How to Keep Your Boss Happy

by Anna Kadet, a writer for Smart Money magazine

http://gmy.news.yahoo.com/

1- Put in the hours
2- Emphatize
3- Defuse a Bad Situation
4- Be a conduit
5- Ask for Help
6- Connect the Boss' Way
7- Show Initiative
8- Be Positive
9- Make Like Mini Me
10- Get Your Face Time

We are living in a Corolla Family

The tenth Toyota Corola Altis was released in the Philippine market in 2008. The Corolla which means little crown in latin, is Toyota's version of the people's car and classified as a compact family sedan. The all new Corolla sports the latest in automotive technological wonder like Dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Smart Key keyless entry/exit/engine start system. A brand new top of the line Corolla retails for P1,100,000.

Our family, led by my father, the late BoyLac had the opportunity to own 4 generations of Corollas so far and they include the ff:
69 Toyota Corolla Sprinter / Body No. E10 / first generation
81 Toyota Corolla DX / Body No. E70 / fourth generation
92 Toyota Corolla XE / Body No. E90 / sixth generation
98 Toyota Corolla GLi / Body No. E110 / eight generation

Cute Collector's Car
The 69 Corolla Sprinter was bought brand new for my uncle who eventually migrated to the US. Since the early seventies until early nineties, it was the family's primary and then eventually a second car after we got the 81 Corolla DX in '88. In fact, at one point, it was a third car when we got the '89 Mit Lancer GLX in '91 and just before the DX was eventually sold. The 2 door fastback was powered by a model 3K 1.2 liter engine. Mostly stock during the years that we owned it, it was eventually sold to a car enthusiast who converted the car to a slalom car. It now sits in a garage already stripped to the bone and rusting to eternity.

Box Type Nemesis
The 81 Corolla DX was the direct competitor of the second generation Mitsubishi Lancer box type in the eighties. Purchased via Manila Bulletin's Sunday classified ads in '88, we were the second owner and got it in pristine condition. The owner who was Fil-Chinese owed a Caltex gasoline station along Edsa hence the car was well maintained. The beige four door sedan was fuel efficient and an powered by a model 4K 1.2 liter engine. It was our first car with air conditioning, a decent stereo system and mag wheels. I had the chance to use it in Manila while studying in college for a couple of months while we were trying to sell it through Manila Bulletin in the early 90s. We bought it for P135,000, used it for 6 yrs and sold it for the same amount. Last time I heard, the car was sighted in Lipa City, Batangas.

Our 1st Family Car
The 92 Corolla XE Was our perfect first family car. We paid P134,000 in '99 for the light green four door sedan. Your first car purchased from your blood, sweat and tears is always special. While it gave us some headaches typical of a second hand cars, it was our pride and joy for almost 2 years. Like the family's first two corolla's, the car was fuel efficient and powered by 1.3 liter model 2E engine. We sold it for the same price to our Vietnamese neighbor from Angeles City, Pampanga. I think Tam (the Vietnamese) is still using the car. The car was sold for the same amount.

Not exactly our last
One of the more memorable cars is the '98 Corolla GLi purchased by my parents in 2003. We got it through a car swap deal when the dealer was trying to pull one on us but eventually turned the tables. He got our grossly beat up '94 Lancer EL for 10% more than he wanted to pay for it. Lesson learned here is don't assume that you can bully your way with a "kid who knows alot about cars and logical reasoning" to get the better end of the deal. The car was sold last November to car dealer in Tarlac. The last time I saw it was just last weekend.

An adage says "count your blessings" and my family and I are blessed to have driven different cars in our life. In this entry are Toyota Corollas but the family has tried Mitsubishis and Hondas as well. While we have not yet owned any European or American cars, we live in a country where top brands with high resale value include Toyota and Honda hence we're in the right company.

BMW: Tempting, but no thanks

My friend is selling his 1997 BMW 320i and the RFS (reason for selling) is that he's upgrading to a BMW SUV. What a blessed guy. Wonder when I can say I have a BMW SUV in my garage!

The model E36 Bimmer is color black and logged 70000 kilometers only hence relatively unused for a 12 year old car. That equates to around 5000 kms used per year. An average car mileage is 20000 kms. It has a 2.0 displacement engine, modified to M3 mags and relatively in pristine condition. The owner is selling it for P350,000 only. That's quite a bargain.

We are currently using a 7th generation Honda Civic EXi for daily ride. It has 65000 kilometers reflected in the odometer since rolled out of the plant 7 years ago. Average usage is below 10000 kms per year which is still considered below average use. It's almost stock except for the emblem upgrade, some paint job to look like a higher end model and the sound system upgrade last March. If we are lucky, we can sell the car for 350,000 today.

It is indeed tempting because every car nut dreams of driving a Euro car with a lot of history in it and will surely turn heads. This is where the factor of want versus need come into play. Yes, we want that BMW! Ever since I got developed an interest in cars, a BMW has always been a must have car and now it's within striking distance. But we have to set our priorities and at this point, paying for our home and investments for our future is much much more important. Besides, the CIV is doing it's job perfectly. For now, that dream car can wait.

New York is In My Life

FAST FACTS:
City: New York
State: New York
Country: United States of America
Nickname: The Big Apple, Gotham, The City That Never Sleeps, The Capital of The World (Caput Mundi), The Empire City, The City So Nice They Named It Twice, The City.
Population: 8,363,710
Coordinates: 40°43′N 74°00′W
Zip Codes: 100xx-104xx, 11004-05, 111xx-114xx, 116xx
Area code: 212, 718, 917, 347, 646
Website www.nyc.gov

The movie In My Life featuring Batangas Governor Vilma Santos Recto, son Luis Manzano and actor John Lloyd Cruz was shot entirely in New York City. I was watching the trailer and can't help but reminisce. I had the privilege to visit The Big Apple in May 2006. I stayed with my cousin Bubbles' place in Scarsdale and was practically in Manhattan everyday. Here are some of the pix taken which I found in my database.

Subject: Berlin Wall in Battery Park
Location: Battery Park
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Notes: A piece of the Berlin Wall

Subject: Ground Zero
Location: Lower Manhattan
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Notes: The site of the 9/11 loss, the World Trade Center

Subject: Rockefeller Center
Location: 5th Avenue in Manhattan
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

Subject: St. Patrick's Cathedral
Location: 5th Avenue in midtown Manhattan
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

Subject: The Library
Location: New York Public Library
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

Subject: Worm's Eye View
Location: 350 Fifth Avenue
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Notes: A view from the street of the Empire State Building

Subject: Bird's Eye View
Location: Manhattan
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Notes: Taken from the Empire State Building viewing deck

Subject: Brooklyn Bridge
Location: Lower Manhattan
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

Subject: Bow Bridge
Location: Central Park
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

Subject: The Pond
Location: Central Park
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Notes: A view from Central Park

Subject: Old School
Location: American Museum on Natural History
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

Subject: Bright Lights
Location: Times Square
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

It up to you - New York, New York! (from a song by Frank Sinatra)