Still on 2010 - What the Stars Have for Me

2010 Horoscope for Scorpio

In 2010 year of the white Tiger natives of the zodiac sign Scorpio will be busy making money. This 2010 year you may await additional material values, extra money and new ways to earn it. The income will be on its maximum rise from February to November. But Saturn does not favor Scorpios-businessmen - the more they earn, the more they risk losing. Scorpios, who belong to artistic professions such as writers, artists, and musicians, in conformity with horoscope for the 2010 year of the white metal Tiger, will be luckier this 2010 year. In the middle of the Tigers year planet Saturn in Scorpios 2010 horoscope promises bright success to those born under your zodiac sign. Don't underestimate the communication with your relatives, this 2010 year they may render considerable help, especially in the beginning and middle of 2010 year of Tiger. It will be better to avoid fortune-tellers, healers, sorcerers and different sects during the 2010 year; otherwise Scorpios may easily fall under their influence and make several irretrievable mistakes.

In 2010 year of the metal Tiger the Scorpios career is marked by a slow yet constant decline. You will devote a lot of time to obtaining an additional education, making business trips. Many routine affairs will come out. This year of the Tiger in Scorpios 2010 horoscope May and June are the only favorable months for your career. In this time you will strike a bargain, which will bring excellent results in early 2011. In autumn 2010 you should be more cautious with money. And mind your promises! December 2010 will bring you affairs connected with ideology, religion, different cultures, and foreign languages. You will establish contacts with foreigners.

Your outstanding and emotional private life in 2010 year of the Tiger will make up for all the difficulties in your business! Spring and summer 2010 will be packed with bright impressions and new romantic acquaintances. In your horoscope 2010 Venus and Mercury will patron easy relationships - just what single tired Scorpios needed. Married or attached Scorpios throughout 2010 year of the Tiger will enjoy the warmth of family hearth.


2010 Chinese Horoscope for people born in Sheep years:
1907, 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003.

If your birthday is before February 4, then your astrological sign is Horse, not Sheep. (Verify Your Sign)

Sheep people shouldn't have had any great fortune in 2009, year of Cow. This is because Cow and Sheep have a fighting relationship, which brings very poor luck to people. In 2010, year of Tiger, there are many Lucky Stars coming into Sheep people's life. Those signs shows Sheep people have good career luck, people relationship, financial status and love relationship in 2010. However, when Sheep meets Tiger, sheep always have pressure. Therefore, Sheep people need to become smarter and act stronger during the Tiger year. Then 2010 will be an easy year for them.

Career: Tiger brings Sheep pressure. Therefore, career pressure will exist during the year of Tiger. The good news is you have a job. The better news is you have a two Sky Helper and Moon Helper Stars in 2010. Whenever you have difficulty or trouble in your task, you can get help from people close to you. Also, you will become smarter in the Metal Tiger. You will have more creativity or have an outstanding idea to show people. Then you will gain the reputation from your boss and coworkers. If you have any chance to sign a contract for your business or career future, then you have better advice from people. Make sure you understand the contract to avoid any entanglement in agreement later.

Money: Sheep people have both Moon Star and Happy Star appearing in the Metal Tiger year. This clearly means that your talent, performance and reputation bring good income for you in 2010. If you own a business, then you will see your business booming and your profit growing. However, you cannot gamble your money luck into a short-term risky investment. This is because that you have an Unlucky Star showing that there is a hole in your pocket. Your money is leaking while you are earning. Either you spend more time and energy to watch your financial management, or make some donations to charity to prevent from money loss from other investments.

Love: Sheep people shouldn't have had good love relationship in 2009. There are two Lucky Stars, Sky Helper and Happy Star, showing in the Tiger year. They are the good sign for people relationship and love relationship. Therefore, Sheep people will have more social activities and have more chances to meet the opposite sex. If you are still single, people around you might introduce a match for you. If you have girl friend or boy friend, then both of you will have closer love relationship, even a marriage opportunity. If you are married, then 2010 will be one of great marriage years in your life. Young couple might have a new born child arriving. But if married people try for a new relationship, then it has a chance to cause big money loss, because Tiger is watching Sheep.

Health: Sheep people have many happy happenings in year of Tiger. The good mood will bring good health. But there is an Unlucky Star in the health area. That means you still need to pay attention the safety when driving or working. The most important area is that Sheep people must watch for the health of family members. If you have elders or sick relative at home, you should check their health condition often. Since you have a Moon Star in 2010, the health of family members shouldn't cause a big issue. Also, if it's possible that Sheep people don't attend any funeral in the year of Tiger.

Fortune: There are many good signs for Sheep people in 2010. Career, reputation and wealth have good opportunities. But your intelligence and courage are required to reach your dreams. The social and love relationship will bring you a happy mood in 2010. If you are married with children, you might have trouble taking care of your career and children at the same time. If you are a married female, then you don't have enough time for your kids, husband and your own career. Sheep people have good luck in the year of Tiger. They should spend more time taking care of their relatives or help other needy people.

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Dear God - My Wish List for 2010

Countdown till 2010 - 3 days.

Dear God,

Thank you for the year that was - 2009. It was a bittersweet year for me. All the joys and pains that I have experienced this year surely made me better and stronger. Saying goodbye to familiar faces and places made me appreciate what I have left - a husband who loves me and a weird but happy family. As I say goodbye to this year, I welcome the year ahead with a hopeful heart. I pray that it would be a brighter year. I also have the following wish list, and I hope they all come true.

- I want to find the meaning for my existence, to realize my potential and to appreciate the gifts that I have.
- I want to be able to continue my Wednesday Novena to the Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
- I want to finally get pregnant, and if I do, I want to reach full term safely and deliver a healthy and normal baby this year.
- I want to find a stable source of income ( a job that I will love and who will love me back, business ventures, etc.) to augment our finances and settle all our obligations.
- I want to increase our savings.
- I want to celebrate our 2nd year Anniversary abroad.
- I want to clean our apartment, say goodbye to the things that we really don't need, and find more storage space.
- I want to buy a car.
- I want to move in to our very own condo unit in the first quarter of 2010.
- I want to have more movie and dinner dates with my husband.
- I want to spend more time alone to reflect.
- I want to read more books - 1 or 2 books a month would be fine - 1 fiction and 1 non-fiction.
- I want to have regular visits to the salon and spa because I just turned 30 and I want to maintain my youthful glow. Hmm, I can't even remember the last time I had a facial!
- I want to be able to shop on a whim.
- I want the Noynoy - Mar tandem to win as I am hopeful that they will serve our country and people best.
- I want a better economy and more opportunities for prosperity.
- I want to look for opportunities to help the children and the elderly.
- I want to find time to volunteer for PAWS.
- I want to reconnect with my old friends and see how many of them are still my friends.
- I want to study make-up.
- I want to bake.
- I want to master cooking Caldereta, Kare-Kare and Sisig.
- I want to eat more fruits and vegetables.
- I want to spend more time with my family and pets.
- I want to listen to The Morning Rush regularly like what I used to do when I was in college.
- I want to create different playlists that will suit my every mood.
- I want to travel abroad - Bangkok, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia.
- I want to travel locally - Busuanga, Bohol, Palawan.
- I want no more climate change-related tragedies.
- I want peace at home and in myself.
- I want to become better in everything I do.

Thank you, Dear God.

Your daughter who's now 30 - Ian :-)

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So This is Christmas

Hope you had a Merry Christmas. I did. Despite the disappointments and frustrations. Allergies and windburn. I can still say that my Christmas went well - except for the fact that my husband and I weren't able to hear mass because of my terrible allergies.

So what happened? We were expecting that Dec 25 will bring answer to our prayer for a baby. As it was the date when I was supposed to take a pregnancy test to see if the treatment went well. Sad to say, I had my period on Christmas Eve - while we were busy having our Noche Buena. So my OB asked me to see her on the 28th - prescribed Clomid since Femara is too expensive and it didn't work, and scheduled me for an appointment again on Jan 5. After that, I suppose, we will try out Intra Uterine Insemination (IUI). Hopefully this will work for 2010.

Days before that, I had the most outrageous allergies. I only remember wrapping all the Christmas presents for half a day, then I took a shower afterwards. Hours later, my palms were itching. I saw small blisters around my palms. Then it became worse the next day so we went to see a Derma. The day after Christmas we went back to the Derma because my condition didn't improve. So she gave me medicines - Celestamine, Zithromax, Cytobiologische Tablets and Ataraxid - I feel like a drug addict - too many drugs! Ugh. Now my allergies are almost gone. Hopefully they will all go with 2009. But then I still have this wind burn. I can't wear lipstick and my Burt's Bees lip balm isn't working well either. Anyhow..

But then as I said, my Christmas wasn't that bad. My husband and I were able to bring good cheer to our loved ones - despite my being unemployed for the past month, we were able to buy gifts for the people dear to us. We were also able to gift each other a Lacoste shirt (violet, matching!), which will now be an official tradition for both of us. Last year we had it in blue, let's see what color we'll get for next year!

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What's Keeping Me Busy?

Yes, I am now unemployed. But I'm still enjoying it so I'm not yet on the lookout for a new job until 2010. Let me share with you our new bundle of joy in the family. On November 4, my parents brought home a baby boy. He is now officially part of the family and I named him Johann Jacob. He is our new bunso. He's so cute and adorable. I hope he'll grow up to be a good boy.

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SAHW at 30

I am entering week 1 of my new life as a stay at home wife (SAHW). Some women call themselves SAHM or WAHM, because they are Moms already (M in the acronym stands for mom). I wish I could call myself a SAHM or a WAHM too, soon. So what happened, you might want to ask.. I left a well-paying, nine-to-six job in one of America's trusted banks located at the Bonifacio Global City just last Thursday, a day after I turned 30. The reason? I realized that I value family over work and I could not compromise having to work even half day on my birthday. I had a disagreement with my boss. Maybe we just had different principles. I don't want to force myself to go to work on my 30th birthday - I felt that if I do, I would one day look back full of resentment, simply because I chose to be a good employee rather than a good daughter, sister and wife. I was also scared that since my request for leave to celebrate my 30th birthday was disapproved, what then, would be approved? It should have been my boss' present to me - as there was nothing urgent for me to attend to at work on that day, but he chose not to. So I chose to go ahead with my birthday as planned. I even received a call from my boss the night before my birthday which somehow appears to be a threat of sanctioning me for insubordination if I don't report for work on my birthday. I told him I was sorry, but I really couldn't make it and I have prepared myself for the worst on my return to work. I did.

The day after my birthday, I finished what I had to do and handed my boss my resignation letter. I was prepared for it because I won't be happy working with him anymore, because even if the threat of insubordination was not there, the statements that he made the day before my birthday were really something that I wasn't expecting to come from him. My boss and I had a good working relationship which dates back on my CVG days - he was the one who invited me to join the bank after I left CVG. But then after what happened, I just know that we could never go back to where we used to be.

I'm not mad at him, I understand that he just had to stand by his principles as much as I had to stand by mine. I felt sad for leaving my new team behind, though. I've learned to get to know them on a deeper level. We have plans laid out for their career development - one of my passions
is to develop talents in an organization. But it all had to end so quickly. I wasn't able to say goodbye to them. I just sent them a text message last Friday, which happens to be my first day as in the world of the unemployed. Two out of my five staff replied, the rest did not.

Oh before I forget, I also realized that one of my "friends" in facebook who also happened to work in the same bank, and who used to work in CVG as well, has been reporting my facebook status to my boss and who knows, maybe to those countless others who are not in the loop. My boss told me on our last conversation that I have to be careful with what I write on facebook as it might be grounds for some legal action by the bank. What the? I never mentioned the company's name in any of my posts and I believe it's my right as the owner of the facebook account to write whatever status I feel like writing as long as I don't post libelous comments or anything obscene.

Anyhow, I'm fine. A lot better. Maybe this hiatus from work would take me where I really want to be - a successful entrepreneur and homemaker. And of course, since I am now work-stress-free, I can focus on my TTC goal - get pregnant in a month or two! :-)

It was all worth it, I can say. My birthday celebration was fun and very meaningful. I'm happy and so excited to be a SAHW at 30. :-)

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One month and counting

It's been a month since I joined the company where I am working now. So far, so good. There are times when I miss my former team in CVG, the biggest team of 10 I've handled. At one month, I'm still getting to know each member of my new team. I'm still learning the best approach to use for them.

I can say that I am lucky to have this job - nine-to-six, a considerate boss, prime location, great compensation package, focused work assignment. I just miss my old team, my associations, the privilege of autonomy and flexibility, the familiarity, my nice and big workstation.

But then this is it. This is where I should be now. I'm over and done with CVG. I just have to do what I should - work.

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Saying goodbye to Tarzan

Tarzan was our good old red Mitsubishi Lancer '82 car. We've had lots of happy memories with him. He's been our car for as long as I can remember. Tonight, I received a text message from my mom saying Tarzan has been towed away by his buyer. Tarzan hasn't been in good condition for almost a year already. And then came Ondoy. Tarzan was half sunk at the height of the flood brought about by that terrible typhoon. When I got my first pay last week, I thought of reviving Tarzan. I was glad that my husband agreed. But then yesterday morning. when we sought the help of a friend who knows a lot about cars, he said that it would cost us way more than our budget to revive Tarzan, given his current state which was worsened by the flood. And that was when we gave up. Part of me blames my dad because he didn't take good care of Tarzan. Mom and I and I'm sure my brothers, too are sad because we will really miss Tarzan who became an essential part of our family. He brought me to work during my crazy shift years at CVG, he brought us to the hospital when we were sick, to the malls, family gatherings, and bonding activities when we were younger. How do you say goodbye to an old friend who has been there all along? I know this post sounds crazy,but this is how we are in my family - we are crazy sentimental people.. well, at least my mom's side. Thank you Tarzan. We will always remember you.

