Transformers

After months of anticipation, I've finally watched Transformers with AGSB friends Grace and Alpha with her officemate Fidel... So how'd I find it??? Well, there's more than meets the eye...

Transformers has been one of the more popular cartoon series in the 80s and early 90s... and after such a long while, they finally had a great idea in making it a movie... The anticipation was really on how these autobots and decepticons would look now with the more modern computer generated image technology... Of course, they look more cute and lovable with their old cartoon version but once you get the hang of it, they (especially the autobots) look so cool... Makes me wish that my car could transform and just walk me home... The decepticons are not as pleasing to the eyes unlike the autobots...

Anyway, the movie has its highs and lows... and it started a bit dragging at the start since these were more about the humans on Earth (no offense meant but I want to see the robots)... After an hour of the movie, it gets a bit exciting with the coming of the autobots (yehey... robots, finally!!!)... When it was now time for the autobots and decepticons saga, then it hits climax and makes the movie more interesting... At times, though it becomes confusing as to who the autobots are and who the deceptcons are... In the cartoon series, there's a simple formula that separates the two, autobots are cars (isn't it obvious) while the decepticons are planes... though Megatron is a robot that transforms to a gun... Overall, it was fun to watch and is still a great movie... like I said, there's more than meets the eye...

Anyway, hope it gets a sequel, this time featuring the powerful yet lovable and a bit misguided dinobots... Of course, it wouldn't be fair to the decepticons without their ally... the insecticons... Still stuck on the thought of having my car transform... hehe... my Honda City... transform!!! Naaah... maybe I would just look forward to more sequels from this franchise...

Early Bird

After several months of going to 9-7 work schedule... I decided to shift to an earlier 730 to 530 work schedule... Quite weird being an early bird this time after spending years of being the last to be in the office... Anyway, it's still the same time zone for me... it's just that instead of going to the gym early morning... I can go after office and be more flexible in case I need to meet up with friends at night... Though, there's always the question of being able to leave the office as early as 530... I had been for the past few months been receiving the bulk of my work load in the late afternoon... Then it's just a matter of wait and see... At least, I gain more leeway in the evening... Besides, the usual morning annoyance that made me decide to take a later work schedule is no more to be found... hehe...

Another reason is that things haven't really gone my way as of late... So just wanted to make a drastic shift to somehow break off the jinx... I'm not really one of the luckiest person to start with... Though I'm still blessed in certain ways... It's just that everything somehow always end up different from what is planned... It's one of the reason why I've learned to adopt to situations and improvise... Well, if life doesn't give you a door, then use a window... Maybe it's getting the best of the situation and not having the situation get the best of me... Jinx or no jinx, maybe an early bird may finally catch some luck... or if not, there's always hard work to compensate for luck...

FAA's Reunite at Fernwood

FAA Babies (or at least those still in the Philippines) reunited at Fernwood Gardens for Charry's Wedding. Jo-C (with family), Gemma (with Mario), Therry, Anna, Rita, Dorene, and me attended Charry's wedding held last June 24. FAA wasn't able to attend owing to a his presence in the board meeting at Punta Fuego (Boss, pasyal mo naman kami sa Punta Fuego)...

The FAA Group was a cluster in itself even before clustering in SGV... Of course, the old group was so dynamic that what seems like an ordinary day (especially during slack) might end up a fun-day at some place else... The funny thing was that this would be done in secrecy among staff, in-charges and seniors... Though the most of the Group would be stuck in common clients meeting impossible deadlines and go on sleepless for days... but those were the time...

So back to the present, had left Makati residence at about 340 pm, passing by the office to get the map and then proceeding to Fernwood and in one rare time, I wasn't lost using my usually flawed navigational skills... Arrived at Fernwood Garden before the scheduled start at 430 pm and to my surprise, the wedding was on time, I've been here several times and it was the first time that the wedding was on time... hehe... So, at the wedding and the reception, there's a lot of catching up with the rest of the FAA Group. Except for Anna, I've been off the loop with most of the FAA babies who attended... Anyway, it was nice to catch up and see how much our lives are much better compared before...

Aside from the unusually on-time wedding, food was great... Fernwood is also an excellent place to have a wedding... and of course, the Company of old friends and seeing them once more is definitely a must for this occasions. So... Congrats Charry on your wedding and to the rest, nice meeting you again... and there'll be more of these getting back together stuffs... and hopefully, those now based in various places in the world would be there... looking forward to that!!!

photos available at http://franckxethee.multiply.com

Designated Driver

Started on the eve of Saturday, been tucked in the car for the whole weekend... Had to leave office early at 6 pm on a Friday to pick up my sister at the apartment and my Uncle Oca at Dusit Hotel for Dinner at Estepa Residence in Sucat, Paranaque... After dinner and a lot of chit chat that followed, we proceeded back to Dusit Hotel then to our apartment before midnight.

