Divine ramblings

Coincidence

Randomness, fate, chance, happenstance, coincidence.
Basically, one of those special/weird moments when the universe plays a prank on mortals.

I was riding the MRT from Ayala one fine afternoon. Just came from OJT. The first cart's not that occupied but I wasn't able to sit down. So there I stood up in the middle, listening to music from my PSP.

There was a guy cradling his baby (girl, from the studs on the little angel's ears. Or maybe a baby boy, if his parents had a peculiar taste. Who knows). For the sake of simplicity, I'll assume the baby is a girl. The baby served as a "permit to enter first cart and sit down" for the father, else he would incur the wrath of the security guards, the train operator, and his fellow commuters. The baby kept staring at me, and I stared back. Made faces, actually. She was just so cute.

Anyway, the guy with the baby girl is not the reason for this post. She was just too cute she deserves a brief anecdote. It was the girl beside them that I want to discuss.

First, the girl is a student, judging from her clothes. She even forgot to remove her ID. The ID caught my attention - we have the same name. My full name (long version) is Maria DIvina Gracia. Some call me Divina, Divine, Vine, D, Di, Div, Divs, hoy, ate, psst, miss etc. - that's beside the point. This girl's name is Divine Grace. No Mary/Maria in the beginning, and it was the english version. Cool.

When commuting for some time and with nothing to do, one's mind tend to drift and think random things. Well, I just focused on the ID on that time. Second, the ID says she is studying in Assumption College. That's where my Dad is teaching.

A matter I can smile about but ... the ID also says she is studying Media Productions. That's EXACTLY what my Dad is teaching. Oooooookay. What's the probability of standing in front of a person who has the same name as yours AND whose teacher is your dad?

When the MRT was in the Kamuning station, I texted my father. The conversation ran like this:
Div: "Pa, me student ba kayo na ka-name ko?"
Dad: "Yup, Divine"
Div: "Borja?"
Dad: "..." *Calls*
Dad: "Pakisabi dyan ke Divine hindi siya pumasok sa class ko."
Apprarently, she cut classes. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to strike up a conversation with her and share the mirth. Ms. Divine Grace Borja already came off the MRT.

Haha, I was God's or the universe's instrument on busting Ms. Borja to her teacher.

Good thing she doesn't look like me.
Or does she?
... Daaaaad????? o.O

Tsuzuku*

Contrary to what I thought, the end doesn't come with a bang but a whimper.
I took my last call, I spoke with the last customer. I log out from my avaya and my computer. No, the sky did not open up, there were no rays of light and there were no songs of jubilation.

I resigned from work. I'm off to a different start.

Some people, when you speak to them before they leave, they would say: they felt tired, wronged, cheated; they were moving to greener pastures - they going to a better company; this one ripped them off of their potential; the management didn't take care of them; or plainly just became sick of it all. I didn't felt that, although I also don't feel like that I'm at a loss, too.

For me, I really don't like saying "I will miss you" or "goodbye" when parting. I mean, hello, I'm not going to die or go to a different word/dimension. Will there not be a way to communicate? It's not like there will never BE a possibility that we will meet again, right? Why lament on the days that we will not see each other, would it be rather be better to look forward to day we will be able to again?

Instead of saying "goodbye", I prefer the word "later."

Oh yeah, my last call was with a lady. We parted with a "later", too.
So, to my ex-co-workers, laterz ~

Resignation Letter

June 16, 2008

To : Elvira Manlulu Operation's Manager

Thru : Frederic Ong Team Captain

Please accept this as a formal advise of my resignation from the position of Customer Interactions Associate, effective June 30, 2008

In accordance with my contract of employment, I am, of course, willing to continue to work until effectivity of my resignation.

I have reached the maximum time that I am allowed to stay in my University but I was allowed to stay for one more year after some arrangements. As this is an indication that I have to do focus on my studies, it will demand most of my time and, as such, I do sincerely regret leaving the company.

I have rendered service for a total of 22 months, and I can say with honesty that it has not been for naught. The company has expanded my perception and taught me things that no book can effectively convey.

