Hopeless Romantic...

Recent events in the family made me stop and reflect again regarding the dilemmas of life. I thought so what if some people are just so idealistic that they are willing to sacrifice some of the valuable things in their lives for something they find more...valuable? I'm talking about those situations wherein you're left with only two choices, and you're gauging which is more important. Money over love, career over family or child, power over friendship, or vice-versa. If I were to choose money over love, can you blame me if it's what will make me happy and keep me at peace, and hoping for a good ending? Or if I'm a mother, that I'll choose my job over taking care of my child back in my hometown?

It's a fact that a thing can be important for one person but not for another. So what's the sense of judging one's judgment? As long as we acknowledge our accountability over our choices, outside opinions shouldn't be an issue. But some people just love to play politics and inject whatever vain inputs they can do to prolong a decision process. For some reason they are so self-conceited that they wanted their "voices" heard. However, instead of helping they don't realize that they are just adding salt to the wound.

At some point in our lives we must have gone through that moment of choice same problem. Life is just full of surprises that they make us excited, but other times they come in the most inconvenient time and place. One bad choice would make us regret for the rest of our lives. But there's no contesting God's favor and grace through all the trials of life. Every cloud has a silver lining, as the saying goes.

Oh it seems that we just couldn't make everything perfect in this world, and don't dare ask why because nobody knows. Nobody knows the future. Our made-up plans will either just work out or not work out. What can we do? But well, long live the hopeless romantics! Keep dreaming, keep looking, keep trying, keep believing!

"Call Me Maybe" and Selling Online

A few days ago, I saw the news and there was a portion where this one reporter made a kind of video montage of people dancing in the song "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Jae Jepsen which is currently doing great by becoming a hit in the pop music mainstream. Honestly, I wasn't aware of the hit song before I saw the news. So I thought why the big fuss? Why suddenly it seems that persons and groups had already been celebrating this new (for me it's new) popstar's song by videotaping themselves dancing while lip-syncing the song and then uploading in youtube? Yeah it seems really hot from how it was presented in the media. But here's the questioning blogger again. I am not about to criticize the media or the song or the people behind the sudden success of the artist involved. Actually, I'm amazed. Creating media hype really interests me.

Yesterday afternoon, I was in an e-commerce seminar the whole day. They call it "E-commerce 102" where I learned about, well, e-commerce or income-generating business using the internet technology. It was actually my second time to attend and I like the fact that they are trying to promote e-commerce in the country, or more so, in the capital city of Manila. Although I did find out that there was one (yes, one) guy from Davao City who managed to attend. I don't know how much they are promoting such event, but to create Mindanao followers is a good prospect.

The seminar runs once a month from April to December 2012. I wasn't able to attend the first two months, but the organizers recorded each meeting and made them available online for the benefit of all the attendees, which I very very much commend. At least anytime we can catch up and replay the lessons we had. No need to write notes. I learned few more tricks on how to jumpstart my own dream business online. Internet tools that would help me promote my brand. However, I don't have a product that I really own at the moment, yet I do have some ideas. Ideas waiting to be realized. It doesn't have to be a product, it could also be a service.

One speaker shared to us how she built up herself as an artist and sell her paintings abroad. She was too honest that she admitted she can only sell her goods outside the country where she presents herself in a bigger way, through the use of internet marketing tools. I guess that's how social media hype really works. The other speakers were really probably successful in their own online business because they always taught us something achievable and realistic ways to make money online, such as buy-and-sell, auction, contests, product branding, building web traffic and lists, and virtual assistant job. I could say that these weren't so-new to me because I've researched on them before. But I haven't really made them work for me because I've been busy earning money working for others. The leverage I was hoping to get out of my regular job wasn't enough, and so I find it hard to be a full-fledged businesswoman.

Anyway, I decided to take that mentoring engagement that was offered to us earlier in the seminar. That way, I can sit down with one of the speaker-mentors to device my business plan just like the others.

Dissolve to Oblivion

Putting yourself in another person's shoes isn't the best thing. You see, sometimes you want to feel the loneliness of other people by imagining you were in their position. It's lame. But I did that for most of my life. I thought it's one of the greatest things to do in life. Because if you put yourself in another's then you have this illusion that you're there to help out no matter who they are. It's perhaps that "hero-mentality". But come to think of it, it's good to help, it's good to assume other people's lives to kind-of reach out. I value that kind of thing: to help others. But I thought I'm overdoing it sometimes to the point that it's affecting my whole being. It affects my viewpoint, decision-makings, and even my purpose in life. I know it's not healthy to be in that kind of state of confusion but it does happens. It can be really lonely keeping things to yourself, how much more if you keep others' problems your business. Yeah, it's sad. And I'm sad that when I'm there, where it seems that I've transfered myself to another's, I can't do anything to change minds. But I still try to anyway. It's just that sometimes, I get too tired and stressed out that I miss chances of making myself happy and well.

