Talk About Irony (or Karma, is it?)

Last weekend, In my four years in SYKES, this is the first global picnic that I will be known coming from another account; let's call them K... A few weeks before that, my team -- let's call them, P1 -- and I talked about what will and can happen that day and they teased me by saying that I will be hanging out with K and leave them alone... Of course it made me think. I should let go because this is where I am now.

So come the 18th, I only hang out with the K peeps for a while but would exert every effort to be with P1 and what happens? They leave me to their friends and I am left alone drinking with some other group..

The irony..

Higher Calling

A higher calling... Which one is it? Should I continue be a Team Leader at a very good company or take a chance and go back to playing music with GREEN?

Made me think about what has happened with me musically. I started playing in church last 1992 and from there met a few people and formed different bands such as Blue Lite Fever, Kulai Kahoi, w8, PISTOL, Heavy Traffic, Badjaz Theory, GR33N, now GREEN.

When I started in church, I didn't know what a chord was then I learned from and performed with the best. Bing Rodrigo, Ray-An Fuentes, Ruben Aldea, Anna De Guzman.

Then outside church, I played with the best too: Loren Orendain, Nino Mesina, Carlo Sison, Paul Benitez, Maik Arce, Francis Magat, Leo Barrite. Then started meeting groups like: Peace Pipe, Salindiwa, Eternal Now, T.A.E., Homegrown and the list goes on and on.

When I started in church, I thought of the PWT being the best of the best. The ELITE Ministry. But as time goes by, it really should be a humbling experience. You will be there for a while then before you know it, someone better comes along and takes your spotlight.

Last Saturday, I was priviledged enough to meet and talk to Bel Cruz, if not the best, one of the best pianists IN THE WORLD.

Then the list of great mosikos -- not musikeros -- come in the open: Jun Regalado, Ray Saga, Baby Francisco, Ka Bel. Then not to mention that I've met their kids: Jun Jun Regalado (MOJOFLY), Raymundo Saga Jr. (GREEN) and the list goes on.

Now that green is still waiting for me to come back, I was thinking of self producing. hmmm.. sounds good. Let's see... WHILE my schedule does not allow me to do so.

I will definitely end up in music.. or will I?

Damn Syet

July... 5 months after my "promotion". God! 5 months already? Sounds that long but feels so fast. 5 freaking months as a team lead but I don't feel like I've matured as one. Still struggling. Still confused of what I should do and what I am actually doing.

Yeah, the first 2-3 months were gruelling, stressing over something that hasn't arrived yet. Getting sleepless weekends thinking, "what if the customer calls back looking for my sorry ass? what next?"

Then there are those SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) who, I think, were designed to whine and grope at EVERY little task they feel they are not obligated to do. Yet, they want to move up. Ironic, isn't it? They gripe and gripe but if you ask them what's going on, they say that everything is fine. They are ok, I guess. They just need to take time to simmer down and be grateful for what they have. I mean, if they just see the things we go through, I think they'll think twice and just be thankful that they are where they are.

Then there is this unspoken tension among peers. Well, Mark, Jet, Jaz, and Mike, I look up to. God knows where I will be without them. Then there's Llaverne who gets picked on. Makes me think, "God! give her a break! she does not deserve this! she's busting her ass to make work a little better for everyone."

Why can't girls just get along?

I mean, us guys. We blend. Mark, Mike, Jet, Richmond and I don't have any worries. swabe lang. I mean, something does not feel right, we tell it straight to each other's faces, accept the fact, then move on. That simple. Yeah, there are some ego issues, but we learn to live with it. Girls? Argh! A different story altogether. You have to be careful not to step on their ego or it's the cleaners for you. "First Impressions Last" holds true to girls. Once you've made your mark and they don't like it, to hell with you. For us guys, we just give the person a hard time at first and when he has proven himself, he's in. I mean, can't girls be a little more accepting?

Then there are my agents, a collage of personalities. One moment, they are alright, the next moment they are back biting everyone in sight! Can't step in because it's none of my business. But as I've told them, if it starts to affect the way they work, then I'll step in.

