missing home already

we've been in the hospital since Saturday. Not that we're not used to this set-up but yeah, we're really missing home already.

busy until 1st quarter of 2013?

everything seems pouring at work these past few weeks and more weeks to come. not just because it's December but our department has been tasked to do a 'project' to be executed in just three months! work... WORK! This month has been hell in terms of events and come December, more events are lined up! and when everybody thinks that these events are all over after December, our team is just starting to get even busier... things to look forward to are simply overwhelming.

at the same time (and i guess more timely than ever) our group is undergoing expansion. our team however will remain to serve every division. so, i guess it is just but proper for our team to grow also. it is actually my first time to process the hiring of a 'subordinate' who will directly report to me. while i'm used to 'managing' people, this will be my first time to do it in a profession, officially. supervisor job? sort of. but only the job description was 'upgraded.' i hope compensation follows soon.

i need a break.

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the other day while i was driving to work, a tricycle-service caught my attention while the red traffic light was on. the tricycle is carrying SIX student-passengers inside his sidecar and an additional two on back ride.

[caption id="attachment_2813" align="alignnone" width="300"] "tricycle sardines?"[/caption]

how can you entrust your kid/s to that kind of a "service?"

ang hirap kumita ng pera

eto na yung kwento ng modus operandi na bumiktima sa amin noong nakaraan pang biyernes. andami kong pwedeng gawing title ng post na ito... "kakaibang trip" / "pang-famas na modus" / "effort si kuya" / "buwis-buhay na modus" / "babala: bagong modus"
lahat ng 'yan, swak sa ikukwento ko.

holiday. kaya ang karaniwang kalsada na 'di umuusad sa sikip ng trapik kapag may pasok, pwedeng baybayin sa bilis na higit 60 kilometro kada oras nang araw na iyon. pero naglalaro lang sa 40 kph ang takbo ng kotse namin. paglagpas lang ng may ilang metro mula sa MABUHAY rotonda, isang medyo may edad na lalaki ang biglang tumambad sa unahan ng kotseng minamaneho ko. nagmula sya sa center island. naglakad nang parang lasing o bagong gising (time check: ilang minuto bago alas-7 ng umaga) papalapit sa tumatakbo kong sasakyan. wala sya sa tamang tawiran. iniwasan ko si kuya. tiyak ko, hindi ko sya mahahagip. pero kumalabog ang likuran ng kotse ko pagkatapos kong umiwas sa kanya. at dahil tumatakbo ang kotse ko, sumulyap kami ni wifey sa likod--- lumingon sya, ako naman sa rear view mirror tumingin. si kuya, tumatakbong parang si Ben Johnson habol-habol ang tumatakbong kotse ko. aaminin ko, medyo kinabahan ako. paglingon ko ulit sa harap, nakapula ang traffic light. patay! eto na si kuya. lumapit sa gilid ng kotse, pinakita ang duguang braso. sinipat ko habang medyo natutuliro... may "dugo" pero wait... tila walang sugat o galos dun sa duguan niyang braso. si kuya na parang lasing kanina, gising na gising ang diwang nagtatatalak sa gilid ko. dumampot ng bato. yun na yata ang pinakamatagal na stop light ng buong driving career ko. "gusto ko lang kumain, babanggain nyo pa ko.. natapon lahat ng kanin kong dala, eto pa nangyari sa akin!" (sabay turo sa dumudugo nyang braso na walang kagalos-galos)

natatandaan ko pa na inalok ko syang tumabi kami at para pag-usapan pero nang maramdaman naming uma-acting na lang si kuya (o maaaring hindi rin) inabutan na namin sya ng cold cash pagpalit ng stop light mula pula at naging luntian. malugod nya itong inabot nang buksan ko ang bintana ng sasakyan, hindi naman kami binato.

ayun. instant 100 bucks bago mag-alas siete ng umaga, mukhang quota na si kuya. binalikan namin siya ni wifey ng tanaw pagka-andar namin at parang wala lang ang nangyari sa kanya. tuwid namang maglakad at umupo lang ulit sa may center island. takte!

How was your long weekend?

here's mine:

November 1, Thursday. just stayed home. Went out in the afternoon to perform my church duty and then just bought some food at the nearby supermarket after. There's no place like home. And I miss lazying on the couch. It's been a long time since i have last stayed in the house and do nothing but eat, sleep and not think of any pressure at all. Thursday was awesome!

