I’m a nerd!

Despite what my former classmates and my boyfriend tell me, I never really considered myself a nerd. I just love learning new things that's why I can watch Discovery Science all day, I tell myself. The realization just hit me this past Holy Week vacation. After finishing The Lord of Stormweather, the last book of the Sembia series of the Forgotten Realms, I got down to scanning another batch of my postcards. After that, I went through my stamp collection to pick out what I can use for trading. As if those weren't nerdy enough, I then turned to my coin collection to organize them and and put them in the coin albums I purposely bought for this coin-organizing vacation. As I was sliding each coin into the slots in the album, I found myself enjoying the whole experience and that's when I realized, I really am a nerd. I said it out loud and a big smile crossed my face.

Good Tidings

Today I am going to count my blessings just because finally, I feel that my prayers are being heard. The first quarter of the year has passed by so quickly and as I reflect back, I realize that I have so much to be thankful for already in the past three months.

1. Career. Take a look at the update I've made at this post (striked through items 1 & 2) and you'll know what I'm thankful about with regards to my career. Yes, I've been promoted, and although I don't have my own parking space, it's as good as having one already coz I can now reimburse my parking fees. After 8 years in the IT industry, I am finally at the senior level. I could have reached this level sooner but by jumping companies almost every year for several years, I missed out on my promotions. Well no regrets; I have learned from all the companies I have been to and I'm happy where I am now. It's just too bad that my promotion didn't translate to a substantial increase (last year's merit increase was even higher in terms of percentage, compared to what I got now) because upper management changed (thus budget policies also changed). But I did get an additional benefit of insurance coverage so that's still something to be thankful about. Also, our bonuses will be given out next payday so that gives me peace of mind about my upcoming condo annual payment. It's still short of what I need but I'm sure I'll be able to find ways to procure the remaining amount.

Simplify your life

This is more of a reminder for myself, but if it benefits you as well then I'm happy to have helped. Actually, I just got this from one of my mailing lists so if anyone knows where this article came from, feel free to post a comment so I can acknowledge the author properly.

Stress is one of the deadliest curses of the modern age. The most dreaded diseases that afflict man like chronic nervous tension, heart trouble, and cancer have been found to be stress-related. Stress is caused by leading a fast, complicated, and nerve-wracking lifestyle. We constantly find that there is neither enough time nor resources to do the things we want or need to do, leaving us feeling agitated, harassed, frantic, and continually on edge. To be able to cope with the growing complexity and pressures of life that confront us daily, we need to de-stress by slowing down and voluntarily simplifying our lives. Voluntary life simplification is not about being miserable, poor or deprived. It is about knowing your true values, goals, and priorities so you can focus on them, and discard all the other matters that just add tension and confusion to your existence. Don't let stress wear you down. Discover through thoughtful analysis of your values, lifestyle, and goals what is "enough" or just "perfectly right" for you. With voluntary life simplification, you can save your health and sanity, and maximize your capacity to savor and enjoy life.

Of anniversaries, property investment and loans

Most anniversaries are looked forward to with excitement and anticipation but for me, the one that's coming up on April 8 is one I highly dread. The reason is because that's when I have to make my anniversary payment of P150,000+ (approx. $3750) for my condominium property at the University Tower. Aside from my monthly amortizations, I still need to make lump sum payments every year for a period of five years. I'm just on my second year so I still have a long way to go. The only good thing is that my anniversary payment date falls around the time bonus is given out at my company so that gives me a little breathing room. Still, the amount is no joke for an office worker like myself so I still have to ask help from my mother when my earnings come up short of the amount I need to put up.

Living in interesting times

So there's another rally happening just outside our office building. They call it an inter-faith prayer rally, maybe because they're tired of calling it people power. Clearly they can't call it EDSA (4, 5 ... n) anymore because it's not happening along EDSA but along Ayala Ave (holding rallies at the EDSA shrine has been prohibited after the failed EDSA 3). The whole of Ayala Ave and part of Paseo de Roxas have been blocked off to traffic to accommodate the multitude of people who have gathered to call for the resignation of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The deposed Pres. Joseph "Erap" Estrada was reported to have been with the first wave of protesters who have arrived. In a wicked twist of fate, the two political figures have traded places with Erap calling for the other's resignation now (back in 2001, it was Erap who was being asked to resign and refused to step down, leading to his being ousted and eventual impeachment). But it seems that Erap is not the "hero" this time around but Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada Jr., the witness to the ZTE-NBN deal. What can I say, the Filipinos just love the underdog. Or we just love to rally. Either way, the whole thing is causing a great turmoil in the political scene. Yet, this does not seem to have affected the peso which has reached an eight-year high at P40.25. Crazy happenings indeed!

To learn more about what started it all and to be updated with the latest proceedings, click here.