Quote me quoting quotes

It seems like centuries ago since the last time I had put up a post on my blog.  Now for most people who know me, and had the "misfortune" of being my friends in Facebook, their timelines likely have been imprinted with random and periodic quotes that I post from time to time.  Now just to kick start my blogging appetite for this year, I'm posting some of the more notable quotes that I had the chance to impart to my dear "readers".

In the game of life, playing hard and working your butt off to be better does not guarantee a win.  The reality is, you can't win them all, but oftentimes, giving yourself a chance to get one is all you could ever ask for.

excellence is a habit, it's not an overnight thing or a flash-in-the-pan kind of event. It starts today, it starts with you.

never try to outdo others, surpassing their greatness will never be enough, rather, aim to outdo yourself, for in doing so, you gain content and fulfillment..

In any endeavor, risks are pretty much inevitable, but to fear it is just a pathetic option. I'd rather needle through controlled chaos, than bask in the revelry of emptiness. We can succeed by applying the rules, but we can only excel by tempting our chances.


it takes a certain level of maturity for someone to appreciate the good things with changes, and a feeble mind, poor character, or just a sense of imbecility to just focus on the difficulties ahead..


the least that we can do is to make a positive difference everyday. It requires no effort so long as you have a bagful of optimism along the way.


trusting someone is like picking a gift from a hollow black box, you don't see what's inside but hope that the one you get is a good one. If you happen to pick the wrong one, let go of it and take your chances picking a new one.

There's no such thing as a perfect marriage, it's never easy to be in one, and likely will never be, but at the end of the day, if you and your partner put in the work together, everything else is insignificant, nothing is too hard to overcome, and the journey of a lifetime is lot more happier to trudge along..



One key to being productive is not to let a single day pass by without accomplishing something worthwhile. Completing something is mere compliance, accomplishing it is excellence..


never regret things you've done in the past, regardless how grim it might have been. After all, we only got the chance to learn after daring to fail, and that in itself is what makes us a better version of ourselves today..


True leaders will never be perfect, but can always strive towards excellence, does not promise equality but drives to be fair, and has no intent to be popular, but works to earn respect...


if you don't like the state that you're in, then quit, otherwise, quit complaining, keep calm, and start looking for solutions.

we lose, we learn, we improve, then hopefully we win, in all this, we must stick together 



True leaders never motivate their people for there's no such thing. Each one of us has our own motivations; a leader's goal though is to let you see it, and act on it on your own, thus the word "empower".



Live life one day at a time and don't spend too much time figuring out what the future will bring. For as long as we strive to do great today, tomorrow will take care of itself..

More to come as we hit the next half of this year.

Tell Me I'm Done.. Swish..

It's been quite sometime since I last posted a blog.  It's not for the lack of topics to dwell with, but likely due to an inordinate impulse to stay put and do nothing.  Lately, I've been active on the hoops circuit, and despite losing a key burst of speed from time to time, I've been enjoying the competition.  I pride myself in being a team-oriented player, a glue-guy if you must pick a positional cliche. However, from time to time, I get a little more offensive-minded, and oftentimes, only when provoked by a good, old-school trash talk.

I usually stay calm during the game, but if you really want me to get started, try pushing one of my buttons and tell me you've seen all of this before, that you're better than me, and most of all, that I'm already way past my prime. The last one might have been true, and for most players who enjoyed a certain level of excellence, admission of such facts is a very hard thing to come to terms with. I'm no superstar that's for sure. I don't have a specific many go-to-move.  The speed that used to be my weapon has long been a thing of the past.  What I have now, is a special set of skills, veteran smarts, and the one thing that's likely never gonna let go of me, my booming self confidence.

I may never have those killer ankle breakers no more, that high degree of difficulty switching hands layup, or that lock down defense (I own this myself :D ), but I can still shoot those damn threes, make that ridiculous behind-the-back pass every now and then, and when invoked, tell you all about it!

I simply love it when they tell me I'm done, and then all they can do is watch the ball kiss off the nets as I swish another one.  Tell me that they'll steal the ball, and either they end up playing touch with my shadows or end up leaving their lips on my shoulders. Try crossing me up, and believe me, if we're on the same speed limits then it's likely that ball's gonna get loose on the break.

