is 60 the magic number?

i went to my tita's wake last night and realized that she passed away at the age of 60.  its the same age by which tita rory passed away at a few months back.  that kinda stuck to my head -  rationalizing that if 60 was the life expectancy these days then i am already past mid-life.  i'm quite happy that i'm alive and everyday i am thankful that God has given me another day here.  the thought of mortality doesn't really worry me now more than before probably because i've kinda dealt with the passing of people who were much much younger than me.  going through that has made me realize that i am lucky i'm still here - thirty four years and counting.  for some reason, writing that in numbers make me cringe and i'm hoping that putting it into words make it less obvious that i am quite aged. lol.

being in the wake somewhere in mandaluyong city made me reminisce of my childhood.  almost all of my cousins lived there except for some who lives in muntinlupa and us who lives in paranaque.  i couldn't believe how grown-up my nephews and nieces are already that i had to sigh when they came around to bless and say hi.  WTF?  i'm so not that old - or so i thought!  i realized that as the world turns, my nieces and nephews are now either in their late teens or even entering adulthood.  one nephew (who married early) is now even expecting his fourth child.  the next generation has indeed taken over our role as the kids in the clan from way back.  its not really that our time has passed that's depressing but more of the generation prior to us (the 'rents, the aunts and the uncles) are all sort of getting much, much older.  and that they are going to be with us a few more years seem more and more definite and real.  its one of the main reasons why working outside of the country is my least priority - i'd want to spend as much time with my loved ones because they are the people who mean a lot to me.

so while i struggle with the idea of turning another year older this 2009, i smile at the realization that i am living a fruitful and happy existence.  that i have learned my lessons well and i've made a difference in the lives of some people i know.

life goes on.  i'm here and i am still living for the here & now.

a sad farewell

my tita lita passed away today.  she has been quite sick this year but last time we saw her, she seemed to be in better shape after she got out of the hospital.  my cousins just said she was having trouble breathing and rushed her to the hospital.  they texted a while back that she has moved on.  i'm not really sure what was wrong with my tita but it had something to do with her liver (and no, she is not a drinker).  while we were not particularly close with her, i do have some memories growing up because we used to hang around the mandaluyong area way back.  their life has been a constant struggle to make ends meet and there were surely good times and bad times equally.  despite everything, she seemed happy and content with her life and my tita was a kind woman.  she went to visit and look after my sister when she was at the hospital as well.  its sad that she has to go already but i know that she is going to be happy in the next life.

its raining now.  maybe the heavens are sharing their grief for the loss of my tita.

its going to be CHRISTmas again

in a few more hours, its going to be CHRISTmas all over again.  why is at the start of every year, we all just want the months to breeze through so that its december again.  and when it does breeze through, we wonder where did the time go?  sometimes i don't know if hoping for the days to pass by so that it will be weekend again is a good thing.  life passes by - this year is no exception.  i'm happy though that i am still here --- and so is everyone in my family.  God has been very good and extremely generous to our family and despite everything that has happened in the last couple of years, we are still very thankful.

tonight, we are going to celebrate the birth of Christ and we all should remember that Christmas is more than just giving gifts.  It is a time to be thankful for the year we had and for all the blessings we have received.  Happy birthday Jesus!

To everyone, Merry Christmas!

a dsl miracle

persistence kind of pays off - and of course, a whole lotta patience.  i called my pldt dsl contact last week to tell him i've been having the same problem again of intermittent dsl connections (which was really screwing up my having to work from home set-up).  last time they replaced the modem and all the connections and checked whatever pldt boxes on the lamp posts but that didn't really solve anything.

i think he finally re-routed or transferred our line to some other new line and after a few more adjustments, it "seems" like the problem of intermittent connection is now a thing of the past.  i'm crossing my fingers that that is really the case.  but so far, speedtesting my connection, here is the result (and its been pretty consistent) so you might say, i'm quite happy.  truly, a dsl miracle.  3MBPS ... gotta love that!

what language is this?

after receiving a call from an unknown number who like most uneducated people just rudely drops down the phone without uttering a single syllable, i receive this text a few minutes after.  written as is.

... sori poe ...

-->rngclL akoh...

_->enxia s istorbo...

i had to read it a couple more times to understand what some of the words were and realized that OMG, they're all around us.

it took a lot of willpower not to reply with something like ...

what planet are you from and what language is this?

i have to say, this is like haunting me! hahaha

how not to write

one of my pet peeves is text writing and all the pa-cute way some people change how words are spelled (aq, q, ngaun, cno, etc).  i don't really care if anybody calls me a snob but writing this way is heinous and they should get locked up in writing school - like maybe for eternity.

don't you wish the telcos bring back free texting so that people don't have to write this way. instead of ngaun, why not just write "now" and for cno, why not "who"?

uhmmm if anybody who reads this write this way, i beg you to stop.

yesterday's deeds

nonsense stuff i did yesterday ... well sort of nonsense ... wala ma-post e ...

• got 5 1/2 months worth of meal stubs ... so i bought 1 box of 500ml C2 Green and 1 box of 500ml of C2 Apple and 1 case of Pepsi Max (24 cans) from the cafeteria yesterday.  I know they sell it way expensive but what will i do with so many meal stubs?
• additionally, got around 8 small cans of pik-nik (love the salt!) + a bunch of snacks + a bunch of instant noodles again from the cafeteria.  i sure hope these are not going to be our noche buena and new year feast.
• thought the gas in cavite was pretty cheap already (P34.5 per li for unleaded) and then joey told me that it was P30.5 at Jetti.  so i got gas at the Jetti station i passed by and was happy that 1K pushed my meter from 1/4 to full. yeba!
• passed by a CD-R king store at filinvest last night and since i was passing time (dang coding!), i decided to fall in line for 30mins which was unusual for me because i dislike waiting.  Got 50 pieces of DVD+R and another 50 pieces of CD-R.  staple items.

and so still i haven't done any christmas shopping - i'm really really bad at it.  again, the only person i'm great at shopping for is myself.  i'm such a shellfish person ... hehehe! and since this is a season of giving, i'm going to brave the torrent of people at the mall and find gifts.  so far, i'm not really sure when i can do that ... lol!

phase 1 farewell

i went to the cavite office today thinking it was just another one of those days and wondered as i was alighting at the parking lot why the night shift (7pm-7am) crew were hovering taking photos at the lobby and everywhere else.  i realized after buying something for breakfast looking at the LCD announcement screen that today was the last day of office (LDO) of Team 1 as part of the Phase 1 reduction.  i could feel an outpouring of emotions - some happily braving the future, others obviously sad to leave the company.  it dawned on me when i reached my cubicle that it also meant the last day i will be seeing friends & colleagues who i have worked with for the past eleven years and are part of phase 1.  last day i'll be seeing arlene at the office.  last time i'll be seeing ms zeny (who worked for intel for i dunno, 35+ years?).  i didn't even know some other colleagues were also leaving.  i was kind of sad that a lot of people were leaving.  that meant there'll be a lot more empty cubicles when we go back in january.

phase 2, which i've signified my intention of being part of, will probably have a LDO of April.  nothing really specific yet but i should start planning for it.  i hope i can take the next couple of weeks to get things straight in my head.  in between the merry making and the shopping and the endless get togethers, i have to make sure to sort of put some time to it.  hopefully, 2009 is going to be a great year.

review : breaking dawn

i'd have to say i wasn't disappointed by the final chapter of the twilight saga - in a way, it was a fitting conclusion and most of what i have been hoping for had closure.  i was thinking though that there were some parts of the book that felt like it was being stretched out particularly at the beginning.  i was happy to see that bella was no longer the wimpy, hapless girl she always seemed to be the first 3 books.  i'm happy that the edward-bella-jacob story was laid to rest.  c'mon, was there anyone seriously rooting for bella & jacob to end up together.  it was bella-edward all the way.  that was the whole point of book 1 (twilight) wasn't it?  to condition us to the whole "meant to be together" forever for bella & edward crap.  i would have settled for a climactic battle scene but the confrontation towards the end sort of left a little more to be desired for.  i almost feel bad that i don't have anything more to read tomorrow since i've been reading the books one after the other for the past four days.  i think the "sweet valley high" feel of the book stopped at the third book and the fourth book was darker and more serious than the rest.  it would be thrilling to see it the big screen but i bet we'll have to wait six or more years to find out.

