The Corona

Export Quality?

2010-01-18T06:55:00.000-08:00

When browsing through Filipino foods in the supermarket, I always notice the products that say "export quality" on them. There it is, like a seal of approval, designed to catch your eye.

Export Quality!

I haven't seen products from other countries with the same kind of label... they always seem to come from the Philippines.

What is "export quality" anyway?

Does this mean that items that aren't stamped with the 'Export Quality' seal of approval aren't fit for consumption outside of the Philippines?

Sadly, that is partly true. There are some companies that sell off-quality products in the Philippines, products that quite frankly, are truly not for export! It doesn't mean that you will get sick if you eat it... it means that it may have failed to reach the stricter quality standards of other countries and/or companies. I don't know why the Philippines might have lower quality standards... maybe our stomachs are stronger because of everything else that we eat and drink?

However, manufacturers are not the only ones to blame. There is a Filipino mentality that "if something is imported, it must be of better quality" prevails. In the same vein, Filipinos think that "if something is good enough for foreigners to wear/eat/drink/etc, it must be better than local items". Some companies simply use 'export quality' to try to elevate the status of the product as on a higher level than their local competitors.

I admit, I sometimes get taken in by this. If faced with two competing products, one self-proclaiming 'export-quality' and the other one not, I will more often than not buy the 'export-quality' product, even if it is a little bit more expensive.

Whether or not a product is indeed of higher quality, or is just a marketing tactic, be wary of "export quality" because in truth, it really means nothing at all...

Airport Goodbyes

2009-06-25T12:13:00.001-07:00

We all love it when family and friends visit us. This is especially true when you live very far away from the ones you love. We make plans weeks in advance of where to take them, where to eat, and what to do, in the short span of time that they have. During this time, we take advantage of the time that we are together with them, for we know that our time with them is short.

Inevitably, the day comes when they have to go back home, and you have to bring them back to the airport.

From my experience, its not as hard to be the one leaving, simply because you have to put on a brave face when passing through security and making your way to the gate. The last hug and kiss happens just before you are shuffled into the security area. You are busy thinking about so many other things that your emotions are forced to take a back
seat. Exhaustion overwhelms, and before you know it, you fall asleep in your seat even before the plane has taken off.

Yes, the one who is left standing just outside the security area, watching the loved one pass through passport control and the x-ray is the one that bears the brunt of emotion. The hardest part is getting into your car and driving back home. Once you are away from the noise of the airport and hear silence, you realize that you are, once again, alone, and that you have no idea when you will see your loved ones again. That's when it hits you the hardest, and the tears start flowing.

If you have ever wondered why there are people in airport parking lots just sitting in their cars for a few minutes before leaving, now you know why.

Once you get home from the airport, it doesn't get better. You see the guest room, bedsheets and comforter unmade, the impression of the suitcase still on the carpet floor. The guest bathroom still smells of their deodorant and perfume.

Familiar to the senses yet fading fast away. In a day or two, the bed will be made, the rooms cleaned, and the house ready for the next visitor. We try as quick as possible to go back to our normal lives, in an effort to ease the pain of our loved ones gone.

Depending on how long travel time is, you hear from your loved ones either a few hours or a day after they have left. This is probably when reality sets in... when you are once again communicating via phone or Skype. Life, for both parties, is truly back to 'normal'...

The hope is there that one day we will see each other once again. And deep in our hearts, we know we will.

La Vita e Bella.

Making Home Affordable

2009-03-27T11:06:00.001-07:00

Long story short: I think it targets a small amount of the population and is unfair to people who are current on their mortgages. Do I have to default on my loan just to get necessary 'assistance' from the government to lower my rate? What if my loan isn't guaranteed by Fannie or Freddie?

I think a solution should benefit everyone, not just the borrowers who cannot make their mortgage payments, and not just for first-time borrowers.

The government should assess what the real values of these homes are in order to find out what the true current market values are. Of course, this should be done by multiple, independent evaluators, in order to get the average value of a certain area.

Then, once the government decides on a fair level for a home in a certain area, lenders should re-evaluate outstanding home loans in that area and mark the principal owed amounts down to market levels, especially for loans in which the borrower is upside-down on the loan (to a certain percentage, of course).

Both lenders and borrowers win in this situation. There is less risk for the lender to lend money, and there is less chance of the borrower defaulting on the loan. Yes, the lender has to write down millions in loans, but in the long run, that is better than having loans defaulted and not being able to collect anything at all. Lenders will still be getting their money, just not as much as before.

This will encourage consumer spending since the percentage of their income devoted to paying the mortgage is less.

The ultimate winner is the economy which will benefit from consumers having more money to spend on other goods and services.

How about people who already own their home or are close to fully owning their home? Their home values have already gone down by the amount of foreclosures in their area anyway. Let's face it, homes have been over-valued, and this is partly why we are in this mess in the first place. Staying in denial about the true value of their home only prolongs the time that their home stays undervalued.

Only after the foreclosed / undervalued homes have been bought can home values start to rise again, property taxes can be paid, and public institutions such as schools and fire departments can receive the proper funding that they need.

Of course, there must be tools and safeguards in place to ensure that this is not abused by people who want to take advantage of the government and taxpayers.Technorati Tags: opinion, economy

New Addition

2009-03-05T05:16:00.000-08:00

Eli Lontoc Diaz

March 2, 2009
8 lbs 12 oz
20 inches long

La Vita e Bella!

Medical(?) Question

2009-02-27T07:52:00.001-08:00

We were watching the television show 'House' (the lighthearted medical drama with the grumpy doctor) the other night, and as what normally happens in the show, a patient shows up with a mystery illness and it is the doctors jobs to find out what is wrong with the patient and cure him / her. The team of doctors debate among themselves what the symptoms are, possible causes, and then go about administering the tests or giving the prescribed medicine in order to cure the patient.

It amazes me how quickly the 'doctors' can not only diagnose an illness but recommend treatment. It has led me to this question: Do real doctors watching these shows play along with the show and try to diagnose the patients illness?

It is similar to a murder mystery where viewers try to guess who the killer is based on the clues presented, except in this case, the 'killer' is the mysterious illness and the objective is to find the cure.

There must be some grain of truth in what happens during these medical themed shows, or else they would be called out by real doctors for misleading viewers. I understand that due to time constraints, lab test results and operations that would normally take hours and days to process take only minutes in the show, so this inaccuracy can be overlooked.

I singled out medical themed shows since the field of medicine does not have as much room for alternative solutions. In legal or law enforcement dramas, the law is subject to various interpretations, and the behavior of the antagonist can be manipulated by the shows writers. There is more freedom on how a legal drama can turn out. In medicine, a sickness is a sickness, and more often than not, even though there can be different symptoms, there is only one illness that can be attributed to all of the symptoms that a patient exhibits.

If someone can enlighten me, I would appreciate it as this question has been on my mind for quite some time now...

No Reservations: Philippines

2009-02-24T12:42:00.001-08:00

Better late than never, I suppose. I'm sure a ton of other bloggers have blogged about this episode.

Was anyone other than me a little disappointed on how the show turned out? Yes, the food was mouth-watering (most of it at least; I don't think I could have eaten the goat bile) and it made me miss the Philippines. But while the main topic was the food, I noticed what I think were the main problems of why Filipino food was overlooked, and it seems like a cultural problem.

Anthony Bourdain asked a question which I have also seeked the answer for: What is Filipino cuisine, and why does it not have the same popularity as other cuisines in the same part of the world?

I am more interested in the second part of the question. It goes without saying that despite the various influences that we have drawn from other cultures, Filipino cuisine truly is unique and has its own flavor. Therefore, it is a matter of making it more accessible and marketable. I'm not talking about elevating Filipino food to the level of haute cuisine, where it barely resembles the original dish. Rather, we need to improve the quality of our food so that it no longer falls under the 'exotic' category. Examples are Chinese and Thai food. They are popular enough to have gone mainstream without compromising their foods taste, identity, and presentation.

First: Try cooking Filipino dishes using choice cuts of meat. One of my complaints about Filipino food is that there is too little meat and either too much fat or bone, which more often than not, gets in the way of enjoying the food.

Why do we have to limit ourselves using, for lack of better word, non-traditional parts of meat? A fellow blogger commented that the reason we resorted to the non-traditional cuts of meat is because our colonizers used the choice cuts and we were forced then to adapt and make do with what we were given. Yes, it is a testament to our adaptability. However, we are no longer under foreign rule. If we stick to a tradition that was 'forced' upon us, then we are still shackled to the chains that our colonizers placed on us many years ago.

How many times have you eaten kare-kare only to sift through the sauce and find out there is no more 'laman' (meat)? And even then, it is so hard to pry the meat off the bone that you end up just eating the sauce and vegetables on rice... with a little bagoong of course.

Of course, there are certain dishes such as bulalo where the bone (particularly the bone marrow) is not only integral to the dish, but is the very essence of the dish itself. But how about adding some pieces of boneless beef rib into the bulalo broth? It would absorb the broth and retain the tasty goodness of the bulalo.

Second: The Philippines has many different regions. Rather than open a generic Filipino restaurant, open a Filipino restaurant that focuses on one specific region, such as Pampanga or Ilonggo food. That way, Filipinos will already know what to expect, and foreigners will also not only know about Filipino cuisine but more of the region that the food originates from. One good example of this is Chinese cuisine. There are several kinds of Chinese cuisine... Szechuan, Mandarin, etc. Chinese restaurants (real ones, not the Panda Express type ones) typically specialize in one region. If one cannot create a whole menu based on one region, then specifying on the menu where the food originated from could be a good compromise. The best of the Philippines, similar to what Bourdain suggested by narrowing down Philippine food into just a few dishes.

Third: Support the Filipino restaurant and Filipino cuisine as a whole. Chinese people eat in Chinese restaurants despite the fact that Chinese food is just as easy to prepare at home. Even if you don't eat there, spread the word to everyone, not just Filipinos but to non-Filipinos as well. Better yet, invite some friends and family over for a home cooked Filipino meal, or bring a Filipino dish next time there is pot luck in the office.

The most disappointing part that I saw during the television show was when Bourdain had dinner with Augusto's family. Filipino food is meant to be shared and enjoyed... hence the huge portions served in large serving dishes. One of the essences of a Filipino meal, especially with family, is the gathering around a table and being boisterous, especially when there is a special guest. Augusto's family however, was shy and reserved, and dinner seemed like a procession. In fact, it almost looked like they were slightly resentful of Bourdain's presence. The fact that Augusto was almost as much a foreigner to his family like Bourdain did not help matters. I don't blame Bourdain for trying to let Augusto and his family crawl out of their shells. Is it the cameras? Contrary to Bourdain, I think the same thing would have occurred had there been no cameras there. There was so much potential to show true Filipino culture in this one segment and break through the stereotype that Filipinos are too nice (and shy). Instead, foreigners did not see anything new about us, since (let's be honest here) we are generally shy in the company of foreigners... unless we are the overwhelming majority of course!

Too nice and too shy indeed. We all know we Filipinos aren't like that when there are no non-Filipinos around. I think Bourdain should have visited at least one Fiesta so that he could experience how outgoing and festive Filipinos could really be. Then he would have a better understanding of our cuisines origins and why food plays a central role in our culture.

Kudos to Augusto for convincing Bourdain to visit the Philippines. Maybe Bourdain secretly chose Augusto as a symbol of the Philippine culture... A country colonized by so many others now struggling for its own identity.

I hope it won't be the last trip back for both of them, and that through this show, Filipino food will find its identity and rightfully find its place rightfully alongside other Asian cuisine.

Ann's Snack Bar

2009-02-17T08:59:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning to eat here for the longest time, ever since I read about how good these burgers are, in various restaurant blogs and restaurant sites. So good in fact, that they were proclaimed the best burgers in America by a writer for the Wall Street Journal. See article here.

So, when Caroline asked me where I wanted to eat for my birthday, it was an easy choice. We went a day before my birthday, as it was a holiday (Presidents Day).

Ann's Snack Bar is located (for all you Atlanta folk) along Memorial Drive, close to where it intersects with Moreland Ave. If you aren't looking for it, you probably wouldn't even notice it. This is mainly because there is a large screened front area that hides the main sign (pictured below). Fortunately, there is a large sign that says, "Home of the World Famous Ghetto Burger".
We arrived at 11:15, 15 minutes before opening. There were already a couple of people waiting, and I had no idea how long they were there. Caroline and I thought about abandoning our plan and going to the Vortex (another burger place of worthy mention) instead. I knew that Ms. Ann could only accommodate 8 people, and after a quick count of the people waiting, I figured out that we would be included in the first batch of customers. We were lucky; I read people waited for hours just to get into her little diner. We braved the chilly 40 degree weather to ensure a spot in the first 8.

As soon as the clock inside the restaurant hit 11:30 (which was at least 5 minutes slower than what we had on our watches), she motioned for the first batch of customers to come in. As soon as the 8 person threshold was reached, Ms. Ann called out "I can only hold 8 people in here!". Whether or not its for safety reasons or her own, other customers quickly shuffled out of the diner and were forced to wait.

Ms. Ann has gained a reputation online for being intimidating... probably because of the no-nonsense way she does things. . I did have the courage to ask what a Hood Burger was (coleslaw in the burger instead of lettuce and tomato). We ended up each ordering a Ghetto Burger combo. The couple beside us also knew about Ms Ann's reputation as the wife did all the ordering. Apparently, the husband was scared of Ms Ann, as they were also 'warned' of her reputation. I don't think she was mean; yes, she is intimidating, but when you do talk to her, she is quite friendly.

Ms. Ann took our orders all at once, and then began cooking all of them at the same time, as a batch.

From where we sat, we could see the patties cook, and the potatoes deep fried into french fried goodness. Every piece in Ms. Ann's kitchen has a purpose, and she's always on the move and efficient, knowing what to do, whether its flipping the burgers or checking on the bacon. I guess if you have done the same thing for over 35 years, you know everything by heart. Everything is done as it cooks; Ms. Ann slices the onion right in front of the patties as they are cooking and places them straight on the meat. Same goes with the tomatoes, sliced just before they are placed on your burger. Drinks are pre-made (between the sweet tea and the lemonade, I prefer the latter) and french fries are of the frozen kind, but they were good nonetheless. The fries were crispy and cooked to perfection, and portions were very generous.

While waiting for the food to be cooked, we looked around the bar and talked to the fellow customers seated beside us. Along the walls were the various awards she received (several "Best of Atlanta" awards, etc), and some pictures of her and her family. And even though the surroundings may not look it, she received an A grade for cleanliness and food safety from the local government.

Finally, after a good 45 minutes from the time Ms. Ann took our orders, the burgers arrived...

This is it... the Ghetto Burger. Two huge patties of ground beef, two slices of cheese, slices of bacon, onions, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and a spoonful of chili to top it all off. Ms. Ann thankfully slices the burger in half, to make it easier to hold. She also supplies you with a fork and knife, as pieces of hamburger will inevitably fall off, or if you can't hold the burger with your hands.

I don't know how I was able to do it but I was able to finish it all (of course, I ended up skipping dinner later that day). Caroline was able to just eat 1/4; I ended up eating 1/4 of hers and taking home the other half, which I just ate for lunch today!

With Ms. Ann, you don't just sit down and eat the burger, you experience it all. The anticipation, the friendly banter with fellow customers, the eccentricities, and the burger itself. When you step into the diner and wait for your order, all of a sudden you feel like you're all regulars when in fact you could all be new to Ann's Snack Bar. And when you see your burger personally cooked and served by Ms. Ann, you feel the heart and effort she took in making you that burger. That's what sets her apart from other restaurants, and its what makes her burgers so special. Her burgers are definitely worth the trip, and worth the wait.

25 Things... You know the Drill

2009-02-04T10:38:00.001-08:00

I am a traveler, not a tourist.

I've lived and/or worked in 4 countries: Philippines, Canada, USA, England.

I miss London... and the London countryside. The sights, the sounds, the people, the friends, the food, the culture, everything! I left at the time that I felt I could really live there forever. Three years was way too short.

I still play Street Fighter 2 (Tournament Edition) on my PC via the ZSNES emulator. I never get tired of that game. Another game that I will always love is Tekken. I can play both of these games for hours without noticing the time.

Survival Horror games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill scare the sh*t out of me. To this day, I have the PC game F.E.A.R., and I can't bear to play even through the first level. I've had this game for almost 3 years now.

I play Capoeira. I like Bossa Nova. I like Churascarrias. I like looking at brazilian models and watching brazilian football players. Someday, Caroline and I will make the trip to Brazil and see the Corcovado with our own eyes, and replace the Berimbau that I had to sell when I was moving.

Playing Monopoly (and Tekken) with my best friends taught me alot... about my friends, about business, about life.

