They look cute but.....it was like looking into a "Men in Black" scene!
This pic does not do the real thing justice....it was SO PRETTY!!! ( I swear if I were alone I could have spent hours inside that place just looking at this pretty...pretty jelly fishes!)It rained last night.....
I love the rain....even after the disaster that is Ondoy....I still love the rain. For me, rain is a gift from God....the flooding that comes with it, is the fault of man.
Come May 3, my entrance back to the rat pack is final. I will be starting on my new job. A home based, research job that would challenge my ability to find the information I need from the wild, wild world known as the WEB. This is different from my current part time job where I could only work a maximum of 30 hours a week. This one required me to work 40 hours a week. The hours are regular and so is the salary. The only drawback is that I need to file for my own taxes, SSS, Pag-Ibig and Philhealth. Because of this I will need to keep my present part time job, because this one pays all this mandatory benefits (not counting the filing of taxes). But still no complaints, there's no need to travel (yes!), no need to dress up (another yes!) and I get to save more because I don't need to eat out.
The drawback? I have no reason to be late.....saying I overslept is not acceptable , and I can't blame the weather either because I still can report to work even if its signal number 3! So long as there's electricity and internet I am good to go.
Good luck to me!!! (and to everyone who is lucky to have a job they love!)
I haven't been here for a while....and I miss blogging and writing random thoughts and just well...being random!
Anyway, I've been busy with work, playing dakilang alalay to my father's Aunt. I never thought that going back to the rat race would be this nerve wracking, everyday I ask myself if I did the right thing while worrying if I have what it takes to keep this job or at least finish my contract. I am not so happy with my performance and a bit lost on how else to improve myself. But I told myself, I can do this and will do it!!!
Anyway 3 things I discovered since starting this job, sex is always a hot topic, it pays to keep your opinion to yourself, and yes.... a sense of humor is a lifesaver!
I've always had longhair and only had a perm once. An aunt used me as test subject for her cosmetology class. The result was a disaster! I think its one of the reason why I stayed away from styling my hair too much. Thank goodness she did not pursue being a hairstylist as a career. Anyway, this past few days I am mulling with the idea of having a digital perm, or at least partial perm....what do you guys think? Should I do it? or is cutting my hair short a better idea since this is going to be a very long summer anyway.
I receive my first pay from my first online job :D...yippee!!!
It isn't much....but for some reason I feel so proud that finally I am no longer a bum..hahaha!!!
The money would be spent for my granny's birthday this sunday...... and it isn't much, there would be nothing left by the end of this day.....(I am going out later to buy the stuff we need) and I would not have any money again till next pay day, but I don't care. I love her...and the money I spent for her birthday is the fruit of my labor!!!!!
Ahhh...5 days ...4 nights...of SUN and SEA and FOOD!!!
Walking the streets of Cebu city is like walking the streets of Manila, except that, its a bit cleaner (yeah, even the slum area where our taxi driver drove us to avoid the traffic, doesn't look as bad as compared to their Manila counterpart!). Language isn't a problem at all because, while we can't understand their dialect, majority of them understand Tagalog :D.
We went to all the obvious tourist spots, I took pictures, we ate...took more pictures and ATE some more!!! My nephew and niece went scuba diving with their Dad (all first timers!), their instructors said the kids did better than the Dad...lol!...We went snorkeling in Galatungin (correct me if I am wrong) it's a fish sanctuary in the middle of the sea. Because of an ill fitting life jacket, I almost went under and drown (ok I panicked because I felt that I was being carried away by the current and the life jacketkeeps getting pushed upwards to my neck and head) I have to change life jacket 3x! before I found something that fits nicely enough , but still I enjoyed the swim. The water is CLEAN, I could open my eyes underwater and did not feel any stinging sensation at all!!!
We also ate at this floating restaurant, where the prices are a bit out of this world....Php 500 pesos per head + cost of drinks! and all we ate is this, (note: this a per person breakdown) a couple of sea shells (around 4 pcs. per person), 1 shrimp, 1 small crab, 1 exotic looking shell and 2 pieces medium sizes fishes to be shared by everyone and 1 cup rice. The food was good...the prices are NOT!
Another thing, when you go there expect to pay for everything, snorkeling in the fish sanctuary was Php 100/ person (we got a discount for the 2 seniors we had on board who did not swim so we only paid Php 500 pesos for 7 people), at the island where we ate at the floating restaurant we had to pay 1 peso each per person and Php 64.75 for docking fee for the boat. We were supposed to go to another island but the manong who was driving our boat told us that we need to go back soon because there was going to be a low tide, so we ditched the last island, where we were told that we need to pay Php 100 pesos per person as soon as our feet touch the sand on the beach (crazy!!!).
I will post pictures of our walking trip to the city on my next post!
I left the rat race at 25. I was an Administrative Assistant/ Receptionist at an up and coming Software Development company. At that time we just made the move from living in Valenzuela to our own house in Bulacan. NLEX was still being constructed. Daily commute for me is at least 2 hours in the morning and 1 to 1 1/2 hours a night. I was active in a Prayer Community, majority of my office mates are single and earning double of my take home pay. I don't know which pushed me to the brink, the lack of sleep and long commute or the fact that I was frustrated by the obvious discrepancy my office mate's salary to mine (I was a clerk they are software developers and programmers hence the discrepancy!). Before I knew it, I was sliding back on my work, is always lethargic and for some reason just want OUT. So out I went in a very dramatic manner. Thinking about it now, I should have been more cautious of my actions. Lucky for me, the management sort of let me go easily.
It was followed by a year of frustrating job hunting. The fact that I was practically living in the province didn't help at all. For some reason, I never had the urged to move out and seek greener pasture. During that period the elder sister got married and moved to the US with her husband, while the younger sister graduated from college and thereafter started job hunting. Ever the independent one, she was the only one who actually moved out and rented an apartment close to where she works. I was still in limbo, until my mother asked me what I want and I said I wanted to try my hand at having a business. She managed to cajole my elder sister into giving me start up money. It was a family project, the only thing I did was research and do the leg work.
The early years where OK, but come the fourth year, we started hitting bumps and misses that is becoming more and more difficult to recover from. Before I knew it I was deep in debt, the business was losing money and I was losing my self esteem. It didn't help that I was fighting a silent war with depression and the fact that I was close to having a verbal fight with my landlady who thinks that I am an ATM machine where she could withdraw money even though the rent is not due yet . There are weeks when she would come to me DAILY to ask for an advance in my rent and stupid me just gives in!!!
Again I found myself wanting out and OUT I WENT!!! I sold the shop and took a break.
Now I am back to square one, older but hopefully wiser. I still want to have my own business but start up money is once again a problem. I have little in terms of personal savings and after a year of not having any income at all, that too is fast disappearing. I am making tentative moves to going back to work because I know I will soon die of boredom due to inactivity. I have applied for a couple of part time home based work and I am already training for two of them and is hoping that I would be accepted to at least one. The online business are slowly being revitalized, starting with our multiply account being redone by professionals (yeah, no more free template for us there!!!) I am just waiting for the final design to be finished before start working on the write ups.
The 10 months of rest I took has done me some good I think....(the fast disappearing bank account not counted!). I have kicked DEPRESSION out the door permanently and hopefully I have kicked it strong enough that it will not find its way back to me.
What have a I learned from all of this?..... that after falling.......you just have to learn to pick up yourself...that God is there but there is nothing He could do if you yourself does not want things to happen. :-)
I'm back to square one and is RARING to BEGIN AGAIN!!!
It's 12:37 AM, January 23, 2010....and I am still awake...blogging & surfing the net. Not healthy!!! I know..... I myself don't know why I am fighting off sleep.
This days.......I feel like I am sick half the time....tomorrow I will hopefully get the medical test I should have taken a week ago. Hopefully everything will be fine....
I've also been spending the past 3 days job hunting....I know what I want is my own business...but real life has reared it's ugly head to remind me that I have needs that can't wait. I'm not giving up yet. Hopefully I will find a part time gig that will provide me the extra cash that will tide me over until I figure out the direction I want to take. A home based full time job would be nice though.
Am I being too choosy? or I am already at that point where money is already secondary to my own personal satisfaction and general well being. I guess its the latter. After what I went through with my last business, I realized that peace of mind has no price tag. Unfortunately, there are bills that needs to be paid and retirement plans that need to be made (nest egg and all!) so yeah for now am job hunting.
BTW, our multiply site is going undergo a major facelift very soon!!! I'm so excited!!!!...and the garden is doing well....and just the other day I harvested my 3rd batch of mushrooms!!!... yeah life is good.... :D
Sometimes I feel that my life is on a standstill. Waiting for something to happen. My question is WHAT? (never mind the WHY I've stopped wondering a long time ago!)
I had a "super kilig" dream yesterday. It makes me blush just thinking about it. I wish it could happen in real life. But if it does happen, I would be committing a sin....that's not something to blush about.....oh well...at least dreams are safe haven to let our fantasies go wild!
