Final Interview: Floor (Part Twenty-One)

Before lunchtime, Ahm, our project manager, changed his status message from an excerpt from a song to that of him asking for a volunteer to help him conduct final interviews. Being the curious person that I am, I asked him if I could accompany him in the interviews. He quickly said I could go while telling me that there were three interviews, one following the other starting at around two in the afternoon. I hesitated if I should ask what I was supposed to do, but I calmed myself in saying that Ahm would be the one leading the interview, and I should just pretty much step back and watch, pitching in some questions from time to time.

Two in the afternoon came, and Ahm waved to grab my attention that it was time to go. I diligently brought my notepad and a pen, just for the sake of having some props with me. As Ahm and I conducted the three interviews, I was impressed at how spontaneous he was in his questions. His follow-up questions were quick and snappy, but at the same time were actually worth asking. He also conducted the interviews in a very light manner -- we were actually chuckling and laughing two-thirds of the time. The three applicants tackled our questions and behaved very differently, from being politely talkative to being awkwardly quiet.

At the end of the first interview, I asked him what some of the abstract questions were for. He explained to me that what he was looking for was not somebody who had a lot of technical knowledge, but people with interesting personalities and creative ways of dealing with a problem. Following suit, I said my few cents worth every time he asked me what I thought about each applicant. There was an applicant wherein I particularly felt strongly against. When Ahm asked me if I was going to hire him or not, I told him that I found the applicant's stubborn attitude and inflexibility to adapt to challenging situations concerning, despite his superior potential compared to the other two. Ahm agreed with me, and listed that applicant to be interviewed again by another panel. We hired the two other applicants because we found them to be gregarious and actually interested in joining the company.

As Ahm and I walked back to our workstations, I realized that yes, the result is important, but the process and journey in getting to that end is as important as well. Taking the applicant we rejected as an example, he had all the intelligence needed to succeed in our field, but why was he rejected? He didn't show he had the passion for technology. Comparing him to the other applicant who we felt strongly for, we accepted him because he showed to us that he really wanted to be a programmer, even if he had four failing marks in college. I've always felt chained down by my own insecurities, but in sitting down and talking to three complete strangers, I realized that I can achieve things no matter what, if I truly wanted to attain them.

Build Number Two: Floor (Part Twenty)

During the week that has passed, most if not all of us in our team were seating at the edge of our seats and was on our toes in racing to meet our very hectic schedule. At the heat of things, I volunteered to be the build master for the submission tonight, only to realize later on that this particular build had a lot of documents attached to it - thirteen long pages filled with walls of text.

Casting my folly aside, I began to compile the documents needed for today's report. However, because of the complexity of our work, I was only able to prepare the materials at around one in the morning. Mounting to the pressure was the fact that all team leads had already left, and I was the only person left to complete the task. It was very worrying since the task of a build master is a very important and critical one. I tried to put up a brave face, but I can't just help to think of the consequences if the build tonight was a failure. Thankfully, the build was successful, not to mention our counterparts who understood the situation and encouraged me for having done a good job.

As I walked home, I thought about the things that just happened: me stepping up to a challenge and completing it even if I had doubts about my capabilities. In the past, I usually strayed away from difficulties since I am afraid to fail. But now, I subconsciously always try to choose the hardest way out and is still terrified to do poorly. I don't understand if it is me proving myself that I can do it, or just me being fearful of falling below expectations.

Sixteen Hours: Floor (Part Nineteen)

I've been very busy for the past week. Our team has a big deadline to reach, and to do so, each of us has to work beyond the norms. Ever since I started work at Pointwest, the most number of overtime hours I have rendered was 18 hours in a month. Just being in the middle of January, I have already rendered a total of 16 hours of overtime - and our work isn't near halfway done.

I have no complaints - I totally enjoy working the extra hours. I find the peace missing in my home in the solace of my quiet workstation. The familiar chattering of the keyboard and random clicks of the mouse adequately appeases my desire to talk to people. I find happiness in the warmth of my hands on my cheeks as I walk under the cold midnight sky. Those alone make things easier to bear. People might find me as a workaholic, but I don't see myself as such. I just try to enjoy the things that I have and not be sullied by the things I wished I had.

Bittersweet as it may sound, happiness and satisfaction are two different things. I have learned that accepting and being satisfied to things as they are, how miserable as they may seem, is the first step to moving forward.

Stats (File 8)

According to the do-it-yourself health kiosk you operate with a five peso coin,

--
Your Measurements:
--
Weight: 151lb 5oz / 68.7kg
Height: 6ft 1.6in / 187cm
Body Mass Index (BMI): 19.7kg/m²
Age and Gender: 23M

Blood Pressure
Maximum Systolic: 120 mmHg
Minimum Diastolic: 72 mmHg

Body Fat Estimation
Fat Index: 10.8%
Fat Mass: 16lb 4oz / 7.4kg
Free Fat Mass: 135lb 0oz / 61.3kg

Heart Rate Analysis
Heart Rate: 85 P/min
Maximum Heart Rate: 95 P/min
Minimum Heart Rate: 78 P/min

--
References:
--
Normal Weight: 141.1 - 189.8lb / 64.0 - 86.1kg
Normal BMI Value: 18.5 - 24.9
Normal/High/Hypertension Systole: 129 / 130-140 / 140+
Normal/High/Hypertension Diastole: 84 / 85-90 / 90+
Normal Fat Index: 14 - 20%
Normal Fat Mass: 22.5 - 34.4lb / 10.2 - 15.6kg

The Third Wheel

It may be bad luck to talk about something like this at the start of a beautiful year, but it just crossed my mind and has occupied it ever since.

I have always wondered what do people in a polygamous relationship thinks or feels. Not that I want to be part of one, it's just that I've been watching historical Korean dramas and more often than not, the ruling king had several concubines who held significant influence and power. But then again, I think the context of then and now are two different things.

But in our present day and age, is it okay to share that romantic kind of love? Or is there some other kind of love involved that makes things much more acceptable?

In the end of it all, I will never know.

One Sentence Three

It's time to go when you've found your reason to stay.

Stats (File 7)

According to the do-it-yourself health kiosk you operate with a five peso coin,

--
Your Measurements:
--
Weight: 152lb 6oz / 69.2kg
Height: 6ft 0.8in / 185cm
Body Mass Index (BMI): 20.2kg/m²
Age and Gender: 23M

Blood Pressure
Maximum Systolic: 126 mmHg
Minimum Diastolic: 77 mmHg

Body Fat Estimation
Fat Index: 11.5%
Fat Mass: 17lb 6oz / 7.9kg
Free Fat Mass: 135lb 0oz / 61.3kg

Heart Rate Analysis
Heart Rate: 89 P/min
Maximum Heart Rate: 117 P/min
Minimum Heart Rate: 55 P/min

--
References:
--
Normal Weight: 141.1 - 189.8lb / 64.0 - 86.1kg
Normal BMI Value: 18.5 - 24.9
Normal/High/Hypertension Systole: 129 / 130-140 / 140+
Normal/High/Hypertension Diastole: 84 / 85-90 / 90+
Normal Fat Index: 14 - 20%
Normal Fat Mass: 22.5 - 34.4lb / 10.2 - 15.6kg

Chapter Two

I start the year with these in mind:

"Don't expect things to happen. It's better to be surprised than to be disappointed."

"Don't be afraid of change. You may be losing something good, but gaining something is so much better."

The past year has been a year of lessons learned through disappointments and a life of tearfully clinging to the past.

Things are easier said than done, but hopefully, it won't be the same this time around.