Google Doodles - Helping the Local Culture

I can't say that I often click on those Google Doodles when I see one. But every time I click on it I appreciate whatever trivia or information I get from it. Today March 4, 2021 I clicked on it and it was about Rosa Silva de Alvero. I absolutely don't know who she was but thanks to Google now I know she essentially fought for women's rights - click here to know more.

Thanks to Google I somehow get to learn more about Philippine history through their Doodles. I know this was one of the topics I wanted to post about so now it's finally posted. Loving our history and culture was the influence of my client Geronimo B. de los Reyes, Jr., GBR as he is called in the office. He is the great grandson of Crisanto Reyes who supported the Cavite Mutiny of 1872 which culminated in the execution of 3 priests Father Gomez, Burgos and Zamora. GBR's love of history was probably influence by his great grandfathers in it and maybe the reason why he built the GBR Museum where he curated old photos which documented how life in the Philippines was during colonial time and up to the most recent historical events.

Below are some photos from the GBR Museum.

I hope that the museum continues its operation once the pandemic is done. It's really a good window to see how Filipinos lived during the colonial times and up to the 80s. 

Non-action and the Flow

This is day 3 of my 21 day challenge to create a habit of writing as a practice and this blog will be that medium. This was an action I planned to take to create a new habit and/or hobby which will hopefully help me create income in the long run. It's night time now and throughout the day I couldn't seem to find a topic to write about. I was just lazy actually. I saved YouTube videos to comment on and write about. But since I never became really active in posting some became irrelevant and dated so I had to choose the video below.

I haven seen this video in a long time and must have watched it only once. So, this me forcing myself to take action because I feel unproductive if I didn't but the video says that taking no action is perfectly okay because the universe will take care of itself. Below are some of the quotes from the video.

It's just ironic that I forced myself to write this post and the material I chose to post about talks about inaction. What's good about this though is that in the past few days I was feeling restless because I'm not being production at all. And, that should be perfectly fine. I shouldn't feel guilty in me doing nothing. I have to trust that the universe has it's plan and the invisible hands of fate is guiding me where I am supposed to go.

Remembering my Clients

Earlier this year I found myself cleaning up  my files not because I was transitioning to a new year but it was because I lost a client. I lost them in the saddest of circumstances. In April, as the pandemic was blowing up and under lockdown, I saw the a post on Facebook announcing the death of the person I was coordinating with passed away due to Covid. I was working with Baby Herrera, head of the GBR Foundation for about 10 years now. She began as a corporate client and eventually transitioned to my freelance work. I was doing a simple online reputation management project for here boss, Geronimo B. de los Reyes, Jr fondly called GBR being the CEO of the company. Sadly, a towards the last quarter of the year he also passed away. GBR was 84 years old. I am not aware of the cause of death but it was not Covid.

Baby was one of the nicest client I've dealt with and even if it was just a small project I was happy to get any business out of them. Initially there meetings but as the project went for the long haul the meetings became as the project continued in auto pilot. I even got to meet her husband Freddy as he tried to help me become and entrepreneur and gave me some small projects along the way. As such, I felt a certain closeness to her and her family. It was really a sad moment when I heard of her passing adding to already downcast situation of the pandemic and knowing she was one of those who lost their lives due to the pandemic.

It was probably the blue and green rivalry which made GBR remember me. When he knew that I came the wrong end, based on his opinion, that's when the ribbing started. He came from La Salle and anytime you encounter a rival they would be in your crosshairs. I just had to take it as a man and he was older and a client. GBR just had an aura about him which made you listen and respect him when you were together in a meeting.

He also had a very interesting story growing up during World War 2. You can check his story here which will include a story about an unfortunate crash landing changed his life. I will venture a guess that one of the reasons he liked aviation was because he worked fro Pan Am. He has a model of the plane that crashed in his office. He personally told me the story on how that changed his life eventually to become one of the richest Filipinos.

This is a model Pan Am Stratocruiser which crash landed in Manila on June 2, 1958. I took the picture in GBR's office after he told me the story. He was in his early twenties then.

It's hard to find news stories about the incident on the internet but you can find a mention of the accident in the Pan American World Airways accidents page. I'll place a screenshot of the snippet below.

You can find the full personal account of GBR in this link.

Last year was very hard. Losing clients in that situation made it more difficult. This is my own little way to remember them.

Spoken Word Poetry in the Biggest Stage

I want to try and post something in this blog once a day for 21 days. Yes, that's how they sat you build a habit, and I want to be more consistent in posting. About 10 years ago I was consistent in posting something on the blog. Most of the time I just cheated because I mostly re-posted articles, videos, infographics with minimum comments or no comments at all. This was really just for the sake of having content. Lately though, while I don't post much. I try to write something or add my insights to videos I post. I found this blog post of TED in 2011 about spoken word poetry. It was a talk by Sarah Kay and I was enamored by her talk and poetry. 

Ten years later, on the biggest stage I came across poetry again. It was "The Hill We Climb" performed by Amanda Gorman during the inauguration of President Joe Biden. The event, the circumstances around the event and the past 4 years which lead to the inauguration plus the eloquence, the delivery and the message made for such a powerful moment in my opinion. The intelligence, the eloquence, talent and wit on how it was written and delivered made me look for more Amanda Gorman. Her interview exudes all things I said about the piece and the person. Amanda went on to do the rounds in all the morning and talk shows and one of the most wonderful interviews she had was with James Corden. I will post the interview below and a video of her performing her poem accompanied by piano. 

Watch, enjoy, be moved and inspired by her eloquence and intellect.