Enchanted Kingdom

It was really supposed to be Star City, but my nephews wanted to go to Enchanted Kingdom, so to EK we went yesterday afternoon after work. We met up in Waltermart Sta. Rosa then off we went.

Those boys have grown a lot! They’re like towers or something, much taller than me now, definitely. I gave them their day passes and told them to go wild, which they did. Not the bad kind of wild, but just to enjoy themselves in the park, ride all the rides as many times as they wanted. Erik definitely got the most out of the day pass, since he rode all the rides I think, and went multiple times on the Dodgem bump cars. Erwin had fun as well, I think, but he was definitely disappointed that the show in the 4D Discovery Theater was the same as it was 3 years ago.

There was this play put on by Trumpets though, and the wings of the angel in the play was really great. Of course she was wearing white with sort of silver sequins, but the wings were basically gold cloth, transparent, light, with gold sequins, that were sort of draped on two slender wires that came out of the back of her dress. It was nice and it gave this illusion of height and lightness and there was a lot of movement in those wings as her slightest movement translates into the wings floating. I have pictures, but they’re in my phone and I have yet to figure out how to transfer send them to the internet… could be that email function aye?

I didn’t get any souvenirs, though, except for the 4 squeaky toys I bought for the HR department. They didn’t have the color of the shirt in my size, so I didn’t bother with that.

I did get to ride the ATV ride, Exodus the Ride it’s called. It was way fun ^__^ but steep! It’s a separate fee for the ATV ride, 200 for 2 laps. The ATV was automatic so it was easier. I did get wet with the river crossing though, only because I think I may have pulled on the brake when I really should have pushed on the gas so I would zoom through the water. I would often let the ones in front of me – we were in queue during the whole trek, btw – go ahead and when I judged the distance to be adequate, I would push on the gas and away I go! I like it fast.

As much as I have prepared for and may want to have ridden in the Rio Grande Rapids, I didn’t get to ride it as I was tired already and it was cold. It’s still December, mind, and I don’t fancy getting sick just yet.

-o-o-o-

Hell, they can be so blatant about their snubbing, can’t they? I think it’s in bad taste and just plain rude.

Just take this morning. I came in and I said hello to Jen, and what did she do? She looked at me as if I was crazy for speaking to her. How rude is that? Then when I entered the office, I asked her and Tin if they knew where Donna was. Yup, they didn’t answer, just went about what they were doing, like no one had spoken.

Jeez, I knew they were crass, based on their language, but even crass people can have some sort of civility, right? Guess that’s one belief I can let go of. Crass equals rude, it would seem.

Let’s start, shall we?

From the farthest seat:

Zheena. From what I know of her, she’s either married or living with the father of her child. I know she’s living with the guy’s family at any rate. Most times, all I hear from her is something about money, her needing more of it or something like that. Yes, she has a child, but she also goes to gimmicks and shops like she was single.

Tin. Don’t know much about her, only that she has a boyfriend and it was her father’s van we used when we went on that eventful trip to Hundred Islands. She’s quiet, mostly, but can have a cutting tongue on her.

Gen. She’s a fashionista, they say. Okay, I admit it, she knows how to dress. It’s her propensity of calling people “bakla” that put me off her. Girl or guy, she calls “bakla” when she talks to them. Either that or “tanga”. I mean, I hear her call people by their proper names, but calling them those names? Eugh.

Evelyn. I thought she was nice and a friend. Turned out I was wrong. She’s the one I referred to the company because I met her while we were both applying at one MT company, and I thought, hey she’s a nice person to talk to. Sure.

Wela. Technically, I know her the longest compared to the first four, but it turns out that I know nothing about her. Well, maybe except that she has a tendency to be a hanger-on or something like that.

Arlene. Our very own princess and drama queen. She’s nice enough, but I don’t understand her.

Marco. Backstabbing boy. And I don’t trust him. Enough said.

Paula. She plays at being the nice one, but she’s not really, from what I have experienced. She can be manipulative and make “sumbong” to whoever she’s allied to at the moment. Don’t trust what she says about other people coz she’ll deny it to the high heavens. Always have a back up or a record of what she says about other people.

Michelle. Gods, she’s a bloody turncoat and I don’t understand her either. Refer to earlier rant.

Jen. Now, here’s the queen bitch. And she’s proud of it, too. She’ll use you until you’re not useful anymore and then treat you like you don’t exist. Case in point. Personally, I think she feels threatened or insecure or something to that effect. And the way she makes “pula” other people, it’s like she doesn’t have any flaws. One word: karma.

Those are the people on my shift. I once considered them friends once. Well, maybe saw them in a friendly light.

Not anymore. They’re a bunch of hypocrites and liars and traitors and I don’t know what else. If this week is any indication of the way they’re going to treat me, then by all means, go ahead and ignore me. I can ignore you all right back, that’s for damn sure. Just do your work and I’ll do mine. After all, that’s why we’re in this company, to work. We don’t have to be friends to be able to do our work. It would make for a nicer atmosphere, civil even, but if they are to blatantly be rude and ignore me, then gosh, go ahead.

If they’re hoping to run me out of this company… I don’t think so. I can be stubborn when I want to. Or I can just take a notice out on them, aye?

^__^

Into the New Year

It's just a few days before the new year is upon us. That means Media Noche, which I have no idea what I'll be making yet. Hopefully, I'll get to go out some time with family but I'm not holding my breath on that.

It's quite funny how they seem to ostracize me -- I mean, they really are, make no mistake about it -- I could just as soon be invisible to them. But like Cesar said, "Trabaho lang."

I can do that. I can work with them, just don't expect me to socialize with them too much considering all the bad-mouthing and tsismis they've already had about me. If she thinks that snubbing me is going to make me grovel for her attention, she's got another thing coming ^__^ And him...! ^__^

Yes, I can hold a grudge, but this coming new year, I think I'll have a resolution of...

Hmm... Can't seem to think of one ^__^

How about I get back to you on that. After all, I just wanted to test this new blog version.

Oh yeah, I took the exam for the internal vacancy for our department -- the Quality Assurance Associate. It really should depend on the qualifications on the applicant, but hey, I can't help but feel that that job has just about slipped through my fingers, what with how the supervisor is towards me ^__^

Christmas!

It really should be a happy enough holiday, but as usual, it was just another day, nothing special at all. Of course, I cooked Noche Buena, but what else did I do that day, erh, the night before and then the day itself.

I woke up, went to the grocery, watched TV, slept, cooked, ate, slept, woke up, reheated the leftovers, watched TV, and slept.

The sum of my holiday cheer.

Ever get the feeling that you’re being slowly but surely ostracized? Get used to it coz it’s true. You are being ostracized, there’s no maybe or anything about it.

Which is kinda weird, coz they’re technically subordinates.

*shrug*

What the hell, aye? For all I know, they’re all planning on moving to another company ^__^

I am so evil… ^___^

Dark printed knickers, that is

Ack.

Just had lunch with her and her new friends. And it was funny coz I was half-expecting not to be invited to go to lunch with them coz, heck, she should know by now that I know she's been talking about me with them behind my back. I'm guessing her thinking goes something like, "Bahala sya kung alam nya, problema na nya yun."

Hmm...

Enough about her.

Thanks, Joy, for the support *mwah!! lots and lots of time*

^__________________^

-o-o-o-

And now for my conundrum, a couple of people have given me Christmas gifts. Does this mean that I have to reciprocate? It's just one of those social things that I'm never quite sure of. Is this kinda like Valentines and White Day in Japan? Or can I just say thank you and that's it?

*sweatdrop*

Don't wear printed knickers with white pants

I think that ought to be obvious, but hey, if you want to attract attention, please, do so, by all means.

If she thinks that I don't know what she's doing, she's got another thing coming. Doesn't she know that she has a loud voice that could carry to my cubicle, even when she's on the other end... Unless of course, they start to whisper and murmur, and then I can't hear them anymore. Then again, I upped the volume of my music.

It's disconcerting, ain't it, to find out that you're being the topic of a conversation that's designed to make you look bad and stupid.

*alter ego: Oh please, she's just jealous of you.

Hah.

Let's hope so.

*alter ego: And bitter too, come to think of it.

Note to self: Never trust just anybody, especially when they say that they're trustworthy. Ain't life grand?

See, this is why university life is so simple. You meet people in classes, in your deparment, and then you go your separate ways after a semester. If anything, the people you deal with the most are your blockmates, but even then, that could change, especially when you do what I did which is switch majors and get held back by a year.

*alter ego: She's still prattling on about you... I can hear her...

Let her be. It's her prerogative to be mean, especially when she's not getting her own way.

Where was I?

University life. Yeah.

You can form friendships and associations, but it's so transient, especially when you measure time by semesters and not by school years. It's easy to loose touch with people and just be, even when you're in such a large campus with a lot of people milling around.

*alter ego: She's really something, ain't she?

Oh yeah.

*alter ego: You're not worried that she could read this and take this against you?

Not really. If she knows herself as well as she says she does, and if she knows me even a little bit, then she should know that I would have an entry here about it, aye?

And it's not like I have an issue with her (*alter ego: Kinda...) but not too much. If she's going to recant her offer to me because as she says, this is my first job and it would seem that I don't have a right to demand that the company she's moving to (and to which she invited me to join her in, by the way, let me just point that out that I did not ask her to take me along, thank you very much) match the salary that I am currently receiving. As she said, I don't have the work experience like the other girl she's asking to go with her to the other company.

*alter ego: If she's got a longer work experience than you, does that mean she's more qualified to ask for more money than you?

It would seem so.

*shrug*

I sense a disturbance in the force... wehehehe

She's always like that, if something doesn't go her way, she does something to the person that made it so, so that that person could feel her displeasure.

*alter ego: Kinda petty...

Kinda, but it's her prerogative, let's remember that.

*sigh*

I don't think she realizes my true intentions and how I really am. But then again, it's always been about her.

Sleep Deprived

Ack, and to think I was missing my college days when I was happy when I managed to get 4 hours of sleep, max, every other day, and on other days, 3 hours would be enough.

I hate to say it, but I think I'm getting spoiled with the 6- to 8-hour sleep that I always get nowadays. Of course, the reason that I've only had 2 hours of sleep last night was because I was doign a favor for my immediate supervisor -- hope she'll compensate me for that, but here's to baying at the moon people!

Gotta sleep.

Team Xmas Party later.

Ack.

Hundred Islands

Seems like it was so long ago, what with happened after. Anyway, today seems like the best time to put this trip down, so to speak, and I even have pictures!!



Let's start from the beginning. I was late, coming in to the office, for 31 minutes, coz I forgot to set the alarm the night before, silly me. And then after work, we all went to Jen's place so we could rest for a bit before we left. The plan was for us to leave at 1AM so we could get to pangasinan just after sunrise, or that was the plan.

All went well actually, until we got to Dau and the exit of NLEX. The van stalled.

*sniffles*

And smoke came billowing out of the engine.

Yeah well, so we put in water, waited for the smoke to go away and the engine to at least cool down a bit, coz we were all thinking the engine just got overheated.



Hah!

We were in Dau for roughly 13 hours!!



Long story short, we were stranded and only in the afternoon did we finally decide to just ditch the van and continue on by bus to pangasinan. We did have directions anyway on how to get to the resort, so that wasn't such a big deal. The big deal was the budget. Argh!

So, we got to the resort at around 9PM -- and man, was it quiet there, unlike here in Manila when the night is just coming alive by that time. Needless to say, we were exhausted so straight to bed we went and sleep, blessed sleep.




But what a sunrise... something that one just can't see in Manila very often, if at all, at that.




Breakfast before heading off to the islands...




Then, boat ride!!




We landed (naks!) on three islands so we could "frolick" around. First stop was Governor's island. I still have to read up on the hundred islands, history et al, but it was here that they went up to the top and according to the boatman, you could see the entire hundred islands from up there. I didn't go up, coz it was a hundred steps up and I didn't want to fall down. The steps were kinda small and narrow and I just didn't want to risk it. So, Jen and Gen and I went to the Pinoy Big Brother house in the island ^__^;;



Before you ask, no I don't watch the show and I have no plans to. I do know that Sam Milby came from that show.

Next came some sort of cave-like through and through passage through the island.



Am I going crazy with the pictures or what?

Then we went to the island beyond Quezon island -- where prices are astronomical! -- and we spent what time we had there, swimming (for those who could), treading water, sitting on the white sand and talking, and just having fun.



As most things in this world are wont to do, we had to end our fun and leave. But as always, there is the promise of the next time we go out of town, as a team.



Wonder where we'll end up next...

Hopefully, somewhere really nice and peaceful and quiet and serene ^__^

The Story

Now, with the remaining time I have left in the office, I shall tell you the story behind yesterday's post.

It all started a month ago or so I think, when she asked if she could stay with me at my apartment coz she left home. For good, this time, or whenever she felt like she wanted to go home, whichever came first. So, the naive and kind person that I am -- no gagging in the audience please -- I agreed, thinking that it will be all over when the weekend ended.

Argh, all that I can say is that I was always tired. I think she drained me of energy or something. It was really just something about her that screamed emotional vampire. Can I just say again that it was really tiring having her around all the time?

Anyway, one thing led to another and she went home to her mother. She was quite proud when she said that she waved a thousand-peso bill at her mother as she asked her if she really wasn't going to talk to her anymore and her mother grabbed the bill. Is that weird or what?

So, Milenyo came and went and she had to stay with me again. It just so happened that she after she came out of the bathroom, I heard the sound of running water, so I asked her if she left the faucet on or something. She said no, and that was that for me.

Then came the day when she went ahead and became unprofessional and basically a brat in the office. She was mad at everyone and would make "singhal" to people. She got a memo kasi per an incident report filed on her. And she took that anger out on me and us.

After that whole phase was over and she apologized, she told me the reason she was mad at me was because of the whole faucet thing.

I'm like, WTF? But hey, sure, whatever, let's go back to how we were before you revealed your true personality.

I didn't forget though.

Then the other day, we were at lunch, her, me, and our supervisor Jen. We bought some food outside, so we were using styrofoam plates and plastic spoons and forks, and there were plastic bags for us three. We were done eating and I was gathering the containers to put in the trash, and Jen asked, "Ba't ba ang hilig mo magligpit ng basura?" So I said, "Para malinis na agad." And she goes, "Kasi basurera yang si Ana eh."

Hmm...

All conversations are approximate, by the way, coz I can't remember the exact words, but they run along the same lines.

How would you react if you were told that?

There's nothing wrong with being a basurera -- it's an honorable and clean way to make a living, but...

Then yesterday, I think everyone already knew that I have a followup appointment with my allergologist -- something that I've resceduled three times already before I finally went -- and yesterday was the day that I went to my doctor. Anyway, the editor from the first shift, Clifford, who shares the computer with me... Clifford and I were talking and she asked if I was going to go ahead with my appointment. I said yes, Clifford asked where (I think), and before I could respond, she said, "Sa OB-GYNE pupunta sa Ana mamaya," in that nakakaloko tone of voice. Pangungutya ba. So I turned to her and told her, but with a smile, "Nakakainis ka na ha."

By the way, I am so not putting her name here. Which reminds me, I have to delete part of an entry I made that has her name in it. After I finish the story.

She asked me why and so I told her that she already knew that I had a followup appointment with the doctor I saw regarding my allergy and she had to go and say that?

I mean, don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with going to see an OB-GYNE, really every female should visit one regularly, but the way she said it implied something dirty and something shameful.

I wouldn't be surprised if she perceives seeing an OB-GYNE as shameful and dirty. And don't get me started on her taste in boyfriends... argh.

Anyway, she may asked me another question and I mentioned the conversation the other day about her calling me basurera and I asked her if that was the way she saw me. She went, "Sige, hindi na kita bibiruin." I said, "Thank you."

And she's been cold towards me since then. Which is not really that big a kawalan to me personally since she's not really a friend friend to me. As long as she can relate to me civilly with regards to work, I'm fine with that.

I do have a question though, who should apologize? From my point of view, I don't have anything to apologize for. But the way I see it, she has to apologize to me, right?

Opinions?

I certainly am civil with her when we talk about work, but she's walking the borderline between coldly civil and civil.

To the right

I'm paraphrasing the first line of Beyonce's newest release from her album, and I forgot the title of the song. Basta, it's about the woman talking about she can replace the man in her life in a minute since he's really not worth her time anymore. I got the feeling that he was cheating on her or something so she asked him to leave.

Go girl!

Anyway, I'm actually referring to my seatmate, yet again, to the right.

Hah, did that make sense?

Ah well, you and me both...

As ever, she opened her mouth and ticked me off. What else is new. I know I should really not take her any more seriously than I would a blade of grass, but sometimes, things come to a head and you have to let out the pressure of you'll implode. Know what I mean?

At eto naman po kami, malamig na naman sya sa akin. And I ask you, is that such a kawalan to me, personally?

I don't think so. After ko sya kupkupin nung maglayas sya, ganyan ugali nya sa akin? I don't think so. After that pabalang-balang na reason nya why she had the gall to make singhal to me that day when she was maarte and not being responsible and professional?

Hah.

Obvious ba na galit ako?

That's why I'm doing this during work -- that and I'm half-day today since I'm going to the doctor again. Hay, there's another story to that. I'll have to make time tomorrow to make that entry so that it's more coherent.

Backstabbing Boy

Hah, though I thought I'd put in Backstreet Boy, but hey, I happen to like the boyband ^__^ and I don't want to sully the name.

Anyway, there's this guy here... See, the history behind this whole rant is that we're kinda in competition with each other. It just so happens that I came into the company a few days after he did, so that makes us sort of batch-mates, right? Thing is, I had to take that whole month off coz of my operation, right? So I kinda figure he thinks he's some sort of big cheese now or something like that. Add that to the fact that one of our higher-ups fancy him and he knows it...

You get the drift.

Thing is, just today, I was the one asked by our supervisor to do something and he takes it upon himself to do this task. Why you ask? Because I figure he assumed that since he's technically older than me in the company, he gets to do these tasks, even though I was the one asked to do that particular task.

Annoying and irritating and I just fucking hate his guts right now, but of course, I smile at him

^__^;;

Halloween Costume Contest

*hmph*

Guess I lost. At least, I wasn't the one with the least number of votes... Here's my costume:



It's not much, but I like the wings.


And now, all I have to worry about is the Christmas Party. What to wear?!

Belated Happy Birthday Ems!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMS!!



Gomen for the late greeting, I had a slight crisis with my blog *sniff* and I had no idea what went wrong.

But it's all better now!

I still haven't gone to the cemetery coz I had work -- double pay! -- and I don't know when I'll go or if I'll go at all.

As usual, I'm the only MT left in the office as I was fixing the error in my blog, not to mention looking for resorts the second shift could go to on an outing this Thanksgiving Day ^__^

feifu: I got directions to Villa Alfredo somewhere, no contact info though.

Ja!

The Guys' Rules (stolen from feifu's blog)

The Guys' Rules

At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down.
Finally, the guys' side of the story. (I must admit, it's pretty good.)
We always hear "the rules" from the female side.
Now here are the rules from the male side.
These are "their" rules!
Please note: these are all numbered "1" ON PURPOSE!

1. Men are NOT mind readers.

1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.

1. Sunday sports. It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.

1. Shopping is NOT a sport. And NO, we are never going to think of it that way.

1. Crying is blackmail.

1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one: Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do not work! Just say it!

1. Yes and No are perfectly ACCEPTABLE answers to almost every question.

1. Come to us with a problem only IF you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

1. A headache that lasts for 17 months is a problem. See a doctor.

1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 days.

1. If you won't dress like the Victoria's Secret girls, don't EXPECT us to act like soap opera guys.

1. If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask us.

1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.

1. You can either ask us to do something OR tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

1. Whenever possible, PLEASE say whatever you have to say during commercials.

1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.

1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.

1. If it itches, it will BE scratched. We do that.

1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," We will act like nothing's wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.

1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, expect an answer you don't want to hear.

1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine...Really.

1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball, the shotgun formation, or golf.

1. You have enough clothes.

1. You have too many shoes.

1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!

1. Thank you for reading this. Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight; but did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.

(To all men...LAUGH HARD. To all women...LAUGH HARDER.)

RO2 IS BACK!!

It all started with an email to the ML, by yours truly, regarding, of all things, the Laruku event. I was hoping to rope someone into going with me to UP but, alas, no one replied in time, not to mention that I was supposed to go somewhere else that day as well.

Ah well, maybe another day, ne?

I may not have gone to the event then, but I was able to get the emails going back and forth. And we agreed to have a meet-up. After all, it’s been what, 4 years, since we last saw each other. We set the date for Saturday, 14 October 2006, time at around 4 p.m., location at the McCafe, Glorietta, and the people members of RO2 ^_^

It was exciting and surreal at the same time. Exciting coz I’ll be able to see these people who I share an interest with, and surreal coz, what the hell do I have in common with these people anymore anyway? It’s been 4 years!!

Saturday came. I went to the office as usual but earlier than usual since the team had a meeting at 6 a.m. and I didn’t bring anything except my cell phone, wallet, cap, and handkerchief as I was thinking, I don’t want to have anything that I could possibly loose sight off and loose, period.

I left the office with a small paper bag containing some facial products that a trainer in the office was using and she was sure I would like. When she mentioned the product to me days ago, I wanted to try it coz I’ve been breaking out like crazy and I want to have the skin I had when I was in college.

But anyway, I’m digressing.

Saturday came. I left the office at around 330 p.m. and I got to the McCafe around 4 p.m. Only then did I remember that I haven’t seen these people for over 4 years! I may not recognize them!

Wehehehe

Long segue shot, I met up with Joy first. Of course, one of the guards was already eyeing me with an evil eye – guess he thought I could be one of the poor customers who are there for the sale, that idiot – before Joy got there.

We settled down at a table in McCafe, got talking and laughing and talking and laughing ad infinitum until Ivy got there with her boyfriend and the cycle repeated all over again. Then Jojit (sp?) visited – she was actually meeting with Joy – and the cycle was on again. And Vinnie got there and then Robert was the last one to arrive.

We moved to McDo for dinner and more conversation and laughter, and during dinner, Gem called from the US! It was great talking with her, even though I didn’t get to talk to her for very long – only long enough to hand the phone over to Joy and the others. I’ll email her though and make kwento. I hope she emails back ^__^

Seriously though, we discussed projects for RO2 next year. Syempre, we need volunteers, which is where Robert comes in.

Did I mention that Joy is Gem’s heir apparent and successor for RO2 leadership? Yay!

Back to the projects: We have 4 possible projects – a soup kitchen feeding program run by a church in Malate, Habitat for Humanity, Gawad Kalinga, and a medical-dental mission. We’ll see how everything goes and but we’re shooting for summer to do one of the projects. For one, most of the cosplayers nowadays are in highschool and school needs to be out so they could participate, aye? And if we’re going to do something for kids in an orphanage or something, they have to be out of school as well.

*sigh*

If only offices have summer vacations too…

That means we have a lot of time to plan, to decide on a project, to get sponsors, to finalize partnerships, and to get the word out that RO2 is back ^__^

Personally, I want to get back to cosplaying as well. I want to have new costumes and I want to walk down the catwalk again. I want to experience the rush again. I miss that, performing.

Who knew huh?

After we closed down the mall ^__^ we all moved the party (officially an RO2 meeting) to Joy’s house. For the record, it was a beautiful house and a part of me wants to use her house’s description for my story Illusion ^__^;; Hi Joy!! I’m still thinking about it though as I already have an idea of what the houses in the Illusion look like, but as for the interior… hehehe fair game!

While at Joy’s we went to the third floor bar area and played… Uno Stacko! It was my first time playing the game, and while fun and enjoyable to do with friends, it’s a really, really, really stressful and heart-stopping game. It’s easy enough the first few turns, and since we agreed that we would stabilize the whole tower first before we went evil, it was easy enough. It was when we would get to the part when we get blocks from the sides and from below that the game gets interesting.

One game had the block tower balanced on just one block! That was fun. We all thought it would be a quick game, but it went on far longer than we hoped. The last game was a doozy, especially the last minutes. I was worried coz we had the blocks balanced around halfway the tower on single blocks, and it was nearing my turn!! Thank the gods for Draw Two and Reverse, whew!

All in all, it was a fun day. Of course, by the time I got back to the apartment, I had been awake for a full 24 hours. I was feeling sleepy around at around the 23-hour mark, but that last game sure woke me up. Kudos to Robert for being such a good sport and handling my Reverse really well ^_^ Also to Sherwin, Ivy’s boyfriend, who I have taken to calling Sherwin the Builder.

It looks like RO2 is coming back for sure, so watch out for us and our projects and our cosplays and events.

-o-o-o-

“We dictated, therefore you are. All in favor, say aye!”

“Aye!”

And that was the way we officially voted for Joy to be the RO2 president.

Thanks Charles!

-o-o-o-

Also, I think I've only just recovered from that 24-hour straight thing, something that I ought to start getting used to again. Heck, the last time I stayed up that late -- 3 days, actually, I think -- was back in college!

Friend no more

Ma-drama ba?

^__^

I have this officemate who I considered a friend a while back. She's not a friend anymore, as she's turning out to be a major bitch.

See, I was sitting in my cubicle, and we're side-by-side, so it's not like we could avoid each other even if we wanted to, waiting for my files to download. Is it my fault that one of our supervisors talked with her about her recent behaviour (and I wouldn't say aberrant behaviour coz I have a feeling that this current behaviour she is displaying is the real her, no matter how she behaved in the past)? She had the gall to tell me, "Ana, wag ka muna makinig."

Punyeta sya.

What the fuck do I care about her? She's leaving the office in the middle of the workday and when she gets a written warning about it, she gets huffy? Fuck that! She's being irresponsible! And frankly, a source of such negative energy, it's draining to sit next to her and acknowledge her existence. Kaya what I do is either pretend she's non-existent or just talk to her only when I need to.

And where does she get off being this huffy diva? It's not like she's that good of an editor. The only reason she and I got promoted was that we were one of the pioneers here and we were expanding. Who do you promote anyway, someone who's already been doing the work or someone new? Duh.

One would think she'd put more effort into her work, try her best, and learn more. But does she? Of course not! Her favorite thing to say when she can't understand or doesn't know what to do with the dictation, "Hayaan na lang yan, bwisit sila. Babalik din yan."

Huh.

Wonder when she'd get fired...

And this is something that I just noticed. When the others are having trouble with their files, they approach me or the other editors, never her. In recent memory, I cannot recall anyone approach and ask for her help.

Wonder what that means...

...That was sarcasm.

Grr... inis na inis ako sa kanya kanina, buti na lang marunong pa akong magtimpi. Kasi I was already imagining the numerous ways I would take her down if and when she decides to attack me, physically at least. She has to throw the first punch and in front of witnesses. Then I can go crazy and beat the crap out of her.

quiz time

This is me...

Your Birthdate: April 25

You excel at anything difficult or high tech. In other words, you're a total (brilliant) geek. It's difficult for you to find people worth spending time with. Which is probably why you'll take over the world with your evil robots! Your strength: Your unfailing logic Your weakness: Loving machines more than people Your power color: Tan Your power symbol: Pi Your power month: July

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

This is him...

Your Birthdate: August 7

You are an island. You don't need anyone else to make you happy. And though you see yourself as a loner, people are drawn to you. Deep and sensitive, you tend to impress others with your insights. You also tend to be psychic - so listen to that inner voice! Your strength: Your self sufficiency Your weakness: You despise authority Your power color: Maroon Your power symbol: Hammer Your power month: July

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

^__^

My baby's back!

But not wholly back...

Ah well, at least he's there so I can at the very least re-read and read once more all the stories that I've written and maybe, just maybe, get enough inspiration to write the next chapters ^__^

*hopeful*

The inis in the office... hmm... what can I say? One minute we were friends, the next minute, we're not. It's quite funny actually, but not really as I have no idea what transpired to make that happen. It's confusing, but as I know I didn't do anything, I'll just carry on as I have and not mind the situation. It's the other party's call if the friendship that we had(have) is something easily discarded.

*hah*

When in Rome... ah, new haircut ^__^

every heart

just coz i'm listening to BoA's song right now.

and i thini have too many things i want to say that i can't make a coherent thought right now... then again, it could be that i'm way too irritated as well.

back-stabbing with a side of revenge please

I thought he was a friend, a colleague. I guess he's still a colleague, but I don't think he can be a real friend now, after what he's done.

It's really kinda petty, if you think about it.

It all started when word got to him that we know of this thing he has with someone. What of it, aye? Were we not supposed to see when it's right out there in front of our eyes? Were we not supposed to notice? Merde...

Then he goes ahead and hits us from behind, to the effect that we're not really doing the best the could do with what we're supposed to do coz we're doing something else.

Do I really have to be this vague, you ask? Yes, coz for all I know he and they read my blog. Let's just say that I'm outing my feelings here coz I can't, not really, in RL.

I don't like him. I don't like his attitude at all.

I feel like I have to watch whatever it is I do around him in case he reports me or something. Bleeding buggering hell... If that's the kind of friend he is, I don't care to know him at all now.

merde

I have no idea why, but I was and still am feeling out-of-sorts today. It could be because I lost my internet connection yesterday and I spent a couple or so hours doing nothing. Or it coul be because I just went out of my way to have someone angry at me, nice person that I am and not so nice person that she is. Or it could be because I just received another confirmation about my character, which I really should be used to, considering.

I don't know.

I don't feel happy.

I mean, I've never really been happy happy, but other times, I have been glad that I'm doing what I'm doing, that I'm bleeding breathing and still alive, that I have friends I can talk and relate with.

Not quite sure, but maybe, what I'm feeling is... loneliness? emptyness? dissatisfaction? frustration?

Isn't It Any Wonder?

Yesterday, I got sick in the office. No, I didn't throw up though I was tempted to just to ease that really bad feeling but I didn't. It was just a headache and a fever, no biggie, which was taken care of, brilliantly, by 2 paracetamol tablets ^__^

Yesterday, when I was on the bus, a man suffered an attack of some sort. He just slumped onto the woman next to him and she was the one who told everyone within hearing distance that the man had an attack. He was having difficulty breathing and some spittle was sliding down his mouth. The driver and the conductor told the traffic aide who then proceeded to call a cab and some guys carried him out to the cab with his things. Presumably, the cab driver was told that his passenger was having an attack of some sort and that he should take him to the hospital. Presumably. Ot I'm just being a cynic again.

Yesterday, I slept while angry. What else is new?

Yesterday, himself and I talked some for a while as I waited for the time so I could go. It was just chatting about some stuff that we both had an interest in, namely anime and figurines and mecha models.

Yesterday, I wanted to kill someone.

Yesterday, I had to live.

Don't you dare give me an ultimatum

Pretty heavy stuff huh?

Let's get the setting out of the way so you'll understand the context. I am currently at home, in front of my own computer (which is kinda debatable since my laptop is my computer not this PC desktop at home), listening to some online music, and yes, it is pretty late at night. I'm actually just waiting for the time (like some sunlight please) so I could start on my laundry.

I do know how to wash clothes, you know, as long as there's a washing machine since it makes my life a heck of a lot easier. I also can handwash but why bother when the washing machine is so conveniently there?

I really should have gone home a lot earlier, but I just bought the Inuyasha movie 3 cd and I watched it last night. Go Sesshoumaru! He's still... himself. A proud dog-demon who searches for himself and his purpose, even though I doubt he'll agree to that assessment (Fluffy, put the Toukijin down please. It's not polite to threaten people with that really sharp dangerous object.)

I slept late, I woke up late, and I so don't like being woken up with the one after another text tones. Yeesh, give me a break, wilyah? Really have to give serious thought to what Omar says he does during his days off, which is to turn off his cell phone. That way, I won't wake up aggravated. Then again, I've never really (haven't I?) turned my phone off for a period of time, unless I happen to have run out of battery and there's no charger in sight.

So I look at my messages and darn it, it's from my BIL "how are you" and "we haven't heard anything from you in a long time" and "we still think of you". I mean, eurgh! Not this early! And not even that, please, especially the last one. Eurgh!

Here's the thing: His wife, my sister (duh) was the one who gave me an ultimatum, which I think her husband heavily influenced. It went along the lines of, "You stop interacting with your other sister (who happens to be one of the banes of my life at times, but what can you do when it's family eh?) OR I won't support you anymore/give you money anymore and I won't pay for your condo."

Erh, hello... already working...? with a paycheck every 15 days...? I'm the one paying for the condo...?

The nerve!

She gave the ultimatum to me through Chikka when she was texting me when I was recovering from my surgery and I was, I think, about to return to work the next week. Needless to say, I was infuriated, not to mention irritated and angry and mad and just effing insulted. So what the bloody hell if he paid for my 6-month training at MTC? He wants me to bloody worship him and say "aye" to every single bloody thing he "suggests"? What am I? His pet poodle?

Nuh-uh, no way.

So what if this sister of mine irritates the life out of me at times when she's being so bloody annoying and clingy and just plain too involved in my life to the point of wanting to be me in my life? She's blood, she's family. He's not blood, he's family by marriage, and we all know how temporary those things are in the States, what with the divorce rates and all. It's like nothing's sacred anymore.

Speaking of which, oh gods, I can't believe Richie Sambora left Heather Locklear for Denise Richards! I know I'm late with the news (can't help it if I only pay half the attention I should on such matters) but I just a pic of Denise Richards and Richie Sambora together, and I was like, oh my gods, no!

Enough about that. Just had to get that out *sniff*

-o-o-o-

Job Fair

Our company had a job fair last week -- can't believe I almost forgot about that! -- and I was the one who was asked to go to the meeting. Hah, actually Marco was the one who said he'd go but he said he might be going somewhere at the same time the meeting was supposed to be so he asked me to go, which I was more than happy to do ^___^ For one thing, himself was there and it was experience ^__^

Meeting, meeting, meeting, and I didn't get to finish the meeting coz Glenn said he was taking the whole team out to lunch and they were going to leave me behind, the blighters. In hindsight, I shouldn't have worried coz he was probably going to be asked to lunch as well and they couldn't really leave me behind since I was in the meeting with him.

Then the whole team when to lunch and thank the gods for friends like Michelle who managed to get us seats with me next to him.

Note to self (and feifu): Need codename. Can't really keep calling him him, eh? Kinda reminds me of that pink Him in the PPG... argh, bad mental image.

So. Lunch. Since Glenn was our visitor and he was American (erh) we had to spend the whole time conversing in English since we had to include him in our conversation so he wouldn't feel so left out.

Talk, talk, talk ^___^

Let's skip over to the job fair itself. It was a 2-day affair so of course I was present the whole two days. As he was ^__^

Aside from the whole purpose of the job fair, which is to get manpower for the company, which meant I had to give exams and interview a lot of prospective colleagues and assist the other people involved in the job fair in any way that I can, I saw those two days as a chance to spend time with him in a nonwork-type of setting, although it was technically really work we were doing.

Nevertheless, it was a chance, and I took it gladly. Mostly, we just hung out during the first few hours of the first day -- it was a slow morning, but it picked up around 10 -- and we watched this short film about call centers online. We didn't have speakers and he let me have the headset so I could follow along -- he's probably seen it a lot of times already.

We had breakfast, lunch, and dinner together, along with the rest of the people involved in the job fair. I also rode with him when it was time to go. Granted, someone else was with us in the car, but it was the idea that counted, right?

Gah, I am so inexperienced with this, and this feels kinda highschoolish. Foolish.

-o-o-o-

I am watching a lot of Ayumi Hamasaki videos online now. I find her music fun and a wake-me-upper, barring Dearest which has a slow tempo, but I like it since I could sing along to it. I think I'm improving, voice-wise, post thyroid surgery and all. Not that I lost my voice at all, but I find that I couldn't reach the high notes as well as I did before my surgery, that's all.

-o-o-o-

I think he's quite dense if he doesn't already know. Either that or he just doesn't want to know. Or the people who do know haven't told him or insinuated anything about it at all. If it's the latter case, kudos to them! I don't really want to think about the two other options.

Heck, I've got a right to my illusions, even if they are just a step away from being delusions.

-o-o-o-

another 15 minutes please

And so the story goes, and for the 2nd time this week, we are actually done with work before our end of shift.

Damn it, I don't need to edit myself here, do I?

Anyway, we had a meeting before even starting on work. Blah-blah-blah and meeting meeting meeting. I had fun with that, as we were discussing what we should be doing so what we do could be consistent. As it is, we all have different editing styles, but it's a lot more convenient if we have a kind of master edit thing, eh? For consistency.

Good thing we only had a few number of jobs so we didn't have to rush and be bedraggled and harrassed. So now we've been basically in front of our computers for the past, oh 2 hours, I think, doing whatever.

Piccies! Only I have so few of them here that I'm quite shy about uploading them.

Yeah, and I'm rambling now. Don't really know what to write about...

Illusion: Oh yeah, I am so deluding myself that I can write THAT here.

Countdown: Not even going to touch that.

I can't even fathom what I'm going to do about my other stories and how the hell I'm going to make heads and tails of what I want to happen and what the characters will let me make happen there.

Slow to burn

Won't you say that it takes a long time and a lot of instances to anger me? That I'm slow to burn, as it were? That I have a long patience? That I haven't really lost my temper nor have I had a temper fit, ever?

I mean, sure, I can irritated as hell with something or someone, but not a real full-blown temper at anyone, aye?

Well, people, I am really close to that right at this moment.

But no, I am not mad at someone in particular, more like something in particular, and I don't get restitution, I am going to be really mad, really soon.

See, I'm normally fast at what I do, and I mean fast. Because my beloved computer, Diego, who is going to be scrap metal soon, was fast, but ever since we moved to the new office building, soon-to-be-scrap-metal-Diego-compy has slowed down considerably, especially with these two programs that we have to use with work, and damn it all to hell and back again through the river styx and all the levels of hell and damnation, I want those two programs to speed the hell up!!!

And what really ticks me off is that they're really slow only with my computer!! How irritating is that?! My productivity is being affected, not to mention my good humor and my patience, and I can't bloody well stand it anymore!!

I WANT SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, GODDAMNIT!!

So, I already talked to 3 IT people and here's what they said:

Ann: Try mo disk clean-up, otherwise, baka reformat na katapat nyan. Back up mo na files nyo.

Omar: Hayaan mo na lang.

JP: Mag disk clean-up tayo. Back-up na lang tayo sa server.

Of course those conversations were a few days ago, so forgive me if I adlib a bit on their statements, but you get the gist of what they said.

Now, I understand if they're feeling overworked and overwhelmed what with relocating to the new office and they have to connect and do all the IT things that they do to make the company functional and all that, but argh!!

Frustrating as hell!!

I'm just thankful that I have something to keep me from blasting this piece of CPU crap into itty-bitty little pieces.

Hah.

New Shift

Starting this week, I will be on a new shift which is from 8AM to 4PM. And I was late on my first day in the new shift, for 12 minutes hehehe ^__^;; I really thought getting a bus at that time would be easier, but as it turned out, it wasn't, so I was late. Good thing we didn't have that many files to deal with, otherwise, we'll be staying on until later. As it is, we only have a normal number of files.

Also, we moved offices last week, so now, we're in this spanking brand-new office and it's really cold, with a functional airconditioning - yay!

What else happened... aside from the OTs and stuff...

Oh yeah, Jen's wedding. Hah, I don't have a picture, yet, but as soon as I can get one, I'll see what I can do to have it scanned and posted here. Of course, I wore the old rose dress with a gold-speckled black cardigan thing something and the black shoes. Yo, feifu, I wore pink! *sweatdrop*

I was afraid that we would be late for the service -- we left the office past 6PM and the mass was at 7PM in New Manila! -- but Marco was a knowledgeable driver and he got us there in the nick of time ^__^ and I got to read for the ceremony, something that I have not done in a long time, since high school I think.

I would have loved to stay on until whenever at the reception, but stuff happens, i.e., Marco's dad called and asked Marco to come pick him up earlier, which of course he did. Since Marco was the one with the car, Mich, Ann, and I had to skip earlier and leave almost as soon as we finished dinner. We didn't get to watch the rest of the traditional ceremony stuff during the reception, but I must say, the food was quite good.

I suppose it can't be helped, me thinking about marriage and weddings and all that comes with it, having just recently attended one. Thing is, I can't really get a clear picture in my head of what my wedding would be, if I'm going to get married, that is. Scary thought, really, being alone for the rest of your days... assuming that I want to live through the rest of my days.

Aren't I the one with the promise that I won't live beyond my 35th birthday? I want to add a codicil, that I won't live beyond my 35th birthday if and when I am not happy. If I'm happy, I'm giving myself another 3 years, if a bullet or something else doesn't get me first.

^__^

Ain't life grand?

still at work

Big Five Word Test Results

Extroversion (15%) very low which suggests you are extremely reclusive, quiet, unassertive, and secretive. Accommodation (52%) medium which suggests you are moderately kind natured, trusting, and helpful while still maintaining your own interests. Orderliness (64%) moderately high which suggests you are, at times, overly organized, neat, structured and restrained at the expense too often of flexibility, variety, spontaneity, and fun. Emotional Stability (52%) medium which suggests you are moderately relaxed, calm, secure, and optimistic. Inquisitiveness (35%) moderately low which suggests you are, at times, overly small minded, traditional, and conventional at the expense of intellectual curiousity, possibility, and progress.

Take Free Big Five Word Choice Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

Yes, I am still at work and no I am not slacking off. I am just taking a moment for myself to breathe a bit...

something really fast

I'm at the office -- it's OT! -- and I just finished marking the exams of the 3 applicants. I don't know if I'm just being difficult in the marking or what, but... ah well, we'll see what Jen has to say about them.

Something else about me...

Oh yeah, I bought a dress for the wedding ^__^ It's in old rose with some vertical detailing. I can't show a picture of it coz, surprise, I don't have a phone camera and I don't have a digital camera. Also bought shoes for that, only it's black and kinda low with just an inch of heel. Which is good for me coz anything higher and I get the feeling that I'm going to fall one way or another. I think it'll be okay. If not, then I can always get another pair of shoes come payday, aye?

Speaking of shoes, also bought a pair of sandals, and they're pink. They're also comfy but they're pink. It was really an impulse buy sort of thing, but I was also thinking I could use it for the office when I don't want to wear my other sandals or my rubber shoes or my boots or the black shoes... I guess I have a number of pairs of shoes now *sweatdrop* It's not really a sin, is it, to like shoes and want to have them?

What else did I do in the mall yesterday? Aside from walking so much since I went to 3 malls before buying anything. Found some really nice clothes but they wouldn't fit me. Guess that's wake-up call for me to loose weight, and believe me I will loose weight. Thing is, I can't loose that much weight to be able to fit into something slinky for the wedding, but I will definitely loose weight. Ne, minna-san, remember my last semester at college? I want to look like that again. Let's see if I can hunt up a pic of me in my graduation dress...



Looks good.

15 minutes

So yeah, I have 15 minutes left here in the office and I figured since I'm not going to worry about anyone from here reading my blog, I might as well update.

What can I update with...

Well, I went to Mall of Asia with my brothers. It was big, kinda weird and interesting architecture, but it was big. Didn't get to explore as much as I wanted to since I was with them, but I figure if and when I can go there on my own or with someone else other than family, I can explore it to my heart's content ^__^

"S.O." said Michelle, who is currently reading over my shoulder.

Michelle, my office-mate and friend here, not the other Michelle who happens to be my "landlady" of sorts.

Speaking of Michelle, she and I and Anne and Marco went to Landmark after work yesterday. In a kinda frantic way, we went through the ladies' section looking for shoes for Michelle and dress and shoes for me. We're going to attend a wedding of our officemate Jen, and I have nothing to wear!!

See, I have this dress already, my graduation dress, but it's black and Jen said her Dad doesn't like black so I am left in a palaver of sorts, since almost all of my clothes are black. So, solution? Shopping trip tomorrow for shoes and a dress. And it has to be formal.

Here's to hoping I find something in my size and something that I could be comfortable with and shoes that I can walk in. I really can't imagine me walking on a thin stiletto-type heel kind of shoe... I'll be too scared to move. I can just hear my ankle bones breaking *shivers*

Oh look, my 15 minutes are almost up ^__^

Date with Jack

^_________^ and in case you need a translation, that's a very, very wide grin. I just can't seem to stop grinning whenever I think of Jack ^________^ He's a funny and lovable character, and yet kinda tragic too at the same time.

So anyway, I was set to go to the office after running this brief errand -- hah! I was getting the laundry from this very far laundry shop, which reminds me, I have to look for one that's way nearer -- but after figuring that I'll be late anyway and the laundry wasn't done, I decided to skip work and just meet up with Jack. Real conscientious of me, aye?

Yeah, that's him running towards me *cheeky grin*



We had a grand old time, did I mention that?

We went to see a movie, twice, and had a bite to eat before going home. I would have loved to have him come home with me, but he said he had this thing he had to do, save his soul or some such thing. Being the nice person that I am, I let him do what he had to do. After all, what's a man without his soul anyway? We did make plans to meet up again next year when he comes this way as he is most certainly going to do. If he doesn't there'll be hell to pay, that I can tell you without reservation.

in the office

Oh yeah, what time is it? It's 12:23 a.m. 23 July 2006 Sunday, and it's officially my day off ^__^ Guess where I am?

*sigh*

In the office. Isn't it great?

*sigh*

Just think OT. Just think OT. Just think OT. Just think OT. Just think OT.

That's what I tell myself, but really, it is really is okay for me to stay this late since... well, I haven't got anything else to do. I mean, I could go out and do stuff outside, but really, it's BORING when you're alone. I am so not taking my sister out on gimiks. That would just be so... eurgh. No thank you, you can have her.

For crying out loud, I live with her already, in one room. Can't I have my two days away from the office away from her as well? I need my space. I need to breathe air that she's not breathing. I want to be with other people.

Oh sure, you can argue that the people in the office are the other people I'm surrounded with at other times, but all we do, especially these days, is work and work and work and work.

Oh gods, I can't believe I opened and am updating my blog here in the office...! Ah well, I don't think he's going to bother himself with looking through my internet history or anything. He hasn't even bothered with me the past week.

Hmph.

Oh yeah, almost all my colleagues know about him *sigh* I can't really plead not my fault, since my face gave me away when they were teasing me. Gods, isn't there something that could be taken to take away the blush complex? Really need one especially when they really get into teasing me, when he's still in the office. Heck, maybe that's why he's not talking to me anymore the past week. Maybe he got awkward or something.

Ah well, let him be. If he doesn't pay attention to me, I can sure as hell not pay (overt) attention to him, aye?

-o-o-o-

It is now 2:21 a.m. and while I really should maybe sleep, I'm not really that sleepy, so why not blog, right? The last entry here was from May, if I'm not mistaken, so why don't we go back to June and go through some of what happened then, aye?

First off, the diva or divo of the office of our team, got let go *waves bye bye* And that was after he told me he was making me a junior editor. The position stuck, and the junior has been deleted by now, but he didn't so there. Happy days, mate!

So yeah, the second big thing that happened to me then would be my being upgraded to editor. I still transcribe, once in a while when the MTs are swamped, but mostly, I spend the work hours editing and editing and editing some more. It's a heck of a deal, you know, since I don't have to bust my hands typing away all the time. All I really have to do is listen and listen well to the audio files coz they miss words and worse case, sentences. But it's cool ^__^

I'll be back to transcribing next month anyway, since I'll be handling the other account again. It's just a couple of days a week and the files are really few those days anyway, so I have free time, which I can spend either sleeping or surfing or daydreaming or writing. I don't actually know if I could write here. I mean, it's not really an ideal place to weave stories in. We have cubicles but it's not that private especially arranged the way we are. Ah well, we'll see.

The bad thing though about being assigned to those days is that I won't see him as much since those days are his days off ^__^;;

Ack, stay away from that topic for a bit.

So what else happened to me in June?

Nothing really much other than what I've already put in above. I'm getting sleepy anyway, so I think I'll just hunker down on my table (good thing I still have a pillow here eh?) and sleep for a few hours until it's light and I could go where hopefully, I could get another few hours sleep before being bothered to get up and do something.

Ciao!

surgery and dreams

So... this is the first time that I've let myself stay in front of the computer for some time since my surgery. Heck, I could barely move properly afterwards so I guess since I'm somewhat a lot more mobile than I was before, it makes sense that I put some thoughts downon "paper".

As previously discussed (naks!), I was admitted to the hospital the day before the surgery so I could have some rest, since getting admitted was an event and a headache all by itself. Gods, it took us half a day to get me admitted, like 8am to 12nn. Is it just me or are they really slow and inefficient?

So, after which, on the day of the surgery itself, I had to have an IV drip, just dextrose and I had to take half a pill of something that the nurses said would keep my stomach from eating itself since I'll be under for quite some time. And yeah, you have to be totally naked under the hospital gown. The surgical team just pushed down the gown so they could have a clear area of my throat anyway. It was funny, coz I didn't really expect to be unconscious that fast... it was like after my 4th inhale of the mask the anesthesiologist -- who was really nice, unlike that anesthesiologist in the other hospital, and she was interested in my toy Scrat (Ice Age 2) -- and the next thing I knew, I was waking up and thrashing about in the Recovery Room. I wasn't really myself I think until the 2nd day, coz I just felt woozy and dizzy.

Ah well... yada yada yada then I went home to rest. The End.

-o-o-o-

Resting for a long time is boring. Not being able to move about on your own is not cool. I guess that's why I'm kinda pushing myself a little so I could do things on my own already. I still have to watch it when I move or how I move, but I guess it's okay, as long as I get to my baseline ASAP.

It's a recently discovered thing that I don't really like not doing anything much. It could have much to do not having cable TV or internet access (but this one's been fixed, if only I could squeeze in between my nephews and their online game RAN), but I do have reading material. Never mind that I've read all of them and am now re-reading them.

I want my own computer. I want my laptop. I want to write my stories.

-o-o-o-

Dreams...

Oh yeah *silly grin*

I dreamt I was in the hospital, sleeping. I was just about to wake up when he came in and put his arms around me. There was murmured conversation, some smiles and touches, then he helped me sit up and he gave me something. All I know was that I was glad he was there and happy with what he gave me. I think I may have said his name out loud, but I can't be sure.

I don't actually remember a whole lot of the details but all I know is that he played an important part in the dream and in the series of dreams that followed that same night.

-o-o-o-

I think I'll be going to Manila next week for a follow-up blood test. I think my system's adjusted to the loss of my right thyroid and I'm hoping like hell that my T3 and T4 are within normal limits so I don't have to take L-thyroxine tablets for the rest of my life. Really detest taking medicine, even vitamins and supplements. Heck, my vitamin B complex tablets taste like eurgh.

of molars and pain

So yeah, the reason I was hospitalized was because of an infection, an abscess in my tooth. I've been to the dentist, and I so deserve bonus points for that as everyone should know by now that I have this phobia of dentists, and she's already removed one of the two molars infected. It's the second one that she and I are having difficulties with. She coz she can't find a hold on the darned thing that's not painful, and me coz it hurts like hell when she did find a place to pull.

An interesting conundrum, aye?

I've been back to her clinic for the third time and the most we have done is some cleaning and "magpa-pasta" of 3 surfaces that I don't even know they were there in the first place. Cleaning was... tingly ^__^

I am officially on my day off... erh, that is, I don't have to go to work later today, meaning for Sunday, and on Monday. If the supervisor calls and asks me to work on Monday -- heck, if he calls period -- it's either I am so not answering the phone or I'm going to have someone else answer and tell him that I'm indisposed. I am so not going to work on Monday! He's already emailed me that my days off this week would be Sunday and Monday. He already told us that he's sure Michelle could handle Monday alone... hah, if she does go to work, that is, but he doesn't know that.

I'll be going to the hospital soon, yey!

Scratch that, it's not going to be yey if and when it turns out that I'll be having a roommate. I don't even know where my room is going to be. *sigh* Maybe, as long as I don't think about the environs too much, I'll be okay. I'm not being a diva or "maarte" but there's something about being in a government hospital that just about freaks me out. I guess I'm used to being in a private hospital...

Ah well, I'll deal with it when the time comes, which is going to be in a few days anyway.

I've been good. After joking that I'm requiring my officemates to visit me in the hospital, I didn't remark on it again today, being my last day at work and all.

The Ins and Outs of being mugged

Ladies and gentlemen (whoever is reading this), around midnight of 30 March 2006, as I was walking down the road of the "village" I was staying in, I was mugged.

It was a typical night for me. I mean, it was the usual time that I would go to work since my shift starts at 1AM. I watched a bit of TV, got ready, went out the door, and started walking. As I was taking the slight turn before the arch -- it was dark there, no lamp light at all -- I heard footsteps behind me. I slowed down and turned to my right, where the footsteps where coming from. A smallish thin guy (smaller than me, his head reached until about my eyebrows, I think) in a brown ski mask, bluish-gray shirt, basket ball shorts of undetermined colors, in slippers, approached, took hold of my right shoulder and said as he was taking hold of my other shoulder, "Miss, wag kang sisigaw." ("Miss, don't scream.")

I put my hands up and pushed him back. "Ano ba?" ("What?")

He kept pushing me back so I screamed for help. (Gods, my siblings laughed at me when I said I literally screamed the word "HELP", coz they said I should have screamed it in Tagalog "SAKLOLO" so maybe someone could have come to help me.) Another guy, who I didn't notice came from behind me, my left side, taller than other but basically wearing the same type of clothes, and snatched my earring (It was one of the dangling pair, the ones that had two extensions attached to a stud that had a stone. I think they thought they were real -- duh, it was from SM.) In the process of snatching my earring, I could have sworn he hit the left side of my face. Stupid thief that he is, I think he forgot the back of the earring and he left the dangling part of my earring on my jacket, which I later found out at the house.

Oh yeah, NO ONE came to my aid even when I screamed. Really, really NICE of those people snug in their houses to do, aye?

After they got my earring, they scampered off and turned right towards what I was told was the main entrance/exit of the squatter's area behind the "village". The guy in the ski mask turned back as he was running, I think he wanted to see what I would do, and I was half-contemplating pursuit at that time. Instead, I went back to the lighted gym where there was a wake going on, and asked the people there if I could stay there awhile since some guys tried to mug me. I even asked them if they heard me scream, and the fat guy lounging on the plastic chair said he thought it was a dog. I think I glared at him in disbelief, that's why he wouldn't look me in the eye anymore.

I called my sister who called my sister-in-law who came to the gym -- it was really near the house -- and she brought her brothers-in-law and her parents as well. There really wasn't anything they could do but tell me that they would look for the guys tomorrow. I have no idea if they've found them -- I doubt it since even if they know the person who stole my manga (Japanese manga) before, they didn't do anything. Btw, the person who stole me manga and I suspect my other stuff before is named Rommel and he lives in the squatter's area behind the "village" -- but I kinda muttered I wanted first dibs on those two guys if and when they caught them. I have visions of cutting off their pinky fingers and with a knife, carving onto their faces "I'm a thief" so other people can know them. Honestly, even now, I wouldn't bat an eyelash if their bodies were found.

I think they were surprised that I would fight them and not be the meek victim and just let them do what they wanted. In hindsight, I think they were thinking of doing more than stealing from me. Btw, they didn't take my bag coz I don't think they saw where my bag is, as I was wearing my big jacket and it hid my bag. But I had screamed and I would have continued to scream and fight them. Maybe even remember that I have my cutter with me and I had a heavy flashlight in my hand.

The thing I regret most was that I didn't attempt to injure them more. I would have loved to say that I cut one of them in the face, as that would make easier identification.

Also, we didn't go to the police or the nonexistent barangay captain or the hospital. I don't think my sister-in-law's relatives wanted to "rock the boat" of their little community too much, since they had to "make nice" with those thieving people from behind the cement wall.

I hate those kind.

I know I really shouldn't generalize about the squatter's area, but you have to admit that my only basis for judgment is, quite frankly, horrible as they have already stolen from me. And now, two members of that "community" has mugged me and may even have had other nefarious ideas of what to do. I can care less if their little "community" had a devastating fire and killed all of them.

Harsh?

I don't think so. I would sleep better, definitely, and have an easier time leaving the house and not worry about having my things stolen from the house. Yes, they think nothing of coming in and stealing from people's houses, especially my sister-in-law's house since there is no lock and the kids when they're there don't care who comes in the house as long as they get to play their X-box. Horrid.

My left ear still hurts a bit but it's tolerable; aside from that, I wasn't really hurt. People could thank God that nothing else happened to me but I would thank Him even more if that hadn't happened to me and if there is an assurance that that wouldn't happen to me or to anyone else ever again. But people being people, I don't think I'll be sponsoring a thanksgiving mass any time soon in the future. Thieves will be thieves, they'll always be here in society, whether in such obvious situations -- being mugged -- or in the non-obvious situations.

On the Job

Well not really since my shift finished, oh 3 hours ago. It's really quite fun working, I found, but the one thing that I don't find fun is all the politicking and power-tripping and personalities that you have to go with and through just to be on the job.

*sigh*

Really, it's nothing new since you have to deal with people of the same ilk in life, but to be like that for the sole purpose of getting one up over another person... that's so... I don't know, crabby?

