PHOENIX SAGA 5: THE COMING OF THE ENDING

As Cronos, father time moves and the planets align near the end of my 10 days of training, I have somehow become holistic in everything that I have learned and the client training tools that is essential in my becoming the virtual assistant that I aspire to be, that does not settle to do the best but to be great.

The support that I have with the people I am working with is very positive and the enthusiasm to know more about the job responsibilities, the possibilities and the foresight of what my client would be like and his/her expectations of my work. I find reassurance and security in the abode of my cubicle staring off space, immersed in the cybernetic world that I have come to be more interested to explore its portals, where almost everything is possible. Like a kid on a first trip to the candy store, I find the everything in it, amazing and catchy, that I can't help touch it and savor the feeling of satisfaction I would get from it. As words are not enough to describe the emotions that it draws from me and here I am smiling.Like any superhero would say...up, up and away!

To be continued.

PHOENIX SAGA 4: COMING TO FULL CIRCLE

WHAT is a circle?

Defined by wikipedia as:

"A simple shape of Euclidean geometry consisting of those points in a plane which are equidistant from a given point called the center. The common distance of the points of a circle from its center is called its radius."

In addition,

"Circles are simple closed curves which divide the plane into two regions, an interior and an exterior. In everyday use, the term "circle" may be used interchangeably to refer to either the boundary of the figure (also known as the perimeter) or to the whole figure including its interior. However, in strict technical usage, "circle" refers to the perimeter while the interior of the circle is called a disk. The circumference of a circle is the perimeter of the circle (especially when referring to its length)."

And...

"A circle is a special ellipse in which the two foci are coincident. Circles are conic sections attained when a right circular cone is intersected with a plane perpendicular to the axis of the cone."

It all sounds so technical...

You might wonder why I have chosen the circle to talk about for this post because it is last day of our first week in the 10 days of training, and its almost coming into a full circle. What we have learned during night one and now, has given me more drive to have good ratings on the activities given to me and become equipped in the process of become a very successful Virtual Assistant in VAT.

Wish me luck and pray that I will do well, not just well but to excel.

to be continued....

PHOENIX SAGA 3: Michaelangelo. Who?

AWAKENED BY SOMEONE CALLING MY NAME . Was I still dreaming or awake. As the memories came rushing like flood in the gates of my thoughts the written of the objective of who is Michaelangelo?

MICHAELANGELO, Who? I am a believer that things happen for a reason and a certain purpose a reflection of my philosophy in life is well understood in the expressions of Carol Orsborn, who I quote said, “We can’t stop bad things from happening to us, either way we can’t stop good things from happening to us especially when we are least expecting them.” I am a lover of poetry and beauty for the Arts and a dream who is an advocate of seeking to be the best of ourselves and make our own destinies even in a world that sometimes hate, love and fears us at the same time, for life can always be beautiful no matter what.

"You see, this is my MOMENT. Someday, when they look back and write about these times, I will be able to say that I was here. I danced every dance and knew the words to every song. I can see everything from here."

A resilient artist that loves to write poetry, read, create visual artworks, and an active theater artist who likes performing on stage. Take active part in parish and community affairs especially in dealing with community kids. Likes watching films and critiquing on the elements of the movie flicks watched, comparing it to the book version if it was taken from that source and unravel the director’s perception of the plot, what he/she is trying to make out of the material.

...And I had to re-write not because it was wrong but it was on the aim of the task that was needed to boost my marketability as a professional, so I began to write:

With work experiences in counseling, psychometric examinations, managing human resource related transactions and customer and employee complaints; eagerness for learning new things and doing research analysis, documentation, presentations, administrative activities, and event organization which would allow me to make use of my strengths in detail orientation, creativity, resourcefulness, and striving for excellence in every activity that is assigned to me.

My education, experience and career interests has made me efficient, effective and accountable in any task given to me as I take it with a stride of importance and focus, to the minute details that needs to be done to come up with an output that meets or exceeds the expectation of my employer. With my background and career goals seem to match your job requirements well. I am confident that I can perform the job effectively. Furthermore, I am genuinely interested in the tasks and in working for your company, with an excellent reputation and come highly recommended to me.

Would you please consider me for a personal interview to discuss further my qualifications and learn more about this opportunity? I am very much available for a meeting that can be arranged and should you need to reach me. Feel free to get in touch in me at your most convenient time. In advance, thank you for your consideration. I look forward to talking to you.

...As these recollections of a recent past...I heard again my name being called over and over, in a repetition with urgency, when I finally opened my eyes it was my yaya'y's voice echoing out my bedroom telling me that it was 7 pm and my 4th day at work was near at hand.

To be continued...

PHOENIX SAGA Continues 3: MICO caught between THE SANDMAN vs THE MORNING STAR

AS the PHOENIX SAGA continues, I find myself amidst the war between the Sandman and the Morning Star as I ended my shift 6 am and how did I caught myself in this warfare started not long ago.

