Seriously, have you ever thought about this? I’m just going to throw this out there as this is something I experience more and more here in The Netherlands. So whenever I have a problem with my toys or have to call the insurance company, I have to call customer support.

And every time I get the same melody:

Welcome to xyz….”This call costs 10 cents per minute”

Why?

Why do we pay $.10 per minutes for customer service?

If I walk into the same store I can ask an employee a question. They don’t ask me for $.10 per minute. I can even ask a 10 questions, and they still won’t charge me. But calling customer support, does ask for money.

Why? The logical explanation would be that companies use this money to pay the costs of the service. On one hand it’s an additional service to the actual physical store. It bring convenience. But why is this charged when we call and nothing is charged when employees help us at the store.

What if stores had premium customer support reps. Would they sell more? What if one company here in the Netherlands didn’t charge for their call center and offered just as strong support. Would more people flock to that brand? I have a feeling that it would definitely strike attention.

Anyhow I just thought it was funny we have pay for service when it comes through a phone and not for when it’s face-to-face.

And speaking of that, I ain’t Indian, never was a Latino salsa sensation and definitely not a terrorist…or so I won’t publicly admit. (Hopefully I didn’t just black list myself)

I’m a half flip, half mafia jet setter. (American-Italian roots)

Raised in America, the land where there’s a fascination to define people based on skin color, people were confused the hell out of me.

I’m not white.
I’m not black.
What the hell? Brown?
Oh he must be Mexican

Apparently bringing lumpia, siopao and chicken adobo to school wasn’t enough to prove otherwise.

I definitely had my fair share of being referred to as Mexican, especially growing up in a very small suburban town, being able to run fast and playing baseball. People used to call me Speedy Gonzales, a famous cartoon based on a Mexican mouse that runs like a bullet.

As I started winning more and more in neighborhood games, the jokes got more intense, “Go back to your country!” “Go cut my lawn”, the list goes on. But all in all, I knew they were just for laughs or maybe I just didn’t care. And yes, these are rude stereotypes that unfortunately do exist.

But really, they had no clue what the heck a Filipino was.

The Filipino culture is one hardly knows where I come from. We don’t have Filipino restaurants, and food playing such a big part in knowing or defining a culture, the two that actually tried to set up shop failed miserably. “Too greasy” is the basic feedback if you ask Filipinos who knew the restaurants.

There are hardly any Filipino celebrities beyond the lead singer from the Pussy Cat Dolls that people can somewhat associate to the Philippines. What’s her name again? And btw, I don’t really think people know her for being Filipino or half that. If you’re in a group using the word “pussy” with dance moves like that…I think your mind tends to think of other things. Or maybe that’s just coming from my man’s peanut brain.

The older generations know Filipinos a bit. They are nice and respectable. They are good caretakers, nurses and housewives. They don’t bite children.

But getting back to my half-n-half life, just as people have had difficulties defining what the heck I was, I’d say I was just confused on what side I should lean more towards. Having one parent that comes from the so-called “Western World” and one from the Flip land, I definitely encountered a lot of culture clashes that set me apart from my Americano friends.

Search stability, not freedom.

My mom, who’s the Filipino, was the stricter force. Speaking of my curfew, I was always forced to come home the earliest. Spending the night at friends was practically impossible. Winning permission to go to parties…I think this is how I truly developed my negotiation skills.

I laugh now but I think my mom and her Filipino friends concluded that the American youth is freaking crazy, disrespectful and a bit too on the “wild side”, especially watching MTV and seeing how pop culture says it’s okay for little teenie boppers to jump around in their underwear. “Pussy”…”cat”….sorry my mind wandered there.

Then when you talk about life decisions, I had two choices: 1) doctor or 2) lawyer. “Because they are stable jobs” is what I was always told. From my mom, I was always taught that I should be a good provider that will afford me to take care of myself, eventually my family and then the friends around me.

Btw, I’m almost 30 now and every Filipino mother I encounter asks when I’m getting married. It’s practically becoming the question after “What’s your name?”

But all these types of values have a twist from my dad’s side. From him, there’s more of an individual’s quest to find whatever makes oneself happy. “The American Dream” the pursuit of happiness, seeking Zen, the “do what makes you happy” attitude, I think these mentalities are what really make the western world different for me.

You are taught to find whatever in this world inspires you, and by performing your very best at that area, you naturally have a positive impact or net gain in the world. If I understood correctly, it’s as if being selfish, thinking what’s best for me, can actually be the best for the world.

Maybe there’s a limit of good coming from either side.

Well the karaoke gene didn’t get passed onto me, but I just want to say that I’m grateful for the half flip blood that I have. People get jealous of my tan skin color and I’m recognized as a decent dancer, which to me feels like a twisted reality.

I just wish that the Flip culture would get the immediate recognition for such traits…as opposed to being brushed off as some Mexican.

And for the record, I hold no bad sentiment toward Mexicans…that’s another fun story to tell.

From Pins to Purchases: Pretty Infographic on Pinterest (Vision Critical)

The Stupid EU cookie law (and why it should die) (thanks @Webcreationz)

Financial Services, Behavioral Economics: Busting The Myth Of Consumer Rationality (awesome market analysis by @northresearch)

Reinventing Sara Lee’s approach to insights: moving from predominately quantitative perspective to qualitative practice (fascinating how coffee’s image has changed over a couple decades)

Why Big Data is a “BIG DEAL”

Isaac’s Live Lip-Dub Proposal.  This is just too cool to not share.  It recently went viral….and made my gf tear.

Link like love!

Makes me what to play “American Boy”

Living in Amsterdam without a car is okay. I’ve done it for a couple years already, just like many others, without mucho problems. But yesterday my car-less physique was defeated. My dumpling and I went to the dreaded IKEA.  ahhhh! You can’t leave without buying some random house accessory or Swedish meatballs. And they got us. We bought a shoe holder. A freaking big shoe holder that, for us non bike experts expats, was too big for us to carry in one hand.

Amsterdam is a Farmville

Living in Amsterdam is like living on a megatropolis version of farmville, which makes most us expats hestitant to going pro-carBo, or owning a car. (wow, making up words this morning, I must be in the creative mood since I felt 20 degree weather for the first time in months).  Also the fact that many of us aren’t bold enough to admit that we’ll probably stay in this beautiful country for more than a couple years.

But wouldn’t you agree that we live in a sort of overgrown village?

Instead of sheep all over the place, there are unpredictable deaf bikers, children and tourists dominating the streets. I ring my bike bell, but somehow they don’t hear it. So I try screaming particularly at the tourists, but they just scream as if it’s the “Amsterdam thang” to do. Somebody, anybody, everybody scream, “get the f out of the way”.

Cows have been replaced by actual cheese shops. Fresh vegetables and underwear can be found at local street markets which are quite impressive too. You can do just about get anything you need without a car…

But then I was defeated

There are two moments in the year where I cry not having a car

1. Going to IKEA – the oversized beast is a parasite for shoppers.  Compliments to their team there for making environment practically impossible to leave empty handed.  But on the downside, when I buy, I have to lug heavy stuff around the city usually by walking.  It turns a simple trip into a 3 hour fiasco.  Boooo…..
2. Leaving farmville to see another farmville – the country is has some very beautiful cities.  But isn’t it a pity that most of us only think of Amsterdam, Den Hague, Rotterdam. If I had wheels, I sure would be motivated to explore more of this farmy country.

I love my bike

I guess you can’t have everything that you want.  And I gotta admit that I love my bike.  And as many locals, you’ll see that they do whatever they can with their bikes as opposed to having a car.

Maybe finding parking spots is just too nightmarish to actually sign a car lease.  Here’s some nice bike use cases

The Family Vehicle

The Mover – apparently I should’ve contacted him

The bad ass

People pay to run marathons.

I just had a quick look at the registration process for the Boston Marathon. For $150, you get to run! How awesome is that? But wait a second, can’t you just run for free around the neighborhood?

Marathons are really intriguing.

People spend several months preparing for them.  Some even subscribe to running magazines.  And some travel across the world just to be part of one.  Yet most marathon runners are not doing it to win the race.

So what makes them so popular?  What makes them so desired?

• Is it for better health?
• Is it to make new friends?
• Is there a clear goal that feels obtainable by many?

If these were the case, couldn’t you just do these at home?

Maybe there’s a deeper meaning that people are wanting to achieve, a grander story to tell.

How about escaping the status quo?  A marathon runner achieves something that is not done regularly, and can walk away with proof of actually doing it.

Superhero status, I think wouldn’t mind being a superhero for at least a day.

photo from Flicker

She provides an awesome massage service in Amsterdam. Actually she the massage better than imaginable. For about 50 euros, you can get a one hour body massage that will leave you in bliss. She will even throw in some good conversation and a drink to go with.

Would you go for it? Even if it was located right next to your work or next to your house?

Despite location, despite a decent price, despite advertising, new business is difficult to come by her shop. She is finding herself in a position where suppliers (massagers) are abundant. Around just about every block in Amsterdam, you can find a massager. Some will do full body, some chair massages, some whatever you please, so where can she really attract new people?

Maybe good marketing materials, positioning of the advertisements might get her some customers, but isn’t every other massager is thinking the same?

It’s very easy to get into this position of being surround by competitors where you fight on the incremental differences. But what would happen if she went over the top to offer something very unique that no one can offer?

What if the massage included personal instruction on what do eat or how to improve sleep? What if massagers were thematic like the “5 minute coffee break” “give me the CEOooooyeaaah” dedicated to specific audiences. Maybe you might not be the right type of client, but wouldn’t you be intrigued to know more about such a session?

Advertisements can only get you so much attention, but being unique will get people inspired to talk about you. Why? Because we like to discover and tell things that no one else knows.

How many likes occur on Facebook daily?

*image from the cool Cheezburger.com

People love need cool shit.  Build it and they will come.

btw Mom. Happy Mother’s Day Call later.

Make a simple web application that reduces routine busywork by 5 minutes, they will come. (and pay)

Create a meet up based on issues that matter most to you, they will come. (and offer new ideas)

Build a BBQ on a sunny weekend afternoon, they will most definitely come! (and you’ll probably make new friends)

People love need cool shit.

Join me for some weekend grub?

And as long as you can passionately demonstrate that what you have to offer is cool, then people will listen.  Why? Because people are attracted to passion and excitement.  People want to be in those shoes.  People want to be part of that type of crowd.

Remember the “why” of doing things.  Why should I do this? Are you doing something because you’re being told to or because your inner gut is pushing you?

The warm weather is finally arriving in Amsterdam.  Time to throw down some stella barbecues!

**and for my non baseball friends. The video clip comes from the movie Field of Dreams, a baseball classic and warm felt story worth watching.  Especially you Martin, who is heading to the States and going to see a Boston Red Sox game!

My soon to be grill

That’s right baby.  I bought the pasta machine used by my Miello-ian mafian grandmothers. The flour, eggs, the mixing, the cranking, the sweat, I now have it all. And the result after an hour preparation, a nice pot of spaghetti.

Mamma mia! Is it worth it?

I make pasta from scratch. Is it worth having to mix my own ingredients, to spend an hour preparing pasta?  I mean I can always buy a bag from the grocery store for 90 cents and a jar of tomato sauce and have pasta in 10 minutes.  So from a cost perspective, it’s not like I’m really saving money if you consider the time put in.

I get that a lot, “I would never buy such a machine because it simply takes to long to prepare.”

Time versus Payoff

We tend to measure time put into activities and the payoff rewards.  This is natural, and even bleeds into our hobby life.

Should I learn to play the guitar?  It could be fun but I might fall behind on my other priorities.  I really hate my job I do but it’s too much of a hassle to try something new.  Shouldn’t I be spending my time doing something more intelligent?  Or maybe relaxing?

We naturally try to map out expectations….what we can expect out of doing something.  And with hobbies, we begin asking the questions like should I do? What if? How? …..and all these questions do not hold one exact conclusion.

Truth be told, you don’t know the expectation until you try.

Until You Try

I’ve made home pasta for a couple people so far, and sorry to say, but I feel like a kitchen pimp.  A sort of Jamie Oliver wannabe.   A week after the meal, my friends still speak about how much they enjoyed the pasta.  Even to people that I don’t know…..hello conversation starter and being invited to new parties! And it all began because I  just wanted to make pasta as a fun hobby.

People who have their own gardens don’t do it to save money, they do it because it’s fun, different from the ordinary work life.

Maybe venture out not to be ordinary folk is a good thing….even as a hobby

*shout out Noortje, Jose and Oliy for introducing me to this fine hobby.