au.was.here.

DIGPHO2 projects

2010-09-19T11:12:00.014+08:00

ok, let's try this again...

as you may have noticed, the last entry on this blog was the 6th of August, 2009. i know. way too freakin' long. this is now officially an obscure blog that no one reads anymore. blame it on Facebook. but like they always say, it's never to late to pick anything up again.

i have lots of stories to tell but the pics i have ready for upload are those from one of the last classes i had at CSB-SDA (College of Saint Benilde-School of Design and Arts where i just completed a one year Diploma in Professional Photography course). i was about to create an FB photo album for it but i thought maybe it's time for a blog entry. so this is where i shall pick up. yes, i need a story with photos. i don't trust myself to be interesting enough with just words. noop, i am not much good as a writer. i just pretend to be one on my blogs.

so... on to Digpho2 - Digital Photography 2. Prof is Sir Dave Caballero, who seems to be decidedly anti-social on the internet. he has no FB account, no blog, no website, according to him, just email. which means this entry is pretty safe from his prying eyes and i can knock him all i want... hehehe... joke lang! Sir Dave is a tall, dashing, handsome hombre who sometimes answers email in Italian, and who we secretly called Sir Babe--until he grew his goatee to about 6 inches long. then, we had secret longings to either pull it off--especially when we have a hard time with our assignments--or cut it off in one swift motion before he can react. hahah! good thing, the last time we saw him, the goatee was shaved off and he is back to his handsome, dashing self again :-D ayan sir ha, inamin ko na so i hope you don't grow the dang goatee again.

on to the projects. Digpho2 project #1 was photo restoration. we were asked to bring one battered photo. the more battered, the better, said Sir Dave. i should have known better. the more battered, the harder it is to restore!

the good thing is that this is a photo my Nanay. so kahit mahirap, it was worth it. but the darn restoration started me on a roll of being late on my next projects. i think restoring this took me about a month. lesson learned: i can get obsessive and i am a very impatient person!... and i hate photo restoration! the finished product is this. i think di na yata kamukha ni Nanay. but when i showed it to her, she seemed very pleased.

according to Nanay, this photo was taken for her graduation from seamstress school, which became her profession ever since.

we were also asked to do grayscale, duotone, tritone, and quatone.

Digpho2 project #2: HDR or high dynamic range photography. the first 12 photos i submitted where rejected by Sir Dave. dang! pare-pareho daw kami ng photos with my other classmates. uhhh... probably because we were all together on the same trip?... hmmmm... in short, late na naman ako for the next project. 3 weeks later, in frustration, i submitted 2 pics. baka sakali may extra points na lang. one was an old HDR attempt, the other one was new and taken from our trip to Tagaytay and Batangas.

HDR: photo was taken at Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna

HDR: altar of The Chapel on the Hill, Don Bosco, Batulao, Batangas

lesson learned: mas magandang mag-submit ng maaga kasi puro minus sa grade ang aabutin mo pag late.

Digpho2 project #3: faux IR (infrared photography). in all honesty, i don't get this one. i don't like 'faux' anything much... especially since i want a real IR camera!!! anyhoo, it's a project i need to submit, so there.

view from Tagaytay Highlands Clubhouse

Digpho project #4: put yourself in a movie poster... waaaaaahhhhh! this one was kinda scary-funny because it poked fun at ourselves. it's always sort of uncomfortable for photographers to be on the other side of the lens but this one was specially so because we had to be in a costume. but i have to admit it was fun--in a way--because i never would have thought of doing this to myself, myself. it also forced us to be creative--in a way... This was the original poster. And below is the result.

lesson learned: ang hirap i-please ni Sir Dave! haha! although we initially did the search for possible posters, it needed to be approved by our prof! ayaw ng madaling poster. ang gusto pa yung mahirap gawin! ang pamatay dun, after we submit, he often mounts it on the projector at kukulitin in class... switching eyes or mouth with Angelina Jolie's, in Trix's case, or tries to bring the cheekbones higher which ends up like someone beat Tin up.

Digpho project #5: this one is one of my most favorite projects... ever! i love it because i finally got around to trying something i have always wanted to do--conceptual photography. it is probably still amateurish but it's a start. i totally had fun with this one and if not for the time pressure, it would be even more of a pleasure!

model/angel in the photo is my daughter Gabey and the eye belongs to hubby Erwin.

i like it in both versions, colored and grayscale. lesson learned: i love doing this digital art/conceptual photography/surreal thingy... and i shall do it again... kaya THANK YOU ever so much for helping, in part, uncover my photographer self, Sir Babe... errrr... Sir Dave, kahit pa siguro mababa ang grade ko dahil sa late projects. ;-D

finding my inner vision

2009-08-06T09:06:00.017+08:00

long time no kwento! after a reaaaally long while off blogging, i am resolving to come back to it. let's hope i can keep this promise to myself. ok, i'm not very good at keeping promises to myself. case in point-: my project 365. i always fall off! i'm starting to doubt that i can never pull the darned thing off. if not for friends who are with me on it, hihinto na talaga ako. (as an aside: i RE-started for the 3rd time [or 4th?] project 365 which entails taking one photo per day. this time, just to have added motivation not to stop, i made a bet with 6 other friends--actual money involved--and i still fail!)

-------------------------------

what i'd really like to blog about first is about this photography seminar i recently took at PCCI. i don't do too many seminars, mostly due to financial reasons. if i have extra dough lying around, i would probably blow it first on camera accessories or save it for some new glass. see, i like things that are tangible. when i feel the need for some photography education, i would rather buy books.

my second reason for holding back on seminars is: i choose mentors and classes carefully. i understand now that in photography, or any other artform--there are plenty of 'styles'. since i don't have the luxury of spending too much, i try to choose carefully the mentor's style that would match what i would like to emulate.

however, there is something about the 3rd and latest workshop i took which was called Inner Vision. the mentor is a person i admire a lot because i see his work in I-Mag, Mr. Tilak Hettige. I had always been curious at how his name is pronounced, and learned then that it is just as it is spelled. He hails from Sri Lanka. He also authored a couple of beautiful books: Saffron Robes --a beautiful photographic essay on Buddhist monks which of course impressed me immediately being buddhist myself--and Tilaka. another photo essay about the spiritual third eye from which is own name was derived.

he met us first for a short intro on June 25 but the real first class was the whole day of a Saturday, June 27. the first exercise was at Greenbelt. he asked us to find letters and numbers in the environment. my first reaction was whaaa...?! and then 3 seconds later, i thought, cool challenge! he gave me this to find: MARK LBN98. i think he shuffled the participants names and added a few more random letters which made it look like a plate number. he told us not to worry too much about the exposure, just set the cam on auto and concentrate on finding the letters instead. we had 1 hour complete it. this was my take:

this is the 'MARK

and this is the 'LBN98'

after this, we headed back to class to download and there were more lectures. next we headed out to the American Cemetery for more exercises. it was midday and very hot. but we nevertheless had a good time shooting and learning about leading lines and composition. i was wishing i bought the UWA (ultrawide angle lens... hey, i didn't invent the weird photog lingo :-D) with me at this time. these are some of the shots i took.

the next meet was a Sunday at Tilak's house which surprised me. it was absolutely amazing how gracious a host and how generous a teacher he is. now only did he share to us his wonderful home that day, he also showed to us his collection beautiful photos and old cameras! and, oh yeah, wonderful food was served too...

coconut milk rice squares ever so slightly salty

lemon squares and Tin's yummy cookies

Tilak showing us an old treasure. one of the cameras in his extensive collection

and talks about the elements and stories behind his impressive photos.

the previous meeting, we were assign a photo essay topic so we discussed this with him that Sunday. then we had 5 days to complete it! the presentation was on the 6th day and it was needed to graduate from the course. my photo essay topic is called The Awakened Eye. i uploaded it on youtub e for your (actually, MINE) viewing pleasure. between the day job and the effort needed to complete the task, it was pressure! but i learned later that this pressure was part of his learning process. without it, we would have completed it differently and it wouldn't be any less harder. i think i understand now what he meant.

after all that, i can say our mentor succeeded in what he set out to do. i would never have found that sort of "inner vision" without taking his class because i wouldn't push myself hard enough. the exercises he gave us in between practice shoots was right on because they put us in a certain frame of mind. i definitely highly recommend his class. you'll probably surprise yourself at what you will be able to come up with. i know i did.

oh, my poor blog...

2009-07-29T20:57:00.005+08:00

it's Facebook's fault... those little status messages i can so easily churn out at any time is killing my desire to blog and tell stories. but i'm thinking, that should change soon... maybe even right now.

i should learn to tell more concise stories more often if i am to keep it up. sayang naman... this blog has been around for a few years already. maybe, i, my kids and my friends will enjoy it too years from now, looking back at the stories. it's probably not a good idea to just let it go static.

i guess my other blog at Vox might just have to retire if i am to maintain even just a couple of blogs. perhaps i'll just put that project 365 here instead...

i feel a redesign is in order. those new blogger templates are looking good... let's see...

make the connection

2009-07-16T02:51:00.002+08:00

In the market for a practical Hyundai Genesis ? Need to find reviews for that SUV you are eyeing like that cool GMC Sierra hybrid ? Or just generally daydreaming for the spanking new big-boy/girl-toy-on-four-wheels 2009 Audi A6 that you are promising yourself once you get that fat annual bonus? Whether you want a vehicle that is green and practical or one that is big, bad and rugged, here's a connection for you: thecarconnection.com

Personally, I need a new vehicle myself right about now. My daughter has been carting my ride away which often leaves me homebound and carless. But before I even step out of the house and on to a car dealership, I find it more convenient to check out what's on the net first. I would look for car reviews, recommendations for my needs, scour forums and generally spend time on online classifieds because it's a lot more economical and faster which makes it smarter. See, I like being smart, or at least seeming to be. :-)

This great website I stumbled on is perfect for this because not only does it have great reviews for practically any car make and model I want--which, just by itself is a great feature--but it also has classifieds (not that its much use to me being not in the same country… but it could be useful to you), information on insurance, financing and even forum style tips. Amazing how everything is just right there. All the know-how you need when you want to get yourself a new car. In my case, even without being in the same continent, the information is just fantastic and definitely useful. Just check it out for yourself.

smart shopping

2009-06-26T20:15:00.003+08:00

I like shopping on the net. I don't have to get in the car, go to the mall, browse through shop windows and eventually end up going home buying more than what I really need. In today's economic and environmental scenario, it makes sense to save not just money but time and energy as well. Being earth-conscious, I would also like to think online shopping has less carbon-footprint than riding a vehicle to the store.

However, when I shop on the net, I end up with too many tabs in my browser window. That's because I have to study my choices well so I browse through many, many websites, both for the shops and the reviews. IIt can get very confusing, not to mention just as time consuming as actually going out shopping in real life. But I discovered one site that makes my shopping life even easier--ShopWiki. Unlike browsing through different websites, you only need to deal with one. That's because ShopWiki crawls the web then searches and indexes all info about a particular product much like Google. Simply enter a brand, article or item you would like to find anywhere in the world and it turns up results with matching photos to make your search experience even better.

As a concrete example, here's one on a laptop search. Not only does it turn up a variety of computer laptops classification to help organize your search but clicking each segment educates you as well to actually help you make your choice! Truly informed shopping. I think it beats going out an talking to salepeople who will only try to convince you to buy only their product and potentially mislead you. I suggest you go and try it right now and see if its not shopping-truth I'm telling you! :-D

chronicles of a travel virgin

2009-04-01T23:31:00.019+08:00

I'm a bit shy to admit it but yes, I am a travel virgin. It took me almost 43 years before I even stepped out of the boundaries of my cushy little world--not that I had any real complaints about that. I am actually afraid of riding anything that takes my feet off solid land. I don't like airplanes and most especially not boats. Of course, being a mother of 3 very early in life doesn't give me much choice anyway and with 2 more kids later, it doesn't leave much cash for expensive trips either. But luck sometimes just falls in one's lap and an opportunity showed itself for a 6-day Macau-China-HK girl trip: me, MIL, SIL, and my elder daughters Gabey, 18 and Kara, 14.

From the time SIL told me to fix the kids' passport for this journey, I psyched myself to overcome my phobias and planned which of my stuff to pack. I have to say the opportunity to take my camera to strange lands that promise magnificent photo ops helped a lot appease my fears. So here goes the story of my first journey away from the islands I call home:

March 22- Macau

We left Manila at around lunchtime and arrived at Macau shortly after 2pm. It was a barely 2-hour plane ride which was cool with me. The shorter, the better! I kept the fear at bay by taking photos. So now I know of another panacea that makes everything alright for me besides chocolates: my Nikon.

I knew we were staying at The Venetian for a day. I heard it was a really nice hotel but goodness, I didn't know it was not just nice but GRAND! Even our room was totally FA-BU-LOUS. It had 2 queen-sized beds (that really looked like they were made for queens) not just one but two TV sets and a living room area. The view wasn't as grand though because all I can see out the window were new hotels under construction. This side of Macau is still young and developing.

We spent the rest of the day just strolling around the hotel since we have no plans of doing the casino anyway. I am not very lucky with games of chance. Besides, it doesn't interest me much where I'm not allowed to take my camera. With 2 teenagers in tow, we weren't even allowed to cross the casino as a shorter route to our room-- and they were really strict. Even Gabey who was just 3 days shy of being 18 wasn't allowed. The guard told her she can come back in 3 days. Too bad for Gab who was so disappointed she wasn't even able to peek in a casino.

Taking the long route to the room was not a bad deal anyway. We had to pass through Level 3 where all the shops were. There were so many things to see. There was an indoor Venice-style 'canal' with gondolas and gondoliers who sing, some of whom were Pinoys.

This mime looks Pinoy to me. I couldn't ask him though because he wasn't allowed to smile, much less talk.

It seems this other mime was too beguiled with a joking Gabey that he wasn't able to resist a bit of a smile.

We then explored the outside of the hotel until almost sundown and we were feeling the pangs of hunger. We went back to the hotel to plan our next day and then retired for the day. As usual, I couldn't immediately fall asleep in strange places so I did some journaling. I was sorely missing my 2 babies who still sleeps with me and hubby. Being in such a romantic place only made me miss him badly as well. I cried myself to sleep that night and for the next 3 or 4 nights after that.

more of Day1 photos here

to be continued with more photos and stories...

Day 2 - Macau to HK
Day 3 - Shenzhen, China
Day 4 - HK - Camera shop-hopping and the Night Market
Day 5 - HK - More shopping
Day 6 - 'Can't-wait-to-go-home' day..

macro on shoestring

2009-03-18T10:02:00.001+08:00

i love macro. i'm usually homebound (hello mom of 5 kids :-P) and seldom travel so this is one arena i can play with. it also appeals to my inner geek, since it mostly feels like peering into a microscope. therefore, among the lenses on the top of my wishlist is the Micro Nikkor 105mm f2.8VR. if i were to push it, i'd also love to have the Micro Nikkor 200mm f4. thing is, i can't afford them yet. here is my next best thing: el cheapo extension tubes. they make me have the ability to focus closer to the subject, hence magnification, but i lose the ability to focus at objects that are further away.

the extension tubes have no lenses

so my next solution is to get me real macro glass. since i don't have moolah to score my dream lenses, i opted to get one of the Nikon (really) old "legend" lenses: the Micro Nikkor 55mm f3.5 AI. i won it for a good price on Ebay. if i attach it to the extension tubes, i get even more magnification.

the teleconverter has optics

but i wanted MORE and so i went for a teleconverter next: the Nikon TC-201. this is another old model glass but since i have an old micro glass anyway it makes sense to me. i hunted yet again on Ebay and got this just around Christmas last year :-D this one i love for giving me the magnification without having too come close to the subject so it is less likely that i'll scare a bug away. i am also able to focus at a far away object. the teleconverter effectively doubles my focal length. the downside is losing light-- 2 aperture stops--and (they say) some image degradation. being inexperienced, i hardly notice the second point... or maybe, i'm just too happy to get the extra magnification.

if i combine them all together, i get pretty cool results, too. this shoestring macro combo suits me just fine... at least for now. i don't mind them being totally manual focusing since i prefer to do macro on manual anyway. here are some sample shots.

shot with the 55mm Micro

with the 55mm Micro + extension tubes

with the 55mm Micro + teleconverter + extension tubes

*photo at the very top: taken with this same combo but cropped closer.

these stuff don't meter and won't report aperture settings to the EXIF on anything less than a D300 (yep, not even on a D90). and this is another reason why i *heart* my D300. :-) there will be no electronic controls for the aperture settings either. however, they are still usable because i did use them even on my trusty D40. but being old gear, this means i can also use them on my old film camera, the Nikon F4. adventures with film in the future but for now, there's miles more to explore on digital.

i SEA food!

2009-03-13T22:29:00.011+08:00

sundays are often seafood days for us simply because i do marketing on sundays and seafood are always best cooked fresh. i'm sharing here a couple of recipes that often find it's way on our sunday lunch table. if you like spicy, Thai-inspired flavors, you will certainly love this one. it's a modified version of something i tasted at a friend's party quite some time ago. i couldn't forget how delicious it was so i tried reproducing it. this is the result. the broth is warming and yummy while the tahong meat is tasty. it's a real pleaser for spicy seafood lovers.

