Boy oh boy! It's glad to be back on my own two feet! I'm so proud to say that I've gotten that job I was hoping I'd get in the aiport. I'm working as a sales associate in the Discovery Channel store. Pfft, you'd think. Discovery Channel, wtf? Then again, it's one of the coolest places to work at. The gadgets and gizmos you'd see in the channel are actually in the store. Best part is, I'm enjoying every minute of it. Well.... of course not the standing up all the time and not getting a chance to sit down unless it's my fifteen minute break or if there are no customers (which rarely happens) that I get to sit on one of the display tables. (That of course given that the manager is in the back room.) But, it's all good. 25 hours/week with a $10.50 pay is not so bad. I've been waiting on these two other jobs like that character in Ice Age waiting for each and every acorn. One is Altitunes, this CD store beside the Discovery Channel Store and one is in Bally Fitness. I have a membership there and I'd love to work there. However, I don't think I can tackle two jobs, with 25 hours/week on one and 15 hours/week on the other. The schedule, plus school, will be too crazy. (I don't know what do you think?) Transportation at first wasn't too much of a problem because my boyfriend's mom's boyfriend took me to work the first day. The second day however, I didn't have any way going there since he was rattling about bringing me (which I took as an excuse to just stay in bed) so my soon to be mother-in-law :) took me to the BART station. The bart is like a shuttle which brings you to places you would usually drive to or take the bus to. Sure the fare is more expensive, but the reliability is much better. It was my first time stepping unto the BART station by myself. I breathed in and told myself to open my eyes and read the signs before I ask frantically for help. I bought the ticket, reading the instructions carefully. Even putting in the ticket for validation seemed so hard. Haha. So finally, I saw the sign that said San Francisco International Airport. I boarded that shuttle. I was hesitant, poking my head in and out of the door because I might be heading somewhere I'm not familiar with (which is... anywhere really in San Francisco. Haha) Finally I heard the driver say that the shuttle was heading to the airport. I was relieved. I wasn't even done putting on my make-up when he announced that we were there already. So I left the shuttle and walked pretending that I knew where the international terminals were. I just followed the signs, which I have now proved really works for me, and I ended up in the right place! I got to work 30 minutes early, so I became friends with the restroom and finished my make-up. I then saw the assistant manager of the store, that is I guessed it was him and approached him. Turns out I was right! So we went inside, fixed the store up a little bit, put on our i.d.'s and got to work. The district manager was there yesterday for an evaluation. She didn't expect much from me since it was only my second day. But she was so pleased that I was able to sell 5 Discovery Channel membership cards and a $230 purchase from a Japanese lady. She was glad I was able to demonstrate the toys I can't even pronounce and she was happy at the fact that I greeted every customer with a smile. I was pleased then with myself when she said that "We're definitely keeping you." I was psyched. So, on the second day on the job, everything went smoothly. My managers are super and my job is good (except for the standing part). Even though my feet ache when I get home, I'm proud I could still stand on them despite all that happened since I moved here.

Working in the airport teaches you a lot of stuff. I've learned how God is so great that he made each individual different. He made each and every one of us unique. I was just pondering on that as I stayed an extra minute in bed. For the two days that I've worked in the store, I've learned that not all tall, white, medium-built men are scary and intimidating. Not all white men in suits can speak English. SOME MEN ARE ACTUALLY SOFT-SPOKEN! Not all European-looking families are European. Not all white kids who dress like Nelly are American. (This kid was French!) Not all Japanese appear like they don't know how to say "How you doin'?" Not all Filipinos speak somewhat skewed English. Not all security guards are reserved. Not all African-American men talk slang. Not all people are thrifty. Japanese buy in bulk. Toys that are similar to a flying saucer sell instantly to ANYONE. Not all neat men are straight (oh for sure) and finally, not all white, red-headed district managers are monsters. She was nice. :) So yeah, it was cool to know that everyone is made different. And the past two days were a first-hand experience of that for me.

