I am now counting the days till we move to McKinley. These changes have been nerve-wrecking for me but I still try to remain calm. I can no longer afford to ride a cab from our house to the office once we transfer. I can no longer afford to miss signing up for the late night shuttle twice a month to ensure that I go home safely in the wee hours of the night.

Forgetful that I am, I should start doing the inventory of my things in the office. I don’t like the idea of going back to Ortigas just to get something that I have forgotten to pack. Good thing the admin assistant is doing her job of making the move as efficient as possible. She took note of some moving tips. According to her, they will start giving away moving boxes this week.

So much for procrastination. :p

I have a question. If your dog is old and starts getting sick, would you put him down? That’s the suggestion of hubby’s grandma. But I don’t want to be a part of it. I’m not really the type of person who likes dogs or cats or any pets, I can’t imagine myself remembering to include dog supplies on my grocery list. I’d probably forget it everytime. But I have no guts to put down any animal.

Anyway, BG’s Godmother, our good friend Jamie has bought a really nice white puppy. My daughter is very fond and very scared at the same time. She kept running to and fro having fun that the puppy is running after her. The sad news is, the puppy died.

Everytime, my daughter remembers the puppy, she’d say “here comes the puppy. here comes the puppy.” My husband said, “but the puppy is dead, BG” Good thing BG still doesn’t understand death. Sad.

I haven’t been blogging much lately, and I am free every morning when the daughter is in school. So what I have been busy with?

Ok, when I was not in so much in the mood to surf or scrap while waiting inside the school, I talk to the nanny. This may sound like a waste of time but I’ve learned so much from our small talk. I now know how I could possibly make her stay working for us in a long time.

There was one time that I went home, turned the volume on and danced alone to Craig David’s Insomnia. It was fun, really. I kind of miss the rush.

Or:

I understand that the shot isn’t easily recognizable. My legs were supposed to be propped up so you could guess what I was doing here.

These are just some of the things that I want to do if I suddenly decides to quit my job. Fetch the kids from school, dance and pamper myself.

It was December last year when hubby started getting crazy about airsoft guns. First, he got the airsoft gun and then, the gear. Honestly, I am not complaining. I love that this is a physical activity and that he can experience what he’s been playing on videogames live!

He was so excited telling me of the airsoft gears that he bought. He was even more excited when he played for the first time. I do not come along when he plays. I understand that this is a nice male bounding activity. But maybe, I will some time when I’m not too busy. I’ll just take pictures. I wonder if I will be allowed to. Hmm, zoom lens, perhaps?

I’m not sure why I forgot to blog about this. But for the record, I was able to post this as my Facebook status.

It was Wednesday last week. My officemates and I had dinner at the nearest mall. We have planned on having yogurt for dessert before we head back to the office. On our way from dinner to the yogurt place, I suggested we check one shoe store. We started trying on some pairs. I fell in love with one or two pairs but resisted buying because I thought a shoe purchase could wait. (This has been my excuse forever hahaha)

But on our way to the yogurt place, my strappy sandals gave up on me. Then I resigned to the fact that I need a new pair.

I immediately texted hubby about the incident. He replied with, “You shouldn’t have bought a new pair. You should have just bought epoxy.”

The other day when I came to the school to fetch BG, I heard a boy crying. When the teachers opened the door of the juniors’ room, I heard her assured the mother that her son has just started crying again. To me, it was like the teacher wanted to assure the mom that her kid did something worthwhile instead of just crying.

Honestly, I expected a lot of crying on the first month of the school year. For some kids, it is their first time to be away from their family and to be left to a set of strangers. Totally understandable.

I am glad that we enrolled BG to the summer play group. When she came out, her teacher told me, “..and here’s BG, wala lang. Sanay na sya, mommy.”

Last night on my way home, I saw a couple probably in their early 40’s running on a treadmill from the see-through wall of a hotel gym. I wondered if they live somewhere near and were just celebrating their anniversary or if they were staying in town to attend a wedding.

These destination weddings have become popular nowadays giving that ambience and mood perfect for that special day. Some of the best destinations I heard of is in Mayan Riviera, Mexico. Karisma hotels and resorts are known for its superb services and the gourmet food and drinks included in their package. These resorts are simply wonderful for that beach wedding and honeymoon you’ve been dreaming of.

From 1st grade to 4th grade, I studied in a school very near my mother’s workplace. It was actually so far from where we live. I remember being fetched by the schoobus at 5am! The only reason my parents enrolled me to that school was I can stay (and play around) my mother’s workplace in the afternoon.

Then on 5th grade, my parents decided I should be enrolled to a school nearer to our house. Well, it’s the nearest “competitive” co-ed school, I guess. That was the time, my sister and brother started kindergarten and nursery, respectively. It would make sense enrolling us 3 in the same school.

Anyway, the transfer was abrupt. I had no chance to say goodbye to my few friends, 3 that I could remember. Just the other day, I was browsing my cousin’s Facebook (who studied and graduated from the same grade school) when I thought of checking her list of friends. One particular surname caught my eye. Is it possible that this girl is related to one friend that I’ve been looking for?

I saw a familiar name. Familiar ‘coz she sort of dropped her first name and is now using her second name. I added her hoping she’s the right person and that she still remembers me.

Yes it’s her! We exchanged messages. I suddenly felt old. (Wait, I know I don’t look old ‘coz I use the best wrinkle cream in the market. I just felt old.) I felt that yes I made some faults but chose to be responsible of the consequences and made the right decisions.

But guess what? I’m only halfway the journey! I say, bring it on!

I was intrigued by this particular test. I always thought I am a positive person, but I still get some comments that I am sometimes a pessimist.

Anyway, the result made it clear to me.

You Are a Realist

You don’t see the glass as half empty or half full. You see what’s exactly in the glass. You never try to make a bad situation seem better than it is… But you also never sabotage any good things you have going on. You are brutally honest in your assessments of situations – and this always seems to help you cope.

Yesterday, I forgot to submit my schedule for the late night shuttle in time. In short, I had no idea how I will go home from the office at midnight. So I talked to my manager today, and fortunately, he agreed to taxi reimbursements. Yey!

My daughter and I played before I left for the office this morning. And when I got home, my husband and my daughter had just woken up from a very long nap!!! We had dinner together, giving time for me and hubby to talk. And till now, my daughter is still awake, and as of this writing, I am singing along with her.

Well, today was my junk food day. I bought some chips that I shared with my team mates. I also had a mango shake, rootbeer and coffee. Surprisingly, I didn’t suffer migraine even if normally, I would (considering the things I’ve done earlier). So it must be the higher dosage of caffeine. Or maybe because I consumed more liquid. Not sure. All I know is I’d probably need to take diet pills to at least balance all the calories I had today.

Also today, I am happy that someone sort of promised to do what he can for me to be a member of one initiative, it’s a group of employees with a common interest in our company. No, it’s not photography-related if you’re wondering. Hmm, well yes at first I thought of getting into the “Shutters” club but then, I was told that if I were to become one of the “Shutters”, I might be asked to take pictures whenever there’s an office activity. That would become “work” for me instead of just a hobby. This is a different club I’d like join. I hope it pushes, so then I’d be able to share here.

So how’s my work-life balance? I think I’m good!

The following blog will be in Tagalog just to express my thoughts more freely.

Background:
maid1 – the best maid ever who went home to get married; couldn’t go back work for us because she’s now 3 months preggy
maid2 – yaya2′s stepmother who went home because her husband misses her so much
maid3 – maid2′s sister; yaya2′s aunt
yaya1 – maid1′s and yaya2′s friend who left for a “better” job but is now coming back because the job turned out to be not “better” at all
yaya2 – maid1′s cousin; ang bida sa istorya natin ngayon

Disclaimer: they were hired two at a time, ok? Not all at the same time.

Alam ko para akong sirang plaka kakasabi na ayoko na sa yayang ito. Pero hindi ko mapigilan sarili ko i-blog kasi naiinis ako sa ginawa nya. Mga dalawang linggo na ang nakakaraan, nagpaalam sya uuwi sya ng May 31 pero babalik uli ng June 15. Gusto daw nya makapiling mga anak nya sa kaarawan nito.

Naisip ko pagkakataon ko na para masisante sya kaya sabi ko kailangan ko ng yaya agad. Mabuti din na gusto na nung dating yaya (yaya1) bumalik sa amin.

Kahit ba inis na inis ako kay yaya2, naawa pa din ako. May 2 syang anak na maliit sa probinsya. Kaya sabi ko wag na nyang bayaran yung pinamasahe nya kahit pa wala pa syang 1 taon namamasukan sa min (yun kasi ang usapan namin). Sinwelduhan ko sya ng tinrabaho nya ng May 19-31.

Binigyan ko din sya ng schoolbag para sa panganay nyang anak na lalaki. Mag aaral na kasi. Binigay ko na din sa kanya mga kinalakihang damit ni BG para naman sa bunsong anak na babae.

Eto na ang kwento. Nagtext sa kin si maid1 tinatanong kung nasan na si yaya2. Gusto nyang singilin sa cellphone na binili ni yaya2 from maid1 na ndi pa nababayaran. Sabi ko wala na sa amin si yaya2, umuwi na nung linggo pa.

Nagulat ako nung sabi ni maid1 na hindi naman umuwi si yaya2 dun sa probinsya nila. Ako naman eh tinanong ko na si maid3 na namamasukan pa din sa min ngayon kung anong nangyari. Wala din syang ideya. HInatid naman daw nya sa sakayan ng bus.

Tinawagan ako ni maid2 nung gabing yun, nagtatanong tungkol sa kanyang anak (stepdaughter). Mukang nakarating na sa kanya ang balitang umalis sa amin. Sabi ko wala sa amin si Inday. Kinausap nya ang kapatid nya, maid3.

Clueless ako. Naisip ko bahala na sya sa buhay nya.

Kaninang umaga, tumawag si maid2 kay maid3 sinabing nakahanap na daw si yaya2 ng bagong trabaho. Tumaas ang kilay ko. Aba! Ayaw nya sa amin? Ang sarap ng buhay nya! Eh halos ako ang nag aalaga sa anak ko!

Nalaman ko din na tuwing inuutusan namin si yaya2 eh naiinis sya. Ah ganun? HINDI SYA DAPAT MAMASUKAN KUNG AYAW NYANG MAUTUSAN!!!

Hindi din naman natiis ni yaya2 at tinawagan din nya si maid3. Ang kwento daw eh sumama sa bf nya, at hindi totoong may trabaho na sya. (Wait, ibang bf ha, as in hindi yung tatay ng mga anak nya. Imagine, pinagpalit ang kaarawan ng anak nya sa new bf nya!) Nakatira sila ngayon sa isang kwarto kasama ang 3 pang lalaki. Lima sila sa kwarto na walang TV. Electric fan lang. So good luck naman sa boredom.

Naiinip daw sya sa gabi, panggabi kasi yung bf nya. So lumalabas sya sa gabi. Ang pagkain daw nya eh tinapay. Sosyal di ba? bread instead of rice.

Hmm, eh pano pag sinumpong sya ng epilepsy sa kalye? Sumusumpong pa naman yun pag gutom sya or puyat.

Maawa ka ba sa isang taong ayaw magpatulong, at galit sa mga taong gustong tumulong sa kanya? I don’t think so. Isa lang masasabi ko BUTI NGA!