Be in the Present
When you want to be happy and successful
Focus on what is right now!
Learn from the Past
When you want to make the present better than the past
Do things differently in the present!
Plan for the Future
When you want to make the future better than the present
Put your plan into action in the present!
--Spencer Johnson
****
currently reading: Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
as the new year dawns, it's a good thing to be reading this book. actually, my goal is to finish it before the clock strikes 12 tonight. it's about "CHANGE" and i think it's just very timely since i have a lot of plans for next year. wish me luck!
P.S. I would like to thank my good friend, Cookie, for giving me the book as a going-away present. I will surely miss talking to her at work.
something Christmas-ish
in less than an hour, we'll be celebrating the birthday of Bro, hehe, so I guess it's just right to blog something Christmas-ish (credits to my friend, Winay, for the word)...
to start off, i'm sharing with everyone my all-time favorite Christmas song...
MY GROWN UP CHRISTMAS LIST
Do you remember me
I sat upon your knee
I wrote to you
With childhood fantasies
Well, I'm all grown up now
And still need help somehow
I'm not a child
But my heart still can dream
So here's my lifelong wish
My grown up christmas list
Not for myself
But for a world in need
No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal the heart
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end oh,
This is my grown up Christmas list
As children we believed
The grandest sight to see
Was something shiny
Wrapped beneath the tree
But heaven only knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal
A hurting human soul
No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end
Oh, This is my grown up christmas list
What is this illusion called the innocence of youth
Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth
No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end, oh
This is my grown up christmas list
This is my only life long wish
This is my grown up christmas list
***
now, allow me to share with you my very own grown up Christmas list:
1. Clean and honest government
2. Englightened leaders.
3. Cleaner, greener environment
4. That all people devasted by Ondoy and Pepeng be able to recover.. soon.
5. Healing for all those who have loved and lost. Or, those who have lost their loved ones.
6. Peace of mind for everyone.
7. Good health.
8. Steady recovery of the economy. And, more jobs, especially for the poor.
9. Stronger family ties.
10. WORLD PEACE.
***
and lastly, here's a wallpaper that vividly depicts the Yuletide season. Since we don't have winter here, I've always loved looking at pictures with snowmen. ^^
***
Having said all those, let me greet you once again a HAAAAAPPPPY CHRISTMAS!!!
xoxo.
to start off, i'm sharing with everyone my all-time favorite Christmas song...
MY GROWN UP CHRISTMAS LIST
Do you remember me
I sat upon your knee
I wrote to you
With childhood fantasies
Well, I'm all grown up now
And still need help somehow
I'm not a child
But my heart still can dream
So here's my lifelong wish
My grown up christmas list
Not for myself
But for a world in need
No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal the heart
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end oh,
This is my grown up Christmas list
As children we believed
The grandest sight to see
Was something shiny
Wrapped beneath the tree
But heaven only knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal
A hurting human soul
No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end
Oh, This is my grown up christmas list
What is this illusion called the innocence of youth
Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth
No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end, oh
This is my grown up christmas list
This is my only life long wish
This is my grown up christmas list
***
now, allow me to share with you my very own grown up Christmas list:
1. Clean and honest government
2. Englightened leaders.
3. Cleaner, greener environment
4. That all people devasted by Ondoy and Pepeng be able to recover.. soon.
5. Healing for all those who have loved and lost. Or, those who have lost their loved ones.
6. Peace of mind for everyone.
7. Good health.
8. Steady recovery of the economy. And, more jobs, especially for the poor.
9. Stronger family ties.
10. WORLD PEACE.
***
and lastly, here's a wallpaper that vividly depicts the Yuletide season. Since we don't have winter here, I've always loved looking at pictures with snowmen. ^^
***
Having said all those, let me greet you once again a HAAAAAPPPPY CHRISTMAS!!!
xoxo.
c & d
thanks to one of my good friends, i finally got recent pics of my two favorite buddies in the morning, Chico and Delamar. i've known this duo since my college days when Brad Turvey was still co-hosting the program but I'm not an active "rusher" ever since. I find enjoyment even just listening to their antics and banters on air. I also love their being witty. It seems like they always have a say on things that I learn new stuff everytime I listen to them. And of course, there's the Top Ten. The segment with the added charm of the hosts really make my day. So, I look forward to more days and even years with C & D.
***
xo,
***
xo,
New year gitters
each of us has his or her own private war. in one's lifetime, a person may experience personal blues such as Birthday syndromes, quarter- or mid-life crises and others. the first in the series seems to be the most common. on my part, my internal battle transpires not just on days prior my birthday but also on days before New Year. And so as the next year dawns, my New Year "syndrome," as i fondly call it, kicks off. but now that i'm wiser and, well. older, i try to fight negative thoughts and try to make this syndrome a challenge instead. hence, i started planning on what course to take and set deadlines on the things that i have yet to accomplish for next year. i really don't want to waste any single moment or day of the next year. after all, so many time and moments have been put to waste in the past.
and so just like everyone else, i'm making my New Year's resolutions once again. the last time i made a list of resolutions was years back so here goes nothing...
1. SAVE money! Start up a bank account.
2. Gain weight/exercise regularly. i'll do yoga as religioulsy and regularly as possible.
3. REEEAAAD books regularly.
4. Spend more time with friends and family.
5. Refrain from focusing on bad and negative thoughts. Happy thoughts all the time!^^
6. Write more! Blog more often.
7. TRAVEL! go somewhere far during weekend or holidays.
8. Find a job that I will really enjoy.
9. Finish watching all the TV series that I have started to watch this year: Smallville, Charmed, CSI's, L Word and many others. Oh boy, I really have to watch all seasons of each series.
******
speaking of New Year, Christmas is also just around the corner. And since every one's shamelessly plugging their Christmas wishlist, here's mine:
1. BOOKS. (National Bookstore is offering a set of book series. hope someone would get me a set of the Twilight saga, Shopaholic, Harry Potter or Lauren Weisberger's series)
2. SLR camera.. i'm soo drooling over this kind of camera.
3. Coffee maker. i could buy this kitchen must-have anytime but i'm hoping someone will give me one.
4. Little Black Dress (LBD). They say that every girl should have one in her closet. But guess what? I don't have one. Thus, I fervently hope that someone will give me this piece of girl thing.
5. Gladiator sandals. This pair has become very popular since early this year. But, I didn't by myself a pair because I still prefer flip-flops. Next year, I want to perk up my footwear collection with their edgy look.
6. DVD copy or (read:) copies of the movies in my "must-watch list:" Coco before Chanel, 500 days of Summer, The Piano, The Usual Suspects, Lorenzo's Oil, and John Hughes films. Heard that the flicks back in the 80's are unbeatable so I hope someone will grab a copy of any 80's films for me.
7. Rihanna's newest album. Or Lady Gaga's, hehe.. I so love "Bad Romance."
8. Tee with the map of the Philippines. hehe, dunno how it's called, eh..
so that's my wishlist for now. just off the top of my head so i may or may not add more in the coming days.. ;p
Happy Christmas every one!
xo,
and so just like everyone else, i'm making my New Year's resolutions once again. the last time i made a list of resolutions was years back so here goes nothing...
1. SAVE money! Start up a bank account.
2. Gain weight/exercise regularly. i'll do yoga as religioulsy and regularly as possible.
3. REEEAAAD books regularly.
4. Spend more time with friends and family.
5. Refrain from focusing on bad and negative thoughts. Happy thoughts all the time!^^
6. Write more! Blog more often.
7. TRAVEL! go somewhere far during weekend or holidays.
8. Find a job that I will really enjoy.
9. Finish watching all the TV series that I have started to watch this year: Smallville, Charmed, CSI's, L Word and many others. Oh boy, I really have to watch all seasons of each series.
******
speaking of New Year, Christmas is also just around the corner. And since every one's shamelessly plugging their Christmas wishlist, here's mine:
1. BOOKS. (National Bookstore is offering a set of book series. hope someone would get me a set of the Twilight saga, Shopaholic, Harry Potter or Lauren Weisberger's series)
2. SLR camera.. i'm soo drooling over this kind of camera.
3. Coffee maker. i could buy this kitchen must-have anytime but i'm hoping someone will give me one.
4. Little Black Dress (LBD). They say that every girl should have one in her closet. But guess what? I don't have one. Thus, I fervently hope that someone will give me this piece of girl thing.
5. Gladiator sandals. This pair has become very popular since early this year. But, I didn't by myself a pair because I still prefer flip-flops. Next year, I want to perk up my footwear collection with their edgy look.
6. DVD copy or (read:) copies of the movies in my "must-watch list:" Coco before Chanel, 500 days of Summer, The Piano, The Usual Suspects, Lorenzo's Oil, and John Hughes films. Heard that the flicks back in the 80's are unbeatable so I hope someone will grab a copy of any 80's films for me.
7. Rihanna's newest album. Or Lady Gaga's, hehe.. I so love "Bad Romance."
8. Tee with the map of the Philippines. hehe, dunno how it's called, eh..
so that's my wishlist for now. just off the top of my head so i may or may not add more in the coming days.. ;p
Happy Christmas every one!
xo,
leadership and random thoughts
sooo swamped with monitoring tasks and developmental projects that I don't have enough time to write something "decent" here. how in the world could i finish three projects all at the same time? but then i realized, this is yet another challenge. and besides, i'm slated to resign early next month/year so i guess i just have to consider these projects as my "last hurrah..." that decision to withdraw from the company was indeed a tough decision to make. i was dilly-dallying for weeks and i'm just so happy that everything's crystal-clear now. thanks to my two good friends-slash-classmates, Krizz and Cookie, for helping me reach a verdict. this is indeed a risk to take so i hope everything will go just as i planned. ^^
so what else have i got aside from those random thoughts. well, i have here a list of inspiring/motivating tidbits of leadership wisdom. got them from the leadership materials regularly sent to our department. I thought they're worth sharing because they could be used in any aspects of life. Whether you are a leader, a mere neophyte in the work force, or even a student, you could relate to it...
"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."
When attempting to do anything new, voices inside us will whisper "No, don't do it." Those who give up listen to such voices; those who persevere ignore it. When it comes to making big and bold changes, either in our lives or our careers, there will always be those around us telling us no; it is up to us to follow our own inner yes.
"Talk does not cook rice."
As this Chinese proverb implies, you must do more than talk about what you want to do next; you have to take action to make it happen. Large organizations fail not because of lack of good intention, but for lack of effective execution. The same applies to us. We fail to move from thinking and talking to actually acting.
"He who has no fire within himself cannot warm others." You need to have passion for what you do. Otherwise no one will follow you. This is critical for anyone seeking to build a business or start a new career. You need to radiate a passion about what you do so that others can feel and share it with you. Entrepreneurs need passion to attract capital; job seekers need passion to convince employers of their worthiness.
"I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives," said Abraham Lincoln. "I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him."
Xo,
so what else have i got aside from those random thoughts. well, i have here a list of inspiring/motivating tidbits of leadership wisdom. got them from the leadership materials regularly sent to our department. I thought they're worth sharing because they could be used in any aspects of life. Whether you are a leader, a mere neophyte in the work force, or even a student, you could relate to it...
"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."
When attempting to do anything new, voices inside us will whisper "No, don't do it." Those who give up listen to such voices; those who persevere ignore it. When it comes to making big and bold changes, either in our lives or our careers, there will always be those around us telling us no; it is up to us to follow our own inner yes.
"Talk does not cook rice."
As this Chinese proverb implies, you must do more than talk about what you want to do next; you have to take action to make it happen. Large organizations fail not because of lack of good intention, but for lack of effective execution. The same applies to us. We fail to move from thinking and talking to actually acting.
"He who has no fire within himself cannot warm others." You need to have passion for what you do. Otherwise no one will follow you. This is critical for anyone seeking to build a business or start a new career. You need to radiate a passion about what you do so that others can feel and share it with you. Entrepreneurs need passion to attract capital; job seekers need passion to convince employers of their worthiness.
"I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives," said Abraham Lincoln. "I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him."
Xo,
inspiring friday!
ending the weekend with an inspiring video... thanks boss for always sharing with us your wisdom!
***
also,got this message from "Vessels of Honor" as yesterday's advice. it's a very timely quote since I myself have been in search for something these past few days.. right now, am clueless. but i greatly hope that with the grace of God, I'd find something which is of great significance...
"the search for significance is the most significant search of mankind. But if our significance is found in insignificant things, our search is itself insignificant."
Xo,
***
also,got this message from "Vessels of Honor" as yesterday's advice. it's a very timely quote since I myself have been in search for something these past few days.. right now, am clueless. but i greatly hope that with the grace of God, I'd find something which is of great significance...
"the search for significance is the most significant search of mankind. But if our significance is found in insignificant things, our search is itself insignificant."
Xo,
update
just a quick entry.. changed the template again since i realized that the previous one does not include the DATE on which the entry was published.. so sad, i really loved that template.. anyway, i settled for this.. will be blogging about NOVEMBER, my birthmonth, soon =)
xoxo.
xoxo.
almost 26
on sunday, i'm gonna be 26! another year of my life would come to an end real soon again. i'm having mixed feelings actually. i'm sad. but, i'm not sad because i'm a year older. i AM sad because i feel as if there were a lot of things/time that i wasted during my twenty-fifth year..at the same time, i AM also happy because i have another whole new year to do the things that i have to do and experience the things that i missed out in the yesteryears...
Twenty-six.
such my age!
such my age!
a long-lost friend said i'm old now. she kept on teasing me by calling me "ate" or "lola." thing is, i'm just a year older than she is. and when i reminded her of her age, she just said that she doesn't feel like it!
then i realized, why do people make CHRONOLOGICAL age such a big deal when it's a normal part of our existence? i actually feel sorry for her. i also feel luckier because unlike her, i am willing to face reality; i do not delude myself to thinking that i still haven't aged so i could still act like i did some years ago..also, i feel bad for this person because she doesn't realize the good things that are in store for her; she would've had them had she broken herself free from complacency and the thinking that she's still indeed young..
but then again, we all have our own ways of living this life. i cannot impose on others what i think is/are right ... i just hope, people like her would soon realize that age is nothing but an indication of how long we are living, that life is not about the number of years we spend on earth but how we spend it.
life's too short for everything. and so the moment opportunity knocks, you should open the door. because surely, there would be a lot of things to learn from, a lot of moments to experience and a vast horizon to explore once you did...
anyway, advance happy birthday to ME! ^^..
P.S.
hopefully, i won't get sick. been suffering from sore throat since last night and now am feverish.. still, thank you Lord for another fresh year to re-invent and re-evaluate my life.
hopefully, i won't get sick. been suffering from sore throat since last night and now am feverish.. still, thank you Lord for another fresh year to re-invent and re-evaluate my life.
***
korean film
First of all, Happy MONDAY!!!
This was advertised by our company last Sept.. too bad I was not able to watch them. I'll just blog the promo poster here so that I'd remember to watch them and to make known to others these movies as well... I've always loved Korean TV series and I'm pretty sure that their flicks are also must-see's on their own rights. Period/ historical films are, in particular, very poignant! I hope you'd also find time to see their flicks...
Movies have always been a way for us to learn more about a country's culture. I'm positive that these movies would help boost our knowledge about one of the most historical countries in Asia, South Korea. =)
***
Here's the list of the feature movies:
1. Barking Dogs Never Bite
2. Sa-kwa
3. Old Boy
4. Forbidden Quest
5. Driving with My Wife's Lover
6. The Show Must Go On
7. Beyond the Years
winner =)
RULE: To accept this award, here are the rules. Post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his/her blog link. Pass the awrd to 15 other blogs that you've newly discovered. Remember to contact the blogger to let them know they have been chosen for this award.
**
To my fellow blogger/sister here in blogspot, jhaney, thanks for sharing with me this award. I may not have a lot of readers, but i'm happy to have been blessed with followers/ blogger friends like you. Thanks sis!
Now, I'm sharing this award to the following people:
*could only come up with 6 bloggers, though =)
...
thank you one again, jhaney. I'm capping off my night now, opps, morning na pala, hehe..
on prioritizing
since prioritizing tasks is difficult for me, i'm posting this set of tips that was taught to us some months ago.. i was reminded of it when i rummaged through my disorganized desk a couple of mintes ago. hope that this would be helpful to all those who, like me, are always on the verge of breaking down because of multiple tasks, haha!
****
In the days before modern plumbing, families put their battered tin bath in front of the fire, filled it with hot water, and took turns to wash away the weeks grime. As baby always went in last, a tired mum was at risk of throwing the baby out with the dirty bathwater, as she couldnt see the good from the bad.
Prioritising Work Tip #1 A tired, emotional brain is not best placed to make decisions – this is when the baby gets thrown out with the bathwater. Good decisions are made by alert, objective minds, so make an effort to keep your energy levels up and your stress levels down.
Prioritising Work Tip #2 Know what’s important – learn to distinguish the baby from the bathwater. Ask yourself what’s important, and what’s urgent. Take pressure off and make good prioritising decisions by creating a list of questions to ask yourself when deciding what you should be doing and when.
Prioritising Work Tip #3 If you’re still struggling to separate the baby and the bathwater, maybe you need help. Help can come from anywhere – from your manager, your peers, your partner (or optician!). Someone with clearer sight or more experience may provide you with the insight and objectivity you were lacking. It’s okay to ask!.
Learn from history how to prioritize tasks better and don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater!
--By Lyndsay SwintonOwner, Management for the Rest of Us (http://www.mftrou.com/prioritizing-tasks.html)
***
****
In the days before modern plumbing, families put their battered tin bath in front of the fire, filled it with hot water, and took turns to wash away the weeks grime. As baby always went in last, a tired mum was at risk of throwing the baby out with the dirty bathwater, as she couldnt see the good from the bad.
Prioritising Work Tip #1 A tired, emotional brain is not best placed to make decisions – this is when the baby gets thrown out with the bathwater. Good decisions are made by alert, objective minds, so make an effort to keep your energy levels up and your stress levels down.
Prioritising Work Tip #2 Know what’s important – learn to distinguish the baby from the bathwater. Ask yourself what’s important, and what’s urgent. Take pressure off and make good prioritising decisions by creating a list of questions to ask yourself when deciding what you should be doing and when.
Prioritising Work Tip #3 If you’re still struggling to separate the baby and the bathwater, maybe you need help. Help can come from anywhere – from your manager, your peers, your partner (or optician!). Someone with clearer sight or more experience may provide you with the insight and objectivity you were lacking. It’s okay to ask!.
Learn from history how to prioritize tasks better and don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater!
--By Lyndsay SwintonOwner, Management for the Rest of Us (http://www.mftrou.com/prioritizing-tasks.html)
***
quote for this choose-day
(From my boss) Keep this in mind to help you enjoy life to its fullest:
"Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet." ---Roger Miller
***
"Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet." ---Roger Miller
***
30 Should Have's and Should Know's
in my futile attempt to keep this blog breathing, i decided to share something "girly". it is an article or rather a list of what every woman should have done and know by the time she's 30.. i honestly think that it's a good read for women of all ages though. so let me share with you now this tidbit of girl/woman thing:
30 Things Every Woman Should Have and Should Know by the Time She's 30
By 30, you should have:
1. One old boyfriend you can imagine going back to and one who reminds you of how far you’ve come.
2. A decent piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in your family.
3. Something perfect to wear if the employer or man of your dreams wants to see you in an hour.
4. A purse, a suitcase and an umbrella you’re not ashamed to be seen carrying.
5. A youth you’re content to move beyond.
6. A past juicy enough that you’re looking forward to retelling it in your old age.
7. The realization that you are actually going to have an old age—and some money set aside to help fund it.
8. An e-mail address, a voice mailbox and a bank account—all of which nobody has access to but you.
9. A résumé that is not even the slightest bit padded.
10. One friend who always makes you laugh and one who lets you cry.
11. A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill and a black lace bra.
12. Something ridiculously expensive that you bought for yourself, just because you deserve it.
13. The belief that you deserve it.
14. A skin-care regimen, an exercise routine and a plan for dealing with those few other facets of life that don’t get better after 30.
15. A solid start on a satisfying career, a satisfying relationship and all those other facets of life that do get better.
By 30, you should know:
1. How to fall in love without losing yourself.
2. How you feel about having kids.
3. How to quit a job, break up with a man and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.
4. When to try harder and when to walk away.
5. How to kiss in a way that communicates perfectly what you would and wouldn’t like to happen next.
6. The names of: the secretary of state, your great-grandmother and the best tailor in town.
7. How to live alone, even if you don’t like to.
8. How to take control of your own birthday.
9. That you can’t change the length of your calves, the width of your hips or the nature of your parents.
10. That your childhood may not have been perfect, but it’s over.
11. What you would and wouldn’t do for money or love.
12. That nobody gets away with smoking, drinking, doing drugs or not flossing for very long.
13. Who you can trust, who you can’t and why you shouldn’t take it personally.
14. Not to apologize for something that isn’t your fault.
15. Why they say life begins at 30.
***
While reading through it, I realized that I still have a long way to go. But what the heck, I'm just 25, I have all the time to do all these and more =)
30 Things Every Woman Should Have and Should Know by the Time She's 30
By 30, you should have:
1. One old boyfriend you can imagine going back to and one who reminds you of how far you’ve come.
2. A decent piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in your family.
3. Something perfect to wear if the employer or man of your dreams wants to see you in an hour.
4. A purse, a suitcase and an umbrella you’re not ashamed to be seen carrying.
5. A youth you’re content to move beyond.
6. A past juicy enough that you’re looking forward to retelling it in your old age.
7. The realization that you are actually going to have an old age—and some money set aside to help fund it.
8. An e-mail address, a voice mailbox and a bank account—all of which nobody has access to but you.
9. A résumé that is not even the slightest bit padded.
10. One friend who always makes you laugh and one who lets you cry.
11. A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill and a black lace bra.
12. Something ridiculously expensive that you bought for yourself, just because you deserve it.
13. The belief that you deserve it.
14. A skin-care regimen, an exercise routine and a plan for dealing with those few other facets of life that don’t get better after 30.
15. A solid start on a satisfying career, a satisfying relationship and all those other facets of life that do get better.
By 30, you should know:
1. How to fall in love without losing yourself.
2. How you feel about having kids.
3. How to quit a job, break up with a man and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.
4. When to try harder and when to walk away.
5. How to kiss in a way that communicates perfectly what you would and wouldn’t like to happen next.
6. The names of: the secretary of state, your great-grandmother and the best tailor in town.
7. How to live alone, even if you don’t like to.
8. How to take control of your own birthday.
9. That you can’t change the length of your calves, the width of your hips or the nature of your parents.
10. That your childhood may not have been perfect, but it’s over.
11. What you would and wouldn’t do for money or love.
12. That nobody gets away with smoking, drinking, doing drugs or not flossing for very long.
13. Who you can trust, who you can’t and why you shouldn’t take it personally.
14. Not to apologize for something that isn’t your fault.
15. Why they say life begins at 30.
***
While reading through it, I realized that I still have a long way to go. But what the heck, I'm just 25, I have all the time to do all these and more =)
A Writer's Story
This blog, and so as the first blog that I have created, has been a witness to all my adventures for the last two years. It has patiently listened with my angst and rants, consoled me through trying times, laughed and celebrated with me during my blissful days and dealt with my impulsive and sometimes incoherent thoughts. Tonight, I once again unfold here, in my small nook in the cyberworld, one of the greatest adventures of my life...
Every writer has a story on how he or she became one. Perhaps my story could be comparable to that of a girl rekindling an old flame. Yes, I am working in the teaching field at the moment but just like any other sentimental fool; I cannot forget my first love which is writing...
I began writing when I was in the elementary grade. I remember writing poems and enjoying every minute of our writing exercises in English. Then fast forward to high school, I became a staffer for our school newsletter which gave me my first taste of creative and news writing. The taste of it was so sweet that it led me to choose to be a journalist. It was also during these times, however, when I developed my love for biology; it went on for years and my feelings became so fierce that I decided to choose BS Science as my major in college. Came year 2000 when I finally had to submit my college application form to one of the universities here in the Philippines. It has the course, BS Science, on top of the list of my preferred courses; but to my surprise, before handing the piece of paper over to the student volunteer, I borrowed his pen and changed the science course to AB Journalism. I wrote it with a jolt that it felt weird that time. And so the next four years was marked by the highs and lows of being a journalism student. Racking your gray matter for writing ideas was really no picnic but I still pursued it. Writing really has that hypnotic power over me.
Then came 2005, I graduated. But due to my dad’s untimely death, my dream of being a writer had to be on the back burner first so that I can support myself. Being mom- and dad-less and being the youngest in the brood of five, I knew I had to take care of myself. I had to find a job and I had to do it fast because I didn’t want my siblings who already have their respective family to consider me as their responsibility. Hence, I embraced yet another career so alien to me and which I used to consider as the worst career ever-- teaching. But that was back then. Turned out that teaching is so fun and fulfilling at the same time. And so after a year of teaching, I decided to become a full-fledge teacher by taking a master’s degree in English education. I was lucky to be admitted in the program although I’m not an education major back in college.
Writing academic paper was really not a cinch but I enjoyed it because technically, it’s still writing. With it, I felt that my love for writing was starting to resurface. I guess that love also became the fuel that made me finish all academic papers required in almost all of the theoretical subjects in graduate school. I finished the courses March this year. And after a couple of weeks of absence of writing, I felt a surge of nostalgia. I really missed writing.
One of my very good friends has been a tenured freelance writer for a company named Essays.ph . It never crossed my mind that time though to try out for a stint in the company because I still have a full-time job which could really be exhausting and demanding sometimes. And besides, I never really had the chance to practice my major. But due to an unforgettable event in the May 25, the day when the company I’m working for was supposed to close, I immediately applied for Essays.ph.
After two days, I found myself in the gray team office with grappling thoughts: to take or not to take an assignment. I did take, anyway. My first assignment was about coloring pages. I absolutely had no idea what to write; I even thought of showing examples of coloring books instead. Until now, I don’t know how I managed to finish the set and submit them. And oh, by the way, that first writing assignment was marked with booboos. Not only did I submit an hour late (I still get confused about the time discrepancies in the office until now though) but I also didn’t follow the assignment detail (AD). I wrote five 300- word articles when they should have 500 words! Hence, my first revision. And so starting that time, I knew that this experience would be an exciting rollercoaster ride!
And exciting ride it is, indeed. I took one assignment after the other and soon, after two weeks, I noticed being in a different office--- i was transferred from the gray office to the red office. Then, the rest was history. I have been with the company for four months now and I have experienced writing about finance, female enhancements and a whole lot more of out of this world but exciting topics. I also had my fair share of revisions, forced assignments and warnings because of cancellation of assignments.
Writing for EPH and being a QA-slash-teacher in an online teaching company are two jobs that I really have to juggle everyday. My full-time work could really be unpredictable and time-demanding sometimes, but I still see to it that I get to write. I do not only do that because I need a supplementary income but also because I love being a writer. Writing really gives me a natural high and a temporary escape not just from the crazy world of teaching but from this chaotic life. And remember, this is my first love, right?
Hence, I would like to thank EPH for helping me find the way back to my first love. Now, that love for writing has not just been rekindled but has been burning with so much passion.
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just passing by...
i have been itching to blog. i've got so much to tell but my hands are just so full of monitoring tasks. just yesterday we learned that despite the extra monitoring load, our request for deadline extension was not granted. boohoo... hence, the next two workweek would be crunch time for the QA department. so help us God!
anyway, to cap off this tedious week and in preparation for the next two weeks of ordeal, here's an inspirational video for everyone...
goodbye, Mrs. President!
i don't normally write about people who passed away. but i just can't ignore the strong urge to write about how i feel about the demise of the woman was considered as the "mother of democracy."
i can't join the so many, no erase that, the millions of people who for sure are on the streets now to pay their last respect to the the first Philippine lady-president, Cory Aquino, who passed away last saturday.. yes, today's her interment and too bad i can't watch it because we have to work. see, this is the drawback if you work for a foreign company--- you don't get to participate in national holidays and other historical events such as this...so perhaps what a person like me who's in the middle of work could do is to send her prayers and remember what she did for the country. i was just 3 when the EDSA revolution broke out and i hardly have memories of what happened or how it was back then. but this i know for sure: the late president was instrumental in restoring the peace and democracy in the country..i've also always admired her religiosity and goodness that I could honestly say that she's an epitome of a true Filipino.
losing her is just like losing a very special person in my life. when the news of her death surfaced last saturday, it was really devastating that i cried while watching all tributes to her.. she will never be forgotten. i would also forever hold the story of EDSA revolution dear in my heart. Her death really awakened the Filipino in me.. this is also one of those times when i truly feel the proudest for being a Filipino...
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ADIEU, TITA CORY!
i can't join the so many, no erase that, the millions of people who for sure are on the streets now to pay their last respect to the the first Philippine lady-president, Cory Aquino, who passed away last saturday.. yes, today's her interment and too bad i can't watch it because we have to work. see, this is the drawback if you work for a foreign company--- you don't get to participate in national holidays and other historical events such as this...so perhaps what a person like me who's in the middle of work could do is to send her prayers and remember what she did for the country. i was just 3 when the EDSA revolution broke out and i hardly have memories of what happened or how it was back then. but this i know for sure: the late president was instrumental in restoring the peace and democracy in the country..i've also always admired her religiosity and goodness that I could honestly say that she's an epitome of a true Filipino.
losing her is just like losing a very special person in my life. when the news of her death surfaced last saturday, it was really devastating that i cried while watching all tributes to her.. she will never be forgotten. i would also forever hold the story of EDSA revolution dear in my heart. Her death really awakened the Filipino in me.. this is also one of those times when i truly feel the proudest for being a Filipino...
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ADIEU, TITA CORY!
contemplate.. emo...
the last week was way too gloomy for me not only because of the H1NI scare here in the office but also because of the changes that transpired. another thing that bothered me was the low points that i got for my attendance on the first two quarters. i had a perfect attendance actually but my requests for shift adjustments were all demerited for. i used to think that i owe the company so much since they were so supportive when i was trying to slave myself through school. turned out that i was wrong. no need for utang na loob! also, i was affected by the recent turn of events in my friends' lives. no need to blab bout them since those aren't my stories...all i can say is that i feel sorry for everything that they had to go through...
all these events or changes really took a toll on me. i was even thinking that they were the real reasons why my flu resurfaced. hmmm, guess what actually happened was not a relapse but an episode of psychosomatic disorder! haha.. whatever it is though, i'm glad that they're starting to go to the remote parts of my brain! heheh.. really hope to forget about all the things that happened here in the office and every ache that my friends went through.
i guess i'm still a weakling. i haven't totally erased the the part of me that sees a flawed spot even on the happiest circumstance. i guess i really have to try more to create a better, stronger and more optimistic me..
these days, i've had the strong feeling of dropping everything off and living a carefree and worry-free life...i don't want this job anymore...seems like i'm not growing as an individual and my career's not advancing as well. the only thing that's been pushing me is the 13th month pay in december, hehe...
the last week was really a sullen one. i just wanted to confine myself at home and sulk in one corner but i realized then that that's no good for me...this just a phase, i hope, since i can't afford to quit work anytime soon. there are bills to pay and responsibilities to fulfill...i just hope that our superiors could find it in their hearts to give us leeway and to realize that we are not machines, therefore, we need rests and vacations. i also hope that they'd stop giving us jobs that aren't part of our job description. and lastly, i hope that in every job well done, we are given a pat on the back.
reality really bites. .. i know i've been through this same meandering road before. i hope i could find the way back and be happy once again...
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buti na lang, i get to listen to some songs these days that really make my day. i love listening to Boys Over Flowers OST.. and also, i got an inspiration.. haha! can't get enough of Lee Min Ho! ;p
all these events or changes really took a toll on me. i was even thinking that they were the real reasons why my flu resurfaced. hmmm, guess what actually happened was not a relapse but an episode of psychosomatic disorder! haha.. whatever it is though, i'm glad that they're starting to go to the remote parts of my brain! heheh.. really hope to forget about all the things that happened here in the office and every ache that my friends went through.
i guess i'm still a weakling. i haven't totally erased the the part of me that sees a flawed spot even on the happiest circumstance. i guess i really have to try more to create a better, stronger and more optimistic me..
these days, i've had the strong feeling of dropping everything off and living a carefree and worry-free life...i don't want this job anymore...seems like i'm not growing as an individual and my career's not advancing as well. the only thing that's been pushing me is the 13th month pay in december, hehe...
the last week was really a sullen one. i just wanted to confine myself at home and sulk in one corner but i realized then that that's no good for me...this just a phase, i hope, since i can't afford to quit work anytime soon. there are bills to pay and responsibilities to fulfill...i just hope that our superiors could find it in their hearts to give us leeway and to realize that we are not machines, therefore, we need rests and vacations. i also hope that they'd stop giving us jobs that aren't part of our job description. and lastly, i hope that in every job well done, we are given a pat on the back.
reality really bites. .. i know i've been through this same meandering road before. i hope i could find the way back and be happy once again...
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buti na lang, i get to listen to some songs these days that really make my day. i love listening to Boys Over Flowers OST.. and also, i got an inspiration.. haha! can't get enough of Lee Min Ho! ;p
week-ender
i'm supposed to be monitoring for the set of calibrations that we're conducting starting next tuesday, but i decided to put it off til monday because of this obstinate cough and splitting headache that i'm still nursing... i fervently believe that i'm all well now but it seems like i'm not. i still suffer from occasional headache and slight fever which resurfaced last night...i can't help but think about what other people suspect--- that i might have the H1-whatevs in my system. if given the case, then so be it. in the first place, i won't be surprised since we are all open to the idea that the office's plagued with the said virus. some of the teachers were reported to be positive so everyone here's at risk...i just have to take care of my health then... however, it saddens me to think that all our loved ones are also at risk. another sad thing is that the management seem not to care.. they still encourage teachers to come to work even if they're sick, otherwise, they merit a memo. just how unkind is that! i'm really tired of all the policies. if only i have a choice, things would've been easier...
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today's friday. supposedly, TGIF! but the atmosphere here in the office doesn't give that famous expression some justice. i've seen some of my co-workers today with sad look in their eyes...i feel for them. *sigh*
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today's friday. supposedly, TGIF! but the atmosphere here in the office doesn't give that famous expression some justice. i've seen some of my co-workers today with sad look in their eyes...i feel for them. *sigh*
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five minutes before shift's over. time seems like a drag.. can wait to see Lee Min Ho again....hmmm..now, i'm smiling ^^
flu and Go Jun Pyo
been so swamped with all the trainings here in the office and with all the writings that i did for the past two weeks. that could've been the reason why my immune system gave up and welcomed the influenza virus. hate to break it to you though but it's not the infamous "swine flu," hehe.. just the common flu and good thing that it just lasted for three days. the past three days were indeed the most agonizing days of my life as i got to experience bodyache, headache, sore throat, cough and fever all at the same time. i'm really not used to getting sick, but i guess that was my body's way of saying "cut me some slack." but then again, whole day of bed rest and regular intake of medicine are not exactly part of my dream vacation wish list. two days of paid incentive leave were also wasted because of that darn flu...
i still thank God though for the speedy recovery. i heard that flu could be a drag to most people. during that time, my tartie was not well too. actually, she's still not well because of some infection. she might need a week more to recover... i was so touched though because during those times that she still took care of me... im really lucky to have her...
also, what kept me happy and relieved during those agonizing times was the korean drama, "boys over flowers." i just love the story so much that i fell in love with every character. i particularly hold dear in my heart Lee Min Ho a.k.a Go Jun Pyu. not only i love his character but also his looks and suave moves. so now, i'd say "move over, rob pattinson. we're done. i got a new baby!" lol
also, what kept me happy and relieved during those agonizing times was the korean drama, "boys over flowers." i just love the story so much that i fell in love with every character. i particularly hold dear in my heart Lee Min Ho a.k.a Go Jun Pyu. not only i love his character but also his looks and suave moves. so now, i'd say "move over, rob pattinson. we're done. i got a new baby!" lol
happy week starts
the weekend had been kind to me. not only was i able to enjoy the company of my partner and family at my sister's place but there was also a piece of good news that made me jumped in joy! i was told that i am now a notch higher in the EPH food chain. so from the gray team, (drumroll please, hehe) i am now a proud member of the red team. funny thing was, i actually thought that i was kicked out since i could not see the new assignment page for gray members that welcomes me once already logged in. little did i know that i was already in a different 'office,' haha. i even had to call my superfriend-slash-editor to make sure that i was still part of the company..
so there, such a wonderful experience that i had during the weekend. i hope that this week would really turn out to be a better one despite the line of trainings that i'm supposed to conduct. i also hope that i'd get to write more despite my busy schedule here in the office. i really love this online writing gig, it gives me a natural and a temporary escape from the crazy world of teaching and monitoring! ;p
so there, such a wonderful experience that i had during the weekend. i hope that this week would really turn out to be a better one despite the line of trainings that i'm supposed to conduct. i also hope that i'd get to write more despite my busy schedule here in the office. i really love this online writing gig, it gives me a natural and a temporary escape from the crazy world of teaching and monitoring! ;p
inspirational video
the week that was really is a sad one. a lot of things had happened that i don't want to recapitulate them. i just want to forget about them since i've been working so hard to be positive despite the worst of things. so when things start to get shaky, i try to look for inspirational/ motivational, self help articles or vid that would boost my morale. good thing though, our department meeting yesterday gave me just what i really need. so to cap off the week that was, let me share this video presented to us. if you happen to love quotes, here's more that you'd surely love and motivate you in the process. life is indeed beautiful despite its flaws.
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happy weekend to all! =)
so... sad.
i should be writing for an assignment that's due early tomorrow but i can't just get myself to write coherently because of the sad, sad thing that happened today. . .
this morning, we were tasked to have a stint on the screening of applicants by the HR department. i was excited as i knew i'd be taking on another challenge. they said it was just like monitoring except that it's done live and evaluation has to be made on the spot. i had never thought that it would be a sullen experience for me... listening to aspiring teachers and evaluating them were not easy--- i had to listen to every word that is uttered, pay attention to the right word stress, listen to critical sounds and discriminate every long and short vowel sounds that they produce. it was taxing! especially when you add the fact that you have to think of what spiel to give once you knew that they're not just fit to be part of the company and string words that are grammatically acceptable and not discouraging on their part at the same time...it was one heck of an experience especially when i turned down two applicants.these two are like your typical bright-eyed applicants who tried their best during the speaking test and who managed to keep their smiles when you gave the implied 'good riddance' .. seeing them leave the room really broke my heart, after all, what do i know about them? i just know that they had little background in teaching and that they do not have that language factor that we're looking for. that's it. they might have a family to support or studies to complete but because of the implied 'no,' they'd have to thnk of other alternatives to do so...
it's really saddening.. if i could only do something about it... we were told that there would be more screenings to be done in the future. despite a break in the monotony of monitoring, i don't feel excited anymore...
this morning, we were tasked to have a stint on the screening of applicants by the HR department. i was excited as i knew i'd be taking on another challenge. they said it was just like monitoring except that it's done live and evaluation has to be made on the spot. i had never thought that it would be a sullen experience for me... listening to aspiring teachers and evaluating them were not easy--- i had to listen to every word that is uttered, pay attention to the right word stress, listen to critical sounds and discriminate every long and short vowel sounds that they produce. it was taxing! especially when you add the fact that you have to think of what spiel to give once you knew that they're not just fit to be part of the company and string words that are grammatically acceptable and not discouraging on their part at the same time...it was one heck of an experience especially when i turned down two applicants.these two are like your typical bright-eyed applicants who tried their best during the speaking test and who managed to keep their smiles when you gave the implied 'good riddance' .. seeing them leave the room really broke my heart, after all, what do i know about them? i just know that they had little background in teaching and that they do not have that language factor that we're looking for. that's it. they might have a family to support or studies to complete but because of the implied 'no,' they'd have to thnk of other alternatives to do so...
it's really saddening.. if i could only do something about it... we were told that there would be more screenings to be done in the future. despite a break in the monotony of monitoring, i don't feel excited anymore...
wake me up when november comes
it's just june, sixth month of the year. end of the second quarter. i still have to wait for five more months...
i just can't wait until november. not only because it's my birth month but also because the next installment of the twilight series is slated in the same month. hehe, see how shallow i can get sometimes... it was just last week when i watched the official trailer and last month when i saw the posters of the upcoming movie. forums, blogs and other movie sites just can't be stopped from bringing the updates on this much-anticipated movie.
i had the trailer downloaded in my pc and have watched it for so many times. until now, i still can't help but drool over the handsome features of rob pattinson, the muscled figure of taylor lautner and the incredible effects when jacob morphed into a werewolf. this is definitely a must-see. but while waiting for that fateful day, i guess i better finish reading the book, haha. yep, haven't finished reading it yet. i'm such a slowpoke when it comes to reading ;-)
incidentally, i have here the 'official' posters of the upcoming flick. i downloaded them some weeks back but i was just too lazy to upload them here.. i'm displaying them here for no special reasons. perhaps i just want to be reminded after ten or probably twenty years from now, or when i'm too old to remember everything, that some time or somewhere in my liftetime, i was once part of the twilight hype...
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...the bod that got everyone talking...
...beauty personified (that's just me anyway)..
...which side would you choose?...
monday blues
i shouldn't be working until after two hours but due to an important desion-making two or three weeks from now, our moniroting tasks have come into full circle. so armed with my headset and a cup of coffee, i'm trying to ready myself for the next 10 hours. yep, ten hours and that means 10 classes to monitor as well. i hope i could finish earlier though so that i could still have my dose of facebook and bloghopping. i've been itching to do them during the weekend but the bad, bad weather caused our internet line to go ballistic. so instead of writing or visiting my facebook or friendster account, i spent the weekend watching nip/tuck, heheh.. it's pretty good though.. hope i really could juggle watching the disturbing drama along with my study and work time...
oh well, better start monitoring... btw, got my first points for my first writing assisgnment! couldn't be H-A-P-P-I-E-R!
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oh well, better start monitoring... btw, got my first points for my first writing assisgnment! couldn't be H-A-P-P-I-E-R!
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Golden Rule, revised
I just want to share this food for the thought. Got it from one of the lectures I attended some months back...
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Get rid of the Golden Rule
•It is a nice rule but could be better. This could be improved by The Mancusi Platinum Rule:
•'Do unto others as they would like to have it done unto to them.' The Golden Rule gets us into trouble because what we like is not always what others want.
And,,,
The Mancusi Emerald Rule:
•'Do unto others as they would have never dared to imagine'
•Anybody can give you the Golden Rule, and you can give someone the Platinum Rule, if you find out what they need but the best rule of all is the Emerald Rule
How to apply?
•Understand people all the way
•Be creative in approaches to delivery
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by Joseph L. Mancusi, PhD
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Get rid of the Golden Rule
•It is a nice rule but could be better. This could be improved by The Mancusi Platinum Rule:
•'Do unto others as they would like to have it done unto to them.' The Golden Rule gets us into trouble because what we like is not always what others want.
And,,,
The Mancusi Emerald Rule:
•'Do unto others as they would have never dared to imagine'
•Anybody can give you the Golden Rule, and you can give someone the Platinum Rule, if you find out what they need but the best rule of all is the Emerald Rule
How to apply?
•Understand people all the way
•Be creative in approaches to delivery
***
by Joseph L. Mancusi, PhD
month-end adrenaline rush
it's just 5:30. work won't start until 7am but guess where i am right now...
on my beloved depot here in the office!... and why am i here? ..well, i need an early start so that i could finish a lot of things today. there are just so many "frogs" to eat that i hope i won't have empatso, hehe. it's that time of the month again when almost everyone, especially the team heads from teacher management and dev-Q members including myself, are in a tizzy to meet month-end deadlines. good thing i'm on track in terms of monitoring, however, i seem to be neglecting the most important of all---my project. the draft of which was due two weeks ago but until now, i still can't decide on how the flow of the training would go. this is bad, bad, bad! i seem to be taking advantage of my team head's forgetfulness. *sigh*
and so as a motivation, i watched the video on procrastination for the nth time. this is so far my favorite among all the media files sent to us since procrastination has always been the bane of my existence. i really am thankful for all the self-help vids and readings that our team head's been sending us... so, here i am now taking the vid's advice and writing down the 'frogs' that i have yet to eat:
* finish TRAINING PROJECT DRAFT (list of all the activities and the timetable)
* research for my first writing assignment! hehe
* accomplish the QA survey form (which is a week late, i'm not the only one who's guilty though since it takes a while to really finish the survey)
* monitor the last 20 teachers in my list (pat on the back, please)
so there, i hope i didn't miss anything. and i also hope that i'd really have all the time and energy today to do atleast half of the first and the whole of the second and third tasks. i'm really keeping my fingers crossed. i also hope that there aren't so many interruptions today coz i'm giving up my facebook fix just to accomplish all these within the day. good luck to me! :)
what's your frog?
procrastination is really a hard habit to break. so for all those who just love to put things off, especially urgent and important ones, here's something for you. enjoy the frog! ^^
contemplating
i have this heavy heart these days for some unfathomable reasons. so to fight it, here are some morsels of life's lesson. hope i'd be able to brighten up not just my day but also my readers' (hehe, as if ang dami...)
