Lazing Around

Two days of vacation leave plus two rest days.. equals four days of hibernation. So what did I accomplish during those time? Hmm..

I was able to chat with my friends, installled mIRC (don't know how to use it though), watched Madagascar 2 Escape to Africa (which I really found hilarious !I was just embarrassed to laugh out loud in the theater heheh), went to church with my sis and did grocery, played online, and slept a lot!

What I did not accomplish was .... to do the laundry, to finish my clearance, to fix my room...hays..

By the way, it was the first time I used mIRC, someone PMd me, he's from Singapore, turns out his friends are my friends. Small world! Well, Singapore is smaller.

I'm really not a chatter, not much of a blogger. I missed badminton, I missed trekking, climbing the mountains, going to the beach...expensive hobbies though and time-consuming.

So it was just another lazy four days...back to work again. =)

Almost #1

My team was ranked 2nd out of 50 teams in our department. It was such joy and disappointment at the same time. From rank 48 last time, we managed to climbed up the ladder. However, we were so close in grabbing the number 1 spot, I even had my ears clapping already. But, this kind of exhilaration really can give you that disappointing feeling. It also reminds you to be humble in victory and humbler in loss.

Oh well, there's always the next time. =)

Love Beaches!

Wish I could go here one day...Aruba!

A Text Message...

I know I don't text much, it takes days for me to reply, if I remember to reply at all..
Anyways, someone texted me this. He said it was for a lyrics of a song he was trying to make:

I think you're beautiful, but is it impossible to let you understand..
That if you don't take my hand I'll lose my mind completely...

Made me smile.. kinda mushy though. Hehehe..

Uh-oh...

How could I forget? I must be in a time warp or something..Tans, Mark, sorry I forgot the date of your wedding. But I saw the pics.. and the video (which I hope you liked, coz I was in it..heheh). I really thought Oct. 20 was your wedding date.. sorry Tans and Mark..
I'm making a blog out of it because I saw the video by Mayad Studios and it was absolutely wonderful!
It really moved me on the brink of tears, too! Now, I wanna get married too! Hehehe.. I think Tessa will be next.
I loved the flowers that you used, your wedding dress was super nice, your hair was perfect! Chin and your mom were beautiful in their dresses, too!
The venue was postcard perfect too!
Awww... please post more pics soon!

Cheers to the newlyweds! May your love grow stronger through the years!

Happy...joyful!

I had fun before, during and after my birthday! =D
Lots of stuff happened. But, I really owe it to Him....
I think happy or fun is not the term to define what I feel...it's actually joy. No, I'm not turning into a religious freak or something. I've always believed though that everything always happens for a purpose, and the greatest gift He gave me, was the gift I never knew I wanted badly...to have my joyful self back =D Somehow, somewhere I lost that spark, and I think I got it back, and I am not getting older inside, but I feel younger now ;D

Thank you, I will never be perfect, I will keep on making mistakes, but I know I'll be alright.

Paintball Challenge

We came straight from shift...some of us even had beer before going to Global Gutz at the Fort. I had so much fun, really made my adrenaline pumped. It was tiring, yes, it was difficult to just squat and wait. =(
I got shot in the butt unfortunately. However, I was able to shoot two persons. hehehe... Revenge is sweet.

This is really a therapeutic activity for those who just wants to let it all out. It can be addictive, actually. I was kind of trigger happy whenever I see a target. Hehehe..

But, overall, it was a fun group activity. Thanks, team!

I know it was "bitin", but nevertheless, it was all worth the sweat and the pain.

My Birthday Wishlist

I really don't like receiving gifts, because when someone gives you one, you should really act surprised and happy. What if you don't like the "surprise"? Hehehe, kaya nga gift di ba, dapat surprise? But hopefully, for this birthday or maybe the next birthdays to come, I would be able to have my wishes come true. So, here's my gift registry (just like Sex and the City's Carrie, where she had a "single girl" gift registry). Hehehe.

1. an iPhone (hehehe)
2. Canon Cybershot SD800 or higher series
3. an LCD TV
4. really comfortable shoes I can wear everyday (like hush puppies, naturalizer, bass)
5. a very compact complete makeup kit (hopefully MAC has one, i like the vibrant colors of their makeup)

6. a really gooood foundation
7. a relaxing whole body massage in a nearby spa
8. nice gimik dresses

9. a gift certificate for Facial Care Centre

I realized all my wishes are too selfish and it's for vanity's sake, so i added number 10 to the list...

