Skirt & Bagpipe by the Water

Took this video last weekend. =)

There's something about bagpipes I like.  I'm also reminded of the first time I heard one played live by a female busker (see my shot below) at one of the arched entryways at the plaza near the Cathedral when I was in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

hmmm.. Maybe should have taken a video of this too. hehe.

Some other pics from last weekend:

Sail Away

I listened to this song more than 10 years ago, became one of my favorites and have it in my collection.  I listened to it again today and it's still as great as ever.  Gah!




David Gray and Adele make really sad or emotive music. But I like them just the same. Lol.  In fact I think David Gray's Greatest Hits CD is also perfect while on a long drive or road trip.

No Wind, No Rain, No Winter Storm

 

TV Shows

The following are some shows I watch and one or a few that I don't.  Just a random blog...

1.  Masterchef US - Chef Joe is fierce.  I'd be so stressed out working with someone like that I think.  Gordon Ramsay ends up looking like an angel next to him.  However, he's like a super strict teacher but at least you improve with a mentor like that.  This is also one of my favorite shows.

2.  Game of Thrones - "Winter is coming".  Teehee!  My favorite.  Enough said.  Currently reading the books on this too.

3.  The Good Wife - always interesting

4.  Harry's Law - interesting and funny, well-written

5.  The Big Bang Theory - alllways funny, hehe!

6.  New Adventures of Old Christine - Julia Louis Dreyfuss is a great comedienne and watching this show is a stress relief too.  haha.

7.  House Hunters & House Hunters International - on the HGTV network.  I like it 'cause I'm curious to see how homes are in other countries, the design, the destination.  The ones they've featured, in France (Paris) and Italy (Florence) I liked those apartments, particularly the one owned by an artist in Florence.  Nice!  They were quite amazing and full of character and identity, plus good use of space.  The design and personal touches the current owners (not the ones seeking to buy) have there, wow.

Spring time!

nice day for pics

Our Perspective on Freedom

 something I shot several years ago, a parade on Ayala Avenue, at the 

Philippines's Central Business District (CBD) where I used to work

Two weeks ago, I learned something interesting that made me think of life in another perspective. 

We all know the current goings on with regards to Iran/Israel/US, etc.  But it hadn't really hit closer to home until I got into a longer conversation with one of my co-workers.

This co-worker is an older gentleman from Iran. And the reason he is now here was because of political/ethnic persecution in Iran around the time the Shah was assassinated and Iran began to be ruled by the ayatollah.  He can't go back to Iran at all 'cause he says he'll be killed if he went back, because he's not Muslim.  He belongs to a small ethnic/religious group from Iran and turns out that in Iran if you're not Muslim, it's not good.  His dad was executed at that time, so his family had to leave Iran and he hasn't been back since.  If he goes back Iran won't let him leave the country again and kill him.  I am sure Iran is a beautiful country, with history and culture more established than yours and mine, but with people who are just like us and proud of their identity and country.  However, based on this life experience of my co-worker and most likely countless other Iranians, of course one would think a nuclear Iran is indeed not a good prospect whether or not you're an Israeli.  Lol. 

Anyway, I was quite surprised to learn of this.  I hadn't realized that being of another ethnic/cultural group that isn't Muslim would mean death in Iran.  So yes, that made me put things in some more perspective about my life and the freedoms I enjoy whether back in the Philippines or here where I now reside.  I left the Philippines not out of necessity (in fact I procastinated 'cause I had a pretty good life back there too) but just to have a better quality of urban or sub-urban life in pretty and natural surroundings (view of snowy mountains in the distance from your window can't be beat in this area) and better or more opportunities to indulge in my travel interests as often as I can.

shot from the rooftop of the condo I used to live in at the CBD

Yes, we have buildings that might be taller than yours, lots.  Lol.

Knowing what I learned it made me put things in perspective with regards to the Philippines.  The Philippines might have its own set of problems but no one there gets systematically killed with government or church sanction because they're Muslim, Christian, etc.  The Philippines is a functioning democracy despite the fact that oligarchy still reigns.  People still get to vote, and the press functions quite well with little or no censorship compared with its other Asian neighbors and they value these freedoms very much, while civil groups and NGOs thrive there, too. 