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Your mind becomes impressed with your self-estimate, and your convictions govern your actions. You small estimate of yourself will make a pigmy’s impress upon your conviction and you will be barred from doing the work of a giant. You must think yourself a giant before you can do a giant’s work.
read more here..
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“Once you start accepting mediocrity in your life, you become a magnet for mediocrity in your life.”
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A couple of hundred years ago, Benjamin Franklin shared with the world the secret of his success. Never leave that till tomorrow, he said, which you can do today. This is the man who discovered electricity. You think more people would listen to what he had to say. I don't know why we put things off, but if I had to guess, I'd have to say it has a lot to do with fear. Fear of failure, fear of rejection, sometimes the fear is just of making a decision, because what if you're wrong? What if you're making a mistake you can't undo? The early bird catches the worm. A stitch in time saves nine. He who hesitates is lost. We can't pretend we hadn't been told. We've all heard the proverbs, heard the philosophers, heard our grandparents warning us about wasted time, heard the damn poets urging us to seize the day. Still sometimes we have to see for ourselves. We have to make our own mistakes. We have to learn our own lessons. We have to sweep today's possibility under tomorrow's rug until we can't anymore. Until we finally understand for ourselves what Benjamin Franklin really meant. That knowing is better than wondering, that waking is better than sleeping, and even the biggest failure, even the worst, beat the hell out of never trying. -- meredith grey
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Your mind becomes impressed with your self-estimate, and your convictions govern your actions. You small estimate of yourself will make a pigmy’s impress upon your conviction and you will be barred from doing the work of a giant. You must think yourself a giant before you can do a giant’s work.
read more here..
*****
“Once you start accepting mediocrity in your life, you become a magnet for mediocrity in your life.”
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A couple of hundred years ago, Benjamin Franklin shared with the world the secret of his success. Never leave that till tomorrow, he said, which you can do today. This is the man who discovered electricity. You think more people would listen to what he had to say. I don't know why we put things off, but if I had to guess, I'd have to say it has a lot to do with fear. Fear of failure, fear of rejection, sometimes the fear is just of making a decision, because what if you're wrong? What if you're making a mistake you can't undo? The early bird catches the worm. A stitch in time saves nine. He who hesitates is lost. We can't pretend we hadn't been told. We've all heard the proverbs, heard the philosophers, heard our grandparents warning us about wasted time, heard the damn poets urging us to seize the day. Still sometimes we have to see for ourselves. We have to make our own mistakes. We have to learn our own lessons. We have to sweep today's possibility under tomorrow's rug until we can't anymore. Until we finally understand for ourselves what Benjamin Franklin really meant. That knowing is better than wondering, that waking is better than sleeping, and even the biggest failure, even the worst, beat the hell out of never trying. -- meredith grey
sisa memories
i'm now in the mood to upload pictures so voila! let's cruise down memory lane and remember my good days back in ivoline, particularly, in the YBM sisa account...
the making of 'the angels'...taken on my birthday with my first circle in sisa.until now they never cease to attend events at my sister's place... 
the pioneers of the SISA account. teamwork and cooperation plus friendship on the side defined our relationship especially when the project-based account was just taking its baby steps.
angels' signature color: pink. hehe.. taken on Valentine's day.
other teachers who are dear to us! i feel so nostalgic.
this still is dedicated to my friend, kriz... taken during our last day with kriz and i behind the love of her life. haha..
with anghelito, hehe.. we still managed to smile although deep inside, we were all sad. that two-year of friendship and togetherness really meant so much to us. the two-year stay in ivoline was also a memorable one.
...and who would've thought that the love of my life happened to be one of my good friends in sisa? hehe, from being friends to lovers. this is one of our very first pictures, the third, if i'm not mistaken... we were just some weeks old! hehe, time really flies.we're now on our third year (and counting)! the start may have been shaky but i'm glad that our relationship does not waver until now.hope it'd stay this way til we're old and gray..
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mother's day
yesterday was mother's day. one reason why i had to go to my sister's house. my nieces and i went to the mall to surprise her with a bouquet of flowers and some goodies. turned out that something's in store for me too, hehe. got my own bouquet as well! haha, thanks tart for the surprise ;p
if my mom were still alive, she would've appreciated that gesture as well. too bad i could only send her my prayers now... to mama, happy mom's day once again. you know how badly we miss you. but we're fine. don't worry. thanks for everything!
and to all moms, happy mother's day!
if my mom were still alive, she would've appreciated that gesture as well. too bad i could only send her my prayers now... to mama, happy mom's day once again. you know how badly we miss you. but we're fine. don't worry. thanks for everything!
and to all moms, happy mother's day!
weekend
hello..i'm currently chillin' out at my sister's in valenzuela city. hehe, changed my blog template again. this goes to show that i'm really fickle-minded. can't decide what template would really speak for my personality. anyways, just updating my blog. i was supposed to upload the pictures taken during our reunion but darn it, i don't have my usb... anyway, i'll be busy in the next days, i'll start monitoring on monday and i'll also be getting ready for a project in June and for an exam in July. i'll be meeting some friends as well in the coming days.. hehe... good luck to me again. don't want to be panicky though. i promised myself that i would be taking each task one at a time.. i really have to learn how to manage my time.. also, i need to activate my postive and happy thoughts again, haha... btw, got all my grades last term. somewhat satisfactory. doesn't matter if i didn't get a 4 in the other 2 subjects, so long as i passed especially in writing..
hope everyone's having a rockin' weekend ;)....
hope everyone's having a rockin' weekend ;)....
wala lang
changed my template into something colorful, hehe... nothing special happened today. hehe, it's actually a boring day since it's the start of the month.. i don't feel like writing and uploading din. will do them tomorrow. hehe... i'll be out in a while and that's a 'yey!' can't wait to go home. sarap matulog today, so so cold because of the weather *yawn*
sisa reunion
i know this is two weeks late but i still want to share this short but meaningful experience that i had with my sisa family last april 19 at craving's shangri-la ..
the plan
friday, april 17, i blogged about the things that i'de doing for the weekend to start my much-awaited/needed vacation. well, the kick-off was a day-long rest wherein i remained curled up in bed playing with and cuddling my two cutesy dogs or watching tv. . .REST. . . SLEEP. . . those two words kept on bouncing in my head, hehe, since i never had the luxury of getting good, long sleeps when school was still on... i really scheduled that saturday for my beauty rest, hehe, that i cancelled my date with the angels! hehe, sorry guys, but i know you understood how much i wanted to rest, right?..
the reunion, april 19
then came sunday, the very first sisa reunion two years after kriz, weng and i left the company. after our take-off that time, some teachers also followed in search for greener pasture, hehe, so the get-together really meant so much to us.. thanks to teacher rose who did the arrangements and make the event possible. the get-together turned out to be a blast! a lot of cam-whoring (too bad, i forgot to bring my cam), eating and catching up was done. we were supposed to meet the sisa gang at cravings, shangri-la at 12noon but i arrived with my partner at around 1. others came in at 2 and my fellow angels came in at, guess what, 3 pm just in time for snacks! ahaha, you haven't changed guys! it's supposed to be a lunch date! hehe... anyway, i just had coffee! it was so hot yet i still opted to have coffee since i missed my morning dose of it! while everyone was eating steaks, which according to some was not worth their 300 bucks, i was enjoying my cup of cappucino! it was good! but what made the craving's coffee experience really great was the conversations that i had with my ex-co-teachers over that cup.. conversations over coffee are indeed the best! ... two years is a long time and a lot has really happened-- some got married, the others already gave birth and there are some who are pregnant and my friend, weng, is one of them! hehe... some of our mommies even brought their uber-cute babies along as well and i realized that the sisa family is really getting bigger. i hope to have my own tot by the time we had the second reunion! haha, dream on, grace! ... it was really nice to see all of them again. i had learned a lot of new things from them and about them and so, i look forward to more get-togethers..
my sisa family
there's nothing like my sisa family. prior to this 'toxic' job, i was working as a teacher for YBM sisa, a korea-based company that caters tutorial services. my fellow teachers and the experiences that i gained in that company are really etched forever in my heart. i must admit that the pay that i used to get there was unsatisfactory but nothing would beat the experience that i gained in there. it has greatly contributed to the person that i am now (hehe, drama!)... but no kidding, my being part of the company hastened my language skills and instilled in me the passion in teaching. what also made my tenure there so incredible was the fact that i met wonderful people such as the angels, cocoy and of course my partner, hehe... that two years were really unforgettable and had i the chance to relive my life, i'd definitely want to go through the whole sisa experience ;D . . .
