Hiring Someone From Overseas isn't as Bad as You Think

    There's a new trend in the online world right now that has slowly integrated itself in most fields of work: hiring virtual assistants.  Assistants we get, but virtual? How does that work?

    In this new age, the internet has become the powerhouse of marketing and communications. TV and radio just isn't enough. Even movies, unless it's something from Marvel, gain more views on Netflix than an actual cinema. Everything happens virtually most of the time, especially with social distancing protocols still practiced.  Covid-19 really pushed back the entire world and without virtual operations, most companies wouldn't have survived. This is where virtual assistants come in as more than just handy. They actually become a necessity.

    Now, hiring virtually is one thing. Hiring virtually overseas? A lot of trust issues there, I know. But with inflation rates steadily rising each year, it makes sense to check other alternatives and get quality work, if not better, at a lower cost. Well, Hello, Philippines.

    Filipinos boast high retention rates because of their world-famous work ethic and loyalty to their employers. They quickly fit right in because they speak English fluently, and they're used to working in different time zones. Filipinos are always eager to learn and aren't afraid to push themselves to be at par with the world. Friendly and festive, professional and loyal. They don't quit unless you give them a reason to quit. That's the Filipino spirit. Imagine having someone with that kind of drive on your team that can adapt and keep up with your clients.

    Virtual assistants in the Philippines have been on the rise and have received high appraisals from international companies everywhere. They speak very highly of Filipino VA's thanks to the quality of work and loyalty they receive. Despite having access to most of their employer's financial accounts, honesty and integrity always come first. Such practices earned them an untarnished reputation to this day.

    So if you're on the lookout for your next dream team, I hope you point your sails towards the Philippines. We're ready!

Never asked for perfect

Never asked for much

Only for sincerity

With a loving touch

Never knowing where I stand

Never knowing where to go

An endless toxic marching band

So consuming from the get-go

It seems that every time I put myself first

I leave behind a trail of negative outburst

Like chains pulling me back to rock bottom

Like an anchor weighing me down to stagnation

To run far, far away and disappear from their sight

To take what's left of me and start a better, healthier life

To find people who'll sincerely love me for me

To be found by people who'd never use nor crucify me

To be part of a home that's welcoming and warm

To be part of a person who'll never do me harm

To be seen for who I am and not in a bad light

To be heard for my words and not by spite

That's all this heart really hopes for in this life

That's all this soul has craved for to find

#mothersday2019

Some facts I've gathered about motherhood:

1.) Negotiation is your most powerful arsenal.  Polish it for best results.  They will always find their way out of (or in) anything, make sure you are your best lawyer.

2.) There is no kid so thirsty, so hungry and so curious as a kid told to get ready for bed.  Extend patience for sanity's sake.

3.) No coffee could ever match your kid's energy so go decaf.  You'll sleep better.

4.) As tempting as it is to scream when something breaks or gets lost, their eyes are more important.  Keep them tear-free.  Anything bought can easily be changed while anything raised can never be replaced.

5.) It'll rain a hell lot of No's more than Yes's.  And that's okay.  It's part of making sure the little ones don't grow up to be self-indulged assh*les.  The world will thank you later.

6.) Laugh.  A lot.  Laugh at the fart jokes, the unintentional mess, the sugar rush induced hyperkid running around and climbing on your back, the brainfreezes, the made-up words from their own dictionary, the most absurd video requests, the endless talking voice in the background as you try to watch tv or read a book, the monkey clinging to your legs, just laugh and take in all the silly.  They are only young once.

7.) Speaking of monkeys, monkey see money do is so true.  Be wary of your actions and words around them.  They. Absorb. Everything.

8.) Your bag is no longer your bag.  It becomes everyone's luggage and yet, your job alone to carry.

9.) Always keep emergency beer in the fridge at all times.  Beer is the new (adult) bandaid.

10.) There simply is no one way to parenthood.  Each anecdote is unique so whatever your journey is, happy sailing!  May the force, the odds, the infinity stone, the tesseract, and the wet wipes be strong and all work in your favor! 🦸

10/11

 

Day 4: Dancing

(365 days of writing prompts)

Huwaw. Dancing? And me? Apocalyptic.

