First Anniversary with Alex Mann

If I am to follow the plans I have laid out for myself when I got here, this is the part where I'll be leaving.

But I won't. I have realized that a year is just too short to accomplish a lot of things you have set up. A year just flies. Like that. I now understand that a year is just too short to nurture you and prove yourself.

In that one year I was part of a team, lost it, built another one, yadda yadda... Seriously, that one year is actually the longest and the shortest of the 21 I have spent on the face of the earth. Times were the longest during those moments that I cried inside bathroom stalls. Enough of them already.

These times are for celebrating.

Celebrating the fact that although I still haven't proven myself in the past year, I still am happy that I am here. Thank God for landing me exactly in the place where I am supposed to be, where I will grow intellectually,  emotionally, even socially. I never realized I could be this happy and contented in the company of friends and people. It kinda gets awkward saying this to my mates all the time, but I really love them to bits.

I guess one will always have a certain emotional to all the firsts--in this case, my first workplace, first office mates, and first line manager.

While I write this I am in my usual spot--and there are some things that you'll never really outgrow I guess--I still have a messy desk (complete with Noel Gallagher's photos) and a bunch of CDs on the pedestal, just like what I had in college. My desk. My home for nine hours the least. And I am happy... and proud to know myself enough to tell you that this is not some form of cognitive dissonance.
And having a Rookie of the Month Award, a Contributor of the Quarter Award, and several projects on my belt--for the first year and on the first job, I think it's just fair to say that I'm on the right track.

Here's to many more, Alexander Mann.

Onwards.

Week in Post: Re-branding Me, Tagaytay Brekkie, and a Geeky Fight Scene

Yes. I just had one of the best weeks in a long time, I can't believe it. It was mental.

It started just one of the regular weeks, really, until Thursday when I had a re-naming party. It's the first time you probably heard that, I as well have never realised I'd have a party thrown for me just because I'd be changing nicknames. KC is dead. At least the KC they used to call here in the office. They're supposed to call me Karen from now on.

I had the need to change names because we are supposed to have a new team member called Kaycee, and blimey, she can't have a nickname because her name is a flippin' nickname already. I can't imagine anything else you can derive from Kaycee. So having two first names for an alternative, I was *quite*forced to be the one to adjust my name. I'll be Karen instead.

People in my hometown (ooh I sound like a delusional rock star) and my family call me Karen so there's no big deal out of it. I'm just not used to people I just met calling me Karen, but I guess I'll be used to it soon.

They threw a party for my name change and Nadine's birthday. Partied like it's 1989.

What made me accept the name change is this, to be honest:

Special message all the way from England <3

THEY KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE NOEL GALLAGHER!!! (I even have this photo on my Wonderwall in my flat).

CS Global Shared Admin Team, you are the bollocks.

***

Saturday morning I was dragged to an impromptu breakfast. It would've been acceptable if it's just a McDonald's breakfast or somewhere near but no--- it is in feckin' Tagaytay, way way south of Metro Manila. And I don't even have cash with me. Good thing there's an ATM across the restaurant.

The breakfast was nice but I am afraid I didn't get my P310 bucks' worth of food. I just had friggin' bacon and omelette all the way. But it's better than what my other friends had; they took a lot on their plate but can't finish it. They had to cut their day short and made a trip home to the toilets instead of enjoying Tagaytay. Poor blokes.

Look ma, empty plates!

Scenic view outside, Nestor doing quite a pose there...

But for the laughs, I must say that it was the best trip ever! We had Micmac, one of the team leads, as the driver (meaning we didn't have to pay for gas and toll mmhm).

When we passed by the area near the airport, one of my friends Kris pointed to the sky and said "look, there's an airplane!" the airplane looks like it's flying a little toooooo low, and the next thing it was coming toward us. Good thing we still saw it on the other side and I am not blogging from my grave as of the moment.

After having our breakfast we picked up some pasalubong from Rowena's, home of the best apple pie ever! Seriously, try it guys. I'm also happy that I finally got a hold on a jar of choco flakes. Quite expensive compared to when you get them straight from Baguio though, but still nice.

Also dropped by Nuvali and let our friend Kris indulge at the Aldo outlet shop there. Meanwhile I enjoyed a tall serving of Lemon Yakult Milk Tea from Serenitea.

On the way home was the cherry on top of the blimmin' awesome cake. SLEX is being quite a right bast*rd because of the traffic, but then Kris noticed (you might notice that she's always the one who take notice of things, right) two men on Darth Vader and Optimus Prime masks, just roaming around the expressway like it's the most normal thing to do in traffic. Just freakin' roaming around!!!

Being cheeky freaks that we are, we waved at those lads (they're on the lane to our left) and asked them for photos. They waved back and pointed the camera to us -- they have been filming the entire scenario all the while!