I think it's a privilege to have been born from smart parents. I've never dedicated a blog entry to them, and maybe my writing about them was just looking for the right time. So, this is it. To all those who've known me for 18 years, you're well aware what my parents do for a living. But for all of you who don't, let me tell you with pride. My dad is a surgeon. He is a urologist, a doctor on the kidneys and the urinary tract. He's been a doctor ever since I could remember. And if you know somebody who needs circumcision, just tell me. (I'm secretly laughing inside.) He works for one of the top pharmaceutical companies as a consultant. Medicines to be put out in the market have to pass through him. He travels all around the world to give talks and attend conventions. He just recently stepped down as the president of their association. Next up is my mom. My mom used to work for Air France for 17 years. She is a licensed physical therapist in Manila. After that she worked in the Real Estate. When she moved here, she worked in an auto-wrecking company. And now, she's back to being a physical therapist in a rehabilitation center. My mom and my dad are very smart. And cheers to them for always pushing me to do good in school. Kudos to all the values they've instilled in me, for giving me the best of the best. Most of all, I'm thankful for the genes they've passed on to me, the same ones that brought skills out of me, and the skills and talents that my parents NEVER STOPPED honing. They're great. They enrolled me in Miriam College. This is where I studied, Geo (whom I don't know but reads my blog so a bottle of San Mig to you my friend!). There is not a better private, Catholic, all-girls school than Miriam. Maryknoll to most, and I'm a proud Knoller no matter where I go. My education definitely paid off. I can fill out an application correctly at the very least, unlike some I've reviewed in my old job before. I don't mean to insult others of another race, or others who have not attained much education. Instead, I'm thankful for what I've pursued on improving all this time. I'm not the smartest, I didn't graduate valedictorian or what have you. I'm just me and I'm glad I've been exposed to so much to have tried and tested how far my knowledge would take me. So far, it's been working out pretty well. It's different graduating as a Knoller because wherever I go, I try my very best to uphold and show the education and values that this premier school has taught me since I was 4 years old. Definitely, where I am now has a lot to do with my alma mater. Thanks, MC.

I had a haircut about a week ago and it just reminded me of your hair, Cucay. :)

This time, it's real. I've a new tagboard! Yey! Please leave a message because I'd love to hear from those who take time to visit my blog. Thanks again!

I used to think that this phrase was for people who were downright pathetic. But, time and time again, my belief in this phrase grew stronger because it had a meaning that I couldn't grasp the first time I heard it. And now, I appreciate it as it pops out of situations I find myself in.

The first time we really talked about Love at First Sight was in second year high school, the year with the most promising memories. We were discussing it in Christian Living class, with Ms. Andal, I so remember. She posed the question "Do you believe in Love at First Sight?" and I immediately almost jumped out of my chair to contest that it doesn't exist in any shape or form. A few days later, I was wrong. ... We went to Payatas. I'm sure every Filipino knows about this place. There, poor families and kids have died because of the great tumble of a mountain of garbage -- remnants of things that we ourselves have thrown out of our own homes. There was a little kid named Darryl. He was probably about 9 or 10. My first image of him was playing basketball/soccer on the barangay basketball court. I came to know him, bought for him and the other kids some ice tubig which cost P1.00 -- an amount that I was amazed they couldn't even afford. We sang together, and played together and we danced together as we taught them a Christian song. Kids, they have these tricks sometimes, he made me a flower out of straw. Yes, straw that you use to drink your Sarsi or your Coke. It was faint green, I remember. He also picked out some flowers for me. Real ones this time. They were a mix of purple and pink. And they were beautiful like he was. Before we left, my bestfriend and I sat in front of the jeep, and I extended my hand out to Darryl. He held it and said "Ate, balik ka sa Krismas ha?" And I nodded knowing that I wouldn't have time to anyway. I felt a deep pang of guilt because they don't deserve to be where they were. And I could only walk away and not see them again. Still, he saw me off and held my hand even though the jeep was already starting to pick up its speed. Then, he let go. I looked back at him and he was waving. He was my Love at First Sight.

I didn't think that I would think of that phrase again until today. I visited the blog of my japanese warrior (a new nickname haha) and I was touched by the entry she wrote for me. I was about to cry but I kind of held it all back because I had to have enough energy to write and reply to what she said. =) Aren't you proud that we have such good memories? They are those that other people would love to have. I wouldn't trade it for the world. You're like my sister, the sister I never had. ... Isn't it funny that we still put side comments on the things we write? The way we use the word "even" and "sometimes I wonder" and all the other things we invent? I laughed when you said we invent our own language! Looking back, we really did, didn't we? And it's fun how we both understand what we're saying even though they hardly mean anything. =) *sigh* This girl, she has everything. She's falls into my "Loves at First Sight". From the moment she started playing piano and from the moment she started to sing. From the moment we went to music theory class together. From the moment we had recitals together and from the moment we barely spoke to each other then. Look at us now. Our friendship has traveled way beyond our means. I've probably loved her then, and I didn't even know it. Even though you're not within my reach, I still value you so much that you're the only who makes me feel totally missed. Thanks, Cucay.

You do not have to be your mother unless she is who you want to be. You do not have to be your mother's mother, or your mother's mother's mother, or even your grandmother's mother on your father's side. You may inherit their chins or their hips or their eyes, but you are not destined to become the women who came before you. You are not destined to live their lives. So if you inherit something, inherit their strength, their resilience. Because the only person you are destined to be is the person you decide to be.
--Pam Finger, A Second Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul