All The Best, Ren

Welcome, dear listeners, to an exciting new season of All the best, Ren! I'm your host, Ren, and I am thrilled to invite you on this journey with me. Whether you're a returning fan or a brand new listener, get ready for a season that's different from before. Season 2 is here, this time, we're breaking free from any confines or boundaries, allowing the episodes to flow naturally, following the currents of my curiosity with the presence of a chosen drink!

My chosen drink for this week is the San Miguel flavoured beer- Lychee Flavor. It's on the sweet side and it's quite refreshing. It's a good drink for the summer.

So yeah, this episode is about my take on Filipino portrayals in other cultures. Filipinos are stereotyped in the west. Some of it are funny, and some are incensitive but that's okay because us Filipinos we stereotype them as well. Before anything else, what is stereotyping? To those who don't know, stereotyping happens when people from a specific culture or background are shown in a simple and exaggerated way, which reinforces certain assumptions and prejudices about them.

Some people get sensitive with this, and some find it amusing. For me, depends on how it was delivered or being acted, I'll laugh about it if it's a good joke. Life is too short so laugh it off. And if the joke is not for me, I'll just give a side eye. Us Filipinos, we stereotype other cultures as well, so it's fair.

Filipinos are depicted as nurses, housekeepers, servants, or even comedic sidekicks in movies. This is the case because majority of our overseas Filipino workers' jobs are nurses, domestic helpers and in the food and beverage industry. Big shoutouts to all of our overseas Filipino workers who are working hard in other countries to be able to provide for their families in the Philippines and being an essential part of our economy.

You know, some portrayals may also highlight the good things like our warm hospitality and we care so much, and our distinct sexy accent. And don't forget, Filipinos are renowned for our love of karaoke, and most Filipinos can sing. We are all over talent shows all over the world. No matter if they are half Filipinos or full-blooded Filipinos, there's always at least one Filipino in a talent show.

At the end of the day, we are not defined by the stereotypes others may hold about us. We are a multifaceted community, proud of our heritage, and with so much to offer the world. So let's not get offended to those people who stereotype not just to us Filipinos but to other cultures or heritage as well because those people who stereotype are just ignorant and should be educated.

So that concludes it! Thank you for joining me on the third episode of season 2. I hope that this has opened your mind a bit, and don't take everything seriously. All the best, Ren.

Welcome, dear listeners, to an exciting new season of All the best, Ren! I'm your host, Ren, and I am thrilled to invite you on this journey with me. Whether you're a returning fan or a brand new listener, get ready for a season that's different from before. Season 2 is here, this time, we're breaking free from any confines or boundaries, allowing the episodes to flow naturally, following the currents of my curiosity with the presence of a chosen drink!

My chosen drink for this week is Coca Cola Zero. It's not healthy but it's the only soda drink I have today.

What I'm going to talk about this week is a frequent reaction by people when scandalous things happen or is posted in social media and it gets viral. It is the trial by media, social media to be more specific. So this refers to the phenomenon where netizen's public opinion, often shaped by social media platforms, plays a significant role in judging and condemning individuals or organizations accused of wrongdoing. It usually is influenced by public opinions, accusations, and judgements towards people involved. People who are convicted with wrongdoings by authority or the court are not what I'm talking about because there's legal-concrete evidence already and not hearsay.

Most of the time, when a wrongdoing gets viral, which ever narrative gets posted first automatically gets the sympathy card of the majority. And this is very dangerous because we are not giving a fair opportunity and formal legal process to the people involved especially the person getting all of the hate and judgement. I am guilty of this, and I've grown and I'm doing my best not to judge people for the stupid things or wrongdoings they do online that gets viral.

Trial by social media leads to the spread of misinformation, mob mentality, and online harassments or death threats.

You know harm caused by trial by social media is mostly irreversible. This harms individuals or organizations who might be innocent and they chose not to talk about it. And when parties defend themselves and tell their side with evidence, there are still people who don't believe it and chose to hate them and not accept that they were wrong for judging them in the first place.

Don't get me wrong, trial by social media can also lead to positive outcomes like calling out the wrongdoings of powerful individuals or institutions. It helps us share information and promote social justice, it can also have negative consequences. So we should use trial by media with caution, we need to be more responsible of the opinions we post online because it could harm others and could fireback at us.

So that concludes it! Thank you for joining me on the second episode of season 2. I hope that this has sparked new perspectives, and left you mindful. All the best, Ren.

Welcome, dear listeners, to an exciting new season of All the best, Ren! I'm your host, Ren, and I am thrilled to invite you on this journey with me. Whether you're a returning fan or a brand new listener, get ready for a season that's different from before. Season 2 is here, this time, we're breaking free from any confines or boundaries, allowing the episodes to flow naturally, following the currents of my curiosity with the presence of a chosen drink!

My chosen drink for this week is coffee. Let me sip a bit. Specifically arabica coffee with a little bit of sugar and a little bit of milk. It is what I'm drinking right now. I love how it smells.

So anyway, this week, I'd like to talk about my take of the existence of misogyny and sexism in this day and age. But first, let's try to differentiate the two. Although both relate to unfair treatment based on gender, they are totally different.

Sexism is a broader term that refers to discrimination, prejudice, or stereotyping based on a person's gender. It can affect everyone, men, women, lgbtqia+, although it often disproportionately affects women. Misogyny specifically refers to hatred to women. It is a form of sexism that specifically targets and devalues women, viewing them as inferior or unworthy. Sexism is a broader term surrounding gender-based discrimination, while misogyny is a more specific form of sexism that focuses on hatred and prejudice against women.

So... this can manifest in subtle, everyday behaviors, attitudes, and societal norms that maintain gender inequality. I know a few people who are like this. There's a person who believes that women are or should be or always under men and should take jobs that are only for "women". Some people know that they are like this and are proud, and some people don't. Others tend to tolerate this kind of behaviour when they witness this just because they are their friend which is very wrong. If you are a person who is surrounded by sexists and misogynists, you better find new friends if you cannot change their minds. Changing them doesn't happen overnight. The least thing you can do is constantly calling them out. That what they said is wrong, what they are doing is wrong. They are probably like that because they idolize the wrong people, they grew up in an environment wherein women are opressed, or they lack education.

If we engage ourselves in open conversations, promoting empathy and understanding, and actively supporting equality for all genders, we can contribute to a better future free from discrimination and gender-based violence. Be open-minded and don't get disrespected if people try to educate you or promote and raise awareness of gender equality because this is to help you be a better person. Be in the know.

That concludes it! Thank you for joining me on the first episode of season 2. I hope that this has sparked new perspectives, and left you inspired. All the best, Ren.

Here's me ranting about toxic players.

There are many factors that influence our perception. The most common is what we realize from experiences when we were young. Most of it is based on what we see. The insight that we usually get from that helps us in molding who we are. Who I am now is based on a lot of factors, but I want to focus on the movies that inspired me during my younger years.

The earliest movie that I saw in the theatre was the movie Pocahontas. I love the sound track “Colors of the Wind”. I love singing that. Other than teaching us to be open to other cultures, it taught me to respect nature, and follow my heart when faced with difficult or important decisions in life.

Another movie that I enjoyed when I was a kid is the movie “Matilda”. It taught me that being different is okay. What matters most is that you believe in yourself and in your abilities to make your dreams come true.

There are so many remarkable kids' movies that could help children realize things about life and learn from them.

Now let’s shift the focus on the movies that I enjoy during my teenage and adult years. Sci Fi is my favorite movie genre ever. Back to the Future taught me to stand up for myself and whatever I do in the present affects my future. The Matrix taught me that I can do things if I believe in myself. And Wonder Woman taught me that you don’t have to be a man to make a difference in the world and make it a better place.

Movies may help us escape our daily lives, and it can impact us in the real world. It is true that films influence peoples’ behaviors and attitudes. It definitely can change people’s minds about things and influence society. That’s why we need to be careful about what movies we watch, and when to take them seriously.

That’s all for today!

All the best,

Ren

P.S. Like what you hear so far? Wait until you hear my next episode! Be sure to tune in every Monday for new episodes!

Do you believe that talents or skills can bring you to places? I do.

Other than being a software programmer, I am also an artist. I am always mindful about the balance of the logic and creativity parts of my brain. That way I don’t get burnt out easily. One talent, of the many, that I love to do is making music. Making music that’s just using my mouth, lips, tongue, and voice. We call that artform “beatboxing”. Beatboxing has brought me to places that I couldn’t imagine.

Beatboxing has brought me to national and local tv shows. I got a cameo in the national news broadcasting show called “Saksi”. They were showcasing beatboxing as a unique talent. And that was 9 years ago! The year before that, our local beatbox group “Cebu Elite Beatboxers United” was invited to do an episode with a local tele-magazine called “MagTV Na!”. We did an episode about the human body part, mouth. It talks about how to take care of one’s mouth, and what talents you can use it for. That was my “Hey ma, look at me! I’m on TV!” moment. It was fun filming that episode, and sharing to everybody what we can do made us feel fulfilled because that’s one of our organization’s missions.

Another moment that I can say was fun and exciting was when I got an invitation to be one of the guests in the devRant podcast. You can check that out in YouTube titled “The devRant Podcast - Episode #1 - David Heinemeier Hansson (DHH)”. My part starts at 40:00. I wasn’t ranting this time, but I was sharing about my family’s reaction to me becoming a dev. Well, it’s more like a moment wherein I heard my mom and grandma’s conversation. So my post goes:

My grandma saw me programming for one whole day and she started to rant.

Grandma: "She's been sitting all day infront of her computer doing computer stuff! Electricity bill is getting higher!"

Mum: "Well at least she's not out late at night getting drunk and partying!"

Grandma: "Computer girl"

I enjoyed talking to them even though it was just a short while. I’m not as active as before in devRant but I visit my profile sometimes just for fun and read my posts, especially the ones that relate to the weekly topics.

That’s all for today!

All the best,

Ren

P.S. Like what you hear so far? Wait until you hear my next episode! It’s about the movies that made me. Be sure to tune in every Monday for new episodes!

When it comes to speaking in English and it’s not your main language, it’s hard to avoid adding fillers like ‘uhm’, or even the word ‘like’. For example, “There was this… uhm, man that I saw at the café yesterday and like he was just sitting there like… waiting for someone”. We want to avoid that. There’s nothing wrong with adding fillers when you’re talking to someone, but it’s a plus when you can express yourself right away in English. Mind you, I’m not a professional public speaker, and I learned how to speak English because of studying and taking English classes seriously when I was younger, and watching a lot of western movies. Those 2 things that I’ve mentioned are very common tips that you can find in any article, studying the English language and watching western movies. That helped a lot in making me speak English fluently.

I want to share a technique that I love to share with people when they ask me how I can speak the language fluently. And that’s to think in English. If you think in your native language, then speak in English, it will take you time to translate everything. That’s why you add fillers, and rethink if your grammar is correct. If you think in English, it will just flow naturally. This secret works if you already know basic English sentence structure, and has a wide vocabulary. My speaking skills were good but when my university English teacher taught me this, it improved my English speaking skills drastically. My favorite exercise is talking to myself. Because when I talk to myself, I speak and think in English to make myself get used to the language.

So that’s how I am able to speak in English fluently. I believe that people can improve their language skills by studying hard, practicing it, and applying it to their daily lives. Just like any other skill, right?

That’s all for today!

All the best,

Ren

P.S. Like what you hear so far? Wait until you hear my next episode! It’s about my experience of being on TV, and guesting in an international podcast. Be sure to tune in every Monday for new episodes!

You’re listening to "All The Best, Ren"

A personal journal podcast about anything thinkable under 5 minutes.

When I was little, I always wanted to be an astronaut when I grew up. Floating through space and exploring heavenly bodies. And I ended up as a computer engineer, building websites or software in the cyber world and exploring tech on the internet.

My first encounter with tech was when I was in 3rd grade. I love going to my aunt’s internet café because I can use any computer with no limitations. I frequently played video games there like counter strike, and StarCraft. And also, I used the internet for my homework as well.

What sparked my interest in tech was in highschool, I loved our computer class and, you know… Not to brag but I got high grades. I learned how to program using turbo pascal. I think we created a program that asks “who is your favorite ?” So mine was “who is your favorite rapper?” It was a simple input and output program that made me interested in the subject. I didn’t know that this is how you communicate with computers, through programming languages. When I had my first computer in seventh grade, I explored social networking sites like myspace and Friendster. I was more hooked on Friendster at that time. I learned how to customize my Friendster profile using HTML. I thought that that was so cool. That was the time that made me think that I’d want to pursue a career in web programming.

I believe that a career is pursued based on a person’s life experience and what they want and need. I do hope that people do what they love to do and be happy about it. You know? Find their true calling. You should too…

Well, that’s for this week.

All the best,

Ren

P.S. Like what you hear so far? Wait until you hear my next episode! It’s about my personal tips on how to talk fluently in English when it’s not your first language. Be sure to tune in every Monday for new episodes!