I am blessed

Our management gave us the no-brainer task to segragate resumes of those that applied in our Jobstreet ad. So far with the hundred resumes I finished checking, noone passed. It's a waste of time really but it's good that they've given us something to do.

As I perused the resumes I was surprised to find out there were many of the applicants currently earning less than 10k, some even below 5k. Most of them are Computer Science graduates with up to 4 years experience although usually as technical support/computer technician. Immodesty aside their salary differ by a very wide margin with the salary that I and most of my IT professional friends are enjoying. Shocks, I can't even imagine having a budget of less than 10k a month! Tapos less tax pa yun ha :( Though I felt sorry for them, I had to reject their applications because we need experienced developers who possess the skillset we're looking for.

I remember 7 years ago when the HR of NEC called up to inform me that they're hiring me. I was ecstatic because I was told I'd be earning above 10k - gosh I thought, "10k? Wow this is it.. I'm on my way to being darn rich!" I couldn't stop thanking God for giving me job even if I didn't graduate yet (I received the job offer a month before our graduation). With the training and experience I got from NEC I was able to start building a competitive skillset. I'll be forever grateful of NEC for that. And now 7 years after (although hindi pa rin ako rich because of the darn taxes and darn mall sales tsk!) opportunities keep popping, not only for local employment but also overseas. Headhunters call when you least expect it. The future is truly bright.

What I did today is a humbling experience for me because I have realized how blessed I am that I'm not one of those whose resumes I had to reject. Whenever I feel envious of others who are earning more than I am, I should remind myself that I am also earning pretty much that now I can afford to rent a condo on my own. Whenever I feel the urge to whine because I haven't been assigned to UK or US like some of my colleagues, I should remind myself that hey I'm lucky I've been to the Land of the Rising Sun! Whenever I feel the impulse to bang my head on the cubicle's wall because I'm so bored, I should remind myself that I'm lucky I'm getting paid a hefty sum doing nothing. Yeah, I am truly blessed.

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For my Pangga

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

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Korean Hairstlyle? Why not?!

Tinopak na naman ako yesterday, I had my hair cut again. I just wanted to try that Korean salon just around the corner, West of Ayala Bldg. in Makati. The salon is Tony and Jackey - you may visit their site http://www.toandj.com/. All their hair stylists and even their receptionists are Koreans. Iba ang feeling that there were too many Koreans everywhere (there were many Korean customers) and added with the Korean music sa background parang gusto kong mag "Annyeong-haseyo" or end my sentences with "samida", hehehe :p

Ria (she was also with me) and I noticed that Korean guys are very vain. There was a group of them there discussing how they want their hair layered or colored. They were busy scanning the magazines and di pa nakontento, nag-internet pa! (there's a PC there) Ang tagal natapos nung isang guy, dami nya pinagawa sa hair nya, di ko naman gets ano yun, he looked like any other Korean to me. I can't imagine our Pinoys, except the metrosexuals like Mau, being that meticulous with hairstyle. Pinoy pa rin ako... macho. Mas gusto ko yung di masyadong pinapahalata na medyo vain sya, kunwari he doesn't care about the way he looks pero may beauty rituals din pala to keep himself neat. Basta ayoko yung mas vain pa sa akin.


It was Mr. Tony himself who cut my hair. How do I look? Hmmm when Steng saw me last night she was laughing so hard. Yeah, the bangs looks funny - darn, it's too short :p When I also came in the office this morning, our receptionist immediately asked, "Why did you have your hair cut? Ganyan ka na ba ka bored?" Hahahahaha! Yeah I'm really bored and tense waiting for my visa. But no matter what they say, kahit lait-laitin nila ako (OA!), I kinda like it. It's flirty and fun. It's something new, parang Anime look. I want to give myself a pat on the back for having the courage to cut it shorter than I usually would allow.

If you're feeling a bit adventurous with your hair, tired with the same old style, just visit Tony and Jackey. They are opening a branch in Cebu, according to their site it's "in progress". The haircut price for men is 300, while for ladies it's 500. Try it while we're still young and we can still afford to look silly... Why not?!

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HP & Order of the Phoenix - Review

The 5^th HP movie installment, Harry Potter and Order of the Phoenix, is engrossing from start to end. It picks up just where the Goblet of Fire left off. I applaud the performances of the three leads – Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson. I can’t imagine someone else reprising their characters – they’ll always be Harry, Ron and Hermione to me. One can’t fail to notice the muscles on Daniel’s shoulders and his oh-la-la biceps. Gone is the geek-looking Harry Potter. Pero nasobrahan yata nya ng kaka-weights. Di na tuloy convincing na pwede pa syang ma-bully nila Dudley or Malfoy and his gang.

