http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUQ0-9ASwP4&feature=related

HOW TO MAKE A HOMEMADE PESTICIDES

Garlic/Pepper Mixture
• 1/2 cup hot peppers of your choice
• 1/2 cup garlic cloves ( onions will also do )
• 2 cups water
Steep this mixture for 24 hours. An easy method for steeping the tea is to combine the ingredients in a clear glass jar, seal, and set in a sunny location. Strain and spray onto foliage.
This is another good general mixture that will fight off most bugs.
Oil Mixture
• 1 cup cooking oil ( i.e. canola or vegetable )
• 1 tablespoon liquid dishwashing soap
• Use 2 ½ teaspoons of this mixture in 1 cup of water
Spray on the surface and underside of leaves to coat insects in various stages of development.
This mixture is especially good with eggs and immature bugs. Be careful on the type of liquid soap you choose. I had good luck with dishwashing soap with no additional additives like anti-bacterial ingredients. I accidentally used it with on that had them in it and it almost killed a plant of mine.
Soap Mixture
• A few teaspoons of liquid dishwashing soap
• 1 gallon of water
Spray on the surface and underside of infested foliage. The soap acts to paralyze insects, which prevents them from feeding. The pests eventually die of starvation. For heavy infestations spray every 2 to 3 days for 2 weeks.
This is a very generic mixture that can fight off most any insects. Make sure to use a light liquid soap here as well to ensure not to kill your plants.

Sa Aking Muling Pagbabalik

Ni Renon Angelo V. Sobreviñas

Biglang buhos ang malakas na ulan. Wala akong ginawa kundi ang humanap ng masisilungan. Basang- basa at nanginginig akong nagtanong sa sarili kung kalian hihinto ang napakalakas na ulang ito.

Kasabay nang pagbuhos ng ulan ay ang pagdaloy ng mga luha sa aking mga mata. Sila’y mga luha nang pagsisisi. Narito ako ngayon pagkatapos kong maligaw ng landas. Hindi ko alam kung saan ako patutungo. Hindi ko alam kung sino at ano ang aking babalikan. Hindi ko alam kung may liwanag pa kaya akong masisilyan pagkatapos nitong ulan.

Basang- basa ako ng ulan. Nakaupo sa tabi ng mga halamang uhaw sa ulan. Maraming gumugulo sa aking isipan. Marami akong tanong na pilit kong hinahanapan ng kasagutan mula sa ulan. Hindi ko alam kung sino ang aking sisisihin sa nangyari sa akin. Ang tahana’t paaralan ko bang pabaya o ang simbahan at lipunan kong mapanghusga?

Minsan na akong natukso sa mapampalangong kamunduhang ito. Minsan ko nang sinira ang aking buhay kasama ang aking mga barkada. Minsan na akong nalulong sa masamang bisyo tulad ng paninigarilyo, pag- inom ng alak at higit sa lahat ay ang paggamit ng mga pinagbabawal na droga. Minsan na rin akong nabuyo sa pakikipagtalik kahit kanino.

Inakala ko kasi noon na doon ko makikita’t mararamdaman ang pagtanggap na hinahanap ko sa aking pamilya’t lipunan. Inakala kong doon ako magiging masaya. Inakalang kong doon ang buhay ko. Inakala kong iyon ang sarili ko. Ngunit nagkamali ako tulad rin nang pagkakamali ng kahit na sino.

Ngunit gaya rin ng halamang katabi ko, kulang ang sikat ng araw upang mabuhay. Kailangan pa nito ng hangin, tubig at lupang makakapitan. Kaya narito ako ngayon sa gitna ng ulan, hinahanap kung ano o sino ang kulang sa aking buhay. At pilit kong hinahanapan kahit tuldok man lang ng liwanag ang madilim kong buhay.

Pilit ko ngayong binabagtas ang daan tungo sa bisig ng aking ina, sa yapos ng aking ama at sa halik ng aking mga kapatid. Hindi ko alintana ang malakas na buhos ng ulan dahil alam ko sa aking sarili na hindi magtatagal ay hihinto rin ito. Kung kalian man ito hihinto, hindi ako nakakasiguro. Tulad nang hindi ko pagkasiguro kung hanggang kalian ang buhay ko dito sa mundong ito. Kaya bago maging huli pa ang lahat, ako’y magbabalik sa tahanang aking minsang pinagtaksilan upang humingi nang kapatawaran.

Ngunit sa di kalayuan, may nakita akong isang liwanag. Napakatahimik ng pook. Pagpasok ko’y maraming tao ang taimtim na nagdarasal sa isang sulok. Humihingi marahil nang kapatawaran at nangangakong magbabagong buhay. Huli na nang namalayan kong nasa loob na pala ako ng simbahan. At dito ko nakita at muling nakilala ang aking sarili. Sa Panginoon ko muling nakita ang katahimikan ng aking puso’t isipan. At dito sa Kanya akong muling magbabalik.

Umaga na at tapos na ang napakalakas na buhos ng ulan. At muli ay nakakita ako ng isang umagang kay ganda at muli ay ipinagpatuloy ko ang aking paglakad tungo sa aking tahanan na alam kong naghihintay sa aking pagbabalik.

LIPAD NG PANGARAP (Talambuhay ni Renon Angelo V. Sobreviñas)

Lipad ng Pangarap
(Ang Talambuhay ni Renon Angelo V. Sobreviñas)


Ang kauna- unahan kong pag- iyak sa tanang buhay ko ay naganap noong ika- 22 ng Hunyo, 1991 sa isang apartment sa Bambang, Pasig City. Ang dahilan ng aking pag- iyak ay marahil nadama ko na, na ako’y isa sa apat na bunga ng bawal na pagmamahalan nina Regino Sobreviñas at Nona Villanueva. Marahil din naman na ang mga luhang iyon ay luha ng kaligayahan dahil sa pagkakaroon ko ng mga kapatid na sina Cristina, Allan Richard at Emma Kris.
May dahilan ang Diyos kung bakit sila ang naging pamilya ko. Hindi naman tayo ang namimili ng ating magiging pamilya; sila ay regalo ng May Kapal para sa atin, gayundin naman tayo para sa kanila.
Naging masaya ang aking buhay- bata kasama ang buo kong pamilya. Palagi kaming sama- sama tuwing magsisimba, mamamasyal sa zoo at mall at kung mayroong mga importanteng okasyon. Masagana ang pamumuhay namin noon. Walang araw na walang laman ang aming refrigerator at hindi kami nauubusan ng grocery stock sa bahay. Nakapag- aral pa nga ako noon sa isang private school. Nag- aral ako ng aking kinder sa St. Nicholas Academy. Doon ako natuto ng maraming mga awiting pambata. Doon ko rin nakilala ang mga bago kong kalaro’t mga kaibigan..
Ipinagpatuloy ko ang aking pag-aaral sa Bambang Elementary School ngunit hanggang Grade 1 lamang ako doon. Kinakailangan kasi naming umuwi sa Iloilo. Hindi pa noon maliwanag sa akin ang dahilan ng aming pag- uwi. Hindi ko pa noon alam kung bakit hindi sumama sa amin si Daddy.
Sa Bo. Obrero, Iloilo City ko nakilala ang aking mga pinsan, mga tiyahin at mga tiyuhin at iba ko pang mga kamag- anak. Nung una, naging mahirap sa akin ang pakikibagay sa kanila dahil iba ang ginagamit nilang wika sa ginagamit ko at medyo nahirapan pa ako noon umintindi ng Hiligaynon. Pero dahil na rin sa tulong nila ay unti- unti ko nang napag- aralan ang Hiligaynon.

