Happy and Engaged

I considered the office as my second home ever since I got in here back in 2009. I was part of the pioneer group when they opened a travel and hospitality account. It was a roller coaster ride ever since I got here. I'm proud to say that in less than a year, I got promoted. It wasn't easy because it wasn't even part of my initial plan but it was all worth it. 

Currently, I'm being retrained for the same account since I left them about 4 months ago and the manager said I need to be retrained. I was thinking that maybe if I was still an agent I would still have the competitive spirit I have back then before every time I am inside a training environment. Today it's totally different. I have a slight edge and I'm in a different position. I should be mentoring these guys. I should be guiding them. When I was told that it would be a 2-week training, the first thing that came to my mind was that it's going to be two weeks of boredom since obviously, I know the background of the account. I was wrong. It feels like I was rebooted. When i did my first mock call the other, there was like a flashbacks of everything that happened to me from the very first day I got here. This is my second coming. 

I was bumming earlier when I tried to Google the name of our company. I was expecting I'll get results from Indian websites since ours is operated by Indian players but I was amazed of how many stories I've read about our site. Gossips, hearsays, love stories and all those things common in call center setting. It was fun. It reminded me of my LOVE-HATE relationship with my company. Indeed, there is no perfect workplace. Issues arise and shit happens. 

I've tried quitting a lot of times and considered transferring for greener pastures. Nothing happened. I'm still here. I guess there's some sort of spell that makes me want to stay. I guess it's the unique kind of treatment you get from people that no matter how fucked up your day is, a random act of kindness from someone will just make it so easy for you. 

I'm still here for no particular reason. It's magic. I have a family.

What's On Your Mind?

Current Playlist: Two Door Cinema Club, Katie Melua, The Smiths, Allison Krauss and a lot of Coldplay. 

I guess I have low attention span. I'm supposed to be blogging the whole night but Facebook, Twitter and a whole lot of coffee refills got in the way. 

Social Network. I've heard Mark Zuckerberg was 2010's Person of the Year. If you can mix farming and spreading rumors in one interface then no doubt that 500 million people will get hook to your so called innovation. I've seen the movie about him as well and I can say that there's nothing to hate about this guy. As what his character said in the movie, he was just crazy, stupid.. and blogging. And making Billions I guess. 

I joined Twitter as well at the start of the year and started playing Cityville. I must say I'm getting hooked to it. I played Farmville when it has just started and it was fun. Unfortunately, work plus the question of how I'm going to spend millions over carrots, onions and potatoes got me bored so I stopped. 

A lot of people are saying Facebook is getting overcrowded. I have no reason to disagree since even my mom who doesn't even know what CPU stands for has her own Facebook account now. In fact during her birthday, she received tons of birthday greetings as if she was a celebrity or something... and she patiently replied to every messages posted on her FB wall. I also have no reason to hate it if it's the only way to meet people you have not seen for like a decade or even more. I guess that's the magic of it. 

From song lyrics to my habitual relationship status changes to Youtube videos of my LSS to my political beliefs and my simple answer to the question What's on Your Mind, this 500-Million club has simply made my life twisted yet simplified. I am proud to be a slave.

Bicolandia Express

Thank you to my not-so-systematic workplace whom I should give A for effort for giving me the best schedule ever in my 2-year experience in the BPO. Well here's the story. They transferred me back to the account where I originally started as an agent before I got promoted as a supervisor. It was actually good news for me. Number is because I love the process so much that I know I can answer any agent's question even with my eyes closed. the second reason is the mere fact that I'm going back there now as a supervisor. No explanations. Just reason number 2 is enough. Haha.

As for the transfer it wasn't the most organized endorsement ever. They told me that since I've been gone for 3 months, I need to undergo training for the same process - a full 2 week training. I call that a full 2-week of petix mode. The thing is that no training class is available this week so I asked if I could go on Vacation Leave instead of bumming at work. I think that's the moral thing that I could do instead of getting paid doing nothing for five days. 

So can you guess what I did with the 5 days vacation? SIMPLE. I packed my things, grab my iPod, went to the bus terminal and after daydreaming for the next 8 hours inside the bus, I was home. So goodbye to crazy traffic, pollution and all those negative stuffs you read about the city in short stories.

I'm basically here just to rest. I'm here just to enjoy being with my family since it's my mom's birthday. So ever since I was here, I just slept, crack jokes with my brother, watch Nat Geo which I am super enjoying, eat spicy foods (yeah I was able to do that), watch basketball and I was surfing the net all day. I super love this vacation. 

Anyways, happy birthday to the most wonderful mom in the world. Enjoy your day Mom. Than you for everything.  

My Professional Bumming Career

Let's talk about my Professional Bumming Career this time. 

I've been working in the BPO industry for less than two years now. Six months with my first company and then a year and two months with my recent employer. Honestly, the reason why I worked in the BPO is the fact I thought its the easiest way to earn money for any undergraduate like me plus the common idea I've had that it's just about answering calls and talking to some fat redneck @sshole on the other side of the planet. Two years ago, I was begging my dad to buy me a LOMO Diana Camera but he told me I need to go find a work and buy the god damn camera with my own money - so I did what he said even though it took me more than a year to fulfill my dream of buying that cheap camera. 

I enjoyed my first few months with my first company. My passion for learning is just incomparable. I was excited with the pay I was getting every fifteenth of the month, my new circle of friends, the western culture that the company is trying to inject, everything was great. But... I came to a point I got tired of it all. I was young, I was partying, I thought my ATM card is forever gonna dispense cash. I quit my job.

I became a professional bum for three months after that. Destiny brought me to my current workplace. I've probably had the same excitement with my previous employer when I joined my recent company. The only added thing is that I know I was here for redemption and I'm not getting any younger again. So aside from late night partying, eat-all-you-can/drink-all-you-can stuff, sex and rock & roll, I know I was in for a different journey. I've tried studying the industry and until now I'm never close to finishing my research. 

In less than a year, I got promoted to a higher position. It's funny because when I told my mom about the news, it seems like she has no idea about what it means. She has no idea about the rat race. She has no idea about how some people could sacrifice friendship, reputation, dignity and put everything at stake for that chance of a higher raise. She has no idea about the crab mentality that has plagued the culture of this industry I'm in. I just laughed about it. 

In my previous post I told you how unpredictable my current workplace is. I love it. I love the suspense and the adrenaline rush. I easily get bored doing the same old stuff so some reshuffling and revamp really helps me challenge myself. It keeps me sane. 

One day at work, I was introduced in a meeting by a colleague as the youngest supervisor in the company. I felt a sudden unexplained feeling about the citation. Should I be proud that I have achieved such a feat so early in my career or should I fear that what I'm actually experiencing was just the tip of the iceberg? 

If there's one lesson I've learned in my less than two years experience being part of this industry, I think it's the fact that I've learned to pay respect to the unique stories of the 350,000 chess pawns that are part of this industry. Each have their own unique amazing story. Mine? I'm sharing it.

Nuthouse

I'm spending my sole rest day inside a coffee shop. I told you, I'm a slave of WiFi. They've been playing a lot Jazz music here. Christmas songs that they've turned into jazz. I think that's the thing with coffee shop nowadays - wifi + coffee + jazz = $$$..!! 

It's one of my wildest dream to have my own coffee shop. Or work in a coffee shop perhaps. I think it's seriously cool smelling aroma all day. But I ended up being a call boy. Damn.!

2010

CHEERS!..

...to the year we elected a new President as if we're looking for a student council leader.

...to the year that we've proven that our Philippine National Police are a bunch of @$$hole$

...to a year full of trial-and-error for our Philippine government.

NO! Seriously. This should be something personal...

Cheers...

2010 has been the best year ever for me.

After the horrific story of Ondoy, my unemployment and all that stuff,

this is the year...

I got promoted.

I got all the stuff I need for blogging.

and this is the  year I realized,

LOVE actually is all around.

Beep Beep

I was on vacation leave for the past seven days. Tonight, I'm going back to the place I considered as my second home. A lot of things have probably changed in that seven days since my unpredictable workplace is just as thrilling and exciting like any other suspense movie out there. But of course a lot of things stays the same like my routine. Traffic. Busy people. Traffic. 

I'm pretty much excited tonight. I could say that I'm at least rejuvenated. 

Ang Organizational Chart

Do Not DISTURB! I'm BLOGGING!