Something that can only be brought about by the end of civilization. Cosmic forces. Or gin. 😂

I can do a move or two but nothing like the ones worth posting.

I believe I've lost that confidence genome somewhere along my growth spurt.

My youth was a different story. Being on stage was second nature to me.

I loved being called for practices, attending rehearsals, and memorizing speeches. Made me feel proper special, you see.

I think since I had a hard time making friends, those performances made me feel like I belong and gave me something to look forward to at school.

My inhibitions left the building while I was on stage and I loved it.

As I grew older, I leaned more into singing since I could blend in with the choir and not have a panic attack each time a solo performance was required.

I no longer grabbed microphones nor volunteered to be front and center.

This made me realize that to be young was to be unapologetically confident.

Youth gave us a phase to be our inner divas, peer pressure be damned.

Growing up, you either own it all the more or completely lose it, only to be rediscovered at the most alcohol-induced times of your life.

As for dancing in itself, the only kind I think I could ever relate to would have to be the simplest steps known to man or the sweet, slow dances just like the movies. Plus, I'd have to be so intoxicated to even shed a glimmer of confidence to do that. No guarantees, though, that it would be pretty sight.

This topic is so hard to write about personally because I have zero flow. 😅

You can see the struggle as you read this but I'm pushing myself to keep going.

I have no idea which puns to use, which directions to take, which side to explore.

I feel like a student taking the longest route possible to reach an essay's word count in an exam.

As I write this, only one song plays on repeat for hopes of inspiring me to come up with an anecdote connected to dancing but nada.

Starting to wish I skipped this writing prompt but that would be cheating and I'm trying to trust the process.

For what it's worth, I hope this is, at the least, mildly entertaining for the kind soul miraculously reading padin my blog. Biglang nag-tagalog? LOL. Daming alam ng naglista ng writing prompts na 'to! Struggle is real. For the non-pinoys, translate at your own risk. 😜

Before more damage can be done to this already crumbling blog entry, I have to end this now.

Forgive me for the worst writing of my life. This is just not up my alley.

Dancing and Maddy just don't mix.

I could've written more about aliens than dan-freakin-cing.

Disclaimer: I don’t choose the titles.  They are generated randomly.

Day 3: The Vessel

(365 days of writing prompts)

 We all, at one point, have wished to be anywhere else but here. Plus points for instant gratification.  The past months have been far from easy and a perfect example of a much needed escape. Nothing but virus and chaos all over the news in almost all parts of the world. Forest fires, volcanic ash falls, Presidential clowns and economic crises. The entire year is making Stephen King stories almost childlike.

 So imagine if we each had our own vessel to use in times like this?

 A very special vessel tweaked to our likings and convenience. A vessel that would take us somewhere far from all the mess of everyday. A vessel to make us see someone too far from our reach. A vessel to save us from ourselves right before we hit rock bottom.

 Mine would have to be an automatic cruise with my favorite book stores connected to nearby cafes right inside. I'd go in anytime I please and read to my heart's content. I could even write away my worries and stories while sipping my cafe favorites. No rushing, no lines, no distractions. Only me and my authors tucked away in a pile of books and caffeine. Ah, if only.

Disclaimer: I don’t choose the titles.  They are generated randomly.

Day 2: The Unrequited Love Poem

(365 days of writing prompts)  

Itatagalog ko ba o isusulat sa English?

Anong paraan ang mas mabisa sa pag-penetrate ng manhid?

Pang-seryosohan na ba o tamang lihim pa sa barkada?

Love story ba na mas makulay pa sa crayola? 

Paano ba binobroadcast ang tibok mula sa puso?

Di pa ba halata tuwing nakatingin ako sayo?

Kailangan siguro yung pang mic drop na sabay sa uso

O kailangan siguro yung parang sa Harana ni Chito

Hahayaan muna mapagod yung iba

Bago ako pumila at magpresenta

Isang beses, nabakante yung pila

Walang nakikisiksik, walang kompitensya

 

Eto na yun, oras ko na.

