Taken last February 16, 2013.
Showing posts with label friendship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friendship. Show all posts
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Buhay Gobyerno.
I officially became part of the government when I started working way back in 2007. My participation was the usual remittance of 10-15% of my monthly salary which was forwarded to our government in different forms and in different agencies. It was the time when I came to know who BIR, SSS, Pag-ibig and Philhealth are. It was also in the same circumstance when I gradually accepted that they will STICK with me forever.
Since my starting salary
was quite low compared to my batch mates who were working in Manila, I did not
really complain on the monthly deductions. I did not really mind how much they
were deducting as long as I have enough money to spend whenever my friends and
I would dine out or have the usual get together. That was until I started to work
in Ateneo.
I was blessed to have a
faculty-ranked position when I applied in Ateneo in October 2008. It was a
position under one of the busiest or should I say the busiest office in Ateneo.
The salary was really beyond my needs, it even supported my ‘frequent wants'. However, that was also the same year when I started to become more aware of my hard-earned money.
I began to question, where does my money go? How come that they are deducting this much? I slowly began to imagine bundles of thousands coming from the monthly obligation of all workers, not to mention the taxes from big companies, multinational companies.
And it all stopped there.
Not until I became part of the work force of the government.
I was hired as Guidance Counselor of the Department of Education, Camarines Sur Division last November 21, 2012. I was assigned at Pamukid National High School, San Fernando, Camarines Sur instead of Pili National High School, my supposedly first work assignment. I have to wake-up at 5:30am everyday and be ready by 6:15am for my 30-40 minute travel. I have to admit that the daily transport is quite tedious on my part considering that my body is not used to long travels.
When I first learned about my appointment in DepEd, I immediately informed my relatives particularly my aunts who were also working in the government. They were both happy and apprehensive. Apprehensive because they know how the system in the government works: the 'usual procedure' and the existing 'protocol'. They basically gave me tips for survival.
Being me, I reported on my first day with excitement. I usually have this kind of disposition whenever there is something new in my routine. My first jeepney ride was quite a thrill, I didn't know where I should say 'para po', how much I should pay and worst, I don't know where Pamukid is in San Fernando. Good thing jeepneys have 'konduktor', they are for me a 'mobile tour guide'.
Finding Pamukid National High School is not that hard, you can easily see the big signage beside the road. However, you would still need to take a few steps before you reach the gates of the school. Our school houses around 990 students with 35 personnel, 29 teaching and 6 non-teaching personnel.
The moment I entered the campus, I felt awkward. Perhaps because I was overdressed that time. I was wearing my black slacks and a semi-formal top. I wanted to make a good impression to my future boss and I remembered that 'power dressing' is an important factor if you want to make an impression, a good one :) Nevertheless, I continued to dress in the same manner even until now, because if I don't, the students might mistaken me as their classmate.
The days turned to weeks and months. By February 21, I'd be celebrating my third month here in our institution. However, it feels like I've been working here for ages and with my short stay, I was able to note a few things that I should always keep in mind.
1. Our work schedule is from 7:30am until 4:30pm. However, based on my observation, in the morning, some people tend to stretch the 7:30am call time to 7:45am or worse until 8:00am. BUT during dismissal, everyone seems to be in a hurry. 4:30 is 4:30. No extensions if possible. Yes, working overtime is a mortal sin not unless there is a school occasion.
2. Not everyone is given a 'blessing'. If you receive one, better keep it to yourself.
3. Almost all teachers would complain about how low their salary is, to think that their daily rate is way higher than the regular daily rate. I came to understand the reason behind after I saw how impulsive they are whenever there are sales representative visiting our campus. If one teacher bought an item, they must buy as well. Talk about competition.
4. Noise pollution is not new in public schools. It's either you go with it or you just bear the noise that's cracking the walls of your office. Perhaps this is the reason of my frequent migraine attacks.
5. It's really rare for teachers to keep their mouth shut and it's quite impossible for them to speak in low voices except during meetings.
6. When you're preparing meals or snacks for a visitor, always include the total number of employees in your school. It's a habit I think and again, I think this is the reason why some schools have depleting MOOE fund.
7. Always know where you stand. Some practices in the government would really test you and your values. Just stick to your values because you can never go wrong if your principles are clear.
8. Know when to 'read between the lines'. Some people would use sarcasm either as a form of joke or to indirectly tell you how they feel towards you. Be sensitive. Know when to smile and know when to reason out. Timing is very important.
9. Find someone who shares the same work value as you do. This will really help a lot particularly in coping with your working environment.
These only comprises a portion of my mental notes. I will try to add more as I try to remember them.
Nevertheless, I am happy where I am now. The longer I stay here, the more that I am convinced that I am needed here. Working in the public sector is quite a challenge, not because of the task but because of the people around you. Perhaps, I'll allot a separate blog entry for the more inspiring story/stories.
I began to question, where does my money go? How come that they are deducting this much? I slowly began to imagine bundles of thousands coming from the monthly obligation of all workers, not to mention the taxes from big companies, multinational companies.
