Introducing Astrid, my cheerleader

Before i go any further with my blogs, I'd like to introduce Astrid Tobias (far left in picture). Although this "dreams & deeds" method (if you will) was the original strategy of a certain Pia Faustino, it was Astrid who suggested that I do the same thing and blog for help and support. We were highschool-mates and are now working together in Kabataan News Network (hence producer Tin and host Atom are also in the picture).

So now that the help & support, pledges and deed requests are coming in... I'd like to thank Astrid for having the epiphany of suggesting it. Interestingly, she will be going to the Netherlands this September for her own education (3 month course at RNTC). I had made a fearless forecast that she would get in with scholarship, and I make another fearless forecast that she will have an excellent time.

Siempre, may sarili din siyang deed request and pledge... which i really really hope to fulfill and blog about in the future.

Pray for a certain someone

Emanon (not his real name... request kasi for anonymity) asked me to pray for someone who is at a crossroad in his life, contemplating on single-blessedness and possibly being a man of the cloth. In this day and age where "what matters most" can sometimes be blurred by a drive for, er, other things, I admire anyone who even hears the spiritual call to begin with.

Many are called. Few are chosen.

I'm sure we've all been through that crossroad... and will probably find ourselves in another one again. And I'm sure we've felt the same anxiety... maybe even fear and anger at the situations and choices before us.

So, I'm praying for Emanon, for his personal enlightenment. A rosary every Wednesday. And I invite others who are willing to join as well. It's a free-for-all prayer fest.

In college, I was part of the UP Student Catholic Action. So I was happy when this deed came along because it has been a while since I'd been part of a community of prayer. It feels good to come back into the fold, more so because it's for someone else. Thank you. Do good. Live simply. Pray.

* Emanon is also the name of an all-male choir in Project 4. It spells "no name" backwards. Laaa lang...

Vir deed: What love can do

My first good deed!! Be a cupid messenger. And it has something to do with Holland : ) i love coinkidinkies.

Vir is my friend. In college, we teased each other about how we became progressively chummier through the years. Now we are members of the coined "what love can do" club (long distance lovers unite!).

Vir "the changed man".

His deed was basically to make me his cupid delivery person since he's in the US. I would have to buy 2 shawarmas and one yellow tulip for his fiancee, Mia, and bring it to her at the school she teaches in. I bantered with vir saying that I kind of hoped the deeds wouldn't require me to spend more than the actual donation but he's reimbursing everything... so there you go! Aloy the messenger, I have become.

Bought 2 shawarmas, one yellow tulip (from Holland tulips... and yes, they have a painted cow in their store), navigated my way through the semi-chaotic roads of Makati and surprise delivered Mia. Turns out, Mia hates yellow tulips... haha. A lover's joke which I will not get into. I've done my good deed. And i played cupid. There's only love...

"Pag-ibig ay walang hanggan... at lilipad ang saranggola sa ulan"
- gary granada

Buy my Dream (Aloy edition)

First of all, I got this idea from someone who wanted to join the World Youth Festival 2004 in Spain. She wanted so much to go to the Festival that she made a call out to the world to “buy this dream” in exchange for good deeds to be done (and posted in their name). Thanks Pia Faustino for this modern day bayanihan idea.

Having acknowledged that and freed myself from possible accusations, I guess I’m making a call out to my own circle of friends to help fund my own dream.

I have an opportunity to finally study for an MA in Development Studies in Holland starting September 2006. I’ve been involved with development work here in the Philippines for so long now and have felt that I still need to know and be much more... to do much more as well. And Holland,... well, most people who know me know that my heart is there, too (it has tulips and dutch boy : )

I was accepted for the program last school year, but of course, I didn’t have enough money. So I deferred my enrollment to give myself time to apply for a scholarship... Scholarship time came and unfortunately, I didn’t get it (sob).

So now, I’m on Plan C, taking a great leap of faith and daring to finance myself on whatever development worker wage I had been receiving all this time. Support from loved ones and family has of course humbled me into a big heap of walking gratitude. But I figured, I should at least be able to pay for my own plane ticket. Or have some extra money to ensure survival.

My dream for now is to hopefully get 100 people to fund me with P300 each by August 15, 2006. And in exchange, I commit to do a good deed which you request (here or in Holland)... and blog about it here (official blog is www.dreamsanddeeds.blogspot.com).

So for anyone who wants to join my dream, you can just contact me or email me or tell me and hug me in person when we see each other (I like hugs).
alodia.santos@gmail.com
+63917 3265188

An accompanying dream would be that there are enough dreamers out there who are idealistic enough to believe that one person doing good deeds may make a difference in the world and may be worth funding (a reason enough to separate from P300).

Ultimately, after several months, there would be 100 good deeds done, and one person who comes out of it armed with an MA to do more good deeds for development. And I dream that it would be me.

(A friend asked me if it was possible to refuse and how that would affect my relationship with my friends... haha... I’d like to think I’m not like that... and I prefer to treat it like one of my hosted parties where I text “Pot Luck”, few people do it, and everyone still gets to eat and have fun anyway)