My Sinulog Traditions

I had a wonderful time during Sinulog 2009.

* Sinulog Lunch: For more than 5years now, I've had Sinulog Sunday lunch at a close friend (Welda's house). Their family has this panata/tradition to have a feast in honor of their devotion to Sto.Nino. Its a time for me to get-together with my former Aboitiz officemates, & catch up on the goings-on of each others' lives. Met up with Jovy, Alma, Alpin & Shaun last Sunday. Its good to know that how busy we may be throughout the year, there'll always be a time in the year that we can look forward to seeing each other.

* Sinulog Parade - Walked quite a lot (from Villagonzalo area, to T. Padilla, to Club Ultima, to Perpetual, to Ayala = am sure that covers 5kms(?), equal to the Sinulog Fun Run. This year was made easier coz my kids are now a bit grown up & can hike the distance on their own. Still, I wasn't exempt from carrying another kid in my arms this year (my 2yr old niece!). But whats the essence of a feast day for the Child Jesus after all, if you don't bring kids to the Sinulog?!

* Sinulog Fireworks: I just love fireworks! They may be fleeting & transitory sights, but breathtaking & a personal favorite of mine nevertheless. Watched Abellana fireworks from the Club Ultima Snooze Lounge, & waited till 9pm for the Ayala fireworks. And I just love watching fireworks with my kids!

& from hereon, I'll be sure to add another Sinulog tradition: to always participate in the Sinulog marathon/fun run (& of course, see how my running time improves over the years). Now if I could also throw in a Sinulog street party or two after that....

Pit Senyor!

The Past 20 Years

What do you tell someone you haven't seen in almost 20 years?!!

Because of Facebook, I’ve been getting reconnected with a whole lot of people from my past. Especially people I’ve been really close to before: a best friend in grade school & my first ever barkada. The funny thing is I’m so green with envy that life now finds them, friends to each other. (& it’s me who’s gotten lost along the way!!). Although that shouldn’t surprise me, after all, I do keep moving from place to place hence keeping friendships & making them last is a challenge (see old blog entry: Forever Friends). Yet its touching how they were just talking about me over the weekend (& were wondering where I was). Now, that had me teary-eyed. I know I’m all sweet & friendly & malambing, but I’ll be the first to tell you that I’m not an easy person to (really!) get to know. Especially way back in grade school & high school. I remember that as the awkward years. I was overly emotional & sensitive then, & going through the usual teen-age angst. So if I don’t have fond memories of myself way back then, I wonder how my friends remember me?

And so, even though its not easy to look back after what one has been up to all these years, here’s what I’d like to tell them about me to “catch up for lost time”:
* Took up AB Psychology in Ateneo de Manila. Loved my course & wouldn’t have had it any other way. I’ve been an HR professional for the past 14 years.

* Studying & growing up in Manila, after a very sheltered home life in my younger years, has made me the fiercely, independent person that I am. I’ve lived in Cebu, Davao, and Manila & shuttled back & forth over these places (uprooted myself 8x!) in my lifetime. For now though, I call Cebu home.

* I was active in the theater in college & acted in several school plays, & even signed up for a short stint with a PETA theater group (they’d find this interesting coz I was so actively involved in school theater productions in GS & HS). Sadly, I haven’t acted in the theater fro the longest time. Which is probably why I love being in Toastmasters! (But more of that later!)

* I worked as a teacher for 4 years (1 year as a Filipino teacher in HS, & 3 years teaching Grade 2 Boys = 2 of these as a Guidance Counselor). I loved teaching (though the hours & hard work was something else! Teaching really is a vocation!)! My parents also convinced me I had to go find a real job (after spending for my very expensive college education!). I still count my years in teaching as part of my HR experience though coz this is where I got my facilitation, training design & “platform” skills.

