3 posts tagged “beyond the tall building”

I went to Baguio last week end. I posted a friends-only entry about that brief vacation.
That's all.

~~~
On Thursday night, a credit card person from credit card #2 called the dorm. I heard one of the helpers answer the call, mention my full name, and told the person that there's no such person in the dorm and that she had to check.

"Ate, ako 'yun," I called from behind her. I learned that she's calling to verify some information. I was surprised to receive a business call at such an hour--it's almost 8pm.

"But I already signed the application form and I've answered those same questions," I told her, quite impatiently, as I was about to have my dinner. I pity these people who make a living from calling up people to bug them at work, at home or even on the go.

"Ma'am, for CI po 'to," she said. So I just cooperated. When I checked my mobile phone, I saw a missed call from an unknown number. It was probably the same credit card person. And I bet that prior to calling my cellphone and the dorm, she dialed my office phone number.

~~~
The credit card story doesn't end there. This afternoon, I received another phone call. This time, it's from credit card #1, telling me that I was pre-selected for something. A promo? A prize? I thought and felt excited.

"Free supplementary cards po," she offered.

The excitement suddenly disappeared. Huh? What's that? GC? I thought.

She explained that I can give four extension cards to anyone, dictate their credit limits, and that I'm one lucky card holder to have such power. I only referred one person, but she kept pressing for more.

Please, that credit card is for women. You don't expect me to give it to my brother so that he can also get three free issues of a fashion magazine.

~~~
And just when you think the credit card story is over, it's not.

This morning, I also received a phone call from the office from some credit card person I don't know. "May I speak with [insert name here], please," went the very, VERY familiar line.

"I'm sorry. She's no longer connected with the company," I mumbled in a bored tone, because a week never goes by without a credit card person saying that line to me. Sometimes, they would also offer me to sign up or ask the whereabouts of former employees.

When I was new with the company, about one and a half years ago, I used to say "I'm sorry, you got the wrong number" whenever someone would ask to speak with that person.

Then the caller would recite my number.

"Yes, that's the number. But there's no [insert name here] here." I later learned that the person they're looking for was a former employee of the company. Perhaps her friends and family have referred her to numerous credit card companies that they keep trying their luck into wooing her get a credit card.

Back to this morning's call. "I'm sorry? [insert name here], please," the caller said again.

"She's no longer connected with the company," I said clearly, almost annoyed.

A rough estimate of my office-phone-call statistics would be that three out of five phone calls are from credit card companies, looking for someone but not me. Why don't they update their databases?

You get perked up when the phone rings, thinking that someone thought of you, but then it's just one of those phone calls that you wish you never answered at all.

There was a time that I had to explain that I've been in the company for a year, and the person s/he's looking for has long been gone that I didn't even meet her. Of course, you have to say this politely, even though all you wanted to do was just hang up.

Sometimes, in lieu of her, they would offer the card to me. "Ma'am, baka po gusto n'yo ng credit card." I would always attempt to cut the conversation by saying "Ayoko po." The caller would thank me and the phone call ends.

There's really a variety of credit-card-related calls. After asking to speak with the oh-so-familiar name, one caller told me, "Ma'am, grounded po 'yung line n'yo."

So what? I'm going to hang up in a few seconds anyway, I felt like saying. But instead, I said, "Oo nga eh," followed up by my seven-word phone line: "She's no longer connected with the company."

"Hindi pa ako nakakapag-shoplift," I once told my friends three years ago when we were at a book store. It still holds true today.

"Wag mo subukan ngayon," one of them advised back then, "Of legal age ka na."
In spite of being a good consumer, alarm systems of a department store and a boutique have gone on the moment I set foot on their stores. Tama ba 'yun?

The first incident was traumatic--I'm not exaggerating. After the incident with Rustan's alarm system, I always say this line to myself whenever I enter boutiques or stores with those alarm columns: "You don't have a bar code with you. It's not going to ring. You're safe."

If you think that's ridiculous of me, well, I don't know what you'd call me now after the second incident. The second time it happened, I didn't know how I'd make a graceful exit from Lhasa. I didn't even feel like window-shopping anymore, which was my only purpose for entering the boutique. After about two minutes of pretending to be window shopping, I had to ask one of the salesladies to accompany upon my exit from their boutique.

Does this call for online shopping? How geeky.

The year is about to end. I have a few friends freaking out with the closing of 2006. And I know some who are probably excited—ending it with a bash of tying the knot or getting the most-wanted year-end bonus.

As for me, this year has, so far, been a lot of good and a lot of bad. In other words, it wasn’t that bad nor bland. And because I don’t want to regret any decision I made in 2005, which includes opting to get the job in the country over one overseas, I think that in general, I’ve been a happy person this year. But of course, I would be happier if a few more surprises will pop up before the year ends.

My annual summary of the good and the bad for this year can wait until next month. As of now, I just want to share some of my biggest realizations this year:

Realization # 1: I have low kikay IQ.

At 22, I still can’t properly apply eye liner and do my own manicure and pedicure. I don’t know how to determine the right shade of powder, blush, contact lens, and lip and nail colors for myself. I can’t mix and match accessories. I don’t know how to use mascara and I don’t have in-depth knowledge about the signs of aging. To be fair with myself, however, I can now apply cheek stain and I know that drinking a lot of water is underscored in health tips because of skin benefits.

I guess this lack of kikay knowledge is due to my lack of investment in knowledge resources. I’ve never invested in fashion magazines. In my entire life, I’ve only had one issue of Meg—and it was a seminar freebie, not something I got off the shelves of a magazine stand.

Once in a while, it’s cool to dress up. But I guess it’s really something not second nature to me. It’s not an effortless dish and dash of wardrobe pieces. I think it costs too much of my time thinking about the perfect matches. Sometimes, I’d rather be in classic shirt, denim pants, sneakers, wearing sun block with a dash of talcum powder, a pair of earrings topped with sun glasses or my nerdy half-rimmed eye glasses.

Realization # 2: I hate humidity, not outdoor activities.

I appreciate outdoor scenes and adventures, but the thing that limits me from doing outdoor activities in the country is the humidity.

I remember myself creating my list of activities. It included traveling alone to Bohol, Cebu or Davao, and doing some outdoor activities there, perhaps a picnic. Haha!

When my friends and I went to Quezon, I wanted to do some hiking. But because we woke up late and the sun was up, I was the first to back out of the outdoor activity.

Realization # 3: I live a simple life.

I have very few responsibilities. I don’t have dependents—I am the dependent of my parents. I don’t have animal pets—no one relies on me for food, shelter and security.

I don’t have issues with family, friends, colleagues at work and friends from my organization (at least I’m not aware of any).

I spend about 9 to 10 hours in the office during week days. More often than not, I have all the time in the world beyond 7:00PM on those days. I can meet up with friends. I can go window shopping. I can watch a movie. I can watch TV, read books and play Sudoku until I get sleepy. I can jog. And I can sleep for eight long hours.

During week ends, I have all the time in the world for family, pets, my organization and friends. I sometimes bring home some work, but I rarely do so.

Sometimes, I wonder if I can bear this life for the next few months. It’s like I’m craving for more responsibilities or more activities. I want to buy a dog. I want to go to the gym or do some strenuous physical activity. I want to attend art classes. I want to take a master’s degree. I want to start up a business. I want to learn how to cook. I feel like I have so much time, yet very few things to do.

From a recent seminar, I learned that people get very little “me” time, which I am abundant of, when they start a family. And so while I have a lot of time, I want to spend it doing a lot, too.