Pinoy-style Massage

Okay. Perhaps, we're not that unique. Perhaps, other countries or cities feature this spectacle. I'm talking about rows and rows of chairs being manned by masseurs and occupied by their clients.

I've already talked about this in an earlier post but today was the first time I actually tried the experience.

I was visiting downtown after having a haircut when I came upon Rizal Park. I remembered that I was suffering from a headache earlier this morning and decided that a head massage wouldn't hurt.

One of the masseurs noticed me approaching and signaled me to sit down on one of the reclining chairs. I had a head massage which probably lasted around twenty minutes and I had a foot massage as well (just for kicks) which lasted another fifteen minutes or so.

The session, which lasted almost an hour, cost me Php 120.00 (Php 40.00 for the head/shoulder/upper chest massage, Php 60.00 for the calf/foot massage, and Php 20.00 for the unnecessary tip). It was, in Tagalog, "sulit". I felt relaxed, rejuvenated, and fresh.

Of course, the cheap price does come with some cost-cutting measures. First, one has to overcome the "icky" factor: the towels used to remove the massage oil from my foot and calves were, well, used; the masseur had used it for other clients ahead of me. Second, I don't see any masseur wash his or her hands prior to the session. Third, the massage session is open-air: no air-conditioner and definitely no scented candles. Fourth, the ambiance can be disturbing to sensitive people (in my case earlier, I had to listen to Muslim evangelists on the park's stage throw dirt at Roman Catholicism to promote Islam).

But still, for me, it's an experience worth having and, maybe, I'll be back again having another massage.

Washing Of The Feet

Last night, I played a minor role in a Lenten ritual. I was chosen to play an apostle in the washing of the feet.

The story starts like this. I dropped by the Jacinto campus of Ateneo de Davao University after I received a text message from Rommel (a brother in Lingkod ng Panginoon) that the Jesuits were hearing confessions. As I passed by the mini-auditorium/chapel, a college girl approached me to ask for my autograph. 

However, that fantasy was short-lived because she asked instead if I was willing to be part of the twelve apostles for that day's mass. She also mentioned the washing of the feet. At first, I declined for a number of reasons: my feet smell from too much walking, I haven't had a pedicure in awhile, and I don't think I've cut my toenails recently. After a few minutes or so, she finally convinced me because, first, she was cute, and, second, she was acting desperate ( she'd later say I was only the fifth volunteer and she had less than an hour to look for the remaining seven guys).

So I was given a sash and heard an inside joke from among the other volunteers asking who among us was Judas. 

When it was time for the ritual, we were seated in one line in front of the congregation and the priest began washing our feet. When it was my turn, I observed that he only washed the right foot. After which, he kissed the foot after drying it with a towel. Whoa.

I pretty much imagined then what the priest could have been thinking afterwards. He just kissed the feet of twelve guys! Even Jesus Christ, according to the gospel, wasn't that hardcore. But then again, if he was trying to drive home the point of it all, he nailed it with that gesture.

Earlier today, my mother shared a story told by a priest about his experience in a barangay. For this Lenten ritual, each household would bring a palangana or a big washing plastic bowl. During the washing, each father then would wash his children's feet and his wife's. It was a gesture that pretty much hammered home the responsibility the father should possess as the head of the family. 

Overall, it was a strange yet, ironically, humbling experience. I'm humbled because it forced me to think again of the many misconceptions of leadership I've unconsciously adopted through the years. 

In the midst of the many gurus, articles, and ideas surrounding leadership, it's quite a reality check for me to compare what I know to what the gospel says about being a servant-leader.

Now, if only the priest had washed the other foot...

Paradigm Shift

I hope that, a few years from now, I can look back at this moment, smile, and say we made it.

Right now, everything is tinted just a bit too dark.

The Piano Guys

I'm following their channel in Youtube because they're amazing. You should too.

Below is "All of me" by Jon Schmidt:

Sharing Some Links

I'm sharing some links in my bookmarks. 

The original intention was to write a blog post about these links' articles but I couldn't find the time. 

Anyway, rather than seeing them fill up my bookmark list, I'll just collate them instead into one blog post and discuss a thing or two about the background of each.

Resume writing - How to write a masterpiece of a resume

Found this last year. Was pretty helpful while I was out jobhunting. My resume back then didn't pack a punch but, after reading this, I made sure my new resume sounded off a winner.

The Yolkfish is the cutest tool for separating eggs

Because it's really cute and a bit handy too for those preparing leche flan. Wish it were available locally though.

Elance and Onlinejobs
These sites were recommended by Sister Ohmie, herself an online writer. Beats the hell out of oDesk.

A marriage proposal
A cute one. Though a bit contrived though. But then again, it's a commercial. Anything can happen.

DuckDuckGo
Ambitious company competing against Google. Just an epic David-versus-Goliath article.

Wireless electricity?
A look into the future of electricity.

The anime watch list
The bucket list I intend to finish before I arrive at 30.

Smart Watch

I stopped wearing a watch some time ago. It was constricting. It kept me time-bound but made me a slave to the ritual of checking the time a hundred times a day.

Now, with the advent of the smart watches in the Philippines, I'm reconsidering:

Smart watch

A wearable computing device worn on a user's wrist that offers functionality and capabilities similar to those of a smartphone. Smar twatches are designed to, either on their own or when paired with a smartphone, provide features like connecting to the internet, running mobile apps, making calls, messaging via text or video, checking caller ID, accessing stock and weather updates, providing fitness monitoring capabilities, offering GPS coordinates and location directions, and more. 

A number of companies either currently have smart watches on the market or are rumored to be developing smartwatches, including Google, Samsung, Apple (the "iWatch"), LG, Sony, Pebble and various others.

While the smart watch industry is still in its infancy, new and emerging technologies like Corning’s flexible Willow Glass, Bluetooth 4.0 and more power-efficient processors and displays are providing the potential for the development of more advanced, longer-lasting smart watches than those currently available.

-Webopedia

Read more about smart watches in this HowStuffWorks article.

The Ad From Security Bank Gets It

I like this commercial.

You have Megan Young as your endorser (you can never go wrong with a face like that). And, more importantly, the ad agency got 'it'. 

I think it's accurate to presume that all banks have relationship management systems in place but Security Bank was the first to brag about it on national television. Whereas, other banks focused more on their stability and flexibility, Security Bank focused on customer experience instead and correctly assumed that the two core qualities mentioned are established facts. 

The ad is also a subtle jab at the Big Three (BDO, Metrobank, and BPI) whose branches nowadays resemble marketplaces congested with too many people waiting in line. It also aims to attract clients who fall "through the cracks", who are big but, ironically, cannot be accommodated by the bigger banks. Like its new tagline "You deserve better", Security Bank is setting the tone as the new and better alternative to the industry's established players.

Battle Of The Bulge

Back in January, I shopped for a new pair of pants and settled for a pair with a 31-inch waistline. To compare, back in college, I sported a 29-inch waistline. In short, gaining 2 inches to my midsection in just six years was troubling.

Since then, I eventually noticed that my tummy was three months pregnant and the abs I took note before were less noticeable. Equally damning were the times I looked down on the floor and winced when my stomach began blocking the view.

Earlier this year, I did mention in public that I'm never going to get fat. It was my reply to Sir Chris' comment that anyone in sales is bound to gain a few pounds over time. Though I was being a bit naive at that time, I was also thinking that there's no escaping from this truth.

My Take On The Recent PRC Real Estate Broker Exam

The other Saturday was when we held the victory party of all those who passed the Real Estate Broker (REB) Licensure Exam. 

According to Papa, a shade over 50% of the number of examinees nationwide passed the exam. That is remarkable and though I’m happy with the outcome (I passed after all), let me give some inputs on how the exam should be.

I spoke to a practicing broker who took the exam back when it was still administered by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Back then, she said, the exam was in essay form. Also, the exams then sported a lower passing rate. For instance, for her batch, only 8 of 30 examinees nationwide passed it.

Of course, I’m not suggesting the reversion of the exam from its current multiple choice format back to essay type. The number of examinees now prevents that. But there are still ways to approximate the depth of knowledge being tested by the latter exam type.

But first, my suggestions: