You can have a smart boss, a funny boss, a friendly boss, a kuwela boss, etc... but the best thing to have, hands down, is an inspiring boss. Someone who makes you want to become not just a better professional but a better person. Someone who teaches you not only about work but also about life. Not by preaching it but by living it.
Butch J. was made the head of our department when ARM left the company. They're worlds-apart, I gather. For example, Butch tends to be more quiet and subdued while ARM was all over the place. Butch tends to stick to the regular working hours while his predecessor worked round the clock.
The most striking for me, though, is their differences in terms of outlook-- outlook about life, about work, about the world.
Check out Butch's blog (butchgjimenez.blogspot.com) to know more about this inspiring man. I haven't met an executive this family-oriented, this God-centered, yet this successful and this savvy as a professional. No wonder he commands great respect. Because he commands not just respect at work but respect in the realest sense possible.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Monday, January 09, 2006
pet peeve
I really hate clients who push around their agencies and suppliers like they're people with no other purpose on earth but to service them. I mean, hello, they're people too! They have their own agenda, their own time frames, their own considerations, their own lives! I know you pay them to accomplish certain things, but everything can be done with respect and professionalism. Just because you're on the paying side of the transaction does not give you the right to treat other people like pawns on a chess table.
Considering I'm from client side, this may be a bold statement to make. But I really really despise people who make their agencies wait, who make their agencies spin around town like headless chickens to rush something that the client could've informed them about earlier. I understand (boy, do I understand!) that sometimes, shit just happens-- that unfortunate things just take you by surprise and you have to act fast. But c'mon, have some consideration, have some decency, have some tact, have some heart, have some brain, for cryin' out loud!
I really wish that one day, someone can knock some sense into these people. Let it not be me, please, 'coz they'll really get a mouthful.
Grrrr....
Considering I'm from client side, this may be a bold statement to make. But I really really despise people who make their agencies wait, who make their agencies spin around town like headless chickens to rush something that the client could've informed them about earlier. I understand (boy, do I understand!) that sometimes, shit just happens-- that unfortunate things just take you by surprise and you have to act fast. But c'mon, have some consideration, have some decency, have some tact, have some heart, have some brain, for cryin' out loud!
I really wish that one day, someone can knock some sense into these people. Let it not be me, please, 'coz they'll really get a mouthful.
Grrrr....
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Welcome 2006!
Happy New Year!
For some reason, New Year's this year feels a little off-- in the sense that it's not as big a bang as in previous years. I don't know if it's just me-- maybe it's 'coz this year, we didn't have the grand reunion at our house like we've had in these past 5 or so years-- but something about 2005's celebration didn't feel quite... celebratory. Oh well.
Anyway, it was a nice weekend nonetheless. Full of family stuff, as usual, but this time 'family' includes my boyfriend's on top of my own. It's been a nice holiday to get to know people, laugh, relax, unwind, have fun... and just be. After 12 months of hectic frenzy, of working so hard you hardly catch your breath, it was a refreshing 3-days of stopping, of resting, of just plain, simple living.
2005 was very good to me. Looking back, if I make a rundown of the highlights...:
- I lost my dear friend to ensephalitis. Despite missing her to bits, I'm sure she's up there in heaven, finally having the peace she looked for for a long time.
- Li came home after years of being away. Too bad she missed meeting Dennis, but it's okay-- she'll finally get to meet him 3 months from now.
- Speaking of Dennis, I met the most incredible guy in the world and fell in love with him.
- I went to Boracay with my FILC girls, thereby starting (hopefully) a string of new adventures that will last a lifetime.
- I finally quit being a pseudo-banker and landed an exciting new job.
- Dennis took his bar exams, and landed a cool law-firm post before the year ended (yay!).
Indeed, 2005 was a good year for me. It was a year of letting people go, of welcoming new people in, of leaving what's comfortable and giving way for the new and unfamiliar (sometimes scary). It's taking a gamble and cashing in, way before you ever expected to. It's been a great year, indeed, and I just hope 2006 is just as great, if not better.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
For some reason, New Year's this year feels a little off-- in the sense that it's not as big a bang as in previous years. I don't know if it's just me-- maybe it's 'coz this year, we didn't have the grand reunion at our house like we've had in these past 5 or so years-- but something about 2005's celebration didn't feel quite... celebratory. Oh well.
Anyway, it was a nice weekend nonetheless. Full of family stuff, as usual, but this time 'family' includes my boyfriend's on top of my own. It's been a nice holiday to get to know people, laugh, relax, unwind, have fun... and just be. After 12 months of hectic frenzy, of working so hard you hardly catch your breath, it was a refreshing 3-days of stopping, of resting, of just plain, simple living.
2005 was very good to me. Looking back, if I make a rundown of the highlights...:
- I lost my dear friend to ensephalitis. Despite missing her to bits, I'm sure she's up there in heaven, finally having the peace she looked for for a long time.
- Li came home after years of being away. Too bad she missed meeting Dennis, but it's okay-- she'll finally get to meet him 3 months from now.
- Speaking of Dennis, I met the most incredible guy in the world and fell in love with him.
- I went to Boracay with my FILC girls, thereby starting (hopefully) a string of new adventures that will last a lifetime.
- I finally quit being a pseudo-banker and landed an exciting new job.
- Dennis took his bar exams, and landed a cool law-firm post before the year ended (yay!).
Indeed, 2005 was a good year for me. It was a year of letting people go, of welcoming new people in, of leaving what's comfortable and giving way for the new and unfamiliar (sometimes scary). It's taking a gamble and cashing in, way before you ever expected to. It's been a great year, indeed, and I just hope 2006 is just as great, if not better.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Monday, December 26, 2005
Christmas! :)
It's been a great holiday so far-- presents and greetings everywhere. It's also the first holiday I'm spending with Dennis, and that makes it even more special. We went out on a special date last night, reminescent of when we were first going out, and I looooooved it! :) After all the parties with friends and relatives, having some alone time, just talking, joking and laughing, with the one person I love most in the world was a welcome gift.
Oh, and the holiday season seems to be filled with wedding thoughts for some people. On the eve of Christmas, our family got very exciting news! My cousin Mary got engaged! She called us all excited, all the way from Toronto, and gave us a detailed rundown (mostly for my benefit) of how it happened-- from Richie's proposal, to the reaction of people they've told, to the pre-wedding plans. How exciting! The wedding is slated for spring 2007-- hooray, family trip, family trip! :)
Dennis' close friend is also getting hitched. He asked his longtime girlfriend for her hand right in front of all her relatives and friends. Totally taken by surprise, she managed to say "yes" in the middle of her gasps and tears. Awww... :) Of course, it's inevitable too that in all the parties we went to, people would ask "kelan kayo susunod??" Without fail, my unfazed beau always replies, "It's in the works. Don't worry." Hahahaha! :)
Merry Christmas to you all and hope you're having a restful, peaceful and blissful season! :)
Oh, and the holiday season seems to be filled with wedding thoughts for some people. On the eve of Christmas, our family got very exciting news! My cousin Mary got engaged! She called us all excited, all the way from Toronto, and gave us a detailed rundown (mostly for my benefit) of how it happened-- from Richie's proposal, to the reaction of people they've told, to the pre-wedding plans. How exciting! The wedding is slated for spring 2007-- hooray, family trip, family trip! :)
Dennis' close friend is also getting hitched. He asked his longtime girlfriend for her hand right in front of all her relatives and friends. Totally taken by surprise, she managed to say "yes" in the middle of her gasps and tears. Awww... :) Of course, it's inevitable too that in all the parties we went to, people would ask "kelan kayo susunod??" Without fail, my unfazed beau always replies, "It's in the works. Don't worry." Hahahaha! :)
Merry Christmas to you all and hope you're having a restful, peaceful and blissful season! :)
Monday, December 19, 2005
A very wise person told me before...
when you love someone, love him so much that you'll do everything you can to make his everyday a little lighter, a little easier, a little better.
If you do that, even in a small way, you know you've loved enough.
That's all I'm doing. No need to say thanks or to make apologies. I'm just loving you.
If you do that, even in a small way, you know you've loved enough.
That's all I'm doing. No need to say thanks or to make apologies. I'm just loving you.
Sunday, December 18, 2005
the giant ape and the championships
My dear boyfriend during our movie date today (KingKong): "Ayan, don't go na to tropical or primitive islands ah. A gorilla might fall in love with you and steal you from me."
Grabe, ano beh!
In other news, my dear boyfriend's basketball team won the Ateneo basketball tournament today! Yay! Cheers to the world's best coach and the best world's best boyfriend! =)
Grabe, ano beh!
In other news, my dear boyfriend's basketball team won the Ateneo basketball tournament today! Yay! Cheers to the world's best coach and the best world's best boyfriend! =)
Sunday, December 11, 2005
What is it?
It is the private joke, the secret glance, that sends a shiver down your spine. It reminds you that he's reserved. Reserved especially and only for you.
It is the knowledge that he's there to hold you steady so you don't fall. When all other ears turn away, his will always be there to catch even your most unspoken words.
It's the active participation in your life, that tells you he will always care. It's the promise of a constant companion through life's ups and downs. Someone who'll bear witness to your every triumph and failure--- and celebrate you all throughout the adventure.
It's the openness of his arms that embrace you at the end of a cold, long day. It's an understanding and an acceptance for the bad, the worse and the worst of you.
It's the healing balm his touch seems to have, that soothes your tired muscles.. or your tired heart. It's the warm comfort of his tone, of his smile, of his eyes, that takes away every scar, every pain, every ache. When it's just you and him, you can never hurt again.
It's the richness of the memories he is building with you, and the possibilities of the future.. that sends you waking every morning, and lets you rest your head peacefully at night. If he's the last person you'll ever love, that's only right. For you're loving your best love now that you have him in your life.
It is the knowledge that he's there to hold you steady so you don't fall. When all other ears turn away, his will always be there to catch even your most unspoken words.
It's the active participation in your life, that tells you he will always care. It's the promise of a constant companion through life's ups and downs. Someone who'll bear witness to your every triumph and failure--- and celebrate you all throughout the adventure.
It's the openness of his arms that embrace you at the end of a cold, long day. It's an understanding and an acceptance for the bad, the worse and the worst of you.
It's the healing balm his touch seems to have, that soothes your tired muscles.. or your tired heart. It's the warm comfort of his tone, of his smile, of his eyes, that takes away every scar, every pain, every ache. When it's just you and him, you can never hurt again.
It's the richness of the memories he is building with you, and the possibilities of the future.. that sends you waking every morning, and lets you rest your head peacefully at night. If he's the last person you'll ever love, that's only right. For you're loving your best love now that you have him in your life.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
First Day
Today was the perfect way to start off a new job.
Today, I came to understand the big business that is international telecommunications. I also got a detailed look at what my role will be in the group. I was able to pinpoint the demands of the job where I'm weak at (must revisit those old notes and books)... as well as the parts of it that I know I'm strong in (must hone those skills more). It was exciting to meet new people, new faces.. hear of new challenges and new adventures.
Today also, I saw pressure in an almost tangible form. It was bigger and larger than life... looming far larger than I've ever known it to be. Though scary enough to make me palpitate despite the fact that I hadn't had a drop of caffeine today, it was also very exciting. The dynamism of it all was just too enticing to ignore. Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come.
Hopefully, it all goes to prove that I made the right choice. That I jumped ship only to land on an even bigger, even better one.
I don't need a lot of it, but a little validation would certainly do wonders on my anxious heart =)
(crossing my fingers...) Wish me luck!
Today, I came to understand the big business that is international telecommunications. I also got a detailed look at what my role will be in the group. I was able to pinpoint the demands of the job where I'm weak at (must revisit those old notes and books)... as well as the parts of it that I know I'm strong in (must hone those skills more). It was exciting to meet new people, new faces.. hear of new challenges and new adventures.
Today also, I saw pressure in an almost tangible form. It was bigger and larger than life... looming far larger than I've ever known it to be. Though scary enough to make me palpitate despite the fact that I hadn't had a drop of caffeine today, it was also very exciting. The dynamism of it all was just too enticing to ignore. Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come.
Hopefully, it all goes to prove that I made the right choice. That I jumped ship only to land on an even bigger, even better one.
I don't need a lot of it, but a little validation would certainly do wonders on my anxious heart =)
(crossing my fingers...) Wish me luck!
Monday, December 05, 2005
so long, so long, so long...
You know you've made an impression when your colleagues surprise you with a going-away party complete with cake and ice cream. You know you've made an impression when they gift you with a doll that looks remarkably like you. You know you've made an impression when they wrote you notecards proclaiming how much they will miss you. You know you've made an impression when they sing happy birthday at the top of their lungs instead of saying goodbye.
Hay... I never thought I'd say it but I think I'll actually miss Citi. Not for anything other than the people in it. Citibankers have had a lot said about them in the past (workaholics and chronic usurers among the many) but one thing they certainly aren't is cold. Citibankers are one of the warmest creatures I've ever come across. A stellar example of this is the despedida they threw for me today.
I was too focused scrambling to finish last-minute errands this afternoon that I didn't notice the bulk of people gathering in our floor at about 5pm. As I was frantically composing an email in my cubicle, I suddenly heard a very loud Happy Birthday song being sung. So I jumped up and sang along with them...
Only to realize...
Wait a minute...
Why are they all looking at me?!
Is this party for me?!
But it's not my birthday...
Huh?
Oh!
Wow!
How nice!
Awww......
Not wanting to say goodbye, my officemates instead sang happy birthday! How cute. Hehe ;p After the singing, there were some speeches, some tears... then the gift was presented. They gave me a doll -- a fair-skinned, long-haired and very very long-legged doll dressed in pink! Aww! :)
We took some pictures after that, and then the eating started. So many people wished me good luck, that I will rock 'em at Smart, that they know I can do it, etc etc. Hay, it reminded me of the part of my Citi stint that I will never forget. The people. Citibankers are just a great people-- there's no forgetting them. Ever.
So long, so long, so long, my friends. We'll see each other again :)
Hay... I never thought I'd say it but I think I'll actually miss Citi. Not for anything other than the people in it. Citibankers have had a lot said about them in the past (workaholics and chronic usurers among the many) but one thing they certainly aren't is cold. Citibankers are one of the warmest creatures I've ever come across. A stellar example of this is the despedida they threw for me today.
I was too focused scrambling to finish last-minute errands this afternoon that I didn't notice the bulk of people gathering in our floor at about 5pm. As I was frantically composing an email in my cubicle, I suddenly heard a very loud Happy Birthday song being sung. So I jumped up and sang along with them...
Only to realize...
Wait a minute...
Why are they all looking at me?!
Is this party for me?!
But it's not my birthday...
Huh?
Oh!
Wow!
How nice!
Awww......
Not wanting to say goodbye, my officemates instead sang happy birthday! How cute. Hehe ;p After the singing, there were some speeches, some tears... then the gift was presented. They gave me a doll -- a fair-skinned, long-haired and very very long-legged doll dressed in pink! Aww! :)
We took some pictures after that, and then the eating started. So many people wished me good luck, that I will rock 'em at Smart, that they know I can do it, etc etc. Hay, it reminded me of the part of my Citi stint that I will never forget. The people. Citibankers are just a great people-- there's no forgetting them. Ever.
So long, so long, so long, my friends. We'll see each other again :)
1 day left
Today's the day! The last time I'll ever walk through those halls, ride that elevator, sit at that desk, work on that computer, answer that phone, report to that boss...
This lady's Citibanker days are over.
And she never thought this day could ever come =P
Hallelujah!
This lady's Citibanker days are over.
And she never thought this day could ever come =P
Hallelujah!
Thursday, December 01, 2005
tick tock tick tock
My pseudo-banker days are numbered--- 3 days to go! I can't wait! :)
Turnover is a pain-in-the-ass, but it's a necessary evil to get past this period of limbo in my life and finally move on to bigger, better things!
3 days-- I wish time will just flash by.
Turnover is a pain-in-the-ass, but it's a necessary evil to get past this period of limbo in my life and finally move on to bigger, better things!
3 days-- I wish time will just flash by.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
:)
Sometimes, we realize just how strong we really are by knowing when to let go.
And actually doing it.
The truth never leaves a bad taste in your mouth. For as long as you stay true, for as long as you stay real, everything will fall into place.
I'm sooooo proud of you.
And actually doing it.
The truth never leaves a bad taste in your mouth. For as long as you stay true, for as long as you stay real, everything will fall into place.
I'm sooooo proud of you.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
i can feel a hangover coming....
Queasy tummy. Bad headache. Ringing in my ears. Impaired vision. A whole lotta giggling.
Aaah... I don't wanna drink anymore. Ever.
Ugh.
Though, many thanks to everybody who insists on throwing me a despedida or a for-old-times' sake party.. I really really appreciate them... :)
Just.... go a little easy on the drinking, friends. I'm only 1 person, and I can only drink so much-- plus, I still have work the next day =P
Aaah... I don't wanna drink anymore. Ever.
Ugh.
Though, many thanks to everybody who insists on throwing me a despedida or a for-old-times' sake party.. I really really appreciate them... :)
Just.... go a little easy on the drinking, friends. I'm only 1 person, and I can only drink so much-- plus, I still have work the next day =P
Monday, November 21, 2005
The TIme Traveler's Wife
I rarely rave about books, but this one I certainly cannot let pass.
