WANTED: SLAVE. IMMEDIATE HIRING

Dear Corporate Friends, I was impatient and a little desperate that's why I accepted this pseudo promotion as a Sales Officer. I regretted it. In fact, I regret quite a few decisions I made in the past. Maybe the most cliche saying "patience is a virtue" was not compose for nothing. Now I'm in a disaster. I brought myself into a position where I have to walk on thin ice thinking that it would crack and I would go sliding down without safety gear. Yesterday, my manager called me for a casual meeting. A one on one, but before that she heard me answered a telephone inquiry. I answered it with the facts I've learned about the culinary school I am working for. I answered it in the most polite way I possibly could. You know the type where you have to catch your breath after you recited your scripted line. It's a thank-you-for-calling-this culinary school-good morning-this is my name-speaking-how-may-I-help-you kind of telephone practice. I remember saying few 'okays' and 'yes sir' during the conversation then I ended it with 'you're welcome after the guy on the other line said 'thank you'. Now here comes my manager, petite with a face so sweet like an angel. "Who was that?" "An inquirer," I said. " Remember this, never never end your conversation with ‘ok’ unless you already built a relationship with them. We have to be professional. You're image represents our school." "huh...aaah I said "you're welcome” actually when I ended the conversation." "I heard you said ok." She walked out of the room and headed to the fine dining area of the school while I was leftcaught in confusion with my mouth open. It's as if I committed a mistake so grave deserving a cuts of thousand death punishment. I suddenly felt incompetent after serving almost two years in recruitment business of the same company. I felt like a child learning how to walk but reprimanded when I use my left foot first instead of right. She asked me to follow her. I walked behind her with imaginary ball and chain around my feet and neck.

We sat down and went back to the same issue holding back both our emotion and controlling the tone of our voice. She presided the meeting. She started it by stating my faults. She went on and on. She told me she heard some feedbacks which I'm pretty sure came from the site operations manager who's resigning on the last week of this month, the admission officer who thinks she's cute by dancing the robot dance when an urge strikes her, the operations training officer who is identity-confused and dreamt of proposing while in a plane. These 3 key personnel had been in the institution for 3 or 4 years before I joined the "team", the term they fondly use to address the group as working colleagues. And so I joined the "team" one month and 8 days ago. Within this month I was under training for two weeks and still learning the logic of business and its procedure. You know the right forms for the right request, contracts, training agreement, clients, event order, who's chef has a bigger ego, who's good in demo and all the nitty gritty in hospitality industry. Going back to these 3 key personnel who were the ones I closely coordinate to on a daily basis of my corporate enslavement. They kept telling me do not hesitate to ask if ever I have questions or needed guidance. Apparently, during my meeting with my manager, she mentioned that too much asking is irritating. She added that she expects high from me because the company also pays high. And that’s also what I thought, but last time I checked, the figure that I was receiving from my previous work in recruitment was the same figure reflected in my atm. So what is she talking about? She also expects me to close three(3) shipping lines and(not or) three(3) schools as new accounts within my 3 months evaluation period, which has a disclaimer that it could be extended to another 3 months and this is all part of my KPI (key performance indicator). She laid this down on the table when she also said that it takes 3 months to work on a single account before you actually close an agreement. So I am not really sure where she based the number of accounts I need to bring in. Maybe she thinks I'm dumb or I look like somebody who can't add 1 plus 1.

