One of my New Year's Resolutions should be to post more often, although I'm sure that if it does get added to the list, it will subsequently be the first to get broken. So off the list it stays. Meanwhile, here's the overly-ambitious 2005 list. (Afterall, don't motivational speakers always tell you to aim high and stuff?!?)
1. Update the portfolio and give it a makeover. I'm sick of how it looks.
2. Create actual web content for the online portfolio site. This means dusting off my years old (probablly bootleg) version of Dreamweaver and figuring out style sheets and stuff. Or maybe I'll just cheat my way through it and stay teh hell away from coding and stuff like that because it scares me.
3. Buy a new laptop and matching toys. I haven't consciously been saving up, but I know there's enough in the bank account to treat myself. I deserve it, dammit! And this PC is really starting to annoy the hell outta me.
4. Move. Out. Away. Whatever. I promised myself I'd be out of the house by time I turned 25. Looks like that didn't happen. I'm extending the deadline to my 26th birthday. If I don't move to a different city like I hope to do, I will resign myself to staying in Vancouver and buy a condo or apartment to nest in.
5. Watch at least one new movie a month. At the theatre. My newly purchased stash of discount movie tickets should ensure that I follow through on this culturally enriching resolution, tailored to broaden my horizons. Provided, of course, that I don't go catch retarded (albeit cult hit) flicks like "Dude, Where's my Car?"
6. Since I should probably have a fitness resolution, and I'm too lazy to add 'join a gym' to the list, I'm gonna start running again (after the cold disappears). And the goal is to beat my the 10 km Sun Run finish time that I set last year.
7. Stop spending money on clothes. I think there are articles in the closet with tags still on them, and yet, like a crazy shoppaholic clothes whore, I keep buying more. Enough! (Exceptions may be made on fabulous shoe purchases. But only if they are indeed fabulous. Or extremely comfortable.)
8. Pack lunches (and breakfasts). And eat at MickeyD's and Wendy's less. So far, I've been holding steady to this resolution, but we're only nine days into the year. This is most likely the first one I'll break. I'd place bets on it now.
9. Read a new book every month. And finish them.
10. Ten resolutions?!? Holy crap! I should know that too many resolutions are a recipe for failure! But whatever. Ten is a nice, round number. So be it. Hmmm...how about this? Write at least one postcard a month.
There you have it. The 2005 Made-to-be-Broken List!
Monday, January 10, 2005
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
back at it
First day back at work and I'm ready to go back on vacation. Sad, since during the last week of vacation, I was ready to go back to owrk. You can only do so much shopping and going to dress-fittings (for my sister's wedding gown, silly!) before becoming bored stupid. The trips to the spa, however, will be missed. Never have I been so relaxed in my life.
I rushed to work in a hurry, fearing that I'd be late on my first day back. Wrapped up all the pasalubong (souvenirs) that I brought back for my co-workers, hopped in teh shower, and packed a quick breakfast and lunch, and drove off. about 25 minutes into my morning commute, I glanced at the digital clock on my car dashboard and realized that it was a few minutes before 6:00 - and I wasn't sue to be in the office until 7:00. I guess my internal clock still hasn't completely adjusted to the time change.
Arriving early was actually nice. I got to wade through the tonne of e-mail that awaited, as well as check phone messages before everyone else arrived. My assistant, D, made a giant 'welcome back' balloon out of vinyl and tape scraps (as well as pop bottles and other miscellaneous bits and pieces, I'm told) and hung it in the middle of the office. I was also greeted by a fun new desktop pattern and screensaver on my computer. Fun stuff. It feels kinda strange to come back to an assistant that I've barely worked with and that my co-workers are now more familiar with since he's been around for the whole month while I've been away.
Once people started trickling in, I ended up going on the meeting circuit. First, a manager's meeting, then a customer service meeting, followed by a promotions/marketing meeting. No breaks, no lunch, still many unopened e-mails and bills to sort through - I'm tired just thinking about my day tomorrow.
How I long to be lying on a sunbed under the coconut trees on a white sandy beach, being massaged while the sound of the surf drowns out the commotion of the world around.
More blogging about the vacation (enjoyable and tasty), turning twenty-five (still hasn't fully sunk in yet), and new year's resolutions (lofty and ambitious, and a few already broken - so time to re-think and revise) to come at a later date.
Sway :: Michael Buble
I rushed to work in a hurry, fearing that I'd be late on my first day back. Wrapped up all the pasalubong (souvenirs) that I brought back for my co-workers, hopped in teh shower, and packed a quick breakfast and lunch, and drove off. about 25 minutes into my morning commute, I glanced at the digital clock on my car dashboard and realized that it was a few minutes before 6:00 - and I wasn't sue to be in the office until 7:00. I guess my internal clock still hasn't completely adjusted to the time change.