Netbook

Hindi ako manunulat. Estudyante ako ng napatunayan kong tamad talaga ako sa pagsusulat - ng leksyon, sinasabi ng titser, at kahit ano pang iniuutos sa akin para isulat. Nadala ko ito hanggang sa ako ay nagkatrabaho. Simple lang ang katwiran ko, este palusot - mas madali kong natatandaan ang isang bagay gamit ang malinis na tenga sa pakikinig. Naisip ko tuloy, kung uso na ang laptop o netbook sa skul noong nasa elementary pa lamang ako ay malamang ito na ang pinabili ko sa nanay ko. Laking tipid rin 'yun dahil hindi na niya kailangan pang bumili ng mga notebook, papel at lapis sa tuwing nalalapit ang unang araw ng pasukan. Kailangan lang siguro ng maintenance, reformatting at voila - ako na ang magiging pinakasikat sa school. Magiging chick magnet siguro ako. 

WiFi

Ang laki ng naitulong sa akin ng internet. Bukod sa panonood at pag-surf ng porn ay dito ko natutunan halos lahat ng bagay na naging armas ko sa araw-araw na realidad ng buhay. Malaki din ang naging pag-usad nito. Naalala ko dati, bumubili pa ako ng isandaang piso na card na para bang load sa cellphone para maka-"connect" sa world wide web. Hanggang nauso ang mga internet cafe na tila ba pag pumasok ka sa loob ay para kang nakakita ng mga call center agents na nakikipag-usap sa mga Amerikano gamit ang webcam. At sa panahon ngayon, dumating ang 3G, 4G, WiFi, broadband at kung anu-ano pang terminolohiya na wala akong maintindihan. Ang mahalaga ay kahit saan ako magpunta, may source ako para makapasok sa kabilang mundo - ang mundo na kumanlong sa akin sa oras na wala akong masasandalan.

Ideya

Hindi ako manunulat. Hindi ito isang propesyon. Matagal na panahon na rin ng naisipan kong balakin ang magkaroon ng blog. Nasimulan ko ito hanggang sa inatake na naman ako ng sakit ko - katamaran. Walang naging bunga pero sa loob ng mga panahon na nagsulat ako, nagbigay ng opinyon, nag-paskil ng mga litrato, nangahas, tumutol at nakialam sa takbo ng lipunan ay naipakita ko na may silbi ang ideya ko - hindi dahil sa may nakinig ngunit dahil sa naibahagi ko ito sa buong mundo. Simple. 

Baon ang isang tasa ng kape, isang tabla na may mga nakahulmang titik, Wifi at libu-libong ideya na dinadalangin na hindi kumupas ay sisimulan ko ang panibago kong proyekto sa blog na ito - ang instantsiomai. Simple, moderno at minsan ay nagpapaka-deep. 

Ang Alamat ng Deliverables

Gising ng maaga. Kulang sa tulog. Ligo. Posturang-postura. Traffic sa Ayala. Pasok sa opisina. Kain. Bukas ng PC. Sandamakmak na email. Demanding na boss. English dito, English doon. PLASTIK. Sandamukal na deliverables. Stress na sa trabaho, stressed pa sa babae. BREAK. Baba ng elevator. Bili ng kape. Hithit ng yosi. Hingi ng kendi. Sakay ulit ng elevator. Nakasabay si magandang babae… pagtingin sa daliri, may singsing na suot. TOINKS. Bukas ang elevator. Pasok ulit sa trabaho. Bukas ng PC. Bukas ng email. REPLY. DELETE. Deliverable. Deliverables. Deliverables. Umiikot ang buhay sa deliverables. Tapos na ang siyam na oras, may overtime pa na kasama. Deliverables. Deliverables. Deliverables.

                

Ang buhay ko bilang isang callboy – hindi ganun kadali. Hindi naging madali ang umpisa, ang pagbagsak, pagbangon, muling pag-uumpisa, ang tinamasang tagumpay, ang pilit na pag-uumpisa, ang pilit na pinapabagsak – lahat, walang naging madali. Dalawang taon, isang industriya.

                

Isang malaking kwento. Isang mahabang paglalakbay. Trabaho. Gimik. Inom. Babae. Pag-ibig. Isandaang interview. Isang-libong bio-data. Sistemang bulok. Sistemang pilit itinutuwid. Mundo ng kasiyahan, kahirapan, ligaya at pag-abot sa tagumpay. Kwento ng kabiguan, pagbangon, pagkakamali at muling pagbangon.

                

Libo-libong pangyayari. Isang kwento. Ito ang umpisa.