don’t burn bridges

from flickr's su yang

as much as possible, yes, we must not. this applies to all our associations, professionally and personally. sabi nga nila, it’s a small world after all (maliet lang ang siyobiz!), lalo na at may facebook na!

kaya nga ako, i always make it a point to always end my association with my employers on a positive note. aside from the fact that it is unethical to badmouth, i believe nga kasi in karma. sabi ko nga we all have our issues and differences with our current and previous employers or managers. but for me, i always like to look at the brighter side of it and not dwell on the negativity.

atchaka, careerwise, if i apply for another position in another company, most likely, if they ask for references, guess what, my previous bosses would be on top of their list, of course! imagine if i blew it off with my previous boss and/or employer, anong kalaseng reference background ang ibibigay nila sa aking prospective employer? nNot unless, i decided not to give credit to that company in my resume. or a reference would not be asked.

di natin masasabi, baka in the future, maging boss ko pa rin sila. baka maging magcoworker kami uli. baka maging client nila ako. baka maging client ko sila. alam mo na, just like in the teleserye. hehehe It’s a small world nga eh, that’s why i don’t want to burn bridges.

so far, i have positive endings naman. aside from the usual haggling and requests for extension, some has even kept their doors open for me.

“if your new job don't seem to be as rosy as you have expected it, you are always welcome to come back and work again here.”

“if you have decided to work again, please give me a call, i still want you to be in my team.”

“your resignation is going to be a big loss in the company”.

well, hinde ko lang alam kung standard dialog na yan ng mga boss. Hehehe. pero nakakataba pa rin ng puso :)

and yes, resigned na uli ako.
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bosses, are you listening?

another article from Yahoo!News.

7 Things Your Boss Should Never Say to You

1. "I pay your salary. You have to do what I say."
Threats and power plays just do not cut it anymore (and they were always a terrible way to manage). ~~ I believe I haven't said these exact words yet. ~~

2. "I don't want to listen to your complaints.
It may be annoying, even painful, but that's why you get the big bucks. And even if a problem absolutely can't be helped, allowing your employees to vent can go a long way toward restoring morale and building loyalty. ~~ Ohhhhh.... Ouch! hehehe ~~

3. "I was here on Saturday afternoon. Where were you?"
This kind of "subtle" pressure to work 24/7 is a good way to burn out your employees. You may choose to work seven days a week. That's your call. But your employees shouldn't have to. ~~ No, i'm not guilty. ~~

4. "Isn't your performance review coming up soon?"
Maybe you're trying to motivate an employee to do a better job. Either way, a statement like this is not only tacky and passive-aggressive, it's ineffective. If you really want to motivate people, consider giving them a stake in the success of your enterprise. Show employees you value them. Let them know what they have to gain by doing a good job. ~~ Not me! Okay, I was tempted, once! ~~

5. "We've always done it this way."
Your employees may actually have a pretty good idea of how to do their jobs. Maybe they know even more than you. Your job as boss is to encourage them to have the energy and motivation to be innovative. In fact, employees who come up with better ways to do things should be celebrated and rewarded. (Hint: Cash is nice.) ~~ Yeah, somehow. ~~

6. "We need to cut costs."
Nothing breeds resentment more than asking employees to tighten their belts while you, to their eyes, are living it up. ~~ Guilty, attendance and punctuality. ~~

7. "You should work better."
Managers need to communicate expectations clearly. Don't assume. Managers need to to give employees the tools they need to do a good job, to set reasonable deadlines, and to offer help if needed. ~~ I'm not sure. ~~

In summary, leaders lead by inspiring, teaching, encouraging, and, yes, serving their employees. Good leaders never need to threaten. So keep your word, set a good example, praise in public, criticize in private, respect your employees' capabilities, give credit where credit is due, learn to delegate, and when you ask for feedback don't forget to respond to it. Being sensitive to other people's feelings is good karma. Leading by example is the best way to lead. The bottom line is that in the workplace, respect, a little tact, and a good attitude go both ways.
~~ Ouch sa attendance lang naman. And tact. Or meron pang iba? ~~

Karen Burns is the author of the illustrated career advice book The Amazing Adventures of Working Girl: Real-Life Career Advice You Can Actually Use, recently released by Running Press. She blogs at http://www.blogger.com/www.karenburnsworkinggirl.com/.

serenity prayer

by reinhold niebuhr

God grant me

the serenity

to accept the things i cannot change,

the courage

to change the things i can

and the wisdom

to know the difference.

amen to that.
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to be in love

Kakahatid lang ng pinsan kong lalaki sa girlfriend nya sa house nila. As usual, sila pa rin ang magkatext habang papauwi na yung pinsan ko. So ang pinsan ko kiti-kitext habang nasa jeep. Nung malapit na siyang bumaba at papara na siya, eto ang sigaw nya:

'MA, I LOVE YOU!

