MUSINGS ON GRADUATION DAY

Yesterday, my second son James graduated from High School. I didn't pay much attention during the ceremonies,which consisted mainly of presentation of awards to achievers in the academic and non-academic fields. I guess my behavior was understandable because James wasn't going to receive any medals or plaques.

I'm sure that if he had only excelled in academics and was going to receive medals,Jaja and I would have been very attentive. I could not help but mention to her that when I was in elementary,High School and College,my parents,specially Mommy,was probably on top of the world seeing her son going up the stage to receive recognition and even deliver Valedictory addresses (since I was class valedictorian in High School and College.)

Jaja jokingly asked how come none of our kids inherited our abilities. I pointed out to her that we did have Tasha who got medals...only it was in the field of athletics and not academics!

I replied that if we had really wanted them to excel in academics,then we should have spent more of our time supervising their studies and driving them to achieve like my Mom did to me. But,I pointed out (maybe as an excuse...or maybe out of experience),I didn't want to push them at the expense of them not enjoying their childhood.

I also remarked that from my own experience with my batchmates,it wasn't really the brightest who turned out to be the richest and most successful in life. There are in fact many from my Bedan batchmates who were not in the star section but are now rich individuals because of either business savvy, sales acumen or just plain hard work and luck! On the whole,though most of us who were above average performers did well in life and are living in comfort, some of our brightest are struggling.

Personally, I have very high hopes for James in spite of the fact that he almost didn't pass high school and doesn't show the flair for academics that his siblings show. I even predict he will be the richest among them mainly because of his business sense and people relations skills.

Yesterday, when his name was called, there was a big round of applause. When we asked him why, he said it was probably because his photo,which was projected on screen looked funny. But I would like to believe it was also because he was so popular with many in his batch!

Time will tell whether I am right or I am wrong. Maybe I'll have the answer when I'm finally driving my BMW and basking in the Caribbean courtesy of my rich son, James...the son who almost failed High School...but made it with honors in the school of life.

AN OLD DOG LEARNING NEW TRICKS

During the past week I've been using Adobe Photoshop to include faces of ex-Juvenists who joined our grand reunion but weren't included in the group photo. After learning thru experience I finally finished "Photoshopping in" 12 people and it didn't look bad. I asked my daughter to pinpoint those I had added and she missed about 4 so I must have done a convincing job.

I've also experimented on using the other Photoshop tools to create a poster of my son James playing bass guitar. This time around I intend to learn all the possibilities I can create using this fantastic software. I'll even extend the learning to using Adobe Illustrator for the SBC Souvenir Program.

I'm getting excited about learning something new...and something creative at that! It really proves that "old dogs" can still learn new tricks. I guess it depends if one thinks he's an old dog or not.

THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGING

Just read some announcements recently coming from JFC Corporate about the changes taking place in the Jollibee organization.

Gina Navarette is moving to Red Ribbon as its GM,and Erwin somebody (I haven't met him) is replacing her as Greenwich CEO. (That should get some tongues waggling!)

People have also been identified for different posts in the new Finance organization and the newly formed Jollibee Worldwide services group,the Shared Services arm of JFC. Ces Landicho has been named the head or Team Leader of the Training Services group.

I'm still just a spectator to all these changes since I'm technically not an employee anymore of Jollibee. I am concerned of course, because I feel the changes are happening too fast and maybe...just maybe a lot is being left to chance by the think tanks of this project.

Maybe I'm becoming a "writer and critic who criticizes with (my ) pen" as Bob Dylan puts it. I just hope the transition works out for the company I can't help but love because I helped build it! I just hope the individuals running the show are not intiating the change for change's sake..(or worse...for their own personal glory.)

Time will tell. But I'm just preparing myself...just in case my services will be needed...to troubleshoot things in case they make a mess of things! Ha! Wouldn't RDR be vindicated after all!

"Blessed are the meek...for they shall humble the mighty!";-)

TRANSITIONS atbp

I got an email last Friday from a friend saying she has found her "significant other" (S.O. in today's lingo) and that we,her close friends,keep this a secret in the meantime.

I know what she's been through and I do wish this relationship works out well for her and her growing daughter's sakes.

