What I did in Chusok...

2006.10.6; Friday 4:00pm- Still half-awake from my deep sleep, my phone rang... As far as I can remember that was the fourth time but Im still on my bed wanting to have some more sleep. Unlike the others, I started this long-waited vacation that day after I left work at 8 that morning.After that ring, I get up and take a shower coz I know we will be going somewhere. After 30 minutes I was on my bike going to my friend Bhons place where everybody is waiting. But where are we going?

6:00PM- all fifteen of us walking to Suyu-dong fo r a disco. I told them, Im not going coz Im not really on disco "di naman kasi ako marunong sumayaw" and I hate someone dragging me to the dance floor. But this time they, win to convinced me, not because of the disco but because I have to be there to speak korean at the entrance which in short-"tagapag salita lang ako".
As we were walking, I already smell that something's wrong, something is not good. As we walk near the DC night club which is the equivalent of the disco hause in korea, I've noticed that no lights was on- The Disco is closed for the holiday! Everybody was so disappointed , of course except me. We tried another one and we failed. Later that night we decided to have karaoke instead. We end the day at 11PM. I guess everyone enjoyed. PHOTO: In front of Empire Disco.L-R: Joebel(back), Terry,Anne,Paul,Grace,Me,Ate Gemma, kuya Edgar,Carmie, Dhen,(sitting: Alfie, Bhonskie.

2006.10.7 Saturday, 7:00AM- I was walking home from an overnight sauna. I was preparing for our trip to Han gang river with our bikes. It was exciting for me because I was the one who planned it and it was a real challenge. The bicycle ride would be at least 15 kilometers one way which means we have to ride more or less 30 kms. This bicycle tracks which constructed along riversides inter-connecting all rives in the metropolis of Seoul is well utilized by Seoul nitezens. Hundreds of bikes, some are professional cyclist, and skaters are using this facility everyday. Some are jogging. Aside from the facility for cyclist and inline skaters, the place have also various facilities for outdoor sports like Basketball court,Tennis, Badminton, etc. Since this place have become a hot spot for the locals, the city government is doing its best to beautify the place. PHOTO: Cosmos flowers of different colors beautifully blend on my background. This is my cycling outfit.
MORE PICTURES:

(Left:)The last stop over. After lunch we did a little excercise at the facilities there. Its under the OKSU subway station.


(Right:) Ang dalawang gwapings! hehehe Of course one of the main reason of this trip is picture taking.Now here it is...



(left):My buddy Bhonskie in full outfit, (center) Me in my cycling gear, (right) working out, nagpapalaki ng katawan. (just for the photo) hehehe...

MY MUSIC BOX: October Edition

NEVER ENDING STORY (Lee Seung Chul)- Of all the Korean male singers, this man is my idol. He simply have this perfect voice- if there is something like that. Seung-chul has been in the korean music industry for decades now but his fans is still here. Never ending story is one of his masterpiece. The smooth, vivid and high pitched voice will bring your soul to the woods. I also like the piano part of this song. This song talks about a man asking love for a second chance. That he would do his best if given a second chance.To go on the wonderful memory of their past.

