Category: Community

How Do You Teach Your Kids About Saving Money?

It’s in the culture of Filipino elders to give money to children during Christmas as gift. Children (and parents) then use this money to spend on anything that they want as something new to have for Christmas and the New Year.

But while this tradition should continue, parents and godparents should also teach children to save money that they receive.

It is good to spend, but it’s better for them to learn the value and benefits of saving money. Continue reading How Do You Teach Your Kids About Saving Money?

Why Most Filipino Musicians & Artists Remain Poor

“Most musicians remain poor. But the music that they make, even if it does not bring them millions, gives millions of people happiness.” ― Langston Hughes

Ain’t that sweet to hear? The last sentence from Mr. Hughes, I mean.

People and fans (groupies) adore you when you perform on stage. Or when they hear your song being played on the radio. Or when your painting is being exhibited in the hippest museums in town. Or when you finally got that acting part in the coolest indie movie of the year.

You feel like a temporary god for finally nailing that sweet dream of yours on a canvass of glorious euphoria after famished years of struggle and pay-for-play gigs.

But the first sentence can break a poor artist’s heart. Even the hardest and toughest hardcore metal screamer in the underground scene today will cry like a baby hungry for milk. Continue reading Why Most Filipino Musicians & Artists Remain Poor

We Don’t Die. We Just Change Addresses

I was just about to read the blog post of Bro. Bo Sanchez this morning entitled “How To Start Living In Heaven Now” when I saw an email notification from kumare and former colleague Claire with the subject “Ruth”.

Ruth is a good friend and a former colleague as well in a Japanese company I used to work for. Both Claire and Ruth worked as Accounting professionals under me.

Claire’s email message was straightforward. Ruth succumbed to a 4th stage ovarian cancer.
I remember sending Ruth a Christmas email early December 2012 but did not get a return email greeting. I assumed she just filed a month long leave of absence as she used to do. Continue reading We Don’t Die. We Just Change Addresses