Rediscovery

Posted by special_child at 02:28 AM on April 3, 2005.

I feel like I owe my blog a new entry after almost two weeks of silence.

And what a way to welcome April. It has been a tough week because of all the projects and reports needed to be done. I haven't even thought of an April Fools scheme and I had no chance to take Anne as my annual victim (for the last two years). But now it's over, all that's needed to be accomplished is a company and two final exams.

This is a very revealing week. I had the chance to rediscover a lot of things, including myself, my friends, and everyone else who may or may not know me. Remember one post I made saying that my life is devoid of pictures? Well guess what. I am now a proud owner of a Nokia 6230. We got the package earlier today, and it includes the automatic blood pressure monitor for my mom (at least she doesn't need to go to the hospital in the wee hours of the morning just to get her pressure taken). Now I will have the chance to capture images and have remembrances of wherever I go, may it be a very special place or just part of my daily itinerary. And please understand, if you go see me taking a shot of myself, you can think of me being vain but only partially.

Speaking of pictures, I recently uncovered a set of pictures which I have been looking for for like ten years. When I was in Grade 2, my aunt (who sent me that cellphone; thanks!) and I went to Baguio for a few days. It's my first time to travel that far (and up until now that's the farthest I've gone north of Manila), and I had such a nice time. I reminisced the times we were there, traveling through Mines View and Session Road, eating my first Champ from Jollibee (hahaha my aunt and I shared, don't think of anything else), and going golfing in Camp John Hay. I'll share with you this particular picture of me pausing and standing beside my obstacle - who happens to be Fred Flinstone. See how we fare in height? Now I'm curious to go back only to get a picture of me taken beside Fred.

Hahahahaha. And to get strawberries and a tiger grass broom (a walis tambo) hahahahahahahahaha.

Now that we've reached the tiger grass thing, I better speak about what happened after the telecast. See, I only mentioned my joining the program to a few friends and family, and to you lucky readers of my blog. While we were watching the actual telecast, messages came in and out, and after the whole thing the phone started ringing. Funny thing was... everyone who called chit-chatted with my mom. Hahahahahaha. Not that I was searching for someone to talk to or anything, it's just that I never imagined that many people were watching despite us keeping it low. People who greeted me can be classified into: neighbors who only made gossip on us before and are now creating more gossip and demands of free drinking sprees, tricycle drivers who watched the program in the depot's TV, friends who I hardly know, friends who have been there forever, friends whom I have not heard of the past three years, long-lost relatives, relatives in the province, mom's friends also asking for freebies and stuff, newfound friends in G&W and Plaridel, and some Friendster-devoted people.

I'm just glad everything has subsided now. As my thesismate said, "It's just your fifteen minutes of fame." And I'm glad it's reaching its end. How many times did I have to explain about the 20% tax... and the price will be released only after a month... and the eggs... and the picture not containing the name "tiger grass"... and that I only wanted four members secured before toying with Elrond and the hobbits (thereby missing Sam)? And another thought-provoking idea from my friend went, "What if you won the million? Even more people."


Top Ten Reactions I Got Since Monday

10. "Balato!" (almost 80% of all people inserted this or some form of it with their greetings)
9. "Correct!" (pronounced as KHO-reeeeeeeehk")
8. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" (enthusiasm galore)
7. "Maputi ba si Kris?" (isn't it obvious? )
6. "Matangkad ba si Kris?" (matangkad ang heels)
5. "Maarte talaga no?" (who else were they pertaining to...)
4. "DJ!" (another variation would be DJ Sam... go figure, if you haven't )
3. "Pa-autograph!" (very funny hahaha)
2. "Ikaw ba yun? (insert five seconds of scrutinizing my face here) Ikaw nga!" (no further explanation necessary)

-and... (drum roll please)-

1. "Nakita ka ng nanay ko sa TV!"


I almost always mentioned to people, "Akala ko ba mataas ang ratings ng Eat Bulaga?"


Marvin the Martian™, jaz thinking aloud


P.S. At least, somehow, I was prepared for the publicity... and the ridicule.

Currently enjoying "Best Of My Love", performed by Vonzell Solomon.
Currently deciphering "The Dante Club", written by Matthew Pearl.
Currently checking "Sports Unlimited", shown on ABS-CBN.
Currently feeling sleepy.

5 kid/s drank Promil®

Term's Over!

