My 2008 In A Nutshell

I made a similar post last year so I thought of making another one as my year-ender entry.

Year 2008 was equally amazing for me. There were lots of trips that were really unplanned. New friendships that were developed. Abrupt changes in the professional arena. And a lot more other random things that are worthy to share.

And so, here is my 2008 in a nutshell:

January

• Got nominated and chosen to be part of my company’s Real Changed Leaders (RCL).
• Took Mommy to Bohol for a short vacay. Traveled with Nikki and Danny

February

• Segued a Cebu trip from the Bohol Vacay
• Went on an official business trip to Naga City, Bicol to conduct a product presentation to AFFI and PFA members.

March

• Fell in love with… DAVID COOK! LOL!

April

• Experienced my first Management-mandated transfer from LPMD to CBG.
• Had my passport renewed… and it was way too easy!
• Spent 3 days in Baguio with Mommy to celebrate my big day.

May

• Spent Mother’s Day at Manila Ocean Park with Mommy and Potchicay.
• Went to Pampanga for our first RCL-stint.
• Ecstatic with David Cook for winning the American Idol title… LOL!
• Attended the company’s summer outing at Splash Island.

June

• Went to Hongkong with some friends from church and work. Had a blast at HK Disneyland despite the freaking bad weather.

July

• Zzzzzzzzzzz… such a lazy month. Can’t think of anything done this month. I’m not sure if I was working real hard… or hardly working. LOL!

August

• Met some new friends… I won’t tell from where! LOL!
• My HK photo got published in Cosmopolitan magazine (not on the cover though, but I was on page 14, whehehe!) and won myself a new Nokia 6300 (err, it’s Mommy’s phone now)
• Maynilad finally installed water in our community. No more waiting-for-water-in-the-middle-of-the-night for Mommy and me. Yey!

September

• Had an exciting studio photo op courtesy of Mr. Adonis Yap. Eto yung nag-feeling model ako! Sana may kasunod pa! Hehehe!

October

• Celebrated Mommy’s birthday at North Park, Glorietta with Dhang, April, Potchie and Pam

November

• Took Mommy to Singapore for her post-birthday celebration. Nikki, Jing and Alann tagged along 🙂
• Got myself a new toy… iPod Touch! 😛

December

• Just lazed around…
• and lazed more…
• and more…
• and more…
• and more!
• Finally decided to do some Christmas shopping mid-December and braved Plaza Miranda… LOL!
• Attended the company’s Christmas Party at the SMX
• And still…. lazing around while writing this! LOL!

Oh well, it wasn’t as fruitful as last year, I guess. But my 2008 was darn exciting. I never imagined I got to travel that much this year. I hope to do some other travels in 2009… probably within Asia again. Eh wala naman kasi akong visa and enough moolah to travel to other continents, hehehe!

But just like last year, I have something far better to cherish than those trips, new gadgets, being a celebrity for a short while (pagbigyan nyo na ako dito sa isang ‘to, hehehe!) and those new items I got myself. What I value the most is another year of friendship with you… may it be online, SMS or chat over coffee. I feel more blessed whenever I think of the relationships I have with my so-called “friends”. As I always tell myself, “I am not financially rich but I’m darn rich with good friends around me. And I feel so very blessed to have them in my life.”

And so, as the year ends, please allow me to THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART and WISH YOU A MORE BLESSED 2009. May the Good Lord grant us more love, peace and happiness in the coming year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

If he were with us today…

… I am quite sure that my and my mom’s life would be far different.

In November last year, I made an entry entitled Happy Father’s Day. It was my first-ever entry about my father. Tatay’s birthday is celebrated every end-November… 30th of the month, that is. This year, I failed to post an entry for him as I got too busy last month. And so, I thought of making one right after Christmas… his 18th death anniversary.

I know this post will be a bit too different with that of other blog posts as most bloggers are busy posting hapy stories about Christmas family gatherings, gift-giving, out-of-town Christmas vacays and all those fun things people do during Christmas break. For the past 18 years, the month of December is a bit different for me and my mom as we normally go the cemetery to pay Tatay a visit a day or two after Christmas. (I guess it’s better that way than Tatay visits us in our house. That would be kinda freaky, LOL!)