The Time Traveler's Wife is the most unusual love story I've ever read. It's a testament to how love transcends time-- It's about a husband who's ill with a genetic disease that causes him to time-travel, as in plucked out of real-time and dumped sometime in his past. He can reappear as a 15-yr-old, as a 28-yr-old or as a 40-yr-old. He meets his wife back when she was a kid. As a result, she's loved him practically all her life-- waiting for the point in 'real-time' when they meet and fall in love. I love how the story takes time out of love's equation, proving in a queer, out-of-the-box manner that love does win above everything. Being in a time-bound body does not mean your love is bound to it as well.
The letter at the end is my favorite part of all.
"Stop waiting and be free. Of me--put me deep inside you and then go out in the world and live. Love the world and yourself in it. Move through it as though it offers no resistance, as though the world is your natural element. I have given you a life of suspended animation. And I don't mean to say that you have done nothing. You have created beauty, and meaning, in your art, .... and for me: for me you have been everything...
I love you, always. Time is nothing."
Sigh... I love it, I love it, I love it! :)
The Time Traveler's Wife is the most unusual love story I've ever read. It's a testament to how love transcends time-- It's about a husband who's ill with a genetic disease that causes him to time-travel, as in plucked out of real-time and dumped sometime in his past. He can reappear as a 15-yr-old, as a 28-yr-old or as a 40-yr-old. He meets his wife back when she was a kid. As a result, she's loved him practically all her life-- waiting for the point in 'real-time' when they meet and fall in love. I love how the story takes time out of love's equation, proving in a queer, out-of-the-box manner that love does win above everything. Being in a time-bound body does not mean your love is bound to it as well.
The letter at the end is my favorite part of all.
"Stop waiting and be free. Of me--put me deep inside you and then go out in the world and live. Love the world and yourself in it. Move through it as though it offers no resistance, as though the world is your natural element. I have given you a life of suspended animation. And I don't mean to say that you have done nothing. You have created beauty, and meaning, in your art, .... and for me: for me you have been everything...
I love you, always. Time is nothing."
Sigh... I love it, I love it, I love it! :)
Sunday, November 20, 2005
weekend update!
1. Party with officemates! Woohoo! Love the girls, love the booze, love the games. Haha! Bye-bye, Lengleng! Happy wedding!
2. Saw HP4, finally! Loved it, loved it, loved it! (I just wish the MTRCB didn't cut out the kissing scene. Tsk tsk...Party poopers..)
3. Did my X'mas shopping, and I'm already halfway down my list. Hoooray!!!
4. Watched my boyfriend coach his basketball team. They won the game, yay! (Though there's this real bitch of a girl acting all prettier-than-thou with her nose high up in the air. Sana madapa ka, gaga!)
All in all not a bad weekend. Too bad I missed Mia's party though. Happy Birthday, Mia!
P.S. Oh, and before I forget, late Saturday night, my former boss texted me to let me know that the Sponge DM I made when I was in MarComm won a bronze award in the Ad Congress Araw Awards. Hmmm... My reaction: "That's... good." =P Mag-fe-feeling na naman si M niyan. Hay...
2. Saw HP4, finally! Loved it, loved it, loved it! (I just wish the MTRCB didn't cut out the kissing scene. Tsk tsk...Party poopers..)
3. Did my X'mas shopping, and I'm already halfway down my list. Hoooray!!!
4. Watched my boyfriend coach his basketball team. They won the game, yay! (Though there's this real bitch of a girl acting all prettier-than-thou with her nose high up in the air. Sana madapa ka, gaga!)
All in all not a bad weekend. Too bad I missed Mia's party though. Happy Birthday, Mia!
P.S. Oh, and before I forget, late Saturday night, my former boss texted me to let me know that the Sponge DM I made when I was in MarComm won a bronze award in the Ad Congress Araw Awards. Hmmm... My reaction: "That's... good." =P Mag-fe-feeling na naman si M niyan. Hay...
Thursday, November 17, 2005
ranting... while raving on the side...
Ironically, for someone who's filed her resignation, I have an insanely long list of things to finish before I leave. I never knew having your remaining days as a Citibanker numbered meant being dumped a huge to-do list of new programs to launch, systems to update and goals to hit before you cross the finish line.
I hate this. In standard Citi fashion, they're trying to milk me for whatever my remaining days in Citi are worth. And, what's worse is I'm giving in to it. All in the name of not burning my bridges, lest I somehow find myself back in those hollow banking walls, by some cruel twist of fate. You never know. I might just come back to Mama (ugh!)...
I can sigh and cry all I want, but I'm still gonna finish all these anyway. How sad. I work too much for my own good.
What does keep me sane, though, are two things:
1. my Citi-gal pals: They drag me off my chair to steal away for a cup of coffee, usually right when I need to the most. They let me rant and complain and bitch about whatever my problem du jour happens to be at that time. They take my side in arguments and sometimes even help me fight my battles. Truly, I've come this far because I've had such a great support group by my side. They're not just colleagues-- they're great friends. I'll surely miss them when I go...
2. my darling beau: He makes me smile even if we're not together. He knows what to say, when to say and how to say just the right thing to make me feel better. Most of the time, right in the middle of chaos, I get a text from him that manages to take my mind off my problems for a few blissful minutes. My friends often tease me about my up-in-cloud-9 smiles and faraway looks, and they know immediately the reason why. Well, what can I say, I love the guy :)
I'm soooo counting the minutes, hours, days and weeks until I finally leave Citibank. I know it's been a good training ground for me, and I probably wouldn't know what I know now had I not chosen to spend my career's early years in there. I know they've been good to me and have rewarded me for the blood, sweat and tears I've poured at their feet. But I also know the time has come to move on.
I just wish that that time hurries up and gets here already. I'm itching to move... and dump all this remaining work on some other poor sucker's lap.
I hate this. In standard Citi fashion, they're trying to milk me for whatever my remaining days in Citi are worth. And, what's worse is I'm giving in to it. All in the name of not burning my bridges, lest I somehow find myself back in those hollow banking walls, by some cruel twist of fate. You never know. I might just come back to Mama (ugh!)...
I can sigh and cry all I want, but I'm still gonna finish all these anyway. How sad. I work too much for my own good.
What does keep me sane, though, are two things:
1. my Citi-gal pals: They drag me off my chair to steal away for a cup of coffee, usually right when I need to the most. They let me rant and complain and bitch about whatever my problem du jour happens to be at that time. They take my side in arguments and sometimes even help me fight my battles. Truly, I've come this far because I've had such a great support group by my side. They're not just colleagues-- they're great friends. I'll surely miss them when I go...
2. my darling beau: He makes me smile even if we're not together. He knows what to say, when to say and how to say just the right thing to make me feel better. Most of the time, right in the middle of chaos, I get a text from him that manages to take my mind off my problems for a few blissful minutes. My friends often tease me about my up-in-cloud-9 smiles and faraway looks, and they know immediately the reason why. Well, what can I say, I love the guy :)
I'm soooo counting the minutes, hours, days and weeks until I finally leave Citibank. I know it's been a good training ground for me, and I probably wouldn't know what I know now had I not chosen to spend my career's early years in there. I know they've been good to me and have rewarded me for the blood, sweat and tears I've poured at their feet. But I also know the time has come to move on.
I just wish that that time hurries up and gets here already. I'm itching to move... and dump all this remaining work on some other poor sucker's lap.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
true love...
The only daughter (and child) of Japan's emperor relinquished her throne as princess in order to marry a "commoner". After the wedding, she'll move from the royal palace into a regular apartment owned by her urban-planner husband. She'll also give up her royal allowance and start working within a household budget. All because she'd rather be a commoner along with the guy she loves than be a princess and be all alone.
Awww... And they said it only happens in the movies....
Awww... And they said it only happens in the movies....
Monday, November 14, 2005
early christmas
Christmas came early in the Co household. I came home this evening to discover our Christmas tree has already been set up! :)
In the spirit of an early Christmas, I hope to start on my Christmas shopping soon. Perhaps this week. Might as well get it done before the real holiday rush comes in and I'd resort to panic buying =P
In the spirit of an early Christmas, I hope to start on my Christmas shopping soon. Perhaps this week. Might as well get it done before the real holiday rush comes in and I'd resort to panic buying =P
Thursday, November 10, 2005
i did it!
Effective December 9, 2005, this girl ain't a Citibanker anymore.
What relief!
What excitement!
I can't wait!
What relief!
What excitement!
I can't wait!
Monday, November 07, 2005
tempted
I'm so tempted to accept the offer.
Better pay, better boss, better benefits, higher level, more challenges, more interesting work, travel opportunities, better exposure, office is closer to home...
Am I missing something else or is there no contest?!
Better pay, better boss, better benefits, higher level, more challenges, more interesting work, travel opportunities, better exposure, office is closer to home...
Am I missing something else or is there no contest?!
Sunday, November 06, 2005
What a week!
It's been a great great week! God should really make more of this sort of week. This is what people need-- not those work-packed, overstressed ones that everybody can certainly live without.
After a failed attempt to land in Kalibo, FILC finally arrived in sunny Boracay on Nov 1 and spent a glorious 4-days there. Needless to say, paradise still looked just as I remembered. Beautiful, peaceful, perfect.
Well, during the day, that is. Sadly, I didn't really see much of its nights, as I spent them cooped up in bed, bathing myself in White Flower, watching crappy TV and talking to my beloved as he tried to make me feel better as much as he could from a million miles away. What's so strange is that my tummy only acted up at night! When the sun is up, it's a-okay. But as it sets and darkness falls, parang it misses the sun so much it starts grumbling and complaining. Hay.
Anyhoot, looking at the bright side, I got a semi-tan (as usual, my skin only keeps the semi-tan for about half a day or so) and got to bond more with my beautiful sistahs. Will definitely do it again, though next time our resort of choice shall veer more towards the higher-end (codename for cleaner, bigger and better-smelling) of the available choices.
As soon as I landed, I couldn't wait to see my beau again. I missed him so much! As this was our first time away from each other for that long, we both suffered some separation anxiety and really bad withdrawal symptoms. When we saw each other again and went out to a movie and dinner date, I actually felt naninibago, as if it was weird to see him again (in a good way, of course). I missed you, babe!
Oh, and my parents definitely have a strange way of missing me. I discovered when I got back that my mom had bought me a beautiful, super elegant Jessica McClintock evening bag. For no reason. Just 'coz. Haha! I love being an only daughter! It certainly has its perks :) Imagine, ako na nga itong umalis, ako pa ang may pasalubong!
After a glorious week at paradise and a glorious weekend with my baby, I guess I'm ready to go back to work tomorrow. Well, this week starts off with a meeting with Company S, where hopefully my deal with them pushes through and I'll be off to greener pastures sooner than I expected. Wish me luck! :)
What a great holiday! I wish every year has a week like this. A week full of friends, bonding, laughter, great experiences, sunny skies, a great boyfriend, and a really really nice evening bag. Life can't get much better than this :)
After a failed attempt to land in Kalibo, FILC finally arrived in sunny Boracay on Nov 1 and spent a glorious 4-days there. Needless to say, paradise still looked just as I remembered. Beautiful, peaceful, perfect.
Well, during the day, that is. Sadly, I didn't really see much of its nights, as I spent them cooped up in bed, bathing myself in White Flower, watching crappy TV and talking to my beloved as he tried to make me feel better as much as he could from a million miles away. What's so strange is that my tummy only acted up at night! When the sun is up, it's a-okay. But as it sets and darkness falls, parang it misses the sun so much it starts grumbling and complaining. Hay.
Anyhoot, looking at the bright side, I got a semi-tan (as usual, my skin only keeps the semi-tan for about half a day or so) and got to bond more with my beautiful sistahs. Will definitely do it again, though next time our resort of choice shall veer more towards the higher-end (codename for cleaner, bigger and better-smelling) of the available choices.
As soon as I landed, I couldn't wait to see my beau again. I missed him so much! As this was our first time away from each other for that long, we both suffered some separation anxiety and really bad withdrawal symptoms. When we saw each other again and went out to a movie and dinner date, I actually felt naninibago, as if it was weird to see him again (in a good way, of course). I missed you, babe!
Oh, and my parents definitely have a strange way of missing me. I discovered when I got back that my mom had bought me a beautiful, super elegant Jessica McClintock evening bag. For no reason. Just 'coz. Haha! I love being an only daughter! It certainly has its perks :) Imagine, ako na nga itong umalis, ako pa ang may pasalubong!
After a glorious week at paradise and a glorious weekend with my baby, I guess I'm ready to go back to work tomorrow. Well, this week starts off with a meeting with Company S, where hopefully my deal with them pushes through and I'll be off to greener pastures sooner than I expected. Wish me luck! :)
What a great holiday! I wish every year has a week like this. A week full of friends, bonding, laughter, great experiences, sunny skies, a great boyfriend, and a really really nice evening bag. Life can't get much better than this :)
Sunday, October 30, 2005
great weekend
(Warning: This entry is sappy and very very cheesy. Proceed with caution. Read at your own risk.)
It's been a great, great birthday weekend.
Yesterday was family day. After watching the new Zorro flick, we came back home for a hearty family dinner to celebrate my birthday. Greetings all around and some presents came my way too. All in all a great evening-- relaxed and steady.. Tomorrow will also be family day-- his naman. Hehe :)
Today, though, was devoted to the two of us. After a spa treat (sarap ng massage-- aaaaahhhh), Dennis and I went to The Chocolate Kiss Cafe along Roces Ave in QC. (Check out http://www.thechocolatekiss.com for more details on this fabulous restaurant.) We both loooooved the food, especially the dessert-- and the price was great too, we ordered 5 dishes between the two of us and spent a little over P600! Wow, what a deal! It was a great date, reminiscent of our first fancy-restaurant date, where good food was abound and so was great conversation.
This great conversation I speak of started with some reminiscing on the part of my beau. He had spent most of his childhood in the QC area, having lived in their family's first house along Scout R (I forget exactly what R stands for... All I remember is R) for the first 22 years of his life. He told me of the benefits of living in that area-- it's secure, it's near all the important places (grocery, school, church, restaurant strip, mall and gym), it's close enough to the highway and is accessible to most nearby cities. Prior to heading to Chocolate Kiss, we actually passed by this old house, whom they had sold to a Filipino family, where he proudly showed off their huge gate and the lavish exterior of the Spanish-style home. It really looked like a nice house, judging from the outside look. He also painted a picture of the interior for me, so I can fully appreciate the beauty he saw in the place.
As I listened, I found myself getting carried away in his story. He recounted the many memories he had in that place, leading up to the day he heard of the sad news of its sale. He told me about how he and his brother would run up to the attic and play countless children's games... He recounted the many times he ran up and down the driveway, anticipating his dad's arrival from work. He told me happy stories, sad stories, and even the mundane, ordinary ones.. He obviously loved the place.
Instinctively, I said "let's buy back the place and live there!" He looked up in surprise, "Really? But you always said you can't imagine yourself living up North, coz you're a Southern girl..."
The next thing I said surprised me as much as it did him. I said, "But I want our kids to grow up in the same place you did." The actual words didn't surprise me as much as how much I meant them. From his stories I saw how much that house meant to him, and I realized I wanted him to get it back. True, the South has always been my home. But now that I'm with him, I realize home will always be where he is. So if that place is up North, so be it.
He looked so happy I thought his eyes were about to well up. But in typical Dennis fashion, he looked away and changed the topic. But before he did, I caught the smile that told me my statement made him happy. Which made me even happier. Because I meant what I said. I really did.
Hay, this is what life is really about. Spending it with someone you love so much that life just won't be life without him.
On my 23rd birthday weekend, that's my biggest learning. Love is what you make it to be.
It's been a great, great birthday weekend.
Yesterday was family day. After watching the new Zorro flick, we came back home for a hearty family dinner to celebrate my birthday. Greetings all around and some presents came my way too. All in all a great evening-- relaxed and steady.. Tomorrow will also be family day-- his naman. Hehe :)
Today, though, was devoted to the two of us. After a spa treat (sarap ng massage-- aaaaahhhh), Dennis and I went to The Chocolate Kiss Cafe along Roces Ave in QC. (Check out http://www.thechocolatekiss.com for more details on this fabulous restaurant.) We both loooooved the food, especially the dessert-- and the price was great too, we ordered 5 dishes between the two of us and spent a little over P600! Wow, what a deal! It was a great date, reminiscent of our first fancy-restaurant date, where good food was abound and so was great conversation.
This great conversation I speak of started with some reminiscing on the part of my beau. He had spent most of his childhood in the QC area, having lived in their family's first house along Scout R (I forget exactly what R stands for... All I remember is R) for the first 22 years of his life. He told me of the benefits of living in that area-- it's secure, it's near all the important places (grocery, school, church, restaurant strip, mall and gym), it's close enough to the highway and is accessible to most nearby cities. Prior to heading to Chocolate Kiss, we actually passed by this old house, whom they had sold to a Filipino family, where he proudly showed off their huge gate and the lavish exterior of the Spanish-style home. It really looked like a nice house, judging from the outside look. He also painted a picture of the interior for me, so I can fully appreciate the beauty he saw in the place.
