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.

Photoblog - Day 147, Sep 4, 2010

Five Warriors:

I'm a new fan of Matthew Riley! I went through his two books - 7 Ancient Wonders and 6 Sacred Stones, in record reading time... not speed reading them; mind you... but enjoying the story. What started out as an experiment (buying the books for a lack of having anything to get from my regulars) has turned into a great adventure.

Of course, it could be said that I had entered in the right time. Getting the first two books of an apparent trilogy in a book sale - and being able to get the third book two weeks later (even if it was a hardbound copy).

So yeah... I won't be surprised if I get to finish this book in less than a week. I wish Bryce would read this - I'm sure he'd find it a great adventure... as I'm sure Bing bing will really enjoy this as well.

As for the picture... I, once again, wanted to try blacks against black... hence taking the picture of said book '5 Greatest Warriors' without it's flyleaf cover and my phone on top of it - as both were on the opaque glass of the dining table. Since the book's spine had the title and author in silver print, I just wanted to make sure that was visible against the blacks.

Photoblog - Day 146, Sep 3, 2010

Relaxing:

It happens rarely... but in some days, I find myself in a situation where I have long bouts of rest... while my partner/facilitator does his/her spiel in a training. In which case, I get to move out of the class - specially during afternoons when if I just sit at the back of the class, I may end up falling asleep.

In this case, it was in Analysis... and thanks to Rex, I got the time to relax... read... and watch CNN in the LCD of Accenture's Ideas Exchange area. Yeah... that's me seriously listening to the news. I mean, if I could change channels to either Discovery or the History Channel, I would... but then I might entirely forget my class - so better that I catch a glimpse of what's happening around the world as I relax.

This also serves as my September picture; timer taken of course... and if you wonder why I'm in a not so formal get up - well, Fridays are dress-down (smart casual) days... and when in Rome... Get the picture?

Photoblog - Day 1445, Sep 2, 2010

Honing...

I chanced upon a few skateboarders in one of those times I were to meet barbie in Fully Booked at the Fort... and remembered one of my earlier attempts to take a picture of a similar situation as said skateboarder was going up a ramp - I also remembered how blurred that picture was... so, I thought, maybe I've learned a few things since then. Why not try again?

This skateboarder was several yards away, so I had to rely on my zoom lens (and further zooming in with the use of an editing software later), to try and capture the skateboarder in mid leap, as he tries to flip his board with his leap, and land on it again... so it was a leap-flip-land stunt.

I can't remember if he landed with success - though I did not see him fall either... so I guess that means he landed alright. After all... it's not the take of that'll kill you - but the landing. And any landing you can walk away from is a good landing. A lesson I learned... sometimes the hard way, in my high school years with an off-road, hybrid bicycle.

Photoblog - Day 144, Sep 1, 2010

New stash:

Yeah... I know I got this over the weekend - but it was only now that I found time to read these comics. First of all, it's not that many... guess the delivery schedules are still adjusting to the Labor Day holiday in the U.S.

Aside from that, well... this week's batch were almost uninteresting. I mean, I just got a few of these issues for completion of certain story arcs... but after which, I may just drop them altogether. I refer to the Avengers issues displayed here... I guess I'm not just a fan of Bendis' writing style.

Photoblog - Day 142 Aug 30, 2010

Monday skyline:

This Monday was rather unique in a sense that this Monday was a vacation - no work, no school... and since it was the end of a three-day weekend, Barbie, the kids and I decided to maximize the day by going out and enjoying the mall(s).

Obviously, as this picture suggests, we stayed out rather long and on our way home, as we returned to the car; which was parked at the mall's roofdeck - I saw how nice the lights of the distant buildings were in contrast to the dark clouds. Not having my trusty tripod, I had to content with setting my camera on the building ledge and taking the picture in a low ISO setting - thus having a long exposure... capturing the surrounding with more light. The results speak for themselves too.

