A Myriad of Whimseys

Seeing My Philippines

2012-01-16T18:19:00.000-06:00

I consider myself relatively well-traveled until I got a C- in this app. I will travel again in July to see Palawan for the first time. I know I will get a better grade after that.

My Lakbayan grade is C-!
How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!
Created by Eugene Villar.

My Map of the USA

2012-01-11T20:54:00.001-06:00

Unexpected circumstances encouraged me to do some self-reflection. If I ever have to move out of the US, am I satisfied with what I have seen and explored so far?

I have visited 17 of 50 states

Ahh, yes. I am satisfied. I can say that the US is no longer a mystery to me. But, ofcourse, I still have a short list of the last few places I want to see:

Aurora Borealis in Alaska
Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington

History In Movies

2012-01-08T14:17:00.000-06:00

I used to hate history. In school, my report cards confirm that I had very little interest in the past. I guess the only one that stuck in my head was about the Sumerians who invented the sundial. But since I moved here in the US, I happen to become curious about where all these races in the US came from. It is no question that in the US, everyone are immigrants, except of course, from the native American Indians. My museum trips out of state has slowly piqued my curiosity and slight interest in basic history not just for the Americas but mostly the world. Fortunately, I have seen these movies that, I think, everyone should see:

Invictus - I knew nothing about South Africa and Nelson Mandela until I saw this movie. It's amazing how recent they have embraced democracy. I am most amazed by how Mandela charmed the Afrikaners to let go of apartheid to the native black Africans through rugby.
Schindler's List - A heart wrenching movie that depicts the dark side of the human race. This is about Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who took big risks to save the lives of Jewish refugees during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories.
The King's Speech - Old World royalties do not really interest me but this is more about a person's own struggle with himself.
Hotel Rwanda - Oh, gosh, this is another heart wrenching movie. A friend recommended this to me and it reminded me of Schindler's List. It saddens me how cruel we humans can become to one another.
The Motorcycle Diaries - Che Guevara's roadtrip around South America. This describes the very trip that changed him into the revolutionary that he was. Very inspiring.

Brown Rabbit

2011-06-27T23:56:00.001-05:00

It was nice to see this little brown rabbit munching on some grass in the park. Seeing him made me happy!

15,747 emails

2011-02-12T21:34:00.001-06:00

My BlackBerry died on me one morning when I got 15,747 emails. Unbelievable.

A Flight of Stairs

2010-12-28T21:50:00.001-06:00

This is the flight of stairs I take to get to the train for work everyday. But that morning, the stairs was buried in snow. Haaay, I hate snow.

Pinoy Sweaters in the Mall

2010-12-14T21:29:00.001-06:00

I saw this in the mall during the weekend. At the back are big letters that spell out my home country: PHILIPPINES

Could this have been inspired by Manny Pacquiao's multiple boxing titles? Most likely.

Go Pinoy!

Dreaming Bora Bora

2010-11-06T11:49:00.005-05:00

Ahhhhh, Bora Bora... This is as close as I can get to my dream islands... Someday... Someday I will snorkel in your prestine waters... Someday I will dive in your luscious deep waters.... For now, I need to swim in my codes and dive into my defect list... Ngarsh!

A Bus Stop for Royalty

2010-11-05T22:55:00.005-05:00

I saw this one morning while walking along Madison St, right next to the Civic Opera.

My "Chicago In a Day" Itinerary

2010-10-07T21:00:00.004-05:00

My friends from all over the world (literally) were here to visit me and my beautiful city. I have come up with an itinerary that I have proven to work so great that I want to share it with you, my readers. (Do I really have readers? Anyhoo....)

Here are the benefits of this itinerary:

They get to see most of the must-see's in a day.
They take full advantage of the CTA Day Pass for only $5.75 for unlimited rides. (There's no fear in getting lost now, haha!)
It benefits me because I can go to work the next day. What they do is take the same route as the previous day, but this time, go inside the museums or spend more time to enjoy the attractions.

Chicago-in-a-Day

Navy Pier. Start from the south part, of course, to show off the best part of the pier. You get to see the ships and a good view of the city's buildings. When you have reached the tip of the pier (eastern most), walk back through the building. Inside the building is a stained-glass and mosaic museum. Good opportunity to do some souvenir shopping. Get some snack or drinks if necessary.
Take the blue trolleys or any CTA bus to Michigan Ave. Walk south to Chicago Tribune and Wrigley Field. Cross the bridge and go downstairs to the riverwalk. Stop and rest by the riverwalk. Wave at the people taking the Architecture Cruise and encourage them to do that the next day. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Walk back upstairs to Michigan Ave and walk north to be part of the shopping tourist crowd. Walk to the Water Tower and upto John Hancock Tower. Tell them that they have the option to go to the Observatory the next day or maybe have some cocktails at the Signature Lounge.
Walk a few blocks south for Chicago-Style Deep Dish pizza. Options are Gino's East, Giordano's -- all along Superior St. If they are willing to walk further, go to Pizzeria Uno along Ohio.
Go back to Michigan Ave and take a CTA bus to Millenium Park. Very important to take pictures at the Cloud Gate aka The Bean. Go to Crowne Plaza for the water fountain.
Cross the street to Madison and take a CTA bus to United Center. Seeing Michael Jordan at the United Center was a special request by my friend from Toronto. On the way across the loop (going West) try to show them the Willis Tower. Tell them that they can go to the Skydeck the next day for some more history and most especially, the clear ledge! If they are interested about Chicago's financial district, show them the CBOT and CME buildings.
Take the same bus route going back to the loop, then take another going to the Museum Campus. Tell them that this is where they can go back the next day and enjoy the Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, and the Adler Planetarium. Most likely, the sun has started to set and it's getting dark. The best thing to do (actually, I have never done this before -- twas a happy accident) is hop out of the bus at the stop closest to the Adler Planetarium. Sit by the lake and enjoy the sunset -- great photo-op for photography enthusiasts! I must say this is my favorite part of the day's itinerary.

Stop and watch the ants

2010-09-12T00:08:00.002-05:00

I finally had a free Saturday again so I decided to take it slow. I resisted to get out of bed and stared at the 18 red roses that my boyfriend has given me for our anniversary.

After an afternoon of cooking and lounging around, I decided to walk outside and enjoy the last few warmer days of the year. I walked to the lake in my flipflops, wondering the last time I saw the lake.

I stopped to admire the flowers. Some were bigger than my hand. Some were hanging from atop a tall tree! (I've been seeing a lot of gumamelas. I wonder if it's also called hisbiscus -- my latest tisane favorite.)

I stopped to stare at the branches and leaves above me.

I stood and sat barefoot at the rocks along the lake.

I touched the trunk of the trees in the park. Actually, I wanted to hug them but the trunks looked a little too dirty and buggy to hug. I watched the ants in the tree trunks move on with their daily life.

I smiled at dogs and their owners as I run into them walking back to my apartment.

Oh, what a relaxing day.

Pinoy Ako!

2010-03-16T17:42:00.005-05:00

I got the United States Census form in my mail today. On the envelope was a big printed label that says "YOUR RESPONSE IS REQUIRED BY LAW". [Shudder. I just think it's funny.]

I must admit -- I am glad that my race, "Filipino" has its own box! In real life, I have somehow felt like my race is part of "Other Asian". It's rare for an acquaintance to identify me as Filipino. Rather, he or she would identify me as Thai, Korean (probably because of my current hairstyle), Chinese, or Vietnamese.

What Time Management?

2010-03-11T23:35:00.001-06:00

Why do I always find my evenings too short? Quite frankly, I am more excited about going home from work than going to work. Ofcourse, I am very very very grateful to still be working in the middle of the recession. Not that I dread going to work -- I still look forward to work... but it's not as exciting as what I do after work.

I cook. I bake.

I plan my menu. I make a grocery list.

I skim through weekly ads, clip coupons, and again make my grocery list.

I go to the gym for Yoga or a 30-minute swim.

I watch TV or "watch TV" through my laptop. I love Desperate Housewives, Cougar Town, Shark Tank, House, sometimes Amazing Race.

I facebook. I google. I wikipedia. (Websites are now verbs!)

I organize. I mess things up just to reorganize them again. (I used to do this a lot when I had no TV nor laptop.)

I do my laundry (a necessary evil).

I manage my finances. Pay bills. More bills.

I blog when I can.

And the list goes on!

The funny thing is... I live alone, with no kids to take care of... yet I feel like I am preoccupied with too many things to do! I don't know how working mothers do it! They are superheroes!

Time Management? I badly need that. Now. Time is running out!

I Have High Cholesterol

2009-12-17T21:34:00.004-06:00

I have something to celebrate today! I stepped out of my doctor's clinic with a big grin on my face. I have high cholesterol -- good cholesterol, that is!

When my doctor first analyzed my blood test results, she said everything is normal... my glucose level, sodium, insulin, etc... everything except for my cholesterol. As you can see in the image above, I have 229, which is above the range of 125 to 200. I was a bit surprised and I started to worry about the food I would have to give up! (And if you know me well enough, you would know that I love to eat. Fried rice, bagoong, beef stew, cheesecake... etc...)

And then I tell my doctor, I exercise once or twice a week. She says that's not enough. She says I should exercise atleast 30 minutes 5 days a week! I gulped.

And then, she looks at the test results again and says.... "Oh wait! Your cholesterol is high because your good cholesterol is high. And it is exceptionally high!" (See image above)

Whoaaaah! I said, I do eat a lot and I wonder where I got all that good cholesterol. The first words she mentioned were... "Fish... fish oil..." I interrupted her right there and then because I remember I have been taking the Norwegian Cod Liver Oil since summer of this year. She agreed. And she encourages me to continue to do what I do.

Ahhhh...... I feel elated!

Actually, I started taking cod liver oil after I watched a video on YouTube. This may sound funny... but the video was about how to improve one's skin. Yes, my intention was to improve my skin so applying makeup will look better on me.

See? I have shallow reasons that turned out to help me in the long run! Amazing, isn't it?

80 degrees

2009-05-20T21:45:00.004-05:00

Today, we had the first 80(F) degrees of the year. Wonderful!

As soon as I got home, I watered my plants (a new habit, I must mention) and packed myself some food. I immediately left my apartment and walked to the lake. Ahhh! Every tree and flower seems to welcome me as I take steps towards the lake. I feel relaxed already.

I sat on my favorite boulder when I reached the edge of the shore. I opened my bag and enjoyed my little sweet snack. I brought with me my iPod Shuffle so I could listen to music, but, I felt it's such a bad idea when all I really wanted to hear was the sound of rough water splashing onto the rocky shore. I soaked in the beauty that surrounds me -- the birds flying over the water and then swooping in for a fish kill, the greenery of the park, the seemingly bare trees that have small leaves and flowers sprouting from its tips.

Being one with nature totally relaxes me after a long day at work.

Coupon Princess

2009-04-11T12:23:00.003-05:00

This is what has been keeping me up all night. Let me tell you a short story.

A high school friend in Ohio called me up and tells me about her day. Then she asked me if I use coupons. I say I do sometimes, but only when I have them. She then tells me about her many shopping escapades where she walks out of CVS, several bags on hand, and paid a little less than a dollar! She said, she's into coupons. She said she saves a lot of money and has a stockpile of all sorts of toiletries. She recommended that I read through slickdeals where I can find coupons I can print online. Cool!

I told my sister about this. She got hooked more than I did! She scoured the internet and printed coupons like crazy! We read though weekly ads of Walgreens and CVS, and we started to enjoy the fruits of our labor. All it takes is being aware of the weekly discounts of these drugstores, finding coupons to match them up, and most of the time, we get the item for a few cents -- if not free!

I must say it takes time. It takes time to clip coupons every week (Sunday paper). It takes a lot of time to sort them and arrange them alphabetically. (That's how my sister did it, and in three categories so far: Food, Non-Food, Restaurants). I takes time to read through weekly deals, read blogs, print coupons online, and match them up. But hey, I feel like a Princess when I walk out the store and pay so little of the total cost of the items I got! What's to complain about?

I donated my miles for a greener environment

2009-02-26T20:55:00.006-06:00

I earned some 27,500 miles from Cathay Pacific on my business trip to Canada in 2005. Earlier this month, I got an email stating that my miles are expiring at the end of the month. I was very busy so I almost forgot to redeem my miles!

I tried to redeem my miles by buying my mom a plane ticket to LA but it was not enough. Also, it's not transferable! I have no plans of traveling for pleasure just yet so I looked around their website and I discovered that I can donate my miles for a greener environment! The thought of helping the environment by donating something I hardly lifted a finger for sounded encouraging... and it makes me feel good despite the troubles I am facing right now.

Looking at this screen shot made my day.

Chicken Feet or Paws?

2009-01-30T21:14:00.002-06:00

We spent the holidays in New York, specifically in Manhasset, Long Island. One day, we went to lunch at a dimsum place in Flushing, Queens. The place feels like another Chinatown outside Manhattan.

