Almost!

Who hasn't heard of Jennifer Chung?

She's an Asian teenager based in the US and quite popular in YouTube because of her videos where she sings with her beautiful voice (a lot of viewers actually commented that she should join American Idol).

Jennifer did an excellent rendition of Make Me Whole by Amiel Larreux (one of my favorites) but she's also got a couple of original songs. One of my favorites is her song "Almost" which you can check out here.

= = =

It's another weekend and the month is almost over.

Just had our defense on our research proposal last Tuesday and we're on the process of revising it per recommendation of our adviser.

Next week, we'll be having our last subject for the trimester. Yup, almost done. Soon we will all be singing "I Will Survive" for surviving the first trimester of the post-graduate course. And before we know it, a year has passed and hopefully we'll all graduate from the course.

Good thing that work was breezy lately. The paperworks trickle in manageable quantities. I hope it stays that way while i wait for my busted scanner to get fixed, but that's another story.

= = =

On another note...

Baking skills are starting to get on a steady pace. Most times I find myself researching for recipes and thinking of ways to make them more interesting.

My cookies have taken a backseat for a while because my brownies and cupcakes are getting rave reviews from the office people.

triple chocolate delight:
choco cream-filled chocolate cupcake
with chocolate frosting
mmmm....

They said they wouldn't be surprised if one day i resigned from my job and just concentrate on the baking business or put up a bakeshop.

Although i like the idea, i just don't think i'd be doing it very soon. It would take a lot of work and capital to start with.

For now, i'm happy with what i'm doing. I have a day job which serves as my steady source of income. The baking stuff serves as my stress buster and an outlet for my creativity (or kaartehan, hehehe!). Sometimes, those baked goodies also provide me extra dough! No pun intended.

= = =

Oh well.
Have a nice weekend!
And see you again next month!
:)

Wrong timing

(Cold Case v.2)

The past few days of taking care of my dad and sister and worrying about other stuff got the better of me. I feel like i'm catching a cold due to sleep deprivation and the very fickle weather that we're having for a couple of weeks already.

Last Tuesday's class was one more to worry about. We're expected to come up with a research project in three weeks' time.

Now's not the time to get sick.

(previous cold case here)

Another one down!

So after 4 weeks of nosebleed-inducing lectures and quizes, the subject has come to a conclusion last Tuesday...and tomorrow starts a tougher subject.

and that's Prof. V with his plaque of appreciation from the class.
He said it was his first-ever plaque that was academic in nature.

Making the Grade

Last week's quiz from the nosebleed-inducing subject.

I'm getting the hang of it.
;P

What's up?

I'm back!

Yeah, I've been out of blogging circulation for a couple of weeks coz I've been catching up on quite a lot of things at work and my schooling is adding up to the bulk of stress i had to manage. But with another subject coming to a conclusion on Tuesday, I'm kinda looking forward to squeezing in some other activities/pet projects that I've started but was forced to drop when my schooling started last month.

For one, my "new room project" that was put on hold after the windows got painted. Aside from the lack of funding for the repairs to be done, i find that i also don't have that much energy to sort the things out when i get home from work.

Then there are other things but i figured i only needed to manage my time with the things that needed to be done and then it would be breezy for me. And maybe i needed to take vitamins for the energy boost.

On another note, i think i'm developing an obsession with baking (and then consuming the finished product!). For one, i've just baked my first white bread today. I've also come up with my own version of banana bread (photos on later posts, promise!) and the peanut butter cookies are still getting rave reviews.

But that's just me. I'm no expert at this stuff but i seem to get a kick out of it. I just love the smell of baked goodies. Brings back childhood memories when i used to walk a couple of blocks from home to buy bread for merienda. I didn't mind the waiting time at the bakery to get my pandesal coz my nose was wonderfully bombarded by the smell of freshly baked bread.

Now i don't need to go far for my bread. Perhaps that walking will be useful for another purpose... to shake of the extra pounds i've gained from eating those bread!
;)

nosebleed!

click on the pick for a larger view of what's written on the whiteboard.

and that's partially one of my classmates' head resting on his hand.
probably wiping blood from his nose
(like all of us did in our new subject!)

;P

One down!

After 3 meetings, we're finally done with the first subject of our post-grad course. The adjustment period in being a student once again is slowly easing out and the cluelessness to the subject is now replaced with a certain awareness.

We also had the induction of our class officers a while ago which was attended by no less than the dean of graduate school.

