May 18, 2005   7:27 PM Wednesday, Jacksonville, Florida

Superficial delight

I, time and again, regard myself as a simple person with a superficial delight. That’s how shallow my happiness is.

For all you know, I am an avid fan of Sharon Cuneta ever since I was in elementary grade up until now. In fact, one of my ardent dreams is to meet Sharon Cuneta face to face. This seems easy to do if you lived in greater Manila but to a certain extent it becomes an impossible dream for those less fortunate kids who live in the far-flung province of Mindanao where celebrities are terrified to even think about the safety of its own populace. Mindanao is a well-known place for vicious rebels and some people think if you come from Mindanao, you are either a rebel or a Muslim.

Can you imagine how thrilled I was when I first heard about the Mega Concert Tour in Jacksonville, Florida? However the reality hits me when I come to find out the prices of the tickets. VIP ticket costs $200!!! Orchestra tickets are $150, $100 and $75 respectively. Balcony is $50. I was like, NO WAY I would ever pay that much for a concert. That is just too much and is out of my budget. I’ll pass, told myself desolately. How could I afford to spend that much for one celebrity who has everything in life? Well, tough luck! As the saying goes, ‘the rich becomes richer and the poor becomes poorer’. I slept it over for a month and didn’t think about it anymore until three weeks before the concert.  I went online and ordered one Orchestra ticket for $100. DH wanted to come with me just for company but I resisted knowing that he wouldn’t enjoy the concert anyway and it’s just a waste of money. In return, I promised him that I would hook up with other pinays over there and that I would be fine really to go by myself.

Sunday afternoon, around 5:00, I left home but got stuck in a traffic accident on the way to downtown. I was glad Judith made her way there early and found a parking spot for me. She stood up right there in the middle of the parking spot patiently waiting for me to come while we were on the phone. I even heard her telling off the people who drove by looking for parking spot.

After we park, we headed to the Times Union Center when Judith spotted and recognized one of Sharon’s music band members. So we asked him to pose with us.

The concert was a hit! Everybody seemed to enjoy Sharon’s humor about her “plumpness” as well as her songs and speeches. We had a blast! My cell phone was hooked up to Marie's cell phone as she listened to the concert from the comfort of her own home.

      
Rhebs                      Judith

 
Crowd

Judith and I hang around after the concert was over at 10:30pm hoping we would be able to catch Sharon and Ogie even in proximity for some close shots but to no avail. I was feeling desperate then.

Rhebs             Judith

 As we walked out the theater, we saw a bunch of Pinays going in the opposite direction while majority of the spectators were on their way out to the exit area. Hmmm. I wondered.  Judith and I followed the “chosen bunch” and we found out later that they were actually the VIP’s who paid $200 for the concert. Quite a number were from out of town that drove all the way from South Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and some flew from Texas just to see the concert. We stand in line anyway even though we didn’t have the pink tickets.

All I want to do anyway was to make a snap shot of Sharon in proximity. We stood in line for about an hour and a half and finally made it through in front of Sharon’s counter but my camera couldn’t get through her face as the cluster of Sharon’s body guards blocked my vision. The guard asked us to show our pink tickets and I reasoned, we didn’t get any pink tickets. He then enforced the policy that those without pink tickets must back off as there is no single chance for us to get in to meet Sharon face to face. I tried to reason out that it would be impossible for us to go back because it’s just too jam-packed on the way back. His answer was, “I don’t care. Just back off and I mean it NOW!. Sheet!!!, I cussed and furiously said, “we drove 5 hours and paid 100 bucks too just to get here but we can’t even take pictures of her?!? What a rip off! He looked at me and said, “I am sorry, Ma’am but I have to stick with the rules.”

We managed our way out of the crowd and I peeked on the glass doors hoping to see Sharon closely. Judith’s husband suggested it was getting too late already and there seems no way for us to get in, so might as well go home. It was about 11:20pm when we headed out and the lady, who happened to be in our side when the guard cited us in the front, went back out too and handed over her pink ticket to Judith saying, "here, you can have my ticket". I guess she pitied us and felt our desperation.  Judith handed it over to me as she knows how desperate I was to meet Sharon face to face. That is nice of Judith to do that for me. Thanks, Juday :-).  Judith and her husband left, while I proceeded to stand in line again and finally met Sharon face to face at 12:55 in the morning! Holy Cow! I was tongue-tied when Sharon clasped my hand and all I uttered was, “It has been my fervent dream to meet you face to face and now my dream had come true. How wonderful!”. Sharon said, “I feel so honored. Where are you from?” I answered, “I came from Mindanao”. She responded, “Oh I love Davao!” She then stood up, hugged and kissed me in the cheeks as she whispered, “God bless you and thank you so much for coming”.   Then we posed for close-up shots!  I would say Sharon is such a down to earth person. There is no doubt she's very loving, sweet, sincere and one of a kind human being. I love her!

