My Humps

“Trials are not the reason to give up, but a challenge to improve ourselves, mistakes are not an excuse to back-out but an inspiration to move forward.”

Tim Hardaway, one third of the NBA famous RUN-TMC from the Golden State Warriors committed a major boo boo in February this year. During an interview, he said he didn't like gay people. A strong statement because I assume about 25% of the worldwide population belongs to that gender. The statement definitely earned their ire. Since then he has “recovered” and brought back the trust in some way by doing voluntary work for the underprivileged.

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago also had her share of mishap recently. She took potshots at the Chinese during one interview. She called them intsik on national TV and boasted that the Chinese invented corruption. Strong words indeed reason why the Filipino-Chinese lambasted the feisty senator. She immediately wrote a letter of apology to the Chinese Embassy and publicly apologized the day after she delivered her infamous line saying that she was under a lot of stress.

One of the biggest trials of my professional life is currently in play. I hope it ends soon and I get to already view the closing credits. I'd rather not detail how it came about but would like to focus on my life learning and these are humility and tact. With all the blessing that is coming our way this year: a new car, travel with family, real property investments and achievement of our children (B5 is rank 1 in school and MC was accelerated), any normal person has the tendency to forget where he came from hence the timing of the trial is just right. There are no regrets that this happened, apologies have been delivered to the proper persons and as Julia Fordham said in her song "time heals all wounds."

Miranda Right

“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney present during questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you.”

The Miranda Right largely applied in the US is actually applicable in the Philippine corporate setting. Anything that comes out of your mouth, officially or unofficially, delivered seriously or said in jest, may be used against you. In the corporate setting, there are pseudo lawyers who may defend or persecute you.

Place in the Sun

The travails of a start up group is that you have to overcome a lot of hurdles, the greatest being proper acknowledgement. I must admit stress is getting the better of me and I sometimes have trouble juggling work. The whole global and new business group is under the microscope right now by management because of expenses. These expenses are expected to turn into revenues and at the rate things are going, these will be realized in over 2 years. That's just my amateur forecast.

The core business is still the cash cow but the 64 million dollar question is until when. Remittance business (to the Philippines) is a $15 billion annual amount and steadily growing. The company is aiming to corner a sizeable chunk of the market and we have the business model to answer the requirement.

But until the global and new business groups pour in the needed points and have an impact on the company's bottom-line, my role will be perceived as a glorified PM.

Photography 101 : Windows Desktop

Subject: A cow grazing
Location: San Jose, Tarlac
Date: July 2005
Camera: Sony Cybershot T-1

Photography 101 : Mountain Dew

Subject: Dew on a plant
Location: Tagaytay City
Date: October 2005
Camera: Sony Cybershot T-1

Photography 101 : Belfry

Subject: Cagsawa Ruins
Location: Daraga, Albay
Date: October 2005
Camera: Sony Cybershot T-1
Footnote: After the Nov 2006 typhoon that hit the Bicol region and triggered lahar, the belfry was covered by at least 80%. Now, the only thing remaining in the historical landmark is about 10 feet from the top.

Photography 101 : Baguio Cathedral

Subject: Baguio Cathedral

Location: Baguio City

Date: March 2007

Camera: Sony Cybershot T-1

Photography 101: Burnham Park

Subject: Burnham Park
Location: Baguio City
Date: March 2007
Camera: Sony Cybershot T-1

Photography 101 : Sunflower

Subject: Sunflower
Location: Baguio City
Date: March 2007
Camera: Sony Cybershot T-1

Photography 101: Lover's Quarrel

Subject: A couple in Burnham Park
Location: Baguio City
Date: March 2007
Camera: Sony Cybarshot T-1

The Complete Photography Book

“Whatever your experience has been, you can use this book as a source of information and also as a springboard for your imagination. Treat it as invitation to open your eyes, to think laterally, to bend the rules, to experiment, improvise and customize. View the camera as a tool which can shoot wonderful pictures. But it is the eye – the ability to see a good picture – that will make you a good photographer. " from Michael Joseph and Dave Saunders

I recently got hold of a very comprehensive photography book from my brother-in-law. I learned that the owner of the book is my father-in-law. The book is copyrighted 1993 and it is always mentioned in the book that digital cameras have a few more years to mature. Digital cams have arrived and conquered the photo world. The paradigm has shifted since the book was launched and it’s just a matter of time before film cams become extinct. In under a decade’s time, film cams would be relegated to museum artifacts.

My father-in-law is a camera buff. He’s also into farming, likes traveling, a gun and car enthusiast, used to devour piles of books. These are the things we have in common. It’s just too bad that he’s indisposed right now and I’m hoping and praying that he recovers soon. It’s no wonder that his obra maestra inside their house are of fine quality. I learned from my wife that he has an armament of photography devices, Nikon at that. Too bad he’s not exposed to the internet as I would have shared my precious shots to him. I’ll probably print a couple of pictures then share it with him so he can marvel at my shots or critic then if necessary.

Name Game

In a meeting last week, one of the department heads mentioned that I had a unique name and asked if I like poetry and I said no. He then asked what was the pronunciation of my name “dee-lun” or “die-lan” to which I replied that the pronunciation doesn't matter as long as the spelling is correct. He further said that two of the greatest poets are named Dylan. I said I only know one – Dylan Thomas. I can’t recall the name of the other Dylan poet and can’t seem to find him in the internet too.

From the internet, I learned that the name Dylan is a Welsh name, from the Welsh elements dy, meaning "great" and llanw, "rising tide". A given name in Wales, where the first syllable is pronounced closer to "dull" than to "dill", it is now also a surname in other parts of the world.

My mother who is an English major is fond of poets reason why I was named after the Wales native. My father on the other hand used to listen to Bob Dylan music. The connection between the two, Dylan Thomas and Bob Dylan, seem to be the fact that they’re both good writers. In fact, Bob Dylan’s influence is Dylan Thomas reason why he used the screen name Bob Dylan when his real name is Robert Allen Zimmerman.

DYK

Did you know that Bob Dylan's most recent album "Love and Theft" was released in September 11, 2001.

Let's Meet Halfway

My son B5 is 9 y.o. while my daughter MC is 3 y.o. Their average age is 6 y.o. and this is the rendezvous age where the siblings meet.

B5 the kuya most of the time plays as the protector. One time while in the park playground, he told the kids trying to bully his sister 'hey, it's my sister's turn'. On the other hand, he would get mad at her sister for being makulit when if fact he started the kulitan.

The bunso MC, angelic looking at three, can be the ultimate terrible three when in the mood. She would shout 'Huya!' when in pikon mode even if she was the promotor. Then there are days when the only hand that she'll hold (while walking in the mall) is kuya's hand.

My mother was right when she said we will be amazed by the difference of personalities of our offspring. My wife shared that we sometimes abhor certain traits of our children when in fact these are the traits we want to scrub off our system. This is just the tip of the iceberg and we'll learn more from our kids as time goes by.

Photography 101: False Falls

Subject: Water Fountain
Location: Baras-Baras, Tarlac City
Date: August 2007
Camera: Nikon D40
Shutter: 1/200
Aperture: F5.3
Focal Length: 45mm
ISO: 400

Photography 101: JoeLac's Vineyard

Subject: Vines @ my Grandpa's place
Location: Mabini, Tarlac City
Date: January 2006
Camera: Sony Cybershot DSC-T1

Photography 101: Banana ako!

Subject: Ornamental Banana
Location: Puerto Princesa, Palawan
Date: January 2006
Camera: Sony Cybershot DSC-T1

Photography 101: BMW One

Subject: BMW One Series
Location: Powerplant Mall, Makati City
Date: September 2006
Camera: Nokia N70

Photography 101: Mix Pix

Subject: Balanti Farm
Location: Brgy. Soliman, Tarlac City
Date: May 2005
Camera: Sony Cybershot DSC-T1

Cherokee Chief

Bombay. Indian. Pana. Five Six. Whatever you call them, they seem to be in the offing to rule the world. Just give them a generation or two. If you have not figured it out, I’m taking about Indians (from India).

Here are some proof:
1. Graduate School –A handful of universities in the US offering MBA has a significant percentage of Indians. Check out the net and you’ll discover that they have an extensive information support system for their fellowmen.
2. Executives – My new job exposes me to Indian nationals. Not much white guys. But they’re now occupying the positions that used to be reserved for white guys.
3. Richest Persons - The top 20 richest person list shows 25% Americans, 15% Indians and only 5% Chinese. In the population story, China is rank 1, India is rank 2 and United States is rank 3.

You may say that they own the second most populous country title so there’s a higher probability of them making it. The statement may be true for India but not for China and the US.

Now while we are busy calling them names, they are busy conquering the world.

DYK: Did you know that the total earth population of 6.5 billion.

The Road to Three-Peat

“Saying goodbye is not an easy thing” sabi nga nung kanta. Let me start my farewell to this super team by saying that I was irked by a fellow manager’s remark sometime in mid 2004 that SL team was a more mature group compared to CL. Hindi talaga ako pumayag at pinaglaban ko ang CL. Who wouldn’t: CL was MY BABY and we just came from a Model Region runner up finish and the usage award. Right now, I’d like to go back to that manager and tell her that maybe she was right. When I joined SL, I was just armed with a work management model. I simply copied the model that we “nearly perfected” in CL, pasted it in SL and voila! The result is a usage award in 2004 and 3 model region awards (2004, 2005 and 2006).

The experience and lessons I learned from this group in 2 and half years is more than what I learned in graduate school. Like I shared in one of our MTMs was that MY PERSONAL GOAL is to make a significant impact on your careers in my own little way and I’d like to think I was partially successful in that aspect. Just remember the lessons that you learned like R-I-O-T, our management tips, tech tips, operational experiences, teamwork brought to the hilt. Use them as if your own. The best success indicator of my personal goal is if you apply what you learned from this team. Ang sabi ko nga sa email ko “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”
Allow me to take a few more minutes to recall some memories in my 31 months as a member of the South Luzon team:

ABV – Your rendition of “Girls Just wanna have fun” which made Cyndi Lauper’s version sound like a gospel song.
ARR – Your butterfly costume during our natcon in Boracay. It fits you to a tee. Fly high butterfly and see you at the top.
BDT – Your numerous surprises like our last PA discussion and your new nose.
BFG –Mountain Bikes? Guns? Photography? Basketball? We have so many things in common.
BOP – Attorney Panga, I will never forget your passion matched with subtle persistence.
BPS – I will never forget our loooooooooong conversations. And that singing voice which will give Jed Madella a run for his money.
CBC – Parang complete blood count. It still puzzles me up to now why a UP Dil graduate (with honors) matched with an AIM diploma would want to experience life in Smart.
CDV – Your whistle bait figure. Have I told you that you remind me of a Jim Henson muppet?
DDG – Click is the sound that a camera makes and it’s also a term that I’d like to use to describe our professional relationship.
GMP – Your job interview was mostly in English. Halos mag nose bleed na ako. That was the last time I spoke to you in English. At any rate, what’s important is that you survived the “ex-banker’s test.”
GCO – Our professional relationship is not the fairest of all but the learning is immeasurable.
GCL – Silence is your virtue. You speak up only when it matters.
HVH – Your experience in OQA delivered the goods for you. I wonder if it is also the reason why 3 out of 7 ladies in South Luzon would like to be your “reserve” partner.
JDH – You gave justice to the term COPC catalyst.
JDP – Our lunch date sometime 1Q 2005 in Frio Mixx, Rob Sta Rosa. You know what I mean.
JPB – Our non stop kwentuhans during long trips along Maharlika Highway.
LSV – The key to success is in business…lotto-in mo na.
MEA – Your sugalera stance during our sessions. And for drinking your heart out during our natcon in Clark.
MOB – It was a fine day in April 2005 then suddenly things turned turbulent. Not to worry, I learned a lot from that experience.
MRM – That you beat me in “My heart will go on” singing contest.
PCP – Ang ninong ng bayan! Tell me the truth, pare mayroon ka bang hindi kilala sa Batangas?
RMG – Obviously, mompo ang kinalakihan mo at hindi tequila. Don’t forget your house keys.
RTS – I have to admit mababaw lang ang pinag samahan natin kaya wala pa akong ma-isulat but let me assure you that you will easily fit in the team the way I did.

I hope I didn’t miss anybody but definitely, I will miss everybody. The pessimist in me says “Good things don’t last” but the optimist in me says “All things happen for a purpose.” Thank you for the rich experience and wonderful memories. Good luck to all of us.