Live Life to the Fullest

Few days to go... God bless us all.

2011-12-26T17:26:00.002+08:00

2011-10-17T01:49:00.001+08:00

I'll be more active there...

7 Days

2011-10-12T21:56:00.000+08:00

Blogged at 1PM using Notepad.

I've been sitting here for the last 4 hours doing nothing, and I guess I'm gonna do the same thing for the next 5 hours... so instead of reading all the articles in Yahoo!, I thought of writing this so I can at least update my blog. I guess the last time I posted a blog was 3 months ago.

The last 2 months were actually two of the greatest months of the year for me, so far.

August

regularized from work
had a traumatic car accident involving a ten-wheeler truck and cab, and learned to appreciate every single thing in life
done with Parish Renewal Experience Class 55 ─ a new class that would spread the Word of God
HSBC Credit Card application was approved
attended trainings on First Aid and Disaster Preparedness conducted by Marikina Rescue 161
[in relation to the previous bullet] experienced an interview with Sunshine TV Channel 39 journalist which would be aired on TV (though I wasn't able to watch it)

September

got an Above Average grade in Performation Evaluation and signed my one-year contract with E-Com
received and activated my HSBC Credit Card (named it Reddy)
went to Boracay with boyfriend and friends
Baby Abu was born
purchased Tracy, my new baby (Nokia C3-01) using Reddy
first onsite support #work
Eco-DMT's 16th anniversary

I started my birthday month (October) doing one of the items on my wishlist:

~~11. Volunteer at a nursing home.~~

Last Sunday, The Medical City had a blood donation activity in our parish. I was also supposed to check another item on my list...

12. Donate blood.

...but the doctor who checked me up told me I passed the weigh-in but still rejected me because of colds. :(

7 days to go before my 23rd birthday. There's nothing extraordinary I'm expecting to happen on that day, but I'm excited. I don't know why. Maybe because God has given me another chance to show my love to my family and friends, help more people in need, make new experiences/adventures, make mistakes and learn from it. That's how He wants us to live life, if I'm not mistaken.

74 days to go before Christmas! I already made a list of lucky people who will receive little gifts from me on Christmas Day. So who's not excited??? :)) Well, I am actually because after my college graduation, this will be the first Christmas that I'll be spending the whole day with my loved ones without having to worry about going to work at night :D It feels awesome!

Aside from Bianca Gonzales' blog, I've recently been addicted to Marc and Angel Hack Life. I came across this page when a friend of mine posted something on Facebook about one of their posts. You'll see posts about life, happiness, relationships, self-improvement and inspiration, which I really, really love to read. Go check this page and be inspired!

I just had Ham and Egg and Cheese sandwich prepared by my mom for my PM Snack. 3 more hours to go and I'm off to the sports center with my dance workout buddy, Sophia :)

PS: I missed blogging... :')

First Weekend of August

2011-08-07T22:30:00.001+08:00

Friday... I was excited for weekend. I didn't know why. Haha. I was supposed to go to Banchetto with my college buddies but a dad one of them died so we decided to reschedule it. Again. Because of that, I just had a date with my boyfriend... strolled at the mall, had dinner at Chef d' Angelo, had some chitchats as if we never talked the whole week, highschool stuff, you know. Haha. We went home at 9PM but he stayed til around 1AM. Sleep deprivation? Never mind.<3

Well, maybe I'm blogging now because I just want to share how productive I was this weekend. :D I made a "weekend to-do list" on Friday night. Actually, I really had a lot of things to do so I had to write it down.

~~Gising ng 7AM.~~ Alam mo ung feeling na gustong-gusto mo pa matulog hanggang 12 dahil sa bed weather pero dahil nasanay ka na gumising nang maaga, maaga ka na rin nagigising kahit hindi naman kelangan... Ugh.
Abot tarp ke Za at 8. She wasn't able to pick it up because she woke up late.
~~Linis ng bahay.~~ Couldn't go back to sleep anymore so I decided to clean our messy house whenever my dad's home. Plus, they went to Quezon so noone would do it. Hehe. It felt great. I missed cleaning the house! <3
~~Punta sa burol.~~ One of my college buddies' dad died from heart attack so we went to the wake at Sanctuarium. It's sad to see this very nice guy lying on that casket... and really, he was nice that he even let us have a mini reunion on his wake. Not a good venue, but at least. :DDD Well, I'm still sending my condolences to the family... BTW, on my home, I made a good deed. Sabi ni lolo na nakasabay ko sa shed, ipara ko raw sya ng jeep kase di nya raw makita... Patay, mali yata ng napakiusapan si lolo, malabo rin mata ko... >.< Buti na lang luminaw nung me dumaang jeep at naalalayan ko pa sya sa pagsakay... It was really simple but it made me a happy that I was able to help someone who actually needs help. :)
~~PPT presentation.~~ Eco-DMT's Membership Committee asked for a favor... They wanted me to make a Powerpoint presentation for membership orientation. So I did. That's how nice I am.
~~Registration materials.~~ During the meeting.
~~Officers' meeting.~~ Talked about our upcoming activities. A lot. Hope God guides us...
~~Babe.~~ It was unexpected. Well, honestly, I expected. Hehe. After his photoshoot, we were supposed to have dinner at Qizia but the rain poured so hard that it didn't let us leave the house.
Idlip. No, I slept.
~~BP Operation.~~ So I was late. I arrived at 9AM. Call time was 7AM. Great, huh? :|
~~Preregistration.~~ Was able to get one candidate. Big help, it is.
~~PREx meeting.~~ I scheduled it at 1PM but I was there at 2PM. I'm really great with time, schedules, appointments, anything related to time... Hahaha.
~~Family picture.~~ After 10 years, we had a formal family picture taken. No more Dora looks and high socks for me. I wore corporate attire since my dad was wearing his military suit. Couldn't afford to wear flats. :s
~~Holy Mass.~~ Always on the list every Sunday =)
~~PAGIBIG.~~ Our HR peeps asked us to register online. I did. I'm just wondering why it didn't ask for my monthly income but it showed 0.00 on the printed form. Weird.
Tulog. So this is what I'm gonna do now. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep... zzzZzzzZz