Photoblog - Day 143 Aug 31, 2010

New Blood:

No... i don't mean in any vampiric connotation with the title. I mean, let's face it... there a re more than enough parodies of such things without me adding to it. Rather, I mean that the picture represents new hirees - and I... aft ernot handling such an orientation for nearly four years, found myself facilitating a large group (90 people) this Tuesday. How about that?

I was a bit rusty in execution - but still had a good grasp of the topics to be discussed (at least, those that had no speakers), so how different was this New Joiners' experience from those years ago? Not much really... at least, in the grand scheme of things. Ah well... if this is an indicator of the projected work that ACN will be having, it looks like things are indeed getting rosy for them.

Hope this is not false bravura.

Photoblog - Day 141 Aug 29, 2010

Relaxing Sunday:

One of the usual way I would relax would be to listen to music. Nothing unique about that in itself, true... but in this particular time, I got to listen to two Filipino albums that I actually got to like a lot. Now THAT is new. How so? Because I hardly have high expectations when listening to locally produced albums with local talents. You see, for me... these local talents rely too much on commercialism and not enough on quality.

Well, I'm glad to say that I was wrong in this case... on both counts! Wow! Like I said, it was not a normal Sunday. I got these albums the day before, but decided to listen to them this Sunday - seeing as I had noting to do this particular morning. Glad I did too. Be it Ogie's respectful rendition of classic (not old) Filipino tunes or Noel's take on Pinoy pop hits of yesteryears, these two cds gave me listening pleasure mixed with reminiscing and relaxation.

To top it off, I got to read the second Matthew Reilly book - Six Sacred Stones too. A great yarn with a very fast-paced plot. Did I say I finished the first book in just three days? I can't remember the last time I read a book that fast. Chances are, I'll repeat the process with this book.

So... having just the book or one of the cds for the day would have been enough to make this Sunday give me a good experience. All three in one morning? Like I said earlier... Wow!

Photoblog - Day 140 Aug 28, 2010

Morning Market:

It's my 3rd morning jaunt to Greenhills, accompanying Bryce to his Saturday review class sessions - but in reality, once I drop him off, I need to think of what to do for the succeeding hours.

Luckily, Greenhills isn't lacking in early morning activities - there's joining the early walkers/joggers, there's your typical breakfast nooks and eateries, and there's the Saturday morning mini-market targeting the early morning walkers... though lately, it seems that it's not just the early exercise-conscious that go here too.

Personally, I go here to get broccoli and a few other vegetables plus fruits that we use for shakes - or for eating. But today I also decided to get some sea food from the fresh section. I got shrimps, oysters and squids... so hopefully, I'll be having sea food galore this long weekend.

Photoblog - Day 139 Aug 27, 2010

Droplet:

What's so good about a rainy day? I mean, it normally means you struggle a bit more when waking up... driving becomes a challenge due to heavier traffic... and if you're really unlucky, you'll end up with soggy shoes. Lucky for me, these all did not happen - okay, maybe the getting up part did... a little; but I got to my destination without too much of a hassle - and the rain did happen a whole lot earlier, with just a few scattered rain showers here and there - but not too bad that it affected early morning traffic.

But to get back to the original question? Well for starters - if you happen to be a photo bug... it offers you opportunities to take shots with vivid colors - I mean, with most items wet - they offer brighter colors (maybe because they also get cleaned of their dust from said rain), pollution gets washed out - offering brighter backdrops... and let's not forget... the droplets, as my picture shows.

I always wanted to take a shot like this... and now I got my chance. I took several shots of wet leaves or branches - but I was looking for that hanging droplet... and as you can see - I did find one, so I definitely tried capturing it up close. The result is a macro shot... with focus on the droplet itself.

Photoblog - Day 138 Aug 26, 2010

Burgers and Movies anyone?

I've seen this place quite often whenever I pass the Piazza to get to the parking lot from work - and I always wondered how their sandwiches taste. I mean, heck... I've tried burgers from many places - and though I rarely eat burgers these days, its not as if I've forsworn eating them.

Thus when I was less enthusiastic with the lunch served to us in training, I asked my colleagues if they wanted to eat out - and we thought to try Stackers Burgers that noon. I got the quarter pounder with cheese and I can say that the sandwich tasted good, and it was a great feeling to be chewing on newly cooked burgers - they did hit the spot... were filling - but not excessively so, and we were even surprised with the movies the place was showing - in clear HDTV and Blueray capability (you can probably guess what we were watching from the picture). One small problem for me though was the noise level inside the place was drowning out the movie's dialogue.

Suffice it to say, though the burgers were good - the entertainment stole the show for us. Had we not had training to get back to, we wouldn't have minded staying a whole lot longer... at least, until the movie ended.

Photoblog - Day 137 Aug 25, 2010

Groovy!

This is the rear window of a classic Volkswagen Beetle - with a twist. Obviously, the owner of this bug happens to be a cool person... with an artistic flair, creative mind (notice the apple logo with the brand name not typically from apple?) and most probably owns the pair of Converse Chucks hanging in the rear.

I mean, who'd do graffiti in his (I'm assuming the owner's a he by the way the bug is presented) car's own window? You should see his side windows too - which unfortunately can't be seen from this angle... still, this design caught my attention enough to warrant a snapshot - and post to this blog. So whoever owns this beetle - I hope you don't think I'm stealing the idea by placing this picture here... I just liked what you did.

See... I used to drive a beetle... heck my first car was a beetle (my mom's beetle anyway) and it was a vintage beauty... 1953 beauty... with a really small rear window, fully restored... with the body of a tank, a German-inscribed plate indicating the model and year where the gas tank was (up front, of course), and speaking of the gas tank - I needed a dip stick to monitor my gas, since there was no gas gauge. So you could say I'm a Beetle fan - even if I don't have a beetle these days.

Photoblog - Day 136 Aug 24, 2010

New Book I'm Reading!

As can be seen by the cover's title, it's not really a new book - specially with Matthew Reilly fans who would know that this is at least two books older than his latest piece. But as far as I'm concerned, I never knew Reilly prior to this book - in fact I just took a chance with this, not knowing anyone who's read it, nor did I research on the author.

You see, I decided to get this book - and it's sequel on a book sale; thinking that if I was disappointed, well... it wouldn't be too painful an experiment - cost wise. Besides, I've been known to read books... even if I don't really like them, so no real loss would happen.

So as I began to read this particular story, I got drawn into adventure - Indiana Jones style... except that this was happening in the modern world and the protagonist had a team. The pacing was fast, the challenges intriguing - I could see that Reilly took pains to set the 'traps' in a realistic manner (or is this based on fact?) and executed the story in a fast-paced manner very reminiscent of Inidana Jones and Die Hard put together. In short, I like it! In fact, I like it so much that I may just finish this book within a few days... so I can get to the next one (and possibly buy the latest novel of Reilly too).

Photoblog - Day 134 Aug 22, 2010

Fiesta:

Sunday was the feast day of Mary the Queen - naturally, the parish wanted to celebrate it a bit by organizing a fiesta. Now... It may not be as widespread or large scaled as your typical provincial fiesta - but it at least captured some of the experience. Giving food away to whoever passed by and helped partake of the celebration.

I decided to check things out - and I have to be honest, as I arrived... I thought the fiesta was now happening - I mean, where was the crowd? the food? It looked like a flop, and here I was - camera in tow, hoping to see some fiesta action. So you could imagine how I felt as thought I'd go home with nary a picture.

Turns out, the fiesta celebration happened between mass. As each mass ended, the people would go directly to the fiesta grounds and partake of the food and drinks. Suddenly, the grounds did not look as empty - and I got to take some pictures after all.

Photoblog - Day 135 Aug 23, 2010

This week's pull list.

As I said before, I got these comics as early as yesterday - though some of them I did get today. So technically, I got these all within the weekend - and got them from two separate comic shops. Unfortunately, my Sunday was likewise busy, so I only had time to read these today... Monday... a day when I don't have any work so I get to update my blog, upload some pictures, pay the electric bill and yes... read comics.

Oh yeah... the Star Trek book? Serendipity... just felt like passing a book sale - and as i did, I saw it on the display window. No questions asked, I got it form said window - looked inside the pages, liked what I saw... and now have a nice book with lots of paintings to enjoy - after the comics, that is.

I should have more Mondays like this... assuming I can afford them.

Photoblog - Day 133 Aug 21, 2010

Inside out:

What this is happens to be a signage from the inside window of the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf in the Promenade, Greenhills. That explains why it looks reversed - because it is meant to look correct, from the other side of the glass.

So what brings me here on a Saturday? Bryce apparently. It's day 2 of his review - and once again, I brought him to AHEAD. Once done, I then consider how to spend my time - whether I should go home, or just wait it out. In this case, he latter idea was what I went with... starting with a walk around the shopping center's grounds - 5 rounds, in fact. In between - in round 2 1/2, I went to their open market (only there on Saturday mornings) and got some fresh vegetables. After round 5, I take a detour to the car - wipe myself dry and have a change of shirt - then I went to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.

Nothing like reading a book while enjoying a Biscotti and coffee, as I wait for 12 noon. Will I do this again next Saturday? Maybe... though by then, I'll probably get a new book.

Oh yeah... after coffee and book, I went to the comic shop - got a few issues... issues that I will only get to read by Sunday (if I'm lucky). You see, after this, I'm betting I'll be bringing Barbie and Bernice somewhere.

Photoblog - Day 131 Aug 19, 2010

Rainbow:

Scientifically, I know that rainbows are caused by light particles passing through some moisture in the air... reflecting multi-colors forming an arch in the sky. Then again, there are the stories - the urban legend of said rainbows... how they are tied to Leprechauns - and how a rainbow's end holds a crock of gold.

Personally I'd like to think that a rainbow is a phenomena that can be interpreted as a sign that hope is not far. Makes you wonder where this idea or belief comes from... well for starters - the bible. After the great deluge, God sends a sign of hope and renewal to Noah and company - and what is the sign? A rainbow. I'm sure there are other sources - but the bottom line is, to me... rational or not, a rainbow represents hope. So sue me for being naive or irrational in that sense.

For some reason, the human eye can better fathom - and appreciate rainbows better than cameras. Because of this, capturing a barely-visible rainbow, becomes much harder without having to up the picture's contrast - which I did. If there's a better way of capturing them... I'm all ears people.

Photoblog - Day 132 Aug 20, 2010

Empty Pantry:

Fridays are coding days for our car - this means, due to the ending digit of it's plate number, I have to make sure I'm out of the road before 7am until 10am and from 3pm to 7pm - heck, in some areas there is no middle window. Luckily McKinley isn't such a place. Still... for mornings, this means I have to be in location before 7am.

Any surprise therefore that I can have a picture of the office pantry when it's... for all intents and purposes, still empty... like nearly the rest of the office? Yeah - it looks quiet, and a bit warm (leading me to turn on the aircon in the area) - but it's nice to know that the coffee dispenser does not subscribe to a regular office hour schedule - and can service any needy person (specially one needy for having to wake up earlier than usual due to Coding).

If anything, days like these gives me a rest time before the start of a busy training day. It also makes me get out of the house and arrive in my destination way before traffic sets in. So it's not all bad.

As can be surmised, I used natural lighting from the window to give me all the light I needed - enough to take the shot... not too much to spoil the mood I was going for.

Photoblog - Day 130 Aug 18, 2010

Perspectives and Reflections:

Sometimes, during those days when i have a co-facilitator sharing the talking roles with me, I look for a quiet place. I do this so I can read a novel - or a comic book... at times, I even bring a journal and reflect on how life has been treating me. At other times, it's to reflect on how I've been treating myself.

Yeah... things can be heavy during those days - yet I also reflect on what I have... what I should be thankful for. This ensures that I do not feel any melancholy or feel really pissed with myself. I have a great self-awareness of my priorities - and I would like to think I could recognize my life having fulfilled most, if not all my dreams.

Of course, I likewise recognize some unresolved dreams... and so I consider - are they still worth pursuing? Will I sacrifice something in doing so... or in not doing so? Whatever happens... I know I can do something about what I want to pursue.

This picture is my August picture - a shot against a mirror and the angle was to see if I could capture a different perspective of me and the place I was in. The shot was set wide, so I could just turn it into anything I felt was interesting. The windows cutting across the wall made me pause and realize - what do I think of when I look outside?

To think that this was a set-up shot - with little regard for deeper thinking. Guess the subconscious was working overtime, huh?

Photoblog - Day 129 Aug 17, 2010

Morning coffee:

This is Starbucks at the Fort's Bonifacio High Street. It's one of the few open shops during the mornings... maybe because the proprietors of many shops and boutiques feel that their clients do not show up in this vicinity until lunchtime or after lunch. A pity, since they miss out on the morning crowds... including the call center people.

In my case, I hardly find myself free to hang around this vicinity - but in some instances, like today; I find myself enjoying a relaxing morning with Barbie, en route to my bringing her to her office. How is this possible? Simple... my training this day was scheduled for the after lunch to late evening session - so in my case, I did not have to rush to any location... and in Barbie's case? A meeting outside the office, then off to Parañaque - a trip I volunteered to take her to - and you could say that this breakfast was her way of thanking me.

Yeah... it doesn't always happen - but mornings like this are simple, mundane... and nice to share. Wonder when the next one will happen?

Photoblog - Day 128 Aug 16, 2010

Behind the Camera:

Monday found me working for 12 hours - the last four, officially helping Marimel (a colleague) with Presentation Dynamics... a two-day (or in this case, afternoon to late evening) session.

In such a training, part of the course is to film the participants... said film to be used by us to do a compare and contrast with the participants - to show them where they have (hopefully) improved while attending the course.

Naturally, someone needs to be behind the camera... and in this particular day, it happens to be Bismark... yup - named after the ship or the officer who's name it carried. It also cements my having an easy time to remember said name.

This was just a quick shot - as I decided to take pictures of the participants while they were having their first taping. So what was so special about the picture? Just the angle... and a chance to take the picture of the camera man.

Photoblog - Day 127 Aug 15, 2010

Comics for the Week:

Sometimes, I find myself with too many things to do on weekdays that I can only touch (and read) my comics on a weekend - in this case, Sunday. Yes, I bought these when I went to Makati - first chance I could get there... and it's not as if I like going there when I don't have to. Traffic is always heavy - so it's not a place I would try going to 'just because...'

Still, in times when I do find myself able to go, I make it a point to pass my favorite comic shop... if for no other reason that I get the extra service of having my comics reserved until I arrive... which allows me to visit less often, and get them in a batched manner. They also remember what i ask them to look for - in this case, a missing issue of Birds of Prey #2. Then again - said batching manner means that at times I have to wait real long before I get to read a favorite issue/title. But overall, the experience is cool.

The fact that I sometimes have to wait for an uneventful weekend before I can enjoy them is not lost to me... and at times, it means I wait until I am scheduled to get my check before paying said shop a visit.

Far cry from before when I just couldn't wait to open and read them - maybe see what happens in the end before absorbing the story. Guess my EQ has risen several notches, huh?

Photoblog - Day 123 Aug 11, 2010

Plan B:

About a month or two ago, I noticed on my Twitter follow list (meaning the list of people I follow in Twitter) that Michael Hyatt - a known blogger/resource and inspirational speaker, was having a contest in his blog... offering the first 100 people who could share their disaster leadership experiences in his site, a copy of Pete Wilson's Plan B. A book about what to do when life gives you a curve ball (my words - but I'm sure the author uses it somehow). Naturally, I thought I had nothing to lose - so I shared my Ondoy experience with Michael... taking the necessary steps to follow the site's instructions on what and where to post. Never mind it I noticed that I was the 108th person to post... I thought, well - they'll still choose... so who knows?

