Going Swedish!

Today, the IBP- Pampanga chapter elected their new set of officers @ Fortune Resto. I met old friends that I haven’t seen for years. I also met new acquaintances. We ate our lunch there and may I say that the food is yummy to the max! I am just a little sad because they did not serve my favorite Shrimp Salad! Hmp!!!

After that, we decided to go to Bioessence for our Swedish massage. I felt relaxed. It seemed that I have regained my energy and I could say that I am ready to fight again. I have been a customer of the bioessence and I am really satisfied with their service.

After that, of course, we went at the Alberto shoe shop and we bought a pair of shoes!

Seeing PGMA et cetera

Today, the IBP members- Pampanga Chapter gathered at the Holiday Inn Clarkfield, Pampanga to honor its past presidents. The keynote speaker was none other than Pres. Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo. It was my first time to see the President. I was reminded of my Tax Professor who used to call her “The Little Girl”.

We were sitted near the stage so we really had a good view of her. One of my companera noticed her feet. I asked her to guess her shoe size! My God. They were really small.

Before we left, someone called me. Of all people that I clould possibly see, the person who called me was the damn person with attitude problem. Actually, she’s the last person on earth that I wanted to see.

Guess what she asked me? Instead of “How do you do?” she said, “Are you happy?” What a question! I said ” I am very much happy with my work. I am the PAO lawyer assigned @ RTC Br. __, MCTC ___ & MTCC Branch __. She asked me if that would be possible and I said yes! I even told her that I have my hearings everyday.

As I analyze things, I realized that it was her loss and not mine. I am indeed fortunate in not puursuing my plan to work for her. She’s such a BITCH!!! 

I also saw Judge Mercado–the kind judge who allowed me to observe hearings at his court room in Guagua. He’s so kind. He introduced me to his wife and he told his wife that he was about to hire me as his Branch Clerk of Court but I did not pursue my application for the position because I chose PAO!

After that, I went to the mall to buy these thick belts! Of course, I bought pink and black! I don’t know what is happening to me. Why do I love pink these days?

Before I end this, a while ago, I was watching the news. I saw that Health Sec. Duque was interviewed on tv. To my surprise, I saw the three of us at Holiday Inn in the background! Grabe!!!

Missing the sound of music

Yesterday, I went to the mall. I saw these pianos for sale. I felt nostalgic. Suddenly, I felt that I wanted to play again. I miss my keyboard. So sad.

mixture of thoughts

I think it is time to open a new bank account. I have to save 25% of my salary for the car that I intend to buy. I won’t buy the car outright when I already reached the downpayment. I want to invest in a mutual fund. i don’t know if that is wise to do.

I have to make all the demurrers which my former office mate left undone. I have to start now. After all, we have no hearings at this court because the fiscal is already making an inventory. Naaawa na ko sa mga bilanggo. Most of my clients are in prison.

One hectic day

     Today, I spent time working in the office. My clients came in big waves. The line is so long to the point that there seemed to be a box office hit. I finished at around 3:30 PM. One of those who visited me was a certain Judge. She told me that she is the distant relative of my client. She told me that I should do this _____ to avoid anything that will prejudice myy client. Furthermore, she told me that she wanted speedy justice for her distantt relative. She said that the Judge at this court takes so long to render judgement. I don’t think that is proper for her to do. She must not exert any influence on this case. I am the lawyer. I know what is best for my client because I will never do anything that will tarnish my name. It is highly inappropriate for her to do that. I told her that she should hire a private lawyer who will file the motion that she wanted me to file.  Before she left, I assured her that I will look on the matter because my workload is so much higher than me. But, I have to first attend on my cases scheduled for this week.

      In fact, I am losing weight already and my monthly period is long overdue but still it’s not yet here.

Job Hunt

After savoring the glory of passing the bar exams, the NEW LAWYER will start looking for work.  I want to share to you some of the things that I experienced in looking for work.

            1. It is basic that you inquire on the attitude of your boss. I know a friend who applied for the position of Branch Clerk of Court. There was an agreement that there will be a trial period of one week. The judge at first seemed nice. However, as the days passed by, the Judge was always mad at her court staff. One of the staff wanted to apply for early retirement because the Judge thought that she’s a high and mighty judge. She told my firend that he has to finish the work after touching on it for a second time. That shows that the Judge is obsessive-compulsive. She even told him that she would be attending the Opus Dei convention that is why she would be absent the next day. That is without my friend asking why she would be absent. Aside from that, she told my friend to lose weight- at least 10 lbs. Haha! Now, she is meddlesome already. Moreover, she told my friend, “Huwag kang magpa-cute, hindi ka cute. Lawyer ka na.” She has no right to say that! I pity my poor friend.  One day, she told my friend, “we’re not chika here. I’m the boss. You’re the employee. ” See? She’s a monster. To think that my friend was merely there for the trial period. Di pa na-process yung papers niya sa Supreme Court, boss na daw siya. Super awa talaga ako sa friend ko. One time, she told my friend, ” My husband and I try to live simple lives. The gifts that we receive from other people, we also  give to others if we don’t need them. ” My friend was not asking that. Itinaas ang silya. Haha. I pity my friend but all the more that I pity the monster hiding behind the robe of a judge! Maybe, if ever na mamatay siya, yung mga court staff hindii iiyak. Magpapaparty pa sila. Her name is Judge Dredd.

