nalingaw ko sa chem... hehehe...

eversince i started my chemistry (anal chem) this year, i really felt stressed out and really tired, because of the many concepts, many experiments and tiring lab works. but well mas naapreciate ko na chem now... wala lang... it really is a hard course yet excieing din pala siya later... i mean mas exciting pa kasi its like the world would depend upon chemists in policy making (e.g. global warming themes), product development (pharmaceuticals, ets) and economic progress... hay nako pero marami pa akong kakaining bigas... sige lang kaya to!!!

anyways... God bless sa mag mga magtake og midtems...

Praise the Lord!!!
Michael Casas

the 7th best speaker of the 3rd Loyola Cup...

debating is fun et ehausting, but i guess there is more of the reward than that of the detriments... just last sunday, august 5, 2007, the Ateneo debate community held the finals round of the 3rd loyola cup. actually i was hpeless if i would be able to break even into the semi finals, but i keep up with a positive attitude towards it...

anyways so there goes the 5th round, and we ranked 2nd in it which means that our accumulated score is 7/12 points in the first five rounds... THEREFORE WE BROKE... BELLARMINE B ROCKS!!!

me with ate flora, my partner... hahaha

i think we actuall rock, i go for the first speaker then she is the second speaker... i lay down the case and its foundation and she gives further substantiation... what a team... anways... so in the semis we were first... Gosh... we made it .... hahaha imagine swiping the other best speakers... hehehe.... but of course we remained humble... we just can't believe the fact that we qualify for the finals round... hahaha...=D... but in the finals round we only were 4th... anways its okay at least we have proven that we are among the top 4 teams of the ateneo debate cmmunity neophtes...

moreover... i won the 7th best speaker award... nice one...=D... it was a surprise and a rewally great thing to end the debate with... =D

PRaise God

Michael Casas

The Spiritual Exercises

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola are a month-long program of meditations, prayers, considerations, and contemplative practices that help Catholic faith become more fully alive in the everyday life of contemporary people. It is set out in a brief manual or handbook: sparse, taciturn, and practical. It presents a formulation of Ignatius' spirituality in a series of prayer exercises, thought experiments, and examinations of consciousness—designed to help a retreatant (usually with the aid of a spiritual director) to experience a deeper conversion into life with God in Christ, to allow our personal stories to be interpreted by being subsumed in a Story of God.
These Exercises are usually made in one of three different ways: first, extended over approximately thirty days in a silent retreat away from home, which was its original form; or second, as condensed into a weekend or an eight-day retreat based on Ignatian themes; or third, in the midst of daily life, while living at home, over a period of several months.
The Spiritual Exercises are divided into a series of four "weeks"—not literally seven 24-hour-day weeks, but "movements" or “stages”—with accompanying prayer, visualizations, reflections, and spiritual exercises for each week. These four movements include consideration of God's generosity and mercy and the complex reality of human sin; an imagining of the life and public ministry of Jesus, his proclamation of the gospel, his sayings and parables, his teachings and his miracles; and of Jesus' last days, his arrest and interrogation, whipping, public mockery, passion, crucifixion and death; and then, of Jesus’ Resurrection, his Ascension, and the pouring-forth of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and Christ’s continued life in the world through the Spirit today and in the Messianic People called and missioned to his cause.
This cause is, at its root, the cause of freedom, a letting-go-free of persons who, up to this time, have lived in captivity, a captivity often completely taken for granted, sometimes no longer remembered to be captivity, and not able to be acknowledged as captivity— a “Redemption.” During the Spiritual Exercises, focused through the key meditations of the Second Week, with their demanding ascesis, we attempt to get out of God’s way in our hearts, deepen our sense of interior freedom from the hero-system of popular secular society, and allow God’s own impelling Spirit to lead us in taking action, out of this new freedom, which is authentically emancipatory for other men and women.
Usually retreatants will meet regularly in private with a spiritual director to discuss their experiences of prayer and reflection, and to receive guidance in praying with the Exercises, in thinking about what they are doing, and in the interpretation of what is happening to them.
In the Oregon Province there are a number of places that offer the Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life (SEEL), in which someone can "make" the Exercises over the course of a eight or nine-month period. In a province-wide ministry co-sponsored by our universities, our secondary schools, our parishes, and our new spirituality centers, the SEEL Programs usually begin in the Fall. In addition, the text of the Spiritual Exercises is made available here, along with an on-line guide to the Exercises that can be used in daily life (“Daily Ways to Pray”).

