“Ay, ay, ay, Inday” by TM Sheila dela Cruz

Last night, for my speech #6 which is on "Vocal Variety", I delivered the following speech. 6 down, 4 more to go! :)

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“Ay, ay, ay, Inday”

How many of you here have household help? Yes, mere mortals such as ourselves, but who we depend on to take care of our children, keep house for us, do the laundry, etc… basically, manage our home!

Growing up, my family wasn’t rich, but I hardly remember a time when we didn’t have any household help since both my parents worked full-time. Here in the Philippines, you don’t have to be rich to have a maid, even two!

So after countless years of having maids, and swapping stories with friends, I’ve actually collected so many stories about MAIDS, or the “Indays” in our lives... Come to think of it, I think an appropriate subtitle for this piece would be, “The Clue-less, the help-less and the dumb and the witless”.

The Clue-less… Maybe because their unschooled or simply were not properly trained, these maids made these mistakes. Please allow me to speak in Filipino in some instances so that you’ll better appreciate the impact of the message.

Incident #1 involves Ben and their maid…
B: Inday, paki-kuha mo nga sa ref yung ponkan
I: Opo, koya… Koya, wala pong ponkan sa rep…
B: Andun sa loob ng ref. sa may crisper…
I: Okay… (later) koya, wala po talagang ponkan sa rep…
B: Andun sabi sa ref, hanapin mo!
After the third failed attempt to locate it, Inday comes back and asks, "Koya, ano po ba ang ponkan?"

Ay, ay, ay, Inday…

Incident #2…
An American calls looking for my friend Ben.
A: Hello. I’d like to speak to Ben please
I: Wala po sha dito
A: I’m sorry, I’m afraid I can’t understand you. Can you please speak in English?
I: Helloh po, Sowri poh, wahlah poh shyah dhitoh (mimicking the American ‘twang’)

The second, the Help-less. These are the maids who would not just budge! They are not what you would call household help, since they’re hardly any help at all! They would be better off to be called as “utusan” or people who would only move when given orders! They don’t have any initiative. Take for instance, this maid we had before. While the family just finished eating dinner, there are other chores to be done around the house.. Inday is happily lounging on the sofa, with her feet on top of the coffee table, watching tv, and smoking! This prompted my younger brother to sarcastically ask, “Inday, gusto mo ng juice? Ipagtimpla kita!” (Inday, would you like some juice? I’ll make some for you!)

The dumb and the wit-less. This may seem pretty harsh, but listen to these stories, and decide for yourself.
Incident #1
After orienting our new maid on the use of the gas oven, washing machine, etc. I’m sitting quietly at home when I smell the distinct odor of gas. I go to the kitchen, and yes, as I assumed, the gas valve for one of the burners was on, but no flame. So I immediately turn it off, open all the windows, etc. And then I talk to Inday.
M: Inday, bakit iniwan mong bukas ang stove? Di ba sinabi ko naman sayo i-off mo yan?!
I: Ate, in-off ko naman po ah…
M: Wag ka nang mag-rason, kitang-kita kong naka-on yan kanina noh!
I: Ate, in-off ko talaga. Hinipan ko pa nga yung apoy eh!

Ay, ay, ay, Inday!!! GRRRRR…

Incident #2
My boss and his wife come home one Sunday from the wet market. They bring home a live chicken, and they ask their new maid, Inday, to “dress” the chicken, meaning pluck out all its feathers, clean it, then put it inside the ref. Hours later, upon opening the ref, there inside is the poor chicken, feathers all gone, but clucking and shaking. Yes, the POOR chicken was still alive, when Inday brutally plucked out its feathers one by one… I can imagine the chicken, thinking to itself, “Kill me now! Why are you torturing me?!”

Tsk, tsk, tsk… ay, ay, ay, Inday…

From these stories, it’s easy to easy how our instructions can be misinterpreted. Or really how narrow their thinking and understanding can sometimes be. So one thing to remember when dealing with our maids, is that we have to be VERY patient. As my dad always reminds me, our household help are unschooled, and thus, you have to know how to talk to them and deal with them at their level. If they were schooled, do you think they’d agree to be maids/yayas in the first place? No! Of course not! So knowing that they have “limitations” it’s up to us to relate to them at their level and make sure that we are understood.

