april 5-7, 2008. my choirmates decided that for this year, baguio is the place to go! i can't wait to go, not because it's baguio (not really keen on going there on a summer weekend, a long weekend at that), but more of the fact that i have not joined the choir in any trips/gimmicks for the longest time. especially when they would go out of town. last year i missed subic. i also missed overnight trips to my friend's resort. to think it is just in the neighboring city! oh well...
but this time it's different. to show my eagerness, i already paid for my accommodation last week! now there's no backing up. not that i was intending to, anyway. so, what to do while in baguio? why, get laid, of course! hahahaha! fat chance of that happening, what with my friends and i sharing a room and all. come to think of it, it could be possible. there are lots of tourists, so more chances of hooking up!
before i hear, "slut!", let me say that it is only half-meant. of course, spending time with my friends would be my utmost priority. the tourist spots, i can let go of that. since i was there last year with my balikbayan relatives, i have no need, no desire to visit the parks, go horseback riding, etc. i could probably do some shopping for some clothes (ukay-ukay is the way to go!), if my budget would allow me to do so. and of course, the market. ah yes, the market. fresh veggies, fruits, meat. heaps of excitement! and the usual pasalubong snacks. choco flakes, peanut brittle, and my utmost favorite, good shepherd ube jam! heaps of love for ube jam. =)
i already told my mom about our baguio trip. hopefully she realizes that i am trying to make her send me money for allowance. such a funny word, allowance. i havent received one in years. but i definitely wont complain when i start getting one now.
ha. fat chance of that happening.
26 March 2008
25 March 2008
old friends, coffee, conversations
tuesday night (march 18). after watching my cousin in his recital for choral conducting (bravo, kuya chris!), i went straight to greenbelt to catch up with my blockmates. they were having dinner at banana leaf. i never confirmed my attendance in this mini-reunion, so i didn't tell them i was on my way to the resto. however, my "surprise!" factor was defeated when i arrived at the restaurant. they already left! i figured they were still together for coffee or something, but what if they have left? so i had no choice: i texted my friend asking them where they were.
and so i went to coffee bean. there they were! it has been so long, it's not even funny. initially there were seven of us, but two had to leave early due to prior engagements. so there were five of us left. three of which were doctors. the other one has a master's degree from the netherlands and is a professor at my alma mater. and then there's me. working in a multinational company. one of the most recognized companies in the world.
in a position recently "demoted", so to speak. sigh... nope, they didnt demote me, but rather my position as far as job grade is concerned. long story, dont really wanna dwell on it. i'll only end up attracting negative energy, so allow me to go back to my post.
it was so refreshing hanging out with my old friends. we were able to update each other with what's going on with his/her lives. whom we have been sleeping with (hahaha!). our exes, sex lives (or lack thereof). what's going on with other blockmates. reminiscing on the good old days. heaps of fun. most of all, it was very comforting (to say the least) to be hanging out with people with whom you are in synch. same wavelength, great minds think alike, that sort of stuff.
it also gave me a wake up call. it's not too late. i am still destined for greatness. no, i do not have a messianic complex. i just know that if i will it, it will happrn. if you build it, they will come. see? law of attraction!
meanwhile, i have to finish all my deliverables before the month ends. and i also need to prepare for transitioning, since i am due for transfer anytime soon. i am so looking forward to a new environment. not that i dislike the one i am in right now, but hey, i am always up for something new.
later.
and so i went to coffee bean. there they were! it has been so long, it's not even funny. initially there were seven of us, but two had to leave early due to prior engagements. so there were five of us left. three of which were doctors. the other one has a master's degree from the netherlands and is a professor at my alma mater. and then there's me. working in a multinational company. one of the most recognized companies in the world.
in a position recently "demoted", so to speak. sigh... nope, they didnt demote me, but rather my position as far as job grade is concerned. long story, dont really wanna dwell on it. i'll only end up attracting negative energy, so allow me to go back to my post.
it was so refreshing hanging out with my old friends. we were able to update each other with what's going on with his/her lives. whom we have been sleeping with (hahaha!). our exes, sex lives (or lack thereof). what's going on with other blockmates. reminiscing on the good old days. heaps of fun. most of all, it was very comforting (to say the least) to be hanging out with people with whom you are in synch. same wavelength, great minds think alike, that sort of stuff.
it also gave me a wake up call. it's not too late. i am still destined for greatness. no, i do not have a messianic complex. i just know that if i will it, it will happrn. if you build it, they will come. see? law of attraction!
meanwhile, i have to finish all my deliverables before the month ends. and i also need to prepare for transitioning, since i am due for transfer anytime soon. i am so looking forward to a new environment. not that i dislike the one i am in right now, but hey, i am always up for something new.
later.
24 March 2008
Quote for the Day
"The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure." - Sven Goran Eriksson
taken from thinkexist. have a good one today! =)
taken from thinkexist. have a good one today! =)
Easter's resolutions
once again, allow me to greet everyone a "Happy Easter!". this goes out to all, especially to my Christian brothers and sisters. i hope we all realize that this is the most defining moment of our religion. the fact that Jesus has resurrected is one of the main tenets of our faith. so, let us all rejoice and be glad!
anyway, i should stop, as i am not really here to preach. =) i figured, in the spirit of the season, i might as well have an easter's resolution list. this time, with the help of the secret (which reminds me, i still need to watch that flick/read the book), i shall ensure that these resolutions will happen. and, by posting them here, i now feel that i have an obligation not only to myself, but to the rest of the cyberworld as well. so, here goes nothing:
1) cut back on smoking - max of five sticks a day, eventually quitting altogether.
2) exercise - three times a week (one hour per session, at least). vary the routine to avoid boredom and plateau-ing. tennis, jogging, swimming, running, and of course, gym. enjoin friends to have moral support. lose body fat. enhance self-esteem. loves it! hehehehe.
3) blogging - twice a week, and not just the mood updates or quote for the day types. stuff which involves me actually having to use my writing skills (or lack thereof). consider this my first for this week. =)
4) on the dot-er at work - render 8-9 hours of work each day. since i dont have overtime anyway, i need to find ways to work smarter. which involves cutting back on social networking sites (facebook, friendster, etc) during office hours. better time management, including maximizing Outlook calendar, Starbucks planner.
5) moonlighting - barista? weekend tutor? money from blogging? first off, i need to find something that would make me earn money on the side. just as long as it won't interfere with my career. =)
that's it! inasmuch as i would like to add more stuff, i would have to limit it to five. i would rather have five resolutions and managing to meet them all than have twenty, but failing to meet a single resolution. so, i ask for everybody's support while i face these challenges head on. it won't be easy, but hey, i like being taken out of my comfort zone. i like being challenged. bring it on.
anyway, i should stop, as i am not really here to preach. =) i figured, in the spirit of the season, i might as well have an easter's resolution list. this time, with the help of the secret (which reminds me, i still need to watch that flick/read the book), i shall ensure that these resolutions will happen. and, by posting them here, i now feel that i have an obligation not only to myself, but to the rest of the cyberworld as well. so, here goes nothing:
1) cut back on smoking - max of five sticks a day, eventually quitting altogether.
2) exercise - three times a week (one hour per session, at least). vary the routine to avoid boredom and plateau-ing. tennis, jogging, swimming, running, and of course, gym. enjoin friends to have moral support. lose body fat. enhance self-esteem. loves it! hehehehe.
3) blogging - twice a week, and not just the mood updates or quote for the day types. stuff which involves me actually having to use my writing skills (or lack thereof). consider this my first for this week. =)
4) on the dot-er at work - render 8-9 hours of work each day. since i dont have overtime anyway, i need to find ways to work smarter. which involves cutting back on social networking sites (facebook, friendster, etc) during office hours. better time management, including maximizing Outlook calendar, Starbucks planner.
5) moonlighting - barista? weekend tutor? money from blogging? first off, i need to find something that would make me earn money on the side. just as long as it won't interfere with my career. =)
that's it! inasmuch as i would like to add more stuff, i would have to limit it to five. i would rather have five resolutions and managing to meet them all than have twenty, but failing to meet a single resolution. so, i ask for everybody's support while i face these challenges head on. it won't be easy, but hey, i like being taken out of my comfort zone. i like being challenged. bring it on.
