Unwritten Thoughts

Do you care about protecting the human rights of people with disabilities? Are you looking for a way to celebrate the first anniversary of the international disability rights treaty, called CRPD on MARCH 30, 2008? Then, please write something about it in your blogs.

WHAT IS CRPD?

The CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (CRPD)”elaborates in detail the rights of persons with disabilities  and set out a code of implementation” . It has already been approved by the United Nations’ General Assembly. It’s only a matter of countries ratifying them individually.

Did you know that our country has contributed a part or two in this convention through the efforts of NCWDP and Vision Office of Sir Leo Valdes which is our main theme here, web accesibility? Details can be read here.

http://www.un. org/disabilities /default. asp?navid= 13&pid=162

Here are the list of 17 countries that have already ratified this Convention. Sorry po, wala pa ang Pilipinas.

http://www.un. org/disabilities /default. asp?id=257

However, if the magic 20 countries have been reached, it would automatically be enacted as a treaty for all UN members. So whether a country likes it or not, they have to abide by it.

WHAT IS A BLOG SWARM?

A blog swarm is when many bloggers agree to write blog posts on the same theme at about the same time. Writers who do not have a blog can ask someone who does to publish their post for them. A blog swarm can increase public awareness of an issue.

WHY CELEBRATE THE CRPD?

Does it make you angry when people with disabilities are denied equal access to educational opportunities or good quality healthcare? Does it horrify you when people with disabilities are left behind during times of natural disasters and war? Does reading about the abuse and torture of people with disabilities make you want to do something about it? These are all human rights violations.

When countries ratify the international disability rights treaty CRPD), this obligates them to create laws to protect the human rights of people with disabilities. With these laws in place, the disability communities of ratifying countries will be in a stronger position to advocate for themselves and be heard. That’s worth celebrating.

So, WHAT’S THE RATIFYNOW CRPD BLOG SWARM 2008?

Writers are being asked to submit blog posts about the CRPD via email to RatifyNow@gmail. com at any time between now and March 27, 2008.  If you don’t have a blog, we’ll try to find a home for your blog post.

For more details about the CRPD and the celebratory blog swarm, please follow the link to:

http://ratifynow. org/latest- news/blog- swarm/

Here, you will find links to the original announcement about the RatifyNow CRPD Blog Swarm 2008 and how you can participate; a page  that can help educate yourself about the CRPD before you start writing about it; suggested topic ideas for you to consider; and  suggested guidelines for people who are not familiar with how to write blog posts.

THEN WHAT HAPPENS?

On March 30, 2008, come to http://www.RatifyNow.org to start reading what all the participating writers and bloggers say about the CRPD!

WHAT ELSE?

Please help make the RatifyNow CRPD Blog Swarm 2008 a success by making sure people know about it! You may post this notice at your blog or other web site, or pass it along to people you know.

I hope some of you will consider submitting a short written piece– even if you’ve never written a blog before. You can find suggested guidelines for inexperienced bloggers at

http://ratifynow. org/2008/ 03/19/blogging- guidelines/ .

You can write anything about disabled people, personal experiences or  encounters, read about somewhere or simply make a “Happy Anniversary”  greeting. It’s probably easier than you think!

Find your birthday and then find your tree. This is really cool and somewhat accurate. Then send it to your friends, including the one that sent it to you, so they can find out what tree you fell from. Find your tree below and see what you are like.. .

Dec 23 to Jan 01 - Apple Tree
Jan 01 to Jan 11 - Fir Tree
Jan 12 to Jan 24 -Elm Tree
Jan 25 to Feb 03 - Cypress Tree
Feb 04 to Feb 08 - Poplar Tree
Feb 09 to Feb 18 - Cedar Tree
Feb 19 to Feb 28 - Pine Tree
Mar 01 to Mar 10 - Weeping Willow Tree
Mar 11 to Mar 20 - Lime Tree
Mar 21 (only) - Oak Tree
Mar 22 to Mar 31 - Hazelnut Tree
Apr 01 to Apr 10 - Rowan Tree
Apr 11 to Apr 20 - Maple Tree
Apr 21 to Apr 30 -0 Walnut Tree
May 01 to May 14 - Poplar Tree
May 15 to May 24 - Chestnut Tree
May 25 to Jun 03 - Ash Tree
Jun 04 to Jun 13 - Hornbeam Tree
Jun 14 to Jun 23 - Fig Tree
Jun 24 (only) - Birch Tree
Jun 25 to Jul 04 - Apple Tree
Jul 05 to Jul 14 - Fir Tree
Jul 15 to Jul 25 - Elm Tree
Jul 26 to Aug 04 - Cypress Tree
Aug 05 to Aug 13 - Poplar Tree
Aug 14 to Aug 23 - Cedar Tree
Aug 24 to Sep 02 - Pine Tree
Sep 03 to Sep 12 - Weeping Willow Tree
Sep 13 to Sep 22 - Lime Tree
Sep 23 (only) - Olive Tree
Sep 24 to Oct 03 - Hazelnut Tree
Oct 04 to Oct 13 - Rowan Tree
Oct 14 to Oct 23 - Maple Tree
Oct 24 to Nov 11 - Walnut Tree
Nov 12 to Nov 21 - Chestnut Tree
Nov 22 to Dec 01 - Ash Tree
Dec 02 to Dec 11 - Hornbeam Tree
Dec 12 to Dec 21 - Fig Tree
Dec 22 (only) - Beech Tree

