ChrisTmaS 2008

Christmas Day has passed and the new year is fast approaching. I waited for this (Christmas) special day for several months and yet, it just swept away. Sometimes, we all expect this day to be extra ordinary wherein fact, it is just a simple day. Christmas for me is not just for a day, it is actually everyday! What we do during this day can also be done on regular days. This may not mean to give out gifts everyday but we can do simple good deeds on our everyday life.

When we attended a mass on December 25, Fr. Homer shared to us a very good message. He said that the message of God is just simple - going back to basic. Christmas is about being like a child. That means, being contented and satisfied on simple things. He used the children as a very good example. As we know, when we were a child we had no problems and we are worry free. As long as we can cry, eat and sleep we are fine. Unlike now that we grow older, we think about a lot of things. We entertain a lot of problems and most of the time makes us unsatisfied and not contented with what we have.

During the sermon, I was also contemplating and try to relate it to my personal life. Whenever I feel stressed out, I try to relax. Some of my things I do are : playing pc games, watching movies, surfing the net and playing to kids. These are just simple things that are proven to be effective. As they call it, these are called "theraphy". This is my way of being a child. Worry free and happy.

I hope that each of us can also take some time to be like a child. Be simple and contented since that is what God wants us all to be.

By the way, I wanna share some pictures taken during Christmas. Simple pictures and yet captured my attention.

(my hubby during Laus' reunion-picture taken by Cheska)

(with little Cheska at Aunt Lit's place)

(my cutie niece - XySy during her first Christmas)


(with smart Josh and cutie Cheska)

For quite sometime, I was not able to follow the whereabouts of my fave band -- Bamboo. Today,
out of the blue I thought of them which is the reason why I wrote this.

It all started when the famous song 214 came out.
It was a nice love song which captured a lot of romantic young hearts. When I was in high school, I was able to watch them perform during a Town Fiesta and it was the first time I watched them live. Since then, I came to love them and became interested in anything about them.

That was not the first concert that I watched. A lot followed and Pampanga is one of the places they always return to. Every concert is a success and I can say that it's really worth every penny!

One thing that I love about Bamboo (lead singer) is his unique voice. Whether it is recorded or live, it is just the same. The soft and cold voice tends to capture each woman's heart. Also, following the voice is the meaningful lyrics they put on every melody. Every word strikes deep. Every song has a story to tell.

Right now, I was able to collect several Bamboo albums. I am hoping that they continue to make songs which leaves us a lesson and always remain in our hearts.

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!

You are intelligent, outgoing & stylish. A true girly girl, you love shopping & makeovers.

Although you are a generous friend, you can be coy, tricky & very persuasive in order to

get your way. You are known to zone out occasionally during conversations, but your

friends forgive you because you are understanding, supportive & know how to throw one

heck of a party!

b0reDoM

right now, boredom starts to creep in. i can feel the routine i do every single day. i am running out of movies to watch. i am looking for new games to play. i am trying to think of other things to do. i always want to go out.

with all these, i can say that i am a certified bored! actually, i am now waiting for the next year to come.

when i resigned, i told myself that i would just be having some rest and vacation. maybe two months is really enough for that. i even told my colleagues that i have to see until when i can stand it.

my first week was my adjustment stage. i was not able to feel right away that i am not working anymore. within my first month, that was the time that i felt the "rest". i was able to watch late night shows, do some house chores and take care of my hubby. i can say that i am a certified house wife then. after the first month, that was when i started to feel the urge to go out most of the time since i can't do anything at home. after doing some chores (while hubby is as sleep), that is when i wanna go somewhere else. i always think of going to the mall but when i think of being alone, i just end up staying at home. that is the downside of being jobless. when everyone around you work, you won't have someone to go out with. (hahaha)

so... January 2009 is fast approaching. the year is about to end. a lot of things were missed again, goals not met, and dreams unfulfilled.

as for me, i just have to do what i have to. no more New Year's resolutions since i just tend to break them. no more goal setting since i believe that everything will just fall into place if i will just choose to. i just have to believe in myself and do my best.

welcome 2009!