Well, if you have read my old post about Tatay, he was killed the morning after Christmas and died at the night of December 27. Oh yes, we still had to go through an almost-24-hour mixed emotions of pain, suffering, hatred and hope. But from the looks of Tatay back then, hope was nowhere near to be found.

I have always wondered how our life has been if Tatay were still alive today. I’m sure, our house is filled with more laughters as Tatay and I were extremely close. I’m also certain that life inside the house is way much easier for both my mom and me as Tatay is the best handyman that I have ever known.

So really, what if he were still with us today?

I guess…

… I have also taken Tatay to those out-of-the-country trips and they will be more meaningful to me.

… I have also given Tatay some good shopping-spree so he won’t need to ask for used clothes from his brothers and nephews.

… I have also encouraged Tatay to enter those grand malls like Glorietta, Shangrila, Greenbelt, Gateway and MOA without feeling ashamed of our status in life.

… I have also showered Tatay with things that he has ever wanted. And yes, including those packs of Philip Morris eventhough  Mommy and I endlessly asked him to try to stop smoking.

… I have also let Tatay experience drinking coffee at Starbucks as he was the first-ever coffee freak that I have ever known. I’m just not sure though if he’ll try Frapuccinos as he’s one hell of a black coffee drinker.

… I have also made Tatay darn proud of what I have become. Besides it was Mommy and him who molded me to what I am now. And whatever I have today, I owe every bit of it to them.

But if Tatay is really with us today, I bet my and my Mom’s Christmases would never be the same and be far more special.

I really wanted to write more but I have to cut this short now as I am in tears writing this entry.

And to you Tatay, I sooo miss you!

 

Happy Ho-Ho-Ho!

And the most awaited day has come.

I just wanted to greet everyone a very Merry CHRISTmas. And please allow me to share with you my self-made Christmas message which I sent to all my friends via SMS. This one goes for you as well.

My years of friendship with you

is truly the best gift

I have ever received and treasure.

I pray that you be blessed

with love and peace

now and always.

Merry Christmas and God bless.

In my last year’s Christmas Day entry, I shared a cute little-Wingkai-in-Santa-outfit pic. And so this year, a somewhat-real-looking Santa Claus joined me in greeting you Happy Ho-Ho-Ho!

This was taken in HK Disneyland in 2006. Sa pagkakayakap ko ke Santa, parang boyfriend ko sya. Ang sagwa siguro kung kumandong ako noh?! Hehehe!

Again, my best CHRISTmas wishes to you and your loved ones. May this season bring more hope, love and peace.

(Side Note: I really don’t know what’s with December 25, I seem to experience something different, or rather something sad, every Christmas Day. Am I cursed or something?)

Wish List Update

My WISH LIST entry brought some laughs to some readers as I received mixed reactions about the things I want for Christmas.

Oh well, a day before Christmas, look what I’ve got under my tree:                                      

                                                                                                                                                                          

Yeah, those red gift bags only mean one thing… they have M&S items inside. Mommy did fulfill her promise to gift me the creme bath that I have been asking for the longest time. But I have 2 bags, right? Well, she apparently gave me something else. 

 

 

O di ba naman?! May ka-partner pa na Talcum? Was Mommy being too generous this year? 

But do you want to know the catch? Mommy asked me to pay for it for the meantime and said she’ll repay me when she gets her money. Hmmm… I wonder when would that be? I think I’m having deja vu. This same scenario happened so many times already. Di kaya, maisahan na naman ako ng nanay ko dito??? Haaay….

 Anyways, as the saying goes, it’s the thought that counts. But this is what I can say to Mommy… “Your credit is good, but I need CASH!!!” LOL!

 

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Sometime last week, I was surprised to see a brown  and red gift bag on my desk. It was a Starbucks paper bag. A colleague generously gifted me with a tumbler… a tall one! It really looks very nice and I liked the simplicity of the design.

 

 

At least, alam ng tao na taga-Maynila ang may-ari nyan! Sana may Pandacan version para mas specific noh?! Hehehe!

Oh well, I guess, I should just buy myself that small tumbler that I have been eying on.

