my little matchstick girl

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My good friend A is one of my favorite people.  

Outside of my family, she is one those who are closest to me and know me well.

Our story as friends started slowly.  I can say that it was even, by chance.

It had its starts and stops, but with our renewed friendship I know I’d love for it to last.

We met at work.  We were not on the same team.  Did not have the same start date.  Circumstances or maybe Michael happened and we ended up becoming regular lunchmates.  

We were usually in a group, so we hardly shared much except maybe notes on which stalls had good food and other random impersonal things like new places to visit in Singapore or what locals call certain things.

It was okay.  Lukewarm. 

We didn’t even know of each other’s personal emails nor handphone numbers.  It was a casual—even formal, relationship.

One day, certain departments were moved to another location.  So, she went away.  I stayed at the same place.

It looked like the end of our encounters.

- - -

After a little more than a year, there was again another office move.  And we found ourselves, in the same location.  Together again.  This was our unofficial second go.

I can’t put my finger on what changed—if any at all, but we started to become friends.  Not the casual friendship that revolved around small talk and general things.  But a deeper, more meaningful friendship that included sharing glimpses of the self we share with family and loved ones.

From having nothing to talk about, we suddenly did not have enough time to talk.  We also realised that while we are very different in terms of background, up close we have very similar values.

- - -

I will never forget the look on her face when I told her that my husband and I were engaged.

It was a validation of some feel good postcard I could have read somewhere; that happiness grows exponentially when shared with other people.  

With the right people. 

- - -

When I asked her to be the Candle Sponsor in my wedding, she gave me the same big-eyed smile, a hug and said YES!

This was later followed by a conversation about what the candle symbolises.  As she is not Catholic, she learnt about the ceremony traditions for the first time that day.

- - -

On my wedding day, I learnt that she had never lit a match before.

At home, they had an automatic stove.  When lighting candles, they would use lighters.

So as part of the homework she set for herself to prepare for her role in our wedding, she spent a Saturday afternoon lighting tea light candles using matchsticks.

I thought that was the sweetest thing any candle sponsor could do for the couple.  Much sweeter than say, making the actual candle.  Really.  Much.

- - -

I think that from that day onwards, I can never see matchsticks without thinking of the wonderful friend I found in A. 

something is not the same

Lately I had been feeling restless about work.
 
Don’t get me wrong, I love my job.  And maybe that is the problem.  Because of this, I am sometimes reluctant about change.  
 
I had an offer come up last month, and once upon a time, I would have jumped at the change.  This time however, after much thought, I turned it down.  Something did not feel right.  I know one thing, I should trust my gut.  And I did.
 
Weeks down the road more changes came, changes that I was not jumping up and down about.  But such is life.  I recognise that.  And while it got be down, bouncing back after a day or two just came naturally.  
 
There had been more and more breaking news.
 
And today’s was… well, the big one.
 
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Now that I had a chance to mull over it on my hour long journey to work, I think this.
 
I had been ignoring something that my heart, mind, gut had been screaming about for weeks.  Months—even before the series of incidents sort of shook me.
 
And maybe it is because of the fondness that I have for what I do now.  I don’t know if I could say love.  Really.  Loving something means never really feeling the need to distance yourself or move away.  So maybe it is fondness.  
 
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I was interviewed for the company newsletter just last week and I was quoted saying that what I do comes naturally to me and maybe that is why I love my job.  Or the other way around.  
 
Maybe it was also the reason why I stay.
 
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Something is coming up next week.  Actually, someone is coming next week.  We’ll see how things go.

things always work out

I remember being overly stresse about the thought of shifting offices.

My worries ended when I was told that I woyld be staying in the old office--only to be surprised, two days before the move that I was in fact being relocated to the "other" office.

Obviously, i didn't have too much time to worry because I'd soon find out how that would work out for me.

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Two weeks after the move, I find that I like the new office more. In fact, I felt disappointed that I needed to report to the old office tomorrow.

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As difficult as it is to believe sometimes, things ALWAYS work out.

VERA special plant

I received an aloe vera plant from a colleague. Seriously.

I thought that was really sweet :)

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Since receiving it, I had been googling like crazy on aloe vera preparation... and each time I find one, I'd think that I would be better off buying the processed ones.

While that means losing on the nutrients, it ensures that wondrous summerish taste. Besides, it was really the taste that had drawn me to aloe vera--the benefits part was just a bonus.

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I saw a giant tub of sweetened aloe vera the other day. I didn't put it in my cart... but I'm seriously thinking about it!

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I'm kind of worried about my plant though.

Apart from the money tree I have on my desk at the office--which requires (almost) NO EFFORT, I don't really have any experience on growing plants.

Plus, I live in a building--which means the plant is in a pot that is a poor substitute for the ground. Forget fertilisers. I don't have any!

