Appreciated!

I just had a taste of teacher appreciation the Xavier way!  It is unique, exciting, and, I can say, a real feast to the senses. 

We were dubbed "HEROES" and were treated the entire morning that way. I first saw Gabby, being the "spy" at the first floor lobby, reporting my and Mr. Young's arrival.  The two of us (by then wearing blue capes) then entered the elevator/telephone booth (complete with faces of "adoring Xavier fans"). I remember Lamberto Datu being a "villain" and me, at the cajolement of Leigh Wong, having "to punch" him on the face.  After that was the bat cave creatively adorned with cartolina bats  and paper stalactites.  I was given the power of transformation and my hand print was "encrypted" on a computer data base. I have been "identified." 

In my 4G mentoring class, I was asked to guess "stone" and "bigfoot," do a charade for, of all super heroes, Nacho Libre.  My mentoring group was great in the games, but Bro, Ang's was simply unbeatable.

Midmorning was the students' program.  I felt so proud when my students Leonard, Michael, Phim, Martin, Nico, Jerick, Hanz, Mark among others performed either a dance, a song, or skit on stage. My favorite dance group "Dance X" performed.  Their transformers move was inventive and effective.  Diego de Ocampo then called me his "hero."  

My acting career debuted under the directorship of Gino Chua.  Many were congratulating me for being the "best actor" on a series of video footages.  Thanks Gino and be the next Lino Brocka of the Philippines (but first hurdle and pass Filipino 4!)

Come lunch time, it was my taste buds that received a super hero treatment: as in for "the Flash's" appetite.  The students like Martin de Hoya, Jann Sy, and Diego again served us food and drinks.

I was the recipient to a number of letters from my students and here I want to share and remember as well, a few of them (if I find the time [again!], I'll encode all the letters): 

"Hey Cher!  I know we can be rowdy at times... sorry for that.  But behind that we greatly appreciate your hard work.  Thanks cher for your patience and hard work!  Happy Appreciation Day!" -Angelo Santos 4G

"Kamusta na 'Cher?  Happy Appreciation Day.  Today's the day where we celebrate having you for our teacher.  We thank you for these wonderful quarters!  Haha.  Can't wait for the next." -Carlos Santos

"Hi Sir!  Salamat sa lahat ng mga itinuro mo sa amin tungkol sa El Filibusterismo.  Naghihirap man kaming mag-unawa, salamat sa pagtiyaga sa amin.  Sana po ipagpatuloy mo ang iyong paraan ng pagturo.  Ingat ka palagi at best wishes galing sa akin at galing sa 4G." Signed, Enzo Mijares

"Hi, Cher!  Super thank you sa lahat!  I commend u for your great improvements.  Super mas okay ka na!  Sana higher than 85 na bigay mo sa akin.  Joke.  Cher excited na ako sa DULA natin sana manalo kami.  Joke.  Haha.  Cher, thank you for all your concern and dedication to your teaching!  LA LUNA!" - Rod Lascano

"Mr. Hernando.  Happy Appreciation Day!  Thank you for being a good Filipino teacher.  Thank you for teaching well and being fair in class.  I hope you can keep up the good work." Your student Ronald Sioco

"Happy Appreciation Day!  Sir, hindi ako magaling sa pagsasalita at pagsusulat sa Filipino.  Pasensya na po.  Salamat sa pagtuturo sa amin.  Salamat po sa mga bagong "insights" tungkol sa panitikan.  Natutuwa ako palagi kung "lumalabas" sa paaralan ang mga discussions.  Thanks for making the lectures as informative as possible.  Thanks for helping with debate once in a while.  I hope, if we get a suitable topic, that we can have a good discussion or informal debate in class if we get the opportunity.  It would be a great way to get to understand and know how we think.  Thanks!"  - Evan Chen

"Salamat sa pagkakaroon ng pasensya para sa 4G.  Dhil sa 'yo nagiging mas madali mag-aral ng El Fili."  -Bryce King

"Happy Appreciation Day!  I wanna thank you for not being a typical high school teacher.  1st quarter has been an experience for me especially in your class.  Honestly, I didn't expect you to be my teacher.  Your name has appeared since last year as a CLE teacher so I do have a background info about you.  I also didn't like your teaching techniques because they weren't really working.  At the end of the 1st quarter, I was able to appreciate your work more.  I thank you for your passion especially about the situation of our country.  I thank you for the intelligent humor you share in class, which I am amused of.  But most of all, I thank you for your personal effort in trying to change for us.  If I remember correctly, you told my mom that "natatakot akong I'll fall short of their (Fil. Ad.) expectations: mahihiya ako sa kanilang talino."  I really am grateful that you've made Filipino more meaningful and significant."  - Martin Fausto H4A "P.S.  Thank you po for not subtracting my points for grammar errors."

"Mister Jules! Happy Appreciation Day!  Cher, thanx sa lahat!  Haha... Sorry sa pagiging magulo ko sa class... promise... magpapakabait na ako... T.Y uli sa lahat... God bless!" Ang iyong bukod tanging estudyante, Reggie

"Cher, thx for the message you made for our retreat.  Ipinapakita lang nito na mayroon kang pakialam sa amin.  Maraming salamat."  Happy A-Day. - Rayniell 4F

"Binagsak Mo Ako! joke!  Always, trying naman this Qtr.  Just want you to know that you deserve to stay in XS.  Sobrang inspired [ako] sa mga tinuturo mo and you're always there to help us and give advice to us.  Tnx lng talaga." -Dog

"Mr. Hernando!  Happy Appreciation Day!  Aaminin ko cher na hindi talaga warm yung reaction ko nung malaman kong ikaw teacher ko.  Pero lahat yan nagbago na ngayon.  I'm really thankful na ikwa guro namin for a fact na talagang naa-appreciate ko lahat ng effort mo sa class.  Nung bulletin board, na-touch ako na nag-stay ka pa.  Thanks for everything talaga.  Pinahahalagahan ko po lahat.  Andito lang ako pag kailangan mo ng kausap o kakampi... TC! God bless! -TongFu Lin

"Mr. Hernando.  Ang galing niyo pong guro.  Sana manatili po kayo rito ng mas matagal.  Cool na cool mo talaga.  Kant-ism, Deism, angas mo talaga.  Happy A-Day.  Galing mong umarte." - Kenn Tong

"Noong nakaraang taon cher, inakala ko na ika'y isang istrikto at walang "humor" na guro... it seems that I was mistaken, haha.  Thank you sa mga jokes mo sa class cher.  You really make it entertaining.  Thank you rin cher sa pagpipigil mo sa klase.  Siguro minsan naiinis ka na sa min pero tinitiis mo pa rin na di magalit.  Thanks for that cher.  Naaalala ko pa nung kinausap mo ako sa may AVR tungkol [topic].  Salamat dahil noong panahong iyon naramdaman ko rin na pinapansin din pala ako.  Thank you cher.  Happy Appreciation Day!  (PS: Pabayaan mo na kung konyo cher.  Haha.) - Lawrence Gatmaitan

"Salamat, salamat cher! Dahil sa dakilang pagtuturo niyo ng El Filibusterismo sa akin at sa mga kamag-aral ko, natuto kaming huwag babuyin ang karunungan (ayon kay P. Fernandez. Hehehe!)  at bigyang halaga ito.  Tinuruan niyo kami ng panghabang buhay na mga liksyon at prinsipyo na higit naming magagamit pagkatapos ng pag-aaral.  Happy Appreciation Day!  -Mike Yap

"G. Hernando! Ang dami na nating pinagdaan ah!  And to think you haven't even had one full year of experience in this school yet!  Ibang klase rin kayo eh!  Not everyone can go through hell and back with students like us in just 10 months here.  And, hey! We're still alive, right?  I guess ganyan talaga tayong "masasamang damo"--matagal mamatay.  Laging lumalaban eh!  Salamat po sa lahat ng life lessons at mga karanasang sabay nating hinarap at sinagupa.  Not all teachers can claim to have taken Stanly Sy to the limit.  But guess what, I have to admit, you are one of them.  Thanks for, somehow, still brining out the best in me, whether we're reading the bible or El Fili, studying CLE or Filipino.  (Oh, and thanks for teaching me the..... Haha, remember?)" - Stanly Sy H3B 2006-2007 H4B 2007-2008  

"Cher, Happy A-Day!  Enjoy kayo diyan at salamat sa lahat." - Angelo Ty

"Kamusta 'Cher, Nakakaiba ka talaga cher. Yung mga jokes mo at kalokohan sa klase numero uno.  Iba talaga!  Thank you pala cher na tinulungan mo ako ng sobra-sobra.  Akala ko nga cher hindi na nga ako papasa eh pero dahil sa tulong ninyo mataas pa ang nakuha ko sa expect ko na grado.  Sana cher magkakilala pa tao sa paraan ng mga lessons at sana continue lang ung maganda ninyong paraang magturo.  Salamat Cher!!! Happy A-Day! -Matthew Tan H4G

Cher!  Thanks sa pagtuturo ng Filipino sa amin!  Salamat din sa iyong malalim na pagtuturo at "pag-aanalyze" ng El Fili! Happy Appreciation Day! Happy A-Day! -Dexter Falcon H4G

"Thanks for being patient with 4G even if we are a bit noisy.  Thanks also for teaching us el fili and making it easier a bit.  Good luck in your book thing! Happy A-Day! -Benjamin Tiu H4G

"Chewba... Mr. Hernando!  Pinanood ko ang Star wars 4,5,6 kagabi at napansin ko na malayo ang hawig mo kay Chewbacca.  Sapagkat, mas gwapo siya!  Artista pa!  Wokokoko.  Anyway!  Salamat sa iyong pagtuturo!  Ako'y natulungan mong maging bihasa na mambabasa ng El Filibusterismo!  Sana'y maging maligaya ka sa araw na ito na nilaan para sa inyong mga guro! Happy A-Day" - Stone

"Sorry na lang kung medyo magulo yung class, galing mo pa rin magturo!  Hirap ng Fili. -From: Ricky Mamonluk

"Happy Appreciation Day!  Salamat sa pagiging pasyensyoso sa klase namin.  Marami na kaming natutunan sa mga karagdagang impormasyong ipinamamahagi niyo sa klase.  Sana'y ipagpatuloy mo pa ng pagtuturo sa amin ng maayos.  Nagpapasalamat ako na ikaw ang naging guro namin sa huling taon ko sa Xavier.  Salamat ulit!  XS Ultimate Frisbee Na!  - Beal Asuncion High 4G

"Sup?  Thanks for being a good assistant class adviser and Filipino teacher.  Marami kaming natutunang mga bagay sa El Fili.  Salamat keep up the good work.  - Christopher

"Ginoong Hernando!  Maligayang Aprreciation Day!  Salamat sa pagtuo sa 4G kung ano talaga ang nilalaman ng nobelang El Fili.  Kita mo naman cher hanggang Jollibee, nagbabasa ako!!! Wahaha cgee cher ngatz! -Jerome Hong

The Xavier teachers are enjoined not to receive gifts from the students for whatever occasion, but everything that I got today goes beyond all the gifts that a teacher can wish for in this world. What can I give in return but a promise to try to excel in this field and pray that God will bless all my students past and present, all the schools I worked for, and all my co-teachers and lifelong friends.

Back to work...

lion king musical

I let go of the chance of catching a glimpse of Queen Elizabeth II because of the possibility that I will not be allowed into the Princess of Wales Theater for being late. It was in 2002 and my original purpose in being in downtown Toronto that chilly October evening was actually to watch Lion King the Musical and not to see the Queen.

I knew that she was visiting Canada in the same month that I would be there, but I did not expect that the train station that I chose to exit from that night would be in the same place that they would be holding some sort of gala presentation for her. I saw the press, the crowd, her limousine and all but they all became just a blur; the King was more important than her.

Through this video, catch a glimpse of the magic that I witnessed five years ago...

Monica Seles Tribute 2007

She's one of the reasons why I love Tennis although I did not learn how to play it. We were born on the same year: 1973. And I hated Steffi Graf's nose. Pardon the song, but I think it is appropriately used in this lovely tribute to the woman and her talent especially in the light of the tragedy that stopped her reign over women's Tennis in the 1990s.

Pillars of the Earth

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Books
Genre:	Literature & Fiction
Author:	Ken Follett

Christian Villanueva, one of my students recommended this book to me. I took his word when he so enthusiastically told me that it is the best novel there is. And believe me when I say that he is right. Very right.

In paper back, it was a thousand page long and the task of reading it seemed insurmountable so not unlike the building fo the cathedral of kingsbridge which is the central focus of the novel.

Thanks to typhoon Egay, to the government's predilection for holidays, and the two day weekend which is one of the perks of being a teacher, I got myself a total of five days to finish the entire thing under a leaking roof and amidst hundreds of papers to check.

When I went back to work last Tuesday, I immediately informed Christian that I had finished reading the novel. Judging from the way he looked, I think he felt happy and proud that I agree with him.

Reading the novel was an adventure. It was meeting new heroes in the person of Philip the Prior of Kingsbridge, who is religious in every sense of the word, but very human, Tom the builder and Ellen who in her eccentricity was judged a witch, Aliena and her love Jack.

Philip is not like any religious protagonists I encountered in the past. He struggled against his pride and against antagonists who are also working within the Church. He experienced fear, doubts, and uncertainties, and yes even temptations of the fleshy kind. He emerged in triumph at the end of all his struggles but there was no false pride in him for he got truly bruised in all his fights.

While plowing through the novel, I remember with gratitude my Medieval History teacher at the Ateneo, Fr. Bartolomew Lahiff, SJ for instructing us about gothic churches for that knowledge assisted me in making sense of the church building and in appreciating the struggle against gravity that medieval mason-builders had to face.

The novels had numerous twists and Ken Follett's genius in tying up all the loose ends was amazing.

Harry Potter at the Ateneo Website

A few days ago, several students excitedly told me that I am in the AdMU Website.  My first reaction was verbally expressed: "Why?  What did I do?" But because they were grinning from ear to ear while saying "'Cher, you're famous..."  my second reaction was that of fearful self-doubt.  As a person who is so private and secretive of his ways and so pessimistic about life, particularly that of my own, my mind was in a hurry to find a single answer to a diluge of questions: "My _ _ _, was I caught by the security cameras doin something urm... unimaginable?  But what?  And in Ateneo?

Then I remembered the Harry Potter picture.  It was ten o'clock in the morning of the 21st of July.  I was at the AdMU High School library and had gotten hold of the 7th book along with a free copy of the 6th courtesy of a 300 peso reservation fee made by Jay, my big brother.  

The soundtrack of the Harry Potter movie was playing in the background and inside the library about four students were already feasting on the delight that was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  Pictures of the early birds that got the novel probably at as early as 7 am were flashing on a computer desktop nearby.  I blurted out quite audibly in the hope that the person who was responsible for the pictures might hear "I hope I'll be on that screen too..." 

And magically he from somewhere heard me. He asked a former colleague from the AdMU High School and I to hold our books, to smile and then... he immortalized me slim looking, happy, and wo-boy in a hurry to brag to the world that I have the Harry Potter 7 and a picture to prove it.    

Ma___Pa_Kettle_Math.wmv

When the left and right hemispheres of the brain collide... What might happen when a literature teacher teaches Math...

I'm Back

I haven't viewed my multiply site for like a million years.  Work, lots of work is the reason.  Anyway, since I have no time to write a movie review or enter a blog about my latest (mis)adventure, let me just share several photos I lifted from an email... It's called Pinoy Transformers... Meet Starice Cream, Barricart, Bumblejeep, Frenzikdad, Megatrike and Optibus Prime.  I wonder why a majority of them are Decepticons?