One Hundred Things Before Leaving Earth (20120820 Update)

Although I don't have the Visa yet, I would say that on August 27, 2012 I'm set to travel to the land down under. This activity will satisfy an item listed in my One Hundred Things Before Leaving Earth: Travel to at least one country for each of the seven continents of the world.

Yes! I'm stepping in closer to leaving earth! Thanks be to God!

One Hundred Things Before Leaving Earth

I'm dying and really bored about it. I want to do something worthwhile. Some kind of 'legacy' that my lineage will be proud of speaking.

So here goes the 100 things I'd like to achieve before leaving earth.

• Build MLFI eLBi Sanctuary.
• [2016-02-12] In Progress through Project Canaan efforts.
• Build Mira's dream house.
• [2016-02-12] In Progress
• Support at least one youth in becoming a pastor.
• [2016-02-12] In Progress, currently supporting four!
• Publish at least one research paper in Mathematics / Computing.
• Publish at least one book in Mathematics / Computing / Project Management.
• Get back to teaching Mathematics.
• Write a software that could assist in predicting the next winning lotto combination.
• Travel to at least one country for each of the seven continents of the world.
• [2016-02-12] DONE. The Lord blessed me a business trip to Australia with Singapore International Airport (long, very long) stopover, Hong Kong and China (Guangzhou).
• Graduate a master's degree.
• Earn a PhD.
• Help my children graduate in college.
• Be present in my children's wedding.
• Nurse my children's first child.
• Drive my sport's car.
• Reach out Foursquare Church at Ambulong, Batangas.
• Reach out MLFI Malayas.
• Reach out Ambulong Elementary School.
• Reach out Malayas Elementary School.
• Reach out Good Shepherd Academy.
• Reach out Laguna College.
• Reach out Math Division, IMSP, UPLB.
• Reach out Lozano Family
• [2016-02-12] Earn a Theology-related certificate.
• [2016-02-12] Pastor a congregation.
• [2016-02-12] Retire at age 50.
• [2016-02-12] Grow my stock market investment to at least 10M.
• [2016-02-12] Run my own companies/businesses.
• [2016-02-12] Build a Non-for-Profit Foundation.
• [2016-02-12] Build a subdivision with main streets named after my parents.
• [2016-02-12] Run my own school.
• ... thinking of more to do items ....

The list is a work in progress... so help me God!

Mira. Friend. Wife. Mentor.

 

Today is one of those rare moments when I say words of appreciation to Mira. Probably I should do this more often just like when I say “I love you” at the end of each phone calls or before sleeping or while doing “it” you know.

God reminded me of how special Mira is in Proverbs 18:22 which says “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.” Thank you Lord for your favor because there is really “good” in Mira.

• I am now well dressed. If you’ve seen how I dress up before I met Mira, you’d really say “Shem looks better now”. Thanks to Mira’s “fashionista” eyes.
• I am now a “heart throb” driver. All my driving fantasies were realities when playing with bump cars BUT Mira was key to having a true-to-life car driving experience.
• I am now managing my finances better. With Mira’s perseverance in exemplifying how money (and wealth) should be saved and spent, I’ve learned to take control of disbursing my allowances.
• I am now a father of two brilliant boys. Nothing can replace this fatherhood status and experience and Mira really went on sacrificing her physical body for caesarean section operations so I can have this wonderful opportunity to father Allen and Ehsra.
• I am now a certified Project Management Professional. With Mira’s outstanding achievement as a certified Project Management Professional herself, she never lost heart encouraging me on doing good Project Management. I really owe this one to you Mira and, with God’s help, you’ll reap His blessings.

Mira, thanks for everything. I will love you until my dying day.

 

Man-to-Man, Husband-to-Husband

 

A girl friend of mine is about to get married and I’ve been thinking hard what to say in the reception when volunteers to make a speech are opened. I went to reflect how my marriage is coping the hard realities of life. What key ideas should I share with this newly weds that could inspire them to keep being with each other.

There are those basic knowledge such as putting God first, being faithful with your tithes, and all BUT I want something concrete, real-life experience so to speak. How about the following?

• “sabay tayo”.

