A BUSY DAY AHEAD

I haven't been posting for quite sometime now. My last post was February 2010. After which, I was already busy with work.

But I will try to update my blog as often as I can. I leave early to go to work and I come back late at night already. Surfing the net has been my therapy, I cannot sleep without checking my facebook and playing Plants vs. Zombies. That is what I do at present. I seldom play Farmville or monitor my Cafe World. Of course, I cannot even write for my blog anymore because my brain is already tired.

Inspite of it all, I am still thankful for all the blessings I have received for the past months. My life as an employee is very fruitful although very busy. On the 3rd week of September, I have been given a weeks rest. I will be travelling, and I'm looking forward to it...

THE DAY THAT WAS

I just had my check-up a while ago at St. Luke's. I undergone magnification view of my left breast because two weeks ago I had mammography and based on the findings, it was recommended for further evaluation. And so I went. I waited for almost an hour for them to perform the procedure. I also got the CT Scan results and it will be interpreted by my doctor this coming Wednesday.

When I was finished with the procedure, I saw an R & E Taxi waiting at the other side of the building. The passenger had left the cab to go to the Medical Arts building. It was my turn to ride the taxi. I told the driver that I am bound to Sauyo. He told me that I should add P50.00 from the metered fare.

I was contemplating about it. Should I go straight home or should I just go to TriNoma and take an FX on my way home. We were already about to go to the back exit of the hospital when I decided that he drop me to TriNoma. He even repeated the question. And I told him to drop me there. We passed by shortcuts and the meter is only P60.00 when I told him to drop me at LandMark. He even dropped me far from the entrance. But it doesn't matter because I only paid him P70.00. He cannot even argue with me anymore and ask for the additional P50.00 because it was not even traffic and he has to leave at once.

Those drivers like that should be reported to the taxi operator so that they should know also that they cannot fool all passengers...

BLOGGING THRU MOBILE

Just testing the mobile phone. I just would want to find out if I can write a blog the mobile. It seems I can and I'm doing it now. So I can blog anytime & anywhere...SOON...Because I just borrowed this from my brother &  I will return it  to him now. 

ON MY WAY HOME

I am a professional commuter. I shuttle from house to office by means of public utility vehicles like FX and jeepney. Normally, I hitch with an officemate after office and he will drop me to Tandang Sora Avenue in Quezon City. From there, I will ride a jeepney to Sangandaan-Quirino Hi-way and another ride bound home. It is a routine after office, except when my ever reliable FX fetch me from the office or I decided to go enroute to Cubao.

This night is no different. From Sangandaan-Quirino Hi-way, I took the jeep bound to Novaliches on my way home. A woman in her early 40s or 50s rode the jeep at Talipapa and sat beside me. I was already asleep that I did not notice her paying the jeepney driver. Since I am not aware of the situation, I cannot truly say if she paid P5.00 or P10.00. What woke me from my mini-slumber was the argument between the woman and the jeepney driver. The driver claimed that she only paid him P5.00. He even dropped the coin in front of the woman. But the woman insisted that she paid P10.00 and she demanded a change.

The driver, upon reaching Mindanao Avenue stopped and demanded that the woman should go and transfer to another jeep. But she did not do it. She kept on talking that the driver will do anything to earn money. Then, she even brought out an incident where she was able to return a cellphone to its owner. And she proudly said that the cellphone costs more than P10,000.00

But before I went down, I began to be turned off with the driver. An old woman paid for the transpo fare applying the Senior Citizen discount for her and the husband. Both are already in their middle-aged years, maybe 60-70. Suddenly, the driver told them that the fare is P13.00 per head not P12.00. The old woman argued with the jeepney driver, again. But the driver insisted that discount for senior citizen is only P2.00. The woman beside made a snide remark against the driver.

The argument did not last because the old woman and her husband already went down. And it was also my destination so I hurriedly went out of the jeep. It's so funny how one can find ways to earn instant money. But definitely, I won't ride the jeepney if the driver cheats...

CATCHING UP WITH MY BFFs

After a series of reschedules and communication thru Facebook and texts, finally, I was able to see my two highschool BFFs a while ago. Our meeting point was @ Starbucks, 2nd level, TriNoMa. Since Sheila has not eaten her lunch yet, we decided to have a heavy merienda-con-dinner. We decided to go to Italianni's @ the 5th level, TriNoMa, overlooking the garden.

We decided to order large lasagna good for the 3 of us...for the main course. It is really creamy and meaty inside. As my bestfriend, Marianne commented, "masarap siya..."

For the appetizer, we had the artichoke formigianno. I don't know why it's called that way, but it's yummy and we spread it over the buttered toast with sprinkle of grated parmessan cheese.

