my golden tsinelas

i see the light - tangled OST

2011-12-08T07:54:00.000-08:00

http://soundcloud.com/littlemisslea/i-see-the-light

we could be in love - my version :)

2011-10-02T09:04:00.001-07:00

http://soundcloud.com/littlemisslea/we-could-be-in-love-my-version

sun and moon - my version

2011-10-02T06:48:00.000-07:00

http://soundcloud.com/littlemisslea/sun-and-moon-my-version

terrified by kara dioguardi - my version

2011-10-02T06:45:00.000-07:00

http://soundcloud.com/littlemisslea/terrified

i'm not that girl - wicked the musical

2011-10-01T02:45:00.000-07:00

http://soundcloud.com/littlemisslea/im-not-that-girl-wicked

two words - by yours truly

2011-10-01T02:32:00.001-07:00

http://soundcloud.com/littlemisslea/two-words

soundcloud clip #1 - someone else's story

2011-10-01T00:31:00.001-07:00

for my first entry - a song from chess.

pardon the noise.. this is not professional recording. :)

http://soundcloud.com/littlemisslea/someone-elses-story-take-1

crazy about soundcloud

2011-10-01T00:02:00.000-07:00

thank you danisa cayetano! though, we need a good mic and filter. :)

i will post as soon as the audio recordings are uploaded! ^-^

my first love

2011-09-30T08:47:00.000-07:00

singing. and i miss it terribly.

late night thoughts

2011-09-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

where do negative feelings come from, and how does one dissipate them?

what will the next 6 months bring?

what does it take to feel secure?

test - if my signature is already working

2011-09-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

i love my new blog layout!

at the end of the day

2011-08-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

Lord,

is this where you want me to be? is this what you want me to do?

everyday i ask the same question, wanting to be sure if i am making the right choice.

you know how much stress i have to endure everyday. though i am not complaining, i am beginning to feel my humanness because i feel weak and angered and discouraged at times.

i want to see the bigger picture but at the end of the day, i still choose to look through my own perspective.

i want to serve your purpose but at the end of the day, i still fail you.

at the end of the day, i am just an ordinary worker. serving my own purpose. working and working and complaining. never looking at the possible difference i could have made if i had just chosen to listen to you first.

dear Lord, now that a new chapter is coming, it is now upon me. everything is upon me.

but without your strength, i will fall. i will crumble. i will lose.

so it is not upon me, it is upon you.

for it is not by my power, nor by my strength.

but by your will and by your spirit.

and Lord, please don't forget - you promised that you will finish what you have started in me.

of rhett and scarlett

2011-08-26T08:29:00.000-07:00

i love gone with the wind. i may sound old, but i truly enjoyed this film. in fact, i enjoyed it so much that i even ordered two books online: the original gone with the wind novel and rhett butler's people: the sequel to gwtw. but anyway, that will be for another blog entry.

truth be told, the story is really bitin. just when scarlett realized that she truly loves rhett, rhett finally gives up his love for scarlett. "frankly my dear, i don't give a damn", as his famous last line says.

but then again, scarlett answers "there must be some way to get him back... after all, tomorrow is another day".

and so the lingering question is, whatever happened to rhett and scarlett? was she successful in getting him back?

according to margaret mitchell, the author of the novel gwtw, she didn't know either. and as rhett puts it plainly, she "doesn't give a damn" as well (source unknown). but deep inside all of the die-hard gwtw fans' hearts, there is always that flickering hope that somehow, against the stubbornness of these two characters, they will have a happy ending - together.

however, some would say that scarlett had it coming and that in reality, people will grow tired of waiting for you to love them back, and "even the deathless love can die".

what a misfortune.

but what's nice about the story is that it leaves enough room for the viewers and readers to create their own ending. it ended in a manner that questions of "what-ifs" are triggered and heightened, hence keeping its mystique.

what a classic.

bakit hindi ako ngumingiti ngayong gabi

2011-04-26T07:34:00.001-07:00

nalulungkot ako.

di dahil sa lilipat na kami ng bahay, pero dahil sa hindi ako sigurado kung tama ba ang desisyon namin na lumipat. nalulungkot ako dahil kahit paano, naging maginhawa ang aming mga araw sa mumunting sulok ng leongson.

mamimiss ko ang tapsilog at libreng sabaw sa pasola, ang panaderya sa magkabilang tabi ng aming bahay, ang lottohan, ang bangkaan (na siyang nagsasagip sa akin pag walang dyip), ang siomai ni tita kapampangan, ang champorado at pandesal ni paltok sa madaling araw - at oo, kahit na ang mga tricycle na nakakalat sa harap ng gate namin, mamimiss ko din.

mamimiss ko ang isang tumbling na layo ng bahay namin sa bahay ni jel. kapag gutom ako, saglit lang nandun na ako sa kanila. kapag namimiss ko siya, ta-tumbling lang ako, nandun na ko. ngayon - isang sakay ng dyip at 10 kandirit na bago ako makarating sa kanila.

pati na rin ang lapit ng bahay ko sa bahay ng mga magaganda kong kaibigan na sina dane at cheche, mamimiss ko din.

ngayon, ilang kahon na ang napupuno ko ng mga damit at kalat ko. masakit pa din ang katawan ko galing sa paglilinis ng bahay at pagpipintura ng kama na kabibili ko lang para gamitin. hindi pa rin ako tapos. ang dami ko pa gagawin.

hay. nahahassle ako.

affirmation

2011-03-23T03:48:00.000-07:00

my life is not a bed of roses.
i think my closest friends can attest to it.

through the course of my existence ive been heavily bruised, scarred, beaten, defeated, depressed and at some point, crushed to the core. but through the miracle of God, through the love and support of my family and friends, and through my own determination, im still here -- alive and kicking.

