Calm Before the Storm

It's a full week before board and I feel uneasy for the weirdest reason... We're almost done so early... and even the usually chiakulit individuals are on silent mode...

It always seem that something would happen in between... Is it the professional skepticism in play? Or something I got out of experience... it's tough being able to present and be grilled for something you just summarize and have minimal control of... Fact of life, no matter how much information the accounting department gather, it's always more of summing up what happens in operation... Of course, along the way... there may value added inputs in between but at the end of the day it is still management call...

A good thing is that I did have a crash course on the various aspect of the business and industry... on the due diligence work with foreign banks... theoretically sound... but the end of the day, the management vision and firmness to the goal should be the key driver...

Anyway, I do look forward not to the trip in Singapore / Malaysia but more on the easier way of life before the much busier time comes by year end... Whatever happens, I'm booked on a Hong Kong vacation end of August... and then there's more time to think of other passion to pursue... =>

A Piece of My Thoughts...

I've been planning to write something about the social situation in the Philippines but somehow, every time I start with something I delete it. Why? I realized that there are already so much people giving their two cents worth (worthless) advice. Then at least, I'd like to say a bit that's socially relevant.

The time has been trying with prices of basic necessities surging... and surging real fast. The remedies government dole-outs doesn't really solve the problem. If the government really has money to spare then they should use it to control the cost of basic necessities. There's the way of temporarily reducing duties in basic commodities to ease the cost to consumer until the uptrend is over. I guess, the dole-out method is more dramatic on a political landscape.

The one trait the people have is its resiliency... no matter what happens people can still smile and be content. I just hope that the trying times will pass... I guess that is what sets this nation apart...HOPE...

Back in SGV... For a Day...

It's been quite sometime since I've been in the confides of my first job, SGV... Occasion was FAA and Ms Dolly's birthday celebration... It's been almost five years since the day I left SGV... A lot has happened since... A silver plated MBA... several promotions and additional responsibilities... several travels and escapades... All things happen for a reason and having a solid training base is one of them... Though time may have shifted into overdrive... I guess, there were happy thoughts with colleagues and mentors to look back to...

So much for the reminiscing part... It started from a message from Jay Anne from New York to give a message for FAA and Ms. Dolly (Funny... how the flow of message is PH - NY - PH)... to quick invite from Mathel... to me standing in e-cafe personally delivering my message (I was a surprise guest of some sorts but it turned out I'm a guest that was surprised with me on stage as soon as I came)... I really didn't know what to say since I talk to FAA regularly with the rest of the former SGVeans... Anyway, I did my piece and started enjoying the night after plucking out Arlyn from her busy work and Rommel dropping by...

There were so many production number, games and messages for FAA and Ms. Dolly from SGV past and present... It's interesting to see the audit world's intern, the new staffs, leading the numbers... Lucke me when I was a new staff, I wasn't required to go through this routine since I'm there most of the time hosting the party... But tonight just glad being part of the audience and seeing something that reminded why SGV was so much fun despite all the sleepless nights and hard work... You're working with young people...

Time to call it a night... coffee with Arlyn and Rommel at Bo's and off to home... =>

Homebody in Training

For about two weeks, I went by the routine of finish work early and go home early... which is normal to some but a bit peculiar for me... A homebody, I am not for such a long time... Though its nice to take time just to rest and relax at home in stress-filled times... Learning to be home early is quite a new subject for me... hehe...

Has maturity caught up with me with the homebody routine??? Hehe... I guess, I'm looking for an alternate life after office hours... business??? hmm... not for me... teaching??? tempting but how'd I fit in all the travels on my jet setting mode... gimmicks??? not that much already at this time... school??? I've done my time already...

I'll come up with something soon... or then again, having so much free time is not bad at all... with all the rest... the viewing time... and the home workouts... and much much more... and besides, It'll be travel time again next month... so conserve my energy for more grand vacations ahead... =>

Two-kets...

A sequel to my earlier three-kets (which ended up to be four-kets)... Now, I'm going two-kets again... Two out of the country tickets next month... One is work and the other is a short breather...

Ticket 1 is another Board meeting in Singapore Malaysia area which as always, I don't want to attend... It's hard to be in the center of it all being grilled on things you have little control... but I guess, it's all part in a days work... then there'll always be Singapore based friends to look forward to...

Ticket 2 is a mini vacation in Hong Kong... It's been two years since my last visit so I hope there has been some interesting changes... though the idea of dropping by Shenzen or Macau has crossed my mind... a good thing though was I was able to book myself at promo rates this morning... and of course, there'll always be my relatives there...

I've been in and out of the country this year (two-kets would be trip 5 & 6 this year) and I guess, the tougher days should always end with a breather... I also need to go home in Baguio more often as I can count the times I was there this year... After all, how can I call it home when I'm just an infrequent visitor as of late... =>

Excess Inkblogs: I've been wanting to blog about my hyper efficient everything done by 6 pm mode as of late... and I guess, it keeps a good balance between the pressure packed responsibilities and everything else... Also, I was able to get myself a Rotex Type stationary bike ( don't need to renew my gym membership...hehe)... Hmm... Now, to find myself a Nintendo Wii and Wii Fit set... =>

Frictionary Vol. 1

Me, Myself and I

Franc - most common nickname (Frank with a C)
Cocoy - nickname as a kid
Francois - socy nickname (from my SGV friends)
Franckie, Frankee, Francy - other names (mostly AGSB friends)
Franckenstein - Monster name (from Rondz ata to... kasama ni Rondster, Jingasaur at Marooster)
Super Franc - my useful helpful mode
Franckxethee - original email add (na-hack dati pero nabawi din)
Frinx - my unlucky mode (franc + jinx = frinx)
Crancky Franckie - masungit mode ko at maiksi ang pasensya
Francky McSleepy - pag inaantok... grey's anatomy ko (Mc Sleepy)... with my sleepy droopy eyes
Impersonal Franc - numb na ako nyan at walang pakialam

