Firefly In July

This past Sunday, I participated in a Fun Run sponsored by the company for the benefit of World Vision.   The day started a bit gloomy, it was raining the night before and it looked like it will not ease up before the early morning’s run.  Fortunately it did, with just a slight drizzle when we got to the Rizal Stadium where the event was to be held.  There were not too many runners in sight, blame that from the ever unpredictable weather that, at the very last minute, decided to tease and mess with the event. After an hour of waiting, the sun finally showed its face and vanquished the dark clouds,  temporarily cooperating with the still sleepy runners .

We started out with a few minutes of warm up stretches, simple dance steps to add a twist, then we were off to the starting line.  For a long time, sitting in front of the computer, typing and browing for hours had been my most reliable form of exercise.  So, the first lap went by like eternity.  Midway, I was already feeling a stinging sensation in my ankles.  I would have dropped out if not for the constant urging of my race buddy.  I silently wondered, what got into me to get myself into this.  The seventh round was a struggle and not wanting to collapse on my face if I’d push myself any harder, I just walked all the way to the finish line.  It’s the cool down, my buddy murmurred consolingly.

I knew I’d be hurting for a few days after the run, and true enough, I’m still nursing my sore legs and walking in a weird way until now.  I wont be doing it again.. no, not for a very long time.  But I’m glad I did it, anyway.  The run was for a good cause and I have the certificate and the colored strings awarded at the end of each lap to show off to my friends.  That’s good enough for me. 

I attended a training yesterday conducted by Guthrie-Jensen that touched on facilitating effective and productive business meetings. We were given an activity that tested how well we can resolve disputes and differences in opinion and come up with a consensus. Here was the problem:

Several people are marooned on a small yacht in the South Pacific. The boat has just come through a violent storm leaving it leaking and without radio communication. Unknown to the passengers, a nuclear test is scheduled in this area within an hour. A small seaplane has landed alongside alongside and the pilot has advised them of the situation. There is no hope that a large-scale rescue will work. The pilot has no radio contact either. Only he can fly the plane, and he can carry only one additional passenger. The yacht cannot be towed. The bombing is deadly and too far-ranging for anyone but those on the plane to escape.

Your job is to decide who will be saved. Which of the following passengers should be allowed to go with the pilot?

1. The captain of the yacht

2. A political leader

3. A grandmother

4. A university professor of economics

5. An award winning actor

6. A university philosophy professor

7. A prominent religious leader

Majority of my teammates chose to save the religious leader on grounds that he can use the experience to convert people to the path of righteousness. Others were followers of the political leader. He can use his influence to form an investigative committee and pass a law to ban the nuclear testing in the area. One was convinced that the yacht captain should go because he is more qualified to explain what really happened and why the boat malfunctioned.

All points taken, but I find it hard to agree. In my own humble opinion, I say that the actor holds more power and influence than any political or religious leader, no matter how popular they are. If Kiefer Sutherland was that actor, he might even pull off a stunt and save everyone from the looming disaster (that’s my showbiz idol right there! )Seriously, an actor has the ability to draw and hold people’s attention regardless of their political or religious convictions. That’s why I had to let him fly with the pilot. Just the news of him going missing, and the media will be all over the place, running endless reports on tv, and they’ll be swarming the ports anticipating his arrival. That alone gets half the work done. He does not need to know the law to get the issue to the senate; they’ll invite him over and exploit the opportunity to get media attention themselves. There might even be a movie made out of it with hightlights on the other passengers’ stories thus leaving a lasting memory for their loved ones.

A political leader, no matter how righteous, will still have to deal with the opposition. The religious leader, even if politically correct, will have to appeal to believers of a different faith. News and intrigue will always follow an actor, whether he is liked or not, its reality that he has a natural hold on people’s curiosity.

I got my teammates to concede and we ended up nominating the actor.

Now, who will you save?

Tags: award winning actor, Guthrie-Jensen, kiefer sutherland, meeting training

My friend, Ritch, and I had an online conversation on the ever increasing gasoline price that suddenly turned into the topic of suicide. How? We were thinking of hoarding before it rockets to something we cant afford, but then we might end up spending all our cash and nothing left to buy food. What do you do with so much gas when you’re gonna starve to death? Soak in it then light yourself on fire! Its a senseless exchange of thoughts aimed only on entertaining our pathetic selves. She later sent me this forwarded email that got us laughing, we forgot the gas discussion altogether.

Subject: FW: Paalala sa mga magSU-suicide…. (reminders)

Mga Dapat Tandaan Bago Mag-suicide

Bago ang lahat, alamin muna ang tamang dahilan ng pagsu-sucide.. Kung
ang problema mo ay dahil lang sa iniwan ka ng minamahal mo, di k dapat
magpatiwakal! Hello?! Ang mundo ay tambak ng mga tao na pwede mong
mahalin kya di ka dpat mwalan ng pagasa.

Ngunit kung desidido ka na sa gagawin mo at sa tingin mo ay meron kng
tamang dahilan pra gawin ito, ang sunod mong gagawin ay ang pagpili ng
paraan nito. Ang mga popular na paraan ay ang pagbigti, paginom ng
lason, paglaslas, pagbaril sa sarili at pagpigil ng hininga.

(Note: 1. tandaan na maari k png mabuhay pagnagkamali ka sa
pagsasagawa ng mga nabanggit, kaya pumili lamang ng isa na hiyang sau.)

(Note: 2. Alalahaning dyahe kung pagtitinginan ng mga tao ang mukha mo
sa ataul na muka kng dehydrated na langaw.)

Sumulat ng suicide note. Eto ang exciting! dito mo pedeng sisihin
lahat ng tao, at wla clang magagawa! Sbhin mo na di mo gus2ng tapusin
ang iyong buhay kaso lng badtrip clang lahat! Pero wag ding kalimutang
humingi ng tawad sa bandang huli pra mas cool.

(Note: Tandaan n importanteng gumawa ng suicide note pra malaman ng
tao n ngsuicide k at hndi na-murder! Sa ganitong paraan maiiwasan ng PNP
ang pagkuha sa kalye ng kahit sinong tambay pra gawing suspect.)

Pumili ng themesong. Banggitin ang iyong special request sa suicide
note at ibilin na patugtugin sa libing.

(Note: Iwasan ang mga kanta ng Salbakutah! Jologs!! Dapat mejo mellow
at meaningful.. para gayahin ng iba!)

Isulat ng maayos ang suicide note. Print. Iwasan ang bura. Lagdaan.

(Note: Ilagay ang suicide note s a lugar kung saan madaling makita.
Idikit sa noo!)

Planuhin ang isusuot. Isang beses k lng mamatay kaya dpat memorable
ang get-up. Pumili ng telang di umuurong o makati sa katawan.

Magpareserve ng de-kalidad n kabaong. Maganda ang kulay n puti,
mukang komportable. Huwag magtipid.

Pumili narin ng magandang pwesto sa sementeryo. Pumili ng di masikip.

(Note: Kung ikw ay nabibilang sa Year of the rat, Dragon, rabbit,
tiger, beef or monster. Wag na mamili ng lilibingan sapagkat ang mga
nabibilang sa taon n e2 ay dpat i-cremate at gawing foot powder,, pra
gumaan ang pasok ng pera sa mga naiwan.)

Itaon ang araw ng iyong pagsu-suicide sa ung fav. no. sa calendar pra
masaya!

Kung naplano mo na lhat-lhat, Magisip ng mabuti at paulit-ulit!
Isipin na ang gagawin mo ay hndi kanais-nais at lubhang makasalanan!
Pero pag desidido ka talaga…

Good luck!

At tsaka paparty ka na rin muna before ka magpatiwakal ng me maganda ka
ring memory na iiwan sa mga friends and family mo. gawin mo nang bongga
- wag kuripot. make sure na me mga cute na bisita para sa mga single
friends mo, ng me nagawa ka namang kapakipakinabang before ka nadedo. at
least pag me nagkatuluyan maalala ka nila, like ay oo, si ano – we met
the day before sya nagsuicide. bongga yung party nun! mag invite ka ng
bands – ay nako, kung me balak ka mag suicide, mag ipon ka na. im sure
mahal na talent fee ng Hale kung gusto mo cla tugtog The Day You Said
Goodnyt sa burol mo. and oo, make sure ding masarap ang kape sa burol a!
tsaka pwe de wag na tetra pack na juice? pwede punch na lang? tapos ano,
wag na bicuit-biscuit lang. gawin mo ref cake. masarap yun. better yet,
blueberry cheesecake! tapos, tuna carbonara, nachos and garlic dip,
pizza, chicken, ano pa? don’t forget the drinks! mahaba-habng inuman to!
gawin mo parang fiesta, one of a kind! eto, suggestion, lagyan mo ng

theme – pwedeng horror, o fantasy – imagine naka costume mga pupunta sa
burol mo? bongga di ba!?

o ano, excited ka na?

