2011 - The year that was

In our organization, during our Christmas parties, we used to have a tradition of having an open forum to share our answers on the following questions:

• What are you thankful for? (for the whole year)
• What are you looking forward to? (for the coming year)
• What will you leave behind?

How I became a SEDPIp

This story has been told so many times but has not been really documented. With our recent strategic planning, I realized how this story, my story, has become part of our institutional memory. Therefore, it is only proper that this story be told in paper (well, you get my point).

On Being a Princess and Having a Castle

I found this very wonderful blog (theotherwoman) that celebrated being a woman.

Within that blog, I read one beautiful blog entry which made me think about most of the female friends that I have, who are looking for a partner, someone to love. These women are of different age range (from early twenties to early fourties), with different beliefs and different backgrounds. However, they all share one thing, their quest to find their prince charming. So I thought this blog entry was very appropriate.

On a Soulful Relationship

I got this from the blog of Chino Pateño. To all those who are in a relationship or are going to be in one (or hopes to), I hope this would be of help.

Pera o Puri

Madalas maging biro sa atin ang tanong na pag may humarang sa iyo at tinanong ka ng “Pera o Puri?”; anong sasabihin mo? Ang karaniwan ko pa ngang sagot dun ay “pwede both?”

Hindi ko akalaing maiiba ang konotasyon ng katanungang ito para sa akin. Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili ko na magsulat habang nasa ferry mula sa isla ng Camotes papuntang bayan ng Danao sa Cebu. Hindi ko ito karaniwang ginagawa. Aminado akong hindi ako manunulat. Subalit ang mga ideya sa isip ko ay patuloy ang pagdaloy na kinailangan kong ilabas ang laptop ko at magsulat, habang palubog ang haring araw.

I do not love you...

XVII (I do not love you...)

by: Pablo Neruda

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,

or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.

I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,

in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

On taking risks and settling…

I am a very risk-averse person. I try as much as possible to avoid risk. They say one of the most valuable traits of being a good entrepreneur is being a risk-taker. This is one of the reasons why I am not an entrepreneur yet. I always stay on the safe side. This may also be a good reason why I am not good at gambling.

In addition to my risk-averseness, a few of my close friends helped me realize that I am a settler. I never try to reach for something that seemed impossible to reach. Nor did I try to give every ounce of effort I’ve got to attain for something I really wanted. I am an expert in making good of whatever I have and being happy with that. I was always afraid that if I give my all and nothing came out of it, I would also loose everything. And so I don’t take risk and I settle.

Psy Test

Late last night, I tried answering a psy test that I found from a friend's facebook note. And just because I love answering psychological tests, here is my diagnosis:

On Being a Simple Girl

Yesterday, I went with my boyfriend when he got a haircut. I was reading an article from the Philippine Star by Divasoria. It was an article on the Simple Girl Index. I was laughing when I was trying to answer the index and determine if I was a simple girl. I found the actual test from divasoria's blog and answered it. Here's my answer:

You are Special

Another poem I found in my old high school notebook...

You Are Special

Have you ever wondered which hurts the most;
saying something and wishing you had not,
or saying nothing and wishing you had?
I guess the most important things are the hardest things to say.
Don't be afraid to tell someone you love them.
If you do, they might break your heart...
but if you don't, you might break theirs.

Are you in love with anyone right now?

I think I got this poem from a hallmark card when I was in college.


Here goes...


So, are you in love with anyone right now?
Because if you aren't, let me introduce myself.
I'm a person who's noticed that you're a person
I would like to get a little more personal with
You're probably asking me (in your mind, of course)
"Are you crazy?"
and my answer to that would be
"Yeah, for the most part,"
but how else could I find out if you're available
for a little conversation, a little friendship?

on habal-habals, bangkas and bulldozers

Have you tried crossing a river riding a habal-habal (motorcycle)? I have.

This is a picture of the river that we crossed using a habal-habal.

Are you a moment-specific person?

Are you a moment-specific person? Well, I am.


After 20++ years (uy, ayaw sabihin kung ilan) of living in this planet, would you believe that i just had this realization yesterday? It was a close friend who made me realize this, while we were spending idle time in the mountains.


Do you know what being a moment-specific person means? Well, I think I do.

What's in a name?

