after thought...

My previous post got me thinking… maybe aside from the fact that our family is not as complete and in tact as it used to be…maybe my bah-humbug attitude was also brought about by my many activities leading to the big day. I didn’t really have enough time to internalize and appreciate the season and what it means. I’ve had so many things going on in my life… my personal life (gimiks/reunions with various groups of friends, anniversary celebs, tons of pic taken and waiting to be scrapped, books purchased and waiting to be read,), my daughter’s school activities, my so called career (blech)…,I am just not used to this! I just like being laid back and basking in nothingness… hahaha! I guess I got caught up. It’s my fault. hay.

Misa De Gallo

Christmas is definitely here! This despite my not feeling very Christmassy… Hubby and I attended the first day of the novena masses yesterday. We attended the anticipated mass at the Greenbelt Chapel where he works nearby. We decided not to attend the dawn masses simply because there is a higher probability of us finishing the 9 succeeding novena masses if we attend the masses at night instead of the dawn masses. =)

Here’s to hoping we complete it this year! =)

The Super Duper Hectic Weekend That Was...

 

It started last Friday, officemates scheduled a dinner at a nearby restaurant. I really wanted to go since it was a new resto and I wanted to try their food,  but I was also thinking about dropping by the David’s Salon near our office, since I badly needed color on my hair. In the end, I opted to go to the salon and just gave away my slot at the dinner table… I spent a couple of hours at the salon (got myself a pedicure too, and chose a fire truck red nail polish) hubby fetched me and we proceeded to the Mang Inasal Restaurant for a late dinner. We got home late, but still went ahead and watched the DVD we rented (Lindsay Lohan’s I Know Who Killed Me).

The next day, I woke up early… trying to accomplish some scrap projects. Then I snoozed for a bit with the little girl… when we woke up, we ate a late lunch and proceeded to Puregold to buy some stuff for the Barkada Christmas Party the next day. Hubby and I then proceeded to the Intellicare Clinic in Makati for my check up. The verdict: I need a colonoscopy. (sigh!). We made a quick stop at Watson’s to buy some goodies for relatives leaving for the US. Our next and last stop was the Magallanes Complex. Hubby’s boss was celebrating his birthday and he hosted a dinner/videoke session. I was not in a sociable mood so I opted to stay in the car, still tinkering with my scrap projects…  After more than 2 hours, we were on our way home… stopping at the 7-11 store just to buy a hershey’s hot choco…

When we got home, we were dead tired and just literally fell on the bed and in deep slumber in no time…

After a few hours, I woke up at 3:30am. I got up to wash my face and brush my teeth… then I remembered that I still had some chores to do… the dishes I whipped up at Café World were cooked and ready for transfer to the counter *wink*, and I still had gifts to wrap. I knew I needed to wrap these gifts while the little girl was still asleep since she’d want to play with the toys meant as gifts for other kids….I got a little carried away when I decided to print my own Christmas tags. I found the cutest tags online and I tried printing them, but the black ink on my printer was running low, so I had to replace it first. It was my first time to replace the cartridges, so it took me so long… =) After a while I was finally able to print the tags, wrap the gifts and just as I was to put them in the bags, I heard small footsteps behind me, I didn’t notice that it was already 6:00am and the little one was already up!

I played with the little one for a little while, then I woke the nanny up, told her to start feeding the little one, since we were going to hear mass at 9:00am. As for me, I went back to bed and fell into a fitful sleep.

Hubby woke me at 8:30am. We all rushed to get ready for church but we still arrived late, leaving us no choice but to stand since there were no seats left.

After mass, hubby proceeded to a christening of a friend’s daughter, while my sister, the little one, the nanny and I hopped on my sister’s car and proceeded to Cabalen at Sta. Lucia Mall for our relative’s despedida. It was a rare occasion since we were almost complete =) save for my father who had a prior commitment and a cousin who was in the province, Pamilya Ganda was complete! It was an eat-all-you can buffet, so after lunch I was so full I literally thought I was going to burst! Hahaha! I only went to the buffet table once but since I was having digestion problems, (hence my check up) I felt soooo full!

At 2:30pm, no one was still standing up to leave, but we had no choice but apologize and leave early since we are still going to host a Christmas party for friends at 4:00pm!

Before leaving the mall, we went up to the department store to get a gift for the little girl who was christened that morning. Then we rushed home, hoping none of my friends decided to come early… on the way, we picked up some ice and table napkins. When we got home, we cooked the rice and the lechon kawali, bought the soft drinks, arranged the rented tables and chairs, hubby attached the balloons on the gate and grills, and made last-minute ligpit around the house.

Finally at 4:40pm, our friends and their families started to arrive…we decided to go potluck this year so they came bringing their promised dishes and desserts. I warned them that the little girl didn’t really have that many toys so friend Apple, volunteered to bring her son’s plastic slide and rocking horse so the kids were able to bond and play together. Hubby and I were very happy to note that the little girl is now big enough to play with the other kids, unlike in the previous years when she couldn’t join in the fun since she’s easily knocked down by the boisterous boys… =)

The yummy smell of Lechong Kawali filled up the whole house, provoking our appetites, so by 5:30pm, after a round of picture taking, we started eating dinner. Yum-yum!!!

After dessert, the boys started their own discussion/bonding session while drinking beer, while us girls caught up with the latest chismis over a bottle of The Bar. At around 9:00pm we exchanged gifts, to the delight of the kids! The husbands played their roles perfectly, paparazzi for the night, as we happily gave each other gifts. One of them remarked that next year they should be part of the exchange gifts too. Hehehe…good luck with that!

Before going home we tried rounding up the kids for a photo op by the Christmas tree, but since it was already late, they were already cranky and some refused to cooperate so we just moved the photo op to the couch and just clicked away since none of the kids were really in the mood to face the camera directly and smile… =)

After a few more pics of us – the party officially came to a halt… and with it our super duper hectic weekend!

Whew!

Hard Work

I read something funny early today… very apt for me…

I know this is the universe’s way of sending me a very strong message…

 

Doing nothing is the most tiresome job in the world, because you cannot stop and rest!