We forgot to take the picture of the Sicilian Salad. But we were able to take the picture of the leftovers...The lettuce and bread croutons are crunchy to the bite. The fruits like grapes and ripe mangoes and contributes to the sweetness while the chicken honey dijon sauce to the creaminess of the salad.

Some photo op with my BFFs at Italianni's. In between bites we digest our experiences and journey into the world of cosmetics, lovelife and other facets of human experiences...Incidentally, it is also a mini-despedida to Sheila who will be leaving for U.S. at the end of the month.

After a hearty merienda-con-dinner, we continue our stories and catching up @ Seattle's Best in 2nd level TriNoMa over desserts of cheesecake and carrot cake and a sip of mocha java and javakula...

We promised especially Marianne and I, whilst Sheila is in abroad that we will continue our catching up. We have been friends since elementary. Now I realize that we have grown up to be a better person...I also realize that friendship springs from the heart though you are near or far.

MY STARBUCKS ADDICTION

I love Starbucks.

I really do.

caption: this is me @ Starbucks, West Avenue Quezon City in 2006

Before I used to think that Starbucks is another imported coffee store from the U.S.

It was in 1999 when the first branch opened along the Makati area.

My dad used to bring Starbucks brochure made from earth-colored papyrus.

History of Starbucks including their best-selling coffee was printed on the brochure.

caption: me and my boss @ Starbucks, West Avenue. We have nothing to do but take pictures...

It is where friendships were formed.

...Stories were created.

...Solitude was embraced with a frapuccino or hot coffee.

I love Starbucks.

I love Vanilla Frapuccino.

I also tried other flavors.

But most importantly, I was able to claim their Starbucks diary.

And it all begins with ONE.

BLOGGER'S BLOCK

I do apologize, my dear bloggers, for I haven't been in the mood to write lately. Call it a blogger's block.

I have been busy lately, with office work and stuff. But most importantly, I have been busy with facebook. I have been busy farming in FARMVILLE and expanding my cafe in CAFE WORLD. I am also hook with writers from the fanfiction of the Twilight World that I forgot all about ICE CREAM AND CHOCOLATES...

I hope I am forgiven, my dear bloggers. But I don't want to make a promise that I will update my blog as often as I should. I will try my best...

A lot of things has been happening lately...our country was stricken with numerous typhoons. A friend of mine got married recently but I cannot capture the moment in my blog. Well, I should say, call it again a BLOGGER'S BLOCK...I just wish that this type of sickness will go away...

CEBU REVISITED

I never thought that I will be able to squeeze my Cebu vacation from a very tight schedule. The purpose of going home is to mingle with my relatives whom I have seen ages ago. Fiesta of Sto. Tomas de Villanueva was commemorated last Sunday, September 20, 2009.

Day 1: September 18, 2009, Friday

We fly via Cebu Pacific at around 1:30 p.m. The promo we availed was Go-Lite. Supposedly, our schedule was 8:00 a.m. but the airlines has policy that the boarding gate closes 45 minutes before departure and passengers should have already checked-in 30 minutes prior to departure. Unluckily, we arrived at around 7:30 a.m. at NAIA Terminal 3, so we were technically late for boarding. We paid Php 17,000.00 as penalty charge. What a way to earn profit...

But with as the saying goes, "there is a purpose for everything." And how lucky we are because we bumped into Mr. Gabby Concepcion, one of the Philippine's finest actor. I never thought that Mr. Concepcion is very warm and accomodating. He even pose for a picture with my mom, sister and myself.

We took our lunch at Mr. Donut by buying their sandwich or turnovers. I grabbed a bite of Tuna turnover and bottle of mineral water. We also purchased 14 packs of Kopi Roti Coffee Bun as take home to my cousins and relatives. Well, after 6 hours of waiting, we were about to board the plane bound to Cebu.

Upon arrival we visited our cousin who owns a cellphone shop at Mandaue. Dinner time was spent by eating grilled liempo, chicken and chorizo along with pochero at Neoneo Grillery.

After the sumptuous dinner, we checked-in at Jacinta Pension House in preparation for our Bantayan Island trip the following day.

Day 2: September 19, 2009, Saturday

We woke up at around 4:00 a.m. and checked-out of the pension house. Our uncle drove us to Ceres Bus Terminal so that we can go to Hignayan Port and ride a ferry on our way to Sta. Fe Beach Club. It was a 2.5 hour trip from the terminal to the port.

We checked-in at Sta. Fe Beach Club resort. I should say, the hotel is affordable.

We rented a boat so that we can have some island hopping.

The view was really breath-taking especially when we went to the neighboring island. The island is not yet fully developed. My cousin told me that it is a Virgin Island. What a way to relax by watching the tranquility of the beach. We also had lunch by the island. It was really a feast because we had grilled liempo (pork belly), fish and crabs, plus a pot of rice to partake.

