ReView

Hay, what a relief na tapos na ang February.. Although short sa QA but other stats, ok na. I can say possible tataas na ang score ko this March! Medyo nakukuha ko na yun work flow. hehe 

"Aanhin mo ang maraming pera, kung wala naman romansa." Sabi ng isang lola sa kin.. Grabe naman lola. Nothing beats that statement in my status being single. hahaha Anyway, she's damn right. I should really seek one these days. But as much I want to search for one, well.. Medyo inaalat ako. hehe More snubs than hugs. 

Anyway, ano pa.. Ang bilis ng Feb at ngayon ko lang nalaman na may Allergy whatever ako, from dust, smelling spicy and even perfume which parang di naman ako nagrereact sa ganun, lalo na pag maganda ang lady. hehe But that's life, as grew older, these reactions rises. Or how about a new prescription for my skin irritation, at least di na steroid cream. hehe Speaking of getting older, I'm quite impatient ha, siguro yeah sa work na feeling mo alam mo na pero yun bagsak sa isang monitor. hehe Pero siguro nga dahil sa eagerness to reach some goals but..

I need to be patient, it's not overnight you see to reach those goals.

I can really say that this month better than January, parang curse talaga yun month na yun. This month, it's more of a moving forward and yun a glimpse for best things to come.

Although schedule well, as much I want it early but there, di eh. =( But that's fine, at least weekends off and I can do much more. Paano pa kaya pag regular sked, I'll do a lot more! hehe

Yeah sad part pala, Sonnets vs. Haikus were gone, but well nandun yun ibang sinulat ko na pinaghirapan ko ha. hehe I don't know why she gave up. =(

Oscars pala quite surprising, especially one of my crushes, Jennifer Lawrence suddenly won her trophy. That's why, I'm planning to watch Silver Linnings Playbook! Sana. If there are funds. hehe 

Acting, beauty despite rash well, you got an award. 

It is full of love this past month, although wala naman ako date or whatever, despite loveless from others or whatever, important is...

I felt loved by Him and me.. 

Next month, more love and time to Him. =)

Almost gone: Walkman/Music Players

Great thing that Apple still releases yun ipod touch, kasi with great sounds that you can bring around then with a lot of songs you can store, you can also enjoy yun apps at other tasks even watching movies. Without yun phone feature which for me, ok lang.. Pero with the dawn of tablets, at smartphones na pwede din to do the same things with great sounds eh.. Parang nawawala na mga ito. 

I used to have walkman nung grade skul at HS.. Tapos yun CD player nung college na dinadala ko pa sa skul, nakapasok sa bag yun cd player at may sounds ka na! 

These days, you don't need that big things. You need is small players or better kasama na sa phone mo. Like me, gamit na gamit yun X2 ko na wala naman sim, pero pang sounds ko. No radio player or component needed kasi ang lakas naman nito. hehe 

Kakalungkot lang that they've been phased out. Well, it's better than fast forward or rewind in a sluggish and destructive way kasi nasisira yun tape/cd pag ganun. Unlike these days, pindot lang, ayun na! hehe Although quality wise, mas maganda pa din yun walkman or casette player kasi iba kbps nun or quality. I doesn't mean di kaya ng players today, it's just you need to convert pa to higher kbps or well flac format na.

Eh paano ako yun 30gb worth of songs? I convert ko pa lahat? katamad! hehehe Pero yun lang advantage nun, kasi pagdating sa storage, mas maganda naman yun mga players ngayon, copy then lagay sa lahat ng players! hehe Memory card na lang. 

Although siyempre di lahat ng players ngayon magaganda, siyempre pipili ka ng matino players, pero yun single magandang player talaga eh Apple Ipod touch. I'm not sure sa 5th gen, pero sa dating, panalo, sa sounds, sana mas maganda pa sa 4th gen which is sulit na sa kin. hehe

I hope manufactures will continue making these new digital players at maganda sounds. Samsung gumawa na sila kaso di nila minarket. hehe Ah Sony as well pero mostly naka sama sa phones.. So I hope they understand that there is a market for audiophiles like me or Ted.. Who just want out flat music only or some functions, basta maganda quality. Zune is a great example but even it's not sales great, I love the richness ng sounds niya.. 

