the behemoth that is Google

Extra:
Okay sorry lah my exams are not done yet (haven't even started) but I'm here again. Let me manke an exception because I found an interesting article in the online version of our trusted newspaper in the Philippines! OR MAYBE IT IS ONLY INTERESTING FOR ME! Really, it's so hard to find other people who are also interested in this stuff.

Last Thursday, I attended a recruitment workshop about understanding and promoting Google Adwords. The company claims that they are one of the only two authorized resellers of Google Adwords in Singapore. I am already familiar with Adwords, but I don't know what they mean by being an authorized reseller. I mean, people just create an account for free and can use Adwords already right? Then what on earth are they talking about? Out of curiosity, and because I was excited about the company's association with Google, I registered for the workshop and went.

This is a screenshot of their website:



Turns out that their company is providing a service to SME's (small and medium enterprises) in creating online advertisements. Like what I've been doing for other people who have products to sell online. But the difference is that they are trying to educate and provide a service to entrepreneurs who do not necessarily sell stuff online to advertise in an unconventional medium, in this case the internet. Erm, example, getting a cake shop owner to advertise his shop using Google Adwords. Based on the market research Google made, people spend as much time nowadays surfing the internet and watching tv. And, as we citizens of this world who do not live under a rock know, television has the biggest portion in the most used advertising medium pie. The internet is apparently underutilized. So, the search engine behemoth that is Google saw this as an opportunity to actively promote the internet as an advertising medium even for offline businesses. Really, nowadays, if your company cannot be found online, you are deemed not professional enough. Ok that is just my opinion, but it still is worth at least two cents what.Also, advertising using Adwords is a way cheaper alternative than advertising in newspapers or on tv, and it's more targeted because your ads will only appear when it is relevant to what the people type in the search box in Google search page. And some more, the internet has a global reach, so you can expose your handicraft business (for example) to people in the opposite side of the world who might find your products exotic, at a fraction of the cost using traditional advertising.

Okay, so anyway, as an authorized reseller, it means that Hardware Zone can officially do Google Adwords advertisements for entrepreneurs who do not have time to learn doing PROPER Adwords ads on their own. Because it takes time, and if you just anyhow do, it's going burn a big hole in your pocket. So, they are like providing a consulting service.

One of the trainers there, Mr Andy Lau, actually works for Google!!! WOW!!! (This one is is for a different post altogether, complete with pictures of Google headquarters a.k.a Googleplex in Mountain View, California).

And here is the interesting article in Inquirer I'm talking about:

Google looking for advertising partners in RP
By Erwin Oliva
INQ7.net
Last updated 10:53pm (Mla time) 10/29/2006

IN a crowded bar at The Fort in Global City, Taguig, Filipino executives, bloggers and search engine marketing experts gathered to finally hear Google's plans for the Philippines.

"I'm the eyes and the ears of Google in the Philippines," said Aileen Apolo, Google Philippines country consultant, as she revealed some of the local plans of the number one Internet search engine in the world.

A former executive at Directory Philippines Corporation, Apolo said Google is finally recruiting more Filipino website owners, bloggers, and marketers to join its advertising programs.

Since advertising expenditure is increasingly moving to the web, Apolo said the search engine company is recruiting Filipinos to become Google Advertising Professionals or GAP. To become a GAP, Google will require people to apply and take an exam.

Apolo also said Google was looking for resellers of its advertisements.

The young Filipino Google executive declined to reveal the other plans of the Internet firm when asked by INQ7.net.

"We have a lot of plans for the Philippines," she said, vaguely.

She is scheduled to fly to Cagayan de Oro and Davao to meet more search engine marketing experts in the area.

Apolo said she is currently the lone executive representing Google in the Philippines.

She was the guest speaker during the launch of the second SEO Philippines contest.

I am not crazy after all. It is becoming a global trend, about the internet becoming an avenue for all sorts of things. (Because sometimes it feels weird, doing online things I mean. Like, I do not know a soul I personally know of who does Google Adwords too). This dependency on the internet will just continue to grow, somemore with the whole of Singapore becoming WIRELESS!!! YES! FREE INTERNET ANYTIME, virtually ANYWHERE in this tiny red dot!

Ok I shall get back to mugging mode. I have ten million school projects to do.

