La gente (me incluyo) son unos miedosos...

Creo que es tiempo de desenmascarar a las personas que realmente tienen a mi país prisionero.....(lista prelminar) 1) Todos los que viven con el "que dirán" 2) Todos los que no preguntan por no parecer tontos (o fuera de los círculos de poder....es casi lo mismo) 3) Todos los que no comentan lo que pueden aportar a la discusión por no parecer creidos (los conectados, comunmente por herencia que por mérito propio) 4) los que no exigen más de sus amistades (si ustedes saben quienes son......y que tiene que PARAR YA)

Está bueno yá de paños tibios señores....nos toca a nosotros....póngansen las pilas por lo que sea que los motive.....el tiempo se hace corto y despues no hay excusa para el "pude haber hecho esto o lo otro".....[oh y aplica a todos ustedes fuera de Puerto Rico que se pasan quejando sin aportar directamente nada....."put up or shut up" thanks]

En otro momento abundaré sobre el asunto, pero la historia corta es que ya nos toca a nosotros coger responsabilidad de lo que está pasando. Recuerden...todo esto de que "en Puerto Rico todo el mundo se conoce" aplica a todas las cosas que les molestan en general......que la gente (o sea ustedes) que puede hacer algo al respecto.....o es uno mismo o uno sabe quien sabe quien sabe quien puede hacer algo al respecto.......no es tiempo de indignarse? Make it happen? Yo creo que sí.

La Vida es una Tombola

Aquí mi primer "post" en español, por eso de ser pro-Puerto Rico y la cultura local etc (gracias a altavista mis seguidores podrán traducir esto sin problemas). Creo que es tiempo de darle un giro a este blog. Un enfoque hacia mi interior totalmente privado y menos hacia mensajes y experesiones que nadie excepto yo puedo entender (mi blog sufría del mal de ser escrito más para mi que para nadie más). Gracias a personas valientes como Tiaralis, veo que el blog es una manera de que otras personas que "conocen" a uno tengan la oportunidad de realmente ver dentro de nuestro ser. Es impresionante las conversaciones que se pueden dar entre personas sin que realmente se toque la sustancia de lo que hace a uno. Así que este es un intento para mejorar esa parte de mi :). Esa parte que vive con el "que dirán" aunque yo jure y perjure que no me importa, que no es así, que nada de lo que diga nadie que "esté a mi nivel" me importa o me afecta. Porque la realidad es que, a veces tengo tanto miedo de lo que "puedan decir" que me inhibo de una manera que termina afectando lo que al final quiero hacer......que es influir lo más que mis habilidades me lo permitan en mi entorno y en aquellos a quien les tengo aprecio y respeto. No creo que en ser un mero espectador en lo que sucede en donde uno vive (en este caso Puerto Rico). Creo que es esencial tomar un rol protagónico en la medida que sea posible en cualqueir ámbito que pueda llevar al cambio que es necesario para uno. Un poco más al grano, porque tengo la tendencia de hablar en abstracto para mi y los que potencialmente puedan pensar como yo.....yo amo a Arelys Rosado Gonzalez (para que conste para el record)...pienso que es la mujer mas impresionante que cualquier persona pueda tener la oportunidad de conocer (hay mas que se puede escribir pero quiero ir al próximo punto y todavia batallo con los malos hábitos de blogear...)......creo que Puerto Rico está en el boquete más por falta de liderazgo y personas dispuestas a coger "los azotes" necesarios para llevar a cabo el cambio que por cualquier otra razón que puedan comentar los políticos del país (e.g. falta de educación del electorado, blah blah blah). Creo también que nosotros los que no tenemos ninguna afiliación política (hablaremos más de eso en algún momento del futuro) contribuimos al vacío que existe en el país. Si nosotros cogemos el toro por los cuernos (e.g. - cuestionamos a nuestros amigos cercanos líderes el PNP, PIP, PPD, PPR, et al) es mucho más dificil que ellos puedan esconderse detrás de cualquier linea política que puedan pensar....esto debido a que es más dificil responderle a alguien que te conoce, que tu respetas (como político) que a un "constituyente" particular de la calle. Si nosotros somos más proactivos en pedir el cambio que merecemos y estar dispuestos a actuar y tomar las riendas del asunto para que todo eso sea verdad.....más rápido puede llegar el cambio que tanto pedimos todos los dias para Puerto Rico. El temor y el "que dirán" nos pone en desventaja sin razón... es tiempo de tomar posturas y pedir cuentas a los que se han proclamados líderes de nuestro país......es tiempo de actuar y que siempre nos mantegamos en acción....

vamos a retomar nuestro país....

Ramphis

Its always something new....

...As usual, It never ceases to amaze me how much things can change, and still, as expected, always stay the same. How things you understand to be true one moment, are still the same, while contemporaries are still trying to figure out what the status quo is all about....to understand the ebb and flow of life. Now all this would be fine and dandy, but it worries me enough to write about when those who you choose as anchors have doubts about what they think they know...thus casting doubt on why you chose them as anchors in the first place. All of which brings me to my current point....you are alone in life, with only your thoughts to keep you company, as everyone else is still trying to figure themselves out in front of the world.

