Better dayz

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Keep your head up and try to keep the faith
And pray for better dayz

Better dayz, Better dayz
Heeyyy
Better dayz
Thinking bout better dayz
Better dayz, Better dayz, Better dayz
Heeyy
Better dayz
Got me thinking bout better dayz
-2pac

I am feeling better... scarred but still kicking... I guess yesterday was the peak of what I was feeling... Im ayt.. Listening to my 2pac cd's all day.. all afternoon... all night... (bayi pucha napaadik mo ako men!)

We are required to do a paper in ENG100 for the book, "Men are from Mars, and Women are from Venus". I disagree with the concept of Men only retreating to their caves when there's a problem, and women exclusively are like the waves.. I think men although not most of the time are like waves too... Im just saying this because as I observed myself.. I know I get emotional too.. and one time I am the happiest person in the world then the next day one bit of change can make me like the loneliest puppy. But I was just wondering do women have caves too? I think ladies have them too sometimes... what do you think ladies? speak up.. :)



Price-Driven-Buyer V.S. Quality-Driven-Buyer

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ROOTS Chapter 1

I was raised in a very very very(m not exaggerating) thrifty family. To be honest, I came from one of the prominent clans in Pampanga. Business was always our life. We live with the simplest things but if you base it on the businesses that we have back in P.I., you will assume that we are spoiled and filthy rich.

The answer is no. Chances are you have a more normal childhood than we had.

My mom makes sure that we don't feel spoiled. In fact, when I was a kid, I felt I was being ignored and unloved. It was so hard to understand why my best bud got new shoes, and my old shoes even if the "swelas" was popping out, is still on my feet and not in the trash can. My mom's motto was, "as long as it works, you don't need to buy new ones". This is the policy in the house... more of like when I grew up... the policy of my life.

We have been somehow disciplined to control our money, get the best deals and save the money left in the bank. If I think about it now, the training ground that I know of is getting P10-P20 a day when I was in grade school, and P30 a day my whole high school life. This ain't 1980's my friend, this was the 90's. In order to survive (kala mo pa naman mamatay kami ;p), my cousin kimo, my sister nicole, and I embarked on a journey. If Magellan explored our country to look for spices, we were out to fill our pockets with money. I felt our same business blood running through their veins. We even used Nicole as a tool. We used her povedan bus mates as our first clients.

The Product: Customized Hand-drawn Bookmarks.
Price: P2.50-P5.00
Result: Just a fad. The supply was run over by the demand. (in short wala ng need hahaa!)

We were young businessmen... businesskids i suppose. We were giving fair shares i think o inaabuso namin yung little sister ko mwahahaha.. i couldn't remember.. I think I was in the 4th grade or 5th grade ata nun.. and i was so so fat... haha! wala lang..

I just realized this now that we were the young apprentices of the Ocampo family. We were pushed to look for the better value for our money because if we didn't, nothing will be left for us to put inside our pockets. I remember before when my dad and mom would go to work and we were tasked to go to the supermarket, my mom would always say, "With this amount you should be able to buy everything on this list." Then she will say.. "You should also have change." That means, with a little amount of money, you should be able to squeeze everything for you to buy what's on the list and to top it all... she wants to have change. Ang galing! This was a good practice because this definitely made me sure and double check that what I was buying until now is either on a very very very good sale price or just getting a good deal.

Our family knows where to buy our products, and have established a great reputation throughout the 40+ years among our customers ever since it was opened. The Ocampo’s Olongapo was made through the sacrifices and hardships of my lolo and lola. The foundation of the store was literally made with blood and tears. Looking at it now, it is like a monument and milestone for us third generation. It kinda serves an inspiration for me. Standing proud and gallantly among the battles it has fought. It provides as a fortress and at the same time a home for all of us, especially sa mga “apo”. I used to accompany my lola and lolo to “divi”. A slang word we used by our family to signify divisoria. HAha… those were the days… We would fill my lola’s L300 with all of the products that we can sell… be it a tabo, little trash can, spoons and forks, etc. I was so small then and I was helping them… ang cute cute ko pa nun! (kaya nga narcissistic pagbigyan mo na ako! haha!!) This in turn made me always look for the better price. … you also have two choices if you wanna get it... it’s either you go to another place or wait…

My roots as a Price-Driven-Buyer runs deep… this may not be all of my crazy experiences as a kid… but this is just a number of experiences I can remember… give me time to reminisce… watch out for Chapter 2 heheh!!! I have to catch the bus! Peace!

Current Mood: Semi-Happy
Song: ONLY 2PAC CD’s on my cd player baby!



NGA PALA punyeta last episode na tom ng friends... 2 hour finale!!! syet GO ROSS and RACHEL!!! woohoo!!! nakakainis kinikilig ako i dont know what will happen!!! pro i know they will end up together! I just wanna know how...