With My In-Laws

Yesterday, or last night, marked my last day in Convergys. Finally I’m done with the clearance. I also have now my trophy with me at home after 7 hours standing there in elevator lobby to wait for people I know who might be able to help me. I feel so relieved and also sad at the same time knowing that I might not see my good friends from Convergys again, just like in Sykes. Anyway, I need to focus on 2012.

I spent the two-day clearance in Convergys and San Pedro. Psyche was so cute and showing serious signs of hyperactive personality. She wanted us to play catch-the-ball in the middle of the night! She was very talkative. And being there for one night, she thought I would be staying there for good with my little bag, laughs! So on Tuesday night, while I was waiting in Convergys to get my precious trophy, Mama sent me a text message about the two donuts Psyche received from a cousin. Psyche said that she would wait for me before she eats the donuts. She wanted to wait for me so to share it with me. I was deeply touched just like those in Hallmark moments. Psyche was so good at making people cry in a good way, if you know what I mean. And hey, for the records, I did not literally cry there in the elevator lobby, laughs! What I’m saying is I’m missing her, our family, the old times.

I don’t get to see them like we used to do before. I put my faith in God’s promise the He would bring my family back together in one house. Sometimes this makes me jealous of my wife her being with her family all the time. Gracia always tells me that if it’s the other way around, it’s not going to be a problem with her. That might be true. But it is still different when it’s happening. You know, it’s more than a statement. It’s a daily life for me.

Don’t get me wrong. Her family which is now my family, too, is great. Her mother is amazing and very sweet. Her sisters are awesome. Every one is wonderful, including their in-house cousin Arnel. Her Papa is also nice to me but it’s a bit awkward most of the time because he rarely talks. I could see the effort in the two of us but we always kind of fail to connect. Perhaps it is because he never had a son. Maybe it’s me who had a chain of father issues before. That’s going to be a long story to tell. What I am saying is that we want to get along as a family but it’s not easy, I just realized.

During my first months with them, I had this silent, or secret, competition with the other sons-in-law. No one was really competing. I think it’s more of manly pride? Can’t get the right thing to say. Let’s get down to the story.

Last Sunday Gracia and I spent almost the whole afternoon after church shopping for the Christmas gift for her co-employee for their company’s Christmas party this Saturday. I was really tired but I was kind of showing off, making her feel that I was a very supportive husband which was sincere act from me. After that, when we got home, I was like relaxing while reading a magazine. Just like any other woman, she wanted to fix everything before we went on relaxing. I was even joking at her that she was acting like a mother now, laughs!

Then she wanted me to pin those belt holders behind the door but I was kind of into the magazine’s interesting article. Before I knew it, her Papa was in our condo-type room doing the nailing. It was very embarrassing as if I was not a man enough to drill those nails into concrete walls. I tried to get the hammer from him but he was determined to finish it all by himself. I know that it was no big deal for him. But for me, I was kind of hurt and very embarrassed. I had a hard time getting over with it.

Then next day came in. I was cleaning our house as part of my house-husband role when Kiel, Gracia’s nephew, started knocking outside our window. Automatically I opened it for him and one of his little fingers got caught and in the next seconds, he was crying hysterically. Everyone was very concerned and that included me. I felt ‘Strike Two’ blinking over my head as Gracia’s father trying to comfort his grandson. I felt so exhausted that I spent hours sleeping until it was time for me to get ready for my trip to Convergys.

Now I am back here in San Pablo and I felt so blank, trusting God in everything. Tried reading Bible but it’s…I don’t know. I know I kind of need some help here but if someone asks what kind of help, I don’t know the answer.

But I’ll be fine. I know that because I always will, by the grace of God.

I Will Always Be Convergys

My last day in Convergys.

Almost Ending 2011

I can’t believe that the year is almost ending! I know it’s too early for me to write my year-end post but I feel like doing something like that today.

Year 2011 has been very tough and soul-exhausting for me and for my family. It was like the stains of 2010 had found its way to crawl into this year. I was hopeful with my family that 2011 would be our year. 2010 ended in a complicated move to a different house which I had to give up the small savings Gracia and I had for our wedding to pay almost everything. That was exactly the last day of 2010. So we celebrated the first day of 2011 in a new home.

We did not have so many foods and we did not have any fireworks to celebrate the New Year with. But great the LORD was that we had enough on our table and we even had a bottle of red wine, plus we were together. We were complete except for Christina who has her own family in Bulacan. I was positive that everything would be okay as I liked so much the new house. It was brighter than the old one.

We began the year with family prayers which was so beautiful and the hope was so fresh that it was almost reaching the face of the sky.

The money issue still crawling into each new day but it was manageable. Papa was getting better and he started working again. But Gracia and I were worried about getting married this year. It had been taken aside for so many times due to recurring reasons. We were losing hopes and we felt that if we did not do anything to hold the wedding this year, the hope which was so little by then might be lost and I knew in my heart that when the fire began to die, it would take a long way to see it spark again. So we sought all help we could get.

In our families meeting where Gracia and I would announce formally that we were getting married, we insisted to get married in May of this year. And we did not have a single penny for the wedding at all! All we had was love and faith.

Our hope got excited when we received a Yes from my biological grandfather that he would support us, especially in money matters. In the end, it only broke my heart into million of pieces when I was left hanging in the air a week before the wedding. I felt so hurt and it was more painful when I was getting blamed for their decision. But glory to God that Gracia and I got married in May of this year. It was not a grand kind of wedding but it was really beautiful. It cost us to give up Gracia’s purchasing power for the next six months, if you know what I mean. So we were on a very tight budget but we were very happy.

A month after the wedding, Papa had a serious heart problem and he was taken to a private hospital in Pacita, San Pedro which goal was to increase our bills. I said this because after two weeks staying in that hospital, we insisted transferring him to the Philippine Heart Center where the doctor there told so many things which should have been done since day one but were not in the former hospital. The expenses were unbelievable. We had been humbled way below the ground. But we kept trusting God in everything for He never failed us.

Then Gracia’s sister gave birth to Ethan James in August. In less than a week, the baby got a fever and was diagnosed with infection of the blood. The bill was incredible. We thought that was it until in September, Gracia’s another sister gave birth to Ezra Daniel through Caesarian. Aside from day to day worry seeing the little baby in the ICU with all those unforgiving tubes, the bill was overwhelming. The memory of my baby brother Jean Emmanuel kept crossing in my thoughts. Although it was not entirely on us, since we are family, we care and we tried our best to help.

Gracia and I had so much to bear. I was thinking about us, about my family, and about her family. It was the grace of God that we got to survive each day. I tried to calm down every time I saw my brothers getting thinner. Praise the LORD that they were born with beautiful faces.

The distance of my travel to work everyday took its toll on me in my birth month, the month of October. Prior to this, I felt like I was always sick but I ignored that as much as I could. The first Sunday of that month, I was diagnosed with Intestrial Pneumonia and later that week, I bled again because of UTI. The Urologist said I had Kidney stones based on the ultrasound results. It was a very uncomfortable situation to me and to Gracia. Gracia was also sick that time.

In that same month, my family had to vacate the house because of the old reason. I had been fighting for this, to keep my family all together in a house but everything seemed so against me. I tried to resort to writing again but after writing half of the story and not getting any call or message from any publishers, I lost my heart and was not able to finish writing. It was so difficult that I could not join my family in the transfer. What broke my heart was the fact my family had to be distributed. Roron had to be in Bulacan. Calvin had to go to a boarding house in Calamba and Jojo in Santo Tomas. Thank God that Alex was offered to stay with Franz, a friend from church until the end of school year. The rest would join Tita Sol in San Pedro.

All of this had put so much Ginger (Depression) on me. Every hour I worried so much in thinking if they had something to eat, if they were safe. Also I was concerned about the people they were with. I also knew, even if they were not putting it in words, they were all hurting and left with no choice but to live with it. I felt so lost and failed.

Then Nanay, my mother in law, had her operation in October. Praise God that it was successful. Also Calvin got another scholarship. God was so amazing that He always assures me everything is in His mighty control.

I fought Ginger with the hope coming from the LORD, believing in His promise that there would come a day that my whole family would eat together in one same table with so much to eat as prophesied to my sister Nikka Lynn by one of our Pastors.

I still have so many discomforts in my body even though the medication for my kidneys was successful. This and so many other things including my long travel to work are putting me on plate of hard decision-making. It was getting harder for me to travel a long distance everyday. I thought of resigning and look for a new job somewhere near in our place. The back pay would definitely help. I had talked to my boss and to the boss of my boss and I was so grateful with those kind words they said about me. But I am getting the Old Allergy again. I was losing the will to fight and this affects everything.

Last night I realized my decisions were selfish. My prayers were more of complaints than of communicating to God. Today, I am praying that when I finalize my decision about everything, this would glorify God and would benefit all that are involved. Also, I pray that the decision would be a decision I could keep until the decided day.

Five Days of Battle

Day One: The Beginning

On Sunday night Gracia could not sleep. She always took trips to the bathroom. I could see the seriousness of the pain she felt that time on her face, even though she was trying to show me the opposite. She was complaining about abdominal pain. She knew it was UTI. She just went on one-week medication exactly last month. But this time, it was more painful. I was trying to comfort her but I had a fever myself. So we hardly slept the whole night.

Day Two: Had Interstitial Pneumonia

Gracia and Nanay were so worried about me because I had no sipon and no ubo. It only meant that I might have infection. I could not drink any medicine without seeing a doctor except Biogesic because I also have allergy in medicine. But my fever would not go away. And it was like on and off. And once in a week I got fever. But the one I had last Sunday was the most painful.

On Monday morning, Gracia and I went to the Community Hospital and had urinalyses thinking that it could be UTI. After the long process and a series of waiting, the Urologist had already left and would come back on Wednesday. And some of the unprofessional hospital staff was adding to my irritation.

Even if I had fever, I still wanted to go to work since I promised TL Micah that October would be my month. And that’s true, my goal for October is to get 4 for my scorecard. But my fever was getting more serious this time and my joints were feeling worst and my nerves in my head and in my chest felt like strings of guitar being strummed every after minute. I also had LBM. So Gracia decided to take me to Doctors Hospital where they had checked my blood, my breathing, and I also had X-ray. In the process of it, I wanted to give up and just go to work and if they saw me crawling on my knees they might let me go home. But it would take me 3 hours to go to work and another 3 hours to get home. Not a better option.

When Dr. Dy checked my Urinalysis from Community Hospital, he said it was okay. I did not have UTI based on the result.

I am thankful that TL Micah was trying to help me. But after hearing the findings of the Dr. Dy, I rolled my eyes and could not imagine the face of TL Micah once he knew about my Interstitial Pneumonia. I could not mingle with people for the next three days while I go through medication because it is contagious. Dr. Dy insisted that I don’t report to work and I don’t travel for the next three days. I also needed to wear a mask so people around me and I could be safe.

I am thankful to TL Micah that he put me on VGH on Monday shift. When Gracia left me in the room, I heard a woman cry in our room where I was left alone. When Gracia was back, I didn’t tell a word for I did not want to entertain that kind of talk.

Day Three: Nightmares

Gracia was still feeling pain and I am still dealing with my on-and-off fever. I was also starting to feel pain when I peed. So it was not an easy day for the two of us. I felt something was not right about the whole thing and I went upstairs in our room which we hardly visit everyday. I played Gospel songs and I prayed there early at night all by myself. I could feel something was moving around me in that room but I refused to get distracted. I kept singing songs of praises. I heard the box of Gracia’s wedding gown moved like it was swaying in the air. I was feeling scared but I declared the presence of the LORD in our house. The evil spirit became still.

I went down and talked to Nanay and asked her to hold Bible Study at house. (Our house has three little homes. One for me and Gracia, another one for Ate Sheryl and Ken, and of course, the main house.) Nanay was happily and excitedly agreed to my request. So after dinner, we held a Bible Study. We discussed about Romans18:18-20. Our conversation extended to the exercise of power and authority our Lord Jesus Christ had given us.

And then we went to sleep and had a couple of nightmares.

I saw myself in a movie-like setting where two groups were fighting against each other with guns. The other group had real sturdy-looking guns while I as part of the other group had a funny-looking lizard toy gun which blew just like a normal gun would. Then my team had to jump off from a very high place down to a wide river or lake surrounded with many falls. I felt myself submerge into the dirty water like that of a pond. In my head there was a voice which was like doing the storytelling and it told me that that river had so many huge snakes. The moment the word snake was mentioned, I bumped into one. And yes, it was really a huge one like an Anaconda. But the swimming was only for few seconds. I swam out of the water and found myself in a reunion setting at a house I had never seen before which in my dream it was ours. My family was there and so did Gracia’s. Innocently I knew that I came home with a snake. In my head it was just the ordinary snake, not the Anaconda. But in that part of the dream, I was actually with a man who was only wearing a pair of pants. His whole body was covered with bleeding tattoos. His blood was burning like lava. He looked like the devil but it was not getting acknowledged by me in that dream. Then I remembered my baby sister Psyche in the other room of that house and I felt she was scared. So I took her and tried to comfort her in my arms. When we got down the man who had tattoos all over his body became a little girl whose face was like of an angel but the tattoos were still there, making her look like the devil. I was worried that the tattooed girl might get offended so I tried to comfort her. She tried to play with Psyche and the tattooed girl became a normal-looking kid. But she suddenly showed her tattoos on her head which became real devil horns and that made Psyche cry. I took Psyche away and all the elders in our families hold the young girl and casted out the devil from her. She was strong but we did not stop until the black spirit was released from her body. Then we prayed about our other family members who were sleeping for protection. Then I woke up and went to the bathroom. When I got back to the room, Gracia was awake, still in pain and I told her about my nightmare. Then I went to sleep again.

