The power of media

I picked up this video from the blog of Agnes Tan. I hadn't thought of putting it into a blog until just now when I remembered how powerful media, especially web 2.0 can be. Just think of what's going on in Iran, when the government tried to censor the news to keep it from reaching the world, the photos, videos and blogs are being transmitted to the news agencies and websites worldwide. Even CNN has its own iReport where in just a few years ago, no one had even thought of doing it.

On our own backyard, the Hayden Kho and the multiple women's video scandal was a shameless media that is meant to stay on the hard drive but went crazy out of control and spread like wildfire worldwide for Filipinos and others to ogle at their trysts.

In Singapore, people make fun of other people by using their camphones to capture unwitting actions, i.e. sleeping at the MRT with mouth wide open, or other actions that you'd be embarrased about, sort of like Candid Camera of the olden days, except the images land on the internet.

Media is powerful if used correctly. It can bring down an institution as powerful as a government or it can promote things for the good of a nation. Let's use it wisely.

Why worry when you can pay

I was taking a look at my unpaid bills today from 3 credit card companies. A total of over P75,000. I don't know how I managed to rack up such a huge amount that my paycheck cannot cover. What I cannot understand is I didn't spend for anything expensive nor catered to my whims, but there they were, with the due dates glaring at me demanding I pay up or else....

With a baby coming in 2 months and another insurance payment of P75,000 looming near, I am really worried. I don't have much savings in the bank, barely even enough to pay for one of the credit card bill.

It began when the business I am running hasn't had a sale since the past few months and the capital is slowly being depleted by the bills and the overhead. Not long ago, I had to transfer some funds from another account to supplement the account I use to pay my overhead. Just to help the company save money, I decided not to get my salary for the meantime while I worry where to get funds for the next payroll. I am working on some promising deals that would hopefully bring me some temporary relief.

Just as I got into the shower to get ready to work while worrying about the unpaid bills, I resolved I would not let my family down. I would not let this failure to pay conquer me. Failure for me at this point is not an option. I had this strong sense of responsibility for provision that not being able to is a source of shame to me, and to my ego.

God gave me a wife who is godly. She asked me if I did my devotion this morning. I said I hadn't yet, so I went to my Bible to read. I didn't know where to start because i haven't been following a reading plan, and I have been a bad boy for not having a quiet time with my Father for quite sometime.

As i flipped open the bible, a sticker with a telephone clipart that read, "GOD ANSWERS PRAYER" "Dial Jeremiah 33:3". I quickly flipped to Jeremiah 33:3, and it read "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." That itself is a great relief, but most assuring is the verse before it that read: "This is what the Lord says, Hewho made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it - the Lord is His name."

It was such an assurance I had such a big God that I can count on, a Father who is the Great I am behind me. All the worries I have did not seem to be as big as what perceived it to be. Issues that have sprung are not insurmountable anymore. The hardest lesson for me to learn is to hand the reins of the company and my finances to Him who is the Great Provider. But I know He will be gentle and patient with me as I take little steps to grow in faith in Him.

Turning the big four-oh

Yesterday was a day of mixed emotions for me. It was the day when I bade goodbye to my 39th year as the clock ticks to 12am when I can no longer tell people I'm in my 30's.

So today is officially the first day of my 40th year of existence on this planet. The big four-oh. Where life really begins. I already lived half of my biological life, and in a few more years, I'll be all crippled and hunched and sporting a senior citizen's card like the people I see at the drugstore. It is also a day of retrospection, on what had I accomplished the past 39 years, and what to look forward to in the future.

Some people gauge their success in terms of wealth when they are in their 40's. Others have attained higher education or are executives in big corporations. Unfortunately, our society's yardstick for success is acknowledged accomplishment that is quantitative, meaning measurable.

I don't have bragging rights to any of them. I am middle-working class, I make enough to pay the bills and a little savings for simple leisure. I don't own a big house nor do I drive a fancy car. However, I can say with confidence that I have what others covet but cannot have - happiness.

I woke up to a gloomy day that promises rain and more rain. Rain on the first day of my 40th year. Today, I lost count of the birthday greetings on my phone. I can't remember how many thank yous I replied on Facebook, so I guess the rain is a good thing because it brings blessings.

My life has been very blessed rich. I have a loving and supportive wife whom I am married to for 7-1/2 years. Each day that pass make me love her even more. We are happy. We are expecting our second child, Simon Zachary in August. I have a solid group of long time friends, and a church in UECP as my spiritual family. Of course my family on my two sides, my own and my in-laws, we are happy and care deeply for each other. I could not ask for anything more. Sure, I may be a willing slave to gadgets and technology, but these are fleeting and provide only temporary gratification and in no way can they make me feel secure and happy and grounded as I am today.

Of course, all the things I am proud of I owe it to the Lord my God who is not tired of showering me with blessing after blessing. I thank Him for His patience faithful and loving despite my weaknesses and fallenness.

As I start my mid-life, I look forward to new experiences, new challenges knowing that my walk in this journey called life won't be lonely because He is with me. Happy birthday to me!

Singapore-KL photos

Here are some of the photos taken during my cheapskate official trip to Malaysia. Enjoy!





Changi Airport while waiting for my connecting flight.

Selamat Datang, Welcome to Malaysia!

KL Ekspres, the train to take me from airport to the city. That's my backpack, right there on the luggage rail.

Someone's got itchy hands. Notice the upper right corner of the sticker was clawed.

My abode at the Sunway Pyramid Hotel where I'll be spending 3 days.

(Above) The coffee shop where I had asian fusion breakfast.

(Below) The facade of the hotel, facing inwards. Would you believe there is a theme park, a surf pool and a mall inside? BTW, their mall have free Wi-Fi.

This rink was near the annex to the hotel. When I left to get dinner and do some groceries, these were the recerational ice skaters. After groceries, they were no longer there but were replaced by two teams of very aggressive hockey players.






(Above) This is the top view of the dome of the mall. The area where I'm in is called the blue atrium, hence the blue dome. The mall is divided into atriums, and each atrium is of a different color (red, blue & green) to easily identify which area of the mall you are in.

(Below) The front lobby of the hotel, guarded by 2 elephants with the mushroom-esque shelter from the rain - is a big attraction for tourists like me who made it a must to shoot a picture of it for souvenir.













(Above) My express train to and from the airport.

(Below) My Cebu Pacific flight back to Manila Its not a full flight, I was trying to stretch my legs over 3 seats, but couldn't sleep because the metal harness of the belt is jutting out of the seat keeps pushing against my back while I try to find a nice sleeping position. I ended having to sleep sitting while the flight attendants push their meals for sale past me and played get me.






















This was the last decent picture before the blur of green, the concrete barrier and the final bump when the plane's tires screeches on the asphalt runway.

My photography wishlist

Being the sucker for technology that I am, I'm wistfully dreaming winning the P150M lotto and all the camera equipments I can potentially buy. I'm a Canon person by persuasion (its a long story), so here's my wishlist. I have other wishlists, but it won't be on this post.

Note: Photos below copyrighted by their respective owners.

1. A decent flash like the Canon 580EX II TTL flash.

2. A macro/portrait lens in the Canon EF f/2.8 100mm USM lens.

3. If I had I macro lens, I should need a:

MR-14 EX Ringflash to capture critters.

4. For my newborn son to be, to take lots of pictures of my cutie bundle of joy, I will definitely need a:

Canon EF f/1.2 50mm prime lens

5. I had been wanting a ultra-wide lens to complete my selection, so here it is:

6. Finally, someone to carry all my equipments :)

7. Oh, and after reading Chico Garcia's blog (http://chicogarcia.wordpress.com/), I also realized I need a Canon G10 and an underwater housing to go with it.

On the road series #1

Many a times when I drive to work where I stop at a red light. One uniformed policeman on a motorcycle will pull up alongside me and after pausing for a few seconds, will cross the red light, or make an illegal U-turn by just a push or two of their sirens.

Even worse are the people inside the heavily escorted SUVs. Their motorcade weave through traffic like their life is in danger. Who do they think they are? Who do the escorts think they are? They are the people who I rank one of the most arrogant in the country.

Now, how can the citizenry respect you as people with authority when you cannot even set a proper example? No wonder the Philippines is at the bottom. Something as simple as model by example cannot even be accomplished by the people in office, so how can you expect the common people to respect you? I lament that the people's tax money are conveniently forgotten once these people are in power or sworn to protect and serve.

The Philippines is always playing 'palo sebo' (a local game where a person would attempt to climb a greased pole to reach the top) When would this game end? It would, if our dear politicians and dear police officers would stop thinking they are above the people and the law and start abiding by the law, even if it is something simple like traffic lights.

Pauper 's Voyage

Whew! I finally got my flight schedules settled. For a regular traveller, a trip to KL would mean a round trip ticket to KL via Malaysian Airlines or Singapore Airlines, but no! A cheapskate like me would scour the airlines for their ultra budget fares and book them, ending up with 3 airlines. Leaving via Jetstar Asia, connecting to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore and back through SilkAir, and back home via Cebu Pacific. Why all these trouble? Simple. I'm spending my own money :) and another plus is I get my passport stamped 8 times instead of 4.