Hong Kong Adventure with a HS Buddy!

It was a trip we've always been talking about... We've always wanted to travel together either outside of the country or even within the country.   It was a topic never missed every time we meet up and have dinner or coffee.

Finally that trip has been realized.

Last February 21-23, my best buddy from high school  and I went to Hongkong for a holiday.  It wasn't exactly a relaxing trip.  We ended up having blisters and aching body after this trip.

Well, like any of our trips, it was again another budget travel.  Yet, it was a very fun and memorable experience.  I truly enjoyed it!!!

Our budget didn't went over 20kPhP (except the plane fares, of course).

Our itinerary included:

Day 1
Ocean Park Adventure
Avenue of the Stars
Symphony of Lights
Mongkok Night Market


Day 2
Lamma Island
The Peak
China HK City Outlet shops
Dinner at Dimdimsum Dimsum Specialty Store in Kowloon
Meet up with HK friends at Black Alley in Wanchai area

Day 3
Macau (St Paul's Ruins, City of Dreams, The Venetian, Galaxy)
Charlie Brown Cafe

We skipped Disneyland as we decided we have had enough of it. I had been to the HK Disneyland in 2010 and my friend has been to the Disneylands in US.

In addition to having this trip together with my high school buddy, I also visited my dear friend and colleague who is based in Hong Kong. She had always asked me to visit her and finally it has come true. She accompanied us for a day in Macau and took us to Charlie Brown Cafe.

It was a truly remarkable experience. And I have confirmed that yes I am not good with directions.  I can live without a map.  I live by asking others. LOL.  And good thing my friend knows how to read maps. =) What a good pair! To more travels!

Love letter to Filipinos

Love letter to Filipinos
By David H. Harwell
Philippine Daily Inquirer
11:39 pm | Sunday, February 17th, 2013

I am writing to thank Filipinos for the way you have treated me here, and to pass on a lesson I learned from observing the differences between your culture and mine over the years.

I am an expatriate worker. I refer to myself as an OAW, an overseas American worker, as a bad joke. The work I do involves a lot of traveling and changing locations, and I do it alone, without family. I have been in 21 countries now, not including my own. It was fun at first.  Now, many years later, I am getting tired. The Philippines remains my favorite country of all, though, and I’d like to tell you why before I have to go away again.

I have lived for short periods here, traveled here, and have family and friends here. My own family of origin in the United States is like that of many Americans—not much of a family. Americans do not stay very close to their families, geographically or emotionally, and that is a major mistake. I have long been looking for a home and a family, and the Philippines is the only place I have lived where people honestly seem to understand how important their families are.
I am American and hard-headed. I am a teacher, but it takes me a long time to learn some things. But I’ve been trying, and your culture has been patient in trying to teach me.
In the countries where I’ve lived and worked, all over the Middle East and Asia, it is Filipinos who do all the work and make everything happen. When I am working in a new company abroad, I seek out the Filipino staff when I need help getting something done, and done right. Your international reputation as employees is that you work hard, don’t complain, and are very capable. If all the Filipinos were to go home from the Middle East, the world would stop. Oil is the lifeblood of the world, but without Filipinos, the oil will not come from the ground, it will not be loaded onto the ships, and the ships will not sail.  The offices that make the deals and collect the payments will not even open in the morning. The schools will not have teachers, and, of course, the hospitals will have no staff.
What I have seen, that many of you have not seen, is how your family members, the ones who are overseas Filipino workers, do not tell you much about how hard their lives actually are. OFWs are very often mistreated in other countries, at work and in their personal lives. You probably have not heard much about how they do all the work but are severely underpaid, because they know that the money they are earning must be sent home to you, who depend on them.  The OFWs are very strong people, perhaps the strongest I have ever seen. They have their pictures taken in front of nice shops and locations to post on Facebook so that you won’t worry about them. But every Pinoy I have ever met abroad misses his/her family very, very much.
I often pity those of you who go to America. You see pictures of their houses and cars, but not what it took to get those things. We have nice things, too many things, in America, but we take on an incredible debt to get them, and the debt is lifelong.  America’s economy is based on debt. Very rarely is a house, car, nice piece of clothing, electronic appliance, and often even food, paid for.  We get them with credit, and this debt will take all of our lifetime to pay. That burden is true for anyone in America—the OFWs, those who are married to Americans, and the Americans themselves.
Most of us allow the American Dream to become the American Trap. Some of you who go there make it back home, but you give up most of your lives before you do. Some of you who go there learn the very bad American habits of wanting too many things in your hands, and the result is that you live only to work, instead of working only to live. The things we own actually own us. That is the great mistake we Americans make in our lives. We live only to work, and we work only to buy more things that we don’t need.  We lose our lives in the process.
I have sometimes tried to explain it like this: In America, our hands are full, but our hearts are empty.
You have many problems here, I understand that. Americans worry about having new cars, Filipinos worry about having enough food to eat. That’s an enormous difference. But do not envy us, because we should learn something from you. What I see is that even when your hands are empty, your hearts remain full.
I have many privileges in the countries where I work, because I am an expat. I do not deserve these things, but I have them. However, in every country I visit, I see that you are there also, taking care of your families, friends, bosses, and coworkers first, and yourselves last. And you have always taken care of me, in this country and in every other place where I have been.
These are places where I have been very alone, very tired, very hungry, and very worried, but there have always been Filipinos in my offices, in the shops, in the restaurants, in the hospitals, everywhere, who smile at and take good care of me. I always try to let you know that I have lived and traveled in the Philippines and how much I like your country. I know that behind those smiles of yours, here and abroad, are many worries and problems.
Please know that at least one of us expats has seen what you do for others and understands that you have a story behind your smiles. Know that at least one of us admires you, respects you, and thanks you for your sacrifices. Salamat po. Ingat lagi. Mahal ko kayong lahat.
David H. Harwell, PhD, is a former professor and assistant dean in the United States who now travels and works abroad designing language training programs. He is a published author and a son of a retired news editor

Let it go...

I think you just have to let it go...

It is just not meant to be...

It is not the same for both of you...

You don't belong together...

It did start right but remember not everything that starts right end up good.

So you'll have to let go, move on, and continue to live, to suffer, to love and love more...

Happy V-day!

It's February 14.  It's Valentine's Day.  It's V-day!

How did this day go?

As usual, nothing new, it was spent at the office.  Stayed sooo darn late that I swore I will move to another team so soon! Haaaayyy... why is life so unfair? Oh well. I am just glad my officemate accompanied me in this yet another tiring BD10.

But this day, my everdearest dad left for the US. I am not very close to him but seeing him go crushed my heart.  I am going to miss my dad. =( I wish I can visit him and my mom very soon.

That's how ordinary this day is for me.  No flowers, no chocolates, no date.  When will my V-day be different? Uhmmm... I don't know...

Anyway, happy love day!!!

Habit 3 - Put First Things First

“To live a more balanced existence, you have to recognize that not doing everything that comes along is okay. There’s no need to overextend yourself. All it takes is realizing that it’s all right to say no when necessary and then focus on your highest priorities.

Habit 1 says, “You’re in charge. You’re the creator.” Being proactive is about choice. Habit 2 is the first, or mental, creation. Beginning with the End in Mind is about vision. Habit 3 is the second creation, the physical creation. This habit is where Habits 1 and 2 come together. It happens day in and day out, moment-by-moment. It deals with many of the questions addressed in the field of time management. But that’s not all it’s about. Habit 3 is about life management as well–your purpose, values, roles, and priorities. What are “first things?” First things are those things you, personally, find of most worth. If you put first things first, you are organizing and managing time and events according to the personal priorities you established in Habit 2.”
Does this sound a bit abstract? 

Covey makes it more concrete and actionable in his book, where he tells us: “Don’t prioritize your schedule; schedule your priorities.”

Back in the 1970’s, when I was a newbie federal manager, and the government was sending me to short-courses, I would hear the following phrases (or variations), which expressed the same idea:
“The urgent drives out the vital.”
“The vital never has a deadline.”
The instructors were saying “Look at all those things that matter in your life – or that part of your life that is your work. Major projects. That potentially paradigm-shifting research on earthquake prediction. The restoration of 30 square miles of underwater habitat. The buyout and teardown of floodplain housing in your city and the establishment of a riverfront park. Writing that book. Learning that second language…”
Then they’d say, “All that gets chased out of your head when the phone rings.”
They’d ask, “What are the chances that phone call matters? That it’s going to move the ball forward on any of your life goals? Or even what you’re working on at the moment? Between slim and none. Chances are far higher that it’s a distraction from your life purpose. You will postpone progress towards world peace in order to answer a call from an office supplier who wants to sell you copier paper”
[For you younger folks. This was before Caller-ID. Voicemail was not yet universally available. You couldn’t yet protect yourself from telemarketing (you still can’t…not fully). But there was also no e-mail, no text-messaging.]
The instructors would conclude: “The ringing of that phone gets your adrenalin flowing. It compels your answer – now! Dozens of times a day, you stop working on those projects where only you can make a difference, those projects you see as life- and career defining…to handle trivia.”
In the context of this blog, what those instructors were saying is that corporately, all of us providing food and water for a hungry, thirsty world, keeping the lights on , protecting the environment and ecosystems, and making the public safer are willing to postpone these efforts indefinitely and at almost any time, just to answer the phone.

An exaggeration to be sure. But only an exaggeration, not a complete misstatement. [Oh, and by the way, before you and I make that call, we might weigh what we're interrupting on the other end.]
Were they recommending you and I never answer the phone? Of course not. By answering those calls and responding to those e-mails, we’re often helping dozens of other people along toward their life goals, getting our job done. But our instructors are inviting us to recognize what we’re doing. And out of that awareness will come an extra measure of preserving our daily focus on what will matter to us (and to others around us) for a lifetime.

Covey and others, offer further advice along these lines. They note that most of us keep a calendar. But it shows only meetings, teleconferences, appointments, etc. When someone calls with a request, we look at the calendar, with all its empty hours…and we drop what we’d been doing and take on a new chore.
But suppose we took the trouble each month, each week, each day (pick your time frame) to pencil-in work towards those major projects and long-term goals in some or all of those empty time slots on the calendar? This would accomplish two things. First, we’d be able to match this time allocation against that major job. We’d have a better feel for whether those goals and projects are in fact achievable in a particular time window.

Second, when that call comes in, we’d know what we’re giving up – what economists call the opportunity cost.

http://www.livingontherealworld.org/?p=597

Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind

What it Means

• To begin with the end in mind is to begin with the image of the end of your life as the frame of reference by which everything else is measured.
• We may be busy, we may be efficient, but we will only be effective if we begin with the end in mind.

All Things are Created Twice

• Habit 2 is based on the principle that all things are created twice:
  • a mental or first creation
  • a physical or second creation
• Most endeavors that fail, fail with the first creation.

By Design or Default

There is a first creation to every part of our lives. We are either the second creation of our own proactive creation, or we are the second creation of other people's agendas, of circumstances, or of past habits.

Leadership and Management

• Habit 2 is based on principles of personal leadership, which means that leadership is the first creation. Management is the second creation.
• Management is doing things right, leadership is doing the right things.
• Often people get into managing with efficiency, setting and achieving goals before they have even clarified values.

Rescripting: Becoming Your Own First Creator

Proactivity is based on the endowment of self-awareness. Two additional endowments enable us to expand our proactivity and to exercise personal leadership in our lives:

• imagination allows to visualize our potential
• conscience allows us to develop our talents within the context of principles and personal guidelines.

A Personal Mission Statement

• The most effective way to begin with the end in mind is to develop a personal mission statement.
• The key to the ability to change is a changeless sense of who you are, what you are about, and what you value.
• Once you have a sense of mission, you have the essence of your own proactivity; the vision and values which direct your life, the basic direction from which you set your goals.

At the Center

• Whatever is at the center of our life will be the source of our security, guidance, wisdom, and power.
• What is at the center of your life?

Alternative Centers

• Spouse centeredness
• Family centeredness
• Money centeredness
• Work centeredness
• Possession centeredness
• Pleasure centeredness
• Friend/enemy centeredness
• Church centeredness
• Self centeredness

A Principle Center

• Our lives need to be centered on correct principles -- deep, fundamental truths, classic truths, generic common denominators.
• As a principle centered person, you try stand apart from the emotions of situations and from other factors to evaluate options.

http://www.leaderu.com/cl-institute/habits/habit2.html

2013 list

It's now the 2nd of February and I haven't made my list yet for 2013 which is unusual.  I normally declare my plans for the new year at the start of January.

