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	<title>ALPSaguado.com &#187; Witticisms</title>
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	<link>http://www.alpsaguado.com</link>
	<description>Lifestyle and Business Lalala</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Sun, 06 Nov 2011 05:47:02 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>The Way I Plan 2011</title>
		<link>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2011/02/the-way-i-plan-2011/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2011/02/the-way-i-plan-2011/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 17 Feb 2011 01:55:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Alps</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alpsisms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Career]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Growth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Independence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Journal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Organizer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Planner]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Starbucks]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alpsaguado.com/?p=2508</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fthe-way-i-plan-2011%2F' data-shr_title='The+Way+I+Plan+2011'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fthe-way-i-plan-2011%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fthe-way-i-plan-2011%2F' data-shr_title='The+Way+I+Plan+2011'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fthe-way-i-plan-2011%2F' data-shr_title='The+Way+I+Plan+2011'></a><p style="text-align: justify;">Growth is uneasy. And this will be one of my growth manifestations (sorry for not qualifying the term &#8220;growth&#8221;) that the public will ever witness. My friends and I had a serious question back in college after [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class='shareaholic-like-buttonset' style='float:none;height:30px;'><a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fthe-way-i-plan-2011%2F' data-shr_title='The+Way+I+Plan+2011'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fthe-way-i-plan-2011%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fthe-way-i-plan-2011%2F' data-shr_title='The+Way+I+Plan+2011'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fthe-way-i-plan-2011%2F' data-shr_title='The+Way+I+Plan+2011'></a></div><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p style="text-align: justify;">Growth is uneasy. And this will be one of my growth manifestations (sorry for not qualifying the term &#8220;growth&#8221;) that the public will ever witness. My friends and I had a serious question back in college after I published my <a href="http://www.alpsaguado.com/2010/01/the-way-we-plan-2010-2/" target="_blank">last The Way We Plan (TWWP) entry</a>, college edition. TWWP is actually my annual attempt to showcase the planners and/or journals of my college friends. I think I&#8217;m just obsessed with <a href="http://www.alpsaguado.com/2009/12/a-romantic-agenda/" target="_blank">organizing my life</a> to the extent that I want to see and share how other people do it (through choosing a planner, that is). Or, maybe, I just want to showcase my friends. Or, maybe, the former has more truth in it.<span id="more-2508"></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Back to that <em>difficult question, </em>how do I showcase  the planners of my <em>corporate colleagues</em> without &#8220;annoying&#8221; them amidst corporate turmoil? Will they regard this tradition of mine as a juvenile act? Well. I don&#8217;t know. But this is something I really know: When you graduate to the corporate world, you&#8217;ll think that everything about college is a component of a very large playground where kids play with shiny red balloons and dirty sneakers. You thought that college is a big serious (and political) stuff until you meet a new monster in the survival camp. For the record, I don&#8217;t underestimate my college years. Having a career, <em><strong>is just different</strong></em>. Just different.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, for continuing the tradition, I&#8217;ll present the planner I am currently using:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
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								<img title="Starbucks 2011 Planner" alt="Starbucks 2011 Planner" src="http://www.alpsaguado.com/wp-content/gallery/starbucks/thumbs/thumbs_DSC09579.jpg" width="100" height="75" />
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								<img title="Theme: My Third Place" alt="Theme: My Third Place" src="http://www.alpsaguado.com/wp-content/gallery/starbucks/thumbs/thumbs_DSC09467.jpg" width="100" height="75" />
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								<img title="Damaged &quot;thing&quot;" alt="Damaged &quot;thing&quot;" src="http://www.alpsaguado.com/wp-content/gallery/starbucks/thumbs/thumbs_dsc09576.jpg" width="100" height="75" />
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<p style="text-align: justify;">Yes, it&#8217;s the almost overrated Starbucks Planner. Please don&#8217;t mind the messy cover, thanks. Anyway, I haven&#8217;t seen time as gold for a while so I just considered the planner that first came to my mind. Every after work during the December of last year, I go to Starbucks, sip some whatever Frappuccino or whatever Christmas Frappuccino, go home and do my corporate homework&#8211;almost not looking forward to getting The Season&#8217;s Most Coveted Planner. Man, I just want a planner. I got the <em>Wood</em> variant because the two other variants are not my type. Wow, I love simple reasoning.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p>
<div id="attachment_2527" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 522px"><img class="size-full wp-image-2527 " title="The Iconic Cup" src="http://www.alpsaguado.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC09582.jpg" alt="The Iconic Cup" width="512" height="384" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Bookmark with the Iconic Cup</p></div>
<p><strong>The Good: </strong>The prestige (nah, of you&#8217;re looking for one) of having more or less 2 grand worth of planner; nice paper&#8211;acid free I think? At par with Moleskine&#8217;s; Simple and Straightforward&#8211;it&#8217;s nothing but a planner! Well, with some promotional coupons inside.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Bad: </strong>Limited designs&#8211;and those designs have limited fans; the <em>artistic </em>paper <em>structures</em> on the cover are fragile&#8211;I think I just broke a piece (see the last photo at the gallery above); You can never be unique. Worse, you can be branded as a poseur. Haha.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Lowdown: </strong>If you just want a decent, elegant planner without worrying too much about the presence of too many options, then get it.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I use this planner both for business and personal life planning (it is actually less serious and grandiose than it sounds). However, the company I am working for also gave us one:</p>
