Another Earthquake Disaster

This morning, the first text message that I received was about the Tsunami warning that might hit the eastern coast area of the Philippines as a result of the Intensity 8.8 earthquake in Chile. I was shocked because I had no idea that there was an earthquake in Chile yesterday.

It's one of my greatest fears. I especially fear for my kids, that in case it happens they would be in school or in other places other than home, and that we wouldn't be all together. But then, when I think about it, there's really no way that we can predict the occurrence of an earthquake. All we can do is to be prepared.

Let's all pray for the souls of those who perished in the Chile earthquake. Let's also pray for the survivors and for those people who are continuously giving their best to rescue those who are still trapped under the ruins of the buildings that toppled to the ground.

Seeds to Grow in your Heart

We have all been planted in this world for a special reason. As we proceed through the years, it is like unraveling a mystery story to discover who we really are. Each of us writes our script each day.

1. Be in awe of the beauty of nature that surrounds us, and share it.
2. Hold precious those family and friends that you are privileged to love.
3. Love the work that you do each day, whether it be in the office, at home, or in your community. All work can be viewed as an art.
4. Stretch out to help those in need, and work toward a peaceful and safe world for all people.
5. When facing life, be spontaneous --- with the inquisitiveness of a child --- and let those positive inner thoughts be a beacon to inspire others.

Remember that whatever your age, you can always share that inner glow and spread your gifts to light a part of the world. Each of us is the author of our unique mission here on earth. Give birth to your dreams.

My Daughter's Prom

May daughter had her Junior-Senior Promenade last 4 February in Fernbrook Gardens in Alabang. It was a very nice place, perfect for weddings and debut; it satisfied the "shutter-happy-me" --- It was perfect for photo shoots, and when we arrived, I really got excited because I saw lots of opportunities for photos :-) Luckily, my daughter was very cooperative, she indulged her "photographer-wannabe-mom". The exact opposite of my son whose graduation ball pictures, I still have yet to see --- been asking him for ages to get copies from his classmates ---- because he didn't want me to take his photos :-(

A mother would think that when the time comes, she'll be ready to see her daughter all-dressed up like a real lady --- or a princess wearing long gown, for that matter. But I don't think I was. At first I think I was downplaying everything; the Prom Night didn't sink in until the day before --- but then, I guess I was just in denial that she was indeed growing up so fast.

Not much preparations were made --- but I believe she emerged beautifully, although still a bit shy and awkward, but she managed to walk with grace (but not literally, because I knew that after a few hours, she had difficulty walking --- what with the high-heeled shoes that I bought for her!).

When I drove Izah to the venue and I saw the place, I was mesmerized and immediately thought that she must celebrate her 18th birthday there. That's my dream right now --- but I think it will remain that way because I learned that the rental of the place is very expensive!

Although the parents and guardians were only allowed until the time the participants entered the venue, I had witnessed so much to be able to say that the affair was well-organized, and that the organizers did a great job. But I always credit her school for coming up with well-organized event, be it recognition day, graduation, or first communion.

When her Dad and I picked her up, she wasn't still ready to leave yet --- as with all the rest of them. The parents were wondering how could they all spend the night together and still didn't want to go home even if it was past midnight already? Well, teenagers! They simply couldn't get enough of each other's company! And Izah was still all too ready for more photo shoots, as if she didn't get tired. It was only when she was in the car that she felt the urge to sleep. That was when we knew she really enjoyed herself.

Online Fun

Do you know how to play bingo? If so, I’m sure you will also enjoy playing online bingo. Whether you are an expert or just a beginner, you can have so much fun playing bingo online. It is one way to while away your time, at the same time have the chance to win lots of prizes. You will also get to interact with lots of other players, just like when you are playing it the traditional way. It even encourages its members to recruit their friends, and gives loyalty points as its incentive. All you have to do is to register to be able to play, but don’t worry, your personal details are safe with them.

It is easy to navigate around these sites. You will find yourself getting the hang of it in no time at all. I’m sure you will enjoy playing online bingo, and the plus factor would be the online friends that you will surely make as your games progressed. Playing bingo could be a good way to relax, and what’s good with it is you get the chance to win big amount of prizes just by enjoying yourself. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to miss this kind of opportunity.

Got a New Netbook

Our new Acer Aspire 1810 arrived from the US two weeks ago. It's nice, and the specs are good, 3gb Memory, 320HD, Windows 7 OS, Intel Pentium Dual-Core, 11.6 HD screen, webcam. At first we were worried that the screen might be small and the keyboard might be difficult to use, but when we saw it, it was great, and very handy.

