10/27/12

In all my life, I've always been given compliments for my nice skin. I wouldn't say it's flawless but it's quite smooth and free from acne or scars. It's quite soft and although I have a lot of moles, skin is probably the last of my worries when it comes to my body. However, it changed this past week when this mysterious bump appeared on my forehead.

It started out small and I thought it was just an insect bite. It grew bigger and I thought it was going to be a pimple which is already something to be worried of. But to add more insult, it grew bigger until I realized it's not a simple pimple problem. This has to be something worse. I tried to research and I came up with my own prescription. I believe what I have is a boil.

As its size increased, the pain also caused more suffering. I couldn't take it anymore and I had to make an appointment to my mom's dermatologist despite the strong rains we've had this week.

During the appointment, the doctor was supposed to drain it but asked me if I wanted to take in some medicines instead before the actual operation. Due to my fear of needles, I quickly accepted that offer and agreed to come back next week.

She gave me a list of medicines to take and also a cream to apply on. She also gave me a list of do's and don'ts like not having hot water, no intake of alcohol or any tea among many others, but failed to tell me what exactly is the condition that I have or what caused it. I was simply feeling in a rush and pain so I did not bother to ask.

Right now, the pain has caused my face to swell. My forehead, my nose bridge and even the area around my eyes are swelling hard and I look like an alien with a horn coming out of my head. I look quite freaky and I am afraid that I won't look like how I used to. My face is numb but I can feel the pain coming from the boil which I find unfair. But I'm trying to put some ice on my face just to see if it starts to shrink back to its normal size.

I do hope that by my next appointment, my skin dilemma will be gone because this has already been draining me physically and mentally.

One last note, my grandma's eldest sister died yesterday and we visited her wake earlier. I don't really see her a lot except for the annual family reunion held during January but it's just sad to see someone leave. But I heard she was already prepared for it and I'm just glad she lived a happy and colorful life. I may not have known her too well but I've heard a lot of stories about my grandma's family. My thoughts and prayers go out to her.

10/20/12

I guess I failed again. It's not a new thing to me but this time, I was looking forward to making it successful.

Such a wasted opportunity. I'm hoping they'll contact me next week but they were quite clear that the result should be out by yesterday and I haven't received a response from them at all.

10/18/12

Yesterday, I had my second visit to the company I was talking about the last time for my exam. My appointment was at 9:00 am so I tried to leave the house early. I arrived around 8:30 am which was earlier than I expected. It gave me enough time to eat breakfast at a Mini Stop store nearby the building. It gave me time to observe the surroundings and see a busy street on a Wednesday morning in Ayala ave.

I went up to the office just in time and was greeted by the HR who accommodated me the last time I was there.

I was told to wait again but not as long as the last time as he led me to work on the exam right away. The exam was for the Associate post and the test basically involved posting on blogs and social networks and also a transcription test since I was also being considered for another position. The only thing that made the exam difficult was the part where I had to find images. I know that sounds easy but they are quite specific on what to use and I can't just randomly pick a picture on Google Images so that took most of the time. I did find the transcription exam quite easy. I had experience during my first job but this time, it was transcription from written data to digital unlike in my previous job where I had to transcribe audio files to digital output.

I finished the exam in 2 hours which was the allotted time though I don't think they keep track. I was told to have my lunchbreak and come back an hour and a half later. Before I left, I saw another applicant for the writer position come in the office. I wasn't hungry yet and the restaurants were full anyway so I decided to look around nearby. The heat outside was intolerable so I didn't get to see much as I wanted to so I decided to hang around the Book sale store on the adjacent building. I was glad to find one since there wasn't a Book sale store in the mall I usually go to. If I get the job, I'll probably hang out in that book store more often.

Once I felt the hunger, I couldn't find a place to eat! Every resto was full. I had to settle in Brothers Burgers. Good thing they have some affordable meals aside from their specialty burgers.

I went back to the office just in time. However, the HR was not in sight yet so  I had to wait again. The other applicant I saw was also waiting by the lounge area. After waiting for around 10 minutes, the HR showed up and told the other applicant that the person who was going to do her interview assuming she passed is not available and she would just receive a call on when to come back. I thought I was going to be interviewed on another day too but he told me after that I will be interviewed in a while. I guess someone else was going to interview me. I was left there to wait again. In what seemed to be 30 minutes of waiting or more, I saw 2 more applicants who just finished their exams and also a former employee dropping by the office to claim her last pay.

