Lo and Behold! Tales from the other side…

Year 2007 Career

Pisces

With your outgoing nature and good work ethics, this is a great year to work with the public and let some of your hidden qualities shine outwardly. You are a good manager and make a wonderful role model to motivate others. Your high-minded principles spell success. Working in a higher educational field — perhaps teaching philosophy or metaphysics — would be very good for you. You feel comfortable teaching others about intangible principles because you’ve worked so hard to acquire your own self-awareness. Because of your compassion and being such a good listener, people feel drawn to you and look to you for advice.

Very ambitious and seriously striving to reach your goals, you will achieve success this year. You will be asked to step up to the plate in new ways to help others. You will go through a lot of powerful transformations throughout the year in your career. You may have sudden and surprising opportunities — traveling to distant lands, perhaps — and will benefit from taking advantage of them. Try exploring new horizons, since it is a good time to expand your repertoire of skills and knowledge.

You will benefit from grounding yourself from time to time in the practical considerations of life, especially since you will be asked to give out so much energy this year. Your work may be quite demanding, and sensitive Pisces needs to take time out just to relax, regroup and dream, especially when summer rolls around — your favorite time of year. You need to recharge. Spend time alone in nature, especially by the sea.

=======================================
I’ll keep this in mind though it’s getting obvious since the first week of January 2007 but it’s getting more interesting and this is what I have in mind to accomplish for this year.

Metaphysics is also one of my interests.  Studying the mysteries of the universe and everything above and below. So now wonder it coincides with my plan to organize an Astrology workshop here in Cebu.

Silver Hawk
=======================================

Pisces Daily Horoscope

What most people consider normal, and even desirable, will seem ridiculously *quaint to you. Let’s face it: You’re more advanced in your ideas than most. View this as proof that you’ve moved beyond old standards.

quaint
–adjective

Hell yah! Tugma talaga…LOL. If only I can unlock the mystery of the universe.

It was a sad part in my career when I tendered my resignation with my previous employer for 9 years last July 2006.  I saw the face when my boss accepted my resignation letter and told me that he will just read it when he gets back from his business trip. He already knew why I handed that letter because my peers started telling everybody about my decision.  I tried to hold back my feelings that time because it’s awkward when you become too emotional. Afterwhich, they organized a farewell party for me before I left the company for good.

My boss told me that I have great potentials and wishes me more luck in my new employer.  I humbly accepted his wishes and so with him, my officemates and the company.

But the story doesn’t end there.  My former boss had a chitchat with me when I visited the office again to pay my bills for my internet connection.  Asking me if I can still work with the company in a freelance basis.  He knew that I’m into website designing (freelance job) and after some talking and winning my trust, the daughter of the owner contacted me via email and process everything to outsource some of her projects from the US.  I said to myself, "This is it! This is my dream to be able to establish contacts from abroad."

Interestingly, we call this telecommuting.  That is working at home by using a computer terminal electronically linked to the Internet to do business or do your office work.

Just after lunch of Jan 9, 2007, the HRD contacted me via YM and informed me that the check is ready for pick-up.  I was happy of course.  She asked me what is it all about why I have a check from the company. Of course I explained it with her that the daughter of Mrs. Gan outsourced her US project to my team.  She was impressed of course and I said, "That’s one thing I learned from reading books about entrepreneurship. To maintain your contacts with your previous employer and who knows they become your prospect clients in the future." The more she was tongue-tied.  Jokingly, she asked me to treat her and yes, I will treat her and some of my good buddies who are still with that company.

The world is a big classroom for everybody. Nobody teaches me about doing business when I was a student.  It all started from conceptualizing an idea, grabbing every opportunity that come along, then became a venture with some friends back then.  As long as you desire and you have this passion to excel more.  Then you will become the next entrepreneur you can imagine.

The story behind why I maintain my own blogs is to share some positive energies those who accidently bumped to my "nerdy musings" so to speak.

To my web artists, graphic designers and web programmers. I salute you guys for working with our team be it in a project basis.  Let’s maintain a healthy working relationship and the rest will follow.

All the best for everybody this 2007!

I’m organizing a Vedic Astrology Workshop, check it out at:

http://adventureintotheunknown.blogspot.com

I admit, I’m beginning to become obsessed with astrology because this confirms of what’s going on with me especially with my career and my other freelance jobs.  But this adds more excitement as I get to maximize the "high energy" that is happning right now especially in the month of January 2007. It gave me some direction and focus like "A-Hah!" moment to look into after checking the astrological position of my sign, Pisces.

And these are:

PISCES - January 2007

Make your New Year’s Resolution to continue to move forward in your career.    This is because for many months to come you are in an excellent position to be a big achiever, so don’t waste what amounts to a really super influence from Jupiter, who is with you all the way and telling you to seize opportunities and accept challenges.   You may be going to be put to the test, but it’ll be well worth while.   

