Life has been incredibly busy with-a-capital-B over the past few weeks. My calendar was a chaos with-a-capital-C, too! But there were so many milestones achieved, too... and I am very happy, indeed! 🙏 However, I will probably need a month to chronicle all the favorable things that has taken place over the past four weeks or so. One of the 'giddy happy' moments that I've had was two Fridays ago when my Executive Assistant and I paid our new campus in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna, Philippines a visit. The site is about 45 km south of the City of Manila, and it takes about 45 minutes as well to travel from the main campus to the new campus.
I was happy to see that the first building to rise in that 44-hectare second campus of the University of Santo Tomas (UST, or "USTe" to its alumni) is almost complete now. As the Sta. Rosa campus will be the Innovation Campus of UST, that first building is the Innovation Center. It was donated by two of our alumni at the UST Faculty of Engineering through the Jollibee Group Foundation. We hope for it to operate next Academic Year. By then, we hope that another building (or, maybe two) would begin to rise as well.
I took a few photos and short videos, and tried to quickly stitch them to an 'amateurish' video just to remember that visit. Here it is...
This was just a dream...
So, surely, dreams do come true!
The campus is located among beautiful and well-designed communities of Sta. Rosa - away from the signs of environmental neglect of the city. When one stands at the rooftop of the three-level building, it's all green as far as the eyes can see. And, from afar, one can see Mt. Makiling, Mt. Banahaw and the Laguna Lake. It looks like its in the 'middle of nowhere' for now just because it is so vast and the subdivisions around it are just being developed, too. But is only about 10-minute drive from Nuvali and about five-minute drive from the City Center of Santa Rosa City. Surely, there's plenty of opportunities for Namjooning for students, faculty, staff and other stakeholders in the future.
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BTS: BIG Winners at the 2022 TMA
That was a very inspiring visit to our new campus. It reminds me of how dreams can actually come true... and, as BTS keeps reminding us, we must live our lives thinking everyday that the best is 'yet to come'. Naturally, on our way to Sta. Rosa, we listened to BTS music.
And today, they just won massively again at the The Fact Music Awards 2022 (TMA 2022), winning the GRAND PRIZE... five years in a row! Woohoo! 💜🎉 And they won many more! 💜🎊 I hope to talk about this in another post. For now, here they are at TMA 2022...
🎜 "Dream and hope, and go forward!" 🎝
I will admit, they left a small room for improvement per their own sky-high standard, after
These two... 💓
several months of working on separate projects... but still awesome, no doubt! I have to say though that JKwas spot-on, totally right-on-the-money in every note he sang - juuust beautiful! Per usual, his voice was on 'autotune' - so gifted! He is very reliable in his vocals and stage presence, harmonizing with others so well, helping to bring out the very best in his hyungs' voices - 'born singer', indeed. In fact, I do think he got better again - the raspy quality of his voice is on another level! This evening he was extremely good looking, too. And, RM nailed.every.single.point.in.his.verses - that distinct power baritone of his and that crystal clear enunciation... my word, KING! That pick-up at 1:41 min in the video was fantastic - it can be my meal for a month, and I'd be totally healthy! And he was looking even more distinguished than ever before with that tall stance, heathy-looking dark hair in no non-sense style, and that confident aura about him that makes you want to invest your life's savings in whatever it is he's building - a worthy leader of the BEST group in the world. 'Fine wine getting better with age', and all that! Ahh, these two... really! 💓
And, of course, J-Hope was himself - always a reliable and a delightful performer who knows when to adlib to get the performance to a higher level of energy. He oozes more confidence
Seven icons of this generation - simply phenomenal!💜
on stage these days while looking relaxed, more so this evening at the TMA - 'the JITB effect'. The continuity he provided at 1:52 min mark just brought a smile to my lips - too good! Aw, Hobi... how to be you?!Yoongi took a little while to hit his stride but when he did, it was awesome. This was evident at 2:05 min mark... and then he just went on to slay the whole performance with his usual coolness! Genius, and the rampant bias wrecker - that's SUGA for ya! Jimin struggled a bit... perhaps, from emotions. But he has become very skillful in his singing, he can recover his grip of the tune quickly when it is slipping from his vocal grasp due to emotion (or flirtations! Hahaha...), covering gaps swiftly - smooth, Jimin-aaah! He had special moments, too, and his singing was touching - full of emotions. I'm sure ARMY can feel that Jimin missed them... I sure did, aaaww!
Jin was calm and steady. I don't think there's anything in this world that can perturb Jin these days when he's performing - such a professional singer he is, indeed. He connects well with ARMY when he is performing with that perfect balance of beautiful singing, charm and unmasked hints of emotions. It was just lovely to watch and listen to him - the perfect hyung with his committed and professional approach to singing, performing... and anything BTS! Goosebumps, Jin! 💜 Tae sounded so well, as usual, of course! That deep voice of his sounded like it's coming from a reservoir in his chest seemingly made of stainless steel that returns a million 'mini echoes' as the notes collided with the wall of the reservoir - unique sound that only Tae can make. Is there a scientific explanation to this? He seemed out of practice with his breathing though... or, perhaps, too excited this evening? He was very busy with so many things that did not require singing the past days. So, I hope that he can find enough time to practice making those 'mini echoes' take Busan by storm. We love him, of course... always!