It's Monday again tomorrow! Time flies soooo fast! I'm looking forward to Tuesday! It's our Pay Day. Hmm... Nah, I need to save up. :D

Last status for the day: Ang saraaaap sarap sarap sarap sarap sarap magshopping!!! :) ♥
Four shopaholics already "Liked" it. I know I'm gonna get more Likers by tomorrow. Hahahaha! :)))

GOOD NIGHT.ü

Closing Cycles by Paulo Coelho

2011-07-31T21:25:00.008+08:00

One always has to know when a stage comes to an end. If we insist on staying longer than the necessary time, we lose the happiness and the meaning of the other stages we have to go through. Closing cycles, shutting doors, ending chapters – whatever name we give it, what matters is to leave in the past the moments of life that have finished. Did you lose your job? Has a loving relationship come to an end? Did you leave your parents’ house? Gone to live abroad? Has a long-lasting friendship ended all of a sudden? You can spend a long time wondering why this has happened. You can tell yourself you won’t take another step until you find out why certain things that were so important and so solid in your life have turned into dust, just like that. But such an attitude will be awfully stressing for everyone involved: your parents, your husband or wife, your friends, your children, your sister, everyone will be finishing chapters, turning over new leaves, getting on with life, and they will all feel bad seeing you at a standstill. None of us can be in the present and the past at the same time, not even when we try to understand the things that happen to us. What has passed will not return: we cannot forever be children, late adolescents, sons that feel guilt or rancor towards our parents, lovers who day and night relive an affair with someone who has gone away and has not the least intention of coming back. Things pass, and the best we can do is to let them really go away. That is why it is so important (however painful it may be!) to destroy souvenirs, move, give lots of things away to orphanages, sell or donate the books you have at home. Everything in this visible world is a manifestation of the invisible world, of what is going on in our hearts – and getting rid of certain memories also means making some room for other memories to take their place. Let things go. Release them. Detach yourself from them. Nobody plays this life with marked cards, so sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. Do not expect anything in return, do not expect your efforts to be appreciated, your genius to be discovered, your love to be understood. Stop turning on your emotional television to watch the same program over and over again, the one that shows how much you suffered from a certain loss: that is only poisoning you, nothing else. Nothing is more dangerous than not accepting love relationships that are broken off, work that is promised but there is no starting date, decisions that are always put off waiting for the “ideal moment.” Before a new chapter is begun, the old one has to be finished: tell yourself that what has passed will never come back. Remember that there was a time when you could live without that thing or that person – nothing is irreplaceable, a habit is not a need. This may sound so obvious, it may even be difficult, but it is very important. Closing cycles. Not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but simply because that no longer fits your life. Shut the door, change the record, clean the house, shake off the dust. Stop being who you were, and change into who you are.

Does it really matter?

2011-07-22T10:36:00.002+08:00

Sometimes, the world itself gives me the reason to keep my mouth shut... just like the way I used to... You know, it has never been my intention to hurt anybody... But that's when maturity comes. I thank Him for constantly giving me a heart that can understand that not everyone can actually understand my purpose.

Thank God not just on Friday but everyday.

Good morning :)

Midweek

2011-07-20T17:41:00.005+08:00

My mom sent me a text message earlier about this condominium that her agent friend is selling. Actually, on Saturday, she wants me to go to this Open House in Tropicana Garden City to see the condominiums which are being sold at pre-selling prices: Studio type, 1BR, 2BR, no downpayment, zero interest, P15,000 reservation fee and monthly fee for as low as P6,000. Does she know what she's talking about?

I felt the pressure. I think she already wants me to settle down. The problem is, I myself, don't have the concrete plans for it yet. Yes, I want to have my own house/condominium but I don't think I can already get it at this age, at this salary rate, at this mindset.

My last weekend didn't turn out that fine for me. But Monday was awesome. It was my boyfriend's birthday and at exactly 12MN, I surprised him with a red rose, a Black Forest cake with 3 candles (may mean I love you, hihi) and this:

At least I made one soul happy on his 26th year of existence. :) I'd like to thank all my friends and his friends who helped me made it possible by sending out their birthday messages.

It's Wednesday. Time flies so fast. We will have a lecture meeting on Satruday so my schedule for the whole week is 9AM-6PM. I love this schedule because I haven't been late since Monday. Hehe. BTW, last Monday, I brokenheartedly signed on my DTR. Why "brokenheartedly"? I was just late for 41 minutes last cutoff. Good job, right? :)) Promised to myself I will never be late again. Else, I gotta go and look for another job. Hahaha.

Anyway, since I've got nothing to do, I browsed the SM Cinema page and now, I'm looking forward to watching any of these movies:

Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon
Bridesmaids
Monte Carlo
Prom
Something Borrowed
Bad Teacher
Crazy Stupid Love
Friends with Benefits
Horrible Bosses
One Day
What's Your Number?
Larry Crowne

My boyfriend doesn't want to watch Transformers 3 and some of my movie buddies have already watched it so I'm still thinking if I'll watch it or not. I'm not a fan of Harry Potter so I didn't include it on the list, although many people, who are not fans of HP as well, loved it.

