Melding

The work I do now requires a higher level of thinking than I'm accustomed to. As I'm used to work that is primarily action oriented, you can imagine the strain I've been giving my brain. Forging on none the less, because whatever doesn't kill me (in this case, my brain cells), will make me stronger right? And that I'm learning skills that I'm sure will be of great use in THE career I'm hoping for, that will realize itself soon (right universe? I know you're conspiring to give me what I want as I write this!)

Anyway, I was working on something the other day and found myself reviewing a document that spoke about a process I was all to familiar with. I had archived it with information like SOCATOA and all that other info you learn because your present situation calls for it and not because you actually need it. Who knew I'd dig up THAT old baul again?!

Growing up and into your career, you find yourself learning more skills and retaining information you think you need for your job, while "useless" information learned along the way is pushed further and further into what seems like mental oblivion. I guess that's why I found myself pleasantly amused when two unlikely worlds serendipitously merged just for that moment.

Rules for Writers

I saw this on tumblr and thought to repost it here as I wanted to stew on her words of wisdom for a bit.

I've never considered myself a writer (diba guts?! hee) but I do write- for money, for reflection, for fun... so I guess that makes me a non-writer writer? Lol. Ya. ANYWAY.. moving on..


Zadie Smith's Rules for Writers

1. When still a child, make sure you read a lot of books. Spend more time doing this than anything else.

Thankfully, I was a voracious reader as a child. VORACIOUS. We had this reading program called "Rocket Readers" in 4th grade. My rocket was soaring high in the heavens (ie: top of the bulletin board), while my classmates were still inching their way out of earth (ie: bottom of the bulletin board). Young adult works are my favorite genre.

On the other hand, what kind of a rule is this if you're NOT a child anymore and you didn't read?

2. When an adult, try to read your own work as a stranger would read it, or even better, as an enemy would.

Is bad that I'm too lazy sometimes to read my own work? An enemy I assume wouldn't bother reading my work.. so I guess this rule definitely applies to me.

3. Don’t romanticise your “vocation”. You can either write good sentences or you can’t. There is no “writer’s lifestyle”. All that matters is what you leave on the page.

What's a writer's lifestyle? Is this anything like the life of an artist? Process and journey are important, but I suppose if you make a living off of this, then the result is equally, if not THE most important. Also, how can you claim to be a writer if you don't leave anything on the page?

4. Avoid your weaknesses. But do this without telling yourself that the things you can’t do aren’t worth doing. Don’t mask self-doubt with contempt.

Doesn't this follow in life as well? Art imitating life.. or the other way around. I don't know about avoiding though.. how about confronting and acknowledging the weakness, then working to turn it into a strength?

5. Leave a decent space of time between writing something and editing it.

Sure, this makes sense. You need to step back from your work.

6. Avoid cliques, gangs, groups. The presence of a crowd won’t make your writing any better than it is.

Hmmmm.. I don't follow. Is this for example, a rule for fictional writers who are trying to learn a character by walking the walk? If its simply in relation to being able to produce a written piece.. I don't understand why someone would think that being in "cliques, gangs, groups" would attribute to great writing. Depth of life experience?!

7. Work on a computer that is disconnected from the ­internet.

Hahahahhaha YA. Tell me about it.

8. Protect the time and space in which you write. Keep everybody away from it, even the people who are most important to you.

Agree. Writing is one of those things I do for self-reflection, grounding, etc. Unfortunately, when my life gets full, "important" activities like this are so easily replaced with "urgent" ones like work.

9. Don’t confuse honours with achievement.

"a thing conferred as a special distinction for proficiency" vs. "a thing done successfully, typically by effort, courage or skill". Agree. The line between the two are so easily fuzzed up.

On a different note, I like how achievement is defined as something that needs COURAGE.

10. Tell the truth through whichever veil comes to hand – but tell it. Resign yourself to the lifelong sadness that comes from never ­being satisfied.

Woah. And where did this sudden depth come from?! Lol. Hmmm.. though that's the beauty about writing isn't it? An author can make up whatever world he or she wants in writing, but in some twisted way or form, the words speak a certain truth about the author.

A number of other authors share their rules for writers, read them here.

I know a number of my blog readers are also writers in their own right. So I'm curious to know, what are the rules you would share for writers?

RIP Fufot Phone :(

After years of wonderful service, it finally crapped out on me.

Just when I FINALLY replaced its casing after being stitched together by tape for a whole year :|

I've been lucky & spoiled in the last few years. I was working with a group that advocated the use of good powerful communications tools - anything necessary to get work done faster and more efficiently. In the recent years, I've used a Nokia E71 and a Nokia 9300. The Nokia N95 has been the sturdiest and I think, has lasted me the longest!

While I probably didn't make good use of ALL of it's features, I loved it nonetheless. I love the calendar feature and how it syncs (albeit with a plug in, lol) with my iCal. I love it's big memory, its search feature, and its size and shape. But what I love the most about it is it's 5megapixel, Carl Zeiss camera.

Huhuhuhuhuhuhu. No more stalking people and sneaking serendipitous shots with my fufot phone :( And as I don't own my own camera.. WHAT THE HECK AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW?!

I probably will not own an N95 again in the near future, only because affording a Nokia N or E series is not a priority at the moment. And yes, I'm being a brat, but I'd like to stick to at least a phone from that series please!

Thankfully, I've got a wonderful mum who just got a new phone which she generously gave to me. Personally not a phone I'd choose for myself (due to its plastic coffin/brick look), but I won't complain as this is for keeps na. It'd be kind of mean of me to get a new phone sometime in the future and give mum back her "new" phone diba? With my heavy usage, goodness knows how beat up that phone will be in a few months!

Thankfully, while I have to get used to a few design changes, the basic features are almost the same as my old phone. Will need to test out the camera feature to in the morning.

In the mean time, can Nokia please come up with a QWRTY phone that has an equally strong camera?

I now also need to fast track the purchase of my own camera. The future has now become the near future. Lol.

Now, may I have a moment of silence as I pay my last respects to my fufot phone? :( Rest in piece(s) my dear companion.

New Territory

February so far has been a month of new challenges, both good and heartbreaking, both scary and exciting.

It is during times like these where there is a heightened appreciation for the people in your life. The people who genuinely cheer you on and sincerely support you as you take new steps into unfamiliar grounds, the family and friends who know just what to say or do when life throws an unexpected (and unwanted) curve ball at you.

So for that, I am grateful.

Belated Greetings!

Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Happy Day of Hearts!

I don't observe either "holiday" in the traditional sense of the word but that should be no reason NOT to celebrate right?

Had a quiet last minute dinner out with the family at SOMS Noodle House. It was surprisingly a very nice evening. In the same way that celebrations are ways of marking a significant or happy event, I'm hoping this dinner foreshadows a great year for my family, both individually and as a unit.

Rip Van Winkle I Ain't

Let's look at the role of sleep in the last 27 years of my life.

For as far back as I remember, I lived on maybe an average of 4 - 5 hours of sleeping during 6 out of 7 days of my week. I rested on the 7th day; not because God intended it to be that way but because my body needed it.

Then because of the work I was doing from 2004-2008, 5 hours of sleep became an average of 3 hours.. and that was if I was lucky. And in all fairness to myself, I managed. Not well mind you, but I managed nonetheless.

In 2009 my life shifted gears, and I was finally getting the prescribed 8 hours of needed sleep. And thanks to a life of relaxed professional freelancing, I managed with no trouble.

My life has begun to pick up speed again over the last couple of months. Now I don't understand how anyone with a full time job and a number of other full time responsibilities can balance 8 hours of sleep and fit in a full days work. I've been back to really ugly sleep hours.. so much so that mom has been asking me to double up on my vitamins. lol.

Now that my body has gotten a taste of what 8 hours of recharge time feels like, it REALLY puts up a fight when I get less. And unless I am under an extra ordinary circumstance (ie: preparing for a major event such as January's big shebang), I've realized that I am also no longer the sleepless wonder kid I was growing up, kick ass at functioning quite well despite no sleep the night before. Now with two hours of sleep, I'm a useless zombie the next day. Age apparently does that to you. Before you know it, I'll be willingly getting up at 5 or 6 am. Eep!