I used to be more than 40 pounds heavier than I am now. I used to work out 6 times a week to shave the weight off. I gain weight very easily, so its a struggle to maintain my weight... the low-carb diet works for me.

I like to write, but I think my writing needs improvement. I have a blog: http://onlinecorona.blogspot.com

One time or another in my life I have had the following hobbies: collecting sports cards (baseball, basketball, hockey), playing M:TG and D&D, watching Anime, collecting comics, assembling scale models, playing video games (on hold)

I'm a PC, Caroline is a Mac.

I've always been a Personal Information Manager (PIM) user. Filofax, Palm Pilot, and now my phone. I've only recently learned to sync my phone to Outlook... this is a godsend if you are switching phones or if you lost your old one.

Sometimes I am still in disbelief that I am married, have a child, and another one on the way.

Caroline was never my girlfriend. But I've been married to her three times! Our love story would make a great movie!

I like cars, and I like driving them. I'm the kind of person that tries to clip the apex on every curve. I'll never be as good as Marc or Chad, but I think I would make a good test driver... on a Formula 1 team, for a car magazine, or as the Stig. That would be one of my dream jobs.

My musical tastes range so widely; Classical, Rock, Lounge, House, Jazz, ... too many to list. I do gravitate towards Brit-Rock and Chillout music.

If I didn't take up Computer Science in college, I probably would have taken up Psychology.

Going back to (graduate) school has been one of the best decisions I have ever made.

"Lost" is one of my favorite shows. Mind boggling. The writers of the show are brilliant.

A couple of years ago, I sliced my foot on a rock in Manila Bay when I was about to go dragonboat rowing for the first time. I didn't feel a thing at first. It bled so much, I first thought that I stepped on some red paint. I was then rushed to the hospital where it required several stitches and a tetanus shot... needless to say, I wasn't able to go rowing after that. I do plan to try rowing again, when I have the chance.

I believe conflict and/or absence makes you closer, better friends... The power of the key, the broken cigarettes... hehe.

Amsterdam brownies are awesome.

I like to discover something new about the city every week... be it a restaurant, a district, a unique store, etc. It's nice to explore the nooks and crannies of the city.

If I tagged you, that means I thought about you in at least one of these things while writing this.

I took way too much time writing these 25 things.

Rules for Posting Photos

2009-01-30T13:18:00.001-08:00

When digital cameras first came out, I thought that it would make people take better pictures, since you could instantly see the picture (and do a retake if necessary), and could take an almost unlimited amount of pictures (no longer restricted to 24 or 36, and the number of extra film rolls you had).

I was right... digital photography has made some casual photographers better by removing the restriction of film costs. For that, I think the quality of photographs from the casual, 'artistic' photographer has improved greatly.

But... I was also wrong! Because of the large amount of pictures that can be taken, people have become trigger-happy with their cameras. This isn't bad in itself; however, when people start posting them online for the world to see, this is where we see that... Quantity does not equal Quality!

I'm posting this because I like looking at photo albums, and whenever one of my friends puts one up, I check it out. But it pains me to see that the person simply uploaded everything from their camera without giving much thought to the actual content of the album.

So, I have created 3 'rules' when creating online photo albums:

1. Place captions! It gives the picture more meaning, and makes the picture (and album) more interesting. It tells the album viewer, 'hey, this is why I took a picture of the food I ate for lunch... it was so good, I want you to try it!'. It also makes the viewer feel that time and effort was taken in selecting the pictures for the album.

2. Make sure pictures are grouped or ordered properly. Chronological, grouped by subject, I don't care as long as there is some sense to the sequence of pictures in the album. It is weird to look through an album of someones travels and see some pictures taken at night followed by some taken during the day, then some at night again. How do i know they aren't pictures of the next day? They're wearing the same clothes!

3. Don't post duplicate pictures! Ok, how many pictures do we really need of our dinner with friends in the restaurant? Or the ones where its the same picture, one with flash, and one without? I especially hate the fuzzy, out of focus ones that should have been deleted as soon as they were taken (that's what the preview - delete option is for!). Please do not 'select all' the images in your camera's memory card when uploading them into an online album. Heard of the term, 'collect and select'? It definitely applies here.

The worst album contains a gazillion photos, no captions, and multiple pictures of the same thing over and over again. Is it any wonder that I almost never go through the whole album and just stop after the first page? Thank God some online albums have limits on the number of pictures you can place in an album.

The best albums I have seen tell a story... each picture carefully selected, each caption more like a narration than just a label, and with a proper beginning, middle, and end.

It really doesn't take long to organize and place captions on photos. Selecting them can take long, if you have a large number of photos to choose from. However, its better that you spend an hour or so creating the album rather than all of your viewers spending an hour each viewing the album. Rule of thumb: if you are overwhelmed by the sheer amount of photos to choose from, then you probably should delete some of the duplicate photos... or create multiple photo albums.

Why I think Blu-Ray Players will Hit $99 by this Time Next Year

2009-01-23T13:06:00.001-08:00

I once had a discussion with some colleagues before Christmas about the price of Blu-Ray players. I made the bold prediction a year from now, the average price of a Blu-Ray player would be less than $150, with some players selling for less than $100. They disagreed with me, saying that it would not drop below $200, that it would take more than a year for prices to drop significantly. I'm sticking to my prediction, and these are the reasons why.

The current price range for a Blu-Ray player is from $150 to $300, depending on brand.

I think there are at least two major factors that will push down the price of Blu-Ray players. The first factor is the Sony Playstation 3 (PS3). Although most people think of a PS3 as a video game console, it also has the lesser known capability of playing Blu-Ray discs right out of the box. In fact, it is widely known in the industry as the best Blu-Ray player available. This is because, aside from the fact that it does play video games, it can easily be upgraded to the latest Blu-Ray standards, it has an internal hard disk to store data, and it can also function as a streaming video player (more on this later). Sony is positioning the PS3 not just a video game console, but as an all-in-one entertainment hub.

However, despite all of the features of the PS3, it has done terribly against its direct competion, the Microsoft XBox360 and the Nintendo Wii. Microsoft and (more notably) Nintendo have been successful with their respective video game consoles.

Microsoft released the XBox360 months ahead of the PS3, and was able to capture gamers that wanted the next piece of technology. This, coupled with the established XBox Live network (which allow players to go online and play against each other) and a solid collection of games, have made it hard for the average (and even hardcore) gamer spend $400 for another video game console (and this doesn't even include the price of games, which retail for about $35-$50). To make the XBox 360 even more appealing to consumers, Microsoft has recently dropped the price of the basic XBox 360 to $199.

Nintendo, on the other hand, did not go head to head with Sony and Microsoft by matching technical specifications and processing power. Instead of movie playback capability and cutting-edge graphics, Nintendo focused on re-inventing the way people play video games by using an innovative controller. Because of this, the Wii appealed to a far broader range of consumers and has become a worldwide success. It has been outselling the PS3 and XBox360 combined, and is still in demand, even though it has almost been 2 years since its release. In fact, unlike its rivals, Nintendo has not had to lower the price of the Wii; it still retails at $250.

How does the PS3 affect the way Blu-Ray players are priced? Typically, when sales of a video game console are lagging behind its peers, one way to generate sales is to lower the price of the console in order to attract new buyers. Since the PS3 is the most expensive console available, it will only be a matter of time before Sony decides to lower the price of he PS3. The PS3 currently retails for $399, making it more expensive than current Blu-Ray players. However, if Sony were to lower the price of the PS3 and make it equal or close to the price of a Blu-Ray player, it would make consumers think twice about purchasing a dedicated Blu-Ray player. After all, for a few dollars more, consumers get not just a Blu-Ray player but a video game console as well. In this day and age where electronics are being consolidated (mp3 players + cellphones, etc) having one machine that does double duty makes sense.

Already, there are some rumors on the internet that the PS3 is set to come down in price to $299. It is only a matter of time before Sony announces a price cut. When that happens, expect dedicated Blu-Ray players to drop down in price.

The second major factor is the establishment of streaming video as a viable form of viewing large video files instantly. It started with music in the form of online radio stations as internet bandwidth and technology could only support so much data. But as consumers got access to higher internet speeds via DSL and Cable, companies such as YouTube capitalized on this new form of media distribution. Now, even major television networks offer current episodes of hit shows available for immediate viewing hours after airing on tv.

Even Netflix, whose primary business is DVD rentals by mail, has adjusted to this trend. Subscribers have the ability to watch select movies and television shows via the internet. They have recently come out with the "Roku", a device that enables consumers to watch streaming video straight onto the television rather than watching or routing it through their personal computers.

As internet speed increases, look for more and more streaming video in HD quality.

Why does this affect Blu-Ray? Again, the lower cost of entry into streaming video will be more enticing than purchasing a standalone Blu-Ray player. Renting or purchasing television shows and movies in digital format will most likely be cheaper than buying the equivalent Blu-Ray disc. A perfect example is MP3 download prices vs CD prices. This is exactly the reason why when Blu-Ray won over HD-DVD, analysts said that this wasn't the real 'war', that the real battle would be digital versus physical media.

Of course, there are other factors, such as manufacturers wanting to speed up the shift of consumers from DVD to Blu-Ray, the economic crisis slowing down demand for high priced electronic items, to name just two out of several more reasons. All the more reasons why, if you are looking into upgrading into Blu-Ray soon, waiting patiently might save you alot of money and regret.

December 2008

2009-01-09T16:18:00.000-08:00

Growing Family

My Year that was 2008

2008-12-08T08:07:00.000-08:00

In chronological order (more to come as they come into mind):

Trip to Hilton Head and Savannah
Getting accepted (and attending) Graduate School
Finding out we're expecting (another boy)!
Trip to Manila for VR and Chal's Wedding
Trip to Las Vegas
Watching Wicked
Watching Coldplay Live in Concert
Trip to Washington DC during the Thanksgiving holiday with Chad
Watching the Nutcracker Ballet
Trip to Toronto, Canada during the Christmas Break

I should have written about these events and posted pictures as soon as they occurred... maybe that should be my resolution?

Olympics, Technology, and Sports Science

2008-08-22T10:17:00.000-07:00

How much of a role do advances in technology and research in physical conditioning play a part in the performance of an athlete?

There already has been some controversy on the swimming suits created by Speedo. Some athletes claim that it gives an unfair advantage because it enables swimmers that are wearing these suits to cut through the water more easily, thus making them swim faster. This might be a trivial complaint, but when you think that gold medals are won and lost by mere 1/100ths of a second, anything that may constitute an unfair advantage is taken seriously. So far though, these special swimming suits have not been banned, and it looks like it will be standard 'equipment' in any swimming competition. If one agrees that it does give an advantage advantage, one only needs to look at other events where equipment is used to realize that, as unfair as it may be, athletes may gain an advantage due to superior equipment.

In the various rowing events, do all the countries have the same kind of boat? In cycling, it looks like there is no standard bicycle that everyone has to use. Track and Field athletes all use different brands of shoes. The list goes on and on. Whether or not these things do offer any advantage or not is of course subject to the individual. Going back to the example on swimming, whoever complained about the Speedo suits may have not gained the advantage he/she was expecting as compared to what others wearing the suits were claiming. What may work for one athlete may not work for another, and they are free to choose whatever they want to wear or use as long as it falls within the legal boundaries of the competition (for example, a swimsuit that has built in fins for example, would never be allowed in competition).

How about how much scientific physical conditioning affect ones performance?

Dara Torres won a couple of silver medals at these Olympic Games. To those who don't know her, here is a brief background. At 41 years old, she the oldest swimmer to compete in any Olympic Games for her event. A lot of people have commended her for having the discipline and strength to compete at such a high level, despite her older age relative to her peers (most of her competitors are half her age).

Because of her age, she undergoes a rigorous training program unique to her. They featured a short 'documentary' on NBC the other night on her prior to one of her races. Before even going into the water, her warm up includes being massaged by at least two physical therapists to ensure her muscles are loose and ready. Aside from her pool workout, she of course also lifts weights, and undergoes more physical therapy and conditioning. And although it was not shown, I'm sure she is also following a strict diet recommended to her by a sports dietician. Certainly, research in body conditioning, diet, and exercise have all helped Dara continue to perform at her peak level, even at an age where it is believed that the body is past its prime performance window.

Unlike pieces of equipment that can be purchased, access to top physical therapists, coaches, dietitians, and physical trainers are hard to come by. Could Dara Torres have competed without the help of her team to guide her? Without a doubt, I don't think so. Aside from inherent genetics, an athletes training program is what separates him/herself from other athletes in the same sport. People and countries have different methods of training. In gymnastics, for example, the training methods for the US team and Chinese team differ by night and day. Chinese gymnasts are plucked from their families and trained at such an early age and are taught to live, eat, and breath gymnastics. US gymnasts on the other hand, tend to lead more balanced lives, and are encouraged to have interests other than gymnastics. Different methods, both leading to more or less equal results.

However, I still can't help but wonder if third world countries had access to this sports 'science', could they compete at an even higher level than they do now? The answer is probably yes, which explains why a growing number of athletes from 'poorer' nations train in the USA and other countries where this kind of knowledge is accessible. This could even be the reason why a lot of coaches and trainers are from different countries than the athletes they train!

Because of this, it makes me commend athletes from these poorer countries even further, as they have to rely more on their raw talent and less on science to compete at the highest levels of their sport.

In the end, it really all boils down to the performance of the athlete, no matter what equipment is being used, and no matter what his/her training methods are.

Back to School

2008-08-18T11:01:00.001-07:00

This week, classes officially start for me, as I take the 2 1/2 year journey towards acquiring an MBA. I am both excited and scared at the same time. Excited, because this is something that I have planned almost since I graduated from college, and I am finally moving forward with this personal goal. Scared, because I know that it will not be easy, and that I am really going to work my butt off in order to maintain good grades.

I have to put myself into "student" mode once again. I literally felt like a giddy schoolboy when my textbooks arrived in the mail, and even during orientation class when the guest 'teacher' enumerated standard classroom behavior... "no talking in class, pay attention, be prepared", etc. Some things never change. But in a modern twist, even "no emailing in class" was a rule. I think I have been out of the classroom too long to witness the proliferation and even standardization of laptops in the classroom!

The next few years will be, to put it lightly, difficult(!). With our little boy approaching the "terrible twos", another child on the way, and me taking up graduate studies, it seems that we (Caroline and I) have taken in more than we can handle. The first year of Lucas was hard enough... what more juggling two more tasks that take up a lot of time? Already I am bracing myself and I feel that I will have alot of nights (and days) where the only thing keeping me going is red bull and/or iced coffee. Yes, it will be difficult, but I do welcome the challenge. I am lucky that the University of Georgia (UGA) Terry College of Business evening MBA campus is located less than 15 minutes from the house, so at least I will not have to cope with travel time to and from my class.

Caroline and I feel that this is our transition phase in which the rest of our future will greatly be determined by what happens within the next 3 years. Transition meaning, preparing ourselves for moving up to the next step in life... in terms of career, standard of living, etc. She is always afraid that our lives may fall into a routine, or a rut. That is only true if you refuse to do anything about your current state. But we are not stuck; we are working towards greater things! While I am studying, she is working on our fledgling business (website coming soon... watch for it!). Dare I say that this may be the most difficult three years of our lives! But rarely does one succeed without facing a test in ones character, faith, and trust in ones partner (be it husband, wife, etc), and I look at it as such. We are at this point because of ourselves, and no one else. And we will face these challenges together.

European GP Post Race

2007-07-26T13:45:00.000-07:00

Wasn't that an incredible race with so many turn of events?

I love it when it rains in a Formula 1 race... it is the great equalizer, as we saw when the Spyker led for a few laps! I liked seeing all those cars slide into the gravel trap at turn 1, turning it into a parking lot! Liuzzi narrowly missed the safety car and ended up bumping the crane!

It's amazing how Hamilton kept his engine running and was able to rejoin the race after being lifted out of the gravel trap. I'm not familiar with that part of the rules; I didn't know you could rejoin as long as your engine is still ok... and why was he able to regain a lap? It didn't matter anyway, as he still finished out of the points positions.

I have a feeling Raikkonen could have won the race, if he didn't have mechanical problems. I think he could have leapfrogged both Alonso and Massa. Speaking of Alonso and Massa, that was a good battle that they had in the final part of the race in the semi-wet track! As they were headed toward the podium, I thought that there would be some punches thrown, as Massa seemed very angry about the whole thing. Alonso kept his cool and publicly apologized during the press conference. Because of that, there was nothing Massa could do but keep his temper down as well. Besides, I think Alonso made a good, clean pass. That is what Formula 1 is all about!

Today, we just learned that McLaren has been reprimanded for having Ferrari documents but they will not be punished as there was not enough evidence to prove that they used the documents. I hope that this is the end of the story... I would like the battle to only be on the racetrack. Moments like this tarnish the sport, and with so many other sports having controversy (NBA with their referees, NFL with the Vick fiasco, Tour de France, PGA, and MLB with drug issues), it does not look good for anyone.