* My HR jobs have mostly been in Training and Organizational Development. What I love most about being in HR & particularly in Training is that the job is never routine. It’s always new, you get to meet new people, & I find meaning in my work (helping people be skilled in the work they do, & helping the company cope with changing workforce needs). It’s both strategic/macro & individual at the same time. I’ve been fortunate to have worked for very good companies: Sacred Heart School for Boys(1yr), Ateneo de Manila Grade School(3), Straightway(1), Aboitiz(5), Lexmark(5), now as a Training Manager with Innodata, a BPO/KPO company.

* I’m a mother as well! I have a 7-year old daughter; & a 9-year old son (he has autism & being a mother of a child with special needs has, in a large way, defined my life & who I am). It’s too much to summarize in one line, I could write a whole speech, even a whole book about this.

* Speaking of kids! About love. I remember I was always reading romance novels (started in Grade3! imagine, & read tons in high school). I don’t read them anymore (that should tell you something; I’m still a voracious reader-other genre-,finishing a book a week). I was married, for almost 10 years. It didn’t work out, & I’m still, in a sense, bitter about it, but believe me, I am so glad it’s finally over & that I’m finally free.

* I still sing! Well, at least any chance I get. I still join the occasional singing contest (& win something, though not the top prize); at company programs & at other events (like I said, any chance I get!). Singing will always be something I’m good at, but not something I could do professionally (I wish!)

* My parents now live in the States(California), my eldest sister in Washington(USA), another sister in Greece, & I still live with my youngest sister in Cebu (but she & her family will soon be migrating to Canada). So I’m officially stuck as the Philippine delegation. (Fine by me, as long I get to receive any foreign currency!).

* I’m passionate about Toastmasters! Been a member for 10 years now, & joined several (& won!) speech contests. So those elocution contests in GS & HS did pay off! I go to a Toastmasters club meeting (different clubs) at least once a week. Personal highs were winning at these speech contests: 1st-runner up at a District (national) Humorous Speech Contest (yup, me! Making other people laugh!); championship at the Prepared/ Entertaining Speech Category (District Level); & 1st runner-up Triathlon Speech Contest (3 speech categories: Impromptu, Singing & Prepared Speech). Toastmasters is also about leadership, & not just communication. I also served as Area Governor & Division Governor for Cebu.

* I’ve been blessed to have made several good friends in my life over the past 20 years. There’s Niel (used to be my student in HS-my 1st job; now my best friend. Hey I’m just 5years older than him! & he’s gay). Still go out with the college barkada when I’m in Manila. I have friends I’ve made in Aboitiz who I still get to hang out from time to time (Welda, Tim, the Timbukto tribe, friends I’ve made in Aboitiz Toastmasters); Lexmark friends; friends I’ve made in Toastmasters; & I still get surprised that, at my old age(!), I still get to make new friends who keep me sane (Edmund!). So yes, when my sis complains that I’m always out with friends, well, it’s because it’s a different set of friends each time!

* I became a Christian in College. This was a life-defining moment for me, & being a Christian has made me accept & cherish the many things that have happened to me in my life.

* I still have a lot of extracurricular activities! I’m always making plans & working on so many personal projects. I love to write & blog (obviously!) & am a member of so many organizations (work related & non-work related!).

Okay! Rereading over everything I’ve written in the past few minutes has made me realize that what I’ve written here can be something that could be read at my wake. But since I do plan on living to a ripe old age (God willing of course), I sure do plan to do so many things & have so many things to write about before I kick the bucket. Suffice to say, its nice to know that well, I did have a grand old time the past 20 years, & hope to live a grander time still for the next 20 more!

I Love A Woman In Uniform

Now that sounds pretty unusual huh? Coz you'd rarely hear men say that (perhaps because it'd be more likely for them to say they like women withOUT a stitch of clothing on them). More often than not, its women who say this phrase, about liking men in uniform, that is.



