Passport application. Where to go?  Manila or Lucena? I chose the latter. Anything but Manila. (I’m not really fond of going to Metro Manila.)

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Woke up at three am hoping to leave for Calamba at 4am.

Los Baños to Calamba (Calamba Crossing) – 20 Php

Calamba Central Terminal to Turbina – 10 Php

Turbina to Lucena (Arias) – 88Php (ordinary bus)

Arias to Metro Pacific Mall-Lucena (Bayan) – 9Php

The bus left Turbina at 5 am and I arrived at Metro Pacific at 8:30.

When you arrive at the Pacific Mall, the main entrance is  – as expected, closed. Mall hours start at 10am. You will be instructed to use the back entrance of the mall used by the employees. You will find a group pf people waiting at the back entrance, do NOT wait with them. Ask the guard where the line for DFA is and he’ll tell you to have your things checked and then proceed to the 3rd floor.

Don’t expect the  comfort room flush to work when you arrive. Remember, technically, the mall is still closed. You’ll find a LOT of people in front of the DFA office.

1. Ask the guard for a copy of the Passport Application Form (no need to download from the website). The forms that the guard distribute have numbers at the upper right corner. That will be your number. Accomplish the form and make sure you have all the requirements (check if you have the updated birth certificate from National Statistics Office. During the time this was written, it’s the  yellow and bluish color paper – NOT the orange one.)

2. A few minutes before 8am, the guard starts letting people in. Kudos to the DFA Lucena guards and staff members – polite but firm in implementing order. Upon entering, put your accomplished application form in the tray you’ll find in the window before Window 1. (Or you can just ask for the assistance of the staff.)

3. Take a seat and wait for your number to be displayed. There’s free water by the way.:)

The Passport Application/ Renewal process requires you to undergo three processes/ pass through three windows.

Windows 1,2, and 3 screens and verify the required documents you have presented.

Cashier (Middle window) is the only place where you pay for the processing of your passport. Do try to prepare an exact amount to facilitate faster transactions.

After paying, you wait for your name to be called in Windows 4 and 5 (Encoding). This where you check if the encoded information is correct. Check the spelling and other minor details which may have been omitted or misread (Your handwriting isn’t readable at all times ).

Once you have passed Window 4 or 5 for encoding, you may opt to have your passport delivered to you via LBC. The fee is 100 Php and the passport will be delivered 24 hours after release of passport. Say your passport will be released at January 7, your passport will be delivered on January 8.

Once you have undergone all these, do remember to thank the guards and the staff for their help.

So you have finished you passport application, how to get back to Elbi?

Take the Arias jeepney (9 Php). Tell the driver to drop you off Arias bus stop. From there, ride a bus going to Alabang, Cubao, etc. These buses will pass Turbina. From Turbina Flying V, ride a jeepney to Crossing Terminal. From the central terminal, get on the UP College jeepney. In the event that you arrived in Calamba very late and the terminal is closed, jeepneys going to Sta. Cruz, San Pablo, and UP College may be found in front of 7-Eleven and Chowking along the highway.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Destination is my way of filing all information I have gathered on how to go to various locations. I’m tend to forget things – instructions ans locations included. At least I’ll have this to go back to:)

Thanks to Kuya Sherwin’s detailed sketch and instructions

Note: This is not the NSO..it's just one of my photo collections of houses and building designs.

On my way to the NSO to get the papers… i rode a bus and stop before a flyover where i thought it’s where i should ride a jeepney going to the NSO but i was wrong because i stopped the bus at the first flyover at Quezon Avenue wherein i should be at the second flyover at East Avenue..it came to my mind to ride another bus but I decided to go on walking.. when i got to GMA East Avenue intersection..i thought the NSO is at the first stoplight in East Avenue so i decided to walk again because i thought it was not that far already, but when i got to the first stoplight, I realized that i was wrong again because the NSO is at the second stoplight..i had no choice but to walk again because i could already foresee the second stoplight till i finally got to the NSO ..When i think about it, the distance that i’d travelled by walking from the first place that i got down the bus to the place where i was going..i could say that it is nearly a kilometer of a distance..and i had reached my destination by walking and walking and walking…LOL

today, germaine had done some walkathoning..

NSO Sample Papers

Instructions :

1. Sample Papers are downloadable in PDF Format.
2. To view Sample Papers you should have Acrobat Reader else click here

• NSO Sample Paper Class 3

• NSO Sample Paper Class 4

• NSO Sample Paper Class 6

• NSO Sample Paper Class 7

• NSO Sample Paper Class 10

• NSO Sample Paper Class 11 non medical

• NSO Sample Paper Class 11 medical

• NSO Sample Paper Class 12 non medical

• NSO Sample Paper Class 12 medical

More Sample Papers at: http://www.icbse.com/2009/nso-national-science-olympiad/

Ga bawa kamera, tapi ini bukti saya udah nonton.

Sudah lama tidak mendengar Orchestra, kali ini nonton Nusantara Symphony Orchestra. Pemainnya lumayan kumplit dan ini adalah oke yang terkumpulit yang pernah saya tonton.

Berbeda dengan yang sebelum-sebelumnya di mana saya nontonnya di Goethe Haus, kali ini saya nontonnya di Balai Sarbini. Ruangan yang besar dan pemain oke yang lebih komplit (ada tympani nya segala) bikin pieces musik klasik yang dibawakan lebih empuk dan lembut. Kalau oke yang sebelumnya saya tonton, terdengar renyah (tapi tidak mengandung kolesterol dan gula ^_~).

“Cosi fan tuttte, K.588 : Overture” yang dibawakan oleh NSO menampilkan empat judul, yakni:

Cosi fan tuttte, K.588 : Overture
W.A. Mozart (1756-1791)

Flute Concerto No.1 in G major
W.A. Mozart (1756-1791)
Flutist : Marini Widyasari

Overture “The Herbrides”
(“Fingal’s Cave”) Op.26 (1830)
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Symphony No.4 “Italian”
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Ya ini adalah flute orchestra dengan Conductor Hikotaro Yazaki. Dua pieces pertama bernuansa pink. Mozart kan musiknya pinky yang mengalirkan lantunan musik cinta. Itu kata Chiaki Senpai di pelm Nodame Cantabile. Kalau yang Mendelssohn saya ga tau. Tapi yang Symphony No.4 “Italian” enak juga ternyata. Overall suka sekali. Tepuk tangan yang tak henti-hentinya setelah konser adalah salah satu kepuasan penonton. Tapi… ga ada yang bilang “BRAVO!!” hahaha… Masa harus saya yang teriak sih, kan saya ga ngerti musik klasik.

Sebenernya dari dulu pengen nonton Piano Concerto, tapi saya telat ternyata. NSO udah nampilin Piano Concerto bulan Oktober kemaren. Duh coba kalau ada mesin waktu, gw pengen nonton itu.

Ngomong-ngomong soal musik klasik, dorama live-action yang diangkat dari manga dan anime Nodame Cantabile, udah bikin The Movie nya juga. The Movienya ada dua bagian. Bagian pertama tayang di bisokop Jepang tanggal 19 Desember 2009 ini. Bakal ditayangin juga di Singapura, Malaysia, Brune, Hongkong, Taiwan, Prague dan Perancis. Di Indonesia ga ada yang mau beli hak tayangnya sih *hiks*. Cari2 tiket terbang ke Singapura sekitar tanggal 19 Desember, mahal2 euy. Gajadi deh. Kesempatan tinggal di The Movie bagian ke dua yang bakal tayang pada Spring Break 2010. Mungkin akhir April 2010 atau awal Mei 2010. Gambling nih beli tiket promo AA awal Mei semoga Nodame sedang tayang di Singapura. Amin.

PS: Kalau mau komen, klik link “Balas” di sebelah kanan judul tulisan ini.

Since I was informed by my TNT HR that I will need to produce a certified true copy of my marriage certificate to make my "married" status for SSS "confirmed" — I hauled hubby and my sorry ass to the first floor of the Makati City Hall to get a copy.

Now, I have this unspoken doubt when it comes to dealing with the government. In my book, MOST government employees are slimy, incompetent losers who go to work to pass time, time in and time off, this while doing their job ONCE IN A WHILE, in an attitude that seems to reflect that they ARE DOING US A BIG FAVOR when our taxes go to PAYING FOR THEIR OWN SALARIES!

(Full Disclosure: My dad is a government employee, has been employed by the majestic city government of Makati for almost more than half of my life. Thus the emphasis on the word, MOST on my paragraph above. And for the record, I do believe that there are HONEST, COMPETENT and DEDICATED government employees. It’s just sad that the scummy ones outnumber their ranks )

Ok–back to the story.

My frustration began when the good ol’ lady assigned at the Step 2 counter of the local NSO made a big shit out of me changing the number of the copies I wanted. She made me go back to Step 1 (which is the assessment), which is on the other side of the building just for that alone. A task–who someone with foresight and the presence of mind–will be able to do is less than 10 seconds. 10 seconds, I kid you not! Without me having to go back to the other side of the building!

Ale, alam nyo ho ba kung gaano kahaba ang pila?!

