Tuesday, November 29, 2011

A Happy Comeback

A Happy Return

After almost 3 months of personal time, I returned to the familiar place and faces of my then daily life - my Abenson HR family. 

And just like most homecomings, this one was a happy return.  

Thanks to this wonderful team who showed me their understanding support.  They who wished, hoped and prayed with me as I went through a personal endeavour and journey.   With their presence, I continue to keep a strong faith that God is preparing me up for something greater and bigger.  The cheerful smiles,  generous hugs and sweet surprises made the comeback a lot easier and happier than I thought.  :)



Thanks to these sweety-heads who work with me side by side each day -  Ron, Jam, Kaye, Ena, Hang, Via, Jehna, Beng, Marrie, Sheryl, James, Ria, Kate, Tonnie, Boyet, Nevs, Corine, Connie, Eb, Glenda, Avic, Bryan, Joel, Ronald (+ a name of our new guy to follow). 

I can't forget Ma'am Marian's motherly love for me of course. Siya talaga ang pangalawang Nanay ko. :)




I am all ready to hear the daily quirks, love-hate disagreements and even the noisy endless teasings!  I realized that a "day" is still different without you guys.

(I won't last a day without you?! haha)

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Name Game



Taking a stub on my name.  Just for fun!

Come on everyba-deh!
Ah say-ah  let's play a geheym!



1. YOUR NAME:
   
    Mary Grace Mariano-Zulueta

2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (first three letters of your name, plus izzle):  
   
      Marizzle , Graizzle - gangsta ba ito? parang disney name ata.

3. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color and fav animal):   
     
      Blue Terrier  - haha! mukha naman akong stuff toy, di naman to detective!

4.  YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, current street name):

      Mariano Hontiveros  -  WEH?!!  tunog cast ng Mexican telenovela. wag nalang!

 5.   YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name, first 3 letters of mom's maiden name):

       Zulmaman - ok! parang generic name lang ng gamot!

6. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink):

       White Mocha - super nga talaga ito, super drink! haha

7. IRAQI NAME: (2nd letter of your first name, 3rd letter of your last name, any letter of  your middle name, 2nd letter of your moms maiden name, 2nd letter of your dads middle name, 1st letter of a siblings first name):

       Aliar – pwede na. 

8. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (father's middle name):

       Francisco

9. GOTH NAME: (3rd favorite color, and one of the name of your pet)

       Pink Butch

Hehe! Try nyo din, pangpatawa lang. :)

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Lootbag: Purrr...Paalll

Yesterday, I received a "Just-Because-Gift" from my girlfriend Pizza (yes, that's her name) and her hubby Jayson.  No reason. No occassion. It's a just gift.  Happiness!

They decided to give me something they wish I'd grow to like..(like muna, pwede love after nalang?)


Purple and Pink Starbucks Thermal Tumbler

I missed buying one of the pink limited stocks last year and she even looked for one when she went to HK but we both weren't successful looking for one. I guess she remembered it and bought me this. Don't you just really love a dear girl friend?  


My favorite picture of Piz & Jay (yep, Jay is there)


Jay and Piz just celebrated their 32nd birthday this month, Happy Birthday to our dear-good-ol-couple-friend!  Love you both!

Thanks for the no-reason-at-all gift! And I know that that's a suhol to love The Purr-Palll!

For all the surprise thingies I suddenly receive, I'll name my entries of gratitude as A LOOTBAG! So this goes as my 2nd gift inside my lootbag. :)

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Lingering Scenes Saturdays (LSS)

Saturdays being our "movie day" of the week, I'll turn to my favorite scenes from my favorite movies across time.  I'll name this entry LSS. Just like how songs linger to my mind all day long.  These are lines and scenes from my favorite movies. And since I do movie reruns on a saturday, I'll tag it Lingering Scenes Saturdays a.k.a. LSS.

And so for my first entry:

LSS#1 - The Notebook

     Scene:   When Duke (Senior Noah) was reading for Allie and their children came to visit.


(photo courtesy of google)

Duke (to his adult children): "Look, guys. That's my sweetheart in there. I'm not leaving her. This is my home now. Your mother is my home."

How lovely and inspiring to witness how love can grow unconditionally, tested by time and even self-awareness.  Having to love someone with all your heart despite trials and not being reciprocated back because of memory loss. 

What I learned? True love is self-less.

Prayer for Peace of Mind and Heart (from a Prayer Book)



Eternal, Holy God, 
I come to you burdened with worries, 
fears, doubts, and troubles.
Calm and quiet me with peace of mind.
Empty me of the anxiety that disturbs me,
of the concerns that weary my spirit,
and weigh heavy on my heart.
Loosen my grip on the disappointments and grievances 
I hold on to so tightly.
Release me from the pain of past hurts,
of present anger and tension, of future fears.
Sometimes it's too much for me Lord,
too many demands and problems,
too much sadness, suffering, and stress.
Renew me spiritually and emotionally.
Give me new strength, hope, and confidence.
Prepare me to meet the constant struggles of daily life 
with a deeper faith and trust in You.
Let your love set me free, for peace,
for joy, for grace, for life, for others, forever. 

Amen

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

BookwArming? (meron bang word na ganun?)

My 2 months "Project Z*" leave gave me the liberty to 'work' on my books. (*A topic I opt to talk about at a latter time)

I have the habit of buying books even if I know I would probably just stack them on top of my shelf adding to the libraryish collection I have. (Read:  Magkaka-agiw at nakafile lang pero di nababasa).  Having many time to spare and as advised to have quality rest, I was able to grab the books and started reading, again.

Across time, I have found some favorites.   I usually read the self-help, leadership slash business books as I grow older.  Only recently, when I turned 30ish when I went back picking up literary fictions again.  Must be because of all the "day-dreamings" as I enter the mid-life-three-o.  To date, I have read 4 fictions of young authors. 

Today, I'm sharing my top picks for self-help. I'll do fiction after and leadership/business next, it's hard to choose! But mostly my influence is from John Maxwell and Francis Kong.

Top picks for Self-Help by far:


1.  Mars and Venus Together Forever - the first book used to be my favorite, but after getting hitched, this version serves me well the best.  This version tackles more on the lives of married couples.  Indeed, getting married is more than just putting a "-" dash in your name.  The quirks and the differences really comes full throttle after saying the "I-do's". I strongly recommend this to all married couples, newly weds or not.

2.  Why Men Can Only Do One Thing at a Time and Women Never Stop Talking - I must say that this isn't too much different from Mars and Venus Together Forever, only the delivery is more candid and illustrative.  Practical examples and stories come in each page showing cartoon like drawings.  I think the authors who are married, thought of writing it this way to make it appealing to the "male" partners.  Males we know are more visuals and only a few (1%) as we know really has the interest in reading self-help books.  Got my hubby to read this book, he bought our copy in fact. 

3.  Kokology - Maybe because of the influence of my education, getting in to my personal psyche and other else's interest me a lot.  In the psychology world, many of the human traits begets from one's childhood beginnings and upbringing experiences.  The concept of Nature and Nurture.  This book is a fun way of getting to know the many "Why's" of the human mind.  It has series of situational questions answerable in multiple choice, form of illustration or identification.  An answer key unlocks the reason of each of your choice.   A very fun way of self discovery & understanding behaviors!  I read it with my hubby and close friends.  I try to keep it with the closest ones first. :)

4.  What Would Audrey Do? - In a world full of commercialism and fads, sometimes it takes effort to keep manners and good etiquette in tact.  Flipping a women's magazine though published locally would already open you to (we must admit) the more LIBERAL ways of thinking.  Literatures on topics which were once considered 'taboo' are now readily published in magazines that are very accessible to public, others even teaching procedures or tips.  Call me conservative, but I am still more confortable doing it old style.  Feminine yet with zest.   And who else would epitomize grace and femininity other than the icon of elegance and style, Audrey Hepburn. 

Am reading more and more SH books, I think I may be able to add more good reads in time. I am after all starting go bookWARMING again!

And there goes my 2 cents on Self-Help books.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Saying "Sorry"

It's sad to know that there are people who find it very hard to say the word "Sorry".

A simple yet very meaningful and sincere word.  A wonderful "healer".



I pray for those who are, that they may find compassion and humility to accept faults and make ammends for those whom they may have hurt - in relationships of any kind.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Lootbag: Bambino


Yesterday, we received our first christmas gift from Tito Jojo & Tita Ditsy Sumpaico after our DW. At DW, we usually receive tokens from them whenever we share a talk.

A Bambino!  Bambino is a child/baby representation of the infant Jesus. 

I have been looking for a perfect image of the Bambino for more than 3 years now but to my disappointment, I couldn't get hold of one that is smiling and whose hands are not raised to form the peace sign, as all other Ninos do.  Bambino is a represenation of the infant Jesus without the symbolic raise of hand. IT is when our Christ Savior appears to be very meek and innocent, seem oblivious yet to the mission He is about to face for whole of mankind.

I was taken aback when I opened the box!  So happy and couldn't believe I'm holding the actual Bambino that I have pictured in my head for quite some time.  I first saw an image of Bambino from an article I read written by Ms. Lucy Torres-Gomez, at the time she was praying to conceive.  Her mother gave it to her after a pilgrimage and she held on to that image until their Juliana was born.   Hers I think though is bigger than this, and infant Jesus was a bit lying on his side but nevertheless, it's the closest image I have seen so far. The infant baby Jesus is smiling!

I can't help but smile.  A thought came to my husband when I showed him the Bambino.

A bit more, l'l itsy bit more.

Thanks Tito Jojo most especially to Tita Ditsy for choosing this token slash gift!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Journey B.D.

A Message and call received.

My heart leaped.

Thanked God.

Shared news.

Happy Heart.