And it all stopped there.
Not until I became part of the work force of the government.
I was hired as Guidance Counselor of the Department of Education, Camarines Sur Division last November 21, 2012. I was assigned at Pamukid National High School, San Fernando, Camarines Sur instead of Pili National High School, my supposedly first work assignment. I have to wake-up at 5:30am everyday and be ready by 6:15am for my 30-40 minute travel. I have to admit that the daily transport is quite tedious on my part considering that my body is not used to long travels.
When I first learned about my appointment in DepEd, I immediately informed my relatives particularly my aunts who were also working in the government. They were both happy and apprehensive. Apprehensive because they know how the system in the government works: the 'usual procedure' and the existing 'protocol'. They basically gave me tips for survival.
Being me, I reported on my first day with excitement. I usually have this kind of disposition whenever there is something new in my routine. My first jeepney ride was quite a thrill, I didn't know where I should say 'para po', how much I should pay and worst, I don't know where Pamukid is in San Fernando. Good thing jeepneys have 'konduktor', they are for me a 'mobile tour guide'.
Finding Pamukid National High School is not that hard, you can easily see the big signage beside the road. However, you would still need to take a few steps before you reach the gates of the school. Our school houses around 990 students with 35 personnel, 29 teaching and 6 non-teaching personnel.
The moment I entered the campus, I felt awkward. Perhaps because I was overdressed that time. I was wearing my black slacks and a semi-formal top. I wanted to make a good impression to my future boss and I remembered that 'power dressing' is an important factor if you want to make an impression, a good one :) Nevertheless, I continued to dress in the same manner even until now, because if I don't, the students might mistaken me as their classmate.
The days turned to weeks and months. By February 21, I'd be celebrating my third month here in our institution. However, it feels like I've been working here for ages and with my short stay, I was able to note a few things that I should always keep in mind.
1. Our work schedule is from 7:30am until 4:30pm. However, based on my observation, in the morning, some people tend to stretch the 7:30am call time to 7:45am or worse until 8:00am. BUT during dismissal, everyone seems to be in a hurry. 4:30 is 4:30. No extensions if possible. Yes, working overtime is a mortal sin not unless there is a school occasion.
2. Not everyone is given a 'blessing'. If you receive one, better keep it to yourself.
3. Almost all teachers would complain about how low their salary is, to think that their daily rate is way higher than the regular daily rate. I came to understand the reason behind after I saw how impulsive they are whenever there are sales representative visiting our campus. If one teacher bought an item, they must buy as well. Talk about competition.
4. Noise pollution is not new in public schools. It's either you go with it or you just bear the noise that's cracking the walls of your office. Perhaps this is the reason of my frequent migraine attacks.
5. It's really rare for teachers to keep their mouth shut and it's quite impossible for them to speak in low voices except during meetings.
6. When you're preparing meals or snacks for a visitor, always include the total number of employees in your school. It's a habit I think and again, I think this is the reason why some schools have depleting MOOE fund.
7. Always know where you stand. Some practices in the government would really test you and your values. Just stick to your values because you can never go wrong if your principles are clear.
8. Know when to 'read between the lines'. Some people would use sarcasm either as a form of joke or to indirectly tell you how they feel towards you. Be sensitive. Know when to smile and know when to reason out. Timing is very important.
9. Find someone who shares the same work value as you do. This will really help a lot particularly in coping with your working environment.
These only comprises a portion of my mental notes. I will try to add more as I try to remember them.
Nevertheless, I am happy where I am now. The longer I stay here, the more that I am convinced that I am needed here. Working in the public sector is quite a challenge, not because of the task but because of the people around you. Perhaps, I'll allot a separate blog entry for the more inspiring story/stories.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Valentine Pledge
Today, I will commit to love and serve my
God unconditionally in every way.
I pledge myself to choose and love the
right, the good, the fair and the true.
I will be the light that will ignite a person’s
hope to help them cope.
I will be the strength to those who lose
their way to keep them back on track.
I will comfort and soothe those who are in
pain to restore their smiles.
I will treat everyone with respect, the
way I respect my loved ones.
I will learn how to apologize even if it
would mean swallowing my own pride.
I will intently evaluate every consequence
before I decide to make an action.
I will become a person who takes
responsibility over his actions.
I will also learn how to respect the
property of others.
I will value it the way I value my things.
I will listen and hear others
And I will never judge them because it is
the right thing to do.
I will love others and treat them with
kindness
Because after all, they are my brothers and
sisters in Christ.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Monday, February 4, 2013
Monday, October 29, 2012
Bonding with BFF
My BFF Kristal, whom I fondly call 'Japsee, and I had a sweet afternoon date last Saturday before I attended the launching of Mr. Kengkoy at Moonleaf Naga. We decided to try Hands and Strands' BFF package which includes Hair Spa, Manicure, Pedicure and Foot Spa. As soon as we've finalized the plans for the afternoon, I immediately texted the number posted on their weebly to set an appointment and tadah! we got a slot for 2pm.
Hands and Strands is located at the first floor of ADC Hotel beside Mexicali Naga. You'll easily notice the salon because you will be greeted by an unusual 'blackboard' themed signage, just right outside the salon, where you can see the prices of the services it offers.
Sweet scents of lemon and mint dominate the salon which makes every client a bit curious of what they are to expect when they avail any of the services. Since my best friend and I were getting the BFF package, the one in charge suggested that we have the hair spa first before they do our nails. They asked us to wear cute golden robes while they prepared all the necessary paraphernalia for the foot spa :)
They have service slippers for customers availing the foot spa and pedicure service which I think is cute! :) And they're PINK!
Similar to their hair spa, Hands and Strands offers different flavors for their foot spa. You can choose from Mango, Strawberry, Lemon Grass and Peppermint, that's all that I can remember :( I got Strawberry while Japsee chose Peppermint. The one colored brown is like a mud wax which gives your feet a cool feeling after application.
Hands and Strands is located at the first floor of ADC Hotel beside Mexicali Naga. You'll easily notice the salon because you will be greeted by an unusual 'blackboard' themed signage, just right outside the salon, where you can see the prices of the services it offers.
Entrance Door
Hair Spa
We were presented with the three flavors for the hair spa namely beads, strawberry and mint. Japsee chose the one with beads while I opted for mint.
Super comfy couch :)
After doing our hair, we were seated to this super comfy couch for our foot spa. The best thing about this couch is that it's too comfy that some customers would even fall asleep.
And when you try to look up, you'll see an interesting interior.
Interior
The first thing that we did was to submerge our feet in lukewarm water for about 10-15 minutes.
They have service slippers for customers availing the foot spa and pedicure service which I think is cute! :) And they're PINK!
Strawberry Flavored Foot Spa
Strawberry and Peppermint
Japsee
The entire BFF package lasted for about 2 1/2 hours. We decided to grab a bite at Mexicali to comfort our grumbling tummies :)) We ordered our favorite quesadillas, cheese and garlic for Japsee and grilled chicken for me :)
Cheese and Garlic Quesadillas
Grilled Chicken Quesadillas
I really had a great time bonding with my BFF and we both love Hands and Strands. Who knows, we might avail another package next month.
Cheers to friendship!
Friday, October 26, 2012
Ybalon Resort
Ligaya, together with our friends, decided to have a nice holiday-off in Ybalon Resort, Iriga City. It was a long overdue plan since we have been wanting to visit Adee's place whom she often refers to as the 'City of Springs'. However, instead of having the originally planned overnight stay at Adee's, we opted to have to visit one of their best resorts, Ybalon Resort.
The moment that you enter the resort, you will really notice how clean and how well-maintained the resort is. The well-landscaped areas and the relaxing benches could really entice anyone who visits the resort. They also have a cemented pathwalk so you won't have to worry your shoes would be getting muddy whenever it rains.
And of course, how can we not notice the gorgeous swimming pool? They only have one pool but it's an olympic-sized pool, enough for a few friends who wants to do a few lapse.
On the middle left portion of the resort, you'll notice a cemented bridge. When you try to get closer to the bridge, you'd see a breed of Koi :)
Overall, we had a great experience. We were able to maximize the pool because there were only two groups who went swimming, us and a bunch of teenagers. The price was a breeze in our pockets. Entrance Fee was P50 and the cottages cost P300 each, we were even able to bargain getting two cottages for only P500. So, if you're planning to go for a swim, try Ybalon Resort for a change, the place is big enough for a family outing or a barkada getaway :)
The moment that you enter the resort, you will really notice how clean and how well-maintained the resort is. The well-landscaped areas and the relaxing benches could really entice anyone who visits the resort. They also have a cemented pathwalk so you won't have to worry your shoes would be getting muddy whenever it rains.
And of course, how can we not notice the gorgeous swimming pool? They only have one pool but it's an olympic-sized pool, enough for a few friends who wants to do a few lapse.
On the middle left portion of the resort, you'll notice a cemented bridge. When you try to get closer to the bridge, you'd see a breed of Koi :)
Overall, we had a great experience. We were able to maximize the pool because there were only two groups who went swimming, us and a bunch of teenagers. The price was a breeze in our pockets. Entrance Fee was P50 and the cottages cost P300 each, we were even able to bargain getting two cottages for only P500. So, if you're planning to go for a swim, try Ybalon Resort for a change, the place is big enough for a family outing or a barkada getaway :)
Monday, October 1, 2012
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Para Kay INA
It was Traslascion last year that H, E and I decided to document the procession. We didn't know that we had to seek permission from the Archdiocese of Caceres so we could situate ourselves in the nicest spot. We ended up doing ninja moves just to take those photos. But this year, we became part of the official photographers for the entire duration of the Peñafrancia Festival. What made it worth it? We had access to the tower at Metropolitan Cathedral and the view up there was really enthralling!
Friday, August 31, 2012
How Dugong Atenista Saved My Aunt's Life
Today was supposed to be like any ordinary day. Until I got a text message from my mom that my aunt, one of her younger sister, was in Mother Seton Hospital waiting to be checked-in a room and is scheduled to have blood transfusion. Her platelet count was too high and her hemoglobin was too low. My aunt said that it's anemia and that her doctor still has to check if it is because of lupus or malignancy. There was also this anticipation that we might transfer to St. John Hospital if my aunt couldn't get a room at MSH.
I arrived 7:30pm at the emergency room of MSH. I asked the nurse at the information booth and she directed me to Row 9 where my aunt was currently resting while waiting for a room. My aunt looked normal at first but her paleness was quite disturbing. I honestly thought that she was okay; she was chatting with her visitors, she was joking and she was even seated on her bed. However, her bestfriend, Auntie Susan told me that we might need bags of type AB blood for my aunt. Without thinking twice, I started calling the staff of ADNU's Office of Student Affairs.
By practice, whenever a student, an employee or an Alumni would need a bag of blood from the Blood Bank, the first office that they would run to is ADNU's Office of Student Affairs (OSA). OSA has been conducting a bloodletting drive twice a year, one in July and the other is in December. The number of donors has also been increasing every year. I had the chance to donate blood thrice, I think, and it was because of the fact that my blood type, AB, is very rare. I just wanted to make sure that if anyone needs an AB blood type, there is one available. I never really thought that I would be needing the same bag of blood that I once donated, tonight.
It was 9:00pm when my aunt was finally admitted to a room. Her best friend and my other aunt, mama's eldest sister, was trying to talk to the nurse-on-duty at the Laboratory if the hospital could provide the blood tonight. The nurse said that there was none available at BMC but when Auntie Mary called Dr. Litam, we learned that there are two bags available in BMC. The problem was, we need a clearance from the barangay and other requirements that I never took note of. While the nurse was explaining all these requirements to us, I told her that I was a blood donor in Ateneo and I have the same blood type as my aunt. Her face lightened up and instead of putting us into so much stress, she issued us a promissory note and she just asked me to request the letter of endorsement from ADNU tomorrow. Immediately, we went to BMC, told the same information to the nurse-in-charge and in 20 minutes, we were driving back to MSH carrying the two bags of type AB blood. Later by midnight, the blood transfusion will take place.
I am really grateful to ADNU's Office of Student Affairs for making it easy for us to have access on our much needed hemoglobin. If Dugong Atenista was never implemented, it might take days before we could have that two bags of blood. I am also deeply indebted to the anonymous donor who was so selfless in donating his/her own blood knowing that much preparation is also needed before one could really qualify as a donor. Thank you also to my friends who helped me get in touch with OSA and to Tim who stayed by my side and kept me strong.
So to you, who is reading this, if you have an opportunity to donate blood, do so. You will never really know when you might need it back. Your name might be anonymous to the recipient but I swear to you, that person will forever be grateful to you because you, ANONYMOUS DONOR, gave that person the chance to live again, to be with his family for countless days and to be a possible donor in the future.
Please, support ADNU's Dugong Atenista or any bloodletting drive organized by your community.
I arrived 7:30pm at the emergency room of MSH. I asked the nurse at the information booth and she directed me to Row 9 where my aunt was currently resting while waiting for a room. My aunt looked normal at first but her paleness was quite disturbing. I honestly thought that she was okay; she was chatting with her visitors, she was joking and she was even seated on her bed. However, her bestfriend, Auntie Susan told me that we might need bags of type AB blood for my aunt. Without thinking twice, I started calling the staff of ADNU's Office of Student Affairs.
By practice, whenever a student, an employee or an Alumni would need a bag of blood from the Blood Bank, the first office that they would run to is ADNU's Office of Student Affairs (OSA). OSA has been conducting a bloodletting drive twice a year, one in July and the other is in December. The number of donors has also been increasing every year. I had the chance to donate blood thrice, I think, and it was because of the fact that my blood type, AB, is very rare. I just wanted to make sure that if anyone needs an AB blood type, there is one available. I never really thought that I would be needing the same bag of blood that I once donated, tonight.
It was 9:00pm when my aunt was finally admitted to a room. Her best friend and my other aunt, mama's eldest sister, was trying to talk to the nurse-on-duty at the Laboratory if the hospital could provide the blood tonight. The nurse said that there was none available at BMC but when Auntie Mary called Dr. Litam, we learned that there are two bags available in BMC. The problem was, we need a clearance from the barangay and other requirements that I never took note of. While the nurse was explaining all these requirements to us, I told her that I was a blood donor in Ateneo and I have the same blood type as my aunt. Her face lightened up and instead of putting us into so much stress, she issued us a promissory note and she just asked me to request the letter of endorsement from ADNU tomorrow. Immediately, we went to BMC, told the same information to the nurse-in-charge and in 20 minutes, we were driving back to MSH carrying the two bags of type AB blood. Later by midnight, the blood transfusion will take place.
I am really grateful to ADNU's Office of Student Affairs for making it easy for us to have access on our much needed hemoglobin. If Dugong Atenista was never implemented, it might take days before we could have that two bags of blood. I am also deeply indebted to the anonymous donor who was so selfless in donating his/her own blood knowing that much preparation is also needed before one could really qualify as a donor. Thank you also to my friends who helped me get in touch with OSA and to Tim who stayed by my side and kept me strong.
So to you, who is reading this, if you have an opportunity to donate blood, do so. You will never really know when you might need it back. Your name might be anonymous to the recipient but I swear to you, that person will forever be grateful to you because you, ANONYMOUS DONOR, gave that person the chance to live again, to be with his family for countless days and to be a possible donor in the future.
Please, support ADNU's Dugong Atenista or any bloodletting drive organized by your community.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Mishaps & Fortune
I know that they usually associate the month of August with drought, financially. According to my mom, while I was growing up, August is a month where there is lesser income in our business and it seemed like a month's salary is never enough for an ordinary employee. However, if that would be the case, then for some, it's like "August" every month. I guess some of you will agree.
August 2012 is an extreme month for me. It was this month that I receive three job offers from multi-national companies but I ended up declining all their offer. It rarely happened to me being offered the same job from different companies, all with enticing remuneration package. Yet, my heart was telling to say NO and say YES to my mom on her request for me to stay in Bicol.
August 18, 2012, our beloved ex-mayor died in a plane crash. DILG Secretary Jesse Manalastas Robredo, a good man and an exemplary public servant, had an accident while he was on his way home from Cebu to Naga City. He was trying to catch the awarding of his youngest daughter when the Cessna plane that he was on had engine failure. He was found 180 ft below sea and 800 meters from the shore. Yorme's body lies at the Archbishop's Palace now where a number of Naguenos would patiently wait for their turn to see the casket of their beloved 'Pogi'.
August 20, 2012. I almost lost my Blackberry Torch when a stranger tried to snatch the phone from my bag. Good thing an honest lady called my attention so I was able to run after the thief. I really thank the Lord for the two security guards who followed me and never left my side until the thief returned my BB.
August 22, 2012. Finally, Ligaya's dream is coming true. I can't share it yet but it's for a good cause. I will blog about it as soon as everything is final.
P.S. I am sorry if there is no coherence on my blog. I just need to share all these things before I forget them.
August 2012 is an extreme month for me. It was this month that I receive three job offers from multi-national companies but I ended up declining all their offer. It rarely happened to me being offered the same job from different companies, all with enticing remuneration package. Yet, my heart was telling to say NO and say YES to my mom on her request for me to stay in Bicol.
August 18, 2012, our beloved ex-mayor died in a plane crash. DILG Secretary Jesse Manalastas Robredo, a good man and an exemplary public servant, had an accident while he was on his way home from Cebu to Naga City. He was trying to catch the awarding of his youngest daughter when the Cessna plane that he was on had engine failure. He was found 180 ft below sea and 800 meters from the shore. Yorme's body lies at the Archbishop's Palace now where a number of Naguenos would patiently wait for their turn to see the casket of their beloved 'Pogi'.
August 20, 2012. I almost lost my Blackberry Torch when a stranger tried to snatch the phone from my bag. Good thing an honest lady called my attention so I was able to run after the thief. I really thank the Lord for the two security guards who followed me and never left my side until the thief returned my BB.
August 22, 2012. Finally, Ligaya's dream is coming true. I can't share it yet but it's for a good cause. I will blog about it as soon as everything is final.
P.S. I am sorry if there is no coherence on my blog. I just need to share all these things before I forget them.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Favors from God
Ever since I had been attending the Christian Church, I have been consistently receiving graces from the Lord. Everyday, from the moment I open my eyes and feel the rays of the sun touching my skin, I would thank the Lord for giving me another day to live, to be with my loved ones and to do things which will please Him. However, there are days when God would usually go out of His way to make ordinary days EXTREMELY extraordinary. Just like today.
When I got to Bugis, I informed Kuya Ryvin that I won't be joining him anymore since I have been trying to look for the Church but I can't seem to find it. I ended up having breakfast/lunch at McDonalds. I had to eat because I was too hungry that I felt like my world was moving on its own :))
Kuya Ryvin had lunch at McDonalds and we met this cute girl who kept on smiling at us. I called her 'Mutya, the Singapore version'. She is about 3-4 years old and her eyes would literally lighten up whenever she smiles. We waved goodbye when we left and she shyly smiled at us and immediately buried her pretty face in her mom's lap. Then, we started walking towards 'Bugis Divisoria'. There, we found these amazing souvenir items being sold at a very reasonable price (I won't mention the price here though).