10. a donation to CRIBs under my name =D

I also wish and pray for non-tangible things like peace of mind, good health for me and my family, stress-free life and lots of laughing moments with friends. =D

Advance Happy Birthday to me!

My First Badminton Win

Last Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008, I won my first badminton game! No..not at the Olympics! But rather in our company sportsfest (a.k.a. The Red Games). It was fun...eventhough the venue at Planet Badminton was NOT at all that nice.
Anyways, who cares, I won with my wonderful partner, Poi. Who I know, will be part of the National Team someday (kaya pala we won mixed doubles!). It was a concerted effort, and I was in sync with his moves. (I think! hehehe)

There will be more games to go, five more I think.

Anyways, that day deserves to be blogged. Hehehe.

Will let you know what happens next time!

Blogging Frequency Et Al

I noticed I blog an average of 1.86 times a month. Well, again I'm really not a frequent blogger.
So I'll just give you a bulleted rundown on events that happened today:
- woke up after 5 hours of sleeping, and I never felt so well-rested. I wanted to sleep some more but I already felt energized. :-)
- rained really hard
- brought my badminton gear
- one of my agents told me about her marital problems.. told her that she really should just be patient with her husband and don't strike while the iron is hot (I'm turning to be a good marriage counselor!)
- had 2 meetings
- free food from my boss (thanks, boss!)
- one of my agents got heartbroken (broke up with his gf of 6 years) , we made him laugh though, laughter is the best medicine
- gloomy part... had to tell 3 of my agents (including the one above) that they had to be fired because of non-regularization.
- everyone hugged and cried after.
- however...happy part... we had our last team breakfast at Salcedo Market, al fresco, with fresh seafood, pork barbeque, mango shake, leche flan, lamb stew, hotdogs, grilled tuna... =)
- i had to leave them, had a medical check-up for fit to play for the sportsfest
- played 2 hours of badminton @ The Zone, Zuellig Loop, Makati
- warm shower
- went home
- blogged.

Too many things happened, but I think it's for the better. Every event has it's purpose...and then some events will push other people to be better than before.

I think that's what happened to me.

Fight or Flight

I guess nature must be right...fight or flight is indeed a sub-conscious reaction to everyday stressful situations.
But there's one more thing that your cerebral cortex would tell you to do... do nothing.
If fight or flight is an immediate reaction without thinking, then doing nothing can be a rational conscious decision.
Doing nothing... is letting things happen to you... probably to the passive person....

Being calm in a fire or earthquake when everyone is pumped up with adrenaline running away from the fire or fighting it like those fireman.

So what could you do? If you can't control the forces around you, then it's better to just control yourself.

Adobo Surprise!

I really never learned how to cook food, I wasn't taught how...well, aside from the occasional fried meals and instant MSG-laden canned and packed goods.
I researched on how to cook adobo online and I wanted to cook for my team so I tried to experiment. I told my team I'll name it "Adobo Surprise" because even me will be surprised how it would taste after. Hehehe.
It actually turned out to be a hit! I was really quite surprised! :-D

Here's the recipe I tried, and I really didn't measure anything, I tried to be resourceful:

1 kg pre-cut pork, washed (marinated overnight with 1.5 cups vinegar and 5 tbsps soy sauce, add 5 freshly squeezed calamansi, 5 laurel leaves and 6 squashed garlic cloves)
1/4 cup cooking oil
2 garlic cloves (wanted lotsa garlic)
1 cup cane vinegar (since I ran out of the normal one)
1/2 cup soy sauce ( I think I added more along the way)
1/2 cup water
2 laurel leaves (don't overdo)
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1/4 cup oyster sauce (my secret ingredient to all the food I cook) ;-D

All I did was fry the pork a little bit in cooking oil, I think I used just 2/3 kg of the pork (my sister used some for pork chop). Oh, you should fry the garlic cloves first, just to bring out the smell! Then after adding the pork, just add the vinegar, soy sauce, water, oyster sauce, basically everything that's left on the ingredients I listed above. Just bring it to a boil for 3 mins, then, put your electric stove to medium heat to allow to simmer for 30 mins (I think!).

Anyways, that's how I did it...although I think I added the oyster sauce last.. and if it smells too vinegary, just add soy sauce and oyster sauce.

I didn't taste it after cooking (hehehe).. however, I think it's true what they say about adobo, "the longer you keep it, the better it would taste."