Although this is not the proper channel to do so, I would also like to express my utmost gratitude to my previous supervisor, Christopher Malong and my current one, Frederic Ong. They have tremendously affected my view of the company and have guided me to be an exemplary employee. I will miss the company and the people dearly.

Please let me know the arrangements for handing back company items and handing over outstanding work and responsibilities.

Sincerely yours,

Maria Divina Gracia C. Fajardo

First quarter 2008

My quarterly report, Feb - May

First of all, I'm still alive. Got the seasonal flu, though. (When the hell am I going to create a LJ account?).

Be forewarned. The following entries are arranged chronologically, at best. Sometimes, I will just input what I like to type. Meaning, it will make no sense. Lolz.

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Feb
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02/08 - FINALLY got a CP. Nokia 2630, really small and thin. I really like it. Bought it for a cheap 4000. 04/27 - I LOST THE DAMNED CP. Some bastard - curse him/her - took it from my bag. I still kick myself every time I remember it.

Went to a Team building in Pansol, Laguna. Check pictures, really had fun. Good thing I didn't get drunk and drowned. Hahaha.

Valentines - *blush* /gg

Tried to get another part-time job (tutor), but I retracted my application after a few days of consideration. Getting that would KILL me.

End of Feb, I went to Baguio for the Flower Festival. OMG, ang DAMING nangyari before we even went there. For one, an hour before we boarded the bus, we realized that we will arrive at 6pm and we don't have any place to stay! In the moment of panic, after a lot of headaches and a LOT of text messages to a LOT of friends, we were referred to a very good place (MG I love you, girl!) Baguio's  verrrrry cold. A lot of people were there. Ang hirap mag commute! Masaya over-all, esp I spent it with good friends.

Accompanied TC G to some hotels to check out the venue for his wedding next year. Whoah. Kay sosyal! Maybe I need to be more "cultured" ...? I really don't like to be all "girly" esp when I don't need to be. Agh, internal conflict. *spits*

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March
====
Rec event. 80's attire. See attached pictures. Didn't pass out, my OM did. Haaa ha. Not that I take pleasure in the misfortune of others but let's just say: You reap what you sow. I didn't win ANY price huhu. My TC was awarded best TC, naks! Congrats.

Started to watch Avatar, the last airbender cartoon. Got hooked. Ang gandaaaaaaaaa!! They announced that the last episodes will be aired this July 2008, huhuhuhu.

Archery: Lessons for life.
We took our last exam, details aside, I remembered that I AM working with younger people, with immature priorities. They preferred grades over fun. How sad.

Went to Tagaytay with Team Zakk, had a blast and the food was great. Although there was this underlying feeling of loss. How do you describe it ... It's like realizing that you are finally starting to grow apart. There are things you can't do anymore and places you can't reach. You force yourself to hold on to the pieces of the past only to be left behind, surrounded by memories. Argh, it's always the case when it comes to change, the type you don't want to happen.

Our Dachsund gave birth to 6 wonderful puppies! They're so damned cute!!

Transport strike. Furlough for 2 hours. Left work early but just drank 'til morning in Select, Kalayaan. The Fort was beautiful in the morning.

Holy week. Spent it sa work. Yes, we don't even honor Holy Week. My company will burn in hell. Went to Ayala last Good Friday to eat at North Park. Ayala without people looks incomplete, even creepy. It's like that I am Legend movie.

Watched the first episode of PBB Teen Edition. I truly despise spoiled, rich kids.

End of Second Semester, I didn't fail any of my grades. Whoopee!

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April
===
A blur. A lot of things happened. Still alive. Celebrated my bestfriend's (Kacchan) birthday in Trinoma. Lost my cp. Took psych 101 for my summer class.

===
May
===
I'm planning to buy another cp. Although I'm still researching ways TO KEEP IT FOR GOOD. I want to buy that metal chain that I can attach to my cp, but I can't find one. Maybe I should just attach it to my skin so I'll literally bleed if lose it again.