'guess that's what makes me a better person in a lot of ways.

im not a pampered princess nor a cold stuck-up bitch.

im just me.

the girl who came from nowhere, the girl who dreamed of beautiful things and see them come true, the girl who is still on her journey towards finding who she is and what she wants to be.

and now, faced again with life's battles and challenges, i am feeling a little scared and worried.

am i still the same resilient girl i know?

HELL YEAH, YOU ARE!

you did not lose it, nor will ever lose it.

hang in there and kick some fat ass if you need to.

why i love hana yori dango

2011-03-19T02:38:00.000-07:00

... because every girl believes in her happily ever after.

inseparable by natalie cole

2011-03-19T02:00:00.000-07:00

this is one of the 2 songs i sang at lala&dino's wedding.

new look

2011-03-12T23:00:00.000-08:00

this is something extreme: i cut my hair very short (no, not really me but Lauren of T&J). you see, ive never had my hair cut above shoulders for the last 12 years or so, so i was entirely shocked when the hairdresser cut about 5 inches of my precious hair... i almost cried. well anyway, here it is.

this is the before picture (i can't transfer the "before picture" above the other pictures. blech).

before

so there. so much for my weekend. i hope it's okay.

my thought for the day

2011-03-09T19:08:00.000-08:00

life is indeed unfair. but at least i am better than you - in every inch. haha.

randoms 2/24/2011

2011-02-24T00:07:00.000-08:00

- the philippines is still extremely blessed.

- if you find yourself unmotivated, uninspired, bored of the same daily routine.. think of those people who will not see the light of day anymore.

- if there's one thing i hate (aside from wet toilet seats), it's malicious people who will give dirty meaning to anything that you do, say and act. napakasabaw ng utak!

- choose your companions carefully.

- juliatos travel and tours is the best! thanks ms. tzeh and sir mark!

- soooper excited for bohol! can't wait!

- craving for tita judy's crispy pata. like drool-craving.

- i feel terribly insulted when i am treated like i don't know anything. c'mon, ive been working my ass off for the past 4000 years. give me some credit naman.

- i am not easily impressed by the title "director" or manager". i know you've worked hard for it but it doesn't give you the authority to undermine our capacity. you, first and foremost, should lead by example and not just impose your position to get what you want. you're just an employee afterall, like the rest of us. and you don't even know how to use "lose" and "loose" properly. omaygash.

- and for you, the great pretender, you're not that great. you're just all mouth. and your air is stronger than ondoy i can't stand it. gee. go somewhere else to whore around.

- do not tell me what to do. i will do it in my own time, own space, own way. go do your business on your own.

- we are not on the same level. puhleeze. sorry i have to be brutally honest.

Haaaay. it's soooo good to vent out.

Lala & Dino's Wedding, Bicolandia, and Others

2011-02-02T22:11:00.000-08:00

I had a blast last week. Jel and I, together with his officemates went to Naga to attend Lala and Dino's wedding. We had planned for this since December last year and it was a very lovely event. I sang, too, for the lovely couple.

---

The morning after, Jel and I planned a side trip to Legazpi, Albay to see the majestic Mayon and Cagsawa. It took us almost 2 hours to reach Legazpi, then another 2 hours or so to see the Mayon fully (without clouds). Nevertheless, the view was breathtaking. We were finished taking photos at around 530pm, just in time for the last bus trip back to Naga.

---

The following morning, we hit the road again but this time, we toured around Naga town proper. SM, Centro, churches, ukay-ukay, Sadi Baloy (but it was closed). Time was not enough actually. By 2pm, we were already boarding the hotel shuttle service to Naga airport.

---

Back to Manila with lots of souvenirs: pili nuts, photos of the wedding and the local scenery, plus a bonus: 4-day old flu. But I don't mind. :)

random thoughts 2

2011-01-27T01:24:00.001-08:00

- i am extremely sleepy now.
- for the first time in 6 months, i actually have nothing else to do! (or at least nothing urgent, hehe).
- i am very much excited for our naga adventure.
-traditional hilot beats swedish massage anytime.
- i miss having decent conversations with friends.
- i watched nacho libre 14 times since last week.
- i still want to pose as elise mckenna.
- i miss UP. big time.

sonnet 116

2011-01-27T01:12:00.000-08:00

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixéd mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose Worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom:
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

torn

2011-01-25T20:26:00.000-08:00

i have been sleepless since saturday. and it's now wednesday.
why?
because i can't seem to decide whether to stay or to go.

there is an opportunity being offered to be. more pay, more work, more challenge. at this point in my life i should be taking on greater tasks and learning more complex things about my profession. i could have easily said yes, given that my current line of work is not, as you put it, as glamorous as i want it to be.

but somehow i can't seem to take it. there could have been a number of reasons why i should take it, but i can't seem to have 100% conviction.

oh. i'm having a terrible headache now.

wake up call

2010-03-25T02:14:00.000-07:00

i was eating my favorite nilaga and tilapya one morning when my mother joined me in the dining table. she would do this normally if she has time - to sit with me while eating and to chat. therefore, it was an ordinary morning... nothing unusual.

then she became teary-eyed. it alarmed me. you see, my mother is one of the strongest people that i know. i would only see her crying if someone in the family is hurting.

she then narrated her dream to me: a blinding light calling her, saying it's her time to go. she, of course, asked if she can stay longer. how could she leave when her children are not yet settled with their own lives?

after that, the blinding light disappeared.
then she woke up.

i did not know how to respond. i've heard a lot of similar stories of people dying and having this vision. it scared me to death but at the same time, i know i have to be strong for her - to not falter in her time of weakness. so i said, "ibig sabihin nun malakas ka kay Lord kasi pinagbigyan ka... ibig sabihin nun matagal ka pa dito."

whether it came from the Lord or merely a dream, my heart is still troubled. how would you feel if you knew that the most important woman in your life is leaving for good?

maybe this is a wake-up call for all of us in the family. we're so amused with our own personal lives that we take for granted the presence of each other.

that we forget the importance of each other.

that we forget that family is a blessing.

later that moment, i talked to God. i know that someday, each of us will be gone. but today, i thanked the Lord for my mother, and letting us keep her. and i pray that she'll be given many many more years ahead of her... so that we can show her how important she is to us.

after a long period of silence...

