Manila Cathedral

Yesterday was my first photoshoot with my NEW Nikon 3000D. I bought my baby from Hidalgo so we thought of proceeding to Intramuros for a test run. From Quiapo, we took a Quiapo-Pier jeep and have ourselves dropped in front of the grand Manila Cathedral.

Manila Cathedral

Just a little history. Manila Cathedral, as it is now, is built upon the remains of its 5 predecessors. The structure was completed in 1951 and its majestique Romanesque stone carvings and rose windows topped with a cupola boast about balance of strength and grace. The four previous constructions were toppled by earthquakes and fires, and the fifth was bombed during the Liberation of Manila in 1945.

Inside Manila Cathedral is La Pieta, the original of which was done by Michaelangelo. Also it houses the Bamboo Organ, and the statue of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception which seats at the altar of the cathedral.  What was so glorious about the statue is that it depicts so much holiness.

La Pieta

Our Lady of Immaculate Conception

The Manila Cathedral has been the seat of the Manila Archbishop since the Spanish colonial era and until today, it serves as the seat of the Archdiocese of Manila.

Miss Goody Two Shoes

No bosses today… What and why in the world am I going to work? Something is really wrong with me… I am a guilt freak… and everytime I escape from work or from my commitments, my conscience is working at top notch. I would often plan out when to go away for a vacation, take a few leaves or even just go absent but just by planning, I am already at guilt. Maybe because I am not always lucky… I could not always get away with it. Or that I always believe that the system works with a carrot and stick. So while others just go skip work (or even school during my forming days), I am one of the very few who would think a thousand times before going as planned and be agonized by guilt because of irresponsiveness. I am even close to a goody two shoes. To prove all these, read through my previous post on how I forego Boracay because of class.

But really, this is the way I am brought up… My mom even knows when I do lie because as she says, I am not a good liar. Not that I prefer doing otherwise but I wish I could do away with the guilt… it stresses Miss Goody Two Shoes a lot.

Bahala na po kayo, Bro

It is nerve-racking… I have never felt at ease as I ever did in this chair for the months that I am sitting here… this is not related to work though.

I have gone to school today to inquire on enrollment. I came back with the news that I am inelligible because of a pending grade for my EnE 213 subjected.

And I am so so afraid… I am desperate to pass… I want to continue with this… I want to have a masters degree… I have forever longed this and I am not in any way willing to just let go everything…

I am just lifting everything even my professor, Sir Jun B., to the person up above… Kayo na po Bro ang bahala.

The Challenge of October

I miss writing. I miss putting my day’s accounts. I miss writing my daily views, feelings, triumphs and cries.

I have been so so so busy. I still am. I have been listing my To Dos in my wall and it seems not to decrease a single bit. I have been juggling school, work and personal problems.

Tough October
October was a tough month. With Ondoy and its aftermath in the first few days, school was put off for the entire week, pushing the school to extend. My prof didn’t adapt though as he squeezed everything to our exhaustion. I have to deal with a take home exam with a 12 hour grace period, final presentation of the laboratory project, Work was also tough with all the reports needing your undivided attention. Almost 7 reports has to be finished and passed on time.

It was also tougher with Mel getting sick. He was running a fever for an entire week after Ondoy. Not that we have been flooded. But he trudged the waist-high waters coming home from school in the height of Ondoy incident. It all started with a bite in his knee, then the fever that has no reason of being there…The fever wasn’t subsiding and so we decided to get some test, blood and urine, but everything was normal. Unitl the 6th night when he was already having chills because of high fever. The following day, he was very weak and wasn’t up to going to school. He was pleading of going to the hospital and get admitted.

So I sent text messages to Frank informing him of my absence and my dilemma. We intended to go to East Ave Medical but on the way while in a cab, we were thinking of how public it was (as the looks of it), we decided to go to New Era General Hospital. Although it was an Iglecia ni Cristo hospital, we were quite relieved that they administered health and welfare services to non-INC. We requested to have some tests, again blood and urine. And after so, we discovered that his platelets are no longer at the normal range. We were advised to get admitted in their hospital.

Funny was, there was no available room for male adults in their Men’s ward. But since Mel was still 18, he is could still be considered minor, a child, so they put him in the pediatrics ward with 3 other boys the oldest I think was 8 years old!

All throughout the day, Mel’s fever seem not to drop… and he had chills so very often. Mama arrived around 7pm after taking a 4pm flight and a very long bus ride. And I was quite proud of my mother for her courage and strength to go through everything alone.

I went home around 9PM since it could only be one guardian to stay with the patient at the hospital.

Mel was released 2 days after and was recommended for home medication and rest.

What was so superb about everything is mama’s composure and strength… She seems to be very calm about Mel’s situation especially when she arrived at the hospital. Although she has been frantic all day texting me for updates, I was sure proud that my mother has come out strong and triumphant like a champion that she is.

Double Celebration
When Mel was released, it was also the end of Rolan’s Board Examinations. He took the Mechanical Board Exams while Mel was in the hospital. We couldn’t tell him of Mel’s situation because it would definitely worry him and would cause trouble for his board exams. So the news came to Manong when we were in search of results of his board exams.

So we were checking the internet from time to time until my brother called excited at the other end of the line. His opening line to my mother, “Ma, may engineer ka pa gid nga isa!!!”

Of course my mother was jumping about the good news… My brother is not the studious type. He is brilliant but lacks the belief that he is. So for a long time during his schooling years, he doesn’t excel and sometimes gets failing marks. But we always believe that when he puts his heart and soul into what ever he does, he will come out victorious.

I love it when my brother told me when I got hold of the phone, “Day may partner ka na!!!” Hehehe! Now I call him Engineer while he returns the title back to me.

to be continued..

Just One Vote

Aching feet, sore hamstring, tired body. That is what I have after enduring standing in line for almost 10 hours at the COMELEC just for verification. Verification means presenting a proof that you are a resident of a district and they would give you a registration form with a date of your schedule for biometrics. Verification does not gaurantee that I am registered to vote.

The process is indeed pathetic...because a simple registration wouldn't cause as much trouble as I had today (and even for tomorrow) if it wasn't. And it is of no wonder that at this age, and after 4 elections I never got to vote, it is only now that I coached myself to get up and get registered. And it is not me alone, there are a lot of people with problems with their registration or not registered at all.

Is the sacrifice worth it? Is the one vote worth the sore body? Is the one vote really gonna make a difference? Is my one vote add up to the hope of the Philippines? Is my one vote merit the promise we have been in search of?

I hope so. I absofuckingly hope so.

P.S. Sana lang talaga, mahiya at magkakakonsensiya ang mga mananalong pulitiko... Ang laki ng sakripisyo ng mga taong bumuto sa inyo simula pa lang sa pagpaparehistro!!! Gumawa naman sana kayo ng tama!!!

Crossroads

I have been crying the whole day... I don't know if it is the piles of work and the deadlines to meet...and the stress from school because the semester is about to be done, or the rushing of hormones or the lack of it..

Regardless of the reason, there is only one thing... i feel so lost...here I am about to reach the crossroads of my career and I don't know what to do...There is something in me that wants to stay... the company have a lot of perks, although small ones... the expansion gives me a lot security that the company will give me more opportunity... the question is, when?

In two months, I am free... I could walk away... I don't have a valid reason for staying...I need to find the reason of being here before I totally get sucked to the system and wouldn't have the guts to do it...

The Pains of Saying Goodbye

Goodbye is the hard but letting go is the hardest.

A good friend, Boy is going to the States on Wednesday. She will live out her dreams in the land of Uncle Sam... and hopefully she'll hit the jackpot this time around.

Boy and I were classmates since preschool and were friends for such a long long time…And so today, Frae and I met her at Megamall for a get-together and a despedida. The usual that we do, we ate like there's no tomorrow, watched a movie, we watched Fame(!)... and took pictures of ourselves...

What is unfamiliar about this meet-up is the goodbye. When we were about to go our separate ways, it took us endless hugs ang kisses. Because we never know when we can do it again, our hugs are as tight as we could get our bodies as close to the other...It took us a thousand words to say goodbye and not a single one of it came close to the feeling of longing for the person going away. I was even teary-eyed that Boy is leaving and God knows when she'll be back.

Now I get it why Diane (another kabarkada) will go to the States (every so often) without telling us because goodbyes is always painful. And there is always no easy way of doing it.

Crap

There are so many times that I thought of leaving... there are so many times that I am earning the guts to do so... as each day I come near the day of my freedom, I am seeking for reasons to stay... because each day, it gets lesser and lesser. Each day I could no longer justify why I would settle when I feel like I'm just rotting.