I am so not opening my blog in my computer at work heheheh Don't want anyone from there have access to my blog since I did write and do write about stuff there. Not really in names (at least I don't think so) but they are kinda clear to anyone who is in that particular milieu.

Why the hell am I blogging again?

Oh yeah, coz I'm at the net cafe and I wanted to write something. It's not particularly constructive or anything, but hey, anything just to get my fingers working in sync with my brain.

Is there a time limit to having a crush?

*LOL*

Yeah yeah yeah read between the lines of my previous post... there is someone that I like now, and obviously he's from work since that's the only place now that I can meet other people, i.e., guys. He's a nice enough person, quite caring. Of course, I have a feeling -- just a feeling, mind, but still a gut feeling -- that he already has a girlfriend. Isn't it true what they say? That all the good guys out there are either married, in the priesthood, are in serious relationships, or are gays. Hai.

I'll be the first to admit that in the looks department, he's definitely no James or Russell, much less a David, since David is really the most perfect of all perfect specimen of man ^______^ Personality-wise, I'd say he's David-esque, in that he's "maalagain" and gentle, though he does have something of a... well, something. Like, if he doesn't like someone, if that someone is not as dense as a rock, he'll probably get a clue that he doesn't like him. Something like that. Although if asked nicely, he'll help him out and even cajole some other people to help out, but he still won't like him.

Is that clear or what? I'm confused @__@;;

He can also be a bit of "gago" at times, but I don't know, I guess I'm still too close to the situation, he kinda makes it cute. Oh gods, can I melt onto the earth now?

A week on the job

Technically, I should have been on the job longer than week, but shit happens. Oh, I started on time; I started that Tuesday and all went well. My supervisor trained me for a couple of hours, I think, then I got started on live files to transcribe. It was cool and fun.

Come that Tuesday night, I had a fever of 39.5, which didn't want to go down. My sister-in-law did the old tried and tested method of sponging me off with cold water, and I must say it worked up to a point, then my temperature went up again. It was kinda fun -- I was rooting for a temp of 40, btw -- it felt like an out of body experience but not quite. I was aware of what was going on around me and with me, but at the same time, it felt like I was watching from beside me.

Wednesday morning, I was confined to the hospital. Cool thing was I got to ride in a wheelchair, which would have been cooler if I could have driven it myself. Though seeing as I was hooked to an IV and feeling woozy, I probably would have driven into a wall and laughed myself silly. What do they put in those IV things anyway, besides the necessary nutrients etc?

I was confined for 3 days; my temp just didn't want to come down the 1st day, though they gave me a really strong antibiotic, they said. Ack, it was fine when it was delivered piggy-back but when it was a shot through the port, ack, it felt like they were manually widening my vein. Oh gods, and that nurse! On my 2nd night, the IV was removed cause my left wrist was getting swollen -- meaning the needle wasn't in right, right? -- and they attempted to put the IV in my right hand. The bloody nurse had the needle in already but she did something and up it went, taking with it some of my skin. And it hurt like crazy too, let me tell you. Can I sue the nurse? So the other nurse went and got a doctor to put in my IV, and he did okay, until the blood burst from my vein through the IV needle coz he said he forgot to close it or something. I really wasn't paying much attention coz one, I don't like needles being stuck in me, and two, I was watching TV. Bloody doctor ran out of my room when he saw the blood spurt out and the nurse with him told us they had a toxic patient they were watching over.

Anyway, hospital confinement is okay as long as you don't share your room with someone under police protection whose companions have no consideration for others, or with someone who had a stroke and is on O2 and everything else and who keeps moaning out loud and whose companion does not pay attention to the patient. Really go for getting your own room, and getting cable TV when you're at it as well. Beats staring at the walls.

My temp stabilized sometime in the evening of the 2nd day and most of the third day. I would have undergone the teeth extraction but I chickened out. I'd like to think that the nightmare I had was some kind of omen -- and was it a doozy! I had some kind of slime creature sucking my head and my hair was dripping with spine and my brain was getting sucked out! The female dentist was okay, she had a light hand and seemed to know what she was about -- let me just inform you all that I don't hold dentists in high esteem as all of my experiences with them, few as they may be, have all been really, really, really, really bad -- but her husband who was a dental surgeon, who she did not bother to mention she would be co-managing the operation with, was a bit heavy-handed. I totally didn't like him when he said "Pray that you would come down for the operation." I'm like, WTF? I don't need a bleeding religious intervention from the likes of you. And another thing, I requested an anesthesiologist, just in case, and I didn't like him at all when I met him. He had shifty eyes. He wouldn't meet my eyes when he was talking to me about what he won't do. I'd stare at him, into his eyes, and he would look to the door, over my shoulder, at me briefly, towards my sister and beyond her. How can you trust someone who won't acknowledge you?

So I was out of there the afternoon of the 3rd day. I stayed at home, and then started the numerous doctors' visits and consultations re: my thyroid growth, erh, follicular neoplasm. They all seem to have a single consensus, which is to have it removed as soon as possible. I'm with it, really I am, but I just started my job... Can I at least have a few days with it and my officemates and my supervisor? Yeah, yeah, kinda juvenile, but hey! It's a freaking major operation! And in a way, really cool. As long as the OR has everything it needs and the surgeon and anesthesiologist know what they're doing.

I know St. Luke's is the best in the country and possibly in Asia, but it also means that it has the neatest price attached to its services. I went to see a doctor, an ENT, in a government hospital. He seemed okay -- not to mention has a family connection as he's the cousin of one of my sisters-in-law -- and seemed confident about the hospital he was in. I asked him if we could "import" him to another hospital hehehe But I have this thing with government buildings and offices. I don't know if it's warranted or I'm just being an ass, but usually the first thing that comes to my mind re: government hospitals mostly, is that they're understaffed, the staff is overworked, and the equipment are usually decades old and therefore not very reliable. I'll literally be handing over my life to these people; can I trust them?

Ack, change topic... This is going to be a long post (Tengo hambre!!) as I don't know yet if I should chance using my computer at work to blog since my supervisor's already told me to be careful with the sites I go to as he doesn't want to reformat my computer again. Apparently, the computer I'm using now and another one has already been compromised. He even did something to it so I can't YM, but an officemate found a way around it. Hope he won't be too mad hehehe

So, about work. Just my luck when I went back to work our supervisor was being replaced. It would have been okay, I guess, but... ack, he doesn't know what we, the MTs do, so how can he supervise us? He doesn't have any MT background, just his managerial skills, or so he and they say. I don't know. I try to run under the radar as it is as I'm the last one my supervisor hired before those "people" canned him. Well, not really canned him but transferred him from MT to IT. Higher pay, but still, he was the first and only MT in the company when they started and this is how they reward him? Then replace him with someone who doesn't know jack about transcription, much less medical transcription.

Okay, this is not laying low. This is ranting. I can't help it! I'm usually so amiable and agreeable at the office, I have to let out steam somewhere! Anyway, I think the new supervisor is going to "neglect" me in favor of his new hirees, one who's going to start tomorrow. And to think, this could have been a really nice company to work for, if only...

*sigh*

Worse comes to worse, they can fire me or I can quit before they could fire me. He makes my life difficult, I'll do something. He makes light of me and my capabilities, he hasn't got a brain. My co-MTs have started something they said would probably put him in his place -- a letter of complaint -- which I didn't have anything to do as I stalled for as long as I could so they wouldn't ask me to write anything. Why she thought I could write a good letter of complaint is beyond me, which is probably true, as the one she had the other MT write wasn't really formal and business-like. Anyway, we're waiting for another MT to come back from her leave of absence so we could all sign it and give it to the EVP and COO, and hopefully, something could be done. Although I have a feeling they are weakening in their resolve to have his supervisory ass chucked out -- he just sort of promoted those 2! Btw, there's only 5 of us, counting the one on leave. And the one who wrote the letter, I think, could afford to be confrontational since she's planning on leaving the company sometime soon anyway. The one on leave, she's resigning too. So guess who they'll probably throw to the wolves. Me.

Bunch of ninnies and whiners with no backbones! The pox on you all!

I am so not opening my blog in my office computer ever again.

Tengo hambre!

Oh yeah, I'm scheduled for a thyroidectomy around the 3rd week of April at JRRMMC. If all goes well, I really will have the operation there, stay a few days, and have my recuperation at home for the next 2 to 3 weeks. Sounds like a plan, aye?

^__^