year-end family holiday

Three smiles.

Three reasons.


Why it has been a very good year.

Photos by This Girl

wedding bliss

Happy Wedding Anniversary, Babe! Hey it's been twelve years!

And yet to hear a husband's I LOVE YOU is as thrilling as ever! To take matters on a light note - here are some stuff (some edited) I've gathered from my emails - to celebrate husbands, the married quirks, and that banter and laughter shared just by two people.

***

One day my housework-challenge husband decided to wash his
sweat-shirt. Seconds after he stepped into the laundry room, he shouted to me, 'What setting do I use on the washing machine?'
'It depends,' I replied. 'What does it say on your shirt?'
He yelled back, ' University of Oklahoma.'

***

Q: What do you call an intelligent, good looking, sensitive man?
A: A rumor.

***

Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom to understand my man,
love to forgive him, and patience for his moods.
Because Lord, if I pray for strength, I'll beat him to death.
Amen.

***

Q: Why do little boys whine?
A: They are practicing to be men.

***

Q: What does it mean when a man is in your bed gasping for breath and calling out your name?
A: You did not hold the pillow down long enough.

Image from Glitter Graphics

christmas eve

a tree covered in lights and tassels and decorations..
christmas gifts wrapped and boxed scattered at its foot..
whew! it had been a race to finish the
tree and those gifts the whole afternoon!

the refrigerator carrying the simple fare..
but of course the preparation had been not so easy..
cooking is not really a strength, you might say..
but there's spaghetti, and fruit salad..
a healthy vegetable salad with italian dressing too..
and the fruits! apples and grapes and oranges..

the table.. aahh the table! it's a masterpiece..
with the red mantle and the red candles now lit..

the house scrubbed and cleaned..
the people important to the heart had arrived..

.. but where is everyone?
locked up in rooms and jailed inside their angry hearts?
.. screaming silently and crying unshed tears?

the candles flutter in the soft wind from the windows..
the tiny lights continue to illuminate softly..

.. and silence

somewhere..
this is christmas eve for someone..

season's greetings!

list #02 so plugged in

Except for that incident a long time ago when my younger sister Helen was still small and one inconsequential day dared to poke the wall socket with a pin and she got a mild shock and I got my first scare with plugs and electricity I am really awed by the inspired creativity and genius of engineers and creators who spewed out all kinds of appliances and gadgets that by putting negative and positive together they can make aluminum and tin and metal go whirl, burn, scream, illuminate, flow, whizz, turn and kaplunk. Breathe.

Imagine

multi laser disc player attached to the telly
dvd player attached to the telly
decoder attached to the telly
5-speaker system and subwoofer attached to the telly
this telly attached to the automatic voltage regulator
the automatic voltage regulator to the wall of the tv room

d2360 deskjet printer attached to the laptop
external hard disk drive attached to the laptop
2-speaker system attached to the laptop
ipod nano attached to the laptop
wireless cardbus adapter attached to the laptop
this laptop attached to the wall of the family room

5550 deskjet printer attached to the desktop
altec lansing 2-speaker system & subwoofer attached to the desktop
scanner attached to the desktop
wireless broadband router attached to the desktop
lcd monitor attached to the desktop
keyboard attached to the desktop
mouse attached to the desktop
this desktop attached to the automatic voltage regulator
the automatic voltage regulator to the wall of the family room

60gb ipod attached to the speaker system
altec lansing 2-speaker system & subwoofer attached to the telly
dvd player attached to the telly
this telly attached to the wall of the bedroom

I cannot go to the dining area yet as I don't even want to start looking at the knick-knacks on the sink off the sink and around the sink because naturally they are all there with some of them just humming twenty-four hours a day to keep the household alive and not only that but if you throw in the fish tank for measure then that's another community of wires and plugs and speaking of plugs so many toys are needing to be charged at the end or the start of the day with each one in the house owning a minimum of one mobile telephone unit so can you imagine now not only here in this house but also in yours! Breathe.

gem in the dark

I choose to love you fiercely
even if it means I must take the risk

that you will not understand it.

Photo by This Girl

in no less degree

I've seen women handle themselves in various ways.

Some clutch on the trendiest bags and maintain a regular schedule with their dermatologist and hair stylist. Some look at the soft glowing advertisement on the glossy magazine - ready to buy that pack of cigarette which will bring any woman to that fancy place she deserves. Some leave the one they love and choose to be with the one who will take care of them. Some survive through the day with smiles and face their nightmares alone at dawn. Some knit.

I don't know what I'd do if I ran for Vice President, have the whole world pick on my family and wardrobe, and then actually not put me in that office at all.

I don't know what I'd do if all my nightmares came true.

I do not know how to knit.

Photo by This Girl

world of fun

Three weekends ago, Gela went on her first malling expedition with friends from school, so I dragged Nika and myself along with her.

There were more than a dozen girls in the group, of varying ages. It was the birthday of one of the younger girls, and they have created this new party of sorts by just hanging around the mall for hours and doing the cool mall things. Gela and Nika were ecstatic with this new development.

We started by waiting. There must be a proponent somewhere who will pass a motion that all girls around the world be enjoined to be patient with each other especially when one is ahead and the other is late in arriving at a designated meeting place. I want to discuss that one first though.

So we had pizza and pasta. It seemed like my daughters were skimming over that lunch, as everyone's heart were pounding for the main agenda of this adventure inside an air-conditioned mall.

Everyone was really holding her breath for this - the World of Fun. The end wing on the second floor of the mall filled with whizzing sounds and frenzied children. We needed to buy tokens. And armed with the tokens - we hit the games! The girls suddenly had this dazed passionate looks on their faces and and almost trembled while running to the game booths.

Then I started using my tokens and my own fun began. It was a feast that I cannot tell which to play and where to begin. And judging from my few tokens at hand, I knew I must choose the games where I would not end up like a fool.

But blimey! Gela clamped out two stuffed things I cannot name from Toy Story. We cannot understand the mechanics of King's Castle. An old man was hogging the SlamaWinner. And there was Jungle Jive and Dreamy Falls and Pirate's Gold and Sharp Shooter. I even saw an acquaintance sitting down over at a betting table. She said she was waiting for her son.

The objective of the place was for players to collect tickets from all the game booths. And later exchange those tickets for toys and cool stuff and what not's in the Prizes counter. But my aim was to have fun. And to be in a place where it's acceptable to scream.

I followed Nika to the Mini Basketball booth. There was a swirling goal and you have to shoot balls. You get a ticket for each ball going down the ring. But I also gave a whoop each time I would make a hoop! This made Nika irritated. And to my dismay, she spanked me in the hand for a few times and quite frankly told me to go away farther from her. The mom is embarrassing the child.

That was not nice I guess and it clouded the whole experience for me. So I gave my last tokens to her and I chose to sit down and read a book. In the middle of the world of fun.

But a plan is brewing. I'm gonna go back here. Bring a lot of tokens and play alone. And I will scream all I want. And collect those silly tickets. And claim a sillier prize at the end of the day.

I think that would be my revenge.

But I don't think that would be fun at all.

holidays a'commin'

Carmen Marc Valvo

Gold Cotton-Silk Metal Beaded Dress


Vera Wang
Red Silk Square Neck Belted Dress


Cynthia Rowley
Blue Gold Silk Brocade Strapless Dress

Designer Short Evening Dresses from Bluefly

goodbye for now

I can't believe that you're really gone now
Seems like it's all just a dream
How can it be that the world will go on
When something has died within me?

Leaves will turn, my heart will burn with colors of you
Snow will fall but I'll recall your warmth
Summer wind breathing in your memory
I'll miss you

But there will be a time when I'll see your face
And I'll hear your voice and there we will laugh again
And there will come a day when I'll hold you close
No more tears to cry 'cause we'll have forever
But I'll say goodbye for now

I can't imagine my life without you
You've held a place all your own
Just knowing you were beneath the same sky
Oh, what a joy I have known

On rainy days, in many ways, you'll water my heart
On starry nights I'll glimpse the light of your smile
Never far from my heart you'll stay with me
So I'll just wait

'Cause there will be a time when I'll see your face
And I'll hear your voice and there we will laugh again
And there will come a day when I'll hold you close
No more tears to cry 'cause we'll have forever
But I'll say goodbye for now

But there will be a time when I'll see that face
And I'll hear your voice and there we will laugh again
And there will come a day when I'll hold you close
No more tears to cry 'cause we'll have forever
But I'll say goodbye just for now

Goodbye for now

- By Kathy Troccoli

how much is 2 cents?

I am suddenly interested with this amount as I happen to get advices all the time. For what's the worth of a friendly word or reminder?

In my Nokia Inbox:

"Don't let someone become a priority in your life when you are just an option in theirs. Relationships work best when they are balanced."

"Value yourself. Sometimes your very existence gives hope to others."

In my Yahoo Inbox:

"Angels exist, only sometimes they haven't got wings and we call them friends."

"Control your emotions. You should also know and realize that the people who make your day bad are jewels because you need them for you to mature."

In my Hotmail Inbox:

"Take the domestic flight of Vietnam Airline from HCM city to Hue at the earliest time, depart at 7:00 and arrive Hue at 8:20 am. In Hue, you book the Saigon Morin Hotel that has a good view by the river."

"Pour water directly into the vase to provide moisture for the plant."

In my Flickr Inbox:

"I presume the photo was taken in the afternoon. You can lower your ISO to say 120, apperture to 7, speed to say below 100 to give you a not so saturated shot."

"Pay very close attention to the reflections & lighting behind you - and any shadows. Eliminate them whenever possible."


HERE ARE MY TWO CENTS.

Meaning: An individual's opinion. Origin: "My two cents' worth" (or "two bits' worth") implies that, in order to express and opinion, a small charge is levied. This could well be a simple notional charge and not related to any actual payment. It has been suggested that "two cents" was the minimum wager required of a new player in order to enter poker games. There's no documentary evidence to support that idea. The US version of the phrase is pre-dated by the British "two-penneth" and there's little reason to believe "two cents' worth" to be anything other than a US translation of that. The card-playing origin of the phrase could just as well apply to the British version but, without evidence, that's merely speculation. [The Phrase Finder]

"My two cents" and its longer version "put my two cents in" is an American idiomatic expression, taken from the original British idiom expression: to put in "my two pennies worth" or "my tuppence worth". It used to preface the tentative stating of one’s opinion. By deprecating the opinion to follow — suggesting its value is only two cents, a very small amount — the user of the phrase hopes to lessen the impact of a possibly contentious statement, showing politeness and humility. However, it is also sometimes used with irony when expressing a strongly felt opinion. The phrase is also used out of habit to preface uncontentious opinions. [Wikipedia]

list #01 of harry and hangers

Though I've never indulged in them yet, I love lists. Just like the way I love to make sure that the spaces on the left side and the right side of a book laid down on a table are equal.

