12/30/13

I just went to the mall earlier with my mom to have our usual workout at the gym. I am just left in awe as most of the stores were on sale for a huge discount and couldn't even leave without buying at least 1 item which is a pair of pants. But there are a bunch of other items I really want to buy.

It's quite ironic that this is the first Christmas in a long time where I know what to spend my money on and yet I haven't received any cash gifts yet. I'm still waiting for some gifts tomorrow but I don't expect them to be in form of cash.

2013 has been a better year as compared to last year but recalling every experience should probably be in a separate post. This might be the last post for this year so Happy New Year everyone!

12/27/13 - The Fall Of Five

The Fall Of Five is the latest installment from the Lorien Legacies series. I've had a copy of this book for a couple of months now but I only finished it this Christmas due to my hectic schedule. 

In this book, the group finds the last garde who is number five. It is bound to be interesting as the group is now complete after searching for each other.

The book is fast-paced and there are a lot of revelations and there is a fair share of character build-up. There will definitely be plenty of revelations and surprises that will trigger your feelings and leave you wanting to keep on reading.

This is another must-read in the series as the group prepares for the battle against their arch enemy, Setrakus Ra.

12/26/13

Just had dinner with some HS friends. It was probably one of the most disorganized meet-up we've had despite doing this annually. I almost thought it was getting cancelled. But we ended up having dinner at Capricciosa in Greenbelt 3. It's a nice restaurant serving Italian dishes. I found out they were closing down when the year ends and we had no idea when we decided to eat there so it's a good thing since it was our first time to try the place.

I had to leave early even if they had other plans. I was tired anyway and I still have plans for tomorrow. I still had a good time anyway.

I finished season 1 of Arrow within the past two days that I couldn't keep myself from starting season 2 already which is what I did when I got home. I'm going to try catching up with the latest episode this weekend.

I also finsiehd reading The Fall of Five which is the latest installment in the Lorien Legacies books. So many things happened and left me angry and sad at the end. I can't wait for the next one!

12/22/13 - Hong Kong 2013

Now that it's just a lazy warm Sunday afternoon I think it's time to share our Hong Kong trip.

This trip was not just a normal vacation but also to celebrate our grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary. It was scheduled since early this year and it has been one of my most anticipated events of the year.

We went there from Dec. 16-19, 2013. Since it was the winter season, the weather was very cold so I suggest bringing in your jackets to keep you warm especially if you're going out a lot. We also experienced some rain but that didn't stop us from moving around.

Day 1

We were a big group so we had separate flights. Ours were scheduled at around 8 in the morning so we had to be at the airport early.We were already there by 5am. Thankfully, I didn't feel so sleepy despite getting inadequate amount of sleep the previous night and waking up at around 3 am. It seems all of us were quite excited. I only had one small check-in luggage and a backpack for my handcarry. I didn't bring a lot of items as I prepared to save some space for things I'm going to buy if there were any. I know it's not so cheap in HK but my mom gave us some pocket money for shopping which turned out not enough for my own needs. Our flight was delayed for a few minutes which is so typical of the airline but I don't care as long as it wasn't cancelled. We arrived in the rainy atmosphere of Hong Kong at around 10 am and met up with the other groups. We purchased octopus cards which is used to pay for public transpo and 7/11 purchases. It's a good idea to have the same system here.

We took the bus going to our hotel, which is located in Kowloon area. Our room had a good view of the city which looked lovely.

For our first day, we didn't do a lot aside from going around the area and the mall as well. I made my first set of purchases from buying some cds at the local music store. I was glad to find albums that I have been looking for quite some time that were unavailable here in Manila. We ate in a deli restaurant with a special friend/business partner of our grandparents. We were supposed to go to the night market in Mongkok but we ended dinner late so we jsut decided to head back to the hotel.

The hotel room was quite big to accommodate all of us. Too bad the wifi was not for free and only one device can use it at a time. There were only a few channels on the cable TV as well. We were also fighting over the adaptor since our batteries for our gadgets were drained already and we didn't bring any.

Day 2

This day was dedicated for Disneyland! I though it was getting cancelled since everyone was late and the rain continued to pour but I'm glad it wasn't. We ate breakfast in McDonalds while waiting for everyone to get ready.

We took several trains before arriving at the place. Before arriving, visitors have to ride a train designed with a Disney theme with Mickey mouse shaped windows and railings which was really nice. I'm not sure about the price but I heard it was expensive but it was worth it.

The place was quite big but enough to go around in one day. We arrived just in time for the parade featuring a lot of Disney characters. We decided to eat lunch first in one of the diners. There are a lot of eating places to choose from so visitors won't have be hungry. There are also plenty of gift shops.I bought a magnet so we can put it up in our home.

The rides were great!Some of them were already familiar since it was the same that was in the US but I still enjoyed them anyway.We were not able to go on every ride but we rode all the major ones such as the Space Mountain, Autopia, It's A Small World and many others. There were a lot of people but the waiting time for the rides were not so long. The place actually seemed to be like Enchanted Kingdom. In fact, some rides on EK seem to be more extreme than in Disneyland which is understandable since Disneyland is more child-oriented.

We ended the day by watching the firework display which showcased Disney songs as well as a spectacular display in the sky.

Day 3

I started the day by shopping at Giordano which is near our hotel. Everyone was still dressing up so I took the chance to go by myself instead of wasting time.I got 4 shirts which were on sale for 199 HK dollars for 4 pieces of plain muscle shirts. It has been my current goal to buy plain shirts in different colors so this was a good deal for me. Unfortunately, that left me with a few money left.

We went to the "Hong Kong side" and had lunch at the Maxim's place in the city hall. We went to the IFC mall right after to kill time and go around as well since we were going to the church right after.

We took a cab going to a church where most of the people who attended were also Filipino. After the quick mass, our grandparents were blessed as well as my cousin who turned 1 year old on the same day. The priest shared that he also stayed in the Philippines for a long time before moving to HK as well as the hundreds of Filipino domestic workers who flock the church every Sunday.

