happy songs, my stress relievers

One of the reasons why I opted to do freelancing is to avoid stressful situations that usually happen in regular office settings. ..

...But I was wrong! Because contrary to my initial thoughts on freelancing, it actually is stressful. I juggle two jobs at the moment and everyday just gets so tizzy, teehee.. despite the everyday stress that I experience though, I actually feel great and I always look forward to my next classes and next writing sets. And to help me de-stress, I listen to happy songs. After handling say 6 or 7 continuous classes or after accomplishing a set, I listen to these songs and I just feel good in no time.

One of my favorite "happy songs" at the moment is this...




xoxo. =D

Hello again, blog!

I've not blogged for months.. I missed it! Good thing, I still remember my password. heheh.. I swore in my last post that I'd find time to update this but my two freelance jobs and family responsibilities kept me from doing so... This time, though, no excuses. I'll blog as often as I can. I've been meaning to do the Project 365 but I couldn't commit. I'll probably just start the project next year or on my birthday...

This is all that I have today. Please spare me as I have not slept well for days already. I promise to come back with more exciting or interesting stories. I hope. =)))


xoxo.

resurrection

the past four months haven't been easy for me. these months seem to have just passed me by. i don't really know what happened in between January to April. everything seems so fuzzy that i feel like i've wasted so much time!

here are some of the highlights of those four months though:

• i resigned from my job. (boy i miss being a Quality Specialist)
• i didn't take the comprehensive exam again because my shift to another program is not effective until next term
• i did something stupid in the name of love (grinning here) and i don't want to delve into details anymore
• i resumed my stint as a freelance writer
• still trying to figure out/contemplating what my plans are for the next three months
• i have been working out (doing yoga and weight-lifting) and i've been trying to stop smoking. So far, i'm down to 1-3 sticks a day now. That's an improvement, isn't it?
• i'm happier. i don't think and worry too much anymore. ;)

i guess time management is still a problem of mine. but that doesn't mean i can't do anything about it. and besides, i have my whole lifetime to accomplish everything that i want to do. looking back, the last four months made me realize not to take each day for granted, to procrastinate and settle for medioctrity.

having said that, i think i need to revisit the lectures that were given to us when i was still a QS. they were like moving forces that make me want to be a better me... i think i need to write more often in this blog as well coz it's a form of reflection for me.

***

three years ago, i decided to take a leap in my career. i enrolled in graduate school and this was the essay that i submitted as part of the application process. i got this while browsing through my school files and i want to share it with you. three years have passed already, i still have two more years to actually make my dreams substantiate. =)

...

Charisma Grace Oliveros
Masters of Arts in Education major in English Language Education

Five years after, I’m expected to have finished my Masters degree at De La Salle University. Thus, wider horizon and bigger opportunities are in store for me. Personally, I see myself as a better educator, possessing the knowledge and skills acquired from the two-year course. It had been a part of my plans to take graduate studies from a prestigious university to help me improve in the field that I chose. I’ve been working as an English instructor, particularly to Koreans, for more than two years now and I believe that this is a big factor to be admitted in the said program. I have learned some ways/styles in teaching English as a second language. I have also finished a certificate program (ESL Certificate Program) from De La Salle University wherein I had a bird’s eye view of how to teach the second/foreign language to foreign students effectively. Furthermore, I’m a graduate of Journalism at Centro Escolar University and I had gained some knowledge regarding the technicalities of the English language. Pursuing further studies would help me grow more as an English educator. This will also enable me to hasten my English skills and knowledge and would give me the chance to contribute in the promotion of English proficiency in the country.

The Philippines is known to be the third largest English-speaking country after the United States and United Kingdom but according to recent statistics, the Filipino’s English proficiency is declining. I hope to contribute in solving this rising problem through continuous research and studies about the second language and sharing them to other people. I would be able to share the things I’ve learned from these investigations through teaching. Through studying new approaches in teaching English, I would be able to teach English well and help the students to be more adept in the use of the second language. I would also like to study or investigate about the English proficiency or literacy in depressed areas or public schools. This would probably be the focus of my thesis since English proficiency is expected to be low in these areas and I would like to think of ways that could help address and alleviate this issue. I hope to teach ESL students as well. At this age, the Philippines is not just considered as a tourist spot but as an English hub, especially to Koreans. A lot of foreign students opt to study in the Philippines now. I would like to contribute in this endeavor and I could only do that if I’ll have enough knowledge of the second language.

I see this opportunity to study as a career move. I hope to be admitted in the program so that my dreams and plans will materialize. This step will not only benefit me personally but other people as well.

