Looking Back at 2007

The year 2007 started rather inauspiciously for me - in darkness. Still, despite the absence of electricity to brighten our New Year Media Noche in the physical sense, there was a palpable effort to make the New Year celebration a joyous event despite the odds. For me, that drive to pull through despite the odds was in many ways, the defining point of the entire 2007. This was the year of rebuilding, the year of surviving.

Now as the new year 2008 beckons, I can't help but look back at the past year. I'm thankful that even with many inevitable problems, conflicts, and disillusionment that pockmarked the whole year, it has been a year full of blessings - in the form of new and old friends, a stable job, a loving family that is still together and many more.

When stripped down to the basics, just as we were when the year started 12 months ago, one gets to realize that the best things in life really aren't things. I may not have all the riches and material things, but I'm glad I have the 'best things'. Goodbye 2007! Cheers!

Godspeed, Friends

Some of my colleagues will be transferring to a new department at our company's Pasig office. Through the years of shared experiences and countless hours in the office, most of them have become my friends, close friends even.

The workplace will certainly be very different without them even though this isn't the first time that many of our friends and colleagues have left to pursue new horizons. I am hoping that, like with our other friends who have left before them, the bonds of friendship we've forged will not be diminished or broken by distance.

Still, change and moving on is a natural part of our lives. So, as they follow their own paths, I wish them success in their new endeavors. Goodbyes are only temporary. I know we'll meet again some other time. Meanwhile, here's a toast to my fellow web content writers Mydz and Ailene, and our web marketing colleagues Niki, Jinky, Jeremy, Juliet, Art and Frances. We'll miss you. Make us proud!

* * *

Another turning point;
a fork stuck in the road.
Time grabs you by the wrist;
directs you where to go.

So make the best of this test
and don't ask why.
It's not a question
but a lesson learned in time.

It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

So take the photographs
and still frames in your mind.
Hang it on a shelf
In good health and good time.

Tattoos of memories
and dead skin on trial.
For what it's worth,
it was worth all the while.

It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

(Good Riddance) Time of Your Life
Green Day

Tagged

Ok, so I've been tagged by Steffi. Not really the first time, since I've been tagged a few times before, though I didn't bother responding. Haha. Maybe I was either too busy or too lazy to answer the previous tags. This one looks easy (translation: I'm bored) so I'll give it a go.

Here’s how it works: Use the first letter of your name to answer each question. Must be places or names…Nothing made up. Can’t use own name for boy/girl’s name question. If can’t answer, skip to next one.

1. Famous Singer: Diana Krall (thought of Dashboard Confessional first, but that's a band)
2. Four Letter Word: d-a-r-n, d-i-c-k, d-a-m-n.
3. Street: Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard
4. Colour: Dark Blue
5. Gifts/Present: Diesel shoes
6. Vehicle: Dodge Durango
7. Things in Souvenir Shop: Door Mats
8. Boy Name: Dylan
9. Girl Name: Denise (my niece)
10. Movie title: Dead Poet's Society
11. Drink: Dark Beer (courtesy of Booze Mail, hehe)
12. Occupation: Doctor
13. Celebrity: Donald Duck
14. Magazine: Details (tricky, I had to consult Wikipedia)
15. City: Dublin, Ireland
16. Sports: Decathlon
17. Fruit: Durian
18. Reason for Being Late to work: Drunk the night before
19. Something you throw away: debris
20. Something you shout: D*p*ut*! Also, 'damn'

In turn, I'm tagging: Yona, Rhyz, Normand, Mina, Dorkzter

Maogmang Pasko! Merry Christmas!

Christmas Canon by Trans-Siberian Orchestra

This is one of my favorite Christmas carols. Somehow, it never fails to give me that warm and fuzzy feeling every Christmas. Amidst the revelry and the noise, I hope we all find a quiet time to say a little prayer of thanksgiving for all the blessings and trials, laughter and tears, good times and bad times that came our way this year and pray that He will continue to guide us in the coming year.

May we all have a meaningful and joyous Christmas!

The MBS Tek - Legazpi Christmas Party

Last Friday, the MBS Tek (US Auto Parts) - Legazpi gang momentarily put aside auto parts, web content and search engine optimization, donned their best 'fantasy' costumes and partied like there was no tomorrow. It was indeed a bright time and right time to rock the night away.

Though excitement had been building up over the past few weeks, I didn’t expect it would be such a blast. What a fun way to break the monotony of work and celebrate Christmas. MBS Legazpi peeps definitely know how to party! It was so cool to see everyone come in different costumes and show their talents in the various presentations. (I came as a pharaoh, by the way - a last minute decision, haha).

I didn't know my colleagues would pull out all the stops for this party, but dressed to the hilt, they came. It made me see them from a different perspective, literally and figuratively. LOL.

Even thought it hasn’t really been a smooth path leading to last Friday’s party, with some glitches, conflicts and misunderstanding along the way, I’m happy that the event turned out to be a success. My only regret is that I was too busy preparing for the two presentations we performed, that I had no time to just sit back, relax and take lots of pictures and video footage. Haha. Here are some scenes from the party:

Merry Christmas!!

Update: Check out my Multiply gallery for more pics. Click Here

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost

* * *

This poem by Robert Frost, is one of my personal favorites because it hits close to home. I am also a traveler, with an ongoing, almost twenty five year journey. At some point, I can't help but think of all the 'roads' I have taken and not taken. I have learned that most roads go only one way. As soon as one decides to take a road, there is indeed no turning back. Even though one can always change paths farther along the way, the road that has been trod cannot be untrod. There are no u-turn slots, detours and shortcuts.

