TRAVELLING WITH MY FAVORITE COMPANION

Jaja and I celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary last October 8, and to reward ourselves for making it this far,we went to the US of A for a 3 week vacation. (November 2 to 22)

Week 1: November 2-8 - We landed at LAX on November 2 and stayed with an aunt in Baldwin Park. During this week we visited the Jollibee Headquarters at City of Industry,checked out the Desert Hills outlet malls in Cabazon, tasted Callaway wines in Temecula,toured Pasadena & Hollywood which included hotdogs at Pink's;strolled along the sidewalks of downtown LA, visited the Paul Getty Museum and Griffith Observatory and had a reunion with former colleagues from DAP.

Week 2: November 9-15 - We stayed with a friend at Oxnard. We played the slots at Chumash,passed by Solvang,caught glimpses of the seaside at Malibu. From Burbank airport we flew to Vegas where I had a reunion with my ex- seminarian buddies from November 10 -14. Jaja and I saw the sights and watched a Cirque du Soleil show ("O") at the Bellagio. Jaja won $55 at the slots. On November 14, we rode with one of the ex-seminarians to San Francisco where Jaja and I had a very romantic weekend. We stayed at the Comfort Inn by the Bay,had dinner with a former Jollibee colleague at the Hooters along Fisherman's Wharf; visited Sausalito, rode on a cable car and even walked the Crookedest Street in the world at Lombard.

Week 3: November 16 - 22 - We flew back to LA from San Francisco on November 17. During this last week, we stayed with relatives at West Hills, did some last minute shopping, toured the San Juan Capistrano and San Luis Rey Missions, had a reunion with classmate and ex-Marine Willy Santiago who brought us to Torrey Pines and La Jolla. Finally, we flew back to Manila on November 22.

It was but fitting that I went on this trip with someone who has travelled more than 25 years through life with me...my wife and favorite travelling companion, Jaja.

I wonder where we will go next time around??? Hmmm...Europe or...shall we get nekkid in the Bahamas!!!

PURSUING SOMETHING WITH A PASSION

I read a blog (manifesto) by Rajesh Setty recently on "how to distinguish yoursel" and he mentioned that people admire those who pursue things with a passion.

I looked back at my own life and realized there were things I pursued with a passion but I didn't pursue them passionately enough it seems...they were more like passionate flings...or passionate one night stands.

Let me see:
- there was my passion for aquatic fish---I even had a fish pond built!
- there was my Marvel Comics collection ---which unfortunately my mom burnt!
- there was my MAD magazine collection---which I still did until recently when the stuff they started writing wasn't funny anymore (most of the MAD artists have gone.)
- there was my origami hobby---which I'm still interested in but can't get myself to doing.
- there was my solo guitar playing (& recently Blues and Lead guitar)---which has died down.
- there was my interest in photography---which I still have now but not with such degree of intensity.
- there was my attempt at being more than your average magician---which I didn't pursue much after spending a lot on magic toys!
- there was my interest in juggling--which I stopped after succeeding in juggling 3 balls---the basic move!
- there was my interest in paper sculpture & origamic architecture---which I've never continued doing even though I still have the tools for doing it!
-I'm now interested in pursuing a business in farming and perhaps making a difference in sustainability efforts
-I'm also keen on getting my webcomics continuing online.

Obviously,what I need to do is focus my passion on something so that I become the best at it!

TRYING TO GET THAT FEELING AGAIN

I've been watching my Kitchen Nightmares DVD for the past two nights and have been entertained by Gordon Ramsay's kick-ass-tough-love approach to turning around ailing restaurants around the USA.

I know some of the episodes are staged to make for goof TV viewing but the true stories behind the made for TV reality are definitely true.

One common theme I noticed in these once successful restos gone bad is that the owners or the chefs have lost their passion for what they do. And when that happens,things start going downhill. So usually, one of Gordon's remedies is try to get the chefs or business owners to be passionate about what they do...even if he has to use the "F" word on them over and over again just to light some fire in them.

