going sporty

I started my ojt at Phil. Graphic this week. I was excited at first because finally, I would have something really worthwhile to do this summer.

However, when I got there I was not really happy. No one attended to me on my first day because the staff members were busy as it was their deadline. So I just familiarized myself with the style of the publication and realized that their style is not my style. I was also not in my best behavior because I slept at work, although technically, I was not really working. But I was still sorry for having done that.

Going home is also tiring. Graphic is located in Pasong Tamo, Makati. I live in Sampaloc. I need to ride a bus going to Nagtahan to go home. However, when the buses reach Pasong Tamo, they are already full. So what I do is ride jeep going to Ayala, and ride a bus there. Easy? Not really because the loading and unloading system in Makati is complicated.

But I must say that there have also been good times in Graphic. I got to visit our old neighborhood, which I already posted in my previous entry. There were also a couple of cute guys at work.

Needless to say, I was not happy with my stint in Graphic. So I applied in other publications no matter how hard they tried to tell me that they no longer have vacancies. I also devised a plan. Since the news sections of the broadsheets were already full, I tried entering their sports sections. But PDI informed me that it no longer accepts interns even in the Sports section. Star initially told me the same thing. But I still tried.

Today, I got to talk to the Sports editor of Star. He told me to report in their office on Monday. I was extremely elated. Hopefully, they would accept me.

Wish me luck. I really want to do this.

Also pray for me so that I may be able to fulfill one of my long-time dreams. I will be doing one of the first steps next week.

Go, Ivan!! Kaya mo’yan!! Rhymes. Hehehe

Smile naman d’yan. God bless us all!!

P.S. Naka-dsl na pala kami. Hahaha sosyal!! I love this day.

yesterday

Just when I was about to lose hope about my ojt, with all of my classmates already starting theirs, good news came.

I was going back and forth to Makati this whole week to follow up my applications in Business Mirror and Philippine Graphic. The HR that attended to me yesterday was a bitch. I was about to give her a dose of my own katarayan but I controlled myself as my ojt was on the line.

She informed me that Philippine Graphic will have no vacancies until May, and told me to just call the HR the next day (today) to know if Business Mirror still accepts interns. Earlier today, I was about to call the HR division when I found out that I lost the paper that bitch gave me. So I scanned the directory Tanikala lent me. I was not successful at contacting the Central HR, but I was successful at talking to Phil Graphic’s very own HR. She told me that one of their interns would end her stint today, and that meant that they would have an opening. And so I grabbed the opportunity. I would start working on Monday!! Yehey!! I am sooooooo happy for myself. Finally. But there is a catch. Ms Jenny, the HR, would not allow me to wear jeans. She also told me to wear polo shirts. I have not asked her if I could wear shirts that have no collars and khaki pants. Corny noh? Pero mas maigi na iyon kaysa naman malapit ng mag Mayo, wala pa rin akong trabaho.

***
One of the biggest reasons why I wanted to work in the Pasong Tamo area, Phil Graphic, Biz Mirror, and PDI are located there, is that I grew up in that place.

So yesterday while I was waiting for the news from the bitch, I decided to visit the place where I grew up since it was just nearby.

I could not remove the smile from my face. The whole place was different. But it brought backs memories of years passed. I went directly to the National Shrine of the Sacred Heart where my family and used to go to to hear mass. While I was praying, I could not control myself as I got teary-eyed. I was emotional. It was the first time I have been there after a very long while. The big statue of Jesus Christ atop the church overwhelmed me, so did the church’s 2nd floor. I was surprised that the health center and the mini graveyard were still there. The plaza was renovated. And sadly there were no more calachuchi’s. I was hoping to see some of my childhood playmates but they were nowhere to be seen. I am sure most of them already transferred homes. I also did not like what the new owners of our old house did to the building. But nevertheless, I was happy to be back, even for a shirt while, to what I used to call “home.” Yesterday, I relived my yesteryears.

***
Does this “man” even have honor?

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez should be ashamed of himself. He thinks that he should always open his mouth and react each time something happens. And what makes things worse? He is an alumnus of my alma mater, UST.

Yesterda, he opened his mouth again, this time reacting to the death of U.S. Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell. Gonzalez blamed Campbell for walking alone, saying that “she was careless.”

He should step down from his post. He does not deserve his position. He is a very despicable man. I wonder if he even has friends.

Resign, Mr. Secretary. You are good for nothing.


The Justice Secretary is a very unjust low-life.


Smile naman d’yan. God bless us all!!

P.S. Sanjaya got the boot from Americal Idol yesterday. Sa wakas!! Selebrasyon!! Woohoo!!

hope springs eternal even for ojt-less ivan

It’s unofficial yet, but really quite obvious that in the whole 3jrn1 class, I am the only one who’s left without an ojt yet .

I have been working harder these past few days to follow up on the companies I have applied for. Yesterday, I went back to Philippine Graphic and got a waiver. I rode the bus on my way home. And I was standing practically the whole trip. This was the first time, after a very long time, that I had to stand up in a bus. Good thing traffic flowed smoothly. But boy was it really hot—even in that air-conditioned bus I rode in.

Today, I delivered the waiver to the Business World office so that our practicum adviser could sign it. I saw students from the other class doing their internship there. And again, I was pressured. I mean, how could these companies not hire me? Modesty aside, I prepared a decent resume. So again,

media companies, hire IVAN ANGELO LUCERO DE LARA. He is a talented individual. He can be a fantastic addition to your company. So what are you waiting for? Contact him. NOW.

Tomorrow, I will go back to Makati to return the waiver to Graphic and also submit my resume to Philippines Free Press , and ask if Inquirer still accepts volunteers in the upcoming elections. I will also follow up my application in Summit Media and hopefully they will hire me. I will really love to work for Summit Media’s FHM, T3, Seventeen, and Preview or ABS-CBN Publishing’s Metro, Maxim, Metro Him, and Chalk (in those orders.) So knock, knock, ABS Publishing and Summit Media, please hire me. Accept me as your intern. I am also hoping that one of these days, I’ll get a call from the Philippine Star to be part of their second batch of interns. Some of my classmates are well on their way to finishing their 200-hour practicum. So wish me luck!!

***
Early this morning, I was heating hard-boiled eggs in the microwave. I did not know it was such a stupid idea until one of the eggs burst out. Cleaning the microwave was tough. Just imagine. And then, I heard a radio ad. It was about one of my long-time dreams. And now I know how to get to the first step. Kinda.

I will not disclose what that long-time dream is for the fear of jinxing it. In fact, I have not told anyone about it yet. Hehehehe. So wish me luck please. I am really passionate about this.

***
Please, all registered voters, do not vote for Chavit Singson. We all know what a dirty man this guy is. He hogs the limelight each time he has the chance to do so. Remember his participation in the Ducat kidnapping? He also reportedly gave out money during one of his campaign sorties. So if you still care about our country, please do not vote for that despicable guy.


Please do not vote for this filthy guy


Smile naman d'yan. God bless us all!!

work(shop)/intern(ship)

Yesterday, I was finally reunited with my Varsi friends. I was extremely happy upon seeing them once again. It was the first time, after a very long time, that I have seen all of them in one venue.

The incumbent staff and the new recruits were required to attend journalism workshops. Yesterday, they were scheduled to take news writing under Sir Ian, and advance grammar under Sir Aids. Since I was close with Sir Aids, I decided to sit in during his lecture. It felt weird seeing new faces, and not seeing the older faces I was with a year ago.

The new recruits looked promising. There were those who reminded me of other staff like Ate Kris and Ate Cam. There were also new fags and I was teasing Ketch that he was now the queen. He could boss around the fag staffs. Hahaha. I would have done it with pleasure had I still been part of the staff. But fortunately or unfortunately, I no longer am.

Up to this point, I still have regrets resigning from V. But maybe it is just because I have nothing to do just yet. No company has called me yet for my internship, while most of my classmates are well into their ways to finishing theirs. And maybe, once I start my ojt, and the rest of my plans for this summer, I will no longer miss Varsi’s workload. But I know I will still miss my Varsi friends.

Yesterday was a riot. I had fun bitching on the incumbent and the incoming staff. And I was super glad I attended the workshop. But more pleasing was that I got to spend time with my Varsi Kada.

***
Sanjaya’s still alive on American Idol. Crap. He should have been out of it since week 1 of the semifinals. However, surprisingly, the really queer Sanjaya din well in last night’s competition. Haley Scarnato got the boot. Well-deserved.

***
Now that I have already mentioned the fact that no company has called me yet for my internship, let me plead.

I have submitted my resume to ABS-CBN, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the Philippine Graphic, Reuters, AFP, Summit Media, and Solar TV. Attention to these media companies: You are missing on a very promising student-journalist. Hire me as your intern, please!! Hehehehe!!

Hire Ivan Angelo L. de Lara as your intern. He will be an outstanding recruit. You may even absorb him after you see his work. He is serious. He is already tired of just sitting at home instead of working for your company.

Smile naman d'yan. God bless us all!!

Holy Thursday

Today, my dad and I did our yearly Visita Iglesia. We went to 7 different, nearby churches and did the 14 Stations of the Cross. Prior to doing this, my dad and I had a heated argument last Sunday after I accompanied him to do the grocery. We agreed to meet outside the mall after I make a quick stop over at Gonuts Donuts to get my brother some donuts. As usual, there was a long line. After more than 5 minutes, I was finished with my purchase so I proceeded to the taxi bay where my dad and I were supposed to meet. I was just about to step out of the mall when my dad shouted, “Ang bagal bagal mo kumilos.” Of course I was shocked. He repeatedly told me that I moved to slow while we were inside the taxi. I explained to him that there was long line but he did not listen. I was fuming mad already. I did not talk to him for at least two days. So it was nice to finally be in peaceful terms with him again today, especially because he’s leaving on Sunday.

Going to the different churches, I saw many things. I saw different families and barkadas doing their own Visita Iglesia. This made me appreciate more what my dad and I were doing, and our family. May pamilya pa nga na sabay-sabay kumain sa labas ng kotse nila eh. Nakakaaliw sila tignan. They were not eating in a fancy restaurant, but they looked happy. They looked satisfied with the food they were sharing with each other. I also saw people lying in the streets. All throughout the Visita, I was praying to God and asking Him for so many things. But seeing those homeless people made me realize how lucky I am to be living inside a home, to be eating three times or more a day, and to being able to go to one of the most prestigious schools in Asia. Having to walk for several kilometers was tiring, alright, but it was fulfilling. Because as I meditated through the Stations of the Cross, I realized all the hardships Jesus had to endure just to save mankind.

***
I had this very weird dream early this morning. It was about my last ex and one of the suitors I “busted”. In my dream, the two of them were already together. That made me sad because my ex looked happier with him than when he was with me. Haha!!

Smile naman d’yan. God bless us all!!