Catching Up!

It was almost the end of January when I started writing this, and now it's already the second week of the second calendar month! A lot have happened along the way. As in A LOT have HAPPENED and I'm catching my breath.

For one, business is generally good. My new partners have been very happy with our sales. We just need to dispose whatever products are left so our projected revenues may be reached.
Nah! Not a tall order but just a personal goal to have all our items sold. On the other hand, one of my businesses is on the "50-50" side. Still ironing things out and hopefully everything will turn out well, SOON...

Family-wise, I couldn't ask for more. All is GOOD. My Love Nald is forever supporting me in every way he can. Our daughter has done well in school last term and we're continuously working with her. Mom has been feeling better, void of new ailments, rid some of her old ones.

Anyway, I'm working on the following to be finished soon:

  • Second article for HerWord of Business World Online (see an update below)
  • Review articles for: ANTM Cycle 10 and 11, The Celebrity Apprentice, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Unit Season 4, Slumdog Millionaire
  • A thesis project on an IT-related business
Of course, add to this my daily routine, work, and house stuff. To relieve stress, I indulge my PSP addiction. Since I got hold of our PSP Slim, I've finished the following games:
  • Brave Story: Nice plot, great fight scenes
  • Scooby Doo Who's Watching Who?: Super easy, but very entertaining
  • Diner Dash: Challenging! There are some parts which I need to improve on, tee-hee!
  • Virtual Tennis: What can I say, I'm number 1!
  • Fight NIght: Again, I'm a grand slam winner!
I'm currently playing Neopets Pet Adventure, Wall-E, and B-Boy. Reviews will be shared soon.

Just late last week, I got word from Melody, HerWord.com's web mistress, that my second article contribution is up! Read it here. Or just read on below:

Embracing my child-like ways
Published on http://www.HerWord.com (owned and operated by the BusinessWorld Corporation)
February 6, 2009

childI’ve been listening to the Twilight soundtrack for more than two months now. Day in and day out, whenever I am in front of my laptop, I automatically play the movie’s OST. It’s part of my routine already. I don’t mind listening to it more than eight hours a day. Even my ring tone assigned to my hubby’s call is Twilight’s Supermassive Black Hole by Muse. I’ve been freaking out about Twilight, Stephenie Meyer, Bella, and, of course, Edward Cullen. I guess I’ve also been smitten… and bitten (and not minding it at all)… by the Twilight phenomena.

I’m turning 35 in March and because of this obsession, I’ve realized how not-so 30-ish I’ve been acting. I’ve read all of Stephenie Meyer’s books (including Meyer’s Midnight Sundraft) in less than a week, in spite of the fever and flu I had before Christmas. Part of my morning habit is to research and browse through almost all of the most popular Twilight sites in the internet. I practically am all over Edward Cullen everyday. I’ve also changed my blog site’s layout to make it darker, more mysterious, more Twilight-er. In a few months or years, I may end up laughing at how silly I am about it.

I wonder why a lot of people do not act their age. Perhaps all of us would be mature, and logical, and boring if this would happen. Case in point, my hubby has not lost his child-like self in him—he plays and watches a lot of basketball and other shows with “balls,” he also likes toys like RC cars, pocket bikes, and PSPs, he often finds something funny in any situation.


He’s like a 10-year old boy but I love him nevertheless, and I wouldn’t trade him for anyone else, not even Edward Cullen!


In Brad Pitt’s latest movie, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, it was a different take on ageing or should I say "dis-aging." What the movie was trying to say was, one must act his age. Take things in stride, enjoy the moments with our loved ones, and accept people for what they are. I believe that in a way we always keep the child-like (positive) or childishness (negative) in ALL of us. And it’s something that we can’t do away with, whether we like it or not. It helps keep ourselves grounded and realistic.


In many instances in my life, after stressful situations, I find myself goofing around or if I’m too irate to do so, someone or something makes me. And I find it a relief. Soon after a bout of laughter with co-workers or my family, I’m ready for life’s battles again.


This leads me to how I interact and rear my eight-year old daughter. My hubby said that this year moving forward, his request is for me to be more patient with our child. Yes, I’m guilty. I find it so challenging to bring up our daughter. I must admit, I’m not so fond of kids. Unlike most of my friends who find their chatter music to their ears, I’m not amused. Not until I gave birth to my daughter. Sure I have not been changed 100 per cent, but I’m getting there.


I would probably credit this somehow to how I was raised. I grew up with not so many kids around. My brother is eight years my senior and I have always been a sickly child. My cousins, and there are not many of them my age, lived no where near our place. I’ve always been kept indoors because of my primary complex, asthma, and heart murmur.


