Even if I worked for a 100 years as an employee, I won't be able to earn that amount. I know that pretty well. Yes, working until retirement is not exactly the way to get rich. I am not a businessman, not an actor, not a big time athlete neither.
Consider this first major business plan that I thought of to get rich.
A few years ago, probably 2005, I started thinking of a business. Not exactly the business that could earn me millions, but something a little close to that. I thought of the transportation industry. It is something most Filipinos need to do. So customers won't be a problem.
Here was my business proposal: Establish a passenger jeepney transportation business in Cavite. Starting Capital: P250, 000 for a second hand vehicle. Estimated Annual Income per vehicle: P3000/week, P150, 000 annually.
My business objectives included (1) Income from a business venture of course (2) help provide jobs to my relatives for most of my uncles and friends can drive for a living.
By starting small, with roughly P250 thousand pesos. I can be a millionaire in say 10 years.
Look at this business table:
# of jeeps__years past____est. worth____est. income__add. investments
1__________0_____________P250, 000_____P 0__________P 0
1__________1_____________P250, 000_____P150, 000____P100, 000
2__________2_____________P500, 000_____P300, 000____P200, 000
4__________3_____________P 1 M_________P600, 000____P150, 000
7__________4_____________P 1.75 M______P 1.05 M_____P200, 000
12_________5_____________P 3 M_________P 1.8 M______
Stop there. What is the table above all about?
1. Estimated worth of assets after 5 years is P3 million pesos generating an annual income of P1.8 million. If you're business can generate P1.8 million annually, isn't that huge? And at that, I will have 12 passenger jeepneys in my posession.
2. Total capital investment in five years amount to P900, 000.
3. Total Income = Assets + Income - Expenses. Meaning after 5 years, I will earn P3.9 million. Wow!!!
How was it possible?
1. Each second hand passenger jeepney would cost P250, 000. I will start small with just ONE jeepney and it's not even brand new.
2. After each year, all of the income will be used to buy passenger jeepneys. Additional investments should be made available to buy more jeeps.
After 5 years. This is not considered a small business already. Major adjustments has to made. Like:
- Start buying brand new jeepneys. But, still need to buy second hand jeepneys? Why, to reduce competition from the road.
- Start creating employee benefits and bonuses.
- Open up for Maintenance and Accounting jobs
After 10 years, and if following the business plan. The computed asset worth would reach P25 Million consisting of around 70+ passenger jeepneys and generating around P10 million annually. Again? and generating around P10 million annually!!!
In reality:
1. Each passenger jeepney will depreciate in value. So the net worth of assets will be much less than the computed value.
2. Needs to account for maintenance and possible accident costs. This can be a real problem.
3. Is there a market for this huge acquisition of passenger jeepneys. Will there be opportunities to buy jeepneys from the competition? Competition here refers to other operating jeepneys on the road. This is really the big question mark.
4. Can I sustain the required additional investments and is it possible for me not to take any peso from this business? Well, I have to have a decent job to satisfy this.
So there. The plan seems good enough for me. I mean, to have a business with assets of P25 million worth after 10 years with just a total investment of P2 million? That's 1250% growth rate. Supposed, there is an annual 4% peso inflation rate and the maintenance costs amounting to P5 million in ten years. I would still have a good business right? Right.
In the end, the available market environment is the biggest problem. There are just too many passenger jeepneys on the road now. Adding more brand new jeeps is not an option. I must find a way to buy the competition. One jeepney at a time. If I can do that, after only 10 years of good business management and performance, I will be rich. And that's just 10 years.
Consider that. I am open for business partners.
Running and Boxing Blog
Nov 27, 2007
Nov 16, 2007
planning for the holidays
it's great to spend our first christmas together. wow! it's something special. so my mind began wondering.. or is it wandering? i wonder.
gusto ko (tinagalog na lang, wehehe).. pumunta ng enchanted with her family. yeah, ever since nawelcome ako sa bahay nila, have fun and dine with them.. i never stopped thinking of a day na pwede ko silang i-treat for being so kind saken.
so I asked her if she knew this place and that. I started sharing my plans. sabi ko mabuti na magplano ng mas maaga, kasi alis na naman kami for a business trip ngayong November 25. I wanted to do everything, parang yung commercial ng multi-vitamins -- i want to be complete.
tapos sabi nya.. pag-usapan naten pagbalik mo.
from all views of everything possible, bigla kong natauhan.. i've been thinking too much ever since.. planning for growth, planning for developments, planning for the time pag matanda na ko and everything..
sabi ko.. actually kahit ano, importante lang naman saken.. kahit anu pang meron at kahit nasaan pa tayo sa pasko.. basta magkasama tayo.
sabi nya.. korek.
it always amazes me kung ganu ka-simple lang ng buhay with her. sa bagay, kahit anu pa man, sya lang naman talaga yung kailangan ko.
in the end, i only wanted for her to make a promise.. na sa darating na pasko.. magkasama kami.
she agreed.
gusto ko (tinagalog na lang, wehehe).. pumunta ng enchanted with her family. yeah, ever since nawelcome ako sa bahay nila, have fun and dine with them.. i never stopped thinking of a day na pwede ko silang i-treat for being so kind saken.
so I asked her if she knew this place and that. I started sharing my plans. sabi ko mabuti na magplano ng mas maaga, kasi alis na naman kami for a business trip ngayong November 25. I wanted to do everything, parang yung commercial ng multi-vitamins -- i want to be complete.
tapos sabi nya.. pag-usapan naten pagbalik mo.
from all views of everything possible, bigla kong natauhan.. i've been thinking too much ever since.. planning for growth, planning for developments, planning for the time pag matanda na ko and everything..
sabi ko.. actually kahit ano, importante lang naman saken.. kahit anu pang meron at kahit nasaan pa tayo sa pasko.. basta magkasama tayo.
sabi nya.. korek.
it always amazes me kung ganu ka-simple lang ng buhay with her. sa bagay, kahit anu pa man, sya lang naman talaga yung kailangan ko.
in the end, i only wanted for her to make a promise.. na sa darating na pasko.. magkasama kami.
she agreed.
Nov 14, 2007
a writing for nerissa
when a second seems to be too long
for missing you so badly
when everything is wrong
for not having you beside me
when all the love that i've ever wanted
is right here in my arms
when having nothing else means nothing
as long as i have you
i am as crazy as I am happy
for it is very clear
that those whens
are when you're in my thoughts.
can't thank God enough for having you in my life
can't write good enough of how happy i am
every second without you is uneasy eternity
having you is a paradise of endless smiles
for missing you so badly
when everything is wrong
for not having you beside me
when all the love that i've ever wanted
is right here in my arms
when having nothing else means nothing
as long as i have you
i am as crazy as I am happy
for it is very clear
that those whens
are when you're in my thoughts.
can't thank God enough for having you in my life
can't write good enough of how happy i am
every second without you is uneasy eternity
having you is a paradise of endless smiles
Oct 12, 2007
25
Just turned 25 today. I know I am not getting any younger now but I do believe that this is just the beginning of a great life ahead of me.
My life has been great. I feel really blessed. I have a decent job and most of the time we are privileged to travel abroad and meet new friends, know more about our products and earn more. I may not have a high salary, but it has always been sufficient for my family "needs" and sometimes even "wants". I am proud of my job and I like what I do.
My personal project for this year until the summer of 2009 is our family house in Cavite. I have been busy trying to save more for its completion. Thankfully, I think it's around 65-70% complete now (percentage in terms of finances [money spent / total estimated cost]). At the first few months of planning and building, I thought the estimated cost of building was just crazy. I mean, "Where will I get that huge amount?" Then again, the plan was to build it slowly, part by part, divide and conquer. This approach made what was initially impossible (at least for me) to realistic.
It may not be a s smooth as planned, as headaches and frustrations still bother me from time to time. But judging from where we stand now, I believe we're getting there just as planned.
The grand plan of course is to complete the house when my brother and my sister finish their schooling which is scheduled to happen on the summer of 2009. I wish to prepare the house and celebrate how great life has been for our family. I wish to welcome my grandparents and cousins and friends and my sister's friends and my brother's friends. It should be a great party and celebration.
On top of these, I have Nerissa at my side. I just cannot ask for more. I can only wish for everything to remain where they are right now for I am completely happy and satisfied with my life at this point in time.
To my family, I love you all and you are the reason why I cannot fail.
To Nerissa, I will always love you.
To life, this is just the beginning.
