A singer no more

The way I sound now, it is evident how far it is from my old self who could sing and perform fairly well. The vision of becoming a singer-songwriter has long been buried somewhere in the unknown passage of time.

To my old friends who were witnesses, this segment is for you.

2003 is the year I lost the gift of being able to sing well. First, let's differentiate ABUSE from MISUSE.

ABUSE- may contribute, but not necessarily the biggest factor that can ruin a person's ability to sing. (example: smoking and similar vices that should be avoided to optimize vocal range)

MISUSE- is the improper way of singing; prolonged misuse causes vocal cord disorders.(example: bad vocal technique such as using the throat instead of the diaphragm; more so using the throat the harmful way)

Click here for more detailed information on vocal cord damage and how to avoid it.



I wrote this for the purpose of directing friends, relatives, schoolmates, colleagues, and others who may hear about this lost ability; so that I will not have to explain myself again and again. I will not and can not sing anymore. Not for any gig, band, wedding, debut, fiesta, not even a casual night of beer drinking (except when I get too much alcohol, maybe). It is not selfishness, brother. I'd love to sing anytime of any day if I could.

The sad truth is I hardly sing anymore even when I am all alone. My guitar, unlike in the past, just rests in one corner and seemed to have died with my passion for music altogether. As you can see on the demo video I did today, for the sake of proving my point, it is barely there. Even the song lyrics are forgotten. A singer who can no longer sing. Read more>>

My take on cigarette smoking

Image by SuperFantastic

I’ve always been against smoking. Even after years of violating my lungs, I still am. Light a stick. That’s what I've been doing for who knows how long. I regret it.

"What brought you into my life?" is really a tentative question rather than ignorance. It signifies my frustration of having to deal with admitting my semi-addiction to cigarettes. And finding ways to rid of it. I know exactly how and when I started smoking.

There are several worn out excuses as to why smokers lit that first ever cigarette. Few would admit there is one ultimate force behind teenage smoking; and it's the desire to look and feel "cool". Whereas I've learned it is not, was never, and will never be cool.

When it is imbued as a habit, smokers become slaves to smoking. Excuse me, my loved ones. This is not something I can turn away from in a snap of a finger. If it were easy, I would have walked away from it a long time ago. For you guys, my dear ones.

If the world we live in were to be a gigantic non-smoking area; if manufacturers will make no more of it; and if the collective efforts of eliminating this waste product become successful; I shall be thankful. A bitter sweet ending to this detrimental vice.

For now, I blame it on me. I blame it on you. I blame it on anybody. I'll take a cigarette break now. Puff... Don't come near me, you passive smoker.

Click here to learn more about smoking addiction. Read more>>

Zorra

We adopted an alley kitten aptly named Zorra, in honor of maskman Zorro. Unlike many of the unwelcome stray cats around the residence, she can openly come into and go out of the house.

Zorra eats local cat food, as well as the occasional scrap food. In the meantime, my folks sent a small package that includes branded cat food. What a spoiled little brat! Strangely, this kitten loves to bathe and likes to play with dogs. The helper who takes care of her, though, kicks her out every night to ensure no litter scent shall enchant our indoor atmosphere.




Cruelty to Animals:

Why would anyone be cruel to animals?

There can be many reasons. Animal cruelty, like any other form of violence, is often committed by a person who feels powerless, unnoticed, and under the control of others. The motive may be to shock, threaten, intimidate, or offend others or to demonstrate rejection of society's rules. Some who are cruel to animals copy things they have seen or that have been done to them. Others see harming an animal as a safe way to get revenge on someone who cares about that animal. (The Humane Society)

Quotes:

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."-- Mohandas Gandhi

"Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages."-- Thomas Edison

"Our task must be to free ourselves... by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty."-- Albert Einstein

Read more>>

Thriller in prison

A look back in time as Filipino inmates perform the late Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'!

Read more>>

Michael Jackson (1958-2009), gone too soon

Image by Tom the Misfit

The King of Pop. The most famous Moonwalker on earth. Michael Jackson, the man who introduced a new dimension to music performance died today. The cause of death is still being determined.

From the Jackson 5 days, the "Thriller" music video, his Heal the World theme, child molestation issues and all... the man is undeniably controversial and adored by legions at the same time. He was set to stage a series of shows in a few weeks. Now, all that is left are memories of Michael's great feats.

