My Original Sistah

My original SISTAH is Ate Luz… She is the lifelong Ate I have… Even we were 8 years apart, I treated her as my first “best friend” in my toddler and teen years… She was my Ate, filling my summer childhood memories of her being there for us (me and willy). We were the regular tambay in their big “nipa” house… enjoying many summers playing and bonding with her, reading comics, playing text (mini-cards), taguan (hide and seek) or just being there watching her doing her household chores. She never grew tired of our kakulitan, she being already a teen-ager and us being just 7-9 yr old “alaga.”

Haha… if i will ever ask Willy to write with me here about Ate Luz, we might probably fill this blog with lots of memories….

Anyways, I promised my Ate Luz that we’ll have a spa-night together… since it will be a wedding of her son this weekend, I also feel this is a long-overdue bonding moment.

SO last night, she did facial spa and i did foot spa… she made the spa assitants laughed with her wacky remarks (it was her first time to have facial treatment)… we had a great time… Soon i will treat her to foot spa also.

Pasta Party! Success!

Great! it’s a success! can’t describe in words the overwhelming mixed feelings of what happened in the party…there are bloopers, there are tensed moments… but that’s just menial compared to the great moments that will stick in our being…. the memory will live on for everybody….

Happy Birthday MAMA!

So, here’s the pictures na lang….

See also: Pasta Party for Mader
Birthday Countdown
Pasta Panic

Reunion!!

Today I commit myself to volunteer in organizing our High School Batch reunion! Why Not! I know it will need a quite too much attention and time, but I know this will “reap” a lot of fun, memories, challenges and most of all rekindling of friendship! In this one lifetime, probably one of the most memorable milestones in our lives (aside from giving birth, wedding…) is the reunion! So, I want to be a part of this!

My Simple Pleasures in Six Words

I have started on March 29, 2010 my new project to record simple things that make me smile and be grateful about the day! Click also on the entry to see the post inspired by a nice photo.

March 29: Soft morning wind, great day ahead!
March 30: Received a rose from grateful Jolo
March 31: Nice Fuji camera from Ninang Verna
April 1: Holy Thursday Visita Iglesia with cousins
April 2: Hear my Aliya sing and hum
April 3: Books nourish my soul and mind
April 4: Attended mass with Mama and Daddy / KFC Time with Kids and Parents
April 5: I only have one favorite pizza!
April 6: New HPMini311, sleek and amazing laptop!
April 7: Clash of the Titans: the remake
April 8: Took ganda pictures of my Aliya
April 9: My new favorite in net: WeHeartIt!
April 10: Borrowed a sought-after book by Albom
April 11: “Fun” SpongeBob song sung by Lean
April 12: Nice to help relieve Jolo’s discomfort
April 13: Received help from people least expected
April 14: Cheesy lasagna baked by Sister Flor
April 15: A relief to finish tax season!
April 16: Four books to soothe my nerves
April 17: Gimik with beloved St Jo friends!
April 18: At farm, picked mangoes with Aliya
April 19: Ice Cream, Tapsilog, Starbucks at Opening
April 20: Driving to work with my Lean
April 21: Experienced efficient, fast processing of passports
April 22: A hit new store at QC
April 23-25: Celebrating life while mourning and grieving
April 26: Teambuilding fun moments with Audit collegues
April 27: Playing, laughing, goofing around the pool
April 28: Opportunity to teach Jolo a good lesson
April 29: Another blessed year passed for Daddy
April 30: Beer and tacos moment with Papi
May 1: Bonding moments with cousins at Cabana’s
May 2: Time to treat Dad for his Bday / Watched lovely sunset from our room
May 3: Swimming and lunch at Ocean Park

…. hope to keep up….

this is saved now in my Page

Colorful Week!

Started the week with GungHo seminar by Bro. Jojo Baldo. Very uplifting, enlightening and we had a great fun. It rubbed again my spirituality and made me re-think of my goals and my “hidden” talents…
Can’t help but be amazed with Jojo’s requested tomb’s epitaph ” Live Fully, Died Empty”
Have created in just 2 hours music clip “Climb” using Movie Maker.
Made new friends!
Made progress with the business research with my Kuya!
we opened two stores on the same day
Have made efforts to motivate staff and kids!
New church where we attended mass last Sunday, St Joseph the Laborer, Meycauyan
Met my SVS partners and made great plans ahead!
Prospect for adventure: March- Subic; April- Visita Iglesia at South; May- Bohol; June-Boracay; July-Coron and Mama’s Diamond Bday
Haven’t written yet our adventure at “Hot Air Baloon Festival”
Not getting progress with my planned housekeeping works…
Finished reading “Perfect Match” by Jodi Picoult, now reading “My Sister’s Keeper” by same author… Books by nice authors are just sitting in my bookshelf without me knowing it…
Starting reading bible again, started at Samuel 2 and found them full of drama…
I’m still sick…
less time with Aliya because of early schedule of training
Spent more time with staff (pizza time on Friday)
Playtime with Lean
Looking forward for long-weekend at Mama’s

Celebrate Friendship!