We walked towards our next destination which was at a fancy restaurant. We almost got lost but we were able to find the right way. It was hard to move around because the air was so cold.

We arrived early before our reservation so we had time to go around. I was so glad to find an HMV store so I looked around and got myself new cds again with most of the money I had left.

I got back in time for dinner which was sponsored by my grandparents' business partners so we just splurged on a lot of food! We had a good time considering it's our final night. After the meal, I found out our bill reached up to 20K HK dollars or equivalent to P69,000! It's probably the most expensive meal I've ever had for a single night. As expected, we didn't have enough time to go around after since it was late already so we went back to the hotel right after.

Day 4

It was our last day and we didn't have enough time to go around anymore since we had to leave earlier than the others. We couldn't book a flight back to Manila so we had to ride a ferry to Macau and book a flight to Manila. The ferry ride took approximately an hour long. The boat was quite nice and had comfy seats.

Upon arrival at Macau, the place didn't really seem much different. I guess it's because we were still far from the actual city so there weren't a lot of sights to see except for the pier and a couple of buildings under construction. We took a cab directly to the airport and we passed this long bridge where we could see some of the buildings and hotels including the popular one, the Venetian.

We immediately ate lunch in Mcdonalds before getting inside the boarding area. Our flight was delayed two times so we had a long waiting period. I used that time to buy some souvenir such as another magnet for our home and some food as pasalubong for my friends.

We finally arrived in Manila at around 7:30pm so it almost took us a whole day just to get back home.

Overall, I really had a good time in Hong Kong. Though I wish we could have done more, the whole trip was still exciting and it's so great to have some time to relax and enjoy. The culture in their country is quite different and more organized in a way which is admirable

I'm keeping my hopes up that I can return there before the visa applies in 2015.

12/21/13

I can't believe Christmas is a few days away! For some reason,I don't feel so excited but I'm not bummed about it either. I am just hoping that I'll enjoy the remaining days of the year.

12/20/13

Just got back from Hong Kong last night! It was a good experience but I'm too tired to share about it right now.

12/15/13

Tomorrow's the day we're going to Hong Kong! I'm both excited and nervous! We'll be staying there for four days and I hope that's enough time to visit a lot of places. I'm not even sure if I packed enough things! I want to make sure there's extra space for things that I'll buy.

12/14/13

Yesterday was my last day at work but I don't feel like talking about it yet. It hasn't sunk in yet but I'm starting to feel regret. We also had our Christmas party in the evening and it went well. It wasn't the best for me but everyone else had a great time. It was not the kind of day I was hoping to have but that doesn't matter anymore.

We went to the World Trade Center bazaar today like we usually do and I got myself some neat stuff. I got the Mockingjay pin which I was eye-ing on for a while now and also a nice shirt.

Our trip to Hong Kong is already on Monday (I'm so excited!) but I haven't packed yet!

12/9/13

So I guess this is it! My last week at work! Everybody keeps asking me if I'm sad but at this point, I just feel tired to think about it.I'll probably start feeling sad after these past two weeks since I'll be really busy.

Our office Christmas party is on Friday but we already started our festivities with a secret Santa gift giving everyday and for my first day, we had a "something 90's theme" and I received some food. I already know who picked me but I'm still excited what she got me.

12/8/13 - Goldrushed

Goldrushed is the debut of newcomer Swedish group, The Royal Concept. True to the title, the album keeps you feeling alive all the way through.

It's so great to see that artists with these kind of music are gaining recognition from the public as this album has become one of my favorites of the year so far despite learning about them just late this year.

Their single, On Our Way gives a jolly and ecstatic feeling that will make you feel good. It has been covered on Glee a few weeks ago and I hope it will pick up on the airwaves.

The album starts with a bursts of energy with the first track, World On Fire and able to sustain the energy and momentum all the way up to the last track, 27 Forever. Other notable tracks include Radio, In The End and Tonight.

I've seen a few reviews saying they sound like Phoenix but to me, their album reminds me a lot like Youngblood Hawke's debut album also released earlier this year which is an excellent comparison.

The beats are eargasmic and though lyrics may not be groundbreaking, it's an album that does not aim to be above all else and that's what makes this so perfect. I wish they would have released this earlier this year in time for the summer but this will definitely be a record that I'll be playing time and time again.

Top tracks: On Our Way, Damn and D-D-Dance

12/4/13 - Midnight Memories

If there's one guilty pleasure that I'll have to admit right now, it has got to be this boyband, One Direction. I'm not a fan but their music is good enough for the pop music scene. After all, being a part of a talent show must mean they somehow have talent right unlike other young people who's making off money out of showing their naked bodies without having legitimate backgrounds on music aside from significant affiliations.

Midnight Memories is the bands third studio album from what seems to be a long but very successful career. I wouldn't mind them taking over Bieber's spot in the spotlight. Though I could care less over their personal lives as I don't even know their names except for 1 or 2 members.

This is their follow-up to last year's Take Me Home which is the album which really got me into them. Their first album was quite too bland for me 

The album seems to be an extension of last year's album. Young fans will surely enjoy the catchiness of each track, aside from the fact that they sung it which is my guess to why they sell a lot of albums.

The album starts with the first single, Best Song Ever which is a weak choice It doesn't even fit into the album. But they make it up by putting their second single out called Story of my Life which is a midtempo track that tries to be more personal.

The rest of the tracklist is a string of radio friendly songs. Its too bad the deluxe edition bonus tracks wasn't included in the regular edition. My other criticism is that most of the songs sounds like old songs, case in point, Best Song Ever sounds like a complete rip off of The Who's Teenage Baba O Riley and even they noticed the similarities. The album seems like they are trying to mature musically. They haven't achieved that yet but they may be on their way if they try to mix it up a bit. I still prefer last year's album but this comes close second.

Top track/s: Does He Know, Happily and Don't Forget Where You Belong

12/2/13

Just two more weeks and I'm out of work.
Three weeks until Hongkong.
And four weeks before 2014 starts.
A few weeks after that will be my birthday.
How fast time flies.

Happy birthday to my youngest sibling!

11/30/13

So the last month of the year has already started and that means we're getting closer to the new year. I'm glad with all my experiences this past year but I'm anxious about next year. I don't know what's going to happen but I guess that's what makes our lives happy and unpredictable.

11/29/13 - Baptized

Daughtry released a new album this year called Baptized. It came out of nowhere but it's great to see them back.

They released the first single Waiting For Superman which is a midtempo track that will leave you singing along.

I can't say I'm one of their biggest fan even if I have all their previous albums on my music library but this album was a pleasant surprise and I think it's their best album so far. It's just too bad that they aren't as big as they were before but that's alright. Chris' vocals are still powerful on this album.

The album has catchy tracks that will appeal to old and new fans.

Top tracks: Waiting For Superman, Traitor and I'll Fight

11/27/13

I spent the day at home. I was feeling bad and I don't want to risk it. But I kept myself productive by still doing my work at home. After all, we have a deadline to meet.

I'm more worried of my attendance than my work actually. I've been arriving late recently and my latest salary has hit an all time low. I'll be receiving my next salary by next year so I don't really have any more money to spend until I find a job.

Aside from work, I've been too busy moderating a certain music forum I visit on a daily basis I don't think I've mentioned this but I have been appointed with the position just a month ago and its great to know that they trust me with this duty. It can be exhausting sometimes but I have been a member o the site for so long and I want to contribute more.

Today is also my mom's birthday. No special celebrations but we did enjoy good food. Our youngest brother's birthday is coming up next week and I can't wait for that one as well.

11/26/13

I feel so bad right now. I don't think I'm experiencing any fever but my face is just shutting down from exhaustion. I may not be able to go to work tomorrow.

It's my mom's birthday as well but sadly, I wasn't able to buy a gift for her.

11/25/13

3 more weeks to go! I'm excited but at the same time, so tired of rushing all the requirements for a client. But I gotta think positively and this won't last long anymore. The deadline's been extended til the 30th so I have until Friday to go I still have a lot of stuff to do so good luck to me.

11/24/13 - Talking Dreams

Echosmith is one of the new acts that came out this year with their debut album, Talking Dreams. I have not heard a lot about them and just decided to listen to some of their songs after seeing many updates about them in a certain music site.

I was able to listen to 2 of their songs, Cool Kids and Come Together and I was amazed by the vocals and the magical feeling I get when I listen to those tunes.They have this pleasing sound that is perfect for an indie pop band and the lead vocalist is quite cute I should say.

It became one of my most anticipated albums of the year and I was so excited to hear it. I've been listening to a lot of these kinds of albums lately with acts like Walk Off The Earth, Passion Pit and Youngblood Hawke releasing music within the past two years.

The first three songs of the album includes the 2 songs I mentioned earlier plus the catchy Let's Love which is just uplifting and fun with both the male and female vocals making a perfect combination.

However, from that point, the energy seems to lie low a bit and the rest has a sleepy and monotonous tone to it. It has some bright spots like Nothing's Wrong and Bright. But the rest feels so dragging but it's a good album to listen to on a warm afternoon while you're relaxing. It just gets tiring after several spins. It's still a decent effort though and I hope to see them breakout to a bigger audience because they deserve to.

Top tracks: Let's Love, Cool Kids and Come Together

11/23/13 - Catching Fire

The sequel to one of last year's biggest movie came out this week. With a new director at the helm, Catching Fire is one of the most anticipated movie of the year and it's no surprise. Fans of the book and the first movie has a lot of things to look forward to.

I made sure to watch this movie the day it came out even if it was on a Thursday. Despite leaving the office a bit late, I still got to secure myself a ticket.

This book is probably my favorite in the series and the movie did justice. There were scenes in the book that I wish they would have included but overall, I like how this movie stayed more true with the book unlike the first one.

Some scenes were also disappointing like the lack of emotion during Mag's death as well as the lack of emphasis on the tributes. I feel like they need to have more speaking lines so viewers who are not so familiar with the book could understand their characters more and how dangerous they really are.

In terms of casting, everyone did pretty well. I'm still disappointed with Jena Malone being Johanna Mason but she wasn't so bad acting-wise.

The ending was a bit anti-climatic and there were less action here.

I realize I typed more criticisms but that doesn't mean the movie is bad. The movie was better than the first and I'm so excited for the next installment.

11/19/13

I've been thinking of requesting to move my last day to an earlier week since I thought leaving at the middle of the month would leave some tasks hanging on a thread. But I figured out I should stay up to what I told and the pay will also be deducted.

There will be some changes in the workflow soon and I'm glad that I'm out of it. I am so tired of adjusting to new systems every week.

11/18/13

The countdown has begun. I'm only going to be working for four more weeks or twenty working days including earlier today! I feel bad for leaving my colleagues but it seem to be the right thing for me.

I'm afraid of having a falling out with our team leader since he's been so grumpy lately as opposed to my slightly cheery mood. I'm trying not to let that happen but I can't help it.

I'm also been arriving late at the office because of traffic! My officemate thinks I'm already applying but I'm honestly not.

11/17/13

Went to a CD sale yesterday. It was the same one that I went to last June.

I was ready to buy a lot of CDs again but I was disappointed after seeing that most of them were just holdovers from the previous sale and there was only a few additions. I still bought a lot but only because I was interested in discovering them. I haven't listened to them yet but I plan to do so soon. Really hoping I would like them so my money wouldn't go to waste even if it was just cheap individually, all of them combined were expensive.

I went straight to the mall right after where there was a three day sale happening and bought myself another shirt with a union jack design.

I met up with a friend after and we tried the Butterbeer in Starbucks, Yup, the drink from Harry Potter can now be ordered in the local Starbucks branches this holiday season.

