o no?

The call center industry started in the early 2000’s when more beneficial uses of the internet like telephony and e-mail were discovered.  Because of the mentioned web features, telemarketing was maximized because telephone and cellular phone costs are continuously soaring high nowadays.  Countries like the United States and several European regions took advantage of the low labor cost in other parts of the world like in Asia, thus making the Business Process Outsourcing one of the fastest growing industries in the world.  Outsourcing is the process of hiring or subcontracting a company which acts as third party and responsible in doing portions or most of their clients’ works like telemarketing, medical transcription and other IT and customer service-related jobs.  Because of today’s advance technology in high-speed transfer of data and communication, Asian call center agents can work for their employers who are miles away abroad, talk to costumers as if they are in the same country or region and eventually ask for their newly-found clients’ credit card numbers for particular products and services.

Call centers offer compensations way different from what typical 8a.m. to 5p.m. laborers are making in newly developing countries.  It also offers bonuses and other incentives if quotas are met and marketing campaigns sell good.  With English as the basic international language tool, many can apply as long as they’re competently good with the language.  In terms of population, India has the most number of call center agents in Asia while Filipino call center companies are known for excellence in the Asia Pacific region probably because of their better customer service abilities and stronger English speaking talents.  We all know that both India and the Philippines were once colonies of great English speakers.  India was once under England, where English really originated, and the Philippines by the Americans.  The way Filipinos speak the famous tongue really amazes foreign clients because of their talent of correctly casting its pronunciations and dictions whether if it is the American English, which we commonly use, or the original England English which we can easily mimic and learn to speak.

Because of this milestone in the history of customer service oriented businesses, most job searchers in the Philippines, regardless of educational attainment, really don’t lose hope of getting hired if they’re unable to use their college degrees for profession.  Call center agencies are always there to give you opportunities as long as you got the guts, the talent and the passion for it.  It will truly uplift an agent’s self-confidence because it will make him or her bring home the bacon, win the bread or in other words, be financially stable if really worked hard for.

But like all success stories, possibilities of personality corruption may enter the scene and be a hassle to your career moves.  A call center agent may earn lots of money and be promoted to higher positions.  This sometimes tends to change a person and ruin friendships, families, and character.  If things rapidly change, humility should be kept to one’s self to avoid hurting others.  And because such agencies serve and call clients from the other side of the Earth, most call center agents go to work in graveyard shifts.  Meaning, cups of coffees will be consumed to stay awake and packs of cigarettes will be lit and puffed to get rid of tension caused by pressure of hitting quotas.  Too much of the said intakes may be health hazard so precautionary measures should be done.  I think it’s better to live wealthy and healthy as well.  The fashion statement of call center agents is one aspect of this industry that made it hip and more glamorous even though some become fashion victims too maybe because of grooming mismanagement due to lack of sleep.  Hehe.   More individuals find the working environment a haven for freedom that self-expression seems compulsory.  That is why you hear news and gossips that a person you know who is once a macho hunky guy now turns to a girly and soft call center princess.  Though homosexuality is a moral issue, I think everyone is free to be what they want as long as they don’t hurt others and experience clean and true happiness.

I once encountered a call center employee in a jeepney ride one morning and assessed that he lacks sleep and looks groggy from his long hours of work.  He was smoking and didn’t even show care to the person beside him and to me inhaling his second hand smoke.  That particular guy maybe had lost his respect as he is losing his lungs.

A friend shared a story of this call center guy who went to work early for his night shift.  The call center office was a part of a shopping mall in Lipa City, Batangas and because it’s still early to head for the bundy clock to time in, he still had the chance to take a nap in the building corner and complete his sleep taken by his working nights.  When he got up, he realized that his nap was such a long one that his officemates were about to go home and head for bed.  At least he somehow rested then he just went home and continued his beauty rest.  Two things were made sure.  He had a well-slept rest and he will be having no bonus for that day.