As I listened, I found myself getting carried away in his story. He recounted the many memories he had in that place, leading up to the day he heard of the sad news of its sale. He told me about how he and his brother would run up to the attic and play countless children's games... He recounted the many times he ran up and down the driveway, anticipating his dad's arrival from work. He told me happy stories, sad stories, and even the mundane, ordinary ones.. He obviously loved the place.
Instinctively, I said "let's buy back the place and live there!" He looked up in surprise, "Really? But you always said you can't imagine yourself living up North, coz you're a Southern girl..."
The next thing I said surprised me as much as it did him. I said, "But I want our kids to grow up in the same place you did." The actual words didn't surprise me as much as how much I meant them. From his stories I saw how much that house meant to him, and I realized I wanted him to get it back. True, the South has always been my home. But now that I'm with him, I realize home will always be where he is. So if that place is up North, so be it.
He looked so happy I thought his eyes were about to well up. But in typical Dennis fashion, he looked away and changed the topic. But before he did, I caught the smile that told me my statement made him happy. Which made me even happier. Because I meant what I said. I really did.
Hay, this is what life is really about. Spending it with someone you love so much that life just won't be life without him.
On my 23rd birthday weekend, that's my biggest learning. Love is what you make it to be.
Friday, October 28, 2005
it's that time of the year again...
Turned 23 today.
Sayang.. Had fun being 22 =P
Thanks to everyone who remembered!
Sayang.. Had fun being 22 =P
Thanks to everyone who remembered!
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
tsk tsk....
1. If only I spend all this time and all these efforts doing something I really like. Hay. It's exponentially more tiring to do tasks you'd rather not do =P
Tsk tsk..
2. I now know how it feels to be the referee and shock absorber of 2 arguing friends. I'd really prefer not to be involved, but hey, it's a little too late for that now. Besides, they were the ones who put me in the middle, and leaving them alone (which was the first idea) didn't seem to help.
Tsk tsk..
Tsk tsk..
2. I now know how it feels to be the referee and shock absorber of 2 arguing friends. I'd really prefer not to be involved, but hey, it's a little too late for that now. Besides, they were the ones who put me in the middle, and leaving them alone (which was the first idea) didn't seem to help.
Tsk tsk..
Saturday, October 22, 2005
168
Everybody is raving about 168. My first trip about 5 months ago was rather short, with the objective of buying DVDs (not exactly a rave-worthy shopping objective), so I decided to give it another try today with my mom.
So off we went to 168. I would think a lot of people reading this blog haven't gone there yet but, just like the rest of the population, are itching to go see what the big deal is. So I've listed some tips to help you-- some I picked up from certain people I saw there:
1. Don't take your car all the way there. We left ours in my maternal grandma's house, which was about 5-8 minutes walking-time away from 168. No way were we taking the car through that horrendous traffic and even more horrendous streets. Should you insist on taking your car, prepare to suffer through an hour or so of mind-numbing traffic. Caused by cars, humans, or both.
2. Do not wear jewelry and watches, and definitely do not take out your cellphone throughout the entire duration of your expedition. In fact, my mom and I didn't even bother bringing our bags with us. Both of us spent a great deal of our childhood years in that area... which gives us plenty of experiences with pickpockets, snatchers and other similar thieves. Do not give them anything to steal, because believe you me, they will.
3. Take note of where you came from and how you plan to go out. There are quite a number of entrances and exits, which all lead to different parts of Tondo. So be careful, lest you come out in the direction totally opposite from what you want.
4. Ignore the horse shit. It comes with the territory.
Now comes shopping time:
5. Haggle. My gosh, only in a place like 168 can my P1,000 stretch like the biggest rubber band ever. And a place like 168 can make you feel like ditching the mall for any kind of shopping need-- EVER. Hehe :) Enjoy.
6. If you plan to buy clothes, wear things that you can easily slip something on top of. There are no dressing rooms in this place. Oh, and it will also help to bring a good sense of what fits you and what doesn't. Otherwise, you'll end up with cheap deals you cannot use anyway.
7. Do not walk around speaking in English. Period. Hay... I overheard these 3 girls talking in outrageously arte Taglish, sounding all naive and innocent... Haay...
8. It would be a good idea to bring a big shopping bag that you can stuff little plastic bags into. It's a hassle to have to carry multiple plastic baggies that only contain 1 or 2 shirts or other small things. It's more convenient because you only have to look after 1 big bag as opposed to loads... and it's also safer when you hop onto a sidecar or a jeep on your way out of Tondo.
9. Take your time when you shop but don't dilly-dally either. Items are sold on wholesale in this place, hence there are very small profit margins per item. Not a lot of vendors are willing to wait the entire day for 1 person to make a selection. Know what you want, check if it fits or if the price is right, then get outta there.
Net-net, I had a super great time. My legs hurt from 4-hours worth of walking, but it was well worth it. I spent a quarter of what I would usually spend on the things I got... and I'm very happy with them. I wasn't at all surprised to find people from Valenzuela and Malabon there-- as in they endured the 2-hour ride to get to 168.. because the goods really are worth the trip. I just think you need to be prepared and level your expectations with the kind of place you're visiting. And, remember that you're there to shop, not to admire the surroundings or relish the sights and sounds and smells... You'll come out happy (almost giddy) with hefty savings and a big bag of great finds. :)
So off we went to 168. I would think a lot of people reading this blog haven't gone there yet but, just like the rest of the population, are itching to go see what the big deal is. So I've listed some tips to help you-- some I picked up from certain people I saw there:
1. Don't take your car all the way there. We left ours in my maternal grandma's house, which was about 5-8 minutes walking-time away from 168. No way were we taking the car through that horrendous traffic and even more horrendous streets. Should you insist on taking your car, prepare to suffer through an hour or so of mind-numbing traffic. Caused by cars, humans, or both.
2. Do not wear jewelry and watches, and definitely do not take out your cellphone throughout the entire duration of your expedition. In fact, my mom and I didn't even bother bringing our bags with us. Both of us spent a great deal of our childhood years in that area... which gives us plenty of experiences with pickpockets, snatchers and other similar thieves. Do not give them anything to steal, because believe you me, they will.
3. Take note of where you came from and how you plan to go out. There are quite a number of entrances and exits, which all lead to different parts of Tondo. So be careful, lest you come out in the direction totally opposite from what you want.
4. Ignore the horse shit. It comes with the territory.
Now comes shopping time:
5. Haggle. My gosh, only in a place like 168 can my P1,000 stretch like the biggest rubber band ever. And a place like 168 can make you feel like ditching the mall for any kind of shopping need-- EVER. Hehe :) Enjoy.
6. If you plan to buy clothes, wear things that you can easily slip something on top of. There are no dressing rooms in this place. Oh, and it will also help to bring a good sense of what fits you and what doesn't. Otherwise, you'll end up with cheap deals you cannot use anyway.
7. Do not walk around speaking in English. Period. Hay... I overheard these 3 girls talking in outrageously arte Taglish, sounding all naive and innocent... Haay...
8. It would be a good idea to bring a big shopping bag that you can stuff little plastic bags into. It's a hassle to have to carry multiple plastic baggies that only contain 1 or 2 shirts or other small things. It's more convenient because you only have to look after 1 big bag as opposed to loads... and it's also safer when you hop onto a sidecar or a jeep on your way out of Tondo.
9. Take your time when you shop but don't dilly-dally either. Items are sold on wholesale in this place, hence there are very small profit margins per item. Not a lot of vendors are willing to wait the entire day for 1 person to make a selection. Know what you want, check if it fits or if the price is right, then get outta there.
Net-net, I had a super great time. My legs hurt from 4-hours worth of walking, but it was well worth it. I spent a quarter of what I would usually spend on the things I got... and I'm very happy with them. I wasn't at all surprised to find people from Valenzuela and Malabon there-- as in they endured the 2-hour ride to get to 168.. because the goods really are worth the trip. I just think you need to be prepared and level your expectations with the kind of place you're visiting. And, remember that you're there to shop, not to admire the surroundings or relish the sights and sounds and smells... You'll come out happy (almost giddy) with hefty savings and a big bag of great finds. :)
Sunday, October 16, 2005
the IMC seniors this year...
Earlier today, I judged the IMC finals on Citibank Clear Card. It felt strange to be on the other side of the coin, this time being the evaluator and throwing the comments/ questions to the presentors. Given that it will be one of my major assignments next year, the client side of me really wanted to get good ideas for Clear. On the other hand, the alumni part of me understood that the students were most likely lacking in sleep and were running on empty. So I was compassionate and quite nice with my questioning. In fact, in some questions that Dr K threw, I even helped them along in the answering...
The SDL presentation was really the best one, objectively speaking. Dr K kept teasing me that they were my favorite, because I myself was an SDL-er. But, really, I honestly think they had a very good deck-- in fact, I want to show it to Citibankers on Monday. They had good research data to back up their strategy, and they defended their plan well. There was a solid link between different parts of their plan, and the budget they worked with was also very realistic. Even how they handled Q&A was impressive. :)
That wasn't the most interesting part though. What really caught me offguard was the team spirit in both blocks. During my time (yuck, that was 3 years ago), our block was united, but when it came to these presentations, it was each team for itself. Some of your close friends may come and attend your session, but mostly, each group just sort of fended for itself when time came to face the panel.
This batch is very different, though. In both presentations, the blockmates were all in attendance to show support and, in most cases, to serve as the cheering squad. Every praise given by the judges were met with an enthusiastic round of cheers and applause. Take note that today is a Saturday. Those other blockmates had no other reason to be in school today but to pull for their respective teams.
Also, the team spirit was very strongly felt in that they regarded team victory or defeat as block victory or defeat. When the SDL Citibank team was pronounced the winner of today's presentations, as well as the overall winner of the finals, the entire block jumped up and down and some were even crying with joy! Haha! I found it so funny! It may have been OA from an outsider's point of view, but considering the amount of stress and pressure the last few weeks must have been, along with the immense pressure to finally win 1 of the pitches (out of the 4 brands this sem, SDL only won one, which is the presentation today. But, sweet, they also won overall.), I think it was just normal, if not expected. It was also cute how those that lost their own presentation cheered and celebrated their blockmates' victory. You rarely see that kind of unity these days, especially in corporate settings.
Hehe. Needless to say, I had a lot of fun today. At times, I found myself reminiscing and recounting some presentations I had myself. But on the overall, nah, I think I like being client better =P
The SDL presentation was really the best one, objectively speaking. Dr K kept teasing me that they were my favorite, because I myself was an SDL-er. But, really, I honestly think they had a very good deck-- in fact, I want to show it to Citibankers on Monday. They had good research data to back up their strategy, and they defended their plan well. There was a solid link between different parts of their plan, and the budget they worked with was also very realistic. Even how they handled Q&A was impressive. :)
That wasn't the most interesting part though. What really caught me offguard was the team spirit in both blocks. During my time (yuck, that was 3 years ago), our block was united, but when it came to these presentations, it was each team for itself. Some of your close friends may come and attend your session, but mostly, each group just sort of fended for itself when time came to face the panel.
This batch is very different, though. In both presentations, the blockmates were all in attendance to show support and, in most cases, to serve as the cheering squad. Every praise given by the judges were met with an enthusiastic round of cheers and applause. Take note that today is a Saturday. Those other blockmates had no other reason to be in school today but to pull for their respective teams.
Also, the team spirit was very strongly felt in that they regarded team victory or defeat as block victory or defeat. When the SDL Citibank team was pronounced the winner of today's presentations, as well as the overall winner of the finals, the entire block jumped up and down and some were even crying with joy! Haha! I found it so funny! It may have been OA from an outsider's point of view, but considering the amount of stress and pressure the last few weeks must have been, along with the immense pressure to finally win 1 of the pitches (out of the 4 brands this sem, SDL only won one, which is the presentation today. But, sweet, they also won overall.), I think it was just normal, if not expected. It was also cute how those that lost their own presentation cheered and celebrated their blockmates' victory. You rarely see that kind of unity these days, especially in corporate settings.
Hehe. Needless to say, I had a lot of fun today. At times, I found myself reminiscing and recounting some presentations I had myself. But on the overall, nah, I think I like being client better =P
Thursday, October 13, 2005
the Citi girls
I don’t know what it is about a four-some group of girlfriends, but it starting to seem like a trend in my life. Presenting my Citi girlfriends:
= Baby Bay: Though older than me, she’s the baby of the group. The most adorably naïve girl I know, she is also the sweetest girlfriend there is. She would bring you a treat when you’re down or a text from nowhere just to say hello. She’s also the kuwento-queen, always packing the latest story or chismis about anything and everything. Don’t think she has nothing between her ears though. She’s one of the fastest learners I know, and the savviest thinkers. :)
= The Hamptons Mama: She’s not much older than me and Baby Bay, but she’s totally the mom of the group. She’s the one who has the 3-way test for shopping—just ask yourself Hamptons Mama’s 3 simple questions to see if an item is worth the buy. She’s also the first one to caution you against making an impulsive move, the first one to give you a lecture when you’re in over your head, and the first one to tell you to go home and rest. :)
= The Vampy Van: Such the hotstuff, she has the assets, the voice and the personality to back up all the hype. She’s also ‘hot’ in the sense that she’s the feistiest of the four of us. Woe befalls those that attempt to hurt any of us. She’s the first to rush to our defense if someone makes us feel bad. She’s the best cheerleader of the group too—the loudest supporter of your wildest dream. :)
These are my Citi girls-- the ones I hang out with day-in and day-out.. companions in late-night SM shopping sprees and mid-day pedicure sessions, daily lunch&merienda-mates, fellow coffee&beer-junkies, comrades-in-war and definitely girlfriends to keep. :)
= Baby Bay: Though older than me, she’s the baby of the group. The most adorably naïve girl I know, she is also the sweetest girlfriend there is. She would bring you a treat when you’re down or a text from nowhere just to say hello. She’s also the kuwento-queen, always packing the latest story or chismis about anything and everything. Don’t think she has nothing between her ears though. She’s one of the fastest learners I know, and the savviest thinkers. :)
= The Hamptons Mama: She’s not much older than me and Baby Bay, but she’s totally the mom of the group. She’s the one who has the 3-way test for shopping—just ask yourself Hamptons Mama’s 3 simple questions to see if an item is worth the buy. She’s also the first one to caution you against making an impulsive move, the first one to give you a lecture when you’re in over your head, and the first one to tell you to go home and rest. :)
= The Vampy Van: Such the hotstuff, she has the assets, the voice and the personality to back up all the hype. She’s also ‘hot’ in the sense that she’s the feistiest of the four of us. Woe befalls those that attempt to hurt any of us. She’s the first to rush to our defense if someone makes us feel bad. She’s the best cheerleader of the group too—the loudest supporter of your wildest dream. :)
These are my Citi girls-- the ones I hang out with day-in and day-out.. companions in late-night SM shopping sprees and mid-day pedicure sessions, daily lunch&merienda-mates, fellow coffee&beer-junkies, comrades-in-war and definitely girlfriends to keep. :)
between a rock and a hard place...
How I wish I were one of those people who know exactly where they wanna go and are on the road to getting there. Or just plain one of those people who are happy where they are, not desiring to end up anywhere else.
I don't mean to sound ungrateful for what I've been given. My dissatisfaction comes mainly from my choices, not my blessings.
Second-guessing seems to be second nature to me nowadays.
I don't mean to sound ungrateful for what I've been given. My dissatisfaction comes mainly from my choices, not my blessings.
Second-guessing seems to be second nature to me nowadays.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
a Citi-series of unfortunate events
It all started when my good friend "Bay" and I decided to take an afternoon merienda break from work and walk over to the food stalls next to 7/11 in Eastwood for a little chow, namely some sweet corn that was the rage among other Citibankers.
The skies were clear and the weather seemed fine, so we didn't think twice about walking the short distance from Citi. As we started eating and were chitchating a little bit... boom! It seemed as if the skies were going to fall down with the heavy rain that came pouring. At first, we didn't mind it so much, figuring it will slow down before we knew it.
20 minutes later, we were done but the rain wasn't. In fact, if it was at all possible, the rain came down even harder. And worse, the ground was starting to flood up.. Holy crap...
Bay: I know, let's walk to the front and see if the guard at 7/11 has an umbrella we can borrow. After all, our only problem is how to get to CyberMall. Once we get there, we can walk safely na to Citi.
Gladys: Great Idea!
Voila! The guard did not have an umbrella. How now, brown cow? The rain showed zero chances of stopping. And we were about to be late for a management meeting.
Gladys: Oh, let's run the 3 steps to 7/11 and see if they sell umbrellas.
Bay gamely agreed and we rushed to the convenience store. Once inside, whew, finally, something went our way. They did sell umbrellas-- the cheapest of which were the foldable, floral-designed ones that were 63 bucks each.
We looked at each other, shrugged, and just picked one each and paid.
We walked out of 7/11 and opened our cheap umbrellas. Tried to open, rather. 5 seconds went by with us trying to push open the gaddamn umbrellas, whose locks seemed to be non-existent. No matter how many times or how hard we push up, the umbrellas just wouldn't lock.
We walked back in.
Bay: Miss, miss, sira itong payong!
7/11 cashier: (rolls her eyes) Sagarin niyo kasi. (opens the umbrella effortlessly)
Bay and Gladys: (wide-eyed) Wow, ang galing mo, miss!
So we walked out of 7/11 with our open umbrellas and waded through the about-to-flood way to Cyber and then all the way back to home-sweet-home Citibank.
Once inside, you would think our ordeal was over. But no...
As we were waiting for the elevators, we were laughing at ourselves while shaking our 'brellas dry. Just as the elevator doors open and a bunch of guys come out, the tip of my umbrella's handle broke off! And, to make matters worse, 1 guy bent down and picked it up. With a look of uneasy disgust, he handed it over to me using only his thumb and index finger, as if the thing was full of germs he didn't want to spread to the rest of his hand. How embarrassing!!
And so we forged on, wanting nothing else than to have this string of bad luck to stop. We entered the lift along with 2 people from Credit (14th floor). The elevator moved on up and stopped at the 14th floor, where those 2 people got off.
A second after the elevator closed at the 14th floor, brownout! Bay and I looked at each other with disbelief. You've got to be kidding me!
Ironically, it didn't occur to either of us that we should push the alarm button in the elevator panel. We were just too stunned by the series of unfortunate events.. all in the span of an hour!
Sigh... So after a few seconds, the power came back on and we finally arrived safely in our floor and at our workstations. My gohd. All that trouble for corn!? Heck, I'm never touching that stuff ever again! =P
The skies were clear and the weather seemed fine, so we didn't think twice about walking the short distance from Citi. As we started eating and were chitchating a little bit... boom! It seemed as if the skies were going to fall down with the heavy rain that came pouring. At first, we didn't mind it so much, figuring it will slow down before we knew it.
20 minutes later, we were done but the rain wasn't. In fact, if it was at all possible, the rain came down even harder. And worse, the ground was starting to flood up.. Holy crap...
Bay: I know, let's walk to the front and see if the guard at 7/11 has an umbrella we can borrow. After all, our only problem is how to get to CyberMall. Once we get there, we can walk safely na to Citi.
Gladys: Great Idea!
Voila! The guard did not have an umbrella. How now, brown cow? The rain showed zero chances of stopping. And we were about to be late for a management meeting.
Gladys: Oh, let's run the 3 steps to 7/11 and see if they sell umbrellas.
Bay gamely agreed and we rushed to the convenience store. Once inside, whew, finally, something went our way. They did sell umbrellas-- the cheapest of which were the foldable, floral-designed ones that were 63 bucks each.
We looked at each other, shrugged, and just picked one each and paid.
We walked out of 7/11 and opened our cheap umbrellas. Tried to open, rather. 5 seconds went by with us trying to push open the gaddamn umbrellas, whose locks seemed to be non-existent. No matter how many times or how hard we push up, the umbrellas just wouldn't lock.
We walked back in.
Bay: Miss, miss, sira itong payong!
7/11 cashier: (rolls her eyes) Sagarin niyo kasi. (opens the umbrella effortlessly)
Bay and Gladys: (wide-eyed) Wow, ang galing mo, miss!
So we walked out of 7/11 with our open umbrellas and waded through the about-to-flood way to Cyber and then all the way back to home-sweet-home Citibank.
Once inside, you would think our ordeal was over. But no...
As we were waiting for the elevators, we were laughing at ourselves while shaking our 'brellas dry. Just as the elevator doors open and a bunch of guys come out, the tip of my umbrella's handle broke off! And, to make matters worse, 1 guy bent down and picked it up. With a look of uneasy disgust, he handed it over to me using only his thumb and index finger, as if the thing was full of germs he didn't want to spread to the rest of his hand. How embarrassing!!
And so we forged on, wanting nothing else than to have this string of bad luck to stop. We entered the lift along with 2 people from Credit (14th floor). The elevator moved on up and stopped at the 14th floor, where those 2 people got off.
A second after the elevator closed at the 14th floor, brownout! Bay and I looked at each other with disbelief. You've got to be kidding me!
Ironically, it didn't occur to either of us that we should push the alarm button in the elevator panel. We were just too stunned by the series of unfortunate events.. all in the span of an hour!
Sigh... So after a few seconds, the power came back on and we finally arrived safely in our floor and at our workstations. My gohd. All that trouble for corn!? Heck, I'm never touching that stuff ever again! =P
Monday, October 03, 2005
whirlwind romance
She was a friend of the bride. He was the brother of the groom.
They were strangers to each other until the day of the wedding. She found herself without a ride to Baguio, as her friend fell ill that day. He had the family car to himself, as he came to visit from the US and arrived just the day before (everyone in the family had already gone up by then). She gingerly agreed to ride with him, bereft of any other choice.
The first few minutes were awkward. They engaged in small talk, usually talking about the couple—the only people they had in common.
Pretty soon, even before they hit the expressway, they found more topics to talk about—their common interests, passions and experiences. Nothing had ever seemed so comfortable, she felt. It was a total meeting of souls. It felt as if they had known each other forever. Even if, just a few hours ago, they were unaware of each other’s existence.
They spent the entire 8-hour Baguio trip talking—about everything and anything under the sun. They made each other laugh, kept each other entertained and showed each other just what they’ve been missing their entire lives.
The wedding seemed the best place to cap it all off. Every corner screamed romance; everything celebrated love and all its wonders. It was the perfect venue to fall in love. And fall in love they did.
3 weeks later, he had to go. In those 3 weeks, they were inseparable. Now, they were about to be separated by oceans and seas after having been joined at the hip for almost 21 days…
He went back to the US; she stayed behind. Both resumed their old lives, though at the back of their minds, kept alive the memory of those fairy-tale 3 weeks…
A month later, he came back. On a surprise visit.
He came back with the sole intent of proposing to her. Be his wife, he said. I just know our lives are meant to be lived together.
She said yes. Nothing had ever felt more sure.
A year later, they’re about to join hands in marriage.
As she retells the story to me, I realize that these are stories that break even the most cynical of people, the most persistent of love’s detractors. When you’re meant to be, you’re meant to be. It matters not how long you’ve been together, or how many things you know of each other. Love is love is love. Time is but a factor. In her words, you just know.
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
thought for the day
Maybe at certain moments, it merits checking out the grass at the other side of the fence.
Maybe, sometimes, perception is reality. The statement otherwise just might be the illusion... Not the other way around.. Who's to say the way you see things isn't the way they really are?
Hay.. I don't know if I'm just justifying how I'm feeling, but I just think that there are times when one should assess one's situation relative to others. Not all the time. Just sometimes. At certain moments, for certain issues, in certain contexts... To make certain conclusions.
Maybe, sometimes, perception is reality. The statement otherwise just might be the illusion... Not the other way around.. Who's to say the way you see things isn't the way they really are?
Hay.. I don't know if I'm just justifying how I'm feeling, but I just think that there are times when one should assess one's situation relative to others. Not all the time. Just sometimes. At certain moments, for certain issues, in certain contexts... To make certain conclusions.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Dane's baby girl and Dane's chocolates
Went yesterday to visit my friend, Dane, and his wife.. and his new baby! Welcome, Marie Noelle, to the world!
And, another introduction by Dane: The world's creamiest, best chocolates ever!
At first, I thought Dane's gushing was over-the-top-- I mean, c'mon, it can't possibly be that good. Until we had the jetsetting Ronald buy some for us in Singapore...
I finally opened the complicated package ( a box is packed with dry ice, wrapped in plastic and covered in paper wrapper and finally stored in a thick silver foil-looking package), and finally tried 1 choco-powder-dusted little dark-chocolate cube.
Heaven.
Oh my gohd! No chocolate has ever tasted this good!
My Lord! It's pure indulgence-- pure happiness... It melts in your mouth-- you won't know what hit you once you put one of these little cubes of happiness in your mouth....
And that's no overstatement. Believe me.. =)
And, another introduction by Dane: The world's creamiest, best chocolates ever!
At first, I thought Dane's gushing was over-the-top-- I mean, c'mon, it can't possibly be that good. Until we had the jetsetting Ronald buy some for us in Singapore...
I finally opened the complicated package ( a box is packed with dry ice, wrapped in plastic and covered in paper wrapper and finally stored in a thick silver foil-looking package), and finally tried 1 choco-powder-dusted little dark-chocolate cube.
Heaven.
Oh my gohd! No chocolate has ever tasted this good!
My Lord! It's pure indulgence-- pure happiness... It melts in your mouth-- you won't know what hit you once you put one of these little cubes of happiness in your mouth....
And that's no overstatement. Believe me.. =)
Monday, September 19, 2005
update!
Sometimes I get culture-shock when I find myself deeply immersed in my boyfriend's world. Such as last weekend.
They had their induction for new brods last Saturday night, and they had this totally elaborate formal affair. As in people dressed up like they do for the prom-- full-on gowns and makeup for the dates and tux and polished hair and shoes for the inductees. But of course, since my boyfriend is one of the barristers, he was not required to dress up. In fact, he was just in shorts and a plain T-shirt. Hehe. My boyfriend-- such the non-conformist. Whatever's comfy, that's what he goes for. =P
Anyway, before the ceremony, they informed Dennis that he was gonna get an award. How cool! It was a presidential citation for extraordinary service to the frat. After learning this, one would expect that he would hastily go back to his room to put on something nicer-- something more befitting an awardee. But no no... My boyfriend pa! He didn't care-- he walked up all confident, smiling and shaking everyone's hands-- and he even wanted to make a speech! Hahahaha! I was laughing my ass off! :)
Hay, finally, it's the last week of the bar exams. I know the stress is piling up now more than ever, especially after that last set of tests... I just pray he pulls through fine... Before we know it, this will be over. And we'll be back to normal.. Well, as normal as normal can be, as one awaits the results to come out 6 months later. =S
Oh, onto other news: Looks like our trip will finally push through (fingers crossed)!! I'm just hoping that the weather will cooperate with us, and that I lose weight enough to look decent in a swimsuit! Waah!... :)
Lastly, I think this dress is gorgeous..... I love the design, the color, the shape-- everything!
They had their induction for new brods last Saturday night, and they had this totally elaborate formal affair. As in people dressed up like they do for the prom-- full-on gowns and makeup for the dates and tux and polished hair and shoes for the inductees. But of course, since my boyfriend is one of the barristers, he was not required to dress up. In fact, he was just in shorts and a plain T-shirt. Hehe. My boyfriend-- such the non-conformist. Whatever's comfy, that's what he goes for. =P
Anyway, before the ceremony, they informed Dennis that he was gonna get an award. How cool! It was a presidential citation for extraordinary service to the frat. After learning this, one would expect that he would hastily go back to his room to put on something nicer-- something more befitting an awardee. But no no... My boyfriend pa! He didn't care-- he walked up all confident, smiling and shaking everyone's hands-- and he even wanted to make a speech! Hahahaha! I was laughing my ass off! :)
Hay, finally, it's the last week of the bar exams. I know the stress is piling up now more than ever, especially after that last set of tests... I just pray he pulls through fine... Before we know it, this will be over. And we'll be back to normal.. Well, as normal as normal can be, as one awaits the results to come out 6 months later. =S
Oh, onto other news: Looks like our trip will finally push through (fingers crossed)!! I'm just hoping that the weather will cooperate with us, and that I lose weight enough to look decent in a swimsuit! Waah!... :)
Lastly, I think this dress is gorgeous..... I love the design, the color, the shape-- everything!
Thursday, September 15, 2005
un-domestic goddess
My officemates often give me a lotta hell about my un-domesticated-ness.. I can't cook, can barely clean, can't wash clothes, can't iron-- the list goes on and on. At times they'd poke fun at my relatively easy life- about how I've never been required to pick up after myself, or lift as much as a finger to get anything done in the house. They'd tease me that, if left alone, I couldn't fend for myself. I wouldn't be able to survive living alone, if I didn't have the takeout counter, the driver or the nearby laundromat to help me out.
The sad truth is, they're probably right. My mom has even joined the ranks of those who tease me for my non-existent skills at household maintenance. She says whomever marries me is definitely not marrying a housewife. Just a wife.
Hay. I want to start taking cooking lessons soon-- I need to start building my resume for a different sort of a career-- one I'd like to start as fully prepared as I started my professional one. Hopefully, by then, all that my officemates can tease me for is not getting to work on time because I was busy at home. =P
The sad truth is, they're probably right. My mom has even joined the ranks of those who tease me for my non-existent skills at household maintenance. She says whomever marries me is definitely not marrying a housewife. Just a wife.
Hay. I want to start taking cooking lessons soon-- I need to start building my resume for a different sort of a career-- one I'd like to start as fully prepared as I started my professional one. Hopefully, by then, all that my officemates can tease me for is not getting to work on time because I was busy at home. =P
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
hey, you, people pleaser!
I would really advise you against stretching yourself too thin and being too accomodating... to everybody! I understand the need to belong, the need to be liked and the need to feel comfortable around a certain group of people, but sometimes you just gotta watch your own back.
I find that, for most people, if you allow them to step all over you and take advantage, they will. And, what I find really disturbing is how they would sugar-coat these underhanded tricks by using sweety words and pa-close moves. I really despise such people-- people who think they're so cool and so above-everyone-else that they're entitled to certain favors. And you letting them get away with it does nothing to arm you against their dirty tactics.
Also, I find that people pleasers tend to share too many stories about themselves, (I guess) in an effort to forge immediate bonds and ties with people around them. I would also caution you against that. Resist the urge to share every single detail of every fight, every situation and every secret you have to every person you feel the need to please. Because all that does is give these people (the trust-worthiness of whom are yet to be determined) more ammunition to get the better of you.
I can't believe it, but I've quite possibly found someone more naive than me. Please, I hope you listen to these pieces of advice and choose very well the friends you want to have. It's just one of those things in life where quality totally wins over quantity.
I find that, for most people, if you allow them to step all over you and take advantage, they will. And, what I find really disturbing is how they would sugar-coat these underhanded tricks by using sweety words and pa-close moves. I really despise such people-- people who think they're so cool and so above-everyone-else that they're entitled to certain favors. And you letting them get away with it does nothing to arm you against their dirty tactics.
Also, I find that people pleasers tend to share too many stories about themselves, (I guess) in an effort to forge immediate bonds and ties with people around them. I would also caution you against that. Resist the urge to share every single detail of every fight, every situation and every secret you have to every person you feel the need to please. Because all that does is give these people (the trust-worthiness of whom are yet to be determined) more ammunition to get the better of you.
I can't believe it, but I've quite possibly found someone more naive than me. Please, I hope you listen to these pieces of advice and choose very well the friends you want to have. It's just one of those things in life where quality totally wins over quantity.
Thursday, September 08, 2005
what to do, what to do....?
Do you give up your old life when you allow someone to step into it? Just how much room do you free up for that person, and when you do free that space up, does that mean they have total domain over it? How do you keep the peace yet keep the love?
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
DH Season 2
I'm so excited! I can't wait!
Caution, this link contains spoilers:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8986378/
Caution, this link contains spoilers:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8986378/
Monday, September 05, 2005
balancing act
If I can be really honest, I'm finding it increasingly challenging to balance everybody in my life. As we get older, life becomes more and more a matter of prioritizing and compromising. Keeping everybody happy, while keeping yourself happy, is such a precarious balance... With the simple little tip of the scale, everything can suddenly become uneven, unfair... Everything can turn upside down or go crumbling down, if you're not careful.
Makes me wish I don't have to be an adult. Or that, sometimes, I get a monopoly over my time and my energy... That would make life soooo much easier.
Makes me wish I don't have to be an adult. Or that, sometimes, I get a monopoly over my time and my energy... That would make life soooo much easier.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
hay nako....
Here we go again.. You've re-entered my life to stir things up yet again, when all along I've written you off and considered you a closed book. Ano beh....
Sunday, August 28, 2005
in a few days...
The best boyfriend in the world is about to take his bar exams. Though he may appear calm and collected, I know he's very stressed out and is feeling anxious and fidgety on the inside...
Hence, he was really looking forward to last night-- the send-off party by his fratmates for him and his batch of barristers. The party was jampacked with well-wishing people and, as is typical in all frat functions, overflowing with booze, yosi, and more booze.
Hay.. Only in frat parties do I see such a huge amount of hand-shaking and back-patting. Brods left and right were greeting each other and wishing each other luck, through the customary shaking of right hands and the vigorous hitting of each other's backs.
I met even more people at that party. A portion of the crowd was composed of girls-- who were either girlfriends or dates of the boys. I stayed with these girls on occasions where Dennis would wander off to other people. Some of those girls were from law school too, and they entertained me with stories of their encounters with my boyfriend. The stories were all good, of course, and were usually about how, even if he's suplado, he was always the perfect gentleman.
A lot of guys approached me too, not to hit on me (takot lang nila, ang laki yatang tao ng boyfriend ko! Hehe) but to tell me just how much they love the guy my boyfriend is. They told me various recollections of their experiences together, including the fights they went through and the binds he helped them out of. They told me of countless times when my boyfriend went out of his way to help a friend in need, no matter how inconvenient or problematic the situation. They gave me different testimonies on why they trust him-- with their secrets, with their problems, with their lives..
To-date, I've never felt more proud to love him and to be loved by him than I did at those precise hours. I heard various stories of my boyfriend as a freshman, as a sophomore, junior and senior.. as a friend, as a brod, as a classmate, as a person... All those stories lent me a look at Dennis through the eyes of other people. I felt like I was getting to know him all over again. Every good story, every single praise, made me fall in love with him a little bit more..