AND CAN ALSO SOMEONE PLEASE ENLIGHTEN ME WHY GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES ARE ALWAYS FROWNING?

The people assigned at the Assessment area looked like they’re soooo bored out of their minds, they’d rather be somewhere else than be there. They answer to people’s questions like they were so annoyed on the stupidity of us (the tax payers). Hello! The reason why we are asking is because we don’t freaking know–If we know, you wouldn’t have a job! The same goes to that lady in the Step 2 window who treats her CUSTOMERS (yes, we are customers) like she owes us a favor. Funny cos in my mind, we are the ones lining up here to pay that 40 pesos LGU tax for copies of our important documents. She refuses to release receipts to those without change or exact amount. Her favorite line is: "wala ho ba kayong barya? wala? o eh balikan nyo na lang…"

 She has the guts to say this cos she doesn’t have to line up when it’s her turn to request for documents. All she has to do is to make pasingit– a trait which her kind are wont to do.

Steps 3 and 4 were a breeze, mainly because I suspect COMPETENT people are manning the windows. Special props goes to the lady assigned to Window 11 (releasing) which serves the public with a smile and answers questions easily and without making sunget.

This brings me to one thing: WHY IS THE GOVERNMENT MAKING IT HARD FOR US TO GET IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS?

Can we do away with incompetent people and do business with computers instead? Is the Philippines too third world for us not to have an electronic document release system, which will allow us to save on manpower cost and the agony of having to deal with lines, chaos, incompetence and pure apathy?

Can our documents and records maintenance be automated? I know, I maybe kidding myself asking for something like this, when we still do our elections manually.

I wonder? is our own government holding us back from progress by REFUSING TO SIMPLIFY THINGS FOR US?

I suspect installing a state of the art records maintenance system will eliminate the need for more employees. Lines and processing will be a breeze, the temptation for corruption and palakasan system will be non-existent. AYAW BA NATIN NUN?

Then again, removing these incompetent people from their current jobs leads to disgruntled voters. That’s one thing every damn politician here in my beloved country can’t afford to have.

Baka kasi hindi pa sila manalo! Hence we have to make do with what we have. Or in my case, I pray that I won’t be needing any document anytime soon. Else, it’s a trip back to hell for me!

(CFD.net.au – Contract for Difference, Share, Forex, ETFs, Commodities Traders) –

Kathy Lien

Director of Currency Research, GFT

pips

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-0.80

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+67

+0.65

EXPECTATIONS FOR UPCOMING FED MEETINGS

CURRENT US INTEREST RATE: 0.25%

Chance of More Easing Has Increas …

Kathy Lien

Director of Currency Research, GFT

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EXPECTATIONS FOR UPCOMING FED MEETINGS

CURRENT US INTEREST RATE: 0.25%					Chance of More Easing Has Increased
	11/4 Meeting	12/16 Meeting
NO CHANGE	41.8%	47.0%
CUT TO 0BP	49.1%	44.5%
INCREASE TO 50BP	9.1%	8.5%
INCREASE TO 75BP	0.0%	0.0%

U.S. DOLLAR: MORE PROTECTIONISM IS BAD

It is not surprising to see the DOLlar recover after selling off significantly in the beginning of the week. In every downtrend there will be relief rallies which is what we have witnessed today. The DOLlar traded higher against the Euro, Australian, New Zealand and Canadian dollars, but not before each of the 3 commodity producing currencies hit fresh year to DATe highs. The U.S. economic calendar was once again devoid of any major economic releases, giving investors the opportunity to let their imaginations run wild. Although there are many reasons why the dollar should continue to weaken, the primary reason is the improvement in risk appetite. So if risk aversion returns and equities give back their recent gains, the relief rally in the dollar could become a full blown turn. Concerns about losses in the commercial real estate sector and the unrealistic expectations of a V shaped recovery have made investors a bit nervous. However with no major U.S. economic reports due for release this week and 2 central banks making monetary policy announcements tomorrow, we still believe that interest rate differentials will drive the Currency market.

More Protectionism

Although there are no major U.S. economic releases on the calendar tomorrow, there are 2 U.S reports worth watching – jobless claims and ICSC Chain Store Sales. After the acceleration of job losses reported last week, Traders will be looking for clues to whether the trend of improvement in the labor market has ended. If jobless claims increase more than the previous week, investors could grow concerned about another month of massive job losses. In addition, there have been a lot of reports that spending this holiday season will be weak and because of that, retailers are just looking to breakeven. However, based upon the SpendingPulse Index, a service by MasterCard Advisors, retail sales rebounded in September. Costco and Family Dollar Stores also posted better than expected quarterly results which give hope to Thursday’s report which will include back to school spending. Meanwhile consumer credit fell for the seventh month in a row due to mounting job losses and tight credit. If not for the cash for clunkers program, the DATa would have been even weaker.