 

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This last one was really unexpected. Look what an old-time friend gave me this Christmas:

 

This was not in my list but my friend obviously knows the things I want in life. LOL! I like the design a lot… and the fact that it’s black! I don’t have to wash it every time I safekeep it in my shoe cabinet. LOL!

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Advance Happy Ho-Ho-Ho!

Christmas Party at the SMX

Two Saturdays back, our company held its annual bankwide Christmas Party. It was at the SMX this year. As always, we have to follow a theme. All are required to come in the coolest jacket as the event was dubbed Starry Musical Night, a red carpet event ala-MTV.

It was a way too easy theme. Who doesn’t own a jacket, anyway? We can just come in a simple matchy jeans, shirt and jacket. But knowing how meticulous I am when in comes to party outfit, I had to dig my closet and look for the nicest and coolest jacket ever owned. Of course I found one! So, I initially made up my mid to come in my brown trench coat (an outrageous ukay find purchased at P180), white shirt, skinny jeans and boots. Then again, I thought, “Brown isn’t too flattering for me!” I even thought that lots of colleagues might be in the same attire. So, I dropped the idea and thought of another outfit. A more exciting yet simpler one.

Party call time was 5:30 p.m. (registration) while program proper is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. I did not get concerned much of the time as I thought it will start late… all programs in Pinas do! LOL!

At around 4:30 p.m., I was still at the mall buying myself a simple white shirt. Imagine, I don’t have a white shirt in my closet?! LOL! And after that, I still managed to drop by a salon for some hair treatment and called my manicurist for some nail polishing. So with all this last-minute activities, I got dressed at around 7 p.m. And with my stiff calculation, I can get to SMX at 7:30 p.m. Just the right time for the party, I thought.

But I was dead wrong. I miscalcuted the traffic. I forgot it was Christmas season so traveling from Pres. Quirino to MOA would be more of a hassle. Apparently, that short distance took me 2-hours to get to SMX! Yeah, roads were irritatingly jammed that day.

So, when I arrived, the program has already started and all my colleagues are done with their dinner. Well, good thing it was a buffet set-up so late-comers like me could just grab food. 

I really had to pay the price for being THAT fashionably late. No official photo op for me at the red carpet. I told you, it was MTV inspired!

Good thing, I brought my ever-reliable digicam with me . So here are some of the non-official and amateurish shots my colleague took: 

I think my outfit is a bit confusing. I look like a motorist-in-red-leather-jacket slash hooker-protigee-in-short-denim-skirt slash winter-wonderland-in-scarf look. But you have to agree with me… it looks fine alright! LOL!

And when it was time for some dancing, I didn’t not think twice on hitting the dance floor eventhough I didn’t like the band who played as they are just so-so ones. LOL! So here are my dance floor shots with my colleagues. Pardon me, I just harrassed some colleagues with cam as mine was in my purse.

There were a lot of colleagues in cool outfits. Too bad, I wasnt able to take pics of them. But here are two of the outfits I liked the most… very simple yet they rock!

 

Syempre kasama ako sa pic! Hehehe! Very winter ang dalawang ito! LOL! (Both are from IT department)

It was a bit of a short party for me. It ended at before 12 midnight. And since I got tired with the darn traffic jam, I called it a night and went straight home right after the party.

Hmmm… am I being boring? Or just simply growing old? LOL!

I wonder what would be next year’s Christmas Party theme…

All I Want For Christmas

Whenever I’m asked what I want for Christmas, I would normally answer, “Hmmm… nothing in particular. Whatever you want to give me.” So as the saying goes, when a girls says “nothing”, it really means “something”. LOL!

I don’t normally list down all the things I want for Christmas. I think, the last time I’ve done this was 25 years ago, those golden times when I still believe that Santa Claus do exist. LOL!

So now, I’m blogging out some of the things I want this Holiday Season. Take note, I termed it “some” as these are the not-so-pricey ones. I don’t want to post those over-the-top gadgets that I have been drooling on. LOL!

Here goes the things I want for Christmas… chronologically arranged according to price, hehehe!

