Shanghai Day 2

Wake up call at 730am, had my morning shower and quick breakfast at the 3rd floor. Nothing extraordinary except for that dumpling with a very special sauce! *yummy*

The weather is quite nice. It was sunny but cool, what a nice day to start.

We all headed to Qi Pu Lu wholesale market for some shopping. Well, not that impressive. Stuffs I saw can be found in Manila as well. It's like our very own Greenhills tiange and Dongdaemon in Korea.

Fake bags are everywhere and very very cheap compared to Manila and Korea. A bag costs around 120RMB and that's around P875 to P1000 only! They also have some LV bags that were never released by LV. *hahaha* I wonder almost all locals carry one and I didn't see anybody carrying a geniune one.

I saw this Spy bag and it was so nicely done and indeed a knock off. Price was not available. They only sell on wholesale. Left the place with nothing on hand.

Lunch at Quan Ji De Restaurant. So-so for me but they say it is one of the nicest resto here. Chinese cruisine is very diverse!

We looked around some shops in Huaihai. Went to Mango (more expensive here), Sephora (a few brands only and no BENEFIT and LORAC but was able to grab some stuffs), Marc Jacobs (OMG!!! I saw the Veruka bags but the price is two times higher and I'm still thinking twice. This is hard to find now...hmmm...Goyard or Veruka?

Went to this "Little Venice in China" and I forgot the name of the place. It was an almost 2hrs of travel and a historical place (I think). I saw the former house of Mr. Shen. He was the richest man during Ming Dynasty and even richer than the emperor. I better get his complete name tomorrow. It's so difficult to remember. Anyways, he has a very big house and I took pictures of it (see my multiply account soon...) very...shall I say, exotic? *wink*

From time to time it is healthy to travel. You get to learn a lot of things and I'm beginning to love it! Culture of each country is very interesting. Now, I regret taking my History classes for granted. *hihihi*

Dinner at Yunhai Restaurant . This is the same resto where the APEC delegates were hosted for meals. It was an unforgettable dinner for me. Totally opposite of last night's dinner. They served us exotic foods --- duck's heart, feet, wings, intestines, goose's liver, eel, the whole duck with the head sticking out *yuck* and the reason why I lost my apetite and almost puked...TURTLE!!! I was a whole turtle and the head was so proud. It was really kadiri!!! I got sick and my head ached. I wanna walk out the table but of course "table manners" was shouting loud so I stayed. I just had water and orange juice for dinner. =(

Back to the hotel and now I'm blogging! Can't wait to upload all my photos in my multiply account. I want you guys to see the TURTLE *bwahahaha* you have to see it to believe it!

I need a shut eye.

Shanghai Day 1

Landed China via SIA at around 7am today and I skipped the meal at the plane for sleep. I was so hard to sleep sitting down. Badger saved my day!

We catched the Maglev Train for a speedy ride to Shanghai and it was 430km/hr! Whoooo! It took us less that 7mins to arrived Shanghai compared to almost an hour if we take the coaster.

We went to Chenghuang Temple for a warm breakfast. I'm not so much of a Chinese food fanatic and I feel I will be losing some of my weight which is an advantage for me *diet?*. Yeah, I need to. After gaining much weight while taking the pill to correct my hormonal imbalance and after I quit smoking unnecessary pounds must be gone---FAST!*hahaha*

We spent the rest of the morning in Yuyuan and walked around Chenghuang Temple for some shopping of local produce. I bought some stuffs for my friends--- cutie purses for the gals and nothing yet for the guys. I still have to search some more...

Around 1030am my legs were in pain maybe because of too much walking. It was drizzling and I happen to bumped on Michael, an Aussie and decided to take a cup of coffee in Starbucks. It was 25RMB for a tall Cafe Mocha and that makes 175 pesos (more than USD3). A bit pricey compared to Manila. Not bad at all + a seat! =) I was tired and sleepy, a good seat will make me stretch my patience because I had to wait for almost 2 hrs. for others.

Lunch at the Lu Bo Lang Restaurant again, Chinese food. Hmm...I don't find it special, really! I've been wanting to see my room and sleep. That is my goal today.

Finally, after hours of waiting...We checked in in Hotel Salvo and I dozed off!

