Things I learned when school ended...

Hello there, graduates of 2015! Are you done printing your resumes? Are you preparing for job interviews?

I graduated back in 2010. I can’t believe it’s almost five years already. I’ve been working for a couple of years now, and to tell you honestly, I can’t wait for my retirement. Haha. Sure, it’s fun to receive a salary. It’s even more fun when you get 13th and 14th-month pay... but working is really exhausting. Sometimes you just wish you were a college student again, back when everything seemed so much simpler.

I must tell you: you only use less than 10% of what you learned in school once you enter the corporate world. Well, unless you're in the medical field, a lawyer, or in any profession with a board exam. To be completely honest, I can’t really use the things I learned in college in my current line of work. My course and my field are a bit of a mismatch—I'm a Commerce graduate majoring in Information Systems, currently working in HR (payroll).

Anyway, here are the things I learned outside of school that I really think they should start teaching:

1. Kissing ass really works. Maybe not all the time, but it will definitely have an effect on your career.

2. You must learn how to use VLOOKUP. Is it just me, or was I absent during the computer class where they were supposed to teach it? It is ridiculously useful to me (or maybe just to me!).

3. If you think you've already met every type of person in school, wait until you step into the corporate world. You will meet thieves, whores, ass-kissers, drama queens, and whole new levels of personalities.

4. Even if you stay until 4:00 AM, if your boss doesn’t like you, you won’t get a raise, a ₱200 Starbucks gift certificate, or even a simple "Good job."

5. Managers are not necessarily the best at what they do. I don’t want to elaborate... (wink, wink).

6. Just find a couple of coworkers you can actually trust, and you’ll be fine.

There... I said it! Just enjoy the unemployed life while it lasts... because I certainly did. I was unemployed for a year and a half—well, almost two!

But if you want some real advice, please read this: http://thoughtcatalog.com/brianna-wiest/2014/01/18-things-we-should-have-been-taught-as-teenagers/

SO HAPPY GRADUATION, BATCH 2015! :)

Read More

Heaven knows I’m miserable now

“In my life why do Ismile to people I much rather kick in the eye?”

I am an introvert since birth. When the doctor slapped mybutt I didn’t react. They thought I am not alive. They slapped my butt again,but this time it was more painful.  So of course I cried. I gave what they want.

Anyway, fast forward to today, who would have thought that I am now working in HR Department as a payroll assistant. How the hell did I land the job? I didn’t apply that’s for sure.

I applied for Data Analyst position around 2011. I stayed for 3 months since my manager said I am not fit for that position. If you will think about it, that position really fits an introvert like me. You will just surf the net, cut, copy, paste… that’s it. You will do that for around 5 to 6 hours since 3 hours is allotted for lunch, morning and afternoon breaks and day dreaming.

Upon checking my resume and my perfect math test, she suggested that I can transfer to the Payroll Department or IT Dept. (since  in my resume I put that I made a Payroll System). So yeah, I was transferred to Payroll Dept. as a Payroll Processor. Another job that really fits an introvert like me. I stayed in that position for 3 months and then I was the “lucky”(?)  among others  to be sent to the client. They need a Payroll Support because their Payroll Processing is crumbling. So I was sent to save their payroll and timekeeping dilemma.

I didn’t know that they are sending me to HR Department of an American IT Company. The worst idea ever. Well of course at first. Being an HR practitioner is the last position in my “What do you want to be when you grow up?” list.  Being in HR means talking to people a lot. I mean a lot. I  diagnose myself having social phobia, social anxiety , asocial or even being autistic.

Too much human interaction is really hard for me.  Who would have thought that introverts and shy type  like me will find a niche in a department where talking and being around stranger is a must.

Today, I am working for almost 3 years as Payroll Assistant in the HR Department. Just recently, I am tasked to orient new hires about our Bi—weekly Payroll schedule and using our Timekeeping system.   I must say my first try was so bad. But when I did it again last week, I think it was better.

So hello there introverts! you can take a job that’s ultimately for extroverts or people person. You just have to try.

PS. My subject doesn’t connect with this post. I just used it since my opening line is from The Smiths song. This post is about the irony of life. (naks!)

Read More

Old and New Favorites

This post is still related to the H&M Close the Loop event.
My brother and I went to Megamall to watch the H&M Close the Loop event, mainly to see Up Dharma Down. The last time we went to Megamall was to see—who else?—UDD. But back then, we were late. We arrived around 5 PM when they were scheduled to perform at 4 PM. Buti na lang we still caught “Oo.”

Anyway, we left earlier this time, afraid that we might be late again. We left around 3 PM for a 4 PM gig. Lo and behold, when we were already inside the MRT, the train lost power/signal so we had to wait for a while before operations resumed. Of course, we couldn’t wait. Damn you, MRT! Why now? So we decided to get a refund on my stored value card and walked a few meters to catch a bus instead. We rode an ordinary (non-aircon) bus because, well, we had no choice.
To make a long story short, we arrived around 4:30 PM, just as they were performing their second song. Our goal was to be right in front, but since we were late, we couldn’t pull it off.