I'm excited for the Pay-Day weekend. Well, aside from the meetings, I'm thinking of going to Moonleaf Tea Shop in Maginhawa to get some Wintermelon Tea, to Starbucks with 2 of my friends to talk about some stuff, to Bioessence to have a facial treatment and to the mall to buy some new clothes─it's been a while. Hehe. Or maybe I can just stay home and save my money. Hahaha! :))

I hope my mom cooks good food and makes Graham Cake this weekend.<3

It my boyfriend and I's 31st monthsary tomorrow, the 21st. #justsaying

I'm about to go home n 30 minutes. I want to go to the sports park and do the dance workout but my mom asks me to pick her up at SM Marikina. Great.

The Lazy Song

2011-07-09T12:10:00.010+08:00

Why do I feel so lazyyyy today? I remember I only heard The Lazy Song once. Tsk...

I was actually hoping for a happy weekend since Monday but look what I've got... The rain poured last night. There was heavy traffic everywhere. I was about to watch Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon with my friends but it didn't happen. Phbbbt.

Today, I am planning to go to Hidalgo with my boyfriend to check some stuff for Raket (his cam). Hopefully we can get this "Reverse Ring" or other accessories so I don't have to worry about my birthday gift for him anymore. Hehe. Tonight, I'll see my high school classmates─some sort of "mini high school reunion" after 6 years. It'll just be at Gerry's Grill Marquinton so it's just one ride from my place. I have no plans of bringing Jetty with me because I can foresee that I'd be lazy to drive. Hihi.

Tomorrow's going to be another long day... In the morning, I'll go to our regular BP Operation. Then, I'll attend the PREx meeting in the afternoon. At night, I'll be attending a Thanksgiving Dinner for my friend who just graduated Dentistry and passed board exams. So basically, she's a dentist now. Prolly, I'll hear the last mass in the morning...

Hoping that the sun will cooperate with me. It's not that I hate rainy days, I just don't like to get wet when I have to go out. Still, somehow, I can find happiness when it rains. :')

Looking forward to some chocolate cake or banoffee pie tonight...♥

I'd like to greet some of my friends a Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday! They know who they are :D

I actually missed blogging so hopefully I can do this everyday. Hehe. But you can see me often on Twitter.ü

PS: My mom's Nilagang Baka completes my day <3

♫♪ Now playing on my list:

Pretty Girl Rock
Party Rock Anthem
The Man Who Can't Be Moved
On The Floor
Meet Me Halfway
Dancing in the Moonlight
Dirty Dancer

Live or Work

2011-05-26T12:22:00.002+08:00

Father was a hardworking man who delivered bread as a living to support his wife and three children. He spent all his evenings after work attending classes, hoping to improve himself so that he could one day find a better paying job. Except for Sundays, Father hardly ate a meal together with his family. He worked and studied very hard because he wanted to provide his family with the best money could buy.

Whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. But he often yearned to spend more time with his family.

The day came when the examination results were announced. To his joy, Father passed, and with distinctions too! Soon after, he was offered a good job as a senior supervisor which paid handsomely.

Like a dream come true, Father could now afford to provide his family with life's little luxuries like nice clothing, fine food and vacation abroad.

However, the family still did not get to see father for most of the week. He continued to work very hard, hoping to be promoted to the position of manager. In fact, to make himself a worthily candidate for the promotion, he enrolled for another course in the open university.

Again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. But he often yearned to spend more time with his family.

Father's hard work paid off and he was promoted. Jubilantly, he decided to hire a maid to relieve his wife from her domestic tasks. He also felt that their three-room flat was no longer big enough, it would be nice for his family to be ablt to enjoy the facilities and comfort of a condominium. Having experienced the rewards of his hard work many times before, Father resolved to further his studies and work at being promoted again. The family still did not get to see much of him. In fact, sometimes Father had to work on Sundays entertaining clients. Again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. But he often yearned to spend more time with his family.

As expected, Father's hard work paid off again and he bought a beautiful condominium overlooking the coast of Singapore. On the first Sunday evening at their new home, Father declared to his family that he decided not to take anymore courses or pursue any more promotions. From then on he was going to devote more time to his family.

Father did not wake up the next day.

Miracle of a Brother's Song

2011-04-24T20:50:00.001+08:00

I just got home from the church and heard the Easter Sunday Mass. I'm going to share this story that was told by Bishop as part of his homily...

Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling. They found out that the new baby was going be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Michael sang to his s sister in Mommy's tummy. He was building a bond of love with his little sister before he even met her.

The pregnancy progressed normally for Karen, an active member of the the Creek United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee. In time, the labor pains came. Soon it was every five minutes, every three, every minute. But serious complications arose during delivery and Karen found herself in hours of labor. Would a C-section be required?

Finally, after a long struggle, Michael's little sister was born. But she was in very serious condition. With a siren howling in the night, the ambulance rushed the infant to the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Mary's Hospital, Knoxville, Tennessee.

The days inched by. The little girl got worse. The pediatrician had to tell the parents there is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst. Karen and her husband contacted a local cemetery about a burial plot. They had fixed up a special room in their house for t heir new baby they found themselves having to plan for a funeral. Michael, however, kept begging his parents to let him se his sister. I want to sing to her, he kept saying. Week two in intensive care looked as if a funeral would come before the week was over. Michael kept nagging about singing to his sister, but kids are never allowed in Intensive Care. Karen decided to take Michael whether they liked it or not. If he didn't see his sister right then, he may never see her alive. She dressed him in an oversized scrub suit and marched him into ICU. He looked like a walking laundry basket. The head nurse recognized him as a child and bellowed, " Get that kid out of here now. No children are allowed." The mother rose up strong in Karen, and the usually mild-mannered lady glared steel-eyed right into the head nurse's face, her lips a firm line. He is not leaving until he sings to his sister" she stated. Then Karen towed Michael to his sister's bedside. He gazed at the tiny infant losing the battle to live. After a moment, he began tossing. In the pure-hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sang: "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray." Instantly the baby girl seemed to respond. The pulse rate began to calm down and become steady. "Keep on singing, Michael," encouraged Karen with tears in her eyes. "You never know, dear, how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away. "As Michael sang to his sister, the baby's ragged, strained breathing became as smooth as a kitten's purr. "Keep on singing, sweetheart."

