Bili mo kong PC

Dennis,

Heto na yung specs nung PC:

- MSI Motherboard
- Intel Core Duo 2.0 GHz
- 1G memory
- 160G hard disk

complete set with
- casing with power supply
- mouse and keyboard
- speaker

Ok diba. Assembled na sya. Kulang na lang monitor.
Intel Core Duo na yun, ibig sabihin dalawang processor na sabay gumagana, kung 2.0GHz, halos 4.0GHz na yung speed nun. Mas mabilis pa dun sa PC ko sa bahay na 3.0 GHz na Pentium 4.

Presyo? Singapore $423.00. Buong set.
Sa pesos, multiply mo ng 33.

Binili ko na sya. Kasi feeling ko, mura na yun saka mabilis pa.
Total nun = P 13, 959.00

Reply ka kung ano sa tingin mo. Laking tipid na diba?

Best Regards.

Buhay Iskolar sa NAIA Terminal

Great news - sabi ni Sir Dante ng Science Education Institute ng Department of Science and Technology (DOST-SEI), hindi na daw kailangan magpunta at magbayad ng mahigit P1,000 sa Bureau of Immigration para sa travel clearance ng mga scholars ng DOST.

Haay, isang napakalaking tinik yung nabunot sa aking tagiliran sa magandang balitang yun. Sa setup namin kasi, bilang software developers ng Teraoka Weigh System na base sa Singapore, kailangan naming bumisita every other month doon. Masaya na sana, pero bilang estudyante na pinag-aral ng gobyerno, meron akong kontrata para magsilbi sa bayan. (Naks, makabayan kunwari).

Ang kontrata, kailangan kong magtrabaho sa Pilipinas sa loob ng taong katumbas ng panahong pinag-aral ako ng DOST. Dahil limang taon akong nag-aral sa kursong Engineering, limang taon din akong magtatrabaho sa Pinas bilang bayad sa scholarship na ibinigay nila saken. Black listed ako sa NBI at sa Bureau of Immigration. Unless meron akong clearance galing DOST, hindi ako makakalabas ng bansa.

At dito nabuo ang madalas kong problema sa NAIA immigration officers.

September 23, 2007, 2:20 pm sa SQ 917. Yun yung schedule ng flight ko. Pasado 11 am nakarating na ko at nakapila sa check-in counter ng Singapore Air Lines. Pagkatapos kong i-check-in yung 19 Kilos na bagahe ko, diretso na ko sa immigration check. Kasabay ko pa nun si Ate My sa mahabang pila.

Dati, before maimplement yung rule sa unang paragraph ng sulating ito, kailangan ko pang pumila dun sa mabaet na officer na alam kong hindi na ko uusisain at tatanungin ng kung anu-ano kung bakit ako black-listed. Naalala ko dati yung isang immigration officer na galit pa sa DOST, sabi nya wala daw karapatan yung DOST na pagbawalan kaming umalis ng bansa, nakakatulong naman daw ng malaki yung OFWs para sa ekonomiya naten. Yung iba naman, nagagalit sa mga iskolar kapag umaalis kami ng bansa. Para sa kanila, dapat daw kaming magbayad sa gobyerno at magtrabaho sa sariling bayan. Pagkatapos daw kaming pag-aralin, iiwanan lang namin yung bansa. Wala ba daw kaming utang na loob?

Haay naku. Nagbabayad naman ako ng tax sa government, nde naman ako tatakas sa obligasyon kong magtrabaho sa Pilipinas sa loob ng limang taon. Kailangan ko lang talagang lumabas ng bansa dahil parte sya ng trabaho ko.

Pero dahil nga sa bagong rule na ipinatutupad ngayon para sa mga DOST scholars, wala na dapat debate. Maaari na kaming lumabas ng bansa basta meron kaming clearance sa DOST. Hindi ba sapat na yun? Sino ba yung nag-request para nde kami basta-basta makalabas ng bansa? (Sagot: DOST). Sino ba yung pumapayag na pansamantala kaming makalabas? (Sagot: DOST). Hindi pa ba sapat yun?

