Photoblog - Day 198, Oct 24, 2010

Cuenca Visit with 'Dubai' folks:

I normally try to visit my mom and sister in Cuenca at least once a quarter. Recently, though, this has not been the case. For example, I was supposed to go last August to celebrate the birthdays of Li, Bing and Patty in one go - wasn't able to make it due to a busy schedule. Darned if I would pass up this opportunity though.

Cuenca trips are well remembered by my 'Dubai' in-laws because of the gastronomic dishes we serve them there - and most of them being of generous and extra large serving. This time out, it seems the classic grilled Liempo was outdone by the humble smoked fish... something I guess they've really missed eating.

That said, we all ate more than enough to last us beyond dinner - and such a filling situation gave everyone else an excuse to walk around. Me? I finished reading a book while awaiting the famous Batangas Barako Coffee to be served.

My next trip will most likely be in the Christmas season... not sure if I can make a trip for Mom's birthday - but I'll see. Unfortunately, the 'Dubai' folks will be long gone to enjoy either or of these possible trips - having to go back to where they're working. But that's okay... I'm sure they have lots to talk about - with pictures to share too.

Photoblog - Day 197, Oct 23, 2010

Spa time!

This was a scheduled day at the Spa specifically for Barbie's Dubai-working relatives, and a few others. In this Photo, that would be Brian and Joji, while Ben and I... well, we're the 'few others', at least in the gentlemen side. This is them in robes after the massage (hence the uncombed hairs).

As I accompanied them, Barbie was enjoying a similar experience with her siblings Bea and Dette, with sister-in-law Lhynn. After this much needed relaxation (as mentioned by Joji and Brian to me), we had a late dinner at Eastwood, and that in itself was a nice experience... definitely better than the aborted plan to go to the Piazza in McKinley. After all, from all indications, the architecture and clock tower are the same - with exception that while Eastwood is filled with lots of places to hang out in, the Piazza looks near empty after you consider dinner.

Photoblog - Day 196, Oct 22, 2010

Red Tomatoes 2010:

This is a free concert sponsored by my favorite FM radio station; 99.5 RT - in fact, I've been an avid RT listener since... well, since college actually. Though the station went on a near 2 decade hiatus (or was it longer than 2 decades?). Anyway, they're back with a vengeance, and I get to listen to them in the morning and evening, specifically when I'm driving to or from work.

This was how I learned of their concert, and coincidence as it is... You might even say that the coincidence became stronger when I learned that a previously planned family outing was cancelled, leaving my Saturday evening open. I was in McKinley that day, conducting my last day for PM Estimating. That said, it was a simple matter of waiting for the appointed start time.

Hence I was able to get some pics of the bands playing - well, just two of them actually... Sinosikat (in the picture) and Sandwich. In between I saw a few RT jocks too. But what got me going was of course a chance to try taking really great pics of the bands.

Photoblog - Day 195, Oct 21, 2010

Great pumpkin time!

Yes, it's close to Halloween! Though we don't really celebrate it here that much in the past, it's commercial possibilities have seemingly caught on in the malls - then again, it's no real surprise, since it's the more affluent subdivisions and neighborhoods that have traditionally practiced this... I guess, wanting to make sure they have a semblance of the celebration here as in the U.S.

Still, I don't begrudge the commercial practice - after all, it's and opportunity for kids to enjoy one night of trick or treats (specially the treats) and is likewise a reason for dining places - like the coffee shop to spruce up their locale with decors of webs, witches and whatnots. In this case, the jack-o-lantern inspired decors are an attractive attention-getter. It obviously caught mine enough to take it's picture.

Ah... to be a child again, and get to enjoy trick or treats... wouldn't that be nice?

Photoblog - Day 194, Oct 20, 2010

Yummm!

By themselves, each food item is a very tasty dessert - the white items are Macapuno (preserved, sweetened coconut meat), while the yellowish item with a near burned caramel top is Leche Flan (sweetened milk pudding?). Both are well known in the Philippines, and both can be overwhelmingly sweet at times.

Fortunately, these two are not - even when placed side-by-side. Why so? For starters, these two were home made (not my home, though) and I was just lucky to be a recipient of such wonderful cooking. Believe me, these two are temptations to anyone with a sweet tooth; myself included, but I can honestly say that I have been winning the EQ war with this one - the bad part? Others at home are not so controlling, so unless I decide to eat these sooner (like this evening) I may very well end up not being able to taste them.

So as you can see, I took matters into hand last night as barbie was getting herself some. At least, I got to taste this combination... now if I cna only find some Ube (taro-flavored) ice cream...

Photoblog - Day 193, Oct 19, 2010

Current Book I'm Reading.

This is Boyd Morrison's The Ark - an okay read. Guess it's true that unlike Cebu where I had nothing to distract me with after work (and where I was able to finish reading two paperback in the span of one every two days), my reading once again, becomes slower... even if they happen to be thrillers. Guess it's because my attention is demanded (or distracted) by so many other things. Hence I bring the book wherever I go (even to trainings), so when I find those ever elusive free moments, I go through a chapter or two.

As for this novel, the premise (so far) is sound - and so is the science, though I've yet to see how he integrates Noah's ark into the story aside from it being just a background plot. Hope the fact that Boyd happened to be a Jeopardy champion translates into a great story teller... or at least, god enough to enjoy until the next book.

Photoblog - Day 192, Oct 18, 2010

Signs of Christmas...

It's definitely getting to be that time of the year. Although we may see some malls starting to place display corners or show windows with Christmas, it's not yet full blast, as some stores realize that before they should go all out Christmassy, they should at least try to milk some cash form the public with Halloween.

Still, what some people try to deny, nature so often starts reminding us by way of having such plants bloom. This is a poinsettia - otherwise referred to some as the Christmas plant due to it's reddening leaves thus giving it the traditional Christmas colors of Red and Green. It happens to be a favorite plant to bring out the Christmas look, and apparently, they are already starting to show up in gardens and flower shops.

