Digress

Busy

2009-03-30T04:45:00.000+08:00

So the past many-a-many days, I have been very busy.

Yo-Ville-ling at facebook.

Pissed

2009-03-27T13:48:00.000+08:00

I was online. Saw this friend go online.

Me: "Hey"

Person: "I gotta go"

Offline.

What do you make of that? Walang "hi, hello, sorry pauwi na ako". Straight forward "I gotta go". Wala man lamang courtesy to say "Bye". Bastos! To the highest level.

Sana maabutan ko ulit syang online next time para maka pag message ako ng "panget mo hayop ka!" Haha. Personalan na ito.

Disappointed

2009-03-09T04:28:00.000+08:00

Gail was tinkering with my phone some night ago.

Gail : "Mommy, san ang video ng cellphone mo?"

Me: "Walang video yan anak".

Gail: "Ang pangit naman ng cellphone mo mommy"

Sabay binaba ang phone ko at lumabas ng kwarto.

Challenge

2009-02-28T05:09:00.000+08:00

This one is from the heart.

While most of us have a general idea of how the US economy has spiraled down and we all hear about the massive lay offs, the ones who work with the american market are the ones who feel the direct impact of what is happening across the many thousand miles.

Sabi nga ni Richard Gomez sa long time ago McDonalds tv ad nya, "I should know. I used to work here".

I should know. I AM working here.

My career in the export industry spans over a decade. From food ingredient manufacture to home decor manufacture to sourcing, developing and buying for big american brands. This is where I am happiest - here at Connor, which is why I am full of mixed emotions.

Dread is something constant these days. Every morning you pray that this is not the day you will be called to the office. You know that no one is indispensible, but you always hope that the value you bring to the organization will be enough to keep you as one of the last fighting to survive the storm.

It is not easy. You do not want to really spend time thinking about alternative plans and lifestyle changes and whatever disruptions to your life will come you way. You fear that if you say it out loud, it will happen. The power of the spoken word. But if you do not recognize the seriousness of the situation, you do not fight, you do not give it your all.

It is scary. It must be. You must be scared enough to sincerely want to extend yourself and sacrifice. It is not a challenge that can be won by one person alone. Teamplay has never had this much of a burden. You are not just saving yourself, you need to save everybody in order to save where you are.

Miss ko mag blog

2009-02-27T03:12:00.000+08:00

So I haven't blog for a really long time. I have answered all of those tags and lists, but have not really been squeezing out any creative juice from my gray matter that I sort of feel brain dead. Nakaka miss din pala. Kahit wala kang sasabihing may sense or will change the world, nakakamiss magsulat. Nakakamiss yung may deadline, tapos wala kang maisulat kaya you end up with silly stuff like:

I turn on the light,

Control 3 second flat

Oh how I wish

Writing was just like that.

Haha. I know I was a pain for the eds back then, but they published na rin, pang puno ng space.

So what have I been up to lately? Not that you care. Or maybe you do since you bothered to start reading this post. Or maybe you don't really? ....... Whatever.

I have been facebook-ing a lot lately. I love facebook. I love knowing what other people are up to. Never mind that I believe most people romanticize what they are up to anyway. You know--

"Had a nice quiet dinner with xxx, overlooking the sunset by the bay" Which could mean anywhere in between they really had a nice quiet dinner overlooking the sunset at the bay or nagbaon sila ng kanin, adobo at kamatis, nagdala ng puting monoblock chair sa baywalk at kumain ng dinner habang palubog na ang araw, at pareho silang bingi.

or "Going to Boracay for the weekend!" She could really be going to Boracay for the weekend, pero it could be that actually nangutang sya to fund the trip, and pagbalik nya from the "fantastic weekend at Boracay!" araw araw na overtime ang kailangan para makabayad sa loan.

I think that's what I love about the posts in facebook. Trying to figure out the stories behind the posts. And if friend mo naman talaga yung nasa facebook mo, you basically know how much stretch they are making to make it appear that they are leading lives that you ought to envy. Parang electronic way of social climbing or perhaps a hi-tech version of hallucination.

Apart from the content of the posts, I look forward to the gramatical errors. Kung dangan naman kasi bakit kailangan ang mga posts in english? "Look to cook dinner" o kaya naman " Gone to province tomorrow" Kailan daw?

And syempre, hindi mawawala ang mga pictures. "Sunset in Palawan", "Sunset in Mindoro", "Sunset across my room"... Have they never heard of "Keeping a photograph is like trying to preserve a kiss"? Facebook people, makakakita ka ng sunset until the last day you breathe. Unless na lang you die the following morning, sorry na lang, sana nakita mo ang sunrise.

At mga pictures ng pagkain in various stages of consumption - kakainin, kinakain at kinain. Mas maganda siguro kung pictures ng pagkain na kinain after ma-digest. Kumpletuhin naman ang cycle.

So, in short, wala talaga akong ginagawang may kabuluhan lately.

Tulo Laway

2009-02-27T03:00:00.000+08:00

Alang Magawa

2009-02-14T03:47:00.000+08:00

For those that I have tagged, here are the rules:

It's harder than you think. Copy to your own note, erase my answers, enter yours, and tag 10 people. Use the first letter of your name to answer each of the following questions. They have to be real...nothing made up! If the person before you had the same initial, you must use different answers. You cannot use any word twice and you can't use your name for the boy/girl question. Tag the person who sent it to you so they can see.

1. What is your name: Kathie

2. A four letter word: Kiri

3. A boy's name: Kenkoy

4. A girl's name: Kikay

5. An occupation: Kuk (yung taga luto)

6. A color: Kinky Red

7. Something you wear: Kumot, especially after ...... ha ha

8. A food: Kutsinta

9. Something in the bathroom: Kilikili powder

10. A place: Kusina

11. A reason for being late: Kase....

12. Something you shout: Kalikot!

13. A movie title: Kan Dis B Lab?

14. Something you drink: Kuka-Kula

15. A musical group:

16. An animal: Kat

17. A street name: Kampupot

18. A type of car: Kakarag-karag

19. A song title:

20. A verb: Kumikiri

Special Pre-Valentine Date

2009-02-14T03:27:00.000+08:00

This greeted me and hubby when we got home last night.

Gail prepared a Special Valentine Family Dinner for us!

Per

o syempre, kasali sa date si Spikey.

At hindi naman sya masyadong matakaw!

Nag enjoy naman silang dalawa :)

Hay, sarap ng may anak! :)

It's that time of the year

2008-12-12T04:48:00.000+08:00

I love Christmas.

I love arranging the ornaments on our tree (not putting up the tree though).

I love shopping for gifts (and haggling with the "ano hanap nyo ate?" tinderas)

I love the food that magically appears on our fridge everyday (a little melodramatic, but you get what i mean).

I love the surprise when I open the gifts I get (and believe me, most of the time I DO get surprised)

I love the bibingkas and putobumbongs.

I love the ube that our neighbor cooks the traditional way (grate,grate,grate and stir,stir,stir).

I love the time spent away from the stress of work.

I love a lot of things associated with Christmas.

Except one.

I detest being compelled to participate in the christmas party presentations.

I have never deluded myself that I can sing, dance or do anything related to performance art. But for reasons unknown, people seem to not notice.

Either they are way too much into the christmas fever - where even the worst voice is forgivable - or they are way too much desperate to fill the group.

I wish, for once, there will be a group of "non performing assets" at the party - where our only duty is cheer, clap and occasionally heckle. I can be a good heckler. I bet I can even excel at it.

Unfortunately, nobody has bought this idea of mine yet. I think it's an idea way ahead of its time.

So this year, I fear that I am doomed once more.

I really do love christmas!

guiltily peaceful

2008-12-11T02:36:00.000+08:00

or maybe it should be peacefully guilty? hmmm

had an argument with hubby this morning over something absolutely ridiculous. so we are not talking to each other. i know i should feel really bad about it - him not talking to me. but no, i actually feel "free".

which is why i feel guilty. why do i feel a certain peacefulness and calmness over us not wanting to be in the same space right now? hmmm...

oh well, we do need a break every now and then.

Bible Reading - anyone?

2008-12-05T10:34:00.000+08:00

Would this make you read the Bible?

Twilight

2008-12-05T03:06:00.000+08:00

Late bloomer ako.

I saw the movie early this week with a friend. I knew the hype the book and movie was getting with the young adults, but I was not really itching to see the movie. The motivation to go watch was really the dinner and girl-bonding time with my friend.

We came out of the movie laughing at ourselves as we were more taken by Chief Swan and Dr. Carlisle. Daddies na ang attractive sa amin, hinid na ang mga boylets. Haha

Then my cousin-in-law emailed me the book.

Now I understand what the hype is all about.

Now I get Edward Cullen.

Nothing really compares to reading a book and making your own movie in your mind.

What makes me happy?

2008-11-19T03:09:00.000+08:00

......................................................

.....................................................

...................................seriously....

i don't even know........................ ...

.........not right now........................

what a sad thought......................

Ralph Lauren

2008-11-15T10:03:00.000+08:00

Closest I got to this man ..........

is by working with his people.

dreamy. exciting. and yes, stress-inducing!

Here Kitty Kitty

2008-11-07T05:52:00.000+08:00

What can I say? I'm a Sanrio baby! :)

.........

2008-11-06T04:31:00.000+08:00

I need my sugar high. Right now. I can feel my mood spiraling downwards. Sometimes I love too much work, sometimes I just downright get depressed by it. Today is one of those "depressed-by-it" days.

All I want right now is to stop and stare. Not do anything. Just stop and stare.. and well, breathe so I do not topple over and die. Wala namang poise yun ano. Dropping dead in the office. How so working class! ha ha

Beside the Creek

2008-10-21T09:42:00.000+08:00

My neighbor alex is celebrating her 8th year in one place, and as I told her, this has made me nostalgic.

I spent close to a decade in the same company. About a humble half of which was spent doubting whether I was in the right place. It was not so much that I did not like what I was doing because I did. I really did. I think it was more of me not seeing my place in the organization. I always felt that I was just there - that I was a conduit to getting results achieved. Parang medium ng mga lost souls, sasaniban to get a message across, tapos iiwanan ng lupaypay pag natapos na ang seance.

Anyway, I think the reason why I stayed on was because of the friendships I developed through the years. Parang pill box ang 10 years ko doon - may separators to indicate a time line.

The best group of friends I had was Ronald and the Lab Girls. Sila yung unang set of friends ko who made sense to me and who I really could share good laughs with. Up until now, sila pa rin ang pinaka pinaka na-enjoy ko kasama.

I also developed good friendships with the HR people. There were perks with being chummy with the HR - you get inside scoops and stories. The downside lang is, you never can really tell anybody about the secrets.. and well, secrets are just much juicier if you share them di ba?

Then during the later years, I had the chance to get to know the new generation of employees. They were a few years younger and well, I was a bitch by then already so I probably wouldn't have won miss congeniality. But they were quite a brave bunch - they let me join a few lunch outs and who knows, they may have gottten disappointed that I wasn't much of the bitch that I seemed to be.

So when friends started moving on and going away, I started to lose the joy of being where I was. And then things happened, decisions were made, promises were blurred and it just all together stopped being a happy place for me.

And here I am now. Looking back to where I was 3 years ago, not with the same heavy heart I used to have, but with a mix of gladness for people who have found their own real joy there and sadness for those who are just trapped with nowhere to go.

Horton is a Who - by Dr. Sus

2008-10-18T05:31:00.001+08:00

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Horton is neither me nor you... but will most likely remind you and me of somebody we know, have known, and will know. While Horton is portrayed as a simple girl, I am sure a part of her exists in most of us - me included. We all are sometimes consumed by our own conviction of how good we are that we forget that life is a convoluted collaboration of the strengths and weakness of each of us.

We appear strong when others are weak, and we appear weak when others are strong.

=======================================

Horton works for a cookie shop - she doesn't quite get it why it's called a cookie shop when they sell more cakes than cookies. Every morning when she gets in, she wonders about this. You see, Horton enjoys baffling herself about simple things. I think part of it is because really, her mind can only figure out so much.

One damp Susday, Horton gets an email. MasterChef upstairs is asking her to write down all she knows about the cookie shop and what she has learned for the past many years that she has been working for the cookie shop.

Horton jumps up with joy. Finally, she thinks MasterChef will make her the cookie shop head.

Well, actually, Horton is absolutely convinced she is about to make it as the cookie shop head.

"Finally" Horton thinks to herself "I will be Cookie Shop Big Master."

Horton has conveniently forgotten the time she bagged peanut brownies instead of the giant cookies for Mrs. Wilmster and Mrs. Wilmster had to be taken to the hospital for allergies. Horton also did not remember when she spilled fresh milk on the floor which caused little old Mister Yokel to slip and sport leg braces for months. Nor did Horton thought about mixing old cookie batches with new ones causing a wave of customer returns.

No, Horton does not think of these things. She believes in her heart that all these dark clouds - as she prefers to refer to them - happened because her stars where not aligned right on those days.

"Sometimes stars do that" she tells herself "they get jumpy and forget to follow their path and dark clouds happen."

Horton will never, ever accept that Mrs. Wilmster, Mr. Yokel and the customer return line happened because she was just not paying attention to what she was doing. No, it was not her fault. It was the stars.

So when MasterChef wanted her list, she walked around the cookie shop the whole day feeling like the big boss. She ordered people around. She refused to pack cookies, serve customers and much more, bus the tables.

If she is going to be The Big Boss, she has to start acting like one.

And act like one she did. She passed blame, found excuses, wasted time sitting around and basically did nothing to help in running the cookie shop.

"Horton The BIG BOSS has arrived." she hummed silently to herself.

She really was loving every minute of it.

Horton found new skills she did not know she had.

She can pass on work to others and get credit for them.

She can turn a blind eye to dirty floor and tables and wait until somebody else picked up the mop and rag to clean up.

She can point a finger to someone else whenever an unhappy customer comes up to complain.

She can chit chat with the customers without really convincing the customers to buy the new cookie treats to increase the cookie shop sales.

And Horton truly believed in her heart that she had what it takes to run the Cookie Shop...

Charice

2008-09-18T07:03:00.000+08:00

I like the black dress with the green bow. She's not only improving her diction (did you see clips of her touring us on her "previous life" in Laguna on the recent Oprah? humahaba na ang english sentences nya ha), she apparently has gotten herself a stylist as well.

Me thinking I want to have a similar dress made. :)

18,652,000.00

2008-09-15T04:11:00.000+08:00

That is how much Hugh Laurie will earn per epidode starting Season 5. Eighteen Million Six Hundred Fifty Pesos... per episode.

While I sit and watch tv, this man earns money that even my imagination will not be able to spend in the course of one episode.

9/11 = 7/11

2008-09-12T03:58:00.000+08:00

Kagabi sabi ni anak,

Anak: Mommy, alam ko na bakit 7-11 ang name ng 7-11.

Ako : Bakit?

Anak: Kse daw may dalawang tower sa america na magkamukha na mataas. Tapos may bumagsak na airplane dun sa tower. Tapos yung tower bumagsak. Shoosh! Eh may store dun sa ibaba ng tower na nabagsakan. Kaya 7-11 na sya.

Ulan

2008-09-11T04:10:00.000+08:00

Setyembre na, umuulan pa.