WE NEVER SAY GOODBYE (Kim Hyun Chul)- This is the sad ballad which could penetrate deep on your emotion. This very emotional song talks about a love that cant be grasp. A relationship that they know will end and the emotions of parting. This is the main theme OST of the movie Il mare (Shiwore). Kim Beom Su is very famous on making soundtracks of famous drama on korean television. He is said to the the gem on the music-TV industry.
I MISS YOU[PUGO SHIPTA] (Kim Beom Su)- It is a fact that this song become so popular that even in the Philippines it is well known to everyone. Maybe not because of the song itself but because it is the OST of the beloved Korean drama series- Stairway to heaven aired on GMA network. This sad ballad contributes a lot on the emotional story of this drama series. It talks about the hardest part of break up- the pain of missing someone you loved. Pugo shipta- the korean title speaks of missing someone until death.
I BELIEVE( Shin Seung Hoon) A song created by the titled "Korean king of ballads" . Seung-hoon has been recognized for his passion on making adorable ballads. His pressence in the industry is like a star on the new generation of musicians. That is the reason why he has been regarded highly among collegues in the industry. This song speaks of a man willing to wait for the love of the woman of his dreams.
REMOVING MY MAKE-UP (Wax)- This is another sad song which speaks of a broken love. A woman who made her best for the sake of her love, and how she wants to bring back their past. Wax's entrance to the industry is a big hit. She is one of the artist well recieved by fans on their debut .Wax (Jho Hye-ri - true name) made this song remain in the billboard for 6 weeks . Wax also popularized Goodbye, Gift shop, and Goodbye a day in her 5th albul released last May 2006.
FOREVER (Fly to the Sky)- This two guys are probably the most successful Korean Duo. Hwan Hwi -locally grown singer, and Brian- Brought up in the American environment become best friends after music made them meet under SM Town entertainment. Forever is among their first hits, included in the album 'Summer Vaccation' which I bought in 2003 is among my earliest Korean CD collection . The light dance melody of this song made its way to be included on my favorites.
COME TO ME[Ne gei onun gil] ( Sung Shi Kyung)- This man is one of the favorite of korean balld fans in the early 90's. Among the Ballad artist, Shi kyung have performed a lot of live concerts compared to his counterparts. Ne gei onun gil is my fav of all his bests. I really like to sing this song in Karaoke- the soft,smooth melody made it easy for me to catch up the korean lyrics. Its a song that could capture a womans heart if you sing it for her. A wonderful love song telling a man who is willing to do his best and will wait forever for his love.
FRIEND (Ahn Jae Wook)- an emotional song for deep friendships. This song is originally in Chinese lyrics, and the main theme of a famous Drama series which this singer take part in China. Translated by Jae wook in korean. Jae wook- a singer, actor, and a baseball player did cross the boundiries of show business and sports. Even though he manage to live a busy schedule which most of it goes to acting.
REASON (Jung Il Young)- Main theme OST of the Drama series "Winter Story". This song is also famous in the Philippines coz Winter story is also aired in GMA titled "Endless Love I" and have actually a tagalog translation. Aside from being popular in other asian countries, this song is also beloved by local audience. Jung Il-young, an amateour in the industry made a hit debut because of this song.
I'LL BE THERE (Jang Na Ra)- This sweet girl is very popular among the youngsters. Her sweet voice and playable character are among her tickets on being popular. She is not only a successful singer but also a talented comedian on sitcoms, a model and a host.

Twenty facts about myself

1. Im an absolute left handed- and I'm proud of it.
2. I own 2 different birth certificates, each have different first names, and distinct places of birth.
3. I started joining compitition since pre-school.
4. I was always on the top 5 in the class every end of the school year from elementary 'til high school.
5. I hate mathematics more than I like languages and sciences.
6. I can't do the multiplication table until I stepped in High school.
7. Its very hard for me to remember first names.
8. My greatest frustration on my body is my teeth.
9. I am a frustrated singer.
10. I graduated 'Salutatorian' in High school.
11. I own more than 100 music CD's-more than 30% of it are Korean.
12. Im very workaholic. Im working 12 hrs. a day(night- as always), 6-7 days a week.
13. I've become financially independent since I was 22.
14. I never watch wrestling on TV like WWF.
15. Im a fond of football(soccer) compare to basketball.
16. I can speak 6 languages/dialects and can understand/or at least speak a little of 4 more.
17.All of the women link to my love life start their names in letter "A", and I did'nt realized it until recently.
18. Five years ago, I look 5 yrs. older than how I look now.
19. Im wearing HUGO boss perfume.
20.My greatest failure is not graduating in college.
21. Im 28 and still single.

KIMPAP for breakfast

KIMPAP as they call it, or rice rolls to the west, this light yet nutritious native korean food becomes my endulging breakfast.
Being alone is not a big deal for me but food preparation is... I always find myself reliant to fast foods which is often fatty junks. I also cant cook most of the time because I often feel tired or busy in front of my computer, so Kimpap is an angel to me.

This nice-looking rolls is made up of rice,vegetables, fried eggs, sliced ham, crab meat ( which is always artificial) and pickles rolled with dried laver (sea weed) to form a circular , inviting dish. My work ends in the morning as Im always working at night. After work, I always find myself lined with some Korean locals waiting my turn to buy my instant breakfast. KIMPAP is also an easy-to-go food for busy koreans. In fact most korean middle class office workers just drop by at the Kimpap house along their way to work to eat kimpap for breakfast, and have something for lunch.
Every morning I can finish two rolls of it and cost me only 2,000 won (less than 2 dollars). Hahahaha... instant and cheap!

Slide show taken in Northern Seoul with my new bike

I guess I really need a new bike, actually what I really need si some paddling, lols.
So I decided to buy this bike on sale. Then we (with a friend) start our way back home, dumaan tuloy sa park para mag picture taking. Check this out.

This is my friend Bhonskie, a co-bike rider... at Jungjye dong Citizens Park, Northern Seoul. Taken 2006.08.10;2:30pm

MUSIC BOX for September

Kung OK lang sa'yo- Truefaith : In the mid 90's This soft rock band was formed and release their ever first album named "Build". After more than half a decade, they cotinue to entertain millions of filipino fans and topping the chart around the country. This particular song is one of their best and is really a work of art.

