Happy New Year 2005

First day of the year 2005. And I am looking forward to more of it. This should be a good year, might even turn out to be great year.

2004 was a good year all in all. Things happened to my career. There was mobility, opportunity and regularization. But, there were job-related health issues. I guess that would be unavoidable. New friends. And I was able to get in touch with friends from the old days, from UPLB and AMA Computer College. Some of my friends got married. And, of course, there were some who were very lucky (or in a hurry) and got pregnant. That should be fun.

There were tragedies. Soc and Alex's daughter died from an aneurysm last August. Rene's father died last October. About the same time Dona Estrella also passed away.

There were national calamities, with several typhoons coming into the country late in the year. There were several international (natural) catastrophes with the earthquake just off Indonesia, resulting in a tsunami which caused a lot of damage from Indonesia, across the Bay of Bengal, to Thailand, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and across the Indian Sea, to Africa, and the various island countries.

The elections. 'Nuff said.

Fernando Poe, Jr. died of an aneurysm.

I got held up last January, after spending the good part of a day trying to find a good pair of shoes. I was in an FX, the guy had a gun, and he wanted cell phones. Didn't take any money from the passengers, just the cell phones. I guess he would have been disappointed with my phone as it was a low-end Siemens.

Last November 1, there were three guys who tried to punch me. I was able ride a jeep and these guys did not attempt to get in, but wanted to get the punches through the window. No real damage. For the life of me, I could not remember their faces, although I think they work at Chowking, Riverbanks branch (they were talking about something they did with a customer involving black gulaman.) I guess I was lucky, their punches didn't connect.

Last March, my brother Bert went to the Middle East to work. I would not comment about his loneliness. We miss him very much. He gained weight, mainly because there's nothing to do there. Maybe he can get a vacation later this year.

I have a standing invitation for a an IT job with a former boss. I just need to pull some people first to make sure I've got good technical support before I even start negotiating for the job. It's for a technical/supervisorial position. And I am still not sure if I will accept. Although I am looking forward to working with some of my friends, the current job has its advantages. It's near my home. After the shift, the job is done. The people I work with are great. Well, most of them are. Lousy work hours., but great OT terms. I'm sure with this job opportunity, I can get three times my current salary, but unless a clincher (or deal sweetener) comes along, I'm not pulling stakes and move. If I take up the offer, it's for a long-term contract with prospects of regularization. In my current job, I'm already a regular employee, and with some patience, I think I can make the same amount some time soon (maybe within two years.) If I have not taken up the offer within the next two months, I would most probably stay in place for at least the next six months. And if nothing happens (no movement, no increase, no nothing) during that period, I'm moving.

I am looking forward to the surprises 2005 has to offer. I am sure there would be a lot of them.

--andoy
1 January 2005