Oh yeah. I shall be a Google Adwords Professional in the near future. I need to take an exam for certification. Haha yep planning to join Hardware Zone maybe as a part-timer while still in university, especially after that nice chat with the Google man. Haha. There were only 5 of us who attended the workshop in the office, all guys except me of course. And I was the only one who chose to stay back for a little chat after their presentation was over.

My chances of working with Google has increased from being totally impossible to severely remote. Maybe if I take up a PhD in sanitation I can be a janitress there.

Hasta manana

Extra

To those of you who received honors, awards, and distinctions, I say, well done. And to the C students I say, you, too, can be President of the United States.

- George W. Bush, Commencement Address at Yale University (May 2001)

Read the whole thing here.

Sundeep gave me a reality check today. I was complaining to him that I lost my sense of urgency. I told him that last sem, I would secretly get pissed whenever he is late for lunch or any instance I will have to wait for him, because that would mean I have lesser time to study. He said "Yeah, you were more hardworking last semester. This sem I don't know what happened to you." Aiyah, and now it is less than one month before my first exam.

Let me try to analyze the situation. I worked very hard in my second year to resurrect my Cumulative Average Point (CAP) after it took a plunge to abysmal depths during my first year in university. Surely, if you've already reached rock bottom, there's no other way to go but up. And up I did. But still not the decent up that would make me comfortable to reveal my CAP to just anyone.

I think I got tired. It's so draining putting forth effort to like what you are doing, trying be good at it, yet seeing meager returns. Studying engineering is so freaking hard, especially if you later realize that it's not what you actually want.

Sundeep, Siaw Ling and Rotana (my friends) are having a tough time too, because all the modules/subjects are VERY challenging - but the difference is that they actually want to become Civil Engineers in the near future. Siaw Ling is the only female in our cohort who is in the Dean's List, by the way. And she is pretty too. That's why Rotana likes her. HAHA FAR OUT!!!

Anyway. The more I study my core modules, the more I hate engineering. Maybe because studying my major subjects make me feel dumb. Like just now, I was doing my Geotechnical Engineering assignment. Sundeep already did it last night, and I was trying to read my notes with him beside so I could easily ask him anything I don't understand. Well guess what?! I didn't understand anything even though I've already read my notes before.







This is just some of it and the equations dragged on to number 63 I think for just this one topic. I didn't have a flying fish about it AT ALL. (And all my engineering modules are like that, or harder, especially when all you see is a mumbo-jumbo of greek alphabet swimming around in a white sheet of paper, on the pretense of forming sensible equations). So, when I was in the brink of tears, I slowly turned to him and asked him to explain EVERYTHING to me.

And he did. Bless him.

Then after he explained everything (and I finally saw the light of day), I was able to do my assignment. I told him now I understand my classmates in elementary school, about why they need to have a tutor to study - because I could just read the books back then and 'get it'. But now I'm finding it extremely hard. Then he began counseling me that I should not think I am stupid and that I should remove from my mind that I cannot make it without his help. Okaay.

I am really grateful for him in my studies. Of course it's God who is the reason why I am still here in uni, and I believe He is using him to help me. Like what Edina - my friend who also involuntarily got to Civil Engin - said, it is only through God's grace that she is surviving engineering in NUS. Sundeep is not even in the Dean's List, but he is very good in explaining things.

I think this will be my last post until after my exams. I need to study, and I do not want my CAP to take a nosedive again. I am waging an internal battle with my mind monsters, because as they say, it's all in the head.

Maybe if I believe hard enough that I could fly, I just might grow wings.

Thank you God for everything, and everything I offer back to you. =)

PS Oh yeah, apparently the rest of our class calls my clique UNITED NATIONS. Haha, because all five of us come from different countries: Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Mauritius, and the Philippines. How cool is that?!=)

salamat po!

Thank you for being there when I need you. I love you.

baka kelangan ni God ng angel. I volunteer.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Minsan naiisip ko na sana matulad na lang ako sa friend ni Wayne.

