Unusual learning medium

 Stress did not even lessen as the days passed.  I can’t even wrap my head around the idea that by the end of the week, I am educated in math, accounting and financial analysis.  I cannot even say "more educated" because I was not educated in the first place.  I thought one of the primary reasons why I took up liberal arts and broadcast journalism is because of it’s almost being completely devoid of math and arithmetics.  Then, I get here, the right place in my life right now, the right career path after a long three years, and I face the things I have come to fear the most.

It’s quite overwhelming; learning all these things is really taking a toll on me.  Then again, everything about this training program is taking a toll on me.  Most mornings, i wake up and stare in space, wondering how the hell did I get here.  Am I here because my parents wanted me to? Am I here because I have nowhere else to go?  Am I here because I am supposed to be here?  Sometimes, it’s still hard to imagine how hard I’ve pushed myself just to get an average grade.  I’ve never been average.  I can’t help feeling mediocre.  I can’t help feeling insecure.

The good part about this week is Patrick’s constant sharing with his current infatuation.  I don’t know if I should even label it as infatuation, since he seems to be seriously pursuing this one.  I like the fact that I have found a confidante in him; I like the fact that I too have become a keeper of his secrets.  The best part about his current flame?  It reminded me of mine.

I didn’t realize how much I’ve taken Dylan for granted until I heard Patrick talk about his flame.  The short calls, relishing the voice on the other line, can’t wait to text, can’t wait to reply and the unwipe-able smile across the face… it’s been a while since I’ve exhibited a minute level of enthusiasm when it comes to my partner of almost four years.  I refuse to believe that I have gotten weary when it comes to my relationship.  So, when the family went to do the grocery, I picked up this fantastic postcard off Carabao Island in Romblon.  It made me realize that this is the one thing we haven’t done:  go out of town.

I wish we can find the time to actually do it.  I don’t think there hasn’t been an opportunity for us to completely detach ourselves from life’s realities.  I don’t know when we can find the time to do so.  Whenever that may take place, I am sure that I only want to share that view with him.  I miss him.  I miss us.

Lately, he’s been spending more time with me.  I like it.  It means he’s more in control of his schedule.  It means he can cope with his schedule better.  It means I am getting better in time management.  It means we’re working on our relationship.  It means our relationship works.  And to actually say that out loud — and put it in print — makes me feel very good and hopeful of the future that is in store for us.

I love us.  I love us.

Financial accounting, analysis and risk assessment

So there are just too many financials in my life right now.  I am still having a hard time believing that all the maths I have constantly avoided over the years would eventually become the same maths that will assist me in completing my one and only goal for the year:  to finish this management program.  I think I am catching up well; I got to compute a lot and study a lot.  The professor on risk assessment was right; it was a real eye-opener.  What I am having a lot of problems with though is how to connect the numbers.  I can’t seem to create a story that relates to them, a story that would eventually spell out financial disaster in graphs.  

And I can’t accept the fact that I can’t create a story.  If there’s something that I can be continuously proud of, it’s my ability to create something out of nothing.  It’s a completely romantic idea, and to be frank, not everyone appreciates it as much as I wanted them too.  But who am I to impose my stylings as the kind that they’ll adore?  Anyway, that’s what irritated me constantly.  I still can’t grasp the faculty of words they use to describe these numbers.

And I don’t like it one bit.

 

It’s the ice cream wrap that always caps off the night perfectly.

With the past week, we were bombarded with details in financial accounting and forced to make a financial analysis.  I don’t understand why people can subject themselves to this kind of pain.  During the quiz, I could literally feel my head slowly splitting in two.   It’s yet to be over — the Finance module is up until March — and I am just praying as much as I can to have the power to get through this.

Patrick and I had a long conversation about these girls that he’s trying to weigh.  Now, for a guy, Pat isn’t really the type that categorizes women.  But he was down to the classic dilemma:  liking two people at the same time.

Why do we get in trouble like this?  I mean seriously.  There has to be at least once in a lifetime when we get to like two people at the same time.

I don’t really know where I’m going.  I obviously don’t want to write right now, so I am so not forcing it.

Disappointments come in all shapes and sizes.

I received my presentation/defense grade the other day, and I couldn’t be more disappointed.  I cannot believe I got a grade that’s so low.  It’s not even at par with the deposits and clients I was able to gather.  I don’t understand where I went wrong.  According to the facilitator, I had a high mark for marketing.  So that means, I got a low mark for my suggested improvements in the branch.

I don’t understand why they would give me a low mark for suggesting hiring more people.  Isn’t that what you do when you’re expanding?  Isn’t that what you do when you plan to make service your number one product?  Isn’t that what you need when you aim to be better?  Isn’t that what you need when you are for development?  They berated me for suggesting something  that won’t be cost-effective to the company.  Why would you see additional service as an added cost?  Isn’t that supposed to be an added value? 

I cannot believe how conservative they are.  They plan to become one of the premiere corporations in the country, they plan to add quality and prestige to their name, they plan to be in the service of the Filipino, but they’re not going to pay for it?  Ano yon?  Birthright?  Noynoy, ikaw ba yan?

There’s just something about getting what you don’t deserve.  I worked hard for the past module.  I really did.  I worked my butt off, related to every single person I can relate to, became "feeling close", became "too close for comfort", I did my thing.  Research, study, market.  And just because you don’t agree with my manner of suggesting a VITAL improvement, you give me this?  Excuse you.  Excuse you very much.

Changing topics now.

Dylan was so nice to have joined me for dinner with friends last Friday.  I can tell he wasn’t having a good time, and that he was having a hard time trying to relate to them.  But he didn’t leave.  Neither did he try to corner me and box me to himself.  I am beginning to think again, that I have been given another reason to love him more.

And yes, that is my feeble attempt to end this entry with a high note.