SHE SEEMED FRIENDLY ENOUGH...or IS SHE? Questions I asked myself when I first saw this new girl in petfood aisle. We'll see then...for I had acquaintances from my previous employment, some nice and others not so. (Sorry!)

Days turned into months.... and I found myself waiting for you during our break time...or sitting eagerly swapping stories with you during *FACING time in the store. Oh, how we talked and shared parts of ourselves. Past experiences and present...family...love...life and I dunno what else. Hahaha. I said to myself, " Aha...she is indeed a lovely and friendly lady."

Remember when we started our new shift? How I dreaded coming in....not because of the morning schedule but moreso I'd miss our old friends. We had such a GOOD TEAM, you always say. Later on, I realised it was not that bad. Working side-by-side (hahaha, "facing") with a friend makes the job more colourful...enjoyable and FUN! Something that is really important to me...otherwise, work would just be a boring meaningless routine or something I needed 'cause it pays the bills.

I wish you can stay longer. (WAIT! Did I APPROVE YOUR RESIGNATION? I THINK NOT!!! just kidding!) But today is your LAST DAY....I don't know what else to say, but YOU WILL BE INCREDIBLY MISSED...by us, your friends. (You have made loads of them in different departments.) Especially by your partner over here. Who will I turn to during Sundays and there's no other lady fillers around? Who will teach me how to make the yummy coffee and cakes??? N, I am blessed by your warmth and friendship. I thank God for you. (teary-eyed...)

Don't you worry, I'll be fine....It's you I'm worried about, all the cleaning and packing you have to finish. I wish you and your family well, my dear friend. This ISN'T goodbye...even if you told me, you won't go back even for a visit in Palmy. I'll pray that you'll find some reason to come see us. SEE YOU LATER, DEAR! God bless!!! Love, MINDFULL

*FACING TIME - bringing the products forward to make the shelves look good and easy reach for the customers. We spend generally 3-4 hours a day facing depending on how many we are on specific days.

Guess what! I've got a "new" laptop now...yeah, he's a few years younger than HP (my Hester Panulat) but...he has his good points too. My new toy is E's old Compaq,which I named "Q" a few years back. A "hand-me-down" but a good one...even if I have 'things' to say about this one...(shhh...I'm using Q right now...lol)

E's got a new baby Q of his own...one I'd call a hybrid, HP Compaq. So does this mean...on with the new and "out" with the old???? I don't think so....For 2 days, I have been installing...downloading...trying to transfer files, programs like the moon and the stars above...Ay sus! But nothing seemed to work right in one computer. EACH ONE HAS IT'S OWN PROBLEM.

Kaloka! In life, you can't have everything and nothing is perfect, right? One has to make the most of what the Lord has blessed us with. I don't know, I just felt like editing and uninstalling the programs here....So for now, I'm holding on to Hester. I would still use her for my scrapbooking, photo-editing, music and artsy stuffs. And as for Q, he's in for the tougher job. (No wonder my migraine is worse...hahaha.) Kidding. I'm still hopeful that I'd find peace in both laptops...like world peace.  So help me, God! (Amen.)

Hester and I have come a lonnggg way. A bestfriend. When I needed someone to keep me abreast with life's going-ons...she's always there! I only had to go to her. Hester and I have been together for more or less 5 years. She knows my inner thoughts and my memories. I can't help but feel really sad, that somehow time has come for her to go....so soon?

By the way, Hester Panulat is my 5 yr old HP500 laptop. Paano na kaya ang buhay... she's gone ALL WHITE! She has all, if not most of my photos ( me back-up naman ako), several softwares/programs, vids and documents. She's quite ancient but i love her. Sure, it takes her at least 15 mins for her internet to open, but patience is a virtue. Who knows one day it becomes one of mine. Only this morning, I've tried to log on 6-7 times...ayaw talaga nya! Kaya heto....I'm using E's...(hindi kami magkasundo masyado nito e..)

Well, E  (hubby) will have to do something about this matter (find what's wrong with her...sabi nya she's probably had it.). I hope and pray she still has enough life in her. Yesterday, she was feeling out...as in kumukurap-kurap na, but I still got her going.

Teka...E!!! BAKA PICTURE TUBE LANG!!! (lol...biro lang....)

E has been doing a song and dance...persuading me to watch JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR for a week. So in the event of our 15th year anniversary, as a couple, I relented to his singing, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR...(in a high pitch voice, too!)

The musical started promptly at 7:30 in the evening (Saturday, 21 August) as we thought it would be best to dress for the ocassion. In my black N white dress and coat, E in his handsome knitted ensemble we sat on the end of  the fourth row from the stage. (right in front of the speaker...)

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is a well-known musical production with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice.  It was initially produced as a musical album and then found its way as a stage production to Broadway and to London's West End followed by numerous wouldwide performances. This musical event brings the depth of local talents to the city's "big stage". (from Maurice Rowe, Chairman of Regent Theatre Board of Trustees)

In my younger years, I used to hear songs from JCS during Holy Week, featured in several noontime tv shows. But last night, we were in awe as we heard 27 songs complete with a live orchestra. The music and lighting were brilliant! I even felt E tapping along! (and I was humming familiar tunes, too! hehehe) I especially loved the costumes and the sets they used.

I asked E which character he would see fit for himself, because as some would know (our churchmates), he has acting in his blood...lol. (maarte!) He saw himself as HEROD. Herod was portrayed by Damian Thorne, taking his character like the lead singer from the rock band, KISS (minus the make-up) with furry top and skin-tight pants. We can't help but applaud him for his short but memorable rendition of KING HEROD'S SONG.

Jesus performed by Peter Flynn starred as Judas in the 1996 Jesus Christ Superstar Production. He along with Judas, Andrew Jamieson,  had the challenging roles as the lead actors they sang most of the high pitched vocals. I must say, the overall performance left a good impression on us that we still find ourselves singing...JESUS CHRIST...SUPERSTAR...

I give JESUS CHRIST THE MUSICAL 4.5 stars with 5 being the highest.  A great night...A different cultural experience...our first, definitely not our last. I wonder when GREASE will be in town....

     Three or four years ago in Singapore, I thought of using this name NINANG NI SAM for a photo blog. Yes, it still exists but I seldom add new pics now. Maybe it's rather difficult to manage 2-3 blogs with our current internet connection...o, kay bagal! (so slow!!!) or is it just my 5 yo computer. MAYBE I need an UPGRADE...(E!!!! maybe we can...kidding!) ANYWAY...

     WHO IS SAM? He is my 5 year old godchild and favorite nephew. And I'm his "ninang" (godmother) or ANG, as he and his mom lovingly calls me. (and he calls his tito, ONG, short for "ninong" or godfather). I have decided to make a handle of NINANG NI SAM for this blog...becoz it was either that, or NANAY NI BRUCE. (Bruce, as some may know, is our doberman who passed on some years ago).
 
     This blog may be all about our travels...family...love...work and the Lord. A few rants..or raves...bloopers and great experiences/adventure. Mainly about how we as a couple, face life here in our new environment we call, home.
 

I JUST realised it's my FIRST YEAR ANNIVERSARY @ work today! (4 August 2010)
What a way to celebrate, on my DAY OFF!!! (ohh, so happy!)

Last Friday, 30 July, we had a farewell gathering for our co-workers who have resigned and it was also a "farewell" (or "see you later") for the rest of us who were staying on. Our pool of 22 male and female workers were split into 2 groups. Five of us were chosen to do the day shifts (period from 8am to 9pm) and the rest would be doing the part-time and "graveyard shifts" (8pm to 12pm and 8pm to 6am). It turned out to be a melancholy parting...I'm just sorry I missed out... because my tummy didn't agree with me that night. I was sent home after 5 hours of work. :-( (they had cakes and coffee, too)

ADIEU OUR FRIENDS!!! TILL WE MEET AGAIN. GO SHOPPING, PLEASE!!! (we work in a supermarket...lol!) We MISS you guys already!

