Durvasa's Curse

from the output on Sakoontala

When Sakoontala was so caught up in her dreams of her husband Dushyanta, who was unfortunately called by duty to save his kingdom from trouble, an old, irritable sage visited the ashrama. Sakoontala failed to notice him. This raised the old man's ire and thus began Sakoontala's woes.


"Light of spirit, by my spell,
Person in mind, will never return,
Memories of you will be gone as well.
To you I throw this, so you would learn."

~Group 5, II-Acacia


"I, Durvasa, a well-known sage who's in front of you
Is not recognized, what a cruel thing to do!
Covered by my anger, I give my wrath to your life
More painful than a heart stabbed with a sharp knife
I'll give you an everlasting suffering by this curse of mine:
The person who you are thinking know you no more,
His memory of you will be kept within a forever locked door."

~Shiva's Guard, II-Narra


"You, ungrateful person, who ignored my presence,
Be cursed by the power vested in me by the Hindu deities.
In the spirit of my curse,
The unfortunate person in thy mind would never return,
Andhis memories of you will vanish!
To you, I bestow this,
So you will learn!"

~Shiva, II-Molave

On Work by Kahlil Gibran

(from The Prophet)

Then a ploughman said, "Speak to us of Work."

And he answered, saying:

You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth.

For to be idle is to become a stranger unto the seasons, and to step out of life's procession, that marches in majesty and proud submission towards the infinite.

When you work you are a flute through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music.

Which of you would be a reed, dumb and silent, when all else sings together in unison?

Always you have been told that work is a curse and labour a misfortune.

But I say to you that when you work you fulfil a part of earth's furthest dream, assigned to you when that dream was born,

And in keeping yourself with labour you are in truth loving life,

And to love life through labour is to be intimate with life's inmost secret.

But if you in your pain call birth an affliction and the support of the flesh a curse written upon your brow, then I answer that naught but the sweat of your brow shall wash away that which is written.

You have been told also life is darkness, and in your weariness you echo what was said by the weary.

And I say that life is indeed darkness save when there is urge,

And all urge is blind save when there is knowledge,

And all knowledge is vain save when there is work,

And all work is empty save when there is love;

And when you work with love you bind yourself to yourself, and to one another, and to God.

And what is it to work with love?

It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart, even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth.

It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.

It is to sow seeds with tenderness and reap the harvest with joy, even as if your beloved were to eat the fruit.

It is to charge all things you fashion with a breath of your own spirit,

And to know that all the blessed dead are standing about you and watching.

Often have I heard you say, as if speaking in sleep, "he who works in marble, and finds the shape of his own soul in the stone, is a nobler than he who ploughs the soil.

And he who seizes the rainbow to lay it on a cloth in the likeness of man, is more than he who makes the sandals for our feet."

But I say, not in sleep but in the over-wakefulness of noontide, that the wind speaks not more sweetly to the giant oaks than to the least of all the blades of grass;

And he alone is great who turns the voice of the wind into a song made sweeter by his own loving.

Work is love made visible.

And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy.

For if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half man's hunger.

And if you grudge the crushing of the grapes, your grudge distils a poison in the wine.

And if you sing though as angels, and love not the singing, you muffle man's ears to the voices of the day and the voices of the night.

Letters to the Future: Fourteen Tips

(from the homework of Paulette F. Miraflor, II-Narra)

To My Future Daughter,

When I wrote this, I was just thirteen, a teenager, and that's what this is all about - how to survive being a teenager. Being a teenager is the most exciting stage in a person's life, but bear in mind that you must always be cautious in making your decisions, because this is also the time when one makes the most mistake in his or her life that he or she will regret in the future.

Here are some tips that might help you, with family, friends, school, identity crisis, and ehem - love and crushes.

Tip #1 - Listen to what your parents say. We only want what's best for you. We don't want to see you falling flat on your face. We're keeping you from getting hurt. Don't be afraid to ask us for help.

Tip #2 - Before friends, family comes first. It's true; at the end of the day, family's all you've got. The members of your family are your pillars, your reinforcements, so never take us for granted.

Tip #3 - Never keep secrets from Mommy. Be honest with me always. You can trust me and I'll always understand you.

Tip #4 - Choose your friends; don't trust just anybody. Not all friends are true friends. The ones who stay with you when a storm comes along are the ones who are true.

Tip #5 - Love your friends; never leave them behind. Treat them well. They make you laugh, they'll cry with you, they'll give you a push when you need it.

Tip #6 - Study, study, study. Studying can sometimes be boring, but it sure pays off.

Tip #7 - Don't stress yourself out. If you're stressed, you won't be able to think straight.

Tip #8 - Don't let bullies bring you down. Right now, I'm having a hard time with bullies, but heck, I don't care. Who are they anyway? Just ignore them.

Tip #9 - Don't be afraid to make mistakes. It's better if you avoid making mistakes, but they're inevitable. Don't worry, as they say, "Experience is the best teacher."

Tip #10 - Follow what you think is right. Don't give in to anything just because everyone else is doing it. Go for what you think should be and for what is right.

Tip #11 - Dig deeper into yourself. You should know who you really are. You also have limitations, weaknesses - nobody's perfect. But aside from your flaws, you should know you also have talents, skills and assets.

Tip #12 - Books before boys. You're still too young. Sure, crushes are okay; they're the salt and pepper to a girl's life, but relationships are a no-no. You're too young to have your heart broken. Enjoy being a teenage girl without a boyfriend. You'll have much time for that later.

Tip #13 - Set your goals. Everyone has their dream, all you have to do is realize what it is and aim for it.