Arriving early was actually nice. I got to wade through the tonne of e-mail that awaited, as well as check phone messages before everyone else arrived. My assistant, D, made a giant 'welcome back' balloon out of vinyl and tape scraps (as well as pop bottles and other miscellaneous bits and pieces, I'm told) and hung it in the middle of the office. I was also greeted by a fun new desktop pattern and screensaver on my computer. Fun stuff. It feels kinda strange to come back to an assistant that I've barely worked with and that my co-workers are now more familiar with since he's been around for the whole month while I've been away.
Once people started trickling in, I ended up going on the meeting circuit. First, a manager's meeting, then a customer service meeting, followed by a promotions/marketing meeting. No breaks, no lunch, still many unopened e-mails and bills to sort through - I'm tired just thinking about my day tomorrow.
How I long to be lying on a sunbed under the coconut trees on a white sandy beach, being massaged while the sound of the surf drowns out the commotion of the world around.
More blogging about the vacation (enjoyable and tasty), turning twenty-five (still hasn't fully sunk in yet), and new year's resolutions (lofty and ambitious, and a few already broken - so time to re-think and revise) to come at a later date.
Sway :: Michael Buble
Sunday, December 26, 2004
belated
I know it's a few days late, but Happy Christmukkawanzaa to all!
The sorry state of internet connections in this country is partially to blame, as is my extended family's pre-occipation with shoving plates of deliciousness in front of me. With so much food to be consumed, there is little, if any time to spend with frivolous things like checking e-mail and posting on the blog. I mean, how to you turn down barbecued chicken, seared fish steaks, and grilled squid served on banana leaves and dipped in freshly squeezed calamansi juice?
If I didn't have such an abnormally speedy metabolism, I would have to get my cousins to roll me aboard the airplane.
The sorry state of internet connections in this country is partially to blame, as is my extended family's pre-occipation with shoving plates of deliciousness in front of me. With so much food to be consumed, there is little, if any time to spend with frivolous things like checking e-mail and posting on the blog. I mean, how to you turn down barbecued chicken, seared fish steaks, and grilled squid served on banana leaves and dipped in freshly squeezed calamansi juice?
If I didn't have such an abnormally speedy metabolism, I would have to get my cousins to roll me aboard the airplane.
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
vacation angst
This is the first post I've written since I've been on vacation. I'd love to say that I've been too busy frolicking on the beach or soaking in the sun to write, but that's barely the truth. Plain and simple, I've just been lazy. I started journalling for the first two weeks of the trip, and then as soon as I got to Davao, I don't think I've even managed to make a scribble in my journal. The pages sit barren and white, still crisp from neglect.
Most of the time since we've been in Davao has been either spent with the hoardes of cousins (fun! fun! fun!), traipsing all over town with my sister to shop for various wedding acoutrements (yawn), acting as chaperone for my sister and her fiance (terribly old-fashioned, and slightly silly, but bearable nonetheless), or dining with various relatives and friends of the parental units (varying from mildly enjoyable or downright uncomfortable, depending on the dinner companions present). My cousins finally got out of school this week, so we've actually been able to spend more time with them, but since there's little to see or do here, we've primarily been hanging out at the mall since the air conditioned interiors are a welcome reprieve from the sweltering heat outside.
I walked around the city the other day, and nearly gave my aunt a heart attack. I can't decide whether it was because it's deemed low-class to walk around the dusty streets alone, or if she was afraid that I would be kidnapped. She insisted that I get her driver to take me around the city, but after much arguing, I won out and was able to walk around on my own unaccompanied - on the condition that i called her once i got to my destination. She was so much like my mom it was endearing.
That's the tough thing about being here in the Philippines. The heat, grime, and shoddy plumbing, I've sort of gotten used to, or at least come to terms with. The things that I'm having the most difficulty with are my lack of language skills and my inability to get around on my own. True, I can utter a small handful of words and phrases in Tagalog, and a few in Bisaya, but aside from "mag kano to?" (how much is this?), I don't have much other useful vocbulary to boast of. I mean, how far can I get with words like "kamatis" (tomato) and "tubig" (water)? "Tubig ang kamatis daw, po. Salamat. Maligayang Pasko!" (Water with tomato please, sir. Thank you. Merry Christmas!" Yeah. Like I said, useful.