Get it?!? Hahaha!

Karen start working na kasi!

Dinner at Piazza Pazzo - Powerplant Mall

Yummy food, great company, wonderful evening. (click here)

need i say more?

This Is Getting Ridiculous

I feel like a ping pong ball… I am again to be transferred back to my former unit…; the unit I was more than happy to leave…

Yesterday, my boss talked to us. When he called the meeting, I had no inkling that this meeting was going to involve me… I’ll have to hand it to my boss though, he handled the situation pretty well… he tried to break the news to me as gently and as professionally as possible…

My former boss resigned (something I was hoping for while I was there…) and so there was a void in the organizational chart. A section head will assume that position, and being that I worked there for sometime and that I supposedly I had a “grasp” of the transactions(boo), I was hand-picked (blech!) by our division head to assume the vacated position….

Hmmm… how do I feel? Mixed emotions really, all of them negative. Hahaha! I thought I was already home, back to my original department 12 years ago…back with the boss I’ve stayed loyal to through the years and through the other bosses I had… only to be brought back to the unit I (ehem) disliked and which I thought I’ve finally escaped. Hay.

Although this time, I can choose to see this positively. This time I was transferred because apparently I already know most of the transactions there. As opposed to trying to teach a new officer everything about the department.  

Please bear with me. I just received the news yesterday afternoon, just before leaving for home. I’m giving my self 0.5-1 day more to wallow in my misery… then tomorrow, I’ll be back to being a ray of sunshine. =)

This is a blessing. This is good for me… the universe has conspired for this to happen… this is meant to be…

Hmmm. Maybe tomorrow I’ll believe these words…

For the mean time, I still have a couple more hours to wallow in my misery… hehehe.

Books: Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

As I previously shared, I went on a shopping spree on scrap books, and one of these books is The Big Picture by Stacy Julian. In the book, she listed books that inspire her in her scrapbooking projects, I copied her list thinking that I’ll check them out the next time I go window shopping in our local bookstores. She had only good things to say about a particular book: Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. She said that it is a must-read for all scrapbookers. That the author has proven that ordinary life is interesting, important and valuable. Aha! That was enough for me… I got really curious and interested.

I got the chance last Friday. Hubby and I went to Powerplant Mall in Rockwell, Makati. Of course I simply had to pass by Fully Booked =) I asked customer service if they had the book in stock.. after a few minutes of frowning into the computer monitor… his face lit up, yes ma’am we have one copy! Lucky me!

He proceeded to ask an assistant to bring it over to us. When I got it, hmmm… it wasn’t really what expected, it didn’t really ring any bells and whistles.. It was a simple paperback…bearing my favorite color combination: blue and yellow. =) There was a simple upturned umbrella on the cover.. and these simple words: I have not survived against all odds. I have not lived to tell. I have not witnessed the extraordinary. This is my story.

That’s what struck me. Those statements summarized my whole life! Haha!

Although I was hooked, I wasn’t reeled in that easily. How do I say it? It wasn’t exactly love at first sight for me. When I opened the book I initially couldn’t understand what it was supposed to be. I had dates and lists and tables of random tidbits. I felt confused. This was supposed to be an inspiring book, and yet as I skimmed the pages I didn’t feel inspired at all.

So I stood there, in the middle of Fully Booked, trying to decide whether to purchase this supposedly great book… in the end, I decided to trust Stacy Julian (she is a scrapbooking guru after all). The book wasn’t that expensive anyway at P546.00.

When I started to read the book… I still didn’t like it that much. I just kept on. Until slowly, I started to understand…I started to relate…

And then I came upon an entry: “Tries to write fiction in a creative class in college. Keeps writing the truth, stuff that actually happened“. Ding! That’s me again! For the longest time a writer for me is a writer of fiction, and since I can’t even come up with a fairly decent short story, I have always cringed at the thought/dream of me being a writer. Friends keep on telling me I write well, but how can they understand that I write well only when I am sharing my own thoughts and feelings? How can I make them understand that I need to be inspired/moved by what I am writing about to be able to write well. All the while I though I was just a literary freak that way. Writers are supposed to write prose, and amazing stories… not short, simple, irregular statements of thoughts and ramblings. AKR understands! Hehehe! She even wrote a book about it! She went on to share how mastering the segue worries her, how her writing is such that each paragraph does not drift fluidly and seamlessly into the next. Goose bumps ran up my arms. It’s like she’s a kindred spirit!

I bought this book to inspire me in my scrapbooking projects, instead it has inspired me in my writing…

Thanks for the inspiration… thanks for understanding… thanks for giving due credit and attention to the much-unappreciated ordinary life.

Scrapping Mojo Is Back With a Vengeance

Last Saturday, they arrived! the package i've been waiting for since i placed my order last wednesday:

Yes, i did. i splurged a bit. i reasoned these books are advance birthday gifts to myself. and they will surely last for a very very looong time. these books have anything and everything there is to discuss about the art of scrapbooking!

I have already finished reading Clean and Simple The Sequel by Cathy Zielski. It was such a good read! definitely both inspiring and educational. it was well worth every penny! it is the kind of book that i will refer to again and again. Although i must say that her designs may be too clean and simple for me... hehehe. i like my pics crooked and embellished. =) it helped a lot just the same, especially as to theaspect of organization and creating a system for my scrapbooking hobby.

I am now reading The Big Picture by Stacy Julian. Now her designs are more like mine... organized and clean chaos if you will. i'm not yet done reading but already i am learning so much. i especially admire her handwriting. it is so pretty and she can vary it depending on her mood. and to think i have to purchase the fonts that i use... if i had the confidence to use my own handwriting someday that would be simply awesome!

I realized the importance of scrapbooking. It's not just about the pictures or the embellishments or the alphas... it's about the story behind the picture that needs to be told...

i feel obligated to preserve our memories. if i don't do it, who will? =)

Starbucks 2010 Planner

Since i have been able to kick the caffeine habit just this year, i really told myself i won't even try to get a starbucks plannner for next year...

the promo started last november 4, 2009... 2 days into the promo... i only have 5 more stickers to go... hehehe. of course i didn't drink them all, my friends and i had coffee there yesterday as a despedida to our friend who was transferring to another office. lucky for me, none of them were planning to collect enough stickers to get the 2010 planner... all their stickers were stuck to my stub! woohoo!

plus, i ordered decaf! =)

Stop Negative Thoughts

Here is a way to stop negative thoughts: Focus your mind on your heart. Breathe in deeply, keeping your focus on your heart. Really focus on feeling love in your heart. Breathe out holding focus on your heart and feeling the love in your heart. Repeat this for a total of seven times.

When you do this correctly, you will feel a very big difference in your mind and your whole body. You will feel more peaceful, you will feel lighter, and you will have stopped those negative thoughts.

 

-The Secret (daily teachings)

I Started Another Blog...

Guess what? i started a new blog... this time i will be posting stuff about hubby and me, plus stuff about relationships, weddings, marriage etc...

Why Berto and Kwala? Hubby and i watched this old movie years ago. it was Lino Brocka's Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang from the 70's which won 6 Famas Awards. It starred a young Christopher De Leon and other "big" stars. Berto was a leper and Kuala was a deranged woman also considered the village idiot. why in the world did we like them so much that we decided to take on their names??? it was because of their "you and me against the world" and "damn them all, as long as we're together" attitude. very similar to our attitude to our relationship with each other. eventually i decided to use a "w" instead of "u" for my Kwala... a personal preference =)

so come visit my other home: www.bertoandkwala.blogspot.com

of course don't forget bea's blog as well: www.growingupwithbea.info

Gadgets: Sony Ericsson C905

This is the phone that i've been lusting for... for sometime now... Being a sony ericsson and sony cyber-shot addict and loyalist, it's only natural to want this. why?

The 8.1-megapixel C905 Cyber-shot™ phone is equipped with Xenon flash and is always ready to capture the best moments of your life! haha!

I have been waiting for it to become more affordable... it is now on sale, along with other SE phones at the SE booth at megamall. it now costs a little over 20k. hmmmm.... ok i guess for a phone that can double as a digital camera...w/ wifi connectivity. the only thing that is stopping me from getting one (aside from the money part ehehe) is that there have been many complaints about it on the net. too many to ignore for even a SE lover like me! The disgruntled customers often ranted about the disfunctional earpiece or keypad... i didn't believe it at first, until i finally got to try one. hubby and i went to greenhills to get a second hand unit. i intended to trade my Sony Ericsson C902 for the C905.

we found a booth with friendly looking behind the glass cabinets. they showed us a black C905, and allowed us to test it. I just loved the feel of it in my hands. even nokia-lover hubby conceded that it felt so sturdy, plus the big screen is absolutely beautiful. i tried the camera... and i fell in love with it all over again! hahaha...

the only problem was when we tried to call each other, i couldn't hear hubby on the other line. the sounds was so low plus there was an absolutely irritating buzzing sound. they tried to tell us that it was only because we set the volume to high... but even when i tried to adjust the volume it still sounded the same, if not worse!

i thought, of course there's bound to be some kinks in this unit... after all it's a second hand unit. there is a reason why the previous owner disposed of it. i thought this was an isolated case. but when i tried to look it up on the net, it turns out that there are so many complaints about SE C905. in fact, sony ericsson acknowledges that there is indeed something wrong with some of the units. ( i wonder why they are still selling it) some units conked out after a few weeks. when they brought it to the service center, the repaired unit will only last for a few weeks then conk out again, for the same reason...

waaah! i was really disappointed. how can my beloved sony ericsson let this happen?!?

Things I'd like to have, gadgets, cellphones

Photohunt : Anything goes...

This week there is no specific theme for the photo hunters, so i chose picture of my little girl taken recently. We were at the mall and she was again trying to charm/whine her way into getting another toy... so instead i got her a plastic piggy bank. i thought this would be a good chance to teach her the value of saving. =)

i told her she'd have to save up for the thing she wanted to have the most... and it turns out there are two of them. she wanted a big, big dollhouse and a big bike...

she's now constantly on the look out for loose change around the house. and i'd often catch her shaking the pig, as if to check if its full enough already...


PhotoHunt

Weekend at last!

 Audit time once again… schedules to prepare. Reports to print. It’s been a pretty toxic time at the office… so the weekend is a very welcome break! Hay! At long last! I can sleep in!

But wait, there’s more! Hubby and I still have to face the battle that is EDSA Traffic tonight. We are going to pass by many malls and most of them are having a midnight sale… on a Friday (gimmick) night! Traffic jam for sure! Oh well. At least there’s the weekend to look forward to. =)

 

Domain Problems, Blog Catalog, Feedburner etc...

I woke up late today… I stayed up late last night… again! Although this time FB’s Café World is not to blame, but Godaddy.com and blogger. =)

Well, actually it’s not their fault either, it’s mine. Setting up my existing blogs with their corresponding domain names has been exciting and mind boggling at the same time… hahaha!

I’m not really sure whether I should change my settings for blog lines and blog catalog, to reflect my domain name and delete the one with my blogspot url… does anybody have a clue? Hehehe…

New look for my other home...

My other blog Growing Up With Bea just got a new look. i downloaded a new template from www.deluxetemplates.net and it is just the cutest! actually there are many more templates to choose from, but i chose the pink bunny and bears template... it's so bea. cute and fixated with the color pink (for the moment)

I've been trying to choose a template for this blog... just can't find the perfect one yet. there are just so many pretty, elegant, grungy templates to choose from... depending on your taste.

hmmm... maybe tomorrow... =)

Choosing between upgrading to a new (old) desktop or a new (old) laptop...