...

xoxo..

on mary grace, friends and leaving

before anything else, lemme point out that mary grace is not a person. it's one of those cafes where freshly brewed coffee and mouth-watering baked goodies are available. but what set it apart from the typical cafes is its homey ambiance. i really love their artsy tables and home-like interior! it is this very homey concept that also makes this place a perfect spot to unwind and catch up with friends. and so i didn't wonder why this cafe was chosen as the venue for my so-called reunion with two of my good friends in the office who happened to be my former classmates in graduate school as well--- Kriz and Cookie. actually it was our first get-together after grad school. we never really had the chance to hang out prior that because we were busy making sense of the career that we chose. teehee. anyway, i'm glad that we pushed through with our plan of having a reunion last December 23.

a slice of heaven (forgot the name, sorry)

with friends (Cookie [L]; Krizz [center])

we had a good two-hour talk about our favorite professors, classmates and other memorable experiences in school. we laughed over our booboo's and even the challenges that we faced back then. this was the first time that we got to have a heart-to-heart talk again and i fervently hope that this wasn't the last. but then again, i know it's gonna be difficult now since Cookie has resigned already and i'm on my last month here in the office.. boohoo.

looking back, it's funny because we have planned on the said get-together for so long. but it's just during that time that we decided to really have it since Cookie's last day in the office would be on the next week.oh well, that's life, i guess. sometimes, we do things at the last minute. people say the good things, do the good things and make it up to you when you're already leaving...they just realize your worth when your other foot's already out the door. hmmm,just like when i disclosed my plans of resigning, my colleagues started telling me how they feel about working with me, and that i'm very talented and i'd be very successful in the future. of course it's flattering but come on, i would've appreciated it more if they told me about how they feel during my heydays as a Quality Specialist. but just like what i said, that's life. you only realize the person's worth when you're close to losing them. and that sucks!

500 days of summer

Indeed, this movie is unlike any other love stories 'coz in the first place, it is NOT a love story. It chronicles instead the harsh realities of one-sided love or more commonly and painfully called "unrequitted love," the most ruthless among all kinds of love.

"The boy fell in love, the girl didn't" storyline may be something something new in the reel world but not in the real world. There has been people who have had their share of Tom's love-turned-sob story. At one point, they have loved or will love a person who could never reciprocate the love that they have given or will give. That despite their efforts of making them happy and doing everything to make them stay, the love of their life can't just feel the same about them.

I especially love the confrontation part towards the end. When Tom and Summer met again and the former asked the girl WHY she said that she didn't want to be in a relationship with anyone but is now married. Then, Summer responded with the most heartbreaking answer that I've ever heard...

" I knew with him what I wasn't sure of with you..."

Boohoo.

That simple line has really been seared to my memory. I really felt bad not just for the Tom in the movie, but to all TOMs in the world. Love could really be a blessing to some but it could also be a curse to people who love people that can't love them back. I just hope, that just like Tom in the movie, these TOMs would learn to move on and find their Autumn. ^^

***

Tom:This is lies. We are liars. Think about it. Why do people buy cards? It's not because they want to say how they feel. People buy cards because they can't say they feel or are afraid to. And we provide the service that let's them off the hook. You know what? I say to hell with it. Let's level with America. Or at least let them speak for themselves. Right?

"Most days of the year are unremarkable. They begin, and they end, with no lasting memories made in between. Most days have no impact on the course of a life." (Narration)

Summer: Well, you know, I guess it's 'cause I was sitting in a deli and reading Dorian Gray and a guy comes up to me and asks me about it and... now he's my husband.

Tom: Yeah. And... so?

Summer: So, what if I'd gone to the movies? What if I had gone somewhere else for lunch? What if I'd gotten there 10 minutes later? It was - it was meant to be. And... I just kept thinking... Tom was right.

Tom: No.

Summer: Yeah, I did... I did. It just wasn't me that you were right about. =[

***

valuable vid

can't help but share this...if you love Desiderata, you'd probably love this as well..




xo,

gifts for keeps

a tweet coming from one of the celebrities that i'm following on twitter goes like this:

"What's the best gift that you received last Christmas?"

So I started enumerating off the top of my head the gifts that i did get. I realized that I could not just give one answer because I had received a lot of meaningful and wonderful gifts during the season. Some of them weren't even part of the wish list that I created but they still made me really happy last Christmas! And, since I also received equally wonderful gifts during my birthday in November, I decided to include them as well on the list of gifts that truly made a mark and touched my heart. But please don't get me wrong, I didn't pick those presents because I don't like the other ones. You have to note that I always appreciate whatever present's given to me especially on special days. The gesture just goes to show that the person remembered me on that day. However, we must admit that there are only a handful that we consider really special. Because unlike the usual shirt, bags and other nifty stuff, they seem to symbolize something. And sometimes, they represent us (do i sound defensive now? hehe).