All did their best, and it is MORE THAN enough for ARMY, really! We are overjoyed... and we cannot wait for Busan!!
Great job, ARMY! CONGRATS, Bangtannies! 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 Woohoo!
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Video credit: (1) I own the first video, and (2) the owner of the second video is indicated in the video itself. Thanks, YouTube, for the video links.
Photo credit: (1) JK and Namjoon: Grabbed from the IG account bts_daily.news, (2) Collage: (i) screenshot from TMA, and (ii) grabbed IG account bts_daily.news. Thanks for the loan.
By now, you must already know that I am all about 'variety', 'sari-sari' - in food, in sports, in music, in fashion, in traveling, in my approaches to teaching learning, and what have you! I am not one to stay glued in one place, patronizing the same thing over and over again. I do have 'favorites'... like a 'classic', a 'go-to' when in doubt. And, I am usually very loyal to my favorites. I also have 'something'/'someone' I 'follow' on social media... but that's only because those favorites or 'something'/'someone' keep evolving, too. They mix up a variety of things, finding the best blend... and moving forward constantly. Or, they do things with the future in mind... adopting a formula that applies to the present and to the future, which is absolutely brilliant! So, whatever they create remains good and fresh for a long time. I know that that takes a lot of work - it requires careful study, and lots of daring. That is why I have great respect for my 'favorites'... although I don't have very many.
Anyway, let me just say that I get bored so easily... when things are slow, repetitive, too parochial or too mundane. And, that's not being snotty or sassy either, far from it, actually! It's just an inclination to innovation... and FUN!Fun, most of all because innovation is fun... and change (for the better) is refreshing and fun!
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BTS is 💜
This is the reason why I like BTS very much! I listen to their music everyday for the past how many years... and I don't get tired of it. Why? It's because the quality of the songs are thickly layered and meticulously produced. Almost everyday, I discover a 'new layer'... or a new 'patch' somewhere when I thought there was a teeny-tiny 'empty space' where the notes sort of 'jiggled' a bit the previous time I listened to the song... it's fascinating! The production is so 'airtight' as I often say... and yet, they encase the songs in a multi-compartment 'music time capsule'. At any point, when a compartment is injected with a new 'component', the song would sound 'new', but the core quality remains very high because only the 'casing' can be touched, and not the 'backbone'. This is why I love the remixes of their songs, too. The 'backbone music' is intact, but the remix 'redresses' the song to fit the 'new occasion'. Just see the 'hotter remix' of "Butter" below, and you'll understand what I mean.
For starters, see RM's excited display of dancing prowess at mark 0.38-0.44 min - hilarious! The group's endearing 'craziness' is on full display at mark 1:20-1:37 min where Jin and Hobi are hysterically hilarious! SUGA let his guard down and went about being funny, especially in the end. Our three maknaes, Jimin, V, and JK are the cutest while being funny. All are incredibly good looking, of course. 💜 (Warning: addictive! 'Once you start, you can't stop!' So, be strong! Haha...)
In June 2022, BTS commenced their 10th year as a group. After debuting in June 2013, they completed their 9 years 'on air', 'on line', 'in prints'... and in the hearts of ARMY. So, in another 10 years, we shall see how well the backbones of their music would hold... given the onslaught of new things in the music industry that come and go by the second. I'll offer a not-so-wild-but-mostly-calculated guess (uhm, I'm an engineer... that's what I do, I calculate! Haha...): they will hold!
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"RM"
One of the people who are responsible for the final quality of BTS music is their leader, "Rap Monster" or "RM", whose real name is Kim Nam-joon. He is one of the perennial songwriters and producers for BTS, along with the other members, mainly SUGA (Min Yoon-gi), who is usually involved in songwriting and record producing, and J-Hope (Jung Ho-seok). Incidentally, these three make up the awesome rap line of BTS, whose 'muscular' rapping complement the beautiful singing of the vocal line... bringing the BTS music to a different level of quality that is not easy to rival these days. My view of their artistry is expressed in a previous post.
RM usually speaks on behalf of the Group in their international engagements, especially in the early stages of their career as he is most fluent in English. He speaks with tact and with diplomacy, too. He is good looking, especially when he started to mature in age and in his artistry, when he became more and more confident with himself, and BTS became more and more 'the Group to beat' worldwide. He walks tall in confident and graceful strides. He speaks with calm confidence but with courteousness, typical of his culture as a Korean. Simply put, he is a Korean Idol and a gentleman. As such, he commands respect - for himself, and for the Group that he leads.
Overall, RM is excellent in what he does as a musician and as the BTS leader... but less than excellent (uhm... far from it, actually) when dealing with practical little things such as, uhm, boiling water, peeling a little potato, or simply keeping his house slippers from losing their soles when he walks, just to name a few. Hahaha.... In their features on Bangtan TV, when something breaks, RM is usually responsible, or part of the guilty party. His intellectual capacity is in excess... but when dealing with practical everyday things... uhm, let's just say that 'his sense is not so common', far from common, actually! In fact, it is unique. Hahaha... Even he surprises himself when he breaks something... because, commonly, those are simple enough to handle without breaking them. Perhaps, his brain process has one dominant path - the complex intellectual path. And before his brain finishes processing, the moment already passed... and something slipped through his grasp already... and, yeah, break! This is why, the members call him the 'god of destruction' (god). While he usually breaks things or hurts himself, fortunately, it's never serious. Therefore, his 'not so common sense' is acceptable. Usually, it is a source of entertainment for the group, and for ARMY, too. In fact, his being "god" endears him to ARMY, regardless of their 'bias'. On VLive with Jimin, Jin sums it up in a vintage Jin way - hilarious but insightful. He said, "when I see Namjoon (being clumsy like that), I realize that, indeed, God is fair," or something to that effect. You get the picture, right? Right!
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"Namjooning" is 💜
Namjoon is a visual arts enthusiast, and an avid fan of nature. I think it is accurate to say that one of his favorite visual arts is nature itself... with some bias on crabs. Don't ask me why... it is what it is. He'll probably say the same thing if you ask him. Anyway, he goes on arts appreciation trips on a regular basis, and have been into collecting works of art in the various galleries and Art Fairs that he visits. He shares photos of his arts expeditions and his growing collection with ARMY (and non-ARMY followers) on Instagram (IG). Through example, he encourages his Followers to consider work-life balance and self-improvement though nature and arts appreciation. In his own way, he is able to support the Visual Arts industry, too, as well as the new and well-established artists alike as he has a considerable IG following. I support this as I, myself, is a huge arts fan since my teenage years. Apart from traveling and foodie-ing, reading, music and film, it is one of my favorite avenues of relaxation and a way to refresh my mind. These days, one or a combination of these activities is known as "Namjooning" (see footnote below). It gets my mind off of the 'logically chaotic' world of engineering... whenever needed.
Over time, one can see that RM's taste in Visual Arts grew in sophistication and in variety. I particularly like his preference for Claude Monet and his fascination for conceptual arts, such as the works of Roni Horn and the late Felix Gonzalez-Torres, which are currently on exhibit at the Pinault Collection in Paris, France. Earlier, some works of Horn were exhibited at the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, TX. RM visited Chinati as well.
'Namjooning' at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Feb 2022)
I am a fan of Monet myself... and of impressionism as a whole. I have a collection of books on Vincent van Gogh, and something on Monet, of course. When I studied in Sweden for a year, my apartment walls were covered with posters of van Gogh's work, which I collected from visiting museums in the Scandinavian region. I was a 'poor student' that time, so all I could afford were posters and postcards. Well, it's still the same now... I'm still 'poor' - 'poor professor', that is. Haha...
My old Office was adorned with framed mementoes from museums and art galleries that I visited over the years - mostly, the works of van Gogh, Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. I have one each by Paul Cézanne and Paul Gauguin, too. A friend from Spain who introduced me to the art of Salvador Dali back in the old days gifted me with a nice mini poster of Pablo Picasso's work... which I lost. Too bad! Come to think of it, perhaps, RM's fascination for crabs has to do with Renoir's "Bathers with Crab" (ca. 1890-1899)...?
Anyway, yes, I love visiting museums and art galleries. The most memorable was my visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Summer of 2007. Although I've been there a few times, that particular visit was special because it was with my late father. My younger sister who is an Art and Humanities walking encyclopedia was with us in that visit, too, and we had a blast! I don't think I could ever look at a van Gogh, a Monet or a Renoir without thinking about my father. My most recent opportunity to appreciate their work was last February this year at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Carnegie has a laudable Impressionism Section where the works of the said masters are featured as part of their permanent collection.
Although I've never had the opportunity to see the works of Horn up close and personal, I appreciate what RM shared on his IG. I love how the illumination and glitters from lights are multiplied as they are reflected from the smooth glass surfaces in the Pinault Collection installation. The depth of the glass sculpture temper the multiplying of light without distorting the images. RM did a great job capturing the essence of the installation in which one can no longer distinguish between which part of the illumination in the room comes from the hanging lights themselves and from the reflection off the glass surface. It is impressive how Horn showed expertise in manipulating and making the most of his medium: glass.
My recent close encounter with glass sculpture: blown glass sculptures at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona by Dale Chihuly (March 2022).
My own recent close encounter with glass sculpture was last March 2022 at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona. It was "Chihuly at the Garden" by the renowned blown glass artist, Dale Chihuly. He showed the same principle of multiplying illumination of light through surface reflection. it was very, very dramatic and so beautiful as the colored blown glass in various shapes reflected the colorful lights of the sunset... and as the glass reflected the twinkling lights in the garden in the evening. This will be the subject of another post in the next few days... once I get a little break from work, that is... uhm, if at all! Haha...
My interest in glass dated back in my student days. My undergrad thesis as a chemical engineering student was about colored glass using bagasse ash... and so, this is particularly fascinating to me. Glass possesses liquid-like structure molecularly but solid-like properties mechanically. Its properties as a material - whether as utility material or decorative - depends on one's thorough understanding of the thermodynamics involved in the phase transitions that the raw materials go through towards 'glassy state', and the rate at which these transitions take place. The fact that Horn can show how glass can be utilized as an artist's medium without sacrificing its functionality as an engineering material is beyond impressive for me. And the fact that RM sees the artistry and practical application of those installations is just awesome!
RM's recent Swiss Arts Appreciation travel, er, 'Namjooning' as chronicled in his Instagram account.