My laptop has conked out on me so many times, I’ve lost count already. A mommy who’s snap-happy and a self-confessed freebie addict, scrap enthusiast plus a 2 yr old laptop with a 30GB HD…not a very good combination. Years ago when I got my laptop, the 30GB HD seemed enough. After all, my digital camera back then was a 3.2 mp bulky sony, and my cell phone had a VGA camera… so they took up less space whenever I uploaded pics to the laptop. Fast forward to today. A 7mp digicam and 5mp cell phones… not to mention the tons of digital scrapbooking resources I’ve accumulated…yep, no wonder the ancient laptop has  been trying to retire.

When I was first introduced to digital scrapbooking… I first upgraded my memory, since Photoshop won’t even open. Then, everything was ok for a year or so… then DVD writer just won’t burn files anymore… then it got so slooooow to even just boot it. There were even times when it just wont boot. Good thing an officemate offered to reformat my laptop and upgrade its OS to windows 7. Now it’s running smoothly but the hard drive is still so limited.

My sister recently got the thing she’s been trying to attract for some time now…a mac book.  So now, she’s selling her old desktop and is offering it to me with a very tempting price and terms. Argh! I so want to… now that I have an official “home office”… but I just can’t let my trusted old laptop go… it’s been so loyal to me… hay. Maybe it’s just the pack rat in me… I love to acquire stuff but I just can’t let anything (no matter how old) go.

So after much contemplation… I have decided to pass up on my sister’s offer and just upgrade my laptop. Maybe I can get a new hard drive with a bigger capacity and a cheaper price (megamall’s having a sale this weekend… hehehe)… hopefully my laptop’s model can still accommodate the upgrade… =)

Photohunt : Sports

Last year, my family decided to embark into a wellness journey. Yes, we were overweight and had to do someting about it. hehehe. Family members from hubby's side and my side both have history of heart ailments, diabetes, hypertension and cancer... the four major death causing diseases in the world. That's why we knew it was time to get off our butts and start working out.
Here's a picture taken during one of our morning jogs at our local sports center....

It was a fun family bonding session.



the little one was not too keen about the heat though... =)









PhotoHunt

Bangon Marikina! Bangon Pilipinas!

Let me share with my fellow Marikeños and others who were affected by the floods brought by Typhoon Ondoy a part of a book that I’ve read recently:

“Good is underneath every single thing that appears to be negative. If we can know that good is all there is, including in a negative situation, then we will see a negative situation transform into all good. Most people keep the good away from themselves because they label something as bad, and then, of course, that becomes their reality. But there is no bad in the universe; it is just our inability to see things clearly from the bigger perspective.

Peace comes from knowing that good is all that exists.”

-The Secret - Daily Teachings

Let’s try to believe that there is a bigger plan for all of us. Typhoon Ondoy is a mere bump on the road. Don’t get derailed. Just look forward and continue moving forward. Don’t wallow in the sadness and loss, for you’ll attract more sadness and loss. Be grateful…be proactive…and attract only the good things. Bangon Marikina! Bangon Pilipinas!

Typhoon Ondoy '09

September 26, 2009. This is a date that will definitely go down in Philippine history. The country was hit with a very different kind of storm. The President described the deluge, which was the worst to hit Metro Manila in more than four decades and left 80 percent of the metropolis under water, as a “once-in-a-lifetime” storm.

It had already started raining the night before. It was a strong, steady downpour. There was no roaring wind or frightening lightning that went with it, just torrents of rain. It was reported after the incident that it was actually a month’s worth of rain that heaven poured upon us. No wonder we were flooded! Most affected were areas in the metro: Marikina, Pasig, Cainta and Taguig. Bulacan, Laguna and Pampanga were also flooded. These areas were the MOST affected, but the heavy rains affected almost everybody and every place. Areas that were not known to be affected by flooding in the past were surprised to find themselves in chest-deep water. I was in one of these areas.

I have been living in Nangka, Marikina almost all of my life. We transferred here from Rodriguez, Rizal when I was only 7 years old. Since then, we have suffered numerous different storms and typhoons, but never was there even a threat of flooding in our village. The worst is when my foot would be totally submerged in clean rain water, when I’d walk along our street. Never was there a threat that the water would rise and enter our home, affect our vehicles, furniture and appliances. None like that. Even during the terrible typhoon years back that also totally flooded Provident Village. We were barely affected.

But not this time. We were very affected. And not just us.

Authorities said some people remained stranded in their flooded homes more than 48 hours after the floods, while power and telephone services were still cut in the worst-hit areas of Metro Manila.

Poor drainage systems meant some places remained waist-deep in water, while vast swathes of the sprawling metropolis of 12 million people were covered in sludge.

In schools, open-air gymnasiums and other makeshift evacuation camps, tens of thousands of people were desperately short of food, water and clothes.

As many areas of Metro Manila remained without power Sunday, rescuers plucked bodies from muddy floodwaters and scrambled to save drenched survivors on rooftops after Storm “Ondoy” left 73 people dead in a strike across the region.

Nearly 300,000 people were affected by the storm, including some 47,000 who were brought to schools, churches and other evacuation shelters, officials said.

As soon as we can, we tried going around Marikina trying to survey the damage brought by Typhoon Ondoy. What we saw truly heartbreaking. People grimy with mud, walking bare-foot, with glazed eyes….looking totally lost. People who fled their homes when flood waters started rushing in, were able to escape disaster with only the clothes on their back. Everything was lost. Various pieces of furniture, appliances, clothes, books etc strewn along the streets…now all junk.

As we talked to friends in Marikina, we heard stories that tore at our hearts. These are people living in “good” subdivisions. Not stubborn people living in shanties along the riverbanks and esteros who have been told time and again to transfer to another place. These are not people trained by experience to evacuate to the nearest public school whenever the rains are particularly strong.

A friend said that they were trapped in their house because the water rose so fast that they didn’t have time to evacuate. She didn’t have time to call for help or even answer her ringing cell phone. She was surprised that water started rushing in. Before they knew it, the water was already chest level. Fearing that they might drown right in their own home, her father had to break down a window just so they can escape. They had to swim to their neighbor’s 2-storey house. When the flood reached the second floor, they had to hold on to make shift ropes just to swim across to another neighbor’s house that had a third floor. They stayed there until the flood subsided. They were safe but hungry. They had to stay there overnight with other families, sharing whatever food they can find. Her diabetic father sustained a large gash on his leg and had to be rushed to the emergency room once the flood subsided.