By the end of the night, all those stories made me adore him even more for being the person he is, both to me and to others. He's a good guy. Underneath that siga exterior is a very good person.
And he loves me. All of his brods that I spoke with told me the same thing. That no matter how much I believe that he loves me, I'll never fully see just how much I mean to him. And just how big an impact I made in his life.
That's another thing about my boyfriend. He gives justice to the meaning of the word love.
Hay... As I said, he's the best boyfriend in the world.
Hence, he was really looking forward to last night-- the send-off party by his fratmates for him and his batch of barristers. The party was jampacked with well-wishing people and, as is typical in all frat functions, overflowing with booze, yosi, and more booze.
Hay.. Only in frat parties do I see such a huge amount of hand-shaking and back-patting. Brods left and right were greeting each other and wishing each other luck, through the customary shaking of right hands and the vigorous hitting of each other's backs.
I met even more people at that party. A portion of the crowd was composed of girls-- who were either girlfriends or dates of the boys. I stayed with these girls on occasions where Dennis would wander off to other people. Some of those girls were from law school too, and they entertained me with stories of their encounters with my boyfriend. The stories were all good, of course, and were usually about how, even if he's suplado, he was always the perfect gentleman.
A lot of guys approached me too, not to hit on me (takot lang nila, ang laki yatang tao ng boyfriend ko! Hehe) but to tell me just how much they love the guy my boyfriend is. They told me various recollections of their experiences together, including the fights they went through and the binds he helped them out of. They told me of countless times when my boyfriend went out of his way to help a friend in need, no matter how inconvenient or problematic the situation. They gave me different testimonies on why they trust him-- with their secrets, with their problems, with their lives..
To-date, I've never felt more proud to love him and to be loved by him than I did at those precise hours. I heard various stories of my boyfriend as a freshman, as a sophomore, junior and senior.. as a friend, as a brod, as a classmate, as a person... All those stories lent me a look at Dennis through the eyes of other people. I felt like I was getting to know him all over again. Every good story, every single praise, made me fall in love with him a little bit more..
By the end of the night, all those stories made me adore him even more for being the person he is, both to me and to others. He's a good guy. Underneath that siga exterior is a very good person.
And he loves me. All of his brods that I spoke with told me the same thing. That no matter how much I believe that he loves me, I'll never fully see just how much I mean to him. And just how big an impact I made in his life.
That's another thing about my boyfriend. He gives justice to the meaning of the word love.
Hay... As I said, he's the best boyfriend in the world.
money, money, money,.... money!
I attended this Citigroup seminar in the office the other day, and learned a whole lot more about investment. It was amazing how, if you compare the interest rate in a regular time deposit account, factor in the current inflation rate in the Philippines, your money can be losing value up to about 5% every day that you keep it in that account. People may think they're saving by keeping their money in bank accounts, but if you consider inflation and the ever-rising cost of living and the ever-plummeting value of our peso, your money is actually spending itself away...
They also touched on mutual funds, bonds and other securities we may be interested to avail of. Being Citibankers, we had the advantage of getting these investment instruments minus the usual brokerage fees. Also, as opposed to entering, say, the stock market on your own and having to monitor the shakes and turns yourself, entrusting your shares to the professionals can save you lots of time and energy.
I happily took in all the info, listing down the products I consider investing in. At first, I wondered how I was ever going to afford to put in enough money to actually 'grow' my moolah considerably. After all, it's not like I'm earning millions every payday.
But, interestingly, when I was doing the math upon getting back to my desk, I realized that about a 10-15% monthly cut from my paycheck can amount to a substantial amount of investment per year. And, at the rate that some instruments go, it's very worth it to get in asap. 10-15% is, interestingly, doable on my part too! I just have to think of it as an 'expense'... like shopping or going out.
Hay, I sooo want to start saving up and making my money grow. I hope this is the start of it :)
They also touched on mutual funds, bonds and other securities we may be interested to avail of. Being Citibankers, we had the advantage of getting these investment instruments minus the usual brokerage fees. Also, as opposed to entering, say, the stock market on your own and having to monitor the shakes and turns yourself, entrusting your shares to the professionals can save you lots of time and energy.
I happily took in all the info, listing down the products I consider investing in. At first, I wondered how I was ever going to afford to put in enough money to actually 'grow' my moolah considerably. After all, it's not like I'm earning millions every payday.
But, interestingly, when I was doing the math upon getting back to my desk, I realized that about a 10-15% monthly cut from my paycheck can amount to a substantial amount of investment per year. And, at the rate that some instruments go, it's very worth it to get in asap. 10-15% is, interestingly, doable on my part too! I just have to think of it as an 'expense'... like shopping or going out.
Hay, I sooo want to start saving up and making my money grow. I hope this is the start of it :)
Sunday, August 21, 2005
sassy!
Saw "My Sassy Girl" for the first time last night. I've heard so many people gush and mush about it, that I tried not to expect too much from the movie. Better to keep expectations to a bare minimum-- I've been letdown by a lot of 'must-sees' in my lifetime...
But, oh my, after watching it.. I must say that I now join the crowd in cheering and clapping my hands gaily at such a great movie! I love it, I love it, I love it! It's feel-good yet sad at the same time-- and the characters are so lovable that you can't help but root for them. The way the story is told was so unconventional-- unlike a typical romantic comedy, you wouldn't be able to predict how it's going to end. So the story just sweeps you away-- when the lights come on to signal the end of the movie, you have to make a conscious effort to regain your breath.
I love it! I love it! I love it!
Spent the rest of my weekend naman with my sassy boy. He's been so stressed about the bar exams (coming up in 2 weeks!) that I treated him to a full-body 60-minute massage at the spa today. Afterwards, we feasted on some really good Japanese food and spent hours just talking and laughing. I tried to crack him up with my clever jokes (i.e. "Ang C2 kaya, binebenta din sa C5?), but he ended up giving the better wisecracks. Oh well, I tried =p
And I tried my best to be the sweet, caring girlfriend this weekend, being the one with the lambing words and sweet gestures (the massage, etc)... but he still stole my thunder as the weekend came to a close. After watching "Must Love Dogs", I playfully teased him, "Will you ever stop loving me, just like Diane Lane's ex-husband?!"
He answered without batting an eyelash, "From the moment you agreed to be with me, I knew for sure I'd be loving you all my life."
Sigh... what did I tell you-- he's my Sassy boy.... =)
But, oh my, after watching it.. I must say that I now join the crowd in cheering and clapping my hands gaily at such a great movie! I love it, I love it, I love it! It's feel-good yet sad at the same time-- and the characters are so lovable that you can't help but root for them. The way the story is told was so unconventional-- unlike a typical romantic comedy, you wouldn't be able to predict how it's going to end. So the story just sweeps you away-- when the lights come on to signal the end of the movie, you have to make a conscious effort to regain your breath.
I love it! I love it! I love it!
Spent the rest of my weekend naman with my sassy boy. He's been so stressed about the bar exams (coming up in 2 weeks!) that I treated him to a full-body 60-minute massage at the spa today. Afterwards, we feasted on some really good Japanese food and spent hours just talking and laughing. I tried to crack him up with my clever jokes (i.e. "Ang C2 kaya, binebenta din sa C5?), but he ended up giving the better wisecracks. Oh well, I tried =p
And I tried my best to be the sweet, caring girlfriend this weekend, being the one with the lambing words and sweet gestures (the massage, etc)... but he still stole my thunder as the weekend came to a close. After watching "Must Love Dogs", I playfully teased him, "Will you ever stop loving me, just like Diane Lane's ex-husband?!"
He answered without batting an eyelash, "From the moment you agreed to be with me, I knew for sure I'd be loving you all my life."
Sigh... what did I tell you-- he's my Sassy boy.... =)
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
a bit of advice...
I wish I can say I don't know what the hell is wrong with you, but I can't. Because the reasons why you've reached this point are as clear as daylight:
1. You have an annoying habit of blowing your stress waaaaay out of proportion. - I think this comes from your competitive streak.. the bad kind where you pull other people down and suck out their energies. You love proclaiming just how stressed you are, with the objective of appearing highly-utilized and thus very important. Ang yabang kasi. Yan napapala.
2. You have a superiority complex. - Mainly an attitude problem, you walk around with your nose in the air and act as if you're better and smarter than everyone else. Hello?! Newsflash: Compare IDs with anyone else in that floor and you'll be reminded of your proper place.
3. You never ask for help. - Linked with # 1 and 2 above, not being willing to acknowledge that you can't handle everything on your own adds to your stress unnecessarily. Not to mention it renders you vulnerable to committing unnecessary mistakes.
4. You don't make friends with people. - To think that you're already in the company of some of the greatest, most fun and most accomodating people ever! What the heck is your problem?!
5. You don't eat. - Starving people rarely make very nice people.
6. You're manipulative. - You know what this means. I don't need to elaborate.
7. You're a brat. - Napagsabihan lang kala mo ano ng nangyari. Welcome to the real world, man. Believe it or not, you've had it soooo easy. You have no idea what else is in store for you. I can't believe how whiny and weak you're being. You give the rest of us a bad name.
Tsk tsk tsk. I strongly advise you to tread carefully and consider your next move. Avoid going down the path of least resistance, especially considering you haven't really tried yet.. at least not completely.
1. You have an annoying habit of blowing your stress waaaaay out of proportion. - I think this comes from your competitive streak.. the bad kind where you pull other people down and suck out their energies. You love proclaiming just how stressed you are, with the objective of appearing highly-utilized and thus very important. Ang yabang kasi. Yan napapala.
2. You have a superiority complex. - Mainly an attitude problem, you walk around with your nose in the air and act as if you're better and smarter than everyone else. Hello?! Newsflash: Compare IDs with anyone else in that floor and you'll be reminded of your proper place.
3. You never ask for help. - Linked with # 1 and 2 above, not being willing to acknowledge that you can't handle everything on your own adds to your stress unnecessarily. Not to mention it renders you vulnerable to committing unnecessary mistakes.
4. You don't make friends with people. - To think that you're already in the company of some of the greatest, most fun and most accomodating people ever! What the heck is your problem?!
5. You don't eat. - Starving people rarely make very nice people.
6. You're manipulative. - You know what this means. I don't need to elaborate.
7. You're a brat. - Napagsabihan lang kala mo ano ng nangyari. Welcome to the real world, man. Believe it or not, you've had it soooo easy. You have no idea what else is in store for you. I can't believe how whiny and weak you're being. You give the rest of us a bad name.
Tsk tsk tsk. I strongly advise you to tread carefully and consider your next move. Avoid going down the path of least resistance, especially considering you haven't really tried yet.. at least not completely.
i want...
a Members-Only Jacket!
Check it out at http://www.karmaloop.com/products.asp?ProductID=7740&VendorCode=MEM
Check it out at http://www.karmaloop.com/products.asp?ProductID=7740&VendorCode=MEM
Sunday, August 14, 2005
the ex-mrs pitt
... is looking quite good. Just saw the trailer of her new movie, "Rumor Has It" at http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&cf=info&id=1808626158
Can't wait for the Vanity Fair issue with her interview :)
Can't wait for the Vanity Fair issue with her interview :)
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
alternative careers
If I had my way, I'd quit my job as a pseudo banker in a heartbeat and shift gears to the any of these Top-3 alternative career paths:
1. interior designer, preferably to the stars (Haha! Dual purpose-- serves both my interests!)
2. host of a lifestyle/ fashion makeover/ celebrity interview type of show (Ala-Look for Less, especially, would be ideal, hehe)
3. socialite-philanthropist with a special bias towards the oldies
1. interior designer, preferably to the stars (Haha! Dual purpose-- serves both my interests!)
2. host of a lifestyle/ fashion makeover/ celebrity interview type of show (Ala-Look for Less, especially, would be ideal, hehe)
3. socialite-philanthropist with a special bias towards the oldies
Monday, August 08, 2005
back to reality
After two blissful weeks of no work, no stress and no deadlines, I'm going back to the office today =( Back to the daily grind, I guess...
On second thought, I actually broke out while on vacation.. Maybe my system missed the stress and was looking for it?! Hehe... =p
On second thought, I actually broke out while on vacation.. Maybe my system missed the stress and was looking for it?! Hehe... =p
Sunday, August 07, 2005
truth in advertising
Calling AdBoard, hello! It's obvious to anybody with half a mind that those shampoo ads violate all truth-in-advertising policies ever created. I swear, I don't know how these materials go through the AdBoard and get approved time and time again. I mean, of course your hair won't bounce like that or look as smooth as that, no matter how many times you use the shampoo. No matter how often you use it or how long, the result will never measure up to what you see in TV. And what's sickening is that all shampoo brands engage in this kind of misrepresentation. Well, the issue about how effective these ads are in the first place is an entirely different matter. I just think that the AdBoard does the public a disservice by letting these flagrant stretches of reality make their way into our TV sets.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
end of the road
Ok, officially, starting today, the deal is closed. In fact, it's off. It's better that way anyway. After much deliberation (one of the many good results of this 10-day vacation leave), I decided that this isn't for me. It's not the right move to make, and not the right time to make it either. From the way this all looks, it's better to stay than to go.
Hay. Life is as simple as it is complicated.
Hay. Life is as simple as it is complicated.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
volcanic spa day
Went to Pinatubo Spa today. What an unusual spa-- they have a sulfuric acid-infused sauna bath and a matching salted bath, which were supposed to smoothen your skin and (more importantly) cure skin asthma and relieve rheumatism.
My tita brought us there to see if the stuff actually worked... and to relax and have fun as well. It was a long, tiring trip up to that place, and there was no cellsite at all (note to self: should really consider switching to Smart, if only for the cell service in deeply rural areas). But the place surprisingly did not disappoint. The baths were relaxing and did seem to smoothen the skin.. I don't know about curing skin asthma though, as I have no recent attacks to 'heal'. My cousin who does have severe skin asthma says her skin felt better after the treatment, though. So I guess it kinda worked :)
There was another treatment where you get buried in hot volcanic ash (well, your entire body neck-down gets buried) and it's supposed to cure other ailments and pains (I forget what the names are).. I didn't try it though, coz it looked scary. It gets really hot as the ash is shoveled over you, and I bet it gets claustrophobic too. My tito went and said the experience was 'cool'. Eeeer, judging from the heat of the ash.... I beg to differ =p
Afterwards, we all treated ourselves to a hot shower and a Shiatsu massage, which felt really really good. And a hearty dinner, which I'm still digesting 'til now.
An interesting trip overall. Doesn't beat Bora at all, but 'twas a good experience anyway :)
My tita brought us there to see if the stuff actually worked... and to relax and have fun as well. It was a long, tiring trip up to that place, and there was no cellsite at all (note to self: should really consider switching to Smart, if only for the cell service in deeply rural areas). But the place surprisingly did not disappoint. The baths were relaxing and did seem to smoothen the skin.. I don't know about curing skin asthma though, as I have no recent attacks to 'heal'. My cousin who does have severe skin asthma says her skin felt better after the treatment, though. So I guess it kinda worked :)
There was another treatment where you get buried in hot volcanic ash (well, your entire body neck-down gets buried) and it's supposed to cure other ailments and pains (I forget what the names are).. I didn't try it though, coz it looked scary. It gets really hot as the ash is shoveled over you, and I bet it gets claustrophobic too. My tito went and said the experience was 'cool'. Eeeer, judging from the heat of the ash.... I beg to differ =p
Afterwards, we all treated ourselves to a hot shower and a Shiatsu massage, which felt really really good. And a hearty dinner, which I'm still digesting 'til now.
An interesting trip overall. Doesn't beat Bora at all, but 'twas a good experience anyway :)
Monday, August 01, 2005
him
He is an accident waiting to happen. Like a ticking bomb waiting to go off.
He started off as a goofy kid-- always cooking up schemes in his head and looking for ways to make people laugh, especially his family. He loved to make the big family he grew up in roll over with laughter at his antics and jokes.
He was an intelligent kid-- gifted with the skills of drawing and gifted with early recognition of his dreams to become an architect.
He was an active kid-- often getting scrapes in the knees and elbows from too much outdoor activity. He held so much promise, had such good a life to look forward to...
He grew up to be a sullen introvert—bearing no resemblance to the goofy, talkative and rowdy child he used to be. He stopped drawing... flunked out (seemingly on purpose) of his architecture classes. Up to that point in his life, flunking was never part of his construction—he never failed a single test before. But, a desperate cry for help, one coming from deep within, drove him to skip the exams and cast aside his dreams. He felt that doing something this uncharacteristic was the only way to get the attention he wanted.
You see, the big family he grew up in turned out to be as much a curse later on as it was a blessing at first. He watched years and years go by as eyes gloss over him and ears tune out his stories and jokes. He never felt more invisible than he did at home, he realized bitterly.
The weaker ones always, somehow, got noticed all the time, he observed. And so he chose to be weak. In fact, he decided to be the weakest one of all.
He shaved off his own hair and took up the vices of smoking and drinking. He picked up cuss words, hung out with the wrong crowd, flunked out of school, drove fast and drove wild. He spoke rarely to his family, and retreated deep unto himself. He spiraled further and further downward, all the while thinking he had full control of the situation and could always turn back once he got what he wanted out of it. He couldn't have been more wrong.
Alas, he discovered, as time passed by, he did get attention—but it wasn’t the kind he wanted. He was looked down upon and yelled at—the attention he got was one full of comparisons to his counterparts. And he found himself failing miserably time and time again.
Indeed, he is an accident waiting to happen. Like a ticking bomb waiting to go off. And no matter how far everyone else reaches out, they cannot seem to help him.
He started off as a goofy kid-- always cooking up schemes in his head and looking for ways to make people laugh, especially his family. He loved to make the big family he grew up in roll over with laughter at his antics and jokes.
He was an intelligent kid-- gifted with the skills of drawing and gifted with early recognition of his dreams to become an architect.
He was an active kid-- often getting scrapes in the knees and elbows from too much outdoor activity. He held so much promise, had such good a life to look forward to...
He grew up to be a sullen introvert—bearing no resemblance to the goofy, talkative and rowdy child he used to be. He stopped drawing... flunked out (seemingly on purpose) of his architecture classes. Up to that point in his life, flunking was never part of his construction—he never failed a single test before. But, a desperate cry for help, one coming from deep within, drove him to skip the exams and cast aside his dreams. He felt that doing something this uncharacteristic was the only way to get the attention he wanted.
You see, the big family he grew up in turned out to be as much a curse later on as it was a blessing at first. He watched years and years go by as eyes gloss over him and ears tune out his stories and jokes. He never felt more invisible than he did at home, he realized bitterly.
The weaker ones always, somehow, got noticed all the time, he observed. And so he chose to be weak. In fact, he decided to be the weakest one of all.
He shaved off his own hair and took up the vices of smoking and drinking. He picked up cuss words, hung out with the wrong crowd, flunked out of school, drove fast and drove wild. He spoke rarely to his family, and retreated deep unto himself. He spiraled further and further downward, all the while thinking he had full control of the situation and could always turn back once he got what he wanted out of it. He couldn't have been more wrong.
Alas, he discovered, as time passed by, he did get attention—but it wasn’t the kind he wanted. He was looked down upon and yelled at—the attention he got was one full of comparisons to his counterparts. And he found himself failing miserably time and time again.
Indeed, he is an accident waiting to happen. Like a ticking bomb waiting to go off. And no matter how far everyone else reaches out, they cannot seem to help him.
Friday, July 29, 2005
girl bonding
Just came back from an overnight trip to Tagaytay. Funny how having visitors from abroad can make you appreciate what you have here in the Philippines more. There are places we went to, like horseback riding and going up the Taal V, that I wouldn't have gone to if they weren't here...
Anyway, I also spent the past few days bonding with my cousins, especially the 2 girls. I saw them last year when I visited Toronto, but I guess it's different when they're the ones visiting and I'm the one showing them around. Being the only girl in my family here, it's a little weird to have other girls in the house. I'll be the first one to tell you that, ordinarily, I'm very territorial when it comes to being the only girl in the family (also the main reason why I'm not too keen on having daughters-- I like being the princess of the house). But having them over has been super fun! We've been engaging in the high-points of girl bonding-- gossiping about celebrities, getting facials and manicures, talking about boyfriends and love lives (haha, a definite favorite!) and shopping. And, what's best, I got to bunk with women who're not my grandma or my mom! Haha! What fun it is to share a room with girls-- especially if they're family :)
Because of all this, I guess I don't mind as much not being the only girl in the family.. Maybe I should rethink this having-a-daughter thing. (wink wink)
Anyway, I also spent the past few days bonding with my cousins, especially the 2 girls. I saw them last year when I visited Toronto, but I guess it's different when they're the ones visiting and I'm the one showing them around. Being the only girl in my family here, it's a little weird to have other girls in the house. I'll be the first one to tell you that, ordinarily, I'm very territorial when it comes to being the only girl in the family (also the main reason why I'm not too keen on having daughters-- I like being the princess of the house). But having them over has been super fun! We've been engaging in the high-points of girl bonding-- gossiping about celebrities, getting facials and manicures, talking about boyfriends and love lives (haha, a definite favorite!) and shopping. And, what's best, I got to bunk with women who're not my grandma or my mom! Haha! What fun it is to share a room with girls-- especially if they're family :)
Because of all this, I guess I don't mind as much not being the only girl in the family.. Maybe I should rethink this having-a-daughter thing. (wink wink)
Sunday, July 24, 2005
ode to my filc girls
My Friday nights haven't been as much fun in quite a while as last night had been. All thanks to my FILC girls.
I don't know exactly what was different with us that night, but we were uncharacteristically game for round after round of drinks and staying up later than usual. We were just on a roll-- with the chatter and the ideas and the jokes and the stories. We would laugh (quite loudly at that) one minute, then be all contemplative the next. We'd argue on a point, then we'd later come to agreement. We'd be in touch with reality and update each other on what's new in our lives; then the next minute we'd be exercising our imaginations and dream of living abroad (and bunking together) and traveling for fun.
This morning, in fact, my mom asked how come I hang out with these girls more than anyone else in my life? Well, apart from my boyfriend, that is. And I just didn't know what answer is satisfactory to explain why. Underneath it all is still the bond we established in the 1 year we spent hip to hip. But it's a bond that transcended the internship and blossomed into a solid friendship. One that's based on trust, honesty and laughter. We may not be carbon-copies of each other, but we're complementary. Must be why we hardly ever clash. Or, worse, get bored.
More importantly, this friendship is one that's based on a true sense of solidarity and-- I dare say-- a deep commitment to one another. All too often, friendships water down through the years due to either lack of time or lack of interest. Life just gets in the way of things, and as time passes, most friends either don't have enough time to catch up or just don't even bother.
But the truth is, as is true with spouses, friends are people you commit to. But, with all that happens in our daily lives, that's a lot harder to put to practice as it is to preach. That's why it's quite admirable that the 4 of us make time for one another. As in purposely carve out a piece of our regular schedules to meet up and to have fun. We choose to stay relevant in one another's lives. And I think that's integral to the survival and to the upkeep of a relationship. Without that, all you have, really, are memories. And as nice and valuable memories may be, they're not enough to keep a friendship alive.
I know I may have gushed about this foursome more times than I can ever count, but it's just that I can't help but feel thankful to have them in my life. They say you'd be lucky to have at least 1 true friend in your lifetime. Well, guess what? In these girls, I already have 3.
I don't know exactly what was different with us that night, but we were uncharacteristically game for round after round of drinks and staying up later than usual. We were just on a roll-- with the chatter and the ideas and the jokes and the stories. We would laugh (quite loudly at that) one minute, then be all contemplative the next. We'd argue on a point, then we'd later come to agreement. We'd be in touch with reality and update each other on what's new in our lives; then the next minute we'd be exercising our imaginations and dream of living abroad (and bunking together) and traveling for fun.
This morning, in fact, my mom asked how come I hang out with these girls more than anyone else in my life? Well, apart from my boyfriend, that is. And I just didn't know what answer is satisfactory to explain why. Underneath it all is still the bond we established in the 1 year we spent hip to hip. But it's a bond that transcended the internship and blossomed into a solid friendship. One that's based on trust, honesty and laughter. We may not be carbon-copies of each other, but we're complementary. Must be why we hardly ever clash. Or, worse, get bored.
More importantly, this friendship is one that's based on a true sense of solidarity and-- I dare say-- a deep commitment to one another. All too often, friendships water down through the years due to either lack of time or lack of interest. Life just gets in the way of things, and as time passes, most friends either don't have enough time to catch up or just don't even bother.
But the truth is, as is true with spouses, friends are people you commit to. But, with all that happens in our daily lives, that's a lot harder to put to practice as it is to preach. That's why it's quite admirable that the 4 of us make time for one another. As in purposely carve out a piece of our regular schedules to meet up and to have fun. We choose to stay relevant in one another's lives. And I think that's integral to the survival and to the upkeep of a relationship. Without that, all you have, really, are memories. And as nice and valuable memories may be, they're not enough to keep a friendship alive.
I know I may have gushed about this foursome more times than I can ever count, but it's just that I can't help but feel thankful to have them in my life. They say you'd be lucky to have at least 1 true friend in your lifetime. Well, guess what? In these girls, I already have 3.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
10 pounds!
I gained 10 pounds without even realizing it! Oh my God, how could that have happened? 4 of my black slacks don't fit anymore and I've been wearing more skirts than before just to fit into clothes better. It's only this morning that I actually weighed myself, after my friends last night validated what my mom has been saying-- that I've gained weight. A lot of it. So I sauntered off to the scale this morning after waking up just to see....
OH MY GOD! It took all my willpower not to pass out in front of the weighing scale this morning. Whatthe...?! That's it, no more meryenda and no more late-night McDonald's. I'm going to take this weight off. Seriously.
OH MY GOD! It took all my willpower not to pass out in front of the weighing scale this morning. Whatthe...?! That's it, no more meryenda and no more late-night McDonald's. I'm going to take this weight off. Seriously.
Monday, July 18, 2005
sibling loyalty
We may tease each other endlessly and push at the other's buttons tirelessly. We may poke fun at each other and play dumb games. But at the end of it all, our loyalty will always be to each other. No one messes with my brothers without messing with me. And vice versa.
Such a nice feeling, to be honest. It's like growing up with 2 loyal bodyguards, both taller and bigger than me but both listen to everything I tell them =)
Such a nice feeling, to be honest. It's like growing up with 2 loyal bodyguards, both taller and bigger than me but both listen to everything I tell them =)
Saturday, July 16, 2005
FINALLY!
The day has come :)
I even reviewed the plot of the 5th book to refresh my memory and prepare myself for this...
I even reviewed the plot of the 5th book to refresh my memory and prepare myself for this...
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
my wallet is bleeding....
Ever since I got my own credit card a year ago (and stopped leeching off mom and pops), I've always tried my best to curb my spending. My gauge with the credit card is to keep the outstanding balance within 4-digit figures. So far, I've been keeping within that limit. Maxing it out sometimes, granted. But still within 4 numbers.
4 numbers, good. More than 4 numbers, bad.
So you can just imagine my shock today when I received my statement and voila, 5-digits! OMG! I'm going to kill myself now.
I will not spend anymore. EVER.
4 numbers, good. More than 4 numbers, bad.
So you can just imagine my shock today when I received my statement and voila, 5-digits! OMG! I'm going to kill myself now.
I will not spend anymore. EVER.
Sunday, July 10, 2005
for the nth time...
We've had a million of these conversations before-- talking about the past scenarios wherein we would've met each other sooner.. been together sooner.. loved each other sooner. Since it was a common friend who'd introduced us and fixed us up, the subject of conversation has often circled around the numerous past chances that we would've come to know each other. She was persistent-- this common friend of ours--and has the honor of being the first person who's ever been convinced we're perfect for each other (she pushed this idea for about a year or so). She created so many opportunities for us to meet. She presented us with one too many chances, actually... (thank God she still kept the faith!)...
One was during our many gimmicks with our Uno friends. One was during the Mr. Law School pageant. Another was during the celebration of his successful thesis defense. Another was during Li's last night here. So many would-have-been encounters that never happened. As if fate had other plans-- that we would meet under another set of circumstances-- circumstances that would let us know the other in the best possible light... to have us meet each other on our best possible days, in the best possible ways...
As if this was all meant to be. Wrapped neatly into life's best little packages...
I love you. And I love the way you came into my life.
One was during our many gimmicks with our Uno friends. One was during the Mr. Law School pageant. Another was during the celebration of his successful thesis defense. Another was during Li's last night here. So many would-have-been encounters that never happened. As if fate had other plans-- that we would meet under another set of circumstances-- circumstances that would let us know the other in the best possible light... to have us meet each other on our best possible days, in the best possible ways...
As if this was all meant to be. Wrapped neatly into life's best little packages...
I love you. And I love the way you came into my life.
Saturday, July 09, 2005
award-winning!
Despite missing the offsite teambuilding outing yesterday, I've just been informed that I won 2 awards-- the first one, a rather serious award-- an acknowledgement of the stellar performances of 2 of the programs I handle (Hey, what about the 3rd one? I love my programs equally as I would if they were my children.. Oh, what the heck, appreciation is appreciation..). The second was for being Ms. Congeniality of the entire Cards Business Group. Hahaha! This caught me by surprise-- to think that it was reportedly a unanimous vote!
If only for that, how I wish I was there yesterday.
On the other hand, considering I got much-needed rest, maybe not. Hehe..
Oh, wait.. now, that's not so congenial, is it? Maybe they should rethink my award =p
If only for that, how I wish I was there yesterday.
On the other hand, considering I got much-needed rest, maybe not. Hehe..
Oh, wait.. now, that's not so congenial, is it? Maybe they should rethink my award =p
Thursday, July 07, 2005
the cleaning lady
I took the day off today because I could feel my body about to give way from all the stress and fatigue caused by OT work. My body was practically yelling out for mercy and calling me to put a halt (no matter how temporarily) to its misery. So yes, I happily obliged. After all, that's what sick leaves are for. And I am sick. Sick and tired.
Anyhoot, my most productive activity for the day is cleaning out my room. I started with the closet-- emptying it of clothes that either do not fit me anymore or have lost my interest in ever donning them again. The lucky beneficiary is our maid, who welcomed my discards with open arms.
Next was the rest of my room, including my desk and my vanity table. I realized midway just how much junk I had! As in, things that are about 6-8 years old were still kept. I ended up filling 3 big sacks with garbage I had coddled for way too long.
Made me think of how irrationally sentimental I can get, keeping things whose value I no longer have recollection of. There were some things I hardly even remembered having in the first place.
There were, however, items that held so much meaning, they almost made me cry. Most notable of such things was a Christmas gift from my recently departed friend, Missy. It was a simple gift-- a coffee mug set complete with saucers and teaspoons. I never ever thought of using it-- as if to use it would wear it down and compromise the last memory she ever gave me. It was from the Christmas immediately before she fell unconscious and slipped into a 3-year coma. It came with a card carrying a message I won't soon forget.
Funny how this simple thing can represent so much of the past, and can trigger so many different emotions. When others can easily lose their meaning at the snap of a finger or at the toss of a wrist.
Funny how we can house so much junk over the years, carrying them and keeping them without even remembering why. Funny how amidst all that junk, is a little treasure that holds more value than all the other items combined.
I miss you, dear friend.
Anyhoot, my most productive activity for the day is cleaning out my room. I started with the closet-- emptying it of clothes that either do not fit me anymore or have lost my interest in ever donning them again. The lucky beneficiary is our maid, who welcomed my discards with open arms.
Next was the rest of my room, including my desk and my vanity table. I realized midway just how much junk I had! As in, things that are about 6-8 years old were still kept. I ended up filling 3 big sacks with garbage I had coddled for way too long.
Made me think of how irrationally sentimental I can get, keeping things whose value I no longer have recollection of. There were some things I hardly even remembered having in the first place.
There were, however, items that held so much meaning, they almost made me cry. Most notable of such things was a Christmas gift from my recently departed friend, Missy. It was a simple gift-- a coffee mug set complete with saucers and teaspoons. I never ever thought of using it-- as if to use it would wear it down and compromise the last memory she ever gave me. It was from the Christmas immediately before she fell unconscious and slipped into a 3-year coma. It came with a card carrying a message I won't soon forget.
Funny how this simple thing can represent so much of the past, and can trigger so many different emotions. When others can easily lose their meaning at the snap of a finger or at the toss of a wrist.
Funny how we can house so much junk over the years, carrying them and keeping them without even remembering why. Funny how amidst all that junk, is a little treasure that holds more value than all the other items combined.
I miss you, dear friend.
Sunday, July 03, 2005
Saturday, June 25, 2005
mango mania
You'll know it's the end of a fashion season when Mango finally has its season sale. You'll know it because everyone's talking about it. And everyone is flocking to all 5 Mango stores in Metro Manila to finally score that bag or that top they've been eyeing for months.
A colleague was the one who gave me the tip yesterday-- in a frantic whisper "Uy, sale sa Mango! First day today!" . At first, I got excited. 50% off in Mango can actually get you some pretty neat stuff.
One thing made me hesitate, though... What I hate about Mango's sales are the lines. The miles and miles of people lining up, clutching 10k worth of merchandise. These notorious queues can take up a good 1-2 hours of your time, depending on what hour of the day you arrive and which branch you head to.
Worse, you'll find that a good 50% or so of these people lining up are actually men. No, no, these men don't shop at Mango. Their girlfriends/wives do. And they have the godforsaken task of queueing on their beloved's behalf, while the ladies wander off in search of more stuff to lay upon the guys' already-fully-laden arms.
Aw, poor boys. All in the name of love. Either that or takot kay komander. So, shut up and line up ka.
I often wondered what I would do if I had a boyfriend and a Mango sale was going on. Before, it was easy for me to raise an eyebrow and think these girls selfish-- expecting their boyfriends to wait through such an impossibly long line just so they can buy stuff. Granted, they may be good deals, pero mahiya naman kayo....
Seemed like I was meant to test myself yesterday. Dennis and I made plans to have dinner at Rockwell, and it happened to be the 1st day of the Mango season sale. As we were walking towards Mango, I started to wonder how I'll handle this situation. Will I end up like one of those girls I had judged in the past?
