Miguel Paolo V. Ruiz

Here are a few pics of my baby...

The Past Five Months

It’s been five months since I last made a post in this blog and in those five months so many things have happened to me that now that I have a lot of free time, I’ve decided to write them down and share it with you.

1) October 1 - I was surprised when I heard that I was being promoted to the next level. I really didn’t expect that they’ll be moving people up at this time of the year. It used to be that promotions were only handed out during the evaluation period in April or May. Nonetheless, I was still so thankful that my superiors were able to reward me for the work that I’ve done for the past year. Now, I’m formally a part of the leadership pool within the company and hopefully I’ll get to have a chance to have my own team by the time I return from my next assignment. If not, at least I’m praying that I’ll get to be sent out to another project.

2) November 14 – Our baby, Miguel Paolo, was born on this day at exactly 3:26 in the afternoon. It was a long nine months of waiting for Jing and me but it was worth the wait. He was born weighing 7.1 lbs and 19 inches tall. After two months, he’s more than 14 lbs already and measuring 24 inches. He’s so cute and so handsome, just like his Dad. =)

3) December 18 – I was informed by my incumbent TL that I’ll be assigned to Angola for six months beginning February. Actually, the assignment is effectively for three months only since there is a vacation/break of one month in between. The upside of this project is that it’s a good opportunity for me to learn the upstream side of our business and at the same time get to save some dough for the rainy season. The downside is I’ll be working long hours (12 hours per day) everyday and I’ll be so far away from Jing and Miguel. It’s a good thing there’s that vacation time in between wherein I can stay the whole time at home doing nothing but be a nanny.

Pinoy ka ba?

With the way things are going on in this country, is it still worth it to be a Filipino?

What do you think?

Family First

Last week, my TL approached me and asked if I was interested in getting a night shift job starting October. My initial reaction was, “Why me?” It turns out that I was being groomed to become a team leader and part of the development process was to make me transfer to other teams and basically learn the other processes so as to make me a well-rounded individual as far as Chevron operations is concerned. It even turned out that both the Finance Managers for the day and night shifts chose me for the job.

The job being offered is that of an Intercompany Coordinator. It basically involves creating reports for the Finance Manager within MSSC as well as for top managers in San Ramon and in Concord. The information gathering would involve coordinating with almost fifty individuals within the local team as well as communication with the counterparts in the US. If you compare it with the Asia-Pacific operations, the job is actually being handled by the TL of the Intercompany Team, but since the North America operations is quite bigger as compared to Asia-Pac, a separate individual has to do the coordination and reporting.

My TL asked me to think it over. I said, I will ask my wife, Jing, first before I give my final decision. That night, I discussed it with Jing. Of course, I knew from the get-go what her comments will be. Jing doesn’t really think that a night-shift job is an option for both of us, especially given the timeline. If I transfer by October or November, that would be just about the time when she gives birth to our first baby. I myself am not really that interested to become a nocturnal creature but since the opportunity is quite appealing, I tried to convince Jing if I could give it a try.

After a very lengthy discussion, we’ve decided that I’ll just pass up on this opportunity and just wait for the next one to come. Of course, I didn’t want to decide just for myself. I have to make sure that my decision will be for the benefit of my family as a whole and not just for myself. I may have taken that job if I was still single, but now, Jing and the baby are far more important than a new job and some additional dough. I’d rather wake up in the middle of the night and prepare milk for my baby, rather than having “lunch” at 2 AM. One more thing, snuggling with my wife is incomparable to going through numbers from one worksheet to another.

Although it may take some time for the next opening to come by, I know that I’ll still be considered for the job as long as I sustain my outstanding performance in the company. Some said that rejecting the offer may result to the managers having a bad impression of me. Maybe yes, it may give them that impression but my reason for not accepting it is a very valid one.

It’s all about priorities, anyway.

My best friend is…

GAY.

Last Friday, my best friend just confirmed what I already knew from the very day I met him, 21 years ago. My best friend is gay. But, even if he is, nothing has changed. He will always be my best friend and I will always be proud of him.