Hay! With my kids’ new yaya, who has been with us all of 7 months and counting, she has had lapses as well. But these are things I can easily overlook especially since I see how attentive she is to my kids. Hopefully, I have finally found “the ONE” and that this ends my collecting stories on the “chronicles of….” Or the “adventures and misadventures of Inday”…

Good evening.

Poker Faces and then Some by RJ Laguardia

Card games are a Filipino past time that were handed down to us by over 300 years of Spanish colonial rule. However, our love for the more traditionally Western game of Poker is only beginning to grab hold of mainstream consciousness. Poker has many variants, but they are all similar in objective: to end up with the highest-valued hand at the end of each round. In order to do well in this game, one of the key tricks is to maintain a poker face, an expression that is ironically, devoid of expression. Otherwise, based on the players’ gestures alone, it is quite easy to win big in Poker.

But having a poker face isn’t that easy to an untrained player. After all, gestures are an almost involuntary form of communication for our species. According to behavioral scientists, in an ordinary conversation, only 5% of our message is relayed verbally. The other 38% is vocal, and the remaining 55% is non-verbal, through our gestures. In fact, one researcher went so bold as to say, that we speak, to hide what’s on our minds. Our gestures cannot lie.

Thus, it is interesting to know just what behavior scientists have found out with regards to our gestures, and telling lies. I will now demonstrate to you the common gestures that have been found to signal when a person is not being truthful. How will this help you, you may ask? It will keep you on your toes, say you are screening applicants, or if someone gives you a sales pitch, or at its most practical, if your significant other is making excuses.
For example,
“Yeah, hon, that dress really looks flattering on you. It brings out all the curves in all the right places.”
“I don’t see why any man would find her beautiful, least of all me. Next to her, you are a goddess, perfection personified.”
“Who says you sing out of tune? Anybody who tells you that has got to be tone deaf!”
Just what are the common “lying” gestures?

According to the book “Body Language,” by Allan Pease, when we lie, we are programmed to act out what is commonly depicted by the Three Monkeys: Speak no Evil, See no Evil, and Hear no Evil.

Speak no Evil. People often use their fingers or their fist to block their mouth. Sometimes this is seen as filtering the words that are coming out of the mouth. Sometimes, the thumb is pressed against the cheek. Some people give a fake cough. An offshoot of this may come in the form of several light rubs below the nose, or one quick touch.
See no Evil. People often rub or touch one or both eyes. This is seen as an attempt to avoid looking at the face of the person being lied to. Men usually rub vigorously, and if the lie is a big one, often look away. Women use a small, gentle, rubbing motion. Eye movement is also an indication. You normally look up, and to the left when thinking about the past, and up to the right, when imagining things.

Finally, hear no Evil. People cover one or both of their ears, or drill a finger into an ear. This is seen as an attempt to block the conversation. Some people rub the back of the ear, pull on the ear lobe, or bend the ear forward. A variation of this is the neck scratch, which is usually just five small scratches just below the ear.

But of course, there are other indicators, or as Jon Bode calls them, micro-gestures, that could signal deceit. Be careful though, not to look at gestures in isolation, as they have to be placed in the proper context. Gestures have been known to occur in series, and each succeeding one reinforces the ones that came before.

In the end, no matter how accurate gestures mapping or even the highly contestable polygraph test is, what is important is we are able to maintain an open mind, yet think critically before we swallow the bait, hook, line, and sinker. In fact, our ability to perceive truth is a function of our instincts.

And so, my dear friends, the next time someone shares with you something significant, be sure to observe his or her gestures, then judge what your next move will be. In the game of life, as in poker, the best move may just be to call the bluff. And that’s the whole truth.

Lessons From a Sea Slug by TM RJ Laguardia

I’m sure at one time or another, we’ve all been reminded, either by our friends, or by our “consciences” to watch what we eat. If this friendly persuasion is not enough, allow me to give an ironic illustration that might just push you over the edge.

In the Bay of Naples in Italy live the nudibranch, a type of sea slug, and the medusa, a type of jellyfish. Owing to its voracious appetite, the medusa ingests a lot of things, including little nudibranch larvae, which are immune to its digestive juices. And so, these larvae are lodged in the jellyfish’s stomach until they mature. Once they do, they start eating the poor jellyfish from the inside, until all that is left is a tiny, almost parasitic piece of the old jellyfish.

