The Last Airbender

Avatar, the Last Airbender is the favorite of my wife, my daughter, my friends... A LOT of my friends actually love the series. Even my boss loves it. I haven't really seen the whole series, but I've seen a few episodes and I more or less know the whole story as the complete DVD is the most-watched DVD at home.

When we heard that it will be made into a movie trilogy, everyone was excited. Yes, even if I don't follow it, I too was excited. I was looking forward to watching the characters come to life on the big screen with their wonderful powers.

Based on the first teaser trailer (that's posted on my Facebook Vids) and these pictures, so far, so good. Can't wait!

Burnout?

I am tired, I feel weak, at times I think I'm having a hard time breathing while working. I first thought it was just all in my head, then someone suggested hypertension. It's in our bloodline but I've never really had that problem before. I know I'm not getting any younger and getting so much stress in my job isn't helping a bit. The office used to be home, now it is not. Many familiar faces are now replaced with strangers. It's weird to be here for more than a year and yet it seems like a place I haven't been to before.

I am still looking for other career options as of the moment. With so many companies, I don't know why I can only find a handful of vacant positions. Is the Philippines now affected with the recession? I don't think so. I don't want to think so. I do hope to find a new home soon because I don't know which will come first in the next weeks (days?), my termination because I failed in quality again, or my resignation because of burnout.

*sigh*

I Believed

I watched Believe the Pop Musical last night and it was good. I honestly cannot say it was great because the story was common and almost all of the songs used in the play were known pop songs like Because of You, Bring Me to Life, You Raise Me Up, etc., but it was something different at the same time, and there were really touching moments.

Keith Martin was his usual self, his role didn't really require him to act. His singing was as usual, amazing to say the least. I love this guy a lot! I texted him before the show started and somehow, he was still able to reply right away. Just showed how relaxed he was a few minutes before the curtains opened. Would love to share the stage with him.

Radha has always impressed me with her amazing voice ever since her Kulay days, her guest appearance in one of Martin Nievera's concerts, up until she went solo. Her acting was good, and her singing was even better. I love her songs in Believe, and I love how she sang them.

Isabella was very natural. It was like she was playing herself in the play. Her voice in her songs was something I haven't heard from her before. She sounded different in a good way. I was able to feel the emotions while she was singing her songs. Though her mom is a Diva, I personally think Izzy is destined for a different road, theatre.

Mae Ann was amazing. She was the brightest star that night. Meeting her during the PressCon and seeing her in Believe, she was just different. Just shows how she transformed herself and got into her role. She brought me to tears with her voice and her overflowing emotion throughout the play. It's so nice to know that like me, she too is an educator aside from being active in theatre. She's one person I would like to work with someday.

Guji didn't have that much to work with in the first place. Based on his impressive background, I know he would have been great if his role was bigger and deeper. In fairness, he was impressive and was able to make the most with what he was given. Looking forward to seeing him in more productions because he certainly has it all.

Marq was okay. He didn't have any acting parts in the play, while about his singing, I thought he still has a lot of room for improvement. He knows how to sing but his voice is still a little rough on the edges so to speak. With great musicians and singers surrounding him, he has the potential to make it through soon. He already has the looks and the potential in his voice, just needs a few minor tweaks here and there and he'll have it all.

Benjie was also okay. I thought his delivery could have been more natural, but he sounded like he was conscious with the pronunciation and enunciation of his lines. His singing is okay, heard he was in a band before. Maybe that's why his singing is better than his acting. A few more practices with the English language and he will be delivering his lines with more conviction in the near future.

Overall, it was a nice experience. The tickets were quite expensive though, maybe that's why a lot of seats were vacant. I would love to watch it again tonight but I have to go back to work after two busy and hectic restdays.

Suicide Queue

The new pay period started the other day, and guess what? We have been given new metrics yet again. The calls for the past couple of weeks have been coming in non-stop because of the client closing millions of accounts. The normal 12 to 24 calls that I receive during weekdays is nothing but a memory. Those Sundays where I would take just 7 to 10 calls are but things in the past. The queue now is simply dizzying, and causing a lot of stress to everyone. And adding to that, the client now gave us metrics that are IMPOSSIBLE to achieve, even by the best and brightest advisors that we have. It's simply telling us that one, they are not willing to give us the bonuses and incentives we used to have with our former client, and two, they just don't care about us and it will be very much okay for them not to continue as being our client.