Ok so now I am working within a "team" of double-face using doublespeak language. Perhaps they just find it easier to talk about other's flaw when they form a tête-à-tête "team" over sliced spam and hot pandesal. In fairness to them, they were pretty friendly by inviting me to join them sometimes. In their perception, they were better people than the other member of the "team". For me we are all equally worthless just like Gunnery Sergeant Hartmann said towards the new Marine recruits, "you are like the lowest form of life on Earth. You are not even human fucking beings. You are nothing but unorganized grabastic pieces of amphibian shit!" It's the same in corporation. At least when you join the Marines, you know who is the enemy and you know when you need to fight for the battle. You know who to aim and when you will fire the gun. My manager made it very clear. I cannot use the word "ok" to a first encounter client because I have to act and speak like professional. I am the representation of my company. I wonder what else is inside her mind aside from this minute detail. I wonder if she also thinks about the role of the elite bankers who okay the finances of the corporation we are enslaving for and why after being enslaved for 3 years maybe 10 years or more, very little has changed while business owners choose what color of porche they are going to purchase this year. The "team" continued to enjoy their breakfast ritual and heard them burp as they pour stains to other's coffeecup. They were full and consumed that they failed to see the smile on my audience faces when I made a successful career talk before 50 students from Foundation University of Dumaguete. It was engaging. The students were interactive and look like they were having fun. I wished my manager had seen it because she was not around, but Jack, our utility noticed my effort. "ma'am, ang galing mo kanina. tuwang tuwa yung mga estudyante," she said. Maybe managers and teams are paid high to control quality by finding faults. I was lucky Jack was around to keep my spirit high. Maybe she was paid minimum wage because she didn’t see my faults. My handwork and effort surfaced in her eyes that she gave me a rewarding remark. I slave. I work. Same thing. Expectation.... high. Workload....high. Disappointment...high. Appreciation...low. take home pay...lower. Yours truly, Corporate Slave

Blue

I looked outside a window from a small office where I was sitting down. I was expecting to see blue skies sprawled above buildings upon buildings of Manila skyline, but I didn't find it there. Instead, i found gray clouds that matched an abandoned building.I looked further, hoping to find it in the water of Manila bay. It turned out to be an unsuccessful voyage. I saw two young girls, instead,tacking like skilled seafarer ready to brave all storm and navigate the world. Sailing boats of different sizes docked not too far from the shore. As the girls slowly disappear from my sight, I asked myself, do they live around here? Do they eat around here, Do they eat and swallow or eat and vomit?

My chest tightened as the thick air of stinking smell of rotten city filled my lungs. I let out a sigh of longing for a cool scent of ocean breeze before I turned away from my own vague reflection in the mud black water, glinting, floating along the empty plastic bottles and cigarette butts.

I was back at my seat, surrounded with white painted concrete and fully air conditioned room. I was scribbling for self indulgence and wonder how the word "blue" matters to me. I drown my thoughts with things I associate with it. And I told myself I would rather suffocate with my own carbon dioxide than come up with the most cliche meaning that blue is "PEACE" or "HEAVEN".

I paused, unaware that I was tapping my pen vigorously on the paper. I looked outside once again, but i found blue inside when I realized that the historical beauty and value of Manila could either only be found on books or at someone's old memory.

One Jazzy Night

The queue for taxicab was frustratingly long. The cars opposite Mindanao Avenue were barely moving. And even though the sun already set a couple of hours ago, the aftermath of its roasting heat was still palpable, and actually felt worse on my skin when blended with car fume. Impatient drivers blew horns and tried to overtake the cars before them, at least for a little mile of progress. In line, passengers were waiting patiently for their taxi, some furiously fanning to ease the stickiness of the situation; others relieved themselves by sipping ice cold Zagu black pearls. Few street children and sampaguita vendor were trying to make means for their nightly ends by approaching bystanders aside from the people waiting for their taxi, hoping that somebody would buy their stale forgotten goods. Inside Trinoma Mall were packs of shoppers, window shoppers and merely passersby, taking advantage of the free air condition as they went through direct connection to MRT station, which gave an absolute free ride going back and forth from first to last station. Footsteps seemed endless, mass of people walked to and fro. Some strode with quick steady pace; others sauntered in group and hand in hand like a walking block you need to maneuver around them because you couldn’t simply break them or walk through them. They literally take one step at a time on their own sweet tempo. I was standing among waiting passengers as I heard a bang in the sky. Above my head were bright green, red and gold displays of fireworks like a synchronized spectacle of heaven. They formed a small, sometimes big ball of sparkles. Some were swirling like eddies of fire. Others shoot like rocket before it burst hundreds of twinkling light of gem. I figured it was meant for the celebration of the Philippines’ 112th Independence Day. Yes, absolutely, Metro Manila is free, alive and alight.

My friend and I opted to have a night of Jazz adventure on this very night of freedom. We went to Ten 02 Café in Timog with a piece of paper in our hands bearing the club’s address that my friend got from the internet (a very handy way of knowing most about anything), excitement tight in our chest. Unfortunately, when we reached the place, a stocky looking guy, who I think was the owner told us that Jazz session was scheduled the night before and that Rock Metal band was scheduled to perform on that particular night. Being determined Jazz lover that we are, it didn’t dishearten us. We took another taxi ride, this time we didn’t have to get in line. We crossed Scout Ybardolazza Street and moved on to Greenhills, San Juan. It was actually the stocky looking guy who suggested us to go to this place and look for this jazz cafe. So that’s exactly what we did.

I thought the easiest way to find a place, other than map and GPS, is to ask around. But I guess it was either that Jazz clubs are not very popular in this country or I was just asking the wrong person that we had a tough time finding it. We walked from Greenhills Theater, stopped, asked a guard, walked pass a parking lot to Promenade, went back, stopped and asked again. My feet slightly sore as my friend and I walked opposite Mc Donald’s, then turned toward Greenhills Shopping Center.

“I’m sure we would be able to find the Jazz Club before sunrise, and I hope before my slippers shattered into pieces”, my friend said, yet still in high spirit.

I was still in fits of laughter when he saw a glowing neon blue bulb, skillfully bended in handwriting signature typeface - Boy Katindig Jazz Café.

“I knew I had an eye for Jazz”, he said meaning his eyes we’re trained to find Jazz Clubs.

We, indeed, made it before sunrise and his slippers were intact and in good condition. It was only 8pm when we arrived and the performers were expected to be on stage at 9:30pm. While we have to wait, we decided to hang around outside the café while we chatted endlessly accompanied with some bottles of SanMig lights and complimentary plate of chicharon. The heat eventually died down and breeze started to blow symphony in my ears and play strings with my hairs. Two huge speakers were set outside the café where Jazz medleys can be heard. The two of us sat under the eave; beside us are about five unoccupied tables and seats. Sometimes the Jazz medleys shifted to air supply hits and some silly love songs then shifted back to jazz.

I do not know a lot about Jazz, neither do I play any jazz or non-jazz instrument, but my aural perception of fine music is dependent to my earlier exposure to music and sounds. I grew up listening mostly from 70’s to 80’s songs and remembered that it was Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder’s Ebony and Ivory that I learned first to sing by heart. I didn’t care less whether it was Jazz or non-Jazz. I learned Sinatra’s later on and Ray Charles’ by hanging around with the oldies while they sang the videoke. Then, I was clueless whether these vocalists were crooning Jazz, but I remembered how the melody made me close my eyes and sway my body. “Misty”, for instance, might be a signature song of Johnny Mathis, however, it was the voice of Ella Fitzgerald that made me nostalgic. Sometimes I thought I was born in the wrong era because I was more interested with artists before my mother let me out into this world. Fitzgerald’s scat singing is terrific as it varies from performance to performance of the same piece of One Note Samba. Contemporary Jazz singers emerged. My admiration to Jazz musicians varied just as Jazz itself evolved and encompassed different eras like Swing, Bepop, cool jazz, Latin Jazz, Soul Jazz, Jazz Fusion, Smooth Jazz and many others. However, same magic put me to spell whenever I heard David Benoit thump his fingers on the piano, almost like hearing his entire body move while playing Freedom at Midnight, and I thought it would also be very timely if ever the band would play it that night. I am enthralled (so as my mom) with Michael Buble’s singular voice, a reminiscent of Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles as he did his own rendition of their original songs.

The time finally came when the band congregated on the stage; took their rightful places with their assigned instruments to play. Rhythm filled the small café the moment they stood in front of the audience. It was like they had been ready for us. Perhaps the numerous nights of performance perfected their music and came out almost like their second nature. It was definitely relaxing. It drowned all the noises in the world and I, momentarily, forgotten the quagmire of daily tumult of Metro Manila. The band’s melodic improvisation came out naturally. It seeped even in the tiny holes of my skin going through my brain, exploded in harmony like the fireworks display I had witnessed earlier. They took the melodies from songs of James Taylor’s ‘I Don’t Want to be Lonely Tonight’, Dianne Reeve’s ‘Bridges’, and The Beatles' ‘Fool on the Hill’. Jazz is simply marvelous. It has traveled a long way from early 19th century, and up to now, Jazz still challenged the ears of both Jazz neophytes and experts. And the thing I like most about Jazz is that it is like a good story where you draw different meaning each time you read it. In jazz, the musician provides an “unprogrammed”, almost unpredictable melody, and not each one is repeated on performance, giving the audience the creative freedom of interpretation.

