OF BATCHOY AND SIOPAO

These past few days, I have been craving for batchoy and siopao. Since Friday last week, I have been bugging my friends to accompany me to a “batchoyan” just for me to satisfy this hunger but to no avail. We always end up eating at the diner across the office, at Mabolo or the siomai-yan sa Tisa in Labangon.  Not that am complaining because although you don’t sometimes get what you crave for, but the company of people, or friends for that matter you share lunch or dinner with is sometimes the best part of the meal.

My friends and I bond over food. We talk about our lives and the lives of other people over food. We discuss about work, showbiz, politics, religion, tv shows, relationships – successful or not and a lot more over humba, or fried chicken, skinless longganisa, sinigang na baboy and CUPS of rice. I believe that eating tastes best when the people am eating with brings me to a homely place, where I can just be myself. An author of an article I read once said that precisely because of these ordinary but intimate associations, lunch or dinner can be sacred grounds that permit few offenses. That is why if we eat with friends, we don’t really care if he uses the toothpick without covering his mouth while doing his business, or that funny smile due to the squid cooked in inky broth. So what right?

Am writing this article to all my friends I had lunch and dinner with. Regardless if we ate in a fancy restaurant, in the pantry, in the office, the sidewalk, my apartment or your apartment, the best part of it is the fact that I shared that moment with you. Because of your company, lunch or dinner is not just a necessity but an intimate experience we share.

So, batchoy and siopao anyone?

I WISH I COULD SING

“I wish I could sing lullabies to you,

Can you teach me how?

All I do is talk a melody

But it don’t come out a rhapsody”

                   - I Wish I Could Sing

I love music. I really do. As a matter of fact, I really wanted to sing my whole life however, I was told that I sounded awful. That is why I channeled my “frustration” to something related to music and that’s theater.

Back in Cagayan de Oro am a professional theater actor performing under the Mindanaoan Glowing Production umbrella. A few years back, I played Iñigo in Chic Fortich’s three-act musical play entitled “Ay! Kasing-kasing Ko!” I played the villain in the story - an egotistical, self-important and proud Spanish mestizo. Interestingly, I was given a song number in Act II entitled, “En mi casa” and interestingly again, I was given the license to sing the number out of tune. Well, as some of you might have guessed, I did the part effortlessly – not the “so full of himself part” but the “singing-out-of-tune part.”

But seriously, I adore people who are musically gifted; people who have the power to tell my story – my joys, fears, triumphs, defeats and indifference through beautiful melodies and well thought of lyrics.

Last Wednesday, I witnessed how persuasive music is and how it can rally people to work together for a good cause when Aegis PeopleSupport launched Aegis Idol 2010 featuring nine hopefuls representing the different accounts of the company. The first elimination night was dubbed as “Unity for a Cause: Voices of Hope” and it was a venue for the employees to give back to the community by donating canned goods, school items, used clothing, etc. The items collected were endorsed to World Vision.

I enjoyed every moment of the competition as host and spectator. Am looking forward to the coming weeks until we reach the finals and herald 2010’s Aegis Idol.

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Post script: You know what, it’s during moments like this that I wish I could sing!

Aegis Idol - Cebu 2010 hopefuls. Lay-out by Demi.

From left to right: Aki (who was responsible for giving me my new name, Jeff) and Paulie my co-host

Ponkan na ponkan in action

One of the crowd

The team who made it happen. Kudos to all of you!

IT'S OUR ALDZ'S BIRTHDAY

The picture that launched his second Friendster account with 300+ pending friend requests in his first account

Our first conversation ever was when I conducted his interview for the position he was applying for. November last year, we opened the Specialist post for the Cebu Communications center and he was one of the applicants who submitted his resume. I guess there were five or seven of them who braved to try for the post.  In hindsight, I think 'twas an extensive interview since I consumed more than an hour of his and my time questioning him about his credentials, his motives for applying and other pertinent queries that will help me gauge his aptness for the vacancy. You see, my basis for hiring people is not only rooted on talent or the applicant’s dexterity with his/her skills but apart from that, I hire for attitude.

To make the long recruitment story short, he got shortlisted, was endorsed for final interview and got hired. As Cebu  Comms Specialist, he handles the documentation of company events, project management, copy writing, external employee engagement activities and other tasks and responsibilities not written in his JD.

But more than just being a team mate, he is friendly but can be brutality frank at times.

A person of character but can be naughty and daring.

Loud and proud but can be moody and temperamental.

Helpful and dependable but can bitch around when the occasion calls for it.

Is currently single but kisses random strangers (hahahaha)

That’s Aldz.

Happy Birthday, Yoyok nga Bongoton!

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Post script:

Well, I started this during Demi’s birthday. I mentioned that every time a close friend celebrates his/her birthday, as my birthday gift, I will be featuring his/her TOP FIVE “notorious” quotes. But for Aldz, I’ll just feature three (abuser na, naa nako’y article sa ibabaw. Walay in-ani si Demi. Magmahay unya si Miss India sa ako)

Ready Aldz?