It just got me thinking about myself. What am I really pasionate about? I'm starting to recognize signs of mediocrity in the way I do things or in the lack of drive to pursue ideas.

Maybe I need Gordon Ramsay to wake my f***ing head off! :-)

GIFTEDNESS

I attended a John Maxwell Leadership seminar yesterday which was videocast live from the EDSA Shangrila Hotel where John held the actual session.

While talking about the key elements to being a successful leader,John said that we should know our giftedness and work at improving it. Only then will we be able to rise above the average.

"No one pays to watch average!" he bellowed in his loud baritone voice.

It got me to thinking about my own giftedness and that of my family's.

What am I really good at and what should I really work on to " rise above the average?"

Some answers:

- I am good at getting things organized and started. Like a Pioneer of sorts. When I look at my track record I can point to several "firsts" that I achieved. I have the knack for getting support and seeing things through their completion.

e.g. The 1st Jollibee Manager's convention, the 1st in-house training video productions for Jollibee,the 1st Sales rally,the 1st Training Kitchen,the 1st to use line trainers. I also organized our Juvenate Grand Reunion in 2006.

- I am creative and artistic. I have a good sense of design and the works I have produced are appreciated. e.g I have made paintings that have sold. My composition:The Chowking Hymn and songs I made for our conventions, have been sung and received accolades. My photographs have been admired and are well-liked.

My wife Jaja's giftedness lies in her ability to make friends easily. She is loved by her friends just as she loves them. She also has this tenacity of spirit that has seen her through tough times and projects that would dishearten lesser mortals. She doesn't believe she has it but she is entrepreneurial and good at selling things.

My son TJ is gifted with the ability to write or should I say, express himself well in written word. He also has such a powerful imagination that we may not have tapped yet. He has been gifted with such a caring heart that it has been broken at times.

James. our second son, seems to have in herited his mom's gift of friendliness. He is the one with many friends and social contacts. We were surprised to know that he was getting free dental treatment in school because he was buddy-buddy with the school dentist! He is also the businessman, having made money already from selling assembled model cars/robots and Magic cards. He also has a taste for good food which is why he is studying to be a chef.

Tasha surprised us all by turning out to be a gifted athlete. She has won more medals in competitions than I have in academics. She is also a good baker, and has a good sense of fashion. She is our consultant when it comes to dressing up in style. Her grades in school may not reflect it,but she's also very smart. She can figure out a lot of things on her own specially when something has caught her interest.

Realizing this, I see that I have been blessed with a gifted family and know also that I have a challenge to see my childrens' potentials developed to their maximum.

KITCHEN NIGHTMARES: NICK GONE LOCO OVER ROCOCO

Nick Anderson,chef and proprietor of Nick's Bistro at Rococo, was an award winning chef who, precisely because he was supposed to be good,couldn't get his ego out of the way and did things his way. Unfortunately, his way was leding him to bankruptcy.

When Gordon Ramsay came to the rescue and asked Nick's wife how much they would be in debt if they closed down now, she said: "About a hundred grand!"

Problem was they didn't have that money to pay up. And they couldn't close down because Nick had two little kids who,in Gordon's colorful language, would be all f****d up!

Before he could help however,Gordon had to make Nick eat some humble pie so he would listen and be open to suggestions.

After Gordon tasted some of Nick's menu (which included own of Gordon's), he didn't have kind words to say. He observed Nick and his sous chef serve customers one evening and his comment was that everything nick was doing was pretentious.

Why? Because Nick was using expensive raw materials for his menu and spending a lot of time plating his dishes so he would come across to customers as a classy chef, and they would have to pay top dollar (pounds) for the food.

Unfortunately, as Gordon found out by interviewing former customers, Nick had priced himself out of the market. Worse is that they didn't believe they were getting value for their money.

Throughout the episode Gordon kept badgering Nick to rethink his strategy of keeping his resto as a pricey and pretentious operation. He also pointed out that Nick had to radically change his ways because years of doing the same thing over and over again had left him uncreative.

