Achievement Unlocked!

Finally, after 2 and a half years (5 semesters) in the postgraduate program, I finally got a master's degree! I have already completed all the requirements in graduate school last October 2013, but it was only on April 26 that we had the graduation ceremonies.

In the first 2 years of studying, I tried my best to balance full time work and school. However, I had to work part-time so I could focus on my review for our comprehensive exam and our final project (something like thesis).

since my family is abroad, I got my friend/classmate, Rona to go up the stage with me

Thank God, I survived! I'm now a Master of Technology Management from the University of the Philippines Technology Management Center (UP TMC), UP Diliman. I'm so thankful to my family for the support, and of course to my professors who have really taught me well. I can't imagine having paid for my own education. It felt so good! It's indeed one of my best investments.

my mentors: UP TMC Director Cruz, Dr. Posadas, Prof. Imbang

Dr. Roger Posadas - Philippine Father of Technology Management

My project adviser, Prof. Glen Imbang

I will surely miss graduate school, most especially my classmates who turned into good friends. Graduate school wouldn't have been the same without them.

batchmates :)

friends :)

my graduate school "barkada"

my closest girl friends in school, Mayette and Rona

Anyway, I really felt that this master's degree added value to me, most especially in the corporate world. It helped me land my current job as a full-time business consultant in one of the top technology companies in the world.

So if you guys are still deciding whether to take up masters (or MBA), don't think twice about it because besides the fact that it appraises your value, it's also very fulfilling personally. And if it's within the career that you wanna pursue, go for it because it is really applicable in the work environment, most especially when it comes to decision-making.

here comes the mandatory photo with the sunflowers

Jule, Leo, Me, and Mai (and I'm the youngest! haha #proud)

Just wanna share my post-graduation meal, which was treat to me by my friend, Irene from Iloilo City and her husband, Alex from London. It's my first time to try Todd English Food Hall at SM Aura, and I would say that it was a great experience! I love the food, the service, and the ambiance.

my fave: Crabonara

I forgot the name but it's a clam pasta and it's yummy!

S'mores :)

choco lava :)

me and Irene

It was really a celebratory weekend for me because my birthday and my graduation happened in two consecutive days!:)

xoxo,

city girl

Spontaneous Saturday

March 13 - It's one of the most spontaneous days I ever had. haha! We we're able to go to a lot of places without having any plans at all.

We woke up late and had lunch at Cainta, then off to Rockwell to return the clothes we used at our photoshoot. Then we went home to get changed.

At 3:30pm, we were at Starbucks Katipunan for a meeting with our client.

i didn't look busy haha

Before 6pm, we left Katips to have some food trip in UP: isaw, kwek2x, tapsilog at Rodics, and cakes at Chocolate Kiss.

 we almost missed their last few pieces

please excuse my party attire. this outfit was meant to last 'til night haha

 tapsilog at Rodic's...w/ extra egg for Maze

 w/ our newly found friend, Sarah

 it took us 15mins to finally get a table inside

 woah...i missed their iced tea!

 blueberry cheesecake!!!

 devil's food cake

Then we got a text message inviting us to drink at Hang Over in Ortigas Home Depot.

Then I realized that my friend was waiting for us at Club Circa in Eastwood. Some of our DJ friends will be playing there that night also so we decided to go there as well.

But I was craving for pizza and pasta so we had some at Pasto. Then Angelia and I went up to Circa to party for a bit. haha.

 Margherita

 Frutti de Mare (seafood)

 they didn't want to party so they were left there haha

 another VIP night at the DJs booth! partyyy!!! 

Oh yeah...Saturday! =P

dinner meeting at Bistro Mateo

The meeting was supposedly after lunch but I haven't got a call from the person I'll be meeting until 5pm. So when he called me to confirm, he's already at our meeting place, while I was still home and haven't even taken a bath yet. haha! Well I didn't hurried myself too much 'coz I knew he'll be meeting someone else as well.

So I prepared myself for less than an hour and took a cab to Tiendesitas. Travel time was about 30mins, including some traffic. Actually, when he called me, he said he's at Mario's Cafe in front of SM Hypermart so that's what I looked for when I got at Tiendesitas. I wasn't able to receive his text message saying he's at Bistro Mateo 'coz my cellphone died (as in nothing appears on the screen, which means it has to be repaired). Good thing I asked the guard in the parking lot, and he told me that Mario's Cafe was replaced by Bistro Mateo. Thank God, or else I'll get lost haha.=P

photos from ClicktheCity.com

There were only a few people there so it's easy to find out who he was. Oh I forgot to tell that it's my first time to meet him 'coz he's a brother of my previous employer, and we're meeting up for a marketing job he's offering me. Anyway, when I got there, he was with two other men, and he informed me that he's in a meeting so he ushered me to a table at the other end of the room and asked the waiter to give me the menu.

photo from ClicktheCity.com

The place was nice and cozy. Most people there were business people, more of mid-30s to mid-40s, more especially because it's a weeknight. Anyway, I ordered the Ines pasta, which actually tasted good; and a strawberry lemonade. While waiting for my order, I browsed my Cosmo Date Book to check my schedule and to list some of the things I have to do.

photo from ClicktheCity.com

After finishing my meal, he asked me to transfer to their table so we could start the informal meeting, or should i say, the get-to-know each other meeting. haha. The other man already left so it was only the two of them, and I got introduced to this lawyer who's a manufacturer of local firearms, which actually is the product I am supposed to market for this job. Wow, sounds interesting. It's gonna be me, in a business with a market of mostly men. I think I better practice my shooting skills now. haha!

After the meeting, I took a cab home; and we actually took a different route since there's this traffic in Libis caused by a huge trailer truck that got stuck there.