530pm, my room phone rang and it was a wake up call! OMG!!! I had no time to freshen up, immediately checked the mirror and went down for dinner at Ba Guo Bu Yi Restaurant. I loooooooove it! =) Proceeded to ERA for the Acrobatic show and it is a must-see, very impressive!

Now I'm back to the hotel and I'm happy I have my own computer in my room with unlimited broadband for FREE! That's what you call LUCK. *wink*

Got to go, I need a quick hot shower and a very sound sleep. Good night!

P.S. Pictures to follow in my Multiply account.

P.P.S. I forgot my camera charger! What a @#$%%! =(

Touched Singapore and Off to Shanghai

Arrived Changi Airport Singapore at almost 12noon today, had lunch at Crystal Jade Resto and the guide toured us around Little India, Chinatown and Sultan St. Then, we proceeded to St. Pierre Restaurant for a very exquisite dinner and awarding. Finished at around 10pm.

Now, it's 12:20am and I'm here in Changi Airport again (for the 2nd time today). This time leaving for Shanghai.

It was a long day. Had my shower at the lounge. Checked some shops and got this very nice Neutrogena Hand Lotion (not available in Phils.)and saw this free internet in a corner and thought of blogging.

I'm now heading to gate F41 and leaving for Shanghai, China. Never been there and I'm looking forward to this experience. First time to have this "pleasure trip"! Woo-hoo! Wish I'm with Xave though...

I wished I had my ibook with me...

06.26.06

“I work to live and NOT live to work”. This is my mantra. If I feel stressed, I slow down a bit. I want things to be at my own pacing and to take things easy.

Working for this company, means I have to embrace all the pressure that comes with it. Yes, I can do that! I can even give my more than 100% at work. Provided…(and let me repeat that) provided they give what is due for me. Everything should be 2-way.

I’m no hero. Maybe 5 years ago, I was. I was working to get experience. But now, (come on let’s get REAL!) I’m working to earn and prepare for my future. Not only for me but also for my future family.

I feel we are almost there…nobody wants to talk about details because of surety issues or maybe some “fears of the unknown”. Well, personally that is my feeling! Sheeesh! I don’t know how to overcome this. Can someone help me? (I wish...)

Marrying the Right Person

EVERY relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with your spouse. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and liked their idiosyncrasies. Falling in love with your spouse wasn’t hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn’t have to DO anything. That’s why it’s called “falling” in love…because it’s happening TO YOU.

People in love sometimes say, “I was swept of my feet.” Think about the imagery of that expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TO YOU.

Falling in love is easy. It’s a passive and spontaneous experience.

But after a few years of marriage, the euphoria of love fades. It’s the natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse’s idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts.

The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you think about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.

At this point, you and/or your spouse might start asking, “Did I marry the right person?” And as you and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else. This is when marriages breakdown. People blame their spouse for their unhappiness and look outside their marriage for fulfillment. Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is the most obvious. But sometimes people turn to work, church, a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances.

But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your marriage. It lies within it.

I’m not saying that you couldn’t fall in love with someone else. You could. And TEMPORARILY you’d feel better. But you’d be in the same situation a few years later. Because (listen carefully to this):

THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON; IT’S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.

SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It’ll NEVER just happen to you. You can’t “find” LASTING love. You have to “make” it day in and day out. That’s why we have the expression “the labor of love”. Because it takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it takes WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage work.

Make no mistake about it. Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific things you can do (with or without your spouse) to succeed with your marriage. Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), there are also laws for relationships. Just as the right diet and exercise program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in your relationship WILL make your marriage stronger. It’s a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable…you can “make” love.

LOVE IN MARRIAGE IS INDEED A “DECISION”…NOT JUST A FEELING.

The NEW me...errr...The BETTER me

It’s been long since my last blah-blah here. Well, there’s much updating we need to do. Let’s start.


1. I’m back to reading

I’m currently reading this “The 10 Women You’ll be Before You’re 35”. It’s hilarious and yet inspirational. It’s a good book for me and for you guys as well. Must-read!


2. I’ve quit smoking!

Yes, you’ve read it right and clear. It’s about time to remove all the toxins in my body. This time, it’s for REAL. Stress is part of my everyday life. SPICE, that’s what I want to call it but still, I can do away with cigs. I’m so proud of myself. *applause* I admire my self-control and I’m also surprised I’m not tempted at all. I don’t miss and look for it anymore. I’m happy I was able to kick the habit. FINALLY!

Had my business trip in Kuala Lumpur and stayed in Hotel Hilton. I was startled when I asked for a NON-SMOKING room! Muwahaha! This is my first trip without any cigs in my trunk.

3. I’m into Bikram Yoga

Hahaha! Some of you might think what’s with me…Am I insane? I’m completely NORMAL! After quitting smoking, now here comes yoga. I can see those smiles on your faces and big round eyes with mouth-opened reactions. I’m serious; I want to be fit and healthy. Not just for me, but for my future family.

It’s about time to think for long-term plans, dear!

4. Party Girl NO MORE

Coffee or a couple of drinks after dinner is better to keep in touch with friends. I find it very relaxing.

5. SPA

I’m a relaxation (read: in any form) addict! I feel I deserve it. With a very fast-paced life I have now, I ought to slow down a bit and breathe. Time flies so fast and I don’t wanna miss life.

6. Save, Save, Save

I’m trying! It’s hard but there’s an effort.

7. All Positive

As much as possible, I want to fill my mind with nicer and finer things in life. Incase life turns not as expected, I stop a bit to breathe, pray, go on and fight. Life is a never-ending battle. Success is not measured on how long you are on top but on how determined you are to get up from failures or mistakes in life. Bottomline, you learn then, share your experiences to others whether good or bad.

If things work out more than you expected, learn how to pay it forward.

CHANGE cannot be dictated or forced by anybody. Be it your dad, mom, BF, friends, doctor, etc. it will never work. Errr…maybe it will, but only temporary because you are just trying to please someone.

CHANGE should start from within. If you embrace change, everything will fall into place more than you expect. To change for the better is a personal decision.

I always want to be a better person. I don’t want to be afraid of change. I don’t want to be anxious of leaving my comfort zone. Because I want to better improve my personality and grow more.

The main title of this blog says it all: Carpe Diem! I want to experience life as much as I can. I don’t want to miss life. I want to share my life to people. I want to touch people’s life in the simplest way I can.

I guess that’ s life all about. Touching people’s lives.

Upset!

For those you know me and currently in touched with me, you know this already...

The purpose of this is to relief myself. I want to realease my disapointments at work. So, here’s my letter to our HR manager:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi Ms. M.

Thank you for the call. You have answered my question however brought me to raise more concerns.

I appreciate Mr. S’ effort in trying to meet what we have previously agreed. I have to give credits to you as well. However, the outcome made me upset.

Facts:
1. PxxK was not something I asked from him. It was an opportunity that came to me 8 months ago, which I missed upon offering the same package by Mr. S. That made me stay (even without any document to support the agreement). The risk I took was big enough for me to reconsider many times. (Here is company A waiting for me to sign with a very clear offer vs. Company S with nothing to hold on to.)

However, our CEO himself guaranteed me that it will happen. I have high respect and trust in him. So, I hold on to his words. I stayed and waited patiently.

2. Retro will be from November 2005.

Concerns:
1. Outcome was not what we have discussed. In TOTAL, maybe yes but if I have known earlier, (I’m sorry to say) I should have grabbed that opportunity.
2. Out of 100%, more or less 30% was put into my base pay and 70% to the productivity incentive. Weight for the incentive is higher than the base pay?
3. There is no surety on the 70%.
4. Incentive is on top of the base pay and is a different story…
5. Retro was only for this year (January to May 2006)
6. Bottomline, it was NOT given to me.

Going back 8 months ago, I was already decided to leave. Thinking that I will not let go of this very good offer. Now, I feel I have lost too much. It’s hard to say “it’s worth the wait”…But of course I don’t want to dwell much on those thoughts anymore…This is an experience for me.

If company S was only transparent that this will not be feasible, then maybe we should not have gone this far and things would have came out differently. We should have moved on separately…

I feel there is no need for me to go back to step one and lobby these things again with the management. I’ve said my piece many times. Implementation took months but I waited and tried to understand. Still at the end of the day, what is important is the bottomline: (1) my obligation and contribution to Company S being my employer and (2) what is due for me as an employee. I feel it should be two-way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm not afraid to lose my job. Work is much easier to give up than anything else. I know something better is in store for me. I just wanna prove something...