I have a long-outstanding promise to a friend to post our pictures in internet, I keep reminding myself and keep on forgetting, until today. And I did more than just posting it in my FB account… I made a Smilebox digital scrapbook with designs, music and all… that is, with effort!

This is a compilation of our “celebration” of friendship that filled our 2009 with joy and inspiration… just being together.

Sis Natz, eto na….

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

The Holiday A-Z Photos!

A - St Agatha’s Resort Grand Reunion & Papi’s Bday (#18) (# reference in previous blog)

B – Boat Ride up to Cruz sa Wawa at Bocaue (#20)

C – Complete Cousins

D – The DAY (my day) (#10)

see also pictures here: Ways to Celebrate a Bday

E – Eucharistic Day of Lean (#4)

F - Family! (#16)

G – Gift-Giving for Kids (#13)

H – Home for Holiday – Chuko & Deanne (#12)

I – “I” Moment at our Christmas party… Audit Bday Tribute (#7)

J – Surprise Bday Treat for John-john (#1)

K – moments with Kuyas (#22)

L – night with SVS at Lorna T’s house in “Dahil May Isang Ikaw” (#2)

M – Kuya’s visit at our house @ Marilao (#23)

N – New Year’s Eve (#21)

O – Opening of Seri Asia (#9)

P – Party! Party! Puregold Audit Family (see this also) and SVS Family! (#6)

Q – Queue at Charity Gift Giving

R – Raffle, Bingo & Games on Xmas Eve (#15)

S – Star Awards for Auditors (#8) (more info here)

T- “These are the Days” (#21) A Music Video @ YouTube – click here

U – Unstoppable “Sports Tournament” – Swimming, Bowling & Basketball

V – Dinner date with Verna and later on with SGV Friends (#5)

W – Wacky Photos! (#14) see more here

X – Xmas Spirit! with Daddy & Mama!

Y – bYe Time… 1st round (#24)

Z – Z-read, bYe… 2nd Round (#25)

Project K for K: A Success! (Episode 1)

Event: Project Kindness for Kids (Share-a-toy!)
Place: Letre, Dagat-dagatan, Caloocan
Date: December 19, 2009
With : SAMAKA group, EVC and SGV Staff, Ex-SGVeans, Puregold Auditors, SVS Staff, Papi, Jolo and Lean

It was a success! We have brought smiles and joy to almost 700 kids with our humble gift of toys and food packs! The supports from different groups within my sphere were overwhelming! The SGV Staff and Ex-SGVeans were there with our dashing Boss Manny Clarino! My PG auditors were there to help me before and during the event (buying grocery raffle items and soliciting more donations)! Friends like Bel Fernando and Mary Sumera Demetillo also joyfully volunteered. Our SVS Staff, led by my dear friend Flor, also took efforts overnight packing gifts and stuff! Also, the SAMAKA group who organized the kids on location! Thanks to all of you! Of course, a lot of appreciation as well to all who have sent their pledges, donations in kind, and lots of cheers and encouragement! Salamat! It was a success!

What a wonderful day to start celebrating my birthday! (This is just one of many ways!)

Part 2 of this happened at Matungao Bulacan… (my next blog…), and Part 3 will push-through this January…. (because of donations still pouring in!)

By the way, I can now slash one of my no. 58th on my 101 list re this, but definitely I will repeat it again in December 2010…

See related entries:
Project Kindness for Kids
Project K for K: An Update

Picture Moment #21: A Dream of a Friend

I am soooo happy and proud for my friend Flor!

She just opened a Jollibee outlet (at our old office address at San Andres Malate)!

A dream fulfilled by just an ordinary girl with extraordinary vision, load-full of talents, never-ending blessings, unwavering courage and great aspiration! She deserves it! All of it!

A “Jollibee-dream,” just like an “all-american dream,” is EVERYBODY’s dream. A long-shot dream, really but who would not want to have a dream-business like this that assures retirement years?

But Flor made it happened, and she made sure that it will happen fast and while she’s still young!

All because of her “never-say-no” and “one-great-leap” attitude…. and not to mention her charm, wit, vision, spirit and timing. (How she got her franchise license is a great and interesting story to be told someday!)

Oh, did I mentioned that she did it “with heart”? Her vision is not only for her own dream, but for the fulfillment of dreams of everybody that matters to her!

We are happy for you, sis, you are really an inspiration!

***********
look who is cutting the ribbon!

to grace the occasion… no other than… jollibee himself

“a dream come true…”

opppsss… I was there…. (November 11, 2009)

Tips & Insights: Live Life to the Fullest

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay ‘them’
I am a good example of this… I am not very quick in answering my age, it’s not that I am ashamed of it, it’s just that it doesn’t really matter… same with my weight… (but that one I have to work on a bit, for the sake of health)

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down..
I’m glad that I have bunchful of funny and witty friends around who are great to laugh with.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. ‘An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.’ And the devil’s name is Alzheimer’s.
Yep, right… that’s why I’m always looking for new things to learn… it still amazes me to know some things, even how petty or irrelevant they are (example: EENT doctors are called othorhinolaringology… hehehe)

4. Enjoy the simple things.
Of course! If simple things will not amaze us, then we don’t deserve the big things! Me? I still enjoy pandesal on sardines, picking ears and reading good old Reader’s Digest..

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
Moments of these are so few, and yet it’s satisfying… I have to remind myself to laugh often… Chico and Del (93.1FM, 6AM to 10PM) are always ON AIR every morning, right?… well, that’s a very good source of hearty laughs…

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
Right! grieve sometime… but life must go on… fail, but fail forward… then stand tall… Choose to be Alive! (for myself and for others!)… As the quote in the image above (in case you can’t see it…) it says, “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain!”

7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it’s family, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
No matter how hard and heavy was my day, I always long for the refuge of home. Where love is there, where nothing is much expected from me, but be myself, but be at peace…. ohhhhhh….

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it.. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
That’s right, I should not take my health for granted. It’s not really “beyond our control,” I believe. At least, I can prolong it if I’ll really just try.

9. Don’t take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.
Why should I? When guilt happens, I just let it pass (or make amends)… Next time around, I should know better!

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.
Ommmh, something I am not very good at… But I am working on it….I know it will really make a difference for the one we give love to (and me also) …. Ya, I will have to make efforts….

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER :
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

We all need to live life to its fullest each day!!

Moving Forward on my 101….

#79: keeps on the habit of investing in mutual fund, (I have received 10k gift of Lola Baby to Aliya and it all goes to mutual fund, 5k goes to car registration)
#84: have finally decided to pull-out Jolo’s plan so not to diminish its value further (I will just put it in mutual fund)
#87: be more aware of financial matters: Meralco shares is going up (and now going low)… decide… decide… I have so&so shares at stake…
#94: Bought a microwave oven
#91: starting remodelling my purple room
#5: had a good “talk” with Jolo about attitude and habits. Also, bought the Jabbawokeez Mask for Jolo, Chess for Lean and new slippers for Aliya (been in my “to do” list for long), have to spend more time “dancing” with Jolo and playing with Lean and ALiya…
#17: Seen 2 groups of friends (SVS and SJS) and had fun
#30: went out our street to see the fireworks coming from SM, even I was the only one there gasping and amazing!
#34: adding more on my ‘travelling feet’ collection
#48: been conscious about learning new things and keeping tabs on them… (i’m currently reading about physics and religion)
#49: slowly creating habit for my health (ex. drinking 2 glasses of warm water every morning, less rice, take the opportunity to walk)
#58: finally launched by “pledge-gathering” for my Christmas Toy Gift-Giving… (I set-up a ChipIn (see my account how you can make contributions) and formally announced to network friends that I am “desperately” need of pledges)
#67: did “Pay-it-Forward” deed, I bought two tickets for “Truly Rich Seminar” of Bo Sanchez and gave it to two of my favorite cousins! (hey don’t forget me when you get rich!)
#69: inspite of toxic work, I keep on my weekly blog tips for staff
#70: released 1 major policy for implementation and 2 new policies for review

101 Minus 7th – One Great Spontaneous Adventure (UAAP Basketball Finals) #33

October 8, 2009

We got spontaneous tickets to watch the UAAP Basketball Finals Season 72, University of the East vs. Ateneo…. And we had one great and spontaneous fun and excitement!

It was so great that despite clamor for tickets for this finals, my friend was able to get tickets within 2 days before the game. It was so amazing (as it was quite impossible to get tickets on short-notice). But through the “power” of our ever-enthusiastic, and ever-resourceful friend Flor, we got 22 tickets! So, SVS staff also came! (the Partners and the staff are almost all UE alumni!)

It would have been Super Great if UE won the title (after almost 10 years?)… but unfortunately Ateneo won. (see the score board below)

But regardless, we really had fun and the verge of adrenalin! Even for the not-so-basketball-fans (like me), the game will make you jump and shout and be carried away. The event was really memorable (especially when they sung the UE theme – which amazingly we can still sing)

Great! Great! Hope next year we’ll be able to repeat this! Go UE Warriors Go!

Batch ’87

Last night was a celebration of Orly’s Birthday along with our St Joseph’s buddies and friends (from high school and elementary) at Pier One at QC. We have actually representatives from all sections: St Elizabeth, St John, St. Dominic, St. Ignatius! (if you still remember your beloved section!)

We had a really great time, telling stories, updating life-stories, cracking jokes, goofying around, appreciating the “journey” of each of us had from then to now, and amazing how years have not “actually” changed us… we are still young (at heart and spirit!)… and we can be the same good old buddies… and as if no years had set us apart!

I really believe that we became what we are now because of the friends we made and the dreams we shared with them… as we inspired, aspired and gone separate ways…. then, to meet again with stories to tell!

see also related posts:
Just as I Remember
101 Minus 4 – Seen Old Friends

Giving Up… Letting Go… Saying Bye… Moving On…

I am not a quitter!
But there are things, situation, habits… and people that we have to let go… for me (for them) to grow, to prosper, to live on!

This week and last week are just that:
saying bye (but not giving up) — to a favorite, good friend who will be going back to States, and we don’t know if it is (again) for good or she will be coming back here (also for good?)
saying bye to another favorite friend who will be leaving for San Francisco, too. The prospect of seeing him again is quite too far (again), say 2-3 years.
letting go – two good audit staff are resigning (as their mentor, I really want them to explore/grow more, but at the same time, I feel bad because of feeling of “inadequacy” by not providing them enough reasons to stay…)
giving up (but to where it goes, I’m glad)…. our clothes and things for the flood victims! (included there is my “benchmark pants”… the one I want to squeeze into someday…)
saying good bye to the things we’ve lost during the flood… we are not complaining! we are not badly hit and, thank God, we have no serious casualty from our family, friends, or people we personally know.
giving up the habits of unconscious credit card spending….
saying good bye to my 7lbs… (really!!!)
giving up the plan to arrange my “adopted” sister’s medication… because she is giving up HERSELF…. (this one I still have to reconsider… I should not really give up on her)
letting go of the concept and image of Jolo as just a kid… I have to accept that he is a “grown” boy now! (whaaahh).
giving up the thought of keeping these people, things, situation, habit… with full understanding that “giving up, letting go, saying bye….” is just a phase for us to move on, grow and have better perspective….

Life goes on and on and on….

Our “sister” is coming to town!

Carol is coming home next week from America, after 5 years?
This is one great moment, as this was “pakana” (plan) of the “sisterhood.”
The plane ticket is courtesy of our generous friend Flor, and there is also an offer of condominium unit where she can stay, a job at SVS (if she is up to it) and a “papa” waiting in her Condo (joke!)
Everything that happened seem so sudden and plans are made in spur of the moment!
It is just another proof of having done and said the right things at the exact right moment!

Here’s how it goes:
Aug 22- at Macau, we talked about a friendship thing that we could buy for the 4 of us, then we suddenly realized that we are actually “5″… the 5th one is Carol in US whom we have not seen in 5 years.
Aug 25 – at Manila, while deleting the old texts in my celfone, I came across the birthday message of Carol sent Dec 19 (we have a same birthdate!), I texted here and said we missed her a lot! No reply (I thought, she probably have different number now )
Aug 26 – can’t get her off my mind, I sent an email in old yahoo mail (that seemed so dormant for quite some time)
Aug 27 – she answered! and we excitedly chat! I told her of everything nice and great happening to our partnership and sisterhood!
Aug 31 – she called and we talked about how life is treating her. She is quite down. I happened to “come alive” when she needed someone to talk to. I told her that I will relate her story to sisterhood at same night’s party (Flor’s Bday). At the party, we talked about her and made another date to watch a movie or have a coffee.
Sept 2 – the sisterhood saw each other and, timely, Carol called Flor… and then the offer (or outpour) of help came…. Flor offered for a ticket, a condo unit and a job if she really want to stay here, as her situation at US is becoming “desperate”… we offered a boyfriend and moral support
Sept 3-8 – exchanges of calls and emails…. Carol has to make crucial decision considering her parents as well (who are already in US), and some commitments there….
Sept 9 – we saw another friend from Rome (Romel) and called Carol again for the confirmation of her schedule! So that Romel will also be here for one great “reunion”
Sept 11 – Her plane ticket was booked…She will be here Sept 24 up to Oct 5!
Wheeewww….