review : eclipse

finally finished "eclipse, book 3 of the twilight saga and i liked it so much better than "new moon" which deathly boring.  eclipse has a better storyline and puts to a close somewhat the plot that the author was building up from the second book.  i guess the importance of book 2 was building up the jacob storyline and creating the arena for a love triangle.  i have to admit that the turn of events had me less liking bella - she's turned into a wimpy, hapless girl which i guess she really is but come on, she's always the freakin' damsel in distress.  i wish jane could've used that pain illusion on her - take that beyotch! lol!  i have to admit i enjoyed the action towards the end of the book - i think that will be joy to watch in the big screen when its made into film.  i do hope they pick out some good looking guy to play jacob so he'd be a better match to edward.  so book 1 was intriguing, book 2 was a sleeper and book 3 was pleasantly surprising.  hopefully, book 4 is a worthy conclusion to an enigmatic tale.

freakin dent

sure i've had my days as a really bad, bad driver but most of the time, i've been a model citizen following all the traffic rules so it pisses me off to see that my car has a freakin dent when i parked it properly in mostly pay parking areas.  i know its bad to wish someone ill fortune but i do hope that someone who put a dent in my CRV gets what he/she deserves.  the dent isn't humongous, well it sort of jumped from door to the back but its pretty noticeable.  while i'm not car-obsessed, the OC in me gets "praning" everyime i'm reminded of it.  the last time i had a dent repaired (ok, that was bigger and deeper), had to shell out 3K for it despite the insurance and that was 3 carless days and i had to commute from the repair shop.

so yeah, it sucks and it sure pisses me off.  dang that stupid driver.

new hardware this friday ...

ok, just happy that finally i am going to get my new desktop this friday ... specs are pretty cool, and definitely meets my requirements.

Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4Ghz

Intel(R) Desktop Board DG31PR Motherboard

Intel(R) G31 Express Chipset

3.0GB DDR2 Memory

Multi-Card Reader

512MB GeForce 8500GT Video Graphics Card

Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator 3100 onboard graphics

6-channel (5.1) audio subsystem using the Realtek* ALC888 audio codec

Gigabit (10/100/1000 Mbits/sec) LAN subsystem using the Realtek* RTL8111-GR Gigabit Ethernet Controller

320GB Serial-SATA/150 Hard Drive 7200rpm

DVD-ROM Drive

LG 20x DVD Dual Layer Drive

Firewire Card

Microsoft VISTA

I can't wait for friday!  Technology really makes me giddy!

i want these chucks

waaah, i want these clear chuck taylors!  they're so cute!

a glimpse of the coming future

en route to tagaytay with arlene, i realized that after eleven years of being with the big blue and working together, we are going to part ways - maybe for good this time.  eleven years is a long time - enough to build a friendship that hopefully will last our lifetime.  next week is the week before the two-week factory shutdown so it means that those who have been identified as part of phase 1 are all going to pack up their stuff already and bid the office goodbye.  i wonder how i would feel when my turn comes and my last day of office draws nearer and nearer.  despite the occasional jitters and overthinking, i am actually at peace with my decision to retire from the company.  i know the risks involved but i know that right now, i need to find something new and exciting.

so maybe i'll have to face my destiny as early as february, or maybe april, or maybe june.  i don't really have any definite answer right now and i am still patiently waiting.  i remain hopeful that things will work itself out.  it always does - with faith.

Reflections on the PSN Photo Exhibit

(this poster courtesy of malou marquez)

Yes, we did it!  All the hard work paid off and i'm proud to say we managed to pull it off.  For the record, i never doubted we would not be able to do it despite all the hurdles we encountered.  The problems, the frustrations and the stress were all part of the journey when we signed up for it so i had my head in the right place.  And while i pulled out the photo i submitted prior to printing, i do not mind not having an entry in the photo exhibit.   I already learned a lot helping manage the details of the exhibit.

What everyone should be proud of is the fact that this wasn't just a so-so exhibit - we partnered with an international organization (check out Up With People) and with the well-recognized Rotary Club and i think we did well enough to be proud of our accomplishment.  PSN wasn't just text in the thank you's - we had our logo as PARTNERS and we were always mentioned in all of the mini-concerts they did around Manila.  Yes, WE - a relatively unknown organization managed to score such a well-recognized event.

I was chatting with the RCGM President last night and fighting off exhaustion to be socially active, i had the feeling he was satisfied with the outcome our our exhibit.  He mentioned that they (RCGM) are going to bring in UWP next year and said we should start to talk about it.  This one's not over yet and seems he trusts us already to help partner with the next. Yay for good impressions!

Despite the highs, what project isn't complete without the lows?  Definitely there were a lot of frustrations trying to work out this project.  Words are said and people get hurt.  Personally, i don't burden myself with grudges nor hate because there's enough of that going around the world.  People who feel they have not done their roles should just apologize and do better the next time.  That should be the end of it.  There are a lot of lessons to be learned from this event and it is a chance to reflect on who we are as a group and as individuals.  I hope everyone understands why words, strong as they are, had to be said.  We all just need to admit to our mistakes if we made one.

I remember while i was in Singapore following up and reminding people to start shooting pictures during the UWP arrival and i managed to catch AJ on YM.  He was checking to see what is happening and during our conversation, i sort of ranted about some of my frustrations.  He realized sort of that he had responsibilities to the project as well and i told him "If you want to make it up, go shoot and cover some of the UWP events!"  What do you know?  AJ's photos actually turned out to be one of the great pictures in the set.

There will be more opportunties for us (PSN) in the horizon and it will surely rests upon our shoulders whether we make something of it or squander it.

But just the same, congratulations to us!  We did it!  And even if things did not go along as planned, we learned a great deal during this photo exhibit.  The next one is going to be spectacular!

how time flies

i can't believe how quickly time flies by these days - months just seem like weeks now and weeks like days.  i can't believe that my trips to malaysia and singapore are both winding down.  i'm actually at the end of it and while it has been a whole lotta fun, it has been tiring nonetheless.  apart from seeing the sights in kuala lumpur and again here in singapore, it mostly has been a culinary adventure.  i ate a lot and its something i am seriously going to regret when i get back home.  funny thing though is that christmas is just around the corner and its another great reason to pig out, it feels unavoidable even.  looking forward already to numerous get togethers and dinners and christmas parties the next month.

what i look forward to is our trip to hong kong this coming thursday.  its going to be his first trip outside of the philippines and i'm excited that we get the chance to bring him on these trips.  i think he is going to enjoy singapore too with sentosa and the safari parks.  so it kind of gives me a great idea that we should make it a point to go out on a family trip on an annual basis.

it seems lately has been somewhat of a blur - everything is moving faster than i am used to and its either the world has picked up its pace or i am really slowing down.  what people don't realize is that its a quandary - life is passing us by maybe faster than how we like it to and it also means that soon, there will have to be decisions made.  i probably am going to be stepping again soon into unfamiliar territory and that scares me a bit.  maybe five months, maybe earlier.  what i pray for is that all things turn out for the best.

but today is today and there's no use worrying too much about tomorrow.  i choose to live for the here and now.

the cookie museum

"the cookie museum"

the v pte ltd - espalanade mall

8 raffles avenue #01-02/04

singapore 039802

we dropped by purposedly by the "the cookie museum" at the espalanade on our way to see the merlion yesterday to purchase some cookies for cindy's in law in manila.  all the while i thought it was a special cookie exhibit and was pleasantly surprised to find that "the cookie museum" is actually a quiant tea house in a victorian setting.  the sales clerk was very friendly and dutifully gave us samples of cookies that caught our fancy.  the cookies were heavenly and they came with a steep price tag, SGD30 for a tin of 24 cookies.  it wasn't difficult to make the decision to purchase a tin of madeleine rose cookies which had a subtle hint of rose petals as you bite into the cookie.  to complement it, i threw in a tin of cranberry sunset refreshing courtyard tea into the mix.  paying around 2,000 pesos for cookies and tea seems like a luxury but not finding this place anywhere else except here made it seem like a worthy treat.  cindy got the cuban mint cookies which tasted unbelievably like lindt mint chocolate except in cookie form.  it was refreshing.

we should have stopped there but curiousity got the better of us and blame it on the bloggers who heralded how awesome the tea cake was that cindy and i decided to sit down for some tea time.  here's what we ordered :

1. Pomegranate Ruby Tea (SGD15, pictured) - sweet iranian fruit blend with premium chinese white tea;
   
2. Peony Garden Tea (SGD15) - delicate pretty peony flowers emanating its all natural aroma;
3. Baileys Irish Cream Liquer Tea cake (SGD19, pictured);
4. Berry Meadows (SGD15, pictured);

what can i say?  the tea was refreshing, the flavors light and well-blended i sipped all 4 tea-cups of it.  the peony garden tea smelled and tasted wonderful.  berry meadows is more like a sponge cake topped with whipped cream and berrys - it was a great fruity treat.  i'd have to say that the bailey's irish cream liquer tea cake is tops in my book.  steeped in 1/4 of creamy coffee-like syrup and splashed with a spoonful of baileys liquer, the cake was just a perfect partner to tea.  the bill was expectedly expensive but great tea and great cakes, that made it alright.

this is the best thing about traveling - discovering relatively unknown places that spreads mainly through word of mouth.  i can't wait to get these rose cookies to mom.

pro's : victorian setting, wide selection of tea, hosts of unforgettable cookies & cakes, very friendly crew

con's: very pricey

finally, a taste of KL

after so many visits to malaysia, i finally managed to get out of penang and even kulim to see kuala lumpur.  i stayed with juli and king the two days i scheduled to look around kl.  i'd have to say i am not disappointed, kl is a great city.  here are some things i take with me leaving this beautiful part of malaysia.

