Both my ADB contracts will end November 30 but one of my officers allowed me to report only once a day every week. UP teaching job is also over for this sem. My house will be finished (hopefully) by end of October — I let the contractor do all the work and I just plan to visit it every other day to check.

Basically I am free most of the week so I’ve started again to look for other things to do. Last year when my contract with ADB ended, I was able to finish my thesis and obtained my MS degree (wheeee, after 7 years!), I helped Nanay to acquire the Faiview property, and put up a corporation with 2 colleagues.

I refrain myself from sending out my CV because the jobs I had for the past years made me accept that working in the corporate world is not my destiny. I am starting to feel a calling to apply my technical and practical experience to entrepreneurship. With the anticipated free time and the uncertainty of a new contract with ADB, I decided to embark on starting my own business.

STEP 1: Business Name Registration - everything is just a click of a button nowadays. For single proprietorship businesses, go to DTI’s website and for corporations, go to SEC’s website. The business registration guide of DOST’s Technology Resource Center is also very useful.

Update: I reserved the business name using DTI’s online facility. Immediately after submitting the required information, I got the confirmation email and list of required documents. The approval for the business name came after 3 days.

I can either go personally to DTI Makati or book for courier service. I opted for the courier sevice because the pick-up and delivery charge is only P180.00 pesos! All I needed to do was call (02) 855-8424 and Chino, the person-in-charge, will arrange for Air21 to do the rest. I called last Friday and as of writing time, the documents are yet to be picked-up. DTI registration, by the way is P300.00 pesos.

Next update: Barangay Clearance for the New Business

All alone in the moonlight
I can smile at the old days
I was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Let the memory live again

I lost my SE P1i today… still couldn’t figure out how it happened. 

It’s not losing the phone that bothers me but the fact that I lost it in a matter of minutes from leaving the confined and secured office area and going to the nearby mall where the car was parked. Did I lose it when I opened my bag for inspection? In front of Toy Kingdom? When I was on the escalator? Was somebody following me? Isn’t there a safe place anymore?

Still have the same number (SMART provided a replacement sim card) but the 5-month old unit was gone. So please be patientif you send me a message and I’d response with a “Who you?”. I just don’t have the energy to rebuild my phonebook.

The saved messages from family, friends and colleagues, weekly construction pictures of the house, study tour documentation, and many other things that are irreplaceable are now gone

But as they say, life goes on and there will be more memories to come. C’est la vie!

Daylight
I must wait for the sunrise
I must think of a new life
And I musn’t give in
When the dawn comes
Tonight will be a memory too
And a new day will begin

 

One of the things I love about my work is being able to travel in style and class (para daw baboy ihahanda sa fiesta, papatabain muna bago katayin).

(Click here to continue…)

Off to India in 3 days…

Have not packed yet. Madami pa naman oras. Besides, hindi ko pa din alam kung ano ang dadalhin klase ng damit. Limited wardrobe na nga dahil lumobo na ako ng husto, ang dami pang considerations — nandyan ang sobrang init ngayon doon (37 degC), formal na medyo informal (dahil sa mga ministro lang naman ang ka-meeting), travel ng travel (dami na agad warning about sa trains). Worried sa pera.

First stop will be in New Delhi. Ang average rate ng overnight sa isang hotel aabutin ng 11,000++ Indian Rupees (in Phil pesos, almost 11,500++). Yung sa akin, 13,000++ may luxury tax, hindi kasama ang airport transfer and wala breakfast yan. Ang babayaran 14,625 Indian Rupees (that is, $345.67 or Php15,208.08)! Stopover lang yan. Wala pang 8 oras ko hihigaan ang kama. Kung pwede nga lang sa airport na lang.

14 days @ 7,250++ Indian Rupees (Php7540) per night. Yan ang dapat ko pa bayaran for the next leg of the travel. Hindi kasama ang food dyan. Hindi kasama ang land travel. Hindi kasama ang laundry. Walang wifi. Sana naman may libre coffee at tea. Sana din may matinong bottled drinking water.

Walang choice. Ganyan talaga kamahal sa India. Hindi uubra ang powers nina Benjie and Friends.

Sana maging express ang tulong galing sa sundalo ng America. Sobrang good luck and best wishes talaga to me.

Thee may sound morbid but thy are instructions (family, friends, others) in case a similar fate befalls thee:

1. Thou shall not agree to any resettlement or waiver. Let the court decide the just and fair compensation;

2. Thou shall get the best lawyers for thee (c/o Cynthia’s siblings and Milette G.). The remuneration can be covered by item (1); and

3. Thou shall not endevour to retrieve thy body. Thee rather be entombed in the sea and than be retrieved whilst no person can agnize thy body.

Need magsipag. Need rumaket.

• Mahal na ng gasolina - ikain na lang sa Jollibee ng burger steak or ng spaghetti kaysa i-glug, glug, glug lang ng makina ng kotse. Ang MRT, fx, bus and jeep ang mga bago ko ka-tropa nagyon. Jologs na jologs nga lang ang dating ko and wala talaga ka-glamour glamour ang makipagsiksikan sa madlang people pero need and i-psyche na lang ang self that it’s going to be worth every centavo saved.

• Mahal ng school service ha - my golly, eh syempre parang system loss ng Meralco yan. Pass to the consumer ang cost ng gasoline. Sige, ayaw mag-school service? Baka naman mas malaki pa ang gastusin sa hospital pag nasagasaan sa pagtawid ang mga precious.

• Dysfunctional digestive system - laging gutom ang dalawang sundalo. Kulang pa daw na baon sa maghapon ang: 2 tinapay, 2 C2 500 mL, 1 bote mineral water, 1.5 tasa ng kanin at sangdamakmak na ulam. Kahit na kalde-kalderong kanin ang kinakain sa umaga at bandehadong meryenda ang kinakana pagdating sa hapon. Buti na lang andyan ang canteen ni nanay.

• Bahay-ng-kalapati-in-the-making - malapit na!!!!

• Ford Everest - yung kulay blue din. Pero makikisakay na lang ako kay Cynthia, mahal na din ang diesel hahahaha.

• Unang milyones sa edad y trienta’y singko - in english first million at the age of 35. CASH. In tagalog, kash. In USDollars (pero realistic ako kaya in pesos na lang). Yup, O*N*E M*I*L*L*I*O*N C*A*S*H. Not in term of properties or assets. Basta cash sa bank. At sympre dapat wala din utang o liabilities.

Eksena sa Umagang Kayganda this morning: meron silang segment sa show kung san they get poor people and kung ano ano makabagbag damdaming kwento at makalubag loob na background music. Ang siste, a celeb or an ABS-CBN talent will donate something to swap for money/goods na kailangan ng (exploited) poor people. Kanina, mag-asawa na may 6 na anak. Ang tatay nakiki-extra sa tricycle. Ang nanay ewan. Ang kwento ng buhay nila nakikihiram ng kaldero sa kapitbahay para makapag-luto sila. So kung hindi ipahiram, eh wah sila tsibog. To make it mas nakakaawa natangay pa ni Frank ang bahay nila. Ang hiling ng nanay, kaldero daw.

Ang iPod ni Korina Sanchez, kapalit ay kaldero. Syempre ang mga dupang na sponsors, kanya kanyang donations na "livelihood showcase" (eh hindi nga kaya pakainin ang mga dyunakis, mag-tinda pa kaya ng produktong wala naman nakakakilala?). Si Donita, donate ang tsinelas nya.

Ano ba?!?!

Ako lang ba ang hindi natutuwa?

Oo sige, may natutulungan ang show. Hindi "nagbibigay ng pera" kundi kabuhayan ang bigay nila. Pero naman, stop, look and listen. Ang laki-laki ng katawan ng tatay at haler, ang buhok ng nanay de-kulay. Atsaka wala sila makita trabaho? Ang laki ng katawan nila noh. Nakakaya nga nila gumawa ng sangkaterbang bata!

Eh bakit may nagtya-tyaga mag-walis sa EDSA, may traffic enforcers, at madami pang iba? Punta sila sa ilalim ng overpass sa QAve and EDSA, araw-araw may pa-training dun sa mga walang makitang trabaho.

Wala naman yumaman na instant. Kahit ang mga nanalo sa lotto at suwipistik, nagtyaga ang mga yan pumila (meron nga ba nanalo dito?). Si Manny Pacquiao, bago magkaroon ng milyon milyon yan katakot takot na bugbog ang inabot ng katawan at ulo nyan. Even Bill Gates, nagpuyat at nalipasan ng gutom yan bago naging milyonaryo. Madami na akong nasaksihan sa mga tauhan ng nanay ko. Hindi nakatapos ng pag-aaral ang karamihan pero pag nagpakita ng kasipagan, tyaga, maging honest and appreciative sa kahit na anong blessing, dadating ang panahon na makakaalwan din.

Mahirap ang buhay. Kahit sino (dollars man o peso ang sweldo) ang hirap ng buhay ngayon. Lahat ng pagtitipid gagawin para makaraos. Pero kung iaasa na lang sa swerte o sa ibang tao talagang wala mangyayari. Hindi masama mangarap. Yun na nga lang daw ang libre eh. Kaya lang dapat kumilos.

So bottomline… back to work. Neet to act for my first milyon in cash.

What Is Chemical Engineering? - Chemical engineering basically is applied chemistry. It is the branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction, and operation of machines and plants that perform chemical reactions to solve practical problems or make useful products.

What Is a Chemical Engineer? - Like all engineers, chemical engineers use math, physics, and economics to solve technical problems. The difference between chemical engineers and other types of engineers is that they apply a knowledge of chemistry in addition to other engineering disciplines. Chemical engineers sometimes are called ‘universal engineers’ because their scientific and technical mastery is so broad.

What Do Chemical Engineers Do? - Some chemical engineers make designs and invent new processes. Some construct instruments and facilities. Some plan and operate facilities. Chemical engineers have helped develop atomic science, polymers, paper, dyes, drugs, plastics, fertilizers, foods, petrochemicals… pretty much everything. They devise ways to make products from raw materials and ways to convert one material into another useful form. Chemical engineers can make processes more cost effective or more environmentally friendly or more efficient. As you can see, a chemical engineer can find a niche in any scientific or engineering field.

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If
you can start the day without caffeine,

If
you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,

If
you can resist complaining and boring people with your
troubles,

If
you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for
it,

If
you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any
time,

If
you can overlook it when those you love take it out on you when, though no fault
of yours, something goes wrong,

If
you can take criticism and blame without resentment,

If
you can ignore a friend’s limited education and never correct
him/her,

If
you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor
friend,

If
you can face the world without lies and deceit,

If
you can conquer tension without medical help,

If
you can relax without liquor,

If
you can sleep without the aid of drugs,

If
you can honestly say that deep in your heart you have no prejudice against
creed, color, religion, gender preference, or politics,

THEN, you have ALMOST
reached the same level of development as your dog.

I took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment last saturday in relation to a job application. According to Wikipedia:

• it is a psychometric questionnaire designed to identify certain psychological differences according to the typological theories of Carl Gustav Jung;
• it regards personality type as similar to left or right handedness: individuals are either born with, or develop, certain preferred ways of thinking and acting.
• it sorts some of these psychological differences into four opposite pairs, or "dichotomies", with a resulting 16 possible psychological types. None of these types is "better" or "worse"; however, Briggs and Myers recognized that everyone naturally prefers one overall combination of type differences. In the same way that writing with the left hand is hard work for a right-hander, so people tend to find using their opposite psychological preferences more difficult, even if they can become more proficient (and therefore behaviorally flexible) with practice and development.

The 16 different types are often referred to by an abbreviation of four letters, the initial letters of each of their four type preferences (except in the case of Intuition), for instance:

• ESTJ - Extraverted, Sensation, Thinking, Judging
• INFP - Introverted, iNtuition, Feeling, Perceiving

And so on for all 16 possible type combinations.

A found an online (and shorter) version. I don’t know how the results will be compared with the actual written test. Anyways, here’s the online result:

Extraverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging

Profile: ENTJ

"I don’t care to sit by the window on an airplane. If I can’t control it, why look?"

ENTJs have a natural tendency to marshall and direct. This may be expressed with the charm and finesse of a world leader or with the insensitivity of a cult leader. The ENTJ requires little encouragement to make a plan. One ENTJ put it this way… "I make these little plans that really don’t have any importance to anyone else, and then feel compelled to carry them out." While "compelled" may not describe ENTJs as a group, nevertheless the bent to plan creatively and to make those plans reality is a common theme for NJ types.

ENTJs are often "larger than life" in describing their projects or proposals. This ability may be expressed as salesmanship, story-telling facility or stand-up comedy. In combination with the natural propensity for filibuster, our hero can make it very difficult for the customer to decline.

TRADEMARK: — "I’m really sorry you have to die." (I realize this is an overstatement. However, most Fs and other gentle souls usually chuckle knowingly at this description.)

ENTJs are decisive. They see what needs to be done, and frequently assign roles to their fellows. Few other types can equal their ability to remain resolute in conflict, sending the valiant (and often leading the charge) into the mouth of hell. When challenged, the ENTJ may by reflex become argumentative. Alternatively (s)he may unleash an icy gaze that serves notice: the ENTJ is not one to be trifled with.

Functional Analysis

Extraverted Thinking

"Unequivocating" expresses the resoluteness of the ENTJ’s dominant function. Clarity of convictions endows these Thinkers with a knack for debate, or wanting knack, a penchant for argument. The light and heat generated by Thinking at the helm can be impressive; perhaps even overwhelming. Experience teaches many ENTJs that restraint may often be the better part of valor, lest one find oneself victorious but alone.

Introverted iNtuition

The auxiliary function explores the blueprints of archetypal patterns and equips Thinking with a fresh, dynamic sense of how things work. Improvising on the fly is something many ENTJs do very well. As Thinking’s subordinate, insights are of value only insofar as they further the Right, True Cause celebre. [n.b.: ENTJs are capable of living on a higher plane, if you will, and learning to value individuals even above their principles. The above dynamic suggests less individuation.]

Extraverted Sensing

Sensing reaches out to embrace that which physically touches it. ENTJs have an awareness of the real; of that which exists. By stilling the engines of Thinking and iNtuition, this type may experience the Here and Now, and know things not dreamt of nor even postulated in iNtuition’s philosophy. Sensing’s minor role, however, puts it at risk for distortion or extreme weakness beneath the hustle and bustle of the giants N and T.

Introverted Feeling

Feeling is romantic, as the ethereal as the inner world from whence it doth emerge. When it be awake, feeling evokes great passion that knows not nuance of proportion nor context. Perhaps these lesser functions inspire glorious recreational quests in worlds that never were, or may only ever be in fantasy. When overdone or taken too seriously, Fi turned outward often becomes maudlin or melodramatic. Feeling in this type appears most authentic when implied or expressed covertly in a firm handshake, accepting demeanor, or act of sacrifice thinly covered by excuses of lack of any personal interest in the relinquished item.

Famous ENTJs:

U.S. Presidents:

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Richard M. Nixon

Benny Goodman, "Big Band" leader
General Norman Schwarzkopf
Harrison Ford
Steve Martin
Whoopi Goldberg
Sigourney Weaver
Margaret Thatcher
Al Gore (U.S Vice President, 1993-2001)
Lamar Alexander (former governor, US Secretary of Education)
Les Aspen, former U.S. Secretary of Defense
Candace Bergen (Murphy Brown)
Dave Letterman
Newt Gingrich
Patrick Stewart (STNG: Jean Luc Picard)
Robert James Waller (author: The Bridges of Madison County)
Jim Carrey (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask)
Steve Jobs
Penn Jillette

Fictional ENTJs:

Geordi LaForge (STNG)

Useful Link:

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp - Online test based on Jung-Myers-Briggs personality approach provides your type formula, type description, and career choices

http://typelogic.com/ - Explains the different combinations

Had dinner with Peachy, Chee-Anne (and the husband-to-be), Dei and Au. Natawa lang ako sa comment na meron palang nagkaka-interest kung ano ang pinag-gagawa ko ngayon. Hindi naman daw sya affected (o ayaw pa-apekto?) pero interested lang daw sya malaman what am i up to these days.

Wala naman nagyayari sa akin, yun pa din…

Busy sa ADB - dalawa ang projects na hawak. Consultant chuvanes chenes ek-ek. Pareho intermittent. Meaning pagkatapos, wala na naman. Naloloka dahil grabe ang pressure pero at least may output and sigurado may outcome. Hindi pwede pumalpak dahil lagot ako sa nag-refer! [Hi Mama Dei :-)]

Teacher-teacher-an sa UP - yup, walang kokontra. Hindi GE (general educ) subjects ha… as in Chemical Engineering subject. Oh yes, pardon my hangin pero I am prawd tu da maksimum lebelaysus. Kaya ko pala at yung mga komokontra, makibalitaktakan na lang ako sa mga students koitsch. Next sem magtuturo daw ako ulit (calling the attention ng mga ibabagsak kong pasaway hehehe) and other subject, hopefully Envi Engg naman. Sa mga gustong maka-uno, saturday ang schedule ng classes ko.

Nagpapakadakilang ina - kokontra si nanay hehehe. Pero yun na yun. Ano pa ba ang magagawa ko kung ang panganay ay magti-teen-ager na pero feeling binata na at yung kasunod ay 11 years old na pero feeling 8 years old pa din.

Healthy Mind, Awesome Body - ah hindi pa ito, matagal pa. Oki na muna ang healthy mind! Papa-appointment pa kay Dr. Vicki or sa mag-asawang Calayan, pwede din sa doctor of the stars, Dr. Mendez or kay Marie France hahaha. Wala pa andash to make the pa-effects pero happy with the heyr, the fez, the teeth and the …

Lablayp, sekslayp, and other laybs - kailangan pa ba itanong itish. Wala ganun pa din. No further explanations needed. May friendster accounts na si Kyle at si Gaeb hahaha.

Wala talaga nangyayari. . . papunta-punta na lang sa Tagaytay Highlands para mag-ubos ng gasolina at laspagin ang Ford Everest ni Cynthia para bibili ulit ng kapalit this year (take note ha, binili ni Cynthia yan HINDI company car!). Patulog-tulog para hindi mapressure sa kabi-kabilang speaking engagements and invitation para sa lectures. Pahiga-higa para hindi mahilo kaka-compute ng pera sa bank (dahil wala talaga natitira hahaha!).

So sa nagtatanong… wala ako masyado ginagawa. At kahit madami man akong pinagkakaabalahan, I will still find time for you. Interested ka naman pala kung ano nangyayari sa akin, eh bakit nung nagkita tayo hindi ka makatingin sa akin?

A year ago, I was just counting my days as a Consultant in ADB. Although my mind was set to finish my graduate studies, hindi maitatago ang kaba and takot because it was the first time wala akong mailipatan na work. I have a townhouse to pay monthly, I have kids to send to school, I have my fixed expenses… bottomline, san ako kukuha ng pera?

No regrets, sa nakaraan na halos isang taon ko nakita at naramdaman ang totoong mga kaibigan. Sa panahon na yun bumuhos ang napakaraming blessings — na-appreciate ko ang parents ko, mga kapatid at ang mga taong katulong namin sa hanapbuhay. I never felt closer to my kids and no amount of money could equal the satisfaction of spending time with my kids and mga pamangkin.

Eto na yata yung period na napakaraming nagawa: meron na akong MS Degree (hindi na kokontra si Volt!), laging kompleto sa tuog at kain (wala na nga kasya damit sa akin), konti lang nabili ko shoes (2 or 3 lang nga eh), walang international travel (pero dami domestic, not the usual places and I was paid to go there), true friends (alam nyo na kung sino kayo), new friends (ramdam nyo naman hindi kaplastikan di ba?)…

Highlights pa:

- Got hired in a high-paying job but turned it down, hindi ko feel ang makakasama ko sa work. Those who were privy to my US-AEP days know what this is about. I buried the hatchet BUT mabuti na din yung huwag na lang than have an axe to grind.

- I was (am?) an "other woman" - cannot, will not and shall not elaborate for the sake of the parties involved. Pinakamahalaga nag-enjoy, nagkaintindihan, and naayos.

- Inaway ako ni Manny sa Puerto Princesa - nawala ang poise ko dun! Sobra. Pero okay lang, nagkaintindihan naman kami and alam ng lahat kung ano ang totoo dahilan. Sa totoo lang, natatawa na lang ako nakakalasing pala talaga ang Cali (Oiiii, walang friendster account si Manny at wala direct access sa blogs, ang mag-tsika, aawayin nya sige!)

- Loan approved for my property in Fairview. Six more months…

- Senior Lecturer at THE University of Philippines, teaching THE ChemEngg 32 subject (Industrial Stoichiometry).  Never in my life I imagined magtuturo ako! No, hindi bumaba ang qualifications para makapagturo. Nagkataon lang nakita ako ni Doc Ernie pakalat-kalat sa UP, so ayun binigyan ako ng teaching load. Ganun lang. (Face value? hahaha!)

- Ako si Mechora Aquino, a.k.a "Tandang Sora"

- New car for Cynthia (on top of the newly renovated farm house and literally, fruitful ekta-ektaryang manggahan), GTZ Contract for Voltaire (Shutaks prend, I really miss you nah!), sandosenang raketship para kay Daisy, new baby for Sheila D, Ed O., Rica L., promotion for Sheila B, well-being for Tito Geri, seksi and boy-magnet pa din si Jov, bonggeysyus pa din si Au , madami hindi mamemention dahil sa space and timw limitations. Basta ang important dun lahat tayo blessed!

- etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

Pumasok ang 2008 ang pera ko sa bank pang-minimum maintenance balance lang. Ano ang halaga ng pera kung wala ka naman kaibigan, kapuso at
kapamilya? Meron nga dyan Php250,000 per month ang sweldo pero
(ooopppssss!). . .  Okay pa din, nairaos na ang tuition ng kids, braces ni Kyle at wala naman utang. At, nagpa-rebond pa ako ng heyr!

Sa ngayon, eto naka-upo na naman sa ADB. Salamat sa iyo, Daisy — maraming, maraming, maraming salamat for believing in me. You are such a blessing to me. Alam ko mas madami blessings kapalit dadating sa iyo. Sana dumami pa ang lahi mo sigurado napakasaya at maayos ang mundo.

Ang kulit, pero nag-uumapaw talaga ang blessings. Kung minsan
nakakapagtataka din. Reap what you sow ba? Ewan. Admittedly,
maldita at hindi ako santa. Sabi nga ng nanay ko tamad-tamad at
tulog-tulog lang ako. Hindi din halata na mabait ako. Hindi ko din maexplain. Amazing!

I’ll end with excerpts from Bo Sanchez’s article, "How to be a Blessing-Magnet" (click this link for the complete article). Believe me, the strategies really work!

How to Be a Blessing-Magnet:

6 Strategies on How to Be Positive in A Negative World

1. Feel the Love. Receive the love from the people around you, no matter how small or imperfect. Celebrate every little gesture of love you receive. Make it a big thing! And you’ll discover that you’ll receive more and more love.

2. Be Grateful. Give thanks for every small blessing you receive. Before going to sleep, count at least 5 blessings you received on that day. Be grateful even for the bad things you received on that day, knowing there’s a blessing inside. Gratitude attracts more blessings to come your way.

3. Trust. Yes, do all you possibly can! But at the end of the day, stop worrying. Surrender and trust God instead. Believe that the best is yet to come.

4. Have a vision. When you have a detailed graphic, exciting vision burning in your heart, you can’t help but be positive. That powerful vision in your imagination will attract all the blessings you need to fulfill that vision. You’ll be surprised. The blessings will just come, rolling down at your feet, begging that you receive them.

5. Love yourself. Be deliberate in loving yourself. Respect yourself. Don’t belittle yourself, don’t limit yourself, and don’t call yourself derogatory names. Meet your needs. Aggressively care for yourself. When you do, others will respect you, love you, and meet your needs as well.

6. Love others. Whatever love you give, you receive it back multiplied. So wake up each morning because you want to love. make love the purpose of your life. When you make love the reason for everything that you do, even if there are dark storm clouds around you, the sun will always shine in your heart.

Pisay will be shown February 20 –27 exclusively at the
following SM theaters:

SM North Edsa Cinema 8, SM Megamall Cinema 9, SM
Manila Cinema 4, SM Southmall, SM Fairview Cinema 6 and SM San Lazaro Cinema
6.

Daily screening: 10:30am; 1:00pm; 3:30pm; 6:00pm and 8:30pm. A
premiere will be held on February 20.

Arrangements for Block Sales can be
made through the Philippine Science High School Foundation, Inc. at the 2nd flr.
Science and Humanities Bldg., PSHS, Agham Road, Diliman, Quezon City,
063-9240655 (telefax), and 0922-8558420, at special discounted rates of P100.00
per person.

SYNOPSIS
“PISAY”, directed by Auraeus
Solito PSHS ’86, with the script written by Henry Grageda, PSHS ’86, a finalist
at the 2007 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, is a story about
eight students who makes it to the premier science high school during the
politically volatile 80’s in the Philippines as they come of age in a time
filled with excitement, conflict and change.

These students find the
world outside, with the chaos of the end of the Marcos dictatorship erupting
into the People Power revolution in 1986, being replicated within the school as
they struggle to graduate, contend with teachers, classmates, family, school
officials, and a new classification system to segregate students into two groups
based on their academic ranking. It chronicles their journey of self discovery
as they go through the joys and pains of adolescence.

Continue…

Does size really matter?

Find out here. (click the link)

My elder son was bugging me about the real name of "Tandang Sora". Not satisfied with my response, he further asked its correct spelling. I felt he’s started to rely much on me for his homeworks so I told him to look for references before asking me again (I trained him and his brother to work on their own and would only ask for assistance if they’ve done everything they could do).

After an hour, he handed me this essay:

Click image to enlarge

Siya si Ninette P. Ramirez, ang aking nanay. Siya ay 33 yrs old na. Siya ay ikinokumpara ko kay MELCHORA AQUINO o "TANDANG SORA". Siya ay ikinokumpara ko kay Tandang Sora, dahil katulad ni Tandang Sora na ginamot ang mga sugatang Pilipino, ay ginagamot niya rin kami ng kapatid ko kapag may sakit kami. Pati rin si Tatay ay ginagamot. Matulungin din siya katulad ni Tandang Sora. Tinutulungan niya kami ng kapatid ko kapag kami ay may mabibigat na problema kahit ano man ito. Kapag kami ay naliligaw ng landas ay siya ay ang ilaw at gabay pabalik sa tamang landas. At syempre tulad ni Tandang Sora ay matapang din ang ina ko. Kapag kami ay ina-api o sinasaktan ay lagi nya kami pinoprotektahan kahit sino man ang nananakit. Lahat din ay gagawin niya upang matiyak na kami ay ligtas. At tulad ni Tandang Sora na gagawin ang lahat para sa kalayaan ng bayan, siya naman ay gagawin ang lahat para sa ikabubuti namin ng kapatid ko. Siya ay hindi umuurong sa mga biro ng tadhana at siya ay laging handang lumaban para sa kabutihan namin ng kapatid ko.

A follow-up to my previous post How to Tell if a Guy Likes You.

What does it mean when a guy says he "loves you" but doesn’t think that he’s "in love" with you? Find the answers here.

Find out if he is really "in love" - A list of the top 10 ways to know (click here).

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When
you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person.

(Please click here to continue)

The Philippine Star
Thursday, November 8, 2007

Dear Dr. Love,

A very pleasant day to you. Just call me Her­minio.
I am already 74 years-old pero ma­ta­tag pa sa laban. Wika nga, hindi
ko pa nararanasan ang mag-take ng sinasabi nilang Viagra.

Ang negosyo ko ay junk. Namimili ako ng
mga scrap metals at anumang bagay na luma na pero puwede pang maibenta.
Hu­wag maliitin. Dahil sa negosyong ito’y na­kabili ako ng maraming
lupain sa Quezon at nakapagpatayo ng malapalasyong bahay. May
20-milyong piso ako sa banko bukod pa sa mga ari-ariang naipundar ko.

Hindi mo naitatanong pero kahit matanda na ako, sasabihin mong nasa 50-anyos pa lang ang edad ko. Siguro pagdating sa sex ay maipapantay ko ang sarili ko sa isang 30-anyos lang.

May girlfriend ako ngayon. Hindi ka siguro maniniwala pero 19-anyos lang siya. Isang
taon na kami at lagi kaming nagdi-date sa motel. I know mahal niya ako
kaya sunod na sunod sa akin ang lahat ng layaw niya. Kamakailan
ay natapos na ang maliit na bungalow na ipinatayo ko para sa kanya at
sa kanyang mga magulang. Mahirap lang kasi sila at kaligayahan kong
tulungan ang pamilya ng babaeng mahal ko.

Gusto ko nang pakasalan ang siyota ko
pero tutol ang mga anak ko. Sobra-sobra na raw ang pabor na ibinigay ko
sa kanya at sa pamilya niya. Iniisip ko rin na baka pera ko lang ang
hangad ng siyota ko at kung mawawala ako, mababawasan ang parte ng
aking tatlong anak. Pagpayuhan mo nga ako.

Herminio

Dear Herminio,

Nasa iyo ang pasya. Kung mahal mo ang
babae, hindi mo pagdududahan ang motibo niya sa iyo. Tutol man ang
iyong mga anak, ikaw ang makikisama at hindi sila. Marahil nga ay takot
silang mabawasan ang mana nila.

Lampas-lampas ka na sa tamang edad at
siguro, ako ang kailangang humingi ng payo sa iyo sa gulang mong 74.
Pero yamang hinihingi mo ang opinion ko, hang­ga’t nagdududa ka sa
tunay na damdamin ng kasintahan mo sa iyo at hinihinalang pera mo lang
ang gusto niya, huwag kang magpakasal. Pero kung naniniwala kang siya’y
tapat at mapagkaka­tiwalaan, go for it at ituloy mo ang plano. Be happy for the remainder of your life. Hindi ka paliligayahin ng puro pera lang.

Sabi mo’y P20-milyon ang asset mo sa banko
at marami kang lupain at ari-arian. Bakit kailangang matakot ang iyong
mga anak na mapartehan ng kaunti ang magiging stepmom nila? Kasuwapangan iyan.

Dr. Love

I lost my cellphone in NAIA last Saturday. Until now, it’s
still baffling because I was so sure it was inside my *pink* bag (I was
wearing pink shoes, by the way).

I don’t use my phone in public places unless I need to meet someone or
I am waiting for an important message. I
usually place it inside the most secured pocket in my bag*. I just keep it on almost-max volume
so I know if somebody is calling or has sent a text message.

It was early in the morning and there were only a handful people in the
airport  counters. I just stood behind the queue and  let my
companions do the check-in tasks. My
companions and I then went through the usual security protocols and decided to
have our breakfast near the designated waiting area. I only
noticed that my cellphone was missing when I reached for it to send a text to Nanay.

Read more…

Ano ba naman yan. It’s like April Fools’ Day, Extra Challenge and Fear Factor rolled into one.

i never thought that an almost perfect meeting would end up in a mess with a mere mention of a person’s name — believe me, it is worse than being haunted a million times by the scariest ghost imaginable . Who would have thought that this person would be back from the dead and possibly make my peaceful life miserable once more? Who would have thought that I, after a long hiatus and keen on taking a different path, would once again have to deal with this person’s unpleasant (literally and figuratively) face?

Hysterical talaga ang drama ko kanina. Napabilis tuloy ang pagsugod ni cynthia from
makati. Si volt naman humahagalpak sa tawa. Nasisi naman ako ng mga
kapatid ko sana sumama na lang daw ako umuwi ng province. Na-crash pa
tuloy ang cellphone at nawala ang simcard ni gaeb.

Quoting Cynthia, deal breaker talaga.

Peydying ol katsokaran, kabaklaan and kasanglibutan dir in da byootepool ayland op Peleywen… ples redi yur rid karpit end banda ageyn. I wil be kaming-kaming dir niks wikind. Wala lang, mag-uubos lang ng kayaman, este maghahanap pala [Maherap na baka makednap]. Redi da kafafahan and lafangan ha. Dami na naman tsika! Sobra, over over to the max talaga.

——————————————————————————-
@ Voltaire: special mention ka na naman dito. kelan mo ako i-sponsor-an sa Bangkusay? Walang-shy pwend, tapos na naman ang taon, wala pa din. Sama mo naman ako sa raketship sa Roma Italia. Cheap naman ng offer mo na 3-day 2-nights sa Boracay. How about the cruise? kainis ka naman, wala na ba iba? feeling ko tuloy ang poor na natin eh.

@ Dei: flying around the Philippines ka na naman ba in your private plane? May extra seat ba for me? Pramis I wont make kausap the pilot and the co-pilot. Do you still require your stewardess to have at least an MA degree in Public Relations? And I heard you are making solo-solo na naman the Charlie Chaplin guy ha.

@ Cynthia: Mare, where na THE Louis Vuitton? My golly, you’re so bongga talaga! Is it true that inside the bag are the oh-so-fabulous-oh-so-nakaka powder?!?! Panalo! Graveh, so yaman talaga. So kaka! Lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky moi!