Sure hope all the things I need to learn, I learn it quick. It's tough being a team lead without all the tools you need handy. That is why I look up to Mark, Jet, Mike, and Jaz... they seem to know what to ask, when to ask, and why they need to ask it. All I do is nod.

6 more months... that's all I'm asking. If all goes well, I'll be ready enough to move up again and be an Account Manager. IF all goes well...

Damn Syet!

July... 5 months after my "promotion". God! 5 months already? Sounds that long but feels so fast. 5 freaking months as a team lead but I don't feel like I've matured as one. Still struggling. Still confused of what I should do and what I am actually doing.

Yeah, the first 2-3 months were gruelling, stressing over something that hasn't arrived yet. Getting sleepless weekends thinking, "what if the customer calls back looking for my sorry ass? what next?"

Then there are those SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) who, I think, were designed to whine and grope at EVERY little task they feel they are not obligated to do. Yet, they want to move up. Ironic, isn't it? They gripe and gripe but if you ask them what's going on, they say that everything is fine. They are ok, I guess. They just need to take time to simmer down and be grateful for what they have. I mean, if they just see the things we go through, I think they'll think twice and just be thankful that they are where they are.

Then there is this unspoken tension among peers. Well, Mark, Jet, Jaz, and Mike, I look up to. God knows where I will be without them. Then there's Llaverne who gets picked on. Makes me think, "God! give her a break! she does not deserve this! she's busting her ass to make work a little better for everyone.

"Why can't girls just get along?

I mean, us guys. We blend. Mark, Mike, Jet, Richmond and I don't have any worries. swabe lang. I mean, something does not feel right, we tell it straight to each other's faces, accept the fact, then move on. That simple. Yeah, there are some ego issues, but we learn to live with it. Girls? Argh! A different story altogether. You have to be careful not to step on their ego or it's the cleaners for you. "First Impressions Last" holds true to girls. Once you've made your mark and they don't like it, to hell with you. For us guys, we just give the person a hard time at first and when he has proven himself, he's in. I mean, can't girls be a little more accepting?

Then there are my agents, a collage of personalities. One moment, they are alright, the next moment they are back biting everyone in sight! Can't step in because it's none of my business. But as I've told them, if it starts to affect the way they work, then I'll step in.

Sure hope all the things I need to learn, I learn it quick. It's tough being a team lead without all the tools you need handy. That is why I look up to Mark, Jet, Mike, and Jaz... they seem to know what to ask, when to ask, and why they need to ask it. All I do is nod.

6 more months... that's all I'm asking. If all goes well, I'll be ready enough to move up again and be an Account Manager. IF all goes well...

Damn Syet!

Welcoming 2005!

Shift 4
Date: December 31, 2004
Work Shift: 2am-11am

Shift 5
Date: December 31, 2004
Work Shift: 10pm-7am

Question:
What's wrong in this picture?!

After my 2am-11am shift, I HAD to attend the Inventory Team meeting. In preparation for the year -end grand inventory. WHICH ended at 12:30PM... Got home at around 1:30, had lunch and a little pep talk with my mom til 4:30PM.

Take note, I have to be at work before 10:00PM to be on work on time... BUT since it is New Year's Eve, There are many New Year's Eve Parties and Makati is no exception...

That means, I have to wake up an hour early to beat traffic, which means that I have to wake up at 6:30...

So do you think sleepiong for 2 hours did the trick? Heck, no!! I didn't feel that I was sleeping... It just felt like I closed my eyes for 10 minutes and there my alarm went. (damn!)

So I took my bath, grabbed a little bite to eat and sped off back to work to avoid traffic and probably gcatch a few ZzZzZz's.

But lo and behold, the party outside my office was already starting and the band that was playing was BAMBOO; one of my favorite bands. That actually gave me a good start of my day.. err... night (well, the day did not actually end, but.. you know what I mean...

I was able to take a few good shots and a few good video clips even if I was no less than 90 feet away from the stage. I can say I'm pretty proud of myself.

So from a bad end of 2004 ended to a good beginning of 2005. Cool bands, cool friends. Can't have it any better than that.

End result: I was able to welcome 2005 with open arms and an open mind.