"The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms". Michael's little sister began to relax as rest, healing rest, seemed to sweep over her. "Keep singing, Michael." Tears had now conquered the face of the bossy head nurse. Karen glowed. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please don't take my sunshine away..."

The next, day...the very next day...the little girl was well enough to go home. Woman's Day Magazine called it The Miracle of a Brother's Song. The medical staff just called it a miracle. Karen called it a miracle of God's love.

Never give up on the people you love. Love is so incredibly powerful. To the world you may be one person but to one person you may be the world.

Source: http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/b/brotherssong.htm

Happy Easter everyone!!! :)

A Lenten Reflection

2011-04-19T13:38:00.003+08:00

I just want to share this with you during this Lenten season...

A Lenten Reflection
Give up complaining ─ focus on gratitude.
Give up pessimism ─ become an optimist.
Give up harsh judgments ─ think kindly thoughts.
Give up worry ─ trust Divine Providence.
Give up discouragement ─ be full of hope.
Give up bitterness ─ turn to forgiveness.
Give up hatred ─ return good for evil.
Give up negativism ─ be positive.
Give up anger ─ be more patient.
Give up pettiness ─ become mature.
Give up gloom ─ enjoy the beauty that is all around you.
Give up jealousy ─ pray for trust.
Give up gossiping ─ control your tongue.
Give up sin ─ turn to virtue.
Give up giving up ─ hang in there!

It may not be easy, but we can try... We still have a few hours of this day and the rest of our lives to reflect... Have a blessed week ahead!

Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping.

2011-04-14T22:16:00.000+08:00

I never knew how to handle money right. But I guess this is the best time for me to save what I'm earning. I'm almost 23 and I have set a goal to be able to get everything I want by 30. May sound simple yet seem so complicated (or, impossible is the right term?).

Shopping here and there. It makes me happy. Really happy. Retail therapy is something only women would need. It's something that cannot be replaced by watching a Brad-Pitt movie (unless you're really a fan) or eating at your favorite restaurant (shopping makes you forget hunger ─ trust me!). But I learned that it's still different when you have something to use, let's say, in case of emergency. The blouse and skirt you bought cannot be made as a payment to the hospital bill, or something. Makes sense?

Well here, just save something for your, what everyone calls, future. 50% may not be much. I guess you can still enjoy life with the other 50%.

That's all folks! It's past 10. Good night~ ü

Even the smallest lie could ruin up the biggest trust one could give to a loved one.

2011-04-12T21:15:00.001+08:00

Trust noun \ˈtrəst\
─ assured reliance on the character, ability, strength or truth of someone or something

When this one's broken, it's so hard to earn it back.

I was hoping I could be productive tonight.

2011-04-12T21:08:00.000+08:00

I just changed my layout. Did you notice that? Well, I'm not really to brag about it because I just customized the templates that Blogger have. I. am. so. lazy. to. make. my. personalized. layout. Good thing I didn't promise to myself that I'd be doing it tonight until I fall asleep. Hihi.

Yea, I was actually trying to make it a vintage-inspired layout. I planned to make my own banner in Photoshop, but again, I. am. lazy.

Anypoo... It's already the 12th of April. Can you imagine how time flies so fast? I can't seem to follow the pace. But I really love how last weekend went.

I was a busy person back then.
Friday, April 8, 2011
─ Pay Day. Took the long queue to withdraw money.
─ Had dinner with family at King Bee Restaurant. Cost=3/10. Taste=5/10. Total=4/10 :&
─ Stayed up the whole night (okay fine, I slept for an hour or two ─ I needed to because I hadn't had a long sleep on Thursday night) to finish the audio-visual presentation for my boyfriend's client's birthday the next day. It's a sideline so I had to work hard for it to earn $$$ and trust from the client.

Saturday, April 9, 2011
─ Was supposed to process my exit clearance for my previous job but time didn't permit me ─ I had to reschedule it again next week.
─ Around 12NN when the file was successfully sent to the client. I had to use Yousendit since they're in Singapore, and almost died because my internet connection was intermittent that time, I had tried sending it a few times before it went through.
─ Drove to the airport - my dad was leaving for Zamboanga.
─ After sending him to the airport, the three of us (my mom, my younger brother and I) went to Greenhills to have their phones repaired and to eat at Slammer Burgers. I didn't shop for anything. I had to control myself because my money was already budgeted for much more important things and I'd like to congratulate myself for it. We left GH around 5:30PM and went straight home.
─ "Buntis" was craving for McDonald's Hot Fudge Sundae (since Thursday actually) so we indulged ourselves with it and some kwentos.
─ We only stayed there until 9PM because I had to go to the church to help my other org-mates in sanitizing the rooms for the Medical Mission.
─ Went home around 12:30AM and encoded the medicines for doctor's copy. Slept around 2AM.

Sunday, April 10, 2011
─ Woke up at 5AM because I needed to check my boss' email so I could forward it to the person who'd be doing the certificates for the nurses.
─ Left home at around 7AM for the Medical Mission/BP Operation.
─ Jetty was robbed. The stereo was lost :(((
─ PREx picture-taking (I'm not even a part of PREx and I was there just because a car was parked infront of Jetty. Ugh)
─ Went to McDonald's with church friends
─ Went back to OLA to clean the rooms that were used in Medical Mission. Stayed there until 5:30PM.
─ Heard the last Sunday Mass at 8PM.
─ Slept for 8 hours. The feeling was great :')

I felt I was so productive. I wish I could have another productive weekends! :D

Your name is not an accident of fate.

