No one would want to be Gordon Brown. Since he took over from Blair, he received nothing but derision and faced the most challenging economic problem since the Great Depression.

It didn’t matter that his firm and decisive actions were not matched anywhere else. His government’s policies were good enough to not drag us further down. In fact recent report says the economy seems to be doing better.

After the expenses scandal, some more of his cabinet members resigned. “Good riddance”, I thought. But the rest of the media took a surprising turn. They derided Brown’s leadership that even his cabinet doesn’t have confidence in his leadership. Some of the members resigned with derision and clear intent to damage Brown’s precarious reputation… Has the world gone mad? These are the same people who charged us thousands of GBP for the upkeep of their garden and their husbands pornographic DVDs!

So Labour got slaughtered at the recent local and at the European Election. The racist party, BNP, got two places and UKIP actually placed second from the Tories.

Meanwhile, the Labour party was torn in half just days before the election. In the end Brown is still the PM and leader of the Labour Party. For how long, who knows. You have to admire his tenacity. I don’t know how he can sleep at night. OR even walk without fear of having another knife stuck in your back.

I like his policies. Cameron as an alternative just doesn’t fill me with hope. At this economic crisis, I want a qualified man of action. Brown’s first statement about Parliament reforms said he’ll get rid of sleaze and he did propose external audit for the expenses.

He needs a very good PR person. I wonder why he doesn’t hire one. Maybe he has one already and it’s clearly not working.

Kung ka-facebook o ka-friendster kita, nakita mo na siguro yung napakagandang bahay nang kapatid ko.

Para sa anak-pawis na tulad ko, laking-laki at lulang-lula ako sa 5-BR house, fully-A/C at de-marmol nyang bahay. Super comfy nga kaming mag-anak ayaw nang umalis dun ni pogiBoy.

So habang pa-petek-petek ako nung holiday, tingin-tingin ako nang mga properties sa Pilipinas. Para kunwari may pang-invest ako.

I came across Pico De Loro. Do you know the place? If you don’t and you haven’t seen it, i-google mo para maka-relate ka.

Ang ganda. It’s perfect for me, na mapagkunwaring nature-lover-aka-hiker-nuong-sinaunang-panahon. Beach at bundok… Perfection talaga.

SM Property ang developer at siguradong perfection din ang presyo.

Oh well. Libreng mangarap. So kahit malapit na kong mawalan nang trabaho, panay na plano ko kung pano namin lalagyan nang furnishing yung 2-BR family unit namin.

Paanong schedule gagawin nang parents ko pag-bisita dun, kung paanong scheduling gagawin sa mga kapatid at pininsan na mag-i-stay all-year-round…

San kaya malapit na palengke at bilihan nang furnitures? :-) Okay lang siguro na uupa na lang kami nang isa pang room para sa in-laws. Berat!

It’s always bugged me, what happens to bacteria when they die?

We use those hand gels that purport to stop germs and bacteria in their tracks. But what happens to the germs when they die? Do I get a build up of decomposing germs until I decide to wash my hands with water?

If you have a lot of time on your hands are curious like me, then check out this answer.

Amazing ‘no? The idea of having smaller than microscopic matters eating away or growing on a dead bacteria.

So I guess I do have to wash my hands to get rid of the dead germs… darn!

I mean recruitment agents, of course. Otherwise known as ‘scums of the earth’.

I’ve always dreaded job hunting. Not (just) because of the lack of places or interviews, but primarily because I know I have to deal with “them”.

Here are some common experiences shared by other jobseekers:
1. Bait
They put job postings that do not exist. This is so they can get your details.
Perhaps to bolster their dB, maybe they’ve got a target # of calls/takers…

They insist on getting reference details when they haven’t even secured an interview.
A colleague said he was given as a reference by a friend. He wasn’t contacted by the agent until 6 months after! And the agent was actually inquiring if my colleague was hiring. Ayayayay.

They get your details and next thing you know, they’re calling your boss.
“Hi, I heard you’re looking to fill role-so-and-so“…

They call you but they’re not interested in YOU. They want you to help them source people.
“Hi I’m not looking for a tester at the moment, but I was wondering if you could recommend a JAVA developer…”

Someone you don’t know claims they’re company’s updating their system and is asking for your details. Who are you?!

2. Word of honour, or lack of
Especially true for junior or new entrants. They talk to you. The last thing you’ll hear from them is “I will call you back“.
This still happens when on higher levels, your CV probably didn’t get shortlisted for an interview and suddenly the agent who’s been calling you all-day-everyday disappears.

3. Downright aggressive
After an interview and you pulled out your application, “Ah so you don’t want that job? You’re only in it for the money aren’t you?!” Of course, mate. Aren’t you?
They’re on commission basis so of course, most of these people are not looking after your well-being. They’re selling you like meat. If they can sell you at a discounted rate, they probably will!

Of course, there are exceptions. As in exceptions in how I feel about them. I dealt with two that are relatively decent compared to others. However it’s hard to quantify their qualities as it’s all subjective.

I can say though it’s rare to feel warmth towards recruitment agents.

Ganito din kaya sa Pinas or ibang bansa?

Rizal isn’t really my hero. But since he is the national hero of Pinas, well I have no choice ‘eh?

I got this fab shirt during our holiday. I forgot the name of the shop but it’s wonderful. Sobrang tuwa ko nga, pinigil ko lang sarili kong magshopping nang sobra. Pinoy pop-culture at its best.

There was one shirt that said “Sana sa Crisis” he he Ironic kung yun ang binili nang pinsan ko. Yes, nilibre lang ako.

I don’t know how much it cost, but the shirt is really worth it. Quality make and it’s cotton, sarap sa balat. Ganda pa nang fit.

Now this the work of my real hero. pogiBoy’s been consistently asking for a baby since last year.

While waiting for dinner he drew the picture above. He said it’s mummy and pogiBoy walking hand-in-hand in the park. I asked him what the shirt designs were and he said “no, mum, that’s a baby in your tummy“.

I looked closer, aba e baby nga! :-D

When we went to Pinas, he’d cosy up to me whenever I’m holding a baby. Touching and kissing and asking to hold them.

Yes we know. He is ready and has been ready in the last two years.

Last year I wasn’t too keen on having another child. Talagang traumatized pa ko. But I’ve been warming to the idea, especially on our return from Pinas.

If only the situation was different! We’ll see next year…

I was going to post something light and funny after the last two timebombs, but I can’t take it anymore!

At first I found it amusing but my gulay!

The UK is being rocked by the sleaze claims on MP expenses. It’s mind boggling how they think it’s okay to claim an ipod as an expense. Of course, most of them are now claiming these were honest mistakes.

Yeah, right claiming interest on mortgage payment that doesn’t exist anymore is an honest mistake!

These elected officials and their predecessors got away with these for so long! I can’t imagine how much Tony Blair must have “mistakenly” claimed for. What with Cherie Booth being known for her wily ways with making and saving money. Okay this last one is just speculation on my part.

But wouldn’t it be interesting to have a full investigation on this issue for the current officials and those before them?

I feel outraged and very disappointed. I’m about to lose my job, an officemate has been openly saying his family’s been shopping at bargain bins now… And yet we have MPs claiming thousand of pounds for their moats and chandeliers!

Yes, they’re trying to save face. Tory led the way to paying back these mistakes. And Brown’s showed a little fang by sacking the first victim.

But goodness these people have no shame. Beckett had the gall to say the people do not fully understand the situation and implied that most of the claims are legal! She deserved more than just heckling to be honest. Rotten eggs come to mind.

Even if it’s within the stupid rules, that they probably wrote themselves to begin with, they should be conscious and considerate about using the public’s money!

Those are my taxes and I’d like them back for my hayfever treatment and mortgage payment! Never mind putting an effing chandelier, I could think of a better way to stick that up!

There rant over.

—

BTW, can you imagine this sort of news even surviving in Pinas? That’s a dream isn’t it? To have those crooks declare their expense claims. Actually Pinoy politicos should have a before-and-after income declaration of themselves and their immediate family members. Now that’s a dream!

The title is meant to be the ominous intro… You know that classical music often used in film noirs?

The City skies today are darker than the picture I pasted in my previous post. I think the UK weather is sympathising with the rest of the working class (the headline today read “2.2 MILLION: Jobless total rockets again as 244,000 are thrown out of work since Christmas“. It refuses to let Summer start.

Added to the fact that when you come in to the office in the morning, the depression and sadness is so thick you almost choke. Well, that could just be my imagination. All of the sudden, the office seemed emptier. And that is weird because no one has left since I March… Okay there were two, both Sales(!), but they almost do not count as they’re locked in a separate area, they’re not on the main floor.

