My Confession of Devotion

Let’s take a break from The ARCH trivia. It’s my birthday and it’s all about me and B90 for now. I guess it’s time to make a confession and reveal the reason behind my devotion to INCAT Batch 90.

It has been a year since my first work day on my second trip for another project assignment. A year since I experienced a happy birthday that started with despair, having an earth-shaking argument, shouting with egoistic men at the project site; a year since I had my birthday away from my family.

It was heart breaking to leave my children for my project assignment. Considering that I gave up and almost did not complete my first trip. I accepted my assignment almost clueless on what to expect on the project and the people to work with. Lone traveler from my home office and was given only 2 hours overview about my assignment; and to find out that I had the most complicated project. It’s neither because of its size nor requirements but because of dealing with various cultures and people with work attitude issues. I even experienced gender discrimination and generalized impression on Pinays working in clubs. Exerting a lot of inner strengths in dealing with my daily activities at the site office, and by the end of each day, leave the office with tears falling. I lost 15lbs after 2 weeks due to emotional stress at work. I became sexy? Was it an advantage? No, it’s an unhealthy way to trim down.

Good thing there are online messaging systems where I can connect with my family and friends. And we had our newly formed social network account for INCAT Batch 90. I became close friends (yet geographically too far) with Ericson Valencia, he's a co-administrator of B90 social network account who’s equally addicted with the network, facebook. At least I have someone to yell at online, for kept on reminding me how boyish I was and that no boys would have the courage to come close to me during highschool days. Ericson Valencia, my “pre”, who never stopped annoying me like a school bully. Well, he has been so supportive with the B90 objectives, the one who initiated the call-for-pledge system, a good friend that I could tolerate no matter how irritating his antics were. He’s one of the few that I could tell how bad my day was (uuuyyyy, natuwa na naman si pre!).

After my first monthly trip, I came home last Sept 2, 2010 and never wanted to go back. I gave up and nobody could make me change my decision, not even our general manager. I didn’t care if I get fired. I did my usual routine at the office with less worries, spent quality time with kids, regulary visit my facebook account at night and add my highschool batchmates. I wanted a normal less stress life. I got more fascinated with FB and got aquianted again with my batchmates. Some didn’t recognize me because of my name. How did “Bernadette Natividad” become “Budge Aquino”? Oh, that’s a different story. For fewer introductions, I cropped my picture from the yearbook posted by B90 class president, appended my recent picture and, violah!, my transformation 20years after highschool graduation. Some of my B90 friends found it cool and asked me to make the same for them too, and wish granted. First was Razen, transformation form “Totoy to Tatay”; then Edmund Pellogo, from “Tuko to Tao” and few other B90 peeps. Pretty clever, I created one for each alumnus at a time with humorous captions and posted them in the B90 account under the album “Transformers”. That was September 6 of 2011 and the INCAT Batch 90 riot continued. Only few knew that I was behind chaos. I stayed quiet, enjoyed reading their hilarious comments, stories about highschool days, and how the Mirons made fun with the Beautinesses of B90. It was refreshing, good stress therapy that I somehow recovered from my depressing experience.

While I was enjoying my relaxed routine at work, at home and FB, the managers in our office were running out of time looking for someone to replace me in the project assignment that I walked-out with. And when I was totally refreshed, I remembered my pledge of commitment to the company that considers me as a member and not just an employee. So I took the risk and accepted the assignment once again and went back to the dreaded place last September 14, 2010. I reported to the site office the following day, my birthday. It was a day that started like the usual stressful day, but ended up so right. Gratefully, I have kids to lighten up my day and with our nightly conversation that ends with, “I love you, good night; sweet dreams, sleep tight”. And my family and friends who were always in-touched with me online, especially the B90 people with comments that I truly enjoyed reading.

I stayed discrete while I made fun with other B90 peeps by creating their transformer pictures. Until Jen Hoare got annoyed with some Mirons. Thanks God, it didn’t take long before she got truss with them again. But I was the one they blamed for creating the Transformer album. “Ibitin ng patiwarik ang may sala, bugbugin si Budge”. Whoah, whoah, whoah! They sounded like they were looking for war, so wish granted again. And the start of the battle between the mangkukulam (me) and the Mirons with members Jhun (terrorist with eyeliner and pink ribbon), Razen (kaway-reyna beauty queen wanna-be), and Eric (tarsier with pink lipstick). Mico Abad (moging), the best among the mirons never messed up with me, of course he's my bespren.

After a difficult day at work, no stress therapy can replace the sweet voices of my kids and good laughs with my FB family, Batch 90; B90 who gave me things to look forward to after office; B90 who entertained me every night during my 5 monthly trips to the place that I called dungeon. B90 who never knew the story that makes me say “Salamat Batch 90, ang kukulit at ang gugulo nyo!!!”.

The B90 People's Choice Awardee for
Best Trasformation Evah!!!! Vhonggah!

Now you all know the story behind my devotion to B90. Eric, Pre, di na lang ikaw nakakaalam ‘no!

This is just an introduction to more amity stories behind The ARCH.


More B90 Transformer pictures to enjoy:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.116063028449651.31065.100001378638166&type=1
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.163935226995764.48824.100001378638166&type=1