Saturday, October 04, 2025
What's up? How's it going?
Monday, December 09, 2024
2024 Has Been Crazy
Friday, October 20, 2023
Unfair
Grr this article annoyed me https://www.sciencealert.com/for-the-first-time-scientists-show-structural-brain-wide-changes-during-menstruation
No one ever knew until now? I am freaking 41 years old and the research is just starting - no one really cared to find out!
You know what my cycle does to me? It changes me completely and it took so many years of hyperawarnesss and introspection to realize that it's not really "me" but my hormones causing the change of behavior.
I become extra emotional, irrational, and believe that what I am thinking at that point in time is 100% true. A week passes by and I totally feel differently about what I firmly believed in just a few days ago.
How do women survive? Because we conform and keep silent. All out lives has been to conform, behave, don't be out of line! π’
It just makes me so mad. Even autism in girls was left undiagnosed because we are so good at masking.
Grrrr.
Saturday, February 25, 2023
Do You Like You?
Sunday, February 13, 2022
15th day of Lunar New Year
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Of Ancestry and Certificates
After all these years, I have the standard answer down pat to the question -"Why is your surname like this if your father is Chinese?"
So I carry my mom's surname as my own because in citizenship papers, I am an illegitimate child (no father in birth certificate) even though I have a very present father who was legally married to my mom 4 years before I was born.
My siblings who were born 12 and more years before me also have the same additional page in their birth certificate because my father was not yet a naturalized citizen when they were born. My parents were already married prior to them being born but not in a church which could legally register marriages in the country (how crazy is that?!).
This was all kind of abstract to me and simply matter-of-fact as I was growing up until last night, when, for some reason, I googled about the Citizenship in my country in Wikipedia.
My eyes were suddenly opened to the reality that my parents and my siblings faced during their time. When they were all born, the laws on citizenship were not yet amended with what I am familiar with at present.
So the law states that because our father was a foreigner (even though he was born in the same country as my mother), my mother's citizenship can only be passed to my siblings if they eventually choose to by that time they are 18. I am not sure what their citizenship would have been prior to adulthood if my parents did follow that path. The only results I found were "inchoate" citizenship, whatever that means.
Everything makes so much sense now. So my parents chose, I'm sure with the advice of the elders and community, to register all of my 4 siblings as fatherless so that they will be automatically granted natural-born citizenship which is similar to my mother's citizenship. Also, since my parents' marriage was not officially registered in government records, then technically, my siblings were illegitimate in the eyes of the law, but not in the eyes of God.
This is all just so risky and crazy to me right now but I think it's only because I have the privilege of amended laws, unlike my siblings and parents. I'm an almost post-revolution baby living in the spoils of the victors of war.
Anyhow, all of my cousins have a similar dilemma, too. The only difference is that by the time my uncles were naturalized citizens, they granted legitimacy to their succeeding children. I did not receive that and my rationale is so that I would have the same surnames as my siblings. Otherwise, I'll be like my cousins who have a different surname than their older siblings.
When I search for my father's name in the internet, it shows up under the list of naturalized citizens of the country. As a naturalized citizen, he can enjoy the same benefits as a natural-born citizen such as passing of citizenship to children, legally doing business in the country, and legally owning property which I know are all very very important to my dad in his lifetime.
I just wanted to write it a down now for posterity. Xx
Friday, June 11, 2021
Boy Crazy, Boy Bands
After all these years, I'm still a sucker for boy bands - you know, the giddy feeling of hearing them sing and perform- but my tastes have slightly changed possibly due to their hairstyle changes as well.
1. BackStreet Boys - still Nick Carter
2. Jonas Brothers - formerly Joe but when they got back together, it's Nick this time
3. One Direction - I like Harry. He looks like a young Winter Soldier π (Sebastian Stan), though I can say that Niall also knows how to ham up the camera.
Okay, disclaimer that all these opinions have been formed after watching the bands with James Corden in his Carpool Karaoke (except BSB)
4. the asian group that I shall not name but is explosively popular - so the guy who learned English through Friends knew how to act cool and so did the guy sitting behind him who taught the dance moves.
It's actually my first time to listen to #4 group's songs - interesting genre, like a mix of the 80s and modern. They are very good dancers, though.
