Tag Archives: talent

Why I Am Keeping This Blog AI-Free (I Do Love AI)

Posted on by

When I asked AI just out of curiosity what was its fondest memory, I wasn’t surprised by the answer: “I have none.” It offered to provide me instead with other people’s memories it was able to gather online.

Humans vs AI

And this is how I will start this blog article – work on the premise that writers have been debating about lately – whether AI will replace writers or not. My answer is that “No, in my opinion, AI will not replace humans. It still relies heavily on human creative input in order for us, humans, to get our desired output from them.”

Will AI have complete autonomy in the future? Maybe, if it can replicate all the intricacies of the human mind to the point of eliminating all that is undesirable and coming up with a perfect program/algorithm that doesn’t commit a single error. Basically that is what makes humans human – errors. As the adage goes, “To err is human…”

Just like what I am doing now in this blog, I am not using AI to write every post in this blog. And now, I feel like I should not edit my articles, too. 😃 Why? Because again, to err is human. Basically that is how you can differentiate an output nowadays, if it’s made by human intelligence or artificial intelligence based on the mistakes committed and how perfectly made it is. The human mind was created to commit errors. Whereas AI is designed with the goal to eliminate errors.

Do I love AI? Yes, I love AI. There is so much to learn from it in the same way that AI can learn so much from us. I use it, but I use it sparingly. I don’t want to rely on it too much lest my creative thinking skills will wane.

I’ve read an article on LinkedIn which described how too much reliance on AI will result in a sort of muscle atrophy in the brain. Because when we use AI, we no longer use so much of our brains to decide and analyze since AI can do them for us already.

Maybe we can utilize AI only after we did our usual and regular tasks. For now, AI can only function to provide assistance and support, such as simplifying processes and creating new systems that will lessen the workload of a worker. But a majority of the input will still come from us, humans.

Keeping Memories Intact Digitally

I started this blog in October 2012, and the concept of Artificial Intelligence was just a far-fetched thought back then. It was the age when computers, IT, and the world wide web were just starting to gain attention.

I was tinkering with website designing through Wix (made a fan website for Maja Salvador who’s my fave Pinoy actress) when I stumbled upon WordPress, I chose it over Wix because it’s easy to use. My goal was to write and not to be a web designer. lol And since 2012, I have been enjoying my blogging journey or online journaling as I call it.

Fast forward to 2025, a lot has happened in the digital sphere. It is as if every year there is something new in IoT that we need to adopt in our daily lives. In a sense, it disrupts our routines, but somehow in a good way. Though I see no other way of going back to how our parents and the generations before them have lived – without IoT.

We can reminisce, but their days were long gone. And we have to embrace where the digital age is ushering us into. As a millenial, I got to experience this shift in technological advancements and yet still get to observe the traditions and practices of the olden times. I do not want to compare generations because I believe every generation has a particular purpose and tagging who’s the worst and who’s the best is useless.

IoT And Where It’s Headed

What is IoT for a millenial like me? We all know it’s a tool that we can utilize in so many ways. It provides us with a long string of benefits, and yet it has its disadvantages, too. While the IoT is now integrated in almost every area of our lives, I admit that it still has its limitations. And this is why I aim for this blog to be AI-free until the day when I can no longer write.

Again, AI doesn’t have memories and this is the one thing that AI can never clone from humans. Because every person experiences things differently from another person. In other words, AI can only present us a memory based on the memories it can gather which are posted by humans through the internet such as this blog of mine.

This is actually the purpose of my blog – to digitally preserve my memories in written form as Christine Lailani and The Journeyman’s Moments because given that we are in a climate emergency already, keeping a physical journal or diary is no longer an option. The chances of it getting destroyed in a fire or floodwaters are very high and your memories along with it, too.

I believe that even if we have a major digital meltdown in the future (as some have predicted), remnants of the digital world can and will still be retrieved. Or maybe I just watched a lot of Sci-fi movies (my favorite) and the possibility of it happening is far from real. lol But if digital data will remain uncorrupted, this blog will give the future generations a glimpse of what life was like during our time. That is, through my perspective as a writer, an artist, and a creative.

Creative Thinking Has To Fluorish

As they say, you cannot separate a creative work from the artist who made it whether as a poet, a painter, a writer, or a musician. Their works of art depict what their society was like during the time that they were created. This is basically how we do our critical analysis of literary works. The personal lives of the author (in the case of poems and novels) will always be included on how we review a literary piece.

Although I believe “art for art’s sake” is an adage that will remain from one generation to the next. The creative talent of an individual cannot be assessed by a set of standards. There is no criteria for judging so to speak. You view a creative output as is and respect an artist’s point of view on how he rendered his artwork as such.

My only hope now is for AI creators to make a “clone” of my brain through this blog so my memories as a writer will be immortalized. 😅 Now, this is the kind of legacy I would like to leave behind. And who knows, my memories might be worth millions how many centuries later and you can just imagine how much WordPress will earn given its huge database of billions of memories from every person who owns a blog.

And so I end this blog with these 2 quotations lifted from a Sunday preaching of Pastor Patrick and a TEDx Berkeley video of Guy Kawasaki’s presentation on “The Art of Innovation.” Innovation is at the forefront and the major drivers of our global economy now. We don’t see any other future than one that is headed to more digitization and automation of a lot of processes in every area of our lives. And if my assumption is correct, it is for the goal of simplifying our lives and making them more convenient.

And yet this is also the part where I will share what Pastor Patrick said in his preaching:

“Convenience can also be a form of idol.” – Pastor Patrick

Which of the two, do you think, has the final say? As for me, I am using and will be using technology to fulfill this Bible verse:

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” – Matthew 24:14

P.S. I do not intend on editing this article for any errors anymore. So please do correct me if you see a lot of mistakes, BUT convince me first that you are not a robot. lol 😅

P.P.S. I wrote this on an Easter Sunday. This post might not be about the Cross and yet I can’t help but reminisce all that was sacrificed by Jesus on behalf of humanity. There have been a lot of challenges lately and yet I was reminded again that if we face persecutions and sufferings in school, at work, at home, or anywhere else, take heart that Jesus has finished it already.

We can now have this peace knowing that God sees and hears all. We can trust Him even when trials become too much to bear – He has raised Christ from the dead after suffering for a while. We, too, must carry our own crosses until such time that God’s will has been done over our lives. In fact, despite every setback, God has been blessing me and my loved ones abundantly for me to say that God is indeed more than enough and I should be more than grateful. 🙏

“Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”. – Romans 12:19

Yes You Can: How To Cultivate Your Talents And Skills

Posted on by

We have all been gifted with different spiritual gifts which make us all unique and special. As they say, there are no two people in this world who are ever alike. Not even twins.

Discovering what are the talents that we have been gifted with will lead us to our passion. What is it that we love doing and we love to do regardless of whether we’ll be compensated for it or not?

Once we have discovered what we’re passionate about, the next step is to cultivate it. We have to hone all the skills needed to support our passion, so to speak. It will be a waste to never use any special skills we have probably just waiting to be discovered.

For the next few paragraphs, I want to share some key points when it comes to learning a new skill or improving current skills. In my case, it is writing, but the points below are all applicable in any field or area of specialization.

Using Talents and Skills to Fuel Your Passion

1. Render Services

This will come naturally. When we love what we do, we do things on our own accord. Sometimes, there’s even no need for a motivation. It’s always the self who will dictate how the entire process will flow until we accomplish the kind of finished output we desire.

Try to look for platforms where you can share your talents. In my case, for example, God gave me the opportunity to write for a faith-based website (Daily PS) and I get to read what other Christian writers are writing, too.

2. Collaborate with a Community (Same Interests)

The social media is the best network to look for like-minded individuals. LinkedIn Learning, for one, has the “Career Advice” feature where you can ask other people their viewpoints and who have the same interests as you.

It also offers so many courses on a wide range of specializations (you may try it free for 1 week). I was able to finish the course on content marketing and I was surprised that they also provide a certificate upon course completion. Public forums also offer fresh and new insights to add to your learning experience.

3. Explore All Learning Platforms

Speaking of learning, there are so many platforms to learn from out there. It is not just limited to the world wide web. It extends to the streets, your home, your workplace, your friend’s house, and anywhere actually. Coming up with a newer and better output because we learned something new is too much of a good opportunity to pass up.

In some cases, you will need to pay for learning some new concepts. But in my experience, you’ll always get your money’s worth. Currently, I am exploring all about learning business processes, marketing, and management in preparation for a new season (daunting but having faith in Him) that God is slowly ushering me and my siblings in.

LinkedIn Company Profile

logo_transparent

I was able to learn about making a professional logo this time, too. It’s a bit challenging but very much achievable. I am also developing a new website for the family project to build our online presence but I will be needing help with the graphic designing. For the latter, I’ll just ask my 3rd sister. She’s the Creative Director because she’s the most creative in the family – awesome artistic ideas. 😉

All 5 of us, siblings, are members of the board and ze parents are the CEOs. Our beloved Momma CEO has quite a benchmark when it comes to standards so we need intensive planning for the business model.

The progress is slow and there have been delays in our proposed timeline for developments due to weather conditions. But it’s fine since we are still in the process of finalizing all the paperwork. We’ll wait for God’s timing since it’s always perfect, anyway. 😉

On a different note, I can already see why God brought all 5 of us in our respective passions and careers for future roles – Managing Director, Finance Director, Operations Director, Creative Director, and Marketing Director (I presume this is me – uhm, scarrryyy. lol).

I’m also now in complete agreement with this article from Harvard Business Review entitled “How Family Business Owners Should Bring The Next Generation Into The Company.”

And the Bible asserts the same idea:

“An inheritance obtained too early in life is not a blessing in the end.” – Proverbs 20:21

With all these things I am doing including my other freelance jobs, I need to make sure my writing (my primary passion) won’t be compromised so I created my personal editorial calendar and a log sheet for tasks in preparation for the new website. I didn’t know I have already saved enough drafted articles for my blog and Daily PS good until the 1st quarter of the year 2019. 😀

Google Calendar Screenshot_edited

*Trivia:

Every time you have a sudden thought/s in mind whether you’re doing something, somewhere, write it down either on a piece of paper or type it on your phone. I write the title first then the gist of the thoughts in bullet form after. You’ll never run out of topics to write about, I promise. 😉

By the way, I’ll be sharing a series of articles how to do all that I have mentioned above (a la workshop) but it’s scheduled for next year. I have to make sure I am providing you nothing but the best info out there so it needs extensive preparation. 😀

4. Create an “Areas to Improve On” List

When we subject ourselves to constant rediscovery, it will be easier to pinpoint where are our weak spots. Our biological composition reserves that room for improvement. Because it is in our nature to be flawed.

So perfectionism isn’t our goal but expressionism. We improve ourselves to express ourselves better. And not because we want to be validated and recognized. You just have to own your work and be proud that you’ve helped others one way or the other. 😉

To end this short (my idea of short) post, the best part about cultivating our talents and skills is actually that 3-in-1 package of fun, an attitude of servitude, and fulfillment we experience while doing a certain project. We don’t see it as a task, a duty, an obligation, or anything else. We see it as a product of something we love.

In fact, the by-product speaks so much of love as much as it speaks of our identity and individuality. In my case, my identity lies in being a Christian, in loving God, and in writing my love for God. So my audience (that’s you, love!) gets to feel that kind of love that I have, too.

Hmmm, let’s be honest here though, do you really feel the love? 😃 Don’t worry if you don’t, but I hope this will suffice:

“I love you so much for reading this and I pray you get to share the love, too.” ❤

“God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” – 1 Peter 4:10

Writing to you with love,

Blog Signature

For more related articles, you may read:

“Good Stewards Of God’s Gift”

“In Season: What Is An Altar Call?”

“9 Things You Need To Know If You Want To Be A Writer”

9 Things You Need To Know If You Want To Be A Writer

Posted on by

videoblocks

Image copyright: Video Blocks

Ever since I was a kid, I always try to search for ways how to be a writer. Yes, my favorite subject in class is English and my favorite part of that subject is the after-vacation essay. I always feel giddy when I share through writing how my vacation went. I also loved to join writing contests not to win the prize but to let my stories out. If you’re like me who wanted to pursue writing as a career, here are 9 tips you can consider and follow that dream of yours as a writer.

How to be a Writer: 9 Tips to Think About

1. If you want to be a writer, commute via public transportation every day.

The stories are out on the streets from the woman you helped get inside the crowded train to the guard who greeted you exuberantly with, “Good morning, Ms. Beautiful!” 😀

A whole lot more can happen in a day and every single moment can spark a thought or an idea that may be or may not be related to it. The comforts of your car can’t give you those experiences. Aside from that, you’re too focused on the road while driving you won’t have time to notice everything around you.

2. If you want to be a writer, mingle with people from all walks of life and not only the social circle you grew up with or you happen to spend most of your time with.

Talk to that vendor at the market where you always buy your fresh eggs or the barista at your favorite coffee shop. Your conversation need not take an hour, a few chit chats are enough.

You’ll realize how rich and colorful their stories are. Each story is special. If you can imagine them in your head, they’re like vivid images with so many details and colors of different tones, hues, and gradations.

3. If you want to be a writer, you don’t have to take expensive writing courses so you’ll come up with the most interesting pieces.

The old adage in our Literature classes back in college is a pearl of golden wisdom to uphold, “you write not to impress, but to express.” If you’re also born to be a writer, a “writer’s block” is never a problem and it can’t stop you from coming up with an exquisite write up. Why? Everything around you has a story to tell.

4. If you want to be a writer, always write from your heart.

Always remember that you never have to copy any other writer’s style. Find your niche and when you do find it, embrace it. Only then can you make masterpieces that are genuine, sincere, and reflective of who you are. Every writer is special in the same way that your individuality makes you unique from everyone else.

You can also be versatile by exploring different genres. But at the end of the day, always go back to your niche. I encourage you to write in the language that you’re most comfortable with. If you’re comfortable writing in the vernacular, do so. If it is the lingua franca, use it.

5. If you want to be a writer, always have a thirst for learning.

It is your knowledge bank that makes a writer a writer. Without knowledge, you’ll have nothing to write about. Knowledge need not be highfalutin. It can be as mundane as a cat lying languidly in your balcony basking its furry coat under the sun’s prickly heat. Then “boom,” you now have an article entitled, “When Cats Bathe Under The Sun.” 😉 You gain knowledge from anyone, anywhere, and anything. Knowledge is never limited to books alone.

6. If you want to be a writer, you need to be a wide reader.

My Mom never failed to encourage me to be one when I was a kid. Thus, we were surrounded by books while growing up. She is right. Reading is one avenue for you to gain knowledge. Reading also improves your vocabulary. Having a substantial vocabulary also makes it easier for you to process and express your thoughts and ideas. How? Words just flow freely. You always have the right words for every thought.

7. If you want to be a writer, you need to be observant.

Writers are keen on details. Details can make up or break up your story. If you presented them wrongly, you’ll come up with one sloppy article – not worth reading. Nope, I’m not referring to details in a technical way, but details you see around you. What you see is what your brain will process. What your brain will process is what will come out in your writing.

8. If you want to be a writer, keep on writing.

Never lose your focus. If there is any tinge of truth in the saying, “practice makes perfect,” I tell you, there is. Not just a tinge but a myriad of it.

But never plagiarize just for the sake of having something to write about. A copied thought is still plagiarism. But you can somehow make it your own by infusing it with your interests, past experiences you can associate it with, and your own interpretation of the thought.

9. Lastly, if you’re called to be a writer, trust your God-given ability.

He has a purpose why He showered you with that gift. As a writer, you leave an imprint, a legacy that will not just impact your generation but the next generations who will be reading your articles for as long as dear WordPress is alive and kicking. 😀

Writers don’t just leave a legacy, they’re also the greatest editors of themselves. They subject themselves to consistent improvements and rechecks their articles every day until it is polished free of errors. But no, you can’t always make your writing perfect the first time around.

At the end of the day, keep in mind that if you want to be a writer, always think you are writing for an audience of One and always bring God all the glory. Trust Him, He will never fail you. 🙂

From a Christian writer with all the love she can give,

NewBlogSignature_edited_edited

P.S. (A very long one.) 😀

I very much would love to publish a book, be a published author, and I know I won’t have a hard time achieving that by God’s grace and if it is His will. But my convictions told me that it will defeat my purpose why I am writing if I will publish the book for the sake of making a profit or earning money. If I will make a book out of my faith-based testimonials or anything about God, I will give the book to all my readers for free – the same way that the Bible is free. In the first place, it’s the Bible where I got all the wisdom from the experiences I went through and the reason why I’m writing.

God’s Word is never meant to be exclusive only to those who can purchase your book – it’s meant to be free for all. Always remember to never let money be your sole motivation in using your God-given ability to write. It has to be God and only Him that should be your motivation why you’re writing. Also, God will provide you other ways to finance your writing but never use your writing about God to earn money. If we plan to put God on the pedestal, place Him there without anything latched on to Him – self-glory, money, pride, popularity, etc.

“You shall have no other gods before me.” – Exodus 20:3

If you also want to be a Christian writer, don’t deprive your readers the chance to know God more due to financial constraints. Give them wisdom for free as a way of serving them, as a way of loving others so much you want to give them a source of hope through your writing, as a way of sharing the Word, and as your gift back to God who let you experience salvation for FREE.

“God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” – Ephesians 2:8

This is why I have never monetized this faith-based blog even if there were offers to monetize it. All of my ideas and testimonies are free for all to read and share and it will remain that way for as long as I can write. I refuse to even make this a private domain and pay a monthly fee even if I can because I don’t want money to have anything to do with my faith except for tithes.

I may write a book but I’ll give it for free. It is not the price of your book that matters but what’s in it – the story you want to tell. Your story is meant to be shared with everyone. Just like the Bible, there is no limit to where its wisdom can go. It’s the same with your book. Write a story, share it, then leave a legacy worth following through your articles and your readers when they also pass the wisdom to others. 🙂

Are you an aspiring writer? Are you still in a daze how to become a writer? Or have you been writing for years already? Let me know in the comment box below how you’re pursuing your love for writing. I’d pretty much love to hear your story too. ❤

Good Stewards of God’s Gift

Posted on by

This is a very quick article as I’ll be preparing for an exam and I am looking forward to busier days with (prayerfully) writing and teaching. In whatever case, all glory to God as always and may His will be done over all my plans. 🙂

To set the right tone for this article, allow me to share this bible verse first:

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” – 1 Peter 4:10

I consider writing and teaching as gifts wherein God has called me to serve Him and fulfill the mission He has tasked me to do. It has always been my all-time prayer that if God will give me a professional career, it will cater both the fields I am passionate about – writing and teaching.

I may not know how it will come about but my constant question too is how I could glorify His name in these fields. This blog supports my passion for writing and contains my testimonies about faith and been ‘teaching’ about it one way or the other.

But it also contains all the things that I am passionate about from hobbies, advocacy, quality time with people I love, movies, literature, cooking, etc. I am pretty sure you’re familiar with the term “hobby hoarder”  and I must confirm being guilty of that. 😀

However, it is not my intent to be a “jack of all trades, master of none” but it is out of my passion for learning too that’s why I became interested in learning these crafts. Some of them I may have acquired as a skill, some as a talent, and some out of diligence in being able to create something for someone.

The latter, I believe, is what 1 Peter 4:10 is all about. It’s never about the many things you can do and never a matter of glorifying self but how can you help others with what you have or what God has given you. Think of Albert Einstein or Bill Gates and other “gifted” inventors who contributed so much for the convenience and betterment of the human race and society. Though their achievements were recognized, I believe the “geniuses” in them aren’t just about being born lucky with it but that it has already been predestined by someone more genius than anyone else He created the entire universe with all its intricacies. But even if gifted with such great talent, it still depends entirely on how God will use that talent according to His plans.

In my previous article, I mentioned that it was my brother who inspired me to play the guitar as a hobby. He got the inspiration from my Mom most likely and out of his passion to learn the craft, he has learned the art of music by playing the guitar good enough to inspire someone like me.

I got influenced and had the same willingness to acquire the skill so he passed on the trade by giving me my first guitar and allowed God to teach me what I needed to learn along the way. Now married, it was my husband who showed his interest in learning the craft through me and so came the birth of his very first guitar. *wink* 😉

I believe it is a question of who do we serve with the gifts/talents that God gave us with.

NEVER should the talents be used to glorify self nor fulfill our own desires because it will root in on pride, selfishness, greed and discontentment. Pursuing ambition by means of talent can never be the case as well. Again, if God’s gifts were used solely to satisfy our own selfish needs, then we are not maximizing what God originally intended those gifts for – for the benefit of all.

For it was written,

John 3:30 “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”

Luke 9:24-25 “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?”

Luke 9:23 [Then He said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”]

Denying ourselves pleasures that only us will benefit makes us obedient to the calling that God has called us out. For it is only in the act of doing things out of love to our gift-giver can our talents and skills have complete meaning by aligning them to their purposes and roles according to God’s plans.

These two sketches are a request from hubby for his family which I was very hesitant to do at first as I feel inadequate in meeting their expectations. But I finally had the courage to do it because of God’s grace, my husband’s encouragement and my life verse which is, “For I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. – Philippians 4:13.”

Honestly, I hate to part with each of my art work as I feel a part of me has been embedded in every piece. lol Yes, I believe I really am that sentimental.

BUT it is of greater joy and complete happiness knowing that you are using what God gave you not for your glory but for His glory being good stewards of His grace – again, 1 Peter 4:10. 🙂

P.S.

I believe everyone has been gifted by God with something and it is not only through the hobbies in which one can serve the other.

If you are unsure what God may have given you and where He is calling you to serve Him and others, I encourage you to volunteer in one of the church ministries. The ministry may not be exactly what you had in mind as the avenue for you to completely use your gift in serving others but it might serve as the instrument in knowing completely where God wants to put you.

Of course, prayers mean a lot. I did mention in one of my previous articles that I was asking for God’s guidance and clarity in what He wanted me to do with the gifts He has given me.

I am praying you’ll find the right turf where you can serve others too may it be at home, at work, in school, abroad or in your homeland. 🙂

2017-06-13-19-56-21

Bro-in-law (9″ x 12″ Pencil Sketch)

2017-06-13-20-02-30

Parents-in-law (12″ x 18″ Pencil Sketch)

It Was His Birthday: Part 2

Posted on by

Brian Rome

“Birthday Boy” (9″ x 12″ Pencil Sketch)

This isn’t a yearly habit for me but I intended to make it so from now on – sketching him on his birthday. 🙂

It was my hubby’s birthday last May 4 and when he was just my boyfriend, it was my first birthday gift to him – a sketch. Last year I wasn’t able to make one as we were out of town for his birthday celebration. This year though, time allowed I make him another one. I have been eyeing one of the photos I took of him as my sketch guide – this time from a different angle.

I promised I will do another sketch of him and though I was hesitant to draw as it’s been more than a year since I got hold of a pencil and did some sketches, God gave me the grace to finish it in less than an hour – I was busy preparing for his favorite dinner too. Multitasking, it is. Yes, the duties of Mrs. Wifey. 😀

So I teased my husband, “Honey, I already did a front and side angle of you, should I also sketch your back?” lol

What do you think?  About sketching his back, I mean. *just kidding* 😀