Prayer For Friends

Today is supposed to be holiday here in the Philippines however, since Pres. GMA decided to moved the holiday tomorrow December 1, 2006 working class were obliged to report to work. Anyway we will be having a long weekend from Friday until Sunday. I wake up early in the morning anticipating traffic for today is Andres Bonifacio day. However, when I went out of my house the street is so quiet sans absence of usual sight of school children roaming the street. As I reached the jeepney terminal I was informed by a bystander that DepED and Malacanang suspended the classes at all levels in Metro Manila due to the super typhoon Reming (international codename Durian) that is expected to hit Metro Manila Friday morning. On a busy day my travel time going to the office would cost me around an hour compare to only 20 minutes travel on occasions such as like this when main thoroughfares is not crowded by the rising number of vehicles in the metropolis. I reached the office early to start on a new task, as I left a lot of SAP configuration issues the last night I went home. The first thing I did was to open my personal email account @ yahoo.com to look @ emails and letters from friends and associates as well. Reading emails helps keeps my sanity @ work. I will share to you new email I got from a friend entitled “Prayer for Friends.”

I have called you friends. (John 15:15)

Lord Jesus Christ,
While on earth you had close and devoted friends,
Such as John, Lazarus, Martha and Mary.
You showed in this way that friendship
Is one of life’s great blessings.

Thank you for the friends that you have given me
To love one in spite of my failures and weaknesses,
And to enrich my life after your example.

Let me ever behave toward them
As you behaved toward your friends.

Bind us close together in you and enable us
To help one another on our earthly
Journey. Amen.

Happy a nice day to everyone!!!

Happy Feet

Last Saturday my officemate Yvette and I watched the movie Happy Feet @ Robinsons Place Manila. We left the office around 3:00 PM for the 3:50 PM screening. When we the entered the movie house its full packed, we had difficulty finding a seat. I overheard children at the back accompanied by their parents to watch this movie. The movie is a children’s tale about a young penguin with an unusual gift and his adventures in Antartica. Happy Feet is a new computer animated family film that is quite simply the most bizarre thing in Antartica. Is the movie offer something good? Well I will think twice before giving you my answer to this question. The posters and trailers are selling the movie as a feel-good comedy for the toddler set. It’s not. The story begins in the Antarctica with two Emperor penguins named Memphis (Hugh Jackman) and Norma Jean (Nicole Kidman) who fall in love and have an egg. As the females leave the flock to feed on fish, the males stay behind to provide nurturing warmth for the eggs. A slight mishap occurs causing the egg to momentarily slip away from Memphis grasp. Hoping that no internal damage was done to the egg, Memphis curiously awaits his offspring’s hatch. In the great nation of Emperor Penguins you are nobody unless you can sing as it turned out Mumble (Elijah Wood) was born the worst singer in the world. He was born dancing to his own tune….. tap dancing.

I was kind of hoping that this would be the singing/dancing penguin equivalent of David Cronenberg’s Crash. So 1.5 hours of penguin movie would have been fine with me. And it starts that way, but then veers off into all kinds of directions, for better and for worse. Here are some of those: They comment on pollution and the depletion of the ocean’s fish by humans from de-fishing the ocean, he winds up in a zoo, he losses his mind, he meets a mystical penguin guru, he gives everyone dance lessons, and then real humans are superimposed into the action. It zigs and zags into a lot of different places you’re not expecting. Entertaining throughout. But trippy. If you are looking for fun just pure fun, go watch Happy Feet.

My Personal Grounding

I always integrate grounding rituals into my life especially that my job requires me to work at my computer all day. If I find myself feeling in great turmoil, confusion and disconnection, I usually stop for a while, stretch my muscle and slowly drink a large glass of water that helps in creating a better mix to regain my energy. On the other hand if I have been doing a lot of mental work and feeling unsettled, I would usually go for a walk to the rest room to wash my hand and apply hand lotion afterwards. And if I feel that my life is out of balance, I would always go on malling or go to the parlor for my manicure and pedicure.

9 Myths About Being Single

According to the Author of this myth Susan Dunn, more than 48% of US households are headed by unmarried individuals. She further stressed that The American Association for Single People projects that by 2010, 47.2% of adults will be unmarried. Being single does not mean being alone, nor does being in a couple for the holidays ensure happiness she said. So let’s dispel some myths.

Myth #1: Single people are lonely at Christmas.

Reality: No more so than anyone else. This is a projection of people who fear “being alone for the holidays,” a fear of the unknown.

Myth #2: Single people need you to invite them over to your celebration.

Reality: Contrary to perceptions, single people are v. popular at Christmas, and we generally receive lots of invitations. If you want us over, we'd love to be invited, but would prefer it's because you like us, not because you think we need it.

