Ruby Tuesday#76 It's Christmas At MOA

Christmas season is already in full swing in the Mall of Asia. Christmas decorations are everywhere. This part of MOA is quite popular for photo sessions with people. Why not? It looks quite festive!



This is my entry for:

Don't Sweat The Small Stuff

I had an argument with somebody today. I was told I sweat the small stuff. For me, why not? Not that I am the obsessive type. I can be really laid back as what my friends told me but I also keep my eye on details. For me, if you cannot sweat a little on the small stuff, you cannot keep an eye for the bigger stuff. As what my father had said before, if you cannot do well on the small things, you cannot do the big things. So, sure...sweat the small stuff but not too much as to make your life hell but to make things better for you and the people around you.

Sunday Stealing#71

Today we ripped this meme off a blogger named Reymos at the blog My World is Getting Smaller Every Day. He states he got it from Carl Dorsey at Iron Cook: American. (and Carl stated it was written by Thomas Baker, thus today's title). But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Sunday Stealing: The Baker's Meme

Note: There were a bunch of rules and mandates that we were suppose to give but Bud lost them. Or hid them, either way it is his bad.

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. If you could interview anyone on your blog (alive or dead) who would you chose and why?
Obama and Madonna. They are both popular and against all odds, they were able to hurdle alot of challenges along the way.

2. What do you feel is your strength as a blogger?
I am honest.

3. Can you share a little bit about yourself that you have not already mentioned on your blog?

4. If you were forced to change the name of your blog, what would you change it to? Why?
Hm...it should be something about wandering/traveling. Wanderlust was one of the titles I considered before.

5. What do you think is the most fulfilling part of being a blogger?
Finding and "meeting" other people from all over the world.

6. What would you do with your last day if you found you had only one more day to live?
Pray, do all the things I want to do if I can do and spend time with my family.

7. You’ve been doing medical research for decades and have finally found a cure. What was it that you found a cure for and why did you choose this particular ailment?
Cure for cancer. My father recently died of it and a lot more people I know are dying from it.

8. What is your most guilty pleasure?
Books and recently, photography.

9. Answer only one. What is your favorite book, movie or TV show?
Sigh..why just one. There are too many. Recently, it's the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

10. What do you think is the very best smell in the world? The one smell that can take you back to a time and place of a very vivid memory in your past?
The smell of durian. I've had good times with it.

PhotoHunt#115 Written

We went to Bankerohan wet market on a food photo shoot some weeks ago. It was an interesting adventure for me and the market people were just intrigued on what we were doing. Aside from taking photos, we got interviewed while some of the market people even volunteered to pose for us. I had so much fun doing the photoshoot!



What's written? Tilapia Alcantara (a brand of tilapia fish) and "mataba" means "fat". Some of the tilapia fishes were still breathing when I took this photo.

This is my entry for:

For more photohunters, go here.

Fundraising project: Shoot For A Cause

Light up a life
Fundraising project (shoot for a cause)

DATE: November 27, 2010
PLACE: Star bistro-Compound Juan Luna st. ( near Simply Gray Studio and Delos Santos law office)
TIME: Participants (FSM non-members) 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
FSM facilitators 10:00 am
CONCEPT: Cosplay

SEQUENCE:

1. "Light up a life” poster signing ( participants and FSM members/volunteers)
2. Groupings for photoshoot –A,B,Cs
3. 5 minutes talk by simply gray -tips (for the participants) on how to shoot
4. Group briefing by Prime Lens
5. Group Picture(participants/volunteers/ models)
6. Photo Shoot (by team)15 minutes per team (rotation)
7. Break
8. Photo shoot (2nd Set)
9. Giving of "Thank you" certificates - to all participants/volunteers and cosplayers
10. End

Sponsors (for the fundraising shoot for a cause)
• Simply Gray Studio
• Cosplayers Davao
• Star bistro compound (Caballes family)

For interested applicants, please email at fsmdavao@yahoo.com

Litratong Pinoy#116 Sisidlan (Vessel/Holder)

They were just mere containers of soy sauce, vinegar or water before. Nowadays, after getting cleaned, colored and beautifully designed, they are now part of the walls of Enigmata House in Camiguin Island.

Pilipino:
Sisidlan lang sila noon ng toyo, suka o tubig. Ngayon, matapos nalinis, nakulayan at nalagyan ng disenyong magaganda, sila'y naging parte na nang dingding ng Bahay Enigmata sa Isla ng Camiguin.

I Want Those Black Friday Deals

If only we have those Black Friday Deals here, I would probably go on leave and go panic buying. *grin *grin That’s what my American best friend is doing right now and am green with envy.

I haven’t done my Christmas shopping yet. The expected bonuses didn’t come and my long Christmas list is getting shorter by the day. If we have those black Friday deals here, I would have been busy checking out the black Friday ads right now.

For those who are wondering what to get me for Christmas with or without the black Friday deals, I want those little speakers for my MP3 and my CD player at the office. Nope, I don’t have iPod. I wouldn’t complain if somebody gives me one though hehehehe! For those who’re on tight budget, books make me really happy. I am currently trying to collect Nicholas Sparks’ books and I still have to find the last two Harry Potter books, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and the currently being shown in the movie theaters, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Outdoor Wednesday#11 Big Guns At Corregidor Island

Pockmarked with bulletholes as testament of the fierce battles it endured during World War II, this big gun at Corregidor Island faces the Manila Bay. One of the fortified islands, El Praile, sits silently on the horizon.

Ruby Tuesday#75 Red Temple

This is my entry for:

Sunday Stealing#70 Questions a la Randomness: A Meme

Today we ripped this meme off a blogger named Kimmy from the blog The Smug Cloud. She doesn't state where it came from. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!


Sunday Stealing: Questions a la Randomness, A Meme

Cheers to all of us thieves!

What was the last thing you put in your mouth?
Bihon, a noodle dish.

How late did you stay up last night and why?
Past midnight, was talking to a good friend of mine.

If you could move somewhere else, would you?
Yes, I would. Preferably, the same city but somewhere in a residential area.

Have you ever been kissed under fireworks?
No, I wish LOL!

Do you believe ex’s can be friends?
Yes, I've seen some good examples.

When was the last time you cried really hard?
Just a few weeks ago.

What items could you not go without during the day?
Hanky, cellphone and wallet.

Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?
It was a friend.

How do you feel about your life right now?
It was good but it could get better. I try to make it better.

If we were to look in your facebook inbox, what would we find?
Messages from friends and relatives.

Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass?
Oh yes, I would.

Has anyone ever called you perfect before?
Yes, tehehehe! I thought it as unbelievable.

Someone knocks on your window at 2:00 a.m.: who do you want it to be?
It better be Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise.

Do you think too much or too little?
Sometimes, I do both..who doesn't.

Do you believe in fairy tales?
Yes, i think so.

Have you ever licked the back of a CD to try to get it to work?
Nah..never heard of that.

What’s the largest age difference between yourself and someone you’ve dated?
Hmm...more than 10 years.

Have you ever been on a blind date?
Nope. I was set out to do it but chickened out at the last minute.

Do you have any friends that you’ve known for 10 years or more?
Yes, a handful.

Have you ever had a crush on a teacher?
Oh yes :D

What song do you want played at your funeral?
I'll tell once I die.

Would you tell your parents if you were gay?
Probably.

What would your last meal be before getting executed?
Rice, kare-kare and pinakbet.

Do you walk around the house naked?
Not around the house, just inside my room sometimes.

What do you do as soon as you walk in the house?
Sit down at the living room and rest for a while.

Who is the person you can count on the most?
My mother.

What is your favorite Holiday?
Christmas.

Would you ever get plastic surgery?
Maybe, if it's really a necessity.

Have you ever caught a fish?
Yes, it was exciting but I'd rather not do it again.

What is the first thing you notice about people?
Eyes, mannerisms.

What is the farthest you’ve been from home?
USA.

How did you meet your spouse or significant other (or most recent one)?
I don't have one right now.

Where was the last place you drove (other than home/school/work)?
I don't drive. I commute.

PhotoHunt#114 Juicy

The assignment was to make our photo as real as we can; as yummy and juicy too. We shoot the grilled tuna from different angles and after a few minutes of doing food photoshoots, my stomach was grumbling.



This is my entry for:

For more photohunters, go here.

Dancing With The Stars with Jennifer Grey

I love, love Jennifer Grey and Derek Hough's Argentine tango dance in Dancing With the Stars. I'm really happy to see Jennifer Grey again. I didn't heard much about her after Dirty Dancing. While on the other hand, her partner on that movie, Patrick Swayze, moved on with his career. So, my curiosity got really piqued when I heard from the news that she's in Dancing With The Stars this season. If I was impressed with Jennifer Grey and her sexy partner, Patrick Swayze, in Dirty Dancing, I was almost the more impressed with her in Dancing With the Stars after learning that she has gone through a lot plus it was just more beautiful to see somebody at her age dancing magnificently and beautifully.

She definitely made Bristol Palin dance like a woodstick, I think. Here is Jennifer Grey and Derek Hough's Argentine tango performance in Dancing With the Stars.

Litratong Pinoy#115 Malapot (Thick, Stiff)

It has been awhile since I've been to Coco Restaurant at Torres St. This is why when my mother invited me there, I agreed without second thought even if I was still on diet.

I immediately ordered seafood chowder when I saw it from their menu since it has been so long ago that I've eaten some. It was delicious and it made me recall the really big chowder we ordered at the Fisherman's Wharf, in San Francisco, USA years ago.

Pilipino:
Ang tagal ko nang hindi nakakapunta sa Coco's Restaurant na nasa kalsada ng Torres. Kaya nang nag-imbita ang nanay ko para kumain, sang-ayon ako kaagad kahit na ba nagsisikap akong magpapayat.

Tagal ko na ring hindi nakakakain ng seafood chowder kaya nang nakita sa listahan, inorder ko na agad. Aba! masarap ang chowder nila. Naalala ko tuloy iyong super laking chowder na na-order namin sa Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, USA noon.

Leonids Meteor Showers

I've seen only a shooting star in my whole lifetime and the whole meteor shower would be an awesome experience. If only I live in some place where buildings and streetlights don't obstruct the skyview, I would see the last meteor shower showing for this year. The Leonids meteor showers are scheduled to make their appearance tonight. It would be more awesome if I could take pictures of them too. Perhaps in the near future, I would be lucky to see them. Hopefully, still with clear vision and unobstructed view.

Outdoor Wednesday#10 Eden Nature Park's Fishing Village

Photo was taken from Eden Nature Park's fishing village.

Ruby Tuesday#74 Let's Go Fishing At Eden Nature Park

Eden Mountain Resort or Eden Nature Park's fishing village has this cute little boy at the entrance to greet its visitors. Garbed in native clothes, he smilingly shows off a fishing rod like he's inviting everyone to try fishing.

This is my entry for:

Black Friday Sales At Divisoria

It's time to start doing the rounds for Christmas shopping (for our US relatives, it's the time for Black Friday sales) again. People would do very well checking out Divisoria for those sales. In fact, the place is quite popular that even without sales ads or black friday ads, people flock there from all walks of life.

I went to Divisoria twice last week. I was itching to take some photos but we were advised to be careful without cellphones and cameras as the place is a thief-haven.

It has been ages since I have been there and I was so pleasantly surprised that the place has been spruced up that I thought the stores will have higher prices. Amazingly, the prices are cheap and it was all I could do not to go on panic-buying. My officemate that went with me went into that mode though. Good thing that we didn't shoot up the baggage allowance for the plane when it was time for us to go home.

On Travel

I am on travel right now. It's not a vacation thing but work-related. Our day was tiring and fattening because we sat for the whole day, listen to the discussions and eat and eat and eat. In my case, get coffee-drunk trying not to fall asleep.

I miss my bed and my computer at home. Sure, I have my laptop with me but I like my desktop more. Yesterday, we trooped to Divisoria to find some bargains. We got more than what we bargained for because traffic there was horrendous. Going there was a little horrendous but getting home was exasperatingly horrendous hehehe! Anyway, am hoping there's some good news tomorrow so we can really shop rather than windowshop after discussions at the office.

Ruby Tuesday#73 Fresh Tomatoes

They are shiny, they came in shades of green, yellow and red. They are juicy and yummy-looking too. Fresh tomatoes sold at the Bankerohan Public Market.