Choosing one road over another can make all the difference. I wonder where I would be today had I decided to take another road. Sometimes I feel the longing for taking another road, discovering new alleyways, unbeaten tracks, unknown corridors and hallways. And yet sometimes, I can't dare to leave the path I am taking, afraid to lose sight of the familiar and the comfortable.

So I keep marching on into the wilderness of uncertainty, hoping that I have chosen the right path. Where will this road take me? Twenty five years hence, If I'd be telling this with a sigh, - that I have taken the road less traveled by and it has made all the difference - would it be a sigh of contentment and happiness or a sigh of despair and misery?

New Background Image for Christmas

I hope I never outgrow Christmas. It's still my favorite time of the year. So, in observance of the coming Christmas season, I have a new background image, called 'Christmas Night', supposedly a wallpaper, courtesy of Vladstudio. It's basically a snapshot of the Christmas night sky complete with the constellations while the continents of the Earth shines brightly underneath. Christmas greetings in various languages surround the glowing planet. I like it, somehow. :-)

However, the Christmas greetings may not be visible in monitors with 1024 x 768 resolution. The image is at 1280 x 1024 resolution. But, you can view the entire background image/wallpaper here.

In Memoriam

November 30 will perhaps be forever etched in the hearts of all Albayanos as a day of immense tragedy and unprecedented destruction. Hundreds of people lost their lives that day, and even more saw their homes either partially or totally destroyed. Billions of pesos worth of property and agricultural crops were laid to waste as Reming swept through the province with 265 kph winds and torrential rains that induced lethal mudflows from Mayon's flanks.

Although our residence is not prone to floods, we also bore the full brunt of that supertyphoon. Our house was in ruins. Extremely strong winds brutally ripped the roof off of almost 1/2 of our house and flung the heavy timber and G.I. sheets a few hundred meters away. As the typhoon raged outside, all seven of us in the family cowered for almost 6 hours inside the bathroom fearing the worst and praying for the storm to end. The horrible, endless roar of the typhoon's raw power is one sound we probably can never forget.

Our living room, the morning after the typhoon

I still get goosebumps whenever I watch the video clips I took that day. Because I know that at the same time I was filming the typhoon's effects on our vicinity with my digital camera, hundreds were either dying or already dead in neighboring villages and towns, trapped under dark raging waters mixed with volcanic sand, boulders and debris.

But the winds died down, the rain stopped, and the sun shone again from behind the clouds. Now, one year later, my city and my province are back on their feet and still moving forward, displaying the admirable resilience that makes me proud to be an Albayano.

Here at home, a new glistening Christmas tree now stands in our living room, the same area that was destroyed by the typhoon. It is a symbol of hope and gratitude. After experiencing the worst Christmas ever last year, one appreciates more even simple things such as Christmas lights and tinsels.

I am thankful that we survived that huge calamity (although our favorite pet dog didn't) and I am praying that God's providence will protect us from future harm.

This post is in memory of the almost 1,000 victims of Typhoon Reming. May they find peace, warmth and comfort in the company of our Lord in Heaven.

Four Years Later: Some Thoughts

Today is exactly my 4th year in my current job. As much as I don’t want to wax poetic about it, four years is no joke. And I can’t help but ponder on what has transpired over the course of four years, where I am now and what lies ahead.

This is actually my first job. I don’t know if this is an achievement of some sort, but I think staying for four years in your first job is something. I was one of the first few core members of a team consisting of two web developers (both of whom have gone on to follow other pursuits) and a web marketing officer.

From this small group, our fledgling company grew roots, spread branches, bore fruits and became what it is now. As one of the first few members of this company, I have been with it from the very start, felt its growing pains, stood by it, helped it expand and watched as it steadily flourished.

I actually made a much longer entry for this so-called 4th year anniversary post but I decided that I’d rather keep it to myself. I was a bit surprised that I had quite a lot to say and my mind was practically bursting with stories to tell and rants to vent out. But I don’t want to bore you all so I’d rather focus on probably the most important aspect of my four-year ongoing sojourn in this company: the people I work with.



If there’s one sound from the past four years that will be most memorable to me, it would not be the cacophonous chorus of fingers hammering incessantly into a keyboard while finishing an article. It would be the sweet sound of laughter, guffaws and giggles. Never a day passed when laughter did not reverberate within the walls of our office. One thing I realized while in this company: despite the frustrations, disappointments, hardships and discontent, the workplace becomes a much better place if you are working with friends.

I feel lucky that I have found more than just acquaintances here but friendships that will hopefully last even beyond the portals of the company. These are the people I have come to love as my second family, the people I look forward to seeing every day. These are the bunch of crazies whose idiosyncrasies and quirks not only amuse me but also teach me valuable lessons in dealing with people, in dealing with life.

Many of them have moved on to follow their own paths. And who knows, maybe I’ll also follow them and finally find myself embarking on my own big adventure. Change is inevitable; but while we are still together I would like to say a big thank you to each one of them: for being more than just an officemate, for being a friend, for being a family.

* * *

Now, exactly four years later, what lies ahead? Quo Vadis, Dex? :-)

New Life, New Beginnings

The past week has been quite eventful, and definitely, one of the most important highlights was the beginning of a new life and a new hope, the birth of my new godchild Gaby. This post is a shout-out to her mom, my friend and colleague Phoebe.

Congratulations for having such a beautiful baby. I know that despite the buckets of tears you shed throughout the time you carried your baby in your womb, you remain strong and steadfast. I am happy that you have finally found the courage to stand up on your own and refuse to be trashed by anyone.

Now that you have a new daughter, continue to be strong. Don't be afraid; I think a family is already complete when the love you give is pure and strong that it will fill any void or emptiness. Just have faith, fulfill your duty as a mother and create a beautiful family for your children. I'm sure God will reward you for all the sacrifices.

