Basketball Runs in the Family

Dear B5 (the assist machine and steals king),

When I was your age, my chosen sport was soccer football. I know Papa Boy was a bit dismayed when he learned I opted for the white ball with black pentagon spots instead of the 1 foot orange ball with black stripes used in the game of basketball. I learned to play basketball at a rather late age of 14 years old. I began to like the sport better but kept in touch with the game of soccer throughout high school and college. I wasn't really good in both sport but understood both games and in fact can still play both games (minus the running up and down the field or the court). Papa Boy used to watch me play soccer during after class intramurals game even if I didn't play well. In high school and college, I used to play with him and remember the first time I beat him was in my late teens. He was 3 inches taller than me and played alot during his younger days so that spelled the difference. In college, he watched some of my games and remember playing well when I knew he was watching.

Last Sunday (April 19) was my first time to see you play REAL basketball. We play basketball a lot but only with a tennis sized basketball or a junior size ball. I must say you are very good at the game for your age. Well very good has a touch of bias because you are my son. Good is a more appropriate assessment of your skill. You’re on your last two days in the basketball clinic. I’ve told you your strengths and points for improvement verbally last Sunday and I just want to list them down in my journal.

Strengths:
1. You are an above average ball handler.
2. You are an above average defender.
3. You use your teammates as a shield when dribbling.
4. You are good in assist and finding the open man.
5. Your steals per game count is exceptional.

For Improvement:
1. Raise your arms when defending an opposing player.
2. During offense, stay in the perimeter.
3. You are not the team’s center so don’t stay in the middle (shaded area) during defense. Just stay in the perimeter.
4. If there is a referee during a game, don’t listen foul calls from the players. Let the referee decide.
5. Acknowledge your teammate once they make a shot.

My tips to you:
1. Know your teammates. Pass to the better skilled teammates.
2. Pass to the ball to the nearest player the basketball ring.
3. Play the point guard position. It matches your height and your built.
4. Always drink water. It hydrates you.
5. You’re in the growing phase in your life so eat a lot. Target a 5’10” height.

You are young and have your whole life ahead of you. Enjoy the sport. Learn from it. Practice makes perfect.

Love,

DADS

SB: Thou shall not judge the book by it's cover.

Susan Boyle. Britain's Got Talent. 100 million.

In the news today is probably the most popular Britain's Got Talent candidate whose name is Susan Boyle.

She's got the looks - NOT!
She is 47 years old and unemployed. From Scotland, her skin is white as snow thou not as white as Snow White's. She is not the prettiest of God's creation in fact Dr. V. Belo will face her biggest challenge if she becomes her patient.

Potential Millionaire
Imagine, 100 million hits. Internet is free. If she charged $1 for royalties for every person who looked up her name in the internet, she'd be filthy rich. Anyway, if she lands a juicy contract because of her current fame, she'd be on her way to millions.

Look her up in YouTube and be awed. I got goosebumps the first time I heard her voice. Truly, her song "I dreamed the dream by Les Miserable" matches her personality. Go Susan!

Boracay Day 4 / April 8, 2009 - Vacation is over!

We have accomplished so much in 3 full days in Boracay so on the fourth day, we were on our way home. By 630am, we were riding a multi cab to the port. During the short boat ride from Boracay to Caticlan, we rode a "classy" Montenegro ferry. From Caticlan port to Kalibo airport, we rode a regular 12 seater van for the almost 2 hour ride. We had breakfast inside the airport lounge while waiting for the PAL airplane. The airline lived up to its expectation and was more than 30 minutes late. We opted for PAL for the sole reason that we wanted to use the Mabuhay Miles privilege that was set to expire end of April. By 1pm, we were in the comforts of our home in CBD. This officially marked the end of our annual family vacation for Y2009.

Three Stars for La Carmela de Boracay

(1) TV Showbiz Host Boy Abunda
(2) Singer Eric Santos
(3) Showbiz Reporter Lhar Santiago

Star gazing was part of the package during our 4 days and 3 nights stay at La Carmela de Boracay Hotel.

STRENGTH is the PRICE
The hotel's prime strength is its pricing. At P4,500 per night for a family of four, this is the cheapest beachfront resort in boat station 2 based on my net research. The price already includes an air conditioned room, welcome drinks, a patient bellhop, a nice beachfront location, swimming pool, breakfast and dinner.

WEAKNESS is the SERVICE
You get what you pay for. The service needs major improvement.
(1) We asked for hotel pick up at the airport but ended up going to the hotel on our own. Talk about first impression.
(2) "Pls. make up room" by request. Ano ito parang kanta? Rooms were not cleaned everyday automatically. It has to be requested through the housekeeping local number.
(3) Housekeeping calls abandoned is 100%. Nobody picks up the local number. Seems like they are busy cleaning up rooms and they can't attend to calls.
(4) The bed sheets smells like vomit, even if we requested them to replace them already. Plus they come with free bed bugs.

The resort announces that they are undergoing improvements and this will be completed by Y2010. That's a good way to manage the customer's expectation.

Will we go back to this hotel? YES!

Will we refer them to similar budget conscious family and friends? YES!

Will Boy Abunda experience this kind of service? PROBABLY NOT!

My only 30 point basketball game

My high school friends are probably right when they said that I am a better half court player (3 on 3) than a whole court basketball player. In college during a 3 on 3 competition at our dorm, I scored my only 30+ points in a game. I was just a substitute player then but was in the groove, all my shots were hitting the mark so I contributed 60% of the team's points that night.

