What now?

It's a valid question. After all, now that I've placed my project 365 - year 3 elsewhere, this blog will cease to be updated on a regular basis. Unless I can come up with an idea that will keep this active, it may just be stagnant.

One idea that comes to mind... and it still retains it's title's purpose is to make this a literal photos and memory repository... just not in a project 365 manner. Maybe I can use it to  store more pictures... at least, until I notice that the blog's performance might be degrading.

Still deciding...

No picture today... okay, maybe at least one.

But it's not officially a Year 3. As I said before, I'll be doing a separate blog for that - so I don't overly tax any one site. That said, I could simply continue taking shots on a daily basis and  later play catch up in said blog. I could also, so as not to waste this particular space, use this now as a photoblog still... but one not totally dedicated to a photo a day anymore.

So this is the official announcement... this site will still remain as a photo blog... but not one dedicated to another project 365.

Day 366 Apr 08, 2012

And so Year II ends!

That's right... year two is done. With 366 entries in this particular photoblog (to compensate for the leap year), I've been able to document how my year went. Was it easier the 2nd time around? Not really... I faced different challenges as compared to the first time I did this. for example, I had not considered possible incompatibilities with Blackberry secured pictures... thus not able to use some shots in my earlier days of this 2nd batch. I also met similar challenges like updating my photoblog in near time schedules (as opposed to my batch processing practice every weekend - a necessary practice when I get too busy to publish things regularly).

Will I do it a third time around? Whew,,, let me chew on that for a while. Not because I find it hard to do... but I feel like a need to rest for at least a few days... it's not a question of 'will I'? More a question of 'When will I'? The answer to that will be known soon enough.

BTW - that's an e-comic I'm reading with my iPad. Whether it will eventually replace my paper-based comis remains to be seen. As of now I'd say 'no way' - but who knows? If this photoblog has taught me anything, its the fact that anything can happen within the days of a year.

This picture was taken by Bernice, by the way.

Oh yeah... Happy Easter everyone!

Day 365 Apr 07, 2012

Barbie posing:

I guess it's only fitting that the second to the last picture - the one I will officially take for this photoblog, will be about Barbie. After all, in this journey we call life (I think those are lyrics somewhere), she's been side-by-side with me in most (if not all) steps I've taken... more so when there are seeming milestones.

I definitely love my wife... and am glad she is my partner. This is not to say that even married as we are for 17 years, there are days when we argue - but for the most part, we get over such humps. She can be a nag at times... and even when she is well meaning, there are some rough spots that I tend to gloss over - as I'm sure the same is true with her viewpoint of me.

But we are one in making sure our kids get the best education (both in school and out) that we can afford to give or pay for. Wow... 17 years - why that means we'll be close to celebrating our 20th anniversary. That has to be cool... no matter how you look at it.

Day 364 Apr 06, 2012

Way of the Cross:

Being Good Friday, our family wanted to do something solemn... something that would remind us of Christ's passion on the cross, and that would be doing the 'Way of the Cross'.

A few things to share about this activity. First point: this is the first time we are doing this as a family. You see, in previous years, I felt that if we did this, the kids (most specially a very young Bernice) would not understand - and thus, not appreciate what we would be doing. Now, however... being of sounder mind and spirit, it would be easier to understand... and hopefully, appreciate why we are doing this.

Second point: we arrived in time to see people leaving from the Seven Last Words... and this meant their bookstore was open - this allowed me to buy a prayer book... without which we would be hard pressed to do the Way of the Cross without a guide.

Third point: the book we got was a soft cover version - and its fonts were ridiculously small for Barbie and me to read (and yes, I forgot my glasses) - which meant that the kids had to lead the entire thing... thus making htem understand what we were doing a whole lot better.

Fourth point: this is an Opus Dei backed chapel - one where being conservative (including dressing conservatively) is followed. Being thus, Barbie and Bernice were almost not allowed to enter due to the fat that they had sleeveless blouses on. Luckily, Barbie was able to persuade the guard that we would not stay too long and were just there for the Way of the Cross.

What am I trying to point at with all these points? Lets just say the Lord works in mysterious ways, and he helped us make sure we were able to practice this this Holy Week. There could have been any one reason why we could not continue with our plan... this was the fourth church/chapel we visited - the first three were too occupied or had not parking. Yet when you think about it... had we gone in to the first three, we would not have had the proper guide.book. Amazing, yes?

Day 363 Apr 05, 2012

Dubai-bound:

With exception to Barbie, the rest of the Buenabora clan in this picture are all heading for the airport, where they will catch a plane ride to China, en route to Dubai.

For Ben and Mommy, it will not be their first visit. For Dict, Tonette and Jude, it will be their first trip there - a month's vacation (to say the least), and a reunion with the rest of the family who are living there.

For Jude specially, this is a necessary trip, so he could see his mom (Bea) again. This time, in better circumstances - and hopefully, where he can familiarize himself with and bond/get close to his mom. Last they met was during Dad's funeral... this time, I hope they both enjoy things better - and Bea will definitely have a longer time with Jude. I know it will be hard for them at the end of a month (or three) to separate again, but Jude really needs to recognize his real mom.

Day 362 Apr 04, 2012

Old friends, new friends:

By this, I mean Raul (a.k.a. Batchie) and Fiel - after all, these two go all the way back since High School (Norte Dame)... and as we were sharing a mug of Hot Chocolate in Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf in Greenbelt 3, I could not help but be entertained with the stories that these two shared with each other - and with me.

You see, until today, I have only been friends with Raul in Facebook. Fiel, of course, is a colleague and friend for some years now... and lately we've been partnered with each other - specially when the need to conduct PM Estimating is concerned.

The day - and our get together, did not end until Raul asked us to get a few of some books he wanted to get rid of (for lack of space in his condo), and we were just happy to get some... in fact, I got quite a few hard bounds... even if I, too, am contemplating on the need for more bookshelves.

As for a part two... we will definitely plan for this. Meanwhile, we continue keeping in touch on an almost daily basis via FB (of course).

Day 361 Apr 03, 2012

Latest batch:

Yup... did I say the last time I showed comics in my photoblog that that wouldn't be the last time? Well, I was just being a realist... after all, when these babies arrive every week, I'd be bound to show a batch or two a month (at least)... so I wasn't exaggerating.

After all, each batch is a different combination, and the stand out for this batch would have to be the A vs. X issue 0 - a nice prelude to the 12-issue maxi-series pitting the Avengers vs. the X-men. This will surely galvanize the Marvel fans (if it hasn't yet). Noteworthy issues as well are the FF, Avengers and Aquaman. The rest weren't bad issues either, so what I'm saying is that in this particular batch, there was no poor title.

That said, with just about less than 10 days before this photoblog ends, I'm not saying I won't have another entry with a 'next batch'. But I will try to shoot for diversification where I can.

Day 360 Apr 02, 2012

Brian in action:

This was a training not in our schedule, and I'm just lucky I was able to jump in and help Brian (who jumped in too) conduct this Coaching conduct.

How I got here is a story in itself... I was at the Fort, accompanying Barbie to a meeting with the intent of bringing her back to her office (as I said, I had no scheduled training planned), and so, I was just in t-shirt, shorts and topsiders when I received Malou's call.

Needless to say, I agreed - informed Barbie about the sudden change in schedule and drove home to change before driving to Cybergate in Boni to handle my portion of the Coaching conduct.

While waiting, I observed Brian - something I (for whatever reason) had not done in the past, and found myself admiring the guy's capability to gain rapport with the class. Everyone was attentive and literally eating everything he was dishing out. Had I been a lesser experienced trainer, I might have had performance issues following Brian. Of couse, in trainings such as this, I normally bring my DSLR... in fact, it just hit me that this day, I actually had four cameras with me... the DSLR, my iPad's built in camera, my Blackberry's built in camera as well... and lastly, my Nokia phone's camera. So I really had no excuse to say I could not take a shot due to my not having a camera.

Day 359 Apr 01, 2012

Blake Baptized:

The newest member of the Buenaobra clan got baptized - Blake Andre became a Roman Catholic in Our Lady of Lourdes this 1st of April, which also happens to be Palm Sunday of the holy Week - and yes, its also April Fool's, but that's another discussion for another day.

We all attended Blake's Christening - and Bryce even became a godfather to his cousin. Guess, Lhyn really liked Bryce's personality and God-centered viewpoint.

As for me, as usual, I was the unofficial photographer for this event. If you'll notice the angle of the shot, I wanted to have a unique perspective, so I went up the balcony of the church and took most of my shots from there. In hindsight, I could have gone elsewhere to really get the actual baptism... but I wasn't too worried, as there were others taking pictures as well - so its not as if I'll show a different perspective had I been on the ground floor.

From the church, we went to Max's Chicken in the Shang to celebrate. I took pictures in between eating, and I hope Brian and Lhyn like the shots... and yes, I did learn something - specifically about placement and positioning for 'better' shots.

Day 358 Mar 31, 2012

Earth Hour:

Every last Saturday of March is the world-wide celebration of Earth Hour celebration. This year, that makes it the 31st, and as you can see in this LCD of Starbucks, there are announcements left and right with the hope of making sure people volunteer an our - from 8:30 to 9:30pm - to have a lights out moment in solidarity with everyone else to show we are aware and serious about conserving energy.

Well this particular year, we were not really able to practice Earth Hour - although, when you think about it... we actually did. How so? Simple... we were watching a movie - Hunger Games, and though we did not intend for this to coincide with Earth Hour, we were able to get tickets for the 7:40pm showing. Doing some mental math, I thought, we'd be inside the theater for the most part of Earth Hour... but would come out and still see it happening around the Greenhills theater. Unfortunately, the movie lasted longer than expected - so by the time we went out, all lights were on. Oh well... at least, all lights were off while we were watching the movie - thus actually practicing Earth Hour.

Then again, should we not want to experience the one hour lights off - watching a movie would be the best reason to go around Earth Hour and still be able to say you were practicing it (while watching the movie). As I was going into the movie... I chose not to bring the DSLR - so I used my Blackberry to take this picture.

Day 357 Mar 30, 2012

Breakfast for three:

Though we're not in the picture, Barbie and I are ably represented by our Starbucks breakfast, while Bernice is left to smile into the camera. No occasion, really... just the fact that it being a Friday, Barbie need not go to work, and being a month-end, I had to go to Makati to get my paycheck. Hence our finding ourselves here in Starbucks Greenbelt 1.

I used my DSLR for this, deciding to use the ambient lighting, which was more than enough to get a nice shot without having too little or too bright a light... more so the latter when you think that we're right beside the window - and had it not been for a partly cloudy day, such glaring effect might ruin this shot.

As for my breakfast - the french toasts were heavy... and I did not need to place the syrup supplied with it. The toast size not withstanding, I would have wanted it to be a bit more saucy - as in possibly marinaded longer in the milk and egg mixture. I should know because I have cooked these way back when I was a teen. What can I say, I've got impeccable taste.

After this, the plan would be to try going to S&R and hope the lines aren't insanely long... other than that, the day is relatively flexible - and I plan to enjoy it.

Day 356 Mar 29, 2012

Turkish Delights:

This is me discovering this delicatessen - a little something brought back for us by Brian. It's know by its more familiar 'Turkish Delights' label... or Lukum by the Turkish and/or Arabic people.

