Brown-nosing Implied

"How did you manage to do that?"

A colleague of mine asked me that today when she found out I was going to our division's Leadership Offsite.

She's the third person who's asked me that ever since I was asked to participate and help out. This time, though, I detected a certain tone. See, the offsite is so confidential that some of the reports that are used in it are shredded right after. Therefore, the attendance list is very limited. I'm not exactly sure what the sentiment was behind her query, but I just responded with the truth.

"I did nothing. They asked me to help out, I said yes." I shrugged, smiled and changed the subject.

I haven't been working there long. It'll be a year in a month and a half, so I'm the newbie compared to everyone else. Despite my friendly and professional relationship with everyone I know, I will not be surprised if my attendance in the Offsite has raised a couple of eyebrows. I think that was what prompted that funny-toned question.

I work long and hard, and I always make sure to keep a positive attitude at work. It's not my fault if it's getting noticed. I won't be sorry for it, nor will I say no to opportunities that come my way just because it might ruffle a few feathers.

I enjoy my job, I really do. I'm not about to allow anything or anyone dampen it!

Chatty Saturday

A couple of Saturdays ago, I spent the entire day chatting. Except for a few bathroom breaks and quick trips to the kitchen for some juice or water, I was stuck to my computer chair all day. If Hubby wasn't nice enough to bring me food at timely intervals, I would have starved!!!!

I logged on mid-morning to find my nephew, Mikey, online. For some odd reason, this teenager loves chatting with his aunt, :) so we chat until about 11:30 am, which was 12:30 am his time in Manila. Before he logged off though, another person from Manila came online. I was surprised to find that it was my close friend, Bambi. I hadn't seen her online in years, so I was thrilled when a chat window appeared that said, "Kamusta?"

We caught up on both our lives and she updated me on the latest from back home. We were yakking until 3:00 am her time. She had church and a family lunch the next day so she had to hit the sack. I checked my clock - it was 2:00 pm. As soon as she logged off, my friend Amor who lives in Los Angeles logged on. So we start chatting when my friend Melissa, from Germany, makes an appearance. I was having a ball chatting with them individually that the day literally flew by. Before we knew it, Melissa was waaaay past her bedtime in Germany at 1:00 am (7:00 pm my time), and Amor had to tend to her bulilit, Alizza. This is where Victoria (from SF area) came in to take up the slack and we chatted the night away. I was so caught up in the conversation that when my eyes happened to look at the task bar, it said 11:30 pm.

"HOLY COW!" I told her. "It's already 11:30 pm and I started chatting this morning around 10:00 am!" Victoria was laughing, as she always does at all my antics.

I couldn't believe it. I didn't accomplish one thing that day. Well, except maybe to bond with a few of the special people in my life. Ang daldal ko, SOBRA!!!

Paula's on drugs...

I've been watching my guilty pleasure, American Idol, for the last few weeks now. I must say that this is the best batch of contestants so far. The only downside is having to endure the blather of Paula Abdul. She is getting so annoying! Her eyes are only half open, she almost slurs when she talks with her shaky voice, she claps like a lunkhead and she praises every contestant even when their performance does not warrant it. Her babble has become irritating to say the least. I mean it's nice of her to try to see the positive in every competitor but sometimes it just sounds patronizing already. Her opinion has started to get less and less credible. Even the contestants give her only polite (and hopeful) appreciation when she's heaping praises on them, whereas you can see gratitude in their eyes when Randy Jackson gives them his -- and they just positively glow when Simon Cowell gives them even just a little nod of approval.

Too bad that the audience can't vote on the judges. I would have voted to send her on a little vacation to the Betty Ford Center before she ODs. :)

Stuff for Soap Operas

Once, there was a guy who liked me. Now, I never took this guy's interest seriously because he never really said anything apart from the little hints he dropped. Besides, another girl whom I considered a friend, was in love with him. In my mind, they were meant for each other. I had no doubt that they would, one day, end up together.

In the meantime, this girl and I got very close. I opened up to her about everything that was going on in my life, from family to man trouble - all of it! As the wheels of my life turned, I was ecstatic to know that hers finally turned out exactly as she had wished. After years of waiting, she finally married this guy - the man of her dreams. I won't say how, but I was very proud to have a very small hand in the turn of events in their lives ending up together.

Well, life went on and we all got busy. The calls eased up and we no longer hung out. I charged it to our tight schedules and lives taking on different paths. One day, I accidentally bumped into their little family and I was thrilled to see them! I was puzzled though to receive a warm but uncomfortable greeting from the guy, and truly bewildered to receive a pretty cold acknowledgment from my once close friend. My desire to catch-up waned and I politely made an exit.

The incident bothered me so I voiced my concern to another friend. It was very gently revealed to me that I have become anathema to my formerly close friend, and that I am the one that no one speaks of in her presence. Apparently, the mere mention of my name actually tips the balance of her world. I was aghast at the revelation as I don't think I ever did anything to her that should warrant such a reaction. It hurt me to find out that I was such an object of repulsion to one I really cared about.

I am gullible. I trust people easily and give them my friendship when they offer me theirs. I have no problem reciprocating when someone shows me warmth and honesty. Sadly, Ive learned that not all offers of friendship are sincere. I felt truly close to her, but now I can only surmise that she kept me close - not as her friend, but as her rival.

"Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer."

She is not and never was my enemy, but I guess she considered me hers.

New Beginnings

The latest issue of PINOYexpats is now online. Read about how people coped with moving to a new place or jumpstarting a stalled life -- a compilation of stories of individuals who, despite their trying situations, never gave up their dreams and hopes and chose to rise above the circumstances and overcome them. Visit our site and be inspired!