Gem's Insights

I love things to be in order. I remember when I was in high school - especially during exam week, I would make my own week-end schedule. Time and activities were listed and followed!! I forgot what time I'd start but I believe it was something like this: 7:30 Wake up 7:30-8:30 Eat, Take a bath 8:30-9:30 Math 9:30-10:00 Rest 10:00-11:00 English 11:00-12:00 Science 12:00-1:00 Lunch 1:00-3:00 Sleep 3:00-4:00 Social Studies 4:00-5:00 Rest 5:00-6:00 Math 6:00-7:00 Dinner 7:00-8:00 Math 8:00-9:00 English 9:00 Sleep As if I was in school, only more rigid!  It was only half day of school during exam week (if I remembered right), so I followed my created weekday schedule too. It has been a habit already. My study habits, and it sure did work! Now, after, OMG, a very long time! I'm back to studying again. Only this time, I'm no longer 14 years old who depends upon my parents for food, shelter, clothing, everything!  This t...

I was just given a name and a schedule of a student that was added to my caseload (we call students we work with (with special needs), our caseload). So, I went ahead and looked for the new student. He was in the Math class, he was seated at the far side of the room, his hood was up, and head bent down. I asked the teacher if I can pull him out for testing, she said yes, and told me that when she first met him, she knew he has needs. I approached him and asked him to come with me. That was the start of my services with him.  He was 15 years old then, a freshman, a transferee. We learned later after receiving his Sped documents, weeks after, that he was actually given educational services, his whole life, in a segregated setting! Since we didn't know, he has been placed in a non-segregated setting the whole time (in inclusion class)! At that time he was reading at a Kindergarten level when I tested him.  He was enjoying his new environment and the...

Since I already bought my baking ingredients: all-purpose flour, bread flour, baking soda and baking powder; I also have packs of active yeast, bottle of vanilla essence and baking pans, measuring cups and spoons, I have decided to make use of it! Lol! And here's my next output! - Banana Bread! I just followed the recipe found in the net. It was gone an hour after baking! Maybe, it did taste good! Lol! Here's what I did: I combined the dry ingredients first. I used 2 cups of flour, 3/4 cups sugar, 1tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder (I think this should be baking soda, not powder! Lol) and I think I can manipulate the amount of flour and sugar in it. (right? Lol!) Then I mixed all wet ingredients: 2 pcs of raw eggs, 1/2 cup oil (shortening or butter will work too, I think, hehe), 1 cup of mashed banana (I used 3 ripened bananas) and 1 tsp vanilla essence. After that, I put it all together, until it felt like it will do! Lol! Then I sprayed some o...

The real story. Lol. At 24 and still single, my friends and I decided it was time to start dating. The great thing about it was we actually got to eat for free, and saved some bucks on transportation. Lol. But yes, we were actually very decided on having a relationship already. And so we dated. There were some guys who were passed on from one to another. Lol! (Well, for obvious reasons, like, the guy was generous, but not her type, but since he was generous, might as well, check him out too! .. and so - happy-tummy! hahaha) I am not sure if the Universe conspired with us, when we declared to ourselves and to each other that "This is it! We will start dating and we will find ourselves a boyfriend!".  I think the declaration mattered most! Lol! Why? because it happened. We all got into relationships that same year! It was as if, meant to be. But, not until we were decided to let it happen. Until then, it was just a thought- when we decla...

 It has been years since I tasted PANDESAL (Salt Bread) again,  so when a friend here in Gallup made one, I knew I just have to learn how to do it too! The first try was good enough!  I followed panlasangpinoy's recipe but then I am not sure if it was kneaded correctly,  but still good enough! Lol!  I started preparing at 11:30pm, I finished at 2:00am. I was that excited! 1st attempt. Kids loved it! The next try was with friends, I decided on the amount of milk, sugar, and mixing of the wet ingredients first, prior to mixing it with the mixed dry ingredients. It was kind of success!  There were four of us, one prepared the yeast mixture, the other one prepared the wet mix (milk-butter-egg), while the other one mixed the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, baking powder) and kneaded the dough. While the other one took photos and ate! Lol! Here's our product prior to baking it! Another friend who has been ...

During our last night at the New Mexico Tech in Socorro, New Mexico, we visited the Etscorn Campus Observatory.  The observatory is surrounded by earth berms and is strategically located to avoid as much light pollution as possible from campus and town. (website here ). Here's the whole team of sun-kissed turned browner kids and adults (more like refugees here, LOL!) with the Professor of Astronomy in-charge of the Observatory. The professor peeping inside the telescope. We were getting ready to see the moon! Here's the moon up close!   Mimoi busy looking at the telescope. Another one of their cool telescopes C-14 (if I remember right) inside an automatic roll-off roof (using a garage-door mechanism to open and close for observing.) Here's the 20-inch Dobsonian inside a 15-foot dome where we saw Saturn! Beautiful Saturn - see the rings?  The professor gave a lecture too about the wonders of Astronomy and Science. It was a great night of dis...

I was thinking of getting a Back-to-School-for-Teachers loan at a credit union here in Gallup. I was told the union will ask for a contract (for SY 2012-2013, as proof of employment). Well, it was Monday and in my mind I still have 4 more days of vacation. I wasn't really ready to be seen in the office with jeans, slippers and shirt yet! lol! but WHY NOT?!, so I decided to drop by the office to get the contract. A lot of cars were parked outside, meaning most of them have gone back to work already, which made me wonder.. but then I had no plans of meeting people or visiting my place in the office. I had blinders, I will just see the secretary and go! Armed with a smile on my face, I went and signed my contract. Never mind what I was wearing, Lol but LO and BEHOLD! Stated in my contract was my start date which was supposed to have been the Thursday of last week! Oh my! Left me with no choice, I had to see my boss to confirm, he negated. Ok. Good. But checking the salary scale.. it f...