My life has been great. I feel really blessed. I have a decent job and most of the time we are privileged to travel abroad and meet new friends, know more about our products and earn more. I may not have a high salary, but it has always been sufficient for my family "needs" and sometimes even "wants". I am proud of my job and I like what I do.
My personal project for this year until the summer of 2009 is our family house in Cavite. I have been busy trying to save more for its completion. Thankfully, I think it's around 65-70% complete now (percentage in terms of finances [money spent / total estimated cost]). At the first few months of planning and building, I thought the estimated cost of building was just crazy. I mean, "Where will I get that huge amount?" Then again, the plan was to build it slowly, part by part, divide and conquer. This approach made what was initially impossible (at least for me) to realistic.
It may not be a s smooth as planned, as headaches and frustrations still bother me from time to time. But judging from where we stand now, I believe we're getting there just as planned.
The grand plan of course is to complete the house when my brother and my sister finish their schooling which is scheduled to happen on the summer of 2009. I wish to prepare the house and celebrate how great life has been for our family. I wish to welcome my grandparents and cousins and friends and my sister's friends and my brother's friends. It should be a great party and celebration.
On top of these, I have Nerissa at my side. I just cannot ask for more. I can only wish for everything to remain where they are right now for I am completely happy and satisfied with my life at this point in time.
To my family, I love you all and you are the reason why I cannot fail.
To Nerissa, I will always love you.
To life, this is just the beginning.
Sep 29, 2007
Bili mo kong PC
Dennis,
Heto na yung specs nung PC:
- MSI Motherboard
- Intel Core Duo 2.0 GHz
- 1G memory
- 160G hard disk
complete set with
- casing with power supply
- mouse and keyboard
- speaker
Ok diba. Assembled na sya. Kulang na lang monitor.
Intel Core Duo na yun, ibig sabihin dalawang processor na sabay gumagana, kung 2.0GHz, halos 4.0GHz na yung speed nun. Mas mabilis pa dun sa PC ko sa bahay na 3.0 GHz na Pentium 4.
Presyo? Singapore $423.00. Buong set.
Sa pesos, multiply mo ng 33.
Binili ko na sya. Kasi feeling ko, mura na yun saka mabilis pa.
Total nun = P 13, 959.00
Reply ka kung ano sa tingin mo. Laking tipid na diba?
Best Regards.
Heto na yung specs nung PC:
- MSI Motherboard
- Intel Core Duo 2.0 GHz
- 1G memory
- 160G hard disk
complete set with
- casing with power supply
- mouse and keyboard
- speaker
Ok diba. Assembled na sya. Kulang na lang monitor.
Intel Core Duo na yun, ibig sabihin dalawang processor na sabay gumagana, kung 2.0GHz, halos 4.0GHz na yung speed nun. Mas mabilis pa dun sa PC ko sa bahay na 3.0 GHz na Pentium 4.
Presyo? Singapore $423.00. Buong set.
Sa pesos, multiply mo ng 33.
Binili ko na sya. Kasi feeling ko, mura na yun saka mabilis pa.
Total nun = P 13, 959.00
Reply ka kung ano sa tingin mo. Laking tipid na diba?
Best Regards.
Sep 26, 2007
Buhay Iskolar sa NAIA Terminal
Great news - sabi ni Sir Dante ng Science Education Institute ng Department of Science and Technology (DOST-SEI), hindi na daw kailangan magpunta at magbayad ng mahigit P1,000 sa Bureau of Immigration para sa travel clearance ng mga scholars ng DOST.
Haay, isang napakalaking tinik yung nabunot sa aking tagiliran sa magandang balitang yun. Sa setup namin kasi, bilang software developers ng Teraoka Weigh System na base sa Singapore, kailangan naming bumisita every other month doon. Masaya na sana, pero bilang estudyante na pinag-aral ng gobyerno, meron akong kontrata para magsilbi sa bayan. (Naks, makabayan kunwari).
Ang kontrata, kailangan kong magtrabaho sa Pilipinas sa loob ng taong katumbas ng panahong pinag-aral ako ng DOST. Dahil limang taon akong nag-aral sa kursong Engineering, limang taon din akong magtatrabaho sa Pinas bilang bayad sa scholarship na ibinigay nila saken. Black listed ako sa NBI at sa Bureau of Immigration. Unless meron akong clearance galing DOST, hindi ako makakalabas ng bansa.
At dito nabuo ang madalas kong problema sa NAIA immigration officers.
Dati, before maimplement yung rule sa unang paragraph ng sulating ito, kailangan ko pang pumila dun sa mabaet na officer na alam kong hindi na ko uusisain at tatanungin ng kung anu-ano kung bakit ako black-listed. Naalala ko dati yung isang immigration officer na galit pa sa DOST, sabi nya wala daw karapatan yung DOST na pagbawalan kaming umalis ng bansa, nakakatulong naman daw ng malaki yung OFWs para sa ekonomiya naten. Yung iba naman, nagagalit sa mga iskolar kapag umaalis kami ng bansa. Para sa kanila, dapat daw kaming magbayad sa gobyerno at magtrabaho sa sariling bayan. Pagkatapos daw kaming pag-aralin, iiwanan lang namin yung bansa. Wala ba daw kaming utang na loob?
Haay naku. Nagbabayad naman ako ng tax sa government, nde naman ako tatakas sa obligasyon kong magtrabaho sa Pilipinas sa loob ng limang taon. Kailangan ko lang talagang lumabas ng bansa dahil parte sya ng trabaho ko.
Pero dahil nga sa bagong rule na ipinatutupad ngayon para sa mga DOST scholars, wala na dapat debate. Maaari na kaming lumabas ng bansa basta meron kaming clearance sa DOST. Hindi ba sapat na yun? Sino ba yung nag-request para nde kami basta-basta makalabas ng bansa? (Sagot: DOST). Sino ba yung pumapayag na pansamantala kaming makalabas? (Sagot: DOST). Hindi pa ba sapat yun?
Masaya kong ibinalita kay Ate My yung bagon rule habang nakapila kami sa immigration check. Kinuwento ko pa sa kanya yung isang instance na ayaw akong payagan nung isang immigration officer (IO).
Sabi saken nung IO, "Hindi ka pwedeng umalis. Wala ka namang permit galing sa Bureau of Immigration (BI)." Tapos pinapunta nya ko sa Supervisor nila. "Dun ka makipagtalo. Bumalik ka na lang saken kung sakaling payagan ka nga nya."
Tapos, e di punta ko dun sa supervisor.
"Anung kailangan mo iho?," bati saken ni Miss Supervisor.
DOST po kasi, pero meron po akong clearance sa DOST. Tapos pinakita ko sa kanya yung endorsement letter ko galing DOST na naka-address dun sa Head ng BI. Travel permit yun para sa inclusive na dates kung saan pinapayagan ako ng DOST na umalis ng bansa.
Tapos binasa sya ni Miss Supervisor.
"Eh request lang naman ito iho. Hindi naman ito clearance."
"Pero yan po yung binigay saken ng DOST nung humingi po ako ng clearance galing sa kanila. Yan din po yung ginagamit ko tuwing aalis ako ng bansa. Ilang beses na din po yun."
Tapos nag-ring yung cellphone nya. Tapos may nagtext sa kanya. Sinagot nya yung tawag. Kinakabahan na ko. Aalis na yung eroplanong sasakyan ko, panu kung nde nga ako payagan? Panu kung tumagal pa yung usapan namin ni Miss Supervisor at maiwan na ko ng eroplano?
Tapos sinagot nya yung text. Nag-iisip na ko ng mga sasabihin ko. Pinapawisan na ko sa nerbiyos.
"Panu 'to iho? Dalhin mo na lang 'to sa BI, dun ka makipag-usap."
"Pero, yan po talaga yung clearance ko galing DOST. Ilang beses na po akong umaalis na yan po yung pinapakita kong permit."
Tapos binasa namin phrase by phrase yung endorsement letter. May mga instances na feeling nya tama nga sya. Tapos magpapaliwanag ako. Itutuloy namin yung pagbasa. Tahimik saglit. Tapos nde pa rin sya papayag, uulitin nya yung points nya, idedefend ko naman ulit yung sakin.
"Itatawag ko na lang sa phone itong letter mo ha. Ichecheck ko sa kanila." Pakiramdam ko, napipikon na sya saken. Tumataas na kasi yung boses nya na parang naiirita na sya.
Nde naman din pwedeng OK na lang ako ng OK sa sinasabi nya. E nde nya ko papaalisin e. So sabi ko na lang "Sige po, Dapat po." Dun sya lalung nagalit.
