'Non-negotiables"

These are the things in life I do not take for granted:
My spiritual health – I make sure my personal relationship with God is healthy. I do not let rubbish get in to my heart.
My family – Daily, I work at loving them unconditionally.
My physical health – I pay attention now to what gets in to my system; I do regular preventive maintenance.
My mental health – I consciously work at using the left side of my brain also because I grew up using my right side most of the time. I read a lot but I don’t believe everything I read.
How I invest my time – I only do high value tasks and they are all related to my long-term and short term goals.
My friends – I have been working at establishing deeper friendships; keeping in touch with friends from my high school & MBA years, and having lots of friends in Intel. One of the things I learned in life is that to be successful, one must be relational, not merely transactional. You must connect to influence.
Finances and stewardship – I am prudent and I live beneath my means so I can live a worry-free life. My principle for stewardship: because I love, I give.
My community – I do something to ensure that care for the environment is fostered and that the coming generation is empowered through education and safety awareness.
My Career – I only have 2 guiding points here: what I do for a living has to have a valuable contribution to society, and I must have fun in what I’m doing.

Munting Buhangin Adventure

It was supposed to be a summer outing. However, there was no hint that it was because it was raining cats and dogs on our way to Batangas. Nature provided complete light and sound effects when lightning and thunder accompanied us to Silang, Tagaytay, and Alfonso. We only hoped that the sun had Wawa for it's address today because it cannot be found in Cavite.

We reached the outing place and it was still raining; hard enough that we were stuck in the car for a few minutes. Much later, even though it was still drizzling, we got off the car because we were losing our "swimming time!"

The best thing to do after a two-hour drive is to take a refreshing dip. We did just that a soon as we got to Munting Buhangin Beach Resort in Wawa, Batangas. The sea water is clean and shallow. Anyone can swim with the school of fish underneath. It was already 4pm when the sun peeped through the skyline so its scorching heat was not an issue. There were lots of people on this Friday afternoon. It's officially summer!

Conservative as most Filipinos are, the official swimming attire was a pair of shorts (Filipinos call it "tokong" not short- shorts) and round neck shirts. Only the children wore swimsuits and trunks. A senior citizen placed her mono block chair on the beach, knee-deep and just sat there as she babysits her four year old granddaughter. A group of men were belting out classics in the big karaoke player; either they were drunk or the karaoke was drunk - now I realized why it rained tremendously.

The duplex cabins in this resort were clean and spacious. The bathrooms have brand new fixtures and heaters to boot. Most of all, it's a perfect place to doze off after 3 hours of swimming. We were cabin mates with officemates Jasmin Virtudazo, Mark Roque, George Ferrer, Ludy Ala, and Mark Siangco. We spent Friday night there and headed back to General Trias, Cavite at 9am the next day. However, we got delayed by an hour because we missed to turn left in the Shell Central gas station in Nasugbu where Azucarera Don Pedro was. We went straight ahead to Lian, then to Calatagan which was another 30 kilometers! Talk about getting lost big time! The funny thing I found about this is that many people who visit Batangas for the first time missed this turn too! Hence, we were able to see the breath-taking Enrique Zobel Farm and Polo Country Club in Bigaa, Calatagan. It had these trees along the highway that had beige colored trunks that I haven't seen before. I started noticing we were lost when we got here because we did not pass this way before. I became more suspicious when I saw Matabungkay Beach Resort...and finally CONFIRMED that WE WERE "sooo lost" when we reached Golden Sunset Village Resort and Spa. When we reached the town proper, we asked some townsfolk who were by the church where the road to Tagaytay leads; true enough, missed a turn and got way too lost. It was a good thing that the people were friendly and generous in giving directions. Another good thing was the scenic view of the province, it was a pleasant joyride to the countryside, we thought.

Overall, I enjoyed the whole adventure. It was a family bonding time, office mates team building activity and a creative calorie burning feat at the same time!

Special thanks to Rhodora "Dhoy" Amaya for taking charge of coordinating the place and the food. You're an angel! :-)

Jabbar

Many women hide behind sleeved shirts and blouses because of saggy arms that can be initially mistaken as legs in the first look. Anyone who has worked to come up with Jennifer Aniston arms can easily pick a dress or evening gown without having the pain of seeing wiggly limbs. Also, one cannot overstate the importance of having "executive arms" during summer. Comfort dictates that we wear light and sleeveless clothes but we sacrifice comfort for decency. We hate being teased of having Jabbar arms so we just bear with the heat. Those who like to make fun of those who dare even comment that women who have no "right" to wear sleeveless blouses are looking for trouble ("naghahanap ng away") and they'll be out to get it.

