Archive for May, 2009

Wishing for a netbook

May 30th, 2009
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I don’t have computer table so I have to always put my laptop on my lap each time I use it. My laptop has been with me for almost three years so this could be the reason why it heats up so fast. I may need to buy a laptop cooler in the future, or probably one of those cute netbooks? After all, I only browse and chat in my laptop. We regulate our airconditining system usage so it is so uncomfortable staying in the apartment every weekend. How nice it would be if I could just take with me a netbook and stay in Starbucks all day, taking advantage of the free wi-fi. What I’m doing now? Surfing in front of my electric fan.

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Lifestyle, Things I love

Missing Ramen

May 29th, 2009
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While browsing through my photos, I saw this…


I think this was the last ramen set meal I ate before I bid sayonara to Japan. I am not really crazy over ramen.  I only crave for it during cold season and almost avoid it during summer. But looking at it now, I hope I could find a good Japanese restaurant here that serve a ramen as delicious as the ones in Japan. Does anybody know a good ramen place in Singapore?
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Food

Online MS Degree

May 28th, 2009
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I truly enjoy working at the current company. I am pretty sure it shows – a colleague even remarked that I am always smiling and that I have gained weight! I will not talk about dieting in this article. It is just that working at the current company made me realize something. I have always told everybody else that I will be done with working in IT before I turn 40, but having a cool and good manager makes me think otherwise. Now, I am having a wild dream of being a manager in an IT company in the future! Of course, if I do ever get there, it is still a long way to go. First step:  I must take a master’s degree.

I have thought of getting a degree in Business Administration. However, as always, time and finances are my issues. Let us just say I do have enough finances. But working from 9AM to 6PM, with occasional overtime work makes it almost impossible.  So taking the degree online would be most convenient.  Lately, I came across Lewis University and was ecstatic to know that they offer online MS in Information Security! You could either focus on managerial or technical field. If I were to choose, I would most likely take the managerial side.

Who knows a year from now, I’ll be dialling 1-866-967-7046 to seek an advise about this online programme!

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Things I love

Toilet Manners

May 25th, 2009
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Warning: If you are eating, then please stop reading this article.

If you don’t intend to bring your “leftover” in the toilet bowl home,
then please FLUSH it away”.
 
This is just one of the reminders posted at the door of the company’s toilet. But I think they should plaster it all over the place! I have seen such “leftovers” and this kind of sight always blow my good mood away. I always make it a point to do #2 before I take a bath in the morning. But there are times when they just don’t come out. If that’s the case, I am left with no choice but do it in the middle of my working hours when the time comes. No matter how many times I push the flush button, I always make sure that I don’t leave something behind. Even if nobody knows what I did in there, I would still feel very embarrassed if I leave even the tiniest speck of a mess. But why can’t just everyone think about the others? So sorry for the strong emotion that I display here. It is just that I always witness this kind of toilet irresponsibility at least three times a day!On the other hand, I really miss the electronic bidet toilet seat, especially the flushing sound. I got so used to it that I am now embarrassed to let the others hear me peeing. OK, enough of this vulgar post. I’m sorry.
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At work

Dinner & Dance (D&D) 2009

May 23rd, 2009
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Two weeks after I joined my current company, I received an email regarding the annual dinner and dance. At that time, I thought of not joining the party but everyone confirmed their attendance, so I said yes, too. There was a problem though. The theme was, “A Blast From The Past”! We had to wear something from the 30′s – 90′s! Believe me, I’ve spent hours surfing the internet and I finally found one: Fashion Pictures. The site did give me ideas but it is so hard to find something that appears like the ones in the pictures. I do have a bell bottom pants, but it is so hard to find the right blouse. Another problem was: makeup! I didn’t have any idea on how to put on those colors.

Days before the D&D, I’ve visited every corner of the nearby malls. The night before the D&D, my friends helped me decide to wear a dress. I always wear pants, so I also wanted to wear something different. Then I spent until early dawn practicing how to put on makeup! I was glad I did some preparations, because people really took the theme to heart!

Last night was really exciting. I saw many people wearing wigs, bell bottoms, and loud colored-shirts. Somebody even dressed up like Austin Powers! He didn’t win, though. That “geek from the past” became the best-dressed dude, and the lady wearing something like a showgirl was the best-dressed gal. I wish I could show you guys some pictures of these two along with the other nominees, but my cellphone camera isn’t good enough to get a clear picture of the stage.

Here are photos of me with colleagues:

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At work

Busy days are here

May 21st, 2009
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There’s a major deadline in June so for the past few weeks, I have been working overtime. But for some reasons, I don’t feel as stressed as I was in Japan. Because of this, I think I may need the help of effective diet pills in the near future. I just sent some photos to my family and their immediate reaction upon seeing them? I’m putting on some weight fast! Aside from the bigger servings of food here, another factor could be the distance of my house to the office. I no longer have to spend hours in the train. When I had to travel from Osaka to Kobe daily, I weighed 46-47 kilograms. Now, I’m pretty sure I am way past 50 kilograms. This is one of the few disadvantages of almost stress-free work environment. Despite the gain weight, I still love it at the new company. ;)

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At work

Still hurts a lot

May 18th, 2009
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May 18, 2008. I was ecstatic about Shaynna’s first trip to Bohol. She went with my parents and my sister. That day, I constantly called them and little did I know that later that day, I would hear the most devastating news in my entire life.

