I've always liked eating burgers. It started in college, when fast food joints have become more accessible and my allowance allowed me a decent burger meal every now and then. There were many to choose from but my favorite back then was Wendy's Bacon Mushroom Melt. Yum yum! It was a real treat that I was willing to part with my precious 69 pesos for a burger (and occassional 95 pesos for the whole meal, complete with fries and drink). I don't know how much it costs now but if a Wendy's outlet will open near our place, I'd surely want to try it, for old times' sake.
Next to Wendy's burgers were the charbroiled burgers of Carl's Jr. These were more expensive and I guess that's why they closed shop in my 2nd year in college. When I tried their burger again (upon chancing on a store at Alabang Town Center), it was more expensive than expected but the taste... errr... I guess I forgot about the taste because of the high price? Hehehe...
The Mcdonald's cheeseburger became a staple favorite, especially with its affordable value meal price of only 49 pesos. I love the pickles and mustard, even the onions. Up to now, it's the cheeseburger meal that first comes to mind when ordering at any Mcdonald's branch... even if it now costs 69 pesos.
What about Jollibee? Well, I've always liked the Regular Yum with Cheese. It really depends on my mood whether I prefer Jollibee's sweeter burger over Mcdonald's mustardy & pickly burger. When Jollibee came up with their Amazing Aloha burger, I liked it at first but found it too messy to eat. Then came the Regular Yum with TLC (tomato, lettuce & cheese). It was Jollibee's effort to counter Wendy's Big Classic. I liked the Regular Yum with TLC best among Jollibee's burgers.
But wait, there's more (LOL)! What about Burger King? I used to eat the more affordable burgers at Burger King when I was working in Makati. I really didn't like their burgers back then, but I loved the onion rings and of course, the unlimited drinks! It was just months ago when I got a taste of their Whopper Jr. for the first time. We were on field assignment and our food allowance covered it, so I went for it and ordered one big meal of Whopper Jr. with fries, drinks and choco sundae. I really enjoyed that Whopper Jr. encounter that day.
And I keep coming back to that moment days and weeks after. If only there were a Burger King branch near our place... (sigh!). Then this morning, I was asked what I wanted to have for lunch. I said I wanted a Whopper Jr. from Burger King. It didn't matter to me even if the burger would be brought to the office later than lunch break so our logistics people coordinated my request with our delivery crew in Sta. Rosa (where a Burger King branch is). Perhaps the communication problem prevailed which resulted to no burger for me as of 2pm. I haven't had lunch yet at that time and our admin staff was worried. I used to snap at everyone when I was hungry. But I was different this afternoon. Somehow, I got so depressed that I wanted to cry. They were asking me what else I wanted, but I could not speak... because I was about to choke on tears! Pretty silly, right? I didn't know what came over me. I tried to think of other options... like Jollibee or Mcdonald's... but I only wanted the Whopper Jr.!
Eventually the admin staff got the message and again, coordinated for my request. I ate a stick of banana-Q at around 3pm to ease my hungry stomach while I waited for the Whopper Jr. Finally, it arrived around 4pm... and I got to eat the Whopper Jr. again. And I was not disappointed! :-)
P.S. It was a good thing I am pregnant... which is why the admin staff was really worried about me not getting what I wanted to eat... which is why they really coordinated my request. :-)
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Consistency
Consistency... something I never had but longed to have...
I don't know why I'm like this. I always had bright ideas, visions, missions, structured systems, etc. in my mind, but I only get to execute them for just a while. In our elementary Sibika (Civics & Culture)lessons (before the Civics & Culture subject was integrated with History & Geography), this behavior defines the "Filipino" trait: Ningas-kugon.
It's only now that I can admit to myself that I have this characteristic. I seem to have lost focus on where I should be heading. Perhaps it's because deep inside I thought that my plans would be disregarded because usually, it's my parents' decisions that I have to eventually comply with. Not that they're dictators or tyrants! Perhaps despite my rebellious streak (or perhaps because of it!), I tend to obey my parents more often (or could it be because of guilt?).
