Another year was over and may 2009 will be a better year for all of us.  Yes,  2008 was a bit exhausting, but  it was also full of fun and thrill.  I remember  one of  the best messages for the newlyweds Jully and Ryan which said "in everything you do, even if it is tough and tiring, just have fun doing and learning out of it".  It's true.  Life is neither difficult nor easy, but it is always fun and exciting.  The challenges, once they block us we find them burdensome but as soon as we surpassed  the challenges, we get the chance to become  better individuals.

     Just when I thought I have a heavy load I got this text  message from my dear friend, DJ.

     Dear SOLDIER,

    I see that you're tired.  I tell you, drop your sword and put down your shield.  Why worry about the fight?  After all it's not your battle.  It's mine.  All you have to do is be in the battle field.  Then against the thousand who tried to destroy you, there I will stand and rescue you.  Winning this war requires neither only me nor only you.  But rather, ME and YOU.  Just do your best and I'll take care of the rest.

  The COMMANDER,

  Jesus.....

    Thinking about everything I went through, I am sure HE sent his messages through his angels who sometimes we can not notice  are only within our reach -  people around us.

 

     Betty's dream just came true.  What about mine?  If life is as simple as telenovelas then having our dream man would have been easy.  In real life though, prince looks for a princess and princess are matched with a prince.  Hu hu hu.....

     Anyway, even if it is sad and difficult it is still a happy experience to love someone and not get noticed than not to love at all.  I think I still am making sense.  Knowing that I am still capable of loving even in my dream  is already a happy experience.  Sometimes, it is better to love someone in a dream as it is also easy to let go of the feeling. 

 

    

 

     My 8-year old daughter  scored high in her lessons on good nutrition yet she keeps on begging "mom please let's keep it a secret" each time I tell her I would inform  her science teacher that she does not actually learn from the lessons because she hates vegetables and other healty food.  Eating time is somehow stressful as me and my daughter often end up disgustingly arguing about the food, the amount of food to be eaten and  the most familiar drama of all time..... "eat these food and think of those children who do not even have a piece of bread to eat".

     Just last night I had enough time talking with a classmate from college whose 12-year old twins have real good appetite.  She is worried because her twins were required  by their pedia for a diet as they are abnormally weighing compared to their ages and heights.  My friend feels bad each time she turn down her twins' request for something they crave to eat.

      I guess the odd commentary that "the parent all too often spends the first 8 years of a child's life urging him to eat and the next eight years urging him not to eat" is true.

     For my choosy daughter I will try my friend's advice to stay calm and not to worry much on her eating.  Maybe she was right.  I am having a feeding problem because aside from being overanxious I often stress table manners when in fact this can come later when my daughter has established a positive attitute toward eating. 

Watching "Three Dads and One Mom" was an accomplishment.  I love the series and will  watch it again for the nth time.  The most touching line for me was that of the later part when one of the dads rendered a song to the other two dads and the mom when they were on an overnight outing in a resort.

I am not sure if I completely got the lyrics of his song but it goes like "now, it is time that we must turn away with unsolved regrets.  Time will help us meet again.  The song that we sang is buried in our memories and keep the memories in our hearts.  When we part ways and will not see each other, and we miss each other, we know that the beautiful days is in our hearts". 

Friendship may come and go and  the only thing we are assured of  is  that  even if  today becomes yesterday,  there was once a beautiful day shared with friends.  Saying goodbye to those beautiful days does not literally mean bye as it says we are moving on to another chapter of our individual  selves and ready to live the things we learned through these special people - our FRIENDS.

 

 

     Its kinda weird in the government sector.  When we want to get promoted we have to apply for it unlike with that from the private group that deserving employee will get the chance to move forward.  Aside from that,  despite the urgent need for paradigm shift still some government agencies practice seniority of service in determining who will get the position.  

     I just hope our office will not follow this obsolete pattern though there were two instances when open positions were  opened for bidding yet were filled in with employees who were as if already lucky  for the said position.  

    

 

     We all want what is best and what is best is oftentimes,  something that we have to work hard for.  Wanting the best cause us stress.  We don't  want  stress  yet we also can not afford to settle for less.   Grrrrrr..... see? even the thought of this is already stressful. 

     Here is a good and inspiring article about life and stress.  Thanks to the writer whoever he may be.

            A CUP OF COFFEE

            A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old University
             of  Notre Dame Lecturer.  Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and
             life.

           Offering his guests coffee, the lecturer went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of
             coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, some plain looking and some
             expensive and  exquisite, telling them to help themselves to hot coffee.

          When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the lecturer said:  "If you noticed, all the
             nice  looking, expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones.  While
             it is but  normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your
             problems and  stress.  What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you
             consciously went for the  better cups and are eyeing each other's cups."

         Now, if Life is coffee, then the jobs, money and position in society are the cups.  They are just
             tools to hold and contain Life, but the quality of Life doesn't change.

         Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee in it.

   

     When Acquired Assets Section' (AAS) outstanding performance was cited by our VP during last Monday's assembly, I was certain they made it not only because of the "Magaang Pabahay Disenting Buhay Program" but because of the various simple yet significant changes introduced in the section.

     Aside from the close work relationship with Legal group, AAS' implementation of their sub-sectioning composed of marketing, administration and maintenance, records and documentation has significantly affect personnel's performance.  AAS staff are  now enjoying on their loads.  I can fairly say they are able to endure everything not because  options are limited but because things are now in   better order.   I  still  remember the deal I made with some of the AAS guys.   I never thought DJ could  last for a year.   AAS was a "dreaded unit".  Turn over of personnel was terribly high.

     Tornz, the veteran frontliner of AAS almost gave up because of the backlog which I honestly believe was due to short sighted consideration given her or to AAS in general.  Tornz now always has a happy face.

     Mr. Cute, the other drowned guy on his housing loan applications is now also enjoying his load.  And the good thing is, he is getting married soon even if his wish can not be granted yet.  Mr cute used to tell us he would tie the knot once he become a regular employee.

     I am happy they stayed with AAS until these days.  Me and my Diane have our new family in these AAS pips.