Your new child is truly a blessing. I wish that with her birth finally comes the happiness that has long been elusive to you.

Epidemic Alert: The 'Bubbles Syndrome'

There is a spreading epidemic of some sort here in our office and it is slowly taking over everyone. The symptoms: temporary loss of awareness of one's surroundings, incessant staring at the computer monitor with glassy eyes, involuntary seizures of the index finger tapping on the left mouse button, adhesion of the hand to the mouse, and sometimes even momentary deafness. The culprit: little globules of bloody red, slimy green, hepatitis yellow, hematoma blue and rash-like purple.

Nobody knows where they came from or who the first victim was. One thing is certain, like a virus, it has spread from one person to another effortlessly. The rapid spreading is attributed to the deceptive nature of this affliction. The globules may look harmless but beware, they are quite nasty.

They do not attack outright, but coax you subconsciously (by way of the victim's curiosity) to surrender yourself to its clutches. Once you succumb to their persuasion, you are likely doomed to a zombie-like mode and before you know it you are one of them - 'people-afflicted-with-bubbles-syndrome'.

The epidemic attacks happen at random throughout the day, usually peaking at noon. It's not uncommon to see rows of hapless, glassy-eyed victims who have fallen to the epidemic.

Unfortunately, I am one of them. I am victim too. I thought my defenses were strong and I would never succumb to such an ancient-looking, mind-numbing, pointless, idiotic doodad. But I was dead wrong.

Now I am compelled to spread the affliction even further. Click here and be one of us. Resistance is futile.

Legazpi’s Embarcadero On the Rise

Bird's Eye view of Embarcadero

A few months ago, I wrote about Legazpi City’s newest world-class destination on the rise – the Embarcadero, an ambitious project spearheaded by Misibis Land Inc. (MLI). Now, MLI’s latest official newsletter, Misibis Today, reveals more details about this Marina-inspired development in the Legazpi Port area. Construction of Phase I (which already cost P450-500 million) is now in full swing and is expected to be completed next year.

Master-planned by BN Group Pty of Australia, the Embarcadero will have a total of nine structures within the 2.5 hectare site, including a four-level commercial and lifestyle center that will house specialty shops, restaurants, bars, a supermarket and an 800-seat call center, among others. Six other structures ranging from 1 to 2 storeys each will be spread out across the site located at the foot of the Kapuntukan or Sleeping Lion Hill.

The entire complex will be punctuated by a 30-meter, intricately-designed steel and concrete lighthouse that will undoubtedly become a new landmark for Legazpi. Since I happen to love lighthouses, I can’t wait to see how this new modernistic structure will turn out. Closer inspection of the architectural renderings reveal a possible spiral staircase within the structure that could lead to an observation deck at the top. This will undoubtedly provide a breathtaking panorama of Legazpi, Mayon Volcano and the wide expanse of the Albay Gulf.

Celebration Plaza and Lighthouse

An expansive civic space amidst the structures will be called the Celebration Plaza. Aside from the lighthouse, the plaza will be the centerpiece of the Embarcadero and will provide a venue for conventions, concerts, expos, trade fairs and other events. The wooden boardwalk furnished with benches, food stalls, and kiosks will provide Legazpeños and tourists with a place for relaxing, strolling, biking, simply enjoying the sea breeze and other activities.

Meanwhile, to address concerns about safety, with the city being on the typhoon belt, the company made sure the waterfront facility has typhoon-resistant buildings and will be elevated from the natural ground line. The bay walk will also serve as an elevated and inclined seawall. Also, Phase III of the project requires reclamation of about 500 meters of the shoreline which will surely widen the land area for the facility.

Majority of Legazpeños are not yet aware that such a project is now being built in an area that once had a bad reputation as a place for brawls and pickpockets. With the recent disasters, some are even doubtful of the safety of building a waterfront structure. Still, I think we can expect that MLI, being a genuine Bicolano company, fully understands the safety needs and will implement measures to protect their multi-million peso investment.

Shops and Restaurants within Embarcadero

I hope the success of this project will have a ‘ripple effect’ throughout the entire city and help boost its economy and rejuvenate the port district. This project may be ambitious but it certainly is not quixotic. I wish other sectors of the Legazpi community will be as audacious and forward-looking as MLI.

Photos from the Misibis Today Newsletter, July 2007 Edition (click to enlarge)
For construction photos and more updates click here.

Web Finds: Cabos - File Sharing Program

Cabos is a free Gnutella file-sharing program based on the popular Limewire. I found this software while browsing through StumbleUpon a few weeks ago and I have been using it ever since. It's better than Limewire because it's free from adware and spyware. It also has a clean and uncluttered interface and uses a smaller chunk of your computer's memory compared to Limewire.

Aside from MP3s, you can also find other files such as documents, and movies. However, the Gnutella network offers a very limited resource when it comes to movies unlike torrents. I don't usually download full-length movies so I'm okay with that.Cabos is basically a simplified, no-fuss, no-nonsense version of Limewire. One little feature I like is the iTunes integration because I use iTunes as my default media player here at home. Cabos automatically adds audio files to my iTunes playlist as soon as I finish downloading them. Now I don't have to locate these files from my chaotic folders.

So there, if you need a simple, easy-to-use, file sharing program to download small files such as MP3s, I recommend Cabos.

3D Model of Legazpi Railway Station

Finally, I have a new 3D Model created through Google Sketchup. It's been over a year since I made my last model (which has already been featured in Google Earth's Best of 3D Warehouse Layer) and at last, I now have a new one to add to my collection. Making this model was actually a spur of the moment. With all the bad news that came crashing down on me earlier today, I felt I needed a diversion. Hehe.