When traffic was finally moving, albeit slowly, the masked men's car was right beside ours again, and we must make it a point from hereon that Micmac's car is actually a Mitsubishi Strada pickup with an open back. Those bright lads rolled down the window and shouted at us: "bukas ba 'yang likod nyo?" (is the back of your car open?) to which we answered yes. We all knew what will happen next.

"Pwedeng pasakay?" (can we ride with you?)

Not minding the impending damage they might cause to the car if ever, Micmac let them do it. Or so i thought. The next thing I remember is Darth Vader and Optimus Prime hitching the back of the car we're in, again--like it's the most normal thing to do while in traffic.

Surprise! That's a flippin' Transformer at ya

This--a Star Wars-cum-Transformers Mashup

We can barely contain ourselves and we laughed throughout their entire stint. I even took a video (you might wanna turn down the volume):

Best strangers ever.

All in all, a top week. Got to attend my cousin's wedding on Sunday and was the veil sponsor for that one. Don't wanna show photos because I sport horrible eyebags from the day before (no sleep, you see). But I'd like to believe that the weekend did me good.

Onwards.

Let me tell you about an article that I just published...

I recently had the privilege to write an article for the company magazine. Ergo, an article that would be read not just in Manila but all over freakin' Europe and several other countries. Scumbag article got to London even before I did. Anyway, it was published on the AMS website the day it got out:

Believe me, I am over the moon. It's been a while since I wrote something... err... professional and actually readable and understandable by many--as opposed to my heart-wrenching/fangirling blog entries here that are only understandable by a handful (not to mention are only found by a handful, as this is an almost non-existent blog no one actually cares about).

So I took the chance to screenshot it and paste it here so that it will live on forever--or at least as long as this blog exists. But what makes it even more special though, is an email I received from my boss's boss that I have took a screenshot of as well:

"We love having you"---from my boss's boss. Enough said.

 

I f*cking love it here.

While my officemates are talking about hair and makeup for girls:

Male officemate: 2 hours?! Ang tagal nyo naman mag-ayos!
Female officemate: Hair and makeup yun friend. Matagal talaga.
MO: 2 hours... ano yan, movie?!
Me: Oo, sa pag-aayos mo ng buhok nakatapos ka na ng isang Indiana Jones movie.
MO: So kapag head-to-toe, Star Wars Trilogy, ganon?
Me: Ten Commandments.
MO: Kunsabagay, mahal na araw naman e.

One year from now...

Dear Self from one year ago,

So how did your thesis defense go? I mean your first thesis defense. You'll be thankful to those people that seemed to kill you before now cares for your graduation a lot. You'll graduate on time and it will be the proudest moment of your life. Trust me. You will have his name (three given names, two-word middle name and last name) at the end of your thesis acknowledgments, just as you wished.

One year from now you'll look back at it and still be amazed how you got away from all the shiznit alive. After the revision, you won't be able to open your thesis manuscript until you had to refer to it while editing a friend's thesis--yes, you will help a friend with his thesis. You can't open it not because you curse the final manuscript to the deepest pits of hell, but because you know for yourself that it's 90-something half-baked pages that could have been better if not of the circumstances brought about by your respondents. One year from now, OrCom students will come to you for help and you will not deprive them of it. You will, in fact, make a pledge that you would uphold the pursuit of academic excellence (or somewhat like it) in any way you can because that's the least you can do to help them. If only your thesis respondents thought the same way as you do.

After your graduation, you will stay at home all summer looking for a job, and finally get one a week after classes officially start. I'm sorry darling, but no matter how hard you try to avoid Human Resources, you will inadvertently land there. And I am telling you this now, you will learn to love it that you actually see yourself in the industry in the long run. It just sucks that your cover letter for that PR role wasn't enough to do the trick--I thought it was kick-ass too.

One year from now, you will be in a top recruitment company based in UK and your body clock still wouldn't have changed as you will work with counterparts in the Americas (ergo, the night shift). One year from now you will realize that your thesis manuscript has nothing to do with how you start your career--it is what you have learned and experience during its making that would. At this moment I know that you have already learned the virtues of patience and optimism, and I kid you not, working like mad as long as you see a hint of light at the end pays off eventually.

You will encounter difficult clients and even more difficult teammates to work with. You will contemplate resignation for at least ten times and cry in toilets. A year after you first tried to defend your thesis, however, you will write this and realize how good your life is and that your company values you a lot. You will "Strongly Agree" to a survey item that states"I will not leave this company right now". You will be awarded as Contributor of the Quarter on your first quarter at work, and your excellence will become a special case in the company that you will bypass regular employee processes. I'm not telling you this to swell your head and give everyone a middle finger, saying "I don't need this, suckers!" Do not be proud as you read this. Do not neglect every little thing you do. Do not be grumpy when things don't go your way because they can only get better. Trust me.

One year from now you will write this using your personal office computer while on a 1-hour break. You still have your headphones on but you will listen to Oasis (mostly), Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, Jet, The Smiths, and The Beatles instead of your thesis playlist. You will finally be aware of the fact that Wonderwall is not the best Oasis song there is (but it will always remind you of his scent and how he juxtaposed his body against yours as he tried to know what you listen to). You will have an unexplainable admiration for a man named Noel Gallagher (if you don't know him you can google it up) who is 23 years your senior and you will secretly wish you were a British girl born in the 70's who was in Knebworth's biggest gig in '96. You will have changed a lot of your views in life, you will have established a stronger personality, and you will listen to music that you used to skip on MTV, mostly by British rockstars who used to sniff cocaine during the time that you were just learning to recognize the five basic senses. In the end, however, you are confident that you have grown up more than you have grown old. It's only a year hence.

I can't wait until you get here. It will be the wildest year of your life so far.

Onwards.

In a bit,

Yourself (only a year older)

Career Objectives

 

GOOD LORD DID I JUST---

I raised 45 requisitions and almost fainted

I can hear my stomach do the guitar riff of Metallica's Enter Sandman. Sitting in front of my trusty office PC for 12 hours now and I still haven't got over that 2-hour web conference to happen at 11. I sighed. Why the heck am I processing all these requisitions when I am in fact in a team and not a one-man band? I don't know, really. I just know that there are a lot of work coming and it's kinda unfair for my other team mate to take on this when I can do it on my own. 45 requisitions. Good Heavens. Whoever says America does not have enough jobs to cater to them all probably just don't know where to look or have mismatched degrees.

Le sigh.

I left the office at 2PM. Passed by McDonald's to get myself some sugar-heavy caramel sundae, reflected on my life (this is a joke), passed by the isawan, ate some betamax and isaw manok, and finally called it a day at 4PM. I'll be leaving again at 11PM and I don't have enough time to get the recommended sleeping hours. Or do I? I don't know.

I set my alarm at quarter to 10, but you should know how I always hit snooze upon hearing the intro to Cigarettes and Alcohol which I awkwardly set as my alarm knowing that neither do I smoke nor drink alcohol. I then woke up to the ring of my phone and my boss is calling. I dropped the call and texted him "On my way, Boss." LOL JK your phone call just woke me up.

I arrived at the office a little after 11:30 and my boss instantly knew that I just woke up when he called. I asked him why the need to call me and he answered that it's because I had a sh*tload of escalations that came along the 45 requisitions I raised earlier, the same ones that made me take paracetamol because my head felt like being ripped apart. After all that fookin' pain, I'll be getting escalations? Hell.

I opened my PC to take a look at it and answer them myself. I whispered, albeit a little loudly and I don't give a damn anymore if anyone can hear me: "Di naman ako mamamatay dito." My boss said that he sent it to my AMS email and I should take a look at it. When I saw it, I almost fainted.

#^*#!!#!!! Boss and my Team Mates. You started my day on the wrong foot by fooling me like this.

Ladies and gentlemen, my first pat on the back. Although this is of a lower rank, shall we say, than the one I previously received (The employee of the quarter award), this is still something that makes me feel that I am more than a fookin' machine that generates 45 job requisitions a day.

If I only knew that the turnaround time for that project is 3 days, then f*ck it, I wouldn't have done it all. I DIDN'T KNOW. I THOUGHT IT WAS 24 FOOKIN' HOURS AND I WORKED MY ARSE TO COMPLETE IT. But oh well... The isaw manok already compensated it.

Well, I kinda hate how AMS makes me so attached with these stuff and with Human Resources as a whole. I used to believe I am not made for HR. I am not a people person, man. But I always land here, recruitment particularly. But I've no regrets. Especially with my first recruitment experience. In fact, right now I am starting to consider the possibility that maybe, just maybe, I am destined to be in HR after all. Writing is my first love, but maybe, just maybe, God wants it to stay that way so that I'll never lose my interest in it. I myself don't want the day to come that I'll view writing as a task and not as a hobby that I should enjoy.

My friend Cole is leaving the company on Friday, and she asked me if I wanted her to refer me to the company she'll be working for. She talked about the perks of her new company, like traveling to different parts of the country and experiencing a lot of different things. And here's how I answered her: "I don't think I'm ready to leave AMS just yet."

Remember how I used to rant like there's no tomorrow about AMS? Eat that.

Just because I believe going on a business trip to London is better than recruiting on different domestic locations. Madferit, mate!

