A Girl’s Notebook :)

• Why do people point to their wrist when asking for the time, but don’t point to their crotch when they ask where the bathroom is?
• If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?
• Why do you press harder on the buttons of a remote control when you know the batteries are dead?
• Why do we choose from just two people for President and 50 for Miss America?
• Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavoring, and dish washing liquid made with real lemons?
• Why do thaw and unthaw mean the same thing?
• Sooner or later, doesn’t everyone stop smoking?
• Since bread is square, then why is most sandwich meat round?
• Can you cry under water?
• If money doesn’t grow on trees then why do banks have branches?
• If 4 out of 5 people SUFFER from diarrhea…Does that mean the fifth one enjoys it?
• Why don’t you ever see the headline Psychic Wins Lottery?
• Why doesn’t Tarzan have a beard?
• I thought about how mothers feed their babies with tiny little spoons and forks so I wondered what do Chinese mothers use? Toothpicks?
• If women ran the Pentagon, would missiles and submarines be shaped differently?
• How can the weather be “hot as hell” one day and “cold as hell” another?
• Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called “rush hour”?
• Why isn’t the number 11 pronounced onety one?
• Doesn’t “expecting the unexpected” make the unexpected expected?
• When cheese gets its picture taken, what does it say?
• Why is bra singular and panties plural?
• If you take an Oriental person and spin him around several times, does he become disoriented?

Nice!

Ciao!

Today the Philippines remembers its great heroes. Each and everyone of us has our own interpretation of what a hero means. What is important is that we should never forget the great things that our national heroes did for our country.

In our generation, we don’t need to die in order to be called a hero. I believe that doing what is right and living with integrity will be good enough for us to be called one.

Ciao!

We just finished our third week of training last week. We had our mock calls with the batch ahead of us acting as clients while our batch is the technician. So far, I am enjoying the training and I am learning a lot of things. But each week, our lessons get tougher and tougher. I really need to focus and study hard. The tools they have are amazing. Though using different seo service helps a lot, the tools provided for our training and for the actual calls are very helpful.

I miss my friends from my previous work, but I am starting to gain new friends now. We have a lot of practice as per taking calls and case logging are concern. Yet, I know that when the time we go live, I would really be very nervous.

We still have 3 weeks of training left, then we’ll have our transition queue for 4 weeks. I always pray to Jesus to help me during the training and that I will be able to pass our tq week and meet all the credentials needed.

It will be a long way to go for me. A new challenge. A new career.

Ciao!

When I was in Plaridel, Quezon last June to pay our last respect to my departed paternal grandmother, I noticed a very interesting poster pinned into the announcement board of the church. It showed the picture of Jesus Christ holding a cell phone with a tag line that read, “Listen… You have a Call!”

A poster of the Augustinian missionaries inviting the men has a “call” to join them in the order. It really caught my attention because of how they were able to incorporate technology in their mission.

Well, I hope, we would be able listen very carefully if we a have “call” to join the missionary. I hope that we will not be deaf to hear this call, because it is actually Jesus who’s calling us.

Really nice poster Augustinians!

Ciao!

I was on my way to our building work last Tuesday (August 25) when I heard little “meow” near a small tree in front of Mini Stop beside Citibank tower in Eastwood City. I tried to find where it came from, and found a white kitten. I could not bring her with me then, since I will be reporting for work. So I told myself that if I find it there tomorrow, when I get out of work, I would bring it home.

Nine hours of work passed slowly and it was time to go. Before, crossing the over pass to get us safely to the other side of E. Rodriguez Avenue, I told my colleagues who to wait for me at the foot bridge for I will just need to look for something. Instead of waiting, they decided to come with me.

There at the tree, still lays the white kitten I seen last night. I asked the jeepney barkers and side vendors if somebody owned the poor kitten. They said that no one owned it, so I picked it up and brought it home!

I didn’t know how to tell my mother that I adopted another kitten. Anyway, when I arrived home, I introduced the kitten to our older cats, Chichi and Chaka and told them that she is their new little sister. Oh, I was able to find out that it is a she.

Ro with my sister Patty

When Nonet awakes, I told her that I brought her a pet. She is so happy to find the kitten. She named her Ro. It was Barbie’s name from the movie, The Island Princess. As you all know, it is my daughter’s all time favorite movie!

I hope Ro, will grow healthy and become a good-looking white cat someday.

Ciao!

Though ney and I slept around 3AM last Sunday (Aug. 23) from bar hopping in Lucena City, we still woke up at around 7AM. I guess I am just maximizing the time that we have for I would be leaving for Manila in the afternoon.

After taking a shower, we decided to eat our breakfast in a Chinese resto we used to eat then. The food store isn’t open yet so we need to look for another place to eat.

As I can recall, nothing much have changed since my last visit in Lucena, which was 4 years ago. I took pleasure in watching the local folks do their usual morning activities. Once again, I enjoyed the cool and calm breeze of the city.

After breakfast, we headed our way to Lucena public market. I wanted to buy a dried fish called “daing na pugot”. As the name implies, it is called “daing na pugot” because it is headless. I bought half a kilo of it, dilis and dried squid. Ney teased me that the bus conductor will not let me in because of my daings!

Ney then bought a dozen of longganisang Lucban for Nonet. I also got a kilo of Japanese corn and an Upo. Would you believe that I got the upo for only Php10. The size of the upo can actually feed 2 families!

We went back to our hotel room at around 10AM. We rested for a while. I pack the daings I bought properly, so it will not cause a “daing” smell in the bus later on. Then, ney and I visited another mall in Lucena called the Pacific Mall.

There was a food stall in Pacific Mall that offers very delicious spaghetti. I have craved when I was still pregnant with our daughter for the same spaghetti. We toured around the mall, and then decided to have our lunch there. I was disappointed, for it wasn’t the same taste of spaghetti I have missed.

We went back to the hotel and took a nap. By 6PM we prepared ourselves and our things. Ney and I went to Lucena grand terminal together. He will be onboard a bus going to Gumaca while I would be on a bus going to Cubao. We bid our goodbyes. It was sad to say goodbye. But then, we have our own works to attend to. Anyway, I know that we will always be together.

With God’s blessings, I know that someday, all “crumples” in our relationships will be smoothened.

Ciao!

My last visit to Lucena, if I am not mistaken was in 2005. It has been 4 years since the last time I’d been there. I got off JAM Liner at around 7:30PM and headed my way to SM Lucena. ‘ney and I decided to meet each other there. As soon as I stepped out of the bus, I really breathe the fresh air the place has. It was very a very calm and relaxing feeling. Though, Lucena has been a city for some years now, one cannot really feel the “city” feeling because it is really far from the pollution Manila has. I was happy that I was once in Lucena again.

I told ney that I want to have dinner at Buddy’s Restaurant. That restaurant originated from Lucban, Quezon. I was able to dine in their original branch already. I love their Pancit Lucban so much! The store has 2 branches in Manila. One is in Market! Market! Mall in Taguig. The other is along Pearl Drive Avenue at the back of Philippine Stock Exchange in Ortigas (I believe it is still part of Pasig City).

Anyway, we still need to check the mall’s directories list to look for Buddy’s in SM. It was located on the 3rd floor level of SM Lucena. I was really hungry! We ordered pancit lucban which was good for two and enjoyed the meal together. I was really full and fulfilled!

After our dinner, ney and I headed to a hotel in the city. We just checked in and then we decided to go out for the night. I wanted to do the things and go the places we used to go then. For me, it is something that we should do for our love and our relationship be stronger and be able to stand the test of time.

We went first to Videoke place called Skyline. It is near the hotel where we stayed. We just stayed there for like 15 minutes. Since, I don’t have enough sleep yet, I don’t have the energy to sing well.

Our next stop was a bar called Sound…, something. Oh gosh! I forgot! It was Loaded before but it changed its name to something. Anyway, it is a bar that offers live band. Ney and I found a table near the performers. Ney being a drummer and was a band member enjoyed listening and watching live bands. Oh well, we often praise and criticize band members! : Hehehe!!!

He had two bottles of SanMig Lights. I took a bottle of it and a glass of mango juice. We also had sizzling sisig for our “pulutan.”

We really had fun together. We enjoyed listening to the talented folks and enjoyed watching the people of Lucena danced to the music.

Ney and I arrived at our hotel at around 3 o’clock in the morning already! Well, though I was really tired because of the travel on top of not having a good sleep yet from previous night’s work, I really had a good time! It was the relaxation, which I have longed for sometime now. It may sound cheap to you, but it’s different when you’re in Lucena.

Ciao!

I know I owe you many stories since I have not been updating my journal lately. Please forgive me I am still adjusting myself into the “night shift” schedule for work. Well, it has been 3 weeks already since I have been in the gy shift but I am still not used to it. I do not even have a “life” when I am in gy because I am sleeping the whole day when I have a work. Anyway, I know that I will get used to it soon.

I told you last week that I would be going to Quezon to spend sometime with ney and to celebrate his birthday. Though, I was very sleepy before I set off, I made sure that everything I need to attend to while I am away would be taken cared off.

I told my daughter that I would be visiting her father but she cannot go with me. I told her that I would buy her something when I get home. Well, she was disappointed because she would really love to go. She loves her father so much and she misses him. I told her that I would bring her along next time.

I left the house at around 2PM last Saturday. It was a good thing, that there is a bus stop for provincial buses already in EDSA across Robinson’s Galleria. Before those provincial buses need to take the fly over in there, so commuters going to the province, need to go directly to the bus terminals.

It took about 30minutes before I was able to go onboard the JAM Liner going to Lucena. It would take about 4 hours to get there. After I paid my fare, I sent ney a text message that I am on the bus already and I am on my way. Since I came from a gy shift and did not have any sleep yet, I slept during the ride. I got awaken occasionally when the bus needs to stop to load and unload passengers.

When the bus entered the premises of Lucena City, I sent ney a text message again and told him that I am in Lucena already. We decided to meet each other at SM Lucena. I was there at 7:30PM. Of course, ney was wearing a red shirt! It’s his birthday remember?!

I greeted ney and handed him my birthday present. It was a book, well, some sort of English to Portuguese dictionary and phrases. Remember I told you before that he would be leaving soon for work abroad. The language that Angolans in West Africa uses is Portuguese. I believe that, people in Madagascar speak the same language.

Well, ney and I really had a good time. My adventure in Lucena continues in my next posts!

Ciao!

Everyone may have had a great fear with Influenza A(H1N1) or what we have known as the swine flu. But, don’t you know that Dengue fever is more dangerouse than the swine flu? My daughter was confined for about 4 days last June due to Dengue fever. We may never known what could have happened to her if we were not able to bring her to the doctor immediately. Her red blood cells count fell and she was really weak. :( Thank God she recovered right away.

My sister actually did a research on this and we made Nonet drink a papaya leaf jiuce. Yep! you read it right. My mother looked for a papaya leaf and made a jiuce out of it. Well, it worked for my baby.

I know it will be a cliche when I say prevention is better than cure. So, please read on for your awarenes..

DENGUE FACTS

Q. What is dengue?
A. Dengue (pronounced den’ gee) is a disease caused by any one of four closely related viruses (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, or DEN-4). The viruses are transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. In the Western Hemisphere, the Aedes aegypti mosquito is the most important transmitter or vector of dengue viruses, although a 2001 outbreak in Hawaii was transmitted by Aedes albopictus. It is estimated that there are over 100 million cases of dengue worldwide each year.

Q. What is dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)?
A. DHF is a more severe form of dengue. It can be fatal if unrecognized and not properly treated. DHF is caused by infection with the same viruses that cause dengue. With good medical management, mortality due to DHF can be less than 1%.

 Q. How are dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) spread?
A. Dengue is transmitted to people by the bite of an Aedes mosquito that is infected with a dengue virus.  The mosquito becomes infected with dengue virus when it bites a person who has dengue or DHF and after about a week can transmit the virus while biting a healthy person. Dengue cannot be spread directly from person to person.

 

Q. What are the symptoms of the disease?
A. The principal symptoms of dengue are high fever, severe headache, backache, joint pains, nausea and vomiting, eye pain, and rash. Generally, younger children have a milder illness than older children and adults.

Dengue hemorrhagic fever is characterized by a fever that lasts from 2 to 7 days, with general signs and symptoms that could occur with many other illnesses (e.g., nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and headache). This stage is followed by hemorrhagic manifestations, tendency to bruise easily or other types of skin hemorrhages, bleeding nose or gums, and possibly internal bleeding. The smallest blood vessels (capillaries) become excessively permeable (“leaky”), allowing the fluid component to escape from the blood vessels. This may lead to failure of the circulatory system and shock, followed by death, if circulatory failure is not corrected.

Q. What is the treatment for dengue?
A. There is no specific medication for treatment of a dengue infection. Persons who think they have dengue should use analgesics (pain relievers) with acetaminophen and AVOID those containing ASPIRIN.  They should also rest, drink plenty of fluids, and consult a physician.

Q. Is there an effective treatment for dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)?
A. As with dengue, there is no specific medication for DHF. It can however be effectively treated by fluid replacement therapy if an early clinical diagnosis is made. Hospitalization is frequently required in order to adequately manage DHF.

Q. Where can outbreaks of dengue occur?
A. Outbreaks of dengue occur primarily in areas where Aedes aegypti (sometimes also Aedes albopictus) mosquitoes live. This includes most tropical urban areas of the world. Dengue viruses may be introduced into areas by travelers who become infected while visiting other areas of the tropics where dengue commonly exists.

Q. What can be done to reduce the risk of acquiring dengue?
A. There is no vaccine for preventing dengue. The best preventive measure for residents living in areas infested with Aedes aegypti is to eliminate the places where the mosquito lays her eggs, primarily artificial containers that hold water.  Items that collect rainwater or are used to store water (for example, plastic containers, 55-gallon drums, buckets, or used automobile tires) should be covered or properly discarded. Pet and animal watering containers and vases with fresh flowers should be emptied and scoured at least once a week. This will eliminate the mosquito eggs and larvae and reduce the number of mosquitoes present in these areas.

