Geek!

My officemate recently branded me as such.  We were testing an open source project management software (NetOffice) that our IT guy tweaked to suit our operations.  It took me less than 5 minutes to figure out an action that stumped my officemate for a day.  I don’t think it was entirely geekiness though.  It was more like curiosity and experimentation.  Since we were still testing the software, I wasn’t afraid to click on any button just to see what would happen.  That’s exactly what I did and I figured it out.  In fact, when he asked me to show him how to do it, I momentarily forgot since I had tried many other things since then.  Haha!

Moral of the story:  Don’t be afraid of technology, especially if you’re at the testing stage.  Your computer won’t explode if you click on the wrong button.  Now, if you mess with the wiring… 😉  If you happen to damage the system…oh well, that’s why there are technical people, heehee! 😀

However, I think my officemate no longer thinks I’m a geek.  You see, I had to ask him something as simple as how to create a shared folder.  I’m really lost around Windows, and I’m not that eager to find my footing.  After all, I’m only using it in the office and I just use basic applications.  Come to think of it, our server is Linux.  Wonder why our PCs are still Windows?  I’d love to learn a new OS.  Then I could confirm if I’m truly a bone-deep Macgirl because right now nothing has shaken that yet.

A Day of Goodbyes

That’s what yesterday was all about. My favorite cousin went back to the States after a month of vacation here in the Philippines. I enjoyed every minute our clan spent together this past month. Too bad I wasn’t able to join them for out-of-town trips because of work schedule conflict. Now that she’s back in New York, we’re back to an email relationship as well.

The guest priest in our Parish also went back to his native India yesterday. We weren’t really close, but he went to our house once and we had a good long chat. Since then, he would always spare some time to ask me how things are every time I would run into him. He was also almost always around, available for sick calls and impromptu Masses or whatever else you may need a priest for. I guess I would miss that security of having Fr. Benny around. He really loved interacting with everyone he meets and immersing himself in the local life.

The third goodbye is a symbolic one and I guess I’m only still halfway there. I’ll probably write about it someday. Let’s just say that I already got a starter rainy season “gift”, if you could call it as such.

31

I turned another year older last May 14. It was actually one of my most eventful birthdays in recent years. First off, it was election day. This was probably the second or third time that my birthday fell on election day.

Then we had a big clan reunion on my maternal grandmother’s side. It was extra special since it marked my cousin’s homecoming after 15 years, and there were also four of us in the clan who share the same birthday. At 31, I was the youngest among the birthday celebrants.

“Age is but a number”, that’s what I always say to people who rib me about my age. I always say that what’s more important is the state of mind. In my case, those are not just defensive words. Those are words I really live by. And it’s pretty much the consensus that I look younger than my age, haha! 😉

Seriously though, I don’t mind telling people my age. Why be ashamed of it? As I said, it’s only a number, a marker. And there are times when I’m glad to be past the awkward teenage years or the confusion of the twenties.  I feel that this is my prime decade and that the best is yet to come.

Welcome, rain

I’m getting that warm, fuzzy feeling again, with a bit of a squeeze in the heart. It rained hard last Monday evening, and Tuesday morning was just beautiful, albeit a little dreary. The previous evening’s rain washed away the pollution in the air, so the horizon was clearer. It was raining as I walked home last night and I had this big silly grin on my face. I can’t explain it, I just suddenly felt so good.

I don’t care if PAGASA says the rainy season hasn’t arrived yet.  For me it’s already here.  I can smell it in the wind.  I wonder what this year’s rainy season will bring.  Life is good. 🙂

Bollard

My word for the day. I saw it on a road sign at Ayala Avenue. It’s the term for those short poles (usually painted in black and yellow stripes) used as barriers between road lanes. Here’s the dictionary definition from Merriam-Webster:

Pronunciation:

\ˈbä-lərd, British also –ˌlärd\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

perhaps from bole

Date:

circa 1775

 

1: a post of metal or wood on a wharf around which to fasten mooring lines 2: bitt 3: chiefly British : any of a series of short posts set at intervals to delimit an area (as a traffic island) or to exclude vehicles

Being stuck in traffic could sometimes be productive after all. Today it helped expand my vocabulary.

Still Alive

This blog has been silent for a week now, its longest silence ever.  Nope, nothing’s wrong with me.  On the contrary, I’ve actually been busy and enjoying this past week.  My cousin finally arrived from the States, so a lot of my evenings have been spent with her and the rest of the clan.  It’s been like one unending reunion-slash-food trip.  By the way, I’ve gained weight.  Hmm, wonder why? 😀

On the work front, I’m glad to tell you that I’m so much happier now, and definitely not bored anymore.  I’ve been transferred to a different work station once more, this time beside the graphic artists and the wacky Account Manager.  My work assignments have also become more interesting, and I’m now fully working with artists again.  I love it.  I feed on their energy and creativity.

I’ve actually scribbled some paragraphs on different topics in my notebook, which I intended to post here.  I haven’t finished any though, since work kept on “disrupting” my writing.  Haha!  I’ll probably get around to it this weekend – if out-of-town plans do not push through.   Stay tuned…

Oh yeah, definitely alive.

Ok-ish on the busy, merry month of May

I’m fine now, though quick and sudden head movements still make the room spin.  So I’m moving like I have a stiff neck.  At least I’m feeling better each day.

What a time to get sick.  I really hope to be 100% ok within the week.  My favorite cousin (who I haven’t seen in more than 10 years) is arriving from the States, we’re having a big party on Saturday (I think, no confirmation yet) and it’s my birthday in two weeks.  May is actually a busy month in our family.  Aside from mine, it’s also the birthday month of an uncle, a cousin and a cousin-in-law.  It’s also our barangay fiesta and it’s tradition for our family to watch the Santacruzan and make lots of side comments (with only a half-hearted attempt to keep it out of earshot of others).  It’s a tradition that has been alive for at least 3 generations already.  No wonder no member of our family has ever participated in the Santacruzan, even though we get some offers.  No way.   Yikes!  We’re scared of all the comments that might be thrown back at us.  Karma, haha!

This morning, I was rudely awakened by firecrackers, sirens, drums and church bells.  There were also at least 3 parades/motorcades that passed our street within the day, and now I’m hearing drum and bugle corps, signaling a fourth one.  Merry month of May indeed, and this is just the first day of the month.  The first parade was that of the Parish Pastoral Council after the Mass at our chapel (kick-off for the Parish fiesta on May 12).  Then a campaign motorcade at mid-afternoon, and another one a couple of hours ago.  The parade that’s going to begin anytime now has something to do with the barangay fiesta.

Bring on the celebrations! 🙂