Jf Kinetics

Interview

2011-04-03T18:06:00.000-07:00

As I silently talk to God the other night asking Him for strength, this question suddenly popped in my head.

"What are your strengths and weaknesses?"

And yesterday morning at the church service, I was inspired to hear the verse from Isaiah 40:29-31, where it talks about the Lord giving us the strength. Then when I joined Annie's DG yesterday afternoon, I was surprised to hear the same question being asked. Hmmm, I'm really amazed by God's timing in responding to most of my questions/needs :)

Do you also find it hard sometimes to give the right answer to the question above?

Many of us know that it is one of the standard interview questions yet considered by majority as the most dreaded and difficult to answer.

Some even gets tongue-tied when presented with this question during an interview, while others takes on a serious effort to practice beforehand so they can persuasively deliver what they thought is the suitable response in order to, perhaps, please the interviewer and get the job.

But what if the Heaven has the same interview question before you are allowed to enter? How will you respond?

Well, I'm glad God doesn't see us like any employee trying to land a post in his organization, rather He regard us as His own child longing for His love and care.

I guess your current [or would-be] employer is much more interested in hearing your strengths than your weaknesses -- which can potentially cost you your dream job if you don't articulate your answer well.

However, I believe to God it's quite different. He's more concern about our weaknesses. Because He already knows our strengths, for He gives it to us. The scripture says, He gives strength to the weary... and those whose hopes are in Him, their strength is renewed.

While we are urged to utilise and develop our strengths (Exodus 35:10) ...our gifts (1 Peter 4:10)... we, on the other hand, are also encouraged to lift all our concerns or burdens up to Him (Mat.11:28). Because God's power is demonstrated and is made perfect especially in our weakest point.

2 Corinthians 12:9
"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Needful Hands
By: JoC

To find that I could fall
And still your grace surrounds, pursuing
To freely stumble down
I feel your hands around my heart

You are my eyes when I cannot see
You are my voice, see, sing through me
You are my strength in weakness be...

On this day, God wants you to know...

2010-09-13T02:38:00.000-07:00

I see a lot of this on Facebook. And by just reading through them it gives us the lift we need for the day. Whether you're glad or unhappy, the words are just so comforting. Some people might ask, "what's with those words that upon reading or hearing them we experience joy and peace in our hearts?"

In the recent NY Times news article (you may check this link out), the honorable Mr.Lee (the first Prime Minister of Singapore) said in a statement that though he's not a believer, he finds the sounds soothing -- referring to the phrase from St. Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians that he uses to calm himself by reciting them in his meditation.

If our body needs be fed to keep us physically fit and help us get through the day, I believe same is true with our spirituality. When Jesus fasted for several days the tempter came to Him, when He was hungry the enemy asked Him to turn the stone into bread. What was His response? Well, He didn't give in to the enemy's lies, instead He simply replied...

"It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' (Matthew.4.4.NIV)

We see the need of everyone for a daily dose of encouragement. And I believe God's word is the best source that is readily available. It is living and active, online 24x7 as we term it in modern days. So why wait for the time that we're in dire need before we seek Him if we can talk to Him anytime and anywhere? God wants to talk to us. He's been longing for us. He's always there for us. He even knows our concerns. Conversing with God shouldn't be complicated. As Paul encourages us..

"Do not worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus" (Phil.4:6-7.NLT)

Lord, thank you that you are our Wonderful Councelor, a Great Provider. Thank you that through your Word we see life, we get encouraged, we get reminded of Your faithfulness, and most importantly we get to hear You personally in our hearts. Teach us to become more sensitive in hearing You, O Lord, as you speak to us in various ways and thru Your written words. Help us to learn to acknowledge You in everything we do. And thank you for the assurance that you will never forsake nor leave us... that you long to prosper us. Thank you for your love and for teaching us to love other people. In your sweet name Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Thanks for reading. God bless y'all!

People Need The Lord
Artist: Steve Green / Gary Valenciano (revival)

Everyday they pass me by,
I can see it in their eyes.
Empty people filled with care,
Headed who knows where?

On they go through private pain,
Living fear to fear.
Laughter hides their silent cries,
Only Jesus hears.

People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door.
People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
When will we realize, people need the Lord?

We are called to take His light
To a world where wrong seems right.
What could be too great a cost
For sharing Life with one who's lost?

Through His love our hearts can feel
All the grief they bear.
They must hear the Words of Life
Only we can share.

People need the Lord, people need the Lord
At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door.
People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
When will we realize that we must give our lives,
For peo-ple need the Lord.

People need the Lord.

Hangin' tough..

2010-09-07T18:38:00.000-07:00

I was reading through my old blog this morning in my multiply page (which I copy-pasted below) and I was reminded of God's faithfulness thru this verse..

"The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust Him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving" (Ps.28.7.NLT)

It's always a blessing reading through God's word... truly, it's a good source of encouragement :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tough times don't last, but tough people do!"

What a pretty strong and motivating words from an optimist. I found this line in one of the books I’m reading currently. This phrase allow us to move forward and give us the courage to overcome any obstacles.

I remember when the Apostle John wrote about what Jesus have said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world.”

Jesus is an overcomer! He is indeed “tough” for He overcome the world! Imagine the rejections, the persecutions, the bruises and all the pains He experienced (which He didn’t deserved but He endured anyway because of His love for us), He surpassed all of them! Some skeptics might argue, “of course he can engage himself into that because he is God or at least he claims to be God.”

Well yes, God’s power alone is incomprehensible (Please read through Psalm 145:3/Isaiah 55:8-9). What’s striking about what Jesus had stated is that He conquered the hardest phase in His life without any Godly powers. He lived like one of us (remember Jesus was the Word and the Word become flesh). Knowing that He went through so much torture during His last days here on earth, the kind of torture that neither of us would be willing to undergo nor we’d be able to withstand, He alone have triumphed over these whole ordeal! You can almost hear the pain, we as humans are likely to feel if we’re on the same situation, when he cried out “Father, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Yes tough times don’t last and they are part of this world we're living in. But tough people do! If you watch Fear Factor, Amazing Race, and even the funny “I survived the Japanese Game Show,” their common challenge is.. "will you be tough enough to survive?"

Can we imitate Jesus in trying times? That if we pray to take the cup of difficulties away from us, are we able to pray as well that if it’s God’s will then let His will be done?

Dear Father, we know that tribulations are bound to happen, but we also believe that they are just temporary. Allow us to see these challenges as opportunities. The opportunity to become a strong-willed individual, and the opportunity to draw us closer to you, knowing that you are the source of our strength and in you comes perfect peace. For your power is made perfect when we are weak.

God bless y'all! c",)

Median

2010-06-30T18:55:00.000-07:00

June have gone so fast, and according to Julian calendar today is 182nd day! It's middle of the week and middle of the year, which reminds me that in the midst of everything I shall continue to rest on God. For in our comings and our goings, I believe we'll always be sheltered by His precious love. As the scripture says...

"But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint."(Isa.40.31.NLT)

Enjoy the rest of the week! ciao! c",)

For The Glory of Your Name
Artist: Michelle Tumes

God, You keep us without failing
As You watch us from above
In our comings and our goings
Sheltered by Your precious love
In the pouring rain of mercy
Comes the grace by which we're saved
For the glory of Your Name
For the glory of Your Name

You have touched our lives forever
Can we be the same again?
May our hearts be ever faithful
Ever faithful as a friend
Let us live that we may serve You
Overflowing with Your praise
For the glory of Your name
For the glory of Your name

We behold the Man of Sorrows
Hanging there upon a cross
Where we wounded One so holy
Yet these wounds are life to us
For the blood You shed was perfect
And You finished work we made
For the glory of Your name
For the glory of Your name

TechLife: Will you take a bite? (Last Part)

2010-06-07T21:51:00.000-07:00

In the initial part of this blog, I talked about my impression on the first apple mobile phone. Apple's first attempt in competing with the Finnish and Japanese tech companies who brought us Nokia and Sony-Ericsson products.

And in Part2, I talked about their redesigned shuffle (which they claimed the tiniest mp3 player) that comes with a sleek earphone w/ remote.

While in Part3, I talked about the battle of 2 great OS's, i.e. Windows VS. Leopard, and that's before the Android went through the broken Windows to challenge the Leopard =)

So what now?
Perhaps it's about time to answer my own question.

Yes, I'm guilty as Adam... I also took part, but it was just a tiny bite, hehe ;-)
And no, they didn't had me at Hello (as I'm a green user, haha. -- and I'm starting to get a bit upset with the intermittent signal I'm getting at subway stations).

Okay, if I would be asked to describe what I think apple is good at.. Well, I'd say it's how they revolutionize their existing products. Like this new iPhone 4.

Now that's what I call an upgrade! :)

(vid courtesy of youtuber MichaelStergTv01)

ciao! c",)

P.S.
If you can't view the embedded video above, you may go to this link.

Enough.. yes, God's grace is enough

2010-06-06T07:07:00.000-07:00

Life is full of options. And one of the best is turning things to God. He always stretches His hands to meet our desires. He longs to bless us. The scripture says..

"Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!" Isaiah.30.18

Sometimes we only realize the value of something we currently hold when they're gone. Why would you wait for that if you can simply embrace what He's been giving you. I believe as we begin to understand God's will for us... we'll find that God has always been blessing us with so many things.

So let's present our situations and/or requests to God and let's continue to have a thankful heart.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2.Cor.12.9,10

Have a great week ahead! c",)

Enough
Artist: Passion

All of You is more than enough for
All of me for every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You
Is more than enough

You are my supply
My breath of life
Still more awesome than I know
You are my reward
Worth living for
Still more awesome than I know

All of You is more than enough for
All of me for every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You
Is more than enough

You're my sacrifice of greatest price
Still more awesome than I know
You're my coming King You're everything
Still more awesome than I know

(embedded video courtesy of youtuber extremefaith)

Kung Gusto Mo..

2010-05-10T18:22:00.000-07:00

Kung gusto mong buhay na magulo,
Pumasok ka sa pulitika

Kung gusto mong sumikat,
Pumasok ka sa pulitika

Kung gusto mong yumaman,
Pumasok ka sa pulitika

Kung gusto mong maging presidente,
Pumasok ka sa pulitika

Kung gusto mong pumasok sa pulitika,
Mag artista ka muna!

Nakakalungkot mang isipin
Na ang ating gobyerno'y parang masakit na ngipin
Pag ang sakit ay di mo na kayang tiisin
Kung gusto mo.. ipabunot mo na rin.

Go Philippines For It!

2010-05-09T18:18:00.000-07:00

Unsure who to vote?
Then vote WISELY!

Whoever
Is Not a Puppet
Seriously takes action
Experienced, not just famous
Least corrupt (if u consider 'em all such)
You can count on (not bet on!)

Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

Bangon Pilipinas! God bless Pilipinas.

ciao! c",)

Just let me say this, O Lord...

2010-05-06T19:03:00.000-07:00

You're my Designer, O Lord, for You have designed each of us uniquely.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. (Ps.139.14.NKJV)

You're my Analyst, O Lord, for You understand everything in me.
You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. (Ps.139.1-3.NKJV)

You're my Project Manager, O Lord, for You oversee everything in my life.
Your thoughts and Your ways are always higher than mine (Isa.55.8)
I dare not conform to the pattern of this world, instead I will allow You to lead my life because Your will for me is perfect (Rom.12.2)
Thank you for Your great plans for me (Jer.29.11)

Just let me say how much I love you,
You're my Savior, my Lord and friend.

JUST LET ME SAY
Artist: Darlene Zschech - Hillsong United

Just let me say
How much I love you
Let me speak of your mercy and grace
Just let me live
In the shadow of your beauty
Let me see you face to face
and the earth will shake
as your word goes forth
And the heavens
can tremble and fall
but let me say how much I love you
O my savior, my Lord and friend

Just let me hear
your finest whispers
As you gently call my name
And let me see
Your power and your glory
Let me feel your spirit's flame
Let me find you in the desert
'Til this sand is holy ground
And I am found completely surrendered
To you, my Lord and friend

So let me say
how much I love you
With all my heart I long for you
For I am caught
in the passion of knowing
This endless love
I've found in you
And the depth of grace, the forgiveness found
To be called a child of God
Just makes me say
How much I love you
O my savior, my Lord and friend
Just makes me say
How much I love you
O my savior, my Lord and friend

Rainy Tuesday

2010-03-22T20:10:00.000-07:00

Nonetheless, a blessed day :)

It may look a li'l gloomy outside but it is during this time that we get to really, i mean really, enjoy small things like a piece of bread dipped in a hot cup of coffee (or hot milo as others would prefer to have it), or an extended time tucked in a blanket on a nippy tuesday morning.

I actually don't like rainy days, but thinking how it turned the muggy warm weather we had the past few days into a chilly atmosphere has allowed me to just be simply thankful for the day.

Each day is diff'rent from the other. We could be most of the time happy, yet we may sometime brush through gloomy days. I believe as we approach each day with optimism, it'll certainly stir a thankful heart as we conclude our day. And what happens if we have a thankful heart? We sing praises to God. Ü

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." (Col.3:15-16)

I'm inspired to share today's devotional, pls see below.

Thanks for reading and God bless y'all!

- Jep c",)

Today's Devotion

March 23

Encourage Each Other

I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong-that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith (Romans 1:11,12).

Scripture: Romans 1:8-15

Song: "Blest Be the Tie That Binds"

When a friend shared her heart-breaking trial with me, I was amazed at her strong faith. "Don't you ever get discouraged?" I asked.

"Of course," she replied. "That's why I need to keep in close contact with my Savior through prayer and reading the Bible. I also stay connected to my church, which lifts my spirit. And I thank God for the gift of my Christian friends. Their faith gives me strength, as well."

She then pointed to the apostle Paul, who was a spiritual father to numerous individuals and church groups throughout Asia. He had such a positive faith and was a constant encourager to others, even though he, like all of us, was subject to discouragement at times. That's why he longed to visit the believers everywhere. It's what nourished his faith and brought him joy.

"We all deal with problems too heavy to bear alone," my friend added. "If Paul needed to constantly talk to God and seek the company and encouragement of other Christians to bolster his faith . . . how much
more do I?"

O Lord my God, thank You for the gift of Your presence, Your Word, and Your people-all of which nourish my faith. May I always praise You, even in trying circumstances. In Christ's name, I pray. Amen.

(This devotion is from the book, 365 Devotions)

More Love To Thee..

2010-03-15T01:50:00.000-07:00

I feel blessed today that I just simply wanna sing this song silently in my heart..

More Love To Thee
Artist: Fernando Ortega

More love to Thee, O Christ
More love to Thee
Hear Thou the prayer I make on bended knee.

This is my earnest plea:
More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee..
More love to Thee, more love to Thee..

Once earthly joy I craved,
Sought peace and rest;
Now Thee alone I seek,
Give what is best.

This all my prayer shall be:
More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee..
More love to Thee, more love to Thee..

Then shall my latest breath
Whisper Thy praise;
This be the parting cry
My heart shall raise;

Still all my prayer shall be:
More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee..
More love to Thee, more love to Thee..

PhotoTech+Devotional: Good Ehh!

2010-03-10T01:54:00.000-08:00

Meanwhile in a board meeting:

CEO:"Okay folks, you're in a board meeting so there's no excuse for you to get bored. C'mon, I need you to suggest any new products we can offer"
Creative Staff1:"How about mobile phones?!?"
CEO:"Bright idea! As if none of us have thought of that. Besides, Mr.Jobs seem to have permeated the mobile phone industry with his i..iProducts. I'm beginning to think he produced and directed the movie iRobot. Anyway, any other ideas?"
Creative Staff2:"Digital Cameras! ...sounds good ehh?"

Have you noticed that most electronics manufacturing companies nowadays are jumping into either digital cameras or mobile phone business? You might've heard of GE's digital cameras before. Yes, you read it right.. GE, your flourescent lamp and/or your fridge' brand. This company has unveiled more digital camera lines.

Here's one of 'em.

(image courtesy of GIC)

Well, competition among digital electronics manufacturers could mean a wide array of great new products to choose from :)

Hooray for modern tech! hehe, actually I'm talking about the devotion I read this morning. Check it out below. God bless y'all!

- Jep c",)

Today's Devotion

March 10

Hooray for Modern Technology!

Sing for joy, O heavens, for the Lord has done this; shout aloud, O earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the Lord has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel (Isaiah 44:23).

Scripture: Isaiah 44:21-28

Song: "Shout to the Lord"

We know people misuse the Internet-looking at the wrong things, talking to the wrong people. But it's great to use our computers for good things, isn't it? Many of us conduct business from our homes through the Internet. Research is simplified. We can buy and sell. And e-mail helps us stay in close touch with loved ones.

It's exciting, as well, to use computers to enjoy the magnificent things God is doing. Some churches and radio programs broadcast their services live, shows that can also be accessed later through video archives.

I love using the Internet to see what God is doing in churches all over the world. Using Google, I access God-tube and You-tube to see church worship teams playing a variety of music. I sing and worship with them. Mime and drama teams perform gospel truths right on my screen.

As with most everything God has created or allowed, it can be used for the good or the not-so-good. Computers are no exception. Let us use them for the glory of God.

Thank You, Lord, for the wonderful opportunities the Internet provides. May I use it only for good purposes, promoting the values of Your kingdom and growing in knowledge of Your will. Through Christ, amen.

(This devotion is from the book, 365 Devotions)

The Purifier and the Lid

2010-03-08T22:58:00.000-08:00

I have here in the office this nice white mug that I use solely for drinking water. And to prevent any unwanted particles from hopping in, making my mug their private pool, I bought a ceramic cup lid that fits just right. But even with this cover on, albeit the water's been purified, there's no guarantee that my drink will remain clean and pure. Still, it's comforting to know that I'm taking in safe drinking water. Water-purifiers and refilling stations sprouted because there's a need for us to ensure that the H2O we are consuming everyday stays clean.

Purification and protection are both God's desire for us. I'm not perfect, neither anybody else. So I believe there's a need for us to constantly allow God to purify us. If we try to look at the "purifier" as the Word of God and the "lid" as God's protection thru our prayers, as we meditate daily on His word and converse with Him in prayer, we can be confident that we're being cleansed and always protected. :)

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit (Ps.51:10.12.NASB)

Have a fine Tuesday! God bless Ü

Ciao! c",)

Hiding Place
Artist: Jars of Clay
Album: Redemption Songs

Amidst the sorrows of the way
Lord Jesus, teach my soul to pray
Let me taste Thy special grace
And run to Christ, my hiding place

You know the vileness of my heart
So prone to act the rebel's part
And when You veil Your lovely face
How can I find a hiding place

Hiding place, hiding place

Lord, guide my wandering feet
Draw me to Thy mercy seat
I've nought to trust but sovereign grace
Thou only art my hiding place

How unstable is my heart
Sometimes I take the tempter's part
And slight the tokens of Thy grace
And seem to want no hiding place

Hiding place, hiding place

But when Thy spirit shines within
Makes me feel the plague of sin
And how I long to see Thy face
'Tis then I want a hiding place

Lord Jesus, shine and then I can
Feel sweetness in salvation's plan
And as a sinner plead for grace
Christ, the sinner's hiding place
And as a sinner plead for grace
Christ, the sinner's hiding place

RSF

2010-03-06T18:38:00.000-08:00

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom8.5.NASB)

Redeemer, Savior, Friend
Artist: Darrell Evans

I know You had me on Your mind
When You climbed up on that hill
For You saw me with eternal eyes
While I was yet in sin
Redeemer, Savior, Friend

Every stripe upon Your battered back
Every thorn that pierced Your brow
Every nail drove deep through guiltless hands
Said that Your love knows no end
Redeemer, Savior, Friend

Redeemer, redeem my heart again
Savior, come and shelter me from sin
You're familiar with my weakness
Devoted to the end
Redeemer, Savior, Friend

So the grace You poured upon my life
Will return to You in praise
I'll gladly lay down all my crowns
For the name of which I am saved
Redeemer, Savior, Friend

PhotoTech: Delilah's true love.. Samsung TL 500

2010-03-05T01:22:00.000-08:00

Another breed of high-caliber compact digital camera was seen enticing tech-geeks and photo-enthusiasts at PMA 2010 held at Anaheim Convention Center last month. A worthy LX3 contender I must say, as it sports a wide angle and ultra bright lens @ f/1.8 (Canon and Panasonic are probably raising their eyebrows now since both their products, S90 and LX3 respectively, can only go as fast as f/2.0 aperture). The new Samsung TL 500 is a high-end digital compact camera with PSAM modes -- the functionality that you'd normally find in SLR cameras. It'll be officially out in the market second quarter of this year ('got this release timing info from Samsung's website).