For travelers to areas with dengue, as well as people living in areas with dengue, the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes indoors is reduced by utilization of air conditioning or windows and doors that are screened.  Proper application of mosquito repellents containing 20% to 30% DEET as the active ingredient on exposed skin and clothing decreases the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes. The risk of dengue infection for international travelers appears to be small, unless an epidemic is in progress.

Q. How can we prevent epidemics of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)?
A. The emphasis for dengue prevention is on sustainable, community-based, integrated mosquito control, with limited reliance on insecticides (chemical larvicides and adulticides). Preventing epidemic disease requires a coordinated community effort to increase awareness about dengue/DHF, how to recognize it, and how to control the mosquito that transmits it. Residents are responsible for keeping their yards and
patios free of sites where mosquitoes can be produced.

Source:  http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/dengue/resources/DengueFactSheet.pdf

I hope that I was able to share a very valuable information for you.

Ciao!

The Miss Universe 2009 pageant coronation night was ended crowning Miss Venezuela Stefania Fernandez Krupij. It was a very happy today for Venezuela for the outgoing Miss Universe 2008 is also a Venezuelan, Dayana Mendoza.

Ofcourse my favorite candidate is Miss Philippines, Bianca Manalo. But next to her is actually Miss Venezuela. My mom’s favorite was Miss Kosovo. After the final Question and Answer portion, I told my mother that my bet, Miss Venezuela will be crowned as Miss Universe 2009, and she was!

 Stefania Fernandez, Miss Venezuela 2009, Miss Universe 2009

Stefania was crowned with Peace crown. It has the most number of votes which came from people all across the globe. It was made from diamond and accented with a ruby stone. Very elegant! (and expensive I bet! )

Miss Universe 2009 official crown (Peace)

I know that our very own Bianca Manalo put up a good fight and made the Philippines proud. Though Miss Venezuela is luckier enough, I still wanted to say that the we are very proud of you Bianca! Congratulations Miss Venezuela!

Bianca Manalo, Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 2009

Ciao!

Today is honey’s birthday. He is 32 already! Oh, he is really getting old.  Part of the my plan to have a productive restday is to spend a day or two with honey. I will be going to Lucena later this afternoon and we’ll meet there. We will just stay in one of the resorts or inns in Lucena.

Actually, he wanted to spend his birthday here with me and Nonet,  but due to work call, he cannot. So, I will be the one to go to his place instead. Well, for me it’s a good idea that I will be the one to go to Lucena because I also want to free myself for a while, from Manila’s busy and fast pace life. I wanted to breath some fresh air and hopefully, ney and I will be able to do our bonding moments like we used to.

Hopefully, we’ll find time to go swimming at Graceland Resort in Tayabas, Quezon. His family is a member in there and has the priviledge to use their very fine facilities. I’d been there twice already. You bet, the pools could have very good spa filters because it is really clean! You wouldn’t even notice nor smell the chlorine.

Well, I should be preparing now. I’ll tell my Lucena adventure when I get back.

Ciao!

Today is my off so I didn’t go to sleep right away after work. I wasn’t sleepy anyway and I want my restday to be productive. Last Saturday, I wasn’t able to do the things I wanted because I slept the whole day!

Last night, I was able to open my Friendster account during lunch time. I have a message from one of my closest friends in college. She asked for my number so that she can call me. I replied to her message and gave our home phone number (which was just activated recently) and provided her also my cp number.  I told her that the best time to call me is either Saturday or Sunday since I will be on off then.

This morning, while I am watching Charmed through DVD, our phone rang and I answered it. I thought it was just my cousin Anne, who often call us to talk to my daughter but it wasn’t her. I was really surprised when I learned that my caller is actually calling overseas!

Romy Rose was a college classmate and is one of my dearest friends. Like Daisy, Ime and Pinky, she knows me inside and out. We have lost contact since 2002. I tried to look for her through friendster then but failed. Then just a couple of weeks ago, I found her husband’s name Letlet in the social networking site. Well, I thought the account is her husband’s but it is actually hers. I left a comment there and we started exchanging messages.

Then, this morning she called up and believe me we talked for almost an hour and a half! Oh yeah, you bet her phone bill will be that much! Anyway, we really had a lot of things to share. It’s been 7 years since we last see and spoke to each other. She has 2 kids and happily married. I am happy for her. She asked for our dear friends, (who else my beautiful barkadas!) and other college classmates. 

I know that an hour and a half is not enough for all the things that we’d like to share with each other but I know that it will not be the last. Besides, she needs to send her babies to sleep. It was 11PM her time then.

Well, I truly miss her and I was really happy to talk to her again! 

Ciao! :)