TAs

First time ko makatanggap ng prize mula sa ibang tao for having good midterm test results. Haha=)

Sa class kanina, tumayo ako para magvolunteer mag answer ng tutorial questions (yun pala wala akong kumpletong answer sa question kaya nagtapang-tapangan na lang akong mag answer pa rin sa board). Anyway, ayun, isa ako sa mga tinawag at binigyan ng gift pack ng Teaching Assistant (siya ang pinakagusto kong China person kasi nagpapatawa sa klase...kakaiba siya). Tapos nakasulat sa likod yung full name ko at 'Keep up the good work!' or something like that. Diba ang saya saya? Ibang klase yung effort na binibigay ng lecturer at ng mga TA para sa subject na to (Financial Accounting)...isang reason na kinuha ko to kasi si Mama, CPA. Para may alam naman ako kahit konti sa major nya hehe=)

Tapos, isa pang TA. Sa lab session ko kanina sa Transportation Engineering. Ewan ko anong pangalan nya mahirap tandaan eh. China guy rin...PERO! Kakaiba rin sya. First time ko lang siya nakita kanina...matipuno ang katawan, malamang nagji-gym..magaling manamit. O diba parang hindi PRC (sorry totoo naman eh). Actually matangos yung ilong nya kaya ko sya napansin (kasi yun ang unang-unang napapansin ko sa opposite gender). Kaso, SIYA AY SUPLADO. Sayang ang mga ganun.

Anyway. Yun lang.

Pagod na ako.
*^*%*^% project ito.

Geotehnical Engineering

Our Geotechnical Engineering professor has a sense of humor:



Moses is our class rep since last year after being randomly arrowed by one professor. Actually, this year no one else wants the post because we've seen how busy he was last year due to his class rep duties on top of our usual load as undergrads. I personally think he's the most suitable for the job and he does it really well. And just this afternoon, Sundeep joked to Moses that he should request an extension of the deadline for our Slope Stability assignment since most of us have a lot of things on our hands this week. Moses asked Sundeep he should ask the professor himself, but Sundeep told him he is the most powerful among us so he should do it. And based on experience, lecturers listen to him anyway.

True enough. Haha!

Anyway...

This morning I had my Geotech lab too. There were only 3 of us doing the lab! Then the lab assistant-cum-teaching assistant is this guy Sundeep and I fondly call the Mah Guy, because during our first tutorial, he would always append his every sentence with "mah"(a Singlish thing). And the funny thing is, during tutorials, Sundeep and I are his only students!!! Imagine being in a class with a grand total of 2 students! The other ones registered for the class either go to other classes or don't attend tutorials at all. Actually, Sundeep prefers it that way because he goes to tutorials prepared, and thus can make the most out of it by asking the Mah Guy all sorts of question. I, on the other hand, just...you know...take the role of "The Invisible".

I think I am the most dull student he has ever had. Like in the lab just now, only 3 students right...me, a China girl, and another guy. Mah Guy went on with his obligatory litany about geotechnical engineering concepts before explaining what we need to do during the lab, and proceeded to ask us questions in an attempt to make the discussion more interactive. However, it seemed like he has better chances of having a great conversation with a cockroach than with us. Really, if I can get more dimwitted than what I've already shown him, I think he will commit suicide.

Anyway.

Mah Guy is kinda cute actually. He reminds me of Clark Kent...bespactled, intellectual guy but Superman with iron muscles underneath. The good (or bad?) thing is that he knows me, and my name, and he is actually nice. I met him somewhere along Engin after the lab session and he said "hi" and waved his hand, and when we were waiting for the lift he attempted to strike a conversation with me. Haha! Not all teaching assistants do that.

Sundeep talked rubbish with me and said I could go after Mah Guy when he's away in France, since I don't have him to tutor me anymore. I could just imagine this class discussion:

Mah Guy: So for undrained state right, let us assume we have a saturated clay. The water fills the tension crack mah. Then, the hydrostatic pressure acts on the wall through depth of tension crack. Thus, clay is supported by hydrostatic pressure and so z-nought is equal to 2C-sub-u over gamma sat mah. Any questions?


Korinna: What about for drained state? And do you have a girlfriend? Most importantly, are you free this Friday night?

Like this can or not?

My Stuff.

In addition to affiliate marketing, I am also selling my my own stuff now. I'm selling all sorts of stuff with this logo I designed:



Here are 2 samples:





and a whole bunch more at my online store.

PS

Ya I know my store's name is not so original hehe.

Why my social life is 6 feet under

I've told only 4 people so far about the new url of this blog. That's because only 4 people asked. Maybe some others have already stumbled upon it too, like those who didn't really ask but tried to look it up themselves. It's also a great way to know who actually cares about my life's events. And by the looks of it, only a handful do.

Why did I change my blog address again?

#1. Mommy (maternal grandmother) thinks I am exposing myself too much. Ok lah, whatever.

