We won again! Second time in a row, baby! Yeah! Hahah! All hard work and practicing till almost midnight paid off! The Macalooweez has once again earned the right to be called champions! As I said, "We are The Macalooweez and we defend what we deserve!" With our dance presentation themed The Macalooweez take it to the streetz, we definitely rocked the dance floor! Also, with the judges being dance authorities themselves, we sure made an impression of how dancing in a dance competition should be like! We not just bagged ourselves a whooping P30,000 we also got the much-anticipated prize of one more year of bragging rights! Hahahah! Kidding! We're just really happy we did it with flying colors as the result. We all hope the USAP Marketing peeps are proud of us. We proved ourselves worthy of the investment, right? :D Thanks again for all your support! And thanks to the Kupy for the Macalooweez logo! :D

And now, give it up for the USAP Dance Competition 2007 and 2008 Champion!! Enjoy! *drum rolls*

USAP Marketing Christmas Presentation (Champion - December 2007)

USAP Marketing Dance Presentation - The Macalooweez (Champion - December 2008)

The Sweetest Birthday Surprises

I've never been surprised on my birthday in the 21 years that I've been in this world. I've been surprised with gifts that I didn't think I'd be getting, yes, but not been given a surprise birthday party, yet. Okay, let me cut the introduction and get to the bottom of this! My friends from the office decided to make my birthday extra special and they went out of their way to surprise me a day before my birthday (read: they planned the surprise together with my family and boyfriend)! There! Haha!

What really made it extra special was the fact that they surprised me at our house. I didn't expect them to go all the way to our home sweet home and I was expecting that they'd do it in our office and on my real birthday (Haha expecting! Feelingera! Cause it has already become our tradition to surprise our friends on their birthday). So imagine my surprise when Mike and I got back from running an errand for my Mum and they suddenly appeared singing Happy Birthday and holding a cake (read: frozen for a good 10 seconds and just staring at them like I've seen a ghost! LOL!). That time I was thinking, "They're here. What are they doing here? Sarah, Ico, Ronan, Maje, Anna, Zac," and it took a few seconds before I realized they surprised me. Hahaha! They also gave me a purple tumbler with a collage of my pictures with my friends as the design. Oh well, aren't they the sweetest friends? =D

But that's not yet the end of the surprise! On the day of my birthday, my Web Analytics Family (the sole Junior Business Analyst included) also gave me a surprise Happy Birthday! I was working at that time (I think. Haha!) when someone tapped me on my shoulder and when I looked up, there they were holding a Purple Cake (Ube flavor, yum!) and singing Happy Birthday! They also gave me a pillow which says "World's Sexiest Woman." Haha! =D How true! Haha! Kidding! =P

I need not go into details of the surprise and how I looked like, I'll just let these snapshots do the story-telling of how my 22nd birthday was celebrated. At the end, you'll see for yourself how sweet my friends are and how special I felt on my birthday. =D



Thanks to our official photographer, Ronan, who documented (took pictures. Hehe!) the event. More pics here, and here, and here. =D

Missing Creativity Though Not Regretting

I hate to admit it but I'm kind of like missing writing, writing creatively (that is, if my articles before can be considered creative enough. Hehe). But yeah, I kind of miss my copywriting days here at USAP. At that time, I felt like I was stitching together beautiful words to produce creativity out of something as plain and as dull as say a catalytic converter or oxygen sensor. These car parts are among the hundred automotive parts that I needed to carefully understand in order to come up with readable and, if I'm lucky, interesting articles for online visitors to take notice of. It was difficult, really, as I needed to write something I never knew before existed in car parts! Hehe! But even though that what was I felt most of the time, writing these articles gave me a sense of satisfaction and self-esteem as it juiced out the creativity and writing skill in me. After all, writing was and still is my passion (though it may not be obvious =P) no matter what I write about.

But passion's flame sometimes flicker and for the sake of not letting it completely lose its fire, it needs to take some time off. It needs to be kept in a place where no air can ever die it out. And for people, like myself, who've had a chaotic experience involving their passion, giving it a rest is highly prescribed to preserve the little self-esteem left to them. I need not go into details of my bitter experience as I've ranted about it so many times before, I've already gotten over it. Thank God!

This "bitter" experience led me to pursue another career which to this day I never regret my decision to do so. It opened up another ray of hope for me that I could still do something else (as I clearly thought it would be the end of my writing career and feared that I'd not know what to do anymore) and which has become my newfound passion - Web Analytics. Numbers may not have been my forte as digits and words are clearly from different worlds but pursuing Web Analytics has made me the perfect example that writers/journalists can indeed be friends with Math and its subjects. Hehe! I've tapped the analytical and numerical skills in me but of course, I still can't say that I've mastered them. But I know I'm learning them with the help of Maia, my boss. Each day has become educational as I learn something new and I am able to understand something which I could not have understood before. Each day is a step closer to knowing fully what Web Analytics is all about. Each day has become exciting!

Though I've uttered praises for my new career, it hasn't been all smooth-sailing. My colleagues and I still find ourselves working with a blindfold, hoping we're doing the right thing. And recently, we've come to realize that we're having identity crisis on what we're really doing. But we're positive that we'll someday be able to define what our tasks really are.

Learning it proved to be not-so-easy given my background but it is not impossible, or to put it in a more positive term, it is achievable. Also, with Web Analytics, I felt the weight of my work, I felt my importance to the company I'm working for. But this is not to say copywriting is not important. I know it is though I may not have felt it before. It is actually with Web Analytics that I've come to realize the importance of keywords and keyword phrases which I was asked to write about as a copywriter. However, I'd have to admit that being a Web Analytics Specialist made me feel that my work suddenly makes sense. After all, as Avinash Kaushik, author of Web Analytics An Hour A Day, said of Web Analytics,

"It's sexy, it kicks butts, and is a goodwill ambassador!" (comparing it to Angelina Jolie. LOL!)

Oh and by the way, Avinash Kaushik also only happens to be one of the Great Trinity (as I'd like to call them, hehe) or the founders of Web Analytics! =D

Getting Back to the Old Habit

... of blogging, that is.

I had to deal with learning the essentials of Web Analytics and working as one too that I've had no spare time to blog anymore. But that doesn't mean I'm not a blogger anymore! I may have left my work as a blogger but I'm still in love with it, in love with writing in general. Time may not be of my luxury right now but soon I know I'll have it wrapped around my finger! (Insert evil laugh here. Hehe)

Anyway, it's the end of February and what better way to celebrate it than to be a little nostalgic and reminisce all the laughs and great times that February gave me, right?

So, here they are, my February Memoirs:

* I Started as a Junior Web Analytics Specialist
* Got the increase that I want! Woohoo! (I'm telling you, The Law of Attraction is the best!)
* Celebrated my Hunny Mike's birthday with his friends at his hometown in Montalban, Rizal
* We got that much-awaited "letter."
* Finally went to Tagaytay with Hunny Mike for his post birthday/Valentine celebration. Yey!
* Applied for Sun Postpaid Plan. (At long last! I've been planning this since last year!)
* Started planning with my officemates for our Subic Getaway on April! (Subic sun, here we come!)
* Surprised Kupy on his birthday with two Jolly Spaghetti meals (which, if I may add, he gulped down in single eating. Haha!) and his own "Kupy Cake."
* Balay ni Juan birthday celebration of Kupy. (Vidoeoke and drinks till midnight! Yeah!)
* Met Rica Peralejo. She interviewed our boss about PSP, Xbox, etc. for her segment in Umagang Kay Ganda (which I wasn't able to watch. Too bad!) But you can't deny it, our company rocks the coolest! (Wha? Hehe!)
* Met our "hot boss" from the US. He shall remain unnamed for corporate reasons. Boooo!
* Got my Starbucks planner c/o my Tita Gigi. =D
* Got meself a purple phone casing! Yey yey yey! I so love purple! Oh and Aysa also got me a purple cork/white board! Now, how cool is that? I'm drowning in purple! But don't save me! =P

I just remembered a better way to celebrate the end of February - getting the much-anticipated load of bread! LOL!

Funny iMac Moments

Hehe! These are pictures captured using one of our company's designers' brand new Apple iMac! Saya lang! Hehe!

Their iMacs just came in today and so we were suddenly excited to check it out and capture some funny pictures as well! =D

Kissing meself! LOL

Fussball Khoriks! :))

Pastel Effect (?)

Normal. Hehe!

Figure it out! Haha!

Happy Koreans! LOL!

Beheaded Ed! Hehe!

The Ambiescent

The Talent

Two minutes of staring at my computer screen and I literally didn't know how to put a mind-grabbing and interesting introduction to what I want to say. The backspace key was pressed a number of times in an attempt to make this introduction worthy enough for the whole content to be read. I don't know if this introduction was successful but this is the only way I can think of right now.

I guess what I am trying to say is I've lost the talent that I think I have - and now had - in writing. The realization came as I was reading a post a colleague made in her blogsite. It was just so well-written that I cannot help but realize that I haven't written such an interesting and promising article in quite a while. As a student, I had been praised for how I was able to put together words and present them in an interesting and in an almost-perfect-grammar way. I rejoiced. I finally have a God-given talent that I can cultivate and be proud of. And that I did.

Despite the negative and discouraging comments I got from my parents who kept on saying that they do not see that passion I have in writing, I kept on with my goal of being a writer. In the journalism school I attended, I studied with much excitement for the realization of my dream. Three years of reading, studying, doing reports, and writing articles and news and I was able to go out into the world with a diploma in my hand and good grades I hope to present to companies I want to be a part of. I was successful in my application as a web copywriter and so I began my quest to become a notable writer in time.

Fast forward to five months after entering the company and my dream suddenly became my worst nightmare. I had been told that my writing style had not been so well and that no improvement was made. I was crushed. I had been so sure that I am at least a good writer and then I have been slapped with the truth - that I need a lot of improvement. Okay, the truth really hurts. I blame myself mostly for what happened. I became so lax thinking that I was doing well and because I got such good grades when still in school. Apparently, I can't use that to defend myself against the truth because in reality, I had not shown the proof of these good grades through the work I was tasked to do.

I began thinking that what my parents told me was the truth - that writing isn't really for me. I had just been told that I was good at creating good articles and I've mistaken it as the career which I ought to pursue. Another slap there. Confusion clouded my mind and I became emotionally unstable. What was I to do? I knew at the time that I had to face this challenge and improve my writing but I just had no courage and motivation to hold on to that time.

It was a struggle to create even just a passable article. I'd like to think that I have been successful in doing that but I know it's a mistake to think that way. If I become lenient again, then I'll just be repeating and repeating this experience until I've learned my lesson. So, I'd like to think that I'm on my way there and that improvement is a never-ending process that I have to go through for the rest of my career life. That way, I'll finally be able to pick up the pins and needles that have hurt me so bad, never encounter and step on them again.

In time I know I'll be successful in fully reconciling with my God-given talent. But as of the moment, I'll continue on improving until I reach my dream. And because I am armed with encouragement from friends and prayers sent up above, I think I'll manage. I will become my dream.

Live. Laugh. Love.

Live, laugh, love. These are three of the most important things in life that I think I'm forgetting to do lately. I know it was because of a lot of problems that had me almost give up. I have absolutely zero motivations and naturally, inspirations rarely come as well. Ranting is what I've been doing, focusing on problems, when what I should be doing is to find solutions to my problems. But here's the thing, how do you solve a performance problem in work?

I really don't want to dwell on that anymore. I've had it with ranting (I hope. Hehe), crying over work (yes, I did), anger, and dwelling about how hopeless I am right now. As my mum said, there are still a lot of problems that are worse than mine so I have to be thankful. Yeah, I think I'll do that. I'll start thinking about only the good things that I have. No, not just that, the blessings that I'm receiving. There's still more to come, I know. So, I'll just focus on those. Life will be easier lived that way.

I'm guilty and very much ashamed to admit that I've almost given up my beliefs, given up on myself, and the gravest sin of all, I've almost given up on God. I was crazy back then. Crazy because of all the negative vibes, problems, and anger surrounding me. I've almost drowned, but He pulled me back up again. He still hasn't given up on me and I know He won't. So, I want to take this opportunity to say my simple thanks.

Thank you Lord for not giving up on me, for continuously blessing me even when I'm already at fault, and basically for everything. I owe you a lot and I hope in time, I'll be able to repay you by making you really proud of what I've become. I Love You.

I've said it. Yay! I feel so light-hearted and warm right now. In fact, I wanna sing my made-up song. LOL!

Bad vibes go away, don't come again another day.

Haha. Does it make sense? Well, anyway, I'm just so happy I'm okay now. I know there will still be lots of problems to come but I hope I don't lose my sanity over them. Hehe.

Another song,

Umaaraw, umuulan
Umaaraw, umuulan
Ang buhay ay sadyang ganyan

Umaaraw, umuulan

Wag kang maawa sa iyong sarili
Isipin na wala ka nang silbi
San’ dambuhalang kalokohan

Bukas sisikat ding muli ang araw
Ngunit para lang sa may tiyagang
Maghintay............

Kaibigan,
Wag kang magpapatalo
Kaibigan,
Itaas ang noo

Thanks a lot to the people who've helped me get through it all. My friends, my boyfriend, and my family. And of course, God. =)

Here's to another great journey ahead. Cheers!

How to Cope Up with the Stress of Work

I admit, the stress of working too much is draining me fast. Depression attacks and anger are the common results of the stress I get from work. I even told my friends that my work gets the fun out of writing. That's something, as I enjoy and love writing ( the very reason I took journalism obviously).

So, how do I still manage to get all things done, and still reach the incentive scheme of the company I work in?

• Have music in my ears
• Submerge myself in the aroma of my instant coffee (LOL) and drink it
• Browse sites not related to my work (after I'm done working on an article)
  
• Talk to my Oriental Love, Mike
• Chat with my officemates
  

• Pester my Hippie Boss (LOL! And yes, he really is my boss!)
  

• Cover myself with a blanket (during times that our office suddenly becomes Canada)
• And of course, blog!
  

Oh, and yeah, look at cute (and cuddly) things, as suggested by my officemate Rico in his blog post, A Dose of Cute Makes You Happy Enough to Get Things Done.

I am already aware of this that's why I carry a stuffed bear around the office. Unfortunately, this is how I Look like when I do that.

Although I think it scares my officemates, especially my boss who suffers the most from my "Teddy Bear Grenades." (Evil laugh)

Working Too Much and Enjoying Every Minute of It

Yes, I Think I've been working too much. The fact that it's already been two days since I last posted here proves that I don't have any time to spare anymore. But I'm not really complaining. I'm enjoying my job, believe it or not. But I'm not saying that i always enjoy it either because there are times that I just can't write a decent article for no reason at all. Well, maybe because I'm just to o restless, to sleepy, or to tired.

However, there are more times when I enjoy my work, not because of the work itself, but because of the good, no great company I get here everyday. We're always on the lookout for fun and we make sure that there is never a dull moment whenever we're not being so busy writing stuff.

I'm making the most out of my stay here (hey, I aint going nowhere), doing the very best performance I could give, so that when I look back on this working experience, regrets wouldn't surface and only happy memories to reminisce would greet me back.

I've already been in a bad working experience and I do not intend to relive that horror. I'd like to say that I'm a little experienced now in this kind of situation but I cannot neglect the fact that I still have a long way to go to achieve the credibility I long to get. This, I could only get through hard work, and I've been told that many times now.

Perhaps this experience will lead me to conquer new heights in the future so I am not to waste this precious bundle of experience. I believe that one day, I too will be able to inspire people to work harder not just through my writings but because I have become a living example of the word success.

Ciao! I need to get my ass up to the gym already! LOL!