Most folks have done their Top 10 Wishlists for the year already. And I guess, because of my uber-busy schedule, I happen to be online ONLY every once in a while. Geez! So, what do I want to accomplish this year? I tried to jot down a few on my Dream Board and wow! I just realized I have lots already. I hope I can achieve 'em all ... starting off with a few this year.

So, here goes my list's items ...

1. Asian Trip
   
   
   I had my share of a Euro-trip way back 2003. This time, I want to visit Asian countries. I haven't gone out of my country since then. An Asian cruise would do but I figured, that will be very costly haha. Maybe, the country I ever-wanted to go since 2004 ... Singapore! Me and my friends planned to go there last year but due to the lamest excuse I had (i.e. work), weren't able to come. LOL.  
   
   Well, I better manage my work-life balance now and this year, my friend Emz is rooting to go back there and Celine, my online buddy for long (since my startup year in Xanga) is looking forward for a girls party party party when we get there. Hahaha.  Not to mention, I may be meeting a few Xanga buddies too like, Erniesurn! So, let's see when we're hitting off to SG!
   
   
2. Health ... Better Health
   
    
   
   I really should be taking better care of my health. Last year 2009, I've been a darn workaholic. I was averaging 16 hours per day at work and oftentimes, I spend a 6-day work week. No wonder a few of my friends told me that my work is the biggest boyfriend-repellant kind of job.  Well, everything I do is for my family anyway ... my mom, dad, and younger sister. Being the breadwinner ain't easy. Lots of little sacrifices I have to do every now and then. I kinda neglected my scoliosis treatments last year due to lack of time.
   
   This year, I want to continue my sessions before it's too late. I don't wanna wear those back braces. They won't look good on my fashion statement. LOL.  Kidding aside, well, I really just need to restart my sessions and drink my medicines. This is just one of the other body ailments I endure though haha. So young yet so sickly. Guess it pays being the eldest in the family. Yikes! You grow old faster haha! Sheesh! Healthy living should be my priority this time.
   
   
3. Photography 
   
   
   
   I don't want to be a photographer though but I gotta get my own digital camera. I love taking photos that serve as memories. This comes with a bad memory though. Well, I was a victim of fire in 2006; which made me leave Xanga on hiatus mode for some time too. I had one photography class in college and boy, that was "old school" style. I only knew how to hold an SLR camera. My shots were all produced in prints. I kept them for quite some time and scanned a few. However, the fire that caught our house consumed 'em all. I wasn't able to keep my past memories. And so, I told myself, one day I will rekindle with capturing moments and I guess this year, it can be a start.
   
   I want a DSLR if given a chance haha! A few friends offline shared a few tips on DSLR photography using Canon EOS 450D. I might buy the same unit. I learn by example and since my friends are already "pro's" in it, I will learn from them. Otherwise, I'll stick with regular digicams. A Canon IXUS 80 (is it the right model?) is fine with me haha. Hopefully, mid year I already have my own. Right now, I only capture moments using my cellphone's cam hehe.
   
   
4. Music
   
   
   
   I should have a place to store my MP3s and carry 'em along where I go, aside from my cellphone. I love my cellphone's multifunctional purpose for me. Haha. However, right now, it's getting clogged with my music files and I use it mostly for playing music.
   
   I guess I should buy myself an iPOD Shuffle at least. I don't want too much fancy anyway, just a simple device where I can save data. The smaller, the better haha! My bag has too much girl stuff in it already. I don't want a lot more!
   
   
5. Shelter
   
   
   
   Probably, this year, I can move my family out of the neighborhood where we lived for 20+ years. It's no longer healthy for us to live in the apartment where we reside now, anyway. I want somewhere with better tranquility. Peace ... quiet ... and not a lot of gangsta wars or neighbor conflicts. Luckily, we never got involved in one (or ... yeah I got into a couple of instances I guess hahaha) but it's better safe than sorry. I'm still looking for a place where I can move, still with my parents and sis.
   
   My parents are getting older of course and I know I hafta take better care of them as well. Good thing my sister's a nurse (yeah, and I'm proud to have helped her finish college ) so she can help more on the medical aspect. I ain't planning to build a house of our own though ... one thing, I don't have the money to have one haha. Maybe, another apartment or a subdivision away from the current ...
   
   
6. Gaming
   
   
   
   I specifically want a Sony PS3! Woot! I have my PSP already and a PS3 will be cool! My dad somehow owns my PSP now, by the way, LOL  coz I can't get it out off his hands anymore hahaha. I was thinking of getting a Nintendo WII too but I guess Sony captured my heart. LOL.
   
   I know for sure I'll just be playing mostly Tekken in there and the rest of the games will be for my sister and dad. As long as they are happy, I'm happy too. I know my mom wouldn't play it anyway hahaha. So I have one less person who'll fight with me for PS3 time. Bwahahaha. But seriously, I'll just use it to release stress and when I buy one, it's really just for sis and dad ...
   
   
7. Hobby
   
   
   
   And the hobby that is COSPLAY! Woot! Last year, it was a rough battle for me. I was excited to attend conventions; learn more stuff from friends and new people I meet every now and then; enhance my skills in terms of character portrayal ... as well as better selection of cloth that my tailor will use (me tooooo picky haha); meet more and more friends to cosplay with and share the hobby. Oh boy! My first year in cosplaying was so much fun! This year, I'm looking forward for a better one. Indeed I met new friends that I considered another family. There was drama too but it's a learning experience for me. After all, families do have dramas too anyway. So I consider 'em as learning milestones and I know I'll be able to fix a few derailed paths soon. This year, I know there are loads more in store for me and I still want to improve on my craft on this hobby.
   
   I wish to do crossplay too! Weee! I hope I'd look handsome! Nyahahahah!  The photo I used is of "Shizuka" - http://rainertachibana.deviantart.com ... one of the cosplay idols I have. She's very versatile whether she cosplays a female or a male character. I know I wouldn't be able to do as many cosplays and cosplays as good as she did but at least, I wish to try! Ho ho ho! Experience is the best teacher!
   
   
8. Exercise
   
   
   
   I saw these devilish moves some time last year but I never knew what it's called until this year. LOL. Poor me. I just found out that a few of my friends are already doing this thing called Free Running a.k.a. Parkour!
   
   I've been looking for some sort of an exercise that I can start as a routine this year. My ortho-doctor has advised me to have one anyway, and a good exercise can keep my back straight. I tried the gym before but I never had the urge to continue. It's probably because, well, I never had a gym buddy ... or so my gym buddy goes there at a different time because we had different work schedules hahaha. And since a few of my other friends are into parkour, which I believe can give me a total body workout as well, I might start it soon! Yay!
   
   
9. Further Studies
   
   
   
   I want to have a Masters Degree hence I plan to take up further studies. I already graduated with honors in college, with a degree of A.B Communication Arts. However, I believe, that to be more competitive in the workforce nowadays, your learning should continue. With me, it has never stopped. I always try to find some time for business readings every now and then to improve my knowledge in the field I belong to.
   
   It's a rough road out there, especially when we talk about the corporate world. I've always wanted to start my schooling again but I always use up all my funds for my family's needs. This year looks promising though ... salary's a bit more favorable since last year and I've saved up a few. Maybe I could complete this part of my dream board then ... hmmm ... I dread the dissertations though hahahah!
   
   
10. Hobby Again ...
    
    
    
    And yes, another hobby! Figure collecting! Wooohoo! It's rather expensive but what the heck! I appreciate the art. I was trying to figure out why I wanted to do this anyway. My first ever figure was a Figma Saber. And then I started to get more and more pieces like the Shuraki Trinity multimedia figure sets from Good Smile Company ... I guess it roots back to my love for Barbie dolls. Hahah. I used to have 200+ pieces if I'm not mistaken (combined with my sister's dolls). But the fire took 'em all as well. All the unique pieces I got were gone ... those pieces I grew up with. *sigh*
    
    Nevertheless, as I moved on from that tragedy, I relived my life with my family. I pray that we won't get hit again. I pity my other relatives though (since we used to live in a compound, together with our other relatives on the 1st degree / family members). They haven't move on fast enough. I pray that they'll be able to cope still. The least I could do is to give them financial support as well ... and I continue doing this until now ... I guess the people really dear to my heart have a special allocation in my funding already since then ... I'll always help them ...
    
    Oh well, on a happier note, I wish to get more figures this year. I don't mean to increase the number of figures I buy though ... haha. I just want to increase the figures I have right now. Maybe a maximum of 5 more only ... LOL. I ain't too addicted to it yet anyway. Just a few! Those I consider as faves.

So there you go! I still have plenty of items on my list but these are the ones I ranked 'til 10. God help me on my work-life hahahah! Credits to http://www.gettyimages.com for the stock photos (unless otherwise stated above).

You, did you list down your wish list for the year too? I guess you all did ... I was too late to post mine hehe.

Chai

I encountered one candidate today that I interviewed for a post in my project, who said that actually, she is not in favor of companies who apply a one-day hiring policy. This is somehow new to me because most of the time, the applicants I speak with are hungry for their posts on the onset of the interview and somehow get laid back when the process takes longer. But this one candidate was unique and in fact, she liked the fact that for my project, it doesn't take her to get hired in just one day because she believes that

And so I asked her why she prefers a longer process than the usual. She simply said it's because it gives her ample time as well to feel if she belongs in the company or not since she still needs to go back. Sweet and simple answer. However, it dawned on me as well to wander in deep thought, what if we do apply it in the project I'm involved with? Currently, we do not apply this policy for the reason that we have certain requirements and steps to undergo with prior to a candidate being declared as a successful applicant and get hired. Our Recruitment Department used to follow that before. Somehow with our project, it cannot be effective.

There are pros and cons of course that could be blown up to a larger scale if I'm going to expand my list. From the top of my head I can simply say that a One-Day Hiring Process:

• Increases your chances of hiring top candidates who are in-demand before they get better offers
• Attracts more aspiring applicants to try out their best in your company without much hassle in scheduling since the decision can be made within the day
• Gives you a larger pool of candidates to choose from considering that more candidates are processed in a day
• Saves you more time in going over a series of tests and assessments and go straight to matching the profile to your standards

On the other hand, an Extensive Hiring Process can:

• Avoid poor and snappy hiring decisions by carefully analyzing test results and psychological exams that suit your needs
• Relieve you of the worry about the quality of hire since you followed a detailed and comprehensive process to make sure you made the right decision before extending the offer
• Gives you lesser troubles in terms of the number of hires you have to find a better job fit
• Makes you know more about the person you're going to work with in terms of background verification, fit for the account, personality, comfortability with working with you, etc.

This list may go longer ... I'm not a recruiting specialist but I take care of validation interviews for sales people before I endorse them to the final step ... talking to my client which can make or break them in terms of joining my project. Our hiring process includes test examinations, a thorough interview process, and a sales assessment which lasts longer than a day of course. For me, I get to source the candidates better this way as well and I get to know more about their strengths and weaknesses so I could be more confident that they can do the job. However, we can probably still improve this process.

I don't know about you guys but I wanna find out ... what do you think? As an applicant, do you prefer an extensive one or a shorter hiring process?

Chai