Nick's pride was obviously hurt because when Gordon returned for a visit he found himself locked out. When Nick finally opened the door he had been crying his eyes out because he didn't feel Gordon appreciated anything he had done.

That was the break Gordon needed,because at least this time Nick was open to listening.

As a first major step to rehab, Gordon recommended that Nick change the restaurant's name. Out of the top of his head he came up with the name "Maggie's" because it was located near the Church of St. Margaret's. Nick didn't like the name but finally gave in.

Gordon also trimmed down the menu and showed Nick he could cut down his prices by getting produce and raw materials fresh and cheap from the local suppliers. He recommended they keep the preparation simple so they could serve customers faster too!

In keeping with the unpretentious and simple Maggie's theme, the resto's look was kept to a bare tables and chairs motif. Anything to do with Rococo was removed.

When Nick re-opened to customers whom they invited through leafletting,he was encouraged by what he saw. The food was going out of the kitchen fast,and customers praised the delicious cooking which came at a lower price. What's more, Nick seemed to be enjoying what he was doing again.

Gordon returned to Maggie's after a month,and the first thing he noticed was that the resto was full. He wanted to try the food but he couldn't get a table until they found him one. And when he tasted the food, he was pleased because Nick had kept it honest, simple and unpretentious.

Sales of Maggie's was averaging four thousand on weekdays and eight thousand on a good day. This was more than double of what he was making under the Rococo name. What was great was that Nick confessed that he was now doing all these things from his heart.

I learned a lot of lessons myself from this episode: humility,the need for continuous improvement and innovation, changing strategy when things change and doing something that one loves.

WHAT IF...

...I created a brand ( FARMER RON'S) and challenged the biggest farm products producer in the country...and succeeded!

That would really be an aswer to many dreams...and I would DEFINITELY learn a lot of things along the way...

...and probably enjoy life while doing so!

HERE'S TO TAKING THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS MY JOURNEY TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP

A DREAM SCENARIO

We were having lunch at a restaurant (Recipes) last Mother's day when I dreamed up this scene.

I told the kids that I was looking forward to the day when,after a delicious meal at a restaurant and time came for paying the bill,TJ would insist that he would be the one to pay for it.

Tasha, not to be outdone would tell her brother,"No! This one's on me!"

The two would then play a mini "tug of war" over the bill,when James would butt in out of nowhere and bellow:" Hoy! Tama na nga kayong dalawa! Restaurant ko ito noh...mamaya dyan pagbayarin ko kayo talaga eh!"

I wonder when this will come true! :-)

KITCHEN NIGHTMARES: RESCUING LA PARRA

Watched an episode of Kitchen Nightmares last night. Gordon Ramsay's mission was to help a small resto named La Parra to get out of "dire straits" and make a profit. He had a week to do it.

He first observed La Parra's operations for 3 days and was he shocked!

First, the resto had 72 items on its menu which all fell on chef Lance to do the cooking. To speed things up, lance cooked all orders in one griddle leading to a hideous mixing of flavors, and usually burnt-looking products.

Then, there was this barbecue grill that was supposed to serve kebabs prepared by Lance's assistant ( an old timer whose name I didn't get.) Problem was to keep up with demand, this guy usually cooked the kebabs too far in advance so these tended to be dry and tasteless when they reached the customer. To make things worse,any leftovers were still served the following day.

The biggest shocker for Gordon was to see dog poo at the dining area,which he noticed three times on separate occasions.

When time came for the Hell's Kitchen star to make his recommendations he strongly suggested that Chef Lance reduce his menu to a manageable number:15. This way he could cope with customer orders and not leave them waiting for so long.

He also made Lance and his partner Alex taste the kind of food they were serving by blindfolding them and letting them sample pureed menu items like prawns with chocolate and chicken banana. These were Lance's original creations which he thought were a hit with customers.

Gordon pointed out that his combinations hid the natural taste of the seafood and meat. He wanted Lance to simplify, so he recommended his own simple menu.

Chef Lance's pride obviously was getting in the way because he didn't seem to appreciate Gordon's suggestions. That is until he saw the number of returned plates from customers one evening that confirmed what Ramsay had been telling him all along.

When he finally gave in and complied with Gordon's plan and recommended changes, they had a successful night, where customers complimented them on their food, and remarked that they would return.

The episode ended with Ramsay coming back a month later to check on La Parra. He was pleased to see that Lance had kept to the plan by keeping to a simple, uncluttered menu and cooked the food from a pan, and not the griddle. There were obviously more returning customers, and based on ticket sales, La Parra was sure to recover!

POSTS FROM MY SON'S BLOG

My son TJ is a fantastic writer,specially if he gets into one of his angst-y moods. Here are examples of his writing which I think are gems and which I don't think I will be able to match...


A Good Dream
May 8, '08 9:48 AMfor everyone
Something from the top of my head
It had been a long day,tired and annoyed as my job was mundane and the pay is so - so, I tell myself "things could be worse I suppose", "documents are still important", and "things will get better eventually", I laugh at these sentiments as I take my daily walk from the office to the usual waiting area where I wait for my ride home.
I wander around the mall watching people and killing time knowing that I am an hour early, wondering which familar face I might bump into as I pass by the usual groups of co-workers, barkadas, families and couples while wondering about things to come and plans yet to be made.
I take the escalator en-route to the arcades, looking at posters of the upcoming movies, as I turn around I am greeted by sweet smile and a small wave as a familiar and pleasant face from a time when grades mattered and games were my forte. I awkwardly return the greeting with a small smile and wave of my own, as we cross paths going our own separate ways, her hand accidentally brushes into mine triggering a memory long forgotten...I smile as the memory of the soft feeling of her hand still fresh in my mind...
A sensation that I may never feel again in this lifetime...


A simple story
Mar 14, '07 11:24 AMfor everyone
Something that sort of popped in my head earlier today, comments are welcomeI laugh at my friends joke, my usual over the top laughter that fills the empty hallway. out of the corner of my eye I see two figures emerge from end of the hallway, I pay no attention to them as I listen to my friend's next witty and hilarious banter. I hear a pleasant sounding greeting of "uy" and my name being called as I turn around see a beautiful and familiar face. I suddenly feel the annoying stares of my two friends. I shoot a quick glance at them to discover raised eye brows and thin annoying grins, I punch my closest friend in the stomach to show my annoyance. The grins get bigger...I return my attention back to her as the distance between us grows shorter and shorter. "Musta na?" she asks, I give her a tired sounding "ok lang" with my still alive and still kicking remark. As we talk about trivial and non personal things, asking common questions and giving common one word answers, I feel a mixture of anger, sadness, and regret of things that I did not do to keep a semblance of the closeness that we once had. I feel the urge to ask a personal question, but like my feelings I keep it all inside and force my self to give a small ordinary smile in the face of her animated and beautiful warm aura. Another familiar face enters the conversation, he gives her a smile and she smiles back, I hear my friends saying cryptic phrases like "malapit lang pala ang china"..."di naman pala nabroad eh", We say our goodbyes as I see my teacher at the end of the hallway 30 min late for our class, as our small group disperses, I see her hand clasping his as they walk away...

THREE YEARS OF BLOGGING!

I started this blog May of 2005. It's been 3 years and I'm still at it. In all I missed only about 4 months when I didn't post a blog...so all things considering I've done good.

I looked back at previous posts and realized I've used this blog to keep myself focused on goals and to remind myself to be thankful about life and the many blessings I have received!

Life is wonderful! I think I should go on Living! :-)

INSIGHTS FROM WASHINGTON SYCIP'S TALK

Washington Sycip was our guest speaker during Jollibee's last Leadership Learning Zone. At 87 he still spoke in a very clear voice and obviously there were no signs of any memory lapses from the way he narrated stories and anecdotes to illustrate his points.