"Dapat po!". Namimilosopo ka ba? Galit na tanong nya saken. E ang ibig ko lang naman sabihin, tama at dapat lang yung ginagawa nyang paghihigpit, na dapat chinecheck nga nila yung mga taong lumalabas ng bansa, lalu na kaming mga may "kaso" o black-listed sa kanila.
Tapos padabog syang lumabas ng room para nga i-confirm yung letter ko.
Pagbalik nya. "O cge, ayus na 'to. Ipa-xerox mo na lang tapos bigay mo dun sa pinilahan mo kanina. Wag kang pilosopo ha, Ikaw na nga yung tinutulungan, ikaw pa yung pilosopo jan."
He he he. Natawa na lang ako. Siguro nga mali yung linya ko kaya namis-interpret nya.
Yun yung unang beses na pinapunta ko sa Office of the Supervisor sa immigration sa NAIA. Nakakatrauma, iba pala yung tension kapag may hinahabol kang eroplano, tapos haharangin ka naman sa immigration dahil meron kang dapat linawin sa kanila. Nakakaihi.
Muli, dahil sa bagong rule, bye-bye na sa ganung mga experience.
Hindi pala.
Lampas alas-dose na nung turn ko na sa mahabang pila. Confident sa bagong rule, iniabot ko yung berdeng passport ko kasama yung letter ko galing DOST. "DOST po."
Tapos after i-check nya sa database sa computer nila yung pangalan ko. "Black listed ka pa. Nde pa nalilift yung pangalan mo sa listahan namin."
"Pero may permit po ako, galing DOST." Haay. Nakakasawa na nu? Uulitin ko na naman yung mga linya ko. Na ganito ganun, na may bagong rule na kaya. Na ok na yung travel clearance na pinapakita ko, supposedly.
Sa linya ng immigration, merong dalawang officers sa isang booth. Tapos dalawang pila din. Sa may maliit na bilog na bintana ng booth, dun mo makakausap yung immigration officer. Dun hahanapin yung passport, ticket, immigration form at kung anu-ano pang pag-uusisa nila sayo. Meron din silang computer para i-check yung pangalan mo, kung pede ka nga nilang payagang umalis.
Dalawa silang babaeng officers sa booth. Dun kami nakapila ni Ate My sa officer sa may right side. Si IO1 yung nag-iimbestiga saken, si IO2 naman yung kasama nya sa booth.
IO1: "Nde naman ito permit, endorsement letter lang 'to. Asan na yung reply letter dito?"
Jayson: "Yan po yung permit na binigay saken nung DOST."
IO1: "Dinala mo ba 'to sa BI? Dapat dinala mo, asan na yung reply nila dito?"
Jayson: "Pero sabi po ni Sir Dante sa DOST, ifa-fax na daw po nila sa BI yung lahat ng documents ko kasama po yung travel itinerary ko."
IO1: "Sino nagsabi?"
Jayson: "Si Sir Dante po sa DOST yung kinunan ko po ng clearance."
IO1: "E nde naman clearance to. Kailangan mo pa syang dalhin sa BI."
OK. Timeout muna. Kinakabahan na ko, oo. Pero ilang beses ko ng dinaanan 'to. Kumbaga, word for word, everytime, ganito na ng ganito. So nde ako dapat magpa-intimidate sa kanya, dapat relaxed at composed pa din ako. Pag nde, bye bye eroplano at iyak ako sa BI. Plus, ano dadalhin ko na naman pauwi yung mga bagahe ko. Hassle naman yun.
IO2: "DOST ba yan? E pinag-aral yan ng gobyerno.", sabi nya kay IO1.
IO1: "Panu na 'to? Anong gagawin naten dito?," nagtatanong ba sya saken? Time na ba para magmakaawa ako sa kanya?
Jayson: "Pero Ilang beses na po na yan po yung ginagamit kong clearance para umalis."
IO2: "San ka nagtatrabaho?"
Jayson: "Sa Makati po."
IO2: "Panu mo binabayaran yung gobyerno? Bakit ka aalis?"
Jayson: "Ma'am yung kontrata po namin sa scholarship magwowork po ako sa Pilipinas."
IO1: "Oo nga. Bakit ka aalis. Nde pwede, nde pa nalilift yung pangalan mo dito sa listahan namin."
Jayson: "Opo. Kaya po kailangan ko po ng permit para payagan po ako. Dala ko po yung clearance ko galing DOST."
IO2: "Diba may kontrata ka? Ilang taon nga yun?"
Jayson: "Katumbas po kung ilan taon pong nag-aral."
IO2: "Ilang taon?"
Jayson: "Limang taon po."
IO2: "Ilang taon ka ng nagtatrabaho?"
Jayson: "Tatlo po."
IO2: "O, e di may dalawa pa."
Jayson: "Opo. Pero pinapayagan naman po nila akong umalis."
IO1: "Dun ka na lang sa supervisor namin makipag-usap. Ibalik mo saken yan na may sign nya kapag pinayagan ka. Wala ka namang clearance."
IO2: "San ka ba nag-aral?"
Jayson: "Sa UP-Diliman po."
IO1: "Sige dalhin mo na yang letter mo sa supervisor."
Jayson: "Pwede pong nde na ko pipila ulit kapag bumalik po ako sa inyo?"
IO1: "Oo basta pa-sign mo yan sa kanya tapos balik mo saken." Yung tono nya, confident sya na nde na ko makakabalik na may sign nung supervisor nila.
Haay. Nde ko alam, dapat naiiyak na ko neto. He he. Pero dahil siguro paulit-ulit na lang na ganito. Sanay na din ako sa sistema. So here I go again. Pagkatapos kong ibalita kay Ate My yung bagong rule, nde ko inaasahan yung pangalawang meeting ko with the Supervisor. Natatakot na nga ako dun, baka makilala nya pa ko, yung pilosopo daw na humihingi ng permit na makaalis.
Naisip ko na lang, OK lang to. At least meron silang screening kahit papano, saka lunch time na rin. Siguro nde pa sila kumakain kaya tinatarayan nila ko.
So hinanap ko yung office of the supervisor. Kumaway na lang ako kay Ate My na mauna na sya kasi malamang matatagalan na naman ako. Haay buhay!
Tapos lalaki naman yung in-charge nila ngayon. Inaasikaso nya yung schedule ng mga officers sa line dahil nga nde pa kumakain yung karamihan sa kanila.
Jayson: "Kayo po ba yung supervisor?".
Mr. Supervisor: "Baket?"
Jayson: "DOST po."
Mr. Supervisor: "Ay naku iho, ikinalulungkot ko pero kailangan mo ng clearance."
Lalaking katabi ng Supervisor: "Kailangan mo ng clearance."
Bakit lagi na lang may kakampi yung mga taong kausap ko? Nakakatawa kasi para syang may alagang parrot, e inulit nya lang naman yung sinabi nung supervisor diba?
Jayson: "Heto po yung permit ko." May kausap pa si Mr. Supervisor kaya yung lalaking katabi nya yung kumuha nung letter ko. Binasa tapos iniabot saken pabalik tapos umalis.
Tapos iniabot ko ulit yung letter kay Mr. Supervisor nung natapos na silang mag-usap nung isang lalaking kausap nya. Nde rin basta-basta makakaalis dahil may warrant of arrest. Depensa naman nung lalaki, nde nya alam yung kasong yun. Tapos pinapagalitan nya yung iba nyang kasama na sumama sa kanya kay Mr. Supervisor dahil wala naman silang kaso, na sya na yung bahala dun, mauna na sila sa pila.
So inaayos nila yung kaso nung lalaki. "Diyos ko po!" Nde ko alam pero magkahalong tensyon, nerbyos at natatawang-naiinis na ko sa paulit-ulit na nangyayari saken sa NAIA.
Sep 14, 2007
evaluation
Just like a wave, there's ups and downs.
Last July of this year, I received my midyear performance evaluation. Basically it's a grading system wherein you collect points from Productivity (50 points), Technical Capability (30 points), Cooperativeness (10 points) and Work Method and Discipline (10 points).
Depending on this criteria, at stake is my salary increase for this year and a chance to get promoted. Even though I am not aware of what score it will take to push me into promotion or how does the management convert the points into salary increase. It's a secret formula derived from I don't know who and why. To be safe, I need a high score. The higher I get, the greater is my increase and perhaps the more chances of being promoted.
It's one of the greatest source of my frustration for the past couple of months.
I think last year was not a good year for me performancewise. I got a lot of bugs for the software modules I own. But then again, who doesn't? I am trying to improve, though the evaluation is for last year, not this year. I only started to focus on my weaknesses just when I realized that my software engineering career is not where I wanted it to be. Only late this year that I want growth and maximal posible improvement. Last year was an experimental stage. And experiments often accompany failures, you don't usually get it right at first try.
Oh yes. Then why be frustrated? That's because I think the "experiment" has been three full years already. He he he. If I was not getting any substancial results from this career, then I might as well shift to a different path. And three years is long enough to experiment, isn't it?
I gave myself an 88 of a possible 100. From my college days, a grade of 1.0 requires 93%. And just like in college, I am not the one to give myself a grade. He he he. My manager gave me an 86. And I know, from these results that I am not progressing as much as I want to. I was thinking of a career shift already. Last year I had an 84, this year 86. If I was to follow the trend, I need 4 more years to surpass the 93% mark. That's a whole lot of time and it doesn't even mean it's going to be that way. As I've said the scores are to be interpreted by the management and it's a secret formula that they are using. Nothing definite.
I was lost. It's not so easy to shift to a different career or a different company. It's not so hard neither, especially if it's really time to change. The most difficult part of it all is that my decisions will certainly affect my family. It's not just my career that is on the line.
How could I quit my job now for frustrations when my brother and my sister needs me for their schooling. When only 50% of our house is constructed. Wrong timing.
Frustrated. Lost. Struggling.
I turned down an offer from a good friend to join him in his new company for almost twice my current salary. I did not entertain the thoughts of working abroad for better career opportunities. I wanted to stay and help this company. Unfortunately, I felt I wasn't competitive enough to be a software engineer.
Plan B. I'm going back to school for my Master's degree in Electronics. While in school, I'll take a refresher's course to prepare for the ECE licensure exam. I just have to wait for a little less than two years for my sibings to finish their studies.
Having a backup plan helped ease my frustrations. If I were not to progress as a software engineer, why force it? After a couple of weeks, I begin to feel relieved. I pressured myself too much. Perhaps I was expecting a lot. I started to take it easy.
Back to that midyear evaluation last July, after my manager sent the results he invited us to talk about it for comments, concerns, rants and objections. Back then, I was too frustrated to talk it over. I wanted to just forget all about it and focus on Plan B.
Yesterday, two months after the evaluation period. Again, we were invited by our manager to discuss the results. We can gain a lot of insights and improvements from knowing our strengths and weaknesses, I think that's the most important goal of the evaluation (aside from the salary increase, he he). I agreed, I think I'm over the frustration stage already. I have taken things in a different perspective, I think I am already about to welcome a career shift in two years time so why not discuss the evaluation, learn from it and move on.
I got the promotion. Surprised and overjoyed. I was too busy being frustrated and thinking of Plan B when I should have just focused on what I have started for this year - improving my software know-how.
Was I just too impatient? Perhaps I was thinking too hard and making it too hard on myself.
I learned to take things easy. I started frustrated and then lost and struggling.. learned to take it easy and ended with a smile.
It's time to celebrate. We'll have ice cream on the house tonight. ;)
Last July of this year, I received my midyear performance evaluation. Basically it's a grading system wherein you collect points from Productivity (50 points), Technical Capability (30 points), Cooperativeness (10 points) and Work Method and Discipline (10 points).
Depending on this criteria, at stake is my salary increase for this year and a chance to get promoted. Even though I am not aware of what score it will take to push me into promotion or how does the management convert the points into salary increase. It's a secret formula derived from I don't know who and why. To be safe, I need a high score. The higher I get, the greater is my increase and perhaps the more chances of being promoted.
It's one of the greatest source of my frustration for the past couple of months.
I think last year was not a good year for me performancewise. I got a lot of bugs for the software modules I own. But then again, who doesn't? I am trying to improve, though the evaluation is for last year, not this year. I only started to focus on my weaknesses just when I realized that my software engineering career is not where I wanted it to be. Only late this year that I want growth and maximal posible improvement. Last year was an experimental stage. And experiments often accompany failures, you don't usually get it right at first try.
Oh yes. Then why be frustrated? That's because I think the "experiment" has been three full years already. He he he. If I was not getting any substancial results from this career, then I might as well shift to a different path. And three years is long enough to experiment, isn't it?
I gave myself an 88 of a possible 100. From my college days, a grade of 1.0 requires 93%. And just like in college, I am not the one to give myself a grade. He he he. My manager gave me an 86. And I know, from these results that I am not progressing as much as I want to. I was thinking of a career shift already. Last year I had an 84, this year 86. If I was to follow the trend, I need 4 more years to surpass the 93% mark. That's a whole lot of time and it doesn't even mean it's going to be that way. As I've said the scores are to be interpreted by the management and it's a secret formula that they are using. Nothing definite.
I was lost. It's not so easy to shift to a different career or a different company. It's not so hard neither, especially if it's really time to change. The most difficult part of it all is that my decisions will certainly affect my family. It's not just my career that is on the line.
How could I quit my job now for frustrations when my brother and my sister needs me for their schooling. When only 50% of our house is constructed. Wrong timing.
Frustrated. Lost. Struggling.
I turned down an offer from a good friend to join him in his new company for almost twice my current salary. I did not entertain the thoughts of working abroad for better career opportunities. I wanted to stay and help this company. Unfortunately, I felt I wasn't competitive enough to be a software engineer.
Plan B. I'm going back to school for my Master's degree in Electronics. While in school, I'll take a refresher's course to prepare for the ECE licensure exam. I just have to wait for a little less than two years for my sibings to finish their studies.
Having a backup plan helped ease my frustrations. If I were not to progress as a software engineer, why force it? After a couple of weeks, I begin to feel relieved. I pressured myself too much. Perhaps I was expecting a lot. I started to take it easy.
Back to that midyear evaluation last July, after my manager sent the results he invited us to talk about it for comments, concerns, rants and objections. Back then, I was too frustrated to talk it over. I wanted to just forget all about it and focus on Plan B.
Yesterday, two months after the evaluation period. Again, we were invited by our manager to discuss the results. We can gain a lot of insights and improvements from knowing our strengths and weaknesses, I think that's the most important goal of the evaluation (aside from the salary increase, he he). I agreed, I think I'm over the frustration stage already. I have taken things in a different perspective, I think I am already about to welcome a career shift in two years time so why not discuss the evaluation, learn from it and move on.
I got the promotion. Surprised and overjoyed. I was too busy being frustrated and thinking of Plan B when I should have just focused on what I have started for this year - improving my software know-how.
Was I just too impatient? Perhaps I was thinking too hard and making it too hard on myself.
I learned to take things easy. I started frustrated and then lost and struggling.. learned to take it easy and ended with a smile.
It's time to celebrate. We'll have ice cream on the house tonight. ;)
Sep 13, 2007
Nine Songs
Baby Can I Hold,
Everything,
Exodus,
Hangin' By a Moment,
How's It Gonna Be,
If You're Gone
Six mp3 songs played by my phone while I try, my mind willing and my body struggling so damn hard, to do shadow boxing. By the end of the second song, sweat began to ooze out of my body (perhaps of heat and hard exercise combined). By the third song, I began to struggle with my breathing. By the fourth, I am already bathing in my own sweat and I can hardly catch my breath. By the fifth, it was a mental struggle "You can do it.. You can do it..", my body wants stop, my mind pushing it to its limits. By the sixth, it was "just finish the song.. finish it." And so I did and it was just my stubborn will to complete my daily cardiovascular training - shadow boxing.
Left jab, right straight. Jab, jab, straight. Left uppercut, right uppercut. Left jab, right uppercut. Move your feet, let go of the jab. Weave, don't let your invisible opponent catch you, move your head. Stalk, jab.. Repeat randomly until fully exhausted.
Half naked and facing a mirror, sometimes moving around to simulate a true sparring match. It was a pure struggle, cut the fats, trim the belly. Foolish. Fantastic.
The seventh song, Quasimodo, I rest for a while and study how much belly fats I still have to loose while I childishly enjoy the water coming out of the faucet. Water is my best friend by the seventh.
I do two sets of push ups when The Russian Futurists began to play. The first set with 30 counts and the second with only 20 as my arms already feeling the pains of a hard work out.
By the ninth song, Vindicated, I was doing my abdominal exercises. Whew, I was barely able to lift my body off the floor afterwards.
Baby Can I Hold was starting to be repeated when I washed and changed clothes.
