Not Just a Box of Chocolates!

Be Happy, Be Lucky!

2011-06-15T22:57:00.010+08:00

Photo Credit: http://www.scenicreflections.com

Hubby always tells me to stay away from the unlucky and the unhappy. Today, I’ve realized that he’s actually right. All that unhappy people talk about are negative things and most of the time, probably because of your desire to contribute to the conversation, you end-up sharing something sad as well. Also, when the mood is sad, it’s difficult to say something happy or just change the topic of the conversation because you’re afraid to appear apathetic or insensitive.

It’s also odd how unhappy people find a way to make a good news sound like a bad news. Here’s an example –
You: Hey, I got an A in my writing assignment!
The Unlucky & The Unhappy: Really? I thought that wasn’t achievable! I worked really hard on mine, but I was only given a B.
See? I bet after that negative reaction, you end-up feeling undeserving of an A. Either that, or you try to be “sensitive” and you put your happiness aside as you try to also feel bad for the other person.

You’re not being fair to yourself when you put yourself in these kind of situations. So, how do you deal with the unlucky and the unhappy? Filter-out the negativity. Choose who and what you listen to. Don’t let other people’s feeling of being unworthy to be happy affect you. Know yourself better. Remember all the hard work and passion that you put in what you do. You deserve the things that you are getting. More importantly, you’re not being apathetic or insensitive when you try to change a sad conversation to a happy one. You’re actually being a positive influence. Happy thoughts make the world a better place. Yes, they really do, so be happy and be lucky!

As for me, I guess I should try listening to hubby more. Hubby knows best, I guess?!? =P

Seven Dresses

2010-03-15T19:19:00.024+08:00

Kevin (James Marsden): All right. So what's your favorite part of a wedding?
Jane (Katherine Heigl): Oh, that's easy. You know when the music starts and the bride makes her big entrance and everybody turns to look at her? That's when I look at the groom. ‘Cause his face says it all. You know, the pure love there.

- From the Movie "27 Dresses" (2008)

***

After about a hundred times of surfing the net and going through some magazines, we were able to select the designs for the dresses for our wedding. Yes, “we”, because Erwin did have a say on them. I showed him several designs and we agreed on which ones to pick.

***

The Bridal Gown

It’s going to be my first time to wear a ball gown cut. When I’m required to wear a gown for special events, I’d usually pick the A-line or sheath type. I originally picked a simpler one, but I ended-up picking this because as what my designer said, it would make me look like I’m the bride and not just one of the bridesmaids. Erwin wanted it to be made mainly from silk because he thinks it would look classier than a lace gown. Lots of bead works is also something that he doesn’t like. I guess he just didn’t want the flashy-type. As for me, I just didn’t want the tube type ones because as I always say – “Wala kasing pagkakapitan. Baka malaglag.” Kidding aside, Erwin and I (and the designer and also my sister) were happy about the dress that’s why we picked it. I just hope the designer and I give justice to the design. I’ve been hitting the gym lately, so hopefully, everything looks good on the wedding day. By the way, I’ve never went on a diet my entire life, so the next 4+ months would definitely be a test of discipline. Wish me luck!

***

The Bridesmaid Dresses

I got lucky when I came across these two-toned dresses because I feel like, they would perfectly go with our brown and turquoise motif (more brown than turquoise). Also, I think that if the designer executes the designs well, the girls (Weng, Diane, Cors, Noreen and Vene) could still wear the dress assigned to them for other occasions. Erwin preferred knee-length dresses over long gowns, so he was also okay with this set. I think most of the girls are also on a serious diet now, so I’m not alone in my so called “battle for weight loss”.

***

The Flower Girl Dress

When I saw this design, I didn’t have to look further. It already carries our motif, so this one was a no-brainer. I’m sure Danielle, Rhoda and Fran would all look adorable on the wedding day.

***

I’m quite excited to see the actual dresses. I wonder how they would look on us when we’re already all made-up. Nevertheless, I know that when “the” day comes, it would be the natural glow from wearing a genuine smile, the sign of pure happiness, that would make everyone look stunning. That means that everyone, even the guests, would look just as lovely as the entourage! Why? Because the event will be strictly for happy people only.

RSVP! ;-)

Dreams

2010-03-11T19:42:00.014+08:00

Browsing the net, I came across these pictures that remind me of my dreams. I'm quite a realistic person and I guess my dreams pretty much reflect that. I mean, my dreams… They may be big, but they're not impossible to achieve. Yes, in this lifetime.

My Dream House

I've always wanted something big, spacious, pastel-colored and really homey. Actually, I have a list of "must haves" in my dream house --

A big living room / sala with a huge comfy sofa and probably, a bar for hanging-out with family and friends
Two rooms designed to match my two kids' personalities
Big master's bedroom with a king-sized bed for hubby and me
Two guest rooms for visiting friends and relatives
One small room for the helpers
One movie/entertainment room
One karaoke/videoke and billiards hall
A big kitchen furnished like a professional chef is going to use it
A walk-in closet and lots of storage space
A swimming pool beside a garden full of colorful flowers (roses, daisies, etc.)
An outdoor barbeque kiosk
An indoor McDonald's like that of Richie Rich's (Nah! I'm just kidding about this one!)

My Dream Business

It would be great if I would have my own dress shop, restaurant and salon-spa. I love clothes, food, massages and all sorts of pampering! And I guess, more than doing what I love to do, it would be really nice to earn from letting others experience the things that I love.

My Dream Family

I'd like to have two kids, a girl and a boy. If they are twins, that would be a bonus! I'll be very hands-on in taking care of them. I'll read them stories, help them with their school homework and play with them. Basically, I'll raise them in the same way my parents raised me. They'll grow-up as beautiful people -- God-fearing, confident, self-sufficient, smart, loving and very family-oriented. Hubby and me will give them the best education, the best life, the best home, the best experiences and of course, the best parents.

My Dream Life

I'll always go for a life of balance. Balance between career and personal life. Balance of being a good provider and at the same time, an excellent teacher of the value of being self-sufficient. Balance of having both material/physical and spiritual fulfillment. Balance between having abundance in life and yet, still having things to work hard for and look forward to achieving and experiencing.

See? My dreams are indeed big, but again, they're not impossible to achieve. Not at all. I'm a believer of dreaming big and living it, so in time, these dreams will all turn into a reality. Yes, I'm a dreamer. I dream big and I dream awake.

What are your dreams?

Three Years

2010-01-30T15:02:00.005+08:00

Last anniversary as MR. and MS. --

Will be MR. and MRS. in the next years to come. ;-)

Sisters

2010-01-14T14:00:00.006+08:00

As I am writing this, the doctors at Saint Luke’s Medical Center are assessing my sister’s condition. She has been feeling severe abdominal pain since yesterday and they are suspecting that it’s either appendicitis or it’s her ovarian cyst that’s causing the pain. The doctors said that, either way, she needs to go through surgery once the findings are finalized. Nanay said that my sister is in so much pain that she couldn’t get-up from bed and she turns really pale when trying to sit down. Unfortunately, since the doctors are still trying to figure-out her case, they cannot give her any pain reliever as it would mask the pain and make the examinations difficult to do.

It’s news like this that people like us, who are away from our families, dread of hearing. It’s bad enough that your family is going through tough times, it’s even worse because you’re not by their side. It probably just has one very minor advantage for me because I really don’t know if I’m strong enough to see my loved ones go through such difficult physical torture. I remember, I was still too young to realize the gravity of the situation when my sister had her scoliosis surgery. When she gave birth, she was in labor for about eight hours and was almost brought to the C-Section because my nephew’s umbilical cord was coiled around his neck. I was clueless about what’s happening the whole time because Nanay only gave me a call after my sister already gave birth. She said she didn’t want to get me worried. So, all the time that my sister was going through these kinds of stuff, I was always wasn’t there to personally witness things. Maybe it’s also better this way because honestly, just “imagining” how much pain she’s going through now, makes me feel like vomiting already. I don’t know, but hopefully, these scenarios don’t make me lesser of a good family member or sister.

