Bum No More

Yes, you read it correctly. I am a bum no more.

I've been here in Vietnam for the last five days for a teaching job I applied for several weeks ago. I was fortunate enough to get it. I've managed to haul as much of my stuff as I can... err, as much as Cebu Pacific's baggage weight limit would allow.

I set off on this venture as one big adventure and it's only now that reality in its fullest has started to hit me. I'm okay with the unfamiliar food and my ho-hum living situation but I somehow just can't get over my mistake earlier today, the first day of classes.

I guess my days at the old company is still so very far behind me. I couldn't summon not-so-distant memories of my being a language teacher to Koreans. Or maybe was it because of nervousness?

I was caught unaware that I was to handle a class today and I frantically pored over the material the Center uses with what little time I had. I lingered in my hotel's restaurant after breakfast thinking the change of scenery will help me be inspired for the final push in writing the articles I am to submit to a boss I haven't even seen nor talked to over the phone; a boss that I only know by name and by e-mail address.

I was already in a lounging mood when I got word from the wifey of my geographically-close boss that I am to report to school today. I got her text message sometime 9:45 and I was expected in the Center 10:30. Thank goodness my hotel is only a 10-minute walk away; I still had the time to get a shower before I left for my first day at work.

Hours pass and finally it was time to step inside the classroom. I haven't felt this jittery since I graduated from my practicum classes barely a week ago. I do my best to wield control of the class but there must be something in me the kids can see or sense that I can't but just wreaks of a pushover or something akin to it. I recall the line the boss-within-my-immediate-proximity uttered about a little leeway paving the way for them to eat us alive and I'm desperately crossing my fingers that won't be the case. I struggle a bit and before I know it, it's dismissal time.

Quarter to eight as the boss-within-my-proximity and I were waiting for the co-worker to finish, he got called by the big boss and was gone for an awfully long time. Next time he reappeared in the faculty room, I got the news that two of the Korean mothers were complaining that we were too soft on their respective kids.

No names were mentioned but I really felt infinitesimally guilty because it I know it can only be me. At the back of my mind, I finally understand why Korea has one of the highest suicide rates in Asia. A nagging thought of 'no mercy' was the only thing that keeps playing over and over in my head and it only intensified with every bite of dinner that the big boss treated me, the co-worker and the boss-within-my-proximity to.

The guilt trip got even bigger seeing the disappointment on Mrs Big Boss' face and the gestures to demonstrate how huge of a headache she now has in dealing with the hard-to-please moms. The biggest guilt trip of all was when the Big Boss and the wifey good-naturedly insisted to drop me off at the hotel as it was along the route they are to take going home.

So many highly plausible rationalizations and strategizing on swift, decisive damage control were exchanged over the dinner table and generously sprinkled on the conversation throughout the entire meal but none can ever compensate in knowing how one has failed.

Fidgeting

Exactly one week ago, I went to join my mom and my sisters for grocery shopping. To pass the time while waiting for them to finish, I started fidgeting with my cellphone camera to experiment with a couple of things I saw in there.

Untitled

"A Rose In Bloom"

"Fresh"

"Tower"

"Falling"

"Falling"

"Alin, alin, alin ang naiba?"

"Rose Wannabes"

"Standing Still"

Wonderfully Sweet Surprise

I dropped by the old office earlier this week and my friend Alvin accompanied me. Whilst walking towards the building where the old office is located, I fixed my gaze on an all-too familiar spot in Ortigas Park and was pleasantly surprised – Dolce Divino’s finally opened!

It all started approximately about a year ago. There was a small area adjacent to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf that was blocked off for the longest time in plain white plywood with the Dolce Divino tarpaulin around it. I was curious about what sort of wonderful, sweet surprise they’re able to offer as their signage prominently featured very colorful and delectable gelato. There was very little progress for the longest time until late last year when the structure was finally built and all fixtures were brought in little by little.

