Political Creativity

Career Activism: Good or Bad?

Certain testing methods are developed and readily available to determine if one can be diagnosed as a career activist. Career activism is often not encouraged in other work environments specifically for most corporate capitalists who would think that collective bargaining or sitting down with employers to meet at the midpoint is a waste of time and connotes big losses on investments. Most companies resort to outsourcing abroad because they are just too afraid to take the risk on the kind of employers that is taking the path to career activism. So, they innovate (if that is the correct way to say it) by exploring cheaper labor abroad while this may post risk or compromise their production. Fortunately, most of them succeeded because some countries have bankable manpower- as long as the company keep their books and adhere to their manuals strictly; the "lazy or less fortunate man becomes a modern product of corporate evolution". To determine if this is good or bad for the economy can be tested and analyzed through the current financial turmoil that is happening globally. There are plenty of determinants to a company's survival. Production for example cannot be increased when the demand is undetermined. Some CEO's would lament that "In the absence of wants, advertising should do the trick to convert it as need, so create it somewhere else."

Being a career activist has two significant effects in a basic feedback mechanism. One for the person involved and second, to the company in general.

So if one is a manager, he should know who the career activists among his subordinate are in order to drive along with a strategy to make a feasible work environment running and productive.

The picture of happiness

A career activist routinely asks himself if he is happy, involved or is learning in the organization. When he feels unhappy with work, he tries to do something about it. The solution may not come solely from him until it becomes contagious to his co-workers about the need to make changes in the work environment. People think of him as passionate and engaged in his work so co-workers might be convinced to consciously or subconsciously participate unto his proposition. On the other hand, if he can't push further and continues to be unhappy or not learning at work, he seeks out alternative opportunities from different sources.

Decision-making skills

Every work entails a lot of decision-making process. The quality of decision-making process is dependent on a series of different strategic solutions. For a career activist, he is aware of what sacrifice is and makes it basing from a thoughtful analysis of the pros and cons of such decision. However, a career activist knows how to apply standards and knows how to deal with performance appraisal

Self-awareness of skills, strengths and weaknesses

Since he is thoroughly aware of his skills, strengths and weaknesses; the career activist knows how to leverage his skills to get better assignments. He is defined by his skills not by job description so he works well on most contemporary management styles. His awareness of personal strengths allows himself to work effectively on environments adaptive to such skills. He is prepared to be seen as pushy if it's the last resort to get his work needs recognized. Whether he is a manager or a subordinate, a career activist must be a good communicator to achieve maximum potentials.

The learning direction

The career activist is not stagnant water. He has a directional career path and a time-plan. Some keeps records of what he has learned for the past six months and what he is about to learn in the near six months.

Attitude towards the monster (boss)

He may be treated as the monster's greatest villain but a career activist makes the organization dynamic because he works according to his interest. It is essential to take note of his skills before deciding if you'll need to give him the project or not. This type of person should let his dignity be compromised because he is fully aware with the standards, most specifically with professional standards; that means he can sacrifice by being prepared to lose clients, prepared to turn down lucrative assignments when it is personally painful. Yet, he is prepared to do work that he does not like if it increases a longer-term options.

Interaction beyond…

Since the business world moves along with etiquettes, a career activist usually takes note about meetings canceled thrice and is ready to deal with compromise especially when his personal commitments are held in conflict. However, he is not going to sacrifice for himself or make sacrifices that he can't justify. After all, he likes being stretched at work; he is hungry for life-work balance (so a company should have this protocol) and lastly, he has selected a network of mentors and friends who can provide him with professional and emotional support. So, if you are his manager, be in this circle so that you can easily be in-tuned with a career activist to outwit him to get on track with work, motivate him to achieve corporate goals.

Multitasking: Working beyond your Limits

The medical director of the popular TV series Grey's Anatomy encouraged the head resident to "learn to delegate" when the medical resident has done a lot of multitasking in the facility. The latter did the delegation apparently but ended up doing the job herself basically because she did not have a sense of trust with the other co-worker. The medical director continued, "Go home to your family or you'll end-up going home to no one…"

Some doctors in the field tend to overlap into their job description due to various reasons. Sometimes they felt that they could do it all most especially when their personality is a competitive one. The know-it- alls , do- it- alls principle does apply to many individuals who are confronted with many issues within work which is becoming unhealthy for them as they continue such multitasking in the organization. In some health facilities, under-staffing provokes employees to fill in the task of the absent person. In the long run, they would have to do their work while eating, abuse or push the methods of modern technology to its maximum; create conflicts with other co-workers (because of overlapping responsibilities) and putting their own health at risk. The same is through to other work environments- nurses in the health care facility, financial analysts, call center agents, etc. Almost all work environments today have multitaskers and their kind is greatly preferred and encouraged.

Today's knowledge-based economy, multitaskers are the most in-demand type of people. Yet, their value to the company can only be measured through organized processes. Multitaskers must learn the principle of "work-life balance" in order to achieve the so-called company objectives. Bosses love these people undeniably because it is the trend of today's modern lifestyle in the advent of modern technology. Just because there is technology, does not always have to push humans to adapt with technology. Isn't it that technology should be used to aide humans with their work and that humans must not be the ones fitting himself into existing technology? Ironically, humans are the ones adapting with the advent of modern living hence the word "upgrade" does not always apply with technology but to humans as well. He or she undergoes professional enhancement or worse, work outside of his or her qualifications thus re-creating a figure of him as the living robot of the century. The more he does multitasking, the more he compromises his quality of work because it is a fact that the human brain literally shuts down when it can't handle all the processes that it needs to act upon. John Arden, a psychologist and Dr. Glenn Wilson, commissioned by HP in 2005 have correlated findings regarding multitasking and memory. In their separate findings, Wilson showed that an average worker's functioning IQ drops to 10 points which may lead to sluggishness posting greater health risk in chronicity while Arden stated that "Multitasking decreases memory ability" which will allow a demonstration of "divided attention', another similar concept that will cause "shifting from one activity to another".

Reasons for Multitasking

1. Out of Desperation

Time is an element in which an individual has no control of. He cannot prolong time, stop it nor turn it back so that could do more tasks in an hour or a minute. The inclusion of "time management and planning or realistic schedules" is an efficient way to avoid "cramming". When a task is given ahead of deadlines, one should plan to finish it ahead of schedule to avoid going through desperation. One thing more, one should not accept additional assignments when a certain project has not yet materialized or it requires total attention. Prioritization is a keyword and "quality" should always come first when results are being talked about.