Last but not the least, God should always be Number One. The reason why you're here is because He wanted you to be here, to fulfill His purpose for you. He will guide you through whatever the long and winding road of life may bring you.

Well, that's about it. Follow these and I'm sure it'll be easy for you.

Love lots,
Mom

On-line Quiz 9: Subject and Verb Agreement

Choose the correct verb in the parentheses.

1. Neither of my siblings (is, are) left-handed.

2. Choosing sides (is, are) not pleasurable for me.

3. May’s father and teacher (goes, go) to work very early.

4. In the garage (is, are) three new cars.

5. Several (has, have) decided to forego extra sleep to avoid being tardy.

6. Three meters of steel rod (was, were) needed for the curtains.

7. The number of absences in the class (decreases, decrease) every week.

8. All her shoes (was, were) lost to the flood.

9. Dorothy, as well as Doris, (needs, need) more rubber bands.

10. The box of nuts on the table (belongs, belong) to me.

Send in your answers now!

The Worst Prison

(from the test paper of Donna Thea Yanzon, II-Acacia)

"The worst prison would be a closed heart."

Pope John Paul II tells us to love one another. We have to open our hearts to others. If you have a closed heart, you are imprisoned in loneliness. It is the worst prison because in jail, you can still go out, but if you have a closed heart, you can't free yourself unless you learn how to love. We must love one another to free ourself from being imprisoned in loneliness.

On-Line Quiz 8: Nouns

Here's a short article about Japan from Wikitravel. List down all the nouns found in the article in correct order.


The "Land of the Rising Sun" is a country where the past meets the future. Japanese culture stretches back millennia, yet has also adopted (and created) the latest modern fashions and trends.

Japan is a study in contrasts and contradictions. Many Japanese corporations dominate their industries, yet if you read the financial news it seems like Japan is practically bankrupt. Cities are as modern and high tech as anywhere else, but tumbledown wooden shacks can still be spotted next to glass fronted designer condominiums. On an average subway ride, you might see childishly cute character toys and incredibly violent pornography - sometimes enjoyed by the same passenger, at the same time! Japan has beautiful temples and gardens which are often surrounded by garish signs and ugly buildings. In the middle of a modern skyscraper you might discover a sliding wooden door which leads to a traditional chamber with tatami mats, calligraphy, and tea ceremony. These juxtapositions mean you may often be surprised and rarely bored by your travels in Japan.

Research Work: Wise Men

BILL GATES - A Wise Man
by Kelvin E. Cantero, II-Acacia

For me, Bill Gates is a man of wisdom. From a mere bored student, Bill Gates became a multi-bilionaire.

William H. Gates was born on October 28, 1955 to a family with a rich business, political and community service background. His great-grandfather was a state legislator and a mayor, his grandfather was a vice-president of National Bank, and his father was a lawyer.

Bill strongly believes in hardwork. He believes that if you are intelligent and know how to apply your intelligence, you can achieve anything. From childhood, Bill was ambitious, intelligent and competitive. These qualities helped him to attain the position in the profession he chose.

It was a very important decision in Bill Gate's life when he was first introduced to a computer. Bill Gates and his friends were very much interested in computers and formed a "Programmers Group" in late 1968. Bill Gates and his close friend Allen started a new company of their own, Traf-O-Data. They developed a small computer to measure traffic flow. From this project, they earned $20,000. The era of Traf-O-Data came to an end when Gates left college. In 1973, he left home for Harvard University. Allen kept on pushing Bill for opening a new software.

Within a year, Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard. Then he formed Microsoft TM. Microsoft's vision is "A computer on every desk and Microsoft software on every computer". Bill is a visionary person and works very hard to achieve his vision. His belief in high intelligence and hardwork has put him where he is today.


Sources:

Research Work: Wise Men

A PROPHETIC WRITER
by Austin Rey Mirabete, II-Acacia

Kahlil Gibran was a Lebanese-American poet, philosopher and artist who wrote "The Prophet," a mystical work composed of prose poems. He was born in Bsherri, Lebanon on January 6, 1883. His mother was the offspring of a priestly and important family and the Gibran clan was small and distinguished. When he was at the age of 12, his mother took him to live in Boston.

After his mother's death in 1903, Gibran's sister supported him. He worked at painting and writing. He later went to Paris to study art and finally settled in New York City, where he died on April 10, 1931. He was buried in Bsherri, Labanon.

Gibran wrote many books and executed paintings and some sculpture, but it is for "The Prophet" that he was best known. Published in 1923 with illustrations by the author, "The Prophet" was a best seller and has been translated into more than 20 languages. A series of 28 related prose poems, the book touches on such topics as love, freedom, prayer, and death. Gibran's mysticism, evident here as in all his works, reveals an intense preoccupation on the spiritual and visionary. He is the third best selling poet in history after William Shakespeare and Lao Tze.

I have chosen Kahlil Gibran because I have read an excerpt from his book, "The Prophet," which I think is related to every family's life and includes the parent and children relationship. It says, "Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of life's longing for itself. They may come through you but not from you." In simple words, you cannot control the lives of your children. You can only love them because in reality they are not yours. Such lines speak of wisdom beyond words.

Sources:

Video Clips!

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Speech Choir Presentations

II- Acacia
Judgment Day by Tommy Q








Bonny Barbara Allan


II-Narra







The Charge of the Light Brigade byAlfred, Lord Tennyson








1986 byAurelio S. Alvero


II- Molave







* The Creation









Lochinvar by Sir Walter Scott


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