I'm actually starting to be afraid for myself because right now, I'm starting to lose my passion... for work, most of all. Or maybe it's because my priorities have started to change? Could it be so? I'm just not used to this. Before I got married and bore a child, I had always imagined myself in a high-rise building, wearing designer business suits and high heels, with big accessories, professional makeup and hairstyle... living the successful life of the ultimate career woman. With that vision came the jetsetter lifestyle (now referred to as globetrotter, by the way), an equally successful professional husband, a big house in a posh subdivision complete with everything (including a large spiral staircase... think of a mini-version of the staircase in Sound of Music or Gone With the Wind), cars, the works! But in that vision, children were not included. I guess I've always known I didn't have the "mother" gene/s but was afraid to admit it for fear of being like Lavinia in the Sharon Cuneta blockbuster (and my all-time favorite flick starring Ate Shawie & Cheri) "Bituing Walang Ningning".
Now, my life is far from that vision. We're not poor, but still not comfortable as I had hoped we'd be. I'm still hoping there'll come the day when we'll be moving to our own house in the subdivision lot we've started to pay for just last year. I'm still yearning to have once a year domestic travels with my family (and international trips once every 5 years), and of course, that Europe tour with my hubby! I'm working for my family's business, not for someone else's, that's why I don't have that corner office in that high-rise building.
But hey, don't get me wrong! I'm not complaining, I'm just musing, looking back at that road I could have taken. Of course, sometimes I cannot help but feel somewhat nearly feeling disappointed with the choices I've made.
Perhaps it's the frustration that my plans don't pull through that make me lose my passion to dream.
But hey, again, who am I to insist on my plans? It's not about me, after all. It's about Him. He has plans for me. Whatever I have now came from His grace. I count my blessings now. Every morning is a blessing (it means I'm still alive & the world is still turning)! Every smile from my child is a blessing (it means he's okay and happy)! Every kiss from my husband is a blessing (it means he still loves me and he's still in love with me)! Every greeting from our employees is a blessing (it means we still have our business)! Every song I hear on the radio is a blessing (it means I'm not yet deaf)! Every blog I write is a blessing (it means I still have freedom to speak, that I am capable of thinking and writing my thoughts)!
Every single detail of my ordinary life is a blessing!
Now, going back to the first few paragraphs, do you now see why consistency escapes me most of the time?
I don't know why I'm like this. I always had bright ideas, visions, missions, structured systems, etc. in my mind, but I only get to execute them for just a while. In our elementary Sibika (Civics & Culture)lessons (before the Civics & Culture subject was integrated with History & Geography), this behavior defines the "Filipino" trait: Ningas-kugon.
It's only now that I can admit to myself that I have this characteristic. I seem to have lost focus on where I should be heading. Perhaps it's because deep inside I thought that my plans would be disregarded because usually, it's my parents' decisions that I have to eventually comply with. Not that they're dictators or tyrants! Perhaps despite my rebellious streak (or perhaps because of it!), I tend to obey my parents more often (or could it be because of guilt?).
I'm actually starting to be afraid for myself because right now, I'm starting to lose my passion... for work, most of all. Or maybe it's because my priorities have started to change? Could it be so? I'm just not used to this. Before I got married and bore a child, I had always imagined myself in a high-rise building, wearing designer business suits and high heels, with big accessories, professional makeup and hairstyle... living the successful life of the ultimate career woman. With that vision came the jetsetter lifestyle (now referred to as globetrotter, by the way), an equally successful professional husband, a big house in a posh subdivision complete with everything (including a large spiral staircase... think of a mini-version of the staircase in Sound of Music or Gone With the Wind), cars, the works! But in that vision, children were not included. I guess I've always known I didn't have the "mother" gene/s but was afraid to admit it for fear of being like Lavinia in the Sharon Cuneta blockbuster (and my all-time favorite flick starring Ate Shawie & Cheri) "Bituing Walang Ningning".
Now, my life is far from that vision. We're not poor, but still not comfortable as I had hoped we'd be. I'm still hoping there'll come the day when we'll be moving to our own house in the subdivision lot we've started to pay for just last year. I'm still yearning to have once a year domestic travels with my family (and international trips once every 5 years), and of course, that Europe tour with my hubby! I'm working for my family's business, not for someone else's, that's why I don't have that corner office in that high-rise building.
But hey, don't get me wrong! I'm not complaining, I'm just musing, looking back at that road I could have taken. Of course, sometimes I cannot help but feel somewhat nearly feeling disappointed with the choices I've made.
Perhaps it's the frustration that my plans don't pull through that make me lose my passion to dream.
But hey, again, who am I to insist on my plans? It's not about me, after all. It's about Him. He has plans for me. Whatever I have now came from His grace. I count my blessings now. Every morning is a blessing (it means I'm still alive & the world is still turning)! Every smile from my child is a blessing (it means he's okay and happy)! Every kiss from my husband is a blessing (it means he still loves me and he's still in love with me)! Every greeting from our employees is a blessing (it means we still have our business)! Every song I hear on the radio is a blessing (it means I'm not yet deaf)! Every blog I write is a blessing (it means I still have freedom to speak, that I am capable of thinking and writing my thoughts)!
Every single detail of my ordinary life is a blessing!
Now, going back to the first few paragraphs, do you now see why consistency escapes me most of the time?
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
How do we choose?
This coming May 14, we're going to choose our nation's leaders from municipal or city councilors to the senators. I bet, just like the years before, when we arrive at the voting precinct of our barangay in the morning of election day, the place will be swarmed with "supporters" handing out flyers, pamphlets and sample ballots at the last minute. And of course, there will be the "poll watchers" who are given access inside the precinct and supposedly just wandering harmlessly, but you can't help and suspect whether they're actually spying on what the voters are writing on the ballots. Our precinct is not as organized as the ones I see on TV where the school chairs are arranged one seat apart and a folder standing upright on the chair's tables to be used as cover by the voter while doing his duty. Hell no! In our precinct, we are made to sit on chairs used by the pre-elementary students, and made to write on the small tables used by the same. This makes it easier for "poll watchers" to loiter around the room, glancing every now and then at what voters are writing. Sometimes, when these "poll watchers" see relatives or friends, they approach and chat "innocently".
Sometimes I wish I could change precincts... but hey, that's not the point. In highschool, we were taught that we can change the system. Now, we are parents... but I can't see how we can change the system. I can't just pass that duty to my child! It's unfair and with this mindset, the vicious cycle will never end. I bet, our parents were told that they were the future of the nation and that they too can change the system, hence the activism during Martial Law era. And I bet, their parents before them were also told this adage. But still, have we really changed the system? Or are we just changing the faces we see up there?
Hindi ko alam kung paano ako makakatulong sa pagbabago ng ating bansa, pero ang alam ko, gusto kong mabago ang pananaw ng karamihan. Nalulungkot ako kapag naririnig ko ang mga dahilan o basehan ng pagboto o pagpili ng ilan sa aking mga kakilala. Sabi ng ilan, ang iboboto nila ay yung sikat, yung mukhang mabait, yung siguradong mananalo, yung nag-donate sa barangay nila, yung nag-donate sa school nila, yung nag-sponsor ng liga nila, yung nagpayaman sa probinsya nila... Sapat na ba iyon? Dati, ang pilosopiya ko rin ay karapat-dapat piliin ang mga kandidatong nakakatulong sa kapwa. Tama naman ito, kaya lang, nagiging daan ito sa mas lalong paghirap ng mga mahihirap (dahil umaasa lamang sila sa mga makukuhang "tulong" sa mga kandidato, kaya pumipila sila sa bahay o opisina ng mga pulitiko tuwing may kailangan sila at tuwing may okasyon tulad ng piyesta at Pasko ng Pagsilang ni Kristo) at ang patuloy na pangungurakot ng karamihan upang mabawi ang mga naibigay na tulong. Oo nga at nag-donate sila ng pera para maipagawa ang gym o ang kalsada o ang barangay hall o ang paaralan. Pero, alam ba natin kung tama ang halaga ng mga pagpapagawang ito sa normal na halaga? Ibig kong sabihin, nakakasiguro ba tayong hindi sila nag-over-pricing para makakuha ng kick-back? Kung pera ang ibinigay, nakakasiguro ba tayong ito'y taos-puso nilang pagtulong hindi lamang sa personal na kadahilanan kundi ayon sa kanilang pangkalahatang plano ng pag-unlad ng ating bayan? Ibig kong sabihin, ang mga naipangako ba nilang mga plano ng pag-unlad at pagpapagaan ng ating mga buhay ay naisasagawa nila? Ang pagtulong nila ay hindi dapat nababase lamang sa kung sino ang humihingi at pumipila sa kanilang mga opisina. Ang pagtulong nila sa bayan ay dapat naaayon sa isang Master Plan. May specific objective o layunin. May priority projects na paglalaanan ng mga pondo. Hindi strike anywhere. Hindi palakasan.