So how is it compared with the tough pocket-able rivals? ..the prevailing & dynamic LX3 and the undaunted S90, that is.

Okay, allow me to pull the tech specs of these two from my previous blog and line up this new TL500 with 'em.

Effective Pixels
LX3 : 10.1 megapixel
S90 : 10.0 megapixel
TL500: 10.0 megapixel

Sensor Size
LX3 : 1/1.63" CCD
S90 : 1/1.70" CCD
TL500: 1/1.70” CCD

Lens Type/Build
LX3 : Leica DC Vario-Summicron Lens
S90 : Canon Lens-Shift System
TL500: Schneider-Kreuznach Varioplan Lens

Aperture
LX3 : f/2.0 (Wide); f/2.8 (Tele)
S90 : f/2.0 (Wide); f/4.9 (Tele)
TL500: f/1.8 (Wide); f/2.4 (Tele)

Focal Length
LX3 : 5.1-12.8mm (35mm equivalent: 24-60mm)
S90 : 6.0-22.5mm (35mm equivalent: 28-105mm)
TL500: 5.2-15.6mm (35mm equivalent: 24-72mm)

Optical Zoom Factor
LX3 : 2.5x
S90 : 3.8x
TL500: 3.0x

Continuous Shooting Speed (in FramesPerSecond)
LX3 : 2.5 FPS
S90 : 0.9 FPS
TL500: not mentioned

Image Stabilization Tech
LX3 : MEGA Optical Image Stabilization System
S90 : Optical Image Stabilizer System
TL500: Dual Image Stabilization System (Optical and Software)

Macro Focusing Range
LX3 : Wide 1cm
S90 : Wide 5-50cm
TL500: not mentioned

Built-in Flash
S90 : Yes
LX3 : Yes
TL500: Yes

External Flash Compatibility
LX3 : Yes, via standard hotshoe
S90 : Nil
TL500: Yes, via standard hotshoe

ISO Sensitivity
LX3 : Auto / 80 - 3200
S90 : Auto / 80 - 3200
TL500: Auto / 80 - 3200

Shutter Speed
LX3 : 60 - 1/2000 sec. (for Manual Mode, while PSA Modes varies)
S90 : 15 - 1/1600 sec. (only for Shutter Priority and Manual Mode)
TL500: not mentioned

Image Recording format
LX3 : JPG, RAW
S90 : JPG, RAW
TL500: JPG, RAW

Video Recording
LX3 : HD 1280x720p
S90 : Standard VGA
TL500: Standard VGA

Basing on the TL500 specs, apart from those details which are not mentioned anywhere yet, i.e burst speed and macro focusing range, I think this digital snapper will be very snappy in terms of delivering good quality image. It is slimmer than LX3 and almost the same size as S90. And it's in black! So what if it's black? Well, you know, black-colored devices have that professional look and they're more elegant. Anyhow, let's see if the numbers and all other features up there will translate to what we should be expecting from this newcomer.

TGIF! God bless y'all.

Ciao! c",)

What a computer and a man ought to say...

2010-03-02T20:32:00.000-08:00

A computer might say, "I can do nothing without human"
A man ought to say, "I can do nothing without God"

Obviously, for an electronic machine to do its job, it must be connected to a power source and operated by human. Otherwise, it's gonna be just a piece of useless electronic device unable to carry out its purpose.

Likewise, I believe we also need to plug ourselves to a power source.. the source of our strength and just allow our loving Savior do His work in us. In John 15:5, Jesus said..
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

Enjoy the rest of the day! ...Have a great Wednesday!

God bless y'all! c",)

I Need You
Artist: LeAnn Rimes

I don't need a lot of things
I can get by with nothing
Of all the blessings life can bring
I've always needed something
But I've got all I want
When it comes to loving you
You're my only reason
You're my only truth

I need you like water
Like breath, like rain
I need you like mercy
From heaven's gate
There's a freedom in your arms
That carries me through
I need you

You're the hope that moves me
To courage again
You're the love that rescues me
When the cold winds, rage
And it's so amazing
'Cause that's just how you are
And I can't turn back now
'Cause you've brought me too far

I need you like water
Like breath, like rain
I need you like mercy
From heaven's gate
There's a freedom in your arms
That carries me through
I need you
Oh yes I do

I need you like water
Like breath, like rain
I need you like mercy
From heaven's gate
There's a freedom in your arms
That carries me through
I need you
Oh yes I do
I need you
I need you

RED: Luck or Love?

2010-02-21T23:54:00.000-08:00

I just read today in yahoo news why the color "RED" symbolizes luck. (I saw the news article earlier, but I dunno why it was removed. Actually they just put up a link to this article from Yahoo!Answers)

Some people may find it interesting and enlightening particularly those who are more than curious about how certain things came to be. It's a cultural belief that anybody may find easy to embrace especially if their ancestors were following the same traditions.. if it's in their bloodline, so to speak. While others wouldn't even care about such -- they'll just accept and follow because it's the norm.

Red is a very strong & passionate color. It may represent love or perhaps connote conflict. Red is the color of successful Singapore. We see a lot of red-colored items in February, as well as during Decemeber. Red is also the color of our blood -- and we know same is true even if you have royal blood :)
In scripture we'll find a very significant story (yes, not from any tales nor legends) about a blood that has been shed for us. A blood of the covenant. A blood of love.

Matthew 26:28 says, "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remmision of sins"

So, would you bank on luck in finding life and success? Or would you rather be guided by His love and naturally receive abundance?

Which would you rather declare, "I must've been very lucky I survived that ordeal," or "I'm protected, loved, and blessed I survived that agonizing test"

I believe things happen for a reason. In John 9:1-3 we'll find this story,
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.

God created us in His own image and likeness, by His grace and faithfulness. We're here NOT out of chance, but of love.. unconditional love :)

Try to think of any phrase, title of a song, or a name that has the word "red" and replace it with either "luck" or "love." Which of the two sounds better? =)

God bless y'all! Ciao! c",)

Here's an interesting read: What about Luck(?)

Faithful and True
Artist: Marc Taylor & Jennine Henderson

I know the thoughts that You think towards me.
Thoughts of peace and not of evil.
You sent Your Son to die for me.
To be my future and my hope.

Lord You are faithful, and I will call to You.
You're always there when I need You.
And in this life, when the world falls down,
Lord You alone are faithful and true.

Jesus said "I go to prepare a place,
That you could always be with Me.
And when I come back,
I'll take you home, for all eternity."

Lord You are faithful, and I will call to You.
You're always there when I need You.
And in this life, when the world falls down,
Lord You alone are faithful and true.

You will wipe away all my tears.
Dry my eyes and calm my fears.
This is the promise that you have made,
When the former things have passed away.

Lord You are faithful, and I will call to You.
You're always there when I need You.
And in this life, when the world falls down,
Lord You alone are faithful and true.

Happy Red Day! c",)

2010-02-11T16:54:00.000-08:00

It's amazing how GPS in mobile phones has greatly improved and continues to advance. With this modern technology we have no reason to get lost. We can even plan our route, and some far advanced devices can give us information such as the flow of traffic and/or petrol, banks, & store locations.

Such tool, and other technological inventions, exist because tech achitechs painstakingly believed it can be done. Yes, anything you can think of nowadays seems possible, mostly in terms of tech doodads.

Thinking all things are possible is agreeable, but believing it.. is notewothy. It's the kind of faith God is expecting from us. In Mark 11:23, Jesus talks about this (you can find the verse quoted in the devotional I attached below). May our sweet and mighty Savior strengthen you everyday. With God all things are possible :)

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." (Mark 10:27)

TGIF!
Happy weekend, V-day, and CNY everyone! :)

- Jep c",)

Today's Devotion

February 12

Moving Mountains

I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, "Go, throw yourself into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him (Mark 11:23).

Scripture: Mark 11:20-25

Song: "Faith Grasps the Blessing"

I once saw a bumper sticker that said, "I'm not lost; I'm exploring." I had to laugh, because I related so well. Call it what you will, the truth is that I get lost very easily. Thankfully, I live within view of the Rocky Mountains. Just knowing they loom to the west is often enough for me to get my sense of direction squared away.

Some days, however, when a storm moves in, I can't see the mountains. The view in any direction looks the same. I'm without my compass.

When Jesus taught His disciples about prayer, He told them they could move mountains. Frankly, those words frighten me. I need my mountains. How else will I know where I am?

The answer, of course, is that I will be right where God wants me to be. I will be more dependent on Him, more trusting of His guidance, more reliant on Him for the next step. I wonder sometimes why we fail to pray for the mountains in our lives to move. Is it because they give us a sense of security, and we're afraid to let go?

Lord, You know the mountains looming in my life right now. Help me look only to You for guidance as I climb. In Jesus' name, amen.

(This devotion is from the book, 365 Devotions)

Pssst! c",)

2010-02-07T19:33:00.000-08:00

It's funny how almost everyone tends to look around when somebody goes "pssst." It is really an attention grabber. And when someone calls out our name and we recognize the voice, we look around immediately for that person.

How do we recognize someone's voice?
I believe it's when we've established some sort of bond with the person. The moment you hear a familiar tone, it links up and searches through the address book embedded in your brain. And that familiar voice also connects to your heart, which in turn will send the type of emoticon your face will display :)

In other words, it's our relationship with someone that enable us to quickly identify their voices. Same is true in terms of hearing from God, it's our relationship with Him that will allow us to easily recognize His voice.

Quoting from Ps.Kenneth's preaching yesterday..

"When we walk with God with intimacy His will becomes our will."

Isn't that amazing? Some of us desperately search for God's will for our lives, but God is simply saying, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps46:10)

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me." (Rev3:20)

Have a blissful week everyone!

- Jep c",)

Today's Devotion

February 8

Listen Up!

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me (John 10:27).

Scripture: John 10:22-30

Song: "The Shepherd of Love"

Our little flock of black-faced sheep always came running when we called. Whether we were standing at the fence with a treat or calling them in for the night, when they heard us, they came. They knew us, and we knew them. We knew Rosie, with her beautiful eyes; Dinger, with his warning bell; Old Mamie, with her bony back. They were a flock, but they were individuals too.

It is no accident that Jesus calls us His sheep. Sheep may throw their heads around and act tough and independent, but without someone caring for them-providing for their basic needs, keeping them safe from danger-they will not survive long. Their dependency, however, is part of what makes them so lovable. One word from the shepherd, and they know that all is well.

Do you know the sound of Jesus' voice? Does it seem distant and hard to hear? Or is it near and familiar? A sheep's job is simple: listen to the shepherd. What is the Shepherd saying to you today?

Lord, sometimes I don't listen very well. My mind wanders as a sheep wanders, nibbling here and there. Teach me to listen, to recognize Your voice above all others. In Your precious name I pray. Amen.

(This devotion is from the book, 365 Devotions)

Goodah c",)

2010-01-30T18:28:00.001-08:00

Lord You Are Good
Artist: Don Moen

Where would I be
If You had not been by my side
How could I rise to meet
The morning of the day
Your tender mercy
Always calling from behind
At times I could not see You
Even though You were close by

Chorus:
Lord You are good
You are good
And Your mercy forever endures
Lord You are good
You are good
And Your mercy forever endures

Help me to see Your loving kindness
Help me to see You as You are
Help me to see Your loving kindness
Help me to see You as You are
As You really really are

He wants what's Best :)

2010-01-29T20:43:00.001-08:00

We sometimes hear these remarks,

"I don't deserve this"
"I'm not worthy of this"
"he/she is just too perfect for me"
"I'm not qualified for that job"

I remember when I was first applying for a job, a young man seated next to me waiting for his turn to be interviewed asked me, "what position are you applying for?" To which I replied, "just the entry level post, this is my first attempt so I hope they'll consider me."
After inquiring about the degree I took he then challenged me by asking, "why don't you apply for the second level post? If they feel you're unqualified for that then you'll always have the entry level position to apply for." I gazed at this young man and inquired, "may I ask which post are you applying for?" He smiled and replied, "PM"

I pondered about what he said when I reached home. I knew there's a reason why I'm seated next to that guy, why he chose to chat with me, and why he challenged me. I was thankful to God that day and have asked Him for guidance & courage as I prepare for my next interview.

We can easily gauge our own capabilities because we know our physical and mental capacity. But what do you think causes us think less of ourselves sometimes? Perhaps the fear of failure? Being less prepared? Or maybe we just need a li'l push, words of encouragement, to take the next step that we know in ourselves we can in the first place. At times when I lack the courage to take the next step, I try to lift myself up to Him instead. Because I believe, "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song." (Psalm28:7).

As we seek Him for guidance and strength in whatever circumstances, He will surely direct our paths for He wants what's best for us! (pls see Jeremiah29:11 and Psalm37:4)

Today's Devotion

January 28

God's Way Is Best

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:6, New American Standard Bible).

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-12

Song: "I Know Whom I Have Believed"

In the records of Judah's kings, Hezekiah stands out as one of the few good kings. He tore down the places of idol worship and reformed their spiritual festivals. He followed the commandments of God and did not make alliances with pagan nations.

If you tour historical sites in Israel, your guide will most likely include Hezekiah's tunnel. It was built as a provision and a defense. To prevent the armies of Assyria from getting a needed water supply, Hezekiah built the tunnel to divert the Gihon Springs, making it flow into Jerusalem at the Pool of Siloam.

The remarkable part of this undertaking was that crews worked from both ends and met in the middle. They made only a few false turns, for the work was guided by the men shouting to each other through the rock.

You can't call the tunnel "straight," because of the twisted layout. But the work was done right. Could it be because of how Hezekiah "acknowledged" his God in righteous living? So . . . how is God guiding your own paths these days?

Holy Spirit, continue to be my true guide. Although my life takes its twists and turns, I depend on You to keep me straight. I trust not in my own understanding, but in Your truth. Through Christ, amen.

(This devotion is from the book, 365 Devotions)

- Jep c",)

They will know...

2010-01-21T20:43:00.000-08:00

It all boils down to one.. i.e. Love :)

Jesus, when asked which is the greatest commandment, gave this answer.. "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' (Matt 22:36-39)

Yes, it's easy to pour out our love to someone we already love, yet it's difficult to love those who have offended or hurt us. But God placed strong emphasis on the importance of loving, that He even instructed us to love our enemies, as recorded in Matthew 5:44.

And here's a good reminder.. I like these verses...

"My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.
Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart." (Prov 3.1-3)

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1Cor13.13)

God's message for me today is coupled with an old worship song revived by my favorite band, Jars of Clay. Allow me to share them with you...

They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love
Artist: Jars of Clay

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity will one day be restored
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah they'll know we are Christians by our love

We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we'll guard each man's dignity and save each man's pride
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

Today's Devotion

January 22

On Loving and Praying

I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44, New American Standard Bible).

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48

Song: "They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love"

The meeting was called to order. The question: Should we continue having Sunday evening worship services? Attendance was low, so we were considering home Bible study groups instead. A vote was taken: Sunday night church would continue.

The man sitting behind me bristled. The decision didn't please him, and he didn't hold back his feelings. (I thought about telling him he needed a serious attitude adjustment, but I kept quiet.)

I couldn't forget about his comments. The next time he taught Sunday school, I thought: How can you preach to me about holiness?

I held onto my contempt, though, until God showed me that I was the one sinning. Jesus said, "Love your enemies," but I was holding a grudge against my brother in Christ. Jesus said, "Pray for those who persecute you," but I wasn't even praying for a man who had been kind to me. I realized I'd never be able to love my enemies, if I couldn't even love those who were more than willing to be a friend.

Dear Lord, please bring to my mind those whom You would like me to love, and for whom I ought to pray. In this way, may I become more like You, through the inner workings of Your Spirit. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

This devotion is from the book, 365 Devotions.

Don't stray.. don't ever go away...

2010-01-19T23:35:00.000-08:00

I've been hangin' around this time in the corner... hehe, LSS.

I'm still waiting for my boss to check the task I submitted yesterday. Meanwhile, allow me to share what God has reminded me today...

----------------------------------------------------

It's amazing and quite exciting to see how technology advances, agree? And sometimes we find ourselves being lured by these latest techs (usually housed in a soap-like shiny plastic with tiny buttons) that we even wish to own one, though what we currently hold still meets our basic needs (ouch! I must say, haha).

Or, there may be times when we get overturned by something and we wanted to just avoid exposing ourselves to what had caused our distressed.

Two strong emotions, excited and upset; the former might lead us to focus on one thing while the latter might cause us to change our course. I remember asking someone when I was a child, "why do they put blinders on race horses? And the plain answer is, to keep 'em from looking sideways & keep their heads pointed in straight direction. So even the 4-legged creature needs to be guided by this so-called "blinders" so they don't lose focus towards the direction their master wants 'em to go.

Which direction are we looking now? Was there anything that stirred our emotions to be disappointed or perhaps be very excited about? How has these affected our focus? And the most important question is, are we fixing our eyes onto something rather than on Jesus? These are just general questions and I'm blessed to read today's devotion because it reminded me of these things. There are a lot of things in this world that can either draw our attention or can cause distractions, and it could be a struggle to some. But if we know to whom we should be fixing our eyes on to, then I believe we'll never sway, reyt? =)

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1,2)

God bles y'all!

- Jep c",)

Today's Devotion

January 20

Keep Your Eyes on Him

But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" (Matthew 14:30, New American Standard Bible).

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-33

Song: "Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus"

Imagine how much more fun Peter could have had in his water-walking experience. If he would have kept his eyes on Jesus, he could have walked directly into his master's happy embrace. But Peter didn't keep his eyes on Jesus. He turned to his left and saw the crashing waves. He jerked to the right at the sound of the howling wind-and he began to sink.

I sometimes do something similar. It seems the longer I pray for a certain thing, the harder it is for me to trust God with it. Doubts come in waves, crashing into my confidence. And I begin to sink, questioning the very thing I believe most: Does God really answer prayer? Will He ever answer mine?

After studying today's Scripture, I realized that doubts only come when I focus on my dire circumstances rather than the power of my Savior. Doubts fill my mind every time I take my eyes off the Lord of all. O, how much more fun when I keep my eyes on Jesus!

Almighty and ever-living God, forgive me for sometimes looking away from You, sinking into worry and doubt. Please, quickly grab my attention every time I look in the wrong direction. In the name of Jesus, Lord and Savior of all, I pray. Amen.

(This devotion is from the book, 365 Devotions.)

Be Thou Near To Me

2010-01-12T19:56:00.000-08:00

I love this song from Jim Brickman's Grace album

Be Thou Near To Me
Artist: Jim Brickman, featuring Selah

Oh, Lord I come with heart, here open
For in my hour of darkness I may be
Seeking the joy of love unspoken
Oh, Lord be Thou near to me

And the holy voices sing Hallelu
Ever will Thy reign be
As I wander through this life
Oh, Lord be Thou near to me

Though in this burden of my making
Yet in the shadows, still a light I see
Maker whose love is not forsaken
Oh, Lord be Thou near to me

And the holy voices sing Hallelu
Ever will Thy reign be
As I wander through this life
Oh, Lord be Thou near to me

And the holy voices sing Hallelu
Ever will Thy reign be
As I wander through this life
Oh, Lord be Thou near to me
Oh, Lord be Thou near to me

(video courtesy of youtuber Uuuunicorn)

Talking to God

2010-01-12T19:13:00.000-08:00

Yay, this is my first post this 2010 :) Happy New Year!

