Monthly Archives: November 2009

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Preparation and Overpreparation

November 29 2:01 pm ,
Goint the Extra Mile

Going the Extra Mile

There is nothing like a defining moment to snap you out of life, or consume you.

It could be an exam that you waited for 4 years, 5, 10, 20 years, to take – the bar exam, accountancy, architecture, nursing, engineering, med, teacher’s licensure exam…  It could be a job interview to where you want to work for a hundred years…  It could be the olympics or a boxing bout or a title that you want to take away from someone, like maybe a beauty contest, or a book that you have always wanted to write… It could be a recital or a marriage proposal…

The single defining moment of your life.

You could be mediocre.  You could be winner.

I first heard the word “mediocre” from my teacher in Broadcasting 101. She made it sound like it is something we should not desire.  That “just getting by” is the loser’s mantra and that we are not that.

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Posted in: Life Stories , Tagged: , , , ,

What Promises To Be An Extraordinary Christmas

November 25 9:48 pm ,
Christmas in the Air

Christmas in the Air

In the lobby of our office stands the most beautiful Christmas tree.

It is majestic, tall, towering.  The green leaves are lost in the reds and golds and in the crystals and the globes and red-golden ribbons and a hundreds, maybe thousands, of twinkling lights.  I could almost feel Christmas-y at the sight of this tree, my ears peaking at the sound of the soft strains of – aaahh, Christmas music. At the crown are a thousand shimmering cascades of red stars beckoning all to come and see.

A seemingly farcical treat to this Christmas that promises to be different from all the rest.

A different Christmas.

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Posted in: Life Stories , Tagged: , , , , , ,

Hawaii: Of Memories and Giving Thanks

November 21 5:05 pm ,
Embracing Life

Embracing Life

My The Secret Diary said: Look at the events of your life, past, present and future, and give thanks to each and every one of them.

So I did.  And I remembered.

My husband saved my life.

I am not speaking metaphorically (but I think I could very well be).

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On Stocks and Financial Statements

November 17 10:34 pm ,
Outside Looking In

Outside Looking In

Some readers emailed me privately wanting to know about stocks and financial statements. Here is my two cents worth.

On Stocks

I remember two things that my financial planner made me do so I will not be overwhelmed by stocks (well) and so that I can understand it:

1. He asked me to look at the business page of the newspaper everyday, the Stock Exchange page to be specific, and to choose at least 10 stocks that I will track and follow day after day after day.

He was right.  This gave me more than what I thought it will give me.  At the beginning, yes, there was confusion, and then after some time (six months… and going), illumination.  I had a “feel” of the market, and somehow, my “gut” was developed. I would know if stocks are on the rise, or if it is on freefall, which is the time to buy. The green and the red arrows in the newspaper actually meant something, but only as supplements to the general, wonderful, engaging world of numbers.  And when I recently had a report on my stockholdings and saw a 5% growth rate per month, I knew why a lot of other people play this game, and why they become greedy.

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Posted in: Financial Education , Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Do You Have to Go to College to Be Rich?

November 14 12:25 am ,
Burning the Midnight Oil

Burning the Midnight Oil

Oddly, the answer is no.

I have to breathe and close my eyes, take my time before this means something to me.  I have always been made to believe, I have always thought, that education is very, very important.

As a matter of fact, a lot of poor parents put this on top of their agenda.  They can be overheard telling their children: “Your education is the only inheritance that we can give to you.”  The unspoken plea: please graduate and take us out of this pitiable, desolate, godforsaken place.  So they sell their only cow, the grains, their time, sometimes their souls, just so their children can go to school.

But there is Bill Gates.

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Posted in: Financial Education, Life Stories , Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How To Get To Your Dreams (Second of Two Parts)

November 9 11:43 pm ,
Like Minds

Like Minds

I have a secret.

But before me, it belonged to Bo Sanchez (and maybe before him from some really wise man).

I could still remember the time when I first heard him speak of it.  I was cruising in my car and listening to one of his boxed audio seminars.  It was the first CD I received from him as a member of his Truly Rich Club.  I honestly did not think much about that CD – I plugged it and listened.  But there’s something about a two-hour traffic and listening to Bo’s charismatic voice that gets the heart pumping and the mind dreaming dreams.

He was telling a story, of what he did a long time ago, when he was just learning about riches and dreams.  He wrote about them. And when he wrote those dreams, he considered them as not just dreams.  He regarded them as if they were already realities.  He confessed, though, that when he was writing them – being a best selling author, being a wonderful husband, having a nipa hut (middle) with a fishpond (front) and a coconut tree (back) – he was laughing (could not help it).

I laughed too. (i thought i saw the other drivers look at me silly)

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Posted in: Financial Education, Mentors, The Basics of Finance, Wealth Attraction , Tagged: , , , , , ,

How To Get To Your Dreams (First of Two Parts)

November 7 9:21 pm ,
Mesmerize

Mesmerize

There are those who know early on what they want in life.  They know they want to be – president, CEO, beauty queen, housewife.

I did not.

And I looked at those people with awe.  It seemed to be the right way to be and so when I was a child I had to force myself to choose to be something (newscaster), not knowing that life can take me to different, more exciting destinations and that it is okay and that it is possible to be many things.

But just between the two of us, asking a child to be what he wants to be – I think this is a dangerous question.  It is okay when he knows what he wants with certainty (which is more the exception than the rule because a child would have limited experiences and so would have limited choices) but it is not okay when it fosters doubt in a child (do I know what I want to be? why don’t I know what I want to be? is there something wrong with me?) or gives power to the parents who force the child to fill his head with what they want (many sad stories here).

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Posted in: Life Stories, Wealth Attraction , Tagged: , , , , , ,

Singapore: Money Lessons from Far Away

November 2 10:29 pm ,

The Merlion and the Lone Moon

The Merlion and the Lone Moon

Everything I know about Singapore, I learned from a taxi driver.

Okay, maybe not everything.

But for sure, you can get a taste of the history and the local flavor and the vibe of this fine city’s life through the eyes of he who plies the road at about S$20 per pop (that’s about USD$12).

We had the pleasure of the company of three very talkative ones.  On the way from the Night Safari back to our hotel, at 12:30 in the morning, the taxi driver told us tales.  Real tales.

And what he has told us has earned my respect for this beautifully manicured City.  There are a lot of lessons to be learned here – some on money, some on good governance, others still on not taking anything for granted.

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Posted in: Travel , Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,