Our spur of the moment housewarming at Mae's new spanking crib last Wednesday brought a lot of nice thoughts to me. We've definitely gone a long long way since our college days.
Everyone's growing up. When I compare how things were 6 years ago, as compared to how things are right now, everything's different. Here's a gist. Mae has a condo unit already, bought a couple of years back and recently furnished (and paid a hefty sum to get it all fixed up). Leda and Sally, both living independently now, renting out a place in Makati and Buendia respectively. For Vicky - nagdadalaga na... yiheee... Marcy, well, she's richer I suppose :) And as for me, I don't know what's new with me, a bit wiser I suppose. Now I'm envious, I want a place of my own too!!!
And what you know what else I noticed? That everyone just seems to be in this happy state of mind these days. Which is definitely good. I think after all that we've been through, if we haven't learned anything yet from those experiences, then I don't know what'll happen to us.
In fact, Mae and I had this impromptu lakad last night when we met up at around 7pm to pick up our IPOD touch from Rhys in Abad Santos. That was supposed to be it, just pick up the IPODs but then while we were in the car, we decided... hmm why not go straight to Trinoma and buy ourselves new casings for the new toy? And so off we did. Then had a quick dinner as well at Chowking. Then went home! It was really a nice way of talking and sharing different thoughts. Sabi nga namin ni Mae, we never did this before. Ngayon, we pretty much do what we want! Or perhaps because these days, we have the resources to do these things that we want!
I love it. Slowly but surely, we're getting and reaching our goals. Good vibes attracts good things. I'm pretty sure that all my friends will definitely have a successful future ahead!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Two More Weeks
Two weeks remaining before I am off again to the other side of the world. As much as I'm sad to leave the Philippines every now and then, I've realized that having this kind of life is a blessing as well. I've been dreading it so much for the past year that I haven't been looking at the good things that this experience has given me for the past 3 years.
So as a shift of outlook (to a more positive one), I will list the things that I like most about going on these business trips.
1. I get to travel.
I love traveling and seeing new things. I like seeing different places, learning what's unique about them, walking around and exploring. And so far, it's been an awesome experience. I've been to British Columbia, Seattle, Oregon, Arizona, Las Vegas, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Cornwall, Buffalo (well, just by the border).
If it were not for this job, I wouldn't have even been able to get to these places. Now, it's something I look forward to doing every time I go back to Canada - plan a new place to visit and explore. I'm thinking about Quebec this time. The old European charm is something I've been wanting to see.
2. I get to earn extra money.
The allowance I get from the trip is kaching kaching in itself. I consider this my extra stash of cash, which I either stash away, or spend! Hopefully my waldas days are over, but it would still be nice to splurge every now and then. After all, these are all hard earned money.
3. I get to be on my own.
No amount of money can pay for experience of being in another country, away from your family. Ok, maybe not really away, I still have my grandparents, aunts around there. But coming from a home where we're pretty much sheltered, this experience is definitely a welcome sight of relief.
I remember my best friend telling me when I got back, that ever since that first trip I took last 2008, I was never the same. Perhaps, I grew up. My views changed, my objectives and goals changed. Maybe I did really change, and that's hopefully for the better.
4. I get to meet new people from different cultures.
This is related to #3. Canada being a diverse country has given me the opportunity to meet a ton of different people from all over the world. I got to talk to Russians, Filipinos, Canadians, Chinese, East Indians, you name it.
The nice thing about being exposed to different cultures is that you learn what they are, how they are, and you'll realize that the world is way bigger than it looks. That these you may actually find a good friend amongst these mixture of different cultures, descents and nationalities. Some times, it takes a big deal of adapting to the environment, but it also builds character, don't you think?
But I have to admit, at times, I'd just like to stick with my Filipino friends. I find that I get tired speaking English all the time. Some times I just want a break. haha
As a conclusion...
Of course, there's also a fair bit of sacrifice that this type of life entails (which I wouldn't want to dwell on anymore - everyone knows what happened). But somehow, I really do believe that God and his magical ways made sure that I go down this path and that he's preparing me for something even bigger. This might just be a training in preparation for something more exciting. Who knows right? But in the mean time, I will start learning to appreciate these blessings more and more. Embrace it to the fullest, and learn to be happy and contented once again.
So as a shift of outlook (to a more positive one), I will list the things that I like most about going on these business trips.
1. I get to travel.
I love traveling and seeing new things. I like seeing different places, learning what's unique about them, walking around and exploring. And so far, it's been an awesome experience. I've been to British Columbia, Seattle, Oregon, Arizona, Las Vegas, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Cornwall, Buffalo (well, just by the border).
If it were not for this job, I wouldn't have even been able to get to these places. Now, it's something I look forward to doing every time I go back to Canada - plan a new place to visit and explore. I'm thinking about Quebec this time. The old European charm is something I've been wanting to see.
2. I get to earn extra money.
The allowance I get from the trip is kaching kaching in itself. I consider this my extra stash of cash, which I either stash away, or spend! Hopefully my waldas days are over, but it would still be nice to splurge every now and then. After all, these are all hard earned money.
3. I get to be on my own.
No amount of money can pay for experience of being in another country, away from your family. Ok, maybe not really away, I still have my grandparents, aunts around there. But coming from a home where we're pretty much sheltered, this experience is definitely a welcome sight of relief.
I remember my best friend telling me when I got back, that ever since that first trip I took last 2008, I was never the same. Perhaps, I grew up. My views changed, my objectives and goals changed. Maybe I did really change, and that's hopefully for the better.
4. I get to meet new people from different cultures.
This is related to #3. Canada being a diverse country has given me the opportunity to meet a ton of different people from all over the world. I got to talk to Russians, Filipinos, Canadians, Chinese, East Indians, you name it.
The nice thing about being exposed to different cultures is that you learn what they are, how they are, and you'll realize that the world is way bigger than it looks. That these you may actually find a good friend amongst these mixture of different cultures, descents and nationalities. Some times, it takes a big deal of adapting to the environment, but it also builds character, don't you think?
But I have to admit, at times, I'd just like to stick with my Filipino friends. I find that I get tired speaking English all the time. Some times I just want a break. haha
As a conclusion...
Of course, there's also a fair bit of sacrifice that this type of life entails (which I wouldn't want to dwell on anymore - everyone knows what happened). But somehow, I really do believe that God and his magical ways made sure that I go down this path and that he's preparing me for something even bigger. This might just be a training in preparation for something more exciting. Who knows right? But in the mean time, I will start learning to appreciate these blessings more and more. Embrace it to the fullest, and learn to be happy and contented once again.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Gregory in Manila
I've been missing in action for a while because my manager from Canada flew in to Manila last Feb 03, 2011 and we've been very very busy. So many meetings to attend, activities to do and lunches to eat!
EAT!!
For one, we've been doing a lot of eating: Spiral, Sentro, Banana Leaf, Dampa - all these in a span of a week! The spiral and Dampa were just too much. I don't think I ever felt hungry the whole week. I just felt full the whole time. Probably gained a couple of pounds in a span of a week. Here's a picture of us enjoying our lunch at Spiral:
Pasyal!
Aside from the eating and work related meetings, we got to do a lot of extracurricular activities so that Gregory can fully utilize his time here in Manila.
For the first weekend, we went to Tagaytay and then had the Corregidor trip. Fun, but very tiring too. The Corregidor trip costs around 2k per head, but it was very well organized. The 2000 pesos per head fee includes the boat from Manila Bay harbor to Corregidor island, the trolleys, guide, and even lunch. Not bad. It's a pretty good tour. I hope people become more aware of this beautiful island and its rich history. It is nice to know that they preserved what remains of Corregidor.
On the other hand, Tagaytay is still beautiful. And the nice thing about this trip was that, I got my best friend to set me up as a guest in Tagaytay highlands. How I love that place. I could live there. Weather is perfect, place is beautiful, and with its amenities, you can't go wrong. It's a nice quiet place to live and relax.
Gregory wanted to buy his wife a pearl necklace and so we ended up going to Greenhills last Friday to do our shopping. Apparently, South Sea Pearls are mighty expensive. A necklace with a good sized 13-15 mm pearl would cost around 80k pesos! That's way over the budget so we ended up finding these beautiful fresh water pearls (cultured), way cheaper, costs around 9000 pesos. Not bad. Oh and the haggling was awesome. Ngayon may suki na kami. Ang dami namin nabili sa kaniya eh! And she was nice.
Oh and then we also went to Subic and Clark last Saturday. Grabe nakakapagod. Pagod din si Gregory. But I sure hope he had fun. Tiring but fun trip. At least we got to show him how we Filipinos are truly hospitable!