Hmmm, I couldn't think of anything to write.. perhaps I'll just share with you what God has revealed to me in Today's Devotion.

I have learned that communication is one of the keys in building a stronger, fireproof relationship. It also bridges the gap when your families, your partner, or your friends are in distant places. Sending them a warm hello today will surely stretch their face muscles and draw a smile. Likewise, a daily talk to God brings us more closer to Him. Seeking the Lord Almighty for guidance in everything we say or do, certainly God will do His part. Communication and prayer, they're synonymous. So let's communicate more with our loved ones and spend more time as well talking to our sweet Savior :)

God bless you all!

c",)

Today's Devotion:

January 13

The Power of Prayer

Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord,
"Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with
wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes." And
Hezekiah wept bitterly (2 Kings 20:2, 3).

Scripture: 2 Kings 20:1-7

Song: "The Weapon of Prayer"

"One thing I know: God is still on the throne, and prayer changes
things." A youth minister at a Denver church spoke those words more
than once. I always liked that phrase, and furthermore, I believe he
was speaking a great truth.

Hezekiah surely knew this truth. After all, the 20th chapter of 2
Kings beautifully illustrates the power of prayer, the value of
heartfelt petition. The king lingered at death's door-until he prayed.
Then God had mercy and granted 15 more years of life.

Over and over in God's Word we see examples of the power of prayer.
When Nehemiah encountered opposition, he added prayer to his own
defense (see Nehemiah 4:9). And in the New Testament, Peter
miraculously escaped from prison because the church was "earnestly
praying to God for him" (Acts 12:5).

When has God answered your prayers? Why not make a list? And may God
encourage your heart as you remember all the times He has proved
surpassingly faithful.

Lord, You know my needs even before I ask, and You know what is best
for me. Thank You for Your faithful answers to prayer. In Jesus' name,
amen.

This devotion is from the book, 365 Devotions

20.. 10..

2009-12-31T05:02:00.000-08:00

Countdown begins..
This is my 111th post, and also my last this 2009.

While others are listing down top movies of 2009, great music from the pinnacle of the most respected record chart, and of course a lifestyle change list, aka new year's resolution, well I have my own top 10 list. These are just some of the things I'm grateful for.

#10 Thankful for the challenges. For these challenges have allowed me to remain strong and stand firm believing that our Mighty God is always by my side.

#9 - Thankful for the new learnings. Rollerblading and swimming, although I still need to practice more. Well, we're never too old to learn new things, haha.

#8 - Thankful for Singapore. A lot of great things has happened since God brought me in this tiny red dot.

#7 - Thankful for my job. :)

#6 - Thankful for my church. Great people, great friends. Great mentors, great family. Yes, they're my family abroad.

#5 - Thankful for my friends. Need I say more? I'm just thankful I'm blest with many good friends.

#4 - Thankful for the December Outreach. A good reminder to see how truly blessed we are and a great time to share His love and blessings.

#3 - Thankful for my loving family. They are the best people to hang out with. I love them.

#2 - Thankful for AnnieM. 'such a sweet blessing.

#1 - And above all, I'm thankful that we have an amazing and faithful God. The great provider, the author of love, and the reason of our existence.

Happy 2010!!!

c",)

Jollibee na naman..

2009-12-14T21:19:00.000-08:00

I changed the lyrics a bit, kakamiss kase mga kainan sa Pinas..

Ilan tulog na lang, Jollibee na naman,
Sa Wendy's araw'y di lulubog, at sa Max's din mabubusog.
Sa Chowking may manok? pero I like TapaKing's tapsilog,
I love dun magpasko, khit isang linggo.
Hintay ka lang Jollibee nandyan na ko.
Panlasang Tokyo-tokyo forget ang Jollibean!

I Believe..

2009-12-13T21:21:00.000-08:00

"If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you." Jn.15.7.NIV

What a wonderful promise! And all we are to do is to remain in Him at all times.
You see, God knows each of us and our desires. He said this promise not just because He wants to bless us, but because He wants to establish a relationship with us. Continue to fall in love with God and surely, the author of love will bless you more than what you can imagine. We have a mighty God! :)

Celebrate Jesus' love as we celebrate Christmas holiday with family and friends!

Have a pleasant Monday and a blissful week! c",)

I Believe
Artist: Lenny Leblanc

Like a ship on troubled waters
Many sail alone
Mothers weep for sons and daughters
And pray they will come home
For soon it will be harvest time
And all the storms will pass
O what joy I'll find
When I see You at last

You are my resting place
Along the narrow highway
You are my bridge
Across the open sea
You are my Savior
And my passageway to Heaven
O Jesus I believe in You
O Jesus I believe

Father You have seen my struggles
And You have known my fears
But Lord You've been so faithful
To wipe away my tears
So when the world laughs at me
And says I'm just a fool
I will bow my knee
And worship only You

I believe You are the only answer
To life's questions
Lord help me keep my heart
In the right direction.
© 1999 Hosanna

(video courtesy of youtuber SunShylady)

Christmas in everyone's heart...

2009-12-10T08:06:00.000-08:00

I just realized I haven't posted anything yet this month. Quite busy, that is.

Okay, one of the highlights in the past days, as we welcome December, was our Christmas Outreach last Saturday. I have so much to share about our experiences but to sum it all up, the event was just well worth everybody's time ..a time for blessing, a time for reflection, and a time to really go out and share the love God has taught us.

"Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God." 1Jn4.7

And last Sunday, I was so blessed to hear God's word at the church service. And I'm looking forward to hear more of Him, the One born in a manger. I was also happy to hear the meaning of "Bethlehem" in Hebrew. It means "house of bread!" Perhaps that's another reason why God has blest and continues to bless our family bakery business, because Bethlehem in Tagalog (or in spanish) is "Belen"
I really have so much to thank God for. :)

I can feel Christmas in everyone's heart, so allow me to share this wonderful song to all of you. Enjoy and have a good night!

God bless. ciao! c",)

Christmas in Our Hearts
Artist: Jose Mari Chan

Whenever I see girls and boys
Selling lanterns on the street
I remember the child in the manger as he sleeps
Wherever there are people
Giving gifts exchanging cards
I believe that Christmas is truly in our hearts
Let's light our Christmas trees for a bright tomorrow
Where nations are at peace,
And all are one in God

[Chorus:]
Let's sing Merry Christmas and a happy holiday
This season may we never forget the love we have for Jesus
Let him be the one to guide us as another new year starts
And may the spirit of Christmas be always in our hearts

In every prayer and every song
The community unite celebrating the birth of our savior Jesus Christ
Let love like that starlight on that first Christmas morn
Lead us back to the manger where Christ the child was born
So come let us rejoice
Come and sing the Christmas carol with one big joyful voice
Proclaim the name of the Lord

[Chorus:]
Let's sing Merry Christmas and a happy holiday
This season may we never forget the love we have for Jesus
Let him be the one to guide us as another new year starts
And may the spirit of Christmas be always in our hearts

[Chorus:]
Let's sing Merry Christmas and a happy holiday
The season may we never forget the love we have for Jesus
Let him be the one to guide us as another new year starts
And may the spirit of Christmas be always in our hearts

Psalm 23

2009-11-30T07:02:00.000-08:00

Its end of the month, and I'm sure many working professionals had a long day today. I'm glad I'm not one of 'em? Hehe, kidding. Sometimes after a tiring day at work all you wanna do is grab a small snack (that is, if you got so preoccupied earlier at work and you haven't taken anything) then hit the bed.

As I was talking to a good friend earlier, I was reminded of my favorite verse. The psalm of David, Psalm23. I also remember somebody told me about the workplace version of this Psalm. So I googled and found this. I dunno who the real author is (credits to him/her), however, it's worth sharing. Read on..

The Lord is my real boss, and I shall not want. He gives me peace, when chaos is all around me. He gently reminds me to pray and do all things without murmuring and complaining.

He reminds me that he is my source and not my job. He restores my sanity everyday and guides my decisions that I might honor him in all that I do.

Even though I face absurd amounts of e-mails, system crashes, unrealistic deadlines, budget cutbacks, gossiping co-workers, discriminating supervisors and an aging body that doesn't cooperate every morning, I still will not stop, for He is with me!

His presence, His peace, and His power will see me through. He raises me up, even when they fail to promote me. He claims me as His own, even when the company threatens to let me go.

His Faithfulness and love is better than any bonus check. His retirement plan beats every 401k there is! When it's all said and done, I'll be working for Him a whole lot longer and for that, I bless His name.

I hope this will not just conclude your day, but will give you the joy & energy for a fresh tomorrow. It's December olredi! yey! =)

Thanks for reading. G'nyt. c",)

P.S.
You might wanna check this out as well.. Psalm23.NIV.BibleGateway. God bless you.

Reason for this Season

2009-11-24T03:10:00.000-08:00

'tis the season to be jolly
Fa la la la la la, la la la la

I love this holiday season. It's the busiest time of the year. And to Pinoys, Christmas has started as early as September, because to most "BER" marks the beginning of December Season, Lol.

As the year enters 4th quarter, we'll find lots of people preparing for this holiday. High-priced airline tickets, yearend batch prep, adorned streets with glittering lights, sale, shopping spree, heavy traffic, parties, raffle prizes, and gift-giving. Yes, it's the time of the year where almost everyone are excited to share their blessings -- a cool atmosphere rife with generosity =)

My friends initially didn't plan for a Christmas party as most of us will be flying back home and we have committed to do an outreach instead. But we just simply couldn't resist the joy of gift-giving. So when our lovely sister Jejen (the "energizer"..rather, the "organizer) sent out Kris Kringle invites, she received an overwhelming response :)

Here are my makukulit friends (Thanks Jejen for this pic!)

Well, I believe the highlight of this festive season is not food, long vacations, cold weather, christmas decors, nor parties, but the spirit of giving. God started this when He sent his one and only son into this world to offer us all the gift of salvation (Jn3.16). The good news about God's gift was revealed to people by God's angel when Jesus was born.

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. (Lk2.9-11)

And Jesus also confirmed why he came, ...God wants us to experience abundance through Him.

"...I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (Jn10.10.NKJV)

What a great joy knowing this wonderful gift from above. And I'm thankful I have received this gift. I hope we're sharing the same experience. I'm also grateful for my family and friends :)

For this holiday season (or in any other seasons), no matter what gift(s) we receive, let's continue to be thankful (1Th5.18), and acknowledge the gift-giver. And most importantly, in the same way, let's remember to acknowledge God for all these, after all He is the reason for this season.

Thank you all! Thank you Lord! and Happy Holidays!!! c",)

PS. You might want to read this article and be inspired: The Gift or the Giver - What's your focus?

God bless! =)

When nothing else matters..

2009-11-18T01:45:00.000-08:00

"At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory." Lk21.27.NLT

After coming home from a clinic visit, as my clogged nose kept me awake all night, I just grabbed a book, turned on my ipod and hit the bed hoping to wheedle myself into sleep. I heard this track once again from Max Lucado narrating about a scene, describing Jesus' second visit. To some it could be just the sign of the end of days, period. But to Christians it's the day when nothing else matters but the exhilaration in seeing God's glory.

I like how M.Lucado portrayed the scene, it brings such a wonderful feeling of assurance and expectancy. It's not as terrifying as what I've recently seen in the sci-fi disaster film 2012 (nice CGI & effects btw), but it's more of a sight where everyone are, yes still surprised yet excited because it is a day to be anticipated for it is also a day of His promise.

and the narrative goes...

You are in your car driving home. Thoughts wander to the game you want to see or meal you want to eat, when suddenly a sound unlike any you've ever heard fills the air. The sound is high above you. A trumpet? A choir? A choir of trumpets? You don't know, but you want to know. So you pull over, get out of your car, and look up. As you do, you see you aren't the only curious one. The roadside has become a parking lot. Car doors are open, and people are staring at the sky. Shoppers are racing out of the grocery store. The Little League baseball game across the street has come to a halt. Players and parents are searching the clouds.

And what they see, and what you see, has never before been seen.

As if the sky were a curtain, the drapes of the atmosphere part. A brilliant light spills onto the earth. There are no shadows. None. From whence came the light begins to tumble a river of color - spiking crystals of every hue ever seen and a million more never seen. Riding on the flow is an endless fleet of angels. They pass through the curtains one myriad at a time, until they occupy every square inch of the sky. North. South. East. West. Thousands of silvery wings rise and fall in unison, and over the sound of the trumpets, you can hear the cherubim and seraphim chanting, "Holy, holy, holy."

The final flank of angels is followed by twenty-four silver-bearded elders and a multitude of souls who join the angels in worship. Presently the movement stops and the trumpets are silent, leaving only the triumphant triplet: "Holy, holy, holy." Between each word is a pause. With each word, a profound reverence. You hear your voice join in the chorus. You don't know why you say the words, but you know you must.

Suddenly, the heavens are quiet. All is quiet. The angels turn, you turn, the entire world turns - and there he is. Jesus. Through waves of light you see the silhouetted figure of Christ the King. He is atop a great stallion, and the stallion is atop a billowing cloud. He opens his mouth, and you are surrounded by his declaration: "I am the Alpha and the Omega."

The angels bow their heads. The elders remove their crowns. And before you is a figure so consuming that you know, instantly you know: Nothing else matters. Forget stock markets and school reports. Sales meetings and football games. Nothing is newsworthy. All that mattered, matters no more, for Christ has come...

Thanks for reading. God bless you.

c",)

Out of the picture?

2009-11-10T07:34:00.000-08:00

Do you enjoy looking at your stack of photos? Well, I do. I mean even those old prints where you see a skinny or healthier version of yourself with a big smile and wearing outmoded duds ('could be the "in" thing during that time, hehe).

Every time I see 'em when I'm sorting out some stuff at home, I always find myself sitting in one corner leisurely going through each of the photos, contemplating with a silly smile. As I finish browsing them, you'll see in my thought bubble these words.. "It's such a joy seeing myself with my family and/or friends in those Kodak Moments, lol!"

What if I'm not in any of those pictures? Or maybe I'm not even present in any of those events? Do you think I'd be keen to go through 'em over & over whenever I catch sight of 'em? Well, I could still be interested, if those in the photographs are important people in my life. But still, it's really different when you've actually witnessed those captured moments. Otherwise, there's just nothing to reminisce! =)

One time I asked myself these questions, "Do I also picture God included in my life?" "Were there any instances that I took Him out of the picture?"

Okay, I don't wanna dwell in the past. I'm glad that I can picture myself enjoying in His presence, His blessings, and His smile. And that's through my families, friends, church, and workplace. It's my prayer that everyone shares the same experience. Because if we take Him out of the picture, it's gonna be just like an overcast photograph.

They say a picture should tell a story.. it speaks a thousand words. Likewise, including God in our lives would paint both our life stories and His story. Just like a fascinating, full of life photo.

Smile as if like you're being photographed! :)

Thanks for reading. G'nyt and God bless y'all!

c",)

When I See You Smile

Sometimes I wonder
How I'd ever make it through,
Through this world without having you
I just wouldn't have a clue

'Cause sometimes it seems
Like this world's closing in on me,
And there's no way of breaking free
And then I see you reach for me

Sometimes I wanna give up
I wanna give in,
I wanna quit the fight
And then I see you, Jesus
And everything's alright,
everything's alright

When I see you smile
I can face the world, oh oh,
you know I can do anything
When I see you smile
I see a ray of light, oh oh,
I see it shining right through the rain
When I see you smile
Oh yeah, Jesus when I see you smile at me

Oh God there's nothing in this world
that could ever do
What a touch of your hand can do
It's like nothing that I ever knew

And when the rain is falling
I don't feel it,
'cause you're here with me now
And one look at you Jesus
Is all I'll ever need,
you're all I'll ever need

Chorus

Sometimes I wanna give up
I wanna give in,
I wanna quit the fight
And then I see you Jesus
And everything's alright,
everything's alright

Duties and Taxes: What?

2009-11-09T02:54:00.000-08:00

I was looking online for any info pertaining to how duties and taxes are computed in case I bring home a bulky electronic item back to PH, but my searches landed on various non-gov sites who are altruistic enough to offer, well, some handy information. Nonetheless, I still did not find what I was looking for -- even after skimming through the Bureau's website. I did found, however, an FAQs (the most informative section in their site) which somehow could still be misinterpreted by some (their staff included, hah!). Hence they have this one line disclaimer at the bottom of that FAQ section that says..

"Note: This FAQs is merely a guide and does not contain all Customs rules and regulations."

So what comprises the fees being charged to the items subject to duties and taxes? Can we at least get an idea of around how much we should be preparing once we get to customs at the airport? And where does all those fees will go, or at least what's the basis of their computation? Has anyone seen this info? Should this be made available to the general public?

At least I can be certain that "yes" is the answer to my last question =)

I came across this blog from a guy who had a terrible experience with the digital media player he purchased online in Sg. He ended up paying almost half the cost of the purchased item. Check out this page for the full story. He even published the receipts and corresponding fees charged that doesn't clearly justify fair cost. You will be surprised at the fees.

I visited Singapore Customs website to see if such info are furnished in their website (and maybe to make some sort of comparison? haha. Okay, okay, I can't compare Ph with Sg. I just hope Ph will make some improvements someday... i really hope.. really hope). Anyhow, I'm happy to see that SG have made all these transparent, even the fees were documented.

SG Customs: Info on Duties and Taxes
SG Customs: Documentation and Fees

Some useful information (I hope..)

Ph Gov Forum: Some Customs Tax Guidelines
PH Embassy in Sg: Duty and Tax Free Priveleges
PH Bureau of Customs FAQs

c",)

TechLife: Will you take a bite? (Part3)

2009-11-08T08:11:00.000-08:00

Why are there so many people nowadays closing their windows and opening their doors to have taste of that.. not red nor green but white.. fruit with a small bite from Mr.Jobs on one side?

Well, I've seen a lot of review comparisons of these two Operating Systems, as well as the machines they're running. Or should I rather say the machines running these two OS's, haha. And yes, they both appeal to various consumers, however, to some it boils down to whether one is a mac or a pc zealot. But among the apple to apple.. err.. apple to pc video comparisons I've seen, this one hits the mark. Unbiased and just straight talk from a normal desktop user. Check out this vid.

(video courtesy of youtuber LACK78)

Without a doubt, Windows has opened the door.. hmm, this doesn't sound right, hehe, okay rephrase.. Windows has succeeded in bringing desktops to our home and offices. Mr.Gates has made significant contributions to the world of computing. But as technology advances, competition gets tougher for the manufacturers of these wares. Some geeks may continue to rant about their antagonists while others are enjoying these clash of the titans since it's us, the consumers, who'll really benefit from such competitions.

So back to my previous question.. will you stick to your well-loved & long-established OS or will you take a bite?

Gnyt! and have a great week ahead! Ciao! c",)

Self Portrait in Papercraft c",)

2009-11-06T08:24:00.000-08:00

When an artist gets inspired to work on something, expect to see a sterling work from that person. Certainly dexterity, passion, and creativity will be his/her key ingredients in making an art piece.

Last month, while other people were busy shopping for an outfit for their Halloween party, this guy named Eric Testroete, created his own costume. Inspired by Big Head mode seen in video games, together with his friend Jen, they designed a wearable 3D self portrait. His friend took his photo, then he rendered his portrait in 3Ds Max and a little help from Photoshop & Mudbox 2010 software, then he printed the image that has hundreds of tiny triangular patterns and he cut it into various shapes. After folding the cut out rendered pieces, he glued them and formed his self portrait paper craft!

Here are some of the images I saw from his website. Excellent isn't it?
Yes scary masks are perfect for halloween, but sometimes a comical costume like this can fit that occasion too! :)

Curious how he made this? Check out Mr.Testroete's site.

Good night and God bless!

Ciao! c",)

C'est La Vie

2009-11-01T07:10:00.000-08:00

It's November 1st! So I was thinking what'll be my first entry for this month. Sharing a song that I like is always on top of my head, and that's because my mind ain't functioning right hence I couldn't think of any sensible thing to blog, nyehehe.