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Unang sweldo

Dinner was on me last Saturday. My family had a happy dinner at Chili's Morato to celebrate my first salary. It has been a tradition. See photos taken using our Canon EOS 500D. :-)

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Where are you now?

Heard this song playing on the radio of the cab on my way home one traffic night. I couldn't help but look back on the memories of the people who came my way. This song describes how I sometimes feel wheneverI wonder where these people are, whatever happened to them and will we ever cross paths again. We need people - good or bad, as our encounters with them teach us and mold us into becoming who we are. So, to the people I've met and lost, to the people who stayed with me, to my grade school, high school, college, grad school friends, my former officemates and colleagues, my teachers, my former crushes, my former loves, my pets, my relatives, my enemies (if there were any), and all those whom I happened to cross paths with - Thank you. If it wasn't for you I will never be who I am.

WHERE ARE YOU NOW
Honor Society

To my favorite teacher
Who told me never give up
To my 5th grade crush
Who I thought I really loved
To the guys I missed
And the girls we kissed
Where are you now?

To my ex-best friends
Don´t know how we grew apart
To my favorite band
And sing-alongs in my car
To the face I see
In my memories
Where are you now?

Where are you now?
Cause I´m thinking of you
You showed me how
How to live like I do
If it wasn´t for you
I would never be who I am

To my first girlfriend
I thought for sure was the one
To my last girlfriend
Sorry that I screwed it up
To the ones I loved
But didn't show it enough
Where are you now?

Where are you now?
Cause I'm thinking of you
You showed me how,
[ Honor Society Lyrics are found on www.songlyrics.com ]
how to live like I do
If it wasnt for you
I would never be who I am.

And I'll never see those days again
And things will never be that way again
But thats just how it goes,
People change,
But I know
I wont forget you

- guitar solo -

To the ones who cared
And who were there from the start
To the love that left
and took a piece of my heart
To the few who´d swear
I´d never go anywhere
Where are you now?

Where are you now?
Cause I´m thinking of you
You showed me how
How to live like I do
If it wasn´t for you
I would never be who I am

If it wasn´t for you
I would never be who I am
If it wasn´t for you
I´d be nothing
Where are you now?

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Updates!

It's been over a month since I last updated my blog. So many things have happened as days have gone by soo fast. Here's a run down of what I've been through:

1. A New 9-6 Job

Yes, I re-joined the corporate world effective Sept 16. So far, I'm happy with my work. People are nice, the office is great (I'm now working at The Fort), work is more focused, I have a considerate boss, I'm surrounded by a few familiar faces, and I have a normal schedule. The only drawback is that my sched is within the rush hour so it's pretty hard to find a nice cabbie as most of them are allergic to EDSA.

2. Typhoon Ondoy

My husband and I have experienced riding in a 6x6 truck of the AFP. This was during the height of typhoon Ondoy, when we accompanied the AFP team to rescue my in-laws in Provident Village, Marikina. We waited for the rescue team in Camp Aguinaldo and were asked to accompany them because they were not familiar with the place. Ondoy really left a scar in the hearts and minds of the Filipinos. We were lucky that none of our relatives was hurt and our apartment was not affected by the flood. But then my heart goes out to the victims especially those who have lost their loved ones.

3. 2 + 2

My husband and I have been living in a small apartment, just the 2 of us, since we got married. Except for our kitty, Tweety, our small unit is now housing 2 more people. My father in law and uncle in law stay at home every night while they are still cleaning up the mess left by Ondoy in their house. The house is not yet livable, so to speak, so they had to stay with us for the meantime. Quite an adjustment for us since we've been so used with just the 2 of us, but it's ok so far.

4. 10 Years

We celebrated our 10th anniversary as a couple with a gadget blast! Well, thanks to my retirement and our savings, we were able to buy 2 dream gadgets - a Canon EOS500D and an Asus K40IJ laptop (which I am using for the first time as I write this blog)! We had dinner at Seven Corners in Crowne Plaza to celebrate the occasion in a more intimate and gustatory way! :-)

5. LIT, LAT and NK Cells

2 weeks after our 3rd LIT session with Dr. Lara Aleta, we tested for LAT and NK Cells. The result was good (63%), but we needed another session to hit the target which is 80%. So we had our 4th and hopefully last LIT on Oct 8. NK Cells test results are now within range, thanks to Sis Regina Liu's acupuncture expertise. We'll consult with Dr. Chiaoling Sua-Lao soon. I can almost see the green light for us to go TTC again! :-)

So that's what I've been up to the past month.. Now that I have a new laptop, I will blog more often! :-)

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New Moon Trailer - mtv version :-)

Weeee!!!! Sooo excited to see the movie!

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

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New Job, New Life

Thursday, September 3, was job offer day. The pay was a lot higher than I hoped for, plus the package is guaranteed 14 months. Shift is 9-6. Really better than Convergys. My boss is a former Senior Manager at CVG, who, I can say is a really good man. The only drawback was that I will be based in The Fort, a location that's still alien to me. But I am quite excited now that I saw the offer. Excited enough that I completed the pre-employment requirements in just one day. Now I'm all set to take the plunge. And I will just make the most of it for as long as I can. :-)

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Two roads...

... so many thoughts in my head. there are two roads to walk on and one road to choose...

Those were lines from the song "Thinking Over", from the soundtrack of Raising Helen. Love the movie, love the song. Those lines somewhat speak of what I feel right now. In a few, the person from the company where I will be working soon will give me the details of the job offer. But if I were to choose, between employment and being a stay at home or work at home wife, I'd choose the latter. I've come to enjoy thinking of the gazillion things to do at home. I don't get bored. I just love cleaning, decorating and organizing our space. And I enjoy planning our meals and cooking them. But is the choice mine to make? Nah. Well, at least not for now. We still can't afford it. Hubby cannot shoulder all the expenses alone. I have to help him bring home the bacon. With the cost of our apartment rent, condo amortization, the household bills/utilities, groceries, insurance and my super expensive treatment (LIT, tests, check-ups, meds) in preparation for pregnancy, I just have to pass up on the housewife dream. I do hope that our upcoming business becomes successful. Sorry but I really don't see myself confined in the office for a very long time. But given the need, I just have to take it. In the meantime...

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Popop's 9th Birthday

It was August 9, and my dear Popop turned 9. Here are some photos.

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I am now a Visitor

Almost a month ago, I was wearing this ID.



After a few days, I returned to the office to submit my clearance, and I was requested to wear this ID since I had to surrender my employee ID.

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Dog Labor

My husband and I saw these dogs, Habagat and Bagwis, along Morayta, Manila, several weeks ago. They are holding the basket with their mouth and people who want to take pictures of these dogs are requested to place their donations in the basket.. which, I believe, makes them heavier, so in effect, lalong mangangawit yung dogs.. Poor dogs.. Anyway, just lastweekend, we passed by the same road and we didn't see them there. I wonder where they are now.