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<p style="text-align: justify;">Just like the SB Planner, it&#8217;s simple and straightforward. Except: I have my name on it (yey?) and it can remind you about work <span style="text-decoration: underline;">all the time</span><strong> </strong>(yey?). Haha. I use the SB Planner [more] just because I got it first and I started planning my year with this Wood-like journal already. Yes, the train of thought needs to have a single track.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Going back to &#8220;growth&#8221;, I think this process or term has been used extensively in the modern business and psychology literature to the extent that we use such at no-brainer will. We know its simplest definition but, more often than not, we use it as a whimsical pinky promise to self. <a href="http://www.alpsaguado.com/2011/02/where-i-am/" target="_blank">As a kid who lived a hardcore independent life for some time</a>, I believe I am slowly imbibing its truest principle-based essence. Do not grow for growth&#8217;s sake because you won&#8217;t grow anyway. Growth is more than a promise to self. It&#8217;s something you plan for more than 24 hours of Buddhist-like self-reflection (yes, I&#8217;m serious). You engineer your habits and your lifestyle. And, the prerequisite of it: You need to leave something behind, even how uneasy or uncomfortable it may seem.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When you take a look at <a href="http://www.alpsaguado.com/2010/01/the-way-we-plan-2010-2/" target="_blank">my last year&#8217;s installment for the TWWP series</a>, it seems that I just enjoyed doing such as if I don&#8217;t have any more sensible things to do. I enjoyed doing it and I am willing to continue the tradition. However, my present life context isn&#8217;t applicable to a jumping-for-happiness entry anymore. I gone more formal and business-oriented I think (thank you, career).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">This could be the last entry of the The Way We Plan series. Starting this year, It&#8217;ll be <em>continued as</em> The Way <strong>I</strong> Plan&#8211;not because I&#8217;m selfish (duh) but because I want to have a more personal reflection about personal [life] planning <em>in general</em>. If you noticed, I put a lot of dramatic growth shit here as compared to the previous installments of the said series. I assure you, this is not the last thing I&#8217;m leaving behind or the last thing I&#8217;m changing. And this is definitely not the last thing that would manifest my personal growth. This is not a pinky promise. This is a big manly thumb assurance (hah!).<em> </em>So, where&#8217;s the gargantuan tear drop to top my dramatic ending?</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">For those who want to look back and create an aura of nostalgia, here are TWWP links for 2009 and 2010:</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://www.alpsaguado.com/2010/01/the-way-we-plan-2010-2/" target="_blank">The Way We Plan 2009</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.alpsaguado.com/2009/01/the-way-we-plan-2009-2/" target="_blank">The Way We Plan 2010</a></li>
</ol>
<div class="shr-publisher-2508"></div><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class='shareaholic-like-buttonset' style='float:none;height:30px;'><a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fthe-way-i-plan-2011%2F' data-shr_title='The+Way+I+Plan+2011'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fthe-way-i-plan-2011%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fthe-way-i-plan-2011%2F' data-shr_title='The+Way+I+Plan+2011'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fthe-way-i-plan-2011%2F' data-shr_title='The+Way+I+Plan+2011'></a></div><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic -->]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>5 Job Hunting Learnings</title>
		<link>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2010/07/5-job-hunting-learnings/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2010/07/5-job-hunting-learnings/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 18 Jul 2010 18:10:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Alps</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alpsisms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Career]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[branding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chesseburger]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[intimidation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[job]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[job interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jobhunting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jobs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lady Gaga]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[learnings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UP]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alpsaguado.com/?p=2400</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2F5-job-hunting-learnings%2F' data-shr_title='5+Job+Hunting+Learnings'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2F5-job-hunting-learnings%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2F5-job-hunting-learnings%2F' data-shr_title='5+Job+Hunting+Learnings'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2F5-job-hunting-learnings%2F' data-shr_title='5+Job+Hunting+Learnings'></a><p>I had double cheese burger for dinner. That means a double-the-fun yet double-the-cholesterol meal. Weirdly, every time I eat one, the urge to write comes as a divine force. Divinity, for me, is all about accepting something you don&#8217;t [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class='shareaholic-like-buttonset' style='float:none;height:30px;'><a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2F5-job-hunting-learnings%2F' data-shr_title='5+Job+Hunting+Learnings'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2F5-job-hunting-learnings%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2F5-job-hunting-learnings%2F' data-shr_title='5+Job+Hunting+Learnings'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2F5-job-hunting-learnings%2F' data-shr_title='5+Job+Hunting+Learnings'></a></div><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>I had double cheese burger for dinner. That means a double-the-fun yet double-the-cholesterol meal. Weirdly, every time I eat one, the urge to write comes as a divine force. Divinity, for me, is all about accepting something you don&#8217;t really expect at all. It is something that you know you don&#8217;t deserve but accepts it anyway because you feel it gives a burden on your name. I pull my inspiration to write from this elysian force so that <em>all my brains </em>would work. Amen to you, dear cheeseburger. Anyway, I already have a job&#8211;but I won&#8217;t talk about it here because I believe that this matter deserves a separate entry. What I want to write about is a crystallization of all the learnings I imbibed during the painfully long process of job hunting.</p>
<p><span id="more-2400"></span></p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Treat yourself as a brand. </strong>I read a management-related article about Lady Gaga (LG) and how she (he?) endured the rocky climb to popularity. In the lens of brand management, LG could be the epitome of effective icons and brands. She has a weird name but it&#8217;s so remember-able that it has penetrated every nation&#8217;s lingua franca. She might be a conglomeration of different pop icons but she was able to define herself uniquely and was able to prevent the explosion of the notion that she&#8217;s just a derivative. Lastly, she maintains a pool of loyal supporters and makes sure that they&#8217;re regularly engaged. Every time I have a job interview, I need to make sure that the employer will pick me among the different competitor brands. Don&#8217;t be a generic brand. And don&#8217;t be a branded commodity without strategic personal marketing. You are free to put any price on your tag&#8211;but make sure you&#8217;ll be worth the employer&#8217;s money. There are still many marketing strategies out there. I suggest you read some of them and contextualize them to your job hunter persona. Sooner or later, you&#8217;ll be selling like hot pancakes. With maple sauce and bacon on the side.
