Xantino Has Been Christened

Another godchild added to my list.

Yesterday, Xantino was welcomed to the Christian world. He was first mentioned in this blog here, and now that he's "family", he may become a regular fixture in this site, just like Debbie. But for now, I won't post the rest of the pictures, and let his parents enjoy them privately.

Earth Hour 2009

Image from Live Earth.

Our Earth Hour experience wasn't as dark as I expected. Roxanne and I headed to nearby SM San Lazaro for dinner, and by half past eight the countdown started, but it took a while before all the stores turned off some, if not all, of their lights. Some closed early, while some resumed until the mall closed.

So far, it seems like my friend Gelsen had the best Earth Hour experience (link here).

New Toys From Canon

Image above from DPReview.

Now I really feel my 400D is outdated. Canon just introduced a new DSLR from their Rebel line of cameras, the EOS 500D (a.k.a. Digital Rebel T1i). If the MSRP of USD899 is true, then this camera is really tempting. And the addition of full 1080p HD video recording is just sweet, something its bigger brother the 50D doesn't have.

Oh, and Canon also has a new entry level flash, the Speedlite 270EX. Perfect for those on a budget.

Thanks to DPReview for the heads up.

The Big Bang Theory

Thanks to my office mate Carlo for introducing me to this funny series. Its humor is sort of on the geeky side, so I guess not everyone can appreciate this show. For a sneak peak, see a condensed excerpt from the first episode below. Looking forward to watching the rest of the first season.

Boni High Street

Last Saturday was supposed to be a night shoot at Magallanes, but a sudden change in plans brought us to Boni High Street. To our surprise, there wasn't much to shoot. Although we had some photos to share, we cannot call this gig a complete success.

Oh well, looking forward to our next photo-op. Please check out the rest of the gallery here.

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I haven't been posting much lately, mostly due to a busy work load. It's too bad since I have stories that I want to share. But I need to make-up for lost sleep, and give time for my other passions in life.

I am excited for April though, since for the first time in a long while I will have that much needed vacation time. More on that soon.

Thank You Eraserheads (Again)

Image linked from this site.

It's bittersweet that last night's concert is finally over. Sweet in a sense that they were able to finish it and it didn't feel bitin, but bitter because it's now uncertain if they will ever get together again.

There are so many memorable stints from last night, and Burn does justice in telling the whole story (see links below). But for me, probably the best part is the extended set, where we were able to jump from Silver to Gold. You can really feel that the band wanted to perform, and there's this positive vibe among them. It was also a fitting tribute to their departed friend FrancisM, and it gave me goosebumps when they sang a part of Kaleidoscope World. Oh, and the fireworks at the back when they sang Ang Huling El Bimbo (supposedly the last song) was just awesome.

So again, thank you so much Ely, Marcus, Buddy, and Raimund. The legacy lives on.

By the way, please check these links from Burn's Multiply account:

Our pictures from last night.
Burn's detailed concert report.

Farewell FrancisM

Image taken from FrancisM's Wikipedia page.

Master rapper Francis "FrancisM" Magalona surrendered to leukemia just this noon. May he rest in peace, and we will be forever thankful for his contribution in music (as well as film, television, and photography).

Good Samaritans

I guess I need some bad luck and some good old bayanihan to have something to post.

I've been driving for some years now, and it's the first time one of my tires went flat while on the road. Worse, it was the front tire. It started with a thumping sound, and after several meters my steering wheel became unresponsive. Good thing I was able to park it along the side of the road.

I tried my best to remove the tire, apparently I suck at it. I was able to lift the vehicle off the ground, but I couldn't remove the lug nuts holding the tires. Add to that the terrible summer heat. But thankfully someone from the nearby newspaper stall helped me in changing my tires, and another passerby in his bike (along with his kid) helped me secure my busted tire at the back. Too bad I never got their names, but I'm really thankful for them, and hopefully I can emulate their kindness in some way.