#2. I don't want my ex-boyfriend to know what's happening with my life anymore. I found it unfair that he could just type in my blog address and take a peek in my new life, while I don't have a horse's ass about what's happening with his...except when I look at his Friendster profile and see the corny pictures of him and his new girlfriend. I don't know why they still irritate me, even though I know that even if, say, aliens from outer space abduct all male earthlings and his new girlfriend because she is very pretty, but leaves my ex-boyfriend behind and thus rendering him the only homo sapien sapien with penis on this planet...I still won't have him anymore, even as much as I would like to have my own kids and family in the future.

Anyway, I just read Ivy's blog...and she talked about friends - or lack thereof. I so understand what she means.

Right now, my status of being a friend (to anyone), sucks big time. That is why I do not wonder why I am always alone if I'm not with my boyfriend (and I am only with him everyday because we go to the same classes. On most weekends we have our own stuff, except if we need to meet because of schoolstuff). You see, I am a selfish human being who only thinks of herself, and I won't be there when anyone needs me. I don't know how I got into this state whereby I don't care so much about anybody else anymore. I am trapped in this lie that I am very busy, but in fact I could still have some room for worthwhile things like cultivating friendships. Just now I wasted my whole Sunday doing I don't know what.

After the sermon, I left early and didn't stay for our youth meeting because I told them I had a project to finish. Yep that's actually true, but I didn't really do anything about it. I went to Vivo City instead (the newest and biggest and soon-to-be most happening mall in Singapore) and wasted my money to indulge my vanity.

Last semester, 2 months before the exam period I was already preparing for my finals. Now, I still have a shitload of lectures to catch up on. Sometimes I feel embarrassed that my boyfriend has already done projects/ lab reports/ assignments beforehand...and (this one I still find it very hard to believe) - he is way more busy in taking notes in class than I am. How could my boyfriend be more hardworking than me?! (In highschool, my boyfriend then was also my classmate, but my role then was the hardworking one. My boyfriend then depended on me for notes, assignments, explanations and stuff...but now everything is reversed! The world has gone upside down!)

(And another thing. Then, it was I who left my boyfriend to go to Singapore. Now, it is my new boyfriend who's leaving me to go to France. Ha! So funny, God is so just, He lets you experience both sides of things!!!)

Anyway, what am I talking about again? I am already off topic. I am supposed to talk about why my social life is dead...but then again, it's already 4:05 am and I have a class tomorrow which I totally didn't prepare for.

Ang labo ko!!!!

cartoon-y logo

MY FIRST SALE EVER!!!

WOOHOO!!!

Finally!!!

My official, legitimate, first sale in my online business. HAHA!!!

Check out my revamped business blog for details=)

=)

After 2 years ng hindi pagpapansinan, may nag "hi" na may kasamang smile sa akin today.

UYYYYYYYYYYY=)

Mabuti na lang kahit gabi na hindi naman ako masyadong mukhang sabog kasi kakaligo ko lang.

5,4,3,2,1

I am about to START a project for my Water and Wastewater Engineering module that is due this Friday already. (And on that day too, I will be having a problem solving test at the P&G office for this Finance Challenge Week I'm trying to get in.)

Seems like I am not eligible to ask God for help because it is my fault why I started this late. Argh. But I don't know...I am not asking for help. I am begging for a miracle.

I am about to set a world record for myself. I need to finish this by tomorrow even though I absolutely have no idea how to design a cost-effective wastewater treatment system as of this writing. I attend our lectures religiously, but whenever our lecturer talks all I hear is blah. Really man, I don't know what the cow dung is happening during lectures.

Aiyah...die die must finish project!!!

P&G part deux

I SO WANNA WORK FOR P&G!!!

A few days ago, I received this in my NUS email account:



Even though the term 'roundtable discussion' was alien to me, I still registered quickly because the mail had these three symbols attached to it: P&G.

Then I looked at what's in store for that night.



Initial reaction: Okay, whatever. Seems like there'd be a lot of talks. But since it's from P&G, I had this hunch that it'll be worth my time. I also had a bit of reservation because judging from the name of the event, what if they required each participant to talk? It's something I'm not very good at. Anyhoo, a little challenge won't hurt, so in the end I decided to go for it.

To cut the long story short, I'm going to reiterate the first line of this blog entry:

I SO WANNA WORK FOR P&G!!!

Really. When I was still in highschool, I heard that my father's cousin's wife is with P&G, and I was a bit dumbstruck by her six-figure MONTHLY salary (in pesos). At least that's what my other relatives said. So I heard she's working in Singapore...blah blah...okay lah, it seemed a bit far fetched to me to imagine having that kind of salary and living in a foreign land. It's like knowing Bill Gates is the richest man. I mean - good for him, wish I were like that, but hello, let's get real.

But now...

I am also living in Singapore already. I am still pursuing my undergraduate degree, yes- but now I can really feel that all the things that I thought I could JUST dream of are actually now within my reach. I feel that it's more possible now to be able to have that kind of lifestyle Tita Dina has right now, with her job in a prestigious multi-national company such as P&G. I've been to their (Tito, Tita, and kids) place a couple of times in their posh condo (courtesy of P&G), and until now I am still a bit dumbstruck by all the employee benefits (free condo, free medical whatever that came in handy when she gave birth to her kids, travel benefits for her and for her family - her mother is here almost every month, and a lot more). She's a very real example that shows P&G really cares for its employees, because the company believes that their men and women are their most important asset.

This doesn't mean though that money is my sole motivation for my career prospects. When I was in highschool (again), I thought of becoming a chemical engineer because it's one of the most lucrative careers nowadays. Kaya ayan tuloy, nagkandaleche leche yung pag-aaral ko sa unang taon ng kolehiyo.

I like to work for P&G because it molds their employees to be the best person they can be. Halata bang na brainwash na ako? I like the idea that most of their middle management employees joined the company straight out of university. They'd rather hire people at the entry-level because they want to have a long-term relationship with them and groom them to become future leaders of the company.

I was seated next to this guy who did an internship at P&G last summer, and I became excited when he told me he's actually studying Mechanical Engineering in NUS but managed to secure a job for himself ALREADY even before graduating. Somemore, his job after graduation has ZERO relevance in his course of study now. He said P&G doesn't really look at your course of study. They look at your character and personality and see if they can train you and mold you in accordance to their company culture (or something like that).

Me, thinking: YAY!!!

Coz I know I won't be doing Civil Engineering after university. PLease lah, I tried so much to love what I am doing right now...I tried so much, and I'm still trying, to fit myself into this mold labelled 'engineer'...but I know in the end I will never fit, because I am shaped differently. I will still strive though, to get through this engineering madness until I graduate, because I believe formal university education is important. But after this, I'll do my own stuff.

I hope I am right for P&G, and P&G is for me. After my NOC dreams were obliterated, I had nothing else to look forward to in order to press on with my struggle in my studies.

Now I have another goal, another end in mind. I shall press on.

PS

I looked smashing by the way, donning my so-called business attire and my mother's silver pointy-shoes with killer heels that I asked her to give me. (Of course lah, I have to comment on my looks. Too bad I didn't have a camera. Haha!) Food was great too, buffet style. Yum, yum! The event exceeded my expectations, and all the P&G representatives were really great. Everything they said made sense.

Bituing Walang Ningning

Finally.

I'm done watching all the uploaded episodes of ABS-CBN's soap Bituing Walang Ningning on youtube.com. Mabuhay ang youtube!!!

For me, BWN is one of the best drama serials of ABS-CBN. Ilang tissue paper rin ang nalustay ko sa bawat episode. Hindi gaya ng ibang soap, wala nang ginawa ang mga characters kundi umiyak, eh hindi naman nakakaiyak sa point of view ng mga manonood. Ang Bituing Walang Ningning ang iilan sa mga soap na may kuwenta, sa opinion ko lang ha.

Ang galing galing galing ni Sarah Geronimo. Okay, sobrang galing nya na ngang kumanta, napahanga nya rin ako sa kanyang acting skills. (At magaling rin sya maghost ng tv show). Ewan, sobrang proud talaga ako sa kanya. Wise talaga yung decision ng ABS-CBN na kunin si Sarah. Kasi nanalo sya sa Star for a Night (contest ng ibang channel), napanood ko pa nga yung finale eh, kung saan kalaban nya si Mark Bautista. Pareho silang magaling kaya na confuse rin ako kung kanino ako kakampi. Anyway.

Ayun, pinapanood ko ang Bituing Walang Ningning every meal time. Pack lang ako ng food tapos mag log on sa youtube para panoorin yun sa computer habang kumakain. Last week lang rin yun nag end actually, sa birthday pa ni Mama (Oct 6).

Maganda kasi yung story. Tapos yun theme song isa sa may mga pinakamagandang lyrics sa lahat ng kantang na-compose sa balat ng lupa.

Kung minsan ang pangarap
Habambuhay itong hinahanap
Bakit nga ba nakapagtataka
'Pag ito ay nakamtan mo na
Bakit may kulang pa

Mga bituin aking narating
Ngunit langit ko pa rin ang iyong piling
Kapag tayong dalawa'y naging isa
Kahit na ilang laksang bituin
'Di kayang pantayan ating ningning

CHORUS 1
Balutin mo ako ng hiwaga ng iyong pagmamahal
Hayaang matakpan ang kinang na 'di magtatagal
Mabuti pa kaya'y maging bituing walang ningning
Kung kapalit nito'y walang paglaho mong pagtingin

CHORUS 2
Itago mo ako sa lilim ng iyong pagmamahal
Limutin ang mapaglarong kinang ng tagumpay
Sa piling mo ngayon ako'y bituing walang ningning
Nagkukubli sa liwanag ng ating pag-ibig

Ito yung mga tipo ng kanta na nakakapanhinayang na hindi ako magaling kumanta. Shiyet.

Yung finale, yung concert, ang galing galing ni Sarah nung pagrender nya ng song and dance number ni Beyonce. Kaya nya rin pala yun. Akala ko dun lang siya magaling sa mga songs na may pa gown- gown effect pang nalalaman. (Bakit ba naka-gown talaga sa mga singing contest??!) Ewan basta sa halos lahat ng eksena nung finale nakahanda na yung tissue paper, na kahit gutay gutay na nire-recycle ko pa rin.

Ayan, two thumbs up sa lahat ng may kinalaman sa pagbuo ng BWN. Salamat sa pagkumpleto ng aking meal times haha.

Oo, mag-aaral na uli ako para sa midterm test ko bukas.

Reflections

Ya I know it's already 4:42 am, and I was about to sleep already but I got out of bed to blog. This day had been an eventful one.

Okay, I must admit I didn't go to church today (or a while ago). I was waging a war against God because I was very pissed with Him and all that's happening. The past few days I felt so insignificant, useless, and all those crappy feelings one could ever feel. It event went to a point whereby (ok never mind, no need to elaborate).

Anyway, after writing on a sheet of paper 'God, I hate you' and signed my name on it, I felt even worse as expected and I had to go back to my room to cry because I couldn't study properly anymore. And some more, I was studying in YIH, not a proper place make drama and emote.

(Ok, this part I could also skip...if you've watched any drama serial on tv before, that'd suffice.)

Then of course, I realized that I can never stand on my own and if I stray more from Him, I'm just punishing myself. So I tried to talk to Him and told him my woes and why I'm angry...and I read the Bible. I turned to Genesis and read Jospeh's story again. Whenever unpleasant things happen, I try to remember Joseph's story..because for me his story is the epitome of horrible things happening to a person that ultimately lead to the realization of God's grand plans. Then I asked God to hug me. And the angels too. Actually I didn't feel anything. But I fell asleep for two hours, and when I woke up, I felt much better already.

Anyway, I GOT A MAIL FROM GOOGLE TODAY!!!

It's so cool, with a big and colorful GOOGLE logo at the back. It's just to verify my account and to give me my Google PIN so they could send me payments.

HOWEVER.

I am not going to receive any payment because my account got suspended. No, deleted. Even though it is so embarrassing to admit, yeah I committed click fraud. I clicked the ads displayed on my own site. At first I was just curious if my earnings would really increase with each click, and when it did, I got very greedy. I have read in their terms and conditions that I am not supposed to do what I did, but I was also curious about the consequences (coz it seems like Google is not penalizing me). Well, one day when my earnings were more than US$80 already, I got an email from them saying they're deleting my account, which is perfectly fine for me because I know I'm guilty. At least now I've verified that Google really protects the interest of their advertisers...which is why I am back to being an advertiser again! More details after I put up my business blog again, and this time I will be presenting my true self...not a guru of some sort which I am not.