The veteran actors also are able to pull off the best interpretations of their characters, but not to the point of overshadowing the young leads. Helena Bonham Carter gives the deranged performance of Bellatrix Lestrange. It's just how I imagined the Voldemort-fanatic dark eater should be. I’m looking forward to seeing more of her in the next HP films. Ralph Fiennes’ face as the Dark Lord is now more exposed, it’s less snake-like… makes me wanna let Voldemort resurrect to his full power so I can see Ralph Fiennes in all his handsomeness, hehehehe :p Sir Michael Gambon is able to show that why Dumbledore is the only wizard that Voldemort fears during the climactic face-off of the two great wizards. That scene had me grabbing the edge of my seat. The Umbridge woman (I don’t know the actress’ name) is also very effective in her role as the 2^nd villain… she’s infuriating!

It’s obvious that Ginny is about to play a major role in the next film. Though mostly in the background, she’s practically in every scene. Just like Hermione, she’s gotten prettier. The newcomer who plays Luna Lovegood nails the role.

Though I really enjoyed the movie, it just ranks third on my list. My favorite is still Prisoner of Azkaban, followed by Goblet of Fire. It’s because the other characters are not given much credit. For example, it’s hard to notice that Remus Lupin (the werewolf) is still in the film because he doesn’t even utter a single line. The members of Order of the Phoenix are not also properly introduced. I didn’t even recognize if Mundungus Fletcher, an Order member who thieves on antiques or treasures in the Black house, is there in the movie. Kreacher, the old house-elf of the Blacks, is not also given due airtime. In the book, he helps the Dark Eaters by lying to Harry that Sirius is gone. Emma Thompson’s Sybill Trelawney is also not able to redeem herself. The film still paints her as an incompetent seer when in fact in the book she's the one who made that prophecy, tsk!

I am, like every Harry Potter fanatics, very excited to get my copy of the 7^th (and last, by the way) HP book. I'll lock myself in my room on Saturday, mag-catheter and dextrose na lang ako so that I'll be able to devote all my time finishing it (hehehehe!). I hope JK Rowling won't disappoint me with the ending... wag lang nya patayin si Harry, lagot sya! Si Ron okay lang patayin yun...

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Separated At Birth?

Kim Tae Hee and Ria May Alama-Dilema

Joyce Jimenez and Sintclaire Chavez-Daria

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Happy 28th Bday Sis!

Happy birthday to the most amnesiac, probably already suffering the symptoms of Alzheimer's, girl I've known. She's the only who forgets wearing a bra to work (buti na lang cup A ka lang, nyehehehe!)...

Happy birthday to the most frugal, financially-wise friend. She's always stressed out after shopping because she starts pestering herself why she bought the items in the first place. Don't at all believe her when she rants she doesn't have money anymore...

Happy birthday to the most helpful, laging-maasahan na friend. She readily lends her money to us whenever we are in need. Buti na lang kuripot sya...

Happy birthday to the most beautiful friend with the most captivating eyes. Sensya na Ri birthday kasi, delete ko yung "most" after July 8. She broke many boys' hearts when she chose Darrix out of her many throngs of admirers. And until now she still breaks men's hearts whenever they see her and Darrix together. They couldn't help being envious to the tall guy, most probably wondering how could someone be so lucky...

Happy birthday Claire! :) You seem to have everything your heart's desires (darn! bakit lagi ka swerte ha!?!). So I have nothing to wish for you except healthy pregnancy and oh yeah, I wish you're child will inherit your genes in the looks department (hahahaha sure ko Darrix is also praying for this =p). I hope you'll treat us on your birthday. Again, I don't buy that no-money excuse. Okay na sa akin ang Sicilian Chicken Salad of Italiannis...

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My First Root Canal Treatment

I was elated to receive my Maxicare health card. Good thing about most IT companies these days is you're already insured on day one of work. I guess this is an added lure, doing away of the usual that employees must be regular first to enjoy benefits, thought of by IT companies to pirate software developers to work for them. Isn't it great that we're so in-demand these days? Let's take advantage of these opportunities. Seek the company that fits your long term goals. Look for the one that provides the healthy environment to build your career on.