It was a fine day as I retire to bed. Seven weeks almost complete (the first few weeks wherein I was only able to complete two songs of shadow boxing), ten more weeks left of rigorous exercise. I will not shave my beard till the final training day. ;)
Everything,
Exodus,
Hangin' By a Moment,
How's It Gonna Be,
If You're Gone
Six mp3 songs played by my phone while I try, my mind willing and my body struggling so damn hard, to do shadow boxing. By the end of the second song, sweat began to ooze out of my body (perhaps of heat and hard exercise combined). By the third song, I began to struggle with my breathing. By the fourth, I am already bathing in my own sweat and I can hardly catch my breath. By the fifth, it was a mental struggle "You can do it.. You can do it..", my body wants stop, my mind pushing it to its limits. By the sixth, it was "just finish the song.. finish it." And so I did and it was just my stubborn will to complete my daily cardiovascular training - shadow boxing.
Left jab, right straight. Jab, jab, straight. Left uppercut, right uppercut. Left jab, right uppercut. Move your feet, let go of the jab. Weave, don't let your invisible opponent catch you, move your head. Stalk, jab.. Repeat randomly until fully exhausted.
Half naked and facing a mirror, sometimes moving around to simulate a true sparring match. It was a pure struggle, cut the fats, trim the belly. Foolish. Fantastic.
The seventh song, Quasimodo, I rest for a while and study how much belly fats I still have to loose while I childishly enjoy the water coming out of the faucet. Water is my best friend by the seventh.
I do two sets of push ups when The Russian Futurists began to play. The first set with 30 counts and the second with only 20 as my arms already feeling the pains of a hard work out.
By the ninth song, Vindicated, I was doing my abdominal exercises. Whew, I was barely able to lift my body off the floor afterwards.
Baby Can I Hold was starting to be repeated when I washed and changed clothes.
It was a fine day as I retire to bed. Seven weeks almost complete (the first few weeks wherein I was only able to complete two songs of shadow boxing), ten more weeks left of rigorous exercise. I will not shave my beard till the final training day. ;)
Aug 21, 2007
The Old Snail
Every night, I jog my way back to Robertson Quay Hotel. It's a lot easier to push myself at these times rather than wake up early in the morning before the sun shows up.
Interestingly enough, I got to talk to an old snail every time I pass along Alexandra road. She's too slow of course, and I only manage to say a few sentences to her before I completely pass her by.
Monday night, I almost stepped at her. My mind was too occupied and it was flying somewhere else. I lost focus on where my feet were landing until the old snail got my attention.
"You kutchi-kutchi little thing, you shouldn't be on the sidewalk, you'll be crushed in no time." I picked her up and placed her on the grass far away from the side walk.
"Bye bye, I'm so hungry I couldn't talk to you more, I'll see you tomorrow." And then I jogged my way to the hotel.
Tuesday night, I saw the snail again, about half a kilometer away from yesterday.
"You're good ma'am. Keep walking."
And she answered, "Yeah, Yeah.. You bet. How are you? You're mood seem to be lighter now than yesterday..", she remarked.
"Pressure kept on piling up till the point where I exploded. I knew it was coming, I just didn't think it will be that frustrating. I slammed my luggage bag to the floor, It was late Saturday night, and it woke everybody in the house up. At that time, I couldn't explain to anyone what and how I felt, I just felt terrible." And then I passed her by.
The following day, she was only a few feet from the last time I saw her.
"Why? What's the matter? Are you sick?," I asked.
"You of course. Why did you do that? Slam your bag to the floor? Are you always like that?."
I stopped jogging, sat down on the grass, caught my breath and told her "I don't know. I was just so frustrated."
"And how could you be so frustrated young man?"
"Let's put it this way, I kinda expected things to happen.. they did not.. and then I just saw myself in a bad mood."
"Things like that happen.. I mean, most of the time.. Life is too unpredictable for you to expect."
"It's not like that ma'am. I planned carefully. I wasn't hoping, I was in control.."
"Yeah.. that's nice.. planning. But you could only plan as much.. couldn't you?"
"Maybe.. I don't know.. But I figured out, expectations led me to frustrations.. And so I'm better now.. I figured I just have to do what I need to do.. Have a good day and probably things will go in my favor.. someday I hope. That's probably the reason I can smile.."
"It's funny how you depend on hope now.. I'll see you tomorrow young man."
I got up, smiled at her and started to jog again.
Thursday, I decided not to jog. I think I'll easily burn out if I jog everyday, I needed some rest. I missed the old snail though. She's like my grandmother, they always have something to say.
Friday, I caught up with her again. She's now a lot farther away from the very first time I saw her.
"It's nice to see you again my lady, how are you?."
"I'm finally here. I'm glad I saw you today. Take a seat (Her eyes pointing to the soft green grass to my left)."
"This is where all that walk is for ma'am?," I asked smiling, hoping to make her feel good about all the walking she's done.
"Yeah. This is it as far as you see me. I'm so tired now but it's all worth it, I'll be crossing the opposite road starting tomorrow and it'll be a long and far journey. Listen son, you just keep on going.. promise me that. You'll be frustrated again, sooner or later.. I might not be there for you no more.. but listen, You just keep on going."
"Thank you.," that's the only words I could utter.
Weekends came, I stayed at the hotel cause it's been raining hard the past few days.
I still jog every night. I miss the old snail. I'll probably won't see her again.
Interestingly enough, I got to talk to an old snail every time I pass along Alexandra road. She's too slow of course, and I only manage to say a few sentences to her before I completely pass her by.
Monday night, I almost stepped at her. My mind was too occupied and it was flying somewhere else. I lost focus on where my feet were landing until the old snail got my attention.
"You kutchi-kutchi little thing, you shouldn't be on the sidewalk, you'll be crushed in no time." I picked her up and placed her on the grass far away from the side walk.
"Bye bye, I'm so hungry I couldn't talk to you more, I'll see you tomorrow." And then I jogged my way to the hotel.
Tuesday night, I saw the snail again, about half a kilometer away from yesterday.
"You're good ma'am. Keep walking."
And she answered, "Yeah, Yeah.. You bet. How are you? You're mood seem to be lighter now than yesterday..", she remarked.
"Pressure kept on piling up till the point where I exploded. I knew it was coming, I just didn't think it will be that frustrating. I slammed my luggage bag to the floor, It was late Saturday night, and it woke everybody in the house up. At that time, I couldn't explain to anyone what and how I felt, I just felt terrible." And then I passed her by.
The following day, she was only a few feet from the last time I saw her.
"Why? What's the matter? Are you sick?," I asked.
"You of course. Why did you do that? Slam your bag to the floor? Are you always like that?."
I stopped jogging, sat down on the grass, caught my breath and told her "I don't know. I was just so frustrated."
"And how could you be so frustrated young man?"
"Let's put it this way, I kinda expected things to happen.. they did not.. and then I just saw myself in a bad mood."
"Things like that happen.. I mean, most of the time.. Life is too unpredictable for you to expect."
"It's not like that ma'am. I planned carefully. I wasn't hoping, I was in control.."
"Yeah.. that's nice.. planning. But you could only plan as much.. couldn't you?"
"Maybe.. I don't know.. But I figured out, expectations led me to frustrations.. And so I'm better now.. I figured I just have to do what I need to do.. Have a good day and probably things will go in my favor.. someday I hope. That's probably the reason I can smile.."
"It's funny how you depend on hope now.. I'll see you tomorrow young man."
I got up, smiled at her and started to jog again.
Thursday, I decided not to jog. I think I'll easily burn out if I jog everyday, I needed some rest. I missed the old snail though. She's like my grandmother, they always have something to say.
Friday, I caught up with her again. She's now a lot farther away from the very first time I saw her.
"It's nice to see you again my lady, how are you?."
"I'm finally here. I'm glad I saw you today. Take a seat (Her eyes pointing to the soft green grass to my left)."
"This is where all that walk is for ma'am?," I asked smiling, hoping to make her feel good about all the walking she's done.
"Yeah. This is it as far as you see me. I'm so tired now but it's all worth it, I'll be crossing the opposite road starting tomorrow and it'll be a long and far journey. Listen son, you just keep on going.. promise me that. You'll be frustrated again, sooner or later.. I might not be there for you no more.. but listen, You just keep on going."
"Thank you.," that's the only words I could utter.
Weekends came, I stayed at the hotel cause it's been raining hard the past few days.
I still jog every night. I miss the old snail. I'll probably won't see her again.
