Why coffeeshops just work.

it’s not so much about the expensive coffee but how it makes itself conducive for work. A cafe is a good balance between a prude office environment and your home that’s too comfortable for real work to get done. It can be surprising what you can accomplish in just 30 minutes to an hour. As I said above, while coffeeshops are technically more distracting than the confines of offices, the change in environment is what we’re really after. Simply put, it’s peace among strangers.

But for me, it can’t be just any coffeeshop. I still do have my preferences as far as choosing which coffeeshop to lay a nest on. Here are some tips you might want to consider in your own pilgrimage.

1. First, leave your AC charger behind.

   While current laptops’ battery performance have greatly improved, somehow, without it, you’ll be “encouraged” to get your stuff done right away and get back to the office soonest. Besides, you won’t be staying there the whole day, or are you?

2. Do, however, leave with a fully-charged mobile phone.

   This needs no explanation. If Houston needs you back, they need to be able to reach you even if you’re behind the moon.

3. Get a good pair of headphones.

   While cafes usually feature relaxing house or chill-out music, sometimes, it’s just not enough to drown out the noise the other customers make, although sometimes the whitenoise is something that turns me into an energizer bunny. Music with words in it can really grab attention so stay away from it, unless it’s in a language you cannot understand, process, or sing along to. As soon as you can establish your OWN world, the sooner you can get to work, or at the least, catch up on your reading/research.

4. Choose a dead hour so you can have the place to yourself.

   That means several minutes after lunch or after office hours is a no-no. I find that one of the most ideal windows to go there is in the early morning and in the mid-afternoon. Perfect for coffee! Weekends are great too as most people will just be lazily hanging out recovering from a hangover the previous night.

5. Find a cafe on a not-so-busy street.

   The passing of vehicles and the noise they make can be very distracting. I’m also more particular for cafes with roadside parking in front of it. The sooner I get my coffee after getting off the car, the better. Be mindful of parking schedules though or else you may find yourself chasing after tow trucks. So, no, I’m not going to drive into mall parking and walk hundreds of meters just to get to a coffeeshop. That’d be a total time-waster.

6. Stay away from cafes with groups of friends in it.

   if you really want some peace and quiet, you’d want to be with loners people who are busy themselves. A cafe frequented by serious post-grad students is best. Those with high school and college students tend to be noisier. Let’s see you go through that chatter and I’m sure you’ll be heading back to the office in less than 10 minutes.

7. Stay off the grid.

   WiFI and 3G is a near-must and very reliable but sometimes, it’s good to be just offline. The less distractions you have, the better.

8. Keep your NDA in mind always.

   You don’t want to be broadcasting your killer idea on public. So to be sure everything’s safe from prying eyes, adjust the size of your screen font so it can be less readable by that guy sneaking a peek over your shoulder.

9. Stay focused.

   Lastly, I would suggest that before you leave your office, plan well what needs to be done so your new-found freedom is not wasted. Forget multitasking. Just concentrate on just one task and get it over with. The objective is to get to work. And when i say work, it’s not about FB’ing or chatting with friends on YM. :)

Are you a coffeeshop junkie or are considering taking your work there? How did your experience go? Can you say it’s for you or would you still rather be elsewhere? And is the price of designer coffee really worth it? Of course, not, unless the time used to sip it was used really wisely.

The doctor also said that this is pretty much irreversible but its worsening can be delayed by going through physical therapy, by wearing a customized insert (orthotics) inside my left shoe, and by considerable weight-loss via cardiovascular activities. The first two was easy. It was the latter which was the problem. It meant I had to lose more than 8kgs.

Why Cycling?

I love to walk. I love to run, and I was hoping that that could help but the doctor also told me to avoid impact sports in particular. I’d love to swim but the pool at the rooftop of my condo which is just a few meters long doesnt provide much challenge. I call that pool, a formality. And that’s when I considered my other old love, cycling.

How I Did It.

Living in the city has its perks but being able to bike safely is definitely not one of them. I had to do my sessions when the roads are less filled with cars. Plotting a good route around Makati that isn’t that boring was a real challenge but I really didn’t have any choice but be like a hamster. I couldn’t afford to just wait for weekend out-of-town trips and I wanted to be able to bike whenever I could squeeze it through my work.

And while it wasn’t really necessary, I bought a Garmin Edge 705 so I could keep track of my “performance.” It also helped push me whenever my speed was too slow, if my pedalling was too loose, or if my heart was racing too fast (that happens whenever I get a close call with a speeding car). It also has a calorie-burnt calculator but I have yet to find out whether it can actually be trusted. For what its worth, it does give me an idea that I’m indeed making progress.

So How Did It Go?

Well, 4 months since I started cycling again, my beer belly has started to disappear dramatically that people would actually notice! I definitely feel much lighter after losing around 5kgs, and the effect on my foot is very significant. I also haven’t had the characteristic morning pains and the need to take a pain killer! It’s a very liberating feeling and my only regret was not conceding to a checkup much much earlier. Heck, now, I even miss my whining! Hehe. Of course, while this may have worked for me, it’s still best to consult your doctor.

How about you? Do you have Plantar Fasciitis as well? How are you dealing with it?

1. Applicants failed to take their studies seriously.

   You thought simply graduating was the key. Cheating is not good. And it’s worse if you didn’t understand a thing. And surprise! That class you took about Software Engineering, Data Structures, and Algorithms ARE useful. And oh, Philosophy and Logic rocks too.

2. Applicants didn’t really know what they were getting into.

   Please have the initiative to at least research about the company you’re applying with, and whether what they do is really what you want to be doing. We’re not forcing you to apply, you know. You came here on your volition right? But what piqued your interest, really? One of the things we keep looking for are people who really are interested in the job, not just ANY job. And if one really wants the job, then s/he must work hard for it. In my company, we keep saying at the onset, that, it is a bi-directional interview. We want and encourage people to ask questions, the right ones, that is.

3. Some applicants can be delusional about salaries.

   Everyone has to start from scratch somewhere. Did you really believe that that dream job will simply be outside the university gates when you come out? One has to work hard for it. But yes, there are graduates from a minority of schools who can actually pull off a good leverage. And most of them are really good, I must admit. But, just not everyone.

4. Some applicants think they can get away with populating their resumés with buzzwords they barely know about.

   It does get our attention, but we will find out if you’re lying! So spare yourself from embarassment. While we don’t really humiliate applicants ourselves, it would be better if you were honest with yourself in the first place. Yes, we do notice those small beads of sweat and that sudden stammer in your voice. Just the same, exams should bring the humility out in everyone. Come on, I’ve known MD’s and Journalism majors whom I can discuss Linux and other geekiness with, which are totally out of context of their respective professions. These people can beat these so-called IT, CS, etc, graduates to a pulp. Heck, I even know a restaurateur who now does software development for a living. That, kids, is called genuine interest. So, unless you can stand by your bluff, just lose it.And despite most of them seminars being introductory, they can be useful, especially, if people started doing follow-through studies. If the topics didn’t interest you or if you didn’t really understand them, it ain’t going to do anyone any good.

5. And most especially, some schools need to re-think their ancient curricula.

   Schools are supposed to be teaching stuff that will actually help the students get better jobs, and not just simply milk money out of them. Some curricula I saw were just mediocre. Or archeological. I guess it’s one of those dangers of having teachers who never really got out of their college comfort zones into the industry. Hey guys, help us out here!What’s funny too, is, I’ve talked to cum-laudes who barely know things outside college! No, textbooks are not everything (especially if they’re dated already!). Got ‘net? Use it and read up. It’s not only for Ragnarok you know. It’s just a sorry state when some more street-smart people are able to outdo cum-laudes. It really makes me wonder what kind of education and quality control his/her school had in place. And the bad thing is, it’s the students who suffers. If these cum-laudes found it hard to get a job, what about the others?And maybe, schools should also re-evaluate the relevance of each subject. I, for one, have yet to find good use for Integral Calculus, Differential Equations, and Strength of Materials, in my current job, or in those of my other batch mates’. Nevertheless, despite failing them at some point, I did enjoy these subjects, because, yes, I was actually interested in them. But sometimes, I can’t help but wonder about the man-months I spent on them, man-months which could have been better spent learning more relevant stuff. But then, a lot of my friends kept saying I might have been in the wrong course all along. Okay, okay, I was in Computer Engineering when I was supposed to be in CS. After all, I’ve always been a software guy.Man, there’s something wrong wth this picture!

Anyway, I can go on and on, and I’m sure I missed a lot of others, but let’s start with these. If anyone has something else to share, please do drop a comment. I’m sorry if i had to be blunt about stuff, but being saccharine doesn’t work for me anymore. A lot of times, people really just need a good jolt. I just hope that for you, or anyone who’s looking for a job, that what I wrote here does serve its real purpose.

During interviews, anyway, I have learned to make good use of my poker face to hide the disappointment, unless, a spunk-wielding-applicant who thinks he can take me down decides to test my patience. Great skillsets are good but the last thing I’d want to have on board is a prima donna.

So, are you still wondering why the unemployment rate is this bad? Sigh.

Oh, well, congratulations to you, graduates! I hope you find what you’re looking for! And if you didn’t, well, it’s the price we pay for the life we choose.

Since this new job is a bit higher-level, my dependencies on Linux is now almost moot, although I still keep a bare Linux VM in Parallels to do some toying around. But for most stuff, I’m comfortable enough working with the Mac’s BSD core. While I’ve only been using my black and sexy MacBook for four months, my affair with the Mac started way before then. It’s just that I have also successfully convinced myself to look the other way each time a temptation turns up. Four months ago, I finally gave in. I hope I can say to all anti-Macs that it was a roller-coaster ride, and I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m on cruise-control with my WaffleMaker IV right now. However, it didn’t take me long to exhaust the stock 512mb, especially, with the way I multitask. But an upgrade to 2G made it all good that I had to wear a seatbelt when opening apps and documents!

Anyway, I still can’t decide really on where to start my story. So until I find a more comprehensive outline on what to write about my experience so far, I strongly recommend you give my friend, Ben Canlas, a chance and read about his experiences as an equally fresh Mac Switcher. He just beat me by about two weeks!

Related: A List of some MacOS Goodies

Surprisingly, despite my “new” job, I’ve been waking up earlier than usual which is a surprise even to people around me. With just barely two months, I’m still quite fresh as far as Wolfpac is concerned. A lot has changed but it’s all coming back with each passing day. They told me it’s just gonna be like riding a bicycle, that is, you just can’t unlearn it. Who were they kidding? Despite all that hypnosis that I’m gonna be alright, I just had to hide the fact that I’ve always been nervous as hell each time I go to work. So the nights that followed were always a welcome thing for me. Not that work was that bad, but it’s because yeah, I was nervous as hell. I just had to unwind, roll my sleeves up, let my hair down, and have a cold bottle of beer or a glass of wine. Ah Venice. It’s all good until friends start asking me where the hell my girlfriend/fiancée/wife is!

What the fuck? Oh no, here it comes again. Do I really have to answer these questions? There is nobody! But I must admit, I considered the idea of bringing a sympathizing friend to pose as my girlfriend or fiancée just to keep the interrogations short. “So you two are getting married? Cool? When? Soon? Cool!” Yeah, that would have been easier, but I decided each time to go solo, chin up, and with a proud smirk to boot. I’m not gonna be some poser, dearie. What’s wrong with being single anyway? Shouldn’t they be envying me instead, that I get to do whatever I want to do with my life, go as I please and enjoy my own personal space? Heck yeah. Well, some did, and some didn’t. I’ve known couples who are indeed great together, unfortunately, I’ve also known some who weren’t quite the way they used to be. What can I say, the marriage did change them. And relationships, especially, the idea of marriage is something I have yet to get used to, again, that is. After all, I was engaged to get married twice, long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away. Right now, it’s just not my cup of tea. In fact, I look forward to a life of singlehood, of freedom, of space. These days, I can’t imagine myself waking up with the same woman beside me, likewise, going home and her being the last person I see before I sleep. I enjoy my being alone, and it sure is different from being lonely. I may be alone, but I wouldn’t consider myself lonely. I’ve got great friends, and sometimes, a difficult family, but great anyway, and yes, friends, friends with benefits anyway.

But let it not mislead you. Despite myself having accepted forever bachelorhood, I do miss being in love. And I wouldn’t say there is no possibility of that happening again. I’m not really longing for it, but I’m also not closing my doors. Why the hey not, right? Obladi-oblada, life goes on, brah!

Could it be that bad? About a year ago, I made a decision to leave the life I’ve lived through in the past 8 years, that is, IT. Although technically, I still am in IT, I can say that my life these days have been a rather enjoyable experience. The rather relaxed environment was good because it allowed me to think more freely and creatively. And the work is generally great. In fact, it’s so great that for some moments, I keep forgetting I’m in management and that I have people to take care of. But what exactly is there to take care of? They are as happy as I am! Great pay, great working environment, brilliant colleagues, and interesting new telco technologies to play with! Wala akong masabi! The most I was concerned with was my people getting too bored for comfort. Hehehe. But it’s all good. There’s always something to do just when it’s needed, especially, now that more exciting projects are really pouring in. And that is why it would seem such a bad time to suddenly decide to leave it all behind.

Yeah, go ahead and throw all the expletives you can at me. I deserve it. You might be asking who in his right mind would want to leave such a life when in fact, this was exactly what he wanted for years? Nobody, except me. But there will come a time when we’ll realize that all that we needed was just a good rest from the burnout. So yes, I’m indeed going back to Wolfpac (Insert Silence Here). And to clear things up, I’m not moving back because I was given some rock-your-world offer but because I think I’ve rested enough and I feel I’m more needed there. Sure there are some perks, but if you knew how things can get in Wolfpac, these perks are negligible. So let’s leave it at that, I’m simply more needed there. So starting November (yup, that’s in a few days), I will start working at the BrainFarm again. I just hope everyone is as excited as I am because I’m leaving yet another comfort zone. Some say it’s like being out of hell and back. I can’t say I disagree, hehehe. But I’ll work it out. To the people I’ll be leaving behind, you know you’re not missing much, but I sure will miss working with you. To the Super People of Novare, Salud!

BTW, I think I may have to sell my camera and other lighting equipment. I may not be able to use these for a while. Hehehe.

Although my first few months with Novare meant crossing several timezones in a day, I’m a NightShiphter after all, a nocturne. It’s all because Novare was just starting and I had to rush a lot of stuff in so less time. I knew it was just going to be temporary anyway, so I really didn’t mind. But one thing I promised myself when I moved was to enjoy more of the sun. For years, I’ve been working a lot at nights, both as a necessity, and a sickness. I’m some kind of an insomniac and I function better at nights. A lot of work also had to be done during the evenings so It was all good coincidence. But I do miss the sun, and I’m going to do all that I can to make sure that my sleep pattern normalizes. What good is my Juliet for if I don’t get to use it, right? So far, I’m doing well for someone who’s used to reporting for work after lunch or not at all.

One of the things I enjoy most these days is taking a walk around the Makati CBD during afternoons with officemates to get coffee (I’m taking less!) or a cup of hot chocolate from a nearby Starbucks (besides ChinaBank and in front of CitiBank Paseo De Roxas). Sometimes, I do the rest of my work there and man, I just love their free wifi! A lot of times though, I just feel like being alone that sometimes, I’m starting to think I’m turning into a Vulcan, or a Borg who’s enjoying his first few steps away from the Collective. My iPod has been a constant companion in cancelling all the noise around me. In fact, i’d rather leave my car keys and take a cab than forget my iPod. Hype or not, my old trusty 4th Gen iPod is a friend.

Sometimes, I’d just go for a walk with my iPod in my pocket and a pair of shades. Just the other day, I felt I haven’t been walking enough that I requested my boss to relocate my free parking privilege from the Atrium parking to the farther Velasquez Park in Alfaro. For the first time in years, I’ve actually noticed that my shoes were thinning down! It’s such a laid back life that all the calls I’ve made on my mobile for the past few months were about 95% personal, and barely any calls from my colleagues except when they are calling to invite me for a drink or something. In fact, I can actually go on vacation for about a week or two without anyone noticing that I was gone! Ah life, it is sooo boring, and I love it!

I will surely miss working with them, but I’m sure I won’t actually be missing them at all. I’ll still be around anyway.. lingering.. because in-between shoots, I’ll be doing low-profile consultancy work for the MDi Group, which still owns 20% of WolfPac (80% being Smart Communications).

Emphasis on low profile. It’s all good! Kitakits na lang sa inuman!