Insight

Proud to see my name

I’ll be in Angeles, Pampanga until Thursday, Feb 24, 2010. I’m running a 7 Habits Workshop for National Grid Corporation of the Philippines. This is a special run for me, equipment-wise. My help forgot to load my tech bag. This is the black trolley I carry with me always whenever I conduct training for companies and other organizations.

Since my household help was usually reliable in loading the same things whenever I travel, I did not check the contents of the car trunk.I only realized that I did not have my training war chest when I arrived at the venue some 120 kilometers later.

There goes my slides, my sound system, my lcd, my wireless remote, my wires, and the rest of my training armory.

I suddenly felt very unsure of myself. I battled between having someone bring the bag here in Angeles or wing it and start over again.

Luckily I brought my spare laptop, a 45-day old back up of my data in a hard disk, and then the power cord. Good that the venue had a decent sound system, a windows laptop, and an lcd.

The smallest DLP player I have ever used. Half the size of a small DLP Player. Cool!

Boy was I glad that I had everything I needed! The only thing left to do was to redo the content. I went through the training manual again and started from the basic slides; setting aside the anguish and the regret  over the hours i spent preparing.

I did the slides again from memory. I revised one module at a time. I just believed in myself and allowed the participants to work with me. I am not sure if they noticed my concerns yesterday. But all I did was to be at my best to focus on them and their needs rather than my own feelings of inadequacy.

How did my day end? It ended with a trip to ShoeMart; a visit to the computer shops to look for a VGA cable, a USB card slot, and a wireless presenter. It also ended with a personal reward of char broiled tuna belly.

Thank God for stores like CDR king. I bought the things I needed without shelling out an arm and a leg (but the VGA adaptor for my mac cost an elbow and a knee).

I went to bed early, tired after wrestling with my own personal challenges. I felt that I had survived one whole day between wanting to trust or wanting to blame.

My simpler recipe for a successful workshop? Trust, fun, reliable technology, mastery of subject matter, and a deep faith in myself, my participants, and the Lord. Today, my MAC went back to work. Everything else is back to normal. But my self trust is higher over this unfortunate incident.

I went back to basics. Even if I had all the bells and whistles in training but did not have subject mastery and self trust, no amount of equipment can cover that gaping hole of inadequacy.

It would have been horrible for the participants to go home with bellies full of delicious food, yet starving because their greater needs were left unmet.

My spartan war chest

The Dashboard view of my CPU's temperature

My Macbook Air’s CPU shot up to 102celsius when I stream movies or music online. I know streaming is not exactly a strength of the Macbook Air. The unit gets uncomfortably hot even though I have an air cooler fan below it.

Heat is probably what I gain after going for a lightweight, easier-to-lug-around laptop. I still like the air. But I am using it less and less now.

My unit has gone to back to the repair shop twice since the 2010 new year. I am happy that there is such a thing as Apple Care. None of the comforts of a warranty agreement replaces my need to actually use of the product.

My experience of the air, I think, is about form and wow factor. I can expect it to be reliable for short presentations and document processing.

But for streaming and videos, perhaps a different mac will perform better.

THE CIRCUMSTANCE

I drove my mom to the airport early morning of last Friday, August 7, 2009.  She was taking Cebu Pacific so on my way back home, I decided to take the Nichols exit, then head south at the South Luzon Expressway.

THE EVENT

At around 4:00 am, I cruised at about 90kph on the outermost lane of the expressway. And as I passed this 18-wheeler truck, I saw that it had suddenly swerved to its left.

I had no where to go but straight. A few moments soon after, I heard a loud bang on my right side. The truck had hit me on my right doors. At about 90kph, gravity took over instantaneously.

I recall hitting the brakes and feeling vigorous thuds on my feet. This must have been the anti-lock kicking in but to no avail, perhaps, because my car’s tail had already spun clockwise. For a brief moment, I was face to face with the truck’s front, and then moments later, I heard a loud crash coming from the back.

At this point my car had spun from the outermost to the innermost lane, 4 lanes across. The car had stopped moving and hit the concrete fence.

When I went out, I saw that the bumper had been torn. The trunk was completely disaligned. I looked at the two right doors and the rear fender. The collision had torn the metal like sheets of paper and exposed the side impact bars.

My torn sides

I also took a picture of the lower part of the car where I must have first had contact with the 18-wheeler. The picture below shows a tear.

I think this is the first point where the impact was the strongest.

ASSESSING THE DAMAGE

I knew I was not hurt. As my car twirled, I felt the force of the twirl pressing me tightly against my seat. I could only say to myself  “oh no” a few times, but not enough time for my life to be flashing right before my eyes.

I went out of the car, shaking and knees trembling. There before me was the sight of the 18-wheeler. 3 men slowly climbing down and looking underneath. The driver had said that they already lost their steering guide and was already heading for a collision with the pylons.

I don’t recall anyone from their group coming to me and asking if I was hurt. All I could ask them was what happened. The driver, whom I later knew to be Mang Ed, said that they had lost steering and was fast heading towards the skyway pylons. Somehow the collision reset them back to the center lane where they could brake safely.

It sounded like the misfortune actually saved their lives.

REPARATIONS and REACTIONS.

I’m inclined to talk about the reparations at a later blog. Suffice it to say that it took me a while to speak to the owner of the freight truck but got to an agreement about repairs.

i surprised myself during this incident. The thought that i got out of it unscathed made me control my emotions even more. I wasnt angry. I think I was more into the problem solving mode. I wanted to make sure that I got the paper work filed. I also wanted some closure about how to proceed with claims and other related stuff.

I was able to drive my car to my friend who owns a collision repair shop. I had last seen him years back when I was involved in another traffic accident.

MY MENTAL REPLAY

The drive back home was quiet. I called home to tell my loved ones that I had been involved in an accident and that I was fine.

Then the what-ifs set in.

During the quiet drive, I had a good time to reflect about my concerns: debts, obligations, and other worldly stuff.

And then, there was family and loved ones. What if? How would the news be broken? What happened if the outcome had turned out differently? What if I survived and yet suffered a disability?

One thing was certain, I was safe. I was alive. I was unhurt.

I was thankful; grateful for receiving a new lease on life.

I called my friend Omy, and thanked him for selling the car to me a few years back. Had he not done so, and all things being equal, I would still have driven my old car when that accident took place.

I was just so thankful that the car I drove ensured my safety.

THE MESSAGES I GOT.

I have only been able to tell this story to a few of my friends. Of course, they were worried. And still they were able to insert a quick funny jab like: “Bad grass lives long, glad you are safe.”

Most of the messages were along these lines:

• “Go to church and say your thanksgiving.”
• “The Lord loves you.”
• “Miracle.”
• “Thank God you’re safe.”
• And of course, my loved ones had an outpouring of their love and affection.

Mel, my landlady said that I had been RESET.

WHAT I THINK RESET MEANS

When my Mac’s performance becomes erratic, i reboot it. I hope that after I reboot, the unit goes back to its right performance; that it performs as intended.

What I got last friday was a reset; a return to original configurations:

• perhaps to listen more than hear;
• to notice more than see;
• to speak more than talk;
• to pay more attention than seek it;
• to be grateful rather than just be thankful;
• to be more thoughtful than dutiful;
• to be more giving than exacting;
• to be more contrite than sorry;
• to celebrate more and worry less;
• to be more worshipful than routinary;
• to feel more than think;
• to surrender more and trust myself less.

I think I recall when the resetting happened. This was when I spun out of control and held on. Since there was nothing I could do, I surrendered and trusted that all will be well.

SCAMMED: My good intentions turning into bad results

I fell prey to a scammer last Monday, March 23, 2009. I wanted to buy a used iphone over ebay.ph and I saw this one i particularly wanted.

This is not my first time in internet purchasing. But i let my excitement rule over this particular day. I was reflecting the whole week whether or not I would share this experience with you.

Setting aside my bruised ego. I decided I would.

Actually there are two of us from the JCI movement that fell prey to this person last Monday.

My scammer’s name is Dennison Reyes Chan. This is the name he bears on his fake license. He also goes by the name of Richard Reyes Chua. He posts items for sale in ebay.ph and sulit.com.ph

Both these persons exist in real life. But the license details are different from the one posted here.

