The Face Behind the Blog

Reading through Rowena's blog, I saw her answer a meme about "the face behind the blog" and thought I should tag myself. Heh... As if my pics are not all over this blog that I still feel the itch to post one more. Vanidosa.

Well, I have stored in my Mac some precious images of the "olden" days (aka my youth). I might as well post one here to scare you share with you. Wala lang. Feel free to say I'm cute comment. And if you're up to it, I tag you too.

Here it is... Paparazzi has a good story to share about this shot. Hehehee...



Meron pa kayang Brown Studios? :P
---


If I had a daughter, I wonder if she would look like me. Hmmm....


***Belated Happy Birthday Ma! ***

Staying Awake with the Kids... or Not

Jake - super energetic
---


I had visitors yesterday afternoon at work. When one of them volunteered to buy some treats for snacks, I opted for coffee, instead of the usual soda or juice. I was hoping the caffeine fix would keep me awake long enough to put all the boys to sleep.

It took me 15 min tops to drive from my office to the boys' bus stop to the house. I was feeling kinda re-charged. Yes, the caffeine was working. We had dinner, watched a few minutes of tv and had the usual chit-chat about school and stuff. Then Jake told me: "Ma, lets gowap (go up). I want to play cars."

He usually says that when he's feeling woozy and ready to sleep. So I felt glad that he was ready to doze off while I was still alert. I thought I should do some paperwork after he's gone to bed. So up we went. The elder brothers stayed behind for a few more minutes.

While in the room, Jake didn't show any signs of sleeping. He was actively racing his tiny cars on the bed and making those "vroom" sounds as I sat there happily watching him. All of a sudden, my eyelids became heavy. Uh-oh. I can't believe the coffee was failing me! I heard Jake say: "Don't sleep, Ma, please." To which I answered: "I'm not sleeping yet Jake. I'm just closing my eyes." Yeah right!

To cut the story short, I fell asleep. I didn't even feel what time Kyle walked up to join me in the room (when Jerry's out of town) nor when Matt followed. It was already 1245 am when I was jolted awake to find the 3 of them all squeezed on 1 bed and a couch.

To be honest about it, I didn't feel good I didn't have that much energy to spend a longer time with them...

Its a weekend... could you suggest a way to make up to my boys? :D

Local Versus Signature

Red Vanilla vs Coach
---


I was on my way to work when I took notice of my two bags on the sofa. The one on the left is a local brand I purchased recently from Power Mac for my 13-in laptop and the other is a signature brand given to me as a "pasalubong" (gift) which I use for my daily essentials (aka kikay kit).

I love them both for style and functionality.

Looking at these two, who's to say one is better than the other?

Midnight Club

Matt, Kyle and me
---



Over at dinner earlier, 14 yo Matt said: "Jake sold my Cadillac, Chrysler 300C, Dodge SRT4, Cuevito motorcycle, 1949 Fleetline, and 1957 Bel Air. Now I have a total of $200,000-250,000."

Jerry and I were laughing at how this 3yo brother, Matt was referring to, could possibly understand how to play the Playstation 2 game - Midnight Club 3 Dub Edition Remix*.

Looking at that black thin brick of a contraption with 2 wired controllers attached to it is enough to give me a headache. Of course I'm exaggerating. But hey, I'm not kidding when I say I don't even know which knobs or buttons to press. At best, I'd probably be able to just view the demo, if there's one, and try the basic moves. But then again, maybe it's just me being clueless with this gadget.

Ok so...yeah... sure, it's a kid's game. How hard can it get? When you're talking about a 3yo playing it, it just makes you wonder. He doesn't even know how to read! So how could Jake possibly transact a sale in PS2? Oh well, kids nowadays learn fast, I figured.

In reply to Matt, Kyle said: "Good for you. Jake bought me a Corvette and a 350Z. Now I can't even buy anything with the $600 I have left."

Imagine that in real life... :D

* a PS2 game given by Junnie

Sweet Words

Kyle, Matt & Jake
---


I was sitting up in bed this morning with my MacBook on my lap while 3 yo Jake was lying next to me playing his Game Boy. The only sound to be heard were the tapping of the keys and the occasional game tones from the toy.

As I was reading through my emails, I was roused back to my senses when I heard:

"I love you Ma..."

I looked at Jake, amused and ready to smother him with a big hug.

He smiled at me but was still busily shooting at his imaginary targets.

I proceeded to hug him anyway.

Aw'right!

I couldn't wait for a decent pic so I typed this post sans any image. There are two things that made (and continuously make) me smile today (and the coming days presumably)...

* pay raise with retro adjustment (again? ehehe)
* a new Coach bag from Papa Rhante & Mama Nita (Paparazzi kidded me it's actually a Caoch bag. Jerry disagreed and said it's Couch bag. Whatever! Ah... men...)

---

Fiery Friday

fire truck at the IT Park, our office building in the background
---


It took a total of 45 minutes. When the fire alarm blared inside the building, we all ran in a single file to the stairwell, ran down the ramp to exit to the parking area and proceeded to the evacuation spot. Looking around, I saw road barricades on both sides to try to keep motorists from blocking the escape route. People in jeepneys and cars that were blocked entry ogled at the hundreds of employees coming out of our office building. Firemen were assisting a few seemingly injured people into the open area. It was midday but we didn't mind the sweltering heat as we rushed out.





smiling faces under the sun
---




---


This could be real-life and seriously more life-threatening. Good thing this was just a fire drill and everyone else knew what to do.

Bibingka

---


P65 might not be too cheap for the lowly but delicious bibingka. But if you're looking for something to munch at 11 PM after an hour of foot pampering and you fancy something sweet, native and yummy (of course), the bibingka is a good bet. But where do you find this fare at this unholy hour of the night when most restaurants are bidding their last diner goodbye?

With Ma, who gamely joined me despite her affliction with the dreaded diabetes, I happened to satisfy my bibingka fix at Kenya Kaffe Lounge at the Forum. It's more on the sweet side but I'm all for sugar (in moderation) when I'm pms-ing craving.

It's the "Ber" months... Bibingka sure reminds me of Christmas...



Ayan laki tuloy ng braso ko... :P

On Being Appreciated...

One of my first jobs when I got to Cebu 15 years ago was as Accounting Officer of then new SM (Cebu) department store. There were about 10 members under me who handled voluminous transactions on a daily basis. I had to review all their work on a daily basis too. Work was tedious owing to the nature of retail. Plus the work environment was pretty rigid. Nevertheless, the group bonded well and even up to now some are still in touch with each other.

Genny was one of the girls who followed me even up to the next job I had. In this next job, she became an even more trusted colleague and friend who was loyal to the point of putting her job on the line just to show her support. Of course I was talking about an incident that happened about 3 years ago that caused me to move on out of delicadeza after fighting for what I believed in (in futility). Since then, Genny and the team had a new manager on top of them.

Two Fridays ago, Genny and Hazel, another former Accounting "angel", paid me a visit. Genny will be flying to Singapore in a few week's time as she has already passed the EPEC. She intends to invite Hazel as well, as the latter tries to find her luck there too. For hardworking people like them in this dog-eat-dog work environment, I wish them both success in their pursuits.

While in my office, we talked animatedly about the past. It was an afternoon full of reminiscing about the times spent together. I was truly touched when they said they missed the good old days when I was there to lead them, to mentor them, to defend them, to cover for them, and to make the work load bearable even while meeting hectic deadlines. Imagine hearing that and how it made my heart swell with elation. I guess it's an accomplishment for me to be able to have that effect on them, to be acknowledged for something, even when I thought I was just doing my job...



---


Hazel, moi, Genny
---

Slumber

Zzz...
---


To sleep like a babe...I just had to post this one... for posterity.

Letting Off Steam

shot at Max Brenner, Makati
---


When you hardly have time to spare after driving the kids to school (at 2 different schedules), picking them up (again at different times), going home for lunch, setting up a new company, taking charge of the household, etc... the last thing you need is a nagging person who constantly makes you feel like you're not doing enough... And that person (God bless her) is not even related to me.

What would you do if you were in my moccasins? :P

Haay TGIF!

Which one is that again?

Except for the 80's, I don't have that much favorites when it comes to the latest music. Sometimes my preference for any genre is mood-driven... I tune in to whatever I feel like listening to...

This afternoon after a trip to the bank, Jerry and I were driving back to our office when John Legend's song played on Y101.

"Let's go to the park
I wanna kiss you underneath the stars
Maybe we'll go too far
We just don't care,
We just don't care,
We just don't care."
---


"Hey, Jake knows how to sing that!" I said, turning the volume louder as I loudly sang to it as well. I was amused at how 3yo Jake has picked up singing a song that is not for his age.... only his lyrics aren't exactly what they should be. Hehehe... I have the elder brothers to blame for that...


"Let's make love, let's go somewhere they might discover us
Let's get lost in lust
We just don't care,
We just don't care,
We just don't care."
---


Not content with the volume, I fiddled some more with the button, turning it even louder hoping to fill the car's cabin with the cool somehow upbeat tune until Jerry disrupted my reverie...

"Nor, that's not the volume", he said. "You just turned the aircon knob to "high"..... TWICE.", he teased. HAHAHA.

What the heck?! I should get to know this new car better 'no. LOL

10:45???

Today...

6:00 - Jerry drove the boys to the bus stop.
7:00 - We got ready for bath / breakfast.
7:30 - Jake woke up.
8:00 - I played and spent time with Jake while Jerry did some paperwork.
8:30 - Jake took a bath while Jerry & I went to pick up a check from Sta. Lucia then proceeded to work.
9:00 - Both Jerry and I were in the office...

Everything's pretty normal...We managed emails, answered phone calls, had short meetings, set appointments, updated status reports, coordinated with team/counterparts via IRC, YM and Google talk....

10:45 - Jerry barged into my office in a state of surprise....

I looked at him in bewilderment as he spoke, his voice in attempted whisper but sounded more like a scream : "Nor... WE FORGOT JAKE!!!"

(Jake's class starts at 10 and ends at 12).

Safe(r) Trips Ahead...

I remember turning 180-degrees on a street in Sto. Nino after dropping off Ma at my Aunt's place. Before I could complete the bend, BOOM, I heard a loud popping noise from inside the engine. All of a sudden the steering wheel wouldn't move and dark fluid from the Pajero's bowels started to gush. Uh-oh. It was 9:30 PM. I was driving alone with no idea on car troubleshooting and the car was blocking half of the street!

Once, on our way to Jake's birthday party at City Sports Club, the car just went dead on us. After several attempts with the ignition...still nothing. Darn, just perfect... We were dressed for a party with then 1 year-old Jake cramped together with everyone in a taxi cab. We were running late for our own hosted party.

Last Christmas, we were going up the mountain to take Junnie and Mitzi to the Mountain View Resort when one of the giant hoses just burst open. We were stranded up there for a good hour until help came.

Just recently, at 5:30 PM, I drove from my office parking slot to the boys' bus stop. I noticed that the airconditioning system wasn't cooling enough. Freon problem, I thought. Jerry would be home the following day, he'd handle it. As I was driving back to my office with the boys, we noticed an unusual sound. I looked at the temp and LO! We were overheating!

Another car mishap here...

Ah, the travails of having an old car... We felt it was time for us to look for a replacement. There were a few options. We test-drove a few models. Criteria: 7-seater, CRDi, automatic transmission, no cash outlay, with trade-in program, and below commercial interest rate. After some negotiations, one dealer was just God-sent. ALL factors for consideration were actually met by this one. Yay!

Earlier this morning, we brought our 2-day old car to the church for blessing.

---


Have a safe week everyone!