My days are mostly occupied by work (new company) and wedding preps, I am usually updating on this site...

http://8thoffeb2007.blogspot.com

come and visit! :)

Since I have already submitted my resignation letter and my boss has already affixed her signature on it :) it's now safe to inform that I will be changing jobs soon.

By Aug 7, I will be moving to another company. Although still within the semiconductor industry, I will be doing development work instead of the usual factory sustaining work.

I've thought long and hard over it but life's realities along with the need for work that is more than just excursion management won out over my comfort zone. I know and I look forward to adjustments within the next few months (while preparing for our wedding pa!) and I have yet to see how the working environment will be in this new company.

It's been almost two years since I started working for my current company and I admit, it was really hard to decide to leave an environment which I have grown used to. I have great friends here, gotten used to a system that is better than most. It was much of a risk but an opportunity has presented itself and I decided to grab it. The next few months will now show me how wisely I chose :)

But then again, it's all a matter of adjustment/adaptation. No matter how much feedback we get about something, we'll never know whether we like it or not unless we are already in it. And once we find out (and unfortunately do not like it), we again have a choice whether to whine about it or do something to make it better. But I want to be positive and hope that I made a wise decision :)

Please help me pray...

I am again at a crossroads in my career...kwento to follow soon...

Las Haciendas

In our company, May is the month for summer outings and teambuilding activities. For our department, we went to Las Haciendas in Tagaytay (going to Canyon Woods area) last May 12.

We got a good bargain since everything was free of charge (they served us meals and provided guides) since it was part of their marketing strategy pero siguro nung nakita nila ung group namin, iilan lang yung nakikita nilang prospect buyers hahaha. Ganda nga sana mag-invest sa lupa pero di talaga kaya ng budget :D my gross monthly salary wouldn't even be able to pay for their monthly payment hehehe.

But the place is really nice, it's called Las Haciendas since the property is actually composed of 5 haciendas, each catering to a different "feel". One is for leisure and relaxation, another one for sports, one for mountaineering/trekking, one for farming, and the central one is catering to family activities.

We were able to visit Hacienda Cascada which is catering to leisure and relaxation...although we did go trekking to Ambon-Ambon Falls and enjoyed bathing in the cool water from the falls (hehe halatang first time makaligo sa falls)... Just have some pictures to share with some side kwento...at least kahit hindi ako makabili ng lupa dun, me pictures naman ako hahaha...

And the adventure begins...

to reach the falls, we needed to wade through streams...

trek through steep landscapes...

But of course, we need to pause for pictures...

Ahh..finally Ambon-Ambon Falls...

TO BE CONTINUED in another entry....parang nagkakaproblema ako sa pag-upload ng pictures...

Puerto Galera, finally!

Just sharing some pictures taken during Albert's company outing (syempre kasama ako) last April 21-22 at Puerto Galera. Finally, after how many years of planning to go see what PG is really like, we were able to see it.

Sayang nga lang kasi parang ang ganda ng White Beach kaso hindi pala kami dun papunta...dun sa Talipanan (a few minutes away by banca from WB). Pero oks na rin at least less people hehe.

This was taken before we took a dip.

Nakakatawa nga kasi 4PM na kami naligo sa dagat so wala ng araw...then the next day, hindi na kami naligo ulit sa dagat, lakad-lakad na lang sa shore, namumulot ng bato hehe. So umuwi kami na walang tan lines (nyerx, as if hehe).

This was was during the second day while waiting for our ride home

Side kwento: Sobrang late nung banca namin pauwi. Ang usapan was 1:30PM dapat ung pick up time, dumating mga 2:30PM na! Muntik na nga kami lumipat ng ibang banca kasi naman no, ayaw namin na hapon bumyahe, ang laki na kaya ng alon pag hapon! hehe.