Here is his bogus license:
?

The usual conversations in online bids is that if you like the product, you would normally contact the seller using the number he leaves on his featured item in any of the online sites. If you come into an agreement, you would then arrange for the exchange.

You either meet face to face to exchange or use an intermediary like GCash or a bank for deposits. He does his share by sending the parcel to your preferred address. Online purchases have worked this way since. It is a trusting community. But not everyone is on the same page.

Here is the modus he used on me and the others he has scammed:

He posts an item up in ebay.ph, says that the item is in Baguio, and leaves a number. In the case of the Iphone that was put up for bid, the claim was that he has three bought from the US and he is selling one.
You send him a text message and he replies. In the case of last Sunday, he said that he came from Church with his family.

He will pretend to be a father and asks his daughter whose names go by Crystal Chan and Dianne Chan to send you an email with attached pictures of your desired unit, a business permit of a hardware store in Baguio called Pine Hardware, and a picture of a driver’s license.

He also leaves an account number for you to deposit the payment to. He asks you to fax the deposit slip to a number in Baguio or wherever he says he is based.
He promises to send the item via parcel as soon as he confirms your bank deposit. The coup de grace is for you to confirm the deposit by emailing or faxing it to him. The bank will never reveal his data because there’s bank secrecy.

He will speak good english to make him sound more credible. He will stop talking to you as soon as the deposit is made.
He withdraws the listing from ebay.ph or the online portal he posts in. The moment you agree on a price, the price on the item changes. That way, you will never be the winner. In the case of ebay, it will only entertain winning bidders.

Here is his bogus business permit:

?

His Email Template:

Hi po Mennen!

Here are some more images of the iPhone my dad asked me to email u…. and attached are his IDs too.  Hope this will be helpful…

The total price of your iPhone is P24,000.00 shipping is included. Just email me here if ever you have some technical questions when you recieve the iPhone. Otherwise, everything’s in the manual anyway. Hope you’ll really enjoy it! =) We will have it sent to your address via Air21, it’s door to door, it’s just 1-2 days delivery. I have restored the settings too, so expect it to be in full factory trim, everything’s complete and intact, it’s openline already, firmware is updated to latest 2.2.1, you may install applications from iTunes, all accessories and packaging are complete.

It’s ready to use..

You may confirm the serial number of your iPhone for your warranty… here’s apple’s support website.

https://selfsolve.apple.com/GetWarranty.do

88831G471R4    –    Other Countries  -  Philippines

Here are my dad’s account details: You may make payment at Allied Bank, Sucat, Savings 1620-12618-5 Dennison R. Chan/Pine House Hardware, Benguet pls. Fax the deposit slip to our office to (074)4423638 or email it here if a fax machine is not available. Dad will have it shipped to your address that same day, you’ll receive it the morning the following day or two.

Please text my dad your mailing address and complete name so my mum can prepare the package tonight. Good day po!

Hope you will really enjoy it! =)

Some of the pictures he sent included details of the supposed unit he was to deliver to me.
?
So there goes the scam. In the end, it is still caveat emptor. Let the buyer beware.
Our Text conversations:

Will there be hope of getting justice here? Perhaps. But if ever it does, it will not come fast. It will probably take a long time considering that that there are stonewalls being put up by the organizations the scammer has used to perpetuate his crime.

What are my lessons here? How can JCI members help? Here are my suggestions:

If ever you want to bid, please ask a fellow JCI member in your area to verify whether the data anyone provides is true.

I’d like to say buy from trusted sites. Ebay is a trusted site. But you can’t trust all the players who study the technicalities very well.

Save up and buy brand new. Most of the time, online bidding works. But you also have people wanting to beat the system. Will I still trust the system? Yes I will. But take all precaution to enforce your end of the bargain. Insist on a meet-up and item-money exchange instead of parcel deliveries. be wary also of moving money by cell phones.

Please spread this document around to as many people as possible.

To my scammer, I read in an article that talks about the difference between companies that excel and companies that tumbled over.

You know what the difference is?

The excellent companies always considered the consequences to other party whenever they decided or acted.

The companies that failed only thought about themselves.