• hungry for some roti boy.  i seriously am not a bread person but this one is just downright delicious.  freshly baked bread crisp on the outside with a hint of coffee + some melted butter inside.  i definitely could have this on a daily basis.
• petronas towers.  one word - magnificent.  this is quite an engineering marvel, from the design to its finished construction.  i feel bad manila doesn't have anything that comes close to the twin towers.  the view from the sky bridge is unbelievable - breathtaking even.  its too bad the maxis tower was built so close to it.  that building kind of ruins an otherwise great view of petronas.
• putrajaya.  there's quite no other place like it.  when i saw this city, i couldn't help but marvel about how beautiful it is.  you'd feel like you've been transported into some beautiful and perfect city.  i couldn't even believe the lake was man-made.  the buildings, the houses, the government offices - words to describe how beautiful they are escape me.  and the mosque right beside the lake - its just awesome.  the lamp posts in this city are even different from area to area plus there are numerous bridges that are by themselves architecturally beautiful.
• food, delicioso.  so while i still painfully shy away from the really hot stuff, i'd have to say i enjoyed feasting on traditional malay, indian and chinese food while i am in malaysia.  you just gotta love the unique taste of the food.  i even got a taste of authentic vietnamese noodles courtesy of juli & king's neighbor.  yum! there's no stopping now.
• transportation.  while riding a cab is pretty expensive in penang, the transportation in kl is pretty efficient - reminiscent of the MRT in singapore though not as clean though.  buses are pretty efficient and comfortable.  the best though is the KLIA express which is 28-min train ride to the airport.  KLIA by the way is very beautiful that i cringe everytime i remember what NAIA looks like.
• Juli & King - perfect hosts.  my trip to KL would have been half as fun if not for Juli & King being such gracious hosts.  thanks for making my stay a fun and memorable one.

this trip to malaysia has truly been a memorable one.  it is a photographer's haven and there's just so many things and places to shoot i don't think i've done it justice.  i did shoot a few pictures and i can't wait to post them soon.  there's a whole bunch of them that needs sorting and yeah, i don't really know when i'd be able to go over them.  crossing my fingers that its soon.

for now, my next journey is here in singapore.  some places i just need to visit while i'm here. definitely a fun week ahead.

trip so far ...

it feels like this whole week has just been pulled fast that i can't believe the week is winding down and the whole face to face we've waited for a couple of months is done.  i bet it will be a while before we get a chance for another gathering like this with the cost reduction and all.  still, being here probably for the last time at the expense of the company, was a welcome blessing.  i think it was more than three years already since i was last here - most of the recent trips were in the US which i am so not complaining about.  Penang hasn't changed - its still as rich and vibrant as last i've seen it and the food is just tasty it felt like a crime not to indulge.  this week though has been quite exhausting that i didn't even try to walk around taking pictures - my heart's just not into it.  maybe i'm not cut out to be a travel photographer - i just don't have the patience for it right now.  there's still some meetings i set-up, more to indulge my manager, an hour's cab ride from Penang to the factories in Kulim.  two of my colleagues bailed out on me so i am going to go there by myself - trusty ipod with my pop songs blaring during the ride.

the good news is that i'm already packed and ready for my trip to KL tonight.  vacation is officially starting in a few hours and i'm all giddy and excited.  its going to be a fun, fun week ahead.

*ps: if you are wondering why i managed to write this at office hours, its because i'm still waiting for my cab. lol!

alone time

being in a hotel room can be disappointingly lonely if you're on a business trip.  the best thing about it though (aside from the company paying for it) is that it gives me some real "alone" time.  while the silence is deafening (i just hear the faint buzzing of the centralized aircon), its kind of a welcome reprieve from the sounds of home.  one week of being in a hotel is more than bearable because for one, i feel like a king for one - don't have to make my bed, cook my food (which is a conundrum if you're dieting), drive myself to anywhere.  i'm even staying at this new hotel which is right beside the mall - now that is way convenient ... access to everything.  its like a dream come true.

what i like about these trips is that being by myself gives me time to ponder on things and think about what i should do moving forward.  a lot of things are happening right now and there are decisions that need to be taken with careful consideration.

at least for this week, i can pretend to be someone else.  a traveler to a foreign land.  where only a few people know me and i can be whoever i choose to be.

almost two weeks now

being sick sure is no fun.  been under the weather battling the flu for close to two weeks now and while i've gotten a bit better enough to go to some committed affairs, i haven't fully recovered.  i finally decided, through the urging of a friend, to go see a doctor today.  she told me its likely i just have the common flu but ordered me a CBC.  results come out tomorrow but the doctor is flying off to switzerland the same day and won't be back until the 11th.  i'll probably just leave her secretary my mobile number since i am going to be traveling myself.  for now, i'd have to continue taking my meds and hopefully be well enough by saturday to attend a wedding, a street photoshoot and fly out sunday morning.  if i don't get well, i can't imagine what the next two weeks will be like.

the thing that's funny is that i rarely really get sick but when i catch the flu, i pretty much get it bad.  i realized now i should probably should have made the time to get my flu shot at the office but i missed it.  hopefully, my medical card covers it since the doctor said i should get one when i feel better.  i'm no stranger to the hospital, having been there many times that needles don't really mean much to me anymore.  but you know, hospital just screams depression, loneliness and even death.

i wonder why when we're young, we refuse to take care of ourselves properly.  we take our health for granted and do things we regret as we grow older.  i think its part of growing up, of our insatiable hunger to experience new things.  peer pressure sometimes.  i used to smoke socially before, not so much though, just enough for stress relief or when we were out having drinks.  it was easy to kick it off and i've been smoke-free for more than three years.  hurrah for that.  i don't drink that much either - only when i know i'm not driving and its mighty fine to get drunk and pass out.  the last time i got seriously drunk was during an out of town trip to zambales and i was doing double twist jumps on the bonfire figuring i was an ice skater.  hopefully, there's no video of that somewhere.

seriously, i need to get well.  too much stuff i need to do and finding the energy to do what i have to do is exhausting.  i am seriously going to get that flu shot and pump myself with my vitamins.  and yeah, the flu sucks.

life after

exactly how many years ago since our good friend abet joined our creator escapes me - was it five years already?  has it really been that long?  i remember how devastated everyone felt when he passed away so suddenly.  25 years young and he was gone.  i cannot imagine how my good friend arlene felt during that time - no words could describe it but it wasn't hard to feel how painful losing a love one, much less your supposed to be better half.  its just tragic.

fast forward to today and two weekends from now, i am going to attend arlene's wedding.  its truly a miracle that she finds love a second time around.  granted juan and i are always engaged in a verbal tussle and he could be really irritating sometimes, i am glad that he made her smile again.  arlene and i have been with the big blue for the past eleven years and we've become quite good friends.  i guess experience and maturity has its way of bringing people closer together.  add the fact that we both share sort of the same familial problems - and its always nice to talk to someone who can really understand what you are going through.

while driving last night, i came to the realization upon reading arlene's text message that there's life indeed after a tragedy.  what seemed insurmountable five years ago is now just a fading memory.  abet is long gone but his passing has taught me a great deal about what life is.  life is too short for regrets and disappointments - clearly there is no joy in that.  i don't try to live through other people's standards and nor do i care if some people don't like me for who i am.  i am me and they just have to take me as i am.

here's to you abet.  gone but not forgotten.