And then there's the matter of getting around. Walking, like I mentioned, seems to be out of the question. Not only is it searingly hot on the dusty roads, but it's pretty unsafe to be a pedestrian. Unless you're a seasoned veteran, the chances of getting run over by vehicles swerving in and out of traffic without regard for people on foot, or being pick-pocketted or nabbed are quite high. Driving is another story altogether. I'm comfortable driving in crazy traffic cities like Philadelphia and New York, but driving in the Philippines is insane. First of all, there are barely any road signs left - making navigation slightly difficult. They've all either rusted or fallen off, never to be replaced again. Secondly, there is little or no regard for traffic regulations. The rule seems to be: 'If you think you can pass, do it! And if you think you can't, honk your horn, and maybe you can intimdate the other drivers around you enough so that you can squeeze your way through.' Today, I was in the car with my cousin, and we witnessed a car losing its sideview mirrors to the traffic whizzing by. The driver simply stopped as one of the passengers got out of the car to pick up the mirror, and they drove off again like it was a daily occurence. No surprise, no kaffuffle. I had to laugh at the ease with which the situation was handled. If it were me, I would have insisted on exchanging license plates, etc.
Another thing that I'm having trouble getting accustomed to is the disparity between the rich and the poor. Everywhere you turn, there are people begging on the streets. In residential areas, at the mall, on the streets, in front of churches. And if you give any change to one, you'd better have enough to supply the masses that swarm around you after you've extended your hand to offer the first donation! The sad thing is, most of the beggars are children. young boys and girls in tattered clothes and barefoot, carrying their crying infant siblings, or holding the hand of a brother whose face is burned beyond recognition. It's heartbreaking to witness, and even more so to have to shoo them away from the door, as they grab onto your pants begging for alms as you try to get into your car or taxi.
But it's not all bad. spending time with faily has been what's made this vacation enjoyable. It's been about five years since I saw most of my cousins, so seeing them now all grown up is pretty exciting. the cousins on my dad's side are all pretty well-off businessmen and women with families f their own, and the cousins on my mom's side are mostly all in college or working. There's a few kiddos thrown in the mix, and they make for the life of the party. And since my dad has ten siblings, and my mom eight, there's plenty of family to go around!
As for the angst, I got an e-mail from the folks in Sweden, and it looks like I won't be moving there anytime soon. For a while, it was sounding like they wanted me to fly to Copenhagen on my way back to Vancouver for a third round of interviews. When it turned out that flights would be more expensive than anticipated and that I wouldn't be able to get there until the new year, I was told that the pool of candidates had been narrowed down to three other local candidates, and that since they wanted to make a decision before Christmas, they would just pick from those three. I can't say that I'm not disappointed, but I guess I know well enough now not to get my hopes up about these sort of things. More than being disappointed about not going to Sweden (or at least flying to Copenhagen for an interview), I'm more upset by the fact that I have to go back to my seemingly dead-end job. Now, I'm even more motivated to find out what opportunities the US has in store for me.
In other angsty news, my sister's finace has suggested that he will be coming back to the Philippines to help with the family business after the wedding, since it seems to be falling apart at the seams. My sister isn't pleased, as "this wasn't part of the plan!" She and I talked for most of the evening, after the two of them got off the phone, hashing out the various possiblilities, and despite her reluctance to move down here, I think she's resigned herself to the fact that she probably should.
"Life never turns out the way we plan for it to," I said in my best Yoda voice.
She responded, "I know. I hate it. I don't want to move back to the Philippines. And get married and have to consider other people aisde from me and my husband. And have to support his family. And pay a mortgage. And their mortgage. And have to start life over again. And figure out how to speak the language. And talk to the help. And get around. And figure out how to get a job. It sucks! And now I have to go pee!"
And with that final exclamation, she collapsed on the bed, heaving a big sigh.
Life is tough. And then you pee.
Most of the time since we've been in Davao has been either spent with the hoardes of cousins (fun! fun! fun!), traipsing all over town with my sister to shop for various wedding acoutrements (yawn), acting as chaperone for my sister and her fiance (terribly old-fashioned, and slightly silly, but bearable nonetheless), or dining with various relatives and friends of the parental units (varying from mildly enjoyable or downright uncomfortable, depending on the dinner companions present). My cousins finally got out of school this week, so we've actually been able to spend more time with them, but since there's little to see or do here, we've primarily been hanging out at the mall since the air conditioned interiors are a welcome reprieve from the sweltering heat outside.
I walked around the city the other day, and nearly gave my aunt a heart attack. I can't decide whether it was because it's deemed low-class to walk around the dusty streets alone, or if she was afraid that I would be kidnapped. She insisted that I get her driver to take me around the city, but after much arguing, I won out and was able to walk around on my own unaccompanied - on the condition that i called her once i got to my destination. She was so much like my mom it was endearing.
That's the tough thing about being here in the Philippines. The heat, grime, and shoddy plumbing, I've sort of gotten used to, or at least come to terms with. The things that I'm having the most difficulty with are my lack of language skills and my inability to get around on my own. True, I can utter a small handful of words and phrases in Tagalog, and a few in Bisaya, but aside from "mag kano to?" (how much is this?), I don't have much other useful vocbulary to boast of. I mean, how far can I get with words like "kamatis" (tomato) and "tubig" (water)? "Tubig ang kamatis daw, po. Salamat. Maligayang Pasko!" (Water with tomato please, sir. Thank you. Merry Christmas!" Yeah. Like I said, useful.
