:: MIS Insights ::

God is good to me.

Just as I was getting bored of all the PHP programming that I’ve been doing, a wonderful challenge comes along. A new project has arrived to take me out of my misery - the documentation of GMA-7’s News TOC System. This is a very interesting project because it will allow me to work with other people and put my Systems Analysis skills into greater use.

During the first meeting whenI got introduced to the project, a lot of stuff didn’t make any sense. I tried to absorb everything that was discussed at the interview and took down notes about every concept that I heard. Several nights later of poring over my notes and reading up on a similar system’s manual, I got a good grasp of what the system was all about.

A second interview earlier clarified a lot of my thoughts and answered all the questions that I thought about from the first meeting. To show my gratitude to my Project Management mentor who involved me in this project, I’m going to do my best and show the world a quality of work that proves this young pup is ready to hunt with the rest of the pack.

This is the perfect time to do what I have to do. And I can be no other.

Sometimes you’re DOWN

A few days ago, my motherboard’s integrated fast ethernet network interface device broke down. In tagalog, I didn’t have any internet or access to network-supplied-resources because a computer component broke.

As part of my break-in and stress-testing procedure for Trailblazer, I had it running and downloading for twenty days. Whether it was the bandwidth stress or the lightning-filled storm last week, I can’t be sure which kicked the bucket under my MSI RS480-M2’s ethernet.

After a trip to PCX, it’s fixed and I’m back with a vengeance, ready to rip 600mb of downloads per hour once again! *evil laugh ~ mwahahahaha*… now if pldt can stop blocking the torrent ports…

Anyway, after that fateful incident, I’m going to plug in a cheap ethernet card for my network needs. (Php200~$4) for a replaceable peripheral is cheaper than the gas my car consumes to go to PCX. In addition, the 15 minutes I spend at home replacing a defective LAN card will also be faster than having my motherboard checked and replaced (2-3hours, inclusive of travel time).

Sometimes you’re UP

While the technician’s replaced my motherboard, I got an extra auxiliary fan installed (if you’ve been following my blog, then you must know that I already have FOUR auxiliary fans to make sure Trailblazer’s cool). My Athlon64 3200+ was running at 63 degrees C with three fans. After adding another fan, the system temp dropped to 58 degrees C. And yes, I’m using the stock heat sink and fan.

Why four fans? Because I can only cram four.

Why four fans? Because the cooler the insides of a computer are, the longer the component lifetimes.

But most of the times, you’re in BETWEEN

For the past week or so, I’ve been contemplating whether I should enroll at the Moro gym over at Ateneo. As a runner, I need to supplement my walks and runs with weight-lifting so that I can work the upper area of the body. Yeah, after getting my monthly allowance, I was just about ready to enroll when I got a phone call.

The person in the phone asked if I was still interested in pursuing the job application that I submitted a few months ago. To which I promptly replied, “Of course!!!”

I’m set to have an interview by the end of the week. Unfortunately, my principles of self-employment are not at ease with such plan of action. Pursuing such path will eradicate all the days when I can:

• sleep and wake up at whatever time I want
• run twice a day
• declare my own holidays
• play and work when i want
• go to ateneo library just for fun

But then again, I am getting quite bored at home. I’m starting to miss :

• Working with other people
• The frequent randomness and unpredictability of things that will be thrown your way
• The challenge of tackling something bigger than I can handle

Facing the fork that Robert Frost described eons ago, I went on a rave run to help me think about it. I ran and I ran, thinking about the possibilities between the rock and hard place that I’m in. I ran and I ran, not away from the decision, but towards it. I ran and I ran, just like how I’ve done before.

Several laps in the high school oval under the drizzling rain, I finally got the answer that I’ve usually had since before:

“I’ll cross the bridge when I get there.”

It is rare to find people who have little or no biases when it comes to attire. People have become quick to judge people on how they look. A young man entering a computer shop like CPXpress, for example, will not be served or given as much attention as an older customer.

can’t we all wear comfortable and decent clothes and get the same customer-satisfying-finger-licking-good quality type of service? i suppose businesses don’t even know how much they’re losing because of such practices. if they did, they’d send their employees in an annual training camp and audit workplaces regularly to make sure everything is A-O-K.

however, i am not saying that we should throw away half of our wardrobe because…

it makes one presentable and pleasing to the eyes. for most people who are vulnerable to psychological suggestion based on their neuro-perception configuration, if they get what they like and you should work hard to make sure they like what they see.

all i’m saying is…

How I look is irrelevant to how I perform. unlike jordan who has to wear his college basketball shorts under his nba shorts all the time, dressing otherwise doesn’t make me feel any more omnipotent. it’s still the same pipboy with a different peeling. (lolz)

Life is a Game

Had my first real game of basketball this afternoon. after a year without playing the game, i was huffing and puffing for the last 20 minutes of the 30-minute game. the 4 on 4 was no contest. we got beaten by 2 points in a race to 15, thanks to my standing-tiger, slowpoke-dragon tactics where i was useless for most of the game.

not even all the theories and moves that i knew from my varsity days could make me perform any better in the game earlier.

no practice + no juice = you lose.

looking at the bright side of such demoralizing loss, i had lots of fun with the belly-buster game. i’ve forgotten how good it felt to push and get pushed by people in the court ~ complete with all the positioning tactics and hidden jabs. think Malone. then think Rodman.

i got pulled in by tammy, a village friend from my high school days. turns out that his family left the village for three years and recently moved back. with him around, i think i’ll be playing more games during the afternoons. so, for the sake of my teammates and the coke 1.5 that comes with every game, i think i better shape up for the coming games.

Get Ready to Lose

which is just like life, don’t you think? you might be the smartest, wisest and most buffed of them all, but if you can’t use your talents well, you’re not going to get anywhere. the first step is usually about taking a look at your skills, knowing yourself and identifying your potential. after that, it’s just a matter of leveraging your competencies or strengthening your weak areas.

life is a game wherein if you’re not ready to play, you’ll lose. i just realized this as our team got beaten by kanto boys [street kids]. imho, they can be the best opponents that one can ever ask for on any given day. fast to think and never running out of energy. i hope to be like them someday. with nothing to lose and an attitude of a winner. you cannot go anywhere but up with that kind of combination.

after several years of not being able to play the coolest roleplaying games, i’ve finally decided to catch up on all those lost years. this afternoon, i installed baldur’s gate 1 on my desktop and never winter nights on my laptop. i’ve almost finished both games but have always quit the game just before the final battles / chapter. the same goes with all the other rpgs that i’ve played on PS1 and PS2. while i might have played a good 50+ or so different rpg titles, i’ve only finished closed to ten titles or so. this time, i’ve decided to face such commitment issues and work things out till the end. that is - if you can consider nwn and bg as work.

let’s go Janitor Warrior, my trusty level 1 half-elf ranger with a racist tendency for ettercaps and normal proficiencies on bows and long swords.

i can be no other.

I bought a philippine road map today!

After driving for seven years, i finally got my own road map! I’d say this is another one of the best investments that i’ve had this year! I think everyone would agree how important a map is when they’re driving or when you have to go somewhere.

There will always be a place where you wouldn’t know how to get to. Confronted with such a situation, what do you do?

A. Don’t go (i don’t know how to get there)

B. Experiment (road tripppppppppp!!!)

C. Ask for directions (someone else should be able to help me)

D. Get a map (i’ll do this my way, frank)

E. Can’t go, i’m busy (that’s not part of my priority / schedule)

F. What’s the question again? (er…)

With this map, i shouldn’t get lost as often now as i did! Don’t you just love reliable and dependable maps? Maps that show you how to get “there.”

I think that’s also how it is in life. People wanting to get somewhere but most of the time don’t know how to. Or don’t have the means to get there. How about you? Do you know where you’re going? Do you know how you’ll get there?