The photos he shared on 'light and space' in his visit of the Chinati Foundation got me thinking about many things. He focused on the interplay between sunlight and the structural design of the building, including the location and the way the building was oriented in order to maximize the benefit of daylight all day. The way he captured these in his photos was impressive. The art installations in that location were fascinating, too. They were made of stainless steel... but the principle of multiplying light through reflection on smooth surfaces, and with efficient angles to catch the sunlight from the windows was very prominent. These are things that we actually consider in design engineering. The fact that such practical considerations intersect art aesthetics is fascinating. Namjoon captured those efficiently through his photos.
When he joined the gathering of some of the biggest visual artists in the world at "The Art Basel" in Basel, Switzerland last July, it is obvious that he is on his way to becoming a big player in the Visual Arts industry. His attendance did not go unnoticed either. He was recently interviewed by Marc Spiegler for "Intersections: The Art Basel Podcast", Season 2, Episode 1. This was listened to by millions of RM's followers on Apple Music and Spotify. In the interview, he revealed his future plan of opening his own Gallery where he can share his collections with the public. In his recent Vlog, he shared with ARMY and to the rest of the world his visit to Switzerland, and in Paris, France.
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RM = Vlog Monster = 💜
In his "Swiss Vlog", it is evident that Namjoon was in his elements. He was funny, spontaneous, chatty... and in some key moments, quite contemplative - the artist in him kept finding its way to the surface. The camera can't lie. You can tell, he loved what he was doing. Although he kept complaining about how warm it was in Switzerland, his fascination of what he was seeing and experiencing turned his irritation as inconsequential. He uttered hilarious things like "chair party" (while some people go to 'tupperware parties', Namjoon goes to a 'chair party'), "ah, fallen ducks of Lucerne", "the famed 'Ugly Duckling'", "Makgeolli" (in various intonations), calling a hedgehog as "Ratatouille, my precious" (after alluding to the "Lord of the Rings" previously). It was not so much about what he said but about how he said them, and his timing, which was mostly unexpected! Yes, he was quite spontaneous in his vlog, and it was adorable. I think that our Rap Monster just found another thought processing path other than the intellectual pathway! Not convinced? Here, see and hear for yourself...
17:15 - 18:17 min (spiral slide at the Vitra Design Museum): "I'm scared". He*struggled* from uneven descent and from burning his bum against the surface of the slide only to find out that he missed using the protective mat. Oh, boy! He went again though (twice, actually), and enjoyed himself. Talk about not giving up... and enjoying to the fullest!
The original version of this post is four times as long as this. Haha... I went a bit crazy detailing the funny and entertaining parts as well as the interesting and introspective parts of RM's vlog. However, in the end, I thought it is better to just watch it. It's only about 35 minutes long... and it's filled with so much information, the beautiful sights and sounds of Switzerland, the humungous collection of fascinating art pieces at Art Basel, a bit of Paris, and lots and lots of wonderful 'RM moments', including foodie moments and hilarious antics (such as the fact that he kept whistling...and he wondered why? He himself didn't know why!). I am impressed at how he picked-up on the seeming 'ordinary touristic things', such as the ducks of Lucerne... and view them from funny but deeply discerning way. I appreciate how sincere he sounded in admiring Mount Rigi. I personally love how he referred to the Fjords of Norway while in Lucerne... it made me feel nostalgic, too, of that year I lived in Sweden and traveled around Scandinavia, including Norway... as a very (very, very) broke visiting scholar. Hahaha...
RM's vlog is a beautiful travelogue, indeed. There is something for everyone - whether one is an art enthusiast, a seasoned traveler who is looking for his/her next adventure, a BTS fan, an RM biased, or simply one looking to take a break from the monotony of daily grind, one will find something to be fascinated about. He did a great job chronicling his travel, and sharing them with his followers. I also loved it how he seemed to like beer... 'cause one of my research works is beer brewing - subject of another post in the future. Watch out for it! Hahaha...
So, yeah, our fantabulousRap Monster is now a Vlog Monster, too! AWESOME! 💜
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Photo Credit: The photos of myself in this post belong to me. They were processed for the sole use of this blog, and they may not be used anywhere else. RM's photos were grabbed from his IG account - thanks for the loan of the photos, Namjoon.
Video credit: The owner of the videos featured in this post are indicated in the video themselves, BangtanTV. Thanks, YouTube, for the video links.
Footnote:"Namjooning" - per BTS explanation, it is the "act of living as Kim Nam-Joon. This includes taking walks through parks, admiring nature, hanging out with crabs, and having fun with friends" (Reference: Click here.). Kim Nam-Joon, also known as "RM" (short for, originally, "Rap Monster"), is the leader of the South Korean group, BTS.
After work: Enjoying a little portion of Cayuga Lake
in Aurora, Upstate, New York, halfway between Ithaca and Geneva.
About New York State
When people think about New York, perhaps, what comes to mind are the towering buildings in the urban jungle that is New York City... and mostly the sights and sounds of Manhattan... a little bit of Brooklyn, some Bronx and Queens, and just a tiny bit of Staten Island. In other words, people usually think of Metropolitan New York, and they hardly ever think of Upstate New York. And yet, most of New York State (NYS) is Upstate New York. This includes the Capital District, including Albany where the State Capitol is located; the Mohawk Valley Region, Central New York, the Southern Tier, the Finger Lakes Region, Western New York, and the North Country.
The scenic drive between Ithaca and Geneva make the 45-minute travel time like a time for Namjooning! It leaves me breathless every time!
The main campus of Cornell University is in Ithaca, NY, which is located in the very lovely Finger Lakes Region. Other people who are used to living in huge and very busy metropolitan areas might find the Region to be too secluded, "in the middle of nowhere", too quiet... like nothing much is going on except the quaint small town vibes. If you give it a chance though, it can grow on you. Well, it did to me. And soon, most days have become perfect days for Namjooning, where you just watch the beautiful day roll towards the evening, leaving a promise of a new day to keep you dreaming peacefully through the night.
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About Cornell
Cornell has three other campuses in NYS. One is the Cornell Agritech, located in Geneva, also in the Finger Lakes Region. The AgriTech is formerly known as the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station (NYSAES), which is under the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) - the College where I did my PhD in the early to mid 2000s. It is one of the very best in the world, and some of this is due to its huge Extension Programs that cater to the agriculture and food industry of NYS, and their highly internationalized population and engagements. I am very proud to be an alumna of CALS. The professors in CALS, and all of Cornell for that matter, are very supportive of their Alumni. They keep track of our progress, and they support us in the various stages of our career. Case in point, they supported me in my Humphrey Fellowship. I worked between the Ithaca and Geneva campuses... and the drive between these two campuses is absolutely beautiful - especially during springtime and summer time.
Visiting Cornell Tech at Roosevelt Island in NYC with friends. The campus has the fascinating view of Manhattan on one side and Long Island on another.
Cornell has two campuses in NYC: (1) Cornell Tech at Roosevelt Island, which is a partnership with the Israel Institute of Technology, or simply Technion, and the (2) Weill Cornell Medicine, which is only some steps away from the tram station, coming from Roosevelt Island. It was in 2017 when I first visited Cornell Tech. It is strategically located where it is to cater to tech-based industry and businesses in NYC. That time, they were just starting operations. This year, I visited again to speak with their Chief of Administration, and I was very impressed by their progress and the ensuing expansion. I usually drop by the Weill Cornell Medicine, too, just to visit and appreciate how advanced the research works are in Medicine. This time around though, I did not get to visit because of a rather hectic schedule.
This is what I love about studying, or working as a visiting scholar, at Cornell. The quality of education is, obviously, excellent, and its campuses in the Finger Lakes Region and in NYC are beautiful! When stressed out from working hard, there is always a way to 'recuperate' and 'recharge'... right inside the campus! And, when you need to get away from it all, roaming around the immediate vicinity of the campuses give respite, too. When there is more time, traveling around the Region is physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually rejuvenating. And, when there are official University break, it is always great to enjoy the City... for as long as one saved up sufficiently, that is, because enjoying the City can be very expensive. One of these days, I shall write about my most recent visit in the City.
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A little about me... and BTS
In the meantime, let's enjoy the official music video of BTS's "Life goes on": in the forest, which is set in a place that is quite similar to the Finger Lakes Region of NYS.
Beautiful song... beautiful young men singing to a multitude of beautiful souls
around the world from such a beautiful place.
Indeed, life is beautiful... and it goes on.
The last nine years that I've been Dean of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Santo Tomas (there, I said it... for the first time, I think, in this Blog) were some of the most remarkable years of my life... not because of the 'prestige' of the position because I don't think I ever enjoyed the 'perks' of being Dean. In fact, I don't even know what the perks were... and I never cared to find out! I cared more about something else, the most essential thing in my leadership goals - SERVICE. The whole time, I was extremely busy trying to cultivate a 'new' culture of excellence in the Faculty. It was humbling... and I've given up so many things to do this. Looking back, I do believe that the sacrifices were so worth it. I can say with confidence, and humility, that my Team and I have achieved our goals... and so much more.
In a few days, I will be officially handing down the reins of leadership of the Faculty to my successor. I am proud to turnover the leadership of a Faculty that is completely transformed from how it was when I took over about a decade ago. And, I mean that in a very positive way, and many can attest to it, too... including history itself. I do believe that it is also accurate to say that the whole University was positively influenced by the transformations that the Faculty of Engineering has undergone. I do believe that the bigger impact of my previous service in the University as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering will be continuously felt in the coming more years, including the brilliance that my successor is about to impart. This is not to demean any of my predecessors though. In fact, I have so much respect for them... especially knowing what I know now about leadership. Still, I can proudly say that, when I was called to serve, I responded to the call wholeheartedly. I did my utmost best, leaving nothing and taking nothing for myself. In the end, I am very proud of what we have accomplished!
While I am very happy with the fruits of my service, I have been EXTREMELY EXHAUSTED, too! In the last three years, I was just 'running on empty'. There were too many MAJOR undertakings, transformations, and coping with the pandemic, including the loss of my father and my own bout with COVID-19 that I almost lost. I did not give up... but, sometimes, when life is moving about too fast and we're out of breath, we just need to get away for a little bit, to breathe fresh air to gain fresh perspective, and renew the fight in our spirits. I did that recently in Cornell... and I am no longer out of breath now. In fact, I am now getting ready to take on a bigger challenge in my workplace as I transition from the Office of the Dean to another Office... which, from what I understand is a lot bigger.