The bedroom of Nika and Gela is the best way to start my list mania. They've left for school, and without argue, they also left a trail behind them. Scattered together with the sheets and pillows on the still unmade beds, sprawled on the floor carpet, under the side tables, in a jumble on top of these side tables, taped on the wall, and hanging from the cabinet handles.

9-year old dirty-gray shirted plush puppy toy
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, hard-bound
damp pink terry towel
damp yellow terry towel
St. Mary's School necktie
half-opened blue umbrella
list to bring to school on Wednesday, November 19
Speedo Smoke/Titanium Rapide Junior Goggles
a plastic bottle half-filled with stones
green pants hanger
pink blouse hanger
9-year old neck-injured dirty-yellow plush giraffe toy
Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You
little pink heart note sheets
red tomato-designed pin cushion
My Scene yet unopened Chelsea Sailor Sweeties doll
a plastic organizer half-filled with sea shells
The Labrador Retriever, a Terra-Nova book
Card Captor Sakura picture cut out from a poster
bubble gum wrapper
purple colored pen
YSL Baby Doll Eau de Toilette pink box (where's the bottle?)
YSL Baby Doll Eau de Toilette blue box (where's the bottle?)
an unfinished "Bayanihan sa Pamayanan" homework
a blue comb with a lost tooth
Tinker Bell wallet
socks, socks, socks, socks

What can I say -
this bedroom bedlam is a fantastic way to start a list series!

when i play secretary

After three years of being the Secretary General of the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce & Industry Foundation, I hung my performing hat and bag of tricks, signifying the end of being the eyes, ears and hands of an organization.

A few weeks after leaving the chamber, the family business worked on its incorporation and I was automatically named Corporate Secretary. I think it was expected. The rest of the family must think I am so attached and friendly and familiar with papers and records.

My photography group, the Oro Photographic Society, recently elected its officers and hands-down, I was named Secretary. Maybe because I'm the sole female member, and maybe also because that was the guys' plan all along.

Being the Secretary is a boon and a bane. You know everything, and having access to the information gives you a central role to the organization. But it's just like being a bridesmaid too - you are so there in the altar among the officers, yet you are not actually the bride wearing the gown of power.

I have always dawdled and put off the preparation of the papers of the corporation I'm organizing. Should be the best time to finish it and for a change - be the President!

how to be a teacher

After a complete week of classes, I was already armed with the first paper submissions of the 170 students enrolled in the Business Management subject that I teach.

Angela, my undeniably 9-year old Mini Me, was reading the papers and checking out which one she would like. After picking up one with a respectable cover and with more features than the rest - because she said this one had a goal, and she liked that - Angela has lined up for me the Do's and Do Not's of teaching.

She was at it a good deal of the day so I asked her to write them on paper so I won't forget. Here are the seven points she laid down for me:


1. Once you get inside the classroom say "Good morning" or "Good afternoon".

2. Bad posture is bad so make sure they are seated properly. If they are not, say "Please sit properly: back straight and feet on the ground".

3. If you are discussing and you notice your students are not listening, call their attention for a "quiz" to check if they were listening.

4. Once you told them that you are having a "quiz", tell them you will only say the question 2 times.

5. If they talk to you not in English, do not entertain them.

6. If you want your class to enjoy, have fun or make fun with them at the end of your class.

7. Once you say goodbye, tell them to wait for their next teacher.

P.S. When they ask you why you are so strict or how did you get these ideas tell them: "You will/shall learn the basics in college if you want to be a teacher." Don't tell them your daughter (me) taught you.


The view from a grade school girl! My work load is just two hours a day. But oh boy. My business students will get a surprise next week!

Angela's photo by Mike Mendoza

these precious moments

Fifth photo walk with Mike today.

Destination: Camp Phillips, Bukidnon
Time start: 05.30am
Time end: 09.30am

cold relaxed drive
flower-lined lanes
proud pine trees
smell of a new day
dew on the grasses
shy sun through the trees
quaint houses in a line
people slowly walking to church
men jogging in the soccer field
a grandpa leading a young boy
pausing to take photos
confirmation in a touch
the search for breakfast
a sweet weekend morning

wonderful moments to make beautiful memories

Photo by Mike Mendoza
My 5th photo walk photos here

renewing vows

I love weddings. Whether they hired a professional organizer or not. I always hold my breath for the what is for me the most important thing.. that bride's walk to the altar. It's the clincher to the entourage. It's the choir's dream song. It's the grand entrance. It's the close-up moment.


We attended a wedding ceremony today. Curious to check out the motif and flowers. Time to listen to cheers and advices for couples - be they newlyweds or not. And to play dress up with the man who waited for me at the foot of the altar almost twelve years ago.


Photos by Mike Mendoza

some classes to teach

Course Number:
BM12

Course Title:
Business Research

Course Description:
The course affords the student a look into the factors that make a business enterprise successful. The student realizes that a business entity is not put up overnight but that a thorough research into demand analysis, production, finance, marketing and economics is needed. Business research aims at maintaining competitive advantage and attaining organizational objectives efficiently.

General Objective:
At the end of the course, the student is expected to submit a business plan and to defend the plan before a panel.

Specific Objectives:
1. To introduce the student to the world of business research.
2. To illustrate how a thorough business research can aid in the formulation of a business plan.
3. To illustrate how a thorough business research increases the feasibility of a business plan.
4. To involve the student in the actual planning, organizing and strategizing for a business enterprise that they will actually be implementing.

a wife's life

What the!?!

That is not just a question anymore. It has evolved into a full-pledged expression of its own too. Of surprise and astonishment, anger and rage, surrender and capitulation.

I am not sure if wives know it, but their lives are a big WHAT THE!?!

You pick up after,
wake up before,
carry a name owned by,
make meals for,
sleep fitfully beside,
get glamorous around,
tighten your resolve about,
ride the emotional roller-coaster games with,
pound sense into,
receive endless excuses from,
work really hard to truly see through..

him.

Wives deserve ten stars.

Photo of this wife by Mike Mendoza

those photographs

Since getting the Canon EOS 1000D camera, I've had some good times clicking away, capturing the photos in raw format and processing them in Photoshop. Usually I chose one good shot out of the dozen I would usually take.

Most of these picks end up in my Flickr photostream. But sometimes, a photo doesn't make it. Maybe because Mike doesn't like it when I show it to him. Maybe because the photo lacks something. I don't know what, but it just comes up lacking.

Into the Water

I guess we go through lives making pictures out of the moments of our every day. Some come in dazzling colors, others better if just in simple black and white. Some we highlight with a frame, others are just there to fill a space or add to the numbers in the whole collection.

But as the photographer, like in our lives, we make sure that we click away. And we give everything to the shots we take. And though there will be photos we will never be able to capture, it's a big beautiful thought that we always gave our best to the ones we took.

in papa's memory

papa
it has been seven years..


seven years since we've propped that photo
of 3-year old annika and 2-year old angela
beside your bed so you can look at it from time to time..
you've reached for it before you went to that endless sleep..
you said "i love you" to the girls in the photo..

i was holding your hand
i was sitting down close to the floor..
at your lower left side with my head on the bed
while you slept.. breathing heavily into the tubes..

then you started to become peaceful..
.. slowly you drifted.. softly into silence..

your hand i was holding.. it used to carry me i know..
you used to say you'd let me stand up
when i was still an infant as you hold my two feet..
and i tried to keep my balance..

i guess my life is an endless battle for balance, papa.

when everyone in the room started to panic
i whispered "i love you"

they say the last sense to leave you
as you die is your sense of hearing.
i know you heard me..

your hand started to get cold..
and gingerly i removed the wedding ring that
you were still wearing.
i told mama that i wanted to keep it.
i still have it now..

i had been difficult for you..
during my college years
you used to write me letters
telling me what i did that upset you.

when i was younger than that,
i used to go to your wardrobe
and embraced your smell that comes from the shirts.

i have your nose, you know.
and i guess i have your complexion too.
these past years i guess i'm having your impatience..
and i don't mind becoming a little like you

i grew up trying to make you happy.
i have always wanted to make you proud.
tendencies of first-borns, i guess..
and that challenge of having your family name..

you were the man i wanted to please
when i was a little girl.
and now as a woman,
i'm married to the man i wanted to please the most..

it's not an easy road though,
not very different when i was a teenager
and i would see you watching my moves..

if you are still watching me
i hope i've become a better person..

i guess my life is an endless battle for balance, papa.

time blurs the edges of the moments of our lives..
but it also highlights those we want to keep in our memory..

i may still cry when i remember you..
but those tears are warm and comforting.

this was the sun that was waking up when mike and i
went to offer a holy mass for you this morning.
i guess it's a lovely way to remember you
as you had been my sun..

i love you always

finding yourself

I am not having one of those attacks of existential angst, and I think I am much more aware now of who and where I am. But finding yourself is a little bit of fun too, especially when you search for yourself in the world wide web.

So I typed Heidi Grace Mendoza in various websites and I came up with these interesting results:

Yahoo - 225,000
The first two entries are for my LinkedIn data and the third one is this blog. They weren't talking about me anymore by the 21st entry though.

Google - 540,000
Surprisingly, the first on the list is the link to the photo of Annika Michelle which I posted on my Flickr account and as a part of the pool of The Portrait Group . The entries on the first page of the results are all related to the press releases regarding my work with the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce.

Flickr - 84 results matching Heidi and Grace and Mendoza
These showed the photos I posted in my photo stream.

My search returned zero results in the various social networks like Facebook or Friendster or Multiply or anything whatever resembling such a site as I am a proud unbeliever of those. But I was directed to my own accounts when I searched in Geni and Shelfari.

More importantly though, I think the place where I want to end up finding my name is Amazon dot com. So.. I guess I have to write-publish-sell that book!

Photo by This Girl

mutually exclusive at most

When I was still working for a government agency, I was going around the region and seeing all these wonderful places. I've been into these long drives. And since the journey is as important as the destination, I remember my favorite game on the road.

A simple question. Can be silly even. You choose one over the other. Simple as that. Or you can delve deeper into the answer, understand the reasons why that choice was made.

A good conversation starter. And the list can go on.

Run or fight?
Hot or cold?
Red Porsche or black stallion?
Up or down?

Baby pink or dark pink?
Half-full or half-empty?
Curse or praise?
Slow motion or fast forward?

Give or take?
Keep or discard?
Scream or whimper?
Chocolate or vanilla?

Love now or love forever?
Demand or enjoin?
Barbie or Bratz?
Wait or leave?

Photo by This Girl

this depth of field

My mobile phone buzzed. It's a note from Jennifer, an acquaintance from MBA school who never misses sending her daily inspirational messages.

"Morning is a sign of God's great love for us, let us be thankful that we are given a new day to share His love with special people in our hearts. Good morning."

I placed the gadget in my bag and smiled at the man driving beside me. We are on our way to Manolo Fortich.

Mike and I are on our third photo walk this very sunny morning and we have images in our minds.. photos of golden sunflowers, distinct clouds in azure skies, interesting plants, the Macajalar Bay as seen from the rise, and even a cow grazing in green fields.