And then there's the matter of getting around. Walking, like I mentioned, seems to be out of the question. Not only is it searingly hot on the dusty roads, but it's pretty unsafe to be a pedestrian. Unless you're a seasoned veteran, the chances of getting run over by vehicles swerving in and out of traffic without regard for people on foot, or being pick-pocketted or nabbed are quite high. Driving is another story altogether. I'm comfortable driving in crazy traffic cities like Philadelphia and New York, but driving in the Philippines is insane. First of all, there are barely any road signs left - making navigation slightly difficult. They've all either rusted or fallen off, never to be replaced again. Secondly, there is little or no regard for traffic regulations. The rule seems to be: 'If you think you can pass, do it! And if you think you can't, honk your horn, and maybe you can intimdate the other drivers around you enough so that you can squeeze your way through.' Today, I was in the car with my cousin, and we witnessed a car losing its sideview mirrors to the traffic whizzing by. The driver simply stopped as one of the passengers got out of the car to pick up the mirror, and they drove off again like it was a daily occurence. No surprise, no kaffuffle. I had to laugh at the ease with which the situation was handled. If it were me, I would have insisted on exchanging license plates, etc.
Another thing that I'm having trouble getting accustomed to is the disparity between the rich and the poor. Everywhere you turn, there are people begging on the streets. In residential areas, at the mall, on the streets, in front of churches. And if you give any change to one, you'd better have enough to supply the masses that swarm around you after you've extended your hand to offer the first donation! The sad thing is, most of the beggars are children. young boys and girls in tattered clothes and barefoot, carrying their crying infant siblings, or holding the hand of a brother whose face is burned beyond recognition. It's heartbreaking to witness, and even more so to have to shoo them away from the door, as they grab onto your pants begging for alms as you try to get into your car or taxi.
But it's not all bad. spending time with faily has been what's made this vacation enjoyable. It's been about five years since I saw most of my cousins, so seeing them now all grown up is pretty exciting. the cousins on my dad's side are all pretty well-off businessmen and women with families f their own, and the cousins on my mom's side are mostly all in college or working. There's a few kiddos thrown in the mix, and they make for the life of the party. And since my dad has ten siblings, and my mom eight, there's plenty of family to go around!
As for the angst, I got an e-mail from the folks in Sweden, and it looks like I won't be moving there anytime soon. For a while, it was sounding like they wanted me to fly to Copenhagen on my way back to Vancouver for a third round of interviews. When it turned out that flights would be more expensive than anticipated and that I wouldn't be able to get there until the new year, I was told that the pool of candidates had been narrowed down to three other local candidates, and that since they wanted to make a decision before Christmas, they would just pick from those three. I can't say that I'm not disappointed, but I guess I know well enough now not to get my hopes up about these sort of things. More than being disappointed about not going to Sweden (or at least flying to Copenhagen for an interview), I'm more upset by the fact that I have to go back to my seemingly dead-end job. Now, I'm even more motivated to find out what opportunities the US has in store for me.
In other angsty news, my sister's finace has suggested that he will be coming back to the Philippines to help with the family business after the wedding, since it seems to be falling apart at the seams. My sister isn't pleased, as "this wasn't part of the plan!" She and I talked for most of the evening, after the two of them got off the phone, hashing out the various possiblilities, and despite her reluctance to move down here, I think she's resigned herself to the fact that she probably should.
"Life never turns out the way we plan for it to," I said in my best Yoda voice.
She responded, "I know. I hate it. I don't want to move back to the Philippines. And get married and have to consider other people aisde from me and my husband. And have to support his family. And pay a mortgage. And their mortgage. And have to start life over again. And figure out how to speak the language. And talk to the help. And get around. And figure out how to get a job. It sucks! And now I have to go pee!"
And with that final exclamation, she collapsed on the bed, heaving a big sigh.
Life is tough. And then you pee.
Thursday, December 02, 2004
bowl of cherries...
My flight leaves in ten hours. That means I have to leave the house in about six hours to pick up my sister's finace and get to the airport in time for international check-in. The flight may be delayed because of the crazy-ass typhoons that have touched down in Luzon and the surrounding area. This also means that our plans to hop to the resort island of Boracay may be thwarted. Plus it's raining and thundering elsewhere in the Philippines. I guess I shouldn't be whining so much about a potentially spoiled vacation when I haven't even packed my things yet, or considered the number of people missing or dead in the typhoons. Nothing like a little dose of reality to make you realize how un-sucky your life really is.
Alright, back to the bags...
Bubble Pop Electric :: Gwen Stefani
Alright, back to the bags...
Bubble Pop Electric :: Gwen Stefani
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