"Gift from Virgo"

My daughter just turned 13 while my mom 72, several days ago. I was not able to post my birthday blog for them as after that day I was really swamped with orders. It's the beginning of my daughter's teen years and I don't know what to expect. Perhaps I do, though in denial because being a teener once, I definitely know how it works! So should I be afraid or should I be prepared? I choose the latter though. I want my daughter to enjoy her teen years so that she would have fond memories of this particular stage in her life. I don't want her to grow up afraid or unable to say what's on her mind. I want her to grow up confident and yet respectful of the opinion of others. I want her to be able to strike a balance on what she wants to do and doing things right. Perhaps these are all easier to write about as compared to the execution but I've promised myself to be the kind of mother my daughter will need during this "hormone-crazy" stage. I'll cross my fingers to that!

And to my mom, who I drove bonkers during my own teen years... I can never compare myself to you. Once, my sisters and I were casually talking about our current life; we realise that we can never do the things you did when we were little. It seems that you were tireless... Coming home from school, you would cook, sometimes do the laundry, while making sure we did our homework or studied for an exam. Sometimes I catch myself these days wondering how you managed to do everything while I struggle with my own domestic responsibilities. But that's you! :) Am pretty sure you've crossed your fingers a hundred times for me too! :)

That said... I just want to greet both of you the best birthday ever! I've lived with a virgo for most of my growing up years and now have a virgo of my own. It seems that I'll be surrounded by virgos for the rest of my life. Am not saying it's a bad thing but do Aquarians and Virgo match? really?

In good hands

Just recently I communicated with Metrobank about my concern on account security and what-have-you. It is good to note that I have found their service very reliable and their people willing and able to help, and ready to answer all my questions. No time was wasted, I was able to get answers without being passed around and without having to wait endlessly for someone to respond to my query. I would like to give special thanks particularly to Ms. Irene Rose G. Elpa and Ms. Ma. Consolacion C. Ombac, both employees of the bank who epitomises the bank's main thrust of making their customers feel that indeed they are "In good hands." 

Thank you so much!

Born to be...

I got my first real taste in entrepreneurship when I embarked on a "small" sari sari store when I was about 7 or 8 years old. Because I did not have money then, I'd gather all my tiny toys, choose from amongst them and mark them for sale. I did not sell them as is; at that age I surprised myself by thinking of a strategy on how to entice children to buy.  So what I did was to make my own "palabunutan". And for visual purposes I made something similar to what I did as a child.

The idea is for the kids to choose a number, at the back of this number is the toy that corresponds to the  chosen number. Back then .25 cents was a big deal. I earned but not much, unlike the big sari-sari store in front of our apartment.  I recall bringing out our stool and a small table where I would have a few candies inside jars and this "palabunutan" which I hang on our gate. I also remember a time when I was in gradeschool and highschool where I would make bookmarks and ask my sister to help me sell them. There was even one summer vacation which I spent with my cousin in Laguna ~ they used to have a bakery. I would wake up really early and help them sell "hot pandesal."  :) One fond memory that I'd like to share is when I spent my summer vacation in my maternal grandmother's house in Batangas. I hankered her to buy ingredients for halo-halo which my cousins and I sold for 1 peso per glass the next day. 

My trip down memory lane made me realise that entrepreneurship has been in my blood all along. I was born to be a BusinessMom. My being such a risk taker has helped me in ways which I find stupendous at times, as this has helped me as well in taking that first step.

Am happier where I am now, perhaps what I have achieved is minute compared to our other great kababayans out there. But I basked in the thought that I continue to face everyday with contentment knowing that I have found myself and have taken the road to my aspiration. 

In Silence....we all pray for our fallen brothers

To sister number Two!

To my sister Minpi Carreon Bailon, who celebrates her birthday today.

Sisters are different.

They heard the sobbing in the darkness.

They lived through all your triumphs, all your favorites, all your loves and losses.

They have no delusions.

They lived with you too long.

And so, when you achieve some victory, friends are delighted -

but sisters hold your hands in silence and shine with happiness.

For they know the cost.

- Pam Brown

Because of you I always had something... a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear...whatever it was you were always there. No one else knows me like you do sis! Thank you for believing that I can, for believing that I am and for simply believing. 

I love you and miss you :) enjoy your day buy that expensive bag, or that nice little pair of shoes, or that pretty dress that you've been eyeing for weeks! :)

Happy Happy Birthday! With my wishes are our prayers that the Lord shower you abundantly on this day and always!

Jackie-ism

Then what used to be only two now widened a little more to form a triangle... :)

I met Jackie on another interview bout, which was initiated about three months ago as I needed a replacement for Kay as my assistant. She was the first person I got to interview amongst the several applicants for the said position. My first impression was that she was simply laid back, not in a negative way, mind you. She was very easy to like and as talkative as I can be :) I instantly felt that she was a perfect match. However, things did not work out as planned. Kay who was about to resign was the one left and I became an instant "resignee" if there is even such a word (even synonym.com could not locate it's definition hahaha). In other words, hiring Jackie for the said purpose did not go through (although we hired another Filipina, she was sent to a branch in Dammam). I felt bad not being able to help a kababayan land a job. I wanted to be able to give the same opportunity to another kababayan. And perhaps it was because of that need that another friendship began to form :)  

We were both in search of something that would appease our need to while away and earn at the same time. And realised later on that we shared the same passion for cooking. While I tried to discern my purpose whilst looking for a job that I can do homebound ... Jackie happened. God is good! In His infinite goodness he sends me friends who would strike my heartstrings and prompt me to move. Jackie's culinary ability inspired me and so prompted me to follow the path that the Lord has laid down for me. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And he shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5

Jackie helped me bring back my zest for entrepreneurship but I did not want to stand her way, I do not want to be a competitor. So I took on the other road, I took to baking and serving pasta instead. In this way we will always complement each other.

I believe that, not only as a Filipino, but as part of our humanity; we should not take advantage but rather take action to help each and everyone we come across with. Again, we have sealed our faith... friendship is also God's wonderful work so there is nothing else to do but to move forward and to take care of the friends He has sent our way.... :)

In the meantime, let me take this time to promote my good, good friend Jackie's catering service. I have tasted her Laing and it is one of the best laing that I have tasted in my entire life. Having enhanced tastebuds, I know good food when I've tried one. 

"Kay-ism"

I was going through some blogs that I have not published for one reason or another. The reason these blogs are still in my editing tab is either because I was too busy to go back to it or such was an incident that happened eons ago. Yet old news is definitely still newsworthy and I stumbled into this which I realised I've been meaning to published 2 weeks back. Read on...

Almost a year ago and a couple of days to the last quarter of the 2011 I felt terribly sad to be leaving friends behind. I expected that making friends in a country alien to foreign women going out at their own liberty, would be doubly tough and that I'm wont to just staying indoors and "behind the scene' so-to-speak. It's a good thing that I was still able to work for even  5 months because that paved way to forming a very good bond with Kay. 7 months ago being the only female at the HR department who was tasked to organise the files from scratch and to assist in the improvement of an existing system, my boss felt that I needed an assistant. So I went on a rampage to hire someone who shared my own "work principles". I did not have to wait for long because out of 4 interviews, I knew that Kay was the person I wanted to work with. (refer to previous article I WILL SURVIVE) 

And the rest is history, what started out as a need to have an assistant sealed our faith, we have grown to be very, very good friends. I continue to rejoice in the Lord and in the fact that He has sent an angel into my life! :)