Next…is an email from my boss dated Jan. 6, 2007

With my freelance job on website designing….

a) Got a new project on Logo Design for ACM Commodities, Inc. b) a web project of a motivational speaker, outsourced by a company from USA, c) new web project of canada - cebu tourism, met this foriegner last night at Grill Avenue in Mango Avenue, right across Mango Park Hotel, this guy is interested to market my other venture on Food Consultancy with Initial Cravings to potential investors, who are his friends and contacts, d) Under negotiation with the Charmain of Sinulog Foundation that my team Interactive Studio (www.iactivestudio.com) will be the one to maintain the official website of Sinulog.

Normally, as we embrace our new year we become a new person with new hopes to look forward. I count my blessings sometimes an cherish every happy moments.  I may sound weird but what is at stake sometimes are those we call "matters of the heart."

Am organizing a Vedic Astrology Workshop.  My guest speaker is from Manila. Visit the complete details of this workshop at my other site:

http://adventureintotheunknown.blogspot.com

As I end this blog, I want to post an Ad - "Looking for Girlfriend. Experience not Necessary.  Referrals are welcome.  Must have friendster" =)

The way I see it, in the tech world, there are three career paths to choose: either you remain as a techie for the rest of your life, move up to the management, or as an entrepreneur.  If you’re a filthy rich, dang, you can start with earning big bucks as long as you have good business concepts. But wait, that’s not the end of the story.  You can still attend your regular day time job while working on your freelance or other tasks to earn extra decent income.

Yes, reamining as a techie may not save your ass.  To firmly establish your career and obtain financial security, you need more than just tech skills.

Yes, I’ve gone through a lot of odd jobs.  Working as a part-time instructor at night, maintaining two internet cafes as network administrator and pc technician, doing freelance website designing with my team and recently jumping to a new venture on Food Business Consultancy with an old friend whom I believe is a great potential as a biz partner.

With my new job as IT Security Monitoring Engineer, I have three to four days as my day-off.  I admit that there are times that I complain because I easily get bored or let’s say I need more challenging job.  But instead of complaining, I make most of my time as productive as possible in my work.  And yes, I got a good tap on my shoulder from my boss for a job well done.  I like that compliment because it helps to motivate me.  Having three to four days as my day-off at work help me to attend my other tasks and one of which is to work on my other freelance jobs and finalizing my other venture on Food Business Consultancy.

Below are some "soft-skills" that will help you one way or another:

a) Communication - You know how to talk in layman’s term. Your idea is useless  if you don’t know how to convey your message across to your boss, ordinary users or to your customers.

b) Teamwork - I admit I like to work all by myself but it’s not a good idea.  I need my team to deliver the goods.  I need to trust them that they are capable of doing things at the right time and at the right place. I need people whom I can considered as a team. Oh boy, sometimes, I need to use any forms of divination (Tarot Cards, Runes, Astrology) to investigate an individual if he’s worth as a team member.  Believe it or not, I did this a couple of times and it worked. LOL.

c) Leadership - Your ability to motivate others to excel and reach their goal. You work with them and supervise. Win-win solution.

d) Organization - If you know how to organize your working table and your room, then you’re a good organizer. LOL.  The same analogy.  If you know how to put things in order then you can work with your team and finish things fast.

One may ask of how I got to know these people who became my partners? The answer is easy, you go out and network with friends.

All the best for 2007!

Okay, just registered www.initialcravings.com more updates coming soon. Still looking for investors for our food business concept and we’ll act as their consultants. Glenn Lavarro (my partner) is back! =)

"If you want to soar with the eagles, don’t hang out with the chickens" - Anonymous

I read that quote from another site as I was surfing the Internet and post my ad about the food concept that my friend and I was preparing. I think that’s a good sign when I came across that quote.  Don’t you think? Coincidence? LOL.

I stopped my part time teaching at night because it’s not giving me good monetary value.  So right there and then, I came to a decision to try another one, aside from my freelance job (website designing and network administration of two internet cafes).

I still have my regular day time job as an IT Security Monitoring Engineer from an American firm.  What I was referring here is extra income thru my freelance job.  But heck, with my regular sched at work, I have 3 to 4 times day-off in a week.  So I have enough time to do other stuffs during my day-off, aight?

Yes, everyone gets tired of what they’re doing at some point in their career.  If you are like me, you get tired of the routine and completely fed up and wanted to try something new.  When you get these feelings, you have to do something about it.  And in most cases, what you should do is change.

It’s normal to doubt yourself when your business career doesn’t meet your expectations.  It’s especially frustrating when factors are beyond your control and devastate your progress.

Simply put, I approach this as a last-chance, do-or-die situation.  But if the market in food business is as strong as I predicted, and if I do things that I need to know - I’m sure my partner and I will succeed!

So far, I have 3 interested individuals who inquired about our proposal (two foreigners and one pinoy).  If things will go smoothly, then it will spell SUCCESS!

All the best for 2007 and in the years to come!

Hi Everyone

I’m keeping a business concept that my friend and I wanted to propose to a particular business man here in Cebu and recruit us as one of his staff but sad to say he just expanded his Internet Cafe business (first branch) so it’s a bad timing if we will propose him this new concept.  He is the owner of two (2) Internet Cafes I’m maintaining and I’m his Network Administrator and PC Technician (one of my freelance jobs).

