Most people dream of being bosses of their own company or business, free from superiors and the tension of having to work under pressure (or at least under pressure from other people). I know I do… not because I have any conflicts with my bosses or anything but simply because I want to have my own schedule, an absolute control of my time, and power to choose whatever I want to do with my own life.

I know a lot of people crave for the same thing but only a few manage to put up their own companies or businesses. Perhaps this is because most of them realize that it takes so much time, effort and money to start one from scratch. I mean aside from choosing a concept, one has to deal with the acquisition of so many hardware that comes with the startup – POS systems; computers; and the industry-specific stuff like kitchen utensils for those who want to engage in food-related ventures; heavy machineries for construction-related ideas, etc.

Starting from scratch doesn’t involve just losing your job. It entails risking a lot of savings too. The whole move is such a huge gamble that it gives pause even to the bravest of people.

When you’re young, you feel like age is nothing but a vain concern for those who are already old. This is because youth gives a false sense of security and invulnerability. It is only when you start questioning and feeling things in your body that you realize that age indeed is not just for the the more wisdom-filled ones, but is actually a concern for all people.

Why am I saying this? Because I too have now started doubting myself as well. As a matter of fact, for the past few weeks, I’ve been having difficulty reading some lines and some entries in the book on print and on the computer. Some blurring become imminent when I try to isolate one eye from the other especially during reading. In short, age is catching up to me. I’m not so young anymore.

Am I scared? Maybe… but then again why should I? Everyone grows old. Everyone eventually does whether they like it or not… Or I could always just use an eye cream to postpone it. Hehe!

I’ve only got a week or so left before work resumes for real. This is why I’m trying best to finish a book before I have to spend the whole day burying my face in paperwork once again.

I’ve chosen to consume Christopher Paolino’s second book of the Dragon Chronicles – Eldest. I know it’s not exactly Amazon books material but I’ve grown a certain kind of fondness for the first book Eragon which is why I can’t help but want to read all installments of the trilogy. I’m almost halfway through the thick book and I’m optimistic about reading through the rest before the week ends. I just wish that nothing else happens to keep me from accomplishing this task.

It’s been several months, if not years, since I last bought myself a new pair of shirt or pants. And for as long as I don’t see any reason to do so, I probably would not have gotten one. This is why I was so happy when andrea gave me not just one, but 3 different tops to wear for my birthday – a long sleeved polo, a collared polo shirt, and a round-necked t-shirt.

She told me jokingly that she wanted to give me a tuxedo but I would not have found a use for it so she opted to give me the 3 types instead.  I retorted candidly, I would have made a reason to if she gave me the tux in the first place.

In preparation for and in order to attend a friend and colleague’s wedding, andrea, mateo and I (along with andrea’s parents) went to Tagaytay for the weekend.

Despite the unusual (or more appropriately abnormal) weather conditions, my wife, my kid and I still found time to wade and swim in the resort’s pool and enjoy some perspiring but equally gratifying quality time with each other. In fact, we are so exhausted and worn out by the time we arrived home that I’m actually puzzled as to where I’m still getting the energy to write this post.

You see, ever since we arrived, we’ve been doing a lot of walking, running and jumping (usually to escape the rain), and swimming. This is why I’m pretty confident that I was able to lose quite a number of pounds around some areas, maybe even significant enough to rival those lost by taking in the best diet pills.

I admit, it’s tiring. It’s quite expensive and, for most of Saturday, it was raining. But with the wedding and all, I guess it was all worth it – our weekend in Tagaytay.

I love dogs. Ever since I could remember, I’ve always been fond of them. In fact, I can’t even remember exactly how many I’ve had before. However, it’s been quite some time since I last had one as a pet. If memory serves me right, I think the last time I’ve owned one was when I was still living with my parents some 3-5 years ago.

This is the main reason why I’m having a bit of difficulty adjusting to Aria – our new golden retriever. I’ve forgotten how energetic and how unruly puppies can be (not to mention expensive). We’ve spent almost a thousand bucks on her first week for collar, name tag, and pet supplements. She’s not even finished with all the vaccines yet.

