Monday, December 27, 2010

Merry Christmas! :)

Christmas Tree Outside Ion Orchard, Orchard Road, Singapore

For Filipinos, it's not yet too late to greet everyone a Merry Christmas, even if it's two days past the 25th. :)

Merry Christmas everyone. And may you all have a grand New Year! :)

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

My Thoughts as a Server (Part I) - Customers, Please Think Twice

Having worked for more than two months as a server, I feel the need to share some thoughts on what a server feels and thinks (or at least MY thoughts and feelings) in almost every customer interaction.

1. OPENING


Dear customer, if you see that the lights are still dim and the stanchions are still by the entry way, please assume that we're still closed. Check the signs by the door re our opening time. Asking the staff if they're already open annoys the hell out of us (ehem, me). Common sense, context clues, please. If we're already open, all lights should have been turned on and there will be nothing by the entrance to keep you from going in.




Monday, July 26, 2010

PNoy's State of the Nation Address - 26 July 2010

From www.gov.ph.

State of the Nation Address of His Excellency Benigno S. Aquino III President of the Philippines to the Congress of the Philippines Session Hall of the House of Representatives

Date: July 26, 2010
Venue: Batasan Pambansa Complex, Quezon City, Philippines

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte; Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile; Vice President Jejomar Binay; Chief Justice Renato Corona; Former Presidents Fidel Valdez Ramos and Joseph Ejercito Estrada; members of the House of Representatives and the Senate; distinguished members of the diplomatic corps; my fellow workers in government;

Mga minamahal kong kababayan:

Sa bawat sandali po ng pamamahala ay nahaharap tayo sa isang sangandaan.

Sa isang banda po ay ang pagpili para sa ikabubuti ng taumbayan. Ang pagtanaw sa interes ng nakakarami; ang pagkapit sa prinsipyo; at ang pagiging tapat sa sinumpaan nating tungkulin bilang lingkod-bayan. Ito po ang tuwid na daan.

Sa kabilang banda ay ang pag-una sa pansariling interes. Ang pagpapaalipin sa pulitikal na konsiderasyon, at pagsasakripisyo ng kapakanan ng taumbayan. Ito po ang baluktot na daan.

Monday, July 19, 2010

My Photos on Lonely Planet's Mosaic

I am a frustrated photographer. I don't have the right 'gear' for it. I only have my Canon Ixus i7 (in pink) which I bought three years ago. Yes, it was one of the best ones that time but now, it's one of the oldies already. But it did not stop me from taking a few "ok" (but great according to me) shots.

Anika Punzalan at Sitio Remedios, Ilocos Norte
Just a sample. A pathetic attempt on fashion photography and won a Php 5,000 worth of hotel GC's for this. Photo of Anika Punzalan at Sitio Remedios, Ilocos, May 2009. Taken using my Canon Ixus i7
.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Sunset in Camiguin

Sunset in Camiguin

Sometimes you don't need a companion to travel. A view like this is great company and enough to give you one memorable trip.

I was blessed to go to one of the best travel destinations in the Philippines last year (for free thanks to my Dad), the Province of Camiguin, an island born of fire. I went there alone on my first day to be joined by my dad and his officemates the next.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

My Top 105 Reading List

I think I've been reading a lot of Chick Lit lately that's why I am kinda sick and tired of all happy endings. Although what I wanted was just a light read, it did not do me any good to continue devouring such too-good-to-be-true plots because I won't take it as it is, too good to be true. I'll just end up day dreaming to become one of the Chick Lit's heroines, and that some modern-day prince will come to sweep me off my feet. Which I know is completely bollocks. So, with the help of Camilla Morton and BBC's Top 100 Big Read, I promised to teach myself to love socially relevant, book-for-the-smart-uns, read. So here's a list of the books that I need to get and I'll update this post every time I have finished one.


This was taken last December 2007 with, just one fourth of my collection... But most of them Chick Lits!

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Novena Church - SG Job Seeker's Shrine

They say that if you come to SG looking for a job, attend a mass in Novena Church and for sure you’ll get one soon. It just so happened that Miko and I went to the Novena area yesterday to submit our resume to some PR companies who hold office there and so we’ve decided to drop by the church.

005 novena facade
Facade of the Novena Church; Located near Novena MRT, NS (Red) Line

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

My 24th - February 22, 2010

It's February 22, so what?

It's a working holiday in the Philippnes today, there's work for the adults (working class) but no school for the kids. For Miko and I? We declared it a Holiday, just for the two of us, here in Singapore as well-a job hunting-free day-because it's my birthday.

What I did to celebrate my birthday: Nothin extraordinary, really. Had a late lunch with KZ, Cheenee and Miko at Orchard...

23rd gift

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Just Another Nonsense Entry

Our first week here in Singapore has passed. So far, we’ve been to different offices that are on top of our list: AXN, Discvoery Networks Asia, Google, Yahoo!, WWF. These are big names, I know. Landing a job here given my experience and background is a long shot but I’m still taking my chances. There’s nothing wrong with hoping. The only downside to it is the feeling of disappointment when after a month they won’t call back or you get an email that they have no vacancy whatsoever. Still, I lose no hope. Again, it has only been just a week. And at least they have my resume if ever there’s one opening available, maybe they’ll look it up and consider me for whatever position that’s vacant (that is if they haven’t shred my resume to pieces already. I hope they don’t and keep it in file, as promised.haha).

A friend asked me if I went around already. I say, no, not yet. Not until I get a job or just a job interview. Maybe that’s the time I’ll go around and see Singapore. But for now, I would have to do with seeing the city while visiting offices. No more touristy stuff for me, not yet. Maybe I’ll do so one place at a time and not all in one go. I’m making tipid my money and I’m guessing I have a whole lot of time for that pa. Because I’m not leaving, not yet. Not until I’ll prove to Singapore that it needs me and she’ll be seeing a lot of me pa.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Laundry 101

Ang washing machine na 'to ay nangangain ng tanga. If these words were true, I'd be long dead by now!
Because I had all the time in the world yesterday, I decided to wash my clothes. So here's Jpo's version of doing the laundry:
1. Dump Soiled Clothes (light colored clothes first) and detergent powder into the washing machine (WM).
2. Look for the hose connecting the WM to the faucet.
3. Turn the faucet on.
4. If no water comes out, get the pail from the bathroom. Use pail to fill the WM with water.
5. Once water is up to your desired level, in my case it's 20 bucketfull of water, close the lid, tinkle with the buttons (it says there: how many minutes to wash, how many times to rinse, and how long to spin), and press start.
6. Now I wait.
Because I forgot I was doing my laundry, when I got back to "finish" it after an hour or so, I was surpirsed that it's done and ready for hanging! When I started filling the pail for my second batch of clothes (the dark colored ones), Ang Kong came out of the room and started telling me something. Gesturing towards the washing machine, my pail, the buttons and my clothes, I firgured that he was trying to teach me how to work the WM properly. Here is how Ang Kong does his laundry in two (2) easy steps (he frantically makes the peace/two sign to tell me that it's just two-freaking-easy-steps):
1. Dump soiled clothes into the WM and close the lid.
2. Press ON button and Start button.
And voila! let the WM work it's magic on your clothes. Since everything is automatic, the WM is automatically filled with water depending on the volume of the clothes inside it (no need to make-igib for water from the bathroom and going back and forth twenty times!). It is already pre-programmed that it washes, rinses and spins without tinkering with the buttons. Ang Kong tells me to wait for the ZERO to know that I'm done with the laundry (I think I can figure that out myself, thanks Lolo). He's gesturing that I don't need to use the pail to get water (he's rubbing it in, I know) and I don't need to handwash my clothes (well, those were my undies, I don't want to put it in the WM!) because I can use the WM for everything. And to prove his point, he got their laundry basket full of dirty clothes, bed sheets and undies, dumped everything in the WM, pressed power ON and START, and, with a smug look on his face, looked at me with an expression, See, that wasn't so hard, was it? Yeah, it wasn't. And yeah, I just died of humiliation but with a lesson learned. :) Next time I do the laundry, I am an Automatic-Washing-Machine-Pro!
Chinese New Year and Valentines Day have passed. I did not really went out last weekend. I found out that the thrill and excitement of exploring the unknown has its limit. It ends when after exploring everything, you come home to an empty room (not even a home) and you have no one to share your stories with (just here). You say that I should be used to living alone and away from family by now, but this is a different kind of "alone". Homesickness is starting to kick in. Maybe it's just me, the holidays, being alone during the holidays and my upcoming birthday that make me sad. Maybe. Hopefully, I'll start getting busy tomorrow going around town, begging the companies to hire me. haha I wish to work in Google, or Discovery Channel, or Lonely Planet (but they don't have an office here), or Bloomberg, or CNN, or WHO, or WWF, or whatever. My only prayer for now is to find a job that I will like and love and SOON.
My birthday is fast approaching. I'll be turning 24 already. What have I done this past 23-soon-to-be-24 years that will make me say I am contented with my life right now? Well, I guess nothing yet. Is it too much to ask for a cake for my birthday? I guess it is, but there's no harm in wishful thinking, aye? :)
Wish us luck (Miko and I) as we start our job hunt tomorrow! :)

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Cheers to a (New) Beginning!

Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Chinese New Year is big in Singapore. You would say it's obvious because most of them living here are Chinese! ^_^ But my indication? Long weekend (no work last Friday, Monday and Tuesday), Mall Super Sale (% signs plastered everywhere!), Shoppers doing their last minute shopping (I can feel the last-minute-shopping-vibe from everyone whenever I'm in a mall) and roads leading to Chinatown are closed for the weekend. I am looking forward to the Chinese New Year: the fireworks, the lion dance, the frenzy and the overflowing food! (Matet asked if there are pabuto (firecrackers) already, but so far I haven't heard a single firecracker... maybe later in the evening.) But I think am gonna spend it alone though because Miko's off to a reunion and Pixie has work. Of course, am half-thrilled, half-sad. Sad, because of the obvious, I'm alone but more thrilled because I'll go around the city (I am now near City hall and off to the National Library in a bit) and explore the unknown! I have always loved that feeling! :)

Thursday, February 11, 2010

My First Day in Singapura - 02.11.10

I am overwhelmed with things that I wanted to write. And since I'm just in an internet cafe with little to no money to spend on internet, here goes my ramblings. :)

I am so grateful of our family friend for super helping me in everything. From looking for a place to stay, picking me up at the airport, to giving me EZ Link card and a "starting money". I somewhat feel ashamed for accepting the help, my pride is eating me whole. But times like these, who cares about pride, right? As long as the help will not be forgotten. I tell that to myself to stop feeling guilty...

I'm now staying at a hotel near chinatown waiting for the 6:30pm to arrive. We (my friend and i) will be going to Anchorvale to check out the room that I will be renting out. So to kill time, I've decided to go around downtown first, have my peso changed to sgd and buy a Singtel sim. (I now have my Sing# but wont't be posting it here, not that I am assuming you're interested. ^_^)

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

15th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta

And this is it! For all balloon enthusiasts like me (who dreams of flying one day. lol), here's a great news for you!

The 2010 Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, now on it's 15th years, will be on February 11, Thursday to February 14, Sunday na!

Still held at the Clark Freeport Zone, Clark Field, Pampanga, expect 25 to 30 balloons to blow your mind away! ^_^

tigger!

Friday, January 8, 2010

New Krispy Kreme Mini Doughnuts

I was to be one of the firsts to taste the new Krispy Kreme Mini Doughnuts!

soft launch of Krispy Kreme's new mini doughnuts!!! ^_^ i loo... on Twitpic


There are eleven (11) doughnut flavors to choose from. My favorite was the blueberry doughnut (I am a big blueberry fan) and the Striped white chocolate doughnut! You can buy 20 pieces in a box for only Php 290 lang, perfect for flavor-freaks like me! :) Starting today, Krispy Kreme Mini Doughnuts is available but only in their Greenhills Shopping Center branch. It's just their soft launch so bear with them first.

I think they are cooking something big, so better watch our for more surprises from Krispy Kreme! :)

Monday, January 4, 2010

2010 Non-Working/Public Holidays

It is of my personal interest that I make it a point to know Philippine Non-working holidays so I can plan my trips way ahead of time.

I have been fortunate enough to come across a post from a friend on Plurk who posted 2010 Philippine Holidays as issued by Madame President GMA. Here are the holidays of 2010 in the Philippines:

holidays
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