Another friend suffered the same fate. Only they decided to break down a part of their ceiling. They thought they can stay up there until water subsided. They thought they were high enough… but the waters continued to rise, until they had no more choice but to break down part of their galvanized roof… and stay on top of their roof… for 16 hours. Neighbors just threw food and blankets at them just so they can survive.

An officemate just had enough time to evacuate to their neighbor’s 3-storey house. A self confessed techie, she packed her prized  mac book, itouch, psp, phones, digicam and a new dslr in her big backpack. But in the frenzy of evacuating, she remembered to pick up her pet dog but forgot all about the backpack. Everything was drenched, soaked…ruined.

A good friend was spared since they lived on the third floor of their apartment building. Their van and AUV though, were totally inundated. They had to be towed to the mechanics. Her parents’ house was also flooded. Inside the house, flood waters reached up to their necks. Her retiree parents had to hold on to the metal grills on their fence to steady themselves against the strong current of the murky flood waters… just so they can relocate to their neighbors house.

I’m sure there are many, many more heart-breaking stories… even more broken-hearted people. Everyone caught by surprise… everyone struggled to save their belongings, everyone fought to survive… sadly not everyone succeeded.

But Filipinos are a naturally happy, smiley people. We are known for our resiliency and ability to bounce back from every known adversity. I have seen people who were busy cleaning their muddied homes with smiles on their faces. Sure, they lost almost everything: furniture, appliances, important documents… but everyone in the family was alive and well… and for this they were grateful.

As I told my friends…This dire situation too, shall pass.

Our God is good and He is great. He knows what is best. Fear not, for He has a plan.  =)

Thank God It's Friday

Good morning folks! It’s another beautiful Friday morning! Beautiful because it is the signal the week’s end and finally some cherished time with the family. Lately, the little one has mastered the art of making me feel guilty for leaving her to go to work. Haaaay. If only she knew how I would rather stay home with her… I’m hoping I’ll be able to that soon. =)

Gratitude Journal

I’ve been keeping a gratitude journal for a couple of weeks now and I’ve realized that there are just too many things to be thankful for. There are so many answered prayers that are left unnoticed and taken for granted.

Keeping a gratitude journal is simple really. It is similar to a diary where in you jot down things you are grateful for that day. However instead of ranting about the disasters and woes of the day (the ones we write about in a diary) we write only good things… and if there are bad events or people, we try to find the good in them and be thankful for that. It has really been an eye opener for me. Even when things are not so good, I am forced to think of what’s good and positive so I can thank God for that.

The gratitude journal has helped me see the silver lining in almost everything I do everyday. It has made me look for the single drop of goodness even in the man whose neck I’d like to wring the most =) It has made me a better person I think… in the past weeks at least. Hopefully I’d stick to this and do it forever. =)

Cebu here we come! Sinulog Festival 2010

I'm so excited! we are planning to go to Cebu early next year for the sinulog festival! weeee! i am really looking forward the trip! it will be my first time to ride a plane and be somewhere really far! hahaha! i know, pathetic huh?

Every January, the most anticipated event of the year brings the city to life. The Sinulog dance.... and vibrant costumes. One of the tourist attractions in Cebu is the annual celebration of Sinulog. It is one of the grandest and most colorful festivals in the Philippines. The festival is held each year during the third week of January in the City of Cebu to honor the the Santo Nino or the child Jesus.

There is a procession. After the procession, high mass is celebrated. Following the mass, devotees who have petitions begin to perform the Sinulog dance. Many people believe that their hopes in life are answered by dancing the Sinulog after the solemn procession.

Thousands of pilgrims and devotees from all over the country flock to the streets going to the Basilica bringing with them candles, rosaries, and replicas of the child Jesus. Likewise, parishioners from different parishes, business sectors, colleges and universities, government officials, archdiocesan organizations and all sectors in the Cebuano community, including group of friends, families and relatives join together in honoring the patron saint.

I really hope we can iron out all the arrangements. we have to book early as this is certainly a peak season for Cebu! =)

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Contact: FIRST METRO TRAVEL

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Sen Gil Puayt Ave Makati City

(02)706-8900 / (02)706-8655

fmti.inquiry@amadeusph.com

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Los Banos, Laguna

(049) 536-3769 / (049) 536-3771

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Cebu City

(032) 255-7374 / (032) 253-5808

For regular processing: Php 1,000.00 per person
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Bye bye Tita Cory...

Tita Cory joined the Lord this morning...

You're free now tita cory... thanks for everything.

Bye bye tita cory, say hi to mama for me...

Cory Di Ka Nag-iisa...

This is the simple statement that accompanied Tita Cory’s smiling picture displayed by the gates of my alma mater, Miriam College. It was a prominent sight along Katipunan Road. After seeing it, I felt a deluge of feelings I have been denying for a while now. The Philippine’s well-loved Cory Aquino is sick and dying. Our Tita Cory. My Tita Cory.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock this past year, you know by now that Cory Aquino was diagnosed with colon cancer last year. Yet she stayed strong, continued to fight for what she believed in, attended gatherings for democracy and human rights, rallied behind people like Jun Lozano. She stayed strong for the Filipinos. She stayed valiant for us. Despite her illness, she was a beacon of hope and truth in a country neck-deep in dismal situations. She could’ve curled up at home, sighed wearily and said “well, I’ve done everything I can to fight for you but you resist all efforts to help yourselves. It’s up to you now. I will think of myself for a change. I want to live comfortably, be with my family, free from all worries.” But no. She stayed with us and our fight for what is right and true.

Until cancer made its presence felt more strongly.

Argh…cancer. This miserable disease that has the uncanny ability to choose the kind, selfless, wonderful, loving people in the world, inflict them with pain and turn their families lives upside down. In Tita Cory’s case, the whole country is affected. Not just her family, but every Filipino whose life and future she touched when she, a mourning widow back then, stood up against a dictator, to fight for the country her husband died for.