Posted by special_child at 02:47 AM on April 17, 2005.

Yes... and after another two weeks of silence, my update won't be so long.

I just got hold of my course cards yesterday, and luckily I passed my subjects, even though I had been a very stubborn student this term. I deserve what I got, yes, but knowing that almost everyone else is a Dean's Lister... well... I can't help but feel sad. Familiar lines like "There's still next term..." resurfaced in my mind, but when would it be actually true? Tsk tsk tsk...

Well... let's see... what happened to me the last two weeks? Hmmm... I finished two finals, I got a summer job @ Citibank (Citigroup Business Services, to be precise), and it's partly because of Anne's removal from the program that I held back. I mean, it's really unfair for her, considering that the information I got about the company came from her. These companies are getting so unethical nowadays (Webworks included), and don't tell me "it's just business". Haha.

My uncle already booked my tickets, and in three weeks' time I'd be flying to San Francisco. Yey! First time to the US, and I'm really excited. Though I would like to say this ahead... my flight is with PAL yet again. It's not because it's the cheapest around... imagine the flight by Singapore Airlines is the cheapest (and I really wanted to get that flight because I will have a one-day layover in Singapore and have a stop at Hongkong... hitting three cities with two planes haha), but local travel agents do not accept online payments from card holders outside the Philippines. So he had no choice but to book there, and in the US the cheapest tickets are with PAL. I hope the two weeks are worth it... worth taking time off my OJT and worth spending a lot of money.


Blogger's Note: The Top Ten list is asleep. By next post, I might get it to wake up.


I can't wait till 6 May! And it's not just because of Revenge Of The Sith!


Marvin the Martian™, jaz thinking aloud


P.S. I always lack sleep.

Currently enjoying "Hope", performed by Twista featuring Faith Evans.
Currently deciphering "The Dante Club", written by Matthew Pearl.
Currently checking "Kontrobersyal", shown on ABS-CBN.
Currently feeling sleepy for the nth time.

3 kid/s drank Promil®

"I Am Proud To Work For Citigroup!"

Posted by special_child at 02:27 AM on April 19, 2005 as a favorite post.

This is a unique day: partly boring, partly fun.

Today's the official start of our Summer Internship Program for Citibank (although I started last Thursday). We just had a half-day orientation and a half-day "headstart" for our respective units and departments.

The orientation was so-so. Some highlights include: the wonderful and energetic speakers, all of which are accomplished individuals not only in the banking industry but also in serving the country; the video presentation of the history of Citibank and how it grew to become one of the world's greatest banks, together with the history of Citigroup, the world's biggest financial service (aiming to be the most respected one). The cheerful HR head greeted us and explained everything we needed to know about our internship.

The other half-day, we were deployed to our respective teams. I am assigned to Web T&E under Citigroup Business Services - Asia, where we act as Functional Lead Assistants. Together with me in this project are Marv Moreno (fellow Lasallian, for those who don't know ) and Carlo Fernandez (that guy from PCU). We were oriented by our supervisor, Ms. Carine (she's an IT graduate from La Salle, so we can really relate to her), about our roles and where we are in terms of contribution and tasks. The rest of the day... well, our PC's were taken over by another group working at the 14th floor (Regional Payables, very warm and charming girls indeed) so we ended up talking to them, and later on I caught up with The Dante Club (and yes, I am down to the last 30 pages!).

So what are the views/insights I got from today? Hmmm... I now want to go to the business world. Haha. I mean, Citibank really rewards their employees/teamplayers well, and imagine the Treasury group that are earning millions a month! I have said this before... I don't want to die having computer science as my career. I don't have anything against this course, but it's just that there are a lot of skills I still need to develop and a lot of dreams I still need to chase. So as much as possible, I am opening my mind to a lot of changes in my career path.

Hmmm... you think today was really stiff, in terms of being in a corporate world and all that? Think again.


Top Ten Whatever Things @ Citibank

10. The laptop they used for presentations during the orientation had no USB port. Talk about technological development.
9. People were shy in eating. A lot of sandwiches were left.
8. Now who wants to be the Super Summer Intern?
7. The only day we could dress down is on Friday. I hope I don't run out of clothes to "wash and wear".
6. "So this marks the end of our program (PROW-greeeeam)."
5. Our current PC's have: no access to the Internet (save Citibank and affiliates' websites); no hard disk (one); no memory (the other).
4. If you go to the restroom, make sure that there's someone who can open the door for you. I just hope the ID's they give us would have access to these doors.
3. American Idol is the thing to watch. It's breaktime every Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.
2. They allowed me to go on leave! Whoo! SF/LA is a go, I repeat, SF/LA is a go!

-and... (drum roll please)-

1. Our supervisor has a Thai friend. Her name? Wannaporn. (The question... what is her nickname? )


Can't wait till tomorrow! Just another day!


Marvin the Martian™, jaz thinking aloud


P.S. I think my stopover before SF... would be Puerto Galera.

Currently enjoying "Broken Sonnet", performed by Hale.
Currently deciphering "The Dante Club", written by Matthew Pearl.
Currently checking "The Correspondents", shown on ABS-CBN.
Currently feeling that God's blessings FLOW.

2 kid/s drank Promil®

Habemus Papam!

Posted by special_child at 01:00 AM on April 20, 2005 as a favorite post.

Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Dean of the College of Cardinals, has been duly elected to the papacy and will be known as Pope Benedict XVI.

May we all pray for his success, a success we all could hope better than the tantamount success of Pope John Paul II.


Blogger's Note: The Top Ten List encourages you to say a prayer for the new pope.


Viva Il Papa!!!


Marvin the Martian™, jaz thinking aloud


P.S. This is my shortest post ever. And I finished The Dante Club already!

Currently enjoying the ringing of the church bells of the Vatican.
Currently deciphering the profile of Cardinal Ratzinger.
Currently checking the special coverage of ABS-CBN.
Currently feeling blessed.

Drink Promil®!

Developments

Posted by special_child at 01:16 AM on April 28, 2005.

Those "corporate bum" days are over.

I have started being productive this week, having all our other supervisors arriving from different parts of the globe and assigning us the work we needed to do. I've started being multinational again, trying to spot places using my part-gazetteer brain (huh? what's a gazetteer? look here) and plotting in these cities in my test scripts.

It's very fun to see diversity in work; one time we were invited to a conference call for our department (we just listened in and caught up in what the real world says for our bosses) and it's like... my gosh, am I back in Singapore? People were like talking too fast in different rush English combined with either British, Indian, or Chinese accents. At least it was a preparation for me. If I don't get too bored, I might want to take this job as a career after graduation. Hehehe.

Earlier this afternoon, I received a message from Anne relaying to me some vital information. I checked out her blog, and it really shows that it's a small small world. Shockingly, the brother of one of our supervisors (the one who accepted her to the job, and, God knows, might have reversed the decision) works with Anne in Webworks. (To Anne: She still knows you.)

FORMDEV people... why did you choose 14 - 15 May? Waaaaaaaaah. I thought I would have an opportunity to see Puerto Galera before I leave. I guess I'm wrong. Oh well.


Top Ten Things To Do If You're A Corporate Bum

10. Read "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" by Mitch Albom. I finished it already!
9. Go to work early on Wednesdays. Then stay in the pantry for the live telecast of The Amazing Race 7.
8. Try to break the "no email" rule. Thanks to the great interns of the second floor, we did.
7. Scavenge for deserted or our-owners-are-currently-out-of-the-country cubicles to "work" in.
6. Go to the other side of the floor just to see other interns.
5. Use the different features of Windows NetMeeting amongst each other's terminals.
4. Eat merienda. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, eat merienda as an excuse for watching American Idol inside the pantry.
3. Develop and/or form love teams using different intern-intern or intern-employee combinations.
2. Talk too much with other interns, even if your supervisor's cubicle is just feet away from theirs.

-and... (drum roll please)-

1. Make code names for different employees (e.g. "Dead Kid 1", "Dead Kid 2", "Eye Contact", "Friendship", "Miss Maalindog", "TL", etc.)


I've got a week and two days before I take my unofficial yet formal leave. I hope I can accomplish more work.


Marvin the Martian™, jaz thinking aloud


P.S. And I hope there's still an intern left with me whom I can take lunch with. (Stef! Stef!)

Currently enjoying "Same Ground", performed by Kitchie Nadal.
Currently deciphering (and editing) my Friendster profile.
Currently checking "Pinoy Abroad", shown on GMA 7.
Currently feeling bloated.

1 kid/s drank Promil®