The 'new chapter' is not just about cultivating a culture. It's about cultivating a culture and setting up the 'farm' in which such culture can bloom and flourish. It will be about maintaining a fertile ground, lots of sunshine and water, the right seeds... and the right 'farmer'. I know of wonderful beautiful 'farmers' who own an incredibly flourishing 'global farm'. There are seven of them... and they are called BTS. I will need their inspiration... and I'm gonna avail it! Then I know that the best is "yet to come". And this beautiful life goes on....
Alright, let's start getting inspired now...
Man, goosebumps! They keep outdoing themselves. Too good!
Alright, I'm ready... leggo! 💜
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Photo credit: All photos featured in this post are all mine, and I processed them for the sole purpose of this post. They may not be used anywhere else.
Video credit: The first video featured in this post belong to me. The owner of the other two videos is indicated in the videos themselves - Hybe Labels and BangtanTV. Thanks, YouTube, for the video link.
One of the things that I love about living in Ithaca in Upstate New York is how one can be very close to nature. There is always an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of nature whatever time of year... although winter can be truly harsh.
An assortment of blooms in the Cornell campus in Ithaca, NY during spring time.
This is the beauty of studying at Cornell University, too, specifically in its Ithaca campus. Aside from it being an Ivy League... and, therefore, the quality of education is topnotch, the Ithaca campus is surrounded by nature in its unadulterated beauty. The campus itself is beautiful: dramatic in Autumn, surreal in winter time, deliciously prettyin spring, and totally smashing during summer time. More than anything else though, the company of brilliant and fun students, and awesome mentors, was totally wonderful and unforgettable. I spent five years in the Ithaca campus of Cornell as a PhD student in the mid 2000s. I thank the Fulbright-Philippine Agriculture scholarship program endlessly for the opportunity... because those were some of the very best years of my life!
So, in AY 2021-2022, I had the opportunity to return to Cornell. This time, I return as a Hubert H. Humphrey (HHH) Fellowship grantee. The HHH Fellowship Program is under the Fulbright Scholarship Program of the US Department of State. It is a highly competitive program that is usually awarded to professionals in their mid-career or leaders who are ready to move up to more influential leadership roles in their field of work. In my Humphrey Fellowship, I was primarily hosted by the Penn State University in State College, PA but I chose Cornell as the venue for one of my two six-week non-local Professional Affiliations. The other one is Boise State University in Idaho. I couldn't be any happier!
Enjoying a lovely spring time evening, walking around East Hill area of Ithaca, NY.
In Ithaca, I stayed at the eastern side of the campus... up a hill, towards downtown. The house where I stayed this time was the same house where I lived on my last year as a PhD student in Cornell. Its location is adjacent to that of the Baker Institute for Animal Health of the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine, which is recognized as one of the very best Vet Schools in the world. The house has among the most beautiful views of Ithaca sunset, which gets dramatic during spring time because of the usually thick dark rain clouds that contrasted with the burning red-orange color of the sun as it sank in the horizon among the tall trees on the hills. It is absolutely lovely!
Every single day, I was motivated to start the day well by the cheerful tweets of birds outside my window... and the gentle fingers of the rising sun that knocked on my window with its comforting warmth. They brought smile to my lips as I prayed for that beautiful day that beckoned. All day long, the horses at the stable of the Baker Institute grazed around the hills, and they usually wandered at the house's backyard. I enjoyed watching them, especially the two most active ones who loved to run around. They are the ones featured in the video above.
Towards the end of the day, I put all my concentration on my work so I can eat dinner early with the kind family who owns the house... and relax as I watched the beautiful sunset at the backyard. In the evening, I put on my walking/running shoes, put on my earphones, and pull down my favorite playlist on Spotify - mostly BTS music, of course! I then joined some of our neighbors as I walked/ran a minimum of 4km, chasing the colors of the sunset fade into the night. Perfect day for Namjooning, indeed!
I usually went to bed every single night satisfied with my day... and happy that I got to rest well as I anticipated another lovely day to come my way in the morning. Looking back, those days that were full of hope reminded me of my favorite line in one of the newest BTS songs, "Yet to come". The line went, "dream and hope, and go forward - we're so about it!" Yes, I am so about it, too!
Ahhh... Ithaca! Take me back!
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Video credit: The video featured in this post belong to me. I shot it for the sole use of this post.
Photo credit: All photos used in this post belong to me. I took and processed them for the sole purpose of this post.
Framing the Bob Gibb Friendship Bridge across the Boise River.
The Special Collections and Archives of Boise State University (BSU) keeps a data base of important materials and artifacts that make up BSU's history as well as that of Boise City, and the State of Idaho itself. Among others, they keep a list of remarkable works of art that abound the campus. One such remarkable work that catches attention when exploring the campus is the work of sculptor, Nobuyo Okuda, a graduate of the BSU School of Arts (BA Fine Arts, Class of 1984).
The work is composed of two half circles made of stainless steel, joined at a single point and supporting each other where they are joined. The two half circles then extend gracefully beyond the point of full contact. As such, it is a remarkably minimalist number that shows how geometry and physics are used in artistic creations but seems insignificant the first time one sees it... at least, by those who prefer things from the perspective of pragmatism and functionality. However, as one studies the origin of the sculpture, one can fully appreciate its significance.
