9 years and counting

It all started in August 6, 2001. I lived in Cainta all my life and had no idea how to get to Makati except for a shuttle in Karangalan that would take me there and God knows what. I had to ask for help from Maricel (ate's bff) for directions on how to get to Starbucks in Greenbelt 1. I got the directions I needed but I still got lost. Believe it or not, I followed the aroma of coffee and bingo!...I found my very first store!

It was a few minutes before 9am. I wasn't late...thank God! I was greeted by Allan Guinto, then ASM. He was very welcoming and friendly that I realized it would be easy to work with him. He led me to the backroom where I saw a girl sitting down while on break. She was Nikka. My so-called twin sister because they said we looked so much alike. But I really didn't see it.

I remember spending my birthday there and I was given the chance to choose which area to close. I chose pastry. After that, it became my most hated area to close...even 9 years later. I remember working with Jofe, my store manager then, and she was on till while I was the bar person. It was a busy Sunday afternoon. I didn't know I could move that fast even if I was just a 2-3 month old barista. Beat that!

Allan got promoted and he took over Greenbelt 1 and Jofe opened The Fort...I think. Working with Allan was a great experience! He taught me how to be patient and how to take care of each other.

A lot of people have come and gone. It started with Jurson who was replaced by Monde. There was Blair and Ian, the soul sisters. There was Jay...who just had this huuuge smile pasted on his face everytime a pretty girl enters the store. There was my batchmate Abby who got pregnant. There was Jessica, the chinese girl who was just so intimidating. And who can forget Mean? The real charmer of Greenbelt 1. There was one time when she lost her watch when she got held up, I think. She told the story to a Japanese guy who went back a little while later with a brand new Swatch watch for her. Then came Joanne, Marianne, Leah, Lorie, Joyce, Isa, and Carla. And the whole store just went crazy. Every shift was something to look forward to. There was a healthy competition between everyone. Standards were in place and everybody was doing their job and having fun at the same time.

And, of course, how can I forget the people who trained me during my first few months? There was Joy, Dante, Emma, Tenie, Sol, and Grace.

After 2 years, I realized I can start moving on. I might get bored so I challenged myself to do better. I looked for other jobs. Call centers were a big thing during that time. Etelecare, Sykes, and People Support were the most popular ones in 2003. I went to interviews and almost got accepted at Sykes. They asked me when I could be available and I told them I need a one month notice before I could go. That exact same time, I got the offer to be promoted. I didn't weigh my options. I didn't choose. I just told myself to accept whichever would come first. I got promoted to Shift Supervisor in November 2003. Sykes called one week later to ask if I was still available.

I guessed that that was God's way of telling me to stay. He was telling me that there is something for me here. So I stayed and never looked for any other jobs.

I stayed in Greenbelt 1 for over 3 years. I felt that I was starting to be store blind so I asked for a transfer. I asked to be transferred to a totally different store. I got transferred to Greenbelt 3 in November of 2004. It was very timely because I needed a diversion as I just got out of a bad break-up then. Blech!

I didn't stay long in Greenbelt 3 under Macy. After a month, I opened Glorietta 2 with Tina. It was an experience to open a new store! I also got new friends when I was there. There was JP, Khelai, Leo, and Marc.

After a few months, hard times were being experienced in the country. Taxi fares went from Php 20 flag down rate to Php 30. My cab fare going home went from Php 80 to Php 125. I had to do something. It would be really impractical to be living in Cainta and working in Makati. It was also very timely that I heard of a new store that will open in Marikina. I grabbed that chance right away and made the request. After a few days, I was informed that I would be transferred to Medical City instead. So I prepared myself for Medical City. After a few weeks, Greenbelt's ASM Joy informed me that they were still in need for a shift supervisor in Marquinton. I was like WOW! It all happened soooooo fast! I got a call from Chan and told me I will be starting in Marquinton the following week. I was ecstatic!

But then again, it would mean leaving a new set of friends in Glorietta 2. It was really hard for me to leave because we were all starting to become so close despite of the occasional haunting of the friendly ghosts there.

Then there's Marquinton. I loved Marquinton almost as much as I loved Greenbelt 1. A lot of good memories happened there. A new set of friends were developed. I also got promoted there to Assistant Store Manager. The challenges were all there but when you're working with the right people, everything falls into place. If there were people whom I can say molded me to what I am today as a Store Manager, I would say it would be Allan and Agot. Allan for being so nurturing and for giving value to the people, and Agot for maintaining the standards no matter what.

I, then, opened ADB with a new set of partners. It's a different feeling to open a store when you're already a Store Manager. You feel like that store is your first-born and it's hard for you to let go. And that even if the store is no longer yours, you still feel a weird sense of ownership towards that store. "That store was mine...even if it was just for 3 months".

After Marquinton got submerged by Ondoy's flood waters, I am now happily staying in Podium. It's a store with great challenges but easy to overcome as long as you have the right people in place. I do believe I've mellowed down a bit from level 16 of OC-ness to just level 7 of OC-ness. I love the store, I love the people, I love my job.

You might find it weird that I am writing this at 9 years. Why not 10 years? Well, my answer to that is, what if I wouldn't have the chance to write about my 10 years in Starbucks? Why not now?

Thank you Starbucks for placing me where I am right now. Thank you to the people who made a great influence to my journey at Starbucks. Thanks to all the key learnings and challenges that made me grow, not just as a Starbucks partner, but as a person as well.

Thank you.

Family

12 years ago, I saw my sister being revived by doctors and nurses in the old Medical City to no avail. When my mama and kuya and kuya arnel rushed her to the hospital, I was thinking that they will come back 2 or 3 hours later saying that my sister just had a stressful evening and would just need some rest. But it didn't happen. She passed away 6 days later.

I'm home alone now with just 4 hours of sleep waiting for a call from my kuya or mama to tell me what's going on with papa. Papa vomited just about 2 or 3 hours ago after having lunch. Vomit was red...and I tried not to panic. He was rushed to his doctor's clinic who advised us to have him confined right away. So we did...

And I am crying...

Why?

Because this have happened to us. I have this silly concept that if a family goes through a huge wave of grief, they must not go through it again. But that's not reality. That's not life.

There's this large lump inside of me telling me to panic and hope for the worst thing that could happen now. But the more sane part of me is telling me that I should think positive. Geez! He doesn't look sick at all! Well, except for the fact that my father is a stroke patient...he looks mighty healthy!

I have this super negative thinking that everytime someone in the family will get into a hospital, the worst thing could happen. My sister's passing was just too traumatic for me, even after 12 years. I loved my sister very much. My father and I may not have the best father-daughter relationship but... He is still my father.

Here's hoping...and praying...

random thoughts

I can't sleep...

I got home around 11pm, I think. Traffic was not so bad along Ortigas Avenue but the rains made it really a challenge for everyone. There was another motorcycle accident that happened along the stretch of Ortigas Ave. Probably because of the slippery condition of the roads.

I can't sleep...

Sleep can't seem to get to me the past few days. I always have trouble getting sleep especially in the evening. Maybe I just need to lessen the amount of caffeine I take everyday. I usually get an average of 3 shots of espresso (either latte, americano, or caramel macchiato) everyday. Maybe I should just get 1 shot of espresso to make my system re-boot or something.

I really can't sleep...

I'm in my room, sitting on the floor in the dark, contemplating whether I should go on watching Heroes Season 1 on DVD or The Devil Wears Prada from my zune. I decided that maybe it's time I update my blog site. The last update I made was after Ondoy, I think. Wow! June is almost done and September is approaching real fast! Now there are 3 things I anticipate every September: my sister's death anniversary, my birthday, and heavy rains (but no floods please!).

I just yawned...

I should go to bed.

Tomorrow is another day. Tomorrow is another chance I should take to renew my life...or an opportunity to just clean out all the mess that I made.

Sigh. I'm not making sense. I should go to bed. Here's hoping for a pleasant surprise in the morning. A new cat maybe? No I love Charlee! Or a new boy toy? LOL!

Music I can't stop listening to

If there is one artist I just can not stop listening to, it would have to be Beyonce. Well, particularly her I Am...Sasha Fierce CD. My favorites are:

• Halo - It fit quite well to my personality and my views on falling in love. I have this thinking that I have built a huge wall around me and it would take a strong force to destroy that wall.
• Disappear - "When I think about it, I know that I was never there...I tried to reach for you. I could almost feel you you're nearly here and then you disappear." This is my song for my past relationships (as if there are so many!) and the future ones.
• Sweet Dreams - It's just so funky and, well, danceable!
• Smash Into You - It's quite similar to Dave Matthews Band's Crash Into Me, I think. This is what I listen to when I'm in a melancholy mood, wishing there's someone whom I can smash into, figuratively speaking.
• Hello - Hahaha just like the famous line from Jerry Maguire. It's all about falling for the guy not because of any bling served on a silver platter but because of well, just being himself.
• Ego - Well, just like Sweet Dreams, it's so funky and upbeat. And I like listening to this when I'm about to get into something challenging. It boosts my uhm, ego! HAHHAHAHA!

That's basically about Beyonce. I have had the CD (which Reyg gave to me) since January 1 and I still listen to it. I actually feel bad 'cause she didn't hold her concert here. So I will just purchase the I am...concert DVD which took place in Vegas.

If there is one CD I listen to for energy, it's definitely Black Eyed Peas's The E.N.D CD. Definitely worth listening to especially if you woke up on the wrong side of the bed and you have to start your day ASAP! Hahahaha! My favorites would be Ring-A-Ling, Meet Me Halfway, and Now Generation.

Sia's Breathe Me is also one favorite. But I don't like some of her songs. When it has been a long and tiring day (which is often the case now that I'm in Araneta), I like listening to Songs of the Siren CD or Enya's Watermark CD. It actually helps listening to Enya because there was a time when I was on my way home so tired and was listening to BEP, and it felt like I was gonna have a heart attack. I switched to Enya and felt relaxed right away!

Of course, Kamikazee is another favorite, not just because my cousin is the guitarist, but because they're just so funny and talented. I also like Up Dharma Down, if you're asking about local faves.

Have to go 'cause I need to charge my Zune. Don't want to be music-less tomorrow! Find your own zen...mine's my zune and my music. It helps me prepare for the coming day and end my day with less stress...

Christmas

Tired. Tired. Tired. Christmas is in the air. Christmas is everywhere. Christmas means heavy traffic anywhere you go especially on a payday Friday.

I planned to make a blog about Christmas rush but my mom is in my room and trying to make a funny imitation of the PLDT repairman who replaced our modem this morning. I can't finish this anymore... It's just so distracting. Mama is just sooooo funny!

TWILIGHT SAGA: New Moon

So...have you seen the recent addition to the Twilight franchise? I have.

I have read the books before. I was planning to review New Moon but I did not have the chance due to the big flood that damaged all my four books. (Here I am ranting again about my Twilight books!)

Ok, about the movie. I am not saying I did not like it. It's really almost like the book minus some minor details, but that's really expected right? It started off with that dream scene with the older Bella which was really how I imagined it. The wolves were more than I expected. It was a great movie!

What disappointed me, though, was that the actors seemed like they did not give it their best shot. I did not "feel" Bella's grief. I did not see Edward's sadness. Maybe they thought that standing there expressionless would make the audience think that they were really sad. It's just so disappointing.

And Jacob, in the book, seemed all arrogant and sure of himself. But it all changed in the movie. It seemed to me that he's the one we should take pity on when in fact what he's really trying to do is break up the great love story between Bella and Edward.

But generally speaking, I liked the movie. I'm not asking for a change of actors...but a change in the actors. Maybe they could put more life into the movie. I sure hope it could happen in Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. Goooosh I can't wait!

SILVER LINING

Typhoon Ondoy. Where was I that time? I was at the store in Marquinton when it happened. Everything happened really fast. All I remember now is the water, the tears, and how shaken I was after we transferred to the second floor of the mall. Tears? I was talking to my brother and I could not help the tears that fell after I learned of what they were going through at home. Though our situation was not different in any way, it was still overwhelming to learn that my family was shivering in the cold, trying to save what's left of our house while I was at work. Overwhelming.

I could not get myself to sleep while I was at Yellow Cab's 3rd floor. All I could think of was our house. We've lived in that house for 8 years, and have resided in Cainta for 24 years. Ondoy was the one and only typhoon that I have ever experienced that made a major and drastic change to our lives. As I waited for my ASM's mobile phone to charge, I thought of what's going to happen after the deluge. How will we go about our lives? How will we go back to being normal? I kept on thinking about the times spent at that house when it was still normal.

I did not really dread going back to our house after the floods. What I dreaded more was seeing my mom dread the future. That was exactly how she was when I got back to the house. I saw papa sitting outside the gates by the plant box. Seeing him looking so tired made me want to cry. Then I was met by mama. And it was a great challenge for me to hold back the tears.

I went inside and saw mud all over the garage, the garden, the living room, the bedrooms, the dining room, kitchen, and bathrooms. I learned that the water inside reached 5 feet, just like the water in the store. I saw my room. It was a huge mess! My bed, which my cats used as their refuge and their toilet, toppled over. My book shelf, which was still standing, was emptied. My Twilight Saga, which came all the way from the US, was gone. My sister's pocketbooks, MBA books, and some of my college books were also gone. My dresser, which contained all my kikay stuff from tweezers to lotion, became a total junk after mud swallowed it whole. I tried to salvage some bottles of lotion and (HAHAHA) my age miracle cream. The clothes left in my cabinet were all brown. My laptop table was gone, with my laptop, of course.

All of the mess Ondoy did to my room is now gone. Do I feel sorry in any way? Honestly, I don't. What I feel is a renewed hope that the future will be brighter with all the clutter gone. Our home is cleared off of unnecessary clutter: old magazines, old pocketbooks, clothes which we don't use anymore, antique furnitures with no value anymore ('cause my mama would always want to refurbish it). Yes, our house may not have it's old glory. Yes it may need a little repair here and there. Yes, I've lost my Twilight Saga. Yes, my room is like a prison cell with just a bed and a closet in it. This is the total definition of starting anew. All those material things can be easily replaced and invested on. We may start slow, but at least, we started...and we're together. My laptop can be replaced. But lost lives can never be replaced. Someone out there have lost their father, mother, daughter, son, brother, sister, cousin, aunt, uncle, grandparents, or friend. But we are lucky to be starting a new life together, without anyone missing. This deserves a thanksgiving to the One up above. No one in my family was hurt. We are lucky to have our yaya, Elsie, to help us with all the work. We are just so thankful that God spared us. I believe this means something: a second chance at life. A life which I plan to spend full of love and gratefulness!