guilty

I admit. I was a neglectful blogger for the longest time so far. And that was until this post. But after this, I can’t assure yet whether or not the next hiatus will be as long. Aside from the packed-schedule-excuses you are tired of reading (and I myself am getting tired of believing), there had been another impediment. You see, I was supposed to share my account on our department out-of-town strategic planning this year; it was in June and collecting the photos wasn’t a problem. But then for some reason, I can’t upload it to my Photobucket. For weeks I was getting the “Upload error 404” which at first I thought was due to the filter policies configured recently in our servers at the office. But after 2 weeks of failed attempts, only then did I decide to bring the photos home to try uploading them using a different connection. I got the same problem. For a few times, it said that upload was successful. But then the photos cannot be found in my album no matter how many times I refresh the page.

Yeah, it took me that long before I finally decided to resort to Picasa Web. Just yesterday actually…

Oh well, it’s too late to tell about the trip now. In brief, after 2 consecutive years going up north, our group decided to go southbound this time. The first destination was a private resort in Laguna, made exclusive for us. Laguna is a place famous for hot springs. And the next day, we ascended Tagaytay which, as far as we have explored, the only interesting attraction is the view of the renowned Taal volcano submerged in a lake.

Let the pictures do the talking

Must be rude

Now Hiring: Call Agent (Credit Collection)
Qualification: Must be rude; paranoid is an advantage

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This is a transcribed conversation that took place one regular morning at work. Names were changed for security.

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SCENE 1

(Local 123 rings)

Emerson: MIS, Good morning!

Rudy a.k.a Rude Agent: Hi! This is Rudy from Some Bank. May I speak with Mr. Sid please?
Emerson: For a while please… (Calls Sid’s name since they share the same line)

(Scenario: Sid’s cube is behind Emerson’s hence the latter would not know whether Sid’s in his area unless he turns and tilts his head)

Dee whose cubicle’s next to Sid’s yells back, “He’s out”

Emerson: Sorry, he went out

Rudy: Why did I just hear you call him? Sounds like he’s just beside you

Emerson: Sir, I didn’t turn to look to his place and just called his name. Incidentally he’s not there.

Rudy: But I heard you! You must be hiding him!

Emerson: I wouldn’t be arguing with you any longer if he’s really here! But he’s not! Now if you want, you go here to check him personally and I’ll reimburse your bus fare! Damn you!

(Phone slammed)

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SCENE 2

(Line 456 rings)

Josephine: MIS, Good morning!

Rudy: Yes, Mr. Sid please…

Josephine: He’s not in the office at this moment…

Rudy: Ah… By the way, who’s the lady I’ve spoken with in local 123?

Josephine: That’s Emerson

(Disclaimer: Emerson’s ladylike voice is inborn)

Rudy: No, the lady I’ve spoken with…

Josephine: You’ve spoken with Emerson. His voice naturally sounds like a lady’s…

Rudy: It can’t be. You must be lying!

Josephine: Sir, Mr. Sid’s not here. You better call line 123 again maybe an hour later to check if he’s back since you don’t seem to trust any of us here. Goodbye

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SCENE 3

(Line 123 rings again not long after. Dee picks up this time)

Dee: Good morning!

Rudy: Yes, I’m looking for Mr. Sid …

Dee: Sorry, he’s currently out for fieldwork

Rudy: Why? You guys are not consistent! First, ‘he’s out’. Another, ‘he’s not in’. Now you’re saying he’s doing field. I cannot believe all of the employees in your company are liars! Blah! Blah! Blah!

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Whew! Isn’t he a darling?

Trees for a Birthday Gift

For the second consecutive year, a tree-planting activity was organized through the efforts of our Ecology Center as part of the celebration of the birthday of our incumbent Chairman.

Despite the grilling heat and blinding glare of the sun, this one had been more fun. Last year, our department was assigned in a shady part and had planted a few seedlings hence the only challenge was maintaining balance while working on the slope. Recently, we were assigned in a longer stretch and had planted more than 10 Fire tree seedlings. A double-decked bus brought us and other employees to and fro our respective areas.

Ok, it may seem in the pictures that I was not very cooperative but I swear I planted 3 seedlings myself.

I hope to see those trees sturdy and full of red-orange flowers in years

Some Interior Design Project

The once spacious conference room of our office had to be renovated to be the new workroom of our Technical Support staffs. The conference room itself had been divided into three but more accurately 2.5 since only a low partition divides the resultant middle room and the adjacent one to the right. Outside that used to be the lobby, two more rooms were built; office for the supervisors opposite the receiving and repair room. (The glass door is the original entrance to the conference room)

Since there are plans that I will also move in to one of the new rooms later, I was given the privilege to decide for the look of the new office particularly in the selection of colors.

