The past few days have become tiring for me. Gawd, we were actually jolted back by my cousin from Cebu nang bigla na lang syang dumating sa amin without prior notice...that was why everyone was taken aback. She is supposed to be here because she is about to take the Bar exams the next month though.

And this also compounded my headaches when I was forced to look for a place for her as well as the review center to which she would be enrolling for the Pre-week thing before exam proper. This took three days of being restless, especially with the thought that I have the money for her enrollment and that I had no time to look for a place, owing to work and related stuff (work is killing me already, promise!)...so from Monday to perhaps Thursday last week I was like a freakin' machine and that I had very little time to rest. (Good thing though, in just little time we were able to find the law school to which she could enroll for the Pre-week and the place as well to which she could stay so she could review at the comfort of her room without disturbing anyone especially in our house -- my sibs are evidently annoyed by her sight, for no apparent reason that I can think of.)

Dang, malapit na akong magka-nervous breakdown. Too much work overload can kill, even in thoughts.

That was why the past weekend I have to escape up North again to relieve myself of stress. Hopefully it did, but culture shock greeted me last Monday at work.

Parang ayoko na magtrabaho dito, sa trabaho na pinapasukan ko. The only reason why I work here is because of the moolah -- 5 figs. Deep inside, with the developments at work especially in the past month, parang gusto ko na tuloy magresign na lang. Kinakain na kasi ang aking leisure time and all that.

Anyways, it's just 2 days away to weekend and the long rest. Hopefully with the next shift change, I'd be ablt to maintain my current schedule.


Excess: Apologies for not having put-up yet a journal about my roadtrips beginning to that of nmy roadtrip in the City of Pines...I must be able to do it kapag hindi na mabilis ang weekend, feeling ko kasi napakabilis ng 3-day weekend to be able to do what I want to do...parang gusto ko na mamatay ngayon dahil dyan

It's Monday blues once again.

Feeling like ayoko pumasok mamaya sa work, things will be as expected due to the surge of phone calls which should also be equivalent to the surge of freakin' adrenalin...but the god thing about the Monday shift is that after 9 am (the end of my shift) I actually get to get out of the premises in pronto. No overtimes and what-have-yous.

It may also have something to do with the continuing scandal (as my eldest sib would term it) within our family due to what my broher is doing, which is slowly taking the nerve of me coz this worried my dad so much...and that most memorable seminar which I attended to last Saturday.

But whatever the case may be, nakakatamad pa rin pumasok.

Ang sarap matulog dahil malakas ang ulan.

I'm bored again, but before I step-out for now...


==========================


Getting to know me more!
Message: Message: Welcome to the NEW EDITION of getting to know your friends. Okay! Here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be lame and spoil the fun! Just COPY this and paste into a new bulletin that you can post. Change all of the answers so that they apply to you.


1. What Is Your Full Name?
Reynaldo Arco Refran

2. What color of pants are you wearing right now?
faded blue

3. What Are You Listening To Right Now?
ang tikatik ng aking keyboard at ang ingay ng mga DR agents

4. What Was The Last Thing You Ate?
roasted liempo at Freshbreak

5. Do You Wish On Stars?
sometimes if I have the time

6. If You Were A Crayon, what color would you be?
red or blue

7. How Is The Weather Right Now?
maulan sa labas

8. Last Person You Talked To On The Phone? celfone?
Globe cust serv representative

9. Do You Like The Person Who Sent You This?
Of course friend ko kaya sya...

10. How Are You Today?
feeling quite ambivalent

11. Favorite Drink?
orange juice, mango juice, pero usually i turn to softdrinks

12. Favorite Alcoholic Drink?
light beer

13. Favorite Sports?
table tennis but i wanna learn wallclimbing and badminton

14. Hair Color?
black

15. Eye Color?
dark blue na nagboborder sa black

16. Do You Wear Contacts?
nope

17. # of Siblings?
4

18. Favorite Month?
basta me month na mataas ang sweldo, december (because of the 13th month pay)

19. Favorite Food?
chicken, sinigang, adobo

20. Last Movie You Watched?
Spiderman 2

21. Favorite Day of the Year?
March 5

22. What Do You Do To Vent Anger?
sleep or surf the Net

23. What Was Your Favorite Toy As A Child?
race cars and action figures

24. Summer or Winter?
mas gusto ko ang rainy season

25. Hugs Or Kisses?
both!

26. Chocolate Or Vanilla?
choco, especially if iced

27. Do You Want Your Friends To Write/ E-Mail Back?
yes...oist mga friendsters please post your email addresses through PM para ma-add ko kayo sa database ko ng mga emails.

28. Who Is Most Likely To Respond?
mga friends ko especially Pexers, textmates and even acquaintances

29. Who Is Least Likely To Respond?
same as above

30. Living Arrangements?
living with family

31. When Was The Last Time You Cried?
when i got too emotional when i confided something with a friend

32. What Is Under Your bed?
kalat and unused stuff na nasa box

33. Who Is The Friend You Have Had The Longer?
marami...

34. What Did You Do Last Night?
bumili ng KR chicken, binigay sa family for dinner, and slept

35. Favorite Smells?
Polo Sport (kahit na fek)

36. Who Inspires You?
people who are very ordinary yet show extraordinary will to live...pero my family and friends inspire me as well.

37. What Are You Afraid Of?
Monday being workday start

38. Plain, Buttered Or Salted Popcorn?
flavored pwede?

39. Favorite Car?
Galant, Adventure or Starex

40. Favorite Flower?
gumamela

41. Number Of Keys On Your Key Ring?
nil

43. Favorite Day Of The Week?
days-off ko (from Friday 9 am to Monday about 8:30 coz me byahe pang kasama yan)

44. What Did You Do On Your Last Birthday?
I was sick that time, kumain lang kami with family

45. Do You Own A Donor Card?
zilch. is this for blood or kidney donation?










Here's another one...yet somewhat similar...


==========================


1. Birthdate?
>> March 5

2. From what school?
>> Unibersidad ng Pilipinas sa Maynila

3. Where would you wanna go right now?
>> sa isang lugar na pwede kong gawin ang lahat ng gusto kong gawin at hindi papakialaman ang aking ginagawa.

4. What is ur wish ryt now?
>> gawd...marami

5. When did you last cry?
>> when i got too emotional when i confided something with a friend

6. Do you like your handwriting?
>> yup, pero it was better nung HS pa ako. ngayon parang sa duktor na eh

7. Any bad habits?
>> nagsasabi ng PAKSYET...hehehehehe

8. What is your most embarrassing moment?
>> nang hindi ko akalain na ladies' CR na pala ang napasok ko

9. What would u change about u?
>> my real age and my maturity age -- does not match! (got this cue from Hilda, and yan din ang sagot ko)

10. Are you a daredevil?
>> sometimes

11. who inspires you to live?
>> marami

12.Do looks matter?
>> nope!

13. Do you believe in ghosts?
>> nada

14. How many piercings do you have?
>> nil

15. Are you trendy?
>> lately yes

16. How do you release anger?
>> sleep, soundtrip, surf the Net

17.Where is your second home?
>> workplace or friends' homes

18.What were your favorite toy(s) as a child?
>> race cars and action figures

19. Favorite sports?
>> table tennis but i wanna learn wallclimbing and badminton

20. Best moment(s) of your life?
>> ndi mabilang

21. Favorite dessert?
>> chocolates and fruit salad

22.ABS-CBN or GMA?
>> ABS-CBN...Kapamilya rules, kanguso sucks!!! mwahahahahaha!!!

23.favorite bands?
>> parokya ni edgar, freestyle, barbies cradle,south border, linkin park, incubus, sandwich, 6 cycle mind, river maya

24.What do you look for in a guy/gurl?
>> inner attitude

25. What are your nicknames?
>> rey / elrey (sa bahay) / refran (sa ilang upperclassmen nung high school pa ako)

26. Would you bungee?
>> yes if given the chance pero wag lang kung ground ang baba

27. What do you wear when u sleep?
>> shorts na pambahay

28. What are u worrying about right now?
>> marami esp. scheduling and work pressures. I have Monday blues

29. Did u ever go on a diet?
>> I attempted to pero it did not prosper

30. who is your first kiss?
>> parents

32. who's ur crush sa showbiz?
>> Sandara Park

33. What's your favorite color combination?
>> bright colors

34. favorite ice cream flavor?
>> chocolate, mango, vanilla, cookies and cream!

35. favorite animal?
>> dogs...because of my family I was forced na mag-alaga ng labrador

36. Are you in love?
>> yup

37. what will be ur wedding song?
>> mag-iisip pa

38. greatest regret?
>> wag nang halungkatin pa ang nakaraan!

39. kyla or nina?
>> Nina...Kapamilya yan eh!

40. Motto in life?
>> Carpe diem!

41.one nyt stand or long term relationship?
>> long term relationship

42. future profession?
>> businessperson or someone who is running a research firm

43.what is the perfect date?
>> along the beach, kami lang 2, candlelight dinner, super kilig moments, matagal na shcedule

44.What would u like for your birthday?
>> portable MP3 player...hehehehehe

45. What will be your resolution?
>> be a more responsible Filipino citizen and an eRep

46. What is/are ur best asset/s?
>> mejo long hair...yun lang (nag-ooff-set sa katabaan ko)

47. Are u a better listener or a better adviser?
>> more of a listener

48. message to your enemy /enemies?
>> kung meron man (especially the imagined ones)...MANIGAS KAYO!!!

49. fave number?
>> 16

50. Message sa mga tao na nagmamahal sayo?
>> I LOVE YOU ALL!!! :mwah:

I'm still alive and kicking, thank God. It's like I'm always battle-scarred because of yet another day (and another day as of this writing), due to the fact that I'm still bitching about work.

What made me say that as usual is because everytime I go beyond the post-shift scenario -- or towards the end of the shift -- I encounter super-irate customers who at the end of the day affect my psyche so badly. AS IN!!! Like this Viet Cong biatch who had me in the line for 45 minutes and who doesn't want to let me go just because she wants to biatch about why she wasn't able to view her report and all that, and why she deserves a refund when in fact the service Terms and Conditions says otherwise, and yada-yada...(when in fact napakatanga naman niya)

Gawd, it's like I screwed bigtime and emerged from the battle quite unscathed, except that this is a situation that seems like I'm used to but hard to get off. Part of me thinks that I don't wanna be into as well -- in other words, sawang-sawa na ako dyan! I want to break free from this very vicious cycle which is slowly eating my quality personal time away.

And I hope I could still survive today. Sabi ko nga kay Joel, parang ayoko na dito, pramis!!!


========================

Oh by the way it sucks to think that Tabulas is having problems nowadays. That is why after hearing about Multiply, which is another prototype of Friendster, I just checked it after signing-up and there I can store journals like this as well. So I could use that service as an alternative to my current blog here, especially if Tabulas is not accessible...

After a few hours' worth of sleep, I realized that I woke up late and I have to rush for work at least and take a quick "breakfast" (which is actually dinner here in the Philippines). I suddenly checked that it's just 2 days left for my workweek and that it's going to be another long weekend for me (which I usually look forward to the more than when Mondays come). My feelings when this time of the week comes is quite better than when Sundays or Mondays come; another thing is it is because we get lesser volume of calls than during the start of the week. Still, I feel like I am just motivated by the moolah in wihich at this point (I've been employed here in my current company for 9 months already and I am slowly beginning to think that I'm in a rut, although my supervisor is high praises on me in this morning/yesterday's pow-wow).

To wit, the pay is really good, but in the long run, in my case, the nature of the job is slowly draining me nowadays. Somehow, I NEED A LIFE.

Can someone give me a LIFE please?!?

Shoot! Just a day to go before another loooooooooooooong weekend hits me but right now with the way things are going, since I only had 3 hours of straight sleep (my dad woke me up because he just got from my late mom's office to get our purchased sack of rice for our use and that he asked me to carry it from the car), this early I am already looking forward for that long weekend. However, I have to hurdle this day of taking calls again...although I think that as of now I'm better off sleeping again.

Hirap muna bago sarap. Hay pakshet!

To be honest, I dunno what my plans are for the payday weekend. 55% of my mind thinks that I need to go to the City of Pines again, this time for a seemingly longer haul (which means to go home Monday 12 mn) to relieve myself of all these freaking stress that I have been experiencing the past week. I was actually planning to do the escape right after my shift ends this morning but because I changed my mind in at least showing up for the PinoyExchange.com EB at the Congo Grille in St. Francis Square in Ortigas, together with my online buddy Sta|ker, the trip might as well be delayed for the night after I try to join the chat afterwards.

It's already almost 2 pm PhST. And still, I'm here in the confines of my workstation, just finished doing the compilation work for all calls.

And today being the last business day on my end, I have very good reasons why I should feel agitated.

1. I spent the first half of my shift answering 75% of IRATE -- take note, IRATE -- callers, and most of 'em are plain idiotic NIGGERS! (I will be explaining in detail soon why in the world I have for my pet peeves Niggers who are plain stupid)

2. Our good (as in magaling) supervisors delayed my lunch, even if my tummy dictates that I should already take it -- thereby flaring up myself during calls. Note: I took my break at 5 am PhST, which is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay past my supposed (or even desired) breaktime. 5 am is actually 4 hours before I hit End Shift+Release in my Callmaster thingy.

3. Even my teammates delegated me to become our freakin' team compiler of the day and I was even tasked to do the compilation work for the other teams as well (these teams have NO compiler of their own, which makes me wanna go...) That is why I am still here up to this very moment.

Parang gusto ko na namang mang-agit nang lalo ngayong araw na to kahit na ako ay nasa byaheng langit.

Gotta hit the showers first. Tapos, byaheng langit muna papunta sa City of the Concrete Pine Trees.

I am currently in semi-hermit mode for this weekend. I have finally reached the destination which is so-called the "City of the Concrete Pine Trees and Uber-High Skyscrapers" where I am free from the freaking bondage of big city life. That big city life which is slowly getting into my nerves and at the same time is really putting myself i n a grave situation where I'll suffer some sort of a nervous breakdown (as evidenced by my performance on the Thursday shift). In other words, I have already reached (or exceeded) the boiling point.

Gawd, I think I really hafta take a buncha rest here in the hinterlands and fully recharge my thingy here.

Yawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnnnnnn...............

LYRICS:

[Dice]
Juz' call me first born, you're my first love,
You're my 1st kiss from up above.
And I don't care if you don't give love back
Coz' n my heart is where your *** is at.
I love your eyes , your nose & your tender lips,
Wanna kiss your neck, your shoulders to your finger tips.
I go crazy when you shake those sexy hips.
Baby girl you're the 1 I can't resist.
You know I love you from the very start, I don't care if you break my heart.
I'm the man & I'm here for you, believe me coz' my love is true.