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The LIT Experience

My husband and I were 30 minutes early for our 9am appointment at the Immunology Unit, PGH. We were accommodated, nonetheless, by their friendly staff. They filled 12 test tubes with Kristian's blood, which will be processed to be able to get the white blood cells which will later be injected to me. We were asked to come back at 12nn. We stayed at a nearby Jollibee and were able to read almost all of the editorials of the Philippine Star. Then we went to an internet shop right next to Jollibee, and accessed facebook and checked my emails. I was nervous when we went back to PGH. Dra. Lara Aleta came, and I was her first patient. She warned me that it will hurt a little and that there might be discomfort afterwards, and I can expect rashes, more pain and itching. And it did hurt. She had to do it in 2 areas of my left arm since she had to inject all the contents of the small vial. But she was good. It was kinda quick. She put bandage around the wounds after covering them with a clean cotton. She told me not to wet the area for 3 days. I should also not expose it to sunlight. After the procedure we bought some DVDs since it will be a long weekend, Friday being Ninoy Aquuino day. It's been almost 8 hours since the LIT. I feel fine. Except for the discomforts that I have been warned to expect. The area feels hot, and painful and itcy at the same time. I still have 3 more sessions to go. I really pray that all this pain, effort and money will have a beautiful outcome - a safe pregnancy and a healthy baby. :)

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On Giving and Taking

When are you supposed to draw the line between giving and taking? People say that when you give, you should not count nor expect anything in return. But then it can get nakakapagod at times, especially when you feel that what you are doing doesn't even get noticed, much less appreciated. Nakakapagod when you think you deserve a little reward but then it's not given your way, or if it is, people limit them to just too little. Nakakapagod when after getting your little share of reward, someone takes over and get much more than what you thought you've earned for your efforts. And when you speak up, they take it against you. And give you the silent treatment, the cold war. And then you ask yourself, do I deserve any of this? But then you know you don't. Because you've given your best and you're just getting your little reward, just little, not too much. Life!

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The Week After

It's been a week since my last day at work. A lot of things happened in between that last day and now. It was Thursday. And it was a stormy Thursday. Now, traces of the storm seemed to be all gone. I was able to process my clearance, had a good talk with my boss and had a chance to see some friends at work. Had my hair rebonded - nice! I also had a phone interview a week after that stormy Thursday, with a potential employer, another multinational company, but no longer a hard core call center/BPO. I met with a former senior colleague prior to the phone interview, as he was the one who offered the opening to me. The job sounds interesting - normal nine-to-five hours, focused area of specialization, and a reputable US based company.

I was able able to what I've always wanted to do - whip up really good meals, not the usual ulams hubby and I have on the table, but special ones. In the afternoon, my kitty, Tweety and I take our siesta. Then some cleaning and organizing on the side. Of course, I have more time to watch the TV now, so the cable bill gets utilized well.. Hehe. I still have a lot of things in my mind that I want to do while the new job starts. I want to study make-up, do some hard core blogging (my other blog), bake, get to level 34 on farm town, really clean and organize our apartment, give away stuff that we don't use or need anymore, organize our files on the computer, create new playlists on my music player, catch up on the movies I've missed and run a DVD marathon, watch Princess Hours again on DVD, read the Twilight saga once more, read more books - new ones, learn more about running a business, design more stuff for our upcoming business - all of those on top of our LIT sessions. See, I'm a busy woman. Now I'm currently CEO of the household. Beat that!

It wasn't as hard as I thought. I was able to go through the first week just fine. No regrets. I'm looking forward to a really brighter future.

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Closing Time

It was so unexpected. I thought I still had a week left. But then a brief and unbelievable conversation ended my 64-month tenure. Who says life is fair? My first day at Convergys was a Thursday. It was April 15, 2004. Who would've thought my last day will also be on a Thursday? Anyway... Here's the last email that I sent to let everyone know that I was leaving..

I wanted to take a moment to let you know that today is my last day at Convergys.

The last five years has been quite a journey. I was a witness to the tremendous growth of Convergys and the HR team: people who have come and gone, people who stayed, process improvements, manual to online, new policies and systems, etc. Through the years, I have learned a lot of things and have been acquainted with wonderful people who have helped me grow as a professional and as a person.

Yet difficult decisions have to be made in certain circumstances. New journeys have to be taken as we seek what we truly need. Personal endeavors would sometimes call for us to move on.

With this, let me express my heartfelt appreciation for all the support, understanding and friendship that you have generously given me. I hope that the positive associations I have made in this organization will not end with my tenure.

My very best wishes for the future go out to each and every one of you.

All the best to the CPS HR Team and Convergys :-)

It was a good 5 years overall. There were a lot of good times to look back on. There were also a lot of bumps and bruises. But I am thankful for the experience and the friends I have gained. Convergys will forever be part of my life. I believe I was able to contribute to its growth , as much as I have become a better HR professional, through the years. I also hope that I was able to touch the lives of as many people as I could.

But sadly, times could really get so tough. And with my experience these past few months, it taught me some lessons that I would forever remember.

1. People judge by perception. You don't have to explain yourself to people who like you; but to those who don't, no matter what you say and do, they will never listen and care.
2. You will only know your true friends when you are faced with a very difficult situation.
3. If it doesn't work the first time, try again. If it still doesn't work, QUIT. Do not wait, just quit and move on.
4. Trust your instincts.
5. There are still a lot of people who, even if they are not always visible, care for you and love you, and you will miss them and they will miss you when you're gone. And it doesn't have to end there. Thanks to facebook! :-)

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Paalam, Tita Cory

I woke up this morning hearing the news that Former President Corazon Aquino passed away at 3:18AM. My mom's radio was tuned in to an AM station. Somehow, it was as if someone close to me or my family passed away. But then on the brighter side, the pain that was caused by her illness has ended and now she joins her creator in heaven.

The nation mourns her passing. She was the brave woman who fought for Philippine democracy, at the time when it seemed impossible. Now, she will be reunited with her husband Ninoy.

Tita Cory lived a full life. She was well educated, had a happy family life, became President and has touched the lives of many. She had a strong faith in God. And an epitome of true grace under pressure.

Life indeed is short. Tita Cory had no regrets in the way she lived her life. She was so blessed and she made good use of these blessings. She was well loved. Hundreds if not thousands offered prayers for her. I wish I would be able to live a full life too, I wish I would always be reminded of how blessed I am, I wish that when the time comes for me to say goodbye, people would also remember me with kind words and fond memories.

Here's a song that's been playing on the AM radio today. It was actually written by Ninoy Aquino for his beloved wife, which was sung by Jose Mari Chan years after. You can see that they really loved each other. Tita Cory was lucky to have a husband who loved and appreciated her so much.

I have fallen in love

With the same woman three times

In a day spanning nineteen years

Of tearful joys and joyful tears.

I loved her first when she was young

Enchanting and vibrant, eternally new

She was brilliant, fragrant and cool

As the morning dew.

I fell in love with her the second time

When first she bore her child and mine

Always by my side, the source of my strength

Helping to turn the tide.

But there were candles to burn

The world was my concern

While our home was her domain

And the people were mine

While the children were hers to maintain.

So it was in those eighteen years and a day

Till I was detained

Forced in prison to stay.

Suddenly she’s our sole support

Source of comfort

Our wellspring of hope

On her shoulders fell the burden of life.

I fell in love again

With the same woman the third time

Looming from the battle

Her courage will never fade.

Amidst the hardships she has remained

Undaunted and unafraid

She is calm, composed

She is God’s lovely maid.

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Constant Change

We're on the road
We move from place to place
And oftentimes when I'm about to call it home
We'd have to move along
Life is a constant change...

The friends we know we meet along the way
Too soon the times we share form part of yesterday
'Cause life's a constant change
And nothing stays the same, oh no

Clouds that move across the skies
Are changing form before our very eyes
Why couldn't we keep time from movin' on?
Hold on to all the years before this moment's gone?
Why must we live the days at such a frightening pace?

We're all like clouds that move across the skies
And changing form before our very eyes

Have we outgrown our Peter Pans and wings?
We've simply grown too old for tales of knights and kings
'Cause life's a constant change
And nothing stays the same, oh no

ayan na naiiyak na ko...

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The 5 Stages of Leaving

Denial

Anger

Bargaining

Depression

Acceptance

Where am I now? I guess I am still on stage 1. It still hasn't dawned on me that much that in two weeks, I will be leaving the place and the people I learned to love these past five years. Although some of the people I became close with have gone ahead, there are still a few good people that I am leaving behind. I may be in denial because at the back of my head, I still want to be with them, to spend days in the office, to experience the stress, to be part of the daily CVG grind.. Ironically, I was absent for a week. Yes, the whole week. A lot of things happened and the week just passed me by so quickly. I'm exhausted. So many things to do and so many thoughts in my head.

I know, nobody asked me to leave. But still, that was the best decision for me given the circumstances at work. And in my personal life. I wonder if I would be moving to the anger phase, because right now, I feel at peace. Confused and scared but at the same time peaceful. I have forgotten the anger that I used to feel months before I made the decision to leave. Maybe it came first. I don't think I would ever want to bargain though. I think this stage is also not for me. Honestly, I'm afraid to be depressed. And I could feel it coming. Well, I hope not clinically depressed.

And while I am slowly going through these stages, slowly accepting the repercussions of my decision, I am reminded of a song that talks about having to move on, just when we thought we were right "at home". See next post... :-)

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Lazy Sunday

It's super rainy. It's been raining since 10AM and there's flood around the house and on the street. Kristian and I couldn't go home to our apartment. We weren't able to go to church either. Instead, we just spent the day on the internet. Take a look at these facebook surveys I've answered. I wonder if these will still be the set of answers I'll have in the next couple of years..

Random Survey for the Bored

What is on your desktop wallpaper?at home: a pre-nup photo taken by dino lara.. ofc laptop: number 1 by a mile wallpaper

What is your favorite zoo animal? giraffe

What was your favorite toy as a child? barbie doll

What food do you eat too much of? chocolates

What kind of hairstyle do you have? long.. but i want to cut it soon

What was your favorite activity in gym class? when we were taught how to do the split in 2nd year hs

What is on the shirt you are wearing right now?one convergys

What is the picture nearest to you of? hubby's

What kind of salad dressing do you like? asian

Whats your least favorite food? eggplant

What do you do on a Sunday night? chillax

If you could only use one condiment on your food for the rest of your life, what would it be?pepper

What color are your sheets? white

How big is your computer display? not so good on measurements

What pair of shoes do you wear most often? my crocs sandals

What is your favorite game? farm town! or locoroco in psp

What is your favorite Thanksgiving food? turkey

What is your favorite pizza topping? cheese and more cheese

What time do you plan on waking up tomorrow? 730

What is your favorite day of the year? Christmas

10 Deep Questions About You

What is your biggest fear? losing my loved ones and my cats

What is the best thing that ever happened to you? when i got married

What is your biggest dream? to become rich

What is your biggest regret? nothing so big that i can remember

Who in your life has had the biggest impact on your life? my family

Where do you see yourself 5 years from now? enjoying life and traveling the world with my husband and future kids

Who do you wish you had never met? ha? sino?

What time in your life would you re-live (without changing)? everything

What from the future do you wish you could see now? the winning mega lotto numbers

What are the top 3 things on your "bucket list"? travel. do some charity. build shelter for abandoned cats and dogs.

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Harry Potter Day

Saturday was fine. It was basically my Facebook, Blogger and Twitter day. Although our visit to our potential supplier was kinda unproductive because he had high blood pressure and had to stay in bed, the rest of the day went well.

My husband and I went to Sis Liu's clinic for my weekly acupuncture session. Sis Liu said I looked "very good!". She will be out of the country for a couple of weeks, meaning I can go back to her clinic on the 29th of August.

Afterwards, it was Harry Potter time! Remember I posted yesterday that I got 2 Ayala Mall movie tickets from the EEC event? That means we only had to pay P40 for our movie date. While waiting for the 730PM screening, we had an early dinner in Rasto's?.. not sure of the name.. but I think it's new, and Spanish. Heehee.. I had fun watching Harry Potter because of Ron's antics. He's always been my favorite character in Harry Potter. In this installment, the kids are all grown up and they are beginning to fall in love. Nice. However, I find the movie quite gloomy. Snape is the Half Blood Prince. The bad guy. Someone died, but then a phoenix came flying afterwards. I haven't read any of the books, and I don't plan to read them. But I enjoy watching the movies. It's nice that they all grew up well. So that's how my Harry Potter day went.

Oh and by the way, I saw a former grade school/high school classmate on TV. I think she filed a criminal case against an actor..

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So Many Thoughts in My Head..

It's 4AM and I'm still wide awake.. Congratulations to myself (and my husband), we were able to get through another work week! :-) The day after I gave my resignation letter, my former headhunter called to let me know that I've been shortlisted by one of their clients. I won't mention what company yet but it's still along Ayala. An interview will be scheduled soon. Ok, enough of the past week.

Next topic.

Friday was a happy one. I was invited to attend the EEC (formerly EET, now EEChampions) celebration in TGIF Glorietta. This is to say thank you to those who helped out during the Mist '09 event (rainy day outing!) . Lunch was good, as always. And there were games! Jona, Ella, Carla and I were teammates. Fifi also had a special participation. The game that we joined was fun. We were asked to take photos of the scenarios enumerated in a sheet of paper. And we won! Some of the scenarios given were crazy (photos to be uploaded soon..)! But we sure had fun. It was also during that time when I fell in love with Kiko's Canon EOS 500D. Promise to self: gotta have it! I also realized that this might be the last time that I will be joining an event like this.. with friends from ER, HR and the EEC. Sigh. Missing them already. Moving on...