Two weeks after, I received an email from Michael's company informing me that I was one of the 100 people whose story they liked and that I was indeed going to receive a copy of Plan B.

About two weeks ago - I receive a parcel notice informing me I have something waiting for me in the post office... a bit of an inconvenience for me to go to - and honestly, I had all but forgotten the book. The email's message being buried with other pressing matters in life.

Still, life finds a way, and I did find myself free this Wednesday - no trainings... no appointments - so off I went to see what this parcel was about... and I did recall, after whacking my brains long enough that this parcel might just be said book. To get to the post office was a bit of a struggle - no parking places near that I knew about, which meant I decided to try the public transport services - and this also meant... just to play safe, not bringing my camera.

Too bad... I would have wanted to take some shots of the grand old post-office's architecture with my DSLR (though I did take a few shots with my cell phone). Anyway, to make a supposed short story not linger any longer, I got the parcel but decided to open it when I finally got home... or when I was in a relatively more private location.

It was definitely Plan B - and I will definitely read it soon.

Thanks Michael and Pete!

Photoblog - Day 126 Aug 14, 2010

AHEAD Training:

The place is AHEAD, Greenhills... the time? 8AM - yes... it's a Saturday, and it happens to be Bryce's first day at this training institute to get him ready to take the College Entrance exams for De La Salle. Barbie and I sort of want him to have some practice/reviewer, and Ahead just had what we were looking for.

Even better, Berna - an old colleague of mine from a few years back (the lady at the right, in the picture), happened to be connected with AHEAD after her Accenture training-related days, so I knew at least one person when it came to inquiring about their services. During our days together, Berna was always able to help her clients - and the days leading to this was no exception. She helped reserve a slot for Bryce and even gave me a reminder text about their starting schedule the day before. Even if she was likewise acting at AHEAD's interest in confirming with me, I still liked the reminder. Then again, I shouldn't be surprised.

So yeah... looks like Bryce and I'll be up early every Saturday - at least, until October - so he can have a better chance at acing the La Salle entrance.

Great idea, this one - and one I'm sure I could have used during my time.

Photoblog - Day 130 Aug 18, 2010

Concrete sunset:

I know... it's not yet technically a sun setting picture, but believe me; this is as low as I get to see it on a regular day. Any later and the buildings (like this one in the picture) cover the horizon and block out any view of said setting sun - at least, from where I am normally found these usual working days.

I would really like to take a beautiful sunset picture sometime... meanwhile, I try to get creative with what I have. I saw how the sun was being covered by the unfinished building... and how the crane (and said building) had it's silhouette being shown against the sun's brightness... so I snapped away.

Should be interesting to compare with a picture of the same building when it's finally finished and furnished. Of course, chances of that happening before the end of this photoblog may be dim - then again, I might be surprised... so who knows?

Photoblog - Day 124 Aug 12, 2010

Blue Skies!

The title is an expression I picked up from watching Doll House (or is it just Dollhouse, as in one word? Yeah that may be it)... but the expression is as far as the picture's connection goes.

McKinley Hill is apparently in the usual air traffic route in and out of Manila, and it is not unusual to therefore see many commercial planes coming and going. I therefore decided to take at least one picture of such coming and going.

This one happens to be going out of Manila - how do I know? Simple... landing gears are hidden. I wished I took the picture of one plane in particular swooping up rather low - but I guess, I'll have to settle for this one in particular. After all, it's not as if I always have my camera in shoot-ready mode. Still... it is a decent picture.


On the side - today happens to be my sister, Bing's birthday. Unfortunately, I couldn't take a picture of her this day... seeing as she was in Batangas while I was in Taguig. Oh well...