Excited to use my card, I dialed for the Maxicare's 24 hour call center and asked for a dentist within Makati area. Actually, I hate dentists. They always advise me to abstain on coffee because my teeth are too stained. Give up coffee? No way! Just wait when I get rich, I'll avail of that costly whitening procedure that whenever I smile you'll want to wear your sunglasses =p

So I went to the dentist yesterday to avail for a free prophylaxis and 2 permanent fillings. Dra. Concio, the dentist, immediately pointed at my badly decayed lower right molar. This tooth gave me excruciating pain last year but I managed to endure it by popping Advil every six hours (don't follow me with that one, too much medicine is bad for the liver). I procrastinated going to the dentist until the pain went away permanently. Dra. Concio said since the molar already caused me pain, filling it (pasta) wouldn't fix it, it might flare up again and might lead to tooth abscess. She presented two options: to have it extracted and replace it with a denture or to undergo root canal treatment. Extracting was out of the question. I don't want to part ways with my lovely yellow tooth. If something can be done to save it, why not. So I opted for the root canal treatment. I gulped when she told me the procedure would cost 5800. Fortunately she accepts credit card. Ohhh yes, the power of utang!

She began drilling my tooth to clean and open it up. I felt an uncomfortable ma-ngilo sensation, like that sound of nails scraping on a blackboard. When she drilled further, I yelped in pain - no wonder many are scared of dentists. She then gave me two anaesthesia shots on the surrounding gum. When the effect of the anaesthesia seeped in, she began inserting root canal files (a root canal file looks like a needle) to clean the tooth out. Buti na lang my gum was numbed because that must have been darn painful. It aimed to remove the bacteria and nerve tissue inside the tooth. She even showed me a file with blood on its tip saying the blood was a nerve. Huhuhuhu she killed my tooth!!! I left her clinic with a lopsided smile, because my lower-right jaw felt funny due to the anaesthesia. I couldn't even flash my infamous cute smile (hehehe).

The procedure isn't over yet. I still have to go back next week for a tooth X-ray. I have to go back again a week after next for the root canal filling. And the week after that for the dental crown placement, which she told me will take 1 and a half hour... Naku! nakanganga ako ng ganun katagal!?! Click here for more about root canal treatment.

I've learned my lesson - I must take proper care of my teeth. Not only tooth decay is painful, treatments are also painful and expensive! Click here also for tips on how to take care of your precious teeth.

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I Chose the Light

Ray, Harley's barkada, and I planned to meet last Saturday. He had to give me my favorite Lindt dark chocolates - pasalubong from my poging boypren. When I arrived at the meeting place (Razon's Greenbelt), I texted him that I was already there. There was no reply. A couple then approached me. It was Izel, another barkada of Harley, and his girlfriend, Jenny. I asked them where's Ray. They informed me that Ray might not make it because he needed to iron out some problem. Naman! Inindyan ako ng original na kasabot ko (di ko alam Tagalog ng kasabot e hehe), I thought.

So the three of us chatted, talked about their plans. It was our first meeting since Izel, a US navy personnel, was only here for a vacation. I was relieved to find out they're so nice and warm. I was immediately comfortable and able to switch to my naturally madaldal mode. Jenny's fiancee visa has already been approved so she's going to fly soon to marry Izel. Talk about a brighter than Tide future...

After almost an hour, Ray appeared, looking harassed. He apologized and then recounted the reason why he almost didn't come. It turned out he and his gf had a fight that only started about a small something that ballooned when past unresolved issues were also brought out. He lamented that his gf is very selosa and immature, enumerating the incidents to prove that. She even texted him before he went to see us, "bakit mo ako iniwan? mas inu-una mo pa yang friends mo" - twengggg! Ray added, "5% pa lang yan George kasi pag sasabihin ko yung remaining 95% uumagahin tayo." Izel and Jenny were shaking their heads, saying "hiwalayan mo na kasi."

While I listened to Ray, I couldn't help but smile. Not because I was happy of his seemingly hopeless plight nor because I was finally clutching my yummy Lindt dark chocolates. It's because I felt glad of the fact that I'm no longer in the same situation as Ray's. I was also entangled in same unhealthy relationship.

When your friends start giving you unsolicited advice to break up with someone, you should consider it. Because they're the ones who notice, being the unbiased party, that the relationship is doing more damage than good for both of you. H'wag na yang drama na you-and-me-against-the-world. Baka lang mamatay kayo tulad ni Romeo and Juliet. When your relationship is bringing out not the best but the worst of both, you should step back and heave the courage to end it. Because the truth is you'll be doing BOTH of you a favor. It's wrong being always mindful of your actions because you're afraid you might arouse his/her temper or jealous streak. It's as if walking on tiptoe on a thin sheet of ice whenever you're with him/her, which is absurd! Because you should be your true self in every relationship. Your partner should witness your unguarded you and let him/her cherish that.

Looking back, I am so glad I found the courage to heed my friend's advice and choose the light. Because I believe we are both happy now.

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