I am so many things, a wanderlust being one of them. Wanderlust according to our friend Wikipedia, "is a strong desire for or impulse to wander or travel and explore the world". It is not until 2012 that I had discovered my desire to travel. Back then, the idea of going somewhere far seemed like a distant star. Thank God for having a job, I can now fund my travels.

Forgiveness

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." ~Luke 6:27-28 NIV

When someone hurts us, most often than not our initial reaction would be to strike back, take revenge - perfectly like in the movies. But I have learned that the best way to handle it is to forgive and pray for the person because that will bring you peace and will stop the vicious cycle of hate and apathy. We are only passing in this world, cultivating hatred and revenge in our hearts will bring us no good.

Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances

So I just finished reading this book given to me by my office mate. It's titled LET IT SNOW: Three Holiday Romances - a book authored by three writers with three different stories that are intertwined to each other. This is my first time reading works of the three authors as I am a self confessed fan of Nicholas Sparks, I literally fell in love with The Rescue, the first novel I read way back high school.

Girls Day Out: Mantangale Alibuag Dive Resort

This is post long overdue. It's almost a month now since my high school buddies and I went to Mantangale Alibuag Dive Resort in Balingoan for a beach day out and to snorkel. Honestly, even though it was just an hour of bus ride away from home, it's a shame it was only my first time to visit this spot. 

Anyway, to get to the resort, we just boarded a Lipunan Bus that's bound for Gingoog City. From Balingasag to Balingoan, the fare is 32.00 Php if my memory serves me right. The resort is just a few meters away from the highway actually but in our haste and excitement, we alighted from the bus at Balingoan Public Terminal so we needed to take another ride to the resort itself by a tricycle.

We then walked going to the resort's gate where the guard asked us to pay 150.00 php each for the entrance which can be consumed through food (and cottage perhaps). I wasn't so sure about the latter though.

#AwesomeWeekend at Cebu

I am a self-confessed wanderlust. Most people today would dream to acquire wealth and riches but not me. Well of course, I have to have money to sustain my needs (and some wants) but not those insanely huge figures. Anyway, this is not the topic of this post today. The topic is about my experience and realizations last weekend when I went to Cebu to visit my closest college and high school friends whom mostly I have not seen for almost two years. It's been that long since two weeks after our graduation, I flew directly to Manila to find my 'fate', well technically to find a job. And ever since then, I haven't got to see them as we were all busy making a living in the 'real world'.

My Tampered Bus Ticket

Hello friends! How's your day been? Mine actually didn't started well as I have this very frustrating experience which I will share with you today. This is actually regarding my experience with a certain conductor in a Green Star bus I rode from San Juan to EDSA Ortigas earlier this morning. 

The story goes like this:

I waited for a bus around 7:40AM at Pinaglabanan. Along came this Green Star bus with plate number UVK-468. I boarded, sat and waited for the conductor to take my fare. Everything was usual, me giving the money and this kuya conductor giving me the change and the ticket. I have this habit of checking if the value of the ticket is exact so after a few moments I went on to check the ticket he gave. At first glance, one will find it normal as the big 12.00B is very much readable. We only pay the minimum for the trip so I thought nothing's wrong.  However, I was quite uneasy with the it because it was a little crampled and I saw folded lines already. New tickets are usually smooth and firm. I took a second hard look and voila! Just as my instinct dictated, the ticket was really tampered. If you look at the picture below, you will find the words "TWO PESOS" below 12.00B. I realized that the 12.00B was traced with a pink ballpen and the "1" in "12" was just handwritten. Pretty clever!

With the observations I made, I was firm with my decision to confront kuya conductor as I don't like the idea of us passengers paying right for our fare and not getting exact values for our tickets. That is really unfair you know. So, I waited for him to pass by again and when he did, I told him that the ticket he gave me was tampered because it only says TWO PESOS. You know what he just said, "12 pesos yan eh!", then walked past me hastily. He just literally brushed me off! With his actions, I knew he was guilty - guilty of cheating me, his past victims and even his mother company. I know this is not the first time he did this to his passengers and most people would not notice if they don't bother enough to check if their tickets are valid and not tampered. 

Before alighting the bus, I talked to him again, showing the ticket and told him "Two pesos lang to kuya. Irereklamo kita.". Then I continued to walk but I made sure to take a look at the bus' plate number (so I was able to mention it above). Ha! You think I will not stand up against this trickery huh? Well, this post is my protest.

Php 12.00 maybe just a small amount but if we always let this small act of cheating go unnoticed and these people not reprimanded, it will surely create more trouble in the future. Remember the left and right news about corruption in our country today? Well these kinds of actions are precursors. I'm not trying to be righteous here. All I just want is to remind all of us that honesty is still the best policy. If we can't be honest on small things, how much more with the big ones?

As for you kuya conductor, I hope you will realize one day how wrong your actions are. You didn't only cheated, you also lied. Just deny and deny eh? I feel so sorry for you. I'm really annoyed and I will not hide that.

P.S. I'm so sorry Green Star if I have to mention you. For sure not all of your conductors are as bad as this one but I hope you always instill the value to honesty in you workers. And it's not just me that was cheated here, you were surely cheated also. :)

Mantra: Speak Words of Kindness

Growing up, I have become very much quick-tempered. I get angry easily even on small matters like messy beds and dusty floors. I usually express my frustration and impatience through anger that leads me to hurt those people I value with the very words that come from my mouth. Mind you, I can be very harsh when I get angry even up to the point of cursing already. And as the saying goes, regrets come last. Whatever I say, I can never take back the damage if it's already done.

Thus, I come to a resolve - to practice this mantra: SPEAK WORDS OF KINDNESS. I've been telling myself this over and over since last Sunday after hearing a beautiful homily in the church. Instead of getting angry immediately, I try to take a deep okay, very deep breath - inhale exhale; then I remind myself of my said mantra. By this, I am taming and reminding myself to be careful in my words. I know incorporating this in my being will take a lot of time but I will try my very best to better myself.

I would like to share this with all of you too. Always speak words of kindness my friends because if we  allow goodness to reign in our words, we can make this world a better place for all of us in one way or another. Now let's start it with our very own words.

God bless us all! :)

A Reminder To Hid: LOOK UP

"This media we call social is anything but, when we open our computers and it’s our doors we shut..."

I was browsing through 9gag.tv for some entertainment when I came across this video entitled "Look Up" where Gary Turk is talking about the cons of being too immerse in social media. Since it conveys a very good message, I would like to share it with you guys. Please take time to watch until the end and together let us examine ourselves. :)

P.S. Credits to Mr. Gary Turk of  www.garyturk.com

Minalungao National Park (5.1.2014)

Another day spent with mother nature! May 1, 2014 was my dear boyfriend's 24th birthday. Since it's a holiday here in the Philippines ( Labor Day), we set a day trip to Minalungao National Park in General Tinio, Nueva Ecija. According to our forever friend, Wikipedia, Minalungao National Park is "a protected area covering 2,018 hectares centered along the scenic Peñaranda River bordered on both sides by up to 16-meter high limestone walls in the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountain range. It was established in 1967 by virtue of Republic Act No. 5100".

We rented a van to take us to and fro General Tinio, N.E. Actually, the planned time of departure was 5:00 AM, however, there were a lot of things that were bought along the way plus no one from the group really knew the road going there so we indeed up arriving on the site around past 11:00AM. That's after asking a lot of people for directions and hearing different answers. Mind you, it's such a pain in the a** not to know which road to take so better do a lot of research before heading there because it's a remote place and you might get lost in the winding road.  Fast-forward, this was the view that welcomed us there. There were a lot of people already when we arrived so we hurried to find a place we can rent for our stay.

