Bucket List

I have never been into bucket lists but as of late, with so many things to wish for, a bucket list is the only way to go.

1.  Watch The Phantom of the Opera, for free. The tickets are so dang expensive, i truly believe it will break my heart more if I spend that much!

2.  Spend another weekend at the Shangri-la, lazing by the pool.

3.  Get that new lacoste bag in red. Un (fortunately?) for me, the new style I like does not come in red. (No, it's not this one)

4. Get my own iPad, so I don't have to borrow anak's.  Puro pictures kase ni Greyson Chance at One Direction ang iPad ni anak. :-)

5. Get rid of my old iPhone, and buy a new one.

I may never get to do them (or buy them), but just being able to "say it out loud" sort of helps get that itch scratched.

Hay. Double hay.

The Art of ...

I love to complain.  I complain about anything and everything.  I complain when it rains; I complain when it's too dry.  I complain when it's cold; I complain when it's hot.  I complain about my workload; I complain when I have nothing to do.  I complain that I have so many things to complain about. 

Being that I spend most of my waking hours at work, I am always seized by the urge to complain out loud.  Skimming through my previous posts and blogs and diary entries, I was amazed by the amount of time I spent harping about my unrelenting work inbox.  I can get way too pesky even for myself!  Tsk. Tsk.  

However, in the very recent past, I have resolved to stop complaining, and start appreciating.   This was not a decision I came to because I was really grateful for what I have.  This was a decision I made because I got tired of hearing the same old gripes here and there.  I came to realize that it is no fun to be around with if all you ever do is complain. 

It is not an easy thing to do though - biting my tongue when I feel like spewing all sorts of expletives.  Sometimes I feel like I have a bubble on my head bursting with a plethora of punctuation marks.  It is HARD.  But, it can be done.

I am a work in progress.  Sometimes, I fail - I give in and recite a litany of discontent.  I am human, after all.   Then I remember....

One Hundred

I was pestering anak about the results of her quarter exams.
me: " ano grade mo? mababa siguro ano? "
anak: " may one hundred kaya ako! "
i happily said : " talaga?! may one hundred ka? "
anak, smiling sheepishly, tells me: "oo may one hundred ako. three hundred pa nga yun nung saturday eh! "
she was teasing me about the 300 pesos i borrowed from her over the weekend!

Knock? Knock?

I needed to tell anak something, so I called out to her.
me: " 'nak! 'nak! "
anak dutifully responded with : "who's there? "

Magna Carta

My facebook timeline tells me I discovered the joy of "facebook-ing" in 2008.  I think I have gone through all levels of "fb addiction" - from farming to cooking to sewing dresses to my current joy, dashing diamonds.  I am also one of the many few (many na , few pa) who take to heart The Wall's question everytime we log in "What's on your mind?"

And because I exercise my own kind of censorship with my own facebook posts, I am always dumbfounded when I see posts that are way too personal, too self-absorbed, too crass and sometimes just outright rude.  Oftentimes, I wish facebook will add a pop-up while you are typing in your post, to remind you of the potential repercussions of what you write.

Or better yet, there must be a Magna Carta for facebook, to wit:

Clause 1, the freedom of speech and expression is not absolute. Exercise of these rights means that one agrees to be sensitive to the feelings of others. 

Clause 2, when posting personal images of various stages of undress (naked, half-naked, ready-to-be naked), ensure that your images are not offensive (in short, kung di naman kaiga-igaya ang itsura mo, or ang katawan mo, please spare us)

Clause 3, think it many times over before posting images taken from wakes or funerals.  We assume you are hurting over the loss of a loved one, but seeing pictures of you smiling or posing for that "pang facebook picture" defeats the whole "in-mourning" mode you have proclaimed on your status.

Clause 4, everyone loves pictures of food that make us drool, but do take time to remove the used spoon or fork before taking a shot.  It is a tad too ickky to see your kubyertos with crusted food on them.

Clause 5, do not share photos of seriously ill or injured people. If you want to help, best to reach out personally to the concerned person or the family.  Liking or Sharing pictures does not really do much to make things better for the people involved.

Clause 6, set a minimum amount for items purchased that will make your fb posts.  we know new purchases are exciting, and we share your joy over having bought something new, but not when it's a trivial little thing like a paper clip. 

Clause 7,  caption. caption. caption.  we love seing pictures and we know you love taking them, but we are not Manang Bola.  we want to know the story behind the picture.  you took time to post the picture, what's a little more time to write in a few words? 

Clause 8, have a little control when sharing posters of quotable quotes.  we all love inspiring thoughts, but no need to flood our wall.  we get it.

Clause 9, try not to be vague. if you must rant, at least rant in complete sentences. if you must brag, at least be specific about what you are harping about. 

Clause 10,  remember, not everything you see or read in facebook is the Bible truth.  Everyone tends to exaggerate, downplay, twist things to make it all appear to be better (or worse) than what they really are.

All in all though, I still love the facebook experience.  Walang sinabi ang mga tele-novela and showbiz talk shows sa dami ng drama at tsismis na nasasagap ko sa sandaling pag log-in ko.

Pinoy Henyo

Bilang parating nasa balita si Tito Sotto ngayon due to his talent for blatantly denying committing plagiarism, tanong ni anak nung nakita na naman nya sa tv si TitoSen :
"tatay ba sya ni Vic Sotto?"
Pwede! Pwede!😝

Spoon

while watching Spoon (Janice de Belen's cooking show) with anak, sabi ko: "ang ingay ni Janice ano? ganyan ba ako anak?"
anak answers immediately: "hindi"
natuwa naman ako.
but then she adds: "bakit, nagluluto ka ba?"
wasak! panalo talaga si anak! 😜

Linking In

Are you Linked in?  I have been a member of this site for a couple of years now, but I have not gone to great lengths to explore what it has to offer.   But as they say, everyday is a new day.  And today, I decided to play with it.

It's an interesting site.  You get to see more of the professional world.  People you connect with are people you connect with for possible career opportunities.  It does not matter that you do not know their birthdays (leaving you guilt-free for not remembering them on that special day).  It does not even matter if you do not exchange jokes with them.  You are not obligated to share your thoughts, make mundane comments on their shout-outs or "like" their wall posts.  It is such a carefree, to-each-his-own virtual world. 

The only thing everyone actually cares about is whether you are a possible conduit to a better future for them; whether you are an angel in disguise, meant to bring them to a fulfilling career outside of where they are now.

And so, I have started to love being Linkedin.  Try it. Maybe we will see each other there.

Trojan War {Why I hate Helen}

Exams na naman ni anak, so I had to help her review.  One of their topics is the Trojan War. At dahil mahaba ito, I had to summarize it for her - including describing each character and "connecting the dots" of how each one is related to the other.  ANG HIRAP! Not only do I not remember having studied this when I was in school, but I also only got to skim thru the summary from the web. Summary na nga lang, spi-need read ko pa. So, what I know is really pira-piraso.

After hours and hours of making kwento, I finally gave up and told anak:  "sige, anak, just do you best na lang"

Anak burst out laughing and teased me: "tinamad ka na ano? pag mababa ang grade ko tapos nagtanong si teacher bakit, sasabihin ko kse tinamad na ang mommy ko!"

Kung bakit naman kse si Helen nagpakidnap pa kay Troy! :D

Appreciation

There should be one.  Not so much as for the employee to feel appreciated, but for the bosses to realize what they should be thankful for.

Friends

This year has been a good year of pleasant revelations.  I have learned that no matter how far a relationship dates back to, it does not mean that the bond will not break.  I have learned that there are people who believe so much in their own goodness that they fail to see the flaws in their character.  I have learned that no one is spared from the impulse to twist words in order to justify one's opinion. 

This year, I have come to an acceptance about where my relationships are. A long time friend disappointed me big time when I realized the person was a turn coat.  Someone who claimed to be a friend was really just that - claiming to be a friend.  A professional relationship turned cold when I learned about the twisted workings of that person's thoughts.

In each and every moment, I was surprised that people that I thought I know, I actually didn't really.  It has been a mix of emotions - anger, disappointment, sadness and relief.  It is never a happy moment to acknowledge that it is time to move on.  But I am happy that I am spared from many more moments of misplaced comfortability and misguided trust.

It is never really about how many friends I have, as long as the ones I have are the ones who I can trust with my life.

Showtime

I often wonder why a quorum is called when there really is nothing for the quorum to do or say.  Lahat privelege speech lang.  Now I understand why those senators either look lost in thought or fall asleep entirely.  Nakakapagod makinig sa speech na limang kilometro ang haba, pero di mo naman talaga makita ang kabuluhan nito sa araw araw na pamumuhay mo.

There is no point is asking for an audience when there is no audience participation required.  Buti pa ang Showtime, may mob dance!

It just gets old to be hearing the same things over and over, knowing that parang RH Bill lang lahat yan. Pagdedebatehan pero it will take forever to actually come to fruition.  Kahit na para sa ikakabubuti ng nakakarami ang bill, mamamayagpag ang clout ng iilang pinagpala.  "Ikaw na!" sabi nga nila.