Further alluding to it's being a Christmas plant is the fact that the leaves only seeming turn red this time of the year - yup... definitely in time for Christmas. So yeah... even if it's still early early and Halloween is around the corner (not to mention All Saint's and All Soul's days and a near-ignored Barangay Election), it's nice to see these plants blooming - and though we may suspect shop owners' intentions for jumping into the Christmas celebration too early, how can we likewise think such of Nature and her impeccable internal clock?

Photoblog - Day 191, Oct 17, 2010

Starbucks with a nice view.

If Bernice was the reason for our having to wake up early yesterday, today it was Bryce... particularly his entrance exam in De La Salle University. He had to be there by 7AM, and naturally, Barbie and I saw him off (with the understanding that we'd fetch him after he had lunch with his friends who also took the exam that day.

Naturally, once we had dropped Bryce off for his exam, the obvious question was how would we now kill time... and where? A Starbucks was the obvious choice, and though I knew of one near D.L.S.U., I had concerns about parking.

It was then that I remembered that there was a Starbucks at the area near the Cultural Arts Theater... the one with many eating spots. I thought that there would definitely be more than enough parking... and it was not too far from La Salle as well.

What I did not expect was that the Starbucks had a nice view and some great entertainment factor (by way of watching many Sunday morning enthusiasts gyrating to the beat of some dance songs while obviously following the lead of an aerobics instructor). one grandmother, in particular showed how versatile and soft her body was - even if she was at the portly side. Amazing... and yeah, entertaining.

But the clincher for this Starbucks was the view - if I had seen this picture and not known of it's location, I would not think it was just the marina (notice the yachts?) in Manila Bay... I'd think that this was probably one of Barbie's out of the country trip.

Photoblog - Day 190, Oct 16, 2010

Bernice's Confirmation Seminar:

This is what made Barbie and I wake up early on a Saturday when we normally would have wanted to sleep longer. Since Bernice will be having her confirmation this coming November, the school, naturally, wanted to make sure their students' parents were well aware of the Christian (specifically, the Catholic) values - sooo.... we got dressed in a more smart casual manner - as opposed to my more relaxed shirt and shorts weekend get-up, and off we went to O.B. Montessori, with Bernice in tow.

I dropped them off so they did not have to walk too far from the parking with the understanding that I would pass by Starbucks as well to get Barbie her much needed coffee.

Turns out they (the school) only needed - and allowed one parent per child - a fact Bernice forgot to mention, and I sudden felt I was dressed with no place to go *sigh*. So I got Barbie's coffee - brought it to her then as I was about to leave and just kill time in Greenhills (I had been there the night before - remember my latest batch of comics?); I decided to take this picture to remind me of what was so different about this Saturday. Nothing fancy... either, just a wide angle shot to capture the set-up.

Lucky for me, I brought a book to read.

Photoblog - Day 189, Oct 15, 2010

Yes... more comics:

This particular batch makes me updated with the latest releases; considering we're just a few days different from the U.S. release - they get theirs on Wednesday and we get the same come Friday or Saturday, so it's just a two to three day delay... isn't that great?

What's so special about this particular batch? For starters, it's got Secret Avengers, which to me is the best Avengers title out in the market right now. Next, it has the 2nd issue of the new Classic Invaders story - and other gem... but aside from these two, I got to get a few Return of Bruce Wayne one-shots; a surprise since I did not even know of these issues, and was lucky to see them before they were all sold out. So yeah... this is a good batch - one I intend to read sooner rather than later.

Photoblog - Day 188, Oct 14, 2010

In the RAW...

It should be no surprise to this photoblog's followers (I count at least one - he he he) that I collect a myriad of books and magazines for equally many reasons - one of them, is definitely about photography.. and when I saw this book, I did not think twice.

RAW format photography was the way my friend, Jojo, suggested to me - at first I though about the eventual filling up of my memory card with such a format, but since I bought a second memory card, i worry less about that situation. I also remember another past colleague - one I still keep in touch with via FB, Pidoy... he also talked about RAW formats some five years ago - and he used to lug his camera to work all the time too.

This had definitely gotten me curious as to what RAW formats can offer - and hopefully, with this book - and some other reference materials, I will not just understand RAW photography better - but make full use of it's features/capabilities. For now though, capturing pictures in the RAW format makes my photoblogging process one step longer - since I now have to convert them to JPEG before posting - but I'm not complaining, if what happens will turn out to be quite stunning. FYI, I think with the possible exception of a handful of pictures in this photoblog, I believe most of these pictures - specifically those after the Rotary Induction I covered with Jojo, were taken in RAW format

This book is definitely a worthy addition to my library; if just for the pictures I found inside... and I am still absorbing the wisdom found between the paragraphs. So watch out world... another RAW nut is being created... me!

Photoblog - Day 187, Oct 13, 2010

Moth part deux:

Some days there are just certain situations that really call for themselves being captured by a camera - call it a photographer's serendipity moment (well... that is, if taking pictures were like shopping). There have, of course been several times I had seen an opportunity pass me by because I did not have a camera with me at that time. .. and even when I do bring a camera with me at most times, I sometimes still miss them due to the fleetingness of the situation - not this time though.

I saw this moth resting against the glass window while I was having coffee - waiting for Barbie. As it happened, the moth was outside the mall on an evening - not being disturbed by people passing by, nor apparently by me as I sat at the chair right beside the glass - overlooking the mall's outside waiting area.

I even took my time to focus for this shot, taking two or three shots before I was satisfied with what I got. I know I had already taken a moth up close once - and that picture is also i this photoblog - so this isn't the first time I captured a moth at rest... but this picture's angle was unique, so I had to just take it - and post the pic for all to see.

