Archive for July 2008 - Bisdak Babbles

Archive for July, 2008

I’m Glad I Did

July 31st, 2008 shiera

I have mentioned before that taking up a degree in Mechanical Engineering was my first option. When I was still a little girl, my father was working at a local chemical plant while trying to finish his Mechanical Engineering degree. I saw him working on his school projects and from my point of view, it was a lot fun. But he discouraged me from pushing through it and so I took up a Computer Engineering degree instead. Now, I’m glad I heeded his advice. I’m glad I’ve chosen to be a part of Information Technology. Though, I didn’t realize it while I was still trying to survive through college.

I started my IT career 7 years ago (it’s been a long time, huh). Most of my classmates in college were already hired before they even got their degree. The job offers were higher than the offers in non-IT field. Plus, those companies were the ones who sought out candidates by holding job fairs at our school. Well, I was one of those who got lucky (blessed, I might say) because my first career was with a big IT company and I was sent for training here in Japan for one year. The training was hard but fun. During that time, I’ve started to fall in love with what I do.

My career journey isn’t a walk in the park. Being in IT could be stressful at times and sometimes, we’re left with no other option but to stay in the office for more than 24 hours straight. But it really feels great when we successfully complete a project. It’s very exciting when I solve something that I thought was almost impossible. And, as IT is very broad and is very dynamic, an IT career is never boring. IT people seem to not run out of idea and so it is very important to keep abreast of those emerging and evolving technologies.

Other people may think that having longer work experience gives them the edge over those who are just starting their IT careers, but it’s not always the case. This is where IT certifications comes in. I’ve browsed through tons of job sites and most of the companies prefer those candidates who are certified. After all, companies prefer written proofs over what you’ve just written on your resume. Among the most common I encounter is the Cisco certification. I’ve been planning to take this one and as soon as I’m ready, I’ll take a go at it. If everything goes well, this certification will definitely make a bigger impact on my resume, then I’ll have more chances at getting a better job.

Reviews

Facing the Truth

July 31st, 2008 shiera

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When I was still in grade school, I sometimes overhear conversations between my parents and their visitors. There were times when someone offered them to get a term life insurance. But upon hearing those words, they would be appalled and treat the topic as a taboo. My parents weren’t the only ones who thought so, but most of the people in the neighborhood. Little did they realize the importance of getting such an insurance.

Most of the families in the Philippines only have the father as the breadwinner. When unfortunate things happen to that breadwinner, it’d very difficult to ones left behind, both emotionally and financially. To avoid or lessen these problems, it’s best to avail even the government’s social security system. Just think of it as savings and it’d definitely help a lot.

Opinionated Me

Wordless Wednesday #20: Seaweeds Headdress?

July 30th, 2008 shiera

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Photo courtesy of Jun D. Racho

Check out the Wordless Wednesday HQ

Family, Philippines, Wordless Wednesday

Child Plays

July 30th, 2008 shiera

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I finally went home to the Philippines a few weeks ago and got to spend some time with my now 3-year old daughter. I did my best to spend quality times with her – making a play house from paper, making paper dolls, acting as her make-up and fashion model, playing hide and seek, etc. Now that I’m back here in Japan, I realize there’s one thing I’ve wanted to do with her but didn’t have the opportunity and time to do so. And that’s playing with swing sets. There’s no playground in the neighborhood and I don’t trust myself to make her a swing set. I only managed to make a swing for her doll! I hope she’s not scared of swing sets as she was with the merry-go-round.

Getting her a swing set, a slide set and a playhouse would be very nice. But I’m sure her cousin, Choichoi, would definitely go wild with those toys around.

Family, Shaynna

Fence Matters

July 30th, 2008 shiera

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When I was still a little girl we needed a fence installation for privacy and to keep all those stray chickens and pigs from our little garden. A bamboo fence was more than enough until cases of theft started to increase. Peeping toms and undies thief made the matters worse. Now, there are still some attempts to tresspass even with a high cement fence topped with barbed wires.

How I wish it was still the good ‘ol days so that I can put a fence just for stray animals and home beautification. I might even consider growing up a cactus fence just like my grandmother’s neighbors in Bohol!

Philippines

Train Station Encounters

July 27th, 2008 shiera

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Encounter #1:
I’ve been impressed but humbled by the blind people here in Japan. They go to work, race you to the train stations, and they’re all alone! But despite having those walking sticks and those yellow protruding road guides, I believe that they get through each day with the help of other people. And I’m glad I was able to help one. At first, he bumped onto me and he apologized. He was rushing towards the open train door, so I thought he already “memorized” the direction. But it was too late to realize that I was wrong… when he bumped again to a post! I looked around and nobody attempted to help him. So I just grabbed a portion of his backpack and gently guided his way to the train door. I hated myself for not saying anything. But what can I say? In situations like this one, I seem to lost my ability to speak in Japanese.

Encounter #2:
As I was making my way to the platform, a man, probably in his 60′s, approached me and tried to talk to me. So I took my earphones off and tried to listen to him. But he was speaking a language that was completely new to me! So I just shook my head while saying “wakarimasen” (I don’t understand). He also shook his head and approached another person. As I was waiting for the train in the platform, it occurred to me that maybe he was trying to ask for some coins. I remembered he was holding a train ticket, with the minimum fare on it. Maybe he had lost his wallet somewhere. I had the urge to try to find him again but the train arrived. So I just prayed he was able to find someone who could understand and help him.

Experiences in Japan

Photohunt: Hanging

July 26th, 2008 shiera

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Lots of something hanging at the subway train station in Shin-Osaka. This is a bit blurry because I didn’t stop long enough to take the picture.

Japan: exposed, Photohunt

Remember Bondying?

July 26th, 2008 shiera

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Bondying (The Little Big Boy) is a movie from the Philippines that depicted the story of a big guy who was still treated like a baby by his grandmother. The result? He was very immature and he behaved like a two year-old boy. This film was released in 1989. I was nine years old at that time, but I can still picture out Jimmy Santos, the protagonist, carrying his gigantic milk bottle. He walked around wearing a diaper while sucking his thumb. He went through a difficult ordeal when the army tried to make a man out of him. He may be a giant toddler but he fell in love. Unfortunately, I can’t remember whether he was able to finally grow up or remained a Bondying.

~~An idiotic~~ A senseless question bugged me, though. Was he wearing cloth or disposable adult diapers? Anyway, I’ve just realized that it’s been quite some time since I’ve seen a Philippine movie. Care to make a suggestion?

Movies, Philippines

Think it Over

July 25th, 2008 shiera

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I came across a video in YouTube about Isabelle Caro, a woman suffering from anorexia. The video was very shocking that I had to read more about this problem. What cause this widely spreading disorder? It could be biological, psychological, family and social pressures.

How about diet pills? Do they also somewhat lead to anorexia? From my readings, I still haven’t found something that says so. But for people with anorexia, it’s difficult to notice and to admit that they’re already way beyond healthy dieting. So it’s very important to watch out for and heed the symptoms before it’s too late.

Now, back to diet pills. Are they really safe? Most (if not all) medications have side effects and we’re all aware of this. Diet pills should only be used in cases of extreme obesity. Before popping one of these pills, consulting a doctor is a must! But think it over. After all, it’s still best to take the safe but difficult road to being truly healthy. Here are some tips from U.S. FDA.

Health

Thursday Thirteen #18

July 24th, 2008 shiera

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I came across NiqueHappy.com, a very interesting website and found these tips for us, ladies, on how to pamper ourselves. Let’s see if we’re already treating ourselves as we ought to…

1. Pamper yourself with a nice sparkling bubble bath with candles.
This is really effective at relieving stress, but our tub still needs a lot of scrubbing. I’ll definitely try this before autumn (keeping my fingers crossed).

2. Indulge in them chocolates.
I eat chocolates everyday! If only Lady Borden chocolate icecream were cheaper, I’d also help myself with at least 6 scoops a day!

3. Send yourself flowers! Clueless-style.
Maybe I will. If only those yellow roses were a lot cheaper. (Here I go again… ranting about the price tag)

4. Watch a comedy movie and laugh a lot. You’ll be surprised how much stress you relieve just by laughing.
Watching a comedy movie or anime while eating chips and icecream – 100% effective stress reliever. Well, at least for me.

5. Order an expensive meal and have it delivered to you. I mean, why not? Errr… let me think…

6. Make snacks (rice krispies, bake some cookies, blend drinks, etc.)
I miss those times I spend with my cousins scouring the neighborhood for snacks ingredients.

7. Work on that scrapbook you meant to finish but never had time to do it.
I do have lots of unfinished scrapbook!

8. Do some reading.
I always have a novel with me.

9. Or take a cruise out to a bookstore and indulge on some interesting reading. Or, if you’re feeling a bit homebound, order one online!
I do this sometimes. Good thing there’s a bookstore nearby that has lots of English novels. But I wish there’s some BookSale branches here, too.

10. Catch a free makeover at the department store. We even have beauty tips and products picked out for you!
I wonder if I have the guts to approach those sales ladies.

11. Take a yoga or dance class.
Tried an informal Samba dance lesson once and it was a lot of fun! But the venue is a bit far and it’s on Sunday night!

12. Wake up and catch the sunrise.
This is out of the question, especially because at this season, the sun rises before 5AM.

13. Cook for yourself! I guess I have no other choice.

Lifestyle, Thursday Thirteen Thursday Thirteen

Postcard from Outer Banks

July 23rd, 2008 shiera

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My friend, Fortuitous Faery of Writings on the Wall, invited me to join PostCrossing, sort of a community where you can send and receive postcards to and from other members from random places in the world. I’ve been a member for more than 2 months and so far, I’ve sent 10 postcards and received 10.

I received one from the US and the sender talked about her place, Outer Banks. The name is very catchy, the postcard was so lovely, so I did my homework and searched through the internet more about it. Outer Banks of North Carolina is referred to by USA Today® as a world-class backyard destination, and a classic, affordable U.S. vacation. If you love white sand beaches, lighthouses, aquariums, museums, wildlife, and cultural sites, then Outer Banks is one of the best places you have to visit. If I were given a chance to travel to the US, I’d definitely drop by North Carolina.

Lifestyle, Things I love Outer Banks, PostCrossing