2011-04-06T12:59:00.001+08:00

ANGELA - You are adventurous with a tendency to be foolhardy. You are aggressive and definitely have leadership abilities. You can handle details well. You have a methodical mind. You are a hard worker when you make up your mind to do a job. You can be quite inventive and quite curious. You have a diplomatic flair to your nature. Equality and fairness are important to you. You have much enthusiasm with a driving attitude toward achievement in life.

SOLIS - Status is important to you and your ability to achieve success and earn money. You have a need to be noticed and seek status. You have a diplomatic flair to your nature. Equality and fairness are important to you. You are relatively demonstrative in your affections. You enjoy being stroked verbally and physically. You try to be prudent. You have good business acumen.

SOLOMON - You have a diplomatic flair to your nature. Equality and fairness are important to you. You enjoy socializing and entertaining. You have a great deal of loyalty to those you love. You have much inner strength. You tend to be private and secretive. You are always involved with projects and things to do. You must be careful to mother and not smother your loved ones. You need to learn flexibility. You tend to be private and secretive. You can handle details well. You have a methodical mind. You can go to extremes in all you do.

Source.

Exactly two years ago, I came up to the PICC stage to get my college diploma.

2011-03-28T16:54:00.000+08:00

"Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life." ~ Confucius

March 28, 2009. The day my parents and I had waited for... I wore my black toga, waited for my name to be called, came up to the stage and received my diploma. Finally, I graduated from college.

Before I start this, I'd like my parents to know how thankful I am for their undying support from the day that I was born until now that I'm already starting to live my own life. Without them, getting what I have right now would not be possible.

1994-2001 Prep to 6th Grade (Roosevelt College Sumulong)
2001-2005 1st to 4th Year High School (Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College)
2005-2009 1st to 4th Year College (University of Santo Tomas)

I was in the star section from Prep to Grade 6. I didn't get honors but I can say that I was really good at school. I did my own homeworks and never copied from my seatmates. Computer, Math and Science were my favorite subjects. I was always late even if my house was just a few steps away. I never had any grade lower than 80-85%. I hated GMRC when I failed one of my homeworks that my dad taught me. I used to wear knee-high socks. I learned to go to home at night just to play 10-20. I loved our sung-by-Leah-Salonga graduation song. I was a Loyalty Awardee. I wanted to be a class officer but wasn't that lucky to get any position.

My parents allowed to choose the school where I wanted to study after I graduated from elementary. I chose OLOPSC simple because of the castle in the facade and the long-sleeved uniform, I felt like a girl. Haha. I was so happy when I got qualified, and was even told that my general average was way higher than they expected. I assumed I'd still be in the star section but I never was. Classes started in the morning until the afternoon. I had to climb the stairs up to the 4th floor just to attend my classes. I followed my old dream to be a scientist and joined the Science Club. I joined intersection/interlevel dance and cheering competitions. I got the first place in a Spelling Bee and was never recognized. Basic Math, Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus were my babies. Math quiz bees would not be possible without my presence. I had a child with my 2nd year high school classmate (during our Biology class). I learned how to cheat in History. I didn't like my CVE teachers. I hated my Accounting teacher when she embarassed me to the whole class while eating choco crinkles. I experienced a military-like life with my 4th-year-high-school adviser. I got a grade of 79 in Engligh 3 and became the saddest student in the world. I didn't cry during the graduation ceremony until I realized I wouldn't be in the same school with my best friends anymore. High school was fun. Really fun.

I wanted to study in Ateneo de Manila University for college. My dad supported me. But I backed out. I realized I still have a little brother who would be studying in elementary, high school and later on, college. I chose to study at the second school on my list: UST. It's where my mom graduated with a four-year degree in Chemistry. I was supposed to take Computer Engineering but there's none there. I preferred Computer Science than Information Technology. I wanted to wear white uniform and go to the Main Building and everything was a dream. I wore the gray janitor-like uniform and stayed in the old full-of-ghosts building along Espana-Lacson. I knew how to ride the LRT. I ate in carinderias. I became a member of Information and Computer Organization and was offered but declined the Secretary position of the Computer Science Society, planned to join one of the committees of the Engineering Student Council, was a deputy member of the Engineering COMELEC and soon became the ICS Chairman and Publicity Information Officer, was a deputy member of TomasinoWeb where I was able to use DSLR for the first time. Grades were seen online. I failed my first programming lab subject. I had one summer class in second year. Multimedia Technologies was one of my most favorite subjects. I always had a feeling of "I will fail" since second year. I planned to shift to Nursing but didn't push it through. I almost had nervous breakdown for a million times. I thought I wouldn't graduate on time. I loved Calculus, Statistics and Physics teachers but never the subjects. We re-defensed our thesis for 3 times. I had my internship at UST Data Center. I didn't actually love programming. I didn't know how I passed my Assembly Language subject. I learned to cut minor classes just to finish a project in a major class. I had a day where it started at 7AM and ended at 9PM. I had seen how UST wasted our tuition fees for an extravagant fireworks display for 4 years. I had so much to tell. I learned a lot of things in college in preparation for the reality.

The ideal job for me:

wearing business attire
a company located somewhere in Ayala, Ortigas, Eastwood
salary range of P20,000-30,000

I never thought that life outside school would be this hard. Earning money and getting the job you really like were never as easy as how I thought of it when I was still in elementary... After a few months of going to job fairs, undergoing interviews, walking in to different companies in Makati and Quezon City, I ended up being a call center agent. I couldn't take it anymore. I didn't want to stay at home and wait for someone from HR of the company where I passed my resume to call me and schedule me for another interview. I got this job in a one-day process. But honestly, no matter how lucky I was with the salary, I never felt the fulfilment. I was never happy with the work schedule, though traffic wasn't in my vocabulary that time. I got to give help and receive Fuck You's and Bullshit's in return from Americans I didn't even see. I decided to resign when I got rejected by this company in Eastwood because I wouldn't be available by the time that they would be needing me, and when I got hospitalized due to acute gastroenteritis.

I stopped working for 5 months. Waiting for the right opportunity for me. I didn't know how I survived. I was never lucky. Again. I applied for another call center agent position and got hired in 2 hours. It was easier because the office was just 5 minutes away from our house. Still the same feeling: not fulfilled.

My classmate in college offered me a job and I took the risk of transferring to this company where I am working now even though I had opportunities to get promoted in the call center where I worked for. Just read my previous blogs... I don't want to repeat myself.

"The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson."

In this life, you should be ready for any exam that God will be giving you. It may be easy; it may be hard. Whatever the result is, take it as a lesson. So the next time that you'll be getting the same challenges, you'll know what to do.

Happy 2nd Anniversary, Batch 2009! :)
And Congratulations to Batch 2011!

21 more minutes before lunch ends.

2011-03-25T13:15:00.000+08:00

Hi.

I keep on reading blogs posted by Henzel and Ayiene then I realized I haven't posted any decent blog yet since this month started. Yesterday, I signed up in Nuffnang without a big idea of what I'm gonna get there. I'm so desperate to get another source of income. I just thought it might help. :)

This past two weeks are a blast. Well, a lot of things happened. I can tell a story if you like.

Last week, I got the chance to have a couple of dinner dates with XDW1. Kopi Roti on Tuesday and Banapple on Thursday. I've been craving for stuff from these restaurants since last month and great I was with them.<3

Last Saturday, I attended a lecture meeting at the office for the first time. I really learned a lot about our company and what it's really doing. I enjoyed the presentation and demos made by one of my big bosses. He's not cute, he's smart. I admire him. (Looking alike Gerald Anderson and Sam Milby is just a bonus. Hmm, a big bonus.) That's it. I enjoyed my boss. HAHAHAASDFGHJKL~

I also went to Hidalgo, Quiapo with my boyfriend. He bought his very first DSLR2 that he's been dreaming of, just like that. Haha. He named it "Raket3". (We're fond of giving names to our stuff.) We went through traffic, Manila policemen, lost ways, late lunch, etc. He was even charged for Swerving. We got him through "good conversation". Hehehe. We left Hidalgo around 4PM and went to SM Marikina to stroll. Around 7PM when we decided to leave and reached OLA past 8PM. (I attended my organization's general meeting after we went there.) Traffic was like hell.Two stupid cars banged each other. Err.

Sunday was supposed to be Eco-DMT day but I was able to meet my ex-colleagues, as well. I went to our office and had breakfast at McDonald's. We had shared so much stories, laughters, intrigues and hatreds. Hahaha. I really enjoyed it even if time wasn't really our very best friend. One of our major projects was ongoing and they had work at night. Anyway, it was still great. I missed these girls. :')

March 21. Monday. Back to work. GVs for this day. It was my boyfriend and I's 27 month together. And I almost forgot that it was also my first month at my new work. I've learned a lot and been learning a lot more.<3

March 22. Tuesday. We were booked for Boracay trip! Promo of SEAIR, Cebu Pacific, PAL and Air Philippines. Total two-way fare is 1,750Php. I think it's not bad anymore. Bora white sand will have to wait for us on September 3-5. There were some issues with the booking but everything went fine. I. am. so. excited. I. can't. wait.Ü At night, I was kidnapped. Had Chocolate-dipped Doughnut and Mocha Frappuccino at Starbucks with XDWs + another friend. :)

March 23. Wednesday. Got my second salary. Teehee. After budgetting, I realized nothing's left for shopping. I had to set aside something for the Bora trip fare and Anawangin trip transpo payment. I. cannot. contain. my. excitement!!!

March 24. Thursday. Nothing new really happened. I just got my PhilHealth ID number over the phone. You can try it, too. The call center representative was very nice. Hehe.

March 25. Friday. I. am. going. to. be. a. songer. Haha. I'll try to beat Leann Rimes. :D

Time's up!

1 Two of my church friends, Ron and Dimple.
2 The sturdy, bulky and heavy Nikon D7000
3 Short for Rocketeer

I Can Give You Up

2011-03-24T22:00:00.001+08:00

I deactivated my Facebook account. Can you deal with it? I dealt with it.

Facebook has occupied a big part of my life. I don't know how long I can keep it this way...

Ayokong masanay sa mga bagay na pwede namang wala sa buhay ko.

- Bob Ong

End of the World?

2011-03-11T17:46:00.004+08:00

Sendai, Japan just got hit by earthquake with 8.9 magnitude around 2PM on March 11, 2011. About 20 minutes ago, Samar, Philippines felt the "after shock" with a magnitude of 6.3.

Instead of being afraid and all panicky, we should make sure we are ready should an earthquake happen. And for those who are located at fault line or near the said fault line make sure to leave the place as soon as possible, it is much better to avoid as early as possible than to wait for the disaster to happen.
Here are some earthquake safety tips to remember.
What to do – Before the Earthquake

Arrange your home for safety: Store heavy objects on lower shelves and store breakable objects in cabinets with latched doors. Don't hang heavy mirrors or pictures above where people frequently sit or sleep.
Store flammable liquids away from potential ignition sources.
Stock up on emergency supplies. These include: battery operated radio (and extra batteries), flashlights (and extra batteries), first aid kit, bottled water, two weeks food and medical supplies, blankets, cooking fuel, tools needed to turn off your gas, water and electric utilities.
Learn what to do during an earthquake (see During the Earthquake)

What to do – During the Earthquake

If outdoors, move to an open area where falling objects are unlikely to strike you.
If driving, slow down smoothly and stop on the side of the road. Avoid stopping on or under bridges and overpasses, or under power lines, trees and large signs.
If indoors, quickly move to a safe location in the room such as under a strong desk, a strong table, or along an interior wall. The goal is to protect yourself from falling objects and be located near the structural strong points of the room.