I am a licensed Chemical Engineer. I graduated from the premier university. I am tough and I could be my best. But I am not given the opportunity. I may sound proud but yes, I am proud of what I have achieved because I have worked so freaking hard to earn it. Engineering is hard and I have endured it. If I would complain all about it, it will drive me insane because I myself could not understand the stature of it all. The boiling rage in me is leading me to insanity!!! I am angry... and I feel like crap.

I am hungry. I want more, because I deserve more. But I don't want to be cheapened out. So please, give me the freaking thing I deserve.

Internet Sucks

I’m Tired. I’m sleepy. All because of wasting time playing games or surfing through the net. Or plurking useless accounts of my day. I have to get myself straightened out…

Start of the Day and I’m Pissed

Now I understand it. Vivid. Crystal clear. I get it why they leave. It is not about the work, nor the lack of purpose. It is about working with or should I say against the people in the office.

I have always been saying yes Ma’am and agreed to whatever she deem is correct. Even if, quite often, my mind rebels against it. I respect your experience working with him but also respect my ideas.

And I hate it how oftentimes you were out and I was left to do your work. And if something goes wrong, you blame no one but me.

If stress can kill, I think I'm the first one to go...

School has become a stress… with Mondays always on holidays we have now schedules for make-up classes. And one subject is really tough, I don’t know if I’m going to survive. Of course I will never give up on it… I have to just give my best, stick to the plan and pray that I would make it through until the end.

And work… hmm… how would I describe it… it is I think a chaotic mess. Reports seem to have the same due dates…old projects needed for submission, and meetings have been on queque as I am an identified person representing Ops as Kasangga. Frank is also volunteering me to join anything and everything. I am not complaining as I was telling him how bored I was while he was away. Yet now, I don’t know.. I am back on my toes, juggling to get things done.

Sleep has become a deprived necessity. With school nearing the end of the semester and the year nearing December, I guess everything shouts for your attention to get things done. I again saw the dawn of the following day when I didn’t sleep just to finish off an assignment which by the way never happened. Until now, at the very moment, I feel sleepy and would later crawl into bed as soon as I finish things.

I have again gone overtime for work.. overtime without pay... I think this is one of the rarest moments in Ops (under Frank) wherein I stay 2 hours over 5pm just to get things done. I am not at all complaining.. relatively this is easy compared to Taguig... Taguig, working OT(TY) beyond 5pm is a natural thing. But that seems so long ago... overtime is not familiar to me anymore... not until today.

Tomorrow is just the 3rd day of the week and I don't know if I could still make it by the weekend, not to mention that I have a make-up class on Friday and a laboratory class on Saturday...Grr...

maybe I should stop complaining.. and start praying.. =)

Damn the Old Writing

What would you do if your old boss found his name in your blog. Although it is pure narrative, I might have inserted a little of opinion, interpretation and a whole lot of imagination into it that would infuse all the embarrassment I am feeling right now! I am planning of crawling into bed for eternity than risk bumping into the old boss or to anyone else from old workplace for the world as they say is small.

Owel. Too late for deleting the old posts. Besides that was me and my naive self 4 years ago. Yeah right!

-0-
I'm enjoying plurking.. =)

No VIP Treatment

I have just finished lunch. And I can’t wait but to blog about a big great guy who tries to be ordinary to reach out for his people. I’ve seen Rene D Almendras (RDA), our company president at LUA looking over what food is being served at the canteen. Seeing nothing interesting he approached the sandwich stand and while doing so, says hi and “kamusta?” to his people. And he ordered and waited like an ordinary employee. No frills, no VIP treatment, no “I am the president of Manila Water Company.”

When we are about to go out, his sandwich was also done and so we approached the door almost at the same time. Sol and I were eating icecream. He asked, “Where you buy that?” And so we pointed it out to him. Like a kid interested for a cone, he planned of going back inside while asking what other flavors are available. It was quite amazing finding a child in such a big man. And he then got hold of himself mumbling how he needs to diet since he is getting big.

Quite amusing. RDA is tough when it comes to business pushing people to do their best and deliver more that what they committed. But today, after such encounter, leveling himself to his people outside work may make RDA ordinary yet it makes him truly an extraordinary leader.

Wishlist

Early as now, I want to list my wants for the year (as of to date).

Everyone is invited to be my santa.

I want:

1) DSLR. Nikon D60 maybe or Canon 450D.  I got hold of both and it feels good.

2)  Iphone. I love the features of the iphone.  It is almost complete.  You could  watch videos, listen to music, its a phone of course, go online, and the best is you could read ebook!!!  I love!!!

3.  Plane tickets.  I want to travel so please give me, give me.

4.  A mini-laptop.  My old laptop for 8 years, has gone dead.  So I thought of replacing it... Anyone, be my guest and send me one!

Exam Jitters.

I have never worried on an exam this much since I took the board exams. It is a make it or break it in the program. Graduate school isn’t college anymore. You fail a subject you drop the program, unlike in college that you could just have retake. There is no room for mistakes in the program. Mistakes are for the youth and we are considered people of maturity.

We are more than him

Weeeh!!! I got to finally see Mama after such a long time. Last seen her Independence Day when I went home.

Mom is here for a seminar courtesy of her office. Good to see and know that she is hanging on despite Papa’s unfathomable actions. She is still wounded and I understand if it would take a long long time for her to heal. But at the very least, I am pleased that she is recuperating. We assure her that it would be ok and that there is more than him…we are more than him.

We love you mom!

Devastatingly Bored

Here I am again whining about work when I have nothing to work on today and everyday. That is the problem really, I am bored with work because I don’t have anything to do. Yes.. talk about being idle for the whole day.

Oftentimes, I would end up pretending that I am doing something at my desk. And that alone drains my spirit each day. I am not used to idleness. And most of all I am not used to pretending. Coming from the BA where everyone is on their toes maximizing time to finish as much work as possible afraid that things would be piling up. Here, work is a monthly thing. You release reports required once a month. And once you are done, idleness will creep and swallow you again.

There is no wonder why previous TAs has moved out. Mai for instance, had her stint in only a year and moved on to Wastewater Department. In one of the many talks Frank and I had, he told me that he is wondering of how I am with work. He is worried that I might get bored and would leave him. He knows that he could never tie us down with the position. He knows that well be leaving. He is just concerned that we leave too soon.

I am bored. I am devastatingly bored. I am complaining. But then I know, this is a blessing in disguise. I need the time to study, I need the time for school. Many often I am doing my homework for design subject or research for our laboratory class. It is only with Frank, who also encourages his people to pursue further studies, that studying and not doing work is “allowed”.

Don’t worry, I am thankful of the life I have with work and would never go back to the life I had at the BA…but let me just use the space to complain. Hehe!

PVS

Post Vacation Syndrome.That is I guess the hardest. After going through days of idleness, relaxation, and nothing to think about but things you would enjoy, you would not like to go back to the reality of work, school and stress. After a time of escape, however brief, you would feel like you would want to extend, or even just stay where you are and not go back to the chaos of reality. But a strong will power will overcome and even cure you from PVS until the next attack when you take that ultimate and grand vacation.

Scorched

Who would have thought that a dark skinned would still get a sunburn?

I could now feel the ache in my brown skin. My labmates (who were also Filipino brown skinned) noticed right away that I have gone to the beach. They love my color!!! Weeehh!!!

But today, my skin feels scorched. I have applied sunscreen for like a gazillion times so that I won't get a burn... a tan is ok but I would forgo with the burn. Yet I have it amidst the Nivea that I almost finished up.

Sunburn is I guess the consequence of having fun in the sun... and it won't have me regret it. =P

Don't be Fooled by the Airport Cab

We have "deplaned" Cebu Pacific plane in NAIA at around 7:10 AM. Boy and I just had a grand vacation in Cebu and Bohol. We were thinking of taking a cab home but were cautious to avoid the expensive ones: (1) the yellow airport taxi, the flagdown is 70Php and a 4Php as the meter continuous (instead of Php2.50) added to the base fare; (2) and the coupon taxi where there is a ticket with fixed amount written in it which corresponds to how far your destination. Both were off our budget so we trudged the arrival area which, according to 5 security and policemen that we have asked, is where the metered taxis are.

Since Boy and I were of different destinations we took 2 separate taxis. Upon entering my taxi, the driver, after asking my destination, already started with the smooth talk. He said that it has been raining hard in Manila and some streets are so flooded. He then told me that because of that, there would be a hard time driving through the metro. He then dropped the bomb... he will be charging me Php800. I was flabbergasted!!! In my entire 9 years in Manila I have never gone home to our QC home from the airport for Php800. I told the driver "no!" and that he better drop me off asap in a  shaded area (hehehe!!! it was raining!)