Like all siblings, my sister and I also went through that stage where we feel like “killing” each other. That would be over very small things though like over borrowed clothes and stuff. But we’ve grown past that now. We’re not very close like we’re the best of friends, but I know that we have a mutual understanding that sisters should stick with each other. Blood is always thicker than water. And financial matters? They are not worth cutting family ties. Yeah, I have to point that last one out because I’ve heard of so many stories about relatives fighting because of money. I hope I’m not speaking to soon, but I’m sure glad we’re not the type who would value money over family.

Anyways, since I’m so far away, I can only pray that my sister is relieved from pain soon. And also, that whatever process she goes through doesn’t affect her and her husband’s plan to have kids. I sincerely feel that her husband is such a good person and that more than any man out there, he’ll make such a really good father.

I hope to get some good news soon.

Quick One!

2009-12-08T20:01:00.025+08:00

It's been ages since I wrote something for this blog! I don't think I even know how to do this anymore, so apologies if this entry ends-up not having any coherence at all.

UPDATES, UPDATES!!!

I’ve been working again since last March (for almost nine months now). I’m now with a healthcare IT company and so far, it’s been okay. Yeah, just okay. Is it my dream job? Well, not really. I feel that I can still do more. I want to do more, but probably, not now. Not yet. I have to lay low for a while. Think. Prioritize. Put things in perspective. No rush.

Yes, that's an engagement ring that you're seeing on my finger. I’m getting married in about seven months! Huge step, huh? Yeah, but I’m ready for it. Or should I say, I have “decided” to be ready for it? If you know me well enough, you’d know everything for me is a decision. Happiness is a choice. Life is what we make it. And yes, love is a decision. Am I happy? Yes. Why? Because I am marrying a good man, someone who I love and trust. You see, I can never imagine ending-up with someone who I don’t love. And more than that, I will never choose to spend the rest of my life with someone who I cannot trust. I must say, I am indeed in very good hands. And yeah, so is he! *wink* Anyways, to learn more about our upcoming wedding, go to http://www.sharedweddings.com/leahanderwin.

We’re going home for the holidays! I can imagine, it’s going to be sooo hectic. We’ll be doing tons of prenup stuff and also, lots of catching-up with family and friends. We only have two weeks. *sigh* It’s gonna be B-U-S-Y. And it’s gonna be F-U-N! Can’t wait!

Gotta go for dinner now... Until then! Oh, in case I don't get to blog again before Christmas -- HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE! :)

Just Another Countdown... ;D

2009-08-23T21:48:00.003+08:00

Wedding Countdown

Tsokolate!

2009-01-26T13:25:00.008+08:00

I am branching-out and will be going back to my first love, which is Filipino writing! Visit me at TSOKOLATE --

I am still keeping this almost two year old blog for a lot of my random thoughts and musings. One day old TSOKOLATE is for satisfying my craving for writings that are more on the Filipino literary and journalism side.

See you there!

Two Years. Priceless.

2009-01-20T16:44:00.005+08:00

Patience is a virtue…

2009-01-09T17:32:00.009+08:00

…that, I think, I am beginning to lose! :(

I probably should be internalizing my Friendster horoscope for today --

I am anxiously waiting for my new employment contract. My HR contact said that they are just getting the final approval for the compensation package. I am sooo bored. I want to start working already. It’s been a week of no work for me now. I guess I should be seeing this whole situation as something that’s similar to just taking a vacation, but I can’t. Well, you see, I am technically considered “unemployed” until I sign that contract! Argh!

Oopps, sorry, this is supposed to be a happy blog. Hmmm… Okay, here’s the thing -- I’m not really sad, just anxious and super bored! Does that make any sense? Hmmm… I think it does. Whatever... Oh well, I should probably be doing something worthwhile. Okay, I’ll start reading a new book soon. I’ll cook dinner in a while. And maybe, I can do clean house too. Erwin should be done working by the time I finish doing all that. Maybe we can meet-up for movie or coffee.

*sigh* I really sound bored. Yeah, I am bored, really really really bored. *sigh*

MyTheme Online Photo Editor

2009-01-07T22:24:00.018+08:00

I came across this online photo editor, which is very handy for someone who finds Adobe Photoshop quite complicated to use -- http://www.blibs.com/editor/. Below are what I was able to come-up with using this online tool and some of my old photos:

= Batangas Tali Beach 2008 =

= Singapore Downtown East Mall 2008 =

I'll post more of these stuff if and when I am able to come-up with more. Good night for now! *yawn*

Today is The Best Day of My Life

2009-01-05T09:19:00.015+08:00

My "Words of Inspiration" video (see upper right section of this blog / right below the banner) linked me to this "The Secret" motivational clip. I think that watching it could actually help you start the day right, so here it goes --

NOTE: "The Secret" is a book, written by Rhonda Byrne, discussing the law of attraction and the power of positive thinking.

Have a great day everyone! And remember, always think happy thoughts! :)

Thankful!

2009-01-04T14:20:00.009+08:00

I think that the best way for me to start the New Year is (1) to be thankful for what 2008 has blessed me with and (2) to look forward to 2009 with so much faith and enthusiasm for the good things to come.

The past year has been a year of milestones for me and I must say, despite the huge roadblocks along the way, I still have so much to be thankful for.

I’m thankful for the opportunity to work here in Singapore. My first six months have been very challenging, from adjusting to a totally new environment – to overcoming the learning curve related to my new job – to getting through being really, really homesick – to struggling to stay employed because of the global recession – to setting-up and starting a new life away from home. It really was “sink or swim” for me. Considering how easy life was for me back home, going through these things all at the same time really forced me to toughen-up. For that alone, I am thankful because we all need to do some growing-up sometime. It just so happened that the last quarter of 2008 was my turn to do that.
I’m thankful for Erwin’s coming to Singapore. I sure know, it took a lot for him to do that. People from our previous company were quite surprised of him choosing Singapore over a Chicago onshore assignment. Not only that, he also gave-up law school. Given everything that he has given-up, I can only hope and pray for us to one day, look back and say that this Singapore decision is one of the best decisions we have ever made. It’s too early to tell what exactly is waiting for us here, but one thing is for sure, this change has made our relationship stronger and better than ever. For that alone, I am still very thankful.
I’m thankful for the new friends/people in my life. Adjusting to a new environment would have been a lot tougher if not for the company of some new friends. It was so much easier for me to blend-in to my team because two of my teammates were Filipinos – Elyse and Almin. Coordination between my team and another project’s team was also not difficult because the other team’s lead developer was also a Filipino – Ate Loi. I’ve also met a couple of new lunch and coffee buddies – Maytee (Filipino) and Banya (Indian). I may somewhat be unlucky with some things in life, but meeting friends is definitely something that I’ve just always been lucky with. I am, again, thankful.
I’m thankful for my old friends. It just means so much to me that my old friends are still there for me. An email, sms, or a Friendster note from them really makes my day. Given that Singapore is just something temporary, it’s good to know that home will still be home when I go back because I know that my old friends are still there and I still have people to come home to.
I’m thankful for my family. Despite the distance, my family is still my primary source of strength and inspiration. It is still their words of encouragement and so much faith in me that help me made it through the tough times. I appreciate how they have always supported my every decision in life and how they never pressured me to do anything or to be anything. I will forever be thankful to them as I am the free-spirited person that I am today all because of them.