We should be thankful we are blessed with such opportunity for us to grow financially and as persons.  This will help not only help us but others as well.  As long as you can blend yourself with the call center business, know well the decisions you choose, know well the things you use.  Freedom found in the BDO… should not be taken for granted but instead, be a tool in our continuous learning and wisdom gathering in life and be our eye(and heart)-opener that contentment should not be only measured with what we receive but also with what we give.

Grab knocking opportunities… love ourselves… love others.

This medical gadget deserves a big award- a cell phone that turns into a microscope:

‘A new gadget could mean big improvements for health care in the developing world. Called the CellScope, the device attaches to any cell phone with a camera, turning it into a microscope, Science Blogs reports. Invented by researchers at UC Berkeley, the CellScope also features an LED that can detect cell stains used to identify diseases such as malaria in clinical samples.’ Nick McMaster SOURCE: Science Blogs

Top: Dan in Real Life Bottom: Me and my plastic bag hat in real life

On my way home from a 6pm to 10pm overtime duty last Friday, May 29, 2009, I ran out of prepaid celphone load in the middle of a text conversation while I was in the jeepney and after stepping down from it, there was no available celphone loading station or convenience store open in the area where I was about to take the tricycle ride home.  For sure I have to keep my special someone/ bestfriend, Joanne waiting ‘til I reach my barrio, San Luis, to reload prepaid credits for my mobile phone.

While in the trike, I had opened up a conversation with the driver about different things like his tiring driving job, rude passengers and almost everything that would fill in the travel time home.  Just because my cellular phone will be idle for a couple of minutes, I have no choice but to open up a chit-chat.  Worrying that my textmate would think why I wasn’t replying to her text messages, I cracked an awkward inquiry to the texting guy beside me who was also a passenger and asked if I can barrow his cell to text someone.  But kindly, he told me that he was also out of load credits either.  “Well, I guess she just have to wait.”, I said to myself.  I know she’ll understand me why I wasn’t able to text her anyways.

After almost half an hour of travel, I had reached mi barrio and asked the trike diver to take me to the place where I can buy load for my cellphone.  After dropping me, the trike already left.  It was kind of raining a not so hard rain, maybe a harder drizzle and I still have to walk several steps to reach our house.  But the important thing was I’ll be able to text my special someone and get rid of her worries of my whereabouts and exchange sweet goodnights before going to bed because I know she’s already sleepy waiting for me and it’s pretty late in the evening too.  There it was, I got loaded, ‘was able to text again and can go straight home.  But it was still raining that time.  I know I might catch colds if I let myself get wet.  I asked my loader, Kuya Romy Libuit, if he can lend me a plastic bag or something where I can put the gift my special friend had given me.  It was a hard-bound and plastic covered Bible she prepared herself.  Because it’s from her, I don’t want it to get wet.  It’s something to be taken cared of, like her… she’s someone to be cherished.  He gave me two plastic bags.  One for Joanne’s gift and one for my head for rain protection.

I guess this is Me in real life, childish and soft as a person.  Easily get touched in things shared by loved ones and do almost everything just to please them in return.

At home, I happened to catch this movie titled “Dan In Real Life” starring Steve Carell on HBO.  It is a story about a newspaper columnist, widower and father to three girls who took a trip for a reunion with his family.  The story tells of the possibility of falling in love in the shortest range of time…3 days.  The main character, Dan met this lovely girl named Marie in a bookstore and just before telling the story to his family, he learned that this lady was already his brother’s girlfriend.  It was really sad for him because he already felt that he is falling for this perfect girl yet he doesn’t know what to do because he is concerned of his brother’s possible reaction towards Dan and Marie’s secret understanding.  The two spent the majority of their time trying to deny their attraction to each other.  Dan’s family warmly accepted Marie and they knew Dan’s brother would be very happy with her.  Everything had turned up side down when the family discovered that Dan and Marie were in love with each other.  Dan’s kids got mad at him calling him irresponsible and his brother almost had called him a traitor.  Aside from the screwed love triangle, the family was really shocked because of the short period of time Dan and Marie had fallen in love for each other.  But we all know most good movies always lead to good endings.  The movie made me a bit teary and touched in the part where Dan and Marie needed to part ways just to clean the mess they had created in Dan’s family.  But it ended up well because Dan really loves Marie and he’ll do anything just to be with her.   His three pretty children understood him and realized that despite of their lost to their mom, their dad needs to be happy.  And they knew Marie would make him happy.

Dan and Marie got married in the end part of the movie .  His brother had already forgiven him.  Good thing after being left out by Marie, he easily found new love to a girl that he and Dan both knew.

Just like the rest of us, we all have stories of our own.  We sometimes hide our real selves behind different masks because of our fear, confusions and inferiorities.  But in real life, we will do our best to satisfy and cheer people that really are important to us.  From the simplest thing like buying prepaid celphone credits in a rainy night just to text your special someone sweet goodnights to the silly move of falling in love with a girl yet jeopardizing your relationship with someone in the family…  I guess with love, we really show the real us.  And I think it’s good.  Very.

This morning I was sending a text message trying to say something to someone; I found myself editing the sms over and over again so that I can make a clear message but keep within enough characters so I don’t pay more than 80c for the bloody thing.

I always feel like such a retard when I send texts, compared to 16year cousin who sends texts while multitasking, having a conversation with or cooking, bathing and stuff. I mean, my site is bad and when I send a text I have stop whatever I am doing and concentrate on the text message. But I can send PCM’s (please call me’s) pretty quickly. In any case, I have received some strange texts in my life. So, I have compiled a list of top 5 texts my phone from people, mostly friends. I wonder whether they edit their text messages, how many times and what prompts them to say all sorts of things via sms.

1. ‘Ku hectic phela la. Bathi “do it 4 chris hani, vote for anc” ya no. cool 1 can sleep now. Yazazi lezi zikuvusa ulele’

‘it’s hectic here. They say… yes no… you know the kind of thing that wakes you while sleeping.’

1. ‘You know you are full of Shit, well then we dont have to meet at all. See if I give a Fuck.’

1. ‘I must be cursed. So much sexual unluck’

1. ‘gud mornin honey may u rise above any adversity n enjoy each moment… mncwaa’

1. ‘I’m really sorry ne 4 anything. I tink 1^st step is stop alchol 4 a while’

My top 5 sms’s are humorous, political, sad and angry. The oldest person in the list is a 32years old and the youngest 21years old.

When my ma first bought me a cell phone, she checked my sms’s and kept a copy of my phone book. This is my fourth cellphone and I wonder what she would think if she still checked my phone and she read this kind of stuff.

The 32 year old is at number 2, angry and bitter about her little existence in a big Jo’burg. She is a very good person but has a dark depressing energy, complains about everything and is a natural bully. At number 3, is a 23year old, with a 2year old daughter and is a brilliant film/director/scriptwriter or something. She is divorced and she is simply looking for a good shag, since breaking with her previous boyfriend. Number 4 is meant to be someone I am dating, she 26 years old with a 6year old daughter and I never see her. She works for some call centre bull shit company and used to be something now, she is something else in high heels and flashy clothes, hair extensions and wigs. My best friend takes both the number 1 and the number 5 spot, she is 21and floating on cloud nine always-ready-for-a-spliff type of person, she doesn’t kiss and tell but she cries a lot when she is drunk. She says a lot of sensible things and I like her a lot, we like the same things and work well together.

To be continued….

fonte

Commissioned project: Caltrain icon for Caltrain program for the Nokia Phone

Company: Kern Computing

Follow your train on your celphone

What went right: The logo turned out cute, easy to see and easy to understand as it is the universal sign for “railway transport”. It brands the program and makes it easy for the user to find it and its general cuteness is friendly and helpful. Creating the logo in Inkscape lowered overhead and kept with the “open aps” feel as Inkscape is a free program. A free open source program to make a logo for another open source program is a win win.  A simple icon stands out among the collection of extra fancy 3d icons usually cluttering up the phone screen and it loads quickly.

