Personal Victory on a Conflicting Schedule

I was tested on the 1st habit of the 7 Habit to win my personal victory. I needed to improve on being proactive.

There were 2 conflicting work related schedules to happen in one day both of which I wanted to attend.

1. One is preferred as I got involved designing its pilot and is due for observation at the South of Luzon.
2. The other is a second preference as it involved a replication of an already executed program but in a start up location North of Luzon.

I committed to handle the 2nd preference 1st but I wanted to defer the activity so I can handle it leisurely on another date while completing the South Luzon activity. Dates were not changed which made me decide on a compromised position: Attend to North Luzon in the AM then travel 140 kms. to South Luzon in the PM for the other activity.

I knew it was a reactive behavior because I felt helplessness against the decisions I made. I was executing the activity half attentively. The consequence to the behavior was the feeling of stress, irritability. Had it been a proactive, I would have received the activity with excitement.

The action step I took was a stretch as it required me to travel 6 hours on a rainy Friday afternoon crossing from North Luzon Expressway to South Expressway which could be physically exhausting.



While completing the day, I had to internally psyche myself with my personal values that I have the drive to succeed, to make things happen with the optimism that I will still get maximum results from the experience.

I survived that Friday and Saturday. What helped was the internalized processing the young cadets of a training group I was exposed to taught me: 1.) Make a proactive choice 2.) Acknowledge the feelings of the choice 3.) Project the behavior 4.) Identify personal values to drive the step 5.) Project the consequences. 5.) Accept.

I learned too from them that 1.) to win your personal victory, practice the 1st habit of pro-activeness initially. 2.) to win-win, have the balance of courage and consideration.

There will be more tests like these in the future. I am more determined to handle them better.

Leading to a cross road









Maculot Revisited from another Perspective

This 2010, I had a chance to view Mt. Maculot from another perspective, that of a traveller. Maculot was seen from 2 angles, Mataas na Kahoy from the North Alitagtag from the South.

13 years after, the mountain looked solid and lush from a distance still bringing thrills to those who climb it. Seen from afar, it is only those with a curious mind who will ask, what’s in there. Only those with a sense of adventure will explore it further.

2 post climb activies can now cap a Maculot climb: a swim at a private resort in Alitagtag, about 5 kms. away from the town or a 300 meter zipline cross in a resort at Mataas na Kahoy

Mt. Maculot is All Geared Up For The Holidays Dec 1 1997, 4:00 pm

Newsgroups: soc.culture.filipino, rec.travel.asia Date: 1997/12/01

• Climbing Mt. Maculot last 29-30 November, you can say Christmas has come upon this place. At night, you'll drive through several kilometers of Christmas lights in San Jose lined up against darkness in the main road. The lights are punctuated with Christmas decors, sometimes giant wreath, at times bells. It's like entering a tunnel of lined lights continuously for about 10 minutes.
• Upon registering at Barangay Siete, the new registration desk that is just meters away from the Mountaineers Store, you'll immediately sense the cold strong breeze coming from the mountain.
• When you reach the shoulder, prepare your windbreaker. Support your tadpole or geo-dome type tents with guy line and complete sets of pegs. It's as if there's a storm coming. Temperature without the wind factor was surprisingly just below 20 degrees Celsius.
• I have never seen that many campers in the peak, counted at about 380 plus by the Barangay volunteers. Bulk was composed of the Mapuan climbers celebrating their anniversary. The group I was with at the trail (Cebu Pacific and the Greenmeadows group) had to contend with the flat ground between the shoulder and the water source.
• With all the dining, the drinking and the socials that night complemented by the cold weather and the strong winds, you can say Christmas has really come upon this mountain. The smell of latrine though brings you back to your reality that there is still the descend and work that waits for you this Monday.
• Mt. Maculot is in Cuenca Batangas Philippines, a small town 2 hours from South Expressway. It is considered as a minor, weekend climb and a favorite among novice trekkers. Summit is about 700 meters ASL. Trek time from the foot to the shoulder is about 1 1/2 hours. Add another hour to the summit.

Cesar and Gideon

Long before Gideon Lasco (pinoymountaineer.com) dominated the information highway, my source of narratives for climbs and the extreme sports has been Cesar "Gigit" Sulit (thelonerider.com). He writes about situations, lifestyles and places that interest me.  Like Gideon, he provides info and references to better prepare and appreciate a destination. The lonerider has expanded his site beyond adventures: mountaineering/mountain biking and reviews to misc. It is still the adventure and review groupings that I look forward to reading and most recently, at more frequent intervals.

