Time

There are some things that money cannot buy and one of those things is TIME. I learned though from a mentor that you can actually expand your time. If there's something that is not your competency, you can most likely just hire someone with that skill and have them do it for you. It saves you time from having to learn something from scratch and it frees up your time to do other things. This thing reminds me of my not-so-favorite subject, Quatech (quantitative techniques) and my white-haired professor who spoke gibberish all term. I eventually passed the subject by doing self-study (a skill I used to pass Procter&Gamble's management exam).

Anyway, I digress. Lately I've been so pressed for time and I realized that it's something that I should learn to manage better. And here are some things I've been doing to maximize my time:

1. Do a daily task list.

2. Prioritize, if there's something in the task list that's not so important, do it the next day.

3. Get others to help you (thank God for my girl friends, they are more worried about the wedding than me!).

4. Do what you are supposed to do. Do not procrastinate (talking to myself).

5. Make sure things don't fall through cracks.

Family first though.

Earthquake!

I rarely experience earthquakes because when it hits in Manila I'm either in transit or in my basement. I don't really remember the last time I actually felt the earth move.

I was busy reviewing my slides for an event tomorrow when I suddenly felt the bed shake. I looked around and didn't notice anything moving. The bed kept rocking and I said to myself, "Oh boy I really need some rest!" I don't know how long it lasted but another thought crossed my mind, "Mumu!" I prayed that it was an earthquake and (1) not me dismantling; and (2) that it wasn't an invisible guest welcoming me here at the hotel.

Oh well, be safe everyone.

The City of Golden Friendship, Cagayan de Oro

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting Cagayan de Oro, my second this year (and I'll be there again next week!). My dear friend, Honey, who I believe is the reyna of CDO showed us around and here's a short video blog of the places we managed to visit.

Detailed posts will be placed at Lakwatsera Ako in the coming weeks.

Panagatan

Candy

Divine Mercy Shrine

Del Monte Pineapple Plantation (Bukidnon)

The Del Monte Steak

Ostrich and Crocodile Farm

The Philippines Business Stimulus Package

Front (L-R) Derek Callow (Google), Commissioner Mon Ibrahim (CICT), Mr. Monico Jacob (STI)

Back (L-R) Benette Alinduza (GoNegosyo), Mylene Abiva (PMA), Thelma Dumpit-Murillo (CITEM)

Google together with the Commission on Information and Communications Technology, GoNegosyo, Philippine Marketing Association, Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions and STI launched the Philippines Business Stimulus Package.

The packages offers the following for SMEs:

1. Free advertising on Google - get PhP2,000 worth of Google Adwords credits.

2. Website development from STI. The first 200 qualified businesses get it for free. For those who don't meet the cut-off you can have it made for only PhP3,000. (Details are here.)

Here's a video of Derek Callow, regional marketing head of Google Southeast Asia, talking about the project:

I've been in the online advertising industry for 8 years now and I think this is an awesome project that would surely help SMEs understand better how they can utilize the internet for their business.

Click this link to sign-up.

(Thank you so much to partners supporting this project).

This is It!

Managed to find some time to watch "This is It" with Sweetie and Miguel yesterday. Typhoon Santi almost ruined our plans, good thing though the storm cleared up by mid-morning. I was really looking forward to watching the movie (and cramming some wedding stuff).

Awesome.

Amazing.

Fantastic.

Genius.

And in CDO-speak, "Tsada!" (which means wonderful).

And I was left panting after watching the show because I felt like I was dancing along with Michael Jackson (my toes were) when he was doing all those amazing moves and he was looking really good even at 50. It would have been THE concert to watch and I would have definitely watched if he went here.

"This is It" is a MUST watch show and I'm not just saying that because I am a fan of MJ.

And here is one wish I have for tonight. I will keep praying that it will happen. (To my Mama Lola, Papa Lolo, and Tito Tony in heaven hope you also intercede. I miss you all!).

On Monsters, Ghosts, Aliens and What-Not, It's Halloween!

I thought it was already the thirty-first of October yesterday that's why I made a haphazard halloween post. My brain was zonking out already because I've been working non-stop the past few weeks (no weekends mind you!).

And so I reflected about halloween after watching Qtube's feature the other night of my group ghost blog and realized that real terrorizing horror is not about seeing ghosts, monsters or aliens. It's about things that you do that may hurt or even sever relationships.

Here are some monsters, ghosts and aliens that I think we all can do without:

1. Mudslinging, online and offline, more often than not misunderstandings stem from lack of communication.

2. Lying, if you ask permission that you are going to location A, be sure you're there and not at location B. Social networking sites work well as evidence nowadays (nyahaha). Besides lying leads to loss of trust.

3. Being selfish, being bratty. I remember all too well my bratinella days. It took more than a decade before I realized why I should've listened to my parents when I was a kid. I was so emo back then I didn't realize that they just wanted the best for me.

4. Treating helpers as helpers. Treat them as family. We've always had helpers at home and they're truly valuable they are. I don't think I'll manage to do what I do without their help.

5. Being inconsiderate. Usually because of #3.

6. The I'm better than you attitude. I wonder if there's anyone who's not like this? I fall prey to this too. Often.

7. Being unforgiving. I've experienced quarreling with family and friends too, some were resolved immediately, others have taken years, but I learned that in time and when heads have cooled things can always be discussed and mended. You just always have to remember why you guys love and accept each other.

I know it's never going to be a perfect world and nobody's perfect, but with time and a dash of maturity things could be better.

Exorcise those ghosts!

And on a happy thought, here's the making of the Qtube feature on "Tales of the Moonless Sky". (You can watch the feature here).

And you might want to read about, "The Scary Story Behind the Feature" (one of the reasons why we chickened out on the second shooting day).

Happy halloween and happy birthday to a dear friend in China (I hope you exorcise your "ghost" soon!)!

Tales of the Moonless Sky

It's been more than a month since typhoon Ondoy hit our country and I'd say it's a scarier than any ghost sighting. It's real horror that will likely haunt all those affected for the rest of our lives. On the way to CDO last week I was horrified to see that most of Laguna was still under water. I don't think any of those buildings and houses would be useful after the water goes down.

Here in Manila most of us are probably back to our routines. Busy with work. I've been very busy with work, but life for me hasn't really gone back to normal. I'm still an evacuee in my parents' house, but I'm hoping I'd be able to go back to my basement this weekend (weather permitting because typhoon Santi is just around the corner).

Anyway, I've been trying to get back my groove and here's something I did with my best friend and her best friend a few weeks ago. Qtube featured our ghost blog, Tales of the Moonless Sky, for their halloween episode.

The Heart of the Philippines

I was on my way to Cagayan de Oro the other day and saw a group of interesting looking islands. I whipped out my camera and took some photos. I took quite a number of photos since I wanted to identify the location using Google Maps. All of the photos were overexposed, but with Picasa's "I'm feeling lucky" edit button the photos kinda became decent. I was showing them off to Miguel when I noticed an island that's shaped like a heart.

Lookie! Lookie!

The heart of the Philippines.

Me izz a hopeless romantic :)

Thank You Day

Today is National Thank You day, so I am just posting this note to say thank you to my family, my friends, colleagues, business contacts, acquaintances etc. who have been there for me through thick and thin, through happy times, through emo times, crazy times.

And thank you to Toblerone for the wonderful yummy cake and chocolates. You have endeared my Mom endlessly since she is a sweet tooth, and me, poor little me, I have been allergic to chocolates for 8 months now, BUT, that doesn't stop me from munching tiny portions here and there.

Be content and be thankful about everything you have. So how do you spread the sweetness of gratitude? Say thank you to your loved ones creatively by posting a photo in your blog/social networking site. Let me know about it by leaving a comment below with the URL to your post. I will then choose 5 readers who'll get Toblerone TY kits. You have until November 10 to submit your entries. Complete mechanics can be found here. (For GMA residents only.)

Bearhugs for Baguio

My soon-to-be ninang, popularly known online as YogaJane, posted this on her Facebook page,

I am helping my friend, Cathy Guballa, collect teddy bears and stuffed toys for the children of Baguio & surrounding areas. I can get these from you till Oct. 23, send these to Cathy on the 24th, and the toys go to Baguio Oct. 25. Below is Cathy's message:

BEARHUGS FOR BAGUIO-The children in many of Baguio’s evacuation centers have been severely traumatized by the typhoon. Reports say that many of them stare blankly at walls, and have no appetite. A stuffed toy is a small thing, but for a child who has been through a nightmare such as the recent floods and typhoon, it can mean everything and help him or her, break out of that shell. Together with PINE, a Baguio NGO, a group of friends and I are trying to raise at least 500 bears or stuffed toys to send to Baguio’s children. If you would like to donate your old teddy bears or stuffedtoys, please email 10000bears@gmail.com or send a text message to 0917-529-1964 so we can advise you of the drop-off point. Thank you very much!

I think this is something that would be very helpful for the kids to recover from the calamity. Show that you care, send a bear to Baguio!