Well, I found myself ‘exploring’ my hometown, Legazpi, through Google Earth (which has updated its database of satellite imagery, recently, by the way) and I figured maybe it's time to make another 3D model of a Legazpi landmark.

I chose to create a model for the Legazpi Railway Station mainly because I thought the building is structurally simple and thus, easier to model. The building is also an important landmark because it is the southernmost terminus of the Philippine National Railways.

So there, I started making the model at, say, quarter past 8PM and finished it by 1AM, Haha. I’m a consummate geek when it comes to Sketchup; it must be the frustrated architect in me kicking in. I wanted a more detailed 3D model so I consulted some photos, courtesy of Yves, one of the city's best photographers.

The real thing

Of course, the model is only a rough approximation and it’s not really an accurate representation of the real building. That's because I relied mainly on common sense and my memory of this edifice, instead of actual measurements. There are slight mistakes that almost made me want to start from scratch. But overall, I think I made a fairly convincing 3D model. More importantly, I had fun making this model and was totally engrossed with it for a few hours.

If you have G. Earth please do visit our city and check out my new model. Legazpi now has seven 3D buildings on Google's 3D Warehouse; just activate the 3D Buildings mode so you can view them. Meanwhile, here are some more pictures of my 3D Legazpi Railway Station:

Close-up of facade
Front view
Rear view
On Google Earth

On Google Earth (with Mayon Volcano)

Three of the Coolest Ads Ever Made

Some TV ads are so well-designed and superbly executed that they cease to be just ads but become works of art. Among them is the series of ads for Sony Bravia, a brand of high-definition LCD TVs. The first ad is actually a bit old but I think it is still one of the coolest and most memorable ad spots ever created.

Imagine 250,000 real (no computer-generated effects) brightly-colored rubber balls bouncing down a San Francisco street - simple but iconic. The song is great too - 'Heartbeats' by Jose Gonzales. This is easily one of my favorite TV ads.



Meanwhile, another ad, launched last year, is a literal outburst of colors. A total of 1,400 timed explosions covered a tower block in Glasgow, Scotland in 70,000 liters of environment-friendly paint. It's quite a spectacle, an exuberant fireworks display of color dancing to classical music. Like in ‘Balls’, the paint is all real and no computer-generated effects were used. Expectedly, it made such a ginormous mess, but it is quite a beautiful mess.



The latest spot for Sony Bravia instantly blew me away. Using stop-motion filming technique, the ad features hundreds of Play-doh bunnies frolicking all over New York to the tune of ‘She's a Rainbow’ by the Rolling Stones. This is pure genius, and a lot of hard work -- 40 animators worked on 2.5 tons of plasticine for about three weeks to create this 60-second spot.



There's another Sony Bravia ad spot, actually. Probably aimed towards the African market, this time they draped the freakin’ Great Pyramid of Giza with hundreds of yards of colored threads.

Makes me wonder what they’re going to do next.

* * *

By the way, these three ads were conceptualized and created by Fallon. Watch how they made these ads: Bouncing Balls, Exploding Paint and Play-doh Bunnies. Coolness.

Will 'The Hobbit' Finally Happen?

After the spectacular achievement that is the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy, I was expecting that Peter Jackson will start working on the 'Rings' prequel, 'The Hobbit'. However, another battle (very much unlike those fought at Helm's Deep and Pelennor Fields) left the possibility of a Jackson-directed 'Hobbit' film as good as dead.

There has been a nasty legal scuffle raging for years between director Jackson and Robert Shaye, New Line Cinema's co-chairman, over unpaid profits and the denial of Jackson's request for auditing of the films' income (which isn't much, only $3 billion dollars - loose change. hehe) . The rift got so bad and too personal that the future of 'The Hobbit' became quite grim.

But if the latest news is true and the two parties are indeed moving towards a resolution, we might see hope for 'The Hobbit' after all. Personally, I'd like to see no other director to work on ‘Hobbit’ other than Peter Jackson. I am quite sure that the books’ millions of fans feel the same way. In fact there are several ongoing campaigns calling for a ‘Hobbit’ film with no other than Peter on the helm.

Peter Jackson has perfectly captured J.R.R. Tolkien’s vision and made it more real for us. I’d love to see Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, and others, brought to life once again by Jackson and his team. For me, ‘The Hobbit’ was a more enjoyable and fun read compared to the trilogy, and I just can’t wait to see that thrilling story of adventure, bravery and loyalty realized on screen. I’m hoping that things will turn out great for ‘The Hobbit’ and Peter Jackson and he will indeed be directing this much-awaited prequel. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

Meanwhile, I don’t have any idea on who might be the perfect actor to portray Bilbo, though. Ian McKellen has expressed interest in playing Gandalf once more and frankly I can’t think of any other actor for the role. The other LOTR stars have also professed their allegiance to Jackson and to whatever he is planning to do, although most of their roles don’t really have much significance in the story of ‘The Hobbit’. Who do you think can portray Bilbo best?

Diagnosis: Disillusionment

Disclaimer: Rambling mode is on. If you don't want to read anything emo, pointless, senseless and utterly self-indulgent, just look away.

All around me are familiar faces. Worn out places, worn out faces. Bright and early for their daily races. Going nowhere, going nowhere. And their tears are filling up their glasses. No expression, no expression. Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow. No tomorrow, no tomorrow.

For the past few days I find myself once again weaving in and out of familiar old feelings. It’s like living a non-life. As I wake up in the morning, I can’t find a good enough reason to get up and face the day. And when I do succeed in dragging myself to where I’m supposed to be, there begins another sickening routine where I trudge along, seemingly okay on the outside, but not quite deep inside. The day has barely started and I'm already wishing for it to end.

Something’s just wearing me out and I feel as if I’m worn out too thin. And I know it’s affecting my efficiency (was I ever efficient?) and functions at work (I think I’ve been malfunctioning for months now) negatively. As usual, befuddled old me can’t point a finger to what it is that’s bugging me. I try to be unfazed by it all and I may be succeeding because nobody notices. But as the day ends, I find myself slumping back down into the dumps again.

And I find it kind of funny. I find it kind of sad. The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had. I find it hard to tell you 'cos I find it hard to take. When people run in circles. It's a very, very Mad World

Maybe I'm just bored. Or maybe I’m just tired of it all: the same places, the same faces, the same things. Or maybe I’m disillusioned, yet again. They say that disillusionment refers to the feeling that arises from the discovery that something is not what it was anticipated to be.

Maybe that’s it – this isn't the life I envisioned I would have five or ten years ago.

But then again, what exactly did I imagine my life would be? Did I consciously will this kind of life into reality or this is exactly what I'm supposed to be living and I can't do anything about it? Where will all this lead, then? Am I taking the right path and at the right direction? Can I get myself out of this rut soon? Am I just wasting my time? And when I finally wake up from this stupor will I be regretting all that lost time?

Art by Vladstudio

Baguio: Through My Camera's Lenses

Must-See Films Before 2007 Ends

There’s roughly three months to go before we bid 2007 adieu but a line up several highly anticipated films are yet to be released. A quick look at Wikipedia reveals the films that are set to premiere later this year. Here are my picks of must-see films before 2007 ends, in random order.

Beowulf – Anyone who passed through English Lit in high school or college will be familiar with Beowulf, the great Anglo-Saxon heroic epic poem. There have been previous movie adaptations of Beowulf’s story but this new film promises to be special because its screenplay is co-written by Neil Gaiman and will be directed by Robert Zemeckis (of Forrest Gump). Angelina Jolie’s portrayal of Grendel’s mother is also highly anticipated.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age – I’m a bit of a sucker for historical flicks and I really liked the first ‘Elizabeth’ film. It’s no wonder I’m looking forward to its sequel, ‘The Golden Age’. The new movie follows the Queen as she struggles to crush her enemies, secure her position and defend her empire from invasion while controlling her heart’s wills in the name of duty.

I think Cate Blanchett is perfectly cast as Elizabeth I. This early, she is already being tipped for another Academy Award nomination and a possible win, an honor that should have been given to her back in 1998. With the original cast, crew and director still intact, ‘Elizabeth: The Golden Age' might prove to be a winner as well.

His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass – I have yet to read Philip Pullman’s ‘His Dark Materials’ trilogy but I intend to do so before this movie adaptation of the first novel, The Golden Compass, is released. Earlier big screen adaptations of well-known fantasy novels such as ‘The Lord of the Rings’, the ‘Harry Potter’ series and the first ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ film have set quite a high standard for fantasy epic films.

I'd like to see how this film will fare given that it was made with a budget of $205M. ‘The Golden Compass’ stars Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig and newcomer, Dakota Blue Richards in the lead as Lyra Belacqua.

Alvin and the Chipmunks – Alvin, Simon and Theodore, the three lovable chipmunks are set to make their big screen debut in the new Alvin and the Chipmunks film. The film will be released just in time for Christmas, so this is perfect for kids and kids-at-heart.

I can already hear the three chipmunks' cute Christmas songs. Hehe. The poster implies that Alvin and his gang will go hip-hop this time around. That should be interesting.


Hitman – I used to play ‘Hitman’ so I was pleasantly surprised to see that a movie adaptation of it is slated to premiere later this year. Vin Diesel would have been ideal as Agent 47 but he backed out. Timothy Olyphant will play the role instead.

National Treasure: Book of Secrets – I thoroughly enjoyed the first National Treasure film’s Indiana Jones-esque style so I’d like to see what they will offer in the new sequel. The film is subtitled ‘Book of Secrets’, referring to an alleged document that holds all the nation’s secrets, for the President’s eyes only. I think the idea of the president of the most powerful country in the world keeping all his secrets in a ‘book’ is a bit far-fetched, but we’ll just wait and see if the film can pull it off.

The Other Boleyn Girl – Another semi-historical film, ‘Boleyn Girl’ tells a romanticized account of the life of Lady Mary Boleyn, rumored to be a one-time mistress of King Henry VIII who eventually married Mary’s sister, Anne. We already know what happened to Anne Boleyn and to her daughter, the future Elizabeth I. This film will throw light on the life of the Boleyns, although it is based on a controversial and semi-fictional historical novel. Mary and Anne will be portrayed by Hollywood babes Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman, respectively. That’s two more reasons to watch out for this film.

Sweeney Todd – I am not familiar with the award-winning musical on which this movie is based. But as this is the sixth collaboration between director Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, I expect the same magic that ignited their previous films such as Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Also in the cast is Helena Bonham Carter, who is always memorable in her roles (last seen as Bellatrix Lestrange in HP5), and Alan Rickman, more famous for portraying Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series. I am quite sure atomicgirl can't wait to see this one. hehe

These are just some of the films that stood out from the Wiki list, in my opinion. Of course, some of these films might turn out as duds after all. There's still quite a lot of big-name movies just waiting for the premiere date. Meanwhile, there may be a gem of a film in that list which, although hidden behind an unfamiliar title, cast and crew, may prove to be a hit when released.

Bob Ong's Macarthur

I’ve just finished reading Bob Ong’s sixth opus, the poignant ‘Macarthur’. This is the first book by Bob Ong I’ve read, so I can’t review it within the context of his other books, although it certainly made me want to explore his earlier and more popular works.

Macarthur is a novella – Ong’s first stab at fiction, if my research is correct. It tells the story of four friends, their lost youth, and their struggles amidst the shocking world of poverty and corruption they are born into. As a work of gritty realism, Ong doesn’t mince words describing the filth and squalor of his characters' environment and the situations they find themselves in. The language is vulgar as vulgar can be, though peppered liberally with humor.

In case you don’t know, ‘macarthur’ is a street slang term that refers to feces that keeps bubbling up no matter how many times it is flushed, as if defiantly saying ‘I shall return’.

Macarthur unflinchingly reveals the ugly and sordid details of the ills of our society: poverty, drugs, corruption and abuse – and how these ills have polluted our youth. But the book also provides an intimate glimpse into the hearts and souls of the characters through the use of both humorous and tragic situations. And one can't help but empathize with them, vicariously feeling their laughter, pain, sadness, terror, remorse and hope.

No matter how society has seemingly hardened them outwardly, deep inside they are not unlike any other youth: weak, consumed with fear and uncertainty, desperately longing for anyone to care. And yet no matter how the ills of society has defiled and polluted them and molded them into 'monsters', there is still a faint glimmer of hope. Just like the proverbial ‘macarthur’, even the dregs of society can defiantly refuse to succumb to the cesspool they have been condemned into by the same society that corrupted and wasted them.

If only we start to care and try to correct our collective mistakes as a society. This seems to be a daunting task and it may be a long way before we can succeed. But like all journeys, everything begins with one small step. If we start with ourselves, with our families, with our immediate community, maybe little by little we can eventually change our society for the better. For the youth, there are a few lines in the book that underscores the importance of education. For the rest of us, the entire book reminds us of the realities that many of us choose to ignore.

Read Bob Ong's Macarthur. :-)

Photo credits: Ron Ryan Aviles and Sidney Snoeck
Thanks to my colleague Yona for lending me her copy

Getting the Good Vibes on Netvibes

I've heard a lot of good reviews about Netvibes before but I didn't really care about using it. Until I read Time Magazine's '50 Best Websites of 2007'. Netvibes is currently #8 on the list, and is one of the Top 3 Web Services Sites this year. To the uninformed, Netvibes lets you create your own customized homepage where you can have everything you need in neat little boxes that you can easily rearrange via drag and drop. You can display email, top news stories, bookmarks, search boxes, Flickr photos, calendar, to-do list, and RSS feeds of your favorite blogs all in one page.

Netvibes is also very easy to customize, with hundreds of widgets and modules available, as well as themes and wallpapers. You can also add various games, utilities, and applications to your personal page. There are also Twitter and Facebook modules available.

So far, I'm getting the hang of using Netvibes as my personalized 'centralized' home page. Now, I don't need to open a new tab on Firefox just to view my email, get the latest news or read my favorite blogs. I don’t need to download and install an RSS reader, either. They're all in one page. However, I can't access Yahoo! Mail because my account needs to be POP3-enabled for me to be able to do so. Unfortunately, POP3 on Yahoo! isn't free. Gmail works fine though.

I think I will be using Netvibes from now on. After all, it pays to be a bit more organized. Hehe. Here's a screenshot of my Netvibes page.

I wish I knew how to...

There are several things I wish I knew how to do, talents and skills I wish I had. Often, when I see other people do stuff that just blows me away, I get stirred up not only with admiration but also with a teensy-weensy bit of envy (ok, maybe a lot actually hehe). Here’s a skill or talent I look up to in other people. I wish I knew how to...

...play the piano, guitar or the violin. If I can I have my way, I’d love to learn how to play any of these three instruments. I guess it might be too late because my fingers are already as stiff as crowbars. Haha. Good pianists, guitarists and violinists start young right? I tried to learn playing guitar but wasn’t really committed to learning, which is a shame because my two older brothers are adept at playing guitar. If I only I put my heart into it, I might have learned.

Meanwhile, if I only knew piano or the violin, I would have loved to play Pachelbel’s Canon in D or maybe a nocturne by Chopin. Too bad…guess I'd have to satisfy myself just by humming along to the music.

Anyway, the only musical instrument I ever learned to play with a respectable degree of skill is… the bamboo flute. Yes, those ubiquitous flutes you can find in almost every mall. It was a pasalubong from my Mom. I actually mastered most of the songs on the booklet that came with the flute. Even if it has been years since I last played a tune on a flute, I think I can still do it.

It's cool but the only problem is that I can never ever, even if I try with all my heart and soul, sing along while playing the flute. Can I? Haha. So, to anyone who can play the piano, the violin or the guitar well, you’re lucky. It’s cool. :-)

Apple’s new iPod Touch

Apple has just launched its newest iPod model: the iPod Touch. It is essentially an iPhone minus the phone. The new iPod features the same multi-touch technology and revolutionary interface introduced in the iPhone that lets users glide through tracks and albums as well as zoom in on photos with just a flick of a finger on a touchscreen. The iPod Touch also features WiFi connectivity, comes with a built-in Safari web browser and a cool application that lets you watch YouTube videos without a Flash player. A brilliant 3.5 inch widescreen display is perfect for watching videos or flipping through photo albums. However, the iPod Touch will be available only in 8gb and 16gb models.

I apologize if this post sounds like a news item. But since it's only eleventy-one (111) days ‘til Christmas, I think it is my duty to inform all of you and ease your confusion and indecision as to what perfect present you can give to yours truly.

You have four months to save up for this drool-worthy gadget. I have been a good boy, I can assure you that. If you can't find an iPod Touch by then, the new iPod Nano (see photo at left) will do. Thank you very much. Hehe

New Layout for September

As a way to usher in the month of September, the beginning of the so-called '-ber' months, I have updated the look of my blog's layout. It's still the same basic theme - Rounders 3 by Douglas Bowman - but modified as a 3-column layout by Hoctro.