Well, just played farmtown, had a short chat with some friends and tweeted a few tweets.. I'm so loving these things - Facebook, Blogger and Twitter! Even if there really is nothing important to talk about, I find it easy and fun to just type whatever comes to my mind. A few months from now I will be looking back at these posts and tweets with a smile on my face..

I think that's it for me na muna.. I have to force myself to sleep because Saturday is Harry Potter day! I know right? Late na. But better late than never. And it doesn't get any better than having 2 movie passes free! Got them from the EEC event earlier, oh, yesterday! Thanks Guys! :-)

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21 Guns

Some of my favorite quotes from Bo Sanchez these days are about quitting.

Never give up on the dreams that God has placed in your heart

But you can experiment in various ways in fulfilling them—until you find the right one.

Most of the time, the best way to solve your problems is not by solving your problems. The best way to solve your problems is by making them irrelevant. And the way to do that is to quit.

I am also enjoying the song 21 Guns by Greenday, from the soundtrack of Transformers 2. Though the movie does not have any "quitting moment", somehow this song also gives the same message.. To give up the fight when it's not worth it anymore.

21 Guns
Greenday

Do you know what's worth fighting for
When it's not worth dying for?
Does it take you breath away
And you feel yourself suffocating?

Does the pain weight out the pride?
And you look for a place to hide?
Does someone break your heart inside?
You're in ruins

One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms
Give up the fight
One, 21 guns
Throw up your arms into the sky
You and i

When you're at the end of the road
And you lost all sense of control
And your thoughts have taken their toll
When your mind breaks the spirit of your soul

Your faith walks on broken glass
And the hangover doesn't pass
Nothing's ever built to last
You're in ruins

One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms
Give up the fight
One, 21 guns
Throw up your arms into the sky
You and i

Did you try to live on your own
When you burned down the house and home?
Did you stand too close to the fire?
Like a liar looking for forgiveness from a stone

When it's time to live and let die
And you can't get another try
Something inside this heart has died
You're in ruins

One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms
Give up the fight
One, 21 guns
Throw up your arms into the sky
You and i

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New Moon in November

Sana November na... I miss my vampire clan... I wanna read the books all over again..

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Today...

***I made spanish sardines omelet for breakfast.
***I prepared chicken afritada for our lunch baon.
***I'm glad because our kitty Tweety regained her strength and is already eating, running and jumping a lot.
***I mustered the courage to go to work despite feeling too sleepy.
***I am soo happy to see the sun and I am hoping that there will be no rain today.
***I opened my facebook account in the office because Orlando is down.. woohoo!!!
***I didn't go to my scheduled check-up at Intellicare Benlife, because I am feeling sooo tamad to leave the office... ayayay!
***I joined Bea, Fifi, Carla and Joanne for lunch.. the first time I had lunch with all of them since I moved to G5 in May.
***I am sad because Kristian has a meeting till 10pm and we might not be going home together.
***I am thinking of doing the laundry early morning tomorrow.
***I am looking forward to finally watching Harry Potter on Saturday.
***My back really hurts.. I wish I could have a nice massage soon..
***I am listening to Coldplay, my pick me upper and sanity saver..
***My right hand feels weird, as if I am having carpal tunnel syndrome, ouch!
***I am craving for brazo de mercedes from Goldilocks.
***I wish I were at home sleeping.
***I feel useless in the office with nothing to do but non work related stuff.. because I am done with all the HRSCs for the day.
***I'm beginning to feel how exit mode feels like..

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So This Is How It Feels

After over 5 long years, I am saying goodbye to Convergys. A couple of hours ago, I have tendered my resignation as Senior HR Officer. It wasn't as hard as I expected. My boss understood. There are times when quitting and moving on is the best option to take - this is one of them. My conversation with my boss was a good one. Maybe because through the years that we've worked together, we were able to establish friendship.

It was quite a journey. It wasn't always smooth sailing - there were bumps and bruises along the way, but I owe the company and a few good people from there a lot. Looking back, I never wanted to become what I am now, never imagined I would last this long in a company so big in every sense of the word. I was a shy applicant from a very small company about to close down, trying my shot at the world's biggest contact center as an Admin Assistant for the HR Director. And then I got the job - which opened doors of opportunities for professional and personal development. After a year, I officially joined the HR Team as HR Specialist and it was then that my star began to shine. The next year I was promoted to HR Officer, and began handling a team. A year after that I was again promoted to Senior HR Officer - this time I began handling a site. And my very first assignment was the Corporate Office! I really thank my boss for believing in me. I also thank my former team for supporting me.

The past 14 months have been a roller coaster ride for me. There were opportunities that were presented, and I was almost a manager. But then, things got crazy. Maybe it wasn't really for me. So I decided to stop pushing for something that wasn't anymore worth it. I decided I had to say goodbye - I'd rather leave while I'm in love.

In the meantime, I plan to focus on the upcoming Leukocyte Immunotherapy (LIT) sessions that I'm about to undergo in August. I will also help build the business that my husband and I have been working on these past few weeks. Hmmm..

So this is how it feels - I can't explain. It's so hard to fathom at this point. In less than a month I will be saying goodbye to the company and to the people I've been with for the past 5 years. I will no longer be taking EDSA everyday. No more crazy schedule, HRSCs, consultations from agents and team leads, no more pantry food, EOP, lotus notes, etc - no more office stress! I'm missing it already.

I still have a few days to spend at my dear Convergys. I want to make them happy. I want to look back someday to just the fond memories, the happy and crazy moments. Beginning today, I am slowly moving on. But I do hope that the friendships I've made will not vanish when I leave. I do love Convergys. And a few good people. And the clock starts ticking...

Here's one of my favorite photos with my CVG HR Team - taken in December 2008 at the Hospicio de San Jose.

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Another Week of Contemplation

It's Monday once again. Another start of another week. My weekend was a fun-filled weekend indeed. My husband and I had Mexican dinner, and we got to watch Transformers 2, whcih, I must say, was a real hit! I was also able to spend the rest of the weekend with my family and pets, and working on my farm in farmtown - reached level 25 already and bought the largest land. Saturday was also a good day as my acupuncturist, Sis Liu told me that "now is a good time" to get pregnant again, based on the signs she saw when she examined me.

But then the weekend was over. I am now facing another week ahead.

While my laptop was booting earlier, I was thinking of various things. I thank and applaud myself for mustering the courage to go to work. It's now becoming dragging, I feel like I am faced with the dead end. But then, I must admit that there are times when I really want to hold on. There are some people who still make my stay in the office easy and fun. There are opportunities I still want to grab. There are still privileges I still want to enjoy. And of course, we need money, now, more than ever - for the steep amortization of our condo unit, for the monthly rent, for the utilities, for our other bills and of course, for my treatment, and for our project baby preparations. These are the very reasons why I have been hanging on a thread for quite sometime already. I know that I want to do other things. I know that I want a break from the routine. But I still can't afford it. Sad but true.

Here are some of the things I am thinking about right now, with the pros and cons, and the skills and resources required for each.

1. Baking - I am really fascinated with cupcakes and I want to make my own cupcakes soon! I am planning to take short courses for this. I am planning to attend Heny Sison's class for this, but I am still open to other classes that are better than Heny Sison's.

2. Sewing - I have a small sewing machine given by my husband as a Christmas gift almost 5 years ago. I can operate it but can only do straight stitches! I have always wanted to create my own dresses and would love to do my future kids' clothes as well. I just don't know where to enroll for basic courses on sewing or dressmaking. Maybe I'd google it one of these days.

3. Make-up - This one is also a long-time passion. When I was still working as an Usherette at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, most of my salary went to make-up purchases. I have a large make-up bag and I would always volunteer to do the make-up of my fellow usherettes. But then when I left CCP to focus on my junior and senior years in college, this passion died. However, from time to time, I would feel the urge to revive it and do it again. There are classes that I want to attend - one of which is the Basic Make-up of CAS - but this is expensive. Another would be the make-up workshop offered by Suesh, which is a lot cheaper.

4. Blogging - I am doing this already and the blog that my husband and I are maintaining is already at PR1. I love writing and collecting valuable thoughts and information, hence, the blog.

They say you should think if the things you enjoy the most - in all the stages of your life - as this would lead to where you ought to be - career wise - and when you find it, you will be successful.

I remember, when I was in grade school, I was a loner. I didn't have much friends. I didn't socialize a lot. When I get home, I would always draw - clothes, bags and houses. My dad and aunt would bring home reams of bond papers for me to draw on. I loved designing houses, bedrooms, kitchen, etc. I also loved drawing dresses, giwns and bags.

Back in high school, most of the time I was in the music room, with my fellow glee club members. We are either practicing or just hanging around.

In college, and during grad school, I enjoyed going to the library and even if it's not related to what I was researching about, I would always bring home a book to photocopy, usually self-help or psychology books - as my personal reference - in case I would need them. But honestly, I never got to read any of them and just ended up throwing them away.

See. I was never meant to be locked in the office. I am for the arts, for research - at least those are clues. I am the introvert type. Last year, the HR Management team of my company took the MBTI. My MBTI profile was ISTJ. ISTJs are people who do things that have to be done. Maybe that's why I am stuck where I am now - because I need to be here for the reasons I mentioned earlier. But I know that I need to be creative too. I know that somehow, I would need to nurture my creative side too. Maybe I'd be happier, more fulfilled, and maybe I'd become rich!

So as I end this post, I continue to contemplate.. hopefully be the end of this dragging week, I would have clarity.

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Tagubilin At Habilin

I first heard this one while watching "Tambalang Failon at Sanchez", DZMM Teleradyo. Read on, this is a very good and practical guide for us, Filipinos.

TAGUBILIN AT HABILIN
Text by Jose F. Lacaba

Interpreted by Armida Siguion-Reyna

Mabuhay ka, kaibigan!
Iyan ang una’t huli kong tagubilin at habilin: Mabuhay ka!
Sa edad kong ito, marami akong maibibigay na payo.
Mayaman ako sa payo.
Maghugas ka ng kamay bago kumain.
Maghugas ka ng kamay pagkatapos kumain.
Pero huwag kang maghuhugas ng kamay para lang makaiwas sa sisi.
Huwag kang maghuhugas ng kamay kung may inaapi na kaya mong tulungan.
Paupuin sa bus ang matatanda at ang mga may kalong na sanggol.
Magpasalamat sa nagmamagandang-loob.
Matuto sa karanasan ng matatandaPero huwag magpatali sa kaisipang makaluma.
Huwag piliting matulog kung ayaw kang dalawin ng antok.
Huwag pag-aksayahan ng panahon ang walang utang na loob.
Huwag makipagtalo sa bobo at baka ka mapagkamalang bobo.
Huwag bubulong-bulong sa mga panahong kailangang sumigaw.
Huwag kang manalig sa bulung-bulungan.
Huwag kang papatay-patay sa ilalim ng pabitin.
Huwag kang tutulog-tulog sa pansitan.
Umawit ka kung nag-iisa sa banyo.
Umawit ka sa piling ng barkada.
Umawit ka kung nalulungkot.
Umawit ka kung masaya.
Ingat lang.
Huwag kang aawit ng “My Way” sa videoke bar at baka ka mabaril.
Huwag kang magsindi ng sigarilyo sa gasolinahan.
Dahan-dahan sa matatarik na landas.
Dahan-dahan sa malulubak na daan.
Higit sa lahat, inuulit ko: Mabuhay ka!
Maraming bagay sa mundo na nakakadismaya.Mabuhay ka.
Maraming problema ang mundo na wala na yatang lunas.Mabuhay ka.
Sa hirap ng panahon, sa harap ng kabiguan,
Kung minsan ay gusto mo nang mamatay.
Gusto mong maglaslas ng pulso kung sawi sa pag-ibig.
Gusto mong uminom ng lason kung wala nang makain.
Gusto mong magbigti kung napakabigat ng mga pasanin.
Gusto mong pasabugin ang bungo mo kung maraming gumugulo sa utak.
Huwag kang patatalo.
Huwag kang susuko.
Narinig mo ang sinasabi ng awitin:“Gising at magbangon sa pagkagupiling, Sa pagkakatulog na lubhang mahimbing.”
Gumising ka kung hinaharana ka ng pag-ibig.
Bumangon ka kung nananawagan ang kapuspalad.
Ang sabi ng iba: “Ang matapang ay walang-takot lumaban.”
Ang sabi ko naman: Ang tunay na matapang ay lumalaban kahit natatakot.
Lumaban ka kung inginungodngod ang nguso mo sa putik.
Bumalikwas ka kung tinatapak-tapakan ka.
Buong-tapang mong ipaglaban ang iyong mga prinsipyo
Kahit hindi ka sigurado na agad-agad kang mananalo.
Mabuhay ka, kaibigan. Mabuhay ka.

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My 10 Feel Good Stuff To Do's

I am feeling kinda low right now, because I just realized that I am losing my grip at something that I tried hanging on to for over a year now.This kind of feeling needs some kind of comforting. Thinking of these "10 Feel-good stuff to do" (in no particular order) makes me feel a whole lot better. I'd do them as soon as I can - to celebrate my own simple joys in life - despite the frustration and disappointment that I feel.

1. Watch a feel-good movie - DVDs are great so I can relax in the comforts of home

2. Have breakfast at McDonald's - sausage mcmuffin, pancakes, hashbrowns and a cup of hot chocolate =)

3. Buy a new pair of shoes

4. Get a massage - a back and foot massage from hubby would do

5. Play Farm Town for hours!

6. Play with my kitty Tweet Tweet or dance with my Popop

7. Have a cookie and coffee date at home with my husband - Walter's shortbread is nice, and Maxwell House's French Vanilla is heaven!

