Do you have exhausting, but exhilarating and rewarding weekends?  Those are the Saturdays and Sundays when you have so much to do, and you’re so tired doing so many things.  But you don’t mind because you were in the company of good friends, good food, and good laughs.

This past weekend was a fun and crazy one for me.  On Friday, we went to watch GI Joe.  I remember watching the cartoons when I was growing up in Hawaii.  I watched with nine friends.  The next day, I conducted two four-hour workshops followed by an English club meeting that lasted till 9 pm.  Right after that, we headed to my condo in Eastwood City to play poker.  We even played blackjack and “tong its,” a popular Filipino card game.  Few of my friends slept over, and we woke up just in time to play badminton.  We played at The Zone in Makati.  It was great running into clients there.

Then after playing badminton, we decided to go back to the condo to swim at the pool.  Unfortunately, it was so cold, so we decided to watch a DVD instead.  We watched, The Happening.  We were all so sleepy and tired by that time.  Aaagh.  A sigh of relief.  A sigh of content!

I love weekends like this.  I’m exhausted.  But I’m also reenergized!!!

Welcome to our new and improved blog!

We have a more exciting blog design!

We are managing several sites.

1. We have the AIEPRO Forum at http://www.aiepro.org which has most of our content.
2. We are managing the AIEP Fan Page on Facebook
3. We are managing this blog.

As a result, we’re still looking for ways to manage this blog well as we have most of our work and content in the the forum and on Facebook.  If you would like to become a contributor of this blog, please let me know!!!

Today is July 1.  I love July.  It’s my birth month.  It’s also middle of the summer.  I love July.

Today, I quit smoking again for the second time.  The last time I quit smoking was on January 1, 2008.  It was my New Year’s resolution.  I was able to NOT smoke for about 16 months.  Then a couple of months ago, I smoked again due to stress, anger, rebellion, and sheer stupidity.

Two months later, I’m quitting again.  It will just be mind over matter.  I’m not addicted.

Law of Attraction: Think healthy!  Think beauty!  Think fitness!

How about you?  Would you like to be healthier?  Would you like to be more beautiful of goodlooking?  Would you like to be more physically fit?  I KNOW I DO.

This section is for all the people who would like to quit smoking to become HEALTHIER, BETTER LOOKING, AND MORE PHYSICALLY FIT.

From my post at the AIEP Forum: http://aiepro.org/index.php/topic,5014.0.html

Yes.  You read the title right.

Let me repeat.  Are you a credit card?

Are you sleek and shiny?  From time to time, I may act like a credit card, sleek and shiny.  My friends, family, colleagues, friends of friends, and clients will see the sleek and shiny me.  They will see my best foot forward.  They will see my shiny smile and my sleek attitude.

From time to time, not ALL the time.  I think there’s a need to be sleek and shiny from time to time.  You need it for specific occasions.  For example, when you go over to your boyfriend or girlfriend’s house, you smile politely even if you don’t get along with one member of the family.  You pretend you like your mom-in-law’s cooking, even if you think you just ate cardboard.  At work, you are all sleek and smile with your boss or colleague even if you think they are jerks.  Perhaps your boss or colleagues are all sleek and smile with you because they think you are a, well, uh, you know…

Are you sleek and shiny?  Are you sleek and shiny…a PLASTIC?  Me, I am from time to time.  I put up a front.  I put up a defense.  That’s from time to time.  Not so much, though.  I know when to play my cards right.  I know when and where to charge my credit cards.

Are you plastic from time to time, just like me?  I admit, I do behave like that once in a while.  I can’t help it.  I’d rather be polite than cause a commotion.  Maybe that’s just discretion.  Not so much being plastic.  Maybe I’m not plastic after all.  Ah!  Self-revelation.  I wasn’t being plastic.  I was just practicing discretion.  Discretion, as they say, is the better part of valor.  So there, I am not a plastic from time to time.  I am just polite.

Being plastic, therefore, involves a lot more.  It involves a chronic attitude.  It involves habitual behavior.  Being plastic means the negativity, the fakeness, the falsehood run in deep in your blood.  It is entrenched.  You are not just a “from time to time” or “once in a while” person.  You ARE plastic itself.

We have friends who are plastic.  We have bosses who are plastic.  We have family members who are plastic.  We have colleagues who are plastic. Are you one of them?

I hope not.  I hope I don’t become one either.

So are you a credit card.  You look sleek.  You look shiny.  You look like you got lots of credit.  But deep down inside, you have lots of debt.  You are overdrawn.  You have zero balance.  Your interest is high.  You are about to file bankruptcy?  Worst of all, you go to the check out counter, with lots of goodies in your cart, and your credit card declines!!!