At the dimsum place called Ocean Jewels Seafood Restaurant, carts were pushed around with little plates of dimsum in them. We were asked what we wanted and just said yes to whatever they point to us. It was quite irritating though that they continue to speak with us in Chinese. We keep on saying we speak English but they never seem to bother understand us.

At my cousins' surprise, we ordered some Chicken Feet. My sister and I dared my cousins to try them but they just cannot. Well, my sister and I happily nibbled on them.

And then I recall how this delicacy should be properly called here in the US. We call them Chicken Feet but, apparently, they prefer to call it Chicken Paws. Sounds more sosyal, if you know what I mean.

Why Have Another Blog?

2009-01-30T21:03:00.002-06:00

This is one reason I keep a separate blog other than my food blog.

Some weird personal encounters amuse me... like this one above. We went to New York Supermaket along Elmhurst and saw these frogs piled on top of each other. They are for sale as food! Did you read that? AS FOOD! They do not look appetizing at all. It make take a good chef to make good use of these critters as food.

Imagine if I post this in my food blog, Pinay Lost in Grocery Lane 33. Wouldn't that be unappetizing, more so appalling? Above are either snakes or eels. Honestly, I do not know. But I pity them for some reason. I stood atleast 2 feet away from them, though. I can imagine them thrusting out of the water in a split second!

Ahhh, New York is such a great place for all things exotic without leaving America!

Corny Joke of the Day

2008-06-20T10:38:00.001-05:00

My family and I were talking on webcam last night.

Fam: So how's work?
Me: Ayun, busy kasi bukas na yung build for QA. Tapos non, busy ulit dahil sa bugs.
Fam: Bugs? Ahh! I-spray-an mo sila (ng Bygone)!

Corny noh? Pero I think it's cute. That was a tiny piece of home for me.

Happy Friday!!!

You need to commit

2008-03-18T21:03:00.003-05:00

Whew, my QA gal almost filed a defect.

It was about a database change that does not get reflected to the running application. She showed me the sequence of steps she took and I observed that she did not run the "commit" command. I pointed that out then, she said, "Oh! That's why! I did not run commit".

In my attempt to help her remember to use that command, I blurted out, "In a relationship, you need to commit."

She laughed out loud. I giggled. We both had a breather.

Manila, Manila...

2008-02-11T21:33:00.000-06:00

It's been very, very, very cold lately. We went to church yesterday when it was -4F. That's -20 degrees Celsius! The Filipino habit of taking a bath in the morning hasn't quite changed so my hair froze during my commute. I walked just a quarter of a block from my apartment to the train station and I felt my long hair make a slight crunch as I touched it.

I miss the pleasant temperature in Manila. No heavy jackets, no bonnets, no gloves, and no chunky boots to wear everyday. So as I got back to my apartment, I went online. I go to weather.com most of the time. I searched for Manila.. and I found 3 Manilas. One in my homeland, the Philippines, and the 2 others are here in the US. Surprise! Surprise!

Dramatic Philippine Tarsier

2008-02-11T21:03:00.000-06:00

Here is a link forwarded through email. Dramatic Tarsier -- found only in the Philippines!

I am 10:02 a.m.

2008-02-08T13:39:00.000-06:00

You are breakfasty, like a pile of pancakes on a Sunday morning that have just the right amount of syrup, so every bite is sweet perfection and not a soppy mess. You are a glass of orange juice that's cool, refreshing, and not overly pulpy. You are the time of day that's just right for turning the pages of a newspaper, flipping through channels, or clicking around online to get a sense of how the world changed during the night. You don't want to stumble sleepily through life, so you make a real effort to wake your brain up and get it thinking. You feel inspired to accomplish things (whether it's checking something off your to-do list or changing the world), but there's plenty of time for making things happen later in the day. First, pancakes.

Okay... the personality quiz was somehow right. I can be a bit of a perfectionist with some "routine". Ngyaha! But I can be sloppy when I want to (or when I can't help it). I don't literally read newspapers in the mornings but I truly feel inspired to accomplish things on a daily basis. And yes, I wake up for breakfast! Haha!

How To Fix a NullPointerException?

2007-10-17T16:52:00.000-05:00

Here's one of those memonts when my lips and my mind say/think differently.

QA Guy runs web application and hollers: Hey, Ann! There's a NullPointerException.

Gaaah! I hate it when people call me Ann*. But now that I'm a small fish (tropical, that is) in a big pond of US Citizens and immigrants, I have given in. Why? I guess I just got tired and lazy to exacerbate the triviality of this annoyance. And oh, since he had to shout out loud "NullPointerException"... I might as well call the ambulance! Boohoo!

ME: Okay... In which screen? Have you logged it as a Defect?

We have a cool tool you know. You sign in, open a few screens, describe your findings, and I'll get back to you with a solution. That's HOW it works, ya know!

QA Guy: No. Looook.

Fine. Now he wants me to walk over and read the logfile. Okay. He might make sense this time, who knows? He might be a wonderful professional afterall.

ME: What did you do to find that error?

QA Guy: I don't know. You think you can fix it?

Sure. I can fix anything. I've been involved in this project for barely a week. Sure. I can fix anything. And yes, a NullPointerException explains EVERYTHING. A NullPointerException can be caused by an OCEAN of possibilities! I need specific details, phhleeeazzzzz! I don't have to explain that to you. You must have been in the IT industry when I was still watching Sesame Street or Ghostbusters!

ME: I can try.

Fast forward one month. He got moved to another floor. Yippiyayey!!! Here's a bonus, my Project Manager wanted me back to join my former team. Goodbye lazy, pretentious QA Guy! You're a shame to the real QA people I know (back home) who know what they do and are good at it.

-------------------
* Ann sounds too girly for me. Too common. And, guess what I prefer to be called with? Marie. Hahaha! Someone once reacted, "And you think "Marie" isn't common? Duh!" Yeah. I'm wonderfully weird sometimes. Thank God for friends who can say such things in my face. Really.

"Lost In Translation"

2007-08-21T15:04:00.000-05:00

Who: YBW - Young Brown Woman (That's me!) and OWW - Old White Woman (Well, an old white American woman)
What: They had a short, weird chitchat
When: One sunny Saturday afternoon, many weeks ago
Where: Inside a chapel

OWW: "What time does the mass start?"
YBW: "I'm not sure, I haven't been here this time of the day before."
OWW: "I see."
(short pause)
OWW: "Are you Thai?"
YBW: "No, I am Filipino. Why?"
OWW: "Nothing. There's just so many of you here now, it's hard to tell."
(some silence)
YBW: "Are you here for the anticipated mass?"
OWW: "Say what?"
YBW: "anticipated mass" (Speaking slightly louder. YBW wonders if OWW has hearing problems.)
OWW: "Oh.. oh yes!"
(short pause)
OWW: "Nice. You are not second class [Filipino]."
YBW was silent. Her brows could knit a table cloth!