Proportion is one key to beauty. So let me specify that a lady's arms should be proportioned and well-toned to complement the face and the rest of the body.

There is Power in Meekness

Meekness is not weakness. In fact, it is the exact opposite of weakness. It is inner strength manifested. It is grace under pressure. It means not allowing subjectivity restrict objective thinking. People who are meek don’t allow range and anger to overtake them.
If we can just suspend our judgment and listen with our hearts, the world will be a much better place to live. We demonstrate meekness when we hold our tongue from lashing at our fellowmen when we feel hurt or maligned; it knows when to keep quiet when we have nothing good or encouraging to say.
The meek always have the upper hand. Being meek can save us from strained relationships and a lot of trouble.

No Limitations

God gives us the measure of faith (Romans 12:3).

God will do what you believe. So it really depends on you. How high can you go? What’s holding you back from experiencing one answered prayer after another? You can only limit God with unbelief, and this unbelief is likened to a lid that keeps the blessings from pouring in our lives. Take of that lid and delight in the breakthrough that God wants you to experience in your life!

Open Windows Abound!

“If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.”
- Thomas A. Edison

With this above-mentioned quote, it is no wonder that Thomas Edison invented more than a thousand things including the electric light and various electrical gadgets! He really believed that man was endowed with the talent to create and to invent.
I sort of see myself in the same plane now; I’m the process of creating something that has a potentially high value-add. It is a solution to three critical questions my family is currently faced with: 1) how to have continuous income generation, 2) how to synergize family relationships while being economically productive (i.e. earning while teaching your kids the craft), and 3) how to apply life leadership and management skills in our own enterprise. Bottom line, it is having a stable, challenging and rewarding family business that we own and can pass on to our children. There is a promising opportunity that awaits us: working in the future set-up will not mean leaving the children at home. In this seamless set-up, we can impart our work ethic to our children and teach them critical skills as well.

One Level Up

It's high time to trust God big time. If he parted the Red Sea for Moses and the Israelites, I am fully confident he can do the same in my life now. I just need to continue to believe...and obey. I stand by the Word of God, not in the temptations of the flesh to withhold.

I can bless others in a big way because He blessed me first. I must trust in His promises more than I trust riches. I know I can never outgive God. All that I am and all that I have is His.

Among other things, I've been called to be a giver. I gladly follow my calling. In fact, I enjoy it! I give not only what I have, but I also give of myself. And God is my rewarder.

Happy Birthday, Cocoy

Enrico Carreon, or Cocoy to his friends, celebrated his 3xth birthday today. As his colleague, I can say that he is one of Intel Philippines' most open-minded and diplomatic employees. No wonder he became an integrator. He is also a hands-on family man to his loving wife and 2 kids. Also a certified tech-savvy guy you can call (like GAR TAC) if you happen to have any questions on SmartBro, WeRoam, Torrent, PSP or any PC troubleshooting stuff.

Unknown to many, Cocoy has a unique talent of closing his eyes when getting into tight traffic situations (in Aguinaldo Highway counter flow, for example) . We witnessed that while we carpooled with him to Macapagal Avenue for our Christmas party dinner. When one car swerved in front of us, he instinctively closed his eyes! Whoa! I call that driving by faith, not by sight :-)

He is allergic to one thing: traffic enforcers in the Metro who may apprehend him for a no violation at all (mapagtripan lang ba...) No one wants to be wrongfully accused right? :-)

He's the tallest guy in this foto-loco shot taken last year; goofing around with me and another certified buddy Chris Nacionales (CN).

Good health and success in all your endeavors in the years to come! If you need someone to emcee your special occasions, supply you with construction materials, or supply you with your transport needs, or supply you with meat and chicken products - I'm just a phone call away. May your tribe increase, brother :-)

Productive or Just Busy?

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.-- Psalms 90:12 (TNIV)

Nowadays it is very tempting to just be busy. There are many distractions that can virtually fill all your waking days. However, these "activities" do not have any value-add to your life. They do not enhance either the physical, spiritual, or emotional areas of your being; it also does not make you richer (the financial aspect). Some tasks are just a form of momentary escape from the daily grind.

We show value to this life that God gave us by making the most productive use of our time. We all have the power to choose who we will be. Once the choice is made, all action must align with that choice. It takes discipline to exercise consistent persistence to tread the path you choose. Revamp the "daily to do list" with a simpler "choose to do" list...the quality of your life depends on it.

