Shooting with Ty!

Thanks Ty for taking the time to introduce Grace and me to competitive shooting using your STI Airsoft set up. It rocked bro! I think a couple more sessions and we can level up to the real deal ;)

My daily gear

I've always had an obsession for bags and what people carry with them. You can tell alot about a person by what's on them most of the time. I have to admit that I even have more bags aka man purses than my wife.

My current bag of choice is the Lowepro Classified 100 AW. It's the perfect bag for me. I'll be doing a quick review later about why I love this smart little piece of kit.

Here are the basics that I carry with almost daily.

First off is my wallet, it's nice and small and has just the basics. I don't carry around a lot of cash so it's just right. I think someone gave it to my Dad for Christmas and I just pocketed it. It's nice and simple, soft black leather Fino wallet.

Second are my keys and attached to it is my Lacie 4GB Key thumbdrive. It's a cool little thumbdrive with a solid feel to it. It has taken a lot of damage while it's been with my and it's working fine.

Third is my iPhone. I hate to sound like a tendoid packaloid but I really love my iPhone 3GS. It rocks paired with my Globe Super Surf and Super Duo plan. I use it as a portable wifi hot spot which my iPad and laptop can sync to. It's also a great gaming platform. It is near perfect except for the ridiculously short battery life.

Fourth is my Swiss Army Knife, the Cyber Tool 34. It has gotten me out little jam so many time that I've lost count.

Fifth is my GF1, is my current favorite camera. It's basically a mini SLR. Check out my review on Techie.

And finally 6th is my Kodak Playsport HD camera. It's a relatively inexpensive camera that shoot full HD and is waterproof!

7th but not least is my iPad. When I have this on me I feel like I am living in the future. It's the ultimate media consumption device. Loaded it with hundreds of ebooks, comics, my photo's, and games. I will never have a dull moment. I have even set it up to stream video from my home media server!

If the 10 year old Ibba saw all this awesome kit that I bring me everyday he would be blown away. He'd say "Old Ibba, you're DOPE and PHAT and still FAT!"

Ode to the GF1

 

click for the full article

Ah, the geeks poetry is a gadget review. Here is my sonnet dedicated to me new love. Ode to the GF1.

Tita Grace you look silly - Euri

 

24 hours with the Panasonic GF1

24 hours with the Panasonic GF1

Here are some shots I took my first 24 hours with the Pany GF1. Click to see the album

GF1 Artsy fartsy settings

Wasn't really planning to post this. But while I was showing off my new toy to Carlo Estrella, I took some picts using the "Art" setting of the GF1. The wifey looking as classy as ever :)

Giving back the geek way

"Buhay Ko sa Smokey Mountain" aims to teach 25 scholars from the Smokey Mountain Community how to document and share their lives via prose, photos, videos through personal blogs. The workshops will be taught by prominent Bloggers, Photographers, Writers and Directors. The Manila Jaycees, together with Young Focus Foundation, are working together to empower these kids with the tools and skills to tell their story.

About 2 months ago, I came up with an idea. The concept was pretty simple. Use my most basic geek know how, blogging, photography, videography some post prod and teach it to kids in Smokey Mountain.

The motivation is teach them to document their lives and share it with the world. I'm not special, my life is pretty good, I like bikes and toys and even I have a blog! A boring blog, which is sporadically updated but I have one nonetheless.

Imagine teaching these skills and giving tools to these kids who have so much going on in their lives. Empowering them to share their triumphs and struggles with the world. My daily struggles revolve around waking up early, traffic and parking. It's embarrassing actually, these kids have lived through more than I can imagine and their still just kids!

So I had an idea and luckily I had just joined a group that wanted to help. The Manila Jaycee's. I was sponsored by my friend Charlie Paw, he is such a nice guy and has been nothing but good to me and I just couldn't say no. Needless to say, I joined the group with some trepidation. I always thought these things where networking for networking's sake. I'm part of a lot of groups which create real social interaction and friendships through common interest, be it Motorcycles, Sci Fi, Video games, photography, food etc. I really didn't get the concept of JCI Manila in the beginning. The appication/ invitation process didn't help either. It was all formalities and fancy schamncy. Not my cup of tea. I'm a T-shirt/ cargo pants, mcdo kind of guy. I only wear formal attire at weddings.

Long story short, our initiation to become a full member was to do an outreach project. I wasn't into the "normal" outreach stuff, medical dental missions, giving out food etc. If I was a doctor I would have done medical missions, If I was a lawyer I could have helped out those being oppressed by da Man. But I'm a geek! There is no real clear way a geek can help. Until now :)

Then an epiphany. I know how to take pictures. I'm not great but a few of my shots have been published in the Inquirer, Mabuhay, GamesMaster and T3. So I can teach really basic photography. I also edit my photo's in picasa, again I can teach basic photo editing. I love shooting video, doesn't matter if it's on my phone or digicam. Ok so I can teach videography. I enjoy editing and uploading stuff in FB and youtube. So I can teach basic post prod. And I know how to make a simple blog...

Being a tech geek means I'm a bit of an early adapter. It pains me to admit I've got quite a few cameras that I no longer use and are just gathering dust. It's old tech and not really worth selling, but they work. So I realized I could donate them to the kids. I figure other geeks out there have the same situation going on. I could probably get a few cameras from friends.


This all came together when I presented my idea (part of my initiation) to the JCI Manila board.


They really liked it and my project was green lit. JCI was focused on helping the kids in Smokey Mountain and had tied up with an NGO called Young Focus.