What the hell was she trying to say?!?! I don't have a clear understanding of what she meant upto now. A dozen thoughts rushed into my mind that moment but, I rather not jot them down here. I leave the rest to you, my fellow Filipinos.

How to be a Lazy Jogger

2007-07-30T10:57:00.000-05:00

"So where are you going today?", asked my roomie who just got dressed for work one Saturday afternoon. "I'll take a jog nearby, maybe just by the park around this block," I said. "Be careful, okay. Remember when two big men saw us jogging together and stared at us like they were going to eat us? Argh! Be careful, okay?" "I will," I assured her.

Tada! Forty-five minutes later, I found myself more than a mile away from our apartment. I have a couple of books in my sling bag which I intend to return to the library. I've been going to the Evanston Public Library since I moved here; and I never had to buy books! (I am not cheap, just smart. Haha! Okay, okay, cheap AND smart. Hey, I consider it my way of taking benefit from the taxes the government takes from my paycheck! Besides, I really enjoy spending a few hours in the library, when I feel like it.)

I spent a few moments browsing through a current issue of Home Journal magazine which has two of my favorite celebrity chefs on its cover: Giada de Laurentiis and Ina Garten. I got a hold of 3 more books that I could take home with me. I borrowed Like Water For Chocolate, Moby Dick -- The White Whale, and The Inquisitive Cook. Yey!

I checked out of the library and jogged around a corner. I felt hungry and I was craving for freshly baked bread when I saw the Panera Bakery. Yeeeeee! The lazy jogger decided to take a break. She took her time skimming through the overhead menu. She was delighted with the sight of bread and pastries in the store. "I'd like to have a Portobello Mushrooms and Mozzarella Panini, please, ... and a tall glass of green iced tea."

The lazy jogger savored every bite of her grilled sandwich. She munched on the crunchy bread that hold together the stringy cheese and tender mushrooms. She picked up small bits of caramelized onion that fell off at every bite. Yummmy... She wondered, "Should I still jog my way back home or should I just take the train?"

She headed out of the bakery. With a fully belly, she decided to walk to the lake. The lake was making beautiful crashing sounds against the rocky shore. So, the lazy jogger sat by a big rock and basked in the sun. She let the wind brush her sweaty hair, reminding her of the ocean she misses back home. She misses the triggerfish that almost bit her on one dive, the big waves at Siargao, and the colorul fish and corals in the shallow shores of Anilao.

Time to jog. Again. She jogged alongside health buffs who were sweating like crazy. Some faces were familiar -- faces that she had seen jogging past by her an hour ago. She got distracted with the sight of one man jogging with his baby in its trolley. Cool eh? Talk about multitasking -- jogging and baby-sitting!

She heard dogs barking by the beach, with their owners throwing neon-colored toys to the lake. The dogs happily swim to the lake to get the toy back! The lazy jogger stopped and realized she finally found the Dog Beach she once read online. Lucky dogs. Then she wonders, do these dogs have lifeguards too? Could they be dogs, too?

It's past 5pm and the sun is still glaring. The lazy jogger forced herself to continue and not be distracted anymore. She made her promise till she realized she almost got lost. Thanks to the grid-like streets of Evanston, she managed to get home, relying on basic high school geometry concepts: perpendicular and parallel lines.

"What a pleasant afternoon jogging around Evanston! Now it's time to shift gears; time to do my laundry..."

KANAN, right?

2007-05-14T20:16:00.000-05:00

Notice the boat docked at the Navy Pier here at Chicago, IL. "Kanan" in Filipino means right, hence my title-that-tries-to-be-catchy. This boat Kanan brings tourists around Downtown Chicago (backdrop), which I yet have to try. For now, I enjoy waving at them (or not) when these boats cruise along Chicago River which is very close to my office building.

Here's more about Navy Pier and Chicago's love for the arts.

I'm 28 on the 28th

2007-03-27T09:11:00.000-05:00

That's tomorrow -- my first birthday away from home.

When I was very young, I dreamed of getting married at the age of 28. It's the age that I think I am already capable of nurturing my own family and withstanding its difficulties. It's the age that I think I am mature enough to do a lot of things on my own. Well, I'm turning 28 tomorrow and I certainly am not getting married soon. I am not so sure if I am "mature enough to do a lot of things on my own". But I certainly am on my own now.

Contrary to other people, I like celebrating my birthday no matter how simple or extravagant the celebration may be. When I say celebrate, I do not necessarily mean having a party. I mean, celebrating it in a sense that I take that day more special than any other day. I do not keep it a secret from the people around me. To me, a birthday should be remembered not so to have a reason to indulge in parties and gimmicks. Likewise, I don't keep it a secret so I don't get pestered by my friends to have me treat them for snack or dinner. (Yeah, that's how birthdays are celebrated in my home country -- the celebrator spends for the party.)

A birthday is a reason to pause and look back at the blessings I have had in my lifetime. It's a stop sign in life's freeway to remind me that I have gone this far! I may not yet be as rich as I wanted to be... not yet as "fulfilled" as I wanted to be... but all that matters is I am here. I am alive. I AM.

Yes, I am geographically distant from my family but they are always in my heart. I admit I feel a tinge of pain for not having them around tomorrow. It's a feeling I cannot tramp on. Still, I feel blessed for belonging to them. Life is good. All it takes is a positive perspective.

Who did it???

2007-03-12T14:58:00.000-05:00

I took this picture during the winter when we were driving around Belle Isle Park. We were simply enjoying the view when... splat! bird poop!

Who among you did it???

2007-02-06T00:49:00.000-06:00

I do not write poems but, one night, I find myself rolling uneasily in my shallow sleep. I've been pondering about my new endeavor in the coming months (or years). There's this feeling of needing to move... to flow... to always seek the unknown...

Flowing to the Unknown

I winked unto the vastness above me
The radiance of the sun pierces through my body
I am in the middle of nowhere but I am not lost
I am on my own but never alone

Strong winds take me to unknown shores
Where I bask in the pleasure of feeling alive
When nothing stirs me up, I still move somehow
I can never be still

I exist to conquer myself
I rise. I fall.
No matter what, I will need to flow

I go to places but I will always be me
I am the sea

I Got an 80Gig External Hard Disk For Christmas!!!