Let's hope it rains in Hungary like it did last year!

La Vita e Bella!

Here we Run Again!

2007-07-20T06:35:00.000-07:00

For all you Atlantans who missed the Peachtree Road Race but wanted to run, or for those of you who want to try running a 10k, I have good news for you. There's another 10k marathon coming up in a few months, the Buckhead Sizzler!

They say its a "fast" 10k, which I think means that it is mostly downhill. People run this race to improve their times and get better seeding in the Peachtree Road Race. I personally want to improve my 10k time. Of course, its also a great way to work out and train. If you're like me, you need to focus on a goal to keep you motivated.

Yes! Another 10k to look forward to!

La Vita e Bella!

Transformers at the Starlight Six

2007-07-19T07:38:00.001-07:00

How do you watch new movies when you have a newborn? Go to the Drive-In of course!

I thought Caroline and could only watch new movies through our new Netflix membership. After all, with baby Lucas around, the local multiplex is off limits for a few years. But we really wanted to watch Transformers. At first, we thought of letting "Ninong" Chad (visiting from Toronto) be a babysitter for one night, but that wouldn't be fair to him; he hasn't seen Transformers either. And besides, Chad is terrified of being left alone with Lucas! So, we all wanted to watch it together, even with Lucas. The Drive-In cinema was the solution... we could all be in the car watching the movie!

So, a few days ago after work, we went to the Starlight Six Drive-In. Caroline and I already watched a movie here (Spiderman3) so we already experienced it. It was Chad's first time though, and he was skeptical. He wasn't so sure about the picture and sound quality. But once he saw the size of the screen and realized that the sound is as good as your car audio system, he was impressed. It's a good "date" experience, and I am sure he will look for his local Drive-In in Toronto!

And what of the movie? Generally, I liked it. Of course, there were a few things a Transformers cartoon fan would scoff at (Bumblebee a Camaro? He should always be a Volkswagen Beetle, hence his name!). I liked the banter between autobots and decepticons... that seemed pretty authentic ("Starscream, you have failed me yet again!"). The action sequences were great, although sometimes you really couldn't tell what was happening. Just the thought of two huge robots fighting it out on city streets helped the experience, I guess. And of course, the ending left things open for a part 2... which I am looking forward to!

The only bad thing about Starlight Six is that it is very far from where we live... 40 minutes away! I think we will only go back there to watch movies that we really, really want to watch, or if we are in the area. In the meantime, we will make full use of Netflix!

La Vita e Bella!

Sleepless Nights and Insights

2007-07-13T08:25:00.000-07:00

Since Lucas is just over a month old, I decided to write down some of my thoughts and insights from being his Dad:

It must be really hard being a baby... all they can do is cry to tell us that something is wrong. Caroline and I have a 'fun' time trying to figure out what he wants... feeding? changing? sleep? We have almost no idea! But we are getting better at it. For example, if his face crunches up, legs straight, fists clenched, and he is making gurgling sounds... that means he is pooping! Of course, the smell of it is also a dead giveaway!

Lucas seems to wake up like clockwork during the night to feed. He used to wake up every 2 hours, but now he has a good 5 hour sleep... then he wakes up every 2 hours. I don't even need an alarm clock anymore!

He hates being put down! He normally sleeps on our shoulders or chest during the day. When we set him down in his playpen, bouncer, etc. he knows it! He first opens one eye and looks around, and when he knows we aren't there, he cries! Only when we pick him up does he smile again! My only fear about this is spoiling him... I want him to get used to sleeping on his own!

I sure learned alot in a month! At first, I didn't even know how to carry babies. I used to be scared of babies (and they were scared of me). But now, I am a self-professed expert at carrying them, feeding, and even changing his diaper.

Lucas is Beautiful!

2006 Peachtree Road Race Results

2007-07-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

This past 4th of July, I ran my (first) Peachtree Road Race!

I wasn't sure if I could do it... I was afraid because I did not train for this race. I am definitely not as fit as I was last year! The main thing that gave me confidence was the fact that I knew that I had finished a 10k marathon already, so I knew it was possible.

The first 3 miles were a breeze... partly because the weather was cool, but I think mostly because it was almost all downhill. However, Cardiac Hill (appropriately named) was the toughest part of the course, from mile 3 to 4. It was a slow, steady uphill battle that didn't seem to end. There were plenty of times up that hill where I just wanted to slow to a walk. But I didn't, and I finally got to the top of the hill.

I don't really remember the last 2 miles; all I can remember was that I was telling myself that I was past the most difficult part of the course, and that I had gone 2/3 of the race without stopping, so there was no use giving up now. When I turned the final corner onto the final stretch, I felt a surge of energy as I knew that the end was near. And as I crossed the finish line, a huge sense of accomplishment washed over me. I did it!

My time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Not bad, considering that I didn't train consistently for this 10k. However, it is slower than the 1:06 time I posted in my first 10k last year in Hyde Park. I know I can do better next year if I train harder.

Next... the Buckhead Sizzler, another 10k coming up in September!

La Vita e Bella!

More Lucas Pictures

2007-06-21T20:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a Flickr photo set courtesy of Marc when he and Libay visited us in the hospital... he takes great pictures!

Check it out here.

Thanks Marc & Libay!

La Vita e Bella!

Lucas Giullano Diaz

2007-06-18T10:41:00.000-07:00

This is the my version of the birth of Lucas Giullano Lontoc Diaz...

May 28 was Caroline's original due date. Weeks before, we already had all our hospital gear in the car in case her water broke while we were out of the house. However, May 28 came and went. When we visited her ob-gyn (Dr Houston of Womens Health Associates), we were given the choice of waiting it out a few more days or having an induced labour. We did not want to add complications so we opted to wait a few more days, especially the ultrasound showed that the baby was very comfortable in mommy's tummy!

A week passed and it was time to go to Dr Houston again. This time, she said that we would have to induce labour, as it wouldn't be healthy anymore to have baby stay inside the womb. We agreed; it was time for him to come out!

So, after the ob-gyne, we went straight to the Women's Center in Northside Hospital. It's also known as the 'Baby Factory' because of the large number of deliveries they perform every year. We 'checked in' to the hospital... It really is like checking into a hotel. Caroline got her own private room complete with cable tv, and a bench that doubles as a bed during the night. It did not look like a hospital at all. If it weren't for the hospital bed and various monitors beside it, it could definitely pass for a hotel room.

The time was around 6pm when the nurses admistered Cervidil... a drug that helps the cervix get into position (so I am told). This was not the actual drug for inducing labour. At this point, Caroline was about 3 cm dilated. We prepared ourselves for an uneventful night, since the Cervidil is normally administered for 12 hours. Actual induction would begin in the morning.

However, about 3 hours after taking Cervidil, Caroline started complaining because her contractions were becoming more painful. Some painkillers were given, but they were not enough to counter the pain. Her contractions were getting stronger, and she was becoming more dilated. The Cervidil triggered Caroline into labour! Our nurse and ob-gyne said that this was normal, considering that Caroline was already dilated in the first place. All she needed was a little 'push' from the Cervidil to put her into full labour!

At around 2am, the pain was just too great to bear. Caroline was not getting much sleep, and neither was I nor her parents (who were with us in the room too). She requested for an epidural. It could not have come at a better time. She was scared at first, since the epidural needle was huge, but the anesthesiologist worked quickly and professionally. Soon, she could not feel any pain from the waist down. She could finally get some rest!

7am... Dr Sun and Dr Soufi (both associates of Dr Houston) came in to check on Caroline's progress. To our surprise, they told Caroline that it was time to start pushing. She was fully dilated! Everyone got into position. My role was to help comfort Caroline and let her concentrate on pushing. The nurse monitored her contractions and told her when to push, as she could not feel them anymore due to the epidural. During each push, Caroline held her breath and pushed as hard as she could (I held my breath too). These were tense moments.

After around 2 contractions, I started to see the baby's head start to come out! I thought things were doing well. However, the baby's heart rate started going down. He was stressed. Dr Soufi immediately requested for several different emergency teams to be prepared, in case she would have to perform a caesarian, or help the baby out using a forceps or vacuum. I was getting worried about our baby!

After another set of contractions and pushes, Dr Soufi finally saw what was wrong... the umbilical cord had wrapped itself around the baby's neck! She immediately cut the umbilical cord as soon as she safely could. At this point, the nurses told me to step back as this was a crucial time for mother and baby. I could only watch as Caroline did the final push... fortunately, since the cord was already cut, the baby came out very quickly!

He was still a little blue due to lack of oxygen... the medical team quickly took him to make sure he was ok. I stayed with Caroline, telling her that the baby came out and calming her down. When we finally first heard Lucas cry, we both had tears running down our eyes... he was ok! The nurses and doctors reassured us that Lucas was indeed, healthy.

So, on June 5, 2007, at 8:17am, Lucas Giullano Lontoc Diaz came into this world...

La Vita e Bella!

Stitched

2007-06-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

I guess it could only happen to me.

While washing the dishes over the weekend, I failed to notice that one of our drinking glasses was slightly chipped. Correction... the glass was chipped for the longest time, but we just never got around to throwing it away.

I guess I scrubbed the chipped area the wrong way, because a piece of glass broke off, and the sharp edge sliced my skin near my thumb. When I realized that I sliced myself, I immediately stopped washing the dishes and applied pressure to the wound, while Caroline got some antiseptic and bandages.

I was quite calm during all of this; Caroline was more worried than me. After cleaning my wound, it looked like it wasn't very deep, it was just very long (and continuously bleeding). My only concern was if there was a piece of glass underneath my skin. Fortunately, there wasn't.

I thought I was fine then, but Caroline convinced me to go to the ER to get it checked. And they did too, putting in 4 sutures to help it heal (it would have healed longer without the sutures). So now, for the past few days, my right hand is partially bandaged. I can't wet it, nor can i put too much pressure on it.

I can't wait to have my sutures removed; I have a basketball game on Saturday!

Life is Beautiful!

Being Tony Parker

2007-06-15T11:03:00.000-07:00

I wouldn't mind being Tony Parker right now.

Who is Tony Parker?

He's the point guard for the San Antonio Spurs, and they just won the NBA championship. He was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the series, which means he played better than everyone else (even Tim Duncan). This is his third championship in a couple of years, so him and his team have been playing at a very high level for the past few years.

Oh, and he's marrying Eva Longoria next month.

This guy is absolutely on top of the world at the moment!

Life is Beautiful!

Spanish Grand Prix Post Race

2007-05-15T06:17:00.000-07:00

Massa gets two in a row, and Hamilton finishes ahead of Alonso again. Raikkonen could have made it interesting but had to retire because of mechanical problems, and BMW once again took fourth position (albeit Kubica instead of Heidfeld).

I think the long break wasn't very good for the pit crews... several lapses in concentration from Ferrari, BMW, Renault, and Spyker, to name a few.

The midfield was pretty much the same, except for Coulthard who drove a really good race into fifth position. I hope he shows up consistently in the standings... it makes for good viewing.

It just got from bad to worse in Honda, with Button bumping the back of Barichello and losing out to Sato in the Super Aguri! I wouldn't be surprised if they sack the top management and come out with more 'conventional' livery in the near future. Too bad David Richards already has his own F1 team in the works.

Next stop... Monaco!

Bahrain GP Post Race

2007-04-16T07:54:00.000-07:00

Just the notables...

I wouldn't be surprised if Lewis Hamilton wins his first grand prix this year... I think the title will go to Alonso or Raikkonen, but Hamilton will make them fight for it, surely. I want to see how Hamilton copes in even tougher conditions, such as climbing from the back of the field and overtaking (especially Alonso or one of the Ferraris). Part of his success is the car he is driving, so I would like to see him under even more pressure.

Heidfeld overtaking Alonso was a surprise to me, and a sign of good things to come. Hopefully BMW can catch up to Ferrari and McLaren. They can play the 'dark horse' and steal points away from the top 2 teams.

It's also nice to see the middle of the pack so bunched together... Renault, Williams, Toyota, and Red Bull, all fighting for those remaining points places. Notice I didn't rank Honda among them, as I think they are below them but just above Spyker, Toro Rosso, and Super Aguri. Or maybe I should place Super Aguri on the same level as Honda? Hehe.

Too many breaks this year on the calendar... Spain in 4 weeks time!

Celtic Woman at the Fabulous Fox

2007-04-12T06:28:00.000-07:00

About a month and a half ago, Caroline and I were channel surfing when we stumbled upon a concert shown on PBS. It was a group of women with angelic voices singing both classic and contemporary songs, the backdrop of which was a medieval castle. As we are both love this musical genre, we were hypnotized by their singing and their music in general.

At the end of the show, we found out (throught the customary telethon at the end of each PBS show) that the group was called Celtic Woman... and that they would be performing at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta in less than a month! We did not want to buy tickets directly from PBS as they really charge an arm and a leg; I guess they pad their prices with donations. So, I immediately went to Ticketmaster to see if I could still buy tickets. We were lucky; we were able to get tickets for the second of two performances... which coincidentally was on our 2nd wedding 'monthsarry'! Two birds with one stone!

Weeks rolled by until it was finally the day of the performance. We both have never watched a concert / performance at the Fox Theatre before, so it was a first time for both of us. Tip: Don't buy a parking ticket from Ticketmaster, its much cheaper to buy it on one of the the numerous parking lots surrounding the theatre (Or take Marta).

The outside is persian(?) inspired with minarets and windows of that style. The inside was beautiful, continuing the architectural details from the outside. When we first stepped into the main theatre, Caroline thought we were outside again, as the ceiling was painted to look like the night sky. It made the theatre look bigger than it really was.

Unfortunately, since we bought our tickets with less than a month before the show, we could only get seats at the very top of the theatre. It was a bit difficult getting up there, especially with Caroline's pregnancy, but we made it. The view wasn't so bad, but of course it could have been better. We weren't complaining though; we were thankful to have gotten tickets.

The show was great! As with most musical artists, they really do sound better in person. We especially loved the fiddler... she brought so much energy to her performance, dancing and twirling around in high heels, all while playing her fiddle intensely. I was also impressed by the two percussionists on either side of the stage. They each had their own sets of drums, cymbals, etc. yet always complemented each others beats.

When the concert finished, we left the Fox theatre with smiles on our faces. The cool air was on our faces, the echoes of the concert was still in our heads. It was worth it.

For Any Atlantans interested... Celtic Woman will have an encore performance on June 2, 2007 at the Fox... Highly recommended if you like this kind of music!

La Vita e Bella!

Tugging at the Heartstrings

2007-04-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's just me, but being an expecting father has softened my heart.

Pictures of babies make me go 'awwww, how cute'. They never used to make me think that. I now like going through the baby aisle, looking at all the cute little things for babies.

There was a news story about a week ago where an american soldier stationed in Iraq for several months surprises his son by showing up one day at his school. When the father showed up in his sons classroom, his son simply runs to him, hugs him, and cries.

I cried too when I saw it on television.

That's been the case lately... anything on television (even commercials) family-oriented warms my heart.

If my heart has been softened, then Caroline's has totally melted. Any remotely touching moment immediately turns on the tear ducts in her eyes (she cries even when people get voted off reality shows!).

Fortunately, I am still unmoved by sappy date-movie love-stories.

What more when BabyD is finally here? Just 1 1/2 months to go!

Life is Beautiful...

Childbirth 101

2007-04-10T06:15:00.000-07:00

Caroline and I attended our the first session of our childbirth class last night. This was great because we really did not know what to expect during childbirth (aside from the pain of course!). It was also recommended to us by friends, family, and even our ob-gyn.

So there we were, seated on the floor of the classroom with our pillows and our blankets, beside other couples in various stages of pregnancy. The moms (Caroline included) looked a little tense and anxious as our teacher described and showed us (via presentation materials) the various stages of labour. I have to admit though, that until now, I am not sure how it is physically possible for our baby to fit through and come out through you-know-what!

Fortunately, the class isn't all 'horror'. The main objective of childbirth class is to make sure that parents-to-be are well informed of the whole process so that the fear and the tension will be eased. The more relaxed mommy is, the less painful childbirth will be. So the moms practiced breathing techniques (and kegels!!!) and were taught various positions on how to ease any discomfort in their lower backs, etc. The dads weren't just bystanders; we participated too. Our job was to ensure that the moms were relaxed by massaging and applying gentle pressure to prepare her body for labor.

All in all, it was an enlightening and intimate experience. Very informative for first-time parents!

La Vita e Bella!

Malaysian Grand Prix Post Race

2007-04-09T06:31:00.000-07:00

Massa made some rookie mistakes, while Hamilton drove like a veteran under pressure.

BMW continues to be the best of the rest.

Toyota is being outrun by Williams.

Renaults are looking faster; Honda is going nowhere.

This looks like the trend going into the rest of the season...

Hooray for the Carpool Lane!

2007-03-28T05:53:00.000-07:00

It's 7:30 am, and we are running late. We are about to join rush hour traffic at its peak. The I-85 stretch between GA316 and I-285 is one of the busiest thoroughfares into Atlanta, and that's exactly where we are... I'm preparing myself for a long drive ahead.

But wait! I'm going at almost 60 mph, while on my right, the cars are almost at a standstill. How is that possible? I can't help but smile... I didn't expect my rush hour drive to be this pleasant!

How is this possible? The HOV lane.

This high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane is great! As long as there are 2 or more people in your vehicle, you are allowed to use it. It easily saved us at least 30 minutes on our commute to and from work. It just goes to show how many people drive alone. I never really felt the advantage until just a few days ago, when I started driving to work with Caroline. It's like using a warp zone in Super Mario Brothers... you skip all the 'hard' levels and get to your destination quickly.

It's a good thing too that (most) drivers here are disciplined enough not to go on the HOV lane when they are the only ones in their vehicle. No offense, but in the Philippines, a carpool lane would never work! When we disregard the line that differentiates opposing traffic and create our own 'counterflow', how can we obey an HOV lane?

Anyway, I'm just glad that the trip to and from work is not as stressful as it once was...

Life is Beautiful!

Wedding Pictures Finally Up

2007-03-26T10:12:00.000-07:00

After almost 2 months of procrastination, Caroline and I took the time to sift through our wedding pictures and choose the ones that we want for our wedding album. We decided to also post them on the internet because we've had so many requests from our friends and family who want to see them as well.

So, follow this link http://vince217.multiply.com/photos/album/7 to view the album!

Once again, I would like to thank everyone who attended the wedding... looking back at the pictures, Caroline and I realized that we really could not thank everyone personally.

I also want to thank all the wedding suppliers... our wedding went smoothly and was beautiful because of them. Incidentally in a future entry, I do plan to list all the wedding suppliers we used, as I highly recommend them. I also want to create a little checklist of things that every couple should know when planning their wedding. I think everyone can learn from what we went through!

Life is Beautiful!

Australian Grand Prix Post Race Points

2007-03-20T06:42:00.000-07:00

Marc (GoFlatOut) was right, it looks like Ferrari will decimate the field this year... unless McLaren steps up (I'm sure they will).

Lewis Hamilton is the new golden boy of Formula 1. Kovaleinen got the jitters, but I think he will shine in the coming races.

The Renaults and BMWs are on the same level, followed by the four (hehe) Toyotas.

Honda really sucks.

Super Aguri and the two Red Bulls might get disqualified in future races.

Spyker / Midland / Jordan is still last place.

Enter the Peachtree Road Race!

2007-03-19T08:44:00.000-07:00

Attention all Georgians! The Peachtree Road Race applications have been published in last weekends AJC, so if you are planning to run the 10k race like me, better fill in and send in your entry form as soon as possible!

I plan to send my entry today, tomorrow at the latest. I hope my entry is not too late, as I heard the slots fill up very quickly!

Some notes on the Peachtree Road Race:
- It takes place on the 4th of July, 7:30 am
- The race is 10km (approx 6.25 miles) long
- You don't need to be a marathon runner to join. You can even walk through the whole race!

See you there!

La Vita e Bella!

The Fascination with Formula 1

2007-03-13T10:57:00.000-07:00

The 2007 Formula 1 season is upon us! After months of reading off-season news, it's time to see This weekend marks the return of F1 to Melbourne, and this year, the championship is really up for grabs. Schumacher retired, Alonso to McLaren, Raikkonen to Ferrari. Promising rookies, seasoned veterans. Everyone with something to prove.

Caroline (and most women, for that matter) can't understand what is fascinating about watching cars go around the same track over and over again for 67 laps or so. I don't blame her. To the untrained eye, yes, it does seem monotonous and repetitive.

However, once you understand F1... you know what to watch, and you know what the fuss is all about.

You see it in the in-car cameras, as the sense of speed dawns on you, and you feel just how fast these machines are travelling, and how close they are to each other on the track.

You see it in that split second when a driver pulls out of the slipstream in order to perform a daring overtaking move.

You see it in the precision that a pit crew moves to change the tyres and refuel the car in less than 7 seconds in order to hang on or even take over the lead.

You even see it in those moments when a driver or mechanical error occurs, hopes of a win or even a podium finish go up in smoke or wreckage.

We watch F1 for those moments. The moments of brilliance, of glory, and yes, the heartbreaks. And since you never know when these moments will happen, it is always worth watching from the start of the race all the way to the chequered flag.

Life... is Beautiful.

Lipa Virus (Grrr)

2007-03-08T05:34:00.000-08:00

Last week, our home computer was hit by a virus. We noticed it when our antivirus program (AVG Free) popped up with a virus warning. We cleaned it and thought nothing more of it... until we opened Internet Explorer. There it was, on our IE header.

It was the "TAGA LIPA ARE!" virus.

Of all the virii in the world, we had to be hit by a pinoy (I'll give you one guess from where in the Philippines) virus! Well, maybe its not that surprising considering we do visit alot of pinoy sites and receive alot of emails from our friends and family in the Philippines.

I immediately did numerous and more thorough virus & spyware scans, and I searched the internet on how to completely remove that annoying message from IE and the system registry. So, if you ever get infected by this annoying thing, I can help you remove it from your computer.
Fortunately as far as I know, this virus did nothing more than to change the IE header and possibly spread itself using my computer. It really could have been worse.

The most annoying thing about this virus (after all was said and done) is that I found out on the internet that the person who "created" this virus merely copied it from someone else. He just edited the code and placed his own personal "message" in it. Where did he get this, in Recto? If you're going to make something such as a virus (which, more often than not, showcases that creators programming / hacking ability), you have to make it original. If this dude wanted himself to be known, well, he just made himself known as nothing but a copycat.

Mabuhay!

Arbors at Suwanee Terrace

2007-02-28T08:27:00.001-08:00

I posted pictures of our new house! Check out my Multiply site!

These are pictures of our house when I first moved in. It was completely bare when I bought it; only kitchen appliances were included in the house. Not even towel rails or toilet paper holders were installed in the bathrooms. I decided not to buy anything for the house until Caroline was here because she definitely has better interior design skills than me (and its fun to do these things together). So for the first few weeks, my curtains were just old bed sheets stuck to the wall using pushpins, and I used a "sampayan" to hang my towel. The only furniture I had were my old stuff... old bed, old couch, a breakfast table (with no chairs), and some household appliances (washer, dryer, tv, etc). I really didn't mind it at the time because I was still living alone.

Now that Caroline and I are now back in Atlanta, we are in the process of decorating the house and turning it into a home. We are having a really fun time doing it! It is nice to walk around stores and browsing through catalogs, looking for ideas on how to decorate. But its one thing to pick them out; its another thing to install them properly! For me, this was the more challenging part.

Despite hammering my own fingernail several times and almost (take note... almost!) making swiss cheese of the walls, everything has been installed perfectly. Now curtain rods are up, a bookcase has been assembled and placed in the living room, and I even changed our showerhead into one of those "rainfall" types.

Many thanks to friends and relatives, for without them we wouldn't have the money to decorate our house, and to Ikea and Target, from which most of our furnishings came frome!

We will have some 'before & after' pictures in the coming weeks!

Life is Beautiful!

Multiply

2007-02-22T07:25:00.000-08:00

Ah... back from the bloggers grave.

My multiply account is up! Check it out here.

My sister-in-law, Chal, tells me its much better for sharing pictures, blog entries, and networking. It looks good so far, and since I can link it to my blogger, it is something I don't mind maintaining. Hopefully I can use the multiply site to share pictures, as Blogger isn't very good at that.

La Vita e Bella!

The Importance of Communication

2007-01-04T09:46:00.000-08:00

The recent earthquake in Taiwan reminded us all that the internet is still a network connected by wires. Apparently, the earthquake damaged some network wires underwater. I didn't realize there were hundreds and even thousands of miles of underwater cables connecting countries. We always pick up the phone or connect to the internet without being aware of how exactly the data is transmitted across the world... until something along the line breaks, and then we become aware of how things work.

For all the wireless hype, we forget that there are still wires in the background. Even cellular phone services were affected by the damage to the underwater wires. For a few days, Caroline wasn't receiving the texts that I was sending her on a regular basis. Service was so bad that she thought that I forgot about her (of course nothing could be further from the truth; I think about her all the time!). Imagine my frustration during New Years eve. With so many people calling each other compounded by the network problems, it took me over an hour to connect to Caroline. Fortunately a few days later, everything seems to have gotten back to normal, and not a moment too soon. My wife was losing much patience with me, so it was nice to have working phone and internet services in the Philippines again.

During this time, I also realized how much technology really helps maintaining our relationship. Without constant communication with each other, I don't know how Caroline and I could have survived this long. We use everything we can... all sorts of messenger programs, VOIP programs, direct phone dialing, phone cards, email, regular mail, voice mail, text messages... you name it, we use it or even just tried it out to see if it would work. I make sure not one day passes without me hearing her voice at least once, even if just for a few minutes.

I know we have it easy... as early as just a few years ago, there weren't as many forms of communication. People just had phones, or just wrote letters to each other. Loved ones wouldn't hear from each other for months until the next love letter arrived in the mail.

There still is something special about receiving a hand written letter or greeting card in the mail. The anticipation of opening it and seeing who its from is totally different than just clicking on an unopened message in your email inbox. With a letter, you can see the person's handwriting, the stationery, even the scent of perfume if you're lucky. You can see the time and effort spent on composing such prose. The erasures and wrong grammar are there; with an email, it is so easy to run a spell-check and ensure everything looks perfect. A little too perfect sometimes, I suppose, as it can make things less warm than they should be.

I guess that's why Caroline loves receiving hand-written letters from me. For her, its even more important than the gift that normally accompanies it. The sentimental value of the letter far outweighs anything else that I have given her (and that's one of the reasons I Love Her dearly).

And when we look back at our relationship, what we will remember fondly are those letters, those text messages, those phone calls. Those are the things we will keep closest to our hearts. Because, as we all know (or should know), good communication is an essential part of a strong and lasting relationship.

Life... is Beautiful.

Here is 2007

2007-01-02T09:18:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone!

2006 was such a rollercoaster of a year, I'm glad its 2007 already. So many things to look forward to, so many things to do, I'm not sure I can fit it all this year. But I certainly will try!

The latter half of the year slowed down a bit (or became more busy for me), which was reflected in my blog entries. I guess thats what I get for moving back to Atlanta after 3 years in England. It was all good though... looking for and purchasing a new home, visiting my parents and brother in Toronto, and of course, preparing for the church wedding all kept me on my feet. I hope to post pictures of everything that has been happening to me and my wife in the weeks to come!

La Vita e Bella!

More than just Coffee

2006-12-28T10:32:00.000-08:00

So, I received one of these gift cards as a Secret Santa gift giving a week ago in one of the parties I attended. It was a Starbucks gift card worth $20.

Ok, I thought. This should be good for around 5 or 6 grande Frappuccinos (just about the only thing I buy in Starbucks). In the back of my head though, I wished that I had received the Target or even the Best Buy gift card that other people received.

However, when I went into Starbucks to 'claim' my first frappuccino, I was pleasantly surprised. There were so many other thigns you could buy besides coffee (and I'm not talking about tea!). I guess I never paid attention to the shelves of mugs and other coffee-related items before till now. What interested me were the CD's strategically positioned near the cashier. Hey, they expanded their selection of music! Not just 1 or 2 CD's but a whole shelf of sounds ranging from Bob Dylan to John Legend. I ended up picking an excellent CD of Christmas music.

Along with the CD, my grande frappuccino and the sunday newspaper, I was able to max out and use the gift card all in one transaction... not bad for Starbucks!

I then remembered what I read about Starbucks wanting to become more than just a coffee store... they wanted to branch out to other things and offer services above and beyond just coffee. Well, they're well on their way to achieving that!

La Vita e Bella!

Happy Holidays!

2006-12-25T06:28:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas Everybody!

Television... Redefined

2006-12-15T18:56:00.000-08:00

I've just gotten HDTV and I am loving it.

The picture is so clear... When I watch sports, I can see beads of sweat on the skins of basketball players, the blades of grass on the football field. When I watch regular tv shows, I can see the wrinkles on old actresses and pimples on young ones. It's so clear, you can see where the foundation makeup ends and the real skin color begins. And when I watch nature shows on Discovery HD, those panoramic shots of mountains simply take my breath away.

I really can't believe what a large difference in picture quality HDTV makes. When I switch back and forth between HD and non-HD channels, its so obvious. I sure hope they make more channels in high-definition... it really is television redefined. This could make me into a couch potato again!

On another note, I really hate the fact that HD-DVD and Blu-Ray are each gunning for the title of the new format of high definition DVDs. Critics are comparing it to the VHS / Beta wars in the 80's. I don't want to commit to one format now only to realize I made the wrong decision (especially since high def DVD players are over $500). So as much as I would like to watch movies in glorious 1080p, I will have to wait and see who wins the format wars... and hope that the players go down in price to more manageable levels.

Life is Beautiful!

High School Reunion

2006-12-11T06:47:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, my high school batch (DLSZ 96) had their first official high school reunion. Unfortunately, I couldn't go because I am here in the USA and it was held, of course, in the Philippines. But thanks to the digital camera and the internet, I was able to see pictures of the event the day after. It made me really jealous! I wanted to go and see my batchmates! Some looked the same, some looked thinner, some fatter. But they were all familiar faces.

I can't believe it's been 10 years since we all graduated from high school. I think 10 years after graduating high school is a good time to get together and catch up with each others lives. Presumably everyone has completed college and have begun their own lives... whether that would be working, pursuing higher education, or even starting a family.

According to one of my friends (thanks, Ben John!), it was a great success. The party started at 9am and lasted until 5am, with people drinking and reminiscing about high school life. He told me that the best part was that there were no cliques or barkadas during the party... people matured and realized that we all really belonged to the same group... DLSZ Batch 96.

La Vita e Bella!

Gym Memberships

2006-12-06T05:19:00.001-08:00

I am writing this as a word of warning to people out there who have gym memberships. Be careful when it is time to end your membership! Trust me, no matter how much you work out now, you won't be a member of your gym forever and the time will come when you too will become frustrated when you part ways with your gym.

Right now, Caroline is currently at war with her gym (Fitness First) because she got billed twice on her credit card (among other things). As usual, the gym is making it difficult to get her money back.

As much as gyms exist as a place for you to work out, I think gyms count on you to become lazy and forget to work out. This is the reason you have to give your credit card / bank account details to them and pay by direct debit on a regular basis, and normally have to sign a 1-year contract. Rare is the gym that has a "pay as you go" payment plan (if they do, the rate is significantly higher than the regular rate).

Most gym members don't even use their membership for the full year. I should know. I used to go to my gym almost 5 days a week, so I knew who the regulars were. And I saw alot of people come and go too. Most people give up after 1 month, 2 months at most. So most customers end up paying for something that they don't even use. Now that's free money for the gym!

So, when trying to cancel your membership, always look at the fine print! When I had to cancel my Golds Gym membership a few years ago, I could not believe how hard it was. I ended up having to pay 3 extra months just to get them off my back. Apparently, I had to cancel the membership in writing. Of course, the person behind the counter in my gym didn't tell me about it when I told him that I wanted to cancel my membership. Imagine my surprise when I saw my account statement and still saw money being withdrawn from my account. When I complained to the gym, thats the only time I found out that I had to submit a letter to their accounts department. Apparently it was mentioned in the contract, not mentioned by the gym personnel. They blamed me for not having read my contract properly (ok, I admit, I did skim through the contract). By the time I sent the cancellation letter and they processed my request, 3 months had passed. Lesson learned, which is why I only try to enroll in gyms that have short-term plans (with no direct debit).

When its time to end your gym membership.... good luck!

La Vita e Bella!

Uniform Shirt

2006-12-05T05:51:00.000-08:00

Note to oneself: Never, ever wear a red shirt when going to Circuit City or Target, lest you be mistaken as an employee! In fact, there seems to be a lot of stores where a red polo shirt is their uniform (to complete the look, be sure to wear khaki chinos).

I teased Chad about this before when we went to Best Buy and he was wearing a shirt in the exact shade of blue as the Best Buy employees. Caroline and I laughed so hard, and Chad couldn't wait until we were out of the store.

To be fair, its not that bad. At worst, someone will come up to you and do a price check on something, and you will have to politely apologize tell that person that you don't work there. They will then just walk away and look for a real store employee, and you'll feel a bit red in the face.

