Life in MegaPixels

Heh! I had some extra energy today so without even pausing to rest, I decided to clean up the remaining boxes in my room the moment I got home. It wasn’t a normal day today – not my usual – simply because I slept for 8 hours straight!!!

I did not turn on Coco Vanilla the minute I stepped in the room. Rather, I placed my bag on the couch and picked up a trash bag. I started picking up all the mess, throwing all the uneccessary stuff and moving boxes and bags around so they don’t get in the way.  Finally, I managed to get the remaining boxes in the cabinets!!! Yay for me!

Then I went to wash the dishes in the sink, cleaned up the kitchen, threw left on the freezer into the oven for a late dinner and did some mad OC cleaning on the dining table.  While dinner is not ready, I decided to clean up the bathroom a bit, although this is one of the things I really don’t feel like doing.

Talk about “a good hair day” I think I had one of those today. It’s probably because I had more than enough sleep — the rainy season is here! Yipppeeee! I get to sleep sound again!

Lately, work has been leading me slowly into my death bed. For several weeks now, I have not had a decent sleep. I don’t seem to have any major anxieties at the moment but I feel my insomnia kicking in like a sore thumb, leaving me wide awake  into the night.

No matter how I try, my mind keeps sending signals into my brain, which is processing information at the speed of light.  It’s way past 3AM now and I am still wide awake. Blame it on the sugar, blame it on my diet (or lack thereof…), I need to get some sleep, at least one for over 10 hours…. just for one day!

Let me try counting sheep. I hope it would work for me.

Don’t you just hate it?  I mean, come on people! Are we going to reward our parent’s hard-earned peso, just to send us to the most expensive universities, with this phenomena that is now eating up the metro’s educated population? Geez, call me whatever you like, but text speak really annoys me… big time!

Why the sudden blog about it? This was inspired by Terence, who I was chatting with on YM this evening. Apparently, someone was also chatting with him on YM using text speak and he was complaining to me about it. Read more about his dilemma here.

For the lucky few who are not exposed to this type of language, let me see if I can define it for you. TXT SPK is like a truncation of any word, be it an English or Filipino word, which originated from the SMS population or the so-called Texting World. Originally, the intent of TXT SPK was to save on peso, since SMS became a very expensive upgrade in the filipino way of life. Back in the days, it cost Php1.00 per message which is limited to 160 characters only. In order to compress messages, some people invented TXT SPK to save on credits by putting truncating words to fit everything in one SMS.

As the TXT SPK phenomenon became rampant and widely spread,  the original intent of TXT SPK became a thing of the past. For some reason, the Filipinos’ creativity allowed TXT SPK to evolve from a “saving” perspective, to a more “pa-cute” perspective. Personally, TXT SPK is one of my pet peeves.

Here’s my thing. I’ll use SMS only if:
- I have a few words to say like – im in a meeting, call you later, goodnight, bye, ok.
- I need to give directions – if someone is mobile and needs to follow directions
- I need to provide info that requires special characters – like email, numbers, website
- I need to provide info that needs to be spelled out correctly – Passport number, name, etc
- I can’t talk at the moment
- I don’t want to talk to the person but needs to respond to an important matter

Clearly, we all have reasons why we use the power of SMS. And I’m not saying it’s bad. It has it’s uses to. But really, the limitations are there for a reason.  The whole point why it’s called “Short Messaging System” in the first place. Otherwise, if I really need to make a long speech urgently, I might as well pickup the phone and call the person. Or if it can wait, an email would be more decent.

I am not saying I am 100% non-TXT SPKer. I do use it sometimes simply because i’m really tamad to txt. It’s easier for me to just push the green button to call. But I guess some people are just overdoing it. Take the case of the following words:

Pasensya na = Paxenxa na

Po = poh

kamusta ka= kmstah kah

Tulog na me, eat na u?

To be honest, it does bother me a bit that this is becoming a habit for some people. It somehow ruins the quality of our language. Where did all the english and filipino lessons we took from grade school to college go?  I just hope something can still be done to stop the epidemic.  Clearly at this point, I highly doubt it… unless the mobile companies are willing to take on the overhead of re-educating people on proper text speak. Talk about responsible corporate citizenship… I can only wish that there’s one out there willing to do this.

Hi! I’m looking for caucasian models for a lifestyle shoot. I need 2 female models and 1 male model for Saturday. Budget will be discussed directly with models. If you have any friends who might be interested, please ask them to send their set cards to info[at]rheaongyiu.com or call me on my mobile +63 918 979 8359.

Congratulations to SimplePleasures for bagging the UCC Gift Cheque!

And super thank you for naming my mac…

And to everyone else who joined in the fun… THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH!!!

You were all such good sport!

Finally, I am finding myself settled in my new home… and ready to pickup where I left off with my photography. Today is a busy day for me. I have to meet with a client in Greenhills in about an hour or so to give their wedding album. After that, I’ll meet my model friend Ody and come back to Makati for a shoot. She needs a new modelling folio for some ad agency who’s asking for it. I have a couple of makeup ideas but have yet to find a concept that would suit her.

After the shoot, we’ll probably grab some quick lunch and go to the various events happening at the Fort. Thanks to ShutterBox Philippines for the heads up on this. If time permits, I intend to check out the Experience the World of Shell V-Power and BMW at Bonifacio High. By 4PM, I have to scoot over to the birthday party of my inaanak, Zildjian, who’s turning 2 this year! How time flies so fast! Hopefully I’ll come back with a few decent shots to post here.

And with that…I bid you adios! I gotta go shopping for a birthday present!

Ever wonder how to dispose of your HP servers and workstations that are no longer of use to you? Is it taking so much space in your office? If you’re one of those people or if you work for a company that has old HP products that is ready to hit the trashbin, but just don’t happen to fit in, check out this new initiative from HP Philippines – The HP Planet Partners Hardware Return and Recycling Programme.

In line with this initiative, I just received word about the HP Planet Partners LaserJet Toner Cartridge Recycling Program for HP-Philippines office.  This is what it says:

“In keeping with Hewlett-Packard’s long-established commitment to balancing company progress and efficiency with good corporate citizenship, HP offers the Planet Partners Program.

Since 1990, with increased consumer input, HP was able to divert over 18 million pounds of materials from landfills by recycling every toner cartridge received.  Returned HP cartridges are converted into raw materials to be used in the manufacture of everyday products.

From design to manufacture to packaging and recycling, HP has met critical environmental goals.  And HP is determined to go right on improving its performance too.” 

Here’s how we can help achieve this objective. When your cartridges are of no further use, please send your empty cartridges to Basement 1 Robinsons Summit Center 6783 Ayala Avenue, Makati City where we have our HP Recycling Box.

For Metro Manila and Provincial pick-ups, please contact Ms. Geraldine Lontoc of WWW Express at (632) 879-888; just mention that it is in connection with “HP’s Planet Partners Program”.

Heads up to all motorists in the community!

In commemoration of Makati’s 337th Foundation Day, a Grand Parade will take place on Monday, May 21, 2007.

There will be a re-routing of some public transpo.  Particularly, traffic on Ayala Avenue will be rerouted starting 7am on Monday, May 21, 2007.  Malugay from Pasong Tamo to Ayala Avenue will be closed. Take Gil Puyat.

Please check out the traffic advisory I got from a reliable source…

Since the image is too tiny to read, here’s a recap:

Check out Alternative Routes for Public Commute:

Buses  : to and from EDSA – via Gil Puyat Ave. (Buendia Ave.)

Jeepneys:
 
  JP RIZAL ROUTE – take Makati Ave and turn left on Paseo de Roxas, left on Gil Puyat
 
  AYALA-WASHINGTON ROUTE – turn right on Amorsolo, take covered canal, left on A. Arnaiz, left on EDSA.
   Return Route: Take A. Arnaiz Ave., right Amorsolo, left on VA Rufino, right on Washington
 
  AYALA-MANTRADE ROUTE – right Dela Rosa, right Makati Ave., right A. Arnaiz
 
  AMORSOLO-CRISPA ROUTE – right Amorsolo, left Dela Rosa, right Adelantado
 
For Private light vehicles to/from:
EDSA - Take Gil Puyat Ave.
MANILA/PASAY - Take Gil Puyat Ave., left on Tordesillas and take the Zuellig Loop.
AYALA AVE/GIL PUYAT TO LEGASPI VILLAGE – right turn Ayala Ave., right turn Amorsolo Street, right turn on covered canal to Arnaiz Ave.
AYALA AVE/GIL PUYAT to SALCEDO VILLAGE - take Gil Puyat Ave, right Tordesillas St
EDSA/AYALA AVE TO LEGASPI VILLAGE - take EDSA, right on Arnaiz Ave, right on Paseo de Roxas
EDSA/AYALA AVE TO SALCEDO VILLAGE - take Ayala Ave, right on Apartment Ridge, left in Paseo, right turn on Villar St.

Comment to win a Php500.00 UCC Gift Cheque!

I recently acquired a new Macbook, thanks to Benedict of Moleskine Philippines!

It’s a pristine white Macbook with the following specs:
2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
1GB memory
80GB hard drive1
Double-layer SuperDrive

All you have to do put your name suggestions in my comment box and if I pick your suggestion, I will immediately contact you for the details on how I will give your prize!

Remember, everything is free hand. No criteria for the names, no limits to the number of names you can suggest! Just make sure that you post one name per comment and of course, leave a valid email address so I can contact you if I choose your name suggestion!

If the winning name comes up twice, the first one who posted it will get the prize. I will announce the winner on or before end of May 2007. The reason I can’t give a date is we never know when I’ve made a choice… so the earlier you post, the better chances of winning!

So… what are you waiting for? You’re just one click away to getting that GC!!!

This is all done in the spirit of fun… so tell your friends and let’s all enjoy the game!

I am proud to say that, after 4 elections since I became eligible to exercise my right to suffrage, I have not voted for a single president or senator in this country, nor did I even think of registering to vote. I don’t mean to put down all those who actually voted and still had faith that their votes will actually make a difference. Really, it is noble and it is good that there are people like you. But like I always say, I am different.

Even as a kid, I never had faith in our government. More so, on the people who actually run it. I don’t know about you but my eyes have been opened to the unscrupulous practices and the universal grandstanding of our political figures early in my high school life that I have totally stopped believing. My exposure to journalism, in and out of the campus, showed me more than enough corruption that my young mind could afford at that time, that I have stopped trusting our government altogether.

Where I come from, is a place where everybody knows everybody. And it’s really difficult to keep a secret in a small town like that. Bombo Radyo usually reports expose of anomalies in our local government day in and day out. I had to live with this for the whole 16 years that I was growing up, exposed to small-town corruption, intrigues and…again, corruption.

When I entered the university, I became part of the Pi Sigma Delta, a sorority based in the University of the Philippines Manila. It was thru Pi that I have somehow switched on my idealistic and nationalistic heart, with a passion to render service to the masses, while keeping my sense of dignity and self-respect. For two years, I proudly shouted MAKIBAKA! and I fought, with a fury and conviction, for a cause that I truly believed in. But I never voted. Not because I do not trust that it mattered. But because even if it did matter, I personally thought it was a futile attempt to support someone to extort more funds from the people’s money!:-) Call it distorted, but I hate to be an accomplice if these people steal away from our taxes!

I know I am exagerrating a bit but my reasons are deep-rooted. When I was a kid, I have seen people going in and out of our house, having lunch/dinner, staying at our guest room. Innocent that I was, I tried to be hospitable at all times. In fact, I even let our so-called guests use the remote control so they can watch TV in the living room, even if there’s a show that I so want to watch.

Now that I’ve grown up, it became clear to me. I realized that these engineers, masquerading as guests, were actually staying at our place so they can go to the bar/club at the expense of our business. Apparently, they do that to juice out the contractors before the billing docs get signed. These are the small time ones that I’ve seen. But there are bigger ones I’m sure, where percentages get deducted from the actual billed amount. But that I have no proof of. I wish I had though, but then that won’t make much of a difference now, does it?

Early in my life, I have witnessed corruption unfold before my eyes. It’s real. It bit me hard. I guess that’s why I’ve stopped believing that this country will rise above the challenge. I wish these new set of senators could prove me wrong though. I just wish.