For me, that night was exhilarating. It was a night dedicated to be a source of aural beauty. And like I was told, “beauty is everywhere”. I just have to learn how to find it.

On Translation

Something about Sunlight


Something about sunlight -
Slanting behind trees
Streaming into windows
Glancing on walls
Dappling the peeling paint
Glinting on the steel railings
Gilding the new buildings
Dancing the dust eddies
As if calling out the name
Of everything it touches -
Reminds me
Of some childhood afternoon
When I was alone.


May Kung Ano sa Silahis ng Araw (Tagalog Translation)


May kung ano sa silahis ng araw -
Lumilihis sa likuran ng mga puno
Dumadaloy sa mga bintana
Dumadaplis sa mga dingding
Kinukulayan ang natatalop na pintura
Kumikinang sa mga bakal na barandilya
Ginigintuan ang mga bagong gusali
Umiindak sa mga ipu-ipong alabok
Animo'y pinupukaw ang ngalan
Ng lahat ng kanyang mahawakan -
Sa akin ay nagpapagunita
Ng ilang hapon ng aking kabataan
Noong ako'y nagiisa.


At Mt. Samat War Memorial


Into the bowel of Mt. Samat
my son and I descend,

into the caverned memory
of the war of my fathers:

Their pictures smile at us,
or stare in the distance,

their heavy feet stir
the dust of the Death March.

I muse on the noble causes
for which men go to war,

my son and admires the guns
that defended or killed them.

Sa Bantayog ng Bundok Samat (Tagalog Translation)


Sa kaibuturan ng Bundok Samat
ako at anak ko'y lumusong

sa yungib ng alaala
ng digmaan ng aming mga ama:

Kanilang mga larawan sa amin ay nakangiti
o nakatitig sa di kalayuan,

binubuhay muli ng kanilang mabibigat na hakbang
ang alabok ng Martsa ng Kamatayan.

Napagwari ko ang dakilang motibo
ng kalalakihang nagtungo sa digmaan,

anak ko'y humahanga sa mga armas
na sa kanila'y nagtanggol o kumitil.


Choosing a guinea pig for my Literary Translations project was not that hard. I just picked whose poet’s work is readily available in my personal library. It was actually last term when Dr. Marj Evasco gave us a view on how to read a poem that I first heard of Marne Kilates. His emailed reading of Dr. Evasco’s poem made the first introduction. It was casual and informal. I even mistaken him for a woman (somehow Marne sounds female to me), however his close reading of the poem sparkle to me like a gold with genuine worth of carat. I began to research more about him. I also bought his latest collection of poetry, Mostly in Monsoon Weather and wrote the date on the right corner of the first page - just a little habit of mine.

I decided to choose the required 5 poems as easy as picking flowers. I chose the ones that tickle my imagination, the one that left vivid images on my mind and which I could somehow relate with. “Something about Sunlight” was the first poem in the collection and the first among my choices. The mystic effect of the sunlight also brought me to reminiscence when the world looks bright and beautiful in my young eyes like how the speaker of the poem was reminded of his childhood afternoons.