So Powerful…

It is very interesting to note that a very powerful and very influential Greek-lettered organization is behind all this political entertainment that we are experiencing these past few days. These people call themselves seekers of right but I’m not really sure if what they are fighting for is really to set things right or is just their scheme to get hold of the top position in the land and then lord it over this country.

One question that bothers me though is that one of them is so quiet that I haven’t heard him say his piece on the issue. Maybe he’s a bit shy and he needs the help of his showbiz mentor to make himself more assertive or maybe he just wants to really play along the sidelines.

But the bottom line is, this brotherhood can really make or break the situation. If they choose to go ahead with their plans, expect that the hobbit in the Palace will be out sooner than we expect.

Don't Assume

I was just reading this blog entry from one of my friend’s friend (unfortunately I forgot which blog it is anymore) and I can’t help but feel sorry for this guy. His entry has something to do with this girl having a crush on him. Well, that’s what this guy thinks because of the way he described how this girl would act when he’s in front of her. He said something about them being neighbors, that the girl would always look his way whenever he’s in front of their house, and that the girl would always have that smile on her face whenever they see each other.

C’mon dude, get real. Women act one way and feel some other way. She is probably smiling at you while you’re looking at her but you wouldn’t know what’s going on in her mind at that very moment. I’ll give you one piece of advice. Don’t assume too much with what you see. If you want to be sure, you better have the courage to talk to her. Lapitan mo siya, kausapin mo siya and make the necessary “moves” para ma-prove mo to yourself that what you think is true.

Remember, sabi nga ng Eraserheads sa kanta nila, marami ang namamatay sa maling akala.

Basketball in my Life

The NBA Playoffs is just around the corner and because of this I thought of writing about the basketball, the Peewee way.

Basketball has always been a big part of my life. Although at present, I’m reduced to just watching games on TV or playing the occasional pick-up games, I can say that it still occupies a lot of my time and resources. Want some proof? Just ask my wife or better yet come to our place and see for yourself what’s displayed in our living room or what’s on TV.

I can still remember when I was still a kid, maybe 4 or 5, when I would tag along with my brothers and play with their friends in the neighborhood court or just in our makeshift playground at the back of our house. It was during these days when I first got to appreciate shooting a rubber ball inside a metal ring 10 feet above the ground. From then on, I would practice almost every day, going one on one with them or even with my Dad just to be able to polish my dribbling or shooting skills.

By the time I was in grade school, I was already challenging the older kids to a shooting contest or I would volunteer myself to play five-on-five with the best of them. Aside from having new friends, it was also a way for me to get some extra money from winning contests, although back then the bet was only 1 to 2 pesos. Even if I was skinny then, and well, until now, I wouldn’t get discouraged from being elbowed or being pushed to the ground especially when there is a scuffle under the boards. There will be times when I go home with some scratches on my elbows and knees or even a bloodied lip, but as they say no pain, no gain.

When I entered high school, the challenge in the playground became bigger, literally and figuratively. Aside from being thin, it was as if, my growth hormones were not working as I was stuck below 5 feet for the entire 4 years in high school. Believe it or not, but during my high school graduation, I was only 4’ 11’’. It was really a disappointment for me being short but again, I was up to the challenge. By my last year in high school, I got the chance to be a varsity player but sad to say, I rode the bench longer than I expected.

By the time I entered UP, I grew 3 inches and I was really thinking of trying out for the Maroons. You may laugh once you read this portion but just watching the varsity and the Team B do their scrimmage at the gym, I know that I can kick some ass and really show some of these big dudes a thing or two about playing real basketball. One prime example is Ryan Jaworski. What in the world was he doing in a Maroon uniform? He’s got a tummy bigger than a regular Orocan pail and he can’t even run the length of the court without stopping in the middle. I know, I know, he’s the son of the Living Legend and I’m not. Since I knew that I will just be the laughing stock if I pursue my dream, I just satisfied myself joining the college intramurals where I would curse at the referee the whole duration of the game, or watch games on TV and pinpoint the errors made by whoever is playing.

Now that I’m working, I still play, as I’ve mentioned at the top. Most of the time, I work with my officemates just to release the bad cholesterol in our bodies or just to exercise and be out of our office cages. I am a part of our basketball team here in the office and I think they’re looking for some tournaments where we can join. The first time we joined, it was a disaster so we’re looking for an opportunity for revenge. I hope they can find one soon so I can do my stuff on the hardcourt again with all the people watching.

Favor

I really hate it when people pester you with requests and they want you to give them what they’re asking for in an instant. But, if you’re the one asking them a favor, it would take days or even weeks for them to give just one friggin’ letter.

What’s wrong with you people???

Señors

It really feels good to have a “gimmick” with my closest of friends after such a long time. Although we were not complete (George, magparamdam ka naman!!!), it was still a lot of fun. Just reminiscing about the good old college years and the people from our audit days elicited loud comments from the four of us. Of course, being boys, you can’t remove the “green” conversations from college classmates to Angel Locsin and Francine Prieto.

Didick, Gene and Jek, sa uulitin. Maybe, the next one will be at Jek’s place. George, you better show up buddy coz you’re missing a lot of fun.

A**hole

There are just some people who happen to be a pain in the ass. They really get in your nerves and everything that they say or do really pisses you off. Sometimes, even if you try to avoid them, they still find a way to ruin your day.

My team leader is one of them.

I Miss Them

...Wish my Dad and Peegee are still here...

English Hour

It should have been called "English Hours" because it runs for two hours. I'm talking about this initiative they have here at MSSC wherein we have to communicate in English, not just within our team but with everyone we deal with from 10 AM to 12 NN everyday.

From the initial reaction of some of the people here, it seems that there are still a lot of us who are afraid to speak English sensing that even just one grammatical error would elicit laughter among us. I don't think that that is the right way to deal with this activity. Everybody makes mistakes so instead of hiding one's self in a corner and let the time pass by, I guess it would be better to take this opportunity to really polish one's English skills. We'll never know when this will become really useful.

Karol

I was only 4 years old when he first came to Manila in 1981. I maybe very young at that time but I can still remember when I saw him face to face. My lola and I were so lucky to be near the car he was going to use so I got to see his smiling face up close. I was hoping he would look at us and carry me to his car but with so many people shouting his name, it was impossible for him to even notice that I was there.

24 years later, here i am in front of my computer, just looking at the pictures of this great man as people all over the world flock and see him one last time. I wish I have the resources to do the same thing and pay respect to him and thank him for all that he has done for the world.

In a few hours, Karol will finally be laid to rest but his memory and his words and works will always be remembered.

May God bless your soul, Pope John Paul II. Goodbye.

Do I Really Like My Job?

There are times when I just stare at my monitor and ask myself, "Do I really like what I'm doing right now?" I guess I just get bored so fast. It's a good thing Caltex is "generous" so that keeps me from looking for another job at this time. And there's the chance that some new projects are coming this second half of the year so i'm really praying that I'll be assigned to a new post.

A Trip Around Ilocos

We (Papa, Mama, Boom, Jing and myself) just arrived this morning from Laoag after spending the whole weekend there. This was the first time that Jing's parents and Boom had been to Laoag so we really made the most of our stay there going from one historical place to another.

We arrived in Laoag last Saturday at around 6 AM. As soon as we got home, we just put down our bags, had breakfast of longganisa then off we went to Vigan for the first part of our "field trip" as Papa called it. We spent the whole morning in Vigan touring the different churches and museums while riding the calesa. We went up the oldest bell tower in the north which is located in Bantay. The bells are still working but it's sad to note that it's already full of vandalism. too bad, some people have less appreciation for the history or their heritage. The last area that we visited is the famous cobblestone street at the center of the city. Just walking along the street makes me feel like I'm thrown back to the 18th century. It's really a good thing that they were able to maintain the street and that it is now part of the UNESCO's World Heritage.

