busy-ness

today marks my 4th week on the new job and it sure keeps me busy. i have a lot of things to look forward to in this new career and i'm positive enough to do this for as long as i am able to. i haven't formally introduced my current company to the people who are curious where i transferred, and probably i'll just make a separate blog post for it. right now, i'm enjoying what i currently do and still looking forward to the many things in store for me in this new job. i think it's what matters more at this point.

last saturday, i met with Gillboard after work to claim my prize for his blog contest. i haven't claimed the most precious jacket for so long and last saturday was the perfect time to get it. and a bonus thing upon our meet was to get to know his significant other. i met them inside a burger joint (a classy burger joint) and we talked a bit, then i needed to go home. and Gillboard is right in saying that the lovely jacket fits my wifey. indeed! it looks good on her. too bad i really like it but it's ok knowing that wifey will be able to wear it. blame it on my big, fat body :P

i'm still adjusting with the 6-day workweek schedule. at this point, i just long for holidays and spend time with my two girls. looking on the bright side of this week though, i have scheduled a 3-day vacation leave. it was approved but i'll get no pay for it. good friend kerwin is getting married on Friday and we have to go up all the way to Baguio to witness his special day. i'm excited, wifey is too. it's our little Aya's first time to go up there and it's been more than four years since wifey and i visited the city of pines and a comeback visit should be perfect with our little girl.

KAPUSO no more, but still PROUD TO BE KAPUSO!

It's been a couple of weeks since i hopped to a new job. And many are still asking, at the same time puzzled, why i left writing for the KAPUSO network, specifically for the program State of the Nation with Jessica Soho (SONA). I loved what i was doing. It gives me great pride to be identified with one of the largest TV networks in the country, more so to work with one of the most respected and most awarded journalists in the country, Ms. Jessica Soho. the past one year was an experience i will forever cherish as i was able to experience what it was like to be in a very fast-paced environment and see the behind-the-camera production of the news programs that i really admire. I came to know the dedicated people behind these great shows. I was able to work with and befriend a few of them, and I came to appreciate more of the network's tagline, "Serbisyong Totoo."

So what made me leave GMA Network? As what I've told HR when they called and asked me last weekend, i had no problems with my colleague, or my mother program. It's really just a matter of personal choice. I've told Myla, our executive producer in SONA, that i'm leaving for personal reasons. The main reason I gave was the schedule--- that I needed to be home early so I need not worry for my two girls who are most of the time left at home alone. And it makes me worried since our place isn't so safe as it used to be. I know that Myla thinks it is not the main reason why I'm transferring to a morning shift job but nonetheless, she courteously accepted my decision.

In reality, I just wanted to "grow fast" and achieve more in a short span of time. And I can't see it happening with my set-up with GMA. If ever I reach the status of people like Jeco Placio, or Thedd Wilver David, it will take a long time and I see more people ahead of me in the "ladder" of "being there." At the same time, I am always afraid of getting sick--- being on (sick) leave without pay, plus I have to spend for my hospitalization (if needed). I think it's all about securing myself, and my family's future, the fastest possible time I can. As a talent (contractual), I just had the luxury to earn more but at my own expense--- sacrifice time away from your loved ones and put all your remaining energy in the newsroom. That's why I admire the people in the newsroom. Most of them much younger than I. Each of them has their own stories to tell, what brought them to work hard and take the programs they can get in order to support their loved ones--- talk about the Doy & Wilson stories, they really touch my heart.

I still watch GMA news (and public affairs) programs. And my love for them hasn't dwindled. And now I love them more after being with the great men and women behind the camera who tirelessly labor to produce credible news information that the public deserves to know everyday.

Special thanks to Doy who first guided me around the newsroom during the real production time, to Nanay Ana Marie who has always been there for her people, to Wilson who trusted me by sharing his life and for letting me appreciate more the people in the newsroom. Also I give my thanks to Myla who accepted me one year ago and who patiently taught me the basics I needed to know in my new world as a news writer. BIG thanks to my colleague Ate Pacing, Ella, (seatmate) Edma (whom i am missing much), Toni, Kevin and the rest of the SONA family. Special thanks to Ma'am Ahd, Thedd, Kuya Alwyn, Ate Sara, (the ever kind) Ate Tin, Sir Johnray. BPN family especially to Sir Lau--- who all believed in me. To the people who I became close but didn't have the chance to work with--- Jeco & Rems, and to the pleasant people in my work station: Xien, Apple, Ali, Nes, and BT people Ryan, Carla, Shey, Pima. And to the DNG team! Sa lahat-lahat ng nagkaroon ng pagkakataong makilala ako at hindi ko nabanggit dito, SALAMAT PO NANG MARAMI SA INYO. And of course to our big boss, Ms. Jessica Soho.