@Nina: Girl, dont wori the dollar exchange rate… barya-barya lang yan ‘day! Look mo ako, so nainis kasi for every US$1,000 eh nalulugi ako ng Php 10,000! Kaya resign ang drama! Who needs money, anyway? Ay, sori baka may na-hurt… tabi-tabi po.

P.S. Sorry Eliana, you wont be able to understand my Tagalog blog
again. Dont worry I’ll write in English next time. Promise I’ll also
make an announcement when I go to Indonesia (hopefully, Bali!!!!)
again. I’m just waiting for Au to sponsor me (hint, hint, hint).

Dear Netski,

Alam ko ma-surprise ka sa email ko na ito… most probably you don’t know me. But I know you. I know everything that you do. I know everywhere you go. I know everyone you talk to.

Nakita kita kanina malapit sa McDo. Gusto sana kita lapitan kaya lang nagmamadali ka. Gusto sana kita kausapin kaya lang mukhang nagsusuplada ka. Gusto sana kita sundan kaya lang mabilis pa sa kidlat ka nawala. Gusto sana kita i-text kaya lang natatakot ako makilala mo.

Matagal na kitang sinusubaybayan. Matagal na kitang gustong makausap. Matagal na kitang gustong lapitan kaya lang natatakot ako na supladahin at tarayan mo ako.

Pero kanina na nakita kita nag-decide na ako na kailangan ko ng maglakas loob at gawin ko ito…

Hindi ko lang mapigilan dahil katulad mo ang umagaw sa pinakamamahal ko. Napakasakit talaga dahil buong buhay ko inialay ko sa kanya. Kahit buong pagkatao ko ibibigay ko para sa kanya. Ngunit dahil sa isang katulad mo, nawala sya sa buhay ko. Ang masakit dun kaibigan ko pa…

Ano ba ang sikreto nyong mga bading mas mukha na kayong babae keysa sa aming totoong babae? Kahit ang mga pictures mo mukha ka na din girlash? Hindi na ba kayo nakonsensya, konti na nga ang mga lalaki nakikipagkompetensya pa kayo sa aming mga babae?

San ka nagpa-breast implant? Nagpa-sex change ka na ba? Bakit hindi halata na dati ka rin na lalaki? Nakita kita kanina, kahit naka-pink shoes at pink bag ka, macho ka pa din maglakad kaya nakilala kita.

Ano ang naging pagkukulang ko? Ano ang dapat kong gawin? Patayin ko na lang ba ang kaibigan kong bading?

~~~Suicidal Girl

——————————————————————————————–

Suicidal Girl,

Ang dami mo tanong! Naloka ako.

Una sa lahat, natutuwa ako dahil nagka-lakas loob ka na magpakilala at mag-email sa akin tungkol sa iyong problema. Next time, hwag mo na akong susundan dahil pag nahuli kita baka maramdaman mo ang hinahanap mo na sakit ng katawan.

Pangalawa, hindi problema ng mga bading kung may pumapatol sa kanila na mga boyfriend o asawa. Baka may mai-o-offer ang mga bading na hindi kaya ng iba, di vah.

Pangatlo, maglibot-libot ka sa The Block. Madaming salamin dun. Baka sakaling makita mo ang sarili mo and malaman mo ang kasagutan sa lahat ng mga tanong mo. Mura din magpa-facial dun. Magpa-rebond ka na din ng hair. Magpa-footspa. Magpa-body scrub. Baka sakaling tumaas ang self-esteem mo.

Pang-apat, you don’t need breast implants or sex change. Pera, datung, andash, cash or whatever lang ang kailangan mo. Haler, lahat nabibili na ngayon. Kahit lalake, pwede!

Panglima at higit sa lahat, babae po ako.

Produkto na naman ng isang araw na walang makasama…

Face Recognition (http://www.myheritage.com)

Voltex - Yao Ming? ha, ha, ha, ha!

Voltex - Keanu? Huh, huh, huh, huh

From Jessica Zafra:

AQUILINO Q. PIMENTEL, JR.
Senator of the Republic
Tenure of Office: 2004 to 2010

"At
the Senate hearing into the ZTE broadband deal, Senator Nene Pimentel
asked this question: ‘Ano ba ang broadband? Can somebody explain this
in layman’s terms?’"

From Ninette’s Diary:

ROBERT S. JAWORSKI
Senator of the Republic
Tenure of Office: 1998 to 2004

At a Senate inquiry regarding a mine tailings spill in Placer, Surigao del Norte:

Senator Jawo: Can the Senate be enlightened kung ilan ba ang tumapon galing sa tailings pond?

Taga-Placer: Mr. Senator, the estimate is 700,000 tons

Senator Jawo: Madami ba yun?

Taga-Placer: Yes, Mr. Senator. 1 ton is equivalent to 1000 kilograms.

Senator Jawo: Ah ganun ba? In layman’s terms, ilang litro ng Coke yun?

RAMON B. REVILLA, SR.
Senator of the Republic
Tenure of Office: 1998 to 204

In the Erap Impeachment Trial:

"I concur, your honor. You see, may
timbangan ako ng manok sa bahay. Doon ko nga nalaman na 96 grams ang
1000 na bills ng 1000 pesos to make 1 million pesos. See 96 grams? 96
grams talaga! Malapit yun sa isang kilo…eh sa 96 grams talaga
eh…"

————————————————————————————————

Yes, oh yes… paki-explain nga, please.

‘Housewives’ Filipino joke draws ire from Yahoo!

A scene in TV’s "Desperate Housewives"
that used Philippine medical education for a punchline prompted angry
calls from viewers, an online petition demanding an apology and
criticism from Philippine officials.

Viewers called the network to complain but the number of callers wasn’t
available, an ABC spokesman said Wednesday. As of Wednesday evening,
more than 30,000 names were attached to an online petition seeking a
network apology.

<read na lang the rest sa website>

Opinyon ko lang itish <ang kumontra, gumawa ng sariling blog ha!>

1. What’s the big deal??? Can’t we just take it as plain humor? Oki, oki, oki… hindi ako doctor (engineer nga ako eh) pero mas matitindi pa nga ang inaabot na jokes ng mga lawyers, at yung mga graduate ng ibang schools (ano na nga name ng mga iskuls na yun — AMA ba yun? Lasal? Areneyow?) — may nagdemand ba ng public apology?

2. At ano ang pauso ng iba after the public apology, ang gusto naman magkaroon daw ng episode praising the competencies ng mga doctor from the Philippines???? Haaaaaallllleeeerrrrrrr, ano ba itish. Sobrang insecurity na yan ha. Enuf, enuf, enuf.

3. Worth ba talaga maging hedlayns ng newspaper itish???? — dyos ko dey, eh tanungin mo nga nagtitinda ng dyaryo kung alam nya ang "Deyspeyreyt Hawswaybs" na yan? Sa totoo lang ha, even the major newspapers made patol patol on the issue. Wala na ba talagang matinong basahin ngayon kundi ang mga advertisement.

4. Ano na nangyari sa ibang issues na nakabandila ng mga nakaraang araw???? - hindi kaya pinalaki lang issue para matabunan ang ZTE-NBN blah, blah, blah. Hindi ba mas maganda magsimula din email chain chuvaness and ask for all the pipol sabit sa gulo to make pubic apology????? Hooooiiiisssssstttt, pakers poopoo kau, pira ku yan inuubus nyu.

5. Vakit mi afiktid? Ay rili du nat knowing so plis sambadi ekspleyn?

 

Wala lang… gusto ko lang sumigaw.

Kunyari, hehehehe.

Yun na yun.

Babush!

Yes, trulili… possible.

Nag-subscribe si Nanay and kahit san sya pumunta ngayon may dala sya landline number. Actually, hindi ko pa nabusisi pero ang gamit nya na handset Nokia 1110i. I tried kanina umaga calling landline numbers and totoo nga, may landline ka anywhere, anytime, anyhow.

For more info: Bayantel WIRELESS Landline

Happiness is a warm bath. (Le bonheur est un bain chaud.)

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. (Profitez des petits plaisirs de la vie, car un jour vous vous rendrez compte qu’ils etaient vraiment de grands plaisirs.)

If you want to be free, learn to live simply. (La liberte, c’est vivre dans la simplicite).

Simplicity is the essence of happiness. (La simplicite est l’essence du bonheur.)

Happiness is not a destination.
It is a journey, pure and simple.

——————————————————————————-

Grabe talaga…

Pag-umuulan ng grasya…. sobrang baha naman!

- free round trip ticket to Puerto Princesa City
- free accommodations
- free Underground River Tour
- free the Dos Palmas Tour
- old friends, new friends

- muntik na ang free tour sa Vigan (Volt, yung bagnet at longganisa ko???)

- GTZ project
- TMC project
- MTL project
- a text fo a $50 per day asap job (sorry talaga, Dei hindi ko kaya magstart agad the following day. Paalis papunta ulit field. Salamat talaga, salamat!)

- friends, friends, friends, more friends.

Sarap ng baha.

God:
Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God
gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be
patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does
he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the
family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy
feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?

- Evan Almighty (2007)

What else could be a better month-opener than:

1. first thing in the morning bigla nag-knock, knock, knock ang anak

Kyle: Knock, knock, knock! (nasira yata ang pintuan)
Tatay: Who’s there? (Syempre, translate to Tagalog. Hindi nag-e-English si Fadir.)
Kyle: Si Kuya Enteng po nakasaga ng nagmo-motor.

(Ang siste, ang matanda naka-motor nakatulog habang nagmamaneho along Visayas Avenue.)

2. happy CT Scan

Mga bagets: Happy birthday, Nanay!
Fadir: Madir, hapi birtdi. Labas tayo mamaya.

(Very Fast Forward)
Madyonda: Sabi sa Ponciano [faborit hospital ni Enteng] pa-CT Scan daw
Mga miron: Wala ba sa Ponciano? [ syempre hindi sila sabay-sabay pero yun at yun ang tanong]
Kontra 1: Mahal yun ah, kailangan ba talaga? Ano ba sabi ng doktor? Baka naman hindi kailangan. Ayan o, dedma nga lahat.
[Madyonda is studying is reflection and ayos-ayos ng hair while looking at the side mirror of the sasakyan. Deadma ang mga kwestyuns ng Traffic Pulis Investigators.]
TraPI: Ay, ipa-check up nyo, nagkamemory loss na o.
Madyonda: Gusto ko sa Capitol Medical.
Lahat: Huwaaaaatttt???!!!????
Kontra 2: Haler, manong. Hindi namin kayo papabayaan pero wa kami pera. If you want CT Scan, sige dalhin sa Emergency Room ng East Avenue Medical Center. (<—hulaan kung sino)
Madyonda: Pwede daan tayo sa office, mag-time in lang ako?

Madir: Magbo-blow-out pa man din ako.

3. Asan ang hamburger ko?

(As chizmaxxed by sisterette)
Ang madyonda:
- Ayaw na pa-xray ng makita ang East Avenue. Magaling na daw sya.
- Galing pa daw sya sa Malolos 4am at papasok sa ofis. Naka-motorsiklo lang.
- Ang tingin nya sa white ay "clear".
- Normal ang xray, CT Scan and tingin ng doctor. After two days pagfeeling nasusuka at mahihilo ibalik agad.

Madyonda: Masusuka? (medyo masusuka)
Madyonda: Mahihilo? (medyo mahihilo)
Sisterette: Ano ho, uwi na kayo?
Madyonda: Sa ofis lang ako mag-rest.
Sisterette: Tawagan ho natin ang asawa nyo.
Madyonda: Hwag na, papagalitan ako nun.
Sisterette: O sige ho, bahala kayo.
Madyonda: Nasaan na yung McDu hamberdyer at hot chocolate ko? Binili ko pa yun para snack ko.

(Ang McDo na-remember pero ang motorcycle, haler?)

———————————————————

Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious.

— Peter Ustinov

The thesis has been an inspiring, very challenging, but always interesting and exciting experience. I am very grateful to my advisers, Dr. Ernesto O. dela Cruz and Dr. Donato S. dela Cruz, for the patience, encouragement, many fruitful discussions, and never giving up on me. I would also like to express my sincere thanks to Dr. Cherry L. Chan for her invaluable advice. I am very grateful for the technical and financial support, great opportunity, and unique experience of working with her and the AFR team. Many thanks and heartfelt appreciation to:

- Dr.Malou Dalida and Dr. Baby de Leon – for sharing their expertise and helping me improve my work;
- My bestfriend, Cynthia – for the 20 years of true friendship;
- My friends, Voltaire, Daisy, and Manny – for the constant prodding to finish my MS, for helping me hold my ground, and for believing I could soar high;
- My EMB, USAID/US-AEP, and ADB/CAI-Asia families – for all the sleepless nights, resistance-building, energy-draining and emotional-wrecking moments that prepared me for the ordeal during the manuscript writing;
- My friends who kept me awake 24/7 literally and figuratively; and
- My treasures, John Gaebriel and Kyle Ian Matthew - for the inspiration and for showing me the true essence of being a parent.

Finally, I wish to thank my family for their continuous love and encouragement, for always believing in me, and for never failing to provide all the support. Nanay and Tatay, maraming, maraming, maraming salamat po for always taking care of me and my kids kahit pasaway ako.

Friendster Daily Horoscope
Monday June 18, 2007
Leo

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand’ring bark,
Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken.

Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle’s compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom:

If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

***** Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare

Yahoo! Alerts
Daily Horoscope  by Astrology.com
Monday June 4, 2007 

Leo

One of your best qualities (out of many) is that you can take the most minimal ingredients and make the maximum amount of fun. Others want to know how you do it, but you can’t say. It’s a gift, really.

Yevah!

Ang paliligo ay di lamang simpleng paliligo.

Ang pag-aayos ay di lamang simpleng pag-aayos.

Bawat kilos, bawat galaw, may hakbang.

May mga ritwal.

Beautiful young people are accidents of nature,

But beautiful old people are works of art.

Haler, ang seryoso! Ang haba ng intro.
Ano na naman itish pauso ko?
Wala lang, akin naman ito.
Kung hindi interesado, huwag manggugulo.

—————————————————————————-

DA HEYR

Salamat sa pagbabawal ng pagdala ng liquids and gels sa eroplano, diskubreshi koistch atish FOLLOW ME GREEN TEA SHAMPOO and CONDITIONER sa Singapore during vacationbelles ng byuti namin nina Cynthia at Marcy last year.

Grabe, da straight talaga da hair! — Hindi lang mukhang ni-rebond, may free cellophane pa. It’s so mura lang ha, as in SGD8.80 ang 750mL, so that’s (compute, compute, compute) more or less pero less than a few sentimo sa Php 282 pesos. Der sa fictyur are onli 400 mL ( halagang SGD4.65 o tamataginting na Php 149 pesos ever each ha).

Da WELLA products, givsung lang ng mamichi-in-law itish. Accordingly, wala pa available ng "Back to Basic" line ditish sa lupang hinirang. Na-browsing koistch lang yung "System Professional" line pero dehins koistch knowsy san nya getsing basta ang imfortanti meron akoetchi supply.

Rarely ever koistch ginagamit da Wella products becowza meron pa da Follow Me. I will asking my sons to comment, sa bilis nila makaubos ng supply, gusto koistch isipin iniinom yata nila itish while doing their own rituals.

Caption (L to R): Wella Back to Basic Green Tea Texturizing Lotion, Wella Back to Basic Wild Berry Volumizing Shampoo, Wella System Professional Shampoo and Conditoner, Follow Me Green Tea Shampoo (Volumizer and Revitalizer) and Conditioner

Knowing ever koistch I will run out of friendships to buy for me sa headquarters ni Merlion, with my blissfully jobless status equating to no-vacation-via-Tiger Airways for the next six months, and the subtle maldita-supladita me, surelily mauubos din ang supply.

Kahit wala ng hulog ng langit basta I still choose to be beautiful ever, da best ang da PALMOLIVE  (itish ba yung may commercial so long ago na dried dahon pag sinabon ng Palmolive soap nagiging frish?). I specially like the "Aromatherapy" line becowza mabango talaga itish. The Palmolive Silky Straight naman, I use after magbabad sa pool and i-marinate my hair sa chlorine-treated water.

Caption (L to R): Palmolive Aromatherapy Shampoo and Conditioner Romance enriched with rose petals and bamboo extract (Sensual for romantic mood daw), Palmolive Aromatherapy Shampoo and Conditioner Romance enriched with essential oils of green tea and mandarin (Energy to revitalize and uplift the mood daw), Palmolive Naturals Silky Straight with milk protein and coco cream (long lasting, pramis)

DA FEZ

Noong taong 2003, dahil siguro sa subtle lang naman na kamalditahan koistch umuwi ang byuti koistch
from Clark with pimple na tinubuan ng fez! As in may I cry cry cry my
heart out talaga ang drama koistch. Eh panu naman kelan tumanda akoetchi
saka pa nag ka-pimples! And talagang super scar sila ever. As in
isinisigaw sa mundo, dumaan sila sa fez koistch!

My ever dahling mamichi-in-law was once a sikat Dermatologist. Malas koistch
lang dehins na sya practisung. Hindi koistch naman ma-locate ever ang
mga friendships nya na dermatologists din (hmmm, baka nasa ibang
dimension na). Kaya naman lahat na yata ng pwede nya pa-try sa akin,
na-try koistch na. Pero sad pa din, love talaga ng informal settlers ang lokeysyun nila.

May I fly my byuti to the US in 2004. Sa pakikialam sa paliguan ng
isang kaibigan nadiscover koistch ang (drumroll please!) —- ST. IVES APRICOT SCRUB. Hindi totoo na walang himahlah(!) becowzsa in one week, nag-decrease ang populasyon nila. Dahillllllll sa St. Ives naglaho ang mga informal settlers sa fez ng lolah nyo.

Da MARY KAY wala pumapansin sa paliguan. I think bigay itish ng akingnechi sisterette na nasa Dubai ngayon na binigay din sa kanya ng sisterette ng dyowangski nya galing sa lupain ng malaking mansanas. Sayang naman ever so ginagamit koistch as alternative facial scrub kahit pa nga mask daw itish (eh kasi naman, ala ey hindi naman natigas!). Hindi nga lang kahali-halina ang halimuyak pero okay na, libre naman itish.

Oi, sey nyo, maganda ang AVON’s Anew ha. Lalo na kapag puyat ang byuti and nababad ang fez sa arawan. Gamit koistch after mag-swim or shower after sauna. So when your raketering opismeyt meyk alok-alok you ageyn of Avon products, gets and try na. Pero tell her, it’s becowzsa opismeyt kayo kaya ka supportive ever sa kanya. Cge, bahala you alukin ka pa nyan to try the whole regimen, ala ey makatitipid ka pa magpa-diamond peel kay Tita Vicki.

So what, coconut? Napapagod na ako mag-type hahahaha.

End muna, next time ulit. Ritwal muna.

 

The Before (2004) and The After (2007)

Kinain / ininom sa: Vokas Art Gallery, Baguio City

Kelan naman: Feb 2006

Ano itish: Hot Chocolate (Php 45)

Ano ang lasa: huh?

Sino paychung: kanya-kanya (sabi ni Au, pinakamahal na Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate na nabili nya)

Kinain / ininom sa: ADB, Philippines

Kelan naman: Jun 2006

Ano itish: Mango Watever and Ensaymada

Ano ang lasa: bitin! (ang dahilan kung bakit tumataba)

Sino paychung: libre (meeting eh)

Kinain / ininom sa: Night Safari, Singapore

Kelan naman: Aug 2006

Ano itish: Coke in Glass (SGD 4)

Ano ang lasa: katulad ng Coke in can, in bottle and 1.5 PET bottles

Sino paychung: kanya-kanya

Kinain / ininom sa: Brewerkz, Clark Quay, Singapore

Kelan naman: Aug 2006

Ano itish: Calzone and Freshly Brewed Raspberry Beer

Ano ang lasa: sobrang nakakabusog (literally and figuratively)

Sino paychung: libre (treat ni Randall — kaya connect na sa mga prends )

Kinain / ininom sa: Singapore

Kelan naman: Aug 2006

Ano itish: Mangosteen, Durian and Coffee

Ano ang lasa: bawal kainin eh

Sino paychung: not applicable

Kinain / ininom sa: Indonesia

Kelan naman: Dec 2006

Ano itish: Spicy Tiger Prawns with Lemon Grass Tea

Ano ang lasa: spicy nga eh

Sino paychung: libre sa amin

Kinain / ininom sa: Indonesia

Kelan naman: Dec 2006

Ano itish: Grass Tea

Ano ang lasa: masarap! mas masarap pa sa lemon tea (gagayahin ko itish)

Sino paychung: libre sa amin

Kinain / ininom sa: Indonesia

Kelan naman: Dec 2006

Ano itish: Menu ng Waroeng Steak and Shake

Ano ang lasa: wala, kasi menu pa lang

Sino paychung: hindi binebenta itish (Pinapahiram lang para mag-order.)

Kinain / ininom sa: Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Kelan naman: Dec 2006

Ano itish: Chicken Waroeng Steak (11,000 IND) and Coklat Milkshake Spesial (5500 IND)

Ano ang lasa: masarap!!!!!

Sino paychung: kanya-kanya bayad (1 Philippine Peso = 191.568 Indonesian Rupiah or 1 Indonesian Rupiah = 0.005220 Philippine Peso)

Kinain / ininom sa: Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Kelan naman: Dec 2006

Ano itish: Passion Fruit

Ano ang lasa: Hindi ko alam, kasi hindi ko kinain. (Mukhang frog eggs eh)

Sino paychung: free sa hotel araw-araw, gabi-gabi

Kinain / ininom sa: Jakarta, Indonesia

Kelan naman: Dec 2006

Ano itish: Packed Snack

Ano ang lasa: ok lang, pwede na. (yun nga lang, hindi ko alam if chicken or tuna ba nakuha ko)

Sino paychung: People of Jakarta, Indonesia

Kinain / ininom sa: Under the Bridge, Merlion Park, Singapore

Kelan naman: Dec 2006

Ano itish: Durian Ice Kachang with Stawberry/Mango (SGD 5)

Ano ang lasa: masarap (sana ganito ka-fine ang yelo ng halo-halo sa Chowking)

Sino paychung: kanya-kanya bayad (1 Singapore Dollar = 32.15628 Philippine Peso)

 

Kinain / ininom sa: Orchard Road, Singapore

Kelan naman: Dec 2006

Ano itish: Grilled Chicken with Rice Curry (SGD 10)

Ano ang lasa: masarap (bitin ang kanin)

Sino paychung: kanya-kanya bayad (1 Singapore Dollar = 32.15628 Philippine Peso)

Kinain / ininom sa: ADB, Philippines

Kelan naman: Feb 2007

Ano itish: Coffee and Tea Maker with Tea from Viet Nam

Ano ang lasa: hindi ko alam kasi pinahiram lang ang tea for photo-ops

Sino paychung: Si Daisy (Christmas and VD gift)

Kinain / ininom sa: ADB, Philippines

Kelan naman: Feb 2007

Ano itish: Vegetable Lasagna and Vegetable Tempura (less than Php 80.00)

Ano ang lasa: masarap (nakakamiss… kaya pinagaya sa cook namin!)

Sino paychung: ako (last lunch as consultant in ADB)

Kinain / ininom sa: Office namin, BSWM

Kelan naman: Mar 2007

Ano itish: Grande Decaf, Non-Fat, Extra Hot Cappucino

Ano ang lasa: Coffee

Sino paychung: libre (peace offering itish ni @@@@@)

Kinain / ininom sa: Hacienda ni Cynthia, Nueva Ecija

Kelan naman: Apr 2007

Ano itish: Mango Tree and Guava Tree

Ano ang lasa: Secret!!!

Sino paychung: libre (barya-barya lang sa may-ari eh)

Commentator:    Ay, wala na?

Ako:    Meron pa.

Commentator:    Wala na eh.

Ako:    sa GNP Foods and Catering Services.

It’s more than a year since a certain "Jerry Ramos" bothered me with numerous emails, text messages and comments to my blog posts. Guilt, carelessness and stupidity gave her identity away. (See Sino si Jerry Ramos?)

Nabuko na nga ayaw pa din talaga tumigil.

She even has the nerve to post in her blog that she went to my ex-husband’s office to prove she’s not guilty of anything. A friend just informed me that she posted a shoutout a few days ago on something about trust (which she even got from one of my posts - I’ve Learned).

Haler, CHIT MANALAYSAY, paki-translate sa tagalog ang shoutout mo at intindihin mo mabuti. Hindi ba dapat ako ang sumisigaw nyan? If hindi mo maarok ang isa sa Sampung Utos ng Diyos siguro naman naiintindihan  mo ang ibig sabihin ng "Actions speak louder than words."?

I’d like to be the sort of friend that
you have been to me;
I’d like to be the help that
you’ve been always glad to be;

I’d like to mean as much to you
each minute of the day
As you have meant to me along the way.

I’d like to do the big things and
the splendid things for you,
To brush the gray from out your skies
and leave them only blue;

I’d like to say the kindly things that
I so oft have heard,
And feel that I could rouse your soul
the way that mine you’ve stirred.

I’d like to give you back the joy
that you have given me,
Yet that were wishing you a need
I hope will never be;

I’d like to make you feel as rich as I,
who travel on
Undaunted in the darkest hours with you to
lean upon.

I’m wishing at this time that I
could but repay
A portion of the gladness that
you’ve strewn along my way;

And could I have one wish this year,
this only would it be:
I’d like to be the sort of friend
that you have been to me.

Happy, happy, happy birthday!

Nanay and I just came back from settling the accounts for my townhouse. By July 24, the whole amount will be paid and I will have a property under my name!

Before that, I’d have my MS degree.

Next in my dream list is to run a business.

Not to forget my dream to study cosmetology. I also dream to learn dressmaking, make intricate beadworks and learn to do magic tricks.

A dream inspired by Cynthia’s hacienda: I shall have at least 100 mango trees that will bear fruits in the next 10 years.

———–

If Francisco Colayco have "Wealth Within Your Reach" then mine is "Dreams Within Your Reach"

———-

Thanks To:

Daisy - for the special mention

Nina - for inspiring me to learn new things — I love the cupcakes.

Cynthia - for everything!

More to come…

Let me start by thanking everyone who supported me and prayed for my thesis defense. Salamat sa lahat ng nag-email, nag-text at tumawag.

Salamat Nanay sa masarap na carbonara, barbeque at pizza roll. Salamat din Tatay pinakargahan mo ang car kaya 30 pesos pa din ang laman ng wallet ko.

Sama mga wala during the defense, it went well… no, "well" is not enough. Even "great" would not sufficiently describe it :-). I am still basking in the glory of the comments I got from four of the best professors, not just in the Chemical Engineering Department, but considerably in the UP College of Engineering. Mayabang na ako kung mayabang but it affirmed how good I am. Minor edits pa sa manuscript but ang important tapos na!

Victory and success are much sweeter because of the challenges and obstacles along the way. Pinakamalaki ang pasasalamat ko sa mga taong tulad ni May - isa sa mga nakadagdag sa inspirasyon ko para matapos at pagbutihan ko ang thesis ko. Salamat May, sana nga maging happy ka na.

—————————————————————————–

Congrats din kay Cynthia. Grabe, hindi ka na ma-reach!

Invite mo ako sa office mo  at bigyan mo ako ng pass para hindi na ako haharangin ng building guard, SGV guard at E&Y guard (sana din wala door guard ang isang AVP!). Sana hindi na ako ipapa-sign ng executive assistant and ng dakilang secretary mo pag-visit kita sa office mo (ilan na nga ang magiging under sa iyo? Ang tarush talaga!).

Excited na ako to see if you have a beautiful view of the sunset o looking down ka lang sa mga buildings dyan sa Makati. Tanaw mo ba ang ADB? ha ha ha.

Hindi ako nakatulog dun sa figures na pinakita mo. Grabe. Nahilo ako sa "000" at dami ng comas. Swerte ng anak ko ninang ka. Kasama din ba ako sa mga pamamanahan mo?

Basta sama ako pagbili ng bagong Ford Everest ha! Kaya mo nga bili ng Expedition eh (pero hwag, let the papa-lets and boy-lets take care of it).

Ang tarush!

Six ways to spot a workplace psychopath

Manila Bulletin (March 25, 2007: Section K-3)

(click images to enlarge)

 

… I submtted the final draft of my thesis:

+ nakatulog before 2am (used to be after 4am when I stll had work and after 6am after I decided not to work anymore)

+ gumising ng 10am (used to be 8am)

+ slept for 8 hours straight!

+ naligo ng 1 oras.

+ gumala sa SM North Edsa ng mag-isa.

+ inubos ang 1,000 pesos sa massage at facial

+ nag-shower, nag-sauna, nag-shower ulit, nag-sauna ulit, nag-shower na naman, nag-steam room at winakasan ng malamig na malamig na shower

+ 6 days before oral defense

+ 22nd day ng walang trabaho

+ 1st time 30 pesos na lang naiwan sa wallet

+ 1st time in 10-year career life na walang inaasahang sweldo ever.

Sarap ng life!

——————————————————————————–

… I noticed the count is over 200:

I will delete some people in my friendster’s list because for me, it is FRIENDSter and not NETWORKster. I also dont believe in the saying "keep your friends close but your enemies closer because somewhere over the rainbow there is a place for us and a time for us". Mataray na kung mataray but if you are still in the list then tomorrow if you wake up and the sun does not appear, baka madaling araw pa he he he he.

Since I know (100% sure pa) there will be quite a few who’ll be frustrated dahil hindi na nila masusubaybayan ang layf ko, here are some pointers para masaya pa din ang layf nyo:

1. YOU can access a profile in friendster kahit hindi ka kasali sa listahan:

- alamin lang ang numbers or characters pagkatapos ng www.friendster.com/ when you are viewing the person’s profile

- yung sa akin: www.friendster.com/npramirez

2. YOU can see the person’s pictures even if you are not logged in or the person’s profile is restricted to his/her friends:

- Ilagay lang ang numbers or characters sa dulo —> http://www.friendster.com/photos/*******

- yung sa akin: wala na ako idadagdag na hindi mo pa nakita. Kung meron man, I search mo na lang sa www.Flickr.com

3. YOU can read a blog without logging in:

- alamin lang ang URL ng blog

- yung sa akin: http://takeitallaway.blogs.friendster.com/blue

4. YOU can be notified if the blog has been updated:

- If you are using Internet Explorer 7, you will see a button

if the website you are viewing can be syndicated.

- yung sa akin: It is RSS (really simple stalking).

Being a stalker you are, most probably you’ve known these things since time immemorial. If not, then we (yes, "we") can just say "D’oh!"

Happy stalking

You are driven by a higher purpose than most people. You have a deeply-rooted desire to facilitate peacefulness in the world. Whether through subtle interactions with love ones, or through getting involved in social causes, it is important to you to influence the world.

You are driven by a desire to encourage others to think about the positive side of things instead of focusing on the negative. The reason your unconscious is consumed by this might stem from an innate fear of war and turmoil. Thus, to avoid that uncomfortable place for you, your unconscious seeks out the peace in your environment.

Usually, the thing that underlies this unconscious drive is a deep respect for humankind. You care about the future of the world, even beyond your own involvement in it. As a result, your personal integrity acts as a surrogate for your deeper drive toward peace and guides you in daily life towards decisions that are respectful toward yourself and others.

"Kaya lang <name> akala ko ba tapos ka na ng college eh parang kinder ka ulit dito sa picture baka maging classmate ka pa ng mga anak ko niyan? basta turuan mo sila ha! joke lang!" — Ms. Kristaklesa Aqui-no Yup

"kaso lang hindi naman siya mukhang bata, nagmukha siyang dwarf, complete with the stunted arms" — Ms. Maldita Maxima

LESSON LEARNED: Ang joke minsan ay joke lang

From Yehey! Fortune Calculator:

LEO – THE LION
July 23 – August 22

Be humble, one step backward two steps forward

LUCK

For the past two years, the lion has been under the influence of the “Earth Star”. The same goes for this year which means your luck is being restrained, and will continue until the year 2008. The good thing is lions are contented people, so they will not be affected too much. Try to learn from past mistakes for a better future up ahead.

BUSINESS/CAREER LUCK

Career luck for this year is fair. Lions are content with their present situation that they do not bother to improve themselves. This is due to the lion’s arrogance, which will earn the ire of the people around him. Months of January, April, May and October are pretty good months for the Lion, so take advantage of this period. Spend the other months planning for the good months in store for you.

ROMANCE LUCK

The Lion will have above-average romance luck this year. Best time for romance is between November 12 to December 18. Unmarried Lions will experience successful courtship this year. But do not put all efforts into romance and leave all other things behind. Set your priorities so that everything will be balanced.

HEALTH LUCK

For this year, beware of sickness pertaining to the back and the heart. Try to lessen your work load and avoid the night life. Involve yourself in a moderate workout to keep yourself fit. Beware the months of August and September wherein there will be people out to destroy you emotionally.

—————————————-

YEAR OF THE TIGER

Lucky stars shine brightly.

LUCK

The Tiger is on the rise in the year of the pig. With so many good stars around you, you should enjoy good luck for this year. Your position will be established and people around you will respect you. But this also leads to a clash with “Jupiter” (tai sui) which means there will also be people challenging you. Avoid clashing with others since you have already established a strong position. Besides, luck is on your side.

BUSINESS/CAREER LUCK

Your career luck will be great this year. You will have friends who will help you improve you business or career. Tigers born on the year 1950 will enjoy the greatest luck of all.

ROMANCE LUCK

Romance Luck for this year is also good. Months of March, July and January 2008 are romantic months. But beware of love triangles. Make sure you know how to handle your partner if you flirt too much.

HEALTH LUCK

Health luck is just moderate. You might suffer accidents that will cause you to bleed. Do not drive too fast. Extreme caution is advised during the months of February, April, October and December.

It’s Day 01 as an unemployed Filipino citizen…

Nagising pa din ng parehong oras sa umaga. Ganun pa din. Walang nagbago. Mas nag-enjoy ako maligo ngayong umaga dahil walang hahabulin na oras.

Mahaba-haba din ang usapan namin ni Nanay. Wala na kasi ang pagmamadali ko sa kanya na matapos na agad ang kwento para makaalis na ako. Madami na naman binabalak na ipagawa pero sabi ko naman hanggang hindi tapos ang thesis ko hindi ko pa sya masasamahan sa mga lakad.

Masarap din uminom ng mainit na mainit na kape ng hindi nagmamadali. Ang sarap ng pakiramdam na umalis sa umaga ng hindi napaso ang dila

“““““““““““““““““““““““`

Nasa UP lang ako buong araw. Nakipag-usap sa thesis adviser at naki-bonding sa mga dating professors. Pakiramdam ko estudyante na naman ako. Ewan kung ako lang nakakaramdam pero talagang hindi nawawala yung student-professor relationship kahit pa almost 15 years ago ko pa sila una naging professors. Nakakatuwa din kasi natatandaan pa nila ako (ewan ko lang mga grades nila na binigay sa akin).

Nag-sit-in pa nga ako sa isang class ng 3rd year ChE students. Ang simple-simple lang ng pananaw nila sa buhay ngayon. Hindi ko naman masindak, mahahalata na matanda na ako. Ang sarap batukan nung estudyanteng nanliligaw sa katabi habang nasa klase. Ang sarap din batukan ng babaeng nagpapa-cute naman sa lalake.

“““““““““““““““““““““““““

Naka-usap ko si Dr. ************ ulit kanina. Yun pa din ang paninindigan nya. Hindi pa din daw pwede si Dr. Nato na maging co-adviser dahil "he needs to be affiliated with an institution, has already established himself in related field of study, or should be a meritorious case".  Ang sabi naman sa Graduate Office pwede naman daw lalo na nga sya naman talaga ang adviser ko noon pa. Nararamdaman ko na talaga naiipit ako sa personal na issues ng mga tao. Mukhang walang lusot kay Dr. ***************.

So I  made my stand and declared it in front of all the faculty members present. If I need talk to the Dean for Dr. Nato to be allowed as a co-adviser, I will do so. It is ok even if it will mean I will not be able to defend my thesis on March 14. I will not mind if the case will be elevated to the Chancellor to clear things up. I have signified my willingness of not graduating this sem if it will take that long for the decision-makers to act on it.

This is history in the making, wala pang ganitong case sa UP and the specific provision in the UP Faculty Manual pertaining to this situation has not been put into test.

““““““““““““““““““““““““

Cynthia, Volt, Daisy, Manny, Au, Aga, Jaja, Bert, Glynds, Joy, MM, lahat-lahat-lahat-lahat…. sorry, tapos ko na ang thesis pero hindi ko kaya ilaglag ang tao na tumulong sa akin. Hindi ko maatim na makatapos ako pero may naiwan naman ako. Hindi ko magagawa na tumanggap ng diploma kung may tao na nasaktan.

Give credit where credit is due.

““““““““““““““““““““““““

Kainis, sikat talaga.

Grabe pati ba naman thesis naiintriga pa? hahahahahaha.

People close to me have born witness how hard I have been working on finishing my thesis this semester. It was a large weight off my shoulders when I finally submitted the draft last Monday.

My adviser (Dr. Ernie) and one panel member (Dr. Malou) signed the endorsement letter for oral defense that night too. I just needed the signature of one more panel member (Dr. Baby), the ChE Dept Chairman (Dr. Gene) and lastly, the Dean (Dr. Guevara) to be able to defend my thesis on March 14.

One more “Dr.” missing in the picture is Dr. Nato — he has been my thesis adviser since the start. Unfortunately, I was not able to complete the thesis while he was still a faculty member of the ChE Dept. Dr. Ernie agreed to take on the work but Dr. Nato, regardless of his non-direct engagement in the Dept, has always been available and continued to provide support and advice.

I was informed by Dr. ********** I could not put his name as the adviser/co-adviser because he’s not a faculty anymore. If I would do so, might have repercussions on the degree conferment. Without thinking thoroughly I drafted the thesis endorsement page and the letter without his name.

As I am thinking now, “upset” is a too shallow a word to describe how he could have felt when he received the draft without his name on it. Dr. Ernie texted me last night and told me to handle his “reaction”. It was only this morning I was able to know and imagined it could have been worse than an instantaneous, exothermic, and spontaneous reaction catalyzed by my text message saying:

Lalagay ko po kau as co-adviser sa thesis. Although sinabihan ako ni Dr. ********** ndi pwd. I will discuss with grad ofis if totoo or ndi. But for d meantime lagay na po lang muna.

Instead of a reply to the text message, he sent an email stating clearly he’s not happy with the unilateral act of omitting his name as the co-adviser. It seemed then that it was a continuous and irreversible reaction already. Based on the email, my guess was he has not reached the state of equilibrium yet and possible side reactions might still occur. [Dr. Ernie was just an spectator ion or just had a no-reaction phase the whole time.]

As single reactions often happen as part of a larger series of reactions, I just emailed to him:

Dear Doc Nato,

I sincerely apologize for whatever hurt and trouble I have caused you for lack of better judgment on my part.

Also, I apologize for failing to inform you about the short conversation I had with Dr. *********. It happened when I dropped by the Dept to request for a letterhead. She asked me on the status of my thesis and I informed her that Dr. Ernie is acting as co-adviser but you have been working closely and assisting me throughout the study.

I do understand if you are upset with the turnout of events but please be assured that I will take necessary actions to clear the facts with the Graduate Office.

Sincerely yours,

~N~

Another email was sent to the Graduate Office (cc’d of course, Dr. Nato and Dr. Ernie) for clarification purpose (and better yet have it written for future reference and protection too). Yun nga lang, naglilipat pala sila ng office at wala sila access to email and landline dahil ire-renovate daw.

I got 2 text messages from Dr. Nato after lunch — “Can we meet tomorrow at 6 pm, have to finish report today. I understand. Regards.” The other one, “Baka kailangan mo ng magpost na announcement today chk mo sa Grad Office”.

Somehow, I felt the reaction has finally been completed and the heat extinguished.

All’s well that ends well.

———————————————————-

Friendster Horoscope for February 28, 2007 - Leo

The Bottom Line

Today, don’t be afraid to boldly go where you’ve never gone before.

In Detail

Have the confidence to do what you want today — don’t be afraid to boldly go where you’ve never gone before. Sure, you might not know how everything works at first, but that does not have to put you at a disadvantage. After the first five minutes, your nerves will stop jangling, and you will even start to feel a sense of accomplishment. Take a deep breath and then step out of your comfort zone — and relish that ‘Wow! I can really do this!’ sensation.

Wala talagang tulugan simula Biyernes.

Maswerte na ang makaidlip kahit dalawang oras.

Grabe, pati sa panaginip sinusundan ako.

Hindi bale, konti na lang.

Konting-konti na lang.

Hindi pa tapos ang dulo.

Hindi pa tapos ang kinahinatnan.

Hindi pa tapos ang para sa hinaharap.

Wala pa ang mga dapat pasalamatan.

Pero ano ang paki ko?!?!?!

Graveh, eto na…

Eto na…

Eto nahhhhh! 263 pages and still counting.

At hindi ito copy and paste, huh!

Sunday, February 18, 2007 Manila Bulletin - Reflections Today

JESUS said to His disciples, "To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit [is] that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for He Himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as [also] your Father is merciful. "Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you." "Do good to those who hate you" There is an old Latin proverb which says: "Do ut des." It may be translated: "I give that you may give." It is a terse statement of what could be called in human relationships the law of reciprocity or the principle of mutuality. In popular parlance, this principle is expressed thus: "You scratch my back and I scratch your back." Or, in other words: "If you give me something, if you do me a favor, for example, I will return it in kind, I will give you back an equivalent gift or favor." In this sort of transaction, what someone does for me determines my response: A good turn on your part deserves a good turn on my part, and so on. Unfortunately, this law of reciprocity applies not only for good things, but also for bad things. This means that, if you slap my face, I will slap yours back. Vengeance is the negative form of the law of reciprocity. It is the return of an injury from an injury. It is a paying back for what has been inflicted, a retaliation, a harmful action taken in response to a prior harmful action. For most people, vengeance is an automatic, knee-jerk reaction. Getting even, settling a score, paying back is for them as natural as breathing. That almost universal form of behavior is what, in today’s gospel reading, Jesus describes as the behavior of "sinners." And to that form of behavior He opposes something radically different: "Love your enemies," He says, "do good to those who hate you." Now, at this point four important remarks can help us understand what Jesus is telling us and why. First, what He is telling us. He is not telling us to generate emotions of tender affection, feelings of positive regard towards those who mistreat us. Jesus is too wise a psychologist to do that. He knows perfectly well we do not have a direct control over our emotions. What He is telling us is to disregard our emotions and perform positive actions in favor of our enemy. Second remark. The basic reason Jesus gives for loving our enemy is very simple: It is to imitate our heavenly Father. He gives His rain and sunshine to all indiscriminately, to good people and bad people, whether they deserve it or not. God is absolutely evenhanded and impartial in His gifts. We are His children and therefore should imitate Him. He is compassionate – so should we be. Otherwise we will not deserve to be called His children. Third remark. What Jesus does not specify here is that forgiveness can be a long-drawn-out process. Naturally it begins with a free decision on our part. Somewhere at the extreme point of our spirit, we decide to ignore our feelings of hate for the wrong suffered and to act positively towards the hated person. That first step is crucial. It marks the blocking of the quasiautomatic response of vengeance. But the negative feelings will continue to be felt – at times quite strongly – for a long while, sometimes over a period of a few years. However, the good news is that eventually they will calm down and even turn into something positive. Last remark. The purpose for which Jesus enjoins us to imitate our heavenly Father in this particular way is again quite simple: It is to be happy. Resentment and grudges can poison our lives if we allow them to get a hold on us. When we forgive, we do ourselves a favor. We set ourselves free. Hate is a prison. Forgiveness is the key opening that prison. SOURCE: "365 Days with the Lord," ST PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: publishing@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.

