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Into an Exhibit in the Mountain

The Manobo-Lapaknon community in Butuan City of Agusan del Norte, as mentioned by Noreen Domingo in her exhibit and book launch entitled Pagsulang believes that “land must not be owned by just one person, but should be distributed evenly so everyone, regardless of rank or social class, can benefit from it.” As the community continues to persist with this belief, the Manobo-Lapaknon peoples are driven to defend their land in which their peoples have lived throughout for centuries from people who aspire to take it from them. They remain motivated to defend their ancestral land despite the lack of support from the Philippine government.

Issues about the loss of land and lack of human rights for indigenous people have been brought to light and discussed, particularly about the redistribution of ancestral land. Nevertheless, it seems to me that the dispute of whether ancestral lands do belong to the indigenous community living there or not and can be redistributed by the government remains an issue. Pagsulang, an exhibit and book launch by Noreen Domingo in the Philippine High School for the Arts, aimed to encourage discussions about the indigenous people’s situation, particularly in her school. The exhibit, as mentioned by Ms. Domingo who is a Butuanon, was also her first encounter with the Manobo-Lapaknon people, making her immersion in the community special and closer to home.

Being able to attend an exhibit wherein each booth is explained by the individual who took and experienced what was being displayed was, as far as I can recall, unique for me, as most of the exhibits I have attended are told by those who only have studied about the contents and stories of what was displayed. However, I must admit that I had little or no knowledge about the issues regarding the loss of land and lack of human rights for the indigenous people. I barely scratch the surface of the issue. This may be partly the reason why I also have no knowledge of the Manobo-Lapaknon community, as I do not attempt to research any indigenous communities. Simply, it is not in my fields of interest. Which is why, as we rode the bus that would take us to the venue of Pagsulang – Philippine High School for the Arts – I could not feel the excitement that my classmates were experiencing. Not even a small buzz of joy or anticipation. Even the scenery – tall trees looming over us, protecting us from the glare of the sun; the long steep winding road that had too many turns for me to count, could not excite me. I had experienced it multiple times, enough for me to lose the thrill of passing through that mountain.

Arriving at Philippine High School for the Arts was different. Although I had been there before, the beauty of the school still amazes me. The entire school seemed like a resort, with its houses designed to look like nipa huts, as if it were situated by a beach. Except, this particular resort was situated in the mountain Mt. Makiling and the houses were modern and mainly made of cement rather than nipa. It was refreshing. As we passed by the dormitories, I had my head craned towards the windows as my eyes were trying to take in all that they can of the view.

One of the highlights of going to Philippine High School for the Arts is that even if its summer time, you will not find yourself sweating from the heat. If it’s not cold in PHSA, it’s cool—both literally and figuratively. It was cool when we stepped out of the bus.

The exhibit was equally so. Entering one of the “modernized” nipa huts, we found ourselves in an air-conditioned room with its walls painted in alternating colors of red and white—colors of the Manobo-Lapaknon community. A laptop was on a table at one end of the room and right across it, a television playing a video, which Ms. Domingo explained was a clip of one of the rituals of the Manobo-Lapaknon community. Walls painted red were adorned with pictures and items from the indigenous community while the white walls had paintings, depicting stories told to Ms. Domingo by members of the Manobo-Lapaknon. I was very much intrigued as I heard and read the stories Ms. Domingo had shared.

 At the end of the exhibit, we found ourselves in front of a display where letters from the Manobo-Lapaknon, translated by Ms. Domingo, were pinned. If interested, we may read and respond to the letters by writing our own message. I was able to read the letter from Marilyn Asaytona Cutar, asking us not to be afraid of indigenous people as they are, like us, Filipino people too. I could not have agreed more, and so I wrote back to her with my sentiments.

Leaving Pagsulang and exiting the mountain, I had found that I was slightly more animated than when I was entering. I had not only learned about the Manobo-Lapaknon community; I had also realized that the outcome of writing about something that is close to your heart, about something that is close to home, creates a spark that drives you to pour ounces and ounces of your energy to learning, describing, and imparting knowledge about that topic. It may also drive those who have seen your work to do the same. The outcome of such writing then becomes fulfilling. I had felt that spark throughout the showcase of Pagsulang. Thus, upon arriving home at the foot of the mountain Mt. Makiling, I felt compelled to read and write about my own experiences etched into the walls of my mind.

