Job Interview

Last Monday, I went for a job interview. The job was four levels above my current status. It was also for a manager position. I decided to pursue it because it was one of those once in a lifetime opportunities. A new building with a new staff. That just does not happen every year.

I believe I did well in the interview. I managed to show enthusiasm and a different mindset from everyone. I believe that the old ways of doing things don't work. There must be a new way. Some of the things I thought were important:

1. Positive attitude.
2. Being creative in resolving problems.
3. Communicating effectively.
4. Implementation of systems.
5. Creating priorities in the job.

I ended up reading this book called the One Minute Manager. It had some pretty interesting ideas.

Life is Full of Surprises

Yesterday was an amazingly busy day. Three, count them, three parties. The first party was for the Malasiquenean Organization of the SO's family. The party was in honor of the visiting mayor from Malasiqui, Pangasinan, Philippines. The mayor could not get his visa on time for the yearly Malasiqui party. Thus, he is visiting during the summer.

To reserve the spot, members of the organization was present at the picnic site at 6 o'clock in the morning of a Saturday. Yup, you can bet that he missed the Saturday morning cartoon shows. But, the FOOD!!!! The great characteristic of Pin@ys is that they know how to eat. Whether they bring catered food, or they make it themselves, or they make it on the spot, you can be rest assured that the food will be delicious.

I did not get to eat too much because I spoke with a cousin of the SO's who is getting married in a year. I had to give the college advice.

The next party, was a babyshower for one of the cousin-in-laws. The baby is due in one month. Mother and child are doing well. This will be the third child for the grandparents who also happen to be our ninong and ninang.

Now, for the great part…THE FOOD!!! Food like that is usually reserved for the binyag. But, we got lechon, kare-kare (made for me, I would like to think), spicy bagoong, sisig, and lumpiang shanghai. Wooohee!!!! For dessert, fruit salad, puto and buko salad. Can you feel your arteries hardening yet?

Now the last party was a birthday party for Tuhan. Tuhan is my money group teacher as well as the SO's martial arts master. Tuhan turned 50 this year and that is why there was a bash. Tuhan has created a community through his life. It's an amazing community filled with very interesting and very special people. In a lifetime, a person would be lucky to meet two or three of these people. Tuhan had close to fifty of them in his house.

Perhaps my favorite part of the ceremony was the promotion of Tuhan's students. The first hint was when the SO and others were asked to break boards and concrete blocks. Then as Tuhan prayed over the first set of students, I understood the transformations occurring.

The SO said that it was great that she had five years before becoming GURA in the Kamatuuran School of Kali. As a novice, there are no responsibilities, no care and no expectations. But as a GURA or GURO, the expectations and the responsibilities begin.

Woke up at 8AM. We slept at 3AM. Whew!!!

My Lovely Sam Soon

I am in the midst of watching My Lovely Sam Soon. Check it out and get into Korean drama.

Visa Anyone?

Well, here it comes... I need to study and bone up on American history and English. I'm slated for an interview. After twenty plus years, I'm going to be naturalized as an American.

One of those things that I just never got around to doing. But since the SO wants to go to Europe, I better change my citizenship. I don't want the Europeans to think that I was a babysitter.

The Nature of Drama

There are a few places where I can buy or rent Asian movies. For the more mature selection, a store in Japantown is a select place. For the mainstream selection, a store in downtown Oakland. However, the video store in Oakland is only open during the weekdays up until five o'clock in the afternoon. Considering my work schedule, I just don't have a quick enough drive to get there. So I am left to going to the store on the weekends.

It is unnerving to go to a store where I don't understand the language. For the first times that I went, I always felt like I did not belong. But after a while, I realize that the color of money is a beautiful way of communicating with store owners. Make sure you buy stuff and pretty soon you belong.

I had not been in the Oakland store for at least a year. I stopped going when I realized the magic of netflix and dvd rentals. There was also Blockbuster sales on movies. But as I mentioned previously, I had been bitten by the Korean drama or Goong. So on a Sunday, off I went to downtown Oakland.

The saleslady made an interesting comment to me as I surveyed the movies. She was recommending the later Korean dramas because the earlier ones did not end happily. The characters usually had cancer or died and so the resolution of the drama was unhappiness. But the later ones are now having happy endings. Like Cinderella.

And this got me to thinking about our lives. Do we choose to emphasize the sadness or do we choose happiness. I know that for my part, I have begun choosing happiness. How about you?

Friday in July 2006

This week, there were some opportunities in the law firm. A lot of personnel movement occurred over the last two weeks such that opportunities abounded. I had to take advantage so I had to dust off my old time resume. Being content in my current position, it was difficult to get myself to fire up the resume builder. However, though I am indebted to my current boss for saving me from the hell that was the photofinishing store, I still have to take care of the family. So, after lounging around watching youtube.com for Korean dramas and variety shows, I hit the resume builder.

There were good and bad news. The resume got through the first level screen. However, it was "late" because by the time I had submitted, the internal period had passed by. Teached me a lesson. If you really want that spot, get your gear on. Ironically enough, buying the DVD for Goong served as my motivation for finishing the resume. At least now, my resume is in 80% tip-top shape.

I am addicted to Korean dramas. They are high value productions with excellent storylines. The translations are iffy, but I get to understand it in a round-about way.

The current one I am watching is Goong. A drama about a nineteen year old woman who becomes a crown princess in Korea. Perhaps I like it because I am a romantic at heart. I love seeing mushy love stories. Perhaps I wish that I was a charmer during high school. More debonair. More assured of myself. But then, what would be my price if I were like that? Would I have been married at the age of 19?

Ahh, the choices in life.

Phalluses Waving in the Air

Howie Severino helps Ramon Obusan document little known pre-Spanish and Hindu-Malay tradition.

I laughed when I read that the waving of phalluses was considered masturbation. Hehehe.

I have Goong!!!!

Yes! I have obtained the DVD 10 disc set of Goong as a prize for cleaning the refrigerator on Monday evening. It also serves as a part prize because I updated the dear old resume. Gotta keep looking you know.

Paper Airplanes

During 6th Grade in LSQC, we made paper airplanes. The goal was to get it across the street, approximately 300 feet away.

Best Paper Airplanes

Goong a Korean Drama

Over the weekend, I was entertained by youtube.com, a service that shows films/movies over the internet.

While looking for silly Japanese game shows, I stumbled across a Korean game show populated by Korean actors and singers. I was fascinated by the fact that the actors and singers allow themselves to be the subject of ridicule and fun. This is vastly different from American royalty. More than that, it required said actors and singers to be WITTY. This is something that Americans do not necessarily have.

One game requires a person to ask a question, and the other person must say "Of course." This often led to confessions of true love to the other person. Showing one's genunine feelings for another person is quite touching. In one episode, a female singer mentioned how she wanted to get to know another singer. In ten minutes, she explained her obsession/crush and it was complete with tears.

Absolutely attentive television!

One of the results is a television drama called Goong. Go check it out.