The sculpture was donated by Robert Hay to BSU in honor of his wife, Janet Hay, who
"Eternal Wind" with the Administration Building of Boise State University.
served for three terms in the State of Idaho Legislature, representing Nampa; championing education as member of the Idaho State Board of Education. As such, the sculpture is also referred to as "Janet Hay Memorial". To pay tribute to Janet Hay's advocacy, Okuda created a piece that symbolizes the "student-teacher relationship" in teaching-learning process. Each half circle, which represents either the student or the teacher, stands incomplete and insignificant. However, as the half-circles are joined fully at one point - in an education institution where learning takes place - they stand beautifully, completing each other... taking flight to extend gracefully to reach the other end... until one can no longer distinguish where the structure begins and where it ends, hence, the "eternal" nature of the relationship that they symbolize. And, as they seem to move to reach each other in a circular motion, they generate "eternal wind"... in the same way that the effective teaching-learning process in an excellent student-teacher relationship can eternally generate useful information that is cultivated to bear knowledge... and nurtured to shape into wisdom. Indeed, it is a beautiful symbol of student-teacher relationship and that process of teaching-learning... not just in an academic institution setting, but in life itself! After all, we all have most beloved mentors in our lives... and in what we do in our vocations and professions... who guide us, inspire us and keep us motivated to do well.
To me, it is an added point that the "Eternal Wind" is located in a place where, at an angle from one side, the circle frames the "Bob Gibb Friendship Bridge", which connects the campus with downtown Boise that are separated by the Boise River. From the opposite side, the sculpture serves as a circular frame for the Administration Building, which is quite remarkable, too. The sculpture is also installed in a circular plaza between the Albertsons Library and the College of Arts and the Sciences where students can hangout. I spent many hours reading in that plaza... or simply, namjooning, waiting for the sunset so I can view it from the Friendship Bridge where the sun's fingers spread across the river one last time in a given day as it sinks into the horizon. Again, beautiful!
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Photo credit: I took all photos in this post and processed them solely for this post.
References: Special Collection and Archives of Boise State University (news writer - Rachel Taylor, 2019); The Arbiter, 06 October 1999.
Footnote:"Namjooning" - per BTS explanation, it is the "act of living as Kim Nam-Joon. This includes taking walks through parks, admiring nature, hanging out with crabs, and having fun with friends" (Reference: Click here.). Kim Nam-Joon, also known as "RM" (short for, originally, "Rap Monster"), is the leader of the South Korean group, BTS.
There are many important occasions today, and it's good that it's Saturday, too. Although it is a thoroughly busy day for me... as I am traveling from the US to the Philippines as I write this blog post. In fact, I am currently standing on a loooong queue that is snaking around the Tom Bradley International Terminal of LAX... that is not moving! There's a huge variety of anxiety-triggers along the queue: "late again?", "when do they start checking us in?", "can we make it to boarding at this rate?", "man, I have a connection in Manila! Will I make it at this rate?"... and what have you!
After missing a flight the day before... and after walking (thrice! Long story... not worth discussing.) from Terminal 7 of LAX to Tom Bradley with three pieces of huge check-in luggage balanced on a squeaking cart (well, can you blame it, given the weight of my luggage?), a carry-on, and a backpack, and with that heat outside, and the LA smog that made my eyes water, plus I am really hungry... I cannot listen anymore to all the complaints around me. So, after conversing and commiserating with my fellow frustrated passengers, I decided, I have to do something productive... and happy.
So, I switched on Spotify, opened my ever-reliable favorite Playlist... put on my wireless earbuds... and voila, here I am... in this safe virtual haven of mine. Let's go!
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Everything happens for a reason
Yep, I missed my flight the day before because of that Health Pass online Form that one person insisted I needed to fill out before I can be checked-in and be given a boarding pass. Apparently, she was misinformed... but, by the time someone made a clarification, my luggage did not have enough time to reach the plane even if I can still sprint to my gate! So, I returned to my sister's home, and spent most part of the morning getting re-booked for my flights today. Thankfully, the Department of State's Travel Agency that was assigned to handle the travel plans of Humphrey Fellows like myself was very efficient that everything was taken care of in only a couple of hours. I then spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon taking delicious catnaps... and listening to music in between.
The truth is, I wasn't feeling too well yesterday as I had my COVID-19 second booster shot last Wednesday evening. I wasn't feeling well the following day, Thursday, but I couldn't take a
rest because I had to pack and re-pack my luggage. Ten months of being in the US had me 'amassing' stuff - mostly books... and shoes - lots of them! Nope, I do not plan to make excuses... 'cause I have none! Anyway, the extra day of stay gave me time to recuperate... and be ready for the long journey home today - a blessing in disguise.
It was a beautiful day, too! It was a bit warm, but it was sunny, and the sky was clear and very blue - pretty, and perfect for some Namjooning! And so, in the late afternoon, as my brother-in-law went to play golf, my sister and I decided to take a walk around the neighborhood so I can admire the place one last time. I love the old huge trees that lined the streets, almost forming a natural canopy above our heads as we walked. The shade they provided made the warm air a bit cooler, keeping the heat radiated by the asphalt road in check. So, it was quite a comfortable walk.
