Dead-Tired

Current mood: Very exhausted

I just got home and up to now, I still feel the exhaustion of today's work. My office mate called me at around 4:30am to inform me that he won't be able to report to work. Because of that, I had to slide my shift to 7am-4pm despite lack of sleep. This would be the 2nd day that I'll be the only team member of the helpdesk in the morning shift until 1pm. Before I started my day, I made sure that I am well nourished to last the day. As the clock strikes 8am, my work was left and right. Most of the time, I had to monitor some servers that were down at that time. More over, I've been receiving a lot of calls regarding their server being down plus a couple of transfer calls and wrong numbers. At noon, I felt the fatigue in my body especially my eyes since I've been in front of the monitor for most of the time. Good thing my other team mate arrived at 1pm which gave me enough leeway to relax a little bit.

I hope all of my team mates will get well soon. It's really hard to be all by yourself especially if there are a lot of issues. XD

The week that was (July 18-24)

Sunday: I got up around past 7am to go online but our internet connection at home was still not working well. I went out to go online for 30 minutes before doing my laundry. I left home at 11:45am for my 1-10pm shift.Work was quite boring so I made my self preoccupied with plants vs zombies as well as my data gathering for my pictures. I do get some wrong number calls once in a while. After my shift, my wife asked me to get some money from our account. Then I looked for the nearest Mc Donald's for my late dinner but I wasn't able to find one until I reached crossing.I had my dinner there before going home.

Monday: I got up early to go online as well as to watch WWE's Money in the Bank pay-per-view show. After that, I had my early lunch before I went to our room to read the Sunday's paper I bought the previous day. Back pain hits me around 12pm. I don't know how and why it happened. I tried to sleep the pain away but it won't go. Then I was able to watch Angels and Demons on HBO before going online from 4-7pm. Up to that point my back still hurts so I tried to sleep it again from 7-8pm. Somehow it subsided for a while. 

Tuesday: Good thing my back pains subsided a lot. I went online in the morning again since I can't edit my pictures as wifey has the laptop again =(. I just watched Clash of the Titans that morning before going online for an hour outside. Then at 3:00pm, I went to Harrison Plaza to meet my mom there. She gave me some pasalubongs from Ilocos as I got there. But before I got the pasalubong, I took a quick snack at Mc Donald's ordering my favorite Quarter Pounder with cheese meal for the third time in 4 days. It was raining on my way home but it didn't delay my travel home. 

Wednesday: I got up early again to do my morning rituals (I've kinda missed it somehow). Then, I'm back to work after my 2-days deferred off. Good thing I was able to pick-up where I left off.

Thursday: Got up early to do my morning rituals before going to work. Work was quite Ok though I've been blog-hopping in the afternoon since the day was quite slow. I was supposed to stay in the office until 7pm to edit some data on my photo collection but my camera's battery ran out of juice so I went home early. As I got home, I went online again but this time, to check some blogs about Sagada. That made me a bit curious and researched about it. 

Friday: Got up early for work. When I got in the office, my colleague told me that my team mate won't be able to report to work since he got sick, my other team mate on the other hand, had her deferred schedule so that makes me alone in our room from 8am-1pm. I thought it was a breeze until I had to take care and monitor two outages. I even skipped some bathroom sessions to pee just to man the station. Good thing my other team mate arrived at 1pm that gave me enough breather. Work was so light in the afternoon. My wife texted me that she wanted to go out. I obliged, and told her that we will meet at SM Megamall at around 6pm. I left the office once the clock strikes at 5:02pm and hurried to SM Megamall. My wife and I bonded a little since she was shopping for her clothes and some other things. We had our dinner at Gumbo's before going home. Before I went to sleep, I made sure to prepare my things for Saturday's photo walk.

Saturday: I got up early to attend the Scott Kelby's World Wide Photo Walk. I went online first to check on my various accounts. Then I did my morning rituals before going to my target destination. I passed by Intramuros to have my breakfast before going to Sta Cruz. I got there at around 7:00am so I passed by Sta Cruz Church to say my prayers and give thanks. Then I meet-up with other fellow photographers for this year's World Wide Photo Walk. After a short and meaningful walk, I went home to finish my laundry before going online at night.

XD

Do you love Jejemons?

I've read an article a few weeks back about these jejemons on Manila Bulletin. Now, I chance to see another article about them online. If I still remember, my sister-in-law mentioned that word too. At first I just laughed-off because maybe it was just an expression of her. But after seeing this article, I can;t help it but to see for myself what are they.

What are Jejemons?

