Saturday, December 31, 2011

Peace, 2011!

Is it really time to bid another year goodbye? Wow.

Firstly, I'd like thank the Lord for all the blessings he continuously poured upon me throughout the year. He truly, truly loves me just as he loves all of His creations. I was fortunate enough to live through another year, healthy and thriving. There's no better alternative.

Secondly, I would like to thank every single person in my life. Because without them, my year would not have been as it was. Whether it was good times or not-so-good, it completed my year.

I have so much to be thankful for, and so many memories to hold on to.

San Francisco Giants season ticket holder. It was definitely nice to go to whatever games I wanted to go to, and know exactly where my seats were. Along the way, Mike and I made friends with neighboring season ticket holders, and took advantage of perks that came with. 'Til next time! ;D

Disneyland AP holder. "Hey, wanna go next, next weekend?" "OK!" Yeah, that was certainly nice. Now, we have no blackout dates and free parking. LET'S GO!! This will never get old for me... ever!

Having been able to go Sacramento Kings games and San Francisco 49ers games -- yes, yes, yes! I don't care how old Arco Arena/Power Balance Pavilion and Candlestick Park are, I will always love the home teams that play within its walls.

AI10 and NKOTBSB concert tickets? Yes please. Random weekend trips? Uhhuh!

A managerial promotion at work? A week shy of my one-year anniversary with the company? BLESSED! :) Though it saddens me that I no longer work with my favorite boss, I am still grateful and joyful that I am headed somewhere. And that I can still go to my favorite boss to talk about work stuff and sports. One.of.the.boys. I am also glad that I can still talk to my old platform team and my previous ABM. Truly, truly happy.

I don't know what 2012 has in store for me, but I am keeping my mind and heart open. Jesus, Drive the Wheel. ;D

Friday, December 30, 2011

HO, HO, HO!

Time flies. Seriously. I've been working 11-hour work days the past two weeks, and only have basically Sundays to myself. Well, I am finally on somewhat a mini vacation (although it's just Thursday through Monday). Being on salary sucks... I want my OT please! Ha. Yeah well, I am still blessed.

Christmas time was fun. I say "time" because it was a series of events. The work Christmas dinner was pretty fun, especially with our only guy riding on some mechanical bull that they pulled out of who knows where. It was his first time. We had an after-Christmas-dinner dinner the following week, where everyone's boiling seafood cherries went bye-bye (only two of us had gone before). It was a success. I love my coworkers, mainly because I see them more than anybody else in my life right now.

The friends and family annual Christmas party was hosted at my brother's house this year, with me as the event coordinator. Haha! We somehow decided to call ourselves "Madlang People" this year though I don't even know what "madlang" means. That's not the important part though. What was important was that we were all together once again, laughing about old memories while creating new ones. We played games, ate lots of food, drank lots of wine and coffee. I received an Amazon.com gift card from my Secret Santa, which I was deeee-lighted about! I'm saving for another camera, in case anyone else wants to chip in. ;) Ohh Leica, please be mine already! I also received other gift cards, a Citrus and Herbs package, dessert for my tummy, and blankets (I love soft, fluffy blankets). SO THANKFUL! We all stayed around until past 3am, which was the latest it's been in years with everyone having infants in tow. Great friends and family, delicious food, and Moscato -- sounds fantastic right? It was.

Then, there was another dinner for the bf's side of friends and family. It was great while it lasted, but having to wait two hours for the party host/ess already killed the mood. Plus, the new limited released Jordan 11s were far more important. Ok, so I can kind of understand, but really? In the end, I got some books, the bf got a pair of shoes, and wasted a lot of money because all but two others didn't care to chip in for tax and tip. Our server was awesome though! :) Thanks, guy.

