Goddess, I Am.

Picking up where I left off. . .

January of 2008 found me in a turmoil. My boss went on an extended holiday, and there was no work to be had for a month. I was almost completely destitute and had zero options in sight. That was when I learned not to put all my eggs in one basket. I started desperately looking for other freelance work and thankfully, I was hired to write for the now-defunct online magazine, Poise Daily.

Writing for Poise was a lot of fun (and the rate wasn’t shabby, either). While my regular job had me writing endless articles on mortgages and video surveillance and cigarette cases, I got to write about Macbooks and fashion and my travels for Poise, to name just a few. By the time my boss came back from her holiday, I continued writing for Poise on the side until the woman who owned it decided to pursue other things. By then, I had also learned how to get other legitimate freelance work, so I always had a steady stream of side jobs to keep my mind at ease.

I enjoyed an income that kept soaring for the next few months. And then, the recession hit. Several of my boss’ clients pulled out, so I (along with the rest of my team) was forced to take a pay cut. Even my side jobs suffered. I ended up having to take more and more assignments for less than my usual rates. I started working 16-hour days just to keep my income consistent. Unfortunately, so were my stress levels!

It got so bad that I decided to let go of the worst-paying side jobs and take a day job that paid well. So for the third time since I moved to Bangkok a year before, I was employed by a Thai company. The job was to teach rich and/or smart Thai kids how to write their admissions essays to Ivy League universities. I quite enjoyed it while it lasted. Once again, I was earning a healthy income and I felt secure once again. The downside was the horrible commute from Nonthaburi to Silom (and back) that I had to suffer every day. Eventually, I had to give it up, too, because it was just too exhausting.

By then, things have started to pick up somewhat online. A very pregnant Chin (who was getting ready to leave her day job by then) and I then decided to pool our client base together and start our own writing company; thus, Women Who Write was born. We kept at the business through my move back to the Philippines (with Steve in tow) and all the way through the first quarter of 2009 when the declining rates of online writing jobs forced us to finally throw in the towel.

February found me with another day job, this time back in my home country. I was writing a book on government grants (ick!) for an insufferable Russian and his equally insufferable Filipina girlfriend, the Evil Couple who ran several companies under one roof (a call center, a lending firm, and an online ESL school) and spent half the time screaming at all and sundry. It was a nightmare, and thoughts of being stuck there for the rest of my life had me crying in my cubicle almost every day. That job was, without a doubt, the lowest of all of my life’s numerous low points.

But you know what they say: when you’re down, you can’t go anywhere else but up. In April, the same month that I got married, a regular client offered me a full-time job complete with a substantial monthly salary. Several of my pre-recession clients started crawling out of the woodwork with projects anew. And to top it all off, a project was awarded to me out of nowhere in one of the freelance sites I use to bid on projects periodically.

It was the project to end all projects; it was high-paying AND long-term – every freelancer’s dream. I didn’t even remember bidding on it! It turned out I bid on it months and months ago, and because the client didn’t make any decisions, I promptly forgot about it. And suddenly, there it was, all mine for the taking! Without even thinking twice, I quit my shitty day job (not an easy feat, as the Evil Couple refused to let me go) and went back to being a full-time freelancer.

As the months progressed and the project grew, I was no longer just writing. Now, nearly six months later, I’m running full-scale search engine optimization (SEO) campaigns for my client’s numerous clients. My job is to get these clients on the first page of Google for the keywords they’re targeting. The whole concept was really nothing new to me as this has been the focus of my online writing career, but now that I’m also handling the more technical aspects of SEO, I’m finding the whole thing both refreshing and quite challenging. No, I did not need to get an online degree or anything like that. All I needed was a very patient and supportive client who had a barrage of instructional PDFs for me to study daily, and I was good to go.

Though I like to think that I’ve got the whole thing down pat two months after we launched in August, I still don’t. I’m continuously learning and keeping myself updated on the best and newest SEO strategies. I know, it’s about as exciting as acne treatment, but it is extremely lucrative. It has since allowed The Husband to quit his shitty teaching job and escape from the clutches of the Evil Couple. He’s now in-charge of the video marketing part of the job (yes, we do that, too), and he’s slowly easing in to the life of a home-based outsourcer.

Of course, with this full-time job, plus a couple of other (also full-time) writing work on the side, I do find myself spread quite thin, even working literally side-by-side with The Husband. I do, however, now have a team of fantastic women writers who write extremely well, plus a plethora of software that automate the bulk of my tasks. I’m working harder and longer than I ever did in my entire life, yes, but you know what? I actually love it! And no, it’s not just about the cool four-figure monthly income (in dollars), a huge deal where I am. It’s the freedom of knowing that I’m working because I want to work, not because I have to.