He didn't ramble on aimlessly or digress, but kept to his topic of why human resources have to be given importance by any organization that wants to be competitive. And he did it without any prepared speech!



He told us that when he and his partners put up SGV he hired Filipinos primarily. Then, the accounting industry was dominated by the British and in these firms people moved up the organization, not because of merit but because of the color of their skin. So when he ran SGV he made meritocracy the guiding principle.



He said that they only hired the best and the brightest and trained and educated them. He stressed that education was key to keeping an organization competitive. They must have done a very good job because after some time SGV became better than the foreign firms and they even bought them out.



He expressed concern that the Philippines has been ignoring the devlopment of its human resources. We are spending 1/6th of Thailand's investment in education and 1/11th of Malaysia's. Consequently, we are ending up with "poor"human capital. These are the kind who sell their votes and therefore put the wrong people in government.

He said that the two handicaps to Philippine progress have been what we used to boast about: 1) Democracy and 2) Christianity. He went on to cite that countries that had strong man rule have fared better (e.g. China, Korea,Taiwan, Singapore). When income levels increased,democracy followed.

"Democracy comes when people are no longer hungry and don't need to sell their votes."

He said something about developing teachers as one of the keys to improving the quality of education. He pointed out that they have stopped giving scholarships but focused on rewarding teachers.

"If the teacher is inspired,the teacher will want to go to school. But if the teacher is dull,the student will not want to go to school."

TRANSITIONS:TJ'S FIRST DAY ON THE JOB

Today,April 1...April Fool's Day...TJ, my eldest son, starts work at Solutions Exchange as a Quality Assurance trainee.

I hope it's not a joke!

I can't get over the "real"-ness of the situation and can't help be amazed at how TJ has morphed... from a squeaky clean toddler who used to play hide and seek games with me...to a now mature-looking-though-still nerdish member of today's working class.

As the lyrics in the song "Sunrise Sunset" goes:

"Sunrise, sunset...swiftly flow the days
seedlings turn overnight to sunflowr's
blossoming even as we gaze"

Admittedly, I wasn't always around to witness everything that happened to him or share all his ups and downs. I guess that was never meant to be,because I was "busy" building a life of my own so that they...my kids... would have a good start in life.

The fact is ... that TJ now has a job and will experience what it's like to earn money which is a good thing...and maybe that is proof enough that somehow I may have done a pretty good job as a Dad.

You don't know the day nor the hour

While going through the email titles that accumulated over the weekend I noticed one from the SBC egroup entitled: Julius Cordero and Butch Roxas. Usually when the names of members are posted that way,it can only mean they've passed away.

Sure enough these were notices to all members that these 2 batchmates had gone. What seems to have shaken those who exchanged notes was that the deaths happened within a week of each other.

I didn't know Dr. Butch Roxas save for some of his postings before when Vic Barreiro had a heart attack and bypass operation. He seem to have entered SBC during High School. Some of the other batch mates don't have recollections of him either.

The details of his death (from a heart attack) were a bit gruesome. He had gone to the washroom and never went out. They found his lifeless body on the floor,water running all over the place.

Julius Cordero was a classmate of mine when I was in Grade 6-14 under Mr. Balagtas. I wasn't in his circle of friends because he was more of the "astig" types then. I did see him when I attended one of the get togethers of the batch mates (maybe at Gilligan's.)

The suddenness of their deaths and the lack of logic of the timing of their deaths brought to mind the passage in Scripture that precisely says we "don't know the day..nor the hour."

If so, I can only hope really that all my efforts at keeping myself healthy do extend my life some more so I can see my kids succeed in their dreams, get married and have kids of their own. But other than that I guess, I have to leave everything in God's hands...and let Him figure out when He would like me to join Him.

Meanwhile,I will live life to the fullest...love a lot...laugh even more...and drink glasses of good wine to everybody's health!

BANGKOK PICTORIAL

TJ'S GRADUATION: A MAJOR MILESTONE

My eldest son, TJ graduated last February 9 during the Graduation rites of De La Salle University held at the PICC. He was one among 700 plus graduates who received their diplomas that day and, as we jokingly say in our family, joined the growing ranks of the unemployed.

