February 19, 2009

> Must Read : Rules of Relationships (According to Bob Ong)

i got this from Homer Cudel's facebook notes.  it was downright funny but at the same time speaks volumes about how true these statements are.  hope he doesn't mind my re-posting here.  credit also to bob ong.  

love, fundamentally, has a way of screwing us over if we are not careful.  those who are so fixated about getting into a relationship should read this.  its not all roses when you're in one, it takes a lot of work.

1). 'Kung hindi mo mahal ang isang tao, wag ka nang magpakita ng motibo para mahalin ka nya..'

2). 'Huwag mong bitawan ang bagay na hindi mo kayang makitang hawak ng iba.'

3). 'Huwag mong hawakan kung alam mong bibitawan mo lang.'

4). 'Huwag na huwag ka hahawak kapag alam mong may hawak ka na.'

5). 'Parang elevator lang yan eh, bakit mo pagsisiksikan ung sarili mo kung walang pwesto para sayo. Eh meron naman hagdan, ayaw mo lang pansinin.'

6). 'Kung maghihintay ka nang lalandi sayo, walang mangyayari sa buhay mo.. Dapat lumandi ka din.'

7). 'Pag may mahal ka at ayaw sayo, hayaan mo. Malay mo sa mga susunod na araw ayaw mo na din sa kanya, naunahan ka lang.'

8). 'Hiwalayan na kung di ka na masaya. Walang gamot sa tanga kundi pagkukusa.'

9). 'Pag hindi ka mahal ng mahal mo wag ka magreklamo. Kasi may mga tao rin na di mo mahal pero mahal ka.. Kaya quits lang.'

10). 'Kung dalawa ang mahal mo, piliin mo yung pangalawa. Kasi hindi ka naman magmamahal ng iba kung mahal mo talaga yung una.'

11). 'Hindi porke't madalas mong ka-chat, kausap sa telepono, kasama sa mga lakad o ka-text ng wantusawa eh may gusto sayo at magkakatuluyan kayo. Meron lang talagang mga taong sadyang friendly, sweet, flirt, malandi, pa-fall o paasa.'

12). 'Huwag magmadali sa babae o lalaki. Tatlo, lima , sampung taon, mag-iiba ang pamantayan mo at maiisip mong hindi pala tamang pumili ng kapareha dahil lang maganda o nakakalibog ito. Totoong mas mahalaga ang kalooban ng tao higit sa anuman. Sa paglipas ng panahon, maging ang mga crush ng bayan nagmumukha ding pandesal, maniwala ka.'

13). 'Minsan kahit ikaw ang nakaschedule, kailangan mo pa rin maghintay, kasi hindi ikaw ang priority.'

14). 'Mahirap pumapel sa buhay ng tao. Lalo na kung hindi ikaw yung bida sa script na pinili nya.'

15). 'Alam mo ba kung gaano kalayo ang pagitan ng dalawang tao pag nagtalikuran na sila? Kailangan mong libutin ang buong mundo para lang makaharap ulit ang taong tinalikuran mo.'

16). 'Mas mabuting mabigo sa paggawa ng isang bagay kesa magtagumpay sa paggawa ng wala'

17). 'Hindi lahat ng kaya mong intindihin ay katotohan, at hindi lahat ng hindi mo kayang intindihin ay kasinungalingan'

18). 'Kung nagmahal ka ng taong di dapat at nasaktan ka, wag mong sisihin ang puso mo. Tumitibok lng yan para mag-supply ng dugo sa katawan mo. Ngayon, kung magaling ka sa anatomy at ang sisisihin mo naman ay ang hypothalamus mo na kumokontrol ng emotions mo, mali ka pa rin! Bakit? Utang na loob! Wag mong isisi sa body organs mo ang mga sama ng loob mo sa buhay! Tandaan mo: magiging masaya ka lang kung matututo kang tanggapin na hindi ang puso, utak, atay o bituka mo ang may kasalanan sa lahat ng nangyari sayo, kundi IKAW mismo!'

