Pixela Pics

I just posted (most probably) the last picture posts for some time to come. These were taken of Team Pixela. Although some were taken December, 2004, these pictures show all the members of the team including the last three members I trained: Rex, Dax and Lott. (When I left, Dax and Lott have not yet passed their verbal exams.)

If you notice the last picture (me and Cielo, with Rino in the background), I couldn't help but really smile. A very toothy grin, in fact. Most probably because I was just happy -- like the cat which caught the canary. That was taken, if I was not mistaken, either Wednesday or Thursday of my last week at work. As much as possible, I did not take any calls during my last week at work. Several reasons, but primarily because I might not stand the urge to just get irate at the poor caller. Hey, what was the worst they could do to me, get me fired? Anyway, that was a very tiring week, with me working a full shift from 10:00pm to 7:00pm, and doing half-day shift at the new job, 1:00 to 5:00pm. I went home after the call center work, slept around 2 to 3 hours, had lunch and went to Makati for the other job. Afterwards, I went to the call center, tried to catch an hour and a half of sleep, had supper, and started work training Lott. It was a very tiring experience. Funny though, I was very giddy at work, with a silly grin most of the time. I was enjoying it. Crazy. I wonder why. I must admit that the various thoughts going through my mind were mainly crazy: about my officemates, friends, callers, my job, my trainees, individual team members, and their various personalities, that sort of thing.

I was happy. I left the company smiling. Now if I can only finish the damn clearance.

--andoy
30 January 2005

Cielo and Me, again with Rino in the background most probably with a UK-line call.
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Tonette (as candid as I can get).
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Lott and Tonette
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Taken during Lott's training.
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Team Pixela, with Martin (Ops. Mgr.) and Ben (TL).
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On the floor, Tatum (in front) with Lott on the next seat, Rudi at the rear.
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Team Pixela on the job, from the front: Tatum, Rudi, Rex, and (hidden) Rino.
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Me, with my two December trainees, Dax and Rex.
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Pixela Team in the former QA Room, Nov/Dec 2004
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Tonette and Tristan Tatum
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Dax
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Headache

Third day on the job and I have a headache. I have no idea why.

What has happened so far? A software inventory. Finalized decision on software usage. Some research. And now a gradual uninstallation and installation of software. Bugs on the network are slowly coming out. I'd guess if we had the numbers, these would have come out in the open earlier.

Some construction still on the office. The construction workers come in after work hours and finish up with the executive offices. So there's a thin patina of very fine dust every morning, from the sanding, painting, etc.

I do miss my mates at the call center. Though I'm thoroughly enjoying the current work hours. Day Walker! Has a nice ring to it.

--andoy
26 January 2005

On the job...

It's my second week on the job. And my first week full-time. There wasn't much to do last week. Just really taking the time to be seen as a new employee. And even now, I'm still lying low, doing practically nothing yet. I guess this will be the tempo of my work here, background stuff, support things which are probably preventable in the first place. It is different from what I was doing in the call center, bottom line is that at least here, I can research and some planning, along with the odd job of cataloguing the software, buying cable ties, etc.

Looks like a fun place to be in. Just waiting for the time when there really is a need for my services, just to see if I can deliver. Should be some time soon.

--andoy
25 January 2005

Ear Rings

There are some days when I can appreciate women's fashion. Or at least fashoin sense. There are days when I don't even want to even try. And there are those days, when you get transfixed and don't know if you like it or you don't. Case in point: the jacket tied around the waist. I don't get it, it looks logical, tries to be cool but sometimes fails. Another case: the scarf, in a tropical country, neat, elegant, but in a tropical country I'd want to think about it.

Which brngs me to my point. Ear rings I like on a woman. These are cute, elegant, non-descript sometimes, and in most instances "points the way." I dare say, that a woman without any ear rings is lost. The fashion concept though is where I get lost. What makes a woman wear dangling ear rings? Why would she prefer studs? Why the variety? I know this "girl" (for want of a better term, as "woman" seems a little too old a term for her) or "young adult" who wears different ear rings everyday. In fact, last I saw her, she was wearing ear rings which were made by her cousin. It becomes her. I have not noticed if she ever wears studs, but I guess I'd not notice if she ever did. I guess I've made up my mind that she should be wearing what pleases her, and that she has a good idea that her ear rings please her a lot. And I hope a whole lot of other guys also notice her and get captivated by her ear rings.

