Basic Requirements for a First Time Applicant

This just came off randomly and thought of posting it for everyone's - or mine's, reference.

1. NSO-issued Birth Certificate.

- Please note that an authenticated Local Civil Registry-issued Birth Certificate may be suppletorily required if the entries in your Birth Certificate are illegible (unclear or cannot be read).

2. Any of the following supporting documents :

- Baptismal Certificate
- Transcript of School Records
- Form 134
- Voter's Certificate
- NBI Clearance

3. At least two (2) valid identificatoin cards :

- SSS ID
- TIN
- PRC ID
- Driver's license
- Voter's ID
- School or Alumni ID
- Company ID with employment certificate

4. Duly accomplished passport application form.

BASIC PASSPORT FEES:

a. Regular processing fee of P950 (30 working days)
b. Express processing fee of P1200 (15 working days, for OFWs with proper documentation only).

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Cebu is located in :

4th Level, Pacific Mall-Metro Mandaue, U.N. Avenue, Mandaue City, 6015 Cebu, Philippines
+63 32 520 5898

On Higher Grounds

While trying my hardest to conjure a better title for this blog entry, I have found myself asking this very question - "Did I miss out on anything?"

Well, it depends on how you'd look at things. In my childhood, I missed out on sports - a lot. I had childhood asthma with me for almost 13 years and having that load plus taking care of two kids and manning a household all shouldered by my mom (my father was an OFW at the time), was no small feat. We didn't have any regular house help and there weren't a lot of sporting avenues back then. 

I didn't get to enjoy sleep overs during my teens. My parents abhorred sleep overs because of safety reasons. They just did not want us to get all "used to" with the notion of crashing to someone else's place just because. Talk about common decency.

I didn't get to travel a lot to provincial beaches during my early 20's either. Not because my parents disapproved of it, but because I did not have a job back then. I was still in school, finishing up my second course and was in preparation for the licensure examination.

But, did I miss out on anything else? I know I am right where I am suppose to be. Independent, empowered and full of life. I am just glad knowing that I won't be having sleepless nights because I worry too much of how and what tomorrow will be. I know I am better off without him. I don't feel exhausted, I don't feel scared nor unsure about things. I am exactly where I want to be.

Remember

  "Don't be sad. Remember, you need to surround yourself with good people so you can achieve a positive outlook in life. You're doing this for yourself. It's not a bad thing to do stuff for yourself sometimes."

Ironically, the very words you needed to hear, are the ones you've conjured in your head for a very long time. It got pushed back and muted because you are too concerned of what and who you might lose - despite knowing that he will never be worthy of you. Thank you, Jing. You truly have this effect on me. You just know how to make the obvious matter. How did you ever get to be so wise? :) 

What I know now

It may take a couple of wrong turns, broken dreams and failed attempts to realize the value of one's self. Trust me when I say this that the road to self-realization doesn't come easy nor does it ever end. Every single day of our earthly lives, we discover something new, something worth changing and something we should let go of. And right now, I have realized a couple of things :

..that the only people I can ever entrust my life to (for now), are my parents.
..Silence is not always a therapeutic way of communicating - it is a two way street that could either mean apathy or deep concern.
..People can be good, if they'd want to.
..There isn't such a thing as a bad day - only bad moments in a given day.
..Speaking up must be used with caution - for a drop of unsolicited idea can make or break you.
..Timing is everything.
..We make plans for ourselves, but there will always be a bigger plan to it all.

I see things differently now. I know, for sure, that I will be okay - no matter. So this is me free falling. Let's see where it will lead me :)

Project DIY : Beads & Boxes

For the past couple of months, I have been ogling DIYs and frosted glasses over at youtube. And whenever I get idle time at work, I jump at the chance of checking paper and beaded crafting, just to get more ideas. I can't really explain it. Crafting, to be specific, has become a haven to me. And I told myself I am going to start my crafting ASAP!

That's exactly what I've accomplished yesterday.

What you see is a non-sewn loot bag and a book, wrapped in mint paper and ribbon, to be given as a gift by my friend, Rex, for his friend's wedding come December 13, 2014. I used cuff links to bejewel the ivory cord and the ribbons, and reused a price tag to serve as a greeting card. Other materials would include : 
- katcha cloth
- Aleene's fabric glue
- origami paper
- wrapping paper in mint
- scissor
- scotch tape

So, what do you think?

And on a different note, I came across this article by HangingRice.com published via SunStar newspaper detailing the 7 Craft Stores one could find in good 'Ol Cebu. Please click this link.

and the journey goes on

"And so I'm back, from outerspace" - Boy, was this lyric very appropo. Nope. I did not invade any galaxy nor fought aliens from outerspace. Lol.  But am I glad to be home again. :)

So, how should I start this post? Well, let me just say that this verbaljunkie right here is definitely brimming with blogos-ophic thoughts to share. The past year and a half has been a whirlwind of surprises for me. A lot of unexpected things happened - both the good and the ugly, but in conclusion to that chapter? Life is just too damn beautiful to ignore.

Therefore, let me keep things to a minimum, for a now, and let us all bask in the goodness of life and the many lessons we all have shared in it. Good or not, things do happen for a reason.

And for some photo op, lookie :

brown oxfords - Lower East Side by Payless

setting boundaries

How I wish I had the very same remote control Adam Sandler had in that movie "Click". One can simply redo, undo and fore-do a situation in his/her life. But of all the many buttons that remote control had, there's this one that I would want to try in my life right now - slow motion.

Having lived a life of overdue bills, rush hour and rising quotas is insanely overwhelming sometimes. It is either you regroup your senses or lose hope altogether. This used to aggravate me - having no control over time and over numbers. However, when you isolate yourself from the many humdrums of everyday activities and stressors at work, you find a haven that allows you to breathe, lay back and care less as to how the outside world is reacting. 

What I have learned in my almost 2 months of hiatus is this: Don't worry over the petty. If it's something you can get by without increasing your blood pressure nor end up smacking the front screen of your door, by all means, let it go. As how Van Wilder simply put it, "Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but does not get you anywhere."