Saturday, August 27, 2005

Skeleton Key Turn-Over

Today, went to the condominium where I invested for one unit. Met my agent, who turned-over the keys of my condo unit. Yes! I am now a proud condo owner. c",)

It is the first time I've been there, so, I checked the facilities: the swimming pool, the gym, the laundry room, the function room and the roofdeck.

Frankly, I have no plans to live in the condo. I just want to have something I can say I own, something I have invested and where my hard-earned earnings went.

Now, what to do... what to do...
1) Maintain the unit and parking.
2) Have the unit and parking rented-out.
3) Maintain the unit and have the parking rented-out.

Already in my mind's eye, I can picture what furniture goes where... But, I still want to hire an interior decorator to make my small unit look big and spacious. Hmmm....



Today, finally watched The Skeleton Key. It's about Caroline who took a job as a live-in nurse at a remote house to take care of an ailing husband. The house is creepy, prompting Caroline to do her explorations. Much more when she overheard the wife mention to her (wife's) lawyer that she "should understand the house".

The treatment is different from other Asian horror movie remakes (like The Ring, Dark Water, etc.), which happens to be the trend in Hollywood today. The movie is more of a thriller than a horror movie. What I liked is the twist at the end, providing a classy air for a thriller.

Today, attended the anticipated Mass and we had dinner at Super Bowl. For a meal consisting of Super Bowl combo platter, Yang Chow fried rice, Lemon Chicken and Braised Tofu with Mushroom, three of the four of us paid only P50.00 each! Thanks to the gift certificate one of our friends shared with us.

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Office Bes-PWEH

She's at it again! She happens to be my office bes-pweh. (hehehe!) A friend tagged her as such when she read my previous post wherein I fleetingly mentioned about her. Boy! is my friend sharp.

The meeting today, with her as one of the attendees, is a trying experience. My patience has been tried... and tried... and tried. Good thing, it did not snap. Was still able to come out as open-minded, welcoming, courteous and pretty! hahahaha!

She managed to come up with inane ideas--I consider them as such, anyway. Inspite of all (factual and with basis) explanations, she still persisted. Just to end the discussion, told her that her concern will be raised to proper channels.

What ruffled my feathers, she managed to come up with a barb as if we were incompetent. Would have loved to throw it to her face and tell her to be at the helm and see if she can do better! Haayyy.... She's noted for accepting an assignment, but when it's the time to deliver, she denies that she committed on doing it! Haayyy... (again)

Well, at least, I am in good company. I'm not the only one who considers her an office bes-pweh. We are many, believe me! We can only smile and shake our head in disbelief. c",)

When you encounter unreasonable people, just think of them as "sandpaper". They rub and scratch you painfully, but eventually, you end up smoother and polished.

Saturday, August 20, 2005

Must Love Chocolates

Today is Must Love Dogs day for me! Would have watched another movie, to be specific, The Skeleton Key, if only I won those premiere tickets... As if! (lol)


The movie is about Sarah, a single pre-school teacher who just went through an ugly divorce. Her family wants her to be on the dating scene again, where one of her sisters even went to posting a personal ad in perfectmatch.com. When someone responds to the ad, that's where the story began.

I would describe the movie as "cute", with a sprinkle of funny dialogues as they "parry" wit among themselves. Oh! And the dog is soooooo cute! c",)

After the movie, met with my niece and her friends. Bought them tickets for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as they spend some time at an arcade before the movie. I then attended the anticipated mass as the three youngsters enjoyed themselves in the cinema. Then, had dinner at Pancake.

Thursday, August 18, 2005

What your Birth Month means...


Received the following in my e-mail...

What your Birth Month means...

JANUARY

  • Ambitious and serious
  • Loves to teach and be taught
  • Always looking at people's flaws and weaknesses
  • Likes to criticize
  • Hardworking and productive
  • Smart, neat and organized
  • Sensitive and has deep thoughts
  • Knows how to make others happy
  • Quiet unless excited or tensed
  • Rather reserved
  • Highly attentive
  • Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds
  • Romantic but has difficulties expressing love
  • Loves children
  • Homely person
  • Loyal
  • Needs to improve social abilities
  • Easily jealous

FEBRUARY

  • Abstract thoughts
  • Loves reality and abstract
  • Intelligent and clever
  • Changing personality
  • Temperamental
  • Quiet, shy and humble
  • Low self-esteem
  • Honest and loyal
  • Determined to reach goals
  • Loves freedom
  • Rebellious when restricted
  • Loves aggressiveness
  • Too sensitive and easily hurt
  • Showing anger easily
  • Dislike unnecessary things
  • Loves making friends but rarely shows it
  • Daring and stubborn
  • Ambitious
  • Realising dreams and hopes
  • Sharp
  • Loves entertainment and leisure
  • Romantic on the inside not ouside
  • Superstitious and ludicrous
  • Spendthrift
  • Learns to show emotions

MARCH

  • Attractive personality
  • Affectionate
  • Shy and reserved
  • Secretive
  • Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic
  • Loves peace and serenity
  • Sensitive to others
  • Loves to serve others
  • Not easily angered
  • Trustworthy
  • Appreciative and returns kindness
  • Observant and assess others
  • Revengeful
  • Loves to dream and fantasize
  • Loves travelling
  • Loves attention
  • Hasty decisions in choosing partners
  • Loves home decors
  • Musically talented
  • Loves special things
  • Moody

APRIL

  • Active and dynamic
  • Decisive and hasteful but tends to regret
  • Attractive and affectionate to oneself
  • Strong mentality
  • Loves attention
  • Diplomatic
  • Consoling
  • Friendly and solves people's problems
  • Brave and fearless
  • Adventurous
  • Loving and caring
  • Suave and generous
  • Emotional
  • Revengeful
  • Agressive
  • Hasty
  • Good memory
  • Moving
  • Motivate oneself and others
  • Sickness usually of the head and chest
  • Easily get too jealous

MAY

  • Stubborn and hard-hearted
  • Strong-willed and highly motivated
  • Sharp thoughts
  • Easily angered
  • Attracts others and loves attention
  • Deep feelings
  • Beautiful physically and mentally
  • Firm standpoint
  • Easily influenced
  • Needs no motivation
  • Easily consoled
  • Systematic (left-brain)
  • Loves to dream
  • Strong clairvoyance
  • Understanding
  • Sickness usually in the ear and neck
  • Good imagination
  • Good debating skills
  • Good physical
  • Weak breathing
  • Loves literature and the arts
  • Loves travelling
  • Dislike being at home
  • Restless
  • Hardworking
  • High-spirited
  • Spendthrift

JUNE

  • Thinks far with vision
  • Easily influenced by kindness
  • Polite and soft-spoken
  • Having lots of ideas
  • Sensitive
  • Active mind
  • Hesitating
  • Tends to delay
  • Choosy and always wants the best
  • Temperamental
  • Funny and humorous
  • Loves to joke
  • Good debating skills
  • Talkative
  • Daydreamer
  • Friendly
  • Knows how to make friends
  • Abiding
  • Able to show character
  • Easily hurt
  • Prone to getting colds
  • Loves to dress up
  • Easily bored
  • Fussy
  • Seldom show emotions
  • Takes time to recover when hurt
  • Brand conscious
  • Executive
  • Stubborn
  • Those who loves me are enemies
  • Those who hates me are friends

JULY

  • Fun to be with
  • Secretive
  • Difficult to fathom and to be understood
  • Quiet unless excited or tensed
  • Takes pride in oneself
  • Has reputation
  • Easily consoled
  • Honest
  • Concern about other people's feelings
  • Tactful
  • Friendly
  • Approachable
  • Very emotional
  • Temperamental and unpredictable
  • Moody and easily hurt
  • Witty and sarky
  • Sentimental
  • Not revengful
  • Forgiving but never forgets
  • Dislike nonsensical and unnecessary things
  • Guides others physically and mentally
  • Sensitive and forms impressions carefully
  • Caring and loving
  • Treats others equally
  • Strong sense of sympathy
  • Wary and sharp
  • Judge people through observations
  • Hardworking
  • No problems in studying
  • Loves to be alone!
  • Always broods about the past and old friends
  • Likes to be quiet
  • Homely person
  • Waits for friends
  • Never looks for friends
  • Not aggressive unless provoked
  • Prone to having stomach and dieting problems
  • Loves to be loved
  • Easily hurt but takes long to recover
  • Overly concerned
  • Puts in effort in work

AUGUST

  • Loves to joke
  • Attractive
  • Suave and caring
  • Brave and fearless
  • Firm and has leadership qualities
  • Knows how to console others
  • Too generous and egoistic
  • Take high pride of oneself
  • Thirsty for praises
  • Extraordinary spirit
  • Easily angered
  • Angry when provoked
  • Easily jealous
  • Observant
  • Careful and cautious
  • Thinks quickly
  • Independent thoughts
  • Loves to lead and to be led
  • Loves to dream
  • Talented in the arts, music and defence
  • Sensitive but not pretty
  • Poor resistance against illnesses
  • Learns to relax
  • Hasty and rushy
  • Romantic
  • Loving and caring
  • Loves to make friends

SEPTEMBER

  • Suave and compromising
  • Careful, cautious and organised
  • Likes to point out people's mistakes
  • Likes to criticize
  • Quiet but able to talk well
  • Calm and cool
  • Kind and sympathetic
  • Concerned and detailed
  • Trustworhy, loyal and honest
  • Does work well
  • Sensitive
  • Thinking
  • Good memory
  • Clever and knowledgeable
  • Love to look for information
  • Must control onself when criticising
  • Able to motivate oneself
  • Understanding
  • Secretive
  • Loves sports, leisure and travelling
  • Hardly shows emotions
  • Tends to bottle up feelings
  • Choosy especially in relationships
  • Loves wide things
  • Systematic

OCTOBER

  • Loves to chat
  • Loves those who loves him
  • Loves to take things at the centre
  • Attractive and suave
  • Inner and physical beauty
  • Does not lie or pretend
  • Sympathetic
  • Treats friends importantly
  • Always making friends
  • Easily hurt but recovers easily
  • Bad tempered
  • Selfish
  • Seldom helps unless asked
  • Daydreamer
  • Very opinionated
  • Does not care of what others think
  • Emotional
  • Decisive
  • Strong clairvoyance
  • Loves to travel, the arts and literature
  • Soft-spoken, loving and caring
  • Romantic
  • Touchy and easily jealous
  • Concerned
  • Loves outdoors
  • Just and fair
  • Spendthrift and easily influenced
  • Easily lose confidence

NOVEMBER

  • Has a lot of ideas
  • Difficult to fathom
  • Thinks forward
  • Unique and brilliant
  • Extraordinary ideas
  • Sharp thinking
  • Fine and strong clairvoyance
  • Can become good doctors
  • Careful and cautious
  • Dynamic in personality
  • Secretive
  • Inquisitive
  • Knows hot to dig secrets
  • Always thinking
  • Less talkative but amiable
  • Brave and generous
  • Patient
  • Stubborn and hard-hearted
  • If there is a will, there is a way
  • Determined
  • Never give up
  • Hardly become angry unless provoked
  • Loves to be alone
  • Thinks differently from others
  • Sharp-minded
  • Motivates oneself
  • Does not appreciate praises
  • High-spirited
  • Well-built and tough
  • Deep love and emotions
  • Romantic
  • Uncertain in relationships
  • Homely
  • Hard-working
  • High abilities
  • Trustworthy
  • Honest and keeps secrets
  • Not able to control emotions
  • Unpredictable

DECEMBER

  • Loyal and generous
  • Patriotic
  • Active in games and interactions
  • Impatient and hasty
  • Ambitious
  • Influential in organizations
  • Fun to be with
  • Loves to socialise
  • Loves praises
  • Loves attention
  • Loves to be loved
  • Honest and trustworthy
  • Not pretending
  • Short-tempered
  • Changing personality
  • Not egoistic
  • Takes high pride in oneself
  • Hates restrictions
  • Loves to joke
  • Good sense of humor
  • Logical

Hmmm... I always knew I have the "gift". I wonder if I can predict myself winning the lotto... hehehehe!

Monday, August 15, 2005

Despedida Bowl

Once again, another officemate is leaving for "greener pasture". There are more to follow, with Yongco, a recruiter from Singapore, arriving our shores recently.

From upper left clockwise: Crispy Lemon Chicken, Yang Chow Fried Rice, Honey-Glazed Pork Ribs, Kung Pao Chicken

As a treat, we ate at Super Bowl in Glorietta. This was his request. We had Kung Pao Chicken, Honey-Glazed Pork Ribs, Crispy Lemon Chicken, Fish Fillet with Eggplant Hotpot (he likes eggplant), Braised Tofu with Mushroom and Yang Chow Fried Rice. There was a lot of banter during the meal, saying his piece (jokingly) of his reason, his experiences with the company.

When we are nearing to end our meal, left them earlier so I can have the pictures developed for his souvenir. Bought Wetzel's bits with cheese dipping before heading back to the office.



After office, went to the mall to buy myself a new pair of slippers as my old one is crying for a replacement. (LOL)


Slippers became one of the topics in my chit-chat today. (Weird! hehehe!) I prefer something that is light, soft and does not have a "sipit". I've been buying Beachwalk slippers for years! One suggested that I buy Spartan instead as it is durable. Actually, I don't think I see any Spartan slippers being sold anymore. Besides, I find Spartan slippers "hard" on the feet. Maybe because it's so durable, its buyers no longer need to buy any replacement. If that's the case, no wonder it will close shop! hehehe!

Spent several minutes looking for the Beachwalk slippers. No wonder it was hard to find, it was displayed in the men's shoes of the department store. Oooops! c",)

Saturday, August 13, 2005

Bewitched

Would have wanted to win another premiere tickets by having a crack at the promo of "Must Love Dogs". In order to join, you must come up with a personal ad. Been cracking my brain how I'll write a personal ad... it must have wit and humor in it! When I finally made one, the promo ended! Very funny.... c",) And I slept late for that!


So, woke up late (for the malls' flag ceremony.. hehehe!), checked what movies are being shown, had lunch, then off to the mall in time for the start of Bewitched.

I thought that it would be a remake of the TV show "Bewitched". In a sense, it is... or maybe, it's not (LOL). Actually, the movie is about remaking the TV show. And that's where it all started. There are funny moments; but, the lead stars do not have the chemistry. And, it is supposed to be a comedy/romance movie. Tsk! Tsk! Maybe because Nicole Kidman is too pretty for her screen partner, Will Ferrell. Somehow, they managed to make their antics together work.

After the movie, attended the anticipated Mass and we had dinner at Phobac.

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

"Two Philippines" in GMA's SONA

My previous post on GMA's State of the Nation Address, I have included the article written by Alejandro R. Roces, which, inadvertently, described one of the two Philippines what GMA said as "a tale of two Philippines, almost, as it were, two countries under the same name".

The July 25 SONA is the shortest so far. It simply described/differentiated what the "two Philippines" are.

I am in the opinion that this assessment is correct. A 6 percent growth in the country's economy last year is not something to be dismissed. It is even expected to grow at least 5 percent per year for the next 3 years. This growth has bested more than 100 countries, including Japan, USA, Germany, France, England, Switzerland, India, Thailand and Malaysia.

I am also in agreement on the "presence" of the "other Philippines"--one that hinders our country's progress.

This idea is toying around in everyone's mind, it was only given a "voice" or "substance" when GMA named them as "two Philippines" in her SONA.

(In a different train of thought, the "two Philippines" reminds me of the trait which is often being branded to Filipinos, which I disagree on some points--the "crab mentality".)

And the solution GMA presented to cure the "other Philippines"? That's another story...

