Food Blogging

I have not been blogging here in a while. It's because I have a new food blog!
http://sundayfoodconversations.tumblr.com/

I'll still be keeping this blog for future posts about home activities and some new mommy discoveries.

Dreaming of Numbers

I woke up this morning remembering vividly my dream. I was going up an elevator. I remember pressing 3 but it kept on going up until the 6th floor, the highest floor of the building. Strangers went inside and I pressed the number 3 again. The strangers pressed 2. Again, the elevator skipped 3, so I decided to go to 2 where it opened along with the strangers. I took the stairs instead.

Yesterday, my dream involved numbers too. I was buying a pair of Crocs slippers and later on learned that I got 2 different sizes. My left foot had the size 7, which is my size, and the other had the size 8.

I believe in the meaning of dreams. For me, they convey messages though I try to look at them positively.

Thanks to Google, here's what I found:

Meaning of different numbers from http://www.analysedreams.co.uk/DreamsInvolvingNumbers.html.

Zero through Nine
Zero can symbolise God, but it can also be symbolic of timelessness, eternity, and freedom.

If you dream about the number one, this is usually symbolic of individuality. You may be a loner or a leader in your family, workplace, or community. It may also be symbolic of a winner, so you may dream about the number one after you feel you have accomplished something great.

Number two is a sign of the balance or duality of a partnership such as male/female, mother/father, or yin/yang. It can also stand for diversity or openness. It may represent your soul and be symbolic of strength or weakness.

If you dream of the number three, you may hope for inner strength. You may also have a need to show off your creativity or imagination. It can also stand for self-exploration. Just as two is a partnership, three is symbolic of the trilogy – the past, present, and future or a father, mother, and child.

Dreaming of the number four shows that you are feeling very stable, but it can also be a sign of physical limitations. It can be symbolic of earthly things but it can also stand for worldly matters as well.

The number five is associated with a bold and daring nature. If you dream of the number five, you may have a desire to be spontaneous with your actions and make sudden changes. Five is also associated with the five senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell.

Like two, six also represents a balance or a partnership, such as a marriage. It is also representative of family and love as well as warmth and harmony. If you dream of the number six, you may be feeling particularly spiritual and happy in your marital bliss.

Seven is symbolic of intellectual perfection, music, and healing. People who dream of the number seven are often eclectic individuals who are one of a kind.

Dreaming of the number eight can show power and authority, which you may have gained through your instincts and intuition. It can also be symbolic of wealth and material gains.

Nine stands for a reformation or a rebirth of something or someone. It can also mean you are feeling particularly productive in your waking hours. The number ten is associated with closure and strength as well as gains.

Meaning of elevator dream from http://www.dreammoods.com/dreamdictionary/e.htm

Elevator

To dream that you are ascending in an elevator, represents a rise to status and wealth. You may have risen to a higher level of consciousness and are looking at the world from an elevated viewpoint. If the elevator is moving upward in an out of control fashion or it crashes through the roof, then it indicates that you are being catapulted to a position of power in which you do not yet know how to deal with. You are afraid of the new responsibilities ahead for you. Descending in an elevator, suggests that you are being grounded or coming back down to reality. It also signifies setbacks and misfortunes.

In general, the up and down action of the elevator represents the ups and downs of your life. It also symbolizes emotions and thoughts that are emerging out of and submerging into your subconscious. Alternatively, the dream may have sexual connotations.

To dream that the elevator is out of order or that it is not letting you off, symbolizes that your emotions have gotten out of control. It may be a reflection of your life or your career. You are feeling stuck in some aspect of your life, whether it is your career, relationship, etc.

To dream that the elevator is moving sideways, means that your efforts are counterproductive. You are going nowhere in your work, relationship or other situation.

So true.

Hubby's New Book

Last year, I erased most of the posts that obviously revealed my identity. While I was everywhere for 2 years because of my flourishing business, I decided to hibernate and stay away from all the attention I was getting. No to media features. Even my Facebook is not searchable.

It will be one year this month since my name was replaced to "Philippines" when I competed in the Women in Business competition in the Netherlands. Pregnant at 4 months. I erased that popular post. Only later to disappoint my country by dropping my creation-- my life's meaning-- and go back to the more familiar life in the corporate world. I sold my rights of Ecobloks to my co-founder. That decision was quite discreet.

To those who have been following my story, I lost my second daughter last year so she can save me. She was born prematurely at 22 weeks and lived only for 8 hours. She could have been 24 weeks when my appendix ruptured. By then, she could have survived the outside world with her more developed organs. But she came out first. She may have known that I would have chosen her before my own life.

Ecobloks was a constant reminder of Lira.

Since last week, God has been leading me to roads towards my healing.