EUR: COULD TRICHET TALK CURRENCIES?

The Euro traded lower against the U.S. dollar on the fear that European Central Bank President Trichet could reiterate his support for the U.S. dollar. There is no question that reporters will jump at the opportunity to ask Trichet about his take on the recent weakness of the dollar and there is no reason why he would change his stance. Although this would be nothing new, it could be enough to tip the


EUR/USD





over. Based upon recent economic reports from the Eurozone, the recovery remains “bumpy.” The expiration of the car scrapping program in Germany has driven retail sales sharply lower while his morning’s Eurozone GDP report revealed that growth in the second quarter fell more than initially anticipated. Weakness in other parts of the region has offset growth in Germany and France, triggering a 0.2 percent drop in GDP. Aside from comments on the Currency, the market will also be looking at what Trichet says about the economy and the results of their second one year refinancing operation which was met with lackluster demand. The question of adding a spread to the one year tender is once again an issue. If the ECB adds a spread to the December operation, it would be perceived as a hawkish move. Given the recent trend of economic DATa and the appreciation in the


EUR/USD,





Trichet may postpone this decision until November. In TERms of exit strategies, ECB officials have said repeatedly that now is not the time for an exit and we expect Trichet to reiterate this stance. Aside from the monetary policy announcement, German industrial production is also due for release. The increase in factory orders suggests that there is a good chance that production rose as well.

GBP/USD:





CONSOLIDATION AHEAD OF BoE

The British pound continued to consolidate ahead of tomorrow’s Bank of England meeting while


EUR/GBP





reversed much of yesterday’s strong rally. The pair will be of particular importance ahead of the BoE and ECB rate decisions. The only economic indicator reported today from the U.K. was Nationwide Consumer Confidence which continues its string of excellent performance. The report showed that confidence hit the highest level in 18 months, while economic expectations reached nearly a four year high. Nationwide attributed the improvement to “continued positive news about the housing market and the strong rally seen in equities.” Of course, the BoE rate decision will be the focus of tomorrow’s calendar. After the surprise decision to expand the asset purchase program in August many Traders are approaching the decision with caution. However, even though the bank is still the most dovish in town, there is not much that could be expected. The main points to look out for will be any mention of the pound or any discussion about the possibility of lowering the banks deposit rate.

AUD: EMPLOYMENT NUMBERS ON TAP

The Australian, New Zealand and Canadian dollars raced to fresh year to date highs before giving up their gains to end the day lower against the U.S. dollar. Australian economic data continues to outperform, adding validity to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to hike interest rates earlier this week. Construction sector PMI jumped from 42.4 to 50.8, putting the Index into expansionary TERritory for the first time since February 2008. Home loans continued to fall while investment lending surged. The housing market in Australia has been fueled by not only Australian but also Chinese demand. This evening, employment numbers are due for release and we believe that the data will help to reignite the rally in the Aussie. With the employment component of service, manufacturing and construction sector PMI all rising in September, there is a good chance that Australia experienced positive job growth last month. Meanwhile the Canadian dollar came under pressure as


oil





prices gave back their earlier gains. Housing starts are also due for release tomorrow and the rise in building permits suggests a recovery in Canada’s real estate market which could help to lift the loonie.

USD/JPY:





FUJII IS AT IT AGAIN

The U.S. dollar fell to a 9 month low intraday before rebounding to end virtually unchanged against the J.P.nese Yen. Despite the dollar’s recovery against other major currencies, it remains weak against the Yen which suggests that the market is still bearish dollars. As the currency pair continues to fall, the market will increase its focus on comments by J.P.nese officials. Finance Minister Hirohisa Fujii’s is at it again – the incoming administration’s rules about foreign exchange intervention seem to change day by day. Mr. Fujii explained that while he does not believe governments should intervene, there are certain exceptions to the rule. In the cases where currency fluctuations are “outrageously reckless” authorities will need to take appropriate measures. However, he does not regard the yen’s strength as being “extremely abnormal.” In an attempt to keep the dollar from falling too far, Fujii mentioned that he does not expect to reduce the level of dollars in J.P.n’s reserves. These latest comments are on the back of signs of distress coming from Sony Electronics. The company predicts that the yen will continue to strengthen, giving them “no moment to breathe”. Economic data released today included the Coincident Index, which jumped to its highest in eleven months, and the Leading Index which improved to 83.3. On the way for tomorrow will be the Current Account and Trade Balance along with the Eco Watchers Survey.

EUR/GBP:





Currency in Play for Next 24 Hours

EUR/GBP





will be the currency pair in Play for the next 24 hours. The Bank of England is set to announce its rate decision at 7:00 am ET or 11:00 GMT. The ECB will follow with its decision at 7:45 am ET or 11:45 GMT. There will also be German Industrial Production at 6:00 am ET or 10:00 GMT.

EUR/GBP





struggles to regain recent highs and barely is holding within the Bollinger band buy zone. Potential support stands at 0.9077, which was not only the September 30th low but also the September 21st high. Resistance is extremely strong at 0.9300, the high from September 28th. Any sign that the direction of the ECB and BoE are diverging more than expected could send the currency pair that way.

Comments (7)

FXDragon

October 07, 2009 at 05:56 PM ET

What is chicken feet? What do americans do with it? Dont they grow thieir own chicken? I like wings and legs

Clover

October 07, 2009 at 06:07 PM ET

It is the feet of the Chicken…and because you like wings and legs, but not the feet, the US sells them to China where it is as usual as hot-Dog in America.

hsbc

October 07, 2009 at 07:46 PM ET

i live in china and no one has really heard of US chickens. china has a huge poultry sector and its hard to imagine why anyone would want an imported chicken

usman

October 08, 2009 at 12:50 AM ET

whats happening with the Gold? tell me the reasons for current trents ? why is this happening so quickly?

FXDragon

October 08, 2009 at 03:24 AM ET

Gold is roofing because investors wanna protect their dollar investments. Gold and dollar are rivals, Euro and gold are brothers. They also hedge against hyperinflation which might come because of low fed rates and huge trade deficit.

klien

October 08, 2009 at 09:52 AM ET

one answer – Dollar Weakness

Eddie09

October 08, 2009 at 08:22 PM ET

Well, I wish the Chinese government officials could use the decisions on U.S. government debt as their bargaining chip for certain important issues. Unfortunately they are not able to. Something behind the scene do not allow. Even some US financial commentators have mentioned, the Chinese officials do not necessarily want to continue to buy the US debt (after they have already owned unprecedented huge amount of it), but they have to. Well, it’s up to the readers about how to understand the comments. At least you know they have no choice but continue to deliver hundred of billions$ to the central bank each month…

You can see a lot of peculiar things happening these days (including the trade issues you pointed out) while the Chinese officials simply have no real action or reaction. People will learn why in the future.

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Kathy Lien began her FX trading career 10 years ago at J.P. Morgan Chase. After graduating New York University’s Leonard Stern School of Business at the age of 18, Kathy joined the bank’s interbank FX trading desk and eventually moved to the cross markets proprietary trading desk. In the interbank market, her ability to create solid fundamental and technical analysis from the myriad of information on the market helped her trade forex spot and options. Her experience eventually led her to be chief strategist at Daily FX where she worked until she joined GFT in 2008.

With her knowledge of forex, as well as her experience trading other products, such as interest rate derivates, bonds, equities, and Futures, Lien has built a reputation as an international currency analyst. She is frequently quoted on CNBC, Bloomberg, Fox Business and Reuters. Lien has also written for publications like Active Trader, Futures, and SFO magazine. She is the author of the newly updated

Day Trading the Currency Market: Technical and Fundamental Strategies to Profit from Market Moves

, and the co-author of

Millionaire Traders: How Everyday People Are Beating Wall Street at Its Own Game

with Boris Schlossberg.

To buy Kathy’s newly updated

Day Trading and Swing Trading the Currency Market: Technical and Fundamental Strategies to Profit from Market Moves

,

click here

.

Source: U.S. Dollar: More Protectionism is Bad

We just returned from one of our whirlwind weekends in Newport – three rehearsals over two days, learning lots of new music, reconnecting with friends, and enjoying the beautiful beach weather (didn’t actually get out onto the beach).

5:00 a.m. Saturday morning is the start time.  Bleary eyed we eat breakfast and load up the van, hoping we haven’t left anything critical behind.  Like an instrument.  Or the music we’re about to rehearse (these things have been done, in the past…)  (One source of anxiety dreams – you know those dreams where you’re in college, suddenly facing the final exam in an obscure language, and you haven’t done the last six weeks of homework…  Only my anxiety dreams are about musical disasters.  I think the most memorable such dream of mine involved a locked concert hall, I could hear the musicians inside warming up; I finally got in, went to the stage, only to discover the orchestra was set up in the third balcony.  I make it up there, get my cello out, the end-pin somehow comes out, escapes over the edge of the balcony, falls down to the hydraulic pit, and between the edge of the pit and the wall, into the dark depths below.  I run down to the basement, which is raw mud, pilings holding up the building, rats running across the mud, water – perhaps from the Thames? – lapping up against the pilings, I can hear the orchestra starting to play up there in the third balcony…)

