No shoes, please April 9, 2008
Posted by thepurplehaze in 100% Pinoy, Avventura, Bloopers and Screwups, Ramblings on Work.1 comment so far
I have to admit that I almost raised my hands up to rejoice when I found out that my new boss likes working without shoes on. I remember when I was with AL, I felt like I was persecuted (what a word) when I walked around the office in my favorite New York Knicks NBA socks! The buzzing giggles were louder everytime I put on my patent black pumps with those socks on – one office colleague called my get-up, “so London!” But I’m not in London, so…
So far so good with my new work 
I’m still getting the hang of commuting from where I live in Makati to where I work, but MRT’s been really a big help in cutting down my travel time. I just get a little paranoid whenever I get in the train cars, since images of the Rizal Day bombing are still vivid in my head. I sure don’t want to die all shattered and burnt with shrapnel.
The office plans to bring the staff along to Baguio next week; that should be fun, right? Well, honestly, going there again without Uwy and Elmer feels like desecrating my memories of Baguio. It’d be sadder this time. Awww…
Vacation: OVER March 30, 2008
Posted by thepurplehaze in Avventura, Ramblings on Work, Thought Bubbles, UP Sigma Beta World.add a comment
Last night’s party was technically my last party for my whole 2-week vacation. Hehehe. I feel there’s more to come, especially since my gal pals from Iloilo and Nueva Ecija are coming over to satisfy their beach lust (Galera, here we come).
Tomorrow is another story. It’s my first day at DevConcepts PH! My only problem was getting to my new office, but I eventually figured out my route thanks to Google Earth:
I just have to take a bus to Robinson’s Galleria, then walk to Cityland MegaPlaza! That simple
Goodbye, Al March 8, 2008
Posted by thepurplehaze in Avventura, Ramblings on Work, Thought Bubbles.add a comment
I’m about to embark on a very different but fulfilling new facet of my life! Just recently, I decided to sever my “diplomatic relations” with my semi-long time employment (that we’ll shroud in the name of Al) to forge a new allegiance with Austraining. I feel like it is about time that I made the much-needed career change; and there’s no better timing than the end of a law school semester.
Sharing some thoughts I picked up in my two-year stint at the seat of the Makati CBD:
1. An office secret never stays one. So if you think you got away with the hanky panky, think again.
2. Being true is the best option there is. Nobody likes living a double life. If you’re really a madman, stay such until there’s a genuine intent to be otherwise.
3. Bosses can be angels. Classic: JGN and DLR. see, not all bosses are bad; only your own is.
4. Not all people descended from apes; some have horses for forefathers. Go girl, ha-ha!
5. Officemates can be real friends.
6. Friends can be real officemates.
7. The “H” in HR should be changed to “I” for inhumane.
8. Webmarshal is the bouncer of the internet party world; k-proxy is the biggest host.
9. Having a positive attitude and fun teammates make even the worst jobs bearable.
10. You are never irreplaceable. There will always be someone who can fill in your shoes/pumps/whatever.
I’m sure Al will find someone for my spot in no time. Countdown to my final goodbye: 12 days.
First post of the year January 26, 2008
Posted by thepurplehaze in 100% Pinoy, Avventura, Bloopers and Screwups, Ramblings on Work, Thought Bubbles, UP Sigma Beta World.add a comment
Welcome back, Hayz!
If blogs were like my closest friends, my dear PurpleHaze would have left me a long, long time ago.
I guess those who really know me understand why I was gone, so I feel I don’t owe anyone an explanation as to my absence. Mean ba? Now I’m really back!
Wuuuurd! It’s midterms week again – RAH, RAH, RAH. I hope now that I’ve devoted less time writing blogs, my grades would be higher than last semester. I learned the hard way (hint: Property), trust me.
Allow me to do a-la Maurice Arcache by saying life has been fab to me so far, palanggas! School has been a blast, friends and family are doing great, finances have been manageable… What about work, then? I said great, SO FAR.
Let me be blunt about this (and I don’t care if anyone from ALI reads), but my supervisor sucks to highest sucking degree! He is everything a good leader is not: indecisive, unreasonable, dumb, panicky, fickle-minded and a scatterbrain. I wonder how and why he got the job in the first place. Magaling sa visuals? Maybe. Other than that wala na eh. He should look for a no-brainer job instead (although there is no such thing).
I hope that consultancy job I’m coordinating with my brod would push through.
Enough bickering for now – have to go back to reading.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!
Buuuuuuurrp! October 31, 2007
Posted by thepurplehaze in Bloopers and Screwups, Ramblings on Work, Thought Bubbles.add a comment
I totally understand people, women at that, who want to lose weight to keep a healthy lifestyle. What I don’t understand are women who are hell-bent on losing weight just because they think that ultra-thin is ultra-smashin (eeeeeewww, really). The only ultra-thins I like would be my feminine pads, thank you.
Take my really pretty (but really, really dumb) officemate as an example. She never enters my turf without telling everyone how much she’s been eating and how fat she is, when she’s actually already shapely and very attractive! Parang nananadya ang bruha, ha. Hmmm.