I was finally fetched by the HR and brought me to the other office beside the room. The place was being renovated so it looked a bit empty and brand new. I assume it was the office for the administration departments.

I was asked to wait in a small room and I just observed the office since the room had glass walls. The other employees seems young which is quite good for me.

I expected someone else to come in and do the interview but it was the HR who came in and did the interview. He just asked me some questions regarding the stuff on my resume and told me some info regarding the company. The interview was actually light and smooth but it was just me who made it look awkward. I suddenly realized how awkward and non-coherent most of my answers were. I also found out he used to proctor students at my former high school which kept the interview at a comfortable atmosphere. I eventually passed as he told me and led me back to the other office room.

It took another long waiting time before the HR told me to take another exam but this time, it was a typing test. Normally, typing test would not be a problem for me but this time, the HR was watching me as I took it plus the keyboard was not the usual keyboard that I got used to typing since it was bulky and I kept on hitting the wrong buttons. I got a low score and they only gave me one chance to take it which worried me that it might affect my performance so bad. 

The HR told me that there will be a meeting in the other office so I might have to wait just a bit longer. 

I was finally brought into a room with the person who was going to interview me. There were two of them and I was afraid it was a panel interview. The interviewer introduced himself as the head of the department which I'll be put into if I get the job and introduced the other person as the team leader of another department or something, I can't remember :p. Once again, he briefed me about the company where I found out that the company was the 3rd best among the world in the SEO industry. I also found out I was being considered for 2 positions which were the associate post and the transcriber post. Personally, I would prefer the Associate post since it was new to me and it seems more interesting. I told them I was open to take either of those positions although as the interview continued, it seemed like they were preparing me for the transcriber post as that was a more urgent position. I would like to think that the interview went well but I think I shot myself in the foot when I informed the HR in my earlier interview about my problems with my previous company and that was tackled in this 2nd interview. I tried to defend myself and told them that I was ready to take on this position but I'm not sure if I made it clear enough. Before the interview ended, he told me that they still have to deliberate and I would find out by tomorrow. That is fine with me since I don't want to decide yet if they gave me a job offer at that moment. They did ask me how soon can I start and I told them that I can start as soon as I can accomplish all the pre-requirements needed by the HR. I do hope that if I get accepted, I'll start by November.

The interview finally ended and I had no more exams or interviews to take.

I left the office at around 4pm and as I was walking my way to the mall, I kept thinking about the possibility of me accepting the job and it is looking good for me. 

Right now, I'm hoping I get a positive result and receive a job offer. The office is in a nice location even thought it is quite far but still better than my previous offices, the shift was only 5 days a week and Philippine holidays observed despite being a US owned company, the shift was also a dayshift job at 8-5 daily which was fine for me since I would like to leave the office earlier than 6 pm so I can still go to the gym although I'm worried about going to the office early. This job seems good for me.

This seem to be the only application I have recently that I am actually optimistic.

10/16/12

As I previously mentioned, I had a job exam to take yesterday for the position of an online writer..

I almost didn't make it because I was finishing up the season premiere of The Walking Dead season 3 which was excellent!

I left the house an hour before my appointment time which was at 2 pm but I was lucky enough to reach Makati within an hour. The building was at the far end of Ayala avenue near Makati med so I had to walk all the way from Greenbelt and I was already sweating as usual but all I was thinking was getting in the office on time. I even got on the wrong elevator as I didn't know there were two separate sets of elevator. I arrived just in the nick of time and it didn't seem to matter as I was the only one who was there. The office was at the 27th floor and it looks like there are only two companies that occupied that floor.

I was asked to wait in the reception area but I can already see the work floor. I saw a lot of employees and computers lined up and when the HR manager asked me to come with him to take the exam, we passed by a lot of employees. It was a little underwhelming since it would be my first time to work in a big company with this set-up. I was asked to sit beside one of the employees and showed me the instructions on the computer and also fill-up a grammar test first. I browsed the instructions and it seemed manageable. I just had to write 2 150-300 word articles on 2 topics that was assigned then another 200 word article on any of my current interests and then answer some basic questions regarding my application. The test had a 3-hour time limit but I was able to finish it early. However, the test took some delay due to the company head(I assume) had given a speech to all the employees and I had no choice but to listen in even if I was not an employee yet. He talked about some company stuff and the growth of the company, some recent terminations in the company(which was a bit intimidating) and talked about having a company outing to the Ayala museum. He was a foreigner, looks American but I think he mentioned he was Italian so the way he talks was quite in a cool way and not the uptight type of person. He seemed friendly but serious. 

I finally finished the test and I was surprised that I was already in the office for more than 2 hours since I started. I thought the day was over but they asked me to wait for another 30 minutes to evaluate the exam and see if I will have an interview. I was taken aback because I only prepared for an exam and it was getting late but I didn't bother to protest and stayed there to wait for the results. The break was too long but it was a good thing I had my iPod with me so I won't die of boredom. While waiting, I observed some employees leaving the office already and I also noticed most, if not all, were wearing casual clothes which made me like the company as I would like to have a flexible schedule and also to be able to wear normal clothes and not the fancy office outfit that would just be drowned in sweat. The place was quiet though except for some small chatter here and there so I was still worried that the atmosphere did not have an upbeat working environment. I also wasn't sure if all employees knew each other as there were probably more than a hundred people in the office that day. The HR finally appeared to apologize for the long wait and explained the person who will evaluate and give the interview is talking to their business partner/client from the US so I had no choice but to wait further. The HR finally arrived and sat down on the couch beside me. I thought we were going to have the interview somewhere else so it was surprising we were doing it there in the reception. However, he gave me the bad news that I didn't make the cut-off for the position. Strange enough, I didn't feel disappointment. I was ready to leave until the HR continued with the conversation and told me I was being considered for another open position in their company. Funny enough, it was the other open position that I also applied for in the company which I was leaning more into. It was a non-writing position but I think I could handle the position well. I told him I was interested in which he responded that I'll have to take another exam that will take another 2-3 hours. It was fine for me and I was ready to make a schedule until he suddenly ask me to go with him again! I didn't realize I had to take the exam immediately. It was already late so I just asked him to reschedule the exam on another day and told him I had somewhere else to go. Thankfully, there wasn't a problem with it and he set the exam tomorrow morning. I do hope I pass the exam but I wish that they would give me time to think about the offer. They told me they had a one-day process for applications so I'm worried that they might ask me to sign a contract by tomorrow. I still have an application that I want to pursue in another company and I would like to have some options.

I do think that if I pass the exam, I will most likely take it. I just hope they will have a good job offer because it really seems like a good job.

10/14/12

I have an exam to take tomorrow at a company I applied for. It's pretty much similar to the job I applied in the previous company which is why I'm not sure of my chances but I'm gonna try my luck. I actually applied for another position in the same company but I guess they haven't seen my application for that position yet, which is quite unfortunate since I'm leaning towards that position now. I'll talk about it tomorrow!

Right now, there's a livestream going on showing a man who will attempt to skydive from the edge of space!It was supposed to be held a few days ago buyt got delayed after encountering some difficulties.

Here's a link if anyone wants to watch right now:

http://www.redbullstratos.com/live

10/11/12 - Will Grayson,Will Grayson

After reading two books from David Levithan, I finished a third book and the second one that is a collaboration with another author, namely John Green.

The story is about two boys named Will Grayson who lives in two separate lives until one night came and they both cross paths. The story is told in alternating POV between the two Wills and distinguished by the writers by one of them is always capitalized while the other one is always typed in small letters.

Both of them studying in two different schools and have different circle of friends but their problems both relate in dealing with relationships.

Will Grayson is good friends with Tiny, a gay friend who is producing a school play/musical and Jane whom he develops a crush on. The other will grayson, experiences a betrayal from one of her female friends after finding out she has been disguising herself as a guy in an online forum that will likes.

Certain circumstances in their lives cause them to meet each other where will meets Tiny which leads them to have a relationship with each other. It's will's first romantic relationship while it's Tiny's nth after will's late decision to come out in public.

In the journey towards Tiny's play, we see the two Will Graysons to have some realizations with their lives and cause some problems with their relationships.

The story is nice but I was just disappointed by the fact that the story did not focus on the two Will Graysons and more on their relationship with others.

I actually saw this book yesterday on National bookstore and was surprised to see it since I haven't seen any of the author's books anywhere.

The book also led me to download other books by John Green. However, I have finally started on The Mark of Athena today and I'm really liking it so far which means it might take some time for me before reading another book from Levithan or start a new one by Green.

10/8/12

My mom's in Bangkok right now having a vacation with her friends for around 4-5 days so that means I'm alone for quite some time! Well of course the rest of the family's here but we're divided by an invisible wall anyway. 

But there's really not much to do here and she just left some money for me to go to the gym and the picture-taking which I had earlier. I needed to take some pictures for a job application. I'll try to talk about that if my application actually pushes through.

Anyway, I was surprised to see the latest installment of Rick Riordan's The Heroes of Olympus book series called The Mark of Athena on bookstores! Fortunately, I was able to download a pdf immediately. But I'm still in the middle of reading a David Levithan book so I guess that one's put on hold. I heard the ending is a major cliffhanger so I'll try not to read it in a rush when I start.

Some new shows are premiering this week. I'll probably start talking about all the season premieres I've seen when every show has started.

I don't really know what to talk about which is probably why I'm telling what I'll blog about in the future. But nothing's worth talking about recently so forgive me for it. :p

10/6/12 - Foster The People

I absolutely loved last night's show. Foster The People had their one-night-only show in Manila for the first time. It was held in the Araneta Coliseum after less than a month that it was announced. Given that the time of announcement was late, I did not expect a lot of people to go especially when I was still able to buy a ticket only the day before. True enough, there were a lot of empty seats even on the most expensive section but that did not stop anyone from having a blast on the show. I got the cheapest tickets but still had a good view and see the band properly, even though some people in front of me almost blocked my view had I not been able to move around in my row.

The show started with a local electronic/pop band called Techy Romantics opening the show. Their set lasted around 30 minutes but I was a bit sleepy so I did not really care about them. There was the usual break after their set and it was past 9pm when FTP finally came out to start the show. The crowd was amazing as they sang and danced along to every song. Since the band only had one album, the show wasn't too long. But this is the first artist I've watched that performed all the songs in one album. With their hits like Helena Beat and Don't Stop and so much more getting the crowd pumped up, I am truly amazed at the energy level of the band and a great showmanship from the band. The stage design was great too.

 There;s only one thing I regret and that is not seeing Sophia Bush! She is apparently dating Mark Foster and she came along with the band and was watching the show with the crowd! I only found out about it on Twitter after the show and also found out she was seen shopping in Shangri-la mall! It would have been a dream come true to meet one of my favorite actresses that I grew up with.

I don't really have any concerts to look forward to this year. There's The Fray but I'm not sure if I can go.

10/3/12

I was supposed to go to the gym today but that was scrapped because my iPod encountered some error that took some time to finish. 

When I plugged the iPod, iTunes suddenly got stuck with "Verifying my iPod" and the next thing I know, all the content was gone! I got quite worried since I had almost 20k songs but my worries lessened when I checked my iTunes and saw all my stuff are still on it. I had to sync my iPod again and wait until everything was on the iPod again which took 2-3 hours to complete. The weather also didn't help as it looked like it was going to rain hard so I decided to stay at home instead. I'll just go tomorrow and on Friday.

Foster The People's concert is coming up on Saturday and I still don't have a ticket. I have to buy one either tomorrow or Friday. I hope there are tickets left. I know they have a lot of fans here but I don't think they're gonna sell out the venue which is at the Araneta Coliseum.

I've started reading a new David Levithan book yesterday and I finished 3 chapters already! I'm gonna reveal which one it is when I finish it.

This morning, I received a text message from a company I got rejected to last August asking me for my updated resume and some pictures. I was surprised to hear from them but I want to take advantage of this opportunity and perhaps I'll get another shot at this job.

A lot of shows have returned within these past few weeks. I can't wait to talk about it!

