Family Matters

After more than 3 weeks of hectic activities...

I finally have time to doodle my ideas out of my ever wandering brain. I would want to talk about what happened these past few weeks but I've decided to do that later for the simple reason that I still have to finish my "All About the List" series.

Life is basic arithmetic...

Like most humans, family is very important to me. Although I unfortunately come from an unconventional one, it is always the foundation that I lean on. No matter what I go through, I know that they'll always be there, in more ways than one... I know that this may be too personal a topic to talk about in a blog but...

Addition

My sister Chris got married early last year. So that means, not only did my extended family got bigger, I also gained a new brother. His name is Wendel. I'm looking forward to drinking with him when I get the chance to meet him. Here's the two of them watching an NFL game.

My step-sister also got engaged late last year. Although I still don't know when the wedding day will be, I do hope I get to photograph them then. This is a picture of Krystal and Dylan in Hawaii recently.

Subtraction

Our ever dearest Lola Siving left us last October to be with God. She's my grandma in my mother's side. She was a very loving, caring, wise and hardworking woman.

She's a mother of nine and you can just imagine how many "apos" and "apo sa tuhods" she has. I was actually born in their house. And I am their first grandchild.

We will cherish the memories and life lessons she had taught us. I Love You, Lola Siving.

Division

Like any family, sometimes life tends to be dysfunctional. Problems occur in our lives that for some reason, we get too preoccupied with things that we tend to forget the most important things. I know, as a family we can get over these petty things and move on as one.

Multiplication

Go to the world and multiply.

No. I have not multiplied yet... Although, I would want to see my seed prosper, but not now.

I have a new niece. Her name is MaLeia Nalani Omictin Lapinig. I think she looks like my sister(her mom), although they say she also looks like her father.

I can't wait to hold her in my arms. I know that by that time, she'll know how to run and i'll be one of those who'll come running after her.

Factorial

Family is the basic institution in our society. Life maybe full up pluses, minuses, divides and times, but the big FACTOR that makes our lives worth living and make us roll with whatever fate has in stored for us, is Family.

It Matters.

----4th entry of the "All About the List" series----

Chezzy V Day

Go Figure...

Web to the 2nd Level

WWW

It's my life

The Internet is my life. Well, not that I would die without it. But if I may quote a song, " My life would suck without you (the Internet)..."

Ever since it got introduced here in the Philippines in the 1990's, i got hooked. I could still remember the text based browsers we used before. Downloading of images was one of my favorite things to do. (As to what type of images, just let your imagination fly.)

I made my first email address using Hotmail. I think it was dredd@hotmail.com. Unfortunately, I forgot my password. I actually had more than 5 email addresses then from different sites. (crazydude20@lycos.com, etc.) Back then, you don't actually use your name in your address.Finally I settled with my Yahoo account, the email address which I still use today.

I created my first website and uploaded it via Geocities. In fact, I had several sites in Geocities, all of them I’ve already lost track of. I used the Net in getting information and other stuff. I’m even an EBay user.

But all things changed when Web 2.0 came in.

WEB 2.0

Because I’m a Social Animal

I have been using Friendster (just like most Filipinos) as my social networking site since December 2003. Although I did have Multiply and MySpace accounts. Maybe the reason I got stuck with Friendster was because most of my friends were using it. I was also sort of contented with its features then. Everything changed last year.

During the Fieldtrip of BSIT Batch 2009, I noticed that my students were always itching about FB. At that time I’ve already heard about FaceBook but I have not really tried signing in. They would always talk about their status and their friend’s statuses. It seems like every free time they have, they wanna be logged on to Facebook.

Since I was so curious and excited, I signed up to this Facebook site that they were addicted to. And there I was, letting the whole world know almost everything about my life. And trying to be informed about my friends life as soon as it happened to them. I got hooked… I said byebye to Friendster (although they recently have a new format). And everything else as they say, is history.

Facebook has been the first web site that I visit every time I connect to the Web. In fact, I’m online in FB almost 10 hours a day. And I am just one of the more than 200 million of Facebook users worldwide. It has become the Social Networking site of choice of more people than any other site of the same purpose.

And don't even ask me about Mafia Wars...

A new venue of expression

It's pretty obvious that I'm also getting the hand on another WEB 2.0 feature: Blogging.

2009 introduced me to the blogging community. I won't be writing this if I am not eager to explore this scribbling world. Although I'm practically a newbie but I'm trying my best to write my little bit of everything here. It has become another way of expressing what I'm feeling, just this time, the whole world can read it.

I think blogging was one of the things that got me through one of my darkest moments... (although looking back, i feel so corny) I thank my colleague for introducing it to me.

Now, if only I could continue to motivate myself to write more... hmmm

----3rd entry of the "all about the list" series----

Being Single and Loving It...

"Singlehood is a time to grow, try new things and explore what life has to offer. Now's the perfect time to follow the Yellow Brick Road in pursuit of your dreams. "

Singlehood, if it's even a word, has been the type of life I've had to live since the start of 2009.

I've been single ever since that dreadful cold day in January 2009. I just recently realized that I have never been single this long ever since I started being in relationships.

At first, it was, as expected, pretty hard. Pretty damn hard. Thank GOD for family and friends that helped me deal with my emotions and heard my long litany of questions some of which they didn't understand. It took a lot of talks and bottles of alcohol before I realized that I had to accept things as it was. I then told myself, "I'm single, now be single..."

And then it all began.

I got to experience new and exciting things in life. I only have myself to please, so I don't need to consider other petty things. That's freedom in your face. I may sound a little selfish but I had to love myself more before I start loving another person.

I got closer with my siblings and friends because I now spend more time with them. I got to meet new and interesting persons outside of my normal circle. Some of them are now my close friends.

The new and rediscovered hobbies that I have now, I owe to being single. Travel, adventure, photography, blogging, efbing, going to do the gym (see previous entry) are just some of them things I was able to do a lot, with all the time I have for myself. Great experiences, all of them.

There are times though that you get lonely. I admit. I just have to look at the bright side of things. And pick out some thoughts from the diary of happy memories stored somewhere in my terrabyte-sized mind. And of course, smile.

And yes, I date. Of course. I have to. I believe dating is essential when you are single. I still have to mingle and jiggle, right. I've had a few flings here and there but nothing serious. I have to throw myself in the wind just in case someone would want to catch me. I don't intend to be single forever.

I'm so contented for being this way. I can do whatever I want, whenever I want, with whoever I want (well, it depends). I'm thankful for the chance to be like this. Thanks. (You know who you are.)

Of course it's not always great. There's always the YinYang of things. Well, that's life. I just have to go with the flow and be safe.

And if GOD gives me a reason not to be single anymore... I'll take it with open arms...

(about the last line... i may think about it a thousand times first, though!!!) :)

---- --------- ------------ ------
----second entry of the "all about the list" series---

All about the "List"

2009 was a year full of new things for me. Most of them were awesome but some were downright nasty and hurtful. Maybe it was fitting because it’s the last year of that decade and I need to change to be ready to face the whatever challenges lie ahead in the new decade.

So, these are some of the new things that 2009 has brought to me:
(I wanted to try and create a top 5 lists of sort but I can’t seem to choose which is has more weight to me and it obviously is more than 5, so this comes in no particular order.)

Travel, Photography, Fitness, Singlehood, Friends, Family, Web 2.0, Profession...

I know that i need to elaborate on some (if not all) of the things on my list. But it just adds to the excitement of waiting for the next.... BLAG!!!

I'm back....

It took me 8 months and a new decade to finally have the mindset to continue my blog.

And finding a new friend because of old "OLY" (and reading her blog) was the final push I needed to scribble a few snippets from my ever wandering brain....

2009 was a very memorable year for me. I've experienced new things and visited exciting places. I even have new hobbies to make my busy life busier.... but I'm going to talk more about that in my next entry.

But for now, I just wanted to kick start my blogging and say
"I got lost but now I'm found."

Faces of the Fiesta

I was in Larena to attend the annual Town Fiesta (May 3). But i was only there for less than 24 hours. My schedule was so hectic the 1st week of May, that's why.

I had to go to Tagbilaran the morning of May 4.

But i managed to snap some pictures and i want to share some of them. I'm trying to learn how to take portraits, that is why you will only see them here.

Enjoy.

After a nice meal

Dodong

Candle Ladies

Work and Feed

Playing the Harmonica

The rest of the Orchestra