Up Dharma Down never fails to amaze me. Their sound was very clear, not distorted or muffled like a typical band's audio. I think that’s because they have their own sound engineer on the side handling the technical stuff. Other bands didn’t have that kind of sound control, so their audio wasn’t as crystal clear as UDD’s.

They sang “Oo”, “Tadhana”, “Indak”, “All the Good things” and “Sana”. Armi was funny in between songs. She was making jokes.

I will never, ever get tired of watching UDD. I just can’t.

Maybe the biggest surprise of the night—well, one of them—was The Cheats. Prior to this event, I had never heard their music. Because, well, as I mentioned before, I’m old, stuck with 2004–2010 bands, and have no energy to listen to new ones. Thanks to H&M, I was able to see and discover The Cheats. As of this writing, their debut album is on repeat on my iPod and Spotify.

The downside was that, unlike UDD, whose sound was so clear, The Cheats' guitars and other instruments overpowered the sweet voices of Candy and Saab, as well as Jim’s rocking vocals. I couldn’t understand the lyrics. But on the bright side, their energy was great! They were so engaging, and I could tell the songs were good. After all, Ely Buendia is their album producer, so they must be really solid. They kept moving around the stage, headbanging, and just—well, rocking out, for lack of a better term!

As you can see in the pictures, they are moving around or closing their eyes like they really feel the song they were singing.

In between songs, they were doing their spiels in a coño way, but it was actually quite cute and funny. Even though I couldn’t understand the lyrics during their live gig, I downloaded their songs (legally!) afterward, and they are actually so good. I’m currently loving “Summer” and “Newspaper Girl.” I’m just hoping that next time I see them live, the sound will be better because their songs are definitely worth listening to.

So if you have time, please give The Cheats a listen! They are worth the memory space on your iPod and will definitely unleash your headbanging skills.

Read More

Pupil version 2015

I’m getting old. The last concert I went to was the New Year Countdown at Resorts World Manila, where Ely Buendia was so close to us—approximately half a meter away on a 3-foot stage.

I never thought I’d ever get closer than that. But thanks to H&M, the distance this time was shockingly about half a ruler’s length, on maybe a 12-inch stage. As Ely put it, this was the closest they’ve ever been to the crowd while performing. I was so close I could count his white hairs… so close I could even read their setlist.

To be honest, I was a little bit disappointed when I saw the setlist. Most of the songs were from their new album, Zilch. If they had released this when I was still in college, I would have already bought it and been able to sing along with the band. But no, I’m at an age where the quarter-life crisis is hitting hard. Sayang, I couldn’t show him that I knew the songs—and we even made eye contact!

The first two songs were “Firewall” and “Why.” The third song was “20/20” from Limitless of the Infinity Pool. Finally, I knew the song and was able to sing along! Next was “Resonate.” Then a group of teenage boys requested “Monobloc” from the Wildlife album. Ely joked that Jerome Velasco (their new guitarist replacing Yan Yuzon) was still learning their songs. So I blurted out “Nasaan Ka” from Beautiful Machines. He said, “'Yun. 'Yung mas madali na lang.” Haaay… it was surreal. It was beautifully sung. I sang along, and surprisingly, almost everyone knew the song. Ely seemed happy to see that people still knew songs by Pupil (and not just his old band).

Since he was so close and it was my first time using my Canon S140 to take concert photos, I was practicing with the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO (or whatever, haha). Anyway, some people were requesting “Hey Jude” and “Hey Jay,” and Ely gamely played the intro riffs of those songs. Then they started requesting other songs from his old band. I wanted to say, “Please stop!” since Ely was in such a good mood and I didn't want them to ruin it. He had already played “Magasin,” and I could tell he was in a genuinely great mood.

I think every time he's with Pupil, he feels more comfortable. Unlike when he performs as a solo artist (where he projects a completely different vibe) or with The Oktaves, I can really see his passion and happiness when he's with Pupil. It’s his comfort zone.

After those nostalgic songs, they played new tracks like “Cheap Tricks” and “Out of Control.” At the end, he threw his guitar pick into the crowd while saying, “Sa inyo na lang.” I don’t know if I was just imagining it, but he looked right at me! Sayang! I almost caught it, pero there was a taller guy. So yeah, like I said, his vibe that day was just different. It was the happiest performance I’ve ever seen him give at a gig.

Wendell Garcia, the happiest drummer boy... but not seen in this picture.

                                Dok Sergio fixing his effects

                                           his signature pose

Ely wearing polka dot polo while showing his white hair…still looks good.

The disadvantage of being close is not getting a complete band shot 

Haaay… with this gig I rekindled my love affair with the band music and scene.
Thank you H&M for the giving us literal  “CLOSE” the loop experience.

Read More