Aug 6, 2007
Sports Weekend
War for 4 Highlights
Erik Morales returned fire for fire, displayed the courage and machismo that has been attached to his legendary name for the past few years, and in the end, showed the world that he still has the skills to fight. Nobody expected him to last the distance against the aggressive and defending champion, after all Manny Pacquiao demolished him in only three rounds in his last fight prior to this one. Never under estimate the heart of a champion. Erik, the challenger and former three-time world champion in as many weight divisions, dropped the defending champion in the very first round of the championship bout. Diaz, the defending champion, caught him with a series of vicious punches to the face and seems to end the fight by pursuing the aging Morales to the ropes. Morales fought back and landed a crisp right to the jaw of Diaz sending him down to the canvas with the time about to end the first round. The following rounds were unforgiving, being a fan of the ever-engaging Morales, I seem to feel both pity and admiration for Erik. Pity because it's clear to me that the punches that he absorbed seems too much for his age, admiration because no matter how many punches he absorbed, he still fought back. And Erik even seems to be winning a lot of rounds, plus the 1st round knock down.
In the end, the previous wars that Erik has been to affected him. He is not the same legendary fighter that once beaten both Barrera and Pacquiao. His legs and body movement were not there anymore, his mind is willing to fight, his heart is not be questioned, but his body is no longer responding in his favor. And in the last three or four rounds, he was breathing heavily, he was practically a stationary target and he eventually lost on a points decision.
Thank you Erik for those memorable wars. Please retire and avoid the ring punishments, you've already proven a lot.
In the same fight card, Rodel Mayol of Cebu, Philippines fought for the WBC junior flyweight title (108-pound limit). The first three rounds, Rodel seems to be too eager to land his powerful punches. I can't blame him for this attitude, he is a young challenger wanting to gain respect from the champion and show the world that he is deserving to be the next world champion. His eagerness worked against him as the champion was able to counter the punches coming from Mayol.
In the fourth round, probably advised by his cornermen, Mayol began to throw the jabs and box beautifully. He was more relaxed and he was boxing smarter. In round six, he caught the champion with a power left hook to the face and the champion stumbled down with both knees on the canvas. The referee erred in calling it a slip. Mayol, robbed of a knockdown, wasn't able to capitalize. The referee by not calling it a knockdown, has given Mayol the opportunity to attack the champion that was visibly hurt by that wicked left hook. Have it been ruled a knockdown, the referee will have to count from one to ten until the champion gets up on his feet, giving him time to recover from the knockdown.
It wasn't meant to be for Mayol. He wasn't able to finish off the champion. He won the seventh round, again by outboxing the champion and by delivering the more accurate and more powerful blows. At the start of the eight, were the commentators were already applauding Mayol for his gallant effort and for leading the fight on their unofficial score cards, a disaster happened. Mayol was caught by a right straight across his jaw that was perfectly setup by a left jab. Boom! The referee need not count, Mayol was out for good in his second failed attempt to win a world championship.
It was sad for this young and brave Filipino. Will he fight again? Will he be as gallant and as eager to win? He is the only one who could tell. I hope he still fights, and bring in a hungrier heart and a more determined will to finally hold a championship title. Remember that the test of a man's true character is in the face of adversities.
FIBA and UAAP
Team Pilipinas beat China for the second time in the tournament and earned the 9th spot (out of 16 participating countries). They failed to land a spot for the 2008 Beijing Olympics but all is not lost. It's just the beginning. I hope that the PBA and the Philippine basketball officials continue to work together and regain the Philippine basketball supremacy in Asia. This is a basketball crazy nation that unfortunately seems not to be doing so good in basketball over the last two decades.
The UP Fighting Maroons dropped their seventh straight games against the FEU Tamaraws. They are now in the very bottom of the team standings with a 0-7 win-loss card. Sad, but as Ronnie Magsanoc said, it does not matter how many games you lost in the previous games, every time you play, you carry the hopes, pride and honor of your school so you've got to give it your best every time you play. Good luck UP. Win or lose, you have the support of all of the "Iskolar ng Bayan".
Extras
I will be going back to Teraoka Weigh System, Singapore this August 12. Yehey, I can earn more plus I will have more time to write as I will no longer have to travel five hours a day to work and back home. I will definitely miss the sinangag (fried rice), lumpiang shanghai and piniritong isda (fried fish) of my mother every morning.
Thanks for reading.
Erik Morales returned fire for fire, displayed the courage and machismo that has been attached to his legendary name for the past few years, and in the end, showed the world that he still has the skills to fight. Nobody expected him to last the distance against the aggressive and defending champion, after all Manny Pacquiao demolished him in only three rounds in his last fight prior to this one. Never under estimate the heart of a champion. Erik, the challenger and former three-time world champion in as many weight divisions, dropped the defending champion in the very first round of the championship bout. Diaz, the defending champion, caught him with a series of vicious punches to the face and seems to end the fight by pursuing the aging Morales to the ropes. Morales fought back and landed a crisp right to the jaw of Diaz sending him down to the canvas with the time about to end the first round. The following rounds were unforgiving, being a fan of the ever-engaging Morales, I seem to feel both pity and admiration for Erik. Pity because it's clear to me that the punches that he absorbed seems too much for his age, admiration because no matter how many punches he absorbed, he still fought back. And Erik even seems to be winning a lot of rounds, plus the 1st round knock down.
In the end, the previous wars that Erik has been to affected him. He is not the same legendary fighter that once beaten both Barrera and Pacquiao. His legs and body movement were not there anymore, his mind is willing to fight, his heart is not be questioned, but his body is no longer responding in his favor. And in the last three or four rounds, he was breathing heavily, he was practically a stationary target and he eventually lost on a points decision.
Thank you Erik for those memorable wars. Please retire and avoid the ring punishments, you've already proven a lot.
In the same fight card, Rodel Mayol of Cebu, Philippines fought for the WBC junior flyweight title (108-pound limit). The first three rounds, Rodel seems to be too eager to land his powerful punches. I can't blame him for this attitude, he is a young challenger wanting to gain respect from the champion and show the world that he is deserving to be the next world champion. His eagerness worked against him as the champion was able to counter the punches coming from Mayol.
In the fourth round, probably advised by his cornermen, Mayol began to throw the jabs and box beautifully. He was more relaxed and he was boxing smarter. In round six, he caught the champion with a power left hook to the face and the champion stumbled down with both knees on the canvas. The referee erred in calling it a slip. Mayol, robbed of a knockdown, wasn't able to capitalize. The referee by not calling it a knockdown, has given Mayol the opportunity to attack the champion that was visibly hurt by that wicked left hook. Have it been ruled a knockdown, the referee will have to count from one to ten until the champion gets up on his feet, giving him time to recover from the knockdown.
It wasn't meant to be for Mayol. He wasn't able to finish off the champion. He won the seventh round, again by outboxing the champion and by delivering the more accurate and more powerful blows. At the start of the eight, were the commentators were already applauding Mayol for his gallant effort and for leading the fight on their unofficial score cards, a disaster happened. Mayol was caught by a right straight across his jaw that was perfectly setup by a left jab. Boom! The referee need not count, Mayol was out for good in his second failed attempt to win a world championship.
It was sad for this young and brave Filipino. Will he fight again? Will he be as gallant and as eager to win? He is the only one who could tell. I hope he still fights, and bring in a hungrier heart and a more determined will to finally hold a championship title. Remember that the test of a man's true character is in the face of adversities.
FIBA and UAAP
Team Pilipinas beat China for the second time in the tournament and earned the 9th spot (out of 16 participating countries). They failed to land a spot for the 2008 Beijing Olympics but all is not lost. It's just the beginning. I hope that the PBA and the Philippine basketball officials continue to work together and regain the Philippine basketball supremacy in Asia. This is a basketball crazy nation that unfortunately seems not to be doing so good in basketball over the last two decades.
The UP Fighting Maroons dropped their seventh straight games against the FEU Tamaraws. They are now in the very bottom of the team standings with a 0-7 win-loss card. Sad, but as Ronnie Magsanoc said, it does not matter how many games you lost in the previous games, every time you play, you carry the hopes, pride and honor of your school so you've got to give it your best every time you play. Good luck UP. Win or lose, you have the support of all of the "Iskolar ng Bayan".
Extras
I will be going back to Teraoka Weigh System, Singapore this August 12. Yehey, I can earn more plus I will have more time to write as I will no longer have to travel five hours a day to work and back home. I will definitely miss the sinangag (fried rice), lumpiang shanghai and piniritong isda (fried fish) of my mother every morning.
Thanks for reading.
