Last day @ DC

Today is my last day at DC after a full year of working here.  When I joined this company, I thought I was retiring here. Haha! But the  universe had other plans and as I have now come to accept as an essential truth in my life, I am again moving on.

I will miss DC and the relaxed environment of vibrant young people. I will miss having lunch with my friends who are working in the area. I will miss hitching a ride with Carol every afternoon and getting a loaf of bread everyday. I will miss meeting with Gracy at the round about, sharing latest updates and me getting pancakes from her :)



Gracy's and Carol's building at the back of the tree where Gracy and I meet for short mid-day updates.



That's the view from the other side, where DC is.

Beautiful tree in the spring.

I will miss this place a lot and the people that I associate with North Ryde. But as the flowers bloom this spring, I know I am headed to a better place. I have been blessed abundantly, so much earlier than I had planned. Change is always good. I am humbled and deeply grateful. Thank you, Lord.

Barely Keeping My Head Above Water

"If you want to move to a new level in your life, you must break through your comfort zone and practice doing things that are not comfortable."

CPA Exams
Trading
Driving
 
All difficult but just thinking of future rewards keep me motivated.
 
Good luck to me!

Big Holiday 2011

I know, I know… I deserve a big whack in the head for not writing about our three-week holiday back in the home country. Three weeks, baby! And I thought, three weeks was long enough! Apparently, we need to stay longer if we want to squeeze in everything we want to do. Perhaps we might just need to live there again then? Geez, what am I saying? I need another whack! Hehe


Like in our previous holiday back in 2009, the hubby and I prepared our itinerary a month before we left. The big list included the things we needed to do (i.e. pay advance property taxes, renew licenses, visit Pag-ibig office, sort and dispose of old stuff), things we need to buy, people we wanted to see and places we wanted to visit. The “to do’s” and “to buy’s” were all ticked but too bad only about 20% of “places” and “people”. There is just not enough time.

There are so many things to remember from that trip:


• Getting items from the Duty Free shops at 10% additional discount because A works at the airport. Yey!


• Stop over at Brisbane International Airport. We left a very cold Sydney and arrived at a very humid Brisbane but couldn’t change our winter clothes because everything was checked in.


• Meeting the Kuas and Acuins in Manila despite the very short lay over. I also got to see my very good high school barkada, Badah, after 11 long years.


• The many trips to the spa with hubby for the massage that’s aptly called “hagod”- wash out jud tanan kakapoy and worth more than the measly P600 charge.


• Filipino food- lechon, mud crabs, fresh prawn kinilaw, chicharon, mangoes, suman, native chicken, and the list goes on


• Food again but this time our favorite kanding. Papa Nick got one for us which he and the hubby made into papait, kaldereta, sinigang and adobo. I’ve never had too much goat meat in my life! All so yummy—all cooked from the heart.


• The many hours spent at the duyan in Tubod and the never ending exchange of stories over extended meals with my family.


• Trip to Davao, for that unexpected cash (weee!blessing!) and seeing good friends from our military days. We also made a quick visit to hubby’s cousins who have made big businesses in Davao, inspiring us to dream some more. Haaaayz! Big thanks to the Dongail family for being our gracious host- for organizing two dinners with the mistahs and their families, for lending us their Pajero so we can visit Tagum and even go all the way up to Mawab. Grateful for the mistahs who came to see us and stayed until the wee hours of the morning for the big catch up. And if you’re reading this Marnellie, thanks to you and Julien, too 


• Visits to MOA, Divine Mercy Shrine and Dahilayan. Short but really memorable.

• Short drives on hubby's big bike- adrenaline rush!

• My boys bonding with their relatives- priceless! I took a lot of photos so the kids will always remember their family back home.


• Boating inside the fish pond, Kuya Vince learning how to paddle and Rafa doing his bit by putting more water into the boat. Haha!

• The boy’s excitement over seeing real eggs hatch from Lolo Nick’s chickens.


• Crosswind XUV 2011 Moroccan Gold (big, big smile and big thanks to you oh, Lord!)


• Short meet ups with old friends. I promise to see more next time.



We squeezed in as much as we can in those three short weeks. I am grateful most of all for time well spent with family- the very reason for the holiday.

And now I’m counting the days to retirement so I can go back. Haha C’mon y’all, give me a huge smack!

Credit is good…

…when it relates to your rating in the CPA exam! (Big grin and doing the silly dance)

For those who do not know, rating in the CPA exam looks like this:

HD- High Distinction

D- Distinction

C-Credit

P-Pass

N- Fail

DNS- Did not sit

RW- Result Withheld

I know I should be aiming for HD but with my current state where I have to juggle so many things, I would have been over the moon with a humble P!

My boss’ reaction: “You got “C” for Audit and Assurance?!!! My God, you’re good! I know a lot who failed that subject!”

Hmnnn…never has the letter “C” sounded so sweet!

To God be the glory!

Buhi pa ko

Buhi pa ko but after my exams last May 10, i got so busy with the things I missed during those few months I had to study. Things like reading books. As if wala pa nasumhan binasa sa CPA materials no? I've just started reading Oprah’s highly recommended book- The New Earth. I found this book at Vinnies a few months ago. Unfortunately, this failed to hold my attention. I think it’s because lalum kaayo ang writing ani nga book. Dili pa nako matugkad so I started on an ebook by Bo Sanchez- Turning Thoughts into Things. So far, so good.

We’ve also been going out a lot to show my sis-in-law more of Sydney’s tourist destinations. She’s been helping us out so much and is great with the boys. The least we can do is tour her around so she can post photos of Sydney in her Facebook. Haha!

Speaking of Facebook, medyo this is getting a bit boring for me. Thanks to the few days off FB when I had to study, I’m losing interest. Pwede man diay mabuhi nga walay FB and life is so much more peaceful. But I do still check regularly to keep in touch with family and close friends. Daghan na sad ko gitangtang sa akong account.

I’m spending less time on FB, but more time surfing the net to research on my new endeavor. This deserves a separate post so I’ll save it for later.

Just want to post something new on the blog kay gababag akong blue nga kuko.

P is for "Passed"

I am still euphoric over passing my first CPA Australia exams! Yes, folks! Only my first and I have 5 more to go. But I already feel like I finished all of them and worthy to be called a Certified Public Accountant in Australia. Ganito kasi yun...

Other examinees may find the exam easy but for a working mum like me with two active kids and no help other than the hubby who's also clocking in more than 8 hrs of work a day, taking the exam was equivalent to committing suicide. Not the quick poison-induced suicide but the slow and painful kind...torture!

Study time was 3am to 5am and then I have to make breakfast, our lunchboxes, prepare the kids and drop them off to school. Studying at night wasn't possible because when I arrive from work, I still have to feed the kids, supervise Vince with his schoolwork, bring Rafa to sleep, then go back to the kitchen to prepare the next day's meals, clean up the mess and pop in a load of laundry. To make matters worse, hubby was working late nights most of the time. Some nights though, he's off and cook's a week's worth of meals and finish off ironing clothes that I keep pushing to the bottom of the basket. So what about weekends then? I've promised myself that I wouldn't let the exams interfere with our weekend family activities but towards the exam date, I had to log around my books to the beach, the park or wherever the boys decide to go. While they do the barbecue, play ball with their papa, go fishing, I was there sitting on our blue picnic chair, reading my books.

I may not be able to describe in detail the actual experience but suffice it to say that it was the most difficult time of my life. So much more difficult than when I had to do 6 CPA exam subjects all together back in the Phils.

On the brighter side, a few of my Pinoy circle of friends were doing this with me and we helped each other a lot. We exchanged notes and tips and had good laughs sharing our experiences. After the exam, we all went to the Sydney Fish Market to de-stress. Our husbands met us there, too. Talk about moral support :) and then we took a walk around the city, stopped at Max Brenner to have dessert, laugh and just be silly.

On Friday, when I got my result through SMS, it read " CPA Program-Subject- P"

I honestly thought it was the tonque-sticking emoticon :-P
With knees and arms shaking, I had to check online. "P is for Passed"

It sure is! And I am glad :-)

P.S.

