so...so...random calai^_^

I almost forgot...It's October already...I've not been that excited posting blogs lately, but since I'm all mixed up, time for some random-slash-all-mixed-up talking...

FAMILY -- It was my mom's birthday last Oct 2 and of course, it was time for some family bonding...That day was a stormy one caused by typhoon "Pepeng" but it didn't stop us to head on to Atrium at SM Megamall...

SPORTS -- Got 5 words...Congrats Ateneo!!! One Big Fight!!! --- They are back-to-back champions of the UAAP...Well, it is a certainly Blue Year ^_^

COUCH POTATO that's ME -- Lately, I'm hooked with 3 tv shows --> Gossip Girl, Glee and Amazing Race 15 -- At least, there are a few that can cover up my missing mode for the meantime for American Idol^_^

ANYTHING BAD NEWS -- After the 2 storms that hit our country, we are currently experiencing power interruptions for 4-6 hours due to transformers that were burnt. Sad to say, it's gonna be till Monday, Oct.12 (not good!!!)

HEARTBREAKING NEWS -- The post about the supposed to be Zero Gravity part 2 here in Manila is not going to happen anymore...So guys, forget it...This just in, David Archuleta will not be proceeding here in Manila because he's not gonna be available on Nov. 14...**heartbreak-_-'** But on a positive note, the Benefit Concert will still push through and what's important is that those who were affected by the calamities will be sufficed. Kudos and hats off still to MTV Philippines...But of course, to us David Archie fans, it's still a HEARTACHE =(

MORE PERSONAL HEARTBREAKING NEWS -- I'm still bumming here at home...I hope my applications will prosper already in days time...My time is running out...As what KC Concepcion said in "Lovers in Paris", "Wish ko lang magkatrabaho na ako!!!"...And I mean that^_^

ON A LIGHTER AND A BIT POSITIVE NOTE -- I wanna take this opt to thank all my friends for not giving up on me -- for words of encouragement, helping me look for job opportunities, for hanging out to check with me if I'm still ok and the prayers -- Words are not enough to thank you all!!! You know who you guys and gals are...

AND THE PORTION THAT's DAVID ARCHIE!!!^_^ -- In a few days time, David's Christmas Album entitled "Christmas from the Heart" will be released here in Manila (Oct 12, 2009). It's a definite early Christmas treat for his fans and what I basically need at the moment to liven me up...
-- He will also be included in People Magazine's 35th anniversary edition along with a Teen Idol in the 80's, Rick Springfield. Here is a short video clip with the two Teen Idols: Then and Now



-- And lastly, he also made a video blog of the things he's been through the past few days/weeks. Besides the fact that he mentioned his Christmas album release, he's got new haircut and a visit from the dentist because of his wisdom tooth...Seriously David, you remind me of someone who did the same thing months ago...Is this a sign??? LOL^_^


Alright, I'm wrapping this baby up and I hope in the next few blogs there is some positive light shedding for me...SERIOUSLY some good news na...

video sources: teendaily.net; youtube.com/theofficialarchuleta

happy 1st birthday c'est la vie!!!!

With so much things going around, I almost forgot...It's been a year already since I started blogging here in BLOGGER-slash-BLOGSPOT --- October 3 to be exact...

I've been writing since I was a student...So that's more than 10 years ago...And when this BLOG-MANIA started, I worked my way to share my life and everything about life.

But in this side of the website, I was not only able to share my life but I was able to entertain and inform friends, colleagues and passerby-readers...

So, expect more stories to share...more thoughts to keep you informed...more emotions to make you realize a lot...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my BLOG!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY "C'est La Vie"!!!

Thanks to all the readers I've touched in my little ways and words!!! More years to come ^_^

Zero Gravity part 2 ^_^

It started with a tweet courtesy of partyphile and tv personality, Tim Yap. Finally, it is confirmed.

MTV Philippines is organizing a benefit concert in lieu of the supposed to be Katy Perry concert this Saturday, Oct. 3. The benefit concert is for the victims of typhoon Ondoy here in the Philippines. As for this event, Katy Perry is still for confirmation but the very big good news is that David Archuleta --- let's highlight this again --- David Archuleta!!! --- will be coming over to Manila to join the concert!!!

It's a super EXCITING feeling for me that he'll be coming back but it's kinda sad too because he's gonna come back for a not so good situation that's going on here in our country. Despite that, it's still a grateful feeling that he is more on acting than just mere talking of his sentiments to the latest calamity that hit the Philippines. He shall be coming here to the country for a good cause. Thumbs up David!!!