TREES (in alphabetical order)

Apple Tree (Love) – quiet and shy at times, lots of charm, appeal, And attraction, pleasant attitude, flirtatious smile, adventurous, sensitive, loyal in love, wants to love and be loved, faithful and tender partner, very generous, many talents, loves children, needs affectionate partner.

Ash Tree (Ambition) — extremely attractive, vivacious, impulsive, demanding, does not care for criticism, ambitious, intelligent, talented, likes to play with fate, can be very egotistic, reliable, restless lover,  sometimes money rules over the heart, demands attention, needs love and much emotional support.

Beech Tree (Creative) — has good taste, concerned about its looks, materialistic, good organization of life and career, economical, good leader, takes no unnecessary risks, reasonable, splendid lifetime companion, keen on keeping fit (diets, sports, etc.).

Birch Tree (Inspiration) — vivacious, attractive, elegant, friendly, unpretentious, modest, does not like anything in excess, abhors the vulgar, loves life in nature and in calm, not very passionate, full of imagination, little ambition, creates a calm and content atmosphere.

Cedar Tree (Confidence) — of rare strength, knows how to adapt, Likes unexpected presents, of good health, not in the least shy, tends to look down on others, self-confident, a great speaker, determined, often impatient, likes to impress others, has many talents, industrious, healthy optimism, waits for the one true love, able to make quick decisions.

Chestnut Tree (Honesty) — of unusual stature, impressive, well-developed sense of justice, fun to be around, a planner, born diplomat, can be irritated easily, sensitive of others feelings, hard worker, sometimes acts superior, feels not understood at times, fiercely family oriented, very loyal in love, physically fit.

Cypress Tree (Faithfulness) — strong, muscular, adaptable, takes What life has to give but doesn’t necessarily like it, strives to be content, optimistic, wants to be financially in dependent, wants love and  affection, hates loneliness, passionate lover which cannot be satisfied, faithful, quick-tempered at times, can be unruly and careless, loves to gain knowledge, needs to be needed.

Elm Tree (Noble-mindedness) — pleasant shape, tasteful clothes, Modest demands, tends not to forgive mistakes, cheerful, likes to lead but Not to obey, honest and faithful partner, likes making decisions for others, noble-minded, generous, good sense of humor, practical.

Fig Tree (Sensibility) — very strong minded, a bit self-willed, honest, loyal, independent, hates contradiction or arguments, hard worker when wants to be, loves life and friends, enjoys children and animals, sexually oriented, great sense of humor, has artistic talent and great intelligence

Fir tree (Mysterious) — extraordinary taste, handles stress well, loves anything beautiful, stubborn, tends to care for those close to them, hard to trust others, yet a social butterfly, likes idleness and laziness after long demanding hours at work, rather modest, talented, unselfish, many friends, very reliable.

Hazelnut Tree (Extraordinary) — charming, sense of humor, very demanding but can also be very understanding, knows how to make a lasting impression, active fighter for social causes and politics, popular, quite moody, sexually oriented, honest, a perfectionist, has a precise sense of judgment and expects complete fairness.

Hornbeam Tree (Good Taste) — of cool beauty, cares for its looks and condition, good taste, is not egoistic, makes life as comfortable as possible, leads a reasonable and disciplined life, looks for kindness and acknowledgment in an emotional partner, dreams of unusual lovers, is seldom happy with its feelings, mistrusts most people, is never sure of its decisions, very conscientious.

Lime Tree (Doubt) - intelligent, hard working, accepts what life dishes out, but not before trying to change bad circumstances into good ones, hates fighting and stress, enjoys getaway vacations, may appear tough, but is actually soft and relenting, always willing to make sacrifices for family and friends, has many talents but not always enough time to use them, great leadership qualities, is jealous at times but extremely loyal.

Maple Tree (Independence of Mind) — no ordinary person, full of imagination and originality, shy and reserved, ambitious, proud, self-confident, hungers for new experiences, sometimes nervous, has many complexities, good memory, learns easily, complicated love life, wants to impress.

Oak Tree (Brave) — robust nature, courageous, strong, unrelenting, independent, sensible, does not like change, keeps its feet on the ground, person of action.

Olive Tree (Wisdom) — loves sun, warmth and kind feelings, reasonable, balanced, avoids aggression and violence, tolerant, cheerful, calm, well-developed sense of justice, sensitive, empathetic, free of jealousy, loves to read and the company of sophisticated people.

Pine Tree (Peacemaker) — loves agreeable company, craves peace and harmony, loves to help others, active imagination, likes to write poetry, not fashion conscious, great compassion, friendly to all, falls strongly in love but will leave if betrayed or lied to, emotionally soft, low self-esteem, needs affection and reassurance.

Poplar Tree (Uncertainty) — looks very decorative, talented, not very self-confident, extremely courageous if necessary, needs goodwill and pleasant surroundings, very choosy, often lonely, great animosity, great artistic nature, good organizer, tends to lean toward philosophy, reliable in any situation, takes partnership seriously.

Rowan Tree (Sensitivity) — full of charm, cheerful, gifted without egoism, likes to draw attention, loves life, motion, urn! est., and even complications, is both dependent and independent, good taste, artistic, passionate, emotional, good company, does not forgive.

Walnut Tree (Passion) — unrelenting, strange and full of contrasts, often egotistic, aggressive, noble, broad horizon, unexpected reactions, spontaneous, unlimited ambition, no flexibility, difficult and uncommon partner, not always liked but often admired, ingenious strategist, very jealous and passionate, no compromise.

Weeping Willow (Melancholy) - likes to be stress free, loves family life, full of hopes and dreams, attractive, very empathetic, loves anything beautiful, musically inclined, loves to travel to exotic places, restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced but is not easy to live with when pressured, sometimes demanding, good intuition, suffers in love until they find that one loyal, steadfast partner; loves to make others laugh.

Destiny comes in different flavor, it may be business, career, family, religious, etc related but I do believe that destiny will not wait for you to come, especially if it’s heart related.

In short, ginamit ko ang natitirang tapang ko at nilapitan ko ang dalawang lalake at dalawang babae sa Tokyo-Tokyo. Hindi upang makipagkilala kung hindi para ibigay ang dalawang orange na bigay ng ate ko at para matapos na ang “hanging” status ng kaibigan ko.

Aaminin ko, maganda yung dalawang babaeng iyon at cool naman yung dalawang lalake na kasama nila. Tinanong nga ako ng mga kasamahan ko kung crush ko yung isang girl dun. Well, siguro nga pero I have no intention of adding another mess in her life. Besides, I’m occupied with many things right now.

Gusto ko sanang i-reclaim ang sarili ko dahil pakiramdam ko hindi naging maganda ang approach ko. Though sa tingin ko naman naging magalang ako sa kanila but may mga bagay akong gustong sabihin sa kanila na sana, sinabi ko in a more concise and efficient way.

Ayoko ng ganitong pakiramdam dahil na gu-guilty na naman ako. Ayan tuloy, naaalala ko ang best friend ko… But it’s another and different story. He’s dead so…

Eherm.

Ang hiling ko lang, kung sino man sa apat sa inyo ang makakabasa nito, gusto kong makipag set ng casual meeting ulit sa inyo. Barkada ko, barkada mo. All I need is to say what I need to say. Ayoko kasing makakita ng isang taong nahihirapan dahil sa sobrang pag-ibig. It’s not healthy for him.

Magulo diba?

For now, ang susi lang sa lahat ng ito ay ang mga keywords na makikita ninyo sa ibaba. Bahala na kung ano ang mangyayari pero at least, I’m doing my part. (Tamaan ka sana friend, ahehe. ^_^)

• Quezon City
• Libis
• Eastwood City
• Dell
• Trend Micro
• Tokyo-Tokyo
• Two (2) pieces of Orange
• Kathleen Immetsberger

Para sa kasama ni Kath,

Aaminin ko maganda ka. Gusto ko ang ugali mo at ang iyong mga ngiti. Wala akong pakialam kung totoo yung mga ngiti mo or not but the thing is, you’re unique and interesting.

Nung lumapit ako sa inyo, I… ahm… I was so darn nervous. My only goal is to give that two damn orange for my friend. But when I saw you with your colleague, medyo nawala ng konti ang kaba ko nung nakita kong ngumingiti ka. At least bumaba ng isang level ang kaba status ko.

But hey, I have no other intention other than giving that oranges. Kung tutuusin nga, plano ko munang kainin yung oranges na ibinigay ko sa inyo bago ako mag tanghalian but I think it’s worth it. Bigay kasi ng ate ko yun kaya siguro you know how I also feel.

Besides, dinala naman ni Kath yung orange papalabas ng Tokyo-Tokyo kaya it’s a successful mission na rin. I don’t care kung ano ang ginawa nyo sa orange na yan or not but at least, you guys showed how to appreciate things given by a stranger like me. After all, I have nothing to boast about.

So yun lang, I will not ask for your name or anything else. Just do what you think that you have to do. Free will is one of the best treasures in a person’s life and I ain’t taking that away from you.

I have so many things to say pero I guess that’s that.

Thank you.