November 2, Friday. wifey & went off the road early to get some stuffs for her online business. along the stretch of Espana, we got victimized by this aged man. details of this modus operandi on my next blog post.
anyway, we rounded the market for a good couple of hours. too many 'affordable' stuffs around, too bad we just have enough to spend for the items that needed to be bought. went home immediately since the sun is already spreading its fierce heat. freshened up at home, took lunch, took a nap, then off we went to INC Life! This was an exhibit of the milestones of the church (Iglesia Ni Cristo) from the time of the leadership of Bro. Felix Manalo. There were also various activities for the family organizations--- Buklod, KADOWA, binhi & PNK and we enjoyed being in there. sulit, 'ika nga. I was even interviewed by the TV crew but really had no idea when it was aired (or will be aired?) anyway, we also had the chance to visit my favorite FM station Pinas FM 95.5 which is just within the compound of the venue. a friend is currently on board and so we had our names greeted and song requests played on air. then we had photo with another DJ (the next to go on board that time) and met former radio colleagues. it was a fun day!

[caption id="attachment_2797" align="alignnone" width="150"] at PINAS FM 95.5 booth[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2798" align="alignnone" width="150"] with Pinay BFF Moodie Jam & Kuya Evner[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2799" align="alignnone" width="150"] looking at the fishes[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2800" align="alignnone" width="150"] shooting ball... more fun![/caption] [caption id="attachment_2801" align="alignnone" width="150"] INC Life.. more fun![/caption]

our day wasn't over. we drove to Eastwood city afterwards to complete our family bonding. our little girl was so delighted she even befriended the old man who was playing the piano in Eastwood Mall.
we walked through the tiangge, watched a couple of small kids jump in the costlytrampoline, took time staring at the fishes in front of a pizza-pasta place, and refreshed ourselves with some treats from DQ. then we called it a day!

[caption id="attachment_2802" align="alignnone" width="150"] yummy![/caption] [caption id="attachment_2796" align="alignnone" width="150"] chill time at Eastwood[/caption]

November 3, Saturday. may pasok. boo! hahaha. panira lang ng super long weekend. anyway, it's quite surprising that many of my colleagues reported to work. ang sipag lang ng mga taga-Marketing! :D i spent the workday attending to the papers that need to be prepared for the contract signing the coming Monday. also took the chance to meet blogger 'bestfriend' dadddy kuri during lunch. but yeah, we didn't pig out. we tried this new milk tea business of GMA reporter Bernadette Reyes just across GMA Network in Timog Ave. Milk Tea (with pearl) lovers should try it. For a starting business, the store looks promising. And the owner is very friendly ;)



Sunday is a usual church day, and again family day for the rest of it. loved the long weekend. i hope we get this at least every quarter-year. :D

daddy's joy :)

i'm a dad for over three years now and i can say that the joys that your child brings are countless. yes, even if your fuse blows numerous times because of their stubbornness, it still doesn't equate with the happiness that you feel whenever you see them, much more bond with them. the early years of being with them to know them and letting them know you, the proper time to teach them what life has to offer, the perfect time to discipline them whenever necessary. the reward that you get when you see their happy face whenever you treat them a cone of ice cream, the priceless hugs & kisses they reciprocate for the unconditional love you let the feel. all of these are the joys of being a dad...



there goes daddy's girl! ;)

family, crime, career, leader

Last Saturday was one of those rare Saturdays that I spent with my family, since I started working on a 6-day workweek job. So early that day, we prepared to visit Papa Johnny's mom in Manila. Wifey & I then left to buy stuffs for her online business. Our little girl was left under the care of her lolos & lolas. Our "shopping" went smooth so we headed back to Mommy's place just in time for lunch (around 1PM already). A few chat & catching up after our lunch, then we left the place to visit lolo Albert who's currently in Tayuman. we left Mommy's place around 2PM. more or less an hour after, here's what happened in their neighborhood: (WARNING: some parts of the video are sensitive)



the house just across the street of Mommy's place was robbed & a shootout between the suspects & the victims occurred. just an hour earlier, we were parked just across (in front) of that place! When Papa Johnny was informed by his siblings the news that night (we were already in church) we had goosebumps! We just left at the right time!

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something big is supposed to happen in our department soon... but I can't exactly tell the details. I DO NOT KNOW how the "plans" are being shaped but according to my boss, we're going to more than double our team in terms of manpower. the execs have too many plans for us (our department). it must be a good sign, right?

aside from the "blooming" department expansion, my wifey's online business is picking-up at a good pace. i'm happy to see her busy, but more happy to see her fulfillment in what she does. yep, she still does everything at home--- cleaning, laundry, ironing, and being a full-time mom to our little girl. superwoman, yes? ;)

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with all my heart, i warmly greet today, together with my family, our beloved Executive Minister, Bro. Eduardo V. Manalo more blessed years as he celebrates his 56th birthday. we fervently ask God to bless him more in leading the church to the perfection of our faith.

[caption id="attachment_2782" align="alignnone" width="300"] "Glory be to God!"[/caption]