Ang kapal naman ng mukha mo.

Matapos mo ako ipahamak at siraan may lakas ka pa ng loob ipasa ang responsibilidad mo (na hindi lang naman sa iyo dahil inagaw mo at mapapel ka kaya nasa iyo). Katakot-takot na kasinungalingan na nga ang mga pinaggagawa mo, pinalagpas na ng lahat na lahat ng naapektuhan pero hindi ka pa rin nakuntento. Ang papel kasi eh. Pag hindi na kaya biglang ipapasa sa iba.

I dont want to burn bridges but I won’t take this thing sitting down.

February na and I have not updated my blog yet. (Manny, Daisy and Volt – apologies, I just need this one out of my system. Pagbigyan nyo na ako, isang blog lang then back to the kasunduan “no thesis, no blog”)

I’ve always wanted to start a “goodbye old year, hello new year” thing which I envisioned to become a tradition. It would be my best way to look back and learn from the mistakes then plan for the year ahead and beyond. This thought was inspired by Maya’s emails every new year (for this year a blog post) sharing her life events from the previous year. Maya has somehow started something among her friends and even if one another don’t see or meet that often there will always be an established connection. (BTW, Nina has also posted something similar :-))

Yun nga lang I spent the whole Christmas vacation regaining strength and energy lost from the months-long preparation for the conference in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Most of the time I was sleeping and would only get up if I need to go to the toilet to take a bath or do some other stuff then went back to sleep again. I could not remember if I even ate anything decent during those times but the weight gain and extra inch (es!) might be good references.

During my waking hours (which usually during bath time), I looked back to the things that matters to me most and tried to fit them into my plans for 2007. I had several wake-up calls in 2006 that really made me stop and re-evaluate the significance and essence of things.

Wake up calls

Dean Guevara’s Secretary – More than six years since I first enrolled again in UP for MS Environmental Engineering. If I don’t finish this semester sayang ang pera, pagod, puyat at mga ni-ruler na mga grades ko . Sa UP Engineering, pag nakalagpas ka ng Maximum Residency Rule (MRR – 5 years for graduate courses) siguradong mangongolekta ka ng pirma from your professesors, Department Heads at 100% pipila ka sa labas ng Dean’s Office for the approval of the MRR extension. Pag minalasmalas mai-interview at mapapagalitan ka pa ni Dean pero hindi palibhasa nasermonan sigurado ma-a-approve ang request. This semester ako ang lumakad ng request for extension (my sister did it the first time for me) and doon ko naranasan mapasama sa line ng mga kung sino-sino at ano-ano may problema pwede para ma-kick-out na sa Engg. Sa panahon ng enrollment kesahodang presidente ka pa ng Pilipinas, lahat dadaan sa process at pare-pareho lang sa mata ng Dean - - - lalo na ang babaeng sekretarya nakabantay sa labas ng opisina ng Dean. Hindi ko alam if sobrang pagod lang ako, it was the way she treated people or her way of looking at us nung nasa line sa labas ng Dean’s Office but there is something that made me think well and decide to finish my thesis.

Currently, I am doing the write-up and I have a better appreciation of my thesis. I am almost there and I can already feel the “Master” thing. Ngayon pa lang nagpapasalamat na ako sa nanay at tatay ko dahil hindi nila ako ginigising sa umaga (ang tulog ko 4 am – 8 am), kay Cynthia for volunteering to copyedit the final write-up, kay Manny and Daisy sa pagbabawal sa akin mag-blog, kay MM, malaking tulong ang review of related literature, kay Voltaire (see “Master Voltaire” below), kay Jeng sa pagtakbo sa National Bookstore para ibili ako ng nond paper at binder clips, sa mga nagtyatyaga magtext para may kadamay akong gising sa madaling araw at madaming madaming madami pang iba (May special blog entry para sa inyong lahat, pramis).

Master Voltaire – Ayaw ba naman ako kausapin dahil “Master” na daw sya at wala daw karapatan makipag-usap ang isang “Draft”. (Voltaire has been recently recognized by the International Honor Society of Pi Gamma Mu for his academic excellence. FYI, only a few of the UP students with average of 1.25 above are selected for recognition. Friend, hindi ka lang “Master”, hindi lang basta dala-dala mo na ang tatak ng UP sa noo mo pero isa ka ng certified full-blooded nerd!). Dahil sa iyo nagising ako sa katotohan na kailangan ko na tapusin ang thesis ko at kahit anong gawin ko hindi ako nerd.

House forfeiture – When I started working in US-AEP in 2004 and earned enough to have the freedom to own a property, una ko naisip ang bahay. Ayaw ko ng car thinking that in five years time depreciated ang value while the house and lot for sure will be at least 20% the original value. Meron na din naman kaming sasakyan at I don’t mind taking public transportation. Heeding the advice of Cynthia’s dad, I decided to get two pre-selling townhouses in West Fairview Executive Homes. The location is strategic and the deal is really good since the contractor agreed that the 50% downpayment for each unit can be paid in two years. Almost half of my month’s salary went to payments. However I missed some payments during the time may problema sa marriage. I thought that the amount due was settled when I paid all past dues plus the current amount. I have not heard from the contractor and assumed that the houses are already being built. Months beyond the promised turn-over dates wala pa din sign kahit man lang isang poste ng bahay wala eh tapos na ang 50% downpayment ng dalawang units. I intentionally did not pay the succeeding amount (starting June) because I wanted to know kung ano ba nangyayari. Unfortunately because of the workload and trying to balance my life as a single mom hindi ako nagkaroon ng oras to discuss with the contractor. Bottomline, I received a letter last November that all of my payments are being forfeited! Ang sakit sa ulo but I am proud I handled it well. We are now in the process of recomputation and in lieu of the two townhouses, I have now a house (smaller but) in a better location and what is important nakatayo na. Madami pa ipapaayos, I still have to pay about 30% of the contract price, maghanap ng pera for the capital gains tax, document stamps, transfer of title at for installation of the water and electric meters. But still, I already have a house. Moral lessons: (1) there is no such thing as being busy when your hard-earned money is at stake; (2) always, as in always, pay with checks; (3) get your bank statements regularly; and most importantly (4) have a friend like Cynthia, pwede na iyakan puro lawyers pa ang kapatid.

OTP – pinakamatindi sa lahat! Don’t worry mga anak, wala na work si mommy kaya araw-gabi magkakasama na tayo J

——————————————————————–

To be continued…

Things that will not make me feel guilty

Moving on

Things I am missing

Things will miss most

Things I am looking forward to

Dear God,

Please remind me that I am too blessed to be depressed.

Amen.

One hour and forty minutes before our flight back to Manila.

Raining hard in Singapore now. Au and I decided to just go direct to the airport from our hotel and check-in early.

The Silver Kris Lounge is good but not as magnificient as I expected it to be. The ambience is very nice though but I think the food is better in the NAIA counterpart.

I have not talked to my kids for 3 days now. Kyle wants a giant stuff toy but I did not get him the one I saw in Plaza Singapura. I am afraid the airline will require moi to pay plane fare for it.

Arrived Yogyakarta almost 7 pm last Saturday.

Only been 4 days but seem hell lot more than that. No more feelings. Garbage in, garbage out. No processing happening.

I miss home. I miss my kids. I miss sleep. I miss eating. I miss me.

In a few hours we will be flying to Yogyakarta, Indonesia for the Better Air Quality (BAQ) 2006 Conference. The CAI-Asia team has spent countless sleepness nights to prepare for the event. These do not include missed lunches and dinners, relationship break-ups and unbearable scolding by parents for late nights.

Salamat sa buong team. To quote Cornie: WE ARE THE BEST!!!!!!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cornelius Huizenga/Consultants/ADB

12/08/2006 09:08 PM

Dear Glynda, Mike, May, Ninette, Bert, Au, Aga, Dang, and Ja,

We almost finished packing and sending out the last emails before we go home and try to catch a few hours of sleep and we meet at the airport. However, before we fly out to Indonesia I do want to go on record by stating that YOU ARE THE BEST. I think that you have done the impossible and whatever people will say, or whatever will go wrong (and we can be certain that things will go wrong) this workshop would never have happened if it were not for you. I propose the following : I take the blame for what goes wrong and you take the praise for what goes right — I am certain that you will be far more busy.

I also want to repeat what I have said before. BAQ is a great thing and we will probably hear many times in Yogya that we need to continue the BAQ process. I agree that it would be a pity if we would not have a BAQ again BUT it is my solemn pledge to all of you that I will make it clear that we need to completely rethink how BAQ workshops are organized. I would agree with anyone who would say that this BAQ is taking a too heavy toll on the CAI-Asia team.

That is why I have inserted a statement in the opening speech of Kong which states that following this BAQ it should be decided how BAQ’s are organized in the future before a decision is made on the announcement of BAQ 2008. I am most certainly planning to involve all of you for 100% in the discussion and decision making on this!

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you have done over the last few months!!!!

Cornie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For the Better Air Quality Champions…

Dear God,

Do you really answer prayers in unusual ways?

Thank You very much for my family and friends. Thank You for their families and friends too. Thank You for all the ways you are making me feel everything will be all right.

Please help me to be an antidote to those who dispense emotional poison.

Amen.

Dear God,

If I keep a too open mind will my brain fall out?

Amen.

Dear God,

If my dreams become my future should I sleep more?

Amen.

Dear God,

Help me to be good under pressure.

Amen.

Manny Camagay: cno ang jedi master na kamukha ni de venecia?

Manny Camagay: hindi mo alam ano?

Ninette: si yoda?

Manny Camagay: hahaha. korek k jan.

Manny Camagay: eto..eto..cno jedi master na malapad ang face?

Ninette: hirap na hirap kami mag-isip kung panu ka namin masasama sa indonesia

Ninette: may isang option pa ipapacourier na daw namin lahat ng mga damit namin para yung matitipid namin pamasahe mo na lang

Manny Camagay: sagutin mo muna yun riddle ko. mas importante yun!

Ninette: soriiii hndi pa ako pinapanganak ng panahon ng star wars eh

Ninette: so sino ngaaaa

Manny Camagay: eh di JUDAY! hahahahaha

Ninette: at bakit naging jedi master????? aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh jedi ann santos

Ninette: kainisssssssssssssssssssssss

Dear God,

Is it true that even the completely worthless can be used as a bad example?

Amen.

"Lord, open my heart, temper my mind, filter my ears, and sweeten my lips, so that in and through me will flow Your amazing grace. Amen."

We are not evil, inadequate or incompetent when our relationships fail. It may have been that we were simply overconfident about them, not adequately prepared for them or unrealistic in our expectations of them. Not all relationships are right. As long as values change, insights expand, human facades remain impenetrable and human behaviors unpredictable, we will make mistakes.

The very measure of a good relationship is in how much it encourages optimal intellectual, emotional, and spiritual growth. So, if a relationship becomes destructive, endangers our human dignity, prevents us from growing, continually depresses and demoralizes us – and we have done everything we can to prevent its failure – then, unless we are masochists and enjoy misery, we must eventually terminate it. We are not for everyone and everyone is not for us.

The question is, "If we cannot be with another, can we at least not hurt them? Can we, at least, find a way to coexist?"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There comes a time in some relationships when no matter how sincere the attempt to reconcile the differences or how strong the wish to recreate a part of the past once shared, the struggle becomes so painful that nothing else is felt and the world and all its beauty only add to the discomfort by providing cruel contrast. – David Viscott

"One cannot give what he does not possess.
To give love you must possess love.
One cannot teach what he does not understand.
To teach love you must comprehend love.
One cannot know what he does not study.
To study love you must live in love.
One cannot appreciate what he does not recognize.
To recognize love you must be receptive to love.
One cannot have doubt about that which he wishes to trust.
To trust love you must be convinced of love.
One cannot admit what he does not yield to.
To yield to love you must be vulnerable to love.
One cannot live what he does not dedicate himself to.
To dedicate yourself to love you must be forever growing in love."
– Love by Leo Buscaglia

"Sexuality and loving intimacy are not necessarily synonyms, though not mutually exclusive. Sexuality can be totally divorced from any semblance of love. It can be simply an act of genital satisfaction….Without the essential ingredient, the expression of love and affection, the sex act is totally devoid of primary benefits such as prolonged security and satisfaction; this can be achieved only in complete physical and emotional union."
– Loving Each Other by Leo Buscaglia

Saying you’re sorry, when appropriate, is an extremely healing and nurturing thing to do. It’s seen by the recipient not as a sign of weakness, but of strength. It clears the air and opens the door to forgiveness and a fresh start. It brings trust, integrity and humility into a relationship, three of the most beautiful qualities two people can share."

–Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff in Love

"What’s the purpose of being with someone who is emotionally shut down? Staying in a relationship with a person who cannot share feelings is a form of self-punishment….You deserve to have someone in your life who shows you his love and appreciation on a consistent basis. The opposite of emotional generosity is emotional stinginess–hoarding love and emotions as if they were in a limited quantity and offering you tiny pieces of one’s heart…Unless you want a full-time job as a teacher, avoid relationships with emotionally stingy partners!"
–Are You the One for Me? by Barbara De Angelis, Ph.D.

"If you want to make the human connection in a loving relationship, tell me often that you love me through your talk, your actions and your gestures. Don’t assume that I know it. Compliment me often for jobs well done and don’t downgrade but reassure me when I fail. Don’t take the many things I do for you for granted. Let me know when you feel low or lonely or misunderstood. It will make me stronger to know I have the power to comfort you."

–Loving Each Other by Leo Buscaglia

"Starting each day I shall remember to communicate my joy as well as my despair so that we can know each other better. Starting each day I shall remind myself to really listen to you and to try to hear your point of view and discover the least threatening way of giving you mine, remembering that we’re both growing and changing in a hundred different ways."
–Living, Loving and Learning by Leo Buscaglia

Tinawagan ko si Gaebriel to ask if he needs anything for school. Tinanong lang nya ako if may "OTP" ba ako, OTP daw is "overtime pay". Ang sagot ko wala. He further asked bakit wala eh dapat daw ang employees sa Pilipinas 8 hours a day lang nagta-trabaho. Pag sumobra daw dun dapat may OTP na. Yun daw ang turo sa school nila.

Sunod na tanong "Mommy, are you going home early tonight?" eh to think it is 9:30 pm already. Iba na ang concept ng mga anak ko ng "early" — kapag naabutan ko sila na gising, maaga yun!

Paano ko ipapaliwanag sa anak ko na dito sa opisina namin hindi binibilang ang oras? Ni hindi na namamalayan na lumubog na pala ang araw at kung minsan maaring abutan na rin ng pagsikat? Na ang oras namin hindi lamang sa Pilipinas kungdi pati sa ibang bansa na ka-trabaho namin?

Uwi na ako, nawalan na ako ng asawa dahil sa trabaho, ayaw ko naman sumunod na mawalan ng mga anak.

How can you love a person who has no time for you? How can love thrive on that? Is it better to be with a person that loves you than the person you love?

The chances of having a successful relationship become greater when you are with a person who loves you more than you love him because he would do anything to make you happy and comfortable.

A relationship with a man you love more may really please you but it will make and take greater effort on your part just to keep him.

Sometimes it doesn’t help to calculate too much.

Love cannot give a guarantee of permanence. It can only give you the opportunity to do your best to nurture it.

Quick post…. just to take my mind off from the India Country Synthesis Report on Urban Air Quality Management (napapanaginipan ko na ito!)

——–

Tips and some information to consider when you visit Singapore:

1. Better if you have friend/s na pwede mag-ampon sa inyo dun.

2. Ride the MRT and buses, hwag na mag-taxi. Transport system in Singapore is reliable and easy to learn. Hwag matakot magmukhang eng-eng. Read the signs and information on the waiting areas. It will surely save you a lot of precious dollars.

4. Get the ezlink card - usable sa MRT and buses. Remember, sayang ang dollars.

5. Magdala ng dringking water. Remember, everything is 1.5x more expensive there.

6. Pagdating pa lang sa airport, kuha na agad ng lahat ng klase ng maps available. Remember, your friend/s may not always be available to accompany you while in Singapore.

7. Consider going to Kuala Lumpur and/or Indonesia. Although we have not tried it, na-compute namin it will only be around Php 1,500 for a 2D/1N stay in KL). For Indonesia, it is just a 30-minute ferry ride from the Harbourfront MRT station (go inside the mall). Sabi ni randall, dun daw magaganda at mura ang spa.

8. Every MRT station has a nice mall and good hawker centers (cheap but delicious food!)

9. Try the sugarcane juice. Try the fruits (even the pale-looking watermelons are very sweet!). Try the wheatgrass drink (the one with jellies).

10. For pasalubong, go to Bugis.

11. Be ready to walk, walk, walk.

12. Be sure to read their newspapers

May topak ang MRT last week. Good thing my officemate, Aga, was still at the station when I texted her my location (it’s a practice to inform her or CH if I will not be able to make it by 9am). In just a few seconds of sending my SMS, she called to say huwag na  ako bumaba ng taxi para iyon na ang sakyan namin papunta Ortigas. Hindi magandang idea dahil mukhang baguhan pa lang ang taxi driver magmaneho. Hindi nga alam na from Visayas Ave to  Kamuning MRT Station ang daanan ay East Ave or Quezon Ave. Sobrang mabagal talaga and alanganin ang diskarte sa kalsada. I told Aga baba pa rin ako sa station then hanap na lang kami ng ibang taxi. Nagbabayad na ako nang may isang babae na nagkakakaway - - - si Joy, another officemate, hwag na daw bumaba at mahirap magtaxi dahil madami kakumpetensya. Bottomline, yung taxi na rin na yun ang sinakyan namin papunta Ortigas.

+++

As expected sobra ang traffic sa EDSA. Sira na nga ang MRT, hindi pa tapos ang pagbaklas ng mga billboard. Usad pagong talaga. Ang mamang taxi driver lagi naka-segunda ang gear kahit na from complete stop. Lahat kaming pasahero nya marurunong mag-drive kaya kulang na lang palitan na namin sya o mag ala-driving intructors para turuan ang mamang driver.

+++

Tuwing naliligo sa umaga ang pagkakataon ko pag-isipan ang maraming mga bagay-bagay na nangyayari sa buhay ko. Sa mga oras din na yun nabubuo karamihan ng mga ideas at plano ko sa buhay. Siguro yun ang oras ko na para lang sa sarili ko, walang pressure kung paano at gaano katagal ako kumilos, kung ano man o kung kailan ko gusto matapos sa ginagawa ko.

Kaninang umaga naisip ko madami pala ako natutunan sa experience na yun. Kapag narating na ang ganitong edad, normal na pakiramdam na kaya gawin halos lahat ng bagay. Kaya mag-multi-tasking. Naka-acquire na ng experience and lessons to go through life with more mature perspective. Feeling a-little-but-not-yet-a-super person yata talaga lalo na kung ang edad wala na sa kalendaryo.

+++

Madami ako napagdaanan and natutunan in the past two years of my life. Mahirap at masakit but I realize I have more reasons and blessings to be happy and thankful. I really appreciate ang mga magulang, kapatid at kaibigan kaya I’ve moved on and a lot happier now.

I feel more capable, empowered and confident but tulad nga ng taxi driver, even if I know where I am headed but if I don’t ask for directions I may not be able to reach my destination. There are situations that we are surrounded by better and more capable people and they don’t usually offer help agad-agad thus if I don’t ask for it then I might never get it. The best lesson I’ve learned is that no matter how hard I try to get things going if I dont start from the 1st gear, I will go nowhere.

Probably the best way to know if a guy likes you is to simply ask him, but we all know that can be a challenge. So, here are a few clues to working out if he likes you as much as you like him.

Steps

Tips

Warning

• Don’t spend too long trying to find out or you may look like a stalker and this will also backfire.
• Beware of friendly, outgoing guys. You might think he likes you but he might be like that with everyone and not realize how it is making you feel about him and his intentions.
• The temptation to ask someone if he likes you is always present- this can get tricky if he doesn’t, since now there are other people in the loop who know that you were shot down.
• If he does not respond to you, either in the positive or the negative, if he seems to regard you as just another friend or just another girl, you may have to accept that he is not interested. Don’t be discouraged! There will be other boys!
• If he seems comfortable talking to you about other girls, he probably does not like you in "that way."

Question

What if he sent this message to you? Does it mean anything?

Makulit na smiley ha.

Pero mas nakukulitan ako sa hinihintay ko na magdedeliver ng mga books na gagamitin for the workshop tomorrow. Ang usapan 8pm dadalhin pero ala-una na ng madaling araw wala pa.

Asa pa ako na dadating pa sila… Paano ako nyan, 6am kailangan naka-alis na. Saan lupalop ko kaya sila hahanapin? San numero ko kaya sila tatawagan — dalawa nga ang cell numbers nya sa akin pero wala naman syang cellphone.

Paos na ang smiley. Lowbat na ang laptop. Ubos na ang ulan.

Just need to let this out.

Maybe those are just 32 MB and 64 MB memory cards but those are original CANON SD cards. Surely, may not cost much today and I can always buy even a 1 GB-replacement but those are not yours! Kapag hiniram siguro dapat ibalik.

Notwithstanding you have not paid the repair cost of the printer you broke. You could have at least notified me that it has been repaired a long time ago para hindi na ako ang nagbayad pati ng storage fee.

Well, what’s the use of these words? Hindi mo rin mababasa dahil wala na ang laptop at free account na pang-open mo ng email.

Later that day I got to thinking about relationships. There are those that open you up to something new and exotic, those that are old and familiar, those that bring up lots of questions, those that bring you somewhere unexpected, those that bring you far from where you started, and those that bring you back.

But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you find someone to love the you you love, well, that’s just fabulous.

Nothing is impossible for a willing heart.

i wish
i could say more
but
no words are enough

Facts:

1. Estimated world population as of June 9, 2006: 6,520,686,668 (6.52 billion)

2. Estimated population ng Pilipinas as of June 9, 2006: 89,468,677 (89.47 million)

3. Projected population ng Pilipinas sa 2040: 141,096,582 (141 million)

4. Projected population ng National Capital Region (NCR) by 2040: 13,788,000 (13.79 million)

5. In 2000, the Philippine NSO projected that by 2003, 3 babies will be born every minute

Kapag nalulungkot o nalulumbay o iniisip na walang pag-asa ang buhay, laging sinasabi ng mga katsokaran: Easy lang, there is hope. Kaya yan. Espesyal ka. Yunik ka. Yu ken do it. *hik!*

12:43pm - At this exact moment in time how would you say you are unique? Ano ang meron ka na wala ang 6.52 Billion na tao sa buong mundo o 89,468,676 pipol sa Pilipinas? Ano ang special sa iyo ngayon at hanggang magpakailan man (sige hanggang 2040 para related to the abovementioned facts). Maalala mo kaya kung ano ang mga ito makarating man sa dulo ng mundo o tuktok ng Mt. Everest?

Three decades pa lang ako nabubuhay pero paunti-unti nalalaman ko na bakit ako special at unique. Hindi dahil byuti and brains with charming personality and so fun to be with (madami ang pwede mag-claim nito) kungdi sa tingin ko na ako lang nagkataon na merong ganito:

• Tiger + Lion = Ninette

Until now I am still amazed with the fact that a liger really exists. It has been my benta points and pang-bangka kapag usapan na ng “describe yourself”. I would not say much basta sabihin ko lang Year of the Tiger and Leo ako so go figure gaano ka-strong ang personality ko.

IMOHO, ilan sa 6.52 bilyon na tao kaya ang may combination na Chinese sign + Zodiac sign = living animal? Assume natin 1% year of the Tiger and the birthdate falls between July 22-August 22 but ilan sa kanila ang nakaka-alam na may liger/tigon pala?

• August 18

Hindi ko ina-announce ang birthday ko. Hinde, hinde, hindeeee! (Pero sa mga kaibigan, kapamilya at kapuso na may mabubuting kalooban that will give me anything so they will always be remembered, hindi po ako mahirap kausap). How many people would actually have a co-worker na ka-birthday nya? Hindi nga lang same year but still, same date. Yes, hindi naman ito unique kasi sabi nga sa statistics merong 3 times 60 minutes times 24 hours na bata ang nadadagdag sa Pilipinas kada araw (hindi pa kasama yung twins, triplets, quadruplets sa computation). Eh paano if we narrow down ang criteria to: katabi mo ng workstation, kasama mo sa team, same school, same course, same area ang tinitirhan nyo at kasing byuti and brains mo din? (ok ba Sheila?)

• Taurus + Leo = 4 relationships

Relationship Number 1 : Tatay at Nanay ko – May 9 at August 1

Relationship Number 2 : Cynthia at ako – hindi kami hetero ha, friendship is considered a relationship

Relationship Number 3 : Ed at ako – as discussed in RN 2, friends

Relationship Number 4 : Ed at wife Emily – this explains RN 3.

Si Ed ang isa sa mga new friends ko during my US-AEP days. Ang unique sa taong ito mag-aanounce ng mga importanteng event before or on the day itself. Nalaman ko ang birthday nya last week of April and I jokingly said that mukhang magkakasundo kami citing RN 1 and 2. O di ba?

Sige para sa mga kontra, eh ano naman ang chance na ang pakasalan ni Ed (na Taurus nga) ay Leo din? Nakilala ko lang si Emily two weeks ago at wala akong idea kung anong birthday nya. Surprise, surprise, surprise – August 19! (kung napaaga ang labor ng nanay nya baka August 18 din sya). Joke ko nga si Ed, siguro kaya bigla sila pakasal kasi kinukwentuhan ko sya about RN 1 and 2. (BTW, the day before his wedding lang sya nag-annnounce na ikakasal na sya). Tell me how two people find each other in a world that’s full of strangers. You’ve got to believe in magic, something’s stronger than the moon above coz it’s magic when two people fall in love…

Ang galing di ba? Coincidence siguro pero ganun lang ka-simple. It’s not really what I am but the people around me are the ones that are making me unique. I really look forward to seeing if meron pa idadagdag sa listahan. Ganun lang kababaw at kahit pa by year 2040 when there will be 13.8 million people in NCR (out of the 141 million in the Philippines), masasabi ko pa rin na unique ako.

Ikaw, paano mo masasabi na unique ka?

6:13 pm - 5 hours and 30 minutes have passed from the time I started typing up to saving the draft. May nadagdag na 990 babies…

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

The Tiger

The Tiger is said to be lucky vivid, lively and engaging. Another attribute of the Tiger is his incredible bravery, evidenced in his willingness to engage in battle or his undying courage. Maybe he’s so brave because he is so lucky.

THE SIGN OF THE TIGER - Tigers do not find worth in power or money. They will be completely honest about how they feel and expect the same of you. On the other hand, they seek approval from peers and family. Generally, because of their charming personalities Tigers are well liked. Often, failing at a given task or being unproductive in his personal or professional life can cause a Tiger to experience a depression. Criticism from loved ones can also generate this type of Tiger reaction. Still, like all felines, Tigers always land on their feet, ready for their next act in life, pursuing it with unyielding energy and hunting it infallibly.

Tigers are also incorrigibly (uncontrollably) competitive - they simply cannot pass up a challenge, especially when honor is at stake, or they are protecting those they love. Tigers are unpredictable and it would be unwise to underestimate their reactions. They may appear cool, but they have the Big Cat’s instincts to pounce at a moment’s warning. Natural leaders, they have a strong sense of their own dignity, and if they find themselves in the ranks, they can be stubborn and obstinate. In positions of power they can be difficult though stimulating bosses. Tigers are intelligent, alert, and farsighted. They have their fingers on the pulse. Good strategists and tacticians, they often have a hidden agenda. As long as they do not risk their luck too often, and keep their restless nature under control, their tactics usually pay off in life.

THE WOOD TIGER (1974)  is more adaptable to working with others and therefore does not demonstrate the typical "take charge" attitude of other Tigers. The Wood element adds stability, giving him warmth of character that draws people in and makes the Tiger a popular person. They are not selfish creatures and will give their time, attention or possessions to anyone in need. These Tigers bring a solid practicality to any problem. They can control their urges to completely take over, letting others do the work. They must be aware of their slightly volatile tempers and short attention spans, and not let those characteristics get the best of them or cause them or their loved ones undue pain.

HEALTH - Tigers tackle everything in their lives in brief bursts of energy, collapsing afterwards in a heap of exhaustion. Normally they are soon back to full strength, but their approach can cause their long-term health to suffer. They should take it a little easier and learn to pace themselves to keep active longer and to prevent early burnout. They are blessed with flexibility and recover quickly from illness or pain. They owe it to themselves to relax a little. Along with the fitness of their long-term health, Tigers must be aware of how they react to and are affected by the consequences of their tempers. A Tiger’s meanest enemy is the damage he can inflict upon himself in the midst of a temper tantrum.

AT HOME WITH THE TIGER - Tigers take pride in being different than others and generally illustrate their originality best in their homes. Tigers can utilize their atmosphere with color and light. A Tiger’s home will be filled with exotic treasures from trips past and will include items such as Tibetan prayer mats or African carvings, confirming their desire to travel to distant places.

THE TIGER ON THE JOB - A quickness and an alert intelligence make Tigers fast learners. Tigers need a challenge. Add this to them being easily bored and it explains why Tigers tend to change careers more often than other Chinese Animals. Some Tigers don’t change their occupations frequently enough and thus tend to juggle jobs all at the same time. Most Tigers are natural born leaders who perform best knowing they are working towards positions of power and influence.

MONEY AND THE TIGER - Tigers depend on luck. They like to spend money, and also to share it. They can be quite impulsive spenders because they know they can always make more. Somehow, as luck would have it, they discover the end of the rainbow just before complete bankruptcy. They are willing to lose a fortune in their lifetime, if it means they will wind up with two.

CONGENIAL BUSINESS PARTNERS - Whether Tigers are compatible with their business partners depends on whether their signs are harmonious or antagonistic to those of their business partners. Considering the congruity of their own characters and the characters of their business partners can also be very useful.

THE TIGER ON VACATION - Tigers like to live on the edge, to travel long distances conquering thrills and fears along the way. Never the homebody, Tigers prefer activity and excitement to relaxing days by the ocean reading a good book. They leave on a whim and return when they are ready to plan their next vacation. Action-filled getaways are sure to get a Tiger away for a long time!

FRIENDS AND ENEMIES - Tigers have the ability to lift the spirits of even the most depressed or lonesome individual they meet. Because of that attitude, Tigers have no problem making new friends. Actually, a Tiger person without a friend is quite miserable and sad. As friends, Tigers are exceptionally warm and incredibly generous with their time, attention and money. Friends are always welcome in a Tiger’s home and will most often be greeted with a cup of coffee, an ear, a tissue, an open mind and an open wallet. Few friends could be as caring and affectionate, as quirky and surprising, or as genuinely interested as the Tiger.

TIGER PARENTS AND BABIES - Tiger parents are quite similar to the characters of their wildlife counterparts. They will walk through fire to protect their children or to defend them to others. As warm and affectionate as they are, they can become fierce and defensive when their kids are at stake. They lavish their offspring with treats and spoil them with generosity. Tiger parents can be fun as kittens, playing family games and getting great enjoyment from it. On the whole, they enjoy their children’s company, having a good laugh and sharing a funny joke. Still, adult Tigers will become enraged if one of their children has gone too far, or is disrespectful. As open-minded and liberal as they are, they will not, under any circumstances, tolerate bad manners, or a lack of respect for other adults.

They take their role as parents very seriously, and they believe in the value of a good education. When their kids are small, Tigers like to tell them tales and read them stories. They like to talk about their childhood experiences, and use their stories to instill moral lessons or any ethical feelings. Tigers are decidedly convinced to make themselves the very best role models for their children that they can be.

THE TIGER LOVER - Tigers are incredibly sexy people, beautiful to most people and sensually romantic. They are spontaneous lovers who never lose their creative spark or flare for an evening of passion. They offer their partner a hint of danger and exhibit a curiosity for the unknown.

MARRIAGE - Once a Tiger has committed himself to you, he can tend to want to dominate or lead you. This is a natural nurturing mechanism and must be kept under close watch to avoid complete control. For the negative effects a Tiger can have on his partner, there are a zillion positive things he will bring to the relationship. Trust, passion, politeness and spontaneity are only a few characteristics of the Tiger mate.

THE TIGER LOVE PARTNER - Tigers love excitement and need someone who can keep up with all they want to do and see. His partner must also be able to stand the mood swings, the ups and downs, the good with the bad. Chinese horoscopes are very specific about which partnerships have the potential to be successful in love and in business. Yet, though destiny can point us ion the right direction, we must still make all efforts to maintain loving relationships.

The Lion

Leo is a Fire Sign which also rules the fifth House, the House of Pleasure. It is ruled by the Sun, in ancient times the Center of the Universe. Leo is the sign of the Lion, the flamboyant King of Beasts who wants everybody to know that he is the King.

The Lion basks in the spotlight. She has a sharp tongue but put down only people who are arrogant. She uses humor as a weapon and wields her wit wildly. She prizes herself on her intellectual abilities and always has her head in a book. Not only can a Leo lead, she will lead. Lions don’t give up. She’s dramatic, bold, creative, and strong; no other sign can grab and hold the spotlight the way a Lion can.

Lions are great fun to be around, too. Leos are amusing and have an enormous personality. She tries hard to fulfill her commitments but actually prefers to be out having a good time socializing or partying with friends. Her exuberance is contagious. Leos dip in and out of relationships but will only really settle with someone who allows them a certain amount of freedom.

The point of being a Leo is to be at one with the creative principle, and to learn how her willpower affects what she creates in her life. Self-expression and creativity are everything to a Leo. She will naturally gravitate toward careers that allow her to shine. Lions can often be found in the performing arts, shining with the brightness of the sun. In the public eye, a Lion is charismatic and magnetic, but a Lion shines even in less visible fields. Unless she works in a creative field she finds work tedious, but she perseveres with it.

What a Leo is Like:

• Opinionated but extremely capable they see projects through to the end.

• Arrogant and egotistical they are popular and good at making friends and influencing people.

• They are good actors in every sense of the way, on stage and off.

• They are natural generous leaders who live life with enormous drama indeed like a roaring Lion.

• Pleasure, overindulgence, gambling and spending money makes them feel good.

• They have an instinctive desire for both acclaim and self - approval.

• They will literally use a mirror to see what effect they are making and will study what to do to make a better impression.

• They want to be desirable, attractive, and will acquire the traits needed to appear better.

• Self-approval replaces conscience, they’ll do anything as long as it improves their image.

• Introspective they are not, self - analysis is unimportant, the effect they make on other people however, is.

• Leo is the most dominant, creative and extrovert of all the zodiac signs.

• They are truly Lions in their splendour and personality, ambitious, courageous, self-confident, strong-willed, independent without any self-doubt.

• Born leaders, they are most effective when in command, bringing out the best from their employees or co-workers.

• They possess enormous magnetism, are uncomplicated, act bigger than life with enormous daring.

• Ambitious, thriving on adversity, they will pursue their goals relentlessly.

• Intelligent, philosophical, sometimes religious, almost fanatical in their religious beliefs.

• This fanaticism can be positive as well as negative.

• Their passions and lusts are also Lionine, for luxury, power, sex, money.

• Normally they can control themselves because of an inner wisdom which creates checks and balances.

The Blog

Ngayon ko lang nalaman meron pala talagang combination ng tiger at lion! Ibig sabihin hindi ako nag-iisa Ang word na liger is actually included the English language since 1938. Accordingly, ang liger ay anak ng lalaking leon at babaeng tiger. Ang tigon naman lalaking tiger at babaeng leon. In English, lion + tigress = liger and tiger + lioness = tigon.

Sabi sa Wikipedia both ligers and tigons exist in captivity. Meron totoong liger na ang pangalan ay Hercules na nakatira at The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S.) in Myrtle Beach, a wildlife education organization run by director Dr. Mahamayavi Bhagavan Antle. Yun nga lang Hercules was the result of an accident rather than deliberate breeding. Sabi sa website (dated May 2005) He is three years old (so four years old na sya ngayon), stands 10 feet tall on his hind legs, and weighs about 1,000 lbs. At maturity he is expected to reach 12 feet in length and weight about 1,250 lbs.(Ano ang maturity age ng lion at tiger? I-a-average ba para sa liger at tigon?) He eats about 20 lbs. of meat (beef or chicken) per day, and he can consume up to 100 lbs of food in one sitting.

Kakatuwa! Ang galing. Sino ang mag-aakala na meron pala? Try to find and combine your chinese sign (based on the birth year) with your zodiac sign (based on birth month). Tingnan nga natin if meron rooster na isda, baboy na talangka, o rabbit na scorpio. Syempre hindi na kasama yung chinese signs na virgin hahahahaha.

