Unwind

The preparations' the biggest production so far. Imagine almost a month of planning for just an overnight stay for a milestone party. Exchange of emails during work hours for the planning of committees and assignments is so much fun. The preparation is already some sort of relaxation for us behind our very toxic work. And the excitement is somehow killing us as the days come to near. It's suppose to be our team's milestone event but other co-business unit members were able to come with us, at their own expense, which made the event more enjoyable.


We had our first stop at SLEX Petron to assemble the convoy. After which, the next assembly was after Star Tollway at Lipa exit. The bad thing that happened to us was getting lost. Burn the map! Or should I say punish the head of the convoy who didn't follow directions which caused a bit of traffic on the two-lane street at Lipa after 7 cars are turning back. =)

The place may not be too exceptional since I used to live in Davao surrounded by beautiful beaches. Anilao is famous for its rocky coast. But we still had a good time. Marvin and I just opt to prepare the food for the group and hone our photography skills instead of plunging in the waters. At night, we had a few drinks, indulge in merry-making and snugly rested at our beds before midnight since we still need to be at Tagaytay in the morning to be with our little girl who was brought there by her grannies.
All that starts well, indeed ends well. We hope that there'll be another event such as this so we'll not always be thinking about work and the office. =)

Balance

I bumped into a blog of a wife's point of view regarding the limitations of a person who entered into married life. I only agree to her point that family should come first, above all the affairs at work, among all others. But definitely not on the premise that all the time aside from work must be spent solely to be with the family and never to go out with friends or co-workers to socialize or have some clean fun. And most especially, to reject all invitations for the reason that all free time must be spent bonding with the spouse and the kids. I should say that there must always be a balance on everything.

I believe that to each her own. As for our case, we always honor all the invitations given to us unless we already had prior commitments, we are sick, we wanted to have some time off from our busy schedule, and our worst reason is we don't feel like coming to the affair. The very reason why we always want to grace all invitations with our presence is we love to go to merry occasions and we enjoy the company of friends. We don't want a rebound; friends rejecting our invitations which is saddening.

Marriage is not supposed to be an imprisonment. It's true that marriage makes the husband and the wife become one, but not too literally to become physically one, to be always together. There are times that couples do things together and times spent doing things without each other. The balance will help keep the relationship healthy.

I remember some occasions when I pushed my husband to go and meet up with friends to unwind and catch up with them. His circle must not only consists of "US", he must also extend it to relatives, friends and co-workers coz there will definitely come a time that when things go wrong, those people might just come as saving grace. There are some incidents when I bring him along with me when its my time to go out with friends. We allow each other to have some sort of clean fun with other people as long as we don't abandoned our family's needs (i.e. food, security, etc.), it' not very frequent like every week, or that will lead to philandering.

Marvin and I work in the same company, but we don't meddle much on each other's matters at work although we do talk about it everyday. Communication and respect are some basic roots for a problem-free relationship. We respect all the decisions we make but not those that would jeopardize our family and relationship. We always support each other on the things we wanted to do and achieve because we don't want the time would come that we'll feel very sorry for hindering each other's desires and happiness. This I think might be one of the reasons why some marriages fail; spouses tend to be choked and confined with rules.

It must be that I'm a career woman and I chose to juggle my time with my husband, my daughter, my friends and the demands at work. I may not have experienced yet problems when all those balls that I've been juggling falls altogether, demanding me to catch them all. But when that time comes my husband and my kids will always be on my top priority.

Which Road To Take?

Everytime I'm caught into a situation where there's a need to make a decision that would create a big impact on my future, I always remember this poem from Robert Frost. There were so many times I attempted to create an entry of this poem in this blog, but it seemed those prior decisions I was about to make were not that intense as the one Marvin and I am facing right now.

A one-year assignment in Japan. That means leaving Marvin and our 13-month baby behind. Not to mention the ongoing execution of our plans for this year. And some plans would be left done and undone without me. Gosh, a year of separation would seemed like eternity.

We just can't turn down this offer. It's very attractive financially speaking, so as the travel opportunity and skills upgrade. But this entails a great deal of sacrifice for us. Hope we can come up with a very wise decision within the week.



The Road Not Taken

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I?
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Denmark & Canada's Fireworks

At long last. We were able to witness the pyro-olympics without any hassles. Except for finding the right location to set-up our humble gears by the seawall. Although we bought tickets so we can access the promenade, there are still a lot of people who came earlier than us that occupied the best slots. I thought we can never have a decent shot again because of the crowd. But here are some samples merely taken by amateur and trying-hard photographers using our semi-DSLR gear.

