thinking april

Monsters, free internet and CME

Sunday, June 30, 2013 | Posted by april |

Last Friday, I watched Monsters University with my friends in SM Megamall. And though I haven't really watched the first monster movie, Monsters Inc, I found it so adorable and cute that I immediately downloaded the first one this weekend, which marks the first movie I ever downloaded on my own! Aye new record!

For a week now, I've been enjoying free internet in my tablet care of, I think, Smart. But I have entirely no idea how I got that. I mean, mine's a prepaid sim card, and in automatic, I turn off the wifi and GPS (to save battery supposedly). And lastly, I haven't loaded the thing in three months! To be honest, I'm not such an internet-lover-every-minute kind of person, but my waiting time which before was most spent reading novels and stocks stuff had turned to browsing facebook, 9gag and overheard posts (that I admittedly like but I'm not so good at resisting I hope I won't turn into an internet addict, at least not again). I seriously don't know if I like or hate this free internet all the time. Haha

But really... Free? Is always better!

Last June 8, we had our company outing in Club Manila East in Taytay. It was actually my first company outing (the whole company I mean) after 4 years so I can't really pass it off. It was fun; we enjoyed a lot of team building activities including cheering (that we won!), mind games (that I kind of hate because I purposely left my workmode-brain at home) and jumping rope (that I found out I suck at).

Pink Panthers

And for me, it was a day without reason and purpose and a tablet that reminds me of the schedules I need to keep. It was my free day. After the short-lived but most of the time depressing MLC, after the deadlines and the harassed zombie-like days, after I hope the un-me.

It was my free day, kayaking in the middle of far-from-familiar, with nothing in my hands but a pair of shades and -- yup, just a pair of shades.

The world went on for a day without me and for a while, it felt like everything, EVERYTHING is totally okay...

But that was a far three weeks ago and I swear it is weird talking about free and fun and relaxation when at present it's really otherwise, that is why I really need to blog sooner rather than later, which I always strive to do to no avail.

*I tell you about the three weeks that came after. Hopefully, I will get to that.*

The GV List

Sunday, June 23, 2013 | Posted by april |

The world is full of good vibes. Even in this tiring week.

We celebrated independence day by taking Devon to the vet, had him xray-ed, and found no needle whatsoever. And I came out a proud Mama pug.

Last Friday, Jun 14, was quite eventful for me. Went to SM Aura for the first time for the ASP quarterly meeting, did some retail therapy because some side of me think I need it badly, watched Man of Steel with Ate care of Nuffnang and Schick. I love free blogging events!

A day after that, J & I ate at Dad's. As if buffets are so ordinary now. As if we'll do this all this time.

Crush level: flipped

" Iyung tipong tatayo ka from your desk para makita ng mas maigi si crush. Pero di
ka na makatingin, kasi nakatingin na siya sayo. Haha Chasesallthebluesawayyy "

And a good thing:

" Fancies me how dreams from the past still hold true after all this time. "

It's a big place, and I can feel happy if I will it to be.

From Fundamental to Technical: The Stock Market Bandwagon

Monday, June 03, 2013 | Posted by april |

Except for my 2013 goals post, I have always flocked away from this particular topic. But since a lot of my time now is consumed thinking about stocks, formulating my trading plan, and monitoring the market, I think this couldn't hurt. After all, I always write about my interests, and this, the Stock Market is my latest fancy.

I opened an investment/trading account in Citisec last year, the day I turned 24 to be exact. It was actually something I've always wanted to do since 2010, when my college friends and I were talking about Bo Sanchez' Truly Rich Club and how it was smart on our part to do something with our money other than stash it up in a savings account. Two years passed and we never had the guts to do so, we were just so full of plans on that subject.

When one time, I had lunch with a former officemate and he mentioned he opened an investment/trading account with his friend. And I was like: I could have been doing that right now. And a surge of utter loneliness and regret rushed to me for postponing things I always loved to do, I hated it.

Three weeks later, after cutting my savings accounts to their minimum (and thus I’m left with no emergency money just in case. Please don’t do this because this is totally not ideal, although I have no regrets in the end), I opened a regular account in Citisec Online.

I took a leave from work, actually a birthday leave, just so I can spend half-day in there, maybe talk about the stocks that are profitable. I thought I would learn investment stuff that day, at least on my plan.

I didn't In fact, the girl who took my application seemed to discourage me from opening a regular account. She was asking things like: Do you have any experience investing in the stock market? Do you know what support is? Resistance? Fair value? I answered negatively to all her questions, each no and head shake an appalling admittance of my ignorance. I was so speechless by how seemingly uninformed I am in thinking of conquering the stock market, and how stupid it felt cutting both of my savings accounts. The girl who took my application did a good job of discouraging me.

But alas I wasn't discouraged enough to come home with a changed mind. I read books and articles and stock forums for the latest news and updates. I guarded my trades with caution, and a target value so I know the purpose of each of my trades. I devised my own templates in excel (I know, how geek) summarizing my trades, stocks on watch, profit lost on expenses and commissions.

And after one year of medium to long term investing, I had a 30% profit (computed conservatively). I wasn't sure if what I did is good enough, if I earned more than an average investor in a same trading time frame but I didn't really care. My point of comparison is a savings account so getting what I got in one year seemed like a big plus for me.

I also learned that last year was a bull time for everyone, I consider myself very lucky at that.

Finally, last Wednesday, May 29, I attended a seminar in COL on Technical Analysis, and thus the interest in shifting from fundamental which I’m doing now, to technical. I've always wanted to do technical trading; I do believe that’s where the money is, in trends. I was doing so well in trading medium to long term that I got a little lazy to challenge myself, but there’s got to be more than this.

It’s not so much as greed, but it may be a wasted opportunity if I do not even try.

So after a year of doing well on Fundamental Stocks Trading, I am bit by bit (slowly, because as of today the market’s too down) shifting to Technical Analysis. And the challenge poses a promise of a passion fueling me like there’s a fire on my heart.

Water Spa, Milk Teas and Friends

Monday, June 03, 2013 | Posted by april |

I welcomed June in Ace Water Spa with J and 2 of my best friends from college.

We first had an overnight at our house, me playing the host this time, so they can finally meet Devon , my pug. Then we left home at around 8 and waited for J in Mcdo Banawe for almost an hour. We arrived at Ace Water Spa at around 10:30.

It’s funny how such simple things can go unforeseeably wrong. For one thing, the black tankini I bought in Freeway turned out to be cotton, which I only found out that day after three years. And an innocent light bulb realization lingers in my head: that’s why it’s tight all this time, it goes, even when I shed an inch of belly fat. Mystery solved.

But cotton wasn’t allowed in the pool, the lady in blue who pointed out my black cotton tankini said. And I should have brought my other swimsuits is what I kept thinking; only it was a 1-hr fx ride too late. Luckily, my girlfriend who brought a bikini she originally planned to wear with an overcoat like in a beach offered to lend it to me. Only I don’t wear bikini, and sure my tummy’s not ready for it.

But in the end, we all get to wear each other’s swimsuits. It was a funny thing.

After 30-minutes of stressing over tummy fats, and a locker that wouldn't close, and the uniform red head gear ala Stepford wives, we finally let lose ourselves in the pool. Yup, girls, you say.

And J had already explored half of the place. Thus again, Mars vs Venus.

It was 4 hours of water bliss: water that pound on our head and shoulders as if in a falls; drumrolls on our back like we’re mighty Samsons; jets of alternating fast and soft plunges that can only make us laugh out loud.

I really like the Hot Herbal Pools (ours were mint, jasmine and lavender) and the idea of alternating it with the cold pool for 3 minutes each. But we didn't made it to the cold pool. We probably stayed there 5 seconds tops, our teeth chattering like we’re rabbit caricatures of ourselves.

We had our lunch at around 2 already, in Maki Haus, a Taiwanese restaurant a couple of blocks away. And after that, milk tea in Lucky Tea although I never really got the hang of it, of the craze and the various tea stalls that emerged in every corner out of nowhere.

But when you’re with good friends really, it doesn't matter whether you got the saddest-tasting milk tea of the bunch, and because you’re too safe to spend something you might not really like you order Dark Chocolate with RS&C because chocolate and dark at that works all the time (it didn't, just to add); you'll drink out of theirs too anyway. Or if you brought a cotton swimsuit to an indoor pool that forbids it (and by now, you might think how naïve I am because I didn't recognize it but I’m not very knowledgeable about clothes in the first place) because your friend brought an extra bikini you sure can borrow.

It didn't matter. It’s that first day of June, and shame on distance and maturity that sucks out the life in Life, we have jetting waters and lucky milk teas on our side.

Happy nearing 2013’s 2nd half!

Transform yourself with Schick

Sunday, June 02, 2013 | Posted by april |

Schick and Nuffnang bring you Man of Steel on June 14 at the Shangri-La Cineplex.

To join, simply answer this question:
"If you had the powers of MAN OF STEEL for one (1) week, how would you use it?"

I for one, would use it to achieve two things. First, I will try to instill on the Filipino people that there is hope and will do so by being/playing the hero myself. May it be as simple as helping an elderly cross the street, or as grand as saving a man who attempts suicide by jumping off a billboard along the highway. I will be the Man of Steel, the hero we need in this moment of crisis, and uncertainty in our society. And second, is personally, as it had always been a dream of mine to travel the world, I will use my ability to fly in exploring other countries, continents I have always fancied.

To find out more on this promo and win movie tickets to the screening, click on the image below.

Schick. Free Your Skin.

Per DTI-NCR Permit No.1843 Series of 2013.