My Unofficial Resume

2008 has been a challenging year for me. Undoubtedly.

Being someone who likes to associate official job titles and level of income with the level of self-worth, I value myself at zero for being a bum between Feb. 6 to Oct. 5, 2008.

I have gone through 8 months of soul-searching, career exploration, and self-discovery. Despite having no official job title and no steady stream of income, I will try to log my accomplishments for those months even if it will never be part of my official job resume.

They say that "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger". Someday I shall look back and find this post amusing. But for now, allow me to use this blog posting as a venue to dump my sorry emotions.

Feb. 19 - May 25 - Became a player for a life coaching program. I was surrounded by successful people except myself.

May - July - Attended 7 consecutive Wednesdays of team & values formation workshop sponsored by an entrepreneurship organization. Got inducted as a member but no longer showed up for the planning sessions and activities. I figured I wasn't ready to be an entrepreneur even if I had dreamt of becoming freelance.

Aug. 13 - Nov. 9 - Became a coach for a life coaching program. I was surrounded by achiever players.

Sept. 20 - Missed my former colleague's out-of-town wedding. She was dear to me because she was my sole confidante at my former job. I have saved her wedding date in my cellphone calendar since the start of the year to remind myself that I will attend her wedding no matter what. I did an RSVP but didn't show up because I didn't have a ride. I allowed my financial limitation to become an obstacle. Now she's probably in London with her hubby for good. And although I texted her to ask to meet up, I didn't really go all the way to make sure that we see each other before she leaves her home country for good.

Oct. 1 - My mom's birthday. I didn't buy her a gift because I was feeling scarce since I had no income. I didn't feel like spending a fortune using my emergency savings. I ended up contributing 200 bucks only to my younger sis for my share of a plain Red Ribbon Sansrival cake that didn't impress the rest of the members of our family and bro-in-law's come cake-blowing time after enjoying an abundant lunch meal of seafood lauriat dishes. Can't blame them. I felt bad myself. Even the candles representing 6 decades of her birth were grocery-quality candlesticks from my sis. I could have insisted on buying "6" and "0" number candles but I didn't feel like spending extra.

- to be continued -