The Links to Obertianism

Tagged

Tagged is a social network of general interest similar to MySpace and Facebook. In addition to allowing users to share photos and videos, it provides a window to Netvibes as a personalized start page.

Tagged has come under attack for questionable practices such as spamming for invites by searching through the user's email address book.



Jaxtr

Jaxtr brings voice to social networks and blogs. Jaxtr can be used to link my phones with my online network to receive the calls, voice messages and texts I want while keeping my phone number private. I can now call be called for free on my mobile without needing to download anything or use a headset. Just enter the phone number, your phone rings and jaxtr connects the call.

However, I can opt the phone to or not to receive calls. I can block callers or specify on a per-caller basis who can ring my phone and who gets routed to voicemail. The best thing about it is that Jaxtr is free. In the future, they will offer premium services for jaxtr power users, but the basic service will remain free. Depending on the phone plan, the service provider may charge fees for making local calls.

The only problem now is that... I still don't have a new mobile phone since I lost it in July



Wayn

WAYN is a social network for travelers and people, who love travel, want to share experiences, photos, keep track of all the contacts from around the world and make new friends based on where they have been, where they are going and where they are now. One feature is that you can find and contact people from your current location, from places you have been or plan to visit. WAYN list in Wiki guide allows you to find reviews and advice from people all around the world about places, events, or attractions.

What is scary is that a lot of people say that this is a spam site that inadvertently sends a spam message to every single person in your address book. What was thought was that someone should get back in touch with the owner of the account after sending what was probably another unbeknownst spam message but when you go through the process of signing up, and when you’re done WAYN wants to know the trips you’ve taken in your life. That’s something ridiculous, in the first place, and here it was thought to be a social metagroup of some sort.

I signed up though…


Hi5

I didn't know I have a Hi5 page until one of my friends sent me an invite and clicked on the link to register. To my surprise, I already have an existing account and had a number of friends linked to it. I don't even remember when, how and why I created an account on this site.

It's one of my unmaintained sites. It's too redundant to have Friendster, Multiply and Blogspot plus other networking sites which have the same functions as the first three mentioned. Others don't have those as they say so it's better to connect them to this network instead. Makes sense, though.

I actually thought this page is the Australian group's Hi5, hahaha!





Flixster

A movie buff like me should have a site like this. This page encases all the movies I like, all the DVDs in my collection and the flicks I have missed and wanted to watch.

It's amazing to collect all the ones I like in just one page. From the movies I have seen when I was still a kid to the underground movies I have seen only in select theaters to the critically-acclaimed releases only seen in Film Festivals around the metro. It's a little bit sad that some of the movies that I have seen and liked are not found in the list.

Have yourself a bucketful of popcorn, sit, relax and check out the movies!

iLike

This is the site where I listen to several artists and albums "I like" without the need of uploading these tracks to my webpage. The artists and albums are available online for ready listening and easy selection. It's a cool site. It's recommended for music lovers who can't live without hearing their favorite artists play in a day's life!

Ringo

One of my online accounts kept dormant and unmaintained. I don't even remember anymore who sent the invites for this. I was able to upload some pictures though, but when I found out that it isn't that popular and only a few people got interested opening such account with Ringo, I discontinued it and never got the chance to go back to it.

Facebook

One of the latest craze in networking sites which they say better than Friendster. It gives you an update to users you might know so you can connect to them, and the best deal is that you can catch them real time if they are online. And... that's one thing I despise because that's invading my privacy.

I was invited to create an account though, and I liked it somehow. Some of the people you can't find in Friendster are registered here. What's funny is, all the other people you are connected with in some other network sites are also here. 

Blogspot

My first Blog ever!

This was created when I was a Customer Service Representative in PeopleSupport Philippines back in 2005. It was influenced by my co-worker Francis Ortalla, among others, who are so hooked into blogging at that time. Francis was the one who brought me into the world of blogging, and surpisingly, I was able to create one in HTML codes which I was still learning at the time everyone else is already master of their own crafts. Then came Irate Eira (that's how I call Eira Aborde Ü, also one of my co-workers) who became my personal guru in developing my newly-born blog. Francis and Eira were hand-in-hand, as I may remember it, in criticizing my page. They laughed on it, praised it and gave their utmost support to make it the way I wanted it to be. 

I wanted my blog to show who I am, without me speaking. I wanted the page to describe me, without me showing myself in flesh. And here's the final product. My life story...

It soon became a white elephant. When my daughter was born, it was left all alone in the dark and my full attention was drawn to my my newly-born baby - Gelii. When I went back to it, I found it to be like an old rotten shoe that you don't wanna wear no more. That led me to switching to Multiply (it was again Francis who dragged me into this multiply craze, hahaha).

The page is still existing though... like a hermit in the Australian caves.

Friendster

My friendster account is one of the most significant creations that came into my life. This page was born at the time I met Sheryl Pedrigala, the girl who would become the partner I would be with for the rest of my life. Friendster helped open a line to a soon-to-be married life with my chosen partner, now my wife Sheryl Reyes. 

More significantly, it was my bestfriend Dennis Opiso who invited me to create this Friendster account. It was the same coincidence that Dennis was the one who introduced me to Sheryl. Both events happened at the same time. He connected me to the outside world and linked me to married life. 

Married life with Sheryl is an eternal blessing. Friendship with Dennis is a bond forever. Ergo, Friendster is an existence for the rest of my life.

The Vampires are Haunting Me Again!

It was 8pm when my wife and I crept into the dark night to watch Twilight in Megamall. We were both in awe when we found ourselves right infront of the exhibit of all Twilight promotional materials in the movie house. We know we can't wait to grab a ticket for the last main feature of the day. The last time I ever felt this way craving to see a vampire in the movie was in 1994 when Lestat invaded the cinemas like locusts from the dark with "Interview with the Vampire." And it was a flick my wife tagged as "the movie showcase of my boyfriends."

We got a 10pm schedule. This date with my wife is supposed to be a birthday treat to me but it came a bit late because our daughter was with us that day. I'd rather have a family day than watch a movie leaving our most precious treasure behind. Today is the day! As we were waiting for the minute hand to reach 10, I flashed back to the vampire movies I have liked seeing in the screen. Queen of the Damned is exceptional, Van Helsing was a bit too pushy to become a sequel of Underworld, Blade was violent, The Lost Boys is too old to remember, Buffy is more like a slayer of the witches in Charmed. Couldn't think of anything anymore. With Twilight, I don't know what to expect. Am I just gonna see the real montage of scenes I only visualized when I read Stephenie Meyer's book? Or will I be dazzled?

It was already 10pm and we started to sneak into the dark pathways of the movie house. As the movie started, I didn't even want to hear the sound of a popcorn bite so I could hear the dialogues more audibly. I didn't want to breathe either. The first few scenes to me are just reminiscent of Kristen Stewart's 2007 movie The Messengers where she also moved from the city to a suburb. Everything changed when Robert Pattinson came out. Vampire movies haunted me again. It's right infront of my nose and I am not believing it is happening. It's so surreal. Curtains are already closed but flashes of the scene where Edward Cullen is playing piano while Bella Swan was right next to him was stuck in my mind.

Yes, it is enough. Enough for forever. It’s not the end, it’s the beginning.

Rihanna and Chris Brown Concert

At exactly 6pm, my wife and I rushed to Fort Santiago Open Field in Taguig to see the international concert of the year, the one we both waited for a very long time. This is one of the best concerts we think we will be seeing, since she likes Rihanna and I like Chris Brown and we will see them both in just one concert. When we reached the concert ground, it took us a while to figure out where the entrance for the tickets we bought, the Silver Section. One good thing in coming to a big event like this ahead of time is that you can still gather sensible answers from the guards and concert ushers. We were told to go that way, turn to a direction that way, straight ahead and voila, we saw the end of the labyrinth. We were frisked immediately and some of our items were confiscated and were not allowed to be brought inside the concert venue. We didn't have much time to argue (and we were in the height of our excitement) so we just left the stuff in their custody, not knowing if we can still get them back. Read: we were not issued any claim stubs. 


At last, we were inside the concert venue. We looked for the best place to watch and enjoy the concert. Our requirements - (1) near the humongous speakers, (2) conducive to the viewing monitors, (3) not necessarily in the middle but at least both Rihanna and Chris Brown are visible in stage, a(4) near any emergency exit [just in case]. Eureka! We found our place. While we were waiting for the 8pm start and for my wife's friends who will be joining us in the concert, we took several pictures and watched the sun retire in the west to set the night's party mood. After a few flashes from our camera, I noticed that the concert venue was suddenly filled up with a sea of 70,000 people in no time, all cheering "Ri-hanna, Ri-hanna!" and some sing the chorus part of "Forever" in unison. 

It's 8:00pm at last! The concert started on time (or at least a few minutes late because of the tons of reminders and advertisements) and the crowd suddenly went wild when the lights went off, pushing everyone on their way to get nearer the stage, with their hands clasped with point-and-shoot cameras and camera phones thrown in the air waiting to catch the entrance of whoever will be the first artist to perform. The pyrotechnics blew off and signaled the entrance of Chris Brown, who was hanged upside down singing "Wall to Wall." The crowd, most of them girls, roared and screamed and shrieked. It's a dance cut but amazingly, no one in the crowd can be seen dancing or singing along with him at least. They are all taking videos of Chris Brown performing. I wonder if this is the idea of Filipinos in going to concerts. To take photos and videos and upload them in their social networks. 

Chris Brown seemed not to mind how boring the Pinoy crowd was, he just danced to all his other upbeat songs like "Kiss, Kiss", "Picture Perfect", "Gimme That" among others and serenaded the girls with his ballads like "Say Goodbye", "With You", "Superhuman" and other songs which I only know the chorus parts. A Chris Brown concert is not a Chris Brown concert without him showing his chest and abs. He took off his sweat-soaked shirt and threw it in a crowd of girls. And best of all, Chris performed a few of Michael Jackson's famous cuts and showed his 'gloved-one' moves which included "Billy Jean", "Rock With You" and "Thriller." My favorite part of his show was when he sang "No Air" which was a supposed duet with a pre-recorded file of Jordin Sparks but the crowd sang along with him. At least it showed that Pinoys are not that completely boring when it comes to concert. His last track was "Forever" which obviously, the only Chris Brown song that everyone else can interact to (or the most popular, so far). Everyone danced (finally) and sang along with him.

After Chris' part, a 30-minute fireworks intermission blew off in the air. This is to divert the crowd's attention to the spectacle in the sky and not notice how the stage is being transformed from a Chris Brown-environment to a Rihanna-milieu. After the entertaining (and ear-popping) fireworks show, the DJ played some of the hit songs of today. It was funny (and a bit disappointing) that the crowd sang and danced along with the recorded tracks like Pink's "So What," Flo Rida's "Low," Beyonce's "Single Ladies," among others more than singing and dancing along with the live performer onstage.

The second part of the show signalled when the lights went off and steel stairs showed up onstage with Rihanna on top of it singing "Disturbia" only wearing a black corset and bikini on a knee-level boots. This number rocked the whole Taguig. The crowd roared, screamed and shrieked again. I was expecting to hear only girls to sing along with her but I saw everyone, as in everyone, swaying their hands and screaming "Disturbia" (some people only know that single line in the track). She sang all her other upbeat hits like "SOS", "Don’t Stop the Music", "Shut Up and Drive", and ballads like "Unfaithful", "Rehab", "I Hate That I Love You", and "Take A Bow" was her most-interacted song in the concert. The night was concluded with Rihanna's greatest hit "Umbrella" with which Chris Brown suddenly emerged from the backstage to sing along with her on the remixed version titled "Cinderella." They kissed together like as if a fairy tale book is about to close to end a story with a life lived happily ever after.

It was a very tiring night, but we have definitely enjoyed it. It was only a bit disappointing that it failed my expectation to experience a real partying crowd. Maybe because most Pinoys are really not into dancing and singing (in short, interacting) with the performing artist. A great percentage of the 70,000 sea of people are literally "spectators" of a show. They come to "see" a show that they paid for... not to do along with the artist who was paid to perform. Or sometimes, you blame it to a performer who can not make his or her crowd sing and dance along with them. There are artists who just wants the audience to hear them sing and see them dance. But a Chris Brown and Rihanna concert is an exception. This is a party concert. You see the two artists' efforts to make the crowd join them, especially Rihanna who kept on shouting "Manilaaaaaaa" and the audience will scream a little, sing with her a few lines and throw their hand in the air a few minutes and they go back to their lethargic mode. That's funny. That's only in the Philippines.

Gelii's 3rd Birthday

It was a stormy day. From the window pane was a scene of heavy pouring rain. I was excited and nervous, not knowing what to feel and which one to feel first. Not knowing what to think and which way I should think. I would stare at the dark sky. Far. Farther. Void. And then the doctor came out of the operating room and exclaimed "your baby's out!" It was one of the greatest feeling I had ever felt in my life. And that was three years ago.

My baby's now three! My, how time flies. And today, I'm feeling the same way again. The same great feeling on that same day I saw her behind the viewing room of the hospital's nursery. I told myself "my Princess is here" and I was right. She is the epitomé of the princess I have known in the fairy tales I once told when I was a kid. And now, the princess is with me celebrating her 3rd birthday.

Happy birthday, Gelii! I love you very much.

It's Over Now

Though the feeling hasn't passed
Sad to say our love didn't last
Please don't ask me to pretend
Cause to know it's over

When I'm done forgetting you
You can say what you wanna do
Please don't ask me to pretend
Cause I know it's over now


Ewwww!

That would be the initial reaction I know I would get for posting this. I've never been this mushy for years now. And holy cow, I know I'm too old to be mushy for such. And I never posted any lyrics that I liked, as far as I can remember. Okay, how about LSS as an excuse?

It just happened one day when I was watching MTV and saw a video from Kyla with this track. I don't remember any distinct event in the past that would relate to this song but flashes of memory suddenly came popping up my mind like the white lights in a near-death-experience phenomenon. I then found myself looking for the audio file of it in the internet (preferably the original from Joey Albert) to be downloaded.
I got the answer finally: it's a bitter song, that's why I suddenly liked it. My wife knows. If there should be a song that will be written for ampalaya, for sure it'll sell like hotcake to me!

HDD Web is down!

HDD Web has just ceased operation. And what's the repercussion? All my online files are gone forever!
I woke up this morning to see that my Multiply site doesn't have my personalized banner anymore. Moreover, my Friendster page doesn't have my personalized wallpaper background. And what's worse is, everything in my Blogspot is gone coz all the files are uploaded and stored in that online storage. It's the same feeling that I have when my harddisk crashed and I wasn't able to back up my files.
This is what I hate when you're sucking all things which are given for free. There really is nothing free in this world. If there is, you'll meet your doom one day and you'll pay for everything...
More than the blood in your veins!

Listen To Me!

This is my world of music. And these are the types of music that I've known. Noise. Grunge. Evil.

This is an influence of my college days when I transitioned from a jack-of-all-trades teenage boy to a rebellious grown-up man. I can say I was summoned to this realm of sound madness during the time I was out there looking in the void for a shoulder to lean on. I saw myself in the anguish of the little boy in Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" and fell in love with Liv Tyler and Alicia Silverstone in Aerosmith's video of "Crazy." I shared with the false hopes of R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts" and became one dependable person in Edwin McCain's "I'll Be." All this and more... and I was enslaved into this time when grunge ruled the world. These songs are gone, Kurt Cobain's dead, bands are disbanded but I'm still here... wallowing in the memories of this existence.

Since my Multiply's back, I thought of uploading some MP3s again. But now, a little bit cautious. I will no longer upload the full albums of all that I have. I came to realize that I want to list down here the tracks that I loved most. Some people may agree with me that these are the best songs so far, some may not. Who cares?!? Some people may also say that my compilation will reveal how old I am now. Who cares?!?


I'm only a man in a funny red sheet and it's not easy to be me.


Follow me here just like the rabbit from Alice in Wonderland...

I Am Dumb...

Why am I so dumb in making decisions?

For everything that I have in my life, I always have this guilty feeling that I have not done anything right. I have always thought when I was a young boy (might’ve been because of pressure from other people) that I am a bright kid… intelligent… unique person. A rare breed!

But as I am growing old, these attestations are slowly going all wrong. I am starting to believe that I was raised with a just a mere fairy tale. Everything that I was made to believe is a big lie. I am not really the one they thought I was. It’s all wrong! How if the only truth in this world is just a lie? Is there really a Messiah that the humankind is waiting for? Is there really life after death? Are there really spirits and ghosts wandering in non-life forms? Are there really aliens? Is Charles Darwin right? Is Big Bang Theory true?

Are there really concrete answers to these questions? To these unsolved mysteries as uncountable as the multitude of heavenly bodies in the universe? And who would answer these? Am I going to believe? Do I still believe?

Believing to anything is something that I have to decide, for now.

If I am intelligent, why am I dumb in achieving these decisions…

Welcome Back to my Multiply Account... whew!

Finally, I got my Multiply account back!

Multiply administrators deleted my previous account due to copyrighted materials uploaded, according to the advisory that I received few weeks before I lost access to my own account. I’m guilty anyway because I uploaded all tracks and albums that I have with my favorite artists. I almost wanted to upload everything that I have in my 80Gb hard disk. Sometimes, I really believe that being sloth is not a deadly sin, it is an advantage!

To those who still have copyrighted MP3s in their accounts, be warned now, otherwise, you’ll savor the same consequences that I suffered when I found out one day that my account no longer exists. I still will upload MP3s anyway, but not the full album and not all tracks from one particular artist anymore. And I’ll try to find a way that all tracks I will be uploading will be restricted and such.

Let’s get back to my real Obertian world…

That Darn Villman

May…

Sometime this year, my sister and I talked about upgrading our computers since ours are already Jurassic-old and dilapidated. Mine is still tolerable anyway but hers has already crashed. Amidst the insufficiency of funds and starvation issues, we managed to check out the latest units that can be purchased for our upgrades. On May 20, we decided to plow down all the computer stores in Megamall (since we’re from Mandaluyong, it’s the nearest and most convenient place that we know) to scout for the computer peripherals that we need. On the 4th floor Cyberzone part of Megamall, we window-shopped and pretended we have lots of money to buy the whole place. We infiltrated this store, we crept on here and there, but nothing is convincing enough for us to lay down all our wealth for some piece of computer parts that we can enjoy at the end of the day.

Just before we lose our expensive patience that day, something suddenly caught our attention. Behold! It says… VillMan Computer Systems, Inc. Hundreds of mammals flock that store, it seems like there is a pandemonium of shoppers trying to grab all the goods they see in the showcase. It seems interesting. We set foot in that store and found a bald-headed guy who was so friendly, assertive and evidently equipped with such talent of everything an effective salesman should have. He approached us, perhaps we smell money, and in his pupils you will see Peso sign… we are potential buyers! He talked, he discussed their products, and he sounded so knowledgeable with all their merchandise that you wanted to heed his recommendations. Voila! He got what he wanted. He made us buy:

2 ASROCK 775I65G LGA775 I865GV 800MHz Motherboards
2 Intel Celeron 2.53GHz (D326) LGA775 Processors
1 Kingston 512Mb DDR PC400/3200 Memory

We were told that all their items have 1 year warranty. We were so convinced since the bald-headed guy seems so sure that they all run perfectly (I bought my Kingston memory from another store right next to theirs some days later since we don’t have enough cash to buy for one more at that time). I realized that no one wants to flaunt its newly-bought underwear and run down the streets without clothes on so I thought of dressing up properly and buy outerwear, as well. What's good in buying the internal parts without shaping up the external? So I also bought a new tower case specific for the size and format of my new motherboard. We hurriedly went home and I liquidated the old parts of my computer just like how Amon Goeth wiped out the Jews during the holocaust. After which, I then replaced them with the newly-purchased motherboard, processor and memory. The bald-headed guy didn’t go wrong, they all ran perfectly cool!

