rules of third

i was chatting with my pal nesty the other day and he told me about the rules of third. he told me to try that in my next snaps to make the subject alive and not dull unlike when the subject is in the middle of the frame.

here are some shots by nesty..
and here are my shots around the condo village...


for more about the rules of third, here's a link i found that will give you a better explanation of this photgraphy rule;)
http://photoinf.com/General/KODAK/guidelines_for_better_photographic_composition_rule_of_thirds.html

a friend's passing

when a friend dies, everyone becomes hurt...
though no mere words can ever categorize the sorrow
it's good memories fused with time that helps us through tomorrow




Whenever I think of Kwen, I always picture her wearing a smile on her face.
This is how I will remember you Kwen, the astig girl with a sweet smile.We love you!

Nakachat ko si Anjo last night, sabi nya may benefit gig daw for Kwen.
When: April 3, 2008
Where: Mayrics Espana
Entrance fee: 150 (all proceeds will go to Kwen's family)

Bands playing: SILENT SANCTUARY, Itchyworms, Soapdish, Concretesam, Kamikazee, Chicosci, Typecast, Zipcode etc etc


Up in heaven now you can rest Kwen...

A letter for an ex-lover

Found this one in the Daily Blabber. Can be pretty useful:) A letter for an ex lover written by John Mayer.

Dear Ex Lover,
Perhaps you didn't understand the last time I told you to stop contacting me, so I'll do my best to spell it out for you. I do not wish to have you in my life anymore. I don't know how much more clear I can be about it. It would serve you best to move on with your life and find someone who can put up with you, because I'm done trying.
I hope this is enough closure for you.
Goodbye.

P.S. If you need me, you know how to find me.

I could not ask for more....

This song best explains how i feel about my relationship with my part time lover, full time bestfriend-- Micmac:)

bubbling my fears away

*** Feb 16-17 @ Dive and Trek
*** My Intro dive
*** Dive Master: BQ Quilala IV
*** Dive buddies: Micmac, Carlo, Glenn and Thomas
*** First Lesson in Diving: ALWAYS REMEMBER TO BREATHE
-- which i forgot to do during my first attempt hahaha!:) HYPERVENTILATION
*** Equalize every now and then
*** Fishes are safe, they don't bite! (I'm still scared of them)
*** Underwater photos make me calm:)
*** I realized that there's more underneath the sea than just merely lying on the sand;)
*** CONQUERED MY FEAR OF DEEP WATER
*** Next Stop: PADI Open Water Diver Certification Course
*** "Money"ger: Michael Peter Macalua
*** Consume BULALO right away before the soup thickens
*** Buko juice is actually 1 liter of H2o haha:)
*** Glenn, we jump after 3!:)
*** Shorefront Garden Variety Divers Association Inc.(Founder: Tita Carlo)


Conquering my fear of deep waters was a liberating experience. FEAR Holds us all back - keeping our lives small and our potential un-reached. After this diving trip, I feel larger than life again. I am confident that I can do more things, I'm no longer confined in the four corners of the "what-if" world. Now I'm excited to explore my life further and be adventurous.

b&w leaves

this shot is from sumulong farm...from my grandma's garden...

name and birthday identity

My friend LJ sent me this link www.paulsadowski.com/birthday.asp and asked me to try it. Out of boredom, I clicked on the link and entered my birthday and later on my name. It was a nice breather out of freezing boredom in the office;) Those that are highlighted are the things I agree about myself. It's pretty amazing how your name and birth date can say so much about you. TRY IT TOO:)

23 August 1984

Your date of conception was on or about 1 December 1983 which was a Thursday. ***dad and mom were nasty ha ha!***

You were born on a Thursday
under the astrological sign Leo.
Your Life path number is 8.