I ditched Snap and FineTune because they could be slowing down the blog's page load time. Anyway, the page is still kinda cluttered, which mirrors my cluttered state of mind. hehe. I have also added a new header image, courtesy of Vladstudio again. I hope you like it. :-)

That's it. I'm half-asleep already. Off to bed. G'night.

Crisis of Faith

I have just finished reading this rather long article about Mother Teresa’s Crisis of Faith and I must say that it is truly an interesting and enlightening piece. It is also quite humbling to know that even someone like Mother Teresa, considered as the most faithful woman in the world, struggled with her faith for years, experiencing relentless doubt and anxiety even to the point of questioning God’s existence.

For all these years, our mental image of Mother Teresa is this little woman bent with age but always smiling and lovingly taking care of the sick, the dying and the ‘poorest of the poor’. She was hailed as ‘the living saint’. Who knew that behind that was a suffering person in agony because of the ‘darkness’ and ‘loneliness’ in her heart and the ‘absence’ of God in her life. For all her successes and all the worldly accolades given to her, Mother Teresa was lonely and felt forsaken by her God, confessing to her superiors how she suffered from ‘spiritual dryness’ even as late as 1995, two years before her death.

Lord, my God, who am I that You should forsake me? The Child of your Love - and now become as the most hated one - the one - You have thrown away as unwanted - unloved. I call, I cling, I want - and there is no One to answer - no One on Whom I can cling - no, No One. - Alone ... Where is my Faith - even deep down right in there is nothing, but emptiness & darkness - My God - how painful is this unknown pain - I have no Faith - I dare not utter the words & thoughts that crowd in my heart - & make me suffer untold agony.


So many unanswered questions live within me afraid to uncover them - because of the blasphemy - If there be God - please forgive me - When I try to raise my thoughts to Heaven - there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives & hurt my very soul. - I am told God loves me - and yet the reality of darkness & coldness & emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul. Did I make a mistake in surrendering blindly to the Call of the Sacred Heart? - Mother Teresa, addressed to Jesus, at the suggestion of a confessor, undated

I am humbled because I have also found myself wallowing in my own darkness and loneliness, also questioning God’s providence. And yet I am not really the religious type and I confess I would be aptly described as one of the ‘nominal’ Catholics – only by name, but not in actions or convictions. If Mother Teresa suffered countless years of doubts, anxieties, feelings of abandonment and darkness, I realize my own feelings of worthlessness and loneliness are nothing compared to what she must have felt. Then, who am I to complain and question God whenever I feel down and out, or when things don’t turn out right?

Somehow, it is comforting to know that doubt and anxiety are a natural part of everyone’s life, even that of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. But what is truly inspiring is how Mother Teresa managed to spend more than 50 years of her life dedicated to serving the 'poorest of the poor' in the filthiest and vilest places on Earth. And she did all that while suffering intensely deep within.

She is indeed a Saint.

The Fox becomes a Snail?

Ever since I first used Mozilla Firefox a few years back, I have been a loyal user. I have used other browsers, aside from Internet Explorer, such as Avant and Maxthon but I quickly settled for Firefox as soon as I used it and haven't looked back since. What I like about Firefox is that it loads faster, is much easier to use and customize and is more secure than Internet Explorer.

Until last week, though.

Lately, I have been having problems with Firefox 2 at home. All of a sudden, Firefox has become extremely slow. What normally takes a few seconds to load, such as logging in to Blogger or opening my Gmail account, now takes more than a couple of minutes. I thought maybe my ISP, Smart Bro, is acting up again since I don't have problems with Firefox at the office. But then I used IE7 and Opera 9.23 and the pageload speeds were quite okay, way faster than Firefox's actually.

Unfortunately for me, the sites that load the slowest are the Google sites I frequently use such as Gmail, Google News, Image Search, Blogger, Analytics and others. It sucks that I now have to suffer very slow page loads while using my preferred browser at home.

What's the problem, Firefox? I have already tried uninstall/reinstall. I have also disabled extensions and add-ons including my StumbleUpon and ImageShack toolbars. There isn't any improvement. I guess I need to research further to find out what really caused Firefox's sudden slowdown. Sigh. I may have to settle with Opera for the meantime while I further investigate the fox's apparent transformation to a snail.

Update (8.24.07): Firefox is OK now.

Embarcadero in Legazpi City

Citizens of Legazpi will soon have another prime destination right within the city – the Embarcadero. Formerly called Sunwest Wharf, the Embarcadero is a project of Misibis Land Inc, the developer of Misibis Resorts, Estates and Spas. This wharf development will be located in the Legazpi Port Area near the unique Kapuntukan Hill (also called the Sleeping Lion because of its shape).

The Embarcadero is a waterfront project that is envisioned to be a new world-class destination for local and international tourists with retail areas, restaurants, a civic space and a landmark lighthouse. Embarcadero will be designed by BN Group Pty Ltd, an Australian-based architectural and urban design firm which is also involved with the Suria KLCC Retail Podium in KL, Malaysia and the East Darling Harbour in Sydney.

As its name implies, Embarcadero will not just be a destination in itself but will also be a jump-off point to other destinations within Bicol including Mayon Volcano, Vera Falls in Malinao, Sula Channel, the underground river of Pototan Cave, the giant Manta rays of Ticao Pass, the whalesharks of Donsol , Nag-aso Boiling Lake of Manito, Camarines Sur Watersports Complex and Misibis Resorts, Estates and Spas. The company is already looking for a Marketing Manager for the retail area.

I hope this new development in Legazpi City will be successful and will win the support of Legazpeños and Albayanos. Along with other projects such as the Southern Luzon International Airport in Daraga and the rehabilitation of the mothballed Mayon International Hotel, these developments can further spur tourism here in our province.