The trend among the women in the office now are diet fads: stick to one, make it actually work and you’re an instant celebrity. I asked one of the diet-cult members why they were starving themselves out. She answered, “para hindi ako iwan ng boyfriend/asawa ko at para bagay sa mga LuwiBiton ko.” What the hell happened to women empowerment? Flushed, perhaps?
I’m a big fan of eating (in proper proportions). No pathetic diet club can change that.
Ayala’s official statement on the Glorietta 2 explosion October 20, 2007
Posted by thepurplehaze in 100% Pinoy, Ramblings on Work, Thought Bubbles.add a comment
We at Ayala Land are deeply saddened by yesterday’s explosion that occurred at around 1:30pm in Glorietta 2. We would like to extend our deepest condolences to the families affected by this tragedy. We stand in solidarity with those who were hurt during the explosion, and would like to ensure the public that we are extending the utmost care and maximum medical treatment to the injured and the families of those killed.
In terms of our priorities at this point, we are focusing our efforts on three areas:
- Extending maximum assistance to those injured and the families of those who died.
- Cooperating with authorities in the police investigation
- Ensuring safety and security of our customers
VICTIM ASSISTANCE
In terms of assisting those injured from the explosion, our people have been in the hospital since yesterday afternoon and continue to be there, working closely with the Red Cross and the doctors and medical personnel of Makati Medical Center and Ospital ng Makati. Our company physician, Dr. Bernardo Cueto, has been designated as the attending physician at Makati Medical Center.
We would like to commend the valiant effort of the Red Cross, the medical personnel at Makati Med and Ospital ng Makati, and all those involved in the rescue operations for their bravery and courage in this time of tragedy. Our primary concern continues to be the welfare and well-being of those injured, the families of those killed, and all those affected by this tragedy.
We have been monitoring closely the status of the injured. Based on reports we have received, as of this morning 68 injured persons were brought to Makati Medical Center and 34 injured persons to Ospital ng Makati. Of these 102 injured persons, 71 have been released 2 remain in Ospital ng Makati but will be discharged today, and 15 in Makati Medical Center are still confined, and 3 are in the Intensive Care Unit. Per police reports, 9 deaths have been confirmed. We are extending maximum assistance and care to the victims of this tragedy and their families.
We will have a mass immediately after this press conference at 11am in Glorietta 3 in memory of those killed and to continue to pray for the safe recovery of those injured.
COOPERATION WITH AUTHORITIES RE. INVESTIGATION
In terms of the investigation moving forward, we are in close and constant communication with the authorities from the PNP and Makati City Hall. The PNP is in the lead in the investigation, we are extending to them our full support and cooperation as they ascertain the cause and nature of the explosion.
CUSTOMERS AND SAFETY
Finally, with regards to the safety and security of our customers, the safety and security of the public continue to be our paramount concern at Ayala Center and at all our malls, as it has always been.
A team of independent structural engineers from Aromin and Sy Associates as well as our own people inspected the site of the explosion last night and again this morning. After undergoing an extensive study of the premises, they have determined that Glorietta 1, 3, and 4’s structural integrity is sound and gave us assurances that we will be able to resume normal mall operations for these areas today. In this regard, we have determined that we can, in fact, resume normal operations for Glorietta 1, 3, and 4 this morning. The affected area at Glorietta 2 has been cordoned off as police investigations continue.
In light of this incident, we will be further beefing up security at Glorietta and across all our malls. For Glorietta in particular, we will be supplementing the complement of 120 security guards that regularly protect and patrol the interior and exterior of the mall with additional security personnel and bomb-sniffing dogs. This is in addition to the metal detectors that we installed last year at the mall entrances with heavy pedestrian traffic. We have instructed all security personnel to continue to be vigilant and to continue to coordinate closely with the PNP and the local government of the City of Makati.
Again, we would like to assure the public that your safety at our malls continues to be our primary concern, and we will continue to review our procedures moving forward to continue to ensure the safety of the public even as we resume normal mall operations.
To conclude, let me just say that we at Ayala Land are deeply saddened at what has happened. We, too, are victims of this incident, and we will extend our utmost cooperation to the investigating authorities to determine the cause and nature of the explosion. As a gesture of our solidarity with the victims and their families, we are extending moral and financial help to them and will provide them maximum care and assistance.
The following are the contact persons from Ayala Land:
- For coordination with the families of those injured:
- Elis Tanlapco, 0917-851-5609
- For inquiries on identities of those injured / deceased, please call the Red Cross hotline: 819-5767; 815-9469; 0915-987-6716.