by Pablo Neruda

I want you to know
one thing.

You know how this is:
if I look
at the crystal moon, at the red branch
of the slow autumn at my window,
if I touch
near the fire
the impalpable ash
or the wrinkled body of the log,
everything carries me to you,
as if everything that exists,
aromas, light, metals,
were little boats
that sail
toward those isles of yours that wait for me.

Well, now,
if little by little you stop loving me
I shall stop loving you little by little.

If suddenly
you forget me
do not look for me,
for I shall already have forgotten you.

If you think it long and mad,
the wind of banners
that passes through my life,
and you decide
to leave me at the shore
of the heart where I have roots,
remember
that on that day,
at that hour,
I shall lift my arms
and my roots will set off
to seek another land.

But
if each day,
each hour,
you feel that you are destined for me
with implacable sweetness,
if each day a flower
climbs up to your lips to seek me,
ah my love, ah my own,
in me all that fire is repeated,
in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten,
my love feeds on your love, beloved,
and as long as you live it will be in your arms
without leaving mine.

What am I feeling now? Hindi maipaliwanag. Takot, kaba, nerbyos, excitement, kaligayahan, pagod? Ewan. Hindi ko talaga maintindihan basta agitated ako but still managing to stay calm and look cool. Parang hindi kasama sa character ko ang bumigay at mag-breakdown.

I woke up early this morning (6:30 am, early na yun dahil ang normal waking hours ko is past 7) because we need to be early sa office to extend assistance to the team sa workshop nila. Hindi ganun ka-vital ang role, actually to assist lang sa registration and sabi nga ng boss, the priority is to finish the China report. Pero naman, nakakakonsensya kung makikita silang nagpapakahirap physically, emotionally, psycologically doon samantalang I can lend an extra hand naman.

I took a cab from my place to MRT. First time ko mag-quezon avenue and I promise myself I will never ever ride in that station again, grabe ang dami ng tao. Ang nakakainis pa, segregated na nga ang mga babae, matatanda at disabled pero meron pa rin talagang mga pasaway na kahit maluwag ang coach ay manunulak at mangbabalya pa rin.

Bottomline, dumating ako 8:40 at syempre kitang-kita ako ng boss na tumatakbo at dahil naka-bright yellow sya, kitang-kita ko din sya. Wala na ibang daanan kungdi sa harap nya, hindi naman ako pwede mag-invisible mode dahil ang lilitawan ko naman ay sa tabi nya. So ayun, wala naman sinabi pero tumingin sa kanyang wristwatch at umiling…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

May, Bert and I have been working loooonnnnggggg hours since last week for the China report and the rest of the team para sa 2 workshops naman ang inaasikaso. Pinakamaaga na uwi lagi ay 11pm, minsan inaabot pa ng pasado ala-una. Sabi nga ni May dun sa latest blog nya, normal na ang ganito. Si Alex nga nung minsan inabot ng 5:30am. In fairness, kahit mataas na ang stress level and highly agitated na ang mga tao wala pa rin bumibigay. Kaya nga parang wala akong karapatan mapagod at magreklamo…

Yun din ang sabi ng nanay ko nung isang umaga na nagbibihis ako at nagkukuwento about work. Nagsawa na sya ng kakatanong bakit ako ginagabi at kakapilit magpa-check-up ako kasi minsan grabe ang nosebleed ko  (sagot ko na lang kailangan lang magbawas ng brain cells kasi sobrang dami na hahahahaha).  Hwag daw ako magreklamo dahil yan ang pinili kong trabaho…

Minsan naiisip ko na tama nga ba ang naging desisyon ko…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When my US-AEP contract was about to end last year, I told myself I would give myself a month-long vacation. Walang gagawin kungdi matulog, kumain, mag-alaga ng bata, tapusin ang MS thesis at ayusin ang buhay ko afterall I’ve been through with personal and professional life, I believed I really need to pamper and love myself more. I deserve a break but naisip ko I need to earn and andun yung takot  na mawawalan ako ng work kapag nagbakasyon ako.

So a week after my contract ended, I was reporting already to Holcim. Syempre yung week na pahinga nauwi sa interviews, pag-aasikaso ng NBI, police at barangay clearance, at kung ano-ano pang requirements. Isama na rin ang pangungulit para i-release ng mga nagmamagaling na mga naiwan sa dati kong work ang clearance at sweldo ko. (Ayaw pirmahan ang clearance ko dahil sa mouse! My golly banani, of all things na tatangayin ko eh mouse na tig-100 pesos pa ba? Besides, I have my own laptop and my own blue optical mini-mouse. Some people talaga, tsk, tsk, tsk!)

I was the External Affairs Officer for the AFR Team in Holcim for 3 months. Pay was good plus ang dami benefits. During my short stay there napasama na ako sa 15th month pay. Na-order na rin ang cellphone at computer plus nasabi pa na dapat meron na rin Toyota Vios or Honda City. If I bring my own car, I can reimburse the gasoline. During travel, lahat ng related expenses were paid by the company. I had great teammates too! Oh, I love them so much besides that I have known most of the team members when I was still in the government. Nag-offer ang Holcim to shorten my probationary period so I could enjoy the full benefits package and with that pa, meron pa increase na konti sa salary. Magaan ang work, halos walang pressure. Most of it liaison work sa government agencies, NGOs and clients. Similar to my work in US-AEP but more of industry/private sector representation naman. Actually, I really wanted to join their team even before my US-AEP engagement.

So madami nagtatanong, bakit ako umalis? Why did I give up such package that will ensure a good future for me and my kids? Why did I opt to go to a contractual consultancy work which compensation is equivalent or even lesser compared to the non-monetary benefits and bonuses Holcim has offered? Hindi madali ang naging desisyon. I really asked a lot of people to help me. I prayed a lot during that time and just lifted up to the Lord kung ano ba talaga ang dapat sa akin. Admittedly, hindi ako religious and I still believe that most of what we are are products of our own doings but when I need to make decisions I always have faith and trust kung ano ang plan ng Diyos for me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Honestly, hindi ko alam ano ang meron ang CAI-Asia… Sa ngayon, wala pa akong panahon para isipin, manhid mode on muna ulit at magpapaka-robot dahil madami pa dapat ilagay sa China report. Deadline ngayong 3 pm…

I dont want to let this day pass without posting these stories. Many thanks to the writer (hulog ka talaga ng langit!). Read on and just guess who he is — prefers to remain anonymous but his contact details can be made available upon request.

manny_camagay: wento…wento…me isang sosyal na mayabang..pag-park ng civic nya, me nakita sya!!!!

manny_camagay: isang gucci bag sa ibabaw ng ekxpediksyon ang naiwan ng mas mayaman pa sa kanya….

manny_camagay: tumingin-tingin sa paligid…walang tao!!! bilis tnakbo c gucci!!! kunyari naiwan at parang natural kumilos. pumasok sa expesive cafe!

manny_camagay: nakatingin ang mga waiter sa kanya at binigyan ng best seat. umorder ng creme brulee, at caviar o dbah!

manny_camagay: pagdating ng food, natural na kumilos tumikim at unti-unting mararating kalangitan at bituin…ay ehsteh mali-mali..

manny_camagay: unti-unting binuksan c gucci…kaunti pah. kaunti pah….At…

manny_camagay: patay na pusa ang laman puro dugo!!

manny_camagay: kala mo tapos na yun?

manny_camagay: wento pa…nagicing na sya strecher sa makati med executive suite ang pupuntahan…mabilis ang takbo ng mga nar-es…

manny_camagay: nagtaka para macikip dibdib nya…nkalagay c dead cat sa kanya—sa gulat npasigaw at nahulog sa stretcher tuluyang ng hinmatay.

manny_camagay: bakit??? e sympre akala super yaman e di ikinuha na ambulance.

manny_camagay: at dinala sa ospital.

manny_camagay: o tapos na.

Me: eh paano yung bayad dun sa parking ng civic nya?

Me: eh paano yung creme brulee nya? naubos ba? sayang naman

manny_camagay: kainis ka naman eh jowk lang yun, dont believe them all.

Ninette Ramirez: ay hindi ha, actually naka-blind item na yan sa inkwirer 1st and last edition

manny_camagay: heto ang totoo…a meticulous lady was preparing her famous rich husband’s funeral.

manny_camagay: after placing invitations via popular newspapers, she realized there will be press people who will take pictures…

manny_camagay: but its tooooo late tomorrow will be burial. she rushed to funeral owner and paid large cash in order to change her husband’s suit to dark blue kc dark blue is vibrant on pictures…

manny_camagay: nagalit pa dahil its very difficult to make a new suit in a rush,,she double the pay and said DO ANYTHING to the manager!!!

manny_camagay: so the burial day came, the husband was in dark vibrant blue suit.the press came near when she pose to cry on the espensive see-through casket.

manny_camagay: the moment she she reached out hold her husband’s face with her white-gloved hands to kiss …..

manny_camagay: eh…biglang natanggal yung ulong ng jowa nya!!

manny_camagay: the more she cried and then fainted to death.

manny_camagay: then the manager xpleynd…he was scared by the but liked the offer, a new dead man came in and he noticed they have the same size as the rich husband….

manny_camagay: so ang ginwa nya…e di pinagpalit na lang yung ulo!!!

manny_camagay: hahaha. vanity can be deadly

manny_camagay: rather deathly.

Me: ano yung moral leson nung first story

manny_camagay: if the devil wears prada…the stupid falls for gucci. hahahaha. i made that up.

It’s past 7 and I am still here in the office.

Should be home now helping the kids study for their last quarterly exam, in SM Megamall or Robinsons Galleria buying baon (Ate Weng, my nanay’s assistant cook acts as surrogate mother to my kids when I am still in the dreamland every morning, will soon make "Nette, baon ng mga bata" as a text message alert tone.), in a cab somewhere in EDSA wishing I hadn’t left yet just to be stuck in traffic, in Bangkok with Sheila or in any place my limited budget will allow.

Exactly the middle of the week and 15th of the month, I only have Php260 in my wallet. Taxi fare tonight will cost me Php120. In any case, I still have plenty of 25-centavo coins.

am in the process of redesigning my blogpage. Adding some content and links to my friends’ pages. My officemate asked why "Blue"? I wanted to tell her it’s my favorite color and to describe the exact shade of blue that I like best but it’s not just that, it is also the mood that I am now.

Armed with a mini-mouse with a blue-lighted middle scroll button, I googled "blue meaning" resulting to more than 57.9 million matches in 0.10 seconds.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

1. blue is any of a number of similar colors. When it is a pure color from a single source, it corresponds with a wavelength range of about 420–490 nanometers - very scientific. Reminds me of my Physics classes. I don’t want my blogs to be associated with the law of inertia — a grade tends to stay that way with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. My Physucks 71, 72 and 73 proved the theory.

2. It is considered to be one of the three primary additive colors - very basic. I like the "additive" thing — blue + red = violet and blue + yellow = green then blue + violet = blue violet and blue + green = blue green but blue + blue will still be blue. Gets?

3. The English language commonly uses "blue" to refer to any color from blue to cyan - very flexible. Call it light blue, baby blue, dark blue, royal blue or any other blue-terminologies but it will always be blue. You can’t call pink as baby red and gray as light black.

Nanay texted already asking my location. She’s already used to my past-9pm arrivals but still constantly checking me out. Kabisado ko na comments everytime magmamano ako sa kanya pagdating. I am tempted mag-ala "Fita commercial" - O, gabi na naman ako. San na naman ba ako galing? Hindi ko ba alam nag-aalala sila pag wala pa ako? - haaaaay, I love my nanay!

With more 57 million available resources for "blue" I guess I have to cease for now. I still need to buy baon for the kids.

I’ve learned -
that you cannot make someone love you.
All you can do is be someone who can be loved.
The rest is up to them.

that no matter how much I care,
some people just don’t care back.

that it takes years to build up trust,
and only seconds to destroy it.

that it’s not what you have in your life
but who you have in your life that counts.

that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes.
After that, you’d better know something.

that you shouldn’t compare yourself to the best others can do
but to the best you can do.

that it’s not what happens to people that’s important. It’s what they do about it.

that you can do something in an instant
that will give you heartache for life.

that no matter how thin you slice it,
there are always two sides.

that it’s taking me a long time
to become the person I want to be.

that it’s a lot easier
to react than it is to think.

that you should always leave loved ones with loving words.
It may be the last time you see them.

that you can keep going
long after you think you can’t.

that we are responsible for what we do,
no matter how we feel.

that either you control your attitude
or it controls you.

that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first,
the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.

that heroes are the people who do what has to be done
when it needs to be done,
regardless of the consequences.

that learning to forgive takes practice.

that there are people who love you dearly,
but just don’t know how to show it.

that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

that my best friend and I can do anything
or nothing and have the best time.

that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you’re down
will be the ones to help you get back up.

that sometimes when I’m angry I have the right to be angry,
but that doesn’t give me the right to be cruel.

that true friendship continues to grow,
even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.

that just because someone doesn’t love you the way you want them to doesn’t mean they don’t love you with all they have.

that maturity has more to do with
what types of experiences you’ve had
and what you’ve learned from them
and less to do with how many
birthdays you’ve celebrated.

that you should never tell a child their dreams are unlikely or outlandish.
Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it would be
if they believed it.

that your family won’t always be there for you. It may seem funny,
but people you aren’t related to
can take care of you and love you
and teach you to trust people again.
Families aren’t biological.

that no matter how good a friend is,
they’re going to hurt you every once in a while
and you must forgive them for that.

that it isn’t always enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

that no matter how bad your heart is broken
the world doesn’t stop for your grief.

that our background and circumstances
may have influenced who we are,
but we are responsible for who we become.

that sometimes when my friends fight,
I’m forced to choose sides even when I don’t want to.

that just because two people argue,
it doesn’t mean they don’t love each other
And just because they don’t argue,
it doesn’t mean they do.

that sometimes you have to put
the individual ahead of their actions.

that we don’t have to change friends
if we understand that friends change.

that you shouldn’t be so eager to find out a secret.
It could change your life forever.

that two people can look at the exact same thing
and see something totally different.

that no matter how you try to protect
your children, they will eventually get hurt
and you will hurt in the process.

that there are many ways of falling
and staying in love.

that no matter the consequences,
those who are honest with themselves
get farther in life.

that no matter how many friends you have,
if you are their pillar you will feel lonely
and lost at the times you need them most.

that your life can be changed
in a matter of hours by people who don’t even know you.

that even when you think you have no more to give,
when a friend cries out to you,
you will find the strength to help.

that writing, as well as talking,
can ease emotional pains.

that the paradigm we live in
is not all that is offered to us.

that credentials on the wall
do not make you a decent human being.

that the people you care most about in life
are taken from you too soon.

that although the word "love"
can have many different meanings,
it loses value when overly used.

that it’s hard to determine where to draw the line
between being nice and not hurting people’s feelings
and standing up for what you believe.

copyrights to: Kathy Kane Hansen

Went to Baguio this weekend for the Panagbenga 2006 with my new officemates but unlike other trips this was just a spur-of-the-moment thing. I made no plans for the weekend because of an activity in my kid’s school which I thought Saturday afternoon but turned out Friday pala. With nothing to do, cool weather, available bus tickets, free place to stay, bonding session with new officemates, ECAP float and exhibit to see, and many other reasons, go to the summer capital ang byuti namin. I asked Marcy, Sheila and Cynthia to also join us but I guess being asked just a day before the trip was an excuse already.

I really planned to write about the Panagbenga 2006 experience but I decided to set it aside. I don’t feel like it right at this moment. Honestly, I don’t know what to feel right now.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

It has been a habit to send a text message to Cynthia every morning:

27-Feb-06 8:16 am Ninette: Hi cynth gud am. Pasok k ofis?

No reply from her. Might be busy sa office or hindi na naman nakuha ang text ko (sun to sun … alam nyo naman). Went on with my routine knowing for sure she’d respond before the day ends (wala pa yung schedule namin ng Memoirs-of-the-Geisha libre and bayad sa utang ko nung dinner Thursday night).

27-Feb-06 5:04 pm Cynthia: How was baguio? We’re at Heart Center. Papa is feeling weak. He has to stay overnight for some tests.

27-Feb-06 5:05 pm Ninette: Ok lang kakapagod. Hope ur papa is ok. R u also going 2 stay overnyt der?

27-Feb-06 5:06 pm Cynthia: Malamang si mama lang. Pasok na ko office tomorrow. Hindi pa kasi ituloy ng coup.

27-Feb-06 9:16 pm Ninette: Ngayon pa lang pauwi. Dami pa tinapos. Bukas na lang ulit.

I did not expect her to reply. Mahina ang signal sa room nya. Natutulog na yun.

28-Feb-06 6:34 am Cynthia: My dad died of cardiac arrest early this morning.

Lunchtime already but I still have not responded to her message. I am still shocked. I don’t know what to tell her. I feel sad too — no, grieving and hurting. I just could not find the right words to say to her. Since this morning iniisip ko kung ano ang gagawin ko. Cynthia is the strongest and smartest person I know but this moment I don’t want to know how she is baka ako ang hindi maka-kaya. She loves her dad so much. I am not sure if I will be as strong as she is kaya hindi ko ma-offer ang sarili ko.

* * * * * * * * * * *

So ironic, went to Baguio to celebrate "a season for blossoming, a time for flowering" but pagbalik pala I need to consider bringing some to my best friend’s dad.

I saw a copy of "Hope for the Flowers" in Baguio. I told one of my officemates that this is one of the first books my kids read. It is story of 2 caterpillars, who because they mistake the meaning of their urge to get high, get entangled climbing a horrible &quot;caterpilar pillar&quot;. And for two caterpillars, we all know, surrendering to the cocoon is the only way to finally fly.

Hindi ko alam bakit ko naisip na iyan ang maging title ng blog. Hindi ko alam bakit sa dinami-dami ng books na makikita and madi-disscuss iyan pa. Hindi ko alam bakit iyan ang naisip ko when I read Cynthia’s message this morning.

As I read the story the one thing that struck me was the manner in which the author almost perfectly recreated corporate life in the metaphor of a caterpillar’s life. As it turned out I was wrong. This book was NOT written with corporate in mind. It was the outcome of someone ’’sharing comfort with a friend who had just experienced death of someone close’’

Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets

So love the people who treat you right

Forget about the ones who did not

And believe that everything happens for a reason.

Know a good thing when you see it

And do not let it slip away.

If you get a chance take it

If it changes your life, let it.

Nobody said that it would be easy

They just said it would be worth it.