Two very plush chairs :)

After a couple more months and I would find warm bodies moving about inside the space several times a week. I was all giggly and excited as I knew it would only be a matter of time – I once spotted the staff whipping up a couple of dishes (taste test maybe?)!

One pink slip later and here we are at the present time. Alvin and I left the old office a little after 10 and I suggested we go to Dolce Divino to grab some dessert (after all, I picked up payment for the stuff that I buy and sell). The little side trip was well worth it!!!

This is what I ordered -- Lemon Tart. The drink adjacent to it was the coffee conconction that Alvin got for himself. For some reason, I really like the taste of lemons and more tangy it is, the better. Simply put, this dessert is pure heaven for someone like me!!! Unluckily for Alvin, this doesn't really suit his taste buds :(

In the middle of enjoying the tart, Alvin started chatting up Chef Erwin Eusebio and we found out some interesting bits about the restaurant. According to Chef Erwin, what makes them unique from all the other gelato places in the metro is that all their conconctions have liquor infused with them (hint, they've a curious dish called Beer Soup**)-- especially the gelatos.

Alvin with Chef Erwin Eusebio

The restaurant's just had their soft opening 2 weeks ago after 2 years of securing all the necessary paperworks in order for them to operate. At present, they do not have any set dates yet on when their grand launch will be but they're targeting sometime this month. They've a seating capacity of 60-70 people (a dozen or so inside; the rest can be on the area adjacent to the restaurant and on the deck on their 2nd floor) and their operating hours are 9 AM to 10 PM Mondays through Saturdays.

Aside from the regular fare they offer, they are able to create specialty menus by request and they certainly welcome reservations for special functions.

I have yet to taste their gelatos due to a heavy dinner so I have no comment as of yet. Next time I'm there, I'll make sure to leave a lot of room for them... and so do for the Beer Soup!

** According to Chef Erwin, they've used beer instead of stock then had the mixture reduced to let the alcohol content evaporate.

DOLCE DIVINO is located at Ortigas Park in Emerald Avenue. Phone number is 986-8125 for inquiries.

Some Kinda Chinese Water Torture

One definite upside of this whole not having a job thing is having the luxury of time -- time to do things I've been putting of when my schedule was crazier. One of those things would be to relentlessly hound people whom I have a score to settle with.

First up is my former employer, an English-language teaching school that's connected to an antiquated news outfit. It's been two years and a month to the day since I last worked for them and I have yet to my last pay from them X(

I've followed up with Feeling Wife, the meddlesome, self-appointed officer-in-charge when the boss is away. I've been calling her everyday for the last couple of week to amp up the pressure for a 'progress report' about my last last paycheck and she she does is hide behind the pitiful receptionist. It's not only an exercise in futility (on my part) but also of inanity (on her part) as the receptionist rehashes day after day the same old excuse on why she can't come to the phone.

Last time I called, Feeling Wife speaking through the receptionist said the boss is out of the country and that he'll be back sometime this month. Called again first thing in the morning this week and again, via the receptionist, said something new (finally!) - no news from the boss yet as he now hold my record.

Stupid cow... now trying point the finger to someone else so I would stop bombarding her with calls. Ruining her day by pestering her endlessly's no longer fun so I think I'll just go straight to the boss' boss to create wonderful fireworks from a new front.

Next on my list is Cebu Pacific and the missing refund on my credit card for the cancelled flight of my cousin (it was placed online using my credit card). I've asked non stop to talk to somebody from the Management and I've gotten nowhere. I'm thinking of marching on to their corporate office 'til I get what I want from them.

Any other ideas how else I can go about it?

Bamboo Babies

The other day I found myself stressed out from all the studying I was doing for my upcoming TESL class. I started reading my 600-plus page textbook and had the biggest case of information overload. I took a break to destress myself from the pros and cons of Communicative Language Teaching vis-a-vis Task Based Learning and the various teaching approaches by tending to my new babies -- the bamboo plants we have at home.
Not really sure if it were the plants themselves or their being green but hey, that did the trick. Come meet them --

Bindi

I got this name from how bendy most shoots are from this bunch

Mike

I was watching Space Jam the other night and this one shoot reminded of Michael Jackson because of how strong and sturdy it looks

Ty

The type of bamboo in this bunch looks like it is all dried up from the light brown color of its stalks. Ty was the name I came up with because it rhymed with dry :D

Lush

This is the densest bunch that we have in our plant box, hence the name.

Skip

This bunch has some gaps in between them. I'm kind of excited because there are 2 new shoots that have sprouted from the ground :)


Wade

Another product of wordplay... hehehe. The distinguishing characteristic of this bunch is that one shoot that have wide branches

Tracy

Percy

Lucy

For the last three -- Tracy, Percy and Lucy -- I just felt naming them that way since they don't have that much distinguishing characteristics from the others

Postal History Day Tour

My good friend Alvin sent me a ym message a couple of weeks ago about the free Postal History Day Tour he came across on one of his Yahoo Groups. I have no interest in Philately but I was curious as to what the tour was all about so I said yes to accompanying him.

Most of the info I learned from the tour has already been expunged from my memory but it was fun, I got to try my hand with photography using my Sony Ericsson C-902. I haven't yet fully explored and exploited the camera features of my phone (that's why I bought it in the first place). I haven't enrolled in photography class and I have no idea if what I'm doing is right or wrong but the pictures I took were based on my instinct.

Let me know what you think :D

"Old Man by the Bench"

It was an awfully hot day so guess who my new best friend is? Hint, he's red and black & likes to stand still with his head rotating from side to side every 30 seconds or so... Hahaha :))

This was an ornament hanging off of the office ceiling of the Philippine Postal Authority office. The way I laid it out, it just looks like a person with glasses and huge ears.

"Tumbling Down"

"Zigzag"

"Cityscape"

*I find it fascinating that he was wearing a shirt with a print that looks like it was copied from a comic book*

"Symmetry"

"Waiting"

"Distance"

"Post No Bill"

"Contrast"

"Concrete Garden"

"Ruins"

"Jumping Jack"

And that my friends, is the end of the trip.

FYI... the Philippine Philatelical Library is located inside the building that also houses the Postal Police :D

Closing Time

Closing time - time for you to go out, go out into the world.
Closing time - turn the lights up over every boy and every girl.
Closing time - one last call for alcohol, so finish your whiskey or beer.
Closing time - you don't have to go home but you can't stay here.

It's day 4 of the new phase of my life called 'unemployed' and I'm still a bit antsy. I'm used to not doing anything only on the weekends and now the rest of my unscheduled days are stretched out before me.

I've been out of the house running errands for the last couple of days so I don't really notice it. Today, it looks like I'll be stuck in the house and all the more that the thoughts of my earning some income's been rattling my brain even more.

At the same time, I'm also thankful that I'm now getting a break. I've been working for 6 years straight and I am spent. In my heart of hearts, I am kind of envious of my two sisters. They both took some time off after graduating college before they started working and well, I was reporting for work a week or two before I graduated. After all I've been through the last couple of years -- near bankruptcy, office interpersonal relationship disasters and everything else -- I am just spent.

I think I have had the chance to really think things through on what I really want to do with my life but somehow, my coming into this situation now tells me otherwise. There are so many things that I wanted to do as a little kid and somehow I managed not to do any of those when I chose to step into the "responsible adult" phase.

I'm now considering this to be a sacred time -- time to figure out where next I'll be headed in spite of all the uncertain path that lies ahead of me. I hope I finally figure it out before committing myself to something for the next couple of years. I don't know yet if I'll be employed or I'll strike out on my own doing my own thing (business maybe or finally going into a career in fashion) but whatever's going to be the best for me, I trust & believe in the wisdom of the universe.