My first impression when taking it? Its got a powedery cover - much like our local espasol, so eating it can be a bot of a powdery mess... just saying. But unlike the espasol that has a bland taste as only ground root crops tend to have, these lukum come in different and for the most part, sweet flavor.

I don't know if they happen to be done this way all the time (it is my first taste of it remember?), but based on my first impression, it is good. Sort of like a fruity flavored orange jelly - it you've tasted those... but not just orange, and instead of the usual sugar coating... as I said, more like confectionery (powdery) sugar is used. Personally, its good, and I have it on good authority that it goes great with Turkish coffee - which I still need to look for.

This is another Instagram picture... and yes, it also covers my picture as part of my photoblog - the last one being about 10 pictures ago. Yes, I know... not too far off - but this is a 'first' event. I mean, think of it... 51 years before I even got to taste these things.

Day 355 Mar 28, 2012

Brian's in town:

Fresh from Dubai, Brian planed it to spend a few days (literally about 2 weeks) with his wife and newly born baby.

Since he's just arrived, and Ben fetched him, they went here first, so Brian could rest a bit. While resting, he logs into our WiFi and takes a few winks. This picture is when Brian was logging into Buffy's Domain (yes, that's what I named our WiFi domain), while Jude just got used to his presence and did not feel that intimidated with the 'stranger' in our home.

If the picture quality is a bit grainy, this is because I used Instagram for this (via my iPad), so I had to work with a lesser megapixel camera, and possibly an even lower pixelation via Instagram too. I don't know if there is a way to tweak the picture quality for a better quality shot - at least, as of this time, I am not yet aware of such a technique.

Day 354 Mar 27, 2012

Waiting in J&J parking:

Seeing as this week is a relatively free week for me (no work assigned to me), I find myself fetching Barbie from work, then driving home.

Along the way, we talk... maybe do the groceries, maybe stop by some place to have a snack - or early dinner... this latter option being when either of us has something to do before going home.

Now, as I wait... I either read a book or a few comic books, maybe even read an ebook with my iPad - or simply play games in said iPad as well. Maybe if the wait is rather long (due to Barbie's unanticipated meeting with her boss - thus unable to leave as intended... hence my waiting this way as well... anyway, yes... if the wait is really long, I might do just all of the things I mentioned earlier.

Once again, I used my Blackberry camera for this... talk about getting bored huh?

Day 353 Mar 26, 2012

Aircon cleaning:

This is how our black car looks with all its wirings from the dashboard exposed... a necessary move to reach the car's aircon, so it can be cleaned.

Apparently, this is one of the more labor intense aircon cleaning models - not just because of where the aircon is hidden, but also because of the fact that since this is an automatic model, the dahsboard is a bit more complicated to take out - as its got so many components that are individually screwed. I mean, I was... for the most part, observing how things were being done - and I have to say I ran out of patience while waiting for this to be done. I just had to leave the shop (which was quite close to my place) so I could have lunch and rest a bit. Yeah... since this entire week is a free week, I'm starting to catch up with pending stuff that needs to be done - this was one of them... and by no means is this done. The car also needs an oil change and to be registered... preferably before Ben leaves for Dubai.

This shot was taken using my Blackberry smart phone's camera. After all, I did not want to wait out in the open toting my DSLR or my iPad.

Day 352 Mar 25, 2012

Chatime:

Looks like this is getting to be a habit - the enjoying of Chatime drinks that is. Whenever I find myself in Greenhills, we (that is, Barbie and I... and normally, with Bernice as well as this instance connotes) would decide to get some Chatime milk tea.

In our case, we normally gravitate towards the red bean variety - a best seller, if their ads are to be believed... and I personally like it because their red beans remind me of hopia... or in some way, halo halo (no surprise as it happens to be the same red beans in the halo halo - and most probably the same as well when it comes to certain hopia variety.

But what is also great about this is that we can opt to have it less sweeter (my preference) and it always comes in a refreshingly cold temperature... a definite plus factor in this hot summer season. I tried taking thsi picture with and without a flash... for some reason, I prefer the non-flash option... it looks fuller, as the flash option lessens some inherent shadows and or reflections.

Day 351 Mar 24, 2012

14th Celebration:

Bernice turned 14 today, and we just thought of a little get together with family who could make it (which means mostly from Barbie's side, as my side of the family is rather far... as in Batangas far).

We ordered some pizza (El Buono over-sized 24" in diameter), made some pasta, got some KFCs (a bucket of 15 pcs) and some drinks. That was more than enough for all of us... in fact, we even had some spaghetti for take home by some of our guests

As for the simplicity of said party, our celebrator (Bernice) did not really mind its seeming frugal manner as she had already treated her friends the day before. This, then, was a purely family focused celebration.

If you're wondering where I was in this occasion, I was actually taking the shot - besides, as I said, it was a purely family affair... done at our place, so Barbie and I were not at our party best. Far from it, as we were still in the process of doing the necessary preparations for this 'late afternoon to evening' gathering. Ben, also not in the picture, was the one who cooked the spaghetti. 

So Happy Birthday Bernice! We all love you. 

Day 350 Mar 23, 2012

Rare gathering:

This is a picture of my friends/ sometime gaming group members - yup... these people were (or should I still use the word 'are'?) gamers. For most of us, gaming is what we were doing and this is how we met each other.

This particular Friday evening, we all got together - at least, those of us who could make it (others could not) to share dinner with JP - who would be around only until his daughter's graduation. The reunion was timed for dinner and we all ate at North Park, Makati Avenue. In between we would play catch up with each other's lives. It was great to see them... and hopefully, we'll be able to repeat this practice soon.

On another note... wow! 350th entry for this Photo blog... hard to consider that this started 350 days ago - and I'm just talking about year 2. Obviously if we include year 1, we would have to add 365 to the day 350. Meanwhile... thiws milestone means I just have 16 (leap year) days before this project (Year 2) ends. Whew... and just like after I did year one, I will revisit the year that was.

Day 349 Mar 22, 2012

New Comics:

If I were to look for certain constants in my life, based on the pictures this past year (and last year as well), I would have to say that comics would appear on a semi-regular basis. Then again, it shouldn't be surprising to ma - or anyone who knows me, that the hobby I have been enjoying for nearly 5 decades now, would prominently figure in my life.

I enjoy reading them... as I've surely said before. If not... well, its quite obvious, with all the pics I've posted regarding them. After all, I do collect them on a regular basis - hence it will not be more surprising if I so not show another batch of new acquisitions within the month... more so when one considers that I normally purchase these on a weekly basis. After all, they are marketed by spreading the titles across the 4-weeks of a month... this assures that there will always be comics coming out each and every week.

My collections are not limited to just one company (the way I used to just stick to Marvel, until DC came up with an interesting title (New Teen Titans) by a creative team made of ex-Marvel talents. Nowadays, aside from Marvel and DC, I dabble in a few IDWs (Rocketeer), Dynamite (Vampirella) and maybe even Dark Horse. These independents come up with great titles.stories that are hard to ignore. It is also indicative of the industry's health that such independents have the capacity to thrive. Soooo... expect that this will not be the last entry showing comics... not if I know me, and assuming there are no other, more interesting pics to show. After all, I'm willing to bump off comics pics for such unique shots. 

Day 348 Mar 21, 2012

Forced perspective?

If you take a passing glance at the picture, you'd think that the projection screen is one gigantic piece... specially when taking into consideration the seeming size of Fiel in the background.

Well it just so happens that the projector screen is large... but not that large. The room is approximately 10 feet high - and from there you can probably extrapolate the screen's size.

This is called a forced perspective... the situation of manipulating the picture's perspective to make a subject look either larger or smaller. I practiced this little perspective trick with this shot... and yes, it can fool anyone at a glance, until you look at the ceiling and see the vanishing point lines as clues to the room's actual dimensions - and the relative location of the screen vs. Fiel. Now... if the room had a simple line-less ceiling... it would be an easier illusion to uphold.

As it is... this picture also makes one think that its a black and white shot. Nope... its colored. Of course, that's hard to notice since most items are grayish.

Day 347 Mar 20, 2012

Waffle time!

This mouth-watering item, happens to be a White Hat Strawberry with Almonds Waffle - a dish I had to try out when I saw it. But this was all accidental, mind you.

You see, I brought Bernice to Fully Booked, at Bonifacio High Street - to pass the time before we went to fetch Barbie at work. As we had been hanging around for the better part of an hour already, I wanted to go to Starbucks for some coffee.

Unfortunately, said Starbucks was full and had no available table for Bernice and me, so we opted to look at the store right beside Starbucks - aside from the fact that it was a yogurt store, it was hardly occupied - thus allowing us to choose where to sit. Well... while Bernice had a sundae, I spied waffles - and since I rarely ate waffles (as compared to sundaes) I did not hesitate in ordering a waffle of my choice.

How was it? It was great... the picture shows it to be delectable, and it really is.

Day 346 Mar 19, 2012

99

Down time:

What do I do when I'm waiting for my turn at the facilitator's role? Why read anything I bring with me, naturally... in this case, its the book of Grant Morrison regarding his explaining the influence that comic books have on us - how this pop culture teaches us about our being human.

I've just recently started this book so I was (as of this picture) in chapter one... the one about Superman. So far it explains how Grant sees Superman, and how his being Superman and Clark Kent was somehow needed in the time the character was introduced.

So I guess, I'm up for some historical tidbits, and I should be able to enjoy the read as I go along. If the camera is slightly off its focus, well... that's the dilemma of having the camera shoot me with a timer. I focus on where I will be - then make the camera count down and hope for the best, as I won't be able to refocus. Still... it is a relatively clear picture, so I'm not complaining.

Oh yeah... as far as milestones go, this being a leap year, I've opted top have 366 pics - hence since I'm at 346, this means this is just a 20 day countdown.

Day 345 Mar 18, 2012

Cuenca birthday visit:

Every March, I make it a practice to visit my mom and sister; plus my other sister and her family, in Cuenca, Batangas. I time this to coincide with Tizza's and my birthday - plus Bernice's birthday as well... so it can be considered a triple celebration. With Gerry along, it becomes four celebrants for March.

As always, Tizza, Bing, Li and mama cook up a lot of food - and I always fail to taste everything... there's just too many options, with not enough stomach space. Besides, I don't really want to eat too much food as I'm watching my weight (though at times it seems like I'm watching it grow).

This picture shows Fred and Li in the process of getting food. It almost looks like they're getting the same dish as a prelude to a tug of war for the piece. Of course, the reality is that Li was helping Fred... as I said, food was aplenty, so definitely no grabbing and arguing ensued. Aside from the two, you can make out (clockwise from left) Mommy (Barbie's mom), Ben, my dad, and a bit further off... Patty and Gerry. Then there's an unrecognizable head behind that of Bryce, then Bernice and finally Clorian. Yup, you read right... my dad did show up to have lunch with us... a first, far as I can tell... though he had to leave early. Still, it was nice to have him there.

As usual, I looked forward to some strong Barako coffee right after lunch - in fact, I had two cups. This ensured I was not sleepy on the way back. Next visit will be timed with Bing's and Patty's birthday... that would be in August.

Day 344 Mar 17, 2012

Crane?

I'm not quite sure what kind of bird this is - but it does look like a small crane... except for the fact that cranes have longer necks, right?

The funny part is, I had not planned to take a picture of any bird - at least, I was not looking forward to doing such - and yet... when this white creature landed on that stump (if that is what you refer it as), and when I saw this opportunity, I decided to take the shot - not bothering to change my lens... fearful of the possibility that it would fly off as sudden as its arrival.

Well I'm glad it decided to stay a while - as it turns out, I could have changed lens with minutes to spare. I mean, it was literally resting there, while probably looking at its surroundings for possible food.

This bird is obviously a migratory visitor - one I hope to see more often of, as well as other species. I mean, this is hopefully not a rare occasion - and rather the start of nature giving us something great to look at - even if they just happen ot be passing through.

Day 343 Mar 16, 2012

New wine:

I bought this a few days ago, with the hopes of trying it out in my birthday. Unfortunately, there was so much happening within the family; plus the fact that I've got classes running in the next day (today) that I could not really open a bottle and enjoy it.

Well tonight being a Friday evening, and with Ben arriving (along with mommy, Jude and yaya), I felt it was a better night to open said wine for Barbie and Ben to taste. What's on the picture is a marang wine - marang being some sort of fruit, belonging to the jack fruit family. That said, as we were taking this wine chilled, I could not help but notice that its sweetness hides a potent alcoholic drink.

Maybe the potency could be attributed to the fact that since its sweet, its easy to drink and therefore makes for a headier wine (in other words, people can tend to take it faster - hence get drunk faster. Thus, don't let the size fool you.

As the picture shows, this wine is of 2012 vintage... really new stuff, and I wonder if I should get a couple and just let it age. As always, I took the shot before partaking of the wine - not because I was worried I won't have a shot of the wine later (as I've a spare bottle waiting), but that I may not have great control fo my faculties later, to justify a great (or for that matter, a clear) shot.

Day 342 Mar 15, 2012

My Birthday!

Yes, it is my natal day... 51 years ago, I arrived into this world - thus starting a journey filled with a lot of mixed activities. I've had ups and downs... that's for sure. Lessons were learned - and are still being imparted.

I've yet to say I am truly wise, and am wise enough to know that day will never come, for as I live, I learn - and as I learn, I learn to live better. I've great friends, and a greater family.

As for this pic, yeah... I picked up my birthday cake - courtesy of Bryce, who used his extra allowance to get this and hand carry it from I don't know where... so that I could have it to share and enjoy with everyone else (thanks kuya!). I may be hamming it up in this picture - but the glee is genuine. Oh yeah... Bernice took this shot - a great pic, if I day so myself. I posted it on my FB wall, and am getting greetings ans likes.

Day 341 Mar 14, 2012

Cake!

Bernice got me this little cake for my birthday - a day early, but still welcome. I believe she even had this ordered through a classmate. The message above the cake is heart warming, as its something I try to be with my kids.

This is why when I saw it... before even considering taking a bite of this cake, I opted to have a picture taken - after all, I may not have my cake and eat it too... but I;ll make damn sure I still get to keep some kind of reminder of said cake.

Thank you, Bernice. Oh yeah, before I forget... Happy Birthday to my sister, Tizza!

Day 340 Mar 13, 2012

Late Lunch:

I fetched Barbie slightly early from work - and we went straight to the Shang mall to do a few things... first and foremost (as this picture suggests) was to get a relatively late lunch at our favorite Greek place 'Cibo'. Anyone who's been there will recognize the mural on the wall, and I was lucky enough to capture it as Barbie's background.

So what did we order? Simple... the usual salad we both like... and one other item I can vaguely recall - as it was not really a favorite of mine.

For this picture, I  opted to go without a flash, so I could see the backdrop lighting effect - and how it casts shadows over the rough wall. Of course, I was having some difficulty in balancing the lights/brightness of the background - thus rendering Barbie a lot darker than she really is.

Day 339 Mar 12, 2012

Toyota Global City:

This is relatively a new location as far as Toyota service centers go. It's a whole lot closer to where I normally work - be it at McKinley or at Boni, this is much easier to get to as compared to the Makati Bel Air Service Center.

I came in here to inquire about free schedules to have the Altis go through a regular service milestone check, and ended up having it done right there and then. This picture shows the customer lounge inside Toyota Global City... and the nice thing about it was the movies they were showing that day - as can be seen in the picture, I was watching Green Lantern, and later... they showed X-men (the first movie). I also brought some comics to read - and although it was not working this particular day, the place was supposed to have WiFi.

 Suffice to say, I liked the service, convenience and quality of the work. I'll most likely be servicing the Altis here from now on. Nothing against the Makati branch, but its just hard to go to, and its got too many customers.  Over in this service center (Global City), I felt attended to... which is a very big plus factor to me.

Day 338 Mar 11, 2012

Blake Andre:

Lhyn gave birth to Blake a few days ago, but it was only now that we were able to visit both of them in Capitol Medical (in Quezon City). Brian, by this time, had not yet seen pictures of his son online (as of this time, Brian has still to fly into the Philippines from Dubai), and was anxious to see any picture of Blake.

That said, I brought my camera (and zoom lens) to take pictures of Blake - and its a good thing I did bring the zoom lens, as it allowed me to take this close up of Blake (several close ups actually). It was nice to see many people 'liking' this particular picture in FB... I know they were liking the fact that it showed Blake... but it was a picture I took that made this possible. So yeah, I'm proud of this shot.

Day 337 Mar 10, 2012

Bacardi in Better Living:

Mon opted to host this particular Bacardi Night... and this particular evening was almost not pushing through - and yet, where there is a will, there is a way, and for some reason, this Bacardi night - even when we decided to postpone it, kept coming back to us and making us reconsider our decision.

I'm glad we pushed through with it - as everyone enjoyed the evening. We had great food, great sounds, great conversations and naturally... great drinks. We came up with a rule of thumb to have at least 8 people to make the night enjoyable - to make the effort worth it. Looking at the people at the picture, I see six people - plus Mon, Kosh and myself... making it a good enough size. I was thinking that this evening would end early - I was surprised that 'us' stragglers, had left the place of Mon around 1pm. Goes to show that time flies when we're definitely having fun.

Day 336 Mar 09, 2012

 Bubbles' profile:

For some reason, I find it hard to get a great picture of Bubbles - its not that she's a difficult subject, its more likely that since she's predominantly white, its easy to lose focus when taking her picture. Even this picture - as close-up a shot as it can be, seems a bit blurry, yet it does show a good profile of Bubbbles, so I don't mind posting this.

I, for one, like how the face is clear - yet her left ear (the one closer to the camera) is a bit blurry. You could say that this picture is a bit artistic with its tight focus. Well, even if it was still not my intent to get this effect, I welcome it none the less... and yet, it also reminds me that I've yet to fully master my camera's capabilities - or of photography basics (or advanced topics) for that matter.

Day 335 Mar 08, 2012

Pigeons:

A few months ago, I was worried that the management of Piazza was neglecting the pigeons that got used to flying around - and I was sure these pigeons would fly away if they would find an alternate place that fed them.

Well I'm glad to say that apparently, management made arrangements to care for the pigeons - and there is now one person (the same one actually) feeding the pigeons in the afternoon. That said, the birds are now back with a vengeance, and swooping around - and their population has once again grown... not yet the same as what it was, but getting there. Personally, I like this shot, as one of the pigeons was really looking at me - even striking a pose, while its companions were busy eating. Cool, huh?

Day 334 Mar 07, 2012

Fiel's treat:

The man turned 50 a day ago, but naturally, he spent his day the way he wanted to (not working), thus he was not physically present to treat anyone.

Well today was a different story - Fiel brought us to Dencio's at the Piazza, and we just ordered a few food (others had eaten earlier, so were full), and we just had a nice lunch. Lucky for me, I was not part of the early eaters - so I enjoyed Fiel's treat... calamares, crispy pata, sinigang na baboy and chop suey. Needless to say, I was really full (and rather sleepy during my lecture - should've gotten coffee after the heavy lunch).

Day 333 Mar 06, 2012

Premium steak!

Whenever I go to Dillinger's in Greenbelt 3, I end up eating this particular steak - the porterhouse, medium well. Now... whenever I go to Dillinger's its normally with Rudy and John, for dinner - prior to our going elsewhere to watch some bands performing.

Today though, this is lunchtime, and though Rudy isn't around, John was the one who invited me (in an impromptu manner at that), because Ivy - a mutual friend, had these certificates worth Php2,000 - expiring this particular day; for any food and drinks of Dillinger's (where does she get these?). So, as you can see - if we did not take advantage of this, it would simply expire. Knowing how good the food in Dillinger's was, John and I could not... out of our clear conscience, waste this opportunity.

Needless to say, the three of us got stuffed... and I do thank Ivy. Hope she does get something like this again - and hope she remembers how helpful we are in helping her out in such dire need.

Day 332 Mar 05, 2012

Frazetta's Collected Works:

I've been a fan of Frank Frazetta ever since - well, ever since I saw his paintings in some magazines. Frank, after all, represented one of several famous fantasy painters, and it never hurt that his paintings had skimpily clad females , or muscle-bound barbarians, against monsters or aliens.

His colors were dynamic and at the same time dark. His images showed promises of great adventures... quests, or battles against great odds. If he painted villains, they were formidable looking. Had I been older and living in the U.S., I would have tried to commission Frazetta to do a painting for me, just to own an 'original Frazetta'. Lucky for me, these two volumes were printed. Now I can enjoy his works (comics and some sketch work), and my library is much richer for it.

Day 331 Mar 04, 2012

Ahem...

Before you think this is a fetish of mine, the reason I'm within this shop's vicinity is because Bernice needs a new set of undergarments - so Barbie accompanied her to this place in the Podium (who's name eludes me right now), so they could get some garments while the place is on sale.

I was, on the other hand, just sitting at the coffee shop just outside the shop, enjoying a carrot cake and coffee, while using the iPad and, yes, taking some pictures left and right. It just so happens that this is the most colorful picture of all, and the most meaningful for the day - after all, if Bernice did not need new under garments, we wouldn't even be in this building.

Now... as for this being a fetish... I do love to see such sexy garments - specially on heavenly bodies - its why I enjoyed Playboy specials focusing on lingerie - and Victoria's secret catalogs.

Day 330 Mar 03, 2012

Buffy's Domain is launched:

No its not a new company... the idea behind the creation of Buffy's Domain, was simply the need to come up with a virtual location I could address - as opposed to the more widely generic Bacood, Sta. Mesa, and as a favor to a friend who seems to think checking into Bacood, Sta Mesa might be too uncouth.

In my case, I also needed to emphasize that my check-ins in Bacood are not related to any check ins at the row of Motels at the very heart of Sta. Mesa - hence the creation of Buffy's Domain.

Why this name? Simple... I'm already using Buffy's domain as the label of our WiFi network... so why not continue using it? This picture is obviously a screen capture - one I'm still in the process of learning - more so since I hardly use the tool.

Oh yeah... as you can see in said screen capture, we had a 'Wine and Cheese' (well actually, a little more than just those) night right here. So Isn't that great? Not only do I get to mention about Buffy's Domain, but I also get to insert a picture of us enjoying said wine; one that I asked Bryce to take using the iPad.

Day 329 Mar 02, 2012

Summer heat:

Summer has definitely come early this year. Even in the confines of our place, the temperature is unbearable - specially if one has just come in from outside (like me). So what do I do about it? Well, in this case, I grab the closest drink I spy - which just happens to be a Coke Zero that I had bought yesterday with the intent to keep me cool as I was driving around the metro for Barbie. One I did not drink because I also got a Gatorade, which I did drink.

To continue with the above discussion... I then filled my glass up with ice (I know some Coke purist friends of mine would balk at the thought of iced Coke - but right now, I don't care), poured the coke... waited for a few seconds, then drank the contents up real fast - bot obviously not before I took this shot.

What was so challenging about just taking this picture? I wanted to concentrate on the forming sweat off the glass. It may hardly be visible at this current picture's size, so I will understand why it will be hard to focus on (at least, not without enlarging the picture). But yeah... I didn't bother with multiple shots... as I said earlier, I wanted to drink this real bad. Boy... I'm wondering how hto this summer will get by April. Hoooo boy.

Day 328 Mar 01, 2012

Concentration:

This is how Barbie shows focus with what she is doing. Don't worry though, its not work related - at least, in this particular case. Nope... what's happening is a game - one of many that's been downloaded into the iPad. If it's not Bejewelled, its most likely Temple Run... the latter will really demand one's attention - I should know because I've played it a lot as well.

Anyway, this was taken as we were having lunch in Greenhills - enroute to a stopover back home first and later an awarding ceremony in Manila which she has to attend to, as for me... I was her driver for the day - seeing as I had no conducts for the entire week.

My plan while waiting for Barbie in said affair? Look for a WiFi station - possibly a coffee shop, and use the iPad, or just play games... or even better, read up on the pile of comics I've bought, but have yet to enjoy.

Day 327 Feb 29, 2012

New stash:

There are weeks when comics arrive in trickles... others in droves. This particular week is an example of the latter... at least, for me. I had recently purchased some issues, only to realize that the next week's supposed batch likewise arrived - thus making me spend a lot. Lucky for me, this particular instance was close to the month-end, and I was able to get these issues (and more) just because I got my pay for the February conducts.

That said, what am I looking forward to? For starters - Aquaman... this time, focusing on Merra and a new artist who's name sounds a lot like a Filipino's. Then there's I Vampire, a decidedly different story - but worth reading. Iron man is another great title these days... perfect combination of story and art magnificence.  The others are likewise interesting... but the three I've mentioned are great issues I would highly recommend to anyone wanting a glimpse of what comics can be when they're good. Lest I forget, another issue that is part of this batch and worth reading is Avengers Academy.

That said, today marks the fact that it is a leap year.... just saying.

Day 326 Feb 28, 2012

Coffee... lots of it.

I'm not sure if this is your typical Starbucks coffee mode of transportation - then again, nothing says it can't be either. Then again, it may very well be just a display... a sort of theme-setting prop, if you will.

I saw this sack beside the barista's... well, for lack of a better term, bar. I liked how it represented coffee sacks; even if this one may well be just a representative of said real sacks (assuming there are real sacks) - still, it was the idea behind the image, that made me think that I should take a picture of this.

You see, I was having breakfast in Starbucks, at the Fort - and while doing this, I was actually enjoying their free WiFi services - and taking the time out to study a set of training materials for the very first time. I opted to go with natural lighting, and just adjusted the picture's lighting - making things look sharper and clearer.

I also removed unnecessary background - cropping a good portion of the picture, to emphasize the subject (which is the sack of course). I wonder though... how would I react if one day, someone buys a sack of coffee and brings it home... and worse, there may be some form of expiration date - that would surely be a riot.

Day 325 Feb 27, 2012

Cyma salad:

This has got to be one of the best salads in town. This isn't the first time I've had it... and this will definitely not be the last (far as I'm concerned). Its surprisingly good because of its nuts, the cheese (of which I'm guessing its aged cheddar), the fresh greens (mostly romaine lettuce) and honey roasted wall nuts - add to this a semi-sweet vinaigrette, and you have the makings of said salad.

Mind you, what I've just described is my analysis of said salad; based on my taste buds. Having said that, I hope to reproduce said salad some time at home, and see if I've got it right. This particular instance, however, I'm simply enjoying this (plus a seafood soup and chicken kebab) with Barbie.

Day 324 Feb 26, 2012

New gadget:

Some may say it would be bad timing to get an iPad these days - what with the iPad 3 rumored to be released in a few weeks - but to Barbie and me, we did not really think of this. It was simply the thought of thinking if we needed one; and I can honestly say I can use one (better than surfing the net with my cell phone and squinting at the small text). Timing-wise, I'm also coming off from paying for Bryce's laptop - and besides, having this will allow all four of us (Barbie, Bryce, Bernice and me) to surf the net via WiFi.

So welcome to our household iPad... its been a long time coming, but its not as if this is the first Apple hardware we have. After all, I count at least three different iPods (of shapes and sizes). Still, this may very well be our largest Apple tool to date (not just in size consideration) with its 64MB capacity. Honestly speaking, I don't know if the memory is too much or just enough - guess I'll find out soon enough.

Meanwhile, there's nothing like opening an Apple box for the very first time and appreciate the stylishness of the box - opening the box is, in itself an experience... great simplicity, minimalism and cleanliness - perfect reflection to the iPad itself. I wonder if anyone noticed this as they opened their iPad boxes.

Day 323 Feb 25, 2012

New shirt!

Yup! Those are head shots of four Marvel super heroes - namely Spidey, Cap, Shell head and the Hulk. It's my second Marvel Comics designed shirt (though its my first one bought in a clothing store)... you see, although there is a local distributor of Marvel-character designed shirts, the Asian sizes do not match my build (for some reason, they just make up to XL, when I need a 2XL or 3XL), hence for the past months, I was a disappointed customer - wanting differing designed shirts, but frustrated when no size fit my frame.

Thus would the story progress this way - and I had to contend myself with getting shirts for my kids instead... that is, until I found this particular shirt. Now, as you can see, I am a proud owner of a Marvel shirt. One thing nice about this shirt is its thin cotton that allows the shirt to breathe - plus the fact that in weather such as this (really hot weather) would naturally want to feel pride.

This picture was simply taken by Bernice, and just shows that this is a great shot of the shirt. There was a few others regarding design - and I'm just relaxing with a cup of Cafe Mocha at Krispy Kreme. (or is that Crispy Cream?)

So yeah, consider this my semi-regular attempt at having my mug shot taken for the benefit of my project 365.

Day 322 Feb 24, 2012

Aquarium garden:

How I wish my aquarium would somehow look like this. I mean, I'd certainly like to have one designed this way - with a school of Cardinal Tetras and a few shrimps, plus a couple of glass cleaner types. That would be a cool project to have.

Maybe I can have this done sometime... and I need not get the people who've done this, to help. Granted it looks like a tree trunk has been submerged into this aquarium... but somehow I know that isn't really a trunk, and the roots are probably several driftwood put together... but it really is a nice-looking tree trunk, and the plants do look like grass, so the illusion keeps well with the design of a seeming field. Where did this picture get taken? An exhibit for several planted aquarium, located at Tiendesitas.

Day 321 Feb 23, 2012

Sunlight:

I guess its been a while since I took some outside shots - and I can imagine why. I'm not a fan of the searing temperature that we're all experiencing, so I rarely bother looking around to find some possibly great shot when it comes to anything under this hemisphere's sun..

Today, however, as Fiel and I ended our class relatively earlier than usual, I found the time to drive to Johnson and Johnson (from the Piazza), arrive a bit early for Barbie's scheduled work clock-off, and wound up looking at my surroundings while waiting inside the car (with the engine and air conditioner running) - this after I read a few pages from the book I brought. It was then that I saw this plant (and the other plants) around the garden, and what got my attention was how the sunlight was hitting them. Now mind you, being plants, the sunlight was nourishment for these plants - and I liked the way the light and shadows were playing along this one.

So did I need to get out under the hot sun to take the shot? Of course not. I used my telephoto lens to get a close up of the plant without the need to get out of the car. Great huh?

Day 320 Feb 22, 2012

Bones in town:

Bones Balce (person seen on the left) lives in Australia - he's been there long enough to have garnered citizenship, and I was surprised to see his comment in Facebook one time implying that he was here.

Well, thanks to the above-mentioned FB, I got to get into contact with Bones (despite an apparently very hectic schedule) and share coffee time with him at the Coffee Beanery in the Shang.

I've met Bones and known him while he was still in High School, as a friend to Deke Amador. By college, he was too busy with his many NGOs and other advocacy-related organizations like coops to sit still ans touch base. So meeting up with him now... specially that he is based in the land 'down under', is a rare situation indeed. The guy has mellowed a bit it seems, but the intellect and love for social improvements for the Philippines is still very much present in him.

Good to see you again Bones, nice to see you still helping the Philippines - even if you're already an Aussie. Mighty good of you 'mate'... and see you around - if not in FB, then possibly here as well.

Day 319, Feb 21, 2012

Morning at the Piazza:

These days, it feels like summer has arrived (a bit early for  its time), which means that its hot and the sun is really shining intensely. Well apparently, I was not the only one to notice such a temperature as even the pigeons at the Piazza use whatever shade they can find to relax. I guess, this the equivalent of our lazing under a hut or tree - by the beach, just watching the ocean's waves lap towards the beach (yes I miss going to the beach).

Apparently, its too hot to forage for food, and so they just swoop under the mall's outdoor bench and enjoy the breeze (what little there is of it) under the bench's shade. Later in the afternoon, they'll start flying around again, and hopefully, they'll get to be fed by some visitors... but that's some time in the afternoon. Meanwhile, its energy conservation and relaxation.

Day 318, Feb 20, 2012

Spa time!

I've had this rather stiff neck for the past two days - possibly due to my not sleeping in a proper position (due to my not having the needed space to lie down properly on), plus the possibility that my back got exposed to the coldness of the air-conditioned room.

Well, lucky for me (and I'm definitely not complaining about this fact) that I don't have any training for today - thus allowing me to go to the spa. And since Barbie also has no work this day (due to her arriving from Bali yesterday) then it was serendipitous that she too needed a massage. So off to the spa we went - taking 90  minutes of relaxing kneading and oils. Lord knows we needed this... and though my stiff neck isn't entirely gone, at least I got de-stressed and my back aches are gone... replaced, as it is, by the lingering aches due ot said massage (I did ask for a hard massage, after all). As the picture points out, we had our massage at the Ahavia in San Juan.

Day 317, Feb 19, 2012

New Book:

I don't know if I bought a book on how to write comics before, I can't think of one right now. But even if I had, a book written by Stan is one that is hard to ignore. I bought another book (the companion to this one) on how to draw comics - and even if Stan was the main man in said book, it was more his collecting suggestions from others - or his comments in his capacity of being an editor stating what he was looking for in art, as opposed to his directly talking about his artistic experience.

But this new book... this is different. After all, Stan was the writer behind such hits as Fantastic Four, Spider-man, Avengers, Captain America, Thor... and a whole lot more. The Marvel (comics) Universe as we know it would possibly not have morphed into the force that it is without Stan's contributions on the writing and editing portion. Truth to say, he did not do it alone... but he sure was a cornerstone one cannot ignore.

So I definitely got this... not that I'm planning to come up with my own comic some time soon (but who knows?). Nope, my buying this book is more curiosity with what Stan 'the man' Lee has to say about writing comics from his decades of experience... not just from the technical perspective - but from the viewpoint of a thankful fan as well.