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Thursday, April 30, 2009
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One of the things I love to do is collecting quotes. So here are some of the quotes I've collected in the meetings that we had:

Also, make it your goal to live quietly, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you, so that you may win the respect of outsiders, and have need of nothing. -1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

"Living a quite life does not mean you are not making an impact. It means you are doing the will of God."- Pastor Noel

The person who is greatest among you must be your servant. - Matthew 23:11

"Serving others in the sight of God is a great act."- Pastor Noel

"Great men and women of God are people who serves." - Pastor Noel

"Trusting God is the true source of confidence." - Pastor Noel

"Your hands are the extension of your heart." - Pastor Noel

"Many people want to be born again but they are looking at us if we get the results." - Pastor Noel

"The will of God for us is to be dependent on Him not on anyone else"- Pastor Noel

Visit Praise Cathedral's website: http://praisecathedralcebu.com
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Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The Gump Philosophy

"life is like a box of chocolates you never know what your going to get" - Forrest Gump

When asked what do you think of this quote, many (if not all) of my friends tell me that they agree of this quote. They will then add or paraphrase," Life is unpredictable so you will never know what you are going to get." I believe they are right life is indeed a mystery, you will never know what could happen next. But that's not just what the quote is saying. Allow me to call the quote - "Gump Philosophy".

The Gump Philosophy is not just stating about the unpredictability of life but more on the statement - "life is a box of chocolate".

You see, I believe Forrest Gump sees life, more than the randomness, as a box of chocolate. It's sweet, satisfying, enjoyable, and exhilarating. Some people considers chocolate their passion. So if life is a box of chocolate then to these people, life is a box full passion. It's so wonderful that no matter what happens it's still as sweet as chocolate. And if we live our lives thinking that life is a box of chocolate then we will have a more positive outlook in life. We will take life expecting the sweet part of it.
When I was young, I thought I'll be a doctor, then a lawyer, then an accountant, then a mathematician, and now I am a software engineer. Thinking about it, the journey from dreaming of becoming a doctor to actually becoming a software engineer was indeed a chocolate. Every bite is a different sensation. Every experience is a taste of what it is to wonder and dream. In the end, I realized I like to be a software engineer more than a doctor, or a lawyer or a mathematician. :)



When I was in college, I flunked my first programming class. It was devastating, number one, because I never failed in a class before and, number two, I lost my scholarship for a semester. At first I was angry at the teacher who gave me the grades. I thought to myself, "he did not know how to teach.How dare he give me this grade". Then some of my "friends" told me, "You will not make it in your degree because you just failed my first programming class". Those are the kinds of "friends" you stay away from.:)

The hardest part is telling my mother and sisters. I know they have expected so much from me. They thought I am so smart I could not fail. And it's hard to disappoint them. I was able to break the news to my mother who was very merciful and to my surprise, she just comforted me. I thought she is going to cry or worry but she didn't. I saw how strong she is when she told me,"I'll pay for your tuition fee and it's not a problem. " Somehow, I feel that a lid has been lifted off my shoulders. When I told my sister what happened, she cried and I cried with her. She told me these wonderful words, "Smart men studies their lessons, those who are not, don't". I realized that it's not my teacher's fault. It's my fault because I did not study enough. I did not deliver. I acted not so smart so I flunked. My sister forgave me for failing but more importantly she told me, "I'm sorry if all those expectations to you seemed to have choked you." Again, I felt a lifting feeling as we are reconciled.

I went back to school and studied harder than I should. I worked with my teachers to understand concepts that I have hard time understanding. I learned that information is a matter of asking for it from the right source. I learned that I can do things I thought I could not do if I focus my energy on it - I can actually study. I re-take my programming class and took the top spot in the class. I took my second programming class and took the top spot again. What my doom and gloom "prophet/friends" said never happened because I never flunked another class since then.

Looking at it, I can say, that part of my life is another chocolate. Like some chocolates I've tasted it started bitter but ended up very sweet. It's so delicious that I can't forget it after 8 years tasting it.


Life is unpredictable but if you look at life using the Gump Philosophy i.e. like a box of chocolate then you will be excited to wake up in the morning knowing that today could be another bite.
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Monday, April 27, 2009
Entrepreneurship seminar


Attend the seminar! Build your business! This is free not because what you will get is cheap but because this was originally planned for members of our church but later was opened for everybody. Be there! Call 254-8877 for more details.
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Having a hard time staying up in a meeting?

I have posted "How to stay up when attending a meeting" and I realized that it entails a lot of planning thus may not be applicable if if things won't go as plan. Meaning, you did not have a lot of sleep, you were not able to read the presentation in advance, and you ended up very sleepy in a meeting.

So I came up with "quick and dirty" tips that can keep you awake in a meeting.

1. Drink a lot of coffee.
In your way to the meeting area, drink at least two cups of coffee.
If you don't like to drink coffee then grab a Coke or Pepsi.
If you still don't drink any of them eat chocolate. The idea is to take in a lot of caffeine.

2. Look around you and look for people who are also trying keep themselves awake.
When you start to feel sleepy, try to look around and look for people who are trying their best to keep themselves awake. If you've tried this technique in the past you've probably know how funny people looks like when they are trying to fight drowsing. You will feel that sleeping in a meeting is so embarrassing that you mind will try to "avoid" embarrassment by keeping you awake. Also, if you saw somebody sleeping in a meeting, give him/her a small tap. Somehow, rebuking others will put your mind in "defensive mode" and will keep you awake in the process.

3. Take notes.
Taking notes will help you in sync with the discussion. Caution though: don't draw on your notes while a discussion is going on. Doing so will not only make you look unprofessional but this will also take you away from the discussion.

4. Try to ask questions.
Asking questions will keep your mind working thus making sure that you will not fall asleep.

5. If everything does not work, excuse yourself and go to the restroom.
Wash your face with water. The cold water should give you a fresh feeling and should keep you awake. Many times, this is more effective than drinking coffee. If washing your face does not work include your hair. Do this very quickly and make sure your hair is dry when you come back to the meeting area.:)

So there you have it. I hope you can use these tips to keep yourself awake.:)
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Saturday, April 25, 2009
Bookmarks

Created two bookmarks for Cutting Edge Fellowship.


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Wednesday, April 22, 2009
So where do you work?

Years ago, if asked, "where do I work?" I normally say, "I work in [company name] as a software engineer." Then I found this amazing concept from Brian Tracy which says, if you were asked where do you work tell them that you are the CEO of your personal service company and company A is your biggest client. This simple yet profound concept made me think a lot about my career.

It gave three strong realizations:

1. I am responsible for my own growth.

If I am the CEO of my own personal service corporation then I am responsible of mypersonal and career growth. My hands contain the keys for personal growth and non-growth. My choices impact my career. I can choose to grow or not to grow. I can choose to be proactive or not. With this is the realization that I can no longer wait for the company to develop my skills. Nor can I complain if my manager did not give me the "breaks" I "need". It's up to me to find ways to improve the way I serve my biggest client. It's up to me to make a difference.

2. I am paid because of the value I contribute to my client.

I am not paid because I report everyday but because of the value I place to my biggest client - (in this case) Lexmark. If I consider my paycheck "small", I could no longer say, "this is all they pay" because "this" is a representation of the value I can offer to my client. My pay check will increase as my value increases.

3. I can do something.

No longer will I feel a "victim" of circumstances but a "participant" of my career's direction. I can be better in my service to my client and I can develop the skills to bring about value to the marketplace. I have a choice to "grow into a mountain not to shrink to a grain of sand". I can "increase my value a hundred fold" and I can be better. I can do better.

This new way of seeing my career changed me and will continue to change me. I hope that as I shared this to you a new sense of zest will be stirred inside of you. Then you and I will continue to be more in control with our careers.
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Wednesday, April 15, 2009
How to stay up when attending a meeting

My eyes grew heavy and tired.. I felt the room turned dark and all the sound turned down, my eyes begun to close and my shoulder felt heavy, my body begun to slouch in my chair, my mind drifted to the thought to a relaxation in the bed of sand beside the beach.. I can hear the water splashing in the seaside..so serene.. so sleepy.. I can feel a strong desire to fall into deep slumber.. and then I begun to say to myself, "No.. no .. this is not happening.. I can't fall asleep.. I'm in a meeting.":)

Has this happened to you? Have you tried attending a meeting presentation when suddenly you lost track of the topic and you slowly felt sleepy or worst you really fell asleep? It happened to me many times especially when I first started working. There were even times when I really fell asleep. But I manage to work with myself and ended up overcoming the difficulty of staying awake.:) Let me share to you my how to stay up when attending a meeting tips.

1. Make sure you have enough sleep the morning before the meeting.
Lack of sleep is usually the main problem with staying awake (esp in a meeting). So get enough sleep if you know you will be attending a meeting the day before. If for some reason you did not have enough sleep take caffeine to help you stay awake. Sometimes caffeine will not totally keep you awake (this is the case for coffee addicts) but it is better than no caffeine at all. If you don't want to drink coffee, you can drink water or bring candies that will keep you occupied while in a meeting.


2. Avoid your "sleepy" sitting position.
We all have a "sleepy" position where in in that position it is easy for us to fall into slumber. Usually when we are in a reclining back, it is easy for us to feel sleepy. Avoid reclining instead, your body should be leaning forward facing the presenter. This will communicate to your brain that you are in "learning mode" and you will not be sleeping while the meeting is going on.

3. Make sure you are fully aware about the topic of the meeting.
If it's a presentation, you can ask the presenter some slides or references about the topic. Read them in advance. This will transform you from an ordinary listener to an involved participant. The more involve you are to the presentation the less likely you are to fall asleep. So try as much as possible to get acquainted to the topic. Research and study the topic and try to understand it before the presentation is even given to you. Again,the more involve you are to the presentation the less likely you are to fall asleep.

4. Ask relevant questions (or even irrelevant questions).
If you've done step #3 above then this will likely follow. While researching about the topic jot down questions and concerns in a notebook. If given a chance to ask questions, present these questions to the presenter. Asking questions will make you an active participant in the meeting. This will make the meeting more dynamic and keep you fully awake.

5. Look for topics in the presentation that you do not understand (or fully understand).
When you look for topics that you do not understand, you will become very aware of the presentation. The more aware you are the more your mind will work. The more your mind will work, the more you will be awake. You can ask for clarifications with the items you do not understand, this will make you more learned in the process. The more you feel learned, the more you feel good about yourself, and the more you feel about yourself, the more you forget that you are sleepy.

If you have noticed most of the steps involves you acting to make you feel that you are involved in the meeting. This is because the more involve you are the less likely you are to fall asleep. That's the reason why no presenter is ever sleepy or sleeping while presenting. So the key is to be as close as being the presenter when attending a presentation.:)
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Wednesday, April 01, 2009
IPOD hanged again!!!

IPOD hanged again!!!
every time I plug my ipod to my Windows PC, it will not detect properly and will hang. I have to reset the ipod to recover. To reset it you need to press the Menu and center button at the same time.
I checked the forums and found the same issue. I found a workaround though, I plug it in a PC with Linux OS (Ubuntu) and everything works OK.

Don't buy ipod.:(
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I will greet this day with love in my heart by Og Mandino



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Let me share to you one of the confessions from the Greatest Salesman of the World by Og Mandino.
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
For this is the greatest secret of success in all ventures. Muscle can split a shield and even destroy life but only the unseen power of love can open the hearts of men and until I master this art I will remain no more than a peddler in the market place. I will make love my greatest weapon and none on whom I call can defend against its force.
My reasoning they may counter; my speech they may distrust; my apparel they may disapprove; my face they may reject; and even my bargains may cause them suspicion; yet my love will melt all hearts liken to the sun whose rays soften the coldest clay.
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
And how will I do this? Henceforth will I look on all things with love and I will be born again. I will love the sun for it warms my bones; yet I will love the rain for it cleanses my spirit. I will love the light for it shows me the way; yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars. I will welcome happiness for it enlarges my heart; yet I will endure sadness for it opens my soul. I will acknowledge rewards for they are my due; yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge.
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
And how will I speak? I will laud mine enemies and they will become friends; I will encourage my friends and they will become brothers. Always will I dig for reasons to applaud; never will I scratch for excuses to gossip. When I am tempted to criticize I will bite on my tongue; when I am moved to praise I will shout from the roofs.
Is it not so that birds, the wind, the sea and all nature speaks with the music of praise for their creator? Cannot I speak with the same music to his children? Henceforth will I remember this secret and it will change my life.
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
And how will I act? I will love all manners of men for each has qualities to be admired even though they be hidden. With love I will tear down the wall of suspicion and hate which they have built round their hearts and in its place will I build bridges so that my love may enter their souls.
I will love the ambitious for they can inspire me! I will love the failures for they can teach me. I will love the kings for they are but human; I will love the meek for they are divine. I will love the rich for they are yet lonely; I will love the poor for they are so many. I will love the young for the faith they hold; I will love the beautiful for their eyes of sadness; I will love the ugly for their souls of peace.
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
But how will I react to the actions of others? With love. For just as love is my weapon to open the hearts of men, love is also my shield to repulse the arrows of hate and the spears of anger. Adversity and discouragement will beat against my new shield and become as the softest of rains. My shield will protect me in the market place and sustain me when I am alone. It will uplift me in moments of despair yet it will calm me in time of exultation. It will become stronger and more protective with use until one day I will cast it aside and walk unencumbered among all manners of men and, when I do, my name will be raised high on the pyramid of life.
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
And how will I confront each whom I meet? In only one way. In silence and to myself I will address him and say I Love You. Though spoken in silence these words will shine in my eyes, unwrinkled my brow, bring a smile to my lips, and echo in my voice; and his heart will be opened. And who is there who will say nay to my goods when his heart feels my love?
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
And most of all I will love myself. For when I do I will zealously inspect all things which enter my body, my mind, my soul, and my heart. Never will I overindulge the requests of my flesh, rather I will cherish my body with cleanliness and moderation. Never will I allow my mind to be attracted to evil and despair, rather I will uplift it with the knowledge and wisdom of the ages. Never will I allow my soul to become complacent and satisfied, rather I will feed it with meditation and prayer. Never will I allow my heart to become small and bitter, rather I will share it and it will grow and warm the earth.
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
Henceforth will I love all mankind. From this moment all hate is let from my veins for I have not time to hate, only time to love. From this moment I take the first step required to become a man among men. With love I will increase my sales a hundredfold and become a great salesman. If I have no other qualities I can succeed with love alone. Without it I will fail though I possess all the knowledge and skills of the world.
I will greet this day with love, and I will succeed.
Og Mandino


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