At home, we open gifts at midnight on Christmas eve in transition to Christmas day. My family and friends truly know me well as I opened and received watches, perfume, a Keurig brewer, more blankets, and cash! *happy dance* :) I am also very glad that my friends and family liked what they received from me this year. My niece, especially, was very thankful for her package. When she unwrapped her present and saw a box, "Yes! A box!" LOL. She knew there were multiple gifts inside. That spoiled little brat; I love her.

Above all the gifts though, I am very thankful I got to spend this Holiday season with my family and dearest friends -- that we are all healthy and thriving. :)

Today, I spent my day running around. I visited my old manager because I know he can calm me down with his rock star energy. Later on this afternoon, Mike and I will be taking my niece and his nephew to Six Flags for some good times at the park. Pay it forward, right? :)

<3

Monday, December 5, 2011

SF 49ers: NFC West Champs


Who's got it better than us?
Noooobody!
:)

Friday, December 2, 2011

Disguised Answer

It took me a minute or two before realizing what He did, but I got it. I chuckled in my little dungeon, and thought, "Wow. He answers fast." :) I'm a believer in the saying that things happen for a reason, and with that in mind, I will go along for the ride -- twists and turns included. I know with Him, I will not be thrown off the road without a cause. Faith.

.
.
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Thank You, Lord.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Loc 4384

Without any formal acceptance or a second chance in speaking my mind, I have officially been placed as the ABM at the in-store, effective December 1, 2011. Cool. Except I feel like this was all a master plan, and I fell for it. Darn it.

However, I trust in the Lord. I know that He will be by my side through my new journey, giving me guidance and peace of mind through whatever may come my way. I am just thankful and feeling blessed.

Here we go. :)

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Grateful

No matter how much I complain and worry about my tomorrow, I know that I am blessed. I'm thankful for everything that continues to mold me as I am -- the good, the bad, and everything in between. God has truly been amazing.

I am extremely thankful for my family, friends, and boyfriend because they continue to be there for me and believe in me. I am thankful for J-Dogg because he plays a huge part in where I am today career-wise; with that said, I am thankful for my recent promotion (yes, I passed!). I am thankful that I live near the beautiful San Francisco, California, and am a fan of its two major teams: the Giants and the 49ers. I'm thankful for the roof over my head, for clean water and fresh air, for the abundance of food accessible to me and my family, and for the clothes and shoes that keep us comfortable.

Also... I am thankful...

... for technology which has made things so convenient, for my Disneyland Annual Passport, for contacts and polarized sunglasses, for scarves and gloves, for all kinds of hats to satisfy my need, for fleece blankets and fluffy comforters, for hot shower water, for coffee houses, for large purses and small cross-body bags, for hand sanitizers and wipes, and many many many more! ;)

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Remembering 9/11


We shall never forget the heroes and victims of 9/11/01.
Forever in our hearts, memories, and prayers.


Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Celebrating... me :)

This was my post semi-surprise birthday dinner, since I worked late on my actual birthday. It was planned and prepared by the sisters I never had -- Sarah and Sheryll. :) My family was there. The best kids in town were there. My lover was there. It was amazing. The food was delicious. The presentation was beautiful. LOVE LOVE LOVE!! I could not have asked for a better evening. Thank you, sisters!

Monday, June 13, 2011

#Winning

Congratulations to the 2011 NBA Champions,
Dallas Mavericks!

This was, hands down, the best NBA Finals in recent years. If you know me personally, you would know how this Mavs victory genuinely makes my heart cry tears of joy. I really like Dirk, and for years, I have been very vocal on how much I wanted a championship for the guy. Finally, after several disappointing seasons he's finally got one, and I could not be happier. Having Kidd and Peja on the team makes this that much more heartfelt.

Only a number of people would probably understand why I feel this way, and that's okay. :)

Congrats Mavs and fans. You deserve this championship.

PS. I want a "The Time is NOWitzki" shirt.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

MOM = Maker of Miracles

Let me tell you, Rev Run can be so clever! That's exactly why I follow him on Twitter, hehe. Did anyone else enjoy watching Run's House on MTV? I did. Actually, I miss watching it... so entertaining in a not-so-annoying-type-of-reality-show way. :) "Whose house? Run's House!" Hehe...

So, I really just want to wish all the mothers and those with motherly duties, including fathers, a Happy Mother's Day! I hope you all had a great day! Though, I must say that we should celebrate mothers everyday. After all, they are the reason we were even born.

My mom's is the best. :) I must have said this far too many times on this blog, and I don't care. Cliche or not, she truly is my superwoman. She's extremely strong, loving, caring, and generous. Her selflessness makes me feel so proud that I am her daughter. It makes me feel even prouder when I hear others, such as her patients, patients' families, and coworkers, talk such great things about her. I aspire to be as close as I can be to the woman that she is. I love you, Mommy!

HEHE :D


1 - Go to wikipedia and hit random. The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to quotationspage.com and hit “random quotes” on the left. The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”. Third picture no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use photoshop or similar (picnik.com is a free online photo editor) to put it all together.

5 - Post it with this text in the “caption.”

Monday, April 25, 2011

Impulse

After four stressful days at work, I was darn near ready to throw in the towel. Of course, I didn't because I'm actually not that dumb or courageous or impulsive. I did, however, voice my opinion with vengeance and laugh out loud (louder than ever, just to be obnoxious) when a coworker mocked the actions of the second-rate boss-zilla. :) I depended on the guys on my platform to keep me calm and collected, which worked for what it was worth. I love them most days, and I will be sad when the day comes that we all move in different directions (but happy too because chances are that it'll be for the best). Anyway, to support this feeling, I have got to say that being a subordinate to a hypocrite is very infuriating! =/

I had a semi-impulsive buy on Saturday. Mike and I went out on a whim as soon as he rang the doorbell. As we were driving, I had a list of the stores I wanted to visit with one thing in mind: a new messenger bag that is medium-sized in comparison to the ones I already own. First stop: Gucci. Last stop: Gucci. Basically, it was our first and last. I was astonished when I saw slashed prices tagged on that when I found a bag that I almost kind-of immediately fell in love with, I decided to... buy it! *sigh...* Because I bought it for a fraction of its original price, there was a no return, no exchange policy. I almost felt myself wanting to faint as I handed over my method of payment, already thinking what aspect of my life to cut back on in the next few months. I'm giving myself a no regret policy, all thanks to my American Express policy: charge, charge, charge, then pay in full. <3

On Sunday, Mike and I left for San Francisco early in the morning, but not earlier than those who were already in line to get in to AT&T Park before 20,000 other fans. We parked, got in line, made some acquaintances, and received our replica trophies. The rain decided to make way for the sun, so it turned out to be a beautiful day with a lot of sunshine and cool breeze (my favorite)! The game was exciting until we lost in extra innings, ugh! After the game, we went to Fillmore Street for some coffee. I also bought a new can of tea bags, mmm! :) While there, I also made a pit stop at Marc Jacobs, which was so conveniently located across the street from the coffee house, and bought a pair of fingerless gloves, a canvas sling bag (perfect for game days), and a yellow enamel bangle.

The rest of Easter was pleasant. I got chocolates (thanks, Mike) and ate a scrumptious dinner with the family. :) No bunnies or egg hunting for me, heck not even a floral dress for church! Nonetheless, it was a pleasant day.

Lucky me, I had today off as well. I still woke up my usual time and did my morning news updates before hitting the sheets for another eighty minutes. After having lunch at Olive Garden (unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks are so good), I headed to Costco to buy a few things. While there, I saw that the New Balance N4 HRM for $39.99! I have been wanting a Garmin for some time now, but could not allow myself to spend one-hundred something on it (riiiight?!). Sure it's been out for a while now, but forty bucks is still a bargain! Mike convinced me that it would be a good buy and would help motivate me and my physical activities. :) May will be my month, I tell ya! Ha.

