My trip to General Santos City last week was an eye-opener. For weeks, I've been contemplating if I really want to go there due to the bombing news that appeared in national newspapers sometime in the past. It immediately gave an impression that the city is not safe. However, much like Davao City and Zamboanga City, the place is beautiful and relatively quiet.

It is ideal for those who want to live a simple and quiet life. As an outsourcing destination, it will surely merit those who want minimum distraction and access to great seafood.

The place has inspired me to embark on a project, in reactivating my Digital StatsReport. For months, I've been thinking about it but couldn't find the right material to work on. But after seeing General Santos City, I knew that I had to do it in order to give justice to locations in Mindanao that were badly discredited due to unfair and unbalanced news coverage. The title dubbed as the 26 Outsourcing Destination Competitiveness Report shall also give me the chance to go around the country, reconnect with friends, and campaign for the Philippine Schools Cyberfair National competition.

I must admit though that I'm partly scared. In 2002-2003, our first attempt in DigitalFilipino StatsReport was not successful in terms of acceptance. But this time, we decided to bundle this to our DigitalFilipino.com Club membership. I'm taking the challenge once again to make it work.

This Tuesday, we will go to Cebu, to celebrate Sun.Star SuperBalita's 11th anniversary. The overnight trip is meaningful as a good friend in Cebu will be going to Canada to pursue a 2-year study a week after. I will surely miss this guy and certain that he'll do well there. Perhaps, he might find the right girl for him while in Canada.

I'll be going to General Santos City for the first time this Friday as well. If all will turn out as planned, we might end up having an eyeball event during the eBusiness Week and Mindanao ICT Congress.

I had once again allowed close friends to hurt me. Well, "allowed" is not really the best word to describe it. For the sake of friendship, we often keep friends, even those who have disappointed us in the past. Perhaps I truly love them. To the point that one can be forgiving and overlook mistakes. Still, despite the disappointment, I can't find in my heart to dump the friendship. It is just a stage that will just go away, well that's the belief I chose to take.

Perhaps, if I'll be a bit brutal in perspective, there are no permanent friends, but only permanent interest. Maybe the only reason why we're just all hanging in together was because of that interest, that allowed the friendship to blossomed in the first place. But when that interest is shaken, the friendship is too. But as these friends were children of the "common interest" that I started, I felt like a mother with grown-up adult children and be forgiving. I'm sure in some instance, perhaps they feel the same too, in reverse. In the end, we had no choice but to work out our differences, without discussing our disappointments.

I had already let the common interest go, for quite sometime now. It's like love that you set free, for it to blossom. By default, I don't look back once I moved on. However, with this one, I often get called for support but have been disappointed and even disrespected at times, quite consistently. Some of those who helped me when I started this interest were also treated the same. In limited ways, I called their attention and fought for respect to be properly given. I can personally take it if done directly to me because I'm used to it. But can't take it if done to those who have helped a lot then. It is the least that I can do as gratitude, for their selfless service.

I guess, in the end, it is true, it is a thankless job.

I shall pray for serenity to accept things that I can't change. I shall pray for courage in heart, to be always understanding and not be judgmental, so I may be forgiven in my shortcomings too. I shall pray and be thankful for the wisdom gain from these experiences and not to repeat them again.

»8:06 PM    »Write comment    

Posted by: janette    in: Home

Modified on October 23, 2005 at 8:08 PM

This week, I've been spending a lot of my time in fixing DigitalFilipino.com. The inspiration came after my eBiz Training for SMEs last week. I came to terms with reality that I need to go back to basics to reach out and evangelize e-commerce.

I got the chance to review my articles as early as 2000. With it, I am now updating and republishing them one by one.

Looking back, I realized that as early as 2000, I was already doing Infotech TV and Infotech radio, streaming it online using a Real Audio/Video Server service offered by my former web host then. Unfortunately, as they stopped offering that service, I also stopped producing as well. Of course, to date there's now podcast. Perhaps I may start doing it again soon, along with new e-books, online workshops, training, among others.

As I now integrate DigitalFilipino.com, along with my external blogs, I hope readers will see how we've broaden our mindset and horizon as to what e-commerce is really all about. It is more than just technology.

Last month, DigitalFilipino.com celebrated its 6th year anniversary. There's renewed enery in the air especially with the 1st hacker conviction under the Philippine E-Commerce Law. I have decided to go back to my old articles and re-published it with updated insights.

Google AdSense is now on a roll. It made it easier for users of Blogger.com to integrate the codes in their respective blogs.

As we gear towards our 7th year, we see greater and exciting challenges for us. Our sincerest thanks to all our followers and look forward to your insights.

»6:37 PM    »4 comments (0 )    

Posted by: janette    in: Home