I am Corporate Junkie.: January 2014

Jan 31, 2014

Day 31: Of Chills and Poems

Cold seeps in

As you slowly slipped in my reverie

The chill always seemed

To still remind me of your memory.

A missed encounter

Or that fleeting second long before gone

A mixed-up chance

Of risks untaken, of bittersweet fun.

We've long lived

In separate worlds, a happier place

But in some moments

What if you, or maybe I, solved that maze.

xx,

Corporate Junkie

Day 30: Wine and Good Friends

"I love everything that is old; old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines."

- Oliver Goldsmith

There are a few people who continue to become your friends notwithstanding time and place. These are people you meet at one point in your life, real people who are like you, who you know will always have your back no matter what happens to you.

I am lucky to have one or two people who I have met in my professional life who have continued to be dependable friends after more than seven years. This friendship has transcended the workplace, transcended communicating all the time. This was a friendship that can easily be picked up where you have left it. I thank God for this blessing.

How about you, loves? Be grateful if you have friends like this. You only need to keep a few of them and you are set for life.

xx,

Corporate Junkie

"I wear it before I go to a battle or a fight. In that way, despite all the pain or hurt, I will not shed a single tear. I do not want to ruin my makeup and not look good in victory or in defeat."

Okay, so I don't know where I actually heard this quote. I have been racking my brain and all I can think of is that this may have come from the Samurai X series or some anime series that I watched before. Hahaha.

It is a nice thought, ladies. Don't you agree? Makeup can do wonders to brighten up your face, correct some minor imperfections (like my really bad eyebags). In fact, you do not need to have a fully made up face. Just a little bit of blush here, concealer and masscara there -- it would make a lot of difference! In my case, looking good makes me feel good about myself and gives me a boost of confidence knowing that I look presentable (vis-a-vis pure vanity) when I meet other people.

Surgery? Naah. It is just makeup. Grabbed from www.acidcow.com.

How about you? Does makeup give you a boost of self-esteem? Share!:)

xx,

Corporate Junkie

PS. Like and add @usbeautyoutlet in IG. I get most of my makeup from them. Really nice and legit sellers.

Day 28: Memories of Happiness

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach." - T.S. Eliot

Any one undertaking the quest to happiness is bound to encounter some puddles. This can be attributed to crass people around you who destroys your day, uncontrollable life situations like heavy traffic making you late for work, or maybe, just maybe, THE time for that hormonal imbalance.

It is a struggle to shake a bad feeling, a bad day. Everything (or everyone) is irritating and gets on your nerves. In my case, the bad feeling affects me so much and puts me in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

And so, I have discovered a solution. Take a 10-minute break, walk under the sun, go to the restroom or what-not. I imagine my happy place -- a sunny, scorching beach -- and say my mantra over and over again.

And then, happy happy joy joy mode again! This has some side effects on my part though. When I go back, I tend to detach myself to that negative situation which affected me (or person) rather than try to solve it. This is because I just want to let go of the things beyond my control.

I don't believe in the saying, if you can't beat them, join them. If I am not welcome, I leave. If the shoes don't fit, quit. No qualms. Simple as that.

Achieving happiness is hard. Some people think it is absurd to plan your happiness. Just remember one thing: their opinion does not matter, not really. The only thing that matters is you -- you who can notice the little changes in yourself (a change in disposition, a change in habit perhaps), you whose emotions and thoughts are inside your circle of control.

How about you? What is your happy place?

xx,

Corporate Junkie

Day 27: Poetry

"Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen." -Leonardo da Vinci

In a scale of one to ten, today can be an eight. I discovered the wonders of what you call digital technology (more on that post later on), crossed out a lot of items on my work to-do list, cooked a hearty dinner and the highlight of it all, discovered again the wonderful world of poetry through a book given by a friend (thanks Gay!). The book is by Lang Leav named Love & Misadventure.

You will know it is a good book when at the first few pages it could capture your attention. And indeed, this book did not only lure me, it inspired me to go back to my original roots in writing -- poetry.

Yes, I started my venture into the literary world by writing poems. As the years went by, poetry seemed melodramatic and too romantic to be injected in the real world. I can imagine some people telling me that poems are too childish, teeny-boppity. Poems and my daydreams : my delusional gateway to Neverland.

But now, as I browse the book and its pages, I feel a sense of elation. I should never give up on my passion. Who cares if anyone actually reads it? Who cares if noone can relate to it. I am just painting my reality in words, for me -- by me. It does not matter if these things I write are not appreciated by someone else. The words in my heart is my own painting -- a painting of my life. For me. By me. And at the end of the day, it makes me happy.

Word

I have lost all my words for you

Some thousands of seconds ago;

When I have begun moving on,

You started to sing a diff'rent song.

How am I supposed to react

When you keep hiding under that mask;

Just say one word, just one, indeed-

Stay or go, that is all I need.

xx,

Corporate Junkie

Day 26: Rest

God made the world in six days, on the seventh day, He rested.

Me and my team had a busy week last week and so to reward myself, I asked the husband to just do some change of scenery for a while and stay in Tagaytay after last Saturday's activity.

We stayed in One Tagaytay Place (where else would we be?!) and as always, service was amazing. What I like about this hotel is the uber comfortable squishy fluffy beds and pillows which put you to sleep in a blink of a second. Talk about real rest!

We had dinner at the Fire Lake Grill and of course, grabbed some boost at the Bag of Beans. What I did not like about the trip was the horrible traffic in Tagaytay. I hope it was an isolated incident last weekend. If not, we really, badly need some urban planning. Oh well!

How about you? How was your rest last Sunday, loves?

xx,
Corporate Junkie

Day 25: Be Grateful.

In life, we all want to make a difference -- may this be adopting an abandoned animal, a donation to an orphanage or simply, spending your day with children with special needs.

Today, we interacted with kids from

Community of Learners Foundation. This event is in partnership with Tagaytay Highlands and has been running for three years already.

There were several activities such as a photo contest, community games such as Hulihang Baboy (where kids chased after a piglet and tried to catch it) and the like. It is heartwarming to see special children do things normal people do and be better at it (like singing, golf or fishing).

How about you? What difference have you done this month? Do good things. Pay God's love forward.

xx,

Corporate Junkie

Day 24: All In a Hard Day's Work

In my almost ten years in the corporate world, I have worked with many different people.

I made a list of some of the characters I have met in several organizations I have been part of. I try to avoid the people who are not like me as much as I can, just to minimize possible conflict. And also, so that my day would not be ruined and I can end it happy, haha!

1. The Influencer

They are proactive, self-reliant and they are the catalysts in the organization. They have proven their worth in the organization, thus their ability to influence others.

2. The Individual Achiever

They are silent, would usually prefer to work on their own and has high independence rate. They like to be empowered to do things on their own. Individual achievers usually get frustrated easily especially when they feel that the people around them are not at par with their standards. They usually do not mingle with others and cannot communicate their expectation, thus the resentment.

3. The High Potential

They are the stars of the organization, can be an influencer or an individual

achiever. Their commitment level is high as long as their worth in the company is acknowledged.

4. The Happy-Go-Lucky

They go to work to get through the day's salary. They come in two forms: mediocre or sloppy workers. They could turn into other types once their commitment levels change.

5. The Whiner

These are people who whine just about anything but do not do something to alleviate their situation.

6. The Can

They cackle the most when they are empty. They talk a lot, without making any sense.

7. The Adult Child

These are spoiled brats who think they are entitled to everything. They treat other people, mostly their subordinates badly. They want respect but they do not usually deserve it. These people just simply need to grow up.

8. The Poser

They are always busy. Moving on...

9. The Unlikeable

For some reason, you just don't like this person yet you cannot pinpoint why. Maybe it is the way they dress or the way they talk. Maybe it's their tact (or the lack of it) or the way they present themselves. There is just something different or weird (based on your standards) about them and you know that you cannot go beyond a professional relationship with them.

How about you? Share your own and add to this list!:)

xx,

Corporate Junkie

Day 23: How To be Happy At Work through Teamwork

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much" - Helen Keller

If there is one thing that I am grateful and proud of over the years that I have been in the corporate world, it would be the teamwork that was evident in most of the teams that I belonged to.

Teamwork is vital to any organization. It keeps the ball rolling. When people are happy with their team, they are more resilient and forgiving. This is quite important considering the fact that people spend more than 40 hours in the workplace!

Achieving teamwork depends on each person. In my case, it was through participative management. Authoritarian management never really worked for me. I think this stemmed from own experience. I worked best with bosses who gave me sense of empowerment and creative (but calculated) freedom.

I try to emulate this in my own way. Others would consider it detrimental because it may cause an anarchic organization. Yes, this is one downside of it. In reality, I suffered the consequences at times, especially when disciplining people. However, it has worked to an advantage more than it has caused disorder.

How about you? What moves you to work with your team?

xx,

Corporate Junkie

Day 21: Be Your Own Fan

"You can be the most beautiful person in the world and everybody sees light and rainbows when they look at you, but if you yourself don't know it, all of that doesn't even matter. Every second that you spend on doubting your worth, every moment that you use to criticize yourself; is a second of your life wasted, is a moment of your life thrown away. It's not like you have forever, so don't waste any of your seconds, don't throw even one of your moments away." - C. Joybell C.

I grew up (that happened only several years ago) with a confidence of knowing myself, what I am capable of (and things I shy away from), who I really am and who I am not. The best thing about knowing myself is being able to move on and let go when things are just not meant for me.

I have heard people say bad things about me -- about the way I work, how I am as a subordinate, as a boss, as a friend. I make it a conscious effort to exhale all the negative things people say about me especially those who are irrelevant in my life. The things that I take by heart are the criticisms (or feedback) I get from my loved ones, my real friends, my teammates, the people who I closely work and interact with.

For me particularly, this effort has been one of the most rewarding for my happiness project. We cannot please everyone. At the end of the day, it is you and you alone who can say if you have really given it your all. It should only be you who should shape future based on introspection and careful evaluation of oneself; not based on what other people want or what other people say.

What other people say about you is not your reality. So when you do a good job, do not wait for anyone to commend you. Don't make recognition from other people be the pillar of your success. Instead, pat yourself on the back and give yourself a star for every little achievement every day. Be your own admirer and at the same time, your own challenger. But remember, be gentle with yourself.

Why wait for other people to give you an ego boost. Know your worth and celebrate it.

xx,
Corporate Junkie

Day 20: Music Heals the Soul

"Every day we should hear at least one little song, read one good poem, see one exquisite picture, and, if possible, speak a few sensible words." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

In your quest for happiness, there will always be less happy days. Yesterday was one of them. I always feel down when I have disappointed someone because I was not able to deliver what was expected of me.

But this is unavoidable. They say that the thing that matters most in a difficult situation is one's attitude towards it. So, instead of making my down moment ruin my whole night, I just drowned it with good ol' music - husband on the guitar and me, in the mood to bring out the vocals.

And my yesterday ended much better than how I imagined it would be.

xx,

Corporate Junkie

Day 19: God's Little Angels

Today, the husband and I attended the 25th Anniversary of Autism Society of the Philippines (ASP) at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

It is overwhelming how people converge for the same advocacies. Despite their special situation, parents and family members unite to forward acceptance and hype awareness for these children with special needs.

Ever-adorable Jeremy and his wonderful mom, Agnes. Photo grabbed from Agnes Lapena.

Admittedly, back in the days, I was one of the many, who more than being judgmental, was scared to interact with these kids. I feel so blessed that my job was able to open me up to this world, helping me to understand more. They are wonderful kids, sweeter than most and the families I have met are warmer, filled with love and more accepting.

I hope that everyone counts their blessing. My whole life, I never really expected that it would be sooooooo hard to have a baby. So for all parents out there, whether you planned getting pregnant or not, appreciate God's little bundle. In one corner of the Earth, someone is yearning, dying to have one.

Count your blessings every day and realize how lucky you are. To parents who did not have much trouble, thank God a millionfold, because without you realizing, there are thosands of parents who sacrifice more, especially those who have children with special needs.

On this note, let us be kinder, be more accepting and stop the ridicule and apathy to these sweet special angels.

Lots of love,

Corporate Junkie

P.S. If you are interested and want to know more about these different support groups for children (or even adults) with special needs here in the Philippines, let me know, just drop a comment.

Day 18: Why I Read. Why I Write.

"Reading is not work, not a chore, not a drudgery; reading is the most joyful thing, yet, in the world." - James Patterson

I grew up in a very small town -- the smallest municipality in fact in Negros Occidental, or so my Papa said.

I lived there for almost 20 years of my life. Although I spent most of my time in Bacolod, this is the place where my childhood evolved.

The recollection that I have of my younger years was going with my Tito and our dog, Iris, to go hunting for birds. This place had some sugarcane plantations and it was fairly easy to catch some birds at that time. Other than that, I climbed trees, collected seashells, played with my rabbits and my white mice, goaded Bor, our mischievous monkey, and fed my Papa's fighting fowls and my fishes. As much as I enjoyed these activities, there was one thing which made me the happiest -- reading.

I was very lucky that I was raised in a household where my parents were very hands-on with my education. We were encouraged to read encyclopedias; my mom made me spelling cards; my dad forced me to love Math. I loved studying. I do not remember hating school.

Because I loved school, the love for reading seemed almost automatic. I loved the library and my most precious possessions were my library card, a pen and a notebook. I think I spent most of my time in that place than anywhere else. I read almost everything. Of course, same as with any booklover I suppose, I went through the phase of Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and Liz and Jessica of Sweet Valley High. And then I evolved and loved the occult novels of Rice and King, and the scandalous Westmorelands of McNaught.

I could never stop reading.

I loved how authors conveyed powerful words. Words that moved the readers. Words that can take you anywhere.

Because I loved reading so much (I remember we had a hammock where I spent my time when I wanted to read), I wanted to emulate my favorite authors. So the writing began. I was part of the writing group in grade school and my English teachers loved me. When I reached high school, the first thing I did was to join the schoolpaper which I headed during my senior year. In college, I persevered, trying to write when I can while juggling between my two majors.

The most impactful that I have written by far was this story -- A Love I Never Had . People thought it was real; although I really intended it to be very personal. I seldom wrote prose. I was more into the journalism and poetry genres. I wanted to write short novels; I just knew that I could not sustain its plot. One day, I hope I can.

Reading and writing are two sides of my favorite coin. I do not think I could do one without the other. It is happiness at its cheapest. Yet the most satisfying vice that I have.

How about you? What makes you really happy?

xx,

Corporate Junkie

Day 17: Through A Child's Eyes

I missed being a kid. This is back in the time when hugs were real, time is irrelevant (no deadlines, no appointments) and problems meant what crayon to use or when my wobbly tooth would fall off.

A kid's world is in black-and-white. It is relatively simple. When they see another kid, they are instantly the best of friends. No "elevator" sighting of what her makeup looked like, or if she wore a necklace, or a branded timepiece or how high she wears her shoes. They do not ostracize -- no kid ever said, "You don't like the color red?! You are odd. Go away, I don't like you."

The eyes of the child. Never judging, always innocent and very easy to please. This is probably how the world should be seen.

Besides, the world now needs a little more compassion. Don't you agree?

xx,

Corporate Junkie

Day 16: Let Go

"Let go."

Bo Sanchez once said that the key to happiness is to mind the things inside your circle of control and let go of the things that you do not have power over. Or something to that effect. Haha.

You do not have the power over heavy traffic so all you need to do is to find out what the rush hours are and avoid them. You do not have the power of what other people think or want to do. All you need to do is be independent of them and take care of things on your own sans whatever it is that they would think or feel about it.

Let go of the people who invalidate you.

Let go of the people who do not appreciate you.

Let go of the people who are negative in your life.

Let go of the people who do not bring out the best in you.

In some instances, yes, it will be hard. But at some point, you gotta bite the bullet.

As my mother-in-law once said, there will always be someone who would want you, for what you are worth, for what you are. People who would treat you best because they also realize your value in their lives. This applies to friends, your partners, your colleagues, everyone inside your circle.

How about you?

What are you letting go today?

xx,

Corporate Junkie

Yesterday marked the opening of the Danajon Exhibit at the Manila Oceanpark.

This project aims to raise awareness for the threatened double barrier reef in Bohol, the Danajon Bank. The Danajon Double Barrier Reef is one of the six known double barrier reefs in the world and the only one in the country.

Danajon is also home to four seahorse species in the country. This project also aims to propagate information about these seahorses. Simultaneous with the exhibit is the launch of the iSeahorse app which allows underwater photographers to catalogue the seahorses that they identify on their expeditions under the sea.

Dr. Amanda Vincent, Canada Research Chair in Marine Conservation and Director of Project Seahorse. Photo by PJ Enriquez.

So to all my underwater photographer friends out there, do visit iseahorse.org and find out more about this worthwhile project. :)

xx,

Corporate Junkie

Day 14: Tips on How to a Be Happier Working You!

Work, by this context, is a job or activity that you do regularly especially in order to earn money.

Work is not easy. That's why we actually get paid for it. So until the time we are financially free, we cannot escape work. Until then, we all have two choices: work and complain or work and enjoy.

In this case, since this is my 365 Days of Happy Project, i would like to share some tips on a happier "working" YOU!

1. Go to work early. Or at least fifteen to twenty minutes before your actual time-in.

Most of the time, our day starts bad JUST BECAUSE we are late. The stress that comes with it in beating the clock, cursing and swearing because traffic is not moving or what-not, is to quote my boss, "the source of hypertension and heart attack".

2. Make a to-do list. Write it down.

Seriously. I admire people who can afford not to write things down. When you receive more than hundreds of emails a day, I think it is imperative to be able to jot down what you need to do. Unless you have a perfect memory, writing things down saves you from the embarrassment when your boss asks you about the things you need to do and you missed on it. Most of the information we encounter every day cannot be retained in our brain. According to www.human-memory.net, your short-term memory is like a Post-it note and can only retain 7 items or less in 15 seconds. Now unless you can take a picture of that mental Post-it of yours, save yourself the future hassle and WRITE IT DOWN. You won't only feel efficient but you save yourself the stress, the embarrassment and can result to a stress-free, good (even, happy) day at the office!

3. Be grateful.

We all know this. Recession in different countries resulting to mass lay-offs. Unemployment rate increasing. If you are in a position or a role where at the very least, you get to do what you enjoy doing (like me for example, I apply some of my writing when I do company publications), be grateful. When you are at a company where your team is not dysfunctional and you actually like working with them, be grateful. There are so many things to complain about: pay scale, workload and so on. You will still get all or some of this in any other company. So until the time that you can stand on your own and be financially independent, weigh your pros and cons. Maybe, just maybe, it is not THAT bad where you are right now.

4. Inject fun ALL the time BUT do not lose sight of what you are required to do at the end of the day.

Efficiency does not mean we have to work like drones. I love the fact that I work with a crazy bunch of people who knows how to have fun and to deliver things at the same time. We spend almost half of our day, five times a week in the office. The least that we could do is to make it a bearable environment :)

Soo, those are the things I can purge from my brain right now. I am still reeling from a retarded, funny ~~SIMS~~ conversation with my teammates when we were finishing our requirements for today.

How about you? What did you do to make work fun today?

xx,

Corporate Junkie

Day 13: HappIER At Work

I am happier at work. I WAS happy at work but now, I am much, much happier. I will tell you why –

All this time, I have had this mantra which I came across a favourite book but it’s only now that I am actually, trying to live it --

“Imagine life is a game in which you are juggling five balls. The balls are called work, family, health, friends, and integrity. And you're keeping all of them in the air. But one day you finally come to understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls...are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered.”

― James Patterson, Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas

I am (hopefully, was) Corporate Junkie for no reason. I loved my work. I was addicted to it. When I started working at 20, I was relentless. There was no other motivation except my own. It was not because of money or a promotion. It was because I had a dream when I took up my degree in Marketing and Mass Communications – someday, I will be a great marketing person.

And so live that dream, I did.

I stayed in the office for more than ten hours without overtime pay. I worked on weekends not because the bosses asked me to nor to kiss ass but because I wanted to finish so many things. I brought work home, I skipped meals, I obsessed on making my brands bigger. I dreamt of my brands, in giant-sized versions of themselves hounding me because they were not market leaders. My whole entity was 90% my career.

Perhaps this was the reason why I was not able to establish real or probably, deep personal relationship with anyone. I have this incessant need to be able to control the things around me. Humans scared me. They are unpredictable, sometimes volatile. They hurt you or backbite you or say nasty things about you no matter how you please them. My Excel and PowerPoint files do not disappoint me. They render the results that I want to see without any complaints. They do not find faults, they just execute. We had a very close relationship, me and my work files.

At some point though, I had to stop my work obsession. The tipping point, maybe, was when my husband blurted to me in exasperation ~~(or irritation)~~ that I do not text, I do not reply, I just simply zone out when I am at work. He was so frustrated about it. There was also a time when my office friends hesitated to invite me to after-office sessions because all I talk about is work! Of course, I shrugged it off at first. How petty can this be!

Later did I realize that it was a glass ball reaching its breaking point. I learned my lesson in a hard way.

I have changed somehow (or at least, so I think). I have come to terms with myself and the idea that I can actually do my job without sacrificing other things in life – like friends, companionship, my health. Social media helped a lot and of course, all these messaging apps which connect people no matter where they are. I was just lucky that I have some REAL friends and a very understanding family who actually understand my quirks this whole time.

I have resolved my issues. I tell myself that I have already reached the pinnacle of that college dream. Based on my own standards, of course. During my time, all the brands I handled were market leaders. Call it luck or whatever you want. I do not claim the glory, please pardon me if that is how this sounds like. All I am saying is this -- I was in love with my brands. I wanted to be great at what I do. It has already been given to me for the past nine years of handling wonderful brands from C2 to PowerShot to IXUS to VIXIA. I have done my share. I have lived my dream.

Now, I appreciate so much what is on my plate. What I do now is wonderful. Doing projects that help people, promoting a brand that has long established its name in the crevices of this world. More than that, it helped me let go and live. To go home to my family. To take care of my dog, to talk to my husband, to do other things than just obsessing on numbers. To actually enjoy lunch time with my team mates and have the time to goof around.

I could not be more grateful. I keep on thanking God for bringing me to where I am now when at first, I was resistant to the change He was bringing into my life. I never thought I could live not being a marketer. But I am now. And I am enjoying it.

xx,

Corporate Junkie

Day 12: Where Is Your Faith?

I feel Him in the gusts of the wind
that gently caress my face
I feel Him in the sun's soft glow
turning into a warm embrace
I feel Him in the little things
His glory shown in all its bounty
I feel Him through my friends, my team and the love from my family.

I feel Him in the books that I read
in the prose I try to write
I feel Him in my worst moments
in the solitude of the night.
I feel His comfort when I am sad
more so when I am happy
I feel God's Almighty love
in everything that is around me.

Day 11: My Books

New book I am currently reading.

"Give me a man or woman who has read a thousand books and you give me an interesting companion. Give me a man or woman who has read perhaps three and you give me a very dangerous enemy indeed." -Anne Rice

I am a very restrictive reader. I usually stick to the authors whose works Iam familiar with already. But last December, I have made a resolution to actually expand my horizons and got this book -- The Bibliophile's Devotional by Hallie Ephron. It was disappointing to have read only ten books out of the 365 that made it to the list.

Coelho never reached the list. Anne Rice, Stephen King disappeared among the slew of authors enumerated in the book. The only titles familiar to me and are my personal favorites are: The Brothers Karamasov, Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Kite Runner, The Unbearable Lightness of Being and Time Traveler's Wife. I know this may seem unforgivable but I have not actually read Life of Pi and Memoirs of a Geisha.

These are some of the authors who would have the most spaces in my bookshelf:

1. Paulo Coelho - Don't ask me why. I love his philosophical mind. I love how he captures so profoundly the things I feel at a certain point in time.

2. Anne Rice - I love vampires. And probably witches. Period.

3. Haruki Murakami - I seem to be attracted to weird stuff. I think Murakami is the King of Weird.

4. Neil Gaiman - Weird.

5. Laurell Hamilton. - Vampires. Werewolves. Slayers. Weird.

6. Stephen King. - Dark. Monsters. Aliens. MPDs. Weird.

7. Philosophical books like Kundera's.

8. Some Albom's.

9. Books on happiness and some inspirational samples as well.

10. Marketing books. Godin's. Gladwell's. Lindstrom's.

11. Some George Martin's. Sheldon's. Dan Brown's.

Those are probably the most noticeable ones though I have some very few classics which I am trying to love. I wanted to die when I was reading Jane Eyre. It made me so sleepy that until now, probably five months after I have started with the book, I am still not done with it. Hehe. Pardon me. Maybe Mark Twain was right when he defined Classic as "a book which people praise and don't read."

My books are my guilty pleasures. Any bookstore is my secret garden. There is always something new to find. There is always something beautiful that it has to offer.

What about you? Have you discovered the joys of reading yet?

xx,

Corporate Junkie

Day 10: Healthy Equals Happy

"Every happiness has its puddles." -1001 Ways to Happiness

Sickness is the body's way of telling us to slow down. The past year has been an evidence to this and I know that I need to change my lifestyle to be truly happy.

My journey for my body to be a healthier vessel is a struggle. I hope to be able to achieve it sooner than later.

These are just some of my Health Checklist for this year:

1. Stop the vices.

2. Eat healthier.

3. Exercise. Start on yoga. Meditate.

4. Drink more water.

5. Drink my vitamins.

6. Get more sleep.

How hard could this be? Right? Riiiighhhtt....

xx,

Corporate Junkie

Day 9: To Friends You Meet Along the Way

"Our true friends are those who are with us when the good things happen. They cheer us on and are pleased by our triumphs. False friends only appear at difficult times, with their sad, supportive faces, when, in fact, our suffering is serving to console them for their miserable lives." - Paulo Coelho

In life, it is lucky to have more than one true friend. These are the people that you may have met since childhood, who you have shared missing teeth moments with, pored over your cute little crushes, had your first tequila with in college.

Luckier are the people who meet true friends in the workplace and continue being friends with them after they have separated ways. Distance is never a hindrance. Time warps are irrelevant.

I thank God for meeting true friends in the workplace. They have transcended to become important people in my life who are there when good things happen and even more so, when things go haywire. These are friends you know will never stab you in the back, no matter what and instead, will say it in your face to let you know you are doing something wrong.

Friends... they are the family you choose. Over time, I know who my real friends are and who are the ones not worth winning graces of.

PS. To Martin & Val, thank you for coming into our lives and allowing us to be part of yours.

xx,

Corporate Junkie