Suck a Mountain and See

I've always wanted to climb a mountain. On December 2011, I posted a status message that I'd go mountain climbing once I get my job done to sh*t out the stress before entering the new year. Because my team mates are supportive, they wanted to join me. We made plans. We selected a mountain (Mt Maculot as the first option), then re-selected (Pico de Loro), and settled with a volcano instead of a mountain (Taal Crater). Like all elaborate plans, that trip never happened.

Two months later, Kris came to AMS and became a friend. What's it gotta do with mountain climbing? A lot. She hikes as much as other girls party. She met her other half through common mountaineer friends. She can set up a tent, knows the best places to go to, first aid, and stuff. She breathes mountains.

On a regular day, thinking that she's a mountain climber is quite impossible.

Prayer answered!

So while we were experiencing system downtime, we talked about her hobby. We ended up planning a hike up Mt Batulao the weekend after that. It's all good and there's no turning back! Ya-hey!

You know those stuff you used to see in TV about camping trips and life in the mountains? Some of them are true and some are not-so-true. Here I am to debunk some, based on what I have seen from the first mountain I've owned like a G6:

1. It's possible to obtain cellphone signal on top of a mountain. Even access Wi-Fi!
2. Dora the explorer's backpack is possible. Kris's boyfriend, Jaycee has a backpack that spawns anything that you'll ever need. Aside from the usual camper's stuff, he's got a kitchen, a tent, and an entertainment system inside!
3. You can't not know anything and just say "Sorry, taga-bundok ako e". They know better than us in some aspects.
4. There's a store at the mountain's summit!!! They're selling--go on and guess--MOUNTAIN dew!!!
5. Sea Bears are avoidable if you stay in groups or inside your tent.



Thankfully, we're Seabear-proof.

 6. You can drink your own pee, but please avoid it at all costs.
7. You don't really need a compass if ever you got lost. Just follow the horse poop and you're on your way back home.

Going up a mountain to unwind from the harsh city is something I don't regret. It restores pleasant vibes that the workplace robbed you of and reminds you how it good feels to be alive--as a living, breathing human being that you really are--more than just an 8-5 employee with no social life aside from Facebook.


Top stuff I loved:
1. The village locals. Before we started our hike, we passed by a residential area and the people that we come across say: "Ingat kayo sa pag-ahon sa bundok!" (Take care as you ascend the mountain!) and smile. Wishing others well is something that does not cost anyone anything, yet it is something that brings great joy. Sadly, it is also something that most of us have forgotten.

Here's one of our well-wishers. He said "moo", roughly translating to "ingat!"

2. Other campers. As we head off the new trail, we encountered campers on their way down. It's like everyone knows everybody, it's amazing! They face us with greetings, ask us questions (day hike?),  and tell us to take care. Mountaineers are wonderful people.

3. Since everyone knows everyone, the people at the camp are in for a huge slumber party! People share food, lend each other stuff, drink all night, and share stories like they've known each other for so long. The people at the nearby tent shared their drink with us and we became friends. Going up a mountain to unwind is also a great way to meet new friends.

Kris and our new beki friend!

 4. The food. We're quite lucky that Jaycee enjoys cooking, which made us end up with superb gourmet meals instead of instant food. We had fried chicken, buttered baby potatoes and chinese cabbage for dinner (all freshly cooked, man!!) and toast, pizza omelette, and corned beef for breakfast. There's been a little accident with the rice though, one of our mates Lean accidentally put gin instead of water as it boils. The result was drunken rice (not bad, but I'm not sure if someone got to eat it).

Can't do anything else but scratch his head...

Breakfast like a sir!

5. The air. Fresh, cooool breeze gently touching your face!

My "Oh yes mahangin!" shot

6. The scenery. Just seeing the other mountains on the horizon (Mt Talamitam can be seen nearby) is enough to break the monotony brought about by the tall city buildings.



Wash your face in the morning sun...

7. Tree branches and talahib grass. I never thought they'd be very useful.
8. Motivators. I'm too close to surrender our ascend to the summit, but my friends Jaycee and Nestor were too steady to agree. Even if it's raining and we won't really see anything up there, the rule is to never say never.

"See that? Just a few climbs and buttslides and we're there..."

9. The dirt. I said that. I loved the dirt. I am officially the girl in the dirty shirt. I hugged dirt, lied in dirt, rolled in dirt, gripped dirt, and ate dirt, and I am still alive. It's wonderful. I lost all remaining sosyal cell in my body.

10. The climb. I don't like quoting Miley Freakin' Cyrus but that's what it's really about. We reached the summit but did not see anything aside from mist, but the fact that you got up a mountain 800 meters above sea level is something that others do not readily achieve. It's amazing. I can't believe I'd be doing this but heck, I just did.

The Batulao Summit companions: Jaycee, Lean, Nestor, and Me

775~ meters above sea level. Eat that, ground-level people!

The Verdict:
With how it brought me closer to the sky, Mt Batulao is definitely just the first of many mountains I'll climb. :)

Get Rich or Die Trying (An extremely long post written with a dysfunctional keyboard)

One of my friends recently ventured into multi-level marketing. Since he entered that “business”, he can’t seem to stop raving about it—during lunch breaks, while working, on yosi or coffee breaks... each conversation seem to ultimately lead to him endorsing the product or patronizing the capabilities of multi-level marketing in making someone rich.

As a background, this money-reaping endeavor my friend entered is something like a pharmaceutical company (or at least that’s what I understood from his endless sales talk). You invest, they give you some of their products, sell them, recruit others to sell them too, and so on. More recruits, and recruits of your recruits ad infinitum, more profit. My friend brags about how the person that recruited him earns as much as 200,000 pesos a month—even more than the salary of a VP-level in the investment bank I work for.

Sounds good.

But to admit that even as an Organizational Communication major, one thing I hate is sales talk. Yes, advertising is sales talk, David Archuleta’s facebook status update on his upcoming TV series is sales talk, and so are Chris Tiu’s tweets about the heavenly taste of Happy Lemon drinks. I can bear with those. But when they start to swear upon something about things that are too good to be true—I lose interest instead of delving deeper into details. Exactly what happened the first time my friend raved about his new venture. In fact I became so impatient that at one point I blurted out: “Are you doing a sales pitch on us?!” Which he denied. Really, now.

After his first ambush endorsement of the company’s products which I did not pretty much pay attention to, I made an introspection as to why I developed a strong aversion to these very targeted sales talks. And I have traced its roots way back in second grade.

 I trust people easily and I lose discernment once the other person gets a hold of it. That is why I let an upperclassman steal my purse when I was in grade school, and even got duped by fake insurances (good thing I already had it refunded) and text scammers. I absolutely abhor myself for letting these happen—for having to risk a reasonable amount of money by trusting so easily, and even more for actually believing in things that are too good to be true. So now, when I sense someone tries to sell me something, I instantly zone out. I stay as far as I could from free blood pressure check-ups or spin-the-wheel-you-might-win-a-forlorn-pillow-with-our-company-logo booths as well.

You might tell me: KC, just because something is too good to be true does not necessarily mean it is a hoax. You might want to take a shot on your friend’s venture and retire at the age of 26 (my target age to obtain my second academic degree,  be at least two steps from an entry-level position, and *God willing please please please* already be with that person that I’d marry on the church I grew up in and spend the remaining days of my life with). Aah, Wonderful.

That is, if my life’s ultimate goal is to make a pool of cash and make myself filthy rich. I’d be a hypocrite if I say that being able to earn on my own isn’t the reason why I shed blood and tears for a college degree. It is. But there is more to life than earning six figures per month. A cliche, you may say, but think of it: when you earned enough to get everything you need, do you think life would still be as exciting? Well, you could buy a mustang and drive it at 200kph or build your own theme park.

If you say yes, then I’ll tell my friend to recruit you.

But as for me, earning 200 grand each month like that is not really the way to fulfillment. Not that I don’t want to earn a lot, too—but I want to be able to say that the level of respect that I earn as a person is directly proportional to the money I make; and that I earned that respect not because I am rich, but because I have established a reputation as a visionary leader and a never-ending learner. Maybe then I’d be able to own (or partly own, I don’t really mind) a company built to last. Or maybe become the writer I really wanted to be. I may not earn much, but I am happy. And I want to be able to raise up my kids the way my mother did to me and my kuya: finding happiness in contentment, drawing strength from faith.

Like a lot of the people that ventured into my friend’s multi-level marketing business, I also don’t want an 8-hour job until I retire. I don’t want to age as an employee without having left my own mark in the corporate world. But I don’t mind staying here for a little longer, rather than get rich in a snap with something that I myself do not believe in. My road may be rough and blurry but eventually, I’ll get there—with probably, hopefully, a better story to tell.

Not that I am saying that their way of earning money is wrong, nor their perspective is distorted. We are the decisions we make.

During yet another lunch break –turned– sales talk session, my friend told us about how he regrets being an employee working his ass off and still not getting anything permanent for himself, when he could be in that business instead. And that by 65, either we are dead, or dead broke, if we do not leverage (again, another way of saying: invest into this business instead). He told us to aim for self-actualization.

I know a lot of people who are still alive, kicking, not broke, and even teaching at the University that are past this age. Those who are dead or dead broke at 65 probably consumed too much alcohol, nicotine and chicharong bulaklak during Friday night outs and/or never got to master the art of stress management, probably have never heard of investment or saving up, and/or have irresponsible children that know nothing but to multiply.

And to tell you the truth, my road to self-actualization started seven months ago with this job. I may have cursed this job a lot and contemplated on resigning at least once a month, but how I inadvertently turned the very things I dislike about this job into an opportunity to showcase my potential (do not quote me on the latter part, my boss said that) is a sign that I am not in this job for nothing. Developing my personality is more fulfilling than a pot of gold (again, this is my idealistic self speaking but with all honesty, this is something I don't want the corporate world to take away from me). Still a long way to go, and probably more resignation letters and rant blog entries will be drafted, but no one ever said it would be easy. Life is a journey and everyone ends into dust—but those whose inner being glows with happiness and fulfillment will end up as glitters instead of ash.

Like what one of my favorite Incubus songs say: “The sweetest things, they burn before they shine.” So just hold on to what we’ve got. We’re halfway there. WHOOOOA Living on a prayer.

What is Superb: The Year that Was

I can't believe I am writing a year-ender again. Already. Last year I posted on my other blog that 2010 was the best year I had so far. And I say my wish was fulfilled and 2011 beat 2010--and it's amazing how each year keeps getting better.

But I should say that 2011 is not as kind as 2010 was--I had a good mix of ups and downs this year--and every 'down' leads to skyrocketing 'up' that I will always tell of.

I'll be spontaneous in writing this, so forgive me if they are a little too disorganized.

1. Alter Spaces, Jolly Towns: The Match Between Corporate Identity and Advergaming -- An undergraduate thesis by Karen Christine de la Cruz Moroño

Owned It!

Yeah I know, my thesis topic sucks and I am starting to regret it... but the process of writing it was so tedious and bloody, that time I never thought it does. This was the first real-life test I have gone through this year, and I'm so blessed I survived--even after doing my chapters four and five in just one freakin' night, crying in front of a receptionist to let me in on an interview, going through defense twice, not going home and staying all night in coffee/pastry shops and my good friend Angel's unit, not to mention not taking a bath on the day of my defense. Not even a change of clothes. Now you know.

But what matters is I defended it and the words came into my mouth with no effort. I am still amazed when I recollect. Luke 12:11-12 is true.

And your name is written at the end of my thesis acknowledgments. Wish granted.

2. I graduated.

BA Organizational Communication, Class of 2011 at the College of Arts and Sciences Recognition Program

University Graduation. Sa sobrang yaman namin, twice kami gumagraduate. LOL.

Kahit ang mahal ng sablay, OK lang. Kahit mahal yung damit, OK lang din. Kahit na nakasuot ako ng 5-inch heels habang nagmamartsa, ayos lang. Finally I gave something my parents can be proud of. Graduate na ang bunso nila sa UP. Even when they don't say it, I know they are proud. Mabuhay ang pag-asa ng bayan. :)

And no, I don't intend to go abroad.

3. First time to go to the UP Fair.

Right after submitting a 28-page thesis proposal. Boo yah!

4. Spontaneous gala with best friend Maricar, Arvin, Ruth, Lal, Jhe and Chariot (Lal's Mitsubishi Space Wagon).

Dirty resteros = ♥

Making puslit in UST, Proofreading their thesis, Binondo food tripping, Bebe-you're-a-firework watching. These people were a breather during the thesis-writing stage of my life. I miss them a lot, actually. :)

5.  First time to write a song. And winning an award.

'Coz it's here that I found love...

6. Graduated the JIL G12 Encounter God Retreat and now attending the School of Leaders.

I don't have a photo of what we did so lemme just show you how happy my buddy Ruth and I were during the retreat.

7. Became a life group leader.

I may be acting on impulse at times and have fallen short of His glory, but still gave me this opportunity to disciple the youth. I am blessed. All glory to God.

8. MAROOOOOOOOOOOOON 5! *Le Gasp!!!!*

Iniyakan ko rin yung mga security sa SMX kasi ayaw nila ako papasukin dahil may dala akong SLR. And they said: "Bakit ka umiiyak?" to which I answered: "E nagsstart na kaya yung concert, demet!!!!"

So they let me in. Dun pa ko sa Gold tickets section dumaan, saw Adam Levine in flesh, and Chris Tiu afterwards. Life is good. And my tears are so powerful.

9. WESTLIFE. AFTER. TEN. FANGIRL. YEARS.

Read the blog post for the account. :)

10. The long and tiring road to getting a job.

Two months of clashing uncertainties and fresh grad idealism. No photo of bumhood because I was too busy sleeping.

11. Got a blood donor's card.

Yizzz, on my fourth blood donation!

12. Got a job at Alexander Mann Solutions, Global leaders of recruitment process (and I thought I'd avoid HR as much as I can because it isn't really my forte).

My AMS batchmates. Sadly, three of them aren't with the company anymore. Two out of those three are my team mates, BTW.

