Just In Mind over passing

AVERAGE 5.0—a grade that college students don’t want to see in their report cards.

Not a typical boy

Maria Kara J O. Bangot, UP Mass Comm student

THIS boy, Alexander Iligan, is just like every other boy who attends school on a regular basis and hangs out with friends.

Gothong Southern offers new boat experience

GOTHONG Southern’s (GS) recent launch of Doña Conchita Sr. raised interest among travelers nationwide.

“I am amazed of my boat experience now than it was before,” a traveler named Geraldine said in an interview. “This is a very nice experience for travelers like me and my friends,” she added.

The future of Architecture

PROMISE beams in every drawing sheet and board. The vibrancy of the building plans, perspectives and other drawings bespeaks the animated nature of the minds of this year’s fifth year architecture students. Five years of rigorous academic training is summed up in the ultimate project before the esteemed piece of parchment called the diploma validating such work is formally given.

Group offers relief for abused women

Maria Jeandie Galolo University of the Philippines Visayas Cebu College

IF a woman worries her life will only get worse, she may be tempted to give up or look for an easy way out instead of sticking to her guns. When these bad times happen, it might be helpful for her to seek help from assistance groups that are sensitive to her needs.

Same values, new dreams

HIGH School life is one thing I wish would have lasted forever. Remember the scenes every morning? We crammed to finish our assignments. We played music from our cellular phones during lunch breaks, sang our hearts out and danced to the beat. We read Noli Me Tangere to prepare for a quiz only to shut the book and discuss the previous night’s teleserye.

Luab: Discontent stems from forgetting our blessings

EVE walked in the Garden of Eden. She enjoyed the presence of God.

God gave her Adam, a man, for her companion. She did not have to search for him nor weigh his character traits. He was created by God so she had nothing to worry about. They both had a lovely life. All that they needed was found in Paradise, and they would not die.

Lagura: Turn away from sin in Lent

EARLIER this week the fun-loving Brazilians celebrated their carnival (from the Latin carni [meat] and vale [goodbye]. Farther north, the merry-making Creoles and Cajuns of New Orleans had their Mardi gras [fat-Tuesday]. These two festivities ushered in the season of Lent which we call cuaresma (the shortened Spanish word for the Latin Quadragesima), the forty somber days when Christians all over the world remember and accompany the Lord in his temptation, passion and death.

Moises and Mendez-Palmares: Give fish a chance

Michelle (M): For the past several months I have been trying to keep the peace, holding back from confronting the persons who have said and done hurtful things to me and my family.

I listened to and took the advice from my parents to avoid conflict. I prayed, hoping that in due time, there will be healing and forgiveness. Despite having endured the desire to fight back, it was really very frustrating to keep silent.

A 'fresh' flavor

“GRADE A” rice, then prepared with class masala (spices) and fresh vegetables. After having a spoonful of such an exquisite treat called beryani, every serving that followed that particular dish just felt right. “Indian food” I assumed. Since this after all was an Indian restaurant.

“Oh no. Indians don’t eat rice. This is more of a Moslem dish,” shared entrepreneur Ram Lalwani. “But every food you can find in the menu here has a taste of what India is all about.” Thus the no-nonsense name for the restaurant.

Sira-sira store: Green tea connection

I LIKE the flavor of green tea as it gives me a psychological boost, the feeling that I am drinking a brew considered to be a boon to health.

Oyas-Suazo: Beautiful wedding

Chillout Raymond N. Garcia

IT WAS a beautiful 28th day of December 2010 when I stepped into St. Therese Church to take part in the wedding of my good friend Earl Tidy Oyas and his lovely bride Samantha Suazo.  

First resorts

IF YOU can swim in your flimsy resort wear, fine. But it’s not actually what the designer aims for in putting two treatments into one all-time favorite collection. No two trends are alike, right?

And if this gives any Peewee Senining girl’s shoulders some rest for awhile, the better. After all the heavy materials he has introduced in his previous collection—oversized collars, metallic shoulder pads, and multilayered short hemlines—a first-of-its-kind resort line would surely be refreshing to look at.

Serna: ‘Minsan Lang,’ destined to get high following

AMONG the child stars from the Kapamilya network, Jairus Aquino and Bugoy (what’s his family name again?) are among my favourite young stars. Their faces are what we usually describe as angelic or cherubic, yet there is a tinge of mischief and boyish naughtiness in them that makes them lovable.

Uncovering the treasures of Siem Reap

COMMON descriptions I have heard about Siem Reap have been, exotic, tranquil, serene and even sublime.