- For all media inquiries:
- Alfie Reyes, Corporate Spokesman – 0917-807-7296;
- Jan Bengzon, Head, External Affairs – 0917-840-5552
- For all tenant inquiries:
- Myrna Fernandez, Ayala Malls Group – 0917-839-8095
- Pam Perez, Ayala Malls Group – 0917-881-1009
Sunday Sighs and Monday Madness September 3, 2007
Posted by thepurplehaze in 100% Pinoy, Avventura, Bloopers and Screwups, Ramblings on Work, Thought Bubbles, UP Sigma Beta World.add a comment
Every time I see a swimming pool (especially an Olympic-sized one), I feel really nauseous. Then it all comes back: memories of my previous competitions and all the pre-dive jitters! I felt the same queasy feeling when I hung out at our fraternity brothers’ tent along Taft Avenue for this year’s bar operations. Boy, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy what tension this year’s bar takers must have felt last Sunday morning for their first of eight exams. Best of luck to everyone!
Resume Headaches
Today I trained 2 new members of the inbound call center staff. So far, so good… until one of them started yapping while I gave my lecture on investing on real estate. Participating in the discussion is good, but not if it turned out to be a “grievance committee” to show off your family wealth, thanks to yapper girl. Here’s a piece of unsolicited advice, never speak up on stuff like that if you don’t want a potential employer to kick your butt out pronto!
Another interviewer’s nightmare would be the “walk-in from hell.” Just this afternoon, an applicant went to the office to personally hand over her resume. My jaw dropped when she brought along with her the entire Von Trappish family. The crumpled document for a resume she gave me was the bonus.
I actually pity applicants like them. They should’ve been taught how fine, clean lines make the simplest and best impressions.
So fix your resumes already!
Office Blooper August 16, 2007
Posted by thepurplehaze in Bloopers and Screwups, Ramblings on Work.1 comment so far
My nature is that I get into a deep, hypnotic state when I’m buried in work. Since my pending folder kept piling in at an increasing (exponential) rate, I made the most out of the no class day by being, as I said, hypnotized (to lessen the backlog). While I was in that state of trance, typing my life away, I heard someone who sounded like my colleague Andrew call my name. I didn’t look up to see who it was, continued with my typing, and only uttered my stoic, “YO?”
Wonder of all wonders, it was my super boss, Francis Roxas of the Office of the Ayala Land President.
Yo! Talk about humiliation.
It’s the heels
I’ve never felt this confident in decades. You know why? It’s because I’m wearing a fantastic pair of brown suede boots that are oh-so-girly and to die for. Good thing they didn’t get soaked from yesterday’s heavy rains. Ha, ha, ha! Yes, guys and gals, everything is about the heel.
The “bore” that I’ve become July 19, 2007
Posted by thepurplehaze in Avventura, Bloopers and Screwups, Ramblings on Work, Thought Bubbles, UP Sigma Beta World.add a comment
See the photo above to illustrate what I’ve been doing with my life for the past 1 year and 2 months. I am such a bore (for now at least).
It seems to me that I’ve missed attending heck-of-a-lot of worthwhile sorority and org activities. I’ve lost count on how many friends I’ve turned down and how many more people I’m going to miss out on because of the insane reason of “I need to study.” I see med and law students nodding their heads in agreement.
However un-connected I am now with my good old friends, fellow Sigma Betans and close relatives, rest assured that all this is temporary. Sigh.
All this effin drama was prompted by the fact that I said no to a nice get-together session with a sis and my bestest friend last night! Huhuhu. Guilt trip 
Next time, promise, gigimik tayo!
Moving on to more music… hehehe.
I need a new job, gddammit! I’ve applied to like a hundred companies already and all I got was 15 measly call center posts. Whatever happened to those day-jobs that are supposed to aid your experience in climbing the corporate ladder? Anyway, I’m up for this new junior supervisor position thing (still here in Ayala Land), but I’m afraid it’ll ruin my studying (if my boss sees this kind of reasoning I’m gonna have to say goodbye to my fiscally-challenged life). Of course, I’m eager to take it; problem is it’s taking toooooo looooong to materialize! I need the dough people!! I have freakin’ bills, pending tuition fees and books to pay! Promote me now, or forever hold your… err… basta promote me now!
I probably just need more coffee.
Chit Chat April 21, 2007
Posted by thepurplehaze in Bloopers and Screwups, Ramblings on Work, Thought Bubbles.1 comment so far
I was expecting to get picked yet AGAIN for recitation yesterday. Good thing I wasn’t, since our teacher, Atty. Porfi Panganiban, asked a lot from the cases – which, I obviously haven’t read. Timing of all timings, our CD-ROM drive got busted, and so did my last chance of getting cases. I won’t whine about how I don’t have time to go and photocopy those thick SCRAs because I spend 9 hours of every waking day at work. It’s all part of the LAW-FUL LOVE AFFAIR. But miracles do happen to less-than-lucky people like me. After that class, my new-found friend Faith (ooooh, triple-Fs) was nice enough to let me photocopy her printed cases. It cut me 30% in search time and 40% in printing expenses. Mighty thanks to you!
Also yesterday was Lirra’s debut at the rooftop of Burgundy West Bay Tower along Taft Avenue. Shout-outs go to our young lady as well. Happy Birthday! Fabulous orange bubble skirt-dress by the way; I’m soooo in love with it.