There are probably a hundred more things to be thankful of for the past year. These are, more or less, just the major ones. As for 2009 – I am, as always, just optimistically looking forward to the best things that life can offer.

Have a great 2009 y’all! All the best this year and always! And to all those who have shared their 2008 with me, THANK YOU! I am surely looking forward to more years of friendship and companionship with you! :)

Reminders

2008-12-03T13:18:00.010+08:00

BE STRONG. Trust that God will never give you anything that you cannot bear. Believe that you are never alone in fighting your battles. Your family is always behind you. If you ever fall, they will surely be there to catch you. They have your back. Draw your strength from the people who have so much love and faith in you. Keep in mind that whatever it is that won’t kill you will only make you stronger. Someday you will look back and you will realize that you’ve fought a good fight and you’ve survived, bruised maybe, but definitely better and stronger than ever.

STAY POSITIVE. Do not dwell on the negatives. Forget about the things that you did not get and the people who did not care. Life is not about what you don’t have. Embrace and nurture your blessings. Realize that you have the power to make things right. Be courageous in pursuing your dreams. See each “good bye” as an opportunity to say “hello.” It has become a cliché, but only because it is true – there will always be a sunshine after the rain. Have a cheerful disposition. Things will be better and life will always go on.

BE STRONG. STAY POSITIVE. LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT.

Gio's Home Videos

2008-09-29T21:25:00.016+08:00

I scanned through my laptop's folders and found these home videos of my five year old nephew. They're quite fun to watch, so I thought I'd post them here --

Presenting Gio... The Poet!

Presenting Gio... The Singer!

Presenting Gio... The Carwash Boy!

Isn't it amazing how children are just so full of pleasant surprises? They never fail to effortlessly brighten-up someone's day.

Good thing we can always stay young... at HEART. ;)

Cyber Clutter

2008-08-31T10:24:00.016+08:00

For someone who is online almost 24/7, it’s so easy to create a lot of online accounts non-stop. Just the other day, I was blog-hopping and I noticed that there are a lot of lovely, lovely WordPress blog templates out there. The next thing I know, I was already signing-up for a WordPress account! But just when I was getting ready to customize my new WordPress blog, I realized that I really don’t want to maintain a lot of online stuff. That, by the way, is the same reason why I haven’t accepted any MySpace invite from friends. I already have a Friendster account and I’m sticking to it, in the same way that I’m sticking to this blog, for now. In any case, I’m happy that I was able to reserve the WordPress URL that I wanted (can’t share it yet… it’s going to be on hold for the time being). I should be able to use it if/when I get the urge to splurge more time in cyberland again.

Before this turns-out to be a “shopping”-related entry (the whole “urge to splurge” thing is making me want to shift to another topic), I just want to share my “still” long list of online accounts. Feel free to visit my sites, drop me a note, and/or add me as a friend –

For online community, as mentioned earlier, I’m sticking to good old Friendster (http://profiles.friendster.com/aljbundoc) –

For blogging, I’ll be maintaining this one year and seven month old blogger space (http://notjustaboxofchocolates.blogspot.com) –

For photo hosting, I’ll still be using my growing Picasa Web Album (http://picasaweb.google.com/aljbundoc) –

For instant messaging, I’m keeping the following accounts (and saying goodbye to my AOL account) –
*MSN – aljbundoc@hotmail.com
*YM – aljb08@yahoo.com
*SKYPE – aljbundoc (Skype is very reliable when it comes to computer-to-computer calls.)

For emailing, I’ll be maintaining and constantly checking (as much as possible) the following –
*GMAIL - anna.leah.j.bundoc@gmail.com (This account I check almost everyday. Thanks to Erwin for configuring it in my laptop’s MS Office Outlook program.)
*YAHOO - aljb08@yahoo.com
*HOTMAIL - aljbundoc@hotmail.com

So there… Hopefully, having this list could help me maintain and organize / avoid cluttering my personal cyberspace. You might want to try doing it. It’s just like creating a shopping list (shopping again?), so that you can avoid picking-up things that are just fancy and not really necessary. It might just help…

Enjoy browsing everyone! =)

Erwin was here!

2008-08-02T15:29:00.015+08:00

Erwin came to Singapore for an almost two week stay. Super saya! Below are just a few pics from his first out of the country experience (yes, first time as he doesn't like travelling that much) --

We pigged-out at Gluttons and Hooters, met-up with his Singapore-based friends (APB brods Junpads & Nat and high school friend Dobol), visited a few Singapore tourist spots, etc. etc. Basta, sobrang saya talaga! :D

More photos can be found @ http://picasaweb.google.com/aljbundoc/ErwinSSingaporeVisit.

Just a Quick Update...

2008-07-05T22:25:00.025+08:00

Photo from http://www.jasonink.net/

Hello!

I’m already here in Singapore (for two weeks now). Last Monday was my first work day in Citi and so far, so good. Of course, there are more adjustments to be made, but I’m keeping the faith and I have high hopes that I’d be able to make it through.

I’m still feeling super homesick, but I'm doing okay. Thank God for TFC (The Filipino Channel), Smart Pinoy (Smart overseas SIM card), and SG-based Pinoy friends (mostly ex-ACN people)! With more "links" to home, I know I’d be able cope with the changes that I am and will be facing.

Hayyy... I really miss my family and friends, my ACN teammates and buddies… Everyone and everything back home! 'Di bale… As I always tell myself, home is just three hours away.

Take care everyone! I’ll try to take some pictures to post here soon. More stories coming-up too!

Ciao for now! :)

Breather

2008-06-09T15:00:00.019+08:00

High CPU utilization and out of memory!?! There are too many things on my mind that like a computer, it just seems to hang sometimes. I’m leaving for Singapore on the 20th and there’s still a lot to organize – my company car loan, my resignation clearance, my luggage, my finances, my despedida meeting with friends, etc. etc. etc. There’s no enough space for my to do’s, but there sure is space for some anxiety and of course, sadness. In fact, I actually feel like my processor has allotted a lot of memory for those two things. I’m going to miss home. I guess from here on, I just need to constantly remind myself why I am doing this. Everything’s gonna be alright. This is a blessing. This isn’t a curse. And I know that the BIG MAN up there will give me the strength to make things happen. We’re in this together, totally in this together.

Appreciating the People Around Me

2008-04-13T09:37:00.003+08:00

Her personally-prepared hot coffee with pandesal placed beside my bed always help me start the day right. I am 26 years old and she still does that (among countless other thoughtful things) for me. I know I am not the best daughter one parent can have. That’s why I feel really blessed because despite my imperfections, I am being unconditionally loved by the best mother in the whole world –- my Nanay.

Nanay can’t do it all considering that she also has a lot of things lined-up for the day. Our Adela helps her with some things like preparing my packed lunch everyday. Adela has been with us for almost five years now and she’s leaving us soon. Mixed emotions. Sad because she won’t be with us anymore. Happy because it’s a very good move for her. She has decided to go home and continue schooling.

I’ve been dragging my self to work lately. The humidity and the heavy traffic to and from the office have been making me feel really stressed-out. His words of encouragement and companionship have been helping me hang-in there. Being the positive person that he is, Erwin’s optimistic attitude rubs-off on me. He completely “gets” me and my lately becoming constant bickering about work. I guess it’s really a plus that we’re both in IT.

In the office, I am revitalized by being around teammates who are proving to be very fun to be with. Special mention to Jo-an and Jeremy who are seated right beside me. Our short but frequent bashing sessions make the workplace less toxic and a lot more enjoyable. I have to admit I was a little anxious about fitting-in after being assigned onshore, but my new team (Enterprise Search Team) and the team (Accenture Research Team) that I left before have been nothing but warm ever since I came back.

