MY SMALL DAILY VICTORIES

I finally got all my real estate taxes paid yesterday.

I also sent a billing notice to a client and was able to follow up the status of a payment of another.

For most of the day, I read articles on Coaching and browsed the internet for readily available Powerpoints that would give me ideas on how to package the Coaching Program I was to run for a third client.

I bought a new set of strings for my Seagull acoustic guitar and replace the old ones.

Before going to bed I was able to layout a couple of pages of a Photobook of our latest trip to the USA.

Being in a state of semi-retirement, it's very easy to just settle for a sedentary way of life which I've learned firsthand  is not healthy after all.

These little victories...of getting things done...have been very satisfying and have made me feel my day's been worth it.

NOW IF ONLY I HAD STOPPED LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION AND STARTED WRITING...

About 5 years ago when I was still trying to figure out what I wanted to do differently with my life after leaving the Corporate world, I bought a $100 package from Only 72, which supposedly sold a thousand bucks worth of knowledge and instruction to get one started in pursuing one's passion.

One of the links led me to the Barefoot Writer,which in gist would make one a home-based copywriter and earn thousands of dollars in the process.  The idea was very appealing except that I did not do anything about it.

So, if I had just been diligent in following the process they recommended...which was to JUST WRITE!... maybe I would really have earned some money from writing by now.

The plus side to this though was that I did pursue my passion for drawing and illustrating, which has paid for some bills...but not enough to support a lifestyle.

Malcolm Gladwell,in his book The Outliers, mentioned that it needed 10,000 hours (approximately 10 years) to be really great at something to get noticed.  I've "burned" approximately 5,000 already...but what's good about life is that I can start all over.

Maybe this time around I'll just throw myself at it...and not waste time looking for inspiration...as it will just come as i go along.

THANKS FOR THE LAUGHS

We were huddled outside our friend's apartment,freezing our butts in the cold South Korean weather whlie we waited  for another friend Mitz to enter the digital code that would allow her to open the door.  But instead of turning the knob, she hesitated as if waiting for something.

"Hey, that door's not going to dispense money! Open it!" I said, and everyone around broke into laughter.

And I think that's what people thank me for...that I can make them laugh when the moment calls for it.

DOODLING MEMORIES FROM MY CHILDHOOD: the '60s

I recently turned 60.  Growing up, I never gave much thought to ageing, retirement and "what would life be when I'm old?"  Guess I was too preoccupied with raising a family,pursuing a career in management and making sure I had enough money to see my kids through a decent College Education.  But now that  I'm in a state of "semi-retirement," (in which I don't have a regular job but taking on projects to keep an income stream going, ) I find myself having a lot of time reminiscing about how my life has been.  In a moment of inspiration I decided I would try to capture those memories and images of my childhood growing up in the '60's specially...where I felt that the world was really "perfect."  Thankfully, I found websites that had pictures of landmarks and "iconic" samples ( i.e., ads,appliances,cartoons etc.) representative of that era.  Using these as references, i was able to come up with a DOODLE ART piece which I entitled: " THE '60S IN MY MIND"

MY DAILY BRUSH WITH LIFE: VIETNAM TOON TRAVELOGUE DAY 2

Finally! Got to finish this drawing that had been in the backburner for months!

MY DAILY BRUSH WITH LIFE: HO CHI MINH TRAVELOGUE PART 1

Here's the cartoonized version of Day 1 of our 2 day stay in Saigon.

MY DAILY BRUSH WITH LIFE: SIEM REAP TRAVELOGUE EPISODE 5

MY DAILY BRUSH WITH LIFE: SIEM REAP TRAVELOGUE EPISODE 4

MY DAILY BRUSH WITH LIFE: SIEM REAP EPISODE 3

A very much delayed posting of our Siem Reap Toon Travelogue

MY DAILY BRUSH WITH LIFE: SIEM REAP TOON TRAVELOGUE: EPISODE 2

Our first day consisted of eating our first Khmer lunch (Amok fish included), checking in at Casa Angkor, taking the Tonle Sap Lake tour, eating Lotus seeds,spending on jewellery at City Gems, then having dinner at Cambodian BBQ at Pub Street. Finally, a Tomb Raider cocktail to cap the day.

MY DAILY BRUSH WITH LIFE: SIEM REAP TOON TRAVELOGUE EPISODE 1

June 7

I went on trip to Siem Reap,Cambodia with my wife Jaja and her friends: Maribel Aglipay,who brought along daughter, Mariel; Grace Buencamino and son Brian aka Mikki, and Maya Banez,who went on her lonesome. 

We took a PAL plane to Ho Chi Minh City for our connecting flight (Vietnam Airlines VN 810) to Siem Reap. Unfortunately, the girls at the PAL counter didn't ask any of us about checking our baggage through to Cambodia. So when we arrived at Ho Chi Minh, we were told, at first, that we had to go through Immigrations,get our baggage, then check-in again at the Transit Counter.

Of course, we would not have any of this, so Grace,the more seasoned traveller, asked the Vietnam Airlines supervisor to help us out.

Fortunately for us, the Vietnam Airlines counter crew did. They located our baggage then checked these in for us.

After a 45 minute flight, we arrived at the beautiful,Khmer - themed Siem Reap International airport,where we met up with our Tour Guide, Mr. Hol Ny and our driver, Mr. Mum.

Thus, began our magical, mystery tour at Siem Reap.

Of course, I saw it from a different perspective.

So here's the first of The Lighter Side of our Siem Reap tour.