Hi, how are you?!?

I just happen to remember about this blog that I have and thought to check it to see if it's still working :P Lo and behold, it still is working eventhough my last post was waaaaay back May 2010.

As the Aussie greeting goes, "Hi, how are you?" I would like to reply, "Good, thanks! How are you?"

Happy 2010!

There's so much to be thankful for the year 2009.

1. Daddy Ian got a new job and got his first trip to Sydney in end of March 2009. Though that meant he was out of the country when Andrea Laureen was born.

2. I gave birth to a healthy baby girl and managed to control my post-natal stress. haha!

3. We transferred to a new apartment which made us very much close to Mama's house! We only needed to hire one helper and it saved us much!

4. I started an events coordination business -- something that I want to do while being a SAHM. Something to look forward to and also became my ME-TIME.

5. And the very highlight of it all -- our Australian Immigrant Visa was approved.

We are really humbled and grateful for the Lord has been so good to us!

And so what's up with 2010? We are on the first week of February and the January just flew so fast. Since our visa was approved, Daddy Ian had to leave for Sydney early this year to (1) find a job, and (2) settle-down. He already accomplished job number 1 (and we are praising God for this). And now he is working on his job number 2 -- to settle down. Hopefully, we would be able to be with him come May. Can't wait!

Another year, another chance

God has given me another year and I consider it as a chance for me to become a better person. So much has happened in my life and I can not thank God enough for all the good things that happened at the same time.

I hope and pray that God will continue to guide me as I continue to journey and to try to be the best that I can be.

Uh-oh...

looks like my brain had a short-circuit that I am having a darn hard time thinking what to blog about... geesh!

On Being A Parent

I am a member of an internet yahoogroup called NewlyWedsAtWork and I have been learning a lot from the members of the group in managing our home. I would like to pick up the topic that was posted by a n@wie-mate Jeng Agustin and she posted a question "Why do you want to have children?"

I am so amazed with how the group members were able to share their insights regarding the topic. Yes, being a parent is a choice and it is a lifetime responsibility and I would like to share my insights:

Being a parent is a choice and a privilege.

A choice.

When hubby and I got married, we know that we both want to have a child. And we are blessed that we had a honeymoon baby :D Inigo is 6 months now and nothing compares to the kind of fulfillment that me and hubby feels. Yes, there are endless of sacrifices that we have to do along the way and as long as we live. But the fact that we chose to have Inigo in our lives makes us realize that it's all worth it.

A privilege.

Every child is a gift from GOD. No matter how hard we pray and how a couple wants to have a child, if they are not blessed by GOD, it won't happen. I know a couple who tries and tries to have a child but until now they haven't been pregnant. And all it takes is patience and faith to the Lord. The couple that I know will have theirs in God's perfect time.

I want to quote a n@wie-mate Mylene when she said. "But you know what, you'll never know how much love your heart can hold, until someone calls you a Mommy or Daddy :-)" She's hit the bull's eye!

Another thing, you will have an additional special day (aside from your birthday) every year - Mother's Day or Father's Day! Teeheee!

CHILDREN completes the FAMILY.

It's Raining, It's Pouring....

Something that the rain makes me feel - calmness. Raindrops make me stop and think for a while. I love feeling the coldness, i so love not getting out of the bed.

Today was spent playing with my kiddo. You bet, he's got some antics and stuffs now. Inigo can easily fill anybody's day. I miss spending my whole day with him. (Imagine how Daddy Ian misses those! :C)

Inigo tried his sweatshirt that me and Daddy Ian bought him a couple of months back at Rustan's. Thanks to typhoon frank 'cause I remembered the sweatshirt and tried it on to Inigo and finally realizing that 2 months from now, he won't be able to wear it and Inigo surely will outgrow the poor shirt! haha!

Here's what he looked like the entire day..

Missing them...

It's almost a month since we relocated here in Makati. I should say that we're pretty much happy with our decision. But of course, there's also a lot of things that we miss down south. Quite frankly, it's the friends that we left behind whom we missed.

To Pet, Farrah and Bhe:

The happy horse weekend sessions are truly missed (most especially by daddy ian.. hahaha) Hope to see you all the soonest.

I'm back!

After a looong break from the blogging world, i'm happy to say that I AM BACK! Yiheee!

Just an update on what has been keeping me busy for the last few days:

1. Scouting for a house in Makati
2. Holy week vacation at Silang, Cavite and San Pablo, Laguna
3. Yaya-hunting
4. Job-Hunting

Oh well. We are very excited and looking forward to transferring to our new condo in Makati by next week. Yeba!

Of Filipino Beauty Pageants...

I am not an avid viewer of each and every Filipino Beauty Pageant there is that is why I was not able to watch the coronation night however, I would like to pick up the controversy as they say, on the last Bb. Pilipinas Beauty Pageant. A friend forwarded a Youtube link in my yahoomessenger and I was so shocked when I saw the video.

I truly believe that sending the candidate in the Ms. World pageant will be a misrepresentation of a true Filipina. WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS. What happened to the judges?! I would understand if the decision was through text voting. Tsk. We really are better than this.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xKwmseoKFCo

Job-Hunting 101

Since I am one of the many who is looking for a decent job nowadays and having been in the field of HR especially in Recruitment, I have decided to give some tips on how to be an "A" applicant.

Disclaimer:Please be reminded that ALL that I am writing here is based on my PERSONAL knowledge and experiences and I do not claim to be an EXPERT on this as I just wanted to SHARE MY THOUGHTS and KNOWLEDGE on the given topic :)

1. Decide on what field or career you want to pursue. This is very helpful to newlygrads who have not yet started their career. It is very important that you know where you want to go as far as your career is concerned. However, there is an advantage of trying different careers. But, more often than not, you will just find out in the future that you have just wasted a big amount of your time if you came to realize that you are not happy with the career you have chosen and wanted to shift.

2. Compose a very good resume. Applying for a job is the same as marketing yourself - your skills and abilities. Remember that your resume is the first thing that a company sees. It is your resume that will determine if you are worth interviewing. But always keep in mind that it should also be truthful. A smart recruiter will find out sooner or later if what you have written validates your skills and abilities.

3. Come to your interview schedule ahead of time. Personally, I like applicants who arrives on the interview location ahead of time. It shows what kind of employee that applicant will be, if hired - comes in on time. Of course, you would want to have good impression with your interviewer. Although I have to admit that I myself is guilty of sometimes being late, I make sure that I inform the interviewer ahead of time. Puncutality matters.

4. Answer the questions straightforwardly. "Kung ano ang tanong, s'yang sagot. " (Answer what is being asked). You should remember that most interviews are timed for the reason that you are not the only applicant for the position, so make sure that you answer straight-to-the-point. If the interviewer asks you a question, for example, a specific skill, and you are not knowledgeable about it, acknowledge that you do not have any experience about it. It's better to answer honestly than to pretend to know everything.

5. Be inquisitive. Job interviews are a two-way communication. As an interviewee, you also have the right to ask questions - about the company, position, salary, job responsibilities, as long as it is related to your application. But, hold your horses until the last part of the interview session. It would not be nice to ask questions if the interviewer is not yet finished evaluating your qualifications. Most of the time, the interviewer asks the interviewee should he/she has questions.

6. Thank your interviewer. Being polite is very much appreciated from an applicant. Thank your interviewer at the end of the interview session and let him/her know that you appreciate a feedback be it positive or not.

7. Accept or decline a job offer politely. Whether or not you have decided to accept moreso in declining a job offer, please do it politely.

There! I hope that I have helped (if not confused) my blog guests who decide to become my reader on this topic. :D

6 Quirky Things About Me

I would like to thank Sheryll for this tag!

The rules: Link to the person that tagged you. Post the rules on your blog. Share six un-important things/habits/quirks about your self. Tag 6 random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs. Let these random people know that they are tagged by leaving comments in their blog. Let your tagger know when your entry is up.

Six Unimportant things/habits/quirks about my self.

1. I can do the "Maricel Soriano" eye-brow rise. (haha!)
2. A hustler of the game chinese garter when I was in gradeschool. (Ask my gradeschool friends and they will agree! hehehe!)
3. I used to wear really big eyeglasses up until I was at 4th grade. (Talk abut nerdy-looks!)
4. I like the smell of a new pair of slippers! (The 'Spartan' brand!)
5. I like eating rice with sugar when I was still a kid. (Served as my midnight snack during those times...)
6. I like my hot chocolate together with half a teaspoon of powdered coffee every morning.. (My own version of hot moccha!)

Now I'm tagging Morrise, Jade, Jessie, Kaye, Maia, and Pat. Enjoy the tag!

8 Random Things About my Inigo

Thanks Issa for this tag!

For the past almost 2 months of his life, Inigo never fails to surprise us with even the littlest thing he does! These are just 8 things he does that really make our day:

1. He giggles even while sleeping.
2. He pouts his lips every after feeding which looks like he wants to give everyone a kiss!
3. He can open his one eye while the other one is closed. Haha!
4. He replies with a sounding "cooo.." if someone talks to him.
5. He cries so loud if in a few a minutes you failed to give him his milk if he's already hungry. (Talk about a demanding child, eh?)
6. He has so many facial expressions that sometimes you can't guess if he is smiling or crying. hehehe..
7. He finishes 4oz of milk every feeding and sometimes asks for more.
8. He makes a sound with his tounge which sounds like he is a disappointed big fellow!

Now I'm tagging all n@wie bloggers on my link list! Enjoy motherhood!

...another fantastic Roger-tennis season!

I simply love Roger Federer not only because of his 'oh so gorgeous looks' but because of how he plays in every tennis court he plays. I want to believe that he is at par if not surpassed the popularity of other tennis players like Andre Agassi. Not to mention his being unbelievably humble besides countless awards and trophies he has already won. To prove this, I have read in an article that he won yet another prestigious title not for the first time but for the fourth time in a row! Therefore, surpassing the records of Tiger Woods and the Schumachers. Here's the link to the article: http://www.rogerfederer.com/en/rogers/news/newsdetail.cfm?uNewsID=690

Oh how I wish my Inigo would turn out to be someone like Roger.. Teehee!

Look-a-Likes?!

I remember someone told me before I look like Lana Lang :D I just can't remember who that someone is. I happen to play with myheritage face recognition tool and look who became my look-a-like when morphed? - Kristin Kreuk! That somebody must have been telling the truth, eh?!

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity

"Leavin'" La Vida Loca

I am a Filipino and have been living in the Philippines all the 26 years of my life. But I should tell that a total of 7 years of it, our family had to live without our father at home. He used to be an OCW (Overseas Contract Worker, as what they termed before) in a construction company in Japan. Mama and Papa decided that way to give us, their 2 children, a better life. I can not deny the fact that their decision was a good one as far as giving us the life they wanted us to have. I remember, all my school stuffs are Sanrio items, Disney items, and I can still remember how some of my classmates envy and some of them even stole my tiniest pink eraser just because it had a Hello Kitty stamp on it. We went to good schools during our formative years. I just remembered that my first school, when I was 3, is a public day-care center that's just a few blocks away from our house. After that, Mama and Papa made sure that we get to good, private schools. Since Mama is a full-time housewife eversince, Papa's remittances provided and supported all our finances. We even bought our own house, also considering that at that time, hindi naman masyadong malaki ang kita abroad.. But we still managed to live somehow, a comfortable life.

When I was still single, I have never considered or even imagined working abroad. This is for the reason that my family is here, my friends are here, and I have my career here. But now that I am having my own family, I begin to realize that leaving the country for a greener pasture is a decision that I can and may consider. I am beginning to truly appreciate what Mama and Papa decided 20 years ago. It is sad, having heard the news, that the politics here in the Philippines is not doing any good to Filipinos at all. And I, as an expectant parent, could not imagine what kind of life my children would have 20 to 30 years from now should we still stay here. I still have a childhood memory when I was about 4 or 5 years old, where my cousins and I would play jeep-jeep-an and we just have to pay our "manong jeepney driver" 75 cents for the fare. Just imagine how much would be the jeepney fare 20 or 30 years from now.

Just today, I know two people who had their flights for a greener pasture overseas. One is a cousin, and the other one, a highschool classmate. They are both heading to the Middle East to be an Accountant and a Flight Attendant. Some of my grade school friends who finished nursing were already in the US practicing.

Reality begins to set in. More and more Filipinos are ever taking the risk of leaving the Philippines. Sad, but true.

My 1st Christmas

It's 21 days before Christmas. It is somehow a first Christmas for me - my first Christmas as a wife, a mommy (with the baby still in my tummy), a daughter-in-law, a sister-in-law, and as a daughter missing his father.

Happy, sad, and relieved at the same time..

Happy, as I will be spending it with my own family..
Sad, as I truly miss my father..
Relieved, because I know that my father is finally, home..

But just like anybody having their 1st Christmas for whatever reason, I am truly looking forward to it..