People celebrate milestones; I’m no exception. Birthdays, anniversaries, victories. We celebrate sentimental times and achievements. Sometimes, we play down some these things because whatever we’re celebrating doesn’t stand up to what others had done or had been awarded with. We compare notes; we look small; we decide not to make a big deal. I onceContinue reading “What’s the Big Deal About 300?”
Category Archives: Aha!
Why the Yellow Line?
The yellow median on the street means traffic is two-way. When it’s white, traffic is one-way. It’s one of many standards written in land transportation manuals and taught in driving schools. In Philippine roads, however, white or yellow lines divide two-way highways. Motorists just know the lines divide the roads; it’s up to you toContinue reading “Why the Yellow Line?”
Beware the Fine Print
My sisters and I ate lunch at our favourite Japanese restaurant. When we got the bill, I presented my credit card and mentioned to the server we like to avail of the 50% discount the card-issuing-bank and the restaurant were advertising. “Sorry, sir, but you do not qualify for the discount,” the server replied. “OnlyContinue reading “Beware the Fine Print”
A Reason to be Grateful
A 77-year-old family friend was angry with God. He was born with only one (1) kidney, has congenital heart disease, and was hospitalised due to trouble breathing. He was angry at God for the sufferings his illnesses caused. We told our friend: “Should you not be grateful that you have lived 77 years despite yourContinue reading “A Reason to be Grateful”
No Such Thing as an Undignified Job
A well-dressed middle-aged Filipino man sat at the compartment of the train heading for Paris. A passenger, an American woman, sitting across, asked what he did for a living. Man: “I clean people’s houses.” Woman: “You’re a maid?” Man: “Yes.” Woman: “Why are you on this train?” Man: “I’m on vacation. I’m meeting my wifeContinue reading “No Such Thing as an Undignified Job”
Problems vs. Situations
Problems have solutions. Situations are simply things we need to live with, Seth Godin writes. He goes on to say: “Once we realize that a problem we have isn’t a problem at all, but actually a situation, it’s easier to do our best to move on and thrive. Focusing on a situation is usually aContinue reading “Problems vs. Situations”
The Marimba Player
“Maybe you should try the marimba.” It was a statement, not a question. My music teacher was exasperated with my piano lessons. The teacher believed the piano was not for me. The marimba, which is unfairly labelled as an oversized xylophone, utilises only one scale versus the piano’s two, which made it easier to teach.Continue reading “The Marimba Player”
The Benefits of Management By Walking Around
Some of us may remember Management by Walking Around. It was a buzz phrase from the 1980’s, credited to Hewlett-Packard executives and made popular from the book, In Search of Excellence, by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman. Management by Walking Around (also known as Management by Wandering Around) or just MBWA for short, is essentiallyContinue reading “The Benefits of Management By Walking Around”
Five (5) Lessons from an Elevator Story
A high-rise building (let’s call it Building A) has been fixing its nine (9) elevators for the last twelve (12) years. Several times an elevator would fail, and passengers would get stuck, causing trauma and panic. Fortunately, the building’s security quickly rescued trapped passengers and suspended access to the dysfunctional elevators. But for the building’sContinue reading “Five (5) Lessons from an Elevator Story”
Four Remedies to Mitigate Bias
I won’t lease an office to a Korean. Every Korean I did business with didn’t pay the rent on time. Many golf country clubs in the Philippines won’t accept Korean golfers as members. This is because Koreans don’t follow proper etiquette at the golf courses. They shout at other people, don’t wait their turns,Continue reading “Four Remedies to Mitigate Bias”
Ellery's Essays 