With the 17th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, the day started out early. At 2AM, we were on our way to Clark from Manila. Arrived at Clark at about 5AM because of stopovers and the ticket line was already long. It’s good we already had our tickets purchased before the trip.

Being our first time to witness the said event, we were surprised at the number of spectators who, some have camped out already the night before.

It was the last day yet there are still many viewers. Cameras of different models kept on flashing. Countless hands were up with cameras on hand since not everyone can’t go near the barrier. In between events, kids and adults alike were flying kites while some were busy at the exhibit. With the supervision of the personnel, visitors were allowed to hold the guns and other accessories and have their pictures taken. Kids enjoyed the experience so were the adults.

Witnessing a huge kite flying in the air when a kid can only fly a small kite, I think the kids enjoyed the kite exhibition more than the paragliding and skydiving exhibitions.

Overall, it was a weekend full of fun. Looking forward to next year’s Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.

Before the Timeline, other changes include the sorting of posts, with the highlighted stories first as default option. I wonder how Facebook qualified the highlighted posts for every account. I myself would have been happier if the default is the recent stories first.

Back to Timeline, a Facebook user is given a choice to review for 7 days  the contents/display or choose to publish immediate . So I myself is given 7 days to hide/delete/keep the information as I see fit.

Why would a user wants to review the contents? It is because unlike with the previous settings, it is now easier to browse all the posts. You can even jump from year to year instead of scrolling through all the posts like before. For privacy and security, and whether you are sure or not that you want your posts to still be published until this time, do the review. You might have some friends tagged in your posts that you do not want to be tagged anymore. Or that you might be tagged in some images but you don’t want it anymore.

Currently, using Timeline is an option. But eventually, like any other changes introduced by Facebook, it will be fully implemented whether a Facebook user likes it or not . So now that you still have the option to review,  why not take some time and introduce Timeline to your life and start getting use to it.

I need to see for myself whether my custom settings are still in place or have been reset. I am still thinking if I’ll wait for the 7 days and see what happens.

It aims to educate especially web users on the importance of thinking about the result or consequence after each click action.  To click on an image, a button, or a link is tantamount to sending an instruction to be executed.  Unless a confirmation appears, a click is already a final decision.

More and more web users are getting hooked with social networking sites. Kids as young as 4-year old, not to mention a newborn, have their own Facebook accounts. Well, I wonder how can a newborn post status update on Facebook if he can’t even hold his bottle of milk…  Anyway, with the recent report on the attack of Ramnit worm to social networking site Facebook compromising about 45,000 Facebook accounts, it is a must for every web user to think before clicking.

A single click can install malicious software on a PC to retrieve important user information, wipe out data, or damage infected PCs. A single click can fetch the list of all the contacts in an email account or open an infected website to retrieve sensitive information. A single click can send or share thousands of bytes of information to every user it encounters – the information can be useful but it can also be damaging.

It is a fact that because of its popularity, Facebook-look alikes or clones proliferated. Some web users are not even aware that they are not browsing Facebook anymore. Because of this, users click on links that they are  not supposed to click.

So before you click on anything, think first. Do check the address of the website you are  viewing. Is it the correct website? If in doubt, close your browser and open again. If you often visit a site, bookmarking is beneficial.

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box.

“There are 5 things you need to know,” he told the pencil, “Before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.”

“One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone’s hand.”

“Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil.”

“Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.”

“Four: The most important part of you will always be what’s inside.”

“And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.”

The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.

But now the pencil lay on the dark wood table, feeling insignificant and rather sad.
Beside him on the desk was a colourful tin can, filled with every kind of beautiful pen to be had.

There were silver fountain pens and a neon felt tip marker.
There was also a classy ballpoint whom everyone called Parker.

“What a loser,” they said of the pencil, as they observed his wooden frame.
“Don’t bother with him, he’s a nobody,” said Parker, “He doesn’t even have a name.”

Now the world was at war and their owner was a Soldier who was tasked to bring peace to the land.
“What we need is a map,” the Soldier had said, at the desk across from his Officer the other night.

“If someone can fly me over the city unseen, I can draw a map from the sky.
The map will tell you where to go and how to win, and soon we’ll put an end to this fight.”

The Officer had agreed and now the Soldier would fly, but first he discussed with his wife.
“I’ll need something to draw with, something dependable… something that won’t fail me mid-flight.”

The Soldier looked at his dark wood desk, and observed all the pens in the can.
He studied each one, their bodies all shimmering, and he weighed them all in his hand.

“This one won’t work,” he said of a pen, “the ink might blot on the map.
This one needs to be refilled every few hours, and this one will dry out without a cap.”

He looked at each one and always found something wrong, or anticipated problems if he used it in the sky.

“I need something that would work whatever the conditions, and I need it soon my dear wife.”

“Then take this pencil.” his wife finally said, handing him the frail and battered yellow thing.
“It will write no matter what, it will write on a plane – it’s the best writing tool you can bring.”

The Soldier smiled, kept the pencil in his pocket, and took it with him on the plane.
He finished the map and the map helped bring them peace… and the pencil has never been the same.

The pencil was now nothing more than a stub; what was left of his lead was now broken.
His eraser was gone, his wood frame had split, and some time ago his metal ring had been stolen.

Now he stood before the Pencil Maker, and waited for him to say those 5 words.
“Well done, my faithful pencil,” the Pencil Maker said, “You have written what you were meant to write in the world.”

They say continue to find your purpose and leave a mark like that of the pencil. Torn and tattered you may be with all of life’s challenges, if at the end you found your purpose in life, then, you’ve lived for what you’re meant to be..

With the kids spending the whole day attending their last session on Mathematics Teachers Association of the Philippines (MTAP) classes, there won’t be anybody around to remind to turn off the computer/laptops coz it’s been hours; lower down the audio level of the TV coz it’s too loud; not to race at the stairs coz they might fall; to always put the things in their proper places; to be frugal with the use of the water and electricity, etc.

That’s really a lighter load for this weekend. But… I still have so much more to do. Am I complaining? Not so much   In fact, I need to start my home activities after writing this post. Well…. the bed is really inviting.

Even though with the anticipated heavy traffic because of holiday shopping, I am still not sure if I can really keep my feet at home for the whole weekend. I am already thinking of doing something later this afternoon, if everyone at home agrees to have some fun

How about you? What’s your self-indulgence for this weekend?