May 02
ErinGarbage, Work communication, Garbage, Leadership, life, people management, Work
Holding a ball in one hand in front of you illustrates the common fact that two or more sides of the truth can exist without negating other truths. This boils down to perception; and managing the perception of the other viewers.
My co-lead in the project was getting some reputation flak for his leadership style. When we talked about it he raised a good question: “I used the same tone and method you used a few days ago when you addressed the team. What makes my delivery different (and unacceptable)?”
It was good question because I agree that our leadership styles have a lot of similarities. How come one can get away with using that style while other people have a negative reaction? Is it the context/personality of the person using the style and the preconceived notion of the audience about the person that makes a difference? This makes me think of the social experiment wherein random people were made to taste cakes. In one experiment there was a tag price in front of the cake where the slice came from and one is expensive while the other is affordable. In one variation there are no price tags but one of the cakes were placed in a plain platter while one was in an ornately gilded tray. A lot of the people said they preferred the more expensive cake (or the one in the more expensive looking tray) better stating that it is finer and has a more chocolaty taste. The catch is that all cakes used in the social experiment were IDENTICAL.
Presentation and context may be the critical factor in play here.
Nov 16
ErinReviews, Rubbish dining, food, review
My wife and I are currently enamored with Frankie’s Buffalo Wings whenever we will eat lunch in Megamall. A couple of stores beside it is occupied by “The Halal Guys” which is another US-based franchise. The queue for The Halal Guys is insane and has been that way since it opened up a few weeks back.
This weekend we had an opportunity to try it given that I have seen some rave reviews from friends in facebook. By opportunity I meant we are not famished yet and the queue is not that long. I queued up for about 20 minutes and ordered the Gyro/Falafel combo for me and my wife. The fare costs around Php470 for the New York size, and it seems a bit normal: two scoops of yellow rice pilaf, a scoop of what seemed to be lettuce salad, a few tablespoons of fresh tomato salsa, a small serving of gyro/lamb meat and 3 falafel medallions. The meat and falafel was then squirted with a white sauce that they are also selling for Php25 per additional packet.
My wife and I made short work of the food, and the verdict is… MEH.
Don’t get me wrong. The food is good but I dont think the price and the wait is worth it. I may not be able to replicate the lamb part but if one is really looking for a similar taste then going to a tex-mex or mediterranean place would do unless you belong to the Moslem religion and really looking for Halal-prepared food. Again this looks like a food hype and will eventually die down when everybody has tried it once.
We are going back to Frankie’s on our next visit. There are a few more flavors that we are really excited to try. And the half-dozen required to satisfy us will cost half of the food we ate from the Halal Guys.
ciao!
Oct 30
ErinGarbage, Work Leadership, opinions, policies, Work
At any given point we are either a follower or a leader. In some rare scenario we fulfill both roles.
I am getting a reputation at work for a troublemaker when in fact I am only clarifying glaring holes in policies that are too specific or useless. These are the same policies that, to paraphrase one of my recent statuses, people wield like a paper shield that wont even muster against the slightest reason. Pitiful that the instigators of these policies are the same people that I should be relying on to look after my welfare as a follower.
In these cases I take up the mantle of being Captain Obvious. It may come across as troublesome but being a leader means you need to take the road that is not going to be comfortable. If nobody complains then it is the same as being complicit to something that you do not believe in.
Follow or lead? Do you take a chance in participating in a battle that can be the turning point of the war; or sit quietly in the corner reminiscing the “what if” of an opportunity that has long gone by? Choose your own poison.
ciao!
Oct 18
ErinTop of my head emo, home, rant
The camera phone might not have captured it properly but the picture below is meant to capture the dusk of a stormy day.
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Jun 28
ErinGarbage language nazi, rant
Tagalugin ko para mas magkaintindihan.
Kung sa pagmamalaki sa iyong anak ay ipinangangalandakan mong siya ay “Top One” ay ibig sabihin ay TANGA KA. Oo matalino ang anak mo pero kitang-kita na di nagmana sa iyo. Mabuti na lang mareremedyuhan pa yang katangahan na yan. Maipapayo ko sumabay ka pag grammar ang lesson. Mas mahaba lang sabihin pero subukan mong sabihin na “Top of the class” ang iyong anak. Ito ay isang tanggap na idiyoma (idiom) para sa isang nangunguna sa pangkat.
