Last September 26, 2009, was an important day for Baby Dean and Baby Sophie. But, it was also the day that Tropical Storm Ondoy ravaged Manila with rainfall that caused flooding and record book distruction to life and property.
Baby Dean was scheduled for a Christian Child Dedication on that day. Also, Baby Sophie will be celebrating her wonderful 2nd Birthday celebration. We booked a function room at The Legend Villas in Mandaluyong. Everyone were excited in the preparation. Family and friends confirmed their attendance to the big event.
Dean's garb for the day, included a red-striped long sleeved shirt, and a khaki long pants from Big and Small Co. He would wear matching socks and leather shoes to complete the ensemble. Baby Dean looked like a preppy young boy in his outfit.
Sophie was wearing a Sunday dress from Kaboosh in immaculate white and soft yellow combination. Sophie was supposed to complement her get-up with a 2-inch heeled lady sandals. However, as she is not used to wearing a high heeled sandals, she can barely walk straight in her new shoes. We tried for her to wear the other new shoes we bought, a step-in sandals, but, it was a size too big, she can't walk without losing it. In another words, we don't know what shoes should Sophie wear for the occassion. In the end, she insisted to wear her all day Crocs sandals, hahaha.
Anyways, we left the house around 10am, that fateful Saturday, to go to the baptismal of Dean and birthday party of Sophie. It was raining very hard, but we didn't realize the storm has caused havoc on the metropolis already. We just thought, it was one of those ordinary rainy Saturdays. When we turned the corner from where the house was, the flood was gutter deep already. Still, we thought, well the rains have started since dawn, so naturally, there was an expectation for so much water in the streets. So, we still journeyed on.
Upon reaching the subdivision gates, the traffic almost stood to a standstill. The streets were so flooded already, but still passable to small cars, so, we still proceeded to go out. When we turn the corner from our subdivision gates, traffic has gone from bad to worse, but since, we have an important occassion we cannot miss, we still drove on. The flood waters were now tire deep, but since, we're driving an SUV, I was not worried yet with flood waters entering the car. I got a little worried only when cars were turning back. I was thinking, we can't stop now or I lose power the moment the car's underbelly gets so wet, as it was an automatic transmission. So we kept driving, inching our way, with floodwaters creeping ever deeply in certain areas. All streets that we passed were now submerged in flood waters already. I must be crazy that day, as I continued to drive along.
Upon reaching C5 road, the flood water currents were so strong, it's almost like a raging river. We still proceeded. Shaw Blvd was the scariest place we encountered; with strong water currents and deep flooded streets, there is no other way but to drive counterflow. Still, we braved on the horrific conditions. We reached The Legend Villas, closer to 12 noon already.
On our way to the hotel, most of my friends who were expected to attend the celebrations have called up to inform us that they can't make it because of the flooding and massive traffic congestion. Then the Pastor called me up that he can't make it as well, as flooding and traffic in Sucat was really, really bad. Then a Ninang-friend informed me that her house has been flooded inside, hence, she can't make it to the affair. Everyone was just cancelling their attendance to the event. Storm Ondoy was literally raining on the parade of Dean and Sophie. But, we decided to go on with the party, as the food cannot be cancelled anymore, hence, the show must go on.
We reached the Raja Ballroom, and there were only about 21 people there, and that included us in the headcount. We started light and easy and decided to proceed to eat, sans any programs anymore. Had the event proceeded as planned, we would have the child dedication of Dean first, then buffet lunch, then a children's party, complete with a magician, a puppet show and some ballon twisting. The magician was stuck in traffic in Ortigas, hence, could not make it. I decided to cancel it altogether.
After eating, we decided to have the pictorials. The place was daintily made up, with an overstuffed sofa clad in soft lace of white cloth placed in the middle of a makeshift platform bedecked with ballons, a tarped centerstage with a smiling picture Baby Dean, looking handsome as ever, and candelabra decorated tables in an assortment of white and pink Malaysian mum blooms. It was indeed beautiful, almost magical, only, people were not around to see the place, hehehe. We sung a birthday song to Sophie and she blew the candle in her The Backyardigans' themed Picture Birthday Cake especially ordered from The Red Ribbon Bakeshop. We partied like it was an intimate family affair. We even poured some red wine for the guests who wanted to forget the horrific storm happening outside the ballroom, if only for the moment.
We gave out food for everyone to bring home. There was just so much food. Our menu for the event included:
Cream of vegetable soup
Dinner rolls and butter
Green salad
Assorted cold cuts
Ham and mushroom quiche
Chicken croquettes
Chicken cordon bleu
Herbed roasted pork
Beef goulash
Grilled vegetables
Carbonara
Rice
Marble cake
Mango crepes
Fresh fruits
The food wasn't at all bad at The Legend Villas. I'll say, it was scrumptious, at its best.
Anyways, when we closed the party, everybody went home with bag of food. So, despite the inclement weather, the mood was happy and hopeful, as everyone went out of their ways and left The Legend Villas.
We have a free overnight stay at the hotel as part of the party package, which I upgraded into a Premier Villa Suite, instead of the usual standard room accommodation. So, we went to the suite, which was amazingly spacious and homey. Imagine, there is a small sala with TV, a dining area, ref, cooking facility (a stove, microwave, toasters, rice cooker, utensils, etc)and a bathroom on the ground floor. On the second floor (or loft) where the bedroom is located, there you will find 2 double-sized beds, TV set, an executive desk and a jacuzzied bathroom. Sophie was just having the time of her life with her new environ.
As we settled down, that's when we realized the extent of the flooding. Reports from friends came, about the flooding in their areas, traffic at a stand still and so much panic. We heared about Marikina in deep trouble already in the late afternoon.
The few friends who braved the early morning flooding could not return home. All of them were trapped in the streets. My friends from Cavite had to stay overnight in their cars in the Baclaran area. They were able to return home at 5am, the following day. My friend from Mindanao Avenue was only able to reached home around 1am already. That's how bad the flooding and traffic congestion at Edsa and the other places.
Anyways, we got hold of our situation in the following day. I got to know that my brother was safe with his family in Taguig. They experienced flooding but not as bad like those in Pasig, Marikina and Cainta. My sister from Antipolo was also okey, except for her husband who braved waist deep waters, hitched hiked his way from Bulacan, just to reached Antipolo. He reached Antipolo, around 8am on Sunday (leaving Bulacan 11am Saturday). That's how bad the flooding has caused on everyone.
The store of my other sister in Novaliches was flooded with knee deep waters, however, their house was spared from the flooding. My sister was so worried about the extent of the damage sustained by the store as some of her stocks were stored on the floors.
Anyways, by Sunday noon, I tried to go and visit Greenwoods. Still, the flood waters were high, I still can't pass thru. Hence, I turned back to the hotel and have our stay extended for another night. We can't get thru our neighbors in Greenwoods, hence, we don't know the extent of the damage, if any, that was sustained in our house. I tried to go home on Sunday night, Monday morning and Monday afternoons, trying out the other routes, but to no avail. We continued our stay at the hotel. On Monday, we got confirmation from a neighbor's house help that the flooding has spared our house. We were so thankful to God!
Our house is built on a small elevated platform, some four steps from the road level. The garage too, is a little elevated, although, lower than the house. Our dirty kitchen outside the house, is of the same level as the garage, hence, we were not certain if flooding caused damage on the ref in the kitchen and on the other things there.
Armed only with overnight clothes,(except for the kids whom the yayas have packed as much clothes on their baby bags), I have to have our clothes laundered. Good thing, we have a barely month-old Laundry Shop now operating in the Mandaluyong area. The family loved the fresh smell of their newly laundered clothes, and seemed not to worry about our situation, if only for the moment.
On Tuesday morning, we were able to confirm from a colleague of my wife from work (who happened to be living in the same village as us, and got trapped in the village during the storm)that the east gate of our village was now passable to vehicles. This gate is located 3 towns away, it is so far away, travelling thru this route seemed like forever. I talked to the guy and tried to get general directions on how to go home. I have not tried this route before and is quite unfamiliar with the place.
We decided to pack our bags and check out from the comforts of the hotel and be home at last. I was least comfortable sleeping in the smaller beds of the hotel and eating at fast food places for lunch and dinner. And I can't have a sound sleep not knowing what happened to our house. I was too anxious to see our house.
We checked out from the hotel before 12noon on Tuesday. My wife decided to pick-up some distilled water for the kids and loaves of bread from the Grocery on our way home. The grocery line was just endless, and all canned goods, bread and water were almost gone from the shelves. You would think that there was panic buying by consumers going on, but, the goods were bought to help in the relief operations of the affected/flooded areas. We also passed by a drive thru fast food, for our lunch. Apparently, the chain we went to has run out of food items, as their commissary was also flooded and their delivery did not arrive since Saturday. We went to another shop, and had to be content with what they have in store. We can only order Spaghetti, Pancit Malabon and Milkfish meal.
With the volume of traffic and our unfamiliarity with the route, we drove slowly towards the Floodway in Manggahan, Pasig. As it was past lunch already, some of us in the car decided to eat Spaghetti on the way. The Floodway Eastbank road seemed endless and the markers that we're supposed to watched out for, was just not in sight. This made us unsure but determined, nonetheless. When we saw the first bridge marker, we were elated. But the second bridge marker was just not there yet. After hours of driving, we finally saw the second bridge and made our turn. Only minutes later, we saw the village gate on the east side. We finally were able to smile with relief. But the relief was replaced with horror, in an instant, when we saw the expansive vacant lots of the subdivision all submerged in flood waters. There was just so much water everywhere. Only the streets were visible, as these were elevated from the main village level.
We drove slowly, some on knee deep waters, others were gutter deep, until we reached our street, Cedar Street. Alas, our street was still flooded, except for the small patch of dry cement floor right in front of our house gate. To me, it was a really good sign from God. And it was.
Our house sustained minimal damage. No water flooding marks around, just some wind damage on our garden canopy, and some plants that need tidying. We were so lucky and were so thankful that God has spared us from the trauma of the storm that rained on Dean and Sophie's big day.
But to this day, our village is still submerged in flood waters. The main gate is still not passable to vehicles. There is a boat that one can ride if one decides to go out the Pinagbuhatan area of Pasig. I think, we will await for the summer months to dry out the flood waters.
It is still almost a torture to use the long route for home. But, at least, we can go Home!
Monday, October 05, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Mama
The life she brings
The care she gives
The lessons learned
Through life indeed.
You stumble once
And twice you fall
She'll pick you up
And hugs you most
Hesitant to let you go.
The comforts of home
Dispel the stormiest days
The aroma of comfort meals
Shared in love and togetherness.
She's always the Lady
You first saw and fell in love
And she'll be the ladylove
That no one can replace.
As we grow older
Other women will touch our lives
Some in more meaningful ways
Others, unremarkable.
As we lived on
And be our independents selves
Not wanting the care and love
That our mama once bring.
But she remains steadfast
Waiting for us, always there
Being the very best
Unconditional loving mother.
August 4, 2009
The care she gives
The lessons learned
Through life indeed.
You stumble once
And twice you fall
She'll pick you up
And hugs you most
Hesitant to let you go.
The comforts of home
Dispel the stormiest days
The aroma of comfort meals
Shared in love and togetherness.
She's always the Lady
You first saw and fell in love
And she'll be the ladylove
That no one can replace.
As we grow older
Other women will touch our lives
Some in more meaningful ways
Others, unremarkable.
As we lived on
And be our independents selves
Not wanting the care and love
That our mama once bring.
But she remains steadfast
Waiting for us, always there
Being the very best
Unconditional loving mother.
August 4, 2009
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The Chronology of My Wireless Connectivity
Gone are the days when phones are restricted to permanent and unwieldy cables that interconnected calling parties. Today, the wireless phone networks rule as the preferred choice in mobile communication. And it has evolved into a more complex beast, from 0G or the Mobile Radio Telephone service, to 1G or the Analog Cellular Phone service, to 2G or the Digital Cellular Phone service to 3G, the digital service that provided a wider range of more advanced services, like video telephony, broadband wireless data and transmission speeds of up to 14.4Mbits.
I was not a early adapter of these new technologies or gadgets. Unless I see the need and utility of the service, that's the only time I would subscribe to the service. I was pretty practical about the things and services I would pay for.
Below are the chronology of technologies and gadgets that I have subscribed or used in my attempt to be wirelessly connected:
Wireless Paging
Pagers or beepers were a common phenomenon in the late eigthies and nineties in Manila. It was hip then to sport this gadget - maybe hang it on the backpocket of your jeans or as an accessory, much like a fashion statement. Early adapters included professionals, such as doctors and lawyers who were always on call no matter what time of day or where they are; or the noble messengerial staffs who needed to get paged for the ever changing errands they need to attend to and what not.
EasyCall was the leader in the paging business in the Philippines. At one point, its subscriber base reached 250,000 and got the not so good reputation of being on "BusyCall" mode. Pocketbell, also a major player had a good market share. However, I was a subscriber, of Beeper 150, a Pilipino Telephone Company. It had a service variant called Beeper 125 and my pager number was 125-1149860.
My pager looked like this, only it was colored blue and somewhat transparent. I can't recall for sure, but I must have that pager sometime in 1996. I remembered, I last saw that gadget in 2002 when I moved houses; and it was gathering dust in my TV rack. However, I was not too sentimental to keep it for good.
First Cellular Phone
Sometime in 1998, I got myself a cellular phone service from Smart Communications. It was an analog phone which can be used to make and receive calls. It was a good phone for its utility. And I think, it looked something like below.
It was a real brick phone, quite bulky and may I say, lacking sophistication in its design and form. However, it served my purpose and I was satisfied then. Me and my friends would joke about this phone as an implement to shave ice for Halo-halo, a summer sweet treat. When I get to upgrade to a digital cellular phone, my sister Lynn asked to keep this unit for me. I don't know what she did with it or if she had sentimental reasons to keep it for posterity.
My First 2G Phone
My first 2G phone (digital cellular phone) was a Nokia 3210. I got mine sometime in 2000. It looked something like this:
An excerpt from Wikipedia on the brief history of this noble phone:
The Nokia 3210 was a highly popular cellular phone, first launched in 1999. A combination of cutting-edge features such as built-in antennas and T9 (predictive text) ensured the 3210 huge commercial success (approximately 160 million units) especially across Western Europe and North America. The 3210 can also attribute much of its success to an advertising campaign which was aimed predominantly at young people, a first in the mobile phone industry. The inclusion of 3 games, changeable covers, customisable ringtones and competitive prices led to the handset's huge popularity with those aged 15-25.
Notable features
•3 Games came preinstalled: Snake, Memory (pairs-memory game), and Rotation. The addition of such games encouraged high sales within a youth market which was enlarging at a very fast rate. Some versions of the 3210 included "hidden" games, React and Logic. They were activated by special software using data cable.
•The 3210 was one of the first mobile phones to feature an internal antenna. This distinguished the handset from others which featured large, awkward and unsightly antenna. Reception, although poorer than that of its predecessor, the 3110, was still very good.
•'Picture messages' sent via the SMS texting service, were implemented in the handset, allowing users to send preinstalled pictures to one another. These included a 'Happy Birthday' picture amongst others.
•The handset was competitively priced and aimed particularly at teenagers and young professionals. This was at a time when few young people had access to a mobile phone, which was generally identified with older professionals and business people.
•The 3210 was the first to allow users to compose their own ringtone, a substantial benefit as previously customized ringtones could only be sent via SMS and at a charge.
My Experience:
This was indeed one of the hippiest phones at that time. The TV commercial featured a phone user who was cutting off the telephone wires and was removing the prominent phone antenna. It was touted then, as the sexiest phone there is in the market. It was small and light at 150 grams and is the preferred phone unit of the hip and young. I can change its covers with vibrant colors of blue, red, green and what not. The ladies who preferred this model would even attempt to match the colors with their outfits and bags.
Being the predecessor of the Nokia 5110, it was packing a lot of heat. Plus, it was the last of its kind that's really durable, sturdy yet stylish. I remember giving this away to my niece, Cathy, who used this phone for a good number of years more.
My Smallest Phone
The Nokia 8210 model was the smallest and lightest phone I've ever used. At 79 grams, it was such a beauty.
From Wikipedia:
The Nokia 8210 was, at the time of its release in 1999, the smallest, lightest Nokia mobile phone on the market,[citation needed] thus its selling point was based on its design and customization, with removable Xpress-on covers. Six differently coloured Xpress-on covers are available, as well as many third party ones. Unfortunately one of the design faults of the Nokia "82XX" series was that many developed "screen fade" which is a condition where figures on the display would eventually be so dim that it was impossible to read the display.
Popular Culture
• The Nokia 8210 was featured in the movie Charlie's Angels (film). Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu used a white, red, and black colored phone respectively.
• The Nokia 8210 was featured, in use by the characters in the action movie So Close, along with the Nokia 6210 and Nokia 9210i.
• A silver Nokia 8210 is seen briefly in Jackie Chan's Accidental Spy (2001).
• The Nokia 8210 featured in an episode in Series 4 of the popular British sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. Edna hears the phone ringing but does not know what it is. The sound of it leads to Patsy's asking "Is it a bee?" On discovering the phone, Patsy instead questions "Is it a small shoe?" on account of the phone's small size, especially for the time (2001); they later realise that it is a phone and answer it.
• The Nokia 8210, red, was also featured in Series Two & Three of At Home with the Braithwaites by the character Virginia Braithwaite played by Sarah Smart.
• The Nokia 8210 was also featured in the movie About a Boy used by the character played by Hugh Grant.
• A red Nokia 8210 is used in the film Cats and Dogs by the mother.
• A Nokia 8210 was featured in Ali G InDaHouse where Ali G gives the phone to a woman (Rhona Mitra) and tells her "set it to vibrate and finish yourself off".
• A Nokia 8210 is used by actor Danny Dyer in the film Football Factory.
• A Nokia 82XX is shown in the 2001 film Domestic Disturbance featuring John Travolta and Vince Vaughn.
My Experiences:
It was a darling because the phone was so small you can carry it around even in your breast pocket. Of all the phone models I’ve used so far, this would win it all in terms of utility. However, when the N8250 model was introduced, I liked it even more, if only for its blue screen.
The Very Close Variant
From Wikipedia:
The Nokia 8250 is a variant of the Nokia 8210 designed for Asian markets sporting a slightly different design and blue backlight.[citation needed] Another GSM version of the Nokia 8210 is the Nokia 8290, designed for the North American market using a single-band GSM-1900.
My Experiences:
I got my N8250 after I traded my N8210 with Allan which he gave away as a gift to some friend of his.
I nearly forgot about this phone model. I just can't recall what happened to it after I used them.
My First Camera Phone
In 2002, our office got us a corporate service with Globe Telecoms. This is the very first time that I switched telecom carriers and had started my long love affair with Globe. I would get my handset free from Globe through its loyalty program in exchange for locking up with their service for the next 24 months.
During the year, techies and gadget whores got the first bite of Nokia 7650. This phone series achieved many first during its launch. It featured a camera, the first smart phone on Symbian platform, the first slide phone and got promoted through the film Minority Report with Tom Cruise headlining the movie. However, it lacked the expansion card slot that its next model of phones sported.
I got myself the unusually designed Nokia 3650. The first and maybe one of the few models that sported a rounded bottom. It looked something like this:
An excerpt from Wikipedia on the write-up and features of this phone:
The Nokia 3650 was the first Symbian Series 60 smartphone to appear in American markets. It was also the first phone with an integrated camera delivered to North America.
One of the common complaints of the 3600/3650 was its unique circular keypad. Many owners wanted a Series 60 device with a conventional keypad.
The Nokia 3600 and 3650 was replaced with the Nokia 3620 (GSM 850/1900) and the Nokia 3660 (GSM 900/1800/1900) respectively, both of which feature a conventional keypad and an improved 16-bit color display.
My Experiences:
Because of the memory card, I can store unlimited pictures in my phone (constrained of course by how many Megabits of memory the card has). Plus it was tri-band, which means, I can roam with it even in North America. You can get used to its circular key pad in no time, but it is indeed quite a challenge to hold and compose the SMS with just one hand.
My sister Lynn fell in love with this Nokia and convinced me to sell this unit to her. Another model from Nokia, the N6600 was getting introduced, and I relented to my sister's request; I got myself a new phone model.
My First Video Phone
Nokia 6600 was launched to include video recording features. It was a blast taking pictures, but recording some video was not bad at all to have. It can run applications to make it a portable entertainment device. The advent of video sex scandals in the Philippines was never more pronounced than during this phone era.
The Nokia 6600 was launched in the second quarter of 2003, costing approximately €600, was Nokia's high-end model of the 6xxx Classic Business Series of mobile phones. At the time of release, it was the most advanced product ever launched by Nokia.[1] It is a smartphone running on the Symbian OS-based Nokia Series 60 platform.
A variant of the Nokia 6600 was launched in the U.S. market as the Nokia 6620.
Features
• Integrated (VGA 640x480) camera
• Video recorder with audio support (records up to 95 KB - from 9 to 27 seconds - with built-in recorder application)
• Streaming video and audio
• Wireless connectivity with Bluetooth and IrDA
• 6 MB internal memory
• Memory card slot for additional user memory and applications
• Java MIDP 2.0 and Symbian(series 60) applications
• Data synchronization with PC via PC Suite and iSync
• Tri-band operation in GSM E900/1800/1900 networks
Additional features:
• ARM compatible (ARM4T architecture)
• Symbian Operating System 7.0s
• CPU running at 104 MHz
• 6MB of built in memory
• MMC card slot
• 176x208 (65,536 colours) TFT display
• 5-way joystick navigation
• HSCSD and GPRS, for internet/WAP access
Although the initial batches of the Nokia 6600 were not stable, later system software upgrades corrected the situation.
The phone has the capacity to support the installation of a wide range of third-party software such as mp3 and multimedia players, games, web browsers, GPS navigation, office suites, and GUI themes, via Java and ePoc (*.sis) installers. GUI themes can be created using the free Nokia Symbian Theme Studio.
The model was released to the general public in two color schemes: black and white and full black. Additional color schemes (blue and white, pink) were produced for promotional purposes.
In the year 2007, Nokia stopped production of the 6600 handsets. In India, this mobile phone dominated the mobile market for a lot of time.
My Experience:
This was a good phone, loaded with features that I loved so much. However, after about a year of use, I traded it for a PDA Phone from Sony Ericsson, the P910. I sold this phone in the venerable Greenhills market thereafter.
My First PDA Phone Combo
In 2004, Sony Ericsson released its second generation of PDA Phone Combo, the P900. I got myself, courtesy of the Globe Telecoms Loyalty Program, the variant P910i. It looked something like this:
Wikipedia has this to say about the P910:
The Sony Ericsson P910 is a smartphone by Sony Ericsson introduced in 2004 and the successor of the Sony Ericsson P900. The P910 has a full QWERTY keyboard on the back of the flip (the flip can also be removed completely, allowing for a 'traditional' PDA form-factor.) The biggest change from the P900 to the P910 is that the P910 now supports Memory Stick Pro Duo and the phone's internal memory has been upped from 16MB to 64MB. Although Memory Stick Pro Duo comes in larger capacities, the maximum supported by the P910 is 1GB owing to performance lags. It is powered by an ARM9 processor clocked at 156MHz and runs the popular Symbian OS with the UIQ graphical user interface. Also, the touchscreen displays 262,144 colours (an 18-bit colour depth) , as opposed to the P900's 65,536 (16-bit). It comes in three versions:
• P910i (GSM 900/1800/1900)
• P910c (GSM 900/1800/1900 for China mainland)
• P910a (GSM 850/1800/1900 for North America and Latin America)
One of the key aspects of the P910 is its ability to input text via several methods; multi-tap and T9 text input using the numerical keypad, hand-writing recognition with the pre-installed Jot-Pro software and touchscreen, virtual keyboard on screen and the new QWERTY keyboard on the inside of the flip.
Other enhancements (compared to the P900) include support for HTML browsing, a new numerical keypad with larger keys and a slightly changed outer casing.
Its closest competitors are the palmOne Treo 650, and the Nokia 9500 Communicator. Other competitors include several PDA-phones powered by Windows and manufactured by Taiwan-based HTC.
Sony Ericsson released the successor to the P910 in early 2006. It is called the Sony Ericsson P990.
My Experiences:
This was indeed a smart, office productivity phone. I can manipulate spreadsheets which I use during the regular international operations meeting I had with my bosses in the US. I need not have my laptop with me anymore during meetings. Working with the stylus was a fast and efficient way of doing things. I can type words away on the screen using its handwriting recognition application. Games and fun applications were never scarce.
It got to the point of what's important to me from a utility perspective from my personal phone. I did not see anymore an urgent need for a PDA smart phone combo. It's too bulky for me. I stopped using altogether and moved back to the Nokia series in my next loyalty program availment.
My First 3G Phone
The Nokia N Series was launched and it was a beauty to me. It did not include the PDA functionality, but has all the mobile entertainment features which I really loved.
My Nokia N80 looked something like this:
From Wikipedia:
The Nokia N80 is a multimedia 3G smartphone made by Nokia with support for high-speed UMTS/WCDMA connections. Features include a 3.0-megapixel camera (interpolated from 2.0-megapixels) with built-in flash (on the back of the device), another camera (on the front) for videoconferencing, Wi-Fi (802.11g), Universal Plug and Play (UPnP), FM radio, Bluetooth 1.2, digital music player functionality, MiniSD memory card slot, and support for 3D Java games. Because of its memory card and relatively large screen, it can function as a portable media player.
It uses the third edition of the Series 60 user interface (S60v3) and the Symbian operating system version 9.1. It is not backward compatible with software compiled for earlier versions of the Symbian operating system.
The N80 is Nokia's first UPnP-compatible phone, allowing the transfer of media files to compatible devices over Wi-Fi.
My Experience:
My very first phone that allowed me to make video calls. Back then, video calls were a rarity and were only allowed for users of the same network carriers. I remember trying to make a test video call with OJ Ontiveros, only to find out, he was a subscriber from Smart, another carrier. I had a successful video call with Vee Fajarito, and we had a blast that we can see each other while taking the call. I remember, she was on her car driving for work when we made the test call.
This was also my very first phone that can receive live TV broadcast. I was showing my colleagues TV shows like Wowawee, Eat Bulaga and CNN on my cellphone. When the Glorietta explosion or bombing incident happened, I was getting my up to the minute updates from ABS-CBN and GMA TV on what was happening. You see, when it happened, me and my colleagues could have been dining at Luk Yuen, the center target of the alleged explosion. We got only saved by the grace of God, when we outvoted Mimi from choosing Luk Yuen and took our lunch instead at Market! Market!
The original plan was we should be having lunch at Market! Market! However, we have a new company driver in the office who didn’t know his way around Makati that well. Ver took us the Ayala Avenue route, which was terribly heavy with traffic during the lunch hour rush and Mimi was exasperated with the traffic she wanted to dine at Glorietta instead. It was almost 1pm and everyone was hungry, but nobody budged on going to Luk Yuen for lunch that day. And it did saved our lives. The Glorietta explosion happened at about 1:30pm and Luk Yuen was the hardest hit shop in the Glorietta area.
My Continuing Romance with the N Series
The slick design, the beautiful features and updated functionalities get me hooked on the next generation of the N Series. This time, I got myself the Nokia N95.
It looked something like this:
From Wikipedia:
The Nokia N95 (N95-1, internally known as RM-159) is a smartphone produced by Nokia. The N95's functions include those of a camera phone and portable media player, in addition to offering e-mail, web browsing, local Wi-Fi connectivity and text messaging. It is part of the company's Nseries line of smartphones. The N95 runs on Symbian OS v9.2, with an S60 3rd Edition platform with Feature Pack 1. The phone uses a two-way slider to access either media playback buttons or a numeric keypad. Three newer versions have also been released: the upgraded N95 8GB (N95-2), the N95-3, which adds 3G support for North America, and the N95-4 which is an America-targeted version of the N95-2.
Features Included that I loved so much:
5 megapixel Carl Zeiss camera
Integrated GPS with downloadable map navigation service
A music player/video player with TV out
Compatible with NGage video gaming services
My Experience:
The N95 was closer to my heart as I could almost get through its functionalities with my eyes closed considering that this device was very much like my Nokia N80 phone. It’s like the souped-up version, with more muscles and bells and whistles. I get to use this for only about 2 weeks. I liked this phone already, but my heart beats like a drum for my birthday gift, the 16 Gig iPhone black. The iPhone I'm getting is part of my loyalty program availment with Globe Telecoms. How's that for a birthday treat!
I gave away this 2 week old beauty to my wife who was excited to own it for herself. Now, I should dispose of the old N80 pretty soon.
My iPhone
As I say, I was never an early adapter. Hence, despite the iPhone being available in the market, I did not get myself in the craze until after it was offered in the loyalty program. This is the second generation of the iphone, otherwise known as the iPhone 3G.
I love to post a picture of my iPhone:
Wikipedia has this to say about the iPhone:
The iPhone is an internet-connected multimedia smartphone designed and marketed by Apple Inc. with a flush multi-touch screen and a minimal hardware interface. The device lacks a physical keyboard, so a virtual keyboard is rendered on the touch screen. The iPhone's functions include those of a camera phone and portable media player (equivalent to the iPod) in addition to text messaging and visual voicemail. It also offers Internet services including e-mail, web browsing, and local Wi-Fi connectivity. The first generation phone hardware was quad-band GSM with EDGE; the second generation also adds UMTS with HSDPA.
Apple announced the iPhone on January 9, 2007. The announcement was preceded by rumors and speculation that circulated for several months.[13] The iPhone was initially introduced in the United States on June 29, 2007 and is in the process of being introduced worldwide. It was named Time magazine's Invention of the Year in 2007.[14] On July 11, 2008, the iPhone 3G was released and supported faster 3G data speeds and Assisted GPS.
My experience:
This gadget is truly superb. The multi-touch screen function is pure genius. The internet services including email, web browsing and Wi-Fi connectivity are already great, but I am more entertained by the countless Applications that go with the iPhone. For instance, I have my Bible now, with offline versions to choose from, complete with a suggested daily reading, etc. I have limitless games I can download, like trivia, sports, soduko, etc. I am watching full length movies in my iPhone and have the latest music videos. I don’t need my iPod anymore, this 16 Gig beauty completes my mobile entertainment need.
What I don’t like is composing SMS. The iPhone included a texting suggestion that gets irksome especially if you want to contract a lot of the words in your message. Nonetheless, I still love my iPhone so much.
I was not a early adapter of these new technologies or gadgets. Unless I see the need and utility of the service, that's the only time I would subscribe to the service. I was pretty practical about the things and services I would pay for.
Below are the chronology of technologies and gadgets that I have subscribed or used in my attempt to be wirelessly connected:
Wireless Paging
Pagers or beepers were a common phenomenon in the late eigthies and nineties in Manila. It was hip then to sport this gadget - maybe hang it on the backpocket of your jeans or as an accessory, much like a fashion statement. Early adapters included professionals, such as doctors and lawyers who were always on call no matter what time of day or where they are; or the noble messengerial staffs who needed to get paged for the ever changing errands they need to attend to and what not.
EasyCall was the leader in the paging business in the Philippines. At one point, its subscriber base reached 250,000 and got the not so good reputation of being on "BusyCall" mode. Pocketbell, also a major player had a good market share. However, I was a subscriber, of Beeper 150, a Pilipino Telephone Company. It had a service variant called Beeper 125 and my pager number was 125-1149860.
My pager looked like this, only it was colored blue and somewhat transparent. I can't recall for sure, but I must have that pager sometime in 1996. I remembered, I last saw that gadget in 2002 when I moved houses; and it was gathering dust in my TV rack. However, I was not too sentimental to keep it for good.
First Cellular Phone
Sometime in 1998, I got myself a cellular phone service from Smart Communications. It was an analog phone which can be used to make and receive calls. It was a good phone for its utility. And I think, it looked something like below.
It was a real brick phone, quite bulky and may I say, lacking sophistication in its design and form. However, it served my purpose and I was satisfied then. Me and my friends would joke about this phone as an implement to shave ice for Halo-halo, a summer sweet treat. When I get to upgrade to a digital cellular phone, my sister Lynn asked to keep this unit for me. I don't know what she did with it or if she had sentimental reasons to keep it for posterity.
My First 2G Phone
My first 2G phone (digital cellular phone) was a Nokia 3210. I got mine sometime in 2000. It looked something like this:
An excerpt from Wikipedia on the brief history of this noble phone:
The Nokia 3210 was a highly popular cellular phone, first launched in 1999. A combination of cutting-edge features such as built-in antennas and T9 (predictive text) ensured the 3210 huge commercial success (approximately 160 million units) especially across Western Europe and North America. The 3210 can also attribute much of its success to an advertising campaign which was aimed predominantly at young people, a first in the mobile phone industry. The inclusion of 3 games, changeable covers, customisable ringtones and competitive prices led to the handset's huge popularity with those aged 15-25.
Notable features
•3 Games came preinstalled: Snake, Memory (pairs-memory game), and Rotation. The addition of such games encouraged high sales within a youth market which was enlarging at a very fast rate. Some versions of the 3210 included "hidden" games, React and Logic. They were activated by special software using data cable.
•The 3210 was one of the first mobile phones to feature an internal antenna. This distinguished the handset from others which featured large, awkward and unsightly antenna. Reception, although poorer than that of its predecessor, the 3110, was still very good.
•'Picture messages' sent via the SMS texting service, were implemented in the handset, allowing users to send preinstalled pictures to one another. These included a 'Happy Birthday' picture amongst others.
•The handset was competitively priced and aimed particularly at teenagers and young professionals. This was at a time when few young people had access to a mobile phone, which was generally identified with older professionals and business people.
•The 3210 was the first to allow users to compose their own ringtone, a substantial benefit as previously customized ringtones could only be sent via SMS and at a charge.
My Experience:
This was indeed one of the hippiest phones at that time. The TV commercial featured a phone user who was cutting off the telephone wires and was removing the prominent phone antenna. It was touted then, as the sexiest phone there is in the market. It was small and light at 150 grams and is the preferred phone unit of the hip and young. I can change its covers with vibrant colors of blue, red, green and what not. The ladies who preferred this model would even attempt to match the colors with their outfits and bags.
Being the predecessor of the Nokia 5110, it was packing a lot of heat. Plus, it was the last of its kind that's really durable, sturdy yet stylish. I remember giving this away to my niece, Cathy, who used this phone for a good number of years more.
My Smallest Phone
The Nokia 8210 model was the smallest and lightest phone I've ever used. At 79 grams, it was such a beauty.
From Wikipedia:
The Nokia 8210 was, at the time of its release in 1999, the smallest, lightest Nokia mobile phone on the market,[citation needed] thus its selling point was based on its design and customization, with removable Xpress-on covers. Six differently coloured Xpress-on covers are available, as well as many third party ones. Unfortunately one of the design faults of the Nokia "82XX" series was that many developed "screen fade" which is a condition where figures on the display would eventually be so dim that it was impossible to read the display.
Popular Culture
• The Nokia 8210 was featured in the movie Charlie's Angels (film). Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu used a white, red, and black colored phone respectively.
• The Nokia 8210 was featured, in use by the characters in the action movie So Close, along with the Nokia 6210 and Nokia 9210i.
• A silver Nokia 8210 is seen briefly in Jackie Chan's Accidental Spy (2001).
• The Nokia 8210 featured in an episode in Series 4 of the popular British sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. Edna hears the phone ringing but does not know what it is. The sound of it leads to Patsy's asking "Is it a bee?" On discovering the phone, Patsy instead questions "Is it a small shoe?" on account of the phone's small size, especially for the time (2001); they later realise that it is a phone and answer it.
• The Nokia 8210, red, was also featured in Series Two & Three of At Home with the Braithwaites by the character Virginia Braithwaite played by Sarah Smart.
• The Nokia 8210 was also featured in the movie About a Boy used by the character played by Hugh Grant.
• A red Nokia 8210 is used in the film Cats and Dogs by the mother.
• A Nokia 8210 was featured in Ali G InDaHouse where Ali G gives the phone to a woman (Rhona Mitra) and tells her "set it to vibrate and finish yourself off".
• A Nokia 8210 is used by actor Danny Dyer in the film Football Factory.
• A Nokia 82XX is shown in the 2001 film Domestic Disturbance featuring John Travolta and Vince Vaughn.
My Experiences:
It was a darling because the phone was so small you can carry it around even in your breast pocket. Of all the phone models I’ve used so far, this would win it all in terms of utility. However, when the N8250 model was introduced, I liked it even more, if only for its blue screen.
The Very Close Variant
From Wikipedia:
The Nokia 8250 is a variant of the Nokia 8210 designed for Asian markets sporting a slightly different design and blue backlight.[citation needed] Another GSM version of the Nokia 8210 is the Nokia 8290, designed for the North American market using a single-band GSM-1900.
My Experiences:
I got my N8250 after I traded my N8210 with Allan which he gave away as a gift to some friend of his.
I nearly forgot about this phone model. I just can't recall what happened to it after I used them.
My First Camera Phone
In 2002, our office got us a corporate service with Globe Telecoms. This is the very first time that I switched telecom carriers and had started my long love affair with Globe. I would get my handset free from Globe through its loyalty program in exchange for locking up with their service for the next 24 months.
During the year, techies and gadget whores got the first bite of Nokia 7650. This phone series achieved many first during its launch. It featured a camera, the first smart phone on Symbian platform, the first slide phone and got promoted through the film Minority Report with Tom Cruise headlining the movie. However, it lacked the expansion card slot that its next model of phones sported.
I got myself the unusually designed Nokia 3650. The first and maybe one of the few models that sported a rounded bottom. It looked something like this:
An excerpt from Wikipedia on the write-up and features of this phone:
The Nokia 3650 was the first Symbian Series 60 smartphone to appear in American markets. It was also the first phone with an integrated camera delivered to North America.
One of the common complaints of the 3600/3650 was its unique circular keypad. Many owners wanted a Series 60 device with a conventional keypad.
The Nokia 3600 and 3650 was replaced with the Nokia 3620 (GSM 850/1900) and the Nokia 3660 (GSM 900/1800/1900) respectively, both of which feature a conventional keypad and an improved 16-bit color display.
My Experiences:
Because of the memory card, I can store unlimited pictures in my phone (constrained of course by how many Megabits of memory the card has). Plus it was tri-band, which means, I can roam with it even in North America. You can get used to its circular key pad in no time, but it is indeed quite a challenge to hold and compose the SMS with just one hand.
My sister Lynn fell in love with this Nokia and convinced me to sell this unit to her. Another model from Nokia, the N6600 was getting introduced, and I relented to my sister's request; I got myself a new phone model.
My First Video Phone
Nokia 6600 was launched to include video recording features. It was a blast taking pictures, but recording some video was not bad at all to have. It can run applications to make it a portable entertainment device. The advent of video sex scandals in the Philippines was never more pronounced than during this phone era.
The Nokia 6600 was launched in the second quarter of 2003, costing approximately €600, was Nokia's high-end model of the 6xxx Classic Business Series of mobile phones. At the time of release, it was the most advanced product ever launched by Nokia.[1] It is a smartphone running on the Symbian OS-based Nokia Series 60 platform.
A variant of the Nokia 6600 was launched in the U.S. market as the Nokia 6620.
Features
• Integrated (VGA 640x480) camera
• Video recorder with audio support (records up to 95 KB - from 9 to 27 seconds - with built-in recorder application)
• Streaming video and audio
• Wireless connectivity with Bluetooth and IrDA
• 6 MB internal memory
• Memory card slot for additional user memory and applications
• Java MIDP 2.0 and Symbian(series 60) applications
• Data synchronization with PC via PC Suite and iSync
• Tri-band operation in GSM E900/1800/1900 networks
Additional features:
• ARM compatible (ARM4T architecture)
• Symbian Operating System 7.0s
• CPU running at 104 MHz
• 6MB of built in memory
• MMC card slot
• 176x208 (65,536 colours) TFT display
• 5-way joystick navigation
• HSCSD and GPRS, for internet/WAP access
Although the initial batches of the Nokia 6600 were not stable, later system software upgrades corrected the situation.
The phone has the capacity to support the installation of a wide range of third-party software such as mp3 and multimedia players, games, web browsers, GPS navigation, office suites, and GUI themes, via Java and ePoc (*.sis) installers. GUI themes can be created using the free Nokia Symbian Theme Studio.
The model was released to the general public in two color schemes: black and white and full black. Additional color schemes (blue and white, pink) were produced for promotional purposes.
In the year 2007, Nokia stopped production of the 6600 handsets. In India, this mobile phone dominated the mobile market for a lot of time.
My Experience:
This was a good phone, loaded with features that I loved so much. However, after about a year of use, I traded it for a PDA Phone from Sony Ericsson, the P910. I sold this phone in the venerable Greenhills market thereafter.
My First PDA Phone Combo
In 2004, Sony Ericsson released its second generation of PDA Phone Combo, the P900. I got myself, courtesy of the Globe Telecoms Loyalty Program, the variant P910i. It looked something like this:
Wikipedia has this to say about the P910:
The Sony Ericsson P910 is a smartphone by Sony Ericsson introduced in 2004 and the successor of the Sony Ericsson P900. The P910 has a full QWERTY keyboard on the back of the flip (the flip can also be removed completely, allowing for a 'traditional' PDA form-factor.) The biggest change from the P900 to the P910 is that the P910 now supports Memory Stick Pro Duo and the phone's internal memory has been upped from 16MB to 64MB. Although Memory Stick Pro Duo comes in larger capacities, the maximum supported by the P910 is 1GB owing to performance lags. It is powered by an ARM9 processor clocked at 156MHz and runs the popular Symbian OS with the UIQ graphical user interface. Also, the touchscreen displays 262,144 colours (an 18-bit colour depth) , as opposed to the P900's 65,536 (16-bit). It comes in three versions:
• P910i (GSM 900/1800/1900)
• P910c (GSM 900/1800/1900 for China mainland)
• P910a (GSM 850/1800/1900 for North America and Latin America)
One of the key aspects of the P910 is its ability to input text via several methods; multi-tap and T9 text input using the numerical keypad, hand-writing recognition with the pre-installed Jot-Pro software and touchscreen, virtual keyboard on screen and the new QWERTY keyboard on the inside of the flip.
Other enhancements (compared to the P900) include support for HTML browsing, a new numerical keypad with larger keys and a slightly changed outer casing.
Its closest competitors are the palmOne Treo 650, and the Nokia 9500 Communicator. Other competitors include several PDA-phones powered by Windows and manufactured by Taiwan-based HTC.
Sony Ericsson released the successor to the P910 in early 2006. It is called the Sony Ericsson P990.
My Experiences:
This was indeed a smart, office productivity phone. I can manipulate spreadsheets which I use during the regular international operations meeting I had with my bosses in the US. I need not have my laptop with me anymore during meetings. Working with the stylus was a fast and efficient way of doing things. I can type words away on the screen using its handwriting recognition application. Games and fun applications were never scarce.
It got to the point of what's important to me from a utility perspective from my personal phone. I did not see anymore an urgent need for a PDA smart phone combo. It's too bulky for me. I stopped using altogether and moved back to the Nokia series in my next loyalty program availment.
My First 3G Phone
The Nokia N Series was launched and it was a beauty to me. It did not include the PDA functionality, but has all the mobile entertainment features which I really loved.
My Nokia N80 looked something like this:
From Wikipedia:
The Nokia N80 is a multimedia 3G smartphone made by Nokia with support for high-speed UMTS/WCDMA connections. Features include a 3.0-megapixel camera (interpolated from 2.0-megapixels) with built-in flash (on the back of the device), another camera (on the front) for videoconferencing, Wi-Fi (802.11g), Universal Plug and Play (UPnP), FM radio, Bluetooth 1.2, digital music player functionality, MiniSD memory card slot, and support for 3D Java games. Because of its memory card and relatively large screen, it can function as a portable media player.
It uses the third edition of the Series 60 user interface (S60v3) and the Symbian operating system version 9.1. It is not backward compatible with software compiled for earlier versions of the Symbian operating system.
The N80 is Nokia's first UPnP-compatible phone, allowing the transfer of media files to compatible devices over Wi-Fi.
My Experience:
My very first phone that allowed me to make video calls. Back then, video calls were a rarity and were only allowed for users of the same network carriers. I remember trying to make a test video call with OJ Ontiveros, only to find out, he was a subscriber from Smart, another carrier. I had a successful video call with Vee Fajarito, and we had a blast that we can see each other while taking the call. I remember, she was on her car driving for work when we made the test call.
This was also my very first phone that can receive live TV broadcast. I was showing my colleagues TV shows like Wowawee, Eat Bulaga and CNN on my cellphone. When the Glorietta explosion or bombing incident happened, I was getting my up to the minute updates from ABS-CBN and GMA TV on what was happening. You see, when it happened, me and my colleagues could have been dining at Luk Yuen, the center target of the alleged explosion. We got only saved by the grace of God, when we outvoted Mimi from choosing Luk Yuen and took our lunch instead at Market! Market!
The original plan was we should be having lunch at Market! Market! However, we have a new company driver in the office who didn’t know his way around Makati that well. Ver took us the Ayala Avenue route, which was terribly heavy with traffic during the lunch hour rush and Mimi was exasperated with the traffic she wanted to dine at Glorietta instead. It was almost 1pm and everyone was hungry, but nobody budged on going to Luk Yuen for lunch that day. And it did saved our lives. The Glorietta explosion happened at about 1:30pm and Luk Yuen was the hardest hit shop in the Glorietta area.
My Continuing Romance with the N Series
The slick design, the beautiful features and updated functionalities get me hooked on the next generation of the N Series. This time, I got myself the Nokia N95.
It looked something like this:
From Wikipedia:
The Nokia N95 (N95-1, internally known as RM-159) is a smartphone produced by Nokia. The N95's functions include those of a camera phone and portable media player, in addition to offering e-mail, web browsing, local Wi-Fi connectivity and text messaging. It is part of the company's Nseries line of smartphones. The N95 runs on Symbian OS v9.2, with an S60 3rd Edition platform with Feature Pack 1. The phone uses a two-way slider to access either media playback buttons or a numeric keypad. Three newer versions have also been released: the upgraded N95 8GB (N95-2), the N95-3, which adds 3G support for North America, and the N95-4 which is an America-targeted version of the N95-2.
Features Included that I loved so much:
5 megapixel Carl Zeiss camera
Integrated GPS with downloadable map navigation service
A music player/video player with TV out
Compatible with NGage video gaming services
My Experience:
The N95 was closer to my heart as I could almost get through its functionalities with my eyes closed considering that this device was very much like my Nokia N80 phone. It’s like the souped-up version, with more muscles and bells and whistles. I get to use this for only about 2 weeks. I liked this phone already, but my heart beats like a drum for my birthday gift, the 16 Gig iPhone black. The iPhone I'm getting is part of my loyalty program availment with Globe Telecoms. How's that for a birthday treat!
I gave away this 2 week old beauty to my wife who was excited to own it for herself. Now, I should dispose of the old N80 pretty soon.
My iPhone
As I say, I was never an early adapter. Hence, despite the iPhone being available in the market, I did not get myself in the craze until after it was offered in the loyalty program. This is the second generation of the iphone, otherwise known as the iPhone 3G.
I love to post a picture of my iPhone:
Wikipedia has this to say about the iPhone:
The iPhone is an internet-connected multimedia smartphone designed and marketed by Apple Inc. with a flush multi-touch screen and a minimal hardware interface. The device lacks a physical keyboard, so a virtual keyboard is rendered on the touch screen. The iPhone's functions include those of a camera phone and portable media player (equivalent to the iPod) in addition to text messaging and visual voicemail. It also offers Internet services including e-mail, web browsing, and local Wi-Fi connectivity. The first generation phone hardware was quad-band GSM with EDGE; the second generation also adds UMTS with HSDPA.
Apple announced the iPhone on January 9, 2007. The announcement was preceded by rumors and speculation that circulated for several months.[13] The iPhone was initially introduced in the United States on June 29, 2007 and is in the process of being introduced worldwide. It was named Time magazine's Invention of the Year in 2007.[14] On July 11, 2008, the iPhone 3G was released and supported faster 3G data speeds and Assisted GPS.
My experience:
This gadget is truly superb. The multi-touch screen function is pure genius. The internet services including email, web browsing and Wi-Fi connectivity are already great, but I am more entertained by the countless Applications that go with the iPhone. For instance, I have my Bible now, with offline versions to choose from, complete with a suggested daily reading, etc. I have limitless games I can download, like trivia, sports, soduko, etc. I am watching full length movies in my iPhone and have the latest music videos. I don’t need my iPod anymore, this 16 Gig beauty completes my mobile entertainment need.
What I don’t like is composing SMS. The iPhone included a texting suggestion that gets irksome especially if you want to contract a lot of the words in your message. Nonetheless, I still love my iPhone so much.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
What's on? January 28, 2007
What’s On? – January 28, 2007
This is one of the important days of my life. I tied the knot on this special day and these are the highlights of this day.
The number 1 songs on this day were the following:
Chart - Song - Artist
Billboard Irreplaceable by Beyonce
UK Charts Grace Kelly by Mika
Aus Charts Light Surrounding You by Evermore
Irreplaceable, a break-up song, was the 3rd single of the 2nd solo album, B’day, of Beyonce and was released in December 2006. It tops the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 consecutive weeks and became an anthem of women empowerment from the multiplatinum album. This single is the 2nd most successful release after Crazy In Love of Beyonce’s solo career worldwide.
The Grace Kelly song is a satire about musicians who try to reinvent themselves, and aptly named after an Oscar winning Hollywood Actress, Grace Kelly. The song was released for digital download in January 9, 2007 and became number 1 for 5 weeks. The song was so popular it became the 3rd biggest single for the year 2007.
Evermore is a rock trio from New Zealand composed of the Hume brothers. Light Surrounding You is a track from their Real Life album, a follow up to their debut album, Dreams.
The biggest news from the CNN World Headquarters were:
”Baghdad bombings kills at least 5, wound 15”BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A series of bombings across Baghdad Monday killed at least five people and wounded 15 others, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said:
Hiker mauled by mountain lion is airlifted as condition worsensSAN FRANCISCO (CNN) -- With his condition deteriorating, a California hiker mauled by a mountain lion last week was airlifted from an Arcata, California hospital to a San Francisco medical facility for additional treatment Sunday, hospital officials said.
U.S. lawmakers urge more focus on 'forgotten' Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other U.S. lawmakers praised a proposed increase in aid to Afghanistan during a Sunday meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai but said the United States should pay more attention to a "forgotten war."
Najaf battle stretches into Monday; Iraqis say 250-plus insurgents dead
NAJAF, Iraq (CNN) -- A pitched battle between U.S.-backed Iraqi troops and insurgents raged into the early hours Monday after Iraqi officials said they foiled a plot to attack pilgrims and kill leading clerics in the Shiite Muslim holy city.
Iraqi government sacks mayor, 1,500 police in BaqubaBAGHDAD (CNN) -- Iraq's government fired the mayor of the strife-torn city of Baquba for his suspected collaboration with Sunni Arab insurgents and fired 1,500 police officers in surrounding Diyala province for failing to take on the insurgents, government officials announced Sunday.
U.S. helicopter down amid Najaf battle; 2 soldiers killed
BAGHDAD (CNN) -- The U.S. military confirmed reports that one of its helicopters went down north of Najaf on Sunday, killing two soldiers.
The Iraq war has been headlining all news during this day, January 28, 2007.
On the local front, the Philippine Daily Inquirer has the following Headlines on January 28, 2007:
2007-01-28: Startup offers outsourced analytics to SMEs
NEWLY formed business analytics firm Infinite Intelligence is expecting a surge in demand for business intelligence in the Philippines.
2007-01-28: NTC to telcos: Study interconnection rules in provinces
THE NATIONAL Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has given telephone companies five days to submit their reaction to new draft rules set to facilitate interconnection in provinces, officials told INQUIRER.net.
2007-01-28: First glimpse: Anino Entertainment’s ‘Project Phoenix’
NEARLY four years since its first foray into the PC game business with “Anito: Defend a Land Enraged,” Filipino game development firm Anino Entertainment gave a first glimpse of its next video game, “Project Phoenix,” and so far, it is looking good.
2007-01-28: Dragging my wheels in Need for Speed Carbon
IS it me getting too old for this series or the series itself is getting too old? Whatever it is, Need for Speed Carbon has already used up much of the time-tested formula that made it successful.
2007-01-28: Bush to Arroyo: Good job
DAVOS, Switzerland (via PLDT)—US President George W. Bush has congratulated President Macapagal-Arroyo for her “fantastic leadership” in cracking down on the extremist Abu Sayyaf.
2007-01-28: After Edsa I, Gawad Kalinga Filipinos’ next gift to world
IN the 1980s, the Philippines gave the world People Power—a gift that came forth from Edsa that has kept on bringing democracy the world over.
2007-01-28: Abu kidnap chief killed on Gracia’s birthday
BACOLOD CITY—Abu Sayyaf senior leader Jainal Antel Sali, alias Abu Sulaiman, was killed on the birthday of Gracia Burnham, the American missionary kidnapped by the extremist group from a Palawan resort along with 19 others and held captive for 376 days.
2007-01-28: Palace poachers baiting Loren, Nikki
MALACAÑANG has stepped up its poaching expedition on the other side of the political waters, hoping to reel in former Senators Loren Legarda and Nikki Coseteng for inclusion in its “Team Unity” slate.
2007-01-28: Mike Arroyo stands by his woman
DAVOS, Switzerland (via PLDT)—First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo was the picture of a proud husband as he kept pace with President Macapagal-Arroyo’s whirlwind schedule in the World Economic Forum here.
2007-01-28: Pinoy koi breeder raises national pride
IT puts you in the moment, watching them gently glide in the water—white koi with orange markings, black ones with red and white patterns, or singular colors in platinum or metallic yellow.
The entertainment section has the following stories on PDI:
2007-01-28: Docu relives proud RP moment in dancesport
BELINDA ADORA bounced around, table-hopping, inside the ballroom of a posh restaurant, until the lights were dimmed and the chatter was hushed. She settled into a chair then, surrounded by reporters. The huge TV screen lit up for the main event.
2007-01-28: Help indie film revolution, provincial filmmakers urged
BAGUIO CITY—THE PRODUCER of multi-awarded independent film “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros)” has urged filmmakers from the provinces to share their talent in pushing the country’s “indie film revolution.”
2007-01-28: Roundup
Ongoing until Jan. 30 at the Robinsons Galleria IndieSine is “Bagong Agos: A Celebration of Films.”
2007-01-28: Feedback
You are a cool guy, you deserve kudos for your wonderful and amazing reports on the goings-on in Hollywood!
2007-01-28: Woman with a hundred voices
I WAS KNOWN AS the woman with a hundred voices,” the silver-haired septuagenarian tells you with imperious confidence. “I was an all-around radio talent.”
The sports section has the following stories on PDI:
2007-01-28: SBP inviting new BAP head to join Unity Congress
WITH a little over a week before the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) holds the Unity Congress, several groups have started to confirm their participation in the meet that seeks to unify the country’s basketball stakeholders.
2007-01-28: Guiao confident; Pumaren plays it coy for Game 3
YENG Guiao feels that his Red Bull Barako’s best-of-seven Talk ‘N Text Philippine Cup semifinal series with San Miguel is swinging their way.
2007-01-28: Harbour nails semis slot
HARBOUR Centre found a rally-stopper in Ryan Araña and clinched a semifinal berth in the PBL Silver Cup yesterday.
2007-01-28: Money game spurs Orcollo’s rise
SLOWLY but surely, Dennis Orcollo’s financial status has improved. And he credits it all to his billiards skills.
2007-01-28: Goma has new target in sight
IT was a scene straight out of an action movie. With his headset on and protective glasses in place, Richard Gomez loaded his shotgun and hit a single flying target—not once, but twice.
This is one of the important days of my life. I tied the knot on this special day and these are the highlights of this day.
The number 1 songs on this day were the following:
Chart - Song - Artist
Billboard Irreplaceable by Beyonce
UK Charts Grace Kelly by Mika
Aus Charts Light Surrounding You by Evermore
Irreplaceable, a break-up song, was the 3rd single of the 2nd solo album, B’day, of Beyonce and was released in December 2006. It tops the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 consecutive weeks and became an anthem of women empowerment from the multiplatinum album. This single is the 2nd most successful release after Crazy In Love of Beyonce’s solo career worldwide.
The Grace Kelly song is a satire about musicians who try to reinvent themselves, and aptly named after an Oscar winning Hollywood Actress, Grace Kelly. The song was released for digital download in January 9, 2007 and became number 1 for 5 weeks. The song was so popular it became the 3rd biggest single for the year 2007.
Evermore is a rock trio from New Zealand composed of the Hume brothers. Light Surrounding You is a track from their Real Life album, a follow up to their debut album, Dreams.
The biggest news from the CNN World Headquarters were:
”Baghdad bombings kills at least 5, wound 15”BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A series of bombings across Baghdad Monday killed at least five people and wounded 15 others, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said:
Hiker mauled by mountain lion is airlifted as condition worsensSAN FRANCISCO (CNN) -- With his condition deteriorating, a California hiker mauled by a mountain lion last week was airlifted from an Arcata, California hospital to a San Francisco medical facility for additional treatment Sunday, hospital officials said.
U.S. lawmakers urge more focus on 'forgotten' Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other U.S. lawmakers praised a proposed increase in aid to Afghanistan during a Sunday meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai but said the United States should pay more attention to a "forgotten war."
Najaf battle stretches into Monday; Iraqis say 250-plus insurgents dead
NAJAF, Iraq (CNN) -- A pitched battle between U.S.-backed Iraqi troops and insurgents raged into the early hours Monday after Iraqi officials said they foiled a plot to attack pilgrims and kill leading clerics in the Shiite Muslim holy city.
Iraqi government sacks mayor, 1,500 police in BaqubaBAGHDAD (CNN) -- Iraq's government fired the mayor of the strife-torn city of Baquba for his suspected collaboration with Sunni Arab insurgents and fired 1,500 police officers in surrounding Diyala province for failing to take on the insurgents, government officials announced Sunday.
U.S. helicopter down amid Najaf battle; 2 soldiers killed
BAGHDAD (CNN) -- The U.S. military confirmed reports that one of its helicopters went down north of Najaf on Sunday, killing two soldiers.
The Iraq war has been headlining all news during this day, January 28, 2007.
On the local front, the Philippine Daily Inquirer has the following Headlines on January 28, 2007:
2007-01-28: Startup offers outsourced analytics to SMEs
NEWLY formed business analytics firm Infinite Intelligence is expecting a surge in demand for business intelligence in the Philippines.
2007-01-28: NTC to telcos: Study interconnection rules in provinces
THE NATIONAL Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has given telephone companies five days to submit their reaction to new draft rules set to facilitate interconnection in provinces, officials told INQUIRER.net.
2007-01-28: First glimpse: Anino Entertainment’s ‘Project Phoenix’
NEARLY four years since its first foray into the PC game business with “Anito: Defend a Land Enraged,” Filipino game development firm Anino Entertainment gave a first glimpse of its next video game, “Project Phoenix,” and so far, it is looking good.
2007-01-28: Dragging my wheels in Need for Speed Carbon
IS it me getting too old for this series or the series itself is getting too old? Whatever it is, Need for Speed Carbon has already used up much of the time-tested formula that made it successful.
2007-01-28: Bush to Arroyo: Good job
DAVOS, Switzerland (via PLDT)—US President George W. Bush has congratulated President Macapagal-Arroyo for her “fantastic leadership” in cracking down on the extremist Abu Sayyaf.
2007-01-28: After Edsa I, Gawad Kalinga Filipinos’ next gift to world
IN the 1980s, the Philippines gave the world People Power—a gift that came forth from Edsa that has kept on bringing democracy the world over.
2007-01-28: Abu kidnap chief killed on Gracia’s birthday
BACOLOD CITY—Abu Sayyaf senior leader Jainal Antel Sali, alias Abu Sulaiman, was killed on the birthday of Gracia Burnham, the American missionary kidnapped by the extremist group from a Palawan resort along with 19 others and held captive for 376 days.
2007-01-28: Palace poachers baiting Loren, Nikki
MALACAÑANG has stepped up its poaching expedition on the other side of the political waters, hoping to reel in former Senators Loren Legarda and Nikki Coseteng for inclusion in its “Team Unity” slate.
2007-01-28: Mike Arroyo stands by his woman
DAVOS, Switzerland (via PLDT)—First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo was the picture of a proud husband as he kept pace with President Macapagal-Arroyo’s whirlwind schedule in the World Economic Forum here.
2007-01-28: Pinoy koi breeder raises national pride
IT puts you in the moment, watching them gently glide in the water—white koi with orange markings, black ones with red and white patterns, or singular colors in platinum or metallic yellow.
The entertainment section has the following stories on PDI:
2007-01-28: Docu relives proud RP moment in dancesport
BELINDA ADORA bounced around, table-hopping, inside the ballroom of a posh restaurant, until the lights were dimmed and the chatter was hushed. She settled into a chair then, surrounded by reporters. The huge TV screen lit up for the main event.
2007-01-28: Help indie film revolution, provincial filmmakers urged
BAGUIO CITY—THE PRODUCER of multi-awarded independent film “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros)” has urged filmmakers from the provinces to share their talent in pushing the country’s “indie film revolution.”
2007-01-28: Roundup
Ongoing until Jan. 30 at the Robinsons Galleria IndieSine is “Bagong Agos: A Celebration of Films.”
2007-01-28: Feedback
You are a cool guy, you deserve kudos for your wonderful and amazing reports on the goings-on in Hollywood!
2007-01-28: Woman with a hundred voices
I WAS KNOWN AS the woman with a hundred voices,” the silver-haired septuagenarian tells you with imperious confidence. “I was an all-around radio talent.”
The sports section has the following stories on PDI:
2007-01-28: SBP inviting new BAP head to join Unity Congress
WITH a little over a week before the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) holds the Unity Congress, several groups have started to confirm their participation in the meet that seeks to unify the country’s basketball stakeholders.
2007-01-28: Guiao confident; Pumaren plays it coy for Game 3
YENG Guiao feels that his Red Bull Barako’s best-of-seven Talk ‘N Text Philippine Cup semifinal series with San Miguel is swinging their way.
2007-01-28: Harbour nails semis slot
HARBOUR Centre found a rally-stopper in Ryan Araña and clinched a semifinal berth in the PBL Silver Cup yesterday.
2007-01-28: Money game spurs Orcollo’s rise
SLOWLY but surely, Dennis Orcollo’s financial status has improved. And he credits it all to his billiards skills.
2007-01-28: Goma has new target in sight
IT was a scene straight out of an action movie. With his headset on and protective glasses in place, Richard Gomez loaded his shotgun and hit a single flying target—not once, but twice.
This Day in Music - October 16th
This Day in Music – October 16th
The number 1 songs on the Hit List on the day I was born are the following:
US Charts - Sugar Sugar - The Archies
UK Charts - I’ll Never Fall In Love Again - Bobbie Gentry
AUS Charts - One Johnny Farnham
The song Sugar, Sugar spent 4 weeks in the number 1 spot of the Billboard Hot 100 and was acclaimed as the number 1 single of the year by Billboard. The Archies came from fictional characters and the band was composed of studio musicians. The song is a canonical example of a bubble gum pop genre.
The song I’ll Never Fall In Love Again was number 1 for 1 week and stayed in the charts for a total of 19 weeks. This song was a cut from the Greatest Hits Album of Bobbie Gentry. Bobbie, a part Portuguese American was acclaimed as the first female country singer to have written and produced her own material.
Johnny Farnham was a british-born Australian pop singer and is acclaimed as the only artist from Oz with number 1 hits spanning 5 consecutive decades. After his success as a solo artist, he front-acted the Little River Band in the eighties. Thereafter, Johnny went on solo again and recorded Whispering Jack, the highest selling album in Australia at that time.
The music lyrics of Sugar Sugar
Sugar,
Oh, Honey Honey.
You are my candy girl,
and you got me wanting you.
Honey,
Oh, Sugar, Sugar.
You are my candy girl
and you got me wanting you.
I just can't believe the loveliness of loving you.
(I just can't believe it's true).
I just can't believe the wonder of this feeling too.
(I just can't believe it's true).
Sugar,
Oh, Honey Honey.
You are my candy girl,
and you got me wanting you.
Honey,
Oh, Sugar, Sugar.
You are my candy girl
and you got me wanting you.
When I kissed you girl,
I knew how sweet a kiss could be.
(I know how sweet a kiss can be)
Like the summer sunshine
pour your sweetness over me.
(Pour your sweetness over me).
Oh pour little sugar on me honey (sugar)
Pour little sugar on me baby (honey honey)
When you make love so sweet (Yeah Yeah Yeah.)
Pour little sugar on me (oh yeah)
Pour little sugar on me honey
Pour little sugar on me baby
I'm gonna make love so sweet (hey hey hey)
Pour little sugar on me honey.
Ah sugar.
Oh honey, honey.
You are my candy, girl,
and you got me wanting you.
Oh honey (honey, honey, sugar, sugar)
Sugar, sugar
You are my candy girl.
The music lyrics of I’ll Never Fall In Love Again
What do you get when you fall in love
A guy with a pin to burst your bubble
That's what you get for all your trouble
I'll never fall in love again
I'll never fall in love again
What do you get when you kiss a guy
You get enough germs to catch pneumonia
After you do, he'll never phone ya
I'll never fall in love again
I'll never fall in love again
Don't tell me what it's all about
'cause I've been there and I'm glad I'm out
Out of the chains, the chains that bind you
That is why I'm here to remind you
What do you get when you fall in love
You only get lies and pain and sorrow
So for at least until tomorrow
I'll never fall in love again
I'll never fall in love again
Don't tell me what it's all about
'cause I've been there and I'm glad I'm out
Out of the chains, the chains that bind you
That is why I'm here to remind you
What do you get when you give your heart
You get it all broken up and battered
That's what you get, a heart that's shattered
I'll never fall in love again
I'll never fall in love again
The music lyrics of One
One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do
Two can be as bad as one
It's the lonliest number since the number o-o-one
No is the saddest experience you'll ever know
Yes it's the saddest experience you'll ever know
Oh-oh-oh
'Cause, one is the loneliest number that you'll ever do
One is the loneliest number, when you're lost at two
It's just no good anymore
Since you went away-ay-ay
Now I spend my time
Makin' rhymes of yesterday
One is the lonliest number
O-one is the lonliest number
One is the lonliest number that you'll ever do
Woh-one is the lonliest
Woh-one is the lonliest
One is the lonliest number that you'll ever do
It's just no good anymore
Since you went away-ay-ay
Number one is the lonliest
Number one is the lonliest
Number one is the lonliest number that you'll ever do
Number one is the lonliest
Number one is the lonliest
Number one is the lonliest number that you'll ever do
One..., woh-oh-woh-oh
One...
One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do
One..., woh-oh-woh-oh
One..., yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah
One...
The number 1 songs on the Hit List on the day I was born are the following:
US Charts - Sugar Sugar - The Archies
UK Charts - I’ll Never Fall In Love Again - Bobbie Gentry
AUS Charts - One Johnny Farnham
The song Sugar, Sugar spent 4 weeks in the number 1 spot of the Billboard Hot 100 and was acclaimed as the number 1 single of the year by Billboard. The Archies came from fictional characters and the band was composed of studio musicians. The song is a canonical example of a bubble gum pop genre.
The song I’ll Never Fall In Love Again was number 1 for 1 week and stayed in the charts for a total of 19 weeks. This song was a cut from the Greatest Hits Album of Bobbie Gentry. Bobbie, a part Portuguese American was acclaimed as the first female country singer to have written and produced her own material.
Johnny Farnham was a british-born Australian pop singer and is acclaimed as the only artist from Oz with number 1 hits spanning 5 consecutive decades. After his success as a solo artist, he front-acted the Little River Band in the eighties. Thereafter, Johnny went on solo again and recorded Whispering Jack, the highest selling album in Australia at that time.
The music lyrics of Sugar Sugar
Sugar,
Oh, Honey Honey.
You are my candy girl,
and you got me wanting you.
Honey,
Oh, Sugar, Sugar.
You are my candy girl
and you got me wanting you.
I just can't believe the loveliness of loving you.
(I just can't believe it's true).
I just can't believe the wonder of this feeling too.
(I just can't believe it's true).
Sugar,
Oh, Honey Honey.
You are my candy girl,
and you got me wanting you.
Honey,
Oh, Sugar, Sugar.
You are my candy girl
and you got me wanting you.
When I kissed you girl,
I knew how sweet a kiss could be.
(I know how sweet a kiss can be)
Like the summer sunshine
pour your sweetness over me.
(Pour your sweetness over me).
Oh pour little sugar on me honey (sugar)
Pour little sugar on me baby (honey honey)
When you make love so sweet (Yeah Yeah Yeah.)
Pour little sugar on me (oh yeah)
Pour little sugar on me honey
Pour little sugar on me baby
I'm gonna make love so sweet (hey hey hey)
Pour little sugar on me honey.
Ah sugar.
Oh honey, honey.
You are my candy, girl,
and you got me wanting you.
Oh honey (honey, honey, sugar, sugar)
Sugar, sugar
You are my candy girl.
The music lyrics of I’ll Never Fall In Love Again
What do you get when you fall in love
A guy with a pin to burst your bubble
That's what you get for all your trouble
I'll never fall in love again
I'll never fall in love again
What do you get when you kiss a guy
You get enough germs to catch pneumonia
After you do, he'll never phone ya
I'll never fall in love again
I'll never fall in love again
Don't tell me what it's all about
'cause I've been there and I'm glad I'm out
Out of the chains, the chains that bind you
That is why I'm here to remind you
What do you get when you fall in love
You only get lies and pain and sorrow
So for at least until tomorrow
I'll never fall in love again
I'll never fall in love again
Don't tell me what it's all about
'cause I've been there and I'm glad I'm out
Out of the chains, the chains that bind you
That is why I'm here to remind you
What do you get when you give your heart
You get it all broken up and battered
That's what you get, a heart that's shattered
I'll never fall in love again
I'll never fall in love again
The music lyrics of One
One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do
Two can be as bad as one
It's the lonliest number since the number o-o-one
No is the saddest experience you'll ever know
Yes it's the saddest experience you'll ever know
Oh-oh-oh
'Cause, one is the loneliest number that you'll ever do
One is the loneliest number, when you're lost at two
It's just no good anymore
Since you went away-ay-ay
Now I spend my time
Makin' rhymes of yesterday
One is the lonliest number
O-one is the lonliest number
One is the lonliest number that you'll ever do
Woh-one is the lonliest
Woh-one is the lonliest
One is the lonliest number that you'll ever do
It's just no good anymore
Since you went away-ay-ay
Number one is the lonliest
Number one is the lonliest
Number one is the lonliest number that you'll ever do
Number one is the lonliest
Number one is the lonliest
Number one is the lonliest number that you'll ever do
One..., woh-oh-woh-oh
One...