Defocussing the glass made it appear that the moth was suspended in air... and the macro shot background helped ensure that focus was to the moth and nothing else.

Photoblog - Day 186, Oct 12, 2010

My dad's birthday!

My dad turned 73 today - and as he mentioned, at that age... being able to celebrate and enjoy one's birthday is a gift in itself, hence his celebrating yearly. I'd have to agree... more so if you consider the fact that he is a cancer survivor (it's in total remission for year now). At his age, he still works - and he knows his best years are behind him... but that does not stop him form being an active body.

This photo is also somewhat special since it represents three generations of Syyaps - and though we're by no means complete, we're still thankful for the blessings coming his (as well as our) way.

There's another story to this event which makes our smiles that much more meaningful (meaning it's a miracle we could smile at all), since Barbie, the kids, Ben (not in the picture, since he's the one taking the shot) and I had to literally crawl through traffic to get to my dad's place. Three hours in what should have been the fast lane - the skyway, which made me quip and post in my FB that this skyway should be renamed the crawlway.

We arrived as most of the guests had already left, the caterers were in the process of cleaning up and boy... any celebratory mood we had was eaten up with th esheer frustration of the situation. Anyway... we did get to eat (and cool down), though we were unable to stay too long to enjoy the celebration, owing to the fact that it was a weekday and the kids still had classes the next day. The point is, we did arrive - and I got to take home a few samples of the dishes I liked too (one in particular dish - the callos, ended up being my dinner for two nights straight after this - and I wouldn't have complained eating it for a third night, had it not been finished by then).

Photoblog - Day 185, Oct 11, 2010

Training time again:

Back to the grind as usual, and this time, I had to handle one training; Detailed Design, with Vener (seen in this picture) and oversee how Francis was doing in Analysis - a training he can handle by himself, though with the presence of an expat, he might have needed a boost to know i was around if and when he needed help... though that is another story.

One thing worth noting - that is relatively different from other trainings is the fact that the Detailed Design class was using the new flat-screen monitors (as seen at this picture's foreground). Why is this surprising? Let's just say I've grown accustomed to using the older CRT monitors for training - so this was definitely a welcome surprise.

Since Francis seemed to be alright, I just agreed with him that I would step in tomorrow to handle a major module in the Analysis training... right after I make sure Vener understood the general direction of how to handle the Detailed Design course - one that, I might add, he seems more qualified than I to conduct.

Photoblog - Day 184, Oct 10, 2010

Pampering time:

We have a semi-regular routine. I normally let Barbie have her pampering time on Sundays - which would normally consist of either having a facial or going to the parlor to get her nails done, while I would roam around the mall - spending time either in a bookstore or a coffee shop.

Today, however, I decided to accompany her to the parlor to likewise have my toe nails done. This after what can possibly be considered as ages. Not that I can't cut and clean my nails by myself - but let's just say, I need more professional people to help me rid myself so some stubborn ingrown growth.

So yeah... today I experienced what she normally likes doing, having my nails done while I relax and read my novel, at least, during the times I almost did not fall asleep (guess it was all those pillows) - where at you ask? Well, it's a nail spa on the 5th level of the Shangri La Plaza. Not that I plan to make a habit of this, of course... but then again, it's not a bad idea to have this 'deeper' nails cleaning every quarter (at the very least). Besides, why should I complain when Barbie is the one footing the bill, right?

Photoblog - Day 183, Oct 9, 2010

Sunset in Cavite:

This picture was taken while I was driving in Daang Hari, on our way to Cavite. There was one time I noticed how the fields in Daang Hari offered an unobstructed view of a sunset, and this time I decided to be ready to possibly capture one... after all, we were on our way through this road at the right time and with the right conditions (not too cloudy to obstruct such a sunset). Slight problem though... I was driving, so I couldn't just stop and take the picture... much less take the shot while driving.

Solution? I asked Barbie to take the picture, while I drove at cruising speed to give her time to take the shot (actually, she got to take several), so though this was not a picture I took, I sure set it up and somehow acted like a director - giving her some quick tips to do take the shot.

Then what was left was for me to take out the non-essentials like cropping the cars in the foreground - thus giving the picture a more general field view as opposed to a highway view. Not that I would not have liked a highway view... but in this case it would have been a distraction to the picture. I mean, the tree's silhouette is a counterpoint as it is, I did not need more clutter.

So until I can capture a more beautiful sunset... say from a beach, this will have to do.

Photoblog - Day 182, Oct 8, 2010

Bonding time!

Whenever I arrive from work - no fail, I am greeted by my two most ardent admirers... Buffy and Bubbles, and both will not let up trying to grab my attention until I at the very least acknowledge them with; at the very lest, a pat on the head - and even then, that may not be enough.

For Buffy, a stomach scratch will do, and Bubbles must be carried! But you know what? I don't mind. In fact, I might even be slightly disappointed should they not show that same level of enthusiasm whenever I arrive.

So... ardent admirers? Without any exaggeration, I'd definitely have to say they both are. But the reality is they are glad to see me - and I'm glad to be greeted by them with such enthusiasm. Then again, do they greet anyone else with the same manner? Yes they do - specifically Barbie, Bryce and Bernice, albeit in a slightly less enthusiastic manner.

This picture was taken by Barbie using her Blackberry - after all, we did not have enough time to set up the Canon to capture such a spontaneous moment as this. Then again, if it does happen every time I do arrive, maybe we can set something up some time. That said, consider this my (first) October picture.

Photoblog - Day 181, Oct 7, 2010

Mommy's Birthday!

Mommy (my mother-in-law) celebrated her 70th birthday today, and to celebrate it, her children decided to have dinner at Yakimix - a Japanese/Korean restaurant found in the Mall of Asia - no surprise there. What was surprising was the fact that two of her children - Bernadette and Brian, together with Lynn (Brian's wife) planed in for a surprise appearance. I was not around when it happened, but from what I could hear, mommy was stunned to see them here.