Although I feel that way, I still believe that I've somehow contributed to the society. I mourn to those who mourn and celebrate to those who are happy. And then there's that feeling, when you feel like all the people are starting to pack up, and turning the lights off. You wanted to just dissolve into oblivion like when the movie ends, the stories, and your mission gets accomplished as well. I like that. I thought I need to kind of draw a period to something that we want to finish already because we need a break. We need to move on and respond to another's call. Yet still the darkness' silence sometimes turns into disturbing noise. When does it all end? I'm not trying to write an emo-piece here I just want to ask questions that nobody knows how to answer. Maybe it doesn't end, because we sometimes don't want them to end. And that we know that in the midst of all the trials of life, we still shout, "Life is beautiful!"

I have hopes and dreams and wishes that I still want to achieve. Why they're truly a mountain climb. I used to just say, well, I'm just a girl with limitations but now, I'm a woman with insatiable appetite for success. But what is success but just a mere ladder of achievement. Is success supposed to be forever? I don't know. Like computer applications, it seems that everything has that "update" needed. It's like a marathon run, though I haven't tried it, I could feel that those runners just wished they'd reach the finish line. You can't run miles and miles until the finish line without experiencing the hardships, obstacles, loss for breath, and total exhaustion. Is it a celebration for survival or for winning, you might ask. But we all got races to finish somehow. I, for one, had to run faster because if not, I'd probably get lost in my wishful thinkings again. I have a lot of things to do. I had to train myself and become more straightforward, sincere in my speech, and aggressive to advance myself. I have a lot of personality developments to do. I'm tired but I can't afford to lose this game.

What are you oftentimes criticised for? How did you react to them?

I'm often criticized for being too absorbed in my job (or studies, when I was a student). They say so because my friends would often ask me to go out somewhere with them but either I'm too busy or too tired from my job. So I'd told them that I'm sorry and would take a rain check while making all the possible excuses to not make them feel that they aren't my priority.

I agree that even though we're busy with our day-to-day routines in each of our hectic career lives, we still need to maintain the balance, specially not neglecting the social aspect of our lives. In times of troubles, we need people to run to for help. I had had experiences wherein I had struggled with my co-workers and clients but the people I trust the most, such as my friends and families, gave me strength, countless advices, and moral support. Things that money can't buy, as we often say.

Video Sample

I am actually exploring the features of this blogger site. I used to have blogs but there weren't as many features as they have here. Like posting a video or photo. So I'm gonna do that now. This video is a sample video I did for Baraka Apartment. It's just a compilation of pictures I took from the building. I used Imovie and Garageband to put the movie and music together. It's not very sophisticated, because I did this in a rushed manner and I didn't have the right contents at that time. Anyway, here's my awaited video sample.

Why Go to Hongkong

As you read this blog, you have either travelled to Hongkong or you will very very soon. If your company is sending you there for say, training or teambuilding, you're lucky. But sometimes, there will always be chances where you just decided to use up some pages of your passport for a 3 days-2nights vacation in HK. It's exciting to think that you'll be travelling outside of your country. For Filipino travelers, it's so easy as packing your bags and getting on the plane for a two-hour flight (if you're flying from Manila). What's more is that, if you're a Philippine passport holder, you are entitled to a free 14-days visitor's permit. It's long enough if you're just planning to do some shopping, food-tripping, or a day or two at the HK Disneyland Resort. There are other numerous parks and tourist spots to enjoy if you're done with those amusing rides. You can try to take a bus or tram ride then you're off to one of the unique rides of your life as you witness a beautiful mixture of different cultures and traditions block-by-block. Of course, you should keep your camera handy in case of interesting sights and happenings. Yes, in this busy city, you will be surprised of the goings-on around.

The roads and bridges from the HK International Airport to the downtown city-areas present a marvelous view of what constitute a developed state. Even the skyscrapers that light up the city at night are very panoramic themselves. We all know that HK is a world-leader in free-trade capitalist economy that's why many business-minded people wouldn't miss to see and feel this very energetic city. I even know some people who travel once or twice a month between Manila and HK to buy cheap products to sell in the Philippines. Anybody can do it, too. But you must have enough resources and contacts to do that smoothly. For the rest of the travelers, there are several reasons why they choose HK:

1. To visit the Disneyland Resort. Before its establishment in 2005, it was just a dream for most Filipinos to go to the Disneyland Resorts in Orlando or Paris. Now, many would still stand in line to feel the magic of Disney in HK.
2. To shop. Whether they are clothes, shoes, gadgets, accessories, and other consumer goods, you'll really never go empty handed.
3. To find jobs. Yes, that's a given to those who are looking for that "greener pasture" as they say. Most of our people work inside homes but there are still a number of Filipino professionals who are in demand for their high-end skills.
4. To unwind. I know a number of people who would escape to the city of HK away from their toxic jobs or lives (such like the celebrities) in their homes. They thought there's less media frenzy or social demands in the area, which is true most of the times.

But whatever is your purpose, to get a feel and taste of what's in HK is a remarkable experience. Someone once said that if you travel outside your country, you will learn how to appreciate your own better. Probably you would say there are so many things in there which you wish Filipinos will have but still, there's no place like home. I would say, there are just so many things we need to improve in our country but we should not be too ashamed of how slow we are getting off. We just need time. A perfect timing.