It’s been a long and arduous journey towards the job of my dreams, and now that I’m here, I can honestly say that it’s been worth every effort, every disappointment that came my way. I hope my (not-so) little tale will serve to inspire anybody who’s trying to find him or herself and that dream job that truly is a dream-come-true. It can be done. Never let anybody tell you otherwise. I’ve done it, Chin has done it – and we’re only two of millions who have done it the world over.

I love tags. Unfortunately, I don’t get tagged enough; that’s why I never pass up the chance to answer tags whenever people do find it in their hearts to tag me (hint, hint).

It is, therefore, with a great deal of enthusiasm that I am answering the second tag I have ever received in my entire life as a blogger. (Did I mention I don’t get tagged enough?) Thanks to Meream for sending this my way.

And now, the rules:

1. Open your first photo folder.
2. Scroll down to the 10th photo.
3. Post that photo and story on your blog.
4. Tag five {or more} friends to do the same.

Luckily, my first photo folder (which is called ‘A Dream’) does contain photos taken with my new camera. This was during our second Corona del Mar site tour back on the 20th of September, which was also the first time I got to take my camera out on a photowalk. This is the 10th photo:

This was taken inside one of the model houses. The house we’re buying, which should be built in a year or two (hopefully), would be fairly similar, but with some embellishments, such as a cinema room for The Husband, a study-slash-library for myself, and a huge bathroom with a bathtub.

I do love the staircase, though, and the little nook beneath it. And boy oh boy, do I have great plans for those walls!

Now, wasn’t that a fun tag to do? Well, it was – for me, at least. Hopefully, these ladies will find it just as fun:

1. Chin: Because I can never get enough of her family’s pictures. They’re a fun bunch, the Kongs.

2. Maris: I’ve been getting to know her through her words, but I would also LOVE to get to know her visually, too.

3. Kaye: She moved to the Netherlands about 3 years ago, but I just don’t see enough images of her life there. And to think I’m her best friend.

4. Kessa: With her new weight loss regimen in full swing, I’m dying to see her progress. Hopefully, her first photo folder has pictures of her and her steadily increasing fabulousness.

5. Jen: A camwhore like no other, I know that whatever picture she ends up sharing is something worth seeing!

A week ago, we got confirmation that The Husband’s non-immigrant visa was finally approved by the Bureau of Immigration after nearly 3 months of waiting (they told us it’ll be done in 60 days). This meant that he could stay for a year, free and clear, instead of having to extend his tourist visa every 2 months.

So off we went to Immigration Wednesday afternoon to have it implemented. All was well and good for a while – until we were told that we needed to pay for his overstay.

Now, when we applied for the new visa, we had to go through an interview with a Department of Justice fiscal, whose sole purpose was to assess if our marriage was not out of convenience. Naturally, we passed his scrutiny with flying colors – but that’s beside the point. I asked him as we were concluding the interview if we needed to extend The Husband’s current tourist visa while we waited for approval, and he said we didn’t have to because we already had an application for another visa on the system (or something to that effect). We thought that was the end of it.

Anyway, as I said, we were told to pay for overstay. I explained the situation, and they simply shrugged it off as misinformation. So I looked at the chart that showed the immigration fees, and I figured, P500 a month isn’t so bad. I didn’t want to argue, so I told The Husband we’ll just pay and get it over with. After all, a nearly 3-month overstay would only cost about P1500, right?

How wrong I was! Horror of all horrors, we were slapped with a P6000-something bill for the two missed visa extensions (that we were advised was unnecessary in the first place) ON TOP of the P1500 overstay! Again, we stated our case to someone who had the looks of someone more senior, who (predictably) shrugged it off like everyone else.

The Husband was ready to blow, I could tell, but I managed to calm him down. I knew that this being the Philippines, it’s never a good idea to piss off those who wield what little bit of power they have like it’s the freaking Excalibur.

Anyhow, we paid up, and were again slapped with another P8000 bill to implement the new non-immigrant visa and the ACR-I card. We were already expecting this, however, so we paid up without a peep. Still, it hurt.

But it didn’t end there. They required a ton of paperwork, and each sheet of paper needed a gazillion copies – copies that they don’t do themselves, I might add. I had to take frequent trips to the photocopiers outside the Immigration office and pay for the copies (and the folders and brown envelopes that they required at the very last minute) myself. For this visit alone, I spent nearly P200 on photocopies. Considering the exorbitant fees that they charge, you’d think that they could at least spring for photocopies.

So with our fees paid and enough paperwork to make the tree-lover in me cringe, we marched upstairs to get his ACR-I card sorted out. After The Husband was fingerprinted and had his photograph taken, we were told the card will be ready in two to three months. Again, considering the price and the effort we invested on this, you’d think they could get it ready quicker than that. Hell, we all KNOW it can be done quicker than that, but they’re too busy dilly-dallying. But hey, who are we to complain, right?