Mike had called us a photography tandem. Hhmm, I like that. These walks are precious to me. I think sharing the love of photography with the person you love is simply picture-perfect.

I reached out to touch him. Mike smiled. It's a bright sun-shiny day.

Photo by Mike Mendoza
My 3rd photo walk photos here

down side up

If you pick up a book to read it but you plug in to your iPod to listen to an audio book, can you add an audio book to the list of the books you've read?

If someone has hurt you and you've made your effort to discuss and clear the issue, how much time does it take to heal? And must you make all the reaching out when you are the one aggrieved?

The rain falls too often these days. And though that means a little bit of work to clean up the veranda, that is good for the flowers. Rain either beats on your back, or refreshes your soul.

I live here on my knees as I try to make you see that you're everything I think I need here on the ground. But you're neither friend nor foe though I can't seem to let you go. The one thing that I still know is that you're keeping me down.*

* Gravity by Sara Bareilles

Photo by This Girl

it's alright to cry

I never thought I am capable of doing it again. Crying from your stomach.. when your breathing stops and you feel a long pause.. no scream, no sob, no sound.. just a long extended cry from the very depths of where you exist.. desperate, bringing with its nothingness and silence all the pain you feel and you want to throw away.. or think can be blotted out with this one painful cry.

Like when Papa died.

I wish there was no need to discover I am capable of it again.

But today I learned. That I am.

through my daughters' eyes

I was mad earlier today. Instead of using their bathroom, they were in mine. That was fine until they went out forty-five minutes later. All the rolled up clean towels were wet. My sink-side book was wet. Actually, everything was wet - wall cabinets, perfume bottles, everything.

At first instinct, I was mad like any other mom. But at second thought, I paused and laughed like anyone who harbors a pixie in her heart. They were playing of course. And that was fun and I must not deny them that.

I suddenly remembered my Bangkok trip a week ago. After a long time, I found red luscious "makopa" and I made sure I have a bag in the bar in my hotel room. It was a pleasing experience in Thailand munching on the beloved food of my youth while soaking in a warm bath in the tub.

Remembering a few things of that childhood.

Ganging up with other children in the street where we lived, climbing guava trees, staging shadow movies inside the cramped tool cabinet of the family living in the apartment above ours, stealing grapes from another neighbor, humming "Sing a Song" off-key while walking to my school, and running like mad when the geese would come out and chase me.

A water battle is not so bad. Most of all if it is done in one's mother's bathroom.

a bangkok photo diary

September 24 International Symposium on Heritage Tourism
with Sally, Mike and Melissa

September 24 Thailand Ministry of Tourism & Sports Welcome Dinner
with Girard


September 25 Bangkok Street Walks
and the tuktuk

September 25 Tourism Authority of Thailand Luncheon Cruise
along Chao Phraya River


September 26 Heritage Tourism Symposium Plenary Chairmanship
at the Prince Damrong Auditorium


September 26 Rose Garden Floating Market
during the field trip


September 27 7th Thailand Tourism Awards
at the Bangkok Convention Centre

September 27 Shopping and Dining
at the Bangkok Convention Centre

secure connection failed

I really tried more than three times to make a photo collage entry for Blogspot on my recent Bangkok trip but Google would not let me.

An error occurred during a connection to www.google.com.
Peer received a valid certificate, but access was denied.
(Error code: ssl_error_access_denied_alert)

The page you are trying to view can not be shown because the authenticity of the received data could not be verified. Please contact the web site owners to inform them of this problem.

And just how would I do that?

tentative topics of the 1mrc-ict

Two weeks before the 1st Mindanao Resources Conference on ICT, and the preparations have reached a high pitch. The most important thing we're looking into right now is the program, and for the two-day event, here are the topics lined up subject to the availability and confirmation of the invited speakers:

Intervention for Mindanao ICT: Going the Needed Extra Mile
- Commission on Information & Communications Technology

The Report Card on Mindanao ICT Human Resources
- Commission on Higher Education

Bringing Viable Infrastructure and Services to Mindanao
- National Telecommunications Commission

Investors and Players in the Philippine ICT Industry
- Department of Trade and Industry

Mindanao as the Next Generation ICT Hub
- Cyber Services Group

ICT 101: Human Resource Supply and Demand in Mindanao
- Philippine Call Centers Alliance Inc.

The Current Issues Facing the BPO Industry
- SITEL Philippines Corporation

Growing and Preparing the ICT Youth
- Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology

Iligan ICT Reinforces Excellence in Education
- Iligan City ICT Council

Taking Specific Steps in Fueling the Growth of Davao ICT
- ICT Davao Inc.

The Enthusiasm and the Work Behind General Santos ICT
- ICT Solutions Association of Region 12 - General Santos City

Panning for the Best Find in the Cagayan de Oro ICT Goldmine
- DTI Misamis Oriental

Impact of Research and Development in Resource Availability
- Advanced Science and Technology Institute

Roadmap for a Government, Academe & Industry Linkage Program
- Technical Committee on TC GAIL Program

The Service Science, Management and Engineering Initiative
- IBM Philippines

The Challenges from Preparation to Recruitment
- Ateneo de Davao University

Our Human Resources: How Do they Fare and Where Do They Go?
- Synnex-Concentrix Corporation

The Right Mix of Hardware, Software and Peopleware
- Syntactics Inc.

Nurturing Small & Medium Information Technology Enterprises
- Office of the President MSME Program

Update on the Major Policy Resolutions for Mindanao ICT Development
- USAID Growth for Equity in Mindanao

I just hope that with the discussions in store, ICT stakeholders will attend the conference and take this invitation to assess, intervene for and monitor the industry.

getting dressed for speaking

Time to start packing for Bangkok.

Canon camera - check.
Speech in Word file - check.
Powerpoint presentation - check.

Sunscreen - check.
The right suit - check?

Liz Claiborne has the answer.

Smart style you can count on- it's a philosophy we take pretty seriously. That's why we've conjured up the perfect wear-to-work essential that's not only versatile, but ultra-flattering too.

Jacket: Liz Claiborne Perfect Blazer
Color Grotto Blue
It's the return of refined dressing, so we've added iconic touches to this wear-to-work favorite such as crisp pinstripes, bias framing around the collar, princess seams and a curved hem for more of a tailored, feminine look. Crafted in crisp cotton twill. Finished with grosgrain accents and piped detailing.

Dress Pants: Liz Claiborne Perfect Pinstripe Trousers
Color Grotto Blue
Trousers feature a classic straight leg, no-gap pockets and a curtain waistband, which resists stretching for unbeatable shape retention and a superb fit. Compact twill fibers offer a refined finish and are ideal for seasonless wear.

Classics from Liz Claiborne

tutorial on lens flare

The Oro Photographic Society will embark on a photo walk Saturday evening for the weekend Night Cafe of the city at Divisoria. That means I must prepare.. and I must study on how to avoid lens flare in my night shots.

Here are the notes I've gathered:

What is Lens Flare: Lens flare is created when non-image forming light enters the lens and subsequently hits the camera's film or digital sensor. This often appears as a characteristic polygonal shape, with sides which depend on the shape of the lens diaphragm. It can lower the overall contrast of a photograph significantly and is often an undesired artifact, however some types of flare may actually enhance the artistic meaning of a photo. Understanding lens flare can help you use it - or avoid it - in a way which best suits how you wish to portray the final image.

Minimizing Flare Through a Lens Hood: A good lens hood can nearly eliminate flare caused by stray light from outside the angle of view. Ensure that this hood has a completely non-reflective inner surface, such as felt, and that there are no regions which have rubbed off. Although using a lens hood may appear to be a simple solution, in reality most lens hoods do not extend far enough to block all stray light. This is particularly problematic when using 35 mm lenses on a digital SLR camera with a "crop factor," because these lens hoods were made for the greater angle of view. In addition, hoods for zoom lenses can only be designed to block all stray light at the widest focal length.



Minimizing Flare Through Composition: Flare is thus ultimately under the control of the photographer, based on where the lens is pointed and what is included within the frame. Although photographers never like to compromise their artistic flexibility for technical reasons, certain compositions can be very effective at minimizing flare. The best solutions are those where both artistic intent and technical quality coexist.

One effective technique is to place objects within your image such that they partially or completely obstruct any flare-inducing light sources. Even if the problematic light source is not located within the image, photographing from a position where that source is obstructed can also reduce flare. The best approach is to of course shoot with the problematic light source to your back, although this is usually either too limiting to the composition or not possible. Even changing the angle of the lens slightly can still at least change the appearance and position of the flare.

The basics from Understanding Camera Lens Flare

Photo by Marcelo Alves

garden greens

I think I'm starting to live the life I like.

I get to prepare in early mornings the sandwiches for my girls, I can drive over to my husband's office to bring him a vegetable salad, I am doing a little research work to keep the juices flowing, I have the time to fold the ironed drapes and bed linens and arrange them in the cabinet, I am encouraged to feed my passion for photography, I have WiFi Internet connection at home to stay online for friends, the treadmill is working again, and yes.. I am starting my garden.


And I am recently filled to the brim with this organizing work for the ICT sector of the city. At home. Where should I take a break.. I go out into the yard and take snapshots of my plants. Fab.

Photo by This Girl

museum of three cultures

Last Saturday, for our weekend together time, I brought Annika and Angela to Capitol University for a visit to the Museum of Three Cultures.


It is an institution within the organization of Capitol University in Cagayan de Oro City. From its main academic base, the Museum of Three Cultures houses galleries of the three rich intermingling cultures present in Cagayan de Oro City – the migrant lowland cultures of Cagayan de Oro City, Iligan City and the province of Bukidnon.. the indigenous peoples of Northern Mindanao.. and the Muslim M’ranao of Marawi.

This new tourism site in Cagayan de Oro City is a special dedication of Madame Laureana San Pedro Rosales, founder of the Capitol System of Schools, who started her educational apostolate in Mindanao in 1951 and served the three distinct culture groups of Mindanao. Thus, the museum traverses the three cultures to reach a concert of unity.


We began with the Prehistoric Gallery displaying a rare collection of artifacts of Cagayan de Oro and a collection of Chinese tradeware porcelain and pottery from Butuan City's archaeological sites. The collection of stones and bones and pottery were fascinating. And the girls were so happy to see the story of the "balanghai" and its role in the early trade - a familiar lesson in Philippine history.


The Kasaysayan Gallery houses a mixed and multi-disciplinary collection of historical and ethnological objects. Its main collection consists of rare period photographs of Cagayan de Misamis and North Mindanao, many of which date back to the Hispanic era and to the American era.

At this point, we were joined by Dr. Antonio J. Montalvan II, the Museum Curator and Director, who kindly involved himself into a short conversation with the girls. Annika and Angela discussed with him about knowing Juan Luna and studying about his famous paintings in their Civics class in St. Mary's School.


