Constantly Improving

Its been hard trying to market FMASCHOOL.com, difficult because I am my own worst client. As someone with marketing experience, I know that its crucial that I follow up with any and all contacts I
might have made in my events. It's important to have a booth ready to go with staff ready to answer any questions that might arise. But it is also important to get their contact info. Just giving them my flyer or business care won't do any good. It is up to the vendor to follow up. I know this, and any marketing person worth his salt knows this. But I can't seem to do it. Maybe this is what keeps me from success. My own lack of follow through?

So with that to any and all who wants to market anything. Showing up isn't good enough anymore, its showing up everyday is what counts. Push for it and never give up on your dream.

Francis




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

New Testament Survey

Last night (11/04) I started my second class at Vanguard University and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Last night again the Lord reconfirmed that Vanguard is the right place. But its kinda sad and scary at the same time that I only have 4
more weeks of class left. I don't even have time to adjust to it. But at the same time I don't have time to get bored. I have to just fix my student loans stuff. Pray for me.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

God Answering

On September 27, 2010 the Serrano house went through an upheaval Sunday morning. Finding a boy in my niece's room is surely something that this uncle wasn't prepared for.

But that is not what this blog is about. This blog is about doing what is right even when it betrays even myself. Surely this was a test from God. To have this same boy whom I just kicked out of the house invite back because he had nowhere else to go.

All throughout my thought process I kept pushing and pushing for let this BOY deal with his own problem. But Jesus was talking to me the whole time where He drown out my own voice and kept reminding me of my Christian Duties from my conscious aka GOD. Then if that wasn't enough I saw a license plate that said God Loves U and that was it.

Well he's staying with us. But I know God will not forsake us.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Tita Celia's Pinoy Restaurant in Carson, CA

I


happen to chance to find Tita Celia's Filipino restaurant here on Carson and Figeroua. As I found this place I found myself excited to eat some authentic Pinoy Food. I ordered Breakfast meal with Tocino served eggs and Garlic Rice. I also ordered 2 pcs of Pork BBQ and Large Sago Gulaman.

As I first noticed that this place is standard turo-turo (point point) restaurant. The decorations are dark and uncomfortable. Two flat tv playing of course TFC. I try not to judge the quality of the food based on this weird decoration but it does have a theme. A dark theme colored. But with all the windows you would think this would be brighter. Tables are dirty and the chairs well there's stuff on it.

Now let's get to the food. I think the only thing fresh with my meal was the eggs that was polched, cause that's the typical way the Pinoy cooks eggs. (<---sarcasm). The tocino and rice was too hot. It was clear that rice have been reheated to the point it burnt the tongue. No taste of garlic anymore. The the tocino was frozen cooked a while ago and reheated. Thus the meet was dry and the ice that was on the marinated meat washed away the sweatness and sapped all the life from it.

The Pork BBQ I'm afraid was prepared similarly where it was frozen and reheated. And what's worse was the Sago gulaman. Ive had water that had more taste. It might as well served dirty water. For that was no sago gulaman.

Its so sad I want to support Pinoy business but until they improve their food they have no business of being in business. Sorry.

Out of 5 stars I give Tita Celia 1/2 a star. And they only get that cause the women that work here are cute.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I know I am suppose to share

When I was a little boy one of the things that was alway hard for me was to share. Share my toys my friends just anything that belonged to me well it stayed with me. I am just a stingy little boy. I guess it had to do with being the youngest and there was at least 16 years between my sister and I. So in that context i am an only child.

But as I grew older I knew that sharing was important. And now I share all the time. But when is it okay not to share?

Eversince Visayan Legacy split from the main school it has been awkward. I mean I still have friends from the old school. And I look forward to see them in tournaments and seminars. But now it's different.

Now that they decided to stay with their teacher why are some of them still asking us to be their corner man and or prepare them for the upcoming tournament. Why are they not asking their leaders and or teachers? I just find it so unfair that they are expecting us to sti help the when in our time of need they decided to abandon us. Let's me be clear although they are still my friends. Their decision to stay with that person still hurt. To me it felt lime they put their self interest first before doing what is obviously right. ( Oh btw if you are reading this and you are one of those people. Sorry but this is how I feel )

Now at tournaments they come up and ask if we can be their corner man or have a session with them to train. I am so not down with that.

1. Why aren't they askig their teachers? I mean they choose to stay with him so have him help you. But more often than not if we do help them they go and give credit to their teacher not the one that actual helped them.

2. As a school owner my point of view has changed. I find myself thinking of my students first more and more often. And my students pay me to teach them what I know, why then should others get it for free? It's not fair to my students.

So sharing all the time. Well not in this case.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

To my Dad c/o Jesus

Dad,

Do u miss me like I miss you? Do you cry at times on the moments that seems to make any sense?
Do you envy those who have take advantage of those they are supposed to?
All I know is Dad that 15 years ago a small piece of me left and I wait I long and I cry for no matter what no matter who you will be the only one that fills that gap. And I long for the day where we can be all a family again. I love you Dad.

Your Son,
Francis Thomas B. Serrano

Jesus, can you tell him this for me? And I thank you for the promise that I will see him again.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Effectiveness of Stickfighting

More often than not I get a lot of questions and comments about FMA (Filipino Martial Arts) and it's effectiveness. Well it doesn't take much convincing that FMA is designed for real world application. And yes I know we don't walk around with sticks everyday. But any true Filipino Martial Artist knows what makes this effective isn't the tool it's the "tool" that thinks that I need a stick to kick their ass. Just kidding what makes this dangerous isn't the stick it's the person that wields it.

And here's why:

1. Extension. A stick is an extension of my arm meaning that I can still do the same move with a small variation.

2. Faster than you. A stick can travel almost 50x's faster than your fist. And we train to block and counter with a fast moving sticks being wielded against us. Well if we can move block evade counter circumnavigate dodge with a stick traveling at high velocity than how much easier would it be when it is traveling at a slower rate?

3. We start training weapon first. That is because FMA has a military point of view. In any military training across the globe and history. All soldiers are first taught how to fight with a weapon. And when they go out on the field of battle they carry as much weapons as they can carry. Why? It's because they want to have as much of an advantage over their enemy. So they teach them how to wield their weapons first and then move into empty hands. But ask any soldier, once you take a way their weapons are they any less dangerous?


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone