Clean-Up!

As one of the intiatives of our CEO, a company wide clean-up is now ongoing with a deadline tomorrow. As people beating deadlines, our department of 3 people but with legacy files dating back to the late 90's and owned by people who are no longer connected with the company, we had a difficult time sorting through the files and determining which should be shredded, which should be sent offsite, and which can be filed or kept on our workstations. One mandate was that we can only keep a maximum of 3 comstak folders in our workstation and not much personal stuff on our desks. Well, we managed to clean everything up in 3 hours and we have a small mountain at the corner of our floor for shredding tomorrow.

I also had a talk with one of my bosses this afternoon (yes, I have two direct lines and BOTH are expatriates. I don't know if that's good or bad). We were talking about issues and he suddenly asked me what my priorities are. While I was ticking everything down, I had the sudden urge to cry. He then noted that I have so much stuff on my plate and he took some of the stuff that he asked me to do.

On a lighter note, my aunt arrived yesterday from England. It was really nice seeing her. As a welcome gift for her, Leo gave her flowers (hay, my boyfriend is so thoughtful!). She got me two really nifty gifts. One was a bridal horseshoe (apparently, it's a custom in England) and another thing was a small mosaic cross from Rome. Now, I have to figure out where I can put the horseshoe and to find a chain or ribbon for my mosaic cross.

Clean Bill of Health

I visited my doctor yesterday and am happy to say that she gave me a clean bill of health. She's very happy over my recent blood tests and moreover the fact that I've been losing weight. She did say that when I get married next year, my husband and I should not wait to have a baby. In our original plan, Leo and I wanted to wait for a year before having a baby but she discouraged it and pointed out my age. So Leo and I would have to do some replanning on that.

School starts tomorrow for me and I just learned that we have a meeting with a regional visitor until 630 tomorrow night. Knowing my boss, it'll last until 7 or 730. I hope my professor won't be too mad that I'll be coming in late.

Updates, links and whatever

Ok, will try to segregate things.

All entries regarding our wedding preparation will be dumped in our wedding page. Feel free to visit that. It has a lot of cool stuff in it. Have updated that to include pictures from our pamamanhikan. It's only half of it though. Leo hasn't given me the pics taken from his camera.

It's Friday 8pm and am here at work. I actually came from the gym already. But I returned to do my web-related stuff. Am also waiting for the rain to subside. I just hope next year, it won't be this rainy.

I just want to share this picture of my nephew and niece. They're both very cute! Hmmm..wonder if we'll be able to get a picture with both of them smiling :)

Enter Sandman

I've been reading the Sandman comics by Neil Gaiman ever since I saw my my friends reading it in the student press during College. I borrowed one and I instantly became hooked in the stories and escapades of Dream/Orpheus, his family and cohorts. Back then, the comics were released monthly and I think it was only recently that they were compiled into 10 graphic novels that you can find in the bookstores. As they're quite expensive compared to the regular novels that I read, I collected them little by little until I completed them except for one (Volume Number 6!). Anyway, I bought volumes 9 and 10 yesterday and I was hesitant to go to work this morning as I wanted to finish both volumes.

While in the shuttle going to work, my mind kept wandering back to the stories. Neil Gaiman is indeed a genius. I wish he'd come back and sign my graphic novels. I'm only halfway through the 9th volume but I already knew that Death will be coming for her brother, Dream, so I cheated and skimmed through the last few pages. I promise to go home early so I have more time to finish that volume and start on the 10th.

I feel quite off today. As Leo will be off to some teambuilding this Saturday, I intend to pamper myself this weekend. I'll be going to work Saturday morning and then I'll probably spend the rest of the day at the spa.

Wedding Expo Adventure

As part of our wedding preparations, Leo and I together with my dad, Tita Rosa, my high school barkada Kay and Atha, went to the Wedding Expo at PICC forum last Sunday. Our objective was to book our photographer/videographer or P/V (John Mateos Ong) and hair and make-up artist or HMUA (Jesy Alto). Another objective was to find prospective suppliers for our on the day wedding coordinator, cake, invitation and give-aways.

Since we pre-registered, Leo and I got our wedding expo pack and ID's quickly. The entrance to the exhibit area are mostly cake suppliers. I finally saw one cake supplier that I was eyeing (Clay Cakes). I was very charmed by their design, especially their cake toppers, but I have to consult my mother-in-law first before we decide on getting one. Their cakes are also quite costly (15K for the one that I saw, but they can work within a budget).