One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do
One..., woh-oh-woh-oh
One..., yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah
One...
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Olympic Fever
I am an avid fan of the Olympics. It is not called the greatest sporting spectacle on earth for nothing. Such a great joy to celebrate humanity through sportsmanship and the achievement of greater heights and glory among inter-nation competition.
My favorite olympic sports to watch include track and field, swimming, basketball and gymnastics. I've watched Carl Lewis' golden performances in the century dash and his long jump routines back in the day. I loved Michael Johnson's winning runs in the 200 and 400 meters double in Atlanta with his famous golden shoes. I also fairly remembered that well demeanored track star from Namibia, Frankie Fredericks or the indefatigable, Marlene Ottey of Jamaica. I should say, Ms. Ottey was a true queen of the track and field event, considering the long span of time she participated in it. She even switched nationalities when her country dropped her from the sport altogether for obvious reasons.
How about the flambouyant Ato Boldon of Trinidad and Tobago. I can still picture him sporting those shades whenever he sets his foot on the tracks. How about the great FloJo or those long painted nails of Gail Devers from the US Track Team. And I became of fan of the pole vault sport, if only, because of the great Sergey Budka.
Today, the track superstar is truly Usain Bolt. Indeed a lightning bolt after the gun explodes to signal the start of the century dash. I have rooted for him. My nephews were looking for Tyson Gay, only to learn, his time in the preliminaries was not enough to get into the 3-way contest with Bolt and Powell. I was alone behind the theatrically inclined Bolt - my nephews were all behind Asafa Powell. After the run, we all were in awe at the speed by which the Olympic record and world records were shattered by Usain Bolt. Truly, a magnificent run for Bolt in the Beijing Olympics.
In swimming, I remember such great stars in the pool like Janet Evans and Kristina Egerzhigy. Or the great Alexandr Popov and the thorpedo himself, Ian Thorpe of Australia. These guys have the aura and star power in them, you can't help but admire their capacity to endure pain and excel in the most superlative of terms. However in this Olympics, Beijing will always be remembered for Michael Phelps' herculean efforts and almost magical moments with a finger tip win in his bid to haul 8 gold medals in a single Olympics. I'm so glad today's technology allows for judging who wins by splitting the time to 100ths of a second.
In basketball, there is no way I will ever forget the very first time the Olympics allowed professional athletes of the NBA in the 1992 Barcelona Games. Who can forget the only and real Dream Team that the US sent for the games. My god, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, were among the huge NBA stars who trooped down to Barcelona. Imagine the pandemonium and hysteria created by their mere presence. Today, the US Basketball Team is more humble than the previous teams sent by the US, after the Dream Team. And at least, they play like a team and has performed according to their billing. At least I know for sure, the US Basketball team will be the Olympic Gold favorites this time around.
I watched the gymnastics for the sheer pleasure of appreciating the grace and beauty amid tremendous pain and sacrifice put in by the men and women in the performance of their routines. I remember Svetlana Vokenskaya, that lovely lady from Russia whose gracefulness seemed unmatched in her time. I also was in awe at Kerri Strugg's strong willpower and resolve as she never gave up when she took her final vault with an injured foot. And of course the Hamm brothers of Team USA. But in Beijing, I loved the performances of Zou Kai and Chen Yibing in the floor and rings, respectively. These guys were just magnificent in their routines. Though Yang Wei maybe in a different league on his own, I tend to admire athletes who excel in a particular apparatus.
My only rant this Olympics is the kind of coverage shown on local television. There is just not enough time alloted for my favorite sports. Whenever I tune in, Basketball in always there, which does not interest me as much, considering that the US Team will always post the most considerable margin there is at the end of the game. I guess the predictability of the results just bored me to death, hence, I want other events to be shown on TV instead.
Well, I hope next time around, more channels will carry the Olympic broadcast.
PS> I so loved the Opening Ceremony in Beijing. There was drama, excitement and pageantry only a superpower like China could execute and present to the world. This has to be the greatest Opening Ceremony ever staged in the history of the Olympics.
My favorite olympic sports to watch include track and field, swimming, basketball and gymnastics. I've watched Carl Lewis' golden performances in the century dash and his long jump routines back in the day. I loved Michael Johnson's winning runs in the 200 and 400 meters double in Atlanta with his famous golden shoes. I also fairly remembered that well demeanored track star from Namibia, Frankie Fredericks or the indefatigable, Marlene Ottey of Jamaica. I should say, Ms. Ottey was a true queen of the track and field event, considering the long span of time she participated in it. She even switched nationalities when her country dropped her from the sport altogether for obvious reasons.
How about the flambouyant Ato Boldon of Trinidad and Tobago. I can still picture him sporting those shades whenever he sets his foot on the tracks. How about the great FloJo or those long painted nails of Gail Devers from the US Track Team. And I became of fan of the pole vault sport, if only, because of the great Sergey Budka.
Today, the track superstar is truly Usain Bolt. Indeed a lightning bolt after the gun explodes to signal the start of the century dash. I have rooted for him. My nephews were looking for Tyson Gay, only to learn, his time in the preliminaries was not enough to get into the 3-way contest with Bolt and Powell. I was alone behind the theatrically inclined Bolt - my nephews were all behind Asafa Powell. After the run, we all were in awe at the speed by which the Olympic record and world records were shattered by Usain Bolt. Truly, a magnificent run for Bolt in the Beijing Olympics.
In swimming, I remember such great stars in the pool like Janet Evans and Kristina Egerzhigy. Or the great Alexandr Popov and the thorpedo himself, Ian Thorpe of Australia. These guys have the aura and star power in them, you can't help but admire their capacity to endure pain and excel in the most superlative of terms. However in this Olympics, Beijing will always be remembered for Michael Phelps' herculean efforts and almost magical moments with a finger tip win in his bid to haul 8 gold medals in a single Olympics. I'm so glad today's technology allows for judging who wins by splitting the time to 100ths of a second.
In basketball, there is no way I will ever forget the very first time the Olympics allowed professional athletes of the NBA in the 1992 Barcelona Games. Who can forget the only and real Dream Team that the US sent for the games. My god, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, were among the huge NBA stars who trooped down to Barcelona. Imagine the pandemonium and hysteria created by their mere presence. Today, the US Basketball Team is more humble than the previous teams sent by the US, after the Dream Team. And at least, they play like a team and has performed according to their billing. At least I know for sure, the US Basketball team will be the Olympic Gold favorites this time around.
I watched the gymnastics for the sheer pleasure of appreciating the grace and beauty amid tremendous pain and sacrifice put in by the men and women in the performance of their routines. I remember Svetlana Vokenskaya, that lovely lady from Russia whose gracefulness seemed unmatched in her time. I also was in awe at Kerri Strugg's strong willpower and resolve as she never gave up when she took her final vault with an injured foot. And of course the Hamm brothers of Team USA. But in Beijing, I loved the performances of Zou Kai and Chen Yibing in the floor and rings, respectively. These guys were just magnificent in their routines. Though Yang Wei maybe in a different league on his own, I tend to admire athletes who excel in a particular apparatus.
My only rant this Olympics is the kind of coverage shown on local television. There is just not enough time alloted for my favorite sports. Whenever I tune in, Basketball in always there, which does not interest me as much, considering that the US Team will always post the most considerable margin there is at the end of the game. I guess the predictability of the results just bored me to death, hence, I want other events to be shown on TV instead.
Well, I hope next time around, more channels will carry the Olympic broadcast.
PS> I so loved the Opening Ceremony in Beijing. There was drama, excitement and pageantry only a superpower like China could execute and present to the world. This has to be the greatest Opening Ceremony ever staged in the history of the Olympics.
Monday, July 07, 2008
Market Day
Market Day
A Saturday morn, it’s more than usual
A respite from my daily grind of work
A little late in waking up for cereal
A measly reward for a tired bloke
The highlight of the day is march my way
The busy marketplace some distance away
The multitude of vehicles the ply the route
The procession so slow and brute
A crowd of busy people, a good mix of class
A throng of sweaty carters paraded in the mess
A good man’s merchant for fruits and veggies
A butcher’s knife carving some beef cubies
The fishes from all shapes and sizes, dead or alive
The stinky air and slippery pavement all in sight
The chorus of traders persuading you to buy
The haggling for bargain is a welcome delight
A wet and a dry section of food and general goods
A cacophony of sounds and colors alike
A real labyrinth of alleyways to here and fro
A true newbie’s skill and temper will be tested fully
The market’s energy is always a zenith high
The elated mood of people to bargain and trade
The distinct smell and the livid colors of new catch
The sight to behold is always a shoppers’ delight
Dennis P. Maitim
June 10, 2008
Emotions
Emotions
The sleepy one
Denuded with energy
It wishes one thing
Be allowed to rest and tire away
The grumpy one
Doesn’t care at all
Its snide remarks
Will hit like a lighting bolt
The happy one
Smiles and sings a happy tune
Infectious at times
It lightens the afternoon
The pensive one
Immersed in a deep thought
With life hanging in a balance
Don’t know which way it turns
The carefree one
Is loud and lonely
It swings proudly with the wind
And drifted aimlessly
The lover one
Is proud and hopeful
The glisten in its eye
Can blind a thousand eagles
The profound one
Discerns the life’s meaning
Yearns for an eternal being
In a surest steps of journeying
Dennis P. Maitim
June 10, 2008
Life as I Know It
Life as I know It
A cat with a fiddle
It can’t be true
I know a creature more loved by you
A cat may cry, she meows my way
With Its collar made from cowhide
Swings in her neck of furry grays and white
The cat will wander into my yard
She loves to sit in the entranceway
As no creature gets in her prima donna way
In the quiet of evenings
I may hear her sobbing-like cry
Maybe it’s a mating call, I will never know why
At times when a vicious dog
Gets out from a neighbor’s gate
The cat will hide inside my cape
A cat with a fiddle
It can’t be true
I know a creature more loved by you
Dennis P. Maitim
June 10, 2008
Rejuvenate
Rejuvenate
Sunrise in late summer is always a pleasure
It comes a little later and starting to be cool
The east will glow in crimsom yellow
With wisps of clouds radiating the brightness
To announce the new beginning
The birds will sing a thousand times
Today, tomorrow I do remember
Some gathered for breakfasts, some stretched their wings
Perched on the lone stately palm tree
In the yard of ebbing morning dews
The blue grass are growing denser
A sight to behold in early morning
With my barefoot, I have trodden
It feels like a luscious carpet of the Turks
Only it is green all over
The patch is compact but full
With pockets of morning star and golden box
Arrange in the ethereal beauty of symmetry
Plants in topiary forms of mounds and spikes
Creates a dreamlike paradise
Denrobiums abloom in various colors and hues
Gives a hint of eden amid metal bars
A gated garden ensures to protect the flora
With a growing apple mango tree surely creeping
And dominate the shade underneath its being
It feels like home, it invites you to stare
If only for a moment, you’ll be caught in a spell
Green grasses, sturdy plants and trees a growing
A real oasis, thriving with life - a garden enchanting
A sight to behold and truly rejuvenating!
Dennis P. Maitim
June 10, 2008
She Winks at Me
She Winks at Me
The joys of life
A thousand ways in between
To each its own
Makes heaven a place within
A man takes a woman
Clings to a union as sacred as time
Promises to cherish
The love, the truth and the passion
Their feelings undivided
Through gladness it’s shared abundantly
In due time, life begins again
A miracle that God has blessed unfailingly
Anticipation grows
The songs of lark are singing
The rounded belly
Proud cradle to the bundle of joy
A day would not pass
Without a new experience
It’s always a telling
The sweetness of young parenting
It dawns on you
How great a responsibility it is
A living being
Totally dependent on you
Would I measure up?
The man will feel at times
Anxiety sets in
Renewed fears magnified
It is today, she will arrive
Mixed emotions you can hardly contain
You hear her cry
And you cannot help but smile
To hold her tight
To kiss her good night
All doubts are cast aside
The minute she winks at me.
Dennis P. Maitim
June 10, 2008
Drive
Drive
Streets are narrow and poorly lit
Potholes and cracks all over the place
Sewer and garbage are scattered around
So much for cleanliness in this side of town
If not a house, an ambulant vendor squat the sides
They’ve snatched the streets from proper use
With children playing ball and old women gossiping
It’s hard to tell - where’s the pedestrian’s crossing
It would have been fine when everyone
Respects the law and follow the traffic signs
But not in Manila, don’t be a fool
It’s anyone’s guess how you can drive it cool
Perplexing to mind how one gets to move around
Streets littered with vehicles in monstrous number
Busy people that are on there way in hasty paces
Order is the least on everyone’s consciousness
The gridlock fault, it stems from lack of urban planning
Shortsightedness and too much politicking
Rapid population migration compounded the problem
One has to live with it to eternal flame
Dennis P. Maitim
June 11, 2008
Ramblings of a Confused Soul
Ramblings of a Confused Soul
The sunlight is brightest when it is raining.
It is my hypothesis. I haven’t had the chance to verify this thesis.
The bases for this hypothesis are the following:
• Water and water vapor act as magnifying glass or prism that increases the intensity of the sunlight that pass through it
• Rainwater cleanses the air of pollutants and particles that could block off the sunlight
• Rainwater scattered off a pavement will reflect the sunlight that touches the surface and its intensity is brightest at the reflection angle
I love the rain with its refreshing effect on the human soul. It’s like the body is cleansed inside out with water dripping back to the ground. However, it feels quite differently when the rain falls down with the sun shining brightly. You get the feeling of being robbed of your body warmth and comfort. It is an unusual feeling to get caught in the rain in the middle of a mid-day sun. Maybe this is the reason why more often than not, a person catches a cold at this instance.
Dennis P. Maitim
June 11, 2008
Together in Solitude
Together in Solitude
The stillness in the air
Creates the warmth too comforting to ignore
Soothing to the soul, reaching depths within
It permeates the zen-like feeling
In the tail end of summer
Dreams in the pursuit of happiness
Levitates around pillars of granite beauty
Marble floors reflect the emotions
When strength begets surreal understanding
Complementing the balance of perfection
The gentle breeze that sways draperies
Inspires an illusion of shimmering sky
Too distant, well lit by the sparkle of stars
Disturbed by droplets of a dying waterfall
Through the rooms’ remarkable pip-in music
Little by little, the murmuring floors
Echos the faint sound of some many a feet
Trickling the ear to listen closely
But shutting down the remote feeling
That no being is ever alone today and always
Dennis P. Maitim
June 6, 2007 (1:15pm)
The Conservatory, Peninsula Manila
In The Stillness of the Night
In the Stillness of the Night
In darkness there is silence
There is the air of mystery
Fear breeds with not knowing
The heaviness in pitch black night.
The sound of silence
The chorus of chirping night crawlers
Or the croaking of frogs and toads
Lends credence to an eerie nightfall
To some beings, darkness is freedom
One can hide behind shadows
Slip into anonymity without being too obvious
And get to flirt with danger and adventure
To some beings, darkness is bondage
It limits depth and movement
Castrates ones eyes from looking far and wide
And cause the tired soul to sleep if only for a while
Why do we have to have the nightfall?
Why can’t we have daylight in eternity?
Why can’t we live life for always?
And be joyful all the time
Without the stillness of the night.
Dennis P. Maitim
June 18, 2008
Torn
Torn
Tell me, who’s the master, the heart or the mind?
It’s easier if you’re the outsider looking on
But harder if you’re the concerned person
Reason above all, transcends principles
It shines off objectivity and is good for all
Even at closer scrutiny, it flies intelligently
Emotions have colors beyond normal comprehension
Outsiders are blinded because it defies reason
Yet the heart digs deeper meaning and appreciation
You always longed for good company
A friend, a mentor and conducive environ
To advance a career and pursue the passion
An opportune presents without much announcing
Laying out a career and handsome pays
With a perceived professional upbringing
You got them endeared to your naïve ways
Being good natured in your unpretentious display
They want you badly courting surreptitiously
Then, you tried to thank a good ole boss
Whose trust and friendship was quite generous
And said goodbye for fruitful years behind
After much talk and closed consultations
You’re not let go and convinced to stay on
Your value and self worth has so much affirmation
It pains to choose between two good ways
Especially when you’re torn unexpectedly
No rhyme or reason can ease the journey
Dennis P Maitim
June 25, 2008
About Dreams
About Dreams
If dreams are made to make us wonder
To inspire us to strive even harder
And make us resolute to continue further
Then it’s okey to dream always to forever.
If babies could dream dreams with less care
And imagine things only momma had bare
To smile uninhibited in sleep while your stare
Must be good visions and pictures everywhere
Dreams do happen in really deep slumber
Others more vivid and can go in numbers
While some are sketchy you hardly remember
Fruits of a fertile mind, the subconscious seer
Some people dream while awake in ponder
Seeing their lives unreeling and in great stir
A collage of the past, incoherently bare
And see new things unimaginable sans surrender
Dreams may provide an epiphany as you get older
A realization that there is indeed a great order
A new purpose in life as you head yourself clear
Build a new you and make a proud believer
Dreams get you the déjà vu feeling louder
As dreams reflect on your experiences here
Make things familiar and sort ideas better
And realize life has made you a lot wiser
Dreams do make us a lot cheerful and happier
Hopeful of the future, a destination we care
Wishing the journey will be great and not bumpier
And shared with our love ones forever and ever
Dennis P Maitim
July 4, 2008
Mantra
Mantra
The bible says, With God nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37).
I say, Nothing is impossible, if others can do it, so can I.
This mantra keeps me going. It makes me work harder and made me believe in my dreams. I did not make what other people have achieved as my benchmark of success, but rather, an indication that my dreams are not shooting aimlessly at the stars and it’s not a hopeless cause. I have the capability to steer my life and mold my journey the way I can as long as I keep my eyes on the prize. It gave me a purpose, a focus and the determination to push the limits of what I can achieve and attain.
My other philosophy in life is less caring and aloof – I don’t care if my shadow is crooked as long as I’m walking up straight.
I lived in an environment where society can be ruthless in its rules of living, castigating the non-conformist as social outcasts and promulgating rules slanted towards the few who cared less for the poor, unfortunate souls. Founded on firm Christian beliefs and family values espoused by my strict and disciplinarian mother, my character was strong with heaps and bounds of resiliency and steadfastness – a greater storm could not easily break to pieces. I have a firm grasp of what’s good and bad and a zealous fire of idealism burning inside my heart. I realized the value of integrity and the preciousness of having an untainted name, as these are the only possessions of value our family can treasure.
Dennis P Maitim
July 4, 2008
About Love
About Love
Love is a wonderful feeling it gets you intoxicated
You day dream in June and wish it were spring weather again
The smell of flowers arouses your keen and funny senses
Even the sweet songs of birds suddenly becomes your aria
You become oblivious of a hurried past as you stay and wonder
That life is truly beautiful when shared with your love one.
Love is a many splendored thing, so the Lettermen sings
You suddenly don’t know its meaning or it means everything
It defies your reason or it becomes the reason for being
Life suddenly becomes a contradiction, a paradox of sorts
Where love can be so simple yet we can hardly fathom its meaning
No one understands truly, except that the love birds are singing
Love can be like a river, it flows endlessly without selfishness
It can get you wet in return or drown you when you’re not careful
It will flood your ultra huge ego and bruise your calloused heart
It will force you into submission and bring you to your knees
It will get you down and dragged you to uncharted territories
And make you sing unfamiliar tunes and chorused lullabies
Love is so much real you could almost touch it
But it is precious and fragile you could easily break it
And it takes a greater love to bring back the same old feeling again.
It is very patient and kind; it gets abused by uncaring individuals.
It will rock your world and send you spinning out of control.
But love will keep us together as the world goes round and round.
Dennis P Maitim
July 4, 2008
Friday, September 21, 2007
Soms Noodle House
The well kept secret
Now out in the open
Soms Noodle House
A frequent diner's recluse
It was a long journey
We tried so many times
We failed miserably
Getting a seat when lunch on the way
Today we came back
Knowing it's way beyond lunch
Glad to find out its deserted
Just a few diners left
Now out in the open
Soms Noodle House
A frequent diner's recluse
It was a long journey
We tried so many times
We failed miserably
Getting a seat when lunch on the way
Today we came back
Knowing it's way beyond lunch
Glad to find out its deserted
Just a few diners left
Banana Leaf
Banana Leaf has opened its branch in Greenbelt 3. It is the usual full fledged dining resto that offers a la carte orders, just like how this restaurant started in the old Greenbelt. However, I do miss the 4 kinds of mushroom specialty that it used to have and now visibly taken out from its menu.
Banana Leaf
An asian resto in contemporary design
A fusion of indian, thai & malay cuisine
Often referred to as Singaporean's own
Both spicy and sweet, you can't go wrong.
Borrowed curry flavor leaves the mouth wanting
With intense chili and spice, you know its thai
Complementing better with nan or roti channai.
The group decides on an easy diet
Some meat, some fish and veggie please
All agreed to try the roti but order some rice
Forgo a separate curry suace on the side
Pick instead a green or red curry dish
Never the beef but may the chicken thai
Just to break the monotony the last time we tried.
Indeed its harder to choose the fish
For we are constrained by our budget's purse
The sambal looked appetizing in pictures
Not knowing for sure what's coating its exterior.
Informed we were, it will take awhile
Considering that the fish gets fried
Polished in the oven it gets some better pride.
The veggie was a trick at first
Undecide between the water spinach
Versus the malay noble leaves
Getting adventurous we often missed badly
Half expecting the vianed that came our way
Sated we were, glad the noble veggie
Sauteed in garlic, indeed it was healthy.
We came too hungry, any food well done
The fish cracker - an on the house welcome
Consumed fast, we could have wanted more
Discouraged only, the next serving not free
Pondering on what our bill would be
No one budged to spend more on appetizer
As we often go over our Php150 buzzer
The sambal fish was a big hit
Despite the long wait, its crispy and sweet
A certain smell emanates from its skin
No wonder - it was shrimp paste within
We never knew just by the picture we viewed
For sure it was tasty like we envisioned
Any day, we knew, this fish will be consumed.
We came famished, we left satisfied
A meal not too expensive with Gentley's card
Glad there's promo,there's more discount
When divided, we cannot help but smile.
Banana Leaf
An asian resto in contemporary design
A fusion of indian, thai & malay cuisine
Often referred to as Singaporean's own
Both spicy and sweet, you can't go wrong.
Borrowed curry flavor leaves the mouth wanting
With intense chili and spice, you know its thai
Complementing better with nan or roti channai.
The group decides on an easy diet
Some meat, some fish and veggie please
All agreed to try the roti but order some rice
Forgo a separate curry suace on the side
Pick instead a green or red curry dish
Never the beef but may the chicken thai
Just to break the monotony the last time we tried.
Indeed its harder to choose the fish
For we are constrained by our budget's purse
The sambal looked appetizing in pictures
Not knowing for sure what's coating its exterior.
Informed we were, it will take awhile
Considering that the fish gets fried
Polished in the oven it gets some better pride.
The veggie was a trick at first
Undecide between the water spinach
Versus the malay noble leaves
Getting adventurous we often missed badly
Half expecting the vianed that came our way
Sated we were, glad the noble veggie
Sauteed in garlic, indeed it was healthy.
We came too hungry, any food well done
The fish cracker - an on the house welcome
Consumed fast, we could have wanted more
Discouraged only, the next serving not free
Pondering on what our bill would be
No one budged to spend more on appetizer
As we often go over our Php150 buzzer
The sambal fish was a big hit
Despite the long wait, its crispy and sweet
A certain smell emanates from its skin
No wonder - it was shrimp paste within
We never knew just by the picture we viewed
For sure it was tasty like we envisioned
Any day, we knew, this fish will be consumed.
We came famished, we left satisfied
A meal not too expensive with Gentley's card
Glad there's promo,there's more discount
When divided, we cannot help but smile.
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