Just four more weeks til I become a free man again!

11/13/13

Handed in my resignation letter today. Now I'm just waiting for a positive feedback.

11/10/13

It's been quite a while since I made a resignation letter and I'm having a hard time writing one now. I told myself to write one this weekend but I can't get myself to start. I wish there is a template I could follow, it's just that my reasons for leaving are quite complicated to put on paper.

11/9/13

As I mentioned in my previous post, I have decided that I'll quit my job. It will be hard finding another job but it will be even harder if I stay. I have blown my chances of improving and I don't want to let my declining performance bring down the company with me. Our boss has already expressed his disappointment with our performance and every word of his sermon felt like it was directed at me. Even if I'm not the only one who is losing clients, the slump of my overall performance is felt greater than the others.

I have already told my decision to most of my colleagues as well as my mom so they won't be surprised. They were surprised but they have somehow accepted my decision.

I don't know how I'll move on nor do I know how to announce my resignation to my superiors but I can't wait to have some free time for myself. It better not be a long break though. I still need to find new work.

Just a sidenote, the lawmakers from Hong Kong has voted to suspend the visa-free entry of Filipinos going to their country. This is disappointing as we were supposed to go there in December and it might be too late to get a visa now. But I do wish that we still get to go somewhere since it's been a while since we were complete.

11/7/13

I just made a bold decision. I have decided to leave my post at the company. It's not yet official but I have made up my mind and have told most of my colleagues as well as my mom. I know its gonna be difficult but familiar path for me but I'm trying to look at it positively and hoping that there are better opportunities for me out there.

11/5/13

I can't tell how I'm feeling right now but all I know is I'm not alright I've been thinking about my career so much these past few weeks and I think I have come to a conclusion that won't be well-received by others but circumstances are pushing me in that direction.

I'm starting to feel indifferent towards my work and I can't help but feel that I'm neglecting my work with my team mates and I hate that feeling. I don't want to be dead weight but I don't want to leave so soon yet.

Tomorrow marks my 9th month in the company which is already a milestone for me but sadly it will be uneventful. The leaders/bosses had a meeting earlier today and have done our evaluation and I am not expecting to get regularized but I just hope that there's not much changes in my part.

11/4/13 - Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne is back with her self-titled fifth album. After her mediocre album that was released back in 2011, Avril comes back stronger with this album.

Since then, she has married Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger who appears on the new album with a track called Let Me Go which happens to be the third single of the album.

Avril is known for her pop-rock songs and this one's no different and that's not bad at all. A lot of people who were looking for her to mature was disappointed when she revealed her first single called Here's To Never Growing Up, a catchy track which is an ode to celebrating or reminiscing the past. She even namedrops Radiohead in the song. In the video, she is seen wearing the attire she used to0 wear during her first era more than a decade ago with her signature necktie over a tanktop and riding skateboards.

She released her second single Rock N Roll, another fun track with an awesome video and reminds people that her music hasn't changed.

Compared with her previous album, this is certainly an improvement. The album is pretty much consistent in putting out strong tracks with a good combination of upbeat to slower-paced tracks despite some weird songs like Hello Kitty which I assume is meant for her huge fanbase in Japan as well as a collaboration with Marilyn Manson on a song called Bad Girl which sounds like she's trying too hard to be hard rock or whatever you call it. There's a particular formula with her style of singing on this album on particular songs that seems to imitate Ke$ha but definitely does a better job at it.

I am definitely buying this album for sure.

Top tracks: 17, Hello Heartache and Bitchin Summer

11/3/13 - Prism

Katy Perry returns this year with her third album, Prism, a follow-up to her successful Teenage Dream era.

Prior to its release, updates on the album hints that she's ditching the bubblegum pop sound and switching it up with a more darker sound.

I wasn't sure how she was going to pull it off as I see her more as the bubbly type. Upon the release of her first single, all those news of having a different sound seems to be dispelled as her sound remains as bubbly as before. It was a track called Roar which is another generic self-empowerment theme that uses too many metaphors. Though there's nothing wrong with it, the song is just bland. But the most obvious criticism is the blatant rip-off from Sara Bareilles' song called Brave which a lot of people noticed and blasted her on the internet. Even Sara acknowledged it and responded in a classy manner. The worst thing about it is that it sounds exactly the same from start to finish and Brave was just released early this year! The only good thing to come out of it is that people took notice of the song which is an underrated track.

All signs of going dark seems to slowly disappear as she released the album cover and all promos she has been doing seems to be not so different from her previous eras.

She released two more promo songs, Walking On Air and Dark Horse, which I both found boring and seems to lack what I loved from her previous albums.

I started to lose hope but I still listened eagerly during my first spin. The album starts strong with upbeat tracks such as Birthday and Legendary Lovers which are both very fun and upbeat songs, even if Birthday sounds a lot like Last Friday Night. We get treated with one of the first ballads of the album called Unconditionally which is a grower hit.but I'm still irked with how she says "Unconditionally" as "Uncondition-al-ly. It is confirmed to be the second single so I can't wait to see how it performs with the general public. Her history with ballads were never the most successful in terms of chart success and probably not as an artist either.

The album is quite long and there are some hidden gems like By The Grace Of God, It Takes Two and This Moment. The whole album is listenable but I am greatly disappointed with it. Most tracks sounds the same and they all seem to be riding on the same sound of her previous album which I'm not surprised to see happen as it was her most successful of her career so far. Even her most pop and catchy tracks on this album seem to be disposable and quite forgettable. She seems to be confused on what sound she should take right now but I hope she finds it soon and not so similar with the one on the current album.

Top tracks: This Moment, Birthday and Roar

11/2/13

It's the second day of the long weekend and yet I still don't feel it but that's alright.

I went to the gym earlier and I didn't expect that there were a lot of people, well there weren't but not as many as it usually is on regular days. There's also a lot of people in the mall which is quite comforting. It's good that I didn't have a hard time to travel back and forth despite the almost empty roads.