What to do – After the Earthquake

Check for injuries and attend to people who may need help.
If the power is out, unplug appliances to prevent possible damage when the power is turned back on.
If you smell or hear a gas leak, get everyone outside and open windows and doors. If you can do it safely, turn off the gas at the meter.
If the building is badly damaged, evacuate immediately.

The only powerful thing we can do is to pray it won't happen.

Mosquito, este Mojitos

2011-03-06T23:47:00.002+08:00

Ruth, Chad, Ian, Ron with the Mosquito, Jeys, Jep at Ron's Mansion (roof deck)

These people made me feel lazy of going to work tomorrow. I would still want to stay but I didn't want to torture myself. Haha. Didn't even taste Mojitos. Til we meet again. :)

...I just missed them. That's it.☺

Back to the Blog World

2011-03-05T13:54:00.000+08:00

The last blog I posted was almost a month ago. I realize I have to write something. March already started. I know I have lots of stories to tell.

Let me tell you, things happen.

Recently, I left my call center life. Yes, I finally got an IT-related job. I work for this company in Ortigas as a Customer Support Consultant. I've been dealing with cases (or tickets), document checking, programs (and you know how much I hate programming), systems (that I need to learn so I can support, haha), networking (servers, hubs, connection, nodes, etc.), everything about IT. Kind of nose-bleeding for now, but I know I'll get used to it (again). I've been there for 2 weeks now. (~~Stressful~~ week 3 starts on Monday.) A total adjustment, it is. From waking up early in the morning to traveling to and from Ortigas to going back to IT world I thought I already forgot to having weekends off to having regular work hours to sleeping early in the evening to having time with my social responsibility again. It's a great thing. I mean, it's everything I ever dreamed of when I was still studying in college (though it's not what I really wanted, I actually want web designing/developing but for now, this will do). I waited for almost two years. Thank you for this opportunity - lessons I learned in Computer Science were about to purge (I was about to purge it, hehe). Well, I don't know if this is really it for me, but so far, I am happy. I'll seize it.

---

Last night, I had a great night with my NCO friends. It was their off yesterday and I don't have work on Saturday. I came with my boyfriend and it was actually the first time that I officially introduce him to them. We met at the Araneta Center around 7:30PM. I went there straight from work. We stayed there until around 9PM and went to Metrowalk since Banchetto opens at 12MN. Had some Sting Ray by Marina's. It tasted like juice. I didn't feel the alcohol much. :D Gig. Kwento. Kwento. Kwento. Tawa. Around 1:30AM when we decided to have dinner-slash-midnight-snack in Banchetto. Hello, Roast Beef with Mushroom Gravy, mashed potato, chocolate moist cake and leche flan.☺ I missed my buddies and definitely will miss them again! Looking forward to another "team building" at Flaming Wings and Drew's. Yihaaaa! :)

It's Saturday. I want to spend the day with the people I love: boyfriend, church friends, family...♥

I have lots of thoughts in mind. Follow me on Twitter. :)

Have a great weekend!

PS: I'll change my layout soon. :)

Last Night

2011-02-16T20:31:00.001+08:00

I attempted to post a blog several times but haven't posted anything yet. Well, at least I attempted.

It's my last night at work... and I don't feel like going to work tonight. I want to dial the Workforce number and request for eDay (valid absence / on-the-spot unpaid leave), but I guess I'd rather go to work - spend my last night at work with my teammates and hope it's not queuing. I might just go on eOut (early out) if it's available. You know what, I'll definitely miss eDay and eOut. It surely won't be available on my next job. Hahaha.

Team Patriots on our way to Tagaytay for our team building on February 10-11, 2011.

So it's really hard to leave these people that I got along with for more than 3 months. People from different kinds of world. People with different characteristics, personalities and attitudes that you'll hate and love at the same time. People who will me when I'm gone. Hehe.

Anyway... NCO is just a few steps away from my home. I know we may not be able to do things like how we do it now, but at least, it'll be easy for us to still see each other on my rest days. :)

I know they're happy for me. I'm still looking forward to being with them on team buildings. I still belong to Team Patriots, don't I? :D

Need to prepare myself for work. I think I'll be needing a no-more-tears formula. Hihi.

Will post a decent blog tomorrow when I'm not (feeling) busy anymore.ü

Because I slept...

2011-01-28T08:53:00.003+08:00

(I made this blog at 4AM using WordPad. Internet connection's fucked up.)

I just watched Beauty and the Briefcase (for the nth time) and realized I haven't posted any blog for a long time now.

Hello, evening. I'm still up. Slept at 7PM. Woke up at 1AM (well, 12:58). It's my rest day and I don't know why I still have a fucked up sleeping pattern. Yeah, I didn't have a good sleep yesterday. After shift, I checked my Facebook, took a nap for 2 hours, searched for a beach resort in Batangas and went to Greenhills with my mom. Yes, I spent money again for shopping... Something I thought I already got over with. Just bought some tops and "jeggings". I wish I could use all the money in my wallet... There are a lot of good stuff to buy there. I'm just saving it for my future (hmm, not really, it's for our team building, hehe). We also had the N95 phone given by my kuya repaired. And finally, my mom's a Sun subscriber. I don't have to use my Globe load to reply to her Smart texts. :D