Here now is the list of the presents that I gush over these days:

1. Vessels of Honor. It's a booklet containing inspirational words and messages that you can reflect on each and every day of the year. It was given to me by my dangat, Joy, on my birthday on November 8. Every morning, before I start working, I make it a point to take a look at the piece of wisdom embedded in each page. Below is a picture of the November 8 message:

2. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Do-It-Yourself. I've always loved to write. Much as I love twitter and, of course, blogspot, I miss pouring my thoughts on paper. I miss using the pen as a medium for self-expression as well so for my birthday, I gave myself a present in the form of the said journal. Each page helps you reflect on certain aspect of your life and enables you to envision yourself in the future. Everyone would really just love it since writing on each page is like writing your life story.

3. Inspire by BENCH. This perfume was given by my good friend, Melai, for my birthday. Aside from the person who gave it to me, what made this gift extra special is the fact that you are helping women with breast cancer by just purchasing the item.. Thank you pangga for this special gift. It truly is inspiring!

4. Origami. Our department, Development and Quality, has been emphasizing on creativity and establishing change. Hence, my very creative teammate gave us origami papers as presents. She said it's a way for us to express or enhance our creativity. She also gave us a link to different paper designs and i'm gonna try them real soon! This is a very unique gift that's why I just love it!

5. Who Moved My Cheese? This book about CHANGE was given by another good friend, Cookie, a week before her last day at work. It's indeed a treasure since it gives you tips on how you could adapt to change. Right now, I'm contemplating on the BIG changes that I'll be dealing with some months from now.

6. High-definition life. This is what I received during our "exchange gifts" in the department. It came from my boss who described me as a driven individual or someone who's very keen about her future. Haven't actually read it though but browsing through the pages, reading its preface and some excerpts convinced me that it is indeed a good read. So now that I'm done with Who Moved My Cheese? I could start with the book.

7. Aviator Shades. A post-birthday present from our pup, Leeyow. He's the puppy that we sold a week after my birthday. I was so depressed that time that my partner and I decided to buy something to remember him by. I decided to buy myself a nice pair of sunglasses which is a bit pricey compared to regular ones. I always use it to remember my dear pup.

8. Wedge shoes. I would've bought a pair of gladiator shoes but when I saw this pair, I fell in love. It was indeed love at first sight so I crossed out gladiator shoes in my bucket list and had this one instead. They look so good in jeans and I just feel so pretty wearing them, hehe. I consider them special since it's the first pair of stylish shoes that I bought in my three years of stay in my current job. . .

9. Watch. I've always loved wearing watches since like other people who are always on the go, I'm always conscious of the time. So when my partner's sister came home from abroad and gave me a very chic watch, I was just ecstatic! It's actually a bracelet watch perfect for special events. But because I loved it so much, I use it at work everyday! What makes it extra special is the fact that it was the first gift personally handed over to me by tartie's sister.

10. Coffeemaker. Thanks to my tartie, I could tick this off my wish list. I've always wanted it but never really had the chance to buy it. I was so suprised when she handed it to me since she had convinced me enough that she didn't get me a Christmas present. And so now, I enjoy my morning coffee even more since it comes from something that I had out of love. (shoot, was not able to take a pic pala, hehe..)

11. Family. I guess it's a no-brainer if I say that my family is, has always been, and always will be the best gift given to me. Our simple get-together during the holiday really made the last days of the previous year and first two days of the new year very memorable. My sister abroad and my brother in the province were able to witness the said reunion as well and I'd like to thank modern technology for that. Also, I get to spend time with my second family, Shey's family. Shey amd I are just so happy that everything's falling into place. My family knows about my extra-ordinary relationship and so does my partner's family. I was so elated to finally meet Shey's sister as well. It was a happy new year indeed!

***

These gifts are indeed worth treasuring that's why I decided to blog about them. I know that items #1 to 10 would wear out in time so it's good that I have them here. This way, I could always look back and relish the happy memories that these things bring. And of course, along with these gifts, I could also remember the people who gave them. . .

"Every gift which is given, even though small, is in reality great, if it is given with affection."

reminder for next year

Be in the Present
When you want to be happy and successful
Focus on what is right now!

Learn from the Past
When you want to make the present better than the past
Do things differently in the present!

Plan for the Future
When you want to make the future better than the present
Put your plan into action in the present!

--Spencer Johnson

****

currently reading: Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson

as the new year dawns, it's a good thing to be reading this book. actually, my goal is to finish it before the clock strikes 12 tonight. it's about "CHANGE" and i think it's just very timely since i have a lot of plans for next year. wish me luck!

P.S. I would like to thank my good friend, Cookie, for giving me the book as a going-away present. I will surely miss talking to her at work.