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This is a post-dated entry just because I might not be able to post tomorrow. :)
Anyway, I’ve been a very delinquent blogger lately, I know. It’s weird; it kind of feels like I’ve run out of things to say here. Weirdly enough, I write at other blogs, but they’re usually the cryptic entries that you wouldn’t really understand except if you know the whole story or if you’re amazingly observant.
So what have I been up to? Well, I’ve been reading. And reading. And writing. I’ve been taking some time off online just so I can catch up on my journal (which I’ve really neglected) as well as catch up on my reading with the new books I’ve managed to get the past few days. Since my dad is home, I also spend my time at home instead of staying over at the condo to make the most out of his month-long stay here.
At work, there’s the usual stuff that we do, plus of course, club stuff. I’m sort of on rest mode now from major activities to prepare for the year-end party, so now all I do are email announcements for our weekly activities, and attend Sportsfest events to support that activity. It’s nice to be sort of resting but not really…you know how that feels? Or maybe it’s just me, I don’t know. :)
Trainings are available again for us at work, and I’m thinking of taking a Time Management training just so I can manage my time better (um…duh). Plus I promised my manager I’d be better at time management especially now that I seem to have too many activities. Let’s see how I get to that, and maybe I’ll share my learnings here. :)
Yesterday some club friends and I had our first “jologs” night – after dinner we all trooped to Eastwood Cinemas to watch A Very Special Love. Haha winner! We were laughing half the time we were watching the movie — with all the lines, the stories and the teasings we made to each other. After the movie I would’ve gone to the coffee shop to read alone and grab some Starbucks coffee, but a friend saved me from buying burgis coffee by accompanying me while I wait for the parents. Fun times. :) We agreed to do this as often as we can, with every Pinoy movie that comes out in the next months. :) I haven’t laughed so much since…well, last week actually, after our bi-weekly club meeting. I swear, joining the club has got to be one of the best things I’ve done this year — I’ve met some of the most wonderful people at work, thanks to this. :D Who needs to get paid for extra work when you do it with these amazing people?
Anyway, I really should get back to reading. Then again by the time you read this I might be asleep already. :P I just want to write something here, just so you guys know I’m still alive, and because this day comes only once in a millennium (the next is in 3008 right? Gosh, I can’t even fathom that year). I’ll get to blogging more in the next few days, let me just get some reading and work out of the way.
Have a great Friday and 080808 day! :) I’ll be bringing a camera to work just so I can document this day. Let’s see what happens. ;)
Today I didn’t get to do what I wanted to do: go home as early as I want to, go boxing, spend nothing for dinner, and rest without going online because I am sore with boxing. You know why? All because of the rain. :| Boo. And my rubber shoes suddenly breaking down. Double boo.
Oh well. Boxing on Saturday then.
Today was a quiet day. I was mostly working on the backlog of requests that we had for the past few days because of our system migration (haha I missed saying this), and it’s really a big test of patience to work on them because of some bugs that are still in the system. Interestingly, I got to make a bit more work, but it’s far from over. We still have a ton of backlog to work through, and hopefully the system shaping up so we can get used to using it and we can get all these work out of the way.
Anyway, other than the normal work, I realized today that I’m not as mature as I thought I was. I think I may have posted something related to this before, but anyway. It just hit me again that…well, I’m a work in progress. And I know there’s nothing wrong with that, but truth be told, my ego stings a little. I guess, deep inside, I really liked my being “old” for my age. It gives me a certain…I don’t know, edge, or maturity over other people who act their age. Of course, it’s also tiring to be like that, but I’ve been so used to it that wherever I am, whoever I meet, I’ve always automatically assumed the role of being “the mature one.” The older sister. The leader, if we may use the term.
Today I learned a few things that kind of stung a bit. It definitely hit my ego, which is why I feel a teensy bit crummy right now. But I’ve got to remind myself that these things are good for me. The things I learned are the things I need to know for me to improve. It wasn’t given to me to make me feel bad but to make myself better. I’ve got to remember that, because if not, the crummy side will take over and I’ll take all of this personally when really, I shouldn’t.
A friend once told me that as we grow up, we’ve got to get thicker skin, the kind that can take “beatings” without batting an eyelash (wait did I use the right words?). The one where you don’t get affected by the smallest things. I realized today that I’m far from that. I may seem like I’m not but that’s only because of the defense mechanism I have.
Grow up, Tina. Be a better person. Be stronger. Face this, accept this with open arms and learn from this.
Hay, growing up can be so hard, yes? It’s not just budgeting and planning, but a whole lot more. Sigh. Give me the grace I need, Lord.
Ah, Saturday!
It’s no news that the past days/weeks has been a bit of hectic for me, because of all the things I’ve signed myself up to do. The past weeks has been difficult — physically, mentally and emotionally. But I think I’m finally done with everything…okay, almost everything. I think I still have some leftover stuff I need to do, but most of the pending stuff are done. :)
Admittedly the past week has been better than the last few ones, probably because I’m not worrying about Australia anymore. I guess it really is a blessing in disguise that I didn’t push through because if I was, I probably be wouldn’t blogging right now, plus I’d probably be going crazy right now with preparing. Not to mention bankrupt with all the things I need to buy for my trip. No regrets. :)
Last night was our company’s townhall, and I was a part of the townhall committee. It was a month-long preparation, and I’m really glad I survived it. :D I got to head the creatives team, which I chose to be a part of mostly because of what I do for the club I am a part of at work — make email announcements. Turns out there’s so much more stuff to do for the team — from the program concept to the script to the sounds! ACK! Thank God I was with a great team! It was stressful, yes, but it was all a great learning experience. In the span of two weeks, I learned how to animate in Flash and edit sounds in Garageband (overnight!). I also made a simple Flash presentation in the span of an hour. That’s a personal record. :D
The townhall was a success, at least in my point of view. It may not be as grand as the kick-off early this year, but I know we gave all our best here. There’s still one more townhall on Monday which I have to sit out on since I really need to rest. But that’s one thing off my Big Rocks list for the next week. :) Yay.
Oh, but there was a surprising moment yesterday! On the second part of the awarding ceremony at the townhall, they were showing some videos about employees who have embodied one of the company’s values. On the fourth video, there was a news report of sorts by none other than our club president and other friends, and then all of a sudden, I saw my face (and four other friends’ faces) onscreen. Haha, turns out, we were being honored for being dedicated to the club! Surprise galore? So that’s why MM said something about everything being worth it in the end. Haha. So again, even if I said this in the email last Friday, let me say it once again: THANK YOU! :)
After last night’s second run, I met up with my successor in the project team I’ve been heading for the past two quarters, and I’m really glad that my term for being lead is over. :) I like what I do, but it’s kind of tiring being the lead. Plus, it’s time for someone else to take over. :)
I went home and slept like a log until almost noon. I watched Horton Hears a Who on DVD and then some TV and finally went to Galleria to go online. Obviously I’m still here, and I’m still deciding if I should geta pedicure later to treat myself. But maybe after I finish accounting my funds.
So it’s a relatively slow Saturday. I’ve got some little stuff I need to do, but like I said, it’s little. I want to spend some time alone for a while because I’ve been surrounded by people lately. Me time, me time.
I just realized how…novel-ish this situation is. I’m sitting at a coffee shop with my laptop, iPod plugged into my ear, cellphone beside me and a book waiting to be read. Plus I’ll be going home to the condo later, and for a few hours I’d be sitting there alone because my brother’s going home late. How…grown-up. Ha, I feel like I’m Rain.:P
Here’s to a relatively quiet weekend. :) Starting next week I’ll be going back home to our house because condo living is expensive. Sure, it feels more posh to live in a condo (even if we don’t have home theater carpet there) but it’s definitely cheaper to just go home. I guess…here’s to a relatively quiet week ahead. :D
Happy weekend everyone!
I guess I better spit it out now because I totally (and purposefully) forget about this.
I’m not going to Australia for World Youth Day 2008.
I know. Surprising, after having this (not so active) blog, and the posts about me registering as a pilgrim and me saying I’d push through even if I know I’d be totally wiped out from all the expenses because I know the experience will be worth it. It still pains me to really accept that my more than a year-long dream of going to Australia for this event is not going to push through. But I’ve got to face and stick to my decision, no matter how painful and regretful I feel, because I believe it’s the right thing to do now.
The main reason why I am not going anymore is that my visa arrived just three days ago. Interesting, right? Especially since my scheduled departure is on the 13th. And because my visa did not arrive on time, I wasn’t able to book any flights. Sure, I had some reserved, but since the visa isn’t here yet, I couldn’t pay for them. And time was running out.
Why didn’t the visa arrive on time? I passed my application papers to our group last May and was expecting to get them back the following week. But the next week they’re still not with me, and the following week and the following…until I finally heard that they were on hold because of some missing papers that I’m not supposed to pass because someone is supposed to take care of it. And then, I heard it was passed again and I got another message that the application form I used was the old one, so I had to sign again. And so I did. I thought I wouldn’t be approved anymore because I know the validity of my certificate of employment is only for a month. The week went on without any news, and I told myself that if July comes in and there’s no news yet, I would not be going regardless of what the results of my visa application is.
Well hello. Visa approved. I learned this the day after I finally made my decision not to go. :|
(More…)
Hah, weekend. And I’m actually at home, instead of sitting in the condo, using Smart 3G at an attempt to be online. Yes, home sweet home.
Last week…was another difficult week. Interestingly, I’ve had three straight difficult and stressful weeks and it feels like it’s been going on forever. Hay. I can’t elaborate on things (yet), but suffice to say, I’m just glad it’s over. It was challenging, tear-inducing and very disappointing, and somehow I think all that happened has made me jaded. :|
Although, I just received some good news today, and fortunately I am seeing brighter skies (and lighter load, praise God) ahead. Next week’s going to be insanely busy with the company townhall and all that I am a part of, but I’m glad to say that after that, I will be more or less free. :) Thank You Lord. :D
But, if there’s one thing I learned the past weeks, it’s that all is temporary. Meaning, it’s all part of life. Things outside our circle of influence happen, and all we can do is try to make the right choices and never regret the decisions we make, and adjust to how things happen. Yes, that makes life complicated, but, as my friend says, “An uncomplicated life is not a life at all; it’s a routine.” I agree. :)
It hit me just now that I haven’t been paying attention to any of my 2008 Goals. :| Eeep. And we’re already at the second half of the year! Must pick them up again! I’ve got places to go (unfortunately one has been temporarily removed from the list, erm), things to do, recipes to try and bake (I haven’t baked in the longest time!), and goals to accomplish! Yeahbah. Bring it on. :)
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