I'm blessed I have my very good friend, *NIEVA*, (not her real name) doing the same shift. Having a friend beside you makes work interesting, light and FUN...we get to be partners when times get tough like "looking for the needle in the haystack"??? (or hard to find products).

When asked (by our manager and supervisors) how we found the new job...I must say it is really challenging for us...CONFUSING, and CHAOS BREWING on every palette...lolz. (We started the new shift last Sunday, 1 August) But our supervisors assured us it will get easier IN TIME. On that note, we're keeping our fingers crossed and praying hard. ;-)

March 2009, nang isinulat ko ang post na ito (sa kabila: friendster blog: KAKAISIP)....ating balikan...

Halos dalawang Linggo na rin ngayon na nakapasok ako sa isang supermarket (Wellington) dito sa NZ. At hulaan ninyo kung ano ang akala nila sa akin……isa akong chengwa.

Wala naman akong pintas sa mga Intsik in general. Sa loob-loob ko pag-ako napagkamalan pa ng isang beses…malapit na ako maniwala. Noong una, customers ang gusto kumausap sa akin ng sarili nilang lengguwahe.

Ngayon nalang araw na ito, tatlo sa ating mga kababayan (Pinoy) na kasama sa trabaho ang nag-akalang miyembro ako ng “yellow race” hahha. Sagot ko nalang, “HINDI AH, MATAGAL NA RIN AKONG PILIPINO…MGA 45 YRS. NA.” biro lang.

Tama naman ang sabi ng kasama kong tunay na Instik, na karamihan naman sa mga Asiano ay magkakamukha…features tulad ng singkit at fair comp. At ganun din ang tingin natin sa mga Caucasians na parang magkakatulad din sila. Pano mo ma-differentiate ang British from Americans (na di kailangan magsalita ha) o kaya mga taga-Ireland kumpara sa Canadians…me point sya di ba?

Mabuti na nga lang nung gusto akong kausapin ng Intsik andoon ang 2 kong kasamahan na sumalo sa akin. Eh baka ang maisagot ko lang sa kanila eh..SIRIT!

UPDATE: Magpahanggang sa ngayon, halos isang taon na ako na nakalipat sa pangalawa kong trabaho, supermarket pa rin...akala nila: CHENGWA daw ako, nung isang araw THAI...aba nung isang linggo naman ay KOREAN...o di ba? Mahilo kaya sila...? Pero pag-narinig nila ako mag-ingles dun nila nalalaman na Pinoy! Hehehe. Bakit? Tunog Americano with a touch of Pinoy English-slang (SLENG??). LOL!

Naisipan ko na namang magbalik dito...sumulat muli ng blog. Di naman sa walang panahon, o walang maisusulat. Siguro lang ay "wala sa mood". Pero nitong linggong ito, naisip ko why not? Hehehe...

Matagal-tagal na rin ang lumipas na panahon nang huli akong sumulat dito. Sa "kabila" (friendster) may ilang entry ako from 2009 pero pa sulpot-sulpot lang. Ngayon ewan ko lang...

Tulad nyan...papasok na naman ako. Kailangan na naman magmadali...magluluto pa ako at maghahanda.
O well...ganyan talaga ang buhay! Kailangan me panahon para sa lahat...panahon ng pagluluto...paghahanda...pagkain at pag-alis...sige baka ma-late pa ako.

NINANG NI SAM...yan ang ipinalit ko sa dati kong blog na MINDFULL REFLECTIONS. Bakit? Parang mas may dating di ba? Ano sa palagay  nyo?  (sige, go na ako...) see yah lata!