As expected, at 7pm, the sale was in full swing. The voice decibel was as high as a rock concert, with people shouting above the crowd, yelling out sizes, colors and what-have-you. I looked at the line and estimated that about 25 or so people were lined up. I looked around to see if there were stuff that would catch my eye. Predictably, there were. There was a bag I liked (at a price I liked even better), several tops and a dress that I thought would be a nice addition to my wardrobe. Dennis ran into a fratmate. I thought to myself, Good, keep chatting, so I can keep looking.
After looking around for about 10 more minutes, I started the weighing game: Do I want these things enough to make Dennis line up for about 1-2 hours? If I do, then I better tell him now, while I go and try on the dress... On one hand, we'll miss our dinner plans... On the other, c'mon, how long will this sale last pa?
Hmmm...
Hmmm...
Hmmm...
I was so torn.
Hmmm...
Hmmm...
Hmmm...
Finally, I decided, I can't make him do that. It just wasn't worth it. I knew he'd do it if I asked him to, but would it be worth it? Sometimes you gotta choose your battles.. and your favors...
So, I put everything back down and walked back towards him. He smiled and asked "O, where do I line up?" I said, "nowhere" with a smile. If I read correctly, he seemed proud of me.
So we walked out and headed to Crustasia for dinner, where we spent about an hour or so laughing and talking, recounting the day that had just passed.
In hindsight, that hour-or-so could've been spent in a queue, in a store, under garish lights, hungry and tired.. where we probably would've fought, and ill feelings would've been exchanged..... Instead, we spent those same minutes laughing and talking and bonding and having fun. Only interesting stories and loving words were exchanged.
Those clothes I saw in Mango may have been really good deals... Half-off. But skipping it proved even more worth-it. Ironically, skipping the sale was the best deal of the night. Hands-down.
A colleague was the one who gave me the tip yesterday-- in a frantic whisper "Uy, sale sa Mango! First day today!" . At first, I got excited. 50% off in Mango can actually get you some pretty neat stuff.
One thing made me hesitate, though... What I hate about Mango's sales are the lines. The miles and miles of people lining up, clutching 10k worth of merchandise. These notorious queues can take up a good 1-2 hours of your time, depending on what hour of the day you arrive and which branch you head to.
Worse, you'll find that a good 50% or so of these people lining up are actually men. No, no, these men don't shop at Mango. Their girlfriends/wives do. And they have the godforsaken task of queueing on their beloved's behalf, while the ladies wander off in search of more stuff to lay upon the guys' already-fully-laden arms.
Aw, poor boys. All in the name of love. Either that or takot kay komander. So, shut up and line up ka.
I often wondered what I would do if I had a boyfriend and a Mango sale was going on. Before, it was easy for me to raise an eyebrow and think these girls selfish-- expecting their boyfriends to wait through such an impossibly long line just so they can buy stuff. Granted, they may be good deals, pero mahiya naman kayo....
Seemed like I was meant to test myself yesterday. Dennis and I made plans to have dinner at Rockwell, and it happened to be the 1st day of the Mango season sale. As we were walking towards Mango, I started to wonder how I'll handle this situation. Will I end up like one of those girls I had judged in the past?
As expected, at 7pm, the sale was in full swing. The voice decibel was as high as a rock concert, with people shouting above the crowd, yelling out sizes, colors and what-have-you. I looked at the line and estimated that about 25 or so people were lined up. I looked around to see if there were stuff that would catch my eye. Predictably, there were. There was a bag I liked (at a price I liked even better), several tops and a dress that I thought would be a nice addition to my wardrobe. Dennis ran into a fratmate. I thought to myself, Good, keep chatting, so I can keep looking.
After looking around for about 10 more minutes, I started the weighing game: Do I want these things enough to make Dennis line up for about 1-2 hours? If I do, then I better tell him now, while I go and try on the dress... On one hand, we'll miss our dinner plans... On the other, c'mon, how long will this sale last pa?
Hmmm...
Hmmm...
Hmmm...
I was so torn.
Hmmm...
Hmmm...
Hmmm...
Finally, I decided, I can't make him do that. It just wasn't worth it. I knew he'd do it if I asked him to, but would it be worth it? Sometimes you gotta choose your battles.. and your favors...
So, I put everything back down and walked back towards him. He smiled and asked "O, where do I line up?" I said, "nowhere" with a smile. If I read correctly, he seemed proud of me.
So we walked out and headed to Crustasia for dinner, where we spent about an hour or so laughing and talking, recounting the day that had just passed.
In hindsight, that hour-or-so could've been spent in a queue, in a store, under garish lights, hungry and tired.. where we probably would've fought, and ill feelings would've been exchanged..... Instead, we spent those same minutes laughing and talking and bonding and having fun. Only interesting stories and loving words were exchanged.
Those clothes I saw in Mango may have been really good deals... Half-off. But skipping it proved even more worth-it. Ironically, skipping the sale was the best deal of the night. Hands-down.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
great effort... thanks but no thanks
Dear Bossing,
Thank you very much for pouring 2 hours of your time (I know it's in limited supply these days) to try to talk me out of leaving. I was very flattered to see how much of an effort you made.. to make a big case about the reasons I should stay. I was honored to see how valued I was in the team and to see the plans that were being made for my advancement in the organization. It doesn't apply to everyone, I know... and rest assured that the effort won't just be appreciated. It will be remembered.
What you did reminded me a little of an IMC presentation, where you pitch an idea and try your hardest in the Q&A to convince the person you're talking to to see things your way. But, I'm afraid it didn't work out quite the way you may have hoped. After taking into consideration the things you said, I still think this would be a good move. I am also not sure of exactly how it will turn out, but I'll try my best, work my butt off, and hope to high heavens that it wasn't a mistake. But the heart of it is that this is a chance I want to grab-- risks and all-- rather than pass up and wonder later on what could have been. I understand where you're coming from, but I also hope you see how the organization has not (and probably won't be any time soon) been fulfilling the expectations I have of it. This is not about money, as I kept telling you. It's about exposure, training and growth.
I also thank you for being such a great mentor. Having you for a boss not only strengthened me in terms of skills and knowhow, but also in terms of character and attitude. Yours is a path I greatly admire, and do hope that I can mirror even just a quarter of your success. I wish you all the best, as I know you'll be wishing me in the choice I'll make.
- Your Little Flower Girl
~~~~~
In other news... I hope my nego worked and that they'll give me what I want. Please please please! That's all I'm waiting for :-) Icing on the cake, admittedly, but a girl can dream...
~~~~~
Desperate Housewives is sooo addicting! Thanks to my good friend V, I'm incredibly updated in the episodes. When I went online to check out the synopsis of the episodes they've shown so far in the US, (just to see if a suspicion I have about the storyline is correct), I was delighted to discover that I am keeping up with their pace! Yay! Coolness!
~~~~~
Thank you very much for pouring 2 hours of your time (I know it's in limited supply these days) to try to talk me out of leaving. I was very flattered to see how much of an effort you made.. to make a big case about the reasons I should stay. I was honored to see how valued I was in the team and to see the plans that were being made for my advancement in the organization. It doesn't apply to everyone, I know... and rest assured that the effort won't just be appreciated. It will be remembered.
What you did reminded me a little of an IMC presentation, where you pitch an idea and try your hardest in the Q&A to convince the person you're talking to to see things your way. But, I'm afraid it didn't work out quite the way you may have hoped. After taking into consideration the things you said, I still think this would be a good move. I am also not sure of exactly how it will turn out, but I'll try my best, work my butt off, and hope to high heavens that it wasn't a mistake. But the heart of it is that this is a chance I want to grab-- risks and all-- rather than pass up and wonder later on what could have been. I understand where you're coming from, but I also hope you see how the organization has not (and probably won't be any time soon) been fulfilling the expectations I have of it. This is not about money, as I kept telling you. It's about exposure, training and growth.
I also thank you for being such a great mentor. Having you for a boss not only strengthened me in terms of skills and knowhow, but also in terms of character and attitude. Yours is a path I greatly admire, and do hope that I can mirror even just a quarter of your success. I wish you all the best, as I know you'll be wishing me in the choice I'll make.
- Your Little Flower Girl
~~~~~
In other news... I hope my nego worked and that they'll give me what I want. Please please please! That's all I'm waiting for :-) Icing on the cake, admittedly, but a girl can dream...
~~~~~
Desperate Housewives is sooo addicting! Thanks to my good friend V, I'm incredibly updated in the episodes. When I went online to check out the synopsis of the episodes they've shown so far in the US, (just to see if a suspicion I have about the storyline is correct), I was delighted to discover that I am keeping up with their pace! Yay! Coolness!
~~~~~
Friday, June 17, 2005
wanting out
I want out. Now.
I know it's only a natural part of life to have bad days. Bad work days, for that matter. But lately, I've been having a bad work period (as in, more than just days or weeks)-- I just want to dump everything pending and leave the darn bank. There are so many reasons-- more than I can ever elaborate on in this blog. All I can say is I just want to head straight to the way out... and hopefully never look back.
Today was the worst. In a steady string of 14-hour days, today brought me news that I'd be expected to deliver 16-hours per day next week. Are you freakin' nuts? It's not like I live in the neighborhood, you know? And the work load you're adding is not as easy as you make it out to be. Incremental, by virtue of the word, means extra. On top of. Over and beyond. Sobra.
Add to that the recent developments internally... and extenal opportunities that have come up... All I want to do is leave. Hit the road towards better, brighter horizons.
I know it's only a natural part of life to have bad days. Bad work days, for that matter. But lately, I've been having a bad work period (as in, more than just days or weeks)-- I just want to dump everything pending and leave the darn bank. There are so many reasons-- more than I can ever elaborate on in this blog. All I can say is I just want to head straight to the way out... and hopefully never look back.
Today was the worst. In a steady string of 14-hour days, today brought me news that I'd be expected to deliver 16-hours per day next week. Are you freakin' nuts? It's not like I live in the neighborhood, you know? And the work load you're adding is not as easy as you make it out to be. Incremental, by virtue of the word, means extra. On top of. Over and beyond. Sobra.
Add to that the recent developments internally... and extenal opportunities that have come up... All I want to do is leave. Hit the road towards better, brighter horizons.
Sunday, June 12, 2005
loco for choco
Makati Shang has the Ultimate Chocolate Buffet, a.k.a. paradise for all lovers of chocolate. There's an endless, bottomless array of chocolate delicacies, cakes, brownies, cookies, ice cream, drinks, and everything else you can think of. It's only open from 6-9pm (a.k.a. dinner hours) but hey, I didn't miss 'real food' at all when I was stuffing myself silly with chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. Dark, white, milk... Whatever you want, they've got it!
You really have to try it! Heaven, I tell you...
You really have to try it! Heaven, I tell you...
Friday, June 10, 2005
i love weddings!
My boss got married today! Well, the engagement has been long in the making, but it was... accelarated when my boss received his expat assignment to India. As a result, he and his then-future bride decided to jump the gun and get married ahead of schedule.
For a hurriedly-prepared wedding, it was beautiful. Everything was low-key but classy, simple yet elegant. They managed to stay within budget, but unless you actually knew that for a fact, you wouldn't notice that they had cut corners. The food was sumptuous and totally filling-- an 8-course meal complete with a fondue fountain-- the band was great, the dresses were beautiful, and the venue was very elegant. The programme flow was seamless, & the video of their love story was touching yet funny. I still can't get the image of Yael as the maja rajah out of my head. (Hahahahahahahahahaha!)
'Twas a blast. I do wish them all the best. One look at them and you'll know they're meant to be together. Not even India can stand in their way.
For a hurriedly-prepared wedding, it was beautiful. Everything was low-key but classy, simple yet elegant. They managed to stay within budget, but unless you actually knew that for a fact, you wouldn't notice that they had cut corners. The food was sumptuous and totally filling-- an 8-course meal complete with a fondue fountain-- the band was great, the dresses were beautiful, and the venue was very elegant. The programme flow was seamless, & the video of their love story was touching yet funny. I still can't get the image of Yael as the maja rajah out of my head. (Hahahahahahahahahaha!)
'Twas a blast. I do wish them all the best. One look at them and you'll know they're meant to be together. Not even India can stand in their way.
Sunday, June 05, 2005
now that's love
There's nothing more relaxing in this world than strolling along the bay, with his arms wrapped around you, as you playfully discuss how to spend the rest of your lives together. The murkiness and smelliness of the waters down below are barely noticeable, because in those precise moments, there exists no one else but you two. There exists no other love than the one that's coursing freely from your heart to his.. and back...
Cheesy? Who cares... It's my life now... There's no one I'd rather hold and be held by, know and be known by...
What can I say? I'm just dizzy with love for you...
Cheesy? Who cares... It's my life now... There's no one I'd rather hold and be held by, know and be known by...
What can I say? I'm just dizzy with love for you...
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
i want you...
From far away, I saw the store sign "SALE". So I eagerly entered Kate Spade..
I found you.
You were 'on sale.'
P11,800.
Shet ka.
Monday, May 30, 2005
spoiled
Got the new Joss Stone CD and I am in love with her music. I love her voice, and I especially love this song (for obvious reasons, I think):
I kinda thought that I'd be better off by myself
I've never been so wrong before
You made it impossible for me to ever
Love somebody else
And now I don't know what I left you for
See I thought that I could replace you
He can't love me the way you do
'Till now I never knew
Baby
I'm spoiled
By your love boy
No matter how I try to change my mind
What's the point it's just a waste of time
I'm spoiled by your touch boy
The love you give is just too hard to fight
Don't want to live without you in my life
I'm spoiled
I kinda thought that I'd be better off by myself
I've never been so wrong before
You made it impossible for me to ever
Love somebody else
And now I don't know what I left you for
See I thought that I could replace you
He can't love me the way you do
'Till now I never knew
Baby
I'm spoiled
By your love boy
No matter how I try to change my mind
What's the point it's just a waste of time
I'm spoiled by your touch boy
The love you give is just too hard to fight
Don't want to live without you in my life
I'm spoiled
Sunday, May 29, 2005
great weekend
My weekend started off great with back-to-back interviews and a Madagascar premiere on Friday. I skipped work altogether and decided to devote the entire day to 2 things. One is to career advancement (more details about this next time) and two is to my boyfriend, who I haven't seen in 3 days (haha, kala mo matagal na matagal na.. wala lang....) Plus, Madagascar was such a cute movie. I loooooved David Schwimmer as the giraffe :)
Friday was followed by a nice, relaxing Saturday lunch with my girls, with a bit of shopping on the side. When my boy finally came to pick me up, he surprised me with a huge bouquet of red roses. Oh my gohd, it's been a month na pala and I forgot about it. (hehe, who says these things are the exclusive turf of girls? I hardly even remembered!) Afterwards, went to Mass at VV3 and finally got to introduce my boy to G (and vice versa). Glad to see that they hit it off enough for me to leave them alone for a bit :) Then it was off to a nice, cheap dinner at Seaside with a few rowdy frat boys and their girlfriends...
Today was a perfect cap to such a perfect weekend. It started slow, with me finally getting 10 hours of sleep.. then a lazy lunch with my brothers, then off to a store opening with my boyfriend in the afternoon. An uncle of his opened a shop along Wilson, and I got to meet a few more Chan's in the little salu salo there. Afterwards, got to do a little window-shopping and more eating as we hung out in Greenhills, chatting about random shtuff while waiting to meet with a certain person..
Then it was dinner with my family at night. As usual, my grandma stuffed Dennis silly-- she kept putting food on his plate and insisting he wasn't full yet, when I knew he was already eating to the brim. Haha! But aside from that, I loved seeing that he enjoyed my family's company, especially my brothers. The thing with boys, I notice, is that sports will always be the perfect ice-breaker.
After dinner, we weren't ready to part ways just yet, so we hung out at Baywalk for a while. Did more talking pa, as if we haven't spent the last 3 days together. I love lazy moments with him... not really doing anything... just talking... As we discussed different issues & scenarios, I saw even more just how in sync we were-- in terms of life goals, priorities, values, opinions, non-negotiables, etc.
I know it's only been a month, but I feel like I've known him for forever and that I've loved him for far longer than I actually have. I don't know exactly where this feeling comes from, but it just makes me feel really really secure. No matter how much things change (and pretty soon, I'm expecting a big career change), I know that I won't be making decisions alone and facing obstacles/ problems alone. I'll have him with me... him who takes me for what I am and celebrates my weak points as much as he does my strengths. Someone whom I can talk to about anything and everything... Someone I trust with my heart and with my life... Someone who'll be the staunchest supporter of everything I do and the firmest believer in what I can do... All in all, just someone who loves me. Loves me with a love that makes me feel I can conquer the world. I know blessings come in many forms, but by far this is the best one of all.
Friday was followed by a nice, relaxing Saturday lunch with my girls, with a bit of shopping on the side. When my boy finally came to pick me up, he surprised me with a huge bouquet of red roses. Oh my gohd, it's been a month na pala and I forgot about it. (hehe, who says these things are the exclusive turf of girls? I hardly even remembered!) Afterwards, went to Mass at VV3 and finally got to introduce my boy to G (and vice versa). Glad to see that they hit it off enough for me to leave them alone for a bit :) Then it was off to a nice, cheap dinner at Seaside with a few rowdy frat boys and their girlfriends...
