Weighted but found lacking

Mar 28

ErinTop of my head No Comments

Today I almost became a millionaire. I missed the grand lotto prize by one number. I don’t bet often and I usually get only two numbers at the most. Imagine my suprise when the computer generated numbers missed only one!

Pesky SMS ads unsubscription (at least for SMART/TnT)

Mar 04

ErinGarbage, Technology No Comments

I am sick and tired of getting these SMS information pushes about some crap service/downloads that I don’t need. The thing is I can’t remember of actually subscribing to them. What is annoying is that this specific push channel that comes from the 6960 number keeps on sending truncated messages that comes in groups of three and have no unsubscribe information. I am usually in vibra mode and there is nothing more irritating when getting three buzzes for crap information.

When I was assigned in Denmark, I got a “helpful” SMS push about how to unsubscribe by sending SMS messages. Since I was using roaming then, it was not practical to send a couple of messages as each one costs about Php15 a piece. Unfortunately I somehow deleted the messages so I am back in square one.

Today I got some spare time and energy to hunt down how to get off this list. Fortunately the telco website has this FAQ which basically instructs the user to do the following:

  1. Send the word CHECK to the number sending the SMS pushes. You will receive a message about the services your number is subscribed to.
  2. Send SERVICENAME OFF to the number to stop SMS pushes. Or you can send STOP ALL to terminate all services from that channel.

Let’s see if it works…

ciao!

SMART Unsubscribe FAQ for SMS ads

Mar 04

ErinTop of my head No Comments

SMART Unsubscribe FAQ for SMS ads

Stop those pesky SMS ads!

Cya around Joypo

Mar 03

ErinGarbage, Work No Comments

I wasn’t able to say a face-to-face goodbye to my “adopted” protege when she had her last day in the company since my wife and I are leaving for our annual vacation to Bohol and I was working from home the previous day. I never liked good-byes anyway and it isn’t like I will not be communicating with her after her stint with the “COMPANY”. 🙂

I have already experienced leaving a company and, many times over, have experienced being the one left in the company. Each one is hard but this one is special so I decided to write a homage to Joypo. I can’t say I am devastated since I am actually happy for her. I don’t know if its eagles or condors, but some birds teach their young how to fly by dropping them off from the safety of their nest. I won’t grab the whole credit for mentoring this specific hatchling but I think it is my due to say that I have some contribution in kicking her quiet @$$ over the edge. 🙂

For those interested, her name is not really Joypo. I have this habit of encoding the names in my phonebook and that is the name I gave her number. It is actually my wife who coined the codename because when she first talked to Joy she said she is very respectful that she inserts “po” (the Filipino term for respect) multiple times in a sentence that she started referring to her as Joypo. We have a lot of friends named Joy so it gave an easy to recall distinction. 🙂

Enough of the segue. Let me just list down the reasons why this lone wolf has taken an interest in taking this hatchling under my spiny wing:

  • She was my real first subordinate. My supervisor then advised that I need to learn how to manage somebody if I want to better my chances of getting promoted to a lead position. Joypo was my first victim. 😀
  • Since our work as all-around tech support and interim project infrastructure admins were very technical in nature and requires some hefty lifting (computer miniaturization was not that prevalent back then), I was actually expecting to get a male subordinate. Instead I got this wiry lass. But she proved me wrong by being my yardstick of what qualities a “DevArch” apprentice should have.
  • She was my gender equalizer. I still laugh about the amount of flak I received when I actually made her lift and transport whole workstations from one cube to another. I just shrugged my shoulders to my “critics” and said it is part of the initiation for the team. Every devarch should experience lifting and moving workstations. Funny thing is that it became true. 😀
  • I vowed that any devarch apprentice should just have the technical capabilities and I will handle fitting them with horns needed when coordinating with external resources. Joypo, with her uber-religious background, gave me a challenge. I think I was able to grow her some sharp horns. Unfortunately she also uses them on me. /lol
  • I admire her guts. She actually gave me a prayer book. ME! A PRAYER BOOK! I wasn’t an agnostic back then but what the hell? I think I still have that prayer book in my cabinet. No offense Joy, I just have this habit of not being organized when it comes to my possessions. I value the thought more than the actual physical object. 🙂
  • I value her honesty and inputs even if she doesn’t think so. Once I asked her if she thinks I am a good leader. She bluntly replied “Opo, kahit nakakainis na kayo minsan (Yes, even if you are sometimes irritating)”. I couldn’t feel more validated and prouder. 🙂

I think I am obligated to talk her out of leaving but I don’t think that makes sense coming from somebody who has left a previous company for greener pastures. I would only do such thing if I don’t think the person has thought things through but I had no doubt Joypo has already weighed all the possibilities.

So see you around kiddo. This industry is too small and too connected to be a stranger.


Me and Joypo in her farewell libre 🙂

ciao!