In my second dream, it was as if the continuation of the first one. Psyche was tall in that dream, her height reaching my shoulder. And she spoke fluent English. Then the setting changed so quick that we were all in a dark place. Only people were visible. It was like we were all in the outer space with no stars. We were having dinner and in the corner of my head, I was worried about Gracia’s niece named Kate who was in the upper room in that dream. After dinner I decided to confront the evil spirit with a Banana Que stick in my right hand. I went upstairs and found a huge dog standing on its four feet on a terrace. Then when I got nearer it changed to just a head of a beast I could not describe because I could not remember. Then it spoke to me. It said that there were nine who came ahead of me and all failed and I would also fail. But I told the beast that I knew what he was doing. We would cast him out and to fight back, the beast would make us remember all the bad past we had. And it’s not gonna work this time. I reminded the beast of his future and that is in hell. Then Gracia woke me up. She said I was crying and groaning in my dreams.

I prayed and went to sleep again.

Day Four: Revelations 20:9

Gracia and I went back to Community Hospital for another checkup. We had urinalyses again. Before we left home, there was blood in my pee. We finally met Dr. Valdez, the Urologist. He prescribed medicine to Gracia and when he saw mine, he worried a bit and advised to have my kidneys ultrasound. But Ultrasound Room was closed already that early in the afternoon that day. I had to come back by myself the next day.

When we got home, I shared with Nanay about my dreams. Then Gracia also shared her own experiences about the woman she heard laughing in the middle of the night and the person who lay next to her on her bed when she was alone which I also had experienced myself. The talk about the spirit of a little girl who was a shape-shifter in the area was also mentioned. That same girl could be the one in my dream. We prayed about it and read the Bible. She read to me Revelations 20:9-10. Verse 9 had made a powerful revelation to me. So I went upstairs and prayed there again and the comfort of the LORD filled me there. I thanked God for His protection and guidance in our families. I prayed for my families and friends and the churches. The night came and we had a peaceful sleep.

Day Five: The Results

I had to go to the hospital all by myself for Gracia had to report to work. She had been absent for three days, too. I went early in the hospital and was listening to The Anthem by Planetshakers. I was there as early as 7 a.m. but ultrasound for my kidneys would be around 10 a.m. I was thankful that I was the first one because I had to hold my pee until after the session and that hurt. When I had the result inside a white envelop which I had to bring to the urologist, Dr. Valdez was not there and I was asked by the nurse to come back at 2:30p.m.

I came back and praise God, it’s nothing serious. Just little medication and I’m good.

Funny Chat

Funny Chat

Now that time is running before the team gets disbanded in September, everyone is always making sure to have fun on the floor.

One time, we were playing on the chat room. When someone left his or her computer unlocked, Ellen, Robyn, Nikka, and Ivan were playing on that person’s chat! Well, it was only on the team chat. And it was really funny!

See the pictures below.

Also I want to share the newspaper versions of the picture during the Class Awards in Convergys where I got this!

Was Forced To Laugh At A Joke

For the past couple of days, I think I have to say it here, I was, and still am, struggling to find something to write about. And the harder I try, the worse it gets. So I decided to calm down and try my best not to get bitten by the stress bug. So I just let it flow and see what we'll get by the end of this post. No rules. No Grammar Laws. Smiles.

First thing came in my mind was this old man who called about his problematic cellphone. I was in the process of getting into the system finding the cause why he could not use his brand new phone. And because we were encouraged to avoid putting customer on hold for it affects our stat for availability, what I do is I tell customers that I need to work in silence. That if they have questions, they can feel free to ask their questions. 