<p><div id="attachment_2401" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 450px"><img class="size-full wp-image-2401" title="lady-gaga-muppet-show-poncho" src="http://www.alpsaguado.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/lady-gaga-muppet-show-poncho.jpg" alt="" width="440" height="352" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Wear frogs, if necessary. | Photo from GlamourVanity.com</p></div></li>
<li><strong>Don&#8217;t just be unique, stand out too. </strong>Many job hunters would boast about uniqueness as their personal asset. But hey, I think that&#8217;s pretty given. Employers would not really see that uniqueness factor in a one hour or less encounter. Or worse, they just won&#8217;t care or give a damn. Here&#8217;s what I do: I think how I can be unique then I think how I can stand out. Being outstanding is an explicit way of showcasing your unique abilities. On the other hand, being unique is an explicit way of telling someone that you&#8217;re different; telling people that you&#8217;re different does not make any sense until you answer the annoying question: &#8220;So what?&#8221;. Answering such question gives you the momentum to stand out.</li>
<li><strong>Break the rules. </strong>A job opening is very noisy especially on the &#8220;qualifications&#8221; part. You read the job description and it wows you like it gives you the feeling that such job is your calling. Endorphins overflow until you start reading the qualifications. Female. 25-30 years old. Strictly honor students from reputable schools. If you feel that it&#8217;s your dream job, just go and click that Big Blue Apply Button. You have a pair of balls and a phallus. You are 21 years old. Your GPA is one inch short from the the Latin Honors list. Who cares? I had at least 3 interview appointments that, in principle, I shouldn&#8217;t had if the qualifications were Nazi strict. One of my friends just got a position even though he fell short on one of the post&#8217;s requirements. Go ahead, be Spartan (or Persian) brave.</li>
<li><strong>Share your story and hear their stories. </strong>I don&#8217;t know if it&#8217;s just me&#8211;but I always tell my job hunting adventures to my close friends and invest some time in hearing their versions. The discourse during those conversations would not just boost your confidence in reaching for that job but, more importantly, will also give you the idea that <em>you&#8217;re not alone. You are all in this together</em>, <em>and it shows when you stand hand in hand, you can make your dreams come true.</em> What an inspirational song. Lastly, it gives you The Pressure. All of your friends just got a job. What are you doing, sir?</li>
<li><strong>Intimidation is natural but transform it into a positive vibe. </strong>There&#8217;s an inside joke in my circle of friends&#8211;only people from this school and from this degree program can penetrate the walls of this venerated company. I believe that such inside joke replicates itself into other cliques as well. <em>Mga Anak ng Diyos lang ang tinatanggap dyan!</em> is a funny yet almost true statement I can read in some online message boards. Recently, I got into the last stage of an employment process wherein the shortlisted applicants have one thing in common: They came from <em>this </em>school. As a UP graduate, I know I have the guts to bring out my ninjuh swords and exhibit my ninjuh moves but I can&#8217;t help but to feel intimidated. You know what, intimidation urged me to take more confidence pills and to step up a notch higher so that I can steal the limelight. Intimidation will make or break you&#8211;just those two things. Of course, you have to take the good option. You guessed it right, eventually, I got the job. *poses like a ninjuh* On a different note, your fellow applicants, more probably, are also intimated by your presence. C&#8217;mon, intimidate them a la Art of War. Of course, I still promote a cheerful and friendly atmosphere between applicants.</li>
</ol>
<p>Two months worth of job hunting is really a tiring process but it&#8217;s still a learning experience after all. I know that I&#8217;m already giving a cliche ender to this entry but it is so true I can&#8217;t help but to spill it without being afraid of banality haters. These five things are just the major ones but I can still think of many derivative or corollary learnings. Of course, these things worked at least to me though I believe that they can be generalized in the right context. I suggest that you transform these things into your own by considering your values and personal schemata. The world is yours to conquer, Mr. Job Seeker. And, oh, don&#8217;t forget to bring your cheeseburger&#8211;you need its divine powers every now and then.</p>
<div class="shr-publisher-2400"></div><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class='shareaholic-like-buttonset' style='float:none;height:30px;'><a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2F5-job-hunting-learnings%2F' data-shr_title='5+Job+Hunting+Learnings'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2F5-job-hunting-learnings%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2F5-job-hunting-learnings%2F' data-shr_title='5+Job+Hunting+Learnings'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2F5-job-hunting-learnings%2F' data-shr_title='5+Job+Hunting+Learnings'></a></div><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic -->]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Canned Weakness</title>
		<link>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2010/07/canned-weakness/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2010/07/canned-weakness/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:05:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Alps</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alpsisms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Career]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[canned weaknesses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jobs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weakness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weaknesses]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alpsaguado.com/?p=2385</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fcanned-weakness%2F' data-shr_title='Canned+Weakness'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fcanned-weakness%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fcanned-weakness%2F' data-shr_title='Canned+Weakness'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fcanned-weakness%2F' data-shr_title='Canned+Weakness'></a><p>I have attended several job interviews already and I realized that the most recurring question is: &#8220;What&#8217;s your weakness?&#8221;. Before I go to my interview appointment, I rehearse my answers to the most common interview questions&#8211;and I do it [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class='shareaholic-like-buttonset' style='float:none;height:30px;'><a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fcanned-weakness%2F' data-shr_title='Canned+Weakness'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fcanned-weakness%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fcanned-weakness%2F' data-shr_title='Canned+Weakness'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fcanned-weakness%2F' data-shr_title='Canned+Weakness'></a></div><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>I have attended several job interviews already and I realized that the most recurring question is: &#8220;What&#8217;s your weakness?&#8221;. Before I go to my interview appointment, I rehearse my answers to the most common interview questions&#8211;and I do it in our house&#8217;s comfort room. There&#8217;s something in the CR that makes me more eloquent and that conditions my mind to deliver kick-ass answers. If there&#8217;s a company that holds their interviews in such sacred room, I&#8217;ll come out as a highly revered saint.</p>
<p><span id="more-2385"></span></p>
<div id="attachment_2387" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 528px"><a href="http://www.alpsaguado.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/712.strip_.zoom_.gif"><img class="size-full wp-image-2387     " title="Weakness a la Twilight" src="http://www.alpsaguado.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/712.strip_.zoom_.gif" alt="Weakness a la Twilight" width="518" height="232" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Weakness a la Twilight | From Dilbert.com</p></div>
<p>Anyway, let&#8217;s go back to the topic at hand. You guessed it, I have a ready answer for that common question. And I formulated it in such a way that it will appear as a strength too. They said it, &#8220;weakness&#8221; should be a double edged sword but you have to minimize the penetration of the edge pointing at you.</p>
<blockquote><p>Being very keen to details or being obsessive compulsive is my weakness. I devote a huge amount of my working time to check every detail at hand. With it, you could consider me as a slow worker because I make sure that every aspect is checked and polished.</p></blockquote>
<p><strong>Guess what? A masked weakness won&#8217;t be sold even if you put a luxurious price tag on it. </strong>Every time I give my <em>template</em> answer, my interviewer asks for more. And I give another canned weakness. And my interviewer asks for more. I gave a <em>real weakness </em>and my interviewer was satisfied like a fisherman who caught a big fish after hours of butt-aching fishing. These fishers want the fresh catch, and not the <em>canned </em>one. Here&#8217;s something I found after some little research about &#8220;canned weaknesses&#8221;.</p>
<blockquote><p><strong>&#8220;What is your greatest weakness?&#8221;</strong></p>
<p>Be careful with this one. Most interview guides will tell you to answer it with a positive trait disguised as a weakness. For example, &#8220;I tend to expect others to work as hard as I do,&#8221; or &#8220;I&#8217;m a bit of a perfectionist.&#8221; Interviewers have heard these &#8220;canned&#8221; answers over and over again. To stand out, be more original and state a true weakness, but then emphasize what you&#8217;ve done to overcome it. For example: &#8220;I&#8217;ve had trouble delegating duties to others because I felt I could do things better myself. This has sometimes backfired because I&#8217;d end up with more than I could handle and the quality of my work would suffer. But I&#8217;ve taken courses in time management and learned effective delegation techniques, and I feel I&#8217;ve overcome this weakness.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>IMPORTANT:</strong> Be sure the weakness you talk about is NOT a key element of the position!</p></blockquote>
<p>It is a given that we are not perfect. It is a given that we have our personal weaknesses. It is a given that we can readily admit them one by one. <strong>But,</strong> it is not a given that all people will admit them without thinking about pride.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #888888;">Source: </span><a href="http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/questions.html"><span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/questions.html</span></span></a></strong></p>
<div class="shr-publisher-2385"></div><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class='shareaholic-like-buttonset' style='float:none;height:30px;'><a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fcanned-weakness%2F' data-shr_title='Canned+Weakness'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fcanned-weakness%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fcanned-weakness%2F' data-shr_title='Canned+Weakness'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fcanned-weakness%2F' data-shr_title='Canned+Weakness'></a></div><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic -->]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>23</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Prolificacy</title>
		<link>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2009/12/prolificacy/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2009/12/prolificacy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 29 Dec 2009 09:40:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Alps</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alpsisms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Random]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wishlist]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Witticisms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Blogging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Growth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[internship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Journal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ludwig Wittgenstein]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Philosophy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Planner]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Richard Rorty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Starbucks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Writing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alpsaguado.com/?p=2140</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fprolificacy%2F' data-shr_title='Prolificacy'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fprolificacy%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fprolificacy%2F' data-shr_title='Prolificacy'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fprolificacy%2F' data-shr_title='Prolificacy'></a><p>Observant people tell me that I blog more often than before. Well, I think it&#8217;s even an understatement. I rarely blog every day, or even every week&#8211;I think I blog only twice or thrice a month. And this is [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class='shareaholic-like-buttonset' style='float:none;height:30px;'><a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fprolificacy%2F' data-shr_title='Prolificacy'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fprolificacy%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fprolificacy%2F' data-shr_title='Prolificacy'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fprolificacy%2F' data-shr_title='Prolificacy'></a></div><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>Observant people tell me that I blog more often than before. Well, I think it&#8217;s even an understatement. I rarely blog every day, or even every week&#8211;I think I blog only twice or thrice a month. And this is a justifiable excuse because of the different justifiable forces that prevent me to do so.<strong> If something </strong><em><strong>justifiable</strong></em><strong> inhibited you to do something, then the direct causes of inhibition would also be as </strong><em><strong>justifiable.</strong></em> This is the kind of logic I sustain in my values stream that kept me breathing. But I guess this won&#8217;t work in the crazily fast-paced lifestyle of the 21st century.</p>
<p><span id="more-2140"></span></p>
<p>My <em>boss</em> during my first internship tells me this before an actual work: <em>I trust you, you know what to do. </em>Beyond that bragging smile I pose to exhibit a sugar-free confidence, I was actually telling myself: WTF. <em>What are those things I know?</em> The society is becoming less of a rational organization because contemporary norms standardize trivial knowledge&#8211;making it automatic. Okay, I actually didn&#8217;t get what I just said. Haha. The point is this, people become automatic due to their struggle for rationality. This is bit of an irony but it&#8217;s something I can observe&#8211;with myself at least. I am rational but my <em>generated rationalities </em>become an involuntary pool of knowledge, ready to spill anytime it needs to. This kind of philosophical inquiry might piss you off because you can&#8217;t understand the ultimate point of this. My Philosophy professor told us before: <em>Philosophers and social scientists</em> are the worst writers. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Rorty" target="_blank">Richard Rorty</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Wittgenstein" target="_blank">Ludwig Wittgenstein</a> would the best examples to prove such point. <strong>And </strong>I&#8217;m a bad writer when I&#8217;m writing about philosophy&#8211;or some sort of it. Actually, this blog entry is supposed to tackle about my new planner. As you can see, the original plan isn&#8217;t fulfilled. Haha.</p>
<div id="attachment_2141" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 494px"><a href="http://www.alpsaguado.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/DSC08061.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-2141" title="DSC08061" src="http://www.alpsaguado.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/DSC08061.jpg" alt="" width="484" height="364" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Wish against the heavens</p></div>
<p>To compensate for my bad writing style amidst philosophical inquiry, I will make an effort to link what I said in the previous paragraphs and buying (or <em>obtaining</em>, since I didn&#8217;t <em>buy</em> mine) a planner. For a twenty year old kid like me, it is expected that I will act in the most ideal forms of maturity. I have concrete sets of values which were made through a complex mixture of experiences and <em>rationalities</em>. But some point in my life as a <em>mature</em> person, I realized that I have to reformulate those sets of values to allow more room for <em>rationality.</em> A nice planner/journal helps me to do so. I just scanned over my three journals (for the last three years) and I saw myself as someone who <em>knows everything</em> <em>and </em>someone who <em>won&#8217;t jerk a tear</em> for something I don&#8217;t know. <strong>I want to strive to do something even if something <em>justifiable </em>inhibits me to do so<em>.<span style="font-weight: normal;"> <span style="font-style: normal;">I want to grow. Wish me luck. Yes, even a excessively rational person like me believes in luck. Gotta start </span>planning<span style="font-style: normal;"> now. :)</span></span></em></strong></p>
<div class="shr-publisher-2140"></div><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class='shareaholic-like-buttonset' style='float:none;height:30px;'><a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fprolificacy%2F' data-shr_title='Prolificacy'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fprolificacy%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fprolificacy%2F' data-shr_title='Prolificacy'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fprolificacy%2F' data-shr_title='Prolificacy'></a></div><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic -->]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>14</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Freaky Wikinomics</title>