It just made me realize how people are going through transitions everyday and the way we handle those transitions really make an impact on future outcomes.

Take Tasha for instance. She competed last Saturday in the International School Goodwill Gymnastics Competition at the new IS facility at Global City. Jaja and I recounted Tasha's first IS competition when she was about 6 years old. She didn't win anything then but she made a resolve then to do better. Now, almost seven years later she is competing at the highest category...the Open category. Since there were only two of them competing,they were both assured of medals. But,looking back,if Tash had been discouraged after that first experience she would not have even gotten this far.

This past week I've been obsessed about getting things on my "to do" list done. One of them was to learn Adobe Photoshop. First, though I had to be able to load the software onto my PC. I had borrowed pirated copies from Marketing but wasn't able to install it because of an activation security code. Yesterday, I bought another pirated version hoping I could finally get it going in my PC. Turns out I only needed to install a "crack" code and it worked.

My realization: if I really put my mind and heart to something I want done...it gets done. Now, I'm another step closer to achieving something I wrote on my list.

Bench pressing 160 lbs.,is another item on my list that will soon be crossed out by June.

Because of these small successes I'm now putting my mind and heart to:

a) Organizing the tour to the USA for my family and ex-Juvenists
b) Setting up websites for my own family and the Oranditan which will feature a composite photo of the Mendoza Progeny from Lolo & Lola Iqui to the latest additions.
c) Being able to play the acoustic solo version of the Beatles' "In My Life" which became our Reunion's theme song

A CLAMOR FOR THE NEXT R&R

Recently,there have been email exchanges in our ex-Juvenate egroup about the next R&R. I participated in the discussion expressing my view that a reunion in the United States would be a great idea. I know for a fact that there are quite a number of ex-Juvenists who have migrated to the States and who would probably want to reconnect with other brother Juvenists if only the reunion were held there.

Today Bobby Demigillo sent an email saying that Fr. Ron Murray had just returned to Mariposa after having been hospitalized for...of all things...chickenpox! But the reality that at anytime anyone of us can go is being recognized by the now aging ex-J's...so maybe that's why there's a clamor to have a reunion more often (while everyone is still alive.)

I sent a message that assuming everyone stays healthy,then we ought to have a Grand Golden Jubilee of the Juvenate in 2011. That would be 50 years from the time the frist Juvenate was opened in Baclaran. It's not far off...just 5 more years!

Meantime, I suggested we hold more get togethers to plan for this big event and to also look for more ex-Juvenists so next time around there will be more of us reliving the good ole' Juvenate days.

NEW MILESTONES

My only daughter, and youngest child,Natasha Marie, graduated from elementary at St. Paul's College,Pasig last Saturday. Two weeks from now,my second son, James Benedict will also be graduaing from High School at Lourdes School Mandaluyong. So this year is a banner year for producing graduates as far as the Millbrae Mendoza's is concerned.

So next year,I will have two kids in College and one in High School. How time has really flown! Or is it really that the kids have grown so fast!

It seemed like only yesterday that I was accompanying my kids to their respective classrooms to attend their first day in school. Then, I was more concerned about whether they'd like school and by any chance, also excel in school like I did.

TJ, my eldest cried during his first day in nursery school. He did pretty well in elementary,sometimes finding himself in the Top Ten of his class, and sometimes doing pretty well in extra-curricular activities,like his famous "Dirty Hands" elocution competition. He didn't have any problems in High school though he could have done better. There were ups and downs in College all because he can't get himself to focus on his studies. But, in a year he'll be finishing College hopefully.

James,enjoyed nursery school...passed elementary grades without really studying hard(that's why we called him "The Amazing James") and just barely made it through High School.

Tasha,surprised us all.She only had several months of nursery and made it to Kinder at St. Paul's. Then considering she was into gymnastics she still managed to do good in school.

So whether they'll like school and survive is moot and academic now.They've all shown that they can pass the grade...although none of them really excelled academically.

Now,it seems my concern is how soon will they be able to finish College and be able to fend for themselves.

I can't wait for the next milestones in my kids' lives.