My vivid memories of my childhood contemporaries are not so pleasant. They’ve often labeled me negatively and they didn’t want to play with me because they thought I or my family was not at their "level." Talk about discrimination among six-year olds. Thus I succumbed to being alone, playing alone, and appreciating that in the process. This went on for years. When I went to school, I was also a favorite bully target. Funny that when my daughter would ask me if I had a best friend way back, I couldn’t name anyone. That is because I didn’t have one. I was more at peace being by myself.


Sure I had friends when I was growing up, but I couldn’t enumerate names of those I’d consider as individuals I grew up with. This changed in so many ways when I started working, I realized that I had to do something about it. I reached out and had close friends. I found it wonderful and it opened my eyes to appreciating how it is to be child-like and enjoy it.


Again, I have a lot of blessings to be thankful for, like my hubby—he is my greatest adviser and most of all my best friend. My daughter—for accepting me for what I am, even if it means keeping up with me, my crankiness, and my funkiness. Because of them, I’m becoming a better person. They continue to show and let me feel unconditional love, they’ve accepted me for who I am, my child-like ways, my being.


Catching Up!SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend

Best of 2008: The Year That Was

There are many blessings, challenges, opportunities, things, situations, and individuals I'm very thankful for in 2008. And I'm taking this time out to let the world know how colorful the year that was for me.

First, I'd like to thank the beautiful people who've helped, gave inspiration, unconditionally loved, critiqued, and disliked me for they've made me a better person:
  • My Love Nald, my forever confidante, best friend, adviser, my rock. I love you so much for accepting and keeping with all my quirks!
  • My Daughter Aleks who is one little feisty, funny, smart, curious, and lovable kid. You keep me grounded. Love you forever, Naneng!
  • My Mom, my inspiration. I dedicate my being to you who've given me life. I will forever me indebted to you, Mommy. I love you!
  • Nanay and Juday, thanks for taking GREAT care of us.
  • Our dogs Bugsy (our THEN 8-year old Rottweiler) and King (our NOW 7-month old Bullmastiff), you make life extra especial.
  • For my very few AND very good REAL friends: OO, Quellay, Jae, Krissy, Heather, Dimples, and Alexish for the especial moments and care we've shared and continue to do so in many more years!
  • My Business Partners: Lea B., Tessa L., Pam O., Grace V., Kat L., Jae L., and Gabby DS.. We're a team and our success is unstoppable!
  • Other business suppliers I've dealt with: Lea O., Rona E. for trusting me with your businesses.
  • My AGSB groups, professors, and classmates for all the learning you've shared.
  • The many people I've met in my line of work who've also shown me what it takes to be more successful.
  • My The DROPShop Online clients who bought my products. Thanks for all the trust and loyalty. =)
  • My hecklers (you know who you are) for all the challenges and opportunities you've opened for me and the realizations I've had. Without you, life won't be so exciting!
Second, I'm also very much blessed to have accomplished all these and more:
  • 2-bedroom condominium unit purchase at the East of Galleria in Ortigas, Pasig City " Four finished subjects in The Ateneo Graduate School of Business (Seven more to go and can't wait to enroll for the next term!)
  • Successful IELTS Review and IELTS Exam (c/o Quellay E.) where I got a score of 7.5 (the highest score is 9)
  • The DROPShop online launch (through Multiply): revamped and upgraded my site to Premium status
  • The DROPShop online domain registration " Expanded The DROPShop clientele base to more than 150 people to-date
  • First published article in HerWord, an internet gazette managed by Business World Online
  • First public talk at the First Nursing Expo at the SM Megamall, again through my great friend, Quellay
  • Second public talk at the Belle de Jour exclusive gathering in Rustans, Makati
  • Travel journeys for work to Cebu three times and in Bacolod once
  • Big sale of an Iloilo franchise (though not yet signed) at the office
  • And the ICING on my cake: Purchases of the following: SAMSUNG smart phone, MAC 13-inch 2nd Gen laptop, LG KP500 Cookie touch phone, lots of clothes, bags, shoes, accessories, food, and what-have-you's
Lastly, what I am very much thankful for to my old man up there are not just all these things he provided me but MOST ESPECIALLY the small and often times ignored BLESSINGS that happen everyday:
  • Waking up in the morning and knowing I'm still alive
  • Our family's daily morning bonding routine - eating breakfast together, riding together and listening and singing to music on our way to the office and school
  • The convenience of having my office located in the back of my daughter's school, so I get to bring and pick her up everyday
  • The flexibility of my job to accommodate my school and personal schedules
  • The comforts of our small yet very cozy home
  • Being able to eat and drink any food I want
  • Having the many talents and skills to do many things such as write articles, sell products, speak in front of many people, laugh at my mistakes and boo-boos, make people happy...
Overall, 2008 was very good in spite what others may say if they start talking about recession, economy, politics, and all other *rap. Sure I have a say on those things, too. But for now, there are just so many things to be grateful about. Period.

Best of 2008: The Year That WasSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend