Season of Lent

    Lent, also known as the Lenten season or Great Lent, is a year of reflection on Jesus' 40-day fasting and temptation in the desert. It is a 40-day cycle preceding Easter on the Christian calendar. Lent is a season of contemplation and preparation that starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday.

    This penitential and preparatory season aids in our preparation for the glory of the Resurrection. Most Catholics are familiar with the routine: during Lent, you offer up something in preparation for Easter Sunday. The COVID-19 pandemic, on the other hand, is best seen from the lens of Lent. We remember the glory of the Resurrection even during this penitential season. We may place an emphasis on readiness and penance, but we still obtain and glorify our Lord. And if we are experiencing a COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to worship the Lord. All with breath should worship the Lord at all times, not only during the liturgical seasons of Ordinary Time, Christmas, or Easter. This is still the situation now, with so much going wrong in the country. There is always reason to worship the Lord in the midst of so much sorrow and misery, which none of us are immune to.

   The aim of Lent is to achieve spiritual rather than material results. This means that any fasting we do should be for the glory of God and our spiritual growth. The most important thing to note during Lent is that, though the rituals of different religions can differ, the goal remains the same: to repent of our sins, refresh our faith, and ready ourselves to joyfully rejoice the mysteries of our faith.

 

References: 

https://catholicclimatecovenant.org/resource/season-lent

https://www.loyolapress.com/catholic-resources/liturgical-year/lent/perspectives-on-lent/articles/reflecting-on-the-lent-season/

https://www.istockphoto.com/photos/lent

March is for Women

    The reality that all of the nation's great people were delivered from a woman's womb, and that those great people learned their first lessons from a woman. That's why we've always emphasized how important it is to treat women with respect in their lives. That is why International Women's Day is celebrated with such enthusiasm and has expanded all over the world. Women have shaped human culture since the beginning of humanity, the idea of Women's History Month has its origins firmly rooted in the date March 8, 1857.
 

    While the aim of this month was initially to draw attention to women's successes and hardships around the world, it has since evolved into a platform for women to celebrate their achievements and the progressive developments that have occurred in modern times. March is the month dedicated to honoring women throughout history, their accomplishments, influences, and commitment, but we should honor our collective history every day.
 

    

Women have made significant contributions to every discipline and all aspects of life throughout history. They have had a significant impact on our society, as well as the development of literature, film, music, education, technology, research, and many other fields. They have long fought for fair pay for equal employment, adequate child care, the undervaluing of women who work unpaid jobs such as being at home with children or caring for elderly families, and the underreporting of domestic abuse and sexual harassment by both men and women. Women from numerous cultural and ethnic backgrounds come together through all barriers to commemorate their decades-long fight for peace, liberty, equality, and progress. The day encourages women to speak out for equal opportunities in whatever profession they want, much as men do. Women's History Month honors the women who fought for the opportunities we have today while also bringing attention to the continuing fight for women's equality.

References:  

https://www.angelesinstitute.edu/thenightingale/national-womens-month-march

https://www.borgenmagazine.com/economic-social-empowerment-women/

https://www.freepik.com/premium-vector/women-empowerment-movement-pattern_2824325.htm

New Learnings

              

                During this 2^nd Quarter of the school year 2020-2021 in ICT, I learned a lot from defining HTML, identifying web standards, creating HTML file using HTML tags. Learning HTML would mean that we can build our own custom website without assistance. But it would not only keep us from making a unique website, but it would also make our website look like everyone else's ; we can design our content without depending on anything or anyone. Understanding HTML is a part of comprehending a larger system. Coding and learning coding terms are abilities that need time to learn. I learned to create a web page for the very first time using only notepad to create a webpage using HTML. It made me appreciate how the software automated processed and managed the control of the website we were building, and gave us a better understanding of the features of the software.

 

                At first I have figured out that I’d always need someone to guide me through my first preliminary steps in encoding HTML tags, which were new to me. My first encounter with HTML is crucial. It's likely that this is the first time I've attempted something remotely relevant to coding. I was always making errors, such as wrong tag arrangement, overwriting my base file because I refused to pick SAVE AS when saving my file, I've always been struggling with “typos,” which can be caused by a variety of factors, as well as wrongly copying and pasting deprecated code. However, as time passed, I had mastered the art of encoding HTML tags.

 

                I overcome those problems by putting an effort to study and analyze well the use, when to use the HTML tags and become mindful of what I am typing so that I won’t make any mistakes. Going forward, I will continue to learn new things and conquer any hurdles that will emerge because life is full of obstacles.

Commemorating a Special Day

            Valentine's Day is a global celebration that recognizes the meaning of love. Valentine's Day, on the other hand, has a much broader appeal. It's a day to celebrate love, and that love should be all about anyone, not just a lover. Valentine's Day has, however, been a day where a man is expected to express his feelings for a woman and a woman is expected to do the same, due to popular culture. It also honors the human connection and friendship. It's a day that shows us how to show our love, support, and reverence for those that matter in our lives. It makes us smile when we hear about our loved ones. It also stresses the value of the pleasure we share when we are with people we care for.

 

Instead of being sad because we don't have a boyfriend, searched our life for people who genuinely loved us, in whatever way, and expressed our gratitude to them for being there for us when we needed them. It is one of a days for us to show and express our love to everyone. Although every day is an occasion to express our love for our parents, family members, and close friends. We send love messages to our friends and family for being there with us in times of highs and lows. Valentine's Day roses and cards are sent to all couples all around the country, and take time together to celebrate their love and appreciation for one another.