We ate at the buffet - and I took the opportunity to go Japanese with all their Sushi and Sashimi options (man was I full that evening), and did not have space for the cooked meals - well, with exception of the tempura, which I took around six pieces of.

Did I discover anything about myself that night? Yup... namely, I'm not the same person I was with the eat-all-you-can thing. I've drastically lessened my appetite. Whether it's a psychological thing or not. who knows? Maybe I was just tired? Maybe I was 'off form' that night. Whatever the case, I felt that I did not do justice to the buffet's cost - or that I did not optimize the opportunity for said meal. Oh well... guess it comes with age too.

Needless to say, the lady of the hour definitely enjoyed the night.

Photoblog - Day 180, Oct 6, 2010

Blue birds:

These are the bird-like displays hanging from the ceiling of the Rockwell Mall, and normally they'd be almost mundane - but see how lively they turn out with the help of some lighting? Even I was amazed, and had to take a picture of this. What was seemingly so 'generic' a design came alive with the spotlight and special patters being displayed that night... and to think, this was not even a light show.

Nope... what was actually happening as I was taking this picture was a rehearsal/practice prior to a mini-Broadway show at the basement of the mall. Had I time to hang around, I may have even gotten some pictures. Unfortunately, our (meaning Barbie and me) going here was just by chance - having passed the grocery for a few items... then it's back to the road - homeward bound.

But at least, for this one brief moment, I saw a different Rockwell Mall... and further realized that with proper lighting, anything mundane can look very different - and yes... lively.

But yeah... I should find more time for enjoying these serendipitous events.

Photoblog - Day 179, Oct 5, 2010

Mangoes galore:

I chanced upon this fruit stand with really nice products, and had to just ask the proprietor his permission to take pictures of some of his fruits - I guess he rarely had someone ask permission for such because he seemed pleasantly surprised. He even gamely agreed when I said it was to make some of my friends living abroad partly envious of the pictures... after all, nothing beats the sweetness of our Philippine mangoes - and this is not just a personal opinion, mind you.

So yeah... three cheers to our local mangoes! I'm sure you Filipino folks living or working elsewhere do miss it right? Me? I take it semi-regularly... as part of the juice that Barbie prepares for breakfast (and sometimes, even for dinner), so yeah... I do appreciate what we have. Nope - I'm not taking this fruit for granted.

Photoblog - Day 178, Oct 4, 2010

My stash:

Did I say that the previous 'delayed' stash would coincide with my newer stash - the one scheduled for this last weekend? Well, true enough... as I looked at my comic shop, they already had the new batch waiting.

Not one to decline my stash - specially since the comic staff had taken effort to reserve the issues for me, I bought them (even if I was not yet really finished reading the previous stash. Besides, could not ignore the new Captain America issue, nor the Fantastic Four. I was curious about the new X-force as well. So yeah... more comics to read.

Man... it sounds almost like I'm complaining. How about that...

Photoblog - Day 177, Oct 3, 2010

My delayed stash:

One of the things I did right after arriving from Cebu, is to check my comic stash, and sure enough, I had a couple of comics waiting for me - mind you, this was when a lot of comics were connected to a current Daredevil storyline, so I naturally had a thick stash waiting for me.

True to form, I was too busy to read them when I got home, and I only got to read a couple of issues at a time - normally in between some break in what I was doing. This must be one of those really rare (though come to think of it, maybe not that rare these days) times when I'll have two stashes coming in quick succession. Ah well... I still enjoy reading them... and this Shadowland thing is just temporary.

Photoblog - Day 176, Oct 2, 2010

My Library:

I've accumulated my collection of all these books for years - some spanning even decades, and in the past they hardly warranted notice. But as early as the last two years, I started collecting books again at a quicker pace, and it eventually became apparent that I would need book selves to contain my collection.

This also brings me to one of my dreams... to have a house with it's own library, and though the dream is still that - at least, the library part was somehow fulfilled - you might even say, at the right time too, since these books were really stacking up on our headboard... and I don't know about the others, but should one of these hardbound books fall... oh, say 3 to 4 feet down your face, I'm sure it would at the very least leave one with a red face. So yeah... this bookshelf idea was long overdue.

I guess the reason it did not happen earlier was because we did not really have the extra funds, plus the discovery of a reasonably priced bookshelf - since both happened this last month, I was able to get two bookshelves (and realize that I apparently need a third already - imagine that).

I must say, it does look good... since these book cases are at our living area, it gives the place a 'learned' look, and now I get to see all my books - even the ones I've yet to read, neatly stacked together. Organizing them - and I plan to do so by subject matter... now that is a task for another day (or long weekend). For now, I'm simply glad I have these bookshelves. Besides, this particular bookshelf is where the X-mass tree will be in a few weeks time (I plan to start the tree project by end of October).

Photoblog - Day 175, Oct 1, 2010

Rajah Lobby:

This is the morning I return to Manila - and despite Cebu's many attractions, I can't wait to get home and be with my family again. Yet before this happens I have one last chance to sample the Rajah's buffet breakfast - and it better be a heavy meal because I anticipate a few trips around Metro Manila first before finally arriving home.

I woke up real early... guess you could say it was the anticipation, but Fiel and I needed to be in the airport by 7AM, so we really had to have an early breakfast anyway. Still, up at 4AM? I just leisurely packed all my stuff (and almost had to sit on my luggage due to the added 'pasalubongs' I stuffed it with), then went down around 5:30AM - time when the breakfast buffet would open.

It was at this same time - when the lights were rather subdued in the lobby, that I decided to take a picture (of said lobby) from the dining area - and when I looked at the picture I was surprised at how it looked more beautiful than I noticed. Guess there are certain things the camera reveals to us... things we take for granted. In this case, how the blue lights highlight or accentuate the lobby's looks.

Ah well... thanks for the experience guys.

Photoblog - Day 173, Sep 30, 2010

Basilica:

Funny, but in the three times I've previously been to Cebu (don't be surprised at the number, I hardly have had any reason to go there), I can't remember having stopped at the Cathedral and Basilica - both showing artifacts of early Christianity in Asia. Guess in the past, I had neither time nor real interest in them.

Nowadays I guess I'm more spiritual in nature, hence even in my busy schedule, I made it a point to find time to visit both... both to see these icons for myself - to satisfy my curiosity, and to have some quiet, reflection time.

I saw the Sto Niño, of course, and marveled at the line of devotees waiting their turn to 'greet' him. I stepped on one of the oldest streets in the Philippines and even viewed where Magellan's cross was supposedly encased in an outer layered wooden cross... I say supposedly because without seeing it, we can only accept the fact that it's there (or not, and just accept the current cross as a mere symbol of what was) - and naturally, I looked at the Basilica itself.

Having read 'Pillars of the Earth' by Ken Follet, I better appreciated the workings of the old church, comparing it with the newer cathedral I came form earlier. I doubt I would have taken anything but an unappreciative cursory glance at this old church - even a historical one at that, had I not read the novel.

My only regret is that I was on the clock - so I really had only time to take selected pictures of all these things... and not get to create a near photo documentary of said church.

Maybe, on my 5th visit?

Photoblog - Day 172, Sep 29, 2010

The Terrace Garden:

This is Cebu's new pride - the Ayala Terraces, a well-designed (in my opinion) green mall concept; at least... from the gardening viewpoint. It's a great place to just hang around in the evening while enjoying your favorite coffee or brew. Hence the rows of restaurants, coffee shops and bistros overlooking the multi-tiered terrace overlooking the garden in the middle of the mall.

Since this place is literally walking distance to the PM training, Fiel and I went here almost on a nightly basis... not to drink though, but more to explore... admire the view (and take a few shots, naturally) while looking for some familiar things like a Fully Booked bookstore - where I had to get a new paperback, since the one I brought over with me to Cebu was already 'consumed' in two evenings.

The Terraces extends the old Ayala mall, thus adding more shopping space for those who wished to explore more - but I have to say that the main attraction of this place is the wonderfully manicured gardens, well-maintained trees and overall impact of serenity - even amidst the hustle and bustle of Metro Cebu.

Photoblog - Day 171, Sep 28, 2010

Cebu PM School:

Here's how our training in Cebu looked like... roughly around a dozen participants of varying levels and assignments, all inside one room - and wherever I looked I got to see similarities between one Accenture office and the next - proving the uniformity or standardized manner in the way the company handles its office designs.

As for the people, they were both friendly and accommodating - for example, when they realized that Fiel, who was in Cebu much loner than I, had just about enough of having Chicken for lunch (and dinner) they made sure that the next few days will nto see any form of Chicken in the snacks or lunch packages. I guess it was also a blessing that Fiel went ahead... so he got to properly coordinate the installation of files for the course to proceed normally.

Most importantly, this was a training that we were both comfortable to teach - having done it separately so many times. So yeah... clockwork comes to mind. Lastly... if you look at the picture hard enough, you'll see Fiel in lecture mode.

Photoblog - Day 170, Sep 27, 2010

Morning in Cebu:

Here's the view from inside the hotel looking outside to the rotunda of Fuente Osmeña on an early morning... while the sun has still to fully rise up. This is what greets me in Cebu as I have my breakfast before going to Accenture Cebu's office.

My coming to this trip in itself is a story... and let's just say it dealt this last minute adjustments, replacements and sunken expenses on the planner's viewpoint due to their... to put it politely, overblown bureaucracy. Luck for them, i was free to join Fiel (yes, it's us two again) for the PM school to be conducted here.

It's been at least a decade - maybe even two decades, since my last Cebu trip... and that, too, was training related. So much as it was a hassle to have those last minute changes, and reservations, I look forward to rediscovering Cebu... that is my silver lining in all this chaos.

Photoblog - Day 169, Sep 26, 2010

Meiji's Birthday!

Meiji is Bryce's girlfriend and I don't mind saying that she's someone who has had a relatively positive impact on both Bryce and us. Needless to say, Barbie likes her, and we have had on occasion, invited her with some family gatherings... the latest being (of course) Bryce's birthday.

This get together was not just us... but her family and friends coming out in force and getting together in California Pizza Kitchen in Greenbelt 5. I was definitely full, and we even got to chat with Meiji's mother and aunt a bit.

Too bad I had a sudden flight to Cebu early morning, so we had to go leave early. We were also not that prepared to get her a gift... but Bryce and I managed to get her her favorite flower... a Sunflower as her simple gift. Hope she liked it... and once again, thank you Meiji - not just for the food, but for the positive influence you've given Bryce.

Photoblog - Day 168, Sep 25, 2010

Comics this Week:

My weekly stash composed of a lot of Thor... two of them being independent of the regular run, and I have to give props to the Simon Bisly painted one... great work and worth the price. The other two... so so. Aside from that, I also caught up with the Neal Adams Batman story... and even if his art is still great, it lacks mood. I guess I really miss Dick Giordano both as writer/editor and inker.

Other noteworthy copies out this week... there's Iron Man, though the story is going rather slow - it is brilliant on characterization... and a build-up story in Fantastic Four, and in Green Lantern as well. Other than that... well, here's looking forward to the next releases.

Funny thing here is, despite it's relative small numbers - I still found little time to read them all in one sitting. Go figure...

Photoblog - Day 167, Sep 24, 2010

Lull time:

Believe it or not, this is a mall... and as the picture notes, its quite empty. No, there is no bomb scare... the answer to why this mall is empty is simply because it
is still closed to the public. It's still early... roughly around 7AM, and the usual mall opening time is around 10AM. So what am I doing here? How'd I get in?

I'll answer those in reverse order. For starters, there's a side entrance known bu people who need to get to the Cybermall training rooms and two, I'm here really because of the usual Friday coding scheme that affects the car 9and it's driver - me), and I have a Leadership training... day 2 of such, actually. After that last PM training, I needed this to unwind. True it's still work, but it's more relaxing work than the usual technical ones.

So why this picture? Well, its somethign I have not captured before - after all, how many of you get to see an empty mall... all right, aside from all you security guards, that is? So yeah... here is a glimpse of such.

Photoblog - Day 166, Sep 23, 2010

New Look:

This is the middle corridor in Cybermall's Accenture office, and aside from having a sleeker color scheme (the old one was more a combination of brown and mustard hues with wavy lines) the placing of these over-sized - or should I say, poster-sized pictures were a welcome to an otherwise plain wall no matter how good the new color scheme was.

These posters in particular (there are others in the other corridors), remind everyone in the know of the preferred personality traits of an Accenture employee. How do I know? Simple, I've talked about this many times in the past, as part of their New Joiners' Orientation.

And to think... a few days ago, I was thinking of printing some of my pictures in a slightly large format (or having them printed somewhere), framing them and displaying these captured images as a sort of gallery at home. Guess someone in Accenture thought the same way, huh? Overall... it does have a nice look - now we can imagine ourselves in a gallery whenever we walk these halls.

Photoblog - Day 165, Sep 22, 2010

Concentrating:

I did say that the estimating course that Fiel and I were handling was a three-day thing right? Well welcome to the image of me preparing for day 3. As a work around the limitations I previously mentioned, I found myself staying longer in the evening to explore the tools/estimators, read the powerpoint presentations and yes... studying the binder.

You see, exacerbating the situation is the fact that my laptop has yet to be fixed - if it can be fixed at all, so I have no way of studying these presentations at home - with two PCs and one of them having the monitor really showing of bad hues of pink and violet, plus the fact that the kids likewise need the PCs to study. I end up waiting for them to get done before sitting in front the the one sane PC at home.

Anyway, this is me before class... reviewing some notes in the binder before starting what would be day 3 of said class... the home stretch, and I must say it does feel great to see the end of this tunnel.

On a side note, September must be one month in this photoblog that I appeared the most times. Not my intent, mind you... its just that being focused to train a new course leaves me with little time to explore my surroundings for possible photo subjects. Still, it does capture the moment - the feeling (and frustration?) in time real well.

Photoblog - Day 164, Sep 21, 2010

Sleek...

I saw this Jaguar proudly displayed at the middle area of Greenbelts 4 and 5 - this while I went to the place to meet up with Barbie. It offered me a break from studying the estimating course, and allowed me to relax a bit. So I looked forward to the change of scenery... and what a scene it turned out to be.

This beauty attracted all passers-by, and with my trusty camera, I decided to take a few admiring shots at it. When I think of Jaguar, the first thing that comes to mind is the old TV show named The Equalizer... and even if the car in said show was just a prop, it added to the personality of said character... and since I admired said character, I felt attracted to his car.

You definitely don't see this outside of their usual show rooms or display windows - and I can but dream of the time I can own one... still, even if it still seems unreachable (for now) this does not stop me form admiring it... and taking pictures of it to share to all. (sigh)

Photoblog - Day 163, Sep 20, 2010

New Course Launched:

PM Estimating is a three-day course focused almost purely on the different estimating tools being used by Accenture, and I so happen to be half of a tandem that launched this course for this this September.

It was definitely a challenge with the limitations we've been given... like ably teaching the tool with hardly a decent preparation time, no access to the tools unless it's in the office premises - and even then, there was no dedicated machine for us to use for that sole purpose. Nope... even this thick binder, the one in the picture, was just present in the training day itself. So many reasons to fail, if you think of it... yet Fiel and I were able to conduct this dry run.

Along the way, Fiel even had to leave me to do day three solo, so he could fly to Cebu for other Accenture trainings - Oyyyyyy!

Needless to say, this was both challenging and taxing to me. I had late nights sleep as I studied the materials (mainly the lecture notes and some video faculty guides - given me the day before the training), and during the day, I had to sift through unexpected - yet viable queries.

To say I had a major-sized headache would be obvious. But we survived... hell, I survived. Just another day for a high achiever? Maybe... but this should not have happened the way it did. Lucky for them, Fiel and I were available.

Photoblog - Day 162, Sep 19, 2010

Old Friends

Yes, I will have to emphasize that they aren't old per se (hmmm... been a while since I used that term), rather that they represent friends that Barbie and I have had for a long time now; heck these guys have been around since before Barbie and I got married... so yeah, that long. I refer of course to Fred (middle) and Carlos (right) and life - or the busyness it hands us individually, has conspired to keep us from meeting each other on a regular basis.

Well not tonight. Barbie and I have hosted a few Bacardi nights in our place = normally with friends/work colleagues simply because its a lot easier to organize these with people you see almost every day. These two friends, though... had it not been for Facebook, I would not even know how to keep tans of them - and as it is, it is barely done. So when a suggestion to have a wine and cheese night instead of the usual cocktails night cropped up, Carlos said he'd be interested to have one and seeing this gem of an opportunity to try and have an old friends night, I also tried to contact Fred and Gerry.

SO the evening was spent enjoying the cheese and wine - thanks primarily to Carlos... and the conversations/catching up with each others lives. Nice night and I so nope there are sequels to this too - and hopefully, one with Gerry as well.

Who took the picture? Why Bryce did, after I had set the camera up... and even if this was technically a Saturday night get together... it did extend until Sunday, so technically it is a Sunday picture.

Photoblog - Day 161, Sep 18, 2010

Market Time Again:

This is turning into a semi-regular routine every Saturdays... I wake up early, so I can bring Bryce to his review class, I then wait him out in Greenhills shopping center, usually relaxing; enjoying the quiet of a coffee shop, armed with both my camera and some reading materials to while the time away. After this though, I check out the weekend market to get some veggies, fruits and sea food.

Now aside from buying, I obviously have an eye out for what could be an eye-catching picture, and fruits all bunched up happen to be one of my favorite subject matter. In this case, the lanzones (or is it lansones? - obviously, spell check can't help me here).

Aside from taking the picture, I would also like to remind my friends and relatives living abroad about the fruits them may be missing out on - ones we simply take for granted due to its availability (even the seasonal ones - like this one). Oh well... here's looking forward to some happy eating.

Photoblog - Day 160, Sep 17, 2010

Cooling down:

YGIFs normally mean my having to hang out a place near (and after) work - not just to unwind, but to wait out the number coding scheme in place within the metro, so chill out is what I definitely do - be it with companions (preferable) or alone (still okay, but I enjoy conversations with my brewskie).

This night, however, aside from being the latter option, also introduced me to a new light beer in town - Manila light. You see, there used to be a Manila beer in the market... though later, it seemed to have just vanish, a victim of it being the poorer option amongst beer drinkers choices - heck I even did not realize it was gone the first time, and just like me, I think it was simply below many other's radar.

Well the makers of Manila beer probably feel that now's the right time to reintroduce Manila beer - and mot just this one... but likewise introduce to the beer drinking public Manila Beer Light. In my case, I was expecting a brew with my usual San Mig Light but the place I went to somehow had a lack of supply for San Mig light on a Friday evening... go figure. Then they suggest I try Manila Beer Light - and adventurous/curious me took the offer.

End result? Well for one, the sleek new look is a plus factor, and the taste isn't bad either... plus I get to have a nice shot of the new product too. If you look close enough, you'll realize that this was not my first bottle. Where's the clue? Well, you find out.

Photoblog - Day 159, Sep 16, 2010

My shades:

This particular pair of sun glasses was a gift from Barbie when she last went to the U.S., I had asked her for a pair when she queried what I would like back there.

Having a strong practical bone, I am not one to consider brand names - as I would be more inclined to the aesthetics of the shades - and in a tropical country, the darker shade is the better option. Apparently, Barbie; who is the more brand conscious between us, was able to get a pair that represented both functionality and fashion recognition.

So... having said that, can you 'guess' the brand of this pair? Hint... I took the picture of this shades to not just show it clearly the picture, but to try and capture the brand as well. Come on... give it a try. It's such an easy task, I doubt you'll need more than one try to 'guess' the name.

Photoblog - Day 158, Sep 15, 2010

Shadows and Light:

This one is an experiment. I tried to take the barest of silhouettes from three statues - with just a candle's illumination as the only source of light... I also made this light come from a scent diffuser, so as to make it look like it was coming from a furnace (with controlled light direction) as against a bonfire ( which would cast light in all directions) which explains the seeming circular shadow at the picture's bottom - signifying the imaginary forge's shape.

I upped the contrast, to lessen the light's reflection and deepen the shadows, hoping to give this picture some darkness to signify some mystery as to the reason why these beings would meet at the night in front of said forge. The redness is caused by the statues colors - but I hoped it somehow reflected the unworldliness of the setting - but not too much as it to look like Hades.

Did I get the desired effects? I hope so... but come sometime soon, I'll see how to improve on this even further.

Photoblog - Day 157, Sep 14, 2010

Orange Corydoras:

Or at least, that is how the person selling it in the pet shop described it... the Corydoras in general are - for lack of a more accurate term, the maintenance crew of any aquarium. The reputation happened because these fishes are bottom feeders - meaning, they scrounge the aquarium's sands (or bottom) for their meals. Naturally, this helps keep the aquarium clean from food not digested by the other fishes either lingering at the top of the tank - or at their middle.

I saw this little guy just 'grazing' on the stone, and decided to grab my camera and take it's picture. It was not a shy fish either - not scampering away at the slightest hint of approach on my part; which made taking it's picture quite easy, thus leading to a nice macro shot if I say so myself (and Barbie agrees - she had to clarify with me if I was the one who really took the shot).

Photoblog - Day 156, Sep 13, 2010

Welcome Buffy!!!

With Bernice is a 6-month old Puppy whom we all decided to call Buffy - and I can honestly say that she matches the spunk of the TV series character of which she was coincidentally named.

When we got her, her previous owners said that of the litter, she was the most loving - and also the one with the most appetite. Buffy was given to us on account that her previous owners know we take good care of Bubbles (or Spitz-Chow).

We timed getting her with the long weekend, so we could be with her during her adjustment period... for all accounts, it looks like she seems to be adjusting just fine. This is good, because it means she won't get stressed - and won't suffer any illnesses. How is Bubbles reacting to her? Bubbles if very curious - and wants to approach (and smell) Buffy... but we're erring on the side of caution on this one - after all, with Neko, Bubbles barked a few days until they became friends... this time, Buffy won't be just adjusting to Bubbles - but with Neko as well.

Photoblog - Day 155, Sep 12, 2010

Night blooms:

Some things just look better at night. I guess it may be because in the dark - or with a dark background, the contrast between the subject being taken and the previously mentioned background is a whole lot farther apart - hence the background further emphasizing the subject's visibility.

That is exactly what seems to have happened to this stall filled with different flowers (orchids), I mean... I see this almost whenever I find myself in Greenhills - and yet I rarely stop to admire these flowers in the morning or afternoon. The yellows are most visible - but then again, so are the purples.

As for the picture per se... I was torn between taking just one subject, or getting the entire bunch. You can, of course, see which idea I finaly decided to take.

Photoblog - Day 154, Sep 11, 2010

High School Friends:

This is Bernice with a handful of her classmates, all of them enjoying the time together while their parents (Barbie and I included) await their turn; to talk to their teachers - you see, it happened to be a Parents-Teachers day, so we had to be in the kids' school this particular Saturday Morning, so we could converse with our kids' advisers to learn how they were doing.

Guess Bernice had the right to enjoy herself, as her teacher (surprisingly) informed us how helpful Bernice was in her class; that she was glad Bernice was in her class. Well, whadayaknow...

As for Bryce? He was okay too - well, except for Pilipino, but I guess that was not an outlier. We did learn from Bryce's adviser that he hangs around with a group, and they happen to all be good English speakers... hence him calling them the 'Nose Bleed' group - as in one could get a case of nose bleed, should they try to match the group's English acumen.

Overall, things were just great for the two - and I'm really glad.

As for the picture? Just a straightforward shot - no flash... with White Balance adjusted for the predominantly yellow light being used in the school's multi-purpose hall.

Photoblog - Day 153, Sep 10, 2010

Tasting Nirvana:

No I'm not into any philosophical discussion as I write this. The little domed chocolate cake you see with a fin (or rudder... depending on your imagination) at it's top, is indeed called 'Nirvana' at the place it is being sold - namely Bizu.

This particular evening, we found ourselves in Greenhills and decided to have dessert before heading home - Barbie suggested Bizu... a place known for it's cakes and pastries, so off we went. As we started choosing our preferred dessert, I spotted this little domed cake. The dark chocolate promised enjoyment while being consumed, and the fact that it was partially a mousse with pistachio bits lent further temptation... so, I gave in and ordered this little devil.

To say that I enjoyed it immensely would be a flat out lie... no sir, I didn't. You see, for it's size, it did not satiate my sweet tooth at all - though not because it was not sweet... perish the thought. I don't want my dessert sweet at all - nope, I wanted this to be a whole lot larger than it's standard serving size... THEN I would've really enjoy it.

Oh well. I guess a glimpse of Nirvana will have to do.

Photoblog - Day 152, Sep 9, 2010

New Supervisors:

Yesterday, I handled a training for New Supervisors in one of the rooms of the Cybermall. It was just a one day training... and a welcome break from my usual technical conducts. I like this training in particular since I get to help and influence Team Leads to hopefully consider some new ideas, concepts and naturally, adopt the Leader's Window by John Beck.

This particular group was receptive and inquisitive - just the way I like it. We also went smooth and fast - but I guess, that's what you can expect from having internalized the training real well.

My one peeve with this experience did not come form the training itself - but from the fact that we could hear the lectures from the other rooms too. Apparently, a lack of acoustic control.

Photoblog - Day 151, Sep 8, 2010

Wisdom Networks?

Yup... as you can no doubt guess, I've finished the Matthew Riley book - and after three high paced stories, I'd like ot get back to terra firma and read something else - something that will give me more knowledge... and with that said, I decided to start reading this particular book.

The premise? How to maximize the knowledge base that is just floating around the workplace. It's an interesting read - specially foe Knowledge Management practitioners... guess that includes me. So yeah... back to studying something new (at least, in my perspective).

Photoblog - Day 150, Sep 7, 2010

Training and games:

If there is one thing trainings should have, it's games that remove the monotony of the lectures - but at the same time, somehow reinforcing the lessons learned - or emphasizing concepts to be remembered. In light of this, one of the games I must admit I like, is the Jeopardy-inspired reviews in some of the trainings I've conducted for Accenture.

Here we have the participants gearing up for the game's start - almost the same rules apply (tweaked to make them realize that they should try to answer all questions). Apparently, based on the reaction of the participants, it seems like they too enjoy the game. So yeah... great idea - and one I'd like to preserve by giving it a place in my blog of memories.

Photoblog - Day 149, Sep 6, 2010

New comics:

This was a relatively large batch - but also because it finally saw the arrival of a few issues - of which delivery to the stores got delayed (maybe they got held up in customs? hmmm...) but since they're now released, they arrived with a vengeance - to my pocket that is.

I got these issues the day before, but owing to how busy we were, I only go t to read some of them (not all) today. Who'd a thought it... me... Butch Syyap, actually delaying reading comic books. If you told me about this particular habit - say 10 years ago, I'd probably think "maybe he was busy" - but if you told this to me - say 30 years ago, I'd probably say "huh? no way! you sure that's the same Butch we know?"

So... does this mean my interest is changing? Guess so. I still get them... still enjoy them - but I'm not that same die hard fan who won't mind talking comics for a day.

As for the batch itself... guess another reason I ended up with a lot is the X-men related one-shots against the vampires... some of which aren't really that good. Ah well... at least, I got Green Hornet, Legion and S.H.I.E.L.D.

Photoblog - Day 148, Sep 5, 2010

Sunday Market:

This is the Sunday market in Greenhills - corner of La Salle street and Connecticut (I think). This apparently looks a whole lot larger than the Saturday market I frequent in Greenhills shopping center - though I don't know if it's a regular fixture for Sundays or it's just because of the Christmas season fast approaching.

I would think it's the former... after all, I saw mostly food - and no Christmas decors (thank God). I even bought a few barbecues and grilled boneless bangus (a.k.a. milk fish) and had a great lunch with the family. I bumped into a friend (Fred) and his girlfriend. So it was a nice experience.

So how'd I stumble in on this market? Simple... I had to bring Bryce to Greenhills for his review (yes, on a Sunday) and had time to kill. Since the car needed gas, I went the nearest station who's brand we frequent (due to the car's corporate fleet card) and as I drove there... I saw the gates open and the crowds gathered. So... on the way back - with gas talk filled, I decided to stop, look... and partake of the market's many offerings.