Naalala ko nung elementary ako, ang malalakas na ulan bumabagsak pag June. Kasabay ng pagbili ng mga nokbuks at pag linya ng margin sa mga nokbuks na nabili - shet! remember those times? na ang 100 leaves na notebook kailangan mong linyahan ng red ink sa right hand side? as in, isa-isa-isa mong lilinyahan!! - teka, naligaw na ang thought ko...

rewind...

so anyway, kasabay ng pagbili ng nokbuks, pipili ka na rin ng plastic raincoat at pag sinwerte, bibilhan ka pa ni lola ng pulang bota pang sugod sa baha. araw araw dala-dala mo ang mga pang ulan mo. payong, raincoat at bota. mula unang araw ng pasukan hanggang mga july. pag dating ng august, paminsan minsan na lang. pag dating ng september, hindi mo na makita nasaan na ang mga pang ulan mo. tinago mo na sa ilalim ng kama ni lola.

ngayon, parang all year round dapat may payong ka sa bag. sobrang unpredictable ng weather. walang tulong ang Pag-Asa. panahon pa ni Amado Pineda, screwed up na ang weather vane ng pag-asa.mas magaling pa ata si Tessie Tomas mag predict ng weather!

don't get me wrong. i like rain. i like cold weather. i love the depressing mood rain puts me in. i enjoy the gloom of dark clouds overhead. ang hindi ko enjoy ay ang walang masakyang jeep, ang baha, ang traffic at ang pinaka sa lahat ng pinaka - ang pag volt in ng tatlong ito: ang paglusong sa baha dahil walang jeep na bumabyahe dahil lahat sila na stuck sa traffic!

Grrr

2008-09-08T11:56:00.000+08:00

I have had my Citibank Visa Card for more than a decade. I use it the American Express way - as a charge card. Meaning, I pay my dues in full every due date. No outstanding balances, no carry overs. No interest earning utangs.

You would think Citibank would appreciate my loyalty and timely payments by giving me perks. Hell, no!

I never had my annual fees waived. I use my accumulated points.

One time, I forgot to pay on time. I called Citibank the next day to request for penalty waiver, and they refused. I threatened to cancel my card and what did they do? Transferred me to the card cancellation division. The nerve!

After more yakking from me, the (un) fortunate person on the other end of the line, agreed to waive the late penalty.

Today, I tried getting the Citibank Shell Card for the gas rebates. And here's what I get - more annual fees. Apparently, if you are a new applicant with no existing Citibank card, you get free one year use. If you have an existing card, you pay the annual fees. Kapikon!

Memory Gap

2008-09-06T09:28:00.000+08:00

We've come up with a simple game in the office where everyone tries to outdo each other by naming former showbiz personalities. The catch is you can NOT name the sikat ones. You have to name somebody obscure enough to have mostly faded away, but yet not too obscure that nobody has a recollection. The name has to at least make you go - "OO NGA!!!"

Here's some of the names that came up and gave us a good laugh:

1. Michael Locsin

2. Boy Garcia Jr

3. Manolet Ripol

4. Bimbo Bautista

5. Mon Alvir

6. Jovit Moya

7. Joed Serrano

8. Mutya Crisostomo

9. Michael Laygo

10. Dennis da Silva

11. Jean Young (spin-a-win!)

12. Precious Hipolito

13. Jaypee De Guzman

14. Babette Villaruel (say-say-say!)

15. Boy C. De Guia

the game is never ending. and well, nobody really wins. but we all get really good laughs out of this mental exercise. :)

Sharpener

2008-09-05T06:34:00.000+08:00

Dahil nanay ka, kailangan mong gawin ang mga ito:

1. Itapon ang mga "kusot" na naipon sa loob ng sharpener ni anak na likha ng galit na galit na pagtasa ng lapis ni anak nung nasa paaralan sya kanina.

2. Siguraduhing tama ang mga kwaderno at librong dadalhin nya sa paaralan. Maniwala kayo, malaking isyu sa anak pag hindi mo napadala ang tamang notebook. Mas malaking isyu pag mali ang naipadala mo!

3. Tanggalin ang nagamit na panyo na nakabungkos sa kailalim-laliman ng bag ni anak. Sa hindi mo mawaring dahilan, ang panyo na nilalagay mo sa bulsa ng uniporme tuwing umaga, napapadpad sa loob ng bag.

4. Sulatan ng pangalan ang bawat isang piraso ng lapis, colored pencil, eraser, glue, gunting at ruler na dinadala sa paaralan. Hindi ito katiyakan na hindi mawawala ang mga gamit ni anak, pero wala lang, kailangan mo lang gawin.

5. Punasan ang loob ng plastic cover ng notebook, dahil ang mga libag ng binurang maling naisulat dumikit sa gitna ng plastic at ng matigas na notebook cover.

6. Tanggalin at palitan ang mga naunanong lapis sa pencil case. Magtasa ng bagong lapis.

Pag naiisip ko itong mga ginagawa kong ito natatawa ako. Maliliit na bagay lang naman, pero kung hindi mo gagawin, sinong gagawa?

The happy burden of motherhood! :)

SapinSapin

2008-09-03T11:11:00.000+08:00

Dahil blog ko ito, I can bore you with details of my life. Ano nga bang pinagkakabalahan ko lately?

1. Facebooking. Ang daming apps. Nakakatuwa. Recommended productive way of wasting time. Pag tinanong ako ng boss ko anong na-accomplish ko at the end of the day, pwede kong ipagmayabang - that i discovered my stripper name is Mimi Moonbutton. Kung kilala nyo ako, matatawa kayo dito. Very apt. Haha

2. Top Shuffled Songs - Crush (haha), 7 things (mas haha), No Air, Tatoo, One Step at a time

3. I got overdosed with semantics today. "We are not losing business, we are transitioning." , "We are returning back the business". Corporate level jargon. Top Management chuvaness. All means the same thing though - we are losing a big fish.

4. Polo Ralph Lauren Home's first season with us has finally closed. First PO released today. Official na sya talaga. Nagbunga ang stress ko. Mala-aratillis na bunga - maliit pero matamis.

5. I have so much gas, I can start a fire. Gawd.

Labor Day

2008-09-02T05:33:00.000+08:00

US Labor Day has become one of my favorite holidays. With my american buyers on vacation, this means an empty inbox for me today. Hoo-ray!

I have the whole day to tinker with my facebook. Ay-pi-ya-yi-ay-pi-ya-yea!

O Halaw

2008-09-01T12:21:00.000+08:00

anyone knows the complete "ano ang nasa dako paroon, bunga na malikot napag-iisip..." ?

grabe, naubos na utak ko sa kaiisip nito. susme.

RakEnRol

2008-09-01T08:17:00.000+08:00

Today's casual attire consists of jeans, sneakers,black shirt,black-rimmed glasses, and backpack.

Apparently, I am such a sight that hubby told me "mukha kang teenager na pupunta sa Amoranto - makiki concert!"

Wired!

2008-09-01T04:10:00.000+08:00

Discovered Facebook recently. Fun!

From KC to Starbucks and everything in between

2008-08-26T11:11:00.000+08:00

1. Hindi pala kagandahan ang boses ni KC ano? I mean, maganda naman pero siguro I was just actually expecting something ispektakyular. Mala-Lea Salonga proportions. Is she just a product of hype? A marketing success?

2. Ang gulo ng bahay ni Goma at Lucy. Maraming stackable boxes and organizers, pero sa sobrang dami, overwhelming na. { Haha. as if naimbita ako sa loob ng bahay nila ano? }

3. Hindi ko madecide kung maganda yung Angelina movie na Wanted. Nung weekend ko lang napanood e. Nakatulog si hubby habang nanonood kami, so hindi ko sya masagot nung nagtanong sya kung maganda ba o hindi? Hmmm...

4. Panahon na pala ng rambutan. Wala lang. Napag alaman ko lang today.

5. Hindi ako umiinom ng gamot pag may sipon, ubo o lagnat ako. I let nature take its course.

6. Ganda yung bagong CD ni Ogie A. Brings back memories. Sayang, Wala ung Anak ni Ka Freddy (what can i say, baduy ako)

7. Uy, kahapon an old friend called me up. Ang sarap ng feeling pag naalala ka. I should "pay it forward".

8. Buddy En Sol. Wala lang, naalala ko lang over the weekend.

9. Ang coffee stirrer, hindi naman talaga nakaka-stir ng coffee mabuti. Ang sugar naiiwan pa rin sa ilalim.

10. Masarap ang Mister Donut coffee. Cheaper na than Starbucks, mas masarap pa. Tunay na kape. Ang starbucks parang si KC, puro hype.

