A Few Days with Toni

I finally met her in person.

The voice I regularly hear over the telecon is now a reality.
Fresh from Malaysia, Toni Lee is s picture of regional authority, corporate experience and innovation.
She has that drive and passion for work which influences everyone to get off to their feet, roll up their sleeves, and have another roll of scrutinizing on their tasks.
Intimidating and stern as she may seem, Toni showed us a different side of her and inculcated in our team lessons of importance.

Let me share some general tips which you may find interesting.

1. You cannot go for a thousand-mile-leap immediately, go for baby steps first.
2. In the football field, don’t keep the ball dribbling on your feet, kick it out.
3. Due diligence!
4. Do not leave any stone unturned.
5. Avoid casting stones, take responsibility of your accounts.
6. No matter how extremely busy and highly important an individual is, she has the chance to have a fetish for colored gel pens or a craving for cheese-flavored biscuits. Even these simple things can motivate an executive to word hard. ;)

Toni poses for a shot. Cool! ;)

The Ironies of Love

Admit it. Romantic love can be the all-encompassing source of peace, contentment and euphoria.

However, it can be the most painfully-slashing sword, the most crippling accident, or the most agonizing disaster in life. No matter how hard we try to close our eyes, we will still see and feel the ironies of love.

1. You love a person with all your heart, but that person doesn’t seem to notice you and (with all rights) cannot (and will not) love you back.
2. There are people who love you so much and are willing to give everything they have for you, yet you tend to go for the one who gives you complications in life.
3. He/she loves you. You love him/her. It all seems perfect between the two of you, but a superior factor contradicts – family, culture, religion, society, etc.
4. Distance separates two binding hearts. For a lot of reasons, you and your partner have to be separated by oceans and time zones.
5. You finally find the perfect life partner, but life takes a different course. The love of your life acquires health problems and death takes it toil.
6. You give everything for the one you love, become the most caring and sweetest partner, and become the almost-perfect-lover for him/her; yet your partner suddenly wants to wrapped in the somebody else’s arms.

Ironic, isn’t it?

But no matter how ironic love is, we still take chances and risks.

We love, unselfishly and all-out.

Eventually, we find out that the ironies of love can all be ironed out…

Perks of Being a Bum

1. Sleep without limits – Wake up without the sound of an irritating alarm clock demanding you to wake up so as not to be late. Have the luxury of eating breakfast leisurely.
2. “Holidays & weekends, what are they?” – You don’t have to keep track of non-working days that much because you have a ‘flexible’ schedule. Weekdays and weekends seem to be very much the same.
3. Worry-free – Life is simply happy and carefree. No need to worry about complex projects, boring meetings, eye-straining reports, confusing databases and interaction with irate businesspeople.
4. Heavy traffic during rush hour is never a problem! You don’t have to battle with rushing passengers during 7AM and 6PM; and be stressed out in the long queue of passengers.
5. The word “domesticated” now applies to you. You learn to love HOME and spend quality time with family. For those who are helpful, household-chore-skills are thoroughly enhanced – doing the laundry, cooking, taking care of kids, etc.
6. Blissfully active social life. Great!
7. Knowledge Enhancement – A lot of time to read, practice your passion (like music, photography, etc.), and engage in sports.
8. Trips and Travels – Instead of being secluded in the four walls of the office, you can go for LONG getaways! Go to Palawan, Cebu, Bohol, or even out of the country without hassle!
9. Bountiful time for spiritual things – more time for personal research and bible studies, return visits and support to other publishers. No limits to the voluntary work!
10. More time to make blog entries like this. (haha)

Now, who says that bum life is boring? :D

P.S. When will I experience all these things again? Whew..

So to the bums out there, enjoy this period! ;)
To the working peeps, cheer up! Work has perks, too. (LOL)

Along the Streets of Ayala

Heavy traffic is a normal happening and it is one of the busiest thoroughfares in Metro Manila.
The atmosphere is always rushing and busy with a a smell of smoke butts from sophisticated smokers on the building doors. Yes, imagine a corporate life of frequent rush hour.

This is the life in Ayala.

Ayala Avenue runs through the heart of Makati's central business district. No wonder it has that kind of atmosphere. But the good thing is, it has an ambience of career growth, professionalism and a dynamic nature. You just have to get used to that kind of lifestyle. You have to cope with all these things without losing your passion and priorities in life.

Here are some cityscapes taken during a night photowalk :)

PBCOM Tower, the tallest building in the Philippines. It serves as the headquarters of two Philippine banks, the Philippine Bank of Communications, of which the building's name owes it to, and East West Bank.

Nights in Tokyo

Tokyo, the capital of Japan is a busy and bustling city all throughout the day. But the amazing highlights in Tokyo are the buildings and lights ;) Truly a good setting for the Tokyo drift.

I was too busy admiring the views, checking out the shops, and listening to my tour guide Dad; thus I was able to click only a few shots.

Here are some shots taken during my nights in Tokyo ;)

Colorful Lanterns along Kawasaki shopping malls


La Cita Della Fountain and Mall


4
Nikko Hotel



Tokyo Drift



A Filipino Restaurant - Manila

Parking lot and multiple skyways


Free band shows on the streets ;)

There's a lot more to explore in Tokyo, and I hope to experience more of it next time. ;)

Bus Moves

I ride the bus on an occasional basis, yet one of these rides proved to be an extraordinary experience. I sat behind the driver – one of the safest places in a vehicle. My place was near the window for I don’t want to be bothered by passing passengers who accidentally bump those sitting at the aisle.

A respectable-looking guy sat next to me. He had this ‘corporate’ look and he looked presentable enough. I was occupied with the crossroads outside for I don’t want to miss my destination, when suddenly this guy looked at me and smiled.

He said, “Hi miss. Excuse me. May I ask you a favor? Please read this message for me.”

He extended his hand and showed me a text message on his mobile phone.

I was alarmed for he might be one of those “dugu-dugu gang” (whatever they are called) who deceive people in order to rob them. I ignored him ad pretended not to hear him.

Again, he said “I need your help. Pls. read this message for me.”

Out of curiosity and somewhat willing to help (for he might be having an eye defect), I glanced a bit at his mobile phone.

The message says,

“Hi Miss. May I know your name? BTW, I’m Ivan.”

From that day on, I learned to love the MRT. hehe

Road Watch

Last Sunday, 4th of October, we were able to witness a vehicular accident along Katipunan, QC.
Going home from our Circuit Assembly, we passed along this scenario. Not prepared for this scene, I wasn't able to adjust the settings and just took this shot.

The woman was wounded for she was wearing no helmet at all. Tsk Tsk.

So for motorists out there, please add extra care while driving, especially if you value your passengers and your life. Riding a motorcycle is double the danger than riding a car. Wearing a helmet is very much necessary.

May we all be careful. Life is so precious to just go into waste.