In just a few minutes, I got in a new cab and had myself dropped at Magallanes station where I had my MRT ride going to Quezon Ave. Then rode again a jeep to Sandigan. I would have opted to wait for other passengers to occupy the tricycle but I was running late for my laboratory class. I would have just paid Php 8 than pay Php 40 for occupying the whole vehicle. In total I spent only Php123 to get home. I don't need to get home with Php 800 and surely I would not allow myself to get fooled by some taxi driver!!! I just wish I got the plate number of the cab so that I could post it here how much disgust and loath I have for its driver!

-o0o-
P.S.
Is there such thing as deplaned? A Cebu PAcific crew used the term and by context clues, it meant going down the plane. The word had me and Boy think if there is such a word.

5-Day Mobile Life

I have been wandering for 5 days. And the movement had me realize that I have somewhat an imbalance that has kept me sick when traveling.

I was around the southern part of Manila doing plant visits in our wastewater and water treatment plants in Makati and Taguig. Since Frank is away for a month, one of his requests was to visit as much facilities as possible. He was very particular with our facilities in Jala-jala and Baras in Antipolo which we did two Thursdays ago.

When I went back to the office, I finished off a report needed for United Utilities in UK. I then requested Mang Aster, Frank's driver to send me off at the airport for my most awaited trip to Cebu.

But Cebu was not our ultimate destination. Cebu was only our meet-up point. Joined by my beerkadas Lenny and Boy, we set foot Bohol via a fastcraft in the afternoon of Wednesday.

Bohol was splendid... I will make a separate post for the whole trip.

Then we were back again in Cebu Friday afternoon in preparation to go back to our busy and real life in Manila (as for Len, in Bacolod) the following day (which is today).

And now that I'm back. I have no time to rest. I am really back to reality, I am back to attend my laboratory class to be a day closer in getting my Masters Degree. =)

Olats

Olats... super olats! I have missed going to Boracay to attend to a class with no professor. Even the shadow of our prof was nowhere to be found. Argh!!! I missed bora to be in class because there was a scheduled reporting. I missed bora because I don't want to regret not going to school...

Olats!!! Duper olats. I woke up with the feeling of laziness. Laziness to go to Lumbayag. I just don't feel like going to EK. I just want to spend time with myself...

But all through out the day, we cleaned the house. It is much better now... yet more things to do. Laundry, toilet, the windows, and the garden is all done...clean and sparkling...the rest of the house, will get our hands into it... =)

I need those falling stars for my wishes.

Boohoo for last night’s sky. Clouds were everywhere totally covering the night sky. Damn. I have hoped to catch the meteor show last night but then the clouds won’t even budge and open up.

I looked though National Geographic and according to the site, Perseids meteor shower are the by products of Swift - Tuttle. Also known as the "Tears of St. Lawrence" because the shower roughly occurs on the date of the martyr's death.  Out ancestors thought of it as tears of a martyred man burned because of his beliefs.

Like a child, I often wish on falling stars. My first falling star was during highschool, sun has set but there are still traces of its light. And then a falling star was there in the mid-sky. To my surprise I never got to make my wish.

My most memorable meteor shower was during college. We were at the garden of our dorm in Ilang and were just gazing at the night sky. Some of my sisses at the dorm got out their “banigs” or woven mats and we spent the night under the sky of bursting falling stars at the moon deck of the dormitory.

I was eager for another spectacular meteor shower. I have a lot of dreams to wish for, I need a number of falling stars for them. To my dismay, all I got were clouds. Poor me! I guess I’ll fulfill them on my own with only the divine intervention helping me.

Wishing and fulfilling dreams, it may not matter. The bottom line is, it would have been a great night.

Bora, bye bye.

Today, I feel sick at the gut. If I would reread this entry in the future, I would surely like to kill myself.

My friends from Taguig have planned a trip to Boracay last April. Since we booked early, we have availed of super cheap tickets. And today is the day. My friends have gone to Bora. I was left in my cubicle whining and doing this entry before I start with work.

I could have gone. I could just pack my bags and be at the white beaches of Boracay getting a darker color. But I chose to stay. Not because I luurvvv my work but because of my Saturday classes. And you may think that I am the goody-goody student who wouldn’t want to miss class once in awhile. Don’t get me wrong. I have planned on that. But of all Saturdays that I would be reporting to my laboratory class, it is this Saturday that we have to do an update with our professor. So I better be there than be trapped with inexcusable absences.

I would like to be angsty about how school has destroyed my plans of touring the world but then again, I am at fault since I have gotten my finger back at school. I wanted to get a Masters degree badly then sacrifices has to be made.

Of Vids and Music

Lately, I have been browsing a lot in youtube and been enjoying it...

Good finds were Chris Browns's Forever used as a wedding march.


This was absolutely enjoyable... and I would like to have friends who would get crazy with me in my special day... uhm, girls, game kamo? Wait, I don't have my groom yet..hehehe!!

My brother has discovered 2ne1 and Sandara Park, a Korean who became popular in the Philippines having won 1st runner up in Star Cirlcle Teen Quest was part of the group. 2ne1 is growing fast in the Korean music scene.

Sandara, or better known as Dara in Korea, is the girl in pink pants in the video. It is amusing how she has grown confident after going back to Korea. I guess after going through so much in the Philippines, it has done her good.

Pesto Zest-o!

Pesto sauce is I guess the easiest pasta sauce ever come up… Not to mention that most of its ingredients are affordable and nutritious.

Almost a decade ago, my friend Chloe had ordered Pesto for dinner which we thought of sharing because we have eaten dorm food before we met up with our highschool buddies from Ateneo in one resto in Katipunan. I think that was my first encounter with Pesto and I would never forget how much I disliked its taste… talk about buying something, have a taste, then another and then eventually quit on it. The only thing that kept you on to the second forkful of noodles was the thought that the money you will be paying the bill would be totally put to waste. Chloe and I ended up wasting on food that night.

I have avoided pesto for quite sometime. Not until I have tried living healthy with options of fruits and veggies for food. So when deciding on pasta, the popular choice for trying-to-live-on-veggie people like me would be pesto. I don’t know if taste buds mature but I clicked with pesto. Time and time again, when I feel like eating healthy, pesto was my reliable choice.

But the high and irrational price of pasta and pesto for that matter (and everything else) had me buy a blender. First was just for craving of fruit shakes. But 2 nights ago I thought of dropping by the supermarket and dropped in my basket were ingredients for a pesto sauce.

And today, I brought to work some cooking. I brought pesto pasta topped with extra parmesan cheese. I love the fact that finally, I have done something for craving’s worth. I have fulfilled my stomach as well and the did away with the notion that I don’t know how to cook. Best part of that is, I got to save on lunch. =)

For Pesto Sauce, here's how to make one:

Ingredients:
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons pine nuts or shelled pistachios
1 large clove garlic, mashed
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:
In a blender or food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse until minced the basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil in a steady stream and process until emulsified. Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate, until ready to serve, up to 5 days.

Have a zest with your pesto!

Bring my Respects, President Cory Aquino

Tomorrow is declared a non-working holiday. Nice. More time in bed. Don't get me misunderstood. I entirely salute and acknowledge the woman behind the holiday. Not the person declaring the holiday though.

Tomorrow is the burial of the late President Corazon Aquino. Cory died in the early morning of August 1 of cardiac arrest after suffering from colon cancer. Since her death, a lot of the Filipinos came to the wake, to take a last look, to pay their respect.

I have always believed that Cory Aquino was the passive leader. I can't remember how great her term was as a president. I was very young then. I could just remember the catastrophe in her years of service. There was the Earthquake in Baguio and the Mt. Pinatubo earthquake. The rest, never sank with me because I never got to witness them.

But the people who have witnessed her term, speaks of her highly. The prayers offered during her fight with cancer were numerous. Peoples of different backgrounds have gone to the streets to see her remains transferred from Greenhills to Manila Cathedral. People have endured rain, stroking heat and long queues to see her for the last time. Yellow ribbon have been attached to buildings, trees, and cars. Confetti has been everywhere. Sympathies are overflowing.

Corazon Aquino was the first woman president of the Philippines and of Asia. From a housewife and widow, her world turned 360 when she responded to the cries of her people to run for presidency and deliver all of them from Marcos' Martial Law. Cory Aquino brought back democracy to the country.