Oh yeah, I am also so super happy that I found this Filipino guy named Paowiee in one of the forums I'm in...and he's also into internet marketing. He's a senior student in Ateneo de Manila, and even as a newbie (we started at about the same time, sometime in May last summer), he already earned some legitimate money already (unlike me). He is a voracious learner and he is all over internet forums to learn about stuff. His blog is www.myextrastash.com, and when I read his posts, I feel like "Hey I am like that too!!!".

One problem with me is that I find it very hard to get things through to the finish. It's like having a goal of chopping down a big tree in 1 hour. Paowiee spent the first 45 minutes sharpening this one axe that he will be using, while I spent the same amount of time eenie-minie-miney-moeing which axe to use, and I didn't even have enough time to sharpen it...much less chop the tree with it.

Anyway, I know I have a lot of screw-ups...but every morning marks another day to make things right again.

and all i hear is blah

In highschool, his codename used to be "ICE" because I thought he was very cool.

Now, he is just the abominable snowman who doesn't really exist.

PS Oh, and one more thing, "babycooch" is the WORST term of endearment ever. ROAR.

Amazing Twins

My Entrepreneurial Marketing groupmates, the Amazing Twins of NUS, exceeded my expectations again. Really, if I own a company, or if I'm the HR manager, or if I'm in any position that has a power to hire people, I'd have them work for me or for the company for sure. They're really kiasu people who always overdeliver.

KIASU
(kee-ah-soo)
Hokkien adjective literally meaning, "afraid of losing". A highly pejorative description beloved of Singaporeans. Possibly our defining national characteristic. The nearest English equivalent is "dog in a manger", though even that is pretty mild.

Okay, at first it was quite frustrating because when we had our meeting before our first presentation, it dragged on until the end of time. It was on a Wednesday somemore, which means I had to endure 6 long hours of hardcore engineering lectures before our meeting. Then our meeting finished late because the tiniest of details were scrutinized, and by the time we finished I was ready to eat a mammoth for my late dinner. Then, for the presentation itself, we came in our business attires and presented more than what was expected (because we were also unsure of what was actually expected). Although we went past the time limit, the lecturer lauded us for the effort that we had put in. She was also a surprised about our dress code because she only expected a simple class presenation.

Tomorrow, we're going to have another presentation about our business idea. It's about a calorie-counted meal delivery service, like the South Beach diet hype that Rachel Alejandro is into. But ours is not that high-end, we want to cater for all who are health-conscious people and those who are too busy to prepare their own meals. I didn't know that this kind of service is already an established industry here, called 'tingkat' service...but we are going with this 'health' niche like what CalorieCare is doing in India.

Anyway, so it's Wednesday again today, and the whole day I was really dreading our meeting after my classes. But as it turned out, the meeting went on smooth and quick, because the amazing twins already compiled all our garbage contributions and organized it into a nice powerpoint presentation. We even have a brochure for our business already! I am really grateful for their initiative, because in a way they are saving my ass too.

When I come to think of it, it is only here in NUS that I've really, truly appreciated any group activities. Back in highschool, I didn't believe in doing group projects or having group studies. I always found it cumbersome to coordinate with other people (except with close friends of course), and I don't remember ever trying big-group study sessions because I perceive them as latest campus gossip session. Also, I always had this "if-I-want-something-done-excellently-I'd-do-it-myself" attitude. However, when I stepped on the hallowed grounds of NUS, I realized that there are a lot more people in this world who are more capable in doing things than me. It's sort of a humbling experience actually, knowing that you need other people to survive too.

Like Sundeep, really, if he didn't help me in my studies I've been a goner a long time ago. (And I want to thank Cyril too, for helping me a lot in highschool using mnemonics stuff, especially for Social Science and Bio).

Anyway, I'm off to dinner now.

Aceh again

I...kind of miss the Aceh kids again. These past few days I've been reminiscing my Aceh experience, and everything that happened then seems surreal now. I am still surprised about how I coped being in a totally foreign land, being lost in translation all the time, and making do without the very basic necessities of having a proper toilet and bathroom. It seems like everything was just a dream. After all, everything is now just a distant memory and I'm not even sure if I'll get to see those Acehnese kids again. But really, I am very curious as to how they would all turn out. Maybe somewhere down the road (kanta yun ah), I'll meet Umar, Iskandar, Yazid, Maulizar, or Rashidin again. I hope they'll remember me, coz I'll never forget them.

Potong bebe angsa, masa di kuwali
Nonya minta dangsa, dangsa empat kali
Sorong ka kiri, sorong ka kanan
lalalalalalalala.