Pinoymountainer is practical-"your guide to hiking in the Philippines," loneride is philosophical-"a nomad in search of . . ." Deep dive into his site to discover if what he is in search for is also what you are looking for.

Balimbing the fruit

A Philippine fruit unfamiliar to today’s generation is the balimbing.

Decades ago, it just grows at the backyard for picking when one fancies for a sour fruit. Because of its several faces, it is more known as a symbol of turncoats.

In rare moments when it is served at the table, fun comes from cutting because of its shape and the distinct taste. Catch it at your local market while it is still around.

Shawn and Resa Nat Geo

They are younger now. Shawn Low and Delazad are travel chroniclers of Nat Geo’s Lonely Planet The Road Less Travelled and A Childhood Memories. Shawn, a 25 year old Singaporean covered a trip in China who from his profile says will “try and do anything at least once.” Delazad on the other hand chronicled his trip from China to Russia and back to Paris in 2 months, 11 countries with his famous photographer father Reza. The world is different as seen from the eyes of these adventurous young travelers.

Shawn presents his travelogue typically like The Lonely Planet’s; background information on sights not popularly travelled and focus on people which represents the uniqueness of the place.

Delazad’s sights and sounds on the other hand take a backseat to the human insights on travelling with his photographer father. The 15 year old son plans for the trips and travel connections while the father challenges the design. It is rich with drama as the son takes this as an opportunity to see what his father has seen at the time when he stays home in Paris while the father rides on the expedition to make his son strong to face the real world.

Shawn leaves the destination feeling good he has done not easy activities for the 1st time. Delazad reaches home happier because he has become more confident, Reza fulfilled because he has known better his son.

Road Less Travelled and Childhood Memories were viewed back-to-back Wednesday evening 13 October in Manila on Sky Cable.

Global English

 I enrolled in Global English, an online learning activity.

The teaching approach follows a logical sequence similar to the traditional process. Participant is pre-enrolled, logs in, and takes an assessment exam where the results are immediately posted. From the results, the participant defines the desired level of proficiency. Courses are then presented for the enrollee to design his own study plan.

Global English improves one’s grammar (subject-verb agreement and correct usage) for better reading, writing and understanding. Once you start doing the exercises which is friendly and easy, I see no reason not to improve. You are introduced to words, read, define, listen and pronounce them and apply them in familiar exercises. Answers are posted right away after the exam for the enrollee to learn the correct usage.

It is convenient and secure too. You can log in using the office's online connection or any other computer online provided you know the website and your log in name and password. Once logged in, you can assess your past records and performances.

I look forward to passing the 10 Business English Courses with about 10 assignments to complete per course.  I thought I am at home with the English language. After my assessment, I realized there are still opportunities to learn. Today I learned the word “envision (verb)” which is to put up with (phrasal verb; inseparable).

Posted in Laguna

Three Movies on CInema One

Three movies in the  Top 100 Filipino films by Critic After Dark shown on Cinema One (Channel 56 on Sky Cable) this September dragged my spirits down.

Hinugot sa Lupa, a film by Ishmael Bernal in 1985 on a woman’s temptation for an abortion portrayed a single’s lady gradual disabling through her trials on relationships, society and situations. After a tragic ending, the film showed Maricel Soriano initially recovering and seeing the light with the support of her close female friend.

Edwin O Hara’s Kastilyong Buhangin (1980) starring Nora Aunor and Lito Lapid traces a relationship from childhood to adulthood ending in a tragedy. Sand Castle, the English translation of the film is an apt analogy to the dreams of the lead man which after experiencing chronic failures ended in frustration, denial and shuttered ambition. His failure to reach his goal eventually led to his destruction.

Sa North Diversion Road (2005), an Indie film directed by Dennis Marasigan adapted from a theatre screenplay written by Tony Perez shows nine situations of a couple in an unfulfilled, constrained and denied relationship.

Films are successful in depicting the hurting themes and in conveying the message of a painful human reality. Surviving life needs gut.

Posted in Laguna

Nat Geo Top Fotos

National Geographic recently shown on Cable TV (Channel 41 on Sky Cable) the Top 10 photos of 2009 printed in the National Geographic Magazine. It was presented last Monday at 9PM as a feature of photography month.

Editor Chris Johns annotates the 1 hour show with narratives and videos on how the photos were taken and selected. Broadly, the criterion is: "a strong emotional power that is moving in some way."

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/12/top-ten-photography

Topping the list in 2009 is Redwoods taken by Michael Nichols of a 300-foot titan tree in California's Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park as subject. Photo is a mosaic composed of 84 images.

Sports Unlimited over ANC 27 likewise announced its winners of the photo contest on nature.  Catch the winners on air.

Posted in Laguna