2007-01-05T04:32:00.000-06:00

Huraaaaay!!!

I was backing up my files from my office laptop to my spankin' new IBM external hard disk when I saw this...

This was taken Spring of 2005 by my friend and officemate who I travelled around Toronto with. This was taken somewhere along Church Street (See the irony? Hehe!) at downtown Toronto. It was the season when same-sex marriages in Canada got legalized.

Hermit Crabs Gone Wild

2006-11-27T23:01:00.000-06:00

Last night, an officemate told me about hermit crabs in fancy-painted shells on exhibit at the Robinson's Galleria mall. He said, the moment he saw the poor creatures in the mall, he thought of me and how I would react to such. So, out of curiosity, I chose to do my grocery at the Galleria so I could also see for myself what he was talking about.

The lady in the booth told me that these crustaceans were brought here all the way from Zamboanga. In this wet terrarium, there are lots of shells of various colors. Artificial that is. They have been hand-painted with cartoon characters and even food icons like the friendly bee, Jollibee! Haha!

Each hermit crab is sold at 100 pesos each. 150 pesos for the bigger ones, though.

At some point I felt for these crabs (and against humans). They should be crawling freely on the sea shores and not on some small plastic cage!!! They should be in the wild, living their own lives, and not being sold for profit! Still, a part of me says that there's no harm in turning hermit crabs into pets. They're not in the extinct list anyway.

I do not have a black and white definition of my verdict on this issue. I'm still leaning on the gray area. To me, as long as they are not extinct and they are treated well, they can be pets. And they should be taken VERY good care of.

Kulam candles???

2006-10-23T06:41:00.000-05:00

I must admit, it has been a a long, long time ago since I've been to a traditional church. By traditional, I mean, an old rustic church enlivened with vendors or hawkers of colorful balloons, toys made out of old cans, native kakanin, religious items, and ofcourse, candles.

The pictures above made me think twice about what they were trying to sell me -- candles shaped like a woman! For a moment it freaked me out! I'm sorry I might have confused you there, but it reminded me of kulam.

"Toys! Toys! Mommy, I want that toy!"
Antipolo's famous suman, sticky rice cooked inside coconut leaves. It has to be dipped on sugar, then eaten. Yumm!!

My Bikini Bottom Pals

2006-08-30T03:00:00.000-05:00

Hanging out with one of my bestest college friend Chacha is one of my favorite things... what more to accidentally bump into my Bikini-Bottom friends!!! Imagine 2 grown up girls taking pictures with these... crazy noh! Then I hum... "Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?"

Sleeping On The Job

2006-08-02T22:00:00.000-05:00

Atleast once, everyone must have behaved like this feathered friend -- sleeping on the job. The sight of this sleepy head amidst a busy street in Montreal is cute! I got caught sleeping on the job too... not cute. Tee hee!

Exactly one year ago...

2006-06-14T06:34:00.000-05:00

Exactly one year ago, I braved Toronto's bus and train system to get to my destination. It was spring. I miss Toronto.

One Day at a Time

2006-05-25T22:18:00.000-05:00

Last night, I was idly browsing thru my small part of the huge family bookshelf when I grabbed this old book. It is a book my mom got as a gift about three years ago. I remember the many times it gave me inspiration to move on during the very pressing times of my previous job (It was a managerial job and I had to travel a lot). That job was just so difficult for me. I was only 23 but I was managing 14 programmers and a dozen demading clients! Sometimes I also do sales and tag along with our marketing arm to get new clients. This book got me through all that pain. This book is somewhat heavier than most books of the same size yet I bothered to take it with me even during client demos outside Metro Manila. I noticed the name of the author "Francis Kong" and it somewhat rang a bell in my head.

Just half a year ago, a friend invited me to join her attend the 2nd Grand EB of EntreplinkPhilippines. I was so impressed and inspired by the speakers who talked about their lifestyles as entrepreneurs. I remember a certain speaker F. Kong who left the best impression on me. Alas! It was Francis Kong! Darn! If I knew he was the same person who wrote the book I so much cherish, I should have brought the book and asked him to sign it for me. Oh well... all the more I aspire to be like them -- well-rounded entrepreneurs. Like Mr. Kong, I want to be an entrepreneur, speaker, writer, mentor, family-person and most especially, an inspiration for people like me who simply take "one day at a time".

An Ode to My Digicam

2006-04-06T05:01:00.000-05:00

Oops! There is no ode here. I've been wanting to write an ode but I don't think I can really make one.

How do you say goodbye to something that has been with you through the years? Anyhow, dear digicam, you are still the best thing I've bought abroad. I bought you with the first few hundred dollar bills that ever landed on my own hands... And you never failed to keep precious memories for me and my friends.

Thanks for being with me at Universal Studios, Griffith Park, Hollywood Boulevard, the Golden Gate and the long stretch of Las Vegas. Thanks for capturing my first glimpse of the amusing American airports. Thanks for being with me despite the scourching heat of the sun at Guam. I particularly loved how you recorded movies of my first visit to MarineLand. Thanks for withstanding the cold with me at Toronto. I tried skiing and fell many times on the snow and you managed to record all that fun stuff! It has been 5 years, my friend... 5 wonderful years of trigger happy moments.

Tonight, I shall be claiming my new digital camera straight from Japan but, to me, you are still my best digicam. I sold you in ebay thru a trusted friend. And I know you are in good hands now.

My Greek Attempt

2005-11-06T07:41:00.000-06:00

I am no cooking expert. In fact, I am a kitchen idiot. I morph into a 3-year-old whenever I am in the kitchen. With a knife or a laddle in hand, I say "Hey, can I brush my teeth or comb my hair with this?"

Lo and behold! Some ancient spirit possessed by earthly body! I found myself making Greek dinner for my family! I am no longer like a 5-year-old... but err... like a 9-year-old. Not bad, ei?!

I was so proud of myself I took a picture of my "creation" and posted it here. It's called Souvlaki -- Greek Sandwich. I also had Greek Salad on the side. My favorite was my tomato wedgies, onions and crumbled Feta cheese... heavenly!

Now I shall summon another spirit to take me to the kitchen again and whip up another dish. Hmmm.... I've been to Bollywood last Friday night. I need some Indian chef spirit to possess me this time...

As Clouds Kiss the Mountain

2005-11-01T10:26:00.000-06:00

I found comfort beneath a drenched tent
Till morning dew dripped onto my forehead
One more minute, I said

I savor this moment of freedom
Atop a mountain, miles away
Away from the metropolis -- full stress and dismay

I open my eyes and sniff the scent of pine trees
I feel the rocks at my back
Still as cold as my heart

I crawl out of this passing refuge
I felt my heart skip a beat or two
I took a long deep breath, could he now be taking one too?