The photos below are the result of my desire to make it more homey than basically corporate. For the inside of the left room, I picked light pistachio green while lavender for the middle and right rooms which have two doors but share a common cube inside. Darker shades of the same palettes were used for the doors and base boards.

Ecru for the corridor isn’t my choice although I have no objections since it illuminates the area. I just thought of adding the random vermilion and chrome yellow quadrilaterals to save it from being a total bore. Despite the mockery of some colleagues comparing it to shapes in preschool classrooms, I personally drafted the shapes with pencil and marked what color to paint then left the rest of the labor to the painters. Eventually, the mocking birds appreciated the outcome.

This was done a couple of months ago already but I didn’t own a camera-phone then. How I wish I had pictures with the veteran and cooperative team who worked on this project.

BTW, I also proposed naming the workrooms something techie: Synergy, Collaborate, Merge, Interface, Drive and Streamline. However, some folks are yet just too conventional even if they’re in IT.

Let me know what you think.

Office Outing in Pines City

The plan was to go south. No. There wasn’t a plan to go anywhere actually. I don’t know what hit our boss on the head or what had he ingested for him to retract his unofficial proclamation that there will be no summer outing for us unless all projects has been completed. It just surprised me one day some colleagues were busy researching options, corporate package proposals of resorts and hotels were coming in while documents for official travel were being sent out. (We want to believe that all projects had been completed indeed) All plans were bound south but cost analysis revealed that a southward itinerary would be expensive. However, since we were in the verge of the (summer) season, it was a now-or-never matter. And so to the North we went once more!

Last year, we felt deprived of time and fun since we’re in Baguio City for only less than 24 hours. Hence this time we dedicated our 3-day itinerary in Baguio alone and made sure to visit more of its famous parks and marketplaces and of course purchase Pines City’s specialty goods: veggies, sweets, cookies, fruit jams, silver jewelry, ornamental plants and others. Unfortunately, nobody could afford the fresh strawberries because it were priced at PHP200 more per kg than when in season; very high considering that it’s the price at the harvest fields so we wouldn’t want to know how much more is its market price in the city proper. The vendors attributed this to the damages of a recent storm.

My mates who have been with the company for at least 10 years now say this is the 3^rd time they held the teambuilding in Baguio but is the best outing by far despite that many failed to come along; last year’s trip is no match. But looking at their pictures several years ago and ours this year, I couldn’t agree less that this had been a lot more fun!

Ascending Kennon Road

Lion’s Head Welcome Marker

Stop for breakfast

First lunch in our destination (I look like a famished typhoon victim here)

Camp John Hay Historic Trail

Meeting Den and Lhaine, resident friends in Baguio

Set for Day 2

Wright Park

Mine’s View Park

Doglas (Mine's Park's famous St. Bernard)

Good Shepherd's Viewing Deck

Last Day @ Pines City

On the way home

Flowers for Dorothy

While we’re walking to the canteen to buy breakfast the day before her birthday, Doth, our bubbly network administrator caught sight of the flowering shrubs planted at one side of the path and blurted, “I love the flowers! Its color is just the right shade of yellow that I want.”

The next day, I punched in earlier than everybody else in our workroom to become her wish-granting genie. I plucked 10 stems of the flowers and immediately placed them in a dipper I found in the restroom and half-filled it with water while our office isn’t open yet since I don’t have a key. As soon as a colleague with a duplicate got in, I went inside and emptied an ice cream canister that I use as a pen holder and sought help from our 2 trusty OJTs; one rinsed the canister and the other searched for a pair of scissors.

I cut the stems so that it’ll stand just right in the pintsize canister. (Fact: the canister was from Doth herself when she shared with me 1/3 of her Blueberry ice cream almost a year ago). Unfortunately Doth arrived while I was finishing the last two stalks so the surprise was spoiled. Nonetheless, she said she appreciated the effort very much.

I made the final touches of the simple arrangement and tried to present the blossoms in its best look despite the several creases in its delicate petals before handing to our celebrant who immediately placed it on top of the coffeemaker in her cube.

The yellow present

The celebrant enjoying her own meal in the restaurant where she treated us

Doth giving a sweet smile

The buds bloomed into fresher flowers the next day