19 March 2008
the team that was built in subic
march 1-2, 2008. my team (yes, the entire team) went to subic for an overnight team building outing. organised by none other than yours truly, it was the first of its kind for my team. a milestone, as a dear friend of mine likes to say. hehehe.
it was very fortuitous indeed that our new teammates have joined us on march 3. so, it was a welcome of sorts for them. one new teammate mentioned to me that he was very surprised that they were already invited to this event, considering that, technically, they weren't officialy employees yet. i told him, "of course, that's why we scheduled it on this date, to make sure that you guys could make it."
anyway, the whole team is composed of 15 heads, plus my former boss (from the department which i came from originally) also came to join us (since he's the better half of one of my new teammates, so it all fits in perfectly). everything was planned carefully - from the hotel accommodation, to the actual team-building activities, transportation and itinerary. heaps of fun!
one of the best parts was when we went to ktv su. their tagline? "pressure meeting". now, don't go asking me what that means, for i never got the chance to find out. obviously, the girls in our team wouldn't agree in allowing us to discover this "pressure meeting". so i can only assume. hehehe. but dont get me wrong, i had heaps and heaps of fun there. it is, after all, videoke. their sound system was amazing! and their song selection was pretty current, too. the best part? we got the room, the booze and the sound system pretty cheap! considering that i must've downed seven or bottles of beer, we each had to pay less than P300. now that's heaps of happiness right there.
what is subic without duty free shopping? the next day, we went to hit the stores. i bought a lot of stuff for the house - milk, coffee, cereal, chips, chocolates, even dog food. knowing how much i enjoy the super (more than shopping for clothes or shoes), i had a field day there. again, heaps of shopping pleasure. hahaha. i cant wait to go back there. next time, i'll bring a list with me.
we got back to manila before 6 pm, which was part of the plan as well. it was tiring, yes. especially in my case, since i was driving the whole time. but i learned a lot during this trip. for one, i got along really well with my new teammates. this, despite the fact that we have different personalities. another thing i realized was that most of us are competitive. i encourage that, it keeps the standards high. always. so it was amazing for me to see everyone gamely participating at the activities, having every intention of winning.
anyway, my best buds and i are planning to go to subic this summer. one of my friends apparently has a place there, so that's one less thing we have to worry about. if you ask me, i can't wait.
it was very fortuitous indeed that our new teammates have joined us on march 3. so, it was a welcome of sorts for them. one new teammate mentioned to me that he was very surprised that they were already invited to this event, considering that, technically, they weren't officialy employees yet. i told him, "of course, that's why we scheduled it on this date, to make sure that you guys could make it."
anyway, the whole team is composed of 15 heads, plus my former boss (from the department which i came from originally) also came to join us (since he's the better half of one of my new teammates, so it all fits in perfectly). everything was planned carefully - from the hotel accommodation, to the actual team-building activities, transportation and itinerary. heaps of fun!
one of the best parts was when we went to ktv su. their tagline? "pressure meeting". now, don't go asking me what that means, for i never got the chance to find out. obviously, the girls in our team wouldn't agree in allowing us to discover this "pressure meeting". so i can only assume. hehehe. but dont get me wrong, i had heaps and heaps of fun there. it is, after all, videoke. their sound system was amazing! and their song selection was pretty current, too. the best part? we got the room, the booze and the sound system pretty cheap! considering that i must've downed seven or bottles of beer, we each had to pay less than P300. now that's heaps of happiness right there.
what is subic without duty free shopping? the next day, we went to hit the stores. i bought a lot of stuff for the house - milk, coffee, cereal, chips, chocolates, even dog food. knowing how much i enjoy the super (more than shopping for clothes or shoes), i had a field day there. again, heaps of shopping pleasure. hahaha. i cant wait to go back there. next time, i'll bring a list with me.
we got back to manila before 6 pm, which was part of the plan as well. it was tiring, yes. especially in my case, since i was driving the whole time. but i learned a lot during this trip. for one, i got along really well with my new teammates. this, despite the fact that we have different personalities. another thing i realized was that most of us are competitive. i encourage that, it keeps the standards high. always. so it was amazing for me to see everyone gamely participating at the activities, having every intention of winning.
anyway, my best buds and i are planning to go to subic this summer. one of my friends apparently has a place there, so that's one less thing we have to worry about. if you ask me, i can't wait.
quote for today
“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” - Winston Churchill
17 March 2008
the love bug
one of my favorite online pastimes is checking out social networking sites of friends and acquaintances. sometimes i do it anonymously, sometimes i intentionally let them know that i dropped by their site to check out what's been happening with their lives.
