Writing like Speaking

Last night I continued reading Nick Daws CD writing course. There where some interesting ideas. I think that I will not enroll in a formal writing course because there are a lot of low cost alternatives like this one. Beside there’s already a lot of free materials available in the Internet. I am astounded by the wealth of information out there. It’s getting to be a ‘silent’ and ethereal tower of Babel with all sorts of people writing and giving there 5 cents worth. One should distinguish the writings of quality from those that are just writing to earn a buck. In the latter, one could just say just about anything and reading these blogs wastes your time and confuses your mind.


Anyway the writing course had an interesting advice which is to write like you speak. From this perspective, Toastmaster is helping me be a better writer. I think this experience is helpful in structuring my thoughts and arranging them into a conversational manner. Clarity and structure and organization are important as well when making a speech. In fact I often write speech that does not ‘speak’ well when I make the speech. I come across as too formal. So I try to make it more informal. I guess that’s also my problem when I write. My thoughts often come tumbling out in a torrent that I appear disorganized and confused. Or it comes out as too formal that it’s boring and dead.


Achieving a balance between both extremes may not be the solution as well. The challenge is really to be authentic. The Toastmaster experience especially here in this country provides this opportunity. People speak from the heart and go directly to the essence. So it will help me to go directly to the point when writing or when expressing myself. I noticed this already when I write e-mails. I need to self-edit myself to get understood. Hence, speaking from the heart will also help one’s writing skills because one gets to develop his authentic ‘voice’. So writing like speaking becomes a reality.


So writing becomes a journey of self improvement. To be a good writer requires one to be a highly developed person in thoughts and in speech. For my specific situation, it requires slowing down my thought process and focusing on the flow of thoughts. I sometimes miss the flow of conversation with the folks here. I find that I am often slow in catching up or that folks here are slow witted. So it’s like our minds move back and forth until an understanding is reached. I guess that’s what it means to have a singular and original mind in a nation of individuals. Being understood requires a synchronicity of minds.

Listening to Jimmy Carter speak in his books reveals that he is a unique and singular person. So is Bill Clinton. I think people from the South retain their individuality that speaks of their authenticity. They just seem to be more humane and real. I think I learn more about the south by reading Jimmy Carter. Bill Clinton has that core but he is more sophisticated and I think he is worldly and seems like an Easterner. I guess it’s symbolic that he moved to New York from Arkansas. But both persons are good examples of people who write like they speak. I think they have found themselves that they are able to write. I am not sure if I have found myself yet to be able to write like I speak. I guess I have to speak properly first before I can write properly.

I think I started to write better before I could speak. But it became a technical task and lacked the authenticity that a voyage of discovery would reveal. One could be more worldly and experienced without achieving the unique voice that one should achieve. Internally the result is an internal tower of Babel with words becoming just words without meaning. The result is a lot of verbiage which rhymes with garbage.

The solution is to rise above the garbage, de-clutter and simplify. The result will be less thoughts and mental confusion. Strange that meditation now looks like a way to be a better writer as well. In summary, meditate, find your voice, de-clutter and simplify your life to be a good writer. Once equilibrium is reached that person has reached a state of development that is blissful in the Zen meditation point of reference.

Poet’s Home

Last weekend we went to Flat Rock, North Carolina. We visited Connemara – Carl Sandburg’s home in the last phase of his life. It’s a great place and looks like a poor man’s version of Vanderbilt’s Biltmore house. The essential design is the same – a house in a hill, with a lake or stream below, surrounded by hills and mountains and great views in the porch. The house leave no doubt that it belonged to a writer with the many books and magazines and shelves all strewn about. It looks like a wonderful place to write with a writer’s studio at the 2nd floor. The whole property is about 30 acres with the Glassy Mountain behind the house and lots of hiking trails. A nice place to walk in nature and contemplate – a real writer’s abode.



Ironically, the house used to belong to the Secretary of Treasury of the Confederate government during the Civil War. It was later sold to former confederate officers. The first owner used to live in Charleston, South Carolina. The property was meant to be a summer home. In later years, it became the home of Carl Sandburg - the author of a Pulitzer Prize winning biography of Abraham Lincoln. I have a small paper back book of this work which was the first volume of ‘The Prairie Years.’ The book belonged to my grandparents and it’s one of the books I brought with me from the Philippines, then to Singapore and now here in the USA. I had wanted to read this book mainly because it was written by Sandburg and because it was about Lincoln.


