last working day for 2011

reality is quite difficult to accept... working on a holiday, when it's supposed to be a day with your family, has become a routine especially when i came back to my field. yeah, i need to tell my mind to sink in the fact that holidays (and double pays) are only designed to regular employees and other service-oriented jobs. it puzzles me though why we're not paid double on a regular holiday and why are our bonuses taxed?

looking at the brighter side, we're scheduled to do some last minute shopping for our media noche. i'm looking at some liempo cuts to be grilled tomorrow night and can full of fruit cocktail for our fruit salad. i'm thinking if we can also prepare macaroni salad. uhm, yeah... i just love salads on new years eve. and perhaps some sweets given by people around us.

i honestly don't know what's in store for us the coming year. but definitely for this passing year, my positive mind-setting has helped me go through all the hard times that were encountered in all aspects of my life. and i'm always thankful for my family who keeps me going come what may.

some things to look forward to next year:
> Disney on Ice family date on the first day of 2012
> 60th (surprise) birthday party for my father-in-law
> our first attempt to bring our little girl in the movie house
> additional (?) work contract
> medical insurance for the family
> new place (?)

hmm... perhaps there'll be more surprises next year. i just have a short list of what to expect for 2012. environmentalists say that mother nature will be more fierce next year so humans should be prepared for the wrath of nature. if only mankind learned to love mother nature earlier, she would have been kind to us all even at this time. but yeah, things are bound to happen--- unexpected things.

we just need to hope for the best of everything tomorrow.
>

buhay sa persworld (ikalawang bahagi)

taliwas sa unang punta ko sa first world (country) isang taon ang nakalipas, ang pagbabalik ko roon ay punung-puno ng determinasyon. yep. desedido na akong mag-ayos ng papel para mag immigrate.

at dahil positibo ang mind set, dun ko na-appreciate ang ganda ng paligid ko. marami akong ginawa na hindi ko ginawa noong unang punta ko dun...

> TUMUPAD ng tungkulin bilang mang-aawit
> tumanggap ng "blue-collar" jobs
> mag-rake ng mga nalagas na dahon, MAGHAPON
> tumikim ng snow!
> mag-DRIVE (ng walang otorisadong lisensya)
> pumunta ng public library para lang maka-access sa internet
> magbabad sa Barnes & Noble at mamangha sa coffee shop na nasa loob ng bookstore
> mamangha sa pabigla-biglang pagpapalit ng presyo ng gasolina (minuto lang ang pagitan)
> patuloy na mamangha sa sistema ng mga gasolinahan doon (self-service kase, ikaw ang tatao sa pump)
> maaliw sa "road sweeper" na maaga pa lang ay rumoronda na sa neighborhood
> madulas sa frozen street
> maging parang baliw nang makaranas maulanan ng hail sa una (at huli yata) na pagkakataon
> makatawag ng pansin sa may-ari ng kumpanya nang aksidenteng mabuksan ko ang uma-alarm (at hindi dapat buksan) na pintuan sa isang warehouse
> manood ng NBA LIVE!
> makipag-date sa Canadian citizen(s)
> sumakay sa subway
> magkamali ng sakay ng bus
> magpa-encash ng cheke
> magbukas ng account sa banko
> magligpit ng pinagkainan sa fastfood at iba pang food establishment
> tumabi sa kanang bahagi ng escalator kung hindi rin lang nagmamadali (ang left side ay para sa mga tao na nagmamadali)
> makapag-drive ng "picker" (kahit bawal ako gumamit nun)
> mag-apple-picking!
> umakyat sa CN Tower
> mag-cruise sa baybayin ng Toronto
...at marami pang iba!

apple picking with good buddies Noriel & Charlie

na-deny na ang aplikasyon ko after four long years of waiting. since then, iniisip-isip ko pa rin kung kailan ako makakabalik doon. pero sa pagkakataong ito, kasama ko na ang mag-ina ko. :|

---------------------

ang blog entry na ito ay karugtong ng unang pagbabahagi ko ng buhay (ko) sa persworld at suporta na rin sa patimpalak ng blogger friend ko na si gasul ("The Gasoline Dude’s Blogversary Writing Contest")

on leave: HAPPY HOLIDAYS! :)

yep.. i get to enjoy a three-day leave from work. as i always say, "hindi natutulog ang balita'" which is why i won't be able to come to Ilocos with the family in celebration of the new year, BUT i took the days off in time for my sister's arrival from TO. her last visit was three years ago during my wedding. and this time, she's coming home alone so she's gonna be spending more time with us, her core family.

today's schedule:
- buy a replacement hose for our gas stove
- attend Bong's wedding (where my little girl's wearing gown and hopefully walk down the aisle as a little flower girl, and uhmm.. yeah, the groom asked me to sign the marriage certificate in behalf of one godfather who will not be able to attend. yep, you heard it right--- GODFATHER. ugh. if not for friendship) :/
- wait for dad and fetch my sister at NAIA...

there goes my monday.
need to prepare now.. ciao!

simple wish list for 20-12

1. pocket calendar
2. 2012 planner
3. more vacation (with pay)
4. ...

Jon's "Mix-Mix" Recipes

This particular post must be inspired by blogger chef dads who tirelessly share their yummy recipes online. While cooking or food preparation isn't really my forte, I do prepare our food occasionally. And my "recipes" aren't really that hard to do. They just use the basic "mix-mix" principle. Here are three of them:

First recipe

The first time I've tasted this was in the canteen of the company where i work. I was amazed since two of my favorite food were mixed together--- canned tuna and whole kernel corn. So here's my recipe:

1 tuna in can (I prefer flakes in vegetable oil)
1 small can of whole kernel corn
1 tablespoon of cooking oil
1 medium (or big) onion
a pinch of Magic Sarap

heat the frying pan while mincing the onion into very small pieces. put the cooking oil, and when ready, saute the onion in oil.
pour the tuna in the pan, include its oil. saute up to your desired time for as long as it doesn't burn in the pan. pour a pinch of Magic Sarap for added flavor. and finally, pour a canful of whole kernel corn. mix-mix it until ready to serve.

[caption id="attachment_2383" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Jon's "Corned Tuna""][/caption]

Second recipe

This probably is the dish I can live with everyday, anytime of the day. My own version of cooking, of course...

1 kilo pork, cut
gabi
kangkong
sitaw
okra
tomato
onion
calamansi
pang-asim powder
pork cubes

(tagalugin natin kasi puro tagalog yung ingredients eh) :D
hugasan ang baboy at pakuluan ito. habang hinihintay itong lumambot, hiwain na ang sibuyas, kamatis, gabi, sitaw, okra (hinihiwa ko ito para mas madaling kainin), at piliin na ang pinakamagandang parte ng kangkong na pwedeng isama sa sinigang. magpiga na rin ng kalamansi sa isang lalagyan at salain na ang buto (para hindi na sumama sa sabaw)

pagkakulo ng baboy at natiyak na malambot na, itapon ang pinagkuluan. hugasan ang baboy at salinan ng tubig pansabaw (karaniwang ginagamit kong pansabaw ay yung tubig ng sinaing, pangalawang hugas ng bigas)

ilagay ang sibuyas, kamatis at gabi. pakuluan. lagyan ng pang-asim powder. pakuluan. sunod na ilagay ang sitaw at okra, panghuli ang kangkong. lagyan ng dagdag pang-asim at pork cubes para lumasa pa ang sabaw. ibuhos ang katas ng kalamansi. tama... mix-mix lang ang gawin. pakuluin hanggang ito'y maging ready to serve! :D

[caption id="attachment_2384" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Jon's Pork Sinigang"][/caption]

Third recipe

this is one of my favorite for all season! Jon's fruit salad. very easy to prepare. just mix-mix the following ingredients:

1 big can of tropical fruit cocktail
1 can of whole kernel corn
2 red delicious apples (make sure they are crispy)
2 cans of condensed milk (take note, not condensed creamer)
2 cans of all-purpose cream (i prefer the branded Nestle cream)
and oh yeah, 1 BIG bowl

so after mixing them all in the bowl, it's ready to eat! best tasting when chilled (not frozen).

[caption id="attachment_2385" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Jon's All-time Favorite Fruit Salad"][/caption]

so there. my share of recipes for all my loyal readers. i don't know when will my next "recipe" post will be but i still need to learn more recipes to be able to make another post like this one.

happy eating! *burp* :P

reason behind the ranting (a re-post)

a busy day in the office such as this and a person getting on your nerve simply makes the bad day worse. anyway, after counting 10,000 sheep and getting my deadlines done, i now can relate why there's such a rant in my preceding entry. here's the story:

Roger* (*not his real name), our maintenance boy (he looks like a high school student) was told by yours truly to deliver an important report to our principal in Ortigas within the day. As i await the time of his dispatch (since our accounting department was preparing checks for delivery to our principal also) i keep on reminding him about the report he's going to take with him there. he kept on responding "ok".

after lunch, i told one of our accounting colleague to dispatch Roger already as our principal still needs to upload the sub-distributors report which Roger was to deliver to them. in short, the accounting department prepared all the necessary accounting documents to be handed to Roger. right then, i had to attend to our van salesman in the stockroom. upon returning to the office, Roger was gone. my blood rose to the heavens when i saw the reports still bundled up on my table. Roger left them! GRRR!!! my colleagues attested that they reminded him to report to me prior to his leaving but nonetheless, he left without remembering that he still needed to check on other things to bring to our principal. knowing that we don't have any other messengers, i was really furious since the other person from our principal kept on following-up about the said reports. and i still have to finish my deadlines so i can not go there myself to deliver the reports! GRRR!!!

i called the person from the other office and instructed them to tell Roger to come back to our office and then return there for the important documents that he left. i know it was mean to do that to him but it's a way for him to learn. most of the time, he doesn't listen to the instructions. if he ever did, he doesn't do everything he's asked of.

~ ~ ~

to make up for this unfunny incident, i am now forced to post his boo-boos which can fall in the category of this PinoyExchange thread:

# 1 boo-boo: All of us in the office craved for some Go Nuts Donuts and since we're lucky enough to have an outlet nearby our office, we asked Roger to buy us two dozens. first, we were all contesting if we should have it delivered instead but decided in the end to just have Roger buy it for us since it is just located inside Eastwood City.

an hour passed and we were all joking that Roger might have gone lost. next thing we knew, one of the office phone rang:

guy on the phone: good afternoon, pwede po kay jun?
me: si JON ito. sino po sila?
guy: ahm... may pinapabili po ba kayo dito na Roger ang pangalan?
me: ha? saan po ito?
guy: sa MC DONALDS po.
me: (silence for a few seconds... then covered the mouthpiece and couldn't help laughing) ay naku sir, pasensya na po. sa GO NUTS DONUT namin pinapabili ng donut yan..
guy: (laughed)
me: paki-turo na lang po sa kanya kung saan pupunta.
guy: ok, sir ako na po ang bahala.. thank you.. (laughing on the other line)

-------

# 2 boo-boo: three of my officemates asked Roger to buy them Jolly Hotdog, Regular Yum and Fries. Roger was standing beside them when they were choosing from the Jollibee Delivery Menu and pointed on the menu flyer the orders they were asking him to buy. many minutes passed after he left, he was bringing a chicken barbecue burger and a regular crispy fries from KFC. Then speaking to my two other officemates, he said: "Walang Jolly Hotdog eh." the two obviously burst into laughter (i know its mean but who wouldn't) and told Roger why he didn't find Jolly Hotdog in KFC.

-------

# 3 boo-boo: (this really knocked me out) Ate Chona, coming from a long trip from her residence in Cavite to the office has asked Roger to buy her a breakfast meal upon arrival in the office. this time she made sure what meal he would order and made sure that he goes to Jollibee. ok. a few minutes after, he's back. he went straight to the pantry and gave Ate Chona her change in her desk. Ate Chona then asked: "Ok na ba yung breakfast meal ko?" Roger replied, "nandun na sa pantry"
i was timely making my coffee in the pantry when Ate Chona began looking for her hot chocolate. guess where Roger put it? IN THE REFRIGERATOR! buwahahahahahahahahaha!!!

sorry. this is the end of my day's ranting. happy weekend everyone!

------------------------
this blog entry was originally posted in May 18, 2007.
this was re-posted for the love to win a jacket thru Gillboard's 6th year blog anniversary contest.

December 1

kakapagod. kakatapos ko lang magpabalik-balik sa editing bays para sa pagsubaybay sa mga takes at ayun, medyo chop seuy na naman ang line-up. pero hindi naman ganun kasama dahil umabot naman lahat ng dapat na mai-ere.

anyway, unang araw ng huling buwan ng taong kinunsidera ko bilang "2011 positivity." parang andaming dapat balik-tanawin. maraming nangyari sa lipunan, hindi lang sa personal kong buhay. hindi ko lang alam kung maiisa-isa ko ang lahat pero ang sigurado, lahat ng sa tingin ko ay mahalaga sa akin sa taong ito, mailalagay ko sa year-ender post ko. ang year-ender post ang isa sa mga pinakagusto kong ginagawa at pino-post sa blog. dito kase ay punung-puno ng kwento at napagkakasya ang istorya ng buong isang taon.

[caption id="attachment_2377" align="alignright" width="150" caption="December 2007"][/caption] nakapag-email na ko ng mga araw na wala ako sa trabaho. sa kabuuan, apat na araw lang ako dapat mawala ngayong disyembre. uulitin ko: mahirap kase ang no work, no pay. isa sa pinakasasabikan kong okasyon ngayong buwan ay ang pag-uwi ni ate B mula sa Canada. ang bilis ng panahon. natatandaan ko nung pi-nost ko ito noong January dito sa blog ko at ngayon, heto na. alam kong kaunti lang ang magiging bonding time namin kase nakatakda silang pumunta ng Ilocos at doon magbagong taon. hindi naman kami (ng mag-ina ko) makasama dahil guess what...? may pasok ako.:\

ok, let's take this one day at a time. next year, ibang yugto na naman (marahil) ang tatahakin ko. let's see...

the return of the games i used to play

wifey & i got this new PXP yesterday at Toys R Us. we've been eyeing this unit since last week. it definitely brings back good old memories... yep! PXP features games from the (old) Family Computer! name it: Bomber Man, Galaxian, Donkey Kong Series, Charlie Circus, Mario Bros Series, F1 Race, Contra, Sky Destroyer (one of my favorites), Load Runner, Battle City, Pro-Wrestling, Mappy, Ice Climber, Legend of Kage, and many, many more! Geez... can't wait to bring it to work and flaunt it to Doy--- the boy who is fond of electronic, portable games. haha! there are some games i'm looking for that aren't available on their cartridges on sale: Punch Out & Double Dribble. We got the PXP at P1.7k and an extra 101-in-1 game cartridge at P300. sort of, gift to myself! ;)

i'm back to childhood days...! :D

Si Erap sa State of the Nation with Jessica Soho

- ito ang twit ko kagabi, matapos makapagpakuha ng litrato kay dating pangulong Joseph Estrada. Bumisita sya sa programa ng boss namin at nagkaroon ng magandang usapan si boss Jessica at si Erap. Tungkol sa mga isyung kinakaharap ni Pampanga Congresswoman Gloria Arroyo ang napag-usapan at may ilang personal na tanong ding naibato si boss sa kanya. Maganda ang daloy ng usapan. Sa kabuuan, eto ang mga puntos ni Erap: mas mahirap ang pinagdaanan niya kaysa kay Gloria kaugnay ng pagkaka-aresto/pagkakasakit; dapat harapin ni Gloria ang mga isyung kinasasangkutan niya; noong una, ayaw maniwala ni Erap na may sakit nga si Gloria dahil limang bansa ang ipinagpaalam nitong pupuntahan para daw magpagamot; kung siya ang bibigyan ng pagkakataong magdesisyon para sa hiling ni Gloria na pag-alis, papayagan naman niya basta totoo ang findings na sa ibang bansa lang siya pwedeng gamutin; kung hospital arrest ay dapat na sa government hospital siya nakalagak para buo ang 'kontrol' sa kaniya ng gobyerno, hindi raw dapat pagdaanan ni Gloria ang labis na paghihirap dahil siya'y isang babae (opo, mga kaibigan, sinabi ni Erap yun! hindi man eksaktong salita pero yan ang pinaka-mensahe).

iba pa rin ang karisma ng dating pangulo (Erap). pagpasok pa lang niya sa newsroom (papunta sa studio), dinumog na sya ng mga taga-news (kasama ako) at nagpakuha ng litrato sa kaniya. pero hindi na ako nakasingit sa pagkakataong iyon dahil kailangan kong tutukan ang editing ng isa kong storya. pero nakamayan ko agad siya habang nakapila kami sa pagdaan niya. nang matapos ang LIVE interview sa kaniya ni boss at nagkaroon ng commercial gap, takbuhan muli kami sa studio at nagpakuha ng litrato sa kaniya. may dalawang kuha ako sa studio kasama ng dating pangulo pero napakarami rin namin sa isang litrato. kaya hindi pa ako nakuntento, sinundan ko pa ulit sya sa labas (habang ganun din ang ginawa nung iba pa) at nagpakuha ako ng "EXCLUSIVE" photo namin. haha! minsan lang ito at si Erap naman ay hindi karaniwang (dating) presidente lang. bago pa man sya sumabak sa pulitika, isa na siyang sikat na aktor. salamat kay GMA reporter, Maria Bulaklak Ausente, na siyang nagvolunteer na kumuha ng litrato namin. :)

Nakisama sa akin ang Biyernes! :D

[caption id="attachment_2359" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="25-Nov., 2011"][/caption]

Gotta Love Sundays!

Why? Because it's that particular day that you take time out with your family. After doing your obligations to the Almighty Father, the rest of the day is for us to treasure and take a breather from a week's busy schedule.

Yesterday, after my choir practice, we invited our regular home service masseur (Manang Vicky) at home for a badly needed body massage. Afterwards, we went malling.

[caption id="attachment_2356" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="breakfast in Montemar Beach Club, taken last summer, 2011"][/caption]

We went to Robinsons Galleria and paid my cellphone dues, dined in one of our favorite pasta houses, and treated our little girl in Toys R Us. While inside the toy store, wifey & I saw this game gadget that looks like a PSP but its games are actually those you have in the early edition of Family Computer. Mario 1, Pro-Wrestling, Excite Bike? We were so excited, haha! But since we don't have the money to purchase it right then and there, I swear to get it on my next payday! :D Our little girl had enough rounds inside the toy store and we just got her the affordable magnetic drawing board. She loves writing, anyway.

Just that. Simple bonding that means a lot. Gotta love Sundays! ;)

job-hopping

not sure if i've already mentioned it but job-hunting was an activity i really used to love. the "excitement" of looking for an employer and the "suspense" of landing in to the job you wished for.. a bit weird but knowing that the employers have short-listed you and qualified you for the position makes you feel you are above the rest (who also applied for the same post).

anyway, i had more than 5 jobs in my entire "career" portfolio and i don't regret having all those and leaving them for another. it gave me different work experiences and made me see how people "evolve" in this so-called corporate world.

and recently i realized that while people remain discontented with what they currently have and try to look for something else, time plays an important role with an individual's decision. and since this post is about job-hopping, lets talk about job-hopping. when i was a newly graduate, i accept whatever job i feel i'm interested in. REGARDLESS OF COMPENSATION. perhaps, its for the experience. it's also that early when i encountered the term "stepping stone." better-paying job offers came, even if it's a different and new field, i gave it a go. totally new environment, an alien to my field of study. but nonetheless, i learned and eventually got better with it (the job). other opportunities came. just kept on grabbing them. then only after 2008 did i start thinking about additional income. because i felt the need to have it. just this year, i made another career move. was thankful for the job that brought me back to where i should be working, relating to my field of study, and at the same time get this 'extra credential' that i'm in one of the largest (and most popular) networks in the country. while i'm suppose to love where i am today, i can't help but think of stability. others regard it as "security of tenure." if the current situation continues up to next year, even if the rival network already brought into the court their "talents" rights as an "employee" (and eventually won,) i'm pretty sure that job-hopping isn't far at hand. again.

11.11.11

so today is the 11th of November, year 2011. In another way of writing, it's 11-11-11. I remember writing my first post for this blog and the date was, of course as the blog name suggests, 03-03-03. today marks the second to the last chance that we live a day with a triple numbered date... at least in our lifetime. we only have up to next year to anticipate the last triple numbered date: 12-12-12.

and since i consider these dates amusing (and once in a lifetime happening,) i'll just have eleven random "number" posts for today's blog entry.

1. i went to college freshman twice: first, taking up BSIE in UST and after two years, shifted to ABMC in NEU.
2. i have 2 official best friends in real life: 1 boy and 1 girl. but then again, i've managed to "expand" the number into 5. does that ruin the real definition of the word "best?"
3. the birth of my blog was March 3, 2003, hence, the 03.03.03
4. four local bands which i admired: Side A, Southborder, The Dawn, Neocolours ...what, no E-heads? yeah. not in my top 4. perhaps they'll be on my fifth.
5. i've had five different resident addresses in my entire life.
6. the longest job i've had was almost 6 years.
7. seven pretty news personalities for me (from GMA News) are: Pia Arcangel, Mariz Umali, Tricia Zafra, Saleema Refran, Cata Tibayan, Rhea Santos, Vicky Morales. In person, Vicky has this very pretty aura when you see her. :)
8. 08.08.08 is a memorable date for me!
9. 9 is the jersey worn by my favorite PBA player back in the 90's--- Samboy Lim.
10. i've had 10 jobs in my entire career life--- 5 of which are temporary jobs.
11. well, today is 11-11-11. remarkable, isn't it? :P

and before i wrap this post up, i'd like to wish my colleagues, Bambam & Roxanne, congratulations & best wishes! they're tying the knot today, 11.11.11. one of the many couples who'll be exchanging their vows today for a lifetime commitment to be together for the rest of their lives. ;)

Nobyembre na pala

Parang kailan lang. Nangangapa lang ako kung ano ang kahihinatnan ng taong 2011--- para sa akin at para sa aking pamilya. Marami na rin palang nagbago. Mga pagbabagong hindi mo namamalayan sa paglipas lang ng isang araw. Minsan nakakatakot malaman kung ano ang nakaabang bukas. Sa isang banda, masayang salubungin ang magagandang pangyayari na hatid ng bagong pagsikat ng araw.

Totoo talaga ang kasabihan na "Change is the only permanent thing in this world." Talagang may nagbabago. Talagang may mababago. Gustuhin mo man at hindi, sabi nga ni Jose Mari Chan, "life is a constant change and nothing stays the same..."

dalawang buwan na lang. panibagong taon na naman. may mga plano pa rin, pero ang plano ay plano hangga't hindi natutupad.

Because we pray for our leaders...

"Remember your leaders, those who have spoken God's word to you. Think about the impact of their lives, and imitate their faith." - Hebrews 13:7, ISV

One reason why the Church of Christ (Iglesia Ni Cristo) rapidly progresses is the high regard of its members towards their leaders. Guided by the Holy Writ, the members do remember those who labor in tirelessly imparting God's words. We pray for them. That God may continue to give them the strength and knowledge that they need in bringing us to the perfection of our faith.

May GOD continue to bless our beloved Bro. Eduardo V. Manalo on the occasion of his birthday and on the years to come. God-willing, may he be the man to bring us in meeting our LORD Jesus Christ on His second coming.

career, business, atbp.

ⒸⓐⓇⓔⓔⓇ
▶mukhang na-acknowledge na (finally) ang role ko bilang AP-editing nitong nakaraang linggo. kinausap ng boss ko yung PC-admin para i-credit ang AP rate sa mga araw na ginampanan ko ang papel na yun nang absent ang aming EP. ayokong umasa kase ayokong mabigo. ang sa akin lang, mabuti na yung natututo ako sa mga bagay-bagay, at syempre, yung tiwala ng mga bossing na kaya kong gampanan ang ganung trabaho... malaking bagay na yun. siguro, consolation na lang yung additional TF kung meron man.
▶thankful ako sa "raket" na ginagawa ko sa ngayon... kasama na run yung pasasalamat ko sa mga bossing na pinayagan akong rumaket nang ganung oras. medyo sapaw na kase sa production time ng main program ko pero gayunpaman, binigay nila sa akin ang responsibilidad na kayanin na mapag-sabay ang dalawang programa. ang usapan naman, basta hindi ko napapabayaan ang main program ko. saka hindi naman buong linggo may raket. maliit man ang halaga, malaking tulong na rin pansuporta sa maliit kong TF buwan-buwan.
▶nagpasalamat ako sa isang tao (sa trabaho) na naging bahagi ng pag-unlad ko sa karera ko ngayon. maraming tao ang ilag sa kanya pero pag may pagkakataon ako, kinakausap ko yung taong yun kahit maliit na bagay lang. sigurado ako, naa-appreciate nya rin yung small conversations na ganun. anyway, nagulat sya dahil sa out-of-nowhere instant message ko sa kanya at tinanong kung para saan yung thank you. nang sinabi ko ang makabagbag-damdaming litanya, eto lang ang sagot nya: "AH ;)"
▶hindi na ako takot rumaket sa ibang programa. pero iba pa rin ang pakiramdam kapag nasa "mother program" ka. parang may pakiramdam na "you belong!" at sa ibang programa, para kang isang "dayuhan."
▶nauuri ko na ang ilang mga tao sa trabaho. may mga taong noong simula ay parang hindi ka nage-exist pero ngayon ay kapalagayang-loob mo na. may mga tao rin namang hanggang ngayon, kapag nakita ka nila, para lang silang nakatingin sa pader--- blanko. wala lang. sabi nga ng isang modernong kasabihan, "walang basagan ng trip."

ⒷⓤⓢⓈⓘⓃⓔⓢⓈ
▶umarangkada na ang neGOsyo ni wifey. syempre, full support ako. nakakatuwa ang unang isang linggo ng SABOWNZ business. marami kaming nakausap at nabagsakan ng supply, at halos bayad na lahat. pero maliit lang ang tubo. sa pagkakataong ito, naa-appreciate namin ni wifey ang negosyong-tsino: di baleng maliit ang tubo basta mabilis ang ikot ng pera. sa mga interesado, narito ang listahan ng aming neGOsyo:
▶nag-aalok pa rin po kami ng 50mL EDP (oil-based) perfume. may kasama na po itong bottle at box, perfect na panregalo sa mga mahal nyo sa buhay (naks!) o kaya, maganda ring panregalo sa sarili. :D
▶para sa pang-araw-araw na gamit, may supply po kami ng dishwashing liquid. apat po ang packaging nito: 330mL/P18, 1L/P40, 1.5L/P60, 1gallon/P155. sing-bisa ng ibang liquid dishwashing brands pero di-singmahal.
▶meron din po kaming supply ng fabric conditioner para sa mas mabangong labada, ang packaging at presyo, kapareho lang ng sa dish washing liquid.
▶at kung may fabcon, dapat meron ding detergent powder. P40 kada kilo naman po ang bentahan nito. sabi ni wifey (na syang naglalaba sa bahay) mabango at mabula naman daw kapag ginamit. dati kaseng CHAMPION ang gamit namin at syempre, nag-shift na kami sa produkto namin dahil sa mas murang halaga, parehong kalidad naman ang nakukuha namin sa paggamit ng "sariling amin." ;)
▶sa pang-matagalan at mas kapaki-pakinabang na "investment," ang CARITAS HEALTH SHIELD naman po ang bahala sa inyo. ang bentahe ng Health Care Provider na ito, para syang savings account. sa loob ng limang taon, nagbabayad ka ng premium mo pero ang buong benepisyo ay matatanggap mo higit pa sa bilang ng taon na ibinabayad mo. kung ikukumpara sa ibang sikat na health care provider, taunan kung magbayad ka sa iba at kapag hindi ka nagkasakit (salamat naman kung hindi ka magkakasakit pero...) yung ibinayad mo ng isang taon ay wala na. sa CARITAS, naka-imbak yung ibinayad mo at maibabalik sa iyo. sa karagdagang impormasyon, feel free to have an appointment with us. KKB muna kung magyayaya kayo ng meet-up sa isang kofi shop o any food establishment. hindi pa kase kami mayaman :P

ⓐⓣⓑⓟ
▶tinext ako ni mamsi. pinaalala nya yung re-application namin sa Canada. medyo negative ang response ko sa kaniya. una, hindi ganun kadali kapag "nadidiskaril" ang takbo ng buhay mo. aminin man natin at hindi, ang paga-abroad ay nakakapagpabago ng takbo ng buhay mo. lalo na kung migration ang binabalak mo. yun nga lang pagta-trabaho sa ibang bansa, sobrang dilemma ang hatid sa akin, yun pa kayang pang-habang-buhay na paglipat sa panibagong lahat-lahat?
▶matalino ang anak ko. hindi dahil sa ako ang tatay nya pero nakikita ko/namin ni wifey na maraming siyang alam na para sa edad nya, tingin namin ay advanced na. pangarap ko, maging isko sya sa UP. para libre tuition fee hehehe... ayoko syang mag-artista. strict ang tatay nya. studies first. saka kaya ko pa namang magtrabaho para buhayin ang mag-ina ko. at kung artista lang din ang usapan, pwede pa naman ako, kami ni wifey. hahaha dream on! blog ko to walang pakialamanan! :P
▶marami na kong nami-miss... pagpapa-massage, panonood ng sine (widescreen edition please), pamamasyal nang medyo may kalayuan (road trip), uhmm... puro luho pala ito. sa ngayon kase, prioritizing muna sa needs. 'ika nga ng matandang kasabihan, "habang maiksi ang kumot, matutong mamaluktot."
▶excited ako sa pagdating ng December.. uuwi kase si Ate B para sa kasal ng isang pinsan namin at mini-reunion na rin ng pamilya. yun nga lang, hindi ako makapagbakasyon ng todo-todo. paki-spell nga ang N-O-W-O-R-K-N-O-P-A-Y?
▶lone weekend pala sa darating na weekend, at pati sa susunod na linggo, long weekend ulit. teka, saan nga bang dictionary mababasa ang "long weekend?"

should death penalty be brought back?

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="courtesy: kilusangmayouno dot org files"][/caption] there are too many crimes lately. following the (SM) mall shooting incidents the previous weeks, other crimes that made it to the top stories of prime time newscasts are alarmingly growing:

- hostage-taking in a bank in Cavite
- assassination of a high-ranking school official in PUP
- massacre in Laguna
- the rape and killing of a 19-year-old UPLB student

other crimes were even committed by minors so the senators want age of criminal liability returned to 9 yrs. old.

with all these crimes being committed (and petty crimes happening everyday), it leads us to ask once again, "Should death penalty be brought back?"

--------------

i was disturbed by the amateur video of the SM mall shooting incident in Pampanga which happened last month. in the amateur video posted online, one of the victims was still moving as police and security personnel from the mall just walked around them. the (almost) 3-minuter video showed no signs of help from the authorities and yes, some people managed to document it on video. the video even caught one person taking photo of the scene.

in an interview with the PNP Chief, he said the authorities handled the incident properly and that only one side of the (cut) video was shown. on the latter part, he added, it was the same authorities (as seen on the amateur video) who took the victims away and brought them to the hospital.
full story here.

Antukin

Lunes na pala

another week... kayod na naman para mabuhay. sa pagkakaalam ko, nagtatrabaho tayo para mabuhay at hindi tayo nabubuhay para magtrabaho. get the difference?

umarangkada na si wifey para sa aming much needed "extra income" at sana, ma-reconcile ko ang sked ko sa sked ng mga appointments nya. gusto ko kase, ako pa rin kasama nya sa paglalakad ng kaniyang mga mini-negosyo na matagal-tagal na ring nakatengga. and now, lets make these happen! go, team, go! :P

i'm seriously contemplating on moving to a "home" network... kung kailan nagsisimula na akong medyo pagkatiwalaan sa pinirmahan kong programa. muntik na akong maging Associate Producer noong nakaraang biyernes, October 7, 2011. yep, i-dokumento ko lang dahil sobrang dalang dumating ang pagkakataong ito, katunayan, hindi pa nga natuloy. mahabang kwento. at bago ako makapag-AP sa programa namin, mahaba rin muna ang listahan at maraming taong lalagpasan kaya tulad ng nasabi ko, sobrang dalang na mangyari ito. Feb 28 kami nag-launch, muntik na akong maging AP noon lang Oct 7. yup. muntik na.

masarap ang pakiramdam dahil nagpakita iyon ng pagtitiwala sa kakayahan ko (kahit kaunti). ilang beses na rin akong inalok ng EP post pero ilang beses ko ring tinanggihan yun. para sa akin kase, salat pa ang kaalaman ko para sa gampaning iyon. at minsan ko lang hindi magawa nang tama ang pagpapatakbo sa 5-minuter program na iyon, tapos na agad ang career ko sa kumpanya. at hindi basta tapos na. pangit na pagtatapos pa at markado na ang buong katauhan ko ng mga taong hindi naman ako lubos na kilala pa.

may ilang beses ko na ring sinabi na kailangan ko ng raket sa labas ng pinagtatrabahuhan ko, pero dahil mailap ang magandang pagkakataon, nagkasya ako sa pagraket sa loob din, sa ibang programa. ok naman ito pandagdag sa kaunti kong kinikita pero mas ok sana kung mas higit pa ang kikitain ko. ang haba na kase ng listahan ko ng mga dapat magawa, at hindi ko pa rin maisagawa dahil sapat lang para sa priorities ang buwanang talent fee ko. madalas nga kapos pa. pero sabi nga ng South Border, "there's a rainbow always after the rain." naniniwala ako doon, kahit pa marumi na ang hangin sa kapaligiran at polluted na ang himpapawid.

siguro sa susunod kong mga posts, ilalatag ko rito yung small business ni wifey. sana tangkilikin nyo, kung gaano tinangkilik ng mga tao ang mga produkto ng namayapang si Steve Jobs.

Salamat po, Ma'am, Sir!

Si Ma'am Elicanal ang unang-una kong naging adviser sa formal school. Siya ang adviser ng Kinder section Snow White sa Trinity College of Quezon City (Trinity University of Asia na sya nagyon!) Uhmm... naaalala ko pa siya. Dalawang beses yata siyang dumalaw sa bahay namin. Yup... house visitation. Hindi ko alam ang dahilan ng pagdalaw niya at kung ano ang pinag-usapan nila ng nanay ko pero ang natatandaan kong sinabi sa akin ng nanay ko, nag-aalok daw si ma'am ng insurance? Pero in fairness kay ma'am, kinumusta muna (raw) nya ako sa bahay kung gaano ako kabait na anak, at in-update nya rin ang nanay ko kung gaano ako kahusay na estudyante. pero kung ang pagdalaw nya sa bahay ay isang oras, tatlong minuto lang yun at ang 57 minutes ay puro business na ang usapan.

Si Mrs. Del Rosario ang adviser ko sa section Diamond noong grade 4. Math teacher sya. Magaling din siyang magbilang ng panukli sa mga bumibili ng yema nya na itinitinda sa classroom. Mabait sya... sa pag-aalok ng paninda nyang yema. Hindi ko lang matandaan kung may bearing ba sa grades yung pinakamaraming bumili ng yema. ako kase, paisa-isa lang ang bili kada araw.

Si Miss Mandate... siya naman ang adviser namin sa grade 5 section Aquarius. Ang ipinagtataka ko, meron kaming scheduled subject pag oras nya pero sa araw-araw na nagkikita kami para sa klaseng ito, puro homeroom lang ang nangyayari. feel na feel ang pagka-adviser. ok lang naman kase masarap makinig ng mga payo nya. kaya lang, hanggang ngayon ay palaisipan pa rin sa akin kung ano ba talaga ang subject na itinuturo nya sa section namin.

isa sa pinakapaborito kong guro noong elementay ako ay si Mr. Linsangan. teacher sya sa music. kung uso na noon ang Pilipinas Got Talent o Talentadong Pinoy, pasok sya sa pakontes na ito. lahat yata ng musical instrument na pwede nyang dalhin sa classroom, kaya nyang tugtugin. pinayaman niya ang interes ko sa musika. sa kaniya ko natutunan ang magagandang Kapampangan folk songs. Siya ang lumikha at naglapat ng musika ng University hymn namin. Huli kaming nagkita pagkatapos ng graduation nung elementary, ay sa kasal na ng kaibigan ko nung hig school.... siguro more than a decade after. pero hindi pa rin kumukupas yung galing nya sa pagtugtog. tumugtog sya dun sa reception.

^ sila ang memorable teachers ko nung kinder/elementary.

Si Ms. Patiu ang adviser namin sa I-Genesis. hindi sya masyadong gumawa ng "ingay" sa HS life ko pero nang maging Filipino teacher ko sya nung 2nd year, parang lalong nawala sya sa listahan ng mga guro na kumukuti-kutitap sa alaala. although, naalala ko pa rin sya kase hindi ko na-appreciate ang ganda (raw) ng Florante at Laura. oo. maganda raw yun. pero nang ituro yun sa amin ni Miss Patiu (sori mam pero eto ang totoo kong saloobin) parang.. ngek, yun na yun?

moving on... ang terror teacher na si Ms. Garilao ang naging adviser namin sa II-Jeremiah. bago ito, looking forward akong maging guro siya. pero nawala rin ang "spark" nang maging adviser namin sya nung second year. all throughout her advising career daw (kase) eh nasa section one sya. at yun lang yung time na na-reshuffle sila at napunta sya sa section 2 (section namin). lagi nya kaming kinukumpara sa mga section 1 na nahawakan nya. anyway, biology ang tinuturo nya. isa sa mga subjects na ayaw ko. kaya tuwing bio subject na, kinakabahan kami, oo, kahit adviser namin sya. sa buong school year yata, tatlong beses lang syang ngumiti sa harap namin. laging parang pasan ang daigdig at galit sa tao. oh well...

III-Corinthians, University of the Assumption (High School)

Si Mrs. Pingul ang tanging naging adviser ko na kababayan ko rin. Sa lahat yata ng adviser, sya ang pinaka-introvert. Yung tipong hindi ka kakausapin kapag hindi mo tatanungin. Parang kulang sa PR. Hindi tuloy bumagay sa kaniya yung tinuturo niyang subject--- social studies. Isa rin pala siya sa mga teachers na bumisita nang personal sa bahay namin. Pero hindi ako ang pakay niya. At this time, tuwirang hinanap ang lolo ko (na tumatayong guardian ko noon)... hindi para sabihin ang lagay ko sa school kundi para bentahan ng life plan. yup, insurance agent din ang lola nyo, este, ang titser ko.

nung 4th year naman, wala akong subject sa ilalim ng adviser naming si Mrs. Magtoto. Sya ang head ng PE Department sa school at home economics na pambabae yata ang specialty nya. kaya ayun, kapag homeroom lang kami nagkakaroon ng pagkakataon na makasama siya. Isa sya sa mga cool teachers sa school kaya masaya ang 4th year life namin.

special mention kay Mr. Canlas na agad natanggap pagkatapos maging student teacher noong 2nd year kami. noong 3rd year, sya ang naging teacher namin sa Advance Biology. At nung time na nagdidiscuss sya tungkol sa stimulus and response, sobrang natural ng naging example nya... lumindol ng napakalakas. takbuhang umaatikabo ang mga estudyanteng nasa building pa. si Mr. Canlas, classic. Matapos naming maramdamang yumayanig ang building, sumigaw pa sya ng "Don't panic!" pero dahil bago lang syang teacher at buhay namin ang pinag-uusapan, hindi namin ssya pinansin. unahan kami sa pintuan at hagdan. Paglingon namin sa harapan ng classroom, una pa palang nag-disappearing act si Mr. Canlas at nang makita namin, nasa baba na ng building. hanep! Don't panic nga!

at dahil hindi naman ako seryoso sa pagaaral noong college, isa lang ang katangi-tanging guro na masasabi kong naging malaking impluwensya ng mga pananaw ko sa buhay pagkatapos ng buhay-estudyante ko. si Ma'am Fe Aguilar-Walath. Apat na taon akong nasa ilalim ng kaniyang pagkandili bilang adviser namin sa prestihiyosong Glee Club. Wala siyang kinalaman sa kursong kinuha ko pero malaking bahagi ng college years ko, siya ang naghubog sa akin pagdating sa self-development. marami siyang values na naibahagi at naiwan sa puso at isipan ko, na naibabahagi ko rin naman sa ibang mga tao ngayon na nakakasalamuha ko. may mga bagay na hindi ko inakalang kaya kong gawin pero dahil sa kaniya, nagawa ko. may mga katanungan sa buhay na noo'y hindi ko nasagutan pero dahil sa paggabay niya, natutunan kong unawain. Maraming salamat po, Nanay Fe!

Sa lahat ng nabanggit kong guro dito sa blog post, may mga negatibo mang pagpuna, taos-puso po akong nagpapasalamat. Alam kong hindi madali ang maging guro, at para manatili sa propesyong ito, ibayong dedikasyon ang kailangan. Sa maliit na sahod katapat ng malaking responsibilidad, saludo po ako sa inyong lahat! MARAMING SALAMAT PO! Special mention din po at thank you kina Sir Elson, na hanggang ngayon ay naniniwala sa kakayahan ko, kay Boss Noriel na nagtiyagang magturo sa akin ng mga dapat kong gawin sa loob ng warehouse, kay Doy, na nagtiyagang umalalay sa mga unang linggo ko sa GMA newsroom, at sa mga taong nagturo sa akin na sa buhay, kailangan mong matutunan na sumabay sa agos nang hindi naipagsasapalaran ang pagpapahalagang nakaukit sa iyong puso at isipan. Salamat po.