Moving on, after our Bugis Divisoria trip, we went to Orchard to meet Uncle Greg. However, they had to go the the Philippine Embassy first to arrange ate's passport renewal and we had to wait for them until 3:00pm. We decided to take a stroll at Isetann since we wanted to check the movies at Shaw Theaters. Kuya Ryvin and I were debating if we should watch the movie given our limited budget. We were already queuing to purchase our movie tickets when some random guy with his friends approached us and asked if we are watching Spiderman. He was giving us tickets that we thought is being sold to us but eventually, it turned out that he was giving two tickets to us for free. We were really caught off guard that we forgot to thank Mr. Stranger. We were still high with the 'favor' when we bumped into them and eventually, it gave us the opportunity to thank them a number of times for their kindheartedness. It also turned out that the tickets include a free meal.
After the movie, we met up with my uncle and we headed for Serangoon to purchase chocolates for his kids. We went to Value Dollar at Nex Mall to scout for the most affordable chocolates. We got the chocolates at a very affordable price. I just hope I won't go over the allowed 20kg baggage allowance.
Later on, uncle brought us to Carl's JR for dinner. I somehow felt awkward choosing our meals because the cheapest meal there is about $6.00. Imagine converting it to peso, it would cost around p200 per person! I decided to order the cheapest meal for me and Kuya Ryvin but our bill still totaled to 45 SGD which is about p1,485. The good thing though is that the drinks are refillable but I doubt if one could still afford refilling his glass because the serving is really big! When our orders arrived, you could imagine the look on our face when we saw the burger. It was bigger than my palm! Look!
Kuya Ryvin and I were supposed to meet up at the Good Shepherd Church to attend the 10:00am mass but something 'extraordinary' happened. I woke up at 8:00am and prepped up immediately. As soon as I was done washing my hair, the water just suddenly stopped flowing! I can't help but grin and be thankful that I woke up early today than usual. I left the house at 8:45am and I started looking for bus 960, unfortunately, I forgot to check where the bus station is. I just assumed when I checked the route in google maps that it will pick up the passengers at the Bukit Panjang Interchange (which is my normal experience by the way) but the bus number is not on the list. I tried asking the owner of the only Filipino store here in our area and she gladly directed me to the bus station. Again, a mistake, I forgot to ask which side of the road I should be on. To cut the story short, I went on the wrong lane and instead of going to Bugis, I ended up going to Kranji. The alloted travel time from our place to Bugis is about 45 minutes and since I wasted at least 20 minutes of the travel time just because I rode on the wrong lane, as expected, I was not able to attend the mass.
When I got to Bugis, I informed Kuya Ryvin that I won't be joining him anymore since I have been trying to look for the Church but I can't seem to find it. I ended up having breakfast/lunch at McDonalds. I had to eat because I was too hungry that I felt like my world was moving on its own :))
I decided to have Filet-O-Fish and orange juice for my brunch. It was quite expensive though. This meal cost me around $7.00. Imagine how expensive this meal is :(
As soon as I finished my meal, I texted Kuya Ryvin that I will try to look for the church again. I passed by the National Library and SMU. When CHIMES caught my eye, I knew I was on the right track. Yes, I found my way to the church but the mass was about to end when I arrived. I decided to offer a simple prayer instead and since it was my first time in the Church, I offered a wish.
We bought 6 sets of these surprisingly nice key chains and I even got the magnets for free. This is the first international magnet that I'd put on refrigerator. Yes, I do collect fridge magnets because it reminds me of the happy memories of a particular trip. I am hoping to collect more :) Too bad, I forgot to buy magnets when we went to Malaysia.
Moving on, after our Bugis Divisoria trip, we went to Orchard to meet Uncle Greg. However, they had to go the the Philippine Embassy first to arrange ate's passport renewal and we had to wait for them until 3:00pm. We decided to take a stroll at Isetann since we wanted to check the movies at Shaw Theaters. Kuya Ryvin and I were debating if we should watch the movie given our limited budget. We were already queuing to purchase our movie tickets when some random guy with his friends approached us and asked if we are watching Spiderman. He was giving us tickets that we thought is being sold to us but eventually, it turned out that he was giving two tickets to us for free. We were really caught off guard that we forgot to thank Mr. Stranger. We were still high with the 'favor' when we bumped into them and eventually, it gave us the opportunity to thank them a number of times for their kindheartedness. It also turned out that the tickets include a free meal.
Upon entering Lido 4, we were given a sweet-flavored regular popcorn and a pepsi bottle for our snacks. I can't help but grin because it was the flavor that I like and I was also kind of hungry that time and I was even thinking of buying snacks since we were already spared of the expense for the ticket. It was also a coincidence that we did not have to rush to the restroom since the theater has one. Yes! Lido 4 has its own restroom inside the theater. See how blessed we are? :)
After the movie, we met up with my uncle and we headed for Serangoon to purchase chocolates for his kids. We went to Value Dollar at Nex Mall to scout for the most affordable chocolates. We got the chocolates at a very affordable price. I just hope I won't go over the allowed 20kg baggage allowance.
We bought enough chocolates for Uncle's kids and he gave me one pack of Mars and Snickers. Yes, I am intending of keeping it to myself :)) I might still change my mind though, I can always share these chocolates anyway.