The concept that we have in mind is a restaurant at a busy area here in Cebu or maybe inside the shopping mall.

I want to propose this "food business concept" to your contacts if they are interested to invest here in Cebu.  Of course, I need time to prepare this again and go over with my files.

It’s a food business that plays around Spanish-Mexican-Mediterranean with strong pinoy fusion. 

"There is a law of compensation, which states "As you give, so you receive - and God will provide it!"

Can be said like "The more you give, the more you receive" or "What you sow is what you reap" - different versions, different variants.

How many times have you heard about this? I remember a friend who reminded me to use my good judgement when helping others. He was right when he knew that others will take advantage of my kindness.

In my own personal experience and understanding, what does it really mean? Let’s look at this from a different perspective.  Most people think, even what the church is preaching that if you just give and give it will come back to you a hundred fold.  Well, it does in any way but we missed something.

Because of what happened to me eons ago, I said to myself that if I do so much for others it will leave me out empthy handed.  I feel like I’m taken advantage of.  Others may feel bad if they are judged if they don’t help others. So what’s your option? What makes you feel contented and with no anxities? What are our limitations?

When my friends ask me help, I humbly explain to them and said "I will help you, as long as you help yourselves.  I will help you with good judgement."  They may have different expectations from me but I try to test them first.  Reading their actions and mind.

In addition to that, I let them show or advice them how to do best to help themselves.  It’s like holding their hand a little until they can stand on their own two feet.

Wisdom.  What is wisdom for you?  They said, you become wiser as you grow older. Nah, it is wha we have learned from our experiences.  Not as you grow older.  Obviously, if I don’t learn anything from my daily existence here on earth, then how can I share adn talk with others what I have put together for myself?  This is what a lot of people think that they sahre what they have been told rather than what they have discovered about for themselves.  I don’t want to share again the famous adage, "Experience is the best teacher" - this is over used now.

Yes, we always give advices to others but when it comes in putting these words into practice, that’s the time that we don’t know how to do.  We are busy trying to help others that we forget to regroup our own experiences and apply all this wisdom in our lives.

I am not saying I am excepted from all what I’ve said here but the earth is a big classroom for all of us.  So I end this with a question, "What did I learn from my experiences to day adn how can I apply this in my life from now on?" How long does it take?

Oh boy, I thought I was talking infront of a big crowd.  Yon pala I was composing my blog…hehehehehe.

Anyways, that was a good speech from yours truely - Silver Hawk! *bow*

Found Spaces

After giving up my Part-Time Teaching at night and the position as President of Cebu Paranormal Society, I begin to experience a newly found space – less responsibilities and more time for myself! But of course, I still have my regular day time job as IT Security Monitoring Engineer and my freelance work on maintaining two internet cafes and website designing services.  Yeah right, I need to pay my bills! Growwwwlllllllll….More luck! More clients! More money!

This prompted me also to get organized everything inside my room after a friend commented that I have a good arrangement (good Feng Shui eh?).  Actually I followed the format when you get inside the hotel room. What’s the first thing that greets you the moment you go inside the room? Is it the bed or a table?

Small Space Office

No room to work at home? Think twice! Err thrice? This small office is big on function. It helps feed my mouth. LOL.

A small-home-office doesn’t have to occupy an entire room to be efficient and useful. Being an entrepreneur, I find the need to use my room as a small office. I should addressed my needs adequately by placing a small desk, some file storage, and a computer.  My room is quite spacious where a small office can be set up without sacrificing my need to sleep and for other purposes.

Thanks to the personal computer, which holds a huge amount of information in compact electronic storage, I can create a powerful empire with as little as my room.  All I have to do is customize my working area to fit the available space.

Where’s the office in this room?

One corner in my room is a good candidate for conversion to compact small-office space.  I can use the space above my bed for shelves that hold supplies and reference materials.  Separate the working area from my sleeping area.  As I am writing this blog, I can see clearly the color combination and the look and feel of my room being organized.

If space for office equipment and storage is limited, you might have to prioritize your needs.  Use the “circle of reach” rule: Place all materials and equipment that are vital to your work needs within easy reach of your office chair.  Then find nearby location for other materials and equipment you need less often – e.g. bed or floor.

This blog of mine will serve as a reminder too whenever I have the budget to convert my room into a small office.

-          My laptop computer is powerful.  In only occupies a fraction of the desk space.  It can be moved easily if I need desk space for other tasks and can be folded up and stored in a drawer or cabinet.

-          Install a wall-mounted telephone.  Aside from that, hid the Internet modem or DSL modem underneath the table or use a WiFi DSL modem and place it in the ceiling.

-          Arrange the printer or fax machine.  I bought a second hand printer (slightly used) for P700 only.

-          Use a wall-mounted bulletin board to keep important messages, business cards, or correspondence in sight.

-          Choose the best color combination.  Apply the color philosophy.

-          Make more money!