Biyernes, Disyembre 9, 2011

Essay for my MBA application @ Hult International Business School


Living in an environment where people have their own idiosyncrasies is not new to me.  I was born and raised in an archipelago where almost every island has its own language, its own culture, and its own attribute.  I must say that being engrossed in this kind of diverse society is already a prelude to the kind of environment that Hult has to offer given its worldwide presence.   Perhaps, this is an avenue for me to share innate or acquired skills that I personally possess.

For almost seven years, I have struggled juggling both work and studies at the same time.  It was a tedious lifestyle yet perfectly fulfilling which has brought great transformation in me.  Working at night in several Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies dealing with other nationalities and attending class discussion in the morning was my daily routine.  Conflict is inevitable in terms of which should I pour in more attention – food for the brain or my bread-and-butter.  Inherently resilient, I was able to master time management to cope with this challenging life.  Making compromises was common so as to augment the shortcomings every time I sacrifice one for the other. I set flexible schedule which I adhere to and if circumstance warrants, then necessary adjustment is done.   I employed the so-called ‘power of now’ and procrastination is taboo since it would definitely have repercussions.  Oftentimes, I prioritized things that are urgent and even did cost-benefit analysis. 

Doing a collaborative work with people of diverse profile is another salient concern.  Through the years of interaction with different nationalities at work or in school, I have developed the skill of building rapport and camaraderie.  I usually go beyond the extra mile of learning laconic expressions of different major languages just to bridge the gap.  I suppose it emanates from the strong inclination I have for learning different cultures across the globe.  On the other hand, my rich cultural background and knowledge of my own native land as well as its neighboring countries can deepen the understanding and appreciation of those people with the same passion.  It is also one way of promoting my homeland thereby educating people about its beauty and uniqueness.

Another valuable trait that I am proud of and I can impart to my colleagues would be the high motivation I have for success.  Since I was child, I consistently bring honor to my family and school by bagging numerous awards which I was able to do so even in the workplace may it be academics, sports, or dance competitions.  But I am cognizant that it would not be possible without the support and encouragement I get from others.  In return, I selflessly inspire people to strive harder or simply bring out the best in them.  The more I share myself to others, the more I appreciate my purpose and the skills God has bestowed upon me.

Having prominently highlighted the skills that I can contribute, I certainly believe that most of the people that I will be dealing with also have their own unique skills.  Coming from different countries, I envision myself being influenced in some way or another by these people.  In terms of how it will impact my life would really depend on how receptive I am of their influences.  To some extent, possible conflict of viewpoints may be imminent and sometimes it is healthy since it opens the door for discussion.  There has to be a continuous assimilation process to evade hostility due to clashing views.  As to how it can be done, I guess it is a matter of mutual respect and a give-and-take relationship.   Undoubtedly, taking up the MBA program at Hult with a collection of cultures will assist me in getting a better grasp of my own culture and the others.  It will develop a deeper sense of nationalism on one hand and bridging the gap amongst the students on the other. 

One remarkable influence which I would like to underscore is the idea that all classroom discussion will be an amalgamation of various perceptions peculiarly shaped by each other’s ingenuity and distinctiveness which will positively help me become more globally competitive.  Knowing first-hand experiences from people working in a totally different environment or personally running their own business is very helpful in terms of learning the peculiarity of the different markets.   Finally, being able to work in a multicultural-oriented environment will indubitably hone my skills and even develop further skills pertinent in running business in a global  scale. 


Miyerkules, Disyembre 7, 2011

D A R N - A!

salamat Cyrill Tan...remember this?

Like a bird if flying
Gliding in the air, I looked
To a woman shrouded with mystery

Will you even notice
With a lot of tasks on hand
If I compete with all the rest
Do I still have a chance in meeting you?

Waiting in the skies
Peeking through the clouds
Behind the stars, please allow me
Even just a glimpse of you, darna!

How lucky ding can be
He is always with you
If I were only him
I'd already courted you









Friendster@Herbench


this has been written when I was in second year college.

“At last, it’s all done, it’s lunchtime!”