I was about to go to Ortigas this morning to submit my preemployment requirements to the future company I'll be working for. Yes, finally, for after almost 2 years, I resigned from this call center world and started to sneak to the IT world. I applied for a Technical Support Consultant post at this IT company in Tektite. I had gone through 2 days of interview with my bosses and it was successful. It was great. The offer was great. The people are great. The considerations they gave are so great. And I know, the opportunites waiting for me are great, too. They are willing to wait for 30 days for me to formally start with them (I was asked to report on Feb 18th because I still have to render my resignation with my current job). After all that I've been through with this, I realized, if I weren't bangag at the time that I was interviewed in HP, I should've been working there for 8 months now. It was the same position, actually. Haay. This call center world really ruined my life. Hahaha! :s

It was so frustrating that I wasn't able to go to USTe for the Paskuhan 2010. So I promised to myself that I'd be coming for the countdown to 400 today, but it seems like UST doesn't want to see me anymore... It was just the other day when I knew that there's something going to happen tonight. There would be fireworks (thinking it's worth 400 million, because it's 400 years, haha). The lineup of the artists who would perform is definitely good... But I didn't know anyone to accompany me til the end of the program. They all have work the next day. Plus, I'll just look like a loser if I go there alone. Anyway, past is past. The 400th year celebration was successful without me, so why will I bother myself. I'm just proud to be a Thomasian. That won't change. :)

At work, I have 2 days to reach the goals for this month (January 30-31). I need to pull down my AHT to at least 4.45 mins, get no TPG monitors with defects, adhere to my schedule and go to work with enthusiasm. If I hit all the targets, I'll be able to get a non-taxable 3,000Php incentive next payout. That would be awesome. I have extra money before I leave this company and for our family's Baguio trip on Feb 18th (payout). So I must work hard for this. Hihi.

Time flies so fast... It's almost the end of the month! And I actually thought Christmas is already near because of the weather. I find it hard to wake up every night to go to work because of it. LOL. I so love it. It doesn't always happen, so seize the moment. Haha. If it's this cold here, what more in Baguio? I should've bought thigh-high boots and furry jackets.<3

I want coffee (at Starbucks Silver City), fries (at McDonald's) and menthol (outside the office) now. Tsk. It's 4:20AM. I'm still wide awake, and I guess, have no plans of sleeping until the sun rises. I don't even know where my kuya is right now. He's not in the other room. My mom and my little brother are going to prepare for school in an hour.

Do you know a beach resort in Batangas where a group of 17 people can stay at an affordable cost? My officemates and I will be having a team building on Feb 3rd (I guess this will be my despedida, haha), but the venue is not yet finalized. I suggested the Munting Buhangin Beach Camp Resort in Nasugbu, Batangas, like 45 minutes away from Tagaytay City (it was recommended by a friend who has been there a couple of times). It's affordable. The entrance fee is just $190/head, and nipa houses are only for $2,900 (4-10 pax). It has white sand and we can actually go on trekking. I haven't checked the other venues suggested by my teammates but I think I'll go with this (yeah, because I was the one who suggested it, hahaha). We're asking for a 3-hour meeting on our Saturday shift to finalize everything before Feb 3rd comes (hopefully WFM would be so generous, which I don't think they are, to grant our request, hihi).

On Friday night (technically it's already Friday so that would be tonight), Felice, CB, Laine (and I don't know the others) and I will make our stomachs full at Banchetto or Katipunan (Flaming Wings) or go clubbing at Timog (White Avenue, I don't know). It was CB's idea, I believe (or Felice, I don't know again). They said I won't be staying long with them anymore that's why they planned this. I said I won't die and will just be on the other village, they just laughed. Hehe. I'll surely miss these girls... :') We'll definitely make sure that this Friday night would be fun (PS: I wanted my boyfriend to come with me but they said he's not allowed. Crazy girls, haha).

Speaking of my boyfriend, last Friday (Feb 21st), we celebrated our 25th month together. I really had a great time. It's my gahddamn rest day. We met after his work, had our dinner at Burger King, watched the last full show of Green Hornett in SM Marikina, went straight to Antipolo afterwards, watched Pineapple Express and full-ed our stomach before sunrise at Banchetto. He sent me home at 5AM with smile on my face and kilig in my heart. That was reaaaally crazy. He's not used to staying up late. Hehe. Unfortunately, we didn't have pictures, but I think the moments we had are waaaay acceptable. :D I love this man. Being together for 25 months is not a joke. We've been through a lot but we've just started. I wish I could spend more months, years and lifetime with him. :')

My mom came back from Ilocos last Sunday with a windmill pasalubong for me. If you think it's simple, I was actually touched when she gave it to me. She said she remembered that I told her before I wanted it. Hehe. She also had one for my boyfriend. So sweet... :') It was really different without a mom at home. She left us for 4 days for this vacation with her friends (I encouraged her to come because I can completely sense that she's sooo stressed). When she came back, it's nice to know that someone welcomes me when I get home from work, prepares breakfast and dinner for me, sets aside the chores to have an early morning anything-under-the-sun conversation with me and waits for me to leave before she sleeps. I love her for being my mom and my best friend. No one can ever replace her.

I know how stressful life is, but I'm lucky because I have these people that still make this stressful life wonderful. Happiness is not having what you want but wanting and appreciating what you have.

Have a great weekend everyone!Ü

Goodbye, 2010. Hello, 2011!

2011-01-01T15:11:00.004+08:00

Never expect. Never assume.

Say Thanks to 2010 for all the good and bad experiences you had and say Hello to 2011 for more experiences to make you a better person.

Sorry.
Thank you.
I love you.

I wish you all the best and happiness in life.

Have a great 2011!ü

God bless. :)

<3

Wednesday the 15th

2010-12-15T08:52:00.000+08:00

There are some things I'm looking forward to this Wednesday:

Rest day at work
Christmas shopping with Mom in WTC Manila
~~Date with my boyfriend~~
First night of Simbang Gabi
Donations from Congressman Marcy Teodoro (for our Outreach Program)
10 days to go before Christmas

:) ♥