here's to you arlene.  i'm glad you are getting your happily ever after.

sick and working

i feel much worse now than when i woke up this morning.  i would have preferred to stay home today except that i had to travel to our faraway cavite office to meet up with one of our department manager from the US.  the only consolation is a free lunch at sonya's garden and i could probably swing by amira's from some delicious mango and blueberry tarts if i still have the energy to drive.  the cold here in the office is really killing me and when you're nursing a flu, that is really a bad thing.  the other bad thing is that i can't go home until 7pm since my car is banned today.  in short, i'm doomed.  i can already see myself being on sick leave tomorrow.  dang!  i need to get better for the shoot on friday.

today's sunday.

slept past MN.
woke up at 6am.
chat. chat. chat.
30ml of dayquil.
champ for lunch.
studio shoot in the afternoon.
2 slices of yellow cab. gawd, i want my charlie chan chicken pasta.
dead tired now.
feel worse than when i woke up.
more sick now.
30ml of nyquil.
20 more minutes to la la land.

i freakin' need to get well.

sicky sicky

after seeing tropic thunder (hilarious movie) last night, i felt the familiar signs of the flu driving home.  i always know when i'm going to get sick - i guess you get familiar with the symptoms already.  so i dutifuly took my nyquil last night and within 15-20 mins, i was pretty much knocked out.  i woke up still feeling kind of dizzy and yeah, still sicky.  i probably should eat something and hopefully pick up enough steam to start working on the avp for tonight's psn launch.  but damn, i can barely keep my head up.  la la land is just so inviting.

I'm booked!

Yay, after a week of trying to come up with the best travel schedule i finally managed to confirm and book all my flights today.  I'm kind of happy that its in Malaysia because its been a while since my last trip there.  I'll finally be able to visit KL (can't believe the plane fare is that cheap) and go back to Singapore to see the merlion (hahaha) and sentosa which i wasn't able to do last time.  And yes, our itinerary and booking for HK are good too!  its going to be a really fun two weeks!  and there's only two more weeks of waiting left.

PLS READ : PSN BOARD +++

19 Oct 2008

Starbuck's, Bonifacio High Street

Present :  Jay, Jenner, Malou, Ohsie & Mark

Assignment Checklist

• (Jay) Send malou the savings account where people can deposit the membership fee, launch fee and all money matters;
• (Malou)  Ask Rick to request permission to use HP's logo
• (Em)  Send sponsorship letter for review and validate sponsorship packages
• (Greg)  Ask how much to rent a projector or check who can we borrow from?
  
• (Malou) Find hosts for the PSN launch party - 1 male, 1 female
• (Malou) Find out who can we assign to take BTS for the launch
• (Rick or Ohsie) Can you bring your laptops for the Audio-Visual Presentation?
• (Jenner) Build map on how to go to the venue for the PSN Launch party
• (Rick) Follow-up with HP on raffle as soon as the sponsorship letter is approved
• -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• (Ohsie) Ask Erwin Mallari for ideas on what to shoot for the Xmas cards
• (Jenner)  Get quotes on printing of the Xmas Cards
• (Em)  Find out list of upcoming RCGM activities.  Check past charity they did which we can do a back shoot.
• (Jenner) Get quotes for the printing & framing of the photographs
• (Jenner) Get quotes for the panels for the photo exhibit
• (Sonny) Finalize the layout/design for the exhibit
• (Jay/Em) Finalize with UWP schedule of charity activities & concert dates, venues including agreement with venues to provide spare/location for the exhibit
• (Em) Confirm with RCGM on sponsoring the cost of the exhibit & merchandise (xmas cards)
• (Jenner) Finish PSN calling card design.
• (Jay) Check with Board on agreement for the Proposed Photographers Bond.
• (Ohsie) Send jay the rules & regulations for the Canon Photo Marathon.
• (Jay) Work on the mechanics of the photo selection for the exhibit.

PSN Launch Party

1. Publicity.  We agreed that Malou should create a simple flyer for the PSN launch party on Oct 25.  Malou will work on this tonight so that everyone can post this in their multiply account by tomorrow (Monday).  We need MORE people to commit to attend the launch next saturday.
2. Non-Paying Guests.  We agreed to invite a few of our partners in photography.  They will not be paying the Php 300 for the grand launch.  Non-paying guests include - Sir Bong Morris, UWP (Luis, Johann) & 2 guests from HP (when they confirm sponsorship).
3. Program.  As part of the program, we will have the following AVP presentations.  (a)  PSN History (Ohsie/Jenner/Mark); (b)  Up With People (Luis Petzhold); and (c) Photo Exhibit Mechanics/Details/Etc (Jay/Em).  We will also have Sir Benjie's speech as President of PSN.
4. Registration for Membership/Launch.  Malou will prepare the required materials for the registration of people who want to be members of PSN.  She (with Mark) will also take care of getting the payment for the Launch party.

Photo Exhibit with Rotary Club Green Meadows (RCGM) & Up With People (UWP)

1. Merchandise.  We decided that due to timing constraints, we will no longer pursue the original merchandise except for the CHRISTMAS CARDS.  This is still tentative depending on whether we can pull this off.  5 XMAS CARD variants.  Instead of photos from RCGM/UWP, we will shoot either a set-up (studio) or not set-up (street) christmas theme for the cards.  Only five photos will be selected for the xmas cards.  Need to do the shoot for the Xmas cards immediately after the PSN launch party.  Jenner will check the cost for the printing of the xmas cards.
2. Photo Exhibit.  We all agreed that we will still push for 30 photos.  18 photos we will need to shoot either past or upcoming RCGM activities.  The 12 remaining photos will be for the charity work done by UWP which we will have to RUSH shoot, choose, print, frame between Nov 19 to 27 because the first UWP concert is scheduled in Nov 28.
3. Printing & Exhibit Set-up.  Photo prints will be 12x18 in size with a 2-inch border and black frame (No glass).  Photographer watermark should be a scanned hand signature only.  PSN + Sponsor logos will be placed in the borders, not on the photos.  Our sponsorship proposal for HP is to provide printers for instant shoots during the exhibit and for funds for the printing.  We will get the photos printed somewhere else.  Jenner will get quotes for the printing & framing.  Sonny is still in charge of the layout/design for the exhibit.
4. Exhibit Schedules, etc.  Jay/Em will talk with UWP to finalize the schedules of the UWP charity events and concerts including venues.  We also need to make sure that UWP asks the concert venues to provide us with the space required for the photo exhibit and contacts so we can prepare ahead the paperworks required for the ingress, set-up and eggress of the panels.
5. Calling cards.  Jenner will finish the design of the calling cards.  Printing is at the option of the PSN member.
6. Registration for Exhibit.  We need to get a confirmed list of people who will participate in the exhibit.  Since this is a professional commitment, proposal is to ask photographers who would like to participate to deposit a Php300 bond which they can get back once they submit 3 photos (Php100 per photo).  This ensures that when we assign them to an event, they will honor their commitment and submit their photos.
7. Selection Panel for Photos.  Include Jenner & maybe Leo Castillo.  Who else?
8. Photo Criteria, Rules & Regulations.  Ohsie will send rules & regulations from the Canon photo marathon.
9. Reserved Slots for the Exhibit.  To be fair to everyone, the proposal is that only those officers/members who have devoted considerable time to making the exhibit come to fruition will be given automatic slots for the exhibit.
10. Photo Pricing & Selling.  When all the costs are available, we will calculate how much we need to sell the photos to meet our goal for the 20% PSN and 80% Charity fund for RCGM.  Photos that are sold will be shipped (cost included) to the buyer only after all of the exhibit has been completed.  Christmas cards will be on sale throughout the exhibit.

Its crunch time already guys/gals.  There's a lot of work required to make this successful.  I know everyone is busy with work & other personal stuff but we knew what we were getting into when we all agreed we will pursue this project.  Its too late to back out now if we feel we do not have the time required to contribute to this project.  I am going to rework the calendar and see where we can assign people to help out.  RJ & Jaykun have showed their interest to help out.  For the others, please let me know where you can help out so i can assign you properly.

I've attached a poll here.  Please select your answer from the choices.  PLEASE VOTE ONLY ONCE.  Please avoid turning the comments section into a chatroom - let's use YM for that.

WTF?

got home from a party this morning past 3am and manage to get some shut-eye a little past 4am and for some reason i was awake at 7am.  7 frakkin' AM ... what the hell is wrong with me?  dammit, i need some sleep ... two nights in a row, my poor body is going to give.

frak!