Bambee de la Paz's pic in her blogsite

The original link to Bambee de la Paz’s blog about his father and brother’s alleged mauling  may be found on this link.

I am not one who makes judgments who is right or wrong in this incident. I am interested to know what conclusions the investigations will yield.

I pray for Bambee’s family though. I hope she and her loved ones get the justice they deserve. Let me link the incident to my experience of traffic in the streets:

• Government vehicles tend to always be driven as if their passengers are constantly hurrying
• Government vehicles are marked by the person who gave it, not the taxpayers who foot the bill
• There is no coding for government vehicles
• Most of the elected and appointed officials I see on the road will never experience traffic because a good number of them have police escorts
• Government vehicles can actually break traffic rules and the driver may not get cited for violations
• Not all ambulances that travel along South Luzon expressway carry a patient; the ambulances are used because cars give way to them
• The body guards are there to protect their masters; right or wrong , they will see resistance from civilians as a threat to their master’s well-being.

Not everyone in government is abusive. But not everyone in government plays fair either. Not everyone in government sees himself as a public servant. But you have examples of public servants who are careful in preserving their good names too. Not everyone worries about our welfare. But not everyone thinks about their personal interests too.

If a public position is a public trust, then you know that anyone who occupies it must have our best interests at heart. Perhaps along with that trust is the expectation of mutual respect, whether you are in power or just a “common” voter. Worse, you may not actually have voted for the guy. Thus, there is really no “relationship” between you and the politician.

I don’t see why the golf course should be an exception. It is still like the streets and highways of Metro Manila, only the traffic is lesser.

The politician still must pass through. His need to get ahead, perhaps, is more “important” than ours.

Mutual respect, perhaps, put on hold.

I hope the investigations will show who forgot to exercise it.

My first seedling on IPO Dam

The Ateneo Graduate School Family planted trees last November 23 at IPO Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan. The project is a part of a series of activities for Cura Kalikasan (Care for Nature) under Prof. Rachel Consunji.

The planting area

Getting there. 

Getting to Norzagaray was quick. A short cut took us from Katipunan to Novaliches in less than 15 minutes. On a regular day, that trip would have taken us about an hour. 

Faculty, staff, and students boarded two mini-buses. We also had trip guides from Hands-on manila with us on the buses.

I was not quite sure what to expect since this is my first time to IPO Dam. 

The boat ride to the planting area

Getting on a boat. 

The planting site was about 15-minutes by boat. I was not prepared for a change in weather. The days prior to this had been extremely hot and sunny. So why would this Saturday be different? 

Mother nature had something else planned. When we boarded the bancas, rain started to pour down. Blessing in disguise perhaps, because if we planted during high noon, it would have been hot and difficult to bear. 

Getting past looking good and staying clean

Getting past clean. 

The planting site was already muddy and slippery because of the rain. When we got there, we were sure to get dirty. The thing with the soil is that it looks dirty. But when you get past the “looking good and staying clean,” then things start to be fun and purposeful.

I started counting seedlings at first. But after my first five seedlings, then the perspective changed. It wasn’t about numbers anymore.

It was about:

• being with others 
• duty to care for the environment
• water that I was drinking  and yes, perhaps wasting at home
• atonement for transgressing Mother Nature
• exercise (yes!) 
• being grateful that my calling was not to till the soil 
• thankful for the wonderful nature I had all around but had little time to notice
• embracing the soil that would welcome me when I die 

The Ateneo Tree Planting team

Getting all cleaned up.

The experience was difficult. The terrain was totally inclined. It was very difficult to navigate and stay balanced on both feet. So I crawled, slipped, cut myself until the end of the exercise.

At one point I kept slipping, almost hurting myself and others (i held on to things and people; at 200 pounds, i took everything with me everytime I fell or slipped). Then a random thought crossed my mind.

I understood my brother-in-law, Vic, who was in the mountains as a uniformed officer.  If I were in his place, I would be killed. Perhaps these were the same conditions he would have navigated when he and his team went on missions in the countryside. Perhaps, the conditions were worse. In this terrain, I had none of his skills.

Overwhelmed, blessed, and grateful

Going home. 