The next day, Had to leave Makati at 10 to catch lunch at Paranaque. After lunch, most of them took their afternoon nap but I had another thing in mind, playing around with my Canon S3 IS (photos here). In the late afternoon had to drop Auntie Esme to the airport and then again back to Paranaque for Mass in the evening... After dinner and another round of chit chat among my Aunts we left before 10 but had to drop by my unit in Makati to get some stuffs and also for me to watch PBB Eviction Night... hehe... After PBB, had to drop my mom and my aunt to Victory Terminal in Pasay where they took the 12 mn trip to Baguio...

As for me, I suddenly realize that I was low on gas so had to refuel my car before I went home and the next day will be another drive to Fernwood this time...

Interest free...

I'm now finally out of interest bearing bank loans as I was able to convert my car and personal loan into a company loan... Thank God, the interest rate is quite a heavy burden... though seeing how Citibank and BPI allocated my payment between interest and principal, I feel that it's not fair yet I'm helpless as it's how they designed this loan packages... The amount applied to the interest was so big that the deduction in the amount I have to pay was very minimal... Apparently, this loans are not meant to be paid in advance but at least, I still get to save on interest in the future... The worst part of being able to know your financial management is that you are able to equate risk and rewards into this type of transactions.

The process of inquiring and getting breakdowns was another frustrating part... Imagine BPI after not being able to fax the breakdown once, they transferred the documents for pick up, which would be impossible to happen since they never informed me... Citibank didn't even bother to send the breakdown... Well, had to pay everything off before I experience another round of interest... and the savings in the future is what makes this ordeal a bit tolerable...

For the company loan part, that should tie me down for four years... not really ... I guess I'd like to maintain my flexibility in my career options so I'm aiming to have sufficient assets in a year to cover the liability... through savings, investments and probably, to do something which I've always wanted to do - to teach MBA part time. Though teaching is something I'd still want to think over as it would also mean giving up much of my travels... As thing are, there's always an opportunity cost in every decision... It's just that I'd have to make do with what is available and where my choices leads me...

Alami-lost in Hundred Islands

Housemate

Snorkling

Life's a Dip

From being lost in translation to being in Alaminos, Pangasinan... Well, took on several odds from a surprise meeting at work... to a very long trip (7 hours Manila to Baguio and another 4 hours Baguio to Alaminos)... to barely making it in time to Baguio to meet the scheduled departure time of our van... but determination to be true to my nomad side won... I ended up in 100 islands after probably 8 or 9 years...

It's quite unusual for me to be present in family gatherings, which I have been for the past two weeks since often times when my relatives are here, I usually end up in one of my foreign travel... Anyway, hundred islands was such an enticing incentive... so really didn't want to miss this one... Of course, plus the additional incentive of being able to have another adventure with my Canon S3 IS...

Arrived in hundred islands at around 9 am Sunday... and after all the registration stuff, we boarded the small boat towards the different islands... 11 people from 3 generations in our clan had participated in this trip... Mama, Auntie Norma, Auntie Esme, Auntie Linda, Me, Cousins Simon and Jen, Nephew Arvin and Niece Nisha... Had our island hopping first then parked our stuff at Quezon island where we had breakfast... then proceeded to snorkle within the island... we were snorkling, which probably took as forever as evidenced by my very dark toned skin... I did enjoy snorkling though I like the coral gardens in galera better... Shifted to the beach front area to go around the island and for another round of swimming... til lunch time... After lunch and rest was over, the older generation had their nap while we had another round of snorkling and swimming...

At about 4 pm, we were on our way back but not after passing by Governor's island and having a few snapshots of the Pinoy Big Brother house in 100 islands... After freshening up and packing our things, it was time to go home but after 11 hours of travel, I decided to just take a bus in Dagupan towards Manila instead of going back to Baguio... since I had work the next day... After 11 hours traveling and hours spend swimming and snorkling the beach... the next five hours trip seemed do long as i had the itch to be united with my bed... After 5 hours, I was finally home... tired and weary but did have a great time... so as all my travel adventure ends... It's time for a good night sleep...

photos at http://franckxethee.multiply.com

Lost in Translation

A few minutes before end of office hours Friday... I was informed by Ms. Del that our CEO sent an SMS requesting me to sit in the meeting with him, the head of marketing production, Philippine operation and treasury the next day... no problem... not really, I was suppose to go home, pack my bags and go to Baguio for a trip to 100 Islands in Pangasinan on Sunday... Being the loyal employee that I am... hehe... I attended the meeting, which was held in the afternoon... the medium of communication was mandarin, being the rest except me Taiwanese... Imagine watching those koreanovelos with no subtitles... Apparently our CEO wanted me to be more in the loop on other operational issues and for the 5% of the time that English was the mode of communication... I was able to grab some, at the very least...

Anyway, I really need to learn mandarin, with the travel schedule I have in chinese speaking countries but I'll probably take one after September as I'm still enjoying life after studying for some time... So was really lost in translation but even if they had the whole meeting in English, the case would still be the same... as my mind is wondering in the journey to the province of Alaminos... and as the meeting adjourned, I decided to skip dinner and next was my dash towards another adventure... so off I go...