BAWAL MAGKASAKIT!

nitong Sabado, tinamaan ako ng matinding allergy sinusitis. as usual, sinipon ako nang todo-todo. sayang. 2 programa ang kumontak sa akin at pinapa-raket ako... pambawi na sana sa dalawang araw na leave ko last week. pero, ayon nga sa kasabihan, health is wealth. aanhin ko nga naman ang pera kung ang kikitain ko ay malulustay lang sa pambili ng gamot o pambayad sa pagamutan? kaya nanghinayang man ako sa oportunidad na mabawi ang absents ko, di bale na lang. ang masaklap nito, hindi na nga ako tumabi sa mag-ina kong matulog nitong sabado ng gabi, nahawahan ko pa rin sila ng sipon at ubo. kinakabahan ako kase lumipas na ulit ang isang buwan. pero sana, ma-break na namin ang one month jinx ng anak ko na kada-buwan ay nao-ospital. pakiramdam ko, hindi naman mauuwi sa pagka-confine dahil masigla naman sya at kumakain pa rin. bukod pa run, napakakulit pa rin. kaya good signs :D BAWAL MAGKASAKIT. mula sa akin na no work, no pay, kay wifey na tanging nag-aalaga sa aming dalawa ng anak ko, at lalo namang ayoko nang magkasakit ang anak ko. mahirap makita na nahihirapan siya kahit simpleng sipon at ubo man lang. sa pabago-bagong panahon, 'ika nga ni kuya john lloyd... "ingat!"

A Different Perspective

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?" "It was great, Dad." "Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked. "Oh yeah," said the son. "So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.

The son answered: "I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them."

The boy's father was speechless.

Then his son added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are."

Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have. ;)

[Originally posted last September 14, 2006]

Huling Hantungan - Dokyu Ni Cesar Apolinario

nitong mga nagdaang araw, andami kong kakilala online na nabalitaan kong pumanaw na. una, isang (sikat) na blogger ang una kong nabalitaang namatay sa pamamagitan ng mobile twitter update. hindi agad nag-sink-in sa akin yung balita kase medyo agaw-antok na ako nung gabing iyon. kinabukasan ko muling nakumpirma ang balita.

sa paborito kong online community na tambayan, ginulat ang isang forum sa balitang pumanaw na ang isang aktibong miyembro. ilang araw lang pagkalipas nito, sa parehong forum, nabalita namang pumanaw ang anak ng isang aktibo ring miyembro. lahat ng balita, nangyari lang sa loob ng dalawang linggo.

noong Huwebes, ibinalita sa kongregasyon ng church officers sa aming lokal ang pagpanaw ng isang kapamatok sa tungkulin. at sa mga sandaling ito ay narito kami sa bahay ng pamilya para makiramay sa mga naulila ng padre de pamilya.

sa mga ganitong pagkakataon muli kong naiisip... ang rupok ng buhay.

isang dokyu ang ginawa ng isa sa mga paborito kong GMA reporter, si Cesar Apolinario, tungkol sa buhay...at kamatayan.

isa raw sa pinakamahirap na yugto sa buhay ng isang magulang ay ang mamatayan ng anak. hindi ko pa ito nararanasan at ayaw kong maranasan pero kung darating ang pagkakataon, wala tayong magagawa kundi tanggapin ito. bahagi ng dokyu ang kwento ni Lola Regina--- isa sa mga kwento ng magulang na namatayan ng anak. Hindi madali at puno ng hinagpis... dito naalala ko ang sinapit ni Edmund--- yung kaibigan kong forumer na binanggit ko sa itaas na namatayan ng anak. ganun kahirap ang damdamin ng isang magulang na inulila ng supling.

ang buhay ay maihahalintulad daw sa isang prusisyon.
mahaba man o maikli ang paglalakbay, lahat tayo ay tiyak na makararating sa ating patutunguhan.
at kung hindi pa man datnan ng ikalawang pagparito ng Tagapagligtas,
dito sa lupa, tiyak tayo'y makararating sa huling hantungan...


GMANews.TV

i-Witness: Huling Hantungan.

at 'ika nga ng opening quote ng dokyu:

"Death does not inform, it will come like a thief in the night, it sneaks in you won't notice... until your last gasp..." - Huling Hantungan, Dokyu ni Cesar Apolinario

what's with menor de edad nowadays?

some recent news are really alarming. a couple of days ago, a shooting incident happened in a big mall in San Fernando, Pampanga. the people involved in the shooting incident--- a 13-year old boy and a 16-year old boy. what's more complicated with the story, the two are allegedly 'lovers.' its a very complex story, unfit for (very) young teenagers such as the two. to add complexity to the story, initial investigation on the case reveals that it was the 13-year old boy who shot his companion, then killed himself with the same gun. love triangle was said to be the root of the conflict.

another alarming story, in Pangasinan, a 4th year high school student killed his schoolmate, a 3rd year high school student using a balisong (folding pocket knife). the two were said to be arguing which led to the death of the other student. it happened within the school premises.

another story which is more disturbing, a 12-year old boy in Sta. Mesa Manila is wanted for sexually molesting a 3-year old girl. the poor little girl managed to tell her mom about the abuse that their 12-year old boy neighbor was doing. when the authorities tried to reach the suspect in their home, his (sick) dad refused to cooperate with the authorities and told the police that they sent his son elsewhere because of the alleged 'trauma' he's experiencing due to family problems. just how sick is that?

---------------------
sadly, it is contrast with the words of the country's national hero...

"Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan." - Dr. Jose P. Rizal

Si Lolong at ang Filipino Pride

hanggang sa sandaling sinusulat ko ito, hindi pa rin daw kumakain si Lolong. so far, siya ang pinakamalaking buwaya na nahuhuli dito sa Pilipinas... sa Agusan Marsh para sa mas eksaktong lugar. ang sitwasyon ni Lolong sa ngayon at ang sitwasyon ng mga residente sa brgy. nueva era sa bunawan ay magkaiba at hindi mapagtatagpo. nais ng mga residente at ng lokal na pamahalaang nangangalaga sa kanila na mahuli ang malalaking buwaya sa lugar at magkaroon ng sariling kulungan na maaari ring pakinabangan bilang pang-akit sa mga turista. pero ang PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), hindi sang-ayon sa pagkukulong sa mga buwaya. ipinaliwanag ng grupo na kailangang mamuhay sa kanilang natural habitat ang mga buwaya dahil ang pagkulong sa mga ito ay makapagdudulot ng depresyon na maaaring makasira sa normal behavior ng nasabing hayop.


For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

pero ang mga residente, maging ang alkalde ng Bunawan, ikina-inis ang panawagang ito ng PETA. mas delikado raw sa mga residente kung pakakawalan ang buwaya at ibalik ito sa ilog.

parehong may punto ang magkabilang panig. pero sa kasalukuyang sitwasyon, ang nagdurusa... si Lolong.

3rd runner-up ang pambato ng Pilipinas para sa 2011 Miss Universe pageant. sabay kaming nanood ni wifey ng delayed telecast ng ABS CBN (sori naman wala kaming cable TV) pero mas tutok kami sa twitter updates kung saan mas mabilis na nalalaman ang resulta. hindi man napanalunan ni Shamcey Supsup ang korona, pinatunayan naman niya na hindi lang gandang panlabas ang pwedeng ipanlaban ng mga Pilipino. Matalino ang naging pagsagot ni Shamcey sa tanong na natapat sa kaniya. Sa sagot niya, ipinakita niya kung gaano kalaki ang values niya bilang isang tao at ang paninindigan sa prinsipyo ang nangibabaw sa kabila ng modernong panahon. hindi man matanggap ng ilan ang naging kasagutan niya, ako, bilib ako sa values nya. at dahil malayo rin ang narating niya sa prestihiyosong pageant, nais ko lang ipaabot ang aking taos-pusong pagbati sa isa na naman nating "Filipino pride"... Congratulations, Binibining Shamcey Supsup, 2011 Miss Universe 3rd Runner-Up!

memories of autumn

[caption id="attachment_2274" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="autumn 2003 in Mississauga"][/caption] this is one of my most treasured memories of the season fall (autumn) when i visited Canada almost a decade ago. nature was such a beauty--- maple trees turn very colorful and leaves fall everywhere. it's that time of the year when you bring out and wear clothes that will shield you from the freezing wind. it's also probably the most windy time of the year. skies may be sunny but the breeze of air is chilly. it's when you anticipate the first snow fall when the season is ending. it's when cups of coffee come in handy. it's when taking time out with coffee buddies are pleasant times. autumn is a good time for nature-tripping. it's when nature is at its beauty and is enticing for self-reflection. autumn lets you appreciate GOD's creation, and at the same time be amazed of its wonders. the season prepares you for winter and when it's done, you wish for the year to come and experience autumn again. since then, i've become to love autumn. too bad, we don't have it here in Manila. and it makes me wanna come back to where i first experienced the season... this time, with my two girls. :)

pogi points ni Pnoy

Gusto kong bigyan ng credit ang pangulo ng bansa natin. Sa kaniyang mga trip abroad, dalawa ang tumatak sa isip ko: una, ang secret meeting niya sa Japan para kausapin ang pamunuan ng MILF; at pangalawa, itong kasalukuyang pagpunta nya sa China para harapin si Chinese President Hu Jintao. Sa dalawang pagbiyahe na iyan ng pangulo, gusto kong kalimutan ang mga lapses na tumatak sa isipan ng maraming Pilipino kaugnay ng Manila bus hostage-taking at iba pa na sa tingin ng mga kababayan natin, magaang pag-trato ni Pnoy sa ilang mabigat at seryosong isyu.

Ang pakikipag-usap niya sa leader ng MILF ay isang malaking hakbang para muling buhayin ang usapang pang-kapayapaan sa Mindanao, at maipaabot sa gobyerno ang tinig ng mga kababayan nating naroon, at gayundin naman ang hiling ng gobyerno para sa mga nasa Mindanao.

Mas matapang na hakbang naman ang ginawa ni Pangulong Aquino sa pagtulak niya sa China--- sa gitna ng mainit na usapin sa agawan sa Spratlys at ang patuloy na paghingi ng hustisya ng mga nawalan noong hostage-crisis sa Maynila. Sa pakikipag-pulong niya sa leader ng China, kasama ng ilang mamumuhunan, inaasahan na muling pasisiglahin ang negosyo ng China sa Pilipinas, na pakikinabangan din natin. Higit dito, ang muling pagdugtungin ang relasyon ng dalawang bansa patungkol sa usapin sa Spratlys.

