While every waking day is a blessing for me. I actually feel that I’m just “extending” my tenure on earth but will do all means (religious, financial, psychological and emotional) to see my children through by providing the basics (food, shelter and clothing), quality education (no less than DLSU, ADMU or UP) for them and some caprices (toys, electronic gadgets, local & international trips).
The purpose of this blog entry is to document 40 highlights of my 4 decades of existence. Here goes:
1. My first international travel was when I was 10 years old. It was in HongKong and we stayed at my Aunt LST’s flat in Tin Hei Tung, Tung What Tzu Chi near Victoria Park. I recall we frequented Victoria Park, the Wellcome Supermarkets and visited Ocean Park.
2. I had my first girlfriend when I was 15 years old.
3. I finished ½ of my elementary and my high school in Don Bosco Technical Institute - Tarlac. Much as I would have wanted to adorn myself with academic or technical awards, I could only muster a Best in Conduct award.
4. I finished my undergrad college degree at De La Salle University.
5. I got a job right after college, as in working even before my graduation March. I spent 4 years in college so I wasted no time looking for a job. My first job was in Smart Comm., Inc. as a Customer Care Officer and my basic salary then was P6,000 per month.
6. I was promoted to Supervisor at a young age of 23 yrs. old. My family was very proud because I was already handling Tarlac branch that time.
7. The year I turned 25 was the year I met and married the love of my life, my wife JML. While it was a whirlwind romance and passed through a lot of trials and still going through trials, we celebrated our 14 wedding anniversary last June.
8. The following year, B5 was born. He was the first grandchild on the Lacsamana side, the 5th grandchild on the Manalang side and the first great grandchild on the Lacsamana side.
9. I was 27 years old when we bought our first second (or was it third hand) hand car. The car was a 1992 Toyota Corolla XE sedan.
10. I was 28 years old when I started my Master of Management and completed it after my 31st birthday.
11. I was 29 yrs. old when I was promoted to a full pledged manager. That is after being OIC (Jr Mgr) handling the Central Luzon region for 2 ½ years. This was also the year we experienced owning our first brand new car – a 2002 Toyota Revo GLX, an asian utility vehicle.
12. I was 31 years old when we had a epic mountain bike ride. The ride was called Mount Samat (Pilar) Bataan ride. We started around 7AM and finished at 4PM. That was a tough one. I’ve been mountain biking since 1994 and BMX’d during my teen years. During my mt. biking peak days, we rode close to 3000 kilometers per year.
13. Our youngest child MC was born on my 32nd year of existence. She was the second grandchild on the Lacsamana side, the 8th grandchild on the Manalang side and the second great grandchild on the Lacsamana side.
14. From years 2004 to 2006, the South Luzon region was adjudged Best Region while in years 2003 and 2004, my teams got the Usage Award (Highest percentage attainment vs. target)
15. At age 34, I had the privilege to visit the land of milk and honey, USA. During my first visit, I had the chance to visit the ff. states: California (LA, SFO, Irvine & San Diego), New York, New Jersey and Florida (DeLand, Orlando, Daytona & Kissemmee).
16. I joined the 7 digit asset club based on SALN at age 35. Was it late or early? It guess it depends on who’s reading this.
17. When I was 35, to broaden my experience horizon, I ran and won as Director for the Company’s cooperative. My term was for 2 years and opted not to run again because of the change in workload. My father must have been proud because he was a long time director for a hometown cooperative.
18. While we purchased our own condo unit at age 36, it wasn’t until I turned 39 when we transferred to our spanking new domain.
19. I was 36 years old when I lost my father due to a stoke. He was based in the US with my mother so we had to fly to the US unscheduled to be with him for the last time. We held his hand as he breath his last breathe in a hospice in Florida.
20. The year I turned 37, I experienced climbing two mountains- Mount Pinatubo (elevation: 5,725 ft) in February and Mount Banahaw (elevation: 7,080 ft) in October. Around mid that year, we toured the Ilocos Region with my family. It was my second time to see the region.
21. I was 38 years old when I first saw the Land of the Rising Sun. Well technically t’was my second time since we had a transit break in Nagoya when I went to the US. I was with my family during that vacation and we saw the ff. Japan cities: Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Kobe.
22. On the same year, a photo of mine of Bamban bridge taken from the Bamban grotto was used in a photo exhibit in Singapore Philatelic Museum. The exhibit was for a cause and the theme was about bridges.
23. Two weeks after my 39th birthday, I was moving to my 9th job function in SMT and the first time to join a new department. This is only my second department in 16 years, from JYS to KCC.
24. Four months after my 39th birthday, we transferred to our own home. It was such a joy. Finally, a place to call our own.
25. My birth month in 2012 was activity filled. March 12 marked my 17th year in Smart, I celebrated by 40th natal day on March 15 and I became a new employee in PLDT effective March 16.
-last entry #25, posted May 31, 2012-
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