I like 1D's songs the most, the songwriters really know how to captivate a young girl's heart π
Sunday, June 06, 2021
Sleepless Night
It's 4:49 am and I still can't sleep. Looks like sleep passed me by coz I was too engrossed with reading the PTF handbook!! Yep, I'm preparing for my stint as next school year's president!! So crazy coz I've just been in the school for a year, but based on my past work records, I don't seem to be one to reject an opportunity when it is right in front of me!
I'm going to where life leads me, I believe that's where the adventure is!
C'est la vie!
Tuesday, June 23, 2020
Book Review: Becoming by Michelle Obama


Monday, June 22, 2020
Hello, from the Lion City
I actually have a new joint blog with friends but this blog remains my personal one. How can I let it go if it has posts from way back when I was in college?! (Read: almost 20 years ago) Anyhow, that joint blog is focused on motherhood and I seem to write article type of entries instead of journal type entries. I guess it takes time to be comfortable.
So, I am in Singapore now while I am writing this and I just successfully transferred my LiveJournal entries to Blogger! Way to clear out my 2012 To Do List!
Jumping back from my last post prior to the book review, we have safely arrived in Singapore last Feb 27, 2020 and due to COVID-19, we are mostly staying inside the condo! This means I was able to read books again and do things I really enjoy, like baking! This seems to be a culmination year of all the things that I kept wishing that I could do way back when I was working the corporate grind. Now here I am, with lots of time and lots of happiness.
We have a bathtub in the unit and a great view outside the balcony. There are trees and open spaces and buildings, too, literally like a well-planned urban jungle.
There are 3 swimming pools in the complex, 2 playgrounds, 2 tennis courts, beach volleball, zipline, treehouse, etc. It is also my child's dream playground come true.
This place feels like a super lifestyle upgrade and I am just over the moon! My plans of assimilating into Singapore culture have been put on hold for the meantime because of the virus, but I'm taking it one step at a time.
One major thing I want to overcome is the language barrier. The few conversations I had with the locals were not major wins.
1. Alternation Auntie - Tried to talk to me in Mandarin because she said I looked like I knew how but I could not respond properly. I could only manage preschool level mumblings!
2. Aircon Repairman talking to Landlord - I totally could not understand what they were talking about, was it English, even? Maybe it was Malay
3. Aircon Repairman - I had a hard time understanding his English
4. Clinic Lady (wearing a mask) - I could not understand what she was asking me - apparently, it was postal code - and it make me feel like such a foreigner and tourist.
My goal is to eventually not be thought of as a tourist or foreigner. I wonder how soon I can achieve that!
Saturday, April 18, 2020
Book Review: The Help
Sunday, January 05, 2020
2020!
I have since realized this, though painstakingly, and have made steps to try to put things back to order.
March 2017 - I became a Manager to 14 people
2018 - Some things have left a mark:
- Feb - I got a pre-selling condo
- Employee survey results
- May - Couple trip to Japan
- June - Resignation of person I groomed
- July - Canceled work trip to the US
- Dec - I went to the US with my family for a personal trip
- Feb - I take a personal out of town trip to attend a friend's wedding and regain ties with my former colleagues and boss. My work still follows as I had to make decisions while on leave
- I have finally shared thoughts of stopping work with family members due to teacher feedback of how my child has been behaving in school
- Mar - I tendered my resignation from work.
- My 3.8 year old daughter was assessed to only be 1.5 years old developmentally
- Apr - I left work for good
- June - My 3.11 year old daughter was reassessed to be 3.1 years old developmentally
- July - Weekly speech and occupational therapy ensues and her improvement is phenomenal
- Dec - We find out that we are relocating to Singapore in February 2020
Friday, January 20, 2017
Poem of Goodbye
I understand why
but may heart can't comprehend
It hurts when I go through the dates
And remember the time you said
You're leaving.. forever
Nowhere near, yet farther than ever
A part of me has gone away
Anchors shaken, still surviving
Uncertain on my footing, still struggling
But it has to be this way, I know
It's really time for you to go.
#asbcd
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
My Updates...
How ya doin? I wanted to see how my friend @dreamspinner_ was doing so I logged in to my LJ account after a looong time!
What's up with me? TONS!
Since I haven't updated since 2011, you probably don't know a lot of major things that have happened in my life since then. I think the last you know is that I've graduated from MBA, haha!!
2012.03 - My mom died of cancer.
2012.03 - I started a job at ACS Xerox that lasted for less than a year. MOA and Test Automation did no good for my grieving heart.
2013.01 - I started work at RealPage in Ortigas.
2013.05 - I got married to Maddy :) We lived at a condo in San Juan during this time. We acquired pet fishes and an English Bulldog.
2014.03 - We moved to Project 3, Quezon City.
2014.08 - I got a Golden Retriever.
2014.11 - I found out I'm pregnant!!!
2015.02 - I gave away my Golden Retriever
2015.07 - I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl :) Gianna Elise.
***SLEEPLESS NIGHTS*** **MOMMY CHALLENGES*** **WORKING MOM CHALLENGES** Lesson: Not everything you plan goes the way you want it to, especially if you are a mother!!
2015.12 - Spent New Year in Singapore with a 5 month old baby.
2016.02 - My dad passed away.
2016.12 - Now. I learn they want to promote me to manager - just a year after I get promoted to BA IV. Seriously? I have accepted the challenge, though.
Let's see what the future holds!!
Monday, February 22, 2016
New Year
Well, I was pregnant on the latter part of 2014 and upto July 2015. Then I had a baby! Now, she's 7 months old. I think that's excuse enough not to blog.
I'm writing right now because I'm feeling anxious.
My dad has been in the hospital since Feb 6 and things are not looking good.
I feel jumpy today.
That's all for now.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Status Check
We are going to move from a condo to a townhouse/apartment next month!
I have 3 fishes and 1 dog!
I've joined a freelance writing group and I'm starting to write on my blog again!
After 9 years of staying on the Quality Assurance career path, I was given the opportunity to 'move up' to Business Analysis and now I'm officially a Business Analyst. Level 3 at that! (I must put in effort to earn the title that I currently hold)
My husband is sleeping right now so I'm just typing away on my laptop beside the fish that I thought committed suicide. There were 2 previous ones that did -- I'm not sure why..it seems such a crazy thing to do! Good thing, the fish named Bleu is still in his aquarium and just did a very clever camouflage for the whole 3 minutes that I was searching for him!!
On Being Married
It just feels so right but I still need to work on my domestic skills and being more patient. I also need to improve my health and get fit so that we'll have greater chances of having our own progeny.
On Moving Out
Condo living is really nice and convenient but at the same time it's a hassle because of the rules and limitations of the place. You're really living in a shared space with a lot of people and the only space that you can almost call yours is your unit. It's not even totally yours because you have design rules to follow like you can only use white curtains and your air conditioner has to be this type only. You can't have furniture delivered to you on weekdays or holidays -- it needs to be on office hours so you'll have to take a day off from work. You can't leave your dog on the balcony, too cause the neighbors complain that it barks a lot and the reason they moved to a condo is to have a nice and quiet place -- or so they think.
Bottom line, I'm just glad we're moving out except for the additional travel time that our new place will cost us. I think I'll learn a lot again once I start living there.
On Having Pets
I finally have a dog that I personally take care of. I do have the help of my husband because it's technically his dog (it's my gift to him) but since we're married then its OUR dog. Although my personal preference for a pet would be a Golden Retriever, I don't think I or our space is ready yet for such a big and active breed. Ippo, our current dog, is an English Bulldog who is 4 months old and oh so cute. I've already learned so much from him-- lessons that are comparable to taking care of a human baby. Slowly, I'm learning to give myself more without expecting anything in return. Thanks to cute, innocent dogs like Ippo :)
Fish seem easy to take care of but patience and preparation is required because lo and behold, they are very sensitive to water! If water comes from the faucet, then a cycling period has to pass before you can let the fish into that water; otherwise, they get stressed, lose color, go crazy, and ultimately, die.
On Writing
My MSI row has been blank for a long time because I have nothing to put in. Even though it is still blank right now, at least I'm part of a group that could possibly give me an additional source of income. Chocolate is Salad. I'm excited that I'm finally doing something that I really enjoy (without the guilt!). Pun intended.
On Career Change
I'm technically a Business Analyst on paper but I'm still doing Quality Assurance work until we find a replacement for that role of mine. In any case, I have to do well in my new role because that's what I'm going to be evaluated against. I thought of taking some courses, reading books, but ultimately, I'd need experience and good mentors to help me grow into the role. Business Analysis involves a lot of writing, some interaction with clients depending on their location and a whole lot of explaining and translating ideas between specialized groups in a way that everyone will be on the same page. Exciting and challenging, indeed!
Friday, December 20, 2013
An Itch in Time...
It's all about trust but I guess I haven't completely earned hers though she says I have...
I'm so confused and simply affected.
This is petty in the grand scheme of things, but it's like a mosquito bite that swells on and keeps itching. When I scratch, the swelling grows; I try to ignore, but it's still there.
So I planned my vacation last November, graciously asked my teammate when she will have hers so that I won't get the same date as her knowing that there's only two of us coz we can't be gone the same time. Support and concern and all that.
So I planned mine on the 2nd and 3rd days of the New Year. It has been verbally approved and our US bosses have no qualms about it.
Then come actual formal approval time, when I raise that I will just use my accumulated overtimes to offset those 2 days that I will be on leave...
Bam.. I get a conditional approval or just 1 date approved coz supposedly that was our testing schedule. Or if I can assure that there's not major risk or impact then it would be fine. I reply via email and assure but no, that's not enough, a tangible written schedule is needed.
What the hell??? I'm the freaking QA Lead, would I carelessly just leave and not care if we can finish our work or not?
I'm royally offended. Have I not shown good performance and general responsibiliity and commitment to my work that you ask this of me??
Logically speaking, yes, I understand. But this act is so Sheldon Cooperish!
Even though how many times I try to run it through my head that what she is asking is logical - that the testing schedule is really something I will create and show her -- I don't want it to be the sole basis of the approval of my leave
Man, I took certain leaps of faith with my team member so she will feel that human connection and concern that people in a team expect of their bosses as a basic requirement. Yet, here I am, blogging about this because I did not get the same concern. My leave doesn't even need a freaking leap of faith -- it's just the basic act of trusting your lead that she knows how to manage her team and her work.
Fumes steam out of my ears as I write this.
I just wish I can get over this issue. I want it to be gone so it would stop bringing me down and making me think of how dissatisfied I am -- not of my actual work-- but of the culture permeating in our team due to unpredictable management.
I have been able to lower my expectations immensely previously when I moved from my first work to the second coz apparently my manager there was an administrative type of manager. When that became clear, everything fell into place and there was peace.
I haven't found peace at my current workplace yet...the cliche of women being unpredictable as the weather -- that' what I'm experiencing right now with my manager.
I need to expect the unexpected. I hope I'll be able to internalize all this information and find a complex pattern of adaptation so that I can work in peace. I want stay here for a longer time - standard 3 years -- so help me God.
Thursday, October 03, 2013
October
Next month. Feels hectic. Even the last half of this month...so help me God.
I just watched Bones... how can a mother ever not want her child and call other gang members her family. #alamna It happens and when it does, it just breaks your heart. Poor kid. I know there's a lot out there and that's were all the crime and violence come from. Tsk, poor kid.
Time to sleep, lots of work to do tomorrow.
Let's see how everything falls into place.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Home on a Monday
At 5pm today, I've just accomplished going to the post office. Haha.
Watching movies on the laptop and surfing the net seemed more interesting.
While surfing, I stumbled upon some stuff that would supposedly improve my health and physical well-being...I would need a blender, though, to carry it out. Read: http://www.thesuperfoodgrocer.com/
I've been mulling over other purchases as well: a bookcase and an electric oven.
The bookcase shopping did not push through this weekend coz of the code yellow rains which prompted my previously Cainta-based husband to just want to stay at home. I think people who live in Marikina and Rizal have some trauma left in them from the Ondoy tragedy of 2009.
On the other hand, electric oven seems such a big purchase and to convince myself to wait a little longer, I've decided to 'reward' myself with the oven only until I've reached a desired weight. I'm still deciding which weight to aim for.. the ideal, non-overweight, short of impossible one or the 30 lbs less more realistic but still hard one?
I'll probably go with the more realistic one. The greatest possible irony would be that by the time I reach my goal weight, I'd be living so 'healthily' and would not want an electric oven to bake chocolate goodies with anymore! There's always savory stuff like baked fish...we'll see.
So.. I should go do the laundry now. Ciao!
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
What's up? How's it going?
January 2025 became a positive turning point. I was still on edge when we went back to the Philippines for Chinese New Year. I didn't wa...
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After all these years, I have the standard answer down pat to the question -"Why is your surname like this if your father is Chinese?...
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After all these years, I'm still a sucker for boy bands - you know, the giddy feeling of hearing them sing and perform- but my tastes h...
