Where on earth have I been all week???!!!!

I feel like I vanished off the face of the earth without knowing and resurfaced to see everything topsy-turvy. That's how my brain and body feel, literally and figuratively.

I've been to Cavite and back for three days straight, since Monday, reporting to work at my new office at Intel Philippines. Yes, Cavite. No I don't drive, I take the employee shuttle early in the morning. How early? 5.15 in the morning. Yes, that early. We're supposed to be at the campus at 7 am. Thankfully though we get to leave at 4pm. But the ride back to Manila takes 2.5 hours in traffic--it's a killer. My back and shoulders officially hurt now.

It may sound insane, this thing I'm doing, but it's extremely exciting. On my first day alone, I felt I had already made a contribution, and I got recognized for it. On the second day, my manager showed confidence in me by allowing me to take on of their state-of-the-art digital cameras and shoot an event. On my third day I was given my focus areas during our calibration meeting. My manager said, we're looking forward to working with you because of your experience and expertise. I felt really good -- good enough to forget the long, tiring trip home that night, and the fact that I had just one more day to study for my compre exam for my MA.

On Thursday, I took the day off to study for my exam which was happening on Friday. I just read, made notes, synthesized and tried answering chapter quizzes all day. On Friday, three other BC majors and I took the whole day exam. Needless to say that, by that evening, I was totally wasted. I just wanted to sleep all through the weekend.

But I couldn't! Because on Saturday, we had an exhibit and mini-conference to attend. At 9.30 I rounded up my office mates and made our way to the Titus Brandsma Center where we were part of their Communication Day. It was a loooooong day. We answered queries, encouraged people to explore our demos, sat through an afternoon of talks. On top of that, there was a brownout! A generator provided power only to one side of the conference hall where the speakers made their presentation. The rest of us had to sit and listen in the dim hall. I never knew that alone could be extremely tiring. But despite that, we came away with several inquiries and a couple of good leads. Hopefully we turn those into revenue. :-)

Now we're finally home and I'm sooo tired. Actually, I feel flu-ey. And I have a gigantic zit growing on my chin. And varicose veins are starting to appear on my poor feet. Sigh, I guess it's just a matter of coping, one day at a time. But right now I don't want to think about the next day. I'll soak in this moment first, and the feeling of gratitude to the cosmos for making things unfold quite smoothly a little at a time, at the right time.

(photos to follow)

Babae nanaman ang may kasalanan??!!

I am bothered by the series of ads/PSAs of the Catholic Church that have been airing over free tv. It warns against inappropriate dressing while attending church. Normally I wouldn't be so bothered by it, but I think I am disturbed by these ads because of the implications they bring.

1. What is their definition of appropriate dressing?
2. Why are their ads all women-centered? Babae lang ba ang inappropriately dressed?
3. Hopefully the Church doesn't assume everyone can dress according to what THEY think is appropriate. Kasi, paano na yung mga di sing-well off na di kayang mamili ng mga bagong damit?
4. Bakit panglabas na anyo ang tina-target nila? Di ba lumang tugtugin na yan? At bakit ngayon lang ulit? Akala ko ba, sa dinami-dami ng mga sermon nila, na di mahalaga kung anong itsura mo: ang importante ay kung anong nasa puso mo.
5. Bakit laging cleavage ang nakatutok sa mga ads?
6. Bakit di nila gawan ng ads ang mga taong nagse-cellphone habang nagmi-misa, o kaya yung mga nag-iingay tuwing misa?

I am curious to know which agency conceptualized, shot and produced these ads. They're well-made, mind you. Good production values and all. But the message, the content is skewed--IMHO. In this age where we have begun exalting the values and virtues of women in society and nation building, they revert to medieval mindset: women treated as chattel and harbingers of "sin".

Baka din naman, this country, and this religious belief, never let go of the mindset.

Changes

Most of it came within a breath of each other last week, and I am still reeling from implications they bring.

One of the biggest steps for me was to decide that it should come. After five years, I guess it was time to move on. I'm anxious about the new environment, the people I will meet and the work expected of me. But I guess that's normal for anyone taking on something new. But sometimes I wonder: maybe I'm getting old and change becomes less and less attractive.

Then there's the Hubby: Oz has called! Specifically the Carnegie Mellon University in Adelaide. If all goes well he will leave for the Land Down Under in January next year. Of course I'm going with him, but only after my contract ends. That's two months after. Ugh! Will I survive?

This particular development will be the basis for our next decisions: what do we do with our stuff? What do we sell? What do we keep? Where do we put them while we're away? Will we come back?

*Sigh* That's why I'm glad I woke up early today. To have breakfast. Alone. And to let my mind breathe before I make another sprint. These developments have zapped my energy but then I just keep telling myself "Change is nature." Wise words from a mouse.