Yun nga lang, phase out din. hehe

Besides, listening to music never phases out..

flashbacks: ROTC

I feel so deprived when I see a student going to ROTC Sunday sa UST without any pressure or sorts kasi well... They only need 2 sems to finish the course at wala na silang problema sa graduation. They can choose pa instead of ROTC, community service through NSTP. They should thank or kahit sa batch namin or even sige lahat to Cadet Chua. Because of him, we might be still languishing wasting precious Sundays to a training which all we do, waste time and money. 

Pagtapak ng USTE, well naenrol kami sa ROTC, at ayun, 4 semesters of grueling army type of training for nation building or service daw.. Damn, I skipped first para mag first aid training sa red cross which icredit daw as ROTC kaso wala din nangyari. I failed that first sem. hehe

Nung sumabak na ko sa ROTC at that time, I expected na training or babad sa araw, kaso ayun.. Babad sa counterstrike at battle realms. hahaha There was a time na magkikita kami ng squad leader at iba kong classmates sa BK, tapos counterstrike then pag patapos na ang training, ayun na, pirma sa attendance at uwi na! Minsan nga advance ang pirma, para kahit wala sa next Sunday, may attendance na. haha Hell with the prelims or finals sa ROTC.

Pero di naman laging ganun, may mga Sundays sa sobrang pahirap, as in, binababad kami sa araw, marcha lang dun.. Pag late at nahuli ng MP, excercise sa harap ng commerce building, tapos kung malas malas ka, eh sasabunin ka pa ng pesteng commander. Kala mo kung sino umasta. hehe 

Anyway, towards second year, eh napasali ako ng silent drill, thanks to Doc, at kasama ko pa ata sila Igz.. And some of doc's friends. Eh di naman lagi training, kaya ayun pagassemble sa umaga, labas sa uste, cyberscan muna hanggang last break tapos uwi na. Minsan, may part2 pa ang laro paguwi. haha

Kala ko magiging buenas ako sa silent drill, last drill eh napasama ako sa presentation ng sponsors with the first battallion kaya ayun, flag bearer for the whole f*cking day then yun, that was the end of may very reproductive ROTC. 

Although di nagtatapos diyan, the very reason why ROTC became a 1 year course, and now may NSTP pa, then ladies should now participate, one of the breakthroughs happened was this one great officer from ENG. 

There were times kasi sa ROTC na despite gumastos ka na sa uniforms an other stuff, aba plus siyempre yun baon and pamasahe, aba gagastos ka pa sa ibang "requirements" nila. Such as one big concern eh yun handouts na napakamahal, at sapilitan pa bibilin kasi kung hindi daw, aba di ka ipapasa. Eh around 200 ata yun na napa nipis at walang kakwenta kwenta. Tapos, they have tests di ba, bayad pa kami sa test paper na dapat libre. Then I forgot may mga iba pang fees pa sila siningil na wala naman nangyari. May balita pa nga noon na 1500 lang, pasado ka na sa sem. hehe

There, well, Officer Chua heard the plight of the students, then he made a survey ha, each platoon at siya lang gumawa nun, no other officer bothered to ask, all they do is shout and power trip. Siya eh nagsurvey, nagtanong at gagawin niya makakaya niya.. At that time, may nagrarally pa na anakbayan ata yun akbayan. hehe Kaso nasupress sila eh, isa dun kaklase ko pa sa precom. hehe

Anyway, Officer made investigation at I remember parang na whislteblower siya through varsi and media..

Unfortunately, that was the last day we heard from him. UST was rocked when we heard na nasemento siya sa drum and ditched sa Pasig River sa Quiapo. That happened I know 3rd year na eh. Of course, mabuti at kahit papano, nahuli yun mastermind na yun commander na peste at yun iba pang kasbwat, mind you yun mga ROTC higher ups yun. Well, justice was served swift pero yun ibang kasbwat or yun ibang officers na kabatch ni Chua eh kanyang kanya eskapo. I heard once yun nakahulihan, yun isang officer nasa US na. Di na bumalik. Yun iba, di na nakita or nagpakita, yun iba well we don't know. Pero with that event and sacrifice, he paved way changes ng program, congress approved it and now, students are enjoying such light training with chicks pa! hahaha Damn they are lucky..

Well, sa akin naman eh ok naman ROTC ko not because of that crappy training of sorts, but most especially yun mga kalokohan ginawa namin dun, papasok last break na. Laro lang kami ng laro, tapos yun wala na. hehe Mabuti talaga nabago na siya because kung ganun lang gagawin, napakaaksaya ng 2 years requirement for reserved army training. Unfair pa sa mga mahihirap na course. Ok sana kung lahat ng officer eh magaling na trainer but they are not. They are trained not to share good values but to scare or punish us lang. What kind of military training is that?

Ok lang it's required, no problem with that but as long it's benificial and will really help a citizen to be proud protecting our country in times of well invasion, if that happens.. Why not?

I'll be happy to be trained and baka sumali pa ko sa armed forces.. Or marami pa sumali sa armed forces.

Pero kung corrupt naman at wala naman ginagaw matino, at ang ginagawa lang eh manigaw at magalit.. Many won't be interested going to army corps. 

Don't forget we have a weak military armory as well. Geez, if invasion does happen, I'll just run. Thanks to that training they gave me.

A very motivating training. hehe

Not Showing: Side by Side

As look into the poster, you might be is this a joke? Or how did it happen that almost all the best movie directors will be in one documentary?

It's already here.

Well, yeah it won't show here unless it is shown in film fests or SM has extra cash to waste at intellectual documentaries like this.


Side by side tackles about the evolving means of cinema. I thought looking at the title itself, sounds like hmmmmm history of movies, or perhaps movie evolution from writing or directing because the commentaries came from directors, or simply about movies.

Indeed it tackled about movies but it's about a specific element in film that is immersely discussed. Evolution of film itself, how you will make a film without the film itself? The film that we use before in household cameras, VHS, Betamax or even the first camcorder, or the old times, the stock film.

It compares with the new kind of film recording today which is Digital, and explains how this new kind of process helps film industry or really will film be out for this process.

There were cons in this film, as usual. But not that big or really affects my interest in this documentary.

One is Steven Spielberg, one of the best movie directors around, made such great movies, was not there, surprisingly. I don't know why but I'm surprised. Also, I hoped that the pace of the documentary was like a story. Although I'm fine with the interview pace thing in this one, but for me, it will be better that it has a plot or in a story pace since Keannu I heard is also making his directorial debut.

Yes, the film was hosted by Keannu Reeves and yeah he was able to interview almost all the great movie directors, editors, photographers and technical crew you can think of.

After that around 90 mins of interest watching the film, there were 3 points that strike me most for the comparison of photochemical film and digital. Great thing that photochemical film was explained into a simplest and graphic manner.

First it was talked about is quality. As much it is very hard to shoot on film, with it's painstaking process and a lot of effort needs to work for it, well film has limitations, although all great flicks from the past were done in this tedious way. Even movie editors still like the old school process but they had no choice but to move forward with digital.

Digital as they said, is a lot easier to work with, especially these present times, less effort to be made but the problem lies at the first phase of digital film making which I do agree. I doesn't have that deep detail which film has before. That was changed after a decade passed but still film makers can do film or this way. As I viewed it, it's a tie battle between film and digital.

Second they discussed was technology. Film has already reached it's potential when Star Wars or Sci Fi came to place. I can't imagine that Star Wars will be filmed in a draconian way without the help of VFX or sorts. hehe No way! So, George Lucas and others thought of making or have the assistance of computer to make movies.

Film indeed not a priority especially when those films that needed more than technique to show great effects or visuals. Digital came in and magically not only improve film making but also inspire others to jump in and make films. I was suprised that films that I love like Sin City, impossible to be shot on film because of the demand of the source's vision. Yeah, I mean Sin City is beautiful and perfect in that noir style, they will have a problem if that can be done in film.

Digital also continuing to evolve like with the rise of state of the art cameras like what David Cameron used in Avatar, then David Fincher, Peter Jackson, with that Red Camera which is revolutionary even it's heating up. hehe So, very interesting part especially on how it helps in other aspects in film making such as editing, photography and direction. Definitely more effective, it can be fast paced, no more breaks unlike film but actors sometimes hate it because it may not stop. hehe

This part goes to digital.

