Money, Money, Money
About four years ago, I joined a seed money group. The purpose was to learn how to save money, take care of money and let money work for you. At that time, my thinking was that of poverty. I thought that $3000 was a lot of money. How am I supposed to save that? ONly doctors and lawyers could bee rich. Why should I let go of my title. I earned that "doctor" with twelve years of hard work.
Four years later, I managed to save $25,000. I am no longer chained by my title. If I get laid off tomorrow, I will get a job and find the money for the wedding. I don't have as much fear about being poor as before. I don't have to find myself. I can just be myself. Be somebody.
Thank you Tuhan and Tubig. This past year has been a great year. Thank you God. Each day is a blessing. Thank you Honey for being there. I owe all my changes to you. Thank you to my family for supporting me in my crazy ideas.
And I say to you out there who read this. You don't have to be poor. You just have to be willing to learn and realize that no one ever taught you about money.
This weekend is an 8. I won the money group Tubig. Yipee! I get to buy my 22 caliber rifle. And I also bought myself a Seiko watch!!!
Saturday, January 29, 2005
| Which Halo character are you? Sgt. Johnson You talk alot, you don't do much, but at times you can be invaluable.
|
| Click Here to Take This Quiz Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests. |
Hehehe. While looking for a quiz on Halo, I found this.
| Which Borg drone are you You're a BORG QUEEN You are a pivital part of the Collective, but at times your rampant individualism can disrupt the Collective's goals. We predict that you'll seduce an android and then he will betray you and your orgainc compounds will liquify.
|
| Click Here to Take This Quiz Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests. |
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Things I see
So today, at work, I sent off a report. One copy went to my boss and the other went to another director. The other director did not change one word. My boss changed enough so that I was working on the document for an hour or so looking up faccts, details, etc. So, who's got the problem? It's the old bat about the 80/20 principle. That last 20% will kill you.
Has anyone seen the CSI shows? How come all the male actors look like tough SOBs? All their lines are trite and arrogant. It really bothers the hell out of me. Can they please go to acting school?
I am turning into a gun nut. Just today, I bought some magazines which discuss guns. I am looking at pistols. Trying to see if I would like to try them out. I am already planning to purchase a rifle from Sako. Add in a scope and it should give me hours of fun on Saturday mornings. Now, the question will be should I purchase some pistols?
So today, at work, I sent off a report. One copy went to my boss and the other went to another director. The other director did not change one word. My boss changed enough so that I was working on the document for an hour or so looking up faccts, details, etc. So, who's got the problem? It's the old bat about the 80/20 principle. That last 20% will kill you.
Has anyone seen the CSI shows? How come all the male actors look like tough SOBs? All their lines are trite and arrogant. It really bothers the hell out of me. Can they please go to acting school?
I am turning into a gun nut. Just today, I bought some magazines which discuss guns. I am looking at pistols. Trying to see if I would like to try them out. I am already planning to purchase a rifle from Sako. Add in a scope and it should give me hours of fun on Saturday mornings. Now, the question will be should I purchase some pistols?
Monday, January 24, 2005
The Job
Over the holidays, I had decided that financial freedom was the goal that mattered to me. As a long term plan of ten years, that is ideal. But I still have to deal with the reality of life. My current job at the photofinisher's is turning into something that you just deal with.
Last week, I came back back from the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday only to learn that one of the managers who had given a two week notice was let go after three days. The company can not even be gracious when someone has decided to leave. This definitely is not a good sign. It reminds me more and more of the previous company which died a slow lingering death.
What bothers me more is that the upper management essentially set up the woman. They assigned her to do something that was impossible in a short time period. When she and her direct report were ready to accomplish it, the rules changed. Of course, they were not able to succeed. The rules changed in the middle. Then, they assigned the manager to do something that an operator was doing. Who would not want to leave?
The short shrift is that there is a backlog in the photofinishing department. Thousands of reprints are not being done. Hundreds of chemical waste is not being picked up. Privacy concerns are coming up.
I am seeking some other position in other companies. I was even thinking of doing some commercial work as a salesman. God willing, I will get it. Hopefully, your lives are interesting without the stress.
Over the holidays, I had decided that financial freedom was the goal that mattered to me. As a long term plan of ten years, that is ideal. But I still have to deal with the reality of life. My current job at the photofinisher's is turning into something that you just deal with.
Last week, I came back back from the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday only to learn that one of the managers who had given a two week notice was let go after three days. The company can not even be gracious when someone has decided to leave. This definitely is not a good sign. It reminds me more and more of the previous company which died a slow lingering death.
What bothers me more is that the upper management essentially set up the woman. They assigned her to do something that was impossible in a short time period. When she and her direct report were ready to accomplish it, the rules changed. Of course, they were not able to succeed. The rules changed in the middle. Then, they assigned the manager to do something that an operator was doing. Who would not want to leave?
The short shrift is that there is a backlog in the photofinishing department. Thousands of reprints are not being done. Hundreds of chemical waste is not being picked up. Privacy concerns are coming up.
I am seeking some other position in other companies. I was even thinking of doing some commercial work as a salesman. God willing, I will get it. Hopefully, your lives are interesting without the stress.
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Gun Range
I never thought that I would really like to shoot guns or rifles. But the more I try the art of shooting with a rifle, the more interested I become. Television and the media have portrayed the National Rifle Association as gun nuts who will do anything so that anyone can buy a gun. However, just like people, there are many different kinds of guns. There are those that are fun and then there are those that are used to kill people.
This past Saturday the 22nd of January, I went to the Chabot Gun Range in the hills of Hayward. The SOwas supposed to go with me, but sleep deprivation and her addiction to karaoke singing made her pass. So, off I went driving into the hills of Hayward. What surprised me the most was the amount of fog that blanketed the hills. After a while, I began to doubt whether I could go shooting because visibility was down to twenty feet.
Miraculously, when I finally got to the floor of the valley, it was reasonably clear. When I left the car, what struck me was the coldness of the air. It seemed like it was sucking out the heat from my body. In the end, the cold caused me and my friend to leave. We were just too ill prepared to be shooting in weather that ranged from 40 degrees F to 50 degress F.
One of the other shooters in the range had just bought a M1A rifle and was willing to share the joy with everyone. He looked like a typical "gun nut" but that is why that saying "looks can be deceiving" is said over and over again by people. He did mention that "I bought a battle rifle just in case some shit goes on. You know, shit has often occurred in the past." He was a little paranoid, but with W on the flightdeck of the governement, you can never be sure. Hell, a peanut could be sitting on the president's chair and I don't think anyone would see a difference.
At any rate, the bullets were 7.62 mm NATO issue. In other words, think .308 Winchester bullets. The magazine was enormous. I usually shoot the .22 caliber rifle. I was looking at the bullets and I figured that the rifle would take off my arm. I really did not want to shoot the rifle. Some people are very iffy about having other people touch their rifles. But Billy was insistent so I went ahead.
WOW! Wow! Wow! That's all I can say. The kick of the rifle was not that bad. You can definitely see yourself firing away at the enemies a hundred yards away. In fact, the sights were so good that I was on the paper and about four to six inches away from a one inch target. Folks, with iron sights, it's not that easy. But with this rifle, I could see myself being on target. At $1500 per rifle, I don't see myself purchasing one of these bad boys. But you never know. Sometimes, you can try to set a goal and it might happen.
The target shooting with the CZ rifle while using iron sight was not too bad. Before, I could barely find the paper. This time around, the first ten rounds were a little too high. But after a while, I was starting to be on the black. However, the weather was so cold that my hands actually hurt. Leaning over and taking aim was a definite chore with the frost coming from my mouth. And the steel seats did not help any with the concentration required to fire away.
I asked my friend if this was typical weather when hunting and he said that it was. With weather like that, I don't really want to go hunting after deer or duck. Imagine, 40 degrees and you have to be wading into water. The heck with that!
I never thought that I would really like to shoot guns or rifles. But the more I try the art of shooting with a rifle, the more interested I become. Television and the media have portrayed the National Rifle Association as gun nuts who will do anything so that anyone can buy a gun. However, just like people, there are many different kinds of guns. There are those that are fun and then there are those that are used to kill people.
This past Saturday the 22nd of January, I went to the Chabot Gun Range in the hills of Hayward. The SOwas supposed to go with me, but sleep deprivation and her addiction to karaoke singing made her pass. So, off I went driving into the hills of Hayward. What surprised me the most was the amount of fog that blanketed the hills. After a while, I began to doubt whether I could go shooting because visibility was down to twenty feet.
Miraculously, when I finally got to the floor of the valley, it was reasonably clear. When I left the car, what struck me was the coldness of the air. It seemed like it was sucking out the heat from my body. In the end, the cold caused me and my friend to leave. We were just too ill prepared to be shooting in weather that ranged from 40 degrees F to 50 degress F.
One of the other shooters in the range had just bought a M1A rifle and was willing to share the joy with everyone. He looked like a typical "gun nut" but that is why that saying "looks can be deceiving" is said over and over again by people. He did mention that "I bought a battle rifle just in case some shit goes on. You know, shit has often occurred in the past." He was a little paranoid, but with W on the flightdeck of the governement, you can never be sure. Hell, a peanut could be sitting on the president's chair and I don't think anyone would see a difference.
At any rate, the bullets were 7.62 mm NATO issue. In other words, think .308 Winchester bullets. The magazine was enormous. I usually shoot the .22 caliber rifle. I was looking at the bullets and I figured that the rifle would take off my arm. I really did not want to shoot the rifle. Some people are very iffy about having other people touch their rifles. But Billy was insistent so I went ahead.
WOW! Wow! Wow! That's all I can say. The kick of the rifle was not that bad. You can definitely see yourself firing away at the enemies a hundred yards away. In fact, the sights were so good that I was on the paper and about four to six inches away from a one inch target. Folks, with iron sights, it's not that easy. But with this rifle, I could see myself being on target. At $1500 per rifle, I don't see myself purchasing one of these bad boys. But you never know. Sometimes, you can try to set a goal and it might happen.
The target shooting with the CZ rifle while using iron sight was not too bad. Before, I could barely find the paper. This time around, the first ten rounds were a little too high. But after a while, I was starting to be on the black. However, the weather was so cold that my hands actually hurt. Leaning over and taking aim was a definite chore with the frost coming from my mouth. And the steel seats did not help any with the concentration required to fire away.
I asked my friend if this was typical weather when hunting and he said that it was. With weather like that, I don't really want to go hunting after deer or duck. Imagine, 40 degrees and you have to be wading into water. The heck with that!
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Birthmonth!!!!
I decided years ago that I am to precious and too sexy to be celebrating just on my birthday. So, I celebrate a birthmonth instead of a birthday. Bwahahhahhahhaha
I wish to give thanks to God the Almighty. Yes, even do I sound like a born again Christian, I am not. I'm actually planning to visit the Rosicrucians.
I wish to thank my family, my sister and my brother and my sister's family, specially bulinggit.
I wish to thank the SO because without her, I would be infinitely be less interesting and less mature and probably dead of a heart attack.
And I wish to thank you who read my blog. May you live in interesting times.
I decided years ago that I am to precious and too sexy to be celebrating just on my birthday. So, I celebrate a birthmonth instead of a birthday. Bwahahhahhahhaha
I wish to give thanks to God the Almighty. Yes, even do I sound like a born again Christian, I am not. I'm actually planning to visit the Rosicrucians.
I wish to thank my family, my sister and my brother and my sister's family, specially bulinggit.
I wish to thank the SO because without her, I would be infinitely be less interesting and less mature and probably dead of a heart attack.
And I wish to thank you who read my blog. May you live in interesting times.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Sh*t hits the fan
Well, yesterday, I had another run-in with the person who runs the department. The problem is of course amnesia. He has already forgotten what he told me to do in December. So, now, he is asking for the other stuff that did not get done. And when I told him why the stuff did not get done, poof! The conversation ends.
I tried to speak to him one on one. I tried to resolve the problems of late reports. What he did was tell me all the stuff that he did not like about me. I realized that I had learned everything I could from him. Maybe I learned about how to organize and keep track of things. But, after that, there is nothing more to learn.
Yesterday was a 7. I managed to tell him what was wrong from my point of view. He probably did not consider it though. Well, and that is why we are losing all our business to these damned online photofinishing factories. Those places don't have souls. I tell you, they are supposed to be run by machines! Not by people like us.
If you don't see me around your neighborhood photofinishing place, you know what happened.
Well, yesterday, I had another run-in with the person who runs the department. The problem is of course amnesia. He has already forgotten what he told me to do in December. So, now, he is asking for the other stuff that did not get done. And when I told him why the stuff did not get done, poof! The conversation ends.
I tried to speak to him one on one. I tried to resolve the problems of late reports. What he did was tell me all the stuff that he did not like about me. I realized that I had learned everything I could from him. Maybe I learned about how to organize and keep track of things. But, after that, there is nothing more to learn.
Yesterday was a 7. I managed to tell him what was wrong from my point of view. He probably did not consider it though. Well, and that is why we are losing all our business to these damned online photofinishing factories. Those places don't have souls. I tell you, they are supposed to be run by machines! Not by people like us.
If you don't see me around your neighborhood photofinishing place, you know what happened.
Saturday, January 08, 2005
Of monsters and vampires
The SO's family is humongous. I get the opportunity to speak to many of her cousins and study their lives. For someone without a life like me, I can live vicariously through them. I get to see what life would be like when a particular path is chosen.
Over the 2004 Christmas and New Year's holiday, the SO and I spent the vacation period with her family in Las Vegas. I managed to interact with the Las Vegas and San Diego cousins. I don't normally speak to them and so I was unaccustomed to their energy.
What was interesting is that her younger cousins (age 15-19) were interested in what I had to say. Another friend of ours C who was on the same vacation said that she noticed that the cousins had deep respect for the SO. I guess their respect for her came to me too with what they wanted to hear.
I told them about life and about death. For some reason, it was the easiest way to begin speaking with them. I have always been able to see certain things which as a scientist would make me very uncomfortable. But when you have a gift, you stop questioning after a while. I explained to them that just like in Babylon 5, death is really just another doorway. Another place to go to after this life. Philosophically, I can understand it as such. But deep down, the primal animal in me still fears death.
I explained as best as I could how energy can be seen by other people. I gave examples of how some women glow so brightly that men are just drawn to them like fireflies. However, sometimes, glowing is not enough to have a good life. Sometimes, if all you do is glow, then the vampires and the monsters come. I warned them that they have a gift. They needed to find the gift and be aware of it because sometimes, others will find it first.
I also spoke to them about tatoos and my thought that tatoos are modern day talismans. People get one to call on the higher being. But sometimes, the ones that come are the dark higher beings. I used as an example a relative who had placed a tatoo of a lion on the base of her spine. Great, it is there to protect her. But from what? I always have to question that for the simple reason that men will react to things in a funny way. "Oh, you have a shield / protector? Well, let me try out my fangs, and my sword and my weapons against you."
In today's society, the freedom to do what we wish without the ability to understand the implications in a spiritual way disturb me. Do these people really feel that threatened that they would need tatoos? In the old days, I can understand the use of tatoos. You were hunting and gathering food. There were big nasty things after you. If you don't get help, they eat you. Nowadays? I fear that tatoos only cause you to be the center of attraction of a maelstorm.
The SO's family is humongous. I get the opportunity to speak to many of her cousins and study their lives. For someone without a life like me, I can live vicariously through them. I get to see what life would be like when a particular path is chosen.
Over the 2004 Christmas and New Year's holiday, the SO and I spent the vacation period with her family in Las Vegas. I managed to interact with the Las Vegas and San Diego cousins. I don't normally speak to them and so I was unaccustomed to their energy.
What was interesting is that her younger cousins (age 15-19) were interested in what I had to say. Another friend of ours C who was on the same vacation said that she noticed that the cousins had deep respect for the SO. I guess their respect for her came to me too with what they wanted to hear.
I told them about life and about death. For some reason, it was the easiest way to begin speaking with them. I have always been able to see certain things which as a scientist would make me very uncomfortable. But when you have a gift, you stop questioning after a while. I explained to them that just like in Babylon 5, death is really just another doorway. Another place to go to after this life. Philosophically, I can understand it as such. But deep down, the primal animal in me still fears death.
I explained as best as I could how energy can be seen by other people. I gave examples of how some women glow so brightly that men are just drawn to them like fireflies. However, sometimes, glowing is not enough to have a good life. Sometimes, if all you do is glow, then the vampires and the monsters come. I warned them that they have a gift. They needed to find the gift and be aware of it because sometimes, others will find it first.