It started last December while I was contemplating the coming of a new year and what I want to do next. At around the same time I decided to give vegetable gardening another try. Since I am a true blue computer potato (I am now adopting this nickname!!!) I spent hours doing research online before I actually picked up the spade to start tilling the soil. While I was at it (the online research) I keep on seeing articles and websites regarding mushroom farming. Before I knew it I was spending more and more time researching about it. So, finally a few days after New Year, I went to Manila and bought my very first grow bags. One of them was mature enough that it start fruiting the day after I purchased them.
Taken morning of Day 1
Taken around mid afternoon
Taken before I went to bed
Day 2
Taken in the morning
Mid afternoon
Around midnight
3rd Day
I panicked a little when I saw that my mushrooms barely grew any bigger than it was last night and the stems are turning brown so I decided....it's time...to harvest it now :D
Right after I cut it off from the grow bag. Not pretty to look at and it felt leathery to the touch.
After washing it 3 times in tap water. The browning of the stems kinda disappeared and the color changed to pasty white and its does not feel as leathery.
Cooked it in garlic and butter:
Verdict: It's hard to describe..... there's a hint of sweetness but not like the sweetness of sugar, the texture was soft but not mushy. Do I like it? ..... I LOVE IT!!!! Totally incomparable to canned and store bought mushrooms I've eaten before. It was simply divine!
I've been asked this question numerous times by both sisters. They both have thriving careers, one is married with 3 wonderful kids and the other one is married but have no kids yet. I am single and with no real plans of getting married or having kids. At some point in my life, I wanted the same, a husband, kids, a thriving business. But somewhere along the way my drive to stabilize a business that keeps spiraling out of control made me forget that ....yeah I want to get married too!!! and have kids and grow fat and old with the ONE.
I did grow old (my college friends insist I did not age a day since the day we graduated...Bless Them...lol!) and fat, not because of husband and kids but because I just stopped trying to please other people's ideal and started caring more about what I want for myself. The weight gain was due to my constant sitting in front of the computer while drinking coffee and sometimes eating cakes or pastries on the side. For this I will never apologize to anybody not even to myself. I love my coffee....and my chocolates....and the time I spent online....and I love me. My love handles will be here to stay until I decide I don't want them anymore.
But this post is not about my love handles (they will someday have a post of their own someday). It's about doing what I want and why I want to do it. You see, while both sisters has been giving me hints here and there for me to start THINKING ABOUT FINDING A REAL JOB (for those that don't know, I used to own an internet cafe which I sold last year) I was busy reading about gardening, growing mushrooms and composting. Yeah, me a computer potato (that term does not exist yet I think....and let me claim I made that one up!) who hates being under the sun, is thinking about gardening full time! The elder does not know yet, the younger one thinks its a passing hobby. I on the other hand is actually thinking of starting a new business that would have something to do with growing things, getting dirty, feeding worms and spending time under the sun. Well the "working under the sun" thing is negotiable because I still hate going out when the sun is out and shining brightly.
No I am not going to be a farmer ( a market gardener is a more apt title I think) . Something that will give me a chance to give back to the earth while doing something that makes me happy. I might need to work part time for the next few years or dabble in other business to support myself. But I think......I think for the first time in my life....I am on the right track!!!
How about you....what do you want to do?
P.S; I think I will start with the mushrooms and grow from there. Its more doable for a start up business and I have no extra hands to help me anyway. But the garden will definitely happen (I'm starting to slowly populate my sister's plot of land with organic edibles). I just don't know if I will do it as a hobby or go all the way selling organic produce. As for the other businesses I co-own now. They will stay and hopefully thrive as I slowly dip my not so dainty little feet on running a business once again.
p.s again (date edited 5/6/10) I felt so confident yesterday....but today I felt scared...what if this is another stupid mistake?
I never pay attention to calendars and clocks.....unless when I need to beat a deadline (most common of which is paying due bills in time before the service gets cuts off) . That's why I completely forgot that last December 23 would have been the 10th month since I sold my business. Not that I was keeping tabs and has no plans of celebrating the day I said goodbye to a failed venture that was driving my stress levels to a point that I was always feeling sick and lethargic. Nope...I WILL NOT AND WILL NEVER COMMEMORATE THAT DAY!!!
But let me confess something, that last day, before I lock the door to my shop for the last time, I actually stood still for a second and said GOODBYE TO IT. I don't know why I did it. I just did it.
Ten months after I did what I did I still am not sure what to do next. I am eyeing a new venture. But after my last misadventure with business, am now afraid to jump and get wet again. *sighs*
I let go of my internet cafe last February 23 and since then I've been a PMA (pahinga muna anak) LOL!!!
It's not that I don't want to work....actually I want to work...I just don't want to go to work for somebody else. Both my sisters has asked me pointedly what I want to do and since both of them has stable well paying jobs I understand their point of view. If your a well paid employee, its hard to imagine risking the regular income (plus health care and bonuses) for a business that you are not even sure will pay for itself. Well I've been running my own business for 8 years and at some point I myself questioned the sanity of staying in business.
But instead of making a decision on getting into another business or applying for a job, I instead went into total vacation mode....well actually I still dabbled in business here and there when I get bored (or scared that I might end up a BUM for life!). I told one of the sister I needed the time off, after spending the last 8 years working 12 hours a day 7 days a week. I think it paid off, NONE OF MY CLOTHES NO LONGER FITS ME!!! HA!HA!HA!
But since the end of the year is almost here, I think its time for me to start planning for my next venture and adventure!!! I have pinpointed the market, is doing all necessary research, making the necessary number crunching...now all I need is to slowly but surely rewire my body clock, because all the necessary work for the biz SHOULD be done in the morning and not at NIGHT... SIGH!!! I still have lots of prepping to do!!!
(what is it I am planning???? hmmm !!!!)
My sister owns a small plot of land a few houses away from where we live. Last year after the parents came back from their 6 months vacation with that sister (she lives in New Jersey with her husband and 3 kids) they decided to turn that empty plot of land into a mini vegetable garden. It was a 50% disaster. Meaning only half of what they planted grew into something edible. The other half was OK . Edible but not as pretty as we pictured them to be. My father thinks its the soil, my mother thinks its the insect. I think.....I think we did something wrong...OR we did not do something right :-(
Anyway a year after that disastrous start, I decided I want to give our little veggie garden another try. But since I would be doing it alone this time, I will stick with something doable for me and that is container gardening.
Well, actually my other reason for going container, instead of sticking little seeds and plants on the ground is because the weeds are driving me crazy. I would probably spend a month just clearing them up and I would have nothing to show for my effort so to avoid that I'll go the container way. Saves up on effort and energy, both of which I am too lazy to spend on weeding anyway!
Nina's Fried Itik
After lunch scene...did I say that just get to Nina's we have to drive for at least 20 minutes from Plaridel proper? Yep it's out of the way with no public transpo available except if you pay Manong Tricycle extra for the special trip. But for the itik alone....it's so worth the trip.
Food Cart (Name I did not bother to remember!)
Because he is my favorite Uncle and care for his health I split everything with him (except for the bill..hehehe!) the eggs looks nice...but the taste? let's just say it's not that good, the tuknenengs sold by the Manong on the street taste much better!
R. MAMON LUK
A couple of weeks ago, I played tourist guide to an uncle who came visiting from California. Since he only has time to do day trips, we ended up improvising by doing some DIY day trips. We visited churches, sampled local foods, visited churches, visited local museums and did I say we visited Churches....yep ...8 Churches in 2 weeks with bit of food tripping mixed in.
Saint James Church
Baraosaoin Church
Quiapo Church
Grumpy old man waiting to scare trick or treaters!!!
All treats no tricks!
This little kiddo came home with lots of candies!
Mr. Skeleton and his gang!
After a few days of gloom the sun shone again yesterday on my side of the planet. I usually don't like sunny days because of the heat but yesterday and today I welcomed the sun with wide open arms which incidentally is full of freshly laundered clothes and bedsheets (the giant pile of laundry is thanks to Ondoy!) . Nope, I was not one of the many casualties of Ondoy but one of my father's old aunt was. She lives alone in Valenzuela and the water reached the second floor of her house. Almost everything in the house got wet, including their chandelier and a giant painting which has hung on their wall even before I was born. I have lost count of how many bedsheets I have laundered (thank God for automatic washing machines and the help of manang labandera!) all I know is that I have been at it since tuesday of last week! Progress was real slow at the beginning because water was cut off in our place two days in a row due to tank maintenance and cleaning. Add to that the continuos rainy weather which makes it hard to dry clothes. That's why I really welcomed the sunny weather this past two days. It means I finally I can dry my laundry faster. Hopefully I will finally be done with everything tomorrow. Let's just wish the sun continues shining!!!