Refuge

2008-08-21T07:12:00.000+08:00

My home 10hours a day, 5 days a week...

Find a picture of yourself or your classmate

2008-08-20T04:40:00.000+08:00

kakaaliw ito. pramis!

=================

This really is cool! Check it out.

This website is amazing they actually have photographs of almost every School in the World. Unless you went to School when cameras weren't invented, check it out.see if you can find a
photo of yourself or at least your classmates. Click on the link below:

Enter the name of your school and Year that you were there
http://www.worldschoolphotographs.com/

Sharon Cuneta..

2008-08-19T06:02:00.000+08:00

anybody knows the kiddie clapping game that has a line that goes "sharon cuneta, lea salonga".... ?

Pusang Ligaw

2008-08-14T04:14:00.000+08:00

Nag dyip ako pauwi kahapon. Yung nasakyan kong dyip hindi dumeretso sa dapat na dinadaanan ng routa nya. Akala ko magsho-short cut sya or something. So deadma ako. Wala yata akong balak mag mukhang promdi na naliligaw, ano.

Aba, medyo mahaba haba na yung natatahak namin, pero bakit parang di ko nakikita ang mga terminal ng tricycle na dapat sasakyan ko pagbaba? Hmmm... Kunyari nagte text na lang ako. As if, all is fine and ok.

Ok, well, fine.. medyo eto nare-realize ko na naliligaw na ako. Bakit may Jollibee? Knock,knock, nasan na ba ako? Tanaw tanaw sa labas. Naisip ko, baba na lang kaya ako at magtaxi. Pero teka, wait! Baka mas lalo akong maligaw dahil hindi ko na nga mapagtanto nasaan na ako. Iiyak na ba ako?

Hindi, sige, konting tibay pa ng loob. Baka mamaya may makita na akong lugar na medyo alam ko. Sige, andar lang bwisit na mamang drayber na kung saan saan lumulusot!

Maya maya, huminto sya sa kalyeng sangdamakmak ang tao at sinabing -"O makati city hall na ito!" Sabay turo sa mga nagkumpulang tao sa daan.

Du-huh? Pano nangyari na napunta ako sa city hall? Ano namang gagawin ko sa city hall, ire-report ko ang sarili ko na missing?

Hindi pa rin ako bumaba ng dyip. Natakot ako sa dami ng tao. Naalala ko yung mga panahon na pumipila pa kami para makanood ng Lunch Date at ng bumukas ang audience gate ng broadway eh halos madurog ako ng mga nagtutulakang tao. Yes, my friends, bago pa sumikat ang stampede ng Wowowee eh napagdaanan ko na yon. Been there, done that - ika nga.

So anyway, sige, dinikit ko na lang ang pwet ko sa tarpouline wrapped na upuan ng dyip. Napagdesisyunan ko na hintayin na lang bumalik sa Ayala yung dyip. Round trip ika nga. Pasensya na nga lang si mamang drayber dahil hindi round trip ang bayad ko. ano sya sinuswerte?

Nang bigla, natanaw ko ang Makati-Mandaluyong Bridge. Halleluyah! Merong himala! Halos maghyperventilate ako. Breathe in, breathe out. Cool lang, baka mahalatang naliligaw ako. Pag hinto ng dyip sa stoplight, bumaba na ako. Back in familiar grounds.

Productivity

2008-08-11T09:42:00.000+08:00

i wake up 4.45am and wait for 5am to get out of bed

i wait for the heater to kick in before stepping under the shower

i wait for the morning mad rush to settle

i wait to get to work

i wait for my emails to download

i wait for my morning coffee break

i wait for lunch break

i wait for afternoon snack break

i wait to clock out

i wait to get home

i wait for dinner to be served

i wait to complete homework and close tomorrow's school bag

i wait for sleep to come

i wait for 4.45am

Thai Massage

2008-08-11T04:52:00.000+08:00

Grabe that Thai massage we had Friday night. I was looking forward to a nice, relaxing nap in a subtle mint-scented, night-light lit room with soft music lulling me to zzzzz land. But no, may audience participation pala ang Thai massage! Susme.

Nakakaaliw yung tinaas yung buong legs ko straight up tapos tinulak hanggan maabot ko na ata yung ulo ko. Napag alaman ko na may pagka-gymnast pala ako. Sayang, pwede pala akong sumali sa Olympics.

All in all, was quite an experience. Something na I probably wouldn't want to experience again. I've had enough Thai massage to last me a lifetime. Ha Ha.

8 things

2008-08-08T09:13:00.000+08:00

8 things I don't...

1. Eat vege-ta-bles. Not the green, leafy ones.

2. Cook. Pag natikman nyo ang mga sinubok kong niluto, im sure sasabihin nyo wag na akong mag try uli.

3. Drink cold, iced coffee. Lumaki ako sa henerasyon na mainit ang kape at ng unang tinangka ng nescafe maglabas ng nescafe frappe, hindi ata bumenta.

4. Like hot spicy foods. Except for nissin's yakisoba spicy chicken.

5. Like dress-ups. Hindi ako pretensyoso sa pananamit. Yung feeling corporate chorva. Basta komportable, pwede na.

6. Sing in public. Never. Ever.

7. Swim. Hindi ako natutong lumangoy kahit na tuwing summer noon nasa subic ako. Ang alam ko lang gawin is manguha ng mga bato at basag basag na shells sa aplaya.

8. Like yung mga taong ma-bida. Kakainis kausap.

Frustrated Artista Ka Ba?

2008-08-07T05:53:00.000+08:00

kse parati gusto mong bida ka. lead star sa mundong ginagalawan mo. pero sabi nga, think positive. see the goodness in everyone. kaya iniisip ko na lang, na nasa cloverleaf ako at nanonood ng pelikulang komedya. labis kang nakakatawa. at least in your own weird way, you make me smile.

This WIll Pass Away Too

2008-08-06T04:19:00.000+08:00

I have a copy of this poem written on a crumpled sheet of paper torn from my cattleya notebook, tucked away in a little corner of my padlocked drawer. I bring it out every now and then when I am in a crisis or at a cross road. The copy I keep is more than a decade old. I lost it when I moved, and found it magically again.

Today, I found it form the web. It did not magically appear (I googled it), but I find magic that a lot of other people appreciate this poem as much - and perhaps much more - as I do.

If I can endure for this minute
Whatever is happening to me,
No matter how heavy my heart is
Or how dark the moment may be ...

If I can remain calm and quiet
With all the world crashing about me,
Secure in the knowledge God loves me
When everyone else seems to doubt me ...

If I can but keep on believing
What I know in my heart to be true,
That darkness will fade with the morning
And that "this will pass away, too!" ...

Then nothing in life can defeat me
For as long as this knowledge remains
I can suffer whatever is happening
For I know God will break all the chains
That are binding me tight in "the darkness"
And trying to fill me with fear ..
For there is "no night without dawning"
And I know that "my morning" is near.

Helen Steiner Rice

Team Building

2008-08-06T04:02:00.000+08:00

office had a team building - slash prayer meeting (smile) was quite touching and moving and everything else in between. reminded me of those recollections and retreat back in highschool where you just had to shed a tear or two - otherwise, hindi ka successful sa retreat na inattendan mo.

anyhoos, i am amazed at how some people can really just open up to a great big bunch of people. i know myself too well to know that i will never be an open book. i need the trust of a real relationship before somebody gets a glimpse of what i am thinking. i was never built to be an all-out-there person. probably why i will never be a politician, an actress or even a personnel officer. not really my forte, and well.. not really my cup of tea.

but i feel blessed that there are these people out there - and that these trusting souls are part of the world i revolve in right now. with people sharing what they feel and what they think, you realize that maybe perhaps you mean something to them for you to deserve hearing about what is inside their hearts and mind. quite a lot of emotions to take in - in one day.

i may not agree with some of what was said, and with how some thoughts and opinions were processed and shared, but i believe that in life it is really "to each his own". truth is relative. opinions are personal. everyone has a right to have one. and well, if i do not feel comfortable with something, i need to live with it.

the highlight of the whole exercise was getting confirmation that this is a family. certainly not perfect, but everyone working towards one common goal and everyone looking out for one another.

lucky me. not the one that sharon endorses. but really.truly.lucky.me.

10 things 2day

2008-07-30T04:57:00.000+08:00

10 things I wish for today:

1. 1.5 liter ng Yakult

2. 1 kilo pack ng Nissin Spicy Chicken Yakisoba

3. Yakult-sized coca cola. Pang alis lang ng craving.

4. Powerpoint program installed sa office PC ko.

5. Matutong mag english yung parati kong naririnig na trying hard mag english {"ya, rayt!" ang tigas ng dila pero ayaw paawat!}

6. Magising sa katotohanan si --- na hindi sya ang bida sa mundong ginagalawan namin. Lord, Please lang!!!

7. Matapos ko na ang Level 3 sa 7 Wonders.

8. Extreme and absolute patience.

9. Wag umulan. Wala akong payong.

10. Sana nag absent na lang ako

Quick lessons

2008-07-28T12:33:00.000+08:00

The office has instituted a new policy of no overtime. Well, you can render overtime, nobody's going to stop you. But the office silently suggests that you do not file for overtime pay. Times are tough. Cut costs where it can be cut. Be productive, but be not expensive.

The pastor at church was telling of how he was given an iPod and he felt blessed until somebody told him of the iPhone. There is never satisfaction with what we have. There is always going to be something out there better and bigger. Be content.

Learning to Multiply

2008-07-28T04:53:00.000+08:00

Well yeah. Late bloomer ako pag dating sa social networking chuvaness. I just discovered multiply. Actually, I had the account for quite some time na, but I used to use it to download music only. So I never bothered to Multiply again. Until last Saturday when I had nothing to do while Gail was taking her nap.

So Multiply I did.

Looks cool. Better than blogspot, maybe.

I still am trying to figure out the features, like how to re-arrange blog postings. (anyone who knows, drop me a note)

But I probably will switch my blogging here.

Let's wait and see...

May kakilala ka bang ganito?

2008-07-24T08:20:00.006+08:00

Ang Lead Star - mahilig bumangka ng kwento. nagtatago sa pretense na nais lamang makapagbahagi ng kaalaman, pero actually gusto lang ibroadcast na meron syang bagong gadget o "bagong" discoveries. Mga "bago" para sa kanya, pero hindi naman talaga bago para sa iba.

Ang Echo - para sya yung commercial ng lucky me na nasa bundok sila tapos may sumasagot na echo sa kanila. ang siste nga lang, siya rin ang echo ng sarili nya.

Ang Opinionated - mahilig magumpisa ng malalim na diskusyon, pero walang maibabahaging sariling opinyon. Pagkatapos ng balitaktakan, uulitin ang kwentuhan sa iba, pero lahat ng opinyon ng unang nakausap nya, opinyon na nya.

Ang Superhero - parating bida. parating pakiramdam nya sya ang takbuhan ng naapi. iba kay lead star na mahilig lamang magkwento. si superhero, lilipunin lahat ng mga narinig na kwentuhan at idudulog sa baranggay. bidang bida.

Ang Sumbungera - pinsan ni superhero. yun nga lang, si sumbungera, ang kanyang prime motivation is ipahamak ang iba, sa likod ng pagkukuwaring wala naman syang masamang intensyon sa pagkwekwento ng mga naririnig nya.

Ang Humble - madalas "nahihiya" magkwento o magbahagi ng opinyon, pero mga limang segundo lang ang hiya. makalipas iyon, hindi na titigil sa pag litanya ng mga magagandang bagay na ginagawa nya.

Ang Concerned - parating nagtatanong kung kamusta ka na, anong ginagawa mo, anong mga trabaho ang ginagawa mo. mukhang concerned, pero in reality, sinusukat nya kung gaano na sya naka ungos sa iyo.

Ang Masaya - lahat ng jokes mo patok sa kanya. walang hindi bumenta. pag nakatalikod ka, sinisiraan ka.

Ang Secret - nag uumpisa ng bulong bulungan. pero unang unang pipiyok at maglalabas ng sikreto sa ibang tao.

May kakilala ka bang ganito?

Ako wala.

Kwento

2008-07-17T07:40:00.002+08:00

Got home past 6pm.

After a quick dinner, Gail and I started to do her schoolwork.

Around 8-ish, while Gail was busy answering her homework....

Me : "I love you, Gail "

Gail: (smiling) "Bakit ngayon mo lang sinabi yan, eh kanina ka pa nandito?"

Ayan. Nakagalitan pa ako.

Busy Bee

2008-07-12T09:21:00.002+08:00

For weeks now I have been making Gail kulit to find her boxes of Magneato.

Me : "Gail, pwede pakihanap na yung Magneato mo? "

Gail : "Mommyyyy.... wala nga akong time. Ang dami kong ginagawa, naglunch ako tapos natulog tapos naglaro. Next time na lang"

Sana ganito din ako ka-busy.

More Schoolwork

2008-07-09T07:22:00.002+08:00

True or False:

"God made everything"

Gail's answer:

"False"

When asked why - her reply: " Eh di ba ang building di naman si God ang gumawa?"

... and yet another day

2008-07-03T07:44:00.005+08:00

Today. July 3, 2008. Thursday

Inbox total 61
Read receipts 92

This means over the course of my 10-hour day yesterday, I sent emails to 92 recipients.
That's 9 emails per hour, average of 6.6 minutes to compose each one.

Does not really sound much. But when you break it down, in order to get one draft message into a "worthy to send" message you need to squeeze information out of several people, dig thru piles of paperwork and dissect each tidbit of information for lapses and inconsistency.

So today, 61 emails will mean...

122 return emails to send out ( average ratio is 1 incoming : 2 outgoing)
I am working a 4-hour day in the office {as I will be visiting a vendor in the afternoon leaving me with no email access -- hooray??}

I have to churn out 30 emails per hour, 2 minutes per email.

That's 4.6 minutes chopped off my average messaging time.

Not that I am complaining {yeah right}.

I have devised a plan to get through my days.

Hit Ctrl+Alt+Del repeatedly and this pseudo-computer shuts down.

Whatever was not replied will have to wait.

{Sidenote: I can shut it down the normal Start + Shutdown way, but it's less dramatic}

Tired

2008-07-01T07:28:00.002+08:00

Got home last last night. Had a conference call with the Polo Ralph Lauren people which lasted an hour. It was a long 14-hour working day for me.

When I got home, had to check Gail's homework pa.

I am dead tired.

I am starting to wonder if there is more to daily life than what it is.

Thoughts of leaving this semi-comfortable life and going full time into a more "giving" life are actually floating around my head. Scary thought. Really. Scary. Thought.

I wonder if everybody goes through this "empty-feeling" stage.

It's like you have everything that you need and you are doing things that you enjoy, but there's still a void that you just don't know how to fill.

Empty. Empty. Empty.

Merchandising

2008-06-26T12:03:00.007+08:00

In the industry I am in, you are as good as the "money" that you bring in. You are constantly measured against your "budget". Your existence {or soon to be non-existence) is determined by your "volume".

I have - as of 12.21hrs today - managed to dent Uncle Sam's dollar reserve by $1,595,845.34 . That's a staggering ... {drum roll here please}

70million, twohundredseveteenthousand,onehundredfourteen Philippine Peso!
I cannot even imagine how many paper bills that is! I get giddy figuring out how I would be spending all that moo-lah. {Not that I get to see even a shadow of a single dollar from this million dollar and a half. Nuh-ah.}

Anyways, a huge chunk of this million dollar pie is from my Neiman buyer who proposed her love for me {yep, that screenshot of my inbox below}. A crust comes from the Metropolitan Museum of Arts New York and a little bit of filling from my lovable Japanese stores.