After workout, I roamed around the stores for a while to look for speakers which is on my agenda of things to buy since my current one is showing signs of breaking down already which is disappointing since it was expensive and it still looks like it's in good condition, it even has its plastic covering on which I haven't took off upon taking it off the box.

I have so many things to buy and I really need to save up on money. Something I couldn't do before because of my constant treating of my colleagues but now that I have a different mindset at work, I hope that I will be able to save as much like I used to especially now that it's almost the end of the year and it's time to buy gifts and also the time where shops go on sale.

11/1/13

It's the first day of November!I can't believe how time flies by so fast! In just two months, the year will be over and in a few months more, I'll be working in my company for a year already! Time really seem to pass quickly when I've been doing so much unlike last year when I was pretty much a bum.

I'm really looking forward to our Hongkong trip at the end of the year. This year has been quite a mediocre one for me, with work consuming most of my personal life but the trip is something that will take my mind off of it, hopefully.

I've also become a moderator on one of the music forums I go to frequently. It's nice to have that responsibility of keeping things in order. I am worried that I won't be able to fulfill my duties at my best since I can't be doing it 24/7 but I am taking it as a challenge to prove to myself that I can be a leader as well.

10/31/13

So sad I missed celebrating Halloween this year! But that's alright. Today had some good news and bad ones as well. 

One of my clients supposedly had to be paused yesterday because they weren't paying their dues but just today, it was announced that we didn't have to pause their campaign despite the problem.

I though I was getting a sigh of relief since I won't have to feel the heavy load of that client but it turns out that it will continue. Even though it's good news for the company, that client has been quite problematic for me and almost didn't care or show my emotions when they told me of the news.

I guess it's back to a hectic sched again next week.

10/30/13

Sucks that I'm missing out on Halloween just to send out reports.But I'm glad that we're getting another 3 day weekend right after. I just hope I could get some rest!

10/29/13

Some people in the office are noticing me change and started asking if I'm going to resign already. Of course I said no but I had to admit that I wasn't feeling enthusiastic about the job anymore but I'm trying to make it out for a year at least. I just hope I don't get fired since I keep on losing clients.

10/26/13

I've been having a struggle at work lately and I'm not sure if it's because of my recent sickness. I've started coming regularly to work starting this past Tuesday and it doesn't feel right anymore.

I've been going home early since then especially since I've been trying to finish all the work assigned to me on time. However, I am certainly getting flak for it from my team mates. But I can't really do much about it. I've been doing all the tasks left that are specifically assigned to me and I don't see how it's my problem if they can't finish theirs early. In fact, I have other clients unlike them but I manage to balance my workload and work with a quick pace. It's not like I don't want to help with their tasks but some tasks are assigned to a specific person for a reason and in this case, the tasks they were left with were more suited for them and I couldn't give more support than a moral one.

Others don't see a problem but that wouldn't matter within our team. I just hope this problem won't escalate to the admin. Besides, it will be reporting time again next week and I'm sure I'll be left with the most tedious task of doing the actual reports.

It's not like I don't want to go overtime, cause honestly, who does? But I just want to avoid what's been happening in the last month where I go home late everyday because it's not healthy for my body. Yes, we might be paid but that is useless if I can't enjoy it. I strongly believe I don't have to work overtime just to show my dedication at work, although I admit even that is slowly missing away from me.

I'm starting to lose interest at work and there are recent turn of events at work that makes me feel that the company doesn't even care for us employees.

10/22/13

Went back to work today and it felt so new to me again but glad to see familiar faces.

However, I still felt lost and worse, I was sleepy, tired, groggy and sick the entire time as if I needed more time to rest but I couldn't complain cause I was given that time and I didn't maximize it. With over 3 days left in the week, I hope that I can do some productive work. I actually left the office early today which is something I haven't done for a long while and whenever I do, I almost always have a stopover to eat but since I was mostly by myself on the way home, the only stopover I had was at the grocery so I was able to go home early today. I wish I could do this a lot more.

10/21/13

This past week has been grueling. I've been fighting sickness and I feel so helpless. It started out as a fever and that's what I thought it simply was until rashes started to appear on my face.

I didn't put much meaning onto it and even went to work on Friday morning since I felt like I've missed out so much already.

My officemates saw my condition and told me I still looked bad and my symptoms is similar to those of a dengue patient which alarmed me since I made a little Google search on what my sickness could possibly be and that was one of the conditions I was worried about since it can be fatal.

To avoid any further complications, I was asked to go home and have a check-up which I should have done when my fever was still high. 

I asked my mom to go with me since I wouldn't be able to handle receiving a bad medical news by myself. However, when I got to the clinic, my fever was gone and my rashes is still found only on the face so he quickly ruled out dengue. But to be sure, a blood test was performed to check out my platelet count which turned out to be normal. What a sigh for relief! If it was dengue, I would most likely have to be confined and if I had to miss more days at work, I'll probably be kicked out. I was told it was just a bad case of fever with rashes or roseola (mild case of measles usually for babies).

The doctor didn't give me medications except to rest which I failed to do so and that's another story.

Now, my fever's gone, but the rashes has moved on to my entire body, my appetite is gone and I keep on running out of breath!

I really hope that tomorrow will be back to normal especially since I'll be coming back to work.

10/14/13 - Frame By Frame

Former front-woman and lead vocalist of a band called Hey Monday, Cassadee Pope is ready to make it on her own and what a way to do that by releasing her debut solo album entitled Frame By Frame.

As a fan of Hey Monday, I was surprised to see Cassadee audition for hit TV show The Voice which she eventually won under the ward of resident coach Blake Shelton.

I didn't really watch the show but I've heard so much good praises for her which is why I'm not surprised that she took home the grand prize.

Like any singing contest, a part of the winner's prize is having a record deal and releasing an album.

I was quite worried since she seems to be going the country route. It isn't a bad idea but I love her for her pop-rock music. But I was willing to give her new music a try.

Her first single, Wasting All These Tears, is a song that something Avril Lavigne or Michelle Branch would sing which isn't bad at all. It took me a while for it to grow on me but I really love it now.

The 11-track album starts with catchy singles Good Time and Champagne which sets the tone of the album. You could sense the country tinge right from the start but what I like about it is that you still get to hear a part of her former sound with her band. It's also nice that she doesn't have to have some sort of country twang or use generic instruments.

I don't listen to a lot of country but this is one of my favorite country albums already. I appreciate the honesty in the lyrics and the feisty-ness that comes along with it such as those that can be felt in I Wish I Could Break Your Heart or the sincerity in songs like 11.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this album and its definitely one of my favorite releases this year.

Top tracks: I Wish I Could Break Your Heart, 11, This Car

10/13/13 - The 1975

One of my current new artists right now is the band called The 1975. They have this indie pop sound that is matched by the lead vocalist's accent and vocals.

They released their self titled album this year. Prior to its release, they released 4 EPs which included some of the songs that was included in this album.

One of their lead singles and probably the catchiest track of the year is Chocolate. It has a bouncy melody and has playful lyrics. Its a track that fans of mainstream as well as indie music will surely love.

What I like about this album is the 80's feel that is felt in the album. It's retro feel makes it stand out from other current releases. However, that does not mean that young people like me won't like it. Its melody and use of instruments will make you head bop and sing along to the lyrics which is well written. 

The deluxe edition does not only contain the debut album but also the 4 EPs combined which is why it's worth the money spent on it. It's always great to see great talent to come out.

Top tracks: Heart Out, Girls and She Way Out

10/7/13

Just when I thought this week will be lighter, it turns out that it's still the same as last week.

The day already started bad as heavy traffic cause me to be late for almost an hour. Then all throughout the day, I had a hard time catching up on tasks because I was trying to catch up with my other client.

I left the office quite early so I could go to the gym. I asked my coach if I could go and he said it was fine so I went and had my workout. Then just as I arrived home. I found out he went home late again and one of our supervisors asked him why he allowed me to go home early and that I should have stayed to do more tasks. Now I feel so guilty and I don't really have a good excuse since they know I was just going to the gym.

I'm expecting a heavy day tomorrow but it should be light after that since our deadline is on Wednesday.

10/6/13

It has been such a hectic week and I'm not sure if tomorrow's going to be a continuation.

Yesterday, we were asked to come to the office just to finish all the tasks for a particular client who has been making our lives hell this past week. However, I had other plans so I couldn't come even if the boss offered double pay and free lunch. I found out though that most of my colleagues left home late and even our team leader went home at midnight. I felt guilty since I couldn't help but worried at the same time if we'll experience the same during reporting time once again.

I would like to devote all my time towards that client but I have another client and as much as I want to let go of it, I can't since we lack manpower as well as my commission will be reduced.

But before another busy week starts tomorrow, I did receive some positive things this week such as the leaks of some great albums. I was just listening to them today and my ears felt so delighted as I was working on this lonely Sunday.

I also might meet up with some college friends on Thursday so I can't wait for that.

10/3/13

It has been such a busy week. I've been going home really late these past 2-3 days all because of our reporting for a particular client. It's the first time I'm doing the report and the process is a bit complicated. I had help from one of my colleagues who have done the reporting in the past. I'm surprised that I learned it quickly considering it's mostly numbers and formulas.

I feel so exhausted and it's affecting my mood. I've been so grumpy and moody to others and they have noticed ghow stressful I look so they understand. I'm also worried since I'm sort of neglecting my other clients which is not typical of me.

I just want this week to be over with and get some sleep!

9/28/13

Had a great time last night! We had another drinking session last night in Central bar in Makati to celebrate Jed and Sam's recent birthdays.

As usual, I got so drunk and red. The most embarrassing moment I had was when I threw up on the floor! The sad thing is that it was my second time. The good thing is that we were sitting on the tables on the side so I wasn't sure if people saw it but then again it didn't really matter since the fun didn't stop there.

We had such a good time laughing and chatting and I'm glad that I remember what happened.

I spent most of this day on the bed catching up on series premieres of my fave shows as well as preparing myself to work later and try to finish articles for next week.

Monday's going to be a tough one!

9/26/13

Funny how being appointed as a leader can change you as a person.It can make you reveal your true colors whether it's intentional or not.Me and some of my colleagues noticed this with one of our newly-assigned team leaders and as much as I don't want to judge, the change can be seen upfront. I'm just trying to lay low from the person for now but I miss the old personality I liked before.

9/24/13

TV season is finally here! Most of the shows I watch are coming back in a few days and some has already returned.

Bones,New Girl and How I Met Your Mother have already started while shows like Glee are coming back this week. All of them are going to be exciting based on how their previous seasons ended.

While some have returned, some have already concluded. The most notable one is Dexter who has built a large fanbase during its 8-season run.It has grown to be one of my favorites as well and while the series finale received mixed reviews, I will always remember it as a great show.

It's just going to be a struggle this time as I have work and it's exhausting to watch all my shows after I arrive home.

I might have to stop watching some shows but I'll do my best to keep up with all of them since there isn't a lot on my TV list unlike before.

9/22/13 - Halcyon Days

UK popstar Ellie Goulding released an album last year called Halcyon which was a decent pop album. Several months after, she re-released the album with another cd filled with new tracks.

I like her but I cannot really say I listen to her entire discography a lot even with Halcyon, but with the new material, it was different. The new songs were amazing and I wouldn't skip any track.

Her vocals were good and any pop music fans will love it. The only problem I have with it is with the first single, Burn, which has very repetitive lyrics. It's not the first time though as her previous lead single, Anything Could Happen, is also very repetitive and she's just using the same formula again. Despite that, the song has reached no 1 on the UK charts and I have grown to love it anyway. I'm so glad for her that she's somehow getting recognition in the US after her smash hit Lights blew up the charts.

