Maayong adlaw, mga higala! It’s a great pleasure to be part of this online society. “Maayong adlaw, mga higala!”, which literally means “Good day, folks!” is a Cebuano language - one of the major languages in the Philippines (read more about Cebuano language: https://www.alsintl.com/resources/languages/Cebuano/). It is my way of offering you all a sweet welcoming taste of my culture. And surely, you’ll get to have more as I’ll keep myself posted in this new engaging platform.
My Verification Photo. It’s me holding my verification doodle (a clearer photo can be seen below). Thanks to my dearest cousin 
Anyway, Ted Nudgent Fernandez Tac-an is my name. Ted comes from my father’s name, Teodoro. Nudgent, according to my mother, was the name of her favorite rock-band artist, Ted Nugent. I didn’t know why they added “d” in the spelling though. I also heard my mom telling me before that “gent” in my name means I am “gentle”. As I was growing, I tried to define myself through my name based on how I understand myself. So, here’s how it went. Tac-an, my family name, can be considered as a variation of the word “tag-an”, a Cebuano word, which can be literally translated as “guess”. Ted, in quite a number of sources, means “to spread out”. Nudge of Nudgent, on the other hand, means “gentle touch of persuasion”. And so, I came to believe that I am a “guess of spreading-out gentle touch of persuasion. Guess on me and you will be persuaded!
I was born in Oroquieta City – a capital city of Misamis Occidental, Southern Philippines (read more about Oroquieta City: http://oroquietacity.gov.ph/). I am 28 years old and turning a year older on the 22nd of November. And yes, I am a cusper – a Scorpio-Sagitarrius cusper. I am a feral freedom lover, a courageous risk-taker, and often tread fearlessly in taboo or dangerous psychic terrain (read more about Scorpio-Sagitarius cusper: https://www.thoughtco.com/the-scorpio-sagittarius-cusp-4115435).
I am a middle-child of three (3) brothers. And I experienced middle-child syndrome (read more about middle-child syndrome: https://www.everydayfamily.com/the-middle-child-syndrome/). When I was young, I always felt like I don’t have a space. Vincent, my elder brother, was on my mother’s lap and Kidgent, the youngest, was on my father’s. In every kiddo games or even without games, it seemed that Vincent made the rules and at some point, Kidgent made the rules bent for him. Slowly, I was able to find answers with these issues. But then again, tantrums sometime visit my way.
Currently, I’m on-leave status as a Director of Culture and Arts Office of La Salle University (LSU), Ozamiz City (read more about LSU: https://www.lsu.edu.ph) in order to attend a three-year Diploma on Professional Theater Acting. I’m on my 2nd year now as a Theater Acting student in Intercultural Theater Institute (ITI), Singapore (read more about ITI: https://www.iti.edu.sg).
My educational background is quite complicated that’s why I’ll bring you to the mysterious adventures of my two different realms – the Mathematics and the Arts.
The Realm of Mathematics
Basically, I’m a Licensed Professional Teacher in the Philippines. I graduated as a Magna cum Laude in Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Mathematics last 2010 in La Salle University, Ozamiz City. After graduation, La Salle University hired me as a Mathematics Teacher in their secondary school. I handled high school Mathematics subjects such as Algebra, Geometry and Statistics. As a Math teacher, I was able to develop modules which were exhibited in the De La Salle Philippine – Basic Education Curriculum’s Learning Leaders Congress.
I was also a coach of our students in competing not only to Division Math Challenges and Olympiads but also to Regional and National Quiz Bees. For the period of five (5) years, the following were my major achievements:
- 2012 Division Most Outstanding Private School Teacher
- 2014 National Winner for Culture-Based Lesson Exemplar
- 2015 Outstanding Faculty of the University
- 2015 Regional Winner for Extemporaneous Public Speaking for Teachers
I also finished my Masters in Education Degree with distinction last 2012 in the same university. With this plus all of the aforementioned achievements, I was featured in a Philippine Mathematics magazine – the Tatsulok.
Apart from being a plain Mathematics teacher, I handled several student-organizations like Student Government and Boy Scouts of the Philippines.
The Realm of Arts
While I was busy with my academic classes during my university days, I also joined the resident theater company of the university – the Teatro Guindegan (see more about Teatro Guindegan: https://www.facebook.com/LSUTG/). I was one of the founding members of the theater company. And so, when I was hired in the same university, I sat as the Associate Director of Teatro Guindegan (until present). My involvement in the theater company brought me to different milestones. Amongst were as follows:
- Scholar, Graduate Diploma in Cultural Education which leads to the completion of my 2nd Masters in Education degree majoring Cultural Education
- Scholar, Indonesian Culture and Arts Scholarship 2015
- National and International Performer for various theater and performance festival
Last 2016, I crossed the bridge from Mathematics to the Arts by asking the university if I could not anymore teach Math. And thus, aside from giving me Performing Arts and Arts Production Classes, they designated me as the Director for Culture and the Arts. Fortunately, I got in a Theater Acting school in Singapore which I’m currently studying now. This was a turning point in the crossroads of my life.
Furthermore, while I was busy with my theater acting studies here in Singapore. I’m also venturing into other art forms. I took online classes on drawing, sketching, and photography (you will see more of these in my next blogs). I continued writing poetry verses and plays and I never stop moving – I mean dancing.
Please follow my instagram photography account: tediphonephotography.
My Family
Jumping from different realms is quite difficult. Yet, my family embraces me with all of their love and support. I have nothing much word about my family. I am just overwhelmed of giving back my love and support to them.
P.S.: I’m the only one left single in the family. Both of my brothers are married and they both got one child.
Travel
Travel gives me pleasure. For this year, I’m completing my ASEAN journey. I’ll write more on this in my next blogs.
Love
I’m always in love. It’s just that I’m single. And I firmly believe, “it” will come.
Surely, you will get to know me more in future blogs. I would be happy to express myself here and share more of my art pieces may it be tangible or intangible. I would love to know all of you too as we go along in this platform. I would also like to express my warmest thanks for the people who followed my account: 
All the best, Steemians!
Love,
