Back In Small Group

It's been awhile since I've been to a small group, and last Sunday I willed myself to get in touch w/ a small group for young professionals. It made me reminisce college days w/ buddies back home. I missed those times. I guess after 8 months of being here in Cebu it's time to establish new friendships and find a group I can feel at home with.

The group is taking up the book of Ephesians and we're talking about God's Amazing Grace. And indeed it is Amazing!

Thanks to the small group members for making me feel a bit at home - I'm still trying to get myself comfortable w/ everyone since I'm practically the newest member and I feel that you guys have known each other for months now.

Hope to blog more about the lessons we're learning together as a group in the coming weeks. Hope you have a blessed week!

Filipino eCommerce Industry Players? What does that mean?

Stumbled upon the blog post http://digitalfilipinoclub.blogspot.com/2009/06/cebu-digitalfilipino-club-bloggers.html, it posts:

The DigitalFilipino.com Club is organizing a fellowship/networking event where e-commerce industry players and bloggers can catch up and exchange updates. This will be on July 11, Saturday, 6 to 11 pm at the Teatro Casino, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino, 1st Salinas Drive Lahug, Cebu City.

Intrigued at the phrase "ecommerce industry players," I'll be taging along to a friend who is going the event.

I can't help but feel the phrase here is nothing more than marketing attempt and a positioning move. I'm sorry if I will offend these "ecommerce industry players", I really do not believe you are the e-commerce industry players that you are claimed to be.

But then again, that's why I'm going to the event. I want to know these "e-commerce industry players" and what exactly do they mean by "e-commerce".

And of course the free food and a bit of social networking. I guess these are these are also the key phrases that caught my attention. ;)

I Don't Belong Here

I know that the title of the song is Creep and this is by Radiohead.

When you were here before, Couldn't look you in the eye You're just like an angel, Your skin makes me cry You float like a feather In a beautiful world I wish I was special You're so fuckin' special But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo What the hell am I doin' here? I don't belong here I don't care if it hurts, I wanna have control I want a perfect body I want a perfect soul I want you to notice when I'm not around You're so fuckin' special I wish I was special But I'm a creep I'm a weirdo What the hell am I doin' here? I don't belong here, ohhhh, ohhhh She's running out again She's running out She run run run run... run... run... Whatever makes you happy Whatever you want You're so fuckin' special I wish I was special But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo What the hell am I doin' here? I don't belong here I don't belong here...

Untitled Prose 01?

Heart weeps at the harshness of love and life
disillusioned, wanting, wishing to retreat
to the blissful solitude of childlike ignorance

Warned, yet pursued, pushed, hoped, gave, love,
prayed only to be disenchanted

To bless or curse, it will also be received
Hoping to understand how things had come to
pass, an explaination is owed the very least

Soon I hope you shed me light for tonight
I retreat ever fragmented mending the wounds
of a heart in pieces

The Heart Wants What It Wants ...

I've got nothing else in mind and haven't posted anything for awhile so here's just another love quote I'd like to remember.

This is from a chick flick show that I watch.

"The heart wants what it wants, it forces us to act when reasons dictates otherwise, it tears down walls, breaches boundaries, and for better or worse, it leads us places that the head would never go" - Being Erica, Season 1 Episode 6

Chasing the Past, Stumbling on the Future

This is a little something I'd like to share to those who might stumble upon this post looking for materials or quotes about love.

Originally a dialogue from a tv series and rephrased them to expose the thought in another point of view.

More often than not, we fear to let go and let things come as they are. Let go, let live, and let love enrich your life.

"We are afraid of what comes next, we wanted to meet someone, and we want to fall in love but we know the risks that lead to love. They may cause us pain. It is the fear of that pain, that is what holds us back. It is what we need to let go of. And it's not a question of whether we can or whether we can't.

Taking a risk is like jumping of a cliff, it's a leap into the unknown with absolutely no guarantees. Because ultimately, we just have to decide, we have to choose, how we are going to be. We could spend the rest of our life caught up in the fear of inperfection or we could face it.

Take the leap and see what comes."

Thomas Nelson Book Review Blogger - Free Book

Here's a great find for book lover cum blogger!

Thomas Nelson publishing will be giving a free book to blogger who will read the Book, write a 200-word review and publish it on:

• the blogger's registered blog site
• and on any consumer retail website

One of the worthwhile names Thomas Nelson publishes is Max Lucado.

For more information about becoming a Thomas Nelson Book Review Blogger visit: http://brb.thomasnelson.com

Cathy's Wedding

Catherine "Wuz2x" called today! She's one of the few I considered close friends back in Cagayan de Oro City. And I felt somehow relevant to her life hearing her call me to be at her wedding.

Atz2x... I have every intention of attending your wedding, unfortunately, fortune is not shining upon me today. I might not be able to attend it but I'm sincerely hoping I could come home this coming Dec. 12, just so I could attend your wedding. I pray for a lifetime of happiness and a dream come true for you and Jason.

Cagayan de Oro Losing Call Center Talents. Talents???

Call Center workers are now called talents? Really? Seriously? I'm no walking dictionary or thesaurus but I'm pretty sure that being able to work in a call center is by no means a talent.

If you have any doubt what talent means, try looking it up in a dictionary. Try "googling" it even, it'll show that by no means there is an extra "ump" in the skill set of a person who works in that industry whereby it should be classified under talents.

I'm just shocked that this article comes from a national newspaper's online edition.

http://technology.inquirer.net/infotech/infotech/view/20081123-173916/Cagayan-de-Oro-losing-call-center-talent

If you are working in a call center it does not mean you are talented or a talent. But what does it mean then?

• It means you have enough aptitude to understand English and speak it (some in a scripted manner) to a degree where you are audible and/or understandable to its native speakers.
• It means you have enough patience to withstand some irate customers of the product or service the company you are working for is supporting.
• It means you have a job that will pay your bill, afford you some luxuries, and perhaps aid in your family's needs.

And with that, given outsourced service recession and inflation of prices, if another company offers a better deal in terms of compensation and/or opportunities. Small players - either by employee size or by compensation range - will really lose out on workers.

And no business is not fair, life will never be fair. Only those who haven't immersed themselves in the world would say so.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking down on call center agents, I'm merely ranting about what changing the meaning of the word talent would cost.

If you are a call center agent and you are reading this, it's great that working and earning, a lot of our fellow citizen are not or are earning less than what you are getting. Yet, I still believe that you are not compensated enough for the kind of job you have to do.

I just hope you don't think that your work requires a talent. Otherwise, we're soon going to have a national call center agent awards and call center celebrities?

Interesting Facebook Visualization

Facebook has a really great visualization of things that happen within the Facebook network as it happens.

They called it project Palantir based on a crystal ball like object from Lord of the Rings.

Visit project Palantir at http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=37403547074&ref=nf