Back in Atlanta with Stephen

My son and I have been back in Georgia for more than a week now. The trip with my 17 month old went easier than I expected. Everyone’s generally nice, understanding, and sypathetic when you’re traveling with a kid. Northwest Airlines flight attendants can always be counted on too.

What was hard though, was his jetlag when we arrived which is understandable since there’s a 12 hour difference in time between Manila and Atlanta. So yeah, I didn’t get much sleep at all for the first couple of days. He would sleep in the middle of the day which I didn’t mind at first since I was able to get things done but then realized his sleeping in the day meant he would be wide awake in the middle of the night! Yep, I still have the dark circles under my eyes to document those first couple of nights. His schedule has been much more forgiving now though. He actually slept around 9 last night (yay!)

It’s hard being apart from Ivan. I feel like I’m a single mom even when I’m not. I kinda feel the same way I did when he was a newborn. My mom and siblings would help me but usually just to watch him while I take a quick nap or clean his bottles. Ultimately, I’m his sole caretaker. Okay, I probably should stop my whining now since I’m well aware that there are moms out there that have a much harder time than I do and probably don’t receive any help AT ALL. My heart goes out to them.

Stephen, who used to always prefer his dad and “yaya” (nanny) over me now prefers me to anybody else here. I know it’s because I’m the only one he knows here but I still feel good about it. He actually calls me “mama” now! He called Ivan “dada” all the time but he just started calling me “mama” a day before we left the Philippines. It was the perfect timing. It’s almost as if I can tolerate all his tantrums and whining as long as I hear “mama” at the end.

Now that his sleep pattern is back to normal, I’d really like his appetite to be the way it was when we were still in the Philippines. He hasn’t been eating since we got here and it’s got me worried.  We ran out of his milk-based formula a couple of days ago and he refuses to drink whole milk. He’d sip a little bit and then throw his bottle back at me. It’s a good thing I was able to find an unopened unexpired can of his soy-based formula. He drinks it but we’re gonna run out of that soon too. Then when it comes to solid food, it’s not any better. He only likes eating crackers and cookies. Anything else, he’d let me spoon it into his mouth but then he’ll spit it right out. My family has been telling me not to worry so much.. that he’ll eat when he’s hungry. I hope this is all just temporary.

We’re going to the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) today to re-apply for his medicaid. I called them yesterday and was told that his case had been closed. We’re gonna go there today to see what I need to do to get it for him again. Then if we have time, we’re gonna go to the Acworth Health Clinic to see if I could get WIC again. I hate having to do all this. If it was just for me, I wouldn’t bother but I have Stephen to think about and until I get a job that offers insurance or a job that will let me afford to pay for insurance, this will have to do. Wish me luck!

Okay, I guess that’s it for now. I meant this post to be about all my experiences so far while back in Georgia but it came out to be all about Stephen. I’ll just post about the other things later.

Digital Media Exchange (Mobius) Retrenchment Part 3

I’d like to start my third and last post regarding this unfortunate event by quoting Mobius Games’ Official Statement posted on August 26, 2008:

In the constant effort to innovate and improve the quality and efficiency of our game support services, the company is working through right-sizing and changing in the job descriptions of its existing staff. Furthermore, it is regrettable that the company had to undergo this process of right-sizing but rest assured that these employees were not just let go and were given benefits as well as other opportunities within the company should they choose to accept those.

The company understands that there are risks involved with the shift in perspective but these have been reviewed prior to execution. The company is also aware that any decision it makes will have an impact not only internally but to the community as well. Furthermore, the strategic changes were not made to prioritize specific projects but to improve the overall level of service that the company offers to its subscribers. We are looking to reinvent the company into a better and stronger organization that brings the gaming experience of its community to new levels.

We would like to thank you in advance for your continued support of our current and future mobiusgames content.

I see no need for me to comment any further. I’ve already posted the information I know and the opinions I have. Although some have advised it, I will NOT edit any of my previous posts either.