Not yet included in this yummy dessert is Polo Ralph Lauren. This is the one that is closest to my heart. YES. I am close to getting a heart attack...

But I digress. rewind. rewind. rewind.

So, we are measured against the number of chinks of the cash register. Dinudugo ang ilong, nalalagas ang buhok, at natutuyo ang matris namin directing product developments and overseeing production runs.

Every merchant has a horror story of a development gone wrong, a production that went way and beyond cancel date, concalls that wouldn't have required speaker phones {dahil nagsisigawan na silang lahat across the miles!}.

This is not easy work.

This is not for the faint hearted or the hard headed.

Most of the time, we bend way too much we are in danger of getting leptospirosis.. hehe..i mean, scoliosis. All in the commitment to represent one interest and only one interest - that of our buyer {mamahalin ako ni ChipConnor ng todo todo nito}.

While every dropped development is heart breaking, every PO that comes in is a merchant's success story. More than the ka-ching ka-ching of the golden cash register, every order is a testament to a merchant's exemplary work and dedication to see a project thru... inspite of and despite of everything that happened in between.

Lukatdat!

2008-06-25T12:39:00.003+08:00

www.toryburch.com

I love you

2008-06-24T06:52:00.003+08:00

Best ever. Doubt anything else can top this one.

Darlington

2008-06-18T07:54:00.003+08:00

Seatwork ni anak sa FIlipino. Isulat ang tamang Pambalanang uri ng pangngalan:

1. OB Montessori - sagot ni anak : Paaralan

2. Adidas - sagot ni anak : Sapatos

3. Darlington - sagot ni anak: SABON!

Tawa sya ng tawa nung pinakita nya sa akin, kse daw akala nya talaga sabon ang darlington.
Medyas daw pala.

Trees

2008-06-18T07:45:00.008+08:00

Homework ni Gail :

Draw 10 things that God made and label them.

So, nag drawing si anak ng

1. sun
2. moon
3. stars
4. lighting
5. clouds
6. dog
7. sea
8. earth
9. bird

Nung wala ng maisip, kinalabit ako at nagtanong

Gail - "Mommy, ano pa ginawa ni God?"
Ako - "Trees.."
Gail - "Eh di ba pina-plant yun?"

May TAMA sya!

Sleepy head

2008-06-10T09:14:00.001+08:00

zzzzzzzzzz.......

Serious Play

2008-06-10T09:09:00.005+08:00

Gail in action!

Twins?

2008-06-10T09:07:00.000+08:00

Dalawa na sya!:)

Travel Ban

2008-06-07T08:39:00.008+08:00

My new passport arrived.

Sayang!

He Won

2008-05-23T07:40:00.007+08:00

Yipee!!!!!

West Elm

2008-04-25T07:41:00.008+08:00

I used to service this brand - West Elm - doing their product developments for Entertaining pieces.

This was the dinner I will never forget.

The Philippine contingent was splitting the bill, so everybody gave their shares in advance. Dinner was fine dining at one of the restos in Lan Kwai Fong. Perrier was the water of choice. Bottles of wine kept getting popped.

Everybody was having a blast. Until the bill came and I felt faint. Fortunately, I was with the best group of vendors I can ever wish for.

And well, having cute Frank beside me, made the stress worthwhile! :)

He's gay, by the way.

Fear Factor

2008-04-24T07:57:00.002+08:00

I have had the biggest scare of my life.

My iPod suddenly stopped working yesterday!
As in, truly, really not working.
I couldn't get the menu to scroll.
It was just stuck at Pause mode.
I couldn't even turn it off.

I was near tears.
{Gail kept teasing me and looking into my eyes and saying -- "Mommy, iiyak ka na ba?" loka loka talaga ang anak ko}

I was supposed to convert some videos for Gail's PSP, but I did not have the heart to do anything else. I was in zombie land. Couldn't believe what happened. The first and only technology that I love, and it died on me.

I kept thinking that maybe repeating one song over and over again was the culprit. But then again, David Cook's You will always be my baby isn't so bad {absolutely great, in fact!}

So, with nothing much to do, I willed myself to sleep.
Sleeping will little iPod was blinking away {for some reason, the backlight did not go off}

By dawn, I was awakened alert by soft continuous clicking.
Owmygash! Hubby was checking out my songs!

iPod is alive!! Halleluyah! Merong himala!

I still do not know what caused its near death, but you can bet that I love this little white thingy more than ever.

Now, I can listen over and over again to David Cook. :)

Nihon-go

2008-04-12T20:17:00.006+08:00

Konnichiwa.

Watashi no namae wa Kathie-des.

Watashi no tanjobi wa sen kyu hyaku nana ju yon nen, ichigatsu kokonoka-des.

Washi no shigoto wa zashhi kisha-des.

Domo arigato gozaimasu.

Japanese lessons started to day, in case you haven't noticed. {wink wink}

I had so much fun constructing those "watashi-anata-wishy-washy" sentences.

I can't wait when we will be taught how to pour tea, bun our hair and put white putty on our faces. {rolling on the floor, laughing}

Lola

2008-04-11T09:27:00.000+08:00

Last night, hubby's lola went towards the light.She was 80+. Lived a full life. Was the grandmother to everybody. Hubby told me this story that lola was the one the neighbors will call when there was a fight, because,well, people listened to her. And if somebody needed help, lola will come. No matter if helping out means that she will have to do without. She is that - a person with the purest and goodest of hearts. {Which is why I do not wonder why hubby is the way he is - may pinagmanahan!}

Lola is absolutely well-loved. When the famiy wanted to have the wake someplace else, the neighbors wouldn't hear of it. They want lola to stay where she is - so they could - in the last days of her physical presence - be with her. Nothing could be more touching than knowing that people around sincerely loves.

I always wonder what my own wake will be. Will people come? I have very few friends, most of whom are really hubby's friends, who just had no choice but to become mine as well. I even seriously doubt if my relatives will do a showing - well, maybe they would stay for an hour or two, but probably not really magdamagan. Which is one of the reasons why I always remind hubby to not "show me off". Just cremate me. Have it done and over with as fast as possible. Not the nicest of thoughts, I know, but this is something I have a resigned acceptance of.

Anyways, I asked Gail if she remembers her lola-lola. She said yes and that she is sad that lola lola is gone. She said "sana naging 120 years old na lang sya". In her mind, nothing could be better than living forever and being here forever. Probably lola lola wouldn't have enjoyed living up to a century - not if she was burdened with a body that could not cope. I think she probably is around here somewhere looking at the people she left behind and smiling as she sees how much of an impact she made in other people's lives. She truly lived one good life.

Random thoughts of the day

2008-04-10T12:50:00.003+08:00

1. Syet! Ang init!

2. Renew passport!

3. Mabebenta ko kaya itong mga Neiman Marcus and Horchow catalogs ko dito?

4. Ang kuripot naman ng Polo Ralph Lauren. Matutuyo ata matris ko.

5. Namimiss ko na si ananak.

6. Makakauwi kaya ako ng maaga today?

7. Tinanggal sa trabaho si ---? ... Sino na nga sya ulit?

8. Ang hirap mag post ng comment sa blog. Hmp!

9. Masarap kaya yung bagong strawberry ice cream ng selecta?

10. Ay! May Figaro pala sa Greenbelt? Napagod pa akong maglakad hanggang Glorieta?!?!

Betrayed?

2008-04-08T12:46:00.002+08:00

Since some days ago, I have been silently seething.

What do you do when you think you know people and then suddenly realize that it's all for show?

Gawd, I feel so naive and pathetic.

It's one giant roller coaster ride - from getting pissed to getting more pissed and well.. to getting pissed some more.

Sometimes I wonder if I am more furious about being betrayed or about me allowing myself to be a sitting duck?

I am sure there's a lesson hidden somewhere in this experience.. but right now, I actually love simmering slowly to boiling point.