At Connemara, Carl Sandburg is referred to as America’s poet and his style is reminiscent of Walt Whitman. He bought the place basically for his wife so she can raise prize winning goats. Apparently, she is a world renowned authority on goats. Her interest in goats was due to its health benefit as she noticed that her family’s health started to improve after they started drinking goat’s milk. So it’s amusing to learn that the poet bought the former confederate’s house not to write books on Abraham Lincoln but to raise goats. Nevertheless, it is a spectacular place with the surrounding hills in autumn with the stunning colors of the fall leaves. I took several pictures and I am glad I brought my kids here. We watched a video about the poet and learned all about his life and works.

We had lunch at Burger King in Hendersonville. It was a different feeling driving down Main Street since our last visit as the road was closed during the Festival of Apples. The small town charm was apparent everywhere. I agree with my office mate that his is a nice place to live. We next went to nearby Sky Top - an apple orchard. We walked through the orchard trying to look for apples but the harvest season has passed. There were some old apples lying in the ground. But the view from the top was great as we could see the nearby hills in their spectacular autumn leaves – yellow, gold, red, green – covering the mountain slopes. It’s really the best time to come and see the trees. Before coming home we eat apples in caramel sauce and drank apple cider juice.

It's these small towns and places that are wonderful to visit. I have visited the homes of 2 famous writers so far in North Carolina. I guess it’s a place that attracts writers especially with its heritage of Irish, English and Scottish settlers. Next week we plan to drive to the Blue Ridge Parkway so we could see the last days of autumn in the surrounding mountains. I did not have time to do much writing during the weekend although I was able to read the Fortune magazine I need to return and movies that I need to watch.

Aside from my road trips down around the area, I am learning more about the South. I learned more about the way of life here listening to Jimmy Carter’s book about his boyhood in Plans, Georgia. It’s a great book and I am now reading his book about peace in the Middle East. He is the epitome a moral upstanding southern gentleman which represents the best of this side of America.

Information needs to be Free

I attended a meeting in the morning where we discussed highly technical stuff. It was a file mapping meeting and discussions where about things like canonical and concatenation and field length and business rules and so on. There were four of us in the meeting and I was the only one who was not from India. The team is exceptionally bright and technically proficient. But I am happy to say that I held my own. I guess it was my experience that kept me going. I guess this is the time when experience does matter although I think I gave out a few odd balls during the conversation. Nevertheless, I think I was distinguished being the odd person out.


Most of the people I work with here have been working together for quite some time. They know each other and are comfortable with each others skills. I guess I am the odd man out who needs to prove things. The only thing going my way is that I am an employee of the company while the other three are contractors. I am amazed that no other nationality seems to come close to the technical ability and skill coming from India. But I guess it is more a battle of quantity. There is no way any country can match the growing population, facility with English and technical heritage that India possess. Of course, the innovative and creative tradition of the United States is still unmatched anywhere in the world.


My supposed strength of input, learner and intellect is keeping me abreast of trends. But now there is really too much coming into my brain. Today I discovered a new mind mapping tool that will be used by the company. Now is the time where this type of tool will really come in handy. There is just too much free knowledge available. As someone said, knowledge wants to be free. Now that information is free, the next challenge is how to monetize knowledge. Figuring out this equation is what made Google a rich company. I guess determining the right knowledge and channeling to the proper audience who is willing to pay is the next step. There is just too much innovation going on that one is just to busy keeping up.

Perhaps a good example is Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Carter is the pure stuff, the person who moves forward based on his inner core and conviction so sometimes he seems like an old fashion decent man. Comparing this analogy to a writer, he is the person who just writes without considering the various outlets of writing in the new digital world. On the other hand, Clinton is more aware of the latest trends and he is able to adapt to the new techniques. Not that he lacks substance, but able to combine the new tools into a dazzling combination with some content that changes the game. I guess he applies the adage that the ‘medium is the message.’ Hence, Clinton is the master of the medium while Carter is the master of the message.

I guess I am not making sense. But I have reached a point where my reading is not getting me anywhere. I have been attending a lot of free training but I am starting to forget. So I guess I should start using min maps to structure my knowledge in a way that make easy retrieval and association much easier. Now that the company has a standard mind mapping tool available I can formally use this tool to my advantage. It is the right time to start using this tool now that things are starting to get really complicated. This maybe a competitive advantage is used effectively.