   
 

And I also posed with Fanny Serrano too ;-)

Here's the rest of the photos

It just all seemed a dream but it came into reality. I have always been realistic with my dreams and goals in life. I never aim for an impossible dream though my former mentors used to tell me it’s free to dream anyway so why make it big or as high as it can get? Who knows? Well, I guess I am not that ambitious enough to take the stand so I opt for something I can work myself up slowly but surely. Luckily, for most part; I have managed to pull off those goals I have set for myself. Let me tell you all about my dreams and goals in life.

When I was in elementary grade one of my ardent dreams is to meet Sharon Cuneta face to face besides having a new pair of shoes every school opening. As simple as that.

Then, in high school, I vehemently dream to finish college and get a decent job thereafter to which I made it through the rain with heaps of adversities in life.

At age 25, I had an incredible, passionate dream to fall in love and settle down with “Mr. Right’. It had to be Mr. Right otherwise “buruhon ko na lang akoa” hahahaha. I never cease to pray for Mr. Right who would swift my feet off the ground, love me in return unconditionally without a doubt for better or for worst. Of course, just like any other love stories I read, it should end up with “…and they live happily ever after". I prayed hard enough for this one. Well, folks, God didn’t answer my prayer until I was in a magical age of 31. Prior to meeting my DH, I had previously swayed myself to lead a ‘single blessedness’ life when I turned 30. That’s if I don’t find Mr. Right. A year passed my timetable; I was even more convinced and had accepted the fact that I am destined to be an old maid. Thought I was going to die a virgin [hahahaha]. I was financially stable then (well, sort of) and happier at any rate.

Alas!!! Love strikes in an unexpected time! Mr. Right found me when I wasn’t looking for one anymore. My DH is more than what I have ever dreamed of. At this moment, being married to him for nearly six years now, he didn't change a bit. He is still the sweetest lover in the world for me.  I still feel like I won a lotto jackpot! Opps, please don’t quote me on this one literally. My Darling Husband is definitely NOT rich as I keep telling you people, we have to work hard to make both ends meet. What I feel so fortunate enough about him is the thought of knowing I am very much LOVED and in a very safe and sound hand. I am so proud of him the way he loves me, respects me, trusts me, treats me, pampers me and takes good care of me. He is the type of man who would never ever take the chance to do something intentionally that would impair my emotional, physical and psychological well being. I love the fact that he unselfishly devoted his love and his life to no one but me. I love him deeply and I would never ever trade him in with anyone else and hey not even with Brad Pitt!

Right after we got married, I dreamed to have healthy babies where it was getting to the point that I could care less about my career and our tight finances than I do about having children. But then, my Darling husband thought that it would be a good idea for me to learn how to drive and go back to school first to pride myself with US Education, then get a job just to get the hang of it, go out and explore my new world, meet and interact with people, and especially acclimate myself with my new life and environment here in the States without a baby in the mix. All these dreams came to realization. Then, all of a sudden,  I got pregnant! How great is that? However God tested our faith. I lost the baby on the third month. I was devastated! With much help and support of my DH, MIL, family and friends, I recovered and realized that life has to move on. I learned to forget and heal the wounds eventually. I entrusted my dreams back to the Almighty God again. As of this moment, He hasn't answered me back yet...but I am persevering and patiently waiting.... Lord.

That is the only dream I had left unfulfilled.   The last thing I dreamed about then was for me to get my US citizenship and get a job in the government and then it happened again unexpectedly. Now, I am fulfilled although I am missing one more, the second most important dream of my life… to have a baby! Of course the first most important dream for me was finding Mr. Right ;-).  I never really dream to get rich. I all figured out money can't buy true happiness.

 

May 1, 2005   8:02 AM Sunday, Jacksonville, Florida

 

Job related updates

Time does fly unnoticeably doesn’t it? It feels like yesterday when I was all excited to start a new job in the city government.

Now, after a month had passed, all the excitement has gone. Nothing seems new and exigent to me anymore. My boss actually is pretty impressed of how quick I learn to master the job and fully use the system in just a matter of two weeks. The city is using Oracle and Resource Management system. I have no experience using this system before but it's a user friendly system so no big deal. Well, the job is not that hard as it may sounds. It's just more involved considering we are one of the two biggest departments of the city government manned with 1,300+ city officials and employees. Our department has 7 divisions with officers and employees working in three different shifts. There are people who work 56 hours a week, 40 hours a week, and 22 hours/week. It only get confusing when I login into the system to key in the overtime pay and differential pay because I have to make sure each individual pay gets log in and posted to the correct index code and batch element name. Otherwise, tell you what, taking an Accounting class in school is a lot harder than practicing/applying this theory in the real world. Don’t get me wrong. I like what I am doing now. It’s a stress free and more carefree job I have done in the last five years but the job seems to be no real challenge for me because I do the same thing over and over again. Oh well sometimes life is rough. I only have two choices here. Every day I have a choice to either enjoy this job or be bored with it. I know that if choose to enjoy and like this job, I will live a much happier life and everything else becomes so much easier for me to bear everyday. Right?

Let me tell you how we spent our day to day in the office. In the morning, I come in at 8:00 o’clock in the morning, get myself a hot tea and have a hot chicken Sotanghon soup for breakfast.

     
Hot tea and hot chicken Sotanghon soup for breakfast

Then, I turn on the PC, log-on to the system to check office e-mails. Then, sat on my butt to do the routinely work.  Basically, just counter checking PD10 reports to make sure all entries are entered correctly and posted into the right account. If not, I have to do an adjusting entry, make a report and submit it to payroll headquarters. I do this cyclically on week 1 of Monday to Thursday sometimes this job bores me to the max.  Since we get paid every other Friday, that Friday prior to pay day, Monday and Tuesday of week 2, we really are busy doing the payroll. This is the only time of the week where we are catching our breath to meet the deadline at 1:00 o’clock in the afternoon of Tuesday so we usually end up working late on a Monday evening which I don’t mind doing it because we get paid time and a half. It means more money in my paycheck ;-) Tuesday after one o’clock in the afternoon until the rest of the week, I am back to doing PD10 reports again and answering inbound calls occasionally. <boring isn't it?>

 
Looks like I am seriously working huh?!?

I got a big kick out of it when when my mother-in-law says, "Rhebs, you are going to have a 'fat ass' someday with that type of job! LOL  I think I will have this problem sooner because Ate Perla, the  only pinay I work with in the same division always brings pinoy delicacies like puto, bibingka, suman, frozen goldilocks and etc. I warned her I'd blamed her if I get fat someday!

This is Ate Perla

I am working with the bunch of hunks so as you would expect this whole building is entirely secured.

    
Front View                    Back View

No one can enter the gate without swiping his/her employee badge/ID in the scanner. Every door in this building is protected with pass code so no one can get in to the office without punching the correct code combination. Also, no one can use the elevator going up without swiping the employee badge. If you are a guest, you have to pass through the security check and sign-on in the secretary desk.

        
My office cubicle


   

     

   

 
Goofy Rhebs!
 

Break Time

We get 15 minute break in the morning, 1 hour lunch break and another 15 minute break in the afternoon so this is where I hang out most of the time talking to Marie. Sometimes I do the walk around plaza and landing to get a 30-45 minute walk exercise during my lunch break.

   

  

      

 
Break Room

 

     

 
City Hall

   

  

 
Downtown Upshots
 

 I caught the group of retirees wearing red hat and purple dress. They are the RED HOT este RED HAT Ladies ;-) Don't they look elegant? I would love to see my mother-in-law wears this type of outfit. I think she would look good on it too!
 

Jacksonville Landing in Downtown

Times Union Center for Performing Arts
where Sharon Cuneta's concert is going to be held

Transportation

Unlike in New York, California and other big cities where public transportations are readily accessible, here in the City of Jacksonville is not. We do have quite a few busses doing the rounds along the main highway and going back and forth downtown but that’s about it and you have to catch them on certain bus stops on schedule by the hour.

It got me into thinking lately especially with gas prices rising again. You see, I pump gas every week for $2.24 to 2.29/gallon which costs me around 20 to 25 dollars full tank. If you do the math, that’s about 100 dollars a month plus 30 dollars parking. Obviously, I spent 130 dollars/month for driving downtown whereas if I hop on the bus, it would only cost me 0.75 cents per ride which means 1.50/day x 5 = 7.50/week times 4 = 30 dollars a month! Well, I would be able to save at least $100/month if I decide to commute by bus instead of driving. Doesn't this sound viable, Darling?

So I talk DH into it however he is not convinced with the idea. He says he’d rather spent 100 dollars a month for my comfort and safety. He can’t bear the thought of me crossing the pedestrian line to be in the Bus Stop on time standing rain or shine waiting to catch the next bus going to downtown. Talk about the “comfort” of American lives here. Nonetheless, I have convinced myself and choose to enjoy driving in the middle of rush hours stuck in traffic for over an hour. I just had to appease  myself listening to NPR or country music or play the audio CD's by Daniel Steel that I got from Borders.

Well, folks, I subscribed to the idea that "Life is all about the choices we made and our attitudes towards it.  It’s just simply a matter of how we choose to handle the situation. Like, we choose how we react to situations. We choose how people will affect our mood. We choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. It's our dammed own choice how we live our lives. So there, I have the choice to be happy and contented with what I have and just count our blessings or bitch about it everyday. If I choose to bitch and whine about it everyday, it certainly wouldn’t help, rather it would only makes the matter worst. Get my drift?

 
Highway Bus Stop

 
     Downtown Bus Station
 

 

 

The roads I drove by.  I took these pictures inside my car while driving.
You guys noticed the big difference of the traffic flow here in the States compared to Manila?
You don't see bumper to bumper traffic here!