Au's Spicy Basil Tahong

ingredients:

2 kilos fresh tahong (mussels)
2-3 tbsps. Lee Kum Kee black bean garlic sauce
10 or so cloves crushed garlic
about a thumb-size of ginger, sliced
2 or 3 Thai bird chilis (siling labuyo)
about 1/4 c rough chopped fresh basil leaves
1 cube chicken bouillon (Knorr cubes)
1/2 a stick of butter (about 1/4 of a block of anchor)
2 tbsp. veg. oil for sauteing
soy sauce (if needed) to taste
2-3 cups water or chicken broth
about 5 calamansi (Philippine lime or kaffir lime)

steps:
1. clean out the mussels, removing the "beard" from the meat but leaving the meat in the shell. set aside.
2. heat oil in wok. throw in sliced ginger. cook till slightly golden. add chopped garlic and also allow to turn slightly golden.
3. add black bean garlic sauce and chicken cube. then add the chili and half of the chopped basil. cook quickly. make sure the pan is not too hot because the chili heat will sting your eyes and nose.
4. quickly add the mussels and stir them around.
5. add water or broth, whichever is available to you. let the water heat up to cook the mussels. add the rest of the chopped basil.
6. lastly, add the butter. this makes the broth yummy. let simmer a short while so the butter melts and blends with the broth.
7. just before serving, squeeze in calamansi. serve hot.

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here's another recipe that's oh so easy but oh so satisfying for those looking for strong flavors: Oyster Ceviche. ang sosyal no? in Tagalog, Kinilaw na Talaba... heheh...

Oyster Ceviche

ingredients:
10-12 FRESH oysters (talaba), shucked and removed from the shell
1 red onion, diced
2 long green chili (the sili used for sinigang), chopped into round shape
a thumb-size piece of ginger, sliced
a dash (or two) of salt and sugar to taste
1/4 c white vinegar (sometimes i add apple cider vinegar to this)
1 cup hot water

steps:
1. put the shucked oysters in colander and blanch with hot water. drain a bit and set aside.
2. in a small bowl, put in all the rest of the ingredients and add the white vinegar, stir.
3. put the blanched oysters in this mix and stir it around to blend flavors.
4. put in your serving dish and refrigerate for a short while--maybe 10 mins. serve cool.

TIP: never eat this kilawin on an empty stomach. it could get disastrous... :-D

juicing wheatgrass

2009-02-21T17:27:00.013+08:00

siempre, in order to consume our wheatgrass, we need to juice it. puede rin nguyain pero hindi yata masaya yun although i've heard some do that. the grass should not be eaten kasi indigestible yata ito so even if you chew it, you have to spit out the fibrous pulp.

to get going, there is one crucial piece of equipment you need: the wheatgrass juicer. this juicer is quite different from the regular fruit juicer commonly found at the appliance centers. those are usually 'centrifuge-type' juicers. they extract juice via the principle similar to a washing machine spin-dryer. on the other hand, the juicer for wheatgrass is an 'auger-type' juicer. the auger looks like a big metal corkscrew that masticates the fibrous grass and there's usually some sort of a strainer that separates the juice from the fibers. slow mastication is good for wheatgrass so that there is no heat generated from friction that could destroy some of the live enzymes.

the corkscrew metal part is the auger.
the juicer is disassembled for easy washing.

in a pinch, you may probably use a regular blender then use a cheesecloth to squeeze the pulp but there are a couple of setbacks to this. for one, it's a bit messy so it could turn you off from juicing on a regular or even daily basis. second setback is that the heat generated by the fast moving blades can generate heat and oxidizes the juice so it kills some enzymes.

there are different kinds of wheatgrass juicers as well. there is an electric version that my friend Cabbie got off Ebay. there is also a manual handcranked version and this is the one i use. even the handcranked version has a few kinds: there's one that's mostly plastic, another that's cast-iron and another that is all stainless like the one i have. there are other more expensive, heavy duty ones like the Champion or Greenstar brands of juicer but i can't find them in the Philippines and they are pretty expensive. get what ever is in your price range and is readily available to you. there may be a bit of a cost but i consider it an investment in mine and my family's health.

shown here is the extracted juice in the cup while the fiber
is on the little plate in front

my juicer attaches to the edge of a counter. the wheatgrass goes on the top receptacle and when i crank, it gets pulled inside and masticated by the auger. juice drips at the bottom holes-where i put a container- while the pulp is expeled like green poo out the hole at the front of the juicer. cranking this little mechanism is a little morning 'exercise' for me, because sometimes, there is quite a bit of resistance as the grass gets pull through.

the juice drips into the cup while it is cranked

you really need very little juice--30 ml (or about 1 oz) is enough for one dose. You can put it in a shotglass so it looks pretty. i just put mine in those little plastic measuring container i get from my kiddies Tempra medicine. if you like, you can have a 2nd shot either at the same moment or maybe at night. for a healthy person, they say this is enough. if it is for someone who needs it to help cure a sickness like cancer, i heard they can take up to 10 oz a day.

i made 3 shots (3 ozs) here. the pulp is also usable.
put it in water and the resulting green-tinged water may be used as a wash
or just dispose in the compost bin.

they also say, it is best to take the juice in the morning, on an empty stomach, so it doesn't combine with other foods and would get through quickly. you can then eat 30 mins to 1 hour later.

oh yeah, it would also be a good idea to prepare a bit of water as chaser after you chug it down. although some people say it really doesn't taste too bad, i still think it is not the best thing i've tasted. it's really like i swallowed a mouthful of mowed lawn, only it's quite sweet...like nutrasweet sweet... especially when the grass is harvested at just the right time. if harvested past its prime, the sweetness gets lesser.

hubby's morning shot.

different people also have different reactions to taking it for the first time. some say it made them go poo very quickly while some say it constipates them a bit. one niece of mine threw up about an hour after gulping it down but i think it was because of something she ate earlier that didn't digest well. i think the wheatgrass even helped move it out of her system. another friend of mine told me it made him very hungry. personally, i have had most of the symptoms they reported but it was different for each time depending, i guess, on my current physical condition. but these days, i don't even notice anything different anymore.

even my little ones occasionally get a couple of tablespoons
(which is about half an ounce).
i bribe them with chocolate to get them take it. :-D
when they get used to it, i can maybe do away with the bribe.

i think you really just have to try it for yourself. bottoms up to good health!

planting my wheatgrass

2009-02-17T23:08:00.004+08:00

did i mention that i think wheatgrass may also help with with weightloss? i bet that got your attention. but really, i do think so--at least in my case.

ever since the december holidays started, i was too busy to attend yoga and had too many opportunities to pig out at xmas celebrations. my first opportunity to ever have a bit of exercise was 3rd week of January. yet i have lost weight instead of gained! since i don't watch the scales, the first signs i noticed were pants getting a bit looser. then when i kicked back to work after the holidays, some friends and co-workers started commenting to how i got "thinner"... could they be imagining it?

i started scouring the net for relationship between weightloss and wheatgrass but there wasn't much. probably because this wasn't the primary reason people were using it for. the closest possible explanation i have thus far are these:

1. " ...wheat grass juice is loaded with nutrients you need from vegetables. It also assists in digestion, helps metabolize energy and fat. And wheat grass helps bolster your immune system."
from http://www.articlesbase.com/weight-loss-articles/wheat-grass-juice-63485.html

2. " Wheatgrass' nutritional value is so high, many people experience a loss of appetite." ...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/1999/02/23/hyena.DTL

3. Lastly, if wheatgrass is so vitamin-laden -- especially in the B complex vits -- it could be that it has everything that are needed for proper weight maintenance and good thyroid function such as those outlined here:
http://www.ayurvediccure.com/weight-loss/vitamins-for-weight-loss.htm

so... as you can see, those were not my words. i am simply sharing with you my experience and as a "seeker of explanations", went forth and searched high and low... on the net.. for some kind of logic to it. take that as it is and with a few grains of salt as well. :-D

anyway, let's get back to the purpose of this particular blog entry: how i planted my wheatgrass. i have seen many 'styles' on how to do it, both on the net (even in You Tube), and via written instructions. i have made some modifications as to what works for ME, considering that i am in the Philippines and growing it in the climate conditions we have here. this style would also fit a person who may be working a regular day job and would have to tend it only at the end of the each work day and before leaving for work in the morning.

these are the wheat seeds or the wheatberries

there are 2 simple parts to it:
first: to SPROUT the seeds - day 1-2
then: to PLANT on soil in trays - day 3-11

materials you would need are:
- wheatberries (or seeds),
- a couple of trays or more if you like (i have 4 because i cycle them so i won't run out of grass),
- good planting soil - i tried Enrico or Plantastic which could be bought from Ace Hardware. but the one i like best is Buhaghag All Purpose Propagation Mix bought from Green 2000 at Manila Seedling. This is the big garden center at the corner of Edsa and Quezon Ave.
- spray mister,
- jar or container with cover that has holes (a large mayonnaise jar will do. just punch holes on the cover)

sprouting the seeds:
1. MEASURE the amount you need according to the size of your tray. Since we would have different tray sizes, I found that the best way to do determine the right amount to plant is to loosely lay the seeds (without overlapping) on the tray as shown below. Then take the seeds again and put them in your soaking container and proceed to the next step.

this is what i mean by laying the seeds 'loosely' to measure the right amount

2. SOAK the seeds overnight. start this before you go to sleep.

3. When you wake up the next morning (or approximately 8-12 hrs later), DRAIN the liquid. then, RINSE with tap water and drain again. do not refill with water. just leave them in the jar with holes (or a cheesegrater container in my case). forget about it till you come home at night time again (or another 8-12 hrs later).

4. before you sleep, RINSE again and DRAIN. by this time you might be seeing a little bit of a sprout. or at the very least the seeds have expanded.

5. upon waking up. RINSE again and DRAIN. there would definitely be sprouts by now.

6. when you get back home, RINSE and DRAIN. you can actually plant by this time but i like one more cycle or two.

notice the amount of seeds expands to about 4x the original as the sprouts grow.
this is about the right time it is ready for planting.

7. RINSE and DRAIN again. Plant by now if you wish. OR one more cycle of RINSE and DRAIN if you like. by then, they might be clinging together already. shake them off gently so the little roots will not be damaged.

planting the sprouts:
1. prepare your tray by filling it with about an inch or so of soil.

shown here is Enrico potting mix but i find that the BUHAGHAG brand
propagation mix produces better grass than Enrico.

ready for planting

2. put the sprouts on top of the leveled soil in the tray.

3. water thoroughly and GENTLY with a sprinkler until water runs from the bottom holes of the tray.

lay the sprouts close together just on top of the soil.
sprinkle with a thin layer of soil on top for better moisture retention.

4. this is optional: sprinkle a thin layer of soil on top of the wet seeds. then, mist this with water. you want to use the mister so the thin layer of soil will not run.

5. cover with a second tray.

covering keeps the sprouts moist and stimulates the growth

6. leave this alone for about 24-48 hours or so.

7. when there is about and inch to an inch an a half of growth, remove the cover. mist the sprouts. no need to re-water the soil. as a matter of fact, do not water again until you feel the soil is too dry. too much watering can induce the growth of molds. if the surface is getting a bit dry just mist it. you may only need to water again by the 3rd or 4th day depending on how hot the weather is.

i removed my cover 30 hrs later. this is how they look. sprouts are light greenish beige.

48 hours later, they are a vivid apple green.

by 3rd morning, the sprouts are about 2-3 inches and even greener.

by the time the grass is about 6 inches long (around the 7th-9th day), you can start harvesting by cutting about 1/2 from the soil level. if you harvest all in one day, put in a container with a cover in the refrigerator. this will be good for about a week. do not wash the grass until you are ready to use them so they will keep longer in the fridge. if you don't harvest everything in one day, it is also ok. just don't go past 3 more days. i noticed the sweetness of the grass lessens as it gets older.

grass being harvested by the 7th-8th day.

next post... how to juice the grass! :-D

trade show boon

2009-02-15T12:59:00.006+08:00

Have you ever tried putting together a trade show booth for your company? If yes, then you know that it can be a very stressful endeavor. There are usually so many details to look after to ensure a successful opening: suppliers delivery, design choices, and logistics from the time of ingress to the time of egress.

It is therefore always a godsend if shortcuts are available to you from the outset. This is where these magnificent products from camelbackdisplays.com come into play. They have practically everything a trade show exhibitor needs to set up an impressive exhibit booth without breaking out a sweat, from trusses to banner stands, from background panel systems to table covers, skirting and throws, from unique flooring to exhibit furniture. They even have this Pipe and Drape backdrop system that is easy to assemble and take down because its ingenious interlocking pipe sections.

Camelbackdisplays.com also provide graphic design assistance and printing service to complete everything an exhibitor may need, all from a company that has been in business since 1999 with over 16,000 customers assisted in they exhibiting needs. A service like this is truly a boon to a trade show exhibitors' life.

mag-DAMO tayo!

2009-01-25T00:31:00.008+08:00

tara mga friends! let's do grass! no i'm not smoking it. i'm drinking it in shot glasses. it's wheatgrass!

by now, some of you may have heard about this quickly becoming popular healthfood. my own quest for it started around 2001. i had a client who made me do some graphic design work as marketing material for a BARLEY grass product. i always do research for design work so this made me read more on the product and inevitably, it lead me to wheatgrass also.

i quickly learned i needed a specialized juicer for it and the seeds. unfortunately, around that time, it was not that easy (at least for me) to acquire stuff like this from abroad. my interest in it waned for a while but was rekindled when i started researching about the raw foods and sprouts. still, due to lack of resources and general laziness, my interest waned again. so imagine my delight when i just recently heard my sister-in-law was growing some wheatgrass practically at the place where we hold office. i immediately gave her a call and ordered some of my own from her sources. i started growing my first batch of wheatgrass last month, early December 2008, but i hesitated to post about it until i have had some first hand stories to tell.

this is because in as much as there are many proponents of wheatgrass, there are also some detractors. however, i noticed that most of the detractors have not yet tried wheatgrass themselves. their animosity mostly lies in the reasoning that there is not enough research on it and that the wheatgrass proponents claim too much.

in all fairness, i am more of a believer here than a skeptic. this is mostly because i have also noticed that inasmuch as there are few precise scientific studies on wheatgrass, there is an abundance of anecdotal reports that attest to its efficacy. proponents also point out quite reasonably that funding for more research on wheatgrass are not as forthcoming because there is no money in it for big pharmaceutical companies. growing wheatgrass is free AND it cannot be patented.

it is really quite easy to grow and is a potentially fun project to do especially if you have even the slightest penchant for gardening or for science projects. and even if you don't have an inclination at all for any of these, it is still very easy. all you need is motivation. a great motivator for me is the fact that it is potentially a "fountain of youth" because promotes good health and therefore youthful vitality. hey, if it will make my teeth and bones stronger, my skin better, my cholesterol count lower, my blood oxygen content higher, and remove heavy metals in body that may i have ingested through the years, and provide me with valuable antioxidants to counter the toxins from the unhealthy air and food i take in everyday making it an anticarcinogen... why should i not at least give it a chance. i am always hell bent on trying out anything at least once in my lifetime anyway. why not something potentially healthy this time.

information abound on the internet about the health benefits of wheatgrass. after all it's been there for quite some time. here are some links just to get you started. a google on it produces more:

http://www.sprout.net.au/wht_benefits.html
http://www.ayurvediccure.com/wheat_grass.htm
http://www.juiceitup.com/wheatgrass.html
http://www.drwheatgrass.com/research/ref.htm

oh yeah... i regret that i have not at least started out with an executive checkup to find out my health status before i started on the wheatgrass regime. i wish i had so i can compare the difference more concretely but i can say this after just roughly over a month of doing wheatgrass: my Nanay's blood pressure went down from 140-150 systolic to 120. my use of inhalers for my asthma has decreased. even my 5 year old Reine who just had the sniffles and a cough, was out of it after just 3 days. just for all that, i think i'm pursuing the growing and the juicing of this green goodness.

i'll make me a photo record of how i grew it--step-by-step--on my next post!... :-D

kwentong piercing

2009-01-19T16:39:00.010+08:00

hayyyy... so many things happening this January. i keep putting off blogging about it, lalo lang natatambak so simulan ko na kaya. di ko nga lang malaman how to start... hmmm... let's see... how about from the beginning 'no?

nothing better than shocking my reader straight up para magising so eto...

(click to enlarge...heehee...)

ok, you can un-cringe now... haha... daughter Gabey has been wanting a tongue ring on and off since she was in highschool but of course it wasn't possible then because the school doesn't allow it. so even if it was ok with me, we still have to follow school rules. but she kept her belly ring a secret (from the school, not from me) so we got away with that.

some people have quit asking me by now why i allow it but in case you're curious and don't know it yet, it's because i have one (or two) too. getting any part of the body pierced is really no different than getting an ear piercing. for as long as it is done aseptically and by the right person, there's really no harm in it. but if not done right and if not taken care of the proper way, just like any wound, it could get you in trouble, of course. i really do not see what's the big deal about it for some people--it's simply a matter of preference and style perhaps. besides, piercings are even easier to deal with than tattoos. if you don't like it anymore, the jewelry can be taken out in a sec and most of the time, the hole even closes up depending on how long it's been there.

i often get asked if getting the piercing hurts, and the answer is: but of course it does!!! but the part i hate most is NOT the moment of the piercing itself (because that takes all of 2 seconds actually) but the healing time. it takes about 2 weeks before it is completely comfortable to eat again. it's not totally a bad thing though if you're on a diet...haha!...

unfortunately, i did lose my tongue piercing about a year ago. i had a mouth sore in the roof of my palate so i removed the bar for about 5 days. despite the fact that i had that ring for over a year, the hole still closed up on me. i couldn't put the darned tongue ring back!