Mali siguro pero inisip ko agad na may pag-asa

Kaso hindi padin tinablan kahit anong atake ko

Wala talagang mas titibay pa sa wall of friendship mo

Syempre sawi, syempre talo

Syempre walang magawa kundi maging okay sa sulok

Sabi nga nila, “Can’t have it all.”

Pero ang hidden message dun, “Bawal ma-fall.”

Hindi siguro ikaw ang tamang tao

Hindi rin ako ang tamang sasalo 

Hindi pa ito ang tamang panahon

Pa-return to sender nalang nung mga piraso ng puso sa kahon 

 

Disclaimer: I don’t choose the titles.  They are generated randomly.

(as cringing as this is for me, it had to be done)

Day 1: Outside the Window

(365 days of writing prompts)

It's almost midnight.

The cold crisp air is starting to creep in through the open window

and as I look outside, I am silenced.

Silenced by drifting thoughts.

Silenced by the cold.

Silenced by stagnation.

I'm thinking of brewing a cup to help me get

a few more words out of my sleepy ass

but I've had one earlier plus a bottle of soda.

If I take any more processed drinks tonight,

it's gonna make me pay a liver or bladder or something.

So H2O, then.

Aside from sleeping dogs,

croaking frogs and other nocturnals,

everything else is lifeless.

There are no flowers to break the monotony.

There are no grass cuttings to catch the eye.

Not even weeds to pull or thorns to prick.

It's all leaves and branches.

Too much leaves and branches.

If only I'd won the last lottery,

I could do some major landscaping to this thing

and make it look zen af.

More #instagrammable.

That's all the rave now, right?

Making every post look like life is perfect.

But what if I post a photo of this terrace as is?

Wouldn't get respectable likes, I know.

That's what I've noticed about the new

unspoken rule of posting pictures.

Anything in its realest state is never good enough.

Perfection trumps realness.

That's today's culture.

Despite efforts to #breakthestigma, we still wish

we were as perfect as the next girl.

We still bother with the right filters, the right lens.

The right background.

The right destination.

The right caption.

The right blend of perfection in each photo.

Not that there's anything wrong with

making a picture look good.

I get that it's a form of art and self-expression.

I only wonder when looking happy started to get so complicated?

Why can't we take what our eyes see as they are?

Why do we need to be so aesthetic about our happiness?

When has feed-like become more important than lifelike?

All this from staring out a window.

Hello mundanity.

Disclaimer: I don’t choose the titles.  They are generated randomly.

How to deal with the half-empties

          " The lonely become either thoughtful or empty. "

- Mason Cooley

        When we meet someone for the first time, we rely on first impressions to assess their personality and oftentimes, the results vary from good to awkward to just plain dry wit.  I think the most basic types of people are the glass half-full or the glass half-empty.  Some can be a ray of sunshine when they walk inside a room while some bring the gloomiest vibes fit for the darkest of humors.  The rays of sunshine are already a breeze to get along with.  Hence, I'd rather focus on the half-empties.

           So. how do you deal with the half-empties?

        The trick is to find out if they want inclusion or space.  Based on my experience, there are two things you can do about them. Either try and include them carefully and sensitively in activities and events fit for them, or, simply allow them the space and silence to recharge alone, then come back for them once you feel they're a full tank. It makes all the difference when the right kind of love language is used.

       Take me, for example. I prefer to be left alone sometimes when the vibes are no longer conducive and healthy. I retreat to my own corner with books, music, cooking and inventing recipes, or would immerse myself in British culture because unknown to many, I've had a fetish for the Brits since childhood. I've wished to be English after watching The Parent Trap (starring Lindsay Lohan) and crazily imagined what it would be like if I had the life of Annie Parker in the movie (not the musical). I love the country, the culture, the food, the Grant, the Potter, the Rowling, the Little Mix, the Nigella, the Sherlock, the Cumberbatch, and that bloody accent of theirs. This is a dangerous hole to dive in with me so let's move on.