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Sink Your Teeth into the Story of Felix and His Food Stall

The stall, with the smoke from the grilled barbeque wafting through the air, attracted both students and teachers alike (mainly from UP Rural High School) to buy the products displayed – barbeque, isaw, dugo, hotdog, and many more. Some come to buy the pineapple juice offered rather than the food, but I think it all ends the same way – another mouth fed, another hungry stomach satiated, and a family earning their keep.

When the time was reaching 8:25 PM, the stall slowly started to lose customers and that was when the opportunity to interview the owner of the stall appeared - an opportunity that will not be lost, and so the interview was conducted.

 Meal Ticket

Felix, the owner of the stall, shared that he was the breadwinner of a family of three. He and his wife were blessed with their daughter Maureen who helps manage the stall by being in-charge of receiving the payments and giving out change. In a rather hushed voice, Felix had also shared that their daughter, for the briefest moment, became an older sister. It was short-lived since upon birth, the younger sibling had died.

Prior to creating his food stall, Felix was gardener-slash-handyman in Jubileeville: ��cutting weeds and such,” as he had described. He, however, had an abusive and rude amo – spouting curse words directed at Felix, and even berating and belittling him. As a father and a family man looking for a way to provide for his family, he did his best to prevent the weeds – bad thoughts and negative emotions - from growing in himself. He needed to feed his family. After a while, Felix had come to realize that one must pull out the weeds to be able to grow a beautiful and healthy garden, so he decided to save enough money to buy a bicycle.

 Souped Up

After being able to purchase a bicycle, Felix fully quit his job. He turned his bicycle into a portable food stall through modifying the bike by installing a motor he bought from a friend and added a grill and counter for the food. The family divided the workload so that Felix’s daughter would be able to help him run the food stall on weekends such as this. Thus, he started his food stall business and from then on, that was what supported his family.

 Sell Like Hot Cakes

Felix’s food stall had gained popularity after he had started selling in areas near their house, so he had bought and made another food stall. This, on the other hand, sold items such as fish ball, kikiam, squid balls, kwek-kwek, and other snacks. Having two food stalls, Felix had decided to hire a dark-skinned woman to help his wife to operate the new food stall, while Felix stationed at the older one. Maureen, their daughter, goes to school during weekdays and she is now in her sixth year of elementary.

Due to the increasing demand for his food stall as a snack after classes had ended and for people heading home, Felix had decided to get all the necessary documents for his food stalls such as a DTI-BNRS Permit. He had also decided to station his food stalls near UP Rural High School for two reasons – the first being that it was near their home, making it a short drive, and the second is that a lot of his customers are from the high school if not the people living nearby.

 Bringing Home the Bacon

Felix, when asked what he felt about his current job, stated that he was happy. He stated that if he had not decided to save up for a bicycle then turned it into a food stall; he would experience abuse from his amo for weeks on end just to be able to feed his family. However, Felix admitted that standing in front of and exposing himself to too much heat and smoke was tiring, but having their daughter as their motivation to work, he tries not to think of the fatigue. He pushes through. By being able to stay motivated despite the struggles he had and has to endure, Felix is able to provide for his family and support their daughter in her studies.

 9 o’clock had arrived quicker than expected and the interview wrapped up with Felix stating that one of the things he had learned was how to interact with different types of people through his different customers. He had learned about the different ways people go about their day and why they often go to his food stall to have a snack – whether it is as simple as being hungry or as complicated as eating to relieve stress. In the end, no matter how exhausting a day has been from selling at his stall, seeing and hearing different people bond after a hard day’s work over the food he has prepared is very satisfying and that it helps him forget about being tired at all. It is as if by providing food for his customers, he had also fed himself with knowledge, experience, and entertainment. Felix, at the end of the day, not only provided food for his customers and provided a means to provide for his family, but he was also able to enjoy fully his job as a food vendor, which is something he has come to find very rewarding.

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Message Notification Received: “Status: Helpless”

It’s been nearly four years since I, Mithali, and Dylan had a conversation. Mithali and I greet each other on Facebook occasionally, whenever there are posts that ask us to tag or message people who had significantly affected our lives. Dylan, on the other hand, has not communicated with me since our last conversation. We were not friends on any other social networking sites other than the writing blog that connected the three of us. He had already deactivated his account on that site. Mithali and I still had our profiles, but we hardly use them anymore. I would like to wholeheartedly believe that the reason why we don’t communicate on that site anymore is because we were too caught up in our personal lives (and mainly used Facebook) that we barely had time to write fiction anymore or open our accounts. If that were really the reason, I guess I am partly glad since that seems to be the case for most people when they grow up, or so I am told. However, there’s this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that it was not just that. Although it’s not as loud as most of the other memories that plague me at night, its screams echo through my mind and bounces off its walls. My heart begins to pound and I feel nervous; cold from the small waves of regret that appear. I can’t push the feeling aside; therefore, I remember.

Quotev.com; the site where I had met two of my three closest friends. I cannot remember how I came upon QuoteV – the year was 2012 – but I remember I published and read fanfiction on that site; even collaborated with certain authors. I wrote journals. I made quizzes. I made polls that were well known throughout QuoteV. I also edited and reviewed other writer’s works. I even had a small blog where I posted my thoughts on a day-to-day basis. I met Mithali, an Indian student who is aspiring to become a lawyer, when she wrote me an encouraging comment on one of my posts. She also offered to listen to my problems; I took up her offer. After that conversation, we frequently found ourselves having many conversations about anything and everything – from what we ate for breakfast up to our family problems and health conditions, and even the thoughts that make us lose our self-worth for brief moments. To say the least, Mithali was a very positive person despite her struggles, even when she was hospitalized due to a sudden increase in her heart rate. I can’t recall what the name of her condition was but I recall the conversations we have had while she was in the hospital fighting to get better and I lying down comfortable in my room at 3AM. She also liked to socialize, and that is how she met Dylan.

I don’t remember how they specifically met or how I first talked to Dylan, but I do remember Mithali introducing me to him. He was one-third Filipino, Spanish, and Australian; he lived in the land down under. He had a younger brother and an older sister. He and his family were also religious. We also became good friends. After a while, both of them messaged me in our group chat and said that they were dating. I remember feeling very happy for the both of them – they really were a good match. Dylan was also good at conversing with people, just as Mithali was. Out of the three of us, I was the worst at socializing, though it didn’t stop them from making me join their “conversation parties” with other people. I got through them fine and not once did I feel left out. I never felt that I was a third wheel, which is why I cherish them very much because it was the first time I had felt like I was actually a part of a circle of friends. Even up until now, I have never second-guessed that I was an important member of the group. Which is why, when Mithali told us that she wouldn’t be online on QuoteV for a week due to a trip, Dylan and I were not awkward with each other and could freely talk. I, however, didn’t not anticipate our conversation.

Sometime in the middle of the week, a message from Dylan appeared asking a favor from me – he wanted me to tell Mithali that he would be leaving. He explained to me why he had made that sudden decision, and on top of that, Mithali was not around to hear it first from him. That was the first time I had felt helpless. I couldn’t convince Dylan to leave after Mithali had returned. When I woke up one day, I had a message from Mithali asking me what was going on. Dylan had at least left her a message. Dylan’s younger brother had the same heart condition as Mithali. When they were playing Frisbee, Dylan’s brother panicked due to a Frisbee throw and his heart rate spiked and he was brought to the hospital. His brother almost died. On top of this, Dylan’s parents didn’t approve of his and Mithali’s relationship. To cope and be able to think about things, Dylan left QuoteV and we lost communication with him. He didn’t deactivate his account, so we often checked if there were signs that he had been online. There were not any for a while.

Not until us, or rather, I first received the notification from his account. Dylan had left a message. It, however, turned out to be one of Dylan’s close friends. I thought that we were finally going to get a slice of good news regarding Dylan. Maybe even a simple update on how he was doing or if it really was his final decision to leave. Instead, what we got was that he attempted to commit suicide. He took one too many pills. He was. . . comatose. The sense of helplessness I felt at that moment was not because I had failed to do something, but rather because I literally can’t do anything about it.

Mithali, upon finding out what had happened, spiraled into a sort of depression. It was a third strike; I had felt helpless once again. Despite all the logical reasoning and attempts to comfort her by engaging in different conversations, I could not convince her that things will turn out fine and that Dylan would eventually be okay. Mithali ended up being hospitalized too [for her heart condition].

By the end of it all, Mithali had been released from the hospital. After two months, Dylan had dropped by for a short while, said his final goodbye, and deactivated his account. I had not heard from him since then, but I would like to believe that Dylan is doing well right now. Mithali and I still occasionally talk to greet each other on Facebook posts that require to tag or message people who had significantly affected our lives. Other than that, we hardly talk anymore. Not about the thoughts that make us lose our self-worth for a brief moment and not even about what we had for breakfast. We hardly use or QuoteV accounts anymore. I check in occasionally to see if I had received secret messages from my other close friends; when I look at Mithali’s profile, there are no signs of being used recently. I would like to wholeheartedly believe that the reason why we don’t communicate on that site anymore is because we’re too caught up in our personal lives (and mainly used Facebook), but there’s a nagging feeling that says otherwise. I can’t push the feeling aside; therefore, I remember and I start to believe that that is the reason why we had stopped communicating on that site. My feelings of helplessness – that I still cannot do anything to lessen their pain, no matter how much time I spend by their side and no matter how much I try to help them through their dark times – did not disappear. It has left it’s scars – marks in the recesses of my mind.

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Reflections

I wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about attending Wilfredo Pascual’s talk regarding Creative Non-Fiction. This is because most of the writing seminars that I have attended do not offer anything new regarding how to write and what it means to write that specific genre. Needless to say, I don’t regret attending Wilfredo Pascual’s talk. I left the event feeling fulfilled and satisfied.

Noreen Domingo’s exhibit also did not disappoint. Honestly, I wasn’t excited primarily because of the aspect of attending an exhibit. I was excited because I’d be able to go to Philippine High School for the Arts once again. However, upon arriving and hearing the stories she had to share about a culture that I have not witnessed and/or experienced, my interest was immediately piqued, and I read and listened.

Both events made me realize that writing is personal. I have had this thought for years now. However, I felt like the realization only sank in after attending each event when I reflected on my writing. When writing about a person, place, or event that has had a significant impact or is close to the heart, the results can widen one’s view on life by learning, understanding, and realizing something from the text not only for the author, but also for the reader. Lastly, writing takes time—a lot of time. A current event or emotion may compel you to write, but the contents would be of memories that had happened a long time ago. You would reminisce and then realize that different strings of events had lead to this moment, allowing you to see what has changed and remained constant in (your) life that may either give you peace about the event that triggered you to write, or it may shake your soul and compel you to write once more.

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Card-stone Advisers: Ano ang iyong makukuha?

nina AJ Perfecio at Aniway Magbanua

 Ang Yu-Gi-Oh! ay isang kilalang Japanese manga series na habang nagtagal ay ginawan na rin ng palabas sa telebisyon. Sa series na ito, ang mga tauhan ay nakikipaglaban sa isa’t isa gamit ng isang strategy card game kung saan ang ilan sa mga layunin nila ay magkaroon ng mataas na karangalan, masolusyonan ang mga pag-aaway at higit sa lahat, ay protektahan ang kanilang mga minamahal. Sa paglalaro, mahalaga ang card deck na gagamitin kung kaya’t mabusisi ang pagpili nila ng bawat uri ng card. Sinisigurado ng manlalaro na ang bawat card ay babagay sa bawa’t isa, gayun din sa kaniyang playing style, para maging isang buong grupo o team ang kaniyang at ang kaniyang deck.

Sa Capstone Project na ginagawa ng mga estudyante ng Senior High School, sila ay pipili ng mga kagrupo, pati na rin ng iisang paksa na bibigyan nila ng pansin at sasaliksikin. Mahalaga ang pagpili ng mga miyembro ng isang grupo dahil isa sa mga bagay na magdidikta ng tagumpay sa pananaliksik ay ang pakikitungo ng bawat miyembro sa isa’t isa. Bukod rito, mahalaga rin ang pagpili ng Capstone Adviser sapagkat siya ang gagabay at tutulong sa inyong grupo upang makamit ang mga layunin ng inyong pananaliksik. Tulad ng Yu-Gi-Oh! na may iba’t-ibang uri ng cards na maaaring bumuo sa isang deck, mayroon rin iba’t-ibang uri ng Capstone Adviser na tutulong bumuo sa inyong grupo. Layunin ng artikulong ito ay maitala sa pamamagitan ng paggamit ng Yu-Gi-Oh! cards ang iba’t ibang uri ng Capstone Adviser.

THE BLACK HOLE

Di nakikita, pero siguradong mararamdaman. Ito ang Capstone teacher na hindi mahilig magpakita, pero mahilig magpagawa.

Ang Black Hole ay isang trap card na hindi gaanong mataas ang rarity: ibig sabihin, mataas ang tsansa na mapatyempo na siya ang mabunot mong adviser.

Black Hole ang tawag sa kanya dahil hinihigop niya ang enerhiya ng lahat ng estudyante niya.

The worst part: walang kawala sa kanya. Hindi mo siya maiiwasan, kasi ‘pag nakita ka na niya, tatandaan ka niya at paniguradong makakakuha ka ng text every other day – daig pa ang Globe at Smart.

Ang tanging paraan para matanggal siya nang mas maaga ay ang maging Invisible, ngunit ang pagiging Invisible ay magdudulot ng pagbagsak mo sa Capstone Project mo.

  LULI ISLAND

Luli Island: isang sikat na isla sa Palawan na lumulubog 'pag high tide, at lumilitaw 'pag low tide.

Lubog. Litaw.

Gaya ng mga bumibisita ng Luli, dapat magaling kang tiyumempo pagdating sa Capstone teacher na 'to. Kung hindi, baka pagbisita mo, wala ka nang aabutan.

Ang Luli Island ay isang Effect card na ginagawang Invisible ang iyong Capstone adviser. Gaya ng  tubig, hindi mo siya basta-bastang mahuhuli.

Para matalo ang Luli Island Effect ng iyong adviser, dapat mo siyang puntahan nang maaga sa office niya at padalhan ng sandamakmak na mensahe para ma-realize niya na may trabaho nga pala siya.

  THE FAIRY GODMOTHER

Kung nawawala ka na at 'di mo na alam ang nangyayari sa Capstone niyo, lumapit kay Fairy Godmother, at paniguradong matutulungan niya kayo!

Isang napakalakas at napaka-rare na Spell card, ang Fairy Godmother ang tutulong sa iyo na makaraos sa Capstone niyo! Napakamatulungin niya, at mabilis pang gumawa.

Walang nakakaalam kung paano, pero sa isang 'bibbidi bobbidi boo', solb lahat ng problema niyo!

Isa lang siguro ang problema sa kaniya: hindi kayo gaanong matututo, dahil masyado siyang maraming maitutulong. Ang moral of the story? Maghanap ng balance. ‘Wag gamitin ang Spell card kung hindi pa naman talaga kailangan.

  THE BUSY BEE

Everyone in the hive has their own role. Ang role niya, hindi lang iisa, kundi sandamakmak!

Phone, laptop, libro, kuko, kahit anong makulikot, kukulikutin. Maswerte ka na lang kung ang busy bee na napunta sa’yo ay kayo ang inaasikaso.

Ang Ritual card na ito ay may epekto na pansin na pansin. Ang adviser na ito ay hindi maka-focus sa inyo, dahil napakarami niyang pinagbabalingan ng atensyon.

Para makaraos kahit na ito ang adviser na nakuha niyo, siguraduhing nakahanda na lahat ng inyong mga requirements, upang dirediretso ang inyong consultation, at walang maging dead time sa gitna ng inyong mga pag-uusap na oportunidad para gumawa na naman ng ibang bagay.

  THE CELEBRITY

Ang artista, laging busy. Laging puno ang schedule, at napakahirap ma-reach.

Gaya ng artista, ang Capstone teacher na ‘to ay sobrang unreachable! Minsan, kahit appointments niyo, hindi na sinisipot.

At ang tanging nagawa niya: um-autograph sa papeles na hindi manlang niya na-check.

Ito ay isang Dark Spirit na mahirap makuha. Level 9 ang card na ito – ibig sabihin, ito’y mahirap gamitin at mahirap ding matalo.

Para magaid ito, kailangan mong makipaglaban sa iba’t iba niyang mga schedule, at ipagpilitan ang sarili mo para makakuha ng kahit kaunting oras kasama siya. Tandaan: persistence is key.

  THE CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE

The hero we need, and the hero we deserve.

Siya ang provider ng guidance, care, and actual Capstone advice. Ang tunay na MVP. Hindi spoonfeeder, pero hinding-hindi ka iiwanan. Kapag hindi ka pumasa, siguradong kasalanan mo na.

The rarest of the rare, kaya’t ‘pag natagpuan, huwag bibitawan.

Ang card na ito ay isang Divine card na walang ibang gagawin kundi suportahan ka. Unlike the Fairy Godmother, ang Capstone Experience adviser ay may sense of balance – hindi siya basta-bastang magibibigay ng impormasyon, kundi tutulungan niya kayong maintindihan kung paano gawin ang isang bagay, kahit wala siya.

Itrato ang Divine Monster na ito na parang isang kaibigan, at alagaan ito ng mabuti. Laging tandaan ang kaniyang mga ibinibilin, at makinig sa kanyang mga sinasabi.

  Ilan lamang ito sa marami pang uri ng Capstone Adviser. Tulad ng sa Yu-Gi-Oh! series, habang tumatagal, dumadami rin ang mga cards. Gayundin sa mga uri ng Capstone Adviser. Dagdag pa, ang mga uri ng Capstone Advisers na ito ay hindi lamang nalilimita sa iisang eskwelahan. Maaaring madiskubre ang mga uri ng Card-stone Advisers na ito sa iba’t-ibang paaralan.

Sa bandang huli rin, ang inyong Capstone Project ay nakabase sa inyo, at hindi sa adviser niyo, kaya gawin lahat ng makakaya para pagandahin ito.

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Introduction: Aniway B. Magbanua

Attempted a “Heroic” Endeavor: I go against my parents

I was born on November 30, 1999, the same date as the Philippines’ National Hero Andres Bonifacio. However, please do not assume that my name is related to that of the National Hero. It is not. My attitude or personality, as far as I am aware and concerned, are also not likened to his. In fact, my parents have told me that they did not wish for me to one day be a National Hero. They did not even wish for me to be heroic, and I admittedly do not like fighting or taking very big risks.

However, they did want me to live a life better than theirs. Admittedly, I would like that too. They encouraged me to work hard and study well to eventually have a stable job with a good salary (and they still do). Probably something along the lines of an engineer or a doctor. My interest didn’t fall anywhere near that though. I wanted to be a journalist – something my parents didn’t approve of. Why? Simply because I might end up assigned to a dangerous place and die early on (other than the unstable salary). If I died, then I wouldn’t have lived a life better than theirs, or have lived enough at all.

Which is why going against them, fighting for and pursuing journalism is one of the biggest risks I’ve taken thus far. What’s the risk? My parents’ wrath. I think a lot of people understand how scary a parent can be when their children don’t heed their advice.

“Ginusto mo yan. Pinagsabihan na kita.”

“Bahala ka. Mag-isa ka diyan.”

“Basta pag nahirapan ka, wag ka umiyak-iyak sakin.”

“Ibibitin kita ng patiwarik.”

Which is why I need to pass. Otherwise, I had just delayed the impending doom that is my parents’ wrath, not only for the reason that I did not listen to them, but also for not passing journalism which I had insisted upon. If I do not pass, forget about the idea of dying early because of being assigned to a dangerous place. Once my parents give me a piece of their minds, there might be little of me left. I would have lost the fight for my college course and would have died an unheroic death.*

As of now, we’re still waiting for the college entrance exam results. If there is a higher being who already knows the results (other than the exam administrators), they must be having fun watching me play out the irony of my still pending yet impending doom.

In any case, I still haven’t lost the battle. Please wait for further updates.

 *This is an exaggeration.

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How to Use an Electric Fan

Electric Fans are generally described as an electronic device that creates a flow of wind in a certain specific direction. It is often used during days where the sun shines too bright in the sky and causes the temperature to rise to an uncomfortable height. However, in recent years, electric fans are used almost every day-- even when the sky is a nice shade of blue and the wind is just cool enough that you don’t sweat while standing under the sun.