--andoy
25 January 2005

Hell Week!

This really is Hell Week!

I made the mistake of committing to a half-day of work at the company I am moving to. All along, I thought I was still on the US shift on the call center. Turns out that because I was training a new agent, the schedule was changed to 10:00pm to 7:00am (from 1:00am to 10: pm).

With the new schedule, I leave home at 12:00noon, arrive at the office at 1:30 or thereabouts, then stay 4 hours. I arrive at the call center around 7:30pm, with time enough for an hour or hour and a half nap. After finishing the switch at 7:00am, I get home around 8:30 or 9:00 am. After I sleep aroudn 2 hours, I would then prepare to leave for the day job.

So far this week, after four days, I have taken an aggreage of around 10 hours (maximum). I am not sure if I can attend work tomorrow.

Other worries include: training the replacement Agent; turnover of documents; the friends in the precinct, and my kids. I have not seen my kids since Monday morning, when they left for school. And I was only able to talk to them over the phone that one time, last Wednesday
evening.

With regards the gents, I am just making sure that they are okay and that there would be no surprises,that the new agent (who transferred from another account) would be trained enough not to goof up big time. I also wanted to make sure that there was no loose ends with some of the other agents. I have a trainee from December who still has not passed the verbal exams. And the new german-speaking agent, has not taken the verbal exams yet. There is no QA person yet, either. The training materials should be transferred or endorsed to the new trainor, who is yet to be named.

All in all, excepf for the lack of sleep, everything is fine.

--andoy
20 January 2005

"Moments Which Pass By"

Moments Which Pass By


I stand in awe
at moments which pass by

I ask, "When?"
she answers, "I don't know."
I plead, "I need you."
She bows her head, turns
and whispers, "I know."

eyes mist over
agony wrenching from within

I sit across her and wait
watching her stance to nowhere
as if I do not exist
intent on what she does

whispered conversation
lips almost moving
and voices unheard in the ambient noise
"I need a hug," uttered while looking to nowhere
"Here," arms open
in offering and acceptance
chest to breast
warm and tightly locked

The room continues its life
noticing and not noticing
the couple in tight embrace
nonchalant
belying clarity of thought
and acceptance of need and longing

--andoy
18 January 2005

Closing a Page

Although I've already started in the other company, I still have five more days of work in the other call center. My last day of work will be on Friday. I'd be finishing the training either by Wednesday or Thursday. There are several other items I need to turnover. And I need to make sure that my replacement is in a good position to accept the responsibility. Hopefully, the company can decide who among the candidates they'd choose as trainor.

In the meantime, I'm working full-time graveyard shift here, as well as part-time/half-day in the other company. But only for this week. I know it will be a hard week. But I guess, it has to be done.

--andoy
18 January 2005

Starting Again

I started my new job yesterday, Monday. It was a slow start, admittedly, with no desk, and no computer. The AC socket on the floor has no power yet, as the technician was still working on the cabling. However, auspiciously, I saw an old schoolmate who started working that same day.

Butch has had more programming experience than I have, although I may have an edge being a generalist who'll be on the design end. I look forward to working with him, as I've heard a lot about his job experiences. Seems funny that we would be working together 25 years after high school.

On the other end, we've started talking to two manpower companies about getting java programmers. I've worked with both companies before and I also look forward to getting people from them and working with these people. I just hope that the other people I wanted to work with would be able to join me soon enough.

--andoy
18 January 2005

"undertones"

The sex of a long friendship, is the act which is not physical.
It is the smile,
the slight caress of the palm,
the pinch of the cheeks, or the nose,
a smirk,
a wiggling of the nose to raise the eyeglasses,
it is communicating a need,
a short discourse, perhaps,
a hunger of the soul to feed.
It is asking: "have you eaten?", or just asking: "coffee?"

Let the eye stray, or wander,
and maybe the paths might diverge,
it is not fate, or destiny, which will rule,
but that compass at the back of your mind,
of the wish for peace,
a longing for serenity,
of companionship without asking,
without doubt,
without regret, without restraint, and always with utmost respect,
that the bodies will come,
but only if, and only if,
the sex is with the soul.

--andoy
14 January 2005