Discovery Suite Days

Today VFI employees, were invited for a dessert by Kamran. All of us thought na joke lang yun kc one of my officemates requested for it. At akala nmen sa podium lang kmi pupunta that's why we're so confused when we're heading towards Discovery Suites. At ayan na kinausap na ni Kamran ung isa sa mga staff. In the end, we're back at the 22nd floor kung saan maraming memories ang batch nmen. After this, I was inspired to write this entry, coz all memories flashed back. And I miss Tha and Darwin coz they're not there for the first time.

Just want to recall those days na mala-donya ang buhay namin at mukha kaming patabaing baboy.

• January 16, 2008. Discovery served almost all types of their desserts. Mukha na naman kaming patabaing baboy sa dami ng desserts. Bumabaha ng maraming ice creams (coffee,chocolate,strawberry,macadamia,vanilla..etc) and cakes (sansrival,tarot?,apple cheese,chocolate..etc). Good thing on this date, nakabonding nmen ang mga newbies at bagong teammates.
  

• December 2006. We stayed in an executive room for a week because of hectic schedule of the SSL project. Me and Jheng on the same room while Tha and Darwin on the other room. Mala-donyang buhay kc nagsuswimming kmi sa 5th floor at nagjacuzzi. Bondat lagi sa buffet breakfast at may take out pa na tinatago sa bulsa ni darwin or sa jacket nmen ni Jheng. hahaha! *miss you tha and dar* At dun din ako natuto maglaro ng larong-mayaman: ang monopoly. hahaha!

• July 2006. One night at discovery again. Naranasan nyo na ba i-toast ang hotdog na nasa stick na may kasamang marshmallow? Hahaha! Ewan ko ba nun kung ano pumasok sa utak nmen ni Tha. Ayun natunaw tuloy sa oven toaster yung mga marshmallow. In short nagkalat kmi sa kitchen ng discovery. Hahaha! Below is where me and jheng slept.
  

• August 2006. We stayed in a suite room(w/ sala, 3 bedrooms, kitchen) for 2 days with tha, dar, eden, eric,peter and jheng. That was after the 3-day stay at Crowne Plaza. Thanks for the Mastercard certification project. Memorable moment was ung picturan nmen na nalaglag ako sa upuan. At sa crowne plaza naman yung cam whoring sa CR. hahaha!

• October 2005. Merienda Cocktail with Kamran again where Julius was awarded as the employee of the month. Grabe hanga talaga ako sa kanya nun kc 4months pa lang kmi sa VFI may award agad xa. At mejo nasashock pa ako nun kc meryenda lang sa hotel pa. Eto pala yung time na 30 pa lang kming employees ng VeriFone. Ngaun grabe d ko na mabilang cguro lagpas na kmi ng 100.

• June 2005. This was my first time in Discovery. 2-week training at Discovery Suite na mukha kaming patabaing baboy kc buffet sa meryenda sa umaga, buffet sa lunch, at buffet sa meryenda sa hapon. Grabe! mas madami pa ako natutunan sa mga iba't ibang dishes. Japanese, korean, Spanish, Pinoy, Italian, American...etc. Mas natuto pa ako about sa food kesa sa mga tinuturo ng mga Indian at ibang foreigners nmeng mga boss. I learned kng pano patutunugin ung goblet pag pinaikot ung daliri dun sa top. At ayan ang pic nmen noon. hahaha!

Whoa! I miss the old days...I miss tha and Darwin...I miss the life of a donya... These moments have a very great part in my life already. Many firsts, happened in that hotel. Sana madami pa events next time. hahaha!

Bye 2007, Hello 2008

It may be late writing how I welcome the 2oo8, but I will still make it. I will make lists of what I was in 2007 and what I want to be, to have and to do in 2008.

2007
-I welcome 2007 by changing my hairdo, I went for a hot oil, trimmed my hair straight and put some bangs.
-I've been into different bars, Nirvana, Elbow Room, Muchos with my officemates.
-It's my first time to ride a plane, went to Boracay for 4days as well as in Puerto Galera.
-JhoWa and BertNeng went to Tagaytay last July and it was my first time on that place also and ate at Bag of Beans Resto.
-I went to different historical places in Laguna and Lucban Quezon.
-I celebrated a birthday full of surprises and received gifts which cost so much efforts from my friends and loved ones.
-I cried and realized that it's so hard to say goodbyes to my officemates whom I had worked for 2 years.
-For the first time, I celebrated Christmas in Pampanga, ate Bayawak and discovered so many things about animals.
-There's so many ups and downs this year, although each year seemed to be like this, but 2007 was more difficult for me almost in all aspects.

• WORK. I've been in a battle between myself and I. It's so hard to handle this because I envied my officemates and friends who have grown in their career so much which made me think that I was left alone, uncompetitive, less confident and keep on asking myself what to do to boost my personality and career.
  