But at best, who knows? That person who needs help looking for digital cameras happens to be a chick, and you can score points by pointing her in the right direction, and even helping her choosing one out for her. You might even end up using that same digital camera in that night in the nightclub, taking pictures of her and her sexy friends. The possibilities are endless!

Ok, enough with the fantasies, haha!

Life is Beautiful!

Sonya's Garden

2006-11-30T08:33:00.000-08:00

Sonya's Garden is a great place to have lunch or dinner in Tagaytay. I love their food; its a set price and set menu and it includes salad (with your choice of condiments and dressing) and pasta (with your choice of sauce). You can mix and match the sauces; trust me, its worth the price. And it being a garden, you feel like you are eating inside a large greenhouse. After eating way too much, you can try walking it off on the various paths of the garden. If you're lucky, you might even see Sonya herself. She is easy to spot; she normally wears all white with a matching wide-brimmed sun hat. She is very friendly, so don't be afraid to approach talk to her if she isn't busy entertaining others!

Caroline and I stayed there for one night (yes, they have a Bed & Breakfast!) when we were looking for churches to get married in. The bedroom is very cozy and its a return to the basics. No televisions here, just a lamp and some books to read. There's no airconditioning too, as the breeze of Tagaytay is enough to cool the room, although there is a ceiling fan if you want things to get colder. If you're scared of bugs, this isn't the ideal accomodation for you, but if you like the sound of crickets and the occasional lizard, then you won't have any trouble sleeping here! It's a great place to get away from the city and recharge your energy.

The next morning... Here is my favorite supermodel posing in front of some of the gardens. Her shorts match the flowers!

Enjoying our meal in the veranda!
Did I mention this was where I first proposed to Caroline? This was one of the reasons why we wanted to get married in Tagaytay and have our wedding reception here in Sonya's Garden. Yes, it is almost 2 years to the day when I first popped the question (and the box of the ring) to her over a lunch date. That's a different story altogether, best told in person (so ask me about it if you see me).

Unfortunately, although Sonya's Garden was available on the day we wanted our wedding, none of the churches in the area were available. We had no choice but to cancel our reception reservation and look elsewhere for a church and reception area. No matter. Sonya's Garden already has cemented its place in me and Caroline's history, and we will remember it for the rest of our lives!

La Vita e Bella!

Mercedes Benz Mixed Tapes

2006-11-29T20:29:00.000-08:00

Lots of thanks goes to Chad and his friend, Jomz for introducing me to the Mercedes Mixed Tapes.

These are great compilations of music from different genres of music... R&B, chillout, smooth jazz... they are all here. There are already 14 compilations so far, and I'm still busy looking to download all of them. They are that good! Literally great music to drive to (obviously) or to set the mood at a chilly late night by the fireplace.

Give them a try by visiting the site and listening to the streaming audio, then downloading some or all of the tracks in MP3 format.

The best thing about is that its all free... you don't have to own a Benz to download these albums.

Life is Beautiful!

Television Ads

2006-11-28T07:14:00.000-08:00

I was watching tv the other day when I saw an ad promoting the tv show "House" (So you can skip reading this if you don't know the show). The announcer said the following line...

"...Watch as House has to risk everything to save a patients life!"

This made me almost fall off my seat laughing. Ok, when doesn't Dr. House risk everything? Duh! That's what the whole show is all about right?

There was also a similar ad for the show "Prison Break". Apparently the Scofield brothers have to "risk everything" or be caught by the police and anyone else chasing them. Double Duh! Talk about stating the obvious...

Is this a Fox channel thing or what?

La Vita e Bella!

On Tacos

2006-11-27T19:27:00.000-08:00

Earlier today I decided to temporarily break free from my burger routine by 'thinking outside the bun' and going to Taco Bell.

I ordered 3 tacos and sat down to eat them. As soon as I unwrapped the first one, I realized why I never liked eating tacos in the first place. Don't get me wrong, I love mexican food. Chad knows I love Burritos from Chipotle (his influence). I just can't eat burritos on a regular basis because they are so filling. Tacos on the other hand, are just right; crunchy tortilla with seasoned ground beef, lettuce, tomato, and cheese. Squirt a little hot sauce and they're good to go. However, I don't know why they designed tacos that way. I went through a whole stack of paper napkins during that lunch, trying to wipe my hands and catching the beef and vegetables that inevitably fall out of that curved shell.

Why are tacos so damn hard to eat? It doesn't matter whether you turn the taco on its side or turn your head, its bound to end up a messy experience. What's the proper way of eating a taco?

I'll tell you... Ask any Filipino, and they'll tell you to eat it with a fork and knife! In the Philippines, thats the only way to eat a taco!

La Vita e Bella!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-23T22:04:00.000-08:00

It's been 3 years since I last celebrated thanksgiving here in the United States. I never studied american history, but I think it's to remember the time when the first settlers gave thanks (to the native americans?) that they were able to start a new life in a strange land. Whatever its origins, it gives us a chance to give thanks to be thankful for the blessings in our own lives.

I look back and I see that I have plenty to be thankful for.

I am thankful for my family and friends who have always been there, given me honest advice and supported me in all my actions; I am thankful for my wife and the little miracle God has given us. And I am thankful for the other blessings which have enabled my family to build a home out of a house...

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

PS3

2006-11-17T07:46:00.000-08:00

Today, the Playstation 3 was unleashed across North America. This next generation console is equipped with a hard disk, online capability, a blu-ray dvd player, and wireless controller. It promises to display graphics in 1080p, and is more powerful than the XBOX 360 or the Nintendo Wii. Naturally, I'm itching to get one!

As usual, there is a supply shortage from Sony, so people have been lining up for days just so that they are guaranteed to get one. Yesterday I drove past Best Buy and Circuit City, and sure enough, people were literally camped outside, complete with tents and folding chairs. I did contemplate braving the cold wind and rain to try to buy one (and sell it on Ebay, of course), but prior commitments prevented me from doing so. However, today made me think back to when I waited in line overnight when I bought my Playstation 2...

October 26, 2000. I will remember that date as long as I live. The date the Playstation 2 (PS2) was released in the USA. I just moved to Atlanta then, and was there for about 3 months. The arrival of the PS2 was hotly anticipated. A new era of gaming had arrived. 128 bit processing, and the power to play DVDs! It would make any geek drool at the technical specifications. Then Sony announced that due to production problems, there would be a shortage of supply during the first few months of release. Almost immediately, online shops sold out, and normal stores took reservations, which were quickly taken as well. That did not deter me. I was going to get a PS2 on the first day of release. I hatched a plan… I would go to a 24 hour store that didn’t accept reservations and was going to sell the PS2 at midnight. I was going to try my luck.

Fortunately, there was a Walmart that did exactly that. I scoped out the store a few days before, taking note of where the electronics department was, and any other things that would aid me in my mission.

The day finally came. I went to Walmart straight from the office that day and got there at around 6pm. I was a bit worried that a line formed earlier that day, but fortunately there wasn’t a line. However, there were a lot of people that had the same idea as me. Every time a line would form, a Walmart employee would break it up. So, there were a lot of loiterers in the shop that night. Trust me, one can only do so much in Walmart. 11:30pm. Still no announcement. Things were tense. People were waiting by the supply doors, to see when they would bring those blue boxes out. Then, 10 minutes before midnight, there was an announcement on the PA. “Everyone waiting for a Playstation 2, please make your way to the electronics department and form a line”.

It was a blur, a mad dash to the electronics department through children’s clothes racks and cheap handbags. I made it to the line and was given a number in the high teens. Not bad given the circumstances, but the fear of not getting one was still there. After all, no one knew how many units this Walmart was allocated. It could be as little as 10, maybe as much as 30. We all thought that the store would start selling them at midnight. We were wrong. They only allowed the line to form at midnight. They would actually be selling them at 6am. So… you would actually have to be in line for 6 hours if you really, really wanted a PS2. We all sat down and prepared for the long night in the electronics department. It wasn’t so bad, really. We were indoors (others who waited in other stores weren’t as lucky), and it being a 24 hour store, we could buy whatever we needed. Bottled water, Doritos, and a sleeping bag? Walmart got it covered. Everyone was friendly too. I met people from all walks of life. From a fellow gamer wanting it for himself, to some college students planning to sell it on Ebay, to a mother who wanted to give it to her son for Christmas, everyone had their reasons. It was an organized line… everyone remembered their place and respected it. We could go to the bathroom or buy some food whenever we wanted. Somebody even bought a deck of cards and we started playing poker right there on the floor. I am sure that if someone brought a guitar from the music department, we would all be singing campfire songs (without the campfire, of course). I didn’t get much sleep, but it didn’t matter. It was fun. 6am finally came, and I was able to get my PS2. There were about 25 units, but more than 30 people waited, so their night was spent in vain. I didn’t care. After I paid for mine, I rushed out to the car and locked all the doors quickly, lest I get ambushed.

So, after 12 hours in Walmart, I got what I came for.

I think I will wait a few months for the price of the PS3 to drop (did I mention that the basic unit is $499 and the deluxe unit is $599?), and for supplies to rise to a level in which I can simply walk into a store and pick up one of a couple of units. I'm in no hurry this time. With so many other expenses weighing in on my bank account (wedding, flight expenses, house!), the last thing I need is another 'toy' to distract me. Besides, Caroline would kill me if I bought one for myself! And hopefully by that time I will have an entertainment system worthy enough of bringing out the full potential of the PS3... HDTV, surround sound system... thats another couple of thousand right there (but I'll save that for a future post)!

La Vita e Bella!

Scuba

2006-11-09T07:05:00.000-08:00

Did you know that you can go scuba diving without having to go through lessons? Yes, you can! I didn't know you can go on these introductory dives. It's a shallow water dive (around 50 feet) and you are accompanied by a fully trained diver. Its a great way for people like me to experience diving without having to get a diving license.

After signing the necessary forms, Caroline and I were given a brief lesson on the scuba equipment and how to use them. It was strange at first, breathing air from the tank, but it became more natural as we took in more breaths. Once the diving instructors were confident that we were familiar with the equipment and the hand signals, we got on the boat and headed about a kilometer from the shore.

All geared up and ready to dive! Before we knew it, we took the plunge and were sinking to the sea floor.

The boat had a glass bottom, so my friends were able to take a picture of me underwater (thats the dive instructor holding on to me). With the guidance of my instructor, he pointed out to me several different schools of fish. We were even able to feed them using some food that he had hidden in his suit. Once he brought it out, I didn't know what it was at first, but when the fish came and started nibbling, I realized what it was. There were so many species of fish, of all shapes, sizes, and colours. We even saw a school of barracudas! We didn't venture to close to them though, as they can be very dangerous (according to my instructor). I also saw corals... lots and lots of corals! They swayed gently with the current, so peaceful and beautiful. I began to see why more and more people scuba dive to relax. It's really a different world under the sea. We also went past an underwater spring. You can see the current bursting through cracks on the sea floor, and when we swam past it, I felt the cold water of the spring through my wetsuit. I wish I had an underwater camera!

After about 45 minutes, it was time to go up. When we resurfaced, I was surprised at how far we had been swimming underwater. It is so easy to lose track of time and direction when you're under the sea.

This is Caroline resurfacing. She's obviously happy! I'm not sure whether its because she saw lots of beautiful fish and corals underwater or whether she was glad to have finished the dive!

This experience makes me want to get a full diving license. What we saw was just the tip of the iceberg. My friends who go diving regularly tell me that there are even more beautiful locations deeper and further out in the sea.

Life... is Beautiful.

Logic Adventure Games Online

2006-11-08T08:16:00.000-08:00

If you like adventure games as well as I do, these two sites should entertain you. They aren't really up to the calibre of the classic Sierra and LucasArts games of old, but they are pretty good.

The Crimson Room is short and can serve as an introduction to these kinds of online games. The only hint that I can offer is to click everywhere and click multiple times!

The Mystery of Time and Space is what I'm playing now and its longer (and less frustrating) than the crimson room. The puzzles (for the most part) are logical, and there's some humour injected in it as well. The website also has links to other similar games on the internet, so if you finish these faster than me, there are several others to try!

La Vita e Bella!

Camiguin

2006-10-31T11:50:00.000-08:00

Despite our busy schedules, Caroline and I were able to squeeze in a mini honeymoon.

I was in the Cagayan de Oro area a few days after the Ting Hun for business. But thanks to my boss, Caroline was able to join me over the weekend. We decided to go to Camiguin, since it was close by; only a 30 minute car ride to the port, and another 45 minutes on the ferry.

I first visited Camiguin seven years ago, and it hasn't changed much since. Evertyhing I remember about it remained intact; the white beach, the town, and the lanzones to name a few. That's a good thing, as many islands islands in the Philippines have become too commercialized (think of Boracay).

The island reminds me of the show 'Lost'. As our ferry slowly approached the island, the island came into view... lush jungle with a dormant volcano in the background. Of course, Caroline did not see this because she was fast asleep during the boat ride! Fortunately, we had a van and driver (who knew the island well), so we did not have to find our own way. We drove through winding coastal roads, and through the jungle. Camiguin is very much an independent island with its own customs and traditions, and it was very easy forget that there were beaches and other sites to see.

Our first stop was the underwater cemetery. It wasn't always underwater. A long time ago, the volcano on the island erupted, and somehow a part of the island became submerged permanently. I wish we had snorkeling gear so that we could see the cemetery underwater. We were just limited to seeing the cross that was erected to mark the spot. Here is my lovely wife posing in front of the cemetery:

We then went to the stations of the cross. There is a trail going up the volcano, and along it are the stations of the cross, depicted by statues. Here is Caroline in the first few steps up the volcano. Note that she is still smiling at this point!

The view is really good! The picture is slanted because I put the camera on a rock. You can already see Caroline leaning on me from the fatigue (hehe).

This is Caroline's 'sungit' face when I was pushing her to go all the way to the top. Needless to say, we didn't reach the top! I think we reached the 9th station, which is pretty good. We didn't even know how many stations there were... we were arguing whether there were 12 or 15. How many are there exactly?

After a quick lunch (Caroline's smile came back after that), we decided to go to the beach. I'm not really sure what its called. All I know is that its a small group of sandy beaches around 2 kilometers in the sea that only appears during low tide. That's the main island of Camiguin in the background (see what I mean by 'Lost'?). We had to take a 10 minute pumpboat ride to the beach in the middle of the sea. This is what Camiguin is known for, and it was simply... beautiful. Enjoy the view!

We stayed here for an hour or two, wading in the shallow waters and relaxing under the shade and sun. I think we could have stayed there the whole day, as it was so serene. Unfortunately, we had to head back to catch the ferry back to the mainland and home. I hope we have the chance to visit Camiguin again, hopefully with snorkeling gear and more than a day to explore. I heard that there are nice waterfalls inland, and I really do want to finish all the stations of the cross someday!

Life is Beautiful!

Ting Hun

2006-10-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

Since Caroline is half-chinese (by way of her mom), we honoured tradition by having a Ting Hun. In Chinese culture, a Ting Hun is a formal engagement ceremony in where certain actions are taken to ensure a long and happy marraige.

Caroline's house was transformed into a reception area, complete with professionally done table centerpieces (by Balay Kandila), catered food (Josiah's Catering), and photo / video services (Lee Llamas Photography).

Here are some of the things that we had to do as part of the ceremony:
- Caroline had to walk backward down the stairs of their house. I think this signifies the fact that she will be leaving her family and that there's no turning back.
- We served tea to each others parents. In my case, since my mom and dad weren't around, Caroline served tea to my grandparents. After the tea serving, we can officially call our parents-in-law Mom and Dad. It is one way of showing respect and welcoming into the family.
- There was an exchanging of gifts, like a dowry exchange.
- We also had to eat red eggs for prosperity and noodles for long life.

Admittedly, we only had a semi Ting Hun because following all the rules of a traditional one would have been too difficult. It would have involved me bringing home a pig or 12 ducks or something. Even then, organizing an event like this on such short notice was still not an easy task!

Everybody had fun, but for me and Caroline, it was tiring. Making sure that all the guests were seated and going around greeting and taking pictures with everyone ensured that we were not able to eat until well after most of the guests had left. It was all worth it though, as family and friends from both sides were able to witness this special event.

Caroline and me with Caroline's Parents

Caroline and me with my Grandparents

La Vita e Bella!

Full Circle

2006-10-26T10:16:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the time digital cameras first came out? I sure do. I had one of the first ones around. The Sony DSC-S50. It was a 2 megapixel camera (that was a high number at the time) with no viewfinder, just the LCD screen. When I bought it 5 years ago, it cost around $500. It was bulky too, but I wanted to bring it everywhere. Back then, I knew the value of taking pictures and the advantage of it being in digital format.

When I went to the Philippines with my digital camera, people were not used to taking pictures using the LCD screen. People would still put the camera close to their eyes before realizing that they could hold it at arms length in front of them. It was funny but at the same time forgivable because it was new technology. People weren't used to it.