[CHORUS]
[Sashi]
Itsumo kokoro we hoshi itstuka
Dare katu mata koi nei utchitimu
Itsumo kokoro nei eiro itsumo
Anata dake no basho ga aru kara

[K9]
You wanna get down with k-n-i-n-e, make sure that's pure l-o-v-e
Never talk about the i-c-e coz' I only got my h-e-a-r-t for y-o-u
I can't pay the bills for dinner, I juz' give them my IOU
For sure, I'm not after f-u-c-k, got no b-a-d intentions don't wanna play girl,
Maybe we might spot a UFO, wait, that's not part of the rhyme juz' felt like sayin' so
You gotta know that I love from the start till f-o-r-e-v-e-r.

[CHORUS]
[Sashi]
Itsumo kokoro we hoshi itstuka
Dare katu mata koi nei utchitimu
Itsumo kokoro nei eiro itsumo
Anata dake no basho ga aru kara

[Dice]
Baby girl be my first lady, be the mom of my first baby
You didn't like me when you first show me, I'll be gentle I'll do it slowly.

[K9]
Girl, I think it's better if you was with me, I got doe coz' I juz' won the spelling bee
For you, I got all the t-i-m-e Ask mommies to pass but I'm not so sure
Juz' doin' my on thing, shits more expensive than your fancy gold rings,
I don't mean dissin' coz' I gots to go there, mommies don't care,
All for them ladies, even chicks with nose rings.

[CHORUS]
[Sashi]
Itsumo kokoro we hoshi itstuka
Dare katu mata koi nei utchitimu
Itsumo kokoro nei eiro itsumo
Anata dake no basho ga aru kara

[CHORUS]
[Sashi]
Itsumo kokoro we hoshi itstuka
Dare katu mata koi nei utchitimu
Itsumo kokoro nei eiro itsumo
Anata dake no basho ga aru kara


=========================

This song, which is now lording over the airwaves in Luzon (first in Manila and subsequently even in the North), is actually (by Cebuano standards) old already, having been played in Cebu's radio stations for almost two years. The rap group (Dice and K9 featuring Sashi) is from Cebu, but they just brought their act up North.

Their music is actually a refreshing break from the negavibes which has already pervaded the Original Pilipino Music scene which is now lorded over by the novelty sub-scene (no thanks to Lito Camo, the master of novelties) as well as the local rap and hip-hop scene which is obviously affected by lack of airplay due to the novelties' prevalence and tons of foreign stuff which Pinoys prefer (when in fact if only they knew that the Pinoy hiphop scene is existent, it would have a good following as hiphop has good following in the ghettos of the Niggers in the US).

I'm no 100% fan of hiphop as I style myself as a rock person or a senti person at times, but this song is really good. Gawd, they have the trappings of how real hiphop artists do the dirty job. They actually belong to a dying breed of real hiphop acts here (I hate to say this, but Salbakuta is included there, as well as Denmark) and I hope that this song, which has somewhat haunting melody as evidenced by the lyrics. For sure this group, although they still have to digest the Manila scene more, will reach greater heights.

If you dunno what the heck the chorus is in English, here is what it means (got it from Pex:)

"Itsumo kokoro wo hoshii
(You will always be my love.)

Itsuka dareka to mata koi ni ochitemo
(Some day, even if I will fall in love again.)

Itsumo kokoro ni iru
(You will always be inside my heart.)

Itsumo anata dake no basho ga aru kara
(Because your only place is here.)"

FYI this is the Number 1 ong in the City of Concrete Pine Trees. :D

Very good read from my inbox. What a nice food for thought, especially for singles like me. :D

===============================

THE ESSENCE OF BEING SINGLE

All your life, you had specific dreams about what your family life would be like when you finally married. You were so intent on what you wanted, you even made a list of qualities and characteristics you were looking for in a spouse, in a home, in your job, in your children.

But time passed, and that person you were so intent on didn't come along. All of your friends married, had children, had beautiful homes. And still you were single. You prayed and prayed and prayed for that person to come along, but nothing happened.

You had a good job. You served in your church. You spent daily time
with the Lord in prayer and studying the Word. You dedicated your life to serving God in every way possible, but still nothing.

So you decided to take matters into your own hands, and you began an active search for a mate. And within a short period, you met someone who almost fit the bill. Almost. Sure, there were a few things. Missing, a few rusty spots in that person's character. But, after all, no one is perfect. Maybe your goals were too high. Maybe you'd been asking for the impossible. Maybe this was the person God wanted for you so your character could grow through dealing with his or her failings. Even though it often seems that God is slow to answer prayers, no matter whether it's about a mate, or a job, or our children, or our finances, or anything else, we have to remember that God doesn't wear a watch. Nor does he look at our human calendars. He sees with eternal eyes. He operates on an eternal timetable, according to His plan and His schedule. If God seems to be running late, don't get impatient and run ahead of him. Wait for the Lord's timing in everything.

To the single folks out there, this is for you.
Single means you have the time to grow and be the person you want to be.
Single gives you space to grow. Sometimes, it is harder to grow when
you are too close to someone. Trees are planted far apart so they can spread their branches and become strong as they mature.
Single means learning to live by yourself. However, that is no more difficult than learning to live with somebody else.
Single means freedom. You are free to spend a week's vacation on the beach, to take computer courses, to work late on an interesting project, to spend the day in bed with a good book or simply with a person who has read one.
Single means learning not to need a man/woman to make your life
meaningful but learning to live with a man/woman because you want to be with him/her.
Single means that sometimes you will wonder why you will bite your
lip and feel wistful and wonder if marriage is better.
Ironically, yet quite happily, single is feeling good about being in
control of your life. It is liking and respecting who you are and why you are.
Single is realizing that being married is not necessarily better, it
is merely different. Single means that there could be something
wonderful around the corner and you can take advantage of it.
Being single means you are free to love again.

"I could have loved you like no other...but you wouldn't let me..."

Grunge! You're all about the music and would even
turn your back on fame just to stay true to
your roots... You reached your high in the
early '90s, but you're still making some good
stuff! Keep rocking!


What genre of rock are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Gawd, 2 songs that I heard over Smooth FM 107.1 here in the City of Pines are actually running deep in my head. And in a few minutes I'm about to go back down to the Big City...my gawd, I'm gonna miss Baguio for real for 2 months...

=================

RUN
Collective Soul

Are these times contagious
I've never been this bored before
Is this the prize I've waited for?
Now as the hours passing
There's nothing left here to insure
I long to find the messenger.

Have I got a long way to run
Have I got a long way to run
Yeah, I run

Is there a cure among us?
From this processed sanity?
I weaken with each voice that sings
In this world of purchase
I'm gonna buy back memories
To awaken some old qualities

Have I got a long way to run
Have I got a long way to run
Yeah, I run.
yeah, I run.

Have I got a long way?
Have I got a long way?
Have I got a long way to run?
Have I got a long way to run?

Yeah I run
(Have I got a long way to run?)
Yeah I run
(Have I got a long way to run?)
Yeah I run
(Have I got a long way to run?)
Yeah I run
(Have I got a long way to run?)


=================


PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE
D Sound

I am the one
who believes in all that you say
I am the one
who never wants to define herself
I am the one
who’s paralell, upfront, behind
I am the one
paddling like crazy through the night

Refine, old time, colorblind
Big sign, do time, doesn’t rhyme
A lot, to much, standing tall
And I’m crying in the valley:
“I shall never, ever fall!”

People are people
and I feel so strong
People are people and I’m
going on

I am the one
who stirrs it up everytime
I am the one
who never knows how close she is
I am the one
who’d rather be dead than confess
I am the one
trying to be good, wanting to be bad and so on

Excess, temptress, big mess
Phoney, lonely, it’s a test
Be still my heart, don’t you fail
And I’m crying on the stagefloor:
“I will always prevail!”

I’m going a-uh-on....