…and now she has reached a point where her body is starting to give in. She is now under “pain management therapy”. This must mean she is getting controlled doses of morphine to relieve the pain. We went through all that with my mother years ago. Towards the end, my mom often slept. Morphine allowed her some minutes worth of escape from the pain.

I just love how Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said “Let’s drop politics on this one and just wish the former President peace in her heart and comfort in her pains”. Yes, lets.

Maybe that’s why me and my family are so affected. When I told my father the (cruel) news that Tita Cory has died (the terrible false alarm last week), he was speechless for a few seconds, and then he said that it was just like how it was with Mama. The lack of appetite, the pain, the spread of cancer to other parts of her body. It’s like reliving my mother’s deterioration all over again.

And did I mention that mom was a die hard Cory-ista? She was. And that is probably why I am too.

I remember years back when Tita Cory called on everybody, especially those from catholic schools, to go to Ayala and attend the rally calling for Erap’s resignation. No second thoughts. That was the only time I attended a political/peace rally, during working hours, with no permission from my bosses. With 4 other officemates, we just walked out of the office and marched on along Paseo towards Ayala. That’s how I valued Tita Cory’s opinions and views. That is the power and influence she has over the Filipino people.

“Alive or close to death, it matters not. Her spirit is infectious,” Msgr. Ernie Joaquin said in his homily.

Miracles can happen. Tita Cory believed it more than anyone else. That’s why she continued to fight for us. She believed that there is hope for our seemingly hopeless situation. She believed miracles can happen.

Let’s pray for her and her family. Let us unite. “She can draw all Filipinos to herself as a dying mother will draw all her children to her bed of pain,” Joaquin also said.

Tie a yellow ribbon and let’s let her feel that we are with her in her struggle.

Tita Cory di ka nag-iisa.

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LIFEBOOK 2009

Health:

1. Drink plenty of water
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants, and eat less food that is manufactured in plants
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy
5. Make time for prayer
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2008
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day ---- and while you walk, smile

Personality:

11. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do ; keep your limits
14. Don't take yourself so seriously ; no one else does
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Community:

25. Call your family often
26. Each day give something good to others
27. Forgive everyone for everything
28. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day
30. What other people think of you is none of your business
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:

32. Do the right things
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful
34. GOD heals everything
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up
37. The best is yet to come
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.
40. Always have a grateful heart.

Father's Day 09

Father's day this year was celebrated american style in our family. When my sister asked my dad how he wanted us to spend father's day, he said he wanted steaks and potatoes! hubby was only too happy to oblige! being the weekend chef, he immediately launched into planning mode. darling sister did the shopping for the meat and veggies, hubby did the grilling, i pitched in by cooking the soup and the boiled potatoes.

by the time we were done cooking, our mouths were already watering. hehehe... needless to say we had to bid farewell to our diets that day!

7 pounds lost!

woo hoo! lost 7 lbs in two weeks! hard work and will power is paying off... still lots more to lose...need to stay the course...=)

my goal: get back to my weight on my wedding day... maybe even wear my wedding gown again... bwahahaha! well, if you're going to dream, go ahead and dream big right?!

Laing Pasta...Finally

Last Saturday, hubby and I had to go to the office. Hubby dropped me off while he also went to his office to finish some reports. I finished my work earlier than expected so while waiting for him, I decided to go to the nearby bookstore. I went around the bookstore for about an hour, just killing time, before finally settling to buy a pocketbook P.S. I love you. Hmmm. It’s been a while since I last bought a pocketbook. I’ve been buying self-help, how-to’s for toddlers and scrapbooking titles, it has been years since I last bought a pocketbook. =) I was excited to just plop down and read it.

After paying for my book, I decided to go to Goldilock’s and wait for hubby there. I ordered the laing pasta and the coco guinumis. At last, the laing pasta was available! I’ve been wanting to try it for the longest time but it is not available in every branch I go to.

It was actually spaghetti noodles topped with laing, plus cheese sprinkled on top. Surprisingly, it tasted good! It’s like eating laing with rice only creamier and tastier, because of the cheese. The coco guinumis was not bad too. It was similar to iced buko pandan except I think it has cocomilk (not sure), plus it was deliciously green. I don’t know why, but I recently developed an affinity to the color green, although my green-colored snack was purely coincidence. =)

When hubby arrived, he made a face when he saw what I was eating, but when he tasted it, he had to order his own laing pasta! Hahaha! It was yummy, and I’ll definitely order it again the next chance I get!

Weird Weather We're Having

The weather has been acting very weird for the past few weeks. Horrendously hot one day, raining hard on the next. No wonder a lot of people are getting sick. Hubby is no exception. Early this morning, we went to work together, he was still fine, when he called at around 10 am, he was sniffling and sneezing all over the place!

Just  last Friday, on my way to work, it was raining steadily. My arms and legs were so wet, so was my bag. That was 8:30 am, 9:00am the sun was actually shining outside! Weird! My late officemates didn’t even have to use an umbrella, while I was still feeling cold from being wet. Oh well.

Hope hubby feels better soon, wouldn’t want the little one to catch his cold…

Honda Service Hub in Greenbelt I Makati

Is your schedule tight to bring your car to the dealer for service? Want to have you car serviced while dining or watching a movie in the mall?

Honda Cars Makati, Inc. provides you the easy and hassle-free way for car service with its latest innovation of a mall car park auto service right in the heart of the central business district of Makati.

Enjoy the accessibility and convenience of Honda Cars Makati, Inc.’s HONDA SERVICE* located at the 4th Level, Greenbelt 1 Car Park, Paseo de Roxas Ave. corner Legaspi St., Makati City. Car Park entrance is along Legaspi St.

Avail of the following services from Monday to Friday, 8AM - 5PM:

• Change Oil and Filter
• Cleaning / Replacement of Spark Plugs, Air Cleaner and Fuel Filter
• Replacement / Adjustment of Belts
• Brake Services, Power Steering, Engine Coolant, Battery and Wiper Washer Fluids
• Minor Electrical and Mechanical Services
• Car Vacuum / detailing and engine washing

Now accepting major credit cards.