            Since Valentine's Day is all about love, everybody should make an effort to spread love. Do something that will make the people around us smile. Valentine's Day is all about showing and expressing our love, as well as doing things to make ourselves and people feel loved. 

References:

https://www.sugarbeacheventshawaii.com/valentines-day-a-romantic-day-for-lovers/

https://arisesociety.com/blogs/arise-society-blog/ways-to-be-kind-and-spread-love-in-the-world

Kannawidan: Amazing Culture & Historic Festival of Ilocos Sur

       

https://saluyot.wordpress.com/2015/02/02/kannawidan-ylocos-festival-2015/

             Kannawidan is an Ilocano word that means wealthy heritage and culture feast. It marks Ilocos Sur's foundation, which by a Royal Decree on February 2, 1818, divided the province from Ilocos Norte. The Kannawidan Ylocos Festival of the Ilocos Sur Province officially began in 2016. The festival features the province's heritage history.

 

With the traditional opening ceremony, headed by Gov. Ryan Singson along with the indigenous people of Ilocos Sur, the Bicentennial Ylocos Festival goes full blast. The festival shows Ilocos Sur's storied tradition, culture, history, arts, crafts and delicacies. Locals resurrected ancient traditions passed down by Ilocano elders at the annual Kannawidan Festival, but made it more important in 2019 because of the Bicentennial Kannawidan Ylocos festival celebration in the province. The conventional opener reveals the proof of identification that we have a society that we have shaped over the years, and we will begin our path to the future.

 

The festival of Kannawidan was also an opportunity to reinforce the culture of the Ilocano, to remember the sons and daughters of Ilocos Sur who gave honor to the province, to celebrate plentiful harvest or just celebrate the spirit of the Ilocano that continues to motivate locals to improve the province. Various trade, agriculture, aqua and livestock gatherings were held while the 17-day festival opened with a showcase of farm products. Tradition has also been seen in the culinary sweets cooked by locals, including delicacies for which Ilocos Sur is popular. Festivities were characterized by street dances and the product showcase of the 22 towns of the province. Street Dance was held by Ilocos Sur as one of the highlights of the events. The other activities for the festival include the boodle fight, a ceremony accompanied by the introduction of Ilocano traditions spiced with sporting competitions, Saniata ti Ilocos Sur, the Saint Paul Cathedral mass and procession, the exhibition of fireworks, and the motor displays and concerts.

 

It is the Ilocanos' way of offering thanks not only to the Almighty for the bountiful blessings, but also for the town's rich history, including the Ilocanos' strong family relations. This festival showcases the townspeople's deep-rooted religiosity. As a province, we will continue to pursue a more glorious future with its glorious history.

A New Normal Celebration

            For a variety of people around Vigan, Metro Vigan or even the whole Ilocos Sur, this season of cultural celebrations will be radically different as governments prohibit or forbid big gatherings and encourage people to stay home to slow down or avoid the spread of COVID-19.

            Hordes of visitors from other parts of the Philippines as well with foreigners will come here to witness the festivities like parades and street dancing. One of the parades celebrated is the Education Day Parade for the purpose is to highlight the importance of education and street dancing. There are also food fairs, arts and crafts exhibits, as well as a visiting carnival. We can no longer do these activities because of the pandemic and I’m like here reminiscing about the past—the old noise of the city, the energy and excitement of people when an artist comes here, heat for the crowd is too big, smell, sweat, dust of the ground and the persuasion of vendors.

            It is quite sad that we can’t do the activities as before but luckily amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the city government of Vigan has made a way to still celebrate it. Last January 25— the feast day of the conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, Vigan conducted Misa Concelebrada at St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral. If the activities were kept face to face previously, now it is conducted via virtual since the physical activities are deferred. Celebrations are still important even in this pandemic and this pandemic literally changing the way people celebrate major events. For the time being, the most important thing we have to do is to be careful, follow the implemented protocols and be safe at all times.

References:

https://www.facebook.com/vigancityph/photos

https://trip101.com/article/best-things-to-do-in-vigan-philippines

New Adventure

            When the year 2021 came, I’ve seen a lot of my     Facebook friends’ posts with a caption “New Year, New Me.” It seems like most of them have agreed to improve their life this year. It feels like this is the right time for self-improvement as the New Year rolls around. I assured myself that this year will be different.

            Through the past years, I've lived my life with toxicity,   pleasing others, always think negatively and being affected by the others opinion of me. Those were the years that have   given me grief and molded me to be a well-rounded and   matured young lady. It may be a rough year for me but I've learned a lot and I'm grateful that I survived and healed.

              I'm the type of person who sets a New Year's Resolution but it always end up unfulfilled. But I wanted to look at New Year's Resolutions differently this year and decided to do stuffs in God’s will. This year, I want to see myself to improve better, grow up to be a great person, make my own decisions and choose the right path. I will continue what I’ve started in 2020 which is to continue my business, become more productive each day, I will make all the people around me proud including myself, avoid toxic people who brings negativity into my life and stay positive even during rough times. I will start each day of the year with hope, feelings of satisfaction and contentment that would make me more optimistic and happier person.

            The new me will be a person who has a unique personality that may represent the lively, spontaneous and energetic with reflective, critical and concentrated side. I want to be the person who can take care of others, encourage them in every way possible to achieve their goals in life. My new year's resolution not only focus to help me eradicate my poor habits but to adopt the healthy ones. Lastly, I will make sure that I will have a bright future ahead of me.

Photo references:

https://pin.it/41APBEL

https://pin.it/686PUxe

https://pin.it/DHnaBcP

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