Bye Kids

I expected to make a sad announcement yesterday at work. What I didn’t expect was that it was going to be my last day with all of them.

Seven of my team members were profiled for XPS. Although that’s almost half of my team, I was kinda prepared to let go of seven since I’ve lost a few in the past and I’d already anticipated this kind of scenario. But when I called for a team meeting to formally announce the movement of the seven agents, I also told them that AJ and I would be leaving everyone, to temporarily handle an existing XPS team.

It wasn’t a good day to have our “last day.” Edwin and Third were on their off. We didn’t even get to plan a send-off party. Before the training schedule was released, we agreed to go to Club Manila East after our shift on October 3. But then we found out that XPS training would start as early as September 29, and our schedules would all be different by then.

Sweet AJ wanted to give everyone a little comfort. He said he would get some blueberry cheesecake for everyone. At the end of the shift, we had blueberry cheesecake, pancit palabok and chocolate mousse waiting in the pantry.

Earlier at work, I was in the mood to go out. I told Diane I would join them in Baclaran. When our shift ended, I wasn’t in the mood anymore. It didn’t really sink in until after all my team members had left the office. The last people I said goodbye to were Diane and Lyn. My team left me in front of Cybermall. I stood there for a while and didn’t know if I was going to cry. Instead of heading home, I just went back to the office and stayed until after 6:00 PM.

This is my third AfterBurn. I handled my first back in August 2004, second in January 2006, and my last in May 2006. So its been more than a couple of years. Several have graduated and moved on to support roles (Paula in South Beach, Mapi nearly a TOIC, Jover an XPS dispatcher, Jason an L2, Ayie in IT), some transferred to newer programs (Mike, JT and Perry in Activant, Rence and Ross in XPS), while some I had to let go of so they could become better (or reformed) agents under other TLs (JP, Pongkie and Terence). It breaks my heart every time I lose one. Yes, even if they disappoint me again and again. Imagine how broken I feel right now losing all of them.

In all the birthdays I had with my team, I always have a surprise waiting for me in the pantry. On my 28th birthday, Denver didn’t even get me anything and we were at our worst time together, but my team was waiting for me in the office with a couple of Paulo Coelho books and a birthday cake. My team never realized that they got me through my worst moments. They were my source of comfort.

I was looking forward to our third AfterBurn Christmas party this year. I’m sad that were not ONE team on Christmas 2008. I’ll miss everyone.

Cheap RnR

This is why I frequent Greenhills.

Blind Masseurs

I get a very relaxing whole body pressure point massage for P160. You might think that an hour could get uncomfortable if you’re getting a massage while sitting as opposed to laying down, but no. Believe me, this is addictive. And I’ve tried spas, hotels, and home service, but I like this the best. I promised myself I’d get a massage twice a month. I’ve had three this month. I want to teleport myself there now.


Le Ching Too

I love their siomai. Its the best. Promise. I always have Stewed Chicken and Wanton Noodle and Coke Zero with my siomai. Denver and I usually pay less than P400 for a very hearty merienda. After a massage, we get really hungry. Hee.

Bargains

I'm not always shopping when I’m in Greenhills, but I always check out their prices to see if the items I sell are within the same range. I make sure my stuff are always cheaper.

Whenever I have balikbayan relatives, we are in Greenhills almost every friggin day. They are ga-ga over the imitations. I already have a “suki” because my cousin keeps asking me to buy her stuff from the LeSportsac manong. I’ll be going back soon to get their orders. I don’t know how they get past customs.


I love strolling in Greenhills. For some reason, mall shopping doesn’t appeal to me as much. Maybe the crowded stalls and the fact that you can haggle with vendors make it more fun.

I love Greenhills. I could destress with limited budget.

Belgium Chocolate and Madagascar Vanilla

Last week, I saw something in Discovery Travel and Living which featured places with the best ice cream (sorry, I forget the name of the show). Haagen-Dazs was one of them, and I remember them claiming that they use the most expensive ingredients.

On one of my regular trips to Greenhills, I decided to try out Haagen-Dazs. I had a Waffle Sundae and Denver had a Banana Split. The ice cream flavors were good. I chose Belgium Chocolate and Vanilla, and Denver’s combo choice was Midnight Chocolate and Cookies and Cream. My waffle was disappointing. I didn’t finish the second waffle because it was so rubbery. I was expecting crunchy or freshly made waffle. The vanilla ice cream was good though. Not too crazy about the Belgium chocolate. I had a taste of Denver’s ice cream and his flavors were pretty good. Our treats were P275 each.

The verdict: I would have a Jollibee chocolate sundae on any given day. Only P30. I’m so cheap.

Decisions, decisions

I need to make a decision soon. For years I’ve been waiting for a support post outside of Ops to clear up. Now that there is one available and I finally have the permission to leave Matrix, I find myself confused. Our site’s HR Officer is resigning. I’ve been allowed to submit an LOI. At the same time, XPS is looking for a SOIC. Both will require me to undergo an assessment but I have no clear idea which way to go.

