Welcome Back, Early Bird!

“Pagdali Vonnex kay wala pay 8:10!” was what my colleagues would usually say when they see me rushing at the office lobby, gasping as I get through the biometric clock. Well, that’s the usual scenario every morning then. Speeding up my steps through the entrance, as if running late for a flight, just to catch that 10-minute allowance (or should I say grace period for tardiness, hehe!). So when the biometric system reads 8:10 AM upon placing my thumb, whatta biiigg sigh of relief I got, whew!! But relieved as I was, I still am not “saved by the bell” ‘coz even if I was able to hit the time, the standard record still says I’m late, every minute of it was subject to salary deduction. Aarrgghh! Poor Yvonne!

My usual coming to work 5 to 10 minutes late really made my colleagues wonder. And more often than not, I do wonder too, hahaha! Come to think of it, my pad is just a few meters away from the office, I could even just hike if I wanted to. Such an irony then, ‘coz I get late so often amidst that “walking distance”, while those colleagues living several kilometers away from the office report to work earlier than I do. Another ironic thing was that, I used to be an “early bird” when I was in grade school, I even became a recipient of the “Most Punctual” award that time, haaayy!! Things do really change, but for this particular concern, I must admit I’ve changed for the worse, hahaha! Well, not that bad though, ‘coz I’m aware of it and I’m opening myself for another change, and this time, it’s for the better.

This month’s a good start for me then. “Welcome back, early bird!” was what I’ve exclaimed, as if congratulating myself for such a job well done, hehe! My biometric timekeeping record exhibited a noticeable improvement, from the usual 8:10 time-in on the previous months to 7:45 (and earlier) on the current month. Beat that? While I used to be the last person to arrive in the IT room, now I’m the earliest so far (I have to ask for the key from the guard ‘coz I always end up getting in with the door locked, hehe!). How nice it is to relish back the good old days, you know, being an early bird and all, and I love it this way! Will I be able to keep this up? I sure will! (Now, that’s the spirit, Vonnex!).

Confined And Discharged

The first time I was ever confined to a hospital was when I was 4 years old, having been treated for german measles which was a very common disease among children. I don’t have that much recollection on how it feels to be confined in a hospital, not until I had myself “confined” in the vicinity of CUMC the entire first week of this month. Well, it wasn’t me who got hospitalized, but my dad who has to undergo a major surgical operation and has to be confined for a week. I considered myself confined too ‘coz I was staying in the hospital the entire week (with my mom and my sis taking turns on taking care of my dad). It was then that I got the most of my “ER life” and I was a bit ill at ease about it at first, knowing that I haven’t had myself confined in a hospital since I was 4, and it was the first time (for over 20 years) that a member of our family has to be confined that long.

It took me about a couple of days before I could finally adjust the way things are in my “temporary” home. My constant going in and out of the hospital premise to do some urgent errands amidst the changing climate (marked by the infuriating heat of the sun from morning 'till noon and the outpour of the rain from late afternoon 'till night) plus the annoying traffic along the highway had caused me terrible headache… and… uh-oh! I was losing some weight… aaarrgggh! I’ve been wanting to gain weight all my life but I’m getting the opposite result, hehe! Well, so much for my not-so-stressful hours the whole week through, I had savored every minute of it all serving my dad during his confinement, and just seeing him recovering fast after his operation made me so much relieved, all those tired feelings I had seemed gone! Add to that our cousins, friends and my dad’s colleagues who graced their presence during visiting hours, CUMC Room 325 seemed like a family rendezvous hehehe! To those who supported us through constant prayers, our heartfelt gratitude for such a thoughtful act. And above all these, I thank the Lord for the bountiful blessings He has bestowed on us and for keeping our family safe from harm. Praise God!