Growing Older and Techier

Over breakfast, my mother asked me to create for her a Facebook account. Then, she suggested that I get my father on Twitter, to which he replied that he would much rather setup a blog.

I drank my fresh hazelnut-flavored coffee from Baguio and when the caffeein kicked in, I got to work on their requests. Although they are already senior citizens, my parents have been able to use AIM, Yahoo, Skype, Magic Jack, and Google gradually over the years, to keep in touch with my siblings who are scattered all over the globe. My mom can access her bank accounts online, Papa reads his newspapers from the computer, buying only the Sunday issues, and together they watch their grandchildren on YouTube .

Before we got to the new account creations however, they asked me to give them a more detailed tutorial on how to maximize their Presario. I taught them about browsers, URLs, search engines, and websites. They actually had a lot of questions and it was fun. I had more tech-savvy siblings but I was the one they lived with so they didn't know what they were missing.

I showed them, like I did my legal research students, how to use keywords for more accurate results. My father's name is unique so we found only one website on Yahoo that had his full name - and it led to the Acknowledgment page of my brother's dissertation from NCSU. My parents were so delighted.

We were in the middle of reading my LinkedIn profile, which was the first search result when we typed in my name, when said brother suddenly invited us to a Voice Call through Skype. The tutorial was put on hold. My parents said we'll continue next week.

They leave next month for an extended trip to Sydney, to take care of my niece once my sister goes back to work. They want to watch TFC online and get in touch with their classmates, relatives, and friends via email and Facebook. I know of parents teaching their kids how to use the Internet responsibly. I am happy and proud to be a daughter teaching her parents how to leave their comfort zone and befriend their new laptop.

Self-Diagnosis: An Exercise in Futility

Last week, I took an online test to determine if I had autism. I really did. I learned from someone with Asperger's Syndrome that such a test was available online, and had always wondered if I had A.S. or something similar. As if it would explain everything that was wrong with me.

My friends in the know would probably laugh this off as another one of my silly ideas. But hey, last Thursday, I had reason to believe that I might be autistic.

Case in point. I helped prepare PowerPoint slides for our scripture study in the parish. Two weeks ago, I was able to set up the LCD projector, although I did not have much time to do it, so the screen was cut off at the bottom. The text was readable and comprehensible enough, so I let it go. I was happy to listen to the lessons in Greek and Paul's Letter to the Galatians.

Last Thursday, however, I got stuck in traffic (story of my life last week) and arrived late. I had mere seconds to set up the presentation. I was confronted with the following problems: the screen was placed at an angle that required the projector to be placed similarly from a particular angle, which it was not. Now, I count visual art, geometry and physics as some of my weaknesses, and no way in the world could I make the projector work properly given that angle and the milliseconds to go before bible class had to start.

Next, the Sanyo projector actually had a loose cable that unplugged it at the slightest movement. Did I mention that I had to find the right angle for the whole picture to appear on screen? Every time it got unplugged, therefore, it decided that it had to cool down for a few minutes, and then restart. Every single time. And it happened almost five times, to my growing dismay, irritation, and frustration.

When the thing finally worked, the screen was cut in half. I could only read "atians" instead of "Galatians" from the title. I had a stiff neck because the screen image was tilted. And I was operating the clicker as Fr. Steve went on to start without the LCD. Nobody could appreciate the text on screen anymore. Fr. Steve was right; we had handouts and we didn't need the LCD. Technology only slowed us down and made life more complicated.

What made it even worse was that the lesson about faith and salvation was so difficult for me to grasp, and I could not follow it. I had a frown for an hour, which caused me a headache. I lacked sleep, I had a long day at work, and I traveled for two hours to get home, so all these things affected my mood.

I was not happy. I kept thinking, Oh no, all the nuns and my Bible Study classmates must think I'm a moron for not being able to make this work. One nun, God bless her, approached me afterwards and said she understood my difficulty, and it was not my fault. The projector had to be set up permanently. The table we were using was not suited for the purpose. She was right; for it could not even fit both the MacBook and the projector. She offered to help. I wanted to hug her.

So I thought I was not normal for insisting that we still use the projector; and I was not normal for being distracted and irritated that the screen was partially hidden from view; and I was not normal for being so worried about what my classmates thought instead of listening to the theological points raised at class.

But then I flunked the test. Miserably. I did not have A.S., according to my computer screen. Well, that figures. A person with A.S., usually possessing superior or even better I.Q., could make something as simple as a PowerPoint presentation work properly. And I with my normal IQ, low AQ and EQ, just had to deal with life with more patience and perseverance.