Oh by the way, I was on leave for a week! And it feels GREAT! =)

From Employees to RICH Entrepreneurs

This is the cover page of the May 2006 Entrepreneur magazine. Very inspiring! Let me share some of the excerpts:


“It usually starts with an idea, which develops into a nagging thought, and then morphs into an opportunity that excites, tantalizes, and in the end becomes an obsession. Being bitten by the entrepreneurial bug is how many would describe this symptom, and the usual ‘victims’ are employees who, at one time or another, have had an epiphany: That they could own a business and be their own bosses.”

“They are usually never the same after this realization. Yes, they would still try to give their best at work, but deep inside they’d rather do it for themselves.”

I really feel that sooner or later I would venture on another business. But this time, I want it to be related to my interests… When? That is what I want to find out!

not at my best

As much as possible I don’t wanna sound like complaining…please excuse me. I just need to let this out, ok? Inhale…exhale…

Ugh! I’m so exhausted! I feel I’m so used up and worn-out! I’m totally drained --- physically and mentally.

I feel I cannot be productive and effective anymore…It’s like I’m a jack-of-all-trade, master of nothing. Nobody seems to cooperate. It’s me, myself and I. Oh…I need a good vacation.

I have so many things to do:

1. Cebu Training May 23 DONE!
2. Davao Training May 26 DONE!
3. Boot Camp in Tagaytay June 8-9
4. Bundling Promo Target: June 15
5. Switch Trade In, Trade Up Target: June 30-July 2
6. IT Roadshow June 23
7. Malaysia Product Managers’ Meeting July 7

Where am I now? Where should I begin? Damn, I’m still in the planning stage…OMG! This is not my work. I hate to cram but what can I do? Everything is beyond my control already, approval takes forever! These expats are making me sick...really sick!

*Poof!* That’s what I wanna do….disappear in the thin air and be invisible for a time. Just like Harry Potter, with his magic cloak he can be invisible when desired.

Headache, nausea…I need to slow down a bit and unwind. Spa, that’s where I wanna go. Beach, where I want to stay for a week or two. I need a break, and much concrete signs.

a. Stay?
b. Leave?
c. Leave and Move elsewhere?
d. Leave and start a new biz?
e. Leave, move and start?
f. Relax and be worry-free (hmmm...I'm not used to this! Hahaha)

I need an Olive shower. It calms me down. My Badger, puts me in deep, serene sleep!

HELP, is this a SIGN???

As the dictionary defines it:

Sign |sin|
noun

1 an object, quality or event whose presence or occurrence indicates the probable presence or occurrence of something else

2 something regarded as an indication or evidence of what is happening or going to happen

3 an action or gesture used to convey an idea, information, a wish, or a command

4 something interpreted as being an omen


6 months ago, I missed an opportunity BY CHOICE and believed that I made a good decision (I’m still convincing myself). Promises were specified and I accepted based on TRUST. No written agreement or whatsoever, all verbal. Who wouldn’t believe to a company President/CEO, anyone???

Up to now, these things remained “as is”. Nothing was implemented YET. I heard, still in process…but still it was not what we have agreed months ago.

March was supposedly the make or break month. It’s already May. OMG! Do I have to wait forever? Do you think this is fair? I’ve waited long enough WITHOUT a single whine. I’ve lost a lot, right? Imagine, 6 months! I should have paid my bills already, helped my mom, invested more on our business or started a new one. I should have bought my 3rd LV and a Goyard already *wink*, the list can go on…)

Many times I’ve mentioned that “regret” will never be a part of my vocabulary. Every time I make a decision, as much as possible I want it to be final otherwise, I’d rather stick to it.

They say, “Opportunity knocks only once”. Yes, I very much agree! But why o why o why…that OPPORTUNITY is thumping again. Not the “exact one” but a “better one”!

I refuse to notice or pay attention to it twice but the third time it was like under my nose….slapping my face…falling into my lap! Do you guys think I have to give it a second attempt?

Keep your comments coming, I need ‘em!.