(10) M&S Magnolia Creme Bath, P285.00 (pasok na pasok sa budget! hehehe!). I have been a fan of this Marks and Spencer fragrance since 2002 and it really feels so fresh and nice to use the entire line. I just need to match it with my lotion and cologne. Bangu-banguhan talaga ang dating! I just hope Mommy would really buy this for me *fingers crossed*

(9) Starbucks Tumbler, P385.00. No, not that big one. I have 2 of those already. I just want the small one… perfect to bring to meetings. Weird kasi pag tasa ang dala ko sa Conference Room, LOL!

(8) Max Factor Creme Puff, P585.00. I soooo love this compact powder. I used to think Johnson’s baby powder lang ang the best. Ngayon eh marunong na ako gumamit ng MF noh?! LOL! Seriously, this one really matches my skin… Medium Beige, huh?!

(7) Victoria Secret Cami & Knicker Set, $39.50 (convert nyo na lang sa peso :-)). Hmmm… every girl needs to own a sexy sleepwear. Not just for the better half, but for simply feeling good and sexy during snooze time. Malay nyo, managinip ako ng may kasamang boylet… at least, ready and sexy ako! Hehehe!

(6) Levi’s 593 Jeans, P2,399.00. I’m a Levi’s addict. I think I own more than 8 pairs. But the 593 style is simply the best. My one and only pair is already 5 years old. And we’ve already gone a long way. I take it with me whenever I travel. So overly comfy talaga! As for the size, sa text na lang natin pag-usapan yan, hehehe!

(5) Kamiseta Luggage, P2,800.00 (big) and P1,200.00 (small). I have been on the go lately. So, I just think it’s nicer to travel with style. I don’t need those LVs but these cute colorful luggages would definitely add ganda points whenever I travel. Feeling fashionista! LOL! And yes, I want these green ones! 🙂

(4) Lacoste Inspirations Parfum 100ml, P4,000.00 (yata, hehehe!). Well, what can I say? I just love Lacoste perfumes. I think I already have the entire collection, except for this one. I’ve been eyeing this for so long now, but I don’t normally buy parfums. Lagi regalo lang… ng ex-boylet! Hehehe!

(3) Lacoste New Classic Hand Bag, P4,350.00. A girl could not have too many bags, right? I just want to own another Lacoste bag, bakit ba? LOL!

(2) Oakley Crosshair, P10,000. Hah, too expensive, I know! Kaya nga wish eh! I still can’t see myself buying such expensive pair of sunglasses. But hey, this one really rocks. And in fairness, nasukat ko na sya. Ang ganda ko lalo! Hehehe!

As for my top most wish, it’s a bit too priceless. I guess, even Mastercard could not get me this one. LOL! So, I’m just hoping that Santa would grant me something really grand this Christmas.

Wanna know what that is? Am sorry but I can’t support it with pictures. I’ll give you a clue though through this song…

 

(to view from youtube.com, please click here)

Well, all I can say is… this distance thing really sucks! LOL!

My First Christmas Gift for 2008

I know it’s a bit too early for Christmas gifts. Even at work, only a few have started distributing gifts as we still have barely 2 weeks before that grand 8-day Christmas vacay. Oops, I’m just talking about Pinas’ Christmas vacay, huh?!

But yesterday, I got my first-ever Christmas gift for 2008. I have actually been anticipating it and have known about it some months earlier. Well, it was from my very good friend, Nang, who works in California. She’s back to spend Christmas with her family.

Sometime October, Nang asked me what I want to be brought from California. I don’t want to ask for too expensive things (baka dagukan ako eh!) or some personal stuff (mejo picky naman ako dito), so I asked for something I wanted so very badly.

So look what Santa Nang has bought me for Christmas…

Hey, the guy in the red suit isn’t Nang, huh?! LOL!

What’s even nicer is that Nang personally delivered my precious David Cook’s CD to our house. Ang saya, di ba?

All melodies are somewhat similar though. But what the heck?! I soooo love David Cook. I could  die listening to all his music all day! LOL!

Commercial Break: revsiopao’s blog launch

Last week, my good old friend and high school classmate, Jhoen, buzzed me on YM. Remember him from one of my June posts? If not, you can read back from HERE.

I hope that link refreshed you of who Reverend Jhoen is. 🙂

Oh well, last time was not the usual kumusta-ka-kapatid buzz. Apparently, Jhoen asked me to do one helluva favor for him. And when I say “helluva favor”… I really mean a-big-kinda-deal favor!!!