My office mate suggested taking an online test for OCD (Gee, thanks Twix!). I found out that OCD and OCPD were two separate things. I didn't seem to fit any category. But what do I know? Maybe what I need, really, is professional help (Tina, you can say I told you so). Someone who can tell me what's wrong with me, and help make it right.

In the meantime, I vowed to go to class extra early next week, and employ other people to set up the projector. Yes, I have not let that frustration go yet. (Perfectionism: there it is. The answer to the question.)

It's All Geek to Me

I am a geek. There, I've said it.

For the past two weeks I have been helping a couple of friends get used to their MacBooks. I installed MS Office and iWork '09, downloaded updates, introduced them to Skype and Gmail, added bookmarks, customized settings, among others. I spent hours doing this and I could have spent more hours if I did not have other things to do, like, for example, work, and teach.

One of those friends has had his Mac for almost four years now, but was not able to maximize it. Another friend just bought a brand new MacBook. I happily removed it from its box and smelled all the newness inside. Then I gladly introduced her to her new toy slash best friend. She was surprised at this side of me she had not seen in action - my geeky side.

Of late, grade school classmates have been posting our class pictures on Facebook. Ugh. I want to untag myself. Who wants to look at those pics? Those were my geekiest days, when the library was my hangout, books were my best friends, and classmates just existed to tease me no end. Okay, I still have a few friends left from grade school, but still, those were not exactly my happiest days. But they probably shaped me to become who I am now. And who I am for about two weeks now is a geek.

Teach in Order to Learn

I am expanding my teaching and training skills bit by bit and have become increasingly convinced that nothing challenges me to learn more than teaching.

I learned the way of life of Lingkod, the movement for single professional Catholics I belonged to, by giving the talks repeatedly for several years.

I learned the ins and out of Lex Libris and other CD Asia products by being tapped to train lawyers and legal researchers to use them.

I learned the basics of piano playing by heart when I subbed for my mother as piano teacher one summer a long time ago.

I learned "Legal Grammar" or English for lawyers when I gave one module on the subject.

The list goes on. I have become passionate for different causes and am able to share them to different groups because I am open to studying new ideas and acquiring new skills.

Today, I learned how to maximize my MacBook to teach music through GarageBand, Pages, and Keynote. I went home eager to practice the piano and listen to classical music. I shared a day with music teachers and it was an amazing exchange of knowledge, skills, and ideas. I was able to tap the creative side of my brain, which usually has to lie low when I'm doing my job as a lawyer and a professor.

I no longer need to read manuals from cover to cover before teaching a new course, according to my friend who facilitated the training earlier today. I need to keep pace with today's learners - my students - by learning and adapting in a much quicker pace than my teachers in their time were required to do.

This new year has opened even more new doors of possibilities and opportunities. I am grateful for the chance to learn and impart, to think and perform, to grow and improve.

This tells me that I have moved on from the things of the past. I have learned from them, too.

For All the Lives You Lead

An advertisement for a cellular phone struck me when I saw it because of its claims of superior multitasking capabilities. As an eternally restless kid, I thrive on carrying multiple roles that require results in rapid succession.

One time, I was eerily reminded of the ad. It happened on a Saturday morning, which was not my sharpest time of the day and of the week. I had to attend a seminar at the law school, and I was specifically told to wear business attire as my picture will be taken for the Faculty ID card. So I took out my favorite power suit, blow-dried my hair, and carefully applied makeup.

I always store workout clothes in the car just in case Nike the goddess of fitness decides to descend upon me and motivate me to do some rounds in UP campus. Workout clothes, Skechers walking shoes, check. Check.

I was going to meet my friends at Mr. Jones after the seminar so I packed casual weekend clothes as well. I was going on my first round of Christmas bazaars so I packed my updated 2009 Gift List too.

I also keep a spare pair of flip-flops in the car for floods, pedicures, and other eventualities.

I zoomed from Quezon City to Makati and miraculously made it on time. When I got to the Lyceum parking area, I stopped the car, and as had been my practice since ruining two perfect leather shoes early this year due to driving, reached for my black pumps to replace my Crocs. To my shock, my shoe bag was not where it was supposed to be. It was inside the bag containing my Saturday shopping clothes. Both bags were, unbelievably left in my bedroom.

In my haste and confusion, I arrived in business attire from head to… above the foot. I pictured myself entering the august halls of the LPU library, with my colleagues admiring my corporate appropriateness, eyeing me from head to… Crocs! I panicked. I contacted all my friends in the general Makati area, and at 8 a.m. on a Saturday, I knew I must have deprived some of their beauty sleep. I needed office shoes that would fit my feet and my outfit, and I repeatedly banged my head (lightly) on the car window for my stupidity. All the Crocs, Skechers, and Havaianas in the world could not fill my need at the moment.