Minsan naman parang disco lang ang quorum na pinatawag. May ledge kung saan nandun ang mga (feeling) star. Manuod ka kung gusto mo, o kaya lumabas ka na lang at lumipat ng venue.

In any case, may mga pagkakataon talaga na wala kang choice. Tanggapin mo na lang na kailangan ka nila duon. Pang body count. Para naman mukhang demokrasya nga talaga ang nagpapaikot sa mundo ninyo.  At kung tunay na hindi mo na masikmura, kumanta ka na lang ng :

Tayo’y tumalon (heyyy)  Tayo’y sumigaw (hohhh)
Maghawak-hawak tayo’y sumayaw
This is your show, this is your time
Magpasikat na, it's showtime!

Today's Random Thoughts

I like random thoughts, perhaps due to my predisposition to start a thought and quickly move on to another one. :D  So, today's random thoughts are:

1.  Ulan = Baha. The only math equation na walang operation pero may answer.

me and the forever boyfriend, after wading thru some serious flood

2.  General meeting today = a blast of punctuation marks

but they won't be as happy as these question and exclamation marks are

3. Pag tinext ka, mag reply ka naman. Even if only out of respect for another human being. 

yes, minsan gusto kitang ipakain sa whale.

4.  The witch has arrived. The day has started.

maganda pa itong witch na ito.

5. I used to love where I am.  Operative word here being "USED".

need i say more?

Star

margarine ka ba?
feeling mo kse ikaw palagi ang Star!

Specific

Anak asked me the other night: " mommy, guess mo anong oras na?"

me: "10 o'clock?"

anak smiles and tells me: "be specific"

i teased her back :" be more or less specific?"

she goes: "yes"

so i say: "10:15?"

anak laughs and declares: "less specific!"

turns out it was 10:07.

less specific nga naman! 

The aftermath

After several days of monsoon rains, this is how Manila looks like.  Lahat ng bahay may sarili ng swimming pool. Mandatory daw ang paglalagay ng swimming pool, sabi ni Mother Nature.  Ang hindi sumunod, ipapakagat sa ahas.  Opo, may mga ahas na nakitang nagpa-"partee! partee!" sa baha.

And so, like many times in the past, when disaster strikes, nagmamadaling lumabas ang mga inner goodness ng bawa't isa.  Everybody scrambles to organize rescue operations, collect donations and distribute relief goods. 

And like many times in the past too, nagmamadali ding lumabas ang mga personal at ulterior motives ng iba.  We have politicians who trek to every flooded street for relief operations, but who are also quietly counting the number of registered voters in the area. We have artistas, who join relief distributions in evacuation areas, who probably get a narcissic high when people queue up to hug them. 

These people I can actually forgive. It is part of what they do. Politicians have to think of their long-term goals of staying in power.  Artistas have to get exposure in order for their movies and teleseryes to sell.

What annoys me though, are the ordinary people who find this as an opportunity to show off.   People who take advantage of the goodness of other people's heart and claim it as their own.  There's a word that comes to my mind - "credit grabber". 

Para lang mukhang siya ang bida.
Siya ang mabait.
Siya ang star.  
Sana, siya na lang din ang inagos ng baha.

Like a Boss

Have you seen that thumbs up icon that says "like a boss"?

I used to think it meant that i should be enamored with the boss, then i realized it was actually referring to doing things as if you are a boss.  Although, quite frankly, I do not subscribe to either interpretations.  I am not enamored with the boss and I hope to God I do not do things like a boss. 

The thing with being a boss is that you tread a very fine line. You have to be careful with the words you say, and the things you do.  You cannot continue to be "like everyone else" where you twist words to fit your pre-conceived twisted notions; and yet, you cannot be so high up the ladder to not know when jokes are just that, jokes.

I expect a whole damn lot from people of position. 
I expect them to know when to say something and when not to.
I expect them to exercise prudence and sensitivy.
I expect them to lead with action, not threats or empty words.
I expect them to know how to do my job.
I expect them to champion the greater good.
Most of all, I expect them to own up to what they say.

One cannot be in a position of respect if one does not have the courage to stand by what one has said; nor can one be respectable if one can only say things behind closed doors, away from the ears of the person one is championing against.

It takes more than the ability to talk incessantly for hours or the ability to sprinkle sentences with jargon to be a real boss.  It takes true understanding of what being a boss should be - one who motivates people, pushes them to grow and champions them to be the best they can be.