Yes, I'm KAPUSO no more, but still, I am PROUD TO BE KAPUSO!

commuter's tale

since i'm back to the "normal" working hours (morning to late afternoon shift), i needed to leave the car on its number coding day and have to commute to work once a week. for this week, i got to taste again how it feels like commuting to work. while it's nice to be just sitting in the entire span of your travel, commuting doesn't give so much benefit compared to driving your own vehicle. first, it's more time consuming. you get to transfer from one ride to another. second, you need to battle it out against your fellow commuters. specially during rush hours. third, you have to stop once in a while when the public utility vehicle loads and unloads passengers. more unfortunate if it stops to think that passengers will ride even if they don't... then the vehicle stops (for an x number of minutes) for no reason at all. waste of precious time, if you ask me. fourth, riding an air conditioned PUV has it's toll... more pricey than the ordinary jeepney ride. fifth, if you ride the jeep, you absorb all the air pollution available in the city. plus, i get all sweaty and well, not fresh anymore even before i come to work. i have to bear all these when commuting. its okay though. honestly, i don't mind commuting once in a while. it just amused me to note all things that are very different if you ride a private service to your destination. in the photo shown here, i was literally sitting in the jeepney aisle, with a small bench (for two) provided in the middle of the passengers. cool? i say yes. it gave me a more comfortable seat than those at the sides. ;)

the EK experience

classmate ko ulit ang anak ko. pareho naming first time sa Enchanted Kingdom (EK). nabigyan kami ng tatlong (FREE) tickets papasok doon at kasama na ang unlimited rides. good deal? yep yep! :D

binaybay na namin ang kahabaan ng SLEX mula sa C5 at napansin ko na nadagdagan na pala ng lanes ang magkabilang direksyon ng SLEX. pero pag-exit ng Sta. Rosa, muntik nang lumuwa ang mata ko nang makita ko ang toll fee mula C5 hanggang Sta. Rosa: P175.00! :O sobrang mahal... :(

anyway, nandun na kami. malapit lang pala ang EK sa Sta. Rosa exit. di hamak na mas malayo kung pupuntahan sa kabilang direksyon ang tagaytay (dun din ang exit) na lagi kong napupuntahan. maga-alas tres ng hapon nang makarating kami sa mainit na parking space ng EK. marami nang tao. may mga nakasakay na sa rides kahit tirik pa ang araw. excited ako para sa anak ko (pramis, para sa kanya talaga... sige na nga para sa akin na rin) :P

nag-enjoy sa rides at pamamaril ang anak ko!













at syempre, hindi ko naman pinalampas ang pagkakataong makasakay sa "trademark" rides ng EK... ang Anchor's Away at ang Wheel of Fate. hindi ko lang nasakyan yung malaking roller coaster at yung rapids.. next time?





salamat sa The Zion Show para sa amazing EK experience na ito!

happy 9th anniBLOGsary, 03.03.03 stories...

yep, today marks the 9th year anniversary of my blog. it's not a joke maintaining a blog for nine years. i admit i've been posting not as often as i used to do. things change, y'know! but i still love writing... amazingly. :P

i also thought of leaving blogging but decided to continue (until i don't know when) upon reading the posts in my blog archive. sayang ang memories at ang mga maaari pang alalahanin sa hinaharap na panahon. and i guess having my own domain (thanks to kuya Ederic) sealed my decision to continue writing my stories. :)

i'd like to thank all my readers who try to find time to visit here and read my thoughts, and special mention to Gillboard who never fails to visit and comment on my posts. Not that i require my readers to do the same but just knowing that some people relate to my blog is enough reason for me to be thankful. no man is an island, after all. we all need somebody to communicate with and share our thoughts on anything.

blogging has evolved and even if social networking has overtaken other forms of internet leisure, i still find a home in blogging.

bloggers are people who are silently intelligent. bloggers are part of a silent majority. bloggers are mostly observers. bloggers are vocal even when the volume is on mute.

bloggers make a community... where people of different opinions share at least a common thing.

lastly, i'd like to leave this very nice "motto" which i read in the early times of my blogging habit...

"we write to express, not to impress."

...i think it's what made my blog going. ;)