I used to say that I’m not going to play golf (read this: EVER) because I find it BORING and it’s not my thing. I’d rather play volleyball or badminton, even basketball, than hit a ball with a club. I gave it a chance only because my husband bought me my own set of golf clubs (second hand) and said that he wants it to be our bonding activity. Who could say no?

Trying it today made me realize that it’s not as easy as I thought it was. Hitting the golf ball is challenging, tiring and requires the right grip, swing and posture. I think I’m going to eat my words. Playing golf is interesting and I want to learn more. I just need gloves and uhm new golf shoes, just kidding. 

Marcus in action

Gary in action

and me still wondering what was I doing there. LOL

The iPhone app that I plan to develop is a Travel app (what else?). As you may have noticed, more and more Filipinos are bitten by the travel bug thanks to discounted airfares, travel package coupons and cheap accommodations. So I think that one of the remaining concerns that travelers would want to be addressed to is the tourist visa application. More often than not, first timers don’t know where the embassy of the country they plan to visit is, the visa requirements, cost of application, travel advisory if there is, etc. I know they’re all available online and travel agencies may provide assistance (with a cost) but wouldn’t it be very convenient if you can check out all embassies in the Philippines on your iPhone?

The app will provide the embassy’s contact number, website, email add, office hours and will allow users to see location and direction through maps.

It will also feature a visa requirement list which is designed like a checklist where you can tick those you have done already. You can even add more based on your experience. Best of all, you can email it to your travel buddies or anybody who plans to apply in the future. The app will be FREE but I will provide space for advertisers. What do you think?

We were asked to design the UI. Below are some of the screen shots. They are just draft and will be greatly improved especially if I submit it to App Store (forgive me for my lack of creativity) but basically it will function as shown. Resolution, alignment and text also changed when I saved it from keynote to powerpoint.

I was so scared that the panelists who I’ll be presenting to would think that my idea is junk. Thank God they did not and even congratulated me for a good job. Whew!

I remember last year I blogged about Starting-up a business. There I mentioned that I want to have a business that I’m really good at or have passion for. When the opportunity to set up a coffee shop was opened to me, I thought this might be it. I love coffee and cakes and I think that’s a good start.

The coffee shop will be located at the penthouse of Cypress condominium in Taguig. It will be just beside our company’s new head office. Target market will be condominium residents, though guests and outsiders can also be accommodated. We plan to operate Tues to Sunday 10am to 10pm.

We will offer high quality coffee, tea, hot choco, cakes and pastries at a very reasonable price. We will also sell canned softdrinks, beer, bottled mineral water and chips. Additional products that we find in demand will also be included. Free wi-fi, reading materials and a cozy environment is provided to customers. There will be smoking and non-smoking areas.

I am not expecting so much but I am hoping for the best. It will be additional work but I am excited to learn another craft. Thank you Lord!

If I have to live the year 2011 all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.

I have learned so many things and proved once again that I can do more than I can imagine. I am a businesswoman, tutor, driver and a student while being a full time mom and wife. Best thing about all these, Gary and I are ‘growing-up’ with our kids.

God has blessed us tremendously, not just with material things and travel opportunities but more importantly the difficulties and challenges that came our way. For one, having a business does not guarantee a regular income. Clients come and go. If I would think about the future, it would be too scary. But I did not allow those future worries affect my present, on the contrary, it made me more thankful of what I have now and just live each day at a time. It’s not easy but it can be done. Looking back, I haven’t faced yet those things that were causing all my worries and I don’t think I ever will because of God’s perfect timing.

Now 2012 looks even brighter. May the Lord continue to bless, teach and use all of us to fulfill His will.

Let’s do good and live a good life.

“The dreamers need the realists to keep them from soaring too close to the sun. And the realists, well, without the dreamers, they might not ever get off the ground.” – Modern Family

Gary is the dreamer and I am the realist. We used to treat this as an obstacle. I think of him as a risk taker because he grabs any opportunity, even those not knocking at his door. He looks at me, on the other hand, as control freak who always sees risks and ensures that it could be managed properly else we should not invest at all. So imagine our conversations which usually end up in an argument.

Needing to “grow up” for the business’ sake, we did a few changes that we think worked for us:

1. Acceptance is the first step. We come to realize and accept that we have differences, to the extreme that is, and we can’t force each other to change.

2. We talked as matured business partners. We agreed to talk about things first. I tell him how I feel about a “prospective” client or investment but I gave him the authority to decide whether to pursue or not. I realized that at the end of the day it’s still his responsibility to provide for the family.

3. We read informative books on business and money.

I learned that net income (gross income – expenses) should be divided into the following; savings, investment account, educational acct, entertainment/leisure acct and charity. Where the investment account should only be used when there are “opportunities” for investment. In this way, you’ll have money to “play” without sacrificing your savings. Education on the other hand is for trainings, seminars or even books that will help you grow as a professional or businessman. (In our case I just have one account for Investment and Education). Entertainment/Leisure account is for anything that will make you feel “rich”. I highly suggest that once in a while you treat your family in an expensive restaurant, travel, shop for expensive jewelry or anything that will make you realize how good it is to have money. This will make you strategize on how to make more money. Those who say that money is not important doesn’t have money. The charity account is obvious, just have an account where you can pull out funds when there’s someone in need.

While Gary learned that one way of increasing net worth is through Simplification. Simply put, we should not allow ourselves to have an expensive lifestyle.

Among others…

4. Finally, we realized that being different is actually an advantage to us as business partners because each of us has a role to play. He sets the vision while I prepare the road, something to that effect.

Every time I look at these pictures I can’t help but smile because I really did asked Gary if the clock at the background is already the Big Ben. Hahaha! Silly me. (*blush*) Pictures taken at Kings Cross, London. First day of our 9-day stay.

I’ve mentioned too many times in this blog how I love to travel. I don’t know when it started. All I remember was that my father would always bring us to his company outings and even official business trips (not including international though because we can’t afford it), while my mom would bring us with her when she visits her home town in Cagayan de Oro or visit her sister in Cebu. Most of the time we would ride a military plane, C130, so that we’ll enjoy free round trip.

I’ve wanted to have a job that would require me to travel. I was blessed to be an auditor at Phil. National Oil Company – Energy Dev’t Corp. They’ve sent me to different parts of the Philippines. But again, no international trips.

I transferred to International Container Terminal Services Inc. They have subsidiaries outside the country. I’ll be auditing one of them if I’ve waited long enough. But a year after, I decided to resign and help my husband with our business.

To cut the story short, it was only in 2009 that my family and I had the chance to go out of the country, Hong Kong to be specific.

It takes a lot of patience to wait for the perfect time, especially when all the members of my family have secured their US visas and were able to leave the country as tourists. We don’t have enough money at that time, I don’t like pushing things to the point of loaning our travel expenses.

Now, after seeing a couple of countries in Europe, including my childhood dream Venice, I still want to go out of the country soon. Well, we could pack our bags anytime and leave, especially with budget fares and accommodation, but again I don’t like pushing things. It is wiser to use our money for investment than spending it again this soon. Don’t get me wrong, I feel blessed already, I just want to share my passion for travel and it takes a lot of discipline to stop myself from giving in. I am not sure if anyone feels the same way, I feel weird.

I pray that God would finance our ‘yearly’ travel. Then again, I am blessed already, I couldn’t ask for more.

For me, Paris is overrated. I really don’t understand why a lot of people rave about seeing Paris over and over. I mean, yes it’s still one of the places you should include in your bucket list because of its tourist spots but to go back and see it again, for me, maybe not. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve seen London first or Paris’ hot weather when we’re there or most probably its dirty, full of vandalism, populated and ‘smelly’ streets. I have to be honest, I was disappointed with Paris as a whole. Sometimes I wonder if people talk with pride about seeing Paris because other people do, like the Emperor’s New clothes kind of thing.

To be fair, walking through Avenue des Champs-Élysées is an experience one should never miss especially if you have bucks (lots of it) to spend. There you will see Arc de Triomphe, built by Napoleon Bonaparte to honour his victories. A bit far from champs but still walking distance are  Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel and Louvre Museum. When I saw The Louvre from afar all I was able to say was, WOW! Other famous tourist attractions we’ve seen are the Pantheon, Notre Dame, River Seine, Opera house, Statue of Liberty replica, Galeries Lafayette and of course Eiffel Tower.

Situated several kilometres Southwest of Paris, Chateau de Versailles is one I would REALLY recommend. The location is MUCH better than the heart of Paris… clean, cold, wider streets. The Palace (both in and out) should not be missed so don’t stop from Versailles gate, pay your way inside and see for yourself.

All in all, Paris is a must see but maybe you don’t have to set your expectation too high.

Here are the pictures of; Champs-Élysées with Arc de Triomphe at the center, me having dinner at one of the restaurants along Champs, one of the train stations and Chateau de Versailles.

According to my dictionary, the word PROUD connotes two things, it can be positive or negative. Proud can be defined as a feeling or showing justifiable self-respect. Likewise, it can also mean being filled with or showing excessive self-esteem. Sadly though, when dealing with self and others, it’s hard to draw a line between the two.

This bothers me because I personally don’t like conceited and arrogant people. More importantly, I don’t want to be branded as one. I know a lot of people who share a lot of things about themselves; their success, purchases, travels etc. but I don’t find them conceited. On the contrary, the more I look up to them. There are people, on the other hand, who would mention something and it sounds to me like they’re blowing their own horn. Maybe because some things are too obvious and better left unsaid, or maybe its the way they say it, the timing or maybe because I don’t know them too well.

All these bring me to one question, am I conceited? I know people close to me won’t think that way because it’s not really my nature. I just wish other people who can read my writings, blogs, tweets or see the pictures I post won’t think of me that way. I just love to share things about me especially those that made me and is making me happy even to the point of influencing them to do the same. But just in case I’m bordering to being conceited, though honestly not my purpose, I hope someone would tell me so.