8. A long, relaxing bath

9. Curling up on the couch reading a good book or a nice magazine article

10.Cooking and eating chicken sotanghon or chicken sopas

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Certified Farm Town Addict!

Facebook's online game Farm Town is such a craze! And I am one of its "farmers". I grew my farm from a really small piece of land to 20x20, and I now have a small house, windmill, farm animals, etc, at level 23. Some of you might not be able to understand what I am talking about. But most of my facebook friends do have a farm on farm town, most of them are on a higher level than I, so I'm sure they can relate when I say that this online game gives me fun fun fun! This is what I do whenever I can, my way of de-stressing.. And this is something that my husband and I share - he also is a "farmer" on farm town so we get to harvest from each other's farm from time to time to earn coins which will make us buy a bigger land and more expensive seeds, etc.. :)

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Farewell Michael Jackson

I am one of the billion Michael Jackson fans. I enjoyed watching his videos since I was a kid. Though there were videos that I felt too scared to watch (like Thriller), it didn't keep me from being amazed at his energy and his dance moves. Too bad he had to say goodbye before his much awaited comeback in London. I was having breakfast with my husband this morning when I saw the newsflash on TV - stating that he was rushed to the hospital, unconscious. After just a short while, news declared he was dead. I was really shocked.

I saw his 1993 interview with Oprah. That was when I saw his sensitive side. His childhood was not as happy as it seemed - he had to sacrifice his youth for work, incessant tours, rehearsals and shows, he was whipped by his dad, he was called names, etc. Those were really traumatic for him - but in the interview he said he woudn't change a thing about his past. He had forgiven his dad. Somehow, despite the controversies, part of me understood him. He was trying to compensate for the childhood he lost, for the painful memories instead of good ones - that was why he had Neverland. That was the place where he could just be himself, enjoy his "childhood" and give joy to other kids, mostly sick ones. I don't know, maybe this is an exaggeration, maybe I am wrong, maybe some people would get mad at me when I say maybe he really didn't intend to molest those kids, maybe his kind actions were just misinterpreted, or maybe he just went overboard but didn't mean any harm.

This is one of my favorite photos of Michael. I guess this was during the time when his Vitiligo was just starting to manifest.



Here are my 10 Favorite MJ Songs, songs that I will forever include on my playlist
1. Heal the World
2. Man in the Mirror
3. Will You Be There
4. One Day In Your Life
5. Ben
6. Do You Remember
7. Black or White
8. I Just Can't Stop Loving You
9. You are not Alone
10. Rock With You

In that Oprah interview, he said he wanted to be known as a great artist, and to be loved wherever he goes. Well, Michael, wherever you are, I'm sure you are happy to see how big an impact you've made to the entertainment industry as one of the world's greatest artists of all time, and there's no denying how much you are loved all over the world.

Ooopss.. saw this while searching via google images...

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A Day with John C. Maxwell

I was one of the attendees of the John Maxwell Leadership Summit held at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel last June 23. The hotel's Isla Ballroom was filled with people from various industries, all excited to learn from the world's leadership guru.

John began his talk by saying something like, "Hi, I am John, I am your friend.." He told us stories about how he became a leadership guru, his humble beginnings as a pastor with just a few members of his church, his USD100 interview with each leader he admired, his funny experience as a pianist and many more.. He also told us how excited he was to give a talk to Filipinos, because he believes that Filipinos are very eager to learn and that we have a lot of leadership potential. As expected, yes, I did learn a lot. Not only about his personal journey as a leader, but also about his take on leadership as well as achieving one's dreams.

Here's sharing some parts of my notes:

Understanding changes our mind; Action changes our life.

ACT stands for:

Apply something in my life

Change something in my life

Teach someone else

John Maxwell discussed excerpts from his new book, Put Your Dream to the Test. He said "The reason we don’t achieve our dreams is that we lack valid reasons to achieve them.. The more reasons you have to achieve your dream, the higher the odds that you actually will." He also gave us 6 questions (out of the 10 mentioned in his book) to ask ourselves regarding our dream/s..

Ownership Question: Is my dream really my dream?
Clarity Question: Do I clearly see my dream? Is my dream clear to me?
Reality Question: Am I depending on factors within my control to achieve my dream?
Passion Question: Does my dream compel me to follow it?
People Question: Have I included the people I need to achieve my dream?
Cost Question: Am I willing to pay the price for my dream?

He also shared about the Rule of Five, which is simply having a list of and doing the five important things you need to do everyday in order to achieve your dreams. Your success is determined by your daily agenda.

The 360 degree leader was also one of his topics. He said, we do not need position or title to become a leader, since "Leadership is not about title or position; it is about influence".

There were also 3 important tips that he shared about this topic:

*To be successful, quit doing what everybody does. If you stay being ordinary, you only get what everybody else gets.
*Do something each day that adds value to your co-workers.
*Make yourself available to your leaders.
During tough times, he has this to say: "Good leaders stretch through the challenge; bad leaders shrink from the challenge".

He also shared the 6 Rules of Successful Leadership by Jack Welch

1. Control your destiny/life or somebody else will
2. Face reality as it is
3. Be candid with everyone
4. Don’t manage, lead.
5. Change before you have to.
6. If you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete.

Since our company sent 26 attendees, we were considered Gold Seat Sponsors - meaning, we had good seats and a free book each. I also had the privilege of having his autograph on my book, plus a once in a lifetime chance to pose for a picture with him. And I must say, he was so "game" on picture-taking - all smiles, really humble man. Almost everyone in the room asked for his autograph, and he gladly signed them. He didn't even had his morning snack because he was very busy signing books!

Right after the Summit, I searched for his website and subscribed to John Maxwell on Leadership to receive email updates from the man whom I now consider my friend. I am also one of his thousand followers on Twitter. Glad to know that he is now following me too. :)

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Rainy White Rock Outing

The HR Ops, Shared Services and Recruitment team went on a weekend getaway at White Rock in Subic. It was my first time to get soaked in the rain - really heavy rain! And I had fun. Bet we all did. Too bad I left my camera in our room because I was afraid it would get wet too. The food was good too. The entire team obviously did not mind the heavy rain - because we all had a blast. Kudos to Joey and his crew! Good job guys!

Here are some of the pics. I hope you guys will also post yours on fb.. :)

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Tea and Sympathy

Last Saturday was my 4th session for acupuncture, and I was given herbal tea by my acupuncturist, Sis Regina Liu. The said tea has to be taken an hour after breakfast and an hour after dinner. My theory is that it is supposed to flush out the toxins, which the needles of acupuncture stimulated. Sis Liu is a woman of really few words. Although she also advised me to ask around if there's a woman I know who is about to give birth soon. She said I would have to ask for the placenta, which she will then transform into capsules, to make my body strong in preparation for my pregnancy. Freaky eh? But I would move heaven and earth just to get pregnant. Anyway, there's really no harm in trying. Here are the photos of the tea... :)

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