But the greatness of the woman was not right after the fall of the dictator. The greatness of Corazon Aquino started way before when she has acknowledged God as her Father. She lead the country with greath faith in God and great faith in the Filipino people. The late president believed so much on the Philippines.

Tomorrow, a great woman will come to her final rest. Tomorrow we celebrate her life. Tomorrow a woman comes home to her Father and to her one great love, Ninoy. May her soul rest in peace, smiling.

oh oh August

August is here and I'm excited.

First, work would be, I guess, lessened with Frank going to UK for the whole month. I would miss the old man and his quirkiness but then he also needs the vacation. So with the boss not around, I would be making my own outputs...

And there is the up and coming Cebu-Bohol trip I am planning with my friends for days..I'm afraid that it would be expensive and would shatter my savings account but then I have to see the place and even if summer's over it is not late to hit the beach... and I need this vacation. With school eating up my time, this is my first vacation after I have myself enrolled in grad school.

And mom would be here in the last days of August. She will join a seminar for 3 days here in Manila with some of her officemates. I miss ma. It has been a while since I last seen her.

August will surely be a blast... and I can't wait.

Terrible

Today is PGMA's 9th and hopefully the last State of the Nation Address. I haven't heard of anything about the event nor the content of her speech as I arrived home and the news on SONA was already done. Today is also Iglesia Ni Cristo Anniversary Celebration. A lot of devotees have gone out to celebrate. All of these amidst the pouring rain.

Classes have been canceled in all levels even in graduate studies. And how I wished we just spent time in class than have nothing to do but go home early.

Yes, I did go home early. After doing some laboratory work in UP. I walked straight to Central to save 7Php. After that, I got stranded as jeepneys and buses going to Fairview (going to Sandigan where the SONA is) is all jampacked... to the extent that 5-6 people are clinging in the jeepney rails, just to get home.

I am, somehow, lucky. There was a Dahlia jeep.. vacant!!! It was pure blessing. I was one of the lucky few to get in and sit comfortably. But come Diliman Prep, the jeep I'm riding come to a slow procession, as heavy traffic consumed us. It was about 8PM when I reached Sandigan.

Phew! Now I'm home.. and I still didn't know what the SONA's about yet I wished it never happened today.

Choosing Work over the Bed. Wrong Choice.

I should have stayed in bed. Never wake up. Sleep for eternity.

I have thought of not reporting to work, just send a “I’m sorry” message and then lay there till my stomach churns for food. It is quite possible. I’ll just pretend to be sick and take advantage of the goodness of the old white man. But thinking of my need for coliform abundant water for our lab project made me do my early morning routine. I was late though, the usual effect of the empty reasons for going to work.

And now as I sit here in my cubicle, with Ma’am Edna absent and Frank unsure if he’s coming in, Im thinking, I should have stayed in bed!!! Right this minute, I’m thinking of how much sleep I have deprived myself in exchange of coming in to work. But at the end of it, I still need to get that damn water, and attend my class at 6PM.

Fantasticks

Kat and I met up with Tina to watch Fantasticks last Friday. Amidst the pouring rain and the freezing cold, we travelled the wet C5 to get to Greenbelt 1. If the tickets were not bought, I would catch the play on another day.

Fantasticks is the ployed Romeo and Juliet. Ployed because the fathers of Matt and Luisa, Hucklebee and Bellamy respectively, planned to be enemies in order to spark romance between their children. They have employed El Gallo and staged the kidnap of Luisa, which, in their plan will trigger Matt to rescue the victim. And the parents will make up because of the heroic deed of Matt.

But soon after the mock abduction, the children found out that it was all planned out. Matt felt like they were puppets and so he thought of leaving to prove to his father that he was at all not his toy. Luisa meanwhile was dumbstruck at awed with El Gallo, who later entrapped Luisa to hand in her most valuable piece: her mother’s necklace.

When innocence is lost, wisdom and experience are gained. That is how Fantasticks ended. The world is one of the best but the hardest teachers and it has taught greatly Matt and Luisa as they seek out and discover themselves in the real world.

-o-

The second act of the play is such a bore.

Reg: “I got bored.”

Tina: “I am sleepy.”

Kat: “I slept.”

Effects of Further Studies

I have by far got used to it. With school, my gimmick-full week-ends became a saturday spent in the laboratory and a sunday spent on chores if the group wouldn't meet up. Frustrating. I could have been in some cool place seeing and learning a lot of stuff. But I am jammed to be in a poor old laboratory experimenting on coliforms and other envi parameters we are testing on.

Can you hear my whining now?!?! Or it isn't loud enough yet?

And another thing that I have already adjusted my life to is that my vacay has to be on a weekday... yup! not possible with work around. So I'm taking advantage of no work days.. take a little vacation leaves and be the jet-setter that I am.

I'm excited for my next adventure... =)

Learning and Relearning

Today, I learned that punctuation marks make a big deal in a sentence… especially 2 or 3 question marks or exclamation marks in it… I have been using such marks often that I tend to neglect its value. And just less than an hour ago, I was reprimanded by someone to lessen such use of consecutive punctuation marks because it felt offensive. What for me was nothing, is offensive to others. Nothing because that is how I express myself in writing. It feels like that is my gay self taking over. I can’t help but feel bad, because no justifications could support my gay self in a corporate set-up where moral and conduct is tight and upright. I have no intention of upsetting or offensively demean a person. That is just me.

When I was starting, I was never cautious with using words like po or opo. We don’t use such words of respect in our dialect so its roots are not as strong as those who are Tagalog. It is our intonation that dictates our respect and our emotions … Of course, po and opo are taught in my Filipino subject but I don’t speak Filipino back home. We only speak Filipino during class and that was basically it. Even if I have stayed here in Manila for more than 6 years before I started work, the po and opo doesn’t rub in quite easily. With that I was perceive to be disrespectful.

When I was at Taguig, I was heard by my officemates casually talk to my boss in English. Then I heard talks that they regard me as “maarte” to the point that they hate me for it. I have justified it in writing a blog, but never got to defend myself to the people, at the same time, I never got to learn who hated me for such a thing. A total first impression scenario, I don’t know if I have erased such notion or I will be forever maarte to them.

So today, like any other day that I was given the wrong impression, I am sad, depressed perhaps. But I learned my lessons, the hard way.

My debts are catching up on me.

I have acquired a credit card years ago… just yesterday, I received my bill with an annual fee on top of my purchases. It has been two years, two years of plastic purchases. I have no problems really with this plastic. With the low credit limit, I am not afraid to go on debt.

But these past few days, it seems that my debt is not decreasing… it is not that I don’t pay up my dues, but the thing is, I seem to have a lot of purchases these few months…I usually purchase my tickets online with my credit card which was so convenient. But now that travel is less because of school, the plastic just rests in my wallet, unutilized. But despite that, debts build up. And my salary isn’t catching up to say the least… So here I am, full in debt, working my ass to pay them.

I need to go back to know that it was right to leave.

I need to go back to know that it was right to leave.

Everytime a friend goes home, I am saddened. Not just because I will be missing them but I envy the fact that they are finally home. For some certain reason, I have that burning yearning for home. It is as if, home is my final destination.

The feeling of need for home is as strong as the time when I needed to go out of my nest when I had an opportunity right after highschool. Idealism ruled my entirety. I was made to believe that my big dreams will be fulfilled in a big city, much bigger than what Bacolod could offer me. So I left and did what needs to be done. I don’t know if plans are on track or that dreams are fulfilled but I know that I wouldn’t do it the other way.

But I realized, that executing my big dreams in a big city will only give me a small fulfillment. Because success is not magnified, I would often feel as if, I am just one of those people, normal and insignificant. Not until I would achieve the lifestyle and ways of living my parents have given me with my own resources, I would not, in any way, feel that I have level-up-ed, or the very least, sustain the life I rejected to live in the big city.

Because that is where all this yearning, this need to go home comes from. I miss my life in the small city where everyone seems to be at awe with what you have achieved. Call it egotistical but sometimes you need a boost with morale. Here, I felt small, ordinary, a small fish in a big open sea.

Back home, small fish or not, I know that the sea is not big.

Dreaming, Dreamt and Everything in the Middle

The film has been rolling…the lights are on, a guy and a woman actor is doing their scene waiting for the director to call “Cut!” I was among those PAs, a towel on my left shoulder, a cold mineral water in my right hand and a bag of mixed clothes and make-up in another. I was waiting for Frank to come out and do his lines but he wasn’t there. I heard the director say, “Cut!” I rushed towards the crew’s side of the lounge looking for the producer’s assistant. Two other people came and rushed towards him, while the latter was busy barging orders. I was quite afraid to ask, seeing how busy he was. But I got to know.

“Why is Frank not doing the scene?", I asked.

“Frank who?”

“Frank!”

“Frank?! Oh, the white guy! He’s over. And the show’s gonna be finish by next week anyway so we have to cut on the actors.”

And I felt a pull by my right sleeve and I was dragged to reality. It is 10:15 AM. I have been dreaming the second time.

Dropping everything and going.

I’m never that type of person. And I just don’t have the nerve to do that… I don’t exactly fancy the unknown and I completely fear “close your eyes, hold your breath, just jump” scenario. All 25 years, I have planned, ironed out my life. It may not be all the time smooth but so far I have fought and stuck out. It is not all the time that plans are followed and unfold but I am by far, on track. Life may conspire against me but seldom do I fret because often than not, I have a back-up plan, a plan B, or even a C.

25 years of dreams and fulfilling them slowly, step by step. I am not up to just dropping everything.

I DON'T KNOW THEM

First day of class (for me) today... attended my laboratory class... totally fast paced... I need to read a lot of stuff.. know a lot of stuff...and learn them totally...

and funny how other students expect us to know them already since we graduated with a Chem Engg degree... Chem Engg is entirely different from BioChem (Engg) and funny that our professor expects us (me and a guy from Maynilad) to know them since we work at a water and wastewater company...

yikes... frankly and truthfully, I DON'T KNOW THEM... I'm burdened here... =(

A week of tardiness

I have been getting lazy... with waking up, with going out of bed, with getting ready for work, with going to work.... I just seem to have that hang over with my short vacation at home where I have all the morning to sleep and just wake up when I feel like it or when I get hungry.

But I'm back to reality... I need to wake up early and leave the house before 7am to be working at 8. It is not that work is not enjoyable anymore...it is actually and I am still up to going to work... but getting ready for it, and the pouring rain, and my soaking feet, and having a hard time with getting a ride, and the traffic... it makes me not want to go... just thinking about everything makes all the urge to spend the whole day in bed.

And so instead of leaving the house before 7, it is only at that time that I leave my bed thinking that if I won't, I would lose that hope of getting to work on time or at least just a little bit of being late.

Dreadful... and it has been all that laziness everyday of the entire week. =p

Isanely Wicked

Insanely Wicked. That is Wicked Kitchen for me. After finding a feature of the resto in Click the City dot com, I was intrigued. And was uberly excited about it, I couldn't pass the week not to go here.

Why wouldn't anyone be? All of the desserts in the menu are named after the 7 Deadly Sins: Anger, Pride, Sloth, Lust, Envy, Greed and Gluttony. And this is not the main course yet.

Kat and I ordered the combo meals which is served with an ice tea. What's good about it is that you get to choose from 4 pasta and then pair it with a choice of chicken entrees . We also got a piece of garlic bread and salad. Both of us got Wicked Wings and paired it with a pasta of our desire. Kat chose Chicken Mushrooms Cream while I got Seafood Aglio Olio.

My Verdict: 5 stars.
The pasta is not soggy and is al dente... Seafood Afglio Olio is fetuccini with olive oil, garlic and some herbs (I think it is spinach) with a mix of shrimps and squid. It isn't salty but you would continue diving in. The Wicked Wings is awesome! There is a fire-y kick. I don't fancy hot and spicy food but this one is getting me to rethink. One thing I need to commend is the salad (lettuce). It is sweet and fresh. Kat thinks it is dipped in honey or syrup.


Came in our dessert: Kat ordered Envy while I ordered Gluttony (which is their featured dessert in their menu).

Verdict: 5 stars
If we jokingly tell a person that he'll forget his name because of how delicious a food is, this is the truth of it. As Kat says, Envy got her speechless!!! While Gluttony had me not want to do desserts for an entire week!

Envy is a super moist chocolate cake frosted with mint green chocolate ganache. It will get you drooling with envy (Tagalog translation: naglalaway sa inggit!) wishing you have this everyday!

Meanwhile, Gluttony is a enormous chocolate chip cookie topped with a plentiful scoop of mantecado ice cream, and a drizzling of chocolate syrup. This heavenly dessert will challenge the appetite, even of a glutton.

Although price of dessert is the same of that of the main course, I think the superb taste has it justified. 2 Deadly Sins transported me to Heaven!

And now comes the part when I have to whine... of course there are bad points. Service is super bad!!! Awarded nada stars for it!!!! Waiting time for the main course is 30 minutes and we had 2 follow-ups. And then when we requested water to help us with the dessert, we had 3 follow-ups because the waiter keeps on forgetting our requests. When we asked for the bill, it took us two requests!! What is that!?!?!? We even went down to get our change because we were again waiting for entirety for it! But the waiter took our picture so that's something commendable.

It is a pity that service isn't at par with the food they serve. I Hope the pics here gives justice to it!

-o-
I brought home Ex's Lasagna for my brother.... I think his pictures also justified whatever "bitterness" fueled the owner or chef who gave the name to this good-tasting recipe. Those are candid pics of him burping and savoring the food!


xoxo

Laugh

Laugh... laugh loud... laugh till you couldn't breath.
And surround yourself with friends who make you laugh.

Got this from an email. And I can't keep myself from thinking of how I laugh often now...even people from Taguig notice the difference of how happy I am now. And so does my brother who oftentimes thinks I'm going loony because of the way I act out of excitement or just pure joy.

I have been laughing... laughing hard, laughing often... over things, everything and nothing..even the silliest of sorts. and people I am with is as fun as F-U-N!!! wahaha!!! and work has been enjoyable.. =)

Weekends of Idleness

Another weekend wasted in idleness... that has been my weekends without plans... except for chores, sleep and food, weekends just roll into weekdays with no accomplishments.. =(

I should get back to my laundry... at least at the end of the days of idleness, I could say, I did something... just something.

Hopefully, I would have something to do next weekend.. =)

Overflow

Yesterday, I started the day at UP. Went to finally pay my tuition fee (ouch!!!)and be an official Iskolar ng Bayan again. Got a go signal from (ever-supportive) Frank, I was with Jovert and the rest of the students who are cramming on the last day of Registration. I was seated next to an undergrad who's Form 5 spells a P24k+ tuition... A whut???? Is UP an institution for the poor??? When I left UP in 2006, that was already the issue: tuition fee hike due to lack of funds granted by the government. From a 300Php/unit for the undergrad, it will rise to 1000Php/unit. While for the graduate school, it will be from P500/unit to 1500/unit. I was even protesting against it thinking of the future when I will come back to UP to take my Masters and will suffer the consequences of the hike. Talk about selfish acts.. hehehe!!!

Now, the future is here. I am suffering. And I am envious of Jovert who's tuition for his Masters at SURP is still at the Php500/unit rate. Grrr!!!!

But then, it is too late to be angsty... and I always have that option to not go back... be contented on with the education I got from UP and depend on the experience future will bring me. But the yearning to fulfill long time dreams (and plans) is always there, getting strong, all the time. So I said goodbye to more than P12k, just like that, and start school next week.

-o-

Rain has been crazy... no typhoons, no storms, whatsoever but it has been raining since 2 weekends ago. Not good!!! Business for the company has been bad lately... Ops-wise, there are more shutdown of plants because of brown-outs, more chemicals to dose since water quality is not good, and the La Mesa Dam has been on yellow alert, it has been overflowing for 3 days now. Hope the rain goes away soooooonnn!!!!

-o-

Just got it from the UP website, classes will be moved on Jun 16! Weeeh!!! I could still have a long weekend for myself before I start school and spend my Saturdays in a lab class. But the thing is, I don't know where to go exactly... I want to go to the beach.. just lay there in my swimming attire and just get sun baked skin (it is not as if I don't have dark skin already)...but really, I just want to waste time in a beach shore, with the waves at my feet, from sunrise till the sun meets the earth.

Weekend Highlight

I finally saw half of my beerkada!!! All the way from the States, Boy is back with us here in the Philippines. Ate and I, this is only the 2nd time that we saw each other here in Manila... talk about being busy and being far apart... hehehe!

I'm thankful that we were able to meet up...We toured the hallways of Megamall and just go on with window shopping and eating out... I miss my girls...and that includes Len, Kat and Diane. hehehe!!

Moi, Ate and Boy

After roaming around Megamall, I went with Ate to Starmall where she'll be riding to Laguna... but we saw a Bench Fix in Starmall so we had a pedicure for our tired feet.

