Hello Hive!
I am Jayhiel (pronounced as Jay-HILL) Malila (@jsmalila) from Cebu, Philippines. I am happy to announce that I am the newest addition to the Hive community. Before I begin, I would like to thank my overly empowered circle of friends in Hive who, after how many months of delay, pushed me to post this by giving me a deadline (laughs). Thank you, friends!
So, where do I begin? 😃
The Hiatus
My knowledge and experience of a decentralized social media community started last 2018. With my immense drive for sharing my inner thoughts through writing, I was able to meet a lot of people in the community from different walks of life and most importantly, learn a ton of new things from them.
The turn of events made me shift on other things, specifically in my graduate studies. It would be a shame to say this, but grad school almost devoured a huge chunk of my time and motivation, making me feel like a bad guy for any slight distraction that I attempted to engage during those times, which made me decide to stop blogging for a short while. Thank God that was over! Then again, time and circumstances will always make you go back to the things that make your heart skip a beat and make you feel kilig after submitting the Publish button. I’m happy to say that I am back to reach out and communicate with you guys through blogging.
Shedding Some Skin: The Jay's Frontiers
The pandemic somehow made me ask the question, “Who am I going to be without the freedom to go outside the house?” Our identity, or identities rather, are heavily entwined to what we do in the outside world. As my search for being was disrupted by the sudden pause of the world, there were several nights of mental panic and anxiety, thinking about who I am going to be, now that things are not the way I expected it.
With the rapid, unexpected changes that I have been through, a burst of realization came. Gosh, I might as well apply the best answers to these questions of doubt: ADAPT. EVOLVE, EXPLORE.
For my debut post here in Hive, I decided to create a social media brand for myself that would embody these things, for it is through this that I may be able to express myself in ways that I have never done before. As I go along my personal journey, I get to realize that “Who am I?” will never have a definite answer for me because I live to adapt, evolve, and explore more of myself each day, whatever the gravity of circumstances around me is. Of course, YOU will now be a part of my personal adventure. I hereby call my personal brand The Jay’s Frontiers.
The most recent memory I had of the word Frontier was when I binge-watched two seasons of Star Trek: Discovery in Netflix. It was mentioned by one of the major characters as they embark on a thrilling journey to go across the limitless boundaries of our universe and explore what lies ahead. I am so into science-fiction movies and series that I carry it along in my dreams, and worse, channel it out in my current reality.
The story that unfolded in each episode of Stak Trek: Discovery was the entire opposite of our situation a few months ago, back when the government's quarantine restrictions were not yet relaxed. As they travel several wormholes to reach destinations that are light-years away, we were stuck inside our cramped rooms, wondering when will the pandemic be manageable enough for us to get back to the usual things that we do.
I can't help but feel jealous over a bunch of fictional characters. How I wish I can also be like them, brave enough to explore anything that is beyond what their eyes can see. The word "limit" is not applicable to them, yet the said word is almost an unbreakable chain that controlled my plans.
The good thing about our generation is that there are so many turnarounds to a particular issue. I acted positively on my feelings and decided to BE LIKE THEM. Yes, I want to be like them! Probably not in the radiation-resistant getup that they have, but I want to be limitless in terms of how I approach my path. Hey, I can also explore other things with the free time that I have! I can also make my own frontiers in my own little way, just watch (laughs) 😅
As we go through different stages of our lives, we tend to find out new things about us that we never thought possible. Ever since we were kids, we were somehow "brainwashed" about the idea that we need to live up to one major profession or role that we can proudly bring as our sole identity until old age. The pandemic challenged these notions, and I should say the current challenges made me more eager to try something new, experiment on my skills, and embrace these new things like answers to the "Who are you?" question.
Purpose and Value
How can my frontiers bring more value to this community?
One truth of the matter is that the discoveries of the past are the foundations of the present and the smaller clues for the bigger future. No matter how small a shared discovery is, it might be a big breakthrough and a life-changing fact for others. Even the concept of Hive was never talked about two decades ago! INFORMATION coming from my unique experiences is the core value that I can give to this community. Who knows, another virtual empire may be born out of a simple Hive introduction post such as this 😉. Am I right or... am I right? Hahaha.
An environment of sharing is also an environment of continuous improvement. Through Hive, I hope to improve through other's work and experiences. My little progress and experiments that I get to share maybe somebody's cup of tea, which may lead to a chain of new frontiers launching to the sky, only to be noticed and soon appreciated by the bigger public. We want that to happen, right guys?
What are Jay's FRONTIERS?
Whew, so much philosophy in there! I apologize I actually talk too much, even in writing. Get ready for these sugar-coated (lol) identities and experiments that I currently do as far as my 25-year old self is concerned.
Ready? Let's launch the rocket!
I finished a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering and got my license three years ago. Even in my third year of engineering school, I knew from the start that my "beauty" is not suitable for the industry setting (laughs). As an academic, theories and concepts about my field made me more fascinated about the physical world, yet made me somehow unattracted to the hustle of applying it in a chemical plant. My classmates have predicted my path to teaching already, as I was the "mini-teacher" that they always cling on to whenever they cram for a test the next day.
I am one of the few who decided to stay in school and hope to contribute tiny improvements to the somehow problematic educational system.
Right now, my mission of providing a good influence on the younger generation of students is manifested in my current job as a Senior High School teacher, specifically in the Chemistry and Practical Research subjects. Seeing the "Aha!" moments of every kid in the room always makes me feel delighted and soft, with the hopes that one day, that kid can make this society a better place to live.
As much as working in big companies attract most professionals, I have this inner fear that if I work for them, I might not be able to get out without feeling the "guilt of the privilege" that they would have given me more if I stayed. Ever since before, I have this inner struggle to be free from what I want to do and not be swayed by my parents' advice to make good money in a chemical factory. No matter how strong the temptation to go with the status quo is, I was so amazed at how determined my inner self is to make my own path, even if this path is the one that is not followed by many.
I decided to study graduate school immediately after finishing my master's degree with the motivation to fill in the "void" of not knowing what I really wanted to do.
I decided to give Chemical Engineering another try. Again, it was so difficult to love, even at the master's level. Hahaha. Despite this, I found the inner scientist in me grow and develop, as I was challenged to do things more on my own and think for myself. The bigger chunk of my grad school journey was when I was chosen to represent our country. Thank God I did it gracefully and bring home awards, proof that I was "raised" well by my mentors.
Just to kill the idea that grad school is overly boring and mentally tiring, it is an unpopular fact that young scientists and researchers like me enjoy this part so much: TRAVELLING THE WORLD. Yes, through grad school I was able to start my dreams of going outside the seas that surround the Philippines and breathe the same air as the F4, Lee Min Ho, and Naruto. Hahaha. Hopefully, once the pandemic ends, I would love to sacrifice the peace that I have now to have another try at the doctorate level and create new frontiers in the field of research and development.
As I get to enjoy my growing love for the sciences, I don't enjoy the fact that it doesn't pay much of the bills in the house. I know a lot about the phenomena behind how electricity works, but my knowledge, as of the moment, can't pay our Notice of Disconnection bill, which is in fact a horrifying experience once you get to receive it. I will never, ever want that to happen again! That is why I acted positively on it and learned the ways of the financially secured people.
I told myself, "I'm tired of being poor and being not free of the expenses that I do". I bravely immersed myself in the world of finances by being a financial advisor to one of the most trusted insurance companies in the Philippines. I also learned how to trade and applied my researcher skills to dig deeper into the world of money, credit cards, and real estate.
Little by little, I get to know how rich people become richer, and how to finally be free without really becoming rich. Yes, that's right! We don't really need to be rich just to be happy, as what most people would think. We just need the willingness and proper education to be financially wise.
I never imagined that a living, breathing Tito of Cebu can still be hooked with mobile games that teens nowadays usually play. Most of you might find it a waste of time, but there is actually a lot of thinking needed to pull off a winning game.
I just realized that I am a person who loves to think, even in these games that people are expected to enjoy at the bare minimum. I was so into it that I even decided to create a Facebook page for my online streams! What's more, people consult me for an in-depth analysis as to how to play the heroes in the game right. Hmmm...it still smells like research and science over again, even in these entertainment channels. I currently venture in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (started it last 2018) and Call of Duty: Mobile (started this year). If you can, please follow my page as you get to learn more about these games in the eyes of a teacher like me. I suppose that's a rare kind of thing, right? (laughs)
The currency of love and care in our house is the kind of food that we put on our table. I am blessed to be born with a father who is a star in the kitchen and a mother who is the overall manager in terms of the quantity and quality of food that I have on my plate. Ever since my father passed away seven years ago, the motivation to be his "substitute" was still here even until now. I always learn from my mother how to cook better and integrate my own identity to each dish that I create.
The pandemic gave me more opportunities to explore other dishes. What I currently enjoy doing is to cook a dish that is part of my favorites before the pandemic started. I am so excited to share these recipes with you guys because I know you also love to eat delicious food like me.
I decided to start a small business a few months before the pandemic started, and I did not expect that the nature of the business that I created will be inclined to the current needs of our society, specifically in the health and well-being of each individual. Through the help of my colleagues, I was able to apply my profession as a chemical engineer to formulate my own hand sanitizing gels! The small business called LIMPYUR ESSENTIALS is still having its baby steps and is starting to get attention from the Cebuano community.
The word Limpyur is a combination of two words: (1) Limpyo, a Cebuano word which means clean, and (2) Pure, a very important element that should be present in products that offer the safety and protection to the customers. We decided to make the Pure look more modern and catchy, so we decided to change the spelling to pyur instead. Right now, we are venturing into the reselling type of business model, and praise God, people are accepting our presence positively.
I live and breathe through writing. It is one of the ways that I talk to others and express myself without being judged for becoming too "loud" and "annoying". I have written lots of content for other people as I start to develop my writing skills when I signed up for a writing job way back 4 years ago.
I started my own blog last 2017 with the hopes of improving my writing skills and gaining more connections through the things that I know. You can visit my blog website you want to know more about me as a writer.
There will be more frontiers about me coming soon as I get to live each day, learning and trying out new things. I hope to get to know more frontiers about you and check out our similarities as individuals.
At the end of the day, what we are always after is the value that we get as we explore the endless possibilities that lie ahead of us. I hope that I get to put in move value to this community through the frontiers that I will be sharing with you in the next coming days.
That's it, guys! The exploration is over for now.
See you at my next rocketship flight here in Hive!