Day X of Block Leave (Old friends and SM Pilgrimage)

Ok so my day counts for my block leave are not accurate. This is supposedly my 10th and last day of my filed block leave. Although I technically still have three days to go of my vacation until I return to work on January 2nd. So let me savour it while it lasts.

Today was my scheduled orientation for my driving school. Apparently, A-1 has classrooms in certain SM malls to hold these lectures. Since I missed the lecture last Tuesday at SM Southmall, they scheduled me to attend the one at SM Bicutan. During my block leave, I managed to visit 3 SM Malls (Bicutan, South Mall Las Pinas and Sucat). My friends joked that they're going to hold an SM Pilgrimage wherein they will visit all the SM Malls in the Philippines and I think they've gone through them half-way.

I also met up with my high school friend, Pam, who's house is located just behind the mall. It's amazing how long we haven't seen each other. Pam was my classmate since first year high school. We were in the same sections until fourth year high school. We also went to the same university. We reminisced and laughed over old fads and crushes (she used to be crazy over Christian Slater and I over George Michael--during his "Faith" album). She finished her Biology degree and went on to become a doctor. She's now finishing her training to specialize as a pediatrician. We were joking that she should've been a vet due to the number of dogs and cats that she has. I told her that I'd prefer fishes over mammals since fishes are low maintenance. Moreover, they stay put where you put them and they're very relaxing. She then said, what will my fishes do if a burglar gets in the house? At least her dogs (including a rottweiller named 8-Ball who belongs to her ex-boyfriend) can bark. Ok, so I conceded that point.

Pam and I shared half a bottle of red wine until Leo picked me up around 9 pm. It was nice seeing her again. I do wish I could see her more but she's very busy with her hospital duty. She's usually in the hospital 24 hours and she only goes home to sleep. When she does get her diplomate status, am going to make her the pediatrician of my future children. Heh.

Day 8 of of Block Leave (Sunshine's Misadventures at the Las Pinas LTO)

As previously mentioned, I seeked assistance from my driving school to get my student's permit. A decade ago, I think, you don't need to have a personal appearance to get a student permit, this time around, you need to have your picture taken in order to just get the permit.

As instructed by my school, I was at the meeting place (SM Southmall) at 1130 am. They made me fill up the LTO application form and submitted my requirements. We left for the Land Transportation Office at around 12 pm.

Upon getting there, there were lots of people milling around the windows. Apparently, it was lunch break. We were given instructions to wait for our names to be called at Window 9 to have our picture taken and our signatures captured. Afterwhich, we just need to wait for our permits. He did not give a specific turn around time but I figured, since we already asked for "assistance", it won't be too long.

Of all the days, I don't know why the sun chose this specific day to shine so bright and so hot. It was so overcast the previous days that I thought today would be a repeat of the other days. Since it was after lunch, the sun was at its zenith and we were sweltering outside at the waiting area. Moreover, you could smell the sweat of other people mixed with the dust. Definitely not a pleasant experience. To while away the time, I chatted with my "classmates". One of them, a new graduate from UP Manila was a bit chatty and we exchanged basic information. She was surprised when she learned I'm already 30. She thought I was still a student. Hah! Hah! And Triple Hah! The look of surprise on her face really helped my ego. Hehehe. She started calling me Ate Sunshine. I wanted to tell her to drop the ate and just call me Shine like what she was doing before she learned of my real age. Heh.

We were called around 2:00 pm to have our picture taken. No wonder people look the way they do on their driver's licenses. Just waiting for your name to be called will leave you very harassed and wilted indeed. After that, there was another 1 hour and a half wait for the Official Receipt stamped as a temporary driver's license/student permit. My file got separated from my companions because I was called around 4 pm--another half hour of waiting. It did not help that my shoes decided to choose this day to break apart. See, I was given instructions to wear closed shoes and collared blouse. Since I'm a stickler to the rules, I followed it to the letter. I did wear jeans and flat mules (?) and a collared blouse. I did not notice that the mules were kinda old and the soles were cracked already. So while I was standing outside Window 9 of the LTO, my soles broke apart.

After getting my official receipt (with the Temporary Student Permit stamp), I unsteadily walked out of the LTO and hailed a jeepney where I was dropped off at BF Southland. Fortunately, I saw a small store selling mojos and I bought a pair, throwing off my old shoes. Since I'll be the only one here at home with Janice (my cousins went to Makati), I decided to do a bit of shopping.

I took a jeepney at Southland and I got down at Watson's Phase I where I went shopping for beauty products. My derma adviced me to change all my sponges and make-up brushes since I just had my warts removed. Moreover, I was also adviced to use white soaps since being asthmatic, my skin has the tendency to become dry so no harsh soaps for me. She also prescribed Cetaphil (as facial wash) and Neutrogena Sun Block with Moisturizer (which I still cannot find) or L'Oreal with Mexoryl (which I also cannot find) since I need tons of moisturizer to keep my face dry-free.

Burdened with my new beauty items, I went to Ruins were I bought a new pair of walking shoes. I need some flat shoes which would also double as my driving shoes. I am so prepared to drive! Although seeing the hassle which I have to go through to get a non-professional license is giving me second thoughts. I hate the feeling of being sweaty and grimy. I just wish that the government will run its offices like a private company with service very much ingrained in their system. They don't care if the lines are long and the people are sweaty and grimy. They don't care if you spend the whole day waiting in line and wasting your time when you could do something more productive. You can't afford to wander too far from the windows because if your name will be called and you're not there (at the photo window), your record will be erased from the computer and you have to reapply. So I spent four hours (half a day) at the LTO and at that rate, I already seeked "assistance". What more for those people who decided to do everything by themselves? It's really a whole day affair.

Day 7 of my Block Leave

For those who just ate, please don't read this first.

Other than last Wednesday, today is also a very productive day for me.

I FINALLY went to a derma and had my warts and skin tags removed. I had some on my neck removed last year at Let's Face It but they grew back. Leo accompanied me yesterday to the Healthway clinic at Alabang Town Center (he's paying for it after all) and made an appointment for today. So I was an my doctor's clinic by 11 am sharp. My doctor, Dr. Patricia Tinio is a very congenial person. She's one of the nicest doctors I've ever met. So if ever you want to consult a derma with your skin problems, she has a clinic at Casa Filipina Bldg and at Healthway Clinic at Alabang Town Center. She's a big improvement from the derma I consulted before at the Medical Clinic at Megamall. Dr. Tinio is 35 yet she looks like she got out of college! Now that's what I call a good derma.

Anyway, she applied numbing cream on the warts and skin tags first and left to settle for 30 minutes. I rested for a bit and when she returned, she started snipping and cauterizing. Even with the numbing cream, I could still feel (and smell) the burning flesh. At least when she snipped the skin tags, they weren't painful, they did bleed though. Ugh ugh ugh. Ewwwwwwwwww. The things we do for beauty. Sigh.

My skin was very pink and swollen after it was done. She removed quite a bit from my face, neck and torso. I'm so glad I already took a bath this morning because she told me to not take a bath for the next 24 hours. She gave me some healing cream to enable the scabs to form faster so I can wash my face and body tomorrow. I am SO glad I did this while am on vacation. I don't think I could go to work the next day without taking a bath. Ewwww!

I had my cousin pick me up afterwards and we went to A-1 Driving School over at President's Avenue so I can finally enroll for driving lessons. I enrolled for the 10 hours lesson and also requested for assistance to get my student driver's permit. There will also be a classroom lecture tomorrow and then I'll be scheduling my actual driving lessons sometime next week. Am so excited to do this. This is such a nice present for myself. It's high time I learned how to drive considering am 30 years old already.

Now all that's left is to see another doctor to check out the lump that they found during my physical. Then it's a vacation well spent.

Happy Holidays!

It's funny that I get to choose this picture as my blog christmas card since I live in a tropical country wherein the only snow we get are the fake ones (or the ones coming from certain people's heads). But it reminds me so much of Christmas due to the help of Hollywood films.

I read somewhere that a certain religious sect in the US is denouncing a certain company for changing their greetings from Merry Christmas to Happy Holidays. Apparently, the company wanted to encompass all religions in their greetings (Christmas, after all, only pertains to Christians/Catholics. Muslims and other religious denominations believe differently) thus the change in greetings.

I'm a Catholic so I should send out my greetings as Merry Christmas. But I do concede that I have friends who are non-Catholics/Christians; so instead, just let me bid you HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

My Christmas celebrations are a bit bittersweet. Leo and I spent Christmas Eve at my grandparents at Makati. Everyone was there, even my not-so-favourite relatives. Believe it or not, I do not get along with all of my relatives in my father's side. I have this image that I can get along with everyone, but I draw a line at those people and of course, there's a story behind it and since I have nothing better to do, might as well tell it.

When I was in College, I used to live with my grandparents in Makati since my school ends at 9 pm. The room I was given is some sort of communal room. It's a passageway from the main house to my aunt's store in front. I just lock it at night when everyone has gone home.