These last month that I was in my sister's place in Boise City, ID, I walked almost everyday. First of all, I walked to the Boise State University campus... walked leisurely around the
campus and beyond after work, and then walked home. I typically complete more than 10,000 steps daily, which is usually equivalent to, at least, 7 km. The place is nice and safe, so I enjoyed every minute of my walk! Also, I loved looking at the houses around. They are most definitely not as HUGE as the houses in, say, Texas! However, they are dainty and lovely... making the village where my sister lives very pretty, indeed. People are so friendly, too. Many of them let me take a photo of their home, and even chatted a bit about the neighborhood, especially when they learned that I am a visiting scholar at Boise State. Perhaps, that is another thing that I love about this place - people's sense of community, and sense of pride of what their community has to offer.
My sister and I decided to eat dinner at one of our favorite Asian restaurants in the village. We took a different route on our way there just to explore the village. We saw interesting things
around the neighborhood. My favorite was a mini free library at the front yard of one house. There were a couple of comfortable seats provided, and there were a few more spares in the barn just directly at the back of the free mini library. Anyone in the neighborhood can come and read, and anyone can donate books as well. It is a very good idea, really. In fact, I've seen one like this at the Anne Frank Memorial at downtown Boise.... which I'll write about in the (near) future.
My sister and I did not have our 'usual' at the Asian resto... we ventured to something different. We usually ordered ramen or pho but, this time, I ordered their special noodles... which was truly special - lots of veggies, shrimp and beef. It was delicious... and I finished it all! The long walk gave me appetite, and I loved it! My sister opted for something with rice, and se loved it, too.
On our way back to my sister's house, we decided to walk some more at a park nearby. It was, actually, a dog park. So, there were many people walking and playing with their dogs... and there were some more playing tennis and basketball. It was quite busy... but not crowded - there was enough space for everyone. My sister and I decided to take camp at the
picnic area... I was so full and happy that I decided to lie down... and just enjoy the fresh air, and the peace and quiet while I bonded with my sister. We talked about our immediate and long-term plans... and things that we are not planning just yet. It was a very good talk, which I did enjoy. This is another thing that I love about this place... there are many amenities that are found in big cities, like New York City (NYC), for instance... MINUS the huge crowd, the noise, the stench, the security and safety threats, and the lack of privacy. Ah... perhaps, it's my age. I used to enjoy the sight and sound of NYC... but, these days, I go there primarily for business. Then again, times have changed tremendously... and so did NYC! Given the choice, I'd rather go to Boise or in Upstate New York... and even in rural Pennsylvania - hmmm... uhm, perhaps, I won't go that far! I do love Pittsburgh though! It's cosmopolitan and lovely with a fair amount of intellectual vibes about it... but not as chaotic as NYC, or Philadelphia!
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Oh, and about special occasions...
July is a special month for me because, uhm, its my birth month! CANCER month! Yes, indeed, I'm a crab! Proud of it, too! I can identify with many crabs in this life... such as the late Princess Diana
and his son, Prince William, as well as the brilliant, Tom Hanks, and the eternally youthful and innovative, Tom Cruise. Let's not talk about Elon Musk though... because we want to talk happy and good, right? He's a great engineer though... I give him that.
Anyway, speaking of Tom Cruise... I found out on Instagram (IG) a few days ago that he is an ARMY. Well, in the IG post, he sang the first two lines of "Butter" - and with gusto, too. Hahaha... and speaking of ARMY, the fandom make July even more special for me because the 9th of July is ARMY's birthday! Having officially joined the fandom lately, I feel happy that I can celebrate my own birthday with ARMY's birthday. Yaay!
So, when my sister and I reached home, at the suggestion of my brother-in-law, we went to harvest ripe raspberries at the backyard. And because, I didn't have cake to commemorate the special ARMY day, and it was too late to bake one, I opted for ice cream - Ben & Jerry's. Fortunately, I still had one of my favorite flavors, the Americone Dream, which was "vanilla ice cream with fudge-covered waffle cone pieces and a caramel swirl" (credit: description is from B&J's website). So, I had a proper ARMY birthday celebration commemorated with ice cream topped with fresh raspberries - straight from the backyard garden!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ARMY! 💜🎊
And to celebrate this occasion, let's dance to one of my favorite 'old' BTS songs, "Anpanman"... because, heaven knows, I need a hero right now!
I chose this because this is one of the first BTS songs that caught my attention four years ago... the rest is history. Also, the graphics in their background has the most semblance to Hobi's Jack-in-the-box album cover, which we are also celebrating these days! Hobi is awesome in this video... and in this one, too, which is another live performance of Anpanman.
Alright... the queue is moving - FINALLY! Outta here... for now.
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IMAGE CREDIT: All photos in this post are mine - I took them, and processed them, solely for this post.
VIDEO CREDIT: The owner of the video is indicated in the video credit, BangtanTV. Thanks, YouTube, for the video link.
Footnote:"Namjooning" - per BTS explanation, it is the "act of living as Kim Nam-Joon. This includes taking walks through parks, admiring nature, hanging out with crabs, and having fun with friends" (Reference: Click here.). Kim Nam-Joon, also known as "RM" (short for, originally, "Rap Monster"), is the leader of the South Korean group, BTS.