The wind brushed my long black hair
Blowing hard like madness
Blowing away my sadness

In a blink of an eye
Clouds blurred my sight
I was like walking in the clouds – what a delight!

One more blink of an eye
Clouds vanished into thin air
Clouds kissed the mountain’s cheek in swift flair

But this mountain I envy
Why I have no clue
But I know that as clouds kiss the mountain I remember only you

The Distance by Evan and Jaron

2005-10-27T23:19:00.000-05:00

The Distance
by Evan and Jaron

The sky has lost it's color
The sun has turned to grey
At least that's how it feels to me
Whenever you're away

I crawl up in the corner
As I watch the minutes pass
Each one brings me closer to
The time when you'll be back
You're coming back

I can't take the distance
I can't take the miles
I can't take the time
Until the next time I see you smile
I can't take the distance
And I'm not ashamed
That I can't take a breath without saying your name
I can brave a hurricane
And still be standing tall when all the dust has settled down
But I can't take the distance

I still believe in feelings
But sometimes I feel too much
I make believe you're close to me
But it ain't close enough
Not nearly close enough

Comfort Food

2005-10-16T11:02:00.000-05:00

It was not until recently when I understood what Comfort Food really meant. I have been very depressed lately; bear hugs and shallow jokes were not enough to cheer me up. Though I feel blessed for having a lot of friends who are always by my side, I wanted more... I wanted something simple yet powerful enough to make me smile and forget my pain.

As I walked past too many two-legged omnivores/carnivores/vegans/or-what-have-you in the mall, I knew I needed to sink my teeth into something, you know, comforting. Funny but my stupid craving brought me to Chowking. Yeah, I must admit, it's one of my favorite fastfood. Yes, thanks to steamed kangkong and bagoong, I felt happy! Truly comforting. Here's a short list of my comfort food from the top of my head:

Chowking's Kangkong with Chinese Bagoong (Shrimp Paste)
Kinilaw na Nokus (Surigaonon for squid)
Dried Nokus and Danggit
Inihaw na Talong (Broiled Eggplant) at Bagoong
Ansuhan (Surigao's crushed and fermented shrimp paste)
Jollibee's Choco-mallow Pie
Jollibee's Coffee Jelly
Shawarma from Makati Jolli-jeep or wherever for that matter
Fried Tofu
Jollibee's ChickenJoy
Wendy's make your own salad
Raisins
Champoy (I used to have this as a reward everytime I ace an exam in grade school)

And oh, craving is probably an understatement. I felt I needed food to make me feel a lot better. Like how clownfish Nemo finds comfort within the stinging tentacles of a sea anemone.

EVERYTHING by Lifehouse

2005-09-28T11:44:00.000-05:00

EVERYTHING by Lifehouse

Find Me Here
Speak To Me
I want to feel you
I need to hear you

You are the light
That's leading me
To the place where I find peace again.

You are the strength, that keeps me walking.
You are the hope, that keeps me trusting.
You are the light to my soul.
You are my purpose...you're everything.

How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

You calm the storms, and you give me rest.
You hold me in your hands, you won't let me fall.
You steal my heart, and you take my breath away.

Would you take me in?
Take me deeper now?
How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

Cause you're all I want, You're all I need
You're everything,everything
You're all I want your all I need
You're everything, everything.
You're all I want you're all I need.
You're everything, everything
You're all I want you're all I need, you're everything, everything.

And How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?
How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

Ang Unyon in CA

2005-09-01T00:55:00.000-05:00

You guys... I miss us. Remember those days we spent all of our time together whether at work or at play? For months we painted the town red and adopted it as our own playground. Now, we have each moved on. One has been travelling to Europe; the other has been happily working for a Swedish IT company; another is working in the US; yet another is happily teaching and working for a state university. I have gone to other places too and have explored new hobbies. Still, I am proud of us. [Picture taken February 1, 2001 - San Bernardino, California]

THE SCIENTIST by Coldplay

2005-08-28T14:08:00.000-05:00

THE SCIENTIST
by Coldplay

Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry
You don't know how lovely you are

I had to find you
Tell you I need you
Tell you I set you apart

Tell me your secrets
And ask me you questions
Oh let's go back to the start

Running in circles
Coming in tales
Heads are a science apart

Nobody said it was easy
It's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard

Oh take me back to the start

I was just guessing
At numbers and figures
Pulling your puzzles apart

Questions of science
Science and progress
Do not speak as loud as my heart

Tell me you love me
Come back and haunt me
Oh and I rush to the start

Running in circles
Chasing tails
And coming back as we are

Nobody said it was easy
Oh it's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be so hard

I'm going back to the start

Lord of the Sink

2005-08-23T05:12:00.000-05:00

Lord of the Sink

Max's is timeless

2005-08-22T02:26:00.000-05:00

Max's is timeless.

I remember going to Max when I was a kid, and on special occasions throughout my school years. Now that I am not as young anymore, I still go to Max's for their chicken. Though, last night, I went to Max's for their KareKare. I was not disappointed. We also had chicken sisig and I am still raving about it to my workmates till now.

YELLOW by Coldplay

2005-07-28T04:18:00.000-05:00

YELLOW
by Coldplay

Look at the stars,
Look how they shine for you,
And everything you do,
Yeah they were all yellow,

I came along
I wrote a song for you
And all the things you do
And it was called yellow

So then I took my turn
Oh all the things I've done
And it was all yellow

Your skin
Oh yeah your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
D'you know you know I love you so
You know I love you so

I swam across
I jumped across for you
Oh all the things you do
Cause you were all yellow

I drew a line
I drew a line for you
Oh what a thing to do
And it was all yellow

Your skin
Oh yeah your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
D'you know for you i bleed myself dry
For you i bleed myself dry

Its true look how they shine for you
look how they shine for you
look how they shine for you
look how they shine for you
look how they shine for you
look how they shine
look at the stars look how they shine for you

Playful Meerkats

2005-07-20T22:15:00.000-05:00

Adorable meerkats at the Toronto Zoo. [My favorite, di ba Bey?] I took this picture when my cam's LCD viewfinder died on me. Now, this is what I call Blind Photography... Hee hee

Unattached for Six Months

2005-07-17T21:27:00.000-05:00

It had been six months of gadgetry freedom. Please congratulate me. :-P

This bliss ended last weekend when I finally got myself a mobile phone unit. I am starting to miss those days when I need not worry about charging that noisy piece of metal. Not that I don't like gadgets; it's just that maybe, sometimes, we have to get ourselves unattached to these things. It's not new for me to hear people say they feel naked when they do not have their cellphones with them. That sounds crazy, but it's true to many! I am just proud of myself for having endured that long.