My family arrived in Bohol in the morning of May 18th, Sunday. They sounded so happy being reunited with my relatives. I could still remember my mother telling me that Shaynna asked my father if the ferry had wheels. I called them more than four times before nightfall. Then I called up at about 7PM. They were at a relative’s house doing karaoke. Almost two hours later, my sister answered the phone crying. I asked her what was the matter and my heart started to pound faster, feeling that something was awfully wrong. It took quite a while for someone to finally talk to me. It was my cousin. “Ate, wala na si ninoy Pael” (“Ate, Uncle Pael is gone”). She said some things after that but all I could hear was myself crying (no, wailing to be exact). It took hours before I was able to calm down a little bit. I called up my mom but she was hysterical. I had to be strong, for my mother, for my siblings, and Shaynna.

That happened a year ago. But it still feels as if it happened a while ago. I still can’t believe my father is no longer here with us. I miss voice chatting with him every night. After all, among us three siblings, I was the closest to him. The pain of not seeing him for two years before he died is still gnawing at me. I wish I could turn back time. But all my family and I could do is to keep on trying to accept this painful reality.

We terribly miss you, Pa.

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Family

Island-wide sale

May 16th, 2009
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Singapore is known for its annual island-wide sale. It happens in June and as early as this month, so if you easily give in to these temptations, you would be broke before June! For those gadget-lovers, my housemate told me that they are having a great IT sale at Suntec City Mall. I have not been there yet, though. I have always wanted to buy a digital camera (yes, even after staying for almost three years in Japan) but I think this year is not yet the time. Those home theathers and those massage chairs are also offered at very low prices! In some offers, you could even get a free stereo cabinet if you buy a home theather. This mad sale is the reason why I don’t want to go to the malls. It is just giving me a heartache.

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Singapore

Making it cozy

May 15th, 2009
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My bedroom here in Singapore is a lot bigger than my room in Japan. Good thing it already has a bed, a side table, and an airconditioning system. It was a little bit bare when I arrived. Curtains are not provided so, during my first week here, I basically had to hide behind my cabinet door while dressing up. I also had to borrow a bed sheet and a pillow from a housemate. So, on my first weekend, I took the free bus to Ikea. Luckily, there was a big sale and I got to buy really cheap bed covers, a quilt, curtains, and pillows. I was drooling over area rugs but I was on a tight budget. Furniture here are way cheaper than in Japan, so it is really tempting to buy a computer table and a couch. But it would be such a waste to leave them here when I leave Singapore in the future. And, I’m still on a tight budget. :)

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Lifestyle

Customers are not always right

May 14th, 2009
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I was running late for work so I took a taxi. I am bad at giving directions. When the driver asked me where to go, it took quite some time to get my message through.

As we were approaching the industrial park, he asked which direction to take. I gave him instructions and when I realized I was wrong, I asked him to turn around. Upon hearing that, he shook his head and blurted out something I didn’t understand. But seeing his face from the mirror, I knew he was mad. I had no plans of ruining my day any further so I chose to ignore his comments.

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Singapore

Bye bye, chewing gum

May 13th, 2009
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These things keep me awake in the office: coffee, frequent trips to the toilet, and chewing gum! Also, it keeps my breath constantly fresh. ;) My favorite is Clorets Ice (the blue one). Clorets was always on my list when taking a trip to the supermarket. I even brought a few packs when I left Japan.

A few days after arriving here in Singapore and after a some trips to nearby grocery stores, I could not find a single pack of chewing gum! I thought it was because I am in the outskirts of Singapore. Later on, I learned from my housemates that chewing gum has been banned from Singapore! Years ago, they were sold here but many people just stuck their chewing gum in MRT and buses seats.

I wonder if they punish people caught chewing gum? If they do, then I was lucky I never got caught.

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Singapore

Singapore can make you fat

May 9th, 2009
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I have many college batchmates and former colleagues who have been working here. And the most common change in them: they sure did gain some weight. “Singapore can make you fat”. I’ve heard this a dozen of times. Without a doubt, it is because of the food.  At food courts which they call “hawkers”, you have a lot of cuisines to choose from. There’s Chinese, Indian, Malay, even Filipino dishes, in cheap but big servings!

I got sick two weeks after my arrival here. I got a little worried because I lost my appetite and in a short period, I became thinner. After I got over the flu (there was still no swine flu when I got sick), I regained what I’ve lost: appetite and that few pounds. Now, I have to inhale deep before I could zip up my pants! I gotta act before this becomes worse. I really don’t want to rely on any weight loss supplement. So, I’m now in search of cheap running shoes so that I could start running again. I need to find one asap!

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Singapore
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