I also spoke to them about tatoos and my thought that tatoos are modern day talismans. People get one to call on the higher being. But sometimes, the ones that come are the dark higher beings. I used as an example a relative who had placed a tatoo of a lion on the base of her spine. Great, it is there to protect her. But from what? I always have to question that for the simple reason that men will react to things in a funny way. "Oh, you have a shield / protector? Well, let me try out my fangs, and my sword and my weapons against you."
In today's society, the freedom to do what we wish without the ability to understand the implications in a spiritual way disturb me. Do these people really feel that threatened that they would need tatoos? In the old days, I can understand the use of tatoos. You were hunting and gathering food. There were big nasty things after you. If you don't get help, they eat you. Nowadays? I fear that tatoos only cause you to be the center of attraction of a maelstorm.
Thursday, January 06, 2005
I am not worried
Sometimes I wonder how the Pin@y community will fair in America. But then, I read about adventures in New York and I am not so worried.
Sometimes I wonder how the Pin@y community will fair in America. But then, I read about adventures in New York and I am not so worried.
Ten Days in Vegas
The whole ten days was a definite 8 bordering on a 9. First, I completely forgot what I did for a living while in Vegas. Damn those photofinishing chemicals and those tie twisting machines! Bwahahahha. I did not have stress for ten days! Second, I found out what I wanted. More on that later. And I did not spend more than $1000. At least I don't think I did. The food was plentiful and artery clogging, but it was a vacation. What did I expect?
About six months ago, my teacher asked me the question "What do you want?" He asked the question just like a Vorlon would ask, I might add. For those not in the know, the Vorlons are a species of extra-terrestials from the Babylon 5 Universe. The Vorlons are enigmatic and mysterious. They answer in the double negatives. Their questions are not very straightforward although it might seem straightforward.
At any rate, while in Vegas ruminating over my existence, I came up with the thought that perhaps Tuhan's (teacher's) question is not about my job or what I plan to do to earn money. Nope, perhaps, just like Curly from the Billy Crystal movie City Slickers, Tuhan might just be asking a deeper question about existence and life.
So, I chanced upon the answer that what I wanted was to be financially free. So free that I don't have to report to a boss. Financially free from the worry of death and what it would do to my family. Free so that I did not have to worry about offending someone because of the language I use in memos.
So yup, what I want is to be financially free of the ignorants, the idiots and the ungrateful. Most of all, I want to be free of hypocrites who say they care, but at the end of the day, thrust the most number of knives into the backs of their employees. Hear that Mr. Garand? Do you hear that bell? That's for you!!! And that's for your lackey Hendricks.
So there. I know what I want. Now, to get there is a different matter.
The whole ten days was a definite 8 bordering on a 9. First, I completely forgot what I did for a living while in Vegas. Damn those photofinishing chemicals and those tie twisting machines! Bwahahahha. I did not have stress for ten days! Second, I found out what I wanted. More on that later. And I did not spend more than $1000. At least I don't think I did. The food was plentiful and artery clogging, but it was a vacation. What did I expect?
About six months ago, my teacher asked me the question "What do you want?" He asked the question just like a Vorlon would ask, I might add. For those not in the know, the Vorlons are a species of extra-terrestials from the Babylon 5 Universe. The Vorlons are enigmatic and mysterious. They answer in the double negatives. Their questions are not very straightforward although it might seem straightforward.
At any rate, while in Vegas ruminating over my existence, I came up with the thought that perhaps Tuhan's (teacher's) question is not about my job or what I plan to do to earn money. Nope, perhaps, just like Curly from the Billy Crystal movie City Slickers, Tuhan might just be asking a deeper question about existence and life.
So, I chanced upon the answer that what I wanted was to be financially free. So free that I don't have to report to a boss. Financially free from the worry of death and what it would do to my family. Free so that I did not have to worry about offending someone because of the language I use in memos.
So yup, what I want is to be financially free of the ignorants, the idiots and the ungrateful. Most of all, I want to be free of hypocrites who say they care, but at the end of the day, thrust the most number of knives into the backs of their employees. Hear that Mr. Garand? Do you hear that bell? That's for you!!! And that's for your lackey Hendricks.
So there. I know what I want. Now, to get there is a different matter.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)