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Colombo has treated me oh-so nicely, what with the executive floor stay at the Cinnamon Grand Colombo and the warm welcome of my counterparts in Dialog.
The Dialog guys were very generous and friendly. Hospitality is really a Southeast Asian thing. I have not been to a Southeast Asian country where the people were not as warm and sunny as the tropical weather. I love it!
Colombo still has the "old city feel," where ravens fly about any time of the day while ducks and pelicans float about on the lake.
Sri Lankans are predominantly Theravada Buddhists. I was extremely fascinated with the Buddhist temples and the monks clad in orange garb walking on the streets.
I looooooved it. A different place, a different feel. It was a welcome breather, despite that I was there to work and conduct several presentations.
Too bad I didn't have enough time to go around, much less shop for gemstones as the country is well-known for it.
The trip satisfied my wanderlust --- which never fades away in the first place. But instead of pacifying my restlessness, it just fueled it all the more. It reminded me of what I hope for, what I should do and where I'm supposed to be.
There is a reason and season for everything.
Colombo, thank you for the enlightenment.
Yet again another crossroads.
I find myself in another junction. Although different, I feel like it's deja vu.
Life. I'm here again. I can feel the restlessness enveloping me, as I ask myself the all-too familiar "quo vadis" question.
So where to now, brown cow?
I do welcome this restless feeling, though. It's quite disturbing, but it's always the advent of good changes for me. It is a sign of better things to come.
Tomorrow, as I head out to Sri Lanka for a series of meetings, I'm hoping I can have a window of opportunity to think things through.
So where to now, April?
What next?
If you are one of the faithful, you normally don't believe in coincidences. God has a reason and season for everything.
In this Manila trip --- Gemma wasn't really supposed to be back, but since fate (and work) takes her to the land of the chocolate boys, we are finally seeing each other in La Manila!
Happiness!!!
There's a lot to be thankful for --- opportunities, TNC birthday celebrations, Ninay's baptism, R.'s birthday, to name a few. Sometimes, I just marvel at God's generosity and kindness.
This trip is a much-awaited breather for me. I've been going through some things at work - transitions, more responsibilities, and more transitions. In moments like this, I want to be comforted with the familiar and the trusted.
And that's none other than the Manila Circle.
True - life can be better in other places and countries. But Manila - bumagyo man, tumaas ang gasolina, o uminit ng todo-to-the-max, you will eternally have that special place, because you have my roots.
'Looking forward to coming home in a couple of hours. =)
Sometimes, I resort to silence when I have nothing good to say. Most of the time, I have to bite my tongue since when I lash out, it can be a very sharp double-edged sword that can slice and bleed someone to death.
Soooo... since I'm trying to rake in good karma points, I'd rather be silent.
Why I'm silent with you, friend?
Because I question your integrity --- or the lack of it.
You don't need to lie about things to get what you want. Or if you want to fool around and cheat, make sure you do it flawlessly.
Or just tell the damn truth that you want to fool around, for crying out loud! We are all grown-ups but you behave like you're still in high school.
My utmost disappointment is you seem to have not changed, throughout all these years. Bummer. For you. Not for me.
You say one thing...then do another.
My silence actually pushed you to do certain things ---- which actually just proved my point.
Nagpaulan ng integridad sa mundo, tulog ka.
Resume silence. Anything following this is already really unpalatable for you.
And it's so not worth it for me.
...to pack the stuff that I need to bring to Manila.
Haven't organized and I have to go straight from the office to the airport!
Panic mode!!!
Yet another bahala na si Batman mode.
At the same time, I feel happy that I will go home - even just for a little while.
I need to breathe and learn how to swim faster, with the tide of changes, and not against it.
I just really want to see familiar and trustworthy faces right now.
...make things a hell lot easier.
...make me get out of bed and face my gargantuan workload, knowing that this day is another day that just leads me to you.
...help me make sense of the otherwise insensible.
...make me realize there is no reason to fuss over the trite and trivial.
...make me feel I belong, which is so important for me to be brilliant in the things that I do.
I'm just really glad that you're there.
I won't have it any other way.
Sometimes, people's antics amaze me.
It's trite and trivial, really. Ryan was right. Funny how some friends (?) wash their dirty linens in public - aka most recently as the social network. Or how it's used for aggrandizement or blatant lying.
It's hilarous. Never fails to humor me.
At the same time that it's funny, it can be annoying when it's used to throw tantrums or to lash back at someone.
There is one effective, best-bet formula, though: IGNORE.
When someone craves for attention and does stupid things to get it, the best way to beleaguer is to IGNORE.
I abide by King Charles II of the infamous Libertine and I need to borrow his lines:
"I thought about putting you in the tower. I even considered putting your head on a spike. But I decided on something worse. I'm going to ignore you. I will no longer encourage any hope in my breast for you. I am condemning you to be you for the rest of your life."
Panalo 'tong linya na 'to. Tumbling. Bravo, King Charles.
Then again, the question is, do you get it?
Pity the shallow fool.
Happy A., R.
Thank you for the wonderful years.
Yet again, I have to remind myself:
God has a way of balancing things out.
I just need to be patient and wait for the period of reckoning.
Haaaaay. Patience na naman. Why does it always have to involve patience when I have zilch of it?
I'm almost done reading "Brida," one of Paulo Coelho's bestsellers. As it says there, to understand how the Universe works, patience is a virtue that one has to muster and master. That is why God has an endearment to shepherds - they are patient, they commune with nature and they are comfortable with silence.
It's not coincidence that everything now in my life is boiling down to learning this virtue.
So help me God talaga.
In a place where there is strong religious (stress on the religious, but not spiritual) divide and I am considered an outsider, because I'm an "asing," I am touched and overwhelmed when local colleagues make me feel I belong.
It's been several times already that four people have referred to me as "Sis" or "sistah" in email and BB correspondences.
While I feel it's bakya when a Filo calls me one, I'm flattered and moved when I'm fondly called this way by people here.
To me, friendships and relationships matter more than any other kind of achievement and success. Reaching my KPIs is useless if I don't feel personally connected to people.
Salamat, salamat - for letting me in on the circle.
*warm, fuzzy feeling inside* =)
A day before my Thailand trip and I have not even packed a single bikini. Or a toothbrush, even. This is quite unbecoming of me since I always, always pack early. I have a habit of fitting the clothes before I pack them to make sure everything is suitably paired. Thus, ample time is a necessity.
With the workload and my current targets, though --- good luck to that!
I'm nowhere near vacay mode and I'm still trying to close out a lot of items before I leave the office.
There is quite a grain of truth in one of the leadership and management tips that I read: vacationing is actually a must, not just for detoxification or de-stressing purposes. Vacays actually compel you to finish a significant amount of workload because you feel that you need to close milestones before you leave your office door and lock it --- for a couple of days, at least.
This morning, I got my team's revised strategy approved and I've delivered a set of UX guidelines. Not bad in a week's time!
Must leave the office early tonight - I gotta pack and get myself on vacay mode. Katathani Beach Resort beckons! That's my cue for the straw hat and pinacolada!
1. This morning, God just reminded me how lucky I am. I have everything I need...and more.
2. You can't stop the star from shining.
3. "I can conquer the world in one hand, for as long as you hold the other."
4. Grateful...again for the hidden gems in my team. I am so proud of all of you!
5. I can't wait to take a break in Phuket, Thailand next week!
6. It's a good thing that I realized earlier on what the more important things in life are.
7. In anyone's death bed, nobody wished to have spent more time in the office. Nobody remembered last year's targets or KPIs.
8. But people remembered friendships. Relationships. How and when you extended a helping hand.
9. 4 years gone, and I still remember you very fondly and vividly. I love you, Nanay. Always watch over me and the entire family.
10. 8 months. Must projectize and focus!
Have a great weekend, everyone!!!
I am currently salivating over this Hello Kitty Polaroid Instax 25S:
Since patience isn't really one of my virtues (at tanggapin na natin na hindi talaga), I absolutely want to get this!
I'm hitting the beach next week so it would be really be awesome to have me Hello Kitty cam by that time.
Dear God --- sana may bumagsak from heaven na Hello Kitty Fuji Instax.
Happy pill...pahingi ng happy pill!!!
I need a non-artificial upper today.
I heard about the Agatha moves today.
Very good.
I will do my own Agatha moves if you don't take care of me.
So I hope you will.
Dear Friend,
In the past, we may have not seen eye to eye on certain things. In fact, it's quite surprising that we became friends to begin with.
We don't have anything in common. We were raised differently, we have different values and beliefs. We both knew our paradigms won't shift for each other --- and neither one of us expected to change for the other.
Despite our silence and our separate lives, I care for your deeply. I am saddened by the news that reached me. I worry about you and how you will be in the coming days.
You will be in my prayers every night. Although we all carry our own crosses, you are not alone in carrying yours. My thoughts will be with you.
Be strong and get well soon.
1. Israel, you totally rocked my world! I love Israel!
2. Next trip in my head: Vatican, Rome.
3. I'm soooo looking forward to the weekend with my Mom and Tita Rose. Saan ko na namang parte ng Jakarta sila dadalahin ngayon?
4. Patience is a virtue that I should really try to practice.
5. I'm crossing fingers, keeping the faith, trusting in God on that next big thing!
6. Shoulda, woulda, coulda: it was nice having this lunch time conversation with Ryan Bulan. Ryan, despite the what-could-have-beens, we ended up getting the things we wanted, anyway. In their own versions, so to speak.
7. I miss my high school friends. Must-do: pencil in get-together when I go home in May.
8. Strangely and despite Bali being nearby, I miss Boracay.
9. Ning, hindi ka ganon kaganda. Believe me. You are not THAT hot.
10. When there are limited options, what's pwede na can be premium. Talk about settling!
11. Hong Kong in July sounds like a fantabulous idea!
12. Eh kelan na ang Siem Reap, Cambodia?
13. I'm so glad Evelyn is my friend.
14. I know a play when I sense one. I know a game when I see one. No, I'm not playing it.
15. Tired. This whole week was just sooooo tiring. But it was also fulfilling.
16. Lucky star: I have undiscovered gems in my team. Woohoo!!!
17. From Before Sunrise: "So am I just a dumb American who momentarily decorates your blank canvas?" I loooove it! But whoever speaks like that now?
18. One of my fab gay friends is getting married. To a girl. Baskeeeeet? Why oh why kalamay?
19. Dubai Duty Free is so cheap. Thinking of saving up and getting a Rolex there. 400 USD is a BIG diff!
20. I'm so blessed. God, sorry for the bitching. Thanks for the bounty.
Happy weekend!
Dear Universe,
Sorry for the lack of patience.
I am trying. I'm learning the balance between the right time and the right opportunity.
And thanks...for being patient because admittedly, I've got a loooooooooong way to go.
Naiinis na ko sa 'yo.
Malapit ka ng bumingo.
A few more steps and you're already there.
Dear Bu, Thank you for believing in me.
You put enormous confidence and trust in me --- that I can do it and that I will.
With this, I can't fail you. I won't fail you. It's not even an option.
I promise that I will be acknowledged for what I have done, and not only for what I have planned for.
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