Did I mention "no sun"?

Some of our plants died after we moved to our new place because of the orientation of our flat. It is pretty awesome visually--and cool, considering that we live in a tropical country. The drawback though, is that there is no direct sunlight at any point.

Good for me :) Bad for plants :(

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We shall see if love is really enough to keep anything alive.

inTENSE

While I a still at beginner level at yoga, one thing that I appreciate is the increased awareness and improved ability to "listen" to my body.

In the past, I did not realise that my muscles were tense most times during the day--including the jaw and neck.

Since this eye opening moment, I would consciously relax any muscle that is engaged, unless of course I am carrying out physical activities.

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During challenging or more thoughtful times, I catch myself tensing facial muscles more.

Last week was particularly hectic and interesting in the office. And we all know how that went....

Yesterday, I couldn't really see.

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Today, the my facial muscles seem overworked. It feels spent.

I've consciously counted how many times I caught myself tensing the last two hours, I stopped counting at six.

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I think I need a recording of my favorite yoga instructor asking me to lelac my tang, tee, joe....

name game

As if it was not confusing enough having someone called "Tracy" sit in front of me at the office... a new girl called "Patricia" was given the seat behind me!

Bucktown

We left the office early on Friday to walk around Bucktown, where the streets are lines with interesting shops, cafes and a really good french restaurant--where dinner was. Around the area was a club where the Rolling Stones used to play! I thought the place was quite lovely. I won't mind living in the neighborhood! I am grateful for a lot of things, and another thing to be grateful for is to have a boss who is not only brilliant but would go out of her way to catch up, shop and hang out with you even if she (1) is flying out for a conference the next week, (2) finalising the objectives, aspiration and personal development plan of her global team and (3) throwing a birthday for her three year old next day.

WOOFer sticks

There are always giant tins of biscuits and other baked goodies in our pantry and while it is effortless for me to resist (unless I am desperately hungry) these, the latest addition is proving to be an obstacle to minimising junk food.

Hello wafer sticks.

There are two flavors which are (1) chocolate with vanilla filling...errrr, inner lining? and (2) vanilla with lemon cream. I can't decide which one is better. I would always get an even number of wafer sticks so that I have the same number of chocolate and vanilla. I would even eat them alternately!

Today, I was surprised to see a new addition. Midgets. Wafer stick midgets.

These also came with a different pattern, instead of the spiral marking outside like a candy cane, it has spots. I must say that while these are cuter, I prefer the "original" ones.

I told my colleague that a potential new favorite had been introduced to the mix. When I showed her, she said Wow, these are so cute. They look like Dalmatian snacks.

WOOF.

beginning of the end?

Today, the business signed off the last increment for the GIANT project that I had been working on for a the past few months.

I blogged previously about a plant that was issued during the kick off to represent the beginning of the new era (and I prayed that the plant won't die before the project completes).

That plant was intended to sit on our desks.

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When I brought my plant to the barbecue area today to water it, I realised that one of the two stems was actually rotting underneath the pebbles. Like any amateur gardener, I got the first scissors that I could find and snipped the rotting part without thinking.

I was left with a four inch clipping with five leaves and roots sprouting opposite sides of the bottom three leaves. I sunk two roots into the pebbles and watered the plant--filling to the brim of the small plastic pot, making it look like a water lily.

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Miracles happen everyday, maybe it could last ten more days :)

mugged :(

I'd like to think of my workplace as a safe place. True, once upon a time there were some theft. Wallets, cash and bags were stolen but, let us not forget that with those valuables, my sweater was taken too.

Since then, (too many) video cameras had been installed and security was reinforced in the office.

No theft had been reported since.

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During the day, my laptop bag as well as my personal belongings are locked inside my bin. When I leave, I don't lock my bin at all since there isn't much there but office supplies and my food stash. I bring all important (and valuable) things to and from the office daily.

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Today, when I got to the office, I took out my laptop, locked the case in the bin then opened the drawer so that I could (again) wash my mug--the one that I had washed the day before and stored. There. In the drawer--its place.

Only...it wasn't there!

I took my drinking bottle instead and headed to the pantry.

As I was reaching for the faucet to wash my drinking bottle, I saw my mug! It was there! Someone had used it, and there was still some coffee in it.

I got upset :(

Who steals a mug from a personal drawer? Granted it is never locked, but who looks through their colleague's stuff to secure a mug. AND OUR OFFICE PROVIDES CUPS AND SAUCERS FOR EVERYONE TO USE!!!

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I need a new mug.

For the first time in years, I actually hope someone gives me a mug for Christmas.

back to work

I came back to work after a ten day vacation and was faced with more than 500 unread emails. Great.

That is not the clincher.

Today was the day they told me that I was chosen to be at the company video and print ad--materials to be used in a giant activity that is to happen next week. We shot today too! Whatever happened to briefing or email.

Did I mention that I have had some treatments done while on vacation, so I have markings on my back and face? Chances are, in the published print/video, I would look like a giraffe with freckles.

Happy Halloween!

get to know more about me

As part of my extra curricular activities in the workplace, I had joined the global eLife team which aims to encourage the use of technology to ease daily pains of the employees.

In line with the team's kick off, we had to fill out some questions to be posted in the office intranet.

As this is for people in the workplace, I tried to keep it as somewhat-casual-and-personal-but-doesn't-reveal-much as plausible.

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I WAS BORN IN... (I keep coming back to) Manila.

DURING THE NEW YEAR'S EVE OF 1999, I WAS...celebrating my last new year as a teenager.

THE WORSE PROJECT I HAD EVER BEEN INVOLVED IN...was the one that required us to dissect a (live at the beginning) frog for fourth grade science class. Never again!.

IF I COULD CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT MYSELF IT WOULD BE...to increase my tolerance to noise.

AS FAR AS FUTURE PLANS GO, MINE IS... to be more healthy.

I HAD ALWAYS DREAMED OF...reading fairy tales to my grandkids.

Make 3 statements and make sure that there are 2 truths and one lie about you.

1. All the women in my family have "Maria" (equivalent) in their names

2. My favorite era is the 80's

3. I love colorful clothes

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Can you spot the lie?

di biro

I've taken care of plants before. Twice. Each consisted of a variety of cactus species in a relatively big petri dish-ish pot. As there was clearly variety, maybe I could say few instead just counting to two.

Regardless of my (home) cactus experience. I had never taken care of a plant in the office until recently.

We had an activity to plant a money tree. Yes, it is not a tree, nor does it have potential to be a tree. It is a vine.

I kept it on my desk because I felt bad for the person who came up with the activity--especially since I heard what people were saying about her programme.

I'm glad I did.

I noticed that every week almost, a leaf from either of the vines would dry up and simultaneously a new sprout would sprout.

I actually feel excited watching it change.

Of course I have to keep myself from pulling out the drying one. I need to accept that nature works in nature's time. You can't rush into what you know to be the end. You can predict beginnings, but you can never quite tell when that sprout would sprout.

How would things be on Monday?

why not?

I was writing to a colleague in Australia.

I wrote...

Hi John,

Then I immediately erased it, and typed instead...

Dear John,

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Working off hours does something to your head!

no ifs, no BATs

Just as i was preparing to go home on Thursday, I noticed something in my peripheral vision--something like a dark spot. As I had been a busy week, I thought my dizzy spells were at it again. Only...it happened again...and again.

It was when someone shouted "OMG! James, do something!" that I realised that it was not a blur in my vision. There was actually a bat inside the office!

I thought that was funny, then I came in today to see this.

not uncommon

While (as I always say) I am a creature of habit I would not say that I am obsessive compulsive. Maybe once upon a time, when I was a mainframe programmer, I was with naming my booleans. But generally, I'm not even close.

I however, like habits. And recently I made a new one.

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There are two ladies rooms in our floor, and both have a couple of stalls. Unless it is after lunchtime or Friday end of day, you won't have to wait one second to use the toilet. And because of this, each time you go, you have to decide on which room and which stall you'd go to.

To simplify things, I go to the ladies room on the left side and use the leftmost stall. No special reason. Just so I have one less thing to think about.

Of course in the case that it is engaged, I have no problem using whichever one is available.

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I am pretty sure it is not my doing, but on Wednesday a sign was taped on the stall. It read DO NOT USE.

No problem, I used the one beside it.

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When I got back to my seat, I overheard two colleagues talking and one girl said the cubicle in the ladies I always go to is out of order, now I have to decide each time which one I should use.

Hmmmmmm. Curious.

costume party

PT: that color looks nice on you.
PG: thank you.
PT: i also liked what you were wearing yesterday.
PG: (smiles)
PT: by the way that dress (point to dress), it's not your national costume is it?
PG: nope. not a costume.

last round

When all was done with on our Friday night, I looked forward to going home. After all, it was not only a very long week for me but also a terribly long day at work.

I was sure I had more than enough--food, drinks and babblings.

Imagine my surprise (and delight) when one of us came out of the convenient store with four bottles of Snapple and started distributing. Incidentally, I got my favorite variant.

It was, as he said--the last round.

While I had been steering away from this stuff as I'd rather save the sugar intake for other drinks--or food, it was a welcomed gesture.

Quite nostalgic, the taste reminds me of my bum days spent with my best friends, the twins and other friends from high school.

Image from Snapple.com