MY TOP TWENTY MOST MEMORABLE R & R MOMENTS

Watching the videos of our Grand reunion that Tom Borja shared over YouTube brought me back to the event and got me recollecting what for me were the top twenty "most memorable" moments.

20. When we (Edwin Guevara, Gerry Luistro & I) put up the humongous photo backdrop that showed the Juvenate and it looked like the building had been resurrected.

19. Seeing the USA and other internationals happy with their experience and hearing from them that it was worth their trip.

18. Getting the picture of OMPH as a token of appreciation from the guys.

17. Trading stories with the batch of 67 & other guys after the "Tribute" program

16. Being able to announce that 51 participants out of 57 expected showed up for the Reunion.

15. Fr. Reg's "Tink you!Tink you" & his formal announcement of Chito Desuasido's being a graduate.

14. Fr. Ron Murray singing the "Green Green Grass of Home"

13. Jorge Emmanuel's "You are being honored" skit

12. Gerry Luistro's & Jorge Emmanuel's recitation of Lord Byron's poem'There was a sound of revelry by night..." Jorge still knew every line of it!

11. The meals that were highly appreciated specially the buffet and the Casa Rap lunch

10. Clem Bautista's speech and his choking at the memory of his co-teachers and his experiences in the Juvenate.

9. The group photos session. The weather held up until we were done with all the groups.Then it rained!

8. The closure that individuals shared during the Get To Know You Night

7."Because of you I was able to write speeches for 3 Presidents,Cardinals etc." Archie Inlong paying tribute to Fr Reg during the intro night.

6.The sign of peace during the Day 2 Mass

5. The response after the showing of the "Back to the Juvenate" video

4. Fr. Reg Ahearn's "Was it a waste of time?" sermon during the Mass

3. Tied for 3rd: Fr Reg Ahearn's arrival( it was like a celebrity had just arrived!) & Fr. Nonie's the "catalog" faux pas which Fr. Reg corrected..& got laughs during the Day1 lunch

2. Merienda (Day 1) I was seated at table with Fr. Nick Abella, Lito Palapal,Joe Vergara,Rodel Macasaet & we were just exchanging stories like it was during Juvenate days...no boundaries of seniority.What was memorable was the most senior(Joe Vergara 1961) and the most Junior(Rodel 1975) were seated together.

1. "Joe Vergara is that you?"

"Nonie, its me Nick"

"Bobby Castro!" followed by a smile...a handshake or an embrace...

---for me this was the essence of the R&R.

"Long lost brothers" seeing each other after a long time and still recognizing each other...

...the embrace was like once again"embracing one's past."

...when I saw a lot of this in Day 1, I knew the reunion was already a success!

GOALS FOR THE SHORT TERM

I figured that I have a lot of time to fill in nowadays so I'm setting some short-term goals for myself (achievable within 3 months) so I will check if I've achieved these by June 15.

1. HEALTH: V-tapered look (160 lbs.) 39 in chest;31-32" waist; 15-16" guns; bigger calves &
forearms; Bench press; 160 lbs
2.WEALTH: Regularly make 3% in AMWAY or better;Additional 300K savings=2.5M
3. Learned Adobe Photoshop
4. Mastered use of my CanonA620 & taken portraits/creative shots using it
5. Developed & posted the Millbrae Mendoza webpage
6. Completed 50% of drawings for the SBC Souvenir Program
7. Read new books
8. Painted the Creation mural
9. Fixed the files/documents
10. Renewed my passport & outlined a plan for travel to the USA

TAKING MYSELF TO THE EDGE & OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE

I invested 100K in a 1 year time deposit this morning. My relationship banker, Claire Guiao, suggested I invest it in a mutual fund (much of which I couldn't really understand) but when she said the words I could understand:"no guarantee on the principal...risk of the principal" my reaction was to be risk averse again and just go with the low risk but low return time deposit.

The story of my life, I guess.

I don't know if when someone writes my biography the basic theme would be:"His life was predictable...and boring." And it would be true because unlike others my age, I've basically kept to a safe pattern of existence, and not thrown caution to the wind & done crazy things one reads about in novels.

I've not travelled on a backpack or hiked mountains or lived on the edge. Nor have I planned many vacation trips with the kids because my first priority has always been about saving money for the rainy day.

Not that I have not had my thrills...but I wonder what it would be like to just live it up a little!

UPDATING MY LIST OF GOALS & SOME OTHER THOUGHTS

The saying that "Life is short" was brought to fore last week when one of the members of our San Beda egroups,Simon "Tos"Santos Jr.,died of a heart attack. I think he was 52 or 53 years old. He left behind a wife and 6 kids.

It got me thinking about the hypothetical question:"What would you do if you knew this was going to be your last day?" There were a lot of things I wanted to do which I wished I could do in my lifetime. So one thing led to the other and it ended up with me looking at my list of goals and ticking off those I had already accomplished (e.g the Reunion of ex-Juvenists) & adding new ones.

Added to my list were those about improving my skills and potentials...like learning Adobe Photoshop,going back to my hobbies & interests (like photography, illustrating) ,to new sports: like aikido.

I also wrote down additional places I would like to visit (like the Bahamas,Rio de Janeiro) for a romantic weekend or an enjoyable vacation with the kids. Just imagining myself achieving these was enough to get me excited and alive again.

I know the only thing blocking me from getting these things done were my own mental blocks and the amount of money at hand.

But as I've already experienced time and again,if I really put my mind and heart to it,the resources seem to just come.

SOME OTHER THOUGHTS:

A funny thought just came to mind while I was thinking about why remain faithful to one wife. What is the promise in heaven for this? I thought maybe, the reward would be that because I was willing to put aside my sexual urges (and not to sleep with the women I've been attracted to) and be faithful to Jaja...perhaps in heaven, my reward would be I get to sleep with all those women with no guilt at all & have the most wonderful sex everyday!

How about those poor Islamic suicide bombers? I heard they were promised 72 virgins in heaven if they die for their faith. An idea for a cartoon would be to show that the virgins they were going to make love to are old spinsters or fat women...after all, Mohammed did not really qualify what these virgins would look like!

THE 2006 EX-JUVENATE GRAND REUNION AND ITS AFTERMATH

Finally, the Grand Reunion of Ex-Juvenists, which had taken over a year of planning and only about three weeks of "fast -paced - sleepless night worrying- last minute cramming" preparations, pushed through last February 17 to 19 at the Redemptorist Retreat Center in Lipa City. Judging from the accolades, but much more, from the "wish we had more time" sentiment of the reunionists, all in all it was a huge success...and well worth all the trouble.

Fr. Reg Ahearn,who came all over from Australia to attend the reunion, said so himself in an email sent to the group."It was worth the trip from Australia."

Having been in the thick of the preparations for this "once in a lifetime event", I can only conclude that really, if God wants something to happen...then it will! And from what I experienced, heaven and earth will cooperate to make God's wish come true!

For how can I explain why almost mysteriously,the work load at the office seemed to be at its lightest...allowing me a lot of time to think and plan out the details of the reunion.

How come,providentially I may say, Fr. Ernie turns out to be the Rector of the Retreat House and he makes it available for all of us as the venue for the reunion?

Was it by some unseen design that the Chowking Conventions, which I regularly host, were two weeks apart of each other allowing me to be present at the reunion which was sandwiched in between?

If I push the questioning further and see things "in the light of faith" then I understand there was a reason why certain things happened in the past. For example:

1) Among the reunion organizers,I was one of those who stayed in the Juvenate the longest and was right smack in the middle of the Juvenate's life span. Therefore,I knew a lot of the older groups and also knew those who entered much later in the 1970's before the Juvenate closed down. I became the "logical" choice as coordinator of the reunion.

2) This is the eerie part. Years back when I was in Theology and based in Antipolo, I came across a lot of old photos and negatives lying about one of the elevator shafts of the Juvenate. many of the photos had been ruined by rain and the negatives had been left in utter neglect. I recognized many of these photos because I had arranged them in a Juvenate photo album when I was in 2nd year high. For some strange reason, I retrieved all that were still good and kept them in a photo album.

When the ex-Juvenate egroups was born and time came to share photos of the past, I had a lot of these photo memories to share because of a chance occurrence in the past!

3) Even Fr. Reg's presence was a God send. He was originally scheduled to be in the Philippines in October,2005 but could not make it because of a change of plans. However, because of this he was now more available this time around to attend the reunion in February.

4) Even the weather cooperated! During our group picture taking,there was threat of rain. But it turned out perfect for taking photos...no squinting of faces...no light streaking on camera lenses...just the right amount of haze. Then after we were done, that's when the rains fell. And it provided us just the right amount of coolness while we enjoyed our lunch at Casa Rap!

What did I get out of the Reunion? After all, I was so busy attending to the details that make for the perfect show, that I didn't really get to reconnect with everyone as I would have wanted.

But looking back, I did get my personal rewards from the experience.

One, of course, were the words of "thanks" from the reunionists specially those who hadn't seen each other for a very long time, and now got in touch because of the reunion.

Then, there were the smiles, the never ending laughter,the banter among old friends,the recollections...

There was a point during the afternoon of Day 1 when I was sitting at table with Lito Palapal, Fr Nick Abella, Joe Vergara and Rodel Macasaet, enjoying afternoon coffee and Elmo's pan de sal while exchanging stories. It was just like the Juvenate days when seniors would sit with juniors and be comfortable with each other. What was significant about that scene was we had the "oldest" member (Manong Joe) and the "latest" (in Rodel Macasaet) seated together,and behaving as if they were old friends. The only common bond each one had was we once lived in the Juvenate,though at different time periods.

Sadly, the reunion had to end. But what an ending! We were able to give tribute to Fr. Ron and Fr. Reg, who both got into the spirit of things by cracking us up with jokes and anecdotes. Then as we alway ended our gathering during Juvenate days, we sang the "Salve regina" and got Fr. Reg's & Fr. Ron's blessing.

It's been over a week since the R&R and I'm getting back to my daily grind.Before the event when preparations were at its height, I was all keyed up and sharp...visualizing what was to happen in my mind's eye. No wonder that after the reunion, I felt so tired that when I got to Boracay for our Franchisee's Convention I had a very deep and restful nap.

I miss the action and like the others wish we had more time..but maybe it was right we didn't overextend to the point that we would have wanted to get home away from each other.

The sentiment now is that we ought to continue keeping in touch...keep the flame alive. The northern Americans are planning something hopefully in Las Vegas.

God willing...that if it pushes through..I'd like to be part of that get together...not as an organizer but as a participant this time!

51 YEARS YOUNG AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT 50!

Yesterday I turned 51! When I was younger I never imagined how I'd look like at 50 years plus...I was so engrossed at being young and solving the problems of the world I didn't think it important to visualize how I'd look when I'm old.

Good thing I didn't because when I look at myself in the mirror, I don't look like your typical 50 year old. Thanks to a regimen of exercise and diet and clean living, I think I managed to turn back ageing some notch back.

I read Late Lifer's recent blog on how at 83 + he's still engaged in active work. I guess that's the secret..never to retire and not to think I can't learn new skills and new tricks. Furthermore, I have the advantage of experience.

I still have a lot to look forward to in the next 50 years after all!

NOW ISN'T THE FUTURE THAT WE PICTURED IT TO BE...BUT ITS PRETTY CLOSE

Just read an interesting blog from Mike Wieringo. He was born in 1963 (just 8 years younger than me) and when he was growing up, his images of Year 2000 was of flying cars and stuff we probably saw in Star Wars.

He makes an interesting point: what made terrific advancements in technology was not about the way we travel but the way we communicate!There aren't too many flying cars around but boy are there so many ways to bring someone who's in another part of the world right to your living room!

When I was a kid, Dick Tracy was a popular showing on TV. I was quite fascinated by his wristwatch communicator. Some toy manufacturer once offered it on the market but I never got to have one. Many years later, Samsung came up with something like Dick Tracy's watch...which just goes to show that if you can imagine it...it can come true.

Then,the sci-fi series on TV (Star Trek,Lost In Space) always showed futuristic families dressed in tight fitting costumes. They also ate food that came in the form of pills. The dress hasn't caught up but if you look at all the food supplements available in the market today, you wonder if the writers of these TV shows had a gift of predicting the future.

I still have yet to come face to face with aliens who are out to conquer the earth. (This was how the future state of earth was often depicted by these futuristic shows. ) When you come to think of it though...their vision of what today would be like comes pretty close!

HERE'S TO A BRAND NEW YEAR!

New Year 2006 didn't come in with as much BANG! as previous New Years. It's understandable considering that prices of fireworks have really gone up.

For instance, for P 2,750, I bought myself imported pyrotechnics that just fit into one plastic bag! And it was only good for about 5 minutes worth of fireworks display.

The noise around our place also didn't last long. By 1:00 AM there weren't too many explosions from fireworks anymore, unlike in the past when this would go on up to almost 2 AM.

As I have been doing every New year, I updated my diary and browsed thru my entries of the past year. Reflecting on 2005, I was thankful that I survived a difficult year. The country was in a political & economic mess. Our company suffered some setbacks but in the end, we pulled through with a sales performance that was better than expected. In spite of plans that would put my job in jeopardy, I got my contract renewed.

2005 to me will be remembered as the year I turned 50. Although I didn't really feel a year older, my body started experiencing aches and pains that just told me I am not as young as I used to be.

I will also remember 2005 as the year for reconnecting with my past. This is mainly because I got in touch with former colleagues in the seminary at least thru the internet. Now, we're looking forward to February when we will actually see each other in a Grand Reunion. Then just recently, I had a reunion with my former Jollibee staff.

My work has not been as hectic as before, since much of my workload has been taken by somebody else (e.g. the FSC Update.) I also started getting more involved in matters not related to the Training function (e.g. sitting in during discussions about concepts for advertisements.)

I look forward to 2006 with a more optimistic mindset. The furor over an inept President will soon die down and we will get down to the business of building the economy.

I plan to keep making myself better as a person and making a contribution to making the world around me better. I plan to achieve the following goals I have on my list:

1. Organize a successful Grand reunion of former Juvenists and our formators this February.
2. Complete the payments for our house by the end of January.
3. Achieve significant growth in my second income stream (Amway) and start getting checks from this.
4. Attain my dream physique from my bodybuilding efforts.( Wide shoulders, full chest, blasting guns, size 31" waist,proportionate legs and calves) Bench: 160 lbs.
5. Travel to USA with the kids (See Disneyland, be in touch with our relatives there)
6. Reach 2M mark in savings & investments by June 2006 and be within range of 3 M by end of the year. (I should be in the other room at the Citibank office)
7. Illustrate pages for the Juvenate Souvenir Program & the San Beda Reunion Program. I should have developed skill in the use of Corel Draw or Adobe Photoshop.
8. I will have seen Tasha and james Graduate from Elementary & High School respectively.
9. I should have installed more traditions for building the family: Date Night every Friday, and Kids One-One every week.
10. Achieved something spectacular!

A LESSON ON LEARNING & A REFLECTION ON AN "OPRAH" FEATURE

I've been meeting lately with a former colleague from the seminary, Tito Alcala. He's got a very successful design and ad services company and listening to him and his stories of how he grew his com pany, I picked up a lesson on what it means to be continually learning.

Tito goes around different countries picking up the latest technologies and trends in advertising. Then he goes ahead and tries to bring the technology in or adapt it to the local needs. He does not seem to be afraid of failing because even if a concept does not click he has learned and is ahead of everyone else in the learning curve!

That's an insight I'm going to apply...never fear failure because you learn something from it.

I watched Oprah yesterday and she featured women who were once successful and confident but "let go",i.e., gave up on life somehow and started looking and feeling miserable! All of them went from gorgeous to fat and looking at them now, I just couldn't help but feel pity for them.

Their reasons for "giving up" were varied (some even gave up because they had to raise their kids and family first)...but common to all was they somehow lost their self-esteem and with it their drive for life.

Another example of how mindset and attitude can change and turn one from being a winner to a loser.