I need to be inspired to be able to come up with something to talk about. So I asked myself, "What inspired me today?"

Okay, this morning I attended the 2nd Sunday service, afterwards I had lunch with friends and ate one dollah ice cream at Orchard with 'em. Then I headed to Tampines CC for my usual agenda, next I enjoyed another free ride home, and finally did my last batch of laundry. :)

What really motivates me to enjoy each day is knowing that God is always by my side. The message today at the service is really encouraging. Thanks to Ps.Larry :) Change is inevitable indeed.

Actually, the phrase I quoted in my blog header somehow talks about the same thing. Yeah, that's life. And effecting change involves making the right choices. And these choices when entrusted to Him, will surely produce better results.

God's love can CHANGE our lives. Or, allow me expound the capitalized word and write it this way..

God's love can..

C hange
H earts
A lmost
N aturally, and this
G reatly
E nriches

..our lives.

Things changes, life changes, it's a fact. C'est la vie. So make the right choice. G'nyt and God bless you. c",)

Dare You To Move
Artist: Switchfoot

Welcome to the planet
Welcome to existence
Everyone's here
Everyone's here
Everybody's watching you now
Everybody waits for you now
What happens next?
What happens next?

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened before

Welcome to the fallout
Welcome to resistance
The tension is here
The tension is here
Between who you are and who you could be
Between how it is and how it should be

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened

Maybe redemption has stories to tell
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here

The joy of being responsible

2009-10-31T05:40:00.000-07:00

This morning as I head towards the bus stop, the lady in front of me threw her used tissue like nobody cares. Noticing that there were people behind her who saw what she just did and perhaps realizing that she's in Singapore, she immediately picked the litter up and threw it in the nearby waste bin, hehehe. If no one's looking, do you think she'll take that extra effort to pick it up again and place it to where it should belong? I don't think so. Well, sometimes some people feels obliged to do what's right only when there are people around 'em, agree? :)

Sabi nga sa isang sikat na ad sa ating bansa..
"Sa mata ng isang bata, ang isang pagkakamali ay nagiging tama kung ito'y ginagawa ng mas matanda."

Basura
Artist: The Youth

Tapon tapon tapon nyo
Basura nyo, itapon nyo
Tapon tapon tapon nyo
Basura nyo, itapon nyo..

(image grabbed from my flickr page)

PhotoTech: Powerful Point-and-Shoot Digicams

2009-10-26T03:23:00.000-07:00

Since Panasonic's award-winning compact digital camera was launched mid 2008, snappers up to now are still waiting for its price to go down. And it doesn't seem to show any signs that the price will drop like what you'd normally expect in most electronic gadgets after certain months of existence, even with the rumored LX4 successor. LX3 has gained tremendous praises from various photographers, be it from amateur or pro. The 24mm wide angle lens and the f/2.0 aperture, the first in this category I believe (not to mention its twin brother D-LUX4 from Leica), has allowed users to shoot better quality images in low light conditions without the need for flash (which is good as built-in flash tends to ruin the image than deliver a fine picture, I mean on some occasions).

Nikon’s high-end compact P6000 have tried to measure up with LX3’s capability but failed, and this product earned various criticisms from enthusiasts instead. I guess this is what the manufacturers will get when their Engineers focuses more on design aesthetics. Canon's G-series (G9/G10/G11), on the other hand, have tried to steal the crown by offering feature-rich compacts with longer focal length and larger pixels. But the steep price of this series and the bulkier & heavier body had caused some potential buyers to look for alternatives.

Still, Canon will not just sit and watch Panasonic rule in this digicam category, so they've introduced yet another powerful compact camera under their Powershot line, called the S90.

By just looking at ‘em, which do you think is better?

(images courtesy of neutralday.com, actually I just grabbed them, hehe)

Well, there’s only one way to find out…

The Battle of the Titans.

See for yourself if this new product from Canon will get them to sit on the "Superior PNS throne" =)

Effective Pixels
S90: 10.0 megapixel
LX3: 10.1 megapixel

Sensor Size (Bigger is Better)
S90: 1/1.7" CCD
LX3: 1/1.63" CCD

Aperture
S90: f/2.0 (Wide); f/4.9 (Tele)
LX3: f/2.0 (Wide); f/2.8 - F/8.0 (Tele)

Focal Length
S90: 6.0-22.5mm (35mm equivalent: 28-105mm)
LX3: 5.1-12.8mm (35mm equivalent: 24-60mm)

Zoom Factor
S90: 3.8x
LX3: 2.5x

Digital Zoom: Same @ 4x

Macro Focusing Area
S90: Wide 5-50cm
LX3: Wide 1cm

Built-in Flash
S90: Yes
LX3: Yes

External Flash Compatibility
S90: Nil
LX3: Yes, via standard hotshoe

ISO Sensitivity: Same @ Auto / 80 - 3200

Shutter Speed
S90: 15 - 1/1600 sec. (only for Shutter Priority and Manual Mode)
LX3: 60 - 1/2000 sec. (for Manual Mode, while PSA Modes varies)

Image Recording format
S90: JPG, RAW
LX3: JPG, RAW

Video Recording
S90: Standard
LX3: HD

No doubt Canon S90 offers promising features in a smaller package. And we may not be comparing apple to apple here, but if you're considering getting a compact digital camera with a wider view and fast lens, S90 or LX3 is for you. Of course, it really depends on one's preference. Biased pa rin ba? haha =)

For the detailed specifications, you may visit these links:
Canon Powershot S90
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3

c",)

Life is..

2009-10-25T08:34:00.000-07:00

Life is like a song,
Composed by God

Life is like an image
Photographed by God

Life is like a movie,
Directed by God

Life is meaningful...
Only when lived with God

Indeed, life will be a meaningful journey when traveled with God.

"Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you."
"Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage" (Ps.84:4.5)

Thanks to Ps.Joshua for the very uplifting message today at the service.

Anyway, you know whenever I listen to my music randomly, there's always one song that'll certainly get into me. So earlier as I head back home, I got really inspired by this song from Lenny Leblanc, hence I'm sharing it. =)

Good night! c",)

I Believe
Artist: Lenny Leblanc

Like a ship on troubled waters
Many sail alone
Mothers weep for sons and daughters
And pray they will come home
For soon it will be harvest time
And all the storms will pass
O what joy I'll find
When I see You at last

You are my resting place
Along the narrow highway
You are my bridge
Across the open sea
You are my Savior
And my passageway to Heaven
O Jesus I believe in You
O Jesus I believe

Father You have seen my struggles
And You have known my fears
But Lord You've been so faithful
To wipe away my tears
So when the world laughs at me
And says I'm just a fool
I will bow my knee
And worship only You

I believe You are the only answer
To life's questions
Lord help me keep my heart
In the right direction

(video courtesy of SunShylady)

TechLife: Con10uum

2009-10-24T01:25:00.000-07:00

Multi-touch concept has changed the way we interact with our desktop computers or mobile phones. Our fingers are no longer limited to keyboard/keypad buttons and mouse-clicks as we can launch application(s) by the touch of a finger, and magnify or reduce an image by pinching gesture.

In order to have a truly remarkable experience interacting with these modern-day gizmos that offer GUI interface, Innovators must also ensure that when implementing such, a higher-bandwidth interaction is considered. Otherwise, users might end up dissatisfied with the idea and would rather do the same the traditional way.

So what can you say about multi-touch interface? Does it make your phone/desktop navigation a lot easier or do you prefer the conventional method? :)

I came across this group over the net called 10/GUI who is trying to revolutionize this concept by offering a more advanced multi-touch functionality. But not everyone is buying this idea, probably because some people are just quibbling and are expecting to see more. This CON10UUM is just like a trackpad but 4x larger giving room to all our fingers. Well, not a bad idea though. And I'm just waiting to see this implemented soon, hah!

Check out this vid below to find out more. I hope the next generation computers will have this as standard feature. Ciao! c",)

Previously on 24..

2009-10-20T07:49:00.000-07:00

The following takes place between 11:15am and 1:30pm
Events occur in real time.

How's life? was the opening question in our Dept. meeting this morning.
And since it's 45 minutes away from lunch hour, nobody responded. There were murmur in different corners, probably coming from the tummies of those people who skipped the important meal of the day, nyehehe.

And as the meeting stretched 'til a quarter before 1 pm, the grumbling tummies roared like angry lions. As the facilitator concluded with a warm Thank You at the end of his slide, and directed us towards delectable dishes, the howling suddenly reverberated like a lost sheep who found his way home. And we were all filled leaving only the silver trays... empty.

The following takes place between 9pm and 10pm
Events occur in real time.

As the elevator door rolled open, I was greeted with a lovely smile by my landlord's li'l daughter with her playmates, and she said.. "Good evening Kuya Jeff! Go and have some dinner inside." I responded with a big smile, then my still full tummy immediately pushed, from small intestine into the large intestine, the still-being-processed food I digested earlier on my way home. Then I blurted out silently.. "Wow! again, food served gratis!" =)

Okay, okay, enough of this 24 episodes. I'm just glad I didn't have to spend a cent on heavy meals today (kase nagtitipid ako! haha). I'm hoping tomorrow will be another blissful day :)

I guess this is the first time I talked about nothing but happy eating. Whether or not I'm making sense, I don't care, as long as my stomach is packed to the gunwales with food, haha!

Ciao!

Now I'm back to the real 24 adventure. G'nyt and God bless! c",)

Let go and you'll understand

2009-10-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

While cleaning my room earlier, I was listening to my OPM tracks and this song from Gary V made me pause to relish the moment. It was timely as I was letting go of old stuff (putting 'em in boxes) leaving only what I need.

Yes, sometimes it's difficult to let go of things, but if we just try to assess and see if it'll benefit us more if we let go, it'll be easier for us to.. just let go.

But this song doesn't just talk about letting go of material things.
It's more than just letting go.. it's about emptying ourselves and opening up to Him to be filled.

It is my prayer that you'll be richly filled as you begin to embrace what He has to offer.

God bless you. Have a great week ahead. c",)

Letting Go
Artist: Gary Valenciano

I used to feel the emptiness inside me
I was not supposed to feel that way
I had everything I needed
But nothing ever made me
What I longed to be
The wealth, the name
The lights, the fame
Were everything to me
And then one night
Out of the blue
I heard His name (Jesus)
And so I took that step of faith
And walked into His domain
I believe that's what He wants
Every heart to do
When hard may seem the task
One step is all He asks of you

Letting go to know the truth
Is not so hard to do
It's the heart that's got the will
To open up for Him to fill
And trusting and believing Him
Is all we've got to do
It's just the heart that's got to move
For Him to show His love that's been there
Even when we never cared
Take hold of His hand
Let go and you'll understand

Why be afraid
For God knows what you're feeling
But even He can't do a thing
If He sees the heart's not willing
And so we ask what's going on
We want what's right and still do wrong
When hard may seem the task
One step is all He asks of you

I guess by now you'd realize
You can't be on your own
And all your cares
And all your burdens
Should be cast upon His throne
Letting go, just let go, letting go
Let go and you'll understand
Just let go and you'll understand

(video courtesy of koolbrosia)

TECH TIPS (Facebook): On tagging

2009-10-18T07:12:00.000-07:00

The most common hits my blogpage normally gets from google searches up 'til now are these entries:
- iTunes tech tips on undoing auto-internet playback
- My Thoughts on Pamahiin (Superstition), and
- Purging add a friend request on Facebook, i.e. if you happen to unintentionally clicked the "add as friend" link. Though, I believe, Facebook have already resolved this issue.

Today, I saw a video about Facebook Safety from a friend and I felt like sharing this as well.. Facebook Tagging. (you can always find these in facebook help page, but I listed 'em down for you for easy reference and added bits of my observations during occasional facebooking, hehe)

A. When somebody tags a photo (or a video) of you from their album or somebody else's album, all your facebook friends will be able to see the entire album particularly if the album was created for everyone to see. This should be fine, but to some it may not be okay esp. if the picture tagged of 'em is something they would rather keep if they have that photo, you know what I mean ;-)

Is there a way to prevent this? Of course there is, you can just remove the tag, haha. Unfortunately, facebook didn't provide the tagging approval functionality. But you can always turn-on your "notifications" so that you'll know when somebody tags you.

Note: When you remove a tag from a certain photo it only means you don't want others (your uncommon friends, hehe) to see the picture, right? You might wanna refrain from posting a comment. Why? Here's a simple equation "Comments = Tags" hehehe.

B. Alternatively, instead of manually removing tags you don't like (KJ! haha, joke, okay okay facebook safety), you may opt to just create your own group list. This way you can be sure that only selected groups or individuals can see your tagged photo(s). How leh?

1) Create a group list (e.g. Family, Friends, Acquaintances, et al)
2) Select CUSTOM from Photos Tagged of You dropdown list
3) Then click Edit Custom Settings link
4) Tick the "Some Friends" radio button then add your preferred group list (you can even exclude individuals, but I guess nobody does this unless you hate someone, haha, kidding. I'm sure you love your friends)
5) Go to your friends list, click Add to List to add each of your facebook friends to the group lists you've created.

That's it! =)

Bear in mind, we are responsible for anything we publish online. So in whichever pages you signup to, first thing you should do is update your profile's privacy settings.

And remember, think before you post. ;-)

Hope you find this useful. G'nyt! c",)

Silly or Funny? Blame it on the tech!

2009-10-17T07:26:00.000-07:00

Innovations are really something that can wow many of us. And as the competition gets tough, creative minds are trying to find various ways to bring something new on the table and arduously vying for the "Innovation Leader" title. However, there are some who might appear to have tried their best, but it just seems as if they ran out of ideas. Or maybe (I'd like to look at it this way) they're just trying to reinvent things to create something that'll give us a good laugh. Cool? Well, up to you =)

New Moon.
Just as December holiday is nearing, so as the new moon. The guys at the Urban-Collector has something for those who ardently follow the Twilight Saga.. the Blood Energy Potion. Well, it's just an energy drink/fruit punch that contains electrolytes & nutrients, and has the same color, look, & consistency of a real blood. hmmm, nyahaha.

Babies are cute.
Yes, babies are adorable, they make you smile. And if they start to cry, just give 'em pacifier and their face will glow back with a lovely smile. But the guys from Bookofjoe is trying to add a li'l humor to this. I think I like the one that says, "Pull to sound alarm" =)

Precision no more.
With this golfclub, even Tigerwoods can still enjoy his game whether it's drizzling or during a 12-noon golfing. Or he wouldn't? The person who designed this can either be very passionate about golfing or he's just too concern about catching colds or probably gettin' sunburned. haha!

Coffee break.
On a busy day at work we only have two breaks.. a toilet break and a coffee break. But will you still go for the latter if you will be sipping your latte from this mug? yaiks, hehe.

(images from this entry are from foolishgadgets.com)

That's all folks. G'nyt!

Ciao! c",)

God breaks the silence..

2009-10-12T08:50:00.000-07:00

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." Jn.1.14

Unless a person communicates to you, in speech or even facial expressions, you can't get to know him or her. What goes on behind the mask of skin will always remain a mystery.

God, too, was a mystery until he broke his silence. He spoke once, and all creation sprang to life -- oceans, whales, giraffes, orchids, and beetles. He spoke again, says John, and this time the Word took the form of man, Jesus.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The short narrative above was an excerpt from the Intro to John found in the devotional study book given by a friend. I like how the author described God's breaking of silence. Indeed, His words gave us life, created us light, taught us love, and brought us redemption.

I was blessed hearing the message yesterday. It was also about hearing from Him as He speaks to our hearts. With all these teachings, I can conclude that.. God is never silent, as a matter of fact.. He breaks the silence.

Thanks for reading. Have a good night. c",)

Trust
Artist: Sixpence None The Richer

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
Lean not on your own understanding
In all of your ways acknowledge Him
And He will make you paths straight
Don't worry about tomorrow
He's got it under control
Just trust in the Lord with all of your heart
And He will carry you through

Lord, sometimes it gets so tough
To keep my eyes on You
When thinks are going rough
But when I turn my eyes up to the sky
And I hear Your voice it says to me

So child do not be weary with the troubles
Of this world I have overcome

(video courtesy of andshra)

TechLife: Olive Oyl's gift to Popeye is...

2009-10-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

...Eye-Fi!

Modern day tech never ceases to amaze me. Last time I blogged about wireless energy where you can charge/power up your phones and other electronic devices or appliances without the irksome cables. Now, even if your camera doesn't have wireless technology, it can be wired.. err.. connected to your wireless pc/laptop! How's that possible? Well, all you need is to slip this wireless SD card called "Eye-Fi" into your digicam. A li'l configuration and you're good to go! Take your cam with you and as soon as you arrive back home, power on your cam and your shots will get automatically uploaded to your laptop -- that's immediately after your EYE-FI shakes hands with your Home WIFI. Cool isn't?

And that's technology c",)

..I wonder what they're up to next, hmmm, Sinam-FI? that's sampayan without wires, nyehehe =P

G'nyt!

Check out this vid to see how it works:

(video courtesy of EyeFiCard)

Spring Worship Unto Thee...

2009-10-06T09:04:00.000-07:00

My first entry for this month, I'll just start off with this hymn.

Hymn
Artist: Jars of Clay

Oh refuge of my hardened heart
Oh fast pursuing lover come
As angels dance 'round Your throne
My life by captured fare You own

Not silhouette of trodden faith
Nor death shall not my steps be guide
I`ll pirouette upon mine grave
For in Your path I'll run and hide

Chorus:
Oh gaze of love so melt my pride
That I may in Your house but kneel
And in my brokenness to cry
Spring worship unto Thee

When beauty breaks the spell of pain
The bludgeoned heart shall burst in vain
But not when love be pointed king
And truth shall Thee forever reign

[Chorus]

Sweet Jesus carry me away
From cold of night, and dust of day
In ragged hour or salt worn eye
Be my desire, my well sprung lye

[Chorus x 2]

Spring worship unto Thee
Spring worship unto Thee

(music video courtesy of vwbeatle16)

The Color of Our Prayers..

2009-09-29T20:04:00.000-07:00

While my home country is still trying to recover from the devastating typhoon, here is yet another natural disaster in other parts of this globe (in south pacific ocean)...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090930/ap_on_re_au_an/as_pacific_earthquake_23

We might find it difficult, somehow, to comprehend why we (esp. those in affected areas) are experiencing these heartrending events. But the scripture says such things are bound to happen. And God expect us to take courage over these (Jn16:33). He promised that He will never leave nor forsake us (Heb13:5).

Earlier this morning, as I recollect the troubling aerial photos of the after effects Ondoy has brought, I couldn't help but imagine our Heavenly Father also looking down from above and seeing the actual scene similar to the aerial photos I'm browsing. Then I remember the story my friend shared (actually just a snippet from the book "Embraced By The Light" by Betty Eadie). The author said, as she shared, that when people prays it produces light.. a light that our Sovereign God sees. And the light our prayers will emit depends on the sincerity of our prayers. Following that idea, in these trying times I believe a simple utterance of "God please help me" or "God please help them" will surely send forth bright lights to heaven. If we all pray continuously, I'm picturing God seeing not just floodwaters.. but floodprayers!

With that in mind, we can consider looking at these trials as.. "God wants to unite us through prayers" So I encourage everyone to continue sending bright lights to heaven.

God bless you c",)

My Heart Will Trust
Artist: Hillsong United

I'll walk closer now on the higher way
Through the darkest night will you hold my hand
Jesus guide my way

O you mourn with me and you dance with me
For my heart of hearts is bound to you

Though I walk through valleys low
I'll fear no evil
By the waters still my soul,
My heart will trust in You
My heart will trust in You

O You counsel me and You comfort me
When I cannot see,
You light my path

Though I walk through valleys low
I'll fear no evil
By the waters still my soul,
My heart will trust in You
My heart will trust in You

My heart will trust in you.

Here's how I visualize the color of our prayers.. just like the earth lights at night :)

(image courtesy of www.almostsmart.com)

Lift Me Up...