Well, having said that, I'm putting this phrase out because for the longest time in a long, long while I have not been in uniform. I can't even remember the last time I wore one. But since the 1st working day of this year, I've started to wear a uniform once again. We're all required to wear a uniform in the company, even members of the senior management team. It's a good thing though that I like the uniform (just a plain white sportjack-blouse, & grey slacks). But the form-fitting slacks look good on me, which is a good thing considering that I'm really a dress/skirts type of gal. Otherwise, I probably would think of resigning if I loathed how I feel in uniform . This might sound pretty shallow of me, but really, I think one of the reasons why I quit teaching was because of the uniforms they made us teachers wear. I mean did they have to make us wear uniforms that made us look like a teacher! (duh, I mean of course we were that, but did they have to make us have to look so strict, strait-laced & matronly!).



And if it had'nt been for these uniforms, I wouldn't have learned my current vital statistics. I'm actually a voluptuous (hehe!) 36-blank-36. Now, 2 out of 3 of the ideal body figure for a woman is not bad. Of course, the blank I have to work on. But as pointed out to me by my officemate, the waist after all is the easier among the 3 to work on. I can still remember the days when I had a petite 23-inch waistline (yup, back when I was the only girl in the College Varsity Team then, with waking up at the crack of dawn to do my daily jogging, & 3x/week varsity practice sessions). Hmm...i can only dream back the glory of lost years...but then I did have those 2 kids along the way...



Suffice to say, I do like the way I look in uniform now. And although I will miss wearing my dresses, & skirts & other corporate wear items I have in my closet, being in uniform will save me the perpetual dilemma every woman thinks of when she gets ready to go out of the house:

" What will I wear !?! ".

Superfragilisticexpialidocious

My Favorite Words in the English Dictionary:

audacity brevity chameleon destiny enchanting fortitude gargantuan horrendous irrevocable jimminy klaeidoscope lackadaisical metaphorical nonsensical ogle piquant quaint rendezvous sultry trite unbelievable verbose whim xi yore zest

I obviously don't have anything better to do with my time....(truth is, I was actually commuting in Manila & went through the alphabet to amuse myself).

Although I guess what I'm trying to point out here is that...don't you just find words amazing? We all need words after all to get through life & convey our message. The words we weave equally show who we are & what we perceive. A magician always has his magic spells...key words & phrases to conjure up whatever help is needed. Similarly, seakers and writer and ordinary people like me need to have a whole spiel of words to ramble on & make into the a cohesive and altogether engaging story that is one's life.

How Old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?

A friend of mine posted that intriguing question in her blog last year. Which got me to thinking...well, for me...I'd be seventeen. Yup, I seem to be perpetually stuck to that age (mentally that is! I wish I could say looks-wise too).


Which probably explains why I spent the holidays poring over teen-age stuff. Imagine, I spent one weekend speed-reading the 4 Twilight books: from Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and finally Breaking Dawn. I just got so hooked to the books: the story, the romance of it, the characters, etc.

And of course, after reading the book, I had to look for a DVD of the Twilight movie. I didn't like the movie as well as I liked the book, but then that's what usually happens. At least they got an actor for Edward who really looked as handsome as he was described in the book. This reminds me of a funny experience I had in 2008, when I was being interviewed(& taped!) for a DJ post for Y.101FM. (Haha, I was really bored at the time, & was just trying this out on a whim!) I was asked: "You are all alone in a building. Which would you rather be attacked by: a werewolf or a vampire?".

My answer: "That's easy. I would prefer to be attacked by a vampire. I really don't see myself being eaten & torn into pieces. I would much rather be bit & sucked dry! And turn into a vamp!"

I also spent the holidays, relaxing to the max & watching DVDs. I watched the whole Season 1 of the television series: "Gossip Girl". To be that young once again! I found it quite amusing following the antics & foibles of this group of elite, Manhattan teen-agers. As hilarious as there problems were (lovelife, schoolwork & family), there were actually real life lessons I picked up from the story.


