Lola's 92nd

It was a wonderful Sunday family lunch at the Barrio Fiesta restaurant along Marcos Highway.  This is because we are celebrating in advance, Lola's 92nd birthday (Her birthday is August 15).  

After candle blowing, Lola shared a poem for us as her 'speech', which incidentally, was her speech as well on her 80th birthday.:

BIRTHDAY MESSAGE TO MY FAMILY
By Carolina F. San Juan

If you are going to love me, love me now while I still can sense the sweet and tender feelings from real affection flow.

Love me now while I'm still living!

Do not wait 'til I am gone...
to chisel in marble...
warm "love" words in ice cold stone.

If you have dear and sweet words about me...
whisper them to me now..
It would truly make me happy
and glad as I can be...

If you wait 'til I am sleeping,
never to wake up again...
There will be walls of earth and dust between us..
I will never hear them then!

I wont feel or need your kind caresses when the grass grow on my face..
I will no longer crave for love nor embraces...
in my final resting place...

So... then... if you love me any, even just a little bit..
Let me know... that you love me and care while I am living.
So I can own and treasure it.

Love you, Lola! and Happy 92nd birthday!

New look.

My Scratch Pad's getting a new look!

I'm saying goodbye to the old blog layout I made for My Scratch Pad. This is going to be the 3rd time I'm changing the layout.

Blogger.com has come up with beautiful lay-outs that I've never taken advantage of till now. A lot has changed after almost 3 years (since I last posted), and I'm looking forward to coming back!

Diego's 10th at Moshi-Moshi

It was a fine Friday for 10 year-old Diego.  

Just the day before, he blew his candle on the birthday cake his Tita Angge got for him.

Because he loves Japanese food, read: Teriyaki Boy, we decided to take him to a different Japanese restaurant along Katipunan Ave., Moshi-Moshi, after we saw them on the Deal Grocer site.  We went over for an early dinner.  Moshi-Moshi is located at the 2nd floor of the Regis Center along Katipunan Avenue in front of Ateneo.  They are of the same building with Gold's Gym.  As always, parking can be very tricky. We had to go around twice before finding a great spot (their parking is full).  The restaurant's green and cream interiors are very pleasant to the eye.

Their bento box is very filling, it includes Gyudon, Chicken Karaage, Shrimp Roll, and Takoyaki. With unlimited ice cream, Diego had the time of his life, serving after serving after serving.

Senior moments

Hanggang iling na lang ako.

While evaluating calls at work, sometimes the system is just so congested that you'll end up 'behind schedule' and 'behind quota'.  It's hard enough that my agents now are US-based and you are in the mercy of the tools you have. Unlike my previous job where you have the option to go side-by-side with your agents or remote monitoring when there is an issue with the system, here, you're a sitting duck.

It was one of those days that there were some Quality Analysts experiencing difficulties with the recordings.  No, that should not happen to me.  But it did.  After my first break, I pulled up one recording after the other.  No audio.  Hmmm.  Reset. Re-launch program.  Video okay, but still no audio.  I'm now getting irritated because of this, asking my team mates if they where experiencing the same thing. This is about to ruin my day.

Standing up from my station to report it found me stopping in my tracks and giving me a palmslap across my forehead.  Kaya pala.

I found out that I was not wearing my headset.  Geeeshh!!

Fireworks and Jambalaya: PyroMusical Show at the MOA

Fireworks and Jambalaya.

We are on a trio trek to the Mall of Asia. Today is the 1st day of the 3rd Philippine International PyroMusical Competion. This Ensogo treat gave me the chance to take the kids out for an experience I'm sure they'll enjoy.  We've no ride so we first took the LRT Purple line from Santolan to Cubao, then an MRT ride from Cubao to Taft.  From there, we took a shuttle to MOA. We made sure to be early, knowing how the lines would be long.  Left Marikina a little after noontime, and had late lunch at Gumbo's.  Andee and Diego (and me!) enjoyed trying on their assortment of hats and head pieces whule waiting for our food.

The show starts at 8pm, and we were in line at 4pm.  Grabe. Daming tao. When we got through the gate, it was running frenzy for everyone.  Can't stop laughing.  You get to make friends with other people whole in line.  One family brought umbrellas and mats, and coolers! They said that they come every year and watch ALL of the shows.

With the long wait, it is really best to have someone fun to spend time with while waiting.  Andee and Diego kept themselves entertained watching boats, birds, and ripples on the water.

For today, South Korea and Malta competes.  I just wish that they improve their sound system.  It's a totally different experience when fireworks and music synchronize.  This is also one instance when you wish you had a really, really, really good camera with you!

That was fun! Again, again, again!