Sky is the Langit

2005-07-02T14:59:00.000-05:00

The skies of Niagara at a little past eight in the evening.

Kiss my white ass

2005-06-27T15:03:00.000-05:00

Kiss my white ass [Lakeshore, ON]

Who you lookin' at ei?!

2005-06-25T11:41:00.000-05:00

Who you lookin' at ei?! [Scenic Caves, Collingwood ON]

Feathered Freaks Invade Toronto

2005-06-22T23:36:00.000-05:00

At first, they left signs on the shore...

Then they invaded this part of the continent...

Hail Toronto's new lords!!! Count DuckU and Countess DuckA

The Greatest Gift

2005-06-19T20:06:00.000-05:00

I heard mass today and I was not as drowsy as I used to. I just heard one of the best sentences ever. The priest, in his Homily, popped a question:

What is the greatest gift a father could give to his children?

[I held my breath.]

The greatest gift a father can give his children is to love their mother.

... Happy Father's Day to all the fathers I know ;)

Korean BBQ

2005-06-19T17:25:00.000-05:00

Korean BBQ Restaurant at Markham, ON. Eat all you can, but cook it yourself first =P

My Urban Adventure

2005-06-12T18:44:00.000-05:00

With my weekend clothes in my backpack and two maps at hand, I took a deep breath and said to myself, I can do this...

It was 3:00pm when I left my hotel room. It was hot. It was 31C. I walked two blocks to Matheson Boulevard for my first bus ride in North America. (Ye, I've been here for almost 14 weeks altogether and have always been pampered with the company car.) I did my assignment the day before by calling up the bus company and ask for the bus schedule within my area. I opened my notebook and I read bus#7 3:19pm. I was 10 minutes early. I was toasting in the heat of the sun when the bus arrived. I was thrilled! I wanted to take a picture of the bus entrance but I was too embarrassed to do that for now... Maybe later, I said to myself.

I took out my huge map and spread it like I had no seatmates. I'd rather look stupid than get lost, you know! (Despite the fact that I enjoy getting lost--but not this time, my relatives in East York are expecting me, in time for supper.) I realized how vast the airport was. It took a long time traversing the Airport Road alone. What I enjoyed most though, was seeing the Indian, Pakistanian, Iranian, Chinese stores and restaurants that lined up that road. International, ei?!

After 45 mins in my first bus, everyone took off at the Westwood Mall which is just more than 10kms north from my starting point. I took another bus from Mississauga Transit's bus depot (behind Food Basics). As per Customer Service's instruction, I should take bus#40 which departs at 4:00pm. I laughed out loud alone when the thought came to me that I had no watch nor cellphone. I peeped through my backpack to check the time... I was too embarrassed to have anyone see me check the time with my bulky desk alarm clock... Haha... I was soo desperate for a watch I just took it with me! With necessity comes ingenuity. Har har!

To this point I can attest that Canadians are one of the friendliest people I have ever met (aside from Filipinos, ofcourse). One lady, who was sitting beside me, asked if I need any help going to where I'm heading to. We chatted for a while and I felt better. She took off on the next bus stop. Then I realized I lost my purse. KIDDING! I am commuting in Toronto, not in Tondo or Quiapo.

After about 30mins, I found myself at the Islington Subway Station. Finally!!! My first bus took me north, while this second bus took me south. Funny, there should have been a shorter/faster way to get to the Islington station. I just convinced myself that the lady at Customer Service wasn't playing a joke on me. It was a Saturday. Bus routes change on the weekends and commuters don't have much choice.

I dropped a tooney and two quarters at the subway entrance. I patted myself at the back. I'm halfway through my urban adventure.

Riding the subway was a breeze. TTCwas easy to follow. There's just one long line from West to East of Toronto then right smack in the middle is a U-shaped train route going Downtown and North. (Way simpler than the NYC subways I heard of... like spaghetti.) At the TTC Subway, signs were all over. I am confident I will find my out. I particularly enjoyed our passage from CastleFrank to Broadview because we were over the Don Valley Parkway. There was sunlight. Then it gets dark again. After 2 more stops, I took off at Pape Station. Took bus#81 and sat beside a Chinese-looking woman who seems to be schizophrenic. She just laughed and talked boisterously, but she did no harm. I felt calm.

Then I made my first mistake; I took off one bus stop too early. I walked for more than a kilometer and missed the building I was supposed to take. I snapped pictures along the way then walked back. My aunt was teary-eyed to see my in one piece. She said she was so worried about me. I was sweating and quite exhausted myself. I found comfort in her arms and chugged a tall glass of cold water. Thank God I made it.

In summary, I took two buses, one subway, and another bus to travel from Mississauga to East York on a Saturday. It took 3 hours all in all.

This afternoon, my commute back to Mississauga was less of a hassle. A distant relative I met last night advised me to take Westbound and take off St. George. I took another train going North and took off at Eglington West. I waited for about 10mins to take bus#32B, which had a female driver. Quite new to me. That bus was jampacked! I felt like I was commuting in Manila! There was no aircon and people around me were sweating... just like me. The bus route ended at Renforth so I had no choice but walk from there to Orbitor. It was a good 2km walk and I simply took advantage of the scenery. I took a few pictures I hope you'll enjoy...
Flowers by Eglington
That's our office, the rightmost building
Picnic table and the many trees that line Eglington

Birds Parking

2005-06-05T09:40:00.000-05:00

Seagulls likewise find parking at the niagara parking lot.

Taken on my third visit to the Niagara Falls. Went there with a friend from here and with my college classmate who flew from LA for the weekend.

Thank God, we're different

2005-05-31T21:52:00.000-05:00

One crazy girl plus two others make one crazy feat: to be strapped together and hung 50 meters above the ground and make a sudden free fall. Yup, we braved Canada's largest free-fall swing, the Xtreme Skyflyer™. We made it our grand finale after a day of rollercoaster rides in Wonderland. Woohoo! Allow me to quote my workmate on his take on rollercoaster theme parks... "They make you pay to inflict pain on you!!!" Hilarious!

The three of us were already strapped in apron-like suits when the operators of Skyflyer told us to move to the next tower so we could immediately take our turn. Crazy me, I agreed. My other workmate agreed (coz he's just as crazy as me). The other one doubted. She said, the other tower we're moving to may not have had other riders that day... in technical terms, it has not been tested yet for that day. And just like that, I told the operators we'd rather stay in our current tower and wait for our turn.

I am glad she doubted about taking the new tower. I am glad she thought differently from us. Had we chosen the new tower, we have no video to take home and show off to our friends. The "Skyflyers" in the new tower did not have their flights videotaped. (We did not mind paying another 10 bucks each to take home the video. It was worth it!)

Again, I am glad she thought differently from us. She is a QA Engineer, while we (my male officemate and I) were developers. She had the tendency to doubt and test first before fully trusting on anything. This has been helpful in our practical lives. As shallow as it may sound, I earned a better appreciation of our differences... whether it's our differences in tasks, talents, skills, ethnicity, attitudes, etcetera. It's God's way of telling us that we need each other. Thank God, we're different.

Peacocks and Men

2005-05-26T22:03:00.000-05:00

Male peacocks are like men.

My workmates and I were having snack in the dining hall, when, by the glass window, a male peacock showed off its beautiful fan of long, colorful feathers. The kids were staring at it and were making peacock-like sounds. They were probably trying to confuse the feathered guy. Not too far away is a female peacock. It was plain brown. It was feeding on some seed of some sort near the boulders that separate her from the beautiful male; pretending not to notice the dozens of peacock eyes that seemingly stare at her, yearning for her attention.

Some men are like peacocks. They slyly attract women's attention by showing off their six-pack abs under a Lacoste shirt--one that can feed a poor family for one whole day. They tell you about their latest gadget and how they afforded it with their high-paying jobs (quote-unquote). Others manage to utter a litany of their titos and titas, cousins or barkada who are the current people in authority or were former bigwigs. But, the most interesting of them all, are men who pretend to be shy and softspoken, but somehow interrupts another male to make a statement... "I haven't been there before but is it like Hawaii? Coz I've been there man... twice!"

Male peacocks are beautiful. Some men are beautiful (inside-out). Therefore, male peacocks are like some men.

The sun at 6:54pm

2005-05-23T19:35:00.000-05:00

I took this a while ago from my Uncle's Car while at Eglington Avenue. It was exactly 6:54pm. This time of the year, the sun sets at around 9 in the evening.

Dream Food, Dream Book

2005-05-21T10:04:00.000-05:00

Late this week, my workmates, a few friends, and I had dinner downtown. The place was a busy restaurant that serves Thai Food, one of my favorites. We had gotten there twice already but their food, for me is worth coming back. They challenge their customers: "How hot can you get?". They render this Chili scale in a funny way:

Mild - some dishes are already a bit spicy
Medium - a little kick
1 Chili - nice
3 Chili - Thai medium
5 Chili - Watch out!
10 Chili - Are you sure?
15 Chili - Some like it hot
20 Chili - Can get stomach upset

I tried 1 Chili last week, so I ordered Chicken Panang in 3 Chili! Whooohoo!!! I liked it. Though I finished last this time. Yummy. I will go back to Toronto for this! Haha. They are not paying me for this but if I got you curious about this food trip, it's at 335 Yonge Street. Try to visit their website Salad King. Sorry I can't tell you why they named themselves Salad King, they'd sound to serve just salad with that name, but in case you figured it out or heard someone figure it out, send me a message or post a comment. I would love to hear it!

The best part is yet to come.

I finally had a copy of the book I have been looking for, for months now. I'm so so so so thrilled to finally have a copy, incidentally, as I risked going into The World's Biggest Bookstore (Yonge corner Edward... walking distance from Salad King) - while my workmates had gas spasms waiting for me. The book is Diving and Snorkeling Philippines (Lonely Planet Pisces Books) by Heneage Mitchell

Sure I found it online but the shipping cost to Manila would be a rip off. I posted an email to diversions yet it seems like noone has a copy. I am just so happy that night... so happy and excited to finally take diving lessons as soon as I get home. I was smiling in my sleep.

I tucked myself into bed tonight but...

2005-05-18T23:27:00.000-05:00

I tucked myself into bed tonight but I can't sleep. My mind is still wandering and somehow wants to express itself. I could blame this to the can of soda I chugged an hour ago whilst having sushi with a workmate. He was right, soda right before bedtime would make me sleepless. Yeah.. yeah... so what?.. a little caffeine should not hurt... but here I am pounding like crazy on my laptop. Or maybe it's because of what I saw on TV half an hour ago. I still can't stop thinking about it. It was a reality show called "Naked in the House"... thought it was another sexually explicit show of somesort. [They are quite lax here in Toronto.] But it was intellectually and artistically stimulating! It's a competition for photographers of all levels. Each photographer were given, plainly the ff:

one beach house (filled with house objects with character... some old, some new)
one camera (an SLR ofcourse)
one lens
one roll of film with only 10 frames
one naked woman (she's gorgeous)
and 30 minutes - no artificial lighting, no assistants

Like each of the photographers, I crunched into thinking how to take great pictures only with these elements! This was a reality show and I witnessed each photographer's frustration (saw a lot of those), anxiety (one said nothing but "This was more difficult than I expected"), wit, talent, humor, punctuality (one came in very late - quite unusual for someone in North America), arrogance (one almost feels like he will end up winning), etcetera. At the end of the show, each photograph was hung on the walls of a gallery and were judged accordingly. Some of my favorites came out to be winners! There's this closeup shot of the naked woman smiling and very relaxed on a hammock. Her face was given more attention but with her right breast exposed, it looked more natural and liberating. The winning photo was taken by a student. She was young and very promising. Her shot was of the blue sky with some clouds (cumulus and some cirrus, I think) then the naked woman having her body face the camera (again, makes both her breasts exposed) but her face over her right shoulder, towards the same side of the sky. Simple, yet beautiful.

Now I realize I have a hint of interest in photography. Now I ponder, should I start developing this into a hobby? I remember putting up my own website hundreds of years ago. I filled it up with pictures of me and my travels, but I especially kept a small part of it for seemingly "artistic" photos - still life, contrasting colors, with my THEN high-tech sony cybershot DSC-S50... Circa 2000. I bought it for around 500 dollars in Circuit City. [There goes my first allowance in foreign currency in my whole IT career. Haha!] I still rememer those days. Those were the days when everyone kept asking me, what kind of camera do you have? Is it true that it does not have film? ... Now everyone has one. And mine has become bulky and obsolete, but, nonetheless, interesting!!! (Because of it's size, and it's LCD that swivels! I like that feature a lot.)

I don't know how to concluded this blog. I am just glad I can sleep now. My mind has spoken; now my body shall take over... and march into bed. Good night everyone!