The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Eigth Level of Hell - the Malebolge!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:

Level	Score
Purgatory (Repenting Believers)	Low
Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)	Very Low
Level 2 (Lustful)	Low
Level 3 (Gluttonous)	High
Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)	High
Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy)	Very High
Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics)	Very Low
Level 7 (Violent)	Very High
Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers)	Extreme
Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous)	High

Take the Dante's Inferno Hell Test


======================

Wala pa rin ako magawa. Kasi mamaya pang 10 pm byahe ko pababa ng Maynila.

At last, I'm back to The Big City after that Baguio weekend sojourn. And the good thing about this is that when I reported for work, less or nil worries preoccupied my mind, which was very different from what usually happend when the week starts. Good therapy, as what I could say.

What further complemented that was the fact that from the time I got back here in Manila, I spent the entire day in my bed from 4 am to around 5 pm.

Long slumber though. And I really won't forget the weekend sojourn at least. Thing is, I'll be back to Baguio after 2 more months with my good buddies Abbee and her sister Kath whom I'll be accompanying when we go to the tomb of our online friend Elaine Go at Ever Memorial in Valenzuela.

And some more insights about my Baguio trip in the coming days though.

In my job, it sucks to think that a considerable portion of those who call about the services that our clients offer are those who belong to the black race (the politically-correct term of this is Afro-Americans) and those people whose lineage come from the Asian Indies (India, or how we Pinoys call as Bumbays).

And almost in everyday that I render my services for my job, it is becoming apparent that whenever these people call, instead of me addressing whatever their concerns are, a minute or some of the call is devoted to some sort of nonsense as well. Race-related, somewhat.

This is also what my friend Terry usually talk whenever both of us go online through Yahoo! Messenger. It is because Terry, a former work colleague in one of the previous call centers where I was employed who is now in New York -- particularly the Nigger-dominated district of Queens -- has her fits with these racist pigs in her neighborhood and current place of employment.

At work she encounters mostly Niggers na palagi na lang syang iniismol at inaalaska and her equally-stupid Sri Lankan (note: I'll be lumping 'em with the Bumbay clique). But she always mentions about how these Niggers would treat her while in the job. Her pet peeves include most of them going to the store habitually asking for free cream for their coffee (why can't they just buy it for a small extra fee?) and they who are equivalents of we Pinoys call as "amoy-paa" (if you know what I mean).

Those experiences by Terry is actually as somewhat humiliating as what I usually experience during work. The Niggers, who actually have super-dooper-weird names as well, are people who are very hard to teach with especially when over the phone. Grabe sila, in fact ina-assert pa sila ang pagiging TANGA nila sa mga tasks and insturctions. Yes, they are big-time inbeciles (though some of them are as good-natured as most whites do). Another thing is, with their very thick accent, there are most occassions na ang hirap nilanmg intindihgin over the phone (yes, indeed) that is why I resort to mimicking or impersonating their accent which is a cardinal offense in the job. But in this situation, I have no choice just to make them understand me or vice-versa.

Same also goes with the Bumbays who are Bumbays in the truest sense of the word (i.e. name and how they sound is like they sound like stupid robots). Some of my worst supervisor calls are those that come from these kinds of people -- mga tanga o mga sing-tanga ng mga Nigger dyan.

Oh well. For all I know that the US is a multicultural nation. In fact, these kinds of people love to preach and blabber the gospel of tolerance and that related stuff. Damn, that are not those who even promote it -- they are even the freakin' ones who break the gospel of equality and tolerance they're preaching! (Self-contradictory, right?!?) Owe that to one of the world's greatest racists passing-off as a civil rights advocate, Martin Luther King Jr. (the person Terry loathes very much!)

Tolerance for both Niggers and BUmbays? I might as well show 'em my ass!

Aside from the stark climate difference between Baguio and Manila, here are some evident differences between the Summer Capital/City of Pines and the Big City:

1. There is lesser degree of vehicular traffic in Baguio City in the overall than that of Manila, although lately there is an increase in pedestrian traffic and daytime population in the City of Pines due to rapid urbanization and it being the center of educational and business activity in the North.

2. In my experience, the taxi drivers in Baguio are more courteous and they know how to give exact change to the passenger unlike their Manila counterparts who know how to say "TY" to passengers even if the change is about PhP10 already. Sa Baguio, hindi rin sila namimili ng pasahero, kahit saang destinasyon at kung sino ka pa ihahatid ka nila, no ifs and no buts. Most of all, the taxt flagdown fare is much cheaper than that of Manila, and even the per-kilometer rate is cheaper -- the 8-distance distance covering the City Plaza (near Burnham Park) to Irisan, price-wise, is almost the same as a 4-km distance from Makati to La Salle-Taft, complete with traffic jams.

3. In Baguio City, even at Session Road, it's safer to walk around the city streets even in the wee hours of the morning, without fear of snatchers. It is because there are even some people who roam around the streets at that time. Unlike in Manila, even if you board public transportation in the wee hours of the morning especially in city buses, you always fear snatchers and drunk people inside the "rolling coffins" (buses and jeeps).

4. Unlike in Manila and in adjacent areas, where snatchers and street criminals are abundant, the situation in Baguio is still in check, even if there are already cell-snatching incidents recenly. In Baguio, the only place where snatchers abound is in the skywalk that connects Harrison Road, Magsaysay Avenue, Abanao and Shanum Streets just near Burnham Park and Plaza.

5. 98 % of all jeepney routes plying Baguio stop at a central location called the City Plaza which is also Kilometer 0 of the Cordillera, even if they do not actually stop there to serve as terminal (i.e. the routes leading to Trancoville and Aurora Hill). Thing is, jeepney rides are only accessible from 5:30 am to 10 pm (except Baguio-La Trinidad jeeps which is in route for 24 hours); if one doesn't find a jeep plying in the streets anymore, there are taxis around which charges low and if you're a lowlander specifically from Manila, you'll just feel like as if you took an FX ride (you won't spend as much as PhP30 for a good ride).

6. One of the downsides of Baguio is that despite the urban boom, if you are actually pihikan or savvy with career opportunities, this is not the place to be, although it is slowly transforming to an urban jungle and that lately some opportunities are "migrating" from Manila to Baguio (i.e. the call center industry), ableit in the slower pace and also possibly in a quite lower pay than that of the Big City. Manila is still a choice destination for career opportunities especially for most Baguio people; if they'd stay in the City of Pines, it's because of the simplicity of life as compared to that of Manila.

7. In Baguio, the askal (street dog) is also a focus of reverence, that is why one won't see any dog roaming around the streets just dumping shit with the owners' consent, unlike in Manila where in residential streets dogs abound peeing and dumping their shit. Aside from that, where dogs are locked up ate the confines of the home,in this part of the world, dogs are considered sacred, so it's a crime to beat them up as it negates the City of Pines' reputation as the City of Character. The only irony is that dishes that have dogs in menu (i.e. azucena/asosena or dog stew) are abundant in thsi part of the world, and you can't taske that away from them especially for those who has Igorot/Ibaloi/Kanan-ey lineage. (It's unethical if you show your disgust with this kind of menu in from of them.)

8. In Baguio, there are still a lot of natural attractions if you want a trip with nature -- need not get out of the city. Aside from the Botanical Garden (with matching picture with Igorots for a souvenir), Camp John Hay, Burnham Park, Mines View Park, Wright Park (where a lot of pine trees abound -- I mean the real ones, not the concrete ones), and even the recently-launched mine tours in the adjacent town of Itogon, there are some pine tree forests in some residential enclaves where you can do your thing and be yourself while rejuvenating -- you can even do your yoga there. In Manila, the only known natural thingy apart from the Malabon and Manila Zoos is the Arboretum inside the UP Complex cutting Commonwealth Avenue -- thing is, it's being threatened with commercialization. Dammit.