Let me tell how I landed this recruitment coordinator job. I originally applied for a copywriter role and reached until the final interview with a British dude but I lack one thing--experience. And then they saw my CV and found out that I was from recruitment during my internship and thought I'd be fit for the job.

Turned out, I was. Will tell more of that later.

13. Getting a job (your first job) can also mean ranting and finding out about yourself.

The past six months were the most challenging. I lost all three of my original team mates (resigned/fired) and I was the only one left standing. Good thing is, I now have new team mates that are twice the fun and energy!

When I say 'twice the energy', I mean it. Look at Abby taking a photo of us while I am sleeping.

That's Kane beside me. Dave is from another team (a good friend as well!)

14. Corporate Sleepover part 2--the real thing.

Worked for 18 freakin' hours (maybe more! I lost count) to take cover of three time zones. Slept in the office. Logged in on a Monday and went home on a Wednesday. Oh the things I never thought I could do.

(photo to follow).

15. Earning new friends.

With Kane, Christian, Ron, Dave, and Ella (my personal bully).

AMS Christmas party with basically the same people (minus Christian and Ron, plus Cole).

Photoboothing at the Christmas Party. With Rowel on the middle photo on the right.

16. Finally letting go of ones that are not actually the 'best'. Maybe not even a friend at all.

I tried hard for this, I held on and tried to reach out but she kept on bringing up the past and fishing for information on my future (that, to some extend, was sabotaged by her too). I just can't bear with it anymore so I had to let her go.

Sometimes, certain things happen for you to see who really are your friends. It's a good thing that 'that thing' for us came early on.

PS. Maricar is still my best friend. :)

17. Had the best birthday so far!

"HAAAAAAPPY BIRTHDAY KCEEEEEEEEEE!!!"

'Twas the first time I was surprised at exactly 12MN, my first time with a job, and my first time at the new home. Spontaneous friends are spontaneous, so we had a drinking session at our place in Bulakan.

18. New Batcave

My family finally officially transferred to our new home in Bulakan, Bulacan. And just this month, I also moved out of my previous dormitory in Taft Avenue and am now staying in West of Ayala Condominium in Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati. My office friends tease me a lot about moving in to a royal-sounding and royal-looking condo... but whatever. I'm glad I found somewhere to live in that is only a walking distance to work. :)

19. I lost Zildjianne Pearl. :( But got a Galaxy Ace as a replacement!

I'll be buying a rebound iPod soon enough. But it can never replace you. I miss you, Zildj. :(

but got this as a replacement (temporarily). I love you Mom!

  

20. One of my proudest achievements of the year (aside from graduating): Alexander Mann Solutions' Global Contributor of the Quarter for Global Client Service Centres

Who would have thought that the 6-month contract I signed would end up like this? And who would have thought that a fresh graduate with a lack of professional experience will end up as one of the top performers--globally--in a recognized industy leader? God is simply good.

PS. I am now a regular employee and my contract served as my probationary period (which, one of my friends say bihira daw mangyari). I didn't even pass through the supposedly required revalida. All glory to the most high God!

***There isn't space anymore in the top 20 for you, and I know you don't need to--because you are not just a memory of 2011.

 You will be with me until next year. I still love you next year. And the next. And always know, that what I have made known to you still hold true until today. You are a wonderful person, and I believe in you. I always have.

Thank you for everything: for trusting me, for motivating me, and for making me laugh. This year has been rough and oftentimes awkward, but always know that I am always here. And I always love you, even without saying it.

I hope you will stay in my life next year--I am sure that I will be happy to say that I have known you before the world ends (if ever it is true). ♥

---
Hello God,

Thank you for a wonderful year. This year has been superb and thank you for your grace. 2011 molded me into a stronger person and let me do things I never thought I could, and they are all for Your glory. I could not thank you enough.

Please be with us and hold our hands as we walk through the next year. :)


Your daughter,
KC

Greetings from AMS' intranet

I-screenshot na natin, baka di na maulit. LOL.

Thank you, Lord! This is all for Your glory.

I Received a Note from my Boss's Boss and This is What it Says

Cannot afford to lose the trust of my boss's boss just like that. So I sent a sorry note.

She replied:

Hi KC--hope all is well. Thank you for your note. I know how very diligent you are and the pride you take in your work. It must have just been an off day!! (we all have one of those occasionally :) )


Stay well!

Life's still good after all.

RB's response on my Previous Post

Ganyan naman daw talaga pag nareregular. Parang initiation rites ba.

Yes, I'm Hardcore Like That

Normally, a contractual employee's job would be terminated on the day stated on the papers s/he signed. In my case, it would be on the sixth month. I started on the 21st of June, and my contract was supposed to end on the 21st of this month. But today, the 14th of December, the universe conspired and I broke the rule--I signed a new contract that makes me a permanent employee.