The poignant and contemporary sound of Kilates’ poetry allures me more to continue on my venture of translation. I picked the rest of the poem relying only with my senses and not with a strict standard or category in my head. “At Mt. Samat War Memorial” for instance, was an experience I shared with the son in the poem. I have visited Mt. Samat and watched the showcased memorabilia. The remnants of war caught my interest and I was impressed by its antiquity and foreignness though I somehow missed its historical essence like the son in the poem, caught in the “what” and not “why” the guns were used during the war.
I translated the poem with faith that Robert Bly’s Eight Stages of Translation would guide me towards its closest meaning. I started rendering word per word and line per line using English–Tagalog Dictionary and the very handy medium of the internet. I laughed at the outcome and felt afraid at the same time that I might have undermined the original language of the poem by translating it wrongly. My attempt to transpose the language to a new tongue distorted the original. However, Kilates himself said, a translator is a traitor precisely because he is, by nature and function, betraying the “secrets” of one language. For instance, both Gujarati and Swahili are Greek to us so we need a translator to betray to us their secrets. He also said that if one language does not grow in the understanding of another language, if it does not reveal its secrets, it will die
As my translation activity started, reality of word flashed on the page. The Tagalog translation is richer in syllables though both languages gave me the same word count. After literal translation, choosing of words was my next task. I had a problem in the word “bowel” in the first line. Literally, it means intestine or inside. When I wrote it in Tagalog, the sense and the sound suffer. I knew I was about to make a great violence to the poem that could possibly lead to destruction. I spent many days on this single line before I settle to a word which I think sounded right. I sought to transport the word(s) to Tagalog by not merely focusing on the equivalent words but also its context.

The same challenge of word equivalence hit me again in line 9 /I muse on the noble causes/ which I believe is the thought of the whole poem. I translated it to /naisip ko ang sanhi/. My bowel churned in disagreement and my heart didn’t leap for the impact I felt in the original. I went back again and again on this line for several days as if coaxing the right words to come.
The next issue I work on was how to make it sound like a poem. Following Barbara Reynolds’ advised in Pleasure Craft, I tried to take care of the sense and let the sound take care of itself.

Neither the poem nor the voice is mine, I wasn’t sure whether my choice of words are the best, either for meaning or sound, but Marne Kilates said that there is one thing the translator is not. The translator is not a critic. His work is to help the author’s intention across the gulf between two languages, transpose it in the familiar habits of the translating language.
However, submission date is ought to come. I knew my last draft is not really the final. After all, translation is never really finished.

sample article

HOLKNER LAW OFFICE (140 words)

Holkner Law Office is a law firm based in Minnesota. Our practice highly specialized in Estate Planning and Asset Protection services. We solely engage in providing legal services including giving advice to our clients on the law and developing lawful strategies necessary to resolve client’s legal issues. Our expert lawyers are dedicated in helping individuals and families in keeping what is theirs and for their loved ones. Holkner Law Office’s efforts are geared towards the development of the law firm with solid expertise in the field of Estate Planning and Asset protection. With years of experience in legal practice, we ensure a positive resolution on every legal matter we handle as we continue to embark in providing dynamic and noble service to our clients. Because here at Holkner Law Office, we commit the best representation and legal service you deserve.

Help-Pack-n-Move (128 words)

Do not let the relocation process frustrate you. Whether you are moving a few boxes, an entire household, or a busy office, Help-Pack-n-Move - the moving expert - is all you need. Help-Pack-n-Move is a full range moving service located in Minnesota. We specialized in moving and storing personal goods to general cargo without the hassle. We provide a careful and responsible handling of your goods. We give the best services at the reasonable costs. We offer service from packing to moving of your supplies. Our highly-trained and experienced staff uses the modern facilities and equipment and quality packaging materials to ensure safe, efficient and dependable movement and storage of your belongings. We assure that your precious belongings reach safely in its proper destination and in perfect condition.

Budget Truck Rental (128 words)

Moving your goods and belongings to a new destination could be stressful. Budget Truck Rental makes it worry-free for you. Budget Truck Rental provides all kinds of truck rental services. The company offers from small to large fleet of service vehicles. We'll get you behind the wheel of a truck that will work for you. Budget Truck Rental has a vehicle to fit your needs and budget. We are one of the leading truck rentals where customers can rent a car, SUV, minivan, van truck or whatever kind of automobile you desire. We provide great solution for any vehicle requirements you may have. Our experienced driver will take you to your destination safely and conveniently. We are committed in meeting our customer’s expectation through successful and cost-efficient service.