TOP THREE NOTORIOUS QOUTES

#3:    Gaga!

#2:    Minatay!

#1:    Baho siya ug b*l*t!

Again, happy birthday Adlaon!

PHANTASMAGORIA: THE AEGIS PEOPLESUPPORT HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION 2010

When I was a kid, I never experienced trick or treating. Growing up in a small suburb, Kalag-kalag is spent watching Magandang Gabi Bayan’s scary documentaries about ghosts, urban legends and horror stories. Hahaha funny how I miss that show. I just realized that we don’t have those kind of shows lately.

But anyway, I usually spend my so-called Halloween at home, with my sister, helping our parents prepare a “feast” for our departed love ones. It has been a tradition in our family to offer prayers (Ampo para sa mga kalag) to the deceased and coupled with that is the extensive meal that we prepared which according to my Mama “the favorite food of our dead family members.” It’s always a delight – we have biko, humba, suman, bibingka, pina-upong manok, and a lot lot more. It’s like Christmas in November minus the parol, Christmas tree and carols.

Fast forward…(to say 10 years J  hehehe)

Now that am in the BPO industry, the Halloween celebration is different. Aside from having kids in the office for some sweet treats, Halloween is about wearing costumes and decorate-your-floor competitions. Speaking about that, the company where am presently working celebrated Halloween 2010 with the theme dubbed as “Phantasmagoria.” The highlight of the activity was the decorate-your-floor contest participated by the different accounts. The employees, on the other hand, gamely joined the competition by wearing their most enchanting and creative costumes.

Am not sure if they're from the movie Avatar or Noah (you know, with Piolo *blush*)



Am not sure about Mike's character hmmm can I just call him as Foundation Boy?



Hey you guys! It's the character from Avatar now endorsing the Nike franchise :)

In fairness, I love the Lion Fish. He/she/whatever looks like the king/queen of the sea. Nag-effort gyud!

Dear readers, please meet, Josie WITHOUT a Pussy Cat



Some stranger with Josie



Wala lang. Group shot.



EPIPHANIES

Epiphany (noun)

       A sudden, intuitive perception or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.

My visit in my hometown brought me a number of realizations and while most of it are painful and daunting, I am still comforted with the fact that there’s still something I can do about it. I once read that a person’s road to greatness starts with a purifying moment, or to put it simply – an awakening (i.e. Einstein was given a compass and his quest for science and truth began, or when Siddhartha saw a beggar outside their castle which started his pursuit for the true meaning of happiness.)

In this entry, allow me to share my so-called epiphanies. Although am exposing myself a bit much through my revelations in this article, I feel that it is something that we can all learn from.

• Epiphany 1: I don’t have any savings and I live from paycheck to paycheck. At my age, having a high-paying and exciting job in a huge multi-national company I should have stable finances already. But sadly, I have debts to pay, bills to settle and most of the time, I spend more than what my means can afford. In times of emergencies like what happened to my father, I struggle to provide and meet the needs for hospitalization, medicine and after care.

• Epiphany 2: I still have lots of plans unrealized like taking my Masters, buying my own house and lot, travel around and outside the country (I don’t even have a passport for crying out loud) or, my long overdue promise of Pangkabuhayan Showcase to my Mama. My sister even has better life management compared to me. She’s just starting with her job (she is a policewoman) but every time we need help (we meaning her immediate family) she manages to provide.

• Epiphany 3:That if am having kids it should be at least FIVE. A big and responsible family has its perks. In hard times, you have each other to lean on or share the burden most especially with regard to the financial requirements of hospitalization, medicine and after care.

If you have a big family, you can take turns in looking after the sick family member.

If you have a big family, you have someone who can help you make decisions over crucial situations.

If you have a big family, you don’t cry alone, in your solitude, when no
one is watching. It’s difficult when you’re only two in the family and the
eldest for that matter.

• Epiphany 4: That I should have kids. My own flesh and blood. Any takers?

• Epiphany 5: It really doesn’t matter if I have only a few friends for as long as they are like family. It dawned on me that I should choose friends. Friends who will visit me when am sick. Friends who will share their time. Friends who will comfort and assure my immediate family that they are not alone in this battle.

• Epiphany 6: When I die, I want it to be quick. Fast. Painless. I don’t want to suffer and in the process, see my family suffer.

I am not sure how to end this entry. Perhaps as what the title of this entry suggests, I should start taking action over my life and make radical changes, not only for myself but for also for the people who will be, in one way or another, affected by my deeds. Cliché as it may sound, but sometimes it takes a powerful experience such as an ailing family member to bring you to Earth and examine what you have been doing to your life.

With a prayerful heart, things will get better.