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Tuesday, September 16, 2008

My Latin 101

Dear insansapinas,
(this is a favorite blog entry of mine in my other blog).

I thought carpe diem means carp per dime. Hohoho.
*sips coffee and reach for a cookie*.

Latin is not the language of the Latinos. It is Spanish, dum dum and Latin is the language spoken by my favorite maternal cousin who is half-Chinese.
*reach for a second cookie*.

He was a lot older than I am and he was the mischievous…street-smart …and fun cousin I can remember.

Actually, he’s a cousin-twice removed. When I was a pre-schooler, his mother, my aunt who was a former nun used to say AVE MARIA ...(insert some expletives) …not to pray but that was her “surprise-can’t-believe-look-out-I –am-after-your-ass kind of exclamation to my naughty cousin. My cousin to whom it is addressed to simply answered…Ora Pro Nobis and then would wink at me while my aunt continued her yada-yada-yada running after him with her slippers. Wow, I was so proud of my cousin at that time. He said it was Latin....
*reach for a third cookie, sips coffee*.


He could respond to the priest in Latin, ET CUM SPIRITU TOU for the priest’s DOMINUS VOVISCUM during high mass. Well of course, I do not know that it was a prayer during high mass at that time. Then he would recite to me SALUTARIS HOSTIA, QUE CAELIS PANDIS OSTIUM…which later on I learned was a song sung during Benediction.
*reach for a fourth cookie, sips coffee*

He would sing ADESTE FIDELIS…which was a Latin version of Christmas song...O come ALL YE FAITHFUL.

I had not seen him for a long time. I was in grade school when he got married. My aunt said that the woman is “blind” to have married him. Hehehe .
*reach for a fifth cookie, sips coffee*.

I remember him while reading this book with Latin words that we read or use everyday.

CURRICULUM VITAE-another term for resume which means a course of your life. This is where you write your achievements, your educational background, and your work experience. Some include their medals for Most Behaved in Grade School because they rarely talked; their best in Math in Grade 1 because they can add 5+5 without the aid of their fingers and toes…and other chest thumping and ego-inflating awards. Sa totoo lang, the employers do not give a damn because in a high tech world of resume reading, a the software is used to pick CVs with the right keywords select people with relevant experience and skills for the job being advertised from thousands received.

ALIAS- No honey, this is not the spy thriller TV Series. This means at another time but then it mutated to AKA Also known as…say for example my alias which is The Ca t.

*reach for a sixth cookie, sips coffee*

ET AL- this means And the other people. When I was younger, I thought it was an abbreviation of a name. hehehe. Indeed it is an abbreviation of the Latin word Et Alii.

ETC – very common which means and other things and the abbreviation of ETCETERA. Remember the classic movie The King and I feautring Yul Bryner as the King of Siam who ended his English with etcetera etcetera?

*reach for a seventh cookie, sips coffee*. No more cookie, cup is empty. Where did the cookie and coffee go? Will be back.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Seminars and Classes

Dear insansapinas,

A friend from SF who is now in the Philippines on vacation called. His number in California appeared in the caller id.I thought he's back. He's calling from Buendia Makati where he rented a condo for his month's vacation. He's using his VOIP- or -whatever- it- is- phone connection. So he was not worrying about long distance charges. Isn't that wonderful? He's sick for a week now after he got wet during the heavy rain. Isn't that disgusting?

He's pissed. When he called the Technological Resource Center (TRC), he was advised to call again if the seminar that he is intending to attend is going to push thru. I forgot to tell him that it is the way it is for seminars. They have to meet a minimum number of participants or attendees before the seminar is given a go signal. Some sort of break-even.

The same is true for classes in the universities except for some state or city universities where students are required to enroll in subjects for the courses they have signed in when they passed the College admission tests.

During my salad days in the academe ( with some pasta as side order, mwehehe) I also moonlighted in exclusive and private universities where classes are confirmed finalized weeks after enrollment. Either the students and lecturers alike wait for the minimum number of enrollees for subjects-that-are-avoided-by-some-students-but-are-a requirement-for graduation or for classes which are overflowing with students because the professor/lecturer assigned to handle the class is
a very charitable person when it comes to grades that even though you can not add one plus one, you're given an A. Quid pro quo. Somethin' for somethin' and the something is not cheap, mind you. I am not saying that many in the noble profession of teaching make "bribery" their cottage industry. QED (quod erat domenstrandum). Halata bang yabang beauty ako for using Latin words? Blame my brother for borrowing a book that will put Latin in your life. *sips coffee*



Reminisce your college days when you have to look for subjects/classes to enroll in. ( I was in a block system when I was in College so all I did was to choose the block).