I was able to get a glimpse of the coral from the boat.

This is the Sugar Beach. It was named so because the sands are sugary in texture.

We also went to Ogtong Cave, also in Sta. Fe. It is a pool that is cave-like in structure. But we did not stayed long because we have to go to our cousin and have dinner with him.

Day 3: September 20, 2009, Sunday

We checked out at Sta. Fe Beach Club at around 8 a.m. But we also had a photo op inside our hotel room. Then we fetch our cousin and take the ferry bound to Hignayan Port.

From there we rented a van from the port to my mom's hometown to attend the Fiesta.

It was another feast. There is lechon, hamonado, baked macaroni, fish and shell fish. There are also some desserts served not only to us but also our guest.

We left our ancestral home at around 10 p.m. and we checked-in again at Jacinta Pension House to call it a night.

Day 4: September 21, 2009, Monday

We woke up at around 7:00 a.m. to pack and freshen up. We have to check out at around 9 a.m. to go to Magellan's Cross and the Sto. Nino Basilica.

There are so many devotees lining up to get the glimpse of the Sto. Nino.

Before boarding, we went to Park Mall and took our lunch at Joven's Grill and Seafood. The service is buffet so I was able to eat well. In fact I did not took my dinner upon arriving to Manila because I'm really full.

At around 2:00 p.m., we checked in at the Mactan International Airport. We arrived ahead of schedule @ around 5:05 p.m., 10 minutes in advance.

The Cebu experience is worth relaxing. I never regretted every single minute of it. I was about to upload some pictures and update my blog, unfortunately our computer hardware crashed therefore giving me a luxury to publish my experience only now...

ANOTHER LONG WEEKEND

Looking forward to another long weekend. September 7, 2009 was declared a non-working holiday as tribute to one of the religious leader who will be laid to rest. Then, September 21, 2009 was again declared a holiday because it commences the Ramadan, a Muslim tradition...And I am looking forward for my Cebu and Tagaytay trip...so by then I can update my blog more often.

After another long hour of work, I look forward to this long holidays as a rest day...Because I believe that I deserve to rest and to sleep longer hours so that I can recharge my battery as I look forward to another day of work after that. For me, work is fun and challenging. My job requires me to go from one place to another and meet new set of personalities. It involves a lot of pressure and major responsibilities but at the end of the day, I find it fulfilling. So, I should be thankful that I have work to look forward to...because it is really a blessing.

MAN AND WOMAN'S BESTFRIENDS

"A dog has no use for fancy cars, big homes, or designer clothes. A water log stick will just do fine. A dog doesn't care if your rich or poor, clever or dull, smart of dumb. Give him your heart and he'll give you his. How many people can you say that about? How many people can make you feel rare and pure and special? How many people can make you feel extraordinary?" -John Grogan from MARLEY AND ME

A movie inspired by the book written by John Grogan. I have the privilege to watch it a while ago. It is based on the true story. The story deals with the journey of John Grogan from the time he got married till parenthood. But aside from John and his wife Jenny, another central character of the story is their labrador, Marley.



The dog became a part of their life when they bought him as a puppy in a farm raised by a dog breeder till his death. He was named Marley by John because they were listening to a Bob Marley song on their way home. During his younger years, they named Marley as the worst dog. He nips on pillows, scratches the furnitures, eats three times a day and addicted to mangoes.



Marley became a part of John's promotion, Jenny's pregnancy, the birth of the Grogan kids and John's 40th birthday. He was also an inspiration in his columns. The kids love Marley because whenever they came home from school, he will be there waiting for them and they will race towards his house. The saddest part of the movie is watching him die in the veterinary clinic and the entire family have to bury him at their backyard.


It was indeed a touching movie that teaches us the value of treating our pets extra special, especially dogs. They are man and woman's bestfriend. A dog doesn't have to eat expensive dog foods or being paraded in a fashion show, they just have to be treated with the same amount of love and affection because they also have feelings. Treat them right and they will reciprocate it with the same amount of love and affection in return.

SO MUCH TO THANK FOR

I have so much to thank for. But sadly I cannot put them into words because I don't know where to start. Last August 13, after 11 months of gruesome training in our company-sponsored Officership program, finally, I made it. I passed the panel interview and effective September 1, I am promoted as one of the company's officer.

What can I say? My eyes were brimming with tears of joy upon hearing the news. But I know that this no bed of roses. This will entail so many responsibilities, coupled with gift of wisdom and discernment. But the most important thing above all is doing my part, relax by having a positive outlook, and most importantly, PRAY. I prayed a lot for God to give me strength. And He never failed me. I am blogging as testimony of God's unwavering love in my life. And I know that all of us should have faith and trust in Him because He will never leave us in times of need.

WHY AM I NOT POSTING LATELY?

A week after the death of our former beloved President, I have been out-of-touch in the internet world lately.

First, there is a problem with computer access. Our DSL provider had encountered some problems for the last few weeks. My connection was greatly affected because we cannot browse the internet. I have been calling them for assistance, but most of the time, only the customer service provider are the one answering our calls. I cannot blame them because they only relay what was written in their computer. If the technical people decided not to write anything, the customer service assistant will be the ones to make excuse so that they can appease their caller.

Next, I have been reviewing for my panel lately. This is the make-or-break part of my career that is why I have to concentrate on it. After 11 months of gruelling training, all my efforts, with the help of Divine Intervention, paid off. I am now 1 step ahead of the corporate ladder and I'm very happy that it turned out for the best. One of the significant learning thru this experience is always to thank the Lord for all the blessings...aside from being calm and relaxed.

Now that the phase of my training period is over and I was able to make it, I think it's about time for me to concentrate not only my blogging but also my driving skills. According to my mentor in driving, I have the tendency to be an offensive driver. My instructor advised me to always be on the defensive side because it will be our responsibility ones we bump into something.

Anyway, I just would like to thank the people who take time in following this blog. I'll try to write as often as I can, it's just that blame it on the DSL provider...

THROUGH THE YEARS

It's raining very hard. Rain makes me senti. I just celebrated my nth birthday last week and I'm thankful for all the blessings and sufferings I've encountered because it only made me a better person.

I was on leave on my actual birthday. I accompanied my mom to the hospital for her check-up because her health card will expiring this month. At any rate, I'm still fortunate that I have work, family and friends who are very supportive.

I had my birthday celebration two days after I came back from work. It was a touching celebration because my share of pancit was complemented with lechong manok from Andok's and a mocha birthday cake from Goldilock's, under the care of my colleagues.

I received a lot of birthday greetings thru text. Then there's facebook. My wall was filled with birthday greetings from classmates, clients and friends from way, way back.

What is my birthday wish? There is a saying that birthday wish should be kept a secret in order for it to become a reality.

credit: http://photobucket.com/images/raining

http://www.mygirlspace.com

NO UPDATES FOR THE WEEK????

No updates for the week...modem is down...zzzzzzzz!!!!!!!

From Diaries to Blogging

Hello blogger! Long time no visit. It's been a year since my registration. But attempts to blog remains a problem. What will I write? What will I blog? Who will read my blog? Will someone read my blog? Will I attract readers?





Blogging is nothing new to me. I have an existing friendster blog, but I failed to update it because I have nothing to blog about. My efforts was put into waste because I was never satisfied with the finished product.





I've been visiting a couple of blogs and envious at those people who were able to come up with interesting blogs. It's just my insecurities creeping into me. Or maybe I was thinking that my blog will never be good enough to attract readers...so I stopped myself from creating a blog...




Until today, when I visited some blogs (again), I was inspired to write anything or everything. I want my opinions be heard...thru this simple blog. I can start from a few paragraphs or create a daily journal of my life for the world to see.




Blogging is a reflection of the change of times.




Before, there was the diary. My parents gave me a Hello Kitty diary with key and lock as a graduation gift. I try to write down whatever moments or experiences that I cherish. I attempted to write a story after reading a Sweet Dreams or Sweet Valley High romance novel...just for fun.



Time came when I was loaded with assignments and other activities, and I fail to update my diary. I kept it inside a box together with other memorabilias of my high school years.




After the diary, comes the journal. In high school, my Filipino and English teacher required us to submit a reflection journal. Aside from enhancing our writing skills, it serves a venue to express our opinions, viewpoints, feelings, memories or any other significant human experiences that we want to capture in an instant.




I kept a journal until the time dad passed away. After that, I never wrote an entry again. I was consumed with pain and agony. I started surfing the net...making friends thru messageboards, hiding in an anonymous identity, unknown, except a few people who share the same interest that I have.




There was friendster and facebook. It is a social network where you can search for your long-lost friends. I never took time to actively participate in such because I was busy with pinoyexchange and ezboard where I was able to gain friends abroad, even in anonymity.





Three years after dad's passing I was diagnosed with stage 1a cancer. I was underwent majoy surgery and took a leave from work for 2 months. With nothing to do but surf the internet, I revisited my friendster account and became an active participant. Old friendships were rekindled and most importantly, I was able to blog.




I also activated my facebook account since my high school friends are into that application. I found out that it is also user-friendly with a wide variety of applications to choose from. From then on, I was able to gain friends around the globe, thanks to the games that facebook sponsors.




And now, I'm blogging. This is the tekkie way to write a significant human experience. This is a powerful tool in self-expression because we can attract readers and they can voice out their opinions by leaving some comments.



I think I should be an active participant in blogging. I have nothing to lose but definitely, more to gain. To my blogger, give me a nice welcome hug!