2. Impulsively

Most people are easily interrupted by ringing phones, text message alerts, fax machines while meeting or discussing a certain issue with a co-worker or a boss. An ability to control "technology" to answer the demands of a current problem requiring human interaction is a plus in order to put multitasking to a proper basket. Impulsively, interrupts communication and becomes a moving obstacle in gaining effective feedbacks from sender and receptor, vice-versa. When you have experienced stating, "Where were we?" after taking too much call, one is on a verge of multitasking impulsively.

3. Pride

David Mayer, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan stressed that "Many people delusionaly believe that they are good at this." He explains that the brain is only equipped to do heavy-duty multitasking. Although people are asked to do multiple things, they would need a superhuman ability which is only true when one performs two activities that require the use of the same part of the brain. So does it apply to one reading a financial report while making love to his spouse? This would be futile.

As the three experts suggests, multitasking could result to serious health risks. Further it affects one's level of concentration or focus. You can just imagine how many of these people who gets a car accident while answering their mobile phones. Scientifically speaking, stress hormones play an integral part in straining the human body. Drugs (like sleeping pills, vitamins and supplements) mistakenly taken to boost the body's defenses could result to even more serious problems like dependency and addiction. Occupational safety and Health researchers confirmed that with this biologic changes, it would contribute to headaches, sleep problems, stomach problems when in acute phase but for long term effects, could lead to heart diseases, depression and back pain to name a few.

Time magazine in an article about "Inflammatory responses" also affirms that chemicals produced in response to the body's stress leads to many debilitating diseases of the century like diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases.

Aside from this, multitasking is a significant factor to brain cell permanent damage which would latter make a person have difficulty doing one thing at a time.

Work-Life Balance Promise

Work-Life balance is concept that has been gaining buzz in most contemporary organizations. Little emphasis on work-life balance creates influence to employers' attitudes, behavior and values in the workplace. This concept could be an answer to addressing multitasking problems; wherein an employer or employee, who has not been able to balance these two core concept: work and life, tend to resort to multitasking. Balancing to avoid multitasking can be achieved by engaging in a formal work-life planning process in a structured disciplined manner. The measures could be allowing alternative working arrangements like flexi-time work arrangements. It is a promising solution which would decrease tension between superior and subordinates, creates more responsibility and empathy in the workplace.

The benefit of work-life balance is owed to policies developed that includes family or simply goes with the principle of family-friendly policies. This would result to a wide array of solutions from reducing employee absences, better staff retention, easier recruitment or filling of positions, improvements in morale, commitment and productivity of the employees.

As a conclusion, truly an answer to this multitasking problem is to stay organized and avoiding putting work on hold for tomorrow. Thus, tasks are done during the course of the day and decreases piling of work loads. When you are working on a project, control technology like ignoring your cell phone when it rings, your IM when it pings, and focus. Take a break: have a brief walk, take a nap, browse the net for fun in less than ten minutes, and sip tea to calm your nerves as the experts say. Focus on one task at a time. Don't be pressured and resist the urge to do multitasking.

Out-knowing the Monster?

He is the boss and you're the slave, so? Does that mean that the slave does not need a sense of liberation from the boss's invisible remote control? There are diverse types of leaders and managers in the world of WORK. Sometimes we stumble to the one that really heats our butts because we are not used to with the kind of needle that he or she is exposing us in our work environments. Yet, we cannot be silent or act like a buzzing bee when we failed to assert ourselves as co-workers. We want to make things work or else the company which is undeniably the source of our bread and butter; suffers because of our undirected egos. So before you resort to "resignation" (which I suggest to be a last option for your dilemma); you might want to read some thoughts which might help you realize that you can actually outwit that guy up there and who knows, you might grab his or her seat one day and experience a different kind of hell that you might want to re-create.

First of all, the monster is not a god and certainly he is like Goliath that has a weakness. He or she shouts, throws things, rewards the wrong person and annoys but you must have to look at a perspective that he or she is hiding a "secret closet", that once you unlock it, he or she is going to be your own proto-type asimo. So take note of your strengths and observe that without it, your boss is screwed. There's got to be that thing in you that he or she does not have. Use it when the right time comes. In short, know the things that the monster does not know. Have an extra ear and of course, always listen with your two ears and your eyes. If you have that sixth sense, then add that up!

Working with numbers and other data

The TV series Numbers for example suggests that problems in crimes can be statistically analyzed using collated data. Though it has a varying degree as to how efficient statistical analysis resolve even the toughest organized crimes like terrorism, it gives us an idea that when you are capable of analyzing these and your boss definitely depends on you on such information; this could translate to you being the asset of the organization. When you are able to translate figures to valuable information in resolving the toughest organizational problems, you can maximize your own potentialities.

In the field of medical science, laboratory analysis are derived from "numbers" which is a fact, an important tool in the treatment and management of diseases. Nurses and doctors depend on this information in making critical decisions in health care. If you are the nurse, when you know how to deal with numbers and data, you won't feel that you are a mechanical puppet when the doctors just happen to make his "orders"; actually you can make pertinent suggestions by which you believe, best for your patient. Gone are the days that a nurse is treated as that mechanical assistant who operates on "push-buttoned" responsibilities.

In the field of business however, when every data is equal to "money", when you are good at working with numbers and other data, you can help the company to minimize losses in the stock market. When your boss misses that single detail which you provided a door of opportunity may open for you…

Getting caught with your bluff

The boss is the boss. You are not yet. Remember that it is not wise to be overconfident about your value to the organization. Yet, you should always anticipate that he or she might ask for you to double check on something. On the other-hand, do not push that all answers provided by you and everything else is complete. When at the back of your mind, you missed something and you just had that flickered while having the presentation, do not get caught and have your confidence melt down. Admit it when it is too obvious. Say that, "I do not have the answer for the moment or the information at the moment", and then offer to find out. Yet when you do, do not make a promise; just do it. This works well for medical interns or personnel making a stiff monitoring. Do not make an alibi that there are so much things to do especially when you are dealing with lives. If you are keen with monitoring machines, then check immediately if there is stored information which you have missed. Most health managers want to see changes that make a patient recover, achieve his or her optimum level of functioning; that is why the health care provider is supposed to be the "generalist" in a certain situation.

The test-retest Method

The WORK world works with logic and from logic, we extract the thing known as common sense, so when you learned to anticipate the monster's questions, be ready to advance the questions that starts with the word, "why". In a presentation, you must be able to monologue for that question and answer portion. Visualize the results as you present the solutions to the problems. The basic principle is "cause and effect" but the "why" thing weights the solution that you are presenting. The keyword for this principle is, "Initiative". Before the monster manages to find out for him self, have the initiative to look further.

Your back-up support system

Einstein, one of the great thinkers of the century, said that never reveal your sources which is one best principle while you are still developing a strategic idea on your next career move. It is not wise to depend solely on your knowledge and skills; you must have a back-up of support systems in the field where you can extract ideas and where you can depend on when you are confronted by your waterloo. Admit it, you are not a superhuman. You can be a walking Almanac or a concise Encyclopedia but you are not a compendium of all knowledge so you must know who are in that "support gear" that you must be wearing. He may be another manager you met from a convention you had coffee with a couple of hours ago, a reliable expert, a corporate geek or an explorer. The point is you are clever enough to out know the monster so as to advance yourself in that organizational ladder. The idea is simple, when you have access to such information that the monster don't, you can synchronize with the boss's strategies easily, propose outstanding solutions, or innovate on existing standards. Whichever the step, you are building your value with your career and to the employer.

The Post Graduate

The Graduate is a classic example of college seduction in which a question of morality is put into test from the mature ones- who should uphold the highest standards of human wisdom;yet it pictures that age is not correlated with morality but "character" is a product of time-tested experience- that can be molded into an unbelievably ugly phenomenon set to be loved by an ailing society.

Mrs. Robinson is a victim turned to victimizer while Ben is a picture of a dead man walking seeking for another chance. While personally I would say that the plot is a reflection of the reality that we are living in, there are certain spots in the plot that I can say, contrary to human nature. This conflict is alluded in the sound-tract but to wave away from the predecessors of the movie, I would beg to disagree on Elaine's responses to the conflict. She is typically no different from Mrs. Robinson, a corruption of womanhood and a figure of weaker vessel in the movie and Ben, the typical chauvinist nature fashioned by a lovable face that is in the guise of a carnal man who never really changed his real skin. I love how the movie portrayed the conflicts. Dustin Hoffman was superb in any angle- his nervousness comes in almost normal to fine acts. I like how the addiction was presented (though some may disagree that it is plainly temptation).

The fornication may not be an issue today but the scene, was bold enough to expose how a man could go further to the extremes of his desires and yet, when confronted with his conscience, the act of transformation to betterment is not just enough to fill in my viewer's taste. If I would have to base that movie to current western culture, I would get murdered, yet the idea there is to explore human emotions which is not vastly portrayed.

Elaine's screaming were not enough, she should have undergone some series of alienation and depression and Ben is the culprit behind- the master opportunist on the situation. We don't sympathize on that kind of person but the movie is wise enough to inject that he was indeed the victim yet he was a maturing adult who is nothing but a blind and selfish person.

I also pity Mrs. Robinson for grabbing into her sense of controlling nature in which she has failed in her character. The succeeding characters were typical parents who are "detached" from their children. I can see injustice for using the house of God as a place for that climax. Yet, the crucifix may symbolize "salvation" in anyway for Ben and Elaine to start a new life together. What if they don't take that bus?

A Borrowed Chance

Mr. Pedro Donoso's downfall was Ysabel Arroyo, his second wife at is ailing health and old age. It was a quick marriage at first in the guise of betrayal shared by the latter with Andres Corona, Pedro's most trusted servant. Days past as the newly wed couple started their new life together, the ambitious Ysabel has recently had a friction with Donoso's only daughter who was witness to her infidelity. Naturally, the old man- so in love with Ysabel would side with his new wife until his death prompted Cayetanna- a fortune teller and occultist to warn of the future. Donoso died in the hands of the woman he loves. Yet, fate decided to help a wandering Pedro's soul to take over a farmer's body owned by Salvador Serinza for his forthcoming revenge...

So much for the prelude but this unique Mexican telenovela is not like the typical rags to riches story of a woman fairy tale that ends up into a happy ending but the plot speaks of a spiritual journey of a man who is given a chance to seek the truth beyond the lies and betrayals of his beloved and gradually resolves unfinished business and conflicts with his neglected family members due to his ill-fated decisions. The funniest aspect of the story roots from his awakening from a body that supposed to be buried which prompted the grieving community folks to suspect that he has risen from death and can perform miracles because of remarkable changes in his behavior and newly-found intelligence. Donoso found himself in the body of a man whom he assumed to take as he returns to avenge his own death only to realize that as he unfolds the truth, he is still in love with Ysabel's cousin yet has to make a swallow-hard decision to stick with Ysabel up to the end of his journey. His revelations led to a collective hysteria which began with Simon, Andres Corona (who became mentally ill), Walter and Ysabel's aunt's death. The plot talks about obsession, rise to power, greed, passion, compassion, resolution, revenge, love, etc. The climax is exquisitely unexpected as both Ysabel and Donoso crashed through a car chase once authorities unlocked the mysteries of the black-widow's (Ysabel Arroyo) crimes.

What is touching is Ysabel's admission of his sins but failure to be forgiving for her cousin and the rest of Donoso's family. She was trapped by her own curse and offered death as her repentance for all the crimes she did in the name of love. I surely miss the drama, I love Cayetanna and her company, Serinza's family and his funny wife, Father Jacobo's immaturity in his religious belief's and Walter's sarcasm. This drama is a new taste and a new fold of plot yet to be re-explored as we begin to untangle the mystery of death and rebirth.

Not Sweet Enough: A Sweet November Breeze

What would you do if you lose control on what would you want your life would be? All of us wants to take over, we would sing to the very idea of self-determination only to realize that this life is all bout suffering and with the idea of impermanence no matter how perfect we want our life to be, impermanence stays and it is just one sweet element.

Nelson is a portrayal of a man who would want to tap that very direction of calculated living and when he thought he gets all the grip of how life should be lived, he realized that one fine contact with a stranger's eye is the beginning of a life-changing moment; his own interpretation of romance and his quest for happiness.

I like this movie for two personal reasons: One it is another re-interpretation of "love" and second, it is set in a controlling manner that will keep you glued to watch the whole movie or else you'll be sorry.

While it is intriguing to understand why would a woman opens her door to a verbal contract with a guy, a thought-provoking concept that would often have a thumbs down for most feminists and conservatives; we would unveil the motive that she resorts to it in response to her defense mechanisms because she has that inner conflict within herself while she is holding on to her own battle with a disease. If this is promoting a mind-over-matter thing that is leaving us with a big question mark in the end; this conflict is clouded by romance as the scenes progressed to the cinematic portrayal of what a couple should be. Aww! I hate to say that this is a tragic comedy but I am more keen to the symbolisms that the movie is showing.

