years back (in 2008, to be exact), i posted something about winning. in that post, i mentioned the speech i delivered as valedictory address during the mba graduation. i felt so great after that speech. it was succinct yet it delivered the right messages. i distinctly remember gibbs asking about the content of that speech. i finally found that document and am reproducing it here, with some minor editing. this is circa 2004.
Honorable members of the _______, blah, blah, blah, Family and Friends, a pleasant and blessed afternoon to all.
A few weeks ago, I had the unique opportunity to write about my personal journey pursuing an MBA through an executive program. The article, which was featured in the Business World, traced the various emotions I felt during the program: I went from energized to harassed, pressured, competitive, enlightened, burdened, exhilarated, exhausted, to relieved and now, even to nostalgic.
After 22 months, we now hold our diplomas in our hand. We have, in our possession, the signed approval sheets of our SMP’s. We now wear the sash on our right shoulder.
All these are but symbolic of the many, many changes we have undergone in the process. Our companies, our staff, our bosses have witnessed this transformation. We now look at our balance sheets and understand if not appreciate. We scan our environment and see strategic opportunities. We analyze our operations and we look for the value in the activity, the inherent competitive advantage. No matter how much we convince ourselves to the contrary, we are already changed, transformed, maybe even disfigured.
We are back to our respective companies. But it is not back to what it used to be. We are now inflamed with a desire to effect more changes, and create more “value”. For some of us, we are even expanding our circles of influence, lending this new-found talent to our communities, to our trade, civic & religious organizations. We are creating ripples simply because what we now know we cannot keep to ourselves.
So, to our dear institution, we offer no promises. For what the institution had envisioned for its managers, we have actually been doing. For even during the time we were in school, we continued to work for our companies, we continued to create value. But because of the precious knowledge we have gained from this institution, our power to create value has been tremendously increased.
But don’t take my word for it. Come and visit. We invite you to check up on us every now and then. See how we are transforming our companies. See how we ourselves have become the change that we wanted to see. See for yourselves and be proud! For you have done wonderfully, (school name), and we thank you.
i can actually still recreate the feeling of reading it. and remembering the part where i buckled. and how i looked at the audience, and the glare of the lights. it was my defining moment.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
inspiring
my teacher shared this with me. not because he has a great voice. but he sang this with all the heart he has got. and because of that, he was able to move everyone. he shared this with me to inspire me. it's not all about having the greatest voice (is he telling me something? hmm) but it is all about feeling the song, and singing it from deep within. if i could tap into that...
here is russell watson singing the same song. it was the first cover i heard, because ex loved it so much. and russell is just a sight to behold. we even watched him when he performed here in manila eons ago.
my teacher told me this was actually the theme song of the movie "the mission". no wonder it was so haunting.
In my imagination I see a fair world
Everyone lives in peace and in honesty there.
I dream of souls that are always free
Like the clouds that fly
Full of humanity in the depths of the soul
In my imagination I see a bright world
Even the night is less dark there
I dream of souls that are always free
Like clouds that fly.
In my imagination there exists a warm wind
That breathes on the cities, like a friend
I dream of souls that are always free
Like clouds that fly
Full of humanity in the depths of the soul.
here is russell watson singing the same song. it was the first cover i heard, because ex loved it so much. and russell is just a sight to behold. we even watched him when he performed here in manila eons ago.
my teacher told me this was actually the theme song of the movie "the mission". no wonder it was so haunting.
In my imagination I see a fair world
Everyone lives in peace and in honesty there.
I dream of souls that are always free
Like the clouds that fly
Full of humanity in the depths of the soul
In my imagination I see a bright world
Even the night is less dark there
I dream of souls that are always free
Like clouds that fly.
In my imagination there exists a warm wind
That breathes on the cities, like a friend
I dream of souls that are always free
Like clouds that fly
Full of humanity in the depths of the soul.
Monday, July 11, 2011
customer service orientation
i rant about not getting good customer service especially in retail establishments. i figure that in this day and age of extreme competition, any firm in the service industry should have good customer service as a minimum guaranteed experience, from the lowliest carinderia to the poshest resort.
but fabC lobster tony once made a statement that made me think. the front liners of a lot of service firms, especially in retail, are usually rank & file personnel who barely make minimum wage. is it reasonable for us to expect them to know 'good customer service' innately if they may actually not have experienced such? when one shops in the tiangges of divisoria and quiapo, does one expect to be accorded 'good customer service'?
my understanding of his point: it would be unwise to expect employees as front liners to innately be 'customer oriented'. to always have that ready smile, to be friendly and approachable. that is something that they may not experience regularly. hence, it is up to the establishment owner to train his/her people well in giving good customer service. and if possible, allow them to 'experience' good customer service so they would know what that feels. and if they felt good about being the recipient of a good service, then they would probably be able to incorporate the idea into their own jobs and task and provide good customer service as well.
but fabC lobster tony once made a statement that made me think. the front liners of a lot of service firms, especially in retail, are usually rank & file personnel who barely make minimum wage. is it reasonable for us to expect them to know 'good customer service' innately if they may actually not have experienced such? when one shops in the tiangges of divisoria and quiapo, does one expect to be accorded 'good customer service'?
my understanding of his point: it would be unwise to expect employees as front liners to innately be 'customer oriented'. to always have that ready smile, to be friendly and approachable. that is something that they may not experience regularly. hence, it is up to the establishment owner to train his/her people well in giving good customer service. and if possible, allow them to 'experience' good customer service so they would know what that feels. and if they felt good about being the recipient of a good service, then they would probably be able to incorporate the idea into their own jobs and task and provide good customer service as well.
cc reviews: outliers by malcolm gladwell
"cc reviews" i know. it is pretentious. lol. im pretending to be a gibbs cadiz. well, it is my blog. i can be whomever i choose to be. and today, i choose to be gibbs. cue in high pitch. Kidding, gibbs! (maybe he'll skip this post. hehe)
i read an e-book version. courtesy of torrent. the quality is quite bad. paragraphs mixed up in certain places. the tables and illustrations got lost. so i am basing this on strictly my understanding of that e-book.
outliers. super-successful persons like bill gates, sports jocks, nobel prize laureates, the beatles. or even entire groups of people (the chinese kids who outperform everybody else in math). he debunks the general notion that these people are born with extraordinary talent, intelligence. and we mere mortals can just gawk.
according to his perspective, they are not very different from us (surprise!) and their success is as much environment, timing and good old luck as innate talent. it is their specific cultural legacy coupled with the right circumstances (happenstance). well, built on top of talent and intelligence (all different types of). and hard, hard work. 10,000 hours of hardwork. which is 10 years of working at something, at practicing for 4.5 hours everyday during weekdays (my computation).
a caveat: his definition of success is super-duper success, stratospheric if you look at the list. and though largely financial-based, he doesnt preclude the nobel laureates. so go figure if this will apply to you.
it is both hopeful and hopeless. you dont have to be born with mega-high IQ to make it. (hey that applies to me!) but at the same time, he speaks of a unique confluence of factors (demography, the system, your cultural legacy) that were present to allow that talent to germinate. and to allow you to actually put in 10,000 hours of pure, hard work.
what is the Filipino cultural legacy? was ours really a rice-based culture that made our forefathers work much, much harder everyday of the year? what did 300 years of colonization do to that?
being born at this point in time in our history, the educational system we grew up in, how will these factors predispose success in one area over the other? or are we 'doomed' from the start?
will recognizing these be enough to improve my chances of success? but with so many factors that seem beyond my control, how will i even get by? or is it too late for me?
so many questions the book raises for me. worth pondering, for sure. i just dont know if i have the time or the patience.
a final ending statement: books read us as much as we read them.
what ive retained and chosen as my learnings from this book is because of who i am, and not because of what the book is.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
i read an e-book version. courtesy of torrent. the quality is quite bad. paragraphs mixed up in certain places. the tables and illustrations got lost. so i am basing this on strictly my understanding of that e-book.
outliers. super-successful persons like bill gates, sports jocks, nobel prize laureates, the beatles. or even entire groups of people (the chinese kids who outperform everybody else in math). he debunks the general notion that these people are born with extraordinary talent, intelligence. and we mere mortals can just gawk.
according to his perspective, they are not very different from us (surprise!) and their success is as much environment, timing and good old luck as innate talent. it is their specific cultural legacy coupled with the right circumstances (happenstance). well, built on top of talent and intelligence (all different types of). and hard, hard work. 10,000 hours of hardwork. which is 10 years of working at something, at practicing for 4.5 hours everyday during weekdays (my computation).
a caveat: his definition of success is super-duper success, stratospheric if you look at the list. and though largely financial-based, he doesnt preclude the nobel laureates. so go figure if this will apply to you.
it is both hopeful and hopeless. you dont have to be born with mega-high IQ to make it. (hey that applies to me!) but at the same time, he speaks of a unique confluence of factors (demography, the system, your cultural legacy) that were present to allow that talent to germinate. and to allow you to actually put in 10,000 hours of pure, hard work.
what is the Filipino cultural legacy? was ours really a rice-based culture that made our forefathers work much, much harder everyday of the year? what did 300 years of colonization do to that?
being born at this point in time in our history, the educational system we grew up in, how will these factors predispose success in one area over the other? or are we 'doomed' from the start?
will recognizing these be enough to improve my chances of success? but with so many factors that seem beyond my control, how will i even get by? or is it too late for me?
so many questions the book raises for me. worth pondering, for sure. i just dont know if i have the time or the patience.
a final ending statement: books read us as much as we read them.
what ive retained and chosen as my learnings from this book is because of who i am, and not because of what the book is.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Playlist: Kilig
i've had my share of kilig moments. too much in my lifetime. LOL. i wanted to put those feelings in a bottle. and open them when i like to feel them again. there's something about these cutesie songs. a friend of mine would call it "nagsisinixteen". LOL. parang hayskul lang!
Bubbly Colbie Caillat
As I Lay Me Down Sophie B. Hawkins
A Thousand Miles Vanessa Carlton
I Love You Always Forever Donna Lewis
Mad About You Belinda Carlisle
Breathless The Corrs
When I Think Of You Janet Jackson
How Will I Know Whitney Houston
Cherish Madonna
Take My Breath Away Emma Bunton
Just A Smile Barbie Almalbis
Color Blind Darius
If You're Not The One Daniel Bedingfield
Bubbly Colbie Caillat
As I Lay Me Down Sophie B. Hawkins
A Thousand Miles Vanessa Carlton
I Love You Always Forever Donna Lewis
Mad About You Belinda Carlisle
Breathless The Corrs
When I Think Of You Janet Jackson
How Will I Know Whitney Houston
Cherish Madonna
Take My Breath Away Emma Bunton
Just A Smile Barbie Almalbis
Color Blind Darius
If You're Not The One Daniel Bedingfield
Thursday, July 7, 2011
the ordeal
ive postponed taking the test for years and years. yes, i have had multiple sex partners. but ive considered myself a "low risk" player. because im not into anal sex much. and the few times i did anal sex, i was top, though more often unprotected but my partners all appeared healthy anyway.
and i havent had any major illness. except for that dengue thingie in 2009. i dont even get sick with flu. so im thinking my immune system's healthy. and of course, i do all that physical exercise! so why get myself tested?
about two years back, the news of the spectacular rise in new infections started to get around. and at the forefront of this is MSM transmission (men who have sex with other men). and they were even pointing to BPO's as "havens" of HIV transmission.
but it was only last year that HIV took on a more personal turn for me. i actually start learning of people i know, people i've met who are positive. and some of them, i have also learned, have passed away. *gulp* what used to be in another country, in another area is suddenly at my doorstep.
still i resisted being tested.
last january, it finally hit home. when a former sex partner turned friend disclosed his positive status to me at a party. i was numb at first. choosing to just not react. rationality kicked in eventually. i should finally have myself tested.
i hesitantly informed pc about it. scared of his reaction. but he was just so supportive. he promised to be tested, too, with me. and he will continue to love me whatever the test outcome. that was so reassuring.
yet i still postponed taking the test.
more and more of my friends were getting tested. most turned out nonreactive. yet there was nothing reassuring with the extent of their ordeal leading towards taking the test. one friend became paranoid for months, even after testing negative. it just got into his head. another had hysterical fits, imagining all the what-ifs. good grief. do i want to go through that, too?
and recently, more news of dear friends getting sick or even passing away. people who just tweeted a week ago were suddenly a memory.
i couldn't ignore it any longer. i set july as the month of the test. and funny, it coincided with miggs' efforts to do a rapid testing event. miggs told me to come early on sunday to take the test. i just smiled.
i told pc i wanted to finally get tested 7-7-11. i just want to get it over with. i picked the makati social hygiene clinic, where mcvie had himself and dan tested. i arranged my sched around it last week.
days leading up to today were normal. i didnt have any crying fits or hysteria or paranoia. but yesterday, whenever the thought did cross my mind, i felt a palpable fear. a tangible pulse rate increase, no matter what i was doing. i imagined how i would take the news. what were the things i would do. who should know? how do i tell my folks? what changes will happen in my life? but rather than despair over it, i started to "think positive" and assume that scenario. i would carry on. i have much too many things to do at work to be bothered by my HIV status.
so up until this morning, i was still busy with work. but during lunch, i felt the agitation. pc was running late and i was getting quite pissed. i wanted to catch the early afternoon window when there would be less people, according to mcvie. nevertheless, i kept my cool. seeing pc calmed me down. but i was anxious to really get it over with.
finally, we proceeded to makati city hall and looked for the clinic. we were lucky. there was nobody else there, except for two women waiting for results of a test they took. pc had his reservations about "government health facilities". but these were properly dispelled by the cleanliness and order of that clinic.
we were quickly entertained by the very friendly nurse, and ushered into a separate room for the "counseling" and the accomplishment of forms. i was my talkative self, funny and smiling throughout. my coping mechnism did a lot to ease the tension. pc was silent, primarily because the conversation was in the vernacular.
after accomplishing the forms, we had our blood samples taken. the med tech and other health personnel found me quite entertaining. even nurse yeye thought id make a great trainor cum spokesperson. (yikes!)
then more counseling and discussion as we waited for the results. nurse yeye was just so nice and sweet and knowledgeable (at about 85% accuracy). and she was so accommodating and reassuring.
in only 20 minutes our results came in. and she didnt read them to us right away. i wanted to grab the sheets of paper. but i just smiled and continued my rapt attention to her stories.
then she started with "well, since i already have the results, i guess you already know what it means, right?" (ahh, i do? nope i dont. did i miss anything?) "it simply means you are both nonreactive.". i could have kissed her and pc right there.
with that out of the way, we had an even more enjoyable conversation with nurse yeye.
nonreactive. how sweet that sounds. all that worrying gone with the word! i was also thinking previously that if i tested positive, it would feel like some kind of divine retribution for my sins. ahh the catholic guilt surfaces. but none of that now. its all good. and i can only thank the Lord for his grace and compassion.
we went malling a bit after, just to cool down. it was only then that i realized how tired i was, even if i didnt do any workout. all that anxiety was truly physically stressful. and only after was i starting to feel the fatigue.
relief. i feel like i was given a new lease on life. that He has forgiven me for all the transgressions, my carelessness, my callousness. and i will not ever consider unsafe sex after that ordeal. never again.
and i have this urge to just shout it out. GET YOURSELF TESTED! i will help. i will spread the word. IT IS NOT A DEATH SENTENCE. on the contrary, early detection means longer life.
from fear and dread to advocacy. i owe it to Him.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
and i havent had any major illness. except for that dengue thingie in 2009. i dont even get sick with flu. so im thinking my immune system's healthy. and of course, i do all that physical exercise! so why get myself tested?
about two years back, the news of the spectacular rise in new infections started to get around. and at the forefront of this is MSM transmission (men who have sex with other men). and they were even pointing to BPO's as "havens" of HIV transmission.
but it was only last year that HIV took on a more personal turn for me. i actually start learning of people i know, people i've met who are positive. and some of them, i have also learned, have passed away. *gulp* what used to be in another country, in another area is suddenly at my doorstep.
still i resisted being tested.
last january, it finally hit home. when a former sex partner turned friend disclosed his positive status to me at a party. i was numb at first. choosing to just not react. rationality kicked in eventually. i should finally have myself tested.
i hesitantly informed pc about it. scared of his reaction. but he was just so supportive. he promised to be tested, too, with me. and he will continue to love me whatever the test outcome. that was so reassuring.
yet i still postponed taking the test.
more and more of my friends were getting tested. most turned out nonreactive. yet there was nothing reassuring with the extent of their ordeal leading towards taking the test. one friend became paranoid for months, even after testing negative. it just got into his head. another had hysterical fits, imagining all the what-ifs. good grief. do i want to go through that, too?
and recently, more news of dear friends getting sick or even passing away. people who just tweeted a week ago were suddenly a memory.
i couldn't ignore it any longer. i set july as the month of the test. and funny, it coincided with miggs' efforts to do a rapid testing event. miggs told me to come early on sunday to take the test. i just smiled.
i told pc i wanted to finally get tested 7-7-11. i just want to get it over with. i picked the makati social hygiene clinic, where mcvie had himself and dan tested. i arranged my sched around it last week.
days leading up to today were normal. i didnt have any crying fits or hysteria or paranoia. but yesterday, whenever the thought did cross my mind, i felt a palpable fear. a tangible pulse rate increase, no matter what i was doing. i imagined how i would take the news. what were the things i would do. who should know? how do i tell my folks? what changes will happen in my life? but rather than despair over it, i started to "think positive" and assume that scenario. i would carry on. i have much too many things to do at work to be bothered by my HIV status.
so up until this morning, i was still busy with work. but during lunch, i felt the agitation. pc was running late and i was getting quite pissed. i wanted to catch the early afternoon window when there would be less people, according to mcvie. nevertheless, i kept my cool. seeing pc calmed me down. but i was anxious to really get it over with.
finally, we proceeded to makati city hall and looked for the clinic. we were lucky. there was nobody else there, except for two women waiting for results of a test they took. pc had his reservations about "government health facilities". but these were properly dispelled by the cleanliness and order of that clinic.
we were quickly entertained by the very friendly nurse, and ushered into a separate room for the "counseling" and the accomplishment of forms. i was my talkative self, funny and smiling throughout. my coping mechnism did a lot to ease the tension. pc was silent, primarily because the conversation was in the vernacular.
after accomplishing the forms, we had our blood samples taken. the med tech and other health personnel found me quite entertaining. even nurse yeye thought id make a great trainor cum spokesperson. (yikes!)
then more counseling and discussion as we waited for the results. nurse yeye was just so nice and sweet and knowledgeable (at about 85% accuracy). and she was so accommodating and reassuring.
in only 20 minutes our results came in. and she didnt read them to us right away. i wanted to grab the sheets of paper. but i just smiled and continued my rapt attention to her stories.
then she started with "well, since i already have the results, i guess you already know what it means, right?" (ahh, i do? nope i dont. did i miss anything?) "it simply means you are both nonreactive.". i could have kissed her and pc right there.
with that out of the way, we had an even more enjoyable conversation with nurse yeye.
nonreactive. how sweet that sounds. all that worrying gone with the word! i was also thinking previously that if i tested positive, it would feel like some kind of divine retribution for my sins. ahh the catholic guilt surfaces. but none of that now. its all good. and i can only thank the Lord for his grace and compassion.
we went malling a bit after, just to cool down. it was only then that i realized how tired i was, even if i didnt do any workout. all that anxiety was truly physically stressful. and only after was i starting to feel the fatigue.
relief. i feel like i was given a new lease on life. that He has forgiven me for all the transgressions, my carelessness, my callousness. and i will not ever consider unsafe sex after that ordeal. never again.
and i have this urge to just shout it out. GET YOURSELF TESTED! i will help. i will spread the word. IT IS NOT A DEATH SENTENCE. on the contrary, early detection means longer life.
from fear and dread to advocacy. i owe it to Him.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Quezon Bridge,Manila,Philippines
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