Terms and Phrases

Hay life!!! - pag pagod na at hirap
Shoot!!! - sanitised way of saying sh*t
Protection bubble - selected few na protective ako
Anti-social shell - dito ako pag busy, stressed at ayaw ko magpakita sa tao... in short, aloof mode
Meating - meeting while eating... kainis kaya ito...
Workends - weekend na work... kainis din ito...
Overweek - Tinalo ang overnight at buong week nakatira sa office... buti wala na ito...
Chiakulit - tawag namin sa isang makulit
Home for the aged - workplace ko (andami old folks at special child... so minsan day care din)
Ipodless - ayan ang term ko nung nawalan ako ng Ipod
Stress ball - konti lang tong nakakita ng stressed at problematic side ko...
Iblog - Blog ko using my ipod touch
Jetsetting mode - pag nangyari to sa airport na lang tayo magkita
Bitten by the cleaning bug - sobrang sipag ko maglinis pag ganito
Worm tail - coined this word when my laptop got it by a worm
Hacked attack - when my yahoo account got hacked... buti na lang nabawi ko yung account
Breaking point - naku pag annual report finalization to... test of patience and character
Hoopless - years na wala kaming fantasy hoops with former sgv officemates
Inkblogs - inkblots (college newspaper column ko) + blogs = inkblogs

more to come... back to work na... hehe...

Think... Think... Think...

Too much thinking... I guess I'm guilty of that as of late... I'm so much driven that I may have accessed and reaccessed the different scenario going forward... then again such frame of though has been much stressful on my part...

So had focused my energy to work 8-9 solid hours a day this week and the rest should be slack time to rest to just hang around... A bit tough but I somehow needed the time to take my mind of the pressures and burdens yet to come... Such frame of thought led me to the idea that it doesn't matter if you win or lose, get what you want or not, everything happens for a reason and the important part is that we are able to digest and leave through this experiences...

Now, despite the load at hand, I just would leave by the day and the surprises it may bring... It may not be a surprise I want but it certainly a surprise meant for me... Think... Think... Think... No more... and everything should fall into place in due time... Then all is calm for now... =>

Oyster Boy Bash for MJ and Gina

After three months absence in Ateneo friends gathering, I finally was able to attend one... Gina and MJ's birthday bash at Oysterboy Greenhills last Saturday...

Oysters were great and being away for what seems like ages, there's much time spent catching up... A good thing, I manage to show up cause in less than a month, some of my friends would be having their long vacation in the US (Enjoy!!!)... It seems that everyone are all into taking big vacations as of late... I had mine last May in Australia, Anton and Jay in US and Canada, Mascy in Singapore and then Jan and Bogz in the US... I guess, if you work hard, you must travel hard as well...

It was great meeting up again and I hope we can squeeze in a few more gathering before the vacations... It was real fun that night that lasted until 2 am... and off to sleep I am...

Excess Inkblogs: A World of Blue and Green

Had watched my first UAAP game yesterday... Ateneo vs. La Salle... Thanks to Cig being able to get one more ticket for me... and being thrown into a rivalry that has divided Araneta Coliseum Blue and Green was a nice cap for a weekend... then throw in 40 minutes of nail-biting action (they should just play Ateneo vs La Salle in the last two minutes since it's always been down the wire finishes... hehe) Being part of Ateneo's 6th Man (The Crowd) was a great experience... and after the smoked cleared... We're all happy since the Blue Eagles won after a tough battle from the Archers... =>

Sleepless...

I had a hard time dozing off last night... Why??? I don't know but all I know is that I'm a tired for all that transpired the past few weeks... and that there's still a long way on what I wish to accomplish... I need to stock up tons of patience for the stretch run...

The odds ahead are tough... I guess a part of me wants to quit... wants to get out... but stopping at this point is futile... I'm welcoming the test of will and character... guess, everybody needs a breather from time to time... and as they say, "a journey of a thousand miles'''" starts with this blog... Then it usually starts with the first step... The good part about technology, you can blog, before you take the first step...

I'm about to take the first step... and I guess the journey will be rough... It's not the usual killer volume of work... but the stakes and stress level are quite high... and by the way, I did get my sleep at past 2 am... So, it's Francky McSleepy time for the rest of the day...

Alone in the 1st of July

I've been stuck in my room all day... resolving incoming issues... querying transactions in China... reviewing p&l... discussing with appraisers... addressing bank queries and getting information from China, Taiwan, Cambodia and Philippines... and the weird part is that this is just a normal day...

The hardest part was getting information... there's so much communication gap... language (I should really learn Mandarin)... then there's technical aspects (I'm working with various departments on this project)... then there's age (talking to people who's fit to be my lolo), emotional (people not motivated anymore) and other factor that impairs the communication flow... At that part, I felt alone on how to get all the information needed and on-time...

I guess, everything can be addressed in time and with patience... Didn't have much patience today so had to resort to time... as in overtime (waah... shelved my plan to go to the gym just to finish work =<)... In hindsight, at least, I can say, I've accomplished a lot today... and that even at my busiest time... I was still able to sneak in a few time talking to some friends and planning badminton (urgent need to de-stress)...

Being the 1st of July, I do hope that this isn't a sign of things to come this month... Please...