Shameless plug...

I deal with computer graphic designs for eleven (11) years now.

It all started when I was employed with Letran. And I remember when I was just starting, my first software to use is Photoshop version 5.5. Looking back, I can say that I have come a long long way. The latest version of Photoshop now is CS3.

The first person who really gave me a break is Fr. Ed Alaurin, in 1998. Fr. Ed was the head of the Athletics department of the Colegio then and that year, Letran is the host for the NCAA season. Fr. Ed, asked me to design the cover of the souvenir program then. I remember I used Coreldraw, and there were times when I had to go to a computer shop to do the design, and there are times when I have to "harass" my friend, Phonam. She really helped me a lot during those times and then I can say that she is really the one who encouraged me to learn the tool.

Fast forward. After that event I became "known" in the campus. Some would approach me to design this and that for the school, and until came a time when the head of the HR department, whom then became a really good friend, approached me to ask if I can design their wedding invitation. Which I did. After that she soon gave birth and soon she was asking me to design her daughter's christening invitation. From then on people would approach me. Funny thing is that when it came to my daughter's christening, my husband and Davy, Anne's ninong and my officemate didn't give me the opportunity to design an invitation for her. Our preparation for Anne's christening is two days. Well, I make up to it during her first birthday naman.

So then, people would almost always approach me asking me to design almost everything. There are times when people I don't know would call asking if I could design their souvenir program and when I asked how did they know about me, they say the printing press who printed my previous work, referred me to them. So I guess, there is something in my work.

I am a minimalist when I do designs. The simpler, the better. Lately, I realized, why am I being modest about it, I might as well, earn from this so called skill I have in design. So here I go, since it always boils down to one thing, people asking me to design something for them, why don't I officially make this my "raket". So I'm turning my multiply to my "raket" site.

Feel free to come and see, maybe I can do something for you.

http://jennifermorente.multiply.com

Thank You for Mom's!

This poem is oh so true, but you can never really tell until you become a Mom. This is the second year I am part of the Mother's Day celebration, three years if you count the year when Baby Anne was still in my tummy. Not until you become a Mom, you can never really understand what does "Mahirap na masarap" REALLY means. Being a Mom is the best feeling I ever felt, one of my friend said that being a mom makes you "softer" and I guess it is oh so true, it is as if something pulls your heart. What I can really relate to in this poem is that part where I never get at night every ten minute or so to check on the baby, this is so true with Anne, it all began on the second night Anne was home, I was like looking at her every minute to check that she is breathing, she was so tiny then...and now she is almost all grown up, my baby girl.

Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not
my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.


Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind
and my thoughts.
I slept all night.


Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child
so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night
watching a baby sleep.


Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because
I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small
could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.


Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling of
having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel
to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond
between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
could make me feel so important and happy.


Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth,
the joy,
the love,
the heartache,
the wonderment
or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,
before I was a Mom.

I have a lot to be thankful for, this mother's day. First thank you for giving me my Mommy, to whom I owe what I became now, I am thankful that she took care of me and my siblings, she is a SAHM all her life because of us, and now she is the one who looks after her apo (granddaughter), my daughter J'Anne, because of this I have less worries leaving my daughter at home when I go to work during the day. And thank you for my mom-in-law. Nanay,lately I realized, she brings out the best in me, and I am thankful to her because if not for her I know my husband Dzune wouldn't be the GREAT person he is now. And most of all I am thankful this year because I am sharing mother's day with a good friend Marichu, it took her nine (9) years before she became a Mom. I remember thinking of her when I gave birth, sabi ko, I wish maramdaman din nya how it is to be a Mom, and three months after I gave birth, she told me, she is pregnant, her pregnancy is not as smooth sailing as mine, she was on bed rest the nine months she is pregnant, the she had to undergo emergency C-section a month before her due date and her little angel was left at the hospital for a month, they are both doing perfectly well now, her daughter is now six months old. Pretty soon two more persons really dear to me, Shane and my sister Juliet will truly be sharing motherhood with me.

The best mother's day to all!