According to Urban Dictionary, Jejemons are usually seen around social networking sites such as Friendster and Multiply (Good thing they DID NOT dominate Facebook yet). Jejemons are individuals with low IQs who spread around their idiocy on the web by tYpFing LyK diZS jejejeje, making all people viewing their profile raise their eyebrows out of annoyance. Normal people like you and me must take a Bachelor of Arts in Jejetyping in order to understand said individuals, as deciphering their text would cause a lot of frustration and hair pulling. Jejemons are not just confined to trying-hard Filipino gangsters and emos. A Jejemon can also include a variety of Latino-Hispanic fags who enjoy typing "jejejejeje" in a wider context, much to the disdain of their opponents in an internet MMORPG game such as Ragnarok (I never encountered these people when I used to play Ragnarok in 2004) and DOTA. Basically anyone with a low tolerance in correct punctuation, syntax and grammar. Jejemons are usually hated or hunted down by Jejebusters or the grammar nazi to eradicate their grammatical ways.

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF JEJEMON PEOPLE?

Sign that it is a jeje you are dealing with is that he (they are most commonly masculine) seems to have low intelligence. This is because

1. they can not express themselves in the English language as good as an average person

2. it seems that their kind is simply dumber.

3. Their names are also often begun with "El" then followed with a random spanish or portuguese word.

4. they put too much letters and symbols in everyword they say even in their god damn NAMES or ALYASES.

For example: Notice how this sentence was constructed. There is a BIG difference between the two.

Normal: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.

Jejemon: dhUh qW!k vr0uwN phF0uX jumF3d 0v3r t3h L@izey dhouG

Also, you may encounter them on AIM or YM or any other chatroom usually with long names.

miSzMaldiTahh111: EoW pFuOh!

You: Huh?

miszMaldiTahh111: i LLyK tO knOw moR3 bOut u, PwfoH. crE 2 t3ll mE yur N@me? jejejejeje!

You: You are a jejemon! Don’t talk to me, you uneducated retard!

miszMaldiTahh111: T_T

To my surprise, they also have their own alphabet. Damn! if kids today would see and absorb this, were probably DOOMED. I advise parents to guide their children in learning the alphabet. You don want them to type LyK tHe53.

Jeje Alphabet

Then, if a Jejemon would apply for a job, his/her resume would probably look like this.I don't have any idea though on how he/she would include his/her picture here.

A Jeje Resume

I would bet my life here if this would pass with the hiring team (unless they are also Jejemons XD). I'm wondering if call centers do have employees like these especially on chat support especially if they have a keyboard like this:

 A Jeyboard

I don't know if Oxford and Webster would like to have another competition in the dictionary area. Foreigners would laugh at us if they see this.

A Jeje Dictionary

Then I stumbled on a picture in facebook and I found out if ballots are printed this way in 2013 and 2016,

A Jeje Ballot

Our next President of the Republic (for 2016) would have a get-up like this.

Vice-President Jejomar Binay (Jejemar to the Jejemons)

I don't want to think or imagine how President Noynoy Aquino would look like.

Perhaps its their culture and way of life that they want to get noticed. More people would hate them rather than love them. My side would be on the middle because they have nothing to do with me or how I live my own life. What I don't like is how they make themselves grammatically ridiculous. Come on, who would bother reading jejenese and take it seriously? I would say most English teachers would be alarmed if this thing grows geometrically instead of minimizing or eliminating it. Some find it cute, most (me included) don't. Thank God I haven't encountered one like these every time I go online.

My First World Wide Photo Walk by Scott Kelby

Every year for the past two years, Scott Kelby is holding a world wide photo walk for all photographers to share images and build camaraderie. I have been anticipating this event since the last week of May. With the excitement I had that time, I signed-up right away on the first walk that I saw in Manila. It was the Sta Cruz leg. As days go by, more and more walks from the Philippine's came up. But they do get easily filled-up by photographers (hobbyists, amateurs and professionals alike).

Early this morning,  I make sure I got up early and prepare myself for my first photo walk. As I leave home, I went to Intramuros first to have breakfast at manang's. but their Fried Chicken is not yet available so I settled for their Lechon Kawali. After that hearty breakfast, I went to Sta Cruz to join the others who will be at the Scott Kelby's Worldwide Photowalk. Our meeting place was at Plaza Arsenio H. Lacson in front of Plaza Fair. Since I got there early, I went to Sta Cruz Church first to give thanks and seek guidance from our Creator. Then I noticed some guys with cameras taking snaps. One approached me and asked me if I am also a part of the Sta. Cruz group. I said yes and the guy told me to join us. We waited for the rest to arrive before we had our pre-walk group hug photo.

I was able to meet new faces. But I noticed that some of them were quite young. Another thing is that some people I know online who were supposed to attend didn't show up. That made me think why. As the walk progresses. one thing I find odd was the route that we went through going to Binondo Church. Instead of going there via Ongpin, we went there via Escolta-Yuchengco. Still I was able to take pictures of the street itself as well as some people who live there. Good thing I had a shooting partner that time. She was also an alumna of MIT and just finished her Basic Photography Course at FPPF in Intramuros.