But I decided that I have to wait for the February salary increase/bonus (if there is any!) to determine my next step.

But lately I have realized that my plans for the coming year should not depend on this salary increase/bonus.  My plans should still stick to the chore of my purpose in life, to what I want to achieve in this life.

So today, I am writing my 2013 list.

Here it goes...

1 - Invest in the stock market! This is the year of equities, the year of the emerging markets, the year for Southeast Asian economies! So I better not lose out on this opportunity.

2 - Visit China! Tour the Great Wall! I have 4 international trips already booked this year - Singapore, Indonesia, Hongkong, and Malaysia.  China should be the 5th one.

3 - Pass CIMA Strategic Level.  I am on my way to becoming a full-pledged CIMA!

4 - Volunteer for a charitable institution. It can be for a day, a month or the whole year.

5 - Go to the gym at least three times a week.

6 - Beef up my career! I have consulted a lot of people on this. I am just waiting for 2013 plans to be laid out by my current team before I make my next move. I'll check if there are new opportunities in these plans.  I am also considering to move to another team.

7 - Watch a ballet performance (if possible with Lisa Macuja taking the lead) and watch a play by Repertory Philippines. Since I had a childhood dream of wanting to become a ballerina and a stage actress, and since it is now too late to achieve them, watching these shows would somehow help me fulfill these dreams.

8 - Apply for a US Visa.  I want to badly visit my family and relatives in California. I need to get a visa first! And if income from stocks and a visa is approved, I will go to the USA this year!

9 - Get myself a smartphone. And only if I earn enough from my stock investments.

10 - Encourage, appreciate someone in my team every day! I want them to know that their efforts are valued. I want them to know how happy and lucky I am to have worked with them. :)

11 - Increase my savings by 50%.

12 - Take my two dearest lolas out on a date. Lola 1 deserves to get some relaxation outside of the home. Because my lola 2 cannot walk properly, I will have this date with her at home; this means serving her for an entire day.  Feed her, bathe her, clothe her.  These two grannies deserve some pampering! :)

13 - Explore Cebu - my home, my province, my birth place.  It could be going to Sumilon Island, or swimming with the whale sharks in Oslob, or touring Bantayan Island or Malaspacua Island.

14 - Meet more men! Go out on dates! This life needs to be enjoyed with others.  And since I am seriously considering marriage, I have to expand my network, expand my territories.  I am thinking of joining Toastmasters again. hmmm... The search for new club now begins...

15 - Read leadership books.  Currently I am biased towards John Maxwell.

Ok this is it  - my 2013 list.  And yes there is one more to be added

16 - Get a love life. :)

That's final now!

God please bless my plans!!!

As always, I am grateful for the blessings this life has given me.

Friends

It all starts with friendship, right?

I am NOT thinking fast-forward, though at times I can't help it. But really, I am trying NOT to think about what's next or what it's like in the future...

Just trying to build the friendship here.

That's all.

#This is me just ranting to myself!!!

Having A Mentor

Bo Sanchez talks relentlessly about having a mentor in each area of your life.

I agree that mentors do help you achieve your dreams and help you get by in this life.

Last year, I got myself a mentor at work.  I said to myself if I want to be good at managing people, I have to get myself a mentor. As a first time people manager and without really someone to look up to currently in my team, I do need a MENTOR.

Good thing about it is that my big boss gave me one.

And the way it is going so far, it is very helpful.  My mentor is not just my sounding board but she also helps me when I am in a difficult situation.  She gives advice, provides feedback and just makes me feel good/better with myself.  Without her, I think I am the worst supervisor in town.  This is another thing to be grateful in this life. =)

Thank you, mentor!

Performance Appraisals:The 5 Biggest Mistakes Managers Make And How To Avoid Them

Unfortunately, I just recently committed these mistakes! :((

There are five big mistakes that managers often make when giving performance reviews to employees. This article tells you what they are and how to avoid them.
Performance appraisal.
Or, if you prefer, performance review
Whichever term you use, mention it to a dozen of your friends -- whether they typically give or receive performance appraisals -- and notice the responses you get.