Later on, uncle brought us to Carl's JR for dinner. I somehow felt awkward choosing our meals because the cheapest meal there is about $6.00. Imagine converting it to peso, it would cost around p200 per person! I decided to order the cheapest meal for me and Kuya Ryvin but our bill still totaled to 45 SGD which is about p1,485. The good thing though is that the drinks are refillable but I doubt if one could still afford refilling his glass because the serving is really big! When our orders arrived, you could imagine the look on our face when we saw the burger. It was bigger than my palm! Look!
But since I was really, really hungry, I finished every piece of the burger :) You must be proud of me Tim! :) We stayed at the restaurant until 8:00pm. We talked and talked about our families, career and plans. We ended up with big bellies after consuming that crazy burger. Overall, I really had a great day and I thank the Lord for it, for the surprises and for the kindhearted stranger :)
Thank you, Singapore! :)
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
The Bucket List
Earlier today, I was trying to recall where I wrote my original bucket list. I am not sure if I was brave enough to share it to my pseudo-readers (if I have any at all) or I just tried to keep it to myself then will just blog about the experience once I crossed out the particular item in my bucket list. Hmm.. I think I would prefer the former :)
To give you a short background, the so called bucket list started with the movie with the same title. It was shown in 2007 which starred Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. Freeman was a mechanic while Nicholson was a billionaire who also owned the hospital where they are both confined at. They both had lung cancer and eventually they became friends while they were undergoing the treatment. It was Freeman who started writing the 'things that he wanted to do before he dies' while Carter, while learning about Freeman's plans, offered to finance his 'trips'.
I came across the story because of Kuya Egz. Kuya Egz, whom I fondly call 'Gier', is one of the best people in the university whom you can consult about music and movies. When I say consult, it's like if you're looking for a music for a particular formation session, music that has meaning, then he is the 'guy'. As for movies, he may have seen almost all the tear-jerker movies of every decade and he can easily recommend what is best, let's say for a particular session or if you are simply looking for a quality movie that you can watch over the weekend. Yes, he is the king of soundtrack and films.
Back to my bucket list. I tried to remember the things that I originally wrote and perhaps I will be adding more in the near future. What's important is that I was able to document my bucket list this time. So, here goes.
Tintin's Bucket List
1. Learn how to swim (I partly know how to swim now, am just trying to practice the intervals in breathing and the hand stroke during for a freestyle)
2. Travel to one foreign place every year (I did this for the last two years and this year was my first international trip)
3. Be employed in a foreign country (*fingers crossed*)
4. Get married at the age of 26 (Maybe I could make it 27, in case)
5. Learn how to play the guitar (Still thinking when I could do this)
6. Learn how to drive (When? Soon?)
7. Name my daughter Sophia Danielle
8. Have at least 3 dogs in my OWN house
9. Talk to a random stranger and offer him/her a ride home
10. Learn how to cook
11. Have my own website
12. Sing infront of 1,000 people
13. Give my mom her dream shop - her own flower shop
14. Admit to one person that I was crushing on him
15. Learn one foreign language
16. Learn how to surf
To give you a short background, the so called bucket list started with the movie with the same title. It was shown in 2007 which starred Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. Freeman was a mechanic while Nicholson was a billionaire who also owned the hospital where they are both confined at. They both had lung cancer and eventually they became friends while they were undergoing the treatment. It was Freeman who started writing the 'things that he wanted to do before he dies' while Carter, while learning about Freeman's plans, offered to finance his 'trips'.
I came across the story because of Kuya Egz. Kuya Egz, whom I fondly call 'Gier', is one of the best people in the university whom you can consult about music and movies. When I say consult, it's like if you're looking for a music for a particular formation session, music that has meaning, then he is the 'guy'. As for movies, he may have seen almost all the tear-jerker movies of every decade and he can easily recommend what is best, let's say for a particular session or if you are simply looking for a quality movie that you can watch over the weekend. Yes, he is the king of soundtrack and films.
Back to my bucket list. I tried to remember the things that I originally wrote and perhaps I will be adding more in the near future. What's important is that I was able to document my bucket list this time. So, here goes.
Tintin's Bucket List
1. Learn how to swim (I partly know how to swim now, am just trying to practice the intervals in breathing and the hand stroke during for a freestyle)
2. Travel to one foreign place every year (I did this for the last two years and this year was my first international trip)