Ang inalok ni Pnoy na katapatan sa sambayanan noong nangangampanya siya para sa eleksyon, nararamdaman ko sa kaniya ngayon. At kahit paunti na nang paunti ang buhok ng ating iginagalang na pangulo, pumogi naman siya sa malalaking hakbang na ginawa niya.

management decision

kinausap ako ng mabait na si (ate) Tin. hindi nya direktang masabi sa akin pero napaka-gentle ng delivery nya. ang mensahe: i'm losing one program.
yung supporting income ko, mawawala na after this week. talaga yatang nakalaan akong rumaket sa labas. IT'S A SIGN!

ano kayang magandang sideline/ raket: sales? teaching/tutoring? part time call center agent?

kailangan ko ng fixed raket sa umaga. hangga't maaari, yung hindi rin masyadong maco-compromise ang oras ko sa pamilya ko. choosy? eh kung pwede ko namang makuha, bakit hindi, di ba?

when it rains, it (REALLY) pours!

just as i am about to enjoy the fruits of my rakets, here comes the "rain."

my little girl has been admitted *again* in the hospital. counting, this is her 4th stay there this year. 1 covered by an HMO company, the rest, spot cash (or rather credit from family members/relatives). i have begun sacrificing my precious quality time with my two girls early this month in order for me to get additional income and save for the health plan i'm getting for my family. believe me. getting sick is so expensive so better get these health plans, whichever is suited for your needs.

earlier this morning, as i drove my car in reverse from the parking lot of the hospital, i slammed into a young tree. the trunk cover of my car got deformed:


i swear i didn't notice the tree behind but i'm honestly admitting it's my fault (who else is to blame anyway?) i wasn't looking at the back or on my rear view mirror. i was just glancing at my side mirror which i normally don't do when backing my car. now i can't tell when i will be able to have its repair. geez... it's still less than a year! but yeah, looking at the brighter side, i slammed into a tree and not into another car, which should be more problematic.

*sigh* i hope the rain stops sooner. :(

Heartburn

can you imagine having NO COFFEE for a day? how about for a week? a month? forever?? NOOOOO!!!! :(

i think it's what i am missing the most since i disciplined myself into not drinking coffee and my favorite carbonated drink. i often feel having heartburn. heartburn really has nothing to do with one's heart. it is actually an abnormal feeling affecting one's esophagus. "Your esophagus, the food tube that carries what you swallow down to your stomach, can literally be burned by the acids released by your stomach.

Unfortunately, we can experience something called reflux, or acid reflux. That's when some of the stomach contents, including the acid, slip back up through the esophageal sphincter, the valve that's supposed to prevent the stomach's contents from reversing course. Reflux causes an uncomfortable, burning sensation between the stomach and the neck. Most people feel the discomfort beneath the breastbone.
Occasionally the acid keeps on coming until you have a mouthful of something bitter and acidy. You may have some pain in your gut, too, or in your chest. Along with that acid may come a belch, one that may bring even more of that stomach acid with it."*

to avoid having heartburn, here are some tips from **altmedicine dot about dot com:

Natural Remedies for Heartburn

If you are experiencing heartburn, it’s important to see your doctor to be evaluated. If it’s not treated properly, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) may result in serious problems, including esophagitis, strictures, esophageal bleeding and ulcers, Barrett’s esophagus, and an increased risk of esophageal cancer. Here are seven natural remedies for heartburn.

1) Diet

Avoid heartburn triggers. Keeping a food diary may help you identify problem foods. Foods and drinks that commonly trigger heartburn include:

Citrus fruits
Chocolate
Peppermint
Spearmint
Tomatoes
Raw onions
Garlic
Black pepper
Vinegar
Fatty foods
Spicy foods
Coffee :(
Citrus juice
Carbonated beverages
Alcoholic beverages
Don’t go to bed after eating. - uh-oh...
Eat your last meal at least two to three hours before lying down.

Eat smaller portion sizes.

Take time to eat.
Try practicing mindfulness while eating. Eliminate all distractions and savor, rather than inhale, your food. Pay full attention to what the food looks like on your plate, how it smells, how it tastes. Chew slowly.

2) Stress Reduction - *uh-hurm*

A survey by the National Heartburn Alliance revealed that 58 percent of frequent heartburn sufferers identify a hectic lifestyle as a factor that contributes to their heartburn and 52 percent say work-related stress makes their symptoms worse.

Although some people report that stress makes their heartburn symptoms worse, scientists haven’t yet established a direct link between heartburn and stress. We do know that stress can disrupt our normal routines and make us do things, like eat the wrong foods, smoke, drink coffee or alcohol, that may trigger heartburn. Stress also slows down the emptying of the stomach, which may increase the likelihood of heartburn.

Here are some natural methods that may help to manage stress:
Mindfulness Meditation
Relaxation Response
Natural Remedies for Anxiety

3) Quit Smoking - good. i don't have to worry about this

Nicotine, an ingredient in cigarettes, can weaken the lower esophageal sphincter, a band of muscle at the end of the esophagus, that closes off the esophagus and prevents the acidic stomach contents from entering the esophagus. Learn about Natural Remedies to Quit Smoking.

4) Chewable DGL

DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) is a folk remedy used for heartburn. It is a form of the herb licorice that has had the glycyrrhizin component removed to reduce the risk of glycyrrhizin-related side effects such as high blood pressure and water retention.

Although some research suggests licorice may decrease inflammation, inhibit the growth of potentially harmful stomach bacteria, and help with ulcers, there haven’t been any clinical trials on the use of licorice for heartburn or GERD.

5) Aloe Vera Juice

The juice from the aloe vera plant is another natural home remedy that is used to soothe an irritated esophagus. Although there isn’t any scientific evidence that it might help, aloe vera juice has a long history of use in Europe as a natural home remedy to relive heartburn.

Typically, approximately 1/4 cup of aloe vera juice is taken (by adults) approximately 20 minutes before a meal.

The aloe vera should not contain any aloe latex, aloin, or aloe-emoin compounds, substances in the aloe plant that are very powerful laxatives. Aloe gel should not be taken directly from the plant as a home remedy, as the gel can be contaminated with the latex. Only gel or juice preparations specifically for internal use should be used. For more information about aloe vera, read the Aloe Vera Fact Sheet.

6) Slippery Elm

Slippery elm was once a popular drugstore remedy for sore throats in North America. The herb was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia, a compendium of drug standards, until 1960.

A member of the elm family, the slippery elm tree (Ulmus rubra muhl) grows primarily in the eastern region of North America.

Slippery elm is a folk remedy that hasn’t yet been studied for heartburn. The inner bark contains mucilage, a gel-like substance that swells when it is mixed with water. The mucilage is thought to coat the esophagus and reduce irritation.

Slippery elm is often the primary ingredient in herbal sore throat lozenges found in health food stores or in the natural food section of some grocery stores and drug stores. A popular brand of slippery elm lozenges is Thayer's.

The safety of slippery elm in pregnant or nursing women has not been established.

7) Marshmallow

Like slippery elm, the herb marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) contains mucilage, which is thought to coat and soothe the lining of the esophagus. It is another folk remedy that is used for heartburn.

Herbalists often recommend marshmallow root tea. It is usually made by adding one tablespoon of the dried root to a cup (8 oz.) of boiling water, steeping it covered for at least 10 minutes, and then straining. Herbalists usually suggest drinking up to three cups a day.

Consult a doctor before taking marshmallow if you have diabetes, as it may make your blood sugar too low especially when combined with diabetes medication. Marshmallow may also slow the absorption of other drugs taken at the same time. Marshmallow should not be taken by pregnant or nursing women.**

so there. i hope this helps me eliminate heartburn so i can smell the aroma of coffee again and enjoy cups of it everyday. i'm even hesitant to drink decaf. "for the meantime, let me get used to the absence of coffee in my daily life (and pepsi, too). i'll try it for a month or who knows, longer? let's see...

*from Discovery Fit & Health

i'm such a complainer!

noong nasa kumpanya pa ako ng nagpapalaganap ng family planning, hinangad kong makalipat sa isang karerang magpapatalas ng angkin kong kakayahan. sa ilang taon ko rin kase doon, kinailangan kong sumulong para sa aking sarili. kuntento naman ako doon sa oras ng trabaho. sa mga kasamahan, at ang sahod, sumasapat naman (noong wala pa akong hinuhulugang sasakyan)... at dahil lahat ng bagay ay hindi permanente, dumating na ang oras na kinailangan kong lumipat ng trabaho. una, wala nang career growth para sa akin at dalawang taon din akong naghintay sa pangako ng GM pero nauwi lang sa paghihintay. pangalawa, hindi na ako masaya sa trabaho at tinatrabaho ng ilang mga tao sa opisina... pinapasok na ito ng pulitika at nasira ang sistema at magandang pangalan na ipinundar namin sa kumpanya nang nagsisimula pa lang kami. pangatlo, unti-unti nang nauubos ang savings ng pamilya ko dahil mas lumalamang na ang expense kaysa income. pang-apat, nabigyan ako ng pagkakataon na magtrabaho sa isang kilalang kumpanya kung saan magagamit ko ang kursong pinag-aralan ko noong college.

dumating din ang pagkakataong hinihintay ko--- ang makaalis sa isang stagnant career... ang makabalik sa aking field of study... ang mabigyan ng pagkakataog makapagtrabaho sa isang kilalang tv network, behind the camera.

ilang linggo ko ring ginamay ang pasikut-sikot dito. bagama't may mga alok ng "raket", hindi ko muna agad kinagat. ayoko kaseng mapahiya na kumuha ng isang trabaho na hindi ko pa lubos na kabisado. mahirap nang magkamali at mamarkahan sa minsang pagkakamaling iyon. nagtiyaga akong mag-aral sa programang unang nagbigay sa akin ng kontrata. ang sahod ko, halos kapareho lang ng iniwan kong trabaho sa distribution company. sa madaling salita... kinakapos sa pangangailangan. syempre, naihihinga ko ito sa ilang kasamahan sa trabaho. sila naman kase, hindi lang isa ang programa kaya malamang, intinding-intindi nila ang sitwasyon ko.

inalok ako ng ibang raket... pero di swak sa oras ko sa pamilya. "you're such a complainer"--- ang sabi sa akin. hinaing daw ako nang hinaing, choosy naman daw pag may inalok na "raket". pero sa sarili ko, alam ko ang prayoridad ko--- oras pa rin sa pamilya. pero hanggang kailan nga ba ako tatayo sa prinsipyong ito? kapag wala nang makain ang pamilya ko?

minsan pa muli akong dumaing... pero sa pagkakataong ito, dun na sa BIG BOSS ko. humingi ako ng "raket" na hindi naman masyadong sasagasa sa oras ko sa pamilya and at the same time, sasapat ang kita kumpara sa gastusin buwan-buwan.