Here are some of the favorites from Michael Jackson:

1) Thriller- who, from the time it flashed on that old TV screen, would forget this revolutionary video? Back in its days, music videos were plain and often dull. Thriller set a 'new' standard of modern music presentation.

2) Give Love on Christmas Day- even those who do not celebrate Christmas enjoy this one and make 'em want to give love as well.

3) One Day In Your Life- a friend and I were arguing whether it was Karen Carpenter or not. Toinks! It's Michael.

4) Billie Jean- energy passed from Michael to Blackstreet, and recently with Kanye West as its 25th Anniversary edition.

5) Jam- basketball and Music fans come together as the two MJ's collaborate in its music video. Michael Jordan and Michael Jackson show off each other's skills. Whew.

6) Black or White- another treat as the third MJ, Magic Johnson, appeared on this video.

The list goes on and on with titles such as Ben, She's Out Of My Life, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, I'll Be There, My Girl, Beat It, Smooth Criminal, Dangerous...

See yahoo's news links:
Michael Jackson, 'King of Pop,' dead at 50
Remembering Michael
R.I.P. Michael Jackson: The Greatest of All Time



More about Michael Jackson later! For now am heading off back to the classroom! Read more>>

Shaq, say hello to Cleveland

The rumors surrounding Shaquille O'Neal teaming up with LeBron James will soon be over as negotiation is underway.


Shaq reaching for his Cavs jersey.
Image by cliff1066

Cleveland fans rejoice as the Big Aristotle will bring strength to the Cavs' inside game. Both Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic will be sporting Phoenix Suns jerseys.

The Cavs, who led the league with a stellar 66-16 record in the regular season, are still fresh off a bitter ending in the 2009 NBA Playoffs.

League MVP LeBron James was spectacular all year and even elevated his game in the post season. James averaged 35.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 7.3 assists in the playoffs and was a huge presence for the Cavs on both ends. His teammates were overmatched late in the playoffs versus the Orlando Magic, especially the big men who weren't even half productive as Dwight Howard.

How great is this development for Cavs/Lebron fans? I recently talked about how I love Shaq and LeBron, check out this article Kobe Bryant, A Big Time Player. Now they'll be playing together!

With the entry of Shaq, how greatly will it impact the Cavs' championship chances? We'll find out.

Click here for more on Shaq trade.

Related articles:
So what if Lebron gets dunked on by a college player?
One man show, hurting Cleveland's chances
Kobe Bryant, Big Time Player Read more>>

Manila day

Today is Manila Day.

Q: What is Manila Day?

A: It commemorates the day the City of Manila was established.

This is just a wild guess. Anyone can ellaborate further? Seriously, I can't seem to find any information on the web. Even Wikipedia seem to have no answers. Feel free to provide us some insights. Thank you!
Read more>>

Hayden Koh scandal part 3

Here is the latest addition to the Hayden Koh scandal.
Check out these links to see part 3 of Maricar Reyes - Hayden Koh sex scandal:


Streaming video
Downloads and more streaming sources

The good: Despite the sex videos, Maricar Reyes is still very respectable. She did not do pornography to generate income. She has an angelic face whose wild side has been exposed through these videos but what the heck, we are all animals in bed. In addition, Hayden was her boyfriend and not just a random guy. Think Paris Hilton.

The bad: She is a doctor, commercial model, and TV actress. Her reputation is unjustifiably marred since these are very personal and intimate moments captured on video and leaked to the masses. Read more>>

Knockout pets

The corporate rat race can be quite exhausting. Back when we were kids, sleeping all day is not unusual. Things have rapidly led us to our busy lives of today, while occasionally daydreaming about the next guilt-free holiday. Whenever I see my tiny dogs lounge around, I can't help but recall the good ol' days of blissful slumbering...

Check out these knockout moments:

Baba "owns the bed"

Bubu "pillow hugger"

Chloe "eat and then sleep on the food plate"

Yorkie "rare deep sleep for the #1 barker/watcher"

Nemo "zombie"

Related topic:
Quality time with doggie dog
Read more>>

The Farm Resort, Philippines

Images by Irving Velasco

Located south of Manila, The Farm resort is an ideal place to relax.

