Ylan’s Upshots & Whatnots

Still many days ’till the next pay day so all i did was window shopping. Sure, actual buying is a lot better than just looking but what can i do? I spotted about 5 items (dresses and shoes) and i promise to come back to buy them. Lol! I got one item to the cashier because i can’t help not buying it but the barcode scanner did not work and it took some time for the sales clerk to get the actual price. I eventually said nevermind and returned the item to the rack. Whoah! What a feat! Anyways i’ll come back next weekend and if’s still available, then it’s meant for me. Ahmnn just making an excuse to actually buy it. Let’s see if i can sleep for another week not thinking about it. lol!

Yey! It’s almost summer for us. Well, maybe not almost, summer’s already here! I could feel the summer heat of the sun the moment i wake up. Though i’m sure my friends from the other parts of the world can make use of outdoor fireplaces in order to feel some warmth. Well, lucky for us because we only have two seasons - dry and wet seasons. And these days, dry season is very evident and at the same time crucial. Add to that the El Nino effect. Lots of farmers are already worried for their irrigation and plantation. Whetever the season is, it always has its downside. My colleague just send a summer photo to one of her counterparts in Michigan. The poor counterpart was so envious of the picture because at this time, they still have snow. Well, what can i say?

I have always preferred a desktop. I like that the keyboard is separate and i could opt for a way bigger screen. For me, it’s more comfortable to work around with than a laptop. Though a laptop may come in handy especially when travelling and getting online is a necessity. So for the past few days all i did during my free time is browsing through the net for some cool notebooks and laptops. I came across Acer Aspire and thought of it as one of my options. I’m not so sure if they come in pink so i have to reconsider. You know i like it when my things come in pink. Lol! My friends especially Mellany never liked the idea of buying a pink laptop but thank heavens she eventually gave in. I’m hoping to have my pink laptop soon. Can’t wait!

college friends: nanette, cherry, me, sheila, christine

I may not have a date on valentine’s day itself but i was able to spend my Friday evening with four of the nicest people i know. Thanks ladies for the time. I really appreciate it. Hope we could see each other more often. I have more cute photos to post next time. I’m sure Christine and Cherry don’t like this shot that much. Heheh!

Two of my very good friends in college were industrial engineering students then. Needless to say, they are now successful industrial engineers in their respective chosen craft. They sure are not only dealing with industrial supplies as their job title may imply, surely it meant more than that. I became friends with them because back in college, we were all classmates during our first 3 years regardless of our majors. We were separated during our 4th-5th year for our major subjects already. I would have wanted to become an industrial engineer myself. It’s actually my first choice when the scholarship grant asked me to take up engineering. Eventually I end up taking ECE. But it’s all good. We may follow different strokes but definitely we remain friends. Hopefully until we are old and gray.

Seeing old friends is really one of those nice free things that one could enjoy. I met an old college friend last night. Her name is Judy. Sheila and Christine would have met her too but due to work constraints they had to pass. We were all classmates in college then. Judy was her in the city to attend a seminar. She is presently connected to a ship building company situated in Balamban. As I would say it – kung ako nigamot na sa L, sya nigamot na sa T. Heheh! We spent some two hours just talking and talking, catching up with each other’s lives. I think we even talked about life insurance quote, among others. That topic came out after we talked about her pregnancy. She is now a proud mother of a baby boy. She still has another day in the seminar so we had to cut short our talk because she has to sleep early. It was really nice seeing her again. Last time I saw her was in 2005 during a visit to her office. I was in my graduate class then and we had to do some plant visit as part of our class requirements. It happened to be that we were to visit the company she’s working with. I can feel that 2010 is meant to seeing some good old friends. In fact I’m excited for April, one of my very good friends from college is coming home from Singapore! Yey!

I’m thinking of going to Bantayan this holyweek because I’ve never tried getting there at this time of the year. This island of Cebu is famous as tourist destination during the Lenten season. It’s popular for its festive activities, probably the reason why people run to this place while everyone else in the city is observing the religious celebration. I don’t usually travel during holyweek, I would just stay at home and visit some churches. But I’ve never been back to Bantayan since last 2007 so maybe, I’ll change my mind, just maybe. First time I was there, I had bouts of severe hyperacidity. After that, each time I travel, I would never forget to bring with my sort of medical pouch. Maybe a pulse oximeter would come handy as well. I should include this in my bag. Last time I hiked in Mambukal, I almost pass out. Tsk. Anyways, Bantayan will be crowded and it would be hard getting a ride, so I’ll have to think it over. But it’s really nice to head to the beach and swim. It’s good for my back.

If i were not lazy, i could have graduated my master’s degree already. Back in 2003, together with my former colleague and friend, Lenny, we enrolled and studied Master of Science in Management Engineering, under the scholarship grant of the company we are working for. On our second semester, i had to stop during the last few days of the sem because i needed to travel to Michigan (USA) for a business trip. Unfortunately, i was given NC in one of the 3 subjects. I needed to do a group presentation on the day of my flight. I cannot change either of the two schedules. I do the presentation, i won’t travel. I travel, i miss the presentation. My teacher did not hear my plea of giving me another project instead. I got an NC for i chose to travel. I re-enrolled the subject in 2005. No fuss, i liked the subject anyways. And the teacher was one of those teachers i believe every teacher should be. I enrolled for another two semesters this time together with my two other colleagues then, Mellany and Macelle. Laziness took the better of us and did not finish the whole course.

Right now, some of my current colleagues are nearing the finish line for their graduate studies. Lucky for them because they are able to balance work, recreation and studies. Two of them are studying Masters of Science in Information Technology. I’ve heard that some of them may even pursue Masters of Science in Information Security soon. Now a days, enrolling wouldn’t be that hard and time consuming. You only have to go online and with just a few clicks, you are on your way to pursuing your degree.

As for me? I still have 18 more units to finish, that if the curriculum did not change. It’s the thesis that i don’t like so maybe if the non-thesis program for the management engineering will not be available, i will hold my plans until then.

My coworkers and i are planning to go to Bohol come April. It’s gonna be my third time in Bohol but this time hopefully will be a new experience because we’ll try out something extreme. We’ll try the zipline, slide, etc. I don’t know if i have the spirit to do it but definitely i would want to try it. The ’slide for life’ in Mambukal, Bacolod last time was a bit scary but i did it so maybe i can do it again. Though the zipline in Bohol should be more challenging. If i’m to it, then maybe i really should try to be fit. That being said, let me check out this adipex i’ve heard from a friend. Let’s see if it will work for me. Basically, the trip to Bohol (if it will push through, i hope it will) will be my first getaway this 2010. I’m not planning much trips this year, but we’ll see. By this time last year, i’ve been to Camotes twice already so who knows. I might just change my fickle mind.

Yah, staying awake on the wee hours of the night because of watching TV has its downside. Even though i don’t have qualms about it because i like what i’m doing, it’s the dark circles around the eye that bugs me after. I sure could make use under eye creams to help me with this. I’m not vain but i have to admit i’m not getting any younger, i’m now more prone to skin problems. Anyhow, i can deal with it. So what i do, i try to put something on my face or feet while waching TV. Lotions, moisturizers, all the works. Now you can imagine what i look like at home during those days when i’m not lazy to do some beauty errands.