beyond toxicity

Last week, I was invited to a job interview through email for I was APPLYING (again and again and again- got to have additional jobs for my regular job doesnt pay that much and the review center I was working with for a year now hasnt paid me in full for my work last March 1, 2008 ; TALKING ABOUT MONEY-MATTERS NOWADAYS…tsktsktsk…)  as an instructor in a well-established review center which is a franchise abroad. I just applied through jobstreet.com.ph and according to that website, my resume was viewed 5 times by the employer and was "under consideration."  The interview set last Thursday April 3 at 10AM was done in the review center office at TM Kalaw Center Bldg, by the program director who’s a very accomplished nurse-doctor. I was interviewed for one whole hour. The other applicant waiting in the lounge for her turn thought that I was already asked to do a teaching demo or a mock-lecture for she waited that long. I enjoyed the interview. It was another learning-experience. It’s good to meet and talk to people whom you can learn from. It will be a great opportunity, just in case I get hired, for me to work in that office not only financially (the offer is P700-P1,200 per hour of 2 -3x a week lecture), but I guess the staff including the american owner of the franchise are kind-hearted people. After the interview the administrative officer told us to expect an email for the schedule of a mock-lecture in which the owner, staff and former reviewees can evaluate applicants’ performance.

SATURDAY, April 05 was a date to forget. I nodded to my dean’s request for me to see and explain at her office those who failed in my subject (Medical-Surgical Nursing). I came to the office earlier than expected (as usual, I am PUNCTUAL and PROFESSIONAL as ever) only to know that the dean will be late for a reason and my original class record only for the particular section which I had 12 failures (total number of failures for my 6 sections alone inspite of the remedial exam which I never give previously : 24 ) is missing for a week and the office, even the dean herself has NO EXPLANATION how it was LOST !!! Although I have a photocopy of all of my records, I told them that it is an INSULT on my part as a member of the faculty for I had worked on that class record for an entire semester and it’s UNFAIR for me who COMPLIED religiously to the office’s requirements whether it was misplaced or deliberately was lost because of CARELESSNESS.  I knew the 2 secretaries of the office for four years now and this problem never happened to us.  The College of Nursing office looks like a warehouse or a stockroom now with so many MESS and not a dignified office of the dean as it is suppose to be.  IT SCREAMS THE NEED TO REORGANIZE EVERYTHING.

       In my four years in the academe, I HAD  N E V E R   EXPERIENCE SUCH THING !

MOVING ON to a lighter note – also on that day, I received a text message and a phone call from Doc Neal, a good friend of 15 years now, who also happens to be ninong to my son Gabby, to attend to his son’s CHRISTening the following day.  We both invited another friend and agreed to be present the next day in their place in Muntinlupa.

Sunday, April 6, I and my wife Tina & son Gabby met Loreto at Starbucks in wherelse but our meeting place for more than decades now – Shangri-la mall and hurried to Muntinlupa to grace the baptism of Lance SeBASTIan P. Argana. IT WAS TRULY RELAXING for MY SPIRIT especially on that weekend, to witness a child being CHRISTened. The date of Basti’s baptism is also the birthdate of his mom – Doc Vec.  It was a reunion for us to see again Neal and his parents.

the blogger took these photos of his wife Ite, and son Gabby, Doc Neal & his son Basti &  friend LG.

Loreto and my family went to Trinoma after the party (from Muntinlupa in the South, to Trinoma in the North) My son Gabby wanted to watch HORTON, a cartoon-movie about animals. But all the cinemas at Trinoma last Sunday were closed to public probably because of the poor airconditioning that day. So Gabby settled for TOYS R US store…

WE BOUGHT A NEW CAR !!! – a remote control car that is… LOL… It’s a red mini cooper with full functions – headlights, side turns, etc. More than Gabby, I was excited to play it myself, hehehe.

We munched at Superbowl of China for an early dinner then we went home and as I read my email, the admin officer of the review center that I am applying at is inviting me to a demo scheduled on April 9, at 4:30PM. That moment, I decided to do a mock lecture on DIABETES MELLITUS, injected some NCLEX-sample questions to my powerpoint presentation for it to be problem-based.

April 8 – Tuesday – I bought a new laser pointer at NBS for my demo the next day. I went to Gateway Mall with Gabby to meet Ite after her O.R. duty.  Gabby enjoyed in his fave place -Timezone and when Mommy Ite came in, we ate merienda at its foodcourt and Gabby begged for another chance to play at Timezone.

Gabby : Mommy ‘Te, Timezone ulit.

Ite : Anak, next time na, naglaro ka na kanina e.

Gabby : O sige na nga, STARBUCKS na lang…

My 3-year-old kid knows how to bargain (for something better) already.

April 9 – Wednesday. I came to TM Kalaw Center Bldg. 30 minutes earlier than required. I met my co-applicants. I learned we were narrowed down to 5 from the many who applied for the position. I was told to do the demo FIRST, and agreed on it. The staff asked us applicants to fill out a form for us to encircle the topics that we are comfortable with in order to guide them on the assignments of topics to be discussed should we become part of the company. THE DEMO was over. Though it was limited to 20-minute discussion, I had FUN doing it

At least if I will not get the position, it’s another one for the books..  The staff of that NCLEX/CGFNS review center was sweet enough to treat us with pizza and coke from Shakey’s. We learned from them that it’s the habit of the office to treat applicants that way and also the enrollees every after review program.  After all of us 5 applicants had done our demo, the owner shook our hands and thanked us for coming over.  He even said that what we did was better than American Idol, hahaha… He asked us to take our final bow infront of his former reviewees.  For them to offer pizza to their applicants was sweet. But it is sweeter to hear APPLAUSE from the people who listened to our demo.

JUST LIKE MY PREVIOUS JOB HUNTING, which I also blogged here, I AM ONLY TAKING CHANCES…

Till then… THANKS !