I always look forward to coming home to my nephew’s excited, huge and welcoming smile -- a real energy-booster. Although he can be too much to handle at times (quite a tough job for my sister Jing), five year old Gio has been bringing a lot of cheers to the family. He’s a real blessing, a bundle of joy and a lot more.

I am guilty of not being that appreciative lately. I feel like my focus has been on the things that have been wearing me out. The world is indeed not perfect, but surprise, surprise… It isn’t totally full of imperfections as well! I guess it’s really just a matter of perspective. Right now, I am just plain thankful that I have been blessed with a lot of good people in my life.

Serenity, Courage and Wisdom

2008-04-06T09:03:00.013+08:00

This prayer has always helped me in the past --

I hope it still works for me now.

Finding that Balance

2008-03-09T13:52:00.027+08:00

Here’s how a typical week goes for me –-

MONDAY - FRIDAY
· 6am – 12am – prepare for work >> go to work >> work, work, work >> go home from work
· 12am - 6am – sleep

SATURDAY
· 6am – 10am – extra (catch-up) sleep
· 10am – 4pm – watch TV, surf the net, and/or read something
· 4pm – 12am – malling (Time Zone, dinner, coffee, and/or movie)

SUNDAY
· 12am – 1am – watch TV
· 1am – 10am – sleep
· 10am – 11pm – stay at home (watch TV, surf the net, and/or read something)
· 11pm – 6am – sleep

So, do I still have that “work-life balance” that I’ve always wanted to keep? Well, looking at my schedule –- I think my weekends are fine, but my weekdays, obviously, need some work!

I really want “balance,” but sometimes, I just forget about it. I can’t say I don’t have control over things. That would just be an excuse. And I would know. Because I know that -- Yes, there are things that we can’t control like (1) how the sun rises in the morning and (2) how it goes down during the night. Those two things I can’t control, but what I do between those two events, I’m totally in control of.

You know how writing makes you help absorb things? It’s kind of similar to how creating “digests” helps law students remember the key points of a certain case. So, that’s what I’m doing now –- writing about the things that I should keep in mind to make sure that I get to keep that quite elusive “work-life balance.”

From the words of my current manager – “Yes, the company can be very demanding, but you don’t need to meet all of its demands.” With that, I guess, it’s okay to say “no” when you really feel that the water’s up to the neck already. You don’t want to drown, don’t you? Worried about getting a low performance rating? Okay, consistently getting an A+ rating is important. It can fast track your career. But somehow, someday, you’re going to feel tired and because you’re tired, you won’t enjoy work… And because you’re not enjoying work, you lose eight hours (or more) of happiness everyday. And because you’re not happy almost all the time, you quit your job. And when you quit your job, you don’t get to enjoy your exaggeratingly-hard-earned A+ rating and fast tracked career. The keyword here is “PHASING” (not “slacking” huh!).
From the words of another manager – “Know the difference between working hard and working smart.” Working hard is important, but it is not as important as working smart. I think this is pretty self-explanatory. You can get things done by working hard, but you can get the same things done in a significantly lesser amount of time IF you work smart.
Remember that there’s more to life than just work or career. “Successful” will never be one and the same as “happy.” So? Enjoy your lunch break (stop thinking about work for an hour), take a breather, value your health (make it non-negotiable), spend time (enough time) with your loved ones, have a quick chat with an officemate (he/she might just need a breather too), focus when you need to focus, work hard… no, work smart, and play hard… really play hard.

Words of wisdom from the more experienced people at work really come in handy all the time. Most managers in the company have already spent more than six years of their life working. They should know. By the way, that last item was from the words of “myself.” See? I know what I need to do. Most of the time, most people know what to do. In my case, I think I just need to be reminded every once in a while. So, note to self –- live a balanced life!

His Bucket List

2008-02-10T18:48:00.001+08:00

I very seldom get affected by the movies I watch, but The Bucket List hit me quite hard. The movie was all about Edward Cole’s (Jack Nicholson) and Carter Chambers’ (Morgan Freeman) journey after learning that they were both terminally ill and have only a few months to live. It was all about how two dying men made their remaining days worth the while by accomplishing their bucket list, a checklist of all the things that they want to experience before they “hit the bucket.”

The movie made me think not of my bucket list, but that of my Tatay’s, most probably, greatest wish. I remember when Jing (my sister) and I were little, he would stroke our hair and he’d say –- I hope I would live long enough to see my kids’ children. Of course, our young minds were not sensitive to that kind of comment. But now, I can’t speak for Jing, but me… I get teary eyed every time that memory, that “line,” crosses my mind. It’s sad that a wish of someone really dear to me didn’t quite come true, but I guess life is about faith... And I can only trust that the Big Man up there would have a majestic, inexplicable way of making sure that my Tatay don’t get real disappointed. :)

DO YOU REMEMBER?

2008-01-13T12:48:00.000+08:00

NEVER WAS A CLOUDY DAY! HAPPY 1ST ANNIVERSARY, HONEY!

Seasons Greetings

2007-12-26T02:25:00.000+08:00

This entry is a few hours late. Nahuhuli yata ako sa maraming bagay ngayong Christmas kasi medyo nagkasakit ako (fever due to cough and colds). Hindi ako nagising para sa Noche Buena kasi hindi no drowse ‘yung gamot na ininom ko at hindi rin ako nakapunta (for the first time) sa Varsi Amihan Christmas Party kasi nga masama ang pakiramdam ko. Nagbunga na ang ilang gabing pagpa-party at bumigay na talaga ang resistensya ko. Anyways, para sa mga grammar gurus d'yan, pardon the “TagLish.” I just want this entry to be as spontaneous as possible, especially because I want to use this space to extend my Christmas greetings and wishes to everyone dear to me.

'Eto na… In random order, below are my seasons greetings to all the people who have made me a very happy and blessed person --

For Carli – Sorry for missing-out on a lot of things lately. I know you understand and like what you’ve said, makaka-adjust din tayo sa mga pagbabago sa buhay natin. I wish you happiness. ‘Yung totoong happiness. ‘Yung tipong kahit na hindi ka naka-smile or tumatawa, mukha ka pa ring masaya. Good luck sa career! I hope 2008 brings you closer to your dream job! All the best! Muwah!

For Feli – I’m not really sure how you’re doing right now. I hope we’ll have time to catch-up soon. Ikaw ang isa sa pinakamabubuting tao na kilala ko (for sure, maraming mag-aagree sa’kin) and for that, I will always pray for your success and happiness. Cheers!

For the Salvosa Family (Kris, Ipe and Joey) – It’s your first Christmas with Baby Joey! Great things are happening to your family. Your family has been very blessed that I actually don’t know what to wish for the three of you pa. I guess, more success and good health na lang. You’ll be moving-in to your new home soon. Pa-sleepover ha? Para naman I can bond with my inaanak na up to now ay hindi ko pa rin nakikita. Sigh!

For my other Varsi Amihan friends – So far, everybody’s doing well naman. Lynda has found the man of her dreams, A is loving her job at GMA, Luwi has a great career with Business Mirror, etc. etc. Sana tuloy-tuloy ang pag-ulan ng blessings! Be happy everyone! Sabi nga ni Reyann, na alam kong masaya na rin sa US, life is beautiful! Ang maidadagdag ko na lang, life is what we make it. Let’s choose to be happy and be the best that we can be.

For Vene – I’m very happy to have been able to rekindle my friendship with you. I know you’re living your life to the fullest. Atta girl! What you are doing right now (exploring life and improving yourself) is a good step to achieving the self-fulfillment that you’ve always wanted. I wish you a fruitful journey, my friend.

For my other ICAManila barkadas (Ianne, Aileen, Irene, Elena, Edna, Candy, Margarette and Roselyn) – I hope we get the chance to have a reunion soon. I’m looking forward to hearing your stories. Paniguradong mahaba-habang kwentuhan ‘yun. Wherever you all are, sana you’re all doing well. God bless always!

For Noreen – I haven’t heard from you. Kumusta ka naman? You’ve been an angel to a lot of people and I can only wish that life treats you well in return. I miss you. Sana magkaron ng part two ang Singapore at Malaysia adventure natin. Ingat palagi!

For Rhea – You’re the strongest woman in the whole world! Haha! I’ve always admired your strength and courage. I hope you continue to keep the faith no matter what. You’ve been through a lot and for sure, wala ka nang hindi na kakayanin pa. Good health, happiness, and great life for you and Johann!

For my other UST buddies – Ugie, have a happy married life! Aaron, same goes to you! Haha! Have a blissful existence you all!

For Pangga and Anson – My “Singaporean/OFW” friends (hehehe), I hope you reap the fruits of your hard work and sacrifices soon! I know it’s not easy to be away from home. I admire your courage and determination in achieving your goals in life. Be happy and don’t forget to take a much deserved breather every once in a while. See you soon!

For my other Accenture buddies (Cecille, Khalil, Jonax, Maridor, Bernard, Elena, etc.) and teammates (Accenture Research Team and Enterprise Search Team) – Less “OT,” increased “engagement,” and more “balance” for all of us! Enjoy the break for it’s not everyday that we get to have some time-off. Cheers!

For Erwin – Our relationship will be a year older this January and I just hope and pray that we continue to grow together in the coming years. May we be able to carry-out all of our plans and may we never drift apart come rain, come shine. Good luck to us!

For my Family – I will forever be grateful for your love and understanding. I can never be the perfect tita, daughter or sister, but no matter what, you will always be on top of my priorities. More blessings for all of us!

I hope these people get the chance to read this entry. For those whose names I missed, pasensya na po. HAPPY HOLIDAYS na lang sa lahat! Be free to wish for the stars, but never forget to focus on the essentials. Ciao!

Updates!

2007-11-04T10:02:00.000+08:00

As expected, I knew I wouldn’t be able to write entries for this blog as much as I want to because I’m back here in Manila. My work schedule here is definitely tighter and longer than my strictly 8am to 5pm office hours in the US. Aside from that, I have more things to do here because this is home and I guess, the limitations of not being very familiar with a place no longer restrict me from doing things. So, aside from work, what have I been busy with since I got home?

***
REUNIONS

So far, I have been able to meet with Varsi Amihan (former staffers of UST’s The Varsitarian) friends (Carli, Feli, Ipe, Kris, etc.) over dinner for a number of times. To be honest, among my friends, they are the ones that I really missed most when I was away from home. Well, that’s because they (especially Carli and Feli) are the ones I usually hang-out with after a stressful day in the office and back then, that was almost every Friday at the Gateway Mall in Cubao.

One unfortunate reunion that came real unexpectedly happened at the burial of one of the Amihans, Ace, who died due to asthma attack. I haven’t seen Ace since I graduated from college and I think, our last exchange of text messages happened more than a year ago. I remember him as the guy whose editor’s table at the Varsi office was positioned in front of my table. That’s basically how we started to become friends. Things started from small talks to more serious conversations. Ace used to tell me to always smile (no matter what) because he thinks that my smile is my best asset. I’m not quite sure if that was true. I’m thinking, he was probably just trying to cheer me up, but nevertheless, I’ve always appreciated the thought of him wanting to make me feel better. Ace is most likely just my age because we graduated from college at the same time. He’s very young and his death was definitely a surprise to everyone. I didn’t take a look at him inside his coffin during his burial. I don’t know, but I just don’t want the mention of his name to paint a picture of his face framed by his coffin’s glass. I guess that was my way of preserving my good memories of him.

To Ace -- You’re a good man and you will always be remembered that way.

MORE REUNIONS

Aside from Varsi friends, I also had the chance of being reunited with one of my high school barkadas – Vene. I haven’t seen Vene for almost a year already, but no matter how long we haven’t talked or seen each other, Vene has always been one of those people that I never have awkward moments with. We started with a simple dinner in Makati and since then, we have texted each other more often and our best gimmick together so far – Babyface’s concert at the Araneta Coliseum!

It was so much fun. I must say, Babyface really has the gift of being able to write and sing songs that warm the hearts of his listeners. His concert ending with the audience giving him a standing ovation was not surprising at all. The day ending with Vene leaving me behind trying to catch a glimpse of Lucy Torres was not surprising too! Haha! Vene has always been the extra spontaneous type of person and that’s why it’s always so much fun having her around. That’s also why I am looking forward to more gimmicks with her soon.

DRIVING LESSONS

I have taken 10 hours of driving lessons and I have just completed those hours yesterday. Yehey! The big question now is -- Am I going to be comfortable driving without an instructor in the passenger’s seat? Hmmm… I’m not really sure, but at least I was able to jumpstart my driving already. The bigger question – Will I have the resources to buy my own car? Hehehe! Hmmm… I’m not really sure (again), but (again) at least I was able to jumpstart my driving already. Hahaha!

BATANGAS BEACHES

I have been to two Batangas beaches since I got back – La Luz and Tali. Both out-of-towns were fun. It gave me the chance to spend more time with Erwin and get to know some of his college friends. I can’t really say that the trips were very relaxing because long drives with just an overnight stay can be really tiring (and I did not even drive!). Nevertheless, nature, good food, and good company are always worth the effort!

Speaking of Erwin, my last “monthsary” entry was for our six months together. Well, guess what? We’ve already turned nine last month! Time really flies when you’re having fun. Hopefully, there are more memories that we’ll be sharing together.

LITTLE GIO AND MYSELF

Gio, my nephew, was three years old when I left. He started going to school while I was away. Now, he’s already a year older, but he acts and talks like he’s not just a four year old kid. I’ve been spending some time with him at home and it’s completely amazing how smart he has turned-out to be. He always comes home with a “good job” stamp on his hand and his teachers say he has always been at the top of their class.

Gio is a constant reminder that I really am not getting any younger. He’s growing-up so fast and so am I. Well, for me, it’s not literally “growing-up.” I’ve actually just turned 26 last October 8 and being 26 is no joke. I was having a chat with one of my Accenture buddies and we both agreed on the fact that at our age, it has become very difficult to make decisions, especially when it comes to quitting. That’s because we no longer have the luxury of time to start things over. We should be “somewhere” way over than the starting line by now. Oh well, I guess it’s really time to grow-up, be tougher, and take things more seriously.

***
Well, so much of these things for now. All Soul’s Day is over and the Manila North Cemetery should no longer be crowded today. I have to go pay my Tatay a visit. Belated Happy Halloween everyone! I hope everybody enjoyed the long weekend!

PS: See photos @ http://picasaweb.google.com/aljbundoc.

What have I been doing since I got home?

2007-09-30T11:43:00.000+08:00

That's all for now... I'll be writing/posting more when I get the chance... Hopefully, soon... Until then! ;D

Six Months and Some “Defining” Experiences

2007-07-22T06:20:00.003+08:00

I’ve read somewhere before that everyone in their lifetime will go through several “defining” experiences. And for me, the past six months have been full of those things – “defining” experiences.

Six months ago, I had a talk with my project manager and I told her what my primary goal was at that moment. I wanted to be more financially sufficient mainly because I wanted to start extending some help to my family. I remember her asking me, “So, it’s savings over career right now?” and I said, “Yes.” I was holding a fairly significant role in Manila back then, but that didn’t stop me from leaving because I had my mind focused on something more important than just holding a highly visible position. Then, I left home to play the game plan. I’ve never lived on my own before and that’s probably why Nanay was quite worried about me leaving. I remember her asking me more than once, “Kaya mo ba?” and I consistently answered her with “Oo naman.” Home has always been my comfort zone. I remember always getting teary-eyed each time I talk to some friends about leaving them and my family for a work abroad. It was not easy, especially because I’m the type who is just so terrible with “goodbyes.”