Aug 3, 2007
sa bawat araw
kagabi.. sa huling gabi ng tatlong-araw na pahinga..
napag-isip-isip ko na dahil sa mga pangarap ko..
nakakalimutan ko na halos i-appreciate yung bawat araw na dumadaan..
na parang hinihintay ko na lang dumating yung araw
na makukuha ko eto.. at mabibili ko yun..
pero wala yung pagtanggap at pagpapahalaga sa maliit
na detalye ng bawat lumilipas na araw.
naisip ko na.. kung makakamit ko yung pangarap ko.. e di masaya..
pero nde dapat winawalang-bahala yung kasiyahan..
yung kasimplehan.. at karamihan ng mga bagay na pwede kong
mapulot sa isang ordinaryong araw..
maikli lang ang buhay..
kakaunti lang ang mga pangarap ko..
nde naman pwede na maappreciate ko lang yung mga araw
na nakuha ko yung pangarap ko.. o yung gusto kong gawin..
mas simpleng mga kasiyahan.. sa bawat araw..
mas marami.. mas masaya..
mas mapapahalagahan ko yung bawat saglit ng maikling buhay ko..
/=====
nde ito isang ordinaryong araw..
ilang araw na ba ang lumipas sa kasaysayan ng mundo..
na eto ako at buhay.. humihinga.. gumagawa..?
dapat akong magsaya.. ang bawat araw na nandito ako sa mundo..
ay ispesyal..
napag-isip-isip ko na dahil sa mga pangarap ko..
nakakalimutan ko na halos i-appreciate yung bawat araw na dumadaan..
na parang hinihintay ko na lang dumating yung araw
na makukuha ko eto.. at mabibili ko yun..
pero wala yung pagtanggap at pagpapahalaga sa maliit
na detalye ng bawat lumilipas na araw.
naisip ko na.. kung makakamit ko yung pangarap ko.. e di masaya..
pero nde dapat winawalang-bahala yung kasiyahan..
yung kasimplehan.. at karamihan ng mga bagay na pwede kong
mapulot sa isang ordinaryong araw..
maikli lang ang buhay..
kakaunti lang ang mga pangarap ko..
nde naman pwede na maappreciate ko lang yung mga araw
na nakuha ko yung pangarap ko.. o yung gusto kong gawin..
mas simpleng mga kasiyahan.. sa bawat araw..
mas marami.. mas masaya..
mas mapapahalagahan ko yung bawat saglit ng maikling buhay ko..
/=====
nde ito isang ordinaryong araw..
ilang araw na ba ang lumipas sa kasaysayan ng mundo..
na eto ako at buhay.. humihinga.. gumagawa..?
dapat akong magsaya.. ang bawat araw na nandito ako sa mundo..
ay ispesyal..
Joke Time
Classic itong isang 'to para saken. FM Radio joke sa bus.
Minsan may isang barakong lalaki, matikas at may katangkaran ang nangailangan ng serbisyo
ng isang dentista. Bakas sa barakong lalaking iyon ang kaba at takot na ipabunot ang isa
sa mga ipin nya. Agad naman itong napansin ng beteranong dentista, isang magandang
dalaga na nasa 26 hanggang 28 taong gulang.
Dentista: Natatakot ka bang magpabunot ng ipin? (nakangiting tanong ng dentista)
Barako: Meeedyo (nanginginig at kabadong sagot ng lalaki)
Dentista: Wag kang mag-alala, bibigyan kita ng pampatapang (anesthesia).
At kalmadong naturukan ng anesthesia ang lalaki.
"Ngayon, matapang ka na diba?", Nakangiting tanong ng dentista.
Sumagot naman yung barako "Sige, galawin mo ipin ko,
pag hindi ko binasag yang pagmumukha mo." (ang tapang !!!)
Minsan may isang barakong lalaki, matikas at may katangkaran ang nangailangan ng serbisyo
ng isang dentista. Bakas sa barakong lalaking iyon ang kaba at takot na ipabunot ang isa
sa mga ipin nya. Agad naman itong napansin ng beteranong dentista, isang magandang
dalaga na nasa 26 hanggang 28 taong gulang.
Dentista: Natatakot ka bang magpabunot ng ipin? (nakangiting tanong ng dentista)
Barako: Meeedyo (nanginginig at kabadong sagot ng lalaki)
Dentista: Wag kang mag-alala, bibigyan kita ng pampatapang (anesthesia).
At kalmadong naturukan ng anesthesia ang lalaki.
"Ngayon, matapang ka na diba?", Nakangiting tanong ng dentista.
Sumagot naman yung barako "Sige, galawin mo ipin ko,
pag hindi ko binasag yang pagmumukha mo." (ang tapang !!!)
Aug 2, 2007
back to blogging
I welcome myself back here to friendster blogs. ;)
Recently, I've been too busy thinking of what topics to post. And in my fickle and disturbed mind,
had already attempted to start two different sites for my blogs. Still, I'm not satisfied with my writings.
Still struggling to have a continuous flow of thoughts that would keep me writing. Not enough exciting
events to write of, insufficient motivation perhaps. Whatever the case, I find myself interested enough
to get my thoughts ready for the next few months of blogging.
More than half of 2007 had past. Much has to be done still. Here's my priority list of goals before
I can happily say goodbye to 2007:
One: Dream house. I have consulted with my father, I call him 'Papa', about my plans of building
our new house in Cavite. I showed him my drafts and rough sketches of a dream house that I
have been eagerly wanting to build. He slightly modified it, asked some questions, resketched
the house, estimated the cost, and have agreed to build it. It's fun drawing where the rooms will be,
where the stairs will be built (it's 2 floors with a rooftop, Papa fondly calls it a 2.5 building),
the overall design in general. I really have a lot to say about this dream house, and pardon me if
this writing has gone in disarray.
I designed it with a Europian castle in my mind. The era of the noble knights. After several revisions,
it now includes modern designs with a lot of modifications to fit my budget. I've chosen three colors
for the house, red, black and white. Up to now, since we started building last April 9,
it is not finished yet. I see my dream house standing proud by summer of 2008. And then my
plan is to prepare it for the graduation days of my brother, taking up Computer Engineering, and my
little sister, a Nursing student. I have to buy furnitures and beddings and curtains and study tables
and book shelves and gym equipments and a billiard table.
It's been very busy, the financing for it is a continuous source of headache and stress for me. Yet, I
consider this project as the best event of my young career. Working close with your family, planning
together, discussing and combining ideas with your loved ones - it has got to be the best!
Two: Boxer's Body. I've been in the gym for a year and a half. I still have a concentration of fats
around my belly. It's not a problem for me, I think its cute. I play with my belly tapping it like a drum.
Hahaha. But then again, the company outing in Cebu this November has got me worried. I have
stopped going into the gym for two months now.
I decided to go through an intensive cardio vascular training to go with the abdominal exercises to
trim my belly fats. It's so hard to maintain the weight training in the gym with my work schedule -
that is a month here in Manila and then the next month in Singapore, then back to Manila the
next month, then to Singapore again. So I just decided to take a boxer's training.
My new training program involves skipping ropes (4 sets with 75-100 repetitions per day), shadow
boxing (two 3-minute rounds of punching, weaving and footwork movements), push ups (30 counts followed by 25
counts for the next set), bicep curls (2 sets of 12 repetitions for each arm), tricep curls (2 sets of
12 repetitions for each arm), leg raises (for the lower abs, 40 counts per leg), crunches (upper abs,
50 counts), rowing crunches (lower and upper abs, 50 counts) and bicycle crunches (for the
oblique abs, 50 counts). I have done these sets of exercises every day except for Saturdays (I help
with the construction of the house) for 8 days now every 11 pm, when I reach home from the office.
That's the Manila schedule. In Singapore I will retain the abdominal exercises and the pushups.
I will be jogging every morning during weekdays except Fridays maybe to rest. And then go to
the hotel's gym during the weekends for weight training.
Three: Mastering C++. I've spent three years being a software engineer. At first, I just wanted to
work to support my family, and then try to get my Masters degree in Electronics Engineering,
preferably in the field of robotics. My work, which I appreciate and love to do, demands a lot from
my time and prevents me from reentering school. So I just decided to make the best out of it,
improve my software development skills while I'm at a software company.
I've learned a lot already from reading two C++ books, and I intend to learn more particularly about
software design, UML, and programming patterns in the next couple of months. I's never easy to
learn, it requires time and dedication and motivation. So what motivates me? I just like to give back
something to my company which have given me the opportunity to realize my dreams. My Masters
degree can wait for another two years perhaps.
Four: Blog weekly. In whatever you do, you feel better when you can do all the things you want to
do in life. It's like being able to hold and control things your own way. From time to time, doing what I
want to do despite a complicated and busy schedule makes my life a little easier and a lot more fun.
And writing has been one of my favorites. And so here I am trying to squeeze more of life out of me. ;)
Extras:
Team Pilipinas lost to Jordan recently in the FIBA asian basketball tournament serving as an
Olympic qualifier. Pilipinas is out of contention, but a lot of thanks to Kerby Raymundo and Jimmy
Alapag. They showed tremendous heart fighting for the country. Kerby with his 6'6 small frame
against the 6'10 and 7'1 centers of Iran and Kerby sent them to foul troubles never hesitating to
bang it up with the bigger guys. And Jimmy Alapag, the Mighty Mouse, help us beat team China
for the first time in 22 years. We lost in the tournament, but we never surrendered. That's fighting
spirit. Here's hoping that we could learn from our mistakes, continue with the current basketball
program for Team Pilipinas and maybe we can see the team in the 2012 London Olympics.
Rodel Mayol, my second favorite Filipino boxer, will be fighting for the world title this Sunday in the
supporting bouts for the Morales-Diaz WBC lightweight championship fight. Here's hoping he could
be the third Filipino world champion following the steps of Florante Condes
(IBF minimum weight champion) and Nonito Donaire (IBF flyweight champion).
Thanks for reading.
May 7, 2007
Of Resolve and Boxing (Intro)
Do you watch boxing?
Boxing is mostly a poor man's sport. It's a struggle, an attempt to make a living by putting your life on the line. And for most boxers, especially Filipinos, stories of poverty and struggle resonate in one harmonic frequency. Take the case of Manny Pacquiao, he sold doughnuts on the streets, worked on a construction site, left his poor family in General Santos city in hopes of having a better life. Then he wore gloves for a living. And that's a long shot away from where he is right now. For boxing is such a difficult and cruel sport. You'll be paid to outpunch your opponent, or be outpunched. And for starters? A meager P5, 000 to P10, 000 a fight.
Considering that a boxer needs at least four weeks of intense workout and tactical preparations prior to an actual fight, that his actual salary is subject to government taxes, that he must also pay for his trainer's fee, that his manager also takes a cut of his earnings for the food, lodging, clothing, etc., all these for a starting pay of five to ten thousand pesos for a month less all the expenses and all the punishments a boxer may suffer atop the ring. And then a family to support?
A boxer's only chance to make a decent living out of the sport is to dream of recognition, of a championship belt. The more popular a boxer, the more people are willing to pay to see him box. And of all those boxers around the world, only a few can be called a "champion". Naturally, a boxer ends the dream of a fellow boxer to keep his own dreams alive. The more fights won the closer he gets to a chance to fight for a championship belt, the last man standing takes the lion's share of the profit. The beaten goes home almost empty handed. It's never easy. (Life isn't!).
Manny Pacquiao is a demon in the ring, while he is monickered as the "Pacman" for gobbling up his opponents with his powerful left straights and lightning quick combinations, he is also likened to Tazmanian Devil for possesing a freakish blinding speed that his opponents never knew what hit them. Pacman is great, but he is not invincible (nobody is!).
At such a very young age, Pacman showed his skills and ferrociousness in a weekly boxing program "Blow by Blow". I may not remember all his fights, but when he fights on TV, a family member would shout "Pacquiao na!" ("Pacquiao's turn to fight!"), and everybody else gathers around the TV and expects him to devour his opponent. And when he does, everybody's happy. He doesn't normally just win, he takes down his opponents, forcibly turn them into mummies unconciously lying on the canvas.
He was exciting to watch, a poor man giving all he's got to move a mountain of poverty. I only started to view it as an spectacular show of power, and then as his life story began to spread as fast as his ring prowess was recognized, a national hero was born. His struggles against poverty became a national struggle. It's because not only the Pacman was struggling against poverty, most Filipinos do. And with every straight, hooks and uppercuts unleashed, feels like moments of finally being able to leave poverty behind and enter a hopeful bliss.
And then defeat. Before the Pacman ever became a world champion, he had to suffer the first ever loss of his career. It was a dagger to his weak (at that time) breadbasket and he was counted out. For a moment, his dreams faded, his ambitions darkened and his momentum fallen. He was not strong enough (at least, not yet).
I would be continuing to write on this very topic ("Of Resolve and Boxing"), surfacing on Manny Pacquiao's and some other boxers' lives and then try to reflect on life in general as a major struggle. I often heard of the phrase "Life is a battleground.", and I would be writing of how true it is on how I perceive my life now at age 24.
This is my research topic for the week. If life is indeed a battleground, how do I keep up with the struggles of everyday living? Why do I love boxing? How did boxing affect my view of life and then more. I will be writing mainly to find my answer, my purpose, my resolve on continuing to fight and to struggle.
I will play the role of a historian and narrate the glories and downfall of the Pacman. Reflect on it, learn something from it. At the end of this all, I will try to state my own resolve on fighting the greatest and most common struggle that we all face --- life.
Boxing is mostly a poor man's sport. It's a struggle, an attempt to make a living by putting your life on the line. And for most boxers, especially Filipinos, stories of poverty and struggle resonate in one harmonic frequency. Take the case of Manny Pacquiao, he sold doughnuts on the streets, worked on a construction site, left his poor family in General Santos city in hopes of having a better life. Then he wore gloves for a living. And that's a long shot away from where he is right now. For boxing is such a difficult and cruel sport. You'll be paid to outpunch your opponent, or be outpunched. And for starters? A meager P5, 000 to P10, 000 a fight.
Considering that a boxer needs at least four weeks of intense workout and tactical preparations prior to an actual fight, that his actual salary is subject to government taxes, that he must also pay for his trainer's fee, that his manager also takes a cut of his earnings for the food, lodging, clothing, etc., all these for a starting pay of five to ten thousand pesos for a month less all the expenses and all the punishments a boxer may suffer atop the ring. And then a family to support?
A boxer's only chance to make a decent living out of the sport is to dream of recognition, of a championship belt. The more popular a boxer, the more people are willing to pay to see him box. And of all those boxers around the world, only a few can be called a "champion". Naturally, a boxer ends the dream of a fellow boxer to keep his own dreams alive. The more fights won the closer he gets to a chance to fight for a championship belt, the last man standing takes the lion's share of the profit. The beaten goes home almost empty handed. It's never easy. (Life isn't!).
Manny Pacquiao is a demon in the ring, while he is monickered as the "Pacman" for gobbling up his opponents with his powerful left straights and lightning quick combinations, he is also likened to Tazmanian Devil for possesing a freakish blinding speed that his opponents never knew what hit them. Pacman is great, but he is not invincible (nobody is!).
At such a very young age, Pacman showed his skills and ferrociousness in a weekly boxing program "Blow by Blow". I may not remember all his fights, but when he fights on TV, a family member would shout "Pacquiao na!" ("Pacquiao's turn to fight!"), and everybody else gathers around the TV and expects him to devour his opponent. And when he does, everybody's happy. He doesn't normally just win, he takes down his opponents, forcibly turn them into mummies unconciously lying on the canvas.
He was exciting to watch, a poor man giving all he's got to move a mountain of poverty. I only started to view it as an spectacular show of power, and then as his life story began to spread as fast as his ring prowess was recognized, a national hero was born. His struggles against poverty became a national struggle. It's because not only the Pacman was struggling against poverty, most Filipinos do. And with every straight, hooks and uppercuts unleashed, feels like moments of finally being able to leave poverty behind and enter a hopeful bliss.
And then defeat. Before the Pacman ever became a world champion, he had to suffer the first ever loss of his career. It was a dagger to his weak (at that time) breadbasket and he was counted out. For a moment, his dreams faded, his ambitions darkened and his momentum fallen. He was not strong enough (at least, not yet).
I would be continuing to write on this very topic ("Of Resolve and Boxing"), surfacing on Manny Pacquiao's and some other boxers' lives and then try to reflect on life in general as a major struggle. I often heard of the phrase "Life is a battleground.", and I would be writing of how true it is on how I perceive my life now at age 24.
This is my research topic for the week. If life is indeed a battleground, how do I keep up with the struggles of everyday living? Why do I love boxing? How did boxing affect my view of life and then more. I will be writing mainly to find my answer, my purpose, my resolve on continuing to fight and to struggle.
I will play the role of a historian and narrate the glories and downfall of the Pacman. Reflect on it, learn something from it. At the end of this all, I will try to state my own resolve on fighting the greatest and most common struggle that we all face --- life.
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