A few months back I went through a SOIC assessment. After a written assessment, I made the final three. That should give me confidence, but I am scared to go through another interview. And honestly, I feel that there are other leaders who want the job more than I do. I wish I were tougher and more agressive. If I were, I’d say yes to a chance with the XPS panel. But I’m a wimp, and all these insecurities are creeping up. What do I know about being a SOIC? I have very high expectations from my leaders, surely there would be equal expectations from me if I were the SOIC. I wish I were more like Erika, who would never back out from a chance to move up. Yes, I would like to get to that position, eventually. Why not now? Because... because I’m a wimp. I don’t want to be labeled as the dumbest SOIC, I guess. I don’t want to bug everyone around me when I don’t know what to do. So maybe I ought to choose the path outside of Ops.

HR Officer. I never imagined myself working in HR. I’ve had my chance in recruiting (as a recruiting specialist in Asia Food, and a screener in eTel after my maternity leave), and I didn't really love it. It was the same thing day in and day out. But what prompted me to consider it is the normal nine to five deal. Why is Camille resigning? I’m sure there’s not as much pressure in HR compared to Ops, but am I cut out to be a “berdugo?” “Berdugo” is a harsh word, but it takes a toughie to go through all those dismissal cases. I recall crying like a stupid ass when I served dismissal papers to a team member last year. Great. Now I feel like I can’t be an HR Officer too. So maybe I ought to stay put.

Decisions, decisions.

Little Dreams

Over the summer, Denver and I got a little crazy and went property hunting. Pretty ambitious considering we had zero savings and around P80,000 of credit card debt. Unexpectedly, we started to become hopeful when the property agents started throwing in promo figures and Pag-ibig Housing loan terms.

We looked at small houses in Antipolo and Taytay, and condo units around Pasig. My favorite is this small three bedroom home in Queentown Heights Antipolo. We could move in for only 1.5M, and 10% downpayment. I preferred it over all the other houses we visited because it had an overlooking view of Antipolo hills and it is far, far away from the pollution down here at the metro. As soon as we left the place, I put on my black hat and started coming up with reasons not to fall in love with the property. Number one on the list was the commute from home to work and back. Denver has a car, but I don’t. Aside from being really far, my fare would round up to P180 a day, and that’s by taking a tricycle and an FX. I would have change left from P180 if I took a cab to and from my apartment. If Denver and I managed to get the same schedule, we would still be paying for more gas compared to our consumption from Pasig. Ippo’s school is another big consideration for me. If I had a girl, I wouldn’t think twice about sending my daughter to Assumption Antipolo, but I don’t know of any good schools for Ippo in Antipolo. He is already enrolled in a good Pre-School near our apartment, so transferring is not such a good idea, and there is no way I am letting my son travel all the way from Antipolo to Pasig five days a week just to spend two and a half hours in little school.

A house in Pasig would be ideal for our work and Ippo’s school, but it’s also way more expensive. Its also the reason why we started looking at condos. I liked the model units in Cambridge Cainta. They also had terms we could afford - zero downpayment. We’d have to do serious budgeting though, because they have this annual lump sum thing, plus you have to pay for a parking slot and monthly dues for upkeep. Its closer to work but its not very commutable at the moment. The condos are located in Floodway. No problem if I had my own car, but since I don’t, I have a feeling I’ll end up with an ice pick on my stomach on my way to work.

We’ve ended our search, but realized we want a house vs a condo. Nothing beats having your own garage, having the freedom to use a magic sing without other tenants complaining, being able to hold a small party for your boy and having hyperactive kids running around your own lawn. But this is something that we cannot afford at the moment. Not without sacrificing our lifestyle and not if we really want it to be near the city. Something good has come out of our house hunt though. Since that phase, weve managed to pay off at least half of our credit card debt and I’ve also started saving. Maybe sometimes, you really have to see what you want first to give you a push towards your goal.

The last unit we saw - Hampton Gardens

Shoot Me

Last night, Denver said, maybe he was looking for someone else IN me. If you were in my shoes, how would you feel?

Our anniversary is coming up. Shoot me if I start to make plans.

A snip and a giggle

My son is making me crazy.

This morning, I had to dig out some coins from his diaper. He insisted on keeping some coins in his crotch to buy a car. I had to put him on new shorts with pockets so that he would allow me to fish the coins from his diaper.

As I was on messenger with his godmother (S0ny), Ippo was smiling at me in this funny way. I knew he was up to something. Later, I realized he had made an earing out of his dad’s ring. He clipped it on his right ear. No wonder he was quiet.

He’s always up to something when he is quiet. He led some more ants in the bedroom this afternoon by cutting a Goldilock’s pastry in pieces. He has this fascination with scissors. He would cut anything with it, food, bedding, clothes, you name it. And I was too stupid not to have learned my lesson.

He was fiddling with something behind me as I was organizing pictures in our portable. I heard a snip and a giggle, and then found some of my hair on the bed after he had used his dad’s scissors to cut a lock of my hair. I don’t know if I should laugh or freak out. I’ve just recovered from a bad haircut. But I love him more than anything.

Sony says I will miss this. Haay...