EAT!!
For one, we've been doing a lot of eating: Spiral, Sentro, Banana Leaf, Dampa - all these in a span of a week! The spiral and Dampa were just too much. I don't think I ever felt hungry the whole week. I just felt full the whole time. Probably gained a couple of pounds in a span of a week. Here's a picture of us enjoying our lunch at Spiral:
Pasyal!
Aside from the eating and work related meetings, we got to do a lot of extracurricular activities so that Gregory can fully utilize his time here in Manila.
For the first weekend, we went to Tagaytay and then had the Corregidor trip. Fun, but very tiring too. The Corregidor trip costs around 2k per head, but it was very well organized. The 2000 pesos per head fee includes the boat from Manila Bay harbor to Corregidor island, the trolleys, guide, and even lunch. Not bad. It's a pretty good tour. I hope people become more aware of this beautiful island and its rich history. It is nice to know that they preserved what remains of Corregidor.
On the other hand, Tagaytay is still beautiful. And the nice thing about this trip was that, I got my best friend to set me up as a guest in Tagaytay highlands. How I love that place. I could live there. Weather is perfect, place is beautiful, and with its amenities, you can't go wrong. It's a nice quiet place to live and relax.
Gregory wanted to buy his wife a pearl necklace and so we ended up going to Greenhills last Friday to do our shopping. Apparently, South Sea Pearls are mighty expensive. A necklace with a good sized 13-15 mm pearl would cost around 80k pesos! That's way over the budget so we ended up finding these beautiful fresh water pearls (cultured), way cheaper, costs around 9000 pesos. Not bad. Oh and the haggling was awesome. Ngayon may suki na kami. Ang dami namin nabili sa kaniya eh! And she was nice.
Oh and then we also went to Subic and Clark last Saturday. Grabe nakakapagod. Pagod din si Gregory. But I sure hope he had fun. Tiring but fun trip. At least we got to show him how we Filipinos are truly hospitable!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Australian Open 2011
I haven't watched tennis avidly for the longest time. I remember back in high school, when I loved watching the game. I watched Martina Hingis, Steffi Graf, Jennifer Capriati play the best women's tennis at that time. On the men's side, it was the time of Agassi, Patrick Rafter, Michael Chang, and Brazilian French Open winner Gustavo Kuerten. Kuerten I remember distinctly because he had curly hair, he was unseeded, and he won two consecutive French Open grand slams.
And now, I'm watching again. Been watching Australian Open for a couple of days now. I'm still rooting for my favorite - Kim Clijsters. Wozniacki, the other semifinalist lost to Li Na. So whoever wins against Clijsters and Zvonoreva goes on to the finals against Li Na.
As for the men's draw - stick to one ako, Roger Federer pa din!
And now, I'm watching again. Been watching Australian Open for a couple of days now. I'm still rooting for my favorite - Kim Clijsters. Wozniacki, the other semifinalist lost to Li Na. So whoever wins against Clijsters and Zvonoreva goes on to the finals against Li Na.
As for the men's draw - stick to one ako, Roger Federer pa din!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
materialistic me is happy
The materialistic me is very happy for the past week.
January 14, 2011
The talent acquisition team in our company has these gimiks to entice us employees to send out referrals to them. Aside from getting a nice sum of money when your referral is a success, they also have a raffle giveaway to those who were successful in their referrals.
I didn't have one successful referral last year, but a friend of mine who now works in TELUS asked me to refer someone, and tag it under my name. Lo and behold, she got in and my friend and I split the referral fee. Also, since technically I had one successful referral, I was part of the raffle draw held last January 14.
Surprise surprise - I won an IPOD shuffle.
January 19, 2011
I've been eyeing this coat from Zara for a couple of weeks now. Initially priced at 6450, it was marked down to 5950. Still too expensive. So I didn't buy it. A couple of weeks later, Zara marked down their items even more, so when I went to checked it out, it's just now 2990!. And there's only one Small size left, so i decided to get it! It may get marked down further by the end of the year, but I don't want to risk it, my size is hard to find. Anyway, another 3k down the drain, but I love it! I can't wear it here, but since I go to Canada anyway, I can finally have a more "formal" jacket to wear there instead of my usual sports jacket!