During that tournament, I averaged 15 points per game and our team called Gene's Chonggos eventually became the tournament's champion. That was my only basketball accolade.

Boracay Day 3 / April 7, 2009 - Pacman's Lair

Pacman's Rest House taken during our island hopping boat trip. The place is called Boracay West Cove.


Here's a different view of Willy's Rock. Taken from about 1,300 feet from the shore using a 28 to 300mm zoom lens.

As in any vacation, the days start early to max out the time. By 730AM, we were done with breakfast and on a small boat to go on island hopping. The personalities that day outside the family were Fred (the boat trip agent), JetJet (the boat skipper cum tour guide) and JunJun (the trusty assistant). First up was Crystal Cove which was located north of the Boracay island. The resort management charges P200 per pax as entrance fe so we were out of the island in no time and never to be seen again. As in never. If you're reading this entry and plan to check it out in the future - DON'T. It's not worth it. Next up was Crocodile island which we checked out from a far because the waves were on a roll and throwing 2 to 3 feet waves at us. Next was a view of the 5 kilometer white beach from about 1,300 feet from the shore. That was a pretty sight. The Boracay hideaway of our Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao was next. The place was called Boracay West Cove. His resthouse was white, it was big, 3 storey, the view from house was probably great, it rests on a side of a mountain BUT not a beachfront property. There seems to be a disconnect somewhere but it's his money so it's completely his choice. Last on the itinerary for the 3 hour trip worth P1,500 was fish feeding near Puka beach. The fishes were probably full from constant feeding or on a diet so that part of the plan failed.

Boracay Day 2 / April 6, 2009 - Willy Rocks!!!

Sea breeze is a cure for colds & cough. Do breathing exercises facing sea 3x a day with B5 & MC. Use sunblock. Eat lots. Enjoy! - from Mama CSL



Our day started early, as early as 4AM because li'l girl was coughing non stop and vomitted a bit. Good thing she was back to her usual hyper self by 630AM. By quarter to 7AM, we were on a tricycle to Willy's Rock in boat station one. As expected, the water is cleaner on this side of the island, not much moss. We picked a very nice spot infront of Willy's Rock Hotel. The kids waded in the water, we built a sand castle, frolicked in the sun and dozens of pix taken. The P100 tricycle ride to and fro was well worth it. Breakfast was part of the package so we had to go back to the hotel by quarter to 10AM, just in time for the last call.



View from the Top
Next up was a visit to Mt. Luho considered the highest point in the island of Boracay. We hired a tricycle for this 1 hour "expedition" driven by Arnel. Despite multiple visits to this island, it was my first time to reach this mountain. It presents a rarely seen view of the island's west side. The P250 transpo cost was worth it but the P50 per person entrance fee was bordering on rip off but it was our first time so that pretty much justifies it.

Future Photo Plans

Now that I've officially won a photo contest, it's time to invest on new cam "low expense" accessories to up the ante.

These are what I currently have in my treasure chest:
1- Nikon D40 camera
2- Tamron 28 to 300mm zoom lens
3- Nikon SB 600 Speedlight flash
4- Case Logic (camera only) camera bag
5- Tamrac (camera ++) camera bag
6- Vixen tripod
7- Gorilla Pod
8- Battery Charger and rechargeable batteries
9- Lens cleaning kit

My "low expense" wish list includes:
1- Flash Diffuser = P300 @ tipidpc.com
2- Extension Tube = P600 @ tipidpc.com
3- Velbon mono pod = P1500 @ dgphoto.com
4- Nikon ML L3 IR remote control = P800 @ tipidpc

My "high expense" wish list includes:
1- Upgrade camera body to either D80 or D90
2- Nikon 50mm fixed lens
3- Ultra Wide Angle lens
4- Nikon 18 to 135mm VR AF lens

This leaves me with a BIG question, which hobby should I prioritize? Mt. Biking, Car Audio, Photography. Ang hirap!

Opportunity on a Mishap

Focal Length: 28mm / Taken from Mt. Luho view deck (the highest pt in Boracay)


Focal Length: 300mm / Taken from Mt. Luho view deck (the highest pt in Boracay)

I learned last week just a day before our Boracay trip that our Nikon 18-55mm kit lens is not functioning properly. The lens has two modes - automatic and manual focus however only the AF mode is malfunctioning. What great timing! I didn't want to go to a family trip with an uncooperative equipment so I was off to a camera shop. The knight in shining armor is called Zoom Digital Walker in Greenbelt 5. They carry multi brands - Nikon, Canon, Sigma, Tokina, Tamron, et al.

My choices were a Sigma 18-135mm with HSM and OS or a standard Tamron 28-300mm lens. My unexpected expense cost me an arm and a leg but the trip was priceless so I had an I- MUST-HAVE-A-NEW-LENS attitude. Sabi nga ng aking may bahay, parang bumili ka lang ng baterya sa kanto. That was funny.:) I had the future of my photography hobby in mind so I choose the old school Tamron 28-300mm zoom lens.

I'm in Boracay as I handwrite this piece and I have no regrets on the purchase. The new toy is serving its purpose to the hilt. I got what I paid for so you can call me one happy Tamron customer.

Boracay Day 1 / April 5, 2009 – We Made It!!!

At 7AM April 5, we were finally off to Boracay. The trip was close to being cancelled or at least postponed for 1 day because our little daughter had high fever the early morning of the day we were going to leave.



Every Juan Flies
On our way to Boracay, the airline of choice was Cebu Pacific. It’s actually the cheapest for 4 pax so that pretty much sums up our choice. It was our first time to depart via NAIA Terminal 3. At long last, this highly controversial airport terminal was utilized after a long legal battle, tons of kickbacks and much, much more kickbacks. I wonder what they’d do with that much money. Poor Juan de la Cruz. Seems like our taxes are working against us.



Levi’s NOT in charge
Unfortunately, despite proper advise, the hotel failed to pick us up at the airport. Talk about impression. Our so called “savior” for the day was Mang Levi who we met at the airport. Seeing an opportunity, he said that he can bring us to La Carmela de Boracay Hotel for P400 per pax which is actually cheaper than what the hotel would cost if they did pick us up. So we said YES to Mr. Savior who made us ride a tricycle, then a PUB (public utility boat), then another tricycle ride to the hotel. Oh did I say that he made us walk for almost 1/3 of a kilometer. Not that there was a problem in walking nor riding a tricycle but we can pretty much do what he did for half the price. All the while, I thought that we’d ride a van from the airport to the port, then a PUB then another van from boat station 3 port to the hotel but no, we rode the public transpo end to end. What a rip off! Think, think, think DyLac?!?! So I asked for a BIG DISCOUNT. I was asking if I can just pay P800 instead of P1600 but I ended up bargaining and paying P1150. T’was not really a good deal but not bad one either. It was a win-win situation of sorts. He probably earned at least P500 that day but we saved that much amount by “availing” of his services. Oh well, lesson learned. I know what to do next time.



Awesome!!!
It’s my 9th trip to Boracay, my wife’s second and the first time for the two kids. They were in AWE of the white sand, powdery beach, jelly fish, sea shells on the sea shore. It’s just sad that our part of the beach in boat station 2 was “dirty” with sea moss but we have a plan b in place that will take effect on day 2. Lunch is at Smoke Resto in D’Mall for P200 per pax. That’s relatively cheap as the average meal in Bora is P300 to P400 per pax. Dinner is free or at least part of the package. Buffet dinner is by the beach front and choices include Thai style cooked chicken, grilled pork chop, fish fillet. Yum Yum!

Things TO DO in BORACAY with my family

(March 31, 2009)

This is my 9th visit to this world renowned Philippine island in the South. What makes this trip special is that it would be my first time to go there with the whole family in tow - my wife of 12 years, my 11 y.o. wonder boy and my 5 y.o. little girl. For the kids, this is another first time because this is the first time they will be going to the beach. Living in Tarlac and just less than 2 hours away from the beaches of Pangasinan, we didn't have much opportunity to experience such.

So what's in store during our special trip?
1- Enjoy the powdery white beaches
2- Look for lobsters, sea shells, jelly fish
3- Shoot some hoops (yes, we'll shoot some hoops in D'Mall)
4- Get a tattoo (I wonder what kind)
5- Get a massage at the beach
6- Build sandcastles
7- Go island hopping
8- Check out Willy's Rock
9- Check out Friday's creepy signage
10- Buys souvenirs.

I'm looking forward to this trip and so excited. I'm always excited especially when I go to a place (new or old) with my family as it promises a different level of enjoyment. Later...

Subs Prime Crisis

I'm not talking about the crisis besetting the U.S.A. which is expected to ripple down to our country but the caprice crisis that I'm currently facing - what subwoofer to get for the CIV?

SUBS WHAT?!?!
A subs is not a sandwich with all the healthy stuff. A subs is not a shortcut for a subscriber or a submarine. It's a shortcut for a speaker called subwoofer whose main job is to deliver the bass. In pinoy lingo, bayo.

SO ANO NGA?
I have four choices in mind varying in price, dimension, RMS and brand name. First is an RF PUNCH P2 12in + enclosure. Ths can be purchased in G-Force, Raon, Manila for p4,6k. Second is a Blaupunkt 1002t at C34x4.com that sells for p4,5k. Third on the list is a RF PUNCH P2 loaded enclosure at Mickey's Autosound that sells for p8,7k. Last on the list is a Kicker Comp TC 10 that sells for P6,7k also at Mickey's.

PROs and CONs
1- RF PUNCH P2 12in + enclosure
PRO
cheap
will deliver d punch
CON
looks cheap
a bit big hence will eat trunk space.

2- Blaupunkt 1002t
PRO
old school name brand
relatively cheap
CON
low RMS
not knwn to make good subs

3- RF PUNCH P2 loaded enclosure
PRO
It's an RF PUNCH, nid I say more
Do i hv to justify Jordan's performance in the NBA?
CON
quite expensive (for the price i can get a subs and an amp)
real big

4- Kicker Comp TC 10
PRO
ultra slim (perfect size)
Kicker brand known for quality subs
CON
low RMS
a bit expensive.

Thought I'd have a clearer picture after I write down my options but as it turns out, I am now more confused. I better consult the experts.

Cong Fred

I was in my early teens when I met Cong Fred. His family name escapes my mind right now but that's not important at this point. He was a mechanic by profession and at one point in his life, worked for my father reason why he is part of my life. WAS is the right term becasue he's probably enjoying his retirement. We used to have Deutz farm tractors and Cong Fred took care of them.

Sometime in the late 90s, while in the process of selling our 89 Mitsubishi Lancer, the buyer wanted a mechanic to check the family car. I had the right mechanic in mind - Cong Fred! The buyer who happens to be my high school teacher was convinced by a third party (that's Cong Fred) that the car was in good condition. Car sold, end of story. Gave our trusty mechanic a tip of p100 then.