I said to myself when our professor in Philosophy had ended our discussion for that day.  It was already second semester and my stay in the university for the first semester has brought great transformation in me.  I have learned to be an independent critical thinker and have gained self-confidence which was indispensable in our everyday living.

It has been part of daily routine to drop by the Learning Resource Center Computer Room to avail my thirty-minute free internet privilege.  I have acquired the notion to always maximize my resources and time – squeeze the most out of everything – that is why I absolutely made it sure to utilize my leisure time for worthy things.  In the computer room, I checked my emails. As I went through every email, my attention was aught by this invitation to sign-up for friendster.com.  Without wasting time, I created my own account and thought that it would be a way to interact with other people and obtain new knowledge and insights from them  “That would be cool”, I said.

I was not betrayed by my preconceived notion and it has paid off.  Everyday as I check my account, I found a great deal of new friend requests and messages.  I even got the chance to reconcile with m old pals through friendster.  Eventhough my friends and I were always together, I still deemed that something was missing – gimmick.  My friends were aloof from this idea instead they chose to go home early to study.  I was upset for I certainly believed that I must enjoy life because it is too short and that the best experiences can be found outside the confines of the academe and that through frequent interaction, development is imminent.

I went to the computer room, opened my friendster account and started to browse accounts of other people, read their profiles, and seemingly ransacking the entire network for that one - gimmick buddy.  I was lucky to find some with the same interests but most of them were from far places and usually foreigners until I found one.  At first, I was hesitant to send this guy a message for all I knew that in the Philippines, a conservative country, it was a rare thing to do because of the attached notion of homosexuality to it.  A firebrand, I was.  I sent him a friend request with a short message – Hi! Can we be friends?
The next day, I found a warm response from him that it was fine with him.  I replied his email telling him that I am looking forward to get acquainted with him and maybe could hangout together sometime.  He responded that it was his pleasure to be friends with me.  Days have passed by rapidly; we have had our communication through offline messages and became ‘cyber’ chums.  We shared thoughts and ideas, argued about matters of life and issues, and even advanced in asking personal queries regarding each others’ personal lives.

Second semester was about to end, examinations queued up; both of us became busy so our communication has temporarily subsided.  At that time, most of my attention was diverted to boning as part of my plan to shift to another university.  My assiduousness conferred me the opportunity to be admitted to the said university and of course it did reach his knowledge.  Our communication became frequent again and it was no longer through offline messages.   We exchange contact numbers.   It seemed that we now had a better communication.  In an instant, we could text each other wherever and whenever we wanted.   Similar to what we have been doing before, we exchanged forwarded messages, quotes, and jokes.  We were both open-minded and so our conversations indeed touch hot topics including those of the homosexuals.
Half last semester, I almost got tedious of my sedentary life in school.  I spent most of time surfing the net and so I was able to exploit the friendster network.  For the second time, I checked his profile and have drawn mystery out of his being.  His descriptions of himself were very far from what can be seen on his pictures which I did not notice before.  At that moment, I was bombarded with so much perplexity and filled with so many inquiries.  I came up with an idea – I would meet him soon.

The day has come; I went to SM after class and have decided to meet up with him.  I walked directly to Bench store.  I was nervous at that time because it was my first time to meet someone in person and it was intensified by the perception that whom I would be meeting up was a guy too.  At the same time, I had no iade of how he really looks except that according to him he was tall, dark, and handsome.  I thought of putting off the meet up not until I realized nothing was wrong with it.  I approached the guard and asked for him.  The guard answered that he does not know someone with that name.  He pointed the facing Herbench store and told me that I might find hi there.  I took my chances and proceeded to Herbench.  During that day, the people were massive and from afar I saw someone cleaning the glass panes.  All in my mind was to find him and did not bother to text him anymore because I wanted to surprise him.  I went near this guy cleaning the panes and without timidity asked him if he knew the guy I was looking for.  A moment of silence followed.  Both of us were mouth shut and in deep thought.  I broke the silence and asked him again the same inquiry.  This guy who appeared stunned abruptly revitalized from a seemingly state of coma and answered in a ludicrous manner that he was the one I was looking for.  The situation is now in favor of him.  I was now the one who appeared astounded because I never thought that I was already talking to the person I was looking for.  It was definitely a hilarious encounter and we laughed aloud without thinking that there were other people around us whose attention would be caught by the explosive sounds of our laughter.  He wiped his hands and gave a firm handshake.   We talked how our friendship has started and were amused how it has flourished.  He gagged that our friendship has outweighed love stories ever known and a sudden burst of giggles followed.  I went home filled with happiness.

Time flung so fast and it has been a year now since I have known him.  I learned so many things from him.  He taught me about life and served as my mentor.  I have come to realize that friendship is like a seed.  Friendship, like seed needs nourishment, must be nurtured with love, trust, and good communication.  It would mature in due time and would eventually bear fruits.  These fruits add spice to one’s life.  All you have to do is to harvest and eat it.  I have eaten a great deal of them and one of the delicious fruits I have tasted was the fruit from him – by the way, his name is Jayson.

Linggo, Nobyembre 27, 2011

Maybe I've Learned

I maintain an account in one of the social networking site exclusively for the so-called P.L.U. (people like us) group and a write-up caught my attention.  Lemme share it to you guys...I am impressed the way it was written and I was moved...


We never get what we want, We never want what we get, We never have what we like, We never like what we have, Still we live, still we love, still we hope.......this is LIFE


GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL.
We make a Living by what we get, We make a Life by what we give.

Maybe

Maybe... we are supposed to meet the wrong people before meeting the right one so when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift.

Maybe... when the door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we don't see the new one which opened for us.

Maybe... It is true that we don't know what we have until we lose it, but it is also true that we don't know what we have been missing until it arrives.

Maybe... The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything they have.

Maybe... You should dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you dream of and want to do.

Maybe... There are moments in life when you miss someone – a parent, a spouse, a friend, a child – so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real.

Maybe... The best kind of friend is one you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word...but when they walk away you feel as if it was the best conversation you've ever had.

Maybe... You should always try to put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that something could hurt you, it probably will hurt the other person, too.

Maybe... You should do something nice for someone every single day, even if it is simply to leave them alone.

Maybe… Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they will love you back. Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart; but, if it doesn't, be content that it grew in yours.

Maybe.. You shouldn't go for looks; they can deceive; Don't go for wealth; even that fades. Go for someone who makes you smile, because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile.

I have learned

I've learned-
that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them.

I've learned-
that no matter how much I care, some people just don't care back.

I've learned-
that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.

I've learned-
that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I've learned-
that it's not what you have in your life but who you have in your life that counts.

I've learned-
that you should never ruin an apology with an excuse.

I've learned-
that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you'd better know something.

I've learned-
that you shouldn't compare yourself to the best others can do.

I've learned-
that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I've learned-
that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I've learned-
that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I've learned-
that you can keep going long after you can't.

I've learned-
that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I've learned-
that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I've learned-
that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.

I've learned-
that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

Another thread of I've learned-

1. I've learned that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is stalk them and hope they panic and give in...

2. I've learned that one good turn gets most of the blanket.

3. I've learned that no matter how much I care,
some people are just jackasses.

4. I've learned that it takes years to build up
trust, and it only takes suspicion, not proof, to
destroy it.

5. I've learned that whatever hits the fan will not
be evenly distributed.

6. I've learned that you shouldn't compare
yourself to others - they are more screwed up than
you think.

7. I've learned that depression is merely anger
without enthusiasm.

8. I've learned that it is not what you wear; it is
how you take it off.

9. I've learned to not sweat the petty things, and
not pet the sweaty things.

10. I've learned age is a very high price to pay for
maturity.

11. I've learned that I don't suffer from insanity, I
enjoy it.

12. I've learned that we are responsible for what
we do, unless we are celebrities.

13. I've learned that artificial intelligence is no
match for natural stupidity.

14. I've learned that 99% of the time when
something isn't working in your house, one of
roommates messed it up

15. I've learned that there is a fine line between
genius and insanity.

16. I've learned that the people you care most
about in life are taken from you too soon and all
the less important ones just never go away and
the real pains in the asses are permanent.

17. I've learned that ex's are like fungus, and keep
coming back.

18. I've learned its not the length of friendship, it is
the kind of friend you have

19. I've learned that life is what you make of it

20. I've learned gay men are worst than straight
men, they maybe both dogs but gay men are a far
worst breed

21. I've learned that the ones who pretend to be
sweet and innocent are the real perverted and dirty
ones, they are just sneaky

22. I've learned that people are only nice to you for
a reason and that i have to figure out those
reasons and find my reasons why ought to be nice
to them back

23. I've learned that sex is just as common as
eating, but cuddling all night is a gourmet cuisine

24. I've learned that you can't teach a monkey to
stop being a monkey. People are who they are and
they can't even change themselves so why even
bother

25. I've learned that I should stop worrying about
other people's happiness because they don't worry
about mine

26. I've learned that relationships are not for
everyone, some people are meant to be single and
others not...stop forcing it

27. I've learned that another person can not
validate your existence, you validate your purpose
why you exists

29. I've learned that we are not obligated to give
blowjobs so if you get one be grateful

30. I've learned that I don't care what they did in
the porn video you saw, it is not standard practice
to cum on someone's face

31 I've learned that cum doesn't particularly taste
good. And I don't care about the protein content

32. I've learned that we are not talented, it was all gift from a higher power, we are just vessels....we have to share it to the world

33. I learned never to step on people when they have fallen flat on their face to the ground, you extend you hand and pull them up.

34. I learned real happiness and inner fulfillment is watching in the shadows when people you helped succeed

35. I've learned that if you have nothing nice to say....say it behind their back

36. I've learned Americans are not superior to other races and nationalities, Their history and culture is made up of Super Bowl and Hollywood...we come from dynasties and tradition

37. I've learned that celebrating Thanks Giving in America is celebrating the fact that Americans took away the land from the Native Americans

38. I've learned that the Taj Muhal is the symbol or true love because if you look to another mountain, there is is a palace where the king if India died and made sure he will always see her as the sun sets and his beloved loved one's palace turns into gold

39. I've learned that in order to be a star to people you have to be a slave to people

40. I've learned that if I a meeting with the people of society and industry to take 2 hours to dress up, but when I'm meeting the poor and unprivileged, I will take double the time, because they need a an example, they have to realize if I can make, they can make it as well.

41. I've learned that beauty is easy, we are all made beautiful and in God's own image, beauty is only a discipline. God is Love, Love and God made real is Beauty.

42. I've learned that music is God's whispers to our hearts that's why it moves out soul and moves our body.

43. I've learned to search, challenge and build, never choose those who will follow.

44. I've learned God is not an institution, he is not in the church, God is in us.

45. I've learned that humans are only 20% beauty, 80% percent heart.

46. I've learned that having too many friends is sometimes a bitch. im too old to adjust to them and also try to let them adjust to me. I'm a better off with my old REAL friends where I don't even have to pretend or even try to make them understand me


WHO TAUGHT ME HOW TO DOUGIE?

uopahj
"How can I stop myself from remembering the person that used his own blood to write my name on a piece of cloth? - T'was the most unforgettable act of love ever done."

People used to call me manhid (numb) yet I always wonder why am I being labeled as being one.  Some people say, I do not know how to love and all I know is academics.  I vehemently disagree with that.  Let me tell you the love story of my life. . . <to be continued...>

IT'S ALL ABOUT ME

this has been onerous for me to do eversince everytime I'm asked to tell something about me. It's not that I don't know who I am 'coz I do but I guess it is inadequate to evince your true identity through words..... I hope this would help you (a lot) know the real side of donn johnson...the real "ME" is just like "YOU".....,,,not so ordinary?! I suppose everyone is unique, extraordinary, exceptional (synonymous, lol) for a special reason..... let me start with my physical attributes: I'm not a Negro, I'm not a Caucasian - I got the true Filipino blood and complexion, born on 12-12 at Baguio City, 5'6", with fantastic bods that could put a Greek sculpture to shame (just kidding), I'm just medium built,,,light muscled. regarding my looks just see the pics attached (still trying to have the best pics to post) - - -it's up to you to evaluate how I look but I think personality and beauty lie within not on the physical appearance.....definitely I'm not ugly,,,HANDSOME?!,,,well.....I got an oily face but I guess it's an ASSET, ayt?..... I'm just a typical college student who has a boy-next-door image.....a friend you can count on, a shoulder to lean on.....I"m a Sagittarian and maybe that's the reason why I love being surrounded by friends,,,by YOU.....I think I'm down-to-earth but often other people misinterpret my gestures and appearance,,,they might preconceive that I'm arrogant nut hey I"M NOT.....I may wear earrings but it's for fashion, nothing more....I may also have a jAgAn (evil eye) and fangs, lol...BUT I do have a good heart.....Some say I've got an irresistible killer witty grin, a soul-probing graze.....with wanderlust in my blood, I've been wanting to circumnavigate the globe in search for adventure>>>>>I'm really adventurous and love the great outdoors>>>>>I love to swim, to trek, try different sports, and other adventurous stuff. I've also got the attitude towards relationships. you would probably assume that I'm a very serious person, a snobbish, based on my defined feature - I mean I may not have an angelic face but I believe and assure you that I'm APPROACHABLE.....I don't discriminate, I'm openminded, funky, versatile, and a certified cowboy.....I'm trying my best to accommodate all of my friends even in a very simple way. I'm totally HYGIENIC from head to foot. I may not be a Mestizo but then I see to it that I'm neat the best that I could be....I'm also fun to be with, a "kalog" type,,,I don't want to spoil the time if we're together and make the most out of it - try my best to make every second, every minute that passes by to be memorable for both of us..... I also stick to my mantra of social responsibilities and determined to turn myself into a uber-successful businessman that's why I'm currently enrolled at UP DILIMAN as a BUSINESS STUDENT, lol,,,bewildering, ayt???!!! what more can I say??? I'm a simplicity and honesty aficionado.....I'm a perfectionist in a way that it's spontaneous, an innate attitude.....BY THE WAY.....I really love to play the guitar,,,plucking and crooning (as if I'm putting a baby into sleep) mushy songs during night - PRETTY COOL, right??? BRAD (my cognomen, how my friends call me but actually there's a story behind that, huh!) has a sensitive soul with a flair for romance and a fervor for long-lasting friendship.....I've got the fetish for dancing, listening to RX 93.1, 99.5 RT, or 97.1 WLSFM and of course foreign languages - - - - -saLamO aLaikOm! hAjimE mAshitE? kOp kOOn krUp/kAA! - (Hello! How do you do? Thank you!) I also love to hang-out with my friends anywhere (malls, beaches, parks, etc.) One more thing - I don't believe in courtship - "IT TAKES TOO LONG AND I DON'T KNOW THE PROCESS EITHER that's why, hehehe!!! I also have to admit that I'm moody sometimes but I try my best to fight mood swings and act appropriately to situations.....I don't ponder too much over problems, I just laugh at them but there are times when the sensitive part of me comes out then that's the time tears fall from my eyes - it's a medicine.....I'm adventurous but a self-proclaimed homebody especially when there's nothing to do (and insufficient budget) - - - - -UNLESS perchance you'd seduced me to go out.....I'm FRANK and maybe that's the most important value God has bestowed upon me that I'm TRUE TO MYSELF,,,i may hide some secrets but for special purpose..... I think it's pretty LONG already. You still got so many things to discover in me if we could have the chance to be together. I think that's the essence of living - to unravel mysteries in the lives of other people in a sense that you'll both find SERENDIPITY in what you're sharing with.....feeding your cravings..... ..........

PANIMULA

Tanging malilikot lamang na kaisipan ang may kakayanan upang makipagtalastasan sa mga hindi naaaninag ng mga mata at sa mga bagay na sadyang hindi maipaliwanag kahit pa ng isang pantas o siyensya.  Samahan mu ako tuklasin ang misteryo ng aking pagkatao at ng mundong ating ginagalawan.  Dahil sa masidhing udyok ng nag-aalab na kalooban, ako ay hindi na nangiming buksan na rin ang aking sarili sa sangkatauhan.  Kung noon, ako lamang ang kumakausap sa aking sarili, nawa'y magbukas ito ng pinto sa mga taong handang umalalay sa akin upang mapalawak pa ang aking kaalaman at maibahagi ang kung anong meron na.  Tara. . .