He initially told me that he is scheduled for the international launch of his new blog site at a new platform. WordPress, that is.

I thought, “Yeah yeah yeah, big deal!” LOL!

Since I have known Jhoen as an active member in the blogsphere (unlike me, i’m confined here in Friendster and Multiply, hehehe!) and have been featured in one of the more famous blogsites in the international blogosphere, I then again thought, “It’s big deal indeed!”

So, going back to that helluva favor, Jhoen insisted and convinced me to be a part of his launch. And mind you, there’s a long to do list! He’s such an overly demanding deacon! LOL!

Anyways, since I am a very good and accommodating friend (ehem! ehem!), I did what was requested of me. Here’s the summary of that darn tedious checklist:

(1) make a short video clip, 1 to 2 minutes to be exact  (hmmm, carry ko yan… online vid-exposure! LOL!)

(2) prepare a congratulatory and welcome spiel (my gass, with script-writing requirements!)

(3) represent the Philippines with famous symbols like carrying a flag or wearing the national costume (help! where the heck is lola’s treasure chest?!)

(4) do a solo or group performance, song or dance (production number?! hey, hey, hey, this is way over the top! i think i should ask for PF on this! LOL!)

(5) use English as medium for the so-called “international” readers (ay, i’m sure, there’ll be a nosebleed scene after the shoot! hahaha!) or if script is in Tagalog, make a sub-title (ano ito? DVD… pirated version?!)

(6) email the output (read: edited version) on or before Dec. 3 as he needs final editing prior to launch and posting (grrrr… kundi ko lang kaibigan, upakan ko na sana eh! hehehe!)

I was able to do though most of the things Jhoen required… except for items 4 and 6! Hehehe! Never in a million years I would exploit myself doing a grand production number or even hire some people to do the singing or dancing for me. So, I just opted for a very simple solo performance… solo kung solo! Hahaha! And of course, I sent it way late behind schedule. Hey, I have a life, too, you know?! LOL!

Anyhoo, enough with the long talks.

I now present to you, Reverend Jhoen’s new cyber tambayan, este, tindahan pala. Click now and read on!

the not-quite-holy smorgasbord of revsiopao

P.S. Don’t miss checking out my video, huh?! LOL!

P.S.S. And hey, I’m in the blogroll! Yey!

December Calendar

Hapag ng Pag-ibig (The Table of Love)

This painting is about the same characters of Hapag (January calendar). It is no longer in the darkness of night. It is a breakfast with our Lord. My canvass is sunny, sporting a table of happy faces. They are all having fun. The banquet is not scumptuous but there’ plenty of food nevertheless. The children are clad in neat apparel with school bags slung around the shoulders. They have the basics of happy life in the company of smiling friend in the middle. Beyond is a community where their parents build decent houses; they are squatters no more. The beauty of sketches lie in their unfinished character. How would we portray Jesus? How would we finally coat these children? It really depends on us what picture we would want to paint these kids.

– Joey Velasco

 

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For us Filipinos, December is the happiest month of the year. Christmas is celebrated in a much different and extravagant way. Aside from Christ’s birth, Christmas in the Philippines is mainly correlated with family reunions and exchange gifts. When I started to draft this entry, it made me realize and remember something what Mommy has been telling me this past few years. As you know, I’ve told her a couple of times that I sometimes get sick and tired of doing the Christmas rush to buy those soon-to-be-trashed gifts which normally last just a week or so. But she would always tell me, “Don’t be a Scrooge! It’s the only time when you can give joy to those poor kids who have been expecting gifts from you. Share your blessings. Besides, it’s just a once-a-year thing.”

Oh well, Joey Velasco’s December painting proved my Mom right. Christmas is indeed for the little ones. It’s the only season where we can make them happy and help them realize that Christ truly lives in us all.

May you have a blessed and meaningful CHRISTmas this year!

Singapore Adventure (Day 4 – Nov 08)

So, it was our last day in Singapore and we still need to see a lot more things, go some mall rounds and do our last minute purchases. And Mammu Elva promised to tour us around.

We started day 4  a little late again. Left the hotel at around 10am as we were set to meet up with Mammu Elva at the Rafflles Place MRT exit. We had some photo op at the hotel first as we were already checking out our things then.

