Mataas na Gusali

Ang routine ko pagdating ng opisina ay itaas ang blinds para natural light ang magsilbing liwanag sa aking kwarto. Patay ang ilaw ko hanggang mga alas kwatro ng hapon. Form of relaxation ko rin ang pagtayo at pagtanaw sa labas. Kahit madalas ay traffic pa ang nakikita ko lalo na noong nasa Ortigas pa ako. Mahilig akong mag-obserba.

Hindi ko lang makita sa files ko pero maganda ang nakunan kong litrato ng palubog na araw isang hapon sa aking opisina. Gusto ko rin ang tanawin sa taas ng building kapag umuulan, kahit pa kumikidlat - 'yung humahampas ang malalakas na patak ng ulan sa glass panel ng aking kwarto. For whatever reason, refreshing iyan para sa akin.

Simbolo nga ba ng kapangyarihan at tagumpay ang mataas na building? Nasa loob ka ng opisina mo at minumuni ang bagay-bagay. Success! You are on top of the world! Pero pagbaba mo ng gusali, sisiksik ka rin naman sa traffic. Maiinis. Magmamadali. Nagdaan muli ang isang araw. Bukas babalik ka ulit sa tore. At feeling on top of the world again. Tandaan lamang, the higher you go up, the more responsibilities you have. Higit pa sa 50% ng iyong waking hours ay dyaan ka na titira sa loob ng gusali. Kaya't napakaimportante ang masaya ka sa ginagawa mo at marunong magbalanse, at least try not to fall off.

***Para sa iba pang litrato ng mga gusali, bisitahin ang Litratong Pinoy.

Ang Aking Kompyuter (My Computer)

Ito ang aking kompyuter na aking madalas gamitin kapag ako ay nasa bahay. Kaarawan nito noong nakaraang buwan, dalawang taon na. Espesyal ito sa akin dahil sa bigay ito ng aking pinakamamahal na Tatay. :)

(This is my computer which I often use when I'm at home. It turned two years last month. This laptop is very special to me because it was given by my dear, dear father.)


Minsan ay hinihiram ng aking anak ang kompyuter kong ito dahil sa wala namang Fate na naka-install sa kanyang kompyuter. Hindi ko alam kung ito ay nada-download sa mga game sites. Ito ay isang laro na sinasabing isang role playing game. Ang larong ito ay isang add-on sa aking kompyuter.

(There are times my daughter borrows my laptop because a game called Fate is installed here which her computer does not have. I have no idea if this game can be downloaded as trial version from gaming sites. It's a role playing game. This game is already installed as an add-on in my computer.)

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Mood: Full
Music: Dancing Queen, Abba

Fireworks

This week's photo hunt is all about anything bright. The photo below was taken from a three day convention sponsored by the company. A party was held on the last night, magnificent fireworks ended the event with a bang!

Not So Fine Print

I think this will qualify for today's Photo Hunt theme - unique or funny sign. This was taken at Salt and Pepper restaurant. It's not everyday that one encounters table napkins with text prints like this which makes it unique. Nice idea from their marketing people.

Other unique or funny signs here at Photo Hunt.

Pebbles

I thought I don't have anything to post for Photo Hunt today. Until the pebbles in one of my flower vases came to mind. With a little help from my daughter, we layed out my entry for today's PH - thirteen. Here it goes. Count the pebbles out of the glass vase.

For other thirteens, you may visit the other photo hunt participants here.

Tatsulok

Ngayon ang ikalawang linggo ng Litratong Pinoy (LP) at ito ang unang entry ko. Alam kong masaya ang photo meme na ito dahil mga kapwa Pinoy ang mga kasali. Hindi ako sigurado pero ito yata ang unang photo meme na exclusive lamang sa mga Pinoy o sa mga marunong magsulat sa wikang Pilipino. :)

Ang tema ngayon ay Tatlo ang Sulok or tatsulok. Pauwi ng bahay galing opisina, tinanong ko ang hubby ko kung ano ang pwedeng entry. Suggestion n'ya ay bumili kami ng Toblerone. Palusot pa, gusto lang ng Toblerone eh. :D Toblerone, 'yung imported na tsokolate na korteng tatsulok. At ipinaliwanag ko pa ha. Anyway, nag-agree naman ako. Pero pagbukas ko ng computer ko pag-uwi ng bahay, narealize ko bukas na nga pala ang LP para sa linggong ito. At kailangan ko nang mag-post ngayon dahil ako ay nasa trabaho bukas at hindi maaasikaso ito. Ang bumili at magpicture pa kaya ng Toblerone.