Myth #3: Single people don’t know what to do for the holidays.

Reality: On the contrary, we are used to planning our social lives actively, good at generating options, and used to making unilateral decisions. We’re pros!

Myth #4: Single people are available to perform certain social tasks during the holiday celebration.

Reality: We like to be cherished guests. We don’t like to be the steer among the bulls – invited to get people who don’t get along off of one another’s throats. If you don’t like your family and friends, why would we? “Can you come over and help out with Aunt Edna?” is not an invitation.

Myth #5: Single people are available to do certain physical tasks during the holiday celebration.

Reality: Nor is this an invitation: “It’s John’s in-laws and I want to impress them. Can you come over and help with the hors d’oeuvres?” As best-friend, yes; as the only working-guest, absolutely not.

Myth #6: Single people are misfits, outsiders.

Reality: On the contrary, most of us have highly developed Emotional Intelligence skills; that’s the reason we get the ‘rescue us’ invitations! Outsiders? It’s about half the adult world now. Take another look!

Myth #7: If a single person isn’t part of a couple, or doesn’t spend Christmas with a couple or family, they will be miserable.

Reality: Come on now. Is it so horrible to celebrate Christmas on a cruise to the Caribbean, coming back rested, tanned and relaxed?

Myth #8: The only “happy” way to spend the holidays is if you are a couple or part of a family.

Reality: If that were so, half the articles on the Internet this time of year wouldn’t be about how to cope with the annual holiday dinner with the relatives, and the divorce rate in the US wouldn’t be 50%.

Myth #9: Single people have “nowhere to go” for the holidays.

Reality: Nowhere to go? We have everywhere to go! I loved my years as Mrs. Santa. Now I’m on the go. I’m thinking about Germany this year. There are so many places to go I can’t decide!!

Source: www.susandunn.com

On Being Single

Every time I celebrated my birthday my friends and officemates would always ask me question such as “Isn’t it hard being single? Look at me I have my wonderful little angel that will always cheer up when am troubled. I am tired of being asked of such kind of question. My reply will always be “Well maybe Santa will bring me a man tied up neatly in a big red bow this Christmas.” Since my birthday falls on December I would always tell them that I would be anticipating Santa’s present for me. It’s not that I don’t have a boyfriend, I actually have one. I hadn’t eliminated the idea of ever marrying, but am not prepared yet to settle down and getting married isn’t my priority in life right now. Honestly speaking am not bored or lonely, and felt comfortable being single-except when people start hounding me about my choice of living alone. I am not pressured of getting marriage because of age. Being single takes on greater meaning, adventure and satisfaction. When I looked at my single life and tried to figure out why I am still happy despite the fact that I am not married to date. Perhaps it is because I am single that I am happy despite the fact that I am alone. I am aware that I am not getting any younger everyday and that my biological clock is also ticking. It’s not my life’s goal at the moment to get married the soonest. Being single leaves me free to absorb what’s going on and allows me to be spontaneous. I can watch movies whenever I want to and can go to any place at a moment’s notice. I can go out malling, or just go out for a late night snack. I can flirt if I want to, without worrying that I might get into trouble. Being single allows me the time to figure out who I am. I want to enjoy my single hood so that when the times come that I need to give up my single status I will be in bliss. And if I do decide to marry, I am doing so for the right reasons rather than a need to feel complete.

Drake P3 Personality Assessment

I took this exam because of my interest to know my personality traits based on the interpretation of an expert. I’ve been wanting to be acquainted of my personality based upon any analysis by a psychologist or psychiatrist however, because its too pricey to consult an expert I just took it upon me to search from the internet to be able to have this interpretation. It took around 15 minutes to answer multiple-choice questions. The assessment consists of three (3) sections: Section one measures basic personality traits (e.i. Dominance, Extroversion, Patience, Conformity, and Conscientiousness); Section two measure’s individual’s Self Monitoring Orientation; and Section three measure’s individual’s Proactivity.. There is no right or wrong answer it’s up to you to choose which best describe your personality on a given adjective. And here goes the interpretation. If you are not interested of knowing my personality traits and the way it influences my career, It’s fine with me, if interested read the entire psychoanalysis and after you have finished take it from there on how you will deal with me. I was supposed to keep this summary for my own personal reference and record however I decided to share this to all of you to give you an overview of my personality traits.

Maylene Beringuela, your responses indicate that you are personable, yet demanding when matters need to be completed correctly. Your convincing and authoritative tone leads you to exhibit an attitude that exudes control. Your intense, competitive, and goal-oriented nature causes you to push ahead to achieve results. You possess social composure and the ability to think quickly during public exposure. Your enjoyment of contact with people is heightened if you are in control of the communication. Criticism may cause you to respond in a sensitive manner.

Communication Style

Maylene Beringuela, you prefer to tell people what to do in a straightforward fashion, rather than use persuasion. You are very effective in expressing yourself factually and sincerely. You are precise, frank, sensitive to tone, and can become discouraged if criticized unfairly.
Also, Maylene Beringuela, you express urgency when relating with people. You like fast paced exchanges and, at times, your tone may be impatient.
You express yourself in a factual, to-the-point manner. Your communication style is precise.Maylene Beringuela, you are intent on getting things done right, and you insist on maintaining the highest quality. You focus on the disciplined mastery of details and systems, and you use principles and tradition to help you maintain an orderly environment. You need to know all of the details all of the time, are cautious of changes in the system, and often take negative feedback personally.You function well when supplied with rules, manuals, and systems. You prefer that details and proposals be presented in writing. If not pressured, you rarely make mistakes.

Leadership Style

Leadership Style: Traditionalist

You expertly perform your leadership role by managing your people through systems and procedures, and requiring them to follow your organization's rules. You exercise a conservative and watchful style while demanding that projects be completed correctly. You may desire time alone to judge if performance standards and quality controls are being realized by your people. You are good at team building and enjoy a lot of interaction with your subordinates. You handle a great deal of variety and can set up systems and procedures. You like to set a fast pace.

Conscientiousness

You are able to apply self-discipline and thoroughness to your work. Your orientation toward tasks and achievement is guided by an above-average ability to plan, organize, and fulfill specific goals and obligations. Your motivations are usually positive and focused on results.

Motivational Needs

Maylene Beringuela, you tend to be motivated by praise for tasks well done, and by having enough time to complete projects. You are more productive in a structured environment where there are few abrupt changes, and where there is basic job security with good benefits. You desire a professional culture where criticism is carefully administered, and where tradition is respected.You can be demotivated if systems are not firmly established and routine procedures are not in place. You can become discouraged when criticized unconstructively or unfairly. You tend to be less productive when not supported by enforceable rules, clear directions, step-by-step plans, or written communications.

Primary Motivators

• A structured environment that has few sudden or abrupt changes.
• The security of basic benefits.
• A worked out system and quality products
• Praise for specific accomplishments.
• Standard operating procedures and sound actions.
• Fairness in dealings with individuals and groups.
• Time to do things right.

Primary Demotivators

• You are constantly criticized.
• The rules are changed without plenty of notice.
• There is a lack of procedures, quality and fairness.
• There is not a worked out system.

Emotional Intelligence

Maylene Beringuela, your responses indicate that you tend to pursue your goals energetically, and that you persevere until your goals are achieved. You strive continually for self-improvement, and you are not discouraged by temporary setbacks or disappointments. You work for reasons beyond money or status, and you prefer that your work be aligned with your personal values.

Old Recipe

I’ve been planning to clean up my room the past weeks however, for wanting to take a rest and sleep this has been set aside and neglected for almost a month now. However on November 16, 2006 (non-working Saturday) I decided to push through with my plans. After reading a newspaper, around 3:00 P.M. I started rummaging through my old files, notebooks, and folders to get rid of unwanted used ones when I came across this recipe for the coming holiday season. I could not recall to whom I got this recipe Fiesta Lasagna. This is a good recipe, thus, here it is for you to try.

Fiesta Lasagna

Ingredients:

500g. Lasagna noodles
1 tbsp. Butter fresh margarine
1 tsp. Garlic minced
1 Medium onion chopped
1 Cup ground beef
2 Cups hotdog
1 Cup sliced canned mushroom
750g. Spaghetti sauce
½ Cup water
½ Cup fresh parsley
1tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. Rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste

For the toppings:

2 eggs
227g. Cream cheese
2 cups grated cheese

Procedure

1. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions, drain and set aside.
2. Melt margarine, sauté garlic until tender.
3. Add the onion and cook until tender.
4. Add the ground beef, hotdog, mushrooms, spaghetti sauce, and water.
5. Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
6. Add the Italian seasoning, rosemary, and fresh parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Simmer for 15 minutes.
8. Place half of cooked lasagna noodles into a well-greased 13” x 19” rectangular Pyrex dish.
9. Cover lightly with half of the meat sauce.
10. Add another layer of the remaining noodles.
11. Beat together eggs, cream, and cheddar cheese.
12. Top with the rest of the creamed cheese mixture.
13. Bake in a pre-heated oven @ 350F for 20 minutes until the top bubbles

and turns slightly golden brown.

Creamy and Delicious!!!

Hope you will have a hearty Noche Buena. Enjoy!!!

Skyflakes

Skyflakes

Communications Key To Implementing Agenda

By Tom Neff and James Citrin

Richard Parsons, CEO of Time Warner says: “If your company or team doesn’t know what the direction is they won’t know where to go. The result: energy dissipates, momentum slows, morale plummets and the company drifts. To make sure everyone sees the same picture and understands what they are seeing requires more contact with people, more opportunities to meet them and more communication.”
However, communication is more than promulgating a message: it’s about gathering thoughts and information to help shape that message.

Effective communications

Most leaders agree that employees should be told as much as possible about the state of the business. If everyone has the same facts, they are more likely to pull in the same direction. This also applies to shareholders, the board, customers and suppliers.
Communicating properly takes time and you’ve got to remember that personal delivery of the message is more likely to reap results, the longer you spend communicating, the less time you have for doing.
How best then to use your time? Intuit CEO Steve Bennett says: “You need to do some one-to-ones but to be effective and leverage your time you need to manage one-to-many.”

Managing the message

How well you communicate is determined not by how well you say things but how well you’re understood. Know your audience — their background, mood, readiness — and tailor your message to them so that it is assimilated as well as appropriate.
Know your own strengths in terms of communicating and play on those. Be aware, for example, of which settings work best for you — large audiences or smaller groups.
When Steve Reinemund succeeded Roger Enrico as PepsiCo CEO, he was conscious of the differences in the way he communicated compared to his predecessor. “Roger is a terrific public speaker so it’s smart for him to capitalize on large audiences with major messages. That’s not my strength. I can do it and I may be getting better at it but it’s not what I love to do. I think I’m more effective in discussion in smaller groups where I can have a dialogue about the business and what’s on people’s minds.”

Communicating in a crisis

“In tough times, my advice is communicate, communicate, communicate. And when you think you’ve done enough, communicate again,” says EMC CEO, Joseph Tucci.
In a crisis getting information out quickly is advisable — it tends to leak out anyway. If you’re not the one to bring it to light or are seen to be sitting on damaging information you will have lost the opportunity to solve the problem and are likely to be fired — as happened to three Shell executives who failed to disclose that the company had been sitting on inflated oil prices for two years.
Once the information is out, tell the truth and acknowledge the issue rather than try to underplay it. Then, focus on continuous communications with employees, the board, customers, the financial community and the media.
When you’re in a crisis you have to show confidence and be visible. Your job becomes that of a shock absorber between events and your employees’ desire for stability.
There are two schools of thought when it comes to talking to the media during a crisis — those who advocate it and those who don’t. The argument for talking to the media revolves around the fact that something will be written anyway so treating reporters consistently and with facts is best practice. Talking to the media also allows a CEO to tell his or her story and to use the occasion to get across their perspective.
On the other hand, Lucent CEO Schacht is against media involvement arguing that during a crisis the only constituents he cares about are “the board, the internal folks and the customers”.
Be open, honest and straightforward with whomever you talk to — the press, financial community, customers and employees — because they ultimately execute your agenda.

Unspoken communication

Implicit signals carry a lot of weight and in the early days in particular, you’ll be watched for every facial expression and hand gesture as well as how you dress. Without a history of action on which to base their assessments, people will judge you by these signals. Whether it’s your attire, the messages you emit about timeliness and respect for others and their time or whether you’re an e-mail or voice-mail person, these subtle signals will work their way across the organization, communicating the new rules by which you operate.

Seek input from all levels

New CEOs are faced with a torrent of new information that is often difficult to manage and, while getting information directly from the field yourself is time-consuming it offers advantages in terms of boosting your credibility and building relationships with stakeholders.
Gary Kusin did just this when he became CEO at Kinko’s: “I took my case directly to the people and told them what we had to do if we were to survive. I didn’t do it through middlemen. I cannot overstate the importance of getting direct input from the rank and file about their thoughts and what the company needs. It is easy to became way too insular in the ivory tower of a corporate environment and not grasp the issues from the factory floor. The first 100 days is a political campaign. You have to win the hearts and minds of the electorate and you can’t do that when you’re sitting in a conference room with a consulting firm.”

Conclusion

Communications is central to leadership and to do it well requires listening, tailoring your message to your audience, tailoring your approach to suit your natural strengths and giving and seeking feedback. All these elements will help support your cultural and strategic agendas and help avoid many of the most common pitfalls new leaders face.

