TGIF

Friday, May 20, 2005

If there's anything that I'm most looking forward to here, it's Friday. I love the weekends more than ever now. In fact, I cherish the weekends. I'm relieved from all the pressures of work. I can temporarily forget anything work related. Well, not unless we're given some assignment or project. Nevertheless, the weekends give me the much needed break that (I think) I badly need and might I just add, I so badly deserve (hehe). After a week's worth of work, just the thought of having "free" time to myself excites, enlightens and energizes me in many ways. Except for the group's usual happy hours and occasional get-togethers and outings, we're pretty much on our own on weekends. So my weekends are strictly reserved for some serious R and R and R - rest, relaxation and recreation.

On weekends...

I get to wake up a little later than usual and stay in bed for as long as I want. Well actually only long enough until it's time for the housekeeping lady to clean my room.

I get to do my groceries. I have to replenish and stock up on a week's worth of food. And I don't know why but I just enjoy my time in groceries.

I get to go to the malls and do a little shopping. Aaaah...therapeutic.

I get to catch up on my favorite TV shows. Marathons of The O.C., Desperate Housewives and 24 season 4 are my numero uno stress-relievers. Local TV also has Survivor and The Apprentice 3 on every Saturday.

I get to go watch movies. I don't get to watch as much anymore as when I was back home. Most people here don't watch as much movie as we do in Manila. Aside from having limited movies to choose from and movie tickets being more expensive, coming attraction movies are shown a month or a few weeks later as compared to the now showing movies in Manila. Since my colleagues aren't really regular moviegoers and being the huge movie buff that I am, I couldn't resist and pass on whatever may seem like a good movie to me at the moment. So inspite of having some hesistations, one fine day I went ahead and decided to just go watch by my lonesome self. Surprisingly, it wasn't that bad and scary at all. I actually even enjoyed myself. So far, I've only watched The Pacifier, Miss Congeniality and The Interpreter that's because there aren't any new English movies to choose from here.

You see, I make it a point to find simple ways and means to unwind and amuse myself regardless of whether in the company of others or of myself. Nothing really fancy. No need for big happenings or whatever event. Weekends should be refreshing. I personally believe that we should strive to work hard but we should not forget to play hard as well. We owe it to ourselves. Thank God it's Friday!

Have a nice weekend y’all. I know I will.

Mind over Matter

Thursday, May 19, 2005

I'm feeling much better now. I have to thank my colleagues who helped me BIG time yesterday. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have finished our assignment at all. Yesterday, I was an emotional mess. For some unknown reason, I just felt like crying. I was actually crying! Throughout the day, I was feeling down. My morale was at its all time low. I really don't know why and couldn't explain "the feeling." As far as I can remember, I've never been like this before. I'm usually not the type who would openly cry in front of everyone else and I don't usually resort to crying whenever I'm down or troubled. There seems to be tons of reasons but ironically, I couldn't come up with one solid explanation.

Maybe it's because my family who's just visiting over the long weekend (FYI: Monday was a holiday here in Hong Kong) was already leaving for Manila. But what I couldn't understand is, it has already been my 3rd visit from family and so far, I never actually cried. Maybe homesickness is starting to set in. I really don't know. Maybe it's because I'm going to miss eating really really good meals (hahaha). The past few days that they've been here, I think I ate way too much. No complaints though (hehe sarap kasi! and it's good food).

Maybe it's because of the pressures of work. I'm having some difficulty in absorbing every new information. Work is hard as it is already and what makes it even harder is having to work with people who are already several steps higher than you. No matter how hard I try to convince and push myself, I couldn't match their years of experience. Coincidentally, we were given an assignment the other day that was due this morning. I was sort of struggling to create my program and felt so lost. But what I couldn't understand is, I've had even tougher assignments and somehow I was able to surprisingly hurdle all of it in the end. Maybe pent up frustrations are starting to pour in. I really don't know.

Maybe it's because of hormonal effects. Maybe I'm just PMS-ing. I'm not so sure either.

Maybe there are other subconscious reasons unknown to me. Who knows?

Whatever the reason, I'm okay now. I'm going back to my two-and-a-half-month old routine again. And yes, I'm trying to get my so-called groove back again. I guess it's just putting mind over matter.

I want a Roadster

Thursday, May 12, 2005

This I like!

The HK Experience

Thursday, May 05, 2005

Other than the hassles, stress and pressures of work, I’m actually enjoying myself here in Hong Kong. Not in the superlative sense though but enjoying myself nonetheless. I mean who would have known that I’d get to experience this kind of opportunity and what an interesting experience it has been so far. Nothing really big or exciting though. I’ve always wanted to live abroad for a while – whether for work or school but I didn’t have the initiative to make it all happen. And like lightning in the sky, this job offer came literally flashing right before me. So they say lightning strikes only once in one place – hence, I took the plunge regardless of the innumerable uncertainties. It’s strange how opportunity knocks or how good things come your way when you least expect it.

I could hardly believe that a good whole 2 months have already gone by since I left Manila. Sigh, time flies. I’m immersing myself with the new culture around me – work, the environment, the people, and independent life. Within only a span of 2 months, so many things have already happened – a fair mix of good and bad experiences. Either way, valuable lessons have been learned and taken well to heart whether with regards to work, people, myself and life in general.

Needless to say, I’m taking pleasure in this so called temporary change. I needed this change. As a matter of fact, it has been long overdue. I think there’s no better time than now. However, change can sometimes be a pain in the butt especially when we lose the comfort and sense of familiarity. It can be difficult. Sometimes it feels as if we’re starting from scratch again. It can be risky as well. There’s the risk of not knowing what's ahead and of creating a negative chain reaction. It can also be frustrating. We fumble and find our way. We try to fine-tune every little thing and a whole lot of adjustments have to be made accordingly. But one way or the other, change can be healthy. It can do us good depending upon the attitude we have towards it. Change can actually make us stronger, wiser and better persons. And here I am now, somehow changed by this whole Hong Kong experience in more ways than I’ve ever imagined.

Yehey! Day

Tuesday, May 03, 2005

Yehey!

Today and tomorrow, our topic will be on Project Management which is something my field of interests covers. At least, I wouldn't have to worry for the next two days. I'm rest assured that it's something that I wouldn't fret over. I can take a breather in the meantime. It feels more like a two day break or an extension of our May 2 holiday.

I got to thinking last Friday night or as I would like to refer to as my so called Eureka moment. From being undecisive and not knowing what I really want to do for work, I think I know now. Yes, only after an hour of watching the very late second season rerun of The Apprentice. I want to try to be in something that's sort of in the same line of work. I want the kind of work that Donald Trump makes his "apprentices" do. Looks fun and challenging. It's something that I think I'll enjoy to some extent.

Another Yehey! moment...I finally have internet in my room (with the help of Ta and Brian - thank you!). It's such a hassle to go down the lobby everytime and my laptop's battery going empty all the time. And what's even better is, I get to pay only half the price! It's a bargain. Ahh...wi-fi is one of man's greatest inventions. Okay fine, maybe I'm exagerrating.

So...yehey! yehey! yehey! I hope this Yehey! moment of mine will last long...

I know what you're thinking...

Pure kababawan.

But what the heck...

No matter how babaw, if it makes me happy...

Why not?

....

Coconut? =P

Moving Day

Sunday, May 01, 2005

It’s moving day for me. I’m now officially transferring to my very own apartment/room. I finally get to have privacy – no more sharing of the bed and bathroom. And being the neat freak or OC that I am, I won’t have to worry about cleaning up after somebody else’s mess. I’m also getting my internet hooked up since it’s such a hassle to go down to the lobby every single time. If everything works, I might try sharing the internet connection with the Thai guy (or “gay” - not yet confirmed though, hehe) whose room is exactly right under mine (he’s one floor down). We can split the bill and save 225 HK each every month. Not bad, right? Supposedly, all we need is a router and we’re good to go. On the one side, I’m really going to miss our old apartment since it’s located in one of the “better” floors. It’s newly renovated and I like the modern and minimalist feel to it. Our new apartment totally fails in comparison. Alright, it’s averagely fair and passable but it's still a far cry from our old apartment. I inquired about the studio type rooms located in the “better” floors and was willing to pay for the difference that my company was paying. However, according to the front desk people, they would still have to check with my company and have them sign a new contract again. After all the brouhaha last March and after the “sermon” that we got from the regional HR head on our very first day of work here, I was like forget about it. I wasn’t willing to take the risk again of creating trouble because of the room setup. I don’t want to give them the impression that I’m such a big whiner or I’m feeling VIP and wanted to be treated differently from the rest. After all, everyone else stays in the same floor where we just transferred to (except the two who’s staying on the 16th) and so far, nobody else inquired about the “better” rooms so I think I should have no reason to ask for anything different. Things are so different now – this is work. I’m working now for somebody else and I don’t have the bargaining power (or more like bargaining rights!) to demand for anything or ask specifically for something anymore. I can’t expect for things or conditions to be the same as what I’ve always been used to or as what they usually are outside work. I should even be thankful that our accommodations and terms aren’t that bad as one would usually expect from corporate trainings like this. I mean what more can you ask for…training in HK, living in a hotel/apartment (with housekeeping twice a week!) and getting paid with a hefty sum. I say, we’re so much better off already.

Transferring to our own apartments/rooms is kind of exciting while at the same time, it makes kind of hesitant as well. Excited because I get to have my own place and do my own thing and hesitant, because I sort of get scared easily (hehe). Okay fine, I’m a scaredy cat. Thank you very much to my overactive imagination! So from this day onwards, I’m officially on my own. Well, only at least for the next 3 months. Nothing really permanent. Nevertheless, I'm learning to live the independent life. It certainly has its ups and downs. But I have to savor the moment while it lasts. So here's to my so called temporary independence! (hehe)