Final Take on 2005

Dec27’05 was my last day at the office. Not that I resigned and went MIA. It was my last day for 2005. I’ll be back on January 04, 2006. I have not filed my VL yet for Jan2-3 but I already sent a notice to Vince last month. 2005 was a rough year for me on different levels.

At Work – The Dilbert Dilemma
Am I still happy or am I on a state of plateau? During Q1’05, I was working really hard just to show that I’m of so much value for our company. What pulls me back every now and then were the unsolved issues which dated way back 2002. There’s no one to blame (actually, Boyet still works at the other building, and some of the former A-IEs are still in our department) but I took accountability on closing those issues (until now). As I dig for answers, problems exponentially came out.

2005 was also the year where I performed capacity analysis on a higher level. I came out with the conversion plan for NGCAM. I made the presentations, worked it out with Ervin and Van, and was presented (by Shawee/Kevin/Ria) to BK. Without any training on capital planning, I’ve used what’s readily available like former presentations and excel files. Then I managed my own area’s capacity starting with metrologies and manual operations. I think that I was ahead of the so-called “power curve.” Later on, I came up with a suggestion that enabled the Philippines to process the next 1266 mobile product. I’m literally working on my Area-Capacity skills though the formal trainings will start next year.

At work, I made friends and “friends.” I became closer to my co-IEs and partied more. The end-of-week dinner-movie-coffee gimmicks, the coffee sessions, etc. WLE activities were different but still maintained the level of excitement. Who would think that Van. Jason and I would win the Jologs Quiz Show? We took the championship title for Volleyball, etc. Now, for my new “friends,” I think that I can start my own comic book with mix-and-match characters: Hello KiTty of the Sanrio Factory, Betty Boop who loves Brandy, Your Aunor Spongebob, Cocoa Puffs, Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, and Epi Quizon. Then, later on, the IE family welcomed GJG (Giant Joga Girl) and Mirinda Margate (the long lost 5th Softdrink Beauties).

The major downer (endorphin catalyst) in 2005 was when I told everyone that I am reaching my breaking point. Everyone was stunned as I opened up during the CMO IE Salu-usapan. Then it was followed by a 1:1 with Vince. Blah blah blah… I already told this sad story from my previous post. It was ancient history to me.

Nevertheless, Dilbert decided to stay until next year.

At Home – Family First Insurance
My sister graduated from HS and went to UP Diliman for college. She’s taking IE as well. I’m a very proud brother! What’s the catch? Well, we’re not exactly financially stable so I have to help her out on whatever she needs for college. Good thing she got the DOST-SEI scholarship. Anyway, I don’t look at it as a burden. It was my Tita Kate who paid for my college. It was my Grand Aunt who helped for my mom’s (and tita’s) tuition fees. It’s the circle of life without Simba. The downer, however, was that it seems that my dad was of no help to us.

But it wasn’t my dad who was completely useless, it was my uncle. It’s been more than a year since he stayed with us. From 12noon-7pm he’s at my grandma’s house, from 7pm-12noon, he stays with us. Useless! Complete waste of breathing oxygen. He does not have any job, he’s one solid drum of lard sitting and sleeping at our couch.

2005 was also the year wherein my tita Kate had her first baby, Marcus. Then later on, my Tita-Cousin Debbie had her own baby girl, my niece, Mariel(le).

Lovefool - Lustfull
No updates here. Zero. Nada. Does Not Exist. Anyway, I had a few short crushes (no Kodak moments though) in 2005. Want me to spill it out? Hmmm… I think I’d better use the word “like” instead of “crush.” Wait wait wait. Uhmmm… No horny-ness factor included (maybe an ounce or so). It was during my trip to the US where I met Mariel Abellan of Costa Rica. She’s fun to be with, that’s all. And she loves sushi!!! Then there’s Diana whom I just met as well when I was in Arizona. She’s… uhmmm.. pretty, morena, and smart. Then there’s this brief encounter with a girl at a coffee house (shit, I already forgot her name)! We just talked for a while, she gave me her number but I never called her back (and I lost that damn piece of paper). And that’s it. 3 for 2005. Now, as far as lusting for someone is concerned, I’ll just keep it in my dirty head.

Health is Wealth
From 112lbs, I’m now tipping the scale at almost 140bs. Thank god i didn’t blew up or had a beer belly or something. At least, the weight was distributed evenly in my body. The gained weight was not from going to the gym (zero attendance in 2005) or anything, it’s just that I love eating!

This year was also the year that I had a surgery to get rid of the bone cyst in my forehead. I’m now scarred for life looking like Frankenstein rather than Harry Potter. Right now, I’m feeling a small bump again. I have to get it checked out next year (I’m too lazy to get a doctor’s appointment this year). Anyway, this will explain my 2005 look: the guy with bangs look.

Smoking… Bad habits die hard.

Etc.
All in all. 2005 was the year of new challenges. It was a good year indeed. Hopefully, 2006 would bring something even better!