Ladies and gentlemen, if we are not careful, we might end up like the poor jellyfish. The threat to us, however, is not as obvious as sea slug larvae, yet it is just as dangerous, and even more lethal. I am talking about the silent killer scientists refer to as Colorectal Cancer.

Also called Colon Cancer, it is the second most common cancer in the world. It is also the second leading cause of cancer death, with a 50% mortality rate, according to the 2001 Asia-Pacific Cancer Conference. The majority of the patients are in the sixth and seventh decades of life, with a mean age of 55.3 years. Based on data from various International Agencies, there are an estimated 47,020 new cases of colon cancer in the Philippines each year.

Most persons with this cancer have either no symptoms or very generic symptoms, until the cancer reaches an advanced stage. This is made worse by low cancer prevention consciousness in the country, and the fact that most patients seek consultation only when the cancer is in its advanced stages. Not surprisingly, cancer survival rates are also low. According to the Philippine Cancer Control Program of the Department of Health, for every two cancer cases diagnosed annually, one will die within the year.

Thankfully though, prevention is possible. All it takes is to remember key factors that contribute to the risks of the disease. As I don’t think there is anyone in the room nearing the dreaded age of 50, I won’t dwell much on age. As I would like to assume that we all lead healthy lifestyles (i.e. no smoking or drinking, and plenty of regular exercise), I won’t dwell on lifestyle either. Instead, I will concentrate on the one risk factor that I think matters most: diet.

Colorectal Cancer incidence is closely related to diet. Just what kind of diet regimen is needed to combat this disease? The answer has been with us since our elementary school days: a balanced diet. The American Cancer Society recommends at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. The ACS also recommends several servings of other foods from plant sources such as breads, cereals, grain products, rice, pasta, or beans. Apparently, it isn’t the fiber, but the phytochemicals present in these substances that prevent cancer. An increased intake of calcium (at least 1,500 mg per day) is also helpful, as well as a diet rich in folate.

On the other hand, diets replete with fat, protein, calories, alcohol, and meat have been associated with an increased incidence of the cancer, especially if these are cooked at high temperatures and done so for a long period of time. Researchers from the National Cancer Institute of the US reveal that diners who eat their steaks medium-well or well-done are three times more likely to develop cancer than those who eat rare or medium-rare steaks. Those who eat beef four or more times a week are twice as likely to develop cancer. Interestingly enough, meat products served in fast food restaurants have been found to have low levels of these substances.

A 1996 study conducted by doctors Ramiro and Perez showed that lack of knowledge about a healthy diet is not the problem in this country. The problem is that we cannot marry our knowledge with actual practice. In the study, the respondents were asked to assess their current dietary practice along a scale. A majority of them responded in the satisfactory to poor range. Despite this, however, a good number were still ambivalent as to whether or not they were willing to give up unhealthy practices.

These are relatively simple adjustments we have to make. If we don’t change now, it might be too late. A friend’s mother was recently diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal Cancer. The sad thing is, prior to that, she thought she was in the pink of health as everyone else in the room probably thinks he or she is. Amplify that thought, and project it to the various members of your family who might be living with this devastation right under our very noses. When it comes to cancer, prevention is priceless, no matter what the cure.

Remember that it wouldn’t hurt to add more fruit and vegetable servings in your diets. Remember that it wouldn’t hurt to cut down on meat products cooked at high temperatures and for long periods. Remember that with Colorectal Cancer, you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. After all, you are what you eat. In the end, it’s almost like choosing between being the slug or the jellyfish. I’d rather be the slug. How about you?

Playing the Game by TM RJ Laguardia

Is there anybody here who hasn’t been to, or watched a basketball game in recent months? Basketball may very well be our true national sport, despite our physical disadvantage to other races. We Filipinos know so much about the sport. If I were to ask some of you what you consider as the key success factor in basketball, some would perhaps say that it’s the pre-game preparation, or the critical last two-minute period, or the fast breaks in between. If you really think about it, though, a critical key success factor in playing the game happens ironically, while you’re not on the court. I’m talking about the time-out. During time-out, the team gets a chance to see how far it has gone so far, and what possible courses of action to take to ensure that it ends up winning the game.

