Retirement Strategy : What's so important about being 36

I was going through my old blog and came upon this gem which I wrote on Friday, September 22, 2006.  I had just left corporate work at McCann-Erickson a year before and was doing things as I had wanted.  The title of this piece from that old blog was : What's so important about being 36


What's so important about being 36?  More specifically, 36 years and eight months old.

Let me tell you.

At the age of 36 years and eight months old, you would have only 40 months left before you turn 40.

If you were to make a list entitled "Forty things I would like to do before I turn Forty", this would mean that you'd have at least one item to do every month as you wind down the days to the big 4-0.  That way, your list would be more realistic as you could rename it to "Forty things I would like to do in the Forty Months before I turn Forty".

Not unless of course you are a crammer and you would prefer to have a list entitled "Forty things I would like to do in the Forty DAYS before I turn Forty"

byLloyd Tronco

in McCann, Musings, Reflections, Retirement

May 22, 2022

Retirement Strategy : What's so important about being 36

I was going through my old blog and came upon this gem which I wrote on Friday, September 22, 2006.  I had just left corporate work at McCan...

Read More

Teach Us To Number Our Days

 

And just like that, half of the year (2021) has gone,and today is a Friday, so the week has already gone. The sands of time are trickling through the hourglass of our lives and so our prayer is, “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90: 12).

This verse is often treated as if it were a proverb that means, “Life is short, so live wisely.” But in the context of the whole psalm (Psalm 90), it means much more than that. It is a key part of a meditation on God and on living as the people of God. 

Psalm 90 allows us to reflect on how good God has been to us with the lens of seeing things from a "cradle to grave" perspective. Amidst all the struggle and strife we have been through in our lives, we can still definitely say, The Heavenly Father has been really good, sustaining us to this very day.

Psalm 90 ends with this:

14

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,

that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

15

Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,

for as many years as we have seen trouble.

16

May your deeds be shown to your servants,

your splendor to their children.

17

May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;

establish the work of our hands for us—

yes, establish the work of our hands.

byLloyd Tronco

in Family, Featured, Musings, Reflections, Retirement

July 02, 2021

Teach Us To Number Our Days

  And just like that, half of the year (2021) has gone,and today is a Friday, so the week has already gone. The sands of time are trickling ...

Read More

A Prayer for my Ex-McCann Colleagues who moved to ABS-CBN and have now lost their jobs

Today, August 31, 2020, is the day some of my dearest friends from my old place of employment (McCann-Erickson Philippines), will feel the weight of the loss of the network franchise of ABS-CBN.

Sometime between 2005 and 2010, a lot of these friends found a new zest for life in their advertising and communications careers, moving from McCann to ABS-CBN.  There, they shined brightly in their respective duties.  Their diverse talents allowed them to make ABS-CBN spring forth in wonderful and innovative ways.  Blazing trails, creating new departments, innovating business were the order of the day.

As we all know, ABS-CBN lost its bid to have their franchise renewed on July 10, 2020.  As a result, here we are today, seeing the last day of my ex-colleagues with ABS-CBN.

Hold your heads up high.  With "TRUTH WELL TOLD" on your left hand and "IN SERVICE OF THE FILIPINO" on the right, today is really a day for heroes.

I cover you with my personal prayers, but above all, at this time, I send you this prayer.  It comes from St. Augustine.  I hope you will find comfort in it.

God of our life,
There are days when the burdens we carry
Chafe our shoulders and weigh us down;
When the road seems dreary and endless,
The skies grey and threatening;
When our lives have no music in them,
And our hearts are lonely,
And our souls have lost their courage.
Flood the path with light,
Run our eyes to where the skies are full of promise;
Tune our hearts to brave music;
Give us the sense of comradeship
With heroes and saints of every age;
And so quicken our spirits
That we may be able to encourage the souls of all who journey with us
On the road of life, to your honor and glory.



Godspeed, my dear friends!

byLloyd Tronco

in Advertising, Family, Miscellaneous, Photos, Reflections, Retirement

August 31, 2020

A Prayer for my Ex-McCann Colleagues who moved to ABS-CBN and have now lost their jobs

Today, August 31, 2020, is the day some of my dearest friends from my old place of employment (McCann-Erickson Philippines), will feel th...

Read More

Thoughts on Time

I just remembered that there are two words for time in Greek. Chronos, from where we get the word chronometer, refers to the measurement of time; seconds, minutes, hours, years. 

Then there is Kairos - the opportune time. That singular moment when everything is in place and everything is ripe for the picking. The appointed time in the purpose of God. Our best response is to move in that window of time as guided by the Holy Spirit and not under compulsion.

I pray that despite the chaos that COVID brings, we will find some Kairos within ourselves. It's not even Carpe Diem, or seize the day. It's more like "the decisive moment" in photography.

Related Post :

How to get QUAN Delicacies during the Quarantine
 
After having a sumptuous Quarantine lunch or dinner, the best thing to have for postre (Hiligaynon for dessert) are authentic Negrense delicacies! Just in case you are scampering for these delicacies, you can now get them from QUAN at Dian St., Makati City....Read More

----------

Reviving The Lost Art Of Riding The Boat To Bacolod

This past Christmas season has been highlighted by so many horror stories of air travellers experiencing flight delays, bump-offs, and other inconveniences brought about by airlines which lacked the foresight to staff up given the hectic holiday season. Much noted was the chaos which took place at NAIA Terminal 3 when ......Read More

byLloyd Tronco

in Musings, Reflections, Retirement

April 30, 2020

Thoughts on Time

I just remembered that there are two words for time in Greek. Chronos, from where we get the word chronometer, refers to the measurement of ...

Read More

Lessons in Golf as Lessons in Life

----

March 27, 2005. Babes Romualdez in his regular column in the Philippine Star writes about the game of golf. I quickly email feedback to him which reads:


Dear Mr. Romualdez,

I have always thought that golf was an idiotic game not finding sense in continually chasing a white ball which one continues to drive further away by 150 to 200 yards at a time.

I have to admit that this concept changed from the time my 2 year old son showed interest in wielding a toy golf club.

Not only do I agree with the statement in your column that golfing is one of the most effective ways to connect and get to know the character of a person, I believe that it is also one of the best ways to bond and form character within children. In a day and age when parents are usually busy at the workplace, golf provides the perfect venue where parents can mentor children not only in the game of golf, but also in life.

I love how Earl Woods, father of Tiger Woods, delineated it in the preface of his book, "Playing Through". This is how he put it....

The game of golf can be a metaphor for life. My life, for certain. I have experienced my share of birdies and a few eagles, yet it seems I have encountered more sand traps and bogeys than I care to recall. With every obstacle or challenge I've faced, however, I've managed to work through it and come out stronger and wiser. And as I walk down the 18th fairway of my lifetime, I hold my head high and make no apologies for the decisions and statements I have made. I realize now that everything happens for a reason, that there is a plan for all of us, which includes both good times and bad. The more astute among us are able to learn from our misfortunes and become stronger individuals. I have been a survivor, a living testimony that others like me can beat the odds, withstand the cruelties, indignities and setbacks that life can offer. I certainly hope the experiences I'll share in these pages will serve to motivate others to press on when the going invariably gets tough.

What a poignant parallel made by a champion's father! On my end, I may be a bit late in having learned to play golf but I am definitely on time with respect to replicating the feat of "fathering a champion" .

As I write this, I cannot wait to wind down the last 15 days of working for a multinational advertising agency. With all the daily demands of keeping clients' business, more time on the fairway will surely be a welcome respite.

More power to you and your column as I do hope to meet you one of these days on the course!

byLloyd Tronco

in Family, Musings, Reflections, Retirement

April 30, 2005

Lessons in Golf as Lessons in Life

---- March 27, 2005. Babes Romualdez in his regular column in the Philippine Star writes about the game of golf. I quickly email ...

Read More

New Beginnings

April 9, 2005...a day before I turn 37. Yesterday, I spent my last day working for the advertising giant, McCann-Erickson Philippines. I made it a purpose not to work as an employee in an ad agency after I turned 37 years old. Hence, my last day working at the agency was Friday, April 8.

At the time I signified that I wanted to resign, there were no clear plans as to what I’d do next. My boss, Venus Navalta, asked me, “What are you going to do?”. I politely replied, “I don’t know”. I just knew deep down inside that the time had come for me to move on. I added that “there could be other things to do which are not related to advertising…I could go into sugar trading…” (See my future blog on “Sugar and other Negros Stories”).

The day I notified management of my decision to resign (which was three weeks ago), I felt like a parallel on a larger scale was also going on. While locally, it meant that I was letting go of my stripes as Out-Of-Home Media Strategist at UniversalMcCann, a shakeup was simultaneously going on at the global level. Robin Kent, the Chief Executive Officer of UniversalMcCann had also relinquished his position paving the way for another fellow, Murray Dudgeon, to step in as CEO on an interim basis.

On my last day at work, I made it a point to watch the sunset from my desk. Working in McCann allows the employees an exhilarating view of the sun setting at Manila bay. Watching God paint the sky with vibrant colors is really a delight. Unfortunately, people at the agency usually miss this. For close to four years of working in McCann, I have seen that generally, people are still abuzz with work at this time of day. Not too many people take the time to watch the sun set. I know this first hand. I've missed many sunsets despite the grandiose view I have at the 33rd Floor of GT Tower. Missing the sunset from GT Tower...it's quite like having front row seats to a Diana Krall concert with earplugs on.

The sun set at 6:05 p.m. yesterday. In the background, the applause from millions of people at the Vatican who had bid their last farewell to Pope John Paul II. My colleagues at work were actually fixated on the ongoing ceremonies at the Vatican funeral as aired via CNN while I,...I hate to say this, but I was quietly having a funeral of sorts on my own laying to rest close to 4 wonderful years of working with the country's leading ad agency. Lest this statement be misconstrued, the McCann years were among the best in my life. I just had to lay it to rest in order to eagerly await the new things about to come.

After the sunset episode, the highlight of the day was yet to be expected. It took me only 15 minutes to get home from from GT Tower via the Makati-Mandaluyong bridge. I didn't bother to park the car in the garage anymore. I just left it at the curb. I got down, ran to our front door where my wife was waiting. I hugged her. Hugged her long. Hugged her with eyes getting moist. Hugged her with the knowledge that this episode in my life had finally come to a close. Hugged her knowing that the next chapter will be more exciting for us as a couple and as a family as well.

At that point, the day finally ended.

Related Post :

Reviving The Lost Art Of Riding The Boat To Bacolod


This past Christmas season has been highlighted by so many horror stories of air travellers experiencing flight delays, bump-offs, and other inconveniences brought about by airlines which lacked the foresight to staff up given the hectic holiday season. Much noted was the chaos which took place at NAIA Terminal 3 when multiple counters were unable to open......Read More

Remembering the M/S Don Juan - Why The Pain Still Remains for Many Negrenses

I will never forget the morning of April 23, 1980. My mother got off one of those clunky rotary phones to receive such terrible news. The M/S Don Juan was reported to have sunk on its way back to Bacolod, coming from Manila. My mother let loose a loud wail that filled the house upon knowing that her cousin, Tito Batchoy Alunan .....Read More

----------

byLloyd Tronco

in Featured, McCann, Reflections, Retirement

April 09, 2005

New Beginnings

April 9, 2005...a day before I turn 37. Yesterday, I spent my last day working for the advertising giant, McCann-Erickson Philippines. I...

Read More