A grimace?

A roll of the eyes?

Tension?

A satisfied smile?

Let's face it, mentioning "performance appraisal" gets such mixed responses because people have such mixed experiences. Which is only to be expected... except I bet most of the responses you get are negative. If your respondents aren't hostile, or scornful, then they're clearly unimpressed.

Why?

Why are performance appraisals seen to be negative experiences?

I mean, isn't a performance appraisal simply a meeting between a manager and a member of his or her staff, where together they appraise the staff member's performance during the year (or other time period) and agree on goals for the coming year?

Well, that's the theory.

But in reality, many managers handle performance appraisals quite poorly. And the result is not only an unpleasant meeting, but one where the manager and his or her staff member never quite understand each other, never quite appreciate the other's point of view, and never quite settle on appropriate goals for the coming year.

It's almost inevitable that the staff member will end up less happy and less productive than he or she was before!

In fact, there are five big mistakes that managers often make in conducting performance appraisals. Fortunately, these mistakes are easily avoided once you make a conscious effort to avoid them.

Let's discuss each in turn.

Mistake #1: Waiting For The Performance Appraisal To Give Feedback 

This is the biggie, and all too common. It's where a manager fails to give someone adequate feedback on their performance during the year, and then dumps it on them in the performance appraisal meeting.

Unfortunately, the feedback is almost always negative, so the employee ends up sitting there in shock -- at best, wondering why his or her manager didn't say something sooner; at worst, feeling unjustly victimized.

And you have to wonder -- how can a manager expect an employee to do the right things, the right way, if the manager hasn't provided any guidance or feedback all year?

The solution: make it a habit to tell your employees if they've done a good or poor job, and if it's a poor job, explain how they can do things better in the future.

There should be no surprises in the performance appraisal!

Mistake #2: Overemphasizing Recent Performances

It's all too human to remember, and give greater weight, to recent events rather than earlier events. However, this can lead to an inaccurate and unfair assessment when it comes to reviewing an employee's performance.
To avoid overemphasizing an employee's recent work, take note -- and ideally take notes -- of the employee's work throughout the year.

Mistake #3: Being Too Positive Or Negative 

Some managers feel uncomfortable giving negative feedback and consequently, can omit to give employees the constructive criticism they need to improve. And then there are other managers who are instinctively too negative, leaving the employee wondering if they can do anything right!
While, as a manager appraising someone's performance you should give your honest opinion, you also want your employee to understand and appreciate what you're saying.
So instead of being too positive or negative -- which can result in the employee not believing what you say -- think about the impact on the employee you want, and communicate your feedback accordingly.

Mistake #4: Being Critical Without Being Constructive Following on from Mistake #3, 

Some managers can be too critical and neglect to provide any constructive advice on how an employee can improve.

This doesn't help the employee or the manager. Even if your criticisms all have merit, if you don't explain how the employee can improve, he or she is likely to miss the validity of what's being said and simply think he or she is being victimized. Not to mention the fact that his or her performance won't actually improve.
So if you need to be critical, be constructive too!

Mistake #5: Talking Not Listening 

The final big mistake that managers make in performance appraisals is doing too much talking and not enough listening.
These meetings are supposed to be interactive -- where the manager doesn't simply relay his or her own appraisal of the employee's performance during the year, but also listens to the employee's viewpoint.
If, for example, you have criticized the individual's performance, it's not only fair, but important, to get the employee's response as to why he or she may have underperformed.

Moreover, a key objective of the performance appraisal is to agree on goals for the following year. How can there be true agreement and commitment to such goals, if you don't learn the employee's point of view?

As you've probably gathered, you can avoid these five mistakes -- it just takes a little effort. It's certainly worth it, if you think employee satisfaction, productivity and performance are important!

http://www.businessknowhow.com/manage/performance-appraisal.htm
by Anna Johnson

A Difficult Conversation

Tonight  I had the most difficult conversation...probably the most difficult conversation in my entire life.

I just gave out a really bad rating to someone in my team.  And what made it really difficult?  Ok let me enumerate the reasons:

- the person thinks highly of himself, rated himself Very Good, while we the managers rated him as not even good at all.

- the person didn't see this coming. In my catch ups with him, I never ever mentioned he was going to get this rating at the end of the year.

- he did really some good things but the results or the way he did them didn't really meet the expectations of higher management.

I am just glad during this conversation my two managers were there to support the rating or the evaluation.  But still I have to own this message. But the thing is how can I own it when I don't wholeheartedly believe in this rating?  And this is the most difficult thing! I wish I can sleep over it.

I hope tomorrow will be a better day!

2012: In Review

2012 was another great year!

It was a year of international travels. My wanderlust brought me to the following Asian countries:

1 - Bali and Jakarta Indonesia (March)
2 - Taipei, Taiwan (August)
3 - South Korea (November)

Although in 2011, I visited one more than than this year (four countries - Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Japan), 2012 is more expensive.  My Japan trip was sponsored by the company I worked for, so literally I didn't spend much there.

2012 also brought me to the beautiful Coron, Palawan.  It is one place I always recommend to foreigners.
This year also as I promised myself at the start, I went home to Cebu very often.  One reason was to attend weddings of friends. (I wonder when I will attend my own wedding, hehehe...)

If it was a year of travel for me, it was also the year when my parents and sister went to the USA. And boy, I was glad to be able to pay for their airfares (in cash!!!).  I think if the petition came a year or two earlier, I wouldn't have the money to fund it. It was God's perfect timing.

Career-wise, 2012 saw my promotion - my first ever taste of promotion.  I have been working for ten years, and never had I tasted the glory of promotion prior to 2012. I had always been reluctant of responsibility.  But this year, I embraced it. The leadership journey was not easy but because I perservered, I now feel grateful for the leadership opportunity given to me.  I am happy too that I was given a mentor to help me in this journey. I asked, and I received.   Randy Pausch said it well, "Sometimes, all you have to do is ask, and it can lead to all your dreams coming true."   2013 will be a year to ask for more, and seek for more opportunities.

In July 2012, I passed my CIMA P2 exam! I now have an Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting from CIMA. Two more stages, I will become a full-pledged CIMA.

Financially, I didn't feel burdened, but I still have not achieved my promise to invest in the stock market.  I did get another life insurance/mutual fund investments, but to invest in the stock market didn't happen. Oh I need to start it this 2013!

With credit card debt, I still have them but all manageable. :)

I became this year a World Vision sponsor and a donor for Unicef Philippines.  I am proud of this achievement! :)

Love life, it is the subject I am so interested in but seems it is not interested in me. The result is a failing mark.       I probably should create strategies for this to succeed. :)

2012 also saw my lola broke her pelvis.  It meant I had to shell out money from my savings (good thing I had some!) and meant more stress to my family in Cebu.  But God has been very good and we were all able to surpass this challenge.  I am happy to have spent New Year's Eve with my lola, and the rest of the family.

I end the year and start the new year with so much gratefulness in my heart. I am truly blessed.

The Nations I've Been To So Far

I am a travel buff.  And one of my goal in life is to go to as many countries, nations, places as I can around the world.

So far I have been to the following nations (in chronological order.. NB -  My first out-of-the country trip was in Singapore):

2007 - Singapore
2008 - UK
2010 - Hong Kong / Macau
2011 - Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand
2012 - Indonesia, Taiwan, South Korea

That's ten countries in 5 years! :)

I'm so thankful for all the opportunities given to me that allowed me to go to these places.

Let there be more places to explore!  Let travelling be as easy as ever it can be.

Happiest day in Dec!!!

I just couldn't help it but say this!!! I'm just extremely happy because today I got to hug my biggest idol, my ultimate crush!!! ohhhh how i wish i could just melt in his arms... :)))

My epitaph, my obituary

So these days I have been thinking about what I want in life, I have been evaluating my goals, my career plans, my life.

And I've read it from somewhere that to do this, start asking yourself how do you want to be remembered, how do you want people to see you? What do I want written in my epitaph? What should my obituary say about me?

So I made a lot of thinking and I am listing down here the things that I want people to remember about me when I die:

A person who gave much and expected little, was generous of her time, possessions, and her whole self. 

A person who made other people become better persons in this world. A teacher of life. 

A person who believed that going to places, travelling around the world is a good way to experience life. 