BaGuiO gEt aWaY

at Mines View Park



at Koffi Klutch bar



at Leny's place



after the dinner



with Tita A. and Bench at Giligans



at SM Baguio parking lot

addL. ShoTs

with pretty Auwee



with the gorgeous gals



the wacky shot



my partner (candle sponsors)



the wedding cake



the nice table (with our names on it)




the simple and yet elegant bride

Chei's wedding

December 6, 2008 - Our friend Chei Dimacali tied the knot at Batis Asul, Angeles City. She is now Cherry Grace Dimacali Reyes. The ceremony was a solemn one since it was attended by family, relatives and close friends. It would have been complete if our friend Erica was able to attend (please get well soon!) She missed a lot actually.

After the wedding, the celebration did not end there. We (my hubby, Auwee and me) went to Coffee Overdose and had some bottles of beer. It was an acoustic night and we enjoyed the music amidst the noise of the Tiangge in front of Essel Supermarket. We ended the night at around 11PM and was sad to be parting ways again. This was a special day, a day to remember. So, who will be next? :)

hoLiDaY

Today is a holiday and it was a long weekend for most of the people. But call center peeps love holidays and this was a double pay. :)

I had a long day and was able to do a lot of things together with my friend Phoebe. We went to the market early in the morning then went to Trinidad to buy some stuff. We went straight to Good Shepherd for the famous ube and strawberry jam (my hubby's only bilin hahaha)

The reunion went well and we really had a lot of fun. Our old bosses were there as well as my old co workers. We had a lunch at Mam Glo's place then decided to stay until dinner. We all said goodbye at around 9PM.

Several years already passed and a lot of things also changed. Mam Beth already have two kids and Mam Glo has two grand daughters. I just wonder why people in Baguio seems to stay young. It has been 8 years now but they still look the same.

Different stories were told. Revelations were made. Laughter is everywhere. Happiness can be seen on each person's face.

I hope our Reunion can be done yearly. Though it is quite impossible, I hope that this day will remain on everybody's heart.

FirSt DaY

i was able to reach Baguio at 5PM after a six hour drive. i was alone and i felt lonely though i was really excited to see my old friends. we reached my friend's house before 6PM and we went to SM Baguio. i was surprised to see a lot of people though the mall is not that big compared to SM Pampanga.i had dinner with two of my friends and took some pictures which i will post later on. It really feels good to be back here where i spent a part of my life. college life is one of the good memories i had and will never forget. there are a lot of new things here. of course Baguio improved a lot. later on, we will be having some night out with friends and will see what Baguio has to offer me hahhaa

by the way, i will be visiting my Alma Mater later on (Saint Louis University) and i wanna see all the improvements it has for the last couple of years. i heard a lot of changes and i really wanna see them. i am excited since i will also be meeting old people in my life. my previous bosses, workmates and even friends.

for now, its still early and i am waiting for the water to get warm. you know what? the water here is even colder than our iced water in Pampanga. they said that the temp now is at 14 degrees. that's not cold yet but the water is. oh by the way, here is my first pic with friends : with Arlene and Phoebe

BaGuiO heRe i CoMe ...

It's been more than three years now since I last visited my favorite place, Baguio City. I was lucky to attend our mini reunion with college friends at that time. Though I really wanted to have the reunion yearly, it's just not possible. A lot of things to consider - my own schedule, money and my friends availability as well.

But since I resigned from work, I have all the time now. But, how about money? I was lucky enough to receive a small amount from by back pay and that is what I will be using for my short vacation. As for their schedule, I am glad that they are willing and flexible. The coming holiday is also perfect and just right in time.

Tita Alma, who will be coming from Manila is so excited since she was not around the last time that we had the reunion. Now, we will be complete just like the good old days. I can't wait to see my friends and my old bosses too. It's always been a memorable time being with old friends.

I will be leaving on Friday morning and expecting to arrive at around 4 afternoon. My friend Phoebe will be picking me up at the terminal and offered their house for me stay. I am so thankful that she did this since I can save some money for accommodations. I already have my itinerary ready and I hope that I will be able to follow it hihihihi Though following a schedule is difficult, it's still better to have one so you can be sure to do all of the things you needed to do.

After a few days, I will be posting our pictures. My friends also are camera addict like me! I promise, I will keep you posted. :)

d nEw MemBeR of d FaMiLy!

Finally, I was able to complete a new lay out. It's been a month since I resigned and its just recently that my "creative mind" popped in. (LOL)

Though its just very simple, I felt proud since I was able to use the eye lets that I wanted to use since I saw them. (Thanks to my previous Coach for giving me her hammer and eye let kit)

Since I am just a beginner, its really a nose bleed for me to come up with a new lay out. Creative inputs do not just come in. It takes a lot of time and effort to complete one.

I know I just need more practice and patience of course! Well, I am not in a hurry since all scrappers start with this stage, right? I just hope that I will become better soon.
So someone help me! hihihi

weLc0Me!

Finally, my niece is now a Christian! She recently had her Baptism and was attended by family, relatives and close friends. It was a quiet event but was a day to remember. My niece was so adorable on her special day. She really entertained her guests and was able to get everybody's smiles.

This is my fave picture. She was looking at her Ninong AJ who is holding the digicam. She just love to have her picture taken.
What a cute baby :)

tHe CaLLinG

i was talking to my best friend in elementary one day and we were exchanging stories about what happened to us for the last several months that we have not communicated. i mentioned to her that i recently resigned from work and is taking some time to rest. she on the other hand, is very busy with work since she is working in a corporate world.

when we ran out of things to say about ourselves, we decided to talk about other people's lives - our classmates in elementary in particular. she told me that one of our classmates who was our salutatorian entered the convent. at first, i was surprised but then i told myself that it is something possible anyway.

i told her that i admired her for doing such a brave decision. let me give you a little of her background so you would better understand why this is such a big deal for me. she used to work in a big company in Manila for 5 years and was doing well in her career. when we had a reunion last year, she told us that her job is finally rewarding but she does not really enjoy what she does. actually, she is a licensed engineer and works in a company which specializes in creating programs/soft wares. at that time, i envied her since i can see that she had already accomplished a lot at a young age.

suddenly, i got interested in her "calling" and made some searches on her profile. i luckily found two blog sites writing about her calling and discernment. i was inspired on what i read and found out that since high school, she has been fascinated about nuns and the religious vocation. when she was in high school, she was a delegate to the World Youth Day and attended a lot of Youth Congresses. she was really meant to be in that vocation i guess.

sometime last year, she suddenly felt that there is still something missing in her life. given a good career, intelligence and good heart still make her empty. she even came to a point that she just drags herself to work and being motivated only because of the financial reward.

as i was reflecting on what happened to her and to the decision she made, i told myself that giving yourself into the religious vocation is really a life changing event. it does not just happen overnight. you really have to gauge yourself if you are ready for it and willing to leave everything behind. but once decided, there is no turning back. you have to fully give in to GOD's will.

this has been an eye opener to me today. i have reflected and seen that my faith is nothing compared to hers. she gave up everything for the LORD. as for me? what have i given HIM? is attending mass every Sunday enough to do HIS will? what else should i do to prove HIM that i want to follow this will?

i hope this will let all of us reflect and do more good to others. people sacrifice to do GOD's will and as for us who are just ordinary people, we can also do a lot. we can start to ourselves.
i always believe that doing something for others will go along way. it does not matter how big it is, what matters most is what good it did to others.

latest internet craze!

i've seen a lot of these images lately. i believe this is the newest software invented for those who want to enhance their own pictures. it's cute though!
i tried to look for the website where you can create one and was fortunate to see it on one of the "Friendster comments" hahaha

now, i was enticed myself to try it and here is what i have! :)
cute, huh??!!

growing fast!

i can't help but to make "gigil" whenever i see my niece. she is growing so fast. at 4 months, she can already do a lot of things. i believe she is quite advance with the normal growth of a baby. with the different formula milk that kids take, we are seeing a lot of improvements as compared to kids before.

