ART APPRECIATION

17 July 2010. Saturday. We scheduled this day for a visit at the Ayala Museum. I really didn't want to check it out 'cause I heard from my blockmate that the entrance costs Php300 but the fact that I can get extra 20 points in cultural tourism just for visiting the museum, we decided to push through with our plan.

We took a jeepney ride to Rosario, Pasig, then took an FX all the way to Ayala. We almost got lost but we still managed to reach the exact place of the museum which is just near Greenbelt. We're not familiar with Makati, especially with the museum that's why when we got to the building, we hesitated to enter the museum. We entered Powerbooks first and bought a material (notebook/scrapbook) which we can use for my project scrapbook in marriage and family. Then, we decided to check out the museum already.

Bags checked. Elevator, 2nd floor. We were surprised when we checked the ticket that it only costs Php75 for students, and Php150 for regular visitors. Blessing, huh? Instead of paying Php600 as what I've prepared, we only paid Php225. Haha. Then, off we went to check out the gallery.

The 2nd floor gallery exhibited dioramas, showing the history of the Philippines. Knowing that I didn't like history that much, I just controlled myself from getting bored over the exhibit. What we did was talk about how those smart people made the dioramas, from which material they were made, and the like. We thought the museum was exhibiting just dioramas but as we reached the exit, the guard told us that there are two more floors and we should have taken those floors first. Oh well, it's just the same. So, we took the elevator and headed to the 4th floor, which exhibits ceramics and clothing from the old times. While walking around, the guard called us to let us watch a video in the theater area. I was surprised to see UST Architecture freshmen seated on the couch. We watched the video. At first, I was bored. But, when I tried to focus, I finally enjoyed it 'cause it talked about golds and how it influenced the way of lives of the early Filipinos. Btw, the video was entitled, Gold of Ancestors Crossroads of Civilizations. Thousands of golds are exhibited in the museum and I appreciate all of it. 

Our last stop was the 3rd floor, which excited us because it is a collection of paintings. I love looking at paintings. And I love abstracts. The gallery exhibits Pioneers of Philippine Art: Fernando Zobel. Until now, I am amazed at the beauty of those paintings I've seen, especially the portrait which used the crosshatching technique, as explained by my partner. How I wished I can also have the opportunity to bring out my skills in painting.

I enjoyed this day that I happened to appreciate art. I am always excited in our Humanities class 'cause I will learn art appreciation, too, but we haven't discussed much yet because of some class suspensions, and we were sometimes scared of our grade-conscious professor, who was a professor back then at UP, as told by our cultural tourism professor/anthropologist, who was also from UP.

Anyway, after visiting Ayala Museum, we took our lunch, walked around Glorietta and grateful to have bought Richard Paul Evans books for Php99 only (buy 1 take 1) and one Nicholas Sparks book, and hurried home to start my project scrapbook. :)

WAS IT A SNAKE?

So, I was checking on my blog and facebook when my sister Maureen called me to see the little thing she saw. I heard Ate Kaycee said "Yuck", then I asked, "what is it?", they said, "worm". I immediately told Maureen to kill it, wondering why a worm got into our room. She couldn't kill the worm so she just swept it out to the door, then we took a look at it, and they said it was a snake. A snake? That small?

I really don't know what was it. I just kept on making weird body movements showing that I was afraid and gonna throw up.

Finally, Ate Kaycee managed to kill the worm slash snake or whatever it is that would make me leave this house if it grows.

CONSCIENCE (PROFESSIONAL DEONTOLOGY PAPER)

Among the readings that I’ve read and studied, that of St. Augustine captured my mind. Aside from the fact that I was able to comprehend his thoughts easily, unlike the others which gave me a difficult time processing the words and understanding their real meaning, I also believe his teachings are quite true. Being a Non-Catholic person has a possibility of not believing some of the Catholic Church’s teachings but despite such thought, St. Augustine was able to capture my attention and made me agree on his teachings. The part of the Catechism of the Catholic Church which I agree upon is:

 “The education of the conscience is a lifelong task. From the earliest years, it awakens the child to the knowledge and practice of the interior law recognized by conscience. Prudent education teaches virtue; it prevents or cures fear, selfishness and pride, resentment arising from guilt, and feelings of complacency, born of human weakness and faults. The education of the conscience guarantees freedom and engenders peace of heart.

In the formation of conscience the Word of God is the light for our path, we must assimilate it in faith and prayer and put it into practice. We must also examine our conscience before the Lord's Cross. We are assisted by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, aided by the witness or advice of others and guided by the authoritative teaching of the Church.”

 Indeed these words are true for me. Forming a person’s conscience begins the moment a child is born as it is stated by St. Augustine that education of the conscience is a lifelong process. Therefore, it happens the very first moment of life of a person and later on continues as he or she grows. People surrounding a child play an important role in the formation of his or her conscience. Parents are usually the ones who bring up children, the people involved in the education of the conscience of a child. I believe that it depends on the family on how they teach and train up a child, and in here conscience develops and matures. As the child grows up, he or she starts recognizing and understanding different images and thoughts, then with these the child starts distinguishing right from wrong, and good from bad, and moral from immoral.

 It says in the paragraph I’ve chosen that prudent or careful education results to virtue and prevents us from any other negativity. Wise formation of the conscience eventually results to having the goods in life. If one’s conscience was formed carefully since childhood, he or she may make good and right decisions for life’s situations, choosing the highest end, based on the dictates of his or her own conscience that is, willed by the Father. Then, being able to make good decisions will eventually prevent man from fear and guilt, those which result from having made wrong decisions and choosing the lower end.

 Another way of forming the conscience stated in St. Augustine’s teaching is having the Word of God as a light to our life’s journey. It’s like God serves as our lighthouse in the dark ocean (life), where we often face storms (problems). If one chooses to follow and believe in God and accepts Him in his or her life, there’s no reason to feel scared or worried about making decisions, because God is always in control of everything.

 In our lives, we may have made decisions which were not willed by God, or which we forgot to lift up to Him, which resulted to some guilty feelings. Despite these situations, we always deserve second chances with God. That is why we are given the opportunity, a time to talk to God and commune with Him. In those times, we search for God and He enlightens our conscience and our understanding about everyday situations, in making decisions, and in living our lives with love and happiness for the very reason of having formed a good conscience guided by God.

New eyeglasses. Hopefully I can have the time to change my contact lenses as well 'cause it's irritating my eyes already. It's got some deposits in it, and it's not good.