TANONG:

Kapag ba nagpapapicture ang maskot... nakangiti rin ba ang taong nasa loob ng maskot...?

Wala lang... matagal nang bumabagabag sa isip ko yan...

Haay!! :)

Just like what I said, paglipas ng Feb 20, masaya nako!

Ano meron sa Feb 20? Di lang bday ni maui at ni kuya mike.

Feb 20 ginanap ang 22nd Annual Awards Night ng Medical City...

1st major event ko sa Employee Relations...

...trophies... certificates... souvenir program... pictorials... audio-visual presentations... catering... flower arrangement... lights and sounds... invitation... tarpaulin... vip guest... performers... seating arrangement...

haay... lahat yan... sabay sabay... kung di dahil sa strength ni Lord, eh sumabog lahat yan. Salamat sa lahat ng mga tumulong at sumuporta. :)

sa Lunes, back to normal...

...parking... absenteeism & tardiness... clearance... exit interview... administrative cases...

**GAAAAAHHHSSSPPP!!!!***

annual report pala sa tuesday!!!!!!

grr... seems like my happy days--happy hours--are over.

Your peace is like a gentle rain

Tapping on the pane

Your peace is like a dove

Soaring high above

Your peace brings me joy

Your peace makes me smile

Your peace surpasses all minds

Your peace, I desire

Your arms that gently fold around

My weak and frail whole

The warmth of Your affection

Pierce through my chilling soul

And in your presence

Where else can I hide?

Beneath the shadow of your wings

There I can glide.

Let the peace of God that passes all understanding rest in your heart today;

An assurance that firmly plants your feet in every step of the way;

Let it be a cloak behind you that would serve your guard and arm;

A mantle of security, and a mantle of warmth.

Just wanna share God’s amazing grace and faithfulness in my life. I couldn’t even describe in full detail what I’ve been through for the last couple of weeks… It was all a daze. Please bear with me. J

. . .

With lack of manpower and overload of projects, trainings, and routines, I feel my tensed muscles working double time involuntarily. It seemed like my brain doesn’t even have to command them. They just move. And do what they have to do. I was floating.

. . .

Last week I went to Tanay, Rizal to assist my former manager in conducting ER department’s teambuilding. That was Friday and Saturday. And the rest of the week I managed to prepare all the materials needed. And I managed to pack them all up—LCD, laptop, projector, flip chart, flip chart paper, and the rest of the training stuff—and with the help of some good ER guys, I managed to load them all up in the bus.

This week, we received a news from my former manager that she won’t be able to conduct the teambuilding for the 2^nd and 3^rd batch of ER department. (We had to do the teambuilding by batch in ER. As much as we want to, we just can’t pull them all out and post a sign in front of our Emergency entrance: “ER is temporarily close due to some departmental activity. No emergency cases will be entertained from Friday morning to Saturday afternoon. Please bear with us. Sorry for the inconvenience.” Haha! We can’t do that.) But we have to continue on with the teambuilding for the 2^nd and 3^rd batch. So we pulled ourselves together—me, my officer, and our HR AVP—to take over in the conduct of ER’s teambuilding.

. . .

This week is our Ministry Training Program in our church. And our subject for this week is the “Book of Genesis” taught by Sis. Linda Holmes. I was looking forward to it. But for the past three days of class, I came in 2 hours late due to late meetings because of the ER teambuilding. And on Friday, I won’t be around because I will be in the teambuilding. I’m gonna missed our quiz. Goodbye certification.

. . .

A couple of days ago, I conducted my first Stress Management program. It was my first time. And my first audience were intern doctors. 32 white-clad MDs. I was so stressed… haha… irony. In the morning I had to substitute my co-trainer in her training session (Basic Service Architecture Seminar) because she came in late due to unexpected incidents. Then just before I lunch, I dismissed the participants early so I can start setting up in the other conference room for the Stress Management. At the end of the day, I feel so dead tired… I feel like floating and all numb… my energy was all sapped out. Maybe because of all the effort I exerted during the facilitation plus nervousness. Praise God both did well! Especially in the Stress Management. There are some room for improvements. There will always be. But I’m fulfilled with the experience. Thank God, I don’t have to trust myself… I just have to trust HIM! My confidence is in the Lord. 1 Tim 4:12 kept on ringing at the back of my mind during the rest of the session. I kept telling myself: “They’re just people wearing white. You are still the facilitator. You are the one in the platform holding the mic. You have the authority over them. They can’t do anything about that!”

. . .

I never got my real routine job done for this week. The Employee Satisfaction Survey I’m working on remained stacked on my desk. And the stack gets higher and higher… trainings to evaluate, schedules to plot, certificates to prepare, files to arrange, posters to design, modules to arrange, exams to record…

. . .

Oh well. In the midst of all these chaos, I’m grateful to find in my heart the peace, confidence, and trust that comes from my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the one holding me, and keeping me in one piece. He stretches my mind and gives me wisdom. He stretches my patience and increases my understanding. He is so faithful… even though I find myself very busy… He is never too busy to take care of me. He is never too busy to encourage me, teach me, and lift me up in all this fuzz around me. He’s the source of my passion, strength, and peace that passes all understanding. He’s my “staying power”. He’s the reason why I’m still holding on and keep on going and going… I don’t know where. But as long as He’s the one leading me, all is well for me.

. . .

Alright. I got to pack now.

Just read Josh’s recent post on his bloody examination period. I remembered my blog posts more than 2 years now when I, just like Josh, was getting through a gruelling moment of projects, thesis, exams, field work, and all…

I browsed my previous blog posts during my college days. And let me share this one post that made me smile. Check it out:

Note: Font in red are the original questions which was posted almost 3 years ago. Then the blue fonts are my answers today, August 14, 2008.

TITLE: QUESTIONS

POSTED: November 10, 2005

LOCATION: In the internet café, 2^nd floor of Coffee Indulgence, P. Noval St.

tapos na sembreak. nakaka-one week na kami pumapasok.

ganito pala feeling paggraduating na. ang dami mong iniisip. these things always crowd my already-cramped mind:

- thesis

- what will happen sa defense? -- long story. To cut it short, the panel were very merciful, they allowed us to revise our thesis and make it from experimental to an exploratory study so it would fit the results that came up. Praise God it’s so done!

- wala bang kwenta topic namin? -- well meron naman kahit papaano. Pero, gasgas na kasi ang topic ng self-esteem. If we had ample time, we could have thought of a better topic. Hehe.

- matatapos ba namin thesis namin by december?-- we finished it around February of 2006 I guess… just in time for graduation. J

- will everything go smoothly during our intervention?-- not so smooth. The results were kinda messed up due to the external factors from the environment, and even from the respondents themselves—the reason why we had to make it an exploratory study instead…

- sana matapos na practicum (sportpsych) – praise God, we did! With a grade of 1.25!

- anong sports pipiliin ulit namin? – We had the volleyball team during the 1^st sem. Then the lawn tennis team during the 2^nd sem.

- matapos kaya namin yun before mag-end ang november? – that I can’t remember… basta, we finished the practicum. J

- kelan namin matatapos practicum sa clinical psych? – around Feb din ata.. or late Jan… can’t remember.

- kelan kami makakapagstart dun? wala pa yung prof namin... – can’t remember when we started... But eventually, we did start.

- matapos kaya namin yun within a month? -- hm…I guess we did finish it within a month.

- baka sumabay yun sa intervention ng thesis namin... – yes, it did.

- ano kaya na-fifeel ng mga classmates kong mas mabibigat pa ang load kesa sa akin? – I can’t imagine…

- siguro iniisip nila ang babaw ko (noh myk? ^_^) – haha! Yeah… speaking of Myk, get well soon!

o sige, so much for these school stuff. eto naman yung iba. yung mejo futuristic view:

- what will happen sa graduation night?-- Very memorable. It was a graduation day. My hair was curled; I had my black graduation gown over my pink pomelo gown; my hood was blue; we started quite late; we marched with the background music of that which played during FAMAS awards; I was teary eyed when my parents ceremonially put on my hood and my cap (Mama was telling me, “Dati lampin lang pinipin ko sayo. Ngayon toga na…” and she was teary eyed as well)… picture picture after the grad rites. oh well… so many things happened! But it’s all memorable!

- ilang panyo kaya dadalin ko sa gabing yun? -- One was enough. J

- sa gabing yun, siguro tatawanan nalang namin yung mga stressful days ng college life -- Oh yeah… definitely… absolutely… so nice to look back at those stressful days, sigh, and return my gaze to the days ahead… It has been a long road indeed. But by God’s grace, I made it this far. But the road still stretched ahead further… and further… and further…

- saan ako magtatrabaho?-- Medical City

- matatagalan ko kaya ang HR? -- It has been more than 2 years now… and I have no plans of leaving HR yet. J Kahit na super toxic…

- hanggang kelan kaya ako tatagal dun? -- Just as I said, I have been there 2 years now… and counting…

- matutupad ko pa kaya ang iba ko pang dreams? -- That I’m still praying…

- sino mapapangasawa ko? (At ng iba ko pang mga friends?) -- That, too, I’m still praying for… J

- saan na kaya ako nakatira after 10 years? -- Give me 7 more years to answer that question…

- matuto ba ako magluto ng mga masasarap na putahe just like my mom? -- I hope I would! And I must!

- magkakaroon kaya ako ng kusinang maganda katulad ng kusina ni nigella lawson? ("nigella bites" sa lifestyle channel) – Still dreaming about it…

- kasama kaya sa plano ni Lord na magfull time ako sa church as a youth leader? -- That I’m not quite sure yet… let’s see what God’s plan is…

- magiging youth leader nga ba ako? (i mean, like ate ca, kuya mike...) -- The road seems to lead me there…

- dito pa rin ba ako sa manila titira pag may sarili na akong pamilya? o baka naman sa probinsya ako matira, or kaya sa ibang bansa...? -- Keep praying about it.

- kelan kaya magrereunion ang 4cpsy? -- Maraming beses na kami ay nagmini-reunion. J

- kani-kaninong kasal kaya ako maiimbita? -- Sa ngayon, wala pa naman. J

- gagawin ko bang abay lahat ng PLP? anim din yun... may iba pa akong gustong gawing abay. -- Teka… saka na natin ito pagplanuhan. Kapag andun na. hehe.

Pati na rin itong mga sumusunod… saka na pagplanuhan dahil wala pang kasagutan…
- puwede bang nasa 20 ang abay?
- ano kaya motif ko sa kasal? nakuha na ni orange ang blue green eh...

- bakit kaya ang dami kong tanong sa buhay? -- Bakit nga ba?

- sana talagang mapreserve ang mga youth ngayon para sa darating na last days. -- AMEN!!!!

- ilang taon kaya ako pagdating ni Lord? -- Hmm? Ilang taon nga kaya?

- how glorious would it be? -- Oooohh… surely, it would be far from my imagination…

- magkaka-apo pa ba ako? or dadating na si Lord bago pa mangyari yun? -- That I’m not quite sure yet.

- may kutob ako na hindi ko na aabutan ang senior-citizen days ko dahil malamang, dumating na si Lord nun. i don't know. it's just a hunch. -- Still a hunch.

- kelan kaya ako unang makakapag-share ng good news? -- I can’t remember the first time already… but… I can only count these moments with my finger…

- kelan kaya ako unang makakapag-lead ng sinner's prayer? -- Same answer as above…

- magmimission kaya ako sa ibang bansa? -- Yup! Just been from Vietnam last May 1-8, 2008 for our first Youth Revive International mission trip! Hallelujah! And I pray, if God wills, makapunta pa ako sa iba pang bansa. J

- i wonder... kelan kaya ulit kami magpapansinan ni... "___" -- Ehem! Intriga ito! Haha! Next question please… *hehehe!*

- it's been like years... kelan nga kaya? Let’s proceed to the next question…

- i wanna befriend that person again… Pagpray mo nalang! Sige, move forward to the next question...

- but... would that person want to be my friend? don't know... Fast forward now to the next…

- makakakita pa ba ako ng snow (sheesh, ang babaw.) How I wish!

- makakapag bake kaya ako ng cake, cookies, and sweet stuff pag mom narin ako? Sana…

- how does it feel to be mom? It’s still a question… let’s see 10 years from now if I can answer this na.

- how does it feel to see your first kid wrapped in bundle of white cloth? It must be an inexplicable joy…

- what else can i ask...? When will I be able to answer this list completely?

hay. sa ngayon, yan pa lang naman ang mga tanong ko sa buhay. hindi ko alam kung madadagdagan pa yan. thanks for patiently reading my post. :) i know some questions are also in your minds...

(Back to present) Akalain mo nga naman! Magtatatlong taon na itong post na ito! Wow! Babalikan ko ulit ito after 3 years… tingnan natin kung may madagdag na kasagutan. J

Kaya sa mga estudyante jan… try listing some questions that are bugging your mind right now. Then get back to them after some years… It’s fun answering them! It’s like, going back to time and answering back your younger self. Amazing. J

I miss blogging already... it has been quite a while since my last post. Wala rin naman kasi akong maipost.

But recently, I had this thought in my mind... Ate Di and I were talking about dream jobs in one of our chat moments. I'm not sure if I'm authorized to disclose what is Ate Di's "dream job". It would be better if she tell it herself. :) (Kinda complicated kasi the story eh behind her dream job...hehe)

But anyways... I remembered telling her that my current job is not really my dream job. Yeah... I'm ok with it. Contented. Thankful of God's faithfulness, strength, and favor. And I trust His plans for His plans are the best and perfect. But at the back of my mind, I never imagined myself really growing old as a "career woman". I don't know... it just doesn't thrill my heart whenever I picture myself in blazer, skirt, dark stockings, and heels.

So... what do I picture myself?

I have two dream jobs:

First, to be an astronomer. To work in NASA. If not to ride a space shuttle, to be in the observatory and gaze at the indescribable creation of God in the endless space... stars, galaxies, nebulas, supernovas, planets, comets, moons, black holes, quasars... whatever you call them, I wanna see them. :)

But here's the catch. It's all gonna be MATH. Working in NASA is not just to gaze at the twinkle-twinkle stars and have a great time. You have to deal with every millisecond and every millimeter of the heavenly bodies’ motion in relation with their mass, size, age, and all. Parabolas, probabilities, trajectories... all numbers, integers, variables... they all count. A .01 error in computation would spell DISASTER in 20 or 50 years...

Math is not my thing. Sooo not my thing. I would rather be contented sitting on my bed, looking out the window and gaze at the dimly twinkling stars.

But I still have a 2nd dream job. :) I would be equally thrilled if I were given a chance to be in this kind of work. I wanna be an artist in Disney-Pixar. Yipee! It makes my blood rush whenever I imagine myself in a huge, lighted, slightly angled desk with a drawing pencil at hand, tracing papers... then on one corner, a huge double-monitored (if that's what they call it) PCs and working on some 3G character... Then just scattered around my desk are unfinished sketches, drafts, half-filled cup of coffee, some colored pencils, and the miniature models of the character I would be working on.

Wow.

Hm. I don't know what will come out of these dreams.

But for now, I am thankful for where God has placed me. His plans are far better—best—than mine. And He perfectly knows the future that lies ahead. I just have to trust Him and cleave to Him.

There’s no better place than to be right in the center of God’s will… wherever it may be.

So… how about you? What’s your dream job? J