History Books

What do you do if you have nothing to do? I stifled the urge to surf the Internet although I did surf for a few minutes. I try to limit myself to less than 5 minutes so I won’t leave a large footprint for any monitoring program. Last week, I shamelessly surfed the Internet and I felt guilty during the weekend. Thoughts of persecution filled my mind like being called to the security office and asked to explain. I remember my boss telling me during my early days here that an employee was fired because of surfing the Internet. So his comments remained in my mind although I think he was just trying to scare me for my own sake.


I am finishing David Halberstam’s ‘War in the Time of Peace’. I think it is a minor masterpiece which he is well known for creating. I think he is at a higher level than writers like Bob Woodward who focus on sort term news stories. For instance, Woodward’s book on Alan Greenspan, ’Maestro’ which adulates the Fed chief for his accomplishment but whose reputation is now shattered because of the financial crisis. I don’t think Halberstam will make this mistake because he takes the long view. He allows time to take it’s course before writing a book and he measure his words with the experience and wisdom he has accumulated.

Bob Woodward is more a reporter whose style is like combining a series of newspaper articles to make book. The intention is just to make money quickly by exploiting the current news. I guess Woodward’s books are good sources for deep penetrating works by more mature writers or thinkers like David Halberstam. I always like his books and have read ‘The Reckoning’, ‘The Powers That Be’, ’The Fifties’, ‘The Best and the Brightest’, ‘The Amateurs’ and ‘The Forgotten War.’ I think his books led me to discover the works of Theodore White. I read his book ‘In Search of History’ and ‘The Making of the President 1960’. I think I have also read his other Making of the President books which I all enjoyed. I think both these writers were pioneers in this genre and don’t have anyone around who can match their brilliance.


Another writer I liked it Barbara Tuchman. I enjoyed her books ‘The Guns of August’, ’The Proud Tower’, ‘March of Folly’, ‘General Stillwell in China’ and ‘The Zimmerman Telegram’. I read almost all of these books back in the Philippines when my mind did almost all the traveling. Now that I have traveled a fair bit, I have expanded the books and subjects that I have read. Most of the books that I liked where about American life and experience. The American history and adventure in foreign lands as well the famous people like its presidents. Now I am smacked right into the American way of life. I guess somewhere in my mind, I am trying to reconcile what I have read with what I see in front of me. I guess I have understood the idea and I am recapturing the joy of the American idea and experiment now that my son is studying American government.

I guess most of the stereotype in my mind was about the great Eastern cities like Boston or New York or even Chicago and the elites that live in these cities. Or the free-wheeling ways of California and the creative explosion of it’s movies and culture. I did not read a lot about the south and the old confederate states. The only thing of significance that I remember is reading Thomas Wolfe’s books. But I did not realize that he represented the south and only when I visited his home in Ashville, North Carolina that I realize what writer he was. My brief stay in Los Angeles in my youth plus my reading of American life has helped me adapt here easily and ease the transition for my family. I guess I was able to hit the ground running at work and enabled a smooth landing for my wife and kids.

Cold Play

My head is a bit woozy these days. I am not sure if it’s the cold weather. The car windshield was frosted for the past 2 mornings and the climate is winter like about 40-50 F. We closed the window in our bedroom to keep the cold air out but it was still chilly. It is easy to be lazy in this weather, preferring to sleep, or just idly watch television without exercising or taking a bath. We have hot water so it’s not a problem showering. I can’t help but remember a remark ascribed to Deng Xiaoping, a chain smoker who lived to his nineties, attribute his long life to taking cold showers in the morning. It must be a an invigorating experience as I know how cold it can get in China, very much colder than the winters in the Carolinas.

But I also realize that I think too much. Too much mental activity in cold weather is not good. Maybe it’s the brain heating up with too much activity internally which conflicts with the external cold pressing into the skull. The only antidote I think is a good scotch or whiskey or any alcoholic drink that will relieve the hot-cold tension in the brain. Perhaps I should turn up the heater at home but I think it will not make any difference. I think it’s more here in the office where my feet get colds which indicates the draftiness. I can wear sweaters and additional clothes but it’s my feet that start feeling the chill. I think I should follow my boss who has a heater open near his feet. It getting cold in the office now and a lot of staff are wearing sweaters these days.

I am in the thick of my work as analyst and I will soon be working on my next project to complete the functional design. There are a lot of mails going around and I am surprised by the seeming disorganization. I am not sure if this is normal for a large project or it’s just the way things are done here or maybe it’s really a mess. One thing is sure: it’s over budget, late with operational bugs. I guess I have to be more aggressive to try my little bit in organizing things and I am afraid I will turn-off a few people who are used to the system. But I think there’s a principle being fought here which is to get back the business expertise into the company from the external contributors. It’s a delicate dance that needs to be made and I think we need to swing it.

I am reading too many things which keep my mind excited. An excited mind sometimes resorts to paranoia and I had a feeling that I am being watched last week due to the time I spend surfing the Internet. I should not spend company time of course for my personal benefit but sometimes I don’t care. I have this recklessness or just the cold logic that I will not be fired after all the trouble of bringing me here. But I need to search for information as part of adjusting to life here. But at the end of the day, I must shape up which I resolve to do. Instead of procrastinating, I will either write a blog or walk around and talk with my colleagues to discuss about work. This should keep me occupied instead of wasting time.

There is too much time spent in unnecessary things like reading and watching television. I guess I am doing it in excess. I am reading Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair and Fortune magazines. I am also reading an excellent management book on work process, ‘Managing the White Spaces’, listening to Jimmy Carter’s audio book ‘Peace or Apartheid’, David Halberstam’s ‘War during the Time of Peace’ and ‘Fool Gold’, a book on JP Morgan and the creation of the financial instruments that caused the financial meltdown. I also borrowed several DVDs and music Cd's from the library. I wanted to borrow another book yesterday about being inside the brain of the Google founders. I wonder if I am overdoing my desire to be updated and well-read. The impact is disorganization, paranoia and insecurity of not reading enough. The real problem is that I am not working on my book or investing in the stock market as part of my financial survival. Hence, the opposite effect of what my reading was intended to do which is helping me achieve my dreams.

Adjusting to Work

Yesterday I presented the functional design to the business. I spent more than an hour explaining the proposed changes. The business leader liked the presentation and thanked me. In the meeting room was my boss - the project manager and the previous architect who is now a functional analyst like me in the project. It was comprehensive said the business leader and I think I can be proud of the effort. My boss always asks me if I am proud of my work whenever I complete something. Doing a good job gives one an honest pride in his work. I guess this can be used as a standard when deciding if the work was done well by having a feeling of satisfaction.


This morning we met again although with out the project manager who is on holiday until the last week of the month. I am starting to like the business leader and the former architect who are both calm people who don’t feel the need to show other people how smart they are. I sometimes have this problem and I am learning more self-control. We met with the team in France and I like the way they allowed me to think deeply on a problem. Given enough time and without pressures allows one to think of all the possible angles and issues that may come out. There was a point that I could not express very well although they caught my misgivings. I guess I have to talk this issue through with the lead analyst who was on leave today.

I think I have crossed a milestone during these past 2 meetings and feel that I have mustered some respect and approval. But I should still be careful because I am sometimes emotional and easily excitable. I often shoot from the hip without proper aim and thought. I could not think well this morning because my mind was feeling a bit woozy. It was very cold in the early hours and I woke at about 3 am to wear an additional shirt and pants to keep me warm. I am not sure if my fuzzy brain is because of this cold or because of the medication I took last night for cholesterol. I was still able to express myself in the meeting despite this condition and I realize the key is really speaking up and making your self heard.


I spent most of the morning looking at the Vanguard web site. I just finished reading the ‘Coffee House Investor’ and reached a strategy for the coming months. The plan is to invest in the US stock market via ETFs or index funds from Vanguard. I am still trying to determine which will be the best option. The basic strategy proposed by the book is quite simple when growing wealth:

1. Asset allocation and diversification
2. Matching the stock market average
3. Saving money

It is the last point of saving that is often missed. This is why I think I made the right choice in buying a townhouse. It keeps my expenses down and allows me extra funds to invest and maintain a modest but interesting lifestyle.

My mind is now clear with regards to my investment decisions, work plan and personal development via Toastmasters and project management. Most Americans have a clear and quiet mind and don’t appreciate too much thinking or nuances of thought. This simplicity of mind is both a strength and weakness. It’s strength because people can achieve a lot of things and complete projects since this manner of thinking can focus one’s attention. Perhaps it’s a weakness when compared to Europeans who prefer complexity of thought and sophistication of argument. Hence, a lot of thinking is preferred. But I guess I prefer to silence the mind to achieve simplicity and focus and get things done.

First Speech

Yesterday I did my first speech here in the USA at the Toastmaster meeting at my company. It was a good session and it was a different challenge from my previous experiences. The meeting was held in the auditorium which could easily sit 150-200 people and I had to stand in front of the large room without any props. In the past meetings in the Singapore were usually held in cozy rooms that could fit about 25-30 people and I used to stand behind a podium which allowed me to glance at my notes from time to time. I don’t have this buffer anymore and you have to stand right in front of everybody. So it was intimidating and I felt a bit naked and unprotected. But I realized early that one has to be open and sincere to establish rapport and be accepted here.


One sees the difference between the speeches here as compared to Asia. The speeches in Singapore where often grand and presumptuous but the goal was to achieve a certain professional feel though the attempt often falls short. Perhaps because English is not the first native language of these speakers and once one learns English, the temptation is to flaunt and grand stand. The first language often depends on one’s heritage like Chinese, Malay, Indonesian or Filipino. English is more the second language. During one’s daily life, one would shift from one language to another depending on the circumstances and the person spoken to. So making a speech in English is a significant effort so the result is often embellishments although there are quite good speakers who achieve a good balance.

On the other hand, English here is the first language so there is less temptation to embellish the speech. The meetings here are business like because it is held during lunch time at the company premises. Meetings are held 3 times a month so the goal is to do as many projects as possible. Speeches here are very down-to-earth with emphasis on sincerity and everyday occurrences. There are less abstract concepts being talked about so there maybe a tendency towards boring speeches. My challenge is to gain this ‘native fluency’ with English and to stick to every day matters. I don’t have the stature or gravitas to bluster my way like the great speakers here like Bill Clinton or Barack Obama.


My speech was about Toastmaster and how it has helped me in my career. I also spoke about my life in the company and how Toastmaster made me a better person to adapt to changes brought about by outsourcing. I got a good review and I think most people liked my speech judging from their smiles and faces. There are fewer members here as compared to the clubs in Singapore. But it is a diverse group and there was a good speech about walking yesterday which I liked. I realized that people here are poetic and there is a natural rhythm and cadence to their speech. I guess it is the normal American way of speaking which foreign speakers like me admire. I guess my main challenge is how to speak without notes, use my body effectively and without props and tailor my speech with the appropriate emphasis and focus on everyday matters though with an Asian flavor.

In the weekend, I will attend the Fall Conference of my local Toastmaster district. I understand it will be the first time it will be held here in the Upstate at Spartanburg. The Fall Conference is usually held at Columbia, the state capital. It will be a good experience for me to see the speakers here perform as compared to Singapore. I mentioned in my speech yesterday that attending Toastmaster club meeting helps newcomers like me acclimatize, adapt and learn the local culture. It’s a good chance to network and meet new people. It’s the major reason for me to continue with my Toastmaster experience aside from improving my speaking abilities. It gives a good picture of local Americana.

Coffee House Investor

I am reading a book called the “Coffee House Investor.’ It’s a simple and down to earth investment book written by a financial adviser. I like the tone and style of this work. It’s plain common sense and removes all the delusions that I may have. Basically it gives a simple prescription on how to grow wealth. It says the same thing such as asset allocation, diversification, matching the stock market average and saving. Its good advice to follow. I have traveled his same path and I understand what he is talking about. The goal is really to focus in order to achieve good results.

I think the underlying assumption is that the stock market is the best option to grow wealth. But investing in the stock market has many paths. I have been trying to follow the Warren Buffet method but realistically I will never have his skill. There are 3 ways to invest in the market:

1. stock picking common stocks
2. managed mutual funds
3. low cost index funds

I have invested directly in common stock focusing on high cap, high dividend criteria, REITS and a China stock based on corn. I did some sort of triangulation wherein stock that fall in high growth, high cap, high dividend at a good P/E price at low cost was a defensive play for me. I ended up with shipping stocks, food company (since sold) and REITS. The price has gone down recently but I have been receiving modest dividends during the years. All of these stocks are so-called emerging market stocks since they are traded in Singapore stock exchange.



I have also traded in mutual funds focusing on country funds such as Malaysia, Japan and the Philippines. I also bought other mutual funds focusing on Asian countries and bonds. These are all emerging market funds and I have re-invested my dividends towards buying additional shares. So the power of compounding is working here. The country funds have gone down in the recent crisis and I guess I may be losing based on the management fees that are deducted. Since I am a long term investor, I hope the value will increase 10-20 years down the road.

According to the book, the best option is to invest in index funds. So I plan to invest in the US market to further diversify my portfolio. I think I have a good 10-20 years more before I retire. I think this will remove my delusions of being a good stock picker like Buffet although this experience will increase my exposure and maybe one day I will have that knowledge. But still the philosophy of owning an index fund is better for one’s peace of mind because I don’t need to constantly monitor the market and watch show like MSNBC to learn about the latest trends.

This focus will remove any requirement in my part to study individual stocks and spend time researching. I guess this is the best way to achieve things. Recently I completed my annual medical check up and the next step is to make a health plan for next year. I narrowed down my goals to lowering my cholesterol and losing weight. I had a lot of ideas in my head such as learning to meditate, doing a marathon, hiking and learning to ski and so on. But all these are still OK as a means to achieve my goal. I guess the annual health plan allows one to focus on the essentials and losing weight and lowering cholesterol are my essential goals. So focusing on specific health goals like focusing on specific financial goals like investing in index funds is a good way for me to remove all unnecessary thoughts from my brain.

Learning to focus is also important for me to limit my almost insatiable desire to borrow so many books and DVDs and music CDs from the library. So I am constantly reading and watching movies so I can return these materials in time before paying any penalty. Sometimes it is almost promiscuous to be so open and keep accepting anything that attracts you. So one needs to scale down and focus on the essentials. I don’t think I need to read everything that is out there so I can have the confidence to be a writer. I guess I have to work with what I have and just move forward. This is the good thing about focusing on the essentials which is what one can learn reading ‘Coffee House Investor.’

Think Smart

I finished reading Richard Restak’s book ‘Think Smart’. It’s the second time I read his work. Earlier I thought his style of writing is a bit convoluted which could be improved with some editing. But I realize that he sounds like those types of people who seem to talk a lot and say the obvious thing but suddenly you realize that there are a few bits of wisdom. His earlier book was like that such as ‘Mozart Brain and the Fighter Pilot’ but I did not like his lack of precision like it was more a rehash of his works. But this book is different with new material though his style would benefit with more conciseness.

The main idea is that the brain needs a certain set of exercise to be in tip top shape. Unlike physical exercises, one can have a general improvement over all. But the brain needs to have a specific set of exercises in order to improve. For example, exercise to improve spatial thinking or logical thinking and so on. I like his book because it provides a holistic strategy from diet and nutrition, to social strategies to thinking exercises to late brain research. I borrowed a DVD from the library about this subject and it was essentially saying the same thing.

I think my goal of writing fits in with keeping the brain fit as one gets old. With the rise of mental illness and decline, one should not only focus on one’s physical health but also one’s mental health. I guess it is all the more important for people like me who belong in the so called ‘knowledge worker’ category. It’s the way your mind reacts to new situation and problems that will spell the difference between being successful and handling stress. Also, physical exercises also have good benefits on one’s mental health so working out can also keep your brain fit.

An interesting concept is also ‘cognitive fitness’. I guess this covers a more abstract level and not only the biological impact of the brain. This more about the structuring of knowledge and the strengthening the synapses between the neurons of the brain when one handles different sorts of problems. Tools like mind-mapping and other forms of visual thinking help in this process of re-structuring knowledge. The role of sleep is also important in synthesizing all these new knowledge that is coming into the brain and how one can react effectively to one’s circumstances. Otherwise, one can be accused of being ‘clueless’ or lacking social or emotional intelligence.

Social situations are also important in keeping the mind fit. I also like his quoting Haruyuki Murakami regarding his running and writing. I had read Murakami’s book and the fact that a neuroscientist confirms his observation is a good turn. It shows Restak is well-read and has good sources that I appreciate. For me, the lessons are significant because I have abused drink, cigarettes and food in my youth that it may have slowed down my mental prowess as I approach middle age. So I must constantly battle any mental decline while still keeping my dream to be writer alive. It is books like these that keep me active and on the road moving forward.