As we reached Binondo Church, I was surprised to see some of my supposed to be groupmates at the photowalk as well as our photowalk leader. Then I approach my photowalk leader to congratulate him for the successful walk. I saw the puzzled look in his face and then he asked me if I am with his group. I said yes then to my surprise, he asked my why I wasn't able to join him. Little did I know, I joined the wrong route as he told me that there is another group for that. I was in total shock and a little bit embarrassed at the same time but anyway, its all been done already. I was able to join the group hug of my original group and the group that I joined as well.

After the walk, my photo buddy and I had our lunch at one of the restaurants in Ongpin. Then we walked back to Sta Cruz Church via Escolta to take pictures of other parts that we have missed. Then we went inside an old museum. Even if its closed, the security guards opened it for us and we were able to take pictures of old memorabilia. I really enjoyed that day and I got really tired.

Here are some more pictures from the Wrong Walk. XD

Game On! (My MOG Anniversary Party Experience)

Last Wednesday (July 21, 2010), I attended the 1st Anniversary Party of MOG (aka More on Gaming). Though it was on a short notice, I made sure to prepare my things prior to getting there.

After work, I went right away to UNO Pizzeria at San Miguel by the Bay despite unpredictable weather. I could have easily backed-out but since the event. But since there were free food and drinks, I skipped my afternoon snack and help myself in getting some of the food.

As I reach the place, I was delighted to see Ms. Dianne Sison in person for the second time around. I haven't even entered UNO Pizzeria and I was able to see her in person. She was really nice and pretty in ger get-up. I was able to have my Playboy magazine signed as well as have my picture taken with her. After that, I was able to see some of my good friends in the event before having my dinner. Food was quite ok. Not that bad though they could have added more choices. But I can't be choosy then since the event is for free. XD. 

I was able to meet Jocelyn Oxlade in person also for the nth time this year as well. Then the program proper commences. I was able to take some good shots and win some prizes as well. I made sure to have Dianne sign my Ran Calendar before going home.

Pictures to follow. XD

A Reminder for this Saturday's Photowalk

I got up this morning and I got this link from Pipho.

10 Sure Fire Tips to Stop Your Photo Gears from Being Stolen by Raphael Chieza Whenever you go out to take photos, whether it's to a foreign country to even around the  block, there are a few useful tips that you should always keep in mind to avoid losing your  gear. 1) Don't take everything. Less equipment = Less conspicuous This may be obvious to some but there are always those who are worried that they may  need a lens which they did not bring with them. Be clear on what you want to shoot at  the location  you are going and try to limit to what you are most likely going to need. Not  only will you  become less of a target for theft, you would also be travelling lighter. If the  worse case happens,  then by carrying less weight around, you will have a higher chance of  legging it without any loss.   2) Leave that Sigma 200-500mm at home! Let's be honest here. Even if you are JUST taking one lens with you, if you are going to carry  a lens that attract lots of attention like the Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 EX DG then you better be  shooting at a fairly safe location. With something that looks like a bazooka, you will also have  a great chance of being mistaken for a terrorist when composing (I'll refrain from saying  "shoot" here) iconic buildings…   3) Low key camera bag which does not shout camera equipment Sure, LowePro bags are great and I have a few but when I travel, they stay at home. I always  get a worn looking backpack which has good padding (built-in or improvised) so that I can't  be spotted as carrying camera gear from a mile off. Thieves and crooks nowadays are wise to expensive brands so carrying branded bags or expensive looking stuff is no doubt going to  get you some unwanted attention.   4) Keep your camera in your bag when not shooting It never surprises me to see many people carry their expensive camera and lens around their  neck and walk about as if it's the more natural thing to do. Sure, you can get at your camera  quicker but you are also actively advertising yourself either. If you are shooting candids then  this will also warn off your subjects before you can get your camera into position. I try to  have a bag which I can get easy access to my camera so that I can pull it out easily. Of  course, I also make sure that I am the ONLY one who can do that so that others won't  make off with it in a heartbeat.   5) Avoid dangerous, high crime rate areas This pointer is true whether you are carrying cameras or not. There will always be places  which you should try to avoid. If you have to go then find out as much as possible from  those who are familiar with the area before you head over. If you can't avoid trouble,  you can at least mitigate it as much as possible and limit your loss by what you take with you.   6) Don't act like a victim / tourist If you walk around looking like a victim and jump at every sound or shadow, you are also going to get unwanted attention. There is a fine line between being cautious and advertising  your vulnerability. I always find that by being careful and confidently fading in with the  crowd is the best way to avoid problems. You should of course dress like the crowd as  well… leave that Hawaiian shirt at home, please!   7) Don't trust others with your equipment Sometimes, you may want to get someone to watch over your bag or even ask someone  to take a photo for you. You may get away with it but if you are going to keep doing it, then  expect that you will loose your camera eventually. Even if they are honest, there is no  guarantee that they won't drop it or damage it by mistake. Play it safe!   8) Don't leave it unattended  Even if you think you've managed to con everyone into thinking you are carrying around your  dirty laundry instead of some snazzy camera equipment, you should still not leave it unattended  at any time. Thinking that your bag under the restaurant table is safe while you are chatting to  friends or if you go to the toilet for a few moments? WRONG! When leaving the camera  under a table, I tend to have the straps wrapped around my leg so that if the bag so much  as moves, I am aware!   9) Don't take security for granted… boot, hotel rooms, table top at a coffee shop If people see your camera, there is no guarantee that it will be entirely safe. Hotel rooms  are a notorious place for losing things when left in plain site. Even your boot can be broken  into if people see you loading expensive stuff into it. The worse is the camera on the table top  situation. It doesn't matter if it's in a restaurant or a café. It's very easy for someone to just  grab it and run, especially if it is on ground level or worse, in an outdoor open terrace. You've been warned!   10) Paint it Pink Magenta Finally, there is of course the option of painting it Pink Magenta! No thief in their right mind  will steal it now… Don't believe me? Ask Kai! Honestly though, camouflaging your camera  is a good idea but it does not have to be so extreme. Blackening the red ring on an L lens will make it look like a cheaper lens and thus draw less attention. You can also black tape the  brand and model of your camera. Finally, don't use the branded neck strap. You may be a  fan boy but I am sure you can live without the branded strap for a trip or two. That's all folks! Good Luck and Good Shooting!

The week that was (July 11-17)

Sunday: I got up early to catch-up on FHM's contest. But the computer shop that I usually visit when I'm in Laguna was still closed even it was already 8am.Good thing I found another computer shop where I could go online even for two hours only. Then after lunch, we head back to Manila before I went online for another four hours. Despite the efforts, I wasn't able to secure the top 10 spot in FHM's contest as I ended up on the 20th. Too bad for me. But at least, I have 1 ticket with me for now.

Monday: At work, I did create most of the tickets in the morning before getting a little bit lazy in the afternoon.I went straight home to rest and unwind.

Tuesday: Got a little bit busy at work with 1 APAC ticket in the morning and 1 weekly report in the afternoon. No sweat. XD.After my shift, I went to Robinson's Galeria to settle my wife's broadband account as well as to try Max's chicken-all-you-can (another blog will be created for this). But I need to wait for 30 minutes before I was able to enjoy their chicken.

Wednesday: I woke-up  in the middle of the night with a bad dream on a bad weather. What could go worse than this? Then I arrived late at work because there were no enough bus going to Buendia that it took almost 30 minutes for one to come. Then, came the good news, I won 2 tickets to FHM's 100 sexiest courtesy of Hooters Philippines. I joined their contest hoping I could score some tickets for my friends. I got a PM from their GM Eric Gutierrez saying that I won 2 tickets and I have to claim them ASAP.After work, I went to Hooters near SM Mall of Asia to claim my tickets. I kinda missed hanging out at Hooters even if its only a one-time deal. Then I went straight home, hoping there would be electricity now but we still don't have power. 

Thursday: Thank God, electricity was already restored this morning. However, I'm having a hard time connecting to the internet using our Sun Broadband. Good thing commuting to the office was a breeze.I just worked my way through the day. After work, I went straight to WTC to attend FHM's 100 sexiest victory party (another blog will be created for this). Since the event ended early, I went home right away.

Friday: Got up early even if my work schedule is at 1:00pm. I tried to go online but the connection was really slow and unacceptable. Instead, I went out, go to the nearest shop to go online even for an hour. My mind was somewhere else during my shift, I don't know where. Both my mind and body doesn't cooperate with me. I just hoped that 10pm would come faster.At 10pm, I logged-out right away and took the last bus home.

Saturday: I got up at around 7am or so. I tried to go online After doing some reports I felt really bored (see previous post) . I tried to kill some time by playing Plants vs Zombies here in the office but it didn't work. My colleague texted me saying that he will be late due to floods in his place. I left the office at 10:15pm feeling hungry. I went to the nearest Mc Donalds to get some Up-sized Quarter Pounder meal to chow down while on my way home.

XD

6th Day Boredom

After doing the necessary work and reports here at the office, this is how I feel right now. I wanted to go home at exactly 10pm but I have to wait for my colleague to replace me in my shift.

I wanna go home and get some sleep. And hope that my 7th day won't be this boring. XD

4-Peat (My FHM 100 Sexiest Experience)

One thing that beats a grand slam is a four-peat. XD

The stage is set

After all, this will be my 4th time to attend FHM's 100 sexiest victory party held yesterday at WTC. I made sure to make-up for that bad timing I had last year. Even as early as mid-June, I told my former boss about my preferred schedule so as not to conflict with work. After my shift, I immediately left the office and head to WTC to be there early. I made sure to take some snacks with me while I'm on my way to WTC. Then I was able to meet some my friends there and hand them some extra tickets that I got. We went inside at around 8:00pm and we were delighted to see a lot of new faces as well as seeing plenty of people inside.

A better view of the stage

Plenty of models during the event

There were a lot of models on each booth as we took some photos of them as remembrance. Though its hard to take pictures without the best lens, I had to be contented with what I have right now. As the main event approaches, I positioned myself near the stage though it was barricaded plus there were bouncers and event photographers who at times blocking my line of sight. Not to mention, throngs of people who were just there to watch the event. People who didn't care to push through within the crowd, making my line of sight (as well as of some photographers) blocked. I did my best to get some decent shots but to no avail. Probably, I need a longer lens (a 70-200 f/2.8 L IS USM perhaps XD) on the next event.

 

Angel Locsin as FHM's #1 Sexiest for 2010

Over-all, I enjoyed the night since I was with my friends and we had a good time enjoying the event.

Here are some pictures that I took during the event. 

Spinning upside down XD

I hope I'd have a better lens to get better pictures by then XD.

To keep or not to keep

For a while, I'm having thoughts whether to create a new portfolio (and close the one I have right now) or keep my current one intact and just update it.  I have been taking snaps using DSLR since October 2008 and somehow, I managed to learn a thing or two in making good snaps out of old ones. As I browse more online portfolio from various people who loves photography,  cant help it but to feel envy of them especially on how they took those shots perfectly resulting in a stunning photo.

What made me convince more to probably create a new portfolio was after visiting these 2 forums namely Pipho and DPP. I have been a constant visitor of these 2 forums for 2-3 months now (I have registered way back in 2008) and comparing my collection to the rest of cyberspace, mine needs a lot of improvement and constant practice in taking those shots.

I have at least 20 sets to edit (and practice in Photoshop) but I may not post it anywhere else except on the two forums I visit more often. As to when will I launch my new portfolio? Probably soon. I just have to practice more often. XD

Bad Weather + Bad Dream = Hellish

Last night, I went to bed early to catch-up some sleep. Then at 11:30pm, I felt my wife crawling to bed to sleep to. At around 12:30am, strong winds blew within our vicinity as well as heavy rain pour. It could have induced me to a deep slumber but the winds are getting a little bit stronger. Then at 1:30am, there was no power which I noticed our electric fan not working. Almost every hour, I wake-up from my supposed to be a goodnight sleep.

Then I had a bad dream. It about a homecoming reunion for our batch in CDNSHS class of 1996. I couldn't recall what actually transpired but in that dream, I lost all my things and my jacket was soiled in mud by those who bullied me before. Good thing I got up and it was indeed a bad dream.

I got up at 5:00am preparing for work even during brownout. I hope the rest of the day would be much better.

Viva España

Taken from Google

It a little bit late but I'd like to congratulate Spain for winning the World Cup 2010 held at Johannesburg, South Africa.

You could get more news here. 

If you wanna know why this sport is one of the most illustrious in the world, check how much they give to the winning teams. I hope The Philippines could join them in the near future. XD

World Cup cash pot

Champion: Spain — $30 million

Runner-up: Holland — $24 million

Semifinalists: Germany and Uruguay — $20 million each

Quarterfinalists: Argentina, Brazil, Ghana, Paraguay — $18 million

Second round losers: Chile, England, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Slovakia, South Korea, United States $9 million each

First round losers: Algeria, Australia, Cameroon, Denmark, France, Greece, Honduras, Italy, Ivory Coast, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Korea, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Switzerland — $8 million each

Previous World Cup winners

1930: Uruguay 4 Argentina 2

1934: Italy 2 Czechoslovakia 1 (after extra-time)

1938: Italy 4 Hungary 2

1950: Uruguay 2 Brazil 1

1954: West Germany 3 Hungary 2

1958: Brazil 5 Sweden 2

1962: Brazil 2 Czechoslovakia 1

1966: England 4 West Germany 2 (after extra-time)

1970: Brazil 4 Italy 1

1974: West Germany 2 Netherlands 1

1978: Argentina 3 Netherlands 1 (after extra-time)

1982: Italy 3 West Germany 1

1986: Argentina 3 West Germany 2

1990: West Germany 1 Argentina 0

1994: Brazil 0 Italy 0 (after extra time; Brazil won 3-2 on penalties)

1998: France 3 Brazil 0

2002: Brazil 2 Germany 0

2006: Italy 1 France 1 (after extra time; Italy won 5-3 on penalties)

2010: Spain 1 Netherlands 0 (after extra-time)

FHM Autograph Signing July 2010: Sam Pinto

After office hours, I immediately pack my stuff and head to Robinson's Galeria to attend the FHM Autograph Signing of Sam Pinto. From there, I was able to meet with some of my friends to have our FHMs signed by no other than Sam Pinto. Since FHM's 100 Sexiest Victory Party is just around the corner, I guess an autograph signing is appropriate especially to those who won't be able to make it.