Touch the icon, follow your train, never miss it again

What went wrong: Building the logo in Inkscape was difficult and more slow than doing it in a more powerful (And more expensive) program such as Adobe Illustrator. The inability for Inkscape to export gradients well at such a tiny size made creating a web 2.0 style icon difficult. Old fashioned pixel art techniques were used instead of vector gradients for the shine. Alphas in Inkscape are harder to edit than in Illustrator which also slowed the pipeline.

Pipeline: The project was completed entirely online through Gmail and Google chat between myself and my Uncle (John Kern of Kern Computing).  Altering the icon, sending it to California, waiting for a test and having it sent back was slow at times but it worked out well in the end.  Running a family business project across the country through the internet; mix your old school with the new school.

Go to http://paymanila.com/eload.php, and buy phone eload for your Smart, Globe or Sun prepaid phones.

* Smart – 15, 30,60,115,300,500,1000
    * SmartBro Internet – 30, 60
    * ALLTXT – 20

* Globe – 15,25,50,100,150,300,500,1000

* Sun – 15,20,30,50,100,150
    * Sun CTU – 25,150,450
    * Sun Txt Unli – 20,50,150
    * Sun DayLight CTU – 100
    * Sun IDD – 100

Pay online – via USD PayPal, or PHP Unionbank.  Other payment options available too!

everyone is out tonight. oh well except me.. here at the bed pouring my rants over the cyberspace. badtrip.. as in.. i was out a while ago.. went to a function prepared by my cousin promised to be back(never a home) at 5 in the afternoon.. i should have been there by 12 but still due to my martyrness i was still at the office at that time doing what an obedient slave will do for her madame byenan.. so i was late for 1 1/2 hour and got there 30mins before the event ended. convinced my cousin to leave her friends so we can bond since its been forever since we really had a time together. so we went to these mall with my windy tita and my deranged phones with the help of my ever grr husband.. it started there.. i havent texted him since i was so busy updating myself with my long-lost cousin.. then he kept on why am i not texting? how come i went to the mall and watsover bullshit.. of course mapapansin un ng mga kasama ko so they were like cge uwi kna crap.. ang badtrip.. as i was on my way home he kept insisting na “no, im not galit or duda shit” when the real story was he was really in need to get out of the house so that my ever lovely in-laws wont question him still at home when he should really be on the way to and the truth is he really aint going to work at all.. front nya lang yun so he can go out tonight and look for some shitty katulong-looking shits.. so i was teary-eyed driving on my way back sa hellhaus.. i called seth seeking for some comfort.. he cant answer the phone cause maingay daw. he was at the seminar.. and he just texted me now lang na theyre going to this place with some of his “friends”. my cousin was out too.. which supposed to be im with.. so here i am.. listening to the beeps of my cellphone with their updates.. killing myself with inner rage.. listen. rar!

Tagged by Era.

Here are the stuff inside my simple white bag.  

My hello kitty pink big tote wallet that contains my baby powder, lipsticks, comb, eye shadow, and JJ cologne.   It’s the biggest in all the stuff inside my bag.  I always carry with me too my two address books, office keys, my sun glasses for the sunny walk and fan  for the humid weather.  My CP and its green case, my antihistamine pill bottle, my main black wallet, pink trasnparent coin purse, alcohol for disinfectant, and VS lotion.

I often changed my bag in going to work – depending on my mood. But for two weeks now, i’ve been using this white bag.  

I think it is simple but presentable and suits me in my light colored clothes:)

Am going to pass this tag to Jen of Cellulitic Bliss and Luisa of Beyond Normal.  Let’s see what’s in their bag today.

Nasa kasagsagan ako ng pag-gawa ng report ko for our regional meeting ng mag beep ang selfon ko..+639178541180 : Hi musta, long time no hearK3mbot : hu u?

+639178541180 : Im jet from Magallanes, pwede bang makipagkaibigan

Istorbo ka! #$#%**^&%^$#    Tangina mo bobo ka…. Kukumustahin mo ako as if close tayo.. Hay mga tao nga naman, natutong humawak ng selfon pero d alam ang gamit.

they say that life in Africa is supposed to go at a slower pace. like the sounds of the reggae and r&b on the radio you are to breathe in relaxation, arch your back, stick out your booty and sway to the universal flow. so far i have not found this to be true.

like the awesome lightening storm that woke me the other night my life has taken on chaotic and fierce dimensions. the rain pours in buckets suddenly as the entire room lights up. the crash from overhead rocks your small bed leaving you timid and humble to nature’s course. as suddenly as it came it leaves, refreshing and nourishing the green, purple and red all around you.

i’m moving into a small cottage in Melville, Jo’burg. i made the decision rather suddenly as the opportunity arose and now am facing the financial and bureaucratic consequences of the decision. the sending organisation programme officer is not impressed. this could also have to do with the angry letter i sent asking why i suddenly have to pay hundreds of dollars in deposits, furniture repayment and so on when before, while living with the interns, it was all covered. it was never explained to me that these costs were to be reimbursed. ahh, amber, making friends wherever she goes.

the decision to move cannot be reversed, nor do i want it to be. i payed the deposit and first month’s rent today and got the keys.

the details:

Melville is the young, vibrant, yuppie area of town. it’s also one of the more safer areas as well. i was originally supposed to move here but the delay in leaving made this an impossibility. while i’ll (we’ll) be paying more for rent i’ll (we’ll) be spending far less on transportation as it is close to all amenities, restaurants and shops. i’m (we’re) moving into a small cottage with one very large bedroom. there is ample room in the living room, kitchen and bathroom for Tonya to join me in January and for us not to be stepping all over each other. a “cottage” is basically a small home that is separate from a larger home – usually only one or two rooms large. cottages traditionally were designed as homes for domestic workers but are now used as guest homes, mother-in-law suites, or homes for young couples or singles who are just starting out (like us!).

i think that, despite the sudden financial issues, we’ll enjoy the new place. the main house is owned by a colleague of mine so he’s already offered to give me lifts to and from work on most days. there are excellent bars, bakeries, shops and so on all around the area so there will be a decreased dependence on vehicles (a necessary item in this city, it seems). perhaps i can even purchase a bicycle eventually to be able to visit friends in neighbouring areas. i will also have to buy a celphone soon as there’s no landline in the place – i’ll let you all know this number once it’s set up.

moving day looks like it will be today as i only have a bed and a desk to my name and the guys with the truck are only willing to work this afternoon for a cheap price. i already have the afternoon off so will go to this silly organisation meeting (the aformentioned programme officer wants to “clear the air”) then run home to finish packing.

i know a lot of people have been asking for sights, sounds and tastes of Africa. i’m sorry that i’m being such a bad traveller by not updating you on the “exotic-ness” of my life, but the truth is simply that i’m still in “settling-in” mode. my life is just so busy with trying to figure out the basics of survival that i really haven’t ventured far nor experimented with many new tastes. as soon as i sort out housing and then really sink my teeth into the work i’m doing, i’ll be able to update more on the other stuff. i also hope to get out of the city more as, really, Jo’burg is a lot like an African version of Toronto – stinky, trafficky, busy and work-oriented. it’s incredibly westernized – there are even many KFCs and McDo’s here. perhaps next weekend i’ll be able to go to Soweto or some other township to experience a “truer” South African vibe. i’ll let y’all know.

in the meantime, take care and i’ll send out the new address once i’m more settled in. much love.