thinking aloud...

in the process of moving out and onto my new home.

you know i love you LJ, but sometimes, there are things that one looks for in a relationship. it's not your fault that you could not provide what i need. it's not you, it's me. no, it's you. wait, it's.. me? no you.

geez, i hate break-ups.

this is pkf's fault. after she blogged about wanting a camera, my urge suddenly got restored.

just found out about this blog, uncrate.com. look what i found.

gaa!




nikon coolpix p7000







canon powershot g12







fujifilm finepix x100

0__o

that's me, stunned. i swear im such a sucker for anything retro.

but then:




leica m9 titanium

boiiiing!

aaack!

LOOK. AT. THAT.

i didn't even bother to check the price on this one. might be too painful.

but really, look at that gorgeous thing!



that's all.

oh well, back to work.

photos: uncrate.com

 

saw these at rockwell the other day

Sebago Men's Docksides Patent Boat Shoe

*drool*

im really not a big fan of boat shoes, i gravitate more towards the pointy ones, but this one's different. i tried it on and my feet actually looks punggok in them, but i dont know.

-maybe because it's a classic?
-maybe because it's spotlighted with CLEAR rubber slip-resistant soles?
-maybe because of the SILVER rawhide laces?
-maybe because the genuine moccasin construction wraps the foot in a single piece of PATENT leather?
-maybe becuse it's hand sewn?
-maybe because its casual AND dressy at the same time?

im such a sucker for details. and that it's classic with a twist is driving me crazy.

aaaargh! GET OUT OF MY HEAD ALREADY!

some other styles that i saw online:



sebago again. that it has purple accents doesn't really help. but i like the patent midnight gray ones better.




i WANT need these ferragamos. for weekends (for weekends?? [high pitched]). i like that they look like driving shoes but don't look all squishy underneath. i hate it the feeling of driving shoes' soles. so squishy, its kadiri. i'd change the laces though, because they're brown. again, kadiri. i'd probably buy the silver ones from the sebago store, which are quite pricey, by the way.

but that patent midnight gray ones are really haunting me. like seriously.

i could imagine them with slim white jeans or dark jeans.

eeps!

the thought of this box didn't really have an effect on me





until i saw this guy wearing this on his wrist everywhere





and i mean EVERYWHERE




from the stage,

to airports,





traveling from korea to japan




and back.





and so after including it in my wishlist and forgetting about it for a long time, i just got up after work and got it.





this whole tiffany & co color scheme's making me puke.  it's TOO MUCH.


but look at what's inside..




some sterling bling added to my collection once again



although i know it ain't gonna stay shining shimmering splendid forever, i really don't care (well, thank goodness i found the time to take these photos). my body's pH level isn't the best for silver, actually, but i like the personality of this particular piece. 

and i feel like a pop star now that im wearing it, so there!

im just happy i got to check off another item out of my wishlist. the feeling is great!


one last look..




bye-bye shiny finish. it was nice knowing you!:)

 

haven't been posting in so long because i can't describe enough how busy the past months have been. im just thankful that each day has always been progressive. thank God indeed:)
 

today was different though. my day didn't start out right as i arrived late for our general weekly sales meeting, which i NEVER come late for. even my director was surprised, she said it wasn't like me.

anyway, i was on the phone with a client who was requesting for something very stressful from me. i was on the verge of throwing my phone in frustration when suddenly, a pink lunchbox appears in front of my nose. it was my director's, and she was motioning for me to get one of the muffins inside.

'it's a calamansi muffin', she said with a smile.

calling pkf!:)




i love the little bursts of surprises i've been getting recently:)

it was refreshing! surprising and weird, but it was! that kind of made my morning:)

another thing that i'm so thankful for is my recently purchased ipod touch. ive been doing everything in it recently! facebooking, downloading and playing games, checking and sending short emails, surfing the web, watching videos, etc. im so happy that this new generation comes with earphones that's equipped with a MICROPHONE! i record rehearsals and quick notes too! but i guess the best part about it is that i no longer have to open my laptop at home. it takes so long for edu to boot and shut down, so i now do everything in lucky (as in lucky mansanas, the son of edu mansanas:] hihi.)



AAAAND i got lucky for much much cheaper than the orig price! i originally didn't want to get a new ipod because sayang naman si rico (my ipod nano 3rd gen's name is rico mambo. hihi.) but then i'm super ma-video more than ma-music (k-pop, remember?) so i guess this will suit me better. it's a long story how i got this, but what's important is that the funds magically appeared for it. i have the universe to thank for that:)

too many things to be thankful for, im so, so blessed. *sigh*, i just needed this break to document it.

now back to the million other things that i have to do...
 

photo: dessertcomesfirst.com, gizmodo.com

 

 

 

im in the quaint mary grace shop in serendra working on a report, with sansrival and the yummiest hot chocolate ive tasted in a long time accompanying me. 'se' from the cinema paradiso soundtrack in the background. the neighboring table is filled with theater bigwigs gossiping over coffee on the latest dibs on showbiz and theater personalities. histrionic people blabbing their tonsils out in the tiniest, homiest place on earth. im at home. i couldn't be happier.

actually i could, because this plate of sansrival tastes like crap. i swear goldilocks serves better ones. but im not complaining. i have a lot to be thankful for:)

i haven't blogged or posted anything very long in a while because as my last post explained, i'm back to being busier than i've ever been. and i've sort of refrained from going on-line all the time so that i could get stuff done. i also refrained from always going online at home so that i could sleep earlier. sleep's such a luxury for me now, especially with the curing of the recording (adding to) taking a lot of my sleep time.

*mmm.. that last sip i just had was absolutely divine:)*

a short update of what had happened since my last post:

-i checked one item off my wish list. i couldnt wait for another person to give it to me so i bought it myself. heehee. i have another item ive been putting off getting for the last couple of months that i wanna get again. maybe in the next few months.
-my team was the top group for the month of May (yay!)
- my agent was top Property Executive for the month (yay!)
- I was able to recommend him (and successfully had it approved!) to be promoted to Senior Property Executive! (yee-haw!)
- I was top Sales Manager for the month (yay!)

but it wasn't easy. i toiled for days to be able to achieve these. something i should have done years months ago. and i dont intend to slack off anytime soon. my time with ACS has been greatly affected, but im grateful that now, every opportunity i get to sing becomes even more special :)

my new director invited me to the Coffee Bean across our office this afternoon to kind of get to know me more and discuss some things that have transpired the last month that i was in her team. she basically was glad about my openness in dealing with the transition (which i rarely have problems with really, even in the past). i was commended for the whole package i brought in with myself and my team, but her only concern was how, erm, 'composed' i am all the time. she doesnt know what she was talking...about!! lol! i may have to be a little more enthusiastic about work, she said. i was suppressing my laughter at this point. haha! i assured her that i was very enthusiastic about what i do and though it seems that i am 'composed' all the time (i wanted to LOL at this point, i swear!), i told her i just knew how to behave in different situations. AND that im just really shy at first, that's why i seem reserved. but anyhow, our chitchat jumped from one topic to another and i was really happy that we had a lot of things in common. she has done international marketing as well so we really had similar experiences that people who haven't traveled for business would not understand. and when i mentioned that i was trained by my old boss PD, she was surprised because PD actually called hear over a year ago to have her come for an interview with him. she went, but declined his offer for manager because she was eyeing a sales director position. then our conversation led to ideals and management strategies. i think she liked my style enough that she wanted me to give a 20-minute talk on our regular Monday sales meeting on any sales topic of my choice. wow, it's been so long since i last gave a presentation to a big group, and now i have two days to come up with something, complete with powerpoint presentation! and the added pressure is that i'm the newbie in the group, and i don't believe she's let other managers present to the group before. yiiiish! i'll start to pull things together maybe starting tomorrow. i still have so much to do tonight.

AAAAAND i got the mother of all surprises!!! (drumroll please...) my old boss PD called me at 9pm tonight!! he called to personally ask if i could come to his big 50th bday celeb AND if i wouldn't mind hosting the event with 2 other people from different generations of his management (meaning early and late 90's batch). of course i said yes:) he also wanted me to do a repeat of one of the performances i coached for one of our awardings before, but now he wants ME to be singing. i would be honored, i said. and then came the hinting of him wanting to get me back on his team. i just laughed:) apparently, word has spread about how im doing in my present company and he's been very happy to hear about it. i dont know how the eff it reached him, but i'm flattered and not complaining:)

i love that man, i swear. he could be an a**hole for sure, but i guess we need that sometimes to challenge us. i've traveled with him for business and i've learned a lot from him. i'm one of the lucky few who's had the opportunity to know him on a more personal level, i even got to know his wife better, which i think would be impossible for other bosses. i was so surprised and very much glad that i saw his name flashing on my cellphone screen. i remember when i was still doing Offshore Sales that when i'd see him calling, id be terrified. haha! now, it was different. that old familiar feeling is still there but it was definitely exciting for me to answer his call.