Byaheng Ilocos

Finally, another item in my bucket list crossed out! *insert grinning face here* Last March 28-30, 2014, I was able to get the chance to join a weekend trip to the famous provinces of Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur.  Actually, we (my boyfriend and I) were not part of the original group who planned the trip but since some of the original members withdrawn on the last minute due to personal reasons, we were able to hop in. Thanks to Mommy Babes and Sir Iket! 

Our trip started on the night of the 28th where we rode a Partas Bus bound to Loaog which departed around 10:00 PM from Cubao. Beforehand, we were told that the trip was to take 9-10 hours to get to Vigan. It was somehow grueling to think that we will be sitting for that long but good thing it was a night trip so we just have to sleep while we travel. Thankfully however, the bus driver was quite a racer because it only took us seven hours to get to Vigan and yes, I quite felt that the bus was close to flying haha! Yet, Partas takes pride in their drivers so I’m confident that no harm will come to us.  I guess since we also only had one stop - that's in Pangasinan, that the travel was fast.

BPI More Fun Prepaid Card

Nowadays, most purchase transactions are already done through cards. In the past, only credit cards  are accepted in electronic purchase orders (EPS) but now we can already use our debit cards. Yet, our debit cards can only do as much because of its limitations. In our country, most debit cards offered by banks can't be used to purchase airline tickets which is very important for frustrated travelers like me. 

Yet, thanks to this new service by the Bank of the Philippine Islands and the Department of Tourism, we now have the More Fun In the Philippines Prepaid Card - VISA powered! This is very good for those who do not want to tie themselves to credit cards and for those who are not good in handling money like me (but I'm working to end this habit hehehe). As this is prepaid, you just have to load it when you need to purchase something and you can use it just like credit cards, everywhere where VISA is accepted. This doesn't require a maintaining balance and you only need to pay PHP 250.00 for the application fee.

Some more features:

Has 16 digit Card Number
Card Validity is 18 months
Card carries Cardholder's name
With signature panel at the back where cardholder signs the card
Has CVC 2/Card Verification 2 (3 digit number located at the right of the signature panel)
Reloadable up to 100,000.00

Note:
More Fun Prepaid Card cannot be used at the ATMs

To apply, you don't need to go to a BPI bank anymore as you can do it online. 

1. Go to http://morefun.bpicards.com/ and click the pink arrow pointing down.

I really like how they set up the page! It's responsive and it's very colorful. I love pastel colors! 

2. On the next page click the Apply call out. You will be directed to Step 1. 

Choose your card design from the gallery or upload your own! See? It's very customizable.

3. Fill in the details needed in Step 2 and Submit.

Find a BPI branch nearest to you where you can conveniently claim your card.

If the card is ready, you will be notified via email. Head to your nominated branch, present the printed Purchase Agreement Form (attached to the email) and your payment to claim your card. To start using it, just load it and viola! Enjoy shopping! :D

By the way, here's my card.

 I opt for the Philippine Tarsier picture because it's our pride (my father is a Boholano) and it's already endangered. I'm showing my support for their protection via this card. I find tarsiers very cute and fragile. I do hope we Filipino people will do our best to protect them especially now that they are declining in numbers. Please please don't take them as pets. Don't support any illegal activity concerning them. 

For more information about More Fun Prepaid Cards click here.

What I Do When I'm Feeling Blue

Today has been a rough day for me. There are so many things going on right now.

 Each of us has a unique way of combating loneliness. What I'd usually do when I feel sad or lonely is to read inspiring quotes or find something to eat or just look at the trees to make to me feel better. But I think the weirdest and vainest thing I do is to look at my pictures, the ones where I'm smiling. Yes, I do that a lot when I feel blue. A picture can paint a thousand words, as they say. Pictures may not be able to communicate directly but just by seeing something positive helps me feel good in a matter of minutes. I find it weird and great at the same time.