This is my entry for:

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Sunday Stealing#69 The 14 Question Meme

Today we ripped this meme off a blogger named Jayne at the blog Journey Through Grace. She states that she was tagged by her friend The Bug at the blog Bug Eye's View. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Sunday Stealing: The 14 Question Meme

1. What do you consider your hometown to be?
Davao City

2. What’s the hardest part of your average day?
Getting out of the bed.

3. The easiest? Why?
Wrapping up for the day at work. Just happy that I've done something productive for the day.

4. What beverage do you reach for to quench your thirst?
Water.

5. What is one not-so-secret goal you have for your life? I’ll let you keep your secret ones to yourself.
Travel the world.

6. What physical pain do you fear most? For example, I’m trying to decide how bad my jaw pain needs to get before I risk a potential needle from my dentist. So, for me, throbbing is preferable to jabbing.
Any kind of surgery.

7. Where do you find solace?
Reading and prayers or sometimes, I go someplace quiet and other times, I go watch a movie alone. I go to the shower too.

8. What makes you the saddest when you read/see the news?
Disasters and violence.

9. What do you eat for a favorite snack?
Banana cue.

10. What movie could you/would you watch more than two or three times and still enjoy just as much as the first time?
Too many but recently I saw Transformers again and really enjoyoed it.

11. What boy/girl first made you cry?
It was just another boy-girl relationship wherein the girl wanted more from a relationship but the guy won't/can't commit. With a heavy heart, it was time to move on.

12. What brand of coffee/tea do you drink most often?
Nescafe.

13. Dig in the dirt with or without garden gloves?
Without.

14. James Taylor or Carly Simon?
James Taylor

PhotoHunt#113 Alive

It has been almost three months now since my father died suddenly. There are times I feel he's still alive and just around somewhere doing the usual things he did. The other day, I saw somebody that really looked like him. I miss him. May God bless his soul always.



This is my entry for:

For more photohunters, go here.

Overacting Travel Advisory On The Philippines

Recently, five foreign countries issued travel advisory warnings against possible terrorist attacks against the Philippines. I find these warnings overacting and unfair. After all, if we based things according to news, the five countries that issued the travel advisory warnings were actually the ones that most terrorists like to target on; one good example of which are those horrible rigged mail packages.

We are living in relative peace here in the Philippines. My advise: Check your own backyards first, sirs! Those travel advisory warnings are products of overacting imaginations, methinks.

Looking for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

I didn't expect the book sale but when I saw that the Harry Potter book series were among the UK published books on sale last month at the National Bookstore, I grabbed the chance. Never mind if it was out of the budget because the books were sold at 20% off!

I checked for the books I wanted but only three books (Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Book 5: Harry Potter and The Order of Phoenix) were available. I decided to buy Book 3 and Book 5. I already have Book 1, Book 2 and Book 4. I had Book 3 before but some nice soul borrowed it and conveniently forgot to return it. Now, I need to find Book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to complete my collection. I had the e-books of the two but I want the paperback for my collection.

I hope I can find the two books before this year end (keeping my fingers crossed...)

Litratong Pinoy#114 Frame(Kuwadro)

I saw this glass-framed statue of Jesus Christ inside the side chapel of Redemptorist Church. At that time, we decided to light some candles inside the chapel while waiting for the midnight mass to start last December.

Pilipino:
Napansin ko ang rebultong ito ni Hesukristo na nakakuwadro ng salamin sa tabing kapilya ng simbahan ng Redemptorist. Napagpasyahan kasi naming mag-ilaw ng kandila sa loob ng kapilya habang naghihintay na mag-umpisa ang simbang gabi noong nakaraang Disyembre.





The reflection of the statue of Jesus Christ on the glass-framed statue of this saint.
Pilipino: Ang repleksyon ng rebulto ni Hesus sa isang salaming nakakuwadro sa rebulto ng santong ito.

Outdoor Wednesday#9 Chinese Temple

This Chinese prayer temple is located inside the Davao Chinese Cemetery.



The temple's entrance gate that faces the cemetery's parking lot.

Ruby Tuesday#72 Children's Fun Park

This is the entrance of the Children's Fun Park which is located just inside the People's Park. The place is where you can find the children's playground with statues of popular characters in children's books like Cinderella, Snow White and etcetera are scattered around the area.

This is my entry for:

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