My Life's Benchmark 1: Elizabeth Holmes

One of my life's benchmarks: Elizabeth Holmes, age 30
image from http://www.fortunegreece.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/26/holmes-fortune.jpg

Today as I was browsing through news feeds on Facebook, I came across an article on Fortune about Elizabeth Holmes, CEO and Founder of Theranos. What I read about her was astounding: At 19 years old she was able to patent a new medical technology that can run 30 diagnostic tests on very small amounts of blood. She then decided to drop out of Stanford to put up her own company in 2003 and her brainchild has started growing and is now worth more than nine billion dollars. Wow. Here is the link to the beautifully written article by Roger Parloff:

Elizabeth Holmes's Story and her Theranos

I was overwhelmed and astounded to have learned about her. Aside from her superdupermega advanced brain, she also has a very strong passion for her endeavor and a clear vision of what she wants to achieve. I am so inspired by her. I will try to emulate her as much as I can, especially on the aspect that Parloff wrote:

As soon as she got back to the U.S., Holmes started writing a patent application embodying the ideas set in motion by that experience. “I saw her sit down at the computer, and for five to six days she barely got up,” recalls her mother, Noel. “I would bring her food occasionally, and she slept maybe one or two hours a night for five nights.”

Wow. I wish I could do the same thing for my thesis. I marvel at her ability to stay focused and write for hours on end; streamlining, directing, putting it all out for five to six days and producing something that could radically change the way we handle healthcare. WOW. I. AM. AWED. Another paragraph that struck we was this:

Still, he balked at seeing her start a company before finishing her degree. “I said, ‘Why do you want to do this?’ And she said, ‘Because systems like this could completely revolutionize how effective health care is delivered. And this is what I want to do. I don’t want to make an incremental change in some technology in my life. I want to create a whole new technology, and one that is aimed at helping humanity at all levels regardless of geography or ethnicity or age or gender.’ ”

To say something like this, you know that the person is not just after the money. It goes beyond that. To hear this, alam mong may paninindigan yung tao, may patutunguhan. At alam mong alam niya ang gagawin niya at ginagwa niya. Wow. Naiiyak ako kapag binabasa ko ito. Such passion, such determination! I remember watching a show at CNN wherein all the Nobel Laureates for 2014 were seated at a round table having discussions on a myriad of topics. And one of them said, when the question, "What makes you do what you do?" was raised --- I remember her name was May-Britt Moser --- she said, "Passion." And she went on explaining that it's passion that makes her go on with her research; everything else just didn't matter. And the Nobel Laureates concurred with her. PASSION. Somewhere in me, I know I have passion. But there has to be other ingredients. And that, in my opinion, is DISCIPLINE and LOGIC. My professor in grad school told us in his class that the error of some non-government organizations (NGOs) is that they all have passion. ONLY passion. This is what causes NGOs to do all those empty rah-rah-rahs without any substance, producing only pandemonium and failing to deliver substantial results. Haha. I agree with him to some extent on that. Right now I know I have passion and logic. Perhaps I need to build on my discipline. Very much needed discipline. Another paragraph that moved me was this:

Whether it grew out of her father’s experiences at Tenneco or family lore–they are descendants of a founder of the Fleischmann’s Yeast company–Elizabeth grew up admiring private industry. “At a relatively early age I began to believe that building a business was perhaps the greatest opportunity for making an impact,” she says, “because it’s a tool for making a change in the world.”

"Business... a tool for making a change in the world." I could just cry with that statement. "Making a change in the world." I remember prior to entering college --- I entered college at 16 years old --- I also had the same dream: to do something great that will make an impact on humanity. I dreamed of finding a cure for AIDS. And until now, I still dream about it. Perhaps that's also one of the reasons why I chose to take biochemistry as an undergraduate course. I wanted to do something. Something great. Something that will surprise humankind. Surprise in a good and beneficial way though, haha. Sigh. I want to dream of lofty dreams because someday, I will become those dreams. I remember I put that as one of my favorite quotes in my Facebook page. The quote by James Allen goes like this:

Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so you shall become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil.

Such desire, such fervor lives in my heart that my soul will burst into flames and become reborn, like the mythical Phoenix in the Arabian desert....

Hay ang sarap managinip. Kung hindi lang a las dies na ng gabi rito sa office eh, hahaha. Hello Edz knock knock gising na, kung gusto mo maging a la Elizabeth Holmes e umalis ka na dyan sa opisina at umuwi ng dorm at matulog para maaga ka bukas. At sana, kaysa sinulat mo itong blog entry mo e nagsulat ka na lang sana ng thesis mo...

Hahahahaha! And there goes my alter ego scolding me for somewhat wasting effort and energy to write this entry. Hahaha. Well, I decided to write it down so it will serve as an anchor for me in the bright future that is to come. :)

'ika nga, Law of Attraction. ;)

My Favorite Style Icon 1: Jackie O.

If there's one thing I have to pluck from Jackie O.'s style, that has got to be her PEARLS!

When I was a young girl, we had reading material in our living room ranging from coffee table books to Time magazine. After eating lunch or brunch, I would usually wander around our house; play the piano, play with the cats, or read. Usually when I read, I would get one of these magazines and lie in our very formal living room sofa with my pambahay outfit, totally disgracing the whole formal living room ensemble. I was able to chance upon Time Magazine with Jackie O. as the cover. As reading paragraphs would easily bore me, I would immediately jump to looking at the photos. Little did I realize that Jackie O.'s style has been stored in my long term memory. And every time I would wear pearls with my outfits, it's HER that I remember, haha! Yun pala yun! Aside from getting this style from my mom, I would remember Jackie O.'s famous three-tiered pearl necklace!

Below are some photos of one of my favorite fashion icons and I hope someday that I can emulate her style.

This photo of Jackie O. evokes memories of my childhood. This is one of the photos I saw in the magazine that made
me realize, "wow, she embodies the word classy".

Her famous three-tiered pearl necklace. Her beauty and grace is just so effortless!

I think this iconic photo of Jackie O. was shot when JFK was already assassinated. OMG we have the same
watch style!!! I have one exactly like that! Now that I'm going to Benguet tomorrow, I brought with me a black
turtle neck top. Might as well pose like Jackie O.! Haha!

And who could forget the iconic Jackie O. sunnies??? Need I say more? The only problem with me is I cannot wear
sunglasses because my eyesight is poor! I don't wear contact lenses because I'm just too lazy to put them on
and remove them after a day's toil.

Angelo's 4th birthday celebration

This is a long overdue post! My handsome nephew celebrated his 4th birthday at Enchanted Kingdom (EK) in Sta. Rosa, Laguna last July 7, 2014. Just like the kids, it was Martin's first time at EK. I remember having a lot of fun because of Martin and the Kids. We rode the more thrilling rides such as Space Shuttle, the Jungle Log Jam, and that thing wherein you do a free fall drop from X number of feet, haha. The most memorable part of the day was when Kuya won a basketball shoot out in one of the game kiosks. Grabe! Hindi tumigil si Kuya kakakwento ng pagkapanalo niya even in the succeeding games! Hahaha! He won the crocodile stuffed toy for the kids. :)

Eating at Cha Time before going to EK. We were also with Mike, Laurice's older brother,
and CJ, Mike's very young (relative to his age) girlfriend, haha.

At EK's facade and other rides.

The kids having a fun time at the rubber boat thingy. Haha.

This boy makes me VERY HAPPY! He's so cute and sweet and charming!

In the morning of July 7, of course our family had mass and ate at Big Plate to celebrate the birthday proper of Angelo. Below are happy photos of our family with the charming and handsome celebrant!

The Lolo and the Lola with the grandson! :) plus Martin and I in one of the collage pics.

THE BIRTHDAY BOY ON HIS 4TH BIRTHDAY WITH HIS ATE ON HIS SHOULDER! :)

Celebrations like these in the family are very much treasured. Thank you Lord for these wonderful, wonderful blessings!!! :)

Wedding Day Save and Splurge Items

During lull times at the bazaar recently held at PCJ, Martin and I got to discuss about wedding plans for next year. It was funny and at the same time we were getting this is-this-really-happening-to-us? feeling inside us (or probably just me? Martin always assures me his certainty about this). So we wrote it down on pretty notebook that I bought from the bookstore. It had a nice peacock print in the front and at the back. I love cute notebooks. And being a person who likes to write, I somewhat hoard pretty/cute/sturdy notebooks in my stash. Haha. Anyway, enough about notebooks.

So we were somewhat computing our expenses and what were the MAJOR stuff that we need to save up on and what are those that we need to splurge on. Well, I think the major stuff has somewhat to be in between save and splurge. I think it depends of what type of wedding you want to have. Would it be something grand and avante garde; or something simple yet memorable? Or can it be just in between? Anyway, here are our notes during the discussion. 

The MAJOR expenses:

1. Reception (Elegant and classy) - We plan to do it in a nice hotel, if our budget permits. We already have a peg, it will be in Manila and the website shows a nice package for 150 guests. However, we think that this amount can be lowered if we cut down on the number of guests to invite. This will be the biggest portion of our expenses and something that the guests will remember after the reception has ended. So Martin and I are thinking that this item should have CLASS and ELEGANCE spelled onto it. Of course, the food's palatability should also match the place.

2. Church + priest (Simple yet meaningful) - The church that Martin and I are serving is at our village. Aside from that, this is the church/community where our love grew, together with our choir and parishioners. However, if we hold our wedding ceremony at the JDHP in Tahanan, chances are, we need to invite a whole lot more of other guests. To limit our guests, we just decided to look for a church somewhere in Manila, near our hotel of choice. This chapel is perfect for our needs. It can only hold at most 80 guests, it's air-conditioned, plus the grounds are nice. AND! This church can allow Sunday weddings. Sunday is our favored day to wed.

3. Photography and Videography (Quirky and creative) - Thank goodness for FRIENDS! I have already "kinontrata" friends of mine to be our photographers/videographers for the wedding, long before Martin and I have planned this, ahaha! I told my friends back in 2012 and 2013 that if I get married in the future, they should keep their rates of 2012/2013 for me! :)

4.  Wedding rings (Simple and of good quality) - I overlooked this expense in the beginning but at least now I was able to put it here. Wedding bands are not cheap. A good set of wedding rings can cost at least PhP25k. I was told by my friend who just got married that having a good set of wedding bands is an investment. I couldn't agree more!

The MINOR expenses:

1. Gowns  and suits (Elegant and classy but need not be expensive) - To save up on these, Martin has the suits thing down pat because of his family's business. As for me, I plan to buy the cloth for my bridesmaids and secondary sponsors while they be the one to spend for the modiste's sewing. Instead of them giving Martin and me gifts, I prefer that they'd help me out with the wedding preps by doing dutch treat with the gown expenses. For my wedding gown, I think I'll just borrow from a close friend or rent from a bridal store.

2. Flowers (Simple yet elegant) - Since flowers are ephemeral, pwedeng tipirin itong expense na ito. 

3. Souvenirs (Simple but meaningful) - There are plenty of souvenir ideas out there that can be meaningful yet inexpensive.

4. Wedding invitations (Simple yet elegant) - Yes, it's true that wedding invitations are a bit passe since social networks are there to do the inviting to your friends. However, I still want the old-fashioned way of sending invites to your guests because that's how I was raised. Personally, I find it nakakahuya to attend a party if I don't receive an invitation from the celebrants/party coordinators.

5. Reception host (Splurge!) - I believe that for the wedding reception to be memorable, you have to choose an emcee that can carry the party well. I've been a witness to weddings who had great emcees and emcees who are just nagkakalat. I've been to a very beautiful wedding of a friend of mine, but the emcee was VERY BLAND and to add to that, she wore a very ugly outfit. Omigad may higad. Hindi ko kinaya yung emcee! Ang sarap agawin ng microphone at sana ako na lang nagsalita sa harap. On one hand, I attended a wedding that was also pretty but the emcee who made the wedding nore memorable! Ganun pala kapag magaling ang emcee, mas nagiging memorable ang wedding reception. This may be a minor expense but I think this should be splurged on.

The we-can-do-without-this expenses:

1. Wedding quartet - There's canned music anyway.

2. Over-the-top table settings/display - Nowadays people succumb to IG Worthy catchphrases, but I don't. Table displays are perhaps one of the overlooked items for a guest. Though it creates a more "themed" atmosphere for the people, the couple can do away with this expense because it's the reception's substance that will count in the long run.

3. Wedding coordinator/planner - We have eager friends who can volunteer for us.

4. Fireworks - Nice to have but it's something we can do without.

So having listed these, I think it's really the BUDGET THAT WILL DICTATE how grand or simple your wedding will be. And since Martin and I are not uberly rich, we will do something in between grand and simple. We can do away with the frills and just stick with the basics. After all, the wisdom of the old always tells us to prepare for MARRIAGE and not for the wedding. But of course, if you, dear reader, have a lot of money to burn, by all means, splurge away!