Coldplay : The London foursome are constant critic's darlings in the bands native, UK., showcasing melodic pop since the spark of the ne millinium. Coldplay's indie rock inclinations is very obvious in Shiever.This song will probably be included on my best 10 until I die. Another song featured this month is Yellow which illustrate the bands dynamic passion.

Your love- Alamid: This is another favorite of mine. I probably first hear this song during the "boom" phase of OPM Alternatives in the mid to late 90's. Your love is just a beautiful love song. Simplicity is what makes it more appealing to the fans.

Til I hear it from you- Gin Blossoms : It began in typical fashion- months of rehearsal followed by a shaky debut performance. In this case, the Gin Blossoms debuted on Christmas night 1987.By May 1988 the band solidified under the more familiar line-up, with Robin Wilson taking over as lead vocalist, Jesse moving over to guitar and vocals, Hopkins & Leen reprising their roles, and Phillip Rhodes joining as the band's new drummer.

True- Ryan Cabrera: If you've been watching NBC's hit series Will & Grace, you've probably noticed a familiar voice singing the song during their most recent commercials. The song you've been hearing is Ryan. A budding career that began as a mere lark has shifted quickly as a hobby, to a local star status in his hometown in Dallas, to the very real promise of international acclaim.

Bailamos- Enrique Iglesias :For Enrique Iglesias, music is no numbers game. It's about passion, expression and art. But with nearly 40 million albums sold all over the world, the numbers do tell a tale.But Enrique admits it never gets easier, no matter how many albums he's made. When an artist keeps his standards high, making good music is always a challenge.Born in Madrid in 1975, this American-European lad has become one of the multi awarded latin musician in time.

Constant Change- Jose Marie Chan :
is probably one of the most admired artists of the Philippines. This person is not only on recording he's a composer, singer and businessman,a teacher, a missionary and more.
“Beautiful Girl” appealed to the generation after him, and brought him back to the circuit and a string of successful albums like “Constant Change,”that have brought him an unprecedented 36 platinum record awards.
Since then he has held concerts all over the US, specifically at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Carnegie Hall in New York, The Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut, among others, as well as in Europe (London, Paris, Oslo, Zurich, Vienna and Paris), wherever there are Filipinos who know his songs.

Shakira - Hips Dont Lie "A very funny video"

My brothers spanish final. Which just happens to be a hilarious, yet disturbing, Shakira spoof. Shakira - Ryan Gangsters - Sal, Matt Directed/Filmed/Edited - Tom If you want to see the original music video of "Hips Dont Lie" by Shakira. CLICK HERE

Trip to Pukhansan Nat'l. Park

This was taken at the Paekundae Peak, elevation: 836meters. This is the way going to the summit. I have made/edited a 25 minute video of this trip .
To see the video, click "PLAY" below, or if you want to watch a bigger screen just CLICK here. NOTE: Full screen fuction is available on that site.

Power behind my photos

I have been using this armor for about a year now but I havent introduce it yet to you. This is my ultimate tool in photography; Sonys DSC-V3, a compact yet fully featured Digital Still Camera. Here are some features:

DSC-V3 Major Features:

-7.2-megapixel Sony CCD imager, up to 3072 x 2304 still image capture
-Carl Zeiss 4x Zoom, 34-136mm equivalent + 4x "Smart" digital zoom
-Large 2.5" TFT color (123,000 pixels) LCD screen
-JPEG, uncompressed TIFF and RAW file formats
-Burst mode captures up to 8 frames at 2fps
-VX Fine movie mode 640 x 480 w/audio 30fps, length limited only by media
-Auto, Program AE, Shutter speed priority, Aperture priority, Full Manual, plus 7 Scene modes
-Sony exclusive Nightframing and NightShot modes
-5 Area Multi-point AF; auto or manually selectable AF point
-Sony exclusive Hologram Laser AF focus-assist system
-ISO Sensitivity: Auto, 100, 200, 400 or 800
-Adjustable color saturation, contrast and sharpness
-Noise Reduction: Auto at 1/25 second or longer shutter speeds
-14bit A/D Conversion - allows a wider dynamic range from highlight to shadow
-Auto pop-up flash with Red Eye Reduction and Slow Synchro
-Flash hot shoe for dedicated HVL-F32X Auto Programmable flash
-Full speed USB 2.0 Auto-Connect to host computer
-InfoLITHIUM rechargeable battery and AC charger/adapter included
-Dual media slots: Memory Stick Pro and CompactFlash Type I

Cloning "ME"!

What a miracle!!!, who is that? Please check your glasses if you wear one, your contact lenses if they're working. Thats me....and I. Hahahaha...... judge it yourself.



PS. This photo was taken 2006.5.2 at UiChun, Shin chang-dong, Seoul,KR
오이전신창동서울


Click here for photo slideshow...

Spring time...

