Aha! – Ellery's Essays

What I Learned About Tenacity & Milestones

On October 19, 2026, I squatted with a barbell weight of 202.25 lbs. It was the heaviest I did for a Squat. It was a milestone. And I did it thanks to tenacity. The synonym for tenacity is perseverance. But I don’t fully agree. They’re not one and the same. While perseverance is about keepingContinue reading “What I Learned About Tenacity & Milestones”

A Letter from the Pale Blue Dot to Voyager One

Dear Voyager One, I read from the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) website that on November 18, 2026, you would be 25.902 billion kilometres from Earth. It’s significant in that you’ll be at a point where you’d be one light-day from Earth or the distance a beam of light travels in twenty-four (24) hours. Continue reading “A Letter from the Pale Blue Dot to Voyager One”

Writing for Communication, Not for Art’s Sake

I don’t write for the sake of it. I write to express thoughts or send messages. I write to communicate. I get it that there are writers who add beauty into our world. Like artists, they write masterpieces of poetry & prose. Admirers read their poems and stories with gusto, more so if the textContinue reading “Writing for Communication, Not for Art’s Sake”

In Cost Reduction, Context Matters

It’s a commonly asked question from business leaders. ‘How can we reduce costs?’ Answers arrive almost immediately. Reduce head counts. Buy cheaper stuff. Cut overtime. Save energy. The list goes on. A large multinational corporation initiated a ‘cost improvement program.’ Departments were asked to submit reports on cost improvement projects they initiated and implemented. ThoseContinue reading “In Cost Reduction, Context Matters”

I am an Engineer Even If People May Not Think So

In a meeting of a building association’s board of trustees, the building administrator recommended purchase of a flange-type water sub-meter to monitor the loss of water from the building’s cooling towers. I suggested the engineer look at other ways to measure the water flow as the water meter would cost PhP 40,000 ($USD 666 approximately). Continue reading “I am an Engineer Even If People May Not Think So”

Both Hard Work and Luck are Essential to Success

There are self-proclaimed experts who would tell you to “do what you love” and “follow your passion.” They’d say that the financial rewards would come naturally. I had been hearing these lines for years and I can tell you they’re hogwash. What I did learn was that hard work and luck were essential to success. Continue reading “Both Hard Work and Luck are Essential to Success”

Waiting for My Car’s Licence Plates—A Case of Urgency vs. Importance

I bought a new car on April 29. The dealer via the Philippines’ transportation bureau, the Land Transportation Office (LTO), gave me the registration papers twenty-seven (27) days later on May 26. The licence plates were finally released on June 17, twenty-two (22) days after the registration papers and forty-nine (49) days total from theContinue reading “Waiting for My Car’s Licence Plates—A Case of Urgency vs. Importance”

Goodbye, Sky

My home’s solar panels don’t start generating until 8am every morning. A nearby high-rise building to the east of my home obstructs the rays from the rising sun, preventing my house’s roof-mounted solar panels from generating electricity. The same happens at 4pm when another high-rise to the southwest blocks the sun. My home, therefore, onlyContinue reading “Goodbye, Sky”

Avoiding ‘We’ in Writing

I had been using ‘we’ in my essays and in conversations. Priests & pastors after all use them often in their sermons. I had surmised that using ‘we’ provided an interpersonal connection with the audiences I address. Some advice gleaned from the Internet, however, tell me to avoid using personal pronouns and that I shouldContinue reading “Avoiding ‘We’ in Writing”