The Lumad Gallery shows ethnic crafts from the indigenous people of Bukidnon - basketry, jewelry and accessories, weaponry and musical instruments. Photos of the daily routine of the Higaonons were on display.


The center of the museum is the Posaka M'ranao Gallery which houses the personal collection of Madame Rosales. It showcases antique M'ranao brasswares, weaponry, ceremonial crafts, jewelry, wooden crafts, implements and musical instruments, and textiles. This collection is the most extensive in the entire Mindanao. Annika took to the intricate art in the brasswares, while Angela noted the chest laden with mother of pearls so similar to the one at home.

We spent a good time in Galerie Rawari, the girls interpreting the works of local budding artists of the area. Then we ended up visiting the Archive and office, where again Dr. Montalvan so generously shared the photos featured here.

Indeed, aside from being a great way to spend time with two enthusiastic and appreciative daughters, the Museum of Three Cultures now stands as a new place not only to tell the story of its founder's cultural biography, but also to show the dialogical kinship between the three cultures in Cagayan de Oro City.. and more importantly, to preserve the heritage of its people.

Material from the Brochure of the Museum of Three Cultures
Photos from the Collection of the Museum of Three Cultures

available in stands near you

Ms. Myra, thanks for the tip!
Magazine Cover: MagMyPic

my canon 1000d project #1

Clouds, At All

One Sunday Sunrise

Early Morning Dig

Project #1: Sunrise
Site: Villa Ernesto Phase II Beach Line
Date and Time: September 14 2008 5:30am-6:30am

Photos by This Girl

confirm after reading

Cagayan de Oro City has been initiating various activities to develop the ICT sector, not only in the city and the region, but for Mindanao as a whole. One of its strong collaborations for this year is the hosting of the Cagayan de Oro ICT Business Council, with the RITECC of Region 10, of the

1st MINDANAO RESOURCES CONFERENCE
ON INFORMATION & COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
October 2-3 2008 at the Grand Caprice Restaurant,
Limketkai Center, Cagayan de Oro City

As we continue the efforts in bringing investments and jobs to our area in the country, we constantly face the challenge of equipping ourselves with competitive and efficient telecommunication infrastructure, and adequate pool of skills and talents from our human resource.

This Mindanao-wide conference is called to focus on these resources and see how Mindanao and its cities and other major areas would fare and continually prepare for this rapidly expanding global economy. We shall not only look at benchmarks, but we shall work on a road map that will help secure the needed human and technical resources.

We believe that you and your organization want to share in this goal. We are inviting you to be a part in the gathering of ICT stakeholders, business companies, government agencies, academic institutions and committed individuals eager to work together for ICT development.

You are warmly invited to participate in this two-day event. Coincidentally, the 1st Mindanao Resources Conference on ICT (1MRCi) is one of the major events of the 2nd Cagayan de Oro Business Enterprises, Services and Trade Exposition (Oro BEST Expo 2008) of the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce & Industry Foundation, Inc. For a minimal registration fee of One Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (P1,500) per participant for the 1MRCi, you will find it most advantageous to your company as you can maximize your investment with the other related events.

We look forward to seeing you as we line up opportunities in the ICT sector. Join us as we AIM FOR ICT! Assessment, Intervention and Monitoring for Mindanao ICT Resources.

For your confirmation or inquiries, please contact the 1MRCi Secretariat c/o Ms. Cheche Seronay at the Oro Chamber Business Development Centre, President Macapagal Drive, Cagayan de Oro City through telephones (088) 859-1426, 859-2911 and 309-0044 or drop an email to orochamber@gmail.com.

a bug's life

Photo by Mike Mendoza

things we can't learn in school

Hi Ms. Ela! Thanks so much for this very interesting material - I'm keeping a copy for present and future use! But it's not from Bill Gates as purported around in the web. The original eleven rules are from a book not written by him. I just care for the ten though. So how are you? Tell me what you've been doing! Keep in touch!

Rule 1:
Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2:
The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3:
You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4:
If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5:
Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6:
If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7:
Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8:
Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9:
Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10:
Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

beauty of the night

By five thirty in the afternoon today, which was quite dark because of the clouds and the rain, I already knew it was going to be one of those nights.

When I cannot get a decent reply from my spouse, when the anger I'm storing is hitting its high level mark, when it's a great effort to make small talk in the dinner table with my daughters.

So I take two glassfuls of wine from one of those Bordeaux glasses, hole myself up in the guest room with my best pillow, do not take phone calls nor heed the knocks on the door.

But after my tipsy feeling is gone, when embraces were made with my daughters as I put them to their beds, and the object of my antagonism and fury is spread-eagled on the master bed, sleeping and oblivious to my rage - I turn to the darkness and the silence of the room. The best time as any to work on some photography!

I took down the flower hanging by my bathroom mirror and used it as my object. With the combination of darkness, light and color - here is my companion:


Photo by This Girl

things i discovered i love doing

Alright, getting selected to be the Vice President in the running ticket and making speeches is the top thing that any woman could be doing, but for the past two months, I have discovered other interesting things that are also important little gems by themselves.

10. mixing together 1 part of milk powder and 1 part of white sugar and then eating it by scoops and in little servings

9. putting on working gloves and trimming grown plants.. just pruning and clipping away those branches..

8. stepping on the gas and rolling smoothly in that curve.. handling the brake with exact precision..