That's it for today..I don't want this blog to become a cooking show blog. =D

White Flag

I like Dido's "White Flag", the lyrics say exactly what I'm feeling now...plus of course, I like singing it in videoke parties because it's easy to sing..hehehe..next to my "Hopelessly Devoted to You" rendition. Tried singing when I was drunk...I actually sounded better...hmmm...heheheh

Taking It Easy

It's my rest day today...I have done so much work lately...today I'm taking it easy...will try some meditation exercises...will do some household work...will watch Hancock onine...will eat dark chocolate... will have a DVD marathon...will exercise at home (since I cancelled my gym membership already)... not necessarily in that order... yes, I'm going to take it easy...

A Turning Point

It was one great tragedy that happened in my hometown, Iloilo. It was a flash flood that went from ground to neck-high in 5 minutes. It happened one Saturday night...
I was still at was at work in Manila, when my best friend called and told me that Iloilo is experiencing the worst flood ever. I immediately called my dad, I expected the worst, yet it never occurred to me...My dad said that they are already staying on the ceiling of our house, just below the roof...they said they had no electricity, all our things drowned by the water, and that I had to get off the phone, since they might still need the phone.

It was like a movie, it played on my mind, it was raining hard, they are soaking wet in darkness, on the ceiling of our house, wondering if the rain would stop or the water would subside. My dad, mom, sister, uncle and our helper were all trapped there...I don't think they slept during that night.
So, I didn't text them or call them, because they might need the phones. Although, I really wanted to. I sent them loads for their phones, hoping they really won't need to use it.
I wasn't able to concentrate on my work that night, I called and texted my other cousins in Iloilo, asking for updates, asking if the rain already stopped.
The following Sunday morning, my mom texted that the flood has subsided, however nothing was spared from the flood, all our things gone, my dad's business, cars and appliances.

I was just so glad that everyone was ok. My mom said that in the nearby area where my lola was, my uncles and aunts had difficulty in saving my bedridden lola from the water. Fortunately, they had a 2-storey house.

My mom and dad said it was really a traumatic experience, and I told them not to worry, since I prayed hard to God that they will all be safe.

I never really knew how it was when Hurricane Katrina hit Florida, now I know that it wasn't easy what they had to go through.

My bosses at work heard about the news, I was so touched that they were concerned about me. I even cried when I was telling my boss about it. I was trying to sound nonchalant, but couldn't help it.

They highly encouraged me to take a Vacation Leave, although I know I would have tons of work when I get back. So, I did. I had a ticket booked to Iloilo 2 weeks before the typhoon for my dad's birthday, but I canceled it, since my mom and dad insisted that we don't need to go home yet.

The flood drained everything from us and left the house and our things with mud.

But, I guess this is the turning point of our lives. It's something that would challenge me and my family. Something, that would shake us and remind us what really matters.

Psych

I was watching this TV series in a DVD marathon, and I was quite amused with the story. It's about Shawn, the head "psychic" of the police department. He's not really a psychic though, just very observant and intuitive, although he wants to make people believe he's for real. It's kinda Nancy Drew-y but with the comic effect.

I'm now addicted to a lot of TV series, I still have a lot of DVDs lined up and I just want to take a looong vacation leave just to finish watching them.

*Sigh* Now, I just wish I have a 42" Sony Bravia HDTv to watch all my DVDs... =D (that would fit perfectly inside my room!).

Random Ramblings

I guess there's really nothing much to talk about. You see when it comes to blogging, I'm really like a painter, I'll only paint when I feel like it, or when I have an inspiration. Just like, today, I just feel like blogging. I don't want it to be forced or habitual that becomes like an obligation to those who read my blog. I think I have a few hits every now and then, I don't put tags in my blog. Only a few of my friends read this, just for update on what's happening in my life. So, I'm an unpredictable blogger.
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I'm now addicted again to DOTA TFT, a strategy game online or through LAN. "Again" because last time I remembered back in 2005, I spent around 15k just by playing DOTA in online shops. Don't get me wrong, I've always been addicted to PC games, Nintendo, "game and watch", Mario, Twin Bee, etc when I was in grade school. I used to sneak out of the house until around 7pm just to play in shops, squatters' area, with or without my guy cousin. In high school, I was addicted to Tetris, Othello, Pinball, Solitaire (yes even this). In college, I almost got addicted to counterstrike (but I found it to violent), I was a SIMs addict though, I confess.
Now, I'm back to my old habits again. Yes, they die hard. And they resurrect fast.
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Can you still be friends with your ex?
Again, this is just trail of thought writing...But really, can you?
Check out Gossip Girl S1 when Blair Warldorf and Nathaniel Archibald broke up, tried to go on separate ways, but still wants to be with each other.
At the back of their minds, doubts would always lurk.