So I think whatever my future decisions are, they should be aligned with these 3 major premises of my life.

Jeju, I love...

Truly a remarkable place, with breathtaking landscapes...

5 Years!

November 2012 is the month I celebrated my fifth year with my employer. This is also the fifth year of my stay in Metro Manila, the Philippines' capital.

This is my longest stay with a company. The previous ones were 2 and 3 years.  I never thought that I would last this long with Deutsche Bank.  I never thought that on my fifth year, I would get a taste of leadership.  This is also the year that I got promoted.  This is the first time in my career.  I know it took a while.  That is because I never stayed too long in the previous companies and I didn't exactly aspire promotion.  I was scared back then. 

So what has happened in the last five years?  A lot. So many challenges, a few travels, new friends, new acquaintances, exciting experiences. And gained much weight over the years.  Though I am not yet obese which is a good thing. LOL

Yet I still feel I haven't done a lot...Oh how fast time flies. 

Still, I am glad where I am today.

Happy 5th! May the years to come be as fruitful and meaningful...God bless me! :)

Leadership

When you are given a leadership position according to John Maxwell we are given an opportunity to grow.

It is indeed.

I've never looked at it as something that will give me power over others.

Through this leadership position given to me it will allow me to develop my character.

It's never been an easy journey but I've learned a lot.

A letter to a friend (that is not meant to be sent)

My dear friend,

I read your recent Facebook post. I have mixed emotions about it. I am a bit hurt, and a bit okay because I realized a lot of things about you. In your post although you didn't mention names but  I think you were solely referring to me.  Because obviously I am the only one who doesn't get what you are aiming for.  What right do I have to decide for you? Not that I don't get what you are aiming for but my only concern was are you aiming for the right thing? Are you sure that is what you want to work for? I've heard your sentiments last night. And I truly respect them. And I said I am sorry I didn't took the time to listen to you. I just gave my unsolicited advise.

Now I don't want to go into another argument. I don't want to again confront you of this post. I know you are trying to reassure yourself you have made the right decision. And get friends to side on you. Go ahead do that. Who am I to say you have made the wrong one, or the right one? Just as long as you have decided and you will stand by this I am okay with that.  If you think you have chosen the right path, then let it be the right path.

I have said my view on things, my view on your decisions, my view on life in general. Because you didn't take them well and you don't think I am right, that's fine.  You said it yourself we are entitled to our opinions.

From now on my friend, I will no longer offer my advise. Even if you ask me to. I will only say, "It's all up to you." I will no longer share my views, will no longer share stories with  you.  Maybe all these time you didn't really want to listen to me and I have just been very insensitive to that.

From this day forth, I will only listen and not say anything.  When you get a depressing day at your new work (which you think will get you where you are aiming for), I can and will only offer my ears.  Never ever my mouth.  Rest assured I won't say anything.  I promise you that.

Good luck my friend on your endeavors.  Despite what you have just posted, I will still be your friend. I can still lend you money. I will still invite you to dinner and movies.

I am sure this change in me is for the best of our friendship.

Still your friend,
Mhahe

it is never too late...

I am at this point in time, at this point in a woman's life that she denies her age or refuses to divulge the year she was born.

I look back at the years that have gone by...and ask myself questions - do I want to go back and change something in the past? Hmmm...Maybe I want to change that time when I was too scared to tell the guy of my dreams how much I loved him. Or maybe, I should have moved out of home when I was fresh out of college.  Or maybe, I should have said yes to that suitor 6 years ago.

My life would be totally different if I took a different path.  Indeed, totally different! But would I be happy? I don't know.  But the choices I've made in the past made me who I am right now, brought me where I am right now.  It's a ME probably others wouldn't see as anything inspirational or a ME that is too humdrum.  But this is a ME I love. And it's a ME I want to see progress and improve over time. To age beautifully I might say.

Just because...

I am not married,
I am not a big boss in a big company,
I am not filthy wealthy,
I don't have body to die for,

It doesn't mean I am way behind.  It is NOT just my time...yet.

Albert Einstein said: "The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once."

Thus, it is never ever always too late.   Things don't happen all at the same time.  The sweet and bitter times have their places.  Success and failure take their places at different times.

I was born in 1981, by the way.  I am now 31.