I can't wait to hear more from her as the album is filled with potential hits.

Top tracks: Goodness Gracious, Heart Without Chains, You My Everything

9/20/13

I'm glad I survived this week. 

At the start of the week, we were already expecting that things around the office will have a shake-up in the system after our boss thought that there was a problem with our process.

The solution was to come up with two teams that will finally separate the 2 major subcompanies apart. Though we're technically just one company, we are divided into 2 and one acts as an agency while the other one is strictly for outsourcing.

I was worried that I would be grouped into the agency team since I wanted to be with the other division. I was so relieved that I will be in the team I want under the supervision of one of my closest friends in the office. It's not because that means I'll take it easy but I'll be more motivated to work since I'm with the right people. It's also going to be a good challenge as we are undermanned in our team but I believe that we can do it.

Admittedly, part of the reason why I did not want to be on the other team is not only because of the tough tasks, but also because it is spearheaded by someone who came after me. I am not really jealous or mad because I'm not after a leadership position but it's just going to be awkward taking orders from the person. I probably wouldn't feel that way if I was regularized but I won't dwell on it since I am just happy with my team right now.

I'm just bummed right now as we were supposed to have a drinking session today but got cancelled.

9/19/13

My back is getting worse these past few days. I'm very worried knowing that I have a back problem that I've been ignoring. I'm starting to have difficulties in body movements as of late.

I think I should just refrain from going to the gym for now or at least minimize my number of visits per week.

9/18/13

Things may not be perfect right now but it's not exactly going in the wrong way. 

9/15/13

What a gloomy afternoon! I got soaked in the rain on the way home from church but that's alright. It felt good. I don't even remember doing it before. Though right now I feel like I'm going to have a fever and the coming week won't help. 

9/14/13 - The Other Side

Tonight Alive is a female-fronted band from Australia. I like their first album, What Are You So Scared Of? and it was good to hear that they're finally releasing their sophomore album this year called The Other Side.

Every time that band with a female vocalist arrives on scene, comparisons to more popular groups like Paramore and No Doubt always come up and even though I haven't heard of this band when they were starting up years ago, I'm sure those comparisons were present. But this post won't be about that.

The Other Side is another fantastic album from the band with no filter tracks at all. Before the album release, they released a non-album track called "Breakdown" featuring Joel Madden which was a good track and I'm a bit disappointed that it didn't make it to the album.

The album's 12 tracks is mostly upbeat but it felt more of a personal album as suggested by the lyrics and a more toned down melody on several songs. Accdg. to an interview, Jenna, the vocalist, the first track on the album, The Ocean, is all about her struggle with eczema. I didn't know about her condition before that but it's always amazing when artists can create something beautiful out of a negative experience in their lives.

One of my personal favorites is the album closer entitled You Don't Owe Me Anything which is an apologetic ballad that shows their honesty and bravery. 

This is their most mature album so far and I love their edginess on tracks like Say Please, No Different and Hell And Back.

It's an album that I would listen to over and over again from start to finish.

Top tracks: You Don't Owe Me Anything, Complexes and Come Home

9/13/13

Happy Friday the 13th! I don't think I should use happy but I don't know the right term right now.

It's official. Our work is now from 7am to 4pm. As much as I enjoy leaving the office early, I am still worried since I was late in the office for three times this week. I am just lucky that this is a trial period so they won't hold our tardiness this week against us. It's not that I leave the house late, it's just that the public transportation that is available leaves so late whether it's because of long lines or lack of them. No matter how early I wake up, it won't matter because of that.

I do feel happy that I get to the gym early and avoid waiting for an available locker. In fact, it feels like high school all over again. I just need to adjust my sleeping schedule.

9/12/13

What a long day! I arrived on time at the office this time and yet, I still feel like I haven't accomplished many things this day.

I've been doing 2 optimization files and I still haven't finished them. I'm trying to finish it by tomorrow but with a hundred more pages to go, I doubt I can finish half of it. I'm almost done with the first one but I still need to polish it.

But my tiring day has been paid off somehow. I've had an unofficial date with my officemate right after and we've had a very nice talk and felt more like it's about getting to know each other more even going as far as family talk. I don't think I've ever had someone who shared this kind of personal info shared with me and I value that a lot. I somehow felt obliged to do the same and shared to him a bit about my crazy family situation. Though it's not really something I attempt to keep a secret cause I wouldn't hide it if someone asks me, it's just not the type of issue I would throw out in the open and I think he deserves to know more about me after sharing very personal thoughts and experiences. He's been bugging me about trying not to hide behind my emotions and sharing secrets and I think that's either a sign or I'm just being too assuming as usual. But whatever, I'm glad we've had this rare moment today.

9/11/13

I'm just wondering. I keep on receiving mixed signals from someone I know. Though there isn't any kind of admission from him, he seems to be a different person when it comes to private conversations between us whether through text or chat or any forms of communication. I guess he is still wary of other people's perception and I won't blame him for that. I don't want to assume but he's been sending me signs that only certain people would do such as telling you that he's already near his house from a long travel or those kinds if things that you don't randomly tell unless you know the person really cares for you, and I actually do. I find this thing he has going on cute and I just wish he had the courage to step up and tell me the real deal because I don't want to end up with a huge disappointment later on.

9/10/13

There were some changes in the office regarding work hours. Our usual regular day starts at 9 am and ends at 6 pm, even though we don't really follow that because of overtime.

This change is done for costcutting reasons as well as to avoid rush hour in the mornings or evenings. It has its pros and cons and I have somehow experienced some of them during the 2 days that it has been implemented so far.

It's a good thing that this week is a trial period. At first I was hesitant but now I am 50/50 on it.

I'm against it because not only do I find it hard to wake up early, but also because I'll have to spend a higher cost on transportation since I won't be able to ride the shuttle service that I go to. I actually tried it today and I arrived 30 minutes late. That means I'll have to take the long, inconvenient and more expensive route which is the one I used to take and the one that caused me a lot of tardiness so that probably means I'll get kicked out soon.

