On Pay-Cuts and Rain Dancing...

The Problem:

On the 22nd of August, 2008, my bosses (I call them 'the direks') announced a 50% salary reduction for the company's regular employees. Okay, to begin with, my salary was 25% lower than my salary at my previous job. Now, it's being reduced even lower. Fine, I understand about the economic crisis. Both my parents are into business. My lifestyle is basically dictated by economic trends. I know when belts have to be tightened. But what happened here was totally wrong. The direks were practically boasting that they had little or no monetary investments in the company. But there were investments involved... ours! Because the direks refused to shell out money, we had to suffer for it. Any business needs a capital! Argh!!! I'm so upset! Now, I have to do extra work just to make a little bit more. I have to work long hours (including weekends) just to get a little bit of extra. Not fair!

So, why am I still here? I'll see how it goes for a couple of months. I'm doing Production Assistant work for a bit of extra cash (which I'll probably get in three months time at least). I'll learn as much as I can and get as much experience as possible. Then, I'll think things through again. Thing is, the production industry is a pretty hard industry to penetrate. It requires contacts to get into (which I don't have). I'm already here, I'm reluctant to give it up easily.

But now I'm thinking: do I really want this job? or am I just keeping it because it's hard to get? I've seen what the industry is like. Do I really want to be a part of it? Or am I really just afraid my Mass Comm education will be wasted in a job that doesn't require the skills I gained in college? I certainly don't want to be a Production Assistant for a long time. But if I've proven myself worthy of ascending the ranks, what then? Do I still want what's next?

I don't know. I have a lot of thinking to do!!!!


Better News:

Today is a Sunday, a day of family and rest. Where was I? I was in Antipolo, location-hunting for an upcoming AVP shoot. Working... on a Sunday! I basically spent the day under the heat of the sun, taking (sometimes stealing) shots of houses and buildings. I'm not a very sunny person and I hate the heat! So, I did not have a good day. I was so tired that I told myself I would fall sleep as soon as I get home. When the location hunt was over, the service dropped me off at a convenient place near the gate to my subdivision. It was starting to rain lightly. Being tight on money, I decided not to take a tricycle to my house. I decided to walk under the drizzle. I love feeling the rain on my skin! Rain energizes me (provided it doesn't flood since my room is the first place that gets flooded). By the time I got home, I was feeling much better. Later, the rain fell harder. My mom told us how she used to run in the rain when she was much younger. I remembered a time when I did that, too. And so, my sister Jade and I went out in the pouring rain and had a bit of fun. My mom went too but she found it too cold and went back in abruptly.

Jade and I played in the rain, dancing our own version of a rain dance, laid down on the sidewalk, pretended we were Gene Kelly, and sang in the rain. It was bliss! The most realxed I felt since that unfortunate announcement I mentioned.

I'm hoping to start writing again. I miss writing fiction. Need a story! More thinking!!! This is the type of thinking I like, though! I'm hoping the rain-dance helps.

I hope for better opportunities! For now, I'll take this one day at a time. If things become unbearable, I'll just dance in the rain. Lots of thinking to do. I pray for the best!