I don't think I can, I mean past is past right? Who needs to have those can of worms opened again? Or better yet, just listen to what your heart says...

My Best Friend's Wedding

It was great to be reunited with your friends. How I'll miss them! Definitely one of the most memorable milestones in our lives.





Check out the pictures at these links:

My Multiply Site
Mitz's Multiply - she has a better camera!

'Til we meet again...

Human Age

A friend recommended this site. It's like Tomagotchi/SIMs. Your character will undergo the process of evolution if you take care of it. I'm still new at this, so I'm really just trying it out. It's hard living in the uncivilized world!
Here's the site below:

Virtual human development game



www.human-age.com

By posting this, I get to earn 40 kneecaps! Yey! I now have money to spend.

Kokology Kraze

In our training class, we were supposed to learn about technical stuff, like DNS, TCIP, PING, IPCONFIG, etc...Boring!
But, I'm always looking forward to ice breakers like Brain Benders, charades, Jeopardy, and just recently Kokology!

As per Wikipedia , Kokology is the study of kokoro which in Japanese means "mind" or "spirit". It's a psychological game, that would help you discover yourself.

Here's the first Kokology that we did. Now if you want to answer, remember to write down the first thought that you have and don't think about it too much, this is really a good one:

Deep in the Mountains

The mountains and the sea—nature has a power that draws us to her. After all we are all nature’s children, born into her world and fed on her bounty. No matter what marvels technology may develop, getting back to nature lets us feel truly alive. Medical science may make advances, but the best medicine will always be nature’s own healing power.

Your next journey will take you back to that green world, and what better setting for you to rediscover your natural self?

1. You have set off to climb a mountain, in search of a fabulously rare stone. What is your impression of the mountain as you stand at its foot?

2. After a hard search, you still haven’t found the stone, and now the sun has fallen. What will you do next?

3. You have finally discovered the stone you were seeking. What kind of stone is it? Describe its size, weight, and value.

4. Now it is time to come down from the mountain and return home. What parting words do you have for the mountain, and what is its reply?

Now if you want to know the interpretation of your answer click here.
Let me know what happened and I'll share my answer to you, too! =D

I Can See Clearly Now by Anne Murray

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)

Sun-Shiny day.
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

I think I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is the rainbow I've been prayin' for
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

Look all around, there's nothin' but blue skies
Look straight ahead, nothin' but blue skies

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

Mai, asked me what my type of songs are when she was trying to decide for a wedding song.
I thought about it and I really don't have a specific genre in mind. But thinking about it, I like the ones with the words "beach", "sun", "sea", "sand", etc.
So, I think most songs of Bob Marley like that, also the Beach Boys... so I think it might be something like Reggae. Yup, that's it... I like Reggae songs, I like the beat of the drums and the happy rhythm. =D
I guess it fits my hopeless optimistic personality.

Why My New Company is Better

I've been very busy the past 2 months. A lot of things happened.
One of those things was that I transferred to a new company called 24/7 Customer in Makati. Yes, I'm back to working in Makati again. The name of the company itself sounds like a convenience store, it was founded by an Indian guy, that's why.

Well, I'm still thankful that I transferred though, here are the top ten reasons why:

1. pay is better! of course.
2. it's a technical support account not customer service.
3. for some weird reason, i like working in Makati.
4. i can be scheduled for a morning shift.
5. my badminton buddy also works there (she was the one who referred me, although she's so busy right now).
6. there are a lot of non-smokers. (unlike in my previous company, 90% are smokers).
7. they have a sports fest (although I really don't have a sport).
8. there are dota players there (yes, i'm addicted).
9. the agents are tenured tech agents, no need for a lot of supervision.
10. they encourage people to take their vacation leaves every month and maintain a work-life balance. =D

I hope I'll be able to build my career in my new company. And also have fun at the same time. =D

Happy 2008!

Coming soon... the video of the countdown and fireworks display in Eastwood.
Here's a low quality video, taken using my Samsung D900i phone of what happened. I guess just search www.youtube.com for a higher quality video...

My first attempt of a video blog :-D