      Yung isa kong kasama sa work na-assign dun sa  court ng isang Judge. This judge that is very fond of saying to women lawyers na, “I want the lawyers who appear before me to be competent. ” Tapos naman e siya di naman competent. Haha. Pag daw di na niya alam ang gagawin, mag cocontinuance sya. Tapos yung comment daw sa kanya, dahil hindi siya magaling na judge, dinadaan niya sa pagsusungit and pagsisigaw.

     O ayan ha. Tip ko yan. Before you submit your resumes, alamin nyo muna ang ugali ng superior nyo. If may sira ung ulo, huwag na kayong mag-apply. Kahit na matalino pa siya. Yung mga Judges ko sa mga courts na na-assign ako ngayon, graduate from the top 2 schools, sobrang bait pa. Tinuturuan ako pag mali ako dahil alam nila na bagong lawyer pa lang ako and marami pa kong hindi alam sa trial. We don’t learn everything in law school! May matalinong mabait na gustong tumulong. Why settle for less–the matalinong masungit na nang-aapak ng pagkatao ng mag kapwa nila. (Sana magka-cancer sila para makalbo sila! joke lang. pero jokes are half-meant daw.)

      2. I would advise the new lawyers to try the Public Attorney’s Office. Here, you will learn litigation. Magpa-assign kayo doon sa malapit sa inyo para konti yung gastos niyo at marami ang savings niyo. If you will be able to have your clients acquitted, you will derive this happiness which no amount of money could equal. Kaya lang, you have to be armed with several truckloads of patience. may makukulit na clients. Tapos sobrang daming case. I still remember, I slept for 4 hours only because of my cases for that day. Pero ok lang because of the kind judge and fiscal as well as the court staff.

Until next time.

My courts

I have been fortunate indeed to be assigned at the three courts where the Judges are very kind and supportive to new lawyers particularly PAO lawyers whose caseload are higher than them. In RTC Br. _7, my Judge is very kind and supportive to me. He knows that I am a new lawyer and I still need to learn a lot on the tricks of the trade. Imagine, he thought me how to dance swing in their valentine’s day party yesterday. He also gave me two bottles of beer. I really love the staff. They are very kind and pleasant. As to my fiscal, he’s an old man who seems to be an uncle to me. He’s also very supportive! However, because of the heavy caseload in that branch, it is like I am having a major exam every hearing day because I have to sleep late at night and wake up early to study the case records. I don’t want to appear in court unprepared. I am very serious with my profession. My clients’ lives who have been languishing in jail for years are at stake here. It is my calling to get them out of there.

In MTCC Branch 0_, my judge is supportive also. She knows that I recently passed the bar exams. She even called me to her chamber for a talk. My fiscal there is kind of strict but I know I will learn a lot from her. My predecessor told me that he learned a lot from Fiscal ____. The court staff are nice as well.

In MCTC Sto. ____, it is far somehow but worth the distance. The staff are nice to me. They also give me merienda after the hearing. The courtroom is on the second floor of the public market. I have to climb this steep staircase. During the hearing, I could smell the tinapay because there is a bakery nearby. My Judge there is so kind and cool. My fiscal is like an older brother to me. He teaches me.

Being a law student is painstaking. Being a bar examinee is quite maddening. But that is not where one’s desire to excel ends. it is in actual practice where you  really taste the sorrow, pain, happiness and glory of the law profession! 

Until next time.

the woman in me

hello. how is everyone? a few days from now, i’ll be one year older. gosh.

i don’t know if it is just because of the rigors of my work as a lawyer or what… but recently, i noticed that i want to get married already. i want to have my own children as soon as possible. the big problem is i don’t have a boyfriend now. whew! maybe, my maternal instinct is at the forefront. where are all the guys now?

sometimes i still think of him but because of the demands of my work, i don’t think of him much. of course, he’s the only man that i ever dreamt of marrying! but i have to be realistic. he’s gone.

i would like to tell you about this prosecutor who required the presence of a pao lawyer sometime ago. because we were having a party in the office (you see, my office mate resigned), and since i was the lawyer assigned to perform the inquest duty on that day, i came late. i saw heard him telling the staff what was taking me so long and whether i was beautiful. he was said to be fuming mad.

after sometime, i entered his office, aand his jaw literally drop. he found me beautiful. i could sense it. haha. bagay nya. mayabang kasi. after that, he said that he would never forget me. he also asked whether i was single or married already. shit! he’s getting personal. after the inquest duty, he talked to me. guess what he said?! he told me that maybe, i could accomodate his brother– a captain who graduated from this school. maybe that i could give his brother some time so we could get to know each other. hmp! i told him flatly that i would never get married. haha. the nerve of him.

last friday, my fiscal on this court introduced me to another fiscal.  you know what? the 2nd fiscal asked me, “bat nanlalamig ang kamay mo?” what?? i replied, “not because of you?” Dyosko no! kapal nya talaga. he’s so ugly naman, ang yabang nya pa. kaya siguro matanda na sya wala pa syang asawa.

going back, the best thing for me to do is enjoy my singleblessedness. maybe someday, the guy who will be after my happiness will cross my path. in the meantime, i will focus on honing my cross examination skills.

until next time

tiresome but fulfilling

I assumed the courts of my co- worker who resigned. Grabe. I have hearings everyday. I sometimes feel tired but I made a commitment that I will work hard on these. I am now assigned to three courts. I pray hard to God so that I won,t get sick. The prisoners need me. They look on me as their savior who will get them out of that hell.