Gabey didn't want to do it alone and kept bugging me to get pierced with her. i kinda missed my tongue ring anyway so, in short, i had an excuse to do it again. and so last Jan 3, we did...

o sya, more "normal people" kwento next time... :-D

ADDENDUM:
i just realized some younger people might be reading this post so let me dish out some advise on the right way to do this:

1. if you live with your parents, ask for their permission
i know...chances are, they won't agree but there's really nothing you can do about that till you can live on your own. the best way to deal with this is to "educate" them first on what it's is all about. so maybe you should educate yourself first on what it IS all about. so go ahead and google it.

2. go to a reputable piercer (this is important!)
there may be a lot of piercers in Manila but not all of them are safe. go to a reputable one. i can recommend Skinworkz because they have a proper autoclave for sterilization of their tools and jewelry. and the owner is current president of PhilTag (Philippine Tattoo Artists Guild - which has DOH accreditation)

3. take antibiotics just to be safe
no, the piercer is not a doctor so you should probably get your doctor to give you a prescription. do not self medicate! that could get you in trouble if you have an allergy to meds.

4. it would be nice to take some vitamins as well for immune system support so healing would be faster.

5. last but not the least: Advil (Ibuprofen) is your friend (unless you have and allergy to it, ok!) other bets are paracetamol (Biogesic) or mefenamic acid (Ponstan). Goodluck!

lucky charm si Nanay

2009-01-04T16:06:00.005+08:00

my first time to win a photo contest! sabi ni Nanay, sya daw ang buenas...hehehe... this was my entry to Bookoto.com's Tis the Season Challenge and it won me a year's worth of issues of Life Images magazines which i have been wanting to get myself but a short budget gets in the way. can't wait to get my grubby hands on those issues! :-D thanks Sheryl, Julie and Ms Staci Dumoski of Life Images for the pick! below is the winning photo and the required journaling and camera settings that went with it.

Journaling :
This is one of my favorite shots among those I have captured this season. It may not be the most technically perfect photo but most genuinely meaningful, fleeting moments are hard to capture as such. This is a photo of my Nanay (mother) in a moment of loneliness even midst a happy gathering. We had just finished watching her apos' (grandchildren) Xmas presentation at the PETA Theater and were simply awaiting for the crowd to thin out before we went down to the lobby.

Children eagerly anticipate the merriment of the Christmas season but perhaps it does not always hold the same ebullient happiness for the elderly. I am not sure what Nanay might be thinking at this moment. I can only guess. It could be worry for what the future holds, longing for the physical freedom she used to have before her hip surgery, or simply that she
misses a brother she had lost to cancer a just few weeks earlier.

Whatever is on her mind, I and the rest of her family can only try to pacify her by staying close to give her the emotional support she craves. However, I often wonder if it is ever going to be enough. Hopefully, the gleeful gatherings of the season gives her enough respite from the ravages of loneliness that often plague most of the elderly.

Camera Used: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 18-200 f3.5-5.6
Settings: ISO 640 and aperture at 6.3 (where I had left it at a prior shot), shutter speed at 1/4 sec which was about the only setting I had time to adjust because I was afraid Nanay would move already. It was as slow as I could go--considering I was handholding the camera and not using flash-- to get a decent exposure of both foreground and the bright background.

Post processing : Adobe Photoshop CS3 for contrast, brightness and sharpness adjustments

my precious(es)

2009-01-03T11:04:00.009+08:00

just for fun (and for my project 365's day 2 photo), i made my small collection of photo equipment 'pose' for me. since it's the start of the year, i thought i would be nice to capture a record of this now and compare how they would grow--hopefully, not shrink!--by the same time next year.

some of the stuff here has been with me since maybe the late-90's particularly the Nikon F4 film body, the 28-70 f3.5 lens i bought with it, the MF-23 digital back, and the SB26 flash unit. my photography hobby didn't go too far back then because i found it too expensive to get film developed plus the support groups on the internet just weren't there yet. so for the record, let me just say it again: i loooove digital and hurray for the world wide web!

so here's my modest photo gear inventory, thus far:
camera bodies:
1. Nikon D300
2. Nikon D40
3. Nikon F4

lenses:
1. Nikkor 18-200 f3.5-5.6 VR
2. Nikkor 50mm f1.8D
3. Nikkor 18-55 f3.5 to 5.6 G ED
4. Micro Nikkor 55mm f3.5 AIS
5. Lensbaby 2.0
6. Nikkor 28-70 f3.5-4.5D

flash units:
1. Nikon SB-800
2. Nikon SB-26

accessories:
1. macro extension tube
2. Sunpak 72mm circular polarizer (CPL)
3. Hoya R72 IR filter 52mm
4. Lenbabies close-up macro filter attachment
5. Lenspen
6. X-Wrap
7. Lowepro Voyager camera strap
8. canvas backdrop 3mx6m(gray) -- (up for sale! unused! P1750.00)

other accessories not in the photo:
1. Giottos VT-801 tripod
2. Falcon Eyes 42" 5-in-1 reflector
3. 36" bounce umbrella
4. 42" shoot-thru/bounce umbrella
5. medium lightstand
6. small lightstand
7. Falcon Eyes reflector holder
8. Lowepro Slingshot 100 backpack
9. Lowepro Bottle bag

here's to more gear-growing and camera-clicking in 2009! cheers!

project 365 hanged...err, hung... (?)

2008-12-30T22:21:00.006+08:00

'hanged' man or 'hung'... sablay pa rin... huhuhuhu....

i embarked on a project 365 last 11/11 after much thought. there are may versions of this photography, ummm... venture but basically the aim is to take a photo a day and usually it is uploaded to a website, blog or more often, on Flickr. i upload mine not only to Flickr but to a dedicated blog on Vox and weekly to my Multiply. these help in me being more committed to it. besides, what am i to do to the photos after taking it other than just store it on my hard disk?

it's really a great game to take on... there are many pluses that one gets out of it. for me, the biggest plus is the chance to interact with my photography gear on a daily basis. this means i get valuable practice and learning time just by the commitment to handle the camera and shoot everyday. secondly, as a scrapbooker, it is in keeping with my goal to document life as it happens not only to me but also to my family. as a natural result, i get to collect so much 'scrappable' photos!... ahem!... but of course, actually scrapping the photos is another story.

unfortunately, too many things in the busy holiday season got in the way. i dillydallied for a while thinking i'll just play catch-up. but then, some Flickr support guys who are doing the same project advised me to just call it a test run and restart. i hated the thought for a while because that means i have to abandon what i started but i eventually thought the better of it. the new year is coming up anyway and it was just extra challenge to come up with new ideas. so heck, why not... i'll just do a reboot! i've uploaded the l ast 12 photos from my test run here. do visit please!... cheers to the new year!

i heart my pappy-doo!

2008-11-08T16:27:00.007+08:00

yesterday, i was at Rockwell with Tin, Nita and Lee when my cellphone rang. we just had lunch at Pepper Steak and where browsing the array of desserts on display before we were to head off to Belair to check out a party venue.

"san ka na?" said Erwin's voice on the phone. "matagal pa ba kayo? baka gusto mo pumunta dito."

"san ka rin ba?" i said. he answered he was at Jerry Tieng's. my eyes widened incredulously.

for the past few weeks (months?), i've been stalking Jerry's website, dreaming of my next camera body. i had outgrown my trusty Nikon D40 in the sense that i wanted more controls and the ability to autofocus with non-AFS lenses. before the D90 came out, i really wanted the D300 for its sturdy build and great autofocus plus it meters with old lenses but the price range was out of reach. the D90, being less expensive, seemed more reachable plus it has recordable Live View. i was pining for it since. i thought maybe next year's birthday would be great timing to ask for it. so i just kept checking the website for price changes and for general daydreaming.

so when hubby called yesterday telling me about where he was, i wanted the ability to teleport so badly! see, it's our 21st anniversary the next day (which is today) and obviously he was up to somethin' tittilatingly magnificent! his next question proved it to be true, "alin ba gusto mo, yung D90 or yung D300?" my girlfriends in front of me were witness to how high i jumped in the air. i couldn't decide because each had great points. the D300 was the more prosumer camera though (sturdier magnesium alloy body, weather-sealing, 150K actuations, etc). i ended up telling him to just surprise me.

hubby punkin' around with my D40

then, the girls and i we went about with the things we had to do. we went to Fully Booked at High Street to get coffee and talk and be amongst books we had a common love for. then, my cell sounded off again. the text message simply read: bili ka ng CF. again, Nita, Tin and Lee saw me jump up and down like a mad woman with a crazy smile on her face. i knew then it was the D300 that he went home with because the D90 uses an SD card. the D300 uses Compact Flash.

i texted him back some pretty hot stuff responses (heehee!)... and then coerced Nita to drop by Parksquare where i can pick up a CF card after our meeting. by the time i got home, it was pretty late and Erwin wasn't home. he decided to play basketball with his friends instead of hanging around to wait for me. as i passed my son Kiko by the computer, i noticed a little smile on his face. "o bakit nakangisi ka?" i said. "may nakita kasi akong box sa ibabaw the dresser mo e" he replied. he had good reason to be happy himself. he stands to inherit my old D40. i had promised it to him some time ago. but i told him it happens only WHEN i get my new cam. he has been pestering me to get a new camera for myself ever since.

the macho lookin' Nikon D300, quite big than what i was used to...

...made my ole D40 look puny!

it was a bit surprising that hubby would leave the D300 in plain site. he is quite the prankster and i expected the box to me empty just like what he did the other time he got me some glass and a flash. i excitedly picked it up and the box was not empty as i thought. hope rose. yet, when i opened the box, inside was just the old D40! i knew it! he hid the D300 again somewhere in the house. i thought i was going to be loooong night.

ohhh...L-O-V-E... :-D

i immediately rang him up. "ASSAANNN naaahhh?!" were the first words out my mouth. after some cajoling, and bit of hunting, i found it....under the bed. i could hear christmas jingles in my head as i started tinkering with my new toy. then i put it down and took a bath to relax. a few hours later, i heard him at the gate so i went down to let him in. i already glimpsed what he was trying to hide behind him as he entered the gate. FLOWERS! goodness! it's been more than a decade (or two maybe?!) since the last time i got those from him! not that i miss them too much. live plants were more my style rather than cut flowers. neither was it Erwin's usual style. his brand of romance is too quirky for flowers but still, it was a pleasant surprise. and all i had for him was a little heart shaped caramel cake from Estrel's!

MY true love... :-D

so what's a wife to do to repay such a gallant and sweep-me-off-my-feet anniversary surprise? hehehe... secret na lang... :-D

analyzing my priorities

2008-10-30T01:38:00.005+08:00

it seems 24 hours in a day is never enough for me these days. not that i'm too busy with things that are of great consequence. i think i just have too many interests on top of many familial and work duties. these days, photography and scrapbooking is my passion but i also like sewing (or at least learning it!), quilting, crochet, learning the piano, baking, cooking, hanging out with friends, surfing the internet, yoga and, oh yeah, i love TV too. it often feels like I have to squeeze in work and family in the midst of all these. there something wrong with this, right?

an alarm is sounding off in my head and i feel i have to stand back and reassess my priorities. last time i looked, i had it all straight: family first, and work a very close second. this is so because one has to be supported by the other. health should also be a top priority being not so young and an asthmatic as well. i must consider this if i intend to have the quality of life i want even in my later years. a spiritual pursuit is also important for one's wellbeing. having said that, life will not be much fun without going after something with passion and intention. i have managed to always have something to be excited about especially in the way of arts and crafts. in the past it has been cross-stitch, paper tole, dollhouse miniatures, scaled models, beading, gardening and these days it's all of those that i mentioned in the paragraph above. i think i am a crafter at heart but i never considered myself an artist despite doing some graphic design stints for a few years. probably because i was doing that for pay and according to the whims of other people, i.e. my clients, instead of mine. besides, i never had any formal training in the arts.

not even when i started doing scrapbooking did i consider this craft an art. probably because majority of the world does not consider it so. however, it is via this avenue did i see doors into other worlds that i think are indeed art…even my scrapbooking itself was evolving into something LIKE art. but only when it lead me into photography did it really hit home that all these were becoming MY art. And my art was fast becoming my life… along with the all delightful friends i have gained along the way. i am also internet addicted both out of necessity and pleasure (oh the many, many things in cyberspace to read, learn, know and the social networks to explore). family and work are still top priority but my time with these are becoming substantially limited. health is taking a backseat and spiritual pursuit is practically forgotten.

so here my problem lies… where does all the time in my 24 hour day go? at least something like 6 hours of sleep is mandatory of course but how do I spend the other 18? i seriously don't know the answer. Sometimes it feels like my day just started, then i turned around and it is evening. i think i am spreading myself too thin already on a lot of fronts. i must figure out a way to regain some intentional control over the myriad of things i have to do and want to do. i think i got too spoiled with riding my "flow". it's really great for creativity but it wreaks havoc on the rest of my world. i think i need to do some serious soul searching on time and life management. Sigh… i hope i figure all this out soon.

got inked...again...

2008-09-19T10:47:00.012+08:00

i survived it!... after much trepidation and excited anticipation, the day to get the my next tattoo came. as i've said before, i love having a tattoo. it's the process of getting it that i hate! i've also often been asked why i would want one? funny, as soon as i sit on that chair and the tattoo artist's machine starts whirring,... the moment it touches my skin and does it's inking, i ask myself the same question!

seriously though, perhaps different people have different reasons. but i think most tattoed people have similar motivations for getting one. it serves as a mark that you have willingly chosen. just like birthmarks, it is a unique identifier on a person. but UNlike birthmarks, a tattoo is something it's owner CHOOSES and therefore makes it a kind of self-expression much like any creative undertaking like painting, designing, or some such art. furthermore, the fact that it's rebellious and bohemian also appeals to me. i think it's my statement against "normal" society... or heck, maybe i just have daddy issues! wahaha!

anyways, i finally chose the TAM bija of the deity Tara to go on my stylized lotus design. of course, bestfriend Nita had to be there with me to boost morale and to take photos. i'm sharing the shots below. i think it tells a better tale.

it all starts with a drawing that guides the artist... dito pa lang, parang gusto ko nang umuwi...

Martin Caoile starts the job

the tattoo in progress

Me trying hard to concentrate...no pain...no pain...oh yeah, the Emla is still working

hmmmm...teka...masakit na ha! waaah!...wa epek na ang Emla!...

konti na lang!!! matatapos na...

aray ko puuuu... di na po uulet...

ahhhh...tapos na!...yehey!...kelan nga tayo ulet?...hehehe... lovin' it already!

Martin!..you da maaan! nice work!

on EMLA
i have to admit i cheated a bit this time. i used a topical anesthetic called EMLA cream that my friend Mia mentioned to me the other day. i quickly googled it and encountered a couple of nice reviews on it. some tattoo enthusiasts discourage it for several reasons. firstly, it detracts from the tattoo experience because the pain is simply part of it. i guess being tattooed makes you a part of a modern, urban "tribe" and cheating on it makes you some kind of a turncoat. secondly, as the anethetic wears off, your body my get a shock from the returning sensation that the 'tattooee' might not be expecting. thirdly (and Martin, my tattoo artist claims last night),they say it hinders the ink from penetrating the skin.

half a tube of Emla

still, i decided to give it a try. if not for anything else, i would at least have first hand experience on what using Emla is all about. just before going to the tattoo artist, we dropped by Mercury Drug to get one. it ain't cheap. a small 5g tube cost Php501.00 and i think i pressed 1/3 of the tube before the cream oozed out. one has to apply it generously on the skin to be tattoed for at least 30 minutes before the procedure (i think 1 hour was more effective on me) and i covered it with a piece Gladwrap. just before, Martin was about to start, i removed the Gladwrap and he wiped off the cream. there was a numb sensation on the skin. then he proceeded with the tattoo.

my verdict is this: i'm glad i used it. that is, even if the anesthetic ONLY lasts approximately 30 minutes or so while the whole tattoo process for this one lasted about 2 hours--which means i felt the whole stinkin' pain for around an hour or so anyway. it at least minimized my biggest problem about getting inked. it's not really the pain of it that gets me (because it IS within tolerable bounds) but rather, what FEELS like a protracted procedure. in Tagalog: nakakarindi siya! getting the extra 30 minutes buys me the patience to sit longer for it. so i think, EMLA is still worth it if you're a sissy like me. it may be too early to tell if it affected the inking process, though. but tattoos can always be retouched anyway.

the morning after... still tender and slathered with Bepanthen cream

so here i am the day after. my eldest daughter Gabey just took photos of me and my new tattoo on her cellphone before she took off for school because she wanted to show it off to her friends. mahirap daw magpalaki ng magulang! hehehe... but i think she really just wants to show off she's got a "cool" mom.

needless to say, i am lovin' my new tats! although i can leave it as it is from here, i actually want the colored version but Martin advised me that we will just do it in 2 parts. coloring will be after it heals which may be in about 2 weeks. i think it was also partially because inaantok na sya kagabi since the tattoo session finished at around 11pm. but right now, i'm still can't get over the great job Martin did on it. i'm still scrutinizing its fine detailing yet with the tiny, hardly perceptible imperfections that make it very... uhmmm... human. and when i glance myself at the mirror, i love how it makes me look sort of "macho" in a feminine kind of way. hahaha...go figure!

tattoo design

2008-09-16T13:11:00.009+08:00

here i go again... 2 years after the last one, i am wanting another tattoo. it comes after the heels of incidentally running into the ads for Dutdutan '08 - the annual Philippine tattoo convention. i'm definitely going this year! not really to get myself tattoed but to get me some inked skin photography. but just looking it over made me want a new one, too. i must have already forgotten the pain of the previous one...haha! i've had 3 previous tattoo experiences. the first one was on my upper back, 2nd one was a cover-up job on same spot and the 3rd on my right leg. each and everytime, i swear it off. as soon as the tat heals, i want another. luckily, the sissy in me usually wins and my short attention span keeps the next one at bay until i run across something that makes me yearn strong enough to actually go for it. this time, it's Dutdutan + a design I truly love. i'm planning to put this one on my upper arm.

i wanted an OM or a TAM symbol as my next tattoo. Tam is the seed bija for the deity Tara who i feel the most connection to. however, i didn't know how to draw it properly and how to incorporate it with another element that i wanted in my tattoo: the lotus. i want the lotus because of it's wonderful symbolism; it grows from the mud, rises above it and finally blossoms pure and beautiful. it is also a symbol for enlightenment, a state that every being should aspire for.

i hit on an idea to ask a very good friend of mine, Karma Yeshe (who is probably the only Pinay Tibetan Buddhist nun right now), to help me with the design. Ani Yeshe happens to be a thangka painter so it couldn't be more perfect! i believe we also share a connection so aside from her art expertise, no one could be more perfect to understand and translate what i wanted to have designed.

since i had been planning for some time to join her for yoga class, i took the opportunity to request her to sketch the lotus design and the bijas when we met Thursday last week for the class. i searched on the net for similar designs of the lotus that i liked and showed this to her. after looking them over, Ani Yeshe very quickly nailed the sketches practically to the T as to how i would really want it! i simply tweaked it a bit for color and which bija to put in the center. now i am left with the decision. Om or Tam? black or colored?

as usual, i am getting the jitters now that my schedule to do the tattoo is so close--Thursday. until the very last minute, right up to the point i am already at the tattoo studio, i am usually still making up my mind on whether to go ahead or not. this always happens to me with every tat and every piercing i've tried! hopefully, i don't turn chicken on the day. anyhoo, update will be soon enough. wish me luck!

whoops, Nikon did it again...