For almost six months now, I’ve been away from my comfort zone and from everyone who has made that “zone” more than just “comfortable.” I’ve been blessed with very fun-loving and extremely supportive and loyal friends back home. I can go on and on just talking about them, but simply put – they (and my family, of course) are the reason why home will always be home. Luckily, I met some people and made some really good friends here too. Everyone has been great so far. I guess it really is “Pinoy nature” to develop a certain bond and really stick together when living in a foreign land. Well, it looks like leaving home was not 100 percent “goodbyes” after all. Several “hellos” were also made and I must say the stand-outs were “Hello new friends!” and “Hello new lessons-learned!” Yes, there were a lot of lessons-learned and the most significant one would probably be the importance of doing and sharing things with and for your loved ones. My point – everything will be meaningless if you don’t have someone to share it with.

Now, why do I consider these things my “defining” experiences? Simple… They are the bitter-sweet experiences that define, shape, and strengthen my values and goals in life. And because they also happen to instill a very good definition of what’s important and what’s not important to me, they are also the experiences that bring me closer to my dreams and the things that will really make me happy.

By the way, it was also six months ago when something really significant happened. Six months ago, for the very first time, I took a chance on someone and I have to say, that chance was indeed worth-taking! And I guess I can also say that event could be considered a “defining” moment too. Why? Because like what I’ve just said, defining experiences/moments – they bring you closer to the things that will really make you happy. So – HAPPY 6th MONTHSARY, HONEY! See you real soon! ;D

Top Three “I DON’T LIKE” Things

2007-07-03T12:16:00.000+08:00

I don’t like people who love to talk, but don’t know how to listen. "Give and take" is a key thing and it's very impolite to cut people when they're talking. Listening seems to be a weakness of people who “think” that they are extremely intelligent. I guess they just feel like they know it all, so they just won’t/don’t listen and that’s just so wrong. Even the most intelligent person in the world should listen to other people. No one is a master of everything. There will always be something that you don’t know and listening (really listening) might just be the key to learning it.

I don’t like people who don’t know how to say “THANK YOU.” When someone does something for you, it’s either (a) they are just being nice and kind or (b) they owe you that something. Needless to say, “THANK YOU” should be said to nice and kind people. But guess what? People who give you what they owe you deserve a “THANK YOU” too. Why? I think people always have a choice, so be thankful every time somebody chooses to be responsible in giving you what is rightfully yours. I don’t think more analysis is needed here. “THANK YOU” is very easy to utter and it wouldn’t hurt saying it.

I don’t like people who rant about things. Hmmm… I think I just did that through this entry. Haha! I guess the tip here is that if you feel like ranting about things or people, get a pen and paper or open your computer and start writing or typing your rantings/angst. Spare other people from negativity! At least, if you write everything down, you still get to release your thoughts and emotions. And if you decide to post what you’ve written somewhere (in a blog or something), you don’t force people to hear you out by giving them a choice -- they can choose to read or not read what you’ve written. Hey, I think you've just chosen to “listen” to my thoughts! Thank you. Stay positive, okay? (*wink!)

Music Box

2007-06-20T07:25:00.000+08:00

NOTE: In case it isn't very noticeable, my previous entry was titled "Balikbayan Box." :p

HAPPY 5th MONTHSARY, HONEY! :)

Balikbayan Box

2007-06-19T12:23:00.001+08:00

It’s my first (and probably the last) time to pack a balikbayan box. Ang hirap pala! I must say, labor of love talaga s’ya. My back hurts because I had to do a lot of bending to make sure that I put enough masking tape (or should I say “more than enough” because my box looks like a giant plastic covered book?) for safekeeping purposes. Nakaka-paranoid kasi. Mahirap na. Like my Nanay always tells me, better safe than sorry, diba? ;D

Labor of love nga talaga s’ya. Everything about the box (from the hard-earned money that was used to buy all the much-thought-of handpicked gifts inside it to the fingerprint-covered masking tape used to secure it) can prove that point. It’s a huge box (45x53x60 cm in size), so it’s not very easy to securely package it. Not only that, because it’s huge, mahirap din s’yang punuin, but since you pay the same price regardless of how heavy your box is, your tendency is to buy more things to fill it and make sure that you don’t waste any space. Sounds impractical? Well, para lang ‘yang credit card commercial, the toys + the chocolates + the clothes were worth “something-something” dollars, but the smile on my nephew’s face when he sees all of my presents for him? Priceless. :)

Well, now that the “ripping-off-scotch-tape” sound no longer dominates my room as my balikbayan box is now completely ready for tomorrow’s pick-up, I can rest and just enjoy imagining the smiles on my loved ones’ faces in about 45 days from now. Yes, it takes that long to have the box shipped to Manila. Pero, sabi nga nila, all good things are worth the wait. Hmmm... Parang ako? Tama ba? Sana. :P

Some Short Stories

2007-06-07T11:26:00.000+08:00

My friend, Lynda (a UP Diliman - M.A. Media Studies Major in Journalism student), created a collection of some of my Filipino short stories for her school project. She was able to gather 13 of the stories that I’ve written back when I was still with UST’s The Varsitarian. She gave me a soft copy of the project and although I haven’t really looked at the collection yet, I’m posting it for those who might be interested in reading an ex-future-writer’s literary (in its own right) pieces – ;)

If clicking on the image does not work, the file can also be downloaded @ http://www.savefile.com/files/787381. Enjoy reading! Thanks Lynda for the copy and congratulations for the UNO! :)

Spring, Pasalubong, Escabeche, Atbp.

2007-05-31T05:51:00.000+08:00

It feels more like spring lately. I think the temperature will no longer drop to 40s (Fahrenheit) starting today. Spring feels like “Baguio weather” to me. It’s still cold, but it’s no longer cold enough to jump into those thick winter jackets that make you look twice bigger than your real size. Actually, I’ve already placed my winter jackets (along with my gloves) in a shelf and for the past few weeks, the old sports jackets that I’ve brought with me from Manila have been keeping me warm. Also, it already feels okay to just wear slippers/sandals (instead of rubber shoes) when going out. I’m sure Chicago locals feel just the same or should I say, they’re more thrilled about this “winter is finally over and summer is coming soon” weather that you actually see them sporting their skimpy swimsuit tops on the streets? :P

***

I’ll be home in a little over a couple of months from now. I’ve already started buying pasalubongs for my family and friends back home and I’m planning to have everything shipped to Manila by June. I can’t wait to see their smiles when I personally hand those things to them! Just to manage everyone’s expectations, the things I bought are not luxurious items, okay? They’re just little things that say -- “Hey, you crossed my mind while I'm away!” I remember one of my teammates telling me that I should only bring home something for those people who remembered to say “hi,” “hello,” or “how are you?” while I’m here. Hmmm… I’d actually like to apply a stricter “pasalubong guideline.” I’d only buy something for those who said “I miss you” without mentioning the word “pasalubong.” I think that’s fair enough. :D

***

I’ve learned a lot of things while I’m away from home. I know I’ve already mentioned something about learning how to cook adobo and nilaga in one of my past entries. Just an update, my latest recipe (or should I say experiment?) is called “finding Nemo.” Why? Well, the recipe is actually called “escabeche,” but I think I poured-in an overwhelming amount of sweet and sour sauce that my housemate had to do some digging before she gets to see the fried fish! Ever heard of the “happy trail, happy meal” concept? Let’s just say the sauce was the “happy trail” and the fish was the “happy meal.” Hehehe! By the way, I didn’t ask my housemate if she liked my “escabeche.” You know what they say -- what you don’t know, won’t hurt you. ;D

***

I had dinner with my lady bosses a few weeks ago. My direct supervisor, a Filipina who is already based here and is married to a Filipino, said her husband was going to pick her up and drive her home when we’re done. Everyone, except me, said “Awwe!” and someone even said “My husband will never do that for me.” No wonder why there is divorce in a country where making sure that your partner gets home safely is “above normal.” Well, I must say, iba pa rin talaga ang Pinoy! At another dinner, someone from our table said that getting the chance to stay in the US for a while could either (a) make you want to leave Philippines or (b) make you appreciate Philippines more. Didn’t I just say “Iba pa rin talaga ang Pinoy?” Need I say more? :)

Our Celebrity Look-Alikes

2007-05-30T06:51:00.000+08:00

Malou asked me to try this for fun --

Check-out Malou and Steve's celebrity look-alikes @ http://our2cents.com.ph/?p=308! =D

Do the Math

2007-05-21T01:43:00.001+08:00

HAPPY 4TH MONTHSARY, HONEY!

THANK YOU...

for being patient with the long drive from your house/school to my place;
for practicing "defensive driving" when I'm with you;
for sharing interesting "do you know that according to our law…" trivias with me;
for letting me try all of your favorite foods (from UP's isaw and Mang Jimmy's sisig to Chateau Verde's pasta dishes);
for making each movie date, food trip, and Starbucks moments worth the while;
for introducing me to your "brods" and still paying attention to me when we're with them;
for adjusting to our time difference now and staying-up late just to have a conversation with me;
for putting the movie that you're watching on pause when I need to talk to you;
for spending lunch break at your desk, so that we can chat;
for keeping me calm and helping me troubleshoot my computer when I thought I've lost all my files;
for teaching me how to do "techy" stuffs "the more correct way" (according to you :p);
for sharing your music with me and sending me MP3 files all the time;
for making me experience your type of reading by giving/lending me a copy of your favorite books;
for doing all these not because you "have" to, but because you "want" to; and
for the countless other thoughtful things that just failed to cross my mind right this very moment. :)

His and Hers

2007-05-17T11:40:00.003+08:00

BATANGAS

Photos by Erwin Rommel Y. Felix

CHICAGO

Photos by Anna Leah J. Bundoc

Time Machine

2007-05-16T05:53:00.002+08:00

“We all have our time machines. Some take us back, they're called memories. Some take us forward, they're called dreams.”

- Jeremy John Irons


Manila	Chicago

Just looking forward for that time to come home... :)

News from Manila

2007-05-09T11:48:00.001+08:00

I’ve been away from home for over three months now (Four months to go and I’ll be home sweet home! Yey!), but I try to keep myself posted with things back home by being online and making phone calls almost everyday. I’m pretty much aware of what’s happening in Manila. For example, I know Kris Aquino has already given birth and she’s back with James Yap again. Hehehe! See? I’m up-to-date!

Seriously, the last time I’ve spoken with Nanay, she told me that my three year old nephew (Gio) is learning a lot from his summer pre-school classes. It’s our little Gio’s first time to go to school and looks like he’s really enjoying himself. My sister told me he gets “stars” all the time (Take note of the S! Smart kid! It runs in the family! Haha! ;D). I hear a lot of cute and funny “Gio stories” every time I speak to Nanay or to Jing (my sister). There was this one time when my family was expecting Erwin to make a visit. My sister asked Gio to make sure that his Tito Erwin eats dinner when he arrives. Gio totally misunderstood the instruction and he blurted-out – “Ha? Eh ang laki-laki na nu’n! Susubuan ko pa?” Really funny! This reminds me of another story, which happened when Gio was around two years old. One of our neighbors asked my Aunt whose kid Gio is, so my Aunt replied “Anak ng pamangkin ko.” When Nanay came home, Gio told her – “Nanay, sabi ni Mama (that’s what he calls my Aunt), anak monkey daw ako!” Hilarious! That story never fails to make me laugh! Gio really is our family’s little bundle of joy! Of course, all the credit goes to my sister for bringing him into our lives. He’s truly a blessing!

Speaking of my sister, she got married with someone she knew since high school last May 4. Who would have thought that after everything, it's them who would end-up together? Life is really full of surprises! By the way, he has a name. It’s Eric. I didn’t have the chance to really get to know Eric because he’s away from home most of the time (That’s because he works as a seaman.), but I truly appreciate his genuine love for my sister and for Gio. I’ve always wished for the right man for my sister and I’m very happy because she has already found “the” one. I’ve heard some stories about Eric and I must say, the guy is really an answered prayer. Too bad I wasn’t there for their civil wedding. Eric will be away for a year again and he already wants to start a family. That’s why they’ve made that decision. I texted my sister on that special day (which was also her birthday) and Erwin helped me arranged a simple gift for her (two dozens of peach roses). Because of where I am now, that was the best that I could do to make Jing feel my presence in one of her life's greatest milestones. From afar, I can only wish that they live a blissful life together. I can’t wait to witness their church wedding next year! I’ll make sure I’ll be there on that extra special day.

I’m expecting a lot more news from home. Life may seem to slow down from where I am and some things back home may have been put on hold because I’m so far away. I’m just wishing for things to either stay the same or get better. I've always hoped for the best and so far, I haven’t been disappointed.

Spring in Chicago

2007-05-04T12:39:00.000+08:00

Spring is indeed the best time of the year! Here is how Chicago's Michigan Avenue looks like right now --

More spring pictures coming soon! Cheers everyone! :D

Once a Writer...

2007-04-25T08:59:00.000+08:00

Logic break time. I went to google.com and just started randomly typing my friends’ names. I was hoping I could find something interesting and I was not disappointed. Most of my searches returned more than ten search results. I saw tons of writings (news articles, blog entries, literary pieces, etc.) from Varsi – Amihans (former staffers of The Varsitarian – UST’s Official Student Publication). Impressive. They are still very into writing. I won’t be surprised if one day, their names become really big in the field of literary and/or journalism. The possibilities are endless. They’re good and I am not being bias when I say that. ;D

I was running-out of names to search for, so I typed “Leah Bundoc” then I hit the “Search” button. I was not really expecting to get any results but I thought I’d try anyway. A couple of items were listed – my Friendster account and someone else’s profile. Curious, I followed the second search result’s link. I was awed when I figured-out why a stranger’s profile showed-up in my search for something that has my name on it. His profile contained the following text --
Favorite writer: Genoveva Edroza Matute, Liwayway Arceo, Anna Leah Bundoc, Amado Hernandez, Yung sumulat ng Fav. Books Ko, Ferdinand Marcos, Ian Sta.Maria.
Speechless. Someone actually read and liked the pieces that I’ve written before? I’m guessing this guy has probably read one of my Varsi literary pieces back in college. I was very touched and still very curious that I even looked for his Friendster profile. He’s a UP Diliman graduate and a PMAer. Nice. He seems like someone with fine taste. (Ehem!) His profile was full of sarcastic comments (mostly political comments) though and I’m just hoping that my name being on it is not one of his many sarcasms. :p

This unexpected “Google experience” had a “blast from the past” effect on me. I was once a writer or at least, I tried being one. I experienced writing because of inspiration (experiences, life, joy and tears) and because of pressure (editors, deadlines and empty newspaper spaces that need to be filled). I went through writing workshops that made me feel like my crafts are worthless. I allowed people to read my thoughts. I survived the bad criticisms. I treasured the good remarks. Hmmm… The experience wasn't bad at all. I might go back to being a writer in the future or at least, I could try being one again. Maybe next time, when I search for my name in Google, I’d get more than just a couple of results. Who knows? The possibilities are endless. :)

HappYness

2007-04-20T12:30:00.000+08:00

This part of my life... This part right here? This is called "happyness."

