Million Dollar Baby Damulag

It was just last April 16 when I marched at PICC to receive my college diploma. Exactly one week after, I got hired by Intelligraph and currently, I am processing the pre-employment requirements such as the SSS membership, NBI clearance, PhilHealth... etc. I've been given one week to accomplish the tasks and I must admit that so far, after 2 days of going to many different places, queuing up in many long lines, paying for the services rendered to me and doing all these with limited financial resources, my body is now complaining and asking for just one thing - rest.

Wait! I know what you're thinking, 2 days are too short a time to start grumbling. Of course, I still haven't told you that my feet never stopped roaming the busy streets of Ortigas to attend job interviews, jobs fairs and exams since the day I graduated. You probably don't have any idea that I'm also haggling at ukay stores for formal clothings, a task which requires a good amount of time and energy so as to find decent buys... remember, I'm running on low budget and I don't have a big wardrobe of formal wears so ukay goods will do, at least just for now. After attending to those grueling missions, I still lend some time to accompany my friends in their own quest of finding the job that'll suit their talents.

Truth be told, all these are tiring. Sometimes, I couldn't help but complain, especially at times when I cant seem to find the logical link between the task at hand and my goal. I couldn't understand why some private firms' services are worse than that of government's and why some public servants don't love their job and couldn't hide it. I can't understand why some people wouldn't have the discipline to fall in line but are adept in finding ways to double-cross those who seem "weak" to their eyes. But you know what's weird? After being able to accomplish my tasks for the day, I still go home wearing a smile on my face. The reason for this is not just the fact that I'm already hired, but the reality that my time was used in productive activities. I feel like as long as I know that something is worth working for, I will use up the last drop of my blood just to get it done. At the end of the day, I may reach home drained of energy (and a bit of sanity, too) and out of money, but my heart will be teeming with gladness because I know that I am, little by little, making my dreams come true.

In the movie "Million Dollar Baby", Clint Eastwood's character said this line after asking Hillary Swank's character if she's already tired of her boxing training with the former -- "Just go on. You can rest when you're dead"

I want to rest now, but I believe I will have a lot of time for that in the future, so, corporate world.... Veni, Vidi, Vici!

Cure to Disappointments: Apathy

APATHY: A state of not caring; not wanting to know; complacency; indifference; to ignore; disinterested in contemplation; anesthetized by popular culture; a postmodern intellectual narcosis; compassion fatigue; too lazy; too busy; self-indulgence; limited choices in work and leisure-time; non-reflection, non-deliberation and subconscious blocking of distressing information.

Do not say sorry. I wasn't hurt. Forget about it.

Onus, Dolorous, Erudite

googled image only, i certainly am not a guy.. =D

If you consider yourself an erudite (I've used it! For the first time! No! 2nd!) and you know the meanings of the words I've used in the title of this post, then good for you! I wish the range of my vocabulary is as wide as yours because that could have helped in my job screening yesterday! Argh!

The written exam is designed to test our grammar and vocabulary skills. I'm confident in my answers in part 1, which is the grammar test. But in the other half of the exam? NOT! Although I know the meaning of other given high-falluting words in the exam, I know the probability of getting the job I've applied for is very little. I believe so because older (older=more experienced) applicants were also there taking the test with me. Moreover, I read that that company hires only the best, and being a newbie in the corporate world, I don't think they'll consider me as one of the best... at least not yet. Well, if they hire me, I could prove to them that I'm mad to work and desirous of everything at the same time, the one who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow Roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes "Awww!"

I'm starting to become a beatnik! Hahahaha!

Madness

"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow Roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes "Awww!" - Jack Kerouac

Is he talking about passion? The rare kind, the same kind I have never ever felt and will never ever have the chance to feel? That wonderful feeling of positivism towards every undertaking; an overflowing enthusiasm that takes hold of one's being so he could climb the top and believe faithfully that he'll stay there for a long time? That insatiable confidence in the abilities and talents he possesses? Like what he has is something so unique that he considers it, not the best, but incomparable? The undying belief that if a bad thing happen, there must be something really good to come?

Or is he talking about plain madness? The kind that had always been inherent in me? That feeling of unexplainable fright to do or take something, because it's so damn hard, but I'll do it anyway because I'm so used to failures already that another one would hardly make any difference. Giving all you've got, even if it pales in comparison with what others have, even if it's so tiring and frustrating, just to show you are able and finding out in the end that, well, it's good enough. And you're so proud of yourself that you start thanking all the people who have become a part of your life, including those who didn't play a big part in your success; even those who have been critical of you or doubtful in your abilities; even those who have just lend you his/her ballpen once... you suddenly love the humanity you once abhor...

I think I really didn't understand the quote.... oh well. I'll just pick an easier one later. hehe.. like, time is gold.. yeah... that will do.

Come out! Come out!

"come out! come out!" - these were Simon Cowell's words to Ryan Seacrest during one episode of A.I. These are the same words I want to say to somebody now, but can't, because... well, what I have is just a funny feeling and I don't have sufficient evidence to support my allegation. In addition to that, I want to pass on being mean for a while... to pay respect to the recent holy week. Haha! Ok, ok... I don't wanna hurt his feelings.. he seems so fragile! hehe!

Anyway, this person I'm talking about, he appears to be gay to my senses. I don't know, I do hope that he's not, but... tsk, I think I'm pretty much sure about it. (So what, Racquel? Why so bothered?) I'm not bothered!! I just find him funny sometimes. He does things to cover up the truth, but the more he tries to hide it, the more his true identity shows. Lesson: It's ok to hide something, but don't make blatant moves that say "look! I'm hiding something!"... it's sick and crazy and funny! I know I'm not the only one who holds the same opinion about this person... it doesn't take a genius to decipher his true identity.

I find it hard, too, sometimes, to go out not wearing the acceptable mask. I kept on reminding myself that there's no use pleasing the society when in reality, the society doesn't really care about you. Society in general is just a collection of selfish, phony and shallow people, so why even try to belong? Answer: The sad reality --- in every person, there's a part which is either selfish, phony or shallow, and growing up doesn't happen overnight. So, yeah, I'm a fool playing a role sometimes... pathetic, right? Society, I so abhor it but it has become apparent that I'm part of it. But I'm fighting, I swear I'm fighting hard to make changes and I know changes should start within me.

It should start within us, right ***?

(name will be revealed if author is ready for counter-attacks) hehe....

Fruit Salad Wisdom

apples not discussed, googled image only

Lenten season means boredom season. I'm not saying that it is for everybody, I'm only applying it to myself because, really, you can not expect unreligious people to be productive in a religious time, especially if it's a commemoration of Jesus' death. Anyway, I'm not here to brag about this apathy I feel towards religion, this post doesn't intend to give way to a religious debate. I'm telling you, I don't have any plausible argument against religion. I don't have the time to waste making one.

Anyway, because it's lenten season, I'm stuck here in my Cainta empty palace doing nothing more than eating, sleeping and surfing the net. I feel so unproductive that sometimes, I surrender to my conscience and wash the dishes. Today, I ate the last of Ate Lani's fruit salad and while indulging in the sweet, mouth-watering (drool, baby, drool!) treat, some weird things just came flowing through my mind (like the salad has some illegal substance in it).

The fruit salad includes these fruits: pineapple, papaya, nata de coco, cherries and grapes. There were lots of pineapples and papayas and a good number of nata. But the cherries and grapes, I had to run my spoon through the bowl just to spot their hide-outs.

Why do fruit cocktail cans are usually filled with more pineapple and papaya and less cherries? (grapes were separately bought) is it because the formers were cheaper? and the latter is more pleasing to the taste bud? yeah, i think so. I just realized that I would rather scour the entire bowl of fruit salad for cherries than satisfy myself with the abundant pineapple or papaya bits... hmm.. well, I envy the people who are easily contented, they are happier because they don't suffer from waiting... good for them... but I know I will still look for my cherries... (forgive my blatant exhibit of the developing insanity)

the problem is, what if there is really no cherry left in the fruit salad?

lamang tiyan din naman ang pineapple ah... kaya ayun, kinain ko rin.

GoodBye Gina!

The girl who rocked A.I's Season 7

Gina Glocksen, the resident rocker of season 7 of the hit show American Idol wasn't really one of my bets, but her farewell surely disappointed me because I know she has a better singing prowess than Haley or Phil... and.. don't even get me started with Sanjaya..

I don't wanna be mean to anyone... I know that being one of the top 12 is enough assurance that he or she has the talent or the potential to be the next American Idol... because the 3 judges, and not yet the US residents, are the ones who determined the dozen finalists. But Sanjaya, he's beginning to be an awful joke in the contest. I read in an on-line article about other idols being annoyed at the questionable, prolonged stay of the 17 yr. old Sanjaya. Can't blame 'em.. true, if I were them, I will find it truly frustrating to be competing with a person who has nothing more than a large fan base and an unripened talent.

But hey, at least when Gina was announced as the latest casualty of the show, many showed a sign of disapproval and disbelief. For Sanjaya, maybe it'll be just plain relief.