For appointments, contact Service Hub at 816-03-55 or 586-51-81.

Service Hub Mobile No.: 0917-8665389

Places: Ace Water Spa Hydrotherapy Massage

Place to visit: Ace Water Spa

Every one needs to relax once in a while thankfully day spas are now available almost everywhere at varying rates depending on the amenities available. We’ve tried a number of them and liked only some.

Last year, we discovered Ace Water Spa, the Philippine’s First European Spa Concept. They offered something new to us weary urbanistas… hydrotherapy massage. The spa utilizes an Ultrasonic Jet System that massages specific areas of the body, and when combined with heat, it removes oils, fats and other non-essential materials from the skin and body, which results to slimming and good blood circulation.

The huge spa is covered and the water is deliciously warm enough to relax your knotted muscles. It is equipped with more than 20 unique and fully automated Ultrasonic Massage System. Surprisingly, the all the aquatic jets are fully operational. =) They target specific areas of the body giving it soft, moderate and hard massages.

Ace Water Spa is definitely a place for the whole family. It even has several areas that can be labeled as “kids’ areas”. Kids will have fun floating around in the current that goes around the entire pool on the Lazy River or they can “hit” each other with the big water guns. Grown Ups can choose to swim in the lapping pool or enjoy the massages that the spa has to offer. Each massage targets specific areas of the body with soft, moderate or hard massages. They also have hot herbal pools that have natural herbs for a relaxing aromatic experience. Sauna and steam rooms are also available to remove the excess water and fats from the body.

The locker rooms are clean and spacious. Attendants are courteous and friendly. Shower rooms are plenty and soap and shampoo are provided.

Bring proper swimming attire and bath towel. For females, bathing suits are required. For males, fitted swim wear is a must. (no board shorts please) if the trip to the spa was unplanned, don’t fret, Ace Water Spa rents out swim suits and bath towels.

Admission Rates: Adults P550 and Kids(4 feet and below) P250. These rates apply for the maximum usage of 4 hours. Don’t worry, this time is more than enough time to enjoy the whole spa experience. They give discounts to big groups so ask for offers and promos before paying. Another reminder: bringing of food and beverages are prohibited. They have the Ace Coffee Lounge within the building if you want snacks and refreshments. In fact, they give away free soup after the spa experience to soothe the growling tummy…

We highly recommend this experience. Great family bonding time while soothing the sore muscles.

Finally, not only a place to go for summer swimming, but the whole year through.

ACE WATER SPA HYDROTHERAPY MASSAGE

399 Del Monte Ave. SFDM, near cor. Banawe St. Quezon City

Tel No. 367-8040 to 41 or 367-8061 to 62 or 415-0164

Email address: acespa@acewaterspa.ph

Mother's Day

How did you spend mother’s day?

I spent it at home, with my family. Woke up early to hear mass, then went home and slept again… hehehe (it’s my day after all) then hubby woke me up for lunch. I was greeted with a sumptuous feast that hubby prepared for me and our family. Bangus steak and steamed kangkong! Yum! Yes, that was what I requested! Then guess what, I slept again! Hahaha! I just felt so tired. I don’t know why. Probably because for the past week, I have been actually working! Yesss... as in when I’m not at my desk, my boss actually looks for me. hehehe…

When I get home, I just drag my weary bones to bed and drop like a bag of potatoes. My blogs are actually suffering, I haven’t updated any of them for such a long time! Last Friday I was so prepared to update my blogs, I even drank coffee to get ready for an all-night-blogging session. After I downed the whole cup, and I was getting warmed up… the broadband got disconnected. Grrrr! Talk about frustrating! Even if I wanted to sleep, I couldn’t because I already had caffeine in my blood! I was up until 3 am just watching TV!

Back to mother’s day. after my siesta, we left for the mall to meet hubby’s aunt from Canada. We had dinner at Kenny Rogers. Surprisingly, the dinner was actually not as stressful as we expected. Hehehe…

Finally, at around 8:30pm, we went home. Bea still had school the next day. All in all mother’s day was a great day. With little Bea constantly greeting me with her version of “Happy Mother’s Day”. =)

8 years and counting...

8 years since our wedding… that means:

96 months of through thick and thin (our waist lines and wallets)

2,880 days of for better and for worse (my cooking and your temper)

69,120 hours of (always) forgiving and (never) forgetting *wink*

4,147,200 minutes of laughing at each other’s corny jokes and completing each other’s sentences

248,832,000 seconds of perfect imperfection together…

 

Happy Anniversary Hunny!

 

another chapter in my corporate life

After much moaning and groaning about not having anything to do at work, to the point that I would rather go on leave because it is so hard to pretend that I am busy when I am not… the universe heard and heeded my call… I was officially transferred to another department! Woohoo! I am now back with my original department, with my original boss. Although I am now at a loss again, since many changes have occurred since I left years ago, I am willing to re-learn. At least now, I officially have a niche. Something I didn’t have before. I am now the official section head of my section. I don’t share it with anyone…and I actually have tasks to do…

well, everything turned out ok, in God’s time, through God’s mysterious ways…  

photo hunt :: purple

this is my officemate's wonderfully purple neck tie. i took this picture even before i knew this week's theme. i just love purple, and i just found this sooo adorable. =)

Printing My Digital Layouts

I just love it when i get to print my digital scraps. this doesn't happen often since getting them printed on 8x10 prints isn't exactly cheap at PHP60 per print on silk paper. i have finally found my favorite printer...photoline in SM Marikina. sure it costs a bit more, but the colors are vibrant, prints are perfect and the staff are friendly and courteous. they even help me with my last minute photoshop touch ups. i tried other printers before only to be disappointed. the worse print i ever got was with fuji film! their prints were just too red and dark! i tried having my pics and LO's printed in fuji film megamall and sta lucia, and i wasn't happy both times. I also tried kodak kiosks, but usually they don't have the matte paper for big prints and i don't like glossy paper for my scraps.