While browsing the internet, I came across an application that analyzes your name for you. Here's what I got:

EMILENN KATE-You have a need to communicate and express yourself. You are inclined to over intellectualize, and hate to be misquoted. You are always involved with projects and things to do. You are relatively demonstrative in your affections. You enjoy being stroked verbally and physically. You have a diplomatic flair to your nature. Equality and fairness are important to you. You can be quite inventive and quite curious. You can handle details well. You have a methodical mind. You can go to extremes in all you do. You must learn to give 'wise' service and not be a martyr. You have good recuperative abilities and strong mental determination. You are very private and dislike others prying into your affairs. You have much enthusiasm with a driving attitude toward achievement in life. Your privacy is important to you. You have a rich inner life. You need to learn to be expressive. You are a person who cannot tolerate being misunderstood.

A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down...

I did not grow up listening to Mary Poppins. (I was too young for that.) But today, a line from her song "A Spoonful of Sugar" keeps playing in my head. I don't even know how the whole song goes. I just remember the lyrics..."just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down."

Meantime Boy / Meantime Girl

This is an article written by my friend, Kd Faustino. Thanks Kd, for letting me share this.

THE MEANTIME GIRL

She`s the one you call when you`re bored because she makes you laugh. She`s the one you talk to when you`re feeling down because she`s willing to lend an ear and be a friend. She`s not the one you call when you need a date to your company`s Christmas party, or to go dancing with on a Saturday night. She`s the one you spend time with between girlfriends, before you find `The One`. You know, the one you keep in the MEANTIME.

The Drama that is Tondo

A few days ago, I tweeted (is that a word?!) about a drunk man who has been shouting in the middle of the night, sarcastically thanking everyone for what happened to his life. He is one of our neighbors here in Tondo.


I have lived in Tondo for about 20 years now. I was never ashamed to tell people that I'm from Tondo. Tondo is one of the poorest communities all over the country. It was the birthplace of my favorite Philippine hero, Andres Bonifacio. And by the way, Erap and Dolphy were also born here. However, Tondo has a bad reputation. It is believed to be a dangerous place, where a lot of crimes happen. It's thought to be a sanctuary for hoodlums. That is why a lot of people are afraid to go to our place.

The Development Set

This is another favorite poem of mine. Learned about this in college.

The Development Set

by Ross Coggins 

"Adult Education and Development" September 1976

Excuse me, friends, I must catch my jet 

I'm off to join the Development Set; 

My bags are packed, and I've had all my shots 

I have traveller's checks and pills for the trots!

on expressing our feelings

Habang nakikipag-usap ako sa isa sa malapit kong kaibigan, nasambit ko ang mga katagang ito...


"may kanya-kanya tayong ways ng pag-express ng feelings at pagtanggap ng expression ng feelings ng iba."

Empty Nest Syndrome

This is the first time after several weeks that I just stayed at home on a Sunday. My daddy went inside our room early in the morning and told me if we could go out as a family. However, my younger brother and younger sister had other plans.


I think my parents are having the "Empty Nest Syndrome". According to wikipedia "Empty nest syndrome is a general feeling of loneliness that parents or guardians may feel when one or more of their children leave home."

Mask

This is a poem I have kept since high school. I just wanted to share this with you. Yun na! Pak!

MASK / PLEASE HEAR WHAT I AM NOT SAYING

By: Charles C. Finn

Don’t be fooled by me.

Don’t be fooled by the face I wear.

For I wear a thousand masks, masks that I am afraid to take off and none of them are me.

Pretending is an art that’s second nature with me, but don’t be fooled. For God’s sake don’t be fooled.

I give the impression that I am secure,

that all is sunny and unruffled with me,

within as well as without,

that confidence is my name and coolness my game;

that the waters are calm and I am in command,

and that I need no one.

My first blog evah!

Ito ang kauna-unahang blog entry na isusulat ko. Hindi ko rin alam kung ano ang pumasok sa bilugang ulo kong ito at napapayag akong gumawa ng blog. Ni hindi ko nga alam kung anong wika ang gagamitin ko. Well, dalawa lang naman ang pagpipilian (Filipino or English) dahil napakatigas ng dila ko. Haha. Pero, ngunit, subalit, datapwa't, heto ako ngayon at nagsusulat. Isa pa, alam kong wala sa pagsusulat ang talento ko. Sa totoo lang, kinakabahan ako. Hindi ko alam kung bakit. Pero kebs, eto na. Bahala na si batman (kung nasaan man siya). Good luck sa akin at sa mga babasa ng kung ano-anong isusulat ko dito sa mga sumusunod na araw.


Yun na! Pak!