lights, camera, action!

Look out for my first feature interview by ABS-CBN!

Yesterday, in the midst of celebrating the New Year at the temple that my family frequents, the ABS-CBN crew came and took various shots of the temple, as well as testimonials from devotees, to use as material for an upcoming feature on the Santo Singkong temple.

And one of the people featured was yours truly! Put on the spot, I racked my brains furiously to come up with something intelligent to say. Finally, a few seconds to go before the camera was on me, I decided to just, well, speak from the heart. Religion is more of a heart-to-heart, soul-to-soul connection anyway.

My dear beau looked on, along with my family, as I embarked on my 3-minutes of fame. It was only after my turn was done when I realized: "Shet! Ang gulo ng hair ko!" Oh well. =P

In other news, one word that best described the past weekend is: BUSOG. Last night, I went to the new Hyatt hotel and had a buffet feast with my family and beau. The chocolate fountain was my favorite part. Can't remember how many times I went to and from the dessert area =P

Kung hei!

kung hei fat choy!

Happy Year of the Fire Dog!

It's Chinese New Year again! Indeed, time flies. Now the house is full of food once again, with lively chatter and laughs that I feel it's an extension of the recently concluded holiday celebrations.

On the aside, I went on a book-buying binge this afternoon. Hehe.. Took advantage of the 20%-off Powerbooks sale and stocked up on interesting reads. Hope I continue having the time to bundle up and read :)

Oh, and I have major presentation to the top honchos on Monday. I'm standing in for Jane, my boss, and I'll be representing our entire team in the presentation on our 2006 commitments. I found it a little funny that the newest member of the team should present the 2006 key programs, but hey, I welcome the challenge. I know Jane is counting on me, and I guess her appointing me to be the representative, despite my being the newest person around, is something to be happy and honored about.

From the looks of my slides, this is shaping up to be an IMC-esque presentation. Hmm... I hope my skills aren't too rusty =P

Wish me luck!

Kung hei again! :) May you be showered with blessings, blessings and more blessing this coming year!!

....

Finally got to listen to "Last Kiss" by Pearl Jam.

Now I understand why you drive slow when I'm in the car with you.

I love you!

love??

When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you'll never get back. Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give someone is your time. Relationships take time and effort, and the best way to spell love is T-I-M-E because the essence of love is not what we think or do or provide for others, but how much we give of ourselves.

--Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life

If time is the best currency of love, my boss is the greatest love of my life.
Harharhar!

i love this dress!

parting with my money

After being so good over the weekend and successfully keeping myself from shopping, my resolve gave way last night.

I finished early from work, since I was boss-less yesterday and had already finished all pending jobs by 6:30pm. Had to wait for my brother to finish up at his work in the ad agency, so I hiked over to the mall to walk around. Note: Key word is walk. Not shop around.

But, as I said, I failed miserably. After a short detour in Powerbooks where I didn't find the book I wanted, I proceeded to buy myself 1 new skirt, 1 new bag and 3 new tops, and finally had to restrain myself from buying 2 pairs of shoes that I found at 50% off! I could hear the justification rising up my throat "It's getting 2 shoes for the price of one!" Thankfully, my brother texted that he's done, so the damage to the wallet was curtailed. Somewhat.

I knew it-- I should never have left Powerbooks. Now I'm a little bit poorer... but a little bit more fashionable too! Hehehehe.... Despite mourning for my money, I do looooooove the stuff I bought.

=P Wala lang. This is just a-girl-being-a-girl kind of post... =P

eurostar carnival

Finally got to check out the much talked-about Eurostar Carnival.

For 400 bucks, it was actually not very bad. If you're the adventurous type with the guts to go on the scary rides, then your 400 bucks will be super worth it. There was one ride which goes all the way up (ala Anchors Away from EK) and then over, about 7 times, that I got dizzy just looking from down below. At the end of the 7 continuous turns, it stops in mid-air for about 20 seconds, which is enough to turn my insides inside and out =S

Good thing, my beau is also not the gungho carnival fan. So we mostly just walked around, tried 2 rides, including the nice big ferris wheel, and just enjoyed each other's company. The other couples we went with tried most of the rides, while we mostly just waved from down below. I know, I know, KJ-- but hey, I'd rather make sure I get home not dizzy and in one piece than risk it =P

By the way, prior to that, when we were walking to Eurostar, from nowhere came a guy who just blurted to me "Hey miss, do you have the time?" It took my mind about 10 seconds to figure out who it was, and to recognize the person! It was a friend whom I haven't seen for the longest time! He looked different, so at first, I didn't recognize him.

What's funny is, afterwards, my boyfriend told me to be thankful that I recognized the guy when I did, because he (and the couple we were with) actually thought I was being accosted by a stranger. He and his friend, actually, were about to jump into my rescue and clobber the poor skinny guy, when I suddenly yelled "hey! How've you been?!" Hahahaha! He's so cute =) I love him...

best boss to have

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.

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....

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!!

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! :)

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.

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! =)

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.

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!

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 :)

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!

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.

:)

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.

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