I’m saddened about the news of his death. And I can’t help myself from writing my personal reaction of his death… this is my way to extend condolences to the man that changed the world through his many hi-tech innovations and to whom my hubby look up and serve as inspiration in his job as an IT Specialist. The computing industry truly lost a great, unique, and brilliant mind, a one of a kind innovator of the new century!

I started to appreciate the brilliance of this man when I got my new iPhone 2 years ago that made me decide not to get any other new phone even branded one as replacement… because I simply got the best phone in my pocket already! Well, I would definitely get a new one but it should be the upgrade of what I have now… must be iPhone 5

Steve’s innovation of iPod, iPhone, IPAD… are very human that even a 2 year old can already navigate on it… and I love to see my 3 year old able to download a new free game when my iPhone is with her… she loves playing on it and navigating every icons. Oh, it makes me a proud mom, because I didn’t teach her how to use it but she handles and learned it by her own… I owe it to Steve Jobs for bringing an extraordinary UI that is so human and easy to understand.

I think I just don’t admire him now… I love him… My prayer is for his beloved family in this time of grief.

Rest in peace Mr. Job! You will always be remembered! You definitely touched everybody’s lives including little kids.

As a Catholic, A “Town Fiesta” usually involves thanksgiving and celebration of the parish’s patron saint. It is an occasion where the town-folks gathered together and enjoy lots of fun activities initiated by the parish and the municipal government officials as well. The sumptuous foods, drinks, “disco”, games are just some of the items in the list when you go to fiestas.

Minglanilla is known to be the “Sugat Capital” in Cebu and is also known during its town fiestas wherein full pack activities are well prepared by the organizers yearly. I always make sure to travel back home every fiesta and be with the whole family. This year’s fiesta  fall on a Sunday so I will make it a point to hear Holly Mass in Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish itself, whose feast we are celebrating.

I’m sure varieties of Filipino foods are waiting in the table when I get home… not to mention the all time favorite of Cebuanos, the lechon, then my favourite chicken curry, pork menudo, pancit, lumpia, and many more. Oh, it makes me hungry now, so I better pack my things now and go to the province.

Happy Fiesta all Minglanilla Town folks and visitors!

I promised myself to stop browsing about politics after this election day, especially that I got hook into the Green Team fever this past few months… not only because I am following a favorite presidential candidate but I’m learning the other good side of Philippine politics.

Now is the occasion to cast my vote… and they said this year’s election is historical since it’s the first time the Philippine Government launched the Automated Election. I travel to my province to take part of this occasion with a little excitement of how it will turn out. But to my little dismay, I never imagined a long line and long hours of waiting in order to reach the door of my precinct and finally feed my ballot to the PCOS (precint count optical scan) machine… well, this is the machine that makes our election automated. Four hours of waiting under the heat of the sun just to cast my vote turned out not an automated election to me, and I just thought that maybe only the transmission of votes is automatic but not the whole election process.

My impression and observations may not be that good but I’m glad I managed to finish the election activity. I hope and pray that whoever gets the mandate of the people will lead the Philippines into a better place to live in, for the future of my little daughter. God bless the Philippines!

Some of my friends might not agree with me and I respect them. My choice is not out of emotion and out of popularity and most especially not because of false surveys! I do my research well, in fact in day 1 I tried not to be biased, read articles from left to right, read and watched Presidential forums and debates so I can compare and assess well all candidates who applied for the highest position of the land, and only one passed my criteria.

I love listening to his every word speaking of reconciliation and did not promise any eutopia. I see a new face of politics, no mudslinging, all positive and straight forward campaign. Intellectually, he is well prepared and do his research well before standing in front of the crowd… Physically, he outwits them all, tall and got the good looks… most especially, he is a Family man, with beautiful wife and son, indeed a picture of a future first family.

Many have said and posted these reasons why they vote for “Gibo Teodoro”, and definitely my reasons too:

• Gibo is the only candidate who speaks of reconciliation and unity
• The only candidate who does not offer promises of paradise but realistic solution
• The only candidate with a clear platform of government and region specific plans and strategies
• Gibo does not appeal to emotions just to gain votes
• He is not tainted with corruption or any scandal
• He has the best qualification for the job
• He has integrity, competence and character
• He has a political will to make his platform of government real

He is my President, win or lose! I will vote for the future of my daughter, I will not resort to be influenced by winnability but by my principle of choice. Why should I pass this chance of voting the right man for the job?

If I am the owner of the biggest company looking for CEO, I will definitely hire the most competent, eloquent, and who will give me a clear and realistic plans for my company.

Vote wisely friends!

I’m not an avid fan of rock bands but I occasionally listen to them especially ‘Rivermaya’ and I started to like this band and listen to their  popular energetic rock music that makes me dance a little bit in my seat when I put my headphones on while working…  and I admired them for making a stand to support and raise the banner of one of the best Presidential candidate this coming election.

I like the lyrics, the tempo, the beat and the arrangement of this particular video… There are a lot more good video ads in YouTube that I like performed by Rivermaya for Gibo but this is the best for me.

Yes! “Dapat Gibo” nice title and very inspiring. Kudos to the people behind this video, worth sharing!

Unexpectedly, we were able to witness the spectacular Fireworks competition in SM City Cebu. I heard there were 12 contestants who joined the competition. All entries are amazing and it burst a big “WOW” from the big audience! We are seeing it from the roof deck of SM Car Park and it is the best view.

Whew! How I love Cebu and this beautiful and colorful occasion! Indeed, ‘Sinulog Festival’ is the grandest and the mother of all festival in the Philippines!

Pit Senyor!

One of the grandest and popular occasion in Cebu is the “Sinulog” which is celebrated annually by all cebuanos and not just the town folks but even many Filipinos in the country and foreigners around the world. The celebration even started with a ‘Sinulog Street Fair’ from December 01, 2009 and will end January 31, 2010. It is indeed a festive days in Cebu during this time, the activities and different events will surely make everyone happy, from Sinulog contestants’ street dancing, to mall fairs, not to forget eating and dancing and of course, one of the best thing I see during this event is the big religious crowd in the “Basilica del Santo Nino church” hearing the novena masses and praying.

This grand occasion is not just street fairs but the most important one is a thanksgiving to the main celebrant, who is the baby Jesus himself. That is why, the days celebrating in different corners of Cebu is not complete when people will not drop by the Basilica and pay homage, pray and hear the Holy Mass.

First thing, I will probably be going to the Basilica with my family then party in the streets with my friends! See you all and Viva Pit Senyor!

Below is  the schedule of religious activity during the actual Solemnity feast day which is on January 17, Sunday in the Basilica:

4:00 am – Mananita Mass with Msgr. Frederick Kriekenbeek
6:00 am – Pontifical Mass with His Eminence Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal
every hour – Holy Mass

A week before the halloween, all departments in the company were decorating halloween tricks in every corner of the office… the creativity of the staff is amazing! I saw graveyards with candles, coffin with pictures, cobwebs in almost every corner of the walls, bats, crickets, there’s even dolls with spooky look hanging on the doorway and a broken leg with unreal blood hanging in the lobby! haha! imagine that! And on the day when the 50 kids ages from 1 year old to 7 year old arrived in the office’s main lobby with their colorful costumes, the place become more scary than the previous days… my officemates are already on there scary costumes, the office turns dim with red lights on the hallway… at the back of my mind, I appreciate all the creativity and thought it’s the happiest Halloween I ever had! Representative from IT Web department won the scariest costume this year – and it’s indeed scary, plus his acting is superb! Wow!

When the kids forming one line are ushered to the path where they will get their first treat, I can see my Claire’s surprised look at her surroundings but I cannot say she is scared yet. When the kids reaches the line and every corners where it’s already the staffs in scary costumes giving them their treat, they all started to be scared, and crying started… my little girl accompanied by her daddy is quite strong, she only tremble when the man who won the scariest costume approached her. Wheh! Overall the occasion is successful and memorable!

We are able to bring home 1 big plastic full of candies, chocolates and toys! Amazing!

right, won the best costume... left, 1st runner up

]]> http://blog.occasionexpress.com/trick-or-treat-for-kids.html/feed 0 http://blog.occasionexpress.com/looking-for-halloween-costumes.html http://blog.occasionexpress.com/looking-for-halloween-costumes.html#comments Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:48:15 +0000 Irene http://blog.occasionexpress.com/?p=936
When it comes to Halloween, what comes to my mind first is something spooky from decorations to scary characters and costumes based on images of death and the supernatural. And having this in mind, I am having a hard time looking for a Halloween costume not for myself but for my Claire… I registered her for some tricks and treats this Halloween and since it’s already one week to go… I gotta find a costume fast! I’m almost tempted to shop online looking at those Tinker Bell costumes, I’m sure she will be so lovely, but I think finding it personally in the mall is a sure thing to fit. So I bring my little girl shopping with me today and could not find that costume I found online, but the first fairy costume she fits delighted my eyes so I pick it. I’m now exited to see my little girl on her fairy costume and joining other kids celebrating this occasion!

I never got a chance to attend and dress in a Halloween costume before, poor me… hehe.. but I’m sure this coming Halloween will be memorable for Claire will be participating it…

When we reached back the hotel and turned on the television, I feel so pity and sad looking at what the typhoon “Ondoy” have done to Manila and the people, the flood is so fierce that it reached high even to 3-story houses and it flashed away many things inside many houses and i can’t believe my eyes looking at the screen on a car flashed away as if it is a piece of paper… These victims needs help, and at the point where I am now, the least I can do is to extend my prayers to them. I thought typhoon Ondoy hit Baguio City in the evening because it rain so hard and the wind is blowing the trees so harshly and we got stranded in SM, we got ourselves soaked in the rain because the taxi line seems endless and it’s already 9:00 in the evening. I’m worried our flight back to Cebu will be cancelled but I draw strength from my hubby and faith in God that we will all reached our destination safe and sound.

The next day, I believe Ondoy is gone… when we reached Manila, we still experienced lots of rain but our flight is on schedule and the airplane even reached the airport back home 20 minutes early. Typhoon Ondoy did not ruined my Baguio tour after all… it was fun and I bring with me good memories of Baguio and the rest is a blessing!

Now, we reached home safe and sound, I reflected that God is so good to me on the same day where the typhoon ruined many lives and many families are now suffering – it’s time for me to show God’s goodness too in my own little way, I thought of buying canned goods and noodles tonight and give it to the donation center. I hope and pray that the victims will be healed in the grace of God.