less is more

i've decided to take down the latest blog i've created here in blogger. i found it a bit difficult switching from one blog to another for maintenance.

so i am reposting the content of the deleted blog here, including the dates they were created. happy reading!

Tuesday, June 30, 2009
don't fret on something that isn't yours

try getting into something. if you fail, try again. if you fail one more time, don't get tired trying.

but if you fail the third time around, well, you need rethinking.

if doing something gets you down, it is probably not yours. try doing another thing.

``pag tinatamad ka gawin, it's not your calling.''

very well said.

knowing what you are getting into is the most important part in following path. you can never choose where you wanna be. you can only follow your heart.

there is nothing wrong with improving you your weaker areas, but focusing on your strength does the trick. specializing on what you are good at leads you to expertise, then toward excellence. it's not enough being good. it pays being the best. it is what makes you stand out. so do it now and reap the fruits of your labor later. Posted by iRis vaLera at 12:22 a.m.

Monday, June 15, 2009
catch my attention if you can

i learned a thing today. inviting readers' attention is not exactly getting a controversial issue posted on your blog for everybody to pore on. it is making an extraordinary thing out of an ordinary one. and how is that?

well-written article, or even a shoutout, won't mean a sure way of getting read by netizens and fellow bloggers. but well-thought out writing style does it. and how is that again?

styles in writing take many tones and forms: it can be funny; it can be serious; it can be satirical; can be offending; can be informative and more often than not, can be boring. what works well for bloggers is something that can lift the mood; something that makes someone smile, or even elated. better yet, it must grab attention, something that leaves others wanting more. it's not exactly a `juicy' news, but something of a mystery. a style that poses a question: either why, what, who, where and how.

in journalism, the 4ws and 1 h must always be answered in the story lead, the so-called inverted pyramid, with which the reader must capture the essence of the story with the first line or at the opening paragraph.

but in blogging or online writing, it is totally different. the lead must spark in them the desire to know something more about it. in short, it must usher them to read the entire article.

writing succintly does the trick. precise writing or short articles don't bore readers. online readers are usually lazy and busy individuals who don't have much time and patience for long articles.

bulleted points or highlights do contribute to the readability and appeal of an article. so go on and try it at once. you'd be surprised to create traffic in your blog or site. Posted by iRis vaLera at 11:45 PM

Satuday, June 6, 2009
do your best and God will do the rest

ever heard of the magic of believing? you could hear it from everywhere, especially in the world of people who work with passion.

i remember what a superior told me back then when i was still a workforce newbie: 'Believe in yourself, 'cause if you don't, no one else will.'

this has stuck in my head ever since. though at times, my confidence backslides, i have remained my biggest fan ever. and quoting a teacher in one of my MBA classes, 'if you won't stay focused onto your dreams and goals, all you'd only see are obstacles way ahead.'

my 2nd term in interior design would be finished by end of june. i was doing well with my subjects, and even with the craft itself. however, grades in my freehand drawing class don't necessarily reflect that. i'm a full-time working professional studying part-time. that explains it well. it was one of the drawbacks of getting into school while being employed full-time.

interior design school is no different from other courses, but it eats up much more of your time compared to others. in doing a plate, for instance, it takes an average of 4 hours. and having four plates as take-home assignments would mean four days of work activity, not to mention late-night activity.

i have a day job that runs from 2 in the afternoon till 11 in the evening. sometimes, i even go home past midnight. Thursdays would always be an overtime work for a lifestyle section, which does not afford me time to work with school plates at night nor in the morning the next day or the evening the next day.

reason is, i have to get some sleep to function well during the day. and that means two days missed for the late-night school work activity. i tried cramming a day before my freehand drawing class. but this proved to be a `suicide.'

doing a plate isn't like doing an article fast. you need time to put all the details in and so i was not able to turn in two plates the next day.Twenty points were deducted from two of my plates, giving me a grade way below passing. but given enough time, i would have aced the said plates.

yeah. i believe i am a talented artist.it does not sound as a pure brag, though. you can look at my plates and see the difference from a pure brag to a fact. i have the talent and skill. i just don't have the time. i should have said this to my teacher when he got pissed over my `unorganized' way of submission.

yeah. older people get irritated way easier than we do, younger people. and that is an excuse, though i believe it shouldn't be. cause more often than not, being short-tempered makes us say words we don't even mean.what i'm trying to say here is this: that teacher who asked me in jest if i was really a [budding] interior designer made one of his worst mistakes.

reason is, i still have a long way to prove i am one. but in his case, he could no longer prove that he is right, given his age.time is going to witness my great works yet. and that is long after he is gone. who knows, i'd even end up one of the best designers of my time, right?

and he could no longer take his words back.judging people while they are starting up on something is not a wise thing to do, especially for people who have grown through time. they should stay as someone younger generation should look up to, better yet, serve as inspirations.

and so i say, if people around you don't contribute much to your dreams, especially teachers who say what they feel right on the spot, stay away from them and ignore them.stay on track toward your goal. steer your sights clear of the obstacles [like one of my teachers] and carry on with what you do.

remember what the milo slogan is? DREAM. BELIEVE. PREPARE.

so, just keep believing in yourself. don't lose sight of your dreams and do the necessary things to reach that goal.just don't stop believing in yourself and keep on trusting God and have faith.Do your best and God will do the rest. :) Posted by iRis vaLera at 11:32 PM