Last Oct 25th, the kids went trick or treat’ing in our office. At long last, Mikee was able to go as Ariel, the Little Mermaid, which she had been planning for 2 years now. I was worried she’d change her mind again. The costume was a bit big on her, still, her round tummy was quite obvious. I’m thankful that she’s not conscious about it. I really don’t want to worry about appetite control. For me, as long as she’s happy, I won’t mind if my daughter is fat or thin.

While Theo came as a football… uhm, I mean football player.

Someone close to me has expressed his desire to leave his current job, and hop into the company I work for. My husband and sister also work for the same company, so it’s not so surprising that more people close to us wants to join too. One of the important benefits people are considering these days when looking for a job is the Medicare plan. I know some singles forget to consider this especially if their parents are still young and healthy. But we are not assured that nothing can harm us. What we can only do is to be assured that someone will assist us to get disability insurance once needed.

Back to this someone close to me. We have advised him to gather more certifications to “justify” his asking salary.

As you know, I’ve been stressed at work. I have yet to figure how not to be. Well, at least there are anti wrinkle creams that I can use so that the stress won’t show much on my face. Haha. But the greatest concern actually is my health. I’ve been having frequent neck pains, and like I previously blogged, my immune system was down that I had an eye infection and swollen lymph node at the same week.

I was advised to sleep more. But what would you do if your work issues still come to haunt you in your dreams?

This coming Wednesday would be our “bring your child to work” day. Last year, I brought the little girl with me, and she had a blast. But this year, I’m tied down with lots of meetings, and I just can’t afford to babysit her while working. Besides, I am supposed to work from home too.

I’m not sure if the kids will watch an animated movie, play with xbox 360, or just have a kiddie party. I didn’t take part in the preps this year.

Anyway, I just know that my team mates (mostly in their 20s) will have a grand time having these kids around. It would be a riot, for sure!

As early as now, I know you’ve been busy booking for your summer vacation. Now, here’s something I’m sure you’d wanna know: LONG WEEKENDS.

Regular Holidays
Maundy Thursday April 1
Good Friday April 2
Araw ng Kagitingan April 9 (Friday)
Labor Day May 1
Independence Day June 14 (Monday nearest June 12)
National Heroes Day August 30 (Last Monday of August)
Bonifacio Day November 29 (Monday nearest November 30)
Christmas Day December 25 (Saturday)
Rizal Day December 27 (Monday nearest December 30)

Special (Non-working) Days
Ninoy Aquino Day August 23 (Monday nearest August 21)
All Saints Day November 1 (Monday)
Additional special (non-working) day December 24 (Friday)
Last day of the year December 31 (Friday)

Nice!

We held our team planning at TGIF, Glorieta 3 today. We had set our goals, created a timeline for a particular goal, and in the end, we had to commit to doing something in front of everyone — with a shot of tequila!

I liked the food (keyword here was “like” haha), and I’m bringing home some pasta and sandwich for the husband tonight. The weird thing though is, we will hold the department’s Christmas party on the same venue, with the same menu! Ooops!

What I am excited about now is the two-week-long Christmas shutdown! Weeee! It’s not as exciting as those florida vacations I was checking last night, but just the thought of me NOT WORKING on those days, especially on my birthday, is enough reason to be optimistic.

This wasn’t for trick-or-treat.

Last week, our department held our only offsite for this fiscal year. Lucky for us, we were able to have one. Our team was assigned to organize everything. I was informed just when I arrived from a week-long vacation. So I had to cancel trying out the best colon cleanse that a friend recommended. Oops, too much information.

I was a member of the food committee but the venue was able to take care of that. Just when I thought I will have nothing to do, they asked me to host the morning program. We chose a tribal theme for this offsite. Hence, the costume.

I am so tempted to bring my camera to the office just to take pictures of the new floors. Our floor has no theme yet though. The walls are still blank. I actually love one floor in particular. I think their theme is arts and crafts. On one entrance is a photo of colorful beads and on the other side, a photo of colored pencils. Inside the pantry on that floor, one photo at the wall is scrapbook materials. It is quite inspiring to do something creative on that floor.

We have lazyboys for some conference rooms, a breastfeeding station and a clinic, just a few among the many new facilities. In my observation, the clinic in this office is more equipped than the other two offices we have, I even saw an AED in the shelf.

Speaking of conference rooms, the couches are color-matched with the printed carpets. They look like one of those we see in Interior Design magazines. I wonder who our interior decorators are.

We are officially on our adjustment period now as we transferred to the new office. We’ve been discussing about how hard it is to go to the office. It is just so far! And the prices of condominiums that are currently being constructed around are just sky high, at pre-selling! If only we could find an affordable lot around the area and just have one of those manufactured homes. It would make our lives so much easier. Sigh.

Anyway, the new office is surrounded by expensive strings of restaurants. Well, not really expensive but if you dine each day, you’ll definitely make a hole on your pocket. The only fastfood is McDonalds which is ok actually, but after 3 straight days of Twister Fries, your tongue would sort of get numb.

We discovered one that’s healthy, yummy and affordable : sandwich guy. I’ve tried the following:
1. HBLT – ham, bacon, lettuce and tomato and I swear it’s like a fistful of (cooked but not fried) bacon with two wheat bread on each side just to hold them together hehe.
2. creamy carbonara – quite smelly because of the cheese but it was oh-so-creamy and yummy!
3. fruit basket – banana, mango and apples with yogurt. I highly recommended you put it in the freezer for an hour first before eating.

Wait, just to be clear, I ordered them in different days ok? I don’t eat that much.

I say, yum-my!

July 2nd.

Just 6 days before we move in to the new office. And yet, I don’t even have the faintest idea on how to get there. I’ve been hearing complaints that it is so hard to get a cab from the new building going out of McKinley Hills.

So I thought even if I’d be brave enough to bring a car, I would badly need gps systems installed or I’d surely drive in circles.

My plan is to ride a cab from our house to MRT. Then my stop would be Ayala. Then take a cab from there to the office. Sheesh, tiring. Sigh.