For the first few months of this new year, I've learnt so far what it truly means to be unique in a particular geography and timeline. Such an event is one that is only truly experienced in retrospect and is, in my opinion, impossible to be understood at the moment that it is happening. Speed of thought is not enough to circumvent all the other experiential and emotive issues surrounding individual and collective consciousness development. Whatever happens, I'll still have myself to understand what's going on....sadly, there might not be someone else to understand with me.

Always a treat.

JRC

The End is Near

Whew, talk about a 180.  The speed at which life moves and changes now still amazes and inspires me.  It has truly forced me to think deeply about the fleetness of plans and time; about what's truly important and how much easier it is to impact a life than the world.  I have met some truly amazing individuals during this past year, most of which I do not know when I'll see again in the hopes of explaining how their life has impacted mine; and through me, will impact so many more.  I have seen for the first time the limits of my strengths (however grand others feel them to be) and have finally understood the depth of my weaknesses.  For the first time, I feel on a path I do not know where it leads; my plans seeming but a small detour in the development of the skills and acquisition of the tools for the greater path ahead.  I have also learned the unquantifiable value of the team; and how its best members are not ones you choose yourself, and can come from places you never dreamed of.

I always enjoy the feeling of a clean slate the New Year always brings to me; and how lucky I am to have the chance to sit at this juncture in time and draw picture of all that's happened in one short year.  Last year was about growth, this year was about understanding; I fully expect the new year to be about discovery.   But as I have learned thus far, what I expect is not what will be important.....

Happy New Years, and to all my comrades; near and far, 'skoal'!

P.S. - We will meet again sooner than you think.

Over the remaining 4 months...

...I should be wrapping up some of the following:

--Reach Microsoft Gold Certified Partner status.
--Increase Institute membership by 10%.
--Start Law Practice.
--Travel to a few of my recommended destinations (WEC in Brazil, UPADI in Cuba, among others).
--Get our first international client.
--Reach revenue milestone (+Throw all-inclusive xmas party for all employees in the Dominican Republic)
--Reach final rounds of business plan competition.
--Be able to run a 10k in under 60 minutes.
--Get elected to the Student Government of the University of Puerto Rico School of Law.
--Personally mentor 2 more young engineers.

J.R.

6,144 hours later.....

...I've gotten a company on track to become the regional leader in healthcare software solutions for the Medicare, Medicaid and Commonwealth Healthcare Reform Act, established multiple entrepeneurship initiatives throughout Puerto Rico, finished another semester of Law School with flying colors, got democratically elected as Vice-President of THE software engineering board on the island, transformed my home into a hub for visitors from Germany, Switzerland, France, Portugal, Holand, and many others, and managed to retain my sanity (not entirely sure about that last part :). Time does fly...it never ceases to amaze me. Move a few flakes down a hill, and before you know it; you've got a massive snowball. Don't know about the massive part, but at Simple we do feel the push forward. I've also had to wrestle with simply moving forward, even though there are times when one just wants to take a step back and think about past achievements. After so many things that we've been through over the past year, it would be a disservice to all those who have invested their time and effort in making the company into what it is today. To all of you...thank you. To all those feeling the Karma face-turner...just turn the other cheek ;).

J.R.

Almost through the Storm....

It has been close to 10 days since I've taken control of the Company. It truly feels like riding out a storm. I've been in meeting after meeting making sure everything will run smoothly from here on out...its time to get this bus going. In the next few weeks I will be posting our goals for the next year as well as our plan to get there. It is no secret that we intend to own the regional healthcare market, we thoroughly welcome the competition. The next few weeks will be critical as we continue our expansion into the EHR market, as well as continue our R&D efforts into future versions of our software. We'll see how things pan out.

Simple Engineering lives on...

Its been a while, seems the Internet and blogs have more staying power than I previously thought. Although I recently restumbled upon my blog, I have kept detailed entries into my adventures as an entrepeneur. It has been a tough and winding journey, let me tell you. With more surprises than I could have imagined and dark days to last a lifetime. We have designed and launched a product that currently the market leader in Healthcare performance management locally; introduced cutting-edge EMR technology into individual practices for healthcare practitioners; and managed to hold together the most amazing group of individuals I have had the pleasure of leading. Jim Collins was so right in his book "Good to Great" its scary. You have to get the right people ON the bus, and the wrong people OFF the bus before you can truly go anywhere. It is a painful process, but one whose merits are irrefutable.

By this time next year, we are on track to being a household name in the regional healthcare industry; as well as graduating from being a "small tech start-up" and be a multi-national technology company. Just as our history has proved not without obstacles, we fully expect hazards along the way. Only this time, we'll have the experience, camaraderie , and talent needed to pull through anything.