Which brings me back to why I love "being" seventeen. There's something to this age that strikes me to the very core of my being: to be that innocent, & optimistic & on the brink of starting one's life once again. There's even a magazine named for this age! In my case, I fell in love for the first time, at seventeen. Albeit, it was a love unrequited. As the song goes: (sings)
"I learned the truth at seventeen that love was meant for beauty queens... and those of us with ravaged faces (not really that much!) lacking in the social graces, desperately remained at home, inventing lovers on the phone, who called to say -- come dance with me... it isn't all it seems, at seventeen. " Oh well...


I found it ironic that in Twilight, this age is also highlighted, as being special:
Isabella Swan: How old are you?
Edward Cullen: Seventeen.
Isabella Swan: How long have you been seventeen?
Edward Cullen: A while.

Oh, to be seventeen for a little while longer....

Goodbyes and Hellos: My 2008 Recap

2008 was a very eventful year for me. A lot of goodbyes...but also a lot of hellos.

(1) Goodbye Lexmark– 5 years of working for the same company – it was definitely time to say goodbye. Oddly enough, the year started with attending & contributing actively in the joint HR Summit to discuss the wave of resignations we had (not enough to stop me though). The year started with the whole HR-Reorg, & my new role as HR Officer for Government and Community Relations was new & exciting & made me stay (for a while) until the new HR Director had to leave (that made it 4 bosses in 5 years). & things have become so tiring and so toxic in the office; so it really was just time to move on, esp. with that whole DA fiasco in the end. Was called by headhunter Ward-Howell & had series of interviews, all the way to the last panel interview with Hitachi in Laguna. Was given a good job offer for HR Compensation & Benefits Manager, but declined this for personal reasons (see #3). My “gratitude rocks” goodbye gift to people. Cried my last day, didn’t think it’d affect me that much even though I was so relieved to finally leave. Perhaps because I cried buckets during my 5 year stay with the company too.

(2) Hello Innodata – Wasn’t expecting this, but it felt good having my exit interview & telling my boss I had a new job in the wings, as a Training Manager at that. Was just relieved to get a job that paid a little more than my previous one, & a Mgr role at that. & I feel so at home here already, with challenging tasks like handling ISMS, training budgets & schedules, designing & facilitating new training programs; preparing for external & conducting internal audits, metrics & KPIs, management meetings, as well as great relationships with my co-workers. & it’s just so different & exciting being a part of the management team now. I do believe I’m going to stay here awhile.

(3) Goodbye Marital Blues – Clarity@2008 was my rallying cry for this year after all. Found myself drowning my misery in VCD/TV sitcom marathons like Desperate Housewives (being one myself), Prison Break, etc. Holy week was a miserable one having to bear his abusive ways. Had decided to accept the Mla job & give it another try. But then I realized (after nigh 8 years) I didn’t have to bear the heart-wrenching misery anymore. That I could just cut things off & move on. Talking with my sisters (& realizing they did know) helped. The finger without a ring (old blog entry). It’ll be difficult to have a clean cut though & things are bound to become messy before it’s finally over, but am glad I’ve made the decision to move on. Had talks with friends to get legal advice (Ritchie, Leica, Dottie, Lloyd, Ranz, etc). Still, having decided to finally let go has given me the peace & serenity that I had been yearning for all this time.

(4) Hello Friends – With growing old comes the realization that I do need people in my life (Maturity and Interdependence); & I guess because of the turmoil I was experiencing in my personal life, I realized I was not superwoman & thus needed to share the truth with friends, surprisingly enough, even with strangers! & it became easier with each telling (to friends who I’ve kept in the dark about all my troubles). Prompting a friend to say that all these years he saw me smiling, he always knew that there was something painful, & not real, in my eyes. Maintaining ties with old friends & making new ones: staying & having to say goodbye to Niel’s condo & those coaching sessions; terrific conversations & hanging out with new girlfriend Edmund; being truthful to Aboitiz friends & Timbukto tribe; old Lexmark alumni friends Eboy & Raniza; having to say goodbye to friends leaving abroad; finding new friends too: finding my niche & being good friends with a lot of people in my new job.