That was before.

Now, digital cameras have become so small and slim that it can be considered a regular accessory beside the cellphone. Heck, even cellphones have digital cameras which have higher megapixel counts than my Sony.

A few months ago I decided it was time for an upgrade, so I purchased a Nikon D50. It's a digital SLR, which meant that I reverted back to looking in a traditional viewfinder to frame my pictures (you cannot use the LCD screen to take pictures; you can only use it to view pictures you have already taken). It's fun taking pictures this way. There are so many settings that can be changed and since I don't have to worry about film, its easy to keep on taking pictures until the perfect shot is taken. It makes me wish I got into photography earlier in life. I sort of regret not taking my dad seriously when he wanted me to learn how to use his old film SLR camera years ago. But, better late than never, and I am learning.

Here is the funny thing: Once again, I am having difficulty telling people how to use my camera. Almost everyone is so used to looking at the LCD screen that they have forgotten how to use a viewfinder anymore! When I hand my camera over to people to take my picture, they expect the LCD screen to show the image so they hold the camear out in front of them. I have to tell them to look in the viewfinder when they start looking confused. I just tell people I have a low-tech camera than to tell them that its a digital SLR. It's easier that way.

As technology moves ever forward, it's easy to forget where we came from, so its fitting that something as high-tech as a digital SLR still goes back to its roots.

La Vita e Bella!

Rewind!

2006-10-25T06:16:00.000-07:00

Now that I have settled into what I like to call a normal 'routine', it is time for me to recount everything that happened to me in the last two months. And what a two months it has been!

First off, the biggest event so far in my life just happened... I got married! Yes, after years of courtship, trials and tribulations, Caroline and I (finally) said our vows last September in Manila.

But in between the first time that we met each other to the time that we said our 'I Do's to each other, there were so many incidences that could have ended our relationship, and so many problems that we had to face and overcome. Some of these were normal rites of passage that good, strong relationships go through, and some of these were so severe that it would have ripped other relationships apart. Long distance, family problems, financial problems... you name it, we went through it. Those who know the whole story from beginning to end can attest to that.

Even our marraige process was a difficult one. Thank God for our friends and family who were all there and supported us and calmed us down every step of the way.

It was a long hard road, but we got there in the end and it was all worth it.

Despite everything we have already been through, we know this is just the beginning. There are still many challenges for us to face, but so many joys as well. Even now, we have to make sacrifices in order to have a better future, laying the foundations of a good family.

It's nice when you have finally found that one special person you want to spend the rest of your life with... I am so lucky and so blessed to have Caroline as part of the rest of my life.

Wife is Beautiful!

I Am Happy

2006-10-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

See the reason why?

Wife is Beautiful!

Brazilian Grand Prix Analysis

2006-10-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

The last race of the season, and I thought it was an exciting one, a classic even. How could anyone not root for Michael Schumacher who, despite having to race through the field twice because of mechanical difficulties, eventually ended up fourth, just a few seconds away from a podium finish. Could he have finished first? Maybe, maybe not. But all the way until the checkered flag, Michael Schumacher gave 100 percent.

Congratulations also to Felipe Massa who won his home grand prix, as well as Fernando Alonso, for winning the drivers championship. Button did a good job into 3rd place, considering he started 14th on the grid. He proved that Honda was the best behind the Renaults and the Ferraris.

Everyone else were just about par for the course, with the notable exception being the Super Aguris who were able to match the pace of the middle-rank teams. Bad luck to Williams and Toyota who had double DNF's. I sure hope Mark Webber's luck changes when he drives for Red Bull next season.

The season has been a long one, but a good one. With drivers switching teams next year and a whole slew of young guns entering Formula 1, the 2007 season looks to be a cracker! See you there!

La Vita e Bella!

Wires

2006-10-20T05:40:00.000-07:00

Gadgets

Normally I don't complain about having too many gadgets as I am a self-confessed technophile. I use almost all of these things everyday. However, it is a pain in the ass to travel with these things. All of these run on rechargeable batteries (each one unique), and thus each one has its own battery charger.

I have a charger for the following:
digital camera
cellphone
Ipod
laptop

I never forget any of the chargers whenever I go travelling; they occupy a special space in my luggage along with my universal adapters (to ensure that I can plug them into the wall outlets wherever I am!). I wished manufacturers would sit down and agree on one universal charger so that consumers like us dont have to lug miles of charger cables along with our gadgets!

Don't get me started on the accessories. After all, what is an Ipod without headphones? Or a digital camera without sufficient memory cards? Aside from extra cost, they can get bulky as well. The headphones I use for my Ipod aren't the regular earbud types. I use traditional ones with a headband and foam earpieces (Sennheiser PX100). Even though they were designed with the traveler in mind and can fold conveniently into a case, it still takes more space than regular headphones.

As for my digital camera memory, I already have 3 x 1GB Sandisk Extreme II cards. Overkill? Maybe, but I have encountered many incidents in the past with my old camera where I ran out of memory and had to delete pictures. Fortunately, my camera battery lasts a long time. I don't need a spare camera battery... yet.

On another note, I probably have the oldest working laptop in existence. 7 years old and still going strong with a (pirated) copy of Windows ME (yes, Millenium Edition). Thank god for its expansion slot and single USB 1.1 port. If it weren't for those, I would have written off my Celeron Compaq Presario a long time ago. It doesn't even run on battery power anymore; it has to be plugged in. It's literally an (old) mobile desktop!

That's the problem with technology these days. The speed at which new products are coming out is quick, but they are also designed to last alot longer too. No sooner do you buy something new, it becomes obsolete within a few weeks, and even just a few days in some cases. Ah, but it always gives me something to drool over whenever I go to Best Buy or circuit city!

Life is Beautiful!

Japanese Grand Prix Analysis

2006-10-11T04:31:00.000-07:00

I was actually able to watch a good part of this race live, so at least I can type someo opinion about the race. However, I wasn't able to watch the engine failure of Michael Schumacher. He effectively handed the championship on a plate to Fernando Alonso.

Too bad for the engine failure of Schumacher. Now he has to finish first and hope that Alonso doesn't score a point in Brazil for him to become champion.

Everybody else was just about par for the course. Its good to see that Button is now consistently fourth behind the Renaults and Ferraris. The McLarens seem to have fallen back, but I guess thats the case when you have one driver moving to another team and the other just waiting for his replacement to arrive. I am sure these teams will bounce back in the 2007 season.

But wait, there is still one more race to go... Brazil!

Life is Beautiful!

Chinese Grand Prix Analysis

2006-10-06T18:09:00.000-07:00

Damn. No analysis here, as last week there was a typhoon and cable tv (not to mention electricity!) was nonexistent. I could have watched in person had I known about it sooner and made arrangements.

I am quite giddy that the championship is down to the last 2 races. I'm still rooting for Alonso, but suddenly the sentimental one in me wants Schumacher to end his career at the top.

La Vita e Bella!

Cornicks

2006-09-22T20:50:00.000-07:00

I'm not normally a fan of cornicks. I thought they were good but not addicting. Mostly crunchy, but with some stray hard bits that occasionally get stuck in the rear molars of my mouth.

Is it just me, or are cornicks easier to eat with a spoon than by hand? Whenever I eat them, I can't do it by picking one at a time; I normally pour out a handful onto the palm of my hand and stuff it all at once in my mouth. If I could, I would 'drink' the bag of cornicks!

Damn you, Boy Bawang, for making me addicted once again to cornicks! Cornicks with flavour (other than garlic)... what a simple idea to reinvent fried corn bits. And their cornicks are good. Always crunchy, not too greasy, and without those hard, black bits.

La Vita e Bella!

Bumper Cars

2006-09-21T20:49:00.000-07:00

One day when I have alot of money、I would like to buy an old car here in the Philippines、fit it with a rollcage and other safety devices、and drive along EDSA during rush hour when everyone is moving at a snails pace.

I dare any public transportation vehicle (even buses) to try to merge into my lane and cut me off. If they do、I won't budge; I'll just bump them and let them pay the price for their aggresiveness. Will I go down and inspect the damage? Nah、I'll just smile and laugh and look for another victim. What do I care? I'm in a bumper car anyway.

I'd probably end up with a few bruises. But it would be so worth it、if only for the laughs.

La vita e Bella!

Ipod Prediction

2006-09-12T21:40:00.000-07:00

Is there a 6th generation Apple Ipod out yet? If not, allow me to post my prediction on what it will look like. Take note, I have not done any research on what it will or could look like. This is purely based on my observations on the evolution of the Ipod.

I predict that the screen will take up the whole front of the Ipod to maximize the viewing area. Where will the click wheel be? It will be positioned at the back of the Ipod, at the centre. Take a look at my simple computerized drawing using MS Paint. I know its simple but it captures my idea.

How will the user use the click wheel if its in the back of the Ipod? Think about it. For all of you who already have Ipods, how many of you actually look at the click wheel when using your Ipod? The click wheel is intuitive, and your actions directly reflect on the screen. So, one does not need to see the click wheel to use it. Instead, a small, transparent display would pop up on top of whatever is being displayed whenever one touches the click wheel to interface. The biggest change to the user would have to be using the index finger instead of the thumb to manage the click wheel.

What do you think?

Life is Beautiful!

Double Attrition (A Formula 1 Analysis)

2006-09-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

Two DNF's for me in the past two races, namely the Turkish and Italian Grand Prix. If only I knew what channel (if any) the races were telecast here in the Philippines. Good thing I have various sources on the internet to satisfy my craving for Formula 1 information!

It looks like all the news has been centered around Ferrari lately. First, congratulations to Felipe Massa on his maiden win. Personally I think its the car and not the driver that contributed more to this win, but hey, I could be wrong. I was never a fan of Massa anyway so I am a bit biased. Still, it is a first win, and sometimes thats all a driver needs to leapfrog into the top tier of drivers.

Next, Michael Schumacher. So, he's whittled down the lead of Alonso down to two points with only three races remaining... this is going to be an interesting end to the season! Alonso didn't help his own cause when he retired from the race due to mechanical problems. Is it just me, or is the Renault team not as reliable as they used to? Could it be because Alonso will be a McLaren driver next season? Conspiracy theories abound!

And of course, Schumacher also announces his retirement from the sport. Love him or loathe him, one cannot deny his driving skill and his role as an ambassador for the sport. He will be sorely missed.

And of course, with Schumachers retirement comes the fairly predictable news that Kimi Raikonnen will be taking over the number 1 seat at Ferrari. As my friend Syd says, its nice to be a mercenary driver like Alonso and Raikonnen... they go wherever they think the fastest car is! It is already shaping up to be an intriguing 2007 season... the drivers championship will be up for grabs.

But first, lets finish the rest of this season!

La Vita e Bella!

In the Philippines... But Not Where You'd Expect

2006-09-07T05:57:00.000-07:00

I finally have some time to type up an entry, but I am at a loss on where to start. So many things have happened during the past 2 weeks! However, I'll just wait until I upload the pictures from my camera before typing about it. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words...

I would like to point out that I am typing this entry from a remote part of the Philippines. So remote that it is a 2 1/2 hour van/bus ride to the nearest airport (and thats without traffic). So remote that I have to take a tricycad just to satisfy my junk food cravings. So remote that I barely get any television channels.

But I have internet access and my mobile phone signal is strong. Go figure eh?

I'm in a meeting of worlds. On one hand, I am in a very modern place, a whole office and factory (where I work) within walking distance of where I'm staying. But walk outside the gates and you are transported directly into provincial Mindanao (without the terrorists). No traffic, just tricycads (think tricycles but with a jeepney-like rear). Small sari-sari stores and kids playing along the street. And if you close your eyes and listen, you will hear the gentle splashing of waves hitting the coastline.

Bliss...

Pictures to follow!

Life is Beautiful!

Temporary Downtime

2006-08-30T01:13:00.000-07:00

No, I haven't cancelled the corona. I just have been so busy these past few days that there hasn't been enough time to sit in front of a computer to type. That, and the lack of regular internet access, has hampered my ability to update this space on a regular basis.

But not to worry... my adventures are still ongoing, thoughts forming, and pictures being taken. In a few weeks, this blog will be running back at full speed. In the meantime, please bear with me.

La Vita e Bella!

Another Chapter Comes to a Close

2006-08-15T12:38:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, I leave England permanently. My assignment here is done, and it is time to move on. I will be sad to leave this quaint country. Over time it has grown on me, but I will delve into that in a future entry.

This is why I haven't had the time to write in the blog. When one moves from one country to another, there is just so much to think about. Selling surplus furniture, settling all utility bills, and packing. Packing what needs to be shipped back and what goes into luggage. The recent airport scare here in England does not help. No doubt I will be grossly overweight, but have to take that risk.

So now it is on to the next challenge. It couldnt have come at a better time really. The timing is perfect. And in this strange world where everything seems uncertain, things are starting to fall into place.

Next stop... Philippines!

La Vita e Bella!

Google Earth Philippines

2006-08-10T15:12:00.000-07:00

I'm sure alot of people know and use Google Earth. I'm not going to praise it, nor enumerate its features; many people have done that before me. Rather, I'm going to point out the fact that for a few weeks now, parts of the Philippines are now detailed. No longer do we have to put up with pixelated terrain for Metro Manila; you can now zoom in and see the street layouts (check out Fort Bonifacio!) and even roofs of houses!

Lately, I have been doing many trips down memory lane, and this updated Google Earth has made me look for some of the most significant places in my life. Here they are (in no particular order):

E De Leon

Villaba

Posadas

Can you find your own rooftop in Google Earth?

La Vita e Bella!

Crepe Expectations

2006-08-08T02:55:00.000-07:00

Much thanks goes to Carlo and Syd for keeping and finding this picture respectively. Circa 1999, this picture was taken during our entrepreneurial days in college. Crepe Expectations was the name of our business, and as you can gather, we sold crepes. Our target market were the bazaar (or tiangge) shoppers during Christmas time. Back then, crepes were relatively 'exotic'. Cafe Breton had not yet burst onto the scene, so we felt that we had a good product on our hands.

After several nights of testing (and arguing), we took the plunge and rented a booth in the Cuenca Bazaar.

JP and Joy (Carlo's cousin) manning the booth. Take a look at our menu!

We were most definitely the loudest booth there. Imagine about 6 teenagers barking orders to each other... asking (nay, demanding!) ingredients, passing utensils, etc. People walking past were amused, and I'm sure that contributed to our appeal. We weren't perfect; we almost ran out of ingredients a few times and as I mentioned before, alot of tempers flared during the weekend of the bazaar. It was a real test of our friendship, but we came through in the end.

I think we did 2 more bazaars after that, each time becomine more efficient in our crepe making process. So, did Crepe Expectations earn money? It earned a modest amount, and its profits were enough to help fund our Boracay trip back in 2000. Sadly, after everyone graduated, we didn't have enough time to continue our business partnership. However, I am sure that one day, we will once again join forces and run a business!

Life is Beautiful!

Hungarian Grand Prix Analysis

2006-08-06T15:44:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! Finally, Jenson Button has won a Grand Prix!

Normally, the Hungarian Grand Prix is a boring one, as the track is very narrow and offers very little passing. The rain changed all that. The great equalizer, Formula1 no longer is about power, but about control. This was very obvious as almost all of the young drivers (Rosberg, Liuzzi, etc) spun out of control at least once in the race. And it just goes to prove, Ferrari is what makes Massa quick, and not the other way around! And how about those passing maneouvers on various parts of the track? This is where we see the best drivers strut their stuff.

Starting from 14th on the grid due to a blown engine during practice (which makes his victory even more remarkable), Button drove superbly up the field to claim his maiden win. His precise driving in the changing conditions coupled by the perfect team strategy (and a little luck!) gave him victory. When he took over the lead with just over 20 laps remaining, I got really excited... I counted down the laps and prayed that he would not get over excited and spin out, or have some mechanical failure. And when he finally crossed the line and the chequered flag, I was ecstatic! He truly deserved it.

Behind him, a spaniard and a german took 2nd and 3rd respectively, but it wasn't Alonso and Schumacher... instead it was De La Rosa and Heidfeld! This was also a good day for them as they drove intelligently, avoided accidents, and ultimately claimed podium finishes as well.

Barrichello drove a quiet but strong 4th position and Coulthard followed with an impressive 5th. Ralph Schumacher took 6th, with the final two spots going to the two Ferraris, Massa and Michael Schumacher.

Alonso was unlucky as he suffered a driveshaft failure (looked like a loose rear right lugnut to me) coming out from his presumably final pit stop, but his interview in the paddock proved prophetic ('everybody suffers mechanical failure') as Schumacher broke his front suspension with 3 laps to go! Because of this (and a disqualification to Robert Kubica), Schumacher was able only to gain a point on Alonso, making the difference between them only 10 points with 5 races to go.

Raikonnen and Liuzzi crashed into each other, and the race ended for both of them there. Liuzzi did apologize and admitted that it was his mistake that caused the crash. It did look spectacular though!

This was easily the best race of the year for me. Incredible racing from start to finish, drama and crashes in between, and the first win for Honda and Jenson Button! In one word... Classic!

Next stop... Turkey!

Life is Beautiful!

Prey

2006-08-02T06:05:00.000-07:00

I love playing first-person shooters (fps) on the PC. Wolfenstein 3d, Doom, Half-Life... I've gone through most of them. These days, I have been playing Prey.

Based on the Doom 3 engine, Prey features some things not in other first fps's. First is the gravity shift. There is the ability to alter gravity by shooting certain panels on the wall. What once was a wall becomes the ceiling. Shoot another panel and then it becomes the floor. Then there is the wall-walk, sort of a magnetic walkway that enables you to walk also on the walls and ceiling. These things have to be seen to believed, and even the most hardcore gamer might get initial motion sickness adjusting to the movement. Its so disorientating to walk up the wall and onto the ceiling and see the floor above you!

The single-player campaign was a bit of a disappointment. I think the technology wasn't used to its full extent; alot of the levels lacked creativity. Overall, it feels rushed. If they had more time, I'm sure it could have been better. Hopefully an extension pack will correct this.

However, multiplayer (or Multiprey as they call it) shines. The maps (for the most part) are beautifully designed and take full advantage of the portals and gravity effects. Its cool to shoot enemies on the walls and on the ceilings, and it adds a new dimension to multiplayer.

Here are two shots of me on the ceiling, shooting 'down' at an enemy player.

At the top of the leader boards! Yes, thats me, B.Stabber!

Life is Beautiful!

Rainy Day in Stratford

2006-08-01T02:44:00.000-07:00

Just the other week, I was finally able to visit Stratford-Upon-Avon, about 30 minutes by train from where I live. Stratford-Upon-Avon is famous because William Shakespeare lived here.

It was not the best day to go, as the skies were already quite overcast on the way there and while walking along the streets, torrential rains poured down. Needless to say, I wasn't able to see much. But here are pictures of what I did see...

This is Shakespeare's birthplace. I did not go inside as there was an entrance fee to go in, and there was not much time to look around.

This is Nash's House. It is named after Shakespeare's granddaughters husband, Thomas Nash. Beside it, if you follow the garden path, is New Place. Shakespeare lived here after he became rich and famous as a playwright. Incidentally, this is also where he died.

This is the inside of the Holy Trinity Church. This is where Shakespeare (and most of his family) is buried. Take note of the bust on the wall. Although you can't see it in these pictures, Anne Hathaway (Shakespeare's wife) and his other relatives are buried beside him.

That's basically it! I saw where Shakespeare was born, where he died, and where he was laid to rest! I wish I could have taken a stroll along the river Avon, but sadly the rain was unrelenting. Maybe I will go there again one day when the sun is shining; who knows, I might even watch one of Shakespeare's plays!

Life is Beautiful!

German Grand Prix Analysis

2006-07-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

I think this was one of the more interesting races of the season. Yes, the Ferraris had a commanding win, but it was all good as the lead of Alonso over Schumacher is down to 11 points with 6 races still remaining.

Raikonnen and Button were third and fourth respectively. I wished Kimi could have held on to first place, but after the first pit stop, it was obvious that he started the race on an empty tank. That being said, I also wished Button held on to third. At least he finished the race in the same position he started in.

The Renaults came in fifth and sixth. Clearly struggling in race form, the R26 doesn't look as strong a package as before. Could it be because of the mass damper system that was removed in the last couple of races? I doubt such a small part would play such a significant role, but you never know with the amount of technology and development going on in Formula 1 these days.

Trulli in the Toyota came in 7th, and Klien in the Red Bull Ferrari rounded out the last points finish. No luck to BMW and Williams as both teams suffered mechanical failures and/or accidents on track. Williams should do better next year as they will be supplied with Toyota engines. But for now, they will be struggling in the middle of the pack.

Next stop... Hungary!

Life is Beautiful!

Tastes of Home

2006-07-28T15:18:00.000-07:00

One of the advantages of working for a Filipino owned company is that every once in awhile, someone from the Philippines comes over to wherever I am. And whenever that happens, I always prepare a wish list of things that I want from the Philippines. More often than not, that list is populated with nothing but food items. When my boss arrived last week (as part of the business trips), I was delighted as he brought me my bag of goodies.

This is what I received:
- 2 boxes of ensaymada... not just any ensaymada but Mary Grace ensaymada!
- Ladies Choice guava jelly
- several cans of Purefood sisig

I normally request for sisig and ensaymada, but this is the first time I asked for guava jelly. I searched high and low for guava jelly here in England but could not find any. Not in the filipino stores and not on the high street supermarkets. So imagine my delight when I saw that jar of sweet stuff. I immediately got my knife and started spreading.

Sky flakes and guava jelly... a match made in heaven!

What are the things that you crave for?

Life is Beautiful!

Business Trips

2006-07-25T14:58:00.000-07:00

I forgot how tiring it is to be out on the road meeting customers and suppliers for work. Granted, most of the time is spent sitting down in the car or train, but when the weather here is hotter than Manila, it is really hard to stay awake and alert.

Next week will be back to normal, but with some good changes to my life!

La Vie est Belle!

All Growing Up

2006-07-20T15:37:00.000-07:00

This is me and my cousin Gabby; I mean, Gabe (ever since he went to university, he's been known as Gabe... but to the family, he will always be Gabby). He just recently finished taking a solo backpacking trip around Europe, and I was able to meet him the day before he flew back to the United States. I also met up with him when he started his trip but decided to write about it only now. The background is Piccadilly Circus in London.

It's nice to grow up with cousins. However, when we are all young and growing up, it can be hard sometimes to bond with them, especially when they live far away in another country. Meetings ever other year can be ackward as relationships are rebuilt and common topics are hard to come by. It also doesn't help that our parents herd us all into one room and expect us to instantly bond together. There is an instant pressure that can be more detrimental than anything else. And by the time we start talking and getting comfortable with each other, it is time to part ways again.

But as we mature, those invisible walls slowly crumble. As we become more aware of the world around us, we realize that we have more in common than we originally thought. This is incredibly apparent after we all graduate from school. All of a sudden, we are all on a level playing field... not in high school or college, but out in the real world.

It was a cool thing to have a beer with Gabby. I saw him not just as a cousin, but a friend. Someone to share travel tips with and to trade adventure stories. All of a sudden, we weren't kids, we were adults having good conversation. Now I know why it is so easy for my titos and titas to talk to each other even after years of not seeing each other.

The barriers have been broken; we are all equal in each others eyes.

Life is Beautiful!

Berimbau & Batizado

2006-07-19T01:49:00.000-07:00

Last week was a special week in my Capoeira training. I finally got my own berimbau, and more importantly, I got my first cordao in capoeira!

The berimbau is that bow looking thing on the left. It is the primary musical instrument in capoeira music. One of the capoeiristas in my group was leaving for another country, he did not want to bring his berimbau with him. Wanting one for so long, I jumped at the chance to purchase it from him. It is a simple instrument, with only 2 basic notes, made by tapping the metal string with the stick and using the stone as tension. The tempo in which the berimbau is played dictates the pace of the capoeira being played. No 'roda' (capoeira circle) is complete without a berimbau at the head.

The green cord on the right is my first belt in capoeira. Finally, my months of training paid off in a mini batizado. A batizado is a capoeira grading ceremony. To earn my belt, I had to 'fight' 3 capoeiristas of significantly higher grade than me, including my mestre (master) without any rest in between. Normally when we play capoeira during practices, it is fun and we have a chance to show the moves we had just learned. However, in a batizado, the people you fight try to catch you off-guard and are generally aggressive, so if you do not perform the correct escape or counter-attack, you will be hit and/or taken off balance. It was difficult, but I passed, and the reward was the green cord that I can now wear with my abada (capoeira uniform). I am not sure how many belts there are, but I do know that it takes many years to earn the highest belt, which is white in color.

I doubt that I will ever earn a white belt, but this green belt is a good start... hopefully after a year I will be ready for the next batizado, when I will be graded for my next belt (green/yellow combination)!

Life is Beautiful!

Monaco Track Walk

2006-07-18T02:51:00.000-07:00

I finally posted pictures of my Monaco Track Walk. If you watch and follow Formula 1, you will be able to relate to the pictures. But if you don't, take a look anyway, as it's another chance to see more of Monaco (just don't mind the captions)!

La Vie est Belle!

French Grand Prix Analysis

2006-07-17T06:31:00.000-07:00

Isn't this a nice flow... first, the France pictures, and then the French Grand Prix the week after!

I can't believe I was actually rooting for Michael Schumacher to win. I normally cheer on Alonso, but the season has been looking increasingly boring lately so I wanted some action. It is clear these guys are competitive... they did more overtaking maneouvers during qualifying than they did in the race! Massa slowed Alonso down just enough to give Schumacher and insurmountable lead. Team tactics all they way, though I must admit Massa did hold his own.

That Toyota is looking better and better with each race. Too bad for Trulli as he could have challenged for third place if not for his mechanical failure. Ralf Schumacher drove a quiet but respectable fourth place.

The two McLarens were off the pace, outshone by the Toyotas, with Fisichella in the Renault sandwiched in the middle. They seem to be dropping off. Now that Montoya is out of F1 and into NASCAR, Dela Rosa is the McLaren driver. I like his driving style, aggressive and always looking to overtake. Mark Webber may have blamed mechanical problems for his blown tire, but I think it was because he was pressured by Dela Rosa to drive over the limit.

Heidfeld in the strange BMW took the eighth and final point spot. What a radical design... but if it works...

What happened to Honda? From a promising 2nd place constructors finish 2 years ago, cheating allegations last year, and now slower than the teams not called Super Aguri and Midland F1. I am sure lots more heads will roll before the end of the year!

Hockenheim next!

La Vie est Belle!

Paris

2006-07-14T07:03:00.000-07:00

Where My trip began and ended. This is actually the third time I've been to Paris, and its beauty never ceases to amaze me. Granted, I was only here for a couple of hours total, but that didn't stop me from adding to my collection of Paris pictures.

The Opera Garnier. Note to travellers: If you take the Roissybus from Charles de Gaulle Airport into Paris (instead of taking the RER), this is where it drops you off. It's convenient as it is in the relative center of Paris and very close to the Metropolitan station.

Gare de Lyon. From this train station, you can take the train to the south of France... cities such as Marseilles, Lyon (I think), and Nice.

This picture is the reason I almost missed my flight back to England! I just had to have a picture with the Eiffel Tower in the background (previous attempts on my own resulted in really bad shots), so we went here before going to the airport. We alloted one hour to do it, but ended up taking two hours! Paeng and I ended up having an Amazing Race moment, catching trains in the Metropolitan and RER train system of Paris, complete with 'Detours' (we had to get our luggage in Gare de Lyon before heading towards CDG airport!). Fortunately, I was able to check in with time to spare.

A nice wallpaper picture.

And so ends my france trip... hopefully Italy or Spain is next!

La Vie est Belle!

Nice

2006-07-13T06:29:00.000-07:00

Nice was where Paeng and I stayed for three days. We chose Nice because it is in between Cannes and Monaco (each is about a 25 minute train ride away to the west and to the east, respectively). We stayed in a pleasant hotel very close to the train station and it turned out to be a convenient home base.

The beach in Nice. I know it looks crowded in these pictures, but trust me, there is more public beach here than in Cannes. And it stretches for miles. Paeng and I were able to walk along the beachfront and back in Cannes. In Nice, this might take the whole day. And look at that water... incredibly blue and clear. The only catch is that it is not a very sandy beach; in fact its quite a pebbly one. But that didn't stop the people from lying (topless!) on their beach towels and getting their tan.

Vieux Nice (The Old Town)

Out of the three cities we visited in the Cote d'Azur, Nice was my favourite. It was a perfect mix of everything; bustling city, excellent beach, and historic quarters. You want to shop? It has the traditional retail stores in the city plus market stalls in old Nice. You want to see riches? Go to the Hotel Negresco along the beachfront. History and culture? Check out the opera or simply walk through the narrow streets of old Nice. And if you simply want to work on your tan, there are miles of beach available.

La Vie est Belle!

Cannes

2006-07-11T02:40:00.000-07:00

Famous for its annual film festival, Cannes is also on the Cote d'Azur.

Greetings from Cannes! This is such a postcard picture.

The beach.

Along that stretch with the hotels are beach chairs and umbrellas that you have to rent for about €20. Aside from the hotels, designer boutiques also dot the La Croisette (the street running parallel with the beach).

The Palais des Festivals. This is where the film festival is held. They also hold other exhibitions throughout the year. It's such an old looking building, I was expecting something a little more extravagant. It looks like the PICC in Manila.

Not all of Cannes tries to be flashy. Behind the hotels and fancy restaurants lies a quaint and historic city. I enjoyed this area more than the stretch of beach.

I honestly don't know what makes Cannes great. I think its just the glamour of the film festival that makes this city famous. Other than that, it is just another stretch of (overcrowded) beach. As I mentioned above, I liked the rural part of Cannes more. Paeng and I were glad we didn't allot too much time to go around Cannes, because there really isn't much to see. I'm sure its different when the film festival comes over, but I can also imagine it to be so crowded as well, full of starstruck fans and tourists alike.

La Vita e Bella!

Principilite de Monaco

2006-07-10T07:33:00.000-07:00

It's nice to have friends in different places. One of my good friends, Paeng, is currently in France studying, and when he was planning for his summer holiday, he invited me to come over and go somewhere. How could I pass up the opportunity to travel to a new place? After looking at the map and our options, we concluded that the south of France was a good place to go. And after a night of planning (booking hotels, train tickets, coordinating schedules), our trip was all set. I flew into Paris, met Paeng at the Gare de Lyon train station, and took the 6 hour journey towards the Cote d'Azur.

The first city on the Cote d'Azur trip that Paeng and I visited was not actually a city, but a principality... Monaco. Held by the Grimaldi family for hundreds of years, this tax haven is the home of the rich and famous, and it shows. Exotic cars, designer boutiques, yachts, and beautiful people abound. I haven't seen so many Rolls Royces and Bentleys before in my life. It is also home of the annual Monaco Grand Prix, the most prestigious race on the Formula 1 circuit and what puts this tiny principality in the spotlight every year.

The famous Monte-Carlo Casino. Take note of all the expensive cars parked outside. We didn't enter the casino because there was an entrance fee (€10) just to get in!

The port of Monaco and the yachts... you have to be truly rich to buy and maintain one of these things.

This is basically the whole of Monaco. Some say it is only occupies 2 square kilometers, and I don't think thats further from the truth. You can see the port of course, and the casino, boutiques, and hotels are on the hill. Formula 1 fanatics will also spot other famous straights and chicanes (and I will delve into that in a future entry).

Casino Square at Night

Monaco struck me as a city of contrasts. On one hand, there is no doubt that this is a rich place, with money being thrown around left and right. But at the same time, Paeng and I noticed that it was not the prettiest place around. Sure, the Casino and Hotel de Paris were as grand and opulent as what we expected, but the rest of Monaco consisted of greyish condos showing their age. The architecture is reminiscent of the 60s and 70s (at least in my view). In fact, it reminded us of a cheap resort. It then dawned on us that the cheap resorts all modelled their appearances on Monaco and not the other way around. All the other places were trying to capture the magic of Monaco. Well, they may look the part, but they won't ever have the backdrop of a grand prix and the yachts to prove that, despite its looks, Monaco is one of the richest places in the world.

Life is Beautiful!

To the Provence

2006-07-06T01:14:00.000-07:00

No, that's not a typo. I'm taking a trip to the Provence, Cote d'Azur and beyond!

See you in a few days!

Life is beautiful!

Creature of Habit

2006-07-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

Just the other day, I was buying a newspaper at my local newsagent (convenience store in american speak). As usual, I lifted the newspaper at the top of the pile and took the one just below it. The clerk noticed this and as I was paying for my paper, she told me her observation.

"I don't know why people never take the top newspaper. They are all the same you know."
I just shrugged and replied, "I guess its become an instinct!"
She then told me that alot of people do that too, and we had a laugh about it in the end.

Come to think of it, I don't know how long I have been doing this. I know why I do it; it's because I always associate the top magazine or newspaper as the one everyone picks up to flip through to see if it is worth buying. But even when the top newspaper or magazine is perfectly fine, I still go for the second or third below it.

What are some other human actions that have almost become instinctive?

La Vita e Bella!

US Grand Prix Analysis

2006-07-03T01:31:00.000-07:00

I'm going to make this short and sweet since I was only able to watch the highlights.