Last Mar 21 along M.H. Del Pilar St. in Tarlac City, I chanced upon Cong Fred. Now all of 69 years old, silver gray hair and sporting a beer belly, I stopped and spoke to him for while. I asked him if he remembered me and I said I was DyLac, the son of BoyLac. I introduced him to my wife and told him he was the daughter of E.D.M. Tarlac is a small town and everybody knows almost everybody.

Just before we said our goodbyes, I gave him P100. T'was just a little something for somebody who was part of my life no matter small. He'd probably use that to pay for his beer for the night. Enjoy life, Cong Fred.

Sound Check

Phase one of my project CIV SOUND UPGRADE was completed last Feb 21. The process took 1 whole day which started at 1030am and ended just before 600pm. A big bonus was meeting the man behind Quest Audio Mr. Marky Ngo who was a fellow Lasallite. Lunch was on him - thanks Marky!

Phase one includes head unit and separates or component speakers. I had my eyes (and budget) set on Pioneer 5050 but there was no stock so fate brought me to a no regret-u pay what u get-souped up Pioneer 6050. It has 3 RCA input (front speaker + rear speaker + subs), 7 band graphic equalizer, USB capable, Ipod ready, etc. For the seps, it was old school JBL 6507c series for me. The package includes 6 in component speakers, 1 in tweeters and pretty crossovers.

Phase two includes amplifiers and subwoofer upgrade. It will only happen after I sell my existing set up - Pioneer head unit & equalizers, Alpine amps and Ryan Audio subs. The plan is to get a JBL 4 channel amps to power the fronts seps and the subs. Looks like my budget will limit me to JBL amps. Now the decision tree is either to get (a) JBL 10in subs wt JBL CS1004T bazooka type loaded enclosure or slightly expensive (b) Rockford Fosgate Punch P1-1x10 10in subs with loaded enclosure. The former is more stylish and compact but the latter is better known for quality sounds. So it's choice between porma and quality.

The long term plan is to pull out the sound system from the 7G CIV if we decide to sell it in 2012 and transfer the whole set up to the 3G VEE. But that's a long way to go so it will serve as my de-stresser for the next 3 years while I traverse the stressful Edsa 3 days a week.

My Holiday Adventure

E.D. Manalang Car Care has been a family fixture since I learned to drive. Everytime our car needs fixing, my father would send me to their shop in San Nicolas Tarlac City. And during these visits to the car shop, I would observe the dirty mechanics do their job, envy them and would like to be dirty myself.

Last December, I had the opportunity to do that when the shop owner went on a well deserved leave and temporarily assigned me as the caretaker. I actually volunteered for the job as I've always dreamed of having my own car shop being a self proclaimed car junkie. It was a dream come true or at least for two days.

I hope to have more of those real life dreams in the future even for a short while as the owner the car shop is my brother-in-law.

Photo My Firsts

In February, I joined Smart Photo Club since it was a pre-requisite for me to join the Mount Pinatubo adventure trip. Not that I didn’t want to join the club but I had reservations on the club requirements which I may not be able to fulfill because of my new job responsibility which started only January 2009. Anyway, I really wanted to see Pinatubo so that paved the way for me to be part of the club.

My First Photo Contest
One of the requirements of the photo club was to join a monthly photo contest. A monthly theme was set and for the month of February, the theme was “In the eyes of a worm.” The basic idea was to take pictures from the lowest point on the ground. One of my fave angles is called upskirt and it is somewhat similar to the requirement for the month in fact I had a database of pictures that may fill in the requirement. I submitted my entries before the February week 3 Mount Pinatubo climb.

My First First Place win
And the first place goes to…DyLac! I got a text from the club prexy saying that I won First Place. I didn’t expect it as I submitted an entry because of the requirement and not because I wanted to win. The winning shot was taken in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia during our family trip in April 2008. The subject was, you guessed it – Petronas Twin Towers! Though it was not the typical Petronas shot and looking at the picture, you may not have guessed that the subject was the tallest twin tower in the world. I took the picture around 9:00PM freehand (without a tripod) almost lying down.

Aside from the bragging rights, the win came with a Starbucks Gift Certificate and an inspiration to join the monthly contest and gun for the win.

What's in your Plate?

I recently discovered an interesting service by the government agency Land Transportation Office. They have a slew of text based information from checking driver’s license to license plates. What caught my attention was LTO VEHICLE plate number check. I've always been fascinated by plate numbers and what they represent to the owner. I'd go for personalized plates if we had the budget but for now a representation of a family member's birth date would suffice.

What You See
The text format is LTO VEHICLE Plate Letter and Plate Number then send to 2600 e.g. LTO VEHICLE TJF149. The output will be like this: Plate no: TJF149/ Make: Mitsubishi/ Model: Galant/ Year: 1993/ Color: gray/ Registered last 09/22/2008,has no LTO apprehension, has no LTO alarm. P2.50/text. For LTO Online transactions, log on to: https://go.lto.net.ph. X01

Interesting Finds
Among the interesting finds include ONE234 registered to a 2001 BMW 316i sports sedan, HMR777 registered to a 1996 HUMMER mighty SUV(I think I saw this vehicle already before somewhere in Angeles City, Pampanga) and BMW320 registered to a 1991 BMW 320i which is actually a giveaway.

Now here’s the clincher, I checked the plate which bears my initials and my birthday and it’s already registered to a 1997 Owner Type Jeep color red. So much for class.