2008-08-29T00:49:00.009+08:00

as most Nikon addicts have already gotten wind of since 12 am Aug 26 which was around early afternoon yesterday, Aug. 27 here in the Phil, the D90 was officially launched after months of speculation and rumors. not only does it have Live View, it also RECORDS video thus making it a "world's first". now this lucky guy, Chase Jarvis, is living THE life! not only is he a young, hot, successful commercial photographer (i read off his site that he is the youngest thus far to be named both Hasselblad Master and Nikon Master), he has been called upon by Nikon in Japan, no less, to secretly test their latest baby for the past few months (!), before everybody else knew it even existed. woooh! and this video just totally turns me on (Nikon porn!!!) i just have to have it embedded here on my blog too.

how cool is that! or maybe HOT is a better word for it. Chase Jarvis is NOW at the top of my photography demigods/idols list...

my target as my next camera body was the D300 after the D40 i have now. i thought i'd just keep my lowly D40 until i save enough for a more serious guns but i'm seriously rethinking it. i would actually love having that HDvideo-recording-ISO 3200 (6400 boosted)-12.3MP-CMOS sensored-EXPEED processing-baby even if it was geared for advanced amateurs! because, hey, i AM an amateur (not necessarily advanced though)! although the D300 is prosumer and might be a better buy if my amateur self finds out it really wants to be a pro eventually, as a scrapbooker, that video capability so speaks to me! i used to really love my old Sony digital handicam because i could *capture stills* from the videos i take with it and therefore choose (and even re-choose) to print photos to scrap from the video. it really like having the ability to replay time and decide to take the picture again if i ain't satisfied with what i have. those were actually low res but with a little bit of photoshopping, it suits my scrapbooking needs just fine. that's exactly what i did to the old scrapbook layout below (this was in 2005 so please pardon the handwriting, i didn't know any better :-P). so just imagine that with the D90's HD quality video capture! PLUS, i'm already thinking: video blogging (Cathy Zielske-eque!) fun!

of course captured stills from the D90 videos might not be the way to go to get serious photography stuff but that's what the rest of the magnificent, practically pro-comparable innards of the D90 is for. woooooh! 7 months to my next birthday. i should start working on hubby already if i am to get this baby. it's just as well because that hopefully gives enough time for the prices to settle a bit from the initial spike of a new product.

will be dreaming till then...both of the D90 and a Chase Jarvis lifestyle.

the pen is mightier than the mouse

2008-08-22T16:30:00.007+08:00

went to Virra Mall last night hunting for a new sofa set with hubby. partially, it was an excuse to check out a Wacom tablet that i have been lusting after for the past 2 weeks. i've been specially feeling this since after the Photo Summit because of the photos i want to post process.

i was on the fence between the small Bamboo Fun (3.5" by 6) and the bigger Genius M609 (6"by 9") ever since i read Mr. Jay Alonzo's review of it. so just as the stores were closing at Virra last night, i reached a still open store and was checking out the 609 when i glanced upon a smaller Genius box of the G-Pen 450 (4" by 5.5"). the price tag on it was P1800.00 and it was approximately the size of the P5600.00 Wacom Bamboo Fun. hmmm....enticing!!!

i chatted about it with the shopkeeper who actually looked familiar. when i glanced, at the signage, i realized i was at Abacus Computers which i had already heard before was owned by a fellow hobby photographer named Handy. it was not too long before we were already comparing notes of the just recent seminars we had both attended: the Photo Summit and the SPPP Nudes. so perhaps to help a fellow photog out in deciding, nice guy Handy told me to try out the small Genius for a few days and if i don't like it, that i am welcome to return it! now who could resist such a deal!

so i came home with the package and excitedly installed it even before i sat down to dinner. after the initial handling curve, i started messing with photos. i chose to play edit one i was going to trash because it was a bit softer than i would have liked. after, i was done with it though, i am totally considering keeping the little gizmo. the photo at the top of this review is the result while the one on the left is the original.

i am liking this little device and it is fast growing on me. since i don't do illustrations anyway and i haven't used a pen tablet for over a decade, i am not really missing anything in terms of actual use. the old (and expensive) Wacom i had years ago wouldn't even come close in term of sensitivity to this one. for that price too, it has 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity against the Bamboo's 512. it does have 29 programmable hotkeys BUT it would have been nice if it at least had a dedicated zoom and scroll button for more convenience. however, i did find a workaround--the keyboard's hotkeys for Photoshop and CorelDraw, where i would probably use this thingy the most, would just have to do for me if i were to keep this.

and of course, it doesn't look quite as handsome as the Wacom Bamboo Fun but it does seriously make me wonder if plunking down the extra P3,800.00 to get the good looks and the zoom/scroll buttons is worth it. besides, having a pen to manipulate in Photoshop is already a definite improvement over my customary editing with a bar of soap...err...mouse.

ok, one more night to think about it. i'll decide tomorrow. but the way things are right now, i think the Genius just might stay with me for more than a just short while.

photo summit '08 report

2008-08-19T13:00:00.003+08:00

Clay Blackmore shows the ropes

my body still aches from the 3 day event that just concluded yesterday but let me just sum it up in one word: SULIT! For P4K, this workshop with 2 renowned, seasoned photographers, Parish Konahim and Clay Blackmore was simply that: so worth it. i was expecting they would be there to facilitate a talk for maybe a few hours each but i was half surprised that they were BOTH there for the WHOLE 3 days--from the day-long photoshoot on the first day to the 2 days of indoor seminars.

to top it all, these masters of the craft are both stand-up people (i'm starting to think most photographers are!). they're so cool and funny especially Mr. Clay who had such high energy and enthusiasm for sharing his techniques. even Mr. Parish who seems to be a more reserved kind of person than Mr. Clay was cracking jokes with him. all through the 3 days, the mood was upbeat and it was often hilarious watching these 2 world class photographers taking pot shots at each other.

Mr. Parish styling the beautiful model

i think it was plus points for the organizers to think of combining such diverse talents as these 2 personalities. Mr. Parish, against whose name this event was marketed, is a well respected and highly talented fine art photographer and who has the creative, sensitive soul of a true artist. his work just speaks for itself. his talk was all about following one's passion and listening to one's heart over mind when it comes to our photography work. watching him style the models and use his creativity for us to have a beautiful shoot was the learning experience from him.

Clay posing the model, Masha:"body to the light..."

however, the sparkling gem in this event was Mr. Clay and his effusively delivered precise techniques for studio work. he shares his valuable years of experience working with Monte Zucker and his subsequent practice by himself . he drums to his audience repeatedly his techniques: basic pose and feminine pose, camera height vs. camera position, and full face, 2/3's & back 2/3's -- i can never forget those now...hahaha... but i think it IS the effective way to get it: by repetition and tons of examples and shoots. and so the stroke of genius on the part of the organizers were combining these 2 talents: one who shows the fine art aspect of photography, and another who shows the other side, commercial photography, because this is what will get the bills paid.

i don't know i will ever get to the end of processing all the shots i came away with on those 3 beautiful days of learning and interacting not only with my fellow photographers but also with those breathtakingly lovely models--the most beautiful i have had the chance to shoot thus far. see some samples below and here and tell me if i'm not speaking the truth! {also occasionally check out my daily photo blog posts for some of my most favorite and choicest photos from this event and at this Flickr folder for the eventual updates to the photos}

there were a just few snags in the whole bustle such as some late announcements that lunch will not be served but these were compensated with heavy snacks and a free Digital Photography magazine. i really wish though that the heavy snack was served as lunch instead because i can hardly eat them anymore by the time they were served being still full from lunch(which we had to get outside) and being still hyped from the photoshoots.

after 3 days of this event, i think my horizon in photography have been expanded and (i would like to think, at least) my skill leveled up. how can it not when these 2 mentors have worked hard even in this short time to pummel in my brain those lessons and show us by example how it is done? it now remains up to me to practice what they have preached to ensure that i do not forget. yup, the organizers, FPPF and DPP, were successful in putting it all together and they deserve a big KUDOS! if they line up these kinds of talents again from facilitators to models, then i'm sure to be there too next year.

the.daily.photo : new blog to celebrate 08.08.08

2008-08-08T19:02:00.013+08:00

yup...just set me a new one up. i think that Artful Blogging Challenge by bookoto.com just whetted my appetite for even more blogs. and as the title implies, it's for posting one photo a day. i'm hoping it would at least get me to process more from my growing photofolio or perhaps to just capture one and post immediately. whatever the case may be, it's designed to keep the photo fever alive in me. (haha!...as if my flickr and multiply are not enough...) i'm calling this blog the.daily.photo [and some music to groove by], yes you guessed it, because it put in a playlist so it won't be too quiet when you visit... and also so i have music playing in the background when i don't have a radio.

and see, it's 08.08.08 (Aug. 8, 2008)... must do something to celebrate it right? i've had this space since December last year anyway when i visited CH's blog on Vox. might as well do something useful with it. and Vox has lots for cool theme skins too. i think i'm going to enjoy changing it often. my only gripe with the Vox skins is that they are not as customizable as Blogspot's...only the banner headers are changeable and when you do, you are stuck with a limited number of skins/themes. hopefully, they'll do something about this sometime soon.

so here's to more blogging fun... happy 08.08.08 day to all!

of nudes and snakes...

2008-07-28T22:06:00.016+08:00

last week, i encountered a post about an upcoming nude photography seminar: SPPP Nudes--The Artist's Way. hmmmm...title pa lang, sounds interesting already. especially to one like myself who has been scouting around for a nudes photo opportunity ever since I saw OWG's very first Nude seminar which i missed by a few days. problem was, that week was so busy at work and i wasn't sure if i'd be available on the Saturday that the SPPP seminar was scheduled.

however, i knew i wouldn't sleep well if i let this by. i just had to go. especially since it costs so little. i thought the P1000.00 fee was just too cheap to let it pass. so just a day before, i decided that i would have to go. i managed to reshuffle schedules and there i was at 9am on Saturday at the Philippine Columbian. it was being taught by another distinguished photographer, Mr. Ibarra Deri who teaches a similar course for P7,000 at PCCI. i knew i would kick myself if i missed it.

me, trying the snake on for size... hehehe...i wasn't really afraid of them but i was quite wary...and they tickle!

the day started out with some light lecture, some samples of Mr. Deri's amazing work and demos from Ynzal and Digiprint. i couldn't help but feel it was a promotional stint. but hey, what can one expect from such a low price. besides, even their promotions were informational. just before lunch, the models arrived: 1 male (yey! finally!) 2 ladies and 3 snakes! woohooo! super exciting. but apparently, not for the 2 lady models. they were deathly scared of their reptilian counterparts! well,at least, at first. Mr. Boy S., president of SPPP, had funny magician antics that eventually put them at ease. it seems he has more than photography talents under his sleeve! "wag ka mag-alala" he'd say, "di naman ito totoong snake, may batteries ito e." he'd also squeeze the snake's body gently and an unseen squeaky toy sounds off in unison! how he does it is a mystery to me. but it was totally hilarious.

we had lunch, a choice between a fish or a chicken dish. and it was a complete meal at that, it started with soup, the main meal, and there was a sweetened fruit dessert. again, not shabby at all for a P1000K tuition. the photoshoot was set to start after lunch. there was chatting for a while as we waited for the models make-up job to complete. the first model to pose for the eager photogs was Ivan, the male model. i would have to say he was my favorite among the 3 models (not including the snakes). he was very professional and had poses that would truly inspire any photographer. even his shaved head adds to the drama!

"A Cryin' Shame"
this is my favorite among my shots. i liked it so much i finally had the guts to enter it at JPG Mag so if you have time to click, i would appreciate a vote here: http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/887018

the 2 lady models followed but i think they were too distracted with the snakes to really cultivate their full potential. but nonetheless, i think the shots still came out pretty good and they still truly inspired the male photographers :-D

also one of my favorite captures! i really don't think any of the photogs there had any fantasies for the lovely, sexy model in all her naked glory beyond getting their f-stops and the shutter speeds right for the ideal shot! :-D

all in all, it was an absolutely exciting photography day. too bad for me i had to go back home early since i had to get ready for a good friend's party. i knew i'd be skinned alive if i missed it or came too late for it so i missed the on-the-spot photo contest where some nice prizes were at stake too. i didn't feel bad at all for leaving early, though, because i got what i came for in the first place: the chance to see if i had the guts to shoot bare-naked models and to add some of fine art nude photos to my portfolio. truly a day (and P1K) very well spent!

"Primal Vision"
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"Awakening"
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i shot in RAW this time just to try it so it takes longer for me to process. will upload them on my Multiply and Flickr sites as soon as i sort and process them.

below are some more photos from my totally cool "nude and snakes" day:

the lecturer, Mr. Deri, manhandling the model :-D

Ivan, our talented male model, in the make-up process

fellow photographer Dennis, hangin' with the snake...

another kooky fellow photographer posing with our reptilian model.
don't know which is scarier, him or the snake :-D thanks for posing, Winston :-D you're a great sport!

the micky nikky!

2008-07-24T19:55:00.017+08:00

it's here! finally, just today! it was such a long 15 days waiting for my Ebay purchase to arrive at the local post office... i kept checking the post office for it, i even beat the notice's arrival at my door. as soon as i heard it has landed, i was there in less than an hour.

so it's here now and i couldn't be happier with my new toy. it's a preowned, circa late-1970's 55mm Micro Nikkor f3.5 AI! looks like it's in pretty good condition for it's age, too. yey! my first REAL macro lens ever! i opted to get this baby for 2 reasons: firstly, i cannot afford the macro lens on my wishlist yet (which is the Micro Nikkor 105mm f2.8 VR). secondly, this is one of the lenses that, they say, has a reputation for making the Nikon brand legendary. i can see why already. i love the color and the contrast it produces. and most of all, it's tack sharp. i actually think it's even sharper than my nifty fifty (the cute nickname they call the 50mm prime, which are actually pretty sharp glass). there is an f2.8 version of it but it is the f3.5 that has the rep for sharpness so it was the one i put my bids on. i guess it IS good because it even has it's own group on Flickr.

this is the first test shot i took off the lens. just my messy desk (ok, perhaps i should have aimed elsewhere.) but check out how sharp it is and how saturated the colors are. no post prod here. click to enlarge and see the details better.

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then i reaimed and refocused and took a macro of the 50mm on the desk. still decently sharp despite being handheld at shutter speed of 1/25... and i don't have steady hands. bet it would be sharper on a tripod.

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this is a photo my other lens--the 50mm f1.8. this shot was taken with the newly arrived 55mm micro. compare it with the photo of the micky nikky above, taken with this 50mm prime. which is sharper?

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lucky for me, i won this at a low price too! USD$77 (+ $40 for the shipping to here). most of those that closed at Ebay at the time i was bidding were closing at around $100 already. i actually tried sniffing around at Hidalgo first but wasn't lucky enough to find a copy of it, although M20 there says they do occasionally have one of these for sale. it think it's really a great deal for lenses with such superior optics. of course, that is if one doesn't mind the totally manual controls--no autofocusing, no metering, and i was surprised that even the aperture can only be controlled via the aperture ring. but of course, since what i have is a D40, it could also be that a better cam like a D200 (or my dream D300) will at least meter with it.

how can i complain though. i was only too happy to have stumbled upon the info that this is THE alternative for someone with no budget for the more expensive macro. and even if i eventually get one, i'll probably still keep this just for the nostalgia.

already positioning for the next purchase: cheap extension tubes (P880 bucks!) to increase my focal length. hoping to capture a portrait of some fly or bug next up :-D

oh where, oh where...

2008-07-23T17:25:00.008+08:00

is that little cat now... oh where, oh where can she be?...

took this photo a few weeks back. now, i miss her when i see it.

the nursery rhyme is playing over in my head. although the subject was originally a dog, it is one of our pusa-kals that is missing. i've never really minded our pusa-kals (i.e. pusang kalye or street cat :-)) comings and goings. we've had several over the years and it seems, they drift in and out, often going missing for days on end (especially the males) presumably looking for...uhmmm...primal calls, or a better kitchen. they usually come back after days or weeks, sometimes never but i do not really mind. they are free. however, i have grown attached to Isidra. she's been with us since she was a kitten and she's special because among all our cats, she is the most docile and has a sweet little voice. she has resigned herself to being either my hubby's stress toy (he likes mushing her up quite a bit) and Tashi's squeeze toy. Tashi is our shih tzu. he likes playing around with Isidra, giving her lovebites on her backside but she almost never runs away. just sort of gives a token squeak. she actually enjoys it like a massage because if she chose to run away, the dog will never catch up to her. Tashi, on the other hand, just enjoys their play because it probably makes him feel alpha-ish.

however, Isidra has not been seen for the past 4 days and i am getting worried. she almost never goes missing for days. she likes Tashi's dog food too much to stay away for this long. i hope she's okay and would come back soon. i miss her.

_________________________________

yesterday afternoon, i stood up from the computer to look out the window. i noticed the light streaming in from the sunset which was very orange. i love orangey sunsets so i grabbed my camera and went to our small balcony. however, once there, my other 2 cats wanted to play with me. i ended up taking photos of them instead. or, at least, i attempted to. this one is of Ashley, our 8-year old Persian. no photos of Purrkins (the other Persian) because he was so into playing he just kept rubbing on to me and the lens! and so i have come to the conclusion (yet again!) that pets are subjects that are sooooooo hard to get photos of. tried it with Tashi some time ago... posing them is out of the question!

meeting mr. hendra

2008-07-09T11:30:00.003+08:00

Friday evening last week, i went to my first PCP (Photographers' Club Philippines) meeting at the OWG Workshop in Makati. when i arrived, i was a bit late, way past 7pm, but was in time to catch the talk being given by Mr. Hendra Lauw, an Indonesian-Singaporean photographer who is currently in the Philippines. i listened intently but my eyes can't help but be drawn to the beautiful portraits and landscape shots on the wall which were actually part of the ongoing exhibit of photos by Mr. Hendra at the OWG Gallery.

he gave wonderful tips on capturing portraits. it was right on the money for me because i am a fan of portraiture. as a matter of fact, the latest book i just purchased was Beyond Portraiture by Bryan Peterson (another of my favorite authors) because i was hoping to learn more on doing people shots. as the talk progressed, he touched on the subject of post processing. of course, i grabbed the opportunity to ask some Q's. as per my memory, these are some of the questions i managed to ask him. the answers may not be verbatim, but i put the gist as much as i can translate from my memory.

1. do you think doing digital post processing (photoshop) is okay?
his answer: if Ansel Adams is okay with darkroom processing, such a dodging and burning, i don't see why photoshop will not be okay. it's just the same as the darkroom in film, only in digital. (see! my thoughts exactly :-D)

2. do you do this on your photos?
his answer: yes i do some burning and dodging... actually more of burning than dodging. i like it because it helps emphasize some details in the photo. he then proceeds to give us some tips on adjusting levels, saturation and sharpening. he even shows us where some adjustments were done on his own photos that were displayed at the gallery.

3. how much photoshop do you consider ok?
his answer: yes post processing is ok for as long as it is not over done. sometimes it is even needed because different cameras have different makes and settings. he then gave an example of how most digital cameras have an anti-alias filter and photos will come out softer than you would expect from one brand to another. "it's not your fault" he says. but even with photoshop, the photos should still look like how you would see it in reality. maybe within 80%-100% of reality is good. it's also another matter when you remove or add elements to a photo already because you have altered how it would be in reality.

Sir Ross interjects that photoshop should not be too much such that it may still be called Photography. otherwise, a lot of post processing done to a photo (if done well, methinks) perhaps even to the point of distorting reality, should not be called photography anymore. Rather, it is Digital Art already. (i think digital art is cool, too!) as a matter of fact Sir Ross, being an artist/painter as well as photographer, does a lot of these digital art also. see here. i guess the fine line then is drawn on whether a picture should be classified Photography or Digital Art. so i say, i'd love to do both! art is art. no matter how you classify it.

here are some quotations i think i shall post by my desk:

" There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs." ---Ansel Adams

"Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships." ---Ansel Adams

"The only things in my life that compatibly exists with this grand universe are the creative works of the human spirit." ---Ansel Adams

i'd give ole Ansel a high five for saying those, if i could. but he's probably busy telling God where the tonal mistakes are now.

and oh yeah, i also think Mr. Hendra Lauw had got himself a new fan. see his fab gallery here.

here are other photos from the PCP meeting last Friday. i was so engrossed with Mr. Lauw's talk, i forgot to take a photo of him :-D:

pizza and wine after the talk

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members choosing the photo of the month

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and the winner is...!
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shuffling for a group shot, mr. hendra is fourth from the left
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pHotO{shop}GrAPher

2008-07-04T17:20:00.000+08:00

just a few days ago, i was pleased to encounter a friend i haven't seen in a long time. i was even more pleased to find out he is just as crazy as photography as i am pala... even crazier perhaps since he was a photographer even before digital. "Talaga," i said. "i bet Nikon user ka..." and indeed, he is. we now have a new found camaraderie.

predictably, we chattered for a long time on the phone that day and several more times after that. at first, he was just asking me about how i watermark my photos. i taught him how i do it with Photoshop. consequently, our conversation drifted to other Photoshop talk. after i told to him some of my PS tricks, he jivingly accused me..."aha! photo-shop-grapher ka no?!"...well...YEAH!...i guess you can say that...

i find this kinda funny though, since he said it like i should feel guilty. this is reaction is not new to me since i've encountered photography purists (those who disdain photomanipulation of any kind) before. i have to agree with them, when it comes to photography--strictly speaking--most of the work should be done before the actual shoot takes place. this determines the skill of the photographer, technically and artistically. Sir Ross of OWG, once showed us a video of how David LaChapelle works and it is amazing to see him set up a concept shoot.

however, in the real world--or at least, in MY real world--i do not always have the means, the timing, or the opportunity to do a full scale concept shoot with all the bells and whistles of a pro like La Chappelle. and being a newbie, i do not have all the technical knowhow yet as well. but there is one tool i do have that i am not shying away from: Photoshop.

see, sometimes, i encounter moments that are just not clicker perfect. take for example the photo below. i shot it practically on the sly, when i do not have time to set the optimum camera settings for the light conditions at that time and place. i barely had 3 seconds to take an angle, steady my position and squeeze the trigger. then i had to move away.

unfortunately, i was coming from one location where i had set the white balance for flourescent lighting and moved to where i should have placed it to maybe shade or auto instead. 3 seconds was not enough to do it. after seeing i bummed out the white balance and that is was softer than i would have preferred, should i have just deleted it forever from my SD card? but, i love the subject on the photo i just took! so what's a photocrazy girl supposed to do? photoshop it, of course. the resulting photo was practically how i saw it originally too. (okay, maybe with a bit more saturation in there also...:-D)

should i feel guilty that i had to photomanipulate it? hey, even film photographers have their darkroom techniques. what's wrong with using the digital equivalent of one?

so, if and whenever, i want the challenge of no post-processing--which i know is good for honing straight photography skills--all i have to do is just that: don't post-process. i can simply try to get my settings right from the get go. but there are no rules that says i should NOT post-process (unless they are contest rules!) specially during times when it is needed. also, when i need a bit of artsy effects in my boring life (haha!), i love to create my own reality with photoshop!

i seriously think doing PS manipulation is an art by itself. and this is why i try to learn more and practice it. i would love to be as good as the some of the artists whose photos i see on Flickr. perhaps the key is knowing HOW to use it well and WHEN to use it and not use it as a crutch all the time. i also think employing PS with photography is akin to adding cream to your coffee. it just adds to it a different flavor and dimension. of course, one person may prefer to take their coffee black, maybe even grow the right coffee bean for that cup of java and consider that the art of it, too. i also agree. however, i'm also the Starbucks afficionado. i like to take my coffee every which way. sometimes, straight up and sometimes...with all the frills.

blue circa 1950's Buick at the Transport Show
other than the watermark and minor cropping,
NO post-processing

{btw, speaking of Starbucks, my current favorite is the frappucino variety, dark choco mocha with bits of chocolate and a double helping of whipped cream. just in case you wanna buy me a grande...hehehe...}

preschool. big school. graduate. repeat.

2008-06-18T12:21:00.009+08:00

yup, this is my 5th time around starting preschool with my babies. first day blues again... hehe...amusing actually :-D

here comes the waterworks!....

i thought Raj would be as okay with being left inside the classroom as Reine was on her first day. Reine wa really cool then. so cool it was mama who had separation anxiety. and to think, Reine is my shyest child. Raj, however, is the most precocious yet he just wouldn't let me go! at first, he sat on the mat with me then as i pulled away, he crawled out almost in tears.

Raj wouldn't stay inside the mat.

i was already sitting inside the classroom but Raj was really being cautious. he just wouldn't stay inside the mat. after a while, he relaxed a bit, especially when they were asked to do some coloring with crayons.

furiously coloring...

they were mostly asked to color shapes: circle, triangles, squares, but then we got to the rectangle, he drew a face instead. i asked him who it was...si Di-Tsi daw...hehehe...

our first masterpiece

ito si Di-Tsi...kamukha naman, di ba?

Reine was pretty relaxed in school as could be expected since she's now in kinder 2.

Day 2: smiling brightly now...but still, paparazzi mama has to be IN the classroom with him.

Day 3: teacher convinced Raj to stand and draw on the board...

pretty sun drawing by the little boy with teacher's help

coloring with full concentration complete with protruding "nguso" :-D

happy boy... BECAUSE mama is IN the room... tomorrow is a different matter.
no parents allowed already...we'll see...

fellowship of fire

2008-06-04T21:38:00.018+08:00

there's something about watching fireworks that is absolutely wondrous and doing so with a crowd of people just as awed as you are seem to make it even more exciting. maybe it's why they so aptly called the event the "Fellowship of Fire".

i planned to watch this: the World Pyro Olympics at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) as soon as i heard it was happening again (it's an annual event!) maybe a couple of months ago. however, as the date neared, i almost thought i wouldn't be able to make it due to either heavy rains or schedule conflicts. luckily, nephew Jasper was having birthday and planned to do dinner at Hawaiian Barbecue which was right by the bayside at MOA. and why not? wouldn't it be the coolest to have spectacular fireworks on your birthday? May 31 was smack on the last day of the weekly pyro event.

people here, people there...

but geez!...i think maybe about ten thousand or so other people planned to be at the same venue that last day of the Pyro Olympics. MOA was teeming with people! thank goodness i happened to score some free tickets for the special lounge area under the auspices of the Photographers' Club of the Philippines (PCP) and Sir Ross Capili. otherwise, i think just finding a place to comfortably set a tripod would be quite problematic.

people everywhere...

i arrived somewhat early but i had to seat my family first at the restaurant. when they were set in, Jasper and i tried to find the entrance to the VIP viewing section and found it almost at the other end of MOA. the cool breeze by the bayside was relaxing and the sunset was spectacular so i attempted to shoot that too. will post them maybe tomorrow.

birthday boy Jasper

Jas left after i settled in and daughter Gabey came in to accompany me. as i waited for her, it occurred to me that should have studied up first on shooting fireworks before that day. however, it was too late so i just sent out a prayer to the shutter gods and hoped to luck in with the correct camera settings. i didn't even expect it would be quite difficult to catch fireworks! they're so unpredictable!!! and i couldn't decide where to aim my camera seeing so many spectacular bursts of light. next year i hope to be more prepared, less overwhelmed and hopefully get better photos. below are my catch for the day. the album may also be viewed here for faster loading.

my new baby

2008-05-23T15:12:00.016+08:00

i've been saving up to get me the Nikon 50mm F1.8 prime lens (of course i would love the 1.4 but it's 3 times the price of the 1.8!) i've heard so much about it; they say fixed focal length lenses usually have better optics than telephotos. they also say the 50mm length is perfect for portrait shots because it most closely resembles how the human eye perceives images. but most of all i've seen shots using it with terrific bokeh due to the big aperture making it great for isolation shots. besides, it's relatively cheap compared to other lens on my wishlist so i thought i could swing this one myself. since it's out of stock across all sellers i know for the past several weeks so i knew i had time to save. however, it went back on stock last week but i only had half the amount i needed. patay! ang lakas pa manakot ng mga lokong supplier. ito ang dialog:"may stock na kayo ng 50mm 1.8?" tanong ko. tapos ang sagot nila: "ahh, oo, dumating kahapon...10 na yung nabenta ko, 3 na lang nandito..."

haaaay, you think i can really resist when faced with temptation like this? not if i can help it. time to get creative...hehehe...so the night before, i started making lambing to hubby. by the next day, i got my go signal...woooohoo...

so off to Hidalgo i went that same morning and snagged my 50mm at Mayer's. ang sungit pa nga ni Mang Ramon (owner of the store)...nakuuuu...bawal ang tawad. balibhasa there's high demand for this darned lens. as i went out of his store, i was already excited to hurry back to the Scrapfest to take the new lens for a spin. as i was traversing Hidalgo St., i remembered this little corner preowned store that had a Lensbaby 2.0 for sale. the first time i saw it on his glass cabinet several weeks back, i didn't have my camera with me so i couldn't test it. since i had my gear with me that day, i decided to drop in to check it out. the moment i snapped it on and peered through the lens, i knew i had to take it home! i had lovely creaminess at the edges of the photo and a nice sweet spot in the middle. cool, cool dreamy effect! the only caveat is that this is completely manual adjustment and not by turning a ring to focus like our usual lenses but by pushing the bellows-like body ever so slightly with fingers from both your hands. it may not be completely precise but i actually enjoy the tweaking and the unpredictability.

good thing it was already priced very low or the emergency fund i keep in my wallet wouldn't have fit. haha...it was such a steal at the P2500.00 i got it for! price of the new unit at JTs is almost P8K. a real stroke of luck for me! truth be told, i had more fun with this little toy-like manual focus lens at the Scrapfest than the new 50mm.

then, a few days later, i called Rolly who i met at the phphoto groups selling a preowned set of macro attachments for the Lensbaby. i saw his post quite a while back so i was happy to find out he still hasn't sold them yet. we met and i bought his stash for P1000.00. the macro kit is just a couple of lenses that come in a little purse, one +4 and +10 which one can use together to come in closer. truly wonderful for one who does not have the budget to buy real macro lenses which usually cost upwards of 20K. see here what it can do!

high key-ing

2008-05-12T19:47:00.010+08:00

yey!!! finally coming close to learning this effect i had wanted for soooo long to achieve! high key lighting... hehehe...sige, konting practice pa para mas swabe... if you have C&C's i would love to hear it to improve.

saw Reine asleep on our dingy sofa and had a 'flash' of inspiration...ahehehe...get it...FLASH...sige na nga, nevermind! used a single SB800 flash for this, off-cam handheld by my trusty househelp over Reine. sulit na yung chipipay na radio trigger ko.

aliwan festival shoot

2008-05-09T11:28:00.028+08:00

i don't mope. at least not for extended periods of time. i think the best way of coping with life's turbulence is to keep moving. and so i do. i am dang serious about getting better at photography now. probably because i can't afford to be just a hobbyist. for me to afford the things i love to do, i must find a way to earn from it...hahaha... so maybe in time, i will. right now, this passion fuels my energy to keep practicing.

this is why when i saw a post at phphoto about the Aliwan Festival 2008 and a photo contest on it, i thought the opportunity was golden. i've got gear i need to put to good use anyway and some debts to pay so it would be cool to try my luck at it. even if i don't win anything, it gives me valuable experience and practice. so i locked in a date with my 17-year old daughter to come with me on that day. i would have gone alone except it would be hard to lug stuff around by myself. my 13-ner, upon hearing about the date, wanted to come along. ok then! so it's mom-daughters bonding time...kaya lang i'm sure di lang maraming angal ang dalawang ito, marami pang pa-libre. sige na nga, a budding photographer's got to pay her dues, i suppose.

"ice candy kayo dyan..."

my assistants cooling down

we hit the Quirino Grandstand at around 10am. it was a hot, hot day! ang init talaga! the actual parade would start at 3pm to 9pm but i wanted to take some shots of people setting up so we came early. however, because of the heat, the first thing we did as buy ice candy. the girls made me buy them wide brim hats too. sabi na nga ba magastos ang dalawang assistant kong ito e! i nosed around the area and did see some people setting up but it was just too hot to walk the wide expanses in front of Luneta so we headed for cover instead. as reconnaisance, i knew if we intend to be there for the rest of the day, we need to find out where the rest rooms are.

we circled the Quirino grandstand and found a place to have lunch almost in front of the Manila Ocean Park. hindi masarap. we went up the Grandstand and looked on to where the participating tribes where practicing their routines. we headed there and i took shots. we walked around and Gabey saw a kalesa. Sakay daw kami because she has never taken a ride in one. I didn't want to leave the practice premises just then so sabi ko, i'll just take a photo of her beside it.

"sakay na..."

"bagay kami di ba?"

we ducked again to hide from the sun's punishing rays. nalalanta na kami. even our water container was empty. as we hid behind a post with some shade, we found this sleeping security guard statue. i thought it was hilarious so i took some shots of it. nice way to cool down a bit.

"mamaaa..nalalanta na kami, o..."

meet Nap Puyat

cute siya, o...

"huhuhu, dinededma nya ako...!"

then, we heard some drumming. tamang-tama, the sun was letting up a bit. it was almost 3pm by then. we followed the drums to the big uncovered quadrangle in front of Quirino Grandstand. the tribe participants were practicing their routines for the contest. i went trigger crazy...hehehe...and so did some even better equipped photographers there. not only do some of them have multiple cameras and loooong lenses, some even had step ladders! below are my shots of those moments. they can also be viewed here.

Aliwan photos: May 3, 2006

i hardly felt at first that some rain drops started falling. the afternoon had just turned nice and cool. at first it was a light drizzle but i put the camera away. i wasn't that brave yet and i couldn't risk ruining my precious gear. wala pa nga akong ibang gamit e! we started scampering for the trees as the drizzle turned to full-fledged downpour with matching thunder and lightning. as we huddled under an umbrella we just bought from a maglalako, i can't help but wish i can take out my camera to take photos! i can even hear some drumming still from a brave tribe who seems to be having fun practicing in the rain. however, it was over for my day's photoshoot. i didn't think i have enough energy to last till the evening's actual parade. besides, i had a scrapping session that night with my scrapping buddies at Mitch's place. we called hubby at the office to come rescue us. maybe next year, i'll come better prepared to get wet and photocrazy-wild.

my first photography workshop

2008-05-09T08:39:00.020+08:00

last april 26, i attended my first photography workshop ever. i almost didn't go because that was the day hubby and i were having a little spat and were stressed about the situation at the hospital. i was feeling all glum and depressed but forced myself to go. i'm so glad i did.

Sir Ross Capili, a painter and photographer who i admire much, facilitated the OWG Next Models Workshop designed for advanced amateurs. yes i know...i don't belong in that category (amateur, yes...advanced, NOT!) but i was told there would be a little go over in the basics anyway. the session started at 3pm and was to run till 11 pm. the first 3 hours or so was a sit down session, discussing the basics and then moved on to lighting patterns and demos including light metering.

then we had dinner (included with the seminar fees) and after that the models shoot. the group was divided into 2 and each group assigned to 2 separate studios. then, we were introduced to the 3 beautiful models who would pose for us. after the indoor studio session, there was also an outdoor shoot session. i had so much fun, i forgot i was depressed!

the PHP2,500 i paid for that workshop was totally sulit! most of all, i think it helped a lot in kicking my meager photography skills up a notch. here are some of my shots during the session. you may view it here also. none were cropped or photoshopped.

into every life, a little rain must fall

2008-05-08T01:53:00.013+08:00

like the song goes, it just happens. i guess we just have to expect that not every moment in one's life will always be sunshiny.

last april 12, my phone rang, "kayo po ba si Aurie?" said a male voice on the line. "yung Nanay nyo po nandito sa Orthopedic". my heart skipped a beat.

"bakit ano ang nangyari?!", i worriedly asked, more than a little alarmed. my mother is quite strong and active for her age but she is, after all, 75 years old.
"wag po kayong mag-alala, di naman po malala..." the voice tried to assure me. he went on to explain that he is a Jolibee delivery guy who accidentally bumped my mother with his motorcycle. she fell on her side and was unable to stand so he brought her to the Philippine Orthopedic Hospital in Banawe, QC by taxi to have her checked and x-rayed.

by the time i got to the Orthopedic, the xray results were out and we were happily informed by Nanay herself that she was ok. just a little bruised with some abrasions on her arm. her left leg hurts when moved but did not hurt when undisturbed. the doctor attributed it to the big bruising. she was even smiling, perhaps from the relief that comes when one is told that all the bones in one's legs, hips and even knees were in place. i thought we could go then but they had to give her one more treatment: tetanus shots. "huh? why?" i asked. "kasi po natusok sya nung pusher [na pangmanicure] na nasa bag nya nung natumba sya sa lupa". so we waited a while for the shots and i snapped this photo of Nanay with the delivery guy. as you can see, they were already in a good mood.

i stitched the facts together in my head as told to me by both Nanay and the Jolibee delivery guy whose name is Frederick. Nanay had just gotten off the jeepney and was getting on the sidewalk. Frederick was mounted on his motorbike and was slowly accelerating his vehicle to get off the pedestrian pavement where he had just completed a delivery. he looked to his back to check oncoming traffic. Nanay, on the other hand, was looking towards the pink and blue overpass where she was heading to cross the street. she was most certainly not expecting a motorcycle to be on the pedestrian sidewalk about to hit her. then, before Frederick knew it, he bumped onto Nanay and down on the pavement she went. she fell on her left side. and the darned pusher in her bag stuck deep into her left calf. it must have been one heck of a fall for the pusher to stick out of her bag and get her on the leg.

anyway, i thought at first that was a actually a little funny. you know, it was an accident that happened not on the actual street (since they were both on the pavement) that involved a little "kikay" item which stuck the owner herself. see, Nanay has a fetish for keeping her toenails meticulously clean. maybe it's a little perverse of me but i was already in a good mood because i was told Nanay had a clean bill of health and just needed to rest and get home. yes, sweet relief! i didn't even have the inclination anymore to boink Frederick on the head even if he probably deserved it for being so careless. i was happy enough that Nanay was ok. we even dropped Frederick off, at Jolibee Roces where he worked, in goodwill.

unfortunately, the relief and good feelings did not last long. i should have suspected it. Nanay was discharged from Orthopedic with no apparent broken bones yet she couldn't walk by herself. Frederick had to carry Nanay in his arms to put her in the car. 6 days later, she still couldn't walk a single step and was complaining every night that she couldn't sleep well because she was still in pain. surely, this was more than just the contusion (or bruising) that the doctors at the Orthopedic diagnosed her with.

April 17, we brought Nanay to Capitol Medical and had her hip re-xrayed. it confirmed our fearful suspicions. Nanay's left femoral neck (the ball joint joining the leg to the hip) was broken. the doctors told us she needed hip replacement surgery. we stayed in the hospital for the next 9 days. trepidation, fear, anxiety, again all set in. not only for Nanay's health but for the financial instability as well. we may not be indigent but we are of modest means. a medical bill well into the hundreds of thousands definitely spells a financial crisis for us. how could it not when i have five kids all going to school in the coming school year. financial problems also tend to stress everyone: Nanay, myself, husband, and ultimately the kids. it even stresses the relationships between us as you may imagine, particularly hubby and I.

still, there was a bright side to the situation. after all tests and cardiology work-ups, Nanay was cleared for surgery. after that, the hip replacement itself was a surgical success, thanks to the expertise of one Dr. Ed Oreta. Nanay was standing up by the 3rd day. she is now slowing learning to walk again due to rehab care by Dr. Consuelo Macalalad. i thank these doctors with all my heart. while i'm at it, i should also express my gratitude to Dr. Atabug, the cardiologist and Dr. Fernandez, the anesthesiologist. Capitol Medical Center definitely has very capable and distinguished medical experts. Most of all, i have to thank my cousin Ate Rho and her hubby, Dr. Ed Clemente for referring us to all these wonderful doctors.

now, i have initiated talks with the company the delivery boy works for. i am hoping that they will cooperate with us in giving the rightful financial assistance. Jolibee is a giant company but they haven't even shown concern. they are directing me to their manpower agency instead. that's just ok but i can't help but feel we are being given the run around. so right now, things do not look good. i sincerely hope things will eventually turn out well. will post developments here.

girls EAT out...

2008-04-15T17:23:00.011+08:00

it's supposed to be scrapping night really but as usual, it's eat fest for us girls. this week it's at Coco Asian Bistro. the food was yummy yet not expensive (just the way we like it!) but you'd think it would be judging from the bright, warm yet cool interiors. the food was Asian fusion type.

we had Nita's favorite, Tom Yum Goong. nice and deliciously fragrant but i would prefer it if it were hotter.

there was also prawns encrusted with sweet potato shreds,

a dish called Tinumok (not sure if i got that right) which has ground shrimps wrapped in gabi leaves and cooked in coconut milk,

and their version of Hong Ba, a popular chinese dish which is a favorite in my own household. theirs taste pleasantly different than ours, though.

again a delicious and simple weekender for us scrapbookers. i wonder where the next week will find us. hopefully scrapbooking for a change instead of just engorging ourselves with yummy delicacies...hmmm...or maybe not! :-D more photos HERE.

strobist ambitions

2008-04-10T19:14:00.012+08:00

ok...the reason i was so insistent on getting an sb800 (Nikon flash aka strobe) is because i have been hanging out this really cool site called strobist.com. (so many things to learn there but it makes you long for more gear.) i have an old flash, an sb26 (a remnant from my Nikon F4 which i never mastered, BTW. it was too expensive then to develop so many films. digital is a godsend, i tell you.). i almost sold it to get new gear but luckily stumbled on strobist.com before i did! no wonder it still fetches a pretty good price on ebay. strobists like it because it can be used as a slave flash!

here is a really cool video by a guy named Paul Duncan on strobist gear and techniques. his website here.

_________________________________

and here is my first attempt at slaving the sb26 off-camera with the sb800 on-camera. i still need to properly understand all the principles of light metering and other techniques but at least this is a start. camera was triggered using a remote. and, yeah i know, i could have gotten a better model!...hehehe... sige, next time na lang... :-D

a must watch

2008-04-09T11:40:00.002+08:00

i think we all need to see this...

i have practically quit watching the news. i have to stop blaming the government and simply start doing something for others...one person, one being at a time.

squeeeee...!!!

2008-04-08T13:47:00.000+08:00

for the past few weeks, i have been in "camera" mode. since i have been looking and reading and learning a bit more on photography stuff, it was probably inevitable to long for a few more gear to further my meager photography skills a bit more. with a birthday coming up i knew i am up for getting at least one thing on my wishlist. on the topmost of this list are a couple of things: the Nikkor lens 18-200 VR and the SB-800. both were quite pricey so i thought i should position to exhort both from hubby. even if i shocked him with the price, i stand to get at least one of these items. smart, yes?

a day before my birthday, i called up a seller from the phphoto yahoogroups, Lloyd. he gave me a good quote on the prices so i passed on the message to hubby. he was non-commital about it and even said i would not get a gift till next week since he is still waiting for a cheque to clear. i smiled inside but tried to look cool. at least i am assured of one.

next thing that happened was funny--he tried to surprise me. he went to the seller by himself but he didn't expect that it was NOT a shop he could just drop in on. it was just a meet up place...and Lloyd was in Subic! when he realized it, he had no choice but to call me for directions since he didn't even have the seller's number. hahaha! good thing there was somebody home to transact with him. before we put down the phone, he told me he was getting me the lens! woohoo!

i went to meet friends that night and was itching to come home to my gift. but since i wasn't home when hubby came in, my silly kids had time to brew a trick on me. as soon as i came home, i eagerly asked to see my gift. what they handed me was an empty lens box with a note inside that said "surprise". they made me go on a "treasure hunt"...arrrrgh! each note is a clue that leads to another note. i tell you i was in no mood to hunt! i wanted my hands on my lens already!

so amidst cussing and frowning, i went through the clues. when i finally found it inside my green bag in my closet, i was so joyful. as i snapped it on my DSLR, daughter Gabey handed me a little giftwrapped box. "awww, a small token gift from my daughters," i thought. i proceeded to unwrap it. it was a small white plastic thingy. i instantly knew what it was. "where is my SB-800?!" i excitedly shouted. hubby and daughters just laughed at me. joke lang daw. joke sila dyan?!...they probably didn't even notice that the thingy had a part number on it. i quickly googled it and confirmed my suspicion. it was the diffusion dome of the top of the line Nikon flash, SB800. but the silly talking things in my house kept denying it. i offered bribes but they wouldn't talk for even a hundred bucks! hah! i have other means to extract the info. i am going to work on hubby instead.

i think now that it was probably hubby's plan all along. smart(ass) guy too, eh... but even after some romancing (ahem), i couldn't extract from him where he hid the darn thing! he said he only had the diffusion dome because he just put a deposit on the item. "hindi ko inuwi...", he claimed. arrrghhh!!! it was already way past 3am by then because i still had to cook some dishes for the next day's birthday party of my eldest son and daughter (yes we share the same birthday week). i even tried to play with my new toys but i just couldn't get it out of my head. how can husband come home with just the diffusion dome? it MUST be in the house. i couldn't fall asleep without finding it! so as surely as hubby was noisily snoring, i had to go on another treasure hunt. i search out the front of the house, even inside the washing machine and dryer, the car, the cabinets and all the odd places where he could have hidden it. the last stop was inside our own bedroom. by then, it was 6 am. hubby stirred from his sleep and saw me digging through the corner where we keep our shoes. he gave me a glance and smiled. "sige na nga, kawawa ka naman e...malapit the dyan..." he murmured. good thing i was too happy to know i have both of my top wishes that or i could have wrung his freakin' neck! the next shoe box i pulled revealed the gold and black Nikon box! treasure found! double woooooohooo!!!

hubby claims these are gifts not just for my birthday but also for the next anniversary and christmas. i really couldn't complain. besides, i am just too happy to have them now instead of waiting for the next occasion that merits me getting a gift. but we'll just see about that when the time comes...heehee...especially since i am already dreaming of the next thing on my wishlist: the 50mm Nikkor F1.4...heehee...

quiapo trip

2008-03-23T23:44:00.006+08:00

i thought i was going out of town this long Easter weekend with the family but as life would have it, it was not meant to be. hubby and i got stuck in Manila due to work commitments...again! well at least i having some time to myself staying here at the house. hubby is having it worse because he is the one stuck at the workshop.

since i thought i was going to have a ball with my camera out of town, i went to Quiapo with Kara just to get me a CPL(circular polarizing) filter. i did come home with my filter plus a wireless remote and quite a few dvds (shhhh....)

since i brought the DLSR along, i also enjoyed taking shots here and there along the streets we walked through.

quiapo church "pasukan"

religious business

text ng text ang buntis

hay...text craze talaga...

bawal umakyat sa...?

the colors of quiapo

ang pula ng itlog...

nag-pose si kuya...

yummy tuyo

"bili na ate"

bagoong, please...

puto, kutsinta

perlas ng silangan

nice colors

hot!

ang cute nito...my daughter Kara took some home

pinoy ingenuity:franken-bike!

we finally reached Henry's and Mayer's (photog gear stores in Quiapo famed for really good prices) at this point. it was getting darker by then so i put away the camera. this was when the fun really started. all that ogling at those stores just made me lust for more camera equipment...i saw the lenses, strobes, tripods, gears galore that till today i can't stop dreaming of. plus i want to learn more!...maybe i should really stop spending on all that scrapbooking paper and tools so i can save up to buy some photography toys. now if only i could be resolute enough.

my cutie singing

2008-03-10T20:12:00.004+08:00

we went to Landmark the other day to get Reine a dress for an upcoming school program. as we passed by the toy section, Raj spied this little green guitar. i thought it was cute even if there was a Powerpuff girl sticker on it. i could always remove it anyway. what i was more worried about was that he would use it to hit his sister Reine...or the yaya...

i was so sure it would last him probably a week seeing that it was made of cheap plastic. but i guess the PHP99.95 was worth it even for this cute little video which big sis Gabey took on her cell. he hears Reine singing this and like most kids, picked it up very quickly. i'm wishing now i could scrapbook this!

rootin' tootin' for the cute pinay idol

2008-02-23T00:47:00.004+08:00

oh yeah...this girl has i fighting chance. of course we have seen better performers here in the homeland like Kayla...but Ramiele Malubay is IN the competition! and for a 17 year old, she knows how to play the game very well. notice how she made her voice all small and little girlish on her first audition day. she was banking on surprising the judges enough to send her to Hollywood--and they played right into her strategy. right on girl!

so Pinoys out there who can vote, support our very own. Ramiele Malubay is waaay better than Jasmine Trias and most of all, i LOOOVE that she is putting the fact that she is Filipina out there. i mean, she is really highlighting it. notice how everyone watching American Idol already know that she is Pinay because she always mentions it. and her family didn't succumb to being called 'ma-loo-bey'. unlike some celebrity athletes (like golfer girl Delasin) who mentions being Filipina only in passing, hardly ever as a matter of fact.

so, way to go, Ramiele! make us proud. and i personally love that i have more vested interest to watch for and cheer on someone in this season's American Idol.

kitchen's done!

2008-02-21T19:22:00.003+08:00

yup, done, actually since about a couple of weeks ago. i have fallen to neglecting to blog here again so i'm picking it up...again. will share a recipe today just because i felt like cooking in my clean kitchen and because i have only left over ingredients in the ref. there's leftover frozen salmon sashimi (not fresh enough to be eaten raw anymore) and a few fresh asparagus spears i reserved for today from yesterday's chicken soup. this one is truly a quickie. just maybe 15 mins to do. to complete this delish ulam, the following are also needed: 5 cloves garlic, 1 medium onion, half a lemon (puede rin whole but i have half in the fridge e), olive oil, milk from a liter carton (i like Pura! pero puede rin, CowHead or Magnolia Full Cream...something like that.), oh, by the way, you can use any fileted fish for this recipe too.

1. Saute garlic, then onion in the hot olive oil.
2. Dump in cut and washed asparagus spears.
3. Dump in salmon filet (or sashimi cuts in my case). Season with salt and pepper.
4. Cook this a while. Maybe 5 minutes or till almost done.
5. Squeeze in lemon juice and add milk (maybe about a cup).
6. Simmer a short while to merge flavors.

that's it! super yummy...super quickie too!

improving a bit...

2008-01-29T12:12:00.000+08:00

this is taking too doggone long...it's all my carpenter's (Eddie) fault. took too many jobsites at the same time. i miss having a kitchen. but at least there's hope now. won't be long before the gas range is not in the middle of the sala anymore.

monster crane

2008-01-18T14:53:00.000+08:00

this is what is causing all the dust inside and giving me grief. even my hair feels dusty. couple that with the kitchen renovations makes for less incentive to be creative with my scrapbooking and quilting.

and this is right on front of our gate.

kitchen blues

2008-01-14T17:20:00.000+08:00

we have been surviving on quickie meals for the past week...when, oh, when will my kitchen repairs get done?!...and the carpenters didn't come in today...huhuhu! i'm so looking forward to the new sink, the unclogged drains, additional cabinets and cleaner overall appearance. it's been years since the last repairs and this is a 50-something-year old house...

this is too much of a mess even for me...look, not even the cat approves of it...

i hope this gets done by late next week. it's so hard to think with a mess like this.

poor tashi

2008-01-13T11:18:00.001+08:00

last night, we rushed to the vet. good thing they are open till 10pm. Tashi's been a little jerky...licking his behind often. he looks like he's in pain to me. funny thing was that my right b*tt cheek was painful too. muscle pains. i must have sat on it too long.

so i can sympathize with Tashi. i had to bring him to the vet right away. once there, i found out his case was different. something to do his anal sac. i read about this but i haven't had an encounter with it with all my other dogs before. vet says they have to be drained every few months. so now, we are on antibiotics and a soothing cream i have to apply to his uhmmm behind a few times a day. the antibiotics pills are a breeze. the cream, not so much...oh, the things one does for the love of a pet.

aaarrrggghhh!!!

2008-01-12T12:16:00.000+08:00

i hated driving a few years ago...it was easier for hubby to drive for me. lately though, with a new batch of young school children and still as busy as ever with both work and play, driving myself to places is starting to sound good to me. this Pajero looks really nice and especially with its P200K something price tag...it's from '94 i think. automatic na sya and very nice exterior, interior is not as makinis pero puede na rin. i thought i would be able to score. hubby asked to check it out kasi. kaya lang hubby didn't like it...kainiiiiisssss! ang guapo pa naman nya no?... ang kinis e...

di bale...one of these days...it will happen din...{sniff}

silly boy...

2008-01-12T10:27:00.000+08:00

yesterday, Gabey yelled out to me, "mama! si Raj may nilagay na naman sa ilong nya!" panic na naman ako and ran upstairs to Gab's room. ano na naman?!...

the other day, as i was scrapping, i was cutting out little red foam pieces to pop up my scrapbook embellies. Raj started sneezing behind me continuously. i turned to him because it sounded funny...until i realized he was sneezing because there was something up his nose! he looked very brave and calm though, eyes all red, sneezing like crazy and poking his little fingers up a nostril to get the foreign object out. one more sneeze and out popped a small red foam! goodness gracious!

this time, when i got to him, he wasn't sneezing anymore. i took a flashlight and look up his nose. nothing there. "wala na siguro, mama..." Gabey said. i returned my seat infront of the computer, head-shaking and eyes-rolling. one minute later, Gabey and Raj approaches me. "Mama, look.." they hand me a very wet, slimy object...a very slimy...cottonball! haaayyy Raj!

ok, silly boy...now pose with that cotton ball for Mama!...

ang arte pah!!!...grabe!

this incident reminds me of when my firstborn son was about this age...he stuck a mongo bean up his nose naman...he's 19 now so he's probably done sticking beans up his nose. he's on to a new set of misadventures, i'm sure. i just hope he wouldn't have to holler "mama!" for those.

new years' blog resolution

2008-01-12T10:17:00.000+08:00

ok...since it's the start of the new year, i must come up with at least one resolution. i'm really not a resolution kinda girl but this one i like. i got the idea from Erin Lincoln of CK Magazine: a photo of the day for her blog. one that probably defines the day or is an interesting point in the day. kinda cool i think. at the end of the year, i can look back at how my year was thru photos. it will also make me blog more if i can make my entries shorter. it often takes me forever to blog and this makes me lazy to do it. so here goes...

fool!

2007-12-04T20:30:00.000+08:00

the Manila Peninsula lobby before Trillanes happened

my, oh my...who's gonna clean up now...

poor Manila Pen...this is why pests should be exterminated!

i've said it before and i'll say it again...Trillanes is a stupid fool! sorry if that seems too harsh but i will call anyone that who tries at this point to try to topple this administration via a coup. (why not try something more original?!) it doesn't accomplish anything but create chaos that only puts the nation in bad light. bad for business, bad for the economy, bad generally for most everyone even if you don't immediately feel it. if investors pull out, valuable jobs are lost. and for what? for the desperation of a soldier turned overly ambitious to the point of running for senator when he is not even qualified for the job. really, what does he have to show for to merit that job?

being outspoken about the ills of an government is one thing...doing stupid things for the all the wrong reasons is another. i don't understand how some people cannot see through Trillianes's obvious motives. he may cut a dashing figure but how is it admirable when you endanger life and property for selfish reasons IN THE GUISE of patriotism? being a survivor of the original EDSA revolution myself and of the Marcos regime with it's accompanying Martial Law...it is laughable to me how people just throw this around, calling the temporary curfew and the "capture" of mediamen a prelude to Martial Law. it's like calling a firecracker evidence that there will soon be a nuclear explosion. i've been there and i've seen it happen before, and i promise the deluded young people who think they know that this is "it", that it is a far cry from the real one in the 70's and 80's. politicians and their cohorts are only overplaying it precisely because that is what they want people who don't know any better to believe. and the only people they fool are those who weren't there--the younger set. they are simply grandstanding. and Trillianes is turning out to be one of the worst in the lot i've seen so far. so new and yet so crooked already.

2010 is not too far away. why not wait for the next elections and VOTE! if you want change in your government, first be the change you want to see. it may sound cliche or you may think that it is ineffective but it is really the only way to go. you cannot control the world but you can control your actions and reactions. if you do not like corruption, do not participate in it! i've seen people complain about dirty policemen but these same people are the ones who BRIBE them for a simple traffic violation. and again for what? for their own convenience! they don't want to go and claim penalty and fix the darn ticket so they bribe the traffic enforcer.

gosh, i could go on and on... but if one will only stop to think about it, it is only sensible to be patient and to do our part as citizens. remember, even tiny drops will fill the bucket. because in these matters, 2 facts are glaringly evident: it is that 1.)change cannot come in an instant and if it does, it is short lived and unstable. 2) no government is perfect. no, not even in the land of milk and honey where Filipinos go to live the Filipino dream (and that is to live the American dream!) sigh...

i do believe in being pro-active, in standing up and risking life and limb for the nobility of defending human rights or fighting the ills of society (and i am proud to say i have done this before) but we have to fight it the right way in the right season and for the right reasons. for now, my personal fight it to teach these values to my children. to show them the ills of society and to warn them about persons and politicians like Trillianes. to make them learn how to be pro-active in the right way and to make them appreciate their nation. to make them aware of the reality that this nation may not be as great anymore but it is in their hands to make it so. to build their national identity despite the fact that some people are losing it by absorbing cultures other than their own more, speaking better English first even before they can speak good Tagalog. these are so simple yet overlooked! and we dare point the finger at the government...perhaps we should look at the mirror first...

credits: photos (with tanks) are from the BBC News website.

dengue encounter

2007-10-30T10:32:00.000+08:00

after having 5 kids since 1988, this is yet my first encounter with one of the things a mother fears most: dengue. what with all the horror stories i hear lately--new and vicious strains of the virus, cases where there are no symptoms at all, kids and even adults who die from it--it is enough not to make me sleep well at night and check on my feverish 2 year old every 10 minutes. here is my account just in case you want to compare notes due to a suspected case in your home or someone you know.

Raj started having fever Sunday, Oct 21. since it was dengue season, i was more concerned with it than usual so i immediately took him to his pedia by the next day, Monday, Oct 22. the doc told me that if it was one of the usual kiddie bugs, it should be gone by Wednesday. if the fever persists after that, she told us to be back by Thursday, Oct 25.

by the evening of Wednesday, Raj was still slightly feverish so i mentally made note that we will have to go back to the doc's the next day. however, come morning, he didn't have fever anymore and was looking all well and was his normal kulit self. i even thought to myself, "thank goodness we didn't have to go back to see the pedia". i was still hyper-aware of the dengue thing though, so as we were having lunch, i inspected Raj's skin, looking for a rash. i would have missed it too if the pedia didn't describe to me what it looked like: a fine rash that one might mistake for some minor skin redness. my eyes widened as i noticed that there indeed it was on the inside part of Raj's upper arms, right below the armpits and also on the inside part of his upper thighs. they were faint. but i just had to play it safe. i was taking him to the doc's immediately.

so right after lunch, i immediately called the pedia's clinic at St. Luke's but being Thursday, they had no clinic there. besides, Dr. Vicky Ang was out of town and even her sub was not there. i called my cousin whose husband is a doctor at nearby Capitol Medical and she referred me to a pedia friend, Dr. Magnaye.

since the doctor starts his clinic hours at 4pm, i still couldn't wait because it was 2pm then yet. so i took Raj to Capitol's ER instead to get some blood tests. 2 hours later, the doc was in and the tests were out. the doctor noted 3 items on the test: platelets, hematocrit and WBC. his platelet count was low but within normal range, hematocrit was low and WBC (white blood cell count indicating infection: this is usually high when fevers are not caused by dengue) was low. but what concerned ME the most was simple enough for me to understand: a positive result to the dengue antigen test.

the doc said, given the current results that he was not yet recommending hospital admission given that Raj looked well and did not complain of any pains but we had to return early the next day for another blood test. so we did. i didn't get much sleep that night afraid as i was that i might miss some other symptom while the boy was asleep like perhaps a nosebleed. however, after the tests the next day, the doc said that it might be best to have Raj in the hospital so he could get supportive treatments such IV hydration. he was also given blood tests 2x a day. i was very inquisitive so i was informed that there is not much one can do by way of medicines with dengue cases. it is a virus and there are no meds for it. i also learned that dehydration is one of the dangers of the disease even when there is no diarrhea or vomiting. since blood vessels are affected, the blood plasma may leak out of them hence causing the dehydration.

moral of the story: you can never be too careful. i half-thought i was overreacting when i brought Raj to the hospital for blood tests. i keep thinking, those rashes are too faint...he looks fine...etc. Now, as i look back, Cabbie was right when she told me "it's ok to be praning". now i can see how easy it is to miss the signs. we are often concerned only when the child has high fevers and relax when the fever is gone. in dengue cases, it's the other way around: the danger is higher AFTER the fever is gone. it is when the platelets drop and the dehydration can occur the worse.

we checked in the hospital that night and stayed for the next 3 days. with only TV as entertainment and practically no internet, it was this mom's turn to be stricken...with cabin fever!

Raj's "concerned" siblings visiting little bro at the hospital with Nanay.

i hate politicians! {beware:major rant}

2007-10-19T21:17:00.000+08:00

after what happened at glorietta today, i can't believe the gall of some of these politicos! seeing the images on tv of the aftermath of what may be a bomb explosion in one of the busiest malls in the country makes me shudder. we almost always park at Parksquare 2, cross the short bridgeway to enter the mall and get my 2 year old son's haircut at the salon for tots right there underneath where the tragedy happened. i could have been there and i go there usually with my entire family. my heart breaks for those caught in the melee. this area is very close to where the toy shops and the maternity shops are. there are often parents with kids on strollers walking around in this area...my gosh...it's horrific when i imagine it.

and what do these f**k**g politician assholes do? i hear Trillanes actually blames GMA for it! how phenomenally sickening is that? instead of running to the aid of people hurt and shattered physically and emotionally because of the incident, he takes advantage of it by doing politicking...i swear it makes me hate him a lot! i am sick and tired of the likes of the old has-been Nene Pimentel who used to be in the camps who opposed the Marcoses yet where is he now? i seems to me they just make careers out of being "oppositionists" regardless of what they actually believe in. he is a blubbering old fool and i have lost all respect for him and his kind.

does being "opposition" mean their sole mission is to sow hatred for the other party whether the other party does well or not? can't they just focus on REAL weaknesses that they can help improve in the present government rather than FABRICATED ones just to gain points in unthinking people's eyes who get so easily swayed. i am no GMA-lover but for goodness sakes', prove something already instead of continually assaulting the poor miniscule president of all sorts of accusations yet none brought to the finish! truly, i have more sympathy for her than these blasted "oppositionists". it seems to me all they aim for is to hurl whatever accusation just to get some media coverage!

i even hate some of the youth who, just for the sake of adventure, takes to the street, shouting about how democracy is being violated when they were not even alive during the time when democracy was truly killed and martial rule was in place for 20 years--people really disappeared, and conversations were hushed if you spoke of anything remotely anti-government. they don't know what they are talking about! how stupid are they for saying democracy is dead when they are out on the streets marching and shouting libelous comments on the "powers that be". most of all, i hate the people who sensationalize and exaggerate each and every tragic event such as today at glorietta calling it signs of impending martial law! gusto ko lang sabihin sa inyo, hindi na gagawin ng present govenment yan kasi kumita na si Marcos dyan! siempre iibahin na nila ang gimmick nila!

ano ba kayo?! can't we just expend energy on identifying real problems and solving them instead of fabricating new ones and wasting taxpayers money on senseless senate inquiries. can't they put what is in the best interest of the people they purport to serve (even some of the time) instead of just making a game out of politics...matira na lang ang matibay or papogian na lang tayo by doing siraan while in the process dividing the nation. ilang beses na ba akong nasuka sa sigaw ni JV Ejercito about the elitista and the masa?

i can only pray for the souls of these politicians... i do not exactly believe in the concept of hell but it does make me wish there was one for these sort of people.

proud

2007-10-12T09:52:00.000+08:00

my four-year-old Reine comes home from school excitedly displaying to me the stamping on the back of her hand. "Mama, look!" she got this from the teacher for doing a project well. i give her as hug and a peck on the cheek and she flutters away to get dressed. then she comes back and hovers around me. ok let's take a picture. gosh, i have camera hogs for kids! just look at how she poses, angles her head, and give just the right width for a smile. kids these days!

too cute!

2007-07-30T20:55:00.000+08:00

here's tashi baby's fresh look after a trip to the groomer's yesterday. i couldn't resist the jumpsuit when i saw it on the shelf. luckily, it fits!

highschool batch reunion

2007-07-13T14:20:00.000+08:00

last sunday, i got the chance to meet old friends again. it was the celebration of the 25th year since we graduated from highschool. our batch was called Corals 82. and boy, what an exhilarating experience to see old acquaintances and teachers again! there were even batchmates who flew in from across the globe: Jude Gonzales from Sydney, Athena Te and now husband Peter Yuin from New York and Emmanuel Yung from Pasadena. there were also local "imports", Antonio Ong and Wison de Guzman from Quezon who went all the way to Manila. Antonio, by the way, beat me in having the most number of kids -- he has 6 and i only have 5 :-D

i wanted to just enjoy the moment taking in all the faces and trading stories but that was not to be for me. all i could manage was short albeit warm hellos and little stories because i had to mind one more thing -- the trivia game which i was to supposed to play emcee to and which made me very nervous prior to it. and with so many people i just wanted to say hello to, i think i spread myself too thin. still, getting the chance to at least see a lot of old yet new friendly faces in one place was a super treat for me. I'm sure Nita felt the same way beacause she looked so happy too.

Nita, oh yes! i must definitely blog here for posterity's sake, was looking extra pretty that day...see here, this picture is precious kasi bihira lang mag make-up ang friend kong ito. in the 29 years i knew her, my fingers wouldn't run out if i counted the times i see her with makeup and eyebrows fixed...hahaha... and that includes her wedding day!

with camera in hand, i shot pictures away like mad hoping to record the too few 3 hours with friends i haven't seen in 25 years. i don't think i got enough pictures as i would have liked though. i had to pick between taking pics or mingling so i did a balance of both. most of my batchmates were looking so good--sexy ladies and handsome men--like they were not yet my own age...hahaha...if i didn't know better, they'll have me fooled for sure.

before this reunion, i was actually stressing over some video presentations the organizing commitee requested of me. it was my task, being part of the Programs Committee together with Marian Lim, Henry Armada, Edward Ong and Nita. to be honest, i wasn't happily looking forward to doing these tasks but seeing that the rest of the reunion committee(s) involved giving so generously of their time, effort and funds to ensure the success of this gathering, i felt it was only justified that i do it to the best of my abilities. especially since i do not have much of the "funds" to share, effort was something i could expend.

they initially wanted a powerpoint-type of presentation but in the MS Office Suite, other than Word, i am not acquainted any other including Powerpoint. i thought some other slide software would do a better job too. so i set about learning this other software already installed in my computer but haven't used yet called Roxio Slideshow Assistant. i'm now glad i learned how to use it because it was relatively easy to manipulate and i think i could use this to archive our other pictures that i cannot scrapbook.

many loooooong nights doing the slideshows were spent (along with some bribery for my eldest son Kiko to do picture cropping and downloading pictures from the net at night) and organizing them before i could even start the compiling the slideshow. i also had to do some research on 80s songs for these 2 slideshows: Blast from the Past: a compilation of school and classroom pictures supplied by Kenneth Tan and Now & Then: a collage of old pictures from the school yearbook and new pictures submitted by batchmates. music was something of a "thing" for me and it knew it would help a lot in livening up the video.

it was all worth it in the end because i think my friends enjoyed it. now, looking back, i think i enjoyed creating it too. looking at those old faces in black and white was sentimental for me too (sniff!) and seeing them now was really wonderful. i've uploaded the 19min video to Daily Motion (You Tube only allows 10 mins) and it is linked here so watch below:

Corals 82 Now and Then
Uploaded by aulim

i would also like to upload the Blast from the Past video but that one is 30mins long...i have to find a way to segment it first. will post here as soon as done.

i hope it will not take another 25 years before we all meet again. i salute the organizers who all thought of and made this event happen. it was a humongous task. really challenging. herculean! and i would gladly help them out again if they need me...ok, not so gladly...hahaha...but i would be there if they need me and i'll do all that i can. just don't ask me to attend meetings because i can't understand half of what they say when they fall into speaking in chinese...i am the odd one in this setting, being Pinay, who has very little in my Chinese vocabulary storehouse despite studying for 4 years at Hope and being married to a Chinese guy (and his family) for 19 years. yeah, at Hope is where i met 2 of the most important people in my life: my bestfriend Nita and my hubby Erwin (who was in CKSC).

congratulations again to the organizers of this event. i dare not specify each because i might neglect to include someone important, but you guys know who you are. Jude--who gave me great big bear hugs that simply bridged the 25 year gap and the thousands of miles between us--is right. that day was one that will be kept with the treasure trove of memories of our lifetimes. till we meet again, friends!

amy winehouse

2007-07-11T16:46:00.000+08:00

this song may be a bit controversial but the girl can SING...i like the beat, i like her voice and i can't help liking the song too.

Amy Winehouse - Rehab
Uploaded by chichacho

hmmm...i'm also reaaally liking her labret (that little piercing that looks like a mole on her upper lip)... gosh, i miss my tongue ring. i lost the piercing last April after i removed the ring (or barbell) for just 5 days. try as i might, i couldn't put it back in. i have to admit i hate going through that process again, not that its painful because that only really lasts a few seconds. the anticipation is worse and the weeklong wait for the swelling to subside.

but that labret is still making me wanna get one more hole done...hahaha...i may be visiting Phok again soon at Black Strawberry...

glorietta adventures

2007-06-26T22:06:00.000+08:00

my first time to join free seminars at the Glorietta organized by Filipinas Heritage was last May 20 with Lee and, supposedly Nita. however, bespren wasn't quite able to make it so my DD, Gabey, took her slot instead. we thoroughly enjoyed the Pottery class then not to mention it was a good opportunity for some mother-daughter-friend bonding.

although the pottery class was the first one we took, our main target was the Photography class. heck, they were free so we had signed up for both classes since last April. photography class was held last June 25. this time it was Lee who wasn't able to make it due to a very upset tummy borne out of eating seafoods the previous night (poor Lee!)

Nita and I enjoyed the class which we initially thought to be Basic Photography but was actually entitled "Travelling with a Camera" conducted by Jay Alonzo. At the second half of the class, we were asked to photograph Glorietta and capture its activity. i was too bent on getting some Dairy Queen so i didn't stray far from the lecture place. we even went back too late to submit the photos i took to the teacher for his critique. Nita didn't even attempt it...her tummy calls were louder than her desire to practice shooting.

if a picture is worth a thousand words, this photo speaks for itself :-D

i heard the speaker mention several times and with great pride that "hindi phinotoshop yan" referring to his sample photo. probably this is with good reason, but i, on the other hand love photoshop-ing. i don't have the benefit of polarizing filters yet and the expensive gadgetry they already have so i LIKE Photoshop...a lot! i can saturate colors and crop to the size i like, just like the filters the pros already have warm colors or saturate hues. the photos you see here have been minimally tweaked mostly by way cropping or adjusting histograms for color saturation. maybe later, when i get better, i would be proud to say too na "hindi phinotoshop yan"...but for now, i am proud that i have a pretty darn good grasp of Photoshop.

since the rest of my family decided to take the opportunity of me already being at glorietta, hence mall time, i decided to do groceries so we were there till the evening. as as we were passing the hallways, i saw a flower/plant stall. since my camera was already with me, i decided to shoot a few more.

yeah, flower cliches. good practice for someone like me though. being a neophyte, everytime something i pull off something with a semblance of a decent photo, happy na agad ako! :-D

LOST is back...

2007-06-23T14:39:00.000+08:00

My favorite TV show has been back for the past 3 weeks and so is the hot, hot, H-O-T Josh Holloway!!! [insert squeal here] He's sexier than ever because this season he seems to be showing more of a softer side to the villainous-conman-yet-bida character of Sawyer. Oh me, oh my, whenever he gives one of those scowls, i just have to stop awhile to quiet my heart. What's wrong with me? I can already hear Nita now saying "kaya nga you like your husband e!" Hubby doesn't quite scowl as fiercely but he can get really icy when he want to...why this turns me on, i cannot quite explain.

But look here...how can one not go googoo-gahgah over a sexy guy like this, scowling or not? And the hair...oh my gosh, the hair...it's practically begging for hands to run through them.

Lost holds such charm for me because it's got a very original storyline and a mystery i just can't figure out. add to that the individuals whose interesting lives the series slowly unveils and whose characters are truly dimensional -- they are not all good or all bad--just like in real life. it's a must watch. if you weren't able to start it from the first season, i suggest getting a DVD copy of the first 2 seasons and watch it from the start...if you don't like it or it doesn't get you hooked, my name isn't Au.

silly funny rugrats...

2007-06-19T19:37:00.000+08:00

i put up the camera on a tripod and aimed the lens down because i was setting up to take photos of products on the table. i turned for a while only to come back to a funny scene. Reine and Raj was already on top of the table looking up the camera lens, curiously inspecting. then, when i went behind the camera and looked through the lens...they were already giving me these bright smiles. boy, aren't these kids camera bugs!

mama, flowers for you...

2007-06-13T19:20:00.000+08:00

Reine often picks whatever is blooming out front, from the santan to the bougainvilla and brings them to me with a giggle, "flowers for you, mama..." so today, i decided to take a pic of her with it.

the little boy seems intrigued by the little flowers...

Raj usually follows suit and offers them to me, too... thanks babies! XOXOXO

ahhh, the simple joys of motherhood...

cool pencilmation

2007-06-13T10:52:00.000+08:00

found this on yahoo. i thinks it's pretty cool!

commander-in-chief

2007-06-07T13:55:00.000+08:00

i just luuvvve this new TV series on Starworld (late sa Pilipinas kasi tapos na yata ito sa US). they are only in their 4th episode and I like the their premise that the American president could be a woman. how it happened was believable. she did not get elected. she was vice president to the the leader who suddenly died of a cerebral aneurism. they wanted her to resign her post because she is female and is an Independent. she almost did but finally decided against it. the ensuing intrigues and political underhandedness by some cabinet members and other political party personalities rings so true. after all, we've seen them happen in real life in Philippine politics. have they been looking this way?

i also love watching Geena Davis in the role of Mackenzie Allen (see, even that name is so cool!), the first female American president. the role fits her so well... and she looks so sexy even in an unsexy role. I only wish real life politicians would be more like her character who would put the country first before political agendas. there was this part on the show where she was convincing her pick for vice president (a general who was her political opponent) to join her administration. she was handpicking him despite their opposing views because she thought he could do the job well. when asked why, she said she knew that she would not win the next elections because she was an independent. so she is not going to waste her time being popular, instead she will do what was best for the American people. can you imagine a politician saying something like that?
while watching the series, I can't help wonder sometimes if this is a prelude to something else that is real life. Hmmm...will it be Condie or Hillary? wouldn't it be interesting if life imitated art?

selling the drama by live

2007-05-14T15:37:00.000+08:00

Live - Selling the drama
Uploaded by FabCure

this one is quite old. it think it first came out in '94 or '95 but i heard it playing and i can't get it out of my head. whenever i hear it, it elicits a strong emotional reaction from me but i don't really know why. must be the drum beat or maybe the haunting melody. although i occasionally, sing to parts of the song, i realized i do not know the exact lyrics so i looked it up on the net. as i read it, it puzzled me at first but as i analyzed it, its message must be another subliminal reason why i like the song. here it is:

Selling the Drama by Live

And to love: a god
And to fear: a flame
And to burn a crowd that has a name
And to right or wrong
And to meek or strong
It is known, just scream it from the wall

I've willed, I've walked, I've read
I've talked, I know, I know,
I've been here before
Hey, now we won't be raped
Hey, now we won't be scarred like that

It's the sun that burns
It's the wheel that turns
It's the way we sing that makes 'em dream
And to christ: a cross
And to me: a chair
I will sit and earn the ransom from up here

this is probably one of those poems that may be read a whole lot of different ways depending on the mindset of the reader but to me, it feels like a sentiment against religion, especially the sort that proselytizes and uses its members for its leaders' benefit and own agendas, hence the title. i leave it up to you to translate it the way you like it.

hey, since it's local elections day today, it's probably approriate as well seeing all the drama the politicians are selling to us...hehehe...thanks though for the work downtime.

moms' day family bonding time

2007-05-14T15:00:00.000+08:00

yesterday was a generally nice day for us. we had some simple family bonding time watching Spiderman at the Podium. it's rare that we watch movies as a family considering the theater prices these days, it's cheaper to watch on DVD. but since yesterday was mother's day, it was a good excuse to splurge a little. Kiko, my eldest, didn't join us --as usual-- he has a life of his own these days, or he just prefers to spend time at the computer playing games. i don't have the patience to mess with teenage angst on this day though so i let him be.

we had pizza dinner inside the moviehouse because we would be too late for the screening if we finish dinner first (at the small resto, NYPD) beside the theater. i absolutely must take pics of this day but i unfortunately forgot to bring my camera so i had to make do with my cell phone. despite the poor quality of the photos, these pics should make it to a scrapbook page because not only is this a rare occasion for us, this is also Raj's first movie excursion! of course, he didn't quite make it past half the movie. he was asleep before Spidey even got to wear the black suit! around 9pm is usually his bedtime and we started the movie at 8:30. oh, well... i expected it anyway, but i had laughs when he was speaking loudly at the movies, asking all sorts of questions and i tried to shush him. i spoke in a low whisper so he would get it but he imitated me by speaking in some kind of loud whisper that everyone at the moviehouse probably hears anyway. good thing there were few people and we didn't get thrown out.

raj looking good...

2007-05-13T13:58:00.000+08:00

thanks for the well-wishes friends! raj seems fine naman today...

the ultrasound did show a slight swelling of his kidney but the doc explained it away as probably due to the infection. some sort of UTI that sometimes happens daw to uncircumcised males. hmmmm... i was a bit afraid yesterday because the yaya noted that his face looked puffy. i noticed that too the previous night but i thought it might be my imagination. when we brought him to the doc naman, she said his eyelids are not puffy naman so no need to worry. she just changed the antibiotic prescription and told us to see the results of the urine culture next week. she also asked us to do another urinalysis by Friday and another ultrasound after a month. makes me wonder tuloy if i should NOT be worried indeed.

otherwise, he seems like the happy boy that he is. he is more himself today, makulit and nang-aaway already. he's very spunky again and i cannot be happier...a happy mother's day to me indeed.

on different note: i don't know why my kids like this stuff when it gets their faces all distorted after popping one in. Sure i like Nerds (the sweet sour candy) but this one is really sourrrr!

Raj seems to like it and i get a kick out of watching his face all wrinkled when Kara makes him take one.

a typical night

2007-05-10T18:44:00.000+08:00

except for the sick baby boy here

this is a typical night in our bedroom:

three silly, noisy girls playing. i don't know why they are in our bedroom when they can make all their noise in theirs!

tonight the game is: ilong...ilong...ilong...ilong...ilong...tenga! (do you know this game?) don't make me explain...

of course, the little girl never fails to cry about something di-tsi (2nd sister, Kara) does and this is how she usually ends up: thumbsuck...cry....

a few minutes later, bati na sila...

this morning, i was so happy Raj already seemed to be happy and playing with his toys,

and fighting with sis Reine,

so hopefully everything will be well tomorrow,

another pogi shot of my
talkative little cutie pie

more lab tests

2007-05-09T23:08:00.000+08:00

been to the doc's today and made several trips to St. Lukes for Raj's urinalysis. hard to concentrate on work. i was expecting the fever to be gone by now but it still rages when we miss the combined paracetamol and ibuprofen. what's surprising is that Raj's fever is high when his skin feels almost cool. while we were waiting our turn to see the doc, Raj didn't feel hot at all. in fact, his skin was almost normal to the touch. when the nurse took his temp, it was 38.7 C. i wonder what his temp was on those times i didn't take them and he felt reaaaally hot? probably well into the 40s. no wonder he was shaking and vomiting. i am thankful though that he is not prone to febrile seizures like Kara was when she was a baby. those episodes were really scary! i remember running barefoot to the hospital when our klunky car stalled as we were taking baby Kara to the ER. luckily, it started a short while later. otherwise, i would no doubt need to join my daughter in the ER when we get there if my asthma starts up.

i got the lab results around 7pm tonight and called Doc Vicky Ang. she gave me antibiotic dosage instructions over the phone after i relayed to her the results. what makes me a bit worried was that she also instructed me to get ultrasound tests on Friday...i didn't have the courage to ask why she thought he needed one...

sick baby scare

2007-05-08T22:30:00.000+08:00

yesterday, i had a scare...

last saturday, Raj caught a bug and was having fever into the 4o's. i even thought i wasn't going to make it to the Pinoyscrapbooker's EB that coming Sunday. i was putting together the make-and-take kits i promised between nursing the baby's fever all night and didn't get any sleep. good thing, come morning, Raj seemed well enough so I thought maybe i'd drop in the EB after all and would just come home earlier than usual...and so i did.

i was chatting with Mommy Edna at the EB and she mentioned some home remedies that i thought might be good filed away as knowledge i can use at some point, when the opportunity presents itself.

1. to prevent febrile seizures (kombulsion) : feel the baby's temperature by his head and feel his feet temperature. make sure the temp of his feet and head are not too different. this head should not feel too hot and his feet too cold. if this is the case, sponge his head with a face towel soaked in cool water and massage his feet to get warm.
2. to ease sticky phlegm: get a face towel wet with water, and put on top of baby (or adult's) chest. cover with a second dry towel. sleep with it. mommy Ed says, by the next day, the phlegm is more easily expelled.
3. to stop hiccups: fill your mouth with water, cover both ears with fingers and swallow. Mommy Edna swears by it! :-D

to this conversation i contributed something i heard from the radio as i was in the car,
4. to stop insistent coughing: slather Vick's Vaporub under the baby's (or adult's) foot and cover up with socks. the radio guy "guarantees" this to stop coughing.

hmmm... will update when the opportunity for me to test this personally arises. of course, these home remedies are not intended to replace the doc's meds and advice.

yesterday, monday, first thing i did was set an appointment with the pedia. after checking up my boy, she diagnosed it to be "tigdas hangin" (some kinda virus i can't remember). I told her about my concerns of dengue but she assured me that since it is hot summertime, dengue cases are rare, which put my mind at ease. she gave us 2 meds for Raj's fever. she said it is to be expected for fevers with this bug to be very high. instructions were for round-the-clock meds and to see her back on wednesday.

by that afternoon, Raj looked normal and well and i needed to do groceries. since Raj always insists to come with us and i didn't really want to leave him, i took him with us. Big mistake.
i thought we'd be back in time for the next dose of meds but by 5 pm, we were about an hour late. i wasn't too concerned because he was looking well. he fell asleep in his father's arms but when he woke up, he looked ashen. his lips were white, skin was blotchy, and toes were bluish.

he didn't have a fever because his skin was very cold. man, was i afraid! i immediately called up the doc and she told me to bring him in. after asking me some pertinent questions, i got a scolding: "who brings sick babies to go grocery shopping?" she said...arrrrghhh...

in short, she sent us home. she said Raj just got too cold. and here i was thinking: what if it was a misdiagnosis? i wanted to get him admitted to the hospital right there and then but i had to trust the doc. "nasa loob ang lagnat", she said. i suddenly remembered mommy edna's advise number 1. so i took out two hot water bags and put it by his feet. slowly, his color returned and so did the fever. it eventually subsided though when the meds took effect.

today, we've kept the fever at bay but he's still all cranky. hopefully he'd be all well tomorrow.

Reine can't resist posing
whenever she sees the camera aimed.
she just has to pop into the frame. :-D

a new one

2007-05-08T19:16:00.000+08:00

i decided to do a new blog to separate my scrapping material from my other thoughts... maybe it's another attempt to fight scrapbooking overtaking my life these days...hahaha... i simply refuse to be essentially and mostly a scrapbooker... MUST...get...a...life!....

or maybe it's no use fighting it. i don't know. but i do know that some of my friends might not be interested in my scrapbooker persona while my scrapping buddies might not be interested in my non-scrapbooking blah-blahs...

or maybe...i just want to mess around with another blog header...weheheheh...

hmmm...it's probably all of the above...

so here goes a new soapbox...