California is a mix of the old country as well as the new and I guess this movie is conveying a message that it is not just a remake to do justice from the first but a revelation that the concept of "love" and the confrontation of the conflicts present in the movie knows no time. So I guess this is in sync with the soundtrack as well.

I love how the colors blended and how realistic the place was. Who knows we might bump at a real-life Nelson or Sara in our own California streets but what is truly moving is not just its simplicity. The movie is about a critical audience who could distinguish the relationships of each elements in the plot, the set and the characters...

I did not like how the characters tend to be cold-hearted as Nelson chased Sara effortlessly. It was like, Keanu Reeves was thinking more than setting his real emotions.

Sara is a selfish individual who finds comfort in a man's down side. Nelson has been submissive for the very first time yet he was even more trapped when he finds that he is going to lose what he had worked for but he was a risk -taker.

However, Sara rediscovered her humanity as she let-go of Nelson for it was not her plan to go on with him because something is holding her back and she has to face it beyond November. Whether both are truly in love, pride tore them apart because of one has to be in-control.

And yes, Sara won over making her decisions despite Nelson's willingness to give out more. Until, a too "familiar" goodbye sets the denouement to an ending scene. The classic sun rays and smooth breeze is a classic symbolism of "hope" and this is what I hate about open-ended stories in movies... it is not a reality show where the audience could just make a text vote or call to have their own desired endings. This is not a reality show but it aims to portray reality in dream.

To GREEN now or?

How do we go Green when all we think is to get the latest in the market.?We want to throw or just take away some things that we believe we no longer need, the green revolution's calling is simply not our creed... it indeed easily said than done.

My mother has been very influential in the family when it comes to going green. She has been working in the Environment Bureau for almost thirty years and with her expertise, she has been consulted by many organizations, including our City government with regards to solid waste management. Within our city, each household is obliged to segregate garbage and yeah, we pay for garbage fee too. We have also our option by selling our own trash (the non-biodegradable ones like scrap metals, computer hardware, plastics to junk shops of our choice) or just segregate it and allow the city garbage collector to take it and from there, they manage your trash...

Solid waste is not just the visible garbage that we get rid from our households. It also includes the other establishments in a certain place. The municipal hall is an abiding model where it boasts its earning for the past years and it mobilized the funds in taking care some of the expenses of the city like medicines and other services. It was not a highly profitable one but yes an evidence that, "there is indeed money in the garbage".

The other proponents of going green could not even deny that to live with it, you have to spend money to really achieve that full potential but for ordinary people like me, change does not come with a snap of a finger. Money is not always available to change your lamp bulbs, your TV screens, some house finishings, your cleaning gadgets, your car, etc. It denotes time to really figure out and to make your decision. Most especially, when you are not living on your own. How could you advocate others in your household to change just because it is the calling? We simply need some right timing, right information and of course, the right "choices" in which we could make a "compromise."

We have to be honest to ourselves that there are some things that we could not just let go simply because the "cost" is not feasible. We can't let go of this refrigerator because there's no budget to get a new one nor let go of that non-environment friendly washing machine and detergent when the supposed to be friendly stuff is not yet commercially available.

Yet, still the best place to assess how "green" we can contribute to the environment is to start from our homes, we can determine "wastes" from all areas beginning from our own closets to our garage. According to a popular show, when you don't use your clothes for more than 6 months, then it is a candidate for either giving it to charity, for your garage sale or trash (trashing also follows the words: recycle, re-use, repair/recondition, re-sale, etc). So many solutions available and yet "the choice is in your hands. "

My parting words, when you decide to go and live green, are you ready to change your lifestyle by considering going back to the basics? Using stuff you haven't tried, spending in an environment-friendly technology? How about your government initiatives? The big corporations?

Reliving the Cast Away Conflicts

Whenever I see a volleyball, I would always be reminded by Tom Hanks' unforgettable best-friend, "Wilson" in his Cast Away Movie. Yes, we will surely agree that "No man is an Island" but his Character managed to survive in that island, thanks to his sanity and grip of personal human self-preservation. At first, I was preempting that this is no less than a "easy-made" movie commercialized by the famous FedEx campaign but as the scenes progressed to an expanded possibilities in which several situations arise, it touches more human interest and depth in acting supremacy that crosses from serious hopelessness and life's natural comedy.
I would like to stress on the following conflicts:

1. Survival- The island reminds me of the "reality show" series when human subjects are placed in an environmental and situation-controlled simulations. Worse case that a man could experience is conflict within himself as to the idea of answering the question, "Will I survive?". So Hanks' character was challenged in using his resourcefulness in order to gather food for himself, cook and be filled in the absence of certain luxuries in life. There was a point when he needed to deal with opening the packages to see if there's something he could use for that cause. Yet, his detachment to human civilization did not impede him to become human by carefully deciding which package is worth salvaging and not...

2. Anger- Who would be so happy in that island if all you got is a non-responding volleyball ,you fashioned to keep track of your human senses? In here, we would see Hanks' character resort to displacement and series of defense mechanisms like self-talk" put to its critical limits. There was anger against the island itself, anger at the typhoon and anger against fate or God who put him into that kind of situation. At first he was determined to utilize all his strength to get off that island, he failed, got injured... Next day, he determined to kill himself, the next thought was "Never say never."... Yet he did, he rebuilt his hope and he succeeded.

3. The Challenge to get off that Island no matter what...-is always a climax to his solitude. He was physically exhausted yet, powerful enough to inspire the audience to exhaust all his human capacities to get out of his "hell" and take back his life.

4. The Resurrection- Now, we pity Hanks' character as he battled against "time" and unresolved issues of his past. In this case, he never thought that his engineering skills has its own limits and he can't take back the past. It was quite a short phasing of the Cast Away movie but it needed no further dramatization because it clearly speaks of the idea of "impermanence" and what's important is, He was able to look ahead into the future.

Was that salvaged FedEx package sync to culminate his future? That was the beauty of how the story unfolded- open-ended, simple, and brilliant.

LORMA Polls Oct . 9, 2008

Sasagutin ko lang ang Lorma Polls nung October 9, 2008 for my own sanity...

On Intramurals 2008.

Pageant-oriented parin ang LC Intramurals. Sana dagdagan ang safety para sa cheerdance competition. Sana repasuhin na ng SML ang sports program ng College and make use of the full potentialities of professionals who know the ins and outs of sporting. Why not seek professional guidanc3e from Dr. Pedro Patacsil?

On milk scare.

Paso na ang topic na ito. While lipana ulit ang mga commercial ads ng gatas at mga produktong nasama sa listahan ng mga "alleged" na melamine sa ingredients ng mga ito, will it change the fact that more mothers are still neglecting the benefits of "breast feeding" for their children up to 2 years old. This is a challenge to student nurses, "are you good enough to be part of that breast-feeding campaign while pa-bungee bungee lang ang ilan sa mga community-health nursing activities?". No offense but if you're gonna upload youtube entries sana naman yung may kabuluhan to make a different impression of what community health nursing is all about. Is this the ill-effect of that gross transportation expenses in which the College has not yet addressed to date?

Course na i-offer ng lorma.

I don't think LC should open another course when it neglects the other departments to achieve their full potentials. I would suggest that LC should keep track of the nursing program (more hands-on and modalities) and hire more competent clinical instructors who are really dedicated to the profession (di basta yung nagsasabing "CI nalang ako...") Imagine the impact of how this less empowered individuals contagiously pass unto the student nurses. I don't think it's time for LC to open other courses. For what reason? Experimentation? Have they conducted feasibility studies on this? How about the rest of the paramedical courses? Puro nursing nalang ba? The IT and Ab department? I think it's about time to review on how to make the other courses progress. Neglect nalang ba ang pagbili ng gamit nila just because they have a low population on their enrolments? C'mon, where's the spirit?

ang pinakamagaling na instructor sa lorma

My best yet the worse is dead. Tama, yung English teacher namin dati na si Mrs. Rufina Depalco who was principal then of LCSSHS. Sana gawan siya ng pagkilala. The best instructors are the ones who left the school with a heavy heart simply because they hold unto their principles...

ano ang reklamo mo? hinaing o ano mang suhestiyon sa kahit anong bagay na may kinalaman sa lorma.

Marami. Yet, the crusade just goes on. Hindi kelangan hilain ang pangalan ng school because of these. Pero sana, mabuksan ang gate para sa mas mahusay na LC para sa estudyanteng nangangarap at lumalaban sa mabilis pa sa alas kwatrong pagbabago.

Titser Titser EDUKHA-lay!

Kelan ba nakialam ang mga guro sa school patungkol sa mga karapatan ng mga estudyante para ipaglaban ang pagbalasa sa mga panuntunan ng Kolehiyo? Mangilan ngilan ang pawang laway meron lamang sila in the guise of a so-called kunwaring pakikisimpatya. There you have it guys, they don't care whether you fail or not. They don't. Meron pasimpleng papikit nga maglagay ng grade sa di deserving pumasa eh. Next thing you know, they're out in the street eating fish balls together. Aaaw so sweet! Why would they care? There are just some people who want to keep their jobs in the long run. Mga hinayupak na deadma! Ayaw pagamit ang facility ng school kasi may SOP na dapat sundin. ERR, eh sasabak ng contest ang kahabag habag na estudyante, ni pamasahe hindi siya pinondohan ng kumag na edukador! Aminin man nila o hindi, ang employees association nila ay burak- it does not have any significance. Puro payaso ang mga lider lideran dun. Projects nila bulok! Kaya pati mga org ng students, sunod sa uso. Does it change employer-employee relations. Kupal! They just make sure the president is under their dictatorship para walang "rally", walang collective bargaining. So burak is that puppet organization to the extent that they can't even unite in solidarity to come up with "just compensations" sa mga naghihingalong guro. No wonder kung anu-ano nalang krimen ang nagagawa ng ilang guro from emotionally torturing their students, selling their MLM, suggesting a book to buy in exchange for commissions, halla from eload to va-jj nadamay na. Take it for example the faculty from the a department who teaches in all the rest of the college. Sa pamasahe nalang laking dusa na when if fact they should be entitled for a transportation allowance. Grabe taas na ng presyo ng gasolina at pitchi pitchi lamang ang mga rollback ng mga kumag na petroleum companies na yan pero heto si mam at sir, super tiyaga kahit namamaos ang boses para hindi lamang ma-late sa klase. Oo, suwail nga kasi may checker ano? May surveillance camera pa ang ilan. Those capitalists monsters! Heheh, buti sana kung per hour ang bayaran. Yung iba nga night differential nila "coke at lugaw" from a graveyard canteen. Eeew! Don't they be given a chance to cut that stress? Do you think they too should be entitled to be late for humanitarian reasons? (Shungak namang Igme to, pati pagiging late ng empleyado kinukunsinte. ) Di nga, kasi si mam may sakit sa puso eh di kayang akyatin ang ganung kataas na kuwarto gayong hindi naman puwedeng lipat ng ibang kuwarto ng basta basta kung wala namang iba pang rekititos sa admin. (Diyaskeng Igme, pati comfort ng mga titser inintinde eh may karapatan naman silang mag-terror at mambagsak ng estudyante, di ba? ) Oo nga no tukmol. Pano naman ang mga titser na talagang hina-harass ang mga estudyante para lang matsansingan nila? Oo nga, titser bang matatawag yun? Ano yun? Langaw pare! Isang maitim at malaki't mabahong bangaw! Wala akong homophobia pare, pero don't you think foul naman yung himas himasin ka while taking the academically challenging exams or you get to be called for a few minutes after dismissal for that indecent proposal. Impakto talaga pare! This is a nightmare pero pano nga ba iwasan ang ganoong may matinding pagnanasang Bangaw?
Maging mabuting estudyante. Mabuti in the sense na walang late, walang absent, pulido ang lahat ng requirement at mag-aral ng mabuti para walang black-hole para masabit sa tukso para makapasa lang later on. (Eh Igme pano kung too late na?") Eh di bagsak at kung bagsak ka, wag ka ng magpawis para hanapin yang Bangaw na yan. Ang bangaw, sensors lang meron yan, walang human brain. Bangaw nga eh! Repeat mo nalang at malas kung sa kanya ka na naman natapat. Olats kung hindi kapa matuto pre. (Igme, eh habulin talaga ako ng mga Charing, hindi ko rin alam eh.) Wag ka kasi masyadong mag-gym kasi patok ang macho p're, eh. Magpanggap ka kayang ka-pederasyon din? Yan kasi sabi ng friend ko na kasama sa circle, basta malaki kasi katawan p're... (Igme, ano pa tip?) Argh, antokers nako pre. Next time ulit!

Ritu and Amrish Kumar at WIFW

Ethnic and sexy are two complementary words for today's yahoo feature but the statement is more than the words itself. According to the photo caption, top designers "Ritu and Amrish Kumar's creations are synonymous with traditional Indian embroideries and textile". As a personal opinion, it's a revival of two decades of human history set in a ramp, speaking of "a glamorous expression of every woman's individuality".

The models parade in dresses ranging from "thigh and knee lengths to full-length maxis, shifts and spaghettis and pallazo's, gharara's and wide bottom denims in loud prints and textured wovens. Colour pallet includes Teal Blue and Brick Red, purples, oranges, off whites and yellows."

The symmetry of each design and jewelry matches. It is neither Samoan, Greek, Egyptian, nor Spanish Gypsy who is paving the catwalk but having that second look, it is Indian fashion reinvented to be worn by one who wants to fit into the sandals of a princess. Yet some fashion gurus are still bothered about the sensitivity that most of Indian designs are confronted by the west's perception of being unable to "fit in"; this is a trend that Indian fashion is moving to a direction of Innovation and Exploration. Despite ambiguous matches with some bags and wallets, both designers are masters in persuading women to be free, not careless of modesty despite modern living.

Sex Addiction

I am surprised that this issue came to be a point of interest when David Duchovny (X-files' Fox Mulder) have undergone rehabilitation due to this condition. According to www.medicinenet.com,

"sexual addiction"- used to describe the behavior of a person who has an unusually intense sex drive or an obsession with sex. Sex and the thought of sex tend to dominate the sex addict's thinking, making it difficult to work or engage in healthy personal relationships.

Sex addicts engage in distorted thinking, rationalization and blaming others for problems. One defense mechanism is also denial. In most cases, the sex addict's treatment is dependent on his acceptance of admission of the problem which is mostly influenced by significant event—such as the loss of a job, the break-up of a marriage, an arrest, or health crisis—to force the addict to admit to his or her problem.

Behaviors associated with sexual addiction include:

• Compulsive masturbation (self-stimulation)
• Multiple affairs (extra-marital affairs)
• Multiple or anonymous sexual partners and/or one-night stands
• Consistent use of pornography
• Unsafe sex
• Phone or computer sex (cybersex)
• Prostitution or use of prostitutes
• Exhibitionism
• Obsessive dating through personal ads
• Voyeurism (watching others) and/or stalking
• Sexual harassment
• Molestation/rape

Generally, a person with a sex addiction gains little satisfaction from the sexual activity and forms no emotional bond with his or her sex partners. In addition, the problem of sex addiction often leads to feelings of guilt and shame. A sex addict also feels a lack of control over the behavior, despite negative consequences (financial, health, social, and emotional).

Treatment

The focus is on controlling the addictive behavior and helping the person develop a healthy sexuality. It includes education about:

- healthy sexuality
- individual counseling
- marital and/or family therapy.

Support groups and 12 step recovery programs for people with sexual addictions (like Sex Addicts Anonymous) also are available.

In some cases, medications used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder may be used to curb the compulsive nature of the sex addiction. These medications include Prozac and Anafranil.

Does the School Matters?

I visited my old old school's website and I'm surprised to find an ongoing argument via the LH message board. It has been there for a while, the argument was posted by an unknown person claiming to be a Luisian. It was a funny ass I guess but as he keeps on bugging the site for Lormanians to react (not even sure if they are from LC); it arouses claims on the superiority of two rival schools who are totally different in terms of the standard of Education that it provides its students. Popularity-wise, Lorma and SLC do share their own domains but to tackle on its "superiority" without making concrete points as to what areas are mere immature quarrels that is not even viable as a Debate proposition. The LH blog is not even the proper forum to post such pronouncements as it lacks that kind of feature. Why the absence of such forum? Is this part of the transition from a threat? I know jalm might react on this because way-back few months ago, he did a little contribution in coming up with an amateur discussion forum that lacked support from the LH staff. There was even fear as we chat, is that due to censorship issues? Personally, I admire people like jalm because he is a proof of a student who seeks answers to variable questions and issues concerning them. However, we could not be sure how long his determination could hold him up and others; or simply he is just a representative of so many youth who are bored by this existing Educational Systems in most schools in the country.

Going back to the question, "Does the School Matters?" I would have to qualify my answer with a "yes" because it is a learned social behavior that is relevant to most Asians - it is in Education that uplifts the individual to interact from one social agency to another. An individual begins interaction within the Family through his parents and the school is usually the second agency that he interacts with. Education plays a crucial part in "career path" and certain elements within the school are influential factors in a man's self-esteem and ability to survive in each niche. Remember, Obama attended Harvard and it is within Harvard that he has expound his political views crossing from a least passive role in Chicago to now, the ultimate path of his career as the new US president. I would say that the school matters because that agency should have a "simulation" of the actual world up there but I think most schools stagnate because instead of moving forward as society progresses from agriculture to industry, it makes a significant picture that indeed it has a difficulty in adopting to such vicious change. The late Gov. Justo O. Orros rationalized that the "Philippines is taking its time" when confronted with a question as to why Malaysia and other rice-producing country in Asia are far progressive well in fact they trained from the Philippines via IRRI? The politician had that rationalization which stuck into my head for years in one of the events in LC. I was struck by the response of laxity and I bet those who listened have their own opinion. (Why would LC have such laxity on choosing such speakers? What are their guidelines?) I am not against politicians speaking in schools but how good are these "figures" in motivating students? The school matters because the student is supposed to take his first liberal step outside of his own family circle. I would affirm Dr. Emilio Joven's little chat while we were assisting him in a minor operation commenting on "Why would student still be accompanied by their parents in the enrollment process? Aren't they old enough to make decisions?" He has a point there, was it because of a certain level of "mistrust" that the parents are so rigid in entrusting their money or was it the over-protectiveness or fear of most mothers that they felt the need to accompany their children all the time from filling up those enrollment forms, doing the talking for their children at the Dean's office or Registrar. There are many implications of such unnoticed harmful effects of over-protectiveness. On the other hand, a "student" begins to "cheat" based on outside variables. His vulnerability is a result of so many laxities, within the family itself and yes, the schools are not addressing such laxities because some are just too concerned about getting the cash and providing a sound-to-be-good service disguising as Best Quality to be sold. Like what Inday said in her earlier testimonials about that Champion detergent commercial, that you have to pay... School matters because the school is supposed to be the first battle ground to exercise your freedom. It is saddening to realize that most schools are "underachiever" of so many things, that they could not facilitate to preach what they revised in their new directions. No matter how authorities would "revise and put a tag on a commodity if the content is still the same, fortification will fail (just like what happened with FIT, it did not replace water to wash our vegetables and fruits.)". You want to know where your money goes? Don't look at the new buildings, not the facilities... look at the heart of the institution- the teachers. They are significant determinants of the power of quality Education. The question is, how long will the teachers remain "passive"? Are the students ready to learn?

My thoughts about these 10 Ads...

So far this is the most stimulating AD but it has too many elements. It's like selling the whole line of artists (some of them don't need to be in the Ad coz they sell themselves simple) but it's fine! I would love to see the King kong wearing some headphones or ipods like that. Was there a tie-up? This is nice but it turns Virgin more as a video store than a music market. Virgin Digital Market It looks like the football star went fishing or hunting. I won't mind the environment but the whole get-up is like a field reporter for National Geographic. If this is a football Hero, it's fine that he'll be in proper sport get-up and the whole lighting will be with a sunrise or a sunset maybe. Not gloom! I believe that's a hunting dog, a more sporting dog is a better company. A team could also be in action in this environment just to make a statement that "Hey, this shoe works even outside the field!". the athlete at hunt No there's no such thing as Italian circus. It would be better statement if the environment is about gypsies on a bone fire having a coffee moment. Is this selling an underwear, pantyshield, nail polish or luscious ? This is more Las Vegas to me and the woman keeps distracting the whole concept. If it's the tiger and the cup, I would think it's cute or a pup and a cup? then a milk is spilled over... then it's a suggestion to switch from the kiddie taste. By the way, is this a gourmet coffee? If it is, then it's a poor concept. I would love royalties in a tarot reading session with this coffee. The woman is a total distraction. Tiger cup Juggle not the taste. Americans love Italian taste and that's a fact. If you wanna taste Italian, convince me to sip Venice and Italian romance. Like I said in chat, it should have been a realistic moment since coffee is more associated with personal experiences with family and special someone. If you wanna introduce this product to the corporate world, then bring this to a call center's vending machine or a company meeting. What's alluring is this circus presentation of women juggling the taste of Italia! Italian culture is best known by the scenes of Godfather, bring Sicily to American coffee moments, I'm sure it would be embraced. I would be more intrigued if 2 oldmen are in a boat in Venice, one is pouring the coffee using traditional metal cups, now that's a statement! Juggled taste It's a statement that JW is about male's sexiness but this Ad is too green for me. I mean what's the point of distorting the environment and shade it all in Blue? It still has a sensual message and it's fine but without the JW bottle and the LOGO, this is nothing but a condom Ad. I've seen old JW and other liquor Ad, adding glam on the fizz but it seems that this Ad lost its glam. Without glam, you can't sell much. Bring it back to its original picture. It's better to be compared to a perfume Ad than a condom Ad. JW lost its glam Fashion have nothing to do with furniture although most designers in the industry have their contribution to the rise of boutique hotels in England. Who would like the idea of wearing your curtains or wallpapers and say "I'm home."? If the environment would convey of moving to a new place or home improvement; I won't mind the model wearing the curtains or wall papers as I may refer the model as myself personalizing my home but do they have that kind of customized service? wearing my home The shirt caught my attention. Probably it's the color. What's the point of anatomically changing the guy's lower extremity? The futuristic environment is fine and it did help convey interest. What's bothering is the robotic idea which is quite diminishing the athlete's capacity to give grace and motion to the sport! PUMA is built in real human capacity. To convince me to buy PUMA is to give justice to that sport that I as a fan or as an athlete could relate to. Futuristic athlete At least the model wore the product being endorsed but that did not give much power and clarity as to how good the product is/are or how interesting the products are... The idea of using the "extreme" is quite unfit to endorse a lot. Does it have any association with the durability or the quality of the products? If I'm a guy, I would easily be lured with activity that I am participating much into. Like for example mountain biking with a girl, properly geared up with the Project blue products. That is plus points to my personality or plus points to make an impression with someone. The blown up vehicle distracted me but the LOGO is fine. I don't have any idea what the AD is selling, is it the pair of shades only until I visited the website which is poorly imprinted. Running with extremes Oh yeah, it's fantasy that comes with a package. I like the idea. It's a bedroom theme and it's an appropriate one. I just don't get it immediately that it's all about the bed sheet and the pillow. I thought it's a sleeping pill or drug that's being promoted. If the two pictures on he right ride won't be available, I wouldn't have an idea. The sheet should be ironed. Sleep is about comfort. Is this a home or a motel? It should have an emphasis on that area. Nice but the un-ironed sheet distracts me. Fantasy that comes with a package. That's no outdoor fun with only one party balloon escaping from the air... that caught my attention first then the gift box followed; only then I realized it was a birthday party when there's a cake! Not so fun to celebrate a kids party. So dull! Parties should come with many colors especially for kids. Plus I didn't get the idea why the other girls are running? Was that playing with the cake? Hmmm... I like the idea that the kids wore the shoes, appropriate but isn't it that PUMA is also for women? The birthday part should have a "theme" and from that theme, they could have extracted the idea of the product in there. It would be best if there's a parlor game for the boys and their Dad's wearing the shoes. That I think would be cooler and more associated with that guy from the party table. Was he endorsing the gloves or the shoes? the PUMA party

How are you Classified in Class?

djoyce71: Some schools use homogeneous sectioning wherein they classify students according to average grades which means that all fast learners are together in one room and all the slow learners are together in another room. While some schools use the heterogeneous sectioning wherein they just distribute the students equally into sections where extremes meet. I have been to both ways when I was in high school and for me both have advantages and disadvantages.
manunulat: In homogeneous, lessons are taught fast paced because students are fast learners and competition is healthy. In the heterogeneous, lessons tend to go slow because others could not understand easily, and the fast learners suffer sometimes because they get bored. But in heterogeneous, fast learners are tasked to help their slow learner classmates. They serve as paratutors and their classmates like it because they could improve in that way.
If you are a parent, what sectioning would you like for the school of your child? If you are a student, what would you prefer?
I prefer that heterogenous sectioning for more personal controls since I am no fast learner nor a slow learner, it's just that teachers should have a flexible method other than the classical method of teaching because there is a thing which we call as right and left brain learner which is I think more vital than utilizing the term homogenous or heterogenous sectioning. From your homogenous section point of view, this is done not in favor of students but rather more in favor of the teacher because the teacher won't be too concerned of who is catching up with his style or not. Yet competition could be healthy also and tension is high if students are highly participative. There is a tendency of more debates also in the setting. While in that heterogenous, this may not be possible since the fast learner may have to slow down and be in congruent with the others who can't catch up. Advantage? Maybe for the latter but it can also be a detriment to the advancement of the first. Secondly, slow learners may not be slow as we think they are. Motivation comes in different sources, they could use the whole idea as an advantage for them to outwit the known fast learners. If I am a parent, I won't be too concerned on which section my child will be in to. I would be more concerned on the quality of teaching he receives and how he digest or process the lessons. Do they have a fair grading system and curriculum? I would love my kid to fail and succeed in class also; be on his own.

Ulalume's Fate in two Schools Unveiled

While the contenders fight for whose the one who did it better over youtube, as I studied the videos, though they deserve considerable commendation for a "job well done". I think it's just self-exaltation to boast that the winner is the "best" when the performance is nothing but a drama that is "branded" positive but as a literary and drama enthusiast myself... this is a "circus" so amateur and deserved to be called "neophyte". The outcome always reflects about the English coaches' skills but they failed to train how to read one of the best written literary pieces of Edgar Allan Poe. They dramatize yes but the drama just plainly destroys what is supposed to be simple but elegant Ulalume. I hope the next interpretations would turn out to be better. My New York City friend commented that the poem is freely interpreted in parks by high school students and she believed that there was music as the lines are delivered. I think that point was distorted in these two interpretations. The natural music is lost as they interpreted it. There are too many elements where in fact, the essentials are not in props and drop-dead entrances, it's about RHYTHM.

Do you thinks it's right to Change for the Other?

jhl930: i think that we have all heard some stories about people changing for the other and sometimes that is good in my opinion and then again sometimes its not that good honestly...i think that its good to change if you are doing something bad like maybe your a big drinker and you change for that person and your not such a drinker anymore or you are on drugs or something like that and you change for that person and you don't do drugs anymore, just stuff like that or maybe before you were the kind to have a few boyfriends/girlfriends at the same time(nto serious)and you just have the one now and you are happy...but then again there are bad ways that you can change...so what about all of you do you think its right to change for the other? thanks for taking the time to read my discussion and hopefully you will take part and answer...i hope that you all have a great day today!

manunulat: The questions that we should ask ourselves would be "Are we going to change for the better? And if so, are we ready to leave the old person we are?" CHANGE should not be treated as an enemy, it's a life force and it's inevitable. When we engage into a relationship, a change should always be welcomed as a force that could make both person grow and mature. When the examples that you have mentioned are stopped or measures have been done by the person who has that annoying behavior; the idea of determining whether he or she made that decision right is the quality of how that person made that decision. When a person decides to take action on that decision, there should be an affirmation that he or she is doing it for the better- the examples that you have cited is more beneficial to that person who has that unaccepted behavior when he or she realizes that the behavior needs to be changed. There should be a commitment to do the necessary ways to make his or her plans work and if the expected result does not manifest, a person should be ready to re-evaluate the kind of decision that had transpired. On the other hand, we cannot force others to make life changes according to our standards (it's confrontational when we nag or face our men, it won't work.). We can motivate others to Change using non-confrontational approaches because there are some people that really needs life-coaching. Yet, what's been embedded as Character is really difficult to address because a person may not be open-minded to consider the benefits of such decision. And if so, are we ready to live in with that kind of relationship and are we ready to accept that kind of person he or she is? If we respect individual differences, how long can we handle their behavior? We can not not communicate.

Reading to kids

"Reading maketh a full man." as the saying goes and it's true that you cannot replace the quality of enjoyment that books could provide in Learning. While it is true that most of the materials today can be viewed in television or the internet- there are many important points missed. Have your children be checked by an specialists for physical impairment or Reading disabilities. Maybe that's one cause why your children could not stand long periods of time. Age also influence reading interests. Remember that each child have different "attention spans" so it is nice for you to be creative in making them love Reading. Before the advent of technology, reading have already contributed to man's curiosity and imagination. In that way, it allowed them to explore, seek visual evidences by traveling and do more investigation. Of course that's the missing part in television and additional media because it has already spoil the excitement of "wonders" that is supposed to be in the imaginative state in the human mind.
Do you have quality materials that fit to your children's age?
It is not necessary that children would read long paragraphs like us adults on a first introduction of a subject matter. Read with them. Demonstrate how you read and be creative. For example in reading stories, poetry and other prose that makes use of characterizations... you might want to change voice to emphasize character. In that way, children will have a grip that Reading is not purely narration but there is also Drama in it.
Do they have a routine for play and study?
If you just want your kids to Read without making schedules on their study time at home then I think this is stressful on their part especially if they are going to school... They should feel that you are not acting like their teacher. School age children normally do not listen to their parents when it comes to academic areas. If you want to impose something to your kids on this area, talk to his or her favorite teacher so that she or he will introduce it to your children then you reinforce it at home. Don't worry too much on this because this is how child develops socially.
Introduce materials related to their study and a variety.
This is something that most parents miss in seeking Reading materials. Children get bored when story books are often used most especially those stories that they are already familiar with and already watched (So don't let them be glued in the television. TV might spoil your technique. Schedule for TV viewing.). Introduce simple Science, then allow them to participate in the kitchen. Introduce sport, let your kids go out with your husband for fishing, skating, jogging, etc. There are a variety of ways to stimulate children to participate into Reading. Of course they wont be very willing at first but when you demonstrate and do stuff like that in school where there is singing and some skills demonstration; they would be interested later on. You could actually help them visualize and solve problems in mathematics by using available stuff inside your fridge. So next time they have this math homeworks, get them into the kitchen, go to a science fair, etc..
Children will love Reading, let them decide for materials. Get them into the bookstore or library with you. The more you expose them with stuff they haven't experienced, their attention will be re-focused.

Like Father, Like Son; Like Mother, like Daughter?

I read that children emulate both good and bad health habits. Teens whose parents smoke will have a tendency to smoke while kids whose parents exercise will develop the habit of exercising as well. I have read and also mentioned in our RRL on our undergraduate thesis that parents are the models of their children.
In the Journal of Health and Social Behaviour, research result show that parents influence on teens follow gender lines, boys emulate their Dad and mothers emulated by daughters.
In the aspect of health routines/ habits, what do you think have you acquired/ learned from your parents?