Ive been an avid fan of grisham since the first time i read his book - the client, and a couple of other books like the pelican brief and the testament. The latest i read is the book entitled the Partner, which i bought from National bookstore.

The Story
As usual grisham dealt with the judicial system where his main character is a lawyer who embezzled money in the sum of $90,000,000. Patrick S. Lanigan is his name, who faked his death. Nobody hinted that it was a fake death not until they found out that along with his death was the money gone to nowhere. Four years of search with three interested party is after of Patrick who now resides in a small town in Brazil under a new name Danilo Silva, a totally different man from Patrick. Danilo entrusted the money to a Eva Miranda also known as Leah Pires.

A dead man cant run forever,as the book catch phrase says. True enough, after being able to run away from his past for four years, Danilo was caught and was tortured and was in the center of the greatest trial that is about to take place. Danilo's lawyer is preparing for his defense, his loved one's are praying for him and his ex partner waiting to give out their revenge, but only Patrick knew he will win the battle, because nobody in the world knows what he knows...the truth...

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The book is another masterpiece by grisham. Although he somewhat diverted from the usual handsome and hungry young lawyer in American judicial system, still the author gives you a breathtaking narrative into the adventure of Patrick/Danilo into maneuvering the legal system of America after carefully planning it for four years of running.

A must read for any bookworm out there and you might passed your sleeping hour just to finish reading the book till the end. Its plot, sub plots, twists and turns would take you off your seat as you continue to follow the travails of greatest white collared criminal of his time.

Read the book and be enthralled... Relax and enjoy.

Life at Call Center


I just recently signed my 4th month assesment for my performance at the call center where i am currently employed. So far so good. Been performing better compared to the heyday of my career as an agent. I managed to hit all my metrics and thankfully I am endorsed for regularization. Just an FYI, the 4th month assessment is one of the basis for our regularization, although there are still two months more for probation, i can now breath a few sigh of relief as I managed to perform and improved my craft each day. My team lead is now seriously pursuing to have a promotion for me, so he is pressuring me to do better, performed better and act in accordance to the code of conduct to make sure i am eligible for promotion, but the metrics this time around is higher and i am pressured to work harder too..HUH... but before going to the promotion thing., lemme share to you my observations and/or realization on the night mortals and the nocturnal world of call center.

first lets have some fun facts:

> call center agents are disoriented: it could be because we tend to incorporate the philippine time and US time...hmmm

> agent seem to have some hearing problem: hahah because agents usually are exposed to irate customer so we managed to become an expert to put their ventings into a deaf ear

> agents are on EOP (english only policy) even if talking to a "konduktor sa bus": hahaha well sometimes we tend to forget we are now beyond the 4 walls of the production floor, and still thinkin' that everyone we are talking to are americans.

> agents would call their midnight meal a lunch: well what else shall we call it than a lunch for our night are considered daytime.

> agent would still say goodnight when going to sleep even if its already morning: see above comment.

now lets take a look to some other observation in the call center world

< call center is now a new haven of gay religion: wherever you look at it, left to right you could see at least one gay agent. These mortals ranges from different categories. Those who are gays in the truest sense of the word: crossdressers, wearing make up, who acts and feel like they are women trapped in a man's body.; there are those who are proud of their sexuality but are decent enough to wear what is due to wear for their gender; there are also those who tried to cover up their true colors but their vanity and choice of words can lead up to conclusion that they belong to the third sex; still there are those whom you cant see any trace of being gay but you will soon found out somewhere outside the workplace holding hands with the same sex; and most of all there are those men who are men by heart but are weak enough to give in to the request of the third sex to get laid.

< the call center world is a domain of people with super "tupperware" attitude, in short, plastic. Well i admit we need to be perky and some kind of cheesy with lots of sweet toppings to our customer to be able to build rapport and have the customer feel satisfied with the service we gave, but agents usually failed to depart personal lives from the conversations we had with our customers. An attitude that is kept hidden in the name of the word professionalism, but then again, i cant help but noticed it.. INasmuch as I want to believe that in the company i am employed at, there is no politics, but i could sense something else.. huh

< contrary to everyone's thinking about call center, big bucks is not as easy as it seems to be. Yes, we are compensated higher and better than the other industries around, but our work being on a graveyard shift is not that easy. sigh.

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Well i dont see myself getting old with this industry. but hopefully i could spend more years here before i could settle down and comfortably sitting on a couch and enjoyed the fruits of my labor. God bless all the call center agents around. You all deserved an applause.

WHEN

Nobody can ever promise you that they will never hurt you., because at one point in time, it will happen... its just a matter of ....WHEN.*********

Friendship gone sour you may call it but literally with its goodbye there lies reasons. Theres an end in everything, you dont know WHEN. Just be ready to accept the fact that the only thing permanent in this world is change.

At first i thought my friendship with borj will be forever, but then we had gone into a crossroad where he had to prioritize someone in his life, well it doesnt mean i guess that i aint important nor special, its just that he really needs to choose over love and friendship., naturally the former has the advantage. And there ends the beautiful music we had. call it priority.

Then my friendship with jelson next. Hmmm . I may not consider it the best of friendship that i had, but then i had a high respect on him before everything was unravelled into the real world. Friendship mixed with jealousy and pride has nowhere to go but to the garbage bin. call it INSECURITY.

Now here comes another friendship in about to go into oblivion. Just a quick recap, this friendship has gone into a roller coaster ride with times. There was a time when we lost contact only met again in the clan we used to be part of. Then back to out of the world contact until i found myself here in cebu and brought up the idea of him coming over. And the rest as they say is history....

Now barely less than 3 mos., were now closing our chapter together. Moving apart into a separate direction to move into ones vision, guided by principle and desire to achieve one's goal. We may not be on the same page now, i have come to realize that its indeed a great way for me to avoid completely hating the person that he now become. Afterall, i still wanted to cherish the good old days we have... now what do you call it... its for you to give a word...Freedom from bondage...

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Freedom is something everyone wants to have at some point in time, but then, we cant remain free anyway... because one day we'll realize that to be with someone is much better than freedom itself.