Something to Ponder...

"Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

Think only of the best, work only for the best,and expect only the best.

Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

Give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

Live in the faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you!"

- Christian D. Larson

New Year's Resolution

For my new year's resolution (yeah, it's late but it's for the chinese new year hehe!):

1. Spend money wisely and save a LOT... meaning, stop "impulse buying" hehehe and no "lunch out" starting February, so I have to bring my pack lunch everyday.

2. Since I'm going to bring my lunch everyday, i decided to cook something new every other day. I'm going to choose randomly from my recipe book and rate them accordingly hehe! I have lots of guinea pig in the office :-)

3. Lose some weight and achieve 100 Lbs. weight... since, i will not go out for lunch anymore which is always a buffet lunch, I think this is achievable (cross my fingers!)

4. Learn something new... hmmm... i hope I can enroll for MBA.

5. Blog regularly :-)

Litratong Pinoy: Lila (Violet)

Hindi lila ang paborito kong kulay kundi asul, ngunit ewan ko ba, sa pagdaan ng araw, mukhang dumarami ata ang mga kagamitan ko na kulay lila. Ang "hair dryer" ay regalo sa aking ng aking kaopisinahan para sa aking kaarawan noong nakaraang taon. Ito ang unang kaarawan ko dito sa banyagang bansa. Ang panali ng buhok ay bigay sa akin ng aking kasambahay, and "headband" naman ay bigay sa akin ng aking kapatid, ang sombrero ay alaala noong pumunta ako sa Bohol, ang bulaklak na kandila ay mula sa opisina at ang "scarf" ay regalo ko sa aking sarili noong pumunta ako ng India. Madami pa akong kagamitan na kulay lila, ngunit hindi ito ang paborito kong kulay. Kapanipaniwala ba?

Maligayang Huwebes sa inyong lahat!

Happy Days are Back

Yesterday, I stayed home coz I feel gloomy. There's two reasons, 1) a misunderstanding with someone and 2) feeling stagnant at work. I've been trying to display creatively all the stuff that arrived last 15th but the area still look "normal". I've been doing the same thing again and again, that it doesn't get me energize already. I am having inspiration overload too...so many ideas spinning around in my head, yet I can't focus on anything. Nothing is making sense and all I'm feeling is overwhelmed! Isn't it funny when some days the creativity flows like a river and on others, it's a like a dried up creek? And to top that, people who isn't contributing anything but keep on criticizing your work. If they think my work isn't good enough, then why they don't do it on their own if they think they can do it better!

But today, I'm back to my energetic self again. I'll be fully booked with projects again. Have to plan the lay-out again of new showrooms, decide the color schemes, set up another exhibit and visit the other showrooms. Yihiii! I have something "new" to do again aside from arranging and re-arranging showrooms. Time to flow the creative juices again. Wake up, wake up! Remove that creative barrier. I just hope no one will invade my turf :-) I remember, same time last year, we also open a new showroom. It was also a hectic month for me. But I guess this time, it will be a real hell and a tough one since I'm all alone with a bunch of girls. Who will I send in those places? Hmmmm! Hope we will make it good again this time.

And, I'm just so happy, I received the sweetest smile again. Keep on smiling for me, taba.

Litratong Pinoy: Kahel (orange)

Isa sa aking mga paboritong pagkain ay ang "california maki" na may kasamang sawsawan na toyo at wasabi. Ang sarap! Tuwing nalulungkot ako, ito ang aking pampasaya lalo na kung libre galing sa aking mahal!

Just For Fun

I don't feel good today so i took the day off :-) and the best way to spend the day aside from going back to sleep is to browse the net, read blogs and drool over the foods that I miss so much and dream that once I'll get my vacation leave, i will eat a lot hehehe!

So, just for fun and just to have an update in my blog (super lazy to write my thoughts hehe), i saw this series of Q&A...