BVLGARI

2008-04-03T14:16:00.005+08:00

Yup, it's the same watch... and it's on my skinny arm! :)

Happy

2008-04-02T09:04:00.004+08:00

Recent events around us got hubby to teasing me (in all smug seriousness, i believe) - "Hindi ka pa ba naniniwala na swerte ka sa akin?"

Of course. I know how lucky I am to have him.

He never complains.
He does not get all sungit around me.
He listens to all my senseless kwento.
He puts up with all of my crap. As in, all of them.
He works hard for the family.

And yesterday, when my day was going real bad ---

He brought Gail along with him to fetch me from work.

That was absolutely the sweetest thing ever.
He knows what makes me happy.
He knows what will make all the bad mood melt away.
He just knows me. Honest to goodness knows me.

I can never be happier. Or luckier.

Crisis

2008-04-01T19:04:00.007+08:00

A friend is in the middle of a serious personal crisis, and we come running.

It has been a long time since we really last saw each other, although we kept in touch in the virtual world.

We have gone through different parts of the globe, went in and out of the country, changed jobs, relocated, missed attending each other's life events, and yet when needed we are here for each other.

It's sad that it had to take some serious stuff for us to find time to get together, but it's poignant to realize that these are the same people who will be with me through my own ups and downs in life.

Friendship really knows no boundaries - not time, not space. Its just there.

Can You Keep A Secret?

2008-04-01T08:29:00.009+08:00

1. I love O-OPM , as in those "Old-Original Pinoy Music". Hearing those old songs make me smile. {You wouldn't want to venture guessing what's in my iPod!}

2. I do not have a strong passion for anything apart from family ... not politics, not religion, not career.

3. I tried to pull down the zipper on my grade one teacher's skirt while she was leaning over the girl in front of me.

4. I had my first ever real crush in grade 6.

5. I had a boy tell me he likes me when I was in grade 6. Too bad he wasn't the crush.

6. I lost a grade school extemporaneous competition because I decided to ditch my memorized speech and tried to come up with my own on the spot.

7. I have a cute little dimple on my butt. Seriously.

8. I cannot sleep with my head on a pillow. Instead, I use the pillow to cover my eyes.

9. I used to know this "chant" that you recite quietly while you stare in somebody's eyes so you get in that somebody's good side.

10. I was a Menudo fan. {It's an explosion, my love for you!}

The book is hilariously great, by the way. Go read.

Dream On

2008-03-28T16:59:00.017+08:00

Day started happy. I was planning what I will do if I win the lotto. I'd be a squillionaire overnight!

1. Pay all our insurances. {matutuwa ang agent ko nyan}

2. Get more insurance coverage. {yayaman ang philam at manulife sa akin!}

3. Buy several Jollibee franchises. {aga muhlach fan ako eh}

4. Buy houses and lots in every Ayala land residential development. {particularly that place where Ai-Ai lives - where all electrical lines are underground}

5. Tithe. {pati yung mga utang ko na tithe, ibibigay ko na with interest}

6. Complete wardrobe overhaul. {should i get Manolos?}

7. Buy a couple of vehicles. {jaguar's on the top of the list}

8. Treat Gail to a toy shopping spree. {ang saya saya!}

9. Travel.... Really travel. {first stop - Disneyland}

10. Open a pre-school. {montessori style}

11. Support homes for abused and abandoned children. {but first,I'll throw them a big jollibee party -sabi na nga eh, aga muhlach fan ako eh}

12. Start a scholarship for poor but gifted children. {for the tutuong poor lang ha}

13. Have another child. {sana girl ulit}

14. Have another child...again (sana boy naman}

15. Quit job. {but not quit working}

16. Provide homes for relatives and educational plans for cousins. {syempre, share the blessings}

17. Study basic cooking then move on to culinary arts. {believe me, i managed to undercook a hotdog and burn scrambled eggs}

18. Set up vacation homes overseas {Scotland!}

19. Shop from Neiman Marcus and Horchow and Ralph Lauren {maybe i'll even get special agent discounts!}

20. Donate a new library to my high school. {Promote reading!}

My list runs longer than this.
Dami kong gustong gawin.
Ang sarap mangarap.
Kahit hindi ako tumataya sa lotto.

100th

2008-03-26T17:26:00.003+08:00

Hey! Hey! Lukatdat!

My 100th post!

Whooppeee!

Freedom

2008-03-26T08:03:00.006+08:00

"Our server is down."

One of the statements that makes me want to jump up for joy. Feeling ko para akong binati ng "Happy Birthday!"

Ang saya pag walang server. This means, all those gazzillions of emails will never land on my inbox today!!

I feel like twirling around and breaking out into a song!!

Happy Holy Week!

2008-03-20T10:10:00.010+08:00

Lent has officially started. I envision loads and loads of colorful confetti falling down as the 4 days of "holy-day" begins today.

We all woke up at 3.00 am. Had to get an early start as horror stories of traffic on SLEX wouldn't give us much of a peaceful sleep anyway.

The drive to Sta. Cruz, Laguna was smooth and uneventful and slow - even though hubby tailgated an ambulance, the fastest we went on the expressway was 100kph. Wasn't much of an "express", but there were lots of "ways" - as the roads would fork every now and then owing to the road improvement in progress.

We got to Uncle's house a little after dawn broke. Gail was delighted to see the orange skyline as we drove past rice fields and little prairie houses. {I really am not sure what "prairie" refers to - as I always have a vision of this big furry dog running towards the tv screen whenever "prairie" is mentioned - but I like how the word rolls on my tongue --- prairie...prairie..prairie}

As we entered the driveway, the changes are at once visible. Ducks were literally running about. The mix breed dogs were their usual barky selves though - running towards the car as we arrived.

Gail was so surprised by the new animals who found home in Uncle's house. She shrieked while she looked out the window as her dada was parking --

" WOW! Mommy! Ang kyuuuutttt nung mga animals!!"
She pauses, then adds as an afterthought --
"Anong animal yun mommy?"

I looked and saw she was pointing to the 3 goats standing under the shade of one of the big trees that lined the lawn.

My daughter is so raised in the metropolis that even goats amaze her!

And yet, this isn't so far out of the metropolis to not have Jollibee breakfast meals, ice cold coca cola and today's necessity - internet access!

School's Out

2008-03-15T13:10:00.005+08:00

Yesterday was Gail's last day in school. YIPEE!!!
I woke up excited.
Tapos na ang stress ng paggawa ng mga reviewers!
Talagang congratulations to me! ha ha ha

Pero si anak, arrived home after school crying.
Actually, lahat ng nakasakay sa school bus nya, nag ngangawaan.
Yup, as in hagulgulan daw talaga.

The reason ?
Ayaw nila matapos ang school!

Grabe.

Heart attack

2008-03-15T13:03:00.006+08:00

Last week was Gail's exam week. It was one test after the other, 5 straight days.

Last Tuesday, she arrived from school and told her lola:

Gail: "Lola, muntik na akong ma-heart attack kanina!"

Lola: "Bakit apo?" {syempre worried si lola, baka kung ano ng naramdaman ni apo}

Gail: "Naka - 99% ako sa test!"
Seryoso. She used the words "heart attack". Hanep.

Tres Marias

2008-02-28T07:34:00.003+08:00

Gail's favorite plush toys- penguin and kitty. She made a deal with me already - she will keep these two "hanggang 30 years old na ako".

XXV

2008-02-28T07:19:00.004+08:00

Yup.. I was there.

Conversations...again

2008-02-28T07:15:00.003+08:00

Pagkatapos basahin ang kwento tungkol kay Aling Mila - isang ulirang ina - sa Filipino textbook ni Gail, kailangan naming sagutin ang mga tanong:

Tanong: "Anong klaseng ina si Aling Mila?"

Si Gail: "Nanay?"

Anlabo naman kse ng tanong eh!

