Contemplating the future

My uncle and I had this conversation a while ago at a cousin's party. Didn't know how, but we ended up talking about career. We're looking at the successful people around us and admired at how these people were able to overcome adversity, conquer themselves and consequently succeed in whatever they chose to do. My uncle's message of the day was: never be a slave for somebody else.

I've been working for quite a while in a 9-6 job (though it really isn't just 9-6... more like 8-8 + weekends)... and for what? I don't even have savings... I can't even afford to go places with it. To stress his point, my uncle used another uncle, this time a doctor, as an example. This doctor can see 10 patients an hour. If he works for another hour, he gets to see 20 patients a day. If he works for three hours, he gets to see 30 patients... and his income grows exponentially by the hour. As for me, whether I work 8 or 12 hours a day doesn't really make a difference. What I earn will always be the same. It goes nowhere. Yes, you get a raise when you're promoted but it's only an addition. Your salary increases and that's it. It doesn't MULTIPLY.

My uncle told me that if I really wanted to be successful, I should get on my toes and start to really plan for the future. Nothing is easy. Nothing is offered on a silver platter. It's not everyday that one of us wins the lottery. And life isn't getting any simpler as you get older. It's important to learn how to secure the future and to be prepared with whatever life throws our way. He told me that it's important to take risks and face the things that you fear because only then will you be able to test your limits.

Seeing the people around me, I did realize that the ones who are successful are the ones who went through really tough challenges in life. Here's this doctor from a poor family who strived so hard to become good in his craft. Here's this young actress from a province who worked her way up the showbiz ladder.

I just had a renewed perspective on my future. I just want to get serious and start creating a niche for myself... my very own place in the grand scheme of things.

Introducing the Fab Five

I recently spent a 3-day weekend with my colleagues slash friends. I just realized how lucky I am to be surrounded by four wonderful people in my chaotic techie, techie world. I feel suddenly inspired to introduce them to you, my non-existent followers...


Meet Aja the achiever. This one is perhaps the nicest person in the group, well-liked and admired. When she's not in her workstation, Aja is probably... eating. This girl's one-of-a-kind in her sport (eating).
Some interesting stuff:
+Has only one original CD until we gave her another;
+Fainted during her first months at work
+Stayed at the office overnight and still worked the following day without taking a bath (truly hardworking)
+Would always make and update her "To Do" list
+is now a country manager
Claim to fame: Cheeseburger desserts
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Tina is our ate, period. Haha. I hate to point it out but she is perhaps the most mature in the group... in terms of her outlook in life (yun naman pala eh). We look up to her and heed her advice.
Some interesting facts:
+Owns the place we call our "hideaway" during summer
+Wealthy but very humble and down-to-earth
+Sells Ferraris and Porsches during their garage sale
+Would always go for late-afternoon convenient store breaks
+Loves listening to music on her radioblog and iPod
Claim to fame: Elephantitis

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Pam is our model with the office serving as her "runway." She's the tallest in terms of height and tallest in terms of cubicle content. Her cubicle is virtually a storage area for all the files related to her accounts.
Some interesting facts:
+Extremely nice and fun to be with
+Work hours = 12 hours
+Fashyown
+Ms. Photogenic (#1)
+Single and available
Claim to fame: Avril Laven


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Tara is the free-spirited one in the group. I remember taking her to Saguijo. It was her first time to rock that side of Makati and a drunk Tara made friends with this girl and instantly won us a table (to think the place was 90% standing room inside).
Some interesting facts:
+Media heartthrob
+Likes to be alone; would take "alone" walks in the beach during midnight; went to Hong Kong alone
+Not scared to take risks
+Good at not delivering punchlines
+Expatriate-magnet (something inherited from a colleague gone AWOL)
Claim to fame: "Why don't you do something!"
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And the fifth one is Me. There's not much to say when you write about yourself, only good things. Haha. I'd like to think I'm the clown in the group, always trying to make fun out of the most boring situations. I'd also like to think I'm the feisty one, always ready to put up a fight if something goes wrong or if a friend is harassed.
Some interesting facts:
+Music freak
+Movie freak
+Cab snatcher
+Something's always "masakit"; reklamador
+can't walk fast; can't walk far; can't walk under the sun
Claim to fame: nadapa on the street... quietly though.

So... which one of us is you? (feeling!)