on the other side, my sister was not able to take advantage of breast feeding. since she is a working Mom, she was not able to give my niece the most nutritious milk of all. maybe, if XySy is breast feeding she might bigger :P

now, i am thinking if i really want to have my own baby now. given my situation (i am not working and have a lot of rest) i can easily have my own child but i am also in dilemma since i do not have my own income. it is still better if i am working since i can provide better for my child. many people tell me that it is now the right time to get pregnant. but for me, i am still thinking of practicality.

i hope i might be able to decide soon :)

it's been a while ...

i've been browsing the Baguio City website for several days now and i can't help but to reminisce the past. i'm missing the old people in my life. my friends, old bosses, acquaintances, the place, the climate and my alma mater. these things have been a big part of what i am now so i won't ever forget them.

i am planning to visit friends next month (by the end of November i hope). actually, im excited and really wants to unwind and feel how's it is like to visit the place after almost 4 years of pretending to be busy with work hahaha. friends are also excited about one thing. we are having a REUNION!!! it is just in time. Tita Alma is very much willing to come all the way from Manila just to be with the group. same here - i am very much willing to spend time with friends and old workmates too.

it's been almost 7 years since i graduated from college. most of the group stayed in Baguio and got their own careers there. since i am a native of Pampanga, i decided to find my fate here. we seldom see each other due to our busy schedule and also lack of opportunity to meet. a get together is only possible whenever someone from the province visits Baguio. this happens once in a lifetime so everyone gets excited.

life in baguio is very simple. when i was still a student, i am only being given P300-500php/week for my living allowance. i buy everything from there. toiletries, food, school projects and even "pang gimik". but my parents never heard a complaint from me since everything was cheap there. at that time, we can ask for free veggies from the neighbor and live with that small amount of allowance and still be happy. this was one of the things that i love. here in Pampanga, everything is expensive. nothing is free and only few things are cheap. if you want a bigger salary, go for a call center career. but still, there are times that it is not enough. prizes, gasoline and fare always go up.

now, im wondering if Baguio is still the "simple" place that i used to know. since time changes and $ is fluctuating, will it still be the same? what are the changes that i should expect? these things need to be discovered soon. i just hope that i won't get disappointed.

5th daY

whheeeww!!! this is the fifth day of my new life. no schedule to follow, no routine to adhere to and no job. since it's just a few days after i resigned, i still enjoy it though i've been busy for the last 4 days. my in laws arrived from the United States and i was the one who made sure that everything is in order before they arrived.

i am happy to finally take my longed vacation. though i am still at home, it feels different to have all the rest that you need. of course, i take care of a lot of things at home but still i am more relaxed. i am now a full pledged wife, daughter, sister, aunt and daughter in law.

******* ****************** *************

i made sure to find some time to go online since i missed writing blog entries. i am currently watching some videos and pictures taken in the United States by my sister in law. How i wish i could also go there! who knows what's in store for me, right?

For now, there's nothing more enjoyable done taking some time to rest and do whatever it takes to get relaxed. i don't really feel like working yet but im planning to look for a new job next year. i guess it won't be that fun anymore after a few months. i also get bored easily. but for now, im enjoying what i have.

******* *******************

All Saint's Day is about to come. It will be fun again since a lot of relatives are already here. All those who went to the US have arrived. I will be posting more entries soon.

Bye for now :)

first day

FRIDAY, October 24 of 2008. This is the first day of a new life. I am now a simple home maker. No job, no income but has a new routine for the day. No work schedule, just do whatever I want with my own time. Something totally different from what I do for the last 7 years.

What will I do tomorrow? Well, that is what I have to find out. Stay tuned. :p

d EnD iS nEaR!

"Saying goodbye is one of the hardest thing to do. See you later is better to say I guess."

People come and go. Change is the only thing permanent in this world. Things can't just always stay the way they are. There should be a movement, change or something different.