Having a Pedicure

After saying my goodbyes to Frae, I went to meet my cousin and her neice in SM MOA. Good thing I went there amidst the heavy rains coz Bench had an activity at the biggest mall in the Philippines and I had a pic with Mateo...weeehhh!!!

Mateo, I love.

And the shriek is just the end of it. Hehe!!!

Eating Out Means Pigging Out

I have gone overboard with food lately. And that means going overboard with my expenses on food too.

Imagine this:
For the whole week I have eaten in Conti's twice, Sbarro, Coffee Bean (courtesy of Pao), Starbucks (courtesy of Nang Bambi) and that's minus the offers of Tom for coffeee, DQ, KFC twice, and Yoshinoya. Include in that the food I get for free from at the office from Ma'am Edna, from meetings and demo presentations.

Somehow I appreciate being at home today with just tv, laundry and the computer, because I'm limitted to what ever there is at our refrigerator... And it only means left-overs for reheating as I'm not really a fan of cooking... talk about being lazy on something vital as cooking.

Hope this does not get worse... I'm gaining weight, I'm losing money... grrrr... not fun at all.

I may doubt myself, but I don't doubt my God

Almost six months ago my application for Masters Degree in UP got rejected. I was so devastated, I had 2 days of depression. After 2 days, my why's have been answered. News of the new assignment, TP 6, was given to me. And it made me think, that if I was given the chance to go back to school and the new assignment, I don't know how I would manage. Plus the fact that I would be traveling to UP after work all the way from Taguig.

But the fact that my first application got rejected, it scarred me. Since I handed my application, I kept on praying and asked favors from family and friends to help me pray. I have doubted my capabilities, my confidence is so low, and I worry that I can't go back to UP, to be rejected twice. That doubt in self, turned to faith to my God. All the more that I called on to Him, to do miracles for me, to make things happen for me. And He did.

Now, during the applications, and the future with work, I see a much clearer picture. I am now assigned at the main office which is just at the back of UP. I would just walk from the office to school. And what I will study is now in line with work at Operations. =) He really has set out his plans for me. And I am forever at awe of His ways.

So yes, I am back and ready for school. I got my acceptance email today and I was too excited, I rushed to Frank's office and told him the news... he was happy that I did get in he even announced it to my seatmates at the office. The excitement also caused me a 6-8Php call to Mama, one of my greatest prayer warriors.

Now, I just have to finish my visit to UP Health Servie, aka Infirmary, and get myself totally admitted... to school!

Beauty is a Sacrifice

Beauty is a Sacrifice.

It surely is for Mt. Pinatubo. To see a grandeous gift of nature, you have to endure a sure lot of an ordeal.

It is unbelievable to see how a very serene and beautiful place has caused havoc and peril to many lives in 1991. It was so violent and disastrous, like it was awakened from a deep slumber, terribly angry. Remains of that disaster is still visible around and going to Mt. Pinatubo. Hopefully, the great volcano will remain at sleep and the 1991 eruption will be its last.

It was a tiring but fun to conquer Pinatubo. But that experience will be the first and hopefully the last as I have no plans of doing it all over again. =P

A Jump for the Grandeous Pinatubo

UPdate of my Bumming Week

I have been home alone since last week when my brother, Mel, went home to the province to spend the rest of his summer vacay with the rest of the family and of course the gf. It is quite peaceful at the house...and monotonous too. But I'm ok really... sometimes, I would like to experience some peace and quiet after a busy day at work.

-o-
Ji is here for the week. She's processing her papers for the US... good thing, she'll be able to go with us in climbing the Pinatubo.

-o-
Pao has celebrated his 29th birthday last May 12. We (Bertday boi, Icile, Ji, Rommar and I) had dinner at Mang Jimmy's... it was a quick walk from the office so I stayed for awhile browsing stuff in the internet while I wait for them to go there from Kalayaan Dorm where they had isaw.

Mang Jimmy's doesn't have an rice-all-you-can-eat just like years ago, during my college days... And we ordered five viands and only got 1 other viand free... Owel, I guess things change.

Rommar has a car now and Icile finally bought herself a DSLR. All through out dinner we had fun over eating and getting ourselves photographed... we then loaded Rommar's car and proceeded to the Technohub. Rommar went home right after he dropped us off.

We ate dessert at Razon's, yummy halo-halo, courtesy of Pao. And then we took turns handling the DSLR and shoot the night away.



-o-
I, together with some of my batchmates at the main office and Balara BA went to visit Emil yesterday. Emil is our batchmate who is assigned in Pasig BA. Both of Emil's kidney has deteriorated and he is now undergoing dialysis and he is looking for a kidney donor so that he could have a kidney transplant.

Minutes before he will be going for dialysis, we were able to see him. Still that happy smile amidst the problems he is facing. He has lost a bit of weight though. =(

Hope Emil will get through this.

-0-
I already watched Angels and Demons. Nice movie!!! Hehehe!!!

I love it. Maybe because I have no means to compare it with. I haven't read the books, nor have I watched The Da Vinci Code. So that movie is my first Dan Brown experience and it was nice.

=) that's it for now.

No Plans For the Weekend

=(

Bumming for the weekend. Can't seem to know the life with having nothing to do (except chores), nor a place to go to. Boohoo!

Richer by P500!

The much awaited fight is now over!!!

After a very glorious and short fight against Ricky Hatton, Manny is going home triumphant and the Filipinos are once again joyous especially those who placed their bets for the Pacman.

We at Ops have set our bets out against our Brittish bosses, Frank and Tom. We (almost 25 people) have come up with a grand 20,000Php to fight Frank and Tom's ceiling price. My bet of Php500 was included to the pool of amount.

And a week after the bet, I became richer by Php500!!!

Love you Manny! Ang gwapo mo sa pic dito:

The Gas that Made my Day Painful

The stomach have been aching the whole day. After eating breakfast, and was not able to burp, it became the nuisance one could ever imagine. My stomach has a lot of gas maybe enough to fill a balloon.

Ma'am Edna suggested that I take in meds for my gas. So I took Mutillom from Wellness and all the more that my stomach became rebellious and turbulent. I didn't eat for lunch afraid that I might upset my stomach all the more. I kept on coming back to the CR and induced vomitting just to get the gas out. Add to that the trips for bowel movement.

Now at 8PM, I know I have an empty stomach but I can't feel the hunger.

Bora Beaching Bitch

Like any other day that I lack sleep, the result would be floating. But the craving for sleep is not just becuase I have to sacrifice and extend hours awake for something reasonable like the studying or doing a report or presentation for work, but none other than traveling and supposed destressing from the reality of Manila.

Once again, I escaped the dreaded big city and went to Iloilo, our meet-up point for our much awaited Boracay vacation. An original party of 10 was cut to only 3 people: Me, Noisy and Cyhna. Cyhna has work to attend to on May 1 while Noisy will attend to the job fair in Bacolod City. So I spent the whole day of May 1 discovering Ilo-ilo. With the initial visit during the Holy Week and my tour guide via text, Pao and Ji, I was finally able to buy my ref magnet (Iloilo version). And then I went back to SM City to meet my cousin and my brother.

Since it was almost dinner, we set foot to the foodcourt and treated ourselves with a hearty meal. And then we decided to kill time with watching the LFS of Wolverine. We planned of going to the Tagbak Terminal around 12 MN so it is better to spend it watching a movie than a 24 hour fastfood chain (McDo kuno) and be pressured of buying food to stay in the place.

We arrived at Tagbak Terminal at almost 11PM, but we have to wait till 12MN, that's when 2 more passengers join us and the driver thought of proceeding to the Caticlan port. I was asleep most (if not all) on the way to the port. We arrived at the Caticlan port around 4:30 AM. We loaded the Montenegro ship which will bring us to Boracay.

And finally, we have set foot the ultimate beach destination in the Philippines, Boracay.

Pics at my multiply.

The Joke

It was about 4PM. And after talking to one of the people from Wastewater, Frank went out to talk to me. "Since it's a long weekend, I have an assignment for you to do. You're going to Boracay, to see things there." And he had that silly smirk in his face. I told him, "Really, you're sending me to Boracay? What do I need to do there?" And he continued, just look over things there. And then I said "Ok!" I know he was joking and I just keep on going on joking with the old white guy. "Na!" he said and waited for my reaction.

And I did return the joke.
"No. Really, I'm goin to Bora tomorrow."

And seeing my serious face, he said, "Really now?!?!?!"

"Yeah! Want to see my ticket?! I'm going to Bora for the weekend"

"You're really serious."

