Category: Career

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Art Canada Career Life

My Lucky Streak

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I just noticed (my aunt and uncle noticed it too), during these past few months in Canada, that I had been quite lucky. Here’s a couple of lucky things that happened:

  • We went to the casino and I won $100 playing Blackjack. I had gambling issues and used to go to casinos all by myself. But that was before and I stopped gambling ultimately when I had my losing streak. So when we went to this casino, I was playing just for fun. I wasn’t even playing my own money. My uncle gave us $20 each. When I won $10, I was planning on stopping. But I decided to just continue and didn’t care if I lose. But then I didn’t. 😉
FullSizeRender 2
Kept this as a souvenir
  • We were shopping in this store and I bought some stuff and this nice (pricey) wrap-around jacket that’s perfect for fall. Only I didn’t buy it. When I checked the receipt, the salesperson didn’t scan the tag on the jacket so I got it for free. I know that wasn’t the right thing to do; but I am jobless and a person who sometimes gets tempted so…
  • After just a month here, I already got a job. It was only a 2-month placement so it isn’t really something that’s permanent but still, that was pretty lucky. Unfortunately, I was having some health issues and I’m sorry, no disrespect, but I just loathe the job. I will certainly miss the residents and most of them are sweet but that’s just isn’t enough for me to stay.
  • So after working there for 2 weeks, I quit and hope that I will immediately find another job. And luckily, after a couple of weeks, I received several interview invitations. Then I got interviewed for this certain position (which is kind of similar to my previous job back home) and got an offer a few days after the interview. I was sooo happy and was jumping for joy nonstop. But that’s not it! It was a double entendre because not only I got hired, they hired me for a higher position! Which means higher salary! I can’t help but smile thinking about it.
  • Over to Dust Designs news (my graphic art business), I just got a client who needed some tags and things for her wedding. So I am currently working on it and like how things are going.
Their two options
  • I almost forgot the iPad. It wasn’t totally free because the bank let me chose if I’d want to have free monthly banking fees for a year or I’ll pay the monthly fees but I’ll get an iPad. I chose the latter because I’m planning to get an iPad anyway so it’s like I’m paying it in installments. Apparently, “24-month installment for zero interest!” is not a thing here. So that worked out. Also, the bank manager offered us free monthly fees for the first 2 months. So it’s like I got a discounted, 10 months to pay iPad. Yes!

  • Also, I get to experience snow. I consider that lucky because not everyone has the chance to experience snow. 😊

And that was it! I should be happy but… No wait, I am happy. But I am also worried. I’m worried that something unlucky will happen because of all these lucky-ness. I will be watching out.

Categories
Art Canada Career

Almost 3 Months in Winnipeg

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It always crosses my mind to make a blog post whenever I’m doing something I don’t really do in the Philippines. Or when I see something new or unusual. I will always think, “I will write this on my blog.” But here I am, finally giving some time to blog and I can’t recall all of those things that I wanted to write. But I will try.

DEER LODGE CENTRE

I got a job placement as a Health Care Aide in Deer Lodge Centre two weeks ago. It’s a rehab facility for the elderly (we call them residents). We wash them, feed them, and just take care of them in general. I will really miss some of the residents (especially Henny, Isabella and Garth) ‘cos I already quit yesterday. 😅

Even though I’m not fond of the job (it was my first time to wipe someone else’s ass), I was really planning on finishing my 2-month contract. Because how lucky am I to get a job that I didn’t even apply to, no interviews whatsoever, and considering that I’ve been here for just a month? Really lucky. They just told us to be there at this date, wear scrubs, and start working already (thanks to Manitoba Start – a government funded organization). And then if Deer Lodge likes me, I will be directly employed with them and get an $18 hourly pay (that’s quite plenty because the minimum hourly wage here is $11).

So the reason why I quit this job is because my eczema (which has been going on for 10 years now) is worsening. Some may think that it’s a lousy reason to quit but I’ll tell them to have an eczema first and tell me about it. I’m okay with the dryness and itchy feeling because I have my super effective ointment to relieve the itchiness. But when it starts to cause open wounds (due to frequent hand washing and sanitizing), I really needed to think about it. Exposing the wounds to even just water really hurt. What more if it’s exposed to soap or alcohol. Harsh chemicals are a no-no for eczema. That’s why I always use gloves even when I take a bath because exposure to shampoo and conditioner causes the flare-ups too. I tried using organic products but to no avail.

And so I quit. I was not happy about it because I really wanted to earn money right away (and I’m planning to get the iPhone XS 😂). But why should I stay in a job that: 1. I don’t like and 2. worsens my already worse eczema? I say, don’t. Manitoba Start was okay with it and said they’ll try to find another placement for me. They were all really nice. It turns out I didn’t even need reason #2 to finally decide that I won’t finish the contract. I learned that it wouldn’t be a problem if I just say that I feel like I’m not a fit for the job and that I changed my interests.

And then I also had the okay from my uncle and aunt (whom we’re living with) and said that I should just find an office job. They were all really kind and supportive. I can’t really express how thankful we are to them. I love them so much!

Impromptu photo shoot. Ang lamig!

RBC (Royal Bank of Canada)

This is our bank here. Here in Winnipeg (or maybe across Canada), there is no maintaining balance. We opened a bank account with zero dollars on hand (because we didn’t have our money at that time). The manager was also a Filipino so it was a pleasant experience.

The most exciting part was their ongoing promo. They are giving away free iPads (the latest one) to newly opened accounts. What’s so great about this is, for months I was really planning on getting an iPad Pro for my graphic business. iPad Pro because it’s compatible with the Apple Pencil. But what’s even more great is that the latest iPad (the one RBC is giving away) is already compatible with the Apple Pencil. So yay! I don’t need to get an iPad Pro anymore! Yehey yehey!

Zero $$$

The iPad will arrive next week! I’m so excited.

I think this is it for now. This post is getting too long already. I think I’ll blog more frequent now since I don’t have a job anymore anyways.

PS: It was already snowing yesterday!!! Sobrang bano ako 😂

Categories
Art Career Life

Why Are You Doing This?

I’ve just encountered a great video on Youtube about photography but it actually applies to everything that I am trying to learn nowadays:

 

 

The phrase that struck me most is, “Learn and understand why you are doing this particular thing, and not just how to do them.” Aannnd I’ll leave it at that.

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Career Life

Jobless: Day 1

Yesterday was my last day of work. So what I did was:

  • Went to the office to return company assets and my ID
  • Tagged along with my previous teammates to watch Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
  • Got my hair chopped (thinking of dyeing it as well)
  • Got my pits sugared
  • Hugged my office mates goodbye
  • Had dinner with Kenneth at Rice & Dough

Then we went home. It was raining hard. When we got home, I felt weird that I didn’t need to login to my laptop to work. I felt weird that I don’t see my office laptop anymore in our room. It was really an uneasy feeling — up until now. It’s uncomfortable but exciting at the same time — because I could do anything now! There’s just a lot of possibilities.

For today, I’m thinking of cooking Kenneth’s dinner later. I’ve also been meaning to start working again on the wedding invitation project. I hope I’ll be productive today because recently, I have the tendency to just lie around and watch YouTube videos all day long. Or I’ll just lie in bed thinking of the things that I should do but actually doing nothing. Until it gets dark and it’s time to go to sleep. Another day wasted.

I just remembered that I had to pack some orders from my online shop. Brb.

 

Categories
Art Career

9-5 Job VS Graphic Artist

Ang ayoko sa office work ko, alam ko na kung anong gagawin ko from start to finish. It’s a matter of gano ko lang sya katagal matatapos. Parang nagsisimula pa lang ako, gusto ko na mag-fast forward sa finish line. Atat na atat na kong matapos para petix na ko. Pero ang gusto ko sa graphic artist side job ko, once mag-start ako, hindi ko alam pano sya tatapusin. Wala akong idea kung anong magiging final result. Parang masusurprise na lang ako sa huli kung ok ba or kulang pa. Ang bawat minuto ay discovery and experimentation. At pag tumigil ako, pwedeng tapos na or bukas ko na lang ulit ipagpapatuloy. At kahit nakakapuyat, masaya ako. Basta bayad. ðŸ˜…

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Career

applying @ UHG

Andito ko ngayon sa Taguig. Nag-apply sa United Health Group. Kakatapos ko lang ng final interview. Ang last step eh online assessment daw, wala pang specific date. At ang probable date ng start ng work eh sa July 30 pa. Ang tagal. Magaapply pa ko sa iba. Habang hinihintay yun. Maganda daw kasi dito sa UHG. Andame kong kasabay na nag-apply na currently employed sa ibang call centers at gusto nilang lumipat dito. Online assessment na lang ako tas ok na. Eh madali na yun. Very easy na yun. Haha. Yun pati ang pinakagusto kong part. Yung test. Haha. Sana makapagstart na ko sooner. Ayoko maburo ng 1 month.

Excited na ko magtrabaho dito. Kaya lang ang hirap makapunta dito. Di pa din ako marunong. Akala ko makakapagsolo na ko pabalik ng Makati pero di din pala. Inaantay ko Kenneth ngayon puntahan nya ko dito. Sakit ng ulo ko eh. Nakakailang kasi isuot tong salamin ko anlaki-laki. Kaya di ko sinusuot kanina sakit tuloy ng ulo ko.

Nasa Market Market na daw si Kenneth. Kahit pa sabihin nya wala din naman akong idea kung san yun. Nagtanong pa ko. Haha.

Ok din magtrabaho dito kaya lang yung building ng UHG ang layo layo. Tas ang layo din ng mga kainan. Kapagod mag-lakad. High-heeled shoes are a no-no.

Ah ah I really want to start na next week! San pa kaya makapag-apply. Sa Thomson daw maganda din. Kaya lang parang ayoko ng account dun. Hindi related sa health care.

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Career

i will quit nursing for good

After graduation, nung una, habang di pa ko tinatawagan ng mga ospital regarding sa application ko sa kanila, nag-aapply ako sa mga call center. Bale dalwa na naging trabaho ko bago maging staff nurse. Sa PLDT, nag-uuli kami sa mga bahay-bahay sa Quezon Province para mang-alok sa mga tao na magpakabit sila ng landline or internet. Nakakapagod. Pero joke-joke lang yung trabaho naming yun. Wala lang talaga ko magawa nun. Di ganun kaseryoso. Pagkatapos nun, nag-call center kami sa isang maliit na company sa Lucena. Mga 4 or 6 months ata ako dun. Di ko maalala. Pagkatapos nun, na-hire na ko sa Mt. Carmel Diocesan General Hospital. Eh di ok na. Tuwa na mga kamag-anak ko kasi nagtatrabaho na talaga ko as staff nurse.
One and a half years na ko sa Mt. Carmel. Mula una pa lang hanggang ngayon, di ko talaga nakikita ang sarili ko na magiging nurse ako hanggang mag-retire ako. Dati, nasa isip ko lang yun. Tamang nasa isip ko lang yung thought na yun pero di ko inaaksyonan. Pero ngayon, nagkaron ako ng strong feeling tungkol dito. Ngayon, desidido na talaga kong mag-quit sa pagiging nurse at maghanap ng ibang trabaho. Basta ayoko na sa ospital. Ok lang sakin maging company nurse pero talagang inayawan ko na ang ospital. Hindi ko kaya ang stress ng ospital. May mga araw na sa buong 8-hour shift, hindi man lang ako naka-inom ng tubig, nakakain, naka-ihi, di ko man lang nasulyap phone ko para malaman kung sino yung nag-text. Basta 100% pure trabaho. 110% pa nga kasi minsan, tapos na ang shift, di pa tapos ang trabaho kaya kelangan pa tapusin. Tapos may mga extra-curricular activities pa tulad ng CME (Continuing Medical Education), para syang mini seminar. Minsan kelangan na mag-renew ng BLS at ACLS. Kaya imbis na uuwi na ko para magpahinga, imbis na day off ako, kelangan ko pa umattend sa mga ganun. Tapos minsan, tatawagan ka pa ng station kapag may kulang ka or may nangyaring kung ano. Hindi naman araw-araw na ganto. Pero ayoko nang magkaron ng araw na ganun. Kaya parang hindi ko na kinaya.
Balak ko last day ko na sa June 8. Magpapaalam na ko sa kanila. Ang pinakamamimiss ko syempre sa trabaho ko eh yung mga kasama ko. Nakakalungkot lang. Mamimiss ko sila lahat, kahit yung mga hindi ko ganun ka-close at kasundo. 
After ko umalis sa Mt. Carmel, ano na kaya mangyayari sakin. Magiging ok kaya ako? Makakahanap kaya ako agad ng trabaho? Ng magandang trabaho?
Basta. Hindi ako papayag na hindi.

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Career

double pays

Yahoo nagsweldo na ko! Haha. Naisama na yung mga double pay ko sa wakas! Haha. Halos 7k ang sweldo ko. Bihira yun. Tas may 13th month pay pa sa 19 daw tas yung pa-birthday ni bishop na 1k daw yun. Hahaha. Mayaman pala ang mga taga-carmel pag May. Hehe.

Ang ipon ko na eh 12.2k pero kulang na kulang pa din. Tas sigurado mababawasan pa to kase uuwi si Kenneth ng weekend. Tas punta kami Manila sa katapusan kasi sasama ko sa pagsundo kina Ate Beng. Makakapag-shopping ako. Haha. Parang gusto ko bumili ng dress saka mga blouse at maluluwang na damit. Haha. Saka pala gusto ko din bumili ng sapatos. Dun ko na lang kaya ibuhos ang 13th month pay ko? Hmm..Pero gusto ko na din kasi talagang magka-phone. Tas napapaisip pa ko kung Samsung Galaxy S 3 or HTC One S ang bibilhin ko. Haha parang may pera na ko. Wala pa naman. Napaka-unti pa. Haha.

May bago nga pala kong kinakaadikan na game sa iPod. Street Food Tycoon. Pinoy ang gumawa. Tas nakakatawa kasi may mga character na Manny Pacquiao saka si Pres. Ninoy tas may character din na nakasuot na t-shirt na may logo na ‘It’s more fun in the Philippines’. Haha ang cool. Tas may mga tinda na fishball at kwek-kwek. Nakakatawa.