2010-03-10T00:56:00.000-08:00

i haven't been blogging lately for two reasons: one, because fatigue has been zapping the creative energy in me and two, uber-slow net connection at home. i'm dying to post pictures of our previous endeavor (hot air balloon @ clark) but unfortunately my net connection gives up on me. i'm thinking of getting a postpaid internet subscription at home. i'm just not sure which provider will give us the best value for our money.

so what's the latest?

still here in shaw.
in the process of deciding whether to MA or not to MA.
still doing 2-3 jobs at a time.
trying to lessen my rice intake.
craving for mangoes mangoes mangoes!
wants a vacation so bad.
- but wants to save as well.
wants a killer swimsuit.

hay boredomville. :(

Bible verse of the day

2010-02-23T22:15:00.000-08:00

We love because [God] first loved us.

— 1 John 4:19 (NIV)

for a noble teacher, from her former pupil

2010-02-08T20:03:00.000-08:00

i was on my way to work this morning when i saw a very familiar face among the crowd - pleasant, calm and very gentle. she was about to ride the same bus as i did, and i can't help but smile as she walked the bus aisle towards her chosen seat. i was not sure if she could still recognize me after 14 years, but she did. finally she smiled and said, "kumusta ka magandang dalaga"? after so many years, i saw my most favorite teacher in the world again - mrs. henrietta v. nievera.

she was my grade 6 adviser and english teacher in 1996. but before she became my teacher, she was the adviser of my two other sisters who are older than me by eight and six years. she is basically an institution in the school - one of the, if not the, most sought-after teachers during our time. her excellence in english, journalism and music, as well as her dedication to her profession, is what makes her a truly remarkable teacher. while some teachers would ask a pupil to choose a topic from a book and write it on the blackboard for others to copy for the rest of the period,(just to buy time), she would make us recite a part of her carefully-compiled poems and selections from various works. that was our morning drill. i still remember one of the code of ethics she taught us:

"lead a clean and frugal life. do not indulge in frivolity or pretense. be simple in your dress and modest with your behavior".

while some teachers are done with their work after classes, she would patiently wait in the school library, preparing the materials for either: 1. schoolpaper staff practice for the upcoming journalism competition; or 2. review materials for pupils who will be competing in other competition/s. i saw her sleeping once, waiting for me in the library for our spelling cee review. i was late for our 1pm schedule and i thought she would scold me for making her wait. instead, she bought me a bottle of sprite and empanada. i almost cried. for some it might just be a simple gesture, but for this girl who came from nothing, it was that simple gesture that made me feel very valued.

she is the first person to believe in me and in what i can do. she was my mentor in spelling, she picked me as one of the dancers in our school for programs, she was the "punong-abala" when i was chosen as muse for school intramurals (which i really don't understand why), and she handpicked me as her editor-in-chief for our schoolpaper. i still have a copy of our schoolpaper and it gives me a sense of pride to see my name on top of the editorial staff.

i owe it to her that i was able to study in a private school with full scholarship. eventually, i graduated from high school with honors and was blessed to have made it in UP Diliman, also with good scholastic records. her efforts to mold our young minds finally paid off.

as years passed i lost contact with her, though i think of her once in a while and i wonder if she is still teaching. i would be a little bit sad if she retires, for i know it would be a big loss not to have her as a teacher. as fate would have it, i saw her this very morning and i am delighted to know she is still on a roll. she was on her way to esteban abada elementary school to train some pupils who are bound for davao, perhaps for a conference. she's still the same dedicated teacher i knew 14 years ago.

i wish i could have talked to her longer this morning, so that i could tell her how much i appreciate what she did for me. i wish i could have thanked her for being a great, great educator. i may just be one of her regular pupils, i might not be the best and i might be forgotten soon enough, but i'd like her to know that for THIS pupil - she made a lot of difference.

in love with sonya's

2010-01-31T06:01:00.000-08:00

for years, i've been wishing and hoping and dreaming about going to sonya's garden. i first saw this place in the mabuhay magazine of philippine airlines around 2001 as one of their come-on destinations. if there's such a thing as love at first sight - then my feelings for this place would probably describe it. maybe because i'm more of a nature-y person; i love lush greens and the explosion of colors that come from flowers and trees. add the golden ray of sunshine (or sunset) and it's the perfect setting for falling in love.

so when i had the chance, i asked jel if we could go all the way to tagaytay to experience sonya's. originally we were to go there on valentine's day but we had to change plans due to the air balloon fest this year which is scheduled also on valentine's week. we left manila yesterday at 730am and arrived at sonya's at around 1130am. the trip was actually fast but because the van that we rode needed to fill-up the 13-15 seats, we had to wait for an hour before we head to tagaytay.

you need to savor every moment once you step in sonya's sanctuary. the pebbled path, the flowers, the scent of rosewater, the little nooks here and there... everything is beautiful. i might be exaggerating in some ways but, this place is exactly what my soul needs. this place epitomizes serenity.

we were ushered by a lady inside the dining area. it was an open air area with cascading waters as an accent. the server immediately brought us a pitcher of dalandan juice (just thinking about it makes my mouth water) and the salad, plus the garnishing such as ripe mangoes, cucumber, egg, broad beans, to name a few. of course, there's her super secret dressing. the warm bread was also served with the homemade dips. i liked the basil pesto and dried tomato dip.

