That’s a lot of reasons… a lot of excuses.   Before I could just write away.   And not for a lack of topics to post about.   My list has been ever growing with topics.    I’ve been having full days both at home and and work but still, I couldn’t find the energy to sit up and write.   If my income depended on this blog, I’d be in trouble.    Since it didn’t, I had to be physically and mentally ready for my actual bread and butter.

I chose to sleep.  But I miss blog hopping and putting my thoughts into proper posts.   And its not just this blog, I’ve been neglecting my FB, planner, filing my bills.  I’m just too lazy to do anything.   Maybe  my brain is reacting because school will be starting in 2 weeks.

I don’t know.  I just hope I’m over this soon.

Turns out I just have to click that zoom option in the control button above and I can either bring it larger or smaller or even back to normal.  I can’t believe I didn’t think about that sooner.

Hahaha.. what a douche.

Wiki defines Motherhood as referring to the parental role of the mother.   For the past 7 years, I have portrayed every imaginable and conceivable role I can be to Busy Boy.   Together with Dad,  we’ve tried our best to make his life better than ours were, starting him young in exposing him to various experiences.

I had Busy Boy at relatively later age compared to other Moms… a ripe old age of 30.   My foremost wish is that I would be a stay at home mom with him.  But since I still work,  I just gladly gave up any career opportunity that came my way since he (and hubby) have become my #1 priority.  And I haven’t regretted it ever since.

My role as toddler’s mom is almost over.  At least, I can always lovingly look back at the time when I had a helpless baby and now look forward to dealing with an almost independent boy.   Its a tougher phase but its something I wouldn’t miss for anything.

There’s an ongoing rumor at the office that we are finally getting a Performance Incentive Bonus (PIB), based on our individual contribution to the Bank’s (net) income.   We all got excited with the prospect of extra money coming in.   Since we’re with loans, we are the Bank’s premiere income generating department.  Our daily work earns the income we are about to share.

Big Boss calls for another departmental meeting to give us a blow however.  We had a difficult 2009 with the death of our group head, dear LHC, and we had to stop our vaunted cash cow, the wholesale receivables purchase due to an account turning past due.  This big account started a series of audits and adhoc appearances.   So we (housing, auto, salary, personal loan products)  worked ourselves to the bone with retail loans and we ended with another banner year.   Modesty aside, yours truly ended up with the highest bookings in housing loans.     It turns out, despite the loss to that past due account, we had income higher than 2008.  Hooray!!

But wait, there’s a footnote to that press release.  All those who received letters from our HR won’t be included.   Say that again?  Won’t be included? Aside from having the word suspension written on our 201 files, being a persona non grata in the office on your “special leave“ with no pay, now this?   This was our “punishment” says the grapevine. So what happened to all the accounts I booked with corresponding income?   Our new group head was said to have stepped in and disallowed this but the damage has been done.

They made a mistake of giving us this news a few days before month end.  Just when you were supposed to gear up and rush those bookings.  I don’t know about my colleagues but I slowed down about 10 notches.   I know its not the proper attitude especially since my team sees me.  But I couldn’t help it.  All that work for nothing.  It seems so unfair that we, the income generating group won’t get any while the office staff in a back room department (like Accounting for example, no offense to accountant readers or back room units) will get theirs.   Not even my “always positive” mantra can make me feel better.

Our auto boys have a better name for it –  PI(that Filipino expletive)! Bonus.   Well, we find out in a week.  But I’m not holding my breath anymore.

Our vehicles went separate ways in terms of repair.   The family van went to a Nissan casa, which took 6months to repair and a whopping Pxxx,xxx fee, while my car was sent to an accredited talyer by our office.    It just took a little over 2 months of repair and Pxx,xxx only because they were not equipped with all the parts for replacement.  I posted before of finally getting the car back.

Car needed to have the TCM (transmission control module)  replaced but we couldn’t afford the price at that time.  From the usual P12k, the price ballooned to P37K at the height of car repair season.  We tried having it repaired and bidded our time  by having to ask our driver friends for help, searched Banawe several times before finally, we had no choice but to return to the Chevy casa.

As far as I understand, the TCM supposedly controlled the changing of gears for an AT car.  For 5 months the car was fixed in running at 3rd gear and chugged more gas.   Apparently there was a customer who didn’t proceed with purchasing a TCM and it was offered to us at a considerably lower price.

Finally, the car is now kinda back to its usual pre-Ondoy self.   We can scale the mall parkings without worrying the car will blow a gear.    We still have to check that overworked 3rd gear though.   Owning a car really entails expenses.

I almost forgot — change tires!

I had a scheduled department meeting, hence, I had to dress the usual terno blazer (in this heat!) and slacks and heeled mules.   I’m ok  with this and its almost my daily attire at work.  However just before our meeting,   our other Bank calls us regarding a regularization in my telegraphic transfer last Monday.