1000 Steps to Mount Pinatubo

Things to bring:

(1) Digital Camera - CHECK
(2) Sun Block - CHECK
(3) Running Shoes - CHECK
(4) Mineral Water - CHECK
(5) Pedometer - CHECK

February 21, 2009 marks a special day for the 28 members of the Smart Photo Club and Smart Mountaineering Club. After more than a month of planning, we were finally off to conquer Mount Pinatubo.

ETD Makati
Our day started early with a 230AM call time at Smart Tower. The adventurers rented 3vans to shuttle us from Smart Tower Makati to Capas Tarlac and vice versa. We arrived in Capas, Tarlac at 500AM then we had breakfast at Chowking. We were the Buena Mano of Chinese Fastfood restaurant.

Sta Juliana
The four wheel drive forums say there's scarcity of 1st generation Toyota Land Cruiser in the Philippines. Guess what - most of them are in Sta Juliana, Capas, Tarlac ferrying tourists to the jump off point. The group used 6 old school SUVs to bring us within walking distance from the volcano. The one hour dusty and jumpy ride passed through 2 feet deep rivers, quick sand type lahar and an almost 45 degree hill climb. A standard 4x4 would have a tough time with the terrain reason why they use modified rigs.

Keep Walking
And now the punishing walk starts or the adventure begins, depending on how you view it. At this point, some of us fotogs have taken at least a dozen pitures already and we've barely started. Travelling light under this circumstance is a basic requirement however as photo buffs, we can leave behind everything EXCEPT our cameras and equipment. The usual 40 minute walk at normal pace took more than an hour because pictures were taken every 10 meters. The scene filled walk brought us through boulders the size of a jeep, a 60 feet high lahar and C2 streams (cool and clear).

Lo and Behold
In 1991, this long dormant volcano wreaked havoc, claimed lives and brought significant property damage. Fast forward to 2009, it is now making up by sharing its natural beauty. The sight of the lake will give you goosebumps and every individual who experiences its natural wonder is truly blessed. In an informal survey, only 2 out of 10 Filipinos have seen Mount Pinatubo. The 5 square kilometer blue green lake inside the volcano is picturesque. No matter how you shoot it, it will come out beautiful. The cool lake water was so tempting that some of the group members had to take a dip in the nature made pool. We stayed inside the volcano crater for 3 hours and around 200PM, we started our trek back to the jump off point. My trusty pedometer logged 1000 steps from the jump off point to the lake and that's equivalent to about 1.3 kilometers.

After walking 1000 steps to the crater, 300 kilometers logged by the vehicles and 17 hours of fun filled adventure, the group reached Smart Tower Makati at 700PM. It was an exhausting day but the adventure was worth it. Conquered Mount Pinatubo - CHECK!

CIV Sound Upgrade

The world's economic superpower US is entering or has enter recession. They say that this will be worse than the early twentieth century (1929 to 1934) financial crisis called "The Great Depression."

Recession? Depression? Heck, I'm going to upgrade my rides sound set up! The plan is to sell the 7th gen Civic's current set up: Pioneer Head Unit DEH-P7450MP, Pioneer Equalizer EQ-6500, Pioneer CD changer CDX-P650 and Ryan Audio 8in subs and upgrade to the ff: Pioneer Head Unit DEH 5050UB, JBL GTO 6507c component speakers and Rockford Punch P1 subs.

I've been surfing through the web lately and found out that the best prices are from Mickey's AutoSound in Pasig and Quest Audio in Quezon City.

Phase 1 of my CIV project which includes the new head unit and seps should be completed before my 37th birthday in mid March while the new subs should be in place before Christmas. I'm SO EXCITED!

DyLac's Rides History

Two Wheel Rides:
1994 Tange Barracuda A2R HT - 1994 to 1999
1998 Schwinn Moab HT - 1999 to 2003
2002 Giant NRS D/S - 2003 to 2008
2008 Trek 8900 HT - 2008 to X
2012 Santa Cruz Superlight - X to Y

Four Wheel Rides:
1992 Toyota Corolla XE M/T - 1999 to 2001
1993 Mitsubishi Galant MPI A/T - 2001 to 2002
2002 Toyota Revo GLX A/T - 2002 to 2007
2002 Honda Civic LXi A/T - 2007 to X
2007 Honda CR-V 2.0L A/T - 2007 to X
2012 Toyota Prius? Toyota RAV? - X to Y

Everything starts with a dream...

One on one with a BMW 135i

January 8, 2009

I saw my second apple red BMW 1 Series coupe last Thursday. It was parked along Bautista St. in Salcedo Village beside the condo that we are staying in. The owner is probably a neighbor. I wonder if he's the same guy driving a silver BMW 325i or the one driving a gray Porsche Cayenne. This vehicle retails for P 2,050,000 in the Philippines.

The first time I saw a BMW 1-Series 135i Coupe M Sport was in Volusia Mall in Daytona Beach Florida in May 2008. Released in 4Q 2007, BMW Florida was doing their regular promotional stuff and had one displayed inside the mall. That time, I just couldn't get my eyes off the apple red sport car.

I wonder if they'd resell it for P1M in 3 years time. I guess not!

A Star Studded Party…

A Star Studded Party…

Dec 19 was the company Christmas party. It was the grandest party in the 15 year history of the company. The night was full of stars:
1- Tanging ina niyang comedien Ai-ai delas Alas
2- International recording rap artist Billy Crawford,
3- The girl with the ultimate X factor Toni Gonzaga,
4- Pretty and sexy teen Ara Cristine Reyes
5- Curvaceous Rufa mae Quinto
6- PBB hunk of a housemate Sam Milby
7- Papa (double meaning ) Piolo Pascual
8- Philippine’s prettiest and sexiest actress Angel Locsin.

But still there was something missing. While I was there physically, my mind was in another place - our bedroom. I was sleepy and had a very long day at work but needed to attend the party. It’s a commitment.

Mother's New Ride

Mother's New Ride

Finally we were able to sell my parents 98 Toyota Corolla GLi. Bought in 2004 via a vehicle swap deal (for a 1994 Mitsubishi Lancer EL) with a car dealer who was trying to pull one on me. The Corolla provided my parents service for a year before they moved to the US. My little sister and her family then used the trusty Toyota sedan until it was purchased in November 2008.

My parent's 6th vehicle replacement in the Philippines is a 2004 Toyota Revo Sports Runner. I'd say it was a good deal as we got the AUV for less 20% of the selling price. The proceeds from the Corolla sale plus funds from my mother's savings was used to purchase the vehicle. The odometer reads 67,000 kilometers, relatively unused for a 4 year old vehicle. An average vehicle uses 20,000 kilometers per year. The two toned (white and silver) Revo has an automatic transmission, power windows, power side mirrors and central locking system.

The car is good for at least 5 years with proper use and maintenance.

Shop-less in 2H 2008

Shop-less in 2H 2008

It's official! I was able to zero out my shopping expense during the second half of 2008. My last purchase was probably in May were I bought clothes, a nice Bass loafers (for $20 only!), a Motorola bluetooth headset, a couple of mt bike gears and a dozen other personal stuff. At the end of the day, I realized I didn't need some of the stuff and they're just waiting to be utilized at home. What can I do, they were on S.A.L.E. Just couldn't resist.

It's almost mid January and I haven't purchase an item for myself though I was tempted to get a Crocs slippers but thought that my 2 year old Havaianas flip flops is still serviceable. I'll probably get something for myself during my birthday in March.

MC's dream about Papa Boy

MC's dream about Papa Boy

One day in December, my daughter MC woke up and said "You know Dad, I dreamt about Papa Boy. We went fishing. He caught a big fish and I caught a small fish." To make sure that I heard the right story, I asked my wife to validate the story and MC just repeated the exact story. She followed up by saying that she misses Papa Boy. I miss my Papa too.

Goodbye Giant, hello Trek!

December 28, 2008

Sold!!!

I sold my 2003 Giant NRS full suspension (FS) mountain bike frame for a mere P10K today. I’m getting a 2008 Trek 8500 hard tail (HT) frame. I’m back to a rigid hard tail after 5 years on a FS frame. The decision to “downgrade” is because of economics. I would really like to get a 2008 Santa Cruz Superlight (my dream frame) but is cost $1,000 (a little under P50K) but it’s not wise at the moment plus our financial status can’t support the purchase. The new blazing red HT frame cost P15K so I need to shell out just 5 grand for the upgrade or downgrade depending on how you look at it. In the mountain bike world, the natural progression is an upgrade from a HT to FS not the other way around. Oh well, I really don’t mind the downgrade. I’ll still get my dream frame in the future.

Kaizen sa Karsil

December 25, 2008

Kaizen sa Karsil
December 25 morning. It’s the Soliman family’s annual outreach. It is relatively an odd outreach as we “reach out” to people who are perceived as misfits of society – the prisoners. They are human beings like all of us it’s just that they made a grave mistake and they have to pay for their actions. I’ve had previous entries about the Tarlac Penal Colony and this entry will focus on how to introduce continuous improvement during the activity. Here goes:

Pre-work:
1. Check the number of prisoners and the prison staff
2. Raffle should be pre-drawn based on their prison identification
3. Free call list
4. Who is the Jail Warden? Assistant Warden?
5. Who is the Prison Mayor? Vice Mayor?
6. Food should be there by 630AM
7. List of 60 inmates who can avail of the free call
8. There should be a committee to handle: Food, Mass, Games, Raffle & Hosting.

Program Outline:
7:30 to 8:30 - Eucharistic Celebration
8:30 to 9:30 - Breakfast
9:30 to 12:00 – Start of Program
9:30 to 9:40 – Opening Remarks 1 by AGS or MSD
9:40 to 9:50 – Opening Remarks 2 by Prison Mayor
9:50 to 10:00 – Orientation of Activities by host
10:00 to 11:40 - Games
11:40 to 11:50 – Closing Remarks 1 by Jail Warden
11:50 to 12:00 – Closing Remarks 2 by CSL or LST or TGS or TSG

Notes:
1. Free Calls with a duration of 3 minutes each will be given to 60 inmates.
2. A priest will be available for confession from 10 to 12nn.
3. A third generation family member (pamangkin) will handle the emcee chores
4. The activity should be over by 12noon.

The value of Japanese Kaizen (Continuous Improvement) may be applied in the simplest of activities.

Who wants to own an Evo X?

While getting a haircut at my fave barbershop Bruno's Salcedo Village, I read the latest C! (car) magazine where they featured the latest Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. When asked what do you drive- "I drive an Evo!" a regular Juan dela Cruz would probably say, it's just a commom Lancer family sedan on steroids but for a car fan like me, owning an Evo is like driving a Japanese version Porsche 911. It probably retails for half the price of a brand new Stuttgart, Germany made sports car but will probably beat it in the drag strip. Now if I only can get one on my birthday this year, that would be fun!!!

(Created on December 6, 2008 using my Nokia celfone)

Golden Boy gets Promoted - to Smithereens!