Dean R

ate Eva was elected secretary of the class

a plaque of appreciation for our professor

Preparation for the examination are being made. The reports are being consolidated for compilation.

Next week, another subject. A different professor for the next three sessions.

I hope i could pass this one.
:)

It's oh so quiet....shhh....

in this part of the office building... it's all hushed down today.

Apparently, the other team has a workshop somewhere in Roxas Boulevard.

Back to School!

Today marks the first day of school for most students here in the Philippines, but some kids had already attended their classes since last week--my bro included.

Summer vacation's over, they're all back to school.

I say, tapos na ang maliligayang araw nila! ;p (their happy days are over! hehehe)

+ + +

But then I, too, was not spared.

Waaaaaaahhh!

My supervisor had me enrolled in one of the universities here in Manila to take up Master in Public Administration.

The course runs for 12 months and classes are conducted every Tuesday. I'll be relieved from my office work during classes; tuition and other school fees will be shouldered by the office but i'm gonna have to render service obligation for a year once i finish my schooling.

Hmm.... sounds fair enough for me.

But in the event that i did not finish my schooling (knock on wood!) due to health reasons or grade failure and/or resign from my present job without fulfilling my service obligation, i'm obliged to return the amount of money the office have spent for my schooling.

Tapos na ang maliligayang araw ko.

We just had our first day of class today and i must admit that i had to adjust to being a student again. Medyo kinalawang na ang mga turnilyo! Hehehe!

+ + +

And speaking of classes...

my Food Trades (cooking) class
Monday-Wednesday-Friday
5:30 - 8:30PM

I miss my cooking class already.

I haven't been attending class for a couple of weeks now and I'm afraid i might have to sacrifice this class to make way for bigger responsibilities at work.

I'm gonna have to learn cooking on my own.

*sniff*

Finisher!

At the recently concluded "fun-run" last Wednesday



How we looked like after our 9th round!
All smiles pa rin!

The Finishers!
Sectoral Management & Coordination Team

awarded First Place by none other than the birthday boy, Sec. FTD III

Proof!
I finished all 10 rounds. Whew!

Run for money?

Today at work, an announcement was posted which read:

Let's all wear red for Sec. FTD's birthday tomorrow.

Ok.

Then there was also an announcement that there'll be a "fun-run" to be held at the company grounds. The first cluster who has all 15 members to finish 10 rounds (approx 5km) gets to win a cash prize of... well i'm not sure about the amount. But with or without the cash prize, i'm interested to join.

I'm more interested in burning fat off my body.

The cash is just an additional motivation factor.

;)

You Can't Have It All!

This year's lantern did not win any prize.

And as for our production number, we got 2nd prize. Our Cluster usually bags the top prize. But this time, we were second best out of three entries.

Yes, i am very much disappointed. The turnout of events was not worth the sacrifices i made.

But then, yeah, one can't have it all.

Screw them.
>:P

Bureau Christmas Party

It's my 5th Christmas Party with the Bureau, and i'm getting a little nostalgic.

I remember my first Christmas with them, when i was a newbie. I entered the government service in November, and in a few days i've already noticed that the office has different groups (factions may be the most suitable word). But hey, wala namang perfect na organization diba?

Every office has its ups and downs. But when December comes, people here set aside their differences to work together for the season's activities (the annual lantern parade, the production numbers/performances for the agency-wide Christmas party and competitions). I don't care if they're just being "plastic" to one another. All i care about is that even if we have our differences (and some quarrels), we still try to tolerate each other for the sake of Christmas and get together like one big family. Call me naive, but that's just how i see things. I always try to focus on what is good.

In this year's Christmas Party, they gave me the heads up for the program and games. I look at each happy face. I thank God for moments like this. The Bureau has had its changes in personnel lineup (some had been called back by The Big Boss Up There, while some moved to other offices and some others were already retirees), but nevertheless, we are still one big family celebrating the joyous season.

Merry Christmas, HHRDB!

"one step closer to the edge, and i'm about to break!"

I was supposed to be on leave today. But i still went to work. I had my LOA scheduled earlier but now that the party is in two days, i'm up to my neck with activities.

The day started very early for me. Sang in the dawn mass at 5:00 am. Cold caught me already. Then i had to learn the moves that i would be teaching my cluster mates for the production number we'll be performing for the Christmas party in two days. And i'm still about to come up with a program for tomorrow's Bureau Christmas Party.