2009-09-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

Rich or poor, male or female, young or old.. all that won't matter when calamity strikes. I still feel depressed seeing aftermath pictures of the typhoon Ondoy. They said its Manila's worst flood in over four decades. Though the storm has abated, there are still a lot of houses submerged in already-polluted rainwater. I was so worried when I learned last Saturday afternoon that my brother together with his wife & 2 kids were already on the roof of their rented place, drenched and has nothing to eat as the terrible storm sprang up in an hour. I'm just glad they're okay now. But we're still praying for comfort and protection, not just for them but for all other families that were directly affected by the flash floods as well. I'm delighted to know that there are a lot of people volunteering to help.

This disaster is really traumatic. Saying a prayer for them is the best help we can offer. And if, apart from prayers, your heart would like to bless these victims by other means, you can do so as there are various institutions organizing fund-drive to help our Kababayans, like these (just click to visit the link, and God bless you as you help):

VCF Philippines
GMA-7 Kapuso Foundation

Let's continue to help one another and lift each other up in prayers.

"The Lord is my strength and shield.
I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving." (Ps28.7.NIV)

Flood
Artist: Jars of Clay

Rain, rain on my face
It hasn't stopped raining for days
My world is a flood
Slowly I become one with the mud

Chorus:
But if I can't swim after forty days
and my mind is crushed by the thrashing waves
Lift me up so high that I cannot fall
Lift me up
Lift me up - when I'm falling
Lift me up - I'm weak and I'm dying
Lift me up - I need you to hold me
Lift me up - Keep me from drowning again

Downpour on my soul
Splashing in the ocean, I'm losing control
Dark sky all around
I can't feel my feet touching the ground

[Chorus]

Calm the storms that drench my eyes
Dry the streams still flowing
Cast down all the waves of sin
And guilt that overthrow me

[Chorus]

Lift me up - when I'm falling
Lift me up - I'm weak and I'm dying
Lift me up - I need you to hold me
Lift me up - Keep me from drowning again

(Here are some heartbreaking pics during and after the storm)

Love Song for a Savior

2009-09-25T09:22:00.000-07:00

Third Day sings with Jars of Clay.. cool!
I dunno if you know these bands, but if you like pop alternative you'll love their songs.. not to mention the stories behind the song lyrics :)

(vid courtesy of ccmconcertlover)

(and this vid courtesy of zachornsey)

Love Song for a Savior
Artist: Jars of Clay

In open fields of wild flowers,
she breathes the air and flies away
She thanks her Jesus for the daises and the roses
in no simple language
Someday she'll understand the meaning of it all
He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
As close a heartbeat or a song on her lips
Someday she'll trust Him and learn how to see Him
Someday He'll call her and she will come running
and fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and she'll pray,

"I want to fall in love with You"

Sitting silent wearing Sunday best
The sermon echoes through the walls
A great salvation through it calls to the people
who stare into nowhere, and can't feel the chains on their souls

He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
As close a heartbeat or a song on our lips
Someday we'll trust Him and learn how to see Him
Someday He'll call us and we will come running
and fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and we'll pray,

"I want to fall in love with You"

It seems too easy to call you "Savior",
Not close enough to call you "God"
So as I sit and think of words I can mention
to show my devotion

"I want to fall in love with You"

"my heart beats for You"

TechLife: So you like foosball..

2009-09-21T07:45:00.000-07:00

Do you wanna play foosball while waiting for your coffee to be served? That is, if someone's sweet enough to make you a cup of coffee, haha.

This coffee table is made of solid poplar, stands about 20" high, and comes with a built-in foosball game. Isn't that great? I think this is ideal for your living room so your guests will have something to keep 'em busy with while you're in the kitchen preparing coffee :)
Just make sure you don't place the coffee on this table while playing the game, otherwise it'll be a very messy game once the players starts to become competitive, nyahaha!

Faith that assures..

2009-09-19T09:04:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite chapter in the scripture is Ps.23, as it talks about..

Contentment
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

Comfort
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

Restoration
He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Conquering Fears and Reassurance
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Strength and Victory
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Provision and Promise
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

So whenever I feel like I couldn't hear from Him.. I try not to get disheartened. Instead, I read through my favorite verses like these from Psalms. I learned that stillness and reading through His words allows me to hear His voice.

..God talks to us through the scriptures :)

Have a blessed night c",)

The Valley Song
Artist: Jars of Clay

...

Chorus
I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy

When death like a gypsy
Comes to steal what I love
I will still look to the heavens
I will still seek your face

But I fear you aren't listening
Because there are no words
Just the stillness and the hunger
For a faith that assures

I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy

Alleluia, alleluia
Alleluia, alleluia

While we wait for rescue
With our eyes tightly shut
Face to the ground using our hands
To cover the fatal cut

Though the pain is an ocean
Tossing us around, around, around
You have calmed greater waters
Higher mountains have come down

A Reason To Believe

2009-09-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

Who can turn water into wine?
And sadness into joy?
And weakness into strength?

Heavenly Father, we thank You for your love and the amazing things You can do.
Hence, we don't need to find any reason to believe..
...for You alone can turn something normal into something beautiful.

G'nyt! c",)

Something Beautiful
Artist: Jars of Clay

If you put your arms around me
Could it change the way i feel?
I guess I let myself believe
That the outside might just bleed its way in
Maybe stir the sleeping past
Lying under glass
Waiting for the kiss
That breaks this awful spell
Pull me out of this lonely cell

Close my eyes and hold my heart
Cover me and make me something
Change this something normal
Into something beautiful

What I get from my reflection
Isn't what I thought I'd see
Give me reason to believe
You'd never keep me incomplete
Will you untie this loss of mine
It easily defines me
Do you see it on my face?
That all I can think about is how long
I've been waiting to feel you move me

Close my eyes and hold my heart
Cover me and make me something
Change this something normal
Into something beautiful
Into something beautiful
Into something beautiful

And I'm still fighting for the word
To break these chains
Can I still pray when I look in your eyes
Stare right back down
Into something beautiful

So close my eyes and hold my heart
Cover me and make me something
Change this something normal
Into something beautiful
Into something beautiful
Into something beautiful
Into something beautiful

TechLife: Apple - will you take a bite? (part2)

2009-09-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

What's the first thing that comes to mind when somebody says "Apple?"

A fruit? ...perhaps if that question is asked some 10 or 15 years ago. But the word "Apple" has evolved from a fruit to becoming a tiny icon that you'll find engraved in todays music players and mobile phones. Well, it's the digital age! So now when you say "apple" you'll hear people responding.. "iPod?" "iPhone?" "iTouch?" aiyooh! Steve Jobs found a way to infiltrate the new generation's mind with apple innovations! That's probably the reason why he got listed as the most powerful businessman a few years back by Fortune Mag. I guess I can say Steve did his Job! haha.

I'm particularly amazed how they made the ipodshuffle so tiny (as small as the Bic ballpen cap) that you can clip anywhere on your clothes while maintaining its classic look. The only external controls you'll see on the player is the power/shuffle button. They designed an earphones with remote that communicates with the shuffle. Hence, you'll ONLY be able to control the volume or jump through tracks using the dedicated apple earphones. So to apple you'd be nitpicking if you get upset simply because your favorite (3rd-party) earphones is flawed when used with the shuffle. C'mon! It's a marketing strategy, yet effective :)

Now you know why Apple has that logo. More and more people are tempted to bite the apple! =)

For this MP3 player, out of five I'll give it 4.5 stars.

Here's their latest edition..

Looking for signs (?)

2009-09-12T08:27:00.000-07:00

I remember watching an interesting Amazing Race episode one night as I came home from work. The task was... to be able to drive around the city in a taxi and bring the passengers (who will give the next clue) to whichever destination they choose. We can easily deduce it's a simple task. But wait.. they're in Japan! In Japan most of the cities have road names written in plain Japanese! (Not tourist-friendly huh? Well, they might've thought that visitors aren't gonna "drive" around their busy streets, haha). Imagine being in a foreign land where everything you see and hear are foreign. Well, most will surely end up gettin' lost.

Signs, I mean lucid signs, are essential on roads. Otherwise, it'll cause us to ruffle or get on somebody else's nerves, hehe. And in order for us to get to our destination, somebody or something (like guidebooks) has to decode the signs for us.

In life, do you look for signs? How do you interpret them? Well, admittedly, I used to look for signs until I sussed out that signs can be misleading. I don't know about you but whenever I receive one previously, I use it as a confirmation. Thanks be to Thee that He made me understand that studying His word by reading through the scripture is far better than just asking Him for signs.

The occasions where we can find some people seeking for signs is when they're having a difficult time deciding. A typical example could be, someone maybe planning on resigning from his/her job. Instead of seeking God's will by studying the scripture (and being led by the Holy Spirit), yes some do seek signs from Above but only to see and get a hint if it's okay to leave their job. Yet another example is when a boy pursues a girl (or a girl is being courted), either of 'em might ask in prayer, "Lord, sya na ba? give me a sign, pleassse?"

Well, some people tend to ask God for signs in hopes that they would get quick response from Him. Chances are, they read certain situations/circumstances as a sign for them to proceed on what they perceived to be the right leading. In the scripture, Jesus himself was so surprised when the Pharisees came to test him by seeking signs from heaven. In which He replied, "Why does this generation seek for a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation." It's kinda intriguing why they asked Him for signs because if you read through the same chapter, you'll find that what has transpired prior to the scene where the Pharisees were seen testing Jesus was when He fed four thousand people. So what kind of sign were they asking for?

I discovered that signs are for the roads! And if you need to get to your destination without much of a hassle, plan your trip. Moreover, I learned that when I'm presented with difficult situations, it's a "sign" that I need to seek and study His word :)

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Mat.6.33.NIV

G'nyt! c",)

He is building a house for you

2009-09-05T18:57:00.000-07:00

This is the first time I'm doing this.. blogging-on-the-go. Actually I only write when I'm inspired. Perhaps I can say I am inspired to blog now because I'm heading to Vivo excited to hear God's message.

A long time back I remember standing inside a record bar and I saw a new album entitled "When Christ Comes." I then said to myself, "Is this a soundtrack of the book I'm presently reading?" Curious, I grabbed a copy. The album has a lot of inspiring songs from various artists. And in between songs are Max Lucado's narration lifted from his book of the same title. "It was indeed a soundtrack!" I exclaimed. Anyway, one of the narrations that went and registered itself in my head is this...

Just look at the gifts He has given you: He has sent his angels to care for you, His Holy Spirit to dwell in you, His church to encourage you, and His word to guide you. You have privileges only a fiancée could have. Anytime you speak, He listens; make a request and He responds. He will never let you be tempted too much or stumble too far. Let a tear appear on your cheek, and He is there to wipe it. Let a love sonnet appear on your lips, and He is there to hear it. As much as you want to see Him, He wants to see you more.

He is building a house for you. And with every swing of the hammer and cut of the saw, He’s dreaming of the day he carries you over the threshold. “There are many rooms in my Father’s house; I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you. After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me so that you may be where I am” (Jn.14:2-3).

Have a blissful day! c",)

What Are You Doing About It?

2009-09-05T08:56:00.000-07:00

(Ang pagbabalik ni Juanito at ni Pidro)
Pidro: Pari, lam mu ba gosto ku talaga maging pilutu
Juanito: So what are you doing about it?
Pidro: Wala nga ih, kasi litu ako dahil balak ku rin mag duktor sana
Juanito: What are you doing about it?
Pidro: Ih matanda na kasi aku para magaral ulit. Kaya ngayun gosto ku na lang sana magbisnis
Juanito: Ah.. so what are you doing about it?
Pidro: Midyu lake kasi pohonan kaya inisip ku mag-abrud mona sana pari.
Juanito: Ah mag-abroad.. what are you doing about it?
Pidro: Tika nga, wala ka na ba alam itanung kunde "what r yo duwing abawtit? Naeenis na ko pari ha, gosto na kta kotosan ih.
Juanito: What are you doing about it?

I guess you know what happened next =)

A friend of mine presented me this question back in 2000. She told me someone asked her the same question. It's the type of argument that prompts you to act on something, she added. When you desire something you can ask yourself, "What am I doing about it?" You see, the moment you utter these words, creativity follows because you also begin to ponder what will be your next course of action.

In fact, this question is applicable to almost anything you desire or plan to achieve.
If you want to own a house, a car, or even a new puppy. Notice that when you pose this question to yourself it'll prompt you to, perhaps, start allocating portion of your earnings to acquire 'em.

Do you want to be healthy? Then what are you doing about it? Exercise and watch your diet.
Do you wanna be able to dance Wonder Girls' Nobody? What are you doing about it? Practice! (I know some who does.. haha)
Do you wish to learn new things? So what are you doing about it? Explore, Enroll, Study.
Are you expecting a miracle from God? (or you maybe waiting for God to answer even your simple request). What are you doing about it? Pray without ceasing.

I always get motivated when I ask myself this question. Yes, not all the time I get the result I'm expecting. But realising that I took the initial step somehow brings me joy and a sense of fulfillment. More so when guided by Him. It's always good to seek counsel from the Lord. Paul said, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." So we can simply ask Him this question instead, "Father, what should I do about it?" And He will surely grant you the wisdom you need to fulfill your dreams. As Paul concluded in the next verse following the text I quoted above, "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." ;-)

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you"

Have a good night and God bless!

c",)

While organizing my stuff, I found this note inside one of my books. So I blogged :)
This note was from the same friend I mentioned above =)

PhotoTech: Point and Shoot!

2009-08-31T09:01:00.000-07:00

Just as when shooting images/videos becomes literally using a device to..

..."point and shoot"

Although this pistol camera (Doryu 2-16) was developed in as early as 1954, people became aware of its existence when it appeared in various gadget webbies and was favored as one of the coolest gadget of the week. This was invented intentionally for Japanese Police officers doing surveillance tasks. So it's not for everyone. It's not even a toy. Imagine a typical photographer using this to take photos, I'm sure police officers will seize him.

But even if it's used for surveillance, I don't think it'll be as effective as using a regular or a spy camera. Oh well, weird gizmos are being developed nowadays anyway. Blame it on the tech! haha.

ciao!

Save Me

2009-08-31T08:09:00.000-07:00

I was listening to RX931 live streaming earlier, and in relation to the Philippines' National Heroes Day their discussion topic was somethin' like.. "what is the most heroic deed you've done in your life?"

There were funny responses, and there were also serious ones.. some jaw-dropping stories, to which all you can utter is.. "wow!"

But I guess some will choose not to share theirs. We'll probably just learn about their stories through some people who witnessed the person's heroic act(s). These people are like those fictional heroes where their looks is far from their real identity. Like for the case of Clark Kent who hides his true identity by wearing eyeglasses, hahaha. This is the reason why I'm wearing glasses too (ngeks!) But people often mistaken me for Lex! nyahaha (you know, for obvious reason, hehe)

I believe some of us have stories to tell when posed with the same question. While others will simply have heroes of their own, be it fictional or true heroes of their lives.

Rizal, through his novels (one of his original manuscript can be seen here), was labeled as the Philippines' National Hero. His fearless exposure of the injustices committed by civil spanish officials gave him this mark.

While at the Hall of Justice, SuperFriends (headed by Superman), were on standby and alert, ready to save the world (well, in DC comics)

Seriously though, in times of trouble to whom do we cling on to? I know of a Hero who never hides His identity. Always ready to help. Always there by the call of His name. I believe He is everybody's hero for He chose to die to save the world. Because a hero cares. And now He lives supernaturally to guide and protect us. Because a hero saves. And He's the only hero who gives us strength in times weakness.

So if I am to shift the question to.. "Who do you think is your greatest hero?"

I hope we share the same answer :)

Save Me
Artist: Remy Zero
(Theme from the TV Series Smallville)

I feel my wings have broken in your hands
I feel the words unspoken inside
And they pull you under
And I would give you anything you want to know
You were all I wanted
All my dreams have fallen down
Crawling around

Somebody save me
Let your warm hands
Break right through me
Somebody save me
And I don't care how you do it
Just stay woo hoo
Stay
Come on
I've been waiting for you

I see the world has folded in your heart
I feel the waves crash down inside
And they pull me under
I would give you anything you want to know
You were all I wanted
And all my dreams have fallen down
Crawling around

Somebody save me
And two warm hands break right through me
Somebody save me
I don't care how you do it
Just stay whoo hoo
Stay
Come on
I've been waiting for you

Crawling around
Somebody save me
And let your warm hands break right through me
Somebody save me
I don't care how you do it
Just save you and me
I've made this whole world shine for you
Just stay
Stay
Come on
I'm still waiting for you

TechLife: Swiss Nyayf!

2009-08-25T09:33:00.000-07:00

This so-called Swiss Army Knife is the only complete (at least according to Wenger) multi-function tool that holds a Guinness Record title.

Just by looking at it I'm already confused. I just couldn't imagine how you'll hold this if, let's say, you want to use the bottle opener or nail cutter. I bet even McGyver will get confused. haha.

c",)

So you like FarmVille?

2009-08-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

How about playing2help? Okay, perhaps you might wanna try this simple game. This has been online for quite a while, so you might've seen this page already. I was trying to do an FB application for this (something like RiceVille, hehe) that'll get you to the game without leaving your page, but I realize it'll take me an hour or so before I can publish the page, haha. Maybe some other time :)

Anyhow, I'm just gonna post the link. There are also various categories to choose from so you'll enjoy playing while extending a helping hand.

Enjoy the game and God bless!

Check it out here.... RiceVille

I Promise

2009-08-23T08:14:00.000-07:00

While walking down the park with friends heading towards hawker to have our dinner (after a tiring but fun badminton game -- kaya bale wala yun pawis sa dami ng nakain namin! haha), we talked about how we appreciated and got inspired by the song we heard earlier in the service entitled "Part the Seas."

Someone said she sounded like Jaci Velasquez, a contemporary Christian Latin Pop singer, and I concurred. Since I don't have the lyrics of that song played earlier, I'm just gonna share this piece from Jaci Velasquez instead.

..But before that, commercial muna.. I just wanna share this very very short story -- a funny conversation between Man and our Maker. It goes..

Man: Lord, how long is a million years to you?
Lord: My Son, that's just one minute
Man: Wow! that fast? How much is one million to you?
Lord: It's just a dollar, My Son.
Man: Whoah! That's great! Can I ask then for a dollar? :)
Lord: Okay, I'll give it to you in a minute

Hehe, kidding aside, of course God is true to His promises.
All He expect from us is to continue to believe, and just be glad, for He hears us. And in His perfect time, He will grant whatever it is we're prayin' for :)

G'nyt and enjoy the song!

I PROMISE
Artist: Jaci Velasquez

Lord You know my heart and all my desires
and the secret things I'd never tell
Lord You know them well
Though I may be young I see and understand
that at times like sheep we go astray
and things get out of hand

So I promise to be true to You
To live my life in purity as unto You
Waiting for the day when I hear You say
"Here is the one I have created just for you"

Until then Oh Lord, I will be content
knowing that true love will come some day
It'll only come from You
cause I have seen the suffering
that loneliness can cause
When we choose to give our love away
without a righteous God

So I promise to be true to You
to live my life in purity as unto You
waiting for the day when I hear You say
"Here is the one I have created just for You"

PhotoTech: Suffix

2009-08-19T09:26:00.000-07:00

It's not a surprise seeing high-end dSLRs integrating HD video capability, as digital camera manufacturers continues to explore advance features they can incorporate to their products.

Like this new D300s.

So what does the "s" stands for?
"Sunod?" (in english "next," hehe)
or "Same?" ("same same but diff'rent," as per Thais)
or maybe "Successor?"

Okay, it means "superior," at least according to a photography website I saw. But what I did observed was, when a modern electronic device gets minor improvements, manufacturers add 1 letter suffix to the product's model name (eg. 6230-->6230i or D300-->D300s). And if it's a true product upgrade, they increases the model name (eg. D80-->D90, D60-->D5000, et al)

If you're a li'l upset why Nikon introduced D300s just to find that it's almost the same as D300 only with HD movie-recording capability as its key difference (to which it is really not a big deal to some photo-enthusiasts), well fret not! Because it's more than just that.

Check out this video:

What I especially like is the dual card-slot that can accommodate both the Compact Flash and SDHC :)

So what do you think? a worthy upgrade? Oh well, I'm sticking with LX3 c",)

ciao!

P.S. Did you notice how many "S"'s I used in this entry? haha!

TechLife: "If I could only..

2009-08-18T08:13:00.000-07:00

...carry my iPhone with me anywhere ..even while bathing," an apple-fanatic laments.

Well, the guys from etsy.com might've been contacted by Santa to come up with somethin' that will satisfy.. errmm, rather will "fairly" gratify that folly hankering :)

Tada! Introducing the iPhone soap!

So now you can be with your iPhone while taking a shower. Isn't that great? at least the feeling, hahaha.

If you're ETSYing (pronounced as "itching," hehe) to get this, or if someone gives you this as a gift (as ETSY claims it to be the best gift for iPhone lovers), just make sure you don't place it anywhere near your "real" gadget, otherwise you might end up rubbing your expensive shiny gizmo on your body (or maybe grabbing the soap instead as you set off, haha)

Too bad for FB addicts as they still won't be able to check their FB account while bathing =P

And there's also an iPod soap! Geez.. and this is how apple dominates the market.

Good morning

2009-08-16T19:37:00.000-07:00

If you were to describe your daily life in emoticons, are they like these?

Mon :-|
Tue :-(
Wed :-((
Thu :-/
Fri :-)
Sat :-$
Sun ;-)

I’m sure most of you can relate to some of these. But what if we render these emoticons instead:

Mon :-)
Tue :-)
Wed :-)
Thu :-)
Fri :-)
Sat :-)
Sun :-)

Too good to be true, isn’t it? Yet possible.
For everything that God created is wonderful :)

Some might argue, “But how about those gloomy days? Or the dreadful days? Because I’m pretty sure people experiences such”

Yup, that’s true. Only a small fraction of what we did today may be the same tomorrow but each day will be different from another. Hence, some people have these so-called Gloomy/Rainy days and Happy/Sunny days. And though we may have no control over some things that takes place during the day, but we surely have control over how we respond to them. No matter how dull or awful your day may seem, you can always have the option to turn things another way.

If your boss gets mad at you for bein’ late even just for a minute (okay I’m exaggerating it, hehe) because of uncontrolled situations like you missed the train, or someone cut you off while driving, how you respond emotionally (not physically, of course, haha) matters a lot.

We live in a troublesome world and bad things do happen. The enemy is roaming around seeking someone to devour by trying to disfigure our mind. A good response maybe as simple as acknowledging the presence of our mighty Savior through a simple gesture like thanking Him for such a pleasant day each morning. In doing so, He will definitely send His legions of angels to protect you from enemy attacks -- disappointments, confusions, uncontrolled temper, negative thoughts, or any unhealthy feeling.

Do you remember the story about the Philippian Jailer, when Paul & Silas were in prison and the earthquake shook open the prison doors and broke their chains? The jailer drew his sword and was about to kill himself, for fear that the prisoners might’ve fled. And Paul shouted not to harm himself assuring that all prisoners are still inside. What if Paul and the rest of the prisoners took their chance & escaped? What if the jailer killed himself before Paul sees him? Well, the end of that story was good, for they chose to respond in a good way. They were in control of their emotions.. emotions not corrupted by the enemy but blest by God.

So start your day right, smile, relish every moment with thanksgiving, and by the end of the day you might be surprised by how awesome your day has been :)

“For everything that God created is good..”(1Tim4.4)

Have a great week ahead! c",)

His Grace surrounds me

2009-08-12T08:28:00.000-07:00

Finally home... *burp* ..and just had my dinner.
Hmm, it's my second day stayin' late at work, 'hope this is not the start, hehe. I'm just glad I'm home and sated :)

I wasn't able to catch the perseid meteor shower today. Maybe I'll try & see if I can spot 'em tomorrow, as the celestial calendar shows it'll happen on the 12th and 13th, August. I haven't seen any meteor shower, so I do hope I'll get a glimpse of them, though I'm not sure if they'll be visible here in my area, haha.

Today is a bit tiring, but I'm thankful I'm not jaded as with my former job. And I'm thankful for whatever I do and wherever i am, God's grace surrounds me :)
*Ting!* I just remember a song from Jars of Clay with this lyrics.
Okay, perhaps I'll share it here. G'nyt!

c",)

Needful Hands
Artist: Jars Of Clay

For those under the clouds
Staring up in awesome wonder
As tears come slowly down
I'm reaching up a needful hand

Chorus:
You are my eyes when I cannot see
You are my voice, see, sing through me
You are my strength in weakness be

To find that I could fall
And still your grace surrounds, pursuing
To freely stumble down
I feel your hands around my heart

[Chorus]

You are my strength, my voice, my eyes
I lift up needful hands
You are my strength, my voice, my eyes
I lift up needful hands

[Chorus]

PhotoTech: 1, 2.. smile ..and project!

2009-08-10T09:14:00.001-07:00

Okay Nikon, are you in a rush or something? Because I'm kinda stupefied by how your products evolve. You were the first to introduce dSLR video-capability. And now a projector in a digicam? Well, I ain't saying anything.. I'm just.. overwhelmed, hehe

So when will the big contenders Canon, Panasonic, and Sony be launching theirs? It seems they got hit by Nikon's cannonball for not being the first to introduce this digicam innovation =)

I wonder what will Nikon be bringing to the table next.

Here's another first from Nikon.. the COOLPIX S1000pj..

TechLife: Woof! There it is!

2009-08-09T21:53:00.000-07:00

Do you want to know what your pet dog is saying when he barks?
Well, you can with this Bow-lingual gadget!

This gadget was developed by a Japanese toy company "Takara" and was first launched in 2002. It was then marketed in S.Korea and US the following year. This is simply an emotion analyzer device that tells you what your dog is trying to say when he growls. Although this gadget doesn't prove to be accurate on some tests, but it's definitely fun to see how your dog responds to certain activities when the receiver delivers an analysis close to your dog's behavior when he yelps for something, like in this video.

(shared video courtesy of youtuber PowerLeague)

And here's the bow-lingual 2009 version:

Cool isn't it? =)
Russell: "Can I keep this Bowlingual? Please, please, please?" :)

Nonetheless, it is still a toy, so we shouldn't be expecting much from it. It would be great, though, hearing the analyzed voice directly from the gadget attached to your dog's collar than looking at a receiver. Like what you'll see in the movie "UP" (sorry, I'm not tryin' to spoil the movie, I'm just highlighting possible upgrade this gadget should consider, hehe)

Well, if you haven't seen that movie, you should! And try the 3D!

Dug: "My name is Dug. I have just met you and I love you." "..squirrel!!"

Have a break.. have a kitkat..

2009-08-02T08:29:00.000-07:00

I had a good weekend break, tiring but lots o'fun.
I'm supposed to go to bed now but I craved for an ice cream. Good thing I still have 3 scoops of milo ice cream left in the fridge.

hmm.. yum.. just perfect to conclude my day :)

I just realize an effective way to counter stress...

When you feel stressed, think the opposite.
The opposite doesn't always have to be negative.
I mean, if "stress" is a negative word, the contrasting word is definitely positive, agree?

And putting it literally.. "stressed" when reversed is spelt..
D-E-S-S-E-R-T-S!
So now you're smiling. ..just like me enjoying my ice cream, hehe :)

Okay, allow me to expound each of the dotted letters above.

D - Do the reverse! like what I said above.. think the opposite
E - Eat your favorite snack!
S - Sing your favorite song.. (and dance! c'mon, nobody's around... nobody but u.. u)
S - Share some jokes (as the saying goes.. "laughter is the best _____")
R - Rest (I need it now!)
T - Thanksgiving :)
S - Seek the Word (Inspiration stimulates intellect & positive emotions.. God's Word is a good source of inspiration)

So when exhausted or stressed.. have your DESSERTS! haha

Have a great week ahead! G'nyt.

c",)

Amazing Race, how exciting that sounds?

2009-07-30T07:13:00.000-07:00

"Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!" 1C9.24.NLT

I always wish to be part of Amazing Race someday, where I'll get the chance to travel diff'rent places, meet diff'rent people, and try to succeed various challenges. Exciting, isn't it? If you are given a slot by Phil to participate in this reality game will you take it? Well, who wouldn't? =)

My friends have organized a.. what we call the "Amazing Pasir Race!" Yes, you guessed it! We'll do it in Pasir Ris this Sat!

It'll be the opening season, so we all don't know yet how it will turn out, but I believe it'll definitely be packed with fun and excitement.

I think the participants are all excited, so as the Facilitators (myself included, hence I'm blogging about it, haha)

ciao!

c",)

TechLife: ESC key is next to F1..

2009-07-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

..but that isn't the case on F1 tracks, where racing cars runs at high speed -- about 220mph (or 360kmh). So unlike using your computer where you can just press F1 key for help or hit ESC key when somethin' goes wrong, F1 drivers' skills and agility does not guarantee that they'll be able to ESCape death-trap when confronted with one.

You probably have heard of Felipe Massa's recent accident during the qualifying Hungarian Grand Prix. I was amazed that after bein' hit by a flying debris [from Rubens Barrichello's car, who's running a few distance in front of him], he still managed to reduce the speed of his turbo-charged Ferrari to lessen the impact of the crash (as he knew he would). Imagine a tiny piece of metal flying @ a rate of plus/minus 150mph speed and hitting him on the head, it would've knocked him out instantly. I guess it's a requirement for an F1 driver to be physically fit and with a sharp mind so that they'll know, somehow, what to do when faced with grave danger.

Some news reported Massa attempted to slow down his car (like pressing the ESC key huh? hehe), while other news said that he appeared to be speaking with his race engineer after the crash (sort of pressing the F1 key for help?). So maybe.. just maybe.. this is the reason why ESC key is placed next to F1. Haha =)

Anyway, I've read in F1-tech site that Massa talked about "how much safety has to remain the priority on the track" (see here for his full statement) after his friend Surtees died in a race few weeks before his tragedy. Isn't it ironic?

I was gonna post the crash footage but all the videos I saw in youtube earlier has already been removed for violation whatsover.. even the BBC news coverage was removed. geez. :(

So how's the added safety measures gonna be in the future race? a closed cockpit? ...or just tightening of screws so no object will come flying in or out of the race track? hehe =)

ciao!

c",)

I look beyond the empty cross...

2009-07-21T07:42:00.000-07:00

It's only my second week here and yet I feel so enervated
My mind ain't functioning so I don't have anythin' dash my pen off.
So I'm just gonna share this song I'm currently listening to
I guess this is the loooongest lyrics amongst Jars of Clay songs.

I love this song... and the lyrics too!

Worlds Apart
Jars of Clay

I am the only one to blame for this
Somehow it all ends up the same
Soaring on the wings of selfish pride
I flew too high and like Icarus I collide
With a world I try so hard to leave behind
To rid myself of all but love
to give and die

To turn away and not become
Another nail to pierce the skin of one who loves
more deeply than the oceans,
more abundant than the tears
Of a world embracing every heartache

Can I be the one to sacrifice
Or grip the spear and watch the blood and water flow

To love you - take my world apart
To need you - I am on my knees
To love you - take my world apart
To need you - broken on my knees

All said and done I stand alone
Amongst remains of a life I should not own
It takes all I am to believe
In the mercy that covers me

Did you really have to die for me?
All I am for all you are
Because what I need and what I believe are worlds apart

[Additional lyrics:]

I look beyond the empty cross
forgetting what my life has cost
and wipe away the crimson stains
and dull the nails that still remain
More and more I need you now,
I owe you more each passing hour
the battle between grace and pride
I gave up not so long ago
So steal my heart and take the pain
and wash the feet and cleanse my pride
take the selfish, take the weak,
and all the things I cannot hide
take the beauty, take my tears
the sin-soaked heart and make it yours
take my world all apart
take it now, take it now
and serve the ones that I despise
speak the words I can't deny
watch the world I used to love
fall to dust and thrown away
I look beyond the empty cross
forgetting what my life has cost
so wipe away the crimson stains
and dull the nails that still remain
so steal my heart and take the pain
take the selfish, take the weak
and all the things I cannot hide
take the beauty, take my tears
take my world apart, take my world apart
I pray, I pray, I pray
take my world apart

Poetry: As Usual

2009-07-17T22:11:00.000-07:00

Back to my busy days, my usual life
Now I'm just resting & listenin' to Duncan Sheik's halflife
Maybe someday I'll try to learn how to play the fife
And perhaps use it to serenade my future wife
(haha, but I'd still prefer the guitar)

Nothin' much has changed, but I've discovered new friends
Friends at my workplace and at the congregation, they're all Godsend
Life abroad is not permanent, wherever I am I just try to blend
The best days here, as most would agree, are always the weekends

*Sigh* I dunno what to eat for lunch,
Chicken rice? Saba Fish? or baby Kai Lan?
Choices have become difficult when I started to do away with pork
Well, I guess sticking with the usual might still work.

c",)

TechLife: Honey, I'm using a real mouse!

2009-06-26T01:35:00.000-07:00

I once heard a kid asked, "Why is that device called a mouse?!?" Well, for obvious reason.. it has a tail. The cord, I mean. Earlier models of this pointing device had the cord attached to its rear part. Just hope though that your kid will not ask about the wireless mouse! hah! =P

Anyhow, if it's called a mouse why not use a real mouse?!
Your wish is granted! If you are an exotic pet lover you might want to consider this. The guys from Instructables.com will show you how to build exactly what you're wishing for (again, if you prefer exotic items, hah!)

Click here for the DIY Mouse Mouse!

(image courtesy of coolest-gadget.com/instructables.com)

PS. That instructables website is pretty neat. Has various DIY projects! If you are like Mr.Enteng who butingting everything, you'll find that website interesting!

ciao! c",)

Whom shall I fear?

2009-06-26T00:54:00.000-07:00

After the recent startling query from Arjun Kartoch about the Metro's readiness for potential immense earthquake that may occur and hit Manila anytime, this article is now being spread through emails (a spam?). The news, which was seen published by Inquirer.net last June 17th (can be seen here) and a press release found in Senate of the Congress' website posted last June 20th (check it out here), aimed at informing only the general public to be prepared and not to create trepidation.

But after I've read about it, I was left wondering where did Mr.Kartoch got this information, and why he seem so certain about it occurring (see below excerpt from the news.. emphasis given).

"But although he was sure that the quake would occur, he did not cite a specific timeframe for the event."

There was no report given where he got the information, as the news focuses on how prepared the Philippines is for the so-called the Big One when it strikes. Hmmm, perhaps being the head of the Emergency Services branch of the UN office, his primary concern is to establish public awareness and preparedness. Okay, so maybe I'll just shrug off the idea about him believing a prediction, hehe :)

Sen.Loren Legarda, who's also present at the World Debate conference, firmly said that such prediction has been discussed a decade ago and preparedness is being done. Ows? Talaga?! Okay, for that she'll get my vote, haha, joke!

If you remember, similar prediction came out last year, actually about the same month (you can read the story here). And nothing ensued.

And this year, I guess the reason why such prediction have resurfaced is because of the report about a Total Eclipse that will happen on July 22nd (see here for NASA's report), which will be visible in some parts of Asia. There's also this circulating story about the alleged Eclipse Quake Theory. It contains some scientific findings about how a strong gravitational pull might occur during an eclipse. Well, you know, when certain information is backed by scientific explanations people have the tendency to believe that it's true. I'm not saying that it's not, and I'm not proposing that it is either, hehe. My suggestion is, we can do further digging to verify the validity of such information.

In this link, you will find that the EarthObservatory of Singapore debunked the circulating Earthquake-Tsunami rumour that might occur on the said Eclipse day. O, sino ba talaga nagsasabi ng totoo? haha! :D

So how do you respond to such alarming news? Do you believe and fear that it will happen? Or do you simply ignore such? Well, IMHO, it's not just a question of someone believing a prediction (uh-oh!), nor some icon probably using such for political gimmick (yay!). It's a question about how you, as individual, is prepared :). Do you fear reading or hearing this kind of news? Well, I think majority does -- especially if many believe it's real. Why? Maybe simply because we don't want to see the end yet (if for no other logical reason, and I bet you know what I mean). We all want to enjoy life, and such catastrophe can either lead to a dispirited life or put everything to an end. Even if we say we are prepared, deep inside.. some of us might still be afraid, whether or not it's true. At mas nakakatakot daw isipin lalo na kung madami ka pa plano sa buhay, di ba? =) haha. But you know what? here's the good news... "having God in your heart" will surely clear your mind and ease your heart from this kind of troubling news. And it is through this then that we can confidently proclaim that we are truly prepared for whatever things will come our way.

"The LORD is my light and my salvation.. whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life.. of whom shall I be afraid?"(Ps.27:1)

Thanks for reading. God bless you all!

ciao! c",)

Traffic

2009-06-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

I'm getting a lot of web traffic after posting this article about "pamahiin." Hmmm, marami pa rin ba naniniwala sa mga pamahiin? Or maybe I'm getting the traffic from students researching if there's indeed a scientific basis for these superstitious beliefs.

Rather than look for scientific basis, it would be best to look for biblical basis. "Oh, c'mon that's being too religious!" some might argue. Well, it's not and I believe it's the best way to gain wisdom about life's principle :)

Anyway, speaking of traffic, konting tiis na lang daw at mababawasan na ang traffic sa South! The SLEX rehabilitation is expected to finish this 2009! Really huh?!? hehe. I really hope it will help reduce the traffic.

That's all folks! God bless!

ciao! c",)

PhotoTech: Lights, camera, action!

2009-06-12T09:04:00.001-07:00

First Nikon incorporated video capability into dSLR. Then other digital camera manufacturers took the same route. But Panasonic didn't just took the same path, they were singing along while they were following the yellow brick road!

(image courtesy of Trend Hunter)

Apart from the 1080p HD video recording and its built-in stereo microphone, you may opt to accessorize by attaching an external microphone (as shown above) to produce a true HD video with clear digital sound.

They say this Panasonic Lumix GH1 is a feature-rich camera and better compared to its rivals Nikon D90 and Canon 5D Mark II. A hybrid camera, that is.

Wait.. here comes the Photographer... errm, the Director! :)

Lights, camera, action! =P

TechLife: Take a snap or Snap it on!

2009-05-30T00:17:00.000-07:00

I saw two new gadgets that might appeal to (1) people who loves to take a snap as well as print the photo in a snap, and (2) to those who wants to guard themselves with style from catching any flu.

(1) Miss the Polaroid?

"Remember when you could print your photos instantly? ...You still can!" This is Polaroid's latest catch-phrase in their newest product called the.. Polaroid PoGo!

Yes, I do remember that camera that looks like a waffle maker and prints photos right away. As a matter of fact, I was so amazed when I first saw it (I think back when I was 10), but I was also left wonderin' if they could make it a li'l smaller. And they just did! technology nga naman!

I guess the guys from Polaroid doesn't wanna be left behind, so they took the same route and jumped into pocketable gadgetronics bandwagon.

So here it is:

(2) Are you Paranoid?

With the rise of the Influenza A pandemic, frequently referred to as the swine flu or (A)H1N1 in its common scientific term, people have become more vigilant when it comes to their health. Some are taking vitamins and food supplements to strengthen immune system, while others never forget to carry along an alcogel, and still some wears hygienic mask outdoor for protection - a common scene in Japan.

So the guys from MintDesigners in Japan came up with the idea of "being someone" by making stylish masks! The designer masks, according to likecool, is made of SMASH, a highly thermoplastic nonwoven fabric.

Oh well, talking about ideas. So what do you think, clever or funny? Once again, verdict is yours leh! haha =P

To be someone by Mintdesigners

Superstitions (Mga Pamahiin)

2009-05-26T23:35:00.000-07:00

Ang kwentuhan ni Juanito at ang matalik na kaibigan nyang si Pidro.