Consistent and regular sleep hours is good for you. Too much is no good as is too little. You'd think this would be a fundamental I would've gotten down pat years ago noh? Hopefully I'll be able to readjust soon, figure out the right amount of sleep my body needs and finally achieve and sustain that beautiful balance.

Umbrella ela ela ey ey ey

I used to not really care what kind of umbrella I used.. I mean seriously, it's JUST an umbrella right? Wrong. A quality umbrella really does make a difference!

Mom got me one of those power umbrellas that open and close up with the push of a button. Yes, I mention Mom because prior to this experience, I wouldn't have paid any more than Php 100 for one. LOL.

Now, when it's windy, my umbrella actually doesn't flip over backwards.

Nor do I get wet when I get in and out of a car because of all the crap I'm juggling or the ten million years it takes me open and close my umbrella.

This is simple serendipity at it's very essence.. joy in an umbrella. Lol.

These Boots Are Made For Walking

Due to the heavy commuting I’ve been doing in the last few years, I’ve given up on anything that remotely resembles “high” heels.

Today was one of those special days I wore a pair of heels.. sturdier than the usual stiletto, but high heels none the less.

My day started at 6:30 am and I was still in them by 8:30 pm. In between I was errand running, commuting, attending meetings and mall hopping. I was ready to chop my feet off by the 14th hour.

Yet.. I cannot deny the fact that I felt like such a power woman fiercely stomping around in them the whole day. Lol. They really do make you stand taller and prouder - literally and figuratively.

Perhaps I should resolve to wear a pair of heels more often.. maybe once a month instead of once every two years?

PS: I posted this on my tumblr site as well.. what the heck am i doing managing two blog sites?!

what the: Seriously?

On one hand, I'm glad they've indicated how they will actually contribute to their chosen cause. I always wonder about those events that are driven by fund raising for a certain cause. I'd like to assume that anything over and above their operating expenses they would donate. But I'm pretty sure that's just me being overly optimistic. Kinda bugs me that organizations would be exploitative in that regard.

On the other hand though, SERIOUSLY?! 3 pesos?! Assuming they sell 10 jumbo drinks in a day, that's 300 in a month. That's 900 pesos. I know that's better than nothing, and happy that organizations are making an effort to give back, but really?! Come on! They probably spent more money on printing the damn stickers! Again, perhaps exploitative in that regard?

Nyerf.

Random PS. I'm feeling real sorry for Stalone (my laptop.. originally ash/sylivalatorre). Working overtime, overboard in every regard these past two weeks, as I rush to try to get everything done. Must commit him to a full day of rest sometime soon as well.

Connect the dots: January

I owe myself a post about the big event I was whining about last week, but that's going to take some sit down time.

Sit down time is actually what I'm writing about. I would very much like some time to just sit down and breathe. Just breathe...

I'd also like some sit down time to clean up my surroundings.

When I'm busy, I tend to kind of let go. I eat what I want and my messy tendencies reach an ultimate high. When I wear glasses and my crazy hair gets even crazier, I know I need to step back and indulge in some "me" time.

I'm scheduling a day to declutter. I need to clean up (and back up!) my computer files as in my rabidness to get my stuff together for the EVENT, my virtual files have become a mess. To follow will be the growing pile of papers in my room.

Tomorrow I get back on track again with the exercise and watchful eating.

Thankfully things have been busy, but not as crazy busy as last week.

Midweek two-week checklist time!

Done & survived:

• EVENT (10 million year long in the making)
  
• event (two day serendipitous opportunity for learning and then some)
• First day with a new project/client

Pending:

• sleep (lol)
  
• 6 writing articles (4 for 3 clients, 1 for a friend and 1 for our foundation)
• 2 photo commitments (1 for myself, 1 for our foundation)
  
• 1 surprise interview
  
• line & blocking memorization for opening night this Friday
  

When I'm done with the above pending, my head and body should be at the same place.

By this weekend pretty please?

Geez how fast January flew. February is shaping up to look good.

2010 kicks ass so far :)