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"You're nothing but a second-rate trying-hard copycat!"

Who would have forgotten this famous line that Lavinia (played by Cherie Gil) said to Dorina (Sharon Cuneta) in that movie and serialized comic strip, Bituing Walang Ningning while she pours her glass of wine on her face?

The word copycat may have originated from observing the habits of kittens that learned by imitating the behaviors of their mothers. It has been in recorded use since at least 1896 (http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Copycat). ...

More than three hours drive from Bislig, a town in Surigao del Sur is another breath-taking island destination, Bonbon Island in Brittania. Just like any other hidden paradise, Bonbon Island boasts of its pristine waters and waves that make one want to seriously try surfing.

Last April, I had another rare opportunity to be toured around Bonbon Islabd with just my sunscreen, bikinis and a lot of adrenaline rush to top what I dub as my one-of-a-kind adventure.

With the ...

I never knew my student and I shared the same sentiment as when I had asked the whole class about their definition about politics. The response I got was, "graft and corruption."

I could not anymore undo the students' notion about politics even after I had explained that the real definition of politics is that it is the art of good governance. Like me, my students have seen the grim realities that politics has achieved in this country.

Yet recently, after that ...

"It's hard to be humble if you are as great as I am," so says Garfield that lasagna-obsessed feline.

Let's admit it. It's really hard to be humble when we are beset with even the smallest feat. We either call our friends, if need be broadcast through a megaphone our much-cherished successes, may it be making a girl say "yes" to one's proposal to a relationship, earning a degree, passing the board or bar examinations to scoring high in Tetris. We love being proud ...

After graduation from high school, my father struck a deal with me. "It's either you take up education at Cebu Normal University" or you don't study at all. I couldn't afford college education, what with my meager income. Take it or leave it."

At that time (unlike now), being an out-of-school youth was a major embarrassment that none of us youth would take that path. It was always nice to be able to reply to someone who would ask, "Unsa'y imong course?" (What's ...

Upon the invitation of a co-teacher to be a keynote speaker among the teachers at San Fernando Elementary School in Bislig, Surigao del Sur, I immediately said 'yes', thinking that apart from the lecture I was already excited about, I'm in for another set of adventure, this time, farther from my comfort zone, where they say, "everything comes fresh."

It was totally unplanned. My co-teacher-turned-close friend just invited me to visit their place for just a week and then I ...

"Can you come over to the hospital after work?" my brother timidly asked while I was at work juggling through loads and piles of paperwork. Baffled I asked, "What for?" He replied, "You have to teach me how to change diapers."

Oh the joys (and pains) of aunthood.

It had been more than a year since that baby I changed diapers with had been born. I remembered how I had cuddled him and commented how much of a cute little angel he was. I was even ...