**got no time to upload the pictures. i only got 8 minutes to pack up... will just do the uploading (and editing) tomorrow..
****
the plan
friday, april 17, i blogged about the things that i'de doing for the weekend to start my much-awaited/needed vacation. well, the kick-off was a day-long rest wherein i remained curled up in bed playing with and cuddling my two cutesy dogs or watching tv. . .REST. . . SLEEP. . . those two words kept on bouncing in my head, hehe, since i never had the luxury of getting good, long sleeps when school was still on... i really scheduled that saturday for my beauty rest, hehe, that i cancelled my date with the angels! hehe, sorry guys, but i know you understood how much i wanted to rest, right?..
the reunion, april 19
then came sunday, the very first sisa reunion two years after kriz, weng and i left the company. after our take-off that time, some teachers also followed in search for greener pasture, hehe, so the get-together really meant so much to us.. thanks to teacher rose who did the arrangements and make the event possible. the get-together turned out to be a blast! a lot of cam-whoring (too bad, i forgot to bring my cam), eating and catching up was done. we were supposed to meet the sisa gang at cravings, shangri-la at 12noon but i arrived with my partner at around 1. others came in at 2 and my fellow angels came in at, guess what, 3 pm just in time for snacks! ahaha, you haven't changed guys! it's supposed to be a lunch date! hehe... anyway, i just had coffee! it was so hot yet i still opted to have coffee since i missed my morning dose of it! while everyone was eating steaks, which according to some was not worth their 300 bucks, i was enjoying my cup of cappucino! it was good! but what made the craving's coffee experience really great was the conversations that i had with my ex-co-teachers over that cup.. conversations over coffee are indeed the best! ... two years is a long time and a lot has really happened-- some got married, the others already gave birth and there are some who are pregnant and my friend, weng, is one of them! hehe... some of our mommies even brought their uber-cute babies along as well and i realized that the sisa family is really getting bigger. i hope to have my own tot by the time we had the second reunion! haha, dream on, grace! ... it was really nice to see all of them again. i had learned a lot of new things from them and about them and so, i look forward to more get-togethers..
my sisa family
there's nothing like my sisa family. prior to this 'toxic' job, i was working as a teacher for YBM sisa, a korea-based company that caters tutorial services. my fellow teachers and the experiences that i gained in that company are really etched forever in my heart. i must admit that the pay that i used to get there was unsatisfactory but nothing would beat the experience that i gained in there. it has greatly contributed to the person that i am now (hehe, drama!)... but no kidding, my being part of the company hastened my language skills and instilled in me the passion in teaching. what also made my tenure there so incredible was the fact that i met wonderful people such as the angels, cocoy and of course my partner, hehe... that two years were really unforgettable and had i the chance to relive my life, i'd definitely want to go through the whole sisa experience ;D . . .
**got no time to upload the pictures. i only got 8 minutes to pack up... will just do the uploading (and editing) tomorrow..
****
yey!!!!
need to go now but i just want to share this piece of good news! i passed writing in the professions! yeeeeeeeeeeey!!!!!! now i'm just waiting for my grade in methods! i never could describe how ecstatic i am! this is a good day after all! feeling VIP pa ko coz two of my closest friends dedicated their post to me, haha...
rants.
let me correct yesterday's entry. it's supposed to be our 27th monthsari! my math skills failed me again, hehe!... anyway, it's just 730 in the morning but i'm pissed off already! i'm here since 530 hoping to start monitoring but here's the thing: the system seems to be down so i cannot download the classes!!! so much for a very early bird. i have slated 7 monitorings today to meet the deadline tomorrow despite the two-hour training later, the meeting that i'll be having tomorrow and the preparation that i'll be doing for my june project and another meeting next week! my hands are full! .. i know i promised to take things lightly and to think positively but i cannot just bring myself to act as if i'm not affected by all these things! i definitely need a break from everything, not just from school, but everything. away from all the responsibilities that i have and roles that i play. i wish to have a long vacation worrying about nothing... but then again, it's just a wish. i know i don't have the luxury to do that. boohoo.
***
"Being an adult: TOTALLY overrated. I mean seriously, don't be fooled by the hot shoes and great sex and no parents anywhere telling you what to do. Being an adult is responsibility. Responsibility really does suck. Really, REALLY sucks. Adults have to be places and do things and earn a living and pay the rent. And if you're training to be a surgeon, holding a human heart in your hands... Hello! Talk about responsibility! Kinda makes bikes and cookies look really really good, doesn't it? The scariest part about responsibility... When you skrew up and let it slip right through your fingers. Responsibility. It really does suck. Unfortunately once you get past the age of braces and training bras, responsibility doesn't go away. It can't be avoided. Either someone makes us face it or we suffer the consequences. " --- meredith grey
***
"Being an adult: TOTALLY overrated. I mean seriously, don't be fooled by the hot shoes and great sex and no parents anywhere telling you what to do. Being an adult is responsibility. Responsibility really does suck. Really, REALLY sucks. Adults have to be places and do things and earn a living and pay the rent. And if you're training to be a surgeon, holding a human heart in your hands... Hello! Talk about responsibility! Kinda makes bikes and cookies look really really good, doesn't it? The scariest part about responsibility... When you skrew up and let it slip right through your fingers. Responsibility. It really does suck. Unfortunately once you get past the age of braces and training bras, responsibility doesn't go away. It can't be avoided. Either someone makes us face it or we suffer the consequences. " --- meredith grey
monthsari again
it's our 25th monthsary. time to be slushy again! this is what my tartie sent me in the middle of work, work, work!
syempre, my heart melted once again. hahah! i really am a sentimental fool :p...
***
despite the date though, i'm cranky today! hehe, it's the month's last week so i'm a little stressed out again. it's one of those days when you want to borrow meredith grey's expression, "cut me some slack!" hehe... i also feel dizzy after listening to eight classes simultaneously today. while monitoring, i was ranting deep inside and i was irritated even by the slightest ungrammaticality. hehe, man, i'm not sure if it's just the deadline or, the fact that i'm getting old! tsk.
syempre, my heart melted once again. hahah! i really am a sentimental fool :p...
***
despite the date though, i'm cranky today! hehe, it's the month's last week so i'm a little stressed out again. it's one of those days when you want to borrow meredith grey's expression, "cut me some slack!" hehe... i also feel dizzy after listening to eight classes simultaneously today. while monitoring, i was ranting deep inside and i was irritated even by the slightest ungrammaticality. hehe, man, i'm not sure if it's just the deadline or, the fact that i'm getting old! tsk.
good news from frends
what is it about summer that two of my really good friends got preggy :p.. hehe, yes, jp and weng, two of my special friends in this lifetime are going to be mommies soon! so so happy for both of them... i would probably never experience such thing but the thought of sharing this wonderful moment with my friends makes me so happy and complete already!
to my two friends, please do take care of yourselves and of the little angels in there! I'll be praying for you and your babies' good health.. love you guys :)
****
to my two friends, please do take care of yourselves and of the little angels in there! I'll be praying for you and your babies' good health.. love you guys :)
****
"it is not until you become a mother that your judgment slowly turns to compassion and understanding"-- Emma Bombeck
summah time
done with all the school requirements. just hope that my prof would be considerate enough to give me a passing grade knowing that i was not aware of the principles and concepts in genre analysis. we only met twice to talk about my final paper, imagine? we didn't have formal meetings to discuss the theories that underlie the said subject. oh well, i still have to wait until next week until the final grades' are out! im really keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that my almost sleepless nights would pay off!
anyway, for now, i want to focus on making my summer worthwhile. i'm on sabbatical by the way, i won't be taking my compre next week! hehe! i'd be taking it in july. that means, i have almost three months to smell the flowers, hehe.. but really, not taking the compre was a big decision that i had to make. when i started my masters, i'd thought of having my degree before 2009 ends, but this time, i realized that i need not worry and need not to hurry. i've been pushing myself to the limit for the last two years and i guess it's really time for a BIG break from school! that 3 months would also be enough preparation for the compre :)
anyway, tomorrow's the official start of my summer! can't waaaaaiiiiiiit ;)
***
anyway, for now, i want to focus on making my summer worthwhile. i'm on sabbatical by the way, i won't be taking my compre next week! hehe! i'd be taking it in july. that means, i have almost three months to smell the flowers, hehe.. but really, not taking the compre was a big decision that i had to make. when i started my masters, i'd thought of having my degree before 2009 ends, but this time, i realized that i need not worry and need not to hurry. i've been pushing myself to the limit for the last two years and i guess it's really time for a BIG break from school! that 3 months would also be enough preparation for the compre :)
anyway, tomorrow's the official start of my summer! can't waaaaaiiiiiiit ;)
***
TGIF... not!