Tsuzuku ...

Nyargh

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Genre
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I really need to take a care of the "genre" of the people I'm with. At one dinner, I had a friend whom I agree about anime and the theories on the effects of it in life. (Ex. It's one thing to talk about Naruto, it's quite another to think that he really exists). Anyways, we were using jargons like emo-fag, otaku, authors of this-and-that, and of course anime/manga. Of course other people will get lost in translation. I can't speak of 3rl with people who doesn't even have an xbox, right? Or maybe of that damned bridge I have to go through every time I go home with people who doesn't live near me.

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Composite Bow
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I have archery as a PE. Love every session. I treat my Composite bow as a temperamental yet loyal partner. Handle it the right way, it will do its best to assist you. Half-assed treatment won't do. I was reckless today for some reason and it "bit" me. Now my arm's bruised. Probably will turn purple by tonight.

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Sunglasses
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Contrary to what other people believe, if one wear shades/sunglasses to hide one's eyes, it will do the opposite. The effect would actually be like one is looking at everyone instead of no one.

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Cellphone
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When will I get new one, dammit.

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Chicken-wuss
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I saw a grass snake today.
It's about 4-5in long.
It's about the size of a worm.
Actually, a worm's bigger.

I'm approx 100x bigger than that.
I could probably kill it if I stepped on it.
I thought I was brave.
... Scared the shit out of me as I saw it crawl into the bushes \(*A*)/

Recent ramblings, last quarter 2007

That's it. I'm just going to post random ramblings. Maybe incoherent. Maybe illogical. But, honestly, you think ramblings are logical in the first place?

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I'm suffering from the monotonosity of work recently. ... maybe because I want to be somewhere else.

Don't you think the weather's ... gray ...?

I've yet again succumbed to a period of absence from the world. Keep in my mind that I think of you sometimes and I hope you're smiling right now.
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I think I felt the Christmas spirit a few days/weeks after the real thing ... I'm still pondering about that. Will this happen to everything? Will I feel the moment after it already passed by?

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Oh yea. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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My cellphone got stolen.
I, who prides in having one of the crappiest cellphones out there. By whom, I don't know. Although they're really stupid in doing so ...

Anti-Burnout

Whoah, haven't posted in a long time ...

Last week of July, my company hosted its yearly "Anti-Burnout" party. It was held on a Sunday evening. Too bad I had a shift. Although I went there on the first hours and the last hour ... AKA I missed the best part of the party.

On the first hours, I went there with some friends, TC G, ate Venus, Den-den and Gilbert. We hitched on TC G's car, talked about who would get the spoof award. Rumor has it there's a "Resident Agent" award. Basically means, a employee who "lives" in the company. Sleep, eat, take a bath. Everything. Bahay na.

People had to register before they enter, and when they find out you have a shift, they'll just give you a poor excuse for a stub (drink stub only). No food stuff. Dammit.

We arrived early, and as Filipino time says, there were only few people. Guh. Boring. Drank an Iced tea and left. I had a shift, remember?

When I was working, some people who came from the party congratulated me. I won an award it seems. True enough, I won the "Resident Agent" award. Hahaha. Well, this is because Friday-Monday I literally "live" in the company premises. Some people tease me sometimes that I should pay the company rent for all the things I do here. Haha.

I just find the living there practical. Take note, it takes two hours for me to go back and forth. Four hours in total, precious sleep time. Not to mention there's hot showers. Air conditioning. The company doesn't have a limited time in the sleeping area. If I'm hungry, I just go out and buy food. (We're inside a mall) My locker's spacious. If I'm bored, there are lots of Xbox 360s lying around >:)

Anyway, I went back with Neil and Jen to the party after my shift. Two hours before closing. We missed the best part of the party, everyone seemed to be gone. We followed some folks to Metrowalk. Stayed there for an hour, but I found the place boring and left.

So, yeah. I didn't like that party.