But when we’re on our way to the MRT station. I stepped on something… and it was really icky when I saw my slippers! There were doggie poops on the sidewalk. Talk about Singapore being a very clean city! Parang Pinas lang din, merong mga “gold” sa daan! LOL! Good thing, we’re packed with wet tissues with us 🙂 Oh well, even my poop-stepping moment had a photo op. But in fairness, naka pose pa rin! LOL!

We got to City Hall Station way before Mammu Elva arrived. Shhhh, she was a bit late! LOL! We were able to go some around the City Hall area a bit. Too bad, malls and botiques were still closed at that time. So, we tried to walk a bit more and reached the Riverside in Raffles. 

And in the middle of our photo op, Mammu Elva came rushing. Kasi nga late cya! Hehehe! But she was just in time for this shot.

We then all walked along this riverside all the way to that historic bridge in front of Fullerto Hotel. Ooops, sorry! I have nothing much to tell about the bridge as I did not pay much attention to our tour guide of the day. Was a bit so busy taking pics of the buildings around.

Mammu Elva advised us to have a bite of the famous street ice cream. Yep, Its far different from the dirty ice cream sold here in Pinas. Mommy opted for the bread wrap while I chose wafers. Just to be safe, I took the choco-flavored one. It was truly a refreshing snack for SG$1. And take note, Magnolia huh?!

And after the short break, off we went to the famous Singapore spot, The Merlion Plaza.

We were surprised to see a newly wed couple at the plaza having their wedding pic there. Mammu Elva told us that it’s the in thing there in Singapore. Newly weds normally had their matrimonial pics taken at Singapore’s scenic spots. That explained the newly weds we saw at the Super Flyer area on Day 1. Sorry, I forgot to mention this on my first entry. LOL! Too bad, I wasn’t able to take shots of the newly weds.

And when the bride and groom, together with their photogs, left the area, it was our turn to abuse Merlion with our loads and loads of pic with him. Mammu Elva gave us a good idea on taking shots with Merlion, and here is Mommy’s best shot:

Ang matanda, kay Merlion pa talaga nakiinom ng tubig! Hahaha!

It was already past 12 noon so we decided to look for a place to eat. Since we were planning to canvass for some electronic gadgets, Mammu Elvs recommended that we eat somewhere City Hall so we could check out nearby electronics shop like Funan.

We had our lunch at Street Cafe and Restaurant in Market Place (somewhere City Hall). Lunch was a bit expensive as meals were priced at an average of SG$7.50, no drinks included. Oh well, this simple meal cost me a whooping SG$12.

 

Our lunch with Mammu Elva was nice and fun. It was a bit short though as she needs to meet up with her hubby right after lunch. We couldn’t thank her enough for spending her precious time with us and toured us around.

But before we went separate ways, Mammu Elva gave us instructions on how to go to Funan and advised us to check out a special art exhibit outside The Market Place. I really got curious on that red and blue capsules installed outside the mall.

Outside those capsules, people were looking at this artwork which was strategically posted on the mall’s facade.

I went inside the blue capsule and this is what I saw…

And when I transferred to the red one. I saw this different view…

Cool impressive artwork there, eh!

We continued on with our planned schedule. So off to Funan for some electronics purchase. Hmmm… do I need to tell that I bought myself a new iPod Touch as an early Christmas gift? LOL! But I have to say, my new toy really rocks! LOL!

On our way to Funan, Alann called my attention and pointed at a store. Another sex shop!!! So, I again had a photo op. Notice that the shop’s name is a bit too discreet… LOL!

The rest of the day was spent in Chinatown and Orchard Road for some last minute shopping… pasalubongs and all!

At around 9pm, Ian, our van service slash Day 1 tour guide, picked us up as we were scheduled to board the 12:40am flight.  

That ended our fantastic 4-day stay in Singapore.

And according to Mommy, she really had a grand time having her post-birthday celeberation in SIN. Hmmm… ano naman kaya wish nya for next year? Magastos ang trip so I think I should fulfill the other two wishes na lang! LOL!

And as for you, thanks for reading. Hope I was able to virtually tour you around Singapore! 🙂