While we waited for them to do their thing, I asked the lady what the ACR-I card was for. She told me it would allow The Husband to go straight to the airport if we took a trip outside of the country, as opposed to having to go the Immigration office two weeks in advance to get an exit clearance. Naturally, my interest was piqued, what with our planned Hongkong trip in November. I pressed for more information, and found out that we had to pay a further P3000 for the said exit clearance! Oh. My. God. Do the fees ever stop in this place?

Well, apparently not. As we were getting ready to leave, we were asked for a further P200 as notarial fee! And that, my dear friends, was the proverbial icing on the cake.

We went home drained. We went home exhausted. We went home with a feeling that we’ve been violated somehow. I think it’s the same kind of feeling that rape and robbery victims must have after the fact. I wanted to cry, but couldn’t. Hell, it even felt like I suddenly lost a ton of weight in the most unhealthy way imaginable without the aid of weight loss pills! It was, hands down, one of the most unpleasant things that have ever happened to me and The Husband ever.

And so we were left with a ruined budget days before we’re scheduled to get paid again. Not only that, the Hongkong trip that we’ve been so terribly excited about will have to be postponed until January or so when that stupid ACR-I card manifests itself all because there is absolutely NO WAY that they’re going get another centavo off us for an exit clearance that we shouldn’t even have to pay for, if they could just move their lazy asses and do their jobs quicker.

I’m sorry, but if the idiots at Immigration (or any other government office, for that matter – not to mention the politicians in office) are any indication, it hurts me to have to say that the Philippines will never have a chance to amount to anything other than a Third World country whose biggest claim to fame is in being one of the most corrupt countries in the world. And as a Filipina who truly takes pride in the good things this country can offer, that makes me one very sad camper.

Recently, I splurged on yet another gadget, a Nikon D3000. This is because I somehow got it into my head that apart from being a writer, I wanted to be a photographer, too. It’s silly, I know, but after living a lifetime of not being able to afford so much as a stick of gum (okay, I’m exaggerating a bit), I figured I ought to go and seize the day now that I can.

I chose the D3000 because it’s the updated version of the classic (but now defunct) D40, which was the best entry-level camera that ever existed. The D3000 is meant to be fantastic for first-time DSLR users, and I completely agree.

For the record, I’ve never owned a camera before. Ever. I’ve only ever used point-and-shoot models that I’ve had to borrow from family and friends. So when I finally got Caesar (yes, that’s my camera’s name), I felt like a non-smoker who suddenly decided to spend the rest of my life smoking cigars out of the blue – meaning, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.

Of course, the camera came with a manual, but it might as well have been in Swahili for all the help it gave me. I knew nothing about apertures and shutter speeds and ISOs, and oh, what a headache it was!

I’ve had it for nearly a month now, and I’m still not taking the stellar photos that I imagined I would be taking. But I’m getting there. I’m actually STUDYING, believe it or not, and quite diligently, too, much to The Husband’s shock. I bought Scott Kelby’s Digital Photography books (I’m missing Volume 2 out of a series of 3), which I’ve been reading studiously for the past week or so, and I’m actually having fun! The man makes the whole thing sound so easy. I really am learning plenty.

My goal is to learn everything I could before next month’s Hongkong trip so I can take nightscapes so fantastic that people will weep! Okay, that’s a bit much, but you get the picture (no pun intended, honest!).

It’s ambitious, yes. But hey, this is me, so you should be used to that by now (tee hee).

Check out my images efforts in Flickr. Oh, and I now have a photoblog, too.

I’ve blogged several times before that my sister designs and creates swimwear. She has since expanded to dresses. Pretty, pretty dresses. Dresses so pretty that you can’t help but look pretty, too.

I am normally a reluctant shopper when it comes to clothes. Getting me to buy a dress, or even a top from any shop would require a significant amount of arm-twisting and praises aplenty. For the past couple of weeks that the little shop’s been producing dresses, however, I’ve been shopping without even batting an eyelash. I’ve bought about 5 dresses and half a dozen swimsuits so far. They all look like I’ve been poured into them – they’re that gorgeous. Why, I didn’t even need my regular weight loss pill to make the frocks look flattering on me at all!

And it doesn’t look like the end of this newfound penchant for shopping is in sight. Is it because she’s my sister? Maybe . . . IF she gives me a discount. But she doesn’t, so I could happily shop from eBay, or Multiply, or any one of the cookie-cutter shops in Ayala or SM. Unfortunately, these shops – online or otherwise – are producing clothes that are less and less to my liking in style, quality, and price. My sister, a consummate shopper herself, has recognized the need for high quality, affordable clothes that actually fit and look good.

You don’t believe me? What can you say about these darlings?

I have this gorgeous number in orange!

She REFUSES to sell me these, says I’ve bought enough! (Right. Like that would stop me!)

I have this in mustard, and I’m DYING to go to the beach and wear it!

If you want to see more, visit Innuendo @ Facebook.

The more dresses you buy, the less I buy. That means you help me hold on to my money. Besides, you can’t let me be the only well-dressed gal in town. Where’s the justice in that?