Her sleep schedule is still quite irregular. She naps during most of the day and then wakes me up at 1 in the morning. She urinates and poops during the most inconvenient times in the most inconvenient places. She chews on almost anything – books, sandals, toys, balls, wires, basically anything that fits in her mouth.

She’ actually becoming a real pain in the ass, but I can’t seem to hate her. I may have forgotten how to handle dogs but I still remember how much I love them.

I’ve never been a fan of wireless networks before. You see, to me, wired networks used to feel more secure because of all the cables. It’s inconvenient, crude but numbingly simple: no cable means no access. However, after experiencing wireless networks for more than a year, I can’t imagine going back to cables. The convenience of connecting without wires is just simply addicting. The only issue however is network security.

You see, the problem with wireless security systems is that they are more vulnerable to attacks or hacking than those found in wired networks. This is because wireless systems are generally more accessible than wired systems and this accessibility opens the systems to more people and more chances of hacking. However, wireless security systems are still more convenient than wired security systems because of the lack of cables.

In the end, it’s just a matter of convenience versus security.

Maintaining a vehicle is not as easy as most people think. There are several problems that a car owner has to deal with from the moment he/she acquires the vehicle to the day he/she decides to sell it.

You see, from the very beginning, a car owner is a slave to gasoline. Since most cars require gas in order to work, the owner has no choice but to continue buying gas regardless of how absurdly its price goes up.

Secondly, a car, unlike real estate, is an investment that is bound to depreciate. The older a car gets, the lower its resale price tag becomes. It doesn’t matter if you have several car lifts at home or a whole crew to maintain your vehicle’s condition. The more years a car accumulates, the more wear and tear it experiences. This is what brings down a car’s price.

Third, aside from gas price hikes and unit depreciation, there is one more factor that plagues car owners. These are the emergency breakdowns – those instances when suspensions, brakes or other car parts decide to act up or break down completely.  You see, even the most careful driver or owner is not exempted from the worst driving conditions – floods, road bumps, snow, etc. All vehicles will eventually break down. It’s just the rate of decomposition that would differ from vehicle to vehicle.

Car owners or would-be car owners need to know these facts before deciding on acquiring a vehicle. Owning a car is not the same as owning a toy. It requires a lot of money, effort, and most specially attention.

Before school ended, I was very clear about the things that I wanted to do for the summer – shoot some hoops with mateo (or at least teach him how to); fInish jogging and preparing breakfast before everybody wakes up every morning; do some push-ups and sit-ups before going to bed every night; trim down to a hundred and forty pounds; basically lose some weight.

Unfortunately, the only thing I was able to do is the breakfast part. As a matter of fact, the only physical exercise I’ve had since day 1 of the vacation is dishwashing.

The sadder part about it however is that vacation is almost ready to draw to a close. In about a week’s time, I will have to go back to work and face the sad reality that I have lost yet another good chance to be fitter, healthier and slimmer. But I’m not losing heart.

Besides, I can always get some diet pills if no other chance arrives.

The most glorious time for us teachers has finally arrived – vacation. It’s time to recuperate from the previous year’s draining challenges; to search for one’s soul and recollect missing pieces. It’s the period to regain those lost sleeps and lost pounds. In other words, it’s time for laziness and some addicting pc games.

That’s exactly what we’ve been doing. In fact, Andrea and I have been hooked on some Facebook games lately and we’ve spent quite a number of hours (without any guilt whatsoever) just clicking on some text and turn-based games and taking care of some Tamagochi-like creatures in Pet Society.

The truth is, we’ve been so hooked on these seemingly cheesy but surprisingly addicting games that time just seems to pass us by. The only thing that keeps on reminding us to go back to reality is Mateo and those alerts from Facebook prompting us to send greeting cards to friends. Yup, we’re so hooked we’re forgetting friends’ birthdays and special occasions.

I guess it’s a result of wanting to be careless after a whole year’s worth of worry at work. Or maybe it’s really a testament to how addicting the games are. I’m not really sure. All I know is that it’s not illegal and we only have until the end of April to do it. So, I’m proud to say that I’m not going to waste any opportunity till then. Facebook here I come… again!