From: http://www.nwjesuits.org/JesuitSpirituality/SpiritualExercises.html

Saint Ignatius...

Early Life of St. Ignatius
Inigo de Loyola was born in 1491 in Azpeitia in the Basque province of Guipuzcoa in northern Spain. He was the youngest of thirteen children. At the age of sixteen years he was sent to serve as a page to Juan Velazquez, the treasurer of the kingdom of Castile. As a member of the Velazquez household, he was frequently at court and developed a taste for all it presented, especially the ladies. He was much addicted to gambling, very contentious, and not above engaging in swordplay on occasion. For a number of years he went about in the dress of a fighting man, wearing a coat of mail and breastplate, and carrying a sword and other sorts of arms.
Eventually he found himself at the age of 30 in May of 1521 as an officer defending the fortress of the town of Pamplona against the French, who claimed the territory as their own against Spain. The Spaniards were terribly outnumbered and the commander of the Spanish forces wanted to surrender, but Ignatius convinced him to fight on for the honor of Spain, if not for victory. During the battle a cannon ball struck Ignatius, wounding one leg and breaking the other. Because they admired his courage, the French soldiers carried him back to recuperate at his home, the castle of Loyola, rather than to prison.
His leg was set but did not heal, so it was necessary to break it again and reset it, all without anesthesia. Although he was told to prepare for death, on the fest of Saints Peter and Paul (June 29) he took an unexpected turn for the better. The leg healed, but he was left with one leg shorter than the other. For the rest of his life he walked with a limp.
Conversion of St. Ignatius
During the long weeks of his recuperation, he was extremely bored and asked for some romance novels to pass the time. Luckily there were none in the castle of Loyola, but there was a copy of the life of Christ and a book on the saints. Desperate, Ignatius began to read them. The more he read, the more he considered the exploits of the saints worth imitating. However, at the same time, he continued to have daydreams of fame and glory, along with fantasies of winning the love of a certain noble lady of the court. The identity of this lady has never been discovered but she seems to have been of royal blood. He noticed, however, that after reading and thinking of the saints and Christ he was at peace and satisfied. Yet when he finished his long daydreams of his noble lady, he would feel restless and unsatisfied. Not only was this experience the beginning of his conversion, it was also the beginning of spiritual discernment, or discernment of spirits, which is associated with Ignatius and described in his Spiritual Exercises.
The Exercises recognize that not only the intellect but also the emotions and feelings can help us to come to a knowledge of the action of the Spirit in our lives. Eventually, completely converted from his old desires and plans of romance and worldly conquests, and recovered from his wounds enough to travel, he left the castle in March of 1522.
He had decided that he wanted to go to Jerusalem to live where our Lord had spent his life on earth. As a first step he began his journey to Barcelona. He first proceeded to the Benedictine shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat, made a general confession, and knelt all night in vigil before Our Lady's altar, following the rites of chivalry. He left his sword and knife at the altar, went out and gave away all his fine clothes to a poor man, and dressed himself in rough clothes with sandals and a staff.
The Experience of Manresa
He continued towards Barcelona but stopped along the river Cardoner at a town called Manresa. He stayed in a cave outside the town, intending to linger only a few days, but he remained for ten months. He spent hours each day in prayer and also worked in a hospice. It was while here that the ideas for what are now known as the Spiritual Exercises began to take shape. It was also on the banks of this river that he had a vision which is regarded as the most significant in his life. The vision was more of an enlightenment, about which he later said that he learned more on that one occasion that he did in the rest of his life. Ignatius never revealed exactly what the vision was, but it seems to have been an encounter with God as He really is so that all creation was seen in a new light and acquired a new meaning and relevance, and experience that enabled Ignatius to find God in all things. This grace, finding God in all things, is one of the central characteristics of Jesuit spirituality. Ignatius himself never wrote in the rules of the Jesuits that there should be any fixed time for prayer. Actually, by finding God in all things, all times are times of prayer. He did not, of course, exclude formal prayer, but he differed from other founders regarding the imposition of definite times or duration of prayer. One of the reasons some opposed the formation of the Society of Jesus was that Ignatius proposed doing away with the chanting of the Divine Office in choir. This was a radical departure from custom, because until this time, every religious order was held to the recitation of the office in common. For Ignatius, such recitation meant that the type of activity envisioned for the Society would be hindered.
He finally arrived at Barcelona, took a boat to Italy, and ended up in Rome where he met Pope Adrian VI and requested permission to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Once he arrived in the Holy Land he wanted to remain, but was told by the Franciscan superior who had authority over Catholics there that the situation was too dangerous. (At the time, the Turks were the rulers of the Holy Land.) The superior ordered Ignatius to leave. He refused, but when threatened with excommunication, he obediently departed.
The Return to School
By now he was 33 years old and determined to study for the priesthood. However, he was ignorant of Latin, a necessary preliminary to university studies in those days. So he started back to school studying Latin grammar with young boys in a school in Barcelona. After two years he moved on to the University of Alcala. There his zeal got him in trouble, a problem that continued throughout his life. He would gather students and adults to explain the Gospels to them and teach them how to pray. His efforts attracted the attention of the Inquisition and he was thrown into jail for 42 days. When he was released he was told to avoid teaching others. (In the eyes of Inquisitors, anyone who was teaching and was not ordained was suspect.)
Because he could not live without helping souls, Ignatius moved on to the University of Salamanca. There, within two weeks, the Dominicans had thrown him back into prison again. Though they could find no heresy in what he taught, he was told that he could only teach children and then only simple religious truths. Once more he took to the road, this time for Paris.
At the University of Paris he began school again, studying Latin grammar and literature, philosophy, and theology. It was also in Paris that he began sharing a room with Francis Xavier and Peter Faber. He greatly influenced a few other fellow students directing them all at one time or another in what we now call the Spiritual Exercises. Eventually six of them plus Ignatius decided to take vows of chastity and poverty and to go to the Holy Land. If going to the Holy Land became impossible, they would go to Rome and place themselves at the disposal of the Pope for whatever he would want them to do. They did not think of doing this as a religious order or congregation, but as individual priests. For a year they waited, however no ship was able to take them to the Holy Land because of the conflict between the Christians and Muslims. It was during this time of waiting that Ignatius was ordained a priest, but he did not say Mass for another year. It is thought that he wanted to say his first Mass in Jerusalem in the land where Jesus himself had lived.
The Company of Jesus
Ignatius, along with two of his companions, Peter Faber and James Lainez, decided to go to Rome and place themselves at the disposal of the Pope. It was a few miles outside of the city that Ignatius had the second most significant of his mystical experiences. At a chapel at La Storta where they had stopped to pray, God the Father told Ignatius, "I will be favorable to you in Rome" and that he would place him (Ignatius) with His Son. Ignatius did not know what this experience meant, for it could mean persecution as well as success since Jesus experienced both.
When they met with the Pope, he very happily put them to work teaching scripture and theology and preaching. It was here on Christmas morning, 1538, that Ignatius celebrated his first Mass at the church of St. Mary Major in the Chapel of the Manger. It was thought this chapel had the actual manger of Bethlehem, so, if Ignatius was not going to be able to say his first Mass at Jesus' birthplace in the Holy Land, then this would be the best substitute.
During the Lent of 1539, Ignatius asked all of his companions to come to Rome to discuss their future. They had never thought of founding a religious order, but now that going to Jerusalem was out, they had to think about their future--whether they would spend it together. After many weeks of prayer and discussion, they decided to form a community, with the Pope's approval, in which they would vow obedience to a superior general who would hold office for life. They would place themselves at the disposal of the Holy Father to travel wherever he should wish to send them for whatever duties. A vow to this effect was added to the ordinary vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Formal approval of this new order was given by Pope Paul III the following year on September 27, 1540. Since they had referred to themselves as the Company of Jesus (in Latin Societas Jesu), in English their order became known as the Society of Jesus. Ignatius was elected on the first ballot of the group to be the superior, but he begged them to reconsider, pray and vote again a few days later. The second ballot came out as the first, unanimous for Ignatius, except for his own vote. He was still reluctant to accept, but his Franciscan confessor told him it was God's will, so he acquiesced. On the Friday of Easter week, April 22, 1541, at the Church of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls, the friends pronounced their vows in the newly formed Order.
The Years As Superior General
Ignatius, whose love it was to be actively involved in teaching catechism to children, directing adults in the Spiritual Exercises, and working among the poor and in hospitals, would for the most part sacrifice this love for the next fifteen years. From his election as superior general until his death he would work out of two small rooms, his bedroom and next to it his office, directing this new society throughout the world. He would spend years composing the Constitutions of the Society and would write thousands of letters to all corners of the globe to his fellow Jesuits dealing with the affairs of the Society and to lay men and women directing them in the spiritual life. From his tiny quarters in Rome he would live to see in his lifetime the Society of Jesus grow from eight to a thousand members. The Jesuits would found colleges and houses all over Europe and as far away as Brazil and Japan. Some of the original companions were to become the Pope's theologians at the Council of Trent, an event which played an important role in the Catholic Counter Reformation.
The Jesuits and SchoolsPerhaps the work of the Society of Jesus begun by Ignatius that is best known is that of education. It is interesting that he had no intention of including teaching among the Jesuits' works at the beginning. As already mentioned, the purpose of the first members was to be at the disposal of the Pope to go where they would be most needed. Before 1548 Ignatius had opened schools in Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and India. These schools, however, were intended primarily for the education of the new young Jesuit recruits. Ten such colleges built within six years indicated the rapid growth of the Jesuits. But in 1548 at the request of the magistrates of Messina in Sicily, Ignatius sent five men to open a school for lay as well as Jesuit students. It soon became clear by requests from rulers, bishops and cities for schools that this work was truly one of the most effective ways to correct ignorance and corruption among the clergy and the faithful, to stem the decline of the Church in the face of the Reformation, and to fulfill the motto of the Society of Jesus, "Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam,"--to the greater glory of God.
This was clearly in keeping with one of Ignatius' first principles in choosing apostolates: all other things being equal, choose those apostolates that will influence those who have the most influence on others. Maybe the best expression of this idea was in a letter he wrote about the founding of colleges in December of 1551:
From among those who are now merely students, in time some will depart to play diverse roles--one to preach and carry on the care of souls, another to government of the land and the administration of justice, and others to other callings. Finally, since young boys become grown men, their good education in life and doctrine will be beneficial to many others, with the fruit expanding more widely every day. From then on, Ignatius helped to establish Jesuit schools and universities all over Europe and the world.
Ignatius the PersonIt is probably true that the picture of Ignatius that most people have is that of a soldier: stern, iron-willed, practical, showing little emotion -- not a very attractive or warm personality. Yet if this picture is exact, it is hard to see how he could have had such a strong influence on those who knew him. Luis Goncalves de Camara, one of his closest associates wrote,
He (Ignatius) was always rather inclined toward love; moreover, he seemed all love, and because of that he was universally loved by all. There was no one in the Society who did not have much great love for him and did not consider himself much loved by him.
We regard a number of saints as great mystics but never think of Ignatius as one of them. We have recounted a few of the many visions and mystical experiences in his life. His holiness, however, did not consist in such, but in the great love that directed his life to do everything A.M.D.G., for the greater glory of God.
Last IllnessEver since his student days in Paris, Ignatius had suffered from stomach ailments and they became increasingly troublesome in Rome. In the summer of 1556 his health grew worse, but his physician thought he would survive this summer as he had done others. Ignatius, however, thought that the end was near. On the afternoon of July 30th he asked Polanco, his secretary, to go and get the Pope's blessing for him, suggesting by this to Polanco that he was dying. Polanco, however, trusted the physician more than Ignatius and told him he had a lot of letters to write and mail that day. He would go for the Pope's blessing the next day. Shortly after midnight Ignatius took a turn for the worse. Polanco rushed off to the Vatican to get the papal blessing, but it was too late. The former worldly courtier and soldier who had turned his gaze to another court and a different type of battle had rendered his soul into the hands of God. Ignatius was beatified on July 27, 1609 and canonized by Pope Gregory XV on March 12, 1622 together with St. Francis Xavier. Ignatius' feast day is celebrated by the universal Church and the Jesuits on July 31, the day he died.

--->From: http://www.luc.edu/jesuit/ignatius.bio.html

miracles happen

today, at this very time... i feel so exhausted as in grabe...

bakit kapoy maging college student?

1. we are trained for real life...
2. professors have to do their work...
3. we don't have much time to do so much work
4. we are limited as persons...
5. it is nherent to be like it... kapopy talaga...

lets face it... and i will face it too that all these things are true... pero i'm still thankful, because even though life is tough, God places some secret doors to escape... doors to survive... MIRACLES...

i really love this word... i mean it is a big gift to us humans from God...

there can be miracles when you believe... =D

but miracles don't happen unless we do our share too...=D

Praise The Lord!
Michael Casas

MIdterm rush

prelim has passed and midterm is at hand... well my friends what do you expect? an easier load? of course not!!! hay nako... grabe... anal chem palang pamatay na... not to mention calculus... anyways... though ok ang grades ko, but the coming grading period means another set of stress!!! hay nako sana maka graduate na ako para work na then money na... hahay that would be two years from now pa no... anyways... God is still Good... because he plans out events in favor of his people... Amen...

Praise The Lord
Michael Casas

=D a striking message =D

=DLive Life to the Fullest... =D

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but at the end of the day it is still a striking cliche.

A Battle with time

we usually hear the cliche that time is gold. but do ou get to appreciate time if you have it as a luxury?

lately, since i made myself super busy with extracurricular activities, i felt time all the more. i mean in the past years i wasn't too busy and i don't have so much to do except with my academics so, i slack, waste my time and all those things. but now i appreciate 15 minutes of nap, 5-6 hours of sleep, 1 hour study time for major exams etc etc.

but of course i see how problematic it would be if you make time an enemy... so i just tried to master it so that i may make even a minute very productive.

help me Lord in this battle... i pray that i may win... Amen

Praise The Lord!!!
Michael Casas

Debate---> The 3rd Loyola Cup of the Ateneo Debate Community

"this house believes that..." this phrase continues to rule over my system up to this very moment. why? simply because i am into debating.

debating they say is the art of persuasion, but i say it is the art of becoming sophisticated. why? because when you debate ou are challenged to become the most sophsticated debater in the house.

anyways, last sunday (july 22, 2007), the 3rd Loyola Cup was held in ADDU. of course i joined because i am a newbie of the club and in a way it was a requirement to see how far we have learned about the prnciples of debating. i am belong to bellarmine block specifically bellarmine b. i am paired with ate flora.

anyways, the event was generally fun in a sense that sacrificed one whole day of studying calculus and physics just to join the one whole day debate tournament. so joined the debate.

there were four rounds in the debate and generally it was fun. we won first place in the first debate, but we became fourth in the next two rounds while the fourth round was a slent round so the results were not given to us.

well, i love debating na. i mean it is mind stimulating and sometimes you get to bluff yourself ands the members of the house just to make the case work for you and you get to use thoser sophisticated words and all.

basta wala akong masabi...

Praise The Lord!!!
Michael Casas

Life Life and more about real life.

each day passes with a new opportunity. each day brings new possibilities. sometimes it is what you expect and hope for, but sometimes they do not. for the past weeks of my second year life, i learned a lot of thing, but not all things about myself and about life as a whole. well after some time, i got these few reflections:

LIFE:

1. life is a mirror. what you get/see is who you are.
2. life is a roller coaster. it brings thrill and anxiety to the people riding in it all in one ride.
3. life is a library. it is full of wonders and secrets.

ME:
1. i am a chemical specie. i was once pure but now nearly impure.
2. i am a meter stick. i am limited.
3. i am just me, because i am unique.

Michael Casas
Praise God!!!

EMO mode...=D

There are places I remember all my life,Though some have changedSome forever, not for betterSome have gone and some remain.All these places have their momentsOf lovers and friends I still can recallSome are dead and some are livingIn my life I loved them all.And with all these friends and loversThere is no one compares with youAnd these mem'ries lose their meaningWhen I think of love as something newAnd I know I'll never lose affectionFor people and things that went beforeI know I'll often stop and think about them.In my life I loved you more.And I know I'll never lose affectionFor people and things that went beforeI know I'll often stop and think about them.In my life I loved you moreIn my life I loved you more

Break away by kelly Clarkson---> lingaw.

[Intro:][×2]Da da da'd da daDa da da'd da daDa da da'd da da da da[Verse 1:]
]Grew up in a small town
And when the rain would fall down
I'd just stare out my window
Dreamin' of what could be
And if I'd end up happy I would pray
Trying hard to reach out
But when I tried to speak out
Felt like no one could hear me
Wanted to belong here
But something felt so wrong here
So I prayed I could breakaway [chorus]
I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky
And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget all the ones that I love
I'll take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway
Da da da'd da daDa da da'd da daDa da da'd da da da da

[Verse 2:]
Wanna feel the warm breeze
Sleep under a palm tree
Feel the rush of the ocean
Get on board a fast train
Travel on a jetplane, far away
And breakaway [chorus]
I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky
And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
I won't forget all the ones that I love
I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway

[Bridge:]
Buildings with a hundred floors
Swinging round revolving doors
Maybe I don't know where they'll take me
But, gotta keep moving on, moving on Fly away, breakaway [chorus 2]
I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
Though it's not easy to tell you goodbye, gotta
Take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget the place I come from
I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And breakaway
BreakawayBreakaway...

BREAKAWAY from all the evils of this world... BREAKAWAY

Making Stress A Friend---> Sarcastic gamay...hehehe

im feeling the reality.
i now experience the truth.

life is not as familiar as one two three...
it actually is as complicated as a boulder that we don't want to see.

life is a bit painful
stressful and full of all those "fulls"

it is a bit challenging
this changed everything

life is challenging
it makes me feel excited and even more excited.

it makes me go through...
i love it.

hahaha. just forget about those lines above. iam just stressed with the experiment that we just had in analytical chemistry. well indeed life is super dooper kapoy. and i think we all would agree to that. but beyond the stress is the challenge to manage time and make the stress work for me. well besides my academics na medyo nagiging mas mahirap na as the days go along, i have increasing responsibilitiwes in the clubs as well which doubles thestress(or perhaps raises the stress to the power of 4).

but let us accept this fact, it is part of life.

for the past three or four weeks of my second year first sem defined how life in college goes on. but it gave me the chance to know my limits and my strengths as well. KAYA KO PALA!? i would often tell myself even though sometinmes i do something half well but i still manage to 'recognize' my personal efforts.

though stress gave me bache aches, headaches, heartaches and all iother sorts of aches, i would still like to conclude my blog by saying that YOUR WORST ENEMY IS YOUR BEST FRIEND!!!
hahaha. sounds optimistic right? compared to the statement YOUR BEST FRIEND IS YOUR BEST ENEMY. =D. well stress like in industrial processes refines, redefines, reforms and strengthens any raw materials... well thast is all that i can say... basta stress is working in my favor... hahaha. i am just keeping a positive paradigm...

you will when you believe... there can be miracles... when you believe... hahaha...

With God All things are possible...=D

Michael Casas
Praise The Lord

bigger responsibilities

becoming a second year student exposed me to greater responsibilites. first and foremost, i am now an active member in clubs.

Clubs as of today:
1. Ateneo debate community
2. Subdom 7 Choir
3. NS and math Core group (Publications Committee)
4. Ateneo de Davao Association of Chemistry Students (Club President)---> actually nabigla ako about this and quite reluctant in accepting the responsibility but i think i have to do this yata... for some great reason...=D

not to mention the very essence of university life---> ACADEMICS. hay nalang...

WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.

May God Do Great Things For others Through me. AMEN
Michael Casas

GRABE!!! Mao na jud ni...

this past few weeks, i felt that college life is really fun!!! but lets accept the premise that there are stresses, pressures and challenges along the way. never the less after after each day i still would conclude that, learning should is fun.

well, we had our first LOOOONG and tiring session in Ana. Chem--- qualitative analysis of cations. it is super kapoy as in... standing for three hours in the laboratory, finding out if a certain anion is present then maglinis pa and all that... whew... BUT!!! its fun for me in the sense that i hasve a competent teacher na grabe.... idol tika maam aranas... i think i am in good hans in chem... then the fact that you witness chemical reactions and conduct chemical operations is already fun in itself... so what can i say...this fun does not only apply in my chem lab class but also in my other classes as well.

second, i finally joined clubs and organizations. first, the Subdominant 7 (Ateneo Choir), the natural science and mathematics division family, ateneo debate community, ateneo de davao association of chemistry students, the GKK youth Org in our place and more organizations to go. the catch and challenge in here is for me to manage my time so well. well, i think it wuld be a very hard task, but i thin k i will make it. then, more than joining in these organizations, i also aim to develop my other talents and gain many many many friends. =D

third, i think i am just getting mature these days. somehow i observe myself to be more prudent and patient now... i thank God for these...

and lastly, nakakataba ng puso na while i am passing through the corridors of the school, my AFYOP students from S1 and N3 would approach ma and say "hello kuya, kumusta na?" nakakataba ng puso and inspiring na soimehow naremember ka ng mga taong iyon...hehehe... miss you guys...=D

all these things are part of the journey called life. and i say that college life is fun. mao na jud ni... GRABE!!!... =D.

Thank God...
Praise God
Michael Casas

I Accept the challenge!!!

the first week of classes in ADDU went quite well, but personally, i am feeling this strange thing na ewan ko kung ano ang reason. could it be the subjects? (College Physics lec/Lab, Analytical Chemistry lec/lab, elementary analysis 2, elementary statistics+ other minor subjects) could it be my teachers? or could it be me? i just can't explain the stange feeling that i have but i think time will help me figure out.

i think i am just so overwhelmed by the bulk of subjects that i am taking for this semester. pagsabayin ba naman ang dalawang physics, dalawang chem at dalawang math... oh come on... it really is a challenge on my part but it should not remain a challenge!!!

last night, i thought about this:
mountain climbing is tiresome but in the process you get to be aquainted with the beauty of nature with the flora and fauna that you encounter. scuba diving is also stressful, but sooner or later, you get to realize that it is relaxing because of the cold water where you flat and swim.
similarly academics is a realm full of pressures, but along the way you learn though sometimes you fall but you stand up, you gain new friends, and hopoefully you become an expert in your chosen field.

anyways, pressures, challenges, terror teachers, over loaded schedule and other stressors are inevitable in a university life. but hopefully i could cope up. I THEREFORE TAKE THE CHALLENGE. i will face this semester and the semesters to come with PMA (Positive mental attitude), competence, hardwork and diligence, prayerfulness and complete surrender to the will of the Lord. AMEN...

Praise The Lord!!!
Michael Casas

AFYOP Party

June 2, 2007 (Saturday 7:00 pm)

After two batches of first year students na gi-orient namin sa mga school rules and regulatiuons, Sir Rikki announced na may party daw para sa mga AFYOP facilitators... well it was exciting kasi you know party na gud na diba... (hehehe=D)... pero dapat may talent show ang bawat batch as in sayaw, kanta or skit...

so siyempre magpapatalo ba ang mga sophomores na AFYOP? hehehe=D

so nag practice kami it was a practice full of fun and laughter... makabuang jud ming tanan... besides the fact na corny yata ming tanan sa Sophomores group, game na game pud mi na magsayaw magkanta and do all the stunts...

siyempre nagsayaw pud ko, nag ballet (kuno) and kanta kanta... well our poresentation was fun and guess what kami ang nanalo sa presentation... lingaw man gud ang flow... and katawanan jud siya...=D

of course dinner was served, lingaw lingaw and nag chat chat kami while eating. then Nina sang songs to us... mga love moves in mysterious ways, through the fire, foolish heart etc... then nag karaoke singing din kami... hahaha... nayabag gud ko... hahaha.... =D

tapos nag disco and picture picture pud... and the nice thing about the party was the bonding na naform within us... as in lingaw gud... new friends and all...=D

then at the last part of the program, sir Rikki gave us a memorable souvenir... the AFYOP '07 picture... char... i was so touched and thankful... lingaw jud ang experience... sabi ni sir "hindi daw kami kayang bayaran ng pera"... but for me the experince itself was the compensation and the fulfillment of our task... thanks sir, thanks AFYOP fellows and most especially, thank you God!!!=D

Michael Casas
Praise God

At Last...=D

AT LAST summer is over... the idle days are now gone and here comes the fully packed semester. but i still have one more week to have fun and enjoy... hahaha... atleast i could reward myself after the stressful and hectic summer that transpired.

AT LAST STUDY NA PUD OG TODO... BUT it is VERY okay...=D...
According to Sir Rikki... "learning should be fun," and i agree with him, because based on experience i learn more when i enjoy as i learn. well that is a great paradigm to start with for this new shcool year...

AT LAST ENrollment na pala ngayon... so, pila na naman... well well well its part of the university life...

AT LAST BS CHEMISTRY NA COURSE KO... wala lang... i love chemicals... and hopefully mag bonding kami for four years... hehehe=D

AT LAST SECOND YEAR NA AKO>>> i'm getting older na... shuks... sige lang its part of life...=D

AFYOP Facilitator... (Ateneo First Year Orientation Program)

When i was informed that i am one of the chosen ones for trhe AFYOP facilitation, then i really felt excited... i thought of becoming an amature teacher ... hehehe... but it is not quite easy just like what i expected.

first and foremost, let me quote "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility"

and it applies... i mean it is the nature of becoming an AFYOP facilitator...
first you have tyo make visual aids...
second, you must be eloquent and confident in delivering the script and all that
third, you must be jolly to make your subjects and everyone comfortable
and finally you must dance...
=D

these were all unexpected things, but really i think that they would all be stressful on my part, but fulfilling at the same time...

imagine....
becoming the first "teachers" of the first year students
then becoming a full grown dancer and teracher
and breaking the antisocial attitude...
also, gaining new friends...

LET ME STRESS...

KAPOY pero LINGAW...

madasmi din pala siyang benefits...
hehehe.... whatever you call it... kahit paano mo pa iyan i describe...

IT IS AN EXPERIENCE WORTH EXPERIENCING...

God bless sa lahat ng AFYOP and to me also...=D

Praise The Lord!!!

KPKK---> Kapunongan sa mga Pangulo sa Kadautan sa Kalibutan; by Melchor Morante

another entry. yesterday was one of the most memorable day of my life, because i was able to overcome my stage freight and all that stuff... because i played one of the lead roles of the musical play in our Literature class entitled KPKK---> Kapunongan sa mga Pangulo sa Kadautan sa Kalibutan; by Melchor Morante

i palyed the role of Kabangis, the evil and so barbaric leader of KPKK... well it was a challenge on my part, because, i am not an innate bad and wild person and to think, i have to shout out my lungs so that i could play the role very well. so i have to do it....

i memoriezed the lines naman eh... but the problem was about my voice... i had a cough in the past week, pero wala na ngayon, and i might not deliver my lines so well... so i was not in my right self... and i thought na hindi ko talaga makaya... so nagpray nalang ako...

then on the night of performance, okay naman ako pero what was stressful was the setting up of the stage... the previous group did not really arrange the stage, they were so negligent. makalagot as in... i thought that installing the backdrop, the props and all would be a breeze, but, sup[er kapoy... imagine, nagkarga ko og mga kahoy, bangko, sako na bug-at and to think, i should relax and condition myself for the upcoming drama, pero hindi... I WAS STRESSED... so, i used that stress to internalize my role and be more barbaric on stage... so what i did? i shouted my lines as if i would be killing my co actors on stage (joke) and stun the audience at the same time. and i did not expect my voice to actually cooperate. hahaha... and the somehow makakunsensiya na part is nung pinasakitan ko si Gugma, played by my classmate Johanna de Castro. as in naawa ako sa kanya kasi parang napasobrahan ko yung pagpapasakit sa kanya pero i think medyo okay naman kasi all throughout the paly, the audience reacted positively on our play. its as if kasali silang lahat sa amin. so, naghiyawan, nagulat and pumalakpak sila... may iba ngang teary eyed na eh... hehehehe. it was like another victory =D... thank God jud...

so there it was, we had our play... so somehow i was relieved, kasi tapos na ang lahat... =D... many good comments and praises were given to the grtoup and of course masaya ako... thank God jud kaayo kay at least nakuhaan na ko ug usa ka tunok... =D

Amen...
Michael Casas