Manny "PacMan" Pacquiao wins via 9th round Technical Knock Out over the Golden Boy Oscar Dela Hoya. Before today, everybody said it was a mismatch and that the future hall of famer will clobber our pambansang kamao. As it turned out, Manny made mince meat of Oscar.

At the end of it all, it was still a win-win situation for Dela Hoya. While he lost officially in the boxing ring, his paycheck in this fight is said to be in the neighborhood of $30 million to $40 million compared to PacMan's $15 million.

The dream match turned out to be a nightmare for the tarnished Golden Boy.

Upskirt and Personal (Part 2)

Part 2

# 6 - Aguinaldo Shrine in Cavite taken in September 2007
during a family escapade. Taken from a Nikon DSLR.


#7 - Singapore Hall of Justice (looks like a UFO)
taken in June 2008 using a Nikon DSLR.

#8 - Coconut upskirt in Dakak Beach Resort taken in

February 2008 using a Nikon DSLR.

#9 - Taken in Tarlac Penal Colony in December 2007,

a basketball ring and board upskirt using a Nikon DSLR.

#10 - Bamban Grotto taken in March 2008
using a Nikon DSLR.

DYK? Did you know that it is illegal to take upskirt photos of a person's intimate body parts (without the subject's consent) in Australia, New Zealand and United States?

Upskirt and Personal

I learned recently that there is a photography classification called UPSKIRT. Wikipedia defines upskirt as a slang term usually referring to up skirt photography, images of the view up a woman's skirt (as seen from underneath). Alternatively, an "upskirt" may be a video, an illustration or simply a view.

I've been taking a lot of "legal" upskirt shots mostly buildings and trees since I got hooked into photagraphy. Here are my TOP TEN UPSKIRT SHOTS:

#1 - Disneyland Hollywood Hotel in HK. Taken using
a Sony Cybershot during a family trip in 2007.

# 2 - Fort Santiago, Intramuros, Manila taken in October

2008 during a family weekend escapade using a Nikon DSLR.

#3 - Empire State Building in NY during my

trip in May 2006 using a Sony Cybershot.

#4 - San Francisco CA City Hall dome taken in

June 2006 using a Sony Cybershot.

#5 - Petronas Twin Tower in MY taken last April 2008

using a Nikon DSLR.

Who is Tenzing Norgay?

I'm pretty sure at least 75% of the world's population knows who is Barack Obama. Yes, he is the 44th U.S. president elect who will start his term on January 20, 2009. Yes, he beat Senator John McCain in the presidential race via landslide. Yes, he also beat former first lady and NY senator Hillary Clinton. And did I mention that he is the first black U.S. president?

So much for the introduction for this entry. The question actually is- who is Tenzing Norgay? My estimate is that 25% or less of the world's population know who the heck is this man. At least in Nepal, this man is reveared and a statue built in his honor. Ask a mountaineer or an outdoor guy and there's a high probability they know or even idolize this fellow. Tenzing Norgay is arguably the first man to step in the peak of Mount Everest. He was a sherpa by profession and the trusty sidekick of Sir Edmund Hillary. Sir Edmund is known as the first man to plant his foot in Mount Everest's peak. Wikipedia said they stepped on the peak at the same time. Both of them have now passed away so we actually won't know the real story. Tenzing Norgay's undisputed claim to fame is the first human being photographed on the peak of the highest mountain in the world. Not bad for an accolade. I'd trade that anytime for a model region.

Happy Birthday Papa!

Hi Papa,

Sheng ri kuai le! That is Happy Birthday in Mandarin. You should have turned 62 years old today. I wonder if the age meter goes back to zero once you’re in eternal life. Judy went to mass today at Don Bosco Chapel in Makati. Of course, the mass was intended for you. We supposed to attend it after bringing Chloe to school however I was dead tired so she attended mass alone. I know in my heart that you were a good man during your mortal life and I hope that it gets acknowledged in your present dwelling place. I will continue to pray for your soul as long as I live. Please continue to watch over us and whisper to the BIG BOSS to guide us, keep us healthy, free from harm’s way and continue throwing us trials and challenges to make us better persons. Do visit us in our dreams so we’d know how you’re doing.

We love you and we miss you so much!

Your son, DyLac

Introduction to Intramuros

The plan today was to introduce the family to Intramuros, Manila where the famous landmark Fort Santiago is located. Our P150 escapade (w/o fuel) brought us to the following sites:

1- Baluartillo de San Francisco Javier

2- The Rizal Shrine

3- Baluarte de Santa Barbara

4- Almacenes Reales

5- Dulaang Rajah Soliman

.

SIGE KUHA

A family escapade won't be complete without our precious pictures. Three hundred pictures were taken from 3pm to 5pm which was a combination of portrait and landscape. The Nikon D40 again proved its worth and an opportunity for me to practice my skill as well as a de-stress exercise.

DI KO NAGAWA

We wanted to ride a calesa (horse drawn carriage) but cost prevented us. The price was p50 per head and you'd go around a single 400 meter loop. We felt it was not worth it. We also wanted to watch a film show scheduled at 430pm but we stayed there until 5pm but the show didn't materialize. We just thought the operator was late but apparently he was absent.

The cost to bond with the family is inexpensive. You just have to invest in time and effort. The return on investment is priceless.

