Just retired

Cesar and Francia Salazar

After a little less than forty years of working, my parents are now officially unemployed. Their retirement ceremony was held on June 1 – in front of the people they have befriended, nurtured, and reprimanded. It just sucked that they had to retire on the lowest of terms – especially since the National Broadcasting… oops People’s Television Network wasn’t as grand as it was then.

My father worked as writer/producer on PTV/NBN’s news department while my mom worked as news director. Let’s just say that whenever people maltreat PTV, it sucks because I knew they worked hard to keep me and my sister awesome. Being in the broadcasting industry – particularly news is mind-numbing because it is always live. I remember as a kid checking out for my parents in the wee hours of Christmas and New Year’s Eve because while a lot of the citizens are preparing their feasts, my parents are just about to leave their office (although most of the time, their evening newscasts are taped).

The arrival of my sister’s kid has made my mom love retirement although my father will find a way to return to news writing. I envy his line of work because during the heyday of PTV/NBN Sports, he would always travel to different land to help cover the Olympics, the Asian Games, the SEA Games, or whenever a president travels to distant land and meet up with other Heads of State.

Writing and broadcasting runs in my family. They wanted me to become a news reporter. I did appear on-cam while I was in IBC-13 but I rather create stories than write news.

In some ways having a blog and helping out in writing sports stories in other websites help pay homage to the gift my parents gave me.

I started blogging when it was still cool. I am now helping out in other websites like NBA Philippines and Hoops Basketball but my goal this year is help boost my Sydrified site. Sure, Google Adsense has banned me a bunch of times but I think I can find a way to double my money. Blogging is a difficult way to work but it is also a great way to showcase my talent.

There’s a part of me who is willing to work the long hours just to write about sports but then I am coping with that craving with the help of blogging. For every comment, suggestion, and detraction my tens of fans give me, the more satisfied I am.

I think my parents want me to outdo them – the same way I want my kids to outshine me on whatever profession they want to pursue. I want to do more. I have to because this is what they have been asking me all my life. Just like my parents, I am willing to teach them the ways I was brought upon by my parents and hopefully they will be at least a fifty percent improvement of what I have become.

Or more.

Please be more.

I congratulate my parents for surviving the stress, the long hours, the stupid upper management, and the Christmas raffles they won throughout the years.

Now you can follow all the Korean dramas you are willing to invest time on.

Game on!