I'm a Cedar Tree


A friend e-mailed me an article about what kind a person is in comparison to a tree. I was born between Feb 9 to 18 so I was a cedar tree. Here's the description:

Cedar Tree (the Confidence) -- of rare strength,
knows how to adapt, likes
& gt; unexpected presents, of good health, not in
the least shy, tends to look
down on others, self-confident, a great speaker,
determined, often impatient
likes to impress others, has many talents,
industrious, healthy optimism,
waits for the one true love, able to make quick decisions.

Not entirely me, I think.

Beautiful


Last week, there was a mega-job fair at SM Megamall. Lots of new unemployed graduates swarmed outside the Megamall Hall Trade 3 and waited for the opening of the job fair, which started almost by 11 o' clock (instead of the scheduled 10, Pilipino time talaga!). I applied with various companies such as Photocircuits, Cebu Pacific, Sharp, MSI-Digiland and some call centers as Technical Support Representative. A while ago, before the job fair opening. I called link2support, a call center company to be interviewed by my contact person named Eric. However, Eric was not around so I was interviewed by RA, who answered the phone when I called. The conversation went smoothly even though I gave wrong answers (especially in the technical ones) and to conclude our conversation she scheduled me for an exam on Monday, 1 o' clock PM. Later after that ROHM Apollo called and told me that I'm scheduled for the company orientation on Monday at 9 o' clock. I told them that I was finished with the orientation a month ago but they insisted. With a rather heavy heart, I decided not to go there and instead go for the exam in Link2support.
Monday came and I was feeling a little feverish. I felt I have a sinusitis that hasn't started yet. By 8, I started getting ready ... and to make the story short I arrived at link2support 5 minutes before 1. In just a little while, the HR personnel ushered me and the other applicants to the examination workstation for the online exam. The online exam was divided on 3 categories namely Customer Service, Technical Knowledge and Verbal ability. The verbal ability test was further divided into 3 sub-categories namely Grammar, Conversational English and Spelling. The exam went well and I did best with Spelling with 73.3% while doing quite bad with Grammar with 43.33%. The next exam was the phone interview. This interview was designed to test how I sound in phone. This was my most favorite of all the exams because I have fun imitating the interviewer as she made me to repeat what she's saying. Lastly, was the panel interview. I did bad at first, my ideas were like falling out into place. I apologized to the panel but I'm glad they were considerate. Later on, the interview went smoother and I was a bit enthusiastic. After the interview, I went to the Multi-Purpose Hall and wait for the results. Later, a personnel who introduced himself as Bryan called me and led me to a deserted room. He asked me to sit down and I thought that this would another interview and unfortunately it wasn't. He handed me a paper - a contract about my training which will start in Monday until Apr 23. I was very happy with the news that I didn't take note with what was written in the contract. I read the terms and asked a few questions. After all the talking, he congratulated me and wished me good luck on Monday.
I finally have a training and if I do good, I would get the job as Product Support Representative. Wow! I really praised God because I did not expect this. I thought I would not make it as a candidate for training. I was really happy because after 3 months of searching, I have the job to look forward to and get busy! I called my tatay and nanay and they were happy about the news. They told me to drink vitamins and medicines when the training starts so that I'll be healthy.
When I got back home in Cavite I told my two friends Butch gamay and Dako about the news. They reacted quite different because it means that I have to leave them and move. But they were happy, I guess.
Personally, I find myself in a crossroad. I'm excited yet anxious. Excited because I've got new things to do - a training and a ministry at the church I attend regularly but anxious since I will be exposed to a new world - new people and a new place. I also feel sad since I'll be leaving my friends, that I'll always look forward to chat with every night. But, I think that God allowed all of this so that the events will shape my character. Sometimes, I get very impatient and ask God why and why. I complained a lot but truly God makes all things beautiful in His time.

ROHM Apollo: Lost in San Pablo


Finally, I received a call last Friday at exactly 11:30 that I'm scheduled for an exam in ROHM Apollo the following day at 8:30. It has been a month since they have invited me for the initial interview. Well, anyway I arrived there on time and proceeded to the new building. I approached the receptionist and told her that I have an exam scheduled that day. However, she told me that the exam was postponed this Monday (or to say, today 03/22/04). Ma'am Babes, who was supposed to give our exam was bleeding so she had the the exam rescheduled. I pointed out that I was not informed about the postponement. The receptionist called for Mr. Salon to know his decision regarding this matter. I was told to wait with an another misinformed applicant in the lobby. After waiting for an hour, Mr. Salon joined us and informed us that Ma'am Babes will be coming. We just have to wait for her. However 12 o' clock came and no Ma'am Babes was in sight so we decided to take our lunch at ROHM's canteen.

After eating we came back at the lobby and waited... At two o' clock, Mr. Salon approached us again and told us the Ma'am Babes was caught in a "Mega - traffic" in Alabang, she was supposedly be here last 11 o' clock. However, we waited. I felt half my day already wasted. I was thinking of getting my laundry at five and if the exam will start now, I have the slimmest chance to get it. 4 o' clock came and I was bored - "to death" and waiting for the not-coming Ma'am Babes. "Katya", the pretty receptionist shiftee in the afternoon was warning us that Ma'am Babes will not be coming DEFINITELY because she was not feeling well. It seems to me that Ma'am Babes is not coming at all and the "Alabang Mega-traffic" is some cock-and-bull story which is unlikely since Mr. Salon - a seemingly "highly-respected" authority at ROHM was the one who told us that Ma'am Babes is coming and that we just have to wait. I'm confused which is true, although the vibes I'm getting are quite as indirect and too impossible. I was prodding with the other applicant that I think we'd take the exam on Monday. However, he still trusts that Ma'am Babes will still be coming under one condition that on 4:30 if Ma'am Babes is still not coming, then off we will go! However, we waited 'till five o'clock and no Ma'am Babes was in sight! The HR people are coming out their offices to go home and so is Mr. Salon who was now ready to go. He told us that Ma'am Babes just called and told him that while in Alabang, something came up and Ma'am Babes will not be coming anymore. That's it, he was lying after all. I've seen these situations before... But do you know what the worst thing is? I seem to go with the lie as if I don't have the mind of my own ... maybe because of intimidation. I have intimidation problems with people in authority... and because of that intimidation I was now in his car with the other applicant. He told us that we will get the exam papers in his house in Alabang since he had copies of them. Wait! this is inappropriate already and I know that he knows this and every professional person ... but again I was angry with myself since I didn't do anything but do as he said much with the prodding of the other applicant, who I later found out that he will re-take the exams which he took last week (You can only take the exam after six months), who was with Mr. Salon just a week ago in Capas, Tarlac. (Are these guys already friends? It felt weird to know that)

Well, continue with the story ... as we arrived at the Carmona-Biñan Interchange, there was indeed a heavy traffic going to Manila (not going South as we he was telling us). He decided not to go to Alabang but proceed to San Pablo City via. Sto. Tomas Batangas. The HR will be having a job fair tomorrow there. And that the "Sabado Night" club (a CARE group of ROHM, like clubs in college) will be skinny-dipping in Pagsanjan waterfalls. Wow! ... wow but that's not I'm worrying about. I realized that we're going to San Pablo, a place I haven't gone yet and with me, people I didn't know especially Mr. Salon who (se face) cannot be trusted after what he had done (still I'm not sure if he was lying but I have the vibes that he is), and I'm here at South Superhighway and can't get out of his car (Rape!)... much to say to him that I want to get out! But I was telling you, I did nothing but sit in the front seat.
Well, while we were cruising along the road just below Mt. Makiling - fresh air and green scenery ... but again I was given yet another chance "not to tell anything". He made me use my cellphone to call his contacts at San Pablo. He promised me to pay my "cell" load when we get to a Caltex Station. I should have told him that I have no load! Waaah... it was dreadful - exciting and frightening. I was his secretary and I was like the guys in a call center making,

"Hello, good afternoon pwede makausap si Mr.... ah ganun po ba? ... May another contact number po ba sila? ... Sige po, thank you!"

We arrived at San Pablo at 7 o' clock. Mr. Salon proceeded to Centro Mart to meet his contact person and to buy some grocery. I can't wait to go home after all the nerves I'm getting since I took a seat in his car. Butch Dako just texted me to meet with Butch Gamay, Owynne and Dodoy at Paseo de Sta. Rosa for dinner and drinks. I told him that I was in San Pablo and I asked me where the van terminal for Balibago is. When Mr. Salon came back, I told him that I will be going back to Balibago since I will be up early for tomorrow. He asked me if I knew where to go. I did not bother to ask for the payment for my load since I was too eager to go home. I parted ways with the other employee who decided to go to Pagsanjan with Mr. Salon and the gang and go back to their house in Fairview tomorrow. He was still thinking that he will take the exam tomorrow. (How could he think that it's still possible?) I just told him to go ROHM this Monday. Fortunately, the direction Butch had told me was just at the other side of the road. I was somewhat finally able to breath by the sight of the church at San Pablo and the 7-eleven... just like what Butch described it.

Do you know what I learned that day? To have the simplest common sense over things. Guess, I would nto learn from all the events I've encountered here in Manila. God has been allowing these things to happen so that I will finally get a knack of the much valued "common sense" and "courage to reason out". Still, I'm grateful. I just felt weird and out of something.

The van left San Pablo at 8:00 o' clock.

Kataw-anan section added


I have added a "kataw-anan" section. Kataw-anan is a Visayan word meaning "funny" or in Tagalog, "nakakatawa" or in Italian ... never mind. Xiao-xiao is an action packed "stick" animation. Meanwhile Maritess and Superfriends is a very funny animation by Filipino comedian Rex Navarette. It is about a domestic helper named Maritess who was hired by the Superfriends (i.e. Superman, Aquaman, etc) to work for them... Laugh your hearts out!

New Heading


Hey! I've got a new banner. Personally, I think it's very cute. I've had a a rather long time doing this since the computer I've worked with is soo... slow. Well, anyway it's worth it... Oops, I forgot to put the URL under the briefs. Maybe, I just have to work it next time.

What Love is


I made a poem about love not commonly found. Well here it is

I love you not because ...
by: Anaki

I love you not because I am excited
Even in quite ordinary moments
Even when things are boring, not special
I still love you

I love you not because you are lovable
Even when I saw a log in your eye
Even when your hair looks like a barbed wire
I still love you

I love you not because I feel like loving you
Even if you were quite different
And our views just don't match
I still love you

I love you not because I need you
Even though I can live by myself
I choose to be with you
That's why I love you

I love you because we see each other
Not eye to eye but side by side
We were aimed for a purpose
That's why I love you

What do you think?

GNF Final Interview


I was sitting on the chair, quite bewildered to what is happening around me. The japanese manager was laughing with all his might. Am I supposed to be humiliated and cry or burst out in anger like a person whose ego was hurt? I felt angry at the moment but ... I would not do so. Numbness took over me but I remained my composure. I was polite and still all smiles. It was over. I offered a handshake to the manager and left. The HR Head told me to wait for the call as long as tomorrow morning. I surrendered my ID to the guard, get my things, walked a few distance. After a few paces, stupidity took over me and hurtful feelings start to rise up. I eventually let my guard down and cried...

These were the last scenes during my final interview today at GNF Philippines. To give you an overview how I get there, well here's the story. I applied at GNF last January 19 but was called almost a month later to take the test. I passed the exam, have the initial interview. Last Tuesday, they called me to have my panel interview on Wedenesday. They called again, 30 min. after the panel interview and told me I passed and so I was here, 3:00 for the Final Interview.

I was given a problem. It was a chemistry-algebra related problem about Mixtures. Well here is the problem:

A tank operating at 10 cu.m has a concentration of 50g/L. Suddenly the concentration suddenly shoots to 60 g/L. As a production operator, how will you solve this problem so that the concentration will remain 50 g/L?

The problem was vague so I asked the japanese manager who interviewed me yesterday what the condition was. I asked if the tank is full and he answered no. The tank has a capacity of 20 cu. m.

To give you a general perspective how to approach this problem, there are two possible situations:
A solution is composed of a solute (salt) and a solvent (water).
a) If the solution reaches 60 g/L. It is possible that an additional solute has been mixed with the solution that's why the concentration increased. or...
b) If the solution reached 60g/L. It is a possible that some solvent has dried up or has evaporated thats why the concentration of the solute increased.

I first considered situation a) and I got my solution on the white board but as soon as I arrived at my answer, I suddenly thought that the operating volume should not exceed 10 cu. m and so it is possible that b) situation has happened. So, I erased my answer and solved again.

Here's the calculation:

Let x = the amount of solvent decreased

(10 - x)60 = 10(50)
600 - 60x = 500
-60x = -100
x = 1.667 or 1 2/3 cu. m


By getting this solution, It means that a total amount of 1.667 cu.m was lost, that is why the concentration increased to 60 g/L. To get on with the story, I explained my solution to my interviewers. I made sure I have been clear with my explanation but the manager could not understand me. He told me to explain my solution all over again. I was asked if I knew how to get the concentration and I did. He was still confused so I solved the equation his way. I think, he was irked in the process because he too himself must have been confused with what I've been doing and I was also confused with to where I'm getting at.

However, he first let me solve the total amount of solute using 10 cu. m of water with 60 g/L concentration. It was 600, then he let me add 1.667 to 10 cu. m. I should have realized by now that he was considering situation a), right? But I thought nothing of it and there I was following his orders. He let me divide 600 by 1.667. I arrived at 51.4 g/L. I assumed that this is just a tolerant error with the computation. The answer expected was 50 g/L. I could not think of any other way, so I just justified my solution. I told him, that this was just an error in computation since he let me use 1.67 instead of the exact 1 2/3. I have no idea that the correct situation is a) as much as I believed that b) situation is correct in my opinion. To my amzement and shock, he laughed, he laughed and laughed after all the "pasirko-sirko" explanations I made. Maybe he found me amusing or just plain pathetic! Well that was the situation I've told you earlier...
Near the gate, I rushed on my calculator to solve, only to find out that it should have been 2 and not 1.667. My ego was hurt, finding out that I, as a tutor before was never wrong! I'm supposed to be right because my tutees expect me to be right. And now, a simple mixture problem whose problem is so common like the ones I see as examples during my stay in Ateneo or the ones I solve during my review in Excel... and I got it wrong! What a shame! A very unbearable shame! If I were a Japanese, I would have killed myself. I felt really stupid and I cried, really cried my heart out for having my ego hurt.

After I get myself together, that's the time I found out that it was a) situation we've been tackling all along. And then I felt stupid why I cried. It's not worth crying after all. I was not wrong. If my case was followed, I was right. But, well... it was the other situation anyway and I can't do anything about it now.

Anyway, here is the correct solution:


let x = amount of solvent added.

(100 + x)50 = 10(60)
500 + 50x = 600
50x = 100
x = 2 cu. m


You have to add 2 L of solvent so that the concentration will decrease back to 50 g/L. I thought, the solution is not to exceed 10 cu. m that's why I considered situation b). Well you see, it's very plain simple. I should have asked him what the condition was.

Well, as a final word, situation like these have to happen in our lives. God is teaching me to be humble and accept my mistakes. It is my first intimate experience to learn this in a hard way. Although, in my heart I'm still insisting that I should have been right but fighting it was a way to learn and move on. God has the best plans for me and I trust it. And thinking about if I will still get the job after that, I still have tomorrow to find out. Life is STILL beautiful and thank God for it.

John Clements


An unexpected event in my job hunting happened to me last Tuesday. I was bound for Makati to submit my resumés to Accenture Technology Solutions and to Personal Staffers, a division of John Clements. Well, that was only a day, quite an ordinary day I think, no heart-pounding interview schedules and to top it all, the dress-to-kill preparations ... just an ordinary day. So, I only wore my checkered copper-blue polo matched with blue pants and brown shoes.
I was sweating as I was cruising my way along Ayala Ave. The weather was so humid. Summer is fast approaching here in Metro Manila, I think.(and to add with that, I traveled unknown routes making my progress a little bit slower). I arrived at Philippine Stock Exchange only to find out that Accenture is located at the other bldg., the Makati Stock Exchange. It was a breeze. I later walked further to LKG Tower to go to John Clements. In my mind I was thinking of going to Megamall afterwards and watch "Lost in Translation" and eat a large cup of Blizzard Black Forest (Yum, yum). Ah... what a good day to relax! As I arrived at the John Clements, dripping with sweat, I gave the resumé to the guard. I was thinking of leaving the place but the guard told me to stay and wait for my name to be called. In my mind, "What's this? Will there be an interview and I looked like ... a total mess!" Well, a lady staff called me and asked me of the position I'm applying for. Unfortunately, the job (an ECE related job) did not match with my qualifications so I was for short (can go SM, yehey!) but she asked me if I would be interested to work at a Call center. (Hmm... a call center! I still can't get over with my interview ast C-Cube... well I think I just give it another try and practice my English, a bit). Half-heartedly, I agreed. She called her co-staff named Cleo to assist me. Cleo has a very nice, kind of exciting voice so it was nice talking to her. I have the verbal exams, application forms filled. In my mind I was still thinking, "This is absurd, I should be at Megamall at this moment" At 1:15, I finished my exam and I was very hungry. I told Cleo, it would be better for me to finish all series of examinations and interviews and have my lunch later. But Cleo told me that it would take time for my papers to be checked so she insisted that I should take my lunch first and go back at 2:15 for my typing exam and the final interview. I took it as a hint that she herself is hungry too. What an insensitive me!
Well, I came back at 2:00 and waited for Cleo to call my name. However an hour passed and she haven't called me yet. The other applicants who came after me were the ones called first. This is unfair and I was mumbling to myself. Another applicant for a Marketing position beside me also complained with the wait. After a moment, a pretty lady dressed all in black called my name and she told me to come with her for an interview. The interview didn't went well in my perspective. Though I'm glad, I spoke good English but I sound less enthusiastic. After that, she told me that they haven't checked my papers yet and they'll just call me after theyhave the evaluation. I knew they weren't, judging the tone of her voice and her gestures. I felt bad, I shouldn't have let my complains and distracting thoughts dampened my spirit in the interview. Well, what's over is over and who knows they might call. Right? I've had my share the rest of the day, meeting with my friend, Jonah. It was a good day after all.