Minsan, may mga taong pumapasok sa pulitika upang mabago ito, pero nalalamon siya ng sistema: maaaring siya'y umalis o siya'y matutulad din sa mga taong nais niyang baguhin. Mahirap baguhin ang sistema dahil hindi lamang mga pulitiko ang corrupt. Pati mga tao, hindi lamang sa mga opisina ng gobyerno kundi pati na rin ang mga ordinaryong tao, ay corrupt ang pananaw, corrupt ang konsensya, corrupt ang prinsipyo. Corrupt = Sira. Kailangan talagang lahat ay mabago.
Ngayong eleksyon, paano ako pipili ng lider? Unang-una, ako'y magdarasal, at hihingi ng patnubay ng Panginoon kung ano ang aking magiging desisyon. Pangalawa, pag-aaralan kong mabuti ang mga pagkatao ng mga kandidato at ang kanilang mga pangako. Pangatlo, titingnan ko ang aking anak habang siya ay natutulog at ako'y magninilay kung ano ang pinakamagandang hakbang na aking gagawin para sa kanya. Hindi dapat ang ating mga anak ang magdala ng mga pasanin ng ating bansa. Kailangang tayo ang mag-alay sa kanila ng isang magandang bukas.
Gusto ba natin silang maghirap tulad natin --- maghirap sa pera, maghirap ang loob? Gusto ba nating hanggang sa kaapu-apuhan natin, marami pa ring Pilipino ang umaalis ng bansa upang makaranas ng kaunting kaginhawaan, upang malaman lamang na ang mga anak at asawang naiwan ay nagwawaldas ng pera o gumagawa ng hindi maganda? Nais ba nating hanggang sa kaapu-apuhan natin, ang Pilipinas ay watak-watak pa rin, katulad ng pagkakawatak-watak ng mga isla natin? Tuwing rebolusyon lang ba tayo magkakaisa, upang magkanya-kanya lang uli pagkatapos?
Kailangan natin alisin ang pagiging makasarili. Gawin natin ang ating tungkulin ngayong Mayo na ang iniisip ay ang kabutihan at kaunlaran ng buong bansa. Matuto tayo ng panibagong pananaw --- iyong hindi makasarili.
Sometimes I wish I could change precincts... but hey, that's not the point. In highschool, we were taught that we can change the system. Now, we are parents... but I can't see how we can change the system. I can't just pass that duty to my child! It's unfair and with this mindset, the vicious cycle will never end. I bet, our parents were told that they were the future of the nation and that they too can change the system, hence the activism during Martial Law era. And I bet, their parents before them were also told this adage. But still, have we really changed the system? Or are we just changing the faces we see up there?
Hindi ko alam kung paano ako makakatulong sa pagbabago ng ating bansa, pero ang alam ko, gusto kong mabago ang pananaw ng karamihan. Nalulungkot ako kapag naririnig ko ang mga dahilan o basehan ng pagboto o pagpili ng ilan sa aking mga kakilala. Sabi ng ilan, ang iboboto nila ay yung sikat, yung mukhang mabait, yung siguradong mananalo, yung nag-donate sa barangay nila, yung nag-donate sa school nila, yung nag-sponsor ng liga nila, yung nagpayaman sa probinsya nila... Sapat na ba iyon? Dati, ang pilosopiya ko rin ay karapat-dapat piliin ang mga kandidatong nakakatulong sa kapwa. Tama naman ito, kaya lang, nagiging daan ito sa mas lalong paghirap ng mga mahihirap (dahil umaasa lamang sila sa mga makukuhang "tulong" sa mga kandidato, kaya pumipila sila sa bahay o opisina ng mga pulitiko tuwing may kailangan sila at tuwing may okasyon tulad ng piyesta at Pasko ng Pagsilang ni Kristo) at ang patuloy na pangungurakot ng karamihan upang mabawi ang mga naibigay na tulong. Oo nga at nag-donate sila ng pera para maipagawa ang gym o ang kalsada o ang barangay hall o ang paaralan. Pero, alam ba natin kung tama ang halaga ng mga pagpapagawang ito sa normal na halaga? Ibig kong sabihin, nakakasiguro ba tayong hindi sila nag-over-pricing para makakuha ng kick-back? Kung pera ang ibinigay, nakakasiguro ba tayong ito'y taos-puso nilang pagtulong hindi lamang sa personal na kadahilanan kundi ayon sa kanilang pangkalahatang plano ng pag-unlad ng ating bayan? Ibig kong sabihin, ang mga naipangako ba nilang mga plano ng pag-unlad at pagpapagaan ng ating mga buhay ay naisasagawa nila? Ang pagtulong nila ay hindi dapat nababase lamang sa kung sino ang humihingi at pumipila sa kanilang mga opisina. Ang pagtulong nila sa bayan ay dapat naaayon sa isang Master Plan. May specific objective o layunin. May priority projects na paglalaanan ng mga pondo. Hindi strike anywhere. Hindi palakasan.
Minsan, may mga taong pumapasok sa pulitika upang mabago ito, pero nalalamon siya ng sistema: maaaring siya'y umalis o siya'y matutulad din sa mga taong nais niyang baguhin. Mahirap baguhin ang sistema dahil hindi lamang mga pulitiko ang corrupt. Pati mga tao, hindi lamang sa mga opisina ng gobyerno kundi pati na rin ang mga ordinaryong tao, ay corrupt ang pananaw, corrupt ang konsensya, corrupt ang prinsipyo. Corrupt = Sira. Kailangan talagang lahat ay mabago.
Ngayong eleksyon, paano ako pipili ng lider? Unang-una, ako'y magdarasal, at hihingi ng patnubay ng Panginoon kung ano ang aking magiging desisyon. Pangalawa, pag-aaralan kong mabuti ang mga pagkatao ng mga kandidato at ang kanilang mga pangako. Pangatlo, titingnan ko ang aking anak habang siya ay natutulog at ako'y magninilay kung ano ang pinakamagandang hakbang na aking gagawin para sa kanya. Hindi dapat ang ating mga anak ang magdala ng mga pasanin ng ating bansa. Kailangang tayo ang mag-alay sa kanila ng isang magandang bukas.
Gusto ba natin silang maghirap tulad natin --- maghirap sa pera, maghirap ang loob? Gusto ba nating hanggang sa kaapu-apuhan natin, marami pa ring Pilipino ang umaalis ng bansa upang makaranas ng kaunting kaginhawaan, upang malaman lamang na ang mga anak at asawang naiwan ay nagwawaldas ng pera o gumagawa ng hindi maganda? Nais ba nating hanggang sa kaapu-apuhan natin, ang Pilipinas ay watak-watak pa rin, katulad ng pagkakawatak-watak ng mga isla natin? Tuwing rebolusyon lang ba tayo magkakaisa, upang magkanya-kanya lang uli pagkatapos?
Kailangan natin alisin ang pagiging makasarili. Gawin natin ang ating tungkulin ngayong Mayo na ang iniisip ay ang kabutihan at kaunlaran ng buong bansa. Matuto tayo ng panibagong pananaw --- iyong hindi makasarili.
Friday, March 30, 2007
After The Storm Has Gone
For a while, to write was all I could do...
Then Milenyo came, and I'm glad we're alive
Deep inside I knew my fear was true...
Hehehe, forgive me! I just can't help it! After I typed the title in this blog, those lyrics just popped in my head. :-)
Well, let's start... hopefully, this will be start of a much faithful writing in my blog. True, the Milenyo super-typhoon affected most of us here in the South. We lost our DSL connection (reconnected after 2 months!), our office ceiling was ruined (including our brand new 5-in-1 colored printer, scanner, photo printer, fax & copier!)... but, hey, I'm glad we're alive and that nothing really bad happened to us. Unfortunately, our neighboring town of Sto. Tomas got the fury of Mt. Makiling when landslides from the denuded part of the mountain went down and with Milenyo's continuous pouring of large quantities of "super-typhoon-water", flooded the townproper and nearby barangays. Houses were flooded from as low as waist-high (adult-waist-high!) to as high as probably 7ft, glass walls of a popular highway restaurant were broken, and a large portion of the concrete fence of a new cold storage facility was downed as if it were made of wood, showing the path where the water & mud & debris from the mountain went. There were casualties and large losses from damaged properties, but we don't know why there were no reports on TV... perhaps, because of the debates on the billboard nightmares in Manila... or perhaps, there was a cover-up. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.
What happened in Sto. Tomas is a warning to all of us, just like what the floods and landslides in Leyte and Quezon have told us years before. I just hope that our people living in the towns surrounding the mountain have learned a valuable lesson since the tragedy was closer to home. The Los Baños side probably didn't experience landslides and floods (I hope!) that Sto. Tomas did... perhaps due to the numerous people and organizations that are concerned about the preservation of the mountain that has been the home of our state university (in short, activists?). Hehehe, take no offense, I lived there for four (4) years and I've been branded an activist even if I'm just hard-headed or stubborn. I guess all UP students have to live with that label.
I hope my children get to read these thoughts and aspirations so that they'll get to know me much better and perhaps influence their thinking into taking much more responsibility in caring for the environment (oops, better stop using these plastic cups... plastic!).
Ka-chow! - Lightning McQueen
Then Milenyo came, and I'm glad we're alive
Deep inside I knew my fear was true...
Hehehe, forgive me! I just can't help it! After I typed the title in this blog, those lyrics just popped in my head. :-)
Well, let's start... hopefully, this will be start of a much faithful writing in my blog. True, the Milenyo super-typhoon affected most of us here in the South. We lost our DSL connection (reconnected after 2 months!), our office ceiling was ruined (including our brand new 5-in-1 colored printer, scanner, photo printer, fax & copier!)... but, hey, I'm glad we're alive and that nothing really bad happened to us. Unfortunately, our neighboring town of Sto. Tomas got the fury of Mt. Makiling when landslides from the denuded part of the mountain went down and with Milenyo's continuous pouring of large quantities of "super-typhoon-water", flooded the townproper and nearby barangays. Houses were flooded from as low as waist-high (adult-waist-high!) to as high as probably 7ft, glass walls of a popular highway restaurant were broken, and a large portion of the concrete fence of a new cold storage facility was downed as if it were made of wood, showing the path where the water & mud & debris from the mountain went. There were casualties and large losses from damaged properties, but we don't know why there were no reports on TV... perhaps, because of the debates on the billboard nightmares in Manila... or perhaps, there was a cover-up. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.
What happened in Sto. Tomas is a warning to all of us, just like what the floods and landslides in Leyte and Quezon have told us years before. I just hope that our people living in the towns surrounding the mountain have learned a valuable lesson since the tragedy was closer to home. The Los Baños side probably didn't experience landslides and floods (I hope!) that Sto. Tomas did... perhaps due to the numerous people and organizations that are concerned about the preservation of the mountain that has been the home of our state university (in short, activists?). Hehehe, take no offense, I lived there for four (4) years and I've been branded an activist even if I'm just hard-headed or stubborn. I guess all UP students have to live with that label.
I hope my children get to read these thoughts and aspirations so that they'll get to know me much better and perhaps influence their thinking into taking much more responsibility in caring for the environment (oops, better stop using these plastic cups... plastic!).
Ka-chow! - Lightning McQueen
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