Ipinagpatuloy ko ang aking pag- aaral sa Bo. Obrero Elementary School mula Grade 2 hanggang Grade 6. Masaya ang aking buhay estudyante noon. Tila wala akong pakialam sa mundo, ang nasa isip ko lang ay puro pag- aral o paglalaro o di kaya naman ay pagsali sa iba’t ibang patimpalak.. Ang kauna- unahan kong pagsali sa isang patimpalak ay nangyari nang Grade IV ako. Sumali ako sa Singing Contest sa aming Literary- Musical Contest at nanalo naman ako ng Unang Patimpalak at dinala pa ako sa District Level ng Singing Contest na iyon. At mula Grade IV hanggang Grade VI, ako na ang laging dinadala sa kumpetisyon. Sumali rin ako sa Rhythm Band. Naging lyre player din ako mula Grade V hanggang Grade VI. Sumali rin ako sa iba’t ibang quiz bee. Nagkamit pa ako ng Unang Patimpalak sa District Level ng Science Quiz Bee. At nagtapos ako ng elementarya bilang Second Honorable Mention. Pero higit pa sa mga medalya ang nakuha kong pagtanggap sa akin ng aking mga kaibigan.
Nagpatuloy ako sa pagsusunog ng kilay sa Bo. Obrero National High School na dati’y Jalandoni Memorial High School- Bo. Obrero Extension. Noon, ang aking plano ay mag- aral sana sa West Visayas State University- ILS ngunit sa kasamaang palad ay hindi ako nakapasa sa kanilang Entrance Examination kung kaya pinangako ko sa aking sarili na balang araw ay makakapag- aral din ako sa pamantasang iyon.
High School na ako noon nang lubusan kong maintindihan ang paghihiwalay ng aking mga magulang. Ikalimang asawa na pala ni Daddy si Mommy at ikalabing dalawang anak na pala ako ni Daddy. Naging mahirap ang aming buhay kahit pa sabihin natin na isang Engineer ang aking ama. Sa dami ba naman ng kanyang anak, siguradong kaming mga anak niya ang kawawa.
Hindi naging madali ang buhay namin. Mas naramdaman ko ang hirap nung high school na ako. Naranasan kong pumunta sa paaralan na walang laman ang aking tiyan at bulsa. Naranasan naming kumain ng lugaw na kanin ng ilang araw. Tandang- tanda ko pa, muntikan na akong hindi makakuha ng aming pagsusulit dahil hindi ko pa nababayaran ang aking tuition fees. Pero hawak- kamay kami ng aking ina na humarap sa lahat ng pagsubok na iyon. Kasama ng aking mga kapatid, sabay naming hinarap ang mga unos sa buhay. Dahil sa aking mga naranasan, mas nakilala ko ang mga tunay kong kaibigan na hindi ako iniwan sa gitna ng mga pagsubok. Naging mas magaan ang aking mga problema dahil sa kanilang suporta. Nariyan din ang aking mga guro na nakinig at umintindi sa aming sitwasyon ng mga panahaon yaon.
Biglang naghirap ang buhay namin nang magdesisyon ang dalawa kong nakakatandang kapatid na sina Allan at Cristina na bumuo ng sariling pamilya. Nung una ay nagtanim ako ng galit sa kanila. Pakiramdam ko noon ay gusto nilang takasan ang aming mga problema sa buhay. Nainis ako sa kanila. Nagalit. Halos kasuklaman ko silang dalawa. Pero nariyan ang aking mga kaibigan at ang aking ina na nagpatatag ng aking kalooban. At hindi naglaon ay unti- unti ko rin silang natutunang patawarin.
Sa kabila ng mga pagsubok ko sa buhay, masasabi ko na marami pa rin ang magagandang nangyari sa akin. Nakapunta ako ng Baguio City para sa isang entrepreneurship seminar. Pinadala rin ako noon ng aming paaralan sa Roxas City para sa isang leadership seminar. Nagkamit din ako ng maraming patimpalak sa mga sinalihan kong paligsahan sa Matematika, Filipino, Agham, mga Singing Contest, atbp. Naging aktibong student leader din ako mula First Year hanggang Fourth Year. Naging Supreme Student Gov’t President pa ako noong Fourth Year. Dahil rin sa aking sipag, tiyaga at dedikasyong makaahon kami sa kahirapan, nagtapos ako bilang Valedictorian at naging President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Outstanding Student Recipient rin ako. At inalay ko ang lahat ng aking mga paghihirap sa Panginoon, sa aking pamilya, sa mga kaibigan at sa lahat ng taong nasa likod ng aking tagumapay. Sila ang pinaghuhugutan ko ng lakas sa buhay.
Tulad ng aking ipinangako noon, ipinagpatuloy ko ang aking pag- aaral sa West Visayas State University at kumuha ako ng Bachelor in Secondary Education. Ngunit hindi naging madali ang lahat dahil dumaan ako sa butas ng karayom bago ako nakapasok sa WVSU.
Ngayon, mas tumindi pa ang aking obligasyon sa paaralan at sa aking pamilya. Nasubukan ko nang magtrabaho sa isang call center habang ako’y nag- aaral. Hindi naging madali ang karanasan kong iyon. Pero nagawa ko iyon para lang may maipangbayad ako sa mga school projects at iba ko pang pangangailangan. Tumanggap ako nang mga tutorials, nagturo rin ako ng mga stage plays, declamation at oration, nagtinda ako ng bukayo sa loob ng aming classroom, nagtinda rin ako ng load, nasubukan ko ring magtrabaho sa isang bakery shop para lang magkaroon ako ng pera para sa aking pamilya’t pag- aaral. Lahat kinaya at kakayanin ko para sa aking pamilya. Pinangako ko sa sarili ko, tutuparin ko ang lahat ng aking mga pangarap para sa aking pamilya. At pinangako ko na kahit anumang hirap ng buhay ay pipiliin ko pa ring maging masaya dahil pinaniniwalaan ko na ang tao ay malayang pumili ng kaniyang kaligayahan sa buhay.
Ito ang ilang kabanata ng aking buhay, ngunit hindi pa dito nagtatapos ang aking kwento dahil ito’y ipagpapatuloy ko pa hanggang sa susunod na kabanata.