So I walked, a little faster than the usual,  a good 4 buildings away and back.  Ang init! The rest of the day was dealt with walking to and fro the client area  and being called by Big Boss.   It was relief to just be a passenger going home.

Turns out we had to go to the grocery.  Boy, did I want to ride the cart and ask Dad to push me around.  But it wasn’t so.   And I had another  walking session, this time longer (even if it was cooler).

Ahhh… to finally put my feet up.  I hope I can schedule a foot spa during in the weekend.  That is, if I finish clearing up things in my room.

And that’s my biggest problem in getting my own domain blog.   I was thinking of getting a personalized design, but I just can’t stay too long on just one design or color or theme.

Just goes to show how fickle minded I am.  2 heartbeats away from the big 4-0 and I change minds as often as teen aged girl.   On the other hand, that’s how I am ever since.   I chose one than change when I’ve outgrown it.   Its my unilateral treatment for things… cellphones, bags, clothes.

Second,  the office has mandated we all get corporate phones.   It got into a deal with Smart making calls within our ‘circle’ cheaper than the regular plan.     We belong to the marketing group ergo, we have this ‘benefit’.    I’ve been using my Smart line before Busy Boy was born but its no use having two Smart lines.  My personal  sim is practically useless since we can only use the corporate sim if we want to have our calls reimbursed.

I’ve stayed with my line for almost 8 years because I don’t like the business of changing numbers.

Eventually I’d  have to do that.  Bummer.

And don’t get me started on what unit to get.

2 1/2 – Pre-Nursery

3 1/2 – Nursery

4 1/2  - Kinder

5 1/2 – Kinder 2

6 1/2 – Grade 1

You may ask, why start so young, but the Pre-Nursery was more of play and socialize than study.  They just supplemented early learning of ABCs and 123s.   Given that Busy Boy has no siblings and he’s left alone with the help during the day as Dad and I worked, my parents worked, my sister worked.    I wasn’t going to leave Busy Boy in the mercy of  the noon time shows!

Ooops,  anyway to go back to the premise of my post.  I have got to seriously start packing up the materials of summer – junior novels, Archie comic books, sports gear and much to Busy Boy’s dismay — games and controllers of  our PS2, Wii,  as well as keep the PSP and DS Lite.     I’ve got to file those bills and clear the table.  The OC in me has to plan this because, believe it or not,  we still don’t have the school supplies and uniforms ready.

Actually, I was planning to do it today.  But it was too hot to do anything.   I’m gonna try again next weekend.

Or so help me Lord…

My friend  C (lady in white) and I had a joint late birthday celebration.   We treated our unit  and Big Boss (in blue barong) was kind enough to join us for lunch.    Its been our tradition to give the group a treat on our birthdays and I’ve been with them for 11 years!   Our friends  didn’t want  C and I to join forces  but its we saw that it was more practical that way.  Besides, our exact natal days have been over for weeks.    To be fair, we just treated them to this eat all you can treat in a nearby hotel.

The menu was great, a mixture of American, Chinese Japanese and French cuisine and desserts.   I just ate what was pleasing to the eye and palette.   My other friends were more adventurous and decided the try the unfamiliar viands.   We were all so full.  The package included  unlimited coffee or tea afterwards.    Pretty soon, I  having a round of nice chamomile tea – my favorite.

Until next year!

One of the world’s beloved holidays, everyone has his version of how to celebrate Mother’s Day.   This mom’s day was special as its been 3 years since I’ve spent it here (summers we were in Selangor).   It was  a chance to celebrate with my mom and sister.   Too bad, Dad was still out of the country for a training.

We started the morning with a mass at St. Pio Chapel in Libis.   This was the first time for me and Busy Boy to go there.   I must admit I liked the chapel and the mass, I loved the interior and the beautiful fresh flowers offered by the church goers, and I was impressed with the Calandra Room for families with children.    I’d like to go back and visit there when there’s no mass to read up on the testimonials.     I was a bit uncomfortable with the pre-mass ministrations but I won’t be judging too early as this is my only experience.    Maybe it will grow on me the next time.

Facade of St. Pio Chapel

After mass we went straight to the swanky Eastwood Mall beside it where Auntie and I treated our mom to a nice lunch at My Thai Lucky Niku Cafe.   Yummy!

Its been a while since we’ve treated our mom to eat out.  She prefers to stay home and not spend our money.  Our lunch is a measly thanks for everything our mom has done for me and Auntie.  After 38 and 36 years, she still there, the stable beacon in our lives… even if she can be very makulit at times.

I always take the opportunity to pose for pictures with Busy Boy (while he still agrees).   His  gift this year is a promise to try to be a more obedient boy.    I really hope so, anak.   With his promise, I also made a promise to more patient with him  also.

Daddy on the other hand, got me the book  I posted about, which I received  a week later.   At last my Percy Jackson series is complete.  Thanks Dad!

How did your Mother’s Day go?  Moms are posting up celebrations in Mommy Moments by Chris.  :)  Have a great weekend!