Now this customer was kind of funny, I think that would be the right word to describe him. He said he had no questions but he had a joke for me. I was like, okay..? So I continued troubleshooting his phone as he continued his joking session with me. So I was half-listening to him. But his joke was, well funny? I think. He said something like this:

There was a very old man who could not pee. This very old man went to see his urologist. The urologist asked him what was the problem. The very old man said, "Doc, I could not pee." Then the doctor asked him, "How old are you?" Then the very old patient answered, "I'm 92." And the doctor said, "Oh I see. Well, you have peed enough!"

Then my joker/caller laughed as if he had told me the funniest joke ever created in the history of mankind. So I forced a laugh there. Well, somehow it was a sincere laugh because I thought that was funny, right? Was that funny? What do you think?

Feel free to leave a comment if you find this joke funny. Well, I don't think I'll get comments from this post but who knows? He-he. Hope to hear from you. :)

And As They Have Said

By Jasmin

1. Jasmin just shared a bit of her secret past. Trish said Jasmin sounded bitter.

“I am bitter but I’ll be better.”

2. Fernand Yim just received a five-minute Aux8 and was a bit upset for a very short break.

“It is better to have something than to have nothing at all.”

3. While waiting for a call.

“Fernand Yim is not handsome. He is awesome!”

By Elve Jane

1. Elve Jane was on mute while servicing a call with a rude customer.

“Get some education, sir.”

2. A caller said that Elve Jane was just reading a script that she did not know what she was saying.

“No, ma’am. It’s coming from the top of my head!”

3. Elve Jane was explaining to the caller why the payment was considered late even if it was made online on the due date.

Elve Jane: Ma’am, you missed the cut-off time online which is 3pm EST. That is why it was considered late.

Caller: How could that be? You’re not telling your customers about the cut-off time so that we’ll be late when we make our payments!

Elve Jane: Ma’am, the posting timeframe is made available online as you make the payment.

Caller: What if I don’t have a computer, how would I know?

Elve Jane: Logic tells us both that you wouldn’t be able to make that payment online if you don’t have a computer.

Caller: (Embarrassed)

By Fernand Yim

1. Fernand Yim was asking Aux8 (The instant break) from Ms. Shee.

“It’s okay you don’t give me an Aux8. But if you insist, who am I to resist?”

2. Jasmin was explaining why she asked too many questions during the Team Meeting to one of the newbies. Jasmin said she was just interacting.

“You did not interact, you did interrupt.”

3. Fernand Yim was being teased by almost everyone in a Team Meeting.

“Can I just walk out?”

4. Everyone asked why Fernand Yim did color his hair.

“It’s allergy. I ate something really bad.”

5. Elve Jane was finding Fernand Yim a little weird, too lively on an ordinary shift.

“I think it’s the hair’s new color.”

6. Fernand Yim was talking to a Chinese caller.

Fernand Yim: When is your date of birth?

Chinese Caller: What?

Fernand Yim: May I know your date of birth?

Chinese Caller: What?

Fernand Yim: Your date of birth? The day you were born?

Chinese Caller: Did you say I’m boring?

Fernand Yim: Err! (On mute Button) (I didn’t know how to talk to him. Err.)

7. Fernand Yim was a bit sleepy while servicing a call. The caller was asking for a breakdown of all the recent charges on her account.

“There was a charge…ano ‘to?”

8. Fernand Yim was asked by the caller if it was okay to put him on hold for a minute.

“Sige, go ahead.”

9. Fernand Yim was having a debate with one of the newbies, Christy, on the floor until he ran out of words.

“Ms. Shee, can you just terminate her?”

Callers for Fernand Yim

1. “If all people in the world are like you, it will be a better world.”

2. “You know what, (between sobs) when my friends ask me what’s in my wallet, I’m going to tell them it’s Capital One.”

By Ms. Shee

1. Ms. Shee received a transferred call from Alex.

Ms. Shee: Hello?

American Caller: Hi!

Ms. Shee: Hi! Sino ‘to?

And…

New CSR: May I have your date of birth?

Caller: What?

New CSR: Please verify your date of birth?

Caller: What? I can’t understand you.

New CSR: May I know when you were born?

Caller: I can’t really understand you.

New CSR: (Pondered for some seconds) Sir, I need to know your date of birth. You know, like…Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you… (The new CSR did sing for the customer. Laughs! )