Medyo naghanap pa ako ng tatsulok dito sa bahay. Napatingin ako sa maliit na pumpkin toy ng anak ko. Itong pumpkin na ito ay nakalagay kung hindi sa doorknob (sige nga ano sa Pilipino ang doorknob...ah, pihitan ng pinto...), o sa ibabaw ng shelf ng anak ko sa kanyang kwarto. Parang nagsisilbing gwardiya sa kanyang mga CDs, DSLite, music player at iba pang knick-knacks abubot.

Tamang-tama, makulay ito at tatsulok ang mata at ilong. Magaling, magaling. Nakakatuwa palang titigan ang laruang ito.

Kung nais sumali at bisitahin ang iba pang lumahok sa LP ngayong linggo, tingnan lamang sa site na ito. Bukas ng gabi ako bibisita sa mga iba pang LP participants. :)

Glass

It's been almost two weeks since the last time I posted an entry here. There were a lot of activities at work and there was an important family matter we needed to attend to the past week. All is good.

I missed blogging and blog hopping. I welcome the long weekend. It's a holiday on Monday in commemoration of Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) in honor of the heroes of Bataan and Corregidor.

My first post after a semi-hiatus is an entry to Photo Hunt, all about glass. I have these pictures since last year when we went to Baguio's Botanical Garden. These glasses were part of the artwork of the members of the Baguio National Arts Club. I am just not sure what they are, what they represent but they look good. I guess my pictures do not justify how they really look. Anyhow, these are my entries for this week's PH theme.

Free

Today's Photo Hunt theme is "Free". Sharing you this free item we got from one of the pizza restaurants near our place, Yellow Cab. I think it's their Valentine store promotion. You get a free bear in a tin can for every P600 food purchase (roughly 15 USD). It's cute and my daughter loves it.




For other free photos, please visit Photo Hunt. :) Happy weekend!

The Science of Fairy Tales?

The title and the "inspiration" to write something about fairy tales was lifted from Yahoo's front page. The headline caught my attention as I love fairy tales. I remember, as a child, I fantasize about Jack and the Beanstalk and Hansel and Gretel. I don't think much about Cinderella and Snow White. The witch in the mirror intrigued me more. :)

Anyway, yes, I guess Jack and the Beanstalk has the greatest impact on me. I was fascinated with the giant's hen that lays the golden egg. I wish I have a hen to do that for me. Lay me golden eggs in my own backyard. Wow! I have a Fort Knox in my very home.

I remember getting a little nervous whenever I think of the giants in this fairy tale. There was a show the title escapes me now which features fairy tales. Jack was featured and there was this giant lady with a macro shot which startled me. Gad, was she scary.

Fee! Fie! Foe! Fum!??
I smell the blood of an Englishman.
Be he 'live, or be he dead,
I'll grind his bones to make my bread.

I kept wandering then if it could happen that a beanstalk would grow so high and reach the sky. I would really, really give it a climb and see what is up there. That thought made me excited as a child. I was even plotting on my mind how I would escape the ogre when he sees me up there. Dodge, run, run faster, slide down the beanstalk.

What science could explain a beanstalk growing as huge as the one at Jack's. I know that there are explanations for gigantism but a giant beanstalk?

And what about Hansel and Gretel. One lazy afternoon as kids, my sister and I was able to catch a movie about Hansel and Gretel and how they managed to escape the witch. They actually tricked the witch so she'd get inside an oven before she bakes Gretel. Yep, an oven. Burn, baby, burn. Clever children. :D

I fancied about the witch's house made of candies and cookies. How I would guard it from the other kids who would want to steal a cookie from it. I wondered how it is to live inside one.

Fairy tales speaks of social causes of the period. Hansel and Gretel depicted the hardships in medieval times. As for the case of Jack, it created controversy as it was interpreted to espouse stealing. For what it's worth, fairy tales handed us moral stories generation after generation.

As for its science, fairy tales should not have any explanations, no science. Maybe they can actually happen as science says. Like how the explanation was with the parting of the sea during Moses' time. An adult like me would want clear cut explanations.

A small voice tells me though to let me use my imagination freely and not confine my thoughts in a box full of cold calculations and justifications why Rapunzel's hair could carry a man, why the Little Mermaid lost her voice to a sorceress, why a carpet can fly, why a hen can lay golden eggs.

Some imaginations need to be left alone. Don't be a party pooper. I don't want to lose the child in me.

*Credits for the pictures goes here for Hansel and Gretel and here for Jack.

Tiny

I fancy this one so I thought I'd share it also with the rest of the Photo Hunters. Below is a picture of tiny paper soaps in different shapes and colors. I don't use them nor anyone in the family but they are nice "decorations" for the bathroom dresser and can be a substitute for a freshener for small cabinets or storage areas in bedrooms. At least for me, those are the main purposes of these cute paper soaps. :)


Another sharing is this tiny replica of a high cut rubber shoes sans the shoe lace. My daughter loves this one because it looks so much like her pink Converse shoes. She loves collecting key chains but this one is her favorite.



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To TNChick, get well soon. My prayers are with you.

Tag: Seven

This is long overdue but it's pretty exciting to do this, posting my seven not-really-deadly sins. :) I was tagged by Bonggamom a few days back. Here goes.....

1. Lust - I will use lust here on the context of "having an overwhelming desire or craving for something". After finishing season 2 of Prison Break (PB), I have this extra urge to browse on Fox Network's site on the said series. I communicate with my fellow "inmates" on PB anonymous and indulge on my daily fix. Is this a sin? Well, not really but my husband shakes his head when he sees me peeking again on anything about the Miller guy and PB. It's a harmless indulgence. :)

2. Gluttony - I can control eating when I'm at the office. I don't take rice when I am out but when I'm home, I E.A.T. I think the appropriate word is devour. My husband and I love exploring restaurants too. I'm always the first to ask the food server what's their bestseller and that's what we usually order.

3. Greed - I'm greedy about my books. Sometimes I don't want to lend them out. It's like books are very personal things for me that I just can't let them be used by anyone. But I've mellowed down now. Knowledge is best shared. :)

4. Sloth - When will I visit the gym? I postpone it everytime providing reasons like I'm too loaded already with work and family. The thing is if one really wants something, there are ways and there are ways of accomplishing them.

5. Wrath - There are times when I am so pressured at work and the team cannot give what they are supposed to produce, I let off steam by saying things that first comes to mind not thinking of the "interpersonal management" we should always uphold in the organization.

6. Envy - I tend to wish for a lot more things. There's nothing wrong about that but sometimes I know I just have to say thank you for all the blessings we have. And sometimes, I tend to see the glass is half-empty before realizing I should maximize the half-filled glass to make it full to the brim.

7. Pride - I am proud of what I have achieved so far in my family life and my professional life. I take pride that most of them are through hard work which I have made on my own (not to belittle the guidance and inspiration my parents gave me and continue to give me of course). I am also very proud of my daughter and most of the time, my conversation with my family and friends always end up about her.

Maybe these aren't exactly sins but maybe few of them are habits I have to break the soonest. :)

How May I Help You?

We just had a Pizza Hut delivery. My daughter loves cheese so much and I love this new product of PH, Cheesy Pops. It's so cute, even their tagline is cute (24 pullable pops) and the commercial with the three yuppies dancing is quite catchy. Anyway, we do food deliveries every so often. I couldn't help but chuckle whenever I hear customer service reps (CSR, the one who takes our orders over the phone) from different food chains say their script.

KFC: (usually in monotone) Thank you for calling KFC Delivery. This is blabla speaking. Phone number please.

Jollibee: (usually takes a while to ring and takes around four rings before any CSR answers): Thank you for calling 87000. This is blahblah speaking. How may I help you?

McDonald's: (Recorded voice on their new product. It used to be like a kilometric voice over. Good thing now they shortened it. Ringing tone follows.) Thank you for calling McDo delivery. This is blabla speaking. Can I have your phone number please?

Pizza Hut: Thank you for calling PH delivery. How may I help you?

I can't understand why they have to ask "how may I help you". Of course it's for delivery. The thing is when I answer "I'd like to have a delivery of (insert product here)", the CSR would answer, "phone number please". They don't even acknowledge what I had just said. Then after encoding my number, they will ask now what I will order when I have just told them what I wanted. Lol. They strictly follow a script. I grin from ear to ear when I hear this. It never fails to amuse me. And never learn. Why don't I just say my number first. :) They should be taught how to go with the flow when talking to a customer. They can do that without deviating the idea of their script. Don't their higher ups call their delivery service and take note of this awkward script?

Though it sounds so impersonal, it's better that after all the greetings, they ask for the phone number. They ask so they can see from their data base if you're an old customer. They don't have to ask you your address but just confirm if the delivery will be on the said address. Then they ask your order. It's faster that way. In spite of the booboo on their script, Pizza Hut has the best customer service representative so far. They compensate it on other things. They have nice speaking voice for one. They ask you first if you want to know more about their promo. They do suggestive selling the right way. And they are sensitive enough not to push their products if they sense you've made up your mind on your orders. They're the most professional among all other delivery services.

While I'm at it, I hope the food chains will take time to be true to their advertisements when it comes to product presentation. A lot of times they are presented so well on their menu boards only to be disappointed when it's handed to you. Like this one for instance. Sometimes it makes me lose my appetite. When I was in the food industry, we always have this reminder to the managers and crews that what should be given to the customers should be "pang-commercial" so that they won't feel shortchanged.


It was like this.
When it was supposed to be like this.

*2nd picture originally from here.

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I'd like to post my Monday Madness on this Tuesday evening. MM On television shows. :)

Currently, what television commercial is your least favorite?
Political advertisements especially those from politicians I wouldn't vote for.

And which commercial is your most favorite?
Oh I love that commercial of Nescafe with the very pretty and sexy girl doing some dancing on a very hot day. Makes me want to have my own cold coffee mix. And I love the reggae theme. Check the youtube video here if you want.

Of the sitcoms that are on during "prime time" how many do you watch on a regular basis? Please share.
I'm afraid there's none that I watch regularly. Only those I tend to catch when there's nothing else I have to do. Will and Grace is one.

Is there a television series that you enjoy watching that is ending this season?
Well I do buy copies of my favorite shows on DVDs so I don't really know if they are ending on television or not.

Is there any type of program you'd like to see more of on television?
Shows like Twilight Zone, X-Files, Twin Peaks maybe. There's Supernatural but sometimes it's too predictable.

Is there any type of program you'd like to see less of on television?
Reality shows that borders on the insane. Haha. Like Bachelor show or something. Less also of those 'tween' shows in Disney Channel and Nickelodeon which don't really promote anything of real value to our tweeners. And then I won't have to do much screening with what my daughter watches if there's less of these or none at all.

Is there a series that is no longer aired that you wish would come back?
Friends, Sex and the City. Seinfeld. I miss these shows.

Do you watch re-runs of anything on television?
Yes, the ones I've mentioned above.

If I may add to these MM questions, if there's one series I'd like to see non-stop, it's Prison Break. :)

Wentworth Miller of Prison Break. But I watch it because the story is exciting. Believe me. (Picture lifted here.)

Ehem, now back to being a wife and mother. :)

Rare

Before anything, my prayers go to TNChick for her speedy recovery.

Been a little busy but here's my photo hunt for the week. The theme's about something 'rare'. Here's mine. In this day and age of iPod mini, nano and shuffle, vinyl records and cassette tapes are rare finds. I'm sure the kids of today have not seen much of them unless their parents have a collection like me and my husband.

These vinyl records serve as wall decors in one of the restaurants in Manila. They're cute. If you remember the movie Pretty in Pink (you know, Molly Ringwald...), they decorated the walls and the ceiling of their record stores with vinyl records. Well me, growing up, I was already using cassette tapes to record my favorite songs from a portable cassette recorder, where else? :) Oh this paragraph is so full of 'records', lol.



And these tapes are mostly from the late 80s and early 90s. If today everything can be downloaded, during my time, we go to a record store and submit a list of our favorite songs and presto, they will record them. I forgot how much each song. Bad, bad, bad though.



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I am participating at Amy's Scavenger Hunt. I've did this in one of our team buildings but let me see how it will go online. One thing's for sure, it will be fun! I've been wanting to blog regularly and I've been wanting to interact with different bloggers. Time constraints that is so true but I'll make time for my blogging since I get recharged doing this. I'd say this Scavenger Hunt would be one great way to do so. :)

Everything Nice Cake Shop and Cafe

Appetizer
When you were a child, which crayon color was your favorite?
Well, not just one but three - brown, green and red. I love drawing a tree bearing apple fruit.

Soup
On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being highest), how likely would you be to change jobs if it required you to move?
It will depend on hubby actually. If everything solely depends on me, I'll consider the job package which better be awesome, where the relocation will be and if I can bring along my family. If it's somewhere in or near California or Las Vegas, it's a 9 because my parents, brother and sister and immediate cousins are all there.

Salad
Take all the numbers in your birthday and your phone number and add them up, one by one. What’s the total?
I got seventy seven.

Main Course
Have you ever “re-gifted” anything? If so, what was it and who did you pass it on to?
I haven't really re-gifted anything as far as I can remember. Oh well, I'm a collector. Like, this came from this, that came from that person. Something to that effect. But then most of the time I give away some gifts I have outgrown or don't really need as donations or when there are drives in our office and my daughter's school. Is that 're-gifting'?

Dessert
Name something you need from the store.
I want some ripe mangoes right now and make some mango shake.

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While I'm at my Friday's Feast, let me share with you one of the 'small feasts' we had in one of the restaurants in Baguio City, Everything Nice Cake Shop and Cafe.


The place is cozy enough for a quick lunch and snack. The staff are friendly and very attentive. What I like about them is their sense of urgency. I can see from where I was sitting how they manage the cue of orders being taken in and out of the kitchen such that all are served in less than five minutes.


The chicken is swimming in white sauce that is so creamy it goes very well with the deeply fried chicken, ham and cheese. This chicken cordon bleu instantly became our favorite.


Whenever he can, hubby always takes his meal without rice (a substitute will do). Part of his strategic plan in dieting. Right. :) This hungarian sausage with potato salad suited him well. It's very filling.




Now for the dessert, creme brulee for Andi and their 'home made' potato chips capped our lunch. From our experience, Everything Nice Cake Shop and Cafe lived up to its name, from the place to the staff and of course, the food.

Friday's Feast No.4

Appetizer
When you travel, which mode of transportation do you prefer?
I prefer a car or SUV because they're convenient. I can bring with me a lot of things and put them all inside.

Soup
Have you ever met a blogging friend in person?
I have a blogger-classmate in graduate school. I don't know if this will count. I knew him first before I came to know he blogs too. But I haven't met yet a blogger or bloggers in person whom I first met online. The Manila Metrobloggers are supposed to have a "gimmick" later this month. I hope it pushes through this time. I have some bloggers in mind who I also want to meet in person one of these days. :)

Salad
When was the last time you were really, really tired?
I guess more than two weeks ago when I only had a day to rest in a week because I had to attend a seminar on a weekend. I didn't offset it right away the following week.

Main Course
If you could have dinner with any one fictional character from a book or movie, who would it be?
I always want my dinner light so maybe I'd choose someone who I can have a light conversation with like Superman. But only if he will come as Brandon Routh. :)

Dessert
Fill in the blank: One day, I hope to see _______________.
I hope to see my family in the US soon. I hope to see Japan's Cherry Blossoms.

Architecture

This is my first post for the Photo Hunt. The theme for this Saturday, March 10, is Architecture. The photos above were taken a few weeks back during a workgroup with my classmates. We met at my classmate's office in RCBC Plaza. I took part of Makati Central Business District's landscape while we were having a break.

City landscapes fascinates me sometimes. Offhand, they speak of progress, a fast paced life, a concrete jungle as they say. Oftentimes, for no specific reason, I just love looking at them especially the city lights at night.