Ok ok, I know I said I will write, yet never did. Between Facebook, YouTube, The Chocolatier online game, work, badminton, yoga and the trips to Manila, I've been busy. ;)
I was in Manila for a week in Feb. Ask me why, quick!
To pay my property tax for the South of Market condo, would you believe? Yep, I went voluntarily to be 'held up' by the Taguig govt to the tune of Php14k. For a studio apartment, 14k in tax is so high! My friend who owns a house and lot in QC was assessed so much less for her place, about Php5k if I remember. So grrr grrr grrr. Taguig sure has upped the property tax rates of the Boni Global City area. I read that it is now pegged to Makati property tax rates, so there's no way to go but broke in that area.
Anyway, after that business with the city hall, I had a great break in Manila. I stayed in the condo this trip, met friends for lunches and dinners over at Boni Hi St and rushed home at night to watch Seasons 1 and 2 of Gossip Girl. I didn't dilly dally with the GG watching knowing that I couldn't bring the pirated disks with me back to Sing, so had to double-up on that or risk not knowing how the season ended.
All in, got to break bread with Hannah, Rachel, Mard, Jopie, the SMC gang, Wena and Monica; got to go to the spa with Hannah one time and another time with my family (Net and Joan); got to finally go to the Salcedo weekend market with Mard, Mishka and Hannah, rode in our MRT for the first at the urging of Monica (while carrying my Balenciaga, que horror! Good thing it wasn't crowded) and got to cheer for my nephew Waji during his singing finals at San Agustin.
Great trip, all around. I can't wait for the next one. :)
After that trip, its been work, work, work here in SG. See, I would normally have prefaced that part about 'work' there with the words argghh, boring, argghh. BUT we live in interesting times, as you know. Work nowadays is PRECIOUS! Work is good, work is your friend, work is something many people are losing all over the world and so must be treasured by those who still have one.
Singapore is in a recession, joblessness is up, lay-offs are common, so are 4-day weeks. Paycuts are here too and yours truly has been hit! Yes, hit! Argh!
Company said it's still profitable (then why cut!?) BUT to 'brace for a possible protracted difficult period', they allowed pay cuts of between 2 and 10% depending on salary level. Jaws ko!
But I ain't complaining (sige na nga). Juxtaposed beside the threat of being jobless in this environment, the pay cut is nothing really but an early call to simplify life a bit, trim out some frivolities and fluff.
C'est la vie.