That's what's happening to me this week so far.

9/30/12-Bazooka Rocks

The big day has come! I've been talking about this concert for a couple times and it finally happened last night.

I admit my excitement level during the days leading up to this event was dwindling down but just the night before, I feel anxiety creeping into me and couldn't sleep well. I already arranged what I was going to wear and things to bring due to anticipation.

I woke up early and left the house by 9:30 am. The gates at the venue were supposed to open at 10 am but the foreign bands are starting around lunch time so it was alright to arrive late and there were no seats in the venue anyway so no need to worry about the seats.

I arrived in the SMX Convention Center to be welcomed by a manageable line of fans, most of them appear to be younger than me. I felt a little out of place but that doesn't matter.

The lines were moving at a fairly normal pace and got inside at around 10:30 am. I was a little underwhelmed by the site. The stage looked good and the space is big but the venue was divided between the concert area on the right side and the other area is where the merch booth, food stalls and a big inflatable slide is located. The slide is free for anyone to use too! There were also a few seats on the floor where you can rest or seat. But later on, people would just sit on the floor anyway. There were also some arcade games and a charging station. It was a good idea to put all those but I noticed some problems that they could work on for the next years. There were few stalls for food. I don't know if they couldn't get any sponsors or what but there were only around 4-5 stalls and two of those are stalls that serves siomai and other dumplings. Not exactly the meal that would fill my appetite with satisfaction. Other than those two, the other one is for deserts and there was one that serves pancit and some chicken lollipop. I was looking at the servings and they were small. I guess no one anticipated a big crowd? Though the crowd was not as big as I expected it to be, in fact, there was still a big space you could hang around in the venue, the organizers should have provided more options for food stalls. The cellphone charging station was also little and was almost unnoticeable. The seats were good though especially for those who brought their chaperons or guardians. Another thing is the Wi-Fi, they said there was a free wi-fi but it had a password and I couldn't find the booth regarding that matter so I didn't bother connecting to the net anymore. I would have loved to tweet and instagramed throughout the entire event.

There line for the merch booth was so long since the event started. I wanted to buy some souvenir items like a shirt but I felt discouraged. Perhaps they should get more people to join the booth since that was the problem why the line was moving slow. The merch booth was actually big enough but they only let the people form one line instead of creating multiple ones which would have been faster. By the time the line got short in the afternoon, there were limited stocks and designs left, some of them are even merch from other bands who were not in the line-up for the current event so I decided not to buy anymore. I actually withdrew money from the bank before going to the show just to buy some items but I guess I'll just spend most of it on the Foster The People concert. Hehe.

Anyway, I'll just talk about the show now.

Three local acts started the show. They were Penguin, Robin Nievera and Salamin. I have to say that they were quite good and entertaining and they entertained the crowd even though most were still sleepy and lacked energy. Their sets were not as long, perhaps 30 minutes each with a few minutes in between each set.

I decided to have lunch by the time the last band ended and before the first band started. The breaks in  between the sets were enough for me to grab a bite.

The three bands that came first were Avastera, The Wonder Years and A Skylit Drive. Avastera is a band from Australia and I haven't heard their songs before so I just youtubed them days before the show. I liked them but I can't seem to find a link for their EP so I'm restricted to buying their album in our record stores. Fortunately, it's an EP and it's on sale for an affordable price so I might buy it soon. One more thing, their drummer, Jamie Savage looks a lot like Andrew Garfield. He could play his younger brother! Here's the best part, I added him as a friend on Facebook earlier today and HE ACCEPTED IT! I can't believe we're friends on Facebook. I was looking at his page and he seems a genuine nice guy. He also added some other Filipinos. I just hope he won't delete me. LOL. The Wonder Years is quite an established band which is why I'm surprised they performed second but it doesn't matter, the crowd was wild on their set. I even got a pick from their guitarist!That's my first pick from an international artist! I gotta be honest that I'm not the biggest fan of ASD but I do have around two songs on my iPod but they are covers of other songs. It's not because they're bad or anything but I'm just not into a lot of music with screaming, which is why I don't really like metal music. But the crowd was pumped up and I enjoyed watching them!

If there were two bands the crowd were definitely watching out for, it has to be Forever The Sickest Kids and The Maine. The crowd just absolutely went wild and it's no surprise since the two bands delivered great sets and everyone was singing along. It's my 3rd time to see both bands and they haven't changed. They're still so great to watch. I feel like they were already the main event but surprisingly, it was still afternoon when they played. Now here's the thing that got me really pissed at the organizers. During the breaks, the band would come out to do a meet and greet at the merch booth. You have to buy particular items to be eligible for autograph signing. I bought a magazine which was needed to meet The Maine while for FTSK, I bought a poster that was more expensive than the magazine! I felt cheated but still bought it thinking I'll get it signed anyway. FTSK was supposed to come out after The Maine's set so I quickly went to the long line during The Maine's last song. The band finally started signing but I was dumbfounded when they left. Turns out they were only signing a few stuff just in time before the next band starts. No one said there was a limit so I felt even pissed off inside. Though disappointed that I didn't get an autograph, I had to stay in line to assure myself of a chance for The Maine's turn. The next band to perform was Marianas Trench which was the one I was looking forward to watch but I had to stay in the line so I missed them. I did get to hear them and see a glimpse of them from afar but I just felt so gloomy when they ended their set. They sang a lot of songs that I like and I would have loved top rock it out with them at the audience area. By the time The Maine came out, the people started top go wild at the booth and lo and behold, they finished before I got the chance to have my stuff signed. I barely even moved an inch on the line! Turns out a lot of people cut the line and some didn't even purchase the magazine which was supposed to be a requirement. There were bouncers all over the area and they were not doing anything about it. People on the line were complaining and yet they were just standing there. Shame on them. I decided to go back to the concert area even if I'm still eligible to have my stuff signed by Marianas Trench since I doubt the line would still be followed.

It's a good thing that Mayday Parade are such a great band that for a while, it made me feel good again. They were great entertainers and the vocalist was very nice and humble. If any band could have matched up the energy of FTSK and The Maine, it would have to be MP. Singing along to every songs, the crowd sure looked like they're having an amazing time. Unfortunately, it was getting late and some people started leaving. I know most of the people who came are students or have work so it was understandable.; There was still a good amount of people who stayed but it was few enough for me to sneak in near the stage. Since the last set was taking so long, I forgot that I haven't had dinner yet so I had to get some food to eat. There were a lot of people buying and the food was running out but I was able to buy a sandwich. The next artist was The Pretty Reckless. I've read a lot of negative things about them, especially Taylor Momsen being such a diva and it looks like they're true based on last night. They started out late and they were complaining that the crowd was too quiet. The people there have stayed at the show for at least 12 hours including myself but we were trying to give it our best even with aching bodies, lost voices and tons of sweat poured. There were still people singing along but Taylor just screamed for us to sing louder. But she still put on a good show. I find it a little weird that her bandmates are old guys. She seems to be pushing herself too much as a "rocker". Even her top which didn't leave out a lot for imagination had some statements that would definitely not please the religious observers. But I don't mind. She was very pretty! The show has come to its conclusion at the end of their set which was around 12mn to be exact.  I'm glad I was able to make it back home safely and quick.

Overall, I enjoyed seeing all the bands in the event but the management needs to implement their rules strictly. They also need to work on their service, from the food and all the things they promised which did not completely happen. They rarely respond to questions on their website, I even sent them an e-mail weeks before to inquire about some details but I never got an answer. They also announced on the net that they were giving away Bazooka bubblegums and a free poster to everyone but I nor anyone else got one. There were posters on sale at the merch booth but they were not the ones that were supposed to be given away. I hope that next year, I could still come and the event will be handled much better. This year was the first that this was held so I know they could learn from their shortcomings.

Some random observations, there were a lot of lesbians and gays making out during the set of TPR but I'm not surprised though. There were also two American teenagers with their friends and one of them looks like Patrick Schwarzenegger and the other one looks exactly like Jesse Eisenberg. I wanted to take a picture of them but I couldn't get a moment to get their pics.

I still got to see some bands up close at the merch booth during their autograph signing including Marianas Trench so even though I wasn't able to watch their whole performance, I got to see them up close for a few minutes.

So there goes my rant. Here goes to another one next year!