That was a spectacular crash at the start of the race, with the two McLarens hitting each other, Button, and Heidfeld, with Heidfeld spinning around in the air. No one was seriously hurt, although almost half of the grid was wiped out in that crash and another one involving the cars in the back.

The rest of the race was routine, with various mechanical failures, nothing to write home about. Kudos to Trulli and Coulthard who both drove from bad grid positions to points finishes, Trulli most especially.

I feel sorry for Felipe Massa having to play second fiddle to Michael Schumacher. He was definitely quicker and it was obvious that he was told to slow down during his pit lap to make Schumacher pass. Otherwise, it could have been his first win.

At least Alonso's lead has been cut by 6 points. It makes the second half of the season more interesting as his lead over Schumacher is down to 19 points.

With only 9 cars finishing, it was almost the total of cars that finished in the farcical race last year! I do hope they continue the USGP; I plan to go there next year.

Next stop... France!

La Vita e Bella

Wimbledon Chick

2006-06-28T12:23:00.000-07:00

This is Maria Kirilenko. I took these pictures of her back in 2004 when she was a relative unknown. I forgot about these pictures until I read an article about her rising up the ranks of womens tennis. But even back then, I knew she was the next great hot tennis chick. Oh yeah, she plays great tennis too!

Unfortunately, we won't be seeing her in Wimbledon this year as she was upset in the first round. But I have a feeling we will see more of her in the future, whether she follows Anna Kournikova or Maria Sharapova's footsteps!

Life is Beautiful!

Warwick Castle

2006-06-27T03:43:00.000-07:00

Beside the commercial town of Leamington Spa is the more traditional town of Warwick. How traditional is Warwick? Well, it doesn't have the malls or the nightlife that Leamington Spa has, but it does have one large castle right in the middle of it!

Since it was less than 30 minutes away, I decided to go there last Saturday to check out Warwick Castle. I was quite pleased. It is a real castle, beautifully maintained. And unlike some other castles I have visited, this one is more interactive... demonstrations of archers, and lots of exhibits to walk through.

The castle used to be the residence of the Earl of Warwick, who was nicknamed the 'Kingmaker', for he was the reputed power behind the throne. Enough of history, here are my pictures!

Picturesque, eh?

This is a trebuchet! The ultimate in siege weaponry, this was used to bombard heavily fortified structures by hurling rocks into the same point of the structure over and over again until it broke. I wish I had a video camera, since they had a demonstration... they hurled a fireball over 250 yards across a field! As someone who has interest in history and weapons of war, this was an awesome site to behold!

The castle is also the site for concerts, especially in the summer. It is normally held in the courtyard under the night sky, and people are encouraged to bring picnic baskets and dine as the concert goes on. I have been fortunate to watch a concert in Lincoln Castle last year, so I know how it feels like... trust me, nothing compares to a full orchestra playing, Russell Watson singing, and full fireworks overhead. It is an experience that I would like to repeat, this time in Warwick Castle one day!

La Vita e Bella!

Canadian Grand Prix Analysis

2006-06-25T11:46:00.000-07:00

Ahh.... my other 'home' race. And this time I was able to watch it from start to finish!

I sure wish Kimi kept it much closer to Fernando. It was nice to see them race, as I think Kimi is an aggressive driver and can pull off daring overtaking maneouvers. Too bad for that error in the pits, and then in the last lap which led to his eventual third place finish. So, it was a (yawn) Alonso-Schumacher-Raikonnen 1-2-3 finish respectively.

Montoya and Rosberg were racing against each other really well in the first few laps, and then Rosberg took himself out by not seeing Montoya on his side. Montoya would soon retire too when he crashed into the Wall of Champions.

With each race, Honda seems to lag back. Now, Red Bull is catching up and overtaking them! I sure hope the new management will bring in some new changes. I would suggest bringing back David Richards, but since he has his own Prodrive team to worry about in 2008, he is out of the question!

Ralph Schumacher reminded me of myself whenever I play F1 Challenge in my computer... always lacking grip and spinning out in the hairpins! There was definitely lack of grip on his car, and I'm amazed he stayed out that long. Speaking of lack of grip, the marbles outside of the racing line proved to be Villeneuves demise. Too bad as I was cheering him on too.

Everyone else drove consistently and predictably... obviously the Renault is the best package around, and I think Ferrari and McLaren are equals, with the drivers styles being the main difference.

On to Indianapolis!

Life is Beautiful!

Work of Art to Work of Art

2006-06-22T08:56:00.000-07:00

I love my Ipod. It is my companion whenever I take long trips by train or by airplane. It has made long hours more bearable by allowing me to listen to my catalogue of music. I like its form factor too. Its simple lines, smooth edges and white and chrome colour scheme is truly a beautiful example of a modern work of art.

However, as nice as it is to look and hold, it is extremely susceptible to smudges and scratches. I used to keep it in a little silicone jacket, but I thought it was too generic; alot of people protect their Ipods in cases that add bulk to its slim shape. So I looked in the internet, and a little company in Canada caught my eye.

Gelaskins

They make incredibly thin protection for the Ipod, and with cool designs too. From classic works to abstract designs, there is a gelaskin design for anyone.

I found a design I liked. It's called 'Kurumachi' by Ioworks. I picked it because its a modern graphic design. Its predominantly white too, which I thought preserved the original look of the Ipod. Take a look!

The Front

The Back

The only thing that I didn't like was that it was difficult at first to line up the gelaskin to the screen and click wheel. But after that, covering the rest of the Ipod was a cinch!

Its really not like me to plug a product, but I really like the way my Ipod looks now. It definitely sets it apart from the millions that are out there today!

Life is Beautiful!

Patriotism

2006-06-21T01:23:00.001-07:00

These days, wherever I go, it is hard not to spot the England flag. Be it hanging from a window, printed on someones shirt, or fluttering at the back of a car, it is everywhere. All of this is to cheer on the England team participating in the World Cup.

I love how patriotic the English are. The English football team has not won the World Cup (nor the Euro Cup) since 1966, yet every other year when the football tournaments occur, the English cheer them on no matter what. They stick behind their country even if history and fact are against them.

I was at a small gathering with and the topic of the World Cup came up. A Filipino commented that it was all a bit too much, all this hype and cheering for the team. Is there such a thing as too much patriotism? Of course there is, when people resort to violence to prove their point. But I do not think it is too much to wear white and red (the England colours) during days when there are games, or fly St.George's cross everywhere.

This is not to say the English are not realistic about their chances. I spoke to a couple of people at the local pub, and as much as they cheer on, they also know that at their current form, it will be difficult to beat teams such as Spain and Argentina, should they encounter each other in the future. But it is always nice to know (especially if you are on the English squad) that your country will back you up no matter what.

I wish Filipinos had the same nationalistic pride as the English.

Life is Beautiful!

Hello Royal Leamington Spa

2006-06-18T10:59:00.000-07:00

Having moved here almost 2 months ago, I think its time to post pictures of the town where I now live. It's called Royal Leamington Spa (Leamington Spa for short) and it about 1 1/2 hours north of London, in the West Midlands.

This is a proper town, where Horsley (my previous place) was more of a village.
I like it here. Everything is walking distance; the mall, the church, the park, and restaurants. And there are lots of things to do here too... I don't have to commute very far to see the sights. Warwick Castle is nearby, and Stratford-Upon-Avon (Shakespeare's birthplace) is not very far either. And being on the trainline directly to London, I can go there if I want to.

Enjoy the pictures!

The Building of my Flat

It's Where Lawn Tennis was Created

The Park Behind My Flat

The Royal Pump Rooms

As its name suggests, Leamington spa was once known for its baths and spa water. It earned the 'royal' prefix to its name when Queen Victoria visited and stayed in Leamington Spa. These used to be the pump rooms where they used to pump water from underground and from the river. Today though, it is a cafe, library, museum, and function room.

The Town Hall

Life is Beautiful!

Sports Statistics

2006-06-15T01:33:00.000-07:00

If you are an avid sportsfan like me, you watch alot of sports on television. And if you do, I am sure you have wondered at least once where all the sports commentators get their statistics.

We take them for granted, how they get magic figures out of nowhere. We hear lines such as "Shaq is 0 for 17 from the line", or "England have taken 7 shots on goal". Statistics help pad out commentators lines and fill up dead air. I should know. My barkada once had a mini basketball tournament, and we all took turns commentating our games. This was videotaped and when we watched the playback, we all realized how hard it is to think of different verbs to describe the same thing (the jumpshot, haha). No wonder famous commentators have trademark words (3-point kaboom!, anyone?).

I wonder how many people work behind the scenes to supply Bill Walton (NBA), John Madden (NFL), or Guy Mowbray (English Football, World Cup) all the statistics they say during a typical match. It must be a team of people taking down stats for the current game, as well as some boffin sitting behind a computer creating strange SQL statements, finding exceptions in the database of figures. And that database must be huge, for it seems that everything about the game seems to be recorded... attendance, weather, temperature, waterboys, etc.

Because of the overwhelming amount of figures, I have noticed some statistics which are quite irrelevant. Here are some of them:
- the history between two teams over a period of time. This only makes sense within one season or during a best-of series because the teams are relatively unchanged. There is no sense drawing up the history over the years because the players then aren't the same now, so there is no sense in comparing
- where one stat seems to determine whether a team wins or loses. For example, whenever Phoenix limits their opponent to x rebounds a game, they win. This statistic begs to be broken, simply so that I dont have to hear or read about it anymore.
- if A stat is x, then B stat is y. This happens most in baseball. For example, Pujols batting average is .500 with runners in scoring position. If I was a batter, I would damn try to hit the ball no matter who was on base or not. Why can't they just annouce his normal batting average?

In addition, there are also some statistics in which I have no idea how they are taken:
- percentage possession. How do they do this? Is there a person who watches the game and presses a button or flicks a switch whenever the ball is turned over? That must be the simplest job in the world!
- the display that shows where each shot was taken and whether it was made or missed. How in the world do they track all of Kobe's 100 shots around the court? Again, is there just one person for this that has a touch screen of a basketball court in front of him?
- type of shot taken, and details. In basketball, they sometimes show how many times a player has taken a jumpshot compared to how many times he took a lay-up/dunk. Or in football, how many times a player has used his left or right foot to kick (yes, no joke).

I think baseball is the sport with the most 'useless' stats. It kind of makes sense, since the game moves at such a snails pace sometimes... announcers really grasp at straws thinking of what to say. Like all data, statistics are relevant if you know how to analyze them. Otherwise, its garbage in, garbage out! I am not a manager nor a coach, so I would not know. I do know that alot of teams in various sports use alot more statistics than what we hear and see on television. But I am really not sure how alot of the statistics really make sense to the average (or even more than average) sportsfan.

In conclusion, I salute you, sports statisticians! You are the unseen heroes that make sportscasters good, and the ones who supply sports trivia worldwide!

Life is 100 percent Beautiful!

Marathon Runner

2006-06-13T02:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday, June 11, 2006.

One month of training culminated to this day.

Flashback to a month ago... My friend asked me if I wanted to join him and his girlfriend to run a marathon. It was for a good cause, he said... the BUPA Capital 10k. A charity run in Hyde Park to help raise money for disabled children. How could I refuse? I had always wanted to run a marathon at least once in my life, to challenge my body and mind in a grueling test of endurance. Granted, 10 kilometers may not seem very far to seasoned runners, but for me it was long enough.

Almost everyday, I went to the gym to train. I mixed my routine between aerobics and cardiovascular exercise. I ran on the treadmill on constant speed almost every day to train my heart to beat in a regular routine, while at the same time conditioning my knees and feet for the pounding it would take. I started out jogging for 20 minutes. By a week before the marathon, I was able to build it up to 60 minutes. On the days that I did not jog, I joined spinning (high intensity cycling) classes to strengthen my heart. It would make me used to the occasional bursts of speed that I would need and to ensure that my breathing was correct, even when my heart and lungs were working overtime.

It worked. By the time the morning of the marathon came, I was relaxed and confident that I could jog the full race distance.

Runner 7677

I met up with my friends and we went to join the other runners in the starting line. There were thousands, and I wondered how everyone would be timed. Fortunately, everyone was given a chip, which would record the time you crossed the start and finish line. So, it did not really matter who started the race out in front, as it was all timed. We started jogging, and I felt good. There were signs marking each kilometer, and by 3k, my heart and legs were working at their peak condition. By 5k, I was in a steady rhythm and did not feel tired. At 8k, I actually picked up the pace, as I was inspired by how far I had actually run to that point. And in the final stretch, they had a sign marking the last 100 metres. Using reserve energy, I sprinted as fast as I could towards the finish line.

Sweat dripped off my face... my lungs were screaming for air and my mouth wanted water badly... my legs felt wobbly... but it was all worth it. I finished the marathon.

The Fruit of My Labour

This medal was the only thing that the runners received for finishing the race. It may have been one of the thousands awarded, but I cherish it. I literally sweated for it, and I earned it.

But more importantly, I proved to myself that I am capable of accomplishing whatever I set my mind and body to do.

Check my race timehere.
Look for the Bupa Capital 10k - 11 Jun 06 under events, then in the next screen, enter my race number (7677)! I finished the race in just over 1 hour and 6 minutes... out of approximately 5400 runners who had their times registered, my time was good for the 2839th position. Not bad, but not good either. I know I can do better though I don't think I will be able to match the 32 minutes it took for the fastest runner to finish the race!

That's another thing I can cross off my list of the things to do before I die!

Life is Beautiful!

British Grand Prix Analysis

2006-06-12T03:19:00.000-07:00

My 'home' grand prix, and I was not able to watch even a second of it! I do have a valid reason for not watching it, and I will explain in a future post.

I did watch the first part of qualifying on Saturday... not good if you are a Jenson Button fan (and I am). JB, JB, JB... what is happening? You are slipping further and further down the grid. Even if it was a problem with being called into the weighbridge by the stewards, there was still time to do one more run. Sigh... two races in a row where he did not even get the opportunity to compete with the front runners.

Looking back at the results of the race, I cannot help but yawn. Another Alonso win. Another Schumacher second. This season is beginning to be boring. Don't get me wrong, its nice to see Alonso win... but how about some variety? How about at least 3 teams fighting for the championship? My interest in Formula1 died a few years ago because it became too monotonous. Schumacher became too dominant in the end, and I fear this is happening with Alonso this year.

At least the Monaco race two weeks ago was interesting because it had controversy and a surprise podium finisher.

With the World Cup going on, time to shift to North America, where football (or soccer) fever has not taken over. Let's hope for some interesting races, and no more tire safety fiascos!

La Vita e Bella!

World Cup Fever

2006-06-09T03:53:00.000-07:00

Today is the start of the World Cup in Germany. Every 4 years, 32 of the worlds greatest football teams gather in one country to play the Beautiful Game.

Living in England has given me great appreciation for football. I was never really interested before, although I knew teams such as Manchester United, and famous players from around the world such as Pele, Maradonna, and Beckham. But I never followed the game seriously. It would be limited to whatever game was being shown on ESPN or Star Sports back in high school and college.

That all changed over here of course. I used to follow basketball and baseball in America, but those sports are virtually nonexistent here. There are 3 major sports in England; Football, rugby, and cricket. Football is easily the most popular sport here, played almost the whole year round. Being an avid sportsfan, it was easy to get hooked, and before I knew it, I knew what the offside rule was and what 4-4-2 meant. Match of the Day has become my favourite television program every saturday night.

If you are a football fan, you cannot wish for more than this. 3 games of (mostly) quality football by good teams every day for the next 2 weeks. And the games will get even better once the knockout stages kick in. That, coupled with the passion that people in Europe have for the game, can make anyone interested. Go into any pub or bar where a football match is being shown, and I dare you not to get sucked into the atmosphere. Before long, you will be an avid fan too!

La Vita e Bella!

My Flat

2006-06-08T03:15:00.000-07:00

Due to someones neverending persistence (hehe), I have finally posted the pictures of my flat. In posted pictures of it empty awhile back, when I was still flat hunting. Well, its been a month since I have moved in, so it now can pass as a livable area. But as you will see, there is still alot of work that needs to be done, especially in the bedroom!

Bathroom:

Bedroom (pardon the mess):

Living Room / Kitchen / Dining:

Life is Beautiful!

The Omen

2006-06-06T07:06:00.000-07:00

It's supposed to be the day of the devil today.

06/06/06

Oooooh, I'm so scared I'm cringing in my boots.

This is so absurd. Just because a date can be written a certain way doesn't mean that it has a special meaning. The 2006 was just abbreviated and the last 2 digits retained.

This reminds me of that piece of toast that supposedly had Jesus' face on it. People have lots of strange and different ways of interpreting things in everyday life and giving it more meaning than necessary.

And unfortunately, the more gullible ones in this world soak it up. Is the world really full of people that can be easily influenced? I shudder to think so, but judging from the world leaders today, one has to sadly nod ones head...

La Vita e Bella!