Earbleed

After some years in the professional world with people who claim that they are fluent in English, here are the top irritants that I encounter at work (and yes, even from the managers):

1) As per (or per)

Instead of using: according to, as stated in, in accordance with
Example: As per your request (As you requested)

Nobody uses this in casual conversation nowadays!

2) Irregardless

Instead of using: regardless, irrespective

Ir + less = double negation. Self-explanatory

Ateneo MBA schedule for my first trimester

My MBA for Middle Managers schedule at Ateneo Graduate School of Business for 1st trimester, SY 2009-2010

Tuesday
MMMANACC – Managerial Accounting (2009 batch), under Ric Palo, the curriculum coordinator
(a subject to be taken during the first trimester)

Wednesday
MMMANSCI – Management Science (2008 B batch), Ralph Ante, the chair of the Operations cluster
(a subject that should be taken during the second trimester, not first)

I did not enroll MMETHICS (the subject that I am supposed to take together with Managerial Accounting) this time because 1) I am waiting for a certain Ethics teacher 2) I do not work on Mondays and I do not want to leave the house that day.

I did not enroll MMPRIMAN, a relatively easy subject, because the first trimester falls on the UAAP basketball games, and there are games that are scheduled on Thursdays. (Go La Salle!)

That means taking two (relatively) difficult subjects at the same time.

Fading

A song that you once thought you would forever long kept playing in your head, even with the play button unpressed. A flashback in the middle of pitch black used to play that track whenever moods attacked. Ticking like a clock, with hands not getting tired.

Until the infatuation reached saturation. Like a memorized poem recited in the room. Or the finest chocolate, but consumed until eight. The melody once harmonious has notes now monotonous. Moving like a machine, full of rust within.

The person – or at least the idea – is fading.

Books!

I received business textbooks from a classmate in the French class who recently finished her MBA (for Middle Managers, the exact program that I am targeting).

Business textbooks:
- An Introduction to Strategic Management Concepts and Cases 11th Edition – Fred R David
- Business Ethics Concepts and Cases 5th Edition – Manuel G. Velasquez
- General Principles in Operations Management – Jay Heizer & Barry Render
- Fundamentals of Financial Management 10th Edition – Eugene F. Brigham, Joel F. Houston
- Applied Management Science and Spreadsheet Modelling – Francis J. Clauss
- Heroic Leadership – Chris Lowney
- Marketing Management 11th Edition – Philip Kotler
- Managerial Accounting 4th Edition – Ronald W. Hilton

After several days, I received a message from one of the (terror?) teachers in Alliance Française, offering his French language textbooks:

Steven, do you want more reference books in French? I have books that I don’t use anymore but are in very good condition. They’re reference materials I bought in France pa. I thought of you first. I’m not selling them. I’d give them to you for free.

- Le Bon Usage 13th edition – André Goosse (This is THE Bible of the French grammar)
- Dictionnaire de l’argot français et de ses origines – Jean-Paul Colin, Jean-Pierre Mével, and Christian Leclère
- Larousse Dictionnaire des Difficultés de la langue Française – A.V. Thomas
- Larousse Dictionnaire des Synonymes – E. Genouvrier
- Richesse du Vocabulaire – Jeannine Bochard-Fièvez/Jean Delahaut
- Business French Glossary (English-French French-English) – Peter Collin Publishing
- Le Dico du français qui se cause – Pierre Merle

Me: Bonjour ! Merci de m’avoir donné gratuitement tous ces livres en très bon état malgré etant acheté en France il y a longtemps. Les mots sans fin ne sont pas assez pour exprimer ma gratitude ! Les choses dont quelqu’un n’a plus besoin, c’est sans aucun doute le trésor de quelqu’un d’autre ! J’étais toujours volontaire pour recevoir le bienfait hehe

Prof: Je n’ai jamais dit qu’ils sont gratuits. Tu m’invites à dîner dans un resto japonais super cher. =) (Je blague, bien sûr.)

