Reminiscing...

I HATE Reminiscing.

Don't get me wrong, I am a very sentimental person. You'll know by the junk I have at home! Hehehe!

Kidding aside, I AM Sentimental. The thing is, I hate it when I reminisce the days of old.

Why? Because it makes me so sad to think that most of the people I cherished those moments with, are gone. No, they're not DEAD! They just lead different lives now. So different, we don't even get to talk much when we bump into each other. There is just NOTHING in common anymore. And it SUCKS!

I don't think I have changed much. I still enjoy what I have enjoyed in the last 10 years of my life. (Which makes my psychological age, 14 years old). I like watching light-hearted and mainstream movies, Pop/Alternative music, giggling, small chit-chats... Juvenile, I know. I also enjoy just bumming at home, sleeping and watching the tube.

I guess the only thing that changed in me is my desire to be in a more serene, calm, quiet environment. That is the only thing that matured in my personality, among other things.

Most of my "old friends" are either in their final years of Medical School, doing their Residency, working in some uptight office somewhere, having babies or have different friends altogether.

Time is also a factor which separates me from my "old friends." They don't have time, and I have lots of it. It's either that or their schedules don't jive with mine. I would gladly give my time to them, though, if they did the same for me. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

In short, our PRIORITIES have changed a lot. I still have them on my priority list, however, it seems that I have disappeared from theirs. To think I used to consider them as my BEST Friends or my Closest Friends. And that bit is what HURTS the most.

That's why I live my life one day at a time. I keep myself from getting attached to people, in fears of having to suffer the same consequences of my "previous life." I guess the ONLY friend you can ever rely on in your life is YOURSELF. At least, when you look back and reminisce on your times with yourself, you don't get disappointed that you lost that person in one way or another.

This does not mean that I'd throw away all those friendships that I have previously formed. That is not the case. I just think I was the one trashed.

Here's to finding the Diamond in the Rough...

What?!? No Pay?!?

I did something dumb this week.

I forgot to submit my Log Records before the Cut-Off.

I can hear people saying: "So What?!?"

Well, here's the catch. It is office policy to submit your Log Records (Logs In and Out) before each Cut-Off Period (the 9th and 24th of every month), otherwise you do not get your Pay Check for that Pay Period. In short, I will not be receiving my Pay Check at the end of the month.

Ooohhh... Tough!

Well, there is a Logically Sound and Utterly Stupid story behind that.

First, let's do the Logically Sound reason: As I checked my Log Records for this Cut-Off, I realized that my Manager uploaded the wrong schedule, failing to amend the Rest Day Swap that my Co-Worker and I applied for. I also had to apply for a Log Modification, since the system did not Log me out on one of the days.

After my manager did the modifications and necessary adjustments, one of my Logs disappeared! The system deleted it! I immediately informed my Manager and she tried to fix it. She even had to call the System Administrators since it wasn't budging. When it was finally fixed, we were relieved.

Now, the Utterly Stupid reason: I wasn't really myself that evening. My car's brakes almost gave out on me while I was on my way to work. It was raining hard, too. I was dead scared when I got to the office, knowing something might've happened to me if my brakes died. I also wasn't able to get some decent sleep that morning, when I got home.

When it was almost time for me to go home, I was thinking about the car and where we could get the car's brakes fixed. I didn't want to drive that car anywhere without the assurance that it was safe. I waited for my dad to come and pick me up, completely forgetting that I had to submit my Log Records.

To make matters worse, I went on my Rest Days. The Logs were due on a Thursday, and I was on my Day Off! Unfortunately, there are no exemptions to the rule. No Log Records, No Pay. That sucked... BIG TIME!!! And to think I have to pay 3 Bills this month, besides my daily gas, toll and food allowance!

Anyway, I can breathe a little bit easier now since my Manager assured me that the Pay I am supposed to receive at the end of the month will be credited to my July 15 Paycheck. Yipee! Hopefully, I can pay everything up by that time!

Insomniac Extraordinare

That is my occupation on my Friendster account.

Why?

I am not sleep-deprived, nor is it by choice. There is a perfectly logical explanation to it... I work the Graveyard Shift. Well, that is, until July 4th.

I work in one of the biggest Contact Centers here in Makati. I handle the travel concerns of some of the wealthiest people in the Philippines. Calls rarely come during my shift, but it could still screw a person's body clock really bad.

One of the things I really hate about the GY Shift is my Rest Days. Although they may seem longer, it doesn't help my body clock much. It actually adds to my irregular sleeping patterns.

You see, on my Rest Days (which are on Wednesdays and Thursdays), I sleep at the "Regular Time," which is around 10:30PM and wake up at 8:30AM. This screws me up on a Friday, when I have to go to work at 9:00PM. I am awake the whole day of Friday, so when I get to work I am often drowsy or sleepy.

Well, my Co-Workers and I share the same problem. And since we hardly get any calls, we tend to sleep off half of our shifts! Oftentimes, people are surprised that we sleep at work! Not that our manager really minds, she doesn't! As long as we answer the calls that come in, it's fine. It's a nice trade off.

At least, when I drive home from work, I do not feel drowsy or sleepy on the wheel!

I just hope I can get a more Regular shift next time around. July 4, come fast!!!

Jude Matthew Madriaga

Yesterday, June 19, 2004, my cousin gave birth to a 7 pound 11 ounce baby boy who they named Jude Matthew Corpin-Madriaga. He's the long-awaited baby in the family (after my cousin Izabella was born in 1998). The first great-grandchild of my Paternal grandparents.

I was not surprised by his birth since I dreamt of his arrival just 2 days before. In my dream, Ate Mhin (my cousin) gave birth to a very healthy baby boy with a head full of hair, beautiful round eyes and a cheery disposition. When I woke up, I immediately asked my cousin if she already gave birth and told her about my dream. She wished my dream would come true since they were praying for a boy for their first-born. And true enough, they have an adorable baby boy!

The birth of Matthew was not easy for both Matthew and Ate Mhin, though. Matthew's umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck, which prompted the doctors to perform a C-Section on my cousin. It is said that babies born with their umbilical cords around their necks are intelligent and extremely lucky. I hope it's true!

Another cousin (Ate Mhin's brother) sent us a Multimedia Message with a picture of Baby Matthew. He's such a looker! Very much like the baby in my dream. I am looking forward to seeing this little bundle of joy. However, they are staying in La Union (a province in the Northern Luzon) right now, and it will take us around 5 hours to get there.

I know he's going to be a very pampered baby since all of his aunts and uncles just could not wait to dote on him! I hope he grows up a well-mannered, God-fearing and cheerful man.

Hmmm... When would I have a baby of my own?!? Hahaha!

Starting Over

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A New Beginning

Today is the start of my new life...

No... Not THAT drastic of a change. I just thought that I ought to do something about the things going on in my cerebral cortex. So why not publish them on a BLOG?!?

I've been meaning to write a blog for the longest time. It just seems that writing a Journal is not enough. Or maybe, I've just been so darn lazy to write something on a notebook.

Anyway, here's to the start of my new life!