Next to the cakes are the chocolate fountain suppliers. My companions were very delighted by the fountains and unashamedly gorged themselves of the free-flowing belgian chocolate dips (milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate). Kulang nalang straw!

We found my P/V and HMUA suppliers and we made our downpayment. We went to the other booths and we were drawn by the invitation suppliers. Some of the invites were really very creative. I was so envious! Although again, I have to check whether our invites will be acceptable to my MIL and if they're right for the occasion. H2B and I would need to decide on our theme (if we want one) and our motiff. For the motiff, we're already partial to sky blue (it's a morning wedding after all), but am thinking what to match it with. I was toying with the idea of having the entourage in different shades of blue or contrasting it with another color (pastel green?!). Any suggestions?

Anyway, we left the expo two hours after. Seeing all those things made me more excited in our wedding preparations and made me wonder why we set the date so far away. But well, maybe in hindsight, I'll be thankful for having a one year preparation period.

The Wonders of Yoga

In my search for relaxation, my high school friend Atha, BI'd me in buying VCD's of Pilates and Yoga. I haven't tried the Pilates CD yet but the Yoga CD did me wonders.

For the past few weeks, I've been stretched and stressed that getting a good night's sleep and rest has become unachievable. I keep on waking at 4 or 5 in the morning with thoughts of work tumbling into my head. I have to get some rest of I will just explode.

I was so stressed yesterday and when I got home, my stomach was aching. I didn't know if it was from the stress or whatever, plus, I was very very tired. In my experience, even if I'm tried, it will be difficult for me to sleep since work is still in my mind (case in point, my last week's massage incident). Desperate for rest, I put on the yoga vcd and followed the breathing and meditation techniques that was taught. Wonder of wonders, I almost fell asleep 10 minutes into the breathing exercises.

I quickly got up and got ready for bed praying that the movements of getting ready for bed will not chase away the lethargy that I was feeling. I put on some instrumental music, lied down on my bed and I immediately dropped off to sleep. When I opened my eyes, it was daylight!! That was the best sleep that I've had in days! Maybe one of these days, I'll get through the whole CD without falling asleep. Heheh. Maybe I'll be able to practice those medidating techniques here at work. I sorely need it.

Relax!

Things must be bad when I can't even relax after a massage.

 

We had a meeting that lasted up to 6pm last night and I had to finish things for the review on Monday. Unfortunately, I think I scheduled my massage to early that the masseuse was at my house before 9 pm and I haven't taken a bath yet.

 

Anyway, when the massage started, my thoughts kept drifting back to work--of the numerous things that I have to finish; of the stubborn people that I have to talk to; of having no boss to guide you through the rough politics of the corporate world. When I joined my current department, I felt excited to learn something new. Unfortunately, my boss resigned with me barely two months in the job. Thus, there's no one to teach me what to do and this is not the best way for me to learn. According to the results of my learning styles exam, the best way for me to learn is for me to observe how it is being done and then I do my thing. That's my problem now. I have no one to observe and my only guide is a group manual that is not even localized! I'm totally floundering here. I feel like a fish out of water and the stress is big time! No wonder I can't relax!

 

People say that it's my time to shine and to do something new, but it's not my style. Knowing that people expect big things for me does not help. My appraisal this year will definitely be not as good as last year's.

 

Another dilemma is that my old bosses are coming back to me and are asking me to take on the management of my old team PLUS another team. Somehow, it adds to the stress. I am tempted to take it, but I am needed here more--though how small my contribution and efforts are, I know I am much needed.

 

My current team SHOULD have 8 members, currently, we are only 3. Yes, 3 people doing the work of 8 people. We have raised this so many times and we're hoarse from saying it over and over again. We know that something is being done but it's something that cannot be easily accomplished, especially filling in the position of our boss. It's so specialized that it cannot be sourced locally. No other companies has this kind of position/department and we had to go to the group to help us find an eligible candidate. So far, the position has been vacant for more than a month already and there are too many balls up in the air already. Soon, one of them will come crashing down, and no one will be able to catch it.
 

In the three months that I've been here, I've cried more than I've ever cried when I was in my old department. I need another stress outlet. I cannot just cry whenever I'm stressed.