Saturday, May 26, 2007

Nueva Ecija Bonsai Society

Bonsai is the art of dwarfing trees or plants and developing them into an aesthetically appealing shape by growing, pruning and training them in containers according to prescribed techniques. It is a great interest, hobby or even profession to undertake.
.
I have few pots at home and even show some of them in of my previous posts. I like Bonsai because they are beautiful and refreshing to look at. Though I am not a hardcore hobbyist, my friends at work know that I like Bonsai so they have invited me to the 2nd Nueva Ecija Bonsai Open Exhibition and Competition held last May 19 to 22 at the NE Paific Mall in Cabanatuan City.
.
The Nueva Ecija Bonsai Society headed by Mr. Bobby Gopiao is a premiere Bonsai hobbyist group that dessiminates information to its members as well as to other non-members on how to appreciate Bonsai as an art form as well as how to maintain and take care of their Bonsais.
.
The Society also conducts seminars as well as exhibitions and open competitions on the hobbyists of Nueva Ecija. This year's winners are as follows:
BEST IN SHOW



1ST Runner-Up


2nd Runner-Up


3rd Runner-Up

So, what have I learned from this exhibition and competition? Well, I have learned that the tree and the pot form a single harmonious unit where the shape, texture and colour of one, compliments the other. The tree must be shaped. It is not enough just to plant a tree in a pot and allow nature to take its course - the result would look nothing like a tree and would look very short-lived. Every branch and twig of a bonsai is shaped or eliminated until the chosen image is achieved. From then on, the image is maintained and improved by a constant regime of pruning and trimming.
.
Maybe I should join their society coz there are lots of things I need to know about taking care of my Bonsai. Hope I have the time...


Wednesday, May 23, 2007

One Foggy Baguio Morning

An Open Letter

.


It was almost eight months since we last saw each other and almost three month since we last talked on the phone. So I was rather surprised when you asked me to see you.

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Spectacular Fiesta in Calaba, San Isidro

If there is a barangay fiesta that has gained national prominence and attention - it is definitely the fiesta of Barangay Calaba.

Calaba is one of the nine barangays of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija. Its annual fiesta is celebrated every May 19 & 20 as a tribute and thanksgiving to San Isidro, their patron saint. It is highlited by two events - the contest for the best float parade and the contest for beautification of each purok (street) where all the nine puroks of the Barangay are the contenders.

A couple of years back, I had the privilege of being one of the judges in these two contests. This year, I failed to watch the parade because of previous engagements in Cabanatuan (read: rumaraket sa eleksyon). But I made sure however that I see the fiesta on the 20th to witness the grandeous and spectacular display of ornaments, banderitas and posts of each of the nine puroks.

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Cabanatuan Election Results



CONGRATULATIONS to the winners of local electoral posts in Cabanatuan City:

Mayor: ALVIN VERGARA (shown above in blue shirt)
Vice Mayor: JOLLY GARCIA (shown above in white shirt)

They were proclaimed on Saturday morning by the Board of Canvassers of Cabanatuan City.

CONGRATULATIONS also to the following councilors who were proclaimed on Sunday morning:

1st - returning councilor GAVE CALLING
2nd - first time councilor NERO MERCADO
3rd - re-elected councilor JAY ILAGAN
4th - re-elected councilor JESS DIAZ
5th - returning councilor BUNSO ROQUE
6th - first time councilor JONJON DEL ROSARIO
7th - re-elected councilor JR SACLOLO
8th - first time councilor TINA PAULINO
9th - returning councilor FROY VALINO
10th - first time councilor ARIEL SEVERINO

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Bay Walk

It's the 3rd time this month that I have gone to Manila. I have been frequenting the Supreme Court for some official business. This time, I have gone to SC to get a clearance needed for my petitin to obtain notarial commission. As I have finished my task earlier than expected, I have decided to just roam around the Metro.

One of the places we have visited is the Baywalk in Manila Bay, Roxas Boulevard.


Monday, May 14, 2007

Mom's Garden Revisited

I am planning to create a blog that specifically showcases mom's garden. Over the years, she has accumulated several varieties of plants given to her or bought by her whenever she travels. She always tells her friends that at first her "green thumb"
was not inborn, she had to develop it by constant gardening. She remembered that in her earlier years, she often failed to raise or even bloom her plants. But through the years, she has developed methods and techniques on how to take care of her plants.