Wahahahahah! Tawanan daw yung mga pasahero pati yung driver! Wahahaha! Funny talaga.... Obviously, yung ang itinetext nya sa girlfriend nya, nagkahalo lang at nasabi nya sa driver. Wihihihihihi!

I have my own share of bloopers while riding public transport. Nung kasagsagan ng Tabing Ilog na youth teleserye sa Channel 2 nun, nagpara din ako sa FX driver ng, "MAMA SA TABING ILOG LANG PO.", imbes na "mama sa BAGONG ILOG po.". Or one time, imbes na ang sabihin ko PARA!, ang nasasabi ko, MAMA, BABAY! Hehehe o diba feeling close.
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tricycle-stroller

While surfing the net, came across this new tricycle-stroller combo! Cool... if only we have less of pollution here in Manila. Here are some of the contents from their website http://www.taga.nl/

TAGA is a multifunctional urban vehicle, uniquely deisgned to suit the needs of today's parents and children. Taga combines the benefits of a premium stroller and a carrier bicycle to create a new transportation modality.

Safe, reliable and fun, TAGA lets parents and kids move about the city easily,transforming a typical daily journey into exciting adventure. When reaching a desired destination, whether a shop, cafe, indoor playground or a friend's house, TAGA is converted within seconds into a stroller, allowing parent and child to conveniently enter the premises, ride and elavator or ascend steps.

TAGA has already won a few awards including Eurobike 2008 Award last September 4, 2008.

Some of the benefits:

Continuity: Nonstop motion, indoors and out,throughout the entire day. Always together with your child, always with TAGA.

Maneuverability: Keeps moving, even in the mostdifficult and crowded city spots.

Convenience: Easy operation. Changes modes- from tricycle to stroller-within seconds.

Modularity: TAGA can be fitted with various accessories. Mix and match to attach what is needed.

Fitness: The healthy way to travel, tone up and getback into shape after birth.

Ecology: Completely carbon emission free, TAGA is a smart city substitute for a car. Lets parents reach great distances throughout the city whilecaring for the environment.

Cost Effective: All-in-one solution. Saves ongasoline, parking and congestion fees.

Life Cycle: Reliable and long lasting. Good for newborns as well as toddlers, accommodating one or two children. Can also beused as a bike for teenagers or as a shopping bike.

Specifications:

TAGA is certified with the a few safety standards including: EN1888 -
European stroller standard and EN14764 - European city bicycle standard.

TAGA will be launched in the USA and Canada in mid April 2010. TAGA will be sold via TAGA website http://www.tagabikes.com/ and through selected retails (list will be published soon). The retail price is USD 1495. It can be ordered now, for more details pelase contact info@tagabikes.com.

For Southeast Asia (Singapore/ Malaysia/ Indonesia/ Philippines/ Brunei/ Thailand/ Vietnam): B.I.D. Trading Pte Ltd. +65 68441188; info@bidholdings.com.

secret to having happy employees?

sure i've posted an entry similar to this... and in summary, that was just to treat them well. here's another advise on having happy employees...

FIRE THE UNHAPPY ONES!

tsk, sana dati ko pa to nabasa! heeee oh well, ako, one thing i learned is if i'm really not that happy in a company, i better resign. kasi there's no use working or not working diba? kaya lang some does not have the balls to resign and find another job. instead they'll whine. and bore the rest of the teams with all their problems and issues about the company and the management. sus. if you can't stand the heat, leave. ganon lang yun.

here's the rest of the article..

The Secret to Having Happy Employees

by Jay GoltzThursday, March 11, 2010
provided by the new york times

About 10 years ago I was having my annual holiday party, and my niece had come with her newly minted M.B.A. boyfriend. As he looked around the room, he noted that my employees seemed happy. I told him that I thought they were.

Then, figuring I would take his new degree for a test drive, I asked him how he thought I did that. "I'm sure you treat them well," he replied.