Now I take with me an assignment to Bora. Boohoo!!!

Finding a Father in Frank

So last weekend, I was out with my friends and colleages at the Taguig BA. I got Frank's permission to go with them in the afternoon of Friday.

First thing Monday, at the Flag Ceremony, he was mouthing (Yep, I was lip reading), asking about the weekend outing. Since he was afar, I also mouthed my words back saying I really enjoyed it a lot.

And later in the afternoon, he called me into his office and after discussing business matters, he made me tell him how the Taguig Outing went. He was inquisive of details of what we did, where we stayed, or did I miss, at the very least, enjoy the company of my Taguig friends. He was even concerned that I was assigned in a room with 14 people (included 6 guys) with only 2 beds.

It is quite overwhelming that somebody not related to you, or somebody not in your level (mentally, financial, socially) is taking time to know how you were and how your days went. =)

Bi Polar?

Yesterday, I am in cloud 9, so high I couldn't get enough of smiling and feeling good. Today, I feel like I'm in deep shit.

Yesterday: Straight from the horse's mouth
After discussing things I have gathered in the main office on the Curayao and San Rafael Treatment plants, I stood up to go back to my cubicle... midway accross the room, Frank called me back... And he said, "Just so you know, you are doing very well. And it is not only me who is saying so, so is Ma'am Edna." And that great big smile appeared again and was plastered in my face. I told him my thanks and relayed my dilemma of how much I am wondering how I am performing since unlike my previous post, I don't know how I fared. I don't have numerical figures to guarantee I am in an excellent zone, nor have I targets to surpass each month. Frank understand that as well thus he guaranteed that I'm doing great in the new job.

That affirmation have brought me and my self confidence in cloud 9.

Today: Depressed and Unsatisfied.
I was sent out to go to Curayao and San Rafael Treatment plant to see what is going on in there.... I gathered all the data in preparation to the expected exam with Frank. And so we discuss things. He got out his calculator and did calculations. Yikes!!! And I was in a whirlwind, got confused with some data I got. And Frank said, "Here's one thing to learn, when you go to a plant, or wherever, learn from numbers." The numbers that we gather speak of things, coherent or not... thus if it is incoherent, I must asked it out outright at the plant than not think if the numbers do match or acceptable and suffer bringing questions at the main office. He said not to worry about it because even Bea and Mai, who were his previous TAs have the same habit at first. He said that it is due to the lack of experience such that it isn't nature to us to think that way. In due time he said, I would be able to acquire a very inquisitive mind.

='(

Ewan

It all started with just teasing.. it all started with people putting colors to whatever is there.

I don't know... now it has become a mess.

He is suppose to be a friend... suppose to be just one of those closest guy friends.. he's suppose to be "dude!", suppose to be a kid, suppose to be my brother.

But after having spent most of the outing together, talking the night away in a swing, slept together in a couch, eat together and looking after each other, plus the after-outing ...everything changed. People have thought we have something special going on. We have told them the truth that it was nothing and ignore everything they say...

But you changed... and it sucks bigtime.

It's Officially Announced!!!

The Reason why I don't have a Sterio

or a Radio...

because our neighbor's are blaring in the early hours of the morning... dinig from kanto to kanto!!!

And since the houses in the subdivision are almost wall to wall in a very small piece of land... we will hear all the "noise".

Going back to Taguig

I finally went back to Taguig. After my new position and transfer at the main office, it was only last Friday did I set foot at the Taguig office and was able to see most if not all of the members of the Taguig BA.

Yesterday, I went with the whole of Taguig to Lian, Batangas for the annual company outing...Since I don't have any department in Operations and the outings are purely per department, I thought of just joining my friends at Taguig.

I had problems with going there... I talked it out with Caster last Thursday that I'll ride with him to Taguig after his seminar with wastewater... but he informed me that he won't be joining the seminar because he has call center complaints to do... so I texted Sir Erol which of course he agreed for me to join them on going to Taguig.

Then Jovert texted me that he'll be picking me up since he will pass his application for Masters in UP. Weeehhhh!!!! Mahal talaga ako ng boys of Fort Boni!!!

When I arrived at the BA, everyone was eating lunch because it was also Boss Darwin's birthday. It was Sir Darwin's tradition to treat everyone on his special day. So being an honorary of Taguig, I invited myself to the lunch treat. Hehehe!!

Then we all loaded the bus... I don't have enough cash with me and withdrawing is impossible because we would be on our way to Batangas with no stop-over so Bernie was a super pest insisting on my share... hehehe!!! What would I do???? I just have to enjoy the outing and pay later...

It was a 3-hour long ride to Batangas... and when we got to the resort we all proceeded to our respective room assignments... I was with Tina, Jen, Bless, Bernie, Di, Cons, Rolly, Yaw, Chris, Chel, Aina, Jovert, and Lati. Yikes with only 2 beds, I don't know how we would be able to sleep comfortably in them.

After bringing our bags in, we went to see the beach... It was only, fine sand although not white...but it was ok... what would matter is making the most out of our stay there.

We started with playing dodge ball... it was so fun! Then later became picture addicts as more cameras was out...there was supppose to be a team building but was not able to continue since some people has already started drinking, some were engrossed with singing at the videoke, some are still playing volleyball and frissbee while others are already enjoying their swim. After that it was dinner time already.

Then we spent the whole night just talking... updating ourselves with whatever, anything and everything....then we played a lot of games again... it was a good way to go back and bond with friends.

Sleep and rest became a problem.. it was a dilemma!!! So after having my hair dried, with the help of Jovert (salamat, dude!), he thought of looking for a pillow outside to make our sleep more comfortable... we are to sleep at the banig with no pillow... I'm not maarte really, just want to be resourceful.

So we went out at the videoke to see what is happening there and viola!, we are hyper again with singing our songs of choice... But the day would take a toll on us... without me noticing it, I fell asleep at the couch with the videoke blaring as my lullaby.

Woke up around 5AM to have a morning dip. Weeeh!!!! That was the highlight of the trip, soaking in the sun, jumping into the waves, floating in the water, getting our tan lines, and have a blast in the pictures (thanks to Jen's underwater cam!).

Then we went back to get breakfast then go back again in the water for another batch of fun. Until we all went back for a very early lunch... Food was great... plus of course the company.

Going back to Manila, it was raining like hell.. Tagaytay was getting flooded... Another 3 hours later we were back at Taguig and then loaded ourselves in Sir Lawrence's car and have ourselves dropped at Market...

It was a 24-hour escape from work, from Manila, from everything that is real... It was good to be back.

Some Pics:

Got the Best Boss (by far)

Frank is THE ultimate BEST!!!

He has this very positive attitude towards work, towards his colleagues, his friends, his family and most especially his children. He knows his people by name... all of us in Ops... And he is the boss who doesn't want to be called by Sir, Mister or any title... He just want to be called Frank.

He doesn't belittle if you do not know... just tell him you don't know and he'll surely teach you...

I have went home, went undertime, and he allowed that... I don't escape anymore like I used to in Taguig. He has even grant my leave when I went home for the Holy Week. And now...

I got permitted with joining Taguig in their outing in Batangas. =)

Exhausted with Earth Day

Yesterday, I have been out all day. Came in before 8 to go with the Sustainability Department who will go to SM Mall of Asia by 8 AM. Frank is a guest for the Global Handwashing, an Earth Day celebration a NGO. It was such a small event but big names in protecting the environment took part in the celebration. Bebet Gozun who was the former Seceretary of the DENR was there, together with Teresita Choa, president of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, a vice-president of Unilever. Some are ambassadors to nations of Germany and Finland was there and Ambassadors to the Philippines from Dutch. The governor of Isabela, Grace Padaca was also in attendance.

It was a fun event as one by one speakers, including Frank, was called to talk on handwashing and importance of it.



Then Frank thought of going back to Balara to do some work. But we are to come back to Makati for the Asia Society Forum on Water Management. When we came out of MOA, it was pouring hard. Streets are getting flooded and traffic is getting worse such that it would be impossible to get us to Balara and go back again in Makati by 3pm.

So FB suggested that we go to his place in Makati and edit the presentation.

His place is in one of the 4 apartments in 15th floor of 1 Roxas Triangle Place in Makati. It was so nice!!! Very homey!!! It was only Manang Belen, their MWF housekeeper who was at the house as Ma'am Ester her wife is out.

Although it was lunch time, Frank only wants coffee. Yikes... and he offered me the same and not the usual Filipino lunch of rice!!! So I declined. Good thing I grabbed some served refreshments of bread and iced tea during the Global Handwashing. And so he served me with Ma'am Ester's coconut tarts... very good tasting!!! Really!!!

So we edited his presentation, and I got a grand tour of his house... since we were just waiting for 2:00PM.

By two, we went to Asian Institute of Management for the event. AIM is also in Makati but we had a hard time finding it... got lost 2x due to Frank's senior moment...hehehehe!!! It was still raining but we arrived at the venue by 2:30PM.

Joemar joined us to hear the talk...Before the start of the forum, FB talked to Joemar regarding his new position... he is now the Department Manager of Water Supply!! I have manage to keep that in secret... and phew! now it is out, at least that's one secret less to keep!

Frank was to talk at the forum in replace of Sir Perry Rivera. And he was only told around 10 AM during the handwashing!! But that's part of their work... so he agreed to do it. =)


That I admired of Frank... because if I were in his place, I might say no....

After the forum, I went with Joemar to Balara... again traffic was terrible... it took us an hour and thirty to get back to the office... yikes!!!! More than 12 hours of work!!!

Now I'm pooped!

Getting Sicker by the Day

According to my last doctor appointment at the province, I have a lot of gas in my stomach...I have hyper acidity she said. And so she told me to avoid coffee (omg!), tea, softdrinks, citrus, etc. So I was in a dilemma as what to drink (except of course water)... i could easily elude softdrinks but coffee?!?! and iced tea or even pineapple juice?!?! Argh!!!

So being a hardhead, I am not 100% caffeine free, I didn't say goodbye to my digestive aid and antioxidant, tea... nor have I said my last farewell to the fruit juices. I just lessen my intake of them... Pity me... now that I am offered of Starbucks coffee every lunchtime by Tom (who loves Philippines for cheap Starbucks! He's British, btw), and tea every morning. Hays! So for the whole week, I said no to the offers and agreed to it just yesterday, the last day of work... which Tom acted out like he was having a heart attack because finally I said yes to his treat! He was already thinking that I am much cheaper than the previous 2 TAs who have been in Ops because I have been declining free food from the two of them (him and Frank).

And just before I left for Manila, my family gathered in Apollo for a some-sort-of-tradition, a set-off dinner. After finishing with my food, I had a very bad stomach ache which I proceeded to the resto's CR... I was half relieved but Rolan was not convinced so he set me outside and convinced me to vomit the food out which I easily did because I was really in pain.

When I came home, I was already coming back and forth to the CR... I am having LBM. After about 6 sessions, my brother and I went out to buy gatorade or ORS... my mom on the otherhand was pleading me that we proceed to the hospital for a check-up which I said no to for I am afraid that I would get confined and I can't board the plane going back to Manila (which is the following day), and going back to work. And missing the plane would mean additional charges for rebooking and increase in fare rates.

So after 2 gatorades and more trips to the CR, a plane ride to Manila and commute to work, I still have a very rebellious stomach. I had another 2 sessions in the office before I went to our company doctor for a medical advice. He was actually in shock that I was still up in my toes for work as I should be very weak because of the lost electrolytes. He even advice me to go home, gave me antibiotics, and ORS, and recommends that I go to the hospital if I would still have LBM after 2 drinks of my meds.

The meds took effect bigtime... I didn't have any bowel encounters, even my regular ones, for two days! Now I'm fine tuned and have no problems with LMB... sadly I never had the chance to know why I had those bouts..

Expectation gives Grief

A long time ago, I have agreed to never put myself into situations where I would be again enveloped with grief. I have already detected the source of it. And staying away, and even not thinking about it, is the only answer to avoiding occasions of it.

But time and time again, I have fallen into the pit of momentary bliss hoping for something in return. And unmistakably, get hurt in the process. I have set not to expect but often falter on false hopes of an ireversible relationship.

Here I go again...

Suffocated

I have been home for almost 3 days. Somehow it was not the vacation I looked forward to... there is always that feeling of escape... I love being home but not at this point in my life... Escape... that is what I want everytime I go home... I want to go back to the temporary happiness... leave the reality for a while...

I feel like suffocated... entrapped... it seems that there is no answer anymore...

Yesterday and Today

Yesterday.
I was in Manila and had a long day at Manila Water.

We had visitors from World Bank and IFC and they want to see how we treat wastewater so together with people from Finance, we organized a tour at the South Septage in FTI. After the cadetship training, that was the only time that I came back for a tour. And it was grand since it was Frank doing the explaining.

Going to Taguig was next in the itenerary so that the visitors could check out our "Tubig for the Poor" Projects. But Frank doesn't want to go so we excused ourselves from the group and we went to the sewage treatment plant in Magallanes. It was a fun learning experience... and I got to see the new technologies we have at Magallanes: the waste to energy project where we get methane gas from waste and burn them to provide electricity to the plant. =) nice huh?

And then we proceded to Intercontinental Hotel where lunch would be served for them. I thought all the while that Mike and Kid (people from Finance) will just be dropping the visitors and we'll procede back to the main office and leave all the directors to convince the delegates from IFC and WB that they grant us a loan. But Mike and Kid are in charge of everything and as a rule they can't leave the place till its over. So I hang out with them and they chose to sit near the directors and visitor's table in Prince Albert and ordered. It was my first time to see a menu with all food priced 500php up. They said everything was covered, just order. And I did... and Mike was calculating in his seat and almost dropped his ballpen when the group at the other side stood up for a buffet. Buffet costs 1750 each! So all through out our lunch Kid and Mike were calculating the money they have brought.

And then Frank stood up shook hands with the rest in their table and then approached our table asking if I want to join him coming back to the main office, which I of course took because I don't want to be in agony watching the two with wether they have enough money... Hehehe!!! Eat and run!

The rest of the afternoon I just went to IT to get my new sim card. I have a new work num now. I lost my phone during the preparations of the Farewell presentations for ATA. We were going down the taxi when I think, my phone slipped. I called and left a message on my phone. And the cab driver actually replied. Told me that he is now far and will return my phone in the afternoon and I have to pay for whatever is registered in his meter (as fare). I agreed to it but he never showed up. So now my new number is 09154228140 and I need to buy a new phone as the company would no longer buy us one.

I finished work early so as not to be late with meeting up with Pao. Just don't want get commented on.. hehehe! Peace pao! We agreed to meet up at Megamall for a free chocolate glazed donuts and their original coffee. Yummy and the best thing, it is free!

Today.
I am home for the holy week. Almost didn't arrived on time at the airport amidst leaving the house very early... I just don't want to spend much on a cab from the house in q.c to the airport. And so I got my documents ok and my boarding pass as well. The plane arrived on time and I told myself that this is one of the very few plane rides that is actually on time. And we left 5 minutes early than our schedule of 5:15PM. And I slept the whole flight and was awakened by the comotion. A crew was announcing over a megaphone which I wasn't able to hear to they repeated upfront for the other passengers to hear. They said we have to go back to Manila and they have technical problems in the aircraft. God! That was 15 minutes till we land in Bacolod!

And when we landed in Manila, some technical team repaired the communication system between the crew and the pilot and that's it. But what kept us long in Manila is that other passengers wants to go down which the crew permitted.... but of course it would take time to find their luggage at the plane's compartment. We finally took off 8:15 and I arrived at Silay airport hungry and tired at almost 9:30 PM. And when I got out, my fetch was not there yet. Ma and manong went out to get food as well.. so I waited for awhile for them to get me.


Now I'm looking forward to this vacation... hope to have a blast... and I need to get a tan line to compete with Frank's. Hehehe!

Career Launched and Flopped

That happened in only one night. My career as a showgirl was launched last night and ended on the same night as well.

Our company president is moving out of Manila Water and will transfer in Ayala Land. To pay tribute to his good leadership and how he steered the Manila Water wheel into success, we, in our own respective groups gave a show of our own....

Everything was not a competition but we gave our 100 percent. The Ops had a mini-concert with all our Department Managers performing as well as Frank and Tom. A few cadets, including yours truly, danced as back-up.



The performance blew the other Groups away. The crowd went into a riot seeing the managers doing all these... And until now, they couldn't believe at how we have pulled that off. And how we had our bosses do what they did... hehehe!!! I myself could not believe as how I was convinced to perform when if in Taguig I would not care about it and just be one of the audience. So up to today, 3 days has gone, and yet I still get teased by my Taguig friends, my batchmates and Sir Sundy. I really want to hear the end of that... waaaahhhh!!!

But I so loved my hair (thanks Maits for going thru agony just to curl my thick mane) that night and my make-up...I did my own smoky eyes!!! Weeehhh!!!!