At the end of the day, you are nothing but a piece of plastic.

So, are you a credit card?  Do you know people who are plastic?  Beware, I maybe one of them.  Hehe.

We are inviting the general public to an exciting event:

MIND WARS: Battle of the Brains and Beauties

Bring your friends, your colleagues or officemates, your boss or employees, your boyfriend or girlfriend.  Heck, bring your lolo and lola, or mom and pop.  Bring at least two people with you to form your super trivia team.  This is the game you’ve all been waiting for.  No need to wait for Game Ka Na Ba?  No need to be a balikbayan for Wowowee!  Play the super trivia challenge with your team and win cash prizes

VENUE- to be announced (Most likely Big Brother’s Cafe, 227 Salcedo Street. Near Greenbelt One).

DATE and TIME

SATURDAY, June 27, 2009 * 7PM to 10PM

PRIZE

CASH: Php 2500 or MORE
Gift Certificate: Php 30,000 GC to study English at The American Institute
TOTAL: Php 32,500 +++ in Cash and Prizes

UPDATE  UPDATE  UPDATE 

As of June 24, 2009

PLAYERS AND PARTICIPANTS

1. Chris Delacruz
2. Vin Magbuhos
3. Neysa Custodio
4. Mia Selvidad
5. Carmen Cabiles
6. Maryann Galido
7. Edwardson Garcia
8. Joy Remada
9. Lorainne Oliveros
10. Kiko Oliman
11. Jayson Andal
12. Clara Flaviano
13. Anna Corina Gotuato
14. Jansen Gomez
15. Kara Loseo
16. Kacee Cristobal
17. Hizam Ali
18. Joanna Belmes, Team Captain
19. Janice Borromeo
20. Monica Andaya
21. Alice Anod
22. Jeff Del Mundo
23. Jules Pooley
24. Dan Anderson
25. Dan Erminger
26. Jeannie Boado
27. Rowell Boado
28. Lar Telesforo
29. Honey Chile Golla
30. Arien Kane Sison
31. Margarita Tejuco
32. Estipona Veroniza
33. Justin Bioc
34.  Toni Rose Bioc
35.  Joan Lim
36.  Jeffrey Lim
37.  Jayson Itulid
38.  Marlon Peralta
39. Jobylyn Ramos
40. Lorelyn Joy Colitoy
41. Justin Flaviano
42. Adam Flaviano
43. Anne Lim
44. Nica Lim
45. Cassie Lim
46. Nathan Lim
47. Jens Dale Lim
48. Maricel Go
49. Mark LAST NAME
50. Jhana Ayo
51. John Paul Oliman
52. Ian Park
53. Greg Lavarias
54. AJ Wolf
55. Maricel Carbungco
56. Kim Caasi
57. Joyce LAST NAME
58. Arlene LAST NAME
59. April LAST NAME
60. Agnes LAST NAME
61. Rocia Guerrero
62. Rachelle LAST NAME
63. Jing Poblete
64. Med Al-saihati

AND GROWING…

HOW TO ENTER?

1. Round up your team of FIVE members.  IF YOU CANNOT FORM YOUR OWN TEAM, WE CAN PUT YOU ON A TEAM THAT NEEDS MORE PLAYERS.

2. Register your name by clicking here: QUIZ BOWL- A Super Trivia Challenge called MIND WARS - Battle of the Beauties and the Brains

Have you gone through years of schooling, yet still unable to fully express yourself in English?  For many of us, we wonder why, with all these years of education, from kindergarten through college, we are still unable to speak English the way we want to.  Now, we want to improve, and we want to know an effective, but cost efficient way of enhancing our communication skills.

I would highly recommend joining groups or organizations that are geared towards learning English.  One example would be the Universal Pro English Club (UPEC).  Joining such groups that facilitate discussions, debates, and conversations through events such as trips, parties, and get-togethers is one way to learn while having fun and expanding your networks.

Remember, birds of a feather flock together.  If you want to be a basketball player, be around basketball players.  If you want to be a singer, join a choir.  If you want to be an English speaker, join groups that speak or teach English.

For more information about UPEC, visit http://aiepro.org/index.php/board,8.0.html.

UPEC General Meeting
May 23, 2009, 9 pm (Meetings will be 2nd and 4th Saturday every month)
227 Salcedo Street, Suite 2G
Makati City, Philippines

Everyone is invited to attend.  Bring a friend or two!