im so glad that my past and present work network are slowly intertwining. that the things i did and the people i've worked with in the past are still relevant to where i am and what i do today is just perfect.

i just ordered a second cup of that magnificent mary grace hot chocolate. the film of bittersweet chocolate that forms on the surface between my sips is just killing me right now. life is good. thank You Lord.

hi lj. it's been a while.

aside from being immersed in tumblr, work has been really crazy.

crazy good, actually.

i've been re-assigned to a different division, one that used to be competition. one i've developed a sort of loathing for for the past year i've been with this company. they're competition, i cant help it:) now, i don't know exactly how i'm gonna say it but i'm actually...

...enjoying.


there, i said it.


i'm happy about the energy, i'm happy about the noise, the laughter, the pressure, the work, even the results that i'm getting. everyone around me's so driven, i can't help but be infected. and that's good. i haven't had this feeling in a while. just like the old times.

*insert sigh here*

AND im glad that i don't have to change my perspective on things because really, they have the same ideals. some, just called differently, but everything is basically the same.

another thing i love about it is that everyone's so positive. you could feel it. i LOVE it.

'be gratefaaaaaahl!'

oh yes i am! and for tons of things!

im re-learning to manage my thoughts and feelings again. i'm in the process of weeding out the wrong and the negative and isolating and focusing on the positive. it's been a struggle so far but yes, i've gotten results. boy was i surprised. serious work really pays off.

im excited for what's in store for me. no wait, ecstatic! i feel that it's coming. everyone around me does.




so now, i'm just throwing out to the universe all positive vibes. it's gonna happen. UNIVERSE, i know it's coming. ive been ready for so long, bring it on!

:)

 

was able to squeeze in harang yesterday:



fortunately enough, it was very near my office and the time was convenient for me.

it was a funeral mass for the late Roberto 'Bobby' Lim, former Executive Vice President of PAL. I was impressed at how many people attended despite it being a work day but moreover, i was extremely touched (and forced to really contemplate on a lot of things) by the eulogy that his granddaughter delivered.

she talked about him being an infuriating lolo, him being one that challenged his grandchildren since they were young. he'd always ask them what their plans were and they never knew if he would talk about their plans for the day, for the summer or for the rest of their lives. whenever they'd tell him about what they'd plan to do, he'd go: of course you won't do that! here, let me plan for you. (lol!) he's cute that way (i miss my lolo!). his apo's would hate having those conversations with him and they've learned to deal with it by 1. just saying yes 2. bringing a friend over and throwing them to the lion (lol) or 3. avoiding their lolo altogether. he'd always make them feel like they didnt do anything right with their lives, really, but she also mentioned that whenever anyone was absent at dinnertime, lolo bobby would always mention how he was so proud of him or her. people were tearing up at this point of the eulogy.

what struck me the most was how he'd always remind them to have a plan B, C, D.. up to Z so that if you don't get your plan A and get your plan B instead, then you could always say that that was what you really wanted! witty lolo, i lovvet!:)

and it got me thinking what my plans B, C, D (...) are.

ive been faced with a really trying time at work right now and the easiest way out is just to quit and run away. but it also made me realize that throughout my professional career, i was never the one who'd quit because it was the trend, or because times were difficult. i intend to do the same this time. im really just saying it's becoming so hard at this point. this reminds me of my most favorite scene in the movie a league of their own:

when dottie (geena davis) quit the team just before world series to go drive back to oregon to get married, jimmy (tom hanks) confronted her:

jimmy: sneakin' out like this, quitting, you'll regret it for the rest of your life.
baseball is what gets inside you. it's what lights you up. you can't deny that.

dottie: it just got too hard!

jimmy: it's supposed to be hard! if it wasn't hard everyone would do it. the HARD is what makes it great'


i've been living off those very words for years now.

watch:

 

going back to lolo bobby, his granddaughter ended the eulogy with again, very striking words. her lolo always said that as a pilot, what do you do when your aircraft reaches the edge?

'you fly.'

manzoni + vespa

the color of this vespa's perfect with his outfit

i totally like what he's wearing, it gives off a very cool, but nonchalant vibe
(although i'm just imagining the splatter marks the wet road would cause his pants).

if i could ride a vespa here without the helmet, id give it a go.

photo: thesartorialist