– Christopher Gardner (Will Smith), “The Pursuit of Happyness”

HAPPY 3RD MONTHSARY, HONEY!

Something New

2007-04-12T06:40:00.001+08:00

I’M JUST TAKING A BREAK. A much needed one, I must say. I’ve been staring at an excel document full of numbers and graphs for hours now. Metrics. Website usage metrics to be more specific. It’s a monthly task that I don’t enjoy that much. Well, I can’t really say I don’t enjoy it at all. It’s one of those new things that were brought about by my new role. New things always excite me. I think life would be extremely boring without new experiences. Those experiences that allow you to go through something that you’ve never done before. I guess it’s because it’s always nice to surprise yourself when you end-up surviving steep learning curves.

TODAY MARKS MY SECOND MONTH HERE IN CHICAGO. I can still remember how terrible my first night was. I couldn’t sleep because of jet lag plus I didn’t know how to turn-off the lamp beside my bed, making it more difficult for me to sleep because the light was on. Funny how I couldn’t figure-out how to do such a simple thing, but I have the perfect excuse for that – I was in an “unfamiliar territory,” remember? :p Now, the “unfamiliar” is not that strange anymore. Aside from learning that the lamp in my bedroom has this tiny lever that I could use to turn its light on or off, I’ve learned a few more things. No, not just a few things… A lot of things. I’ve learned that cooking adobo or nilagang baboy is not that hard (it’s not very easy as well). I’ve learned that I can actually be in the office by 8 am sharp (if I really want to). I’ve learned that distance has its unique way of strengthening bonds (technology makes it possible). I’ve learned that relationships you choose to keep and nurture will grow no matter what (everything really is a decision). I’ve learned that I was right in believing that more than “where you are,” it’s “who you are with” that really counts (snow melts, seasons end, good sceneries will eventually lose its effect on you, but family and friends-- they are for keeps).

ENOUGH BREAK ALREADY. Time to go back to work and do what needs to be done. I’m hoping I could finish this “metrics task” today so that I could move on to something new tomorrow. Maybe something that I’ve never done before would come-up. Something that would surprise me. Something that would make me learn more.

My Day

2007-04-07T01:57:00.000+08:00

Friday. The last "work" day of the week usually makes me feel a bit restless. Today is different because when I signed-in to Friendster (first thing in the morning), this new testimonial really made my day --

Nice one, honey! The last part was very funny (in a good way) and the whole thing was so touching! Thanks!

The Number Two

2007-03-20T10:16:00.000+08:00

Do you know that ...

... Number Two was the apparent second-in-command of The Village in the 1967-68 British television series The Prisoner?

... in the James Bond film Thunderball, 'Number Two' refers to Emilio Largo and his rank in SPECTRE?

... in the Austin Powers films, Number Two is Dr. Evil's second-in-command (who is actually keener to make money legitimately than engage in Dr. Evil's megalomaniac schemes)?

... Number Two is a minor character in Douglas Adams' The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (the enthusiastically dramatic third-in-command on the Golgafrincham B-Ark)?

... one of the engines from The Railway Series of children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry is known only as 'No. 2'?

... in the cartoon Codename: Kids Next Door, the character of Hoagie is codenamed Numbuh Two?

Now, do you know why I'm going through all these "number two" trivias? Well, I just couldn't think of a better intro to greet Erwin on our month "number two." Haha! I know, I know... Clever, huh? :p Anyways, I'd like to keep it simple this time... HAPPY 2ND MONTHSARY, HONEY! Two months and counting, right?

NOTE: All "number two" trivias were from Wikipedia.

Counting my Blessings

2007-03-15T13:25:00.001+08:00

It's overwhelming (in a good way)! Blessings are pouring in and I can’t thank God enough for all the wonderful gifts (the chance to finally be able to help my family being the most significant one). Although I was never the “religious” type, I’ve always tried my best to be “spiritual” and I’ve never stopped praying for things. I guess it’s true what they say – “when prayers go up, blessings come down” (a Yiddish proverb) and to add to that, it’s always good to “count blessings like children count stars” (from Life is for Living).

Speaking of blessings and wonderful gifts -- my friend, Cristina, has just given birth to a healthy baby boy!!! Congratulations Kris and Ipe! I think you two are one of the most blessed couples I’ve ever met. More power and God bless!

PS:
Ipe - Thanks for sending me pictures. Little Ipe is adorable!
Kris - I hope you get well soon. Take care!

Extra Special Greetings

2007-03-11T17:09:00.000+08:00

It's just a few more hours before Erwin's birthday and because I'm so so far away, here is just a little something that would hopefully make that day a little more special -- http://s166.photobucket.com/albums/u112/aljbundoc/?action=view&current=07031102.flv.

Have a great birthday, honey! You are a blessing! All the best on your birthday and always! Cheers!

Sharing my Latest Adventure

2007-02-25T11:52:00.002+08:00

After getting a lecture about enjoying our stay in Chicago from one of Accenture's senior executives at a dinner last night -- Malou, Cors and I all decided to go out and see the Shedd Aquarium today. Although we boarded the wrong train at first, we were able to get to the Lake Shore Drive after taking the right orange line train and a short bus ride. The place was jam-packed! The dolphin show was entertaining! The sea animals were amazing! I wish I was able to experience all of these with Erwin (my road trip partner) and little Gio (my nephew who adores Happy Feet). They would have loved it too... Well, who knows? Maybe someday we'll have the chance to be at the same place together. For now, I just hope that this entry (especially the pictures posted in it) makes them feel like they were a part of this recent adventure.

The long wait outside the freezing cold entrance of John G. Shedd Aquarium at the Lake Shore Drive!

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The dolphin show which somehow made the long wait worth it!

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Happy Feet LIVE!

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Photo op with Cors...

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Photo op with Malou...

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Finally, a photo op with Cors and Malou! Thanks to the Indian couple who were so nice to take this picture for us!

Off to Chicago

2007-02-18T13:19:00.003+08:00

Despedida dinner at Seafood Island in Cubao

I'm glad Ipe, Kris, Adrian, Carli, Feli and A all came when I had a small going-away dinner a few days before I left. I knew I was going to miss them so badly! Now, I'm being a little sentimental and really missing hanging-out with them. For sure, I'm going to miss-out on Varsi-Amihan events for the next 4-6 months, especially this year's Visita Iglesia and "the" birth of Felipe III! Awwwe! Don't forget to send me some pictures guys! I can't wait for our next dinner and coffee together. Take care everyone!

Keeping in touch!

Erwin and I talk almost everyday. Thanks to MSN, Skype and Chikka! I've never imagined being in a long distance relationship. The distance and the time difference can really make things a little bit difficult to handle BUT we're holding on and we're keeping it strong! Hopefully, we'll be back driving-around, eating-out, watching movies and having coffee together soon.

Onshore...

Some interesting things that I've gone through in my first week here in Chicago --

staying-up until 4 in the morning just watching One Tree Hill episodes in YouTube because of jet lag;
cooking (So far, I've already cooked corned beef, sausage and soup!) so that Cors (my housemate) and I would have something to eat;
doing my own laundry (all of it!); and
finding the best solution to extremely dry skin and chapped lips (baby oil + lotion + petroleum jelly + chapstick).

I bet more things are coming my way! Hopefully, I'd be able to adjust soon. For sure, I am going to learn a lot of things while I'm away from home. More stories coming-up!