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? nope.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? last night
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? sometimes
4. What is your favorite lunch meal? nothing in particular as long as it's yummy
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? none yet, ain't married yet
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Definitely
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Not much
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? huh?!
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I want to.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Corn flakes
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? nope
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Yes
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Cafe Gelato's Pistaccio, ferrero
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Their outfit and scent
15. RED OR PINK? Pink!
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF? My arms!
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? JC
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Not really
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Im wearing a house dress right now
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Spaghetti filipino style that i cooked last night
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? mix choice from Honey's selections
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? blue
23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Perry Ellis
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Honey
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? No one actually sent this to me, but I lurk the blog where I got this questionnaire.
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Basketball,badminton
27. HAIR COLOR? black
28. EYE COLOR? black
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? nope
30. FAVORITE FOOD? tocino
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Mamma Mia while flying via SQ
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? im wearing a brown house dress right now
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Dhaka Winter, i find it so pleasant
35. HUGS OR KISSES? Both!
36. FAVORITE DESSERT? sans rival cake
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? have no idea
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? have no idea as well
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? On Chesil Beach
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? don't have a mouse, i'm using a laptop
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? The Game Plan
42. FAVORITE SOUND? sound of flowing water
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? beatles
44. WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Kolkata, India
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? writing? designing?
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Vigan Ilocos Sur, Philippines
47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? everyone who wants to share more about themselves

Be Thankful

Saw this poem while browsing some blogs.

Im thankful for my family, friends and my work...in everything that i have now... and a lot more :-)


BE THANKFUL

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.

- Author Unknown

HOLIDAYS IN DHAKA

my little christmas tree, with little santa claus and his harley davidson ride

Christmas is a much celebrated day in the Philippines and in my family, thus celebrating Christmas for the first time without anyone from my family and in a hardcore Muslim country was totally a different experience.

Christmas tree @ a friend's house, Bamboo Shoot, Nando's

The day passed like just any ordinary day. There are few Christmas trimmings in the shops and there is no Christmas rush. No gift giving and no giddy feeling of Christmas time. It was just simply an ordinary day, with the slightest happiness that I feel with the thought that I’m going to celebrate Christmas with friends. There are lot of things that I missed so much last Holiday, the Simbang Gabi even if I never completed one, my family even if ours is far from perfect family, the simple and festive non-stop eat-all-you-can Noche Buena & Christmas lunches /snacks with friends and relatives, the last minute shopping, and the fireworks display on New Year’s Eve. Really, there is no place like home….


But since I can’t do anything with the situation, (I can’t leave the country coz I just got my Visa and passport last week), I have to do with what I have. I may not have the simple and festive Noche Buena that I’m used to, but I can adapt or try other traditions and share my own traditions too. And what is Christmas without “sweet ham” right? It’s not readily available here as pork is not available in groceries or any public market. So, I search the recipe for sweet ham and did it myself. And the verdict: it looks like ham and it tasted like ham.

small gathering after the Christmas Eve Mass

I attended Christmas Eve Mass at Banani and meet some friends there. After the mass, there was a small gathering at the church yard. Cakes, breads, drinks and other pica-pica are served. There are lots of Filipinos there too, and even the Ambassadress was there. Too bad I wasn’t able to take more pictures of the little gathering. One thing I noticed here is that I feel so safe and at home whenever I’m at the Church grounds. Everyone seems to be so friendly, maybe because it’s a small community that’s why people almost knew everyone, similar to private subdivisions in the Philippines.

After eating some cakes and saying “hellos” and greeting friends, we went home and have some simple Christmas dinner Bangladeshi style, and again, I forgot to take pictures. And drank some tequila which made me a little tipsy. I received a black saree, a jewelry set and a box of chocolates as a gift, yihii! The following day, we ate the sweet ham that I made, it was okay and it can pass as the commercial ones hehehe!


After Christmas, I am so busy with the DITF 2009 set up already, that I have to literally celebrate New Year’s Eve at the DITF Grounds with my staff and colleague since the following day will be the opening of the fair.
New Year’s Eve celebration here means going to the clubs and restaurants and other sponsored parties at the hotel and elsewhere. There are no funfair, no fireworks, none at all. But it was okay anyway, I’m just so glad that I was able to finish the set up on time and well, we received good comments about it (another entry for this).


January 1, of course is a working day, but I was able to spend the day with friends again and on the following weekend. I thank God for all this wonderful friends… Another year ahead, praying that this will be another fruitful one. Happy New Year everyone!