My Favorite Success Shirt

This is actually my favorite success shirt.. why? because everytime i wear this shirt all my interviews were a success..

I hope i am not bragging but, this shirt means a lot to me.. let me point out the details.

First, i used this shirt way way way back in November 2000. during my job interview for Converse (the shoe brand) I used this shirt with my maong pants.. coz supposedly, I went to the office just to drop my resume, then all of the sudden the manager Carmen Co went to the room and started interviewing me.. on the spot. She asked me to be back the next day to take my exam and whallah! I was accepted. I worked for Converse for 4 years and handled the accounts and marketing part of the company.. it was tough but I enjoyed my stay there.

Secondly, I used this shirt when I applied as a Provincial Delegate to the National Youth Parliament on December 2002, I applied with my roomate and both of us were interviewed on the same day by the officials of the National Youth Commission.. the following month, I got a letter stating I was accepted to the convention and my roomate did not make it. sad :-(

Lastly, I used this shirt when I applied for the Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program on the year 2003. Believe me, this interview was the longest interview in my whole life! I was interviewed like an hour and 30 minutes.. I was dehydrated when I went out of the room. Sick. The following month, I got a letter explaining that I made it and I will be representing region 7 along with a fellow delegate from Foundation University.

I would say this shirt was with me throughout my journey in life.. the shirt has a sentimental value and much that I want to preserve it, I decided to give it away.. to somebody who could actually still use it..

It is really hard to let go of something that has so much value in our life but sometimes we have to let go of the things that value to us. and yes, I am letting go.. A simple symbolism that in life, we get to have things that are seem to important for that moment but realizing that we have already exhausted the use of this, we have to give it to someone who could actually still use it, and put more value into it.

This might be a simple shirt, but the meaning is so much more.

Goodbye shirt.

And thanks for the memories.

My Driver's License

Just happy.

This afternoon I got my new license. Before I left for China, i didnt realize that my driver's license expired, and I dont have the time to renew it. So there, I have a new one. I look fat though in the pic (looks like a mugshot from hell..yay!) this was taken immediately after I arrived in Dumaguete..

Then next problem, my passport expired last August, well, that's another blog entry anyway. . ..

Letter From A Fellow Scholar

(Pic caption: The paper crane Forge gave me, backdrop is our simple house in Dumaguete City)

Around the middle part of December before Christmas, I actually received a letter from Forage Domingo a fellow Gokongwei Scholar in Beijing, China last year. She is one of my closest friends in the program, actually aside from this letter she also gave me a letter for Valentines Day and a Christmas Gift last year (no malice guys please)

Forge as what we usually call her has been one of the kindest and most humble friend I met in the program. She was considered as one of the Outstanding Students in University of the East and was a Cum Laude graduate with AB Foreign Studies degree.

What is most memorable about her is that she is constantly smiling amidst pressure whenever we have activities in the program and sometimes it would go reach my nerves because she is overly cheerful. (smile forge)

Anyway, she has been my partner whenever I go shopping, everytime we receive our allowances for the month, both of us walk around the wo dao kou area (the area in Beijing where our university is located) looking for bargain clothes, authentic food and many more. We actually talk everthing under the sun everytime we have the time to walk around together.

I vividly recall when it was really freezing outside (Beijing winter time is like -5 degrees) and we got bored staying inside the dorm, we decided to rush past the winter cold and go ahead with our usual shopping and food tripping. hehehe.

Forge, is the biggest shopper among the scholars in Beijing, she did actually send 4 balikbayan boxes full of clothes, chinese snacks and others (thats how big our allowance is..hahaha).

well, going back

when she heard that i was preparing for my nursing board examinations last november last year, she sent me a paper charm to wish me good luck and a small letter to push me, telling me to never give up. Here is the letter she sent me.

Jay,

Musta na?

Grabe Noh, after our time in Beijing, we’re up to something new now, mas mahirap pero more challenging kasi we’re doing own stuffs within our approved contexts.

A simple energy booster itong paper crane most things we undergo in life are mental, I mean, isipin nating kaya at siguradong lalabas ang full potential natin di ba? This is a good luck charm.

On the day of your exam, you can take it with you. This piece of paper had given countless smiles to people. Sa mga binibigyan ko nito lagi kong sinasabi na, “ your fate doesn’t depend on this paper.” It is after all, on your capability and ability to believe, coupled with good effort and faith, you’ll get the perfect mix. Jia You!

Galingan mo Buddy!

Isipin mong kaya mo! Go Jay!

Ingat Lagi,

Forge

Thank you forge for this letter and for the paper crane, as simple as it may seem, it made me smile and allowed me to gain strength from it, your thoughts and your friendship is all that matters.

Thank you for the memories, for being so sweet and so dear to me. I will treasure your friendship forever. I will see you soon whenever I visit Manila.

Year of the Ox for the Earth Sheep

The year of the Ox and the Sheep have fighting relationship, which could bring things turbulent. Sheep people need to pay attention at work, at home or traveling to avoid argument, lawsuit, blooding, accident or money loss. In general, they have to spend lots of effort to overcome many hardship in 2009.

Career

Since the fighting relationship between Sheep and Cow, Sheep people shouldn't have great career performance in 2009. There is no Lucky Star appearing, but many Unlucky Stars coming to career area in year of 2009. This is very unfavorable to your job position. Your job duty will be heavier. The difficulty level of the task will be higher. The schedule of the project will be tighter. Unexpected obstacles will come to you. The progress of the plan will be slowing down. You will be losing trust from your boss. Also, you will involve the issue on company personnel coordination. Then, you cannot concentrate on your daily business. Therefore, you don't have the chance and time to show off your job ability. If the company has financial trouble, then you have to find a way to save your position.

Money

Career is always the major factor to determine the money luck. If your career luck is poor, then you shouldn't expect any extra income from your job. There is a Broken Star in the money area. That means it's hard to accumulate the wealth in this year. You might lose money since gambling, wrong business deal, risky investment or accident. Whatever you earn, you will spend it at the end and you won't have any extra savings. Therefore, you need to think about balancing the budget before spending money in 2009.

Love

Neither a Love Star nor an Unlucky Star is coming in love area this year. Therefore the love fortune for Sheep people is fair this year. Your partner will complaint about your attitude on your love relationship because of your constantly absence of mind. Maybe the pressure from your job, you don't have good temper like before and lose your passion in love. In order to keep your love relationship, you need to pay attention on your words and deeds.

Health

The fighting relationship between Sheep and Cow always brings something to trouble people. Too much worry could bring people illness. If you are senior, then you have to watch for your health this year. Whenever feeling uncomfortable, you need to visit the doctor and don't let a tiny illness become a serious disease. If you are a young Sheep people, you need to make sure you have good sleeping quality. No enough sleep at night lets you lose energy during daytime, impact your working efficiency and then affect your health and your job.
Fortune: Because your career luck and money luck are unstable in 2009. You have better to keep your profile low. You need to bear the challenge and endure the trouble, stick on your position and must avoid changing your job. If possible, you also have better not to travel to long distance, not to attend funeral, not to visit the sick people, not do home improvement or redecoration. Your health should be fair. If you have a long term disease, as long as you pay attention on it, you can keep the same health. In general, Sheep people must not show off themselves and don't try to be a hero in 2009. They should only focus on their job responsibilities, then they will have a safe and peaceful year of Ox.

taken from:
http://www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/2009/2009Sheep.htm