My sister, the graduate

According to my sister, she is already done with school. She just passed her thesis, completed her OJT hours, had a successful exhibit and is now focused to find suitable work. When she says suitable, she means high paying, convenient work hours and location, a place of growth and company prestige. She is by far more ambitious than I.

I am ambitious, but I try to incorporate real life bulls*hit as much as I can. Which means I dream and act within reality. I know this is not ideal, but for me this is the way I'm comfortable with. My personality limits me anyways. I don't like interactions so I'm doomed for business. I'm not artistic and creative either. I am a paranoid type of person and most of my efforts and resources are for precautions. It is only now that I tend to spend and enjoy, but eventually got burned and I'm still learning the ropes. I like what most people don't. I like schedules. I like pressure. I like research and analysis. Less interaction, the better. I've been working for almost 7 years in an industry that is practically not kind in terms of salary bracket. In fact, in my case I should already be thankful. A lot of people I know in the same industry are in a worse situation. The fact remains that I can depend upon myself. I pay for my own things and entertainment. I get to travel and I get to share it with people given the mood is right. But according to my sister, that is not enough.

She aims a condo unit after she works in a couple of years. I aimed for it too, but never got around the practicality of living in my parents' new house. I thought I might as well save and get it when I'm more able flawlessly. My sister, being always the headache of my parents when it comes to her extra curricular activities, sees owning a condo unit ASAP is her ticket to freedom. While I think of what car to buy next year, a suitable Asian car that works but is known to be affordable, she calmly aims for Volvo and nothing less. She does this while she drives her Honda City.




I always smirk at her immediate goals while she bashes me for not being able to take the plunge in anything. She wants me to take risks, be open and network, but I'm not like that. I'm never like her. I smirk silently because I've been out there and it's hard. But I take into consideration that her personality and industry are so extreme than mine. While I settle for learning and fulfillment over monetary rewards, she aims for both with monetary rewards edging higher. While I settle for something practical, she aims for something luxurious. While I get comfortable in schedules, research and paperwork, she eyes for flexibility, multi-projects and creativity. It may be hard in the world I know, but considering her personality and industry, what she plans for herself may be reasonable enough.

There aren't any graduation ceremonies yet, but I doubt if she would attend. As of this moment, she says she already sets eyes on two opportunities to work on a magazine publication. This is aside from her freelance work of course. Being a graduate of multi-media, she specializes in graphic arts, video editing, photography, complicated adobe, web layouts, and all other media work. Lots of avenues may open up.

Years back when she didn't know what to get in college, she was groomed for accountancy or medicine. My parents aimed for her what didn't work for me since she is way better in math and her grades have always been consistent. But the personality hungers for something else, and it is where she found it in multi-media, business and creativity combined.

I just hope she uses whatever she's learned and use it well. No doubt it's going to be hard out there, but knowing her, she could withstand it while taking risks. In the meantime, since she won't be doing any more schoolwork, she would serve as the temporary driver at home, until someone gets hired. Nice timing indeed.