TGIF!

the best day of the week for me will always have to be friday because its the start of the weekend and tells me that the hustle & bustle of working is about to end. work can be taxing and this week was no exception - juggling multiple presentations is no easy feat. and i used to love doing that - painstakingly working on every detail of my presentations and making sure all of the colors matched up. it was really the OC in me and my compulsion to create the impression that this presentation was worth listening too. today, my presentations are much simpler - i wouldn't say hushed but more direct to the point. eleven years at the big blue creating and doing presentations almost on a weekly basis sort of teaches you the proper ways. you get over whatever presentation jitters you have and just do the best you can.

eleven years. life at the big blue for me is about to close, maybe in the first quarter of next year. sometimes i ask myself if i am making the right decision specially in light of the current economic downturn. i probably have the option to stay but my heart isn't where it used to be and that has been killing me for the past year or so. maybe i should stop using everybody else as an excuse and just take a leap of faith. maybe that's the best way to do it. and maybe i should stop worrying about it too much.

at 34, is it still seriously possible to be crushing on somebody? i should stop. i'm in a better place right now and i seriously don't need the distraction. b'sides, i'm not cut out for it.

well its friday today, i shouldn't be thinking too much. so whatever was written above was not written by me! LOL!

early morning hurrah

i can't remember the last time i had to wake up in the dead hour of the morning to work.  its been a long while since i had to do this - the very last one was when i had to go for 36 hours straight with no sleep finishing my thesis for grad school.  that was probably almost a year ago so let's just say i'm not used to this set-up anymore.  one thing is that i've never really been good at doing things (that involves a whole lot of thinking) until the dead hours of the night.  i'd much rather get some sleep time, wake up real early like i do now and start back working.   i think much better in the wee hours of the morning when i feel a bit more refreshed.

its to time to work on some excel magic for data i need to present seven hours from now!

random thoughts

some random thoughts from today and the past few days ...

• i have been sleeping waaay past my usual for the past few days which is the main reason i feel kinda exhausted and crankier in the morning.  i really need to get some longer shuteye soon because there's still so much stuff to attend to.
• met some cool new peeps from up with people last saturday.  sarah from sweden, brandon from denver and armando from mexico.  i did meet luis (from brazil) who is the tour manager for UWP and johann.  they were very chatty, very friendly folks who i enjoyed sharing stories with.  one great thing - they all thought i was in my mid-20s so yeah, hurrah for looking young.
• first time to see a juijitsu competition last sunday.  it was fascinating.
• unplanned as it was, went around trinoma from store to store with b & d checking out what was interesting on the shelves.  went home with two nice shirts and realized that there are so many drool-worthy clothes begging me to buy them.  but yeah, when i slim down more then i'll be able to buy them.  another reason why i should do the gym religiously.
• finally had lechon at chanda's dinner after craving for it for quite some time now. and strangely enough, i had lechon again saturday at tiendesitas.  finally satisfied as well my cravings for yellow cab's charlie chan pasta with wings and pizza last sunday.  cyma's roka salata for dinner (yum!).  cpk for monday dinner.

sure glad its wednesday tomorrow.  so many things to do workwise.  haven't even booked my upcoming business trip (need to do that asap).  i need to get my braces adjusted tomorrow.  so many things to do, so little time.

Exhibit Project Schedule in JPG/Acrobat

PSN Peeps,

Here's the schedule in JPG format & Acrobat for those of you who can't open the file.  You can download, print and put the 8 sheets together to see the full schedule.  This is not final - still subject to discussion.

love alone

i probably have posted this before but hearing this song on my ipod made me remember how much i love the message of this song. life really has a way of throwing you a bone when you're feeling the blues.

love alone
caedmon's call

No one would love me
if they knew all the things I hide
My words fall to the floor
As tears drip through the telephone line

And the hands I’ve seen raised to the sky
Not waving but drowning all this time
I'll try to build an ark that they need
To float to you upon the crystal sea

Chorus:
Give me your hand to hold
'Cause I can't stand to love alone
And love alone is not enough to hold us up
We've got to touch your robe
So swing your robe down low
Swing your robe down low

The prince of despair's been beaten
But the loser still fights
Death's on a long leash
Stealing my friends to the night

And everyone cries for the innocent
You say to love the guilty too
And I'm surrounded by suffering and sickness
So I'm working tearing back the roof

Repeat Chorus

And the pain of the world is a burden
And it's my cross to bear
And I stumble under all the weight
I know you're Simon standing there
And I know you're standing there

PSN Board : Exhibit Timeline

Peeps,

====================================================================
Things We Need to Do :
1. We need to meet this weekend to discuss the attached schedule, talk about the deadlines and the ownership of the activities.
2. The following activities need to start this week. See file for deadlines:

• Finalize venues for Exhibit (Em)
• Selection of Judging Panel (Benjie)
• Mechanics of the Photo Exhibit (Benjie)
• Final activity schedule for RCGM & UWP (Em)
• Finalize details of RCGM sponsorship (Em)
• Exhibit Prelim Estimate (Sonny)
• Merchandise Prelim Estimate (Ohsie)
• Marketing Prelim Estimate (Rick)
• Miscellaneous Prelim Estimate (Malou)
• Finalize letterheads (Jenner)
• Finalize PSN ID design (Benjie/Jenner)
• Finalize PSN Shirt design (Rick)
• Prepare other sponsorship letters (Em)

3. RCGM & UWP would like to meet with Kuya Benjie this coming saturday. We can schedule the board meeting after the meeting with them.
====================================================================

The confirmed UWP shows where we would hold the exhibit are the following:
Nov 28 - WTC
Nov 29 - MOA
Nov 30 - Glorietta

There is one BIG problem in terms of the photos to be included in the exhibit - that is, the inclusion of photos taken of the UWP activities beginning sometime in Nov 19 when they arrive. There seems to be no way we can take the photos, pick them out, print them and have them framed in time for the first exhibit (Nov 28). I am working on duration estimates right now so we will need to fine tune it so we can get a more accurate project schedule. The first exhibit on Nov 28 is a week earlier than our original plan.

I've placed owners (activity leads who can assign and form teams) on the activities in the file. It is up to everyone to review the assignments and find a replacement if you are not comfortable handling the responsibility.

I have to emphasize to everyone that the timings are VERY tight and there will be work that needs to be done on a weekly basis moving forward. We will have to help each other out and leverage on as much of the PSN people out there who are willing to help out.

I will be out of the country from November 9-23. Em will coordinate the deadlines.

I've created the project schedule in two files. The microsoft project version is better but i also re-created the schedule in excel that auto-plots based from a start & end date. Excel is 2007. Project file is Office 2003.

You can filter for any of the activities you own (or lead) or any of the activities that start on a particular date. Manually, you can also just check the columns for the week today and see which activities are hi-lited - that either means the activity needs to start or the activity should be in-progress.

I could talk more about the details of the schedule and explain the activities when we meet.

Sorry for the long post. Just need to get all that's in my head in writing.

not a good time to contemplate

one of the things i hate about having some alone time is that it gives me time to breathe and think of things i probably shouldn't have. alone time gives me time to reflect and reflection makes the fuzzy unfuzzy and right now i think its best to remain unfocused - at least on certain topics. i did say at least for the short term that i am going to just enjoy life, to have no attachments and just dive head on. i guess there are some things about me i can't change - like the fact that i can overanalyze too much and get worried about things too early to get worried about. its times like these that i feel vulnerable and the negative vibes start creeping in. its probably brought about by recent events and how i want for things and people i cannot have.

i think moving forward, the best recourse is to just enjoy the moment. to not expect anything from anyone. to not fall for the unattainable or those where there's no future together. to not get too attached to anyone because everyone will leave eventually. and to just accept that my life is how i choose to live it.