THE ORIGIN 0F THANKSGIVING CELEBRATIONS & COUNTING MY BLESSINGS

I read from Early To Rise an account of Benjamin Franklin on how the whole idea of Thanksgiving got started. In a nutshell,the Pilgrims once made it a habit of fasting during Thanksgiving,but this usually got them in a depressing mood. So one of their members who had a lot of common sense suggested they celebrate instead of fast! That got everyone in a better frame of mind so the practice of celebrating stuck. I guess they took it a lot of their depression on the turkeys!

The article recommended that we count our blessings so I thought I'd list mine:

1. I'm alive & so far God has blessed me with good health
2. I'm loved by my wife & kids
3. I've got the proverbial roof over my head,clothes on my back & food to eat
4. I've got a job.
5. I've got friends.
6. I've got dreams I want to fulfill.
7. There are things that get me excited like the prospect of new business & earning more.
8. I have been blessed with talents.
9. I've got money in the bank,
10. The kids are in school & they are doing relatively well.
11. I have accomplished some things in my list of things to do in my lifetime.
12. I've managed to reconnect with people in my past.
13. I know I've influenced certain things/events & have mde a difference & contribution to society.
14. I have become a better person than what I was before.
15, I am at peace with myself.
16. I am hopeful and am looking forward to more exciting opportunities in life (dreams of travel. making more money, being happy)
17. I am able to laugh at myself.
18. My brain's working fine.
19. I still look & feel good for a man of fifty!
20. I still have good sex!
21. I don't worry much about much nowadays!
22. I am able to appreciate the little gifts I receive in life & thank God for them.

LEARNING THE MAGIC QUESTION

I read a piece from "Early To Rise" about a guy who admitted that 14 years ago he was at his lowest point but made a breakthrough by learning what he calls the magic question:"What's the Worst Thing That Could Happen If I did this?"

By asking the question he got rid of his own psychological barriers that prevented him from realizing his dreams (one of which was to be a ballroom instructor.) Once the barriers were out of the way the living of the dreams was easier.

I realized this (being afraid of failing) was what has been holding me back about some of the unfulfilled dreams I've had like: my hit song...my million peso business...vacation trips.

Maybe I ought to un-block myself more so I can get more out of life!

MY ORIGAMI LEGACY

Last night, my daughter Tasha chanced upon an old book of mine on Origami while she was looking for some colored paper. She started working on one of the models (the jumping frog) but was stumped when she was folding the frog base. I helped her out a bit then after some time she showed me the finished product.

She didn't realize that it could be inflated until I showed her so. Since she had used paper that wasn't really for folding, the frog didn't jump as expected. So she made another one,this time using better quality paper and voila, she had a jumping frog.

Seeing her taking interest in something I used to do made me really feel wonderful inside.

This is one of the small rewards I get from being a parent!

IS LIFE ALL ABOUT BURSTING WITH ENERGY OR BEING AT PEACE?

Just had one of those profound thoughts while "meditating" in the john during my morning ritual. I visited my parents' graves yesterday and thought to myself that is this what beign brought into the world is all about? To finally just rest in peace?

As far as I can recall, my life (& everyone's life for that matter) has been about bursting with energy...movement...action...in getting the thrills & adrenaline rush...that is why we say one is alive!!! He moves...he breathes...he lives!!!

And yet I know there were moments in my life when I was just still...and felt most alive!!! These were during moments of prayer...of deep calm...of just sitting watching the sun set or taking in the majestic view of Nature...or just observing my kids or my wife while they were asleep.

I guess that's why they say there are always two sides to everything...for life is both about living as well as dying.

TIME TO STOP DREAMING & START DOING

My former College buddy,Jimmy Enriquez, sent a congratulatory message to all his downlines in the Amway business who had made it to the 3% to the Top Gun Category. Most were from Chowking and most had entered this business later than I did. Yet they've gone ahead to where I never even reached. So what made the difference?

They worked more than they dreamed...and instead of figuring out the obstacles they just went ahead and showed the plan or sold the products.

I, on the other hand, found excuses why I couldn't do it! The irony is that most of these people are from Operations...have 9-5 jobs while I'm supposed to have a freer schedule to grow my business.

So the moral lesson is: Stop figuring out & wishing...and start getting my nose to the grindstone!

But inwardly I really feel happy for Jimmy...he deserves to be rewarded for his hard work...now he's living his dream!