At least now, we don't have to share just one computer at home. My son is using it for his school projects and assignments, and I just bring it to the office whenever he is dismissed early from school and has time to drop by so that he can use the WiFi in our library since my husband hasn't set up yet the WiFi at home.

Online Shopping Made Easy

Doing shopping nowadays is easy, thanks to online sites which really make life easier for us. Shopping need not be a chore since now we can do it in the comforts of our homes, wearing pajamas and slippers. But, of course, sometimes it would be nicer to also find sites which can save us money. So now since I'm really hoping to buy my dream camera, I searched the Internet and found Offers.com which has a wide-array of products to choose from. I think through this website, I can even go beyond purchasing just my dream camera. I'm now thinking of buying another laptop since I am now assured of huge savings which I doubt if I can even find in other sites. I think this is the heart of online shopping because it has a huge list of accredited stores to choose from that anyone wouldn't have any problem finding something that they need.

As for my dream camera, I think I found it here, with big savings, and in due time I'm sure I will be able to purchase it. For the meantime, I'm searching for a laptop since this is more of a necessity for me, I think I will prioritize buying it than the camera.

Bargain-Hunting Tips

Whether you're headed for Divisoria or the Greenhills Shopping Center, use this info to score the best prices:

1. The farther the stall is from the entrance, the cheaper the merchandise gets. Prime spots pay higher rent, and the cost is reflected on the price of the items. So, if you have the time, as the first store you see, then go inside or head to the upper floors to compare prices. Always haggle; ask for the "last price".

2. But don't over-canvass. If all the five stalls you've visited offer the same price, then it's time to stop asking and decide if you want to buy or not. Tip: These stalls know each other and have decided on a base selling price. In fact, some stalls are owned by just one person, so it would be futile to keep haggling, or worse, lie about a super low price that they know none among them would give.

3. The more, the merrier. Usually, the surefire way to get bigger discounts is to buy more. So, take your friends along when shopping.

4. Bring cash in small denominations. It's easier to get the price you want if you have the exact amount on hand. Also, the stalls never have enough small bills.

5. But what you want now. For one, the items disappear fast. Also, you don't know if the vendor will still be around next time. Stall assignments change every month.

6. Everything you see in Greenhills, you'll find in Divisoria --- only a lot cheaper. It's worth the trip if you want big savings. Be wary of pickpockets.

Here are more tips for you: Bargain Hunting Basics

My Dream Camera

• 12.9 megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor (effective pixels: 12.3 million)
• 3.0-inch 920,000 pixel (VGA x 3 colors) TFT-LCD (same as D3 and D300)
• Live View with contrast-detect AF, face detection
• Image sensor cleaning (sensor shake)
• Illuminated focus points
• Movie capture at up to 1280 x 720 (720p) 24 fps with mono sound
• IS0 200-3200 range (100-6400 expanded)
• 4.5 frames per second continuous shooting (buffer: 7 RAW, 25 JPEG fine, 100 JPEG Normal)
• Expeed image processing engine
• 3D tracking AF (11 point)
• Short startup time, viewfinder blackout and shutter lag
• Slightly improved viewfinder (96% frame coverage)
• Extensive in-camera retouching including raw development and straightening
• Improved user interface
• New optional compact GPS unit (fits on hot shoe)
• Same battery and vertical grip as D80
• Vignetting control in-camera
• 72 thumbnail and calendar view in playback

This is my dream camera! Nikon D90! At first I wanted to have a Canon 7D, but I changed my mind after getting several good feedback and reading wonderful reviews about Nikon. And I've also seen sample shots from this camera and I really like what I saw. So now my mind is set in buying this camera.

Now, how can I raise enough funds to buy this camera? It's not cheap! My first step is to save all my online earnings, but I'm not sure yet how I will raise the bigger chunk. Well, let's see, I think I will have to apply the principles of The Secret, that is, the Law of Attraction. From now on, I have to focus on getting this camera, and I aim to have it before the end of the year. Let's see how this Law of Attraction works for me!

But one thing's for sure, even if I got my dream camera, I'm not going to give up my current camera, my ever-reliable Sony DSC H2. It has complete accessories, and I even bought different lenses for it through Ebay. And besides, it has sentimental value and it has already won me four awards in ADB Camera Club.

So, without even trying, and without really getting serious about it, my Sony has really helped me get past my fear of tinkering with the manual settings of my camera. So because of this, there's no way I'm giving up my beloved camera ---- but my kids are just so excited because they know they'll get to use it more once I have my dream camera!