Last point is which really lights me up was archiving. It is true, simply that even in digital, it's cost effective to ship these films, show in public or sometimes in the net but what if, a HDD broke down and you do have a copy but it's not working. Simple logic but it's quite a threat. Meaning, you will need to have a copy of the film you have in digital for every 5 or 10 years tops because HDD crashes in a time you don't expect. I experienced that or even computer enthuisiast. CD's or DVD's will get moist or have mold even it's kept in a container or case. One of my saved movies in a DVD already acting up so I need to have another copy. hehe So, yeah it's very hard for digital to keep it in the future unless they invent something indestructible HDD or digital storage. hehe

In films, I'm surprised that a scene there, a century old flick still runs as it was played before. Although having a film library or archiving center cost more but well, as long they have the tools, and right equipment, environment and people, films are always new. There will be scratches or other effects but it keeps running and digital can always help to restore. I'll go for Film this one. hehe

I love the directors, crew, editors, and other men and women who were interviewed by Keannu.. They were passionate of giving insights about their takes of making a film in film strip or digital. Their experiences of each medium and how they love making films in whatever way. George Lucas really pushing for digital as James Cameron agrees, or my recent fave David Lynch also going for digital as present in Inland Empire.

Others were embraced as well, like David Fincher, Robert Rodriguez, Martin Scorsese, Steven Soderburgh and others.. Editors, and photographers as well.. Lars Von Trier! hehe Who is like the pioneer with his group of using DV in film making.

For me, if you're in film school and want to know deeper about film making, I definitely encourage you to see this. For me as a movie fan, I love this documentary, a glimpse on how the movie works from past, until present..

Or maybe future. =)

unplanned 44

Kakapagod magsulat ng Ring! Ring!, paano nasa important parts na eh. hehe Anyway, drooling over the latest gadgets even for a new desktop computer, what I do is just wait. Hoping that I can buy those things. But due to my capacity and plans, I can't.. Pero satisfied naman ako just staring at them, maybe motivate to buy them in the far future. hahaha

Ah, almost nearing finishing Feb kaya I can say mas mabuti talagang itong month na to. Especially next month na mas marami pa ko magagawa na developmental. =)

Grabe talaga si David Lynch, I hope after Inland Empire, may kasunod pa sana siya. hehe It was difficult not to watch but yun length at depth ng films niya, I mean 2 hours is not bad, but yun magiisip ka pa. Iba ang feeling. =)

I thought makakanood ako ng PBA na live with cuz Lucy but since busy siya sa March, baka pagbalik niya, lalo na siguro sabi ko, sa FIBA Asia na! hehe

Hay, papacheckup na lang at this following weeks, not much extra lakad ang kailangan gawin, siguro nga kakadelay ng check up at may mga ginawa pa ko na pinaayos na damit or other errands eh bawas na malamang after this week. I can just read or rest at home. I just don't want to really stress myself.. Thanks to Him and everyday passes by. Ang stress lang eh yun paguwi ng 1am. hehe

I can't wait for the new computer and other things that entails with it. Lalo na may mga new discover ako for downloading.. Sana lang makuha ko siya.

NBA trade deadline sucks this year, walang big movement pero ganun talaga, masaya na sa mga line up nila.. Let's wait for the playoffs which malapit na siyempre!! Go OKC! hehe

What else, hmmmm eto na lang muna, well I feel relieved, not much stress or disappointed.

Happy!

Ring! Ring!

(BGC)


Now, let's go to the story. hehe 

BGC stands for Bonifacio Global City, which now well a promising district. Bustling will be a fitting word due to massive transfer of business ventures put up here. A lot of companies invested in this place maybe it's cheaper than other business districts such as Makati, or Ortigas. With great scenes and sounds you can feel there because of the wide landscapes and well built city within the city style, does it fit with a BPO employee like me? 

Yes, there are a lot of BPO companies situated here, a new place that they can invest because of the location and maybe the talent pool available here.  As everybody knows, BGC sounds a classy place, and it is. 

I went to this place, not very often, because of some occassions but for work.. After what I experienced, nah... I won't work here. Unless if I have a car and there is no traffic in C5 exchange roads, the fastest way going there from my house. I'll never do what the usual commuters do, from my home. Ride a jeep, queue for the ever slowing MRT, then ride a bus which the only way going inside this enormous business district. 

2 hours you need before you can reach in your working place, if you go below than that, definitely, you'll be tardy.

Here are some known call center/BPO companies situated here.

INFOSYS - Situated at the first and only mall in BGC for now, Market! Market!. Caters usually what I know, US companies, IT ones, then I don't know what is their big account. What I heard they have a good pay, but well.. You need to be near Market! Market!. What I heard as well, they have tech accounts because of the IT accounts they have. In the newspapers says, they have a UK account. I don't know how their recruitment goes. 

TELUS - one of the big call centers, they have many centers here in NCR. They are a canadian telco which has it's own call center/BPO business. There were called Ambergris before. Here at BGC, the account that what I heard is Zynga or that FB gaming account, a back office work. Low pay especially if you're residing outside BGC. I heard that the pay is around 17k with everything on it, like allowance or so, excluding tax. They have great benefits, you get free postpaid plan with phone from Globe which I don't if they still do it, and medicare as well. However, well, that's their account there perhaps with other voice accounts, and recruitment as they advertise, 2 hours only and you'll get a job offer. 

Deustche Bank - Yes, you got it right, one of the leading European and German bank is situated there. A big building they have and it's purely BPO. Meaning I'm sure they don't have voice accounts but they do have like the usual office work, think of working in an international bank. They have weird recruiting process, I tried to send a resume online, nothing happened, walking in is a hassle. However, if you're a graduate of a good business course from a reputable university which is not like me, you can pass here for sure. I've known some of my batchmates worked there, and what I've known, they all left. I don't know why, but well maybe they have a problem. hehe Ah yeah, I heard they pay well, and one surprising benefit, if you're shift ends at night, don't worry for a cab, you'll be pick by a driver using the company car going home. If you took a cab, well, they'll reimburse it. Damn. hehe

But yeah, definitely for professionals, especially with accounting background perhaps. I heard they have freeze hiring for now. hehe

C3 - A new call center situated at BGC, actually this one with Deustche Bank are near with each other. What I heard from one of my former team mates, they have good environment and workplace. She was a QA there, then recruitment was kinda smooth, she did not have QA experience before until she went there, done QA screening then yeah, she got the job. Pay, good for the basic but less for allowance. Location indeed not easy to work with. 2 hours should be your travelling time for persons residing outside BGC. She came from Moonwalk, Parañaque left house 2 hours ago, still became late. Geez. 

I forgot, account there is airline, and telco from UK. I forgot what she said about that account. hehe Sorry. 

Bank of America - One of the biggest banks in the US is here. How will I forget this new inhouse call center situated in BGC, just started a year ago. This one and C3 are in the same building in BGC. Why will I won't forget this BPO? Their accounts are mostly mortgage, personal banking and some chat services as well. I heard, they pay very well around 25K, and yeah inhouse account. However, their recruitment is very painstaking. I mean, they have a hard assessment test from numerical, language and yes, typing skills. Then you'll go for a grueling interview. Damn, when they asked questions I thought they will score you in comprehension or logic or structure of thoughts.. But hell no, they grade you on how you pronounce the words and so, they want perfect english!!! I did not make it to their voice account,they offer me a chat account. Well, I was interviewed by this great looking manager, but she's a terror. Asking me a lot of questions  even my HS days and college days, and I knew at the middle, I hate this experience and I just want to finish it. Although I agreed to be interviewed for the final one but I disregard their calls and forget it. I won't work there! One of my worst experiences and I felt, this company isn't good.. 

Proof? Well, one of my job hunting days, I saw one applicant coming from that chat dept of BOA applying! One of my friends, left her QA or training position, I forgot, even living from a far, worked here as a CSR, 2 months later... She left due to stress. 

Wanna try a spin here? Nah. 

JP Morgan Chase - Another big bank from the US is here, what I know the biggest bank in the US in terms of assets. Anyhow, the most famous call center in the site. I read as well before, they were awarded one of the best employers here.. Hmmmmm Anyway, I don't know how their recruitment goes now but what I experienced before was worse. Although with that experience in Philam Life, they have a good looking center. But anyhow, I was interviewed and as it went along, they started asking what did I do in my VL's, SL's and why I used it so much which it will effect my team's performance? What the hell? Is it a right to get a rest and you informed your TL's before taking a leave? Isn't that a violation? 