It began 1 am during my night shift yesterday, when I was busy doing my transcribing task when all of the sudden I felt my eyes feeling drowsy, so I checked my pupils because maybe it was my new set of Freshlook contact lenses that was causing it. (FACT: I am using the tri-color enchanted green with amber and choco brown which I though was complimenting my blue and black stripped military cut polo that was the trend for the season) When I checked it was normal so I guess The Sandman trying to enthrall me in the influence of his sleep dust, and what I did was took my headset off for a moment, did little flexing my back muscles, as expected I was alert again to complete my task.

From 1 am to 6 am, I was awake and survived the ordeal of the transcribing which took me sometime to really get it going plus having minor difficulties with the google docs because of the system was having problems but was fixed but our competent Network and System Administrator and his Junior assistant.

Feedback with the work given to me was comprehensive and I mentally noted it but to be sure I made some notes in my notebook for things to remember in replying to a correspondence, being sure to attach the file as requested with proper labeling and details must be taken carefully. In summary, I had new knowledge in how to become a very successful Virtual Assistant (VA).

For now, I am Michaelangelo D. Ferrer, the psychologist/psychometrician for 5 years and training to be not just good but a great VA. Re-learning things I know about the internet, micro-soft applications and discovering new hi-technology ways in the global village of virtual assistance like new software applications and technology that I never knew existed before.

I had my farewells to Ms. V, Mr. J and my new found friends in VA and when I opened door what welcomed me was the light of the morning star which was something that when I am inside the working station, you sometimes forget that it's already day when time-in for the night-shift.

My experience for the whole day before coming to work tonight was dealing with the Sandman who knocked me to sleep when I entered my cozy room set my wake up time 12nn to do the home assignment I brought for the decoration of our training space but was awakened it was 4pm in the afternoon, I never slept that long before and as the Morning Star bade his goodbyes in the horizon at 6 am and the electric lights started to come alive from an hour of blackout in our community.

I checked my closet for the color dress coding for tonight which is red, I took my red-black polo matched it with a silver straight cut formal pants, high cut shoes and cotton Starbucks jacket with hood to make it casual yuppie added with a black formal tie to pull together the whole ensemble.

Performed my ritual shower, looking and smelling clean all over, ate my lola Yaya'y's prepared dinner and drank plenty of fluids, went to out of the house to my mother's place where I found my baby nephew Lestat playing with his mama, Marrianne, my youngest sister who was also talking to my nanay at the same time while they were also watching some news on the television. I asked and informed them for updates with our individual lives as I kissed Lestat my goodbye for I have to travel still to my bestfriend's apartment where my other friends where tonight, they were preparing to party tonight for another themed event at the bar of my good friend Dennis which I declined because my priority is my career with VAT. Well, my friends are always supportive with my endeavors especially with my professional growth, and they gave me some details as to the yesterday's white party that they attended where people were asking about my absence to the party scene. I smile and crack a laugh, it's showbiz and I am having a great time at work which is my top priority in my life right now. Party can always wait, that's the last thing I said before I said my goodbyes and drove the PUJ (Public Utility Jeepney) to the enter the realm of VAT, where I harnessing my strengths and unraveling my potential to make it and be great as a VA.

Work started on time and flew as I installed my wall decor art with its psychedelic retro feel, happily I watched it come together with manga drawing version myself with the phoenix as my shadow and cj my co-trainee drawn inside a typhoon riptide having her headset on hand, as requested I have made a manga version of Ms. V as more are noticing and asking for theirs.

As the sandman is just behind the exit doors of VAT with the morning star coming to the horizon, I expect a war between the two are stirring when my shift ends.

Feedback of my receptionist task made me want to learn and be keen more on the details and pacing of my conversation with the clientele but I did my calendar well and I guess I deserve the sandman's dust later when I come home safely in my room's embrace.

to be continued....

PHOENIX SAGA 1 : AS THE DAY PROGRESSES

METRO ILOILO. When I went home early this morning, and as I crossed the street and entered the entrance gates of St. Clement's Church, I murmured a prayer of thank you to the Lord as the early mass was ending and seeing the church goers going out of the parish premises. I also noticed some were directly going to their busy morning errands as they made way to the public wet market with baskets and plastic bags which was situated not so far way from the church.

There I was with my chocolate newspaper boy bag and my sense of fulfillment of accomplishing my first night shift duty, and before I forgot I got to meet another co-worker on the utility vehicle as she was also on her way to her abode in Jaro.

Home sweet home as I rang the doorbell and my timid lola yaya'y opened the house gates, hearing Phoebe and Shiloh barking in delight to greet me good morning, as they compete to get my attention as to who I pet first. Such uncoditional love an owner gets from his loyal bestfriends. As to who is Phoebe and Shiloh, I would further narrate about them in the upcoming blogs to be posted and shared by me.

Time moves swiftly as I then found my self sleeping and snoring, maybe the snoring woke me up that when I checked my time it was already 12 noon to be exact. I was dreaming before I had been awakened by my own snoring but cannot recall what was the episodes that I having during my Rapid Eye Movement (REM) or dreaming state.

I wanted to sleep again but can't so I laid staring across the canopy of my zen inspired bed and an idea popped in my head, why don't I draw but what would my subject be about. I remembered the creative assignment given to me and my fellow trainee with the decor of our training space that started my genius mind to work, and voila I have come up with a concept.

to be continued....

The Phoeni-X and Michaelangelo

The story of the Phoenix and Michaelangelo began when recollections of myself saying a week ago to the team building activity I had with physicians who belonged to the family medicine department, "It is not too late to learn new things, also that age is not a barrier or a hindrance for the young to impart learning to the learned, and the learned to the youth" and a quote I once read, said that with "age comes wisdom while youth is nothing but mere beauty but aging is a masterpiece in the making."

And to be asked to create a blog regarding experiences especially something recent and is happening at the same moment as I am typing this entry. For a night, I have learned values suchas punctuality, innovation, resourcefulness, integrity and performance but it just don't stop there. Here now, I pour myself in this blog to capture the emotions I am experiencing right at this moment and put soul in words to give meaning to all the new things I am learning. Like creating a blog, doing writing, exploring the cyber network, a world of unexpected surprises where things that can be created and beginnings are beginning to unfold.

It is truly an opportunity to be a part of it to have learned and continue on doing so, as I find it hard to end this blog for this is just the start and the omega is not near at sight. I imagined my total experience to be a phoenix rising said to be:

The phoenix (Ancient Greek: Φοῖνιξ, phoínix, Urdu language: ققنس, Persian:ققنس Arabic:العنقاء) is a mythical sacred firebird that originated in Persian mythology, ancient Phoenician mythology (according to Sanchuniathon), Chinese mythology, Egyptian religion and later Greek mythology.

A phoenix is a mythical bird that is a fire spirit with a colorful plumage and a tail of gold and scarlet (or purple, blue, and green according to some legends). It has a 500 to 1,000 year life-cycle, near the end of which it builds itself a nest of twigs that then ignites; both nest and bird burn fiercely and are reduced to ashes, from which a new, young phoenix or phoenix egg arises, reborn anew to live again. The new phoenix is destined to live as long as its old self. In some stories, the new phoenix embalms the ashes of its old self in an egg made of myrrh and deposits it in the Egyptian city of Heliopolis (Greek for sun-city). It is said that the bird's cry is that of a beautiful song. In very few stories they are able to change into people. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix)

Welcome to the Blogworld and VAT, Michaelangelo! Soar high like the Phoeni-X to never give up on the challenge to excel in the new profession I am entering in and to always rise glorious and more powerful above the adversities that may come along the way.

Thus, the tale of the Phoeni-X and Michaelangelo has just began to take flight, it may be baby steps but soon enough it will worth to be called the legendary bird of the skies, the cyberworld horizons for me to be my domain.

My FIRST NIGHT as a VIRTUAL ASSISTANT TRAINEE

May 17, 2010. I have received the confirmation and reminder text of Ms. V. in my mobile phone last 15 May 2010 06:19:07 am, saying, " Hi, Mico! V. of virtual assistant. Please report at 8:30 pm on Monday for our Orientation." and as I prepared myself the whole morning physically, emotionally, spiritually and psychologically for the first night of my 10 days training. I can't help but think of the possible things to happen for the whole night shift and taking the PUJ to work, I kept on looking at the rear side mirror of the driver being aware that my attire was not crumbled or would be referred to have an Iron Deficiency, a term I coined with my friends for clothes not properly ironed.

Setting aside the comedic relief to somehow ease my anticipation and a bit of shyness, I took the stairs of the VA bldg. with a new found confidence and excitement as the security guard lodges my name in his logbook and asked if it was my first day for work. I replied a smile and said politely a yes.

With me was another trainee and we ushered to wait patiently on the couch and we were called the orientation by the competent managers: the human resource manager, the project manager, and training management manager, who introduced the company, with a crystal clear presentation.

I took by heart the mission and vision of the company, in the middle of the discussion, I realized and envisioned myself to be part of this company. It has opened a new realization and pages of my professional growth to fill up.

And here, I am now doing this task happily using the values of punctuality, innovation, resourcefulness, integrity, and performance for as it was said in the presentations that, "words are words, expectations are expectations, excuses are excuses, performance is the only reality."

To end this first ever blog, "Welcome Mico to the VAT world."