Notice Period

Before waving good bye to your old boss, one is compelled to render a notice period. This, as they say, is an instrument concocted by the HR Department gods, to serve as protection for both you and the company.

Notice Periods can range from 30 days to 90 days depending on the prevailing legal laws or whatever you where dumb enough to agree with during your more happier encounters with your company's human resources department peons.

Now, even though I see the logic and understand the principles behind this, I simply refuse to allow myself to be forced in to a negotiation on delaying this notice period simply because the company can, within its privileges, call upon the cruelest, most evil invention known to man - the provisional clause.

Personally, I think that the HR and Admin Manager is using this clause to get back at me for giving him several sleepless nights in the past as he struggles on each conference meetings with the big boys to explain his more recent soirees.

Most of us don't really know that within the recessed pages of our contracts lies this diabolical clause of lamentation until it is pretty much too late for us to do something about it.

Some contracts contain the clause with the simple purpose of providing the company, precious delaying time and leverage, if in case you would elect to ditch them.

Statements on contracts like ---

"These responsibilities along with whatever task the company deems necessary in the normal line of your duties..."

I tell you, I can no longer count the number of lives destroyed, mutilated by these words.

In the end though, its every man for himself. One has to be forever vigilant, reading and understanding the contract thoroughly before signing, and to demand clarification if you feel that the clause is too vague or is maliciously constructed.

Business Minded

Often times what starts as a modest  business concept ends up as your own winning lottery ticket to financial independence... This is why despite numerous failed endeavours, I never loose heart on one day managing my own business - whatever forms/size it maybe.

But it's cruel how only a handful of people realize that the security that we are looking for has always been there... staring us at the face... taunting us with its seemingly smart collection of perfect catasthrophies that we so everlovingly call "jobs"...

One of the major constraints of being a single breadwinner is that you can never really count on anyone else but yourself. Regardless of how brilliant your business model and related operation planning, your major concern is not the actual formalities of the business, but the gargantuan task of having the motivation to start it! then later on, sustain it...

Believe it or not, I think this is the same old shitty reason why most of the middle class folks have not turned into business... even with the accrued skills and experience they bring to the table, they simple don't want to risk the sickening foray of the routine of working for someone elses money...

its the risk factor that kills the cat... 

and since most of us depends on our monthly paychecks for subsistence; it is indeed a critical complication to decide whether or not to leave the security of the rat race and brave the elements of what will be, by going into the unchartered territory of entrepreneurship.

reflecting on the fact that we will be coming back home soon - I am eagerly looking forward at some business concept or models that I've been nurturing while I am away, things that would add value to my initial attempts into enterpreneurship. The only problem is not the indication of risk, as I've already consoled myself that risk is already a part of life will always be there; like the bad stain you get on your teeth because of that smoking habit that you once have; but on whether the risk-reward is relevant in what I have made my world into at the moment... I would really like to concentrate with my career right now, but deep-down inside I feel that I am loosing the opportunity if I'd put off going into business...

I guess I prescribe in the saying "opportunity passed is opportunity lost" too literally.... but I do believe (well, somewhat) that being a high powered mogul of a business enterprise while at the same time being a conventional glorified pencil pusher might actually work... at least I'm praying it could work, then later on, I'd just be worrying about important stuff like deciding whether to quit the 9-5 thing or go to a summer vacation in an exotic polynesian escapade... yeah.... that would be something, huh...?

This may prove to be a challenge, but I feel that its a challenge I cant afford to answer... so, I guess I'll be talking back about this in the (hopefully) near future...

Live and let live

There is something about the old addage I mentioned in the subject line... 

I mean, how can you expect to have your way (live) without expecting any form of compromise with the welfare of other people (let live)... 

Who ever coined that statement obviously knows nothing of social responsibility, and is probably ignorant of the law of cause and effect...

You see, sometimes when we let other people guide us, we end up hating ourselves for it... There is one saying though that I cant stress enough of and that is..... 

"Shit happens, sometimes more than once..."

When is loosing a good thing?

When can we say that loosing is actually an advantage? 

Is it when we get to stay home and miss class because we're sick?  What about getting an extension for a project but will have to settle for least priority because the budget committee has already deliberated.

No sooner than I can stretch my legs after settling into our own pad am I once again confronted with a dilemma. Another crossroad in this never ending highway of terror and grimace.

I am at a decision point from which I am still unabashedly clueless, completely frozen by the complications that may arise from the decision that I am about the take.

I've been in several similar situations before, and honestly, I don't remember having to make any easy decisions. But despite the exposure that I have, I still get prison-bitch jumpy every time something like this happens.

Maybe because, I never really got comfortable in taking risks - which is actually a mockery of what my entire life stands for. I always figure that the next "jump" would be the last one.

Leaving this place at this time raises some valid question, and of course the feeling of remorse for returning home without something to show for. I swear, if I'll have a penny for every time I felt this way, I would've had enough money to buy a new car.

There is just something in me that always begs to challenge fate. I know, it sounds all too egocentric but that's the truth. A lot of times I ask myself, why do I have to tempt what I have been dealt with? Sometimes, I'd say a candidly short answer and pacify myself. But often times, I spend the entire day wondering what to do.

It is not always clear cut when it comes to major decisions. You are always confronted by fear, remorse, insecurity, and sometimes even hatred (not necessarily in that order) - whenever you cross paths with decisions that doesn't have obvious answers.

Maybe I am feeling this way because I felt like I am abandoning the battlefield, deserting the warpath, escaping the rift that I once put my everything on the line for. In reality though, I am merely being re-deployed to another place where the fighting is more intense. A place where friends and foes are not marked and everyone seems to fight alone for themselves.

But after everything has been said and done... we still need to face the music... even if it meant possible regretting it later...

So the question remains, when is loosing a good thing? 

Let me know if you found the answer....