       There are, however, the exceptions to the rule.  Meaning, leaving them alone drives them nuts.  They thrive off on gaining everyone's attention constantly.  Having the crowd follow their every whim gives them satisfaction and, I guess, assurance.  Personally, those are the kind that drains the bejesus out of me so I tend to stay away from them to protect my zen but what else can you do if you happen to be surrounded by them, right?  Well, prayer helps a lot that the heavens may grant you patience as long as the Nile and as bountiful as a full on Thanksgiving dinner on steroids.  It also takes a great deal of maturity to understand and handle difficult half-empties.  Tough love can be painful to give but if required, you've got to stand your ground even if it means standing alone.  Being understanding and giving chances is one thing.  Condoning abusive and manipulative behaviour is another.

        I remember how eaten up I used to be with all the half-empties I've encountered.  I used to worry so much and get immensely affected by words that shouldn't even have scratched my surface.  With time and age, and lots of beer, I've learned to manage my expectations of people so what used to tear up my heart to bits merely poke me now.  Insults, however said or done, are nothing but noise.  They're junk mail that should be sent straight to trash once you see it.  They're just virus that get past your firewall every once in a while.  They're those annoying pop-up ads that deserve to be blocked.  Don't bother feeding the trolls.  Don't give them power over your thoughts, your peace, or your heart.  No one is allowed that role except for the ones that make you believe in rainbows and the ones who know how to appreciate a good cup of joe.  They're the best kind. xx

Questions

Healing. Acceptance.
Two words I have yet to understand.
Can time really heal the wounds?
Does it start with a helping hand?

Will forgiveness come naturally
like in a year or two?
Or will it take a lifetime and the next
to live with something I can never undo?

Will I ever be vindicated
or will I remain misunderstood?
Will their lies remain in power
while my truth kept hidden from view?

Must I always be judged without fair trial?
Must it always be a one-sided jury?
Must money and profession always overrule
what the heart and conscience once used to fuel?

When all you did was make it work
but all he did was grow berserk.
You tried to nurture and put up with what's left
but he turned away and gave more somewhere else.

And while all his short-comings were passed on to you,
You took the punches with credit you're not even due.
Even then, you're still to blame they all say.
You put yourself in this mess, girl.. You chose to stay.

So what happens now?
What lies ahead for this messed up wreck?
What kind of ending awaits?
Maybe Ralph could help me out here.
Will Fix-It-Felix teach me some of his tricks?

Happy Birthday, Dad..

" I know you're in a better place

but I wish that I could see your face

I know you're where you need to be

Even though it's not here with me... "

          It's been 8 years since you left but I can never get over the fact that you're gone.. For good, this time.  I know I must be happy that you are peacefully at rest now.  You no longer have to endure the hospital tubes and constant injections you hated very much.  We don't need to stay up all night as well or make the hospital our second home.  And no one has to think of excuses anymore for the cashier to believe the FHM magazines were not for us.  Yes daddy,  I knew about those "secret books" hidden in the last drawer.  And no dad, I never would've guessed those were yours.  Hahaha!

            I wish I could turn back time and be the little princess you used to call me.  The Little Miss Bacood you always gave a crown, wand, and jewelry to complete the ensemble because you knew I loved seeing myself that way in front of the mirror.  I remember how Mama got so mad at first that one time she saw me putting on make up with her beauty kit but laughed it off after I explained how I was just making myself pretty for my daddy.  I remember how I persistently forced Mama to scoot over and let me be beside you in bed, only to wake up an hour after bedtime with your very, very, loud snore blasting my eardrums away.  Mama must have really loved you to withstand the force all night dad, no offense. =D

            Today, you should've turned 59.. Sayang daddy, kaya ko na mag-red horse ngayon. Makakasabay na sana ako. :))  Although Mama would have never allowed it.  On this birthday year, however, I will choose to remember the good times I had with you.  I choose to reminisce on the moments I felt very happy and lucky to be your daughter.  Having you as a father meant I was able to spend my elementary and high school years in good, private schools.  I was able to have Sunday dinners with you in restaurants with above average service.  I got to bike across CCP complete with the training wheels and elbow pads that made me feel like such a badass biker.  Oh, the fun of being a child geek. B)

            Never a day goes by without me wishing you were still here.  That what happened with our family never took place and there was no need to battle out everything in court and in countless lawyers' offices.  I never wanted to feel that way about you.  Nor did Mama.  Especially Mama... She was the only reason you were still able to keep us within earshot.  To be honest, the pain is still in us Dad.  In me.  I find it so hard to accept and believe the truth about our family.  I can't help but run and hide when I remember how I was kicked out of place.  I can't help but cave and sit in a corner when I try and fathom how you replaced us so quickly..  You were my superhero dad.  All I needed was to know I was also your princess and I was still in your heart.   Because I was a real big Daddy's girl.  You just cut me out a bit too fast to notice.  Look at that, I said I will choose to remember the good stuff.. But I guess the pain and confusion doesn't melt away that easy now, does it...

            Anyhow dad, it all boils down to how much I miss you, really.. And how I would love for us to be father and daughter again the normal way.  I miss you when days get way out of hand for me..  I miss you when a particular guy keeps taking me for granted and never sees my heart the way he should.. I miss you when I need a man to protect me and stand up for me and my daughter... I miss you daddy.... I so damn do.  Happy Birthday wherever you are.... All my love to you....

Too much pressure at such awkward stage of youth
I wish I didn't have to deal with it but I have no choice but to face the truth

Suffering the consequences of others' mistakes has brought immense achings to this naive heart

Never in my wildest dreams have I imagined that these vexes could tear me apart

If I could undo the damage, I would but it is simply too late, I've ended up misunderstood

Tainted and broken with nowhere to go

My grip has now weakened, causing me to let go

The joy I used to have are now lethal illusions of destruction

A life of timorous ordeals with no road to recovery

I guess that's how it was meant for me

Huling Paalam

Ngayong nagpaalam na, hindi alam kung san magsisimula
Mga alaala'y muling nagbabalik
Sa twing nasasabik sa yakap mo't halik

Kung mapagbibigyan lang ng Maykapal
Ang makita kang muli ang tanging dinarasal
Mailap mang mangyari ay umaasa parin
Nagbabakasakaling mapagbigyan ang hiling

Hindi man nagkasundo at madalas nagkatampuhan
Ika'y minahal at mamahalin pa magpakailanman

Hindi rin man naging maayos ang ating huling sandali
Ito'y itatago at isasantabi hanggang sa tayo'y magkita muli

Sa ngayon siguro, masaya't kuntento ka
Sa bago mong tahanang paraiso sa ganda
Isa lang ang pakiusap, kung pwede lang sana

Mga pinagdaanng away ay kalimutan na
Mga mapapait na salita ay itapon na
Masasayang napagsamahan nalang ang tandaan
Lalo na ang mga ngiting bihira kong nasulyapan

Everything has its place in time.  No matter how surreal it may seem at first.  We love, get hurt, move on.  It isn't that big of a deal.  People come and go.  The assurance you get whether he or she will stay or not is beyond our control.  The only thing to do is to lose yourself and make fate work its magic.  Who knows, you might even get something out of it.  But don't expect a happy ending all the time.  Not everyone gets their fairy tale ending at the first try anyway.  Besides, going through life and love the hard way would be a more rewarding experience than getting it all at once.

Don't you think so? :)

Juvenile

Relive the childish play
Savor the joy of being looney
Don't hold back, just go astray
Celebrate for the sake of sympathy

All I want is to be free
From all the chaos that's happening to me
I need someone to lift me up
Someone to soar my spirits high
By dragging me down to my grave where I'll smile

Trying to break free from the senile of death
Before they take me to the place of my final rest
If I could just go back to my precious youth
And rediscover the essence of living innocent truth


I can't care less of how my reincarnation will be done
As long as it hales me and forms my scattered pieces into one

Wishful Dreaming

The first time I saw you from a distance
I didn't know what to do,
I just couldn't help but glance

Your smile was so sweet, it captivated me in an instant
Your charm so unique that shined so radiant

I liked you more when we started hanging out
To me you were the perfect guy without any doubt

My happiness was short-lived when I soon found out that someone else already owned your heart

I should have been in her place, I came too late
I was forced to accept this tragic fate

Despite the pain I tried so hard to hide, I continued to be a friend by your side

I tried to move on and make the feelings subside
But you got a hold on me, it was too obvious to deny

She's a very lucky girl, I sure hope she knows that
I would trade anything just to be where he's at

To wait for you, I guess, would be the only thing I can do
So until then, don't worry about me
I'll still be here loving you

Que Sera Sera

Destiny does not always go according to plan.  In one way or another, it'll screw you up and leave you on the floor with nothing but scattered pieces of that bygone dream.  You might even think of ending everything right there and then just so you never have to feel that pain again.