Bottom line is, I don't need to brag.  They all know what I can do.  They've seen it before, and still sees it to this day.  It's just like your not-so favorite old movie.  The one that you want to kick every now and then, but somehow still comes back to haunt you.  So I you, tell me I'm done, and I'll let you have the chance to hear this..swish..

Like a Pencil

HOW I'M LIKE A PENCIL
By Steve Goodier


It occurs to me that I have a lot in common with a pencil. That's right – a simple and humble little pencil. Not the fancy mechanical kind. That's too high maintenance for me. And I'm not as showy as a plume pen or as smooth as a ball point. I don't live in bold strokes like a heavy marker. But I'm a lot like a pencil. Here's how:

1. Like a pencil, I have a built-in eraser. I can correct my mistakes. No, I can't change the past, but I can make it right again. And if I can't erase history (after all, what's done is done) I can at least erase a great deal of guilt and anger with forgiveness. 

2. Like a pencil, I do better if I'm sharpened once in a while. My mind and skills grow dull without occasional honing. Even my spirit and attitudes need refining if I'm to be at my best. And there is something else, too. I find that the difficulties of life wear away at me, and they can either grind me down or shape me into a person who is more capable and creative. The sharpening I get from living through tough times is often painful, but I know it can make me a better person. 

3. Pencils work best in a skilled hand. And like a pencil, I can do some pretty terrific things with a little guidance. Other people bring out the best in me, and with the help of others, I can do far more than I ever can alone.

4. Like a pencil, I should leave my mark whenever possible. I too often underestimate my influence on another. I have daily opportunities to leave something good behind. That is what it means to leave my mark. It may be in small ways, it may be in the lives of people I love, people I have touched or nurtured, or even in incidental conversations struck with strangers. But, I have a mark to leave and should use every opportunity to leave something good behind. 

5. Like a pencil, it is what is on the inside that matters. A pencil without lead is useless. And a yellow pencil will not do when a black or red pencil is called for. What is on the inside is all important. My outer appearance matters less than I probably think, while it's the stuff on the inside that folks notice about me. Whether it is understanding or intolerance, love or bitterness, peace or unrest, kindness or self-centeredness, hope or despair, courage or fear, what is on the inside matters most.

6. A pencil works best on paper or canvass. It will never leave its mark on water and will wear itself down against a mirror. I do best knowing my strengths and limitations. I can't do everything well and that is okay. There is still plenty of good to be done by doing what I do best.

7. And finally, like a pencil, the biggest part of my purpose in this life can be summed up in three words: to be useful. When I'm too broken to hold together, when everything is ground away or worn away, when I no longer have anything to contribute, I know my life is coming to an end.

Like I said, I have a lot in common with a pencil.

Dancing in the Rain

By Steve Goodier


"The pharmacist just insulted me," a woman sobbed to her irate husband. He snatched the phone from her hand.

"I'm sorry to upset her," the pharmacist said, "but put yourself in my shoes. First, my alarm didn't go off and I overslept. I rushed out and locked both my house and car keys inside and had to break a window to get them. On the way to pharmacy I got a speeding ticket. When I finally arrived late, there was a long line and the phone was ringing. I bent over to pick up a roll of nickels, I cracked my head on a drawer and fell backward, shattering the perfume case. Meanwhile, the phone was still ringing. I picked up and your wife asked me how to use a rectal thermometer. I swear, all I did was tell her." 

Have you ever had a day like that? One man likes to say, "My life is filled with mountaintop experiences. One day, I'm on top of the mountain. The next day the mountain is on top of me." Those kinds of mountaintop experiences are hard to take.

There will always be times when the mountain is on top. Or, in the words of Charles Tindley, times "when the storms of life are raging." When that is the case, what do you do? One wise sage gives us a clue: 

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain." 

I have spent too much time just waiting for one kind of storm or another to pass. "When things change…" "When everything settles down…" "When it gets easier…" "When…" Well, you get the idea.

A few years ago, someone stole my wife's purse. That was a storm we didn't see coming. For days she was hassled with replacing lost credit cards and identification. And though it wasn't a crisis, it was still an aggravation.

As she went about the process of trying to protect her identity from theft and replacing the contents of her purse, I recalled the words of author Matthew Henry, an 18th Century English clergyman. Henry, too, was robbed. Yet he approached his problem differently than I. Unbelievably, his predominant feeling was not anger, but gratitude. What he said was, "I give thanks that I have never been robbed before; that although he took my wallet, he did not take my life; that although he took everything, it was not much; and finally, that it was I who was robbed and not I who robbed."

No self pity there. He was robbed and came away feeling gratitude for his life. Here was a man who learned something I had not yet figured out – to dance in the rain. 

I've found that, over the years, there is plenty of rain, and much of my life has been about waiting for the storms of life to pass. So next time it rains, I'm going to dance. 

50 Pick-Up Lines..Game?

Medyo matagal tagal na rin akong inde nagba-blog (though inde naman ganun ka-busy), lalo na yung tagalog.  Bukod sa ayaw ko magpost ng opinyon ko tingkol sa kung ano anong sh*t sa lipunan o mga napapansin ko sa araw-araw, e iniisip ko rin ang kapakanan ng mga foreign readers ko (kung meron man hehehe).  Isa sa mga madalas kong katuwaan, mabasa o marinig ko man, ay ang mga pick-up lines!  Sino ba inde gumamit neto?  Sumikat na nga sya to the point na gawing segment na ng isang sikat na comedy show.  Pede mong sabihing corny sya, pero trust me, nasa delivery lang yan. Pag swabe pagkakasabi, either humagalpak ka sa tawa, o makapag-pakilig ka ng iba.  Inde ako fan ng ganitong mga bagay (naks!) pero heto ang ilan sa mga nabasa ko (at never ko pang nagamit hahaha!) na baka pede sa inyo.

Read on!


1. "Ligaw na bala ka ba? Kasi sa iba ka nakalaan, pero ako ang tinamaan."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2, "Akala ko noon, dagat lang ang lumalalim. Pati din pala feelings ko sa ‘yo ganun din."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. "Dalawa lang ang bisyo ko: paglalasing at pagsusugal. Ang malasing sa pagmamahal mo, at pagsusugal ng lahat para sa yo."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. "Sabi nila, what you see is what you get. Eh paano ba yan, nakita na kita. Eh di akin ka na?"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. "Kailangan ko nang umuwi, kaya yakapin mo na ko. Kasi when I’m in your arms…I’m home."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. "Sa mga nagtatanong kung kami pa…hindi na…hindi na kami maghihiwalay."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7. "Dadaan pa ba ko sa bahay niyo, o dederetso na ko sa puso mo?"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 8. "Ang mahalin ka, parang pangongopya ng exam…bawal, pero ginagawa ko."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9. "Sawa ka na ba sa buhay mo? Ba’t hindi mo subukan ang buhay na kasama ako?"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10. "Ibenta mo na bahay mo, tutal nandito ka na nakatira sa puso ko."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

11. "Para tayong kuwento ni Juan Tamad. Ako si Juan Tamad, ikaw yung bayabas. Hinihintay lang kitang mahulog sa kin.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

12. “Ang galing mo din no? Di mo pa ko binabato, tinamaan na ko sa yo.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

13. "Nakalimutan ko pangalan mo eh. Puwede bang tawagin nalang kitang AKIN?”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

14. "Para kang paaralan, gusto kitang pasukan araw-araw.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

15. "Nasira yata cellphone ko, kasi wala dito number mo eh!”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

16. "Siguro freezer ka tapos tubig naman ako. Pag pinasok kita, tumitigas ako!”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

17. "Sana scientist ako, para ikaw naman ang lab ko.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

18. "Sana ako nalang si antok, para gabi-gabi puwede kitang dalawin.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

19. "Minsan gusto kitang galitin, para patulan mo naman ako.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

20. "Musician ka ba? Tumataas nota ko sa yo eh!”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

21. "Sana naging palay ka nalang, para puwede kitang bayuhin.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

22. "Pag wala ka, ang buhay ko parang lapis na hindi pa natatasahan: pointless.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

23. "Ketchup ka ba?  Bakit?  Miss ka na ng hotdog ko e"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

24. "Sa hinaba-haba man ng tulog ko, IKAW pa rin ang dahilan ng pag-gising ko"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

25. "Masasabi mo bang bobo ako…Kung ikaw lang laman ng utak ko"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

26. May eraser ka ba? … Di ka kasi mabura sa isip ko…"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

27. "Race track ka ba? Ganda kasi ng curves mo"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

28. "Para kang password ang hirap mo makalimutan!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

29. "Iced tea ka ba? Pag kasama kasi kita BOTTOMLESS ang SAYA ;)"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

30. "Pag namatay ako wag ka na dumalaw, baka ikaw ulit magpatibok ng puso ko!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

31. "Corrupted Politician ka ba? Kasi sarap mong sibakin sa pwesto"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

32. "Kapag sinubukan mong silipin ang laman ng utak ko.... para kang lang tumingin sa photo album mo"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

33. "Pawis ba yan? Sorry natutunaw ka na pala."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

34. May notebook kaba dyan? Paki-take note naman, "Mahal kita."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

35. "Graduating ka na ba? kanina ka pa kasi march ng march sa isip ko "
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

36. "Patingin nga ng kamay mo? gusto ko kasi malaman kung paano mo nahawakan ang puso ko"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

37. "Para kang sirang kotse, kc tuwing sasakyan kita tumitirik ka!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

38. "Kutsara ka ba? kasi kapag nanjan ka napapanganga ako eh"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

39. "May free time ka ba? Samahan mo naman ako sa Psychiatrist... Magdala daw kasi ako ng kinababaliwan ko"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

40. "Chicharon ka ba? Baket: kasi ang ingay mo habang kinakain kita
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

41. "Kung sumasabog lang ang puso ko, matagal na sigurong nakakalat ang LETRA ng pangalan mo!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

42. "Balakubak kaba? - kasi I can't get you out of my head"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

43. "I have tried the water company, the electric company, even the telephone company, but NOTHING beats your company"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

44. " I hope there's a fireman around, cause you're smokin'!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

45. "Alam mo ba ang kasabihan ng mga pilipino? - "aanhin pa ang damo,kung sayo palang may tama nako"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

46. "Pikit ka........ganyan kadilim buhay ko pag wala ka!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

47. "Nakakatakot man ang multo, mas nakakatakot pag nawala ka sa buhay ko"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

48.  "Baril ka ba?  Bakit? Paisang putok naman!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

49. "Sana iPhone ka na lang..Bakit?.. para malaro mo na Angry Bird ko!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

50. Eto ang tatandaan mo.. Hindi lahat ng buhay ay buhay.       
      Tulad ko, buhay pero patay na patay sayo


Hope you enjoyed this one!

Basketball Fundamentals : A Lost Art?

Basketball has always been a part of my life.  I cannot recall a single instance wherein I did not get the urge to play even by just hearing the ball bounce or seeing friends gearing up with fancy hoops jerseys.  Others may call it ridiculously insane to associate oneself to something this mundane, but I guess it's what we feel and do whenever we engage in something we totally dedicate ourselves to.  This is something that I totally have innate passion to pursue and be good at, if not better than your average cager.  I've never considered myself a great ball player though, but I have utmost confidence on my skills (besides, the fulfillment in self-gratification only ruins the essence of compliments)

I pride myself in being more of a two-way team player, one who's happy and content racking up assists or going for steals so that his teammates can gain the opportunity to bask in the glory of scoring points, rather than someone who focuses only on a single aspect of the game, specifically offense. Harking back to my younger days, my father used to tell me that I should be a point guard given my pint-sized frame.  He stressed the value of ball handling (otherwise known today as having "sick handles"), finding the open man, setting up the offense, issuing up assists, and being a vocal leader on the floor. However, regardless of being stereotyped for that matter, he also stressed that I must learn and take into heart the fundamentals of boxing out, an essential aspect of positioning for rebounds; as well as the timely use of crossovers and pivotal footwork to find my way to the hole.  

He's not an advocate of hoisting jumpers yet he made me practice the correct form. The biggest lesson he gave though was to “play to win”; to give it your all at all times regardless if you’re playing under the grandiloquence of the league championship, or just engaged in a prosaic pick-up game.  This is the competitive spirit that I somehow integrated to anything that I engaged at in life.   

It is in this light that I thought of the state of today's players, especially those who we knew so much about.  Basketball is a team sport the last time I checked,  yet nowadays you'll see some players hoisting more shots compared to others as if that was the only thing they were tasked to do.  Others concentrate only in pulling down rebounds, setting screens, or much worse, using up their fouls to foil whatever attempts are being made by the other team's best player. It has reached the point wherein certain players are being stereotyped to work on a couple, or with bigger disappointment, only on a single aspect of the game.

I'd be hypocritical and highly idealistic if I'll say that all five players should have proficiency in most if not all aspects of the game.  This is where the cliché "complementing one another" comes in. Others will really excel at one aspect specially in scoring points (for who doesn't want to be labeled a scorer and gain instantaneous fame along the way), or pull more rebounds given their height.  In stark contrast though, does this competence give them the excuse not to exert as much effort in getting better in other aspects?  Are scorers bound to be laced up in a stake if they box out and reach out for a rebound?  Or are centers damned for life if they issue a nice, fundamental assist? How about a max-player sacrificing his body to draw a charge, or even dive for a loose ball?

Looking at today's players, it's sad that we can only pinpoint a select few who works on both ends of the court, while giving their entire effort to succeed night in and night out.  Some of these players include the NBA’s CP3, DRose, TD, D12, old time greats like MJ, Stockton and Malone, Barkley, and even to my surprise, Kobe’s on my list(I’m literally not a big fan of this guy but I'm all praises to his work ethic and approach to the game).  For those who personally know me, you’re probably looking for LeBron’s name in it right? Well, I couldn't tarnish this list by just being a solid LBJ fan.  He's already a great player, and has the capability to be part of the list and even topbill it, but unless he shows consistency in doing so, he'll just be a sordid flash-in-the-pan, a nightly SportsCenter regular who will never receive the nod of pure basketball pundits.  On the other hand, among our locals, I can only think of one player at the moment who fits this tag, and that's Arwind Santos.

To part with, it is my radical wish that every player and player-to-be (such as my two sons) be ingrained with the right fundamentals,  and hopefully learn to exercise the burning desire not only to win games, but to continuously work on being a complete basketball player as well. I'd rather see a lot of jack-of-all-trades rather than a couple of “master-of-one” (I coined this term that’s why).  It will bring out parity in the competition, and hopefully after a long time, make the game of basketball worth watching. In its purest essence, basketball is not only a sport; it is a way of life by itself.

The RH Bill Saga: Clergical Borderlines

There comes a time when a certain issue becomes a national headline, enough for the majority to storm out of the doldrums just to belt out seemingly interesting yet seamlessly mundane thoughts. Such has been the case for controversial issues such as the fertilizer scam, broadband ZTE deal, and a plea bargain by a military general just to name a few to date.  However, these issues pale in comparison when we start dealing with the growing saga called the RH Bill.

I would defer explanation as to what it is all about for that's never my intent on this blog.  I am not a proponent nor an opponent nor am I standing in the middle.  I'm just playing the third-person role to set an insight on what seems to be a misguided outrage over a seemingly growing support for the passage of this bill.  A lot of those who oppose have taken the brunt of the "clergical populace" since according to the sanctified doctrines and practices, it is terribly unforgivable to kill an unborn child, or whatever has been involved in the process of conception.  On the other hand, those who support the bill chooses to focus on the economical side of things and parlays facts that indict lack of appropriate knowledge with sex and its related entities as the root of all things associated with poverty and impoverishment of young, human lives.

As a person in the middle, I chose not to support nor disagree with either of these battling sides.  I believe each party had the  pros and cons deliberately considered, but just made the choice to advocate a certain advantage and exonerate those items that are against their principles.  On a farther note though, I'm much more concerned with how the Catholic Church has flexed its "muscles", also known as arbitrary colonialism.  I mean, it's one thing to oppose the bill, but forcing people to support it or be deemed a devil's ally or worse be excommunicated, just doesn't cut it for me.  I am a very proud Catholic, one who lives by its teachings on how to live a good life, and one that always look into the goodness of living out your own free will and letting God be your guide, but I'm not buying the clergy's latest insinuations and actions, since for me it's just like they want to control how we live, much like the old glory days of the damned Spanish regime.

I am by no means against their teachings and truly believe that they only have our own good to think about, but we are already in the midst of the digital information age and we must cease to be casked in a box, and fear the loss of our allegiance just because we advocate a different principle.  People ought to have the right of free will, and that includes being able to support whatever cause you like as long as you are not stepping on anyone's toes.  

We ought to have our own way of raising our own family, and anyone who says and judges what we do as a failure is a complete fool.  As they say, only history can truly tell those who will be ahead of us whether what we did or believed in was right or wrong. To part with. the Church should serve as our guiding light towards living out a God-centered life,  and I'm totally all for it, but it should not play hold a narcissistic baton whipping our backs towards their own perception of what is good or bad, this one should belong to us. 

Novelty from my 4-year Old Son

It’s always a fascinating when someone so dear to you comes up with something new and mesmerizing.  Such can be the apt description to my son’s ever growing list of achievements.  No, we’re not talking here about academics and the like, but moreso of the progress he’s made in understanding simple things, and his unquenchable thirst for a deeper sense of comprehension in discerning complicated ones.

To give readers a glimpse of his brilliance, he already knows a lot about how to operate gadgets such as both our phones, his PSP, and even navigate on his own through his mom’s laptop.  He also knows how to answer politely over the phone and seek needed information (name of caller, who they’re looking for). 

Moreover, it’s his command of the values and virtues we desperately wanted him to live with that impress me.  He knows when to “apprehend”  us whenever we speak of “PG-13” expressions;  apparently knows what’s good and bad for his age technology-wise(think about parental control with his PSP minus the PC, or playing too long on his mom’s laptop); and even ultimately educating both of us (me and my wife), that after making someone older than him aware of a bully’s actions, striking back is never the best option, but talking incessantly that doing bad things to others is not cool would be.

I guess others would never grasp the feeling nor even have a remote idea what it’s like to be a proud parent, especially after seeing your son do things typical 4-year olds just can’t and won’t do.  As our family looks forward to our upcoming bundle of joy, may the incoming “Kuya” imbibe his brother/daughter with these great gifts that always makes mom and dad happy.

Belching Insights on Crossroads

Once in a while, each one of us will go through the excruciating experience of making certain hard decisions that will define how we'll go through life.  These are oftentimes affectionally termed as crossroads, or a state where two or more options are presented as viable, logical, or radical alternatives.  The catch is that we can only go through one of these roads, whereby the chance of trying out the others is depicted as a ludicrous exercise of unattainability.

Moreover, after you've gone through a certain crossroad in life, there are three things I believe we must never do; not that it entails infamy or any form of absurdity, but for the simple fact that it will bear absolute insignificance as to how you'll become better as you move forward.  These things are:

1. Look back to what happened before
    --> what for? keep in mind there's a reason they call it the past. The  keyword here is "Learn"

2. Regret the decisions you made
    --> only the ageless scribe named "history" would be good enough to ascertain whether what you did was right or wrong, and besides, there's no acceptable logarithm yet that can turn back the hands of father time . The keyword here is "Acceptance"

3. Hesitate on the next crossroad you'll face.
    --> Life is all about moving forward, and doing so involves a certain amount of uncalculated risk. Hesitation is the product of an inanimate and feeble individual perspective.  The keyword here is "Optimism"

Bottomline is, being trapped within the caverns of a forlorn past is not the best way to live our life to the fullest.  It will always be full of uncertainties and preposterous expectations, but regardless of the end results, we can't let ourselves be held captive by our petty indecisions. 

I am by no means a guru nor an expert in the aesthetics of living your life, but I've been through these crossroads more than once already, and though I bear the scars of those experiences, I claim no credit for the plethora of words splattered on this page.  I am just someone who deliberately offers inflections towards having a positive outlook in life, so the decision to apply what you've read is solely on to you...

Leadership Hindsights

They say that leaders are born and not made, and I'm one of those egotistical pundits who bawled on this philosophy for the longest time one can imagine.  It was the same guiding principle that I pride myself to be a part of.  I never had the yearning to be on a supporting role, much less let others be ahead of me when I always have the mindset that I can do better. Furthermore, they say it's a calling; something of astounding significance that we can't let go of, until I became a people manager. It's probably the first time that you might have heard of it, and likely the only one you've read about from some widespread publication such as this blog. Nonetheless, it's a position whose ideals I'm trying to embrace while moving forward for the betterment of my teammates. 

It all started when I joined my current company and set forth on a journey I thought I could sail without windy hiccups. While I bask in the narcissism of my so-called achievements as an engineer, I took the leap to be part of something bigger, something called the management team.  It's a piece of cake was what I uttered.  After all, I'm someone who lacked the cork to stomp an overwhelming confidence.What was so simple for me turned out to be something even more complex.  Running the operations was not so easy after all, and friends you call teammates apparently have bigger expectations and a wider sense of perspective when you stop a bit and reflect.    As with most people, your instinct tells you to seek help and have somebody took the burden of making you learn everything in a snap.  After all, I am a leader, and I was born with the innate ability to come through when needed.

I was unprepared to say the least to meet the most exhilarating and excruciating 4 months of my professional career.  Computing for certain metrics coupled with analyzing a few reports all seemed fundamental, only for me to hit a smack on the face for everything I did was congruently wrong.  My self-confidence hit an all-time low that not even the Great Depression could surpass.  I came to a tipping point when I wanted to call it quits and for the first time wanted to believe in all the things a lot of naysayers have said all along, that she was different, stern and mean, and all other items probably inappropriate even for mature audiences.  

I wanted to join the bandwagon amidst all the uncertainties and irrevocable tension that marred our professional relationship.  But it's really funny how life teaches you the lessons never mentioned in the four corners of any school of thought. Of all people, I found solace in the words of my wife telling me that whatever she was doing was meant for something bigger.  I was too caught in the incidents that I never saw the bigger picture, never saw that all she wanted was to make me ready when the time is ripe, to make me succumb to the pressure so that I'll learn the value of preparation and effective execution, to make me feel worthless so that I'll learn the value of humility and patience, and most of all, to endure the pain of losing, so that I'll come out swinging when the time is right.


After a couple of months, and a bagful of experiences and learning sessions, I can say that I've improved.  The aura of being cocky and confident has mellowed yet reliably undeterred.  I've managed to use what my brain was built for, not to simply think, but to understand what lies beneath the surface, what stories lurks behind the numbers, and what difference fairness brings over pragmatic equality .  I met my new friends as well namely "consistency" and "being "proactive", while sharing a good blend of coffee with my old pals "optimism" and "self-esteem".

I by no means resemble a finish product.  I still have a lot to improve and learn.  The timing has never been right but to cast my gratitude in oblivion is something I'll resent for ages.  Namedropping is not what she would likely want me to give her as a gift, but I simply wanted to let everyone reading this one, how thankful I am for what she had shared with me.  She has endured a lot for the team and is mostly misunderstood for her actions, but little did they know that her intents was a stuff of legends.

To part with, thank you may not offer much, nor will it ever quantify what I've gained from working with her. I may never be what she had envisioned me to be when she first saw that potential.  But I would have not been the leader I am today if she didn't took the time to go out of her way... 

No Wrong Time to Say the Right Thing

by Steve Goodier

A cartoon depicts a woman shaking hands with her clergyman as she leaves the church. The caption says, "Thank you for the sermon. It was like water to a drowning man." Some compliments are better left unsaid....
Isn't it true that words carry with them immense power? Power to build up and power to tear down. Such was the case with the words of Maude, a woman who learned that there is no wrong time to say the right thing.
It was a cold, rainy day in March. Across the room in the millinery department of the store where Maude worked, sat Laura, a woman about Maude's age. Other workers did not like Laura; they thought her to be snobbish and aloof. And Maude agreed.
But sweeping the bias from her eyes, she made up her mind to say something kind to Laura. Finally, she managed, "Do you know, Laura, that I've worked in this room with you for several years. And whenever I glance up I see your head silhouetted against the window there behind you. I think you have the prettiest profile and hair that I have ever seen on anybody." Her words were not insincere flattery. She meant it.
Laura looked up and began to cry. "That's the first kind word anybody has ever said to me in all the years I've worked here," she said.
Maude discovered that Laura's aloofness was not due to snobbishness, but shyness. The two became friends. Other workers soon began to include Laura in their activities, and she blossomed like a flower that, for the first time, found sunlight. The right words, spoken in kindness, changed a life.
Never underestimate the power of your words. There is no wrong time to say the right thing. And there is no better time than now.

GK Student Trip 2009: Lasting Imprints of Life's Lessons

June 28, 2009, a pretty typical Sunday for me at all cost. Humid weather, cozy sounds of the 50's, 60's and 70's, heck I can even hear Engelbert Humperdinck's "Lonely Table Just for One" resonate through my ears one last time before I boarded off the cab that I was in. I was so engrossed in the monotony of the afternoon that I was basically clueless to what Gawad Kalinga, or GK was all about. Yes, it's about building houses, and indeed it's just plain charity work for me, or a mere week-long escape from the fangs of my technical cases at work.

At the student's welcome lunch buffet at Max's, I was astounded by the speech given by Mr. Tony Meloto, founder and head of GK. He spoke as if poverty was not a mere curse millions of Filipinos are trying to get off with. I usually am not one who easily gets swayed by speakers who mastered the art of conveying sweet nothings into a whole grain of salt so to speak, but what he said that day left an imprint on me. I became an instant fan of the man, and an advocate of his beliefs and works, but not for GK...at least not yet.

We arrived at the site (GK TELUS, Pook Masagana) together with 25 Taiwanese students sponsored by our company Trend Micro. I was enamored with the surroundings. One can easily distinguish what has been, what it is now, and what the other houses will be once everything is laid out. I never imagined that if people will have the political and moral will to implement changes, anything, even those seemingly impossible ones, can be done. I marvel at how the "Kapitbahayan" worked, much less how they bond as one family, and how eager they are to welcome us, despite the oblivious confusion that they seem to be in; after all, this is their first time to host a delegation as many as we are, not to add the fact that most of us will be fully immersed into their lives for the entire week.

Physical work was not a new thing for me. I've been through house building a couple of times but never before had I enjoyed carrying bricks, shoveling sand, digging excavations, and painting steel rail posts as much as I did for the entire week. Our friends from Taiwan were exceptionally strong, specially the women, who despite their fragile frame displayed agility and strength one can typically see from men if not from athletes. Doing this blue-collar work made me realize that I am lucky not to be doing this kinds of stuff, at least not everyday, and most of all, as my sole source of income. I learned that ranting about how hard life is for us is not right, for there are countless people who suffer an even sadder fate than what most of us probably have been and will be into.

Being with the village people created an instant bond between the students and their foster families. This explains why the day when they had to leave to go to the other site was a tear jerker for most if not all of the people in the site. It's hard not to be glued to each other, for you share almost everything, even just for a couple of days. It showed me the human spirit and the indomitable Filipino hospitality at its finest. It further stressed the cliche' that life is indeed so short that you better make the most out of it before time runs out.

As the tickling sound of my cell phone's alarm came into a halt, I was flat out on my back wondering how fast the days have been spent without me even thinking and merely wishing the week finally comes into an end, as we often do whenever we get stressed out at work. I am proud to say that I did not cry as I was leaving the site. It's not because I was not moved by the moment or of what had transpired during my entire week stay in there. In fact, I had to hold back the tears a couple of times but I guess I was more than convinced that a smile would be better off as my lasting image for my dear friends in there rather than those unconventional tears.

Indeed, life is full of trickery and mystery. You'll never know what's the value of something until someone or something makes your realize it. Poverty is indeed a big problem, and it doesn't take a blink of an eye to change everything However, accepting it as a problem is not the right way to deal with it for as they say it in GK, "alleviation is not the answer but eradication"

Being content and thankful with what you have is not an aberration from pursuing higher goals and reaching loftier heights in one's career or family life. It's just the one of the better perspectives we can have, for not everyone is blessed with what we have. Lastly, as head back home, the enticing music of the Beatles rocked me. "Get back, get back, get back to where you once belong..", and I will surely be back, for being able to help other people is always heart-warming and uplifting, but the experience and the learning shouldn't end here, for there's a lot of lessons to uncover, a lot more lives to change, and a bounty of goodness to share.