Forwarded Email

I usually got a couple of spam email and forwarded chain emails from people whose names are not on my contact list. Personally, I view them as garbage that needs to be disposed immediately for fear of creating havoc on my PC by way of infecting virus on my disk drive. These mails are deleted in no time without opening the message content. I have had enough of forwarded emails from friends and colleagues that promise to bring good luck and god fortune only if forwarded to certain number of people. Sometimes this comes with guarantee notes with testimonials from success stories of people who suffered bad luck and misfortune for failure to forward a particular message to such number of people. I usually delete messages from my mailbox at the sight of the subject without opening them anymore. I just click them away and trash afterwards.

Sometimes however, I opened messages just for curiosity and fun especially after a stressful day @ work. So, here I am sharing you the email I got forwarded by my former officemate Raffy Manrique. I find it such a waste of time if I will not be able to share this to all of you. If you are not interested nothing will happen. If you are interested however, please continue reading this.

Here go the Stress Management.

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?" Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.

The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance."

In each case, it is the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes. He continued, "and that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."

"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden."

So before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you are carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can.

So, my friend, why not take a while to just simply relax. Put down everything that may be a burden to you right now. Don't pick it up again after you've rested a while. Life is short. Enjoy it!!!

Here are some great ways of dealing with the burden in life.

• Accept that some day you're the pigeon, and some days you are the statue.
• Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
• Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
• Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
• If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
• If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
• It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
• Nobody cares if you can dance well. Just get up and dance.
• Never buy both feet in your mouth, because then you won't have a leg to stand.
• The second mouse gets the cheese.
• When everything's coming your way you're in the wrong lane.
  
• Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
• Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
• A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
  
  

Overcoming Fear in Water

Fear can be a big problem to overcome. It is a very basic instinct that there is to keep us all safe from danger. When we are scared, we literally fear for our lives. The best way to prevent fear is to ensure that we are exposed to absolutely every stimulus that we may come into contact with. The best way to overcome fear is to gently expose yourself to the things we are frightened of. The exposure need to be frequent and short, and must never cause more fear than is already there.

For years, I had unexplained feelings of fear of water. It wasn’t that I disliked being in water. I loved to take a bath and go to the beach or swimming pool. However, I was unwilling to put my face in or to submerge myself past the waist. Even if I would tag along with my friends in going to different beaches in the Philippines, I will just end up near the shoreline. I would watch them play or swim until they were no longer within my sight. On occasions of our company summer outing I never attempted to join any water sports for fear of submerging in the sea beyond my waist. I always feared dangers in the sea or threat of any injury in the course of my joining the water sports. While my friends and office mates are enjoying the beach I am on the sides trying to hibernate at the comforts of our hotel room and cottage. I would end up always reading inside our rented room trying to ease the boredom after I’ve tired myself strolling around from visiting almost all the souvenir shops. I would only show up on occasions of picture taking, games within the shoreline and mealtime.

I recently overcome my fears of water when my friend Fe, my officemates (Angie, Jay and Razel) and I decided to explore White Beach at Puerto Galera. We left Manila on the night of September 1, 2006 for a 2-day swimming binge at the island. We had tour the island and on (September 3, 2006) our last day we decided to try the Banana Boat ride within the vicinity of the beach resort. I am anxious at first of joining the group however because of our agreement the night before that we will try the water sport I obliged to join them. Upon embarking on the boat I felt my feet trembling and I was so nervous and afraid we might drown at the middle of the sea. When the driver of the speedboat started the engine I wanted to back out, however, it’s too late for me to alight from the boat. We were able to hurdle the driver’s attempt to upturn the Banana boat right at the middle of the sea (thanks to Jay’s expertise). Overturning the boat is part of the sport; the driver intentionally upturned the boat on his fourth attempt leaving us helpless. I thought I passed out after our fall. I fall on my side with my head hitting the water first. When I got into my senses I tried to navigate however I felt my life vest loosen (even if it’s not). I can’t see nothing but large body of seawater all over and I realized that we were in the middle of the sea upon seeing Fe and Razel knuckle under the boat. I came to Angie’s side trembling upon seeing my companion all submerged in water. I thought we were all in danger upon seeing Razel and Fe holding the boat shouting for help. I was so fearful because of the thought that I can’t even swim in shallow water. Maybe the boat’s helper sensed that I was in fear that’s why he chose me to be the first to go up the boat. And when we finally started our route again, I felt I lost my fear upon knowing that the next time we fall I know I will still be able to make it to the shoreline whole. I know I am afraid of drowning and I am fearful of swimming even if I am properly taught. Taking a jump into deep water and actually swimming, despite the perceived threat of drowning, can be a brave move. I am confident that I can do it again and the next time I set foot at Puerto Galera Banana Boating will still be included in my itinerary.

A fear of water is not something to take lightly. In their book Monsters Under the Bed and Other Childhood fears, Stephen W. Garber, PhD and his coauthors warn the reader that a child’s fear of water can be quite a handicap. It means that when all children are jumping in the pool, you will be left on the sidelines. Worse than that, if you are so frightened of the water that you are unable to swim, it is dangerous to play near the water, “they say.
Clearly, it is beneficial to help yourself get over your fear of the water as soon as possible. A good way to start is to try to verbalize what you specifically fears. Are you afraid to put your face in the water because the water will hurt your eyes? Are you afraid to go down and not come back up? Try to recall these past experiences. Do you have an accident at a pool, or something as simple as getting soap in your eyes during a bath? If you can get the root of your fear, you have a place to begin.

Fear is a natural reaction to danger or threat of injury. The problem occurs when the danger is not real or the fears are not rational. You can overcome irrational fears by confronting them in a safe—but yet scary—environment. Small success over danger can build up your confidence and bravery.

Loyalty

The wikipedia defines loyalty as faithfulness or devotion to a person or cause.

Nowadays loyalty is the most word of mouth by politicians clinging on to their lucrative post more so powerful position given to them in a silver platter because of loyalty. This word is commonly used not only by political appointee but also even by ordinary people and employees as well.

As defined in the dictionary loyalty means faithful allegiance to one’s sovereign or government. To an ordinary employee loyalty is being submissive and groveling to his boss. Other people say that staying with the company for the longest time is loyalty to them. Are they indeed loyal to the company? Agreeing to the boss whims and caprice is loyalty too? Having to hold key position in the company for seniority and not for their capability is considered a trophy for the continued stay in the company. This kind of employee would always resent highly principled and outspoken newly hired subordinate simply because of fear this may displease the management and will eventually might result losing their job. They hold on to their job even under scandalous circumstances. Too unbecoming for a superior who you look up to in times of trouble but left you to solve your own misery where your only motive is to help them change the culture from operational-tactical to strategic. Despite their incapability and sheer knowledge to keep the company afloat, enough for other people to resign they stick to their position simply shrug off those problems besetting the company with bare denials and go with the flow. It would set an example for other employees under their turf to see them strive for excellence not afraid to give up their much-coveted position. Office politics is everywhere and I’ll be hard pressed to find a place where all is fair. It isn’t impossible it’s just a rarity.

For me, the better gauge of loyalty is not in agreeing all the time to the higher up but in always telling the truth even if it hurts; or in voicing out one’s well studied opinion even if it may not be to the liking of the boss. Telling the boss she is always right is not loyalty but subservience. By being subservient so as not to incur the ire of the boss and lose their jobs, is not loyalty to the company but being loyal to themselves.

Seldom do we find nowadays employee who are not afraid to lose their jobs for the sake of principles.

Losing a Dearly Beloved Uncle in November

November is the month in which we remember our dead. For Catholics it is not mere remembrance. As the Bible puts it “It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead they may be loosened from the sins (Maccabees 12:45).

My family recently lost our Uncle Tony to a rare cancer of the lymph nodes called lymphoma. As the internet said this is another type of cancer of the blood. He was diagnosed with cancer barely a month ago and he was subjected to a series of test @ the UST hospital. He underwent first chemotherapy treatment two weeks ago. The cancer causing cells quickly grew and we lost him on November 11, 2006. He was diagnosed to have a stage III lymphoma and his doctor said that there is no way to prevent this disease from developing yet, he continue to strive to find for a solution. He was only 69. He had planned of having a grand celebration next year when he turns 70 on February 14. He was like a father to us. Secrets I can’t reveal to my parents I can confide it to him. There was a time that I confided to him my displeasure to my strict Auntie. He was instrumental in lifting my curfew hours when I was still living with my Auntie during my college days.

He was loved not only by his families but also his friends and officemates. What endeared him most to them are his genuine heart, professionalism and integrity. He spent his entire life working as a civil servant @ Albay Capitol nearly 4 decades service. He was the Asst. Treasurer of the Capitol when he retires two years ago. I can say that I am proud of him, for he never enrich himself given the opportunities brought on by the position he was holding @ the time. He never acquires any wealth during his lifetime. He was a principled man, who is not afraid to stand up to his ideals.

I have had a share of happy Christmas memories with him. I remember a time when he will spend Christmas here in Manila. He would tag along our other cousin to spend Christmas here. He would bring us basketful of big crabs, shrimp, lobster and milkfish as his baon for a week stay. We would scourge Divisoria and Baclaran almost everyday on a lookout for discounted bargains for his countless gift list. There’s never a time I heard him complaint, he will visit all our other relatives and even his friends from as far as Laguna, to bring raw pilinut, pilinut candy, pinangat, Bicol native delicacies and even malunggay for he was aware we rarely cook ginataang malunggay due to rarity.