		<link>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2009/07/freaky-wikinomics/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2009/07/freaky-wikinomics/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:21:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Alps</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Witticisms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Works]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alpsaguado.com/?p=1891</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F07%2Ffreaky-wikinomics%2F' data-shr_title='Freaky+Wikinomics'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F07%2Ffreaky-wikinomics%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F07%2Ffreaky-wikinomics%2F' data-shr_title='Freaky+Wikinomics'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F07%2Ffreaky-wikinomics%2F' data-shr_title='Freaky+Wikinomics'></a><p>The moment my Organizational Communication 152 (Communication Trends and Styles) professor handed out our readings for this week, I thought I already encountered that book in the past. Unfortunately, it wasn&#8217;t the book I was expecting. Anyway, the readings [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class='shareaholic-like-buttonset' style='float:none;height:30px;'><a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F07%2Ffreaky-wikinomics%2F' data-shr_title='Freaky+Wikinomics'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F07%2Ffreaky-wikinomics%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F07%2Ffreaky-wikinomics%2F' data-shr_title='Freaky+Wikinomics'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F07%2Ffreaky-wikinomics%2F' data-shr_title='Freaky+Wikinomics'></a></div><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>The moment my Organizational Communication 152 (Communication Trends and Styles) professor handed out our readings for this week, I thought I already encountered that book in the past. Unfortunately, it wasn&#8217;t the book I was expecting. Anyway, the readings that my professor tasked us to read are two chapters from the book <strong><em>Wikinomics </em><span style="font-weight: normal;">by Tapscott and Williams. The book that I thought was the one to read is </span><em>Freakonomics</em><span style="font-weight: normal;"> by Levitt and Dubner. They sound almost the same so my mind equated them as one (blame my brain).</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span id="more-1891"></span></span></strong></p>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<dl id="attachment_41" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; background-color: #f3f3f3; padding-top: 4px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; -webkit-border-top-right-radius: 3px 3px; -webkit-border-top-left-radius: 3px 3px; -webkit-border-bottom-left-radius: 3px 3px; -webkit-border-bottom-right-radius: 3px 3px; width: 532px; border: 1px solid #dddddd;">
<dt><img style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px none initial;" title="Books" src="http://vinculum.alpsaguado.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Books.JPG" alt="Books" width="522" height="387" /></dt>
<dd style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 4px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 4px; margin: 0px;">Freakonomics and Wikinomics</dd>
</dl>
</div>
<p><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">When I finished reading the two chapters from Wikinomics, my mind recalled a specific concept from the book Freakonomics. Fortunately, both of the books dwell about modern economics so associating concepts from the first book to the other is generally an easy intellectual task. Anyway, the concept I have recalled is </span>Information Asymmetry. </strong>According to Freakonomics, Information Asymmetry is prevalent in commercial transactions. For example, between a broker and a house buyer, the broker has more knowledge about the pricing scheme of the houses he or she sells. Generally, the era of capitalism suggests that sellers or manufacturers are more knowledgeable than their counterpart&#8211;the buyers. The symmetry, to boost profit, must be asymmetrical as much as possible.</p>
<p>Information asymmetry was greatly wounded by, guess what, the internet. During these days, the consumers are empowered&#8211; more than empowered than what the consitutions wants. We are able to know the ABCs of a specific product or service. More importantly, we are able to know what others think about it through <strong>mass collaboration</strong>which the other book, Wikinomics, discussed about.</p>
<p>Correlating the <em>Freaky </em>to the <em>Wiki</em>, I could see that Wikinomics dwelled more on how mass collaboration makes the capitalist information asymmetry to be otherwise (to make information symmetrical that is). According to the authors, Wikinomics is based on four ideas: <em>Openness, Peering, Sharing, </em>and <em>Acting Globally. </em>Let&#8217;s take a closer look at each idea to see how mass collaboration makes information more symmetrical between two parties.</p>
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://vinculum.alpsaguado.com/2009/07/freaky-wikinomics/" target="_blank">Continue Reading at The Vinculum</a></h1>
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		<title>The Vinculum</title>
		<link>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2009/06/the-vinculum/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2009/06/the-vinculum/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2009 06:24:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Alps</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Witticisms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Internet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[orcom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Organizational Communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UP Manila]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alpsaguado.com/?p=1884</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fthe-vinculum%2F' data-shr_title='The+Vinculum'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fthe-vinculum%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fthe-vinculum%2F' data-shr_title='The+Vinculum'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fthe-vinculum%2F' data-shr_title='The+Vinculum'></a>Michael Jackson is dead. Benj, one of my blogging mentors, asked everyone in his Plurk Timeline: Is Michael Jackson the most popular/famous person to have died in our generation? Some cyber minutes have past and he, together with the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class='shareaholic-like-buttonset' style='float:none;height:30px;'><a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fthe-vinculum%2F' data-shr_title='The+Vinculum'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fthe-vinculum%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fthe-vinculum%2F' data-shr_title='The+Vinculum'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fthe-vinculum%2F' data-shr_title='The+Vinculum'></a></div><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><div id="_mcePaste" style="position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 0px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">Michael Jackson is dead.</div>
<div id="_mcePaste" style="position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 0px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">Benj, one of my blogging mentors, asked everyone in his Plurk Timeline: Is Michael Jackson the most popular/famous person to have died in our generation? Some cyber minutes have past and he, together with the ones who replied, offered other choices: John Paul II, Princess Diana Spencer, Frank Sinatra, Mother Teresa and Saddam Hussein. I haven’t replied to his Plurk but I already have a thought in mind—which I planned to be an introductory entry in my new blog.</div>
<div id="_mcePaste" style="position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 0px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">I am supposed to answer this:</div>
<div id="_mcePaste" style="position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 0px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">I think that new social media (NSM) greatly affects the “death popularity” of a person who died during the era wherein NSM is nearing its explosive climax. Add to the fact that MJ is already popular to begin with; add to the fact that MJ is a media personality whose appearances and persona (both tangible and virtual) are not limited to his immediate community.</div>
<div id="_mcePaste" style="position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 0px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">I only knew that the Pop icon died when several people sent me lines of text messages whose themes span from being objective to implying grief. You see, even the alphabet who are supposed to be void of any meaning are suddenly capable of showing emotions—thanks to emoticons. Anyway, the news shocked me even though I am not a big fan. The news shocked even those who are not supposed to care. Why such paradox? Actually, I don’t regard this as a paradox. It is more of a principled example of the dynamics of new social media communication. All of us are suddenly living in a single commune, almost utilizing the same resources every time. All of us are suddenly working on this big cyber organization which is run by nobody. Fortunately, we don’t have job descriptions, but we have jobs every time we log-in. We adopt the flexi-time scheme. But most of the time, time does not exist.  There are only three rules governing Internet Incorporated. Unfortunately, no one knows about them.</div>
<div id="_mcePaste" style="position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 0px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">Welcome to the new frontier of liberalism. This is The Vinculum. A blog that talks about the dynamics of communication practices with special emphasis to organizational communication and its application to the new social media.</div>
<div id="_mcePaste" style="position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 0px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">The Vinculum&#8211;Communication dissection at its most elegant yet sophisticated fashion.</div>
<p><strong>Michael Jackson is dead.</strong></p>
<p>Benj, one of my blogging mentors, asked everyone in his <em>Plurk Timeline</em>:<em> Is Michael Jackson the most popular/famous person to have died in our generation?</em> Some cyber minutes have past and he, together with the ones who replied, offered other choices: John Paul II, Princess Diana Spencer, Frank Sinatra, Mother Teresa and Saddam Hussein. I haven’t replied to his <em>Plurk</em> but I already have a thought in mind—which I planned to be an introductory entry in my new blog.</p>
<p><em>I am supposed to answer this:</em></p>
<p><em><span id="more-1884"></span></em></p>
<p>I think that new social media (NSM) greatly affects the “death popularity” of a person who died during the era wherein NSM is nearing its explosive climax. Add to the fact that MJ is already popular to begin with; add to the fact that MJ is a media personality whose appearances and persona (both tangible and virtual) are not limited to his immediate community.</p>
<div id="attachment_1886" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 478px"><img class="size-full wp-image-1886" title="Graph" src="http://www.alpsaguado.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Graph1.jpg" alt="Graph" width="468" height="338" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Death Popularity Trends as visualized by Alps</p></div>
<p style="text-align: left;">I only knew that the Pop icon died when several people sent me lines of text messages whose themes span from being objective to implying grief. You see, even the alphabet who are supposed to be void of any meaning are suddenly capable of showing emotions—thanks to emoticons. Anyway, the news shocked me even though I am not a big fan. The news shocked even those who are not supposed to care. Why such paradox? Actually, I don’t regard this as a paradox. It is more of a principled example of the dynamics of new social media communication. All of us are suddenly living in a single commune, almost utilizing the same resources every time. All of us are suddenly working on this big cyber organization which is run by nobody. Fortunately, we don’t have job descriptions, but we have <em>jobs </em>every time we log-in. We adopt the flexi-time scheme. But most of the time, time does not exist.  There are only three rules governing Internet Incorporated. Unfortunately, no one knows about them.</p>
<p>Welcome to the new frontier of liberalism. This is <strong>The Vinculum*</strong>. A blog that talks about the dynamics of communication practices with special emphasis to organizational communication and its application to the new social media.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="size-full wp-image-1887 aligncenter" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; border: 1px solid black;" title="The Vinculum2" src="http://www.alpsaguado.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/The-Vinculum2.jpg" alt="The Vinculum2" width="600" height="100" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Vinculum</strong>&#8211;<em>Communication dissection at its most elegant yet sophisticated fashion</em>.</p>
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://vinculum.alpsaguado.com/">http://vinculum.alpsaguado.com/</a></h1>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #888888;"><em>*&#8221;Vinculum&#8221; is a latin word for &#8221;bond&#8221;, &#8220;fetter&#8221;, &#8220;chain&#8221;, or &#8220;tie&#8221;.</em></span></p>
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		<title>A Civil Trash Talk</title>
		<link>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2009/05/a-civil-trash-talk/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2009/05/a-civil-trash-talk/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2009 14:53:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Alps</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Status Quo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Witticisms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[boxing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hatton]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pacquiao]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sports]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alpsaguado.com/?p=1698</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fa-civil-trash-talk%2F' data-shr_title='A+Civil+Trash+Talk'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fa-civil-trash-talk%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fa-civil-trash-talk%2F' data-shr_title='A+Civil+Trash+Talk'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fa-civil-trash-talk%2F' data-shr_title='A+Civil+Trash+Talk'></a><p>Yesterday, when I am about to ride a tricycle going home, I saw a group of people convening around a television set inside a food shop. I knew it—a recorded video of Manny Pacquiao’s (MP) fight with Ricky Hatton. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class='shareaholic-like-buttonset' style='float:none;height:30px;'><a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fa-civil-trash-talk%2F' data-shr_title='A+Civil+Trash+Talk'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fa-civil-trash-talk%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fa-civil-trash-talk%2F' data-shr_title='A+Civil+Trash+Talk'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fa-civil-trash-talk%2F' data-shr_title='A+Civil+Trash+Talk'></a></div><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1699" title="pacman" src="http://www.alpsaguado.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/pacman.jpg" alt="pacman" width="300" height="188" />Yesterday, when I am about to ride a tricycle going home, I saw a group of people convening around a television set inside a food shop. I knew it—a recorded video of Manny Pacquiao’s (MP) fight with Ricky Hatton. With this, I can say that Filipinos are not yet over the two-round bout that made history. The almost magical spectacle will normally last for one week, with the media tackling about every angle of the story: From Hatton’s possible retirement to Pacquiao’s congress candidacy, from The Hatton Girlfriend’s sorrow to Aling Dionisia’s luxurious lifestyle and from Mayweather Jr’s dirty mouth to Roach’s accurate prophecy. The media may opt to, again, rewrite and reread Pacquiao’s biography—which is actually a habit of the media every after the boxer’s fight. This kind of a week-long syndrome also includes netizens or those people found in the world wide web to write their own reactions or stories behind the historical fight. Furthermore, many people also react to these first-hand crafted musings. One of the articles that sparked interest among Filipinos and Pacquiao fans alike is the one written by a supposedly-irrelevant person from Oddjack.com named “JJ”.</p>
<p><span id="more-1698"></span> In a nutshell, the article, which is written before the fight, bashed the Filipino boxer and somehow predicted that the Brit could win. I can just imagine how the author curls-up from public scrutiny and criticism. In the light of scholarship, let us tackle his major points one-by-one.</p>
<p><strong>The Issue of the “Real Boxing”</strong><br />
<em>Yep, Ricky ‘’The Hitman&#8217;’ Hatton will be at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada where he tries to finally save boxing from Manny Pacquiao and third world retardation.</em></p>
<p><em>Third world retardation has gone long enough in the sport of boxing and it’s about time that somebody puts an end to it.</em></p>
<p><em>Yes, boxing, thanks to Manny ‘’The Pacman&#8217;’ Pacquiao, has become retarded since he took the sport from its scientific and technical roots and turned it into a circus.</em></p>
<p><em>Boxing was all about finding out who truly is the best in the business. Unfortunately for the sport, Pacquiao and his people are turning it into a fuck-fest where they just look for past world champions.</em></p>
<p>According to JJ, Pacquiao made the sport a retarded one and that of the third-world. There was no direct correlation between Pacquiao’s nationality and the sport that he plays but it is safe to assume that JJ meant the same thing. Since we are considering logical analysis here, let us take into the spotlight the sole argument that he offered: He said that Pacquiao took the sport away from its scientific and technical roots. Unfortunately, he did not discuss how boxing is a scientific and a technical endeavor. With his lack of details, we cannot properly lay a counter-argument. Nevertheless, let us offer one: Professional boxing has never been deviant when it comes to its rules, regulations and core-principles. There might be different factions of the sport and there might be little modifications of some rules (Three knock-down rule, saved-by-the-bell rule, etc.) but the sport retained its original percepts including its scientific and technical roots.</p>
<p>JJ exemplified his theory by saying that boxing was all about finding out who truly is the best in the business but Pacquiao and his company lurked for past world champions and defeated them. In his exemplification, I believe that he made a very bold contradiction. He said that the sport of boxing is a last-man-standing endeavor. Obviously, the pool of probable adversaries still includes (past) world boxing champions. Moreover, these (past) world champions expressed willingness, more than consent, to fight The 6-boxing-titles holder. It’s no fuck-fest, it’s boxing at its classical form.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>The Issue of Pacquiao Fascination</strong></span><br />
<em>Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter, even claimed that ‘’people are becoming fascinated with him.&#8217;’ Really?!? There are people out there who are fascinated with this guy?</em></p>
<p><em>The only kind of people who I see will be fascinated with a fucking moron like Manny Pacquiao is either the kind of people who have no idea what boxing should really be or they are not fans of the sport at all.</em></p>
<p>The author has a personally limiting view about the Pacquiao Popularity. He confidently feels that he is indeed a representative sample of the world’s boxing enthusiasts, fans and mere spectators. Moreover, he also has a limiting view about who should watch the sport or who should be a genuine fan of a genuine boxer. According to him, Pacquiao’s fans are not genuine boxing fans because they don’t have any idea what boxing should really be or they are not fans of the sport at all. Sports have a very wide entertainment value more than its competitive value, that’s why athletes gain fans, supporters and even loyalists. The realm of sports extends from the athletes to the spectators. This means that sports is not all about those inside the arena; it includes those people sitting on the bleachers of the coliseum. With this kind of conceptual span and this kind of leisurely value sports have, a person is not and would never be required to know the technicalities of a sport so that he or she could enjoy it, could be a fan of it and/or could be a follower of an athlete that plays such sport. The only thing that he or she should know is the basic principle of the sport i.e. how to win the game. The rest of the principles are either learned by spectatorship or by logical deduction.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I concede to the fact that the fans of Pacquiao may not be genuine fans of the sport. Even without JJ’s standards of genuineness, I can still see his point. Some people may only watch or talk about boxing when MP is one of the contenders. This fact, however, is not an issue. It is not an issue because it does not harm the institution of boxing and pool of boxers. It is a personal preference that no one could conquer. JJ is so selfish that he only wants genuine fans of boxing to be followers of the sport. I said a while ago that a sport, being high in entertainment value, is a show for everyone: from the ordinary housewife cooking lunch while watching a delayed telecast of the fight to the boxing analysts and commentators who personally witnessed the bout.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>The Issue of <em>Pacquiao-for-the-Philippines</em></strong></span><br />
<em>He can fool his remaining fans into thinking that he’s fighting for his country when in fact, he is absolutely NOT.</em></p>
<p><em>Besides, boxing is just a contest between two fighters trying to determine who is better. That’s just about it. And for a moron like Pacquiao who goes on and tells his country that he’s fighting to unite whatever it is he’s trying to unite is just plain retarded.</em></p>
<p>When you are playing for a professional sport, you represent something—it could be a team, an institution or even a nation. The bottom line is that you always represent something extra-personal. In the Olympics, for example, athletes are not only playing for themselves but for their respective countries too. In a microscopic example, players of Patintero (a local Philippine street game) represent their team. This means that the glory of a single athlete is also the glory of the team, institution or nation he is associated with. With this, MP automatically brings the glory back to his homeland whether he intends it or not. His mere verbal expression of giving the glory to The Nation and to The Filipino People is just a bonus, just an emphasis of all this drama.</p>
<p>Furthermore, JJ contends that boxing is a contest between two fighters to determine who is better. I already debunked this argument by saying that the realm of sports extends from the athletes to the spectators themselves and the professional sport athletes represent something extra-personal. If JJ’s contention is the case, then boxing is ideally done solitarily and there is no need to hype it using media.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>The Issue of Existence</strong></span><br />
<em>Manny Pacquiao shouldn’t be in the world of boxing in the first place and I’m really hoping Ricky Hatton takes him out, PERMANENTLY.</em></p>
<p>JJ shouldn’t be in the world <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">of boxing</span> in the first place and I am really hoping that I take him out, PERMANENTLY.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.oddjack.com/2009/can-an-aborted-duck-fetus-save-pacquiao-from-hatton-04-28.php" target="_blank">Read the JJ&#8217;s full article here.</a></p>
<div class="shr-publisher-1698"></div><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class='shareaholic-like-buttonset' style='float:none;height:30px;'><a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fa-civil-trash-talk%2F' data-shr_title='A+Civil+Trash+Talk'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fa-civil-trash-talk%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fa-civil-trash-talk%2F' data-shr_title='A+Civil+Trash+Talk'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fa-civil-trash-talk%2F' data-shr_title='A+Civil+Trash+Talk'></a></div><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic -->]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>I&#8217;m On An Intersection</title>
		<link>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2009/04/im-on-an-intersection/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2009/04/im-on-an-intersection/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:54:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Alps</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alpsisms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[internship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[orcom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[politics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alpsaguado.com/?p=1626</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fim-on-an-intersection%2F' data-shr_title='I%27m+On+An+Intersection'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fim-on-an-intersection%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fim-on-an-intersection%2F' data-shr_title='I%27m+On+An+Intersection'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fim-on-an-intersection%2F' data-shr_title='I%27m+On+An+Intersection'></a><p>This picture was taken during a cycling event in Taguig City, near Market! Market!, when Jorron, Noemi and I served as support staff for the said event. I told Jorron to take a picture of me while I am [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class='shareaholic-like-buttonset' style='float:none;height:30px;'><a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fim-on-an-intersection%2F' data-shr_title='I%27m+On+An+Intersection'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fim-on-an-intersection%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fim-on-an-intersection%2F' data-shr_title='I%27m+On+An+Intersection'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fim-on-an-intersection%2F' data-shr_title='I%27m+On+An+Intersection'></a></div><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>This picture was taken during a cycling event in Taguig City, near Market! Market!, when Jorron, Noemi and I served as support staff for the said event. I told Jorron to take a picture of me while I am sitting on the point where these yellow lines meet. There was no sensible rationale for such act but I asked for a picture anyway. I was on an intersection, <em>I am on an intersection</em>.</p>
<p><strong>The semester that was</strong></p>
<p>The second semester of our junior year is the hardest semester to date. More than that, I did not expect that the recent semester <em>was that hard.</em> College life would be a hard life, that&#8217;s the thing I have whole-heartedly accepted since second year. <em>Pero tang-ina, literal na hindi na ako natutulog at literal na mamamatay ako sa mga pinapagawa ng mga professors.</em></p>
<p>*breathes in, breathes out*</p>
<p>I am at least happy that I survived the semester <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">with flying colors</span>. My sanity threshold met the concept of adjustment.</p>
<p><strong>Politika</strong></p>
<p>Politicking is a necessary vice, a necessary evil. The only way to defeat politics is to use politics itself. I can almost equate socializing to politicking, but I felt a greater human value that could draw the demarcation&#8211;friendship. The past few months were full of politics, politicians, politicking and politicization. Some were stupid enough that I just catch the pitched ball, squeeze it and put it in my pocket. I am glad it is over; I am returning you the ball. Friendship and politics may part ways, but they shall meet again.</p>
<p><strong>Internship</strong></p>
<p>Theory meets practice. The things I do in my internship career includes&#8230;</p>
<p><em>*Non-disclosure agreement signed*</em></p>
<p>Haha, seriously, I will be having a series of blog posts that would highlight my internship career. Watch out for it!</p>
<p><strong>Weight gain (But where&#8217;s height gain?)</strong></p>
<p>I am 66 kilograms heavy as of my last dinner. <em>Nah, okay, I&#8217;m getting fat. </em>In a euphemistic statement, <em>I&#8217;m getting hot. </em>LOL. I am happy with my current weight  since I want to gain one. The next step, is to turn my man flesh into toned muscles. LOL. This part is so gay. Anyway, I also want to be a little taller. I am doing <strong>all</strong> the things that could make me tall&#8211;from the facts to the urban myths that dominated the egoistic men&#8217;s crowd. Ladies and gentlemen, This is Operation 180 Centimeters.</p>
<p><strong>ALPSaguado.com</strong></p>
<p>The last time I had my last post was during the night of March 9th. After that day, I rode a space shuttle bound to Milky Way&#8217;s blackhole. Anyway, I just changed my theme to <strong>Commune</strong>, a child theme of <strong>Thematic. </strong>It&#8217;s simple and easy on the eyes. And it&#8217;s green! Yuh, yellow green. New look, same great taste. I have a lot of stories to tell. Come here, listen. :)</p>
<p><strong>Where to go</strong></p>
<p>When you are in an intersection, life would give you several options. You may go back, you may go forward. You may turn right, you may turn left. I still stand here, on this little space of intersection that crammed a lot of moments. A marked stone will be buried here, buried under the humble earth that witnessed everything. Now, I shall move forward. When I am lost, I will look for that marked stone to remind me where I am, and at the same time, to remind me where I came from.</p>
<div class="shr-publisher-1626"></div><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class='shareaholic-like-buttonset' style='float:none;height:30px;'><a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fim-on-an-intersection%2F' data-shr_title='I%27m+On+An+Intersection'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fim-on-an-intersection%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fim-on-an-intersection%2F' data-shr_title='I%27m+On+An+Intersection'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fim-on-an-intersection%2F' data-shr_title='I%27m+On+An+Intersection'></a></div><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic -->]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>9</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>This Way</title>
		<link>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2009/03/this-way/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2009/03/this-way/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:48:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Alps</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alpsisms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Witticisms]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alpsaguado.com/?p=1398</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fthis-way%2F' data-shr_title='This+Way'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fthis-way%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fthis-way%2F' data-shr_title='This+Way'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fthis-way%2F' data-shr_title='This+Way'></a><p style="text-align: center;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Sometimes, you don&#8217;t know where you&#8217;re going but you know you&#8217;re in the right way.</p> <p style="text-align: center;">Don&#8217;t over-think, Don&#8217;t ask. Don&#8217;t doubt, just trust. This way please.</p> <p style="text-align: center;">&#8212;</p> <a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class='shareaholic-like-buttonset' style='float:none;height:30px;'><a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fthis-way%2F' data-shr_title='This+Way'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fthis-way%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fthis-way%2F' data-shr_title='This+Way'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fthis-way%2F' data-shr_title='This+Way'></a></div><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p style="text-align: center;"><img class="size-full wp-image-1399 aligncenter" title="this-way" src="http://www.alpsaguado.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/this-way.jpg" alt="this-way" width="516" height="388" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Sometimes, you don&#8217;t know where you&#8217;re going but you know you&#8217;re in the right way.</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Don&#8217;t over-think, Don&#8217;t ask. Don&#8217;t doubt, just trust. <em>This way please.</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><em>&#8212;</em></span></p>
<div class="shr-publisher-1398"></div><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class='shareaholic-like-buttonset' style='float:none;height:30px;'><a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fthis-way%2F' data-shr_title='This+Way'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fthis-way%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fthis-way%2F' data-shr_title='This+Way'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fthis-way%2F' data-shr_title='This+Way'></a></div><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic -->]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Run Away</title>
		<link>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2009/01/run-away/</link>
		<comments>http://www.alpsaguado.com/2009/01/run-away/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 11 Jan 2009 01:51:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Alps</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alpsisms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Witticisms]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alpsaguado.com/?p=1198</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://www.alpsaguado.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/thumb_run.jpg"/>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class='shareaholic-like-buttonset' style='float:none;height:30px;'><a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F01%2Frun-away%2F' data-shr_title='Run+Away'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F01%2Frun-away%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F01%2Frun-away%2F' data-shr_title='Run+Away'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F01%2Frun-away%2F' data-shr_title='Run+Away'></a></div><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><h2 style="text-align: center;">Run towards it, excited; Run away from it, free.</h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;">&#8212;</span></h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1199" title="dsc_45381" src="http://www.alpsaguado.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/dsc_45381.jpg" alt="dsc_45381" width="600" height="403" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1200" title="dsc_4539" src="http://www.alpsaguado.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/dsc_4539.jpg" alt="dsc_4539" width="600" height="403" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1201" title="dsc_4540" src="http://www.alpsaguado.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/dsc_4540.jpg" alt="dsc_4540" width="600" height="403" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1202" title="dsc_4542" src="http://www.alpsaguado.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/dsc_4542.jpg" alt="dsc_4542" width="600" height="403" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">These are some group pictures we took for our recent audio-visual presentation project (Yeah, I am the only thorn among the roses). Some of the girls here are obviously <em>scripting </em>their <em>run</em>. Haha. Especially <em>Jenna</em> (The girl with the white <em>hat</em>) who did a relatively perky one. :D I am proud enough to publicly declare that I did the less-scripted-<em>run. </em>Haha. I love you groupmates! (Gee, how fun it is to be in a group wherein you are the only guy ;))</p>
<div class="shr-publisher-1198"></div><!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic --><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><div class='shareaholic-like-buttonset' style='float:none;height:30px;'><a class='shareaholic-fblike' data-shr_layout='standard' data-shr_showfaces='false' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F01%2Frun-away%2F' data-shr_title='Run+Away'></a><a class='shareaholic-fbsend' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F01%2Frun-away%2F'></a><a class='shareaholic-googleplusone' data-shr_size='standard' data-shr_count='true' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F01%2Frun-away%2F' data-shr_title='Run+Away'></a><a class='shareaholic-tweetbutton' data-shr_count='none' data-shr_href='http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alpsaguado.com%2F2009%2F01%2Frun-away%2F' data-shr_title='Run+Away'></a></div><div style="clear: both; min-height: 1px; height: 3px; width: 100%;"></div><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetBottom Automatic -->]]></content:encoded>
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