Throwback: Happy 6 years in the workforce!

I caaaaan't believe it! I'm getting old. :O

This deserves a throwback so bear with me as I try to recount my entire work history, its ups and downs, and how I got where I am today... which is the present, not like I'm at a certain peak yknow hehe. If there's a peak I've reached today that's certainly my weight.

Story time (also, long post ahead):

Photo from Pixabay

6 years ago I worked as a Software Development Analyst at one of the biggest telcos in the country. It was crazy. The work was mostly stressful, but the compensation is good. As a fresh grad I knew I was earning more than what most entry-level IT practitioners are getting, and thanks to their HR's high flyer incentive, my basic pay was even upped by 2k/mo because I graduated with honors. I was so proud of myself. Just carrying their ID feels ecstatic. Everybody knows this company, and I was there working as a programmer. I felt badass. The benefits are amazing too. Every Christmas they would give a Megabox full of groceries (one that required me to be fetched by car because I can't possibly commute with it), that's on top of 2 fiesta hams, and a 10k incentive. Each. And then there's the guaranteed 15th month pay. And the not-guaranteed performance bonuses that reached 18 months, at least during my stay. Too bad I wasn't there yet when they gave out 22 months worth of bonuses. Needless to say, we were showered with incentives. There's always something going on in the company. Parties, freebies, promos, celebrities, blah.

But the work? Oh damn. I would've stayed longer if I lived nearer, for real. But the stress levels of the work and the super long commute took a toll on my health. Physically and mentally. I felt so incompetent, working there. My kryptonite was Java, something we barely touched in college. Most of our applications are Java-based and it's frustrating how I can't learn it on the fly, no matter how hard I try. Everyday I would feel depressed that I couldn't freaking get this framework to work, that I don't get how beans, objects, and OOP work. The only thing I'm confident in doing is clearing our linux servers of temp files. 

I once spent my birthday in the office overnight because we had to rush an update for a fraud management tool. We would spend weekends developing a revenue system because our timeline was so bad. I always had to answer a call in the wee hours of the night because our systems are always flooding with alerts. Looking back I could've blamed the leadership for not properly estimating our timelines. Because it happened all the time. But back then I had no one to blame but me and my incompetent self. I was so sure I was the cause of delay. So I resigned. I wasn't getting the right motivation I needed to continue further. I concluded that I wasn't ready for the real world, and that I needed relevant training before doing anything.

And so I applied as a trainee at an IT consulting firm. The benefits are the exact opposite from my previous company. I wasn't proud carrying its name because it doesn't ring a bell in anyone's ear aside from having a "hard" qualifying exam. They call it The Hardvard Exam. I think it's just a really long IQ test. I remember applying to this same company when I was a fresh grad. I got in and they gave me an offer, but I had to decline because I got a better one. Who would've thought I'd be taking the same damned exam again. It was scary, taking the exam for the 2nd time. I was afraid I'd fail, that my mental state has deteriorated so bad because of stress haha. But thank God I got in. The first time I took it, I was the only one who passed in a batch of ~30 applicants. The second time I took it, 2 of us passed. The offer is so much smaller than what I used to earn in my previous company, and the benefits are basic and drab. But factoring in the shorter commute and the 3 months training pre-requisite, I figured it's about okay. 

Training was awesome. I almost failed on the first part because I suck at Mainframe/COBOL, but our Java Web Apps module was a frkn big help. I learned a lot. After our training I was deployed to a Java development team, servicing one of US' biggest airlines. It was crazy. It was at this point that I realized I'm not developer material. I don't like this track, it's eating me alive. Thankfully there was an internal opening with our QA team. I never considered software testing but at that time I was willing to try anything not programming. I requested to get transferred. My manager helped me out and signed me up in one of their trainings. This training was supposed to help the client pick 2 people to let in his team. I was one them. 

So I got on-boarded on my new team and got to the learn about my new function. From Software Engineer to Software Test Engineer. Eventually we got invited to visit onsite to meet and greet our other team members in the US, and to get better exposed to the airline applications we're testing. It was amazing. A month into my new team and I was working on my US Visa, getting excited at the prospect of staying 3 months in a foreign country. What a dream.

My 3 months stay in Minnesota was extended to 5 and that was, so far, the happiest point of my career. I was earning in dollars and I felt rich haha. Even though I was just on a per diem allowance,  the fact that my transportation and lodging is free, plus my peso account is still earning... I've no words to say. I even got promoted while I was there, so there goes more peso savings.