I started with AOL almost 7 years ago as a Santa Mail Consultant and at that time, we were on a contractual basis (for two months) and earns around P200/day. We used to answer emails from kids in the US who were asking for a lot of things from Santa. These children believes that Santa is for real and that he gives out presents/gifts to good kids. I enjoyed this job though.
After more than a month, I was then called and was hired for the regular job as a Billing Consultant. That was February 9, 2002. I had a 6 month training for email support then moved to Live Chat (where I stayed for the longest time) and soon - (February of this year) to the Phone queue.

With my employment here at AOL (not yet eTel), I have learned a lot about Customer Service and also gained a lot of friends too. I got several friends from Technical, Billing, CAT, MOST and even from the ISS (previously Jones Lange). Before, AOL is a very conjucive and friendly community. When eTel came into the scene, a lot of things changed and as I saw it, people started to feel the differences. I know that we also need to do out part in adapting to these changes but for most of us, we had a hard time in catching up.

After quite some time, people started to move to find a greener pasture outside the company. Others went abroad and some transferred to other call centers or companies. As for me, I am not going anywhere yet. I have decided to take some time to smell the flowers, watch late night shows, relax and perform household chores and be a plain housewife. I am not sure as to how long I can do this, but for now this is what I wanna do.

The time has come to end this chapter of my career. I am not sure as to what is waiting for me outside. Actually, I am leaving with a heavy heart just thinking about the people who have been a part of this chapter in my life. However, I really need this right now. I just hope that the new chapter will be a good one if not better.

So, to all the people who have been a great help to me (i am sure you know who you are) I want to first thank them. To my mentors (trainers and coaches) who always believed in me, my CSS who were always ready to help, and to all my team mates for the last 6 years. Thanks for accepting me for who I am and for sharing a friendship that will be cherished all the time.

To AOL/eTel, thank you as well. So starting October 24, MHIJobeth and JobethMariano is signing off.

aLL aBoUt ChRisTMaS!

....Christmas is just around the corner. Everyone starts to prepare by buying gifts, fixing decorations, playing Christmas carols and putting the spirit into their homes. Christmas is the most awaited time of the year. It is the only season that gives each person hope, peace and more love.

Every year, I always get excited whenever I hear Christmas songs and see the Christmas tree being set up. When I was a child, I dreamt of having a big and tall christmas tree in our house since we cannot afford to have one. Life is so hard that we can only afford to buy christmas lights and some paper decors with the MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR message. During Noche Buena, we do not have much on our table. A kilo of spaghetti or pancit and a few sticks of bbq is what we can only afford. However, all of us (together with my three siblings) are gathered on our dining table eating happily and exchanging stories. Those were the days. We were still young and worry free.

Now, everything is different. We do have our own lives and families. My parents live far from us, my sister has her own house, my brother is outside the country and me, living with my husband and in laws. We cannot eat together anymore during Noche Buena since we either work or stay at our own home. That is one of the sad part of the season. When I got married, alot of things changed. Though I always visit my parents at Christmas day, still it's different. Gone were the days when we were young, worry free and live life as it is and just dependent on our parents. Right now, we have to make our own living and take care of our own needs.

Anyway, have you ever wondered why people can spend generously during Christmas season? I noticed that once the 13th month pay comes, people start to go shopping for gifts. We also spend much on food and we are not that concerned on how it will cost us. If we are like this the whole year round, I can say that life is extravagant and no one is considered poor. But, on the other side there are people who can't barely eat three meals a day. They are the ones who sleep at carts and under bridges. Imagine ten persons sleeping in a small cart during a cold or rainy night. How I pity these people but how can they have many kids with their economic status? But since it's Christmas season, alot of generous individuals prefer to help these people. A bag of groceries will bring them a long way. Old clothes, toys and books are also being offered by rich kids.

In addition, outreach programs are being held often in every part of the country. I just hope that this is done all year round. I still believe in the kindness of people though.

By the way, I have a question for you. Have you recently thought of the good deeds you have done during Christmas season? Since blessings is abundant, do we share it to others if given the opportunity?What have we done so far that makes a big difference to others who are in great need?

Helping others should not be done only during Christmas season however, for all of us this is the most appropriate time. So, I am appealing to all that we take advantage of this time to share what we have and feel the spirit.

Advance Merry Christmas to all!

aLL i WaNnA d0

i wanna travel by land, for its been several years since i last did it
i wanna ride a plane, for it would be my first time
i wanna walk by the seashore, for it gives me serenity
for my life is just simple and have neglected these things

i wanna sleep at night, for i'm always lacking one
i wanna watch late night shows, since its been a while since i enjoyed one
i wish i can visit a friend who lives far away from here
and spend more time with my family without thinking about work

oh, how i would love to relax and throw away
all the negative vibes around me
and be at wherever i want to go
let me break free and do things that i miss so much
for i can only do these things one more time

i hope i can do all of these again before its too late
for now is the right time and is the only given time
this is the chance that i have been waiting for
the time that is for me and for me alone

conT ...

finally, hubby fixed the pc coz i complained as soon as he arrived. i told him that i just finished one simple lay out and i want it posted on my blog. he patiently sat on the computer chair, click on something and started to type. i waited for a few minutes and felt excited while i see the screen completes the process.
finally! i saw the message that says " completed" and this is the only thing i've been waiting for.

2nd LaYoUT

i can't believe that i am now working on my second lay out. actually, i am running out of ideas (as if i have lots :p) thanks to my best friend who spent some time with me in conceptualizing this lay out. as you know, i am not yet confident to create a new one with just my own ideas. well, as a beginner, i believe i am entitled on a learning curve hahaha

i am now on my finishing touches (after 4 hours!) while i am writing this post. i am thinking of some additional details so i decided to post an entry first. a few more pasting and it will be ready for posting! i can't believe this! hahahha

by the way, my new LO is about my best friends since high school. it's been a decade since we started our friendship and it is getting stronger, i guess. i am so blessed to have them in my life so i thought of making a small token showing them how i value our friendship.

unfortunately, the cable needed to save my pics is not working so i won't be able to show my LO for now.
but don't worry, i will upload it once i have it fixed by hubby. for now, i am glad that i have finished my second LO :) long way to go!!!

CrOp NiTe

this was the start of my scrap booking life. i was invited by friends (teena and kots rome). at first, i had some hesitations since i do not know anything scrap booking, even the basic techniques. but then, i told myself that why not try since its been a while since i planned to create a lay out. after this day, i was inspired to buy some materials. though its quite costly, i manage to buy them one by one. for the mean time, i just have enough materials that i can use to create a simple lay out. but then, i'm still asking teens and kots rome to buy me an acrylic block and cutting mat so i can use the other materials as well.

My FirSt LaYoUt

well, this is my first lay out since i decided to pay attention to scrap booking. actually, the materials were given by Yoyin during the first Crop Nite that i attended. she showed us her own lay out and let us do our own. what i did was, i changed some of the details to come up on my own.

the cutie baby here is my first niece named XySy (Xylene Synphonie). she is my sister's daughter and the first baby in our family. i was inspired to make her my subject since i love her picture taken a few days after she was given birth. now, she is already 3 months and growing so fast.

i would really want to create a new lay out but my problem is, i do not have any idea yet. i am currently looking for lay outs and designs from the internet so i can come up with mine. hoping that i can post my next lay out very soon!

first post

wow, i can't believe that i have created a new blog site!

well, i have a personal blog with AOL however, i decided to discontinue it since the feature will sunset this month. i was just inspired by friends to create a new blog under this site. so, here i go! :)

i still don't know what to post here. :p i don't even have a new lay out for my scrap booking and don't even know when i can create a new one. i'm still waiting for my momentum hahaha

today is already Sunday and we get few calls. i am glad that i was able to take the free time in creating my blog and as well as posting my first few posts. i think i can't really live without blogs :(

as i have mentioned on my self "description", this my own way of releasing my stress, tension and other negative vibes that i feel. if others have hobbies to make them feel better, then i have my blog site to make things lighter.