Warm and Fuzzy Cat Boarding (126 words)
If you spoil your cat and want to continue to do so when you are away, Warm and Fuzzy Cat Boarding is a perfect place for them. Warm and Fuzzy is an exclusive cat only boarding facility located in Southern Montgomery County and serving Maryland, Washington D.C., and Northern Virginia.
We designed a modern, spacious, luxurious and comfortable accommodation for your cats at a very affordable cost. All prices include food, grooming, playtime and a lot of TLC. We offer private rooms, enormous playroom, huge luxury suites, 24 hour care, sleeping baskets, baby blankets, soft lighting, nature sounds, cat sitter videos, bedtime treats, relaxing music, catnip toys, bedtime cuddling, laser light shows, natural pheromones and over all a stress free experience for you and your cat.

Route 66 Music (146 words)

Route 66 Music is your access to all your music products and services. We offer the finest musical instrument and equipment at a competitive price. We make the best deals on some of the biggest brand names in the industry.

Route 66 Music has evolved into country’s most renowned store. We cater to all your musical needs: drums, guitars, keyboards, and more with our instrument sales and catalogue borders. We are an expert in music accessories, band and orchestra instruments with all your needs for music. We carry both instruments and music lessons and a recording facility put all in one for all musicians and music lovers. We answer all inquiries about your music needs. We can make sure you are happy with what you have learned. Best of all, we assure you the same knowledgeable service Route 66 Music has given its customers ever since.

300 word sample article

Printer is a peripheral hardware which produces a hard copy of permanent readable text and/or graphics. It was on 1938 when the first dry printing called electrophotography was invented by Chester Carlson. The process is most commonly known as Xerox, which become the basis of the first laser printer developed in 1971 followed by the invention of the laser inkjet in 1976. The continuous technology in printing opens up a wide range of aspects in terms of speed, image/text quality, cost, even the noise it produces. These common features are the first thing the end users consider for when choosing a printer. Sometimes, choosing becomes complicated especially when you have little know-how about printers. It is in shrewd deliberation of features and specification that will help the user choose the best printer he needs. For instance, if a consumer wants excellent photo printers with topnotch print quality and image printing features, then he should go for the Canon Pixma iP3000. You will never go wrong with its direct photo printing feature. It conveniently prints your photos without a computer using the simple PictBridge compatible digital camera or DV camcorder. It is very light and user-friendly. Anyone at home or office will not have difficulty operating it.

Printers nowadays come in extensive price ranges. A Canon Pixma iP3000 is very affordable and helps the consumer saves time and ink. With its Full-photolitography Inkjet Nozzle Engineering (FINE), it produces an outstanding quality prints and better range of color printing at a high speed of 22ppm in Black and 15ppm in color plus it also only takes 36 second to produce a 4" x 6" borderless print. For a professional result of printing projects: business letter, birthday cards, invitations, or calling cards, without spending too much, this is the solid one might be looking for.

Company Profile Assignment

KW Plumbing is the leading specialist in all plumbing system services. With 31 years of experience, it develops technologically advanced equipment that helps plumbers fix problems with no hassle. Many satisfied customers attest for the excellent service the company delivered.

We know plumbing system is an integral part of the home or business place and it plays a critical role in providing a safe, comfortable, and healthy environment for you and your family. Issues like a broken water pipe, clogged toilet, or leaky water heater are problems which require quick solution. Finding an emergency plumber is not the best situation to be in, however you can eliminate the problem by being a pro-active and finding professional before an issue occurs. One should never entrust their family’s welfare to anyone else. All plumbing systems deserve the same level of professional care with a touch of customer satisfaction - guaranteed. And that’s when KW Plumbing comes in wherein safety and quality is the top priority. It offers the best plumbing solution in widest range, from shower pump installation, tank replacement, and repair, sink clearing, to tap fitting and more. It caters from large to small scale projects from offices, schools, manufacturing plants, hotels, banks, residences and other establishments. Its highly trained plumbers help built the company’s good reputation and help them recognize to be the expert in all plumbing services without taking your money down the drain. Plumbing is a great way to improve the quality of life in your home or work place. KW Plumbing wants to make sure you are choosing the right plumber within your budget. They make it their personal service to provide dependable output at a reasonable price. So the best thing to handle all your plumbing problems is to trust the company backed up by years and years of quality service.