Yes, I'm hardcore like that because my God is awesome like that.

I didn't undergo the typical probationary period that temp-to-perm employees would normally undergo, in the case of my other officemates, an additional 3 months. And I signed my regularization contract even BEFORE MY FREAKIN' REVALIDA.

When my revalida is supposed to be the measurement of what I have done for the company and what I could still offer (still have to do it fo'sho though).

Today I also got my health card, which means I now have the liberty to get sick. Been holding that back for too long now. Kidding.

Yay?

 

 

Why, this is too much awesome in a day that the universe should have a counter-attack. On the day that I signed my regularization papers, I got a sh/tload of escalations. Which made me think that they are thinking that the regularization isn't worth it after all.

My boss says that sh/t happens, and this is one of those sh/t days. But this is just too much. I can't use my global employee of the quarter reputation for this--that reputation in fact makes it harder. That award, and all of the expectations that come along with it made this job harder. This day, my 99% accuracy is now a little less than 99%.

And damn, my real life in this job is only getting started.

This could have been one of those good days but it wasn't. Funny how such failures can ruin a supposedly great day. Or even a week, maybe.

At least the countdown for the 12 days of Christmas is already on it's way.

Patty: "HBD"--Channel ba yun sa TV? Haha. Para iilang letters lang ang "happy birthday" paiikliin pa.
Migs: Happy birthday ba ibig sabihin nun? akala ko "Hi Baby Doll" man!

HAHAHA Migs! Made my night! :))

OK. Enough. Must do my presentation for my upcoming revalida. Revalida! Onwards to regularization! OOOOOOOOOOH YEAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!

Remember, Remember, the fifth of November

I used to dislike my birth date. For one, the day is a single-digit number and I don't know whether to put a zero before it when I write autographs. Second, I never liked the number five because of its association with the riddle "lumipad si Superman, nalaglag si Batman, nabuntis si Darna." Heck. Nabuntis si Darna?

But then I realized I was one of the privileged few to have a nursery rhyme written about their birthday, as well as to have a movie that revolves around it. Wow, thank you Guy Fawkes.

Remember, remember, the fifth of November...

So where the heck am I going with this?

Nothing. I just want to bring up the obvious fact that I just celebrated my birthday. My 21st. And I remember that last year, I wrote this. I was emo and bored and was into my sembreak and I have nothing else to do but to wallow in despair and self-pity on my birthday. So I just delved into the fact that my wish for my 19th is still my wish for my 20th and cried at 2-effin'-AM.

Now that I just celebrated my 21st you might (or might not) ask whether my birthday wish last year came true. Well I am happy to inform you that it did. Someone waited for the clock to strike 12MN and wish me a happy birthday. And not just someone, but an entire team.

Not just someone, but an entire team of night shift people!

And with a cake, too!

Happy birthday surprise!

God, thank you for bringing me to Alexander Mann Solutions the Global RPO leader yahahaha I just have to say that :P I feel so loved. And to think that I have spent just five months in this company as I write this, they already know how to touch my heart and welcome me as part of the family.

After my happy birthday surprise from the AMS people, I went home to Bulacan, hoping to celebrate with family and get some sleep. I didn't get some sleep yet I celebrated with family--and more! My high school friends (especially my best friend Maricar and good friends Lei and Nero) helped me with an all-of-a-sudden text brigade to ALL OF MY HIGH SCHOOL BATCHMATES (only!). All-of-a-sudden was all of a sudden, but a lot of them came. Check the photos out for yourselves:

She's not my BFF. She's my F... my Forever. Aw!

"Buti pa yung biglaang pagyayaya, natutuloy!"

I love these people to bits. :)

This is definitely the best birthday I had so far! my first with a full-time job, at the new home. First time to receive a surprise as soon as the clock struck 12. And first time to have my high school barkada at a drinking session (Red Horse for them, A&W root beer for me) at my place. And I don't care if I stayed up for a straight 32 hours.

Told you I don't drink alcohol...

A lot of firsts. I may not get what I wished for last year, but heck, this is alottafan! For this year I realized that happiness should not depend on a single person--a lot of people could make you happy (even make you cry out of sheer happiness!) if only you'd be appreciative enough.

And I also got a great birthday gift from God. For everyone's knowledge, Karen Christine de la Cruz Moroño is Alexander Mann Solutions' Global Contributor/Inspirational Employee of the Quarter (Q3 2011), beating other tenured employees from all over the world (hence the word "global". Kamon!)

...That she had nothing to do but cry.

Are you guys serious?! This is my first quarter and you gave me this!

Not that I'm giving up on my wish (in its third straight year!) but I am slowly learning how to be happy and live life as I wait for him. :)

Cheers to the days to your 22nd, KC! I love you! ♥