Ngayon kung sakaling di naman siya ang nangunguna pero kasama sa grupo ng mga nangununa sa kanilang klase ay huwag mo naman sabihing halimbawa na “top three” ang anak mo. Hindi naman triplets yan kasi di mo naman sinabing “mga” anak mo. Third of his/her class ang tamang pananalita na kailangang gamitin, o kung ano mang pwesto ang kinabibilangan nya. Pwede din sabihin na “kasama siya sa top five” kung gusto mong magpakumbaba at hindi tahasang sabihin kung ano ang pwesto ng anak mo (pwedeng siya ang una o pang-lima). Pero pakiusap, itigil na sana sa ikasampu. Kung lagpas na sa sampu ay wag ng ipagpilitan para lang makapagyabang. Suportahan mo na lang ang anak mo kung gusto nyang umabot at mapabilang sa “top ten” ng klase nya.
Huwag din sanang tawaging valedictorian o salutatorian ang inyong mga anak kung di naman pa siya graduating o gumradweyt ng elementary o high school. Meron lang iilang lebel o baitang ng pag-aaral na pwedeng gamitan nito. Saka ang valedictorian ay yung taong nagbibigay ng talumpating pamamaalam (valedictory coming from the root word valedictum o “pertaining to leave-taking”) habang ang salutatorian naman ang nagbibigay ng talumpating panimula (salutation). Nagkataon lamang na sa Pilipinas ang top two sa nakuhang grade point average ang binibigyan ng karangalan na gawin ang mga ito.
Ulitin natin:
- Top One : para kang tanga pag ginagamit mo ito. Nangunguna sa laban na iisa lang ang kasali? Parang solitaryo lang ba?
- Top three : gagamitin lang kung gusto mong ipatungkol ng sabay-sabay dun sa tatlong pinakamataas.
- Valedictorian at Salutatorian : ginagamit lang sa mga miyembro o naging miyembro ng isang graduating class. Pwedeng isang mag-aaral, guro o kahit sinong bisita.
Ngayon kung estudyante ka pa pero gumagamit ka ng ganitong pananalita ay maipapayo ko na: anak mag-aral-aral din paminsan-minsan at hindi puro facebook at computer games lang ang inaatupag.
ciao!
May 09
ErinTop of my head government, public service, shipping
Most internet search hits are still showing up with the Mandaluyong Post Office number which is +63 2 719 0716. This number is no longer operational. If you need to call them to validate postal notifications then the following number was provided by the PhilPost customer care: +63 2 8535 2131.
NOTE: The number is ringing and no longer responsive. The PhilPost site also removed the numbers in their web page. This is a disappointing turn of events. 🙁
[CAVEAT] I am not affiliated with the Philippines Postal Service. I am an ordinary private Filipino citizen who uses their service and publishes this blog entry as a public service.
(Paunawa: Wala akong kinalaman o koneksyon sa Postal Service ng Pilipinas. Ako ay isang ordinaryo at pribadong mamamayan ng Pilipinas na gumagamit lang din ng serbisyo ng Post Office. Itong post na ito ay isang kawanggawa lamang sa akin blog.)
[UPDATE 2016/09/19] Visitor Monica said the 535-2131 number is not working last July. I called the Mandaluyong Public Information Office and they confirmed that the post office still has that number. The number is ringing when I tried it but I didnt have the time to wait for somebody to pick it up. If the number remains non-functional then please try calling the main office using the numbers posted at https://www.phlpost.gov.ph/
Apr 21
ErinTop of my head haiku, musings
It will pass away
The feeling of uselessness
My reality.
Apr 07
ErinTop of my head haiku
A fortress inside
Hiding my thoughts and desires
Self-imposed prison
Feb 17
ErinTop of my head opinion, shithappens
There is an implicit law and unseen forces in nature that increases the intensity of the urgency to take a crap as the distance decreases between your vehicle/position and your home or the nearest toilet.
Ever heard of the male trick of thinking about other things to delay “satisfaction”?It doesn’t work against the law of diminishing distance.
Nov 21
ErinGarbage gadget, guide, online, shipping, shopping
Online shopping and buying credits presents one of the most alluring temptation combo known to the modern man. There are a few local online shops that have established their own brand but nothing beats the variety of what is available in the US market. Unfortunately not all of the US shops deliver directly to the Philippines, and some who do are expected to either leave a scorching mark on one’s wallet or are in danger of not arriving in your doorstep if its valuable enough to catch the fancy of those in the courier/custom/postal service.
Here comes to the rescue a variety of maildrop services in the US. Their services basically provides you with a US address or PO box, and then handle shipping it to the Philippines at a nominal cost. Searching for them is easy enough but I will detail something that I have used in the past, mostly because of their affordable price and convenient arrangement for somebody who doesn’t always have somebody left in the house to receive packages: Johnny Air Cargo.
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