Last night alone, we were queuing the whole shift because aside from the millions of people calling us about their closed accounts, we were short by 4 advisors. The replacement for our termed teammate hasn't started yet, one was on VL to supposedly watch Boyz II Men, two called in sick. Tonight is my last shift before I have my day off again tomorrow, and I've decided to just let go of the pressures to hit the metrics. The metrics simply can't be hit. It's that simple so why try and hit it. They can have our bonuses. I need the money but right now, I just don't care. It's just sad that not too many companies are hiring right now. Well, I will hang on as long as I can, and I've proven a lot of times before that if I can't hold on anymore, no one will be able to stop what I'll do next.

Happy Birthday Mom!

It’s your birthday, Mom.

So I will raise a cheer.

Without you, my special, loving mom,

I would not be here.

Yes, I owe it all to you, Mom.

From the time that I was small,

encouraged me in everything,

And tried not to let me fall.

Throughout my life your caring,

Brightened each and every minute.

You loved me and enriched my life,

And I’m so glad to have you in it!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY! ♥

Miscommunication?

I was excited to go to the Job fair yesterday and ended up quite disappointed. I was only looking forward to one position in one company that they advertised in the papers a few days before. The recruitment queue of that company was long so I had to wait for a long time for my turn. When I finally gave my resumé to the lady, she immediately told me that there had been a miscommunication and that position that I wanted to apply for was on freeze hiring for the time being. It was like I was in a tunnel with the light up ahead, a light which meant a new life with a new company, and all of a sudden, that light is extinguished.

Tonight I'll be going back to work with a heavy heart. I love the company I'm in right now, I just don't love the client since they're practically treating us like robots. Perfect robots. Hey, even robots are not perfect. Good for Chevy, she'll be starting over with the other account in the same company. It's a new start for her. I would gladly volunteer to be transferred to that account anytime. That is, if I don't find greener pastures somewhere else. Come to think of it, we don't have green pastures now. We're like looking for food in a desert. Anywhere with a pasture on it will really push me to go there.

Something New

Tomorrow.. er.. later, I will be going to the JobSeek 2009 Fair at SM Cebu. It will be my first step for a change in my life. Don't get me wrong, I so love the company I'm with right now. It was perfect for me, especially the location which is like 10 minutes away from our place. It's just that right now, our account is way shaky. People are being transferred to another account all of a sudden, people are being terminated without prior notice, policies and guidelines are being changed almost everyday, it's really crazy. It's like the account and our company itself is looking to change everyone on the floor with newbies. Well, I don't really know what's on their mind but if it is for us to leave, then they'll be happy if I find a company later I can call my new home.

One Man Down

Monday is the only day in the week where no one is on day-off, well at least for our team. Monday is the only day in the week where the team is complete. Well, in the past months, a few have resigned and have been replaced by new teammates. At least those who resigned were required to submit a 30-day notice which means they have to work for 30 days before eventually leaving the company.

Last night, we were one man down. It was something that was coming a long time ago, we just didn't know it was yesterday. One of the pioneer members of the team got terminated there and then. He was informed that he was terminated and that he would no longer be allowed to come in later that night for his supposed shift. He got terminated because he failed in quality a lot of times already, the most recent was his 4th straight pay period. I failed in quality too a couple of months ago, two pay-periods in a row that's why I was given an FA.

It's really sad seeing the team slowly breaking apart after our Coach going through hell and back just to keep it together. It's breaking my heart thinking about how my now ex-teammate is going to do. He's separated from his wife, he has 3 young kids, and his present girlfriend is also our teammate and is pregnant. It's so sad because he got terminated when the quality standards of the account is not yet fixed and stable. Every week, there is a new update, a change in the quality standard since our new account is not yet etched in stone with our company. What we would have wanted was to give our ex-teammate (and others who have either been transferred or terminated) the chance to redeem himself and work on his quality. Hey, he's a professional and is an experienced one at that. He would not have been promoted to be an account supervisor if he was just an ordinary agent taking calls. Too late for those though since he's no longer with us.

*sigh*

Believe

I attended the exclusive press conference of Believe, a Pop Musical at the Cebu City Marriott Hotel and was able to meet the main cast, a couple of them stars in their own right. The musical's beneficiary is Kahayag, a cancer support group in Cebu. Mom was elected President of Kahayag this year that's why I was able to attend the press conference, as well as the mini show afterwards promoting the play.

I was fortunate enough to meet Isabella, who'll be playing the lead role in the play. Although she already has her own name, she will always be known as Kuh Ledesma's daughter. I have met a lot of celebrities and Isabella is one of the friendliest and most gracious. She was raised in the limelight and I can really say that she handles everything well.
I was also able to meet Keith Martin, a very cool, funny and extremely talented guy. His name might be familiar to a lot of people, but he's more popularly known as the guy who composed and sang Because of You.
There were more cast members yesterday who were also very gracious, but it was Izzy and Keith who stood out for me.
Believe the Pop Musical will be at Onstage on July 24 and 25, 2009. I already have a ticket for the 24th as I have work on the 25th. I am excited to watch it with mom.
And yes, I believe.

Song

One of my closest friends in theatre, Candice, will be coming home next week from Norway for the wedding of her younger brother. Candice and I were the on-stage partners in Les Misérables years ago when we played The Thénardiers for many productions. I've also known Lloyd, her brother, since we were schoolmates back in high school. How fast time flies. Now Lloyd will be getting married. And since I will also be attending the wedding, there's a slight pressure for Candice and I to share the stage for a song or two. That is the problem.

Not really a problem, but until now, a few weeks before the wedding, we still haven't decided on what song/s to sing. Candice suggested Sun and Moon from Miss Saigon, while I suggested The Prayer. Personally, I want to do a Broadway medley but that will be too much considering the fact that we may not be able to rehearse. I also want to do the Forever-On the Wings of Love medley by idol Martin and Regine. Candice said it's too high. I agree, but at the same time, I think we will be able to handle it.

I hope we will be able to decide on the song/s soon, so we will just do the rehearsals once Candice arrives next week.

Sunrise

We live in the mountains. We've been living here for more than a decade. It's not that far from the city but then again, it's not that easy to go somewhere from our place if you don't have any means of transportation. There are times when I would hate our place because of the inconveniences it would cause us. There are also times when I would love our place because of a lot of things like the serenity we have. Since we are far from the main road, we are far from pollution.

As I went home from work this morning, I just remembered one of the reasons why I love our place. I was able to remember because as I was walking in the empty street, it was staring at me in the face. I had to hurry home, get my camera and capture it.

Going home everyday with a view like that in the heavens makes everything worth it.

Fourth of July 2009

I would like to share this poem by Roger Robicheau entitled Americans in Strength. Although I am not an American by blood or citizenship, I am with them in celebrating Independence Day today.

Americans in strength unite

This union born in freedom’s light

United States, how sure we are

We’ll pull together, near and far

The world can see of what we’re made

Each state is of the highest grade

Determination, filled with pride

Our people’s will won’t be denied

Our founding fathers set to stay

The road we’ve traveled to this day

A quest for right cannot be wrong

With help from God, we will stay strong

Support our troops ranks number one

For the job they do is never done

When forced they put it on the line

True patriots, when called they shine

Let’s raise Old Glory with a cheer

And thank all soldiers, past and here

Happy Fourth of July
to all Americans all over the world!

Excited and Hopeful

I am very much excited to start our production of the World's Greatest Musical. It will not be an easy task since we will be on our own this time. Our past productions, Anastasia and Rhapsody among others, were done with the help of Mama. Now that my sis and I are both professionals and no longer in school, Mama is now hands-off as she said.

I am determined to do this and see this through, and I am very happy to have people already starting to help us in the different aspects in the production. This will be team effort and we will need all the help we can get just to do this. This will be for a cause, something that we have not really done in the past.

I am both excited and hopeful that it will push through.

By God's grace it will.

Day-off

Making the most of my day-off today, I slept the whole day, then went to Ermalyn's house in the evening to celebrate the 18th birthday of her friend who couldn't afford a debut. It was so nice of Erms to celebrate the birthday at their place. It was not a party but just a simple get-together for the birthday.

I went home at around 11pm, watched Body of Lies DVD, and before I knew it, it was already early morning. Well, it is early morning. I'm writing this blog while taking a breather from arranging the things in our room. Everything is so messed up especially if you share your room with a six-year old with A LOT of toys, books and school stuff. Our room has been looking like Smokey Mountain (the place, not the singing group) for quite some time now so I just decided to clean everything up while my daughter is asleep and her mother is in the office. And yes, I will be sleeping later this morning. My body clock is used to my shift so I would rather not change it during restdays.

Time to continue my very early morning clean-up.