7. fluffing the pillows and folding the blankets.. aligning the bed covers that they will fall equally in both sides

6. serving vanilla ice cream ala Mom.. in a tall glass with strawberry syrup, marshmallow bits and cookies

5. taking a sip of hot Twinings' Passion Fruit, Mango & Orange Flavoured Black Tea before going to bed

4. visiting the Xavier University Museum.. reading their old books and smelling the patina of their old walls

3. starting to study photography.. wooing the elusive factors to make that magnificent shot worthy of display

2. waking up at least thrice a night to check on and apply baby powder on Gela, Nika, and of course, Mike

1. procrastinating those stuff that I really must be doing.. jogging and losing the flab, writing, and bringing in the bucks

But how much would I pay for the time my daughters would help me clean the car? It's a priceless noisy wet party I wouldn't miss!

corporate secretary

Photo by Mike Mendoza

forward to the past

When I was planning to organize local tour packages, I visited a resort that features rich ethno-Filipino heritage by showcasing artifacts, with tribe members demonstrating their customs and traditions. But it was a silent village – left not fully appreciated.

So I listed down an inventory of local heritage sites and I turned to reading materials, discovering that the first inhabitants in Cagayan de Oro City settled here as early as 377 AD, as a female cranium of that date was found with related artifacts in Huluga, a promontory overlooking Cagayan River.

My study led me to Museo de Oro of Xavier University which displays the relics and also houses the story behind the seeming conflict in heritage tourism and modernization development targets of the city. With the Heritage Conservation Advocates, I have learned that the museum fought against the demolition of Huluga for a bridge and road project.

Today the bridge and road project stands.

And I just got invited to attend the International Symposium on the Challenges in Heritage Tourism in the Bangkok National Museum in Thailand and to share what happened.

I think it shall also be the chance for me to learn what could have been done: the arguments of experts – financial support from private sector - integration of heritage appreciation in schools – a keener policy in heritage preservation – and not only for tourism show, but to rightfully claim a people’s own inheritance.

it's a beautiful life!

Photo by Mike Mendoza

oh my schoolgirls

Schoolbag in hand, she leaves home in the early morning
Waving goodbye with an absent-minded smile
I watch her go with a surge of that well-known sadness
And I have to sit down for a while
The feeling that I'm losing her forever
And without really entering her world
I'm glad whenever I can share her laughter
That funny little girl

Slipping through my fingers all the time
I try to capture every minute
The feeling in it
Slipping through my fingers all the time
Do I really see what's in her mind
Each time I think I'm close to knowing
She keeps on growing
Slipping through my fingers all the time

Sleep in our eyes, her and me at the breakfast table
Barely awake, I let precious time go by
Then when she's gone there's that odd melancholy feeling
And a sense of guilt I can't deny
What happened to the wonderful adventures
The places I had planned for us to go..
Well, some of that we did but most we didn't
And why I just don't know

Slipping through my fingers all the time
I try to capture every minute
The feeling in it
Slipping through my fingers all the time
Do I really see what's in her mind
Each time I think I'm close to knowing
She keeps on growing
Slipping through my fingers all the time

Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture
And save it from the funny tricks of time
Slipping through my fingers..
Slipping through my fingers all the time

Schoolbag in hand she leaves home in the early morning
Waving goodbye with an absent-minded smile..

- Slipping Through My Fingers by ABBA

when you're not looking

Photo by Mike Mendoza

thoughts upon a treadmill

Why was my dream last night like that? So I could really do that huh. Like know in my dream when I would need to wake up. But why does that kind of dream come back regularly?

I wonder if SEC will finally approve the latest name I've reserved for the corporation.

I need pink socks.

The artwork for Josh Groban in the iPod must be changed soon.

That softball bat in Toby's is reasonably-priced, though that Prince badminton racquet is a beauty.

Come on and we'll sing, like we were free. Push the pedal down, watch the world around fly by us. Come on and we'll try, one last time. I'm off the floor one more time to find you and here we go there's nothing left to choose. And here we go there's nothing left to lose. *

I wish I'd join that photography seminar along with Mike.

Oh that Historial Fiction Writing Workshop is interesting. But I don't have a manuscript on Mindanao folklore. Sweet niblets.

Should I reserve a court for Sunday's badminton game? Nah no need.

Finish this, shower, then drive the girls to Marco Hotel for breakfast and swimming.

With the rhythm of those shoes on the machine belt, as if on cadence these come across my mind.

* Nothing Left to Lose by Mat Kearney

who is john galt?

So "Atlas Shrugged" began that way in the 1,084 pages of my 15-year old copy which I have kept together with scotch tape so it could stand the dust and age and I could reread it every time I needed some push or reminder. I salute Ayn Rand.

Then a celebrity scan in the web gave me this clip: "Angelina Jolie is planning to shoot the drama Atlas Shrugged, based on the popular Ayn Rand novel", it added almost as an afterthought to a story I was reading.

Astounding news for me! Jolie to play Dagny Taggart, the woman I keep on looking for inside me!

Like a true disciple, I searched some more. After a few clicks, I read in Best Syndication that even Brad Pitt is rumored to play a role. Do not tell me Pitt is to play Hank Rearden, or that would be too much for me to handle!

Ayn Rand had achieved spectacular success even from her very first novel, "We the Living", which I equally love. Her unique philosophy, Objectivism, had gained a following all over the world that I was even smiling to see this concept poster prepared just for "Atlas Shrugged".

Bring it to the big screen! I shall be waiting. But for the time being, I shall be happy to flip on the delicate pages and stop where the dainty dog ears are:

"Dagny, we can never lose the things we live for. We may have to change their form at times, if we've made an error, but the purpose remains the same and the forms are ours to make."