Click here to view The Farm Resort official website. Read more>>

Create a website the cheap and easy way

Ever wondered how to build your own professional looking website for free? Now you can, without shelling out that extra buck!


Check the actual site by clicking here

I tried my hand on building one (above image) and it took me about an hour to get it together (spending half of the time trying to launch the program; make sure this doesn't happen to you by disabling the popup blocker). When you get used to it, yes it can be completed in 5 minutes.

I said sample only because it is practically an empty site. Why not try building a website of your own as well? Sure looks like a lot of fun! To find out more, just go to: wix.com

You can show me your work when it's done! Read more>>

Call Center in the Philippines

Being a call center agent in the Philippines is not an easy task. Thousands of nightbirds flock the after dark, while the rest of us lay on our beds during "normal" bedtime hours.

Towards the end of the 1990's, the call center industry's globalization reached Philippine shores and became an instant hit among job seekers. With its better-than-average pay, attractive meal and transportation allowances, extensive health and insurance benefits- to many, it's the next best thing to working overseas.

So how is it really like to be a call center agent/representative in the Philippines? A large majority of those who have ventured in the industry have a unanimous response: the job is STRESSFUL.

Since many companies are U.S. based, the time disparity alone would be a telling factor. Although different offices have different shifts or schedules, a large portion will have to deal with graveyard shifts. If you have not experienced it, imagine working from 11pm to 8am. Some are required to do overtime (usually an hour or more) and must follow adherence. Otherwise it is a violation of company policies (if not unethical) not to adhere and sanctions may be implemented. I will never forget what a friend once told me: "I was taught to sleep on time for the most part of my life. Now I'll have to unlearn it and try to keep my eyes open the whole time while I work."

Agents are assessed based on performance. The basic and common metrics are Average Handling Time (AHT), Quality Assessment (QA), and Attendance (adherence).

AHT and QA:
Let's summarize how the target AHT and QA must be achieved altogether. Let's say an account requires an AHT of 5 minutes and an average QA of at least 90%. While some calls may last
a minute, others may last for about an hour or so. In theory, the sum of all the minutes divided by the number of calls taken multiplied by 60 seconds is the AHT. The question is how can an agent achieve an average of 5 minutes per phone call if phone calls tend to get lengthy? And how can a conversation be cut short while the rep makes certain all things are done as per company guidelines (QA)? In short, a quick call must coincide with a quality call to perform well. Select call centers do have Customer Satisfaction Surveys (CSAT) as well which would add to the AHT/QA equation. CSAT makes it a little bit more difficult as it is subjective and based on the customer's impression on how a call is handled.

Attendance or adherence:
Adherence is not as simple as showing up at the office. I've learned how precious every second is in the call center setting. Usually, there are two 15 minute breaks, and an hour of lunch break. The mini breaks are often used as a breather. With all the pressure, who wouldn't want a quick snack or coffee, a time to smoke, or perhaps a time to walk and talk with colleagues and vent out frustrations? Smokers manage to go from any building floor to the smoking premises, which is commonly the ground floor. One stick of cigarette, go back up, make sure you auto-in on or before the fifteen minute break is over. A timer is helpful to avoid going over break. I know a very good company where personal or bathroom breaks is limited to 4 minutes a day. A rep has to learn how to wisely manage adherence. Time is money in the call center business.

Multitasking:
Agents must also learn how to multitask. A mortgage account for instance generally requires one to document the conversation, run balance calculations, check imaged documents, send emails to
initiate/follow up requests, all that and more while engaged in a phone call.


The agent's ability to multitask is a crucial component.
Image by brettneilson


The Wee hours:
Call center reps love the fact that there is not much traffic on the way to work. However, it may not always be the case. After shift, some do get off at around 8am onwards. Traffic jams caused by day timers give the nightbirds a real headache especially the commuters who work far from home. The sun only adds to the discomfort and those sensitive to it find a pair of sunglasses very useful. Coming off a weekend is also a challenge. Some are tempted to sleep at night and will need to reconfigure their body clock when the weekday starts. I don't know how many of you spend Monday mornings. Everyone is asleep, the malls are closed, there is nothing much to do and not much place to go to. But when everyone wakes up, a call center agent knows it's time to sleep and be ready for the night.

Money:
The sweet reward of a payday is a marked calendar event. Agents reward themselves of a job well done by going to the movies, buying stuffs, dining out, and the likes. Of course there are bills to pay as well. Wallets quickly dry out as a lot of reps wait for the next big check just a day or two after the payday.

At first, being a call center rep sounds easy but for the most part, it really proves to be a demanding job. The job itself is a constant test of skill and patience. The call center industry expects consistency and performance nothing short of outstanding. Call center agents deserve a big applause. Read more>>

The Philippines: an inspiring place

The Philippines has plenty to offer. This is a blessed country with many beautiful places. Let us support local tourism and take good care of our environment. Here is a nice hideaway shot from Vinz Sinlao:

*Click to enlarge photo Read more>>

Gadget Lust

Image by m.klynstra

Manila is crazy for a lot of electronic stuffs found in practically every household today. Now commonly called as GADGETS, these clever inventions have become the modern remedy for boredom.

iPod nano, Nokia xpress, Sony Vaio, Nikon DSLR, Philips Cineos, you name it, it's just around the corner. It's unfortunate though how companies market specific products, wherein willing victims embrace the promise of "the best of today".

The Best of Today catchphrase is more straightforward than one might think, because soon after will be the unveiling of a brand new product line, or the latest upgrade of the same stuff. Too late to realize that the best of today isn't necessarily the best of tomorrow. A rip-off to gadget freaks who lust for the newest toys.

Speaking of gadget lust, many of us indulge in this kind of guilty pleasure. A gadget lustful go through stages which usually start with probing on techie magazines or advertisements, creating a need or reason to buy a certain gadget, the false act of consulting someone for an honest opinion whether it is worth buying or not (the opinion rarely matters to a gadget-horny freak), and the rest leads its way to gadget hoarding.

This is a new breed of entertainment. For some, there is nothing wrong with spending a little dough in exchange of momentary bliss.

The author is also guilty of a mild gadget lust. Shown below are some stuffs called disposables (except for the phone) which is a term for items hardly used. Get one, use it once, then leave it to rust. You can buy it if you want. But then again, he's a hoard.

Read more>>

Boxing is Not Dead

The brutal sport of boxing is breathing once again. As if to ridicule sports enthusiasts who have ruled out boxing as a dying sport, it finds its way sneaking into our daily lives in every form perceivable. Hate boxing and you'll forever be infested with plagues such as: sports pages on newspapers delivering knock out news, internet reviews of HBO mega fights sales, the television featuring the Mayweathers sing I'm Too Sexy, a gigantic Manny Pacquiao billboard in its towering glory, or even suffer from your own kids' nunchuk swinging on the Wii in an attempt to floor the legendary King Hippo and be able to get a clean view of his oversized underwear as reward.

Boxing is simply everywhere.


Boxing legend Henry Armstrong (right)
Image by otisarchives4

To Filipinos, things are a little different. Boxing has always been a staple to every Pinoy much like cheap instant noodle is to a lazy and hasty condominium bachelor. The sport may not be every person's cup of tea but is inevitably influenced by it one way or another. The subliminal imprint of boxing in our culture makes it easy to explain why everyone has gloves laced on their heads. The Pinoys are blessed since we love the sport of boxing and need not suffer from the curse of living with it.

We enjoy it.

With the emergence of Filipino fighters, Pacquiao and Donaire atop the list, boxing has brought a sense of pride to our country. We as a nation know our abilities and capabilities and never had doubts in ourselves. However, the recognition rightfully deserved by many Pinoys come as slow moving as a drunk sloth. Our countrymen celebrate on each win, and each success feeds millions in terms of hunger for recognition. A recognition well deserved.

So, boxing may be brutal in nature but what in the real world isn't? Besides, it is not all about rabbit punching, headbutting, rib breaking, ear biting, low blows, annoying clinches and so on. It is also about humility, sportsmanship, pride, whatnot- you name it. This is big business with a lot at stake. A fight for glory. A mere substitute to a real war. Let fists fly and maybe, just maybe, bombs and missiles will be put aside.

Let it live and stop the nonsense Boxing is Dead altercation. It's no punk. It's no dead. Read more>>