However, the concept of “time-out” is not just confined to the basketball court. It also applies to other games, even to the most crucial game of all, the game of life. These days, our workplace gossip and small talk are populated with words such as “overworked,” “burn out,” “dispassionate,” “midlife crises”, often in reference either to ourselves, or to people we know. We have increasingly become a people whose identities are defined by the careers we lead. More often than not, people find themselves trapped in the status quo that they really didn’t want in the first place. We often have careers that are patterned after what is considered “socially acceptable” and “monetarily practical” without consideration for what really makes us tick. And so, most of us drudge on, and grow increasingly dissatisfied with each day that passes. One solution to this dilemma is the ever so convenient time-out.

By time-out of course, I am referring to a structured and definite period off or break from the normal hectic work or student life. It also must have a specific, measurable objective in mind. It is not just an excuse to go on vacation, or a mindless and seemingly endless shopping spree. A carefully planned time-out allows you to literally find “yourself”, allowing for a sharper focus towards the activities that really matter in your life, and which bring you closer to your ultimate goal: the person you want to be. What people do during time-outs differs from one person to another. You could try traveling, but not of the tour variety, but of literally roughing it out to build character and gain maturity. You could try volunteer work to maximize your potential for fulfillment. Whatever the case, time-out should be a personal time for meditation and fun, of living, of playing the game of life. It is in quiet moments such as these that we gain clarity.

This practice is already fairly common in Western Europe, particularly among students, and is gaining popularity in the United States. A recent survey of Harvard University students revealed that as much as 20% of its student population had taken time off of school. Whereas you’d normally expect that some of these wouldn’t make it back, Harvard’s graduation rate is a whopping 97%. In fact, some guidance counselors advise this practice to students in transition from high school to college, and as some of you here are or will be parents, you may want to have a similar, but structured program for your children. After all, today’s youngsters need a break from the tremendous amount of pressure to excel they are subjected to from the time they enter school. Schools and employers appreciate it better when an applicant is able to articulate why he/she is pursuing a particular career path, and a time-out is actually the best time to figure out one’s passion, and the underlying reasons behind this passion.

The most obvious disadvantage of this practice is the connotation that it is “impractical,” and with good reason, too. Most people just don’t have the luxury of time to have time off, be it because of job security, or that their families are expecting more financial support for them. Those who go on time-outs are branded as “lazy” or “aimless.” Again, allow me to make a distinction. A time-out is not an excuse to bum around. It is structured, and it has a definite goal in mind.

Thus, the time-out is a powerful tool we should learn to embrace, understand, and accept. It may not work for everyone, but we should respect the fact that it works for other people too. It becomes especially powerful when we realize that our wayward child, or our unhappy friend may actually benefit from some soulful indulgence. Instead of judging or criticizing them for taking a break and being “unproductive”, let us instead support or encourage them in their search for purpose. In this way, any negative connotation that this practice brings will be slowly erased, in our families at the very least. There is still a long way to go, though. A time out may cost you some time to get you to your goal, but it will help you get there anyway. Thankfully, in life, as in any other game, what matters is not how you start but how you finish.

Gems - Icebreaker Speech of TM RJ Laguardia

Good evening. My name is Romeo Laguardia, Jr., but you can call me RJ. It’s shorter and much less romantic. I am now at the ripe old age of 22, and, in a few days, I will be celebrating my 6th month in my first job, and I am fortunate to have Pilipinas Shell as my first employer. I love useless information, or trivia, so tonight, aside from introducing myself, I would like to share something about a gemstone I find fascinating, the diamond. By “diamond,” of course, I mean the mineral, because the word is also street slang for homosexual and Viagra, the former I most certainly am not, and the latter, I don’t need. Diamonds are precious objects. Diamonds are girls’ best friends, so imagine the skyrocketing pogi points just one stone could give to a guy. And yet, at the very heart of it, these things are nothing more than ordinary rocks that were subjected to a tremendous amount of heat and pressure, and withstood this torture, to become the glorious stuff that many dreams are made of. The diamond’s secret is that it contains graphite, the very same stuff that’s in lead pencils. Think about it. Something as fragile as a pencil can become something as enduring as a diamond. For us humans, the very same scenario is possible. I myself can say that in many ways, I am like a diamond, well, sort of. Allow me to explain.