"That's half of it," I said. "Do you know what the other half is?"

He didn't have the answer, and neither have the many other people that I have told this story. So what is the answer? I fired the unhappy people. People usually laugh at this point. I wish I were kidding.

I'm not. I have learned the long, hard and frustrating way that as a manager you cannot make everyone happy. You can try, you can listen, you can solve some problems, you can try some more. Good management requires training, counseling and patience, but there comes a point when you are robbing the business of precious time and energy.

Don't get me wrong. This doesn't happen a lot. There's no joy in the act of firing someone. And it's not always the employee's fault — there are many bad bosses out there. Bad management can make a good employee dysfunctional. On the other hand, good management will not always make a dysfunctional employee good. And sometimes people who would be great employees somewhere else just don't fit your company, whether it is the type of business or the company culture.

In the worst cases, the problem of a bad fit can have a bigger impact than just one employee's performance. Being in charge does not necessarily mean you are in control, and being in control does not necessarily mean being in charge. Have you ever seen a company or department paralyzed by someone who is unhappy and wants to take hostages? It is remarkable how much damage one person can do. If you haven't seen it, I suggest you watch "The Caine Mutiny." Basically, one guy takes apart the ship. He was unhappy. It only takes one.

This is only my opinion. I don't have a Ph.D., an M.B.A., or even an economics degree. What I do have is a happy company. And that makes me happy. Now I know some people argue that business is about making money, and not everyone has to be happy. That is also an opinion. Everyone has a right to his or her opinion. When you own a company, you also have the right to surround yourself with the people you choose.

I have spent the last year and a half focusing on cutting costs, figuring out how the market has changed, and worrying about the economy. Things seem to be getting better, or perhaps I am just getting used to it.

Either way, I had a good day today. Not because I got a big order, great financial reports or even an employee stopping by to tell me what an awesome boss I am. (That generally doesn't happen. You have to tell yourself. It's a boss thing.) I had a great day because I spent most of it walking around the company and appreciating the fact that even after a year and a half of soft sales and cutbacks and furloughs, I have wonderful people working for me. They care. They are committed. They understand the whole customer–staff–company triangle, where all of the legs support each other.

If you read books on great companies, they usually leave out a dirty little secret. It doesn't make for good public relations — like talking about how you "empower people" or how your "greatest assets" are your people. Both of these well–worn clichés are true. What is also true is that it's hard to build a great company with the wrong people.

When you have the right people, business is much easier. I know because I have tried it both ways.

Jay Goltz owns five small businesses in Chicago.

save up, save up!

for a 4D, 3N getaway of 2 adults and a 3-yo child

fare: 42,000.00 PHP
hotel accommodation: 35,000.00 PHP (roughly)

TOTAL: 77,000.00 PHP

wah! wala pang food, pasalubong and miscellaneous expenses...huwahhhhhhh

cebupac, magfly na rin kayo doon, please??
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e.g.o.

he doesn't show false humility... but he sure doesn't hide his bloated ego either. thinks he's god's gift to us ...

Humility is the quality of being humble: modest, not proud,
self-abasing.

told myself i will not whine.

lost forever

sadly, these species were recently extinct because of one primary threat: human.
images and texts from thedailygreen.com

The Javan Tiger was native to the Indonesian island of Java. In the 1800s they were so common they were considered pests by island natives,but as the island was developed their population dwindled. By the 1950s, only 20 tigers remained. Loss of habitat and agricultural development lead to severe population decline. Conservation efforts in the 1940s and '50s were unsuccessful due to a lack of adequate land and planning.

The majestic West African Black Rhino was declared extinct in 2006, after conservationists failed to find any in their last remaining habitat in Cameroon. Poachers hunted the rhino for its horn, which is believed by some in Yemen and China to possess aphrodisiacal powers.

The Tecopa Pupfish has the distinction of being the first animal declared extinct under the provisions of the endangered Species Act of 1973. A native of the hot springs of the Mojave Desert, the pupfish's decline was precipitated when its natural habitat was encroached upon by developers.

A native of Maui, Hawaii, the Po’ouli, or Black-Faced Honeycreeper, was only discovered in the 1970s. The population declined rapidly, and by 1997 there were only three known Po’ouli left. The species was formally declared extinct seven years later. Habitat loss, along with disease, predators and a decline in its food source – native tree snails – are all seen as reasons for the bird’s demise.