Your fortune cookie reads:
Avert misunderstanding by calm, poise and balance. ***totally me he he!***

Life Path Compatibility:
You are most compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 2, 4, 8, 11 & 22.
You should get along well with those with the Life Path number 6.
You may or may not get along well with those with the Life Path numbers 1 & 5.
You are least compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 3, 7 & 9.

***quick check: Micmac is 11, my two exes are 3 and 9 go figure!***

The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2445935.5.
(Julian date: The number of days since noon 4713 BC January 1.)
The year 1984 was a leap year.

Your birthday falls into the Chinese year beginning 2/2/1984 and ending 2/19/1985.
You were born in the Chinese year of the Rat.

Your Native American Zodiac sign is Bear; your plant is Violets.



You were born in the Egyptian month of Paopy, the second month of the season of Poret (Emergence - Fertile soil).

Your date of birth on the Hebrew calendar is 25 Av 5744.
Or if you were born after sundown then the date is 26 Av 5744.

***THIS IS SO COOL***
Right now I am...
As of 3/6/2008 4:07:32 PM EST
You are 23 years old.
You are 283 months old.
You are 1,228 weeks old.
You are 8,596 days old.
You are 206,320 hours old.
You are 12,379,207 minutes old.
You are 742,752,452 seconds old.

Celebrities who share your birthday: *** Kobe Bryant is the only one I know in this list tee-hee***

Kobe Bryant (1978)	Nicole Bobek (1977)	River Phoenix (1970)
Shelley Long (1949)	Rick Springfield (1949)	Barbara Eden (1934)
Mark Russell (1932)	Vera Miles (1930)	Gene Kelly (1912)

Top songs of 1984 ***I'm actually mind-singing the tune of every song while reading this***

Like a Virgin by Madonna	When Doves Cry by Prince
Jump by Van Halen	Footloose by Kenny Loggins
What's Love Got to Do with It by Tina Turner	Against All Odds by Phil Collins
I Just Called to Say I Love You by Stevie Wonder	Ghostbusters by Ray Parker Jr.
Karma Chameleon by Culture Club	Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham!

Your age is the equivalent of a dog that is 3.36438356164384 years old. (Life's just a big chewy bone for you!) ***arf arf**

Your lucky day is Sunday.
Your lucky number is 1 & 4.
Your ruling planet(s) is Sun.
Your lucky dates are 1st, 10th, 19th, 28th.
Your opposition sign is Aquarious.
Your opposition number(s) is 8.

Today is not one of your lucky days! :( i know

There are 170 days till your next birthday on which your cake will have 24 candles.

Your birthstone is Peridot : The Mystical properties of Peridot

Peridot is used to help dreams become a reality.

Some lists consider these stones to be your birthstone. (Birthstone lists come from Jewelers, Tibet, Ayurvedic Indian medicine, and other sources)
Sardonyx, Diamond, Jade

Your birth tree is :Cedar, the Confidence ***clap clap i'm so feeling!***

Of rare beauty, knows how to adapt, likes luxury, of good health not in the least shy, tends to look down on others, self-confident, determined, impatient, wants to impress others, many talents, industrious, healthy, optimism, waiting for the one true love, able to make quick decisions.

The moon's phase on the day you were
born was waning crescent.

Thursday, August 23, 1984

Moon's age (days): 26
Distance (Earth radii): 58.40
Percent Illumination 11.75%
Ecliptic latitude (degrees): 3.87
Ecliptic longitude (degrees): 104.52

Candice Aquino

There are 13 letters in your name.
Those 13 letters total to 62
There are 7 vowels and 6 consonants in your name.

What your first name means:

***Candice Bergen:)***

Latin	Female	Shining.
Hebrew	Female	Famous bearer: American actress Candice Bergen. ***I'm really named after her. She's my Dad's crush***
Greek	Female	Sparkling.
English	Female	Variant of Candace: ancient hereditary title used by Ethiopian queens.

Your number is: 8 ***same as my life path number***

The characteristics of #8 are: Practical endeavors, status oriented, power-seeking, high-material goals.

Your Soul Urge number is: 7

A Soul Urge number of 7 means:
With a number 7 Soul Urge you are very fond of reading, and retreating to periods of being alone and away from the disruptions of the outer world. You like to dream and develop you idealistic understandings, to study and analyze, to gain knowledge and wisdom. You may be too laid back and withdrawn to really succeed in the business world, and you will be much more comfortable in circumstances that are tolerant of your reserve, your analytical approach, and your desire to use your mind rather than your physical being.

You are very timid around people that you don't know very well, so much so at times that casual conversation and social situations can be strained. You tend to repress your emotions to the extend that some people have a good bit of difficult understanding you. You tend to be very selective with friends and you don't easily adapt to new environments or to new people very quickly.

The negative traits of the 7 include becoming too much the introvert and isolated from others.

Your Inner Dream number is: 1

An Inner Dream number of 1 means:
You dream of being a leader and one who is in charge. You want to be known for your courage, daring, and original ideas. You seek unconquered heights. People may get a first impression that you are very aggressive and sure of yourself.

simplicity = power

What if all you can see is in black and white? Some people may say that it's dull and boring. That's not surprising since we now live in a world of bright lights and colors.

I find black and white photos beautiful and dramatic. When I see black and white photos in galleries and web blogs, it never fail to give me a strong impression. I love the simplicity, the drama and the focus on the subject. No colors that will distract you from the details.

I've been taking a couple of photos in black and white this week and did a couple of readings about black and white photography. Being able to see past the color is a critical skill in black and white photography. Scenes that work especially well in black and white photography are those that have strong patterns, textures, angles, tones, shadows and light perspectives. Tried this few pointers I got and took a couple of snaps.

Looking at this photos I took this week, it kinda gives me a sense of power to be able to create this dramatic pictures, with so little.. just black and white.

twisted sisters

A sister can be seen as someone who is both ourselves and very much not ourselves - a special kind of double. ~Toni Morrison

My sister was born when I was four years old. An answered prayer because I really wanted to have a sister. That time all I wished for was a playmate. Someone who I can share my Barbies and Play Dohs. My excitement of having a baby sister made me very hands on in taking care of her.

I've seen every stage of her life. Her first word was "cha-anen" and she always say that when she sees the Sprite Fido Dido commercial. She played as a ballerina in her first school presentation way back her preschool days. She was given the Most Jolly award during her preschool graduation. Her first crush was CJ Ramos of Ang TV when she was 7years old. She has a Winnie the Pooh security pillow that she can't live without until now. I can go on and on and narrate all the things I've witnessed and seen about her. All I can say is that I was there and I've seen them all.

When Nicole was in preschool, her teacher called our mom's attention because Nicole kept on telling stories about me. My mom talked to me about it and she said that Nicole looks up to me as an Ate so I have to be a role model to her. That's when the "sister" role started to sink in. I have to be responsible over my actions because I have a younger sister who idolizes me. It was flattering to know that my sister loves to be like me because I have friends who were not meshing well with their sisters. At least for me and Nicole, we are never rivals.

As much as Nicole looks up to me, there were times when I also disappointed her. But every time I did something wrong, she was the first to know. She's always there as a confidante, listener and a ready hug anytime I need one. She's also the person I talk to when I need a "brutally" honest answer. She will never pretend a compliment if there's nothing nice to say. She has this way of pulling off criticisms and addressing it to me in a sweet way. She sees my failures as lessons for the two of us. She never judged me for my mistakes but on how I pick myself up. Her presence in my life inspires me to be always at my best.

