Christmas lights

"Tried to right a wrong 

Just walk away, those windows say 

But I can't believe she's gone "

-Coldplay

I don't celebrate Christmas or even believe in it. But i felt compelled to post this vid from my super top grossing favorite band of all time -  Coldplay.  It has nothing to do with my belief and faith about this celebrated season, but has something to do with my fanaticism on this band. Well, i just missed them prolly, cuz this is the latest single they've released after quite sometime.

The band's trademark is oozing with attractiveness and lyrical poetry as soon as the intro of this song pops in ... i'd say the video is exceedingly amazing, and to make it complete, the melancholic raspy voice of the vocals. I really love it!!!! (hahaha)

Check 2:20. Believe it!!! This is so convincingly powerful, you could almost hum to the song even if it's the first time for you to listen to it. There's this magical effect it brings, like a soothing effect to the mind and feelings...

Christmas night 

Another fight 

Tears we cried, a flood 

Got all kinds of poison in 

Of poison in my blood 

I took my feet to Oxford Street 

Tried to right a wrong 

Just walk away, those windows say 

But I can't believe she's gone 

When you're still waiting for the snow to fall 

It doesn't really feel like Christmas at all 

Cup of candles, oh they flicker 

Oh, they flicker and they flow 

And I'm up here holding onto all those chandeliers of hope 

Lots of drunken Elvises 

I go singing out of tune 

Saying how I always loved you, darling 

And I always will 

But when you're still waiting for the snow to fall 

Doesn't really feel like Christmas at all 

When you're still waiting for the snow to fall 

It doesn't really feel like Christmas at all 

Those Christmas lights 

Light up the street 

Down where the sea and city meet 

May all your troubles soon be gone 

Oh, Christmas lights, keep shining on 

Those Christmas lights 

Light up the street 

Maybe they'll bring her back to me 

Then all my troubles will soon be gone 

Oh, Christmas lights, keep shining on 

Those Christmas lights 

Light up the street 

Light up the fireworks in me 

May all your troubles soon be gone 

Those Christmas lights, keep shining on

Somewhere along the message of this song, strikes something amongst those people who are away from their loved ones. I mean, literally, like an ocean's apart from each other. That so called "pangungulila" sa mga naiwan sa Pilipinas, esp when December creeps in from the calendar, that the breeze and scents and meaning of it all as it slowly unfolds before the New Year, seem to envelope the human need with kept silence of joy and pain, yeah! a mixed up. I guess i need not explain any further. I'll just replay this video again. ;)

macdosage@gmail.com

Attachment size limits for common eMail providers

It is hard to check five email inboxes, three voice mail systems, or five blogs that you are tracking.

David Rose

Late one night, i was perplexed whether i should zip the large files i was about to email or just send those files as is, knowing that Gmail offers this 25MB max attachment limit. I've compiled some of the well-known free email services together with their maximum attachment limit size.

Gmail / Google
- 25mb

YahooMail / Yahoo
- 20mb

Hotmail, Windows Live / Microsoft
- 50mb

Blackberry/ RIM
- 3mb

Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 and 2007
 - can be customized; depends on the delimiter set by your admin. Find out more here

Aol

- 25mb

OviMail/NOkia

- 20mb

If you want a comprehensive list, visit wiki.

Just my two cents though, i think file attachments are soon to be obsolete, with the birth of Dropbox and other cloud-based storage services like skydrive from Microsoft, less and less usage for attaching files and the likes are being at trend.

I no longer attach files if my recipient has a dropbox account, i immediately drop those files that i wanna share.

I'm looking forward to Google's free cloud storage service.

~mAc

3 Things to muster when it comes to writing and blogging

Believe it or not, blogging will not cease as long as the internet is alive, count 10 decades from now and i'm sure, blogging will still be there, que sera sera.

Despite the trend and the many converts moving daily into the circle of the blogosphere, the obstacles that are basic in realizing this hobby are somewhat intimidating esp to those who have zero experience in writing and for those who are so called wannabes.

I, infact salute those peeps who are finding time to create, nurture and maintain consistency in posting to their blogs (whatever it is : fotoblog, diary blog, technoblog, foodblog and movie review blogs among others).

I wont consider myself an expert on this field but allow me to share my thoughts and insights about the factors to muster when it comes to writing and blogging.


1. Grammar

- whenever someone has committed the mistake (honest mistake or due to ignorance) of using a bad grammar, it's as if a crime is done. Lo! and Behold! you are not alone in that dilemma. To fix the anxiety and lacking of confidence due to grammar complexities, start befriending books and be a reader addict. It's never too late to acquire knowledge. (i have my own grammar lapses and i proactively it)

To make you feel comfy, some famous authors  such as Jane Austen violated some of the grammar rules, i don't imply that we should all fall to the sin of committing errors in the language we are using, i'm trying to say that mistakes can happen and we should learn from it, a non-stop learning process, to improve and be consistent of error free composition.

2. Eloquence

- the smoothness in conveying your thoughts through a written prose is one hell of a challenge, i feel irritated whenever someone asks me to repeat what i've just said, it's like i blurted out the wrong words. What more, when it comes to writing? If you think back, most of us are allergic to technical books and literature, why? primarily because it's boring and monotonous.

One of the great traits of those lovable writers makes you indulge into their stories, it compels you to flip open the dictionary and look for the meaning of their chosen words in their literature and prose.

Eloquence is synonymous to fluency. To be fluent means to use the language in an effective manner with crystal clearness to the receiver.

3. Time and Patience
- Success cannot happen overnight, if you're looking for an immediate traffic in your blog, then change your thoughts. Readership and audience in a blog ripens over time based on the quality of what you write. Dreaming your blog to be on the top search results of Google can be realized. it's a matter of time and patience. Always inject the passion of thinking the benefits of being consistent in writing. There are surefire ways to get your blog to be successful and gain wide readership but the most effective one is having it founded by the virtue of patience and consistency.

For those who are always on the go in enhancing their verbal and linguistic intelligence, it's best to navigate through these waters, the constant practice and application of these 3 factors discussed above must be memorized by heart. Mustering these qualities will bring you to a level that you won't regret. 

How about you? What do you have in mind?




--bmvd

5 Best practices in dealing with an irate customer

Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential. 

Winston Churchill 

When i was a newbie in this world of night shifts and graveyard shifts, i almost got a nervous breakdown with the so called irate customers (btw, Wordweb's definition of irate is - "feeling or showing extreme anger"). These customers are exceedingly suckers of composure and mental peace, dislocating your concentration and goodvibes for the day.

Yet, i realized that it's only a matter of time, dealing with these callers, could actually be turned into a gratifying experience while on a call. Providing a sincere service mixed with love  is kind of a challenge, a would-never-happen kind of thought, but actually, it could happen. These 5 best practices which i've learned through the years have their magical effects. Which, in the end, i get to have a great, if not, a personalized rapport with them throughout the end of the call.

1. Let them vent out

- the easiest way to get their attention is to listen earnestly. Match it with your verbal nods and echoing agreements like "Okay, yeah, Aha,". Soon enough they will get conscious with their blabbering and their discourses of complaints.

2. 'wag mong sabayan (Don't ride on with the heat of their anger)

- it's almost always tempting to bitch back with sarcastic and sardonic mockery and remarks, most esp if the customers are saying below the belt words and saying out loud with profanities already.  Bear in mind though, that it's their way of letting out their frustration and madness. View it as nothing personal, focus on the reasons of their complaints. If you took the bait, you'll end up as a loser.

3.  Acknowledge and restate their issue/s

- Feel the right time and pacing when to voice out  your winning delivery of speech. This is so critical that i normally take the cue when i feel that they've vented out almost over, where almost all the beans has been spilt... Intro your conversation by restating their issues based from their choice of words and don't forget to acknowledge their complaints. Nothing's more peaceful if it's crystal clear than to see a muddled water.

4. State your plan and the solution to their problem

- Saying no for them is definitely the worse! I mean it literally and figuratively. There are times that, what they want can't really be delivered due to company policies and all. But hey, Options.. options... options are the best weapon for these circumstances. Give options to them if you can't solve the problem. They'd end up grateful to you even more.

5. Proactively escalate to your next level of support

- We have to accept the realness of what it can bring by extreme anger, if you really feel with a 99.9% sureness that you can no longer control or handle the call. (cuz you're having a bad day and your accent has been insulted 5 times)... Better pass the phone to your supervisor. Trust me, it's not a cowardly act.

In my tenure, i take pride whenever i have de-escalated an irate customer. The sense of fulfillment is lovely, to look back at the end of the shift that you ended up laughing with a customer whose opening answer is "can i speak to your supervisor?" or someone who blurted "what the f*ck!!!" while on a call. These customers who were turned from dissats to satisfied callers are considered laurels added to your hat; if you've done once before, i'm certain that you can do more.

Share your best practices too in dealing a ballistic one...

~mAc

Supplication

allow me to write and be lost in Your embrace
to kiss away my dreary soul, my fears and cares
where this tired heart has braved enough tears
where the only consolation now is Your saving grace

lift me and blow away the gusts of grey
that to sing would vanquish the tiniest speckle of doubt
and those marred heartaches that may seem endless
would be Yours to take away with clout

when i get to stumble and seem helpless
and  the crows of vain and darkness would seep
i beg You to come... quick and with mercy
to feel your compassion and love for me

servant as lowly as i have been
humbled, with nothing but my faith and hope
i offer you my thanks and praises of exultation
for Your moving guidance and eloquence in things

when the time will come for me to part
i beg, that may i be in my faith steadfast
when death shall be on my footsteps
allow me to fullfill my duty as i surrender to You
my borrowed life...

mac