The Summer Experience 3: Prepping for Harvest

Summer is finally here and it's that time of the year to start my yearly blog series chronicling whatever seems to be off interested this hot-na-hot season.

As far as getting something to do, I thought of hitting it up a notch. Deciding to build up my resume, I joined The Farm, a training program from 99.5RT that aims to train young minds with the know's and the how's when it comes to radio.

In the past radio-related entries I've made for the past years, there's nothing as quite as unique with my relationship with RT, having known the station just enough for me to developed an emotional attachment to it (and this in a way traces back to its Campus 99.5 days).

Prior to joining The Farm, I was already working as an intern for one of the shows in the station, the RT30, for at least two months before I was dismissed due to conflicts with my academics. Having been exposed with the way radio works via the show, having been involved with research, scriptwriting, among other things.

I was relieved that being dismissed from my first OJT-venture did not affect with me being part of The Farm as I was assured of my place there as well as continuing my internship instead.

So far so good, the past two seminars have been enlightening but it would have been nice if I get to actually attend all the meetings if only the school year in CSB was already done and over with. Fortunately, it won't be much of a case in a matter of a few more days from now.

Koji Moralez, or what I grew up knowing him as Joe Spinner, is one of the driving forces of the program along with several jocks form the RT crew: Winner, Slyde, Ron, Inka and THE Jeremiah Junior/Sir Gerry Magnaye. I've heard a lot of good things about him, especially from the mouth of one of RT's top former honcho Mr. Mike Pedero. He had shared a lot of stories about Sir Gerry, and I actually had to witness it myself when, lo and behold, his presence feels greater that even my knees is feeling numb because of his awesomeness.

Lucky is me when I found out that I'll be placed under Sir Gerry's wing for The Farm's production module. Hardcore is what I'm expecting but for sure, it is worth it.

But what's important is that all of us get to have a good time: meeting new people, establishing friendships, re-establishing old ones, and forging a bond that we hope could last a lifetime.

Who would ever thought that from the moment I first sat foot on the RT Booth last September 1, 2008 (a day after my 18th birthday) that  I'll end up coming back to it for the next three years.

It really makes me feel alright,,,,

The CSB Experience 3: Off-Rhythm

"Got relieved from my job...I'll make kuwento later"-James
"Shucks. Bad?"-Mommy
"I don't know. Di pa nagsisink-in sa'kin eh."-James
"Okay"-Mommy

Ooh, this is quite ironic. Just the other day I was talking to Ian how I got my internship for a radio program and the next day, I told him I got laid off. Just only now am I starting to have that sinking feeling of failure and disappointment. It just gets to me with brute force and now I'm taking all my disappointment out of this entry in order for to  get some heat off from my system.

I never seen this coming although there were signs right under my nose but I never expected the outcome of me getting "relieved from [my] duties". It was all sudden, and I don't know how I would react to such news. It was indeed a tragic and grim ending for an otherwise productive and supposedly-fulfilled Thursday the 22nd.

I started working as part of the production team of 99.5 RT's RT30 Countdown last February were originally I signed up on writing scripts for the weekly Friday show. Eventually my qualifications as a design student landed me with the task of producing a logo that will identify the show and eventually expand to designing its website among other things. This was a significant factor that led to what became of my tenure in that station.

First and foremost, I decided to pursue my internship in advanced in the hopes of starting off early before taking my formal OJT class this May (brought by circumstances beyodn the school's control). It was quite the coincidence that the RT30 team are looking for interns so I tooked the opportunity to inquire and eventually apply for the job.

Even if it's not a paying job, the experience of working for radio further widened my horizons and made me appreciate the medium even more. As a listener since the station's "re-inception" back in September 2008, it was really a big honor for me to work for a legendary entity that has been around for the past 3 decades.

One of the jocks who used to work for RT was my professor last year and he was the one who suggested that I could apply in the station as an intern. And even before, I was able to learn more about RT's history thanks in part of several former and current RT personalities who always keep in touch at the RT thread in Pinoy Exchange. It made me even more determined of finding a way to land myself a job there.

It finally came into fruition a year later when I booked one at the station. I enjoyed the rollercoaster ride, having met such a wonderful set of people in the team: Jose, Inka, Carla, Clarisa, Alven, Claude, Jessica and the rest of the RT crew. Despite the difficulty of the work given, I always try to put on a smile and at least have fun working. It makes the job a lot lighter to carry.

So when I got the news that I'm not going to be a part of RT30 anymore rendered my speechless, as in REALLY speechless. My mouth was like spitting out a thought bubble that looks like this: "...". My mind was finding it difficult to process every single word into my brain. My ears were turning read and my eyes widened in total disbelief.

It pains me that my efforts did not reap results that the team wanted to see. On the one-hand, how will all of these factor for my OJT? Assuming that the works I produced under RT30 are considered properties of the show, how will I get compensated in a way that they will honor my contributions as a member of the team? How likely will they use my designs as a basis for future revisions if the task is given to my replacement? Not much explanation was given as far as my on-the-job training is concerned and I'm still waiting for them to reply about my queries. My parents even suggested that I should do my internship at the Philippine Information Agency but I have other things in mind.

 As I've mentioned back then, my top goal is to finish school no matter what. I know there are bigger and better things ahead, and my firing will not be a hindrance but will serve as a motivation for me to continue dreaming big.

In addition, my relationship with RT may not stop there, as it turns out. I'm still officially a part of the station's training program, The Farm and I'll be training under its Production module. Although the program's first few weeks might conflict with my academics, I'm happy to say that the school year will officially end in 9 working days.

As unfortunate as how sudden my run was cut short, I know that there's always be a light coming at the end of the dark tunnel.

The CSB Experience 3: Almost There...

I know it's been a while and I felt like it has been ages since I last wrote my last entry under TCSBE3. As with a lot of people at this stage in their college years: it's been tight, it's been  hectic, we are all busy, and when we mean "busy", we mean it!

A defense for a thesis proposal, an interactive game CD, a 30-second 3d demo reel, a fully animated Flash cartoon, a website, among others. That's how busy a lot of us have been in this past quarter of the year.  What's worse, we won't be getting the long summer break we all deserve to have as the school screwed us with a suspension announced too late and the rest of us who were doing fine then now had to wait a trimester longer before we ultimately face the harsh realities of life.

Screw the system, screw all of you...

Nah, kidding...hehehehe.

But still, despite the stress and sleepless nights we had to endure, I'm very optimistic with what is to come for the coming school year a several weeks away from now. Just a few moments to go before the last drop of sand falls down in the hourglass to finally get this heck of a junior year a proper and much-awaited close.