Blessings & Expectations

“The size of your blessing is determined by the size of your expectation.”

This is just another nice week! With only few glitches and hang-ups, but nevertheless productive and blessed week!

I am blessed, because:
I got great friends around and old friends still around! I’ve seen few friends from the old times (see my previous post here and here)
I felt again the power of a closed-knit family that decides as one, after consulting each other (regardless of age)
I was able to make efforts to make few drastic projects;
I am well and healthy (only one star on my blood test);
I am in the position of “touching” someone else’s lives;
I was able to run errands and do favors for friends in need! (or just be there to boost them)
I am surrounded by “loves” of my life.
I am moving along and making progress (a lot) in my 101 tasks

Since I am more focused with my goals and expectations, everything falls in place and blessings keep pouring in.

Life is so great, that I do not want to miss the chance to enjoy every day. To enjoy my NOW!

I will remember to say this every morning when I wake up, “I expect great things to happen today!” It’ll be fun, try it too!.

Celebrating My “Friendship Month”

It’s seems I can’t get enough of seeing old friends and reliving the past!
As if I have declared this month as Friendship Month!
Last Friday, I saw my old buddies from high school. Had a great time and good laughs about our adolescent life. We are now constantly in contact.
Last night, we (the SVS sisterhood) met one of our best friends (Romel) from college. We haven’t seen him for 6+ years when he went to Rome. We also had good hearty laughs when we remembered our good old days, especially our antics with our professors.
Also, since last week, we’ve been communicating with our other best friend, Carol, who is now based at LA. We convinced her go home (for good or for awhile), just to relieve her of her worries due to recession there. Well, courtesy of sister Flor, she’ll get her plane ticket (a job and a condo unit here, or a papi, perhaps…)
As I celebrate friendship, it also means keeping in touch with my old friends from the old days in anyway I can (thru text, email, fb, fs).
And more than anything, I make efforts to keep connected with the people that are constantly with me everyday (my family, my papi, kids, staff, friends and colleagues). I am enjoying more the time being spent with them. No hang-ups, no pre-occupation, no pressure.
Just a sheer delight of my “NOW” being with them.

Picture Gallery: Awesome Macau with Awesome Friends

Part 2 of Best of Macau Pictures!
Smilebox digital scrapbook is fun and easy to use… I just hope it’s fast to load.
Enjoy!



Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Macau 2009 @ SmileBox




Make a Smilebox photobook

101 Minus 4th – Seen Old Friends!

We had a great time! We talked about good old days and we laughed at our silliness, antics and adventures! i really enjoyed the night and I hope we could do this more often! Here’s my tribute to my old friends:
Bong - we fondly call him “Botchok,” he’s one of Manok’s (my Papi) buddies, he was for the good times and bad times (Manok stayed in their house when he “stowed-away”) He has a good hearthy laughs. And can get too serious at times.
Arnel – the ever reliable friend. He was my kindergarten classmate! we shared the same table of 4 with GIlbert N. and Eden S. If there was an award for Mr. COngeniality, we will surely get it.
Orly – the mathematician and the clown, then and now. I “grew” with him from from high school to college and now we are partner in our business (SVS). Very reliable, witty and funny!
Pamela – my elementary buddy whom I haven’t seen for 13 years (she just attended our wedding) she was the “crush ng bayan” then, she was cute then… and now, just so stunning. She is still her old self… funny, “a-bit-elite-but-down-to-earth-pala. (We just have few awkward moments since she and Noel was an “item” before.)
Noel – which I fondly call as “Igan” (short for “kaibigan” or friend). He is my best buddy, and Manok’s best buddy, too (actually we were three-some during those days). He is the ever-thoughtful, kind, dependable and just great friend. I really missed talking real stuff with him (we’ll catch up sometime).
Manok - or Paul, none-other-than my Papi, my hubby…. For the record, we were not an item during HS. I never (believe me, never!) thought I will “end” up with him! But (for the record too), he already knew, or rather I was “reserved” — well that’s a long story. Anyways, as a friend before, I remember him as my protector and joker. He was the “playboy” who got too many girlfriends then (don’t count me in).

It’s great to remember them as they were and realized that we’ve not lost those qualities of ours even now….. we are just “better.” I always believe that what we are now is because of the friends we made and the life we experienced during our “puberty” time.

It is also nice to feel that as if we have not been apart for so many years!

see also:
Batch 87
Just as I Remember