Call time for the practice was 10:00AM. People arrived a couple of hours later. Waaay later! And yet what we're practicing is supposed to be an entry for a competition.

Let this be the last time things like these happen. I think i've done enough sacrifices already.

Cold Case

Feeling extremely thirsty even after having gulped almost a liter of water. My throat feels parched still. Voice getting hoarse. Signs that i'm going down with a cold. Remind myself to take extra doses of vitamin C.

Can't get sick now. There are things to do: sing in the Misa de Gallo (dawn mass), practice for the DOH Christmas party presentation, plan the program for the Bureau Christmas party.

*sigh*

It's always been like this--getting sick during the Christmas season. This should be the time when work is not hectic and people shop for gifts, but it's the opposite for me. I couldn't squeeze gift shopping in my tight schedule. Rehearsals for production numbers take most of my time after office hours. But in the previous years, i was still able to push through things.

my one minute of fame during last year's Christmas presentation.
partida, may sipon pa ako nyan! hehehe!

this presentation won grand prize

I hope i could still survive the Christmas rush this year.

Let's keep our fingers crossed!

this is how we do it

Back at the office today just in time for the annual lantern parade. Since our "resident jack-of-all-trades" Ekyu left the Bureau, the task of coming up with an entry for our office was delegated to other personnel who also have artistic skills. Last year's lantern (that got the "Most Creative" Award) was conceptualized by Tsari and worked on by some officemates.

Meanwhile, this year's lantern was conceptualized by another colleague whose forte is with native materials. It's less colorful than our previous lanterns, but it's got a class of its own.

Awarding of winners is on Friday, so keep tuned in!

accomplishment

i don't know if i should be proud of this considering i was just a "filler" for the course. But with all the new learning i've benefited from it, i think i should be.

and it's kinda like an "i passed a bloody week of studying" certificate.

;P

can u tell me again why i'm here?

First day of class for the Project Development & Management Course for Local Health Implementors.

Is it just me or am i really not supposed to be here?
1. All of the participants are from the Local Government Units of Oriental Mindoro except me (and two other colleagues from the Central Office)
2. Most of them are doctors, budget officers, BAC officers, etc from their respective units. In short, the course is tailor-made for them.
3. I was informed that i should attend this today, but the rest were already in the venue since yesterday.
4. I get the feeling that i'm gonna be a filler again. Like last time.


But then...
1. As i have said, it's a good excuse to get out of the office.
2. This will be useful someday.
3. Not everybody gets this kind of opportunity to be sent to a training of this kind even if i'm just a "filler."

So, might as well, take in whatever learning there is to absorb from this course and have fun!

we all have to go through bad days but hey, you can't have everything

updates, updates.

yeah, it's been a while since my last post.

i was supposed to be at Puerto Galera a couple of weeks ago but i backed out at the last minute because i needed to wallow again in my "miserable ex-girlfriend who got dumped twice and i really need to hide in my shell" mode. I was even about to do something really stupid that i would regret later on, but i was talked out of it by a very good pal. And the rest, so they say, is history.


= = =


Finally!
Done with grieving. Dealt with denial. Here comes acceptance and a newfound confidence.

And happier days....

and opportunities...

and lots of good stuff i have denied/deprived myself of in one way or another because i have been obsessing over something that i'm not supposed to have right now.

I'm at a stage i would call re-focusing.
Getting my feet back to the road i once walked on before i got sidetracked by some of this life's distractions.


= = =


Part of this re-focusing thingy is attending a one-week course on Project Development and Management starting tomorrow.

It's time once again to absorb some new learning experiences. Plus, it's another excuse to get out of the office!


= = =


*sigh*


the worst is over.
the rainclouds gave way to sunshine.
the flowers seem to be more colorful these days.
and i'm having this warm feeling inside that makes the cold December nights a little more bearable.


= = =


As always, I'm thankful and will always be grateful that someone up there loves me still.

May we always remember to count our blessings no matter how difficult these times may be.

Cheers!

Surrender

I may have the talent and creativity...

I may have the "grand idea"...

I may have done what others viewed as impossible...

But I'm no superwoman.

And sometimes, after weighing all the pros and cons...

there are cases when i have to accept that things are beyond my control.

So i had to tell the boss:

"We can't have the production number, sir."

To which the boss said:

"OK. Let's have the Plan B."

And it was fine with me-- and for most of us, who really cannot join the group for some unavoidable reasons.

I convince myself afterwards, "it's ok girl. It's not your fault. Next time will be better."