The Year That Was... 2008

I was supposed to publish this post yesterday but i was having problems with my inet connections .... so instead of being a year ender post, let this be my first blog for the year 2009 ... A New Year, a new beginning ... the year that passed was not a very good year... a lot of challenges, problems and tears came our way but we managed to survive... and the bonus part is we have gained true and loyal friends, valuable learnings and the fact that we are surrounded with much love by the people around. Indeed these are the best weapon one can have to welcome a new year .

And so as I bid goodbye to 2008 .. let me list down the highlights of the year that was....

1. Overnight Stay in Discovery Suites during my Birthday.

2. Our first out of town trip in Bulacan.

3. Got promoted but resigned from the position after a few months

4 Our labor problem/case with 22nd

5. Opening of our Canteen that lasted for 6 months

6. Mayeeh's wedding

7. Start up Keai Ora

and

8. Fun and quality family time with Benjie and our little Julia.

Julia's 3rd Birthday

Last Sunday was a special day for our little princess, Julia as she turned big Three! We had a simple get together with fellow celebrant cousin Fiona (who turned 5 as well). Both girls had fun playing with their cousins. And of course, Julia enjoyed her gifts from well wishers as Mommy and Daddy took pictures of her.

Early Christmas Gift

I decided to give my hubby and my princess a special gift this Christmas.... a local dvd player that would read all our pirated dvd so we can do a dvd marathon anytime....

And look who got excited with what Santa brought them a week an half early .... :)

View from the Top

Last Sunday, while in the middle of the call i suddenly grabbed my phone and took a picture of the view from the window where i am sitting... It was literally a breath taking view... a welcome breather from all the calls i'm taking especially on a Sunday while everybody else is watching boxing.... and one thing that made me smile is the thought that how lucky I am to have view like this and to think that i'm far from being an executive...

so for now.. let me just enjoy the view to ward off my mind from calls and the "not so good" people around :)

Deadline Jitters

For the past weeks i have been writing this "special project"... and as always, i crammed until the very last minute... (and calling in sick half of the day so i can beat the deadline).. For a while there i got scared that i might have lost my touch being away for almost 5 years in the writing industry.... but when the adrenalin rush came in.. i started writing away and couldnt believe what i wrote.. I cant say much, yet... but in time hopefully you'll be able to see my work again..I'm keeping my fingers crossed and saying a special prayer that this project will push through

Christmas Giveaways..

This year we're offering a different Christmas giveaway.. its our very special Laing at an affordable price... The food is great, promise ! Its Benjie's specialty and we are hoping one day we can make this a big thing!!!

For orders ... just call, txt or email me...

Happy Holidays

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SOMETHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR

It was a "roller coaster" type of day ... one moment you're okay and the next you feel drained and lonely, swamped with a thousand and one things to think of....

I went home from work tired physically, emotionally and financially. Stress and finacial problems are again taking its toll... but something jilted me back to my senses... the "thanksgiving" blog entry of my friend who is thousands of miles away.

She wrote ... she was thankful for the colleagues, friends, family , husband she has by her side. But most of her, she was grateful that finally after years of trying she finally got pregnant but unfortunately lost the baby after a week. I admire my friend because despite what she's going through she still manage to see the positive side of things.... which got me to thinking... if only i have half of her optism and outlook in life perhaps i wouldnt be too stressed out and be feeling drained and out...

I've been writing almost half of my life .... I have known great writers from the industry but the best writer of all is the big boss Up there who never fails to open my eyes and never fails to amaze me with the twists and turns in this big drama called Life.

Sinfully Delicious

I am not a " sweets" person and not like others, i dont have a sweet tooth. I can easily exchange chocolates and other sweet stuff for a hot cup of coffee and regular pandesal. But last friday i decided to give in and dropped by the newly opened krispy kreme branch in gateway to check it out. There were indeed a lot of sweet stuff on the shelf but it was the Apple Pie Caramel who caught my attention. It was indeed a wise decision because it was sinfully delicious and went well with my coffee.

Little Miracles

From time to time we experience Little Miracles that touch our lives. It can come in a simple phone call, a simple hi or a simple gesture.... It doesnt have to be grand or something earth shaking.... just something that will somehow wake up your senses and touch your heart...

Little Miracle 01

For the past two weeks, i worked on a very early shift... Have to wake up by 4am, leave the house at 5am so i can be at the office by 6am. Most of time, waking up is the problem, and what pains me most is leaving Julia and Benjie still sound asleep in the comforts of our bed while i had to drag myself to work... As i walk towards the terminal, i would usually pass by my neighbor's house whose helpers would be cleaning their cars as early as 5am. The catch here is as pass by they would warmly greet me "good morning" even if they dont know me. Imagine, two young helpers working before the sun rises and ready to give a smile to strangers. I suddenly felt so little because here i am probably earning thrice as what they're getting, complaining to my boss how difficult it is to report for work early in the morning when some people are already on their feet and smiling !!!!


Little Miracle #02

We have been battling a legal case against Benjie's former employers... nope the case is not yet over, and worse, to get back at us, they filed a case against Benjie for Intriguing Against Honor ( yup, there's such a case !!!) . So to help us clear Benjie's name
we tried to get documentation from Smart Communication but we got declined because they dont issue out extractions of SMS without a court order. We are disappointed because we were requesting for said docs so we can file a motion to quash the said case. I tried to call some friends who somehow would have a connection inside smart to help us sort things out with the legal department. Here's the miracle.... the other night, out of the blue, my former publisher called me after almost two years of silence to discuss a concept i have for a new book. In the course of our conversation, he mentioned Smart Communications and from there I picked up the queue... Lo and behold, he somehow knows someone inside who, God willing, might be able to help us get said documents. Well its still a long shot from here but i am really amazed on how God's hand works. Imagine, its been years since i havent touched based with my publisher and just when I needed someone to help us out, He sends someone to give us hope in our case.

Little Miracle #03

My bestfriend got married two months ago and since she got married at the age of 35, everybody was asking her and pressuring her to conceive. Now not everybody knows that almost a decade ago, she underwent an operation due to an ovarian mass. It wasnt malignant or something but her OB Gyn Sister insisted on taking out the ovary before it can lead to bigger problems. So at mid 20's she was left with just one ovary. Now with just one ovary, we know its not impossible to conceive however, it may be more difficult compared to others. But this wasnt the case for Mayeeh because last night I heard the good news that she's now on the family way. This indeed is not just a little Miracle but a Special One to celebrate and be thankful for.

Now what have I learned from all these miracles ? No matter how difficult and rough the roads i may be trekking right now, there is always a reason for me to smile because the Lord continues to shower me with his Blessings and Little Miracles to ponder ! :)

Jologs Queen

When i was still writing full time, my friends from ABS would call me the Jologs Queen... Nope, not because I'm a certified Jologs (i'm more on the "kolehiyala" side minus the kakikayan) but because wherever i go there will always be someone that i somehow know or who knows me without me knowing it....... The usually say the the 6 degrees affinity does not apply to me because i easily go beyond the 6 degrees rule .... Classic example.....

An MMK staff/researcher went to Dubai a couple of years ago to do a story research for said show. There they met someone (a consulate staff i think) who happens to be a mom of a former schoolmate .....

My sister in law Kathy went to the first PTA meeting in Holy Spirit where her youngest daughter happens to be a classmate of a former classmate in College


My Bestfriend just got married last September and her husband happens to be a coworker of a former colleague of mine in Aptech Computer School.

A few months back, I went to Smart Wireless Center to request for a legal document needed for a legal suit.... again someone from my alma matter recognized me....

And this afternoon, while depositing a cheque in the bank, another familian recognized me although I have to admit i didnt know her because she was three batches lower....


And the list and the connection continues..... Thinking about it, I couldnt help but smile. I know the Big Guy up there really loves me because wherever I go, there will always be someone who is willing to extend a smile... and willing to help out.

so let me end this entry by saying ... " Mabuhay ang mga JOLOGS !"

My Sunday Routine

After a few weeks, I finally got back to my Sunday Off and first thing in my agenda this morning is my coffee, peanut butter sandwich and my blog entry.... Nothing beats my Sunday Routine when i have time for myself...(well at least until everybody wakes up ... hehehe)

Writing Job

I just got another offer to write for a teleserye a few minutes ago and i have to admit it was really tempting ..... God knows how much i miss writing and seeing your work unfold right before your eyes. But life is different now and much as i want to trade my day job to my old writing job its not that easy because i have my little julia and tons of bills to think of. Although my day job does not complete or fulfill my creative side, at least it brings food on the table and somehow makes me secure and safe because of our health insurance. So for now i would have to keep my pen and paper in the drawer and just take it out when the right project comes.

so as the saying goes.... "abangan ang susunod na kabanata...."

Welcome To the World of Blogging

I've heard of cashing in some bucks while blogging so i told myself might as well give it a try. At least its something i really love to do (blogging that is) and something that i know i am capable of doing....

So the first question is what should i write to earn something ????? I know there are one thousand and one things to write about but doesnt have any idea where or how to start. I usually write about something personal that i dont think most people on the worldwide web would care about but hey, who knows i could be wrong ... and in this case, i hope i'm wrong....
because i would really need the extra bucks and i would really love to write, and write.... and write.....

so as for now, i'm keeping my fingers crossed and hope one day someone will stumble upon my site, would be brave enough to trust my writing skills and make me richer by a few bucks :)

In the meantime, I'll just continue blogging ......

Our Favorite Hang-Out

Yesterday, the sun finally came out in the afternoon so the whole family headed off to UP Campus so Julia can ran around to her heart's content (which she literaly did) !!!!!

Daddy's Birthday

Today is Benjie's 28th (?) birthday again and we had a very simple celebration. Highlight of the day was the blowing of the candle by our little Princess....

Bedscene

My day started really special because my little princess woke up with a smile on her little face and gamely posed before the camera. If only all mornings can start this way than you'll have all the reasons to get up early in the morning

My Best Friend's Wedding

It took us months to prepare for this special day but it was worth it. Nothing beats to see the bride and groom all smiles on this special day. All of the hardships, long hours, discussions, preparations and practices really paid off and to think we had to do it in such little time (less than 6 months to prepare) and not to mention hundreds of thousands miles away (the Bride and Groom reside in UK while I am here in the homeland, Philippines) .

I have to admit, i'm having withdrawal syndromes coz all of a sudden i have a lot of time in my hands (not that i'm complaining)... its just that i miss Mayeeh's worried voice and Arthur's laughter as we prepare for their big day.

To the Bride and Groom.... stay happy and in love !!!!!

A QUIET AFTERNOON

I enjoyed a simple afternoon with Julia as i put her to sleep and decided to blog my time away. Watching her sleep made me realize how time flies so fast.... my little princess is slowly growing and before we know it, she'll no longer be our little one. In the meantime let me enjoy every minute with her...

Crunch Time

Two weeks.... two weeks to go and its my bestfriend's wedding, an event that we've been preparing since January. All our calendars are filled up, calls and appointments being made left and right. We're trying our best to finish everything 3 days before the event so the bride and groom will have time to relax.

But the best thing with this wedding preparation is that it brings people closer together during crunch time. You reconnect with old friends you haven't seen for sometime and start doing things you used to do during your highschool days. I cant wait for the scheduled song rehearsals bec that would mean seeing Joanne, Rex, Mayeeh and I sing again just like the good old days.

So for now, it's countdown time until my bestfriend Mayeeh walks down the aisle.....

Sick .... again

Yup, here I am, blogging in while following doctor's orders to rest for another 3 to 5 days otherwise i'll be forced to rest in the four walls of the hospital.

For others its a welcome change but if you've been sick on and off for weeks now its no longer fun. The only advantage is I get to spend time with my little princess. From sun up to sun down, we are glued together but when her daddy arrives, i take the back seat for awhile until the two gets into a fight... you know what they say, like poles repel.

Staying home would be nice if and only if you're not bothered with a thousand and one things. But when your mind is swamped with a lot of things, its difficult being alone because most often than not you get depressed.... which is probably what i'm going thru right now.

If i only i have a magic wand.... i would request for lots of money so all my problems would go away.. and lastly, request for a brand new heart that is not tired and drained....

Sick and Tired

It's Monday morning, just had my cup of coffee and a slice of bread.... i've got the house to myself until my little princess woke up... so now i'm sharing the house w/ her and barney.

And yes, its the first day of the week and yet here i am at home... no i'm not lucky that i got the day off ( how i wish)... but instead, i'm home because i'm sick, again. Two weeks ago i was down with acute sinusitis and bronchitis and had to rest for a couple of days but due to lack of finances, i was not able to complete the prescribed dosage of antibiotics. I thought i was strong enough and could manage to bounce back but due to old age and stress, here i am again coughing my lungs out, and worse with a higher dosage of meds and not to mention more expensive. My bosses are not happy with my current state, and i'm sure i wont be happy either when i see my paycheck (although i stil have my sick leave credits i will no longer be eligible for the attendance incentive )

So how am i doing right now ??? I'm sick and tired ..... i guess the reason why i'm getting more sickly is because i am really stressed out... drained out is a more appropriate word to describe how i feel . I am drained physically, emotionally, spiritual and financially. Its very difficult trying to be strong for everybody to keep you afloat but when you get tired and wants to rest, there's no one you can turn to to help you out. i've come to a point of seriously thinking of letting go.... hoping that if i finally let go, i could rest and gather my bearings....

but how does one let go ?

SAVED BY FRIENDS

How many times in the past have i turned to my dear friends for help especially when it comes to financial problems.... friends who were always there willing to help no matter what ... Friends who never asked why was i in need or when will i pay up... Friends who never keep tab of how many times they were there for to hold my hand through rough times.... friends like Agatha, Vanessa, Ate Paz, Kuya Son, Dadders, My Partner in Crime Marue, Mayeeh, Ambo, Tita A, Bel, Cherie, Shao etc.... its a very long list but these people occupy the top space simply because they are a just a txt/call away.

And lately, two friends with golden hearts have saved me through rough waters (again) .. Joanne and Michelle whom i havent seen for quite sometime. I really owe these people big time for helping tide things over and God knows how grateful i am that there were there to help out. If it werent for them, most likely i'm still at a lost.... I know after all these trials and challenges, i will end up a Big Winner because of the friends i've got ...

I know i am so loved by the Big Boss in Heaven because I am Blessed with TRUE AND BEAUTIFUL FRIENDS....

Blogging in

It's sunday morning once again and i just had my coffee and crackers for starters. I'm killing time so i can head off to the grocery to buy more coffee and usual stuff.....

so here i am infront of my precious computer, " blogging in" after checking my mails and reading my friends' blogs and something really struck me this morning... if i may borrow a dear friend's line in her blog so i can share it with everyone else

"Happiness is a choice and our disposition is more important than our circumstances" ...

This made me think twice about what i'm going through right now.True, our disposition spells a big difference in handling things. For the past weeks, I've been stressed out because i've been worried sick of our finances and since we're just starting our business, our cash flow is really tight and sometimes looks like going nowhere. I have debts to settle left and right and couldnt figure out how to balance things but i know somewhere, somehow things will fall into place like they always do. its just a matter of having the right disposition so i can be guided and handle things properly.

And speaking of disposition.... Last week i had a chance to meet up with an old friend Joanne, whom i haven't seen for quite sometime. We've been best buddies during our highschool and college years but we've lost touch when we got busy with our careers and personal lives. Luckily one afternoon on my way home i chanced upon her along eastwood and it turned out we worked in the same area and decided to have coffee.... I really had a great time spending an hour with her and i couldnt help but admire how strong and beautiful this friend of mine is. Despite the family problems she's going through with one of her siblings , she remains calm and always with a smile. Her disposition in handling her load keeps her feet on the ground and keeps her sane. And to top it all, Joanne has 2 wonderful kids, a husband and a mother in law to take care, a full time job from 5pm to 2am and finishing up a nursing course on the side. For me, this girl is a superwoman !!!! And i know she'll always be blessed and be guided because of her beautiful heart ! Love you , Jo !!!!