For TJ, it must have really been a BIG event,considering that he had to struggle through several personal crises and hurdle the seemingly unpassable gauntlet of Maths and Physics subjects. When I recall the times he was in tears...almost in despair because he feared he would never pass...I can understand the great big (silly) smile on his face (almost like a sigh of relief) when he posed for a photo after the ceremonies!

For me, it was a moment I was really proud of. Not because I managed to see my son through college...but because TJ, in spite of his trials, stuck to his guns and completed something he started! I was indeed proud of my son's achievement!

For Jaja, who never had the chance to march during her own graduation(because she couldn't afford then to pay for a toga and gown,)this was a moment of triumph she experienced vicariously with her firstborn. We had wear TJ's cap just to give her a feel of what it was like. Her photo with TJ says it all.

FEELING RICH

I read an interesting article this morning about what it takes to make one feel rich. In the author's case it was getting an old frying pan and cleaning it up. She went on to cite other things that can make one feel rich---like being able to study in a university and enrich her knowledge,for others it might be just a nature trip.

Her point: what can make one feel rich need not be expensive or cost a lot of money.

It made me think of my own cheap"treasures." What have made me or make me "feel rich?"

Having known what it's like to commit one to a vow of poverty has given me a different perspective of what feeling rich means.

For example, I vividly recall an afternoon in a slum area in Lucena City, where we were doing mission work. I was a novice of the Redemptorist Congregation at the time, and that daymy co-novice and I decided to have a chat with the landlady of the house we were staying at. She owned a sari-sari store at the ground floor of the house, and this was where the neighbors would hang out and catch up on the latest gossip.

I recall us spending that afternoon just telling stories, sharing information about ourselves, cracking jokes now and then...and just having a fun afternoon,such that before we knew it evening had set and it was time for us to prepare for the mission Mass.

I could see that in spite of their surroundings...these people were genuinely happy and content!They were "rich" inspite of being "poor."

So for me feeling rich is not about possessing something...but being able to do something with what I possess.

It's not about owning the state of the art Canon EOS..but being able to create stunning photographs with only an A620 Powershot.

It's not about owning a Picasso or an expensive painting..but being able to paint something myself.

It's not just about "having" a wife and kids...but spending fun,happy,meaningful,loving moments with my family & really enjoying those moments (like the cookfest I had the other evening with James, my second son.)

It's not about just having travelled to a place...but travelling with my wife and having shared the experience together.

I guess,in the end, what makes us "feel rich" depends a lot on how we define "what feeling rich" means!

SOMEONE'S DOING THINGS RIGHT @LTO PASIG

I renewed my driver's license last Thursday (Jan. 17) and I was impressed with what I experienced.

I arrived at LTO, Pasig branch at around 7:10 AM and there were employees at the windows already although officially they didn't open till 8 AM.

I approached Window 1 and the lady there,who was just getting settled, got my old license, gave me a form and directed me to the drug testing center. She warned me not to deal with the "fixers" who supposedly lingered nearby.

At the Halili Drug Testing Center I had to wait a bit as the aides there were just opening shop. The guy at the counter though gave me a form to fill out and got my payment (P 250.00) When the lab was ready I was first in line to give a urine sample.

My problem was,the bottle had to be filled to the brim but I could just manage half (since I had already peed some minutes ago.) The aide there suggested I drink some water then just come back when I was ready.

I did as he suggested and after downing a small bottle of water, psyched myself to performance level. However, on my next attempt I still couldn't fill it up. So the aide said: "OK na 'yan, sir. Maabala ka pa." Although I wished he had told me earlier,still I was impressed he was willing to make an exception.

Out of curiosity,I asked him if they really detected drug users and he asked me;"Ilan taon na po kayo,sir"

I told him "53" but was puzzled.

"Sir, nung makalawa may 45 anyos..tumitira pa!" There was my answer.

The health check up was next,but this was merely an eye check up. The med student who was apparently assisting the Health Officer busily signing papers, asked me to read Line#8 of the eye chart. I did so quickly and I was out of there in 3 minutes.

After I handed my papers to the lady back at Window 1, I waited about 5 minutes and my name was called at Window B for a digital photo. A pose...a click of the digicam...signature on the electronic pad and it was over. I was told to wait at window 9.

While waiting to be called I witnessed something that spoke a lot about the way things were being run at this LTO branch.

One fellow sat on one of the chairs beside me and it gave in so he almost fell backwards. The aides who saw this quickly asked the people seated on the bench to stand up as they replaced the defective unit! You would expect they would just leave things be....but no, they corrected the problem.

I also noticed there was a system being followed here. The cashier at Window 9 took care of all pending motor vehicle transactions first, then at around 9 AM, all of us who applied for licenses or license renewal lined up at the License window and she went over and took care of our payments.

Within 2 hours, I got my license renewed!

Maybe what is impressive is that 3 years ago, when I renewed my license at this same branch, they did just a good a job as now. So they have been consistent...and in the Philippines being consistent is hard to find.

So kudos to you LTO Pasig hief,whoever you are!

A LOOK BACK AT 2007 AND LOOKING FORWARD TO 2008

2007 was a year for linking with relatives and staying connected with old friends. It was also a time for losing some friends and making new milestones. Here's a quick rundown of 2007 as I experienced it...

1. New Year 2007- we had our Auntie Cors "Akulaw"---the last of the 4 Antiques---pay us a visit during the Christmas holidays and stay up to February.
2. We had a visit from Kuya Glenn and Ate Marilag and had a get together at the KKK restaurant. We also had a visit from Ket and her son Nicolas.
3. February saw me at the Managers Convention at Taal Vista Hotel,Tagaytay. Our first convention held outside Metro Manila. The franchisees' convention was held at the Marco Polo in Davao.
4. Tasha finally gets a dog! A yellow Labrador whom we name Angel.
5. Amy Directo had a short vacation here and stayed with us at Millbrae.
6. Tasha participates in the Palarong Pambansa at GenSan. She wins overall Silver.
7. Jaja's team wins a $2.4 M bid and gets recognition throughout the Coffey International network.
8. Jaja and I travel to Hong Kong.
9. Jaja and I have a weekend vacation in Bohol with Jaja's friends.
10. The ex-Juvenate egroup holds many mini-reunions. Most memorable is the Coco Grill get together where I manage to play golf again at Luisita. The others are the get together for Ruben Porciuncula and Tony Luistro's 50th birthday.
11. Tasha wins gold medals at the Philippine Olympic festival.
12. Boy Vetus succumbs to cancer. We are shocked by the news of Dulce's death from a car accident. Early this year we had a reunion of the old MTD group which she attended.
13. JP de Guzman marries PY Nakar at the Highlands.
14. TJ finally passes his requirements and becomes eligible for graduation.
15. We buy a new van---an Innova G variant---after months of visioning by Jaja.
16. I travel to Bangkok for an ocular survey in preparation for our Franchisees Convention in 2008.
17. Jaja finally gets our leaking roof fixed and with the help of Kuya Zen we also get our leaking pipe fixed.
18. Before the year ends, I get reconnected with Melvin Claros, a former colleague at Jollibee.

For 2008, we expect a lot of celebrations and more milestones...hopefully more Good Luck and Blessings to come...

1. Jaja and I will get a chance to travel together to Bangkok during our Franchisees' Convention.
2. TJ will finally march during his graduation sometime in February.
3. We are looking forward to him getting employed. :-)
4. Somehow I feel so lucky...Jaja's going to win a Fortuner in the Toyota raffle.
5. James is going to start his culinary arts training at St. Benilde.
6. It will be our 25th wedding anniversary in October. There's a possibility we will travel to the USA in time for the proposed ex-Juvenists reunion in Las Vegas.

We will be richer, happier and more prosperous in 2008!!!