Winter is coming

Note: This is not a review.

I am a Lord of the Rings fan, so I am not surprised if I was easily lured to watching all the episodes of Game of Thrones – Season 1 in one day.

My TV series’ playlist this year has been dominated by crime dramas (Criminal Minds, Lie to Me, The Mentalist, Dexter and Bones), so going back to historical dramas would be nice. I finished last year The Tudors, Spartacus and Rome, so I was happy to pick from the pirated DVD stall (outside E-mall) another historical drama – one with the title Game of Thrones. But I was wrong.

Thrones is not a historical drama. I usually google the synopsis of a series before watching, but I was not able to do it with Thrones, so watching it was really a good surprise for me. It has more than enough elements to make me a wiling hostage for maybe 8 hours. It is a tale of dynastic families, swordfighting, sex, loyalty vs. betrayal, war and the struggle for power – the themes that describe Westeros, with seven kingdoms all determined to fight for the Iron Throne.

Thrones’ plot is definitely not that original, but originality is not an issue for me, especially if I crave for fantastic setting and plot, after watching LOTR a long time ago. It reminds me a bit of the account of betrayal in Rome, the court politics and power play in Kings and The Tudor, the war and conspiracy in the movie Octavius. Many details of the series are reminiscent of some popular themes like King Arthurs’ knighthood, the Roman empire, the English monarch, Greek mythology, tales of dragon and even zombies. The series’ juxtaposition of these elements has even made the story rich and exciting.

Thrones, further, has some elements of surprise, of unpredictability – especially if one is concerned about the survival of his/her favorite characters. For instance, I was really expecting that the beheading of lead cast Ned Stark by King Geoffrey would not push through, that something would happen to save Ned. But it’s probably telling the series’ followers that Thrones’ plot is too dynamic to revolve around Ned for the next season.

Another surprise for me in this series is that sex is not much as I had thought. Compared to The Tudors, Spartacus and Rome, Thrones would be conservative. Maybe, with the exciting storylines and impressive acting of the cast, Thrones does not need much sex to sell.

With the season’s final episode, I can’t wait to see dragons flying in the second season.

When I checked online for info regarding the second season, I found out that the Game of Thrones is based from George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Fire and Ice, the series of novels. A friend recommended that I read the books. I hope I have the time, otherwise I can just be satisfied with the TV series.

If you tame me

I am reappreciating my all-time favorite book by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, the Little Prince.

One of my favorite parts of the box is when the fox tries to establish friendship with the Little Prince. He asks the prince to tame him by saying:

“…if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world…if you tame me, it will be as if the sun came to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that will be different from all the others. Other steps send me hurrying back underneath the ground. Yours will call me, like music, out of my burrow. And then look: you see the grain-fields down yonder? I do not eat bread. Wheat is of no use to me. The wheat fields have nothing to say to me. And that is sad. But you have hair that is the color of gold. Think how wonderful that will be when you have tamed me! The grain, which is also golden, will bring me back the thought of you. And I shall love to listen to the wind in the wheat…” 

Pagsungko ni Ina (sa Ateneo de Naga) 2011

The noontime Angelus of Ateneo de Naga University on August 15 became more meaningful as the image of Our Lady of Penafrancia, Ina, carried by the voyadores (composed of faculty, staff, and students), visited the University. Ina was greeted by Physical Education students wearing their yellow uniforms as she entered the Christ the King Church.

University Chaplain Fr. Ritche B. Elot, S.J. facilitated a Welcome Liturgy for Ina with a prayer and Gospel reading. The Music Ministry of the Chaplaincy serenaded Ina with Marian songs, including the popular Penafrancia hymn Resuene Vibrante.

Theology classes, employees, and devotees took turns for the vigil in the afternoon. At 5 p.m., Fr. Jose C. Embile, S.J., celebrated a Mass. Outside the church, the University Band and students organized a procession for the departure of Ina.

At 6:20 p.m. Ina was brought back to the Cathedral by school staff and PE faculty. There, Ina was welcomed back with the Marian antiphon, Salve Regina.

The 'Blue and Gold' Revolution Challenge: Think and Do Green!

The Office of Student Affairs (OSA) organized a seminar-workshop for student leaders in the University, entitled Climate Change and the Call for a Change of Attitude on August 14. The activity was one of the preliminaries aimed at introducing to the students the school’s shared vision of an environment caring University, leading to the institutional launching of the Policy on Waste Management Program in the Blue and Gold Revolution within this school year.

The program had three talks which raised the students’ awareness of environmental issues and problems, and challenged them to take actions. In the morning, INECAR director Dr. Emelina G. Regis talked about global and local issues on Climate Change. Next, INECAR staff Shane B. Bimeda revealed current realities about the campus environment based on the recent survey jointly conducted by OSA, INECAR and the Supreme Student Government. In the afternoon, Director of Administrative Services Romeo B. Fajardo presented the Waste Management Program drafted by a committee he heads.

For the workshop, the participants were divided into small groups. Here, they reflected on concrete actions that they can do personally and communally to protect the environment. To conclude the activity, some groups shared in the plenary their Code of Conduct, a set of commitment statements that express their care for the environment. The workshop was facilitated by OSA director Fr. Ritche B. Elot, S.J.

The activity was participated in by more than 150 student leaders from 36 student organizations and classes. Some of the participants volunteered to be part of a group committee which will refine the collated Code of Conduct and collaborate with OSA and other concerned offices in planning for and implementing programs and activities for the environment.