In a big university where I earned extra bucks to buy my dream house, the Accounting classes especially for first year and sophomore are "blockbusters". All Business students are required to take up the Basic Accounting Courses...Accounting 101, Fundamentals of Accounting and Accounting 102, Partnership and Corporate Accounting. However there was also a maximum number of students per class...about 60 to 70.

Smart lecturers/professors would put some extra classcards from their other classes so that the college is going to split the classes into two. He's lucky if the students enrolled are willing to change their schedules...if not all the lecturer had was a smaller class. The other class would be assigned to another professor...usually an associate...quid pro quo. Next semester, the associate may return the favor. No crime committed. No lies. Just "tweaking" the number of students. Who would like to handle a big Accounting class?

Me, I didn't do it. Students did not want to enroll in my class. I was a bitch. I make them stand up if they can not answer my question. So when students learn that I am the professor of the class, those who had already enrolled request for a transfer. In a class, there were those who could not drop or transfer because of schedule's constraints. Most of my students were matured already. Either they were into career change, like a student who was a pilot but was intending to migrate to the US or a housewife who's bored in their family business. They're not in the class for grades. They're there to learn. As long as I have the minimum number of students, my class was never phased out.

At the end of the semester, my students became my friends.

Ow in the government university where I taught, there was no such hassle. The classes are small and the students have to keep a certain grade requirement and number of units to enroll in every semester so classes are not dissolved for lack of enrolees. Otherwise, they get kicked out.

Pinaysaamerika

Sunday, September 14, 2008

The IFs in LIFE

Dear insansapinas,

If I did not migrate to the United States, I could have been the Vice President for Finance in the organization I once worked with in the Philippines.

But if I were the Vice President, I should be worrying now for the lengthy trial in court on charges of malversation of funds, corruption, overpricing and falsification of public documents.

It is not because I will be guilty of the crimes accused but because I will be implicated as one of the top executives who had something to do with the money bags.

The lady who became the Vice-President was not really a close friend of mine but she had been there since she graduated from College. She rose from the ranks. She was low profile, soft spoken and was very quiet during our executive meetings. No, she was not a bitch who would go to the VP, our immediate boss to play Judas. Although she found me intimidating, she accepted the fact that I was a strong contender in the position once the VP retires. She was happy for me. She said she could not imagine herself turning down orders or requests of the superiors like what I always did if I smell a rat in the fine print of the documents. . She said that she’s afraid to contradict the “big Gods” in the organization. She even warned me that there were rumors that the Gods were after my “head” because I was not a team player.

When I made a balikbayan, I visited my friend. She welcomed me in the big office formerly occupied by the VP. I was happy for her. I thought I sensed that despite the happy appearance, she was actually sad and in distress. We did not talk much because I had to visit other friends in the same building.

A friend from another department was the little bird that whispered to me what’s the trouble. The VP was under audit, together with the President, my nemesis, Controller and Treasurer. According to her, the VP was not really involved and did not enrich herself in her position. She could not say no to the President and his conspirators. She had signed several questionable contracts and had approved release of funds for the project. She believed the President that “ hindi siya sangkot”. She was mistaken.

Months after I had returned to the US, I received the news that they were asked to take a leave indefinitely while the investigation was going on.

A year after, they were forced to resign with forfeited pensions.


Pinaysaamerika

Saturday, September 13, 2008

People Watching

Dear insansapinas

My ride came late yesterday. Fifteen minutes. And he has a GPS. Hohoho. That damn thing was causing the delay…it was directing him to longer route. No matter how direction-challenged I am, I could have easily told him where to turn or when to turn. But he is polite and good looking so I didn’t care . *heh*


But the guapo thing is not the topic of this entry. It is about fugly things I saw in people watching.Promise, I am going to confession for 12 months for having these sinful thoughts.

I went to the pharmacy today. If it is not a big deal for you, it is for me. I have to bring with me a tote bag to carry the 30-day drug supply for my different health issues. If you think I am exaggerating, you should see me haul a shopping bag with wheels a few months ago. At least, the prescribed medications have been reduced in number but the dosages were increased. I am a walking medicine cabinet. Argh.

The other day, I forgot to take my morning little and big pills...in the afternoon, I was shaking..hungry that I could eat a horse...the stable included if I did not eat my early dinner.
When I am so engrossed in my task for the day, the pill box with daily partition becomes useless as a reminder.

Got to remind myself not to eat a banana and drink cold water before going out. I could feel the “people power” inside my abdomen that I like to go back and purge them out to gain “inner peace” but I thought of the ride that I may miss. I do not want the driver to call me. I do not pick up the phone. So many telemarketers. While I was twisting my leg over another trying to quelch the stomach revolution, I took this picture of an evergreen tree in our front yard. whew.


Refilling my prescription takes about an hour. Branded and generic. Boredom makes people do stupid things. While waiting for my name to be called, I indulge myself in my "bad diversion" of watching people. The crossword puzzle was a little bit difficult.