I head home humbled by nature, this time more aware about what goes into the water I drink. Although I planted more or less 30 seedlings, what I did will not change the world. My hands are too feeble to cause global warming to stop. 

Perhaps if we all had opportunities for these experiences, feeble hands can combine and make a difference in this world. 

I have a greater respect for the soil now. It’s because on this day, the soil provided me with personal nourishment and growth.

Although I went home dirty and soiled, there was nothing water could not wash away.  

Except, perhaps,  the memories and lessons from this trip.

Air quality facing nothbound, heading into the direction of Makati

Do you recall what your Science teacher told you about air? It’s a type of matter other than solid and liquid. I recall my teacher saying that air exists even though you do not see it. 

But get scared when YOU SEE IT. I DID.

On my way to Makati, I decided to hop on to the skyway.  For a fine and clear day, I could not see Makati, Manila, or the Fort on the horizon. A brown blanket of air settled on top of the city. This blanket is very visible on weekdays and is hardly there on weekends. And since 7am falls under rush hour, I would suppose that this brown blanket of air largely comes from our vehicles’ exhaust.

I’ve seen this brown mist over New Delhi and Seoul on my previous trips. Only in both places, you know that the sun IS shining, but you CAN’T SEE the sun. NASA calls this blanket a brown cloud.

Pollution is allowing us to SEE air and preventing us from SEEING the sun. Call it whatever you want it, but know that we are all contributing to it.

I wonder if we are doing anything about it. Look around. You get a sense what the answer is. 

Slow death.

Last Saturday was special. I attended Nikki’s debut. She is the daughter of very good friends, mentors, and business partners, Debbie and Gene. 

My last debut was actually about this same time so many years back. I recall dancing the Cotillon. This debut did not have it. No more square dances.

Instead we had hiphop, Chris Brown, and Ne-yo playing the whole night. We had very good dance numbers from Orange Dance Studio. On this night, we had a cocktail waiting area, a photo-all-you-can booth, two drink tickets, a well laid-out tent at the Le Pavillion, mimes in white, and graffiti in the entrance and on the stage. This night also gave away gift certificates from Starbucks and 4 nokia mobile phones.

On this night were Nikki’s family and friends, wishing her well on her journey to womanhood. On this night, we saw friends who shared how Nikki mattered to them. Each disclosure was real; each disclosure was special because it revealed what Nikki meant to different people. 

In the end, it was family who shared the deepest wishes of love and good blessings for her. Debbie, wishing for her daughter to always walk in God’s ways. And Gene declaring how this once-in-a-lifetime celebration can only happen once in Nikki’s life. Perhaps, the second time is when…. well, Gene says not yet  

Last saturday was a special time. It showed me: 

• family still matters in the end 
• fathers may shed a tear for their daughters on this night and not be ashamed of it
• hip hop is cool and may be easy to learn
• debuts are fun; not necessarily stiff and formal 
• time is like a five-minute video presentation: it goes by quickly
• no matter how much you say how bad the economy is, people have more important reasons to be happy about 
• that Gene and Debbie are cool parents because they overcame the generation gap with their children; 

Nikki, i thought said it well, when it was her turn to speak. She said that it was quality and not quantity that mattered. That numbers don’t tell how you are as a friend; it is the quality of your relationships you have nurtured that determine how life treats you. 

Very deep insights from an 18-year old woman.

Of course, she drew this from a deep well of love.

Mennen M. Aracid 

International Training Fellow No 106

JCI Kagayhaan Gold Inc. 

Being granted the title International Training Fellow is a personal honor for me. This is a dream that I have always longed for even from the start of my training career. Now that I am one, I look back with awe and gratitude to the opportunities that brought me here. 

Allow me to share a few thoughts:  

BE BETTER. 

Being better is not about being better than the next person. Training is an opportunity for personal growth. It is an opportunity to become a more beautiful person, in and out. Training is also a life changing event. Someone in JCI will open the key for you and inspire you to be better in the organization. 

I call them mentors. They are all over the JCI organization. However, choosing them is challenging. Being better means learning all you can from people whom you think can make a positive influence in your life. 

To a great extent, what I am now is a result of following example. My training style is an entire list of things I picked up from training sessions I attended in and out of the JCI movement. But it should not end there. 

Being better also means becoming your own trainer. I have evolved my own brand of training from out of the best practices I’ve seen. Training is about self-expression. Your participants will learn from your experiences and insights. At the same time, you create the safe environment where they can express and discover themselves.

BE ON TIME 

Value people’s time. I hear a lot of members complain about Filipino time and equate it with JCI time. But I can also tell you this: Being late is part of our culture. This is not the predominant culture of JCI. I know that events at international conferences start on time whether they are JCI or non-JCI functions.  

In the training context, it is still wise to do everything possible to make people come on time. But the call starts with us, the trainers. People must see us come on time. People must see us keep the time as well. Let us be the counter-culture that proves that Filipinos CAN keep the time. 

I feel sad when I see the trainer coming in late. When this happens, he misses the opportunity to adjust the Filipino time. 

EXECUTE IN EXCELLENCE 

Be patient when you work the training salt mines. Keep the right perspective every time. Your training assignment will vary. Sometimes you get your dream role. Oftentimes, it will not be what you expected. Be comfortable with the bottom and menial duties. That is how people begin their training career. It also keeps you sensitive to the feelings of the organizers. 

When I started out, I was the course assistant. I prepared the venue. I cleaned after the participants were long gone. I took care of the facilitator’s needs by arranging the little details they asked me to take care of. It took me a long time to move on to other tasks. 

I suppose I did my job well. I got promoted. When I also started out, it took me a while to be permitted to lead the recital of the creed and prayer. Sometimes, I would be assigned to introduce the guest speaker or trainer. Whatever the part was, I would always give it my best shot.  

JCI has a good preparation system to certify that trainers are at their best the moment they become Head trainer for official courses. Your opportunity will come sooner than later. But in the meantime, deliver your responsibilities excellently.

KEEP YOUR WORD

Keep your promises no matter how big or small they are. People around you will never quite outgrow the promise you make. While some people will dismiss that promise, a good number will hang on to it like a three-year-old child. 

A lot of chapters in our organization need help. When you promise to help them, please show up and share with them all you know. When you keep you word and share your experiences with other chapters, your credibility will grow more and more. 

Your reputation will also come before you. Whether people consider you as a training asset or a training loss, they are likely to tell someone about it. 

When you promise learning, keep your word. When you promise fun, keep your word. When you promise to show up, be there.

WORRY LESS ABOUT HOSPITALITY  

When people want to hear you speak, they will do all they can to make your stay in their place pleasant. And yes, they will find a way to bring you there as well. 

So fret little about being treated well and setting preconditions for your visit. Your hosts will take care of you because they also want you to come back and visit them again some time. 

When you make it difficult for people to invite you, I assure you, They will not only speak ill of you. You’ll never be invited again. 

INVEST IN YOURSELF

Your training experience is your capital. So invest in yourself. Try and learn from other cultures by attending international conferences. I hear a lot of trainers being stuck at the local scene because they worry about expenses.

I agree that conferences can be expensive. But i’d rather look at it as capital. Do not feel guilty about saving so you can go on that trip you wanted for yourself. Go ahead and do it. Travel is a good perspective enhancer. Travel makes you the global citizen that JCI speaks about. I feel that it will be difficult to understand other people if you do not immerse yourself in their culture.  

Keep abreast by being the learner from time to time. Study and sharpen yourself. If you were to become a world class trainer, you have to be a cut above the rest. 

As we celebrate our organization’s 60^th year, I hope that more JCI members will become JCI trainers. I will turn 40 this year. I end with a bit of pain in my heart knowing that some good things have to come to an end. At the same time, I also feel encouraged seeing younger generations of JCI members being fired up to be the best they can be. 

I step aside, just like the ones that come before me, to give way to youth. It is the vibrant force that has allowed our organization to grow old. It is the young members that nurture JCI Philippines and move it forward. Youth is the promise that allows JCI to move on and outlive all of us. 

Invite me for coffee some time. Let’s trade war stories. Learn from my experiences and pick up what you like. From there, build your life. 

But make it better. 

*** this is the essay I submitted for the 60th JCI Philippines celebration souvenir program.