Routines

Some people are comforted by routine. I am unfortunately one of those who loathes routines. I guess, it is one of the reason why having only a 9-to-5 job bores me. One thing I've learned about myself is that I am the type of person who wants to have a lot of things going on. I am most happy (and harried) when I multi-task. The trick, I've learned, is to have a lot of things moving: a writing assignment, a food-related thing, an online shop, a supplier/buyer to a cousin's shop. I am most happy (despite my complaints) when I feel that I am racing against time. It is the challenge of defying the odds that gives me the buzz, at least when it comes to work and business.

But to be able to manage time, we do need some sort of routine. In Davao, I’ve settled into a sort of less harried routine. The only time I'd willingly go out of the house in Davao is at dawn and at night. The sun here is unbearably scorching, so unless it is terribly important, I will not risk going out at midday. I try to have my walks at 30 past 5 in the morning. And at night, when the breeze is colder and when I feel a need to be surrounded by the buzz of people, I go out to the malls, or to a coffeeshop, otherwise I stay home and walk around the village again. In between are the hours when I vacillate from one task to another --answering emails, chatting with the assistant in Manila, finishing up the business plan, reading stuffs, ordering items, standardizing recipes, and baking. At night, I go about with my little whims— long baths, TV time, blogging, reading fiction and sometimes chatting with the other people in the house. It is a life that suits me fine. At this point, I am happy just having a chance to put up the small businesses I've always thought were next to impossible to put up. In some ways, I feel I’ve changed from a sort of pessimist to a bit of a go-getter. One learns that in running a business, can't is an unacceptable answer. It's either you choose to do it or not. There's always a choice and there's always a way to get around obstacles or close a door.

The next two months is just enough time to see the pie business running, learn new lessons in the process, and put a system to work. It is the approximate amount of time I have before I go back to the oil and gas industry. And to be honest, I am a bit excited too. Who knew that I'd miss the tech. stuffs this much? But I'll go back with the knowledge that I have more responsibilities now, not only to the design work, but to the two business that I've set up. I hope that the system and the people I've put in place will do well to help me as I oversee their growth from across seas. And so, despite me saying that I hate routine, it's an inescapable part of life. And I do live a life of routine. But if we choose to do what we love then we'll be tempered by the knowledge that it is a matter of giving up some things for the stuffs that are more important.