tonight was one of my anonymous viewing nights. i realized that one of my friends got married last december! good for them, they have been together for a long time already anyway (as in way back in college, but i think some time ago they broke up, but obviously they got back together). i havent seen them (the bride or the groom) for at least 4 years, so it felt good seeing their pics. brings back a lot of college memories, i'm telling you. in the off chance you're reading this, best wishes to you guys! i hope i get invited to your next celebration as a couple/family! hehehe!
aside from my newly-married friend, i was able to view three or four more profiles. and guess what? all of them are in a relationship! the love bug has bitten them all. all their social networking sites are filled with "couple" pictures. they have their bubus, their sweeties, their babes, their. now what is going on?!?! everywhere i look, it's "Me and Babe with Friends, 12 pictures", "Me and sweetie in Bora, 28 pictures", "Honey and I after movie, 6 pictures". no wonder i havent seen much of one friend these past few months. who knew that everyone's been busy with his/her special someone?!
can i just say, i'm jealous! hahahaha! not the jealous-i-wish-your-relationship-fails type, but rather the jealous-i-wish-i-have-my-own-bubu type. oh well, it's no biggie. it's not as if i'm not used to being single. before my last one, i was single for over two years. but hey, i'm still here. at these times, i'm really grateful that i don't fall into my old, low self-esteem, easily depressed self. i have friends whom i can turn to when i get lonely, i have my family, my dog Kinney, and of course, JC.
i must admit, there are times when i wish i were with someone. we all get that, right? i'm grateful that i have a job which i love. being new in my position, i now focus all my attention in learning as much about my post as i can. i know it will eventually pay off anyway. what i need, though (aside from my work), is a hobby or a sport. i hope i can find someone to whack tennis balls with real soon. even badminton sounds good at this stage. i wish i could find a really good (albeit inexpensive) violin tutor, who can provide me a refresher and challenge me to become really good again. i wish i get more time so i can read all the books that i want, and at the same time play PS2 to my heart's content.
the secret says all of this is possible. even though i've never read the book yet, i believe that everything is possible.
tonight was one of my anonymous viewing nights. i realized that one of my friends got married last december! good for them, they have been together for a long time already anyway (as in way back in college, but i think some time ago they broke up, but obviously they got back together). i havent seen them (the bride or the groom) for at least 4 years, so it felt good seeing their pics. brings back a lot of college memories, i'm telling you. in the off chance you're reading this, best wishes to you guys! i hope i get invited to your next celebration as a couple/family! hehehe!
aside from my newly-married friend, i was able to view three or four more profiles. and guess what? all of them are in a relationship! the love bug has bitten them all. all their social networking sites are filled with "couple" pictures. they have their bubus, their sweeties, their babes, their
can i just say, i'm jealous! hahahaha! not the jealous-i-wish-your-relationship-fails type, but rather the jealous-i-wish-i-have-my-own-bubu type. oh well, it's no biggie. it's not as if i'm not used to being single. before my last one, i was single for over two years. but hey, i'm still here. at these times, i'm really grateful that i don't fall into my old, low self-esteem, easily depressed self. i have friends whom i can turn to when i get lonely, i have my family, my dog Kinney, and of course, JC.
i must admit, there are times when i wish i were with someone. we all get that, right? i'm grateful that i have a job which i love. being new in my position, i now focus all my attention in learning as much about my post as i can. i know it will eventually pay off anyway. what i need, though (aside from my work), is a hobby or a sport. i hope i can find someone to whack tennis balls with real soon. even badminton sounds good at this stage. i wish i could find a really good (albeit inexpensive) violin tutor, who can provide me a refresher and challenge me to become really good again. i wish i get more time so i can read all the books that i want, and at the same time play PS2 to my heart's content.
the secret says all of this is possible. even though i've never read the book yet, i believe that everything is possible.
14 March 2008
tiesto update
a couple of weeks back, i was able to get a copy of tiesto's Elements of Life album. yes, the very reason why he has a world tour is because of this album. heaps of happiness.
i enjoyed listening to the album. i must agree with my friend claire, though. she said she found it a bit slow. perhaps i've been so used to his in search of sunrise series. now that i LOVED. especially the 5th installment - Los Angeles, and the 6th as well (Ibiza). but i'm not here to talk about that.
there are some tracks which have great recall. if i get the time, i would go more into those songs. but track 8 is my absolute favorite. it's entitled Break My Fall. for me, it's the new Love Comes Again. you see, the former has been my ultimate favorite tiesto song. it's still high up there among my list of favorite progressive trance tracks. but break my fall? heaps of love!