As I said earlier, this day had been rough. So I looked at this picture taken in Baguio City. Seeing me smile like this, I feel contentment and freedom from anything negative. Well, this day will end after all. Everything's gonna be fine. Yes, it will be fine.

How about you? What do you usually do when you're feeling blue? :)

"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort."

(quoted) 

OOTD: Neutral Friday

Hi guys! How have you been? I just wanna share with you my outfit for today at work. Well, because it's Friday, I'm more girly girly today. The colors are neutral with black and brown as the main theme.

I'm feeling really girly when I wear skater skirts. They're fun, they're light and they're kind'a childish and that's what I love about them.

 By the way, I just finished taking a bath when these photos were taken so I didn't bother to comb my hair nicely as they are still wet and that is a bad habit since the hair strands are still soft. You should let it dry (air dry) before combing it. 

 

Thank you Sir Lemz for this shots!

Just so you know, I am not into pricey clothes so I try to scour good finds in sales, unbranded boutiques and even in thrift shops. 

Remember:

You don't have to spend much to be fashionable. All you need is resourcefulness, creativeness and a good eye for art because dressing up is an art more than anything else.

Have a great day friends! ☺

[ootd] black skater skirt by trend_dealer | unbranded brown top with hearts design (rob galleria) | belt by gozum | flats by australia

Sulit.com.ph Now OLX.ph

"Ang hindi na ginagamit, ibenta mo na!"

I bet you already heard this line in televisions and other campaigns of Sulit, an online platform where you can buy and sell items posted by its members (to which I am a member also). Today, Sulit has embarked into another journey as it is now known as OLX.ph. So don't be surprised (like I did!) when your browser will redirect you to olx.ph when you go to sulit.com.ph. This change has been brought about by Sulit being now a member of the OLX network, one of the world's biggest ads network.

Image courtesy of olx.ph

According to the post of one of its administrators, "The objective of changing our name to OLX is to get the attention of every Filipino that now’s the time to make some changes of their own and join the millions of people around the globe like in India, Brazil, and Portugal, who have already used OLX to sell their things.  The name change to OLX aims to inspire Filipinos to re-think what they know about Sulit, and to re-think what they have to sell online. The name OLX originally came as an abbreviation of the phrase ‘online exchange’."

With this, the website's interface is changed to showcase the new brand colors. Noticed the blues and oranges? Their android app is also upgraded to cater these changes. They are also expanding their customer support to attend to their customers' needs even on nights and weekends. 

Kudos to this Sulit team! I mean OLX.ph team! ;)  

Good luck on your future endeavors! 

Disclaimer: I am in no way related to Sulit nor I am paid to post this. All infos are found here.

Why I Love #TeamKramer

If you're an avid twitter user, you probably have heard, read or noticed about #TeamKramer which had trended a lot of times on Twitter PH. Team Kramer is a celebrity family here in the Philippines composed of Doug Kramer (dad), Chesca Garcia-Kramer (mom), Kendra Kramer (eldest daughter), Scarlett Kramer (second daughter), Gavin Kramer (youngest, only son).  Miss Chesca is a celebrity and endorser while Mr. Doug is a professional basketball player playing for the San Miguel Coffee, as of this writing.

From L-R: Chesca, Kendra, Gavin, Scarlett, Doug

Image courtesy of www.spot.ph

I am an avid follower of their Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages. I believe that what caught the hearts of their fans was the three super-cute-to-the-nth-level children, Kendra, Scarlett and Gavin. The charm these little kids have is just a delight to me and to the thousand of fans they have.  Miss Chesca and Mr. Doug is constantly posting photos and videos about them so I'm quite updated. I would often sneak a peek on my instagram when I am feeling stressed already at work because seeing the family's photos and videos of bonding moments just takes my stress away!

Today, I will not talk much about Mama Chesca and Papa Doug because they are already as famous as they are. I will talk more about their three angels which had totally captured my heart. 

Kendra, the eldest, have grown to be a pretty and witty little lady as showcased when the whole family guested in Vice Ganda's show, Gandang Gabi Vice, recently. Kendra, aka #kendrasuperstar totally blew away the audience with her confidence and adorable cuteness. I was laughing really hard with that episode as Vice was no match for her. Haha! I believe the #TagalogTime became popular (correct me if I'm wrong) because Kendra is being taught Tagalog words and her parents would post videos of her speaking cutely.  She has the celebrity potential as she is really confident in front of the camera aside from the fact that she is really pretty too. Look at that face! 

Uuuugh, I love you, Ate Kenken!

Image courtesy of Team Kramer Facebook Page

 Scarlett, aka  #scarlettdoll  is also called "Dolly" by her parents and fans because she really looks like a doll. She is a little "pilya" but is really sweet and shy too. And she has this enticingly kissable cheeks! For sure, she'll grow up as beautiful and as lovely as her ate Kenken and Mama Chesca one day. By the way, try to dig the famous video of Scar making "away" to her Ate Kenken. When their mom asked her "what did you do to Ate? ", Scar then pretended to be asleep. Hahaha! What a clever little miss this baby girl is!

Hello there, baby Scaaaaar!

Image courtesy of Team Kramer Facebook Page

And then, there's my baby boy crush Gavin, aka #gavincredible, the youngest and the only son of the family as of this writing. I just looooooove this little mister gwapo! His innocence is heart melting, really. And mind you, this boy will grow up a heartthrob one day. Just look at those tantalizing eyes! See now what I'm talking about? I hope he'll not break too many hearts though. Hehe.

Kisses, Gaviiiiiiiiiiiiiin!

Image courtesy of Team Kramer Facebook Page

So back to the question, why I love #TeamKramer? Simply because they are a wonderful wonderful  family. The parents do their best to raise their children in a very good way and they are very grounded on their faith which is really very important in raising a family that's God-loving and God-fearing. I so much love and adore this family and I hope I can be as good as a parent as Ms. Chesca and Mr. Doug one day. 

Thank you so much Team Kramer for sharing your family with all of us. May you continue to inspire the thousands of Filipino families through your good works and deeds!

If you want to know more about Team Kramer, follow their Facebook Page, Team Kramer.

Sorry for murdering the word "cute" here because they really are. I cant even! Cuteness overload!!!

PS :  They will be holding a #TeamKramerAtGlorietta meet-and-greet event on Sunday, March 30, 2014 at 1-4PM. They will be giving 400 exclusive tickets for their lucky fans. Visit their facebook page for more info.

I Don't Know About You, But I'm Feeling 22

It seems like yesterday when I celebrated my 21st birthday and now I'm 22! Cliché as it is, but time really flies so fast. Back when I was young, I honestly see people in their 20's as old. But time has proven me wrong. I mean look at me, do I look old in 22? Lol. Life is just getting exciting as I see it now.

So yeah, how did I celebrate my birthday? There's nothing elaborate about it aside from the fact that for the second time around, I had a birthday cake (my first, as far as I remember, was on my 20th when my college friends baked it for me). During past years, there used to be no celebration for my birthday as March was the time for final exams so the burden are quite huge for my parents. This year, thanks to my Asiatype Family, I had two birthday cakes! Yeeey!

Thank you, RF family!

Thank you, Miss Maribeth! 

My only wish when I blew the birthday candle was happiness and good health for everyone that I love and that no matter how tough the odds will be, we may overcome it all. Of course, I visited EDSA Shrine to offer thanksgiving to my greatest Friend and Creator. I thanked Him for giving me another year to live and to enjoy His blessings and wonderful creations. Life is a beautiful gift and I will live it to the fullest for His greater glory!

Big big thanks to all of you who remembered my day! I was teary-eyed reading the messages and greetings. I am so blessed to have you all. :)

I'm so excited to discover new things, meet new people and create new memories in my 22nd year.

♫♪♫

Uh oh!