When the cool wing swift from the west,
and the sun rises
like an inviting cascade of colors on the sidewalks.
These cherry blossoms reminds me of the great memories Spring

have had given me...

The walk on the track...

Those lonesome Spring rain...

The lovely scent of flowers on the riverside...

and the cool weather that wakes us up from the glommy winter sleep.

Sring...

.. a new life has come,

... a new beginning.

Picturials with Westlife*

I dont know what happend to Mark but he has been replaced in the group of the famous boyband WESTLIFE. But the good news is someone new replaced him. and here he is.....

Hehehehe..... bagay ba ako sa mga Irish?

TOGETHER AT LAST !!!

I dont remember when it happened, I cant imagine how it feels to be true but Im sure, when it comes... it would be my happiest moment in my lifetime, coz this is the time that I've been dreamin' of.

This is the result of my enduring quest in learning how to edit digital photographs.
This is done in Adobe photoshop CS2. I hope I could master this application someday.

LOVE OF MY LIFE

Hello you, out there! Actually this is the first time that I will be writing about the things I feel, coz most of the time Im writing things on my mind.

Honestly, I’m not sure what to say, but what I know is right now, I’ll be talking about a woman that fills up my life, the woman that gave me inspiration, and the one who opens another chapter on my life.

This love story started when I took my first vacation back home last May of 2004. My break was brief and lasted for just a month. Before we (kasama ko yung kaibigan ko from Binangonan, Rizal) left Seoul, we have an agreement na sabay pa rin kaming babalik here in Korea, so we pre-arranged everything kasama na doon yung mga dates when I should fly to Manila (from General Santos) and when we will be going back here.

So after more than three weeks na galaan, inuman, at pakikipag-kita na mga dating kaibigan, families, and relatives, I’m ready to fly back to Manila. Naging maayos naman ang aking paglalakbay at akoy sinundo naman nila from the airport going to Binangonan. When we arrived there, I was happily welcomed by everyone, nagulat ako kasi an daming tao doon maybe because paalis na rin kami in a few days kaya pa-despideda doon araw-araw. Everybody was greeting me and I really feel the warmth of that family towards me. They were extraordinary.

During my stay, I meet Alma, actually pinakilala sya una nang friend ko . But that was just a simple and short introduction which I just let pass. Sa dami kasi ng tao I could barely remember every event that happens until evening we meet again and we had the chance to have a little talk on the veranda of my friends house.

That was the start, siguro hindi ko na i-kukwento lahat ng events after that, but in short, we finally fly back here, and I tried my best para kasama sya sa paghatin sa amin sa NAIA to see her on the last time.

After more than a couple of years, eto na kami, I can now say that we’ve already built a strong foundation on spending our lives together. Though circumstances did not allow us to be with each other physically, we manage to make the most of our relationship.
I remember a saying which goes “When you realise You want to spend The rest of your life with somebody, You want the rest of your life To start as soon as possible”.
“Distance cannot, and will not hurt a bond between two people that is based on mutual respect, trust, commitment, and love.
Although you may feel like you are losing faith in your relationship at times, hold fast and trust your heart!
I, like you, truly believe that love & relationships are what make your life special, and that ones built on love & understanding are always worth preserving, regardless of the miles that may separate two people.”

"Winter Mania"

Kahit pang-anim na winter ko na to sa Korea, Akoy sabik pa rin sa snow-fall which we seldom experience here in Seoul. Dito ang tag-lamig ay kadalasang very dry and freezing. Ang temperatura ay bumababa pag maliwanag ang kalangitan at tuloy-tuloy ang inip ng hangin mula sa Siberia which affects the rise and fall of mercury level in temperate countries like here in Korea. Gaya dito ang average temerature ay 5C hangang -18C. Kapag umuulan ng yelo ,katamtaman ang lamig dulot ng mga ulat na sumasanga sa malamig na hangin kung kayat masarap ang gumala at mag-paulan sa yelo. This was taken on our place in Shin Chang-dong, Seoul.

"Kulang sa Pansin"

Despite the lack of current info on what is hapening to our country.Tila yata naging KSP (Kulang sa pansin" ang Pilipinas sa mga International media. The Philippines is on every headline from International media like CNN and BBC for the past 2 weeks. From the Ultra stampede, to the Landslide in St. Bernard, S. Leyte, and now the 20th year celebration of EDSA revolution. Dagdag pa rito ang pag declara ng pangulong GMA ng "State of Emergency" which outbust thousands of protesters on the Feb. 25 celebration eve. Kapansin-pansin din ang pagsakay ng maraming politiko sa celebration... Hay... kailan pa matatapos 'to. Ito'y batayan lang na kulang pa rin sa disiplina at pinag-aralan ang mga pinoy, ang iba kasali kahit di alam ang totoong ugat ng problema.