But that's life.. Our control over what may happen to us is nothing short of a baby's grip.  We choose what we want to do but in the end, what happens, happens.  Whatever will be, will be.  That's just the way life goes.

But hey, if things don't turn out the way you want them to, don't cry over spilled milk.  It will only make you feel more depressed than you already are.  Get yourself together and move on.  You don't have to turn your back on your past.  Just keep it at a distance far enough so it doesn't interfere with your future.  That way, not only do you keep yourself sane, you get to be a stronger person too.  Now, wouldn't that be nice? :)

Roundtrip Ticket

I've been stuck in this limbo for as long as I can remember

I seem to have gone through the worst of blunders

Walking endlessly around nowhere, this has to stop.

Perhaps a closure to ease my heart.

One last trip for me to take,

One last smile for old time's sake.

I don't intend to lengthen my allotted time

Nor to allure the angel who took away my life

A subtle glance over those I've left below

is more than enough to nullify the sorrow

Scanty yet deep, this moment shall be

Deliriums will no longer haunt my harmless body

For in peace I shall now rest my lifeless temple

Remaining still and silent, content and idle.

"Being a mother is discovering strengths you didn't know you had and dealing with fears you never knew existed."

          To all the struggling moms out there, whether it be a financial, emotional, physical, or a sanity-breaking / all-around kind, here's to us. The real, unnoticed and overly underrated (not to mention UNDERPAID) heroes of society.

        While others wake up and rush off to work or school, we get up for chores and for watching over the kids, making sure the house is in order and the laundry attended to.

        While others get the weekend off and catch up on sleep or outings or friends, we.. Wait.. what exactly is a weekend again?

        While others drive around the city meeting clients and bosses looking all chic and professional, we drive (commute even--pollution plus overcrowded spaces and all) to the market, grocery, bill payment centers, or simply walk up to sari-sari stores and carinderias, in either towel cover-ups, just-got-out-of-bed hair, house clothes that never really accentuate your curves and good angles.

        While others have coffee breaks, lunch breaks, dinner outs, or office parties, we barely have a break, let alone a bathroom escape because the second you stop looking at your kids, they go scream, scatter, spill, or break something. They will follow you everywhere, anywhere, anytime.

        While others have their lives moving forward, even gaining friends as perks of being exposed to extra-curricular gatherings and events whenever or wherever it's held, the norm conforms us to stay at home and be at home.  Especially if with kids not old enough to be on their own because being seen in bars or gimmick hot spots at night (the only time the kids are finally asleep and chores get done, mind you) automatically labels you as a careless, irresponsible homemaker.

        While their wallets' content increase over time, ours remain a fixed amount. Spent only with the family's needs and putting aside our personal wants.  No holiday pay. Overtime pay. Bonus pay. Double pay. What pay?



                                                BUT THEN AGAIN...


        While they are piled up with paperwork, we are piled up with toys and kisses from our little ones.

        While they have keyboards, tools, or loads to hold, we have beautiful little cheeks and noses to poke. A bundle of joy, a treasure worth a thousand fold.

        While they raise issues, complaints and deadlines, we raise precious gifts from heaven and watch them reach great heights as they grow older and wiser each day.

        While they hold meetings and seminars or even presentations with speeches to win the boss over, we hold the teachings and traditions passed on from generation to generation in every moral value we instill in them.

        While they are responsible for office keys, car keys, employee-only keys to specific areas in a building, we hold the key to our husband's hearts and our children's tomorrow.

        With every beating comes a lesson to learn, wisdom to gain.  A heart of a mother is the toughest and most fragile of them all for it can withstand blows men will never understand and still have so much room for all the love in the world to occupy it.  So with every Darn It! has an I'll Know Better Next Time after. Every tear has a smile to cover after.  Every heartbreak, a stronger will to fight.  Every You're The Best, Mom! comes a lifetime worth of purpose and sense of pride. :)