TechPinas Founder Notes # 2 - Gratitude, TechPinas Community Page

Hi TP Friends!

I hope this note finds you well. :)

I'm writing this specifically for two reasons:
1. To express my gratitude for your support in the Dream Trip Blogger contest
2. To announce our new TechPinas Community Page.


Thank you!

As you all know, I was a finalist for Tourism Malaysia's Dream Trip with Blogger Contest, which concluded last Friday. The judges are still deliberating on the results and weeding out invalid entries as well as those that failed to meet the deadline. The blogger who will go to Malaysia will be announced next week, Tuesday.

TP Friends, whether or not I get chosen to go to Pangkor Laut, I want all of you to know that I'm deeply grateful for all the support that you have showered me throughout the competition. Thank you to all TP friends who took time to vote for me and who asked their friends to do the same, knowing that the only thing they can possibly get out of it is the free trip should I win.

I particularly want to thank my whole family, especially my dear mom, who campaigned for me whole-heartedly (despite her tight office schedule and health condition), hoping and praying for the best for me but never waiting nor asking for anything in return. She's really one of the biggest reasons why I chose to stay in the competition.

At one point, I really wanted to just leave the contest because of some things that happened that are against my principles as a person. But she told me, "No. You have to stay in the competition for everyone who believes in you." I thought hard about it and it's true. So I stayed. I tell you, my mom's support for me is totally inspiring.


My mom and me


I want to give a shout-out to my dad, younger brother Marvin, my aunts - specifically Tita Mady and Tita Grace, Ate Owen, Rhea, Tita Joie and Aylin, for campaigning for me in their own workplaces and neighborhood. You guys are the best! Maraming maraming salamat!

For me, the support of loved ones and of all TP friends is enough reason to feel victorious. As long as I have God, my family, relatives, my cousins, friends and you guys who believe in me unconditionally, I know that I'll always be a winner.

--

My alma mater's mantra is "Win or Lose: It's the school we choose." And for me it means two things:

First, we have to be open to losing - because it is a fact of life. We all have to lose sometimes to learn the true value of winning and simply...to learn. There's absolutely no reason to be afraid of defeat in itself. I promise you, only the Lord knows how many times I've lost in life -- both in big and small battles (and this contest has got totally nothing on some battles I've fought and lost -- like Philippine Idol maybe, haha) -- and I'm grateful for all of those; Because each defeat - for whatever reason - helped in molding my character as a person. And yes, each defeat made it possible for me to achieve the bigger, grander victories in life.

Second, whether we win or lose, what's important is to remain whole as an individual. That is, to have integrity of person. 'School', for me, as mentioned in the mantra, represents everything that I've been taught - by my parents, my schools, my communities - and also, my principles and values. So when we say, "Win or Lose: It's the school we choose.", in my opinion, it means being open to the idea of losing and not losing your principles and own self in your desire to win.

So there you go, in this contest - as in every other battle I've fought, "Win or Lose: It's the school we choose." and ONE BIG FIGHT! :)


TPCP: TechPinas Community Page

I'll keep this one short:

TP Friends, we've grown so much in Facebook over the past few months that our Personal Account simply couldn't handle our number anymore that it already had.

So yesterday - April 9, 2011 ~ Araw ng Kagitingan, the TP Team finally created our own COMMUNITY PAGE on FB, which doesn't offer any limits to the number of members it can have.

Feel free to join TPCP (TechPinas Community Page) via this link. Looking forward to seeing you there. :)



Alright! That's it for now, TP Friends! Again, maraming maraming maraming salamat! :D


Sincerely,

Mark Milan G. Macanas

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