Number one, diamonds reflect light, and so, can be as bright as stars. Well, I’m no star myself, but I am related to a real movie star. Born and raised in the City of Smiles, Bacolod City, I have honest-to-goodness genuine movie star blood running through my veins, courtesy of Mr. Joel Torre, who is my mom’s cousin. This also means I have the sickeningly affectionate Ilonggo blood coursing through those same veins, too. Not only that, My Dad’s claim to fame was that he once played for the NBA – the Negros Basketball Association, that is.

Number two, there are many facets or aspects to each diamond. There are also many aspects to my personality. I delight in variety, and this is reflected in my eclectic range of interests, particularly when it comes to music and literature. I literally devour books when I come across something interesting, sometimes foregoing sleep just because I can’t put the book down. Which reminds me, there is a sale ongoing at Fully Booked, and I can’t wait to get my butt over there.

Number three, diamonds are the strongest terrestrial minerals. Because I am seen as somebody tough and sometimes intimidating, I am like a diamond too, in that regard. But the strongest feature I have that enables me to transcend my frailty, in the same way that ordinary pencil lead becomes a sterling diamond, is not something physical. In fact, aside from my education, it is my parents’ greatest legacy to me: my faith. Some of you may shirk at this answer, but I truly believe that this gift is the glue that holds all of me together. It encourages me to make the most out of my life, to remain steadfast in my convictions, and to keep my feet firmly planted on the ground. It reminds me that despite all the evil in this world, there is still plenty of good left in humanity. I said earlier that diamonds are precious objects, but to me, they are certainly no match for the gem that is faith.

Flowers for the Soul by TM Sheila Dela Cruz

When was the last time you received flowers? Maybe it was your birthday, or during your anniversary, or when you were sick and you got a ‘get well soon” bouquet, or “just because”! Or maybe you even got a bouquet last Valentine’s Day! Florists sure made a killing last V-day!

The guys probably couldn’t relate since I would think it’s rare for a guy to receive flowers. So as a message to the women here – maybe you should consider giving flowers to the men in your lives- your Dad, spouse, boyfriend… you know, just so they can relate! And maybe this will motivate them to give you flowers more often as well…(wink)

I HAVE always enjoyed receiving flowers. What woman doesn’t? Even if it’s from someone I like “just a little”… I still get kinda flustered, and flattered, and have this warm, fuzzy feeling inside. Admit it! Who here doesn’t want to receive a big bunch of beautiful, long stemmed, fragrant, flowers?! It doesn’t really matter what type of flowers, but between us girls, roses and tulips are the best.

And then I started thinking “WHY”? Why do I enjoy receiving flowers? I realized, it’s not the act of receiving flowers I enjoy, but the feeling I get whenever I receive flowers. Other females canrelate to the giddy, warm, fuzzy feeling you get whenever you receive flowers whether it’s a single stem or a whole bunch.

Since I love feeling this way, I began to think, what can I do so that I can feel this way anytime I want? Come to think of it, why should I wait for someone to give ME flowers, when I can plant my own garden?

So what did I come up with? What are things that I do, that gives me the same feeling, as if I received a big bouquet of wonderful, aromatic, flowers? For me, there are three things …

The first one is to SHARE
Share your blessings, your time, your money… Like in our case, our high school class is celebrating our “eherm” reunion next year so as early as now, we’ve thought of starting a fund-raising project to benefit the indigent students enrolled in our beloved alma mater… PUPLHS. This early, we’re collecting pledges, and have started planning how we want to share our blessings with our school and its current student.

To share doesn’t have to be something so GRAND, as long as you’re sharing or giving from your heart. Let me cite another example. A friend of mine, Arnie, will celebrate her birthday soon. In the past, she lamented that she would spend thousands of pesos to treat her friends to a dance club, and get drunk! But this year, she wanted to do something different, and meaningful. And what did she come up with? Slippers! Yes, something so mundane and simple, BUT she’s giving these away to a depressed community near where she lives. She came up with this idea because each time she passes this area, she sees these little kids 3 or 4 years old, running in the streets, without slippers. And her heart went out to them. So instead of spending her money on a grand party, she bought slippers, all shapes and sizes, and got her friends involved as well by asking for pledges. So instead of giving her gifts, her friends were asked to give new slippers to be given away. Isn’t that so nice? I’m sure the feeling she gets when she gives away those slippers, will be like receiving a whole, big bunch of her favourite flowers! And that will surely make up hundredfold for her not having a party.

The second…is to CARE
To care means to look after, mind, minister, mother, nurse, nurture, protect, provide for… And do this for someone (or some thing) outside of ourselves. Of course we all care about our family and loved ones. And we’re there for them. Like for a friend who’s down in the dumps, why not treat her to coffee and lend her a shoulder to cry on, or an ear to listen. What else can we do? We can adopt a pet, or buy a plant! When you see how your pet dog values you, how your pet is so happy to see you when you get home, doesn’t THAT feel good? Or when a plant blossoms and blooms under your care, that also feels good! RIGHT?

The last and certainly not the least, is to DARE

DARE? Dare what? Dare to do something different.. something that you’ve always thought of doing but never really got a chance to do! I remember back in high school, I didn’t dabble in any kind of sports because I was afraid to get hurt! If there’s something I mastered then, it was the art of running.. running away from the basketball, or the volleyball. So you can imagine, when my friend invited me to join her for kickboxing, I was like, “NO WAY” ?!?!?BUT when I finally got around to trying it, doing those jab-straight punches, and roundhouse kicks, I was HOOKED! Who would have thought?! Daring to do something different doesn’t have to be something extra-ordinary! Like you don’t have to go bungee-jumping (unless you really want to! ;-> ) or dabble in extreme sports! It can be doing something simple, like driving to work using a different route. Or maybe instead of ordering your usual green tea frapuccino, order instead that double shot espresso machiatto with raspberry syrup!

So to recap, there are three things that I can do to get this wonderful feeling I so enjoy. And you can do these too! That is, to SHARE, to CARE and to DARE. To do all these is always in season. Think of it, whenever you need a “pick me up” there’s no need to wait for someone to give you flowers, when you can plant and cultivate your own garden. :) Good evening!

08 March 2006

("Gardening 101" renamed "Flowers for the Soul")

Managing Your Boss by TM Edwin Ebreo

"Good morning boss! You look really terrific today boss! Did you like the necktie I gave you for your birthday?.. You know, your good for nothing other staff Caloy, he messed up his work again. I already told him to be careful because that project was important to you but he doesn’t seem to know anything!!!"

Ladies and gentlemen, fellow toastmasters, my speech tonight has nothing to do with those. A little kissing up to the boss may help lubricate the relationship a bit but, too much of it and too few of everything else can only get you closer to his or her behind and nothing further.

For as long as you work in an organization, you will always have a boss, someone you report to and is responsible for your performance. He or she can be the big help you are looking for in succeeding in your career, but s/he can also be the biggest hindrance if you don’t know how to manage your boss.

There are perhaps tens even hundreds of tips out there on how to manage your boss, but let me give you five of the most important tips you can use as you traverse your professional life.