9. In the City of Pines, you can at least be yourself without fear of being ostracized even if you go somewhere and do some soul-searching even in front of the Baguio Cathedral or just outside your street where you're currently billeted at, unlike in Manila, it is quite unsafe just even to tambay even in the Baywalk area for fear of you-know-whats.

10. This is the only most damning thing about Baguio. While officials in the lowlands especially in Manila doesn't have the audacity to construct a concrete tree just to showcase the splendor of that place having an abundance of such, incidentally using people's money, the past officials of Baguio -- specifically its former mayor who did this when he was still congressman -- constructed the biggest joke of the city and its largest ecological disaster, that is, the concrete pine tree atop Upper Session Road and in front of SM City Baguio. This is actually a slap on the face of Baguio and the Cordilleras as well as this is an insult to the intelligence of the City of Character (that's whi it is mockingly called the City of Concrete Pine Trees)...in fact, even the residents find this as disgusting, and they're actually looking forward to have this pathetic excuse for a tree destroyed.

IN THE OVERALL:

Whatever happens, Baguio is still better than Manila even if the City of Pines is in the throes of urbanization.


===================

If you wanna add up to my observations, please feel free to comment on what I said.

Isa na namang araw na masyadong napa-aga ang gising ko. Paano naman kasi, hindi matuluy-tuloy ang mga lakad na dapat sana ay natapos na. Tulad na lang ng pakikipagmiting ko sa aking kaibigan na nagbebenta ng Italian-made scooter at kotse nya para man lang kahit papaano maibenta na yun (at nang kumita rin ako, hehehe...tuso kaya ano?!?)

It was supposed to have happened twice -- first after my shift and he texted me that there was an emergency on his end that was why he asked me to have it moved till the evening, and the reason why I woke up early is so that I can meet him up and take the shots. Then I called him early evening after taking a shower, he told me to postpone the meeting till this morning after my shift (hope the meeting won't turn into another drain session, I'm quite displeased with how everything it's turning) and I really, really hope this turns out right na talaga.

Worse, I haven't heard exactly from my PWD laywer-friend if matutuloy kami mamaya sa seminar where we were supposed to have a reservation with them, unfortunately we can't call any given contact for reservation...either no one is answering or that it was not the correct number, so I'm still uncertain about that.

By the way, speaking of events, my good friend Jojo texted me just during the early goings of the shift for his wedding reception at Kowloon House at 3 this afternoon.

An invitation too late. Now I'm quite torn between going to the civil wedding of my friend yet end up being tired for work and tasking a leave, but my sup will for sure reject my leave because she's asking us to commit for work.

==============================

Dang...I hope it's Friday already...

Got this interesting item from SunStar Baguio while I was in Baguio (specifically when I was in the City of Concrete Pine Trees) and this is about the daring rescue of askals (the mongrel breed of pet dogs or commonly known as street dogs) by authorities in Naguilian, La Union so they won't end up as delicacies in the Cordilleran restaurants around...

Some food for thought, especially if this has something to do with trying to eat the asosena/azucena (in fact that thought alone makes me go ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww...ano kaya ang lasa ng meat ng aso?)


=========================================

Dog 'food' rescued


JOINT elements of the Naguilian Municipal Police Station and the Animal Kingdom Foundation apprehended a vehicle loaded with dogs supposed to be delivered to Baguio City's slaughterhouses for the consumption of the local residents Saturday.

Of the 60 dogs on board the intercepted vehicle, three died reportedly while in transit and another four died of suffocation and starvation before their arrival.

Those arrested were identified Saturday as Lazaro Gonzales, 47, married, a resident of Calaboso, Biñan; Ramil Marquez, 34, married, from San Roque; and Jose Laogo Jr, 20, single, also from San Roque, all in Laguna.

Police authorities, headed by Chief Inspector Robert de Mesa, intercepted the Mitsubishi Van bearing plate number PXL-820 at around 5:30 a.m. along Quirino Highway (formerly Naguilian Road).

A source from the Animal Kingdom also revealed that the three suspects have been found to be delivering such animals to Baguio before.

"The suspects claimed they intended to deliver the animals to a slaughter house located at St. Patrick Subdivision in Irisan. The shipment is owned by a certain Sabrina Ortega," said Brando Gegway, Animal Kingdom investigative officer for the Cordillera and Cagayan regions.

"We came to know about the shipment from a source who tipped off that such will be delivered to the city. Likewise, we are conducting regular surveillance operations and that's how we came to know about the days of delivery," explained Gegway.

"We are also able to monitor the delivery days because they (suspects) have been previously discovered to be delivering live dogs for slaughter to the city," he added.

He explained the 60 dogs they have rescued are consumable in four days at the slaughterhouses.

The three suspects are presently detained at the Naguilian Municipal Police Station for violation of Republic Act 8485 otherwise known as the Animal Welfare Act.

Gegway also related that earlier this week, Naguilian policemen, in coordination with the foundation, have conducted the same operation and were able to apprehend a vehicle, which contained about 80 dogs also bound for Baguio.

The same illegal load was to be delivered to the same recipient.

Gegway said the animals came from Padre Garcia, Batangas.

He also said the animals are being regularly delivered to the seven existing slaughterhouses in Baguio and Benguet.

He said that a minimum of 100 dogs are being killed daily, adding, "a majority of the dogs that are supplied to Baguio, Benguet and Mountain Province come from Laguna and Batangas."

The rescued animals, according to Gegway, will be delivered back to Manila for the foundation's 'Adopt-a-dog Project.'

Woke up at the wrong side of the bed after getting home quite drunk from the festivities that befell during the wedding reception of my friend Jojo and his wife Acel. Imagine, getting another PTO just to be able to witness the civil wedding of my friend in his important occassion in life together with some friends and acquaintances from his church choir (imagine, no one from CVG ever wentt here even in the reception). Thing is, kahit na ito na nga at hindi na natulog from my previous shift I ordered a bottle of beer and in the end at the post-reception get-together at Jojo's abode in NPC Village, I ended up stoned at 9 pm. And I still got home stoned.

Now I'm beginning to have this HO, as I always feel whenever I'm drunk. And I have to arrest this or else.

Iba na talaga kapag windang ka.

=====================

Whilst I'm feeling like I'm stoned, I feel like singing though...

And in general although Niggers get into my nerves easily especially at work, I love their music...quite contradictory isn't it?


ROSES
Outkast

[Verse One - Andre 3000]
Caroline! Caroline!
All the guys would say she's mighty fine
But mighty fine only got you somewhere half the time
And the other half either got you cursed out, or coming up short
Yeah, now dig this, even though
You'd need a golden calculator to divide
The time it took to look inside and realize that
Real guys go for real down to Mars girls, yeah!

[Chorus- Repeat 2x]
I know you'd like to thank your shit don't stank
But lean a little bit closer
See that roses really smell like boo-boo
Yeah, roses really smell like boo-boo

[Verse Two - Andre 3000]
Caroline! See she's the reason for the word "bitch"
I hope she's speeding on the way to the club
Trying to hurry up to get to some
Baller or singer or somebody like that
And try to put on her makeup in the mirror
And crash, crash, crash.. into a ditch! (Just Playing!)
She needs a golden calculator to divide
The time it took to look inside and realize that
Real guys go for real down to Mars girls, yeah!

[Chorus]

[Verse Three]
Well she's got a hotty body, but her attitude is potty
When I met her at a party she was hardly acting naughty
I said "Would you call me?"
She said "Pardon me, are you ballin'?"
I said "Darling, you sound like a prostitute pursing"
Oh so you're one them freaks, get geeked at the sight of ATM receipts
But game been peeped, dropping names she's weak
Trickin' off this bitch is lost
Must take me for a geek a quick way to eat
A neat place sleep, a rent-a-car for a week, a trick for a treat
Now go on the raw sex, my AIDS test is flawless
Regardless, we don't want to get involved with no lawyers
And judges just to hold grudges in a courtroom
I wanna see ya support bra not support you!
Better come back down to Mars
Girl, quit chasin' cars
What happens when the dough get so low
Bitch, you ain't that fine
No way.. no way.. no way

[Repeat 2x]
Crazy bitch
Bitch, stupid ass bitch
Old punk ass bitch, old dumbass bitch
A bitch's bitch, just a bitch

Another long day for me as of this writing but the business does not stop there with the start of mah long weekend. It may be due to the fact that I have to settle my hundredsomething debt with my friend Fred and my rendezvous with my online friend Kath as we go to Ever Memorial Garden in Valenzuela to visit the tomb of our common online friend Elaine Go (yah, that gal in Pex who took her life last year due to a petty fight). Moreso, I have to see Alvin as soon as possible so I could get the details of the car as well as get a shot of the Piaggio scooter which he's selling so MASON (from PinoyExchange) could schedule the trip to Bacoor to buy the unit.

But for now, I gotta start answering 130+ calls, 30+ emails and do the Universal Compiler thing that I usually do on a weekday first as well as endure the torture of the job that I inadvertently missed last night though.

Blech!

After that visit to Elaine at the Ever Memorial Garden (which is actually part of no man's land, unless you have a car), I fell asleep ng mahimbing for the first time since the Baguio visit.

Just to wake up that this long weekend will be the second to the last at least for now, since we'll be changing shifts 2 weeks from now (got the shift bid yesterday morning), and that the 11 x 4 shift in our team will be yanked-out.

It's OK -- hoping that I'd have better perception about work once this is implemented.

But for now, savor this kind of a loong weekend till it lasts.

Got some good read for reflection, courtesy of Easter from Friendster, a former co-worker in Etelecare International:

==============================

Five Ways God Uses Problems
By David Langerfeld

The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you - depending on how you respond to them. Unfortunately, most people fail to see how God wants to use problems for good in their lives. They react foolishly and resent their problems rather than pausing to consider what benefit they might bring. Here are five ways God wants to use the problems in your life:

1. God uses problems to DIRECT you.
Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get you moving. Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change. Is God trying to get your attention?

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will direct
your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6


2. God uses problems to INSPECT you.
People are like tea bags... if you want to know what's inside them, just drop them into hot ever water! Has God tested your faith with a problem? What do problems reveal about you?

"When you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience." James 1:2-3


3. God uses problems to CORRECT you.
Some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. It's likely that as a child your parents told you not to touch a hot stove. But you probably learned by being burned. Sometimes we only learn the value of something by losing it.

"It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes." Psalm 119:72


4. God uses problems to PROTECT you.
A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. Last year a friend was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem - but it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year later when management's actions were eventually discovered.

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good" Genesis 50:20


5. God uses problems to PERFECT you.
Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in your character than your comfort. Your relationship to God and your character are the only two things you're going to take with you into eternity.

"We can rejoice when we run into problems... they help us learn to be
patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady." Romans 5:3-4

Here's the point: God is at work in your life - even when you don't recognize it or understand it. But it's so much easier when you surrender to his plan for your life.

Bago ko makalimutan, ngayon pala ang araw ng pagkakamatay ni Ninoy Aquino na binaril sa tarmak ng dating Manila International Airport may 21 taon na ang nakalilipas. Napakalaking legacy ang naiwan ni Ninoy sa bansa, at kahit na nalapastangan ito ay masasabi pa rin na ito ay lalong umigting sa laban upang pabagsakin ang diktaduryang Marcos.

At nais ko lang ibahagi ang panulat na ito na inakda ng kanyang balo na si dating Pangulong Cory Aquino, na kung saan kahit konti ay dapat nating alalahanin ang kanyang mga kataga na kahit papaano ay magpapataas sa ating mga Pilipino bilang isang taas-noong lahi:

The Filipino is worth dying for.

At totoo naman yun -- kahit na ano pa ang mangyari ay ipupunyagi ko ang aking pagiging Filipino.

=====================

THE FILIPINO IS WORTH SACRIFICING FOR
Ni Corazon Aquino

"I am only one but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, let me not refuse to do the something I can do." (Quoted from Edward Hale.)

I chanced upon this quotation in Ninoy’s 1973 diary written in his cell in Fort Bonifacio. Ninoy wrote:

"But what is this something I can do? I am not only one. I am a helpless one. Where lies the mission? I guess by suffering here, we remind Marcos of his duty; otherwise, he will be vindicated. If Pepe Diokno and I give up now and join the hordes singing praises to the dictator, he might believe that he is already God — and woe to our people. Our role is to remind him of the precariousness and the vulnerability of his position. This is the thing we can do. Remain the symbol of a little opposition that can explode. Rizal was only one but his death triggered the revolution."

On this the 21st anniversary of Ninoy’s martyrdom, we remember that Ninoy said: "The Filipino is worth dying for." Very few are called upon to offer their lives for our country. But I believe we can all commit ourselves to making sacrifices for the good of our people and say with conviction that: "The Filipino is worth sacrificing for." I hope that many of us, Filipinos, will pledge to share our time, talent and treasure to help improve the lives of our fellow Filipinos. As we make sacrifices for others, let us also pray that God, Our Father will bless us with that very important and meaningful day in our lives when we can proudly say: "Finally, we Filipinos are one. "

Another new week though. Thing is, it's the last week in my current sked. But still no info on which sked I'll be transported to -- meaning, I gotta enjoy this thing while it lasts especially the ability to have 3 days-off work. But kidding aside, I want to look for some alternative thing that I can do so I could earn some extra money aside. That is, after I have helped Alvin sell his scooter and his car (speaking of him, mamaya pa lang kami magkikita nyan para kunan ng shot yung mga yun).

The only good thing to start the week is that I have settled some important billing matters -- one with my friend Fred and another with...hmph. Most of all, just last weekend I snipped a few locks off my hair with a stylist, so that pic was the last pic I have with my quite long one. Hahaba ulit yan in 6 weeks, mind you.


Well. Hoping that I get through this week free of worries (or just minimal, like last week).

=======================

F*ck. That item I harumphed into called me while I was about to save this work of mine. Screw them even if they said "pasensya na po sa istorbo..."

Another of the good reads that is worth sharing that I got through email, this time through mah schoolmate Ivan:


FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES

To Whom It may concern:

There is a difference between being
an acquiantance and being a friend.

First, an acquaintance is someone whose name
you know, whom you see every now
and then, with whom you probably have
something in common, and around whom
you feel comfortable.

It's a person that you can invite to your home
and share things with.
But they are people with whom you wouldn't
share your life, whose actions sometimes
you don't understand because you don't know enough
about them...

On the other hand, a friend is someone you love.
Not that you are "in love" with him or her,
but you care about the person, and you
think about him or her when they are
not there.

Friends are the people of whom you are
reminded when you see something they might
like, and you know this because you know
them so well.

They are the people whose pictures you have
and whose faces are in your head
regardless.

They are the people you see in your mind when
you hear a song on the radio because they
made you go up to the person they like and ask
them to dance with them; or maybe YOU danced
with them, maybe they stepped on your
toes, or just put their head on your shoulder.

They are the people around whom you feel safe
because you know they care about you.
They call just to see how you are doing,
because friends don't need an excuse.

They tell you the truth--the first time--
and you do the same.
You know that if you have a problem, they are
there to listen.

They are the people who won't laugh at you
or hurt you, and if they do hurt you,
they try hard to make it up to you.

They are the people you love, regardless
of whether you realize it.

They are the people with whom you cried
when you got rejected from colleges
and during the last song at prom and
at graduation.

They are the people that when you hug them,
you don't think about how long to hug
and who's going to be the first one to let go.

Maybe they are the people that hold the rings
at your wedding, or maybe they are
the people that give you away at your
wedding, or maybe they are the people
you marry.

They are the people who cry
your wedding because they are happy,
or because they are proud, or because
they are so in love.

They are the people who stop you from
making mistakes and help you when
you do.

They are the people whose hand you
can hold, or you can hug or give them
a kiss and not have it be awkward,
because they understand the things you
do and they love you for them.

They stick with you and stand by you.
They hold your hand.
They watch you live, and you watch them
live, and you learn from them.

Your life is not the same without them.
These are your friends.
How many do you have?

* This is not a chain letter, this is from the heart.
Send it to the people who are your friends,
who used to be your friends,
who need friends,
or just those people who need something

I'm feeling sleepy this bad as of this very moment. I'm currently assisting a fuckin' Nigger who is an obvius clueless newbie when it comes to the Net (he does not even know the correct website to access our service, I repeated the thing to him 10 times already yet hindi nya ma-gets).

Too much calls plus the fact that I had little rest before the shift started...thought I'm used with it, but yesterday it was kinda otherwise.

Anyways, I can go back to hit the sack for 45 minutes...that's my lunch habit. Instead of hourishing my body, I satisfy my bodily pleasure.

Then I can do my first attempt to photoblog. :D

The only good thing about this right now, is that medyo nagising ata ako ngayon with walking that member of the lowlife diatribe through in accessing the service that we freaks offer. Minutes ago, I was as if I was gonna fall asleep.


=======================

Quote of the Day: (from Source)

Enter every activity without giving mental recognition to the possibility of defeat. Concentrate on your strengths instead of your weaknesses, on your powers instead of your problems.

-- Paul J. Meyer

After a good rest (again pansin ko lang na nakakatulog na ako ng mahimbing tuwing hapon as compared to last summer), here I am again battling the scourge of irate callers. But the thing is, parang ayoko na sa trabaho ko ngayon lalo na sa ginagawa kong ito.

I WANNA MOVE UP AT LEAST. I WANT CHANGE. (Parang kulang na lang sabihin ko na ay GUSTO KO NANG MAMATAY!!!)

I don't want to be on a rut forever. I don't want routine. I wanna be different at least where I can be freakin' myself.

But if doing a routinary job pays me a lot, kahit na masisiraan na ako ng ulo at magkaka-nervous breakdown, I have no freakin' choice but to stay put with it unless a better offer comes (i.e. even applying for the QA department, or if my plans with Marc Ian do not miscarry, transfer to that other call center which is notorious even in PinoyExchange and apply for QA and have myself transported into the City of Pines).


=======================

Quote of the Day:

You must do things you think you you cannot do.

-- Eleanor Roosevelt

Last Monday President GMA has declared that the country -- specifically the government -- is under the state of "fiscal crisis".

Fiscal crisis -- bankrupt government, a few bucks left in government coffers. Bangkarote na ang gubyerno, paano kasi ginastos ng mga galamay ni Ate Glo nung eleksyon -- kaya naman sya mananalo eh.

At yumayaman na naman ang nasa gubyerno ngayon, namimyesta sila at namimihasa habang tayo naman ay naghihikahos at lumulubog sa kumunoy ng kahirapan at kabulukan. Lalo kayong mabubuking nyan sa kalokohan na yan...at lalo tayong nagiging isa sa mga pinaka-korap na bansa!

Arya na! Tungo sa Strong Republic raw! Sa isang bangkaroteng Strong Republic! Fiscal crisis my foot!

Last Monday, I set out an early expedition from my home which was actually a departure from my usual Monday schedule (I still doze-off around that time since I start work at night) and as always I was stuck in traffic. My first order of business that day was to settle my hundredsomething debt with my friend and my fraternity brod Fred and before I proceeded to his office (he works at my alma mater where he's detailed under the Chancellor's office), I decided to take a snapshot of the city skyline from the penultimate floor of the hospital buidling (where the university headquarters is based), and lo and behold, I got this sight:



After I settled that debt and some chitchat which also ate his productive time at work, I proceeded to hury to the next destination which is the Makati area and had a quick snack at MiniStop, and I crossed the street for the time being to wait for the jeeps passing by. There outside the UP Manila-Camp building, I saw this banner:



I found out that there were no jeepneys plying along Padre Faura, so i decided to walk toward the direction of Taft Avenue (passing by the Department of Justice building, the Supreme Court and the UP Manila-CAS...ahhhhh, my campus) and lo and behold, I saw this sight...




I miss that sight. I miss the old days when we join rallies of such kind especially that the last rally was done by Bayan Muna, specifically the rally denouncing the human right abuses of Gen. Palparan who once headed the RP contingent to Iraq (yes, the ones who pulled-out to save the life of Angelo Dela Cruz last July) -- he was a hero to the Iraqis and the US masters buit is villified here at home especially in Mindoro that's why he is called the "berdugo ng Mindoro."



My gawd. After listening to the speeches delivered by the leaders of the rally (no Nat Santiago or even Teddy Casiño there), I suddenly remembered that I have to hurry to my destination so I have to go look for a bus. However, I saw this firetruck heading towards the direction of the rally and it was under the impression of dispersing the rallyists blocking the way of Padre faura, but good thing they just proceeded. (I have this phobia since the firefighters are always present whenever rallies in mendiola occur).

Alright. The bus bound to Ayala has come, so I have to rush and not finish the speeches as well as staring at the bumbero.

I am about to lose my mind at this point at work.

It is because at this moment I seem to be torn between applying for tagahampas ng mga tawag at nag-iiskor sa kanila or assistant ng hepe ng isang grupo ng mga sumasagiot ng tawag, if you know what I mean by these.

Just this week, my career path or plans suddenly made a left turn when I thought about applying for the company's internship program for potential QA analysts. I thought I could at least make the grade; however, the Hr guy whom I emailed to said that it is not open for people within my account; however, I'd just shoot him back if ever I'm interested with aplying for the same program for my own account. Yeah, pero matagal pa yun. Then a newly-resigned colleague of mine told me that if I'm interested to apply for QA without necessarily going to internship, I can do so. However, just yesterday, my lead gave me the application form for assistant team leader but bantulot akong sulatan yun because I really want to go to the QA Department.

Needless to say, ngayon pa lang ayoko nang mabulok dito na nagsasasagot lang ng mga calls. NAKAKABOBO. I wanna do something else. Something different.

If not within the company, somewhere else. Marc Ian knows where this would be...hehehehe.

Here are some insights about me being pissed with my routinary job that is slowly killing me and my craving for some change...



novocaine on pariwara's blog on Aug 24th, 2004 at 11:18 PM:
Hindi lang ako nababadtrip dahil everyday routinary na lang ang ginagawa ko...parang gusto ko nang umalis dito. Pweh.


pariwara replying to novocaine's comment on Aug 26th, 2004 at 02:53 PM:
then y dont you?


novocaine replying to pariwara's reply to my first comment on Aug 27th, 2004 at 12:57 AM:
Actually nag-iisip-isip na rin ako kaso naman the thing is with the situation right now, mahirap nang maghanap ng good-paying job. Even accountants -- or mind you, dentists -- go to call centers because the pay is good -- the downside is nakakabobo lang ang job, you do the same things that you do everyday with nothing to look forward to but routine. Gusto ko sana ng research kaso naman napaka-rare ng openings tas ndi pa sya stable.