the first few lines of this song actually reminded of this EBTG song, "Missing". yes, the "and i miss you, like the deserts miss the rain" song.
will search for the full lyrics of the song so i can post them.
later.
i enjoyed listening to the album. i must agree with my friend claire, though. she said she found it a bit slow. perhaps i've been so used to his in search of sunrise series. now that i LOVED. especially the 5th installment - Los Angeles, and the 6th as well (Ibiza). but i'm not here to talk about that.
there are some tracks which have great recall. if i get the time, i would go more into those songs. but track 8 is my absolute favorite. it's entitled Break My Fall. for me, it's the new Love Comes Again. you see, the former has been my ultimate favorite tiesto song. it's still high up there among my list of favorite progressive trance tracks. but break my fall? heaps of love!
the first few lines of this song actually reminded of this EBTG song, "Missing". yes, the "and i miss you, like the deserts miss the rain" song.
will search for the full lyrics of the song so i can post them.
later.
cebu, cebu
i was in cebu on feb 26. yes, it was for an official function. but no, i wasnt there to attend the meetings, seminars or whatnots. i was there to sing. yes, you read that right: my company is now employing my talents as well.
don't get me wrong. i am happy to do it. in fact, i was thrilled when i heard the news i'll be part of the group singing on that day.
it's just that... well, you know how it is when you travel, you'd like to absorb as much of the place as you can? the tourist spots (or otherwise), the people, the food - i want to experience it all everytime i am in a different place. i rarely get to travel as it is, and now that here's one opportunity for me to do so (for free at that), i squandered at the opportunity.
sigh... it's all good. i mean, i wasnt there for vacation anyway. but come on, i was already there! i am sure a lot has changed in the four years since i was last there. there's no use crying over spilled milk.
one good thing my trip has brought about, though, is the food. and the hotels. to be more precise, the food in the hotels. i was checked in at the waterfront hotel in mactan. it is literally beside the mactan international airport. the food was fabulous! for lunch, we had steamed lapu-lapu, plus veggies, soup, etc. a very satisfying meal. then we headed for shangri-la mactan, where the event took place. another gastronomic feast! we had fresh pink salmon. i swear, if it wouldn't result in my social death, i would have taken home some salmon. nay, a lot. but of course, i didn't. after all, big bosses from various global and regional positions were there. i am merely at the bottom of the food chain. a position of leadership, yes, but still at the bottom. hehehe.
i am hoping i would get the chance to visit cebu again real soon. perhaps i could save up for it? after all, the P1 flights are still in existence if i'm not mistaken. well, right now i don't think it's feasible, what with my outstanding loans and credit card bills. sigh... i really need help! but all is possible. the law of attraction... the secret...
poof! i'm filthy rich! =)
later.
don't get me wrong. i am happy to do it. in fact, i was thrilled when i heard the news i'll be part of the group singing on that day.
it's just that... well, you know how it is when you travel, you'd like to absorb as much of the place as you can? the tourist spots (or otherwise), the people, the food - i want to experience it all everytime i am in a different place. i rarely get to travel as it is, and now that here's one opportunity for me to do so (for free at that), i squandered at the opportunity.
sigh... it's all good. i mean, i wasnt there for vacation anyway. but come on, i was already there! i am sure a lot has changed in the four years since i was last there. there's no use crying over spilled milk.
one good thing my trip has brought about, though, is the food. and the hotels. to be more precise, the food in the hotels. i was checked in at the waterfront hotel in mactan. it is literally beside the mactan international airport. the food was fabulous! for lunch, we had steamed lapu-lapu, plus veggies, soup, etc. a very satisfying meal. then we headed for shangri-la mactan, where the event took place. another gastronomic feast! we had fresh pink salmon. i swear, if it wouldn't result in my social death, i would have taken home some salmon. nay, a lot. but of course, i didn't. after all, big bosses from various global and regional positions were there. i am merely at the bottom of the food chain. a position of leadership, yes, but still at the bottom. hehehe.
i am hoping i would get the chance to visit cebu again real soon. perhaps i could save up for it? after all, the P1 flights are still in existence if i'm not mistaken. well, right now i don't think it's feasible, what with my outstanding loans and credit card bills. sigh... i really need help! but all is possible. the law of attraction... the secret...
poof! i'm filthy rich! =)
later.
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