Third World Living

I met with the 2 contributors helping me in the project. Both belong to different organizations but both are from India. One is from Utter Pradesh (North India) while another is from Tamil Nadu (South India). I also witnessed the general saying that North Indians are generally more aggressive while South Indians are generally kinder and soft spoken. They are both sharp technical people but sometimes they miss the big picture. I see the big picture but sometime I am lost in the details. It was an interesting meeting and I tried to understand what they were trying to say. I think Indians are more like Americans than anything else. They seem to have the same characteristics of a people living in a large country.


I notice the same characteristics in some Chinese. I guess it is this awareness of living in a large land that gives them this expansive feeling. A feeling that does not succumb to pettiness most of the time; also having a big heart with a tendency to look at the large picture. But it does not mean that all inhabitants have the same expansive view but having the tendency towards this expansiveness. I guess I come from a small land where people have a limited perspective and susceptible to a narrow view. But I guess poverty plays a big part and people who are not living below the poverty line may be exempt. I mean being poor in a large country will also give that person a narrow view. I guess a good education may sometimes elevate the people.


India and the Philippines have extreme cases of poverty and the quality of life is not good even in most cities. For example, I used to travel 4 hours every day to get to work. My wife usually brings me to the train station where I ride to another train stop to take a bus. Then I take a jeepney or a tricycle to the office. The same routine is repeated when I go home but this time I take an additional jeepney and tricycle to reach my house. I used to bring my car but the traffic and the multiple accidents that I have due to tiredness and drink forced me to take public transportation. Moving to Singapore changed all that and I now had the luxury of spending only about 1 ½ traveling to work while riding probably the most efficient subway and bus system in the world.

Nevertheless, despite the relative wealth of my adopted country, rising to the first world ranks in one generation, has not removed the narrow world view of living in a small country. Its leaders of course are a different story because they really are a broad and far sighted leadership but its people remain small hearted and narrow. So moving to a large country like America or China or India changes one’s perspective when one comes from a small country. I guess reading also broadens minds and well read people may not need to adjust much when moving to a large country. Still the actual reality of living in an expansive land is a better experience than just reading. Nowadays people read less and less so the challenge exists more and more today to rise above ones petty and narrow viewpoint.

Weekend Procrastination

Last weekend I wanted to continue work on the remaining functional design documents I needed to complete. I had brought my laptop home which I needed to bring back anyway due to the pandemic alert. Starting this month, all of us are instructed to bring home our laptops in case a pandemic occurs. I had completed the first half of the documentation last Friday for the other team to begin their review and I sent it out before the weekend. I had planned to complete the other half for the other team working on the project. Throughout the weekend, I had an idea on how I should proceed and I was actually itching to start. I had difficulty sleeping Friday night and even last night thinking about this topic. I am under pressure to complete this design fast because the project is already delayed. Fortunately, I am not the only one because IBM has committed to deliver the environment next year which is a delay of 2-3 months.


Unfortunately, the Asian procrastination pattern has repeated itself. Although my present home is a bit bigger where there is privacy in certain areas, I still could not proceed as planned. I set my laptop at the dining table on Sunday morning so I could have something done by the afternoon. We had planned to go shopping in the afternoon so I hopped to have a draft completed by then. By I was distracted by the book I was reading ‘Clinton in Exile.’ A good book that talked about the work he has done after his presidency. I was attracted by his work on the “Clinton Global Initiative’ so I searched the Internet. I found their website and watched the videos on 2008 Asian CGI meeting with Lee Kwan Yew and Filipino business man Fernando Zobel de Ayala.


I also watched the 2009 CGI meeting in New York with Barack Obama as keynote speaker. It was an interesting event and opened my eyes to the type of work that is being done now to address world wide issues. The book mentions that it’s a better model of working as compared to the annual Davos meeting. According to the book, CGI is a more productive initiative because it’s structured around commitments and follow-ups. I am amazed that Clinton is initiating this kind of forum and acting as host, facilitator and mover. I think this type of work is uniquely fitted to his type of skills. I guess he is trying to bury the ghost of his impeachment trial. From the book and what I could see, he is a man of extraordinary skill and energy.