uncertainties

there's 70 days left before april 30 and quite honestly, i haven't really given much thought to what i should do next.  what i'm certain of is that i need to start working soon after except that right now, i'm enjoying the freedom i have to be able to focus on my photography, go out with friends and just lay down and relax.  i know this feeling should be short-lived because i need to do the practical thing but having worked for more than 13 years straight makes me feel like i deserve a breather.  there are some job prospects from a few headhunters out there but quite honestly, i haven't put much effort in submitting my resume and initiating my applications.  golly, i think i've become a lazy s-o-b!  i think what is putting me off having to do it is because i'm excited to bring to fruition some concept shoots me & my friends have been toying with - and it always make me giddy just thinking about it. yes, this photography and the friends that came with it has got me hooked.

i should put try to start thinking about business opportunities.  in my limited reading, history teaches us that there are a lot of people who profited from a recession because they were smart and they hit it right business-wise.  maybe i can be one of the lucky ones and i can think of something profitable - we'll have to see how this pans out.  right now, all i can think about is beefing up my photoshop skills and doing more shoots.  gaaahhh, i'm addicted. somebody really has to slap me hard on the face -- any volunteers?

the other thing i'd like to do is travel ... already i'm booked to coron and ilocos.  and i'm so tempted to join this backpacking trip to indochina in july (thailand-cambodia-vietnam) ... that will be an adventure.  just thinking about it is making me excited.  so many things i can do with my free time - learn a new language, take up culinary ... man, the list goes on and on.

i hope i win the lottery.  then i wouldn't have to work again.

February 17, 2009

> Register Now : VOLTAGE by MJ Cachero

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February 13, 2009

all the more reason to see transformers 2

is this cool of what? 'nuff said!
*caught this in one of the posts in multiply and decided to post this for people in my network.

February 11, 2009

2009 Do List

i don't remember drafting some resolution list for 2009 but taking my cue from a good friend's list of things to do in 2009, here's my own.

  • list of places to go (back to) this 2009 (hope i get to see half) : sydney, ilocos (vigan, bangui, pagudpod), coron, cambodia (angkor wat baby!) ... where else? camsur (been dying to wakeboard), pinatubo crater
  • go to the gym.  i really really need to get serious. period.
  • learn a new language.  can i still fit this in 2009?  mi habla espanyol!
  • enroll in a short culinary course.  while this probably doesn't go well with going to the gym, by golly cooking is another thing i love.  i'll cook for the fam & friends - help them get fat.
  • (OC alert!) Tag almost 100GB worth of mp3s. Rip a box ful of CD's to mp3. Transfer them to my ipod.  Logic states then that i should replace my 30GB ipod with the 120GB version.  yahoo, that's what you call justified purchase.
  • Read a plethora of e-books about photography i downloaded.  Read a bunch of books gathering dust i've never found the time to read.  Maybe try reading a few of the almost 30GB worth of x-men comics i downloaded.
  • I need to go back to my derma.  Get a facial.
  • Get rid of these braces.  Its been too long.  More than i bargained for.  I'm beginning to HATE it.
  • Shoot. Shoot. Shoot.  Enroll in a lighting class or make kulit my photog friends to teach me.  Learn more photoshop.  Practice. Practice. Practice.
  • Get back in touch with my Catholic teachings & practices.
  • Find a new job!  Life will be so much better if i find a new job quickly!

Wow, so many things ... so little time talaga.  its a BIG list ... one step at a time.  I'll make it.

February 10, 2009

in preparation for april 30

its a good thing that a dose of  nyquil and dayquil managed to halt the flu that could've had me feeling sickly the whole week.  i was specially fortunate since i had to go to the office in faraway cavite today.  i was almost resigned not going today because maynilad hasn't restored our water supply when i chanced upon the 5-gallon mineral water jug we had and decided it was well worth it to use that as bath water (lol!).

the reality that i am counting down the days to my inevitable exit to this firm i have been part of for the last decade seems more real today.  we've discussed most of the really important things as to pay, retirement, benefits and clearances. i am quite happy that the big blue is also going the extra mile of providing us with career transition services.  there are a bunch of trainings that will be available (financial, entreprenerial, resume writing), other opportunities (for franchising, business ventures) and they even invited people from DOLE (department of labor & employment) and TESDA to tell us what their programs are.  There are also livelihood trainings (basic cooking, juice puree, basic pc troubleshooting, call center, etc etc) that you can sign-up for.  I should sign-up at TESDA for some massage training hahaha  its free anyway.

i realized though that with leaving comes an abundance of other responsibilities - like continuing to pay for your SSS, Pag-Ibig and Phil-health.  A bunch of legalities that i've had very little interest in to begin with.  this is the part of being a grown-up that i don't like but i have to learn.

april 30 is really lapit na.  i need to really jump start the job hunting soon.  i'll be able to breathe easier if i get a replacement job soon.

