Thursday, January 22, 2009

The History Train According to De Quiros
No country needs to arm itself with its past more than we do. No one needs to do that at this time more than we do. As all the great leaders have shown, history is never history, in the idiomatic sense of being dead and gone. As in “being history,” as in being “outa here.” History is the animating force of the present and the steering wheel of the future. That is so in more than the usual platitudes that are paid history’s way. As Obama shows, going back to roots, or putting the history train on its tracks, is deadly serious business. It is the best way — possibly the only way — to push back the epic adversities of today. Americans need to be reminded of their democratic antecedents. We need to be reminded of our libertarian antecedents.

History mode is heroic mode. It is the force that gives people to see a common purpose and propels them to undertake the epic task. It’s the only way we can come together.

It’s the only way we can make adversity — and tyranny — well, history.

[via Inquirer.net]





LOLZ!

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Should I Start Looking for a Corporate Job?

This week is the Job Fair in the Loyola Schools c/o the Placement Office. I'm currently asking myself if I should participate in the job fair by giving out copies of my resume to the companies and institutions there. For many of the graduating students, that would be the natural choice. But for quite some time, I had already made my mind of spending my first year/s out of college in Ateneo.

I plan to stay in the Loyola Schools for two reasons - the library and the Sanggunian. I intend to pursue graduate studies (hopefully a degree in sociology abroad) in the near future (before going into politics, I hope). While that plan is under construction, I hope to do some self-studying in our excellent Rizal Library. While reading up, I also plan to stay for Sanggunian. I intend to help out as much as I can and as much as they (OSA & the incumbent officers) would allow me.

Unfortunately, I am reconsidering my plan because of some factors. One of them is my family. Hearing my parents talk about bills that are left unpaid got me thinking about contributing to my family. It's as if there is a voice inside of me telling me to get a high-paying corporate job to help pay several loans that our family has incurred through the years. Some of these loans were used to pay previous debts. This voice is telling me to postpone my plans to help out in my family.

I know my parents won't mind if I won't choose to fully shoulder our financial burden. But I know that they are getting burnt out figuring out how to pay our many debts. But at the same time, I want to pursue my dreams. I want to do the things that I want to do. It's not as if I'm being selfish (or am I). I just, for the longest time, didn't factor in my family in my post-graduation plans.

Oh no. Does this mean that I should start looking for a corporate job? Oh no.

Monday, January 12, 2009

To the Girl Behind the Big Switch

Happy Birthday Maria Jamei Del Prado Pangilinan!

Thank you for being my best friend through all these years. Thank you for being my steadfast rock. Thank you for always being patient and understanding. Thank you for all the joys and all the pains. I thank the Lord everyday for blessing me with someone like you. I could no longer imagine my life without you.

To the girl behind the Big Switch, happy birthday. You'll always be special to me.