Too much, too little time

It's been quite a while since I added a blog post here. Hmm ... anyways.
How are you? How am I?
Of course I don't know how YOU are (I hope you're great though), so I guess I'll just blabber how I AM. (If you have the time to message me about how you're doing then that would be great! :D )

As for school ...
Reports are going fine. Just finished the second of my two reports today. Utilized all known delaying tactics to postpone the class exam. *Hell yeah!* o(>o<)/
Writing break for one of my class (thesis proposal), also known as "the calm before the storm"... Haven't even started Chapter One yet. *Impending doom*
I keep forgetting to send a message to this guy who created this program to ask if I can get a copy of his source code. Big fat chance there's no documentation so best of luck to me understanding that.
I haven't finished learning 50 new Kanji's yet. (dammit)
Note to self: photocopy the damned Volume 2 of that book already ... @_@

As for work ...
To understand the dilemma I went through these past weekend, I need to explain some of my schedule.
Friday evening I go to work. Shift ends around 5am. Go to the company's snooze box to sleep around 7am, and wake up around Saturday afternoon/night for my Saturday shift. Same thing Sunday to Monday. Monday morning I go to school and go home after.
Here's what happened this Saturday. Saturday afternoon I woke up at my company's snooze box. I was readying myself for that night's shift, with bleary eyes I tried to read the messages on my cellphone. One of them said "You have no shift tonight, we have training Sunday morning tomorrow".
...
... it was 6pm at that time and I can't go home. Dammit.
Soooo basically I was left with NOTHING to do for the next 15 hours. Take note I slept for almost 12 hours, add that, therefore, 27 hours of doing NOTHING.
Anyways, I tried to think of things to do. Read a book. (browsed is a better word. I reviewed one lesson of Japanese language although God knows if I understood it), after a while I found a good way to kill two hours: watch a movie.

... Transformers, Die Hard 4.0 and Harry Potter. Heard they were all good. Chose to watch the last full show. I chose Harry Potter. And so I watched the movie alone. Well, I'm that type of person. *lol*
Great special effects, acting, cinematography's brilliant. At some part, even I felt Harry's anger and frustration. Parang ako rin gusto kong magalit. Although the other characters failed to shine unlike the prior movies. I liked the actress who played Luna, though I honestly think she looks like the actor who played Draco's dad. Or maybe that elf (that looked so gay) in LOTR: Twin Towers (the one that died)

I stopped reading the book after the Goblet of Fire so I don't know the rest of the story. Which is in a way good because I always get disappointed when I read the book first then watched the movie.

After the movie, I went back to my office (oh yea, my office's located inside a mall *very convenient indeed*) and I saw some friends who took an RDOT (Rest Day OverTime), basically means they were working when they're supposed to be resting but are paid more. So I decided to pass the time with them. *Halu Jen, Ehly and Mike*. Found out Jen likes the music I like and I like her more now <3

Sunday morning we received a brief training for our new account for UK. The same as my old account with some minor changes. I was dead embarrassed because I asked a lot of questions during the training and I think some people were frustrated because of that.
I guess it was part of my personality. I want know a lot of things. That's why I ask a lot. Americans coined the term "anal" for this type of personality ... *eek*.
Well, I was pretty sure I asked meaningful questions ... although I apologized to the trainer who was in charge after everyone went away.
Grr, you know that feeling when you suddenly remember something embarrassing? I tend to suddenly mouth a curse. Imagine that happening randomly. Yes. Crazy loon.

And my team got transferred to an UK account. Again. So I will be talking to Englishmen. Again.

That's all I can rant right now.
G'day, Bloke.

Celebrating 22 years of existence

A stormy early morning on the 21st of June, year 1985, yours truly was born. The storm raged for a full week. (makes you wonder if it's an omen or something.)
Don't believe me? Rummage the archives at the National Library or somewhere.

To be honest, I have mixed feelings about my birthday. Something to do with me thinking about my life's past, present and future. Anyways, I'm late for school. I'll add the details in the future (if I have time!)

Important note, my mom will be undergoing operation on her uterus tomorrow. Please pray with me for her successful operation ...

Senatorial Election Ramblings

I am among the few who, even though cynical about the elections in the Philippines, still has some hope that it wold somehow make a difference. Early morning of May 14, me and my sister ventured off to go to our precinct to vote.

We forgot our precinct number. Bad move.

We spent 2 hours walking around our district's public elementary school trying to find our precinct number. That was not the first time we did vote (first was the 2004 presidential elections, as soon as I turned 18 I registered) so we knew our way around. Or thought we did.

We first tried to go back to the classroom where we voted three years ago. Nope, our names weren't there anymore. Tried other floors and classrooms, still not there.

In vain I tried to remember our precinct number. It was just three digits and a letter. But after 3 years, it was buried deep in my over/under-used brain. My sister tried to look it up at the Comelec website the night before, but the site was already down. Tough luck.

My observations during the originally-45-min-maximum-affair-turned-into-a-2-hour-search-for-our-friggin-precinct were 6 out of 10 people who were there are pollwatchers and volunteers. To top it off, those people were split into two groups corresponding to the rivaling groups on my city. Those in favor of the previous mayor and the current mayor. Both groups were wearing new clean plain polo-shirts. Two colors for the two groups.

Red and yellow.
The second I saw them, I thought: Ketchup and mustard.

So, the ketchups and the mustards were scattered around the school. Trying to help the voters although they also helped in clogging the hallways. Like I said, there were a lot of them. There were no bitterness between the two groups thank God.

My sister, who claims being scared of strangers, intimidated some of the peole around her (i think she's not aware of that but hehehe ...) Singkit kasi e. Mukhang masungit. Crowded, lost, blistering hot, sweating, hungry, not to mention she has a meeting to attend to later in the afternoon, she was not pleased.

I remember a young male ketchup approached my sister as she was browsing thru the list of voters (looking for our names) and tried to start a conversation with a "ano pong hinahanap nyo, ate?", all smiles.

"Syempre, pangalan namen." was the reply and she walked away.
Woho, I silently laughed as the male ketchup frowned and retreated, muttering "sungit naman ni ate".

I decided to separate with my sister for a little while to look for our precinct at the other buildings while she try to consult the computer database (which is comparable to a Bingo game, where one person calls out a name to a crowd)

Regardless if some were using their job to pick-up girls or win over voters, I found myself being fascinated by my neighbors (all of themare from the same district, the reason for the use of the term). They were all smiles and were very eager to help. Not to mention easy to converse with. I found myself talking to the some of the condiments, ketchup and mustard alike, and my fellow voters, getting sympathy for my situation and giving my own for theirs. And shared some laughs at the discomfort of the whole ordeal.

I even saw some people who were all laughs and hugs and when they were about to part said "nice meeting you". Dun lang sila nagkita! San ka pa!

While I was walking around the school, I came back to the entrance. I found a huge blackboard with the "map" of the different precinct numbers, arranged by its geographic location. I immediately found my own precinct.

... 2 hours and the solution was given to us in the very beginning!

Irritated by my own stupidity and the hassle it has brought me, we finally finished voting in less than 20 minutes. Hmm I voted ...
the former opposition representative
the dragon
the magdalo
Mr. Noted, Sharon's husband
Roco's wife
Ninoy wannabe
the who danced funny (sipag at tiyaga guy)
Vilma's husband
the biodiesel guy who, whenever I hear his name, reminds me of a sexy star
the Filipino Adolf Hitler (remember kuratong baleleng case?)
Defensor
Coseteng

I made it a point of not voting the dancing queen, the who was supposed to be in prison, the vegetable, and the one who ran for vice president but failed.
Especially the last one. She proposed that public school teachers don't receive any pay during summer. What are they supposed to do for those two months? Hibernate !?

Lessons learned. Neighbors are nice people provided you are also nice to them. It wouldn't hurt to spare a smile. Before voting, secure your precinct number, eat breakfast and vote in the morning when it's still a bit cool.

Last note, as for the mayor, I voted the ketchup but it was the mustard for the vice-mayor.