September…

It was a fine, ordinary weekend for me to sit down tête-à-tête with my computer and noticed that my 80Gb-MP3-infested-harddisk is playing slow that day. I decided to defrag my primary and secondary disks and just as it started, my computer suddenly turned off. I thought it only powercycled itself before it starts the defragmentation process but I waited the whole lifetime and it didn’t turn on anymore. Worse is, it can no longer be powered on anymore. Crap!

I hurriedly brought my PC down to where I purchased the tower case, suspecting that the problem is with the power supply. A lot of allegations were thrown down at that time. It might be this, it might be that. But after a careful, meticulous troubleshooting and testing, the technician finally concluded that there was no problem with the tower case’s power supply. The problem lies on the motherboard’s 12v socket itself. There is no electricity running on the said socket which is needed to power up the whole motherboard. I was advised to bring the motherboard to where I bought it. Where else? But that darn VillMan!

September 28, it was heavy traffic all over Ortigas Center because of the OctoberFest prelude party. Along with my daughter Gelii, we circumnavigated Megamall and finally landed on the Cyberzone area where hip-hoppers with their low-waist-pants-with-belt-on-it-so-what outfit plague at that time. VillMan, here I am again! I am so impressed that the bald-headed guy did not approach me this time. Neither that I don’t smell money anymore or perhaps because the word “angry” can be read in my forehead. In fairness with the employees, they were accommodating anyway. They tested the unit and finally, their verdict… defective board. Whew! I don’t want to hear the next lines he has to say but I don’t have a choice. “Sir, we need to replace this and it will take 2-3 weeks for us to order the replacement item,” is the last statement that I am expecting that time but that’s the first that I heard. I was told they need to call their supplier to send them a replacement for this since the unit is already irremediable. I don’t remember he mentioned he will be giving me a brand new one (Assumption #1: do companies replace defective peripherals with their refurbished units even when it is still under warranty?). I was totally shocked actually, to hear that I will not have a computer for 2-3 weeks so I begged for any temporary replacement of any board of its kind. It was denied. I was told they don’t issue second-hand units to customers (Assumption #2: since it is a protocol not to issue second hand units to customers, then I should be given a whole new motherboard). I respected that. It’s a company policy. I work in a call center and I know what that means. And I know no one should break the company policy, even customers are always right.

What else did I do? Wait endlessly. As the days go by, I felt like I was waiting for the crows to turn white… and wait for them to turn black again. Days… 1 week… 2 weeks had passed. I constantly called them to follow-up but to no avail. Wait still. Wait some more. But I’m tired. While there are still icebergs left in Antarctica, I should make a move now!

October

Fifteenth day marked the third week of waiting. It was already October 11 and I got the chance to drop by at Megamall. What else do I have to say but, VillMan here I am again! I prepared myself for the worst news to hear, and I was right. It’s still not there. In short… I can’t fix my computer yet! Keeping my composure not to unleash a Stephen Chow-inspired fury, I uncomplainingly listened to the alibi. You can see the attempt to convince me that they’re on my side (Oh God, forget about building rapport and empathizing with me coz I already know that bunch of craps!), and what was promised to me is that they will purchase the motherboard from other sources instead and to make me feel guilty, I was told that they will finance it in the meantime since the delivery hasn’t arrived yet, just to make me have my motherboard already (Assumption #3: since they will purchase it from other sources, do companies purchase second-hand units for replacement of their defective ones?). Okay, I agreed. It will be just 4 more days to wait, as promised. I was able to wait for three weeks, why not 4 days more?

Uhm, 4 days is over. This is it. Today’s the day! Hallelujah! I’m gonna have my all-new computer parts again after three weeks of waiting. I hurried down to Megamall though it’s raining hard. I had to dodge from the multitude of raindrops just to reach Cyberzone and here we go… VillMan, here I am again! It is at least a relief at first when I was told that they will just test “it” to make sure it is running perfectly good before they hand it over to me. And when they’re done, they called me to see it for myself. Perhaps they are expecting me to jump for joy just like what Fidel Ramos did when Ferdinand Marcos finally fled to wherever, but the reaction that I can give is contrary to that. Sure the motherboard is running okay, but wait… there’s more!!! Look at the back panel, it looks rusty. Check the slots, there are stains on the sides. Stick your eye on the board itself, there are particles of dust. In short, the board they are giving me is a second-hard, used, old and looks worn-out! What did they think of me, it was my first time to see the inside part of a computer? If they only knew, my computer is a product of constant upgrading. I started from 4x86 to 5x86 to Pentium 100 to Pentium MMX to Pentium II to Pentium III to Pentium IV. I know how a motherboard looks like when it is fresh from the box or it has already been gang-raped by some hip-hoppers with their low-waist-pants-with-belt-on-it-so-what outfit. Please, I’m just handsome but I’m not dumb.

I didn’t take the motherboard he was giving me. I demanded for explanation, that’s the least thing I can do at that time. I was told they didn’t order anymore since last Saturday, October 13, their delivery finally arrived. What had arrived? That old, dusty motherboard? No way that I am taking that. I drew a long breath and gave the employee a fatal glare. I was expecting for at least an apology but I didn’t get any. He seemed to just want to pacify me before I explode like Mount Aetna, he promised me again that he really will purchase a new one from other sources this time and be back again tomorrow to pick it up. Once and for all! I looked around to find their manager but everyone I see is wearing a blue VillMan uniform apt for an ordinary employee. It seems like the store is not armed with a manager, as their ammunition somehow, when customers would like to annihilate all the employees he sees around. I am not leaving without his name… and he is Aaron.

I resorted to calling their main office instead, in a payphone near their store, and a certain Flor Repuezo answered the phone. In 3 years of working in a call center, this is the line that I hated to hear most, and this is the line that I love to say now “I want to speak to your supervisor!” Surprisingly, I was lambasted with a de-escalation process, I was told she doesn’t have her bosses at that time (Jun Castro and Eric Guillermo, as she mentioned). Today is Monday, it is 12:10pm, and there is no Manager in the store, there are no bosses in the main office? Well, no wonder this is the quality of customer service that we get. I still vented out my complaints, anyway. Flor Repuezo patiently listened to me, in fairness. I demanded that this will reach her superiors and she assured me, at least (if I was her QA Analyst for this call, she will pass anyway) that she will report this in no time. I hurriedly went home with dismay and regret, and I realized I wasn’t contented with what I just did. I went online and gathered all the possible email addresses of VillMan where I can send out my grievances. And here’s how it goes:


To Whom It May Concern:


I hereby air my complaints about the incident that happened earlier at 12:10 pm in your Villman Megamall Branch. This is with regard to the Asrock Motherboard 775I65G that I purchased on May 20, 2007 which should be replaced due to defective unit.


Sometime in September, my computer suddenly turned-off while I was working and was unable to turn on again. I had it checked with the computer center where I purchased my tower casing, suspecting that the defect is with the power supply, but upon meticulous troubleshooting, they found out that the defect lies on the 12v socket of the motherboard. On the 28th of September, I brought the motherboard at your Megamall branch where I purchased it to have it checked, as well. The board was tested and diagnosed that it blacked-out and no longer usable. I was given a Service Receipt and was promised to have it replaced instead (i.e. the unit is still under warranty) upon arrival of the delivery, and since this will be ordered on the following week, I was told that it will take 2-3 weeks before the replacement board will be handed to me.


Within 2 weeks of constantly waiting, I made follow-up calls almost everyday just to check if the replacement board has already arrived, but to no avail. Last Thursday, October 11, I personally dropped-by at your Megamall branch to chance if I can already pick up the motherboard, but to my dismay, I was told that it is still unavailable. However, Aaron, the employee who always accommodates me when I call, promised that he will make a call that day to purchase and informed me that “they” will pay for it for the meantime just to secure a replacement for my board. I was again promised to come back today, October 15, to get the newly-ordered motherboard.


I went back there earlier today to finally get my board and I was relieved at first when I heard that Aaron said the order is “already there” and he will just test it so he can show it to me that it is working. He worked on a certain motherboard, tested it, and showed it to me that it is working fine. Unfortunately, when I thoroughly checked on the back panel of the motherboard he is showing me, it shows that the unit is second-hand, has already been used and looks very old and worn-out. I refused to take the board he is giving me and demanded an explanation. He justified it, however, that he didn’t purchase anymore since their delivery already arrived last Saturday, October 13, and decided to give me that board instead. I never thought that your company replaces a defective unit with a refurbished one which looks older than the item a customer purchased which lasted only for four (4) months. I left your Megamall branch with another promise that I can pick-up the unit the next day, October 16.


I do not demand for anything more than my right as a customer. I just don’t want to be treated less than what I deserve as your customer. Thank you very much and I hope to have a fair result with this.




Respectfully,




Norberto Reyes, III
0916-4566739


What I am expecting for this to happen? I don’t know. I just don’t want to be cheated. I live and breathe quality customer service for a living but I am not getting what I give. Most of the time, Filipinos complain of not progressing, of not succeeding. But what we don’t know is that we are the reason why we don’t get such progress and success in our lives. We are rotting in this third-world with all the corruptions rampant in the society. Filipinos are very talented, so intelligent and brave. But we use those qualities in the wrong way.

I do not demand for anything more than my right as a customer. I just don’t want to be treated less than what I deserve as a consumer.

GOODBYE CALL CENTER!

Resign! Quit! Leave!

That’s what my heart is crying out. I have contemplated for this decision in a month and I ended up with a final, irrevocable verdict: I AM NOW RESIGNING! It is a tough judgment to make but this is the only just and rational conclusion that I can think of. It is a heart-breaking event in someone’s life to leave the workplace where you have stayed for couple of years and turn your back to people whom you cordially worked with, laughed with and dreamt for success in life. But every beginning has an end… now matter how painful it is.

