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Monday, July 26, 2010

Fun Monday - It's All About Friendship!


This is my first attempt to revive FUN MONDAY and my theme for this week is It's All About Friendship! Everything will be about friends and friendship...and I am so hoping and praying that people will get to join me this week.

I have been blogging to years now...make that 5 years this November specifically. This little space in the web have become so much part of me that I have met so many people and make friends with them. I have come to know friendship despite the distance...and friendship despite lack of personal meetings. Friends here have picked me up many times...and even in one of my downiest moment. I could never imagine talking to someone miles away whom I just get to know about through blogs just to make sure I am fine or otherwise. I have extended my home and family to theirs. And Fun Monday played a significant role in my friendship with people online. It was through Fun Monday that I get to circulate around blogosphere. I met so many wonderful people and have learned so many wonderful things from them...and this just makes me so sad to see it go.

My take for this week's theme is very simple...I want to thank all the people I have made friends with through Mariposa's Tales. You may have not realize it but you have made a great mark in my life and that I will forever cherish. Once again...this week's friendship is all about the friendship I have found in this little corner of the web...something special, beautiful and hopefully lasting! I will not mention names because if you are reading this, then  you are one of them. :)

Please visit other FUN MONDAY participants --

Sayre Smiles

Pamela

If you are playing FUN MONDAY, kindly inform me in the comment box and will add your link...while I am trying to set up Mr. Linky back.

Happy FUN MONDAY to all and may you all have a wonderful week ahead!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

FUN MONDAY THEMES UP!

Finally I found some time to make Fun Monday themes for next week 'til the end of August. I am inviting everyone, especially those who have played Fun Monday before to join me tomorrow.

July 26 - It's all about friendship!

Aug 2 - My all time favorite SHOES...

Aug 9 - Brand Names which make life easy!

Aug 16 - COLORS of our lives. Color fascination stories.

Aug 23 - Remembering! Where were you and what were you doing exactly 5 years ago?

Aug 30 - Show and Tell. Show us your most favorite part of the house and tell us why.

All themes are also posted at the side bar and since we do not have a volunteer host yet, I can host it for now. Just stop by here every Monday and sign up.

I am hoping and praying for people to participate. I want Fun Monday back!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Philippine Flying Lemur



PhotoHunt: HANGING


It doesn't fly and it isn't a lemur! 


But it got its name because of its nocturnal habit and the shape of its fox-like head which are are reminiscent of lemurs. This photo was taken in one of my trip to Bohol with the IT Guy. 

Please visit PhotoHunt's HQ to see what else are HANGING! 

Wish everyone a restful weekend!

Birthday Wish

Found the place for dog lovers! It's been awhile since I decided not to have pets...and now I am so ready to have them again. I miss Mozart and Pumpkin. And while I enjoy the company of Dexter and Einstein, they are in Cebu and I rarely get to see them.

So I am starting to shop around and checking different dog breeds. I want to investigate and lear more. You know just to try new experience. Living with dogs is great yet it is never easy. Dogs need care and can be very expensive too! But then they are always worth it, and I know most of you guys agree. Right? ;)

I am hoping the IT Guy gets to to read it...or maybe some nice friends and will send me a puppy soon. I have been wanting to have one for awhile now, just that I couldn't seem to find the time to really look for one for myself. I am really hoping to have it soon...after all, my birthday is coming! Ahem. LOL

Right now I am just trying to educate myself more on how to be very organize and in making sure I am very much ready when the time comes...which I am really hoping to be soon!

Friday, July 23, 2010

Keeping My Sanity

It's Friday and while I'm in love, I'm tired! 

I have not done anything for myself for months now...well except getting a haircut and finally buying some nice shampoo for me which cost me an arm and a leg. There are just a million things to do at the center and Monday we will be starting with our training with 160 people. I have a checklist that is constantly growing and it seems to me that I am not able to knock it down not even by 5%. Add to that the different crazy personalities and issues to be dealt with, both internal and external. What most people don't realize is that while I have the power to decide for the company (like it is my own, perhaps it is! :P) I have to do it in both tactical and strategic level. The former is easy...you can even do it out of impulse, but the latter requires wisdom and some level of sensitivity. 

Anyway I'm trying to keep my sanity up and one way of doing it which I have been successful for years now is to...BLOG! ;)

Here goes my Friday Fill-Ins for the week...and please excuse me because this will be really reflective of my mood today!

[ADD]

I was so early that I did not notice I signed and did the one for last week...but I'm not changing it anyway...it suits me!




1. This is what life does. It lets you burp and fart.

2. How could I appreciate the moment?

3. Upon reflection there are things which I wish I should have acted upon out of impulse rather than intellect.

4. I have been wanting to punch somebody for quite a long time.

5. Later, I wake up and realize you have not even gone to bed yet.

6. Sending my mind to the far and boundless sea.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to staying the center to make sure everything is covered especially for the IT side, tomorrow my plans include going to the wet market and buying seafood and Sunday, I want to get my nails done

Ha! I have never enjoyed Friday Fill-Ins this much for some time now! I wish you all great weekend ahead!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Art of War

Happy hump day everyone! While I am trying to pull out myself from being pissed, let me share with you interesting qoutes from one of my favorite literary work, The Art War.

Let me present to you Thursday 13 Art of War.

1. This is my favorite!

風 Swift as the wind
林 Quiet as the forest
火 Conquer like the fire
山 Steady as the mountain

2. If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him. Thus I will never give in...(breathe)

3. Management of many is the same as management of few. It is a matter of organization. I couldn't agree more!

4. Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across.

5. Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate.

6. He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot will be victorious.

7. What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.

8. To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy

9. Opportunities multiply as they are seized.

10. Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.

11. The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.

12. The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand.

13. All warfare is based on deception.

Hope you enjoyed them as much I enjoyed reading the book over and over! ;)

Wish you all a great day!

Where Do I Go Next

I am sitting at my office and I am not in my very good mood...so I started googling around and was looking for whatever I can read online. I get to a site which offers practically different tips on different things. Choosing to stay on the topic of moving (since I have been asking myself why have I moved from Cebu anyway only to get pissed at people whose views and perspective I couldn't care about!) I found several moving tips. While there are tips which are generics and I have known almost all my life and some I thought were born out of common sense there also new things I read in this site. The movers at Billy section offers me also different options of moving companies in different locations. So this is a trend. More and more resources have become available online giving consumers a wide choices. This is consumer power I would say! LOL

So randomly I started asking myself where should I go to should I move now. I have been prioritizing LA all this time but for today I have a change of heart and had thought of Houston. I have been there several years ago but never had the chance to stay long enough to know the place, now I want to visit it again. So what if I move there soon?! Aha, well, I just have to check out different companies which offer Houston moving services.

But then if only it is as easy as click on the link to check what options I have should I go there. Sigh.

From A Distance


The IT Guuy took this photo few weeks ago. This is the Port of Toledo City, Cebu. If we take the land trip going to Bacolod from Cebu and vice versa, we passby here.



Happy Wordless Wednesday everyone!

Long Term Investments

I am finally home after being at the center for 15 to 16 hours for days now. Today I believe is marks my shortest stay at the center, a sweet 11 hours. But no worries I love what I am doing, just that I have lots of things to do and I feel like I need more than 24 hours a day. 

Anyway, did I mention before how crazy I am with investments and how I am spending much on insurance? 

Aha! Yup, yup I spend about 20 to 30 percent of my earnings to insurance, just because! So you should not be surprise to know that I am always at Netquote. I know this is something not so typical where I'm from. At thirty I owned several policies already. LOL 

So I keep reading and reading about it and I keep asking people about it. Lately I came across with New York state business insurance and CA business insurance. It is quite interesting to compare how things are being done in different places. While the generics and principles are all the same there are still differences and I would say I believe they have to do entirely with economics of certain areas, culture and perception of the market.  

I am just so glad that on my end I have changed the perception of my family and friends. So I am proud to say that they have at least one policy now! Woot!

Moving Companies Comparison

One of the things which I learned when I moved to Bacolod other than finding the right place is getting to know several moving companies. While there are several options in the market we may not just look at directly the financial side of things. We also have to examine closely what are the different services and value added service each offers and most importantly feedback of fast clients. I'd say the latter matters most since nothing beats a testimonial of a client on how good a service is. 

Where I am we do not have so many choices, but while searching the net I am glad to know that this industry has slowly evolved and that there are avenues where one can get a very good comparison of different moving companies in different locations.

