Rich Black

Wow. I miss writing something here. Oh, by the way…

Happy New Year!

If I’m late naman for the bagong taon, well, I am advance naman for the Chinese New Year, di ba?

Anyway, I have missed a lot of good topics to bash here. Grabeh! I am so busy kasi bagong mag-end ang year 2007. There are some international persons that came in and I have to make asikaso because they are sooooo nice to me that they made asikaso din to me when I was in their country. Plus, family matters pa. My mom went to a cruise with her amigas. I let her join them and be merry even though I have to take care of the business she left here. Well, it’s just for a short time lang naman so walang problem. And sa work… well, sa work… Honestly, it isn’t much of a hassle nor a challenge to me na. I mean unlike before that I have 3 to 5 boxes with store display pa to make isip with all the diecuts and measurements. But now, all work is so sisiw na lang. I mean minimal alalay na lang dapat sa mga clients dahil they have been doing that na, but no... still the same old stupid questions or pagtatalo... oh gadh! My wrinkles are showing na... Well, the most memorable hirit of a client that soooo... ewan ko ba! Because she'd experience naman daw in the printing industry for YEARS prior to her being a boss or owner of the company. I had some debate kasi with one of her minions on choosing the right printing supplier who understands that we had to make tipid on the production cost of the packaging. So after my team make tipid on color usage but not suffering the "sosyal" look, we ended up with a design na black plus 1-color na lang. We let them choose their printing supplier but we suggest one that's not foreign to them but is really good in quality and is really mabilis and had word that if they made sabi na kaya in 1 week, they will deliver. But no! This boss made harang the project and told her minion na to make lipat to the other supplier... well, because it's her relative. She's making do it to all other brands. So it ended up on a little discussion in a meeting. Quoting her, she said:

"OK naman ah", holding the proof in digital format ha?

But the printing is to be done in offset. Then I made tanong but it's actually an imposition of the tipid we made for them.

"1-color plus black ito ha? Para tipid nga tayo, make bantay the green/red color. It's Pantone guided na."

Then she made hirit.

"Hinde CMYK ito. Para makuha yung rich black kasi I've been working on this industry for years. Full-color dapat."

My eyes made laki. Made bato my tingin on my teammates and immediately chatted my boss who's also a "best friend" of that girl client on her hirits. Wow. To achieve a rich black let's make it full-color. Make patong-patong the C (Cyan or blue in common tao), M (Magenta or red), Y (Yellow) and K (Black). Ummm... alam ko a color is a color. If it's already a color existing with mixture needed, it's good enough that it's puro. Mix all colors you want and end up well might be black to you but technically, it's mud... it's a color that is madumi.

Oh well, she's magaling eh. You won't will on those who are making parunong of everything. My brain is making sakit. Complaining. I have to shield it or I'll make hawa and absorb it...

Nooooooooohhhhh....

I need Slurpee or something malamig then biglang drink it. I'd rather have brainfreeze than this.

ARGH!

Probable lesson: Don't make argue na lang to clients. No one wins over them, even lawyers. (Oh really?)

Dramatic or Drastic?

I really just hate meetings. Why? Because most of the meetings I am in, I find it a waste of time for me. I have to make salamuha with people with all those blahs yet, their just paikot-ikot. Then you present and make paliwanag the work but they are not listening. Sheesh!

And then you become an audience –– of your own packaging design being torn apart viciously in front of you… no! in front of your team and the owner of the company, your client.

How disrespectful.
How unprofessional.
How bastos!

Really.

Siguro I can accept that pa if he is my professor, my parent or my boss. Hmmm… well, I will feel bad pa rin but perhaps I won’t be making alma like this or react like this.

He is such a show off. He's all talks and no work. I am disappointed with this kid. Yes! He is so much bata than me that’s why I hate his ways, his ego is singlaki or even greater than his katawan! He is full of himself. And for a time he was given this great opportunity from his work place, wala! He made pabaya and enjoyed too much.

He made punit our team’s output… my diecut and box design. Why? He just wants daw to indicate na we shouldn’t be attached to it. That he wanted to mark the start of change and all the blahs to the brand he is assigned to now…

And what’s more irritating there, almost everyone knows that he is to leave next month. Leave as in resign in the office. Everyone knows except his boss. PLUS, he has sooooo many palpaks na and yet he is still there in the office?! They should have kicked him out dati pa… but nooooo! He acts as if he is like another anak ng God.

He tore the box.

I wonder how his boss feels. It was disrespectful to the brand actually. I don’t know. I don’t find it dramatic if he’s showing off.

I tried brushing it off but it was pretty halata that day, that meeting that I don’t have gana anymore. That I was there but I wasn’t listening to him and the next brand meeting. What for? Up until kanina, I still have no gana. I wish I can just do other personal projects during office time.

Now, I mark the day that I will be an automaton… full-functional automaton.

With that, I can consider my only consolation is that my boss-friend made sulat to him indicating his insensitivity. You know what? He made answer pa and made tanggol of his actions! He was sorry naman DAW. It’s not his intentions. Yeah, right!

Wow! The word “sorry” is overused and battered. These days people say it lagi but di naman nila meant. Maawa naman kayo sa word!

And not just that, his boss made padala an SMS to me apologizing in behalf of his team for this guy’s uncalled for actions. The main man, their boss apologizing for this egoistic kid? I find it weird. I find it odd. And honestly, I don’t feel like texting back to acknowledge his message. It might be considered an act of bitchiness, I don’t know and I don’t make paki na. I am hurt, it’s my right to carry it if it takes my whole life time. They always wanted to be in control… well, not this time.

I can’t wait for other works, other projects and OTHER clients to work with. I still have hope that God will provide us with better people to deal with since we are dead serious naman on our work. My team and I will make it through… kami pa!

Too much drama, and we are not paid naman for that. Well, we are NOT paid enough actually. But we’ll have our day, our time… to shine.

Oh, by the way, aside from being considered masungit or irritable lately, some people are making biro that I am plastic daw. Well, joke or not, I’ll take that as a compliment. Thanks to certain people that’s one thing I definitely learned here in my professional life. I should be given a diploma for that!

To Be Or Not To Be

I miss posting entries in both blogs that I have. You know naman I am quite busy or busy-busy-han in my life. I have errands for both work (and sideline) to some demands in my family, to be precise, to my Nanay.

I notice that people are commenting or making reklamo that I am masungit daw lately. Well, as far as I know I have been masungit even before. How come they just notice it now? They make sisi my diet. Perhaps it’s a factor but I say it’s mostly some people I have been making salamuha is the one making me more irritable!

I can’t deny that my life is mostly making ikot around work. What do you expect from me na getting older na and no boyfriend pa rin. I don’t want to make tunganga or beg for someone’s attention. Perhaps if I am mayaman but I’m not naman. I can’t go shopping for things or for men… oops! Hihihi.

Anyway, lately I am really so tinatamad. Well, it’s more obvious since the other day. Previously, I can make pwersa to myself pa to deliver to work, but today… wow! It’s so mahirap na.

Why am I tamad? Because some guy in our client’s office made a dramatic presentation of the changes he wants to impose na sana to this brand he is to handle. Well, a short history is that this product is being pasa-pasa na from one person to another. Like since it was created, 4 headed it and almost 10 people na are assigned to handle it. I don’t see any problem naman on the branding neither to our design. But this guy is somehow blaming us and making bola pa and bilog our heads. Heller?! I’m older than you. He may be pulitiko but I’m not dumb. Why can’t just they make tanggap that it’s the people they put there are the ones who has the problem.

Of course, can the client’s admit their mistakes? Na-ah. They always, always blame the “other” team. Has it been a trend that they make sisi other people? Well, come to think of it, it’s the most easy way out. They always make hugas-kamay.

I, of all people, should have been used to politics. But lately it’s been getting into my nerves. ARGH! Can’t they just leave us… not leave ME alone. Don’t push your luck, jerk! Tomorrow might be your last day. Given the opportunity, I will make laglag certain people specially the pulitiko one.

ARGH! I’ll sleep na lang muna. Beauty rest. I hope it would a better day for me tomorrow.

Probable lesson: I SHOULD care LESS.

Automaton anyone?

A Candidate He Would Have Been

Could there be a song like “Sana Dalawa Ang Puso Ko” and “Isang Linggong Pag-ibig”, but for those naman na na-fall in love agad?

Is it possible to fall in love on someone or something for just isang araw?

Hmmm…

Wala lang... It just came to my thought na baka nga may song for those in such scenario.

I did fell in love with this nice guy from our client’s office. He's not gwapo but he seemed masipag and responsible. You know naman with my age now, I need someone that is really presentable to my Mommy. Well, up to now, hindi pa rin ako sigurado kung love nga ba ‘yun o I need to change my glasses na. Whatever that is, wala rin naman akong napala. Kahit first base man lang I didn't make it. Whatever that means. He was just there in a not so right time. Siguro I made convince myself na siya na nga. Thinking that we are of the same situation, (almost) the same principles, almost the same birthday and pareho kaming mahilig sa mga kids! But here I am still getting hurt or affected pa rin kapag I get to hear that he ask this girl out, or harap-harapan siyang nakikipag-flirt-tan sa ibang babae samantalang I'm just sitting there in his back seat. Oh, and for the record that he's doing that, alam n'ya that I kinda like him.

I perhaps created a fictional world for me to enjoy. I convinced myself that I am masaya around this guy being my knight in shining armor and me as the princess in distress, na nakakulong in the tower. At ngayon that the tower starts to make guho na or better yet, I discovered na it has no lock after all. I pretty much can just open the door and go down the stairs! Well, it is me who should destroy what I built, right?

It’s no fairy tale, nor a happy ending... as always.

Maglumandi s’ya kung kanino. I lived a life that is quite peaceful before i got to know him, why not ngayon di ba?

Bitter Ocampo, me?! Sabi sa akin ng friends ko. Bitter na kung bitter. Napahiya ako e, disappointed. Ang plastic ko naman if I make smiles pa ako di ba? May mga moments pa rin na tanga at gaga pa rin ako sa kanya. Lalo na I make sungit moments din. Let me recover naman. As much as I wanted na sana it would be just one time vomiting na lang o parang I make fart na lang tapos wala na yung tummy ache ko, but it's not just like that e! Somehow may leftover pa ring maiiwan di ba? May konting natitira pa rin sa body system ko. Pero in due time, malilinis na rin. Sana there are medicines like Diatabs o Kremil-S na gamot para sa isang dignified recovery. (Hmmm... endorsement!?)

Kahit papano, I feel that I am recovering naman. Bumabawi na. Sabi nga it's fast naman daw ako mag-bounce back. Huh? Does that mean I am getting fat?!? Hahaha! Fine! Mataba na kung mataba, papayat din ako noh. Dr. Vicky Belo? Hellow? Anyway, balik sa first question: Is is possible to fall in love in the most shortest time? Kababawan di ba? Pero siguro, I just admire him lang talaga. Oo nga, I used this poor kid perhaps to get over that man in the other office. I used him in the sense that I didn’t hurt anyone naman… bad ‘yun! ‘Yoko makarma noh. Door to door na daw today and next day delivery na kaya ang karma! Scary!

Nakakatuwa lang. He helps me in a way na maka-recover or ma-divert ang mind ko. But it's not really possible nga! Why?

1.) Di ko naman talaga siya type. Way out of the Orlando Bloom, Jake Gyllenhaal at Collin Farrel ideology ko. Don't make kontra na, pangarap nga eh. It's free. Di ko kayo pinakikialaman ha?!

2.) I am old. Really OLD. And just the other day, I helped him out pa yata to realize na ang bata pa pala n’ya. Wow. Like I'm his mother? I never dream of being a cradle snatcher, nor be in a May-December affair. Uso na nga daw ‘yun, but then again, ayaw ko nang sumasabay sa mga uso. EVER.

3.) May GF siya. It’s a big deal for me. Although minsan may evilness making whisper to me with kasamaan na once in my life, I’d be an official mistress or destroy a relationship. Kaya ko ba like 'yung song na "Lips of an angel"? Pero hindi ko talaga kaya. As in. Lalo kapag he makes diin pa na “mahal na mahal” n’ya 'yung girl, wish ko ako 'yung girl!

In fairness, bibigyan ko na lang ng award ‘yung batang ‘yun. I hope true nga lahat nung pinapakita n’ya. His girlfriend would have been very lucky. What more kung magiging wife na n’ya.

Timing was good siguro, in helping me get over the other one. But the scenario is quite bad, and the person? Lalo pa. Kataon lang, everyday I get to see him, seatmate ko pa, almost everyday we go home sabay. Pero hindi rin. Nah. Hindi ko kaya. Ako ang writer ng buhay ko. This is not a new chapter. Corny.

Nagkataon lang nga siguro.

If I may say this, it’s the wrong man, at a wrong place and definitely a wrong time.

And there’s no such thing as falling for a day or even fell for a day. Nagkataon lang... uulitin ko pa ulit... nagkataon lang. Pero kung pag-iisipan. Imbento lang e. Over analyzed.

As in OA.

Snapped back to reality, dear!

And besides, ayoko sa laging late.

Flared Up

Oh, yes.

I SNAPPED...

...in bold and all caps.

Why? Because of such brilliant people surrounding me! Pertaining to suppliers and anyone in relation to them.

Semi-snap incident no. 1:
Client called and talked to our AE. She relayed the message to me that our file can’t be opened by the client’s supplier?

WHAT? It’s already Adobe Illustrator 10 for Christ’s sakes. Nowadays, we use CS3… that version 13. They tell me they can’t open a file saved 2 versions lower?!? Then they “suggested” to convert the file in Corel. Punyeta! Who uses such program now. It’s soooo centuries ago. My boss-friend almost snapped too. Then our AE came back to me, the CD where the file was saved (it’s them who saved it, since we submitted the final artwork (FA) via email because they were in a such “hurry”) has scratches! Wow! Such brilliance. We get to be blamed for their carelessness and stupidity!

I pray that if stupidity is a disease, it isn’t contagious!

Major snap incident no. 2:
It's 4:00 PM on a Friday. They call up to tell me to adjust our file because the so-called red in the file is intense and can't be adjusted.

What red? It's a pink background for crying out loud! And it's a subdued pink. How am I suppose to tone down the red there when I can't see any fucking red in the file.

ARGH.

That was the end of my patience… for the week. I made a decision to shut off my mobile phone. Call all they want, I wouldn’t care. My boss-friend might take over my duties or worse get mad at me but, I’m sorry. This time I have to set some footings.

Weekends are sacred. It’s my weekend. MY weekend alone.

Client Quotes

Nakakalokah naman at parang roller coaster nga ang life namin. Namin, as in ng mga teammates ko. Mas exciting pa nga if we ride na lang the real roller coaster than what this really “nice” client of ours is doing to us.

I won’t name names… I understand my boss why he can not make withdrawal the team pa from the client pero we are now making handa na if ever that day happens. Well, we are handa na naman specially me but it’s just that… hay… I am pagod na rin at wala ng gana. Sana in eating din I don’t have gana but the stress is making me eat a lot pa. Kainis rin!

Anyway, bago pa ma-lost ang thoughts ko, let me share na lang some of the quotes nila na minsan nakakatuwa. Nakakatuwa na silang patayin pero we make pigil na lang ourselves dahil it’s not worth it. Like my hands will be bahid with blood… their blood pa na malansa! Eiw!

So, here’s some of their quotes or the sense of what they are making sabi or requesting to us:

• “… cute but edgy”

Ok, I know cuteness and being edgy but making them sama… it’s like asking me to date Robin Padilla and Alvin Patrimonio na sabay! It’s 2 different worlds… I know I might be OA at times but I am not schizo as far as I know, ha?

• “It’s good/nice na BUT...”

As far as I know I made sunod na on what they said in the first meeting. When they said na, it’s a sign na we’ll still be seeing each other again in the same lugar and time for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th… at swerte ako if till 5th revision lang. It’s an implication that s/he wanted to make lagay some “legacy” on that project we are working at. The last say on everything.

• “Can we move the photo farther left? Here, I made a layout in Powerpoint…”

Micromanagement is that you making hinga on my neck? Here’s the mouse na oh, you want to take it?

• “Logo is too plain. Why don’t we put a busy/fun/dynamic background…like there’s a movement”

Hello? Branding… dynamic? We are making gawa a tarp lang not a TV commercial… movement?!

• “Palitan n’yo na lang ang kulay… dagdagan n’yo na lang ng braso…”

If Dra. Vicky Belo can make me payat and puti… that’s easy but making magic is not always possible. Even God needs to get tadyang from Adam to make gawa Eve. Kailangan may source. San ako kukuha ng braso na ilalagay sa photo kung wala naman talagang arm yung shot!? My Gahd!

Sometimes it’s nakakatawa pa but when you have lots to do, ay! Hindi na s’ya cute. If not for the reputation of my team, perhaps at least nasabunutan ko na sila. But I know God is good naman and he makes pala those who are tortured and made parusa those who are making api to us. Karma is there. I just hope I can bare it before I made patol to them na.

Hay. I’m having breakouts na.

ARGH!

The EIW! Series No. 2

Some people are just born jerks. And part of that pool of people is your ex. Despite the fact that you used to love him and make tanggol of him, there will really come a time that you will be in despise and will tell yourself what’s with me and I used to be his girlfriend.

Scenario 1: He asks you out again saying, “just like the good old times”.

Teka lang, wait! Tulad ng dati? Has he not gotten over you? That’s flattering. But he dumps you and then asks you out again? Hmmm… Get over it and get away from me, jerk!


Scenario 2: He YMs you and gives his new number, even though you didn’t ask for it, and says, “eto na, kahit di mo hingin para tawagan mo ako” (translation: here it is even though you didn’t ask for it, so you’d call me).

The nerve! Ikaw pang tatawag? Eh gago pala talaga yung ex mo eh! Girl… move, like ask na a lawyer to give that restraining order for thousands of miles away ang distance n’yo dapat.


Scenario 3: You quite see him often and he says, he’s just around the corner.

If you feel it’s quite odd to see him “around the corner”, girl, if your gut feeling tells you sinusundan-sundan ka nya, then he IS a stalker! May be you need to have a new boyfriend na or hire a bodyguard. Pero since wala ka ring budget unlike Ruffa Gutierrez na PNP Police pang bodyguards, perhaps start asking favor sa isang male friend for your protection. Choose a nice looking guy na rin, so at lest he can pose na rin as a pseudo-BF ;)


It may be flattering at a certain point when ex-es go back to you but most of the times it irritating, even scary. May it be obsession or plain annoyance, still it’s not nice. What can we do, we are simple irresistible creatures.

EIW! Series entry no. 2: The Bugging Ex

Threat With a Cause

I am really pissed with what most of the people in one of our client’s office has been doing to my team.

Pissed that I can make patay or make saksak to anyone of them if I see them right now. Specially the first lady.

But come to think of it, masisira ang nails ko and my hand will havee bahid with icky blood na baka berde paaah…

It’s like… kadiri!

That would have been my reaction if I would be writing each time I feel inis to our clients, each time they make some tanga judgements or revision calls… Or I could have written more emotional and more authentic Kris reactions if I have reacted right then and there…

But it’s been way behind… the rage and emotion that certain stupid people has been causing to me and most of my team.

The peak was just this day. I was suppose to have just a lazy Saturday when I got an early SMS from my team mate asking if I am awake and read an email from the first lady… well, if it’s from the first lady… it’s war AGAIN.

My friend-boss has been holding the biggest threat for weeks now. Just a few minutes ago, he released it to the “president”. A threat that neither sides will be of a winner. Both loses. But it would regain the morale of the team with all the risk on our backs again.

Now, we make hintay as to what the reaction of the president-big boss that we believe in from the very start. He could have been the President Marcos the lead the Philippine economy high but was dragged down by the people around him.

A brilliant and nice man… with a dream… and my boss-friend could be Ninoy Aquino, my "dad"… hopefully, minus the assassination plot of course.