Utzurrum: A presidential sister’s dream

VERY recently Cebu had a visitor in the person of presidential sister, Pinky Aquino-Abellada, to launch one of her brother President Noynoy’s (PNoy) campaign promises: 100 pre-school classrooms cum-libraries, all over the country before his first year in office ends. Pinky’s group, all classmates or friends of her popular brother called Agapp (Aklat, Gabay, Aruga, tugno sa Pag-angat at Pag-asa) has been traveling around the islands to promote this. In Cebu, they have already pinpointed four most-needy areas to construct these classroom-cum-libraries.

Fetalvero: Phonetically edible

I HAVE a friend who does not eat anything that she has difficulty pronouncing. I told her culinary experience has nothing to do with phonetics. “Simply use your taste buds,” was my friendly advice.

Farfalle livornese, creamy mushroom cavatappi, zucchini and pepper ciambotta, chicken bolognese, whole wheat penne Genovese are just few of the dishes my friend refuses to even taste.

Letiratus: Cancer is no poetry

ROBERT Louis Stevenson wrote: “Wine is bottled poetry.”

It has been a common knowledge among medical scientists that elderly men are mostly at high risk to Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity (OSCC) because of these elderly people's previous use of tobacco and excessive intake of alcohol. But as early as 2005, studies observed patients below age 40 as having OSCC.

Neri: The New Zealand Gala

“EXPERIENCE New Zealand” was the call of the week when the Embassy of New Zealand headed by Ambassador Andrew Matheson kicked off a New Zealand (NZ) storm in Cebu. On centerstage at the Radisson Blu Hotel where the event was held were the best of New Zealand food and beverage.

Symbolisms

AS THE month of March trudges on to reveal what is in store for us, we almost immediately hear of graduations and the congratulatory celebrations that come after fresh graduates step out of the academe.

Espina: Art teaches, pleases

THERE are many schools of thought on the theater and performing arts, from the classical to contemporary concepts; to avant-garde, not to mention the various facets of comedy, from burlesque to spoof, satires, or comedy of manners. But the classic aim to teach and please, interspersed with artistic craft, has been left to the taste of the director and cast. While plot was the core of the classical theater, the character caught in the web of various conflicts and situations became the highlight of the drama.

The pyrotechnic world of Brian

LISTENING to Brian Lim talk, fireworks seem to go up sky high, filling the world with magical sights and sounds. That’s because pyrotechnics is Brian’s passion, though he is a lot of other things besides, making him such a vibrant and colorful personality.

Costanilla: Dingdong cast in ‘Dancing Steel’

IT WAS a special show that the now globally popular dancing inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) did last Wednesday afternoon.

Designing the mood

APART from defining the cityscape and creating shelter for people and their activities, architecture seeks to mold spaces with the right mood to encourage effective building use. From planning to final detailing, architects toil to come up with buildings and spaces that snugly fit to their intended purpose.

A man in silence

HE can make furniture, houses, boats and handicrafts. He can turn pieces of wood into beautiful creations. He can do a lot of things with his skills, but this man can’t hear nor speak a single word.

While some of us wish to rest in silence after a stressful day of work, Narciso Hinautan wants to hear the sound and music around him.

Luab: When souls touch

PRAISE God that I have no inhibitions in giving love and accepting love per se. Romantic love is a different thing, of course, but “when souls touch, love is born.” I got this line from the Hazelden Meditation Series, “Each Day a New Beginning.”

Lagura: Knowing the Lord and doing his will

YOU will surely be startled when someone goes up to you and say, “Have you been saved? And “Have you accepted Jesus in your life?

Moises and Mendez-Palmares: Love fool

Michelle (M): Being a fool for love isn’t necessarily a rite of passage or an inevitable life experience.

I know someone who left his wife and kids and resigned from his job because of what he says is “love” for another woman who just happens to be younger and more appealing than his wife. I call that person a love fool. We have God-given intellect to choose well, but sometimes it’s hard to understand why we make the wrong choices. The sad truth is that we let our brains fly out the window when we allow our heart to direct the beat of our love life.

Love affair with cooking

JOHAN C. YOUNG’S love affair with food began when he was in Grade 3. Being a picky eater under the roof of his late grandfather, William L. Chiongbian, who expected him to eat food served on the table or starve, Johann would cook his own fried rice with leftovers. That’s when he fell in love with cooking.

Sira-sira store: Comfort in the arms of fried chicken

LIFE is not always a bed of roses and if it were, chances are there is going to be a thorn that the fairy godmother has neglected to remove.