But I digress.  We head down the freeway, taking turns driving and napping.  We listen to all of NPR Weekend Edition-Saturday, then it starts again – if you were lucky, you were asleep when that part came last time.  We have our usual stops for changing drivers, getting coffee or a snack, finding a bathroom.  We pull into Newport about 9:15 for a 10:00 a.m. rehearsal.  We haven’t seen most of these folks since July or earlier.  The cello section (yay for us!) is all in place by 9:35, as other people straggle in for the 10 am rehearsal.  Craig unloaded just two timpani this time (a two-timpani gig – we could have done it in a smaller vehicle if ….)

This time, we’re doing Mendelssohn Reformation Symphony, two Ives pieces, Vaughan Williams Greensleeves, Jubel Overture (C.M.von Weber).  Most people seem to have practiced, we make good progress, Adam (our conductor) is happy.  But there are plenty of nasty bits to work on.  We work through the day – morning coffee at break, lunch midday (brought by wonderful NSO volunteers) and on through mid-afternoon.  By then we’re ready for a nap.

We stayed (as we usually do) with Buck & Sioux.  Sioux and I went to a play at the Performing Arts Center (very funny) while Craig and Buck dealt with their football addictions.

Today was another lovely sunny day at the beach, and we were inside struggling with Charles Ives, who seems determined to confound us with his rhythms.

This evening, after we got back home, we watched “The Soloist,” rented from Netflix.  Some of the scenes of homeless street squalor in LA, and the voices talking to Nathaniel as he descends into his schizophrenia, remind me in a perverse sort of way of some of my music anxiety dreams.  Perhaps it was the rat that appeared in Nathaniel’s sleeping spot in the freeway tunnel – apparently located nearby or maybe even underneath the Disney Concert Hall where the LA Phil plays.

Š.m. liepos 11 paryčiais, Zigmas K., Varniuose eidamas iš Bliuzo naktų koncerto, stebėjo ir nesėkmingai mėgino mobiliuoju telefonu nufilmuoti, danguje pasirodžiusį neatpažintą skraidantį objektą (NSO). Objektas buvo blankiai švytinčios mėlynos kaubojiškos skrybėlės formos, judėjo sudėtingais zigzagais, o po to kelis kartus savo formą pakeitė. Sukrėstas patirto įspūdžio, Zigmas K. grįžo atgal į Bliuzo naktų alaus kioskus.

Beje šiek tiek vėliau, liepos 22 d., per saulės užtemimą, tas pats objektas pasirodė Kinijoje, nors ten Bliuzo naktų gal ir nebuvo. (O gal buvo?)

Welcome back to school erbody! The SEPTEMBER  Concert Calendar!  has just been updated. Not many concerts until the middle of the month, so just enjoy NSO for now. 

>>>Check some pics from todays Chancellor Block Party. (photos via our new photographer)

Men’s soccer has their season opener at Rhodes Field today at 4:50 pm.

The Daily Pennsylvanian is taking part of the Late Night Initiative and having desserts at their offices tonight at 11 pm. The office is at 4015 Walnut (the big building with the columns). Meet the editors and enjoy some cool DP people.

Sororities are having an informal carnival where you can meet the members of the sororities and ask some questions! Check it out tomorrow at Perelman Quad (right outside Houston) from 10 pm- midnight.

Ready or not, today begins New Student Orientation.  This is one of our favorite times of the year, because we really love seeing who God has brought to Asbury.  It is a time of great stories, new friendships and our community continuing to change through new faces.

If you are on twitter and want to keep up with the scoop, follow the hashtag #ATS_NSO.  It is a great way to start meeting people already.

Sorry for being MIA yesterday- I had to move in!

is there only free parking for undergraduate families? once you become an upperclassmen, do your parents not get free parking?

When you unload your car, you get an hour of parking outside your dorm. At that point, everyone (regardless of what class you’re in) gets a free parking voucher for the day at one of the Penn parking lots.

This only applies if you’re living on campus- once you move off campus, you’re on your own!

And this only applies for move-in. At any other time, you have to pay for parking.

Welcome back to school! We are stoked for the new school year. Many exciting programs and activities are scheduled to promote the spirit of the Y, espouse cougar traditions and to prepare you to be the best alumni you can be. After all, you are alumni in training — or as we like to say at Student Alumni — Cougars Today, Cougars Forever.

