Coding day --- all over again

Azlan finally got his plates. Whilst Zara is coding on a Friday, I deliberately asked for Azlan to be coded on Mondays. 

7 years of coding on a Friday was tough --- Thursday nights are the usual spur-of-the-moment-let's-hit-the-club day. And Fridays...you don't want to be in the office still at 7pm on a Friday!  

I was absolved from coding for 5 months since I had to wait for my new car plates for that long. No waking up at 5am just to get to the office before 7. Aaah...bliss. 

Until today. 

I missed it though. Call me a sadist, but I did enjoy going to the office early. No people, no noise. It's just pure, unadulterated silence. 

On coding days, I get my silent moments in the office and I get to write sans the distraction. Very, very rare moments. 

So here I am. Back to the coding grind. It has it perks because it is God's gift of silence for me --- because I need to write. I need some space. I need my silence. Very simple guilty pleasures for me. 

Grateful. Very grateful for the gift of good mornings and introspection. 

Am I with the right partner?

Hmmm...quite a good read.

AM I WITH THE RIGHT PARTNER?

During a seminar, a woman asked," How do I know if I am with the right person?"

The author then noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so he said, "It depends. Is that your partner?" In all seriousness, she answered "How do you know?" Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's weighing on your mind replied the author.

Here's the answer.

Every relationship has a cycle… In the beginning; you fall in love with your partner. You anticipate their calls, want their touch, and like their idiosyncrasies. Falling in love wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love.

People in love sometimes say, "I was swept of my feet."Picture the expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something happened TO YOU.

Falling in love is a passive and spontaneous experience. But after a few months or years of being together, the euphoria of love fades. It's a natural cycle of EVERY relationship.

Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts. The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship; you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.

At this point, you and/or your partner might start asking, "Am I with the right person?" And as you reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else. This is when relationships breakdown.

The key to succeeding in a relationship is not finding the right person; it's learning to love the person you found.

People blame their partners for their unhappiness and look outside for fulfillment. Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes.

Infidelity is the most common. But sometimes people turn to work, a hobby, friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances. But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your relationship. It lies within it.

I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. You could. And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later.

Because (listen carefully to this):

The key to succeeding in a Relationship is not finding the right person; it's learning to love the Person you found.

SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. You have to work on it day in and day out. It takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it demands WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make it work. Make no mistake about it.

Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific things you can do (with or without your partner), Just as there are physical laws Of the universe (such as gravity), there are also laws for relationships. If you know how to apply these laws, the results are predictable.

Love is therefore a "decision". Not just a feeling.

Remember this always: God determines who walks into your life. It is up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let GO..

Ngarag.com

2 weeks of non-stop workaholic mode. 

Not self-inflicted. It is what's required to get the work done. 

Quotang-quota! 

I can't wait for the weekend! 

PA

I spent a big bulk of my morning and my lunch time making phone calls to fix my personal admin work: 

1. Schedule of payments for my Sofia condo and parking 
2. Credit card payments 
3. Schedule of payments for my investments and mutual funds 
4. My orders and buying schedule for LF Manila 
5. My lunch and dinners with friends

And the list goes on and on and on...

I can't help but think : I badly need a personal assistant to calendar my personal activities.

I do have an admin-secretary in the office but I definitely want to separate my personal state of affairs and my other business. 

Whew. I'm actually seriously considering it.

Wish ko lang. 

Libre namang mangarap.  

Memories

R.

I thought about you yesterday and a veil of sadness wrapped around me. 

I was just wondering how you are --- and if what you thought about who I am is true.

In moments of self doubt, I do think about the things that you said about me.

At the same time, I'm wondering if your world is better now than it was when we were together. I sincerely hope that it is. Otherwise, the sacrifice of letting you go has failed.

I wish you well, Old Friend. Everyday, as always. 

Love,
A.   

On friendship and disappointment

It is much harder and more painful when it's a friend who disappointed you. 

Especially when there's work involved. 

Friend, I do want to save you. 

But I can only do so much. You do need to save yourself. 

Pagod.com

Tuesday...and already tired!!! 

Stressaka emotera.

Game na!  

Gratitude

This week, I'm grateful for a lot of things.

Not in its order of importance, I'm grateful for:

1. Some desk time. 
2. Me time.
3. My new Kindle Paperwhite. 
4. Being able to finish reading The Perks Of Being A Wallflower.
5. Friends. Old and new. 
6. Time to work out. 
7. Healthy, organic food. 
8. Skye. 
9. His penchant for planning ahead. 
10. His corny but cute rhymes. 
11. My Mom. 
12. My Dad. And his coming around.
13. Abbygale. 
14. My own parking in the office --- because it's soooo hard to get one. 
15. My best friends. 
16. Being able to catch up with Ian.
17. Being able to convince him to get back into the circulation.
18. Coffee. 
19. Hot chocolate. 
20. My cozy apartment.
21. My cupboard and ref filled with so much food from Christmas hampers. 
22. Good health.
23. Unexpected windfall.
24. Reliable team members. 
25. My efficient admin assistant. 

What a blessed life. :-)

Wanderlust with Skye

My tickets for Chinese New Year celebration have been booked. 

I'm all set for the Holy Week holiday as well. 

For a change. 

Hmmm...I can get used to this. It's nice to just get the tickets in my Inbox for printing. Dang, we even have a Dropbox folder for all our plane tickets. 

Thanks for planning ahead. I'll make it up by researching on the itinerary.  

Miracle worker

It's hard to be a miracle worker sometimes. Frustrating even.

When you get things done and when you're too reliable, the reward is actually more workload. 

Apart from that, when things fall apart, you're expected to fix in superheroic time. 

Whew. 

First week of January and there's no warm up.

Bring. it. on! 

Kindle Paperwhite...finally!

What April wants, April gets. :-) 

Skye must be rejoicing. 

More reading means less socials for me. Hahaha. 

On success

So, so, so true!

2013: Starting it right

Not sure if making resolutions whenever New Year comes about is already passe' for others. As for me, I stopped making resolutions in my 20s, not because I don't want to make improvements. 

We tend to break resolutions. And resolutions should not just be made whenever it's the first of January. Resolutions should be made the whole-year-round. 

I don't make New Year's resolutions because to me, everyday is a chance to make small improvements or life-changing decisions. Every day that we've got is a chance to make things better. To make life better. 

I must say I had a great 2012 - better than what I expected. And 2013 for me MUST be a continuation of better things to come. And I guess, that is mostly up to me - me and my faith that God has already carved out His great plan for me.

As far as resolutions are concerned, I intend to do better and to become greater this year. Not just for me, but for everyone whose lives I touch.  

This whole month of January is all about pruning, spring cleaning, detoxifying and shedding off all the excesses to prepare me to receive more blessings each day.
 
Here's to claiming 2013!  Cheers to greater, better, happier lives!

2012, In Retrospect

According to Feng Shui, Snake-born people were not supposed to be lucky in 2012. Career was supposed to be on the down-low, money luck will be subsiding and lethargy will get in the way of big projects.

On the contrary, I HAD FUN IN 2012! I had a blast!!!

True, true --- things were not perfect. The year carried with it some glitches, but I must say that I pulled through with grace.

I cannot count one by one all the blessings that I received. That’s how much generosity I got from the heavens --- there’s way too many to count!

I returned to the Philippines with a better and brighter career. I am definitely happier and more fulfilled in my not-so-new workplace. I was scared of my comeback since I was filling up BIG shoes, but I did prove the weight that I can carry and the contributions that I can bring in.

I have so many windfalls to be thankful for, too! Money was supposed to be dry but the Universe was just way too generous. I’m not swimming in money, so to speak, but I can say that I have more than enough. For myself, for my family and for what I can share to others.

I lost my one great love, but I’m thankful that in this lifetime, I can say that I was able to experience and find it. At the same time, I’m even more blessed and more grateful to find a new love, a second chance to fall in love again with a great guy who adores me.

2012 had so much to offer. I’d like to believe that there’s both heaven and earth luck, but I probably tided over the trials and tribulations of the year because of my perseverance and persistence aka bonggang-bonggang kakulitan, hard work, strength, courage and resilience aka kakanta ng “I will survive.”

Most of all, it was my faith in God that held my hand. I knew I can make it because of my faith. My darkest hours became my finest moments because He was there --- the entire time. JC, I cannot thank you enough for embracing me in your grace.

So to all the survivors and to all the blessed, cheers to a spectacular and blessed 2013!!!

I’m looking forward to another great year ahead!

New Year's Eve

Woke up very early today. By very early, it's 6am for me on a non-working holiday, with no alarm to disrupt my sleep. 

Off to dear ol' Chinatown today with Skye. I hope the shops and restos are open since it's going to be his first time. 

Last day of the year.

Let's make the most!!! 

A tribute to Rita Levi Montalcini

I once wrote about her in 2009.

Nobel prize winner Rita Levi Montalcini passed away yesterday at age 103. 

Aside from her ever-famous quote that I held on to during difficult moments of my life, she is a woman who was way ahead of her time. 

While every girl was a wife and a mother, she became a doctor. And a scientist to boot with a Nobel prize tucked under her belt. 

I am saddened by the news that today, we lost a great woman. But with all her achievements and at 103, she must have lived a very full life. 

Hats off to you, Rita. All my respect. Thank you for the inspiration. Thank you for the encouraging words of wisdom.

Sharing with you the article from I Fucking Love Science: 


"Today we say goodbye to Nobel prize winner Rita Levi-Montalcini, who passed away today aged 103.

Levi-Montalcini enrolled in medical school in 1930 despite her father's objections (who believed that the role of a woman was to be a wife and mother, not an academic). She earned a degree in medicine and surgery, but her post-graduate career was cut short when Mussolini issued his "Manifesto of Race" which barred those of Jewish descent from professional careers. Rather than fleeing the country, Levi-Montalcini chose to stay in Italy and continue her work alone. She built a small research unit at her home and installed it in her bedroom.

She spent time on her research and as a physician during the war, and then returned to academic life afterwards. In 1947 she joined Washington University and became a full professor there in 1958. In 1962 she established a research unit in Rome, splitting her time between there and St. Louis, and in 1969 she became the Director of the Institute of Cell Biology of the Italian National Council of Research.

In 1986, Levi-Montalcini and Stanley Cohen were awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for isolating Nerve Growth Factor from tumor cells.

Although she officially retired in 1977, she never truly stopped working as a scientist or an educator. Eight years ago she founded the European Brain Research Institute (EBRI) in Rome. She (with her sister Paola) also founded the Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation, which focuses on the education of girls and young women in Africa. In 2001 she was appointed an Italian Senator-for-life.

Levi-Montalcini was truly an inspiring woman and she will be greatly missed."

Watch an interview with Levi-Montalcini here: http://bit.ly/ZMklM3
Read more about her life and work here: http://bit.ly/12QFbs8

Grateful morning

Today, I woke up with a grateful heart.

I had a good sleep. I opened my eyes and woke up to a beautiful morning. I was locked in a wonderful embrace with the new love.

I have a crazy but loving family. I have loyal friends.

God gave me everything that I need. Even more.

Grateful. Just really grateful for everything.

Come to think of it...

This is the first Christmas after 5 years that we are not celebrating together. 

I'm back in Manila whilst you are gallivanting with your friends in Vegas for the holidays. 

Despite everything that happened between us, I do believe we had a good run. I do wish you well and I am fervently praying that you are truly happy this holiday season.

Merry Christmas, Big. 

It's time for us to finally move on. 



 

Merry Christmas!

After gift-giving, slept in between my 2 loves who planked me so tightly there was not enough space for me! Woke up this morning with my Mom's cooking wafting through the air, my Dad's commanding voice, my Yaya bustling in the kitchen to help and messages from my one and only sissy. Aaah. Family. The best gift that God has given me. Thank you. I am ever blessed. Happy birthday, JC!

Last minute Christmas panic shopping

The ultimate that I have done so far. 24th and I'm still in the mall literally panic buying!

Oh well. What's Christmas in Manila without the rush?

Still so glad I'm back!!! :-)

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