Nicole and I talk, laugh and sound alike. We both have smiling faces. We have the same tastes in clothes, movies, music etc. We share our stuffs to one another. Our bonding time is in the bathroom. Ha ha! We can talk about anything under the sun non-stop. We are well updated of each other's daily lives. Like me, she can easily make friends too. She is even friends with my friends. Yet even if we have a lot of things in common, we are also different in more ways than one. She is the singer, I'm the dancer. She fancies "boy-next-door" type when it comes to crushes, while I'm attracted to the "bad-boy-type" Ha ha! She's the athletic one, I'm the artistic one. She's morena, I'm mestiza looking. When angry, she's quiet and I'm the one who flares up. She's into black eyeliners, while I'm into white eyeliners. She's into loud color nail polishes, while I'm into the neat, clean trim only. But even with our differences, we never allow it to be annoying one other. There are times that we quarrel or argue, or should I say most of the time (Ha ha!) but that never created a wall between us.

For me having a sister is also a training on how to become a good friend because having a sister is like having a best friend you can't get rid off. You know whatever you do, they'll still be there. So you have to accept her individuality, embrace her flaws and love her unconditionally. I'm so blessed to have Nicole as a sister.

NICOLE AQUINO - my ONE and ONLY sister and that makes her the BEST!;) (I have no choice sis ha ha!)

BUTTERFLIES

There are a lot of metaphors integrated to butterflies. Dreaming of a butterfly indicates your need to settle down. Butterflies also means creativity, romance, joy and spirituality. You may be undergoing a transformation into a new way of thinking. Dreaming of a beautiful colorful butterfly indicates the positive impression you will make at a future social gathering. (nodebox.net)

For me, butterflies symbolize hope. New beginnings. Metamorphosis.

The year 2007 ended with a bittersweet note in my life. It's the time where a lot of life changing events happened in a flash. A vast of emotions came pouring in, I have no choice but to cope, or otherwise crumble--which I chose not to happen! Career and relationships were my main issues. I was not moving up at work no matter how hard I try, not to mention was going through a terrible break up. What I was stressing over the break up was that I feel like breaking up not only to 1 person but to his family and friends too, people whom I learned to love as my own family and friends. Plus the fact that we were an item for 3 years, It's hard to give that up so easy. I tried my best, and yet it still didn't work out. We weren't on the same page anymore. Not a single issue settled, when we talk we just end up in another face off. It was emotionally, physically and mentally draining. The relationship roller coaster took a toll in my career and also my relationships with my family and friends. I often find myself confined in the room during weekends, go straight home after work, countless hours in front of the telly... and a lot more. My only time socializing is when I grab coffee with my office girlfriends or on a drinking binge after work, THAT'S IT! Until after a trip to Baguio, I was awaken with an urge. The urge that I better decide for myself quick-- pick up the pieces together again.

All of a sudden, I was this new person. I tried to smile again. The day seemed to be brighter each day. I wake up, prepare to work, pick up a more decent outfit rather than my usual shirt, jeans and flip flops, put powder and lip gloss and put my hair up neatly;) Went out with friends and catch up. Went out on coffee dates with a few men who asked me out and whom I find interesting. Not that I was in a hurry to date, but I just want to be able to carry a conversation and see if I still got skills in that department, ha ha:) And yes, it was all fun and I enjoyed it. Slowly my crumpled self esteem was straightened up bit by bit.

A surprising twist happened when I started to hang out more often than usual with my 'office bestfriend' . It was magical how i always find solace in his arms and how he always says the right words... then the friendship blossomed. I fell in love with my best friend. It went over a few bumps with my ex not amendable to me and my best friend being close, but we surpassed that stage. Just when I thought things are not going smooth, come December, it's official, I received an email from my team lead that I just leveled up;)-- talk about things going at my direction. Having my career and a new inspiration before the year ends were the Best Christmas presents for 2007.

Life is full of uncertainties. It's full of surprises! Like a butterfly, it's about time I spread my wings this year. I've been in my self-made-cocoon for a long time. My life became colorful and though some colors may look odd, it still added a touch of beauty to the whole picture. 2008 is a promising year. New love, career boost and a better me. This is a start of something NEW! NEW- BETTER- IMPROVED- ME!:)