In order to have a great year, the new executive board’s homework over the summer was reading “Good to Great” by Jim Collins. The board learned many useful keys to sustaining a great organization, including getting the right people in the right position or, as Collins says, having “the right people on the bus.” We have been implementing this principle and others to make Student Alumni a great organization.

Over the past two weeks, the board has gotten to know each other much better through their annual retreat…

The Student Alumni Association executive board enjoying dinner during their retreat.

We have also amped up our recruiting efforts for volunteers to help plan and promote our programs and events at Foundations of Leadership and New Student Orientation, inviting our newest cougar cubs from the freshman class to get involved.

The Student Alumni Board in the Aspen Grove Lodge recruiting "cougar cubs" at Foundations of Leadership.

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered or signed up to participate! We invite the rest of you to get involved too. If you are interested in planning or advertising our programs and events, send an e-mail to studentalumni@byu.edu. Please specify if you want to be on a committee, or if you just want to hear about our upcoming events.

Remember, Cougars Today, Cougars Forever!

i haven’t made my penncard yet is that ok? can i do it the day i move in or is campus express online the only option?

Well, what are you waiting for? This needs to be done online at Campus Express Online because they upload a picture and print out an ID card that will be available for pickup in Houston Hall during NSO.

Typically, if you lose your PennCard, you go to the Franklin Building (Walnut bet. 34 and 36th st) and they take your picture and print you out a new PennCard for a fee of $20. However, since this is move-in week, the Franklin Building office might be closed

My advice is to upload your picture ASAP so they have it ready for you. Just make sure it’s not too late.

Hey all! Tomorrow commences MOVE IN! Early move-in begins tomorrow, which means we will be seeing some of you very soon.

Here are a few refreshers as to what move-in is all about: a post on move-in logistics, and one on what NSO is like.

Don’t forget your parking passes if you are arriving by car, or your trash bags.

Also, remember to be nice to your parents if they are helping you move-in. It’s a high-stress day, so go into it with a positive outlook. Just get excited- you’re almost at college!

See you soon,

PennFresh

As the week of move-in approaches, I advise you all to take a few deep breaths. Whether you are excited, nervous, anxious, or a mix of the three, don’t worry- everyone is in the same boat.

Some things to consider bringing with you that you might not have considered:

Brita filter (Philadelphia water isn’t great)

anything to make your closet a more organized space

alarm clock (don’t want to be late for that 9 AM midterm)

anything red and blue for football games

trash bags for move in

ear plugs (no, I’m not kidding- what if you have a loud neighbor?)

ipod speakers for those dance parties

paper towels/clorox wipes.

This is your 1st One Stop Community Errand Center in the Philippines. Ang Utusan ng Bayan!

Tripping Franklins NSO starts tomorrow .  We’re pumped.  I’d like to dedicate these tracks to DJ Paul Revere, who has just informed me is going to change his name. 

Joachim Garraud – Are U Ready (Laidback Luke Remix)

Deadmau5 – California Love (Zoltan Kontes Remix)

Drake – Best I Ever Had (Grandtheft Remix)

The Beach Boys – Wouldnt It Be Nice (The Girls Can Hear Us Remix)

How possible is it to get sleep during NSO? It seems like we have a pretty busy schedule that starts pretty early, and of course then there are parties. I do want to go to parties, but I also need a lot of sleep (…8 hours) to really function…and make good first impressions. Will that just not be possible?

You will might have to compromise your sleep schedule a LITTLE bit during NSO. The schedule is planned so you can have mornings to sleep in. (I actually really appreciate this question, because I always try to get 8 hours of sleep, and somehow manage to do it.)

Most mandatory meetings start after 10 AM, and most are even later, so you can get your sleep in. If you really do need 8 hours of sleep and have something early in the morning, then you might not be able to be out as late the night before.

Once school starts, however, you will be able to make 8 hours of sleep a reality if you put in a little effort. Like, do more work during the day instead of at night so you can get to sleep when you want to.

Last week at our area staff team meeting we studied Jeremiah page 1.  We talked a lot about Jeremiah’s appointment by God, to go, speak, pluck up, pull down, destroy, overthrow, build, and plant.  Four of these are negative actions, and only the last two are positive.  Usually we spend so much of our time in ministry just wanting to build and plant, which if we think about it, really is like wanting to construct a building on whatever happens to be there: a sinkhole, a road, a sidewalk, a dilapidated slumlord apartment.  It’s not a good idea.  Or it’s like starting to plant a garden as is, regardless of the soil condition, the drainage, the weeds that are still deeply rooted, the children from next door who like running through that particular bit of ground.  It’s not a good idea.