I just realized that this experience is the ultimate Balancing Act! Whoooaaa! I'd like to believe that I now have bragging rights but i know in my heart that if it was not through prayers from friends and my family (special mention to hubby, my boys, mama, papa and sisters)- i wouldn't have survived this.

Thank you, Lord!

Dance, boogie wonderland!

With Vince back in school and my sister going home, A and I have our hands full these days.

Although I lack sleep because Rafa is awake at dawn, I have to get up early to fix breakfast and prepare Vince for school. Then there's the endless stack of laundry that needs to be folded. Good thing A does the ironing. We barely have time to sit and then it's time again to prepare lunch then pick Vince up from school. And then it's dinner and Vince's activity sheets before I get to catch a couple of hours sleep.

Amidst all these, I should say A and I still find time to squeeze in a slice of fun into our hectic day. This morning, while I was doing the dishes and he was rocking Rafa to sleep, our favorite 80's dance tunes were playing on the Ipod. He put Rafa down and pulled me to the sala and we had a good laugh doing some crazy dance moves.

Ahhh, life's simple pleasures.

Just so...

...there is an excuse to party, Friday afternoons were tagged as "drinks and chips" day at my very first company in Australia. Loads of drinks and chips were served inside the office and everyone is encouraged to join the chit-chat.

I remember getting tipsy on my first day at work, that being a Friday. Being the newbie, I was too shy to refuse the vodka offered by my boss. Siempre, takot ko lang baka i-fire ako agad. I cluelessly pretended to be "cool" and drank the entire bottle. I had to go to the powder room to vomit afterwards. Hehe!

I learned my lesson after that. I joined the group when everyone has already picked up the alcoholic drinks so that I was left with no other choice but the colas. Wais na misis!

The week that was...

It's been a hectic week with A starting an 8-5 job. We only got to squeeze in Vince for a day at childcare which is Friday. The rest of the week, our friend who does the night shift takes care of him. We learned that the waiting list for child care here could take up to a year. What the....? Eh, by early next year, Vince will be in kindergarten already. Hahay, buhay!


Since we don't have househelp here (waaah, ibalik nyo 'ko sa Pinas!), A and I wake up early, prepare breakfast and packed lunch, assist Vince in taking a bath then leave him with our friend. Then A makes a dash for the train and I, for the bus.


After work, he cooks dinner, I wash up our lunch boxes, A does the laundry while I fold those from the previous day's. We only get to relax after dinner when we get to surf the net, chat with family in pinas, watch dvd's or listen to Australian radio. There is one program we love tuning in to, pretty much like what we have back in Pinas. Kana bang mag-dedicate ug song sa loved ones. Hehe! Would you believe they have it here, too? Corny man pod diay ni sila! Haha A and I get a good laugh everytime we listen to the program.

Weekdays are tough since we still have to take care of housechores after work. But i wouldn't have it any other way. Masaya pa rin kahit pagod. :)

random

I have been busy again because I am starting work at another company. Just to update you with what I've been doing the past days...

• Thank God for technology, i was able to see my relatives through webcam last Saturday. They were attending my Lola's burial and they all trooped to the house so that we can see each other.

• We went to Burkinhead Point last Saturday to do a little shopping at the factory outlets of well-known products. We were able to get branded shoes and clothes at very low prices. While there, we had lunch at the wharf with a charming view of the yachts in front of us. Haay, wish ko lang, someday we'd be able to own one. Hehe

• On my first day at work, I was asked to join a meeting for a new project the company is looking at. I was hired to fix some mess in that company, which I should say is very challenging. This is just a temporary job though, but the boss told me this afternoon that she will get a justification to make me permanent. Hmn..let's wait and see.

I am pleased to see that the pantry is always stocked with fresh fruits (grapes, oranges, apples,pears,bananas YEY) milk, coffee and even beer huh! I had to remind myself to slow down on the grapes, though.

• It's getting colder everyday. We should probably get another heater soon. It is an effort to walk to the bus station. But my son, as usual is still clad in his sandos.

More updates soon...

Still alive!

I'm still here!

i'm jobless but happy...

my days are jampacked.

everyday is a never ending series of packing and unpacking.

but i got to spend a few days of RnR in Davao.

went to 3 charming beaches..

spent 2 days at Pearl Farm and got real pearls as souvenir. woohooo!

i hope to write more about my trip when i have the time.

for now, i'm so tied up, i barely have time to sit down and think :)

haaay, this is the life!

still here

i miss blogging.

there are so many things i want to write but i can't find time amidst the chaos in the office. i've been working long hours since last week and there seems to be no end to all the reports i need to make, sensitivities, P&L's...i'm even bringing home work! waaaah!

BUT,

in two weeks, i will be saying goodbye to all these.

in two weeks, i can sleep late and wake up late, too. yahoo!

in two weeks, i will be spending every single day with my two boys.

in two weeks, i will be starting a new life altogether.

TWO WEEKS!!!!!

that's music to my ears.

nothing could be nicer than that!

May 1 couldn't be that far, right?

so, hang in there girl.

the best is yet to come...

Update…

I finally had the chance to talk to my boss last Monday, Mar 31. I informed him about my planned resignation date but he said I should think it over kasi sayang ang promotion. The evaluation papers are afterall already with HR and only needs the approval of the president for it to be official.

I had prepared my argument for this beforehand but did not have the heart to tell him right then that the decision was final. He's been busy the past few days and the resignation must have been the last thing he wanted to hear.

Tuesday, I again went up to him and this time with the resignation letter in hand. We had a very long talk after that. I just feel sad that I have caused so much trouble for him and my previous boss as they are now racking their brains to find a replacement.

Today, I had my clearances signed which naturally divulged my plans as my papers hopped from one department to another. Word spread like wildfire. In seconds, all three locations (branches) of our company knew about it. I got emails and phone calls left and right. Hehe

I have long envisioned this day to be a happy and liberating one. However, it turned out sad and depressing. My colleagues were very happy and congratulated me for this big, bold move. It was an effort to smile because I am starting to miss them already.

An Unusually Happy Day

Towards lunch this morning, our group manager called all of us for a meeting at the conference room. The manager for legal and HR were there so we immediately knew what the announcement was.

We were anticipating the retrenchment since early last year but it was only today that we got the official word. Weird but when the announcement was finally done, there was nary a trace of the expected reactions – cying spells or heart-wrenching appeals for retention. Everyone was in fact happy to be retrenched. Those who were not volunteered to be paid. Haha!

I was hoping I was included but well, that would have been too much to ask.

Moingon na unya si Lord, “Sobra na ka ha!”

Haw-haw da karabaw!

How am I gonna tell my boss that I am resigning next month?

When is the best time for this?

Where? (He’s got meetings lined up till Saturday)

Who will replace me?

Last month, I already told my boss that I am resigning very soon and the circumstances behind it. I just did not tell him it’s gonna be in three months. He assumed I will be staying until September or at least until my promotion which was set for this month or next.

I should be tendering my resignation next week but at the rate things are running around here, it would be heartless and inconsiderate of me to drop the bomb at a time when things are going outrageously hectic. Haaay!

God, please give me that ‘perfect time’ within this week or I run the risk of jeopardizing our schedules.

What’s another word for busy?

I wish I don’t anymore have to write that I’m busy.
I wish that life could have been simpler, relaxed, laid-back.
I wish my days were about staying at home, gardening, cooking more, playing with my son, doing arts and crafts, going shopping or to the spa, seeing places. Wish, wish, wish…

Wish lang naman…

So just give me another word for busy para maiba naman because at this point, busy and all it’s relatives (including the superlatives) are the only words in my vocabulary.

Ironically, I seem to welcome this state. I am currently learning so much I am actually contemplating a career in sales. Or I could go into logistics. Maybe marketing? mwahaha! Wish ulit…I should just probably stick to a career in finance.

All the running around is wrecking havoc to my health. Naks! Siempre, I need to de-stress and retail therapy usually does the trick. Early this week, I got myself my dream pumps at more than half it’s price! Lucky eh?

But really, at the end of the day, when my son greets me with a big, warm hug, all the day’s cares are instantly forgotten. Then I’m all set for another busy day…err, what’s another word for busy again?