Going out of the country for the first time is simply breathtaking especially when such a trip is very unexpected. One day, my mentor in UP, the Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Letters, contacted me. She told me to block a day the following week because I will be interviewed by the owner of Hilton Cebu Resorts and Spa –also the Group Chairman of 6 companies.

Couldn’t say no, of course. It’s a privilege. In less than 2 weeks preparation, everything had been polished. Thus my Shanghai, China business trip.

The living room of the suite accommodation given to us before heading to Shanghai.

What a beautiful place to stay…

One-day processing of Green Passport!

 At the Hilton Hotel, while waiting for my boss…

And at the background? A serenade…

Where: Datu Lanai, Legend Villas, Mandaluyong
When: May 15, 2009

Many thanks to Kimimay for sharing to us the Globe Bloggers Event, the “Laban Tayo Dyan! The Paramihan Challenge.” Basically, bloggers were gathered so we could help spread the word about Globe’s New Events (coming soon). The bloggers who graced the event received a handful of Globe Freebies and Rewards - bountiful buffet dinner, P500 worth of Globe prepaid cards given for free, unlimited photo ops sponsored by partypicslive and fun games (Paramihan Challenge — wherein all 36 participants of the game were given a thousand bucks each - I was one of the participants, by the way).

We are the four bloggers, the mighty bloggers!

(L-R): Kimimay, Marye, Arlene, Yes

I am dismayed because I am letting this opportunity pass of booking online an international flight! Cebu Pacific is currently having a promo at this very hour (the promo ends by 8pm today). Their flagship promo is “Low Fares De Mayo” –that is, you can now travel to different countries in Asia (except Japan) anytime during the month of September this year for only P599 all-in! If, however, you want to travel domestic, it will only cost you P299 all-in!

In my case, I have wished I have booked a round trip ticket to Bangkok. My PR teammates are actually in the process of searching the best dates to travel. They have also found a hotel to stay that will only cost $4 per room per day.

I have wished I know my definite schedule for the coming months so that I can now book ahead of time. I will know my fate by early next week. By that time, I hope I will have a clearer vision of my undertakings.

In my picture below, it is very obvious that I am so happy and excited to board the plane. And yes, I still can remember the feeling. I was very happy that I was heading home for the Christmas break. For sure, I will be happier if I will once again board the plane departing for Bangkok, or just anywhere around the Asia as my kick-off travels.

I was meaning to go to work early today. I got up early, readied myself and headed to work when an unfortunate thing happened. Well, it was actually a series of unfortunate things. When I reached the Cubao Jeepney Station with a route from Cubao going to Rosario, because it will pass through Citibank, Libis, I took few steps going to the jeepney in-halt. My brain wasn’t working that well because based on everyday experience, I don’t have to exhaust much of it. I was about to ride the jeepney but suddenly I was captured by the idea that the jeepney might not be heading for Rosario and that it might go elsewhere. So I stepped back. And when I did so, the conductor (aka assistant to the jeepney driver) was howling “Citibank, Citibank.” I couldn’t get back there because I felt a sort of non-voluntary shame. I couldn’t go back there because I already stepped back and that meant that people in that jeepney had assumed that I had a different route to take. And going back there would only mean affirmation of my being rubbish for not having had my most basic and most common sense!

Peep Peep The Cubao-Rosario Jeep

After three minutes of waiting, a jeepney stopped and I rode there. Again, I wasn’t sure about its route but I relied on my guts and instincts. When we were about 200 meters away, I reached a P50 bill so the driver would ask me where I was heading. And indeed, he did. I exclaimed, “Citibank po.” But the driver said, “Sorry miss, ‘di na ako aabot dun.” And he returned my money, got off the jeepney and walked back to the jeepney station which was about 200 meters.