I'm definitely EXCITED *fainting* and at ZERO GRAVITY that he's coming back...I don't care if it's gonna be a standing open field...and it's ok if I don't get to see him at the VIP area [cause I cant afford at the moment], as long as I get to see him and I'll be watching for a good reason, I am satisfied with that =)

No major details yet or final updates...so I'll keep u guys posted...

Hope my Asian friends would be able to come and see the concert...

Anyway for more updates, check the Archuleta Philippines website: archuletaphilippines.com

HPspace

Sorry to disturb you guys at the moment, I know this isn't a good timing but then again, there's a deadline that's why I need a little helping hand...

I submitted an audition video for HPSpace -- a reality contest in Singapore...I won't elaborate it further...

For those who have email addresses, pls sign up on the website www.hpspace.com and search my audition video by typing my name --- Carla Charisse. Pls view and rate my video...and spread the word to your friends who have the time to use the internet...


I'm not good in video making because I just used my trusty cellphone to record a short clip. I just wanted to take the chances of joining. This is a very little favor, I hope you guys could help me -- especially, to my fellow Filipinos out there...

The deadline is on Oct 4, 2009 -- that's on Sunday...Getting to be picked as one of the finalists will be an absolutely big help for me already...At least for a try...

Thanks in advance guys and God bless =)

the aftermath...

It's sunny now here in my place...But some places are still in rehabilitation...

As of today, Sept 29, 2009, a lot of organizations are still accepting donations and packing relief goods for the rest of our fellow Filipinos who are still in evacuation centers and flooded. The flooded areas have already subsided...and what's left...

ruined houses, houses and hard-earned owned materials with mud...

Just gonna leave here a few short messages about this...Honestly, I may not be deeply affected but I am saddened cause this was not an expected fate for our country...

1. To those who wanna help, try to check websites like abs-cbn.com and gmanews.tv for the list of organizations you could participate in to send donations or volunteer. You could also check superbianca.blogspot.com [blog site of Ms. Bianca Gonzales -- tv host personality] and @Magic899 [twitter of Magic 89.9 -- radio station here in Manila] for other list of groups. Twitter is also a great avenue right now to raise your concerns regarding info on ways to help.

2. Speaking of Twitter, I've read a few who are spreading tweets on how to help and sharing their sentiment...Of course our fellow Pinoy celebrities and to the ff: Demi Moore, Shontelle and Demi Lovato (cause these were the few I've seen...I'm sure there are more international artists tweeting about it)...Thank you =)

3. To those who were hit badly by the aftermath, I know I may not be one of those who could alleviate the pain but I'll keep you guys in my prayers that the country will be able to survive and continue to live one day at a time...

4. To my officemates, friends and loved ones, I hope you are all doing well now...I'm sure this incident isn't a good one and it's painful to see that you're hard-earned stuff are just washed away, but keep in mind that everything happens for a reason and in losing, we realize the bare essentials in life.

We'll all be well soon...Keep the faith everyone...

xoxo,
Calai

song for the day: Heal the World - Michael Jackson

bittersweet and blessed...

Back from the ruins...

Yesterday, Sept 25, 2009 was another tragic event that made the country united in efforts and in prayers...Typhoon "Ondoy" hit Luzon, went away now and obviously, left sooo many traces -- flooded areas, destroyed houses, homeless and evacuated people and deaths.

After the storm, I'm thankful that me and my family are intact. We just ended up having no electricity for one day and a few hours. As I went to church this afternoon, it made me even more thankful and blessed that our family was ok. Despite that, the pain is sinking in to me at the moment because the rest of the country -- those who were hit hard by the storm -- are still in the process of being saved.

Our country may have been left with bad traces, but this made us see that Filipinos can always come together and unite for their fellowmen. A lot are volunteering to rescue and donating material needs for those who badly need at the moment.

I won't prolong this further...I still feel that even if I'm ok now, I don't deserve to splurge so much at the moment...If you would like to help in the least possible way you can, you can check on these two websites how:

abs-cbnews.com
gmanews.tv

"Lord, thank You...and I pray for those who still need help right now, please keep them under the mantle of Your protection and love..."

all the while i thought im the only one...

It's been a week already since I bummed out from work...Thankful that I get to have good night sleeps for the past few days and catch up on some of the things I missed [watching tv and reading books]...But of course, I can't be like this forever...I still have to do something relevant to keep up with the personal finances and my family's needs.

Anyway, I don't know but I think God is really making little miracles for me not to give up...I came across this website that I've always wanted to submit an article on and then, I saw this post...Guys, read this until the end for you to completely understand...The writer and I have a few similarities on this story, but that's not exactly the point...Here it is...