Eco-tourism can do wonders to our local economy and will certainly create more jobs and business opportunities. Now that the private sector is doing its part by investing in our own natural wonders, I hope every Albayano will also do their part in making our place more tourist-friendly and progressive.

Sometimes the problem lies not only in the lack of infrastructure or the lack of government funding but also in the cynical attitude of some.

Sadly, many of our kababayans do not give a damn about their own city and province. We need 'pride of place', belief in the beauty of our natural resources and our capability for progress despite whatever problems and disasters. The site of the Embarcadero may not look promising at present, but it takes people with vision and determination to create progress and change. If we work together, nothing is impossible.

A Tale of Two Artists

Whenever I find myself lost in the whirlpool of daily life, I try to tune out from all that noise and frenzy, take a step back and listen to some good ol’ music to soothe my weary soul. When feeling down in the dumps, I sometimes find myself instinctively looking for two particular artists in my playlist: Eva Cassidy and Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. You probably may have never heard of their names before but I am sure that you have heard their music at least once.

These two artists were worlds apart, yet they remarkably share many things in common. Israel, also fondly called IZ, is one of Hawaii’s most beloved musicians. He was literally larger than life: standing at a gigantic six-foot-six and weighing over 700 pounds.


Anyone who saw IZ for the first time, he with a small ukulele in hand, surely would have been awed by this man. Never would they think that within that gargantuan frame lay a gift: a smooth and pure voice.

If you have watched the closing scenes of ’50 First Dates’, waited till the credits rolled in ‘Meet Joe Black’, or watched as Dr. Mark Greene passed away in ‘E.R.’, you have already heard IZ’s voice. ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ and ‘What a Wonderful World’ are old classic tunes. Everybody knows them. But IZ gave these two songs his own twist and the result is sublime.

How IZ recorded these songs is legendary. He called up his producer at 2 a.m. saying he wanted to record right at that moment. At the studio, he started with a quick dedication – ‘Kay, this one's for Gabby’- then began gently strumming his ukulele and sang the opening lines of ‘Over the Rainbow’.

Halfway through it, he deftly and seamlessly changes the tune and started singing Louis Armstrong’s ‘What a Wonderful World” then back again to 'Somwehere..'. It is a simple performance but was truly heartfelt. IZ’s version has been described as ‘so sad and poignant, yet full of hope and possibility’.

That was the first and last time he sang those two songs. The record was released and IZ quickly rose to fame. However, it did not last long. IZ died four years later due to a respiratory illness related to his obesity. He was only 38. Hawaii's state flag flew at half staff on the day of his funeral and 10,000 people gathered as is ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean.

The other artist is Eva Cassidy. She was a jazz, blues and pop singer from Maryland who lived a fairly simple and quiet life as a singer in Washington DC. She was lavished with accolades, sold over four million copies and was even described as 'one of the greatest voices of her generation’. Sadly, she never saw all of this happen. She died of cancer in 1996. She was only 33.

It was only after her death that recordings of her songs were released. My favorite song by Eva is her rendition of Sting’s ‘Fields of Gold’. It is said that Sting himself was moved to tears when he heard her version. She also sang a mellowed-down version of ‘Time after Time’ which was used in an episode of Smallville.

Remarkably, one of her most famous recordings was of ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’. In September 1996, with her health rapidly deteriorating that she even needed a walker, she did her final performance in front of an audience of friends. She sang ‘What a Wonderful World'.

Eva and IZ: two different artists who lived thousands of miles away from each other. Yet both of them made beautiful music that lived on even if they both have passed away too soon. Both gave their own rendition of the same two songs. Both became even more famous and sold more records posthumously. And both have captured the hearts of millions of music lovers all over the world including mine.

Listen:

A Glimpse of Old Cagsawa

The ruins of Cagsawa Church in Daraga, Albay never fails to enthrall me even if I've stood under its austere presence for dozens of times already. For 193 years, the ruins remain as a silent reminder of the lethal fury of Bicol's femme fatale, Mayon Volcano. Over a thousand people died there after a deadly lahar swept through the town, a terrible precursor to more recent tragedies.

I have always wondered how the once-flourishing pueblo of Cagsawa looked like. What were the structures built in and around the town? Were there plazas and teeming markets with fresh produce coming in from the seaside pueblos of Legazpi or the wide, arable plains of Ambos Camarines? What was life like in 19th century Cagsawa or Budiao?

With very little recorded information, and virtually no paintings nor photographs to provide a visual clue to what Cagsawa must have been, that town now lives only in our imagination.

As for the church of Cagsawa, I came across a rare photograph of an apparently intact church, with the belfry and part of the main building still standing amidst what looks like a rocky wasteland overgrown with weeds. Of course, this photo couldn't have been taken before the eruption in 1814 because photography was not yet developed as a usable process back then. In fact the oldest photograph in the world dates back only to 1826 or a full twelve years after Cagsawa was buried by lahar.

This remarkable photo provides a glimpse of how Cagsawa church looked like in the 19th century. I think it has a bit of a resemblance to the present church of Camalig, doesn't it? The only distinct difference is the shape of the belfry: Cagsawa has a more pointed top while the one in Camalig is rounder. I'm just wondering what happened to the other parts of the church, particularly the main building. Did it crumble away leaving only the belfry, standing like an old grey tombstone amidst the greenery? Was it torn down by relic hunters?

I can only guess.

For now, we still have Cagsawa's ancient belfry to behold, still standing like a sentinel even as modern catastrophes have dealt hard blows upon our land once in a while. It is a silent reminder of our past and a grim warning of what the future may hold.

To see photos of the present Cagsawa Ruins, click here
Old Cagsawa Photo credit to Jed Llamas, DigitalPhotographer.com.ph
More information at the Albay Tourism Website