Comparing him to Barack Obama and Lee Kwan Yew was interesting. He shared the stage with both of them and one could see the difference. I guess Lee is more a wise statesman and ruthless doer; someone I believe who is not prone to endless policy discussion like Clinton. Obama is more like a preacher and I don’t think he has the patience or the inclination to grasp the minute policy requirements and solutions needed to get things done. But he seems to be more disciplined and focused than Clinton. Despite his many faults, Clinton is a genius both as a political strategist and as a political leader delivering effective solutions. After all, he did reduce the deficit and resurrected the Democratic Party. His continuing work is a well structured and organized effort to help solve global issues which only he could provide in this sort of venue.


I agree with the books’ contention that the most effective and successful model for post-presidential work is Jimmy Carter and his Carter Center. He is more focused and he himself does provide certain services and solutions to specific problems like observing elections in places like Haiti or the Balkans, helping in peaceful solutions in the Middle East and so on. He has the moral authority and he is willing to speak out such on controversial subjects like racism and on apartheid in Israel. So it’s a more focused approach to help resolve issues in the world that earned him a Nobel Prize. Similarly, Albert Gore’s focus on the environment and climate change is a similar precise endeavor that also earned him the Nobel Prize.

What is interesting is that CGI seems to be a unique solution that combines elements of social networking (but not in the Internet sense), collaboration (again not an Internet model), facilitation plus unique ability to follow-up commitments. I think there are a lot of website out there who act as a market place to connect donors with people who need resources for certain problems. But these sites lack the ability and draw of Bill Clinton who can attract world leaders and billionaires and artists together. It is an inclusive and people based event that does not seem to have the elitist connotation of Davos or even any event sponsored by the Republicans. It is a unique forum that only Clinton can organize but lacks the limited focus of Carter or Gore in their efforts which maybe the reason for their success.

And so I was distracted and I could not focus on my work because I was attracted by this unique and interesting idea of CGI. It was a refreshing and eye opening endeavor that appealed to openness and urge to make a difference. I also liked the videos and to see people express their ideas and express themselves. I guess I could use their examples to emulate when I start working on my Toastmaster speeches. It seems that people here who express themselves well here have a clear sense of who they are and what they stand for. It is something like Stephen Covey’s ‘The 8th Habit’. I guess the only sincere expression of me is not to be like an American and blend in but to express myself as an Asian who has moved here and is trying to adapt. I guess it’s the most sincere and only credible story that I can express.

Social Intelligence

I had my first minor clash with a contractor here. It’s a difficult situation because the company is reducing staff so they are a bit pressured. Not really a blow out but an exchange of defensive emails. I don’t know if this is the proper thing to do here because emails are often exchanged back in Asia which is often nasty and harsh. But I think I am trying to uphold a principle. From my point of view, shared by other folks, is that most of the business knowledge lies with the contractor. I think now is the time to re-assert the company’s knowledge and authority. So I think I am acting out of a principle.



It’s a delicate situation and I am glad we are able to handle it in a manner that is civil. My boss handled it very well and I was also able to control my offensive reactions. I often turn people off and I remember the times I had in the past where I have made some enemies. I have often been accused of being in my own world perhaps but it’s actually my own perception. I think I may be abrasive or brusque to other people and may even come of as arrogant and aloof. I am afraid that I see it in my youngest son as well. I guess I lack emotional or social intelligence to keep everyone on an even keel. I need to develop the grace to keep everyone in a good mode.


I am under pressure to finish the functional design document. But I accept this pressure because I think I need to prove myself. This is a country where you have to fight to have a seat at the table. I am also trying to fill up very big shoes because the analyst before is quite good who is treated with deep respect. On the other hand, I am the brash upstart who is trying to upset everyone’s apple cart. But I think I have paid my dues and I should be given the appropriate respect. After all, I have been working with the company for nearly 15 years although I have been here in this country for only more than 6 months.


So I have to complete the document as well as observe the social graces to keep everyone happy. It is a bit difficult because there is a real threat where people will lose their jobs. So it will be painful and I maybe a symbol of the threat because I am the new guy around. So I maybe the focus of disenchantment and abuse. I guess I have to curb my attitude of being a know-it-all or smarty pants. Sometimes I can’t help it because I feel I have to be vocal and prove myself. So I guess I have to find a balance and I think my strategy is to hunker down, keep my head low and focus on the work and deliver what I can. I also need to be honest and express that I do need help and will not produce an excellent document being just new on the job.