Going around Vigan already drained us all of our energy but there are a lot of spots that they have to see. We had a quick lunch at Chowking-Vigan and off we were again.

Next Stop, Paoay. This is where one of the best old churches in the country can be found. Ever since I was a kid, I was always amazed as to how such a beautiful church was built using just limestone and corals and after 400 years it is still standing tall. Unfortunately, the church was closed when we were there so we were not able to get inside. We just took some pictures outside and then we were on the road again.

After Paoay, we went to Apo Marcos' mausoleum in Batac. Along the way, they were asking if the one inside the mausoleum is the real deal or just a wax figurine. I told them that it's better that they just it for themselves whether it's the real Macoy or not. I have my own opinion on this and I guess you already know what it is.

As we entered the chamber, I noticed that there is no more airconditioning inside. There were just two electric fans on each side and only a couple of spotlights that were focused on the glass coffin. The eternal flame, which was copied from JFK's tomb at the Arlington Cemetery is still there but the fire is also smaller than it used to. I guess they are really saving on electricity already since the family haven't paid their bills from the local electric cooperative since the 1990's. That makes you think that if it is indeed the real deal, shouldn't they give more care and really make the place more inviting to tourists?

After saying goodbye to the country's best and worst President of all time, we went back home to have some rest and get ready for the next adventure the next day.

Sunday was Fort Ilocandia day. we went there a little past 1 in the afternoon. The last time I was there was in 2003, when Jing and I stayed there for a couple of days. We were surprised to see that there were a lot of changes made inside and outside the resort. I guess this was in line with the change of management and ownership. There are a lot of new stores inside and even their service cars were upgraded from lowly Kia Besta and L-300 vans to Ford Expeditions and Mitsubishi Pajeros. Well, their daily charge did go up too by about 25% from what we spent there before. The gardens are still well maintained and very green at this time of the year. The Olympic-size pool as well as the black pool are still as inviting as ever. Even the mini-zoo was improved with a couple of ostriches added to their pythons, monkeys and peacocks.

It was really a very nice trip for all of us. I just hope that my in-laws did enjoy themselves. Too bad, we were not able to go to Pagudpod so they would have seen the Boracay of the North. Well, i guess, that would be saved for the next and longer vacation for all of us.

I'm going to be a Dad!!!

"Hi baby, I have a surprise for you...uwi ka kaagad ha" - this is what my wife texted me Tuesday last week. The first thing that came into my mind was that she bought for me the latest issue of FHM which featured Diana Zubiri and Angel Locsin. Little did I know that it will be something more exciting than the two lovely ladies combined.

When I got home at about 6, Jing was already preparing our dinner. As soon as i entered the house, I asked what her surprise was and she said that it's in the dining table. There I saw one of the "Thank You" cards sealed and addressed to me. There was something inside, aside from the card, since it it was bulging. I immediately opened it and the card said, "thank you baby for giving the most wonderful gift". The moment I read this, I knew what the wrapped "thing" inside the envelope was. I immediately opened it and there I saw the two thin lines on the pregnancy test confirming my "hula" I immediately hugged Jing and I told her that I love her and that I'm so happy that we'll be having a baby.

Last Tuesday, we went to Medical City to have it confirmed. Jing underwent an ultrasound and there was the baby, 6 weeks and 4 days old. I did not see it personally since I did not go inside the ultrasound room but Jing said that she saw the baby's heart beating. I did see the picture and the feeling of knowing that there's a baby inside Jing is really unexplainable. It really feels good.

Now, I can't wait for the baby to come out. It's a long nine months of waiting but I know it's worth the wait.

An Introduction

ever since didick and ellyn started having their own blog, i also wanted to have mine. but, whenever i am about to start creating one, i would always stop in the middle and then forget all about it. i was able to create one a year ago but i don't know what the address is anymore and besides there's nothing to read there anyway.

this time, i don't know if this blog will be here to stay. i'm not even sure if i have anything to write or if i really want to share my thoughts or the happenings in my life with other people. we'll see...