Today was a perfect cap to such a perfect weekend. It started slow, with me finally getting 10 hours of sleep.. then a lazy lunch with my brothers, then off to a store opening with my boyfriend in the afternoon. An uncle of his opened a shop along Wilson, and I got to meet a few more Chan's in the little salu salo there. Afterwards, got to do a little window-shopping and more eating as we hung out in Greenhills, chatting about random shtuff while waiting to meet with a certain person..
Then it was dinner with my family at night. As usual, my grandma stuffed Dennis silly-- she kept putting food on his plate and insisting he wasn't full yet, when I knew he was already eating to the brim. Haha! But aside from that, I loved seeing that he enjoyed my family's company, especially my brothers. The thing with boys, I notice, is that sports will always be the perfect ice-breaker.
After dinner, we weren't ready to part ways just yet, so we hung out at Baywalk for a while. Did more talking pa, as if we haven't spent the last 3 days together. I love lazy moments with him... not really doing anything... just talking... As we discussed different issues & scenarios, I saw even more just how in sync we were-- in terms of life goals, priorities, values, opinions, non-negotiables, etc.
I know it's only been a month, but I feel like I've known him for forever and that I've loved him for far longer than I actually have. I don't know exactly where this feeling comes from, but it just makes me feel really really secure. No matter how much things change (and pretty soon, I'm expecting a big career change), I know that I won't be making decisions alone and facing obstacles/ problems alone. I'll have him with me... him who takes me for what I am and celebrates my weak points as much as he does my strengths. Someone whom I can talk to about anything and everything... Someone I trust with my heart and with my life... Someone who'll be the staunchest supporter of everything I do and the firmest believer in what I can do... All in all, just someone who loves me. Loves me with a love that makes me feel I can conquer the world. I know blessings come in many forms, but by far this is the best one of all.
Saturday, May 28, 2005
almost home free...
Just one more leg, and then it's all systems go.
Lord, I know you've been showering me with enough blessings to last a lifetime.. but I hope you won't mind me asking for another one.. Just this one last thing, Lord.. Just this one last thing to seal the deal. Hope it goes the way I want it to...
After that, it's done! :) (fingers crossed) If it's meant to be, it will happen...
(Please tell me it's meant for me!)
Lord, I know you've been showering me with enough blessings to last a lifetime.. but I hope you won't mind me asking for another one.. Just this one last thing, Lord.. Just this one last thing to seal the deal. Hope it goes the way I want it to...
After that, it's done! :) (fingers crossed) If it's meant to be, it will happen...
(Please tell me it's meant for me!)
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
wish me luck
Big day tomorrow. I don't know why I'm so nervous. As in, I've never been anxious like this before. I mean, my friend Guia even credits me (justly or not) for my BS powers...
C'mon, BS powers, I'm channeling you.. I need you right now.
Oh dear Lord, if it's for me, please please please just give it to me. Please let everything go well....
Oh dear.... wish me luck!
C'mon, BS powers, I'm channeling you.. I need you right now.
Oh dear Lord, if it's for me, please please please just give it to me. Please let everything go well....
Oh dear.... wish me luck!
Sunday, May 22, 2005
weekends
I need weekends now more than ever, I realize.
Before, they were times to rest, relax, unwind... They were good for me, but I didn't need them. I mean, during 4th year college, I barely felt the weekends.
But now, I neeeed them. They're like a lifeline for me now. Something that I need desperately to finish a leg and move on to the next. Maybe it's coz they're spent with him.. or maybe because my current state is something that needs changing (and changing soon!).
God bless weekends.
Before, they were times to rest, relax, unwind... They were good for me, but I didn't need them. I mean, during 4th year college, I barely felt the weekends.
But now, I neeeed them. They're like a lifeline for me now. Something that I need desperately to finish a leg and move on to the next. Maybe it's coz they're spent with him.. or maybe because my current state is something that needs changing (and changing soon!).
God bless weekends.
Saturday, May 21, 2005
turn ahead?
If it's meant for me, please just make everything go smoothly and easily... Please let it all fall nicely into place and fit into my life like hands to a glove... That's the only sign I ask to tell me that this is the right corner to turn at... I've been asking for a change for so long, and I just need some sort of validation that this is the answer I'm waiting for. I'll wait, no problem... Ikaw na bahala...
Sunday, May 15, 2005
it's final...
I'd rather turn it down and stay here than to leave, lose you and regret it for life. Yes, it used to be something I strove and reached for, but what we have is so much more priceless, so much more special, and so much more worthy of keeping. I've made up my mind, and no, no gratitude is expected from it. Just believe it, and never ever change. That's all I need. Just never ever change. Love me always as you love me now.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
existential dilemma
Ever since my friend passed away, I've been feeling my motivation to work deteriorate bit by bit as the days went by.. Hard as that may be to admit, especially for someone like me, it's true. And it's high time I recognize it for what it is.
My wakeup call was a one-on-one talk with my boss recently, where he pointed out the areas where he thought I was starting to 'slip on'. He noted recent projects and tasks that I had worked relatively 'slower' on, with considerably less focus, less concentration and less attention. He gave these comments with the aim of getting a re-commitment... a re-affirmation that I will get back on my feet and work like a horse.. as I did before.
But to be honest, I couldn't care less. Which took even me by surprise... For people who are close to me, they'd know that this kind of reaction is uncharacteristic. Usually, I'm a person who takes her performance seriously, who sees her output as a reflection of who she is. But somehow, those words of feedback from the boss sounded hollow and empty to my ears. As I said, I really couldn't care less.
I don't know exactly what it is that's making me feel this way, but I just don't quite see the 'point' in working so hard anymore, in putting in the extra hours, in climbing the corporate ladder, in raking in the recognition and in bagging the great deals.
After seeing how well my friend lived her life, simply because of the amount of love she gave and the amount of love she got in return, things such as work seem so trivial. All of a sudden, the only value it has is just to give us a means to exist. Not some life-enriching, character-affirming commitment. In any given week, most of my time is spent in the office, earning money for an institution that would scarcely care if my health suffers as a result of dedicated service. Most of my time in a given week is spent accumulating stress, derived from pushing myself to climb the promotion ladder in a company that may very well find me redundant 10-20 years down the line. Not to mention derived from dealing with some people I don't even want to be stuck with in an island.
All those ambitious dreams and driven dedication to my work seem like a pointless endeavor now. It all just lost its steam in one fell swoop. If tomorrow is the last day of my life, would I be happy to realize in the end that I had spent it in the office?
I should just shut up and go to bed.
My wakeup call was a one-on-one talk with my boss recently, where he pointed out the areas where he thought I was starting to 'slip on'. He noted recent projects and tasks that I had worked relatively 'slower' on, with considerably less focus, less concentration and less attention. He gave these comments with the aim of getting a re-commitment... a re-affirmation that I will get back on my feet and work like a horse.. as I did before.
But to be honest, I couldn't care less. Which took even me by surprise... For people who are close to me, they'd know that this kind of reaction is uncharacteristic. Usually, I'm a person who takes her performance seriously, who sees her output as a reflection of who she is. But somehow, those words of feedback from the boss sounded hollow and empty to my ears. As I said, I really couldn't care less.
I don't know exactly what it is that's making me feel this way, but I just don't quite see the 'point' in working so hard anymore, in putting in the extra hours, in climbing the corporate ladder, in raking in the recognition and in bagging the great deals.
After seeing how well my friend lived her life, simply because of the amount of love she gave and the amount of love she got in return, things such as work seem so trivial. All of a sudden, the only value it has is just to give us a means to exist. Not some life-enriching, character-affirming commitment. In any given week, most of my time is spent in the office, earning money for an institution that would scarcely care if my health suffers as a result of dedicated service. Most of my time in a given week is spent accumulating stress, derived from pushing myself to climb the promotion ladder in a company that may very well find me redundant 10-20 years down the line. Not to mention derived from dealing with some people I don't even want to be stuck with in an island.
All those ambitious dreams and driven dedication to my work seem like a pointless endeavor now. It all just lost its steam in one fell swoop. If tomorrow is the last day of my life, would I be happy to realize in the end that I had spent it in the office?
I should just shut up and go to bed.
Sunday, May 08, 2005
day for mothers
I never understood women who go for high-powered careers and aggressively climb the corporate (or social) ladder, only to find that, in the process, they left their family life in ruins.
I've always believed that no success in work compensates for failure in the home.
And I've never found anything wrong with dedicating your life to family. I remember a discussion not too long ago with a colleague, who is also Chinese, who was raised in an environment of achievers-- that is, achievers in the corporate league. Women who are strong-willed, unable to be 'tied down' by marriage or 'ordered around' by husbands. Women who left their children to 'learn on their own', which sounded like an empty excuse to me for neglecting the care and attention a child always needs. She argued that these days, women have to care for themselves, have to look out for #1 (which is yourself), and not be lured into the deceptive joys of wifery and motherhood.
I thought that whole argument to be incredibly selfish. First of all, if you don't intend to serve your husband, then why get married in the first place? Besides, while it is true that the woman should live for the man, the man should also live for the woman. Isn't that what love is about anyway?
And, hello, if your kids won't be #1, why even have them in the first place? Such thinking is as selfish as selfish can ever get. I have to say, such women have no right to be wives. And mothers.
Shoutout: Hooray to my mom who's always juggled work with home life with amazing finesse and grace.. who's always willing to drop a few profit margins, just to be there for a school play or to rush home to care for a sick little Co.. who takes time to sit and talk, who takes time to know our friends and the little details of our lives.. who knows when to keep asking and when to back off.. who gets kilig when her daughter gets flowers... who gets offended when her boys get basted (How dare she?! My son is a prime catch!)...
For all the things you do and for the things you've foregone just to be our mother, thank you. You'll always be the mother I'll someday aim to be.
I've always believed that no success in work compensates for failure in the home.
And I've never found anything wrong with dedicating your life to family. I remember a discussion not too long ago with a colleague, who is also Chinese, who was raised in an environment of achievers-- that is, achievers in the corporate league. Women who are strong-willed, unable to be 'tied down' by marriage or 'ordered around' by husbands. Women who left their children to 'learn on their own', which sounded like an empty excuse to me for neglecting the care and attention a child always needs. She argued that these days, women have to care for themselves, have to look out for #1 (which is yourself), and not be lured into the deceptive joys of wifery and motherhood.
I thought that whole argument to be incredibly selfish. First of all, if you don't intend to serve your husband, then why get married in the first place? Besides, while it is true that the woman should live for the man, the man should also live for the woman. Isn't that what love is about anyway?
And, hello, if your kids won't be #1, why even have them in the first place? Such thinking is as selfish as selfish can ever get. I have to say, such women have no right to be wives. And mothers.
Shoutout: Hooray to my mom who's always juggled work with home life with amazing finesse and grace.. who's always willing to drop a few profit margins, just to be there for a school play or to rush home to care for a sick little Co.. who takes time to sit and talk, who takes time to know our friends and the little details of our lives.. who knows when to keep asking and when to back off.. who gets kilig when her daughter gets flowers... who gets offended when her boys get basted (How dare she?! My son is a prime catch!)...
For all the things you do and for the things you've foregone just to be our mother, thank you. You'll always be the mother I'll someday aim to be.
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
update!
I feel that the past few days just whizzed by, and feel the need to write them down:
Friday- Dennis picked me up from the office so we could go meet up with his buddies for a late dinner. Went to Market Market, and toured it in its entirety. I couldn't believe Dennis had never been there. (Haha! Sosy!) But we ended up eating in Dampa, which was cool, kahit sobrang init!
Saturday- Dennis and I spent yet another day together-- first we saw a movie and then went to a frat party afterwards. Met even more people (whose names I'm still struggling with 'til now) and heard some stories on how my boyfriend is the best friend of all, the best blockmate, the best fratmate, the best everything. :)
Sunday- Spent this with my brothers, which felt really nice. It felt good to bond again with them and spend time just talking and laughing. Great day all-in-all...
Monday- Spent all day with Dennis again.. We went to Blue Wave and hung out for the longest time! I love it there, especially the 'plaza' in the middle, where you can just sit and talk, with the breeze cooling you off (because it was just so damn hot!) without having to spend on anything! Isn't that the best?! :) We were together for 12 hours, but again, it didn't feel that long at all :)
Tuesday- Citigroup Quality Excellence Awards night was held in Manila Penn. This is a semi-annual awards ceremony that honors and recognizes performers in the past 6 months. Got nominated (and won) for the project I headed last Q4. It was my first CQEA (yez, I intend to get more, hehe..) and it was exciting to see what a big deal the entire affair was.. People were in suits, gowns, etc. All spruced up to the nines! My gosh! At may buffet dinner pa! :)
'Twas fun to go up on stage, accept the award and take pictures. It was even more fun taking souvenir photos with my colleagues outside the ballroom. Then Dennis came over around 9 from Rockwell to pick me up so we can have our own little celebration :) Went to Old Swiss Inn, which is a quaint little restaurant behind Manila Penn. M, my boss, actually wanted to meet him that night. But since Dennis came at mga 9 na, and M had to leave right after the awards were done, d sila nag-abot. M couldn't stop ragging me about it this morning. Haha!
Don't worry, boss, there's next time :)
If you notice, most of these logs are of days spent with my dear boyfriend. As happy as it makes me, apparently it's been making my dad feel neglected. He made sumbong to my mom that my face can rarely be seen around the house. "If it isn't work, it's that boy. If it isn't that boy, it's her friends. If it isn't her friends, it's work." Hahahaha! O, daddy, you are so cute! On Sunday, we'll spend the day together. Promise.
(Can Dennis come with us too, though?)
(Haha, kidding!!)
Friday- Dennis picked me up from the office so we could go meet up with his buddies for a late dinner. Went to Market Market, and toured it in its entirety. I couldn't believe Dennis had never been there. (Haha! Sosy!) But we ended up eating in Dampa, which was cool, kahit sobrang init!
Saturday- Dennis and I spent yet another day together-- first we saw a movie and then went to a frat party afterwards. Met even more people (whose names I'm still struggling with 'til now) and heard some stories on how my boyfriend is the best friend of all, the best blockmate, the best fratmate, the best everything. :)
Sunday- Spent this with my brothers, which felt really nice. It felt good to bond again with them and spend time just talking and laughing. Great day all-in-all...
Monday- Spent all day with Dennis again.. We went to Blue Wave and hung out for the longest time! I love it there, especially the 'plaza' in the middle, where you can just sit and talk, with the breeze cooling you off (because it was just so damn hot!) without having to spend on anything! Isn't that the best?! :) We were together for 12 hours, but again, it didn't feel that long at all :)
Tuesday- Citigroup Quality Excellence Awards night was held in Manila Penn. This is a semi-annual awards ceremony that honors and recognizes performers in the past 6 months. Got nominated (and won) for the project I headed last Q4. It was my first CQEA (yez, I intend to get more, hehe..) and it was exciting to see what a big deal the entire affair was.. People were in suits, gowns, etc. All spruced up to the nines! My gosh! At may buffet dinner pa! :)
'Twas fun to go up on stage, accept the award and take pictures. It was even more fun taking souvenir photos with my colleagues outside the ballroom. Then Dennis came over around 9 from Rockwell to pick me up so we can have our own little celebration :) Went to Old Swiss Inn, which is a quaint little restaurant behind Manila Penn. M, my boss, actually wanted to meet him that night. But since Dennis came at mga 9 na, and M had to leave right after the awards were done, d sila nag-abot. M couldn't stop ragging me about it this morning. Haha!
Don't worry, boss, there's next time :)
If you notice, most of these logs are of days spent with my dear boyfriend. As happy as it makes me, apparently it's been making my dad feel neglected. He made sumbong to my mom that my face can rarely be seen around the house. "If it isn't work, it's that boy. If it isn't that boy, it's her friends. If it isn't her friends, it's work." Hahahaha! O, daddy, you are so cute! On Sunday, we'll spend the day together. Promise.
(Can Dennis come with us too, though?)
(Haha, kidding!!)
Monday, May 02, 2005
DH fever
I'm sooooo addicted! I love Desperate Housewives! It's a great combo of Sex and the City and Melrose Place. Brimming full of adultery, of lies and of truths, of the eternal tug-of-war between the sexes, of the best-laid plans (that usually go awry), of teenage love (or lust), of scandal and rumors... Just the way I like my soaps! Haha! :) And I liked how it depicted suburban life in a realistic light-- plagued by the same basic problems as city dwellers. That's actually part of the charm, I think. The fact that such a simple place as Wysteria (spelling?) Lane can be just as complicated as Manhattan...
Sometimes I'm so engrossed by the series that I forget Dennis is already downstairs waiting for me. For a split second, I get tempted to stay and watch some more. But then I snap quickly out of it. Hello?! =S
Hehe... Basta I love it! I hear they're bringing it here.. either by Star World or Studio 23 (I forget which one). Great news, para I can talk about it with more people naman. Haha! :)
Sometimes I'm so engrossed by the series that I forget Dennis is already downstairs waiting for me. For a split second, I get tempted to stay and watch some more. But then I snap quickly out of it. Hello?! =S
Hehe... Basta I love it! I hear they're bringing it here.. either by Star World or Studio 23 (I forget which one). Great news, para I can talk about it with more people naman. Haha! :)
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