On our way home in the banca

I'll be posting more pictures as soon as I have them from Albert. Quite busy due to my transfer from Dasma Cavite to Alabang and we need to do it this weekend. A lot of packing to do! Tapos bagong lipat sya ng work so mejo hindi na ganun kagaan ang workload nya, hindi na makapag-skype madalas. And aalis pa sya for China next week (for a week!)...pasalubong ko ha! hehehe. Not to mention our preps for our wedding...grabe! Pero oks lang, masaya pa rin..practice daw yan e hehehe...

Traumatizing experience

Last Thursday, on our way home from SM Dasmarinas here in Cavite, the jeep we were on was held up by 4 men - 3 at the back, 1 in front. Buti na lang magkasama kami ni Albert, katabi ko pa man din ung isang holdupper :(

Malapit na kami sa junction papuntang bayan actually when they declared the hold-up. I didn't even realize it at first since some of the passengers were quite noisy (a group of girls). I realized it when I noticed that the jeep slowed its pace, and saw that one man had a gun. Sabi ni Albert, yung katabi ko, me icepick at nakatutok dun sa isang katabi nya. Buti na lang nasa left side nya ako at right handed kasi kung nagkataong ako ung nasa right nya or left-handed sya, ako yung natutukan nung icepick. *shudder*

We're really very thankful though dahil wala namang nakuha sa amin ni Albert. We were quite slow in taking out our stuff and the holduppers were in a hurry. Nityempo lang kasi nila dun sa madilim na part ng highway at walang nakasunod na sasakyan. I was about to take out my wallet nung napansin kong pababa na sila. Buti na rin, yung attention wala sa amin.

Material things that came into mind at that moment na ayaw kong mawala:
1. SIM ng cellphone - bahala na ung cellphone pero ung SIM ayokong mawala.
2. cards sa wallet - bahala na ang wallet at pera pero ung cards, ang hirap kumuha ulit
3. my e-ring - no further explanation needed
4. my watch - na nabili ko pa nung unang sahod ko nung nag-e-SA ako. kahit di kamahalan, me sentimental value.

and honestly, I forgot i had a laptop in my bag *sheesh*

Hope you're not getting me wrong by saying "Buti na rin.." I don't mean na buti na lang yung ibang tao ang nakunan, etc...I don't wish ill for somebody pero I really thank God that we were spared and that our guardian angels were really looking after us.

The jeepney driver insisted that we all proceed to the police station sa bayan para magpa-blotter. Nung pagbaba nga namin sa jeep, talagang nanlalambot ung mga tuhod ko. What's weird though is that kami pa na hindi nawalan, kami ung nag-stay. Yung iba na nawalan ng cellphone or wallet, nagsiuwian. Weird *scratches head*

That night, ang hirap makatulog. Kasi pag pumipikit ako, naaalala ko yung itsura nung baril, ung boses nung mga mama saying "O wag lang maingay, bilis na..pera, cellphone, relo" Scary talaga.

Up to now, I'm still traumatized. I still don't want to go to SM, and prefer to ride our shuttle pauwi, at syempre ayaw kong umuwi nang ginagabi. Pero there's no guarantee naman talaga, anytime, anywhere kahit ano pwedeng mangyari. Just always pray for God's guidance.

After this experience, i realized a lot of things and I would like to share it, my so called BKMs (Best Known Methods):

1. Cellphones should be in mute while commuting.

2. Best to bring another wallet na walang laman, siguro a few pesos para hindi naman ganun ka-obvious. At that time, pag nagpumilit talaga sila, nakahanda akong ilabas ung coin purse ko na ang laman e panay susi. Kesehodang tungkabin ko ung pinto sa bahay.

3. Always be alert - di ko maalala kung ano itsura nung mga mama, ung isa nga katabi ko pa.

4. Edit out the names in your phonebook - take out ung identifying names like Papa, Mama, Tito, Tita, etc.

5. In case you're in a similar situation (*knock on wood*), try to be as lowkey as possible para ung attention wala sa iyo. BUT, if their attention is on you and they're insisting you give something up...for your own sake, give it up! It's not worth your life.

6. Most importantly, always pray for safety.

In Hiatus... ang daming ginagawa sa office :( ...
only have (minimal) time to update my other blog...
http://www.8thoffeb2007.blogspot.com