Back from what has been a 10-day night shift at work. And since it's a weekend, I took the liberty of time to explore the metropolis and look at what I found:



Since I started working at one of the country's busiest business districts, this place, the Ayala Triangle Park had pretty much caught my inquisitive thoughts. And since I am getting out of the office in the morning for this week and with the weekend in the works, I decided to fix a trip to this piece of sanctuary in the city.

And well, the trip was all worth the planning and the wait. A version of London's Hyde Park just a few steps away from the office. It was such a quiet venue perfect for finding serenity after a week's load of busy stuff at work. Who would have thought that in such a busy CBD like Makati lies a patch of solitude. The one that's pictured above was the exact location of where I was this morning. There, during my visit was health buffs for a walk and a bunch of guys from a Frisbee team having their practice at 7 a.m.

Oh, and I found another wonderful view in this park. I better return there to have a photo of that spot taken because it's really wonderful. I admire it to bits!

A few months back, when I went out for a movie date with Beth and Celine to watch Sex and the City 2 there was one thing that was running in my head the whole time.

I was the mini-me of Carrie Bradshaw.

I'd say I found few resemblance with Sarah Jessica Parker's character -- not just careerwise but including the perceptions on certain things; and it dawned on me during one instance.

(DOWN) TIME TO SETTLE DOWN

Together with the unfortunate events that I had the past week, this one caught me a bit off guard. On our way for lunch, I stated my reason on why I have to take lunch break quickly, and one of my darlings, Erika blurted out of these words to me:

"Ay, oo nga ate. Madami ka talagang dapat pag-ipunan kasi malapit ka nang mag settle down."

To which another side comment came in.

"Oo nga naman ate. 25 ka na, perfect age na yan to settle down."

Instead of being irked, I was a little bit alarmed (just a bit). The words of these two girls earned a few more questions from friends (even a bit of discussion with them). For the longest time, I have never thought about that -- or should I say, I'm no longer thinking about that.

Aside from these two, there had been a few more people who kept "pushing" even "inquiring" and at some point "pinning me out" to take that big leap -- again.

THE WHYS: ME AND YOU, JUST AS TWO

So how in the world did I become Carrie Bradshaw's local counterpart? We have this seemingly similar view regarding relationships and marriage -- probably at a certain extent. When I replay in my head that part when she gave her husband an anniversary gift with an engraved message Me and You, just as two, it was exactly the similarity in my head.

I used have gamophobia. For the longest time I really was and I almost got glued to that permanently. I used to say that I'm fine not being married and if ever I do get hitched, I would postpone having kids for a year or so. I even remember telling mom that if ever a kid is within the plan, I just wanted one.

Back then, just like Carrie, I planned then that despite of being married and carrying a new surname, I will still keep my career and continue being a career woman while partly juggling the role of being a wife.

But during that movie date with the girls, I realized Celine's silent point. It shouldn't be that way. There's no such thing as me and you, just as two when it comes to marriage. Contrary to Carrie's way of perceiving marriage, in reality, there can't really be five days with him and two days with just yourself. There's no such thing as five days married, two days single. It's a lifetime once you're in it. At a certain point, you need to welcome the changes that will be brought about by married life, priorities, kids and the whole kit and caboodle of it. Because if you don't, and if you'll just live with the usual morning routine of going to work and coming home just to watch TV and sleep, married life will just be boring.

QUESTIONS, CONFIRMATIONS, A LITTLE CONCLUSION

Back when I was a writer, I came to a point where in the middle of working at night, I was asking at the back of my head, how is it going to be once I get married in a few more years while still in this job. Would I be okay with the set-up of being seen by my kids drafting articles late at night when I should be reading them bedtime stories and cuddling in bed with them and their father?

Much more when I saw Carrie Bradshaw serving take-out food for a hungry hubby, it was at that point, I confirmed how life's going to be if ever -- and if the full career woman mentality remains in me.

And for sure, no one's going to love that. I should know because I used to and is living that kind of life-- coming to work at dawn and coming home crawling to bed at night. But I believe things have to be this way for sometime.

SOME THINGS ARE WORTH THE WAIT. BELIEVE IT.

While people have this and that to say regarding me entering a new relationship, I guess I'm still fine with what I have. Funny but regardless of their words, there's no pressure (maybe there's none for now). I know I want to be a wife too and not just a forever writer or career woman for that matter. I, too, want marriage and it's kit and caboodle. I'd love to do the things that a wife does -- but that doesn't include serving pizza for dinner.

I know who I want and who I am waiting for. I'll fall in love again when the time is right and the waiting game finally ends. I believe that some things are worth the wait even if it takes a darn long one. Somewhere probably, he's waiting for me too.

NOTE: Just as I was to post the link on my Facebook wall, the security code revealed he and weddings. If that seems cool, I don't know.

Finally, the end of the week arrived. It has been such a long five days and I've been through a lot. From depositions at work to other matters. However, the week was also a period of some weird moments.

I don't know what kind of bug has gotten into me for I have noticed how disoriented I had become the last five days. Actually, aside from being disoriented, there had been seemingly unfortunate events too. Call it terrible, but it actually is. From a misplaced ATM card, a cracked tumbler that I discovered while at work, one embarrassing moment that I'd rather keep and a misspelled word that really caught my attention.

I'm probably overworked. But then, despite coming home aching for just a quick dinner and crawling to bed pronto, I'm not complaining (at least, not just yet :p). I suppose that is really how things work their way for a single gal like me. After all, I don't have any other things or should I say "pending priorities" to respond to ASAP, thus I occupy myself with work.

At the end, probably, the reason for this partially-confused state is purely biological. Or otherwise, like what I wrote on my FB account, it's the mix of being single and being workaholic.

And why not, right?

In my last post, I wrote how much my current job had started to change my life. And besides the knowledge there was more to that. This:


Our batch seem to be the the smallest among the others as we are only eight quirky people. Majority of us are ladies (thus, we get a few spoiling :-) and we've just got three guys in (three, including our trainer). As to the question of why it has changed something in me, well, in this batch I was both the "veteran", (yeah, unfortunately since I was once part of a past batch -- I only got eliminated then) I am also third among the oldest of these people as these pictured above are fresh graduates.

I find it a bit funny that when I think of being ahead agewise to these people, I feel like the mother hen or perhaps the Mama Bear to these guys (I even refer to one of them as my "anak" but they all call me "ate").

But nevertheless, it's still one cool bunch. Consider these:

• A guy who's deepest, darkest secret is watching Vic Sotto movies.
• A guy who's named after St. Bernard -- the saint, not the dog.
• A girl who can turn heads and ears for singing Lady Gaga's Papparazzi in the midst of a film showing next room.
• A girl often mistook for a Korean whereas, she's all Pinay.
• A guy who's a mix of Pinoy, German and Chinese and sings the likes of Air Supply and all the 80's music.

I had a thing (sort of negative) about getting older aside from the fear of it and this thing that they call quarterlife crisis. But then, when I think of it now, in a way, there's actually something good to look at with being ahead (instead of saying old).

Howdy! It has been a long two weeks since I last gave you people an update. Like what I have said weeks back, I will be busy with pursuing an endeavor which I hope will be changing my life, as for the longest time, I have been wanting feasibility all along.

There are some things I cannot change but until I try I will never know. It took me sometime contemplating about taking what is actually among those "big leaps" that I will ever be taking in my life. Of course, there was the usual episodes of fear but fast forward to 14 days, there has been things now that is actually giving my life a makeover.

And it had started to really change my life. For 14 days, I have been going en route daily to Makati Central Business District. Jaguars and Audis became a typical sight (and the office is like minutes from a Maserati showroom too) and while I finished a degree in Journalism, and I do edit, I'm not an editor to the usual magazine -- a stuff which I took hold in the past four years. Instead, what I am having are inclined to legal matters, meaning a thing that's only fit for lawyers and those who are fond of reading John Grisham and watching Law and Order, CSI, Boston Legal and The Practice.

This job brought surprise to people and friends. One of them even thought I was already out of the country--even called me the Solicitor General of the US. Call it a different stroke of the plan but growing up, I never really had much interest on law. I grew up to thinking that despite finishing a degree that is acceptable for law school, I will never become a lawyer or else, I'd die early because I see that job as something stressful.

But in a way, some things within the context of the word that is "law" had somehow gave me a different perspective on certain things. What a deposition is, the difference between trials and hearings, cross and direct examinations, who are expert witnesses and stuff like that. It is now that I realize some arguments do make sense.

I seem to have memorized who and what Mulhall, Shapiro and Jonczack ask and what they mean with Strike that. ;-p

Yet, there was one thing I try to dismiss -- the out of the box suggestion of a friend for me to find an Esquire (that's actually the way Americans address lawyers) with the nature of my current job. It might be worth the thumbs up but then, given the choice, I like what Frances Amper said, love your own pa rin.

And I am not expecting that to happen anytime within the next few years. Such thing like others is worth the wait.

Quoting my current favorite among the other statements would be this:

"You have the choice to read or waive your deposition but if you decide to change any part of your deposition, we have the right to re-depose you."

And I suppose, I don't need to change any of what I have actually said. As it is the truth and nothing but.