3. Be employed in a foreign country (*fingers crossed*)
4. Get married at the age of 26 (Maybe I could make it 27, in case)
5. Learn how to play the guitar (Still thinking when I could do this)
6. Learn how to drive (When? Soon?)
7. Name my daughter Sophia Danielle
8. Have at least 3 dogs in my OWN house
9. Talk to a random stranger and offer him/her a ride home
10. Learn how to cook
11. Have my own website
12. Sing infront of 1,000 people
13. Give my mom her dream shop - her own flower shop
14. Admit to one person that I was crushing on him
15. Learn one foreign language
16. Learn how to surf
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Tintin Risked
by: Karl Llorin
Tintin laughed
Tintin wept
Tintin reached out and got involved
Tintin shared her ideas, dreams to each one of us
Tintin loved us and is loved in return
Tintin lives
Tintin believed
Tintin tried
Tintin risked
Tintin is really something
Tintin suffered
Tintin learned
Tintin changed
And if you did not notice, Tintin grew
Tintin is free
(Based from risk poem)
Tintin laughed
Tintin wept
Tintin reached out and got involved
Tintin shared her ideas, dreams to each one of us
Tintin loved us and is loved in return
Tintin lives
Tintin believed
Tintin tried
Tintin risked
Tintin is really something
Tintin suffered
Tintin learned
Tintin changed
And if you did not notice, Tintin grew
Tintin is free
(Based from risk poem)
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Courage
Funny how I suddenly remembered ‘Courage, the
Cowardly Dog’, a cartoon series on Cartoon Network, while I was trying to look
for a good title for my blog. I am not good with taglines nor coming up with
creative names or titles for any event. Maybe creativity is not part of my
system, maybe not yet or perhaps I am creative, it’s just that I can express it
in a different outlet.
Courage. My personal definition of courage
is simple; it is an intrinsic drive that can surmount any fear. I think all of
us are afraid of something. It could be fear of insects, events or
circumstances or simply fear towards another person. In my case, I have always
been afraid of spiders and the water.
Fear of water. Don’t get me wrong here, I
meant that I am afraid to drown that is why whenever our family would go out
for a swim, I would usually enjoy the part where we would savor the flavorful
scent of the food and let our taste buds complete the craving. I love being in
the water but since all I do is to submerge myself in the pool eventually,
I would end up shivering because I am literally doing nothing. I even
remembered when my brother and I were still young, I dared him for a water
race. I pretended that I was swimming but the truth was, my feet were guiding
me in the sands while I was trying to move my arms as if I was doing the usual
arm movement of a swimmer. He eventually realized that I was cheating.
I honestly cannot recall where my fear of
water came about. What I know is that it was a struggle for me to trust my life
to the water. I enjoyed going to the beach or the pool but it would have been
more meaningful if I knew how to swim. Then alas! Another pool gathering was on
the way. It was the annual Ateneo Personnel Club’s rest and recreation. It was
an event that everyone was looking forward to. This year, the officers agreed
to extend the invitation to the family members, I decided to invite Tim.
May 12, 2012. A day that I can never forget.
It was the day when I gathered all my courage to try again to learn how to
swim. Tim has been teaching me for a while now but I seem too hard-headed to
listen to him. ‘I will drown’ was always my mindset whenever I tried to do the
most basic in swimming, to float. I did not know what came across my mind that
night but I said to myself ‘it’s either I learn now or I will never enjoy the
water’. Drowning was no longer an option.
I tried to relax, inhaled all the air that
my lungs can accommodate and suddenly I found myself floating, with my eyes
open and appreciating the luminescence of the stars. I did it! I conquered my
fear! I never knew it felt this good. I never imagined that I could stay in the
pool until 2:00 in the morning without getting bored. I never knew that I could
also do the breathing techniques. I never knew all these things if I did not
try. Finally, I can partly cross out ‘Learn how to swim’ in my bucket list.
Yes, partly because I intend to practice more. Hopefully, I could do the same
with my fear of spiders but it will be a process, a long process.
Trying and risking. These are one of the few
things that I learned in life. One will never know if they will not try, if
they will not risk. I did these a number of times, particularly in my career.
Just like now, I risked my job to try my luck in a foreign land. I am bound for
Singapore on May 19, 2012, it will be a new chapter that will be unfolded with
God’s grace. I remembered one of my aunt asking while we were having the usual
family breakfast after the church service if I was nervous. I said no, I knew
in my heart that this is what I wanted. I knew in my heart that it is what God
also desired for me. I knew these because I prayed for it and God gave me the
signs that I needed. I am not afraid because I know HE will be with me. What
would you fear if you have God beside you right?
Perhaps this is the reason why I am never
afraid to risk. I am never afraid to let go, because I know that HE has greater
plans for me. I don’t know but everything will REALLY fall into place if you
pray for it. To be honest, leaving the country was already my plan 3 years ago
and it took a while before God gave me the sign that I am ready to go. I think
He prepared me for it, He prepared my family for it and most importantly, He
prepared me spiritually. It really took a lot of patience on my part to wait. I
am not fond of ‘patience’ but He taught me the true meaning of patience, it is
leaving all your worries to Him and just let Him work. After all, there are a
lot of circumstances which are out of our control.
Maybe, just maybe, I have found a new
definition of courage. It is trusting God to work in your life because He knows
what is best for you.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Cravings
This is one of my favorite food from Bigg's. Their Tenderloin Tips is one of the best. Plus, when you get to dine with the coolest people, it's one deal that you shouldn't miss.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Ligaya ng Buhay Ko
These people made me stay in Ateneo. But who knows, we might still see each other somewhere :D
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