next, the pasta. now here, we had two choices of sauce: the dried tomato and chicken cream with mango. i tried the chicken cream with mango first. it was creamy, but i cannot taste the mango in it. nevertheless, it was okay. next is the dried tomato. this is an alternative to your usual filipino-style spaghetti sauce. i liked how the spices and the flavor of tomato was brought out in the sauce. you also get a variety of toppings such as shitake mushrooms, ratatouille, salmon belly, black olives and capers.

last is the dessert. the server brought sweet camote, banana rolls with jackfruit and sonya's smashingly sinful chocolate cake. the cake reminded us of goldilocks classic chocolate cake. it was light and not too heavy so it was perfect after you've eaten so much salads and pasta. i barely touched the other two desserts since i was so full. to end this heavenly meal, the server also brought us tarragon tea, which is so fragrant and soothing.

sharing some pictures from our trip:

sumptuous meal while chatting

flowers galore

can't resist a rosalinda shot

rest after eating so much

two words to describe sonya's food: fresh and subtle-flavored. it's not what you can call extra-ordinary, or what you can compare to other top restaurants. however, there's something in the food that will, in one way or another, satisfy you. maybe it's because the food does not overpower each other's flavors so you won't get umay. or maybe because the place is just so nice so everything tastes good. whatever it is, i give sonya's 2 thumbs up.

all in all, the 2++hour trip (at least for me) is worth it. in fact, i cannot wait to go back. :)

How to go to sonya's garden (for commuters, like us):

1. there's a parked van located just below lrt buendia station. this is bound to lemery via tagaytay and will pass through sta. rosa exit. this is better that riding tagaytay buses passing coastal-bacoor. hellish traffic. fare is P160/person. it's double than what you usually pay but you know, you pay extra for comfort. tell the driver to let you off at buck estate.

2. once you are at buck estate, you will see parked tricycles for hire. tell the driver to take you at sonya's. fare is P10-12/person.

3. going back to manila, just take any jeep going to olivares and get off at tagaytay rotonda. there you will find buses bound for cubao, pasay-baclaran and lawton.

Sonya's Garden
Barangay Buck Estate, Alfonso, Cavite, Philippines
For reservations: call or text +63-9175329097 or +63-9175335140

mahal magkasakit

2010-01-22T20:23:00.001-08:00

i woke up early thursday morning with an aching head and nausea. i thought i could just sleep it off but it didn't go away. instead, my insides churned and i knew it was time for me hurry up and head to the cr and throw up. for the record, i hate vomiting. actually, i am afraid to vomit. i feel like everything inside me is going to come out.

i thought that after this i would feel better. but after a few minutes, i contracted a low-grade fever which eventually worsened. i had chills and my body is totally aching. i couldn't even get up to call my mother because it's like i am looking in a kaleidoscope because of dizziness (and i feel i'm gonna throw up again). i was not able to go to work that day.

my temperature rose and my head and body continued to ache. i was a bit afraid that i might have dengue again. i couldn't eat any solid food and i only wanted liquids (soup, tea, water). in the afternoon, my mother brought me to the nearby clinic to have me checked. i was thinking, maybe it's food poisoning because i don't usually vomit even if it's a high grade fever (the last time i threw up this bad was in 4th year HS when i had gastroenteritis). but the doctor said if it's food poisoning, i should experience diarrhea and my stomach should be hurting as well. luckily i didn't have those symptoms. she advised urinalysis and platelet count to check if a.) i have UTI b.) God forbid, i have dengue.

i just finished both lab tests and we're waiting for the clinic to open this afternoon. so far, i don't think i have dengue because my platelet count is good and i do not have fever anymore.

whatever it is, i would sure love to know what the heck happened to me.

(p.s. i'm browsing the net and i checked what "elevated segmenters" mean - a response said it's an indication of a viral infection. whew. i hope it's not too bad).

kuya dante's wedding

2010-01-17T04:47:00.001-08:00

a long-time friend of mine got married last january 16, 2010 and i had the greatest pleasure of singing a couple of songs for the newlyweds. though i have always been a wedding singer, this one is a little bit special.

kuya dante is my friend in UP through sir nick. he used to work for sir boni (ilagan), one of sir nick's closest friends and comrade. when sir nick gave me a computer set, kuya dante is the one who assembled it and taught me a lot of troubleshooting techniques in case i encountered one. he is also one of sir nick's constant companion (for your knowledge, sir nick is no other than professor monico atienza, a legendary political activist and one of the most well-loved professors in UP). kuya dante is a very kindhearted person, and i easily considered him an elderly brother.

sir nick lived alone, so we served as his immediate family (aside from his colleagues and students whom he refers also as family). once in a while he would invite us to lunch in katipunan and chatter as we eat our lunch. sometimes we would just istambay in sir nick's office in CAL building, and we would have a lot of debate on politics, religion, and anything under the sun. life in UP is pretty hard, but i was able to pull through because of people like them who, in one way or another, helped me when i needed it most.

when sir nick died of laryngeal cancer last 2007, i lost contact with kuya dante. until recently, because of technology, i was able to contact him again and when i did, he shared with me the most wonderful decision of his life: he is getting married to his wonderful atty. vicky! :) he readily invited me and sent the invitation by email. in return, i offered to sing for them as my sign of gratitude.

jel and i went to the wedding and there we met sir boni and kuya dante together with his lovely bride. i could not help but shed a few tears, for i know sir nick would be very happy for them as well. i just wished he was there to witness the event.

because of this, i realized two important lessons: ONE: good friends, despite of time and distance, will always be there and never leave; and TWO: never underestimate life. there's always a surprise for you, just around the corner.

so you see.. this one, is really a bit special. :)

new year's resolution

2010-01-10T09:14:00.000-08:00

i am not usually a firm believer of new year's resolutions; it takes one day to create them and 364 days to forget about them (hihee.. very typical of me). but i feel that maybe, it's something that i might start doing to challenge myself to improve and be better. i'm going to put it in writing here so i will be reminded from time to time...