Finally one of my BFFs woke up and generously offered to lend me a shirt (for later) and the requisite shoes. Thank God she’s almost my size. I would have worn a size 7.0 if that was the only pair available. I had to drive to Taguig to fetch the loaned goods, however, and thus missed the first part of the seminar. My priorities showed, but shoes complete the outfit!

Later, I credited this confusion to my desire to lead many lives. I had two jobs and three phones, two home computers and an office computer, multiple email addresses and blogs, a virtual life and a real life. I realized that I had to pull myself together and be consistent, since perfection was obviously unattainable.

A high – profile lawyer told me a couple of days later that she left her heels at home and was grateful she had left her weekend shopping shoes in the car, and that they happened to be black. The shoes went well with her suit and I complimented her for it. I did not tell her of my similar, in fact worse, experience. But I had to smile that I was not alone in making that mistake. The only problem is: she’s about thirty (30) years older than me.

I therefore conclude that this multitasking thing is speeding up my aging process. I had better get grounded and organized. Soon.

Sheer Lack of Professional Care

My two-year old Nokia E65 began showing signs of old age, so I decided to take it to the Nokia Professional Care Center in Tomas Morato, QC, for some much-needed Phone TLC.

Over the years, my family and I have partonized this Care Center as it was nearest to our place and was definitely away from the madding mall crowd.

I went on a weekday, after work. There were about five people ahead of me. I was given a number and asked to register my contact information and specific phone concerns to a computer. "Wow, high-tech," I thought.

When my number was called, I went to one of the booths to talk to a customer service person. I assumed that she had all my phone complaints down pat, after all, I typed them all down and the computer screen was right in front of her. She asked me what I needed, and I assumed this was just SOP.

I told her that I needed to change my cellphone's cover. She inspected the phone and told me that it also had a "rough slide". She was not smiling, and I could sense that she wanted to get the session over and done with so she could proceed to the next customer. I had other questions about my office-issued Nokia phone. She abruptly said, "That part is out of stock, ma'am." I asked when it would be available. She shrugged and gave me a look that to me meant, "I don't know and I don't care." I told myself it was almost time for the shop to close and she was probably tired.

She made bullet-point notes on my Job Order form based on our conversation. I asked her to call me first to give me the quotation for any repairs needed. I also asked when my phone would be ready. She said to ask for the status the next day. I inquired if they had a service phone and she again stared at me as if I asked something out of the ordinary. She said the repair could take weeks. And again, the look that told me, "Live with it."

I tried calling the next day but both lines were busy. And the next. And the next. I waited for any message from them, but nothing came. Finally, after four days, I was able to get through. I gave the one who answered the phone my Job Order No., thinking that she would be able to answer my inquiries based on their high-tech computerized system.

I was made to wait for two, maybe three minutes, and I was tempted to put down the phone and get back to work. The girl finally returned to the line and informed me about the price quotation. I asked her if that covered the part I wanted replaced only, or if it included the repair for the "rough slide".

"Wait lang po, Ma'am, I will ask." More minutes passed. Upon her return, she said the price quoted covered everything, BUT she had to inform me that the parts they needed for the "rough slide" were not available. I asked when they would be available. I was already irritated. She was not sure how to respond and had to ask someone else for every question I had. What was the purpose of the computerized client registration and Job Order system again? I asked her to place the order for the parts immediately. I doubt now if she did.

I also specifically asked if I could have the phone back the next day, as it had my complete phonebook, and if they could just replace the function keys, which was the subject of my original complaint. I was not complaining about the "rough slide", really. She said I could pull out the phone and I could try calling other branches if they had the parts I needed.

When I got there to retrieve my phone a week later, as the shop was really out of the way, I was given a number and asked to register. I said, "I've already registered. Can't you just pull out my file?"

I asked that because in our office, we refrain from asking clients questions repeatedly, as all their information was already in our Client File, viewable by a few clicks of our computer mouse. This avoids wasting our clients' precious time.

I mean, come on, Nokia, people pay thousands of pesos for your phones. The least you could provide us is TRUE PROFESSIONAL CARE. Tell me what's so professional about this. Read below what else went on. I know I have friends in Nokia. Maybe the fault lies in this particular Care Center. But right now, where I am, it reflects on the brand.

I reluctantly re-registered on their (now low-tech) computer and handed my job Order to the guy who went inside, presumably to locate my phone. A customer service rep saw me lingering and asked what I needed. I said a guy already took my form and I was claiming my phone.

Without asking for my name, customer number, or Job order no., this girl (the one I spoke with last time, just my luck), asked me to sit down. She went inside for about five minutes, and returned with a phone and some forms. She was typing away when I noticed that the phone she had in her hand was NOT my phone. I told her so.

She asked, as if this happened all the time, "Ma'am, what is your name?" I tried to control my voice, as I felt my blood rising upon hearing this. I gave my name and asked her to get my phone.

She returned with the phone, which was in the same state as when I had left it two weeks ago. I asked her why they had not replaced the function keys. She gave me a bewildered look. I said, "I phoned and the girl who answered told me that you could replace it." It turned out, after verifying with her colleagues, that the girl who answered the phone did not bother to check that the only spare part available was already assigned to another customer.

The girl on the customer service desk returned, without smiling, without apologies, and informed me that I had to wait for the replacement part to be ordered. I wanted to ask, "From where? Finland?" but stopped myself. I bet they did not know when the part would be available either.

Instead I asked to have my phone back, told her that I was extremely dissatisfied with their service, that they had to get their act together, that they wasted my time, and that I was NEVER coming back to their service center.

As I was seething during the drive home, I wondered if they deliberately made cellphone repair inconvenient to force clients to buy a new phone. Well in my case they only succeeded in making me lose interest in their products. I was in the business of customer service for the past two years, and with the way the staff of Nokia Professional Care Center handled themselves during my past two visits, I doubted if they were professional, or if they even cared.

After this experience, it just became clearer: that after using that brand for more than a decade, I have had enough. My next phone will no longer be a Nokia.

Mac and Lex

Meet Mac and Lex.  I spend time with them the most these days.  They're with me everyday, and I even dream about them.  As the Clear commercial goes, I tend to be a two-timer.  It's so hard to stick to one love!

Mac is my Macbook White, who is with me when I wake up in the morning.  It houses all my videos, songs, photos, documents, spreadsheets, presentations, emails, contacts, and more.  I can't live without it as it has made my life so compact, organized, and it's cute, too.  Heads turn during the few times that I bring it out in public.  I tend to keep it at home because it's so hard to maintain its whiteness.  I Heart Mac!  I have hugged it a lot because of the many memories associated with it.

I also have Lex in my life.  Lex is the nick of my product, "Lex Libris".  It is a research tool for lawyers, law students, law firms, librarians, legal departments, tax practitioners, accountants, HR managers, and businessmen.  Even as a law student and then as a young lawyer, I could not do legal research without Lex.  Now, I have the opportunity to watch Lex grow, and to share its brilliance and versatility to an ever increasing market.  I am responsible for marketing Lex and I have grown to love it.

I am crossing my fingers for a collaboration between the two.  Mac and Lex.  Lex and Mac.  An idea whose time has come.  Now I don't have to be with one and neglect the other, hehe.

I know what you're thinking.  I need to get a real life.  So sue me.  Some people like pets.  I like gadgets.  (I AM Gadget Girl, after all.)

Much as I love Mac, whenever my nephews want to borrow it, I cannot say no.  So yesterday, while I was doing my chores, I let Miko play with it.  He also downed a tub of Cadbury's Fruit and Nut pieces while watching YouTube videos of his fellow Speed Stacking champions.  (Sorry Ate, he also wanted to get his hands on the Tim Tam but I said it was too hard to reach the bottom of the box.  He'll wait for your arrival.)

Tonight, after I got home from work, I excitedly took Mac and placed it on my lap.  Then something bit me.  To my horror, I saw ants crawling all over Mac's immaculate whiteness.  Some ants were on my bed too, where Mac had been sleeping all day while I was with Lex.

Ant attack!  I panicked.  I have read some stories about modems, laptops, and other electronics destroyed by ants.  I took out my trusty Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and proceeded to wipe Mac clean of any chocolate residue and rid it of its temporary inhabitants.  I fervently hoped they did not reach inside Mac.  Oh please, no.  I tried shaking Mac upside down so that any trespassing ants would fall.  I could only hope that I succeeded.  

Mac has to be fit and ready for a new toy I will have this weekend, the iWork '09.  :)  Oh, and an iPod upgrade.  Gadget Girl is beside herself with joy.  

I will try not to be distracted when I work with Lex tomorrow.  After all, the law is a jealous lover.

Come to think of it, if this is what not having a life means, then I'm having an amazing time at it!