Masaya kong ibinalita kay Ate My yung bagon rule habang nakapila kami sa immigration check. Kinuwento ko pa sa kanya yung isang instance na ayaw akong payagan nung isang immigration officer (IO).

Sabi saken nung IO, "Hindi ka pwedeng umalis. Wala ka namang permit galing sa Bureau of Immigration (BI)." Tapos pinapunta nya ko sa Supervisor nila. "Dun ka makipagtalo. Bumalik ka na lang saken kung sakaling payagan ka nga nya."

Tapos, e di punta ko dun sa supervisor.

"Anung kailangan mo iho?," bati saken ni Miss Supervisor.

DOST po kasi, pero meron po akong clearance sa DOST. Tapos pinakita ko sa kanya yung endorsement letter ko galing DOST na naka-address dun sa Head ng BI. Travel permit yun para sa inclusive na dates kung saan pinapayagan ako ng DOST na umalis ng bansa.

Tapos binasa sya ni Miss Supervisor.

"Eh request lang naman ito iho. Hindi naman ito clearance."

"Pero yan po yung binigay saken ng DOST nung humingi po ako ng clearance galing sa kanila. Yan din po yung ginagamit ko tuwing aalis ako ng bansa. Ilang beses na din po yun."

Tapos nag-ring yung cellphone nya. Tapos may nagtext sa kanya. Sinagot nya yung tawag. Kinakabahan na ko. Aalis na yung eroplanong sasakyan ko, panu kung nde nga ako payagan? Panu kung tumagal pa yung usapan namin ni Miss Supervisor at maiwan na ko ng eroplano?

Tapos sinagot nya yung text. Nag-iisip na ko ng mga sasabihin ko. Pinapawisan na ko sa nerbiyos.

"Panu 'to iho? Dalhin mo na lang 'to sa BI, dun ka makipag-usap."

"Pero, yan po talaga yung clearance ko galing DOST. Ilang beses na po akong umaalis na yan po yung pinapakita kong permit."

Tapos binasa namin phrase by phrase yung endorsement letter. May mga instances na feeling nya tama nga sya. Tapos magpapaliwanag ako. Itutuloy namin yung pagbasa. Tahimik saglit. Tapos nde pa rin sya papayag, uulitin nya yung points nya, idedefend ko naman ulit yung sakin.

"Itatawag ko na lang sa phone itong letter mo ha. Ichecheck ko sa kanila." Pakiramdam ko, napipikon na sya saken. Tumataas na kasi yung boses nya na parang naiirita na sya.

Nde naman din pwedeng OK na lang ako ng OK sa sinasabi nya. E nde nya ko papaalisin e. So sabi ko na lang "Sige po, Dapat po." Dun sya lalung nagalit.

"Dapat po!". Namimilosopo ka ba? Galit na tanong nya saken. E ang ibig ko lang naman sabihin, tama at dapat lang yung ginagawa nyang paghihigpit, na dapat chinecheck nga nila yung mga taong lumalabas ng bansa, lalu na kaming mga may "kaso" o black-listed sa kanila.

Tapos padabog syang lumabas ng room para nga i-confirm yung letter ko.

Pagbalik nya. "O cge, ayus na 'to. Ipa-xerox mo na lang tapos bigay mo dun sa pinilahan mo kanina. Wag kang pilosopo ha, Ikaw na nga yung tinutulungan, ikaw pa yung pilosopo jan."

He he he. Natawa na lang ako. Siguro nga mali yung linya ko kaya namis-interpret nya.

Yun yung unang beses na pinapunta ko sa Office of the Supervisor sa immigration sa NAIA. Nakakatrauma, iba pala yung tension kapag may hinahabol kang eroplano, tapos haharangin ka naman sa immigration dahil meron kang dapat linawin sa kanila. Nakakaihi.

Muli, dahil sa bagong rule, bye-bye na sa ganung mga experience.

Hindi pala.

Lampas alas-dose na nung turn ko na sa mahabang pila. Confident sa bagong rule, iniabot ko yung berdeng passport ko kasama yung letter ko galing DOST. "DOST po."