February 04, 2009

> across the universe (feat eco dela sala)

We decided to catch the last staging of "Across the Universe" at the Albertus Magnus Auditorium in UST to support our good friend Eco who topbills the play as Jude.  We already knew Eco had a voice with some of his videos posted in multiply but it was unbelievable to see him sing live in front of a full-packed auditorium.  This guy just has it down pat - and we bow our heads in shameless jealousy.

Congratulations Hector dela Sala.  Like what Lemon said, impressive performance!  (insert applause here!)  Special thanks to Hannah and the rest of the staff because they gave us really good seats and all of them were very accommodating.  Everyone was super nice!

The best part of it all was sharing the night with really great friends - the ever-popular heartbreakers "the killabotz" - lem, mj, brian, jm and marjo, gorgeous ladies - malou & ohsie, new friend jeremy and the very helpful & accommodating dino dimar.  we sat through a couple of hours of beatles songs that helped me realize why the beatles is considered one of music's great bands.  the songs were fantastic - across the universe, all my loving, i've just seen face, strawberry fields to name a few.  there were indeed fun moments in the play when we were laughing really hard ("we want charice!") and irritable moments as some photographers shamelessly flashed-filled their pictures.  if that flash-thing in men-in-black was real, i'll probably won't have any memories of last night anymore, or of my whole childhood for that matter.

We also saw eco's ever-sweet mom & groovy lola along with eco's other friends we've met during the "share a smile 2" charity project a couple of weeks back - jan, sammie & anjo.  a whole of eco's friends obviously were there last night to support him.

Dinner at shakey's was even more fun.  we were all pretty famished after the show and pigging out seemed like a logical thing to do.  the conversations were funnier this time because most were pretty much at eased already with each other.  poor bunsong marjo though looked starved post-braces attachment.  JM & Brian were the guys to beat in chow territory (but it seemed like kuya lemon finished the carbonara) - you gotta love being young with a fired-up metabolism.  di bale, tataba din kayo ... you'll see (ok, that's me sourgraping).  still, hanging out with these guys is always a BLAST.  can't help but love 'em cause they're so friend-worthy.  Thanks Eco for the pasalubong.

Here's a couple of videos of Eco's performance - "All My Loving" and "I've Just Seen Face."

More photos courtesy of Lem Estiva at this link : Across the Universe (with eco dela sala)

Photos & Video Cover/Montage courtesy of the super talented Lem Estiva.  Used with permission. The videos are a bit shaky since i was just using a P&S camera and i was trying to cover the LCD so as not to disturb the other people watching the show.  No further editing done except for titles & credits.


Cover by Lem EstivaBy Lem EstivaBy Lem Estiva

February 02, 2009

he would have been 31 today

Happy Birthday Abet!

You would have been 31 today if you haven't left us so early.  I can't believe it'll be six years this year.  You really changed a lot of us after what happened.  I guess tragedy really brings people closer together and we are because of you.  I'm really happy to say that after you left, i've learned to appreciate each day that i live and breathe.  Its one of the reasons you will always be remembered, because in the short time i've known you i have learned a great deal about living.

If you were here, i bet we would be having a party - you know the kind that we used to have when everyone of the intel ka-berks were together.  We probably would be anxiously waiting for the clock to strike 4pm today - have dinner and get tipsy with everyone not minding its a monday today.  besides, we've all done that before - monday drinking sprees, all of us staring blankly at the walls of our cubicles the following day.  who cares right?  its your birthday and we're gonna partee!

its a nice celebration right?  except you're not here anymore.