Our New "BABY"

Its true that when God closes a door, He opens a window.... and that's what happened to us after Benjie's work in 22nd (unfortunately, the saga over 22nd is not yet over and may take a while but we're not giving up.. we'll give them a tough fight they'll never forget)

While looking for other business opportunities, we stumbled upon a canteen space in the nearby BJMP Office which is a stone throw away from our apartment. Luckily, everything fell into place and before we knew it, we were preparing for a new chapter in our life... becoming a full time entrepreneur. When we first saw the space we were not thrilled and we knew there's a lot of work to do but after scrubbing, fixing the tables and adding my Mom's crossstitch pieces, we have somehow transformed the place into our very own Bite Factory Canteen. We're still in the process of putting things into order and waiting for the business to pick up ...and we know we're getting there.....

This is truly our new Baby because Benjie and I are spending more time and effort into this project but we know its worth it because at the end of the day, we know all the fruits of these endeavor will benefit the whole family especially our precious princess, Julia.

Another Quiet Sunday

Yup... i'm up and about around 9am this morning, excited to get up so i can have my cup of coffee and some treats before i can pour out my thoughts....

Its been a stressful week.... work was the same, tons of calls to be answered. what was sad about the past work week is its our last time to be together with my teammates under the helm of our dear TM .... starting tomorrow i'll be reporting to someone else. That's one of the sad realities of working in a call center industry. You are reshuffled from time to time just like chess pieces controlled by just one hand (in our case its the Operations Manager) and you have no choice but to follow. As they would put it, "trabaho lang, walang personalan"...... The good thing is our account is relatively a small group so no matter what team you get assigned to, i will always see my former teammates.

One thing you can't get away though is office politics. No matter where you go, you'll always have to deal with it. Its just sad that you are trying to work and others dont give as much but they get away with it and worse, get the credit. So one thing i've learned when i was promoted, just go with the flow and just show them what you've got because at the end of the end, that's all that matters. It doesnt matter if they're more senior, bottomline is people will see what you're really made of and that's want counts. No Office Politics can stop that....

Tomorrow is a start of a new week..... Honestly, its not something to look forward to but at least there's something to keep me busy, sane and grounded. And the best thing about going to work is the thought the day will end soon and you'll be heading home to be with the people you love.

GETTING THRU THE STORM

Two weeks ago Benjie got the worst treatment from his work. When he was about to finish his work for the day, the Manager's Assistant/Magnified Alalay Paul approached him and gave him a memo suspending him for 30 days ("preventive suspension" as they termed it) for "Malicious and Slanderous Text Messages" sent to his boss' husband informing him that his wife (who happens to be Benjie's boss for the last 8 years and a half) is having an extra marital affair. According to them, said messages came from Benjie's prepaid number that he was using. They confirmed this when a staff borrowed Benjie's phone to text their Big Boss. To make the story short, he was accused of something Benjie never did and will never do not even in his wildest dreams. He even reasoned out to the said Assistant that he is not stupid to send malicious messages and still use the said sim card.


When Benjie told me this the following day I literally blew my top especially when I saw him in tears..... yes, tears of pain and anger roll down his cheeks . Imagine after more than 8 years of working with them, this is what you get. For quite sometime now management of 22nd st has been treating theif staff badly. No overtime pays, no benefits and most often than not their paychecks are released late a day or two but never did Benjie complained and instead took everything in stride. But this accusation was the last straw to any decent employee could take.


We wasted no time and made phone calls looking for friends who can help us out. Luckily, a family friend (One of my brother's brad) gladly accepted the case and wasted no time in answering said memo, assuring us that we are in safe hands and that we will not give up a good battle since we are on the winning side, and two weeks into the said "case" it seems that things are going our way after we've confirmed with the cellphone company details and dates of activation of the prepaid sim he is using, we can now somehow breath a little. its still a long way to go but as our dear lawyer Rene would say... we will give them a good fight and make them pay back.

The best thing that happened during this stormy two weeks is we became closer and we started going to the adoration chapel... actually more than anyone, its Benjie who goes to the Adoration Chapel to pray (considering that he is not a catholic). He would deligently go to church every afternoon or evening to spend some time and pray. Julia and I would sometimes go with him to say a special prayer of thanks and request for strength that we may overcome this obstacle.

With Faith, hope, love and friends around us, we are getting thru this storm and we are looking forward to the day we will emerge as winners in this battle and eventually Benjie's name and reputation will be cleared and be vindicated.

Sundays.... Ohh Sundays

For the past few months i would wake up early and report to Work Sunday mornings. At first i hated it bec while everybody else sleeps late, i'm at the office with my headset, talking to aussies and all ..


But lo and behold, after a year and a half, i finally got promoted and got the weekends off. Now i get to enjoy staying up late Sat night, watching tv and chatting with friends over the internet. But most importantly, i get to enjoy the sunday mornings with my coffee, my 80's music and my laptop, updating my blog. This is " my time for myself".... time for me to write, recharge and relax. I dont mind if it means just for an hour or two because any minute now julia will wake up and will be all over me (happy to see that her mommy's home when she wakes up and this is something i enjoy as well during weekends). Sunday afternoon is another plus when we get to go out as a family, an activiity/event that Benjie and I would like to instill so that Julia would have a taste of a family day during weekends.


So no matter how toxic and hectic the work week is, i have my Sundays to look forward to ..

Our First Summer Outing

Last May 14 was a very special day for the whole family as we drove to malolos, bulacan for our first summer outing. we had a great time and it was really a treasure to see our little Julia enjoying the pool. Unfortunately, a few hours later she started to get cranky because it was time for her afternoon nap. There was nothing we can do except pack our bags and head home. That also explains why we only had a few pix to share

But all up it was worth the trip.... now we're looking forward and planning our next adventure and hopefully this time we'll get to spend the night over so we'll have more time, more pix and of course, more fun .

Hormonal Change

A lot of people are talking about it... that crazy time of the month where your hormones are doing all those crazy stuff that takes you to a roller coaster ride of emotions... At first i didnt take it seriously because i never had any problems in that area but ever since i gave birth things started to change. Not only do i experience cramps during the "time of the month" but now i have mood swings.



It could also be sign of old age when you start to worry about the littlest thing in the world. You're so tied up with all the problems you tend to forget to smile and how to have fun. As a result you suddenly feel the stress eating up your body , taking forms in different aches, pains and illness you never had before.



Moral of the story..... Have Faith and Have Fun.... Problems will come your way no matter what... but if you have Faith that everything will be okay and learn to have Fun and enjoy Life you have all you need to conquer and control that Hormonal Change Episode.

Barney ... Marney !!!

Yup, that's Julia's favorite name in the world right now... i dont know what it is with Barney, but it seems all the kids are addicted to this purple dinosaur.... she can watch barney the moment she wakes up till midnight over and over again. There was a time her yaya had to hide all the vcds so that we can watch regular programming. She is so into this BArney thing that we adults have memorized all the songs as well that I sometimes find myself humming the melody in the middle of my shift...

I know in a year or two she'll outgrow BArney.. but for the meantime i let her enjoy every minuet of it....

TimeZone

Last Tuesday we had a grand time in Timezone, Trinoma. This is a first for the whole family... First time we went to Trinoma and strolled around the area, and the first time to hang out in Timezone...

Again, more than anything , it was our little Princess Julia who enjoyed the gimik, she loved it so much we're planning to visit the place next week.

Seq 1: Interior.... Work Area/Study... Night

Yup... i'm back writing the familiar sluglines.... God is really good coz after almost four years i suddenly found myself in familiar territories, trying my hand in writing once again. I feel lucky because i am given another chance to do what i love to do most... Scriptwriting. And the people i'm working with are really nice bec they let me continue my regular job and do my writing on the side. I'm really excited with this new chapter/endeavor but at the same time i'm nervous because its been a long, long time. It feels like i'm the neophyte writer trying my luck. I hope and pray i still have what it takes to see my name on OBB and experience the same high when i see and hear my lines in the boob tube. So in the meantime, i'm signing off so i can start my treatment due this weekend......

fade to ...


CBB

DISCOVERY NIGHT

I had a wonderful 35th Birthday Celebration when Benjie, Julia and I stayed overnight in Discovery Suites courtesy of Sitel ( I won a raffle in one of the referral programs). Although it may seem a grand way to celebrate, the truth of the matter is, we had a very quiet evening and enjoyed every minute as we watch our little princess enjoy the new environment. She was literally and figuratively all over the place inspecting every corner..... too bad we didn't take too many pix .

Benjie enjoyed watching his little one so much he is now saving up money so we can have another night in the said hotel.