Today, my husband told me that he has a new book out.



"Ang Lumang Kumot ni Lola," I believe is the first published work of my husband before he has gone mainstream. It first came out in Junior Inquirer about 10 years ago and was illustrated by May Tobias-Papa, who became my online friend because our kids are both gifted visual artists.

And what has "Ang Lumang Kumot ni Lola" something to do with my healing and anonymity?

I realized that there's nothing to be ashamed of because of our disappointments. Maybe an affirmation of my husband who never stopped trying to share his talents. That's why books, even of early works, continue to come out because of his positive disposition.

Time and again, God will find a way to tell us that everything will be alright. Though I am back to corporate life, God is telling me that maybe this uncharted territory after Ecobloks will lead me to something better. This is where my talent is needed. Maybe not in Ecobloks anymore.

I love my country and I know he loves me back. DId I disappoint him? Maybe yes because I stopped trying to make him proud because of my one track mind.

On to my next chapter.

Back to when I was 24

When I started working again, I saw myself in my single young colleagues. Though some are technically close to my age, I realized how motherhood and my 3 year experience as an ordinary housewife changed the way I looked at things.

Bags, make-up, clothes, vacations. I hear them talk about it like they’re life’s greatest essentials. Oh I miss those days when I buy every issue of Cosmo and rush to the department store to buy the latest in make-up or buy the trendiest clothes.



Now more than 10 years later, I just have the tried and tested make-up staples and the classic bags, and I just shop secretly about the brands I fancy. I feel embarrassed to talk about my shopaholic tendencies and the brands for that matter.

On second thought, I wanted to talk about non-stick pans, my damaged pepper mill, the new vitamins I am taking, and the new lanai we are planning to build. But heck, who cares right?

So there I am in one corner, listening. Deep inside, I remembered my younger years when I would date my then-my-boyfriend husband in Ipanema or I would listen to songs of Boyzone. How I wish I got stuck at 24, probably the time I looked hottest among the boys.

In my 5-10 minute drive going home, I would like to think I’m gracefully aging. While I worry about collagen serums and skin tags on my hips, my 3 year old is waiting for me. To hear her say “mommy” is the greatest music for me.

I enter my home, clean and smelling fresh. I’m happy that in a few more moments, the man of my life will follow. At 24, he got drawn to me because of my short skirts and sophisticated make-up look. Now, I am 33 and married to him. He loves me even with my worn out house clothes and sans the make-up and the branded bag.

On our dates, I still give him that feeling that I am still hot like I was still 24.

My New Crocs

While walking around Eastwood, I had the urge to enter the Crocs store just to check out what they have for summer. At that moment, my feet were aching from the new pair of Schu sandals that I got the previous day.

So surprised of their new collection that I decided to get a pair and wear them at that very moment.



The shoes were very comfortable. I even got to wear them at work today because they don't look like Crocs at all. I was just wearing a nice dress from Dorothy Perkins with some accessories. At work, we have to look really presentable because we are a hotel and culinary institution. Nobody noticed my Crocs. That's wonderful.

Can't wait to buy more.

Here's a link to the Crocs website for the other styles. Shoes... I can never have enough of them.

Online Retreat Experience

For many years now, I have been doing an online retreat every Holy Week. When I was still single, I used to attend the silent retreats at the Sacred Heart Novitiate.

This year for me is different. This Holy Week blessed me with wonderful messages from the Lord. For that I am thankful.







Now I know the meaning of all that I have been going though in my life now.

Gen X-er meets the Millenials

It's been 6 weeks since I started working and there are 3 Millenials under my team (good thing, I still have a fellow Gen X-er). It was a bit of shock, after stopping my corporate career for more than 3 years. Though I consider myself still a techie-- I'm no match to these creatures. I admire their multi-tasking skills.



Amazing. They have a work deskstop... but they bring their own laptops. They have I-phones and Blackberries. The desktop is for work, the laptop is for Facebook and Twitter (they are allowed for monitoring) and they carry around their I-phones in case there's a need to text, google or research on something.

It irked me at first, but then it turned into admiration. Though I am still quite adjusting how to manage the Millenials, I'm glad to be learning from them.

Sometimes they don't understand me. And now I feel so old because of the generation gap. I have my own laptop and I-pad. But I only use it to email and for presentation.

Here's an article I have found on: http://humanresources.about.com/od/managementtips/a/millenials.htm


Managing Millennials: Eleven Tips for Managing Millennials
Seven More Tips for Managing Millennials
By Susan M. Heathfield, About.com Guide

The millennials joining your workforce now are employees born between 1980 and 2000, or 1981 and 1999, depending on the author. Unlike the Gen-Xers and the Boomers, the Millennials have developed work characteristics and tendencies from doting parents, structured lives, and contact with diverse people. Millennials are used to working in teams and want to make friends with people at work. Millennials work well with diverse coworkers.

Millennials have a “can-do” attitude about tasks at work and look for feedback about how they are doing frequently – even daily. Millennials want a variety of tasks and expect that they will accomplish every one of them. Positive and confident, millennials are ready to take on the world.

They seek leadership, and even structure, from their older and managerial coworkers, but expect that you will draw out and respect their ideas. Millennials seek a challenge and do not want to experience boredom. Used to balancing many activities such as teams, friends, and philanthropic activities, millennials want flexibility in scheduling and a life away from work.

Millennials need to see where their career is going and they want to know exactly what they need to do to get there. Millennials await their next challenge – there better be a next challenge. Millennials are the most connected generation in history and will network right out of their current workplace if these needs are not met. Computer experts, millennials are connected all over the world by email, instant messages, text messages, and the Internet.

Eleven Tips for Millennial Management

- Provide structure. Reports have monthly due dates. Jobs have fairly regular hours. Certain activities are scheduled every day. Meetings have agendas and minutes. Goals are clearly stated and progress is assessed. Define assignments and success factors.


-Provide leadership and guidance. Millennials want to look up to you, learn from you, and receive daily feedback from you. They want “in” on the whole picture and to know the scoop. Plan to spend a lot of time teaching and coaching and be aware of this commitment to millennials when you hire them. They deserve and want your very best investment of time in their success.


-Encourage the millennial's self-assuredness, "can-do" attitude, and positive personal self-image. Millennials are ready to take on the world. Their parents told them they can do it - they can. Encourage - don't squash them or contain them.


-Take advantage of the millennial's comfort level with teams. Encourage them to join. They are used to working in groups and teams. In contrast to the lone ranger attitude of earlier generations, millennials actually believe a team can accomplish more and better - they've experienced team success. Not just related to age, watch who joins the volleyball match at the company picnic. Millennials gather in groups and play on teams; you can also mentor, coach, and train your millennials as a team.

-Listen to the millennial employee. Your millennial employees are used to loving parents who have scheduled their lives around the activities and events of their children. These young adults have ideas and opinions, and don't take kindly to having their thoughts ignored. After all, they had the best listening, most child-centric audience in history.


-Millennial employees are up for a challenge and change. Boring is bad. They seek ever-changing tasks within their work. What’s happening next is their mantra. Don’t bore them, ignore them, or trivialize their contribution.


-Millennial employees are multi-taskers on a scale you’ve never seen before. Multiple tasks don’t phase them. Talk on the phone while doing email and answering multiple instant messages – yes! This is a way of life. In fact, without many different tasks and goals to pursue within the week, the millennials will likely experience boredom.


-Take advantage of your millennial employee’s computer, cell phone, and electronic literacy Are you a Boomer or even an early Gen-Xer? The electronic capabilities of these employees are amazing. You have a salesman in China? How’s the trip going? Old timers call and leave a message in his hotel room. Or, you can have your millennial text message him in his meeting for an immediate response. The world is wide, if not yet deep, for your millennial employees.


-Capitalize on the millennial’s affinity for networking. Not just comfortable with teams and group activities, your millennial employee likes to network around the world electronically. Keep this in mind because they are able to post their resume electronically as well on Web job boards viewed by millions of employers. Sought after employees, they are loyal, but they keep their options open – always.


-Provide a life-work balanced workplace. Your millennial employees are used to cramming their lives with multiple activities. They may play on sports teams, walk for multiple causes, spend time as fans at company sports leagues, and spend lots of time with family and friends. They work hard, but they are not into the sixty hour work weeks defined by the Baby Boomers. Home, family, spending time with the children and families, are priorities. Don’t lose sight of this. Balance and multiple activities are important to these millennial employees. Ignore this to your peril.


-Provide a fun, employee-centered workplace. Millennials want to enjoy their work. They want to enjoy their workplace. They want to make friends in their workplace. Worry if your millennial employees aren’t laughing, going out with workplace friends for lunch, and helping plan the next company event or committee. Help your long-term employees make room for the millennials.

By Internet research counts, 75,000,000 millennials are preparing to join or joining the workforce. These are desirable employees. Make your millennial employees happy in a fun, yet structured setting, and you are building the foundation for the superior workforce you desire. You are developing the workforce of your future.

As always, when I characterize a group of employees based on age, or any other characteristic, some employees will fit this description; some employees will fit part of this description; some employees will not fit this description. Yet, I believe that, if you heed these tips, you will steer your organization forward, more times than not, with a positive approach to managing your millennial employees.