First, the "appointment lady". She is now a few months fixture in that aquariumed counter after the former occupant of that work space joined other personnel who may have been sacked or were given walking papers. I don't receive a call anymore to remind me of my doctor's appointment or if my medications are already ready. Short of staff or the appointment lady does not care.

The first day I saw her, I remembered my fashionista-gay-friend who's my worst critic when it comes to my choice of wardrobe. "I'll slit my wrist, I jump from the billboard if you are going to wear that hideous dress of yours" ...that was his dialogue when I asked his opinion about the dress I picked up from a high-end department store. If he could have seen the appointment lady with all her big bling bling and very colorful dress, he could have threaten to drink a strong poison for witnessing a fashion disaster in his time. You should also see him feign to faint when he sees your seriously-in-need-of -resuscitation-furniture in your place. He's into interior design. My frustrated dream.

Back to the appointment lady...she must have been sent to a "sartorial rehab". Whatever counselling she received works. Her choice of colors are subdued and she just wears one strand of faux pearl necklace. She used to wear several strands of colorful beads.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Bed sharing is not good for men according to survey.


Dear insansapinas.

I like this article of mine in my other blog.


Read this, humans from Mars. But don't bitchslap me...I am only a messenger from Venus. nyahahaha.

If the survey is to be believed, I would not be surprised if a brain charger would be introduced in the market--marked For MEN ONLY. nyehehehe.

Survey says:

Sharing a bed with someone could temporarily reduce your brain power - at least if you are a man - Austrian scientists suggest.

When men spend the night with a bed mate their sleep is disturbed, whether they make love or not, and this impairs their mental ability the next day.
The lack of sleep also increases a man's stress hormone levels.According to the New Scientist study, women who share a bed fare better because they sleep more deeply.


How did he come up with the conclusion?

Here's the methodology:



Each couple was asked to spend 10 nights sleeping together and 10 apart while the scientists assessed their rest patterns with questionnaires and wrist activity monitors.

The next day the couples were asked to perform simple cognitive tests and had their stress hormone levels checked.


So they found out that men did not fare well in the tests compared to women. This is one-of-those-I told-you so-articles-that-I-like to point to my ex-hubby whenever we have that friendly "brainstorming" moments about the superiority of our gender. mwehehe. See me with open mouth, raised brows sipping coffee while cradling the phone between my shoulder and my jaw while I dial his number . Shucks. Voice mail. "I am away from the phone right now but Janice is listening. Leave a message. Janice is his pet cat. He likes cats, you know. Ahem".

Now this is amusing.

Bed sharing also affected dream recall. Women remembered more after sleeping alone and men recalled best after sex.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

A Forgettable Day

Dear insansapinas,
This morning, I went to buy some fruits and I almost forgot my purse at the counter.
All my cards are there, my id and all sort of stuff. just because a lady was talking to me and i was checking some gossip mag. Pencil that...check the purse...check the purse...check the........what am I going to check? Toink.

Pinsansaamerika

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

NCIS Addict

Dear insansapinas,
So lazy to blog these days. for three days now, there is a marathon of my favorite NCIS.


That's how crazy I am on mystery-suspense-detective-espionage series. Include gossip and rumor. Argh.

i have not even touch the papers i have to work on. oh well. i have to put myself on the right mood writing communications because there are just people who misspell names, write the wrong dates which I, a "descendant' of Sherlock Holmes (if ever he had an illicit affair with someone who went to Asia), am strickler for correct info.

A friend of mine who just retired and worked on his social security pension found out tht his gender in his file is that of female. hohoho.

Any am writing in english, kasi there are readers who can not understand Tagalog. ugh.

Wait, i have to check the phone, there could be bug in it. a maintenance guy came and said he was checking something in the kitchen. Who knows?

My paranoia strikes again. Argghhhhhhhhhhh.

Pinaysaamerika

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Dreams


Dear insansapinas,
Been dreaming about babies and my exes. EXES...he he he does it mean, many? I did not have serial marriage, honey. Guffaw.

naah, i am not dreaming about my ex-hubbies. i am dreaming about some special persons who gave me priceless moments... like eating in a park being oggled by squirrels...because some people might see us ...eating in a`greasy restaurant where our favorite toasted anchovies and game hen cooked in soy sauce are good eats. yum yum yum.

What you think? Am having an illicit affair. But i did have one. Oooops. Others were merely thought infidelity.(are there such words).

Pinaysaamerica

Monday, September 08, 2008

How is your boss?

Dear insansapinas,

I got this article about dealing with bad bosses. this is an excerpt.


Your boss seeks your advice on personal problems as though you’re his therapist.

I seldom become close to my bosses especially, ladies. There were a lot of rivalry and insecurities…not unless they share my passion for jewelries, my only vice. I don’t go to fancy restaurants, not unless I am invited as guest, I drink decaffeinated cafĂ©. I only went to Starbucks once. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink. I buy my designer clothes with huge discounts. Mostly those with a little smear, one button missing or slacks with uneven hemlines that they are export rejects. But to me who can recycle a leopard print bed sheet to a beautiful jacket, I can easily fix the few imperfections of these designer clothes. Whatever I saved, I buy a piece of jewelry for important occasion that I would like to remember.

Last time, I was close to my male boss, there was jealousy from the wife. He talked about me in his sleep. hehehe

Pinaysaamerika

Sunday, September 07, 2008

Job Interview

Dear insansapinas,

Let me rewind my clock and reminisce the past. Tick Tock tick tockzzzzzzzz



I was not interviewed in my first job. I was referred by a friend as intern in that auditing firm when I was in third Year College. After graduation, I was hired as regular. I liked the job. It got me a lot of experience in auditing. My supervisor was strict but not the CPA-Owner of the auditing firm who was busy with his other businesses.

Before I was about to graduate, I looked for a job. We were four interns in all and words were out that only two would be hired.

I was happy to receive the response to my application letter. I called in sick the day of the interview and left the house early. I wore my newly bought tailored top blouse. The tag price made me promise to myself, I would abstain from drinking soda for a year and drop the soda allowance to a piggy bank. For the first time, I wore a two-inch heel pump shoes. It was also a new pair. It was sale. I had to fight it out with the other early bird customers with elbows outstretched and ready to bump whoever would overtake me in the line just so I can buy that expensive pair of shoes. My hair smelled terrific. I also applied a blush on. My English teacher encouraged me to start using this cheek coloring to conceal the real blush if I get embarrassed. I did not know how to apply makeup , so it looked like, only one cheek felt the embarrassment. *heh*

I found the place after deciding whether it was really the address. It was. A
guy with perfectly coiffed, glistening with moussed hair invited me to his little office. I thought that it is not ideal for him to go out under the sweltering sun. I f a bug happened to land on his hair, it would die of poisoning and bruising from the stiff hair. If he continued “dumping” all those stiffening products in his head, I won’t be surprised if he’s going to go to rehab for inhaling so much alcohol. A casualty of hair vanity.


First, he made me write my name several times. I did not know that he was an expert in handwriting analysis. So I am a combination of save here-spend there-buy-few-and- buy- lots- as- mood- swings type- of- personality. I was about to ask him for his certificate for graphology when he asked me to add long digit numbers. Hello, hello, hello. Did he expect me to prepare the spread sheets mano-mano? I can add by merely scanning them with my eyes but I would not want to be reduced to a walking calculator when going home trying to check whether I got the correct figures or not. Force of habit, I do that all the time even now. I mentally calculate even when I am walking or inside a vehicle so if you are seated beside me and you hear the DING sound, that’s my brain.

Saturday, September 06, 2008

RAIN,RAIN GO AWAY, BAGYO BAGYO LAYO KA NA DITO

Dear insansapinas,

Grabe ang ulan. Lalaki ng patak.Parang pag nabasa ka, mabubutas ang bumbunan mo. May bagyo kasi. Hanna pangalan. Hane po.





Pumunta kami sa banko. punta sana kami sa library pero talagang malakas ang ulan.
Ang rayuma ko. Aray.

Pinaysaamerika

Friday, September 05, 2008

The Falling Leaves Again

Dear insansapinas,

Fall na naman o kaya sa ibang pangalan, autumn. Ito, nakita ko sa aming balkonahe. Nagiisang dahon.



Noong isang taon, ito ang mga leaves na kinunan ko ng picture doon sa aming glasswall.



ito pa. niretrato ka sa carpet.



Paranggusto kong kumanta ng The Autumn Leaves.Pigilan ninyo ako.

Pinaysaamerika

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Dahil sa Isang Bulaklak

Dear insansapinas,

gusto ko sanang bumili nitong mga bulaklak. twelve dollars ang tatlo.



pero, wala akong green thumb, brown pwede pa. kaya ilang araw lang lanta na ito.

Pinaysaamerika

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Squirrel Photo Op

Dear insansapinas,

Eto yong hinabol ko ang squirrel para retratuhin. yong buntot lang ang naretrato.



Pinaysaamerika

Monday, September 01, 2008

Bed of Books

Dear insansapinas,

ito ang aking bed cum library dahil sa dami ng libro.



Noong baby ako ang unang inilagay nila noong ako ay dumapa ay libro. kaya hanggang ngayon puno ng libro ang aking higaan.



karamihan diyan mga detective, mystery at forensic cases. hindi boring. nakakatako nga lang pag binabasa mo ng gabi. ngiii.

Pinaysaamerika