Reads

  • Top 5 Lessons from the Last 5 Years

    Top 5 Lessons from the Last 5 Years

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    Where do you see yourself in five years? This is probably one of the most common and the hardest job interview questions I have encountered ever. Even highly trained Miss Universe candidates will have a hard time answering this. How could I as a young graduate know how I intend to live my life? I earned a degree NOT an Uber ride to my future! For me, you can’t absolutely know that you’re meant for something (or someone for hopeless romantics) until you make that small step forward, and take the risk and jump!

    Earlier this year, I celebrated my fifth year in the “real world.” I have been employed in the same company for FIVE years. Wow! Time flies. The journey has been a hell of a ride. I honestly do not wish to live it all over again. I’m grateful though for having dealt with the highs and the lows of the first chapter of my working life.

    How did I answer the question five years ago?

    In five years, I see myself climbing up the corporate ladder, being an expert in what I do.

    Vague, right? Did I achieve my “vision”? Bluntly, no, I have not been promoted and no, I’m still learning. And you know what, it’s okay. I’ll tell you why.

    JUSKO. Wag naman sana. (The Fault in Our Stars Via Pinterest)
    JUSKO. Wag naman sana. (The Fault in Our Stars Via Pinterest)

    Here are my top five lessons from the last five years of working.

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  • 2015 Year in Review

    2015 Year in Review

    2015 was Amiciness’ debut year after expanding out from Tumblr. Honestly, I didn’t expect the blog to grow as fast as it did. After 525,600 minutes, the blog gained a couple of sponsors, 170 likes in Facebook, over 80,000 page views and almost 40,000 unique visitors. This blog is my “baby” project. Since blogs became a thing, I have always wanted to have my own and I have always been a frustrated writer. For some reason, I forgot to fulfil this dream. Maybe I felt that I was not ready or I could not sustain it because of school and eventually my day job. Finally, I decided to do it and commit. You won’t know if you’re ready for something unless you’d tried. This is Amiciness’ 2015 Year in Review.

    2015 Year in Review
    Amiciness is here to stay!

    2015 Year in Review

    To celebrate 2015, here’s a recap of the posts that went “viral” (in my own definition) and those that were memorable to me as a blogger and pop culture fanatic.

    Let’s go down memory lane!

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  • Signs You’re NOT A Primary Friend (And What to Do About Them)

    Friendship has a lot of layers especially now at a time when its definition can be bounded by the mere clicking of a button. You have childhood friends. Your friends that remember you pooped your pants in kindergarten and the names of your pets that you still use to recover your email passwords. Your high school friends who know the names of your first romances. Those who you barely see but still got your back no matter what. Your friends at work. Those who you interact with for at least 8 hours 5 days a week. You have Facebook friends. Those who you know and follow. Those who you know but not follow. Those you don’t know but follow. Whoever your friends are, there will always be hierarchy. There is always hierarchy.  To put it simply, it’s either you’re primary friend material or not.

    Hey! (Friends via Tumblr/fyeahfriendsgifs)
    Hey! (Friends via Tumblr/fyeahfriendsgifs)

    I don’t know if the term actually exists but a “primary friend” is someone you prefer to be with, do stuff with. May it be as simple as buying a soda from a convenience store or as long-term as traveling for the holidays. Someone who you share small milestones of your life. Your first closed deal. Your first broadway musical. You finally being able to drive. Think about it. The first names that pop out your head. The most active message threads in your Facebook messenger. The people you forward funny video links to. We all have our favorites. It’s nothing personal. Just life. There’re no particular criteria. It’s not really about who is better nor who you know the longest. It just happens. Life happens.

    Do cats count as primary friends? (DIYLOL.com)
    Do cats count as primary friends? (DIYLOL.com)

    Let’s take out vanity, bitterness, insecurity, jealousy, self-centeredness or the so-called paranoia of missing out off the equation for a moment and consider that “primary friends” really exist. Here are some signs that you are NOT (and what to do about them).

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  • In Defense of “Nuisance” Candidates

    In Defense of “Nuisance” Candidates

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    In defense of “nuisance” candidates, it’s not their fault that they are “qualified” to run for the president of this country. It’s not their fault that the registration process is flawed. Diyan naman magaling ang Pilipinas, after mag file ng mga kandidato and even after manalo, saka kukuwestiyunin ang eligibility. Look at Grace Poe for example. I am not a supporter or anything. I don’t really care about her pero the fact that the government allowed her to be an MTRCB chairman (big mistake pows!) and senator, ano naman kaibahan nu’n sa pagiging presidente? Mawawala na ang bearing ng argument na tinakwil n’ya ang pagiging Pilipino kasi nga nagsilbi na siya as a public servant of the Republic of the Philippines. Stop questioning what should have been assumed as valid years ago. Kung ganyan din lang, eh di dapat i-revisit natin ang filing of candidacy requirements. Kung hindi n’yo gusto ang mga kandidato na nag–fifile, then revise the minimum requirements. Taasan ang standards. Lagyan ng minimum tenure as a public servant. I-specify na bawal ang mga unknown people to run. I-specify na once you go American, you can’t go back. Ilagay na dapat na either anak lang ng pulitiko o ng isang artista ang p’wede maging presidente. I-specify niyo lahat ‘yan please para malinaw at walang angal. We can laugh at these “nuisance” candidates (guilty), call them names or whatever but one thing’s for certain, they believe in change and they believe that it can start from themselves. One more thing, they’re doing something about it.

    We all want change. We all know we need change pero what we lack is action. Puro tayo Twitter at trending topics (which deserves another post, btw) pero ano nga ba ginagawa natin para sa pagbabago? Puro tayo post about Heneral Luna at kung paano nito ginising ang dugong makabayan natin pero ano nga ba ang ginagawa natin para sa pagbabago? 

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  • Why You Should Shop Online

    Why You Should Shop Online

    When I was younger, I could still remember that Burger King used to have this self-service soda dispenser where customers could freely access. For some reason (I bet one of it was the abusive nature of people), the self-service system didn’t work. Eventually, like Burger King, in most fast foods and restaurants now, customers are served and sometimes, reaching to the point where the service is unnecessary. You know what I mean and we are all guilty of it. However, imagine if we live in a self-service world? A world without physical establishments. No ticket outlets, no pharmacies, no stores. Just you getting what you want and need in your own time and space. Maybe then everything will be delivered faster and more efficiently. And we could do more things that’s actually value-adding. This is our future.

    online-shopping-social-mediaActually, this revolution is already being started by online shopping sites on Instagram, Facebook and your favorite online shopping sites. You browse and look at what you want to purchase. Add it to your cart. Pay online and wait for it to get delivered. That simple. Hmm…but there are still people who have not enjoyed the benefits of online shopping. Well, I’m not here to convince you totally but it’s worth a try. That is if you want to be part of the “future.” *insert music please*

    These are my top reasons why you should shop online:

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