I don't know about you

But I'm feeling 22

Everything will be alright

If you keep me next to you

You don't know about me

But I'll bet you want to

Everything will be alright

If we just keep dancing like we're

22

22

~ 22 by Taylor Swift ~

Job Hunting Tips For Fresh Grads

It’s graduation time once again! Alas! After years of toiling and burning your eyebrows, the reward is finally coming - your graduation diploma. I know of all you who's graduating this year have been really excited all along. All the excruciating pressure to comply the requirements, finish your thesis and pass your final exams will finally pay off. Party, party!!!

Buuuuuuuuuuut, reality will then slap you after some nights of celebrating, probably after being wasted from graduation parties. Yes, I’ve been there but in a not-so wasted way somehow. Haha.

SO, WHAT COMES NEXT? I don’t wanna spoil  your “celebration mode” but yes, no matter how happy you might get after graduating (Let’s skip the board exam part since I haven’t undergone that, shall we?), my dear friends WORK COMES NEXT. So today, let’s talk about how to get a job after graduation. The tips that I will tell you are just my own experiences. I just wanted to share it with you.

Image from http://behindthehustle.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jobs.jpeg

TIP # 1: Condition yourself

When looking for a job, it is very important to condition yourself for it. Remember, it will not be an easy task, unless of course, you are so awesome that companies will be the one to run after you. So if you are planning to get yourself in the workforce sooner, start conditioning yourself as early as now. Also, you can set a timeline, say give yourself a month to get a job.( I did it to myself. ) Repeat it everyday like a mantra. That way, you'll be reminded of your goal and you'd be pumped up to work for it. A little pressure will not hurt.

TIP # 2: Build an awesome resume

For sure you were taught in school how to make a resume. A resume is a summary of your background and experiences and is very vital in applying for a job. It basically tells the employeer about you. Try to highlight your achievements and skills. There are many tutorials online on how to build a remarkable resume so utilize it - read and research. I suggest you be honest on the things you put in. Don't blab. Polish your resume and make sure there aren't any errors, typographical or especially grammar of any sort. If you aren't confident of what you do, ask some help to those who know how to proofread. You don't want your resume to go into the shredder at first glance. Make sure to have something that will let you stand out.

TIP #3: Register for carrier sites, networking sites and join job fairs

Jobstreet and JobsDB are the leading career sites in the country from what I observed but there are other good sites too. Create an account and subscribe to their daily advertisements. That way, you'll know when there are vacancies. Jobs postings are usually done online now so have a valid and professional email. When I say valid, please don't use addresses like 'tweetybird101@xx.com' etc. You can opt to use your name as your email address because unprofessional email addresses are a big no-no! Companies are also using networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to advertise a job. Might as well use your accounts to browse and inform yourself. Furthermore, if you know any job fairs happening near you, attend it. Job fairs are a very great way to meet prospective employers. There are also on site interviews done there so you get to practice your conversational skills which is essential in interviews. You will always gain a thing or two with this events.

TIP #4: Apply apply apply

It is not enough to apply to just one or two companies. Submit applications to job postings that you think you are qualified or even to those that you are under qualified. Who knows, the recruiter might consider you. You can apply online or even walk in to companies because some prefer walk-ins. Don't be choosy for now. You'll have the liberty to choose when offers will come to you.

TIP #5: Be patient, think positive and never give up

Patience is needed in finding a job. One time after a day of job hunting, I cried because the one month I set for myself is almost over. But with the encouragement of my family and friends, thankfully I was able to find a job before the month ended. So you too must never give up and always believe that you can do it. Keep away from the negative people, they will do no good to you. Remember Law of Attraction? Tell the universe that you want this thing to happen. Always always think positive because sooner or later it will surely happen. Believe it, claim it!

These are just few of the things I can share with you. I hope you will all land in the job you wanted. Congratulations and welcome to the real world, friends! The industry awaits you. Good luck!!!!