I am not sure all husbands and wives do this. They wake up “sabay” in the morning, eat breakfast “sabay”, take a bath “sabay”, ride the jeepney “sabay”, then part ways temporarily to get to their respective offices. As work day ends, they meet again and get dinner “sabay”, go home “sabay”.

• “allowance lang sa akin”

How many of married couples do this: husband submits all compensation to his wife and receives on a daily basis a specific amount of allowance? Oh come on! You must have not been listening to the Minister during your wedding day, particularly the “aras” ceremony. Get your memory refreshed and follow your vow.

Ephesians 5:28 mentions that “Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies.” That “love” is interpreted differently by anyone. What’s yours? Let me know your thoughts.

Six Phases of a Project

 

The following is a humor I’ve heard so many years ago about the phases of a project.

 

• Enthusiasm

At the start of the project there are very high hopes, the kick off party is fabulous, and “chickens” are being counted even without “eggs” around.

• Disillusionment

As time goes by, detailing requirements results to more requirements, to increased deliverables, to augmented project scope. One day you discover that what you are doing is not what you anticipated it to be.

• Panic

Then there’s panic all over.

• Search for the guilty

And someone has to pay the price.

• Punishment of the innocent

Usually the new project team members get the blame as the original hires already left.

• Praise and honors for the non-participants

In the end, the project is completed with congratulations to those who didn’t lift a finger to get it done.

 

These phases never exist in reality. If you believe otherwise, please comment. Thanks!

How are you doing?

 

Lifting David Allen’s words…

 

I want you to know that I get out of control on a regular basis...

...because I'm consistently tossing my rock a little further challenging myself to new levels of expressing and fulfilling my destiny on the planet and re-calibrating all my systems to match.

How about you? How are you doing?

Cost of Journey towards Certification

Wikipedia gives enough description about what “certification” means or is all about (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Certification) but today I’d like to share a piece of my history entwined with it.

Past

It all started end of Q4 of 2005 with Arup’s challenge  of volunteering to take Microsoft Certifications so BlasAsia could achieve Gold Partner level in the Microsoft Partner Program. The challenge was so enticing enough for me to gear up, study and focus my mind to get certified. It was my fourth year as a paid software engineer using Microsoft software development products when I achieved my first title “Microsoft Certified Professional”. Cool, isn’t it? That was sometime in May 2006 and it wasn’t enough to get BlastAsia to the Gold Partner level. So spending a few more hours at the office after graveyard work shift, with occasional “camping at the office” moments, by end of June 2006, after passing two more exams, I nailed the “Microsoft Certified Application Developer for Microsoft .NET” title. Striking the iron while it’s hot, so they say, by end of July 2006 “Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist – SQL Server 2005” and by end of August 2006 “Microsoft Certified Solution Developer for Microsoft .NET”.

I unknowingly put myself to much labor and limelight that I was tasked to help out ten (10) software engineer trainees achieve their first Microsoft certification. God was really at work and through His helping hand, all the trainees passed, BlastAsia achieved the Gold Partner level, and my sincerest gratitude to BlastAsia for awarding me “Employee of the Year”.

Each Microsoft certification exam is priced at $80 then with 15% markup (I think) for the Test Centers.

 

Present

I am seeking no more technical certifications, specifically with Microsoft, not unless it would add up to my current role as Project Manager. For instance, last May 2008 I took (and thank God pass) EXAM 70-632 (TS: Microsoft Office Project 2007, Manage Projects) with the purpose of enhancing my credential as someone who does project management using MS Project.  However, an employer’s need has to be fulfilled today. That is why even with only a weeks notice, I have responded, geared up, studied hard, and prayed that God would intervene.

 

Future

Certification in the future is quite certain for a Project Manager role and, to name one, its Project Management Professional certification by the Project Management Institute (PMI.org). My wife got hers last February 2009 and I’ve been greatly advised, persuaded, coerced to take it. A six months to one year of preparation, so they say, is the common timeframe to achieve a good level of confidence that you can pass the exam. It must be the case because processing application for examination are so strict, the requirements are enormous, and the examination fee is substantial (at $555, non-refundable). I was told that it’s best to have read PMBoK Guide at least twice, that’s more than 850 pages worth of written knowledge! Also one should have at least 36 months of project management experience; with 4,500 hours leading and directing projects; and 35 hours of project management education (which can be obtained from PMI REPs).

 

So help me God!