Oblivious meets Passion Planner's Angelia Trinidad

It's 2016 and I am so happy to share this Oblivious Interview with folks. I have been a fan of the Passion Planner story and the woman behind the planner for quite some time. When I first saw the videos about how Passion Planner came to fruition I thought to myself "It's a small Filipino world out there. There's got to be a way I could connect with her." And low and behold, through the magic of Facebook I was proved right.  Many thanks to Lily Prijoles, a previous Oblivious Interview, for the introduction!

As a stationary fiend, the Passion Planner pulled at my heartstrings. I rely on my Google Calendar to organize my life, but it has not motivated me in my passion pursuits. When the Kickstarter campaign for Passion Planner launched for 2016 planners, I put my money where my mouth is and reserved the special edition blue cover. Why this special edition and not the gold one? Honestly I don't think I could handle a gold planner. Plus blue is my favorite color. And the etching artwork on the cover reminded me of Doctor Who! 

2016 is a new year for Oblivious Nerd Girl and Angelia Trinidad's story is an inspiration for me and hopefully for you too!

​Oblivious meets Passion Planner's Angelia Trinidad. 

Affiliations (arts org, fun things you do, etc) :

When I was in college I was a part of Chi Delta Theta at UCLA. Currently, I love playing basketball and play in a women's league here in San Diego. Passion Planner also has a softball and kickball team I play on. My free time is usually spent with my close friends and family, playing board games, reading or enjoying the great outdoors. I try to also travel every 3-4 months to have a change of pace and shake things up a bit.

What's the one word you are guilty of using too much?

I am guilty of using the word "essentially" too much. My staff actually pointed it out. Essentially I use it whenever I am trying to simplify what I am trying to say.

How did you end up doing what you are doing now?

One day after feeling pretty lost and depressed after I graduated, I decided to take action to get myself out of the post-grad funk. I sat down and mapped out on paper what I wanted to do with my life. My main goal was to help people. I thought about when I felt most productive and most fulfilled in my life and I realized that during those moments, I always had a planner by my side. However, I wasn't happy or satisfied with the planners currently available on the market. They we're practical but not personal, so I decided to make one myself. I took all of the strategies that I had learned from reading more than 200 self-help and personal productivity books and incorporated them into the tool that I wish someone gave me when I was feeling lost. I launched Passion Planner on Kickstarter at the end of 2013 and the rest is her-story.

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Which member of the Wu-Tang Clan best describes your personality?

Although I relate to RZA because he is multi-talented, being an author, rapper, director and composer, among many other things, I think GZA is someone I relate to more. He is a very spiritual person who is also multi-layered. Not only can he produce amazing music, but he is also deep into science. He helps teen science programs and has done TEDx.

Dogs or Cats, who wins? Why?

Dogs and cats are both hilarious and can both make good pets! But I have to side with team dogs because I love my dog.

What is the best part of any given day for you?

The best part of my day is when I have a moment where I can just be and not worry about the past or the future, or when I hear about how Passion Planner has really helped someone’s life.

In a zombie apocalypse who would you want on your survival team?

My Passion Planner Team. They’re a bunch of dedicated people, who are funny, trustworthy and have a lot of heart.


What is the last thing you searched for on google?

"Passion Planner" I love seeing what new articles or blog posts come up about the company.

If you could talk to your high school self, what would say?


Keep doing what you love and stay true to yourself. Everything will work out in the end.

What is the best thing or meal you ever ate?

My mom's Filipino spaghetti. It's a food coma classic.

What is a memorable project that you are working on or have worked on?

I have worked on a lot of art projects, but the most memorable project has been Passion Planner. It is an idea I had in my head for so long, that I had always put off. When I finally took the real steps to move forward and make it happen, everything changed. Sure I can talk about any one of my sculptures that I have made, or how running my own Macaron business was both a stressful yet great learning experience, but really it all led to this. But who knows, maybe Passion Planner is just another piece of the bigger picture. I just know that good or bad, I'm enjoying every step of this journey. ​

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