Youngblood

Out of here
By Anna Veniza R. Arcilla

Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:10:00 09/12/2009

Filed Under: Employment

Soon I will be leaving the company that has been my home for two years and nine months. The idea of leaving has been giving me nightmares, but I know this is what I really want.

When I first joined the company, I was an idealistic neophyte who believed that as long as I was doing my job, no problems would arise. I was happy with the company, and it became a second home for me. I gained friends and even won their respect and loyalty. I developed feelings for someone who turned out to be a womanizer (the feeling lasted for only one month), and now he is my ka tropa. I fell seriously for an IT guy with a wide forehead (who just got promoted recently), and now we are kind of “MU” (mutual understanding) after two years of waiting. And I was able to save enough money for some of my future plans.

Months passed. New people were hired, and trained. Some old co-workers got promoted and some left for reasons I could not comprehend at first.

Then it suddenly dawned on me that something was wrong with the situation. There were nice people who got promoted and began sprouting horns on their heads. There were others who were already bad even before they were hired and they were spreading discontent and havoc.I saw a couple of my fellow workers crying because a monster of a manager had screamed at them. Even as tears continued to flow from their swollen eyes, they were still checking documents and searching for errors, no matter how hard it was to focus on the computer screen.

I saw my pregnant friend crying because a satanic manager was cursing her online. Another friend was humiliated by a moody manager when she filed for a leave of absence.

I reacted violently when the company decided to increase our salaries based on our rating system. A nice manager had given a neophyte a grade of 4+ (even if he was still committing a lot of errors) while another manager gave an experienced worker a grade of 2 (even though she was one of the best employees). The neophyte received a P1,700 salary increase and the latter got a P300 increase. Was that fair?

I learned that when somebody got promoted, it meant he had stepped on someone else, like crabs in a basket. I also learned that an employee is only an employee, and no matter how long he has been in the company and how hard he has been working, he still remains just an employee—without a voice, without the right to talk or to question things, and with the duty to follow and act dumb.

I am not saying this because I feel bitter. Bitter over what? Because I have never been promoted even if I have put all my energies into my work? Because I sacrificed time for my family so I could render overtime work in compliance with orders of my superiors? When my mom died in a hospital, I didn’t know about it until my shift was over because we were not allowed to bring cell phones into the work area.

It is every worker’s dream to be promoted because it means receiving a salary higher as well as some perks and privileges. But in this company, I cannot even dream of being promoted because that won’t change anything. Instead it will give the people above you another excuse to bully you.

I know that I am sounding like a spoiled brat, sulking over things I cannot have. But sometimes you need to act like a brat so that you will get what you really want. And now all I want is a work place that will be a true second home for me.

So, I had this plan of leaving, and a plan to find a replacement. Then I told my boss that I was quitting.

Two of the best managers of our department talked to me and told me they were happy with my decision. They understood and they knew how I felt. They seemed actually to share my relief as I was telling them about my decision.

Friends are asking me what made me quit. I tell them there is life after work, and that I need my life back. I need to slow down and assess my life and feel free for a while. And my only regret is that I didn’t do it earlier. I’m not running from the things that make me apply excessive eye liner and eye shadow to express my anger, I just want to clear my mind and know who I really am.

Now I realize that working hard is not enough to make one happy on the job. Some things aren’t good as what we want to be. I know that by leaving, I can learn things other than what I know now. I am not dumb, and I don’t want to be forever following black witches’ orders.

I used to be a kind, soft-spoken girl with an understanding heart, but now I am completely the opposite. I came to the point of looking at life as if it’s a curse. I don’t want myself to continue hating life.

I want the old me but I want to bring with me the things I learned. This place has made me strong. It taught me to be thankful for living a simple life, simple yet happy. It also made me realize that I miss my family and friends.

My father told me that I should look for a new job where I can be happy and which will not take me far from them. He reminded me that they had taught me and my siblings to believe that simplicity spells happiness. Who am I to disagree?

When I go, I will be leaving behind the people who have been nice to me. But this is a small world and I know we will bump into each other again and again. And there is Facebook and Friendster to help us stay in touch. As for the IT guy, he will still be there, texting me every night.

(Anna Veniza R. Arcilla, 26, is a graduate of Jose Rizal University with a Bachelor of Commercial Science Major in Management degree.)

To my former officemates, I think you might have the idea about how is this article related to me...But to the rest of my readers, this is an eye-opener...On how you'll take this? Well, I just hope with an open mind and heart, as what I am doing at this present stage in my life.

source: inquirer.net