Pidro: Uy Pari! anditu ka na pala sa Pinas! Kilan ka pa dumating?
Juanito: Nung isang linggo, mga Biernes Santo ako dumating pre, yun kase nakuha ko pinakamurang flight. Whew! Ang init pala talaga dito, kaya naligo nga agad ako pagdating ko eh.
Pidro: Naku! masama maligu ng ganong araw ah! At alam mu ba pag nagkasogat ka sa araw na yon ih matagal gagaling!
Juanito: Ganun ba? Awa ng Dyos eh wala naman nangyari masama sakin. Anyway, alam mo ba nagulat ako nung naglalakad ako dun sa kalye papunta ako rito, kase bigla ba naman may tumawid na itim na pusa sa harapan ko.
Pidro: Naku! delikadu yon ah. sana domora ka, kase baka may masamang mangyari sayu sa mga darating na araw. Kasi aku non may makita itim na posa, karipas aku ng takbu para omiwas sabay dora. Kaya ligtas aku sa panganib! Kasu nadapa aku nun at somobsub sa dinoraan ku. Piru yon posa lumihis ng daan ba, kaya hayon nasagasaan.
Juanito: Talaga? Salamat sa paalala pre. O sya, heto pala pasalubong ko sayo.. sapatos! at para sa mahal kong pinsan mo na si Petra, heto naman ang magarang mga panyo!
Pidro: Pari naman, gostu mu ba akung underin? Masama magrigalu ng sapatus! Tika, mokhang maganda yan ah. Samahan mu na lang ng barya para ndi magkatutuu. Tsaka tika, eewanan at paeyakin mu lang ba si Pitra? Kase bebigyan mu ng panyu ih!
Juanito: Naku, pre nde! Pasensya na, nde ko kase alam na masama pala magbigay ng mga ganitong bagay. Sige, etong mga tsokolate na lang. Eto ba nde masama ipamigay?
Pidro: Ang alam ku masama kung nde ka mamemigay nyan!

Juanito: Nga pala, ikaw ang bestman ko sa kasal namin ni Petra ha, kaya dapat may pictyur din tayong tatlo para may suvenir. Ano sa tingin mo?
Pidro: Ay ndi aku payag! kasi masama daw magpapectyur ng tatlu, isa daw mamamatay! Madami pa ku planu sa bohay, ikaw ba?
Juanito: (galit na) Pare, matanong nga kita, andami mong alam na pamahiin, alam mo ba kung pano at san nagsimula yang mga yan?
Pidro: uu nga pari, ang tutuu nyan ndi ku rin alam ih. Basta sinosonud ku lang ba. Wala naman masama at walang mawawala kung sosundin ih. Sabi nga ng matatanda, masama kung ndi mu sosundin.

As a child, I've always wondered how these superstitions came to be. As noypis, we grew up in a culture where elders will tell us not to do certain things for fear that it might lead to misfortune. Even without scientific findings or logical reasons, we follow simply because they are the elders whom we look up to for guidance. Actually, I've experimented on some of these a long time back to observe how true and what will happen if I did not follow them (of course without the elders knowing, hehe). Like cutting my finger nails on a Friday, then sweeping the floor in the evening. Did something happen after I did those things? Well, absolutely nothing occurred that night and the succeeding days, except ending up with a fairly trimmed nails and a clean floor!

There's no definite report about the origins of these superstitious beliefs. As I know, they were just inherited from our religious ancestors, to which our grand grandparents passes them on as well to the next generation, and the cycle continues. In my observation, and if you will agree, here are some of the probable reasons why some people follow these superstitions:

1. They are in fact afraid that something bad might actually happen to them. It's somewhat interwoven into their consciousness, or maybe due to coincidental confirmations.
2. They respect their elders. And part of that respect is to follow what was passed on to them, embracing what their ancestors were giving credence to. Thus becoming a tradition.
3. Some are not sure what to believe in, so they just go with the flow. Fitting in was given more importance than the lack of knowledge.

No offense meant to the devout followers of these superstitious beliefs, but IMHO, believing in superstitions means agreeing or allowing the power of darkness to rule over you.

But hear and acknowledge this, believing Only to our loving and sovereign God gives us complete rest over these things (or in anything!). No one needs to worry whether one will die if someone joined in a photograph in groups of 3, or if something bad might happen after bathing on a Friday. Whether you belong to No.1, 2, or 3 in my aforesaid observations, it's always best to know the source if you sense obscurity why you need to adhere to certain belief. Or better yet, seek to know if there's a biblical basis. Biblical teaching is universal, it's not just for any established culture or races.

While I respect other people's beliefs, I just wanna pose this question. Is there really something wrong or are we losing something if we continue to believe in superstitions? Gaya nga ng sinabi ni Pidro in my short story above, "Wala naman masama at walang mawawala kung sosundin ih"

But looking at the scene in Matthew 15:1-3, you'll find that Jesus gave less credit to the tradition. Following the same milieu, we can construe that superstitious beliefs isn't pleasing in the sight of God.

And what we might probably lose is.. our dependence on Him. You see, if God said He will protect us (please see Psalm 91:10-16), then why fear that misfortune could occur by not observing a belief passed on to us? Just give it some thought.

I'll close with this encouraging words from Paul in his letter to Colossians (Col.2:6-8), and a short prayer.

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ."

Lord, we declare that You have all the authority in this world. Thank you that Your promises of protection have a clear indication of the origin, as recorded in your Holy Book. Teach us to abide in your Word only, and not on any unsupported belief. Grant us wisdom and understanding so we may know the truth. The truth about your salvation and your love. So that we can also learn to pass on to our succeeding generations.. the good news instead.

Thanks for reading. God bless you all!

ciao! c",)

Some Suggested Reading:
*What is Superstition, really?
*God's Protection

Just For Your Info:
*Mga Pamahiin (Folk Beliefs)

TECH TIPS (Gimp/X11): Unusual big font!

2009-05-26T07:43:00.000-07:00

If you need a powerful graphics editor and you currently do not have enough budget for a licensed copy of Photoshop, then Gimp (short for General Image Manipulation Program) is the best alternative, whether you're using a Mac or PC. Although you cannot expect the same solid functionalities the Adobe's Image Editing workhorse has, you will still be able to perform advanced graphics editing compared to any other software you can pull for free over the internet.

However, if you're using a mac, you would be needing the X11 (which comes free in the latest OSX installer CD or can be downloaded from Apple website) to install and use GIMP because it uses separate windowing layer.

With the latest updates in OSX (versions 10.5+), you will notice that the normal font of X11 is kinda huge, and so as your other applications using the X11 windowing protocol, e.g. GIMP.

Here's a workaround to change the rather annoying X11's big font size.

1. Make sure X11 isn't running. Now launch Terminal.app and goto this directory: usr/X11/bin
2. Open the script startx in a pseudo window by issuing this command: sudo nano -w startx
(Note: Be careful with sudo commands. This command will allow you to edit programs with security privileges. Hence it'll prompt for password before it opens the pseudo terminal. It is not advisable to edit any secured scripts as it may cause the program/application to behave abnormally. Do it at your own risk, hehe)
3. Then search for the string defaulserverargs="" by pressing
Control W then typing the aforementioned string in the visible command line.
4. Change this string from defaulserverargs=""
to defaulserverargs="-dpi 72"
5. Pressing Control X to exit will prompt you to save your changes. Select Y to save and exit.

There you have it! Open your GIMP (X11 automatically opens) then notice the font in normal 72x72 dpi size.

Hope you find this useful :)

Note.
After installing any recurrent OSX updates, you might need to repeat the above procedure, unless you prefer big fonts, which I don't, hehe.

God bless! ciao! c",)

Poetry and Music: Like a Child

2009-05-18T23:35:00.000-07:00

Do you ever wish you could travel back in time and be a child again? Well, I sometimes do.

Children are amazing, they are energetic, creative, happy, honest, optimistic, enthusiastic, and they have no worries! Isn't that great?

I wish I could be a child again
So I can play in the rain
Do a lot of fun stuff without looking insane
Be simply amazed at everything, like seeing an airplane

I wish to have the kind of faith a child has
With hopeful anticipation on anything he/she ask
A child prays until something happens
Earnestly believing to our Father in heaven

Anyway, allow me to close this with a prayerful song from my favorite pop christian band. Thanks for reading and enjoy the music!

Like A Child
Jars of Clay

Dear God, surround me as I speak,
the bridges that I walk across are weak
Frustrations fill the void that I can't solely bear
Dear God, don't let me fall apart,
you've held me close to you
I have turned away and searched for answers I can't understand

They say that I can move the mountains
And send them [falling / crashing] into the sea
They say that I can walk on water
If I would follow and believe
with faith like a child

Sometimes, when I feel miles away
and my eyes can't see your face
I wonder if I've grown to lose the recklessness
I walked in light of you

[Little girl:]
"I've got joy like a fountain!"
"Be kind one to others"
"In Jesus Christ Your son"

They say that love can heal the broken
They say that hope can make you see
They say that faith can find a Savior
If you would follow and believe
with faith like a child

JF Kinetics Music Player
"Like A Child" - Jars of Clay

PhotoTech: Sigmazooka!

2009-05-15T22:38:00.000-07:00

Ever thought of the idea that weight-lifting and shooting photos can be done at the same time? Nope, I'm not talkin' about getting a weight lifter to be your photoshoot model. I'm referring to this new breathtaking ginormous glass from Sigma. The new ultra telephoto zoom lens Sigma APO 200-500mm F2.8/400-1000mm EX DG.

So lugging around a heavy duty tripod is must if you will opt for this lens, unless you want to pump up those biceps while you're out and about doin' your exciting outdoor shoots. I'd like to call this glass the Sigmazooka!

Here's the specs:

Features a fast aperture of F2.8 at 500mm focal length and F5.6 at 1000mm.

Lens Construction : 17 Elements in 13 Groups
Angle of View : 12.3 - 5 degrees
Number of Diaphragm Blades : 9 Blades
Minimum Aperture : F22
Minimum Focusing Distance : 200-500cm / 78.7-196.9in.
Maximum Magnification : 1:7.7
Filter Size : Diameter 72mm (Rear)
Filter Size : Petal-type Hood
Dimensions : Diameter 236.5mm X Length 726mm 9.3 in. X 28.6 in.
Weight : 15,700g/553.7 oz.
Corresponding AF Mounts : SIGMA, CANON, NIKON

(photo grabbed from gizmodo site, courtesy of Juza)

TechLife: Eco-Wireless Headset?

2009-05-13T08:34:00.000-07:00

So while driving you feel obligated to use your fancy headset that came free with your mobile phone even though you hate wires. And you couldn't use your new bluetooth earpiece either as it easily drains the juice out of your mobile phone's battery; or maybe you're just havin' trouble pairing.

Well, the guys from Cell-Mate came out with.. what else? a cell mate!
It is somethin' like a stainless headstrap that sticks your mobile or cordless phone to your ear. Brilliant or funny? I guess while some geeks will love it, others may simply despise it. Actually, it's a matter of preference.. or a matter of fashion.. or.. sanity? the verdict is yours =)

They made it to CES 2009 though. It's actually cool, errm, what did I just say? ;-)

TechLife: Can you detect my face?

2009-05-12T00:50:00.000-07:00

So you think digital camera is the only consumer electronic device that sports a face-recognition feature?

You might wanna check this out..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: http://www.reevoo.com/

Gadget Watch - Tap with face recognition

If there’s one thing in your house that you thought they’d never computerize, would it be a tap? Well, the guys at iHome have decided that a touchscreen tap with face recognition is the future in household gadgetry. I have to admit, this is pretty cool. The SmartFaucet recognises your face and then remembers exactly what water temperature and pressure you like. And if you get bored while you soak? Just use SmartFaucet to catch up on a few emails or find out how your calendar’s shaping up for the weekend.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TechLife: Youtube Sensation!

2009-05-11T22:35:00.000-07:00

I realized that in most of my blogs I embed video clips from youtube. Hmmm, well, I think probably that's because adding visuals to an article makes it more stimulating. It is like a sauce for that sushi you are eating. Or maybe, everything that anybody wants to talk about are now on youtube, reyht?

You want to get famous while singing inside your bathroom? then post that video on youtube..tube..tube! (echoing like your voice bouncing back & forth on those 4x4-inch tiles surrounding you)

You want to share some tips on cooking, vacuuming, proper way of cleaning your dSLR sensor, or even cleaning your dog's ears, skateboarding, dancing, tree-climbing, or just anything that ends with "-ing," go ahead and make that video & post it too.

You want to write blogs but your fingers are tired or too delicate to press those letters on your keyboard? then do a video blog instead.

You have the newest & coolest gadget and you want everyone to see while you're un-boxing it? (maybe to show the aesthetics of that desirable gizmo), then post it too.

Oh well, it's the youtube sensaaaaaatioN!
Your Own Unique Television Universally Broadcasted Everyday ...how's that for a definition? :)

Nearly almost any type of video clips can be found posted online nowadays. Perhaps all these hype turned up so fast in the advent of pocketable electronic devices -- digicams/videocams, built-in webcams on laptops, mobile phones with tiny cameras, giving everyone the ability to create amateur videos anywhere they go.

A whippersnapper can become suddenly popular by just creating his own channel and airing his talent on youtube. We can actually name some talented individuals who gained publicity through this media. The most popular videos (those with million hits, 5-star rankings, and thousand comments) are likely to become web stars. Imagine their audiences are in different parts of this world. I can only name a few youtube celebrities I know:

Marie Digby - a lovely and talented singer
Esmee Denters - another lovely singer from nether Netherlands :)
Chad Vader - a series of comedy clips produced by tandem Aaron & Matt
Moymoy Palaboy - wacky brothers who are now with GMA-7's Comedy Show Bubble Gang
Charice Pempengco - a young filipina singer who gained web publicity after her performance in a Korean talent show

I wonder, can this be a good point of entry to Hollywood? Haha.
But I guess it is possible especially if you get invited to guest in famous TV shows, like Ellen DeGeneres or in Letterman's =)

Anyway, I find youtube as a good source if you want to learn about something for free, at least the basic. There are good beings out there who generously share basic information or tricks about almost anything. For example some of these videoclip categories I'm benefiting from -- playing guitar, gadget reviews, photoshop techniques, and the hottest news that I might've missed on TV. And if I want to just crack up my day, there are a lot of funny clips also.

Okay, gotta go. I'm doin my own video too! hehe, I'm kidding. I'm just a regular viewer not an active uploader.

ciao! God bless! c",)

Here's an old clip which I find really amusing:
(This clip was embedded from and courtesy of youtuber BlackOleg)

And here's a funny animation commercial:
(This clip was embedded from and courtesy of youtuber paropetje)

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T07:51:00.000-07:00

I'm the person who can accept almost all types music genre.. except, of course, heavy metal. But if I am to pick a music to bring with me when I travel, or do some serious stuff, hehe, I'd be playing those that fall under the "easy listening" category, like Jim Brickman albums. Music accompanied by piano or just simply intrumental piano is soothing.

Anyway, I just wanna share this song from Jim Brickman to express my sincerest gratitude towards my mom. For all the hardwork and sacrifices she offered, for teaching us to be respectful and God-fearing, for treating all of us fairly -- walang paborito but lahat mahal, for her gentleness, for her patience, for.. well I can go on and on describing her.. she carried out perfectly her commitment as a mother that she deserves to get an A+ and a group hug from us all. All I can say is... "I Love You Mama!" and Happy Mother's day!

Happy Mom's day also to all the moms out there! =)

A Mother's Day
Artist - Jim Brickman
Album - Simple Things

...
Have I ever thanked you for everything you've done?
Now all that I can say is, 'I love you Mom.'

Thank you for nursing me through all those colds and fevers;
Thank you for believin' in me when they were no other believers.

And it's never too late to say, 'I love you Mom.'

(Since I couldn't embed a playable mp3 in this blog, I'm posting this video instead. This video clip was embedded from and courtesy of youtuber EnergyzeX)

Fireproof!

2009-05-09T23:55:00.000-07:00

My local church in Singapore had this movie shown on widescreen two weeks ago. And my friend told me that this was indeed a good movie and she encouraged me to try & watch it as well via online streaming.

Well, I must say it's a very inspiring movie. Although the theme suggest that it is for couple, as the story was about saving a failing marriage, actually anybody can learn from (or can even relate to) this film because it also touches on "relationships." Relationship with your co-workers, relationship with your parents, relationship with your partner, and most importantly relationship with our loving Savior.

It's just a short film but it delivers a vast impact to its viewers

"Fireproof doesn't mean that a fire will never come, but that when it comes, you'll be able to withstand it," expressed by one of the character in the movie.

Whenever we experience trouble, we naturally seek to know what's wrong and tries to give our best to solve our problem. And sometimes, we yield towards a solution that we see fit -- a solution often driven by hasty decision -- just to escape from that unwelcome situation.

On some occasions, when somebody gives a Godly counsel, people who are not zealous about their faith may think that it's too religious for 'em. I've been in this situation before (way back 1997 BC), where I find comfort mostly only to the words I wanted to hear.

Anyway, this film have presented 4 important ingredients in a relationship; these are Communication, Understanding, Respect, and Engage . I'm not an expert on this, and to be honest, everyday is a new learning. So just allow me to touch a bit and share my views on these essential ingredients.

Communication
I used to tell former gf that whenever we ran into misunderstanding, we should talk about it to prevent from having an unhealthy argument. Communication is synonymous to talking. But talking isn't synonymous to arguing, so when two persons argue they are not communicating at all. (But this isn't the reason why we parted ways. Let's just say.. perhaps God has better plans for both of us. In fact, we still do communicate, and we're thankful for that. We both believe in the importance of communication).

Understanding
Occasionally disagreements pay us a visit, somethin' like Mr.Understanding meets Ms.Understanding (hehe, just kidding). If we can communicate but doesn't know how to listen, then we might just be talking nonsense. We all know that the key to understanding is listening. And once we understand, it helps to determine not just our needs but of others as well. It also gives us the ability to derive a sound judgement towards any predicament. I believe it doesn't hurt to give way if you really understand the situation. I also believe understanding is tied with patience.

Respect
"Respect must be earned" is a common philosophy. Wonderful, isn't it? Well, such philosophy can come with a price though. How? For example, there will be times that we'll encounter someone showing us no respect. And chewing much on the "respect-should-be-earned" thingy "might" prompt us to respond also in a disrespectful manner. Sabi nga ng iba, "Hinde mo ko nirerespeto, hinde rin kita rerespetuhin!"

On the other hand, "giving respect to get respected" is much more pleasing to our ears, even in essence it also means the same as the initial phrase I quoted, haha. However, when person A shows lack of respect towards person B, it doesn't always follow that person B is not giving enough respect to person A. I can say, respect is pretty much attached to our character. Show lack of respect -- you're forfeiting yours. Give respect -- you'll get yours. I remember back in 1999 when my pastor taught me about how to approach skeptics who might try to argue their beliefs and/or reasoning, he said.. "never argue, just humble yourself by respecting them and praying for them." This applies to relationship as well. Because in so doing, we shun from dispute and it somehow advocates good relationship.

Engage
For me, engage is such a positive word. You cannot just join any competition and expect you'd win.. you have to involve yourself from the beginning to get the pertinent details you need to succeed. If you want to get healthy, one way is to "engage" yourself into sports and a balanced diet.

In another context, engaging is like leading. What makes a successful leader? Of course when his people willingly follows him. Otherwise, it's just nothing more than a title. A good leader is usually characterized by his ability to involve and influence others. And oftentimes, if we are being led by a good leader, there's something in us that wants to imitate their qualities. I believe utilizing these good characteristics can also lead a good relationship. Involving ourselves more to our partner, and influencing can result to us gettin' the same response from her/him.

In this film, they mentioned something like studying your partner. The idea is like getting into a lifelong journey that draws your heart ever closer to your partner. Like if the amount when a man tries to win the heart of a woman is equal to a high school degree, then he should continue to learn about her 'til he earns a college degree, a master's degree, and ultimately, a doctorate degree. I think what they're trying to convey here is that engaging yourself to your partner doesn't just happen before that "M" thing, we are encouraged to continue being in that "engaged moment" even after marriage. In scripture, God engaged himself into us when He sent his beloved Son.

So I guess this is what I learned, rather how I relate to this film. Communication, Understanding, Respect, and Engaging (or CURE for short, hehe) the 4 important ingredients in establishing a fireproof relationship.

Good relationship matters to everyone, especially to God. We recognize that God listens and knows the desires of our heart, yet He still encourage us to ask. That's simply because He wants to establish a good lifelong relationship with us. He longs to communicate to us. And through that, He grants us understanding. When we're inclined to do things our own, He respect that. He always patiently wait even if we're not sometimes.

If you haven't seen this movie, I encourage you to watch it also. Thanks for reading and God bless you all.

(this video clip was embedded from youtube courtesy of youtuber michae4907)

Pacquiao vs Hatton: Pacman is the Hitman!

2009-05-02T22:08:00.001-07:00

KO @ 2nd round! Pacman you're the best! Congratulations!

I remember Hatton's trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr.' statement on TV, "Pacquiao is fast but I don't see skill"
Doesn't he know that Pacquiao's speed is already a skill? :) Mabuhay ka Pacman!

Well, who else' next? =)

(this video clip was embedded from and courtesy of teampilipinas.info)

He split Time!

2009-04-21T06:10:00.000-07:00

Chinese civilization develops under Shang Dynasty (1500-1000 BC)
Solomon succeeds King David, builds Jerusalem temple (1000–900 BC)
Confucius was known to be born sometime 551 BC

Goths invade Asia Minor sometime A.D. 220
Constantine the Great rules (A.D. 312–337)
Vikings and Danes attack Britain (A.D. 988–1000)

In the above historical events, what do you notice? Yes, these are just some of the recorded ancient history. But have you also noticed how historians and archaeologists dated the occurrences of these events? They used BC (meaning "Before Christ") and the abbreviated Latin phrase AD (which means Anno Domini or in plain english means "in the year of our Lord"). Although some would prefer to use the terms "Before Common Era" (BCE) and "Common Era" (CE), they actually have the same meaning.

What is the importance of this? It means Christ's existence on earth is not just as important as those ancient history, rather His existence have become the point reference of the history itself! His "story" was written in every major events in the history, imagine that. Let's take for example the events I listed above. Dating that these historic events occurred sometime between 1500 BC and AD 1000 gives us the idea concerning how old these significant stories really were. If I am to calculate the exact number of gregorian years or julian days from these given timings to this date, of course I would be needing a point of reference. It is like calculating the number of hours needed to travel going from point A to point B. We first identify what variables are involved. So in this case, BC and AD signifies our point of reference.

We can say that the space is divided when God created the heaven and earth in the beginning.
And when God created light, He separated light from the darkness.
In Exodus, we can find a very significant story when Moses, through God's power, divided the red sea.
And in Matthew, we can see two accounts where Jesus divided the loaves and fishes to feed thousands of people.
The bible too was divided in two, where the life story of Jesus began in the new testament.

These leads me into thinking about how our time was divided. A split second may be fast, but you'll discover that a lot might have taken place in that brief moment of time in different corners of this world. In history, the event that split time marked the period when our savior came, which makes us even more conscious regarding Jesus' impact to our world.

What is the impact of His presence in your life? I guess one can narrate his/her own story when he/she first came to know our Savior. We can actually use the same dating method, like how is your life "Before Christ?" and how has Jesus changed your life after you accepted Him into your heart (your own Anno Domini timing or simply your triumphant days/years with the Lord in your heart)?

Jesus' birth was very significant and powerful that we even date our time from it. He split the time!

Thanks for reading. God bless you all!

Some Suggested Reading:
*Why is a minute divided into 60 seconds, an hour into 60 minutes, yet there are only 24 hours in a day?
*Jesus - Our Salvation

Suggested Music:
*BC+AD Who Split Time?
(I own a copy of this CD. The songs are really inspiring, and this album inspired me to write this blog.)

Entertainment: The New Mac Tini!

2009-04-10T13:23:00.000-07:00

I find this clip hilarious. What if they could really make the laptop this small? hahaha =)

Check out this vid. Enjoy!

(video clip courtesy of youtube member immenstrides)

Poetry and Music: Frail

2009-04-09T07:11:00.000-07:00

I remember when I blogged about the kind of news that we hear or see each day. In as much as I don't want to read or get a glimpse of the tragic news, information will simply present itself to me. I must say, there are things in this world that though we can control yet still seem inevitable or they're probably just too exhausting. And there are also things beyond our control, like the recent quake that hit L'Aquila Italy. Sometimes such unfortunate event makes our heart become fragile. No matter what gender or status you have, when calamity strikes, anyone could be a victim. There's only one source of help everyone can immediately cling on to, as described in Isaiah 54:10.

I'll end this short article with this wonderful song from my favorite band.

...Exposed beyond the shadows
You take the cup from me
Your dirt removes my blindness
Your pain becomes my peace.

Check out this vid.
(video courtesy of TageKaliandrino from youtube)

TECH TIPS (Facebook): I clicked on "Add a Friend" request link by mistake, how do I cancel this?

2009-04-09T01:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, to those with adrenalized fingers, I'm sure there were times in your net surfing experience that you furtuitously clicked on certain link in a page (or maybe because your mouse device was setup to autoclick on hotlinks). But that's no problem as you can just hit "back" to return to your previous page or simply close the window you don't intend to view.

Wait, I have another problem! I'm using Facebook and I accidentally clicked on the "Add as Friend" link, I dunno how, it happened so fast and there's no button nor any other links to Undo it! :(
..And I don't understand why Facebook didn't provide another confirmation if this link is unintentionally selected.

Chill out. There's a solution to this actually. But it's not like the other social networking websites where you can revoke such request by a click of a button. And Facebook have provided confirmation form after hitting that friend request link.. EXCEPT if you have more than three (i think) common friends, in which no confirmation form is displayed anymore. Quite silly huh?!? Anyway, here's how:

1. Go to your privacy settings and you'll see a boxed item there where you can block someone.
2. Enter the person's name (his/her facebook name I mean), then click on "Block" button. Another page will open, just proceed by clicking the "Block Person" button.
3. A confirmation message appears on top of that same privacy settings page. Then on the same boxed section, click "remove". That's it! It will automatically purge the friend request you might've "unintentionally" performed earlier.

Cheers! Technology has ways to reverse things, except your life! Haha. So make the most of it! Enjoy life! God bless!

c",)

Why hast thou forsaken me?

2009-04-05T19:26:00.000-07:00

"My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?"

I guess there might a lot people asking the question "why did Jesus cried out these words?" When I was a young boy, I did asked the same question not just once. And the usual follow up question to this is "Did God really abandoned Jesus [His One and only beloved son - Luke 3:22] when He was suffering on the cross?" Also during that time, people who mocked him baffled and said, "He saved others; he cannot save himself!" Matthew 27:42

As I eagerly tried to discover and learn the real message behind these words, it all summed up to one compelling reason.. God's love for us.

What is the significance of this cry and why did Jesus uttered those words if He knew what would happen to him in the first place? (please see Matthew 16:21 and Mark 10:33-34, where he predicted his own death). Actually, the exegesis of these words of Christ from Matthew 27:46 is two-fold. We can observe that (1) Jesus was in real agony and that (2) He was quoting from the scripture, i.e. the first verse of Psalm 22. I'd like to think that the former is about Jesus' real emotion from sufferings, and the latter is about His wisdom. Okay let's try to dissect this a bit and see how we can relate to it.

Jesus in agony
If a friend of yours have a hammer and he suddenly bashed your big toe with it, how would you react? You might cry in pain and ask the big WHY?!? Hehe, okay let's try not to be brutal here. Suppose someone is terminally ill or maybe experiencing great adversity; as humans, people under these circumstances might cry out and speak one of these phrases, "Why is this happening to me?" "When will this come to an end?" "Why did God forsaken me?"

Jesus was just like me and you when He lived here on earth. A being. A word that became flesh and made his dwelling among us. He faced humiliation. He felt the pain. There were blood coming out of His wounds. He even got thirsty Jn 19:28. And the difficult part was, he carried the entire burden of mankind. Following these, we can deduce that it was not just physical pain brought about by the lacerations on his weakening body on the cross and crown of thorns on his head, he was also in emotional pain. He was so concerned about his people that he even humbly asked God to forgive them for being caught unaware of their wickedness Luke 23:34. So it's not but normal that any beings undergoing such sorrow is likely to utter the same throbbing words. Jesus was in agony when he said those words.

And as written, this had to occur in order to fulfill God's redeeming grace for us, his people. God did not totally abandoned Jesus, it was all in accordance to his divine plan. Isaiah 53:10

Jesus quoting from old testament scripture
Read through the entire passages in Psalms 22:1-31 and you will discover that the words of King David transpired during Christ's crucifixion. Was it a prophecy? According to bible scholars it was a prophecy.

6 ..scorned by mankind and despised by the people
7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
16 ..they have pierced my hands and feet
18 ..they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots

Did King David really experienced this? Or it was just a cry of his grieving heart, sort of like an anguished prayer from suffering unjustly? But the real turn of events of what was written here ensued during Christ's sufferings. Jesus hands and feet were literally pierced. "And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots." Matthew 27:35. We all know that being crucified means being NAILED to the cross Acts 2:23. So we can also conjure that King David's prayer to God narrated in Psalm 22 was merely prophesying about the Messiah's fate.

So when Jesus shouted in pain "My God, My god, why hast thou forsaken me?" He was somewhat declaring to the people, by quoting from the first verse in Psalm 22, that the sufferings of Christ that was written has come true on that day at the calvary.

Jesus' last words were.. "it is finished" Jn. 19:30
Notice that the last phrase in Psalm 22 is.. he has done it!

To conclude my seemingly long blog, hehe, about these significant words of Jesus, well I strongly believe God did not forsake his son.. He did all these to fulfill his plan to redeem the world of our sin. God loves us! "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Jn. 3:16

God knows our feelings and our concerns. So when you feel like asking the same question to Him, please remember that He's not turning his back on you. And I believe it's okay to tell God how we feel even in the form of WHY questioning. BUT we must also try to seek wisdom from Him so that we'll not disintegrate, instead remain strong, knowing victory is just one step away.

Thanks for reading and may you all have a blissful and meaningful week.

ciao! c",)

PhotoBlog: iPhoto's Saturation Treatment and What is Color Space?

2009-04-03T06:46:00.000-07:00

On this post I will talk about two things. iPhoto's unusual saturation treatment and basic info on Color Space.

iPhoto Saturation Treatment (?)
When I started using iPhoto, I was already contented with the simple image editing capability it can offer. Until the need to put a text on a certain image I'm editing sprung up, I began searching for a more advanced yet FREE photo-editing software. Because getting a licensed photoshop will cost me an arm and a leg.

Anyway, I spotted a certain degree of saturation embedded on every image I open in Apple's iPhoto [and Preview]. It only became pretty evident when I was tryin' to do serious manipulation of one particular image through Gimp. I initially thought it was a flaw on GIMP since it's just a free software. But after comparing the initial display of images on both iPhoto and GIMP, and searching the net to see if other users have noticed the same snag, it was actually iPhoto's unusual behavior. (You will also observe this if you open an iPhoto-edited picture on Gimp/Photoshop as it will prompt you that the image you are opening have color profile attached to it -- an ICC or Camera RGB profile in a technical term). I initially did not consider this as an issue though, because iPhoto's way of bumping up colors before you do any form of adjustments is quite remarkable (to some extent, hehe). Of course, more often than not, images with a fair amount of saturation is more striking than a normal picture (non-PP'd images I mean). This is why, I believe, there's a "vivid" option in most digicams.

"Should I get bothered with this?" some people unaware of this might ask. Probably you will, once you get a li'l pedantic about the images you want to share to your friends. Or once you engage yourself into digital photography, where you will begin to appreciate colors and recognize between a dull and vibrant colors. You will also find the need to pay attention to this color details as you start publishing your images to the web. I'm sure you don't want surprises like being convinced that your images look just perfect, believing that you (or iPhoto for instance) have properly adjusted and balanced the color tones, only to find out that they look dull on somebody else's browsers. This is where gaining some knowledge about "color space" comes into play.

Color Space
The picture you see on your screen MAY not display the same vibrant colors on other monitors (even if the monitor is calibrated). What I'm trying to say is, if your photos are posted on the web, some people viewing them may NOT likely see the same lively colors you expect them to experience. Like some photos I initially published on Flickr (which I immediately replaced after discovering this), they appear with vivid colors on my laptop. But I got a bit flustered after seeing them on another computer that uses IE browser. Which revealed that mac-based browsers would actually display slightly different colored images from that of a windows-based browser. Just to clarify, I'm not implying any superiority or flaws between the capabilities of these browsers, applications, and systems I'm mentioning here. It's basically about the browser's color management. Internet browsers they treat or handle color attributes quite differently. You will be inclined to think that some sites accepts your photos as they are (whether or not there's an embedded ICC profile in your images), while other sites (Flickr, for example) simply removes them. To be safe, just use the Adobe RGB or sRGB as your working space when editing images so as to retain a balanced or as much color as possible.

This is critical if you're designing a webpage or showcasing your precious digital snaps. To some, this may just be a fraction of what they're doing, but to professional photo-enthusiasts & web designers, I believe this will play a significant part as they do their usual image post-processing. So I think a good understanding of color space is as important as not losing details from your original [raw] images. Well, I'm not gonna talk much about color space here because I found a site which provide a good discussion of what color space really is, and why it is important (especially to digital photographers and web designers).

check out this link to know more about this.
(I just want to give credits to TECHtata, and Ryan Brenizer who authored and shared this good article [see link] that offers a straightforward explanation of color space basics)

Hope you find these useful. c",)

Entertainment: SPELL

2009-04-03T03:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, I said I won't be putting any video links. Maybe.

Well, I don't wanna restrict my blog especially if I like the clip. So, perhaps I'll just be linking to the sites I think will be around the net for a longer period. Like this one from a lovely artist who gained popularity through youtube. She's got the look and the talent, so I would definitely agree she deserve to get noticed.

Here's one of her original composition that I like.

Spell
by Marié Digby
(video clip embedded from and courtesy of Marie Digby's youtube page)

TECH TIPS (iTunes): How to Undo the settings "Use iTunes for internet playback"

2009-03-27T13:30:00.000-07:00

Have you ever, either intentionally or accidentally, clicked on that "SET" button that says "Use iTunes for Internet playback," which is under iTunes Preferences' Advanced tab? Well, I did, and I think out of curiosity, when I was fiddling around with the settings (something I have the habit of doing after installing certain apps). The annoying part is... there's no option under that iTunes preferences settings to UNDO it! geez! Are they really thinking about how it will benefit the users when they put that in there or this is just another trick to promote iTunes?

This iTunes auto-launch setting started to annoy me when I was downloading multiple MP3s from the internet. As soon as the download completes, it launches iTunes and instantly plays the downloaded MP3. It was as if iTunes was vaingloriously yelling and telling me "Hey, here I am! I played it for you! just what you're about to do!" Grrr! (calm down, you need to calm down Jeff).

Okay, how do we undo this if Apple did not provide that reverse option? Some users might suggest to reinstall the iTunes to set it back to its original state (making sure you don't tick that SET button again! and nobody in your household does!). Well, the quickest way to UNDO this is by going to your Safari Preferences. Wait! Safari?!? iTunes is the one that keeps operating by itself isn't it? Yes, but you're using your browser for downloading, right? So here's how:

Go to Safari \ Preferences \ uncheck the box that says Open "safe" files after downloading.

In addition, that settings to "Use iTunes for internet playback" will make your iTunes the default player for your audio files.

If you ever want to use other players, DIVX or Real Player for example, you may change the "open default" by selecting your audio file from Finder window and view the file information by pressing COMMAND I. You'll see a section that says "Open with:" with a drop-down list, from there select your desired default application you want your audio file to open with.

'Hope you find this useful. If it doesn't solve your iTunes internet playback problem just drop me a line and we'll see how I can extend some more help. Have a good day!

ciao! c",)

TECH TIPS (OS X): Resolving issue on Securely Emptying your Trash

2009-03-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

If you've ever deleted a locked file and you want to permanently get rid of it, you may do so by opening your trash and holding the "option" key while clicking on the "empty securely" button. It's that simple.

However, this may not work all the time especially if you've deleted "a bunch of locked files" from an external drive attached to your mac. When you "secure empty" these files, you may encounter the error "The operation could not be completed because the item [item name] is locked. Or you do not have the permission blah blah..."

Please note that this does not mean that all files in your trashed contents are locked, there could only be some. When the "Secure Empty" operation encounters the address of a locked file (where it is residing), it will not proceed further even though the rest of the files in your bin aren't locked. Hence you might need to resort into doing a Terminal deletion.

To do so, here are some tips:

1. If the deleted files came from an external drive, make sure this drive is attached when you perform this operation.

How do I know if it is from external HDD? You'll probably notice when ejecting an external drive the Trash Bin gets emptied, and when you plug the external drive back in you'll see the trashed contents again. Well that's because those items are residing externally in the hidden trash bin of your attached HDD

2. Open a Terminal window (from your Applications\Utilities). Just type the following directly at the command prompt:

rm -rf "trash directory path"

IMPORTANT: Be careful with this command. Make sure you specify the correct "trash directory path" otherwise you might end up erasing files you don't intend to delete.

** the option -rf is to remove the directory including its subdirectory
** to verify your trash directory path in your external HDD, simply tick one of the items from your trash in your finder window and press "Command"+"I" Then go to this location by issuing this command in your terminal window: cd /volumes/"your hdd name"/.trashes (inside this directory, by issuing LS command, you'll find the list of all trashed items identical the one you see in your finder window).

Does this command deletes all the trashed contents? Nope, but it will delete most and leaving only the locked files ('say for a thousand deleted files, perhaps only 10 or 20 of them are locked). Now you can manually unlock them from your finder window by selecting all files then pressing option+command+I then uncheck the lock radio-box. Doing this manually provides you the option to double check whether you want the item(s) permanently deleted. If you're sure about getting rid of 'em, well just empty the rest of these files using "option"+"empty securely button"

Hope you find this useful.

ciao! c",)

What's new?

2009-03-21T20:03:00.000-07:00

Ey hey! I'm back after over a year! =)

So waddup? What's new?

Well, I'm revamping all my sites including my existence here in blogger sphere.
- First off, I'll be updating or removing the dead links. And will try to avoid, in as much as I can, adding external (video) links as I have no control over 'em.
- Then I'll be adding a few useful and interesting (at least for me, hehe) gadgets [or widgets] on my page, like what you see now.. my flickr badge and a chat box.
- And last but not least, of course I'll be posting new blog entries! (I have blog extension, btw, on multiply i call iBlog that contain some reflections and inspirations -- lifeblog entries, that is. While this blogger page will house the rest of my online journals, perhaps mostly techblogs & photoblogs.

That's about it for now. ciao!

c",)

Tech Blog: Wireless network? why not Electricity?

2007-08-15T13:39:00.000-07:00

Talking about the next gen technology, more and more mobile devices are now gearing towards wireless connectivity. From IR.. to Bluetooth.. to WIFI.. now comes wireless energy?!?

Although this technology has emerged in as early as 1900s, it took several years for this to be accepted in household machines. Like bluetooth technology whereby some even predicted that it's not gonna be a hit when it was first introduced. But look, it is a standard feature in most mobile phones nowadays. So likewise, I believe this company is bringing this wireless energy into another dimension by offering it to huge manufacturers of home devices.

Check out this vid:
(this short documentary is courtesy of christovtech)

Yes, they are cutting all the wires! ..for added convenience. We already have wireless clothes iron, a wireless home entertainment system, some wireless home appliances, and now wireless energy!?! What else? a wireless baby? perhaps no umbilical cord? oh well, yeah I guess I can say the testtube babies belong to that category.

So what will these great minds could possibly invent next?

And that's TECHNOLOGY. c",)