So now that i have new LO's printed, i have changed all the pics showcased in our living room. I'm happy with the results. =)

Blame It On Bo Sanchez

Two days ago, I was reading Bo Sanchez’s Simplify and Live the Good Life. It had a chapter entitled Do What You Love and Get Paid for It. It starts off saying that we spend 60% of our waking moments doing our jobs, if we are unhappy with our jobs, it means we are unhappy 60% of our lives. Ha! That’s me! hahaha…I just love it, not very practical in these dire times though…

He said we needed to find our passion and connect it with our jobs. it affected me so much that I actually dreamt about it. I dreamt that I was offered this job ( I really can’t remember the nature of the job, even in my dreams I don’t know what to do with my life), and I happily accepted. I submitted my resignation (I was sooo excited) and left my job. When I showed up for my first day of work…hubby chose this opportune time to wake me up since it was morning already. ARGH! When I woke up I just couldn’t remember what it was like… what I did remember was that I felt disappointed with a slight hint of regret for deciding hastily. Hmmm. Is this a warning? Or just my fear of the unknown beyond our bank walls? Sigh…

 

LO Share: Bea's First Time at the Beach

Best Places To Visit This Summer in the Philippines : Bohol

There are three things every visitor needs to do in Bohol:

• see the Tarsiers, (The Philippine Tarsier is a tiny animal, measuring about 4 to 6 inches (15 cm) in height. The small size makes it difficult to spot);
• visit the Chocolate Hills( The Chocolate Hills is an unusual geological formation in Bohol, Philippines.[1] It is composed of around 1,268 perfectly cone-shaped hills of about the same size, spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometres (20 sq mi). They are covered in green grass that turns brown during the dry season, hence the name)
• and have a sumptuous buffet meal while cruising along the Loboc River( Located in the Municipality of Loboc, a mere 24 kilometers away from Tagbilaran City, the winding river plays host to cruisers on board small bancas or floating restaurants. Visitors are treated to a vista of lush tropical vegetation such as nipa palms, coconut trees, banana groves, and bushes.)

Once you've ticked them off your to do list you may also choose to try a new hobby while in Bohol, bird watching perhaps. Bohol is also a favourite bird-watcher's destination in the Philippines. Famous of course is Olango Island, between Mactan Island and Bohol.


Another attraction of Bohol is the dolphin and whale watching activities on the Bohol Sea.




If you are a fan of history, you may also check out the Baclayon Church, the second oldest church in the Philippines. It is made of coral. It is one of the best presevered Jesuit build churches in the region, although in the 19th century, the Augustinian Recollects added a modern facade and a number of stone buildings that now surround the church.

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Sunset Cove Beach Resort, Morong Bataan

Looking for a place to go this summer? check out Sunset Cove Beach Resort. We went there last week. click here to read a post about this experience.

Want to be financially independent while having personal freedom? Start earning from home now!

Palm Sunday 2009

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion (the full name), the first Sunday of Holy Week within the Lenten Season, commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem preceding his passion. As he entered, the people of Jerusalem recognized Jesus as their king, saying "Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

Did you go out and perform your Christian obligation yesterday?

Our New Travel Buddy

Photos are a fun part of any outdoor adventure, but outdoor adventures are often hard on cameras. Digital cameras are not cheap. In fact, getting one is an investment one has to think about over and over again. That is why i am always apprehensive whenever i bring the camera near the water. a single drop of water can ruin the intricate mechanisms inside. But then as an avid memory keeper (aka shutterbug) i often take the risk of ruining the camera just to take those special, memorable shots of family outings and get togethers.

That's why when hubby and i planned our vacation this year, i was really bent on finding some sort of protection for our digital camera. We wanted to go to the beach, so i was not only scared of water getting into the camera, but sand as well.

We scoured greenhills looking for something, and much to my happiness, we found this:

Actually we found two brands, the other looked more sturdy and their stocks come in sizes, unfortunately, they didn't have size that would fit our camera, a sony cybershot w80. this brand, mobile wonders, has only one size, but then you get to choose between two models. one is just basically a waterproof pouch, while the other one has a hard plastic cover specifically for the zoom lens. although, the one with the zoom lens is a little bit more expensive (P750.00), we chose that one because we thought it can provide more protection and take clearer shots. According to the package, it is designed with ultra-clear optical quality water lens for excellent photos, submersible up to 3m / 9 ft, and it keeps out the dust and sand. perfect!

Before actually using the waterproof case, it is important to do the bubble test, to make sure that the case is indeed water proof. Insert a piece of paper inside the waterproof pouch then seal the opening. Submerge the waterproof pouch in a basin full of water. If you squeeze the pouch and see a stream of bubbles, then there may be a problem with the item.

We went to Sunset Cove, Morong Bataan last weekend and was able to test it, it worked wonderfully! just make sure that the zoom lens is exactly on the slot alloted for it before turning on the camera, other wise, you'll have to turn it off and then on again to make it work, plus it will put some strain on the zoom mechanisms.

Initially my shots were not centered and the lens case can be seen in some photos, but then i eventually got the hang of it. (anyway i can alway crop the unwated parts of the pic) It is easy to squeeze the buttons when taking the shot, i found it hard though, to turn the knob of the camera as i was trying to shift from taking pics to recording some videos. when i uploaded the videos to my laptop, i was pleasantly surprised that it was able to record the sounds too. =)

ahhh! perfect...

Thank God It's Friday...Again

Yep, this is the highlight of my week…I just love Fridays. Because it means only one thing, tomorrow is Saturday! No Work Day/Bea-Bonding Day/Internet Day/Scrapbook Day for me!

So what if we are still going through our month end processing. (we need to tidy up the books for quarter end reports for SGV and the BSP) As long as I get to stay up late tonight and sleep in tomorrow morning.

So what if I went on leave just yesterday to file our claim to the PDIC for our Banco Paranaque (part of the Legacy Group of Companies) accounts. I was sooooo tempted not to go to work again today, considering it’s just one more day before the weekend. But I just had to resist!