1. Pay attention, in short, know your boss, pay attention to how your boss works or what is important to him. Is he very organized? Is he a slob? A know it all, or a know nothing? Does he enjoy being more of a hands-on leader? Give him a chance to be a hands-on leader by asking his help or seeking his advice. Is he a free-reign type? Be resourceful enough to earn his trust and give him updates on your progress. Ask him for his expectations. Compile a list of the 3-5 things that define the management style of your boss. Keep these items in mind when interacting with him.
2. No Surprises. I remember a time when I saw my staff, Caloy nervously pacing about in his cubicle. Since, that was not the first time I saw him do that, I also nervously asked him what the problem is. He took a deep breath and said, we’ll you see it’s like this… He went on giving tons of excuses on why we have to pay an employee his medical reimbursement because he forgot to process the SSS reimbursement request, and has been hiding the problem away from me for weeks! I know now how incredible my patient is because, he tested it a lot! (pregnant pause) The key here is always keeping your boss in the loop. If it's good news, share it and share the credit, thank your boss for his support even if he didn’t have single thing to do with it. If it's not good news, don't try to hide it. Your boss will find out, and it will be worse if it doesn't come from you. And if you made a mistake, take full ownership of it, present some possible solutions, and detail a plan that will prevent it from happening again.
3. Bring Solutions. I learned this the hard way. I was then a store supervisor in a convenience store. I went to my boss to tell her that we have a problem. My boss said, “did I hear you right? Did you say we have a problem?” “y-yes ma’am, was my uncertain reply.” She smiled at me and said. Let me correct you on that Ed, I don’t have a problem. Maybe you have a problem, but I don’t… From that experience I realized that when there is a challenge, you have to be sure you've already assessed the options before going to your boss. If your boss is needed to make a decision, present the challenge, and then present the possible solutions. Be prepared to explain the ramifications - both the rewards as well as the risks - of your suggestions. Never, never go to your boss without a suggested solution unless, you’re absolutely clueless.
4. Communicate, communicate, and communicate. Don't expect your accomplishments to automatically get noticed. Some bosses are as blind as bats in recognizing accomplishments. Make sure your boss is aware of them without sticking your accomplishments to his face. Understand exactly what your boss is looking for and expecting from you. Understand what he/she uses to evaluate your performance and make sure that he sees you meeting his expectations. This is called Visibility.
   Positive Attitude. Your talent determines what you can do. Your motivation determines how much you can do. Your attitude determines how well you do your job. Everyone likes and respects a winner, yes, even your boss. So what is the positive attitude you need to have? Think like a winner, be a winner.
   

Dawn of the Dead by TM Edwin Ebreo

The dawn of the dead is upon us

Look around you, when you walk the streets, when you drive your cars, whether day or night, when you are stuck in traffic, you will see them, walking aimlessly so it seems, but what they are doing is waiting to pounce. Look in their eyes and you’ll see glassy emptiness. They look at you as if they see you and yet they don’t. What they see is food, food for their empty stomachs.

What in heaven’s name are you talking about Ed? Well, I happened to watch the movie Dawn of the Dead in DVD lately. Who among you have seen a zombie movie? There are many of them, "Attack of the Living Dead", "House of the Living Dead" and lately "Land of the Living Dead". I’ve always found these movies rather silly, with dead people walking around like this… the zombies were rather slow and witless you can practically live with them. When they attack you like that, you can just say, "get out of my way". That’s where dawn of the dead is different, the zombies in the movie moved fluidly, very lifelike without the catatonic rigidity of the old zombie movies but with the same menacing behavior. But I’m digressing from my real topic which is the social relevance of these zombie movies. Would you believe that after watching so many of them I finally realize that they do have social relevance.

It dawned on me just last December, while I was inside a cab. I got caught in traffic. A beggar knocked on the car window. I’m not so fond of giving alms but for the sake of Christmas spirit I gave the beggar the few coins that I got in my pocket. In a matter of seconds, about five or six more of them are now knocking on the car window doing this… It reminded me of a scene in the movie when zombies attacked one of the protagonists inside the car. Can you imagine it? You might say that the comparison is cruel and far-fetched, but listen. The truth is the only difference between the living dead in the movie and the living dead we have in our midst is that the ones in the movies eat people.

Living dead, that’s how some people have practically become. They stopped living, and are merely surviving, with goals reduced to finding food… or drugs, in whatever means possible. It is a sad pathetic life, if you can call it a life, with aspirations given up, with no contributions to give. They sit there on the pavements or walking around aimlessly, begging for alms, or stealing, victimizing the living. I see more of them today, than when I was twelve. If things go as they do, there will be more of them in the future, and no sooner will we become a land of the dead. Dead hopes that is, a dead opportunity to live a descent respectable life. What can stop it? Can we do anything about it? Individually no, but as a whole community we can. We can help them live again.

These people, they don’t need alms or pittance. They need hope, a chance to live again, an opportunity to become a contributing member of the society. They need work. They need to learn how to work. You might say, you are asking too much of us Ed. I don’t need you to act now, I need you to think, to keep what I am saying in your mind, and maybe in your own way help them, help themselves. Find organizations that aim to help these people by giving them work or teaching them how to do work, and support them. In our own little way, I’m sure we can make a difference. If you give them fish, you feed them perhaps for a day , when you teach them how to fish, you feed them for their lifetime.