January 22, 2011
Yesterday was our office department's 2010 Awards and Recognition Event. We decided to make it a party/event instead of just an office "meeting" to make it more fun! I also volunteered to be part of the organizing committee and to be the co-host of the event. The games we prepared were similar to the game show Minute to Win It. Very simple games, but fun! Gasgas na yung mga pinoy henyo games and charades!!
And so far, I heard good feedback that they enjoyed the event. It's probably one of the most memorable events we had so far. (Patting myself in the back now.)
Part of the event, we had 5 raffle draws to give away. And I don't know what God is telling me, but I got the third prize!! Magic Sing! Can you believe it? I don't win in raffles but two in a row? Unbelievable!
Not only that, I got a 2000 pesos electronic gift card, plus our team got a 5000 pesos worth gcs!! Blessings indeed! Now I will go to church later to thank Him up there for all these kind and wonderful blessings he's been showering me with.
IPOD Touch
My next materialistic task is to get that new IPOD touch replacement I've been clamoring for.
See, materialistic me is very very happy.
January 14, 2011
The talent acquisition team in our company has these gimiks to entice us employees to send out referrals to them. Aside from getting a nice sum of money when your referral is a success, they also have a raffle giveaway to those who were successful in their referrals.
I didn't have one successful referral last year, but a friend of mine who now works in TELUS asked me to refer someone, and tag it under my name. Lo and behold, she got in and my friend and I split the referral fee. Also, since technically I had one successful referral, I was part of the raffle draw held last January 14.
Surprise surprise - I won an IPOD shuffle.
January 19, 2011
I've been eyeing this coat from Zara for a couple of weeks now. Initially priced at 6450, it was marked down to 5950. Still too expensive. So I didn't buy it. A couple of weeks later, Zara marked down their items even more, so when I went to checked it out, it's just now 2990!. And there's only one Small size left, so i decided to get it! It may get marked down further by the end of the year, but I don't want to risk it, my size is hard to find. Anyway, another 3k down the drain, but I love it! I can't wear it here, but since I go to Canada anyway, I can finally have a more "formal" jacket to wear there instead of my usual sports jacket!
January 22, 2011
Yesterday was our office department's 2010 Awards and Recognition Event. We decided to make it a party/event instead of just an office "meeting" to make it more fun! I also volunteered to be part of the organizing committee and to be the co-host of the event. The games we prepared were similar to the game show Minute to Win It. Very simple games, but fun! Gasgas na yung mga pinoy henyo games and charades!!
And so far, I heard good feedback that they enjoyed the event. It's probably one of the most memorable events we had so far. (Patting myself in the back now.)
Part of the event, we had 5 raffle draws to give away. And I don't know what God is telling me, but I got the third prize!! Magic Sing! Can you believe it? I don't win in raffles but two in a row? Unbelievable!
Not only that, I got a 2000 pesos electronic gift card, plus our team got a 5000 pesos worth gcs!! Blessings indeed! Now I will go to church later to thank Him up there for all these kind and wonderful blessings he's been showering me with.
IPOD Touch
My next materialistic task is to get that new IPOD touch replacement I've been clamoring for.
See, materialistic me is very very happy.
Monday, January 17, 2011
wedding and a tv show
Been very busy and tired the past week. I think it'll be like this in the next few weeks pa (or probably months). I told myself I will be anti social this past week so that I can catch up with work. I did catch up with work a bit, but still a long way to go.
My Cousin Ryan's Wedding
This week wouldn't have been complete if it were not for my cousin's wedding yesterday. As I didn't have time to get a new dress, a simply reused the old black dress I had in my closet. Same event, a wedding, but different crowd. I tried something different this time, I went to the parlor to get some nice eye makeup on. Leave it to the experts ika nga. Unfortunately... I didn't like the end result at all (or maybe I'm not used to it). I felt like it was too dark. See for yourself.
It was also the first time my nephew is part of the entourage. I still think he's too young to even listen to what he has to do. My brother had to "assist" him along the center aisle, and he even dropped what he was carrying. My sister and her husband couldn't make it, so it was only Grant who was there, thus, we were the babysitters.
Here are the newlyweds! I wish them all the best!
Pretty Little Liars
I now have a new tv show to watch. I'm still a fan of Grey's Anatomy and Bones. But this one now adds to the list of the tv shows I look forward to watching every week. It's a teeny bopper show, Desperate Housewives + Gossip Girl type. I finished up the first 12 episodes yesterday. Yes, I was a bum and a coach potato altogether.
The story revolves around a group of girls, who are being tormented by a mysterious person named 'A'. I think the reason why I like this show is that there's this mystery and intrigue aspect to it, and of course, there's this teeny bopper aspect to it, which I still love even though I've obviously outgrown that age. It's generally entertaining. Kinda reminds me of Gossip girl and Dawson's Creek too.
My Cousin Ryan's Wedding
This week wouldn't have been complete if it were not for my cousin's wedding yesterday. As I didn't have time to get a new dress, a simply reused the old black dress I had in my closet. Same event, a wedding, but different crowd. I tried something different this time, I went to the parlor to get some nice eye makeup on. Leave it to the experts ika nga. Unfortunately... I didn't like the end result at all (or maybe I'm not used to it). I felt like it was too dark. See for yourself.
It was also the first time my nephew is part of the entourage. I still think he's too young to even listen to what he has to do. My brother had to "assist" him along the center aisle, and he even dropped what he was carrying. My sister and her husband couldn't make it, so it was only Grant who was there, thus, we were the babysitters.
Here are the newlyweds! I wish them all the best!
Pretty Little Liars
The story revolves around a group of girls, who are being tormented by a mysterious person named 'A'. I think the reason why I like this show is that there's this mystery and intrigue aspect to it, and of course, there's this teeny bopper aspect to it, which I still love even though I've obviously outgrown that age. It's generally entertaining. Kinda reminds me of Gossip girl and Dawson's Creek too.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Dear 2010
Dear 2010,
Thank you for a turbulent year. It has been one wild roller coaster ride. I'm not sure if I had more ups or more downs this year, but one thing I'm sure is that this is probably the most emotionally challenging year of my life. But don't get me wrong, although there are a ton of memories that I'd like to literally erase, there are still a lot more memories that I wish to keep and cherish.
For one, I'd like to thank you for giving me an opportunity to spend time with my family in Canada and experience the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas scene. This is one experience I will always cherish.
I'd also like to keep the memories of my friends and family who were all there when I needed them the most. As you know, your year was just too emotional for me. But it just showed me how lucky I was to have the best friends and family out there who made sure I will survive and get through one of the most painful journeys I ever had to go through. Thank you.
2010, you made me a different, and a way better (and perhaps more mature too) person this year. I've learned to care more about other people, instead of just focusing on me. I've learned that I need to learn how to prioritize other people and take care of myself more, rather than just work work work. Although I had to rebuild a lot, but it was a good process to go through. Had you not given me all these experiences, I probably wouldn't have become the person I am today (a good person and wiser person too I hope).
2010, you have made such a huge impact in my life that I firmly believe 2010 will truly never be forgotten to be the turning point year of my life. Probably 20 years from now, I'm pretty sure I'll remember your year.
Now that you're passing on the baton to 2011, can you let 2011 know that I'm hoping for it to be an awesome year in terms of work, family, friends, and of course, in matters of the heart?
Sincerely,
Bev
Thank you for a turbulent year. It has been one wild roller coaster ride. I'm not sure if I had more ups or more downs this year, but one thing I'm sure is that this is probably the most emotionally challenging year of my life. But don't get me wrong, although there are a ton of memories that I'd like to literally erase, there are still a lot more memories that I wish to keep and cherish.
For one, I'd like to thank you for giving me an opportunity to spend time with my family in Canada and experience the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas scene. This is one experience I will always cherish.
I'd also like to keep the memories of my friends and family who were all there when I needed them the most. As you know, your year was just too emotional for me. But it just showed me how lucky I was to have the best friends and family out there who made sure I will survive and get through one of the most painful journeys I ever had to go through. Thank you.
2010, you made me a different, and a way better (and perhaps more mature too) person this year. I've learned to care more about other people, instead of just focusing on me. I've learned that I need to learn how to prioritize other people and take care of myself more, rather than just work work work. Although I had to rebuild a lot, but it was a good process to go through. Had you not given me all these experiences, I probably wouldn't have become the person I am today (a good person and wiser person too I hope).
2010, you have made such a huge impact in my life that I firmly believe 2010 will truly never be forgotten to be the turning point year of my life. Probably 20 years from now, I'm pretty sure I'll remember your year.
Now that you're passing on the baton to 2011, can you let 2011 know that I'm hoping for it to be an awesome year in terms of work, family, friends, and of course, in matters of the heart?
Sincerely,
Bev
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