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Feb 28, 2015

The (Job) Interview

Coming from a hyperfocused year to literally nothing, I finally have lots of spare time... to think of unnecessary thoughts like:
* midlife crisis, or make it midlife desparation
* age-ing mother to "partially" support (think "emergency" medical needs. thankfully, none!)
* an empty bank account, or make it non-existent bank account

Of course, there are lot to be thankful too: my messy children who makes me feel seriously i'm so lucky to have them but demmit i seem to always screw up as a mother, a great support system aka the Ates, a loving husband with a confused wife. 

It's probably cute when I'm 25 but I'll be 35 next year. Wtf, grow some spine, girl!

So to make life productive, I divert myy few minutes of mindless scrolling of twitter or whatever social media app I fingered on to downloading job sites, made up my resume, and clicking "Apply" button on all the jobs listed. I specially take pleasure clicking "apply" button for jobs that stated for 18-25 years old, and prefer fresh graduates. Because it's not funny to be reminded of my age. (hope no HR will read this)

Anyway, I never thought joblisting apps work but they seem to work. I got a few invitations for interview, and schedule for exams with matching reviewer. 

Suddenly life has a new purpose -- showing up on job interviews. Come to think of it, when are we given that much privilege of being interviewed? Well, it's not going to be printed on mags or shown on TV, but for someone to bother to ask boring details like your age, your expected salary, your experience, and why did you leave your jobsss -- it's an opportunity. I mean attention is a core factor to being alive!

Job interview is also a learning experience like I realized that I left jobs because I gave birth, then I gave birth, then the husband became some sort of my boss. Well, at least the HR will feel more secure hiring me because I will no longer give birth (3 cs=ligation).

It's been a long time that I go thru the typical process of hiring. The recent previous ones were like working for friends so I kind of skip the formality of hiring process, the need to dress up, filling out a form, being asked to sit down to wait for your turn to talk to an HR. It felt so was #throwback. 

It's just funny weird now that I'm older like what was the HR all about -- to screen my command of English? I'm not underestimating them. But I mean I cannot ask them in great details about the work I'm applying for because it's not their job what i'm applying for, so they're just really there to screen my English and my expected salary, and how many years I plan to stay with them? On the other thought, the HR helps a lot the bosses in screening out the BS applicants like me who just randomly press the 'Apply' button.

Anyhow, I greatly appreciate the Marketing head of TAFT properties for being hands-on in interviewing her applicants. It's different when I got to talk to the person involved becuase you can ask a lot of details of the work, and learn in the process.

It was a quick fun. But for now, I'm taking a pause and deleting the Job Listing app. On the other thought, it's still productive to be updated of the current workforce needs of the local businesses.





Feb 27, 2015

Black Iron: Not a Stripper Bar

Many times, I looked over this place every time I accompany to The Resource Room (the place above the resto), becuase it felt like it's some "bar." The dark colors gave an aura of a dingy bar to me so I never bothered until last Wednesday, I was desperate to "tambay" somewhere other than the waiting area of The Resource Room.

It was actually like a neighborhood burger's place where family, childhood friends dine.

They claimed to serve pure US Angus beef so the place is a bit pricey.
I'm not a big burger fan so i cannot really tell if it's extraordinary awesome. But Mateo ate them all so I guess it's good.





Feb 24, 2015

Before Milk Tea,

There was, and still is...
I just thought of posting a food blog post. :) Because keeping up with the foodies.

Is it just me? I feel the Quickly way before tasted a lot better, and more natural. Anyhow, Quickly never fails to be that comfort food.

Feb 21, 2015

#DODONG

My dream Dodong!
My reality Dodong.
Nakuwangan pa daw sya sa kasakit!


Feb 15, 2015

Kids Bohol Trip Day 3: Boholano Stereotype?

While passing time at the Garden Cafe in Tagbilaran, window viewing, people watching, it got me thinking what's the stereotype for the Boholanos? 

It's a Sunday, after some time looking at the people that come and go inside the restaurant, I realized they're 90% local residents of Tagbilaran, and 80% came from the church. 

So I assumed that the Garden Cafe is the Sunday go-to of churchgoers. Mostly who came in were families: from the grandparents down to the apo. There were foreigners but it looked like they're husbands of local Boholanas so they were not who we met during the "tour."
Mark seemed to be a big Bohol fan. I dunno how many times he's been here. But I'm indifferent. Because I do not really know what to look forward to in Bohol except for staying in Nuts Huts in Loboc maybe.

But going home, we took the eastern side going to Tubigon, it's more peaceful compared to the western side where every town has a tourist spot. The eastern side seemed to have "beware tourist spots because we're happy to farm" attitude. 
I would not mind living in this area while Mark can go back and forth to Cebu City to "farm." Tubigon's just an hour boat ride anyway (It's more or less the same travel time from Consolacion to Cebu City though he has to go thru the traffic from pier to Lahug). :)
This trip's made possible via Lite Shipping. Cargo shipping from Tubigon, Bohol to Cebu is daily 7am & 7pm (vice versa). It's around 2hour travel time. Car fare rate is around P2500 (got a discount so cannot figure out the regular rate).

Salamat for the discount! :) #chos
(Meg and her extra baggages, her piggy stuffed toy.)


Kids Bohol Trip Day 2: Valentines Day

It's probably winter / vacation season in other countries now that Bohol is so packed with them. Or it's my first time to be in Bohol in a weekend. 

The vans, or vehicles in all forms and sizes including tricycles, for tourists were all zooming from one item on their tour list to another.

Glad that we came early for the Loboc Cruise River because it was all jampacked when we got out.

Loboc river is beautiful but the cruise is just if-you-can-skip-it-then-better-skip-it. I mean there's another way to experience the river than being like in a feeding outreach program. I just don't get why we're required to pay for their "buffet" with a menu that's best to be experienced in a carenderia, while being "serenaded" destroying the peace and quite the river has to offer. I'm not bashing the food but with all the selfies taken in a day on that river, I wonder where the leftovers go to - there's probably a dumpsite exclusive for the Loboc River Cruise buffet leftover. (But hey, whatever economic profit for the community (environment?), might as well support it.)
But no photo app can beat this photographer's business, instant print-out while you take your selfie. She has this small printer with her on the boat. :)
And, Mark really enjoys this luxury, and he makes sure every person he brings to Bohol must experience this. For him, it's the best representation of Filipino culture: eat-all-u-can food even if you don't need it, music to provide shock and awe while appreciating the quite river, and photo shooting. It's the perfect place to be ourselves.  
The most coveted spot of the banca.
Butterfly Sanctuary which has lots of dead butterflies being displayed. I think it's better that way to at least protect the living butterflies. 
At the cafe of the butterfly sanctuary (Biliran),
After this, it was then Alona BEach. This is my 3rd time here, and it was my first time to it's filled to the rim with people, especially foreigners. Meg exclaimed that jt's her first time to see lots of "amerikano."

(malalaki ang galit sa init!)
Kids are probably "big" now except for Mateo. The only kid who dared to get naked changing for his "swim shorts" in the public place.
(tables everywhere in the afternoon)
Alona is nevertheless beautiful. Well, I think any beach is. (Demmit, make up your mind, Rose! I'm just not really a big beach person.)

I was hoping to try other beaches in Panglao but for kids, all beaches are the same -- they're all meant to be enjoyed
Surfer dude with a book @.@
And that girl by the beach reading a book @.@
And, oh that girl crocheting on the beach too! 

HAPPY VALENTINES...
from Loboc River Cruise love songs...
from the flower of Butterfly Sanctuary in Biliran...
from the red balloons at Alona Beach...
and the sunset ( minus the sun) at Bee Farm.












 



Feb 13, 2015

Kids Bohol Trip Day 1: bohALL-in-1


(Random photos from the celphone.)

Pier 1 has this brand new shuttle, even if the boat was only 300 meters away. 
Tubigon has now McDo. The M sign was so visible even from the boat you just have to get inside it after getting out of the boat.
Then to the 1st item of the itinerary checklist: Sagbayan Peak. 
It has too many attractions that it felt like we already toured the whole Bohol, and we can now go back home to Cebu.
I handed Meg my point and shoot, and so she's the new designated photographer.
Side-by-side with Mark, yet another photographer.
So today, I learned that tarsier is not a monkey.
Then, to another item on the checklist: the original Chocolate Hills. It has sooo many tourists in all forms, from Korean to European. This is the first time I saw sooo many tourists in one day in a small island. (According to the resort staff because it's Chinese New Year.)
Man-made forest ✅
The Loboc Church in ruins. :(
And, the much deserved Bee Farm ice-cream ✅ :)