On Corporate lessons, Chopsticks and Shabu-Shabu

At 32, Ive never been inside a Japanese restaurant, so when an invitation
came in for a dinner in an authentic Japanese Restaurant, I must admit I
was frightened.

Frightened because of two reasons. First, I don’t know how to use
chopsticks and never in my entire life did I get hold of one and second,
because Im not used at dining out with these people and the fear of being
“out-of-place” is killing me. True enough, the host is very surprised that at my age, I still cant use chopsticks. To hide my shame,I bluntly told him its my first time and promised to practice more. I was reminded by my boss who often told me that there are only two rules in the corporate survival- its either you retool or retire. In my case, practicing how to use the chopsticks is a way of retooling.


But the Japanese host is gracious enough to make me feel comfortable.
Being new to the group, he jokingly said that as part of the new team, the
dinner is a welcome gesture for me as an official member of the Japan
Desk family and hearing that from him, give me a sense of belongingness.

As a ceremonial initiation, he made me try the Japanese Sake, a rice wine variant. Not a wine drinker myself, the wine just tasted fine. No difference with the wines Ive tasted before, though, this one has a subtle taste. I like the drinking cup where the wine were being poured and hoped I can bring it home.

Then comes the Shabu-shabu. The word is not new to me as I heard it several times but to be honest, I really dont know what it means. He told us it is a Japanese variant of hot boiling pot, a cook-your-own way of dining. In Japanese culture, it should be the host who will prepare the shabu-shabu for the guest to appreciate.

But what really caught my attention are the several sushi of different toppings like
sea urchin, eel, shrimp, shell meat, sweeteneed egg, milkfish, salmon eggs, etc. The mere sight of them beautifully placed inside a box is enough to create an appetizing appeal. . He kept on telling us that in Japan, the most likely favored and expensive is the one topped with sea urchin. I agreed and found
the reason why when I tasted one. It was absolutely yummy. The sight of
sea urchin brought back childhood memories. I remembered as a kid, we used
to hunt sea urchins in the private resort my grandparents used to stay as
caretakers. The fresh delectable seafood is very abundant at that time and I can
often see people selling bottled sea urchins at a very cheap price. I can
conclude that its being exported to other countries, including Japan, is
the reason why we seldom see them being sold in the street anymore.

But the most satisfying part of the experience, are the valuable inputs the
host imparted on me. He said that being in a department that caters to
Japanese clientele, I should muster to have PATIENCE, emphasizing that as a
virtue, it is very important not only in the corporate world but also to our
personal and family life. He stressed that Japanese people had a different
mindset compared to Filipinos. Japanese always liked to be treated like
kings and queens and they would not take “NO” for an answer.
Though I already knew and heard these things over and over again, this time hearing these lessons and reminders from a top executive in our company, it had a different impact on me.

To cap it all, my first Japanese dining experience is truly an unforgetable bliss. It not only filled my gastronomical craving but it also filled my minds with unforgetable lessons that I can use to survive in this very competitive corporate world.

Jovit's Journey To Victory

I am a self confessed JOVIT BALDIVINO fan. From the first time I saw him auditioned for Pilipinas Got Talent, I was already mesmerized by his natural singing talent. He also exudes a unique charm and mass appeal only endowed to chosen few. His rendition of Journey’s “Faithfully” as his audition piece blew me and my wife away. To say “nakakakilabot ang boses niya” is an understatement. It was just so perfect and flawless and watching him singing left my hair standing. He is just a naturally gifted and amazing singer who is very enticing and engaging to behold.

I long waited for the semi-finals as I was clamoring to see more of Jovit’s performance. When the semi- finals came, I wasn’t surprised when he did a fantastic job singing his version of “CARRIE”. The song isnt familiar to me and it was the first time I heard it as contest piece, but it left a mark on me. I learned to love the song because of Jovit. From then on, I knew this guy is destined to become a star.

When the contest progressed, I learned that there are also equally talented Finalist who joined Jovit in the list. Equally talented in their own respective fields. But what makes Jovit stands among the rest is his natural charm that captures the hearts of the viewers. He has undoubtedly the “charisma” and appeal to the masa. This is maybe attributed to the way he was branded in the show. The usual “nakaka awa” approach always works in talent search. Jovit as we all knew came from a simple family not so blessed in life. Because of financial contraint, this simple probinsiyano tried selling Siomai to earn his keep and help augment the family’s income.

No wonder he emerged as the first ever Pinoy Got Talent’s Winner. People love him. The skyrocketing text votes is a proof to that. Though he is not so gifted in the looks department but who cares? After all, Pilipinas Got Talent is a talent search and not a modelling search.

Winding up, I am proud to say that I have witnessed the birth of a star . Watching him performed his finale song “Too Much Love Will Kill You” made me jumped on my seat. He nailed the song. It was again perfect for me. Another unforgetable and remarkable perfomance from this simple lad from Batangas who dreamed and conquered victory at the end.

I wish him luck. Luck as he starts to journey in the long, complicated and winding road of showbusiness. I pray that he be guided properly with the right people so when crossroads came, he will surely know which path to take and which road to cross. And most of all, may he remain grounded and humble, after all this were the very qualities of him that I simply adore.

The Last Tatoo Artist

I was able to watch Kara David's Eyewitness episode last Monday featuring the prized art culture of tatooing in Kalinga Apayao, Cordillera Mountain. Tatooing or "Pagbabatok", as it is known among folks is a long tradition preserved from generation to generation. Eighty-nine-year old WHANG OD (see above photo) never got married and dedicated her life in the art of tatoing. She manually uses wood and charcoal ink in imprinting the art on the native's skin. She is known as Kalinga's Last Tatoo Artist or "Ang Huling Mambabatok".

Watching the show, I was so fascinated not only by the unique artistry of the tatoo, but also by the worth, dignity and valor it brings. It was considered a passage of rite for women about to be married. For them, the more tatoo a woman has, the more beautiful and attractive she is.

For men, it is a symbol of strength and bravery. Each tatoo strand represents the number of enemies a person killed during the war.

But sad to note that the modern generation of Kalinga view the art differently. In fact, none of the children wears tatoo. For them, having a tatoo would deprive them of a dignified and decent life and make them look like criminals and ex-convicts.

Who can blame them? In this internet era, who do you think still appreciates our past and value our culture and treasure the dignity that it brings?

After watching the show, I became even prouder to be a Filipino. Proud of the beauty of my culture and ancestral past and prouder for the Kalinga old folks who wear proud the indelible symbols of their identity.

The Gift of Mandee

Being gifted with such a wonderful tyke - Mandee - made me realized how blissful life is to me. Next to her mother, she is one of the most wonderful gift God endowed on me. The thought of her makes my heart smile in silence. Her presence is enough for me not to ask for more.

From the very moment I first saw her until this time that she started to make tiny steps in her journey to the world, I am still amazed at her beauty, uniqueness, giftedness, innocence and purity.

How grateful I am for God -for giving me the Gift of Mandee.

A gift I will forever cherish.

A gift I will always protect.

And a gift that I will forever love.