J’va penser à moi maintenant

J’va penser à moi maintenant
Dany Bédar

Il s’est perdu le grand amour
Il s’est enfuit pour toujours
Peu importe c’est pour quand
Faut pas le vivre trop souvent
J’va penser à moi maintenant

Il se cache peut-être dans un bar
Ou dans un nuage de brouillard
Ça peut être troublant
Quand ça fait trop longtemps
J’va penser à moi maintenant

Il est le reflet du miroir
Pour ceux qui veulent bien y croire
J’me regarde pas trop souvent
J’ai surtout pas beaucoup de temps
J’va penser à moi maintenant

Il peut fondre quelquefois
Y a tellement d’hommes qui se noient
Trop d’alcool dans le sang
Et ces matins pesants
J’va penser à moi maintenant

Il change de nom quand il repart
Et il disparait dans le noir
Moé j’ai eu trente ans
J’fais parti des grands
J’va penser à moi maintenant

Je lui écris une autre chanson
Au grand amour et son frisson
Une chose en terminant
J’pisserai pu contre le vent
J’va penser à moi maintenant

Un dernier tour de chant
Si c’est ça moi, je me rends
J’va penser à moi, j’va penser à moi
J’va penser à moi maintenant

Je n’attends plus ton retour

Je n’attends plus ton retour
Dany Bédar

La nuit tombe sur le jour
Y en a qui sorte, faire un tour
Si le bonheur tourne autour
Ce que le malheur court toujours

[Refrain:]
Y en na d’autre qui tombe en amour
Moi je n’attends plus ton retour

La nuit ramene les vautours
Y en a qui heurtent au secour !
Y en a sans doute de meilleur aux alentours
Pour effacer l’ébats de ton parcours

[au refrain]

La nuit fait place aux beaux jours
Y en a qui sorte faire la cour
Si les ébats de ton voisin te rendent sourd
Fait battra ton cœur comme un tambour

[au refrain]

I am a busy person

Aside from at least 48 hours of work a week, there are 7 hours a week of two French modules combined. My house is far and I go back and forth to the office, and the school is far from both office and home. Finding time for watching movies and reading books is difficult. Sleep is a luxury.

There is no time to prioritize dating, flirting, and reading nonsense e-mails over working, studying, and casually visiting close friends. Therefore, if you cannot contribute to my productivity and happiness, just go away and be happy without me.

Thank you.

(To be scheduled: overnight vacation at Pansol with some French classmates and friends, a birthday party with a High School classmate’s family and friends, dinner with college friends, a good musical with someone)

Isn’t it strange?

A former officemate added one of my friends both in Yahoo Messenger AND Facebook even if they do not know each other. As expected, my friend asked the person where the e-mail address was obtained (I had no idea).

A: hi, may i know where you got my email
B: from Steven
B: may I know your name?
A: he gave it to you?
A: did he not give my name?
B: your name is A?
A: and you are B, i suppose?
B: yes, y?
A (9:49:47 PM): may i ask why steven gave my email to you?
A (9:58:58 PM): sorry got disconnected, may i ask why steven gave my email to you?
B (11:21:29 PM): i got your contacts from the email steven sent

Note: There was a long gap between the question and the answer (1 hour, 31 minutes, 42 seconds) and the other party’s status was “Available” all along, not “Offline” or “Idle”.

I cannot blame my friend if she was also probably wondering about the reason behind these sudden online connection requestS, and why HER specifically, among my friends. Since I did not know that something was already happening, I am thankful that she left an offline message asking me why this person added her.

The unexpected friend requests itself is already weird, but it is weirder that the common link (me!) was not notified beforehand. However, since it should be none of my business, I did not do anything about it in order to not aggravate the situation. I just apologized to my friend for the hassle. She has a boyfriend already!

Considering these, it is improper for the person who added a supposed stranger to call me a “jerk”, thinking that my friend is “freak” and “rude” even if she was just inquiring where the e-mail address came from, and not apologizing to her.

On the other hand, it is impolite to add a total stranger without answering the question WHY when asked. Why does one also have to ask for the name of the person whom she added personally without my introduction when she knew it well all along? Most importantly, when one receives an e-mail with a lot of recipients, adding someone from the CC list is normal only if she is actually acquainted with the other person or at least polite enough to introduce herself properly.

It is unfortunate that the one who considers herself to be more mature than me would end up doing something as immature as this.

25 Random Things

1) I have a secret and I cannot post it here. Hihi.

2) I am prematurely born but very healthy. In theory, I am supposed to have an underdeveloped brain so you can just imagine my intelligence if only i were given a fair chance.

3) Being more light-skinned than my sisters when I was a kid, I used to be mistaken as a half foreigner or a full-blooded Chinese

4) I cannot see the reason why people keep on telling me that I look like Tom Taus!

5) I always want to do so many things despite having so little time.

6) I used to read the encyclopedia (at least it’s Wikipedia nowadays). I am nerdy, science-oriented and definitely not artistic, that is why I am hoping to improve the other parts of my brain by taking language classes

7) Contrary to the previous item, many people think that I must be an English/Philosophy or arts major!

I have not been out of my country and I am very frustrated about it. I am bitter (VERY bitter) about Norbelle’s vacation in France.

9) I like a certain stranger just because of her hormone-inviting accent.
(si tu sais ce dont il s’agit, tais-toi !)

10) I am not planning to get married, at least not soon (e.g., six months)

11) The password in my e-mail account is a nickname I once gave to a (former?) crush during my college days. (Hi Negryza, you know who she is AND I will never admit this to anyone else again! haha)

12) For every password that I have used, at least someone knows it. So all my friends can have a meeting in order to open all my online accounts.

13) I love dogs. Does this make me French?

14) I do not cook, sing, drive, draw… How many times should I mention that I lack art?

15) I want to be fluent in French some years from now just because the accent is lovely. At least I am studying for pleasure, not just for serious business.

16) I haven’t rode a bike for a very long time, probably more than 10 years, but I am sure that I still know how to bike.

17) I can easily be pleased. You don’t have to buy me expensive gifts, really. All it takes is an orgasmic chocolate bar.

18) I am not impressed with needy girls. I would hate to have a stereotypical « Stepford wife » as a partner. I like someone who has higher goals in life and has her own life that does not revolve around me only.

19) I am not talking to my father for a very long time, and I believe that it is one of the best decisions I have made so far.

20) I already experienced being stalked. Not in a figurative sense.

21) In college, I used to change mobile numbers AT LEAST once a year.

22) I have a very weak “radar” that I cannot tell whether someone likes me or not. I just find out through second-hand (or first-hand) confessions. At least I am not assuming too much.

23) I am flat-footed like my mother and eldest sister. Shoe size = 10 (US standard). What does that mean?

24) I do not eat apples, oranges, ripe mangoes, and a lot of other fruits.

25) I want to study again someday, to visit different countries someday, try a lot of new things someday…

favorite movie quote

« Sacrée Sophie, le jeu avait repris sur les chapeaux de roue. Du bonheur à l’état pur, brut, natif, volcanique, quel pied ! C’était mieux que tout, mieux que la drogue, mieux que l’héro, mieux que la dope, coke, crack, fix, joint, shit, shoot, snif, pét’, ganja, marie-jeanne, cannabis, beu, peyotl, buvard, acide, LSD, extasy. Mieux que le sexe, mieux que la fellation, soixante-neuf, partouze, masturbation, tantrisme, kama-sutra, brouette thaïlandaise. Mieux que le Nutella au beurre de cacahuète et le milk-shake banane. Mieux que toutes les trilogies de George Lucas, l’intégrale des Muppet Show, la fin de 2001. Mieux que le déhanché d’Emma Peel, Marilyn, la Schtroumpfette, Lara Croft, Naomi Campbell et le grain de beauté de Cindy Crawford. Mieux que la face B d’Abbey Road, les solos d’Hendrix, le petit pas de Neil Armstrong sur la lune. Le Space Mountain, la ronde du Père Noël, la fortune de Bill Gates, les transes du Dalaï lama, les NDE, la résurrection de Lazare, toutes les piquouzes de testostérone de Schwarzy, le collagène dans les lèvres de Pamela Anderson. Mieux que Woodstock et les rave parties les plus orgasmiques. Mieux que la défonce de Sade, Rimbaud, Morrison et Castaneda. Mieux que la liberté. Mieux que la vie… »

“Sophie, you old devil, the game has resumed at top speed. Pure, raw, innate, volcanic pleasure! It was better than drugs, better than smack, better than a dope, coke, crack, fix, joint, shit, shoot, sniff, ganja, Mary Jane, cannabis, weed, peyote, blotting paper, acid, LSD, ecstasy. Better than sex, blowjob, 69, orgy, masturbation, tantra, Kama Sutra, Thai doggy-style. Better than the nutella on peanut butter and banana milkshake. Better than George Lucas’s trilogy, the whole Muppet Show, the end of 2001. Better than Emma Peel, Marilyn, la Schtroumpfette, Lara Croft, Naomi Campbell and the beauty mark of Cindy Crawford. Better than the B-side to Abbey Road, the solos of Jimmy Hendrix, the small footstep of Neil Armstrong on the moon. Space Mountain, walk-around of Santa Claus, Bill Gates’ fortune, the Dalai Lama, near-death experience, the resurrection of Lazarus. Schwarzenegger’s testosterone shots, the collagen in Pam Anderson’s lips. Better than Woodstock and most orgasmic rave parties. Better than the drugs of Sade, Rimbaud, Morrison and Castaneda. Better than freedom, better than life…”

Someone does not deserve it

Someone does not deserve the time of a busy person with a lot of important things to prioritize in life.

Someone does not deserve the explanation of someone telling the truth if the answers will always be interpreted from an entirely different perspective anyway.

Someone does not deserve the effort of a person if the game is unfair, complicated and less clearly defined but nevertheless requires full dedication. Someone does not deserve to expect a person to aim for futile results.

Someone does not deserve the recognition of a person who has been discriminated by that person. Someone does not deserve the apology of a person who is not guilty of the accusations.

Someone does not deserve the hatred of a person who only has apathy. Someone does not deserve the care of a person who has realized that it is better to let things be and not care about it.

A mild reminder to someone who has stopped studying French for a long time

Fortunately, I do not have to resort to visually stimulating reminders to revive stagnant and dry hormones. I just have to hear someone’s accent to resume the overflow of the raging hormones.

Am I the only person in the world who thinks…

…that this person really looks like Patrick Dempsey?

Guillaume Canet

He played one of the main characters in my newly discovered favorite French film, Jeux d’Enfants. Maybe one can tell the difference only when they speak.

Ils se ressemblent comme deux gouttes d’eau !

Daughtry’s Concert at Eastwood

It was my first time to have a VIP ticket, and Krissie and I bought it more than a month before the concert so we did not suffer from ticket shortage. I was guilty for a certain period of time, but I eventually realized that the money is worth the experience. Anyway, the place of the concert is small.

It seems like we were the only ones in the VIP area who are “poor” compared to the rest, because we were surrounded by rich kids, celebrities, models, and foreigners. We were just average persons who were overexcited that we spent a big amount of money for it. In fact, we were so excited that we even forgot to charge our mobile phones that day and we ran out of battery. My camera also ran out of battery, so I was able to take just a few pictures.

His live performance is effortlessly a “CD quality”. I was not ashamed that I know the songs by heart (as if I am the only person in the place who knows the songs that well), and both of us had a husy voice the following day. Hearing his voice would make a person realize that life is unfair. If only I had that kind of voice, I would almost consider leaving my other skills (e.g., academics).

If Daughtry would go back next year, I would definitely buy a VIP ticket early on, no questions asked. I just hope that he would bring Elliott Yamin and Katherine McPhee next time.

Hectic schedule

Because my work schedule will conflict with my French classes:

Plan A: skip Module 6 but will enroll Module 7 next time
+ I will still have the same set of classmates
+/= I have to do more self-studying. Feasible, because I have done this before. Anyway, I have the ultimate French textbooks to help me improve: The ultimate bilingual dictionary, HarperCollins Robert French Unabridged Dictionary, and the ultimate verb book, Bescherelle, will arrive in weeks.

Plan B: Have a one-on-one class
- it’s expensive
+ the pacing depends on the student

Plan C: Enroll Module 6 and be absent on Thursdays
+ I will have the same set of classmates
- I will pay for the missed classes

Of course, I have not decided yet, but one thing is clear: I have seen the sign that I should not stop.

