About
My name’s Cecile Cinco. I’m also known as Ceefive or C5 for short. I’m a mother of 3 girls ages 10, 13 and 16, and a wife to one husband.
I’ve been a blogger since 2007 though I’ve been online since 1994 when I was introduced to the internet by a friend, using a 2.4kbps modem (The fastest available in the market then was 14.4kbps). I still have my 7-digit ICQ UIN! That time, YM was not yet invented. Since internet during that time was so precious, I learned to “surf” by email, even download programs and images.
I learned to create webpages using Notepad when it has not yet been taught in computer schools. I tutored some, the youngest being 13 and the oldest about 50. Back then, it was only HTML.
I’m a self-learner. Perhaps due to the fact that I wasn’t able to get into college out of poverty. After high school, my paternal grandma said she stored some money which I can use for schooling. I took up Cobol Programming then. After squeezing my brains out, I realized the reason they accepted at least 2nd year college students is because they have the capacity to absorb the lessons. I was just accepted because someone working at NCR (National Cash Register) was (still is) a friend of mine. It was a disappointment I almost loathed computers. That was in ’83. It was only for 2 months.
I thought of another course that the money provided will suffice. I thought of Secretarial but one of my uncles discouraged me saying the rate of acceptance against the number of applicants is so low. He suggested Electronics as a technical course, reasoning that I only have to be by the table fixing radios and TVs. (He was one!) When I started Radio Technician, I was top of the class of about 30 boys, 1 lesbian, and myself. I enjoyed it! Later, I took up TV Technician and Motor Rewinding.
In ’85, an opportunity arose. There was a scholarship offer within the church I was affiliated with to learn Wordstar, Lotus123 and dBASE III. Among a hundred applicants, 16 of us were accepted. I took it as giving computers a second chance. I was taking 3 courses at the same time since my TV and Motor Rewinding courses were not over. I just did not want to miss on the opportunity. Since then, most of my working time revolved around computers with some tinkering on the side.
I was able to land on a job in the government (Mayor’s Office, Olongapo City) for almost 2 years until I had to move to Quezon City and land on another government (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) job for 4 years. I resigned when my eldest was 4 months old because I can see that my mom was having difficulty and I never wanted to hire a nanny. In 2000 I was able to land on another job, contractual for 5 months, as a web designer of a big semiconductor company. I saw envious eyes all around me because all the programmers (around 10) within the same room got no internet and my salary was at par with the system administrator…and they knew I had no college education. 
I don’t stop learning, though. 
To fill myself up, I read, read, and read and answer crossword puzzles. No wonder I can write, write, write but not speak as good. 
My thoughts are better conveyed through my pen or keyboard.
During my early days, I loved sports and outdoor activities. When I was in Olongapo working, I’d borrow a racer bike from my cousin, drive through the zigzag, stop over at one of the beaches to swim about 100m and back, ride the bike again back home, dry. Other times I went hiking with my bowling teammates. Yes, that’s the time also when I learned bowling and made it real good in a very short time. I was good then that I don’t back out at challenges of loser’s pay. Rarely did I pay. I love archery too though I was able to use a bow and arrow during camp days. That picture was in ’93…the last year I held a bow. I also played volleyball and joined a competition.
I like puzzles. I used to buy puzzle books especially cryptograms. It’s way out of the budget nowadays, though. Since I was in high school I’ve been amazed at coding so I developed my own codes. I make sure they’re decipherable without having to write them down yet when looked at by untrained eyes, they won’t even know it’s coded!
I craft, usually make something out of scraps. I wish I was a good painter as my stepfather was but my art takes form in doodling, lettering, weaving, sewing, and cutting & pasting.
If there’s something I’d like to collect, it would be knives and various tools.
I love chili hot foods. I don’t eat pork nor seafood. Too much chicken for me will make my skin emboss-spotted all over. When allergy subsides, the spots merely hide. I’ve got asthma and it just manifested when my sports disappeared when I had to move from Olongapo to Quezon City. When my fingertips itch, I knew I have allergy attack. My stomach gets easily upset too when I eat something bad.
I’m a Sabbath-keeper and affiliated with the United Church of God. I’m heavily involved with church activities. I sing but only with the choir. I can never sing solo. I play banduria and octavina (musical instruments), though, as part of the rondalla. I also dance but only at Festival Shows held during the Feast of Tabernacles, held annually in September or October. For almost 10 years now, I’ve also handled the Family Day (also during the Feast of Tabernacles) which is fun-filled games for all ages. It also gave me the opportunity to overcome my fear of microphone. I still am, up to this time. I need some minutes to get used to it. Most of the games I presented were my original concepts.
As a hobby, I analyze handwriting. In 1993, I bought a pocketbook about it. Later, I was lent another published in the early ’30s, and another in the early ’60s. Since 1993, I’ve always tested it on people I know and don’t know. I’ve gotten back to my pen friends’ letters. Everytime I see some handwriting, I’d automatically analyze.
I write poems too.
What else? Hmm…my mom is still alive. I’m the only child sired by my dad. He died before I was born, at the age of 24! My mom remaried when I was almost 2. I now have 5 siblings who look up to me as the eldest in the family. My stepfather died in 2005 at the age of 68. I’m 43 now and I’m not hiding it.
You may find that my post has no specific order. That’s because I write spontaneously.
I hope I did not bore you, though.