She mainly uses organic materials (from dried carabao's dung to composted fertilizers). And she doesn't even spend luxuriously on her collections. She usually go bargaining on some old shops or just recycle some old fixtures and put it in her garden.

And the landscapes? Most of her visitors and friends are amused to find out that she didn't pay any labor for our landscapes. Everything in the garden was done by our family. Thanks to some magazines and lots of imaginations, the designing was entirely done by us. So again, here are few shots and glimpse of mom's garden:


I gave her the Callos Bonsai as a mother's day gift. The other bonsais on the background includes Kalachuchi, Cassava, Millionaires, Bougainvilla and Balite.

Here are several shots of several landscaped corners of her garden:









For my earlier posts on Mom's Garden click here, and here, and here.

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Happy Mother's Day



SHE

She may be the face I can't forget
The trace of pleasure or regret
Maybe my treasure or the price I have to pay
She may be the song that summer sings
May be the chill that autumn brings
May be a hundred different things
Within the measure of a day

She may be the beauty or the beast
May be the famine or the feast
May turn each day into a Heaven or a Hell
She may be the mirror of my dreams
A smile reflected in a stream
She may not be what she may seem
Inside her shell....

She, who always seems so happy in a crowd
Whose eyes can be so private and so proud
No one's allowed to see them when they cry
She maybe the love that cannot hope to last
May come to me from shadows in the past
That I remember 'till the day I die

She maybe the reason I survive
The why and wherefore I'm alive
The one I care for through the rough and ready years

Me, I'll take the laughter and her tears
And make them all my souvenirs
For where she goes I've got to be
The meaning of my life is
She....She
Oh, she....

Happy Mom's Day NANAY, we love you very much!!!

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Election Fever



It's barely five days before the elections and the campaigning is in fever pitch. Last Friday and Saturday, I, together with other local lawyers here in Cabanatuan, have conducted a training/seminar on the poll watchers of a local candidate for a city mayor. The 2-day seminar focused on the duties and responsibilities of poll watchers as well as techniques and methods on appreciation of ballots. It is a classroom type session where there are around 40 watchers per classroom. Each session lasts for about 2 hours and we were paid a thousand bucks per session. I had four sessions so I earned four thousand bucks --- not bad for my first professional fee as a lawyer.

There are lots of materials available on-line and some are written by bloggers. Atty. Punzi has extensively lectured on election offenses while I have posted some do's and dont's in the coming election here in my blog. The materials used for the seminar were provided to us. However, it is up to the lecturers to present these materials to the watchers in the easiest possible layman terms.

I presented my lecture in two parts. First is the responsibility and duties of poll watchers and the second part deals with the appreciation of ballots.

I divided the duties of poll watchers in three time span as follow:

1. Before 7 am
2. From 7 am to 3 pm
3. After 3 pm

Before 7 am - The watchers should be in the poll precinct as early as 6 am to inspect the election paraphernalias brought by the Board of Election Inspectors as well as inspect the polling place as a whole particularly giving attention to the voters list and the materials in the voter's booths.

From 7 am to 3 pm - The watchers are expected to observe the conduct of the election from the giving of the ballots to the voters to the casting of the ballots in the ballot box. They should note any irregularities and report the same instantly to the Board of Election Inspectors.

After 3 pm - It is the time where the watchers should carefully appreciate the ballots specifically ensuring that what was written is what is being counted. The watcher then must ensure that the Election Returns are correctly and properly accomplished and they must accompany the Board when it transfers the election returns and the ballot box to the Board of Canvassers.

The second part of the lecture deals with appreciation of ballots. I enumerated instances of Sec 211 of the Omnibus Election Code to the watchers and gave them examples of each instances.

;-)

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Have You Voted?

I mean - not in the coming May 14 elections but NOW...

I'll campaign for these three ladies pro-bono anytime!!!


Text FHM100 Angel Locsin to 7399



Text FHM100 Ehra Madrigal to 7399



Text FHM100 Katrina Halili to 7399


To check out who are the other candidates in FHM's 100 Sexiest Woman of the World click here. My bet is on these three.

Pictures Courtesy of FHM-Philippines Website.

Thursday, May 03, 2007

54502

My friend Atty. Jo Anne Dela Cruz and I have just signed from the roll of attorneys. My roll number is 54502.



So, I am now officially a lawyer!!! THE LAW STUDENT IS NOW A LAWYER!!!