Upon reaching there, another jeepney was there. The driver was shouting, “Ever, Ever.” And so to make sure, I had to ask back again, “Ever?” And then the driver said, “Ever!” So I went into the jeepney. About a hundred and fifty meters, I reached the same P50 bill and said, “Citibank po.” The driver laughingly said, “Naku! Akala ko Ever Commonwealth kayo. Dapat yung Ever Rosario yung sasakyan niyo.” And then I got my money back and hurriedly walked back again! I was already irritated because the MWSS crew were whistling at me because they had already seen me riding on and off the jeeps, and walk back to the station. Plus the sun was so hot. It pinched my skin up to its subcutaneous fat! Ugh!

When I reached the station for the third time, I saw a big bulk of crowd waiting for the Cubao-Rosario jeepneys. It was already 10:30 in my watch (meaning I had consumed almost 45 minutes of playing with my mocking gods). 10:30 am. Meaning, I was already 30 minutes late. So I had to walk back another 200-300 meters to the other jeepney stop. So I did it. My sweat was already drooping. I felt that my daily make up already melted! I wanna rush to work so I could feel the cool breeze of the office fan plus the centralized air conditioner. While I was totally mad, good thing, a jeepney with a sign Cubao-Rosario passed by! And luckily only the wife of the driver was on the front seat so I seated there beside her. I asked her, “May jeepney strike po ba ngayon? Ang konti lang kasi ng Cubao-Rosario na mga jeepney.” She replied, “Ha? Wala. Traffic lang.”

How come I don’t know this? How come it seems that traffic jam has not gotten into my nerves yet? There must be something wrong with me. Or with my brain cells? Bluff.

I should not let this day pass (read: shift. obviously the day has just started for many normal people) without a dear diary thing here. it would be personally nice, that later on in life, you have blogs to always read and reminisce your yester years..

So my day today is very basic and routinely. After I went home very early this morning after my yesterday shift, i went up, went to my derma for some facial concerns, went to my other part time job (which gives me a higher compensation than my “formal” jobs..but hell, who cares, i got freebies in there, plus i get paid without much brain-cell exhaustion. and then, i went to my “formal” work.. Now it is 4:35 am in my clock and it seems like 12mn in my system.. i am still very up and awake and kicking..
Realization: It’s nice to work if you love your job and not just work because you are obliged to do so..

thanks to the people who helped me get in here.. you know who you are…:)

It is my second day of work now. and it is 11:10 on my clock, that means i have been on my desk for 2 hours and 10 minutes… but it seems that i am just here for 30 minutes or less..

This job won’t allow me to check on my time every now and then.. it is very much different as to my previous job wherein by the moment i logged in, i count my time minute by minute. and time (at that time) was just ticking so sloooow. damn, i hated it. everything seemed to be okay. except that when i got used to to the job routine, it just bored me i almost attempted to “absent-without-official-leave”. damn, it just have gotten out my nerves.

Oh well…

Now i am here. waiting for my cosmo buddies to log in (aka ate donna and cousins from the states). so there.. and while waiting, i think i should get back to work..
P.S. got comments bout my daily bulletin. will reply to you guys in awhile..

Firstly, i thank my friend and my mentor kuya doctor arnell baguio for sharing to me his ideas on what i wrote the other day. now, i am sure that potpourri is double r.

Secondly, i thought about what you told me, it made me think too (hehe, seriously, ehem), “which is worth the while (baguio, friendster msg, oct{am i citing it correctly?}):
“working or having fun… perhaps it’s hard to have both at the same time huh? Some people say that to love what you do, you have to do what you love!”

…and certainly you are right doctor arnell. that’s why i am very strong in my desire to really push for higher studies. yes i’ve got work (and not just one, but 3). i am well-compensated (in the country’s conversion), i think (ive actually convinced myself i have or else i would commit harakiri), ive practically been using my time very well, but see, it’s all about these stray jobs i’m having. i mean, im trapped in boredom because of my routine. at first i thought it was worth the wait (for next year’s school to start) but now, nah, ive been thinking of doing something else, something really i love doing: events and organizing, public relations, human resources.. but above all, i wanna be atty yes. soar high yes. who knows you might get it — both — doing what i love to do.

Thirdly, i got my hair kinky! again, last year, i had it done twice. now, i had it again. just for a change. just adding some hot and spicy stuff in me.