DENMARK

CANADA

World Pyro-Traffic Day

We're very eager to witness the first day of the 2nd World Fireworks Olympics to be held at SM Mall of Asia's promenade. It's our first time to practice shooting fireworks using our meek Sony R1. Our excitement turned into dreariness due to what we thought of just a Friday-night traffic. But it wasn't that since we've been traveling for 2 hours or so already from Ortigas to Makati. We left the office early just to make it to the 8pm fireworks show. What we never anticipated is that everybody are all going to the same venue which caused the tremendous traffic all around the metro. Imagine the stretch of Edsa from Timog to Mall of Asia was all jam-packed with vehicles as well as all the other alternative routes.

Marvin and I had our own inklings. He thought it's really a bad idea to watch the show on its first day coz a lot of people might attend since it's the opening night. Not to mention that the previous year's champion which was Australia was scheduled on the first day. On the contrary, I thought it would also be a bad idea if we go there on weekends since a lot of people are free, employees don't have work and students have no classes. I was truly wrong big time. Sometimes I have to follow my hubby's intuitions. =)

I shoot my own version of fireworks display I observed on the confines of the traffic. And this is how it went.


Now beat this. I coincidentally captured Australia's famous heart-shaped feat.

Holiday Rush

Five days before Christmas and we haven't bought any gifts yet. We thought people might understand that we're on austerity after all our tremendous expenditures this year. But exchanging gifts after dinner during Christmas eve has been a tradition by the Candazo's. Besides, nothing and nobody can really stop Christmas so as the essence of it which is giving.

So after a scanty planning for about twenty minutes of what to give to whom, we rush to buy the presents. We considered it a record breaking feat we've done so far. I used to shop one whole day just to buy a single item; a dress, shirt or jeans. But the pressure made us finish our task within the day. It's unimaginable but we made it. In fact, I still had the energy to wrap it up very nicely albeit the late hours.

I'm not sure what came to me today, it might be because I'm already off from work, or perhaps I'm excited and mad about celebrating Christmas with my Marvin and Bea =)

Go Krispy or Nuts on Donuts

We just had our first taste of America's most famous doughnut, Krispy Kreme, courtesy of Di (my pretty sis-in-law). She bought it from the first branch at The Fort Strip. Marv and I knew that they'll be opening a franchised branch here in the Philippines but we never expected it so soon. Very lucky for the owners of Max's Resto since they bagged the Krispy Kreme's franchise.

Though it's already too late and we've had our hearty dinner already, we didn't have second thoughts on getting one donut each to taste. Well, I can't really become a food critic since I'm so hard to please. I thought I'll be tasting a super-delicious-and-unique-tasting doughnut, I thought I just did, BUT.... it still taste as doughnuts.. hihihi.

When Go Nuts Donuts claimed that their donuts tasted like the Krispy Kreme of US, I was one of the many people who waited on long queues just to get a box of donuts. Since Go Nuts donuts' taste, flavors and texture were unique from the donuts of Mr Donut and Dunkin, I got very addicted. Marvin and I can eat three to four donuts at once. Not until we were fed up with too much sweetness, the after taste (especially after a burp) and the increasing price that eventually put an end to our addiction. As for Krispy Kreme, the taste and texture compared with Go Nuts is pretty much the same. Except that the former has volume on their dough, very soft, much less sweeter than the latter and the sugar coating somehow melts in your mouth. But it's too pricey at P30 each.

The box and label.

The tempting contents

Well, I might be lining up again for a box of Krispy Kreme donuts, not because I really love to eat it, but I want to join the craze and go on stargazing (read here). I have to join the fad once in a while, it may die soon afterall.

Focus

“This year is definitely not a good year for you. You’ve got a great amount of plans in your mind that you’re dying to do but none of them materialized and so you’ve been struggling a lot”, my bestfriend’s vietnamese mom’s fortune-teller-friend told me. “You must decide on what you really want to achieve”, she added. Me and Marvin, devout catholics, skeptic on fortune telling, who never rely our luck on superstitions just put on blank faces on her statements.

The encounter with someone who can somehow read our minds and predict our future was indeed an experience that opened our minds into a new dimension of thinking. Though we’re really skeptic on the process that we went through that day, it somehow made us reflect on the one thing that we lack or lost to say the least and that is focus. We’re about to fail and lose our plans because we tend to do and achieve everything.

Fifteen years ago, my mind was set to one thing and that is to be self-sufficient. It indeed happened after graduating from college and immediately landed on my aimed job. I was doing perfectly well at work so promotion came very easily. With my earnings that provided me more than enough for my needs, I was able to send a couple of my siblings to college and paid off our amortized house in the province. It was beyond what I thought I could do. To add up to my goals, with some wishes coupled with fervent prayers, I aimed to give birth to my own child and have a family by the age of 30. And so Marvin and Bea came to my life in His perfect time, in sync to my plans.

There may be a lot of reasons why I lost track on my goals. I know for one that my being such a control freak had something to do with it coz getting into marriage put me into some realm where my manipulative nature bumped into certain temporary boundaries I need to live with. Also, perhaps I no longer plan for myself but for the future of our family which caused my mind to clutter.

Similar to photography, it’s time to change lenses now and shoot targeted objects with clarity and perfection. =)

Memo

The incident that happened to me yesterday has got into my nerves but it stunned me when I even dreamt about it last night. So I decided to let it out via this writing.

I barely take my AM/lunch/PM breaks without getting my hands on my tasks. Perhaps I’ve got used to this kind of discipline in my 9 years of stay in the company I'm currently working with. Keeping myself busy rather than doing anything that don’t contribute to my skills and personal improvement. But something cropped up yesterday that changed my paradigm at work. This is the very first time that I received a verbal warning via email about the most trivial offense I’ve committed in lieu to our office policy on work schedule (break-time). That is brushing my teeth approximately an hour after our lunch break.

Now hear me out.

What is 3 minutes of brushing my teeth compared to:

- the summed up hours that I spent in the company for free coz we’re not allowed to file overtime in fractions of an hour. I’ve been doing this for 5 years now.

- the times I didn’t take my break coz I opt to continue with my work.

- spending a quarter of my life loyally working for this company.

And how about:

- those in the 23rd floor that can freely do what they like coz nobody seemed to see nor be bothered by their violations.

- those employees who also broke the work schedule policy on break-time but were not apprehended coz nobody from the HR staff caught them in the act?

- those people in position who are also guilty of this policy, one way or another, coz they seemed to be working, pretending to be busy the whole day in front of their monitors, when in fact, their activities don’t concern work.

I’m not against the person who issued me the memo. Not because she is my friend and kumare but I understand that she’s just doing her job. What boils me to anger is if such policy exists, then all those responsible for its implementation must execute it by all means. Apprehension shouldn’t be a game of chance.

The law must apply to all or none at all.

The First Time I Loved Forever

During our meeting with the band that will play on our wedding, I was caught unprepared on my assignment of coming up with a song for my wedding march. There were a lot of titles they sang and suggested, usual favorites of the bride they said. But I never liked any of them. I sometimes don't settle for what is common. I always wanted to be unique. So to somehow show respect for their effort, I picked up a song from their list, temporarily, until I come up with the song of my own liking.

After cramming on some CDs and a lot of MP3 files saved to our PC, I instantly fell in love with this song after I’ve completely heard and read its lyrics. I chose it without any doubts and I never regret chosing it at all. My entrance at the church was never any more grand because of this song. It was very unique, solemn, lovely, full of emotions and touching. Even I cannot describe the way I felt while marching in the aisle. I told myself not to cry but the song hit me deeply, but still, I was able to manage a smirk.

Read on... this song says it all. I dedicate this to the only man in my life, my beloved Marvin.



Lyrics by Melanie Safka
Music by Lee Holdridge
Sung byLisa Angelle
(From "Beauty and the Beast")
With excerpts from the poem “Somewhere I Have Never Traveled, Gladly” by the American poet E.E. Cummings

Poem:
“Somewhere I have never traveled
Gladly beyond any experience
Your eyes have their silence
And your most frail gesture of things
Which enclose me
But which I cannot touch
Because they are too near.”


The first time I loved forever
Was when you whispered my name
And I knew at once you loved me
For the me of who I am

The first time I loved forever
I cast all else aside
And I bid my heart to follow
Be there no more need to hide

And if wishes and dreams
Are merely for children
And if love's a tale for fools
I'll live the dream with you

Poem:
“oh, if your words be to close me
I, my life will shut, very beautifully
Suddenly, as when the heart of this flower
Imagines the snow carefully, everywhere
descending”.

For all my life and forever
There's a truth I will always know
When my world divides and shatters
Your love is where I'll go

Poem:
“I do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens. Only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses.
Nobody, not even the rain has such small hands.”