I first learned about this phrase, carpe diem, in high school when we were studying poetry in literature class.  Since then, it has become my motto in life.  Carpe diem, or seize the day, originally coined by the Roman writer Horace in Odes, reminds me of how I must take advantage of my day and to not just let it pass me by.  Sure, there are many times that I have not seized the day, but I come back to this phrase over and over again to remind me how I should conquer life.

I seize the day (and night - carpe noctem) by learning as much as possible, by creating and pursuing new ideas, and by helping others fulfill their dreams.  I seize the day by asking questions, by providing answers, and by wondering about things.  I seize the day resting, by daydreaming, and by sleeping.  There are so many ways to seize the day, but in my own little way, I do so by helping my friends, colleagues, students, clients, and family members achieve their goals.  Goals such as building a business, planning a career, and in improving their communication skills.

How about you?  How do you seize the day?  What is your favorite motto?

My goal was to arrive by 9 am. I woke up on time. Just a little past 8. I know I would be in by 9. It only takes 10 to 15 minutes to get to work. Twenty minutes at the most. Even with traffic.

I waited outside my building 20 minutes before 9 am. I’m going to be on time.

He stood outside waving at me. Should I ride with him today? No. He charges 100 pesos. I pay only 50 to 60 pesos in a cab. No thanks.

It was already 8:50. Ten minutes was enough to soak my shirt with shirt. Ten minutes was way more than enough for sweat to trickle down my legs. Still, I thought positive. I have 10 more minutes to get there.

But the taxis came and went. Some filled. Some refused to take me.

I would not achieve my goal. Still, I tried to remain positive.

I walked a block, trying to find share. And a taxi of course. I raised my right arm. I tried my left arm. No taxi. Sweat drenched me.

Still, I tried to remain positive even as if more taxis refused to go in my direction. I should have offered them a tip. I was greedy. I would only pay 50-60 pesos because that’s what I normally pay with my destination.

I was cheap.

Thirty minutes passed. I could no longer think positive. My mind was filled with red, red, red. Anger. Hate. Disgust.

Do I deserve this? The answer is a resounding yes! I get what I deserve. All my actions in the past led to this event. All my thoughts in the past led to this. If I wanted to change this situation, only I could do it. No one else. No one will. Sure, I will need the help of others. But the change I want must come first from within.

I deserved to be soaked and drenched in my own sweat. I do not want that anymore. But I know that it will happen again. I just have to get one step closer to not letting it happen again.

What will I do?

I will think of wealth and abundance. I will attract prosperity and happiness into my life. It starts in my mind. To think positive. To change my behavior. And if I do this, I know that my thoughts are compelling me to change my life. The universe will conspire to bring it to me. The law of attraction has been activated.

I simply need to visualize myself, with my own driver to pick me up in front of my doorsteps. My own car, with my own driver.

He says, “Hi Chris. Let’s go. We will be just in time.”

We had a seminar in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya at Saint Mary’s University twice already; the last one this past December.  We stayed at the Highlander Hotel, a modest, but the best hotel, in Bayombong.  The walls are dark pink with Venetian style portraits of Filipino life.  It’s a really weird interior design, but it’s the best one Bayombong has to offer.

Vin had his shirt ironed the next morning so that he can look very presentable for this seminar, but a crew member burnt the collar.  All she said was sorry and that they will not be charging us for it.  Weird.  That shirt cost more than Php 1,500.  At the end of the day, they gave a 5% discount on our stay there.  So they ruined a 1500-peso shirt, and we saved about Php 100 on the hotel.  Do your mathematics!

The rooms may be the best, but their service definitely sucks!  At least we slept well the night before.

Wow!  I can’t believe it’s already been two years since we first opened our doors on January 22, 2007.  We had our 1st year anniversary celebration here at the office, but our 2nd year anniversary was celebrated with a bang as 75 students, friends, and clients invaded Puerto Galera with us!

With four vans, two SUV’s, and a lot of heart, we started our journey on Ayala and made our way through Batangas to Lea Beach where our two private boats awaited us.  The sea was calm and the sky was cloudy, but a glimmer of sunshine gave us hope that we were going to have a great weekend ahead of us.

We celebrated on day one with The Treasure Hunt / Amazing Race, and the team of Kiko, Edward, Jhana, Jason, Grace, Amy, Arisa, Rebecca, Jinny, and yours truly, Chris, won this event.  Our prize?  Dinner and a movie!  Yehey!

That night, we saw some great videoke singers, excellent dancers, silly jokers, mild to wild drinkers,good eaters, and so much more!

On our way back, we had another excellent adventure as our boats traveresed high waves and rocked the boats!  The high seas were no match for AIEPRO!

Thank you to everyone who joined and helped us!