Ladies and gentleman, here’s UPCAT the movie.
LOL at UP or nothing. Anyway, UPCAT stands for University of the Philippines College Admission Test, a test taken once a year (every August) by thousands and thousands of aspiring graduating fourth-year high school students nationwide in order to begin their dreams of fulfilling their college studies in UP. The film’s trailer is so interesting, and I really hope I would be able to watch this. It just brings back memories back in those days, when I was also one of those aspiring high schoolers close to five years ago, dreaming as well to make the competitive cut in order to become a full-pledged scholar of the nation.
***
It was my first day at my true office department today. Apart from being slightly ostracized by people by saying, “Yikes, you just had chickenpox! Get away from me!”, everything still went well (well, not really as I have hoped). For the past few weeks, I’ve been exposed to different field operations which was not really the work that I would be doing. It was just done to help me understand the other processes that the company’s practicing in order to make its research operations successful. Going back, let me just say that my head almost swelled when I’ve found out the massive amount of information that I needed to learn just to be able to do my real work. I couldn’t even begin to work earlier because I just couldn’t process all the things that were being taught to me. And what saddened me more today is that the very vibrant and funny Ate Sally, the one who handled me earlier, will finally serve her last day with the company tomorrow. But that’s after being with the company for 14 years in total! But she was not the only one who resigned from the same department where I would be working. Apparently, I would be occupying the now-empty cubicle of another former employee who resigned just last week, and who had been with company for approximately 2 years. Reason? Will do further studies. She just visited the office again earlier to get all her packed things. Now ain’t that very sad.
I was already warned before that generally, research associates don’t last very long in this company. Deadline pressures, almost-everyday overtime work, issues about compensation and benefits, name it. In fact, I didn’t even get to receive my first pay on the agreed pay date, and I still have to wait for the HR department to process them. Some even said that lasting for a year as a full-time employee under our department is already quite a huge achievement. Now ain’t that very disheartening? But I was consoled by some colleagues that employees here don’t really resign because they hate the company or work itself; it’s just more of a personal matter. In fairness, most of my senior bosses here have been with this company for more than 15 years already, and that just says something about their dedication and perseverance not only to their job that they’ve been doing for so long, but also to the company that provided them with lots of opportunities to grow. On my case, I seriously don’t know if I would even last that long just like them because in the first place, I’m only here to learn, work, and get some decent work experience. And to tell you honestly, I really don’t wanna make advance plans when it comes to my future anymore, ’coz I know that’s not really my job (much the least to worry about). All I care about now is just doing my best in this present job that I have, and just let God take care of the rest. If this job really meant for me, then let it be. But if not, then I know I shouldn’t be afraid anymore because of the ultimate trust that I now place in Him.
The pressure to survive and do well is really on, so wish me luck for the coming days, especially for the upcoming sports festival of the company where I was apparently listed to play a sport (don’t ask me now what sport that is!). Good thing to report though is that I am somewhat getting along well with most of my officemates, most of which were also my previous classmates back in college. They also hired a new employee for our department (and we will be on the same team!), and I am also very much comfortable hanging out with her (also from UP, Broad Comm graduate). Oh well, I just hope that the friendliness of the people around here will help make the stressful work more bearable.
***
Amazing race, how sweet the sound? The only remaining likeable team for me is the son-mother tandem. Anita-Arthur, gone. Anthony-Susan, kaput. As for the rest, either they were just way too competitive which can be really annoying, or they’re just plain too boring and typical. No more Kynt and Vyxsins, or even Ron and Christinas. Aren’t the producers of this show way too tired already of casting dating couples? DUH! And ahhh, I’m still waiting for another interesting female team to enter the race and finally win this whole thing! This momentous event has been delayed for so long already! Are the Beauty Queens Dustin and Kandice and the unforgettable cousins Charla and Mirna the closest AR can get? And how heartbreaking it must be for those comic book geeks to be eliminated from the race, only because they failed to read and comprehend the whole clue entirely? Gaahh, if that would ever happen to me and to my future teammate (naks!), I seriously would not know what to do afterwards! I mean, I didn’t get into the race just to be eliminated like that! But anyway, I still like them. Whoopeee, on to more exciting episodes please!
***
Mariah the diva finally met Charice (haha, and it’s not the other way around, j/k!). But honestly, I didn’t feel anything special when they met, as compared to what I have felt when Charice met Celine. I’m sorry but I just feel sometimes that Mariah’s too prima donna and diva-ish. I love her talent and all, but that’s just simply the way I’ve pictured her ever since she departed her balladeer image. Oh well, let’s just hope that I Charice can finally sing a duet with her, and I also dream that she’ll sing more original songs of hers someday (to finally establish her mark and identity as a performer!). Just my two cents: There are lots of other singers out here that are much better than Charice. So just imagine if the whole world will focus more on these other pool of amazing talents that we have. Pinoys, we can conquer!
***
This would be a total riot. So what if the expected Justin Timberlake and Madonna concert won’t push through, if we’ve got this real-life couple-performer doing a Philippine concert for this year anyway? But nope, I don’t think I’ll watch it.
Still have a lot of backlog stories to tell, but let’s just save them for another day. Vavay!
