The next thing that I’m going to share is how I organized my schedule, my timetable, and my life when I was doing my thesis.

I know already that my 1st sem will be a very busy. I enrolled TW1 and one subject as advised by the Faculty Secretary. By the way, that one subject was handled by my adviser.

Here’s my normative schedule:

Saturday:
Go to school to do research and attend a class
Stay in the library and have a little corner with all my stuffs. I have 3 bags – laptop bag, resources bag (photocopies and some books), and of course my bag with my usual stuff (water, wallet, umbrella, snacks, etc, etc, etc.) One of my classmates always checks the number of bags that I carry. She will check if my stuff are still complete which I really appreciate J

Sunday:
I really told my mother that I will not be contributing much in doing household chores and she totally understands. I sometimes go to the office and stayed in the garden to write. The place is quiet, conducive to writing, contemplating and tinkering.

Weekdays:
Of course I have work.

I snatch some office hours in downloading some files. That’s why I usually have two monitors in front of me – I have my desktop doing office works and my laptop downloading some files, researching, browsing and emailing. I cannot think and write of course while in the office that’s why I multitask.

Then when I’m home, I write, read, write, read…endless reading and writing from all the information I got.

I sometimes go to my adviser and our TW1 professor for consultation after work.

I also have to rush to some places to get materials or information.

So, for those who are planning to write their thesis, visualize yourself being busy and always rushing to go somewhere, to meet someone or to catch your mentors.

Actually, after you’re done with your degree, you will ask yourself, “What am I going to do every Saturday and Sunday?” Funny but it happened to me and to my classmates. During our graduation day, that was March 29, 2008, Saturday, me and my classmates were eating some finger foods served by the Graduate School for the graduating students while waiting for the start of the commencement ceremony.

Classmate: Ano na gagawin ko tuwing Saturday? (What am I going to do every Saturday?)
Me: Oo nga noh! Ano na nga ba? Di na ko busy!! (Yeah, you’re right! What are we going to do? I’m not busy anymore!!)

Style to Go: Home Solutions by Josh Garskof

I’m currently reading Style to Go: Home Solutions by Josh Garskof.

To share some tips…

Around the house: When you plug a bunch of cords into a power strip, label each one first using a standard office label

Kitchen: Take a cue from restaurants and hang pots and pans from a pot rack, rail or hooks. This solution keeps them stored but readily available

Bedrooms: When bedroom space is tight, consider a sliding closet door, which eliminates the need for a door to swing into the room and take up precious space

Kids’ spaces: Make it easy for kids to store their own toys by giving them each a storage bin labeled with their name or the toys that belong inside.

The book was on sale! Bought it for Php 209.50.

Prayer for the Souls in Purgatory

Found this 5 years ago in Catholic online site.

St. Gertrude the Great was told by our Lord that each time the following prayer was said, one thousand souls would be released from purgatory!

“Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of your divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.”

Topic for a thesis...what topic?

As I recall my thesis, I realized that I was able to finish my thesis!! It was indeed an achievement for me! whew!

Will share some tips on how to choose a topic for your thesis. This is based on my experience in the Graduate School of the University of Santo Tomas. I was enrolled for Thesis 1 during the 1st semester of SY 2007-2008 then continued the Thesis 2 and 3 in the second semester.

1) Before enrolling to TW1 or Thesis 1, think possible topics that you are willing to deal with for 1 year or more. I mean, you will be researching on that topic for months, so better yet, choose a topic that really interests you.

2) Talk to your mentors. As for me, I discussed my "possible" topic to one of my professors in the Graduate School. Asked for his inputs, ideas, advices and opinions. Or just speak with someone whom you trust and ask for their opinions if the topic of your choice is feasible and interesting.

3) In UST, the Research Director will ask you to submit 10-20 journals (if I remember it correctly) related to your topic and that will be the basis if the topic of your choice will be approved.

4) While waiting for the approval, spend time in the Central Library and research for resources - books, articles, cases, etc. Search the EBSCO database.

During the Thesis 1 class, our professor told us to choose a topic that will not just collect dust on the shelves of the Central Library! Actually that is true! That made me think that I chose the right topic.

I chose the Homestay Bed and Breakfast as my topic because before I enrol for TW1 and while in search of a topic, I was able to meet the President of a NGO and one of their projects is Homestay Bed and Breakfast. It caught my attention and interest because the first thing that popped up in my mind is that, cheaper rates of room accommodation? Hmmm..that's great. Will explain further on this next time because there are so many definitions of homestay, bed and breakfast, and homestay bed and breakfast.

Homestay Bed and Breakfast

Will start sharing my thesis and for sure it will be a series of posts.


As a backgrounder, I finished my MBA last year, March 2008 from the Royal, Pontifical, Catholic University...University of Santo Tomas. It ook me 4 years by the way to finish because I'm working as well.


My topic was somewhat unusual...or let's say, resources are not easy to find. I had a hard time to find resources on such topic here in the Philippines.


To start with, will be sharing the article I wrote 2 years ago. This was published in Philippine Daily Inquirer.


Enjoy :)