“I’ve been stepping into the staircase with my naked imagination that at the end of that path, there’s something waiting for me, just like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.”-RJQ
Twenty-one years old. I was 21 years old just last August 1st and now, I’m 22—turned 22 on the 2nd day of August 2014—too much ‘number 2’ I say—and so I’ve been told.
I’m not a special or what, but here’s the thing, I didn’t know I was actually 21 until I celebrated my birthday last Aug. 2, weird eh? Not for me.
Last year—August 2013—was not a good start for me, it was the worst way to start my birth month. There were some circumstances that suddenly blasted in front of my eyes but I will never mention them anymore because past is always a thing that you should left behind.
Do you want to know what am I actually been doing when I was 21? Well, here we go.
Who Am I?
Well, literally, based on papers, my name is Roanne Janine C. Quiambao. Growing up, I was called Janine, when I entered school, everyone calls me Jha/Janine, when I entered college, I was called Roanne and when I graduated college, everyone calls me—well, actually I decided to use the name since my sophomore year in college—R.J. Quiambao/R.J.. Is that a shock? Not for me though. It’s simply the evolution of my very adorable name.
I decided to become THE R.J. Quiambao ever since the first day that I noticed whenever I tell someone my name “Roanne” they mistakenly pronounced it as JOANNE or worse is they actually write it on papers and some report documents for school projects as ROWAN (Yeah, you know it…Mr. Bean) So I think that’s enough reason to say that I should continue using “R.J.” it sounds cool, isn’t? No one knows if you’re a girl or a boy, that’s magic, a unisex name.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s a much worse story behind the Roanne name, still. When I was in my 1st fucking day of my freshman year in college, a professor was scanning the attendance sheet and calling out everybody’s name. This how it went:
Prof: Quiambao, Roanne.
Me: (I stood up and he thought I was going to pee or something, so he ignored me)
Prof: Is MR. QUIAMBAO not present? (Oh, his tone was definitely full of pique)
Me: (In my head, I just said while standing, “What the fuck is his problem? Can’t he damn fucking see me? Oh well, what a nuts.” And so I made my whole 1st day unforgettable.
Prof: Where are you MR. ROANNE?
Me: (I raised my right hand…I was about to use two damn hands but I stood up again.) I’m ROANNE QUIAMBAO, Sir.
(Everyone’s like: turning their heads into my direction with thunderbolt in their eyes)
Prof: Oh, Alright, sorry for that, Ms. Roanne.
Me: I sit but a part of me was like, (O God, first days and first names) LOL
Well, it happened three damn times, during my whole freshman year. I got used to it.
Note: The only thing I didn’t understand is why did they think that ROANNE is a guy’s name? How weird, right?
What did I do the whole year when I was 21?
I was inside my apartment, drooling over books, reading so many novels—2books max in a day, just whenever I feel curious about the book and when I say whenever, it means always—and also sipping coffee at a café whenever I’m free and that folks, I’m always free.
I’m a freelancer. I started helping researchers for their journals and everything that needs to have deeper research and I was also a fact checker for medicine students and even IT students in different schools. (My damn life is pretty much invaded by researching and papers. Although, it was a fair choice because I still don’t want to be employed in a company that I will never enjoy and do works that I will never ever like. Well, just to add, my parents didn’t want me to work in the city, they want me to be me near them. That was just the reason why I cannot land a job in a corporate world, the effin distance and the protectiveness…because I’m the one and only daughter.)
But I did land a good job, although I’m the CEO myself. Ha! That’s the perks of being a freelance, you are your own boss, you’re the damn boss, you can accept a project or cancel it anytime but I don’t do cancel, it’s a loss of profit for me.
Next thing I know, I became a full-time THESIS CONSULTANT for MBA students and later on became a STRATEGIST and a CORPORATE RESEARCHER for different companies.
I never expected that I’m gonna land myself into a territory that’s not even mine, I mean, I graduated AB Communication, and all I know is a bit of management and marketing and more on news writing and all the kinds of writing.
Well, I bought books about marketing and management just to be more educated about the world of business. (I actually did great. I worked with one of the top firms in Manila and also did some STRAMA for MBA stud and even companies) I’m at the pinnacle of my career as a freelancer and that’s how I enjoyed my corporate journey.
That’s not the end of my story yet. Just last June 2014, I published my first novel entitled “CHAPTERS” and that was way better than anything that I did in my life. I was able to knock down a book, I mean, I was able to write my very own one, something that I can call mine and that’s the best thing that could ever happen to a writer’s life. Although, I’m still a beginner and still trying to discover the whole market, I must say that this is quite a journey to start.
I’m proud of myself, not only because I was able to discover the ‘behind those suits’ part of the corporate industry but I was able to do things that normal dreamers like me aims to do.
What’s not to love? When you are actually paid thousands of bucks just for you to tell if the facts are right and the statistics are going well, when you are paid to plan a strategy and research about business and gets free Starbucks coffee during board meetings and free lunch whenever you meet your clients. I get the free today and I’m still getting paid the next day.
This is a definite reason why I enjoy freelance but the most perfect one is that, I get to be the boss of my own words and my opinions and people are actually listening to my suggestions and all. I have my very own control especially when it comes to time and schedule and power to make things right! Oh hell yeah! (Oops! That’s kind of overboard. Don’t get me wrong!)
(Oh I think you’re searching for the part where I will tell you about my personal life? There’s nothing to tell, I’m happy and everyone is happy. I don’t share personal things, although with just you as my reader, I’m well equipped with such experience, and I think all of it makes me a little more inspired.) That’s the thing about happiness, it goes along the way.
What’s in store for me now that I’m 22?
I don’t know yet, but I think there are more opportunities waiting for me out there. I’ll just let you know when I have it already. We’ll never know, we’ll never know.
Say ‘hell yes’ to every ‘damn opportunity’ and you’ll know what I’m sayin’!
Wonder Roanne 