The primary reason why I am leaving is because I am flying to the US in the next few months. I have planned, dreamt and worked on this for years now. The time is running out, I have to leave my family behind to give them a better life offshore. What’s the price? Work hard ‘til you drop. Every sweat and blood that drops to the ground is convertible to dollars. All the happiness that will be given up is an earning for my children’s future. And that’s what makes me move mountains right now.

But… that’s what my conscious mind dictates. At the back of my mind, something else is covering up the reasons that I made to quit my job. As I am spending and enjoying my week-long vacation leave, a nightmare is bothering me… I am leaving the company because of a dreadful feeling of resentment that had dwelt inside of me for a long time. And now it has exploded and crippled my mind to work effectively and efficiently on my last few days at work. Why do I feel this way?

I finally construed that I have lost my utmost enthusiasm to work hard. I am demotivated. I was forgotten. It’s been a year and I am still where everyone else left me. Unscathed. Pathetic. I remember I did everything to step up but no one noticed. I followed the rules by the book and nobody saw it. And I realized that what I did is wrong. Working hard and performing as a good employee is not enough. This will do you no good. Forget about promotions because you will never get it. Exert some more effort. Do the unimaginable. I looked back on the things that I have seen, evident and discreet, that made people go places. I ran down a list and I am titling it as:

THE BETTER AND MORE EFFECTIVE GUIDE TO SUCCESS:

1. Turn your “epal” mode ON at all times. Don’t master your craft. Leave a room for disputes and complaints so you can make noise. In that way, you are being noticed. Instead, work on the tasks delegated to other employees. This will show that you are also concerned about other duties on top of your own responsibility. Tip: If a program is working fine, find a way to destroy it. Flaunt to higher departments that you can fix it. And you become the company’s hero. They start to love your name.

2. Stay in the office for more than 8 hours a day. Read: I said “stay” in the office, not “work.” Do your duties for only 6 hours, and the rest, spend it puffing a pack of Marlboro lights with employees with higher positions; play billiards with them; share your impressive insights about Prison Break, CSI, Heroes, et. al., then transition to topics about your interest to promotions; stir them with your collection of favourite records and flicks; puff some more sticks. The next day, rub along with your co-workers and complain about being overworked and yet underpaid.

3. Walk around the office with a loud voice. You have the edge if you are tall. Employees don’t need to stand from their cubicles to see you. When everyone else hears you, they tend to ask “Who is that guy?” Now, you are noticed. In one way or another, you will be included in a conversation during 15-minute breaks. Don’t mind about being talked about in a cynical way. At least they talk about you. When the hearsay reaches higher departments, you are now known. No sweat.

4. Rub elbows with everyone. Befriend not only those who have their own offices. Throw a party for those who are underdogs. These people can be bribed. They can make testimonials about how good you are (not particularly at work). When this reaches the big bosses, you name is as sweet-scented as Hugo Boss. Getting a higher position is now a lot more effortless.

5. Be proactive. Yes, you have to be proactive… always. Take the initiative to establish rapport with everyone you see. You already have entrée to your superiors, you have the backup from your co-workers, and you have the testimonials from your underdogs. That’s your new definition of proactive. Keep in mind, you have to be known by everyone. No one advances to higher positions if you don’t have a name.

6. Don’t skip any meetings, conferences and gatherings. You don’t need to concentrate on the agenda. Think about what to comment and make a grandstanding noise to draw their attention on you. Keep your feet on the ground, I mean literally, because you need to stand up so everyone can see you. They heard about your name before, now you are flesh and blood.

7. Never follow proper channelling. If there are issues that concern your duties, why the hell should you report it to your supervisor or manager? You already have the access to the big bosses. Bypass them; it will only do them good. Remember, you were the only who will raise an issue. If this gets done, your name should be rewarded with commendation, not them.

8. Finally, talk like them. Be bossy. Use their lingo. Condescend with your inferiors to establish your position. One of my superiors once said: “If you want to become a manager, act like one.” This is your perfect time.

Trust me, these things worked. I’ve seen so many people who were promoted not doing what I do but practising these rituals. Am I bitter? YES. At least I’m not a sucker. People who get promoted are like janitor fish, they don’t need to swim to get to the surface… they just have to suck the glass walls.

THAT'S THE WAY OF FRIENDS

THAT'S THE WAY OF FRIENDS
PAUL PARRISH

You and me, we were getting to be such very good friends
With you and me, it was so hard to see how the story could end
With moons and Junes, half-remembered tunes, and a love that would not bend
Don’t people say that’s the way of friends.

Me and you, we were seeing it thru just two of a kind
With me and you so tried and so true, we were rhythm and rhymed
All the starry nights, early city lights love was just one step behind
Don’t people say that’s the way of friends.

Chorus:
On a trains and planes
Crowded freeway lanes
Can’t explain the way of friends.
And a silent telephone
Locked unhappy homes
Were just things that have never known
`Bout friends…
Friends

You and me, we were getting to be such very good friends
With you and me, that was so hard to see how the story could end
With these broken lines half-remembered rhymes and a love that would not bend
Don’t people say that’s the way of friends.

Don’t people say that’s the way of friends
Friends…
Friends.


It's very unusual for me to post songs here in my blog but just some stranger friend (that... is unusual hahaha) requested me to post the lyrics of this song since she is having a hard-time searching this one in the net. I wonder why this couldn't be found anywhere. Anyways, here's the lyrics of "That's The Way Of Friends" since you requested it.

Going back to the history of this, "That's The Way Of Friends" is actually the first song that I have memorized in my entire life. If I could remember it perfectly, I was 3 or 4 years old when I started singing this. My sister Onnie was the one who influenced me with this (and I remember hearing this from my sister Maricar, as well) and became the first radio song that I have ever sung when I was kid (that marks how old I am now hahaha).

I wonder... I have never really been thru nursery rhymes when I was a kid. I never really thought I was a kid when I was a kid. Hmmm.... retrogression in process.

Misery of my desolation

Here I am again... just updated my blog three months ago after a year of hibernating but just really can't get it going. Sometimes I am thinking, am I just too busy? Or I already lost my full-blown enthusiasm in blogging?

What has been happening in my so-called life the past few glimpses after the last time I threw out words in this page? There was my birthday, Thanksgiving Day (as if we care), Christmas Day and New Year's Day and nothing extraordinary that I could think needs to be posted here. I know my life is happy. What is the real definition of "happy" anyway? Sometimes when I recollect things, I see void. I picture myself adrift in a limbo. I only see a limp body of me in a state of oblivion. Hmmm... that is, what I believe an eternal bliss.

Or, am I just in a state of denial? Where can I see myself in between manic and depressive moods? Sometimes I deem that I am far outside this universe and just inside the minute divisible particle of something that exists only in mind. Where am I now?

I might have dropped something in my growing up years that I need to go back and pick it up. I hope it's still not a long way to go....

Merci! Merci!

My baby just had her first birthday last Saturday though her real birthdate is October 03, and we anticipated that since it falls on Tuesday and guests might not be able to attend because of multitude of alibis: busy at work, traffic, unscheduled event, blah-blah-blah, we thought of moving the celebration to October 07 instead at The Legend Hotel in Mandaluyong City. Party starts at 2:30pm. And boy oh boy, these Filipinos really can't come on time. People started to be crowding the venue by 4pm (read: I paid for the party only up `til 7pm), and everything went smooth, at least. We invited 70 guests (the venue is only limited to 50 guests but we were able to maximize it to 70), but only 53 faces showed up. Only 53 most-special-valued-and-tested friends and relatives. I hope everyone enjoyed the party coz I really did. Just the thought of seeing your daughter enjoyed having kids and other people and friends attend her party is already an achievement to me. That was one unforgettable birthday.

For those who came, I sincerely thank you again for sharing your time with my daughter's first birthday. For those who promised to attend but didn't show up, thank you anyway. For those we were unable to invite because the venue is limited to chosen people only, you all have a place in my daughter's heart (she will realize that when she grows up). For those who didn't come because they really can't, we understand. We love you all. Thank you again.

Oh, by the way, those whose gifts were not yet given, you can send those to our place. Otherwise, if that is convertible to cash, just give me a ring and I'll provide you my account number. :o)

Rebirth of the Obertian

Darn! It's been ages ago when I last updated this Blog. It was... ironically... exactly a year ago. I couldn't even remember the last thing that I posted here. Where in the freakin' world was I during those 365 days that I couldn't even pay sojourn with my own Blog? Argh... I just became a father, that's all. A happy, contented, overworked, blissful father. Did I miss anything? Nah! I have everything already. All the treasures in life anyone could wish for in this damn life. All within my family. My wife and baby Gelii who completed it all.

But wait... there's more! Here's a reborn Obertian in my whole existence. A whole-new Obert who has just gasped in the first oxygen of the new world he's living in. Now, he's fast and furiously growing. Like a moss in an idle stone. Like a poison ivy climbing up in medieval walls. Deceitful, treacherous, full of animosity... but immaculately clean.

Grow up, Obert! You are born again!!! Nyahahaha....

My baby and me

Still too busy to update my blog at this time. Let the picture speak for me.

The Birth of a Queen...

Behold!

The new Miss Universe of 2023 is born. Representing the 7,107 islands of the Philippines holds honour by Domenique Amber Pedrigala-Reyes. The next greatest movie star to hit the screens worldwide after winning the crown. That towering stature of woman's supreme excellence. That heaven-cultured beauty incomparable with Monroe, Dietrich, Bardot and Garbo. With wits of the goddesses never ever written by Homer. She, and only she... is the The One!

And she's my daughter.

Born October 03, 2004 at 5:59 pm with 50cm and 3204g statistics in Dr. Victor R. Potenciano Medical Center possessing reddish to fair skinned complexion inherited from both mom and dad (hey, that's me!). With hair as robust as Cleopatra's and pouting lips like Angelina Jolie's. Those winsome eyes resembling Juliet Capulet's and smiles like Mona Lisa. This little girl is undoubtedly a star. On your knees now, stare and... swoon!