The Gathering Place

O'ahu, Hawaii
Location 21°28′N 157°59′W / 21.467°N 157.983°W / 21.467; -157.983
Area 596.7 sq. mi.
Rank 3rd largest Hawaiian Island
Highest point: Mount Ka'ala 4,003 ft (1,220.1 m)
Population 905,034 (as of 2008)
Density 1,468/sq. mi. (567/km²)

My mother, CSL is now in O'ahu, Hawaii. She's been there for the past 3 months staying with my Aunt Lu. (If you're reading this entry Aunt Lu and Unc Dong, words are not enough to say how grateful we are for your support to Mama during this period of adjustment). She currently works for a Catholic Pre-school which is about 10 minute walk from Aunt Lu's place.

Anima Christi

(This is my wife JML's fave gospel song. I like it too that's why it is an entry in my site)

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, give me strength

Hear me Jesus, hide me in Thy wounds
That I may never leave Thy side
From all the evil that surrounds me, defend me
And when the call of death arrives, bid me come to Thee
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints forever

Mandarin Lessons, Take Two

After 6 months in hiatus, I've started attending Mandarin (Chinese) lessons again. The lessons had to stop because of unexpected changes in my life. So unexpected that I'm still trying to cope up with the loss. I reckon I already paid 25% of the total enrollment fee amounting to P3,500 for 21 hours. The school is called Luke and Wendy's Language school located in Legaspi Village. It's about a 15 minute walk from our office in Salcedo Village. Better to walk than take the car becasue of the traffic, if you have the energy to do so.

LAO TZE
My new teacher is a Chinese native. The real one, probably born in mainland China. Not like me, a fake Chinese, with strong Chi physical features but don't speak a word of Chinese, that is before attending Mandarin class. Lao Tze's name is Iris. She gave me her Chinese name but it didn't register in my mind. I was surprised to attend her 3rd session because I was just warming up my seat when she already gave a seatwork!

YI-ER-SAN-ZI-WU (1-2-3-4-5)
We were supposed to study numbers yesterday but she was not around so classes had to be cancelled. I just wish they texted me so I didn't have to go to school. I saw a classmate, a white female who's name I learned was Natalie. I have 5 more classmates so this should be fun!

There are 7 more sessions to go and I'm hoping to learn more basic Mandarin words and phrases. The whole Mandarin course consists of 6 modules and I shall assess after the first module if I should proceed further. This is exciting. It's actually a breather for me as well as a for of networking.

SBC tromps JRC

Hi Papa!

.

Your alma mater San Beda College completed a historic 3 peat at the expense of Jose Rizal College. They trounced JRC 3 games to 1. I didn't get to watch any of the games but your grandson B5 watched some of the games and kept me abreast. In fact, he gave me the usual blow-by-blow account.

.

Their dynasty is about to expire though as their prized center Sam Ekwe played his last game as a Red Lion. There's no player in their current roster who can fill in the big shoes that the Nigerian will vacate. My assessment is that at the very least, they'll make it to the final four.

.

Keep reading my site!

Ateneo is it!

(September 26, 2008)

It's official, Ateneo de Manila University is the 71st UAAP season king of men's basketball senior edition. The basketball team trounced defending champions De La Salle University two game to none. They were the best candidate to win the award and proved that not even their arch rival can get in the way.

SO STRONG
The Blue Eange team is so strong that they can probably beat a UAAP star player selection. In their player roster is Most Valuable Player Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Mythical 5 guard Chris Tiu, Defensive Player of the year Nonoy Baclao, Rookie of the Year Ryan Buenafe, some non awardee players capable of scoring double digits night after night and then a couple of effective role players.

BACK-TO-BACK
After the euphoria from the celebration has subsided, the next big question is if they can make it back to back. In Y2009, the core team is still intact save for 23 year old superstar Chris Tiu hence they can still power their way to a repeat and probably even a three peat.

Go La Salle!!!

Is Armstrong's arm still strong?

(September 17, 2008)

I'm talking about cycling god's Lance Armstrong who recently announced that he's going out of retirement and attempt to seek his 8th Tour de France title. At age 37, he's no spring chicken anymore. He'll be battling it out with men at least a decade younger than him.

Can he make a comeback in the sport that he dominated? Let's stay tuned and we'll know by during the year of the Ox (Y2009).

The Donut Story

(September 19, 2008)

We just learned today that Go Nuts donuts set up a 4 sq.m space at the second floor of WalterMart Mall in Makati. They started early this week. The big question is - will they be able to recoup their investment?

Around July 2007, we explored the possibility of franchising a Mister Donut store and place it is WalterMart Mall in Makati. We submitted the necessary requirements and passed all the required interviews only to be advised that the location is NOT profitable. At best, we've be earning P10,000 a month for almost half a million investment. The mall gets P27,000 a month for the rent so they make more money. If it were the other way around, we'd probably be celebrating our first year anniversary. The 2% return on investment is actually good however the return on investment pegged at 5 years is bad reason why we abandoned the idea.

Going back to the question, will Go Nuts recoup their investment? If they are still in WM Mall 3 years from now then they probably made money.

Cherry Cute Cute

(September 12, 2008)

Imagine going around Tarlac City on a cute front wheel drive 3 banger that definitely contains melamine but won't pose as a hazard to the passengers. Today we bought a booklet of tickets at the local parish raffle were the grand prize is a 2008 Cherry QQ subcompact car. The cute China made car retails for P318,000.

I read a book in college which says if you really, really want something, you should plan as if you already have it. So if we win this car, we'd sell the Chinese made auto, keep our Jap made auto, invest the amount is stocks or mutual funds - 30% allot for MC's college education, 30% for B5's education, 20% for the family travel next year and the balance goes back to the church.

If we don't win, at the very least we were able to help the church with their projects. It's a win win situation and that gives us more reasons to buy more tickets.