The 5 months came by so fast and I wish I could've stayed longer but oh well, not this time. I returned to the Philippines, 12lbs heavier, and came back to the grave (yard) reality that our country is in a seriously wretched state. There's something about going back from abroad that makes you despise your own country even more. I have zero nationalism in me.

Then things started to get awry for our company. One of our major healthcare clients terminated their contract with us, so that left us with waves of redundancies. Being in a different market circle, we weren't affected... yet. But the thought is slowly creeping in. I waited for my 3 year bond to end before actively pursuing other opportunities. There weren't a lot, but they were all so promising.

Then I got engaged. I forgot about job hunting and focused on saving for our wedding. But bad news came in, my fiance got redundiated from his company. And with our wedding all set and half our suppliers paid, his losing his job came totally unexpected. So I started job hunting again, hopeful that I'll get something that pays more so we could get on track with our wedding savings again. I trusted that my fiance would be able to get a new job quick, but I thought this was also a good opportunity for me to look out. I also wasn't feeling so secure about my current job anymore. So you know, jump ship before you sink with it. Thankfully, my fiance got a new job almost immediately after his last day on his previous and we were so grateful about it.

Also around that time, I found out about this company that has an open position that fits my skill set almost perfectly. I was a couple of years under-experienced but there were just so many checks on the position brief that I had to try my luck. I wrote about it here. It's super long and boring just like this one hahaha. So yon. That's pretty much how I ended up here. I'm sorry about this super long post. Hindi na uso yung ganito e no? Haha. I have a problem shortening my stories lol.

Funny that on this exact day last year, I was worrying about the results of my job interview with my current company. And now I'm a regular employee of theirs! Yehey!

Unpopular Opinion: Graphic design pricing edition

Oh my gosh I'm so fed up with all these artists saying you should price your shit higher because

don't you have bills to pay?
have some self worth naman
you don't deserve that
you're dragging the industry down
they'll think all Pinoy artists are cheap
blah blah blah

... especially to young people who are obviously just starting out. I personally have nothing against those who charge less than 1k for their design services, if they're okay with it. It's not like they were forced right. I made 4 people their computer projects for 700 + snacks and I was happy that time. I was a student, their project was easy, so I made easy money, and snacks... and bonus points from my crush. But seriously, let's stop dictating other people's prices. That's not our business, literally. Cos honestly? There's a negligible chance of them stealing your market, unless you personally referred them. So why are you so damn affected by these bargain prices?

If you're really gonna insist these bills you so proudly factor in, you better make sure they're paying for them. Entirely. Not living under their parents' roof. Paying for their own internet. Computer. Legit software. Ha. I bet most of these really talented and "underpaid" artists are basking in the privilege of their parents' fortress. So what's left to factor in? Labor. Which is all up to the artist. So keep your noses out unless they specifically asked for pricing advice.

I'm not gonna say to anyone that heyyy your work is so good, that can't be just 500. Maybe if you made it, it's not gonna be worth 500 only, but that's you, so don't force your pricing matrix onto other people. If they're happy with it, the hell you care? Time will come they'll increase their prices on their own. So let them be mfs. If Paul Rand and I made the same exact logo, with the same rationale and process, you think the world would allow me to charge a million dollars for my work? Hell no.

This industry can't be standardized, at least from the pricing perspective.

My very first art commission was priced at 30 frkn pesos. That was 2006. I was a freshman. I made laminated playing card sized doodles. Metallic pen on black paper. How much does lamination cost then? 11 frkn pesos. Paper? Pen? I don't know, they're stock. Never mind that I never really profited from those. The fact that they appreciated my work made me so damn happy.

Fast forward to 8 years later, I illustrated a children's book. Pro bono. That's 30+ pages of digital illustration I spent sleepless nights to finish. Was it worth it? Definitely. Because it launched me. It was after the book launch that I gained confidence to set up shop.

And now I run a graphic design business on the sides, no pressure. I made sure to charge what my time and effort is worth. My baseline being my daily rate at my regular job lol.

I think what I really want to say is that it's okay to start small. Whatever that means to you.

The Right way to play with Converge!

Metro Manila, May 22, 2018 – Mark your calendars as Pinoy Gamers converge for the most glorious gaming event of the summer through the Righteous Glory Summer Spirit Bomb!

This 72-hour Streaming Marathon for Charity will be powered by the Pure Fiber Internet of CONVERGE - in cooperation with Rumble Royale Events Production, together with AORUS, GIGABYTE, Corsair, Dreamlords Digital, and the Streamers Philippines community. Filipino live streaming fans will be treated to three days of non-stop video game fun for the benefit of the partner charity, Save the Children Philippines. Join the likes of Suzzysaur, Eri Neeman, Riku, GLOCO, and Sh1n Boo, together with other important Filipino streamers as they unite to embark on various video game adventures. All for the awesome cause of a better life for children.

While the Righteous Glory Summer Spirit Bomb promotes #PositivityThroughGaming, it also guarantees 3 days of frantic fun and exhilarating excitement for the attendees and viewers. Everyone will be given chances to win exclusive freebies and prizes! Want more reason to get more pumped up for this event? Jiggernut’s paper craft models (inspired by popular characters from League of Legends, Halo) and an Infinity Gauntlet-style statue crafted by the one-and-only Carlo “Dragonkid” De Laza are all up for grabs!

Can it get any better? It can as Converge is having its own raffle for the event and these prizes await the lucky winners!

Grand Prize: One winner of 100Mbps – six (6) months’ worth Php27, 000.00
First Prize: One winner of 50Mbps – six (6) months’ worth Php20, 000.00
Consolation Prizes: Three exclusive Converge Watches
Loot Bags: 50 sets of giveaways

See you on May 25, 26, and 27 at Game Over PH, located at Xavierville Avenue, Quezon City for the 72-hour Streaming Marathon. And, yes, this event is FREE for anyone who wishes to be part of the action in the venue while others can experience the excitement wherever they are by watching the live broadcast online at twitch.tv.rumbleroyale.

Experience better. Play harder.
This is how you play, the Converge way.

#ThePowerofFiber
#RIGHTEOUSGLORYSummerSpiritBomb
#ConvergeFiberInternet
#StreamersPH
#SupportPinoyStreams
#SupportFilipinoStreaming
#SaveTheChildren

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Friday's 10 Happy Things // 4

In an effort to post more, and also because I miss posting more personal content, here's Friday's 10 Happy Things making a comeback!

So here are 10 things that made me smile this week. Mind you, this list was hard to collate. I guess I'm predisposed into thinking that human life in general is cursed and that the universe is always out to get me. Whatever happened to my faith lol. I'm a pessimist by nature so I'm pretty proud I came up with this list. Here you go:

1. I'm about to start my first DIY home improvement project! 
Blog, don't jinx. I got sandpapers, paint, rollers, and brushes ready. It's a small project, but I'm so exciteeeeed! I'm turning that brown TV stand into white hahaha. You'll hear about it if it's a success nyahaha.

2. We finally bought a TV!
Following the installation of fiber internet in our unit, not doubt we needed to get a smart TV next. So last weekend we bought a 32inch Sony Bravia Internet TV. It's the biggest our small living room can accommodate haha. It's also our first time to encounter such technology so we were gushing about it in awe. One push Netflix, one push Youtube?! HUHUHU

3. Netflix is eating me
Nakaka-adik pala sya. I thought Netflix was just limited to Netflix original series but looking at their catalogue now, they have TONS AND TONS of amazing titles na pala. I'm watching A Korean Odyssey now. And guess what, they have Brooklyn Nine-Nine (which is getting discontinued HUHU), Rick and Morty, and a couple of Marvel Movies too. So fuuuunnn. 4. We invested in agribusiness
It's still too early to say whether it's legit or not, but so far, it's proving to be legit naman so we're not too scared we put a lot of money in it. Actually, we're not too scared because we put in money we can afford to lose... which is the profit we got from selling our condo. So worse comes to worst, we just lost what we earned in 3 years. Still not gonna affect our current lifestyle :)

5. We invested in a money changer business
Still from the money got from selling our condo, we had enough left to place in one of our family friend's business. The passive income we're getting from this will cover my car's monthly amortization. Yehey!

6. Come June, we'll be able to save a lot naaa
It's the first time in my entire life I'm experiencing an excess in my salary. For the longest time my salary was just sapat sapat na. Alam nyo yun? Hahaha. Everything was just enough to pay my bills, food, allowance, etc etc. When we got married, things got harder financially. We have to pay for rent, condo, and car -- our biggest liabilities. It was so stressful having to balance things out, but thankfully, blessing talaga yung pagka-benta ng condo namin eh, we were able to slash off 2 of our biggest liabilities. With our condo payments over and done with, and the car being paid through passive income, Jeckie and I will be able to enjoy our salaries better. Also, I thank TRAIN law for this. My tax was halved when it was implemented. Malaking bagay sya para samin. I just don't know how the majority feels about it, kasi right now I believe it only serves the middle class.

7. I can now lay low on getting sidelines
In fact, I want to stop taking new orders na. Back when I was still struggling to save money to pay our bills, I would take every opportunity to earn. I took delight in the fact that I'm able to earn more aside from my regular income. I felt like wonder woman. Ang dami ko palang kayang gawin at pagkakitaan. But this body needs rest, and not having to worry about anything financially is liberating. So I guess I'm cutting down on new orders for now. I'll probably just keep my writing job because it sustains my Paypal account (you know, for online shopping hihi). I have 4 active clients currently.. and 2 of them won't be officially closed until later this year (because haaay December weddings!). Good thing they're not big big projects hehe. I have 1 client though that has a loooot of requirements. I remember being excited about it before... but now, parang naooverwhelm nako sa dami ng gagawin pa pala. Hay lord. Help.

Still, it's good to know na hindi ko na kailangan kumayod ng husto. Hay.

8. Good news regarding my HR issue: I'm paying less than expected!
I stiiiiill haven't spilled the beans entirely on this issue that got me a show clause memo at work. But God is so good. Simply put, I was supposed to pay 50k for "penalty", which I already saved up for, but now it's down to ~14k. Yeheyy! Still waiting for the official billback though. But yeah nakakaiyak sya huhuhu. A happy thing yeah but still not an official cause for celebration, will do that when I'm finally done with it. Hay Lord.

9.  More content up on Surf and Perf
Early this year I set up a technical blog, originally it was supposed to be dedicated to Performance Testing, hence the title Surf and Perf hahaha. But lately, it's turned into a software testing and web development blog. Just a collection of how to's I've learned along the way. It's boring shempre specially if you're not inclined to it, but I'm sharing it anyway! Show my new blog some loooove!

www.surfandperf.com

10. My daddy's SGPT lowered down
Which is a super duper good news for us. It's still not within normal range, the upper limit being 40 units/L of serum, but we're getting there. My dad scored around 90 on his most recent checkup. Which is a big improvement from what used to be 400+ odiba?!

That's it! Happy long weekend aka time to catch up on house chores!

Life lately

Random: our packed lunch yesterday

We finally sold our condo!
THANK YOU LOOOOORD! After 3 months in the market (OLX, Lamudi, FB Marketplace), we finally sealed the deal with a buyer who found the ad from OLX. This is crazy. I didn't think real estate was a promising investment. When my husband bought the unit 3 years ago, we thought this is where we're gonna live in the future. It was exciting, in a way. We're getting a property! The adult in us cries in validation. But eventually, the idea became quite unattractive because I realized I didn't want to live in a cramped studio with barely any ventilation and a stoic view of the city. We both changed our minds and thought, ehh we can just rent it out instead. But then we learned that's it's not so wise to do that when you only have one property to rent. At best we're just going to break even with the monthly repayment of our housing loan. Which would take maybe 20 years to pay. Not very profitable. And so we decided to sell it instead. Best decision ever. January this year we put the property up for sale. Our target is to sell it before August because by then we would have to apply for a housing loan and be in debt for 20++ years. Thank God it didn't take so long. In two months we got a sure buyer already and we're so happy to have finally removed a liability from our lives lol. Happy 200+ articles to me!
I believe I haven't celebrated here yet hahaha. Come June and I'll be celebrating my first year anniversary with my writing sideline. Lol until now I still don't know how to call it. Client? So far I've written 206 articles of varying topics. I can't believe was able to do that, honestly. Like what the heck do I know about repairing a damaged lawn, or taking care of your fish tank? But Google truly proved to be a good good friend. It has all the information I need to deliver my job. So yeah, that's over 103,000 words written in the past 11 months! :O I'm not claiming to be a good writer but I believe I'm capable enough to take writing jobs (except academic) bwahaha. My personal record in writing a 500-word article is 1 hour. And that's if the topic can be filled with pambobola lol and is under lifestyle and fashion like, '5 tips to wear a little black dress', or '5 fashion trends you wouldn't want to miss this 2018'. That happens rarely though. I've done it only around 5 times out of the 206 articles I have so far. My average is maybe 2.5hours per article, depends on how pressured (aka I'm late for the deadline) and how focused I am. This job still takes a majority of my sidelines and I'm glad it does because it's not so uhm magastos sa utak unlike designing which really saps my brain and keeps my neurons firing even when I sleep argh.

I finalehh found a milk frother!
5 months ago I was so eager to try bulletproof coffee every morning. So I knew I had to get myself a frother to be able to enjoy the drink better. FB people says there are cheap ones are Daiso and Japan Home but they're always out of stock. Last weekend I got lucky. I FOUND A FROTHER I almost cried, seriously! And my goodness when I tried it, it's maaaaagicc!!! The butter and coconut oil really creates a frothy and creamy substance on top of my drink. And it's really super creamy and milky. I super duper love it. Eh yun nga lang ubos na coconut oil ko huhuhu. Why isn't Laurin coco MCT oil in major supermarkets! It's the best VCO, it's doesn't make you gag.

Err that's it for now. I have so many pending articles to do. Argh.

5 Facts You Should Know About the Pest Removal Process

Photo from Pixabay

Once you've identified some unwanted houseguests, it's time to enlist the help of a pest removal company. Whether you have a nest of insects or one or more furry rodents running around, you may need to ask yourself: "Where can I find wildlife pest control near me?" Once you've identified a provider, here are some things you need to know about preparing your home before, during and after the removal process. 1. Knowing Where the Pests Are Can Speed Up Your Inspection

When you call for the exterminators, they will do an inspection of your home. To give them a better idea of where to focus, point to different signs of infestations such as bite marks, suspicious cracks or webs.

2. Most Removal Methods Have Options

Most pests can be removed by more than one method, so ask which ones your Austin exterminator provides. There could be different treatments, tools or traps based on allergies in your home or other requirements you have.

3. Some Methods Pose a Risk to Pets and Kids

It is important to maintain a safe distance while an exterminator removes wildlife from your house. In some cases, you will need to be gone for a few days, such as with certain termite treatments. Keep kids and pets away from the affected area to avoid compromising the process or putting anyone in harm's way.

4. These Risks May Linger After the Fact

If certain treatment agents are used and meant to soak into the ground around your home, be sure to ask if these areas are safe for kids and pets to play in. It is a good idea to ask any other questions you may have while the exterminator is there, such as how to prevent these pests from coming back and what signs to look for if they do.

5. You Can Get Back in Touch if the Pests Return

Before the exterminator leaves, ask if they offer a free review of your property at  later date to ensure the treatment agent took effect. This could include asking how to get in touch when a trap is activated or you spot another nest. Some companies offer a free one-year inspection, especially if your pest is the type to return on a seasonal basis.

Pest removal is the best option when you spot unwelcomed guests. Whether insect or rodent, letting these pests make themselves at home could lead to a population explosion. Calling an exterminator means getting ready for the wildlife removal process by considering the safety of your family and your pets.

Make life easier and travel with an always charged phone

Photo from Tylt

From little toddlers to elderlies, almost everyone is using some kind of electronic devices such as a tablet, a mobile phone, a laptop, etc. The thing that keeps the devices working and alive is the battery. The phone needs a charged battery for us to use e.g. making and receiving calls, texting messages, going online, downloading and watching movie on youtube, etc. We sometimes forget that battery’s life is so precious and we take it for granted until it goes totally flat or died on us when we are in the middle of something important or exciting! In the old days, mobile phones were non-existent. But in our modern age, once a person started using a mobile phone and finds it so useful, that person could not do without the phone. Some public places made charging stations available to anyone who needs to charge their phone’s battery. But what happens if we need to use the phone with very low battery urgently and we find that there is no where we can charge the battery? It can be very frustrating if we need to reach out to someone urgently or for someone trying to reach us in times of emergency.

 

Photo from Tylt

Fortunately, there are now portable power banks, portable chargers, wireless chargers, and power bags available in the market to make our life easier. For those who are always on the move, living an active life, or spending time away from home or the office, getting a backpack with power bank is the best thing that can happen to you.

Photo from Tylt

Let us say that you are travelling and before you reach the hotel, a warning tone came through the phone to warn of a low battery. You are waiting for an important call from your client and you can’t afford to miss that call. Your stress level went up worrying whether the battery will last in case the call comes in. Other stressful incidents such as having a low battery just before a phone interview, watching and waiting for the final goal of your favourite game, in the middle of a computer game when you are expected to win, etc.

A power bag is a bag which doubles as a mobile charging stations or is a backpack that charges phone and other electronic devices at the same time. We can use it to carry our laptop, tablet, mobile phone, cables and accessories, etc. and at the same time use it to charge our electronic devices anytime, and anywhere. With a power bag, our phone and devices stay fully charged!