Telling it like it is

Do you get enough breaks in a year? Well, not enough But life is short, and you have to cherish every moment of it.

Thanks Steve for an “insanely great” time!

Have you ever asked yourself how many decisions you make every day?

Okay, that’s a trick question. Let’s narrow it down. How many conscious decisions you make each day?

A quick search has led me to this answer: at least 35,000 for an “average adult American.” What about Filipinos? Let’s assume we make at least half of that since we have less complicated lives, haha. But kidding aside, that’s a lot of decision-making everyday.

Funny that in today’s age where information is overflowing, we make less decisions–even end up making bad decisions. This is so because we have several options. We have too many! This article states that “with too much information, people make less decisions.”

Imagine this: in a big store of too many shoe choices, you often end up buying nothing. But in a botique where there are 3 to 4 choices, you often decide quickly. Barry Schwartz on TedTalks called this the “paradox of choice.” With too much choice, we often become undecided.

Now,  how can you keep your life a little less complicated–which means you make decisions quickly since you are able to focus on what’s important.  But before I jumped into the next point, watch this first:

So if you believe Mr. Schwartz, modern Western life has made our lives more complicated. We’re surrounded with information. And we’re always under pressure to make sense of it. Now, if you’re job involves making sense of these things and deciding which ones to throw out and which ones to retain, then most likely, you often find yourself  stuck, or worse, paralyzed. Thus you are most likely unhappy, anxious and frustrated.

Last week, I bought this book called “The Decision Book,” which is an international bestseller. It features 50 known models for “strategic thinking.” 50! Wow. We need at least 50 best-known models for decision-making to make good decisions. Now, where do I start?

So there. As they say, life is about making choices (more good than bad, I suppose). To keep things very simple, you may choose between these two options whenever your stuck: will it make you happy or will it make you sad. If a certain decision does make you happy, then stay with it. If it does not, then scrap it. But, if it makes people sad, but makes you happy, then, that’s another complicated question that requires another round of decision-making.

Wait, scrap that.

Just keep it simple! And decide.

The extended weekend holiday gave me more time to reflect and spend time with the kids. Today, I showed them a card trick that baffled them. (It was a simple one using sleight of hand). My eldest daughter was scratching her head as I guessed every card she picked from a pile. Right now, she’s busy helping her mom fix her PowerPoint presentation! (She’s literally turning into me?!)

Kids today learn fast. They’re like sponge. They absorb anything. They ask you a lot of questions (does this remind you of you when you were their age?). Teaching kids about life is not easy. However, showing them how things are done is the best way you can do as a parent. They do imitate you since they think what you do is perfect. (Although they won’t admit this). One thing I learned about kids is making learning fun. Baffle them. Make crazy stories. Let them loose and allow them to be creative. Make them laugh. They will love you back.

News today show new leaked US cables that reveal the US government’s views on the former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Just like in earlier revelations, the Wikileaks provided actual cable dispatches from the US Embassy in the Philippines, reports added.  (If you want to view the actual cable dispatches, you can go here).

One of my friends gave me this idea. Instead of buying the usual souvenirs in places you travel to, buy a book and make a short note on the first few pages about the place, the occasion and other highlights. Thus explains these books I bought. Been seeing Peter Straub but this is the first time I’ve picked up his book. Let’s see how it goes.

UPDATE: Day 14 started rather early. Suddenly, I found myself scrambling. Traveling is fun. But after the travel comes the piling work waiting to pounce on you like a hungry lion. As the day ends today, I see many people  saying goodbyes now that they’re back in their own countries.

Tomorrow, I’m going to the future. From +7, I will be upgraded to +8, Manila/Hong Kong/Singapore Time. My day is practically planned out and I’m expecting to hit the deck and running.

Tonight, I will eat my last Pad Thai, I will smell my last spicy curry, and will enjoy a few more moments of last-minute shopping for things you don’t really need when you get back home.  (I eventually found myself in a nice American steak house — it was ribs for dinner).

Currently, my list of to-dos look this way:

1. Pack
2. Throw trash
3. Finish all drinks in my fridge
4. Unpack clothes I accidentally packed.
5. Browse and post onto a social network
6. Possibly add a new line into this blog entry.
7. Take another nap.
8. Check flight details.
9. Pack more.
10. Fly

Saying goodbye to new-found friends was a struggle. We’ve left a part of ourselves in them, and we will cherish them forever. It was a blast and everybody had their last dance (literally and figuratively). This morning, as I write this, I will soon say goodbye to this city that has surprised me every day. Its rich culture, its people, and the tourists it attracts tell many stories — some I will never forget.