I still love the Philippines and I am proud of how far along it has come for a developing country.  It's more than 90% literate.  And I am glad the locals there are also proud of themselves and their achievements.  Whereas before the Philippines was mostly a source of low-skill resources, it has been for some years a source of highly skilled resources, too, such as engineers, teachers, doctors, nurses, and software engineers.  Take out the locals with gossip and crab mentality and indeed there's much to be proud of.  Soon maybe not as many would need to leave the country any longer to earn their living and provide for their families.  And that leaving the country would be more of a choice rather than a necessity.  With such a big population with large youth demographics indeed the Philippines can go a long way some more.  You harness that population well with good gov't, there's no way else to go but up.  Hehe!

Foggy Days

  

love that tree

Some pics I took one or two weeks ago. I enjoy taking photos of foggy scenes for some reason.

This tree is now in bloom.  I love spring.

Chauvet Cave, France

http://instagr.am/p/JRyIpTFfX4/

a montage of 32,000-year-old Paleolithic paintings in a cave in a France... 

And I thought Lascaux Cave was the only one. Amazing art on stone.

Filmed with permission by the French Ministry of Culture, by Werner Herzog - Cave of Forgotten Dreams.

Jasmine Tea

http://instagr.am/p/JOR21OlfTp/

That's a cup of loose leaf jasmine tea. I always have one after dinner.

Testing my Instagram app on Android. It has a bug w/ uploading to 3rd party sites like twitter or tumblr. Forget about Facebook.

So I just hit upload and it posted to my instagram account and that allowed a sharing function to here - my Blogger account.

All this executed via my android phone.

Good Weekend

Busy Saturday spent running errands. Got a tablet too. Free. Capped off the day as a dinner guest in a country home. Had fresh oysters as appetizers and dungeness crabs for dinner with salad, rice, and white Zinfandel. Got so stuffed by the end. That was pretty good.

Saw a robin in the process at the back porch too. First time to see one. Didn't think it would be big but it was. Hehe.

Introversion/Extroversion & Workplace Mgm't

Just recently Time magazine ran an article on the power of shyness or introversion.  Having read it, as well as seeing there's a book about it, it's good to know that finally, more people are getting it.

I am an introvert but not excessively so.  Just that I'm not really the sort to talk a lot or talk loud.  I can start conversations but I don't feel like I necessarily have to.  When I do, it means I'm being polite/considerate and approachable.  So if you feel I don't talk much, don't be offended, that's just how I am.  For the likes of myself, there's a time and a place for such things.  I don't mind when others are loud especially when they're funny.  But if you're loud but not funny, only annoying, unprofessionally noisy and disturbing others at work, and bitchy, well, don't expect me to enjoy being within hearing distance from you.  Lol.

Anyhow, other similar articles and comments have sprung from such a topic.  One of which posted: "It's OK to cross the street to avoid making small talk."  Believe it or not, I have crossed the street to avoid making small talk.  Lol! But mostly because the people I crossed the street away from are the ones (former colleagues) whom I'd really not make friendly chitchat with.  Time is gold, and it's best spent doing things we enjoy and spending it with people we like or respect.  hehe.


And another apt quote by Lao Zi: "Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know."  Lao Zi, don't you know it!  Hehe!  It's just unfortunate that a more extroverted American culture permeates corporate workplace culture such that uninformed managers with less experience tend to think that the more vocal and "out there" you are, then you are a good "leader".  I beg to disagree.  I laugh because case in point:  this quote applies precisely to someone I had the unfortunate opportunity to work with. 

Let It Snow. Let It Snow. Let It Snow...Not!

December was a rather dry winter where am at.  It snowed only once, overnight, and was gone the next day.  But this month of January, winter has indeed come.

It had started snowing one night last week.  Since it's my first time overseas during winter in a place not normally known to snow everyday, the sight was quite a surprise to witness in the late evening.  The scene and sky was sort of red, with flakes falling fast.  It didn't look like my usual evening.

that's pretty much the color of what I saw that night

I took a video from the den/balcony of the snow falling that evening.  Hehe!

 a closer look at a tree branch near me

using auto white balance, scene turned bluish green

So it snowed in the past 2 days or so.  Today is no exception, it snowed in earnest today. 

More Fun in the Philippines

The Philippines's Department of Tourism is launching its new tourism campaign "More Fun in the Philippines".

I found it simple yet effective and easier to promote.  Many people do.  It's been quite successful locally.  No wonder there's now even an online More Fun in the Philippines meme generator, whereas the official campaign site hasn't yet gone live (now that's a fail.  Tsk!).


Anyhow, I posted a photo I shot in Panglao Island with the meme via the morefunmaker website:

It's true.  Some activities are indeed more fun in the Philippines.  Now if only traffic/driving/and the commute isn't so stressful in Metro Manila (definitely not fun!), then I could have had more fun in the city.  Lol.

Yes many things, activities and people are more fun in the Philippines but some of the customs people (on arrival in the country) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 -- the oldest NAIA terminal -- certainly aren't.  And they're notorious for this. 

You arrive tired from a trip, looking forward to getting past the airport gates and being home sweet home, but wait, customs person here is definitely sending feelers to get some "goody/ies" from me or whatever are in my/our bags...asking, staring at, and pointing at our huge bags "o, ang dami nyong bags.. ano mga nauwi nyo... ang lalaki ng bag nyo ah?" (translation... it's akin to saying: "Wow these bags you've brought back are rather big... what did you guys bring home?") or something to the effect which didn't sound quite right to our ears.  It's almost like telling us, "If you get my meaning...." Red flag! 

To which I would dearly have loved to have replied, "Sipa, gusto mo?"  (loose translation: Want a kick in the butt?)  hahahaha!  :D  And to think those bags were from a weeks-long trek we undertook in the Himalaya.  Geez.  Sige, iyo na lang my hiking sticks/trekking poles.  Go take a hike won't you?  And never return sana.. hahaha!  *sighs* 

Xmas and New Year's Eve Party Pics

Some new year's eve party pics...

 black forest cake

Some Scenes This Winter

Scenes shot from the balcony...

 

Critter in the Trees

Outside the window...

Gmail Teahouse Theme Screenshots

view of my Gmail account with the Teahouse theme, blurred the

details of my inbox of course

I used the Teahouse theme for my Gmail account in the past few months.  And I noticed how it changes scenes and how the fox character changes locations or activities in the design depending on what time of day it was.  It's fun trying to check out what might be the latest setting for the time I open my email.  So much so that I took to taking screenshots of each changed scene that I catch.  Lol.

fox feeding the birds in his garden

fox in his kitchen

fox watering his bonsai in the garden

fox in the kitchen and food on the garden table

fox watering his garden

Happy Holidays

Snoopy and Woodstock

and "Oh Christmas Tree"

lovely

Happy holidays!

My List of Overrated Films

The following big-ticket films disappointed me and made me wonder at all the fuss.  Will update this post every time I find another film overrated.

1.  Eclipse and all its sequels.
Just when I thought it's done with a part two, here comes a part 3.  Gah.

2.  Shutter Island (by Martin Scorsese)

3.  Inception (by Chris Nolan)
Tried to make its story seem smart but isn't really smart at all.  At least The Matrix movies got it right. lol.

4.  The Departed (by Martin Scorsese)
You'd be better off watching the original Hong Kong version Infernal Affairs, anytime.  And this won an Oscar? *shakes head*

5.  Hugo (by Martin Scorsese)
Attempted to resemble an artsy fartsy French film but story failed to engage the audience.  Too dull.  Felt sorry for the kid who was watching it beside me.  Glad I didn't have to pay to see it (saw it for free care of rewards points from card), but appreciated the cinema history lesson.  Liked the little dogs though. :P

6.  Mystic River (by Clint Eastwood)
No more Clint Eastwood films for me from then on.

7.  Star Wars prequels.
Should have stopped at the 3rd installment of Star Wars.

8.  An Education (by Lone Scherfig)

9.  Atonement (by Joe Wright)

10.  The Notebook (by Nick Cassavetes)

11. vintage drama movies starring Leonardo di Caprio
No thanks.  lol.


For now, it's safe to say that if a film is by Clint Eastwood or Martin Scorsese, count me out of going to see it. hehe.

Putting Things in Perspective

Just putting things in perspective....some words from Bill Gates to members of the Harvard community:

"I hope you will reflect on what you’ve done with your talent and energy. I hope you will judge yourselves not on your professional accomplishments alone, but also on how well you work to address the world’s deepest inequities, on how well you treat people a world away who have nothing in common with you but their humanity."

I might add: ....and not just how well you treat people a world away, but also within your immediate environment.  Hehe!


Referenced from a Businesweek article online about 'idolizing' Bill Gates instead of Steve Jobs, a good read: http://www.businessweek.com/management/idolize-bill-gates-not-steve-jobs-11012011.html