In a few days time, we will be finally moving in to a new apartment.  This step has been tiring but exciting as well.  However, this post, though related, is not about the experiences I’ve had in this moving in process… rather, it’s all about my pent-up frustrations about the one and only cable provider in our city.

First and foremost, I am wondering why families, who invest a lot of money in modern and cable-ready television sets would be given cable boxes just to have extra channels to view.  For the longest time, that has been the practice here.  To hell with the fact that your TV is capable of viewing  100++ channels… without a friggin’ and so low tech looking cable box, you can bid goodbye to HBO and Disney channel… On top of this, you can set aside your TV remote because its only function is its on/off and volume button.  If you want the added luxury of channel surfing, better head out to your cable operator again and rent a remote control for another additional fee.

We have been tolerating this practice for quite some time now.  For one, we do not have a choice.  As I have mentioned, monopoly is the name of the game here.  We, consumers, are practically helpless.  TV is a part of our lives and breaking away from this habit is akin to oxygen deprivation.  This cable operator is the only provider we’ve got and we do not really have an option but to dance to their tune.  Why I am blogging it now is connected to our moving in preparations.  We need to have a cable connection installed and because of that, we are rattled by yet, another surprise from this cable company… the so expensive installation fee which is non-refundable and non-consumable.  This put renters like me in an unfortunate situation… we cannot maximize the pricey installation payment not unless we decide to stay in our apartment for a longer period of time…  But above all, what is so frustrating is we cannot do anything about it… It’s a take it or leave it situation.  The only thing I can do is write about it and pray that somebody from DTI or any government agency would find out about it and hopefully take action.

Gosh, I am really praying for the day when Sky Cable will penetrate the Angeles City market… maybe then, it will be a lot fairer for us consumers.

We are now in the process of fixing and rebuilding whatever was lost in this site.  I am beginning to realize the extent of the damage as I painstakingly re-upload each file, image, and document that was affected by this technical mishap… I realized that despite of the mere stolen moments invested in this site, I have already done so much!  This realization gives me feelings of pride… and of course, frustration… to have earned and lost hurts.  But just as any hurdle faced,  I am ready to bounce back and blog again… I hope my readers will be patient throughout the repair process…

Just recently, we’ve had some troubles with my site- causing it to be off line for a while… To my dismay, I found out that we do not have a back up of the site. Anyways, we were able to retrieve and salvage a major part of it but regretfully… without the comments posted by my readers … My apologies to the readers who may have been wondering were their comments went… Rest assured that we have learned from this set-back and henceforth will be doing precautionary measures next time… If you have any concerns… or are looking for a particular article in this blog, please do advise me so I can help you out…
Thanks and do visit again!

I find the name of this new lay-out funny… Well, I would not expect anything less from the man who named and created it- my super uber talented and hilarious husband- Paulo…. Thank you so much!

I guess, the Tinokla Effect was just something that popped out of nowhere…  I told him to modify the information behind this new theme and there it was- the Tinokla Effect… just reading it makes me LMAO… har har har… well just for documentation, this will do..

For the longest time, I have been bugging Pao to design me a new one. Finally, after squeezing this task many times in his loaded work schedule, he finally managed to finish it.   The first lay-out of this page was inspired by my true love- preschool teaching.  As time went by, my write-ups became as crazy as I was- touching topics that range from fashion to spirituality.  That’s why I feel that this current theme is so much more fitting to the kind of person that I am- twisted, eccentric, impulsive, reflective, introvert, girly, etc… etc… Now, I feel that I am liberated from my own invented perception of writing something thoroughly researched and scholarly… I want to be me and that is what this page will be!

OMG! It felt like years since my last entry… What is the matter with me?  So many meaningful events have transpired since my last post.  As far as I can recall, I was blogging about my 3 day Singapore trip with my husband.  But I somehow never had the chance to finish it… Well, I will try to complete my ‘Singapore Article’ one of these days and share my experiences for the sake of other Lion City first timers like I was…

It’s 12 midnight and I should be sleeping right now but my body won’t cooperate. I guess, the three day vacation did its wonders quite well- amply rejuvenating my body and spirit for the impending workload ahead…

As I have said, so many… many… things have happened in the last month or so… SY 2009-2010 has officially started in Noblesse last September 1.  I am going to miss Amber since I am not her teacher anymore.  I was able to convince Teacher Anji to swap teaching assignments with me- she handled the Pre-Nursery tots while I took charge of the older (and apparently rowdier) nursery kids… Also, we still get to enjoy the added perks of having one class to teach and going home by 3:45… However, the work load is still heavy in many respects since we get to do everything! From worksheets preparation, concept teaching materials production, lesson planning, etc… etc… Now, as an added extra, we have been also requested to form clubs… We are still at a lost as to how we can come up with enticing club titles and programs that will cater to the youngest students in the school… I wanted to start something like a Baby Ballet Club but I feel that I am not competent enough to teach it… Suggestions from preschool teachers out there will be very much appreciated…

Well, I will be trying my best to blog some more in the coming days… Hope to see more visitors soon…

As of now, I am guilty of so many insane addictions in my life. I’m now in the process of self-reflection… probably to see if I am still mentally healthy or not.
My latest on the list are as follows:
1) Twilight Series- I am now reading the series a second time around… I was telling my sister that this Twilight fanaticism seems to be a never ending cycle for us… Watch the movie, read the books, read midnight sun, read the outtakes, watch the New Moon trailer, watch Robert and Kirsten in Youtube, then do everything all over again… crazy, crazy…

2) Boys Over/Before Flowers- Admit it guys, I am not the only one who went gaga over Meteor Garden way back 2003 or 2004… Well, I truly believe that this Korean version is way better… why? well for starters, the F4 here looks cleaner and richer, hehehe (sorry Jerry Yan fans…)  I have planned to do marathon viewing over the weekend but ended up being utterly frustrated after purchasing 2 yucky pirated DVD’s of the series.  I wish to get  an original copy soon.

3) Ebay, Ebay, and more Ebay- My CR and laptop seem to be a package deal nowadays… I have developed a nasty habit of typing and working in my new found comfort zone- My CR… this may gross out other people but I don’t mind. I feel mentally awake inside the restroom- with of course, my coffee and my smokes jolting my brain cells and urging me to think… Well back to ebay, when I am not in the mood to blog, I bid in ebay… let me correct that, I heavily bid in ebay… After an endless stream of packages from Air21, 2go and JRS express, I found myself being financially crippled- with expenses significantly outweighing my net income for the month (and still I’m wondering why my husband is giving me a warning look already…) Now, I am pondering on the idea of selling the piles of material belongings that I have back in ebay.

Well guys, I know we all have our own dirty little pathetic distractions in life but as I have realized… we have to keep our reasonable senses at bay and give ourselves a little nudge on the head if we go overboard already (so so like me)…

As with many teenagers and teenager-wanna be’s right now, I am now officially and insanely hooked with Twilight… I could not resist buying my own boxed set of Stephenie Meyer’s masterpiece. Believe me, the feeling of satisfaction was nothing like buying a new Zara, Mango or Kamiseta dress… it is utterly beyond words… magical perhaps… like I now have my own vampire Edward with me…. Insane…

Reading the Twilight saga has indeed been worth the many sleep deprivations I have had in the last 4 weeks. Maybe, the thing that made me really guilty was the fact that I stole away some time that was supposedly meant for my children and work (By the way, I am now a non-bum… I accepted a teaching assignment in another school). Anyway, I really have the tendency to be easily addicted at something. I can still vividly recall how I fell maddeningly infatuated with Jo In Sung of Memories of Bali and Jerry Yan of Meteor Garden… At 31, however, I have now learned to discriminate my thoughts… like for example realizing that my fanaticism with Edward Cullen is not the same as that of Robert Pattinson.

Part of it is that I really love to read a good novel once in a while. I would gladly zoom in the pages of my favorite fiction than read inspirational materials. I get a knack out of following the lives of make-believe characters… crying with them and feeling their pain, laughing or fuming with anger with them, and of course, relishing the kilig moments, as if I am really a part of the story … Insane again…

Right about now, I am enjoying my second round of Twilight madness… squeezing in the opportunity once in a while amidst my chaotic but happy world of reality… These few and stolen moments elate me in ways that are indescribable… Not really alienating me from what is real but more of appreciating everything that I have. I have my Edward in the person of my loving and funny Paulo, I have my own Cullens, I have my Reneesmes’… what more can I ask for? I mean, really, when I think about it, life could not be much better than this…

I have been technically ‘jobless’ for 3 days now and honestly, I am enjoying the perks that come with unemployment- I sleep late (as in… way late), I window shop in ebay for hours (as my sis says, I have to stay ‘liquid’ to avoid financial crisis, no more bidding for me in the meantime), I blog, I surf the net, I take care of my kids, I wake up in the afternoon, I watch TV, I read my favorite novels… Oh my… the list is endless!  However, just as I am starting to embrace the lifestyle of a bum, here comes an attractive job opportunity that is literally banging the doors of my haven of complacency…  As Joy says (we resigned almost at the same time), she did not expect the offers to start pouring in immediately… I mean,we are still on ‘sleep mode’… after going through hell and back, we really as in really deserve this break…

However, should we really let this opportunity go? Should we let it pass and choose, instead, to wallow in the oblivion of relaxation and comfort?   Am I really going to stall and wait… hoping that when I’m all fed up resting, the same offer will arrive, and accept me when I am ready?

To be honest, it’s really hard to decide… however, here are some points that might convince me to join the work force again…

1) the selfish need to have purchasing power again

2) the desire to save and re-build my ruined self-esteem

3) the yearning to grow professionally

4) the nagging feelings of guilt- me resting, while my husband and parents toil endlessly is discomfiting…

Well… the final verdict is – OK I accept…I will try to relish my last few ‘dead wood’ days, rest my mind a bit, and gear myself for whatever is coming…

“The only way to GROW is to have the initiative to get out of your COMFORT ZONE… and do things you thought you could not do…”

Rej sent this to me the night prior her resignation. We were trying to talk her out of it but I guess her own reasons made her firm about her decision. She is the fourth to leave… Unbelievably, management did not persuade her to stay. She said the discussion about her resignation had been brief and swift… direct to the point…
Like the first people to go (Joy and me actually  ), she was told to work on her clearance right away, no need to report until May 30. With that, she will start going through the same process as we did- pack-up, turn-over, and say her goodbyes in the quickest time possible.
Several issues have been circulating… they said, our resignation was not ‘properly’ done. Joy and Rej left their letters on the HR’s desk and mine was sent via email. I cannot exactly agree to that… as in many other processes, there is no clear SOP as regards to resignations. What I am pretty sure about is that you should send it 15 or 30 days prior to your last day and that, the person resigning should meet with his/her immediate superior to discuss the matter…
We tried our best to set a long enough time frame prior to our departure. In some ways, we can still help out with the first week class preparations. But I guess, they have other plans for us so they shortened our stay…
When one of my co-teachers asked why, one of the supposed managers said ‘pasalamat nga sila babayaran sila kahit di na magtrabaho’… In my opinion… this statement is harsh and mean… I cried buckets of tears when I found out about it.
But anyways, enough is enough and Im glad to finally close that chapter in my life.
I am now looking into other possibilities in my life. I wish to get a job soon but I am not sure where yet. First on my agenda is to update my CV… collect documents… and ready myself for a fresh new start…