I am looking forward to that day when I get to see the same thing done for my place. I would love to search what options I have should I move to any place here in the Philippines. After all, after moving here in Bacolod I am now more open to exploring other areas in the country. Well actually I did not move here, I am just temporarily base here which in effect allows me to have 2 homes. This is something I never thought I would be able to afford before and now it has become a funny thought. The boss keeps mentioning about opening centers in other places and I will be covering all centers and that means having another place to stay once again. Hopefully by then I will have more information on moving companies wherever I will be going to.

So where to next? I am not really sure. I am hoping Cebu so that way I get to relax by traveling to two cities which I am already familiar with. Plus I don't have to add another place too soon because I have been wanting to getting another car.

Wish me luck!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Online Shopping Discounts







It's been awhile since I did my last Tuesday's Tales.

I am in my most busy moment right now! So much to do but has so little time. I almost wish we have more than 24 hours but then I might end up working for literally 24 hours when that happens. Arggh!

Anyway I miss shopping. And lately I have so many plans of buying stuff and most of the plans were way overdue and I still couldn't find time for them. So while I am in the middle of my sleep now I will try to shop. LOL

I have been online for minutes and now and get across this savings.com coupons. I figured it could be something nice so I investigated further.Turns out this is my new source of online information to get good shopping deals such as Hewlett Packard coupons and Home Depot promo code.

I used to wonder before how people get these promotional codes and discounts. I feel good to have found this online as I am an online shopper. Despite my busyness and sleepiness at least I have something to smile about today.

And that is my for my Tuesday's Tales today! Wish you all a very happy Tuesday!

Monday, July 12, 2010

Fun Monday

I am not starting my week so right and in an effort to cheer myself up, I searched hard for Fun Monday host for this week. Finally I got to Sayre Smiles and I did not find what I was looking for. I couldn't believe what I read. Fun Monday is dead. No! I will try to do something, after all it's a fun activity and it's been going on for years now. It's the first meme that allowed me to meet so many wonderful people, I cannot allow it to end. 

So I will try to revive it. I will make a monthly list of themes so that regardless if people volunteers to host it or not, I have the theme set already and anyone can link up with me and we visit each other. I am not sure if this will work but I am willing to give it a try. I am asking everyone who has joined Fun Monday to help me spread the word. I will post the list of theme at my sidebar Friday the latest. And to those who are new to the idea, I am inviting you to join. 

I wanted to do Fun Monday because for the first time in many years, I have no idea how to cheer myself up and now I am just sadder with thought of Fun Monday totally gone. (((SIGH)))

I wish everyone a Fun Monday and I hope to see some of you next week!

Friday, July 09, 2010

Breadful Friday



It's finally Friday and so many things to be grateful for this week. I am so happy with the progress of the training of my staff. This morning I went to Cimbali Bakeshop, courtesy of Doods and T@m. Boy, did I like their breads! 
















My favorite so far is their cheese roll!I really LOVE it!

Today will be my last day here in Dumaguete. I'm going back to Bacolod tomorrow to help my boss with the center. I will back here next weekend to close the training. Just had a massage and will soon be packing my things to get ready for tomorrow. But well, I'm taking my break and eating some cheese roll and here is my Friday Fill-ins for this week.

 1. Layers of my heart.

2. A wonderful insight.

3. I'd be willing to bet my @$$ not! LOL

4. Something scares the dog.

5. I'm fond of shoes!

6. Nothing is too much!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to enjoying Dumaguete, tomorrow my plans include going back to Bacolod and enjoying dinner there with my parents and the IT Guy and Sunday, I want to rest

I'm off to bed now. Wish everyone a great Friday!

Thursday, July 08, 2010

All About Dumaguete City

As most of you know I am in another city called Dumaguete for the training of my pioneer team, my Alpha Team! ;)

While this city is nearer to Cebu City as compared to Bacolod (where the call center is located and where I will be temporarily be based) it is just way different from Cebu...way different!

So for today, let me feature some facts and information about Dumaguete City which I learned first hand. So folks, here goes my entry for Thursday 13 --

1. Dumaguete is also known as the City of Gentle People. This I have no idea why. I just find it a label too difficult to keep, for one I have encountered several rude people here already...but while I know it is not fair to generalize, it is also not wise to generalize that they are all gentle. But then, yes that is what the city is known for. :)

2. Dumaguete City is the capital of Negros Oriental.

3. This is a city which I'd say has been trapped somewhere in time. The city does not have any cabs nor jeepneys (the public transport here in the Philippines). People here ride the motorcycles and the motorcycles with a side car which we commonly call as tricycle or pedicab.