Thank God It's Friday (TGIF) has been my student's favorite line during our classes on, of course, Fridays. He would always greet me with it and tell me about his plans for the much-awaited weekend. Sometimes, I can't help but feel a twinge of envy as he gets to enjoy some things during the weekend while i'm stuck at school or hitting the books or researching for a certain homework. the past two years have been a challenge to my knowledge, skills, perseverance, patience and even health. Juggling work, school along with my personal life is really no picnic. It is through these experiences though that I learn a lot of things like managing my time and prioritizing different tasks.
right now, i'm in the middle of weighing things again. today, friday, is gonna be a busy and dreadful day again as i'm faced with different tasks from both school and work. Faced with the same situation some months back, I would've probably vent endlessly and think about life being so unfair as I don't get to enjoy the carefree life that others have. Right now though, I keep in mind what I learn from our trainings on dealing with different and demanding tasks.
****
3 Tips for Prioritizing Tasks
1. Psyche yourself up. A tired, emotional brain is not best placed to make decisions. Good decisions are made by alert, objective minds, so make an effort to keep your energy levels up and your stress level down.
2. Take pressure off and make good prioritizing decisions by creating a list of questons to ask yourself when deciding what should be done first and when.
3. Help can can come from anywhere---from your manager, peers or partner.
*** so there, i'm writing this to refresh my memory on the lessons that i got from our trainings. i hope to have encouraged someone on the process and let him/ her realized that we are bigger than the all the tasks given to us! so hang on for a while in there, i'm sure that you'll benefit a great deal if you had conquered all challenges that you are experiencing at the moment.
***it's 5am now.i'm almost finished with my first cup of coffee and the teachers behind me are starting their classes already. guess it's time to conquer my tasks now... =)
SEIZE THE DAY!!!
stress
been away for a couple of days because of deadlines at work! i was too anxious came monday since i still had like 18 classes to monitor and that's 9 classes for the last two days of last month! gawd, i could only finish a maximum of 5 monitorings...good thing some of our trainings were postposed until yesterday so i was able to concentrate on the monitorings. deadlines really serve as motivation or inspiration to finish a task, hehe, well, at least based on my experiences.
one thing i learn and believe to be effective in times like this is the power of focus. it really works! because of it, i was able to finish all the required tasks in the office despite the number of trainings and schoolworks that i attended to in between monitoring hours for the last two weeks... once again, i was stretched to the limit but the consolation that i felt after was reassuring. really, pressure or stress could be tedious or exhilarating or could probably be both. and right now, i'm trying to look at it not just as a taxing experience but an exhilirating one as well. i believe looking at stress or pressure in this perspective would also allow us to still be more effiecient and productive in other things and not just the task alone.
right now, i'm stressed again. training period for my first project is not yet done. still have to meet 4 team leaders until tomorrow *sigh.* and to make things worse, there's another deadline that's looming-- school deadline. i barely have two weeks to accomplish all that there is to pass this term but it seemed that things are getting out of hand-- i'm out of respondents for my other paper and i got no sufficient background on the other one since it's a special class.. i'm screaming inside but i know that worrying would do me no good. i have to summon my happy thoughts once again and be optimistic as well! i need to look at the things that i can do rather than those that i failed to do.. i really need to FOCUS once more...
****
incidentally, here are three simple and practical tips on dealing with deadline-related stress.
How to Beat Deadline Stress
By Triskit, eHow MembeStep1
Step 1
Learn to Focus: If you're working on a project, don't answer the phone, don't surf the internet and set aside a few specific times in the day for checking your email.
Step2
Be Realistic: If you are stressed your brain loses it's ability to work as effectively. If you are juggling several projects, as your manager to help assign priority to each one. Determine which projects are most urgent and start there.
Step3
Reward Yourself: When working under a deadline, you're more likely to finish on time if you have something to look forward to at the end of the day. If you have a 5pm deadline, plan to take a 6 pm yoga class or meet your buddies at the pub, or perhaps set a dinner date. When you're driven by anticipation instead of fear of missing the deadline, you'll work more efficiently.
** Have a stress-free day, everyone!
one thing i learn and believe to be effective in times like this is the power of focus. it really works! because of it, i was able to finish all the required tasks in the office despite the number of trainings and schoolworks that i attended to in between monitoring hours for the last two weeks... once again, i was stretched to the limit but the consolation that i felt after was reassuring. really, pressure or stress could be tedious or exhilarating or could probably be both. and right now, i'm trying to look at it not just as a taxing experience but an exhilirating one as well. i believe looking at stress or pressure in this perspective would also allow us to still be more effiecient and productive in other things and not just the task alone.
right now, i'm stressed again. training period for my first project is not yet done. still have to meet 4 team leaders until tomorrow *sigh.* and to make things worse, there's another deadline that's looming-- school deadline. i barely have two weeks to accomplish all that there is to pass this term but it seemed that things are getting out of hand-- i'm out of respondents for my other paper and i got no sufficient background on the other one since it's a special class.. i'm screaming inside but i know that worrying would do me no good. i have to summon my happy thoughts once again and be optimistic as well! i need to look at the things that i can do rather than those that i failed to do.. i really need to FOCUS once more...
****
incidentally, here are three simple and practical tips on dealing with deadline-related stress.
How to Beat Deadline Stress
By Triskit, eHow MembeStep1
Step 1
Learn to Focus: If you're working on a project, don't answer the phone, don't surf the internet and set aside a few specific times in the day for checking your email.
Step2
Be Realistic: If you are stressed your brain loses it's ability to work as effectively. If you are juggling several projects, as your manager to help assign priority to each one. Determine which projects are most urgent and start there.
Step3
Reward Yourself: When working under a deadline, you're more likely to finish on time if you have something to look forward to at the end of the day. If you have a 5pm deadline, plan to take a 6 pm yoga class or meet your buddies at the pub, or perhaps set a dinner date. When you're driven by anticipation instead of fear of missing the deadline, you'll work more efficiently.
** Have a stress-free day, everyone!
after school
i'm in the library right now. been here for more than an hour and i'm supposed to be getting copies of the journals that i need to read. then i realize that usb's not allowed, haha. thus, i started doing nonsensical stuff such as bloghopping, checking emails and my friend's friendster accounts when i should be reading more about my research! haha...anyway, in a few minutes, i should be going. i'll be visiting my sister in valenzuela since it's my nephew's graduation day. haven't seen them for three months and i miss them. good thing i was able to squeeze it in my busy schedule. but gosh, i need to work on paper and i better do it fast. i want to give my best this time since this is my last term. good luck to me tlaga...
***
To my tartie: HAPPY 26th MONTHSARY! Thanks for the care, love and for accepting all of me the past 26 months. Looking forward to more years with you... one day, i hope to write our love story (hehe, mushy!)
***
hala, i forgot. got an errand. tsk.. byeee
***
To my tartie: HAPPY 26th MONTHSARY! Thanks for the care, love and for accepting all of me the past 26 months. Looking forward to more years with you... one day, i hope to write our love story (hehe, mushy!)
***
hala, i forgot. got an errand. tsk.. byeee
happy monthsari =)
in lieu of our 26th monthsari tomorrow, my tartie sent me this while we're both bogged down with work in the office. love the gesture! so simple yet so sweet. funny how this simple act made my heart melt. 2 years backward, when we were still starting, we used to have elaborate celebrations of our monthsari and give each other gifts. now that we're more mature and, well, getting old, simple acts of love such as this would do... *kilig*
vote earth!
i'm guilty of taking our natural resources for granted. i've wasted so many papers in the past, ignored the recycling programs that were implemented some years ago and littered relentlessly. it was last year when i first heard about EARTH HOUR. the drill was for people to switch off their lights for an hour. i thought it was just another ordinary environmental campaign . it turned out to be a worldwide campaign and had hastened people's awareness on global warming. this year, i learned that the said event will be held on the 28th this month. i first found out about it in a poster that greets everyone who enters the buidling where i work. and so, i marked the calendar. i guess this time, in my own little way, i could do something about global warming and save the earth as well, hehe...and oh by the way, i've also started recycling. i have gathered all the papers that i used in the past and try using them again, the backpage's still clean anyway... i know these are just small things but i also know that they somehow could make a difference.
i hope everyone would mark the same date too!... it's the least that we can do to our beloved mother earth. according to several write-ups, the said event has been transformed into the world's first global election between earth and global warming and we are all given the opportunity to vote for EARTH by using our light switch.
***
Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming. We all have a vote, and every single vote counts. Together we can take control of the future of our planet, for future generations.
We all have a vote, and every single vote counts. Together we can take control of the future of our planet, for future generations.VOTE EARTH by simply switching off your lights for one hour, and join the world for Earth Hour.
happy anniversary
i suddenly realized that today's my first year as a QA. much has happened in the year that was---laughter, tears, disputes, gratitude and naysaying. the part that i love most is the growth that i experienced not just career wise, but emotionally as well... it's been one heck of a rollercoaster ride but i'm glad that i'm still on solid ground and am still eager to make a difference not just in the company as a whole but in each teacher's life. thank you for all those who had appreciated my comments and my pang-'ookray, ' hehe. for all those who had raised their eyebrows, sorry but i'm just doing my job :p..
looking forward to another fruitful year!
****
quotation for the day: money makes the world go around.. hehe, thanks to that teacher who made me laugh today :D
looking forward to another fruitful year!
****
quotation for the day: money makes the world go around.. hehe, thanks to that teacher who made me laugh today :D
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