Sign: A French native would approach me (except for the professor giving a paper in the class, or checking my work).  It would be very unlikely, because I do not live in a French-speaking country and there are few French people here.
Actual event: When I attended the class despite being busy and tired the entire day, my seatmate said « Il a mal à la tête » and the professor approached me to give me a “it is a very good French medicine”. The tablet worked, and so is the sign.

When I thought the one-night experience has been forgotten by the other party too…

Dilemma… or more

After successfully implementing my first plans for the year (study French, get out of my previous job and get a new one), I am seriously contemplating about the next one: knowing which masters degree to take (and where, how, etc). It is not just one problem, because it comes with the following factors:

1) Where – I consider the school’s reputation an essential factor. I wanted to prioritize De La Salle University-Manila, my alma mater, but it is far from the office. University of Asia and Pacific is just less than five minutes away from the office, but it is more expensive (additional 80%) and I do not know if their academic reputation is worth leaving my first choice. If I would study at Asian Institute of Management, I might need a scholarship and a big salary raise.

2) Specialization – I know that I would never go back to studying Computer Science or a related geeky field, and I am sure that I want to be in the field of business, to be exposed to the more Humanities-oriented side of life, and to concentrate on transferable skills (e.g., management, communication skills), so I am seriously considering Economics and MBA.

3) Would my target school(s) accept me? – Considering that my transcript is not as impressive as graduate schools would like it to be, my job is not in the field of business, and my college background is almost irrelevant from business-oriented concepts, this is the real issue. I have an excuse (a lame excuse, that is) – my college specialization is “challenging” (up to the point that only few graduated). It may be irrelevant to business concepts, but the analysis and mathematics part should be useful. Anyway, MBA programs accept any four-year degree.

4) The classes might conflict with my French classes. Two big goals are fighting for my time! My work is Tuesday to Saturday, so I cannot transfer the French classes to a Saturday (slower) track.

5) Uncertainties. I am not sure whether I would not go out of the country within the next few years. I have proven that life is very unpredictable, so going out of the country for work (or even for study) is possible.

Despite deeply thinking about the entire situation, I am still contemplating whether I should prepare for GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) instead of DELF (Diplôme d’études en langue française) A1.

If only my work days were Monday to Friday, my life could have been easier: I would transfer the French classes to a weekend (slower) track and dedicate my weeknights to Masters classes. Maybe the best thing that I can do at this point is to make my Mondays as productive as possible (which, even now, I do not know how).

Some people say I look like…

David Archuleta

Dan Byrd

Aaron Ashmore

JC Cuadrado

AND the classic choice, Tom Taus

But comparing them against each other, I don’t even know where to start!

Reality, please slap me

Despite always wanting to appear the strong one between the two, I am shamelessly allowing the unexpected cycle to enter my life and disturb my mind all over again. Opening oneself to another vulnerability should not be as easy as this, after a lot of self-convincing that the situation — or the person — is not worth the time anymore. Yet, even though this is difficult to admit, I secretly want to have more, to feel more, to be more, with this person.

It is sometimes tempting to express how someone is missed but my innate pride left this part unsaid — perfectly achieved by purposely looking away when being stared at and removing my hand instead of letting it be touched for a longer time. I do not want to give the wrong impression that my existence almost depends on a specific person only.

After some rationalization, I realized that I might just be enjoying the idea that a person whom I highly consider to be important through a lot of things (even in profession, academics, and personal power) want to consider me important for nothing in particular.

I must go out more, as soon as possible — with a different person, that is.

Salut tout le monde !

J’ai sorti mon bloc-notes, http://s7even.tabulas.com (oui, c’est en anglais). Alors, voila mon nouveau bloc-notes. J’espere que ce changera tout, compri ma perspective dans la vie. Pour mes amis qui sont anglophones et ne parlent pas la belle langue française, pardonnez-moi si c’est en français en ce moment. Ne vous inquiétez pas, je n’oublierai jamais de parler anglais et tagalog.

[Hello everybody! I left my blog, http://s7even.tabulas.com (yes, it's in English). So here is my new blog. I hope that this will change everything, including my perspective in life. For my friends who are English-speaking and do not speak the beautiful French language, sorry if it is in French at the moment. Do not worry, I will never forget how to speak English and Tagalog.]