Its not a ride in the park.

It was the usual weekly project meeting when I got into the room.

They were all discussing the metrics for the past week, the working targets and some project updates.

Didn't think there would be something out of the ordinary until it was almost 6pm.

Two of the team members rushed in and they halted Lala from leaving.

Suddenly a powerpoint presentation was infront of everyone.

Cheesy? Not really.

It was just a collection of old pics of Lala with the team played along a background song that I do not know what is but its catchy.

After the 10-minute presentation, someone asked Lala what she feels now that she is rolling off, and it was her last day.

She couldn't speak because she is now crying. After four attempts to utter some words, she said, "I feel happy and sad."

And another question was asked, "How was it working with the team?"

With a smile, she said, "Well..it is not a ride in the park."

Very true.

Alongside her powerpoint presentation, I was doing some flashbacks of my own.

I rolled into the team last year, and some sixteen months later, I somehow believed every inch of that "not a ride in the park"...

Of how many times I got sacked because of some client issues. Or how many times I had to attend a conference call with a counterpart who couldn't help save my ass.

But Lala was also right in saying that the team has improved alot and that she is happy to leave the team now that it has gone better and with more interaction from the subteams.

On her last few messages, I smiled mainly because I realized that the only thing permanent inside the company is change, and with the quick turn of events, who knows who would roll off next.

But I am also glad that I was able to work with Lala. Her managerial style is a mixture of fun and pressure and concerns that you sometimes do not see but would later on realize that it is there.

I couldn't really call her my mentor even if she was assigned as my mentor and also my manager. For me, mentoring would have to be more than just a couple of meetings.

Yet, she will always be an inspiration because I saw in her the determination. The will to always deliver to the client's expectation even if sometimes she had to be so hard to her subordinates.

While at some point, working with her is not a ride in the park, in all other points it was a stroll.

so proud of you...

i read your blog entry last 14th and before i could finish the last sentence i'm already crying.

been a while that i think of your plight there...you must know that i tried to stop meddling in your activities there eversince we have decided to call it quits.

never been easy trying to live my life without you..much more without the thoughts of you...but i don't have much choice on that.

your last blog entry hit me again...i felt how hard it has become for you...but im doubly proud that you are alive and kicking there after one year.

i wish i could alleviate some pains and make you smile even for a while so that you'd be able to forget how hard it is there but maybe i'll just keep on praying so that you'll stay safe and healthy...and will thank the Lord that you are doing a wonderful job there for your dreams and your family.

some of our common friends teased me lately coz you're almost vacationing...i gave a fake smile and my signature roll-eyes...said i'm never gonna be able to meet you again without the tears..and i think its gonna be hard hiding these tears as well...but not to worry..the tears aren't just for the pain...its also because i'm so damn proud of you.

keep it up tavz...i'll always be proud of you.

Metrics...anyone?

I got entangled to a metrics battle this morning...err..afternoon.

The team lead was trying to point out that the defect field on the template is supposed to be used on all the stages of the software lifecycle.

The quality coordinator thinks otherwise as it has no use for metrics tracking of the entire team.

Which is which?

Hmm.

From what I do know...the defect field on the template is supposed to track at which phase of the lifecycle you have seen the defect as against to the origin of the defect to compute for the actual quality of work.

Stressful thinking isn't it?

Hmm...how about doing this every week?