A LOT OF FIRSTS: SUBIC ADVENTURE

It's been 9 years since I've been to Subic. So I was surprised to see the Subic, Clark, Tarlac Express Way (SCTEX) in full swing. It made Subic much more accessible.
It was my first time to dine in Gerry’s Grill. At lunch, we had grilled squid, vegetable fried rice, fried chicken, bangus belly in tamarind soup, sisig, with steamed rice. I had sago (tapioca) and gulaman for my drink. The restaurant was by the shoreline and Al fresco, giving a refreshing view as we ate. I watched some people jet ski; though I haven't mustered the guts to rent one, I bet it was a lot of fun.

Then I went to the Subic Convention Center for the first time. Supporting the Philippine Science Fair was fulfilling and fun! The theme of the event lingers to this day: "do not trap the genius. Unleash the genius. Nurture the genius."
The Majestic Hotel was a stone’s throw away from Gerry’s. The rooms were clean and the comfort room was spacious. We checked in there and had a good night's sleep after 4 hours of travel from Cavite. My first time to check in a hotel and spend overnight in Subic was cool.
Jogging around Subic early next morning was invigorating. There were a number of people walking fast; bound for work. There were three joggers besides myself and a handful of street cleaners. The place felt so safe and secure. It was pleasantly quiet and notably progressive. I saw James Gordon’s monument, the monument of the children of the sun returning, and the old airplane. As I jogged around the complex for the first time and saw many other hotels and lodging places, I thought of bringing my family here this summer.
After breakfast, we began to search for an extraordinary gig: the one you would uniquely find in Subic. Alas! We found the Tree Top Adventure; it primarily impressed me as death defying. The highest elevation was over a hundred feet from the ground and we were only suspended with canopy cables. There was also the vertical drop-definitely not Yet my thing now. Maybe next year...hhhhm. Special thanks to our certified tour guide and escort Mr. Richard Bagsic who did a terrific job at ensuring our saftey during the 40-minute close encounter with Mother Nature. We literally entrusted our lives to him as he strapped our harnesses in the cables. His stories of the wild remind me of National Geographic documentaries about the oldest trees that are energy sources, rare plants and insects, bats and the bamboo trees. This photo on the left was taken after the nature tour. I'm just so glad to be alive!
Lunch for day 2 was in the shorelines of Camayan Restaurant and Resort. I loved the binagoongan. Immediately hereafter, we plunged in the beach and took a 1-hour dip. This was a great bonding moment...we talked a lot in between swimming in chest-deep water! It was cold at first, but it gets comfortable as our bodies eventually adjusted in the temperature.
One's trip to Subic isn't complete without shopping for PX goods.However, being the prudent one, I only bought 6 items in Puregold Subic Duty Free Supermarket. First was the Coffee Mate Coffee Creamer for my husband who is a "coffeeholic," a Dora the Explorer hairbrush for my daughter Roo, Spam meatloaf for my son Joshua and 3 Subic souvenir t-shirts; (just in case I don't return here for another 9 years!)
I'm grateful to our friend, Jay Tulao for capturing and sharing these pictures.

SOULFUL SOUVENIR

The photo book launch last February 24, 2009 was a huge success. Both CV1 & CV4 building cafeterias were jam packed as the program started. “Through Our Eyes, In Our Own Words: Intel Philippines Photo book, 1974-2008” was a very timely project. It is a lasting memento of the people that made Intel Philippines the institution that it now is. Moreover, it reflects how Intellites valued one another as colleagues, and as one big happy family.
The autograph signing activity that followed reminded me of previous elementary and high school days when I signed lots of slum books and yearbooks; giving heartfelt dedications to people who had meaningful part in my life.

I jazzed up my own photo book to make it super personal. I had my top 10 favorite Intellites sign and I pasted our pictures on the photo book. In this way, I can just flip open my “album” when I want to reminisce the good old days.

The Will of God for Your Life

Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God – what is good and is pleasing to Him and is perfect.
Romans 12:2

When faced with critical decisions in life, we ask: how will I know the will of God for me? The response is clearly written in Romans 12:2.
First, we must not conform to this world’s standards. Seek to meet God's standard instead.
Second, you must allow God to transform you inwardly. He must be the Influencer of your thoughts. All battles begin in the mind. If our minds are set on the Word of God daily, we will be victorious in all our endeavors, big or small. He must be the Lord of your thought-life.
It also says, a complete change of mind…not partial, not only when it is convenient for us to obey.
Your confidence in God has great reward! Because He will reveal to you His will and His wonderful plans.