Tags: Gas, Suicide

Hola a todos!  I’m back!  Whheeewww… I missed rambling here and I’ve been getting questions from my few but loyal readers, what’s going on.  A lot has happened since my last entry, I don’t even know where to begin.  But it’s sort of an overflow of reports that kicked off on holy week.  Either Im too tired to type anything or just plain lazy to think about a decent post. 

Anyway, it was not all work.  Some of our colleagues from the US came over and stayed for almost two weeks learning about the processes here in the Manila office.  We used to interact only via emails or phone calls but having to put a face to a name made a big difference.  Contrary to my impression that they were impersonal and aloof, they were actually warm, very friendly, and have great sense of humor.  We got along very well and had a good time despite our hectic schedules and piles of work.  We even managed to sneak to Tagaytay and trekked up Taal’s crater on a horse! That was the first that I’d ever ridden a horse and I think it’ll be the last!  I couldnt bring myself to fully enjoy it because I was too concerned for the animal.  I never knew they perspire profusely and the guide must have been so annoyed with my questions on the horse’s welfare that he stopped talking to me on the way back.  I did made up for the annoyance by giving him a tip but of course, with a friendly reminder to give the horse a drink.  The crater was spectacular but Kate, my officemate, said it doesnt even come close to Pinatubo.   Well, its the only crater I’ve seen up close and I say the view was more than worth the trek.

I felt so sore after that horse ride, I guess its one of the things that you have to experience once in this lifetime. Just once, for me.  Well.. the things you do for dear hospitality.  But getting our American friends to try our local adventures with no complaints whatsoever was admirable, we parted with lots of happy memories and pictures to look back on. 

I still have alot on my plate.  This April, we commence the quarter reconciliation of accounts.  Those familiar with it knows that it’s a grinding activity until month end.  But what the heck, we have gone through it in the past and if it hadn’t killed us then, it wont do any real damage this time…. that at least is a consolation.

Tags: taal, tagaytay

It’s the holy week and as most of the Christian community had taken the week off to contemplate on the holiday’s relevance, I am here in the office playing the part of a martyr, flagellated by the tirade of financial requirements that came in downpour since last week.  It’s worse than the year-end close. Two of the four companies that I handle are currently on their annual audit taking much of my time, leaving me to cram for the financial statements (FS) that are also due for release…those in accounting know what an FS preparation entail: too much work, too little sleep.  I’m stretching my brain cells to their limits and was typing like crazy hoping that I will be spared of crucifixion if I dont deliver on time.

I consoled myself with the thought that there has never been an instance that I failed to finish the reports on the deadline.  With the inclusion of my teammates, we had always delivered… So far.

It’s now Good Friday, the last day of the work week.  The auditor’s request were disposed of, three FS have been sent out, one to go and I’m done.  Then like a sudden thunder on a summer day, another email slammed into my inbox.  The FS had been scrutinized and now the partners need cash analyses for each plus the detailed expenses for the past year complete with variance explanations!  Could I just delete this?!  I’m dying!

I’m running low on patience and the last email had it all drained up.  I’m beginning to get really really pissed, close to burning the papers on my desk… my hope of going home early had just vanished into thin air.  How did life become so suddenly busy!!!

I need a break.  Breathe in, breathe out.  Count one to one thousand.  I dragged my cursor to my collection of forwarded messages and scanned for something that will momentariy pull me out of this building agitation. I came across the video of shadow puppets received from a good friend several month ago.  I put on my earphones and opened the file.  What A Wonderful World was the accompanying song and just half way thru the video, I was already feeling better.  The song and the amusing puppetry had a calming effect that paved the way into a reflective mood.  There’s alot to be thankful for, I mused, including the work that I have.

Often, it’s the simple things that bring us back on track.  They remind us that amidst the chaos and clutter of modern living, the essentials are just in the background waiting for a little attention, calling out that there are still so much wonder in the world to be happy about. 

So now that I am refocused, I can go back to work.