1. quit worrying (or at least lessen the worries). my bestfriend has always told me that i am such a worrier. i thought it's just a phase (since high school? come on). now that i am not getting any younger and wrinkles may soon appear on my face, i should STOP doing this bad habit. and this resolution will lead me to number 2 resolution which is..

2. have a little more faith. in 2005 i came to know Jesus Christ and i sought a personal relationship with the Lord. it's 2010 and i still feel that i am a baby christian. it's high time that i give due importance to my spiritual growth.

3. be more responsible and productive. i will not be affected by the so-called quarter -life crisis. and i will try my very best to be a really productive person.

4. spend wisely. no more credit cards for me.

5. live happily every moment.

6. live healthy.

7. spend more time to enrich a skill or talent. i definitely miss singing!

here's my list for this year. i declare 2010 as MY year. :)

the original golden tsinelas is back! <3

2009-12-30T04:09:00.000-08:00

i can't believe my luck when we found a pair of grendha golden slippers - the exact pair/style which i lost a few months ago. and here's the bonus ... it's on sale! :) i really believe it was for me because when we found it, it's the only remaining style and color on my size. happiness!!!

the story behind the golden tsinelas: 2 years ago, when i was still working in sykes, i bought this cute slippers in shoe salon, gateway. it was priced at around 1600++ php at that time, a bit costly but i wanted it so badly. it was the only remaining slippers i had that stood the test of time. fast forward: middle of 2009, i left it on a taxi together with a pair of pants (which is also my favorite) on the way to a client. i was depressed for a time, until i replaced it with another golden slippers. even though it's durable and comfortable, it couldn't quite replace the old one i had.

last dec. 28, jel and i went to trinoma to watch a movie. after a while we lost the eagerness to watch and we window shop instead. after a few ikot inside landmark, i was surprised when he showed me this only pair of grendha slippers at Php777.00! it is the same color, style and size like the pair i lost. kahit wala akong pera binili ko siya (via jel's cc, thank you very much!). i promised to pay him the following day.

what's more amazing is that this specific design has been discontinued two years ago. ang galing-galing!

welcome back, my golden tsinelas... <3

an unexpected dining experience at gerry's grill

2009-12-26T03:07:00.000-08:00

I have always been a fan of Gerry's Grill for several reasons: the sizzling sisig, mouth-watering baked scallops, adobo flakes and more. But I was really disappointed when they served us a bowl of terrible, terrible nido soup.

Yesterday, Jel and I went to SM North after going to church. We were both hungry and he was craving for soup. It was past 10pm already and most of the restaurants were closing, except for few which are located at the skygarden of SM. We dine it at Gerry's.

The waiter hurried us in ordering because they are nearly closing. We ordered sisig, scallops and nido soup. The scallops were served first. Syempre masarap! The soup came after, but when we tried it, it tasted icky.

It was sour and had bubbles at the bottom. The smell was a bit unusual, too.

Jel noticed it first . Sabi nya, "ganito ba talaga to"? And then we had the same thought, parang panis. We called the attention of the waiter and took the soup for a replacement. He came back with a "fresh" bowl of soup, and it was altogether different in appearance from the first bowl that was served to us. The second bowl was yellow (due to eggs) while the first one was white-to-almost clear. The waiter then said, "Pasensya na po, kalamansi po yung naipatak dun sa soup, dapat po sesame oil." I just said, "ahh.." and the waiter left. But the sour taste was not from calamansi at all. Jel already lost his appetite and told me not to eat the soup because it might be the same bowl served earlier. We got a bit irritated (being hungry and all) but we agreed not to eat it anymore and instead, ask the waiter to cancel the soup from our bill. I told him we can call the attention of the manager, but he insisted that we just finish our food and talk to waiter after. The waiter agreed to cancel the soup from our bill.

I'm not saying we won't go back to Gerry's anymore. They still have a terrific set of menu available. But we might be wary of ordering something which is probably not their specialty. We still don't know what actually happened to that soup but I hope this is the last time they will be serving less-than-fresh food. It's going to be a shame if their reputation is stained because of this kind of situation.

Christmas Crunchtime

2009-12-20T21:20:00.001-08:00

Four days left before Christmas and I haven't done my Christmas shopping (as if there's plenty of money to spend). Actually, Jel and I haven't done our shopping yet. We were supposed to go to Divi last Saturday/Sunday but unfortunately we were not able to wake up early due to lantern parade/impromptu reunion which lasted til 12 midnight. He was down with flu last week also so he needs a lot of rest. We went to Greenhills Saturday afternoon but we ended up buying clothes for ourselves (hihee). I got myself a nice blouse, a pair of shorts and skinny jeans. He bought a pair of pants. =)

Later I'll see if I can buy ingredients for the goodies I'll bake for noche buena and for the gifts. I hope they won't cost that much, though. :)

when God said no

2009-12-09T02:59:00.001-08:00

(This blog is dedicated to my schoolmate, fellow HR practitioner, Sykes resignee and jobseeker, Krystel Lilac "Lilacables" Pena. Girl, you are not alone. This one's for us).

I just received the much-anticipated phone call from the Australian HR Director of the company I was applying in. Modesty aside, I was pretty confident with my application status: interviews and all exams are quite easy for me. So in my mind, the conversion might go something like this: 'Congratulations, we are extending you the job offer for the position of blah blah blah.."

Sounds nice, huh?
But no. It did not go that way.

She said that I might be more suitable for other position so they've accepted someone else. Oh well. Maybe because the work itself is going to be too admin type, and I am currently searching for a higher post. I said thank you and ended the call. I sounded fine, but at the back of my mind, I was thinking, "why not me?", and to think that I seem to be more competent than the other applicants. Yes. Angas UP na naman.

I got bitter for a while, but then I forced myself to think why it did not go as I expected. Then I thought, God is saying no.

Why is God saying no?
Maybe because it's not for me.
But why?
Because I got too confident and I forgot to ask Him for guidance and discernment.
Uh-oh. Guilty mode.

Yes. I forgot to ask God. And I got too excited about the prospect of having a better career opportunity. It's a fault on my part, but on the other hand, I also thought that maybe God is saving me from possible stress and misery at work. Maybe I am veering away from my goal, which is to find a better career opportunity. Maybe I am showing distrust; that I am not relying in His promise that he will not leave me nor forsake me.

God is so good. And God is so wise. I may not see His plans for me right now but I know they are beautiful. But of course, I need to rely on Him more and rely on me less.

So now, I'm back with job hunting. Still got a few active applications left. I just hope I won't forget the lesson that I learned this day.

Busy as a Bee, Lazy as a Log

2009-12-06T19:53:00.000-08:00

December is really the busiest month for an HR practitioner like me. All of a sudden, all departments will ask for reports and all sorts of stuff - STAT! No to mention the renewal of HR-driven projects, 13th month processing, on top of the day-to-day support and admin. I cannot seem to enjoy my weekends anymore without thinking of my pending tasks for the coming week. I hate this kind of feeling -- I should be enjoying my rest days without any hint of guilt.

Oh well, such is life. This is the profession I chose so I need to deal with the "do or die" principles" of being an HR. I've been having stomach irritation for the past few days and my appetite fluctuates again. Signs of stress and restlessness again.

And not to mention the lack of sleep. I wish I could have more time to snooze, especially now that the air is soo cool and it's so hard to leave your comfy bed. Sometimes I wonder why I seem so tired after the end of the day when all I do is sit in front of the computer for 8++ hours. Hmm.

Honestly, I suck at time management now. I'm juggling three major things: my work, my part-time work and my job hunting for future work. You see, I already tendered my resignation effective next year, so I need to get a replacement for me and at the same time, I need to find a job for me as well. So aside from lurking all job portal sites, I am also doing part-time work by marketing a website which was launched just recently. It also takes time, though.

Sorry, I just need to rant for a while. My neurons will die soon from too much thinking if I don't get a breather. Whew. Got to go back to my work. An urgent report is badly needed.

Jobs! Jobs! Jobs @ HUNT.PH!

2009-12-01T00:31:00.000-08:00

Hunt.ph is a new job portal site wherein you can search, find and apply for good job opportunities both here and abroad. Whether you are a fresh graduate or a professional looking for a better career opportunity, Hunt can help you find that perfect job.

To get you started, please visit www.hunt.ph and register for free. It will also show you the step-by-step guide of building your resume so you can start browsing and applying for jobs.

Let Hunt.ph be one of the tools to your success. :)
Please share this information to all your family and friends!

On Change

2009-11-23T01:36:00.000-08:00

Una sa lahat, congratulations to our kababayan Efren Penaflorida for being the CNN Hero of the Year!

It's good to know that our country never runs out of selfless people despite every economic crisis, political bickering and calamities. Ang mga katulad nya ang dahilan kung bakit kahit paano ay mahal ko pa din ang Pilipinas at umiiral pa din ang Filipino pride ko. Nakakatuwa ding malaman na kahit sino, maaaring maging instrumento ng pagbabago.

Pagbabago. Uso to ngayon. Election eh. Bawat poster yata ng mga kakandidato merong salitang pagbabago. "Ako ang susi sa pagbabago". "Ang kailangan nyo sa pagbabago". "Progreso. Pagbabago". Eh paano nga ba ginagawa ang pagbabago?

Unang-una, bago ka magkaroon ng pagbabago, dapat meron kang VISION. Ano ba yung gusto mong mangyari? Ano ang gusto mong iimprove? Anong gusto mong baguhin? Ano ang nais mong marating? Kung wala nito, wala ring direksyon ang bawat galaw.

Pangalawa, dapat mayroong pagpaplano. Kumbaga sa teacher, meron kang syllabus o course outline. Ito yung magseset ng mga dapat i-accomplish para marating yung kung anong gusto mong marating.

Pangatlo, ang nasimulang vision at plano, dapat isagawa. Dito yata tayo medyo nagkukulang. Medyo kinakapos sa commitment at willpower. Nabibinbin ang mga nasimulan dahil kinakapos sa motibasyon, inspirasyon, pondo o kung anuman. Minsan high na high sa umpisa, paglaon ay tinatamad na.

At ang panghuli, ang ebalwasyon. Pagkatapos ng lahat, take a step back to see the overall picture of what we did, what we fail to accomplish and what could be improved on. Sa ganitong paraan, hindi nagiging stagnant at nakakapag adjust din tayo sa kung ano ang hiling ng panahon.

We all have the potential to be a catalyst for change. And that change can begin today.

(Pasensya na po sa mga nakakabasa kung hindi consistent English o Filipino ang blog na ito, ngunit sana ay kinakitaan ng kahit kaunting kabuluhan ang aking saloobin :) )

Haay...Krismas!

2009-11-16T19:15:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year once again. You can already feel the cool breeze and twinkling lights once again adorn every home and every store. That huge, huge green tree in Cubao is up and majestic amidst chaos in EDSA. And oh! Did you already hear Jose Mari and Lisa Chan singing their classic song "Christmas In Our Hearts"?

Yes folks, it's Christmas season.

