I hate doing this. As much as possible, I want everyone to pass. I want the kids to enjoy their childhood: play, watch TV, be with their friends, or even chase butterflies in the fields. The thought of them being grounded by their parents because of a failing mark upsets me.

That’s why I implemented preventive measures: I told them our schedules beforehand so they can plan ahead; all tests and class works have extra credits; although we have homeworks and seat works almost daily, I gave them contests to make Math more fun and not horrible (I have no problems with my Computer Classes).

The students were responsive, and yet, I didn’t see the results I expected to see. One student was having a high-and-low scores trend, and based on this stat, I expected him to pass. But his Final exam was extremely low that I couldn’t pull his grade up.

I was thinking, did this kid even realize how important the Final exam was? I repeatedly told them to study, to the point of postponing the test for one day so they can review their lessons even longer.

Was this my fault? Why am I feeling guilty?

Then I realized, I religiously did my part as a teacher. I gave them good chances and several opportunities, yet, they chose to walk away from it. I should stop feeling guilty about it and pull the trigger. I have no control of what they do outside school.

A co-teacher warned me about parents that will complain. I told her, everything is documented so I have nothing to worry about. So I penned an “F” in the report cards of those flunking students. Otherwise, they will think they are doing the right thing and be forever lost in mediocrity. They need a reminder that they have to try harder.

Sometimes you have to pull this kind of trigger. Otherwise, there will always be senseless guilt, and you’ll end up trying to adjust to others when it’s supposed to be the other way around.

Free traffic? Music to my ears!

I was excited, so I signed up and installed the widget. I categorized my blog under “Personal Diary.” (The categories back then were limited.) I was one of the many people in the first batch, thanks to John Chow’s post.

I monitored my site’s stats on a regular basis, and checked whether BlogRush was true to its words because I didn’t want only traffic, I also wanted readership.

The first few weeks, I saw people coming to my site via BlogRush. I was happy. Some passers-by even commented on some of my posts. Some awesome bloggers like Vic Grace, Jeni Hill Ertmer, and Awannabe came from BlogRush. That was great. What’s marvelous was when I visited some sites, I saw my blog on their widgets! (In some cases, in mine, too!)

When BlogRush recently launched Phase II, it talked about more promises. But since then, my traffic and click through rates from BlogRush appear to be declining. From experience, I knew that if I leave my latest post on top for 3 or 4 days, it would be syndicated (or picked up by other widget-carrying blogs) at least 800-1000 times with 1 or 2 clicks. However, the last 3 weeks were really below par.

Below is a snapshot of the report since I installed the widget. The posts are arranged from oldest post to latest. You will see that the last 3 weeks, I only received a staggering 2 clicks!

This led me to thinking: Are bloggers already blinded by BlogRush? Do they still pay attention to the widget? Or does my title simply stink and doesn’t sound interesting? Is BlogRush a scam that many bloggers claim?

John Reese said that bloggers should put the widget on a higher location, to get more credits and clicks. I put mine a little higher. As a matter of fact, it is on the upper half of my sidebar, but I see no difference. So I don’t think location is the case here.

A quick query on Technorati, I have only read black and white stories about BlogRush: it’s either bloggers find it useful or useless. Nothing in between, unlike my story. A certain Rich from Ohio says he’s been “a booster of Blogrush eversince it went live”. On the other hand, Caroline Middlebrook was not thrilled with the 14 clicks she received despite thousands of impressions.

I was wondering if there are others who share the same sentiments as mine: huge traffic rush at the beginning that is now gradually trending down.

To end, I still want to thank BlogRush and still intend to use it. Somehow, it brought me fantastic bloggers whose blogs I also enjoy reading.

But the recent downward trend of blogrush click-rate has led me to ask: Dear BlogRush, have you forsaken me?

——–

If you wish to try BlogRush, get an account here to drive more traffic to your site.

To view more BlogRush stories in Technorati, click here.

Hordes of wild monkeys attacked the poor fellow at his place causing him to fall from his balcony. You might ask: What are the monkeys doing there? Well, the monkeys are prevalent in that New Delhi area, scaring passers-by and occasionally biting or snatching food from unsuspecting visitors as CNN reported. But people do not cull them because they are kind of sacred as they symbolize the monkey gods.

Do you see some eerie connections here with humans?

In some countries, governments are run by monkeys. Then, there are some people running wild with wrong idealism threatening the peace in the land where the monkeys and the rest of the population live. These people are terrorizing others and scaring the innocents. These humans are not exterminated because the monkeys think they are sacred as they’re made by their God in His image.