I was part of a team of JCI applicants and they mistakenly voted me as the chairman for the team. I seriously lucked out with this team. They rock! Alvin, my number 2 is the whip cracker. This details oriented and is an incredible task master. Howard Paw of Digital Walker and Game magazine, had all the connection to make this project work. VJ Sianghio business is Film for movies, he's taking up a course in Photography and has taught in other community out reach projects. Dexter Que, part on an events planning group, he has been instrumental in fund raising for the project. It was a geek dream team. Randomly selected but perfect for this project.


So this is how the "Buhay Ko" project began.

Sea's Spring Resort in Anilao Batangas

Thanks to Mike and Theresa for feeding us non stop :)

Check out their resort here: http://www.seasspringresort.com/index.php/page/about_us

Ricky Sandoval Memorial Ride

Memorial for a fallen brother rider: Ricky Sandoval  (Who died in a tragic accident, July 12, 2009, on a sweeping bend along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway)

By Randy David July 26, 2009

To the Hombres who were with Ricky on his final motorcycle ride that fine sunny morning of July 12 -- exactly 2 weeks ago today there could not have been a more powerful reminder of our common mortality of the fleeting nature of life, of the brevity of earthly time than to be with a fellow rider at breakfast, and then, some few minutes later, to find him sprawled on the ground, lifeless, his gleaming massive bike like a fallen steed suddenly stopped on its tracks.

This image, so arresting in its vividness, stunned all of us.To our logical minds, there was no doubt whatsoever that a brother-rider had just died in a very bizarre and unexpected way. Yet to this day, we continue to search ourselves for the many layers of meanings that this tragic event might be trying to convey to us.

It would be easy to say: It is time to get rid of our bikes, and find ourselves a more benign sport, like maybe, golf. But we don't think that would put the matter to rest for many of us. Our bikes are our bridges to open expanses, to horizons that melt before our eyes as we move forward with the summer wind. Not many hobbies can provide a comparable experience. And so, please allow me to share a few meditations on why mortal beings like us seem to be rushing toward our death by embracing a perilous delight like motorcycling.

We have always known that we are engaged in a dangerous and deadly passion, though, for obvious reasons, we prefer not to let this nagging thought encumber us as we ride. Precisely because we are riders on two wheels, the need to take care is something we regard more gravely than perhaps the driver on four wheels. Knowing that they can always be fatal, we never take the possibility of accidents for granted. And so when we take risks, we do so with pious calculation. Indeed there is method in our madness.

Which is not to say we don't miscalculate. We sometimes do. And when we do, we become conscious that what we may lose in the process may not be just our self-esteem, but life itself.

It is because we are aware that death could be waiting around the bend that we do take care. For this reason, it is sometimes said, not without justification, that big bikers are generally safer drivers than those on four-wheelers.

I know that nothing in what we say here can bring enough comfort to the loved ones that Ricky left behind. For death is always easier on the dead than on the living. It is the same for us. None of us will ever be able to ride this stretch of SCTEX again without remembering what happened here two weeks ago. For this and other reasons, on the suggestion of our fellow rider, Addie Topacio, we want to name this section of the highway Ricky's Bend.

From this moment, therefore, till the day we retire our own steeds, we will slow down on this mortal spot each time we pass this way, say a quiet prayer for our fallen friend, and thank him for the ultimate sacrifice he has made in order to remind us -- to take care always. Thank you, Ricky.

Just to end, may I quote from the beautiful lines written in tribute by another fellow rider on that fateful Sunday, Sam de Leoz:

Over the hallowed gravesof our fallen brother riders; May the winds of heaven whisper hourly benedictions.

Goodbye, Ricky.

Steam Punk wedding day heist

MoAnima is looking for people who want to work on AAA Video games!

Moanima is one of the premier 3D animation outsource companies based in the Philippines. The MoAnima teams experience spans over 3 years experience on AAA titles as well as working and coordinating with leading video game developers. MoAnima is now in the midst of a rapid expansion after having gone into partnerships with several US-based studios.

Positions Available: Tracker, Script Supervisor

Requirements: Good written and oral communication

Able to understand and follow instructions

Great eye for detail

Have basic knowledge in Microsoft Office

Ability to make decisions and judgment calls

Responsible, honest and hardworking

Willing to work overtime (if necessary)

Hombres Adventure Group take Sagada and beyond

 
 
 
 

GPS is here

BMW is throwing this unit in with all of its new cars. They know their market very well.
 
 
 
 

New office!

Finally I've found a place I can call home!

All Hail CDR-King, lord of the OEMs

CDR-King provider of cheap gadget goodness to all it's minions. I went ape $4!T at CD-R King recently buying every single type of "UrangoPOD" available. If you have a small digital camera and don't want to be hassled by a tripod these are a must have.

16GB of juicy fruity goodness for PHP2500!

 

Surprisingly, I had an afternoon to spare and even more surprising I had some cash in my pockets. So I decided to go to Gilmore to go a gadget hunting. Sadly, there wasn't anything new, actually there were less cool goodies then my last visit a few months back. Being slightly disappointed I decided to go to CDR-King to pick up some cheap knick knacks. Then I heard my significantly geeky other scream a YIP of delight. Grace had found something truly kick a$$. A 16GB thumbdrive for only PHP2500. WOOT!

IBBArgains!

 
 
We Bikers are a strange breed spending alot of hard earned money for pieces of cloth that wraps around our head to protect our helmets from sweat and our faces from fumes. For a piece of cloth which magically has no end I have spent over 700 bucks. Yes I am a sucker. But now I have found a little shop in greenhills selling em for 60 bucks.

Woohoo!

Hombres I got something for you and you'll never guess what it is!

Sorry!

While playing around with my multiply account I accidentally imported every single post I have ever written. It's a good thing I rarely post. Please forgive this multiply newbie.

E-motion Photo Shoot