Conversations

2008-02-20T07:40:00.002+08:00

me: "ang ganda ganda mo anak! may nagsasabi ba sa iyo na maganda ka?"

gail: "wala nga eh. (nakasimangot) puro lang sila sabi, "ang cute cute mo!!!" sabay pisil nya sa dalawang pisngi nya.

Cagayan

2008-02-11T08:24:00.001+08:00

My WSonoma-PBarn family

2008-02-06T13:25:00.001+08:00

[Glitterfy.com - *Glitter Photos*]

Star Scout

2008-02-06T13:12:00.001+08:00

[Glitterfy.com - *Glitter Photos*]

Pasalubong

2008-02-04T16:30:00.000+08:00

She used to ask me a thousand questions before she "gives" me permission to travel.

Now, she hardly hears me when I tell her I will be gone for a few days.

She just reminds me not to forget to bring home her souvenirs.

Conversations

2008-02-04T16:23:00.000+08:00

On the way to school one day, Gail asked her dada when she will get to drive her own car.

I told her - " Nakaka pag drive ka na ngayon ah. You drive me crazy"

Syempre, at 7, she got lost with the metaphor and asked me what I meant.

So I told her - "Ibig kong sabihin ... Ngayon pa lang, naloloka na kami sa iyo"

Tumahimik sya. Akala ko end of the conversation na.

Then she goes - " eh nasan dun yung drive? hindi naman ako nagda drive"

Hubby had a great time laughing. He goes - " Hala sige,i-explain mo yan!"

Ang hirap makipag usap sa pitong taon!

Busy

2008-02-04T15:16:00.000+08:00

"Busy mom"

That was how hubby called me this morning.

Yup, I have been busy and will be busy for the next many months.

This weekend I am flying to Cagayan de Oro. I was told the hotel I will be staying in is near the beach - so I am looking forward to feeling warm sand on my feet.

Next week, I'll be off to Cebu. I miss the breakfast buffet at our hotel, so I just gotta go back {roaring laughter here please}.

But not all is work. I get some time to play.

Last Friday, my friend and I went to Martin's XXV concert. It was good. Not "good-great", but just plain "good-good". Parang mainit na lugaw - ok lang, pero hindi kasing spectacular ng baby back ribs {ha ha ha}.

Mas nag enjoy ako sa concert ni Shawie last month {pause. point of realization here - baduy ko!}

Then on Saturday, I took Gail to her dentist. She was such a brave girl I had to give her a "good girl" treat. We went shopping. She bought these framed styro drawings where you fill up the spaces with glitter glue. It's really fun to do. You end up with most of your body parts all glittery!

Parang gusto kong sumigaw ng "Darna!" pagkatapos.

Sunday was a quiet "HS-HS day" (half-shop and half-study day).

Apart from being so occupied with stuff, I survived a "no rice" week.

Yup, yup. I have started an unofficial diet. I do not follow any meal plan - just two basic rules : no rice and ...(drumroll please)... no coke! The rice I can easily live without, it's the no coke that is killing me. I have been successful ..

... so far.

Oh, and in between all these - I finally managed to upload new songs and synch my iPod!

Neiman Marcus

2008-02-04T14:29:00.001+08:00

Me, My GM and my Neiman Marcus buyers.

Glitter Gail

2008-01-29T12:43:00.001+08:00

[Glitterfy.com - *Glitter Photos*]

Dee Look-alike Meter

2008-01-29T07:53:00.001+08:00

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities - Collage - Morph

Funny Face

2008-01-25T18:16:00.000+08:00

{Disclaimer: She is not duling. Nagdu duling dulingan lang}

Thank You

2008-01-25T10:24:00.000+08:00

The best appreciation I ever received - "Thank you for making my life easier"
This was from my former boss, and it has made a mark. There is nothing more fulfilling than being told that your output really does make a difference.

This is why I continue to strive to always pay attention to the goings-on around me and thank those who make my life easier.

The magic of appreciation is constantly amazing.

Conversations

2008-01-25T10:19:00.000+08:00

The other night, before going to sleep, Gail said " Good night mommy! m-o-m-m-y!"

I replied " Good night baby! b-a-b-o-y!"

Dead silence.

Then she shouted -- "BABOY yun ah!"

World Famous Unknown

2007-12-05T08:07:00.000+08:00

World Famous Unknown

Printed on a canvass bag I saw some dude carrying while crossing Ayala.
Sayang! Gusto ko sanang habulin ang mama at sabihin fa-fiktyur!

Can you really be world famous and unknown at the same time, in the same universe?
Mind boggling.

True to Character

2007-11-29T15:05:00.000+08:00

May coup attempt sa Manila Pen.

Everybody outside of Makati seems to be in panic. At least, that's how those who are calling us at the office sound. Parang malapit na magkagulo.

Syempre, tuloy ang trabaho sa opisina. Walang nagmi miron sa labas. Walang sumisilip sa bintana.

May sumabog sa Glorietta, lumindol, kahit mag coup pa sila sa labas ng pinto ng 1503.

Tuloy ang trabaho sa Connor.

This is honestly the most dedicated bunch of employees I have ever known.

And I'm so proud to be part of it!

Lindol at the 15th floor

2007-11-27T13:28:00.001+08:00

Lumindol. Nayanig ang buong 15th floor ng Security Bank building. At least yung mga nasa suite 1503. {Kami yun!}

Nayanig, tumigil ang trabaho {oo, para kaming government office, may nagtra trabaho kahit lunch break} pansamantala. Tumayo ang mga tao, nagtinginan, naghintay tumigil ang pag sayaw ng building.

Natapos ang lindol.

Balik sa mga upuan.

Trabaho na ulit.

Kitty-land

2007-11-27T13:02:00.000+08:00

Japan trip went very well. Thank you for asking.

So many Hello Kitty stuff, so little money (arrgghhh!).

Tokyo is one clean place.

The air was cold.

The water soft.

The people ... well, daming Japanese!

To my disappointment, I didn't bump into any authentic japayuki or yakuzi.. i mean, yakuza.

But I did learn to use a push button toilet with warmed seat and automatic bidet and pi-pi shower {seriously}

Eiffel Tower

2007-11-27T12:24:00.000+08:00

Wall Art by Pottery Barn.

{free hand sketch done by Pottery Barn designer}

My 7-year old daughter's version

Work Equations

2007-11-09T08:08:00.000+08:00

Coffee = State of Mind. Good coffee = Happy. Bad coffee = Grumpy.

Inbox volume is not equivalent to effectiveness. {Could it be that the 3000 emails is representative of the 3 million pending?}

Desk clutter - or unclutter for that matter - is not representative of output. {Perhaps clutter is a really a representation of work undone?}

Earphones in my ears means too much distracting noise around. {Spare me your conversations with other people please}

Bragging about what you do is not the same as being effective in what you do. {If you are good, it will be known - regardless of}

Digging Gold

2007-11-09T07:54:00.000+08:00

http://howardlindzon.com/?p=2725

Made my day.

Semantics

2007-11-08T18:23:00.000+08:00

It's all a play of words. You say something when you mean another. It's not like a dialect accent where etlog would mean the same as itlog... aw, you get what I am saying.

There is no such thing as constructive crticism. A criticism is a criticism is a criticism. You may truly mean well, but still, you are pointing out something bad about a person. It IS a criticism. Don't hide behind that "constructive criticism" crap.
"Nothing against you" is truly a bad way to start a sentence. You know that the whole litany following this will be all about being against you.
"Puttting in my two cents worth" is a segue to a long marathon of self-righteousness and sometimes a desperate attempt to fish for compliments.
"Here's some unsolicited advice". Now, this takes the cake. If nobody is asking, please do not give away your opinions about somebody else's life. The fact that it is unsolicited means it is not needed.
And there's that thing that some do when they want to know something, but dont want to appear obvious that they want to know. Like trying to be nonchalant when the eyes are all goggly and the voice is so high pitched?

It's tiring and stressful tyring to keep up and reading between the lines. I would rather go head on with sarcasm than with goodie-two-shoes hiding a knife.