Tapos after i-check nya sa database sa computer nila yung pangalan ko. "Black listed ka pa. Nde pa nalilift yung pangalan mo sa listahan namin."

"Pero may permit po ako, galing DOST." Haay. Nakakasawa na nu? Uulitin ko na naman yung mga linya ko. Na ganito ganun, na may bagong rule na kaya. Na ok na yung travel clearance na pinapakita ko, supposedly.

Sa linya ng immigration, merong dalawang officers sa isang booth. Tapos dalawang pila din. Sa may maliit na bilog na bintana ng booth, dun mo makakausap yung immigration officer. Dun hahanapin yung passport, ticket, immigration form at kung anu-ano pang pag-uusisa nila sayo. Meron din silang computer para i-check yung pangalan mo, kung pede ka nga nilang payagang umalis.

Dalawa silang babaeng officers sa booth. Dun kami nakapila ni Ate My sa officer sa may right side. Si IO1 yung nag-iimbestiga saken, si IO2 naman yung kasama nya sa booth.

IO1: "Nde naman ito permit, endorsement letter lang 'to. Asan na yung reply letter dito?"

Jayson: "Yan po yung permit na binigay saken nung DOST."

IO1: "Dinala mo ba 'to sa BI? Dapat dinala mo, asan na yung reply nila dito?"

Jayson: "Pero sabi po ni Sir Dante sa DOST, ifa-fax na daw po nila sa BI yung lahat ng documents ko kasama po yung travel itinerary ko."

IO1: "Sino nagsabi?"

Jayson: "Si Sir Dante po sa DOST yung kinunan ko po ng clearance."

IO1: "E nde naman clearance to. Kailangan mo pa syang dalhin sa BI."

OK. Timeout muna. Kinakabahan na ko, oo. Pero ilang beses ko ng dinaanan 'to. Kumbaga, word for word, everytime, ganito na ng ganito. So nde ako dapat magpa-intimidate sa kanya, dapat relaxed at composed pa din ako. Pag nde, bye bye eroplano at iyak ako sa BI. Plus, ano dadalhin ko na naman pauwi yung mga bagahe ko. Hassle naman yun.

IO2: "DOST ba yan? E pinag-aral yan ng gobyerno.", sabi nya kay IO1.

IO1: "Panu na 'to? Anong gagawin naten dito?," nagtatanong ba sya saken? Time na ba para magmakaawa ako sa kanya?

Jayson: "Pero Ilang beses na po na yan po yung ginagamit kong clearance para umalis."

IO2: "San ka nagtatrabaho?"

Jayson: "Sa Makati po."

IO2: "Panu mo binabayaran yung gobyerno? Bakit ka aalis?"

Jayson: "Ma'am yung kontrata po namin sa scholarship magwowork po ako sa Pilipinas."

IO1: "Oo nga. Bakit ka aalis. Nde pwede, nde pa nalilift yung pangalan mo dito sa listahan namin."

Jayson: "Opo. Kaya po kailangan ko po ng permit para payagan po ako. Dala ko po yung clearance ko galing DOST."

IO2: "Diba may kontrata ka? Ilang taon nga yun?"

Jayson: "Katumbas po kung ilan taon pong nag-aral."

IO2: "Ilang taon?"

Jayson: "Limang taon po."

IO2: "Ilang taon ka ng nagtatrabaho?"

Jayson: "Tatlo po."

IO2: "O, e di may dalawa pa."

Jayson: "Opo. Pero pinapayagan naman po nila akong umalis."

IO1: "Dun ka na lang sa supervisor namin makipag-usap. Ibalik mo saken yan na may sign nya kapag pinayagan ka. Wala ka namang clearance."

IO2: "San ka ba nag-aral?"

Jayson: "Sa UP-Diliman po."

IO1: "Sige dalhin mo na yang letter mo sa supervisor."

Jayson: "Pwede pong nde na ko pipila ulit kapag bumalik po ako sa inyo?"

IO1: "Oo basta pa-sign mo yan sa kanya tapos balik mo saken." Yung tono nya, confident sya na nde na ko makakabalik na may sign nung supervisor nila.