Yah right. It's because it's too hard to look for a career that's parallel to your course (talk about being in the Parallel Universe though) that's why a seemingly-menial job that pays you well is considered as an "in" thing. This is why I'm having second thoughts of leaving my job even if I have my own share of troubles -- you see, I'm already employed in this industry since October 2002, and it's difficult to leave this since it's like I have to begin from sqaure one if I do so (unless this is a research job or an NGO one since I have some experience with that as well...)

Another thing...


(Pex PM to geekhead in reply to one of my posts in the Call Center sub-forum)


geekhead says:

"I also plan for a QA position or a TL in Baguio.

Any news sa Client Logic baguio kaya? Sawa na ako kasi dito sa manila. "


My alter-ego there responds:


"good thing you share my sentiments, gusto ko na rin lumipat sa baguio and i won't mind if i leave my current call center and migrate to the City of Pines as well...ayoko na rin dito sa Manila eh, nababagot na ako. i need some change. and Baguio is better than Manila...if ever sabay tayo dyan sa plano na yan, i'm considering also to move there just because of baguio..."



Yeah right. Working in Baguio is much better than working here in Manila primarily due to the cool climate and its proximity to Nature, and since the contact center industry is starting to set up in the City of Pines and Concrete Pine Trees through one of the most villified companies here which is based in Pasig (it's a looooong story though, why even my friends who worked there hate that company so much), I'd want to be one of the pioneers at least there and it would also be some sort of a fulfillment for me to migrate there...hopefully.

==========================

Speaking of Baguio, it's F! (The Friendster Party) tomorrow at the SM City Baguio front verandah (3/F) from 8 pm to sawa, and I contacted Donna to see if she's coming. She told me through text the other day that she's considering coming as she's coming from school though [she's a former call (center) girl in Pampanga and now she's taking up Nursing as a second course in Saint Louis University there]. But the thing is, something is holding me back although until yesterday about 95% of mind is all set in attending the occassion, be it Donna there or no Donna there. Inasmuch as I want to go back to Baguio, a portion of my conscience dictates that going there for just that occassion is ludacris because I'd be wasting about a thousand pesos (about PhP700 for the 2-way bus fare and about PhP300-400 for some good meal plus my Internet addiction satisfaction) and even some of my friends (the PWD ones) tell me it's practical for me to spend it with them na lang in a videoke bar. In fact we have tentatively set the gimmick up but I'm at the brink of canceling that after the shift because at this point I really want to go up there and join F! and meet new friends and possible contacts up there in the North.

Grabe. this early, I miss the City of Pines, and I wanna be back to be with the party crowd.

Torn between two gimmicks...feeling like a fool... as my alteration of a song goes.

==========================

Quote of the Day:

"We must all hang together, or assumptively, we shall all hang separately."

-- Benjamin Franklin

After a tiring day (buti na lang walang miting nung araw na yun), I decided to set home after some petiks. Well, since it was a Wednesday morning (and typhoon marce was ravaging the metro), it was expected that I'd head mahself to a 2-hour ride back home, sans any jacket or rain-protective gear.

Anyhows, like any return trips home, i start it in Ayala Avenue where I take the bus bound to baclaran and would usually fall asleep there. (At times, Edsa is a destination of choice as I could take a single ride towards the south through the Jasper Jean plying Dasmariñas-bayan.) But as fate would have it, I was bound to ride an ordinary bus from baclaran (it being a Wednesday, it was sorta plenty awaitin' there), but i suddenly awoke at the sound of katulong music being played inside the bus. Worse (shit usually happens anyway), I was awakened by this sight which made me used with this all along:



Okay fine. Another 20 minutes of being stuck in transit. So I took out mah cellcam and decided to make a simple blog out of pathetically-induced boredom. As i took that shot (if you come closer you'll see a grinning shot of one of Cavite's most corrupt politicians who unfortunately is our municipal mayor for 3 years more), here was what I saw at my right: the start of the Coastal Road Extension project which would go along the way to Cavite City.



Buti hindi pa yan inaangalan ng mga environmentalist & fisherfolks' organizations in Bacoor (assuming there is one) kasi sigurado nang mamamatay ang kanilang source of livelihood, what with the "reclamation" of land just to construct this road which would traverse even to the Jessie Castillo-owned (yes, this is owned by our beloved corrupt mayor) Island Cove resort.

Oops, maya-maya lang aandar na ang bus at kelangan ko nang bumalik sa upuan ko lest maiwanan ako.

While passing by, in Talaba (in front of the Bacoor police headquarters), I saw this sign in front of a store -- a catchy way to advertise its name though:



Mwahahahaha. If Jolibee has Jaribi for a copy, McDonalds has Mang Dogal (?) and Kenny Rogers has Kina Rogers, then this is it for Chowking. Pati logo, kopyang-kopya eh.

I have to stop to Niog -- no, not at Jollibee Niog -- for some food since I didn't take food at the 7/F Foodcourt (nakakasawa na eh). Whilst waiting for my order of pansit Malabon with lumpiang shanghai and rice (which is a good package for just PhP66 inclusive of Pop Cola), the rains brought about by Marce suddenly poured.



Paksyet, wala nga pala akong panangalang. So I have to at least hurry to eat. And when the meal is over I decided to take this one last snapshot for my rambling thoughts which would actually showcase how pogi and amiable our Poster Boy is, who loves pinning his face on signboards announcing projects in our God-forsaken town:



Buyset. Malabo nga lang. Pero good enough para ipamukha ang kabalbalan ni Aspog a.k.a. JBC.

After some pertinent soul-searching (duh?), I decided not to push-through my planned sojourn to the City of Concrete Pine Trees just to be a certified gate-crasher in the F! (Friendster EB) as I realized that it'd be ludacris to go up and do it for a short haul. Another, I also got word that certain portions of Pampanga and Tarlac provinces were still under water.

So I decided to stay in the city and instead arranged that other option which is to meet-up with my gang of new buds and not-so-new ones whom i'd be working with in my advocacy, and whom I first met last August 7 in that seminar at the Tahanang Walang Hagdanan.

Well, it was originally planned to be a videoke singing contest, but it didn't. It became some sorta food-tripping instead when we after attending that anticipated Sunday mass at SM Megamall decided to go instead to Cabalen restaurant and partake of its all-you-can-eat thing for only PhP199 (sulit nga ito, comparable to the Cebu and Baguio buffet packages that I have sen and partaken). And over some banter, chismax and some kumustahan over the plans for the organization, the end result was a seeming new friendship or bond amongst us (notwithstanding that I am the only thorn amongst the roses...hehehehehe). There were no videoke joints around the area to which we could've enjoyed more (add to the woes the financial aspect) so at least even if the plan was reduced to that of an alternative one, we ended up smiling and enjoying.

Proofs:









After the day, dun ko lang na-realize na hindi ako nagsisisi for choosing not to go up back to the City fo Concrete Pine Trees just to attend the Friendster party.

Just got back after having a bout with slight fever and chest pains apparently due to high blood pressure, And right now I'm a bit anxious.

Officially, this week will be my last week under my current shift sked. Beginning Sunday night (at least) my new work sked will be 11 pm-8 am, with Thursdays and Fridays off.

Good-bye social life. Good-bye long weekends, and good-bye weekend road trips.

So I'd savor enjoying my weekends off while it last. I'm gonna miss some things with this, but I do hope I can cope it up as well.