(5) Hello to the Single Life – With freedom comes the liberty to start to venture out, & feel alive once more. Changed my hairstyle (I look & feel better with curly hair!); started wearing make-up (yup, something I admit to needing, now that I’m 35); working out at the gym. Started to date once again, a record of lousy dates though (see Lousy Dates previous blog entry). “It’s just a fantasy, it’s not the real thing. But sometimes a fantasy, is all I need” (well for now that is). Funny though how it’s raining men once again, but not the type I really need. I still yearn for romance & intimacy, even though I’m far from ready for anything serious. Still, going casual will never be my style.

(6) Goodbye Div C– The flurry of preparations for the Div C Speech Contest & club visits (most clubs got Presidents’ Distinguished Clubs in my Division this year). Ended my TI year with a bang – attended the Tagaytay District Convention with the Aboitiz gang (wearing New Peak jackets!) & being so happy for Div C to have bagged the championship for 3 if not 4 categories! Its hello Div I for me now- what with putting up a Toastmasters Club in my new company & being elected as VP- Ed.

(7) Hello to Competing Once Again – It’s been awhile since I’ve given a speech in front of a Toastmasters audience. I volunteered for Div I Joint Area Contest & wrote my “The Art of Kissing” test speaker speech the night before the contest. Used same speech for my Entertaining Speech & joined the Triathlon once again, all the way to Bacolod! Bacolod! What an experience! To winning.. & not really winning…to learning from mistakes… & making new friends & the more- than-friends…

(8) Family/Home Life – Goodbyes to scary Yayas (6 this year!), dining out at restaurants & going places(several times) with me & the kids, & Sheila, Tito & Ella; coping with Tito’s medical emergencies & numerous hospitalizations; getting hypertensive with China’s homework; swimming with the kids at Crown. My kids are growing up so fast! And though it was extremely difficult this year, making ends meet financially & having to pay debts; being a single mom is something I had no trouble getting used to.

(9) Hello Travel – I didn’t get to travel out of the country like I did last year, but I did go out of town a lot of times this year. Manila trips (Feb for the Hitachi interview, March for Holy Week where we visited La Mesa Eco Park; May for the Tagytay Discon; plenty of Cebu trips also: Buhisan Dam; Mountain View, beach outings in Moalboal, San Remegio, Tambuli, & Karancho! I still got to go to a lot of places I’ve never been to before, which still makes this a traveling year for me. This just fits in the theme of how totally liberating & exploratory this year has been for me.

(10) Hello Music! – Its true that this year has had a lot of ups & downs for me, but it’s been more of an upbeat year overall. & I guess with the vitality I’ve found with now being free, music has found me once again. Had several chances to sing this year: at a company half-time basketball game, 3 singing contests, singing in Waterfront for the PMAP regional convention; being complimented by the director & my stint in a recording studio(feeling professional!); singing in several programs & events. After being in the shadows for so long, I realize I do belong up there, where the lights are on me & people see how talented & beautiful I can be (as boastful as that may sound, but giving myself permission to be “seen” as such is what matters after all). And, complementary to music, I’ve been writing and blogging once again!

So yes, I have found the clarity I wished for, for 2008.

Feeling Maudlin

It strikes once again. I guess this happens to me, perhaps once a month, maybe during the full moon (full moon ba ngayon?) or middle of my cycle (well, kinda true). I'm feeling so down and in the dumps now. Starting to think maudlin thoughts once again. I'm usually so upbeat and optimistic, but I have to admit, I can be equally, if not more melodramatic when I'm down and depressed. Perhaps because its so chilly right now(December nights), or the fact that I'm losing the challenge a close friend threw at me (3 dates before the year ends !!!). Hahay, pag-ibig na naman ba, or the lack of it, ang kahihinatnan ng blog entry na ito? Hindi naman siguro. Wala, masaya lang kasing maramdaman ang kababawan ng pag-ibig. Yung kinikilig ka, at magkakandaugaga para lang sa isang lalaki. Kabaliwan.