I resonate particularly with the planting imagery because of my green-thumb efforts this summer in our newly purchased city home.  I planted quickly, and our backyard transformed from a weed pit into a lush garden, yet several times a week I need to carefully pull out weeds, trying to uproot as completely as possible, but never quite fully.  And in front of our house, in the midst of all the concrete and pavement is a small cutout for what was a garden.  Again, I planted quickly, not anticipating the number of things that would fall into this garden (marbles, balls, bicycles, children, candy wrappers, empty bags of chips) not to mention the usual weeds growing up.

So as much as I wanted to just partake in the positive activity of planting, this accounts for a very small portion of my gardening time.  Far more time is spent plucking up, pulling down, destroying, overthrowing.  In the garden this centers around deeply rooted weeds, and in the city this includes ubiquitous bits of trash.

And I wonder, what does this look like campus, and in our ministry efforts?  What are the deeply rooted weeds of campus culture and our ministry habits?  What are the ubiquitous bits of trash that flutter around campus and in our ministry?

As we welcome a new wave of students to our campuses , these are critical questions.

What is God calling us to?

Like Jeremiah, let us be aware of our lack of qualifications, and simply trust that God is with us to deliver.

Here are a few remarks on the follow-up comments I’ve received…

“My roommate and I are interested in getting white curtains for aesthetic purposes. The width of the windows is available online, but not the height of the windows. Where can I get this info? Are curtains for your window a total waste?”

Curtains are not a total waste if you want to soften up the windows. However, I can’t exactly tell you the height of the windows because they vary in every room. My advice is to get there and see what your room is like and how tall the windows are- you can always order a curtain. Or, you can get a long one and cut it down- if you’re good with scissors and sewing hems. (If I did that, my curtains would look like jagged doom.)

“I’m in Ware and I think that means we get seasonal AC. Does that mean I don’t get to control the temperature in my dorm? Can we adjust the AC at all?”

You actually CAN control the AC. On your AC/heating unit, there is an adjustment knob that controls the temperature. You can turn it off or turn it up. The AC goes off when the exterior temperature dips below a certain point for a few days in a row, and resumes in late spring (if at all) when the temperature is predicted to be high enough for a solid stretch of time.

“You said that you flew to Providence for $35. What airline did you take and where did you buy the ticket? Most of the flights I’ve found go from $250 and up.”

I took US Airways- although it might have just been the time of year (April). I found the tickets through one of those websites like Travelocity.com. Sadly, ticket prices might have gone up since then . I’m sorry if my advice gave you false hope!

“Any insight on what time to get to Penn on move-in day, or is it just personal preference?”

This is TOTALLY up to you. I always say the earlier, the better. The people who help you out will still be lively and energetic (as opposed to tired, sweaty, and cranky), and it gives you enough time in the afternoon to meet others or get things that you forgot.

“Also, do people like shop for theme parties the day before? Sounds like a weird question, but I’m not bringing my old dress-up clothes with me to Penn or anything (and I certainly don’t own a toga, for the NSO thing).”

No, people won’t shop for the theme parties the day before during NSO. You won’t need to bring dress up clothing- most people improvise. Like for a 60s party, they’ll throw on some tye dye or peace signs. American Apparel is always an easy stop (Walnut and 37th) for minor shiny accessories. What would college be without neon metallic spandex? Costumes might be laughed at until Halloween rolls around. We like enthusiasm for themes, but there’s a limit. As the year goes on, you might dress up with a group of friends before a party  and go to a thrift store together. During NSO, however, you don’t have much time to shop for outfits because of all the meetings. Also, togas are bed sheets!

“What is the penn reading project like? (what i mean is… do they make you talk? I’m dreading a repeat of my art history class since we’re doing a painting)”

Just be thankful you didn’t have to read a book. The following is how it was for us.. I assume that the difference between a book PRP and a painting PRP is minimal. (Here is the link to the website.)

This might be a slight repeat of your art history class, but the discussion segment is definitely not that serious. The first part of the PRP is the “Panel in Irvine Auditorium,” where the panelists will discuss the painting and then answer student questions (no pressure to ask any, though). The Panel will serve to kick-off the discussions that you will later have. When I went through it, the discussion groups were with your hall mates, RA/GA, and a Penn professor. We ended up getting into a heated discussion about something that had very little to do with the book we were reading. If you think about it, not many students have taken art history in high school, so the discussion won’t get too technical- you will probably talk more about the subject of the painting and the time period it was painted in, and then spin off from there.  I think it definitely depends on the professor who is leading your discussion section. There won’t be any pressure to speak if you don’t want to (unless your discussion leader is mean). Trust me, it won’t be that bad- the professor just will just want to keep a dialogue going, and you might even have something to say!