Freelance

I've decided to get my feet wet in the freelancing business sometime ago and now I'm seriously considering making a career of it. But with the economy as it is it wouldn't be wise to leave my day job just yet, still I need to get the gears rolling and start taking action.

Segue...
"Now I am the voice" I got that one from Anthony Robbins, the last event I attended from my previous employer.

First thing I needed to do is get the word out that I'm for hire.

Easier said than done... A good way to do this is send out an email blast to all the people in your address box and hope they also get the word out for you.

Second thing, I need to have my own galaxy in the vast space of the world wide web and so pRODigalconcepts.com was born, I was planning on making my own theme from a basic wordpress wireframe like the sandbox but I fell in love with the Mystique theme by digitalnature, that I stumbled upon while browsing for some design ideas and inspirations, and it's one awesome and powerful theme I have ever seen. And my other excuse is that my current schedule keeps me from breaking ground on my own design plus I believe that everything happens for a reason and stumbling on this theme is one.

So I was thinking and many experts have mentioned for people to take you seriously you need to show them what you can do, imagine posting ads online that you're for hire and the only thing you can show for it is an email address from a public email server. Even writers, or photographers have put up websites for prospective clients to look at and a place to showcase their skills and experiences.

I have a whole list to go through, but at the moment I'm stuck here because I'm having some serious connection problems and until my calendar clears up I'm going to settle in making this post a series and wait for good things to happen.

A Singapore Taxi Driver's Diary

The verdict is in, 2012 is a cinematic feast, the effects comes alive like a theme park joyride, but what it lacks is original story, I told a friend of mine how I felt about it and he said what else can you expect it's a disaster movie lah, and in a way although I was disappointed with the story, I don't feel cheated even if a few of the last scenes obviously was shot with a different film quality. Is the economy to blame, did they exceed their budget or were scenes added at the last minute?

This reminds me of the guy who writes for the blog titled A Singapore Taxi Driver's Diary his heading/blog description caught my attention:

"Probably the only taxi driver in this world with a PhD from Stanford and a proven track record of scientific accomplishments, I have been forced out of my research job at the height of my scientific career, and unable to find another one, for reasons I can only describe as something "uniquely Singapore". As a result, I am driving taxi to make a living and writing these real life stories just to make the dull job a little more interesting. I hope that these stories are interesting to you too."

Like the movie this PhD holder greatly reduced himself out of necessity but still found a way to express himself creatively, and maybe not everyone can appreciate such an effort I on the other hand finds inspiration, to know that it's not a perfect world and there's nothing we can do to make it so but enjoy the ride, because after everything is said and done it's not the good things that happens to us which defines our humanity but we take the form of the character that rises in every adversity.

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The END

Grax and I will be watching 2012 later today, from the teaser trailers it looks like another "day after tomorrow" kinda end of the world as we know it... It has been like ages since I made a post here, mainly because being in a new job on a very different culture like Singapore makes me sometimes feel like my world is ending everyday, my wife often points out that this is all because I was spoiled rotten in my last employment where I have autonomy to every decision I make work wise. Being a foreigner for hire makes it a bit difficult to negotiate certain employment perks, mainly because I need to be employed to be able to stay here, if not I will only be allowed 30 days to stay as a tourist and will not be eligible for any part time or short term jobs. But the competition is stiff and the offers aren't overflowing so you grab what you can and hope for the best.

I've also decided to put up a new web site for my budding freelancing career, I bought the domain a few months ago thinking that I will have a few weeks free time during my transition period from my first job here, but I was temporarily hired by a client of mine to whom I was freelancing with at the time and I'm still with them. My side project is moving but sluggishly and with no definite direction or estimated time of completion.



I've been working on 12 hour shifts + weekends this past couple of weeks, and the movie well see later will be my only safety line back to reality because when your working all the time for long periods there is always a tendency that you forget what life is all about, "I work to live and not the other way around..."

Hopefully it wouldn't be a bust, I love John Cusack from the teeny bopper flicks "Sure Thing", "Say Anything", to the dark films like "Identity" and "1408". Anyway I just want to be teleported to a place where work is insignificant which makes me think, it would be catastrophic when the world ends, but when it comes and it catches you behind your desk typing on the keyboard inside your cubicle that would be the tragic end of the faceless man.

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Hold on to the handrails... of Life

With or without you life goes on,

it's like a run away train blazing in it's tracks,

you need to be fit, physically, emotionally and spiritually

to catch a ride, because life doesn't stop for anyone.

When you get on the train of life it doesn't always take you to where you want to go

sometimes it just goes to places insignificant to you,

because the train is not just about you, it's a collective,

it's for everyone

MacRitchie Reservoir Park

I knew that everything is going to be hard when we decided to move to Singapore, I just didn't realize that even recreation is going to be a pain. My wife Grax and I went to the MacRitchie Reservoir Park to do some trekking, we love to be outdoors every chance we can get, so last Saturday we packed some stuff and our trustee camera and off we went, first stop was to the Ministry of Manpower to file the documents for my work permit, then hopped on the bus to the MacRitchie Reservoir. We've been there once but did not stay too long, we planned to go on a picnic the first time but the local goons (Monkeys) tried to steal our food and it was too humid to do anything that day so we ended up at the mall, (-next best thing to being outdoors). But this time we came prepared, although I was wearing jeans because I had to go to MoM and I figure we'll end up at Ang Mo Kio Hub soon enough, Grax did bring me a change of clothes and it came very handy half of the way to the 5km hike it felt really heavy to be wearing jeans.

Although it was hard walking the trail and the monkeys were being territorial, we managed to capture some cool pix along the way and the experience burned some calories and a few work related stress for both of us.

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A New Beginning (Again)

After 3 weeks, countless applications sent, updated resumes and profiles from monster.com.sg, jobstreet.com.sg, jobsdb.com.sg to name a few then the phone interviews and exactly 7 personal interviews later I'm finally going back to work. I will be working as an in house web designer for a mid size company here in Singapore. I'm very grateful for the opportunity and I don't need to extend my visit pass or make an exit. This will be a new challenge for me and I know that it's not going to be easy, but I live for this kind of stuff, I worked for Royal Caribbean Intl. for 5 years as a deck hand, went back to school and after 4 years got a bachelors degree, got hired by Iwebmasters became a project manager for one of their accounts and now I'm in a foreign country starting over again.

From my experience I could self proclaim that I am the epitome of that line that goes "It's never to late to start over". But I guess it's because being trapped in a dead end career scares me more, being in a place just because you've stayed too long and you can never be anywhere else, do something different, reinvent yourself again and again. But starting over and over is not for everyone, there are those lucky few that finds their calling on the first try I used to envy those types of people until I realized that life has a lot to offer and that I'm here to try as much of what it can give me, expecting the worst but always hoping for the best.

I'm both excited and scared of this move, I'm looking forward to new possibilities and scared shitless of the unknown but one thing is certain I wouldn't have it any other way. Remember that scene from "Pulp Fiction" between Jules and Vincent, when Jules was thinking about retiring from being a hitman?

Jules: I'll just walk the earth.
Vincent: What'cha mean walk the earth?
Jules: You know, walk the earth, meet people... get into adventures. Like Caine from "Kung Fu."

I'm walking the earth, kind of in between retirement and questing for whatever is still out there, making an adventure of an ordinary day, a regular job in a new place with a very different cultural background. So ladies and gents I would like to welcome you all to "A New Beginning".

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attack weapons of choice

EZLINK - a type of stored value card that will help you get around. You can use it on all the MRT lines and all the bus lines. Just make sure you have enough credits until you get to your next top up station, or make sure you have exact change in your pocket for emergencies.

LAPTOP - we were lucky enough to get the ACER aspire 4930G for SGD998 its very powerful with core 2 duo processor, a 250GB HDD, 2GB DDR2, and a 1023MB NVIDIA GeForce 9300M turbo cache. So for us its a really good buy. I really need to get online here because that is the only way I will be able to find employment since walk in applicants are not encouraged.

PHONE - Grax was able to acquire a NOKIA E63 (their version of a blackberry) not only does it have a seamless design but you can check your email via wifi and find out if you have any new appointments or scheduled interviews you can also ask for directions at gothere.sg whenever you get lost on your way there. And of course receive incoming calls even on the go. LOL

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Singapore

It's Friday today Grax had to work, I arrived at the Changi terminal last Tuesday May 19th 7:35 in the evening. After depositing my luggage at our new place and meeting our new housemates, (mommy Susan, her daughter Gileen, Gileen's husband Allen and their little boy Hans) we went out for a neighborhood tour and had dinner at the nearest "Hawker" a foodcourt of sorts where you can find great tasting foods at very acceptable prices. The following day was our first day together since she left for SG last February, we had a busy day ahead of us, our plans was to watch Wolverine and cruise on the shops for things we need.

After breakfast we went to the market a few blocks from our place and bought fish, shrimps and some veggies for our lunch. While Grax prepares lunch I had 2 phone interviews for a web designer position both got my profile on monster.sg the Singapore wing of monster.com This is all for now more updates soon.

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Remember When

Remember when life was simple?
We hang out with our common friends over coffee,
watch a movie on tape, or dvd?
life was simple but it meant the world to me.

Remember when things got a lot better,
we were the best of friends,
I could tell you anything, and listen
to all your thoughts and dreams.

Remember when things became complicated,
it was such a trying time,
but being with you it didn't matter,
I knew you were the one,

But I guess you wont remember,
the day you broke my heart,
into tiny little pieces,
I'm trying not to, but I can't forget.

Forgiving is not forgetting,
I've learned this the hard way,
One thing is certain, you are the one for me.
But I will always wonder if I'm the one for you.

Only time will tell,
but It's too early for me,
I hope you can understand that...
Remembering is the only way for me to forget.

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James Sawyer : 1971 - 2009

Jumper - Third Eye Blind

Oi Soy, kumusta ka naman, umalis ka ng walang paalam.
Langya, tae ka talaga ginulat mo kami at bigla kang nawala.
Medyo matatagalan ka siguro, kasi sinturon ang ginamit mong
sasakyan patungo sa iyong pupuntahan.

Sana dinaan na lang natin sa inuman, kahit walang pulutan.
Di naman ako mahirap isama basta magsabi lang ng maaga.
Pero siguro matagal mo din yan pinagisipan, at kahit mapalitan
ng alkohol ang dugo mo di ka rin naman namin mapipigilan.

Saglit pa lang tayong nagkasama
pero parang ang tagal na kitang kakilala.
Ok ka naman kausap kahit minsan ang hina ng boses
na lumalabas sa yong lalamunan.

Salamat sa mga araw na binigay mo sa amin,
Mga laban natin sa DotA, walang sawang yosi break,
pagsabay mo sa pag-uwi kahit nauuna kang maglakad,
pang-aasar mo kay Dean at Jabong, at sa mga inuman sessions.

Di ko man maisip kung bakit mo nagawa,
Nakalulungkot isipin na ika'y nawala,
Sana ay masaya ka sa iyong naging desisyon,
ingat sila sayo at kumusta mo na lang ako kay John Lennon.



Elektra King to James Bond: "What's the point of living if you can't feel alive."

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No worries IE users....

I was able to fix the problem with Internet Explorer browsers sooner than expected. I just hope that this issue would be a good reminder for me to check cross browser capabilities before anything else. Meanwhile as I was surfing the web for a new article I titled "3 stars and a sun: in pop culture..." on my other blog/online portfolio "graphX" I chanced upon a blog with a really cool header that changes every time you click on a new article, it features classic photos taken around Manila before all the hullabaloo started, aptly titled "Nostalgia Manila". Be sure to check it out.

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Internet Explorer, you're killing me...

I have been promoting this new lay out I made for this blog for ages, and then one day I accidentally browsed it using IE, and to my horror it looked like a tornado just went through it. Waaaaaaaaaaaa, It serves me right for not checking it out on everyone's favorite browser and most web designers nightmare the infamous "Internet Explorer". And I don't know when I'll be able to fix this mess, so for the mean time if you guys want to see how it really looks just open it in your Mozilla Firefox. Until then, chill out and breath the air.

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