ENGLISH-C (Ms. Felix) Sec. 40 - San Lioba

Like I never fail to mention ihcahieh, Alfie, and Dan the Wrathful all live in the Future and the Past. They don’t live in the present which is a rather sufficient explanation as to why the host body is almost always in a retarded or semi-catatonic if not totally catatonic state. For the last week the three have packed their bags to leave the future for a couple of days and have a mini vacation in the past. This is one of the thins they’ve found along the way.

ENGLISH – C

Sec. 40                        Q.E. Panel Discussion           Ms. Felix

(Does anyone know where Miss Felix is right now?

That teacher who always wore a blazer even if it was freaking hot.)

Members:

- De Jesus, Dan Alfred

- Mirazol, Johnus Renan

- Clavinez, Ira Camille

- Fernando, Joanna Carla

- Garcia, Carla Rhea

- Mapilisan, Angelica

Script

(Enter Dan and Angelica)

Dan/Angelica: A pleasant good afternoon to all! We are here in the studio for the launching of the first episode of our show, “      “! (clap)

Dan: Our topic for the day is very relative to high school students, seniors nowadays, that is Career Tracking!

Angelica: Yes Dan but before that, let us introduce ourselves. I am Angelica C. Mapilisan, 20 years old, a graduate of BS Journalism (Bakit BS?) from Dela Salle Taft and is currently working for this station and was chosen to host this show. (Anj, natuloy ba tong pinagsasasabi mo rito?)

Dan: Thanks for your introduction Angelica and now it’s my turn, I am Dan Alfred M. de Jesus, graduate of BS Electrician Engineering (ELECTRICIAN?) at Mapua Institute of Technology. I’m currently employed as an engineer in Petronas Company. I’m based in London and is on vacation right now. I am your temporary host for a month, thank you. I’m 22 years old. (Well I’m ALMOST 22 years old and none of this actually happened. Electrical Engineering? Honestly? ROFL)

Angelica: Enough of the chit-chat. For our guests we invited certain persons for a clear panel discussion. Let’s now introduce our guests.

Dan: Our first guest for tonight is single, 20 years old, a graduate of Airlink International Aviation School and is now a successful pilot working for Philippine Airlines. Let us welcome Capt. Johnus Mirazol. (Johnus, parang ang layo nito sa UST, architecture ka ngayon di ba?)

Angelica: Our 2^nd guest is a graduate of BS Biology major in Microbiology from the University of the Philippines, Manila. She is 22 years old. She was accelerated in grade school several times, a genius we may call, that’s why she finished her course early, let’s all welcome Dr. Ira Clavinez! (Ira, magparamdam ka naman ni wala ka ata sa Friendster ko. Totoo ba yung acceleration o pinag trip-an ka lang ng nagsulat nito? Batang Promil ka ba? Hehehe...)

Dan: Our 3^rd guest is at her early 20’s and was a law graduate of San Beda College, Mendiola. She is currently a PAO lawyer working to assist poor litigants. Let’s meet Atty. Joanna Fernando. (According to Joanna’s profile at Friendster she is currently taking her MS in NURSING right now so no, I don’t think she became a PAO lawyer)

Angelica: Our final guest for today is one of my colleagues in the industry – she works here at this station and you see her everyday in Alas Singco y Medya. (Ay matagal nang wala ang show na ito...) A graduate of Mass Communications at Ateneo de Manila University, let’s welcome 22 years old Ms. Carla Rhea Garcia! (clap) (Isa ka pa Carla, paramdam ka naman!)

Dan: It may be of interest to you, all six of us were highschool classmates and were graduates of St. Benedict College. We were at Sec. 40 and they ar here together with us to give you some tips on Career Tracking.

Angelica: Ok let’s start by asking, what do you guys really want when you were still young?

Johnus: Me, I dreamed of being a basketball player but I realized I wanted something better, to be a pilot. (Yihee frustrated basketball player, lol)

Ira: Me too, what I like is different fromwhat I am now. (Parang kulang ng TO BE yung mga sentence, ang tanga ko talaga mag English, lol) I dreamed of being a chemistry teacher like one of our teachers in 3^rd year, who was a real freak! (Wahhh! Nami miss ko na rin ang mga kalokohan nii AJ! Lol, Mama J ata tawag namin sa kanya tapos gustong gusto niya yung Section 30 lagi niyang binibida sa amin na mga taga Section 31 e siya class adviser namin.)

Dan: What about you Joanna?

Joanna: I like, well I like, ah I don’t really know what I like before, but somehow my footsteps brought me to being a lawyer. (Serious grammar problem...)

Carla: Like me, I decided at the last minute to put masscom in my application form. It worked and I’m now famous like Ryan Agoncillo, who also works for the same station as I do. Go Bene! (Wei? Ryan Agoncillo? Kasagsagan siguro ito nung pagbabalik niya sa Bene, yung may trophy pa siya ata or something)

Angelica: That’s good. Me for instance, I wanted to be a Filipino teacher but look, I’m now with you interviewing. (Yihee idol si Villena.)

Dan: Yup, I wasn’t decided on my course too but I’m not blaming myslef because I’m successful now. (Hihihi...)

Angelica: Just like Dan said, are you guys regretful on what you are right now? (Hindi ko na gets yung question... Interpreter please...) Well me I’m not, what about you Carla?

UNFORTUNATELY IN A CRUEL TWIST OF FATE THE THIRD PAGE IS FOREVER LOST IN TIME. NASAAN KAYA ANG THIRD PAGE! SHET.

Joanna: Me? I remember our dear Guidance Councilor, Ms. De Guzman, you know. O saw her, been married and has 3 kids. (Nagdilang anghel pero alam ko isa pa lang anak niya.)

Dan: Good for her, she’s really nice. And I remember the most? Ummm, the Filipino teacher who looks like Aiza Seguerra, she was a new teacher that year? (Hindi ko trip pag initan si Villena ano?)

Angelica: Yup, Pagdating ng Panahon was her theme sog.

All: Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!

Dan: Remembering highschool was great and I remember some of our classmates too, like Lloyd, you still remember him, he always studies two weeks before the examination. (Hahaha! Peace Lloyd! Oy na promote na yang si Lloyd i congratulate niyo naman, the first promotion of his career.)

Johnus: I also remember Rommel, my best friend, he should be here but he wasn’t able to come and my secret admirer – 8 letters, I still don’t know who he or she really is until now. (Sino ba makakalimot kay Rommel e ang laki laking tao nun. Naalala ko nung nilasing niya yung sarili niya nung taste test nung wine fermentation sa Biotech. Tapos naalala ko lasang salad dressing yung wine namin, lol. Sino si 8 LETTERS?)

Carla: I recall some of my basketball buds like Paolo and Ira here. (Sinong PAOLO? Marami tayong batchmate na Paolo ang pangalan. May Paola pa nga.)

Ira: Yeah we were great. (Magbuhat ba ng sariling bangko? Lol) For one, our president Altair, she was great – she’s in the States already! (Altair kailan pa? Bakit di ka nagpapaalam, lol)

Joanna: Yes, I remember Angela, the monitor and Anaver too. (Dalawa kayong monitor?)

Angelica: Those were the days, I also recall Cathy and JE and J. Flo, their nowhere to be found. I don’t know where they are! (Si Cathy at JE nasa Multiply ko, si JFlo di ko alam)

Dan: Well Anj, looks like we’re running out of time. Might as well say our messages to the kids, I mean seniors out there on tips on careers. Let’s start with you – (Johnus, Ira, Joanna, Carla)

Dan/Angelica: Well that’s it and remember in choosing a career, use your heart, goodbye and God bless!

Hello Good Morning, May I Strangle You?

Juin 18 - 24

Hello Good Morning, May I Strangle You?

Soundtrack of the Week

1. Tu m’oublieras [LARUSSO]
2. Catch Me I’m Falling [GONZAGA]
3. It Ends Tonight [ALL AMERICAN REJECTS]
4. End of Me [RAVEN]
5. Marimar [THALIA]

Movie of the Week: Tootsie

• This is the story of a jobless character actor in New York who pretends to be a woman and lands a role in a daytime soap... as a woman.
• If you thought only Robin Williams could dress up as a woman and do a good job in convincing you that he is one then you’ll have to see this film and see what Dustin Hoffman has to offer.
• I don’t know how Jessica Lange won a supporting actress Oscar for this film (1982). She was good but not that great. Maybe competition was not very stiff that year. BTW, where is she now? Is she retired or something?
• The younger Dustin Hoffman (1982) reminds me of Roberto Benigni. Come to think of it they hauntingly resemble each other and they both have the same level of energy and presence on screen.
• I wonder why the Oscars don’t get to at least nominate actors who effectively portray roles of “women” on stage. I know that Robin Williams wasn’t nominated for Mrs. Doubtfire. I don’t know if Dustin Hoffman was nominated for this film. I think it is an actor’s most difficult challenge: to pretend to be a woman in a film and effectively create a new character that people believe to be a real person. Or maybe the Oscars is just really homophobic. But isn’t it discrimination against men? If Hilary Swank could cross-dress and win an Oscar on her first nomination and Felicity Huffman could be nominated for a transvestite role then why not the opposite? Or maybe it is because Tootsie and Mrs. Doubtfire are COMEDIES. Nonetheless, boo Oscars, lol.
• As usual the dilemma in this film is falling in love with a woman while pretending to be a woman and not being able to pursue that love because the woman you are in love with actually believes that you are a woman when in fact you are really a man in love with her.

Unemployment: It has already been two days of unemployment and everything is going fine. I’ve slept normally in the last two days and I have lots of free time now to read the books piled up on my book shelf. I now have time to do advance reading of some lectures. I now have time to watch PBB season 2 and get irritated by Miss Wenn D. Moño’s stupidity and ka-KSP-han to the max. I was able to watch Maria Flor de Luna’s ending which tried hard to emulate Pan’s Labyrinth’s. I’ve saved enough dough to support my career enrichment plans (as in books, enrollment to different institutions) and other stuff. I don’t know if I would still apply for another part-time position when the semester ends. Me Time for now.

Academics: I could have been wrong when I included Economics 100.1 and 100.2 in what I called as “Three Henchmen of my Academic Apocalypse.” After a week of lessons I’ve realized that you could actually relate the concepts in Economics to your everyday life and that you could easily think of something tangible to apply the concepts on. When you see a demand curve or a supply curve you could easily think of something from the real world to represent them. On the contrary Calculus is so abstract. When you talk about rational expressions or any of those Algebra hangovers necessary for Pre-Calculus you can’t help but wonder how you could actually apply them to your everyday life considering that you are a Political Science major. Of course the Econ majors would say, “Well wait ‘til you get to higher econ courses.” Good thing is I won’t have to, so belat!

Work: When it has finally come to the point when you want to strangle a client more than you want to help him/her it’s a clear indication that you have to stop working. It’s obviously the combined effects of sleep deprivation, lack of exercise, and stress that lead to this. Of course I did not have this dilemma last semester when I was also working and studying, which was mainly due to my schedule. My earliest subject back then was 1 PM. For this semester my earliest subject is 8 AM and then I have to work before the day ends, go figure. And so my mind has started to contradict itself. It used to say “Go for the extra dinero! Extend!” but now it says, “Puttanesca matulog naman tayo!” You are in a very difficult situation when of all things you could probably get tired of you choose to deprive yourself of sleep. I’m now officially unemployed effective Friday, June 22. Yahoo!

Languages: The German book I have ordered already arrived! Ang saya saya! Maybe I’m just excited to get a break from Romance languages by introducing a Germanic one. I’ve been reading the book (leisure read) and it’s a tongue twister everyday. Try saying this fast: Meeresgrundforschungslaborauswertungsbericht. It means “sea-floor research lab evaluation report.” Fun isn’t it?

MM Watch: I came home from work one day to find his door locked. I knew he was there but I didn’t know what was happening inside because there was no response even after a thousand knocks. And so after doing a lot of noise that could have waken even Sleeping Beauty up I got a hammer and destroyed his door knob. He was there sleeping. He opened his eyes and just looked at me a little bit annoyed. Well I was just worried. Malay ko ba kung naglaslas na siya ng pulso dun o kaya nabagsakan siya ng cabinet niya o kaya kinuha na siya ni Sadako. Concerned lang naman ako no. It’s not as if mag isa lang akong nakatira dito. We barely see each other lately because of school and work. Pag alis niya sa umaga tulog pa ako at pagbalik ko naman sa gabi tulog na siya. So ano ang ending? Wala na siyang ila lock ngayon. Walang door knob. Pa lock lock pa kasi e.

The Three Henchmen of My Academic Apocalypse

Juin 11 - 17

The Three Henchmen of My Academic Apocalypse

Soundtrack of the Week

1. Incomplete [BACKSTREET]
2. Kembot [AMBER] ß aba aba all-time favorite na ata ‘to a...
3. Each Time [E17]
4. It Ends Tonight [ALL AMERICAN REJECTS]
5. We Fit Together [O-TOWN]

Movie of the Week: Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

• There is something wrong about Jessica Alba in this film. May pinaretoke ba siya sa mukha niya or something? Parang may iba e. O baka di lang talaga bagay sa kanya ang blonde and blue eyes.
• I can’t tell if this is better than the first or the other way around. I don’t even want to think about it. Can’t people just watch movies and enjoy?
• The Silver Surfer is so... SILVER. Sorry, not really familiar with the background of this mutant. Any F4 fan here who could shed some light?
• The story revolves around the coming of the Silver Surfer (who is really Morpheus in disguise) to destroy our dear planet Earth (Oh how original, they always want to destroy our freaking planet) by ripping off the effects of global warming and making as many craters as he can within eight days. Feeling niya siguro nasa moon siya.
• As usual Stan Lee has a cameo appearance.
• As usual asaran pa rin ng asaran si Human Torch at si The Thing. Silang dalawa lang talaga ang nakakaaliw panoorin sa palabas na ito.
• And so Dr. Doom lives and regains all his skin thanks to Dra. Vicky Belo, oops, thanks to the Nip/Tuck cast pala, lol. As expected he betrayed the quartet and planned to take over the world. As expected he killed all the four heroes and took over the world. Yeah right. Asang mangyayari yun. Very predictable movie pero ayos ang CGI.
• For those who didn’t stay ang pinakita lang naman na video clip sa end credits e si Silver Surfer na palutang lutang sa outer space. So kung hindi niyo nakita wag kayo maglupasay kasi di naman crucial yung video clip.
• Sana totoo yung chismis na may gagawing film na pagsasama samahin lahat ng Marvel heroes tapos ang kalaban is si Onslaught, hehehe.

Blog Entries: Nagtataka lang ako, kasi di ba itong Multiply merong page na makikita mo yung mga nag view sa iyo at kung ano ang ni-view nilang page. Ang pinagtataka ko is that before, yung weekly report ko na Back to the Philippines, Back to Reality ay maraming nagpupunta, particularly mga Malaysians na nakabalot, which is understandable kasi connected sa Malaysia somehow yung article. Lately naman e maraming nagpupunta sa weekly report ko na Dance Dance Dance! nja mga di ko kilala na karamihan naman e Europeans gaya ni Vari na friend ko na at ni Pantosoft. Ang tanong ko naman, how does this work? Is there like a search engine that if you key in a word e lalabas yung mga articles na may ganung word? Curious lang, weird.

Academics: Econ 100.1 + Econ 100.2 + Math 100 have arrived. Only insane non-CS people take these three courses in one semester. As for me yes I’m insane and retarded as well but also I have no choice. It actually makes me feel guilty to view these three courses as “evil” specially when they are handled by three very competent people named Monsod, Paderanga, and Abueg. Unfortunately I must view them as such so I would be challenged at least. With luck and an hour of daily review outside the classroom I think everything will turn out just fine. If I still fail any of these three after all the effort then I would just conclude that math is really a bitch from hell dimension sent to Earth to destroy lives and is thus worth vanquishing, lol. Registration was great, just spent 1 hour running around. Apparently CRS mistook me for a GRADUATING student. Really?! Wahahaha.

Work: Umalis na (Friday) halos lahat ng tao ng kumpanya. Natira na lang sa Portuguese ay 4 (3 full-time + ako part-time), 3 Spanish part-time, 3 supervisor at yung boss. Hanggang 25 na lang kami so meaning whole week this week + last Monday next week. ICT called for the third time, there’s part-time but there’s one month training. Conflict sa school schedule. Di ko na lang papatulan. ME TIME!

Future: Sumagot na ang MIIS (Monterey Institute of International Studies) sa inquiry ko regarding admissions. Pinadalhan na nila ko ng EDT (Early Diagnostic Test) for Spanish pero sa November ko na sasagutan para game na! MIIS is among if not the best Translation/Interpretation institute in the world IMO. They only offer Master’s degrees in International Business, International Negotiations, Translation/Interpretation, etc. And so why am I applying? First of all let me tell you that I would need roughly 5 million pesos to finish their two-year MATI (Masters of Arts in Translation and Interpretation) degree. Again the question, why? Well ladies and gentlemen let me present to you: CAREER PATH C Level 4 (Dream-on! Category). The only option to turn this potential career path into reality is via scholarship. That’s why it’s Level 4, tons of luck required. If I don’t get it then I just move on. At least I could tell myself that I tried. CAREER PATH C: MIIS MATI 08’-10’; United Nations 10’-until I die. No career shifts, just learning languages along the way. It all seems farfetched. I know. This career path is ihcahieh’s favorite. However CAREER PATH B Level 3 (Political Science – Economics – International Political Economy combo) still remains the dominant choice as of press time. BTW, where do I get a TOEFL examination? How much?

Languages: The Korean prof refused me as a sit-in, full class daw. The sad thing is that I can’t get mad at her because she’s such a nice lady. I see it as a blessing in disguise; so I just allotted the extra hour and a half to intensive Spanish review. I took the MIIS reply too seriously when in fact I shouldn’t. Korean is shelved, will resume June 2008. I will just finish the book I bought at Kinokuniya and familiarize myself with Hangul’. The focus of language studies for this academic year would be Spanish and French with the former getting 7 hours and a half per week and the latter getting 5 hours and a half per week. I am excited to learn German but the book I’ve pre-ordered hasn’t arrived yet. Unfortunately I would have to treat it as a leisure read rather than a serious career-mode read. I think Spanish and French would be the ones to bring me to new heights (career-wise).

Hindi Nahahati ang Langit pero ang Career Plans Pwede

Juin 4 - 10

Hindi Nahahati ang Langit pero ang Career Plans Pwede

Soundtrack of the Week

1. El Beso del Final [AGUILERA]
2. Kembot [AMBER]
3. One Night Only [BEYONCé]
4. Makes Me Wonder [MAROON5]
5. La Descarada [REYLI]

Event of the Week: Hindi Nahahati ang Langit

• In the very rare occasions that I get to watch that Piolo-Claudine soap entitled Walang Kapalit I never fail to notice that there is some sort of disclaimer in the opening credits saying that it is based on a film (or is it a novel?) called Hindi Nahahati ang Langit. Hello, Cinema One.
• CHARACTERS: Claudine Barretto’s ‘Melanie’ role is played by Lorna Tolentino. Piolo Pascual’s ‘Noel’ role is played by Christopher de Leon. Jodi Sta. Maria’s ‘Cynthia’ role is played by Dina Bonnevie, whose role in the TV remake is played by Gloria Romero in the movie. Bobby Andrews’ ‘Ronald’ role is played by Edu Manzano, whose role in the TV remake is played in the movie by that old actor always paired with Gloria Romero.
• SIMILARITIES: The young Melody/Melanie also broke a glass figurine. In the end she also gave Noel a glass figurine as a gift, a scene that is seen in the trailers of the TV version. Magkapatid na di magkadugo din yung 2 bida. Pero ang nakakaaliw dito ay yung ‘Ronald’ character, parehong pareho ang pagkakaganap ni Edu Manzano tiyaka ni Bobby Andrews.
• DIFFERENCES: The name of the female lead is MELODY, not MELANIE. No one gets pregnant in the movie. No one goes to jail in the movie. In Piolo’s music video of the theme song it is shown that Claudine’s character will get pregnant and go to jail. I wonder why. The Cynthia character in the movie is naive as opposed to the aggressive TV version of the character. The Cynthia character in the movie is from Baguio, not Australia.
• ENDING: Hindi sila nagkatuluyan. Binigyan lang nung Melody ng glass figurine gift yung Noel. Namatay sa car accident yung Ronald. Nagtangkang mag suicide yung Cynthia pero nabuhay, balik na lang daw siya ng Baguio (Tanga, kung magpapakamatay ka muriatic acid ang tunggain mo para walang ligtas.) I think they’ll use the same ending for the TV version, may scene kasing pinakita sa music video na binigyan ni Melanie ng glass figurine si Noel sa airport tapos they went opposite ways.
• Bakit sa mga 80’s films nagi Ingles lagi yung character kapag nagagalit?

Riyo Mori’s Blog: Judging from the content mukhang kanya naman. I’ve never really bashed Riyo as much as I did Zuleyka pero kasi lagi ko na lang sinasabi na mas deserving si Kurara kesa sa kanya. After ko mabasa yung English entries ni Riyo (kung talagang siya nga) na guilty ako kasi puno ng pangarap yung tao tiyaka determined talaga siya magtagumpay. Yun siguro talaga ang nagpanalo sa kanya. So Riyo, accept my apology for being such an ass. Congratulations. =)

Kuya Watch: My brother is now sporting reading glasses, yung walang grado, that accessory pseudo-intellectual jocks really love. He went home pissed off from his first day of school. He wasn’t voted president. His vice president last year was voted for the position instead. My brother is neither a jock nor a pseudo-intellectual. I think he’s a politician! Ahaha, may politiko na sa pamilya! Wahaha!

Past Journal Entries: Simula kasi nung nag 18 ako nagsusulat na ako ng journal entries daily. Nung una sa MAUI na hardbound notebook lang siya nakasulat tapos naging computerized. Grabe tawa ko ng tawa, ang saya pala talaga magsulat ng diary kasi mababasa mo paulit ulit yung mga kagaguhang sinulat mo tiyaka talagang maaalala mo yung mga nangyari sa nakaraan. Gusto ko sana i publish kaso yung mga daily journal entries ko NO HOLDS BARRED, in your face talaga ang mga nakasulat, e ang pangit naman kung ise censor. Siguro ipa publish ko na lang online yung mga unang araw ko sa trabaho, title: REMEMBERING TELEXTREME, pero hintayin ko muna matapos hanggang June 25 para hindi foul. Hehehe. Ise censor ko na lang yung ibang parts dun para reader friendly na siya, hehehe. Magsusulat na nga ako ulit ng dailies... saya e!

Work: Tinawagan ako ng ICT. Walang part-time pero pag kailangan na raw talaga e baka kumuha na rin sila. So ang sinabi ko is magfa follow up na lang ako sa kanila after the 15th. Hanggang 15 na lang kasi talaga ang kontrata ko sa current company. Yung hanggang 25 e optional naman yun. Kung makukuha ako sa ICT na part-time o kahit sa ibang call centers for that matter then I would grab the opportunity. I know my boss would understand naman, I’m after job stability. As for the current job medyo na trauma lang naman ako nung Tuesday. E paano ba naman kasi yung 3 Portuguese CSR na kasama ko dati Monday lang ang dayoff so ako lang talaga mag isa. Aba nung Tuesday ba naman wala rin silang tatlo. E di sa akin lahat ang tawag. Kaya nung Wednesday ayun hindi ako nagising sa oras sa sobrang ngarag, absent ako. Hehehe. Full-time is done. Normal na ko ulit!

Future: Welcome to another week of boring future plans! It’s hard to be an ambitious ass like me... The current plan (which could change next week or tomorrow, duh): University of the Philippines [BA Political Science] 03’-08’ (Sa mga hindi pa nakakaalam matagal na po akong nag shift sa Political Science pero di ko binabanggit kasi ayoko na makipagpaliwanagan kahit kanino. Ang magtanong kung bakit, kakagatin ko, promise.) - University of the Philippines [BS Economics] 08’-10’ while working full-time call center (Dapat day shift na Spanish. Meron sa Ambergris. To those who hate the idea of working in a call center, go to hell.) – National University of Singapore [MA Southeast Asian Studies] 10’-14’ (Padalawa dalawang subjects per sem habang nagtatrabaho sa HSBC o kaya sa Deutsche Bank, ambisyoso talaga shet. This is where the Econ degree comes in. I don’t know but I think this is the only way I can penetrate Singapore.) - London School of Economics and Political Science [MSc International Political Economy] 14’-15’ (Dapat makakuha ako ng Chevening Scholarship, 4 years experience na naman by this time. This is the marriage of the two undergrad degrees into one MA degree. Tapos either UN or ASEAN 15’-20’. Tapos Foreign Service 20’-35’. Dapat ambassador na ako by 50 (2035) 35’-45’ lol.

Night of the Living Dead: Redux

Maio 28 - 3

Night of the Living Dead: Redux

Soundtrack of the Week

1. Makes Me Wonder [MAROON5]
2. Way Back into Love [GRANT/BENNETT]
3. Upside Down [6 CYCLE MIND]
4. Kembot [AMBER]
5. Imprescindible [BEYONCé]

Event of the Week: Miss Universe 2007

• NATIONAL COSTUMES: Mukhang mangkukulam si Georgia; Bakit may dolphins yung costume ni Dominican Republic, nagsusuot sila ng dolphins dun? Mukhang anorexic si Italy.
• TOP 15: Siyempre kasali si USA (Si Donald Trump ang may ari e); Siyempre kasali si Mexico (Gusto niyo magka riot sa venue?); Siyempre kasali si Venezuela at India (What’s new?); Siyempre kasali si Tanzania (Kailan pa ba nagkaroon ng kalbong contestant dito, ngayon lang di ba)
• I thought we would make it. Among the online community it’s almost a consensus that Japan, Korea, Thailand, & the Philippines are strong contenders this year. Kaya nung natawag yung tatlo kala ko pasok na rin.
• Parang tanga sila Boy Abunda, may padasal dasal pang nalalaman samantalang na announce na sa Star World na laglag na tayo sa Top 15.
• I actually don’t like Miss Universe 2006 because she STOLE Kurara’s title. Japan dapat ang nanalo last year, hahaha bitter pa rin hanggang ngayon. Pero in fairness sa Puerto Rico, mas gumanda si Zuleyka ngayon. To Spanish speakers, have you noticed how her final S’s disappeared and how her V’s came out as B’s when she was being interviewed? Hehehe...
• Masyado namang energetic si Japan dun sa swimsuit portion, akala ko nga tatalsik sa audience yung bewang niya e. Mas maganda si Korea lalo na dun sa evening gown portion.
• Sumemplang si USA nung evening gown portion. Kumita na yan hija, blockbuster pa nga kasi nag first runner up si Miriam.
• Parang tanga si Angola, kapag magfo focus yung camera sa kanya she will try to flirt using her eyes, hindi naman effective. It was more of scary than attractive, parang Patayin sa Sindak si Barbara.
• The two half-Pinoys (Norway and Germany) didn’t make the cut as well.
• Is it me or was there really no UK or at least England this year?
• Hindi tayo kasali sa Top 15 kasi lagi naman daw tayong nananalong Miss Photogenic. Internet addicts hinay hinay lang, masyadong obvious...
• The interview portion was fun: a mix of Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Venezuela), and English. San ka pa! Unfair however, those who used translators should have been given twice the time. Is it me again or was the audience booing USA when she was answering her question? Kawawa naman yung tao nadapa na nga siya e.
• And so Japan wins. Ano to pampalubag loob kasi dinaya niyo si Kurara last year? Korea dapat ang nanalo no. Walang kwenta.

Work: Well prepare to get bored because this week I will be talking mostly about WORK! Let’s just say that once upon a time there were 4 Portuguese speaking call center agents in the Philippines (2 Brazilians and 2 Filipinos) who received all the calls coming from Brazil. The call center in Brazil already closed and will reopen on the 25th of June and surprise surprise, our boss is asking who wants to extend. Who could really say no? And so I said yes. It would be part-time still and so I have a job until the 25th. The week has been an endless barrage of “Where-are-my-commissions?” drama and eternal bitching about having to stay on the line for 45 minutes without getting answered. Well surprise Brazilians clients. There are 4 of us and how many of you, a million? Kamusta naman. It’s been two weeks of full-time work and I am dead tired already. In short, Night of the Living Dead na naman ang drama ko. Just when I thought my eyebags couldn’t go any deeper... On another issue since most of these clients are almost always irate and never fail to comment that my effing sotaque is deferente, I tried talking to them using the Big Brother voice which goes a little something like this: Allo. Pause. Bom dia. Pause. Meu nome. Pause. é Alfredo. Pause. Em que posso. Pause. Ajudá-lo. Pause. It actually sounded weird and was actually more exhausting since I have to do many stops and so I stopped it but it did eliminate the everlasting “my sotaque is deferente” comment. Where the hell can I buy a genuine Brazilian accent? But in the end it all boils down to understanding and being understood which is the main purpose of language. I know what they want. They understand me even if my accent is different and so what’s the problem? So when they ask, Você é Americano? Just to get it over with I reply: Sim! Sim! lol.

Reversing your Body Clock: Full-time for two weeks now and another more to go. I think I won’t last a year in a call center if I have to work on a graveyard shift. Just two weeks of full-time and I already feel dead. Maybe this is the sign that I should get rid of the call center industry as an integral part of my long-term plans. Besides, waking up at 6 PM and snoozing at 7 AM is so NOT normal.

Future: Right now I’m basically torn between various plans after graduation. It’s already my last first semester and I have barely a year to go before finally bidding UPD goodbye. The prevailing plan is to work two years full-time in the call center industry and hoard the big bucks before packing my bags to kick start a career in a foreign country (One needs a lot of gas to trail blaze a career, at least for me,) which is by the way the new motto: Careers Start at 25. And now after realizing what just 2 weeks of graveyard shift could do to my sanity I don’t even want to imagine what 2 years could do. This brings me to yet another round of regret and self-blaming to the tune of: “If you shifted to EL instead this won’t even be a problem.” I guess I need a new plan of action before the school year ends. And so like I said to most of my clients, Sim, é muito compricado senhor.

Kuya Watch: What’s up with the brother? Well after the Internet guided family conference we have successfully averted any form of physical aggression against each other. There were only two shouting incidents for the whole week. There aren’t so many developments regarding bonding with each other but just to sum it all up we’re good. Well only 2 shouting incidents in a week is BIG development.