Monday, August 08, 2005

Cousins Night Out

My cousin, who arrived from the States last Friday, was able to convince my brother to treat her for not coming to the birthday party we attended yesterday. Her argument: he missed the reunion... c",) hehehe!



Thus, my brother called me to be home early as we would be having dinner with our cousins at Dencio's located at the CCP Complex.

The night is spent on exchanging tidbits about what's been happening to us and a lot of "those were the days..." stories. (lol)

Sunday, August 07, 2005

A Birthday Reunion

The party is in the afternoon at Shakey's BF Homes, ParaƱaque. It is the 8th birthday of my niece from my cousin. It is also a reunion of some sort.


My cousin, with two of her kids, came back to the country for a vacation. Her eldest grew up here but went to the U.S. when she's around 5 or 6 years old. Her youngest was born in the States and grew up there. Timing, it is her youngest's birthday. So, in order for the kids to know each other (the way we are close with our cousins), she decided to have her kid's birthday celebrated here. My other cousin, with her husband and two kids, arrived also from the States last Friday. Making the birthday party a lot more memorable. Three generations of our family came and hobnobbed with each other. It is nice to see the kids getting along well together... c",)

BTW, brought my camera (as always) and became the unofficial photographer (as usual) of the birthday reunion.

Saturday, August 06, 2005

Arahan's Friday

Staying late the previous night helped me save on breakfast... c",) Ate lunch as soon as I woke up.

After lunch, my niece and I watched a Korean action/comedy, Arahan. It has it's own type of humor... complete with moments to tickle your funnybone. Thanks to the actor portraying as Yu Sang-Hwan, a bungling cop. His looks fit his character to a "T".

If the audience is the basis how funny this movie is, the two guys near our seats is definitely laughing their hearts out. And the rest is laughing with them! c",)


After the movie, we attended an anticipated Mass. Then, we had dinner at Friday's as a birthday treat of one of my friends. We had Mexican Nachos, Southwestern Chicken Ceasar Salad, Burritos, Shrimp Friday's, Double Chocolate Fudgy Brownie, and Banana Split Pie (in picture). Am full!!!

Friday, August 05, 2005

Martin Nievera: I Sing For You

Tonight's the night! I know I would be attending a Martin Nievera concert tonight; but, I have no idea where it would be, what time it would start... All I know, I'll be taking an MRT ride right after office. Not hail, nor rain, nor storm will deter me from reaching Megamall! c",)


Was one of the first to arrive at Megamall. Now, I know when the concert will start and where, thanks to the streamers posted near the escalators. Went window-shopping while waiting for my friends. Once complete, we had dinner first at Chef Donatello. I wonder when Chef Raphael and Chef Leonardo will open. Chef 'd (Michael) Angelo was the first to open to the public. Get it? (hehehe!)

As expected of any Martin Nievera concert, his wittiness shines through. His spontaneity and loquacity is something always to look forward to. I really enjoyed the evening as his repertoire mostly consists of songs he made famous. Most especially, his finale number is my favorite: "You Are My Song".

The acoustics are good and the volume is just right. (Some concerts I attended is much to "loud" for my taste.) I consider the volume just right when I can hear the audience sing when the artist encourages them to sing with him/her. This is one gift Martin has a lot of... he can reach his audience. He is keen and observant. Because of it, he is able to get a repartee with his audience.

Unfortunately, there are times you can hear short pounding, vibrating and thumping out of nowhere. There was even a point Martin seems irked as his microphone is creating an odd sound. Oh, well... still enjoyed the concert!



Changes. Looks like we're in for a lot of changes. After having two Board of Directors, the Supreme Court declared the Board of Directors elected by those who walked out during the Stockholders Meeting is the official Board of the company. This was in this morning's newspapers.

Around 11:45am, we received an e-mail saying that the Go family decided to sell their share of stocks.

Around 12:45pm, we received another e-mail saying that a MOA was signed between the Go family and BDO on the purchase of the stocks. Just think, before lunch, we're still EPCI; after lunch, would we still be EPCI or are we BDO?

With changes like these, it is but natural for employees to worry what would become of them. I pray, it would not be rough-sailing ahead...