I was pissed off and I finished the interview, never going back there. 

Then of course, a lot of sad stories bound there.. Maybe if you asked 10 ex JP Morgan employees, 9 of them will say they were not happy working there. Geez.. Why many people going there? 

If you are offered 25k-40k, US account and shift, and what I know is they increase at least 15% of your basic salary to join them plus other bonuses for reaching targets in your metrics, who will not resist that offer? The one I've known said to me, he rushed for a pen to sign the contract! hehe

Many joined, many going away..

The recruitment process I think is just a series of interviews and tests, according to my previous team mates.. 

Many are still there because of the large pay, but well.. Every peso you earned, is really you will need to work hard for it.

Dual screen monitors used for mortgage LOB's because of some accounts came from banks that JP Morgan acquired through financial crisis. Not only irate customer you will experience, but toxic customers because of course, you will be dealing customers who will be losing their houses. Auto loans, credit card accounts, even premium accounts which deals to their rich clients who doesn't know how will invest their money. 

Add to an environment which is not really worker friendly.. Not the facilities, I heard their facilites are great, but the working relationship, nah, politics and pride indeed.. I heard one story from my previous co trainee that because he was just not comfortable with the team, like going or eating together but he's doing his best to contribute.. He was left behind in a team meeting for 3 hours.. His team mates are idle, him.. Taking calls, cursed and crushed by toxic customers. 

Oh another one.. hehe While applying for abroad long time ago, I was able to talk with one of the applicants, he is working here with JP then decided to apply for abroad or just want to get out with JP because of the toxic work environment. He just can't take it anymore due to stress and very strict guidelines there.

Another proof, besides with a lot of I've known former team mates and friends came from them, how about, the ones who has a drinking session at lunch near mini stop at Insular Life building, saw their ID's, of course they are coming there.. Everyday. Isn't that scary? That's how stressed working here.

So, if you can really swallow your human life in exchange for great money but great toxic work life.. Are you in?


There are a lot of centers stationed here, which I don't know exactly how many or who else but others I know Sutherland, Harte Hanks if I got it right.. And other corporations as well..

Great place for living indeed because you have access to serendra, malls, Mercato central,  the great St. Luke's Global City hospital and other establishments. If you're a fitness buff and you want to run in the morning, then jog the whole BGC everyday. hehe Then yeah spacious place, not that crowded building type,then are you a party goer? Some of the best clubs and dining experience are here as well..

However, as much great things it can offer, for me or even you living far away, I can't really suggest working here due to it's distance and traffic along. If you're living near here, I mean if you can live just beside BGC, this is perfect for you. 

But well, if you're job hunting and you live so much far here.. Just forget the place. 

Oh I hope they allow Jeeps or mini cabs like in MOA to really go around the place instead of that only bus route which is so slow and you'll be late indeed.

Rushing for 5 minutes before logging in  like we always do in other places like in Makati.. Won't save you. =)

broken lines (collection 31)

Pag-ibig, kay sarap kumabig!

Laging hinahanap, inaasam..

Labis ang aking pagiisa,

nawa'y mahanap ko ang pag-ibig.

 

Pag-ibig ay sadyang mailap.

Bagama't ako'y nagsisikap,

sadyang mapait ang kapalaran..

Pag-asa, di kailan mawala.

 

Pag-ibig, kay tamis mahagkan!

Gising sa umaga, ika'y tuwina..

Babaeng nagbibigay mukha,

puso ng tunay na pag-ibig.

 

Ang iyong mga nakakatunaw na titig,

Ang iyong mga magaan na haplos,

Ang iyong mga salita na nagbibigay liwanag,

Ang iyong mga nakakabighani na kilos..

Lahat na ito, pakiramdam ko'y buhay ay langit na.

Walang ikakatakot pa, kahit ano pa man, walang hanggan!

 

Pag-ibig na ikaw matamo.

Pangako'y magmamahal ng labis,

di magaalingangan wagas.

Bawa't sandali, dapat punuin!

Pangalawa sa Maykapal, gaya niya..

Ibigay ang lubos na Pag-ibig!