Haay. Nde ko alam, dapat naiiyak na ko neto. He he. Pero dahil siguro paulit-ulit na lang na ganito. Sanay na din ako sa sistema. So here I go again. Pagkatapos kong ibalita kay Ate My yung bagong rule, nde ko inaasahan yung pangalawang meeting ko with the Supervisor. Natatakot na nga ako dun, baka makilala nya pa ko, yung pilosopo daw na humihingi ng permit na makaalis.

Naisip ko na lang, OK lang to. At least meron silang screening kahit papano, saka lunch time na rin. Siguro nde pa sila kumakain kaya tinatarayan nila ko.

So hinanap ko yung office of the supervisor. Kumaway na lang ako kay Ate My na mauna na sya kasi malamang matatagalan na naman ako. Haay buhay!

Tapos lalaki naman yung in-charge nila ngayon. Inaasikaso nya yung schedule ng mga officers sa line dahil nga nde pa kumakain yung karamihan sa kanila.

Jayson: "Kayo po ba yung supervisor?".

Mr. Supervisor: "Baket?"

Jayson: "DOST po."

Mr. Supervisor: "Ay naku iho, ikinalulungkot ko pero kailangan mo ng clearance."

Lalaking katabi ng Supervisor: "Kailangan mo ng clearance."

Bakit lagi na lang may kakampi yung mga taong kausap ko? Nakakatawa kasi para syang may alagang parrot, e inulit nya lang naman yung sinabi nung supervisor diba?

Jayson: "Heto po yung permit ko." May kausap pa si Mr. Supervisor kaya yung lalaking katabi nya yung kumuha nung letter ko. Binasa tapos iniabot saken pabalik tapos umalis.

Tapos iniabot ko ulit yung letter kay Mr. Supervisor nung natapos na silang mag-usap nung isang lalaking kausap nya. Nde rin basta-basta makakaalis dahil may warrant of arrest. Depensa naman nung lalaki, nde nya alam yung kasong yun. Tapos pinapagalitan nya yung iba nyang kasama na sumama sa kanya kay Mr. Supervisor dahil wala naman silang kaso, na sya na yung bahala dun, mauna na sila sa pila.

So inaayos nila yung kaso nung lalaki. "Diyos ko po!" Nde ko alam pero magkahalong tensyon, nerbyos at natatawang-naiinis na ko sa paulit-ulit na nangyayari saken sa NAIA.

evaluation

Just like a wave, there's ups and downs.

Last July of this year, I received my midyear performance evaluation. Basically it's a grading system wherein you collect points from Productivity (50 points), Technical Capability (30 points), Cooperativeness (10 points) and Work Method and Discipline (10 points).

Depending on this criteria, at stake is my salary increase for this year and a chance to get promoted. Even though I am not aware of what score it will take to push me into promotion or how does the management convert the points into salary increase. It's a secret formula derived from I don't know who and why. To be safe, I need a high score. The higher I get, the greater is my increase and perhaps the more chances of being promoted.

It's one of the greatest source of my frustration for the past couple of months.

I think last year was not a good year for me performancewise. I got a lot of bugs for the software modules I own. But then again, who doesn't? I am trying to improve, though the evaluation is for last year, not this year. I only started to focus on my weaknesses just when I realized that my software engineering career is not where I wanted it to be. Only late this year that I want growth and maximal posible improvement. Last year was an experimental stage. And experiments often accompany failures, you don't usually get it right at first try.

Oh yes. Then why be frustrated? That's because I think the "experiment" has been three full years already. He he he. If I was not getting any substancial results from this career, then I might as well shift to a different path. And three years is long enough to experiment, isn't it?

I gave myself an 88 of a possible 100. From my college days, a grade of 1.0 requires 93%. And just like in college, I am not the one to give myself a grade. He he he. My manager gave me an 86. And I know, from these results that I am not progressing as much as I want to. I was thinking of a career shift already. Last year I had an 84, this year 86. If I was to follow the trend, I need 4 more years to surpass the 93% mark. That's a whole lot of time and it doesn't even mean it's going to be that way. As I've said the scores are to be interpreted by the management and it's a secret formula that they are using. Nothing definite.

I was lost. It's not so easy to shift to a different career or a different company. It's not so hard neither, especially if it's really time to change. The most difficult part of it all is that my decisions will certainly affect my family. It's not just my career that is on the line.

How could I quit my job now for frustrations when my brother and my sister needs me for their schooling. When only 50% of our house is constructed. Wrong timing.

Frustrated. Lost. Struggling.

I turned down an offer from a good friend to join him in his new company for almost twice my current salary. I did not entertain the thoughts of working abroad for better career opportunities. I wanted to stay and help this company. Unfortunately, I felt I wasn't competitive enough to be a software engineer.

Plan B. I'm going back to school for my Master's degree in Electronics. While in school, I'll take a refresher's course to prepare for the ECE licensure exam. I just have to wait for a little less than two years for my sibings to finish their studies.

Having a backup plan helped ease my frustrations. If I were not to progress as a software engineer, why force it? After a couple of weeks, I begin to feel relieved. I pressured myself too much. Perhaps I was expecting a lot. I started to take it easy.

Back to that midyear evaluation last July, after my manager sent the results he invited us to talk about it for comments, concerns, rants and objections. Back then, I was too frustrated to talk it over. I wanted to just forget all about it and focus on Plan B.

Yesterday, two months after the evaluation period. Again, we were invited by our manager to discuss the results. We can gain a lot of insights and improvements from knowing our strengths and weaknesses, I think that's the most important goal of the evaluation (aside from the salary increase, he he). I agreed, I think I'm over the frustration stage already. I have taken things in a different perspective, I think I am already about to welcome a career shift in two years time so why not discuss the evaluation, learn from it and move on.

I got the promotion. Surprised and overjoyed. I was too busy being frustrated and thinking of Plan B when I should have just focused on what I have started for this year - improving my software know-how.

Was I just too impatient? Perhaps I was thinking too hard and making it too hard on myself.

I learned to take things easy. I started frustrated and then lost and struggling.. learned to take it easy and ended with a smile.

It's time to celebrate. We'll have ice cream on the house tonight. ;)

Nine Songs

Baby Can I Hold,
Everything,
Exodus,
Hangin' By a Moment,
How's It Gonna Be,
If You're Gone

Six mp3 songs played by my phone while I try, my mind willing and my body struggling so damn hard, to do shadow boxing. By the end of the second song, sweat began to ooze out of my body (perhaps of heat and hard exercise combined). By the third song, I began to struggle with my breathing. By the fourth, I am already bathing in my own sweat and I can hardly catch my breath. By the fifth, it was a mental struggle "You can do it.. You can do it..", my body wants stop, my mind pushing it to its limits. By the sixth, it was "just finish the song.. finish it." And so I did and it was just my stubborn will to complete my daily cardiovascular training - shadow boxing.

Left jab, right straight. Jab, jab, straight. Left uppercut, right uppercut. Left jab, right uppercut. Move your feet, let go of the jab. Weave, don't let your invisible opponent catch you, move your head. Stalk, jab.. Repeat randomly until fully exhausted.

Half naked and facing a mirror, sometimes moving around to simulate a true sparring match. It was a pure struggle, cut the fats, trim the belly. Foolish. Fantastic.

The seventh song, Quasimodo, I rest for a while and study how much belly fats I still have to loose while I childishly enjoy the water coming out of the faucet. Water is my best friend by the seventh.

I do two sets of push ups when The Russian Futurists began to play. The first set with 30 counts and the second with only 20 as my arms already feeling the pains of a hard work out.

By the ninth song, Vindicated, I was doing my abdominal exercises. Whew, I was barely able to lift my body off the floor afterwards.

Baby Can I Hold was starting to be repeated when I washed and changed clothes.

It was a fine day as I retire to bed. Seven weeks almost complete (the first few weeks wherein I was only able to complete two songs of shadow boxing), ten more weeks left of rigorous exercise. I will not shave my beard till the final training day. ;)