Spix's Macaw, also called the Little Blue Macaw, was known for its beautiful blue feathers. While some still exist in captivity, these tiny blue birds are extinct in the wild. Habitat destruction and illegal trapping and trade contributed to the macaw's dwindling numbers.

One of several subspecies of leopard, the Zanzibar Leopard made its home on the Zanzibar archipelago of Tanzania. It's still unclear whether this large cat is technically extinct – there are occasional unconfirmed sightings. Locals believed the leopards were kept by witches, and aggressively hunted them. The animals were seen as evil predators that must be exterminated.

The stunning Madeiran Large White butterfly was found in the valleys of the Laurisilva forests on Portugal’s Madeira Islands. Loss of habitat due to construction as well as pollution from agricultural fertilizers are two major causes of the species' decline.

The last Pyrenean Ibex died in 2000. However, a cloned ibex, created from skin samples taken from the last Pyrenean Ibex, was birthed in 2009. It died shortly after birth from lung complications. Hunting of the Ibex had caused the animal’s numbers to seriously dwindle and conservationists blame the Spanish government for failing to act in time to save it.

The Golden Toad. This fluorescent amphibian was found in the high altitude ridges of Costa Rica, but thanks to pollution, global warming and fungal skin infections, the species became extinct in 1989.

The Round Island Burrowing Boa preferred to live on the top-soil layers of volcanic slopes. It was once found on several other islands around Mauritius, but its population had dwindled by the 1940s, and could only be found on Round Island after 1949. It was last seen in 1975. The introduction of non-native species of rabbits and goats to the island destroyed vegetation and upset the boa’s habitat.


This Dutch butterfly -- a subspecies of the Alcon Blue -- was found mainly in the grasslands of The Netherlands. While closely related species (pictured here) still exist in parts of Europe and Asia, the last Dutch Alcon Blue was seen in the wild in 1979. Increases in farming and building had a negative impact on the Alcon Blue's habitat and caused it to lose its main food source.

i wish i knew how to drive

really. times like this, i wish i knew how to drive. my own car. and below are my cars. i chose them because of their initial appeal to me. i'm no car enthusiast. but these are the only cars that call my attention. i don't know anything that much about their specs / technicalities.

1. mini cooper / mini cooper s. from the time i've seen the movie 'the italian job', i have always wanted to own this car. you know, channelling charlize theron's charm and beauty ;). i've inquired on a few pre-owned mini 5 or 6 years ago, and a decent one would cost about php350K. i think the lowest price was 280K. brand new would cost php2M to php2.2M visit http://www.mini.com.ph/ to view the specs and the other models.

mini cooper s from formulaphoto

mini cooper from EdZa

mini cooper interior from ' toshio '

EDIT:2. suzuki swift. i forgot this. much cheaper than mini. brand new costs php730K to php770K. image from http://www.globalsuzuki.com/

3. toyota camry. the only sedan that i like then (why then? you'll know shortly). astig kasi. sedan but has character and it's roomy. price range is php1.4M to php2.1M. all camry images are from http://www.toyota.com.ph/.

4. honda accord. the second sedan that i like. dahil astig din siya. so ngayon, 2 na sila ni camry na gusto ko. price range php1.7M to 2.1M. all accord images are from http://accord.hondaphil.com/.

and for our little family, i'd choose volvo. safe. roomy. functional. with form. efficient. earth-friendly. for volvo, i suspect it starts at around php3.5M to php5M. hay. all volvo images are from http://www.volvocars.com/ph/

5. volvo xc90.

6. volvo xc70.

i don't do well with financials

well, i already know that i'm not good in handling my income and expenses since i owe this much to my credit card, that i always tend to spend money that is not yet in my hands.

but today, i just happen to know that i'm much worse that that, i've been paying for something that i haven't spent yet! i discovered that i've been paying my mobile phone provider even if they still owe me this much! haha!

you see, i don't give that much attention to the billings that they deliver, i just pay them every month. that's it. but today, when i visited their online billing, i discovered that every month, since august, i've been paying them more than i should.

example, from september last year, i still have a credit of php200 and yet i still paid them php1000. it came to a point that i accumulated php1000 credit and yet i still paid them another php1000!!! wtf! wahahah!

if i have my accountant or if someone handles my finances, naku... i'll be bankrupt. that someone can easily get money from me and i will not notice it.

sana lang, this is the same case with my credit card spending... oh well.
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