***

A Poison Tree by William Blake

I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe;
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
And I water'd it in fears,
Night & morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with my smiles
And with soft deceitful wiles.
And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright;
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine,
And into my garden stole
When the night had veil'd the pole:
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretch'd beneath the tree

In “A Poison Tree,” by William Blake is a central metaphor explains a truth of human nature. This poem teaches how anger can be dispelled by goodwill or nurtured to become a deadly poison. It is appropriate that poems touching on Biblical themes should be expressed like this in which a spiritual meaning is expressed in a vivid story. The opening stanza sets up everything for the entire poem, from the ending of anger with the “friend,” to the continuing anger with the “foe.” Blake startles the reader with the clarity of the poem, and with metaphors that can apply to many instances of life.

Blake also uses several forms of figurative language. He works with a simple AABB rhyme scheme to keep his poem flowing. These ideals allow him to better express himself in terms that a reader can truly understand. These forms of language better help authors to express their feelings and thoughts that would not normally be able to be expressed by words.

The personification in “A Poison Tree” exists both as a means by which the poem's metaphors are revealed, supported, and as a way for Blake to forecast the greater illustration of the wrath. The wrath the speaker feels is not directly personified as a tree, but as something that grows slowly and bears fruit. In the opening stanza the speaker states, “My wrath did grow.” The speaker later describes the living nature of the wrath as one which, “grew both day and night,” and, “bore an apple bright.” This comparison by personification of wrath to a tree illustrates the speaker's idea that, like the slow and steady growth of a tree, anger and wrath gradually accumulate and form just as mighty and deadly as a poisoned tree.

To understand the metaphorical sense of the poem, one must first examine the title, “A Poison Tree,” which alerts the reader that some type of metaphor will stand to dominate the poem. In the second stanza, Blake employs several metaphors that reflect the growing and nurturing of a tree which compare to the feeding of hate and vanity explored by the speaker. The verses, “And I watered it …with my tears” show how the tears life lead an object of destruction. The speaker goes further to say, “And I sunned it with smiles” describing not only false intentions, but the processing of “sunning”, giving nutrients to a plant so that it may not only grow and live, but flourish. In both of these metaphors, the basic elements for a tree to survive, water and sunlight are shown in human despair and sadness.

The religious context of the poem is also evident in two metaphorical allusions made by the speaker towards the end of the poem. The deadly fruit borne of the tree is an apple, while the scene of death and treachery occurs in the speaker's garden. The apple is a product of hate, the ironic “fruits of one's labor,” and a biblical metaphor for sin. This co notates that destruction will occur if the tree is showered with sour emotions. The garden, which could be viewed as a place of life and prosperity, is simply the stage for the sinful act, as it was in the Bible. Like the events of the biblical story of Adam and Eve, man gives in to the weakness of sin and falls.

Blake's poetry, while easy to understand and simplistic, usually implies a moral motif on an almost basic level. The powerful figurative language in “A Poison Tree” is so apparent that it brings forth an apparent message as well. The poem is not a celebration of wrath; rather it is Blake's cry against it. Through this, Blake warns the reader of the dangers of repression and of rejoicing in the sorrow of our foes.

William Blake wrote this poem to convey a simple message. “A Poison Tree” may be one of Blake’s simpler poems, but is just as effective of getting its message across. He used figurative language as a way to express his point that anything beautiful in life can be contorted to something disgusting if shown ugly emotions.

EARLY AUTUMN

EARLY AUTUMN
by Langston Hughes (1902-1967)

When Bill was very young, they had been in love. Many nights they had spent walking, talking together. Then something not very important had come between them, and they didn’t speak. Impulsively, she had married a man she thought she loved. Bill went away, bitter about women.

Yesterday, walking across Washington Square, she saw him for the first time in years.

“Bill Walker,” she said.
He stopped. At first he did not recognize her, to him she looked so old.
“Mary! Where did you come from?”
Unconsciously, she lifted her face as though wanting a kiss, but he held out his hand. She took it.
“I live in New York now,” she said.
“Oh” — smiling politely. Then a little frown came quickly between his eyes.
“Always wondered what happened to you, Bill.”
“I’m a lawyer. Nice firm, way downtown.”
“Married yet?”
“Sure. Two kids.”
“Oh,” she said.

A great many people went past them through the park. People they didn’t know. It was late afternoon. Nearly sunset. Cold.

“And your husband?” he asked her.
“We have three children. I work in the bursar’s office at Columbia.”
“You’re looking very . . .” (he wanted to say old) “. . . well,” he said.

She understood. Under the trees in Washington Square, she found herself desperately reaching back into the past. She had been older than he then in Ohio. Now she was not young at all. Bill was still young.

“We live on Central Park West,” she said. “Come and see us sometime.”
“Sure,” he replied. “You and your husband must have dinner with my family some night. Any night. Lucille and I’d love to have you.”

The leaves fell slowly from the trees in the Square. Fell without wind. Autumn dusk. She felt a little sick.

“We’d love it,” she answered.
“You ought to see my kids.” He grinned.

Suddenly the lights came on up the whole length of Fifth Avenue, chains of misty brilliance in the blue air.

“There’s my bus,” she said.
He held out his hand. “Good-bye.”
“When . . .” she wanted to say, but the bus was ready to pull off. The lights on the avenue blurred, twinkled, blurred. And she was afraid to open her mouth as she entered the bus. Afraid it would be impossible to utter a word.

Suddenly she shrieked very loudly. “Good-bye!” But the bus door had closed.

The bus started. People came between them outside, people crossing the street, people they didn’t know. Space and people. She lost sight of Bill. Then she remembered she had forgotten to give him her address — or to ask him for his — or tell him that her youngest boy was named Bill too.

Reflection

Honestly, when I’ve read the tasks given for this subject, I tried to recall the answers I gave during my interview here at WVSU (as part of the SOP for all the WVSU students). Unfortunately, I can barely recall everything. But if you’re going to ask me right now why I took teaching as my career, I would probably answer you that it’s just simply because I wanted to become a teacher. I was inspired by my teachers in high school. I had seen their dedication to teaching and I admire them for that. Personally, I just simply love talking (of course, with sense!), sharing ideas, interacting with people (preferably with students) and learning new things. And I just simply feel that teaching is for me.
And my attitude being an open- minded person would hopefully help me to become an outstanding teacher someday. For I am open for changes; open for corrections; open for new knowledge; open for new learning/ teaching strategies; and absolutely open for innovation. For I believe that an outstanding should be flexible enough for any changes due to some factors. An outstanding teacher should be willing to embrace changes.
If you’re going to ask my weakness, I would say, “I don’t know, but I am willing to know it and to change it.” I know that I’m still young and I got a lot to know about this profession. And probably my weakness is that even though I knew a lot about teaching, I am still not confident enough of the knowledge I have. And I know I need to change that kind of mind set because I have to believe in myself to become an outstanding teacher someday.