, it was the offering of a meal and prayer of thanks for God's love and kindness in the previous year, and our humble prayers of continued blessings and God's love for the coming year.  

I feel fortunate to have celebrated the New Year with family - my constant, and therefore, very special, more so in this extraordinary times.  I have to say though that the food was really good!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

***

Photo credit:  The photos used in this post are mine.