> lunch in sg [09/27/2008]

i met my good friends annie, jap and their hubbies for lunch when i was in singapore last weekend. annie has just moved to singapore for good a couple of weeks back and expecting jap was their visiting her husband. incidentally, it was jap's birthday last september 25 so there was one more reason to get together that saturday afternoon.

the thought of having lunch with a couple of friends in another country is just , i dunno, nice. i wish eric was with us that time because it was the four of us who originally bonded during that trip to galera a few years back. what is funny about lunch that day is that we went to pepper lunch which has a branch in rockwell. we were laughing throughout lunch as we talked about a whole lot of nonsense things and we made okray each other (i can't think of the english word for okray right now). we're just fun that way. i finally met annie's boyfriend kenneth and he seemed like a nice guy. i was surprised to see annie in a dress that day - i bet she forgot to launder her clothes hence the dress. i definitely looked like a tourist that time - shorts, shirt and a knapsack - the look that feels like they're going to die from the warm weather and the non-stop walking.

we walked around a bit to check out some stores that day and ended up at coffee bean and tea leaf . it was a fun afternoon . makes me sad that annie is in sg already and jap probably will move there soon.

just a few more months and i'll have my options open. maybe moving to sg is still an option worth pursuing. but i'd cross the bridge when i get there.

green gone blue

i spent the entire day today watching the uaap judo tournament at up diliman in support of em's hubby tj's team. the funny thing here is that tj (together with his brother) coaches the ateneo judo team - and we all know i'm a green archer by heart. if the archers knew i was there rooting for the blue eagles, arrows would probably have flung from their benches straight through my heart. as luck will have it, the blue eagles snag the men's championship for both the juniors and seniors division. the green archers came in second in the seniors division. both teams are winners in my book. and yes (tj), if you are going to say anything, you're team is #1 and i rooted for you guys! my fellow green archers are going to burn me at the stake.

mind you, its very rare that i drive to this part of the metro but i promised em i was going to watch the tournament. seeing that someone i was seriously crushing on was just an added plus that made spending my whole day there worth it. it was interesting to watch the judo tournament - a first for me and i wasn't disappointed. there was a lot of drama in the competition - bloody cuts, athletes being hauled out on stretchers, bodies getting thrown here and there, and probably a whole lot of broken bones. its such an honor to be an athlete, to represent your school and give them pride by coming home with a medal. the sad thing about games is that there are winners and there are losers. i think the mere fact of competing makes everybody already a winner. i can't even see myself doing judo, much less compete - i'd probably die and i wouldn't want that. this sport i'd say is not for the faint of heart - broken bones, bloody cuts and all. maybe if i was younger i'd give it a try it because there's something about youth and being fearless. one thing for sure though - since i'm friends with both em & tj, i'll probably be forever rooting for the blue eagles in this sport.

its really fun to hang out with cute couple em & tj. and even though i've only known them for a few short months, it feels like i've known them for more than that. i've been introduced to the world of juijitsu and judo which is actually quite interesting to watch. meeting them is probably fate - and like they say, you can't fight fate. teehee.

one thing i realized being around the ateneans is that they all speak english. is that a requirement? LOL! they're all so conyo! la sallians are more down-to-earth (a.k.a tagalog ever ang language). ok, for the record, i could understand them perfectly well and i'll answer in english if they talk to me in english. if not, i prefer to use the native tongue! pinoy ako e! =)

this blog is sort of nonsense. can't really think of anything to write since my legs hurt like all get out and i can't think of anything else but sam.

overheard during the competition: "what's ateneo saying during their cheer? volt & fight?" ... "uhmmm, its One Big Fight!" hahaha peace!

PSN Board: Activity Owners Needed

PSN Board, Committee Heads, Active Members,

I am in the process of putting up together a master schedule for all activities we need to work on for the upcoming December Photo Exhibit with RCGM & UWP. I'd have to say i've already listed a lengthy list already with some activities i've temporarily assigned owners already.

If you are interested in OWNING any of the activities listed then please let me know by tomorrow. Otherwise, i will randomly assign names to the activities. I am going to work on when are the deadlines for these activities but i anticipate that some of the dates will have to be discussed as a group. I think we will need to meet to discuss the schedule including the details of each of the activities.
*If you become an owner of an activity, you can solicit the help of other PSN members to help you out. What OWNING an activity means is that you will be accountable for making sure the activity is completed.

FYI ...Em informed me today that Mr. Tsai (President of RCGM) would like to meet Kuya Benjie so we will have to schedule that for next week. Kuya B, is monday a good day for you?

The Master Schedule is in Microsoft Project but i moved the activity list in excel manually.

SG - Almost Over

i can't believe i've been in SG for almost six days now. i'm having mixed feelings going home - partly because there are a number of places i haven't seen here yet (my feet just won't let me anymore) and partly because being on vacation and not having to do anything just feels great. on the other hand, i do miss home and friends and there are a lot of backlog on my downloading activities. The SG trip has been exhausting - late nights everynight, killer walks daily and alternating warm weather outside and cold blast inside the malls, trains and walkways. i'm surprised i don't have pneumonia yet. Quite frankly, i don't think i managed to get as much pictures as i hoped for - pain is such a mood killer. we'll see later on when i sort out the photos what comes out from this trip. there's a lot to blog about but words escape me right now - rest is frankly all i care for right now.

flight is at 230pm. yeah, this trip is almost over.

sing so far - part 1

after weeks of waiting and three hours after my plane took off manila, i arrived in singapore excited and jubilant. changi airport is as beautiful as i remember it to be - its different than the other airports i've been to - not as grand as hong kong but far better than narita, osaka and los angeles. this is turning out to be a trip worth remembering.

• feeling adventurous and going against my baser instincts, i took the advice of a friend (based in singapore, let's call her A) to take the train instead of a cab from the airport to Sengkang where my friend Cindy is staying. the great thing about the Singapore MRT is that its actually fast, efficient and comfortable and even with two luggages in tow, it was easy. it took me close to an hour before i got to Sengkang riding and changing trams from the green route to the purple route. when i got to Cindy's place, i asked her how long it would have taken me to get there if i took a cab --- 10mins! Bwahahaha, i'll remember to slap A when i get the chance.
• dinner thursday night along a long line of hawker stands made me realize how different hawker is in singapore versus that in malaysia. hawker here is like the food court in manila while that in malaysia, hmmm let's just say is different. the food is cheap, its filling and its very good.
• a couple of friends who got sponsored PIT GRANDSTAND tickets was not watching the practice sessions friday and decided to give us their friday tickets. aren't we the LUCKIEST? the 3-day pit grandstand tickets cost 40,000 pesos each. The whole F1 experience deserves a space of its own so i'd have to find time to write about that. Besides, the real race is still happening tonight.
• Riding the MRT alone made me realize how difficult it would be live here by myself. While there are still a lot of things to love about singapore, being away from my family and my friends will leave me in an emotional wreck. The best thing about riding the MRT was that it helped me make full use of my ipod.
• The other thing i hate is the non-stop walking. walking and being flat-footed doesn't really go along very well. walking for the last three days was like torture. i swear every step i made was excruciatingly painful. if there were any lactic acid build-up anywhere near the joints of my feet, i could guarantee they're all gone now.
• there's a thing about being on vacation and in a different country that makes you eat like there's no tomorrow. being with friends who love to eat too doesn't help also. so yeah, i expect to pack in a few more pounds when i get back tuesday.
• singapore is freakin' warm. i bet i would need a number of likas papaya soap when i'm home.

i do have a lot of pictures to share but i've been dead tired being here that sleep is the only thing i think of when i come near the bed. sing so far has been fun ... and tiring.

Looking for HOST Families

PLEASE REPOST THIS IN YOUR INDIVIDUAL SITE & FORWARD TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN!

Up with People exists today to spark people to action in meeting the needs of their communities, countries and the world while building bridges of understanding as a foundation for world peace.

Through travel and cultural immersion, Up with People has provided young people from around the world with a renowned international education and an unmatched passageway to see the world. And we've been doing it for four decades.

As the world has changed, so too has the Up with People program. Once primarily impacting communities through its musical productions, the current Up with People program addresses the very real need for young adults and leaders who have global perspectives, intercultural understanding, knowledge of worldwide social issues, leadership skills and a dedication to community service.

Today, through its distinct 6-month program, Up with People participants experience personal growth, leadership training, service learning and performing arts as they travel through three continents. For many students, it's a global education that lasts a lifetime; for others, it's a life-transforming experience.

UP WITH PEOPLE will be in Manila from Nov 19 to Dec 5, 2008.

reflections on nudity

when o! mentioned that they were going to do nude photography saturday night and that i could go, i said yes without a second thought. its not because of the thought of nudity but because in conservative manila, shoots like this is hard to come by. besides, its a chance to experience shooting a new theme.

the shoot was a whole lot easier because we had sir b directing the model poses. and while i await the day i get to start planning my own shoots, directing and all, i'm more than happy to learn from the more experienced photographers. it was a bit awkward at first and the first thing i realized is that shooting nude would be less awkward if done one on one. it was not the case with us because there were six of us and only one model. gotta keep the cost down baby! the shoot went without a hitch and i was able to take a few good photographs. and there are actually some more "nice" photographs but they're too risque for multiply so they'll most likely not going to see the light of day.

doing nude was a unique experience. the human body is indeed fascinating and the shoot was more a play of shadows and light than anything. we were kind of laughing from the middle to the end of the shoot because the awkwardness has passed and we happily snapped away. we finished almost midnight so i was really beat when i got home.

it would be fun to do an underwear theme - guy and gals. i wonder who'd be our willing "victims" for this underwear photography. gotta ask miss oh! to sched something. i remember when i was still working for bench, i was the product manager for men's underwear when the company did its first ever underwear fashion show. that show has indeed evolved into a phenomenon.

click this link for the album : sexy, seductive & nude

after all these years

i just came home from dinner and coffee with college friends and incidentally our college professor way back who could still pass for an older brother. it feels weird having to call him now by his first name when you've been conditioned to call him "sir" during college but calling him like you used to feels way more awkward. we had dinner at Silk at Serendra where luckily on a friday night we managed to snag a very comfortable table. The food was quite good and expectedly more expensive than your usual fare. i liked the soft shell crab even though it felt a little salty after a while, pandan chicken and the tom yum soup. one of my staple favorite thai dish, pad thai, was neatly presented and i probably should've eaten it ahead of the bagoong rice and other dishes because i couldn't really distinguish its taste right after. still the best pad thai for me is from malee's down scottsdale road in arizona. hands down, that is something i always have to partake on when i'm in town.

we spent the rest of the evening chatting about almost anything that has happened in the last fifteen years. at our age, reminiscing about the old days is a staple during conversations and seeing richard, who used to give us grief back in college, now feels a whole lot different. thirteen years of employment changes you - it makes you and your professor sort of equal. four years age difference i guess isn't much so richard felt more like an older brother than a relic from our past (lol!). he still looks much like he used to back in college, a bit older perhaps but i wouldn't be surprised if his students are still crushing over him. it was flattering when he said i was a smart student (uhmmm oh yeah!) and that we were a select few who managed to finish the course on time. it was a bit surprising when he said that in engineering, failing a few subjects is expected in industrial engineering. i actually never thought of it that way back then. tuition was expensive and failing was a letdown i couldn't really afford. richard taught some of the more difficult math subjects - difficult in the sense that grades during course card distribution ranged between 0 to 1.5 (4.0 being the highest). if you get 1.5, you were awfully pretty smart and 1.0 was passing. getting a 1.0 in his subjects was enough reason to celebrate.

its always nice to spend time with people from way back. there's common things to talk about and there is history there - whether good or bad. i think one of the most fun things is to talk about all those silly things you did back then and just laugh at your own naivete.

college was one of the best years of my life. it never fails to make me smile.

too much with such little time

its been a while since i posted something here that its starting to feel like this site is going to be more of a photo site moving forward than a personal blog. finding photography as a creative outlet has introduced me to some great people and my contact list has ballooned overnight. do i feel comfortable sharing my soul to people i barely know? i dunno yet. there's this option to create lists though so that you can post to a select group of people only. maybe i'd do that next time. we'll see.

life feels like its been given an adrenaline shot. there's so many things happening and the next three months is mostly planned for. two weddings, a bunch of traveling, probably a charity photo exhibit and come december a multitude of dinner gatherings. i've already said yes to arlene and juan to doing their AVP for their wedding so i'd have to that this october.

i can't wait to fly off to singapore thursday next week. there's a lot of things to do and to see out there. i hope i get to see the F1 drivers up close - maybe i should write "wish ko lang!" hahaha its going to be a hectic six days out there i bet. hope i get some neat shots of singapore for my photo albums. we'll have to see. there's shopping, touring and eating to be done.

we decided to check out the S&R storewide sale yesterday and was dumbfounded to see the lines snaking all over the place. their usual modestly filled parking space was packed and there were no carts available. we still bravely checked out the store and scored a few nice goodies. got a 4-flavor cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory which made me miss the US all the more. anyway, its cheesecake heaven this week. the prize of an hour and a half of waiting in line.

i've been on a binge the last couple of weeks. nothing more to be said after that. somebody please slap me.

thank God its friday. dinner #3 is tonight. lagot.

Green vs Blue

I probably am one of the last few remaining who doesn't know (been out every weekend) but both La Salle and Ateneo sealed the deal for a once again historic title match in this years UAAP Men's Basketball finals. I bet tickets to the games are going to sell like hotcakes and the games will be exciting. Ateneo has the upper hand here having beaten La Salle in all of their elimination match-ups. But La Salle has also been known as a late bloomer in the past so who knows. As they say "bilog ang bola."

Whoever wins, its still a match made in heaven.
... who am i kidding though, of course i want my alma mater to win!

the suckiness of ben 10's movie premiere

my cousin gave my nephew two tickets to cartoon networks made-for-tv premiere of Ben 10 at the mall of asia yesterday. i have to say that whoever is the events organizer for that premiere should just go and shoot themselves in the head for their incompetence. those poor schmucks are just downright stupid. can you imagine having those hapless people lining up before the supposedly start time of the activity only to be told they were at the wrong line. how can there be a wrong line when there were never any line directions to begin with? then this super feeling gay guy comes out and instead of pacifying the irate parents talked sarcastically and did an about face. talk about the lack of character and manners which wasn't surprising given what he looked like. poor, pathetic loser. its irritating when you have kids in tow and you are made to wait indecently for an hour and a half on an otherwise smooth event. clearly, the event organizers for this movie premiere didn't know what they were doing. i try not to do hate but that experience was just really irritating. if not for my nephew and those tickets being free, i would have walked out of there and demanded a refund.

to those who organized this ben 10's movie premiere event, get a brain!

water .... 48 years after

short post. finally, after 48 years (ok, i'm exaggerating but you get the drift), we have water service provided by maynilad (dapat nawasa pa before). even though its only from 12MN to 12noon right now, that's more than enough time to fill-up our water tank. what's great is that water expenses should go down now and taking a bath is finally an uninterrupted luxury. yeba!

natural high

for some reason, i am at a natural high lately. i'm happy. and here's a great song that goes with it. times like these are priceless.

with you
mymp

Not to worry on a rainy day
There?s a promise it will go away
What a joy, what a sunny day
Having you takes the sadness away
With you everything seems to go my way

[Chorus]
Hold on to a beautiful day
It will lift you up
Take you to the top
Hold on ?cause it?s here to stay
To help you get through the day
Everyday

Need a reason to celebrate life
There?s a promise for a sweet embrace
What a joy found a friend in you
Having you takes away the blues
With you everything seems to go my way

[Chorus]
Hold on to a beautiful day
It will lift you up
Take you to the top
Hold on ?cause it?s here to stay
To help you get through the day
Everyday

lalalala?lalalala?lalalalalalalala..lalala?

With you everything seems to go my way

[Chorus]
Hold on to a beautiful day
It will lift you up
Take you to the top
Hold on ?cause it?s here to stay
To help you get through the day
Everyday
Everyday

[Chorus]
Hold on to a beautiful day
It will lift you up
Take you to the top
Hold on ?cause it?s here to stay
To help you get through the day
Everyday
Everyday
Everyday

[Chorus]
Hold on to a beautiful day
It will lift you up
Take you to the top
Hold on ?cause it?s here to stay
To help you get through the day
Everyday

What's Next: 26 Things - The Alphabet Project

I think one of the best decisions i've had recently was take the Photoworks class led by Leo Castillo. Venue is a bit far and i've had my share of almost missing a few sessions, the whole thing kind of worked out in the end. I honestly learned a lot from all six sessions and Leo's tips alone about photography is worth attending. Frankly, what sold me about this class more than the other photography class is Leo's focus on developing the eye of a photographer. Thanks Leo for imparting your wisdom and experience!

One of the next steps Leo encourages us to do is to continue pursuing this passion for photography - to develop our creativity and help take us to the next level. i can seriously say his tips gives me a good feel where i should be next. so here's what's up ahead.

26 thIngs - thE AlphAbEt prOjEct
This is part of the photographic interview to help build creativity.
The challenge here is to take a photograph of anything that denotes the letter of the alphabet. Yes, all 26 letters of the alphabet. For example, you can take a photo of an apple for "A", a brocolli for "B" ... its really up to you.
Let's take 2 letters each week so this will run for 13 weeks.
Post your picture in an album called "26 Things - The Alphabet Project"

Ok, so i wrote that as if it was a contest or something but i wanted to encourage my co-photography newbies to join me in this photography project. I think after 13 weeks, we will have all 26 letters and hopefully some really cool pictures we could put into a collage, print and frame.

I'm excited.

notes to self

some realizations i've had over the weekend.

• its no secret that i've spending a lot of time trying to gain ground in my photography skills. i still envy photos of my "master" friends from PSN but i'm pretty much enjoying the ride getting to their level of awesomeness.
• i think i need to set my camera to take pictures at a higher resolution. whenever i edit, i start to see some grain already on the photos when i zoom really close so that sort of ruins having to blow-up the pictures. SD cards are pretty cheap these days so i should get another 2GB SD card.
• getting "low" on juice to power up your camera while in the middle of a shoot is a definite mood-killer. lesson learned here - keep your battery fully charge prior to a shoot, no exceptions. and save up for a spare battery.
• i did all my recent post-processings using mac (i call my macbook "mac" ... brilliant di ba? lol) and i have to say i was surprised by how responsive he was. it was a breeze opening up and saving files. i just need to get used to her awfully small 13" screen and resolution so i can get a really good feel of the photos during processing. i'm happy though that mac is getting some air time .... finally. i don't think i've used him enough to get an ROI.
• that shooting at less than ideal light (aka low light) can pretty much ruin your photos. and no matter how fabulous your compositions, framings, and themes are - blur and barely sharp photos just don't cut it. i think this is why our mentor (leo c) insists we shoot and shoot pictures because it can happen that only 1 out of 50 or a hundred will be useful.
• and while i've gotten a better understanding of the camera controls and better reading of what settings are appropriate given the situation, i need more shooting practice to be able to put everything together effortlessly.
• final note to self. jiu jitsu is seriously not for me, nor judo. i have full respect for those who are taking these martial arts. they're pretty awesome individuals and i bow before them.

all in all, great weekend. now i need to figure out what to shoot for my final project for tomorrow.

PLDT MyDSL Sucks

I think its high time we face the fact that PLDT MyDSL has one of the suckiest broadband service ever! I think the only thing that comes close to rivaling it in the suckiest throne is SMART BRO. I mean when the service is good and STABLE, its good. When its bad, don't try waiting to hear when their customer service tells you somebody will check with you - that rarely happens. If it does, then count yourself lucky. Why do they suck?

• Been subscribed to their plan 1995 for more than two years now. Noticed that they have upgraded the speeds for their plans so plan 1995 speed was boosted from 1MBPS to 2MBPS. If not for a colleague who told me i should check if i have been automatically upgraded, i probably would never have been upgraded to 2MBPS. Yes, you have to call them to tell them, "please give me the speed that i am paying for."
• When i got back from the US this year, i was bummed that my dsl wasn't working. I called them up dutifully and i got the standard brouhaha response. I followed it up everyday because i needed the internet to connect to the office and it was until after a week before they sent out somebody to check it. That is truly fast customer service - NOT! Compare this with PLDT's phone service, call today and you'd have a repairman on your doorstep on the same day.
• For the past several weeks, the internet light on my modem turns ON & OFF. This happens every morning and conks out every couple of minutes, even less. EVERY MORNING (between 6am to noon).

I really wish some foreign company comes into the Philippines and offer a better internet service than what PLDT is providing. Its high time somebody show them what it means to be a WORLD CLASS company which clearly they are not. If anybody works for PLDT reads this, know that this post is from a completely dissatisfied customer. And yes, i am considering moving to another service provider who will give me my P2,000 worth monthly.

life so far ...

i wonder if i was another person looking in how i would see the life i've lived i so far. at 34 now, i have come to the realization regretfully that for some, that has crossed the boundaries of middle age. half life. downright lucky if i ever reach double but i try not to count because i intend to live in the here and now.

• i think i'm finally done with formal schooling. college done. mba done. there's really only so much schooling i can go through. no regrets here - met lifelong friends in college, great new friends in grad school. i don't even regret missing out on a medal by 0.02 points. my head is where it matters - and even others see me as funny or even nonsense, i can be smart when i want or need to be. lol!
• career-wise there is something more i want to accomplish but not in the big blue anymore. i think my future lies somewhere else - where exactly i don't know. i'm just going through the motions right now. the waiting can be torturous but leaving ahead of the package like they say is downright stupid.
• i am definitely not one of those who apportion a big chunk of their salary to their savings account. i save as best as i can but i don't mind giving in to the occasional bouts of spending. with age at least comes wiser spending (or maybe not) habits and much more expensive stuff to lust for.
• two cars. the most expensive stuff i paid (and paying) for with my own salary. a black ford lynx ghia and a white honda crv. its a pain to keep two cars but i have my reasons.
• being able to support a family of six has its lows and highs. the natural high is from knowing you at least have been blessed enough to be able to support them. the low is seeing all the bills and having to pay for it and not being able to buy something you have been looking forward to.
• right now, this whole photography hobby is keeping me busy. i enjoy it because it seems i am improving and learning with each shoot and i have met a lot of great people during this ride.
• i'm happy that i've finally moved on pining for mcb. mcb will always hold a special place in my heart.

have i done anything fantastic in this lifetime? probably not to a global degree but i am hoping that just by being, i've made a difference in my family and my friends life. but who knows right? there's still hopefully 30 more years to get famous. lol.

musings on a steady thursday

this is going to be my 5-minute break from work ...

• i think i'm a little overly desperate now to slim down. started taking my "hydroxycut hardcore" a couple of days ago and i'd have to say i hate the feeling afterwards. its like there's a heavy load in my chest, can feel my heart pumping abnormally fast, my stomach feels like its always empty and i feel like dying everytime. ok, so now i am just being stupid. i should stop. look good or die? uhmmm such a hard choice hahaha i need a good, strong slap right across the face
• i just realized i haven't reimbursed my last semester of grad school but the problem being i seriously don't know where my receipt is already. i don't even remember how much i paid for last semester but it probably is around 15-20K. if i can't find the receipt, that's 15-20K non-reimbursible. bummer!
  

something more to be said this wednesday

a few more thoughts about wednesday ...

• being late going to the office and having no choice but to park so far away at least forced me to walk more than i normally do. that probably was more than 500 steps total so hopefully that burned some calories.
• going back to gym sure is a bitch. i barely got through cardio, as in barely. the plus i think is that my fat burners sorta gives me added energy in doing my reps.
• i'm happy that even after being away for quite some time from the gym, gym crushie's workout sched is still the same. and gym crushie looks better than ever.
• how working out forces me to drink more water than i've done during the day, curbs my appetite so much that downing a glass of protein shake equals dinner already.
• how much prices have gone up that everytime i go to the grocery, my bill will always be between 2-4K. And if i look at what's in my cart, there isn't really that much.
• that going home and finding out your cable isn't working is uber frustrating especially if you were looking at watching your favorite show. ok, its "my girl" and i'm so not caring if you call me "masa" ... its entertaining kaya!
  

rainy day tuesday

coming off from an extended 4-day weekend (on leave last friday and replacement holiday last monday), its hard to find the right energy to get back to work. surprisingly, i've finished quite a lot yesterday and in record time that i was happily looking forward to my photography class that night.

30 minutes. that was just how much time it took for me to prepare for class when the rain started pouring heavily. and in just that amount of time, the entrance to our subdivision was flooded knee-deep (and pretty soon waist deep) that even if i was driving a SUV, i wouldn't have made it through. I waited for a good hour before the rain let up and the flood waters to subside all the while fidgeting inside the car and getting anxious about the possibility of missing class tonight. that's me being OC - i get pretty anxious when i know i'm going to be late to anything scheduled. i live minute by minute and like everything in order and that's how i avoid chaos. surprisingly, i managed to make it in class just a couple minutes late.

class last night was very interesting and downright educational. even though i had an idea already of some of the topics being discussed, there were still a lot of ideas and new information that "wowed!" me! leo castillo is really a gifted teacher and despite the class extending until 11pm (ok, past my bedtime), i did not feel sleepy at all. i'm really looking forward to the next 4 more sessions.

i woke up late wednesday morning realizing i forgot to re-set the ringer of my phone to "ON". i had to rush driving to faraway cavite just to get news that the meeting i was rushing for is canceled. still managed to finish work i set out to do at the office despite my cubicle being so cold. this office is freakingly cold its a miracle people have not frozen to death (ok, i'm exaggerating but you get the drift).

4 more days and its the start of the "BER" months. Christmas is just around the corner. happy happy joy joy!