parang hindi na ako nagdalawang-hiling... ilang araw lang, napabalita ang pag-alis ng isang colleague at mababakante ang isang slot na pinaka-posible kong kunin. pero syempre, may konting sakripisyo. mababawasan ang bonding moments ko with my little girl. pero this is it. take it or forever rant my case. :P

nagkaroon pa ako ng isang offer sa isang programa pero hindi nag-swak ang schedule, so bagsak ako dito sa programang papapasukin ako mula alas-9 ng umaga... i decided to take it. kailangan eh. 11 to 12 hours at work... sa personal kong palagay, sobra-sobra na ito. pero uulitin ko... kailangan eh.

so what am i being a complainer about? well, pansin ko lang, hindi lang naman ako ang reklamador sa mundo. general rule na yata ng tao na palaging may iba pang hinahangad kahit nakuha na ang gusto nya. hindi nga raw nasa-satisfy ang tao... laging may ibang gusto. masama bang hangarin na you get the best of both world? yung tipong sapat o higit ang kinikita mo and at the same time, marami kang oras para sa pamilya mo?

i'm such a complainer, aren't you, too?

my baby is beginning to become a little girl

iyan ang tsinelas na binitbit ng little girl ko. may kwento yan: nagpunta sa mall ang mag-ina ko kahapon. sa pagi-ikot-ikot nila, inalok ni wifey si little girl na pumili ng laruan. si little girl, may ibang kinuha... paglapit sa mommy nya, bitbit ang isang pares ng tsinelas. pag-abot nito sa mommy nya, inusal ang mga katagang "daddy... daddy.." marahil nakikita napapansin ng anak ko na pudpod na ang tsinelas ko na halos lagpas tatlong taon na. sila kaseng mag-ina, may mga bagong sapin sa paa. at ang little girl ko rin pala ang taga-abot ko ng sapatos sa tuwing gumagayak na ako para pumasok. ang sukli lang na hinihintay nya, isang matamis na kiss mula sa kanyang daddy.

ang anak ko, napakahilig makipag-jamming sa aming mag-asawa. noong linggo, sa pagdiriwang naming mag-asawa ng ikatlong taon ng aming kasal, nagpunta lang kami sa isang ktv. at doon, nagpalitan kami ng mikropono ni wifey. pero si little girl, sa kanya lang talaga yung isang mic. at lahat ng isalang naming kanta, alam niya--- na hunihin. :P

narito ang ilang mga larawan ni little girl....

[caption id="attachment_2267" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="kasama ang idol nyang si Mr. Bean (Johnny English 2)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2268" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="pagpapagupit ng buhok pero sa isang kundisyon---"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2269" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="---dapat may manicure & pedicure package!"][/caption]

:D

3 years and counting...

"Through THICK and thin, TAYO PA RIN!" :D
♥♥♥

3 News Programs

[caption id="attachment_2224" align="alignright" width="300" caption="(L-R) Jun Veneracion, Mariz Umali, Pia Arcangel, Raffy Tima"][/caption]Balitanghali - Balitanghali (a portmanteau of the Filipino Words Balita and Tanghali, meaning "news" and "noon", respectively; hence "Noontime News") is the noontime newscast of GMA News TV in the Philippines. The newscast is also heard simultaneously on Super Radyo DZBB 594 every weekends. The newscast is anchored by Pia Arcangel and Raffy Tima during weekdays and Mariz Umali and Jun Veneracion during weekends. It also aired worldwide via GMA Life TV.

The newscast was first aired on GMA's secondary network, QTV on November 11, 2005 during the network's initial broadcast. On February 6, 2010, the newscast launched their weekend edition and began airing.

Balitanghali was also simulcasted on radio through GMA Network's flagship station DZBB. In June 2008, the simulcast was only limited to weekends to give way for the radio station's noontime newscast, Super Balita sa Tanghali Nationwide.

After Q ceased airing on February 21, 2011, the newscast was carried over on its replacement network, GMA News TV on February 28, 2011. The newscast had moved out of their initial studio at GMA Network Center and had introduced a new studio set at GMA Network Studio 2, title card, graphics, and OBB. On April 25, 2011, Grace Lee was named as the new host for the Star Bites segment for weekdays.
(article hooked from Wikipedia dot com)

Balitanghali airs daily, 11:30am to 1:00pm on weekdays, 12:00pm to 1:00pm on weekends.

[caption id="attachment_2226" align="alignright" width="198" caption="Maki Pulido & Mark Salazar"][/caption]Balita Pilipinas Get the biggest news from the entire country with BALITA PILIPINAS NGAYON. Anchored by Maki Pulido and Mark Salazar, BALITA PILIPINAS NGAYON is a 30-minute daily recap of the headlines from various points in the country.

Pulido and Salazar, along with some of the most credible broadcasters from the regions, will deliver the biggest stories from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The newscast will also familiarize viewers with each region’s food, travel, history, art, and culture. The program will also join Serbisyong Totoo activities by the GMA Kapuso Foundation, in tandem with local and national partners.
(article hooked from iKUWADERNO dot com)

Balita Pilipinas Ngayon airs weekdays at 4:30 in the afternoon.

State of the Nation with Jessica Soho - the news program that aims to redefine what an evening newscast should be. By asking the right questions and through intelligent storytelling, viewers will be exposed to the deeper context of a day’s events. SONA will be more than just a rundown of the day’s top stories, it will present a comprehensive mix of news, features, opinion segments, and exclusive, in-depth reports.
(article from gmanews dot tv)

SONA airs weeknights, 9 o'clock to 10 o'clock.

philippine politics, honor, and integrity

i don't know if the blog post title is reconcilable but upon the resignation of senator juan miguel zubiri, well, can i just say his gesture/move was awesome? i personally believe that what he has done took him a lot of courage and very seldom do we see a politician with a character full of humility. his detractors may see it (the resignation) as something very suspicious with counter-motives as what the resigned senator has said in his privilege speech yesterday. but whatever the real reason behind the resignation is, it's still an act of rarity in a country where politicians hold on to 'power' for as long as they can, whatever it takes. in fact, the act was the very first of its kind. and with that, i'd like to believe that the resigned senator is a true gentleman.

c'est la vie

spending our last day of the month here in the hospital. our dear little girl seems to be loving cable tv more and more... some of our visitors suggested that we get a cable tv subscription so we won't have to go to the hospital anymore. lol. i just needed to lighten up. too many worries, specially financial matter. hmm...

church lessons taught last thursday and today have been very helpful and timely. it's about putting your trust in God and reading misfortunes as an opportunity to become closer to Him, and eventually turn them to great blessings ahead. i can't believe how i can relate very well with the lessons imparted during the services. i've been thinking of ways to improve my source of income and at the same time have more so i can give more. well, just what like Abraham said, "GOD will provide."

i miss my former "life". i want so many things back. i long for a better living condition than what i have now. many people think i am one complete person in terms of everything that i need but for now, only my wife knows the real 'score'. i have a lot of wants for my two girls. i think i have to make some serious moves to get out of this 'pit'... the following weeks shall make me decide on whether i need to extend beyond Dec. 31, 2011 or it must be a new chapter... again.

Kalagayan Ng Bansa

Ngayong araw ang nakatakdang State of the Nation ni Pangulong Noynoy Aquino. 4PM dapat ito magsisimula. Dito ilalahad ang kalagayan ng bansa. Maaga akong pumasok dahil kinailangan kong magsulat para sa mas maagang news program. Mamaya, mas madugo ang trabaho.

As usual, maraming pulis sa lansangan lalo na sa palibot ng SONA venue. At gaya rin ng inaasahan (pero hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit lagi na lang) may mga rallyista rin na umaagaw ng pansin sa okasyon.

Bilang Pilipino, hangad ko rin na umasenso ang bansa at umangat ang buhay ng mga Pilipino. Pero kailangan bang lagi nating iasa lagi sa pangulo LANG ang kapalaran ng bansa? Di ba, common sense lang na hindi kaya ng iisang tao na paangatin ang pamumuhay ng isang buong bansa? Dapat ay tulung-tulong tayo. Ang mga rallyista, parang gusto yata ng overnight transformation. Sa opinyon ko, hindi pa sapat ang isang taon para husgahan ang administrasyong Aquino. May mga weak points, oo, pero may limang taon pa para patunayan ang mas mahusay (o kaya ay mas mahina) na gobyerno.

Ilang SONA man ang lumipas, ilang administrasyon man ang magpapalit-palit, hindi magbabago ang kalagayan ng bansa natin kung hindi magbabago ang ugali at pananaw nating mga Pilipino na:

lahat marurunong
kanya-kanya tayo
"kasalanan yan ng pangulo"
"mahirap lang kase kami kaya nagawa ko ito..."

Pinoys: hanggang kailan tayo ganito?
(image in this post is courtesy of filipinasoul dot com)

how thrifty can you get?

bata pa ako, kuripot na raw ako. pero may mga tao na nagsasabing galante ako. too much contrast. knowing myself, i just know when to tightly hold on to my money (kung meron man) and when to give it out, depending on the situation or occasion.

so, how thrifty can you get?

[caption id="attachment_2201" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="image courtesy of http://wn.com/Coins_of_the_Philippine_peso"][/caption]

> i usually go to specific gasoline stations where gasoline is cheaper by more or less 50 centavos. malaki-laki rin kase ang matitipid mo kung magpapakarga ka ng gasolina worth 500 pesos. sa presyong P55.80/liter na gasolina, makakapagpakarga ka ng 8.96 liters na gas. eh kung sa gasoline station na may presyong P55.30/liter ako magpapakarga, malaking bagay na sa akin na sumampa sa 9.04 liters ang gasolinang naidagdag sa tangke ng sasakyan ko.

> i inquired about a dish washing liquid in a sari-sari store this morning. their 50mL costs P12 per sachet. a smaller pack is available, marked at P5 per 22mL. since i will be buying a more economical, unbranded bottle of it later on, i decided to get 2 smaller packs at P5/22mL which we can use at least for a couple of days. but the store charges P6/22mL. i was charged P12 for a 44mL content! after the lady handed me my change, i asked her to give me the bigger pack instead which cost the same at P12, but content is more at 50mL. good thing the smaller pack is a different variety(?) from the bigger sachet. "Miss, paki-palitan na lang nitong kalamansi scent yung mas malaki... lemon pala itong maliit... pareho lang sila ng presyo di ba?" the clueless store lady nodded, and so the switch!

> the company canteen sells bottled water at P25 per 500mL, so i walk out of the company premises to buy the same bottled water in a convenience store where it only costs P17. if there's a nearby supermarket, i'm sure i'll be walking there instead where it should be cheaper than P17.

i know there are other things where i sub-consciously practice being thrifty. even if it means less convenience on my part, i'll go for it, basta mas makakatipid ako. so i remember getting a cab halfway my destination and riding on either a rail transit or an jeepney to complete my journey. that is when i'm rushing to get to my point of destination. if not, i'll take a jeepney (or an FX or an aircon bus if its too hot outside) instead.

ikaw, gaano ka ka- kuripot tipid?

7

it's already past halfway of the year (and this month is already past halfway, too.) haven't been able to update much due to unknown reasons. haha. well, perhaps my writing enthusiasm has lessen. it's ironic because i write for a living.

july has always been a busy month for me, in time for our church's anniversary. and we'll be more excited for the next three years when the church will celebrate it's centennial anniversary. i've heard about the church's BIG projects that are being prepared in time for the year 2014--- when it reaches its 100th year. i'm excited to witness that graceful day and i'm sure all the brethren are, too. :D

on another note, this month offers the FINAL installment of the harry potter series and all wizard fans are excited. it has been a decade when the first of its installment was shown on the big screen and who would have thought that it has been that long? i'm not a die hard fan of harry potter (especially the book) but i admit i got hooked into watching its film series unlike any other series such as star wars or those dc comics stories turned into movies (x-men?) but wifey & i must wait after two weeks to watch this finale.

my daughter got sick (again) and never have i panicked been worried before like this recent sickness. first, it was her first time to get a series of cbc to check on her dropping platelet. we first suspected (but never hoped) it was dengue. for four days her fever won't leave her and she's beginning to lose weight already for not having the normal appetite when chow time comes. we also had her urinalysis and it was cleared. thank God it's not that U.T.I. again that brought her twice to the hospital. we decided to have her confined (as suggested by her pediatrician) and my 2nd worry... i don't have our health card anymore! so just imagine where i'd be pulling those money to cover the hospital & medication expenses when our credit card has already been maxed out. and i haven't been voluntarily contributing to Philhealth after i resigned from the previous company. for a while i felt like i'm Atlas--- "pasan ko ang daigdig." good thing it wasn't dengue. she had rashes all over body but it wasn't actually measles. final diagnosis: viral infection. after two nights at the hospital, we were set free. my little girl's appetite got back to normal. and she craved for apples and grapes everyday. yaiks!

i'd like to thank our good blogger friend, Mr. Blogger Congeniality himself--- gasolinedude for inviting us over for a KTV lunch date. yeah. we were supposed to sing our hearts out but Redbox was fully booked, and all other KTVs in Timog area were still closed. and since we can't stay long due to other "appointments", we just had our lunch at Little Asia. the time was short but it was worthwhile. he gave freebies for the wifeys and i discovered that he is hesitant to carry little kids. :P thanks, Alex! looking forward to your next homecoming... and i hope you've made your most important decision when that time comes. you know my personal opinion on that, buddy! :)

another good friend had his homecoming, this time from the kingdom of saudi arabia. he invited us for an eat-all-you-can lunch at DADS, and we sure stuffed our tummy with food! i've learned that edmark is not returning to saudi but instead, he's got a new job offer in Singapore. he's blessed! he's kind-hearted, that's why. he never fails to get in touch with his friends and even thoughtful enough to give everyone their pasalubong. edmark was supposed to stay here in Manila for a month vacation but his employer in SG needs him in two weeks time, so he has to cut short his Manila stay. but the advantage of working in SG is that he's nearer from Manila and vacationing shouldn't be an issue whenever he wants. good luck on your career's new chapter, bro! ;)

on a completely different note, i've activated mg Google+ profile. will this put an end to FB just like what FB did to Friendster? i've read somewhere that Google+ is more of a threat to twitter than FB. we'll see...

Journey

looking at the people around my current workplace, i see a breed of young people working hard, and each has his/her own story to tell. this made me look back at the work/jobs i've done since i graduated from college. i wasn't a family breadwinner, and job-hopping seemed to be a delight for me...

media practitioner
after a couple of months after college graduation, i walked into the building where i had my on the job training. i was that young, naive, thin adolescent boy who just absorbed everything instructed to me. i began transcribing english articles into tagalog write ups. then i was asked to learn how to rehash news items, then monitor news reports. it was a long six-month training without pay and along the course of my training, i was also asked to join the production that assists live radio program. i eventually became a production coordinator who sets interview schedules for the live program the following day. i started memorizing basic phone numbers such as the MMDA Metrobase, PAGASA, MERALCO, MANILA WATER, and some public officials that we needed to contact for interviews. most memorable in being a production coordinator was the phone call to then-presidential spokesman, Jerry Barican*. as months pass by, my task grew in the station. i began voicing reports and at the same time arranged news items for the 12 o'clock & 4 o'clock news programs. i only stopped arranging news items for the 4 o'clock program when i was dispatched as a beat reporter in Malacanang. i did cover some events outside Malacanang and the most memorable was my coverage during Leo Echegaray's execution*. i didn't really have the full coverage of it but nonetheless i was dispatched there to serve as a support to the more senior reporters of our station and our sister-station. i was also sent there by our station manager late and i was sick that time so i really didn't have the best opportunity to maximize my presence there. anyway, i knew i was a valuable person in the station that time. i had a segment (environment monitor) in the early (6am) news program, i did time checks and news breaks in the morning after our news & public affairs program, then go to my beat after lunch. my day would end after i air my report from the beat to our 4 o'clock news. career-wise, it was the best job i ever had. i did almost all things that a media practitioner should be doing--- jack of all trade, in other words.

the introduction to customer service field
since compensation was insufficient from the job i loved doing, i decided to jump to another field of career and started in the customer service field in what was once the 2nd largest wired telecommunication company. basic salary was slightly higher and the job just required me to answer complaint letters from our irate (and poor/unfortunate) subscribers. most letters came from the province--- yeah, through snail mail. i had a template ready, i just needed to tweak on some format to make the reply suitable for whatever complaint was raised. then i helped my superior in creating FAQ's for our new product offers. this is also where i began my coffee addiction.

career jump to banking
this came in as a surprise for me as i was hired as a new accounts clerk in one of the busiest branches of the then-top 3 commercial banks in the country. i was fortunate to have been assigned in a branch where the new accounts clerk serve as an all-around client assisting personnel of the bank. some branches assign only the opening of accounts to the new accounts clerk but our branch requires us to look over investments too. i had to quickly learn banking terms and its ins and outs. aside from opening accounts, i credit online payroll, accept BIR payments (the most dreadful of all during deadlines), monitor SDB transactions, enter debit/credit transaction at the end of the day, market bank products, monitor time deposits, and attend to irate clients. my most memorable banking experience happened in just one day*, that i couldn't help but cry it out with my immediate superior. yes... i cried that day!

seeking for higher horizons
i admit i was having a great time in the bank when speaking of compensation and benefits. and it was the time i learned how to value saving up money, and considered opening up bank accounts. but things have to happen. my sister had to migrate to Canada and our life had taken a turn since then. but after just barely two months, i returned to Manila and was lucky enough to be offered a job by my former boss after knowing that i came back. this time, it's for a new player in the mobile phone network industry. i excitedly accepted the offer and became a part of the new mobile network. it lasted for a few good months after the great launch until i decided to pursue my immigrant application to Canada.

new environment
the new country introduced me to a new and different environment. to survive financially, i needed to do the what we call "blue-collar job". i earned 40 dollars from manning an open house for 4 hours. a church mate offered me this part time, on call job. i was delighted. then i soon applied in an agency where i worked in an on call factory job. i learned hard work literally. there were 8 "lines" in the factory and the supervisors get to choose on who's to work on a particular "line". eventually, i get to be assigned on the "line" where the "favorites" were always assigned. i also did paper deliveries with my brother-in-law thrice a week in the neighborhood. when my brother in law gave up because of his tight schedule, my two good friends caught the same assignment for me to continue on with it. it lasted until Christmas when heavy fliers that needed to be inserted in the paper took so much of our time and felt the pay wasn't a fine compensation anymore. and talk about delivering papers while heavy snow is pouring and piled up high. my last and final job there was being a warehouse man. it was a perfect job in terms of work companions, freebies and pay. i learned receiving, picking, and putting away items for warehouse storage and deliveries. all of these i've done while my immigrant application paper was supposedly "in-process".

re-building my career in Manila
situation led me back to Manila where i had to wait for the processing of my immigrant application. and since i knew that the cue will take time--- years literally--- to be processed, i looked for a job that will not only compensate me but will also make me feel good by doing something for a public cause. after weeks of job hunting, i ended up training in a call center company. i didn't plan to stay long there but took the job anyway since i was still looking for that job which i feel i'll be more suited. i also took the chance to enter the call center industry to know what exactly is the environment in it. true to my expectation, i just had a four-week short stint in the company--- just long enough to finish my month training and took a glimpse of what "call center" is all about. then i got interviewed in this distribution company where the major cause is to curve the country's population by introducing the use of contraceptive products. i made sure they didn't promote abortion, though. my prime job was to coordinate with distributors and oversee the ordering cycle. it's more on the customer service field... again. and since i was waiting for my immigrant application results, i ended up almost six years in the distribution company. yep, it was waaaay overdue. i literally ended my connection from the company after a year my application in Canada was released and found a job that will get me back on track practicing my chosen field of study.

home sweet home?
i got back to my field. i'm now working as a writer-slash-producer in the flagship news program of a newly-formatted TV channel. plus factors are, it's a famous TV station and i'm working for a famous news personality. but of course, not everything is great... there's always a downside to everything*.

* phrases marked with asterisk merit a separate blog entry/story each
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ending this blog post with Lea Salonga's "Journey" lyrics:

Half the world is sleeping,
half the world's awake
half can hear their hearts beat
half just hear them break

I am but a traveler, in most every way
Ask me what you want...to know

What a journey it has been
And the end is not in sight
But the stars are out tonight
and they're bound to guide my way

When they're shining on my life
I can see a better day
I won't let the darkness in,
what a journey it has been.

I have been to sorrow
I have been to bliss
Where I'll be tomorrow,
I can only guess

Through the darkest desert
Through the deepest snow,
Forward always forward, I go..

What a journey it has been
and the end is not in sight
But the stars are out tonight
and they're bound to guide my way

When they're shining on my life
I can see a better day
I won't let the darkness in,
what a journey it has been...

Forward, always forward...
Onward, always up...
Catching every drop of hope
In my empty cup

What a journey it has been
And the end is not in sight
But the stars are out tonight
and they're bound to guide my way

When they're shining on my life
I can see a better day
I won't let the darkness in,
what a journey it has been...

What a journey it has been...