As an introduction, Samuelle Lynne Acosta Pinto came from a well-off family. Her parents separated when she was young. Her father re-married and has two children with his current wife. Sam and her sister lives with their mother, whose profession is a lawyer.Her older sister is Theresa Rae Pinto. She is also the niece of Vince Pinto, a commercial model in the late 1990s, who represented and place 2nd runner up in the 1997 Manhunt International, the highest Filipino placing by far in the competition.

Sam studied as a fashion design student in De La Salle - College of St. Benilde. Though already at her third year, she stopped schooling to pursue her dream of becoming an actress.

Well enough of that introduction, As I meet her face to face, I was really stunned not only by her height and beauty, but with her captivating smile as well. And I was able to have my picture taken with her and also I was able to take some quick shots of her smile. Indeed, Sam is the Ultimate Girlfriend Material for most bachelors out there.

Here are some of my takes during the autograph signing (Posted: September 4, 2010). XD

Sam with a bottle. XD

Sam holding a pen. XD

Sam with yours truly. XD

Finally, all alone with Sam. XD

The week that was (July 4 - 10)

I never knew I was heading for a VERY BORING week. O.O

Sunday: I got up at around 9:00am because we both slept late at past 3am. I just went online and wait for my wife to wake-up. Then we hear mass at St Anthony at around noon before going back home to chill-out. Since I got so bored at home, I decided to look for previous issues of DPP but I want to search for it at SM Fairview. Yes, SM Fairview. I haven't been there for almost 5 years so I just took off and went there. 

Monday: This could be one of the most boring day I have encountered in the office. For the entire day, all I had to do was to read forums, blog hopping and check my mafia wars (there were few minutes that I am busy creating tickets for the other teams). After work, I went home immediately since I was not feeling well towards the end of my shift. 

Tuesday: I got up early again hoping that I could sort some of the pictures and upload it to DPP forum but I wasn't able to because the laptop is quite slow. My morning in the office was slow again, except for one call I got in the morning about a VPN (Virtual Private Network) issue that one of our clients in the US has encountered. This continued until the afternoon. Almost everyone of us here at Helpdesk were idle so we just killed some time before going home.

Wednesday: I was able to upload some pictures that I got from DPP's party at DPP forums (straight from the camera; no editing made whatsoever). The entire morning was so boring again. Its like having free internet here in the office while getting paid (bad marky XD).After lunch, there goes my blog-hopping and forum-reading spree until I went home. 

Thursday: After my morning rituals, My morning was boring again with no tickets to work on. I had to keep myself busy blog-hopping and forum-reading.That afternoon, I was able to work on 1 APAC ticket (at last) to ease my boredom. I meet my wife in Ayala and told her to wait for me since we met at around 4pm.

Friday: Same old morning ritual but I brought a different bag with me (my camera bag). I got in the office with enough time to spare. Later in the afternoon, fhm.com.ph held a contest to win 2 non-vip tickets to their 100 sexiest victory party to be held at WTC. The contest was pretty much easy. However, my PC in the office doesn't seem to cooperate with me as I'm having a hard time maneuvering the pages of fhm's website. By 5:00pm, I immediately left the office for Robinsons Galeria to attend the autograph signing with no less than Ms. Sam Pinto. After the event, we had a discussion on our plans to have a road trip this coming August.

Saturday: Me and my wife got up at 5:15am for our jogging session. My wife insisted that I should also wear my jogging attire so I put my running shoes on to match my clothes that I used last night. We went to CCP to start our session there.After 2 hours, we went to Intramuros to introduce my wife to the eatery I've been raving and frequenting since college. I don't know if she liked what she ordered because she is not much of a fan of foods with sauces. When we got home, I did some laundry (socks) before we go home to Laguna to visit my folks. Once we got there, we rested for a couple of minutes before doing my agenda. I visited my dentist to have my tooth fixed. But she told me they can no longer fix it, hence they want it extracted. I told them I have to think about it since my tooth doesn't hurt anyway. When I got home, I went to my old internet cafe to boost my bid for the 100 sexiest victory party tickets c/o fhm. I didn't notice the time because I was too fired-up to increase my rankings. Before I went home, I was at #6 and I hope it stays that way until Sunday. As I got home, my wife was very upset because she is having a hard time with her internet connection. She was able to have a good connection at around midnight or so as I lay down to sleep.

That week was really boring. XD

Open letter to Cavaliers fans from owner

Taken from Yahoo. 

Statement from Cavaliers majority owner Dan Gilbert addressed to Cleveland fans in the aftermath of LeBron James(notes) announcing he plans to sign with the Miami Heat:

Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight.

As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.

This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his “decision” unlike anything ever “witnessed” in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.

Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.

The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.

There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.

You simply don’t deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.

You have given so much and deserve so much more.

In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:

“I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE”

You can take it to the bank.

If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our “motivation” to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.

Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.

Sorry, but that’s simply not how it works.

This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown “chosen one” sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn. And “who” we would want them to grow-up to become.

But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called “curse” on Cleveland, Ohio.

The self-declared former “King” will be taking the “curse” with him down south. And until he does “right” by  Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.

Just watch.

Sleep well, Cleveland.

Tomorrow is a new and much brighter day….

I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:

DELIVERING YOU the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue….

Dan Gilbert

Majority Owner

Cleveland Cavaliers

My Thoughts on this:  Where's the betrayal? I don't see any. Perhaps he's just frustrated being unable to win a championship at Cleveland so he moved somewhere else. And besides, he's a free agent which means he can go wherever he wants to at a right price. It just so happen that Miami was able to seal the deal. =P

If Cleveland can win a championship without LBJ? For me that's a big question. Besides, would my favorite team (LA Lakers) let that happen? =P

At Last

I'm finished working on 1 APAC Ticket after being bored for almost a week. I thought I would be idle for the entire week. hehe. XD

My Targets for 2010 (Second Update)

As of July 5, here's what I've accomplished. I'll be adding some more here and update it from time to time. ^_^

1.Do an intensive job search online but I'll make sure to review the company thoroughly. I will also make sure this would be the last time I will have gaps in-between jobs. (Now I'm thinking if I would be able to secure a 1-year contract extension)

2. Maximize Internet Usage. I'll do more surfing on work-related and career-related websites. This will be my opportunity to learn more on Photography, Post-Processing and other Technical Stuff. I'll do my best to minimize non-work related surfing with some exceptions. (Honestly, this is SO HARD to achieve especially if we have our so boring days).

3. Allocate money for future savings. I'll minimize unnecessary expenditures like eating out. (Again, I'll do my best to limit myself to 70-100php per lunch-out)

4. Collect my Men's Magazine sparingly without compromising budget. (Budget won't be and issue for the next 6 months. But with the inclusion of Digital Photographer Philippines, I need to tighten my belt).

5. Catch-up on Photography since I haven't took pictures for a while now since I've sent my unit to Canon for repairs. (My camera has been with me since April 6 and I'm taking snaps like there is no tomorrow. ^_^).

6. Limit going-out with friends to weekends only except for special holidays. (I'm fine with this as long as its Photography-related).

7. Support my wife with her new hobby (QM). I'll make sure to transfer my QA skills to her so I could take on more challenges. (Done. She can managed on her own).

8. Watch my weight. A lot of people noticed how much I've gained weight since I got married. (Now this would be one thing I have to work-on very hard).

9. Avoid delays in post-processing pictures. I've been piled-up again because of laziness. XD (The laziness in me is back and I'm having a hard time since the color of our laptop needs color management).

10. Have my eye checked-up for a possible glass upgrade (I'd probably do this between Oct-Dec 2010).

11. Have my teeth checked for possible filling and/or extraction (Will visit the dentist over the weekends).

12. Buy a Battery Grip, External Flash, Wireless Remote Trigger, Filters (CPL, ND8 etc), Batteries, and Lens' Hood to make my camera perform better.

13. Save enough money for our planned First Anniversary in Baguio. 

14. Update my resume. XD

Again, I'll keep this updated for progress. XD

The week that was (June 27-July 3)

Half-year down. Half-year to go. XD

Sunday: Did some photo-editing in a long while. Though I still fee sleepy, I went to PTTC to attend another cosplay event.I didn't stay that long because I kinda find it a little boring with the space and available light.Went home after and took some rest and getting ready for the week ahead.

Monday: I went to work early. This would be our first week without any boss to take care of us. Work was quite smooth and steady. After work, I went home right away out of frustration because our salary wont be available until the next day. Instead, it took me 3 hours on a different route. I arrived home at 8:00pm.

Tuesday: Same routine. But this time, I had my breakfast at Jollibee in Phil First Building (below our office). work was pretty much OK. I patiently waited until our paycheck arrived.Good thing it arrived so I treat myself to NYFD with a steak sandwich but I was disappointed with the size. After work, I immediately went to Trinoma to meet my friend there and buy a new camera bag. But the mistake I made was taking a bus to get there instead of riding the MRT which would probably take me less than 30 mintues. The trip took me 2 hours (by bus).I was able to meet my friend there and got myself a new Crumpler 7mdh. I got home at 9:00pm, very exhausted but satisfied.

Wednesday: Though it was declared a holiday, I woke-up early to prepare for work. Commuting was quite fast which gave me enough time to have my breakfast at Jollibee.Then work as usual even though we were around 7 people in the office. Then I went to SM Megamall to meet my wife there and had our date at a new restaurant there. The food was good and the price was pretty much OK 

Thursday: Got up to do some morning rituals before going to work. Though I felt a little bit dizzy, I still tried to work normally. After work, I went to Robinson's Galeria to buy the 3 back issues of Digital Photographer Philippines Magazine (it costs me 895 pesos for the 3). I scanned the pages on my way home via G-Liner.