Nice Clips for Little Girls

It's really nice to have little girls. Aside from the pretty dresses that you can dress them up with, there are also lots of nice clips that they will surely love. My daughter doesn't want to leave the house without getting her hair done, so, I always make sure that she has lots of hair accessories to choose from. She has very long hair so it's really nice to fix it to whatever style she wants. Although problem sometimes arise when she is already running late for school and we have yet to fix her hair. Sometimes, I'm tempted to wash and shampoo her hair the night before, but she didn't want it because when we did it once, she suffered with a terrible headache. But one thing is for sure, she really loves different styles for her hair, and in fact, she knows what she wants and she just instructs me on what to do.

Sampaguita Gardens Resort and Pink Sisters in Kalibo

The last leg of our itinerary brought us to Pink Sisters and Sampaguita Gardens Resort in Kalibo.

The Pink Sisters church was very similar to the one in Tagaytay. There were also religious items being sold there, and I was able to buy 3 rosaries for my kids (with their birth stones as the rosary beads).

I was amazed with the Sampaguita Gardens Resort. Had I known about this place before, I would have brought my family there last December. The kids would have definitely enjoyed!

The Precious Moments characters which adorned the resort were just so adorable. And yes, it was Christmas all-year-round, so they continuously played Christmas songs which added to the festive atmosphere of the place. When we went inside the big house (in the picture above), it was like I wanted to buy everything that was inside, especially the dolls dressed in Ati costume!

There was even a museum in the 2nd and 3rd floors, though there was a Php10 entrance fee. It was a feast to the eyes! Different kinds of Nativity Scenes were on display, as well as fully decorated Christmas trees! There were even edible Gingerbread Houses!

The back of the resort was a breakwater, so the sea breeze was really soothing. It would have been a relaxing retreat to stay here for a few days. When we visit Boracay again, I'll make sure that I'll bring my family here.

Well, that's the end of my Boracay and Kalibo adventure. Till the next ADB Camera Club OTS.

The Kalibo Ati-Atihan Festivities

When we left Boracay, the weather was still bad, there were occasional rains, and in fact, we had difficulty getting off the boat in Caticlan Pier because of the strong waves.

And when we arrived in Kalibo, it was still raining and there were no Ati-Atihan parades in sight. Our driver said that we would have experienced heavy traffic and wouldn't be able to pass through the side streets if there were parades; but because of the rains, not a single group of Ati people were in sight, so, no photo opportunity for us.


We then proceeded to the next item in our itinerary, the Piña Weaving Demo (Kabuhi-an Livelihood, Skills Training & Exhibition Center) in Balete, Aklan.

It was simply amazing to see the actual weaving, and they do everything by hand; straight from the pineapple leaves, and that's the reason why the finished materials are so expensive.

We also had a sumptuous lunch courtesy of our host. Food was delicious, some were new to us and we had to ask their local names, unfortunately, I couldn't remember them all.

I loved the dessert!
Rice cake with sugar and sesame seeds on top with Bukayo --- sweetened coconut strips --- on the side.

After lazing around the place, taking photos and buying some stuff, we then proceeded to our apartment in Kalibo. We strolled around the plaza, and were entertained by the locals doing the rounds of the streets with drums, and tourists following them.

Street peddlers selling masks abound the place.

My mother is from Kalibo and it's been years since she last went there, so, on my first night there, I called her up and shared with her my excitement in seeing the place. I also made sure that I took photos of various landmarks which I was sure she will still remember.

The next morning, we attended the Holy Mass at Pastrana Park. The atmosphere was very festive and various groups were already dressed-up when we arrived at the park. The mass was a combination of English, Filipino and local dialect, so somehow we were also able to understand the ceremonies. Of course, with this kind of festivities, and with the election fast approaching, the presence of various politicians were expected. Senator Manny Villar, Gilbert Remulla, and others whom I forgot the names, were seen during the mass.

It was a fun experience, and I was amazed with the energy and enthusiasm of the groups of Ati people who tirelessly made the rounds of all the side streets all day. Tourists and locals alike joined the parades which finished around 4:30pm. From what I saw, it was especially tiring for the drum beaters, but there was actually no sign of them being tired, and I think what kept them going was the continuous supply of beer which their friends gave them, as I saw in one of the groups. And after the parade, I saw three drunk men sprawled on the sidewalk, but no one was minding them. I think it was a common sight in that place :-)

(Thanks Gina U for these 3 group photos)

We were not able to watch the awarding ceremonies anymore so we had no idea which group won. Everybody was dead tired due to the whole day activities, and besides, we had to wake up early the following morning.

Next post: The Sampaguita Gardens in Kalibo