My media exposure

As I was  simulating a background search on my complete name (for future reference), I was surprised to see a number of newspaper articles that had my name on it. I was shocked. But I am happy that the articles that I am in is my line of work. I hope it can help me boost my career as a scientist. Anyway, I've taken the liberty of posting them here for posterity's sake. 

1. http://www.philstar.com/nation/2014/07/26/1350281/phivolcs-discovers-landslide-zones-la-union-village

2. http://www.interaksyon.com/article/91909/phivolcs-discovers-dangerous-earthquake-zones-in-la-union

3. http://www.manilatimes.net/philvolcs-discovers-dangerous-landslide-zones-in-la-union/114259/

4. http://www.mb.com.ph/landslide-zone-discovered-in-la-union/

5. http://ovpaa.up.edu.ph/ipa-awardees-for-july-2013/

6. http://www.geolsocphil.org/geocon_abstracts/geocon2013_titles1.html

7. http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2010/EGU2010-298.pdf

8. http://www.thebulletintoday.com/2014/07/phivolcs-confirms-dangerous-la-union-landslide-zone/

9. http://www.nigs.upd.edu.ph/research/engineering-geology

10. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010EGUGA..12..298M

It's funny to note that when a media person picks up your story, it spreads like wildfire to other media people. And the story and facts get mangled as it jumps from one reporter to another. It is bothering that they do not verify the news from the technical person. Often times, scientists are misquoted by the media reporters because of the need to IMMEDIATELY publish their scoop and fail to verify properly the information.

Just look at the similarity of the different news articles. They were written by different journalists but it contains almost THE SAME (wrong) information. Nagtapyas lang sila ng mga ibang salita at pinalitan ng ibang salita. Balita na iyon para sa kanila. Sana naman hindi ganun ka-pabaya ang mga journalist sa kanilang balita. I hope they will strive to seek the truth and get their facts straight in their news.

An inspirational excerpt from F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story

Tin and I were discussing about failure, triumph, and topics related to international education. And so as my spirit dips into this melancholic state because of unfinished things, she sends me this excerpt from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button:

"For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, 

too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time 

limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay 

the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make 

the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of 

it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you 

feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people

 with a different point of view. I hope you live a life 

you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you 

have the courage to start all over again."

And just like magic, I was uplifted.

Discovering Aung San Suu Kyi. And other thoughts (that digressed from the topic of Daw Suu)

"The only real prison is fear and the only real freedom is freedom from fear." -Aung San Suu Kyi-

I bought a book about Aung San Suu Kyi, recipient of the  1991 Nobel Peace Prize and other notable awards. I didn't write them down here anyway as one can research it on Wikipedia.

I'm writing this entry because I want to tell how inspired I was by this strong and indefatigable woman from Burma. I came upon her name when I saw in our local papers an article that Loren Legarda wrote. It was about her intimate conversation with Aung San Suu Kyi. That made me research Daw Suu some more and learned about her story. It was all so political and being a creature of science, I was not that drawn on how she became the beacon of democracy for Burma. I was drawn to her personal life. What was she like during her childhood, what was her social status, and how she was educated. And did her childhood and community-related factors affect or contribute to who she is and what she has done for Burma? The book did not give me straightforward answers to this question however, it did provide me some statements where I can cherry-pick facts to make a hypothesis.

Daw Suu came from an upper middle class family,with a father serving in the modern Burmese Army as a General and founder. Leadership, courage, and patriotism (and perhaps a Messianic complex?) was in Daw Suu's lineage I suppose. Note: I noticed that some of my friends who have "military lineage" (they have fathers in the army; one is a Colonel and one is a General) possess a leadership skill and charisma that regular (those who don't have military lineage) people their age don't have. Can leadership be genetic?? Also, being in an upper middle class family, Daw Suu afforded to go to a good school and receive better education compared to those who can only afford "regular" schooling. Another point, Daw Suu was able to study abroad because her family can send her to the US for her education. In short, Daw Suu had the capability/means to not think of putting food on her table while she pursued her dreams. However, she did make a sacrifice to save Burma: she left her sons and husband and returned to her motherland to bring democracy. I guess right now in my life I do not understand the gravity of this trade-off  because I do not have a family yet. But as I've stated above, if a Messianic complex is involved, then it would be easier to let go of secondary things and pursue that passion you are willing to sacrifice your life for.

I noticed this trend to my affluent friends who are achievers in their own right, much like Daw Suu but on a localized level. These friends of mine DO NOT CARRY THE BURDEN of having to work long hours, doing laborious tasks just to provide for their family's needs. Why? Because their parents are wealthy enough to provide for them. Mayaman na sila kaya hindi na nila kailangan pang maghikaos at magtrabaho ng matindi para lang makapaglagay ng pagkain sa lamesa. Having this advantage made my affluent friends, and perhaps Daw Suu, focus their energies on doing what they are passionate about that require brain work more than brawn. Let's face it: combining financial wealth with passion, empathy, and intelligence makes a person propel forward and do great things for humanity. Financial wealth is important because it can allow someone to worry less about life's necessities and focus on their passion.

But of course I am not saying this with a tone of finality. These are just my observations and are not proven trends. There will always be those going against the trend--- people who are rich pero patapon ang buhay nila, mahilig sa masasamang bisyo at nanglulustay ng pera ng mga magulang nila. It just got me thinking really that if I had the resources, will I be like Daw Suu? I think I can. It's just a matter of focusing and beginning. Focusing and beginning.

Focus + impetus + perseverance + discipline are the needed attributes to achieve what you want in life.

My achiever academia friends and other thoughts

During idle times I tend to daydream a lot. Thinking of what to do with my life; where I am headed; questioning myself if I have taken or taking the right path towards my life's dreams. Sometimes I think of my colleagues who have advanced through their academic careers and my younger friends who have overtaken me in terms of taking their doctoral degrees abroad. I envy them thinking, "what have I been doing wrong with my life that made me progress slower compared with them?" Yes, I am not ashamed to admit I envy them but instead of sulking and holding grudges, I think positive and laud at their achievement and I make them my inspiration. Yes, they truly inspire me. 

My friends like Engielle Mae Paguican, Catherine Abon, Deborah Tangunan, and Christine Bellen. We were once together in NIGS and have shared thesis woes and academe disappointments. But they were able to pull through it. Engielle eventually graduated with a doctoral degree in Clermont-Ferrand and she's currently taking her post-doc at the University of Buffalo in NY; Catherine is on her fourth year as a PhD student at Potsdam University in Germany; Deborah is also taking her PhD in Bremmen in Germany; and Christine continued her master's degree in NZ. I am very proud and happy for them and they have become a source of inspiration for me. Once in a while I send them emails about my frustrations and disappointments and my faltering spirit on finishing my thesis. Napapagod na ako. I don't find meaning any more in finishing it as I have not been utilizing it to the fullest extent. Hindi ko siya ginagamit talaga kasi hindi naman ako EVER nag-handle ng mga landfills. I feel like sinubo ko siya tapos napatagal yung nguya ko hanggang sa ayaw ko na at gusto ko nang iluwa. In fairness, ang tagal ko rin nginuya, seven years! Ako ba yung may problema at hindi ko siya nilunok? Ano masasabi niyo? 

What I'm doing now is being with community folk and teaching them landslide disaster management and that's what I enjoy doing, helping people. I love helping people, especially those who have a persevering and honest spirit but do not have means (financially and logistically) to achieve their dreams. I want to be that person to help them. Yun naman talaga gusto ko e. To help people. This is my purpose: to be a person for others. Some people dream of having a family, raising kids. Well, being in a relationship right now makes me think about that but deep in my heart the way forward in my life is to help other people. How can I do that? I need to study and learn as much as I can and eventually spread/teach this knowledge to other people. Because if they know things, then they can be empowered. And being empowered allows a person to achieve more than what s/he can achieve.

But right now I'm stuck. How can I go on learning as much as I want when I am having difficulty in beginning the tasks that I need to do in order to learn much? Hay! It's a conundrum!!! I've read  a lot of literature regarding organizing your tasks; making a to-do list; prioritizing things; even exercising to get into a routine and sleeping early. I've even read literature on how to restructure habits but so far it only works in the beginning and after that it starts going downhill. I hate to use this word to describe myself but I fear that I am a ningas cogon. I am not ashamed to admit it. I am. I am a ningas cogon. A person who is only good in the beginning and starts to falter towards the end. I badly want to change this ugly attribute of mine. Aaaaargh! HOW???? HOW????

I, too, want to be an achiever. I want to go places and study there and experience a lot of things which I can bring back to the Philippines and make this country a progressive country. Yun yun e. I am not going to forsake my roots and my country. Naniniwala ako may pag-asa pa. Magagaling ang mga Pilipino at napakaganda ng Pilipinas. Mataas ang posibilidad na maging progresibo at umunlad ang Pilipinas. 

Gusto ko na magbago. Magbago at hindi na maging ningas cogon. 

To begin, begin.