I have always been fond of Christmas. It's like going to a happy, happy place where no problems exist and no sadness can be seen in anyone's eyes. But as I grow up, I have been aware on how our capitalism society "commercialize" the concept of Christmas so that no house is complete without a festive noche buena and no child could leave the house of ninong and ninang without a toy or two. And now that I have my own inaanaks, that might pose a problem for me, too. :p

I just hope that Christmas will not always be equated to new clothes or gifts or food or extravagant vacation. I believe Christmas is something more.

It's about Jesus.
It's about Him who was born in a simple manger to offer His life for all of us.

As what Channel 2's station ID says, "Ikaw Bro ang Star ng Pasko."

Amen. :)

Life's Simple Pleasures

2009-11-05T00:04:00.000-08:00

I had a great time yesterday having dinner with my bf and his good friend, Jane. I met them at Max' s Megamall after work. We had hearty portions of Max's famous fried chicken, bacon and potato soup, and their sumptuous dessert sampler (ube creme decadence, cream cheese brownie a la mode, buko pandan and leche flan). And you know the best part? It's a treat! Thanks byko!

More than the food, I really enjoyed the company of my bf and Jane. After long and exhausting hours of work, it's nice to have warm and decent conversations with people dearest to you. You don't get that a lot these days. :)

I hope to date my best friend Sheena next time. We have a major catching-up to do. Hoy bruha, where are you? :)

question

2009-11-03T21:22:00.000-08:00

If you can do something to make this world a better place to live in, what would that be?

Random Thoughts

2009-11-03T20:51:00.000-08:00

- i would be extremely happy if i could travel now.
- i miss eating frozen yogurt with ripe mangoes as topping.
- i am addicted to sims (again).
- i would like to trying teaching for a change.
- but still, i love being in HR(and i would love to learn more).
- i haven't gotten my transcript of records yet.
- my HS diploma's gone. eaten by anay.
- i would love to watch the old peter pan cartoon series in abs-cbn again (the one dubbed by earl ignacio and wendy villacorta).
- i wish i have the energy and drive to continue my used-to-be daily crunches.
- i wish it's 5pm already.

Pet Peeves

2009-11-03T19:18:00.000-08:00

Inspired by Lea Salonga's blog entry, here are my pet peeves:

1. uber wet toilet seat
2. wet muddy feet
3. mga pasahero sa jeep na hindi marunong mag thank you kapag inabot mo yung bayad nila sa jeepney driver
4. mga pasahero sa jeep na iaabot sa iyo directly yung bayad nila, hindi naman ikaw yung driver
5. mga nakakatapak ng paa na hindi marunong mag-sorry (ano ba! pag malambot, paa!)
6. mga nagyoyosi sa jeep or kahit saang public place at ibubuga sa mukha mo
7. napakabagal na internet connection
8. mga nagtatapon ng basura sa daan at dumudura kung saan-saan
9. mga sumisingit sa pila
10. mga bus conductor na medyo bastos

yun lang muna. :)

Work Motivation and Stress: Reverberating Thoughts from an Office Bum

2009-10-30T02:22:00.000-07:00

Think of this scenario: it’s Monday morning and you are running late for work. You wake up a little late than usual because you accidentally hit the “stop” button instead of “snooze” of your alarm (which, obviously, would silence the alarm and send you off to dreamland again). You can’t seem to find your favorite belt and you realized you have coins to pay for your jeepney fare. And so, you went to the nearest panaderia to ask “ate pwede pong makipalit ng 100?” before leaving the house (you know how sensitive jeepney drivers are in the morning). Then you go from one jeepney terminal to another, then to MRT and endure the morning rush havoc, just so you make it to your 8am shift.

But it does not end there! You wait eternally for the elevator of your building to open and reach the 34^th floor. And when finally, you reach your destination point, you found out that your work area is covered with tons and tons of paper works either for review, for signature, for revision, for filing or for distribution.

You can just imagine how many of us in the entire labor force endures this kind of scene everyday. And that just covers around 1 ½ to 2 hours of the whole day. That does not include yet the endless meetings, the angry emails from a client or your boss, the phone calls asking “why did you deduct so and so amount from my salary?”, the never-ending search for the misplaced contract (which was misplaced already long before you were employed in that company), among other things. Sometimes you would think and wonder, “Is it all worth it?” But at the end of the day, you think of your family and your dream vacation and you say to yourself, “Hay, ganun talaga. Kailangan e.”

Saturdays and Sundays seem so far, and yet when they arrive they seem to pass quickly and before you knew it, it’s Monday again.

Why is it that some people’s jobs are also their passion? Or hobby? Or talent? They have fun while working and are earning megabucks! And for the rest of us, well, it is more of a need than a passion.

Whatever the reasons are for our circumstances, I believe there is always a way around it. When things get really tough and all I want is to walk out of the office, I sit quietly and think of how many people in the world would do anything and go anywhere just to have a steady source of living. And then, I would close my eyes and say, “Thank you Lord. I am so blessed.” When I feel that work is no longer satisfying, I would think of the employee who says she is grateful that I assisted her well, and I will be filled with happiness no amount of money can ever buy.

So what are the antidotes for stress and de-motivation? A grateful heart and a sense of purpose.

It is easier said than done. There will always be days when your body will succumb to the comfort of your bed, and there will be times when your work area will feel like hell for you. There will be times when being thankful is the last thing on your mind, and you won’t feel that your job is getting you anywhere.

It is up to us. We always have a choice. Surely, times like these will always come, but we know that we have the power to be in control of how we perceive things. And then, life, as it is…will look beautiful. :)

October 29 - Happy Marlea 3.00 photos!

2009-10-29T22:54:00.000-07:00

our table lamp (unfortunately the wicker already ran out)

sticky toffee pudding!

yummy yummy!

We heart Cafe Juanita

Beef Caldereta

Chicken Mozzarella

Spoon shot1

Spoon shot2

Happy 3rd!

the hungry shot

hungry shot din

Happy, lovely 3rd year anniversary Marlea! :)

October 29 - Happy Marlea 3.00!

2009-10-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

We've just celebrated our 3rd year anniversary yesterday. Yey! It was just a simple celebration, but I am really happy that we were able to celebrate it this year. Last year kasi, I was confined in the hospital due to dengue. Malas talaga. :(

Just the same, we met at NBS Shangri-La after work. He craved for Cafe Juanita. It's a bohemian-themed (according to the article in a magazine) restaurant in Kapitolyo, Pasig. We arrive at around 7pm. I thought we won't be accommodated because we have no reservations but I'm thankful that the resto is not yet full at that time.

Sobrang gutum na gutom na kami when we arrived! To start, we had cream of asparagus soup, then followed by the main course (he ordered beef caldereta and I had chicken mozzarella with garlic rice), and the best part - dessert! Syempre, sticky toffee pudding. :)

The chicken mozzarella is really good! The pesto and tomato really blends well with its cream sauce. For the caldereta, I was expecting more anghang (parang mas lasang mechado kasi e) but nevertheless, it is tasty and the meat is really tender. And lastly, I have nothing but compliments for their sticky toffee pudding. Indulgence to the nth level!

Photos to be posted later. :)

The (Blueberry) Cheesecake Experience

2009-10-18T07:18:00.000-07:00

Today I was brave enough to try something a bit challenging: bake a blueberry cheesecake. Well, it is certainly challenging for a beginner like me, having no formal training nor experience in baking. But eversince I bought the small electric oven for my nephew's birthday (as requested by my sister, she wanted to cook baked macaroni for the kids), I have always wanted to try different recipes and bake different goodies with it. Me and my boyfriend are both fans of blueberry cheesecake, and so I decided to try one myself.

Here is the recipe I used. I got this from a cooking blog (sorry I'm not able to remember the site) but the author mentioned that she adapted it from Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries.

Ingredients:

2 225-gram blocks of cream cheese, softened
1 250-ml brick of all purpose cream (room temperature)
3/4 c. plus 2 tbsps. of white sugar
4 eggs
1-3/4 c. of graham cracker crumbs
1/3 c. of butter
1 can of blueberry pie filling

The procedure was quite easy but I had difficulty beating cream cheese together with the ingredients. After a minute or so in medium speed, my mixture still have lumps of cream cheese left. I was a bit hesitant to mix some more 'cause I read in a cooking guide not to beat the cream cheese too much (if you are making a cheesecake) or else there would be cracks in the finished product. What I did was, I got two spoons and manually break the lumps by getting a spoonful of mixture and pressing it against the other spoon. It kind of lessen the lumps but it was a bit tedious. After that, I got my small springform pan (which has the graham crust already) and pour the mixture until half the pan is filled. I baked it for about an hour.

Since I am still in the experimental stage, I used bain marie for the first cheesecake that I made. I also put aluminum foil at the bottom of the pan to make sure that the water will not mix with the cheesecake. For the remaining cheesecake mixture, I decided to use medium aluminum cups so I could pack it as baon for my sisters and my bf. I did not use bain marie here. I just hoped that they will not crack or burn. :p It only took 45 minutes to bake the second batch of cheesecakes.

Unfortunately, I was not able to get hold of canned blueberries in Puregold, so I asked my eldest sister to buy one for me in Landmark. The cheesecakes are already cooled and are in the ref now. I just hope my sister won't forget the blueberries I requested. :)

Here are the photos of the cheesecakes sans blueberries.

P.S. I tried a slice of my cheesecake and well, not bad for a first try. :) But I would still want to make a few improvements, like making the sides smoother and the consistency better. But the taste is okay (at least for me). Time to take my cheesecake to the ultimate scrutiny: the taste test.

My Golden Tsinelas: A Preview

2009-10-09T20:50:00.000-07:00

I don't like wearing closed shoes. Since I studied in a university which requires me to walk at least half a kilometer to get to my next class, I learned early on that tsinelas is a major, major must. To walk in heels (or any uncomfy shoe) is murder.

And this sentiment did not stop after college. Being a regular commuter, I know how hard it is to keep your sanity intact during the 7-9am morning rush in MRT, LRT and EDSA.

One day I bought a really nice pair of slippers that I saw in a shopping mall. It's a bit overpriced for a footwear but I'm glad I bought it. My feet have been murdered several times by unknowing passengers of the same train or bus, but my tsinelas has saved me from aching feet at the end of the day.

My tsinelas has been there for me since eternity. Kahit saan yata ako magpunta, lagi ko siyang dala. Rain or shine, high tide or low tide, good times or bad times, bakasyon man o trabaho...lagi ko siyang bitbit. It got worn out and it faded, but the same comfort it gives never changed.

Then, suddenly...it's gone.

My fault actually. I was on my way to our client's office and running late. As I was walking towards the building, I realized that I left my paperbag inside the taxi. Yes, that paperbag contained my tsinelas (which I intend to wear after the client meeting).

It took a while for me to get over it. As I was pondering what made me attached to my slippers, I realized that it is because I did a lot of things, went to a lot of places, endured a lot of hard times and celebrated a lot of good times with it. It moves with me. It lives with me. And that made it valuable and special.

This blog site is, in a way, an attempt to encapsulate my memories and experiences when I still have my beloved tsinelas. But on the other hand, i hope this will help me (and you! yes, you!) be more inspired to live, to explore, to discover, to experiment, to not be afraid, to experience and to love what you have now and look forward to what lies ahead. This is what life is all about.

P.S.
To the lucky person who got my tsinelas: I hope you'll have good memories with it, too.