See this woman? She is dressed well and most likely on her way to work. I cannot imagine myself in my corporate outfit riding one! The government they said does not allow franchise for jeepneys and cabs...amazingly crazy.

Needless to say this makes the like of Mariposa go nuts! I haven't driven for awhile moreso in a new and unfamiliar city...so I have to what, rent a car with a driver?! So crazy!

4. But I found a nice place to stay. Not a fancy hotel but very neat, people are very hospital and the place was able to host all of us. Yes we got the entire place for us!


This is Bolmon Guest House. If want to visit Dumaguete I highly recommend this place for you. I rarely make recommendations and this is one I am willing to promote for free! :) Seriously this place is just nice. Despite all the craziness that I have with transportation and at the other center, it is nice to know that I have a place to rest at the end of the day. This is like home away from home for me.















This is the terrace outside the room where I'm staying. Actually it is the suite. I can see sunrise from here...which I really love!


5. One popular landmark and one of of the city 's historic construction is the Dumaguete Bell Tower (Belfry). It served as a watchtower in ancient times and is now equipped with a lush garden. Devotees visit the place everyday to pray.








6. The Boulevard is Dumaguete’s most famous promenade and I have to admit, I love it, especially with the beautiful view of sunrise that it offers!















Lots of people jog here early morning and I enjoyed my morning walk here with my coffee!

7. Along the Boulevard is also a nice restaurant which I always frequent, Lab-as. It is a local term for fresh, as their specialty are seafoods.

7. The Quezon Park is another beautiful area with some stunning tree lines and a huge play area for children and a venue for concerts and exhibitions as well. A cultural program is being held every week in this park, the Tayada Sa Plaza.

8. Silliman Univeristy. This is definitely one icon Dumaguete has...to a point that I sometimes would say to myself that there is not Dumaguete without Silliman. They are just synonymous to each other. 



9. And the Silliman Beach is a beautiful place known for its relaxed and serene environment. Visitors can also enjoy some popular water activities here. It is especially popular with the younger crowd.

10. The place is famous for Sans Rival.





 11. I love Cafe Antonio! After several nights of searching for a nice coffee shop I finally found a place to stay and enjoy my coffee.


12. The people in Dumaguete speaks the same language/ dialect with the people in Cebu! WOOT! I get to finally talk in my Cebuano dialect. I missed it when I was in Bacolod because people there speak Ilonggo.

13. And finally if there is one thing I need to tell people who visits this place, you are in for an adventure. Should I come back here I will make sure I bring casual clothes to get to ride with their means of transport. This is a place where I feel I am way overdressed even going to work. This is one place I can't stay long...unless I have the IT Guy with me who make sure I get most of the things I need. LOL

That's it for today people...Happy Thursday to all!

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Taking New Roads


“Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps, 
down new roads, armed with nothing but their own vision.” 
~ Ayn Rand


Happy Wordless Wednesday everyone!

Saturday, July 03, 2010

Forethoughts Win

I couldn't believe that the week is over and that I made it. My visit to another center did not turn out well and considering the fact that I was not really optimistic about it. So needless to say it was way worst than I expected. There was no proper coordination between my client that the other center and I was left at front line of a war and the only rule I had to follow were -- (1) never to shoot and (2) to come out alive with my team victorious. I know it does not make sense but then in the corporate world, you know these things happen. Anyway I am proud to say that I was able to work my way somehow and that if there is anything I made clear it was the fact that I am bigger than the situation. And just when I thought everything was going into the right place, one of my staff got sick. Her platelets went down, as low as 70. She was diagnose with dengue and had to be confined in the hospital. Did I mention that our center is a start-up and I am still in the process of getting an HMO? So what now? 

Well I am so happy that before leaving Bacolod I was prompt enough to include business health insurance. I never really thought I'd be able to use them, it was just something I felt I was obligated to do and now I am just so thankful for having thought of it as we are able to avail of it. The plan we got is quite similar to what I found online, the business insurance in Utah.

That is one of the many reasons why I said I still come out bigger than the rest and the situation despite all that happened. Oh well I am always a believer of insurance and since I cannot claim to good at it, I'd rather not discuss details about it except that it is really worth getting at the end of the day. You can learn more about it at Insurance Information Institute.