• FINANCIAL. I know most of us if not all experience this kind of prob. Well, on my part, I'm just wondering why I can't buy what I want while other's can. Why I can't go to a place I want to reach, while other's can. I have enough money to feed my necessities and I'm very thankful for that. But when time comes one of the impt. persons in my life will need my help and I can't, it's quite disappointing.
• FRIENDS. Countless of times I had been involved in the gaps of my berks. But I am thankful that we still remain friends after all what had happened between us.
• LOVELIFE. Well, it's normal for a relationship but for more than 2 yrs, for the first time me and Bert had a longest fight. Thanks God, our faith in Him and love for each other keep us together. I witnessed most relationships had broken and paranoia attacked me always if me and Bert were not ok. Hehehe!
  
• FAMILY. It's the first time, I quarreled my father because of anger when he was drunk. But that year, was better for us as far as the bonding is concerned.

2008
-I change my hairdo again: layered, shoulder-length,curly hair like a cheez curlz.
-TODO:

• First of all, be disciplined enough to save money and spend salary wisely.
• Look for a new apartment for the whole family.
• If God will give me an opportunity, I will apply for a housing loan.
• I must have a career growth this time. I'll stop comparing myself to others instead set my goals and do something to get them.
• I'll try my best not to demand and expect so much from Bert.
  
• Take a 1 week leave on Dimple's graduation and spend vacation in Bikol coz I did not go home for 2 years already.
• Save money to visit Bohol or Palawan and take a summer outing in the beach with Berks.
  
• Improve my relationship with God and trust Him all the time.
• Try to be positive in all circumstances.
• The last but not the last, I'll strive to lose weight, engage myself to more physical activities and eat less.

What I learned in the past year is that, in every difficulties, more blessings came and lessons taught. This 2008 I hope and pray that I can achieve what I really want and what God wants me to be.

Christmas 2007 @ Pampanga

My only regret on this occasion is NOT BRINGING A CAMERA!!! Grrr!
It was my first Christmas spent in Pampanga and my first time to visit the piggery and the newly bought land of my tito.

Day 1(Dec 24):
We arrived in Pampanga @ 9pm. Isang baranggay kmi sa dami nmen pumunta dun. Hahaha! Tita Ana and two kidz, Tita Tonia and Carlo, My parents and sisters, 12 na kmi lahat plus si Tita Nida at Jason na xang sumundo smen sa Manila papunta sa kanila. Creepy maxado sa gabi ung way papunta sa kanila pero pansin na pansin yung pagiging maalikabok at lubak lubak na daan. Pagdating namen dun yung gate ay malayo sa mismong bahay. Wow! kahit na d pa ganun katapos yung bahay na yun mas ok pa nman kesa sa bahay na inuupahan nmen. Walang doorbell so magbibased na lang ng mga tao sa loob kng may tao sa gate sa tahol NG MGA aso at kung sisigaw ka ng "TAO PO!" Hehehe!
Nakakauhaw yung byahe so una ko hinanap is tubig. Glug! (bkit iba lasa?) Glug! ulet! (iba nga lasa matamis-tamis). Yeah lasang probinsya ang tubig...although i grew up in a province but i seldom taste a sweet water unless pumunta ako sa bundok. I know, from that time na uminom ako ng tubig, macoconstipate ako this christmas. Hahaha! Looking around the house, napapangiti ako sa mga kurtina. Resourceful at creative tlga ang Tita ko. Yung plastic na napopop kng san nilalagay ung mga terminal sa opis, yung pantanggal ng stress nmen sa opis, gnwang kurtina ni tita. Hehehe! And she got mad at me pag pinapaputok ko yung mga yun.
Simple lang Noche buena nmen dun, tilapia(as i have requested), cake, adobo at pansit at konting kwitis. Yung gift na-advance na sa Maynila pa lang. Syempre papag lang higaan nmen at sobrang tawanan sa paghahanap ng mahihigaan kc it can't accommodate us all. Pero nagkasya kmi lahat mukhang sardinas nga lang. Buti na lang malamig dun.

Day 2(Dec 25):
@7am ako na lang ang tulog. Pero natulog pa rin ako kahit na yung iba nagpeprepare na papunta kina Tito Noli(it's just an ilog away). Pag gising ko una ko agad hinanap yung sinasabi nilang MGA kambing dun but i haven't seen one kc umalis na dw. Gumala na dun sa kabilang bukid mayang hapon pa dw balik ng mga yun. So dumiretso na lang ako sa piggery. Wow! Ang lalaki ng baboy at ang dami 20 - 30 baboys kc nabenta na dw yung iba. At sosyalin ang inuman nila. Each baboy has it's own gripo na lalabas ang tubig once madiinan ung isang maliit at maigsing metal dun. Malinis xa in fairness, d mabantot, pano ba naman 3x a day nililinis at puro feeds ang kinakain. Lumaki dn kc ako na may baboy sa bahay pero 1-3 baboy lang.
@9am nagulat kmi kc c papa dumudugo kamay kinagat dw xa ng bayawak. That large lizard was caught by Tito Noli and put it in a drum. Then nung ilalagay na xa sa sako, kinagat si papa kc nmn 1 week na pala d kumakain un. Ayun dahil dun pinatay ang kaawa-awang bayawak. Dapat sana aalagaan xa ng Tito ko. Then umalis na kmi, crossed the shallow river na walang kabatu-bato...puro buhangin pero may konti xa amoy. Mahirap maglakad pala sa ganun kc lumulubog paa. Naunahan pa kmi ng mga aso, ang gagaling lumangoy sa ilog. Dito nga pala nahuhuli ung bayawak. Masukal kc yung lugar eh.
At last we arrived sa Nipa hut ng tito ko. De poso tubig dun at ang layo ng tindahan sa kanila. One time nung bumili ako may 2 kambing sunod sken akala ko kambing nila tita so hinayaan ko na. Till pabalik ko sunod pa rin cla. The 2 small kambing ay d naman pala kambing nmen. Dun pala yun sa kapitbahay.

Bayawak Experience:
First time ko makakita ng bayawak nun. kamukha nya ang buwaya except smooth yung spine nya. I witnessed kng pano niluluto ang bayawak. Bubuhusan muna ng mainit na tubig den tatanggalin ung first skin(parang kaliskis sa isda). Ewww! d ako kakain nun makita ko lang ung design ng balat d tlga ako kakain. Pero sabi tito lasang sawa lang un at mas masarap pa sa chicken. I recalled the tase of sawa, eh lasang chicken un. *lunok* tapos ihahalo dw nya yun sa ginataang malunggay. Eh paborito ko un, waaah! So ginawa nmen ni ate tinanggal nmen ung isa pang skin para matira yung white meat. Ayan anjan na, niluto xa kasama ung ulong kamukha ng sa butiki. Ewww! In the end kumain pa rin ako, nacucurious dn kc ako sa lasa eh. Yummy! ang sarap pala tlga ng bayawak. Hehehe! This was such an exotic Christmas!

Piggery Experience:
Since nalasing ang tito ko, ala maglilinis at magpapakain sa baboy so i volunteered to help tita in doing it kc gawain ko nmn yun before. Josko! ang hirap pala nakakapagod maxado sa dami ng baboy dun, kalahati lang nalinis at napakain ko. Ang sakit sa likod at nangamoy baboy pa raw ako kc naglaro pa kmi ng mga pinsan kong bata sa loob.

Wonder of Kambing:
Pag labas ko ng piggery, I saw this soooper daming kambing parang nagpuprusisyon. I yelled at my Tita coz I thought they are the kambing in the house. Ngek! Di pala kc accdg to Tita yung mga kambing nila sa front gate dumadaan at indi sa back gate at d pa dw yun oras ng uwi nila kc 4pm pa lang.
Nelda: Tita sino nagpapastol ng kambing?
Tita Nida: Wala. Every morning pinalalabas lang nmen sila.
Ate: San sila nakakarating?
Tita Nida: Dun sa kubo sa bukid. (eh ang layu-layo nun) At 6pm magiipu-ipon yan jan sa gate kaya dapat mamaya 5:30 buksan na yung gate s harapan.
Ate,Nelda at Dimple(amazed): Grabe nmn! ang galing nmn ng mga kambing na yun
@6am nakalimutan nmen buksan ang gate at nagsitahulan ang mga aso. Wow! andaming kambing nag-ipun-ipon sa harap. Pagbukas ni tito ng gate aba isa isa na nagsipasok at tuluy-tuloy dun sa tirahan nila. Di kabisado ni tita hitsura ng mga kambing nila. Binibilang lang nya yun at nagbibase lang xa sa kung saan yun dumadaan at oras ng uwi nila.

Whew! Ang saya ng Christmas ko sa Pampanga. I have experienced again the life in a province. Kahit na nahirapan kmi sumakay pauwi ng Maynila nung 25, still sobrang saya pa rin nmen pagbalik ng Maynila.

For You: Christmas Wishes

• May you celebrate with joy and love the birthday of Jesus.
  
• May you really feel the essence of Christmas.
• May you have a very Prosperous New Year.
• May you not forget to follow your new year's resolutions.
• And the last but not the least, MAY YOU GIVE ME A GIFT! Hahaha!

These are my wishes for you this Yuletide Season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I thank you for the friendship and good things we have shared for this year. May we do the same on 2008. :D

VeriFone Retro Christmas Party

Decades Bar, Metrowalk(Dec. 13, 2007):

From the name of the place, "Decades", oldies na so Retro theme ang party namin this year. What should we expect? Of course dapat pang 70's at 80's ang costume, may team presentation, at d mawawala ang Pinkpolo'd and Foxy Lady of the Night, as well as the Major Annual Awards, raffles na wish ko lang na yung mapili kong color costs higher than 1k at retro din kaya yung food?(joke!)

Photos:
Neldz' Decades Bar(2007.12.13)
Pitt's VeriFone Christmas Party Part 1
Pitt's VeriFone Christmas Party Part 2
Anne's VFI Xmas Party 2007
Anne's VFI Xmas Party 2007 (from my camera)
Anne's VFI-Presentations

Place:
Mas maliit xa sa in-expect ko na laki ng place. Akala ko di makakapagperform ng maayos ang mga magpepresent but um-ok nmn kahit papano.

Costume:
Naku! Ang gaganda at gugwapo ng mga opismates ko that time. Nakakatuwa kc may mga punkista, may mga 70's na 70's ang hitsura, may mga nakawig, nakagogo boots, retro kng retro pero may mga indi rin nakisama sa costume.

Team Presentation(5min):
Only four teams joined the presentation:

• STE-VPD - Dance Remix
• 

• STE-SQA - 70's - 80's Medley Dance(Dreamgirls,Footloose at Lady Marmalade) nakakatuwa kc ibang guys nagsuot ng 2 piece at leggings. Saludo ako sainyo grabe!
• 

• OS Team - Di ko alam yung song pero nakakatuwa sila kc sabay sabay at mga guys lahat may patilya na mahaba. hehehe!
• 

• STE - DEV: Yohooo! We won the team presentation and have an encore afterwards...

A week before the Christmas Party wala pa rin nagvovolunteer sa team nmen kng cnu-cno magpepresent so in the end, lahat kailangan magpresent. We chose 70's Medley Dance:

I WILL SURVIVE - syempre si Mama Rubz ang best emotera smen so she acts as Dianna Ross while Me, Jho and Jheng were her back-ups. Sobrang maalog sayaw nmen at kahit matigas katawan ko sumayaw hala go! pa rin. hahaha! Same din kmi lahat ng damit except sa footwear at hairdo.

DO THE HUSTLE - c Janna nagpoi while Ercel, Julius, Miao and Arch were the dancers.

U SHOULD BE DANCIN'(yeah!) - ang pinakamalakas sa audience impact hehehe! kc nmn ang supervisor napasayaw kasama 2 sa bagong DEV(Booz and Ryan) team with pamatay na moves na mala-John Travolta.

AWITIN MO ISASAYAW KO - a swing performed by Frangy-Jheng and Booz-Me. Some didn't know it but I really love ballroom dancing since I was a kid. Hehehe! I used to dance with my Lola, ate, mga tita ng boogie, chacha, swing, tango at rumba nung nasa Bikol pa ako. Hayz, missing the old days. Kaya lang I need effort as in effort para maging graceful kc nmn I am taba and mahihirapan yung partner ko iwrap ako if mas malapad ako kesa sa kanya. Hehehe! Nice job Booz! :)) This dance was ended by a cartwheel from Arch and Miao.

ROCK BABY ROCK - the finale dance at lahat ng DEV nagperform at kung san kitang kita ang galing ni Frangy sa pagsayaw,walang ka-effort effort but he's really graceful. Finale act, the 4 party poppers! Hehehe! Ang saya-saya!

Stars of the Night:
Fang(17th Floor) - is the Pinkpolo'd while
Kalai(STE_SQA) - is the emcee and the Foxy Lady of the Night

Raffles:
Josko! Yung color ng glowing bracelet na nakuha ang may pinakamababang cost. As usual 1k ulet. Di na ako tumaas sa 1k at sa ibang raffles wala rin BOKYA ulet! Kelan kaya ako suswertehin sa mga raffles raffles na yan.

VeriFone Annual Awards(Congratulations!!!):

• Above and Beyond the Call of Duty - Kalai(STE-SQA) has provided services beyond teh scope of her job.

• Best in Innovation - Jopen(STE-DSS) and Anne(STE-SQA). They were the ones who demonstrated creativity in doing their works or by helping their teammates and customers.

• Best in Team Spirit - I forgot his name. He's from 17th floor who has not only boosted the morale of his team but also that of other teams.

After the program, we have invaded the dance floor. Sayaw dito sayaw doon, walang paki sa mga nakakakita basta kmi sasayaw. Hahaha! Pero ciempre nakakapagod din kaya at 1:30am i think, umuwi na kmi. At naiwan ang matatatag sa inuman at sayawan. Hehehe! Ako, Frangy, Wali and Jho, bumalik pa sa opis. Di na nakuntento sa sangkatutak na picturan. Pagdating sa opis, changed costume at picture picture ulet. Hahaha! I really enjoyed the party.