It’s been about 10 days or so since everyone decided on which option to take. The people who decided to go with Option 1 are doing alright. I believe most of them are just taking a break right now. They get paid an additional month from the day they signed their resignation and they should be getting their final pay in the next couple of weeks. At least one has decided to go back to school. My husband, who was one of the people who took Option 1 is spending this month at home with me and our son. Our son and I go back to the States in a month while he stays here in the Philippines so we just try to look at what happened as a blessing in disguise for us. At least we get to spend more time with each other. He’s gone on a couple of interviews already including one with one of DME’s competitors hehe.

Not many chose Option 2. Anybody surprised? Nope. Not really. Until now, I don’t think anybody knows what they’re going to be doing and since I, myself am leaving soon, I will not be posting any information regarding this. Sorry.

People who went with Option 3 have already started on their new jobs and I’m very happy to say that they are doing fine and adjusting quite well. They’re a bit culture shocked like I expected them to be, but fine nonetheless. I see them in the morning when I’m about to start my shift and they’re just about to leave.

Although you will still probably be seeing them around, I’d like to say that the people who got to stay in Publishing are doing their best to keep everything under control. We have to understand though, that they can only do so much.. we all know now that there are things that are just beyond our control. I still have friends there and I get to see them still but it’s hard not to notice the big difference there now. Everybody’s missing everybody.

I wish all of them the best of luck. I am hoping that someday, they all get the recognition, respect, and compensation they deserve.. not necessarily with Digital Media Exchange, but wherever they may be.

“Goodbye is not forever.. farewell is not the end.. but in my heart’s a memory.. and there you’ll always be.”

Digital Media Exchange (Mobius) Retrenchment Part 2

… about an hour after, my shift ended. I quickly logged out of my computer and walked to the game publishing’s side of the office. On a normal night around that time, you’d see the game masters on their computers muttering profanities while playing DotA but the scene I saw that night was totally different. I could see that some of the girls had been crying, some were in small groups talking, and of course there were some that preferred to be left alone. Their shift had ended over an hour ago but none of them felt like going anywhere yet. I’d usually be nagging my husband to leave as the clock ticked 10 PM but even I didn’t wanna go home. It was like being in a bad dream..

I walked over to my husband where he was talking with one of the other game masters. They were talking about how they kinda knew it was gonna happen eventually, just not that soon.. especially since DME had just launched Closed Beta Testing of Dekaron. For months, it had been hyped up to be THE game to save the publishing department.. THE game that was going to bring the much needed revenue MU and Rakion had not been able to provide for some time now. Some actually thought that there was finally going to be room for advancement but now they realized how badly mistaken they were.

Not all were going to be retrenched. They actually spared a handful of people. They knew that they couldn’t just get rid of everybody at the same time. I can’t go much into details but let’s just say that it seems that their main focus right now is on Dekaron.. but as to the other games, I don’t really know.. *sigh*

Some of us finally decided to leave around 10:40 or so. No goodbyes were uttered yet because they all still needed to come back on Tuesday (August 19th) for a 1 on 1 meeting with Human Resources. They were given 3 options to think about:

Option 1: Resign, get paid for 1 more month + separation pay and 13th month pay.

Option 2: Participate in this “Pilot Program” which will be Scott Countryman’s experiment for about a month. The base pay will be lower but according to Mr. Countryman, they will have the opportunity to make additional money with commission-based sales. Until today, the exact job description of people who decide to try this out has yet to be confirmed. (a bit shady in my opinion..) If the program is successful, they will be able to stay in the company. If not, will have to choose again between options 1 and 3.

Option 3: Move to the BPO Department. They will have to pass an exam and be interviewed AGAIN. Their pay will be about the same but since I’m currently in the BPO Department, I know that whoever decides on Option 3 will experience major culture shock. The games we handle are in no way like the games we publish.. the games in BPO are web-based flash games.

As I’m writing this now, the decisions have already been made and the papers have already been signed. I will give you the latest updates in my next post… which will probably be my last post on this unfortunate but hopefully a blessing in disguise event.