The only good thing is I can leave early and do a lot more stuff. I'll also get to go to the gym and avoid a long period of waiting for an available locker just like before. But of course, I don't expect that to happen a lot since I tend to leave the office with my officemates. Speaking of them, this will also make it easier for us to go out and do things together even if that is not happening soon since our salaries have just been released and we already got the first taste of the cuts and deductions from our salaries.

I'm still not over my status but I'm trying my best to hide it.

9/8/13

I'm in a bit of a dilemma. It is not necessarily about work but it's about someone at work.

My officemate has been telling me his plans to go abroad a few months ago. Back then, those were just plans and I didn't think I would be so affected since we don't know each other so much yet and he didn't have his requirements yet.

As time passed by, we got closer and I consider him now as one of my closest friend and maybe even more than that even though that part seems to be non-mutual. But anyway, recently, he told me that he already has his passport already and he cannot wait to go. He just needs to fix certain documents and requirements and he's ready to go.

He has literally been talking to me about it privately through chat whether on skype, FB or anywhere. I am the only person who knows about it and I don't plan on breaking his trust and our friendship which I value very much.

He has been very aggressive about it and telling me how excited he is. I try to reciprocate by giving him my support but deep inside I am torn. I want him to be happy but I don't want to see him leave yet. He is actually one of the reason s why i am actually staying at work. If not for him, I would have probably been kicked out or have resigned months ago since the company seems to find ways to not have me on board. I can't help it though as he seems to be the only one whom I know I can depend on. It is also why I try to be there for him the same way he has been supporting me. 

I just need to put out a brave face and pretend that I support his decisions to leave.

I'm being selfish once again and I can't control it. He has valid reasons to leave, aside from financial problems, he is also getting too much stress from work and he is not getting compensated enough to satisfy his needs. He is the breadwinner of his family and he has to fulfill his duties and who am I to stop him from doing that.

It's too late to share to him my feelings but I''ll be glad to be just a part of his life and if this is what will make him happy, then I'll have to be contented with it.

9/7/13

Now that more than 24 hours have passed since the bad news, I'm still not over it.

The thing is, I did not get regularized (yet!) and they extended my probationary status for another 3 months which is good in a way as opposed to being terminated immediately. Their main reasoning was mostly because I was losing clients.

They may have a point but here's what my issues are:

1. Some clients left because they did not pay. We had one outsourcing client who left because of that and how can they blame it on me. We had another outsourcing client who left but I can accept that it's my fault since I really struggled with that particular client. Now, I'm handling one more outsourcing client and I'm afraid of losing them since they are very meticulous with the rankings. They're not happy with just a top 10 or even top 5, they just want to be number 1. I can understand that and if I could, then I would put them but it's not in my control.

2. I have been working my ass off. All my fellow specialists know that I've been working for long hours and even at home which the company doesn't pay for but I keep on doing it just so I can fulfill all tasks. I've wasted so many hours of worrying when I could have used it to catch up on sleeping or do other things I want to do. I know they won't know that unless I tell them but the fact that I have finished a lot of tasks for my clients indicates that I dedicate a lot of time for them.

3. Communication. I'm naturally a shy person and I have clearly stated that to them upon hiring but I know that I have been showing improvement when it comes to socializing and my officemates have even said so. Not just because I've become noisier but I've been trying to engage myself with the people in the office. Just not with the authority figures in the office though because I have a natural awkward outlook on them but that doesn't mean I don't want to talk to them. I don't even understand how that became a big issue with my evaluation.

I could probably list down so many more but then I would be writing because I'm just pissed off. But it's for a reason.

Not only will it add spark to my resume since anything beyond probationary would be better, I will also get benefits like vacation leaves which is what I am really after since we might have a trip in December.

The next week will ultimately be a heavy one and I don't know where things will go from here.

9/6/13

Such a terrible day to end this horrible week.

Just received one of the worst news I could receive while under the company. Though I am not terminated, I might as well be.

Some awful news about my status is surely going to haunt me for the coming months and I'm just trying to hold on for dear life.

I can't go into details but the main point is that I have not accomplished what I wanted to achieve even though I tried my best and I have limited time to do better. I don't want this to be my last hurrah.

They're also trying out a new work sched where our work hours will be moved earlier!That is certainly not beneficial to me and tardiness is already an issue I've had in the past.

9/4/13

What a very hectic week! I've been missing going to the gym these past few weeks because of work Just today, I did a task that required me to work on it for more than half a day and tomorrow, I'll be in a meeting with one of my clients...in the evening!It's gonna be my first late meeting. It's a good thing I managed to convince some of my colleagues to stay with me, even though that means I'll have to treat them for dinner afterwards...

9/3/13 - Ocean Avenue Acoustic

Yellowcard had their major breakthrough with their 2003 album, Ocean Avenue, featuring the hit singles Ocean Avenue and Only One and sold millions of copies. A decade later after many albums and singles sold, they are still active in the music scene and continue to make their fans happy with their music and making them one of the veterans in the pop-rock industry of today's generation.

To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the album, the band decided to re-release the album with an acoustic version with the same tracklist. It started out as a rumor but it was confirmed when they had a show here in Manila back in May.

They're one of my favorites and I was anticipating the release of this album as much as everyone else. Thought there were no new songs, they did not disappoint. Vocals were still on point and the songs still sound as if they were brand new. 

Some may wonder why they had to do this instead of releasing a new album instead, which they did last year, and I find a good answer to that. This album wasn't to show that they still have "it" which they do nor to show that they are better this time around but it's a chance for fans to re-imagine the album a whole lot more. Ten years have passed and many things have changed and you may have a different perspective on the songs by now.

Though they did not alter the music, it still felt magical this time around.

Top tracks: Empty Apartment, Ocean Avenue and Life Of A Salesman