So... I think I'm done shopping for a while now, or at least until I've recovered my funds. My last installment for SFG is due mid-May, and that excites me more than anything! Now, if only my cookie dough would thaw a bit.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

SHTTT.

Pressure.

I used to fare well with it, but that was years ago when there was no other option but to do school full time. Pulling all-nighters and acing midterms and finals, writing a five-page essay two hours before it's due, and putting together a semester-long project in less than one week were my fortes. Now, however, it's different. I am the lioness surrounded by sharks and a boss who seems to use analogies a lot better than this thing called brain (yeah, I mean my boss is smart...). I'm working hard to get where my road is telling me to go next, but as Kanye said, "Nothing's ever promised tomorrow today." I have seen broken promises far too many times, and I'm actually a little scared. Just a little. =/ What ifs... actually, I just have to believe in myself. Ha.

On a brighter note -- I went to Disneyland (again) this past weekend! California Adventure is still under construction, but it's all looking good! There's a new sign out front that reminds me of vintage Disneyland. It made me happy, haha. I used Priceline.com for the second time, and it did not disappoint me for the second time. I was very happy when I "won" the DoubleTree Hotel in Orange (about ten minutes away from the resort), but was happier when I found out that they provided free warm chocolate chip cookies at check-in and hourly shuttles to and from the parks. SCORE! We parked and stayed two nights for a whoppin' $145! :) I've gotten cheaper prices, but this time of the year (spring break) and with the type of hotel that it was, I couldn't really complain. On our first night there, we were able to catch a movie. What did the boyfriend and I decide on? Catch Me... I'm in Love, a  Filipino movie that was showing at the nearby theater. Yes, we chose it over Rio and all the other movies that had pretty good reviews. HAHA. We were probably the only people there that were either not with our parents or a gang of other folks who knew every actor in the movie. It was a pleasant experience given that it was the first Filipino movie we watched in the theater. :)

Also, my boys (the SF Giants) are starting to come together again. After a rocky start, they are dominating the top-seeded Rockies! Out of the six games they've played at home, boyfriend and I went to four. :) Parking kills us, especially when our usual spot went from $30 last season to $40 this season. We've made a choice to walk another five minutes to save the extra ten bucks. Oh and the Sacramento Kings... the Sacramento Kings... I'll talk about that when it's set in stone, maybe. *sigh...*

PS. Dear San Jose Sharks, please don't choke again. Thanks!

Now, it's back to life... back to reality...

Monday, March 14, 2011

Time off audit

That's exactly what I need.

I have to sit down, and think about how I want to use the remainder of my vacation and personal days for the year. I've already used a week's worth, so that leaves me with two weeks. In addition, I have to take five consecutive working days off -- meaning, weekends and holidays don't count. Decisions. Decisions. July and August are just about of the picture since two of my coworkers have requested weeks off during those months. Lucky men are going to Austria and Spain, not together of course. I'm requesting for a week off in November, just in case.

Driving in business at work is getting more challenging with every day that passes by. It's horrible! All the rumors, trash-talking, and the government wanting to gain more control of everyone's assets don't help us either. I'm keeping my fingers crossed; hopefully, I get even the bare minimum payout bonus this month. *sigh...*

I also hope that StubHub comes through for me. That site has been frustrating me these past two weeks, and their customer service hours suck considering that it takes ten minutes to talk to a person, who will then put you on hold for another five or, worse, tell you that someone will call you back in the next eight hours. That call never came, and it has been over sixty hours. Go figure. -___-

On a brighter note, the countdown begins now! I can't wait for some fresh cut grass, garlic fries, and Bay Area breeze. I also cannot wait for the happiest place on Earth! ;)

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Fast.

I need to re-connect and cleanse myself -- take less, give more; stop stressing and start living. I pray to God that may He give me the strength and courage to take bigger leaps.

Life goes on.

Now more than ever, I am so proud of my family especially my mom and her siblings. The family came together without second thoughts when we all needed one another most. Two sudden losses with only days in between, everyone remained strong and looked at the situation as God's will. We figured Tatay talked to Him; angels are now everywhere for the entire family, more importantly for Nanay. :)

Live. Just live.

Everyday is a gift, and I must never forget that. Not ever.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

SPRING TRAINING IS OFFICIALLY IN SESSION! Need I say more? ;)

That's all I basically have to look forward to right now. I need to make a trip to Disneyland in the very near future. I'm having extremely bad withdrawals! *sigh...* :(

. . . ... . . .

out of things to say.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Arcade 146

My taxes have been filed! :) I'm a getting a lower return this year than last, as somewhat expected (higher income = lower tax return). I need to start investing in a home or car or something, or just have babies. Haha.. just kidding. Regardless, lower tax return is way better than having to pay taxes. PFFT!!

Anyway...

Mike and I babysat his nephew, Bentley, on Friday evening. It was the first time we babysat him other place than his parents' house; we were at my place. In the first ten minutes, he shooed Uncle Mike away and was demanding his dad. It was sad but funny with his raspy voice. Mike gave up (sorta), and I tried to get him to play with us. After a few minutes of playing along with his demands, I got him to calm down and follow ours. Yay surprises -- kids love those apparently. The rest of the night, we played with Lightning McQueen and Transformers while watching Backyardigans and Spider Man. He stayed up until his mom picked him up around 2:30am, but he was such a good boy the rest of the night. I felt bad we were falling asleep. :( Nonetheless, I would love to babysit him again!

The next day (Saturday 2/5) was KNBR Giants FanFest at AT&T Park. Because we stayed up late the night before, we left an hour and a half later than we intended to. :( When we got there, the crowd was already massive, and lines at every gate were long! Geeeewhizz. It would've been fun to have gone inside and meet some of the players, but my main objection was to obtain opening day / night tickets. Well, guess what? At the spur of the moment, I made a huge splurge -- I signed up for season tickets! Of course I couldn't just get one, haha, which means I signed up for two seats. Mike will pay me in increments. ;) $2350 / seat! Ohhhh boy. But guess what? I'm a 2011 Giants baseball season ticket holder! I am in awe. Haaaa.

That's all I have for now. I need to grind it out at work for this month. I had such a poor January that I have to step it up. *sigh...* Wish me luck... lots of good vibes please!

Oh well. I'm a season ticket holder. >.< HAHA!!

Monday, January 24, 2011

Missing...

I love it when my days are marked with events; it makes me feel productive. :) January to date was full of events, and I wish it stayed that way.

in a nutshell...
  • My cousin, her husband, and her daughter stayed with my family for about ten days. They were visiting from the Philippines, and were in the East Coast for the majority of their two & a half month stay in the US.
  • My friend, Sarah, gave birth to her second child, and I was there to witness it! :) I also witnessed the birth of her first born.
  • My boyfriend celebrated his 25th birthday. A QUARTER CENTURY OLD! haha.
  • Disneyland with the family and our house guests. SO MUCH FUN!
  • Kings vs Blazers at Arco Arena. We lost but whateverrrr. :P
  • Skype, lots and lots of it. I miss my far away relatives. :(
I'm hoping the good vibes continue to come. I've gone back to work now, and the pressure is on. Here we go!

Monday, January 3, 2011

MMXI

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I am not one to stand by a list of resolutions or anything like it. I feel like change comes when the person decides it will come -- no need for a new year or whatnot. I just want to do more of what works and less of what doesn't. It's a simple equation really, but it gets tricky somewhere along the way. Live and learn.

 One thing I do want to do from this day forward is to find something I'm grateful for. I swear I've attempted this many blog posts ago (it may have been from an older blog), but I don't know what happened. LOL :) I guess it's better to restart now than never, yes?

Have a memorable 2011 everyone! :)