One day, I was going through my stuff when I noticed that the gold chain with a dragon pendant that my godmother gave me has gone missing. I didn't raise a fuss but kept quiet about it. I knew someone had taken it but I was not that fussy with my jewelry before. Some weeks after that, some friends took me to Duty Free and I did some chocolate shopping--which I stashed under my bed. When I got home that night, I was surprised to see that half of my stash was missing. I confronted my aunt (who fortunately was not a blood relative of mine--she's the husband of the brother of my dad) about it and she said she did not see anything (after I saw her discretely tuck a chocolate bar in her bag). I stormed out of the room and called my mom and believe or not, cried over the phone. In my misery, I did not notice that she was torn between laughing and getting mad. Thinking about it, it really sounds hilarious. I get upset over bars of chocolates instead of a missing gold necklace. She just told me to pack my bags and I'm going home the next day--which I did.

After that, I refused to talk to my aunt anymore. I barely acknowledge her presence and stay away from her during family gatherings. It does not help that her personality is something that you would really despise. She's jobless and she screams at her husband and her kids. Am not talking about momentary bouts of shouting, but the hell raising kind of screaming. She hits her kids and gets mad at them for every small slight. She also disrespects my grandmother and treats her like dirt even if she (my grandmother) supports them. She gives them food and money, yet they don't give her the respect and love she deserves.

Everything snapped a few months ago when she (the aunt whom I shall now christen as Evil-Bitch) pushed my lola causing my lola to fall on the ground. That made my tita (who I shall christen the Good-Bitch, and I mean that in a good way) go after her. The Good-Bitch is my lola's youngest daughter and I live with her and her sons. Though some people might see her as bitchy, she actually has a big heart. Her sense of humour is the wackiest that I've seen and she has informally adopted me and my half-sister.

But I digress.

The Good-Bitch called a conference with her brother (my dad) and other sisters and they decided, together with my lolo, to send the Evil-Bitch back to her home province together with their two small kids. They've tolerated her as much as they can but they draw the line of her hitting our lola.

My uncle (Evil-Bitch's husband) was quite bitter at first. I mean who wouldn't blame him? He's jobless and he feels like the whole world is against him. I still can't figure out why he's still insistent on keeping their family together even if he has seen that his wife is the way she is. But he got his act together and started joining the family during dinners and such.

But well, good things never last.

The Good-Bitch also informally adopted Evil-Bitch's two elder daughters. She took them out shopping and brought them to the parlor. It's no wonder that Evil Bitch's malevolence rubbed onto her kids. My two cousins repaid the Good-Bitch's kindness by lying to her AND their teachers. They were coming home late and they said that they had a project and the such. The Good-Bitch called the school and they said the contrary. So upon checking, she discovered that the two girls were going to an internet cafe and playing online games. Moreover, they're spreading stories at school that they have no money and that they're tired and hungry since when they get home, they still have to do the laundry and cook--when in fact, they do NO HOUSEHOLD CHORES. My grandmother does everything for them. We also learned recently that the Evil-Bitch has returned together with their two small daughters and are lying low at their apartment (which is located inside my grandparent's compound in Makati). Call me heartless but I gave no present to the Evil-Bitch and the two youngest daughters. As far as I’m concerned, they’re not supposed to be there. I was not formally informed by their return.

So a joyous celebration is marred by feelings of sadness, pity and annoyance. I actually pity my grandparents since they don’t need the stress at their age. They’re already in their 80’s and they need to relax and take it easy! But as it happens, my lola is still taking care of them and finds money to give to them. My lolo, is fortunately deaf so he barely hears whatever it is happening around him (unless he’s wearing his hearing aid). As one of my Christmas gifts to my grandmother, I gave her 3 moonstones which mean peace.

Leo and I left around 9 pm since we wanted to catch the 1030 pm mass at St. James Alabang. I was a bit teary-eyed in the car since seeing my siblings reminded me how much I miss them, especially Cheryll! She’s due to give birth next month and her stomach is humongous! I also saw her stomach move! It looked like a scene out of the “Alien” movie! I thought I saw a body part poke out of her stomach. I felt a mixture of awe and fright. Awe that she’s going to produce a miracle in less than a month, and fear since her stomach’s so big. I hope there won’t be complications during the baby’s birth.

I also missed our mom. She called earlier that evening and greeted us Merry Christmas. I just realized that this is our first Christmas as an official broken family and in a few years, we will further break apart when my siblings migrate to the US.

After Leo and I heard mass, we went to their house where I had a nice chat with his father over bread and queso de bola. Leo took me home around 1 am.

This morning, my tita left with her whole family to go to Pampanga and visit relatives. Leo picked me up before lunch and we went to their house where there’s another celebration going on. Leo’s immediate family and close relatives are having their own Christmas get-together. This is my second Christmas with them. This time around, Leo’s dad bought a Magic-Sing! I tried not to hog the mike and alternated with Tricie (Leo’s sister). Of course, I wowed them with my, ahem, singing voice. Even Leo’s mom was impressed (woohoo!!! Pogi points for me!!! Hehe).

I stayed there the whole day while I chatted with Leo’s relatives and ate lunch and dinner. I particularly love the salad. Leo’s two nephews got a junior drum set and guitar. Too bad I don’t know how to tune both. I was excited for them since it’s been a long time ever since I held a guitar and a pair of drumsticks. I could’ve impressed them further with my musical skillzzz. Haha.

In retrospect, Christmas celebrations for our family are fast losing their meaning. Anger and pride are more dominant than the virtues of forgiveness and love. Of course, I don’t exempt myself from that. I don’t know if I have indeed forgiven my aunt for what she has done to me and my family. But I just try to steer clear from her and I just know that it is NOT my life’s mission to make her life better. I have enough problems as it is and I do not wish to add to them. Besides, if any change should happen, it should come from them.

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Second Week of Block Leave

My last week of block leave starts today. Since I spent last week preparing for Christmas, I will do my have-to-dos next week. I'm scheduling an appointment with a derma to have my warts on my face removed and skin whitening done on my neck (funds courtesy of Leo as his Christmas gift or me. Hehe). Will also be enrolling at A-1 to finally learn how to drive. It's high time that I learn how and hopefully, I get to practice it.

How You Live Your Life

You seem to be straight forward, but you keep a lot inside. You tend to avoid confrontation and stay away from sticky situations. You tend to have one best friend you hang with, as opposed to many aquaintences. You have one big dream in your life, and you never lose sight of it.

How Do You Live Your Life?

Day 4 of Block Leave (I flunked Orgbep!)

I guess I didn't get my Christmas wish. I checked my grades today and I just found out that I flunked my Organizational Behavior WCE. So far, I've passed Marketing Management, Management Science and Financial Management. That leaves Management Accounting and Management Economics. Am sure about Accounting but not sure with Economics. We'll just see how that turns out. At least I know what to adjust come January 3.

Stayed at home today. Finished wrapping my gifts and baked another batch of cookies. My cousins invited me to go watch King Kong with them but I don't relish the thought of sitting down for 3 hours watching a gorilla fight it out with a t-rex. I did like the movie and it moved me to tears. Nevertheless, I'd rather stay at home and rest. Am still smarting over flunking that exam. It's my first failure in my MBA. Quite difficult to take.

Day 3 of Block Leave (Most Productive Day Ever!)

I really do hate cramming for Christmas. I just realized that I bought gifts for some people twice! Also figured that next year, am going to make my gift-giving less stressful. I went around Mandaluyong, Makati, Paranaque and Las Pinas just to give out gifts! Bahala na si Batman next year kung sinipag ako magbigay sa lahat. Whatever happened to the spirit of giving? That's what commercialization does to the spirit of Christmas. Somehow, I've forgotten that Christmas stands for Christ.

Anyway, it's been a productive day since I finished off my gift giving. After having lunch at Tempura (again) with a friend, I proceeded to the RCBC campus and checked if there's any update on our WCE results (I told my officemates that I hope this will be the last day I would see them. I am, after all, on vacation). When I checked the board, I saw that there are only two subjects (as of now) that have results. With trepidation, I saw that the other result was Financial Management. Other than economics, this is the other exam that I feared I would not pass. Scanning the list, I saw that there were a lot of failures. I looked for my ID number and lo and behold, I passed with a grade of 84! Thank God! At least that leaves Economics and Organizational Behavior as my unsure test. However, I still need to adjust my schedule as I need to take the Production Management WCE next term (I attended our Christmas party instead).

I then proceeded to Glorietta to meet up with my cousin since we’re going to Southmall to get his line/phone from Sun Cellular (which happens to be under my name. I have lines in all cellular phone service providers in the country). We left Glorietta around 3 pm and we got caught at the traffic jam at Nichols. We took the Merville exit and took the long route going to Las Pinas.

Upon getting home, I retreated to my room where I can escape the mischievous antics of my cousin/godson, Kiko. He’s really turning into a handful. Everyday, he finds new ways for me to get mad at him. Though there are times I would want to strangle him, a little voice reminds me that he doesn’t know any better. Like this evening for example, I wanted to watch the Spongebob DVD set which we bought last week. I set it aside downstairs since I wanted to watch it during my break. But when I looked for it, we could not find it. It seems that Kiko was last seen playing with it and they can’t remember (nor can he) where it was placed. In my frustration, I took his Jack-Jack pillow as hostage saying that I’ll only return it once he finds my Spongebob DVD. I know it makes me a bad example as a godmother but my patience is stretched to the limit.