We feel lost and we don’t know how to cope. For those who have lost love ones, holidays can be particularly difficult. He may not be around anymore but I am sure he’s now in God’s grace waiting to be admitted to beatific vision when he will see God face to face.

The first tow days of November are a somber start for what I always hope will not last the whole month through ---- two days of painful thoughts and remembrance of our dearly departed ones. We all wear pain somehow, and this pain sit in all of us, still and steady. I know it’s easier said than done but I only hope and wish that we would be able to recover the lingering pain of losing him.

My condolences to the bereaved family.

Tickle Career Personality Test

I took this exam for fun@ the tickle website yesterday. I am no believer neither of fungshui and geomancer. I am not a follower either of people proclaiming that they have God's given talent to predict the future. But I like to share with you the interpretation of the answers I supplied on the questions provided in the website. It maybe a waste of time answering the question however, I was amused reading the interpretations that I want you to take a look at the result and share with you the fun I felt. I got to give you some inputs on the test entitled "What type of person are you at work"? If you are interested, please continue reading, if not leave my page and try to take a look at my other post. Enjoy!!!

The result of the test showed that my career personality type is ISTJ. (in which I don't know what is the meaning of this acronym). That means that based on the standard measure of personality traits, you have a quiet determination and sharp mind. You're very focused and buckle down when it comes to work. You are the type of person one looks to in a crisis. While others may provide emotional support in a situation, your clear and logical thinking allows you to solve the problem at hand. You are adaptable and can work independently or on a team. You are a careful thinker and get all the details before making any decisions. You don't jump to conclusions and stick with the facts provided. In other words, you're the go-to person for the real story, not the spin or gossip. While others may view you as a bit stubborn at times, they begrudgingly respect your ethics and straightforward approach. The reason employers and recruiters might be on the lookout for you is that only about 7% of the U.S. population shares the unique characteristics of your personality type. Research shows that businesses succeed when employers create a good balance of personality types in the office. And since only 7% of the U.S. population shares your type, that means employers are looking for you.

If I have to take at the concluding statement in this interpretation, does this mean I have now to start scouting for US employers???? I hope their browser will lead them to my site. :)

Finding My Roots

I went to Megamall last night to scout again for discounted bargains. Yvette my officemate and I left the office around 7:00 in the evening. Since purchasing people went on a branch visit yesterday, we left the office just the 2 of us. We parted @ the mall entrance while she transferred to the opposite side of the street to got a ride, I decided to take the first FX taxi going to Megamall. Since I am alone going home (Emy my regular companion went with the other purchasing people). I decided to go straight to Megamall instead of alighting @ Acacia Lane. I went to the mall to buy gifts for Christmas (am not complete yet with my Christmas gifts). But on my way to the mall entrance, I bumped into a woman I barely took notice of. As I looked back @ the corner of the children’s section I saw my former professor in law school – medium built, with wide black eyes, pouted lips, heavy eyeglass with gray hair. Immediately the image of my believed professor came to mind. The thought of her made me tensed and shiver. I remember her with a mixture of fear and respect.

During my grade school years, I strive to be @ the top of my class. I reaped honor and gold medals. When I was in high school I strive to excel both in academics and extra-curricular activities. I graduated @ the top of our class. Good enough reasons to feel proud. But it was her who made me eat my pride.

She brought fears on me and hated her @ first. One time she asked me to recite in one of our law subject, as I answered her questions, a follow up questions will immediately be added for me to answer. Feeling intimidated, I answered back that I don’t know the answers to her follow up questions and that I was not able to read the entire provisions and jurisprudence. I got her wrath because of that and as a result, I got her angry and declared “Maylene you have not been studying. You are becoming lazy. I doubt it if you will be able to hurdle the bar exams. I know you can make it, if you will only embrace the law training. If you can’t, then you have the option to decide whether to continue your studies or not”. Feeling ridiculed, I sit back as my face felt hardened and my hair blown away from my head. At that instance I promised myself that I would strive to prove her wrong.

During my college days, I may not be on top of my class but I can say that I did not discounted my parents as I passed all my subjects. I am a campus figure, which adds up for me being proud of this. I’ve finished my MBA too. Unlike in law school, my MBA class is such an overwhelming experience.

But as I entered law school I realized that studying law and aspiring to be a lawyer is not an easy thread. You have to read tons of pages of provisions and articles to cope with the rigorous demands of law studies.

As I see her flash a big smile I realized that it was she who taught me to strive for perfection; an ideal I would aim for the rest of my life.

Skyflakes

Skyflakes

It's Christmas Again

Christmas is just around the corner. Malls already have Christmas trees and other décor of the season as early as October. And after Halloween bazaars here and there have started to crowd trade shows and exhibits. I have already done my Christmas shopping as early as first week of October to avoid the holiday rush. I started going around malls in the metropolis to check out mall sale and discounted bargains. Megamall and SM Mall of Asia had a sale recently for Barbie bags, shoes, apparels and other fashion accessories. Most are @ 50%. I bought 3 Barbie backpack and 1 sling bag for my officemates daughter. This cost me 250.00 for the former and 220.00 for the latter. Another place I went to was SM Makati and Landmark. I went there 2 weeks ago. Actually I went to see my doctor at Makati Medical Center for my weekly check-up, on my way to MRT I passed by the mall. I found their cute Sesame Street slipper for toddlers and preschooler for only 110.00. Not bad. I bought khaki freego pants for my godson and nephew. I found this really cute hip-hop Porsche pants for my teenager nephew. I also bought fashionable Anika dresses @ Landmark Children’s’ Section for 450.00 @ 50% discount.

Another place I want to try is Greenhills tiangge to scout for other gifts to complete my gift list. It’s wise to start shopping early; this gives me ample time to budget my finances because I want my peso to go a long way.

Christmas gift shopping is part of my annual budget. I usually set aside 50% of my 13th month pay as my Christmas shopping budget.

Skyflakes: Christmas Shopping List

Skyflakes: Christmas Shopping List

Christmas Shopping List

Doing some shopping for Christmas gifts this week, my thoughts returned to Christmas memories when I was still a kid. Ever year when its ber months I would start buying gifts for my niece, nephews and for my godson, and goddaughter as my Christmas present. I bought gifts ranging from infants, toddlers up to pre-schooler however; I found it difficult to buy Christmas gifts for teenagers. I remember when I was a teenager; my mother and my godmother would always ask me what I wanted for Christmas. I remember telling her it doesn’t matter. Whatever. I would usually get new clothes or shoes from my Mom and sometimes bagful of candies from my godparents. Now that I look back on it, I’m surprised that I didn’t get any toys during Christmas. The least I could’ve done was give her some idea of what I had on my mind. But now teenagers seem to already have an idea about what they want from Santa. I remember when I visited my sister; I asked my niece and nephews about what they wanted for Christmas. I was surprised in the answers I got. I sent a text to my godson and goddaughter and their replies surprised me also. Three wanted a new cell phone, and the others wanted a new watch. My nephew is asking for a desktop computer. One of my godson wants a game boy from Santa. I know that times have changed since I was a child. It’s been a decade since I was a teenager and I can’t remember ever wanting any of those things or anything even resembling those things. I can only remember wanting one thing when I was a teenager – a Barbie doll. Since my Mom could not afford to buy the doll, I will usually got a promise that next Christmas if our farm crops and economy will be all right. She will try to buy Barbie doll for me and my Ate. That promise didn’t happen and I didn’t have any Barbie, I will just be contented with the rug doll that I have which was already worn out at that time. Longing for that Barbie doll stayed in my sub-consciousness which I carried until I got used to imagine how it feels having a Barbie from Santa. When I have my first job, I bought a Filipiniña Barbie, which I kept until now.

After hearing what they wanted for Christmas, I sat back and thought about what my younger nephews will want when they are teenager. A house, a car or their own personal robot? By the time there’s no telling what will be the popular thing to buy. :)

Now that I’m older, I can think of so many, things that I want for Christmas. And it’s funny because there is no electronics involve. I really wanted to buy laptop for myself (if I have enough extra money left from my Christmas shopping spree J). My elder sister and my younger brother have already asked what I wanted for Christmas. I actually told them a long list of things :).

So to all parents, godparents out there I wish you luck this Christmas in hopes that you get an answer about what your teen wants from Santa this year. If not, then just wait a few years.

Skyflakes

Skyflakes

My Love Affair with Skyflakes

Skyflakes is a brand of crackers here in the Philippines as Ritz is to the United Sates. I wanted to talk about my skyflakes fascination today. This is a heritage brand trusted by many generations manufactured by MYSan Corporation. As its company's website said "with its versatility skyflakes is your crackers anytime, anywhere. I have some investment with this crackers as I've been eating this crackers for almost twenty years now. (I started eating this when I was akid, on my younger days, but not that I am still young. I am getting old damn) :), and have become something a connoiseur(?) My day will not be complete without munching on skyflakes in the morning, it's really fascinating to me. I don't mind it when people say they don't like crackers; not everyone has to. I would always amaze my officemates when upon seeing my plastic box always full of skyflakes crackers.