Do you think wild monkeys, wild people, and monkey leaders need a place of their own?

(Click on their names to visit their blogs)

1. Vic Grace – Lately, you’re always the first to comment so I guess you deserve to be the first here. I love reading your blog, you have great content and it’s easy to read. Thanks and Good luck with the money-making adventure!

2. Jennifer HIll Ertmer – I still don’t know why your “I” is always in uppercase. Thank you for the visits and the great comments! I love reading your stories especially about little Miss Maya. By the way, are you going to monetize your blog too?

3. Cris – my fellow Filipino, thanks for always coming by. Keep up the good work with your blog.

4. Squaretan – a Sports fan who never gets tired of updating his readers with Sports events. NBA is just around the corner, maybe you could post about it once in a while?

5. Ottayan – A guy who never runs out of ideas. Thanks for the visits

6. Gleb Reys – Thanks for visiting and commenting and good luck on your new webhost!

7. Priscilla Palmer – Thanks for the visits and comments. Good luck on your upcoming book!

8. Ms Whatsit - a teacher who also loves cats and cooking! Hope the cinnamon sticks work for you if you decide to try.

9. Edward Mills – I enjoyed writing about 36-Hours you started. Thanks!

10. Peter C. – one of my brightest students at St. Aedans. Good luck with your studies and thanks for the visit!

11. Jonathan Velazco and Labelle – two of my first visitors here, thanks for visiting and commenting! Keep in touch!

And to the following bloggers who stumbled upon my site via blogrush, google, and/or other sites:

Danny @ Blogs for Money, Chris Velazco, K. Williams, Canuckle Head, Natural Woman, African Boy, Eddie, Rinnah, Tina Kubala, Jaya, GettyCash, My Personal “Keep Me Up To Date On The Top News” blog

To my friends, like Jojit, Elmer, Elaine, Melissa, The Godfather, Adis, Mrs. Perdomo: thanks for stopping by and taking time out to post in the guestbook and/or comment box, I appreciate it!

To my family in the Philippines, I know you’re reading my posts, based on our online calls. To my sisters Shandz and Sade, thanks for posting in the guestbook! Take care of Mama. Special thanks to my Father who keeps on motivating me that my topics are good.

And of course to my girlfriend, Andie. When my eyes are tired, she’s the one who helps me proof-read my entries before I post them. Thank you for supporting me in every endeavor I take. Advanced Happy 3rd Anniversary! :* :* :*

To all MyBlogLog community readers who visit my site, thanks! And to the thousands of unknown unique IP Addresses, thanks for dropping by and hope you become “known” soon — like Alex, Anon, and Guillermo, who already posted even though they still don’t have blogs/sites.

Thanks a million! Feel free to come back anytime!

You’ve probably heard the news about the fascinating people on the internet popularized by their successful money-making stories. Ordinary people who became internet legends by blogging. And then you’ve asked yourself: “When is it my turn?” You want to be like them: lucky by doing nothing.

You’re wondering: why are some people so damn lucky earning lots of money sitting in front of the computer?

I’ll tell you a secret. I have read about their inspiring stories, too.

You know what I noticed?

It’s still hard-work that brings them up there on a different level. They continue to think of good, useful topics that their readers are interested in; they continue to make sure that their traffic remains on top 100,000 of alexa.com; they continue to submit their articles on reddit.com and/or digg.com to gain consistent exposures; they make sure they attract more subscribers by employing “evil” strategies; and they read books and continue to update their knowledge. You just don’t notice that they work hard because it is concealed by the enjoyment of what they are doing.

You think they just sit there content with what they have? You think luck brought them where they are right now?

Partly. Because chance favors the prepared mind.

Think about it. While you are stuck in your own box playing the waiting game, struggling to get out and to fly to a different stratosphere, the smartest thing to do is improve yourself and do your best instead of complaining why others are rewarded with material things and you’re not.

Who knows? Tomorrow might be your turn. But the question is: Are you ready?

So the question popped: “Did I improve over the years?”

And then my thoughts drifted to my other characteristics. Am I still ALWAYS late? Do I still spend a lot of time watching TV? Am I a better teacher now? Did I expand what I know about technology?

Am I a better person now?

Truth is I have high respect for people who always work hard to be better: may it be on the personal aspect or professional. They are people who are driven to success and they know how to invest on their future. I should know, because I see them everyday; I work with them; I talk to them; I read about them. These people who strive to be better are always hungry for knowledge and they embrace new challenges.

And they are the people I’m trying to emulate.

Am I a better person now?

I can say I’m a little punctual now, though it still needs improvements. When I notice I get distracted watching re-runs of sitcoms and old movies, I turn off the TV and switch the radio on and continue what I am supposed to do.

I am a better teacher, yes. I continually ask seasoned educators from my school for suggestions and observe how they teach. This year, our school principal made us watch a video of Harry Wong (link is for the book) on how to be an effective teacher, and it is very helpful. I can say I manage my classes A LOT better than the way I did 2-3 years ago.

Thanks to the internet, I am able to update my technology skills. And as for this blog, I see to it that I spend ample time to improve its layout and its content.

Improvement should never stop. So if this post has somehow enlightened you and you decide to be better, do something about it and do it now, because learning and improvement do not end as soon as results are gained.

And then it becomes a habit. This time, I service computers without charging people who I met just once. Not good, I think. Most of these people are professionals and businessmen, and it makes them uncomfortable when someone refuses their offer, may it be in donation or in kind. They even have to force the payment to my hands. What an awkward situation. I had to accept. And the moment that happened, the long wait was over.

If you are in the same boat, I have an advice for you: don’t let the day pass by. You have to understand that this is your chance or you’ll keep waiting forever. Politely take it, like it is an honor servicing them. Because “that someday” you’ve been waiting for has finally arrived. And “that something in return” that awaits you, is already right in front of you.

Own it, like I do now. There’s nothing wrong with accepting something you rightfully deserve.

In fact, what I’m going to talk about is “When NOT to say NO”.

Sometime in my early 20’s, I needed something personal done, and to make it happen, I also needed someone I can trust to do something big for me. So I turned to my friend, who I knew I can count on. I came to him with high hopes and told him the plan and seeked his help. But to my surprise, I was denied.

I’m not the type of guy who asks for help all the time, so I was taken aback by the rejection. I knew he can do the favor, and it wasn’t his nature to reject someone. The thing was, I also knew he was in to this “LEARN TO SAY NO” practice. I am his friend, and he was giving me that “no”-routine? I felt it was not right, but I didn’t say anything and acted like it was nothing. But it wasn’t. It still bothers me.

I am okay with that saying no habit, only if done correctly.

So when do you not say no?

When a favor was asked of you no matter how small or big it is, and you know you can do it, then say yes, especially when someone is really counting on you. Stop practicing saying no just for the sake of it. Do you really have anything to lose? Nothing really, if you think about it.

Is it really going to kill you if you say yes?

I don’t think so.

A person will not come to you and ask for help if he knows you are not capable of doing it.

It’s about a man who died a “failure“.

Here it is, from Fulghum’s Book (thanks to Richard Seah for posting this in his site):

JOHN PIERPONT died a failure. In 1866, at age 81, he came to the end of this days as a governent clerk in Washington, DC, with a long string of personal defeats abrading his spirit.

Things began well enough. He graduated rom Yale, which his grandfathre had helped found, and chose education as his profession with some enthusiasm.

He was a failure at schoolteaching. He was too easy on his students. And so he turned to the legal world for training.

He was a failure as a lawyer. He was too generous to his clients and too concerned about justice to take the cases that brought good fees. The next career he took up was that of dry-goods merchant.

He was a failure as a businessman. He could not charge enough for his goods to make a profit, and was too liberal with credit. In the meantime, he had been writing poetry, and though it was published, he didn’t collect enough royalties to make a living.

He was a failure as a poet. And so he decided to become a minister, went off to Harvard Divinity School, was ordained as minister of the Hollis Street Church in Boston. But his position for Prohibition and against slavery got him crosswise with the influencial members of his congregation and he was forced to resign.

He was a failure as a minister. Politics seemed a place where he could make some difference, and he was nominated as the Abolition party candidate for governor of Massachusetts. He lost. Undaunted, he ran for Congress under the banner of the FreeSoil Party. He lost.

He was a failure as a politician. The Civil War came along, and he volunteered as a chaplain of the 22nd Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteers. Two weeks later he quit, having found the task too much of a strain on his health. He was 76 years old. He couldn’t even make it as a chaplain.

Someone found him an obscure job in the back offices of the Treasury Department in Washington, and he finished out the last five years of his life as a menial file clerk. He wasn’t very good at that, either. His heart was not in it.

Died a failure

John Pierpont died a failure. He had accomplished nothing he set out to do or be. There is a small memorial stone marking his grave in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The words in the granite read: Poet, Preacher, Philosopher, Philantropist.

From this distance in time, one might insist that he was not, in fact, a failure. His commitments to social justice, his desire to be a loving human being, his active engagement in the great issues of his times, and his faith in the power of the human mind – these are not failures.

And much of what he thought of as defeat became success. Education was refirmed, legal processes were improved, credit laws were changed, and, above all, slavery was abolished once and for all.

Why am I telling you this? It’s not an uncommon story. Many 19th century reformers had similar lives – similar failures and successes.

In one very important sense, John Pierpont was not a failure. Every year, come December, we celebrate his success. We carry in our hearts and minds a lifelong memorial to him.

It’s a song.

Not about Jesus or angels or even Santa Clasus. It’s a terribly simple song about the simple joy of whizzing throught the cold white dark of wintersgloom in a sleigh pulled by one horse. And with the company of friends, laughing and singing all the way. No more. No less.

“Jingle Bells.” John Pierpont wrote “Jingle Bells.”

Simple joys

To write a song that stands for the simplest joys, to write a song that three or four hundred million people around the world know – a song about something they’ve never done but can imagine – a song that everyone of us, large and small, can hoot out the moment the chord is struck on the piano and the chord is struck in our spirit – well, that’s not failure.

One snowy afternoon in deep winter, John Pierpont penned the lines as a small gift for his family and friends and congregation. And in doing so left behind a permanent gift for Christmas – the best kind – not the one under the tree, but the invisible, invincible one of joy.

In Richard’s site, he updated it by saying the story was inaccurate, based on the email he received. But that doesn’t matter anymore. The important thing is we understand the moral of the story: no matter how many times we think we failed, we are successful in one way or another.

-Saedel

PS. There are tons of good stories by Robert Fulghum that I’ve already read and kept. The first Fulghum book that I liked is “All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten“. Lots of inspiring and heart-warming stories that will move you.

I should say, Gleb’s list fired me up! Probably because upon reading his list, I realized we have something in common. Here is my own version of list, which is in no particular order. If you know me personally, notice that I kept everything realistic and achievable:

Professional Growth

As a teacher (Computers and Math), I want to learn how to effectively teach and convey my message to my students. Improving classroom management is also one of the important things I need to pay close attention to. On the other hand, as a tech guy, I want to be updated on the latest technology. Getting outdated is one of the fears of a tech person. Also, it is my long-time goal to obtain technical certification, so it needs action now.

Read books

I have this bad habit of opening a book and not finishing it. If I have more time, I will allot more of it for reading. I’ll start with 1 book and finish it in two weeks (one week if the book is light and short.) 

Workout

I consider myself skinny. But as I age, many people notice me getting bigger. To burn some fats, I should run, or play basketball or start practicing martial arts with my friends, or anything that makes me sweat. 2-3 hours of workout a week should do it. I want to lose these love handles!

Cook

I discovered I enjoyed cooking, but the dishes I make are really simple. So, if I have more time, I’d try complicated (and healthy!) dishes like the ones we see in magazines and cookbooks. Maybe Ms. Whatsit can post some tips in her blog!

Room Chores

Do the laundry, clean the room, etc. You know, I hate doing those. It feels like a complete waste of time and I end up procrastinating. But I ‘need’ to do it because I don’t want to sleep in my own filth. Besides, it is more enjoyable to work in a clean room. Problem is, I don’t know where to begin. Good thing I found Priscilla’s post: Begin Where You Are.

Sleep

I lack sleep, which is the result of me wanting to do a lot of things at the same time. If I have 36 hrs more per week, I would sleep for an extra hour per night. I believe the key to have a beautiful day is to have a beautiful good night sleep.

Others:

• Learn the road by driving and travelling
• Re-discover my passion for guitar
• Dance lessons
• Finish all those pending jobs! (broken computers, unchecked papers, etc.)
• Watch movies (I honestly can’t remember the last time I watched at the cinema)
• Meet up with old friends

36 more hours is a lot, that’s why I wanted to write more goals. But I have to cut it short, and prioritize. I also wanted a more balanced approach by combining work, personal growth and rest. While writing this post, I realized that 36 hours free is not given, it is made.

If you wish to make your own list, post them in the comment box or make a post in your blog and link back to this post. I’d love to hear your own list. Make sure to include Gleb’s and Ed’s. I believe Ed Mills is compiling lists, which I think is a very good idea. If you want to be included, then mention it in Ed’s post.

Enjoy!