I got asked twice today if I have already updated my CV. I have, I just haven’t posted them on job sites yet. Read more »

I got a double-whammy on Friday. I thought I was coming down with the flu so I decided to stay home. I couldn’t even bring myself to continue working so I logged off before lunchtime. (By Saturday I wasn’t any better, by Sunday it hit me. It’s not flu, it’s hay fever hugging me with all its might.)

I was wearily checking my crackberry on and off throughout the day. My teammate emailed me saying there was another company meeting and things were announced and it’d be good if I can call her.

I love this girl. She’s a consultant but I’ve never had a better teammate. She’s a real teamplayer and for a good time here, a friend.

So long story short, the company is in trouble and if we don’t find any backers soon, we will all be made redundant! Aside from the financial ouch, as I said I don’t want to go. It was with a heavy heart that I added a paragraph to my CV. But I didn’t feel the need to update my internet profile just yet.

God will provide. Men will have to do their bit, of course.

I will do what I need to do to make sure our family doesn’t get evicted from our home. But I am keeping the Faith that the Company will pull thru or if not, I will have somewhere to land.

All these are highly-confidential of course… Reality is really hitting home. What I’ve been reading on paper and pretty much been ignoring, is now knocking on my doorstep.

—–

pahabol sulat

I just checked how my entitlement is for redundancy pay, ngek… Pasalamat na din kesa sa wala.

Holiday is almost a foreign concept to me back in Pinas. When I go to other places, I call them gala.

Tipong lilibot ako for the first sa Boracay o Puerto Galera. Matagal na yung annual leave na 1 week. Nang maging OFW ako by accident, natatawa ko sa mga Briton dahil sobrang keen silang mag-holiday.

Less than a year though I was nearly always in tears, missing the familiarity and comfort of “home”. I couldn’t wait for my holiday. Big deal na sa akin ang annual leave.

At the age of 26, I felt like an employee. Dati parang college pa din, pa-banjing-banjing lang.

So my 3-week break is over. I did well on my food list and even got to taste some goodies that I didn’t look for. If there’s a downside to the trip it’s that we didn’t have enough time to go to a proper beach. Of course it goes without saying that 21-or-so days aren’t enough but hey maswerte na ko I got that! Besides any longer and we’ll go home dirt poor!

We’re still all on a high. pogiBoy enjoyed Pinas so much he’s been asking when we’ll go back. Hubby gained some weight. He’s more relaxed though from time to time still thinks about the accidental unbudgeted gastos we incurred.

I am definitely relaxed and chilled. Coming back to work with a new Build Release to work on immediately, wala talagang settling in period but I am okay.

There is a shocker though. I was told by bossing in not so many words that the company is in financial trouble. We need a backer soon as we’re not going to break-even in the next three months. There is a general atmosphere of gloom in the company. I feel really sad and torn about this, I don’t want to leave.

One of the girls told me she’s been noticing others do seem to be on the (job) hunt. Like me, she’s reluctant to start searching. Unlike this girl though I have responsibilities to think about, mortgage, a child, a family…My reluctance not just out of loyalty or being in my comfort zone. It took me a long time to find a London job that I really liked and now it seems I’ll have to say goodbye very abruptly.

Maybe we’ll know more by June. In the meantime I really have to force myself to revise my CV and to start updating my net profile.

Eminem is right…  there goes gravity or at least in my case, that is the gravity of the situation.

Aling pag-ibig pa ang hihigit kaya
Sa pagkadalisay at pagkadakila
Gaya ng pag-ibig sa tinub’ang lupa?
Aling pag-ibig pa? Wala na nga, wala…

Gat Andres Bonifacio

We’re going to make our 60kgs allowance count. We have the jars of coffee, a bunch of tshirts, along with the lotion and make-up. Typical balikbayan stuff, all packed and squeezed in our bags.

But more than that our hearts are expanding by the minute.

We’re going to see our Pilipinas after 3 years for pogiBoy & I and after 4 years for hubby. We’ve not seen our parents for just as long. We’ve not seen our dear friends and our close relatives and our native soil for what felt like eternity.

We’re going to cram as much memory as we could carry in 3 weeks.

I am thankful that my sister’s house will be comfortable for us to stay in. And I am very thankful they do not have a landline therefore no internet.

Ex-communicado.

I’m mentally preparing myself not to cry when we land in NAIA. But I know even if I manage that, tears will fall when I hug Nanay & Tatay. I miss them so much.

Goodbye for now and God-willing, our paths might cross in Makati or Ortigas!

KWK will be back end of April 2009.