Friday: I got up at 5am since I need to report to the office at exactly 7am. I was able to get there early and waited until it was 4pm. As I was about to leave the office, one of my office mates told me that our colleague was celebrating his birthday today (actually a few days ago). So I joined them and had myself a bit full and stayed for 30 minutes more before going home. As I got home, I immediately did my laundry again so I could go to bed early. But since my wife came late, I went to bed past 11:00pm. 

Saturday: Got up early to attend DPP's 4th Anniversary (DPP Unleashed: A separate blog will be created for this). I went online for a while since I know I won't be able to go online for the whole day. Had my part 2 breakfast at KFC in MRT-Ayala station. Then went straight to BHS for this event. Me and my friends left there at around 10:45pm very much contented and half-drunk. XD

My first DPP Anniversary Experience (DPP Unlashed)

This would be my first time to attend a major event courtesy of Digital Photographer Philippines Magazine.

Taken from their website

I have been a member of this forum since 2008 but I not that active until early May of this year. A former colleague of mine introduced me here when I got my DSLR in October 2008. Moving forward, I told most of my photographer friends that there would be a major event (this one) they shouldn't miss. I myself anticipated for this event as well as prepared myself though I didn't have that much sleep the night before.

I got up at around 5:30am to prepare, left home at 6:30am and got there at 8:30am. I could have been there earlier but I got hungry on my way, hence I took another breakfast at KFC. When I got there, I noticed a long but broken line near fully booked. I joined others in waiting for fully booked to open. One of the staff of DPP gave us the list of classes that we can attend to as well as the ID laynards. When I got my registration number, I was at 74 already considering that I got there early. Little did I know some came as early as 6:30am. The line started moving signaling its already 10:00am (original time of registration was supposed to be at 11:00am).

The line going to Fully Booked.

When I got in, I am shocked how long the queue was.

See the tail of the line?

Even before the registration has started, I took some snaps (I will be using this term instead of pictures/photos from here and beyond) to capture the emotion and excitement of the people here especially the early birds. Also, I have a list of classes to attend in mind which was for free. I have to make sure that I will learn a lot from these seminars. And I really did.

 It really pays to be early to pick the best classes for free XD

 People register for the classes inside fully booked.

Fully Booked's Curves

Fully Booked's Lines

While waiting for the class to start

First, a lecture on Epicscapes by Jay Jallorina, a well-known Landscape Photographer. I still remember his talk a few weeks back regarding different types of filters to be used for landscape photography. His talk reinforces what I have learned from before and how to capture the moment at the right time. I made sure to take pictures of the lecture (I did this also on his previous talk at phphoto eb).

I look back to see how many people were there. And the place was jam-packed.

No empty space inside fully booked.

The next seminar that I attended was with Ms Pilar Tuason on  Beautiful Portraits. Too bad we were not allowed to take pictures on some of her photos because of the client's request (or which thereof). I was hoping that she would give us some tips on how to enhance your portrait shots but I couldn't recall her giving any. But still, I had to get the most out of it.

Ms Pilar Tuason giving out some pointers

After that, me and my friends went out to join the biggest group hug ever. Also, I was able to join a photoshoot with the lovely Jasmine Meierhofer. Its not easy taking pictures given the fact that the photoshoot was jam-packed with a lot of people. Good thing, I was able to get a snap or two of Jasmine.

Photographed by Sir Aly Reyes. Find me here. XD

Jasmine doing what she does best

Tried changing WB here XD.

Shooting from a distance

Shooting with the crowd XD.

After the photoshoot, we went back to Fully Booked to attend other seminars. The place was filled with more people than during the afternoon. It was Mr Raymund Isaac who was giving his talk that time when we went back inside. I tried to get some freebies from the event and luckily, I was able to get a Basic DSLR book by Canon. I was able to check out Coanon and Nikon's latest products before I pushed my way into the crown towards the speaker.

Good thing we were able to secure some seats even if we shouldn't be there. The last topic is about de-constructing a photograph with Xander Angeles as the speaker. I was able to learn a lot from him even though I may not be able to apply his lighting techniques since I don't have the right equipment yet. By looking at his photographs, he (Xander) was able to teach us how and what lighting to be used in every shoot. Man, it really needs details and not just with ambient light alone or with simple lighting.

After all the talks by some of the famous Photographers, it was party time. We were entertained with the flair tending of some photographers. There were free-flowing beer and drinks as well as some pica-pica to ease the taste of alcohol. Its not bad getting a little bit drunk for free right? XD. Then the judging of the pictures were next. I was able to witness how 12 pictures (6 Landscapes and 6 Portraits) were judged and critique by the best photographers in the land. Some pictures were really critiques up to a point that probably that photographer would be really embarrassed if he/she is in front of the judges with his/her picture.

That event was really memorable for me because its my first and definitely not my last. I went home a little bit tipsy but nevertheless, very happy. XD