PJ Bacolod – Tales of a Tech Shark

Category: Personal Stories & Reflections

  • I Used to Drive Like an Idiot. Then the Road Taught Me Otherwise.

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    There’s a version of me that exists somewhere in the early 2000s, cutting lanes on EDSA with zero apology, riding bumpers, treating every green light like a starting pistol. I wasn’t aggressive for the sake of being aggressive. I genuinely believed I was a good driver. Fast reflexes. Good spatial awareness. Years behind the wheel…

  • Running on Fumes: A Diesel-Fueled Comedy of Errors

    Running on Fumes: A Diesel-Fueled Comedy of Errors

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    People usually fall into one of two groups. Some fill up their tank as soon as it drops to half. Others, like me, treat the fuel gauge as more of a suggestion than a rule. I definitely belong to the second group, and I’m not even ashamed to admit it. How the Global Situation Shows…

  • Slowing Down When Life Won’t

    Slowing Down When Life Won’t

    Every Holy Week, I tell myself I will slow down. And every year, I fail a little. Work finds its way in. Messages keep coming. Problems do not take a holiday. It feels like the world keeps moving, even when you are supposed to stop. But this year, I’ll try something different. I’ll stop trying…

  • Subic on a Whim: A Stormy Start, A Sunny Finish

    Subic on a Whim: A Stormy Start, A Sunny Finish

    This Subic getaway wasn’t planned at all. It was one of those sudden, “Let’s just go!” long weekend decisions. Bags were thrown together in minutes, snacks piled into the car, and off we went. The only problem? A typhoon was passing through. Great timing, right? The drive down had me second-guessing. The sky was grim,…

  • How APO Shaped My Journey in IT and Cybersecurity

    How APO Shaped My Journey in IT and Cybersecurity

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    I often thought that IT leadership feels a lot like being part of a college fraternity. You have to herd people who don’t want to be herded, organize projects that look impossible, and somehow keep the lights on when chaos erupts. My years in Alpha Phi Omega (APO) gave me more preparation for IT and…

  • Sleeping at the Wheel: A Wake-Up Call on Road Safety

    I fell asleep at the wheel last December. The accident could have ended everything, but it left me with lessons I can’t ignore. Drowsy driving is often underestimated, but it’s as dangerous as drunk driving. The brain doesn’t ask for permission when it shuts down. A second of unconsciousness behind the wheel is enough to…

  • Secure Yourself

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    How do you deal with remote threats or malicious attacks from bad actors? In cybersecurity, the answers are pretty straightforward: Over time, I’ve realized these best practices apply just as well outside the digital world. In life, too, you need to watch for warning signs and never ignore them. Trust no one blindly; always verify.…

  • Purge

    When a system crashes again…and again…and again… sometimes the best move is a good old-fashioned purge. Wipe it clean. Start from scratch. That’s when your BCP (Business Continuity Plan) or DRP (Disaster Recovery Plan) becomes your best friend, assuming you’ve actually got one ready. If not, well… better start drafting, because “hope and pray” isn’t exactly a…

  • Time Flies

    Time flies so fast.  This blog first started in 2005 with a post about hearing our unborn baby’s heartbeat for the first time. Now, my boy is off to college in a few months. He chose to go to La Salle. I’m very proud of you, anak. 🙂

  • Back in Business

    A few years ago, I made the rookie mistake of forgetting to renew my domain. Someone else grabbed it faster than you can say “auto-renew,” and I thought I’d kissed all my blog content goodbye. I had no backups, no safety net, just me staring into the abyss of my own negligence. Fortunately, the story…