2011: Steady Pace Yet Still Thankful

What’s the way to appreciate with what the year 2011 has done to you even if the business is slack in the first quarter, the mid-year somehow climbs up with the familiar curbs, and at the moment waiting for the slow closing?

I have had another short winter experience in California including my second time watching the live NBA All-Star games.

It was probably my most boring stay in Boracay and that made me decide to plan my next Lenten season in the U.S. or in Europe.

I saw the shine on the Great Wall in Beijing. But it was eclipsed by the rain and dark cloud in Manila.

I celebrated this year’s Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. with my sister and brother-in-law as we served the Filipino way on the table with rice, “okra”, “lechon kawali”, beef morcon, and turkey display on an iPad (since nobody wanted to eat poultry).

When Steve Jobs died, I set aside the silence, looked at my Apple collections and memorabilia like my Pixar shareholder certificate signed by him and not to forget, my Apple stock certificate.

Moreover, a little bit of Toy Story and Pixar.

I have met new faces, got to know new people, and discovered what’s new with the old friends and colleagues. Some people I know are new yet they are old. Some people I know are old, yet I feel they are older. Few old people seem feel they are young. That’s another sad story due to technology and state of economy. The young ones have a lot of ideas (not really new ideas) but not everything is making sense.

There are true characters and personalities revealed and we might want to call them, “the superheroes”. Perhaps it’s the year that you have to really understand who you’re talking to, working with, going out with, and having fun with. Showbiz is forever with its cliché “in show business, there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests”.

Facebook and Twitter are the most helpful tools to know your social and non-social network friends. Sometimes people complain by posting on their walls. That’s normal. You’re just human. So don’t feel guilty. But be careful as the other party might twit their anger and express their feelings through emoticons and bad symbols.

The economy is to be blamed why there are fakers, bad storytellers, posers, and swaggers. The funny thing is that they are also the most gullible creatures. They also become the victims of their own plots. How can they be taught to become humble and instead, look up to God, ask for provision, and sincerely give thanks?

Good preachers of business seminars don’t mean they are good in managing business. They can be the worst in handling people. How many MBA lecturers do you know who can start and manage a company? Good financial advisers are not necessarily rich. They may just be looking at one side of the financial situation. Saving more cash in the bank forever is not always advisable. Have you read the news about the P193.6-million donations for typhoons victims sleeping in the bank?

I made a comment in an article this year about the statement that says Filipinos can hardly save money because of the influence of the Western culture. Thus, there’s always the desire to buy or upgrade to new gadgets, e.g. I disagree. Filipinos know how to save money. Since we were kids we have been taught how to save. We can sacrifice. We can also obey. It’s just that we’re very helpful. We extend our sympathy and blessings to relatives and family members who need financial assistance. We love to share what we have. We are kindhearted and generous to calamity victims.

Nevertheless, I had so much fun in 2011. I’ve had more physical activities. I went back to surfing, although I have to sell my 6’4” board to buy a good 8’4” fun board. I began to like Baler. I also got a new mountain bike so I can hook up with a new circle and reunite with my high school classmates. God opened up the next gate of comprehension. I became more health conscious. Patience has been augmented. Turning my dependents into inspirations makes me feel stronger and hopeful. There’s no need to announce and brag about how many and whom I helped.

I started making plans for 2012 according to categories. I began meeting some people who want to be rich. At least they are optimistic. They don’t stop dreaming. Few asked about how I do to survive. I always tell them it’s not about me. And if they will surely listen and won’t get bored, I can fascinate them over a cup of coffee. I keep on writing on my moleskin again whenever I think of things that need to be done.

I will continue to impart my thoughts, exercise how to balance emotion and insanity, but will still regard what 2011 had positively brought us to realize the reasons why we need to move on to a brand new year.

To everyone who became a part of my 2011, I sincerely thank you.