Summit Christmas Party

We had our Company Christmas party last Tuesday, December 14 in Galleria Trade Hall. The theme was "Summit Remixed, your style, your music". We were supposed to dress up according to the music genre of our choice but Shiena and I came as the Olsen Twins (hehe, I don't think they have an album yet). We were part of the backstage crew for our presentation so we had to come in identical clothes.



Shiena and I as the Olsen Twins, Mary Kate and Ashley

Our group was one of the five performers that night. We presented a medley of the Pepsi Commercial "We will rock you", featuring Pink, Britney Spears and Beyonce, "She Bangs" by William Hung and "Walang Sabit" by Sandara Parks. Our number was creative and original considering it was crammed and finalized last minute. Several of of my officemates who are shy but with hidden talents agreed to join. It was a truly beautiful and memorable number. Too bad we did not bag the price but deep in our hearts we know we are winners.



Kimchi as William Hung, the "We will rock you babes: Maya as Pink, Grace as Beyonce and Winnie as Britney Spears with Rico, Ron and Noy as the hunk dancers



With Raffy as Sandara and the backup dancers: Aby, Abs, Emmy and Baet



During dinner before the program propper. L-R: Emmy, Maya, Baet, Me, Shiena, Louie and Tiara (at the back)

Picture taking before the party. L-R: Winnie, Kimchi, Maya, Me, Shiena, Rico and Baet.

The whole group: the Winners!

Incidentally, lucky as I am, my stub won a one burner electric stove in the raffle... which reminds me, I need to get it from Rico.

*NOTE: Pictures courtesy of Shiena'a Talk on Corners

Last month of 2004

OMG! It's the last month of 2004. Time flies so fast and before you know it, it's Christmas and then another year has passed. Well, on a positive note, I still have 29 days left to accomplish my goals for the year. So to psych myself up and have good fengshui, I started my day yesterday by visiting the Blessed Sacrament and cleaning the clatter in my in/out tray. I also went to the gym during lunch to release some toxins in my body and attended a relaxing yoga class to end my day. I also wanted to write some thoughts in my blog but I had to finish a report and before I knew it I it was too late.

Good thing we were asked to leave early because of the storm "Yoyong". I now have time to write even a short entry. I pray the storm will go away soon and not come another day. In short be gone forever. Okay, I will go now and do some other pending things while I have the time.

Note: this was written on December 2, 2004

My last week in a nutshell

Wow! What a week. I never thought I would get over that experience. I have undergone bad feelings, depression, frustration and hopefulness last week.

I learned from our General Manager that MY Office did not approve of having team leaders instead of a sales manager to head the sales team. That meant our ( me and 2 other collegues) promotion to Team leader would not push thru. The bad thing was our GM already announced it to the whole PH team. Upon hearing it, I felt slapped on the face. I felt useless and no good. My emotions went from anger, pity (for myself), depression to frustration. I could not just resign and leave. I had no fall back. My hard-headedness dawned on me. I should have actively submitted my application to different companies.

I tried so hard to force myself to work and focused on happy thoughts. Good thing, I have an upcoming trip to Boracay. At least I have something to look forward to.

Well, hope springs eternal in me so I gathered myself back up and moved on. This is enough and there is no use crying on spilled milk. I have been actively sending out my applications and I hope there will be developments soon. I'll keep you posted.

Outrageous Decision

I wanted to do something outrageous this year for a change. So when there were sudden talks about a spur of the moment trip to Malaysia with my officemates last Septmeber 20, I was really seriously considering it. I immediately called my travel agency contacts to shop for the best rates. We had to decide fast since we were supposed to leave during the weekend of that same week. Too bad apart from the high airfare and dollar exchange rate, all flights going back were fully booked. Our earliest return would be on September 29, impossible! Well, we had to give up eventually. I think it was Wednesday when Shiena and I decided to give it up. My other officemate went ahead and claimed the free trip from her cousin.

A week later I was faced with yet another problem to think about. My boyfriend was going on a business trip to Cebu and he was asking me to come with him. Part of me wanted to go since it would be the first time for me to travel with him alone and I know this was his way of giving me what I wanted - traveling to a new place (Bohol). Another part of me felt guilty because I had to lie about the whole trip to my parents. I asked my friends and I received mixed advices. Some were for it, while others really discouraged me because of the "temptation part" and the fact that I have to lie to my parents. The latter was really the main reason of my hesitation. Gone are the days when I would be worried of what other people might think of me. I am an adult now and I konw how to use my freedom responsibly. The problem with my parents is sometimes they tend to be close-minded and reasoning out with them is not their cup of tea. I mean I should stand up for what I believe in, in order to grow and experience life. I will talk to them eventually but gradually.

After weighing everything out and becoming fickle and all, I finally decided to risk it. I bought my ticket on Tuesday of that week. The trip was scheduled for Thursday to Sunday (Oct. 7-10).

On hindsight, I was glad I went on that trip. Never mind that I was alone during the 2 days in Cebu since he had to work, I enjoyed my time alone shopping, touring, etc.



I was also able to do a side trip to Bohol with him, just the 2 of us. It was fun and romantic doing things together in a new place. Bohol was simply nice and the locals are very tourist-friendly. For just an overnight stay, we were able visit all the tourist destinations, such as the Blood Compact Site, Loboc River (trecked up to the top of the waterfalls), Man-made Forest, Chocolate Hills, old churches (Baclayon, Lubog, and Sta. Monica Churches). I also saw the smallest Primate in the Philippines, the Tarsier; visited awesome resorts, namely, Panglao Nature Island Resort, Bohol Beach Club, Alona Palm and Alona Beach. Every resort has its own personality depending on the prefrence of the traveler. I am definitely going back.

At the Blood Compact Site

An afternoon with the tarsiers

When I got back, I came across a Quotable Quote in Readers Digest from Katharine Hepburn. It says: "If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun." So true...

Upcoming Topics

Well, I think I am back to my old self. I still can't find the time to write my thoughts and express my feelings in my blog. I have committed to write an entry at least every other day but it's been more than 2 weeks since my last entry. I guess I have been busy or my focus changed temporarily in the past days.

A lot of things have transpired in my life and I would like to share them gradually or as soon as I have the time. Below are topics I will be writing about soon.

1. My 2004 so far
2. Outrageous Decision
3. What now!

Note: Titles may change depending on mood when entries are written.

Stress Management Seminar

I attended a Stress Management Seminar conducted by Business Works for Summit Media yesterday at the Holiday Inn Galleria. The speaker was Anthony Pangilinan, assisted by Ria Tanjuatco-Trillo. Yup, 2 TV personalities. My attendance there came as a blessing. My officemate Jon can't make so he gave his slot to me.

I would like to share some quotations I learned that really struck me:

1. "It is not what happens to you but in you." - This is so true. We should learn to see good things in our problems and circumstances and learn from them.

2. "Don't let the good, keep you from the best." - This made me ponder on what I really wanted. Sometimes you have to learn to sacrifice for something greater.

3. "We are the only ones who want our lives to be balanced." - Others would like to get the best from us and take whatever they can. A classic example is your boss who will continue to keep on demanding work from you as long as you don't say no. Talk about about abuse. We should be committed to have work-life balance, we are the only ones who can do that to ourselves.

The things I wish for now

They say you have to write what you want in order for your mind attract it. The power of the mind is so strong that when you do decide you want something and you picture yourself getting it, then it will come. Andrew Matthews, in his book "Being Happy" talks about the power of visualizing something in your mind in order to achieve it. This book with all its truths has greatly influenced and molded the way I think today.

There was this one time in my life that I talked to myself and asked what I wanted to make me happy. I enumerated several things but I cannot remember all of them. Top of mind include having a boyfriend, a dog, getting in a university, etc. I know I did not get everything that I wished for but it trained me to focus on what I really wanted. It allowed me to know the things that mattered to me at that time. I may be fickle at times, as my friends always say, but when I want something, I am really determined to get it, no matter what. Well, or course there are intances wherein God would give you another message or grant it in His time.

The fact of the matter is, I would like to use my mind again to attract what I want in life now. I would like to begin by writing them down:

1. To have a better career/job in a multinational company
2. To get married and have my own family
3. To have my own car
4. To travel to Europe and visit Paris, France
5. To start a small business

I will be committed to make these things into reality and I do hope it is going to be soon.

Cookie Monster

I have never been a addict in anything ever since. I crave food, oh yes a great number of them but they are just seasonal. There was a time I wanted to eat crunchy bite-size empanada and no matter what empanada I eat I am never satisfied until I taste what I have imagined or longed for. Kinda weird, huh? But when it comes to cookies/biscuits (or something like it) there is no season. I simply long for them everytime. It's just me, I am a cookie monster.

Some of my fave cookies include Sun Maid raisin cookies, Subway's choco chip and oatmeal cookies, Walkers shortbread butter cookies and M&S's Milk Chocolate Digestives. These are my highly recommended goodies. I am sure you will love them too. I just bought another pack of Digestives, my second for the month. I really can't help myself. I know I am watching my weight now but I don't care... the important thing is I am happy. It is just another extra 30 minutes in the treadmill or stepper. Plus, I have self-control. I may have a sweet tooth but I know how to stop if I feel I am loosing it. I am just a gal who knows how to make myself happy. And that is cookies...

Okay, I better end this entry before I finish the whole pack...

Thoughts for the day

I have been wanting to find the time to write an entry in my blog for the longest time. Although I found the time today, this will be a rush entry since I need to meet with my officemate at the gym and dress up for Maya's parents' Silver wedding tonight. I know that 'having no time' is really not an excuse. The issue is focus.

Well, in the last few days, I have been thinking about the way I spend my time, not just at work but my time per se. Have I been spending it well? Am I using the existing resources and benefits that I have? Like at work, I can freely browse the internet for information, but I still don't find the time to have a quick read for a topic I am interested in, such as dogs, travels, news etc. I also realized that I am still oblivious to a lot of things in the world and it saddens me to think that I was not alarmed at all. Not until now. With this realization, I would like to commit to having a balance in my work hours by devoting at least 30 minutes a day researching through the net, reading my Yahoo mail and others; anything to stuff my head with. I want to commit to knowledge and learning since I now see the value of it. I just hope it's not too late.

I plan to write short entries in my blog every other day too. I have a number of topics in my head and all I need to do is sit down and write. 'Til next time.

Friday Night Gimmick

This is what I feel everytime I wanted to write again. So many thoughts in my mind and I don't know which ones to put in first. Well, for this blog, I decided to write about my last Friday night gimmick.

It was an impromtu gimmick for our dear Team Leader, Camille since it was her last day at work. We all wanted to unwind and listen to music. The chosen bar was Friends since one of my officemate's bestfriend's band was going to play there. As for me, it was something I really liked to do in a long time, listen to a band that is. I joined the group even without my close buds (the A-holics) because I wanted to spend time with Camille and have fun. Well, as expected, it was fun. In fact I had a great time. I thought I was going to be sleepy and all after my Yoga class but no, I had a sudden rush of energy. Live Wire was very entertaining and to top it all they played my fave R&B songs. It brought back memories of past gimmicks not too long ago.

I realized that there is still that outgoing person in me I thought I have outgrown. I still enjoy that kind of 'bar' fun in a wholesome way. It is nice once in a while to let your hair down and enjoy. It takes out stress in a way, believe me.

Well, I do hope to have a grand time with the A-holics soon in a bar or better yet an out-of-town gimmick. I still have a lot of blank areas on my map.

Spiderman Fanatic

 
I have been a Spiderman fanatic ever since I watched part 2. Tobey Maguire is just so cute.  Below is the theme song. Sing with.... tententen...

Spider-Man, Spider-Man
Does whatever a spider can
Spins a web, sweet surprise
Catches thieves just like flies
Look out
Here comes the Spider-Man
Is he strong? Listen bud
He's got radioactive blood
Can he swing from a thread?
No escape from his spider web
Look out
There goes the Spider
When the chill meets the night
At the scream of a crime
Like a laser light
He arrives just in time
Spider-Man, Spider-Man
Doin' the impossible, Why? Because he can
Spider-Man, Spider-Man
Doin' what he gotta, yeah, according to the plan
Look out
Life is a great big bang-up
Wherever there's a hang-up
You'll find the Spider-Man

My First Entry

I  used to write my Diary consistently for several years but I eventually lost the time to. I miss my diary and I still sometimes read the past and laugh at myself. Sometimes, I even can't believe my eyes.  Oh,  it has been a long time and it feels sooo good to finally start writing again, as it is one of my secret passions. 
 
Thank you to my friends who  introduced me to blogger.  I look  forward to share with you my feelings and realizations and I do hope you can pick up a lesson or 2.