Another thing that I have noticed is that electric fans can also be found in almost all homes now, probably except air-conditioned houses. (Chances are such a household wouldn’t use an electric fan, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there was one stored somewhere in the house, waiting to be used.) Due to this, I can say that most people would know how to use an electric fan. However, this does not mean that one knows how to fully utilize it. It’s not as easy as plugging the fan in and pressing a number. An analogy of its difficulty could be likened to that of watching television. You turn the television on with the idea of wanting to watch TV, but not really knowing what to watch until you browse through different channels or actually have a particular show you always wait for at that same time every day. The same goes with an electric fan – you plug it in and turn it on with the idea of wanting a cool wind to combat the warm temperature, but not really knowing which number you should press.

Generally, there are four buttons ranging from Zero to Three. If you’re lucky, the fan might have a fifth button which is the number Four. Each button makes the motor rotate at different speeds; therefore, the motor will create different wind strengths. This allows an individual to combat different temperatures, each yielding a different type of relief. To be able to utilize the fan and its ability to reprieve you from discomfort during hot seasons, here are the steps that you should follow:

First, plug the electric fan’s socket into any electrical outlet.

Second, face the fan in the general direction you want the wind to go to. You could also have the head of the fan swing from left to right or have it stay still by pulling or pushing a button on the fan that allows either movement.

Third, choose your desired number. You have four (or five) options:

1. Button One is for those times when the weather is warm enough that you need to turn on the fan, but cool or windy enough that if you go any higher than the first button, you’d start shivering from the cold. This button is for the houses or rooms surrounded by windows yet covered by trees, allowing the cool wind to enter the house despite the bright glow of the sun. It’s also for the times where an individual can comfortably wrap oneself up in a blanket and feel sleep slowly wash over you like a gentle wave, as if you can’t prevent yourself from drowsing off. Pressing button number One lets me picture myself snug in bed while reading a book, possibly with a mug of warm coffee, slowly lulling myself to sleep.

2. Button Two, I imagine, is for late afternoons when the sun shines too bright in the sky that taking a nap without breaking a sweat is impossible. During these temperatures, if one presses button One, an individual would still be bothered by the heat. This button could be for the rooms that allows the sun’s glare to creep in during late mornings towards the afternoons. You know you’ll need the fan to be at this strength when someone starts to comment about the heat and/or starts fanning themselves, possibly with their hands. Pressing number Two is like imaging myself falling asleep at night, tucked under a blanket with one of my legs sticking out of the covers.

 3. Button Three is for those days where the sun seems to be angry and is letting everybody know it-- to the point that even if you stand under the shade of a tree, you can’t escape the scalding heat of the sun. This button is for those days when you find yourself sweating, feeling like you’ve just run a marathon, yet you’re just sitting on your living room sofa. Even drinking cold water and taking a bath can only give you so much reprieve. Sometimes, button Three isn't even enough, so you end up wishing that you had a fourth button (Button Four) or an air conditioner. In addition, this are also those day when you know people are extra agitated due to the heat. In the end, when I think of button number Three (or Four), I see myself lying down on the living room sofa without a blanket, with the fan directly facing me, with a determination to not let anybody take it away, and at the same time, have too little energy to get up and get myself a glass of cold water.

 0. Button Zero, on the other hand, is for those times when the weather is cold enough that you don’t even need to have a fan on. It feels like your house has an invisible air conditioner that has no remote control, so you rummage through your cabinet to find a jacket, a sweater, any long-sleeved shirt, jogging pants, or a thick blanket to protect you from the cold. It’s those days where you just want to stay in bed, nestled under thick blankets, or maybe have a nice cup of warm coffee. It’s also one of those days that you feel too cold to drink water taken from the refrigerator, so your lips feel chapped and dry. Button Zero is when I do not feel like taking a bath for the reasons that I didn’t even sweat all day and that if I do take a bath, I’ll end up with my body shivering from the cold the moment I step out of the shower.

 After choosing your desired number, you may proceed to the Fourth step:

Fourth, sit somewhere in the general direction of the wind.

Fifth, which is the last step, is to either relax or continue what you were doing prior to turning the electric fan on.

By fulfilling these steps and choosing the appropriate number, one will be able to fully utilize the capacity of an electric fan to relieve you from the heat of the sun (or the cold, if you chose to turn your fan off).