Doing What You Love

There are certain things that seem ordinary to a lot of people but not to you. It ignites the tiniest spark of interest that grows into this uncontrollable wildfire of ideas that results into an overwhelming mass of motivation and eventually, fulfillment.

Most people won't give a hoot that I love exhausting myself with backstage and media productions. In fact, some might hate such activity. No matter how much hassle it is when interspersed with college and family responsibilities among other things, I do it for the love of giving into what makes me happy. Sure, the demands can be improbable, but that doesn't mean I can't improvise to make the tasks possible; tried and tested, my friend: four years! I lived through four years of bureaucracy by bending but never breaking rules because I know I will only be truly happy to know that I tried and risked, at the least. I do what I do because I love how people of all walks of life become a part of my success and fulfillment.

By doing what you love, you add a little extra effort in and the inevitable extra exhaustion hits rock bottom to the point of power depletion. Doing what you love makes all the effort and energy spent worthwhile! The payoff is always the trophy and gold medal to your seemingly endless marathon, knowing that from the gun start, you have been determined to breeze through it all to the end.

Sometimes, though, I feel that what I do is thankless. (Believe you me, I'm not yearning for credit where it's un/due; four years with my school org taught me that. It's just that I'm a person, too, and I hit rock bottom sometimes. Haha.)

I worked as production assistant today, to a project that my friend is producing, care of the production company she's currently connected with. And I realized that the thanklessness I felt/feel is not always the case with the industry I'm moving around in. It depends with the client/people you're dealing with, the weight of the workload, and the massive amount of pressure upon your shoulders.

In contrast to what I experienced with previous projects (I'm not about to specify where these projects took place and who are involved, haha), today taught me that regardless of your passion in what you do, external forces (such as people's understanding of your task, purpose, or whatnot) determine the intensity of fulfillment that awaits you in the end.

When people understand what, why, and how you do what you love, you're on the way to trashing the idea that your productiveness equates to nothing more than just exhaustion! Ultimately, just make sure you do it out of your own free will and not obligation or coercion. What matters is what's practical and I say practical is whatever makes your heart leap for joy. ;)

What Drives You

What gives you motivation to do something? What inspires you to start one thing and push you enough to finish it? What then sets the limit for you?

Inspiration comes in spurts, just like "eureka" or light bulb moments. It's neither an involuntary thing nor is it something you can do at will. It's just natural, and you know it when it's there, knocking at your door or waving its arms in front of your face.

As for me, a meek creature of habit (or make that short-term hobby?), I get mundane-to-insane ideas in a span of a millisecond, just like an ordinary person. But unlike the ordinary creative person, I seldom put these ideas into action. I'm a planner; I plan to do this, to eat that, to go here, to try those, and to make lists like these that go on forever. I'm not a very good doer, though. I believe that time is my biggest rival. I always find myself going against it in a manner that I can barely manage! Say, for instance, I suddenly had this bright idea to make an art project; just because! I think about it at that moment, then day and night and then over and over, make plans, start preparing to make it happen--if I get lucky to even reach that part of the process. Must be the universe or just me, but I rarely finish (or start) on my brilliant personal goals. It's very frustrating, I just realized.

Just squeezing this in, a photo of my personal command center and limited necessary equipment! Haha. (Computer, external hard drive, microphone, SD card [in slot, not visible in photo] all cramped in a tiny space in my room.)

So at the birth of a very hopeful video blog channel at YouTube, I have recently reassessed my life's goals. Well, erm, haven't really gone to that level, if you know what I mean. (No? Uh, say, career + marriage + kids kind of thing. Haha.) Anyway, yeah, I realized how passive I have been for such a long time. I do not want to think it's underachieving just because I rarely get things done because I want it for me. Right now, I am head over heels hopeful that I can finally do things with my life (and free time) because I want to do it and not because I need to or somebody tells me to. As with my previous entry, I have stated there which things you may expect from my channel and hopefully that will keep me on track!

Sure, there's thesis now and other important responsibilities despite the intensity of dedication and determination I plan to put into this current interest of mine. I won't let this hobby get in the way of my priorities but I have invested in this "personal project" (yeah, let's call it that haha) enough to see its way through continuum, and hopefully increments of that fulfilling finish!

001 to 100: DLSU Centennial Countdown Celebration

SKIP THIS PART. Not important. Proceed to photos. Thanks. Haha.

I had a humongous role and an extremely easy task. What could have gone wrong? Unfortunate circumstances, that's what. The effect of that mishap wasn't a major disaster, I think. But of course, having done productions for quite a time now, I knew that it wasn't excusable. Once the production/show/event has started, there never can be room for mistakes. Enough vagueness, it isn't helping.

Overall, the program was a success. It wasn't an ordinary program; it marked the day that De La Salle University counts down to the University's 100th year. I'm very drained. This entry is ugly; it falsifies my knowledge and competence in the field of writing. I don't normally write this way. La la la.

After the countdown, I was literally a walking zombie. So here are photos:

A photo from last night during the one and only technical run that the entire production had.
*HINT* My simple task with an enormous role: Babysit and guide our La Salle Greenhills representatives, Kevin and Roniel. Photo taken from inside the sacristi of the Most Blessed Sacrament Chapel.
While the show had been running smoothly since the flash mob dance, Stage Manager, Sir Brad, takes a breather and sits with the Lasallian Youth Orchestra. Congrats, Sir!
Countdown done! Time to party! (Look at all that confetti. I've never seen so much in my entire life!)

© Meryl Algenio 2010

WE ARE ROCK SOLID. I love you, EB loves. ♥ All drained but all smiles, still. (I just noticed how forced my smile is. Eckh. Haha.)

© Andrew Pamorada 2010

We are the Green Media Group. We make things happen.

Best Weekend Yet

I believe I had the best weekend of the year yet.

Last Tuesday, I received news about what lies ahead for me in the next three terms of the incoming school year. I pulled an MIA (missing in action) Wednesday because the news from Tuesday has not sunk in yet. Oh, and because I had to cram a project and study for an exam. Thursday was another MIA day, but mostly from obligations and other responsibilities. It was a chill-day Thursday where everything's already perfect except for the parental issues that come and go. Frustrating.

Anyway, I'm here to word-vomit about my weekend. And to me, and other four-day-class week students, the weekend starts on a Friday!

Friday was awesome! I spent the whole day with my best bud, Bru! We went Greenhills shopping in the morning, lunch at Savory Chicken, chilled at Gelatissimo, a little more shopping at Greenbelt in the early afternoon, and wasted away chatting at Starbucks until sundown. I missed Bru so much, and now that he's back in Davao, I miss him again! And very late that night, I sat and bonded over coffee with my mom and two ate cousins! Looong day but it was hella good.

Zippo necklace I bought for my bud for P80!

At Topman. Yes, we both tried on a shirt. No problem for him, see. Ugh, I can be such a boy sometimes! Haha!

Chilled at Gelatissimo! Love you, bud!

Goofing with my mom at Bo's Coffee. Two cousins' photos were too goofy for this entry that they might have me killed if I put them up. Haha! Baboy! (Inside-joke!)

Saturday was majorly super mega ultra awesome! I met up with Lexie at the MRT Magallanes Station so we could go to the Shang together. We met up with thesis-mates Tracy and Nadine, went to Cartwheel Foundation, Inc. (their chosen organization for thesis) where Joh was, to help them prepare for the night of their lives, the event!

I got to do what I do best, event production! Well, by best, I may not be that good, but event production is something I believe I can really manage long-term. I acknowledge all the panic and stress pre-, during, and post-production. It's part of a long process that involves mega fulfillment in the end! So, to my three amazing friends: Joh, Tracy, and Nads, thank you for giving me the opportunity to take part in producing your event! I know I do those stuff in GMG but I think your event gave me satisfaction that's totally in a different league!

Being the Green Media Group person that I am, I spent an awful lot of time running from the stage, where the AVP was located, then up the tech booth for lights and sounds. Above is me taking a breather in the tech booth. Hahaha.
[Photo courtesy of Therese Ong]

Oops? Photo size fail? Haha. Okay, I'm lazy to re-upload. Make do with this, please. Thanks. Haha. So above is a photo of 8 lovely Org Comm girls as production crew; 3 thesis-ers and 5 friendly helpers. Haha. Plus! The thesis group's mentor and three other professors from the panel. Congrats again, girls! ;)
[Photo courtesy of Lexie Cerezo's camera. I think. Haha!]

How nice is it that the event title fit squarely with what the night really was? A NIGHT TO REMEMBER: Cartwheel Foundation, Inc.'s recognition dinner held at The Legend Villas, Mandaluyong City. A night worth remembering, definitely.

AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME.