The Breakfast Club

I love John Hughes films, especially those which were released on the 80s. One of them is The Breakfast Club. The movie is about five high school students, all different stereotypes and have nothing in common, who meet in detention, where they pour their hearts out to each other, and discover how they have a lot more in common than they thought.

The cast includes Emilio Estevez as the jock Andrew 'Andy' Clark, Anthony Michael Hall as Brian Ralph Johnson, Judd Nelson as John Bender, Molly Ringwald as Claire Standish, and Ally Sheedy as Allison Reynolds.

In relation to my I Don't Like Mondays post, the famous phrase also appears in the 1985 movie The Breakfast Club. At the beginning of the movie, there are some shots of the school building right before the kids show up for detention. Written on a wall is "I don't like Mondays."

And guess what I found on the net... the whole script of the movie! You can find it here.

Headache

I went to sleep around 4 am today and my dad woke me up after just four hours to ask me to send an email. Problem is I wasn't able to go to sleep anymore after that and as a result my head has been aching the whole day. I don't take any headache treatment because I'm allergic to most medicines so I just use a menthol stick and rub it on my forehead to cover the pain even if just a little. I really hope this gets away soon.

By the way, I changed the look of my blog. Do you like it? :)

Goal for the Weekend

Guess what I'm doing this weekend... I'm cleaning my room and I want it to be completely organized and dust free. But guess what happened! I broke the vacuum cleaner! Haha! I was cleaning my rug with the vacuum cleaner and the host suddenly cracked and broke into two pieces. So now I have to remove the rug and let the maids wash it manually. That's too bad! I remember my cousin brought a Miele vacuum because her son is very prone to allergy from dust, he even get asthma attacks sometimes. Miele vacuum cleaners are known for its high filtration. How I wish we have that right now because whenever I'm cleaning my room, I'd end up sneezing because of the dust. Anyway, I really hope to finish cleaning my room this weekend, with or without the help of a vacuum cleaner. Wish me luck!

I Don't Like Mondays

I posted my Thursday Thirteen on my other blog, which was about MP3s that are currently on my desktop, and somebody commented something that caught my attention. It was about the song I Don't Like Mondays by The Boomtown Rats being inspired by a school killing which happened on January 29, 1979, a Monday.

Brenda Ann Spencer, who was 16 years old then, wounded 8 children and one police officer and killed 2 school officials at Cleveland Elementary School, which was just across the street from her house in San Diego, California. When she was asked why she committed the crime, she replied "I don't like Mondays." She pleaded guilty to two counts of murder and assault with a deadly weapon, and was sentenced to prison for 25 years to life.

The lyrics of the song is below and you read more about it on The Boomtown Rats official site.

The silicon chip inside her head
Gets switched to overload.
And nobody's gonna go to school today,
She's going to make them stay at home.
And daddy doesn't understand it,
He always said she was as good as gold.
And he can see no reason
'Cause there are no reasons
What reason do you need to be shown?

Tell me why?
I don't like Mondays.
Tell me why?
I don't like Mondays.
Tell me why?
I don't like Mondays.
I want to shoot
The whole day down.

The telex machine is kept so clean
As it types to a waiting world.
And mother feels so shocked,
Father's world is rocked,
And their thoughts turn to
Their own little girl.
Sweet 16 ain't so peachy keen,
No, it ain't so neat to admit defeat.
They can see no reasons
'Cause there are no reasons
What reason do you need to be shown?

Tell me why?
I don't like Mondays.
Tell me why?
I don't like Mondays.
Tell me why?
I don't like Mondays.
I want to shoot
The whole day down.

All the playing's stopped in the playground now
She wants to play with her toys a while.
And school's out early and soon we'll be learning
And the lesson today is how to die.
And then the bullhorn crackles,
And the captain crackles,
With the problems and the how's and why's.
And he can see no reasons
'Cause there are no reasons
What reason do you need to die?

Tell me why?
I don't like Mondays.
Tell me why?
I don't like Mondays.
Tell me why?
I don't like Mondays.
I want to shoot
The whole day down.

The "BER" Months

The "ber" months are already here and Christmas is getting near. I haven't shopped yet for presents but I'm thinking of unique christmas gift ideas to give my friends. I remember one time I bought these circle boxes then I glued a small angel paper mache on the cover and wrote their names on each box using calligraphy. I'm not really sure if they liked it, but for me it was really special. I want to give them something personalized, something that I made, or maybe I'll give them a photo calendar with pictures from our trips. Yeah I think that's a good idea. I've actually been thinking about that a few years ago but totally forgot about it it until now.

One more thing I like about Christmas is wrapping presents! I really like how you can creative by adding ribbons and stuff. And I love it when my sister and I would go shopping in Divisoria for Christmas wrappers and gift tags! I'm already excited!

Our House In The Middle Of The Street

It's been raining again these past few days in my side of the world. I like it actually because it's cold at night and I don't have to turn on the air conditioner anymore. What I don't like is our house is now showing signs of aging... rain water is dripping from the ceiling. But it's really no biggie my dad is already fixing it. Our house is going to be 14 years old on December. It's already old but it's still beautiful to me. My parents tried their best to invest their money in our house so they don't have to get a mortgage life insurance anymore. My dad is very keen in taking care of our house. He loves decorating it with Italian goodies, he already repainted most of the walls inside, and he even keeps a garden that looks like a small secret garden. It's really beautiful. And I actually love our village. Public vehicles are not allowed inside so the village is quite and peaceful and it's safe for the kids to play on the streets. Below are a couple of photos of my dad's garden.

The first photo is a gate leading to his mini workshop and it is on the right side of the second photo. The second photo is the view from the main door of our house. I'd sometimes like to just sit there, read a book and drink some coffee.

Website Wednesday

I'm almost always in front of my computer and when surf the net I often bump into blogs featuring cool websites that they bump across every Wednesdays. I think it's a cool idea and since I'm always on the lookout for something interesting to write about in this blog I'd also be doing Website Wednesdays. I'd be writing about websites that I've surfed, how I came across that site, and what I like about it.

For my first Website Wednesday, I'd be featuring Billboard Music Chart. I'm sure you're all familiar with it. The reason why I came across the site is because I'm currently organizing my MP3s and I wanted to include the title of the albums my MP3s came from and what year it was originally released. I thought doing this would be boring but no... I actually learned a lot from it. As I searched for a particular song, I also read about interesting facts about the artists that I've never known before. And browsing through the site reminds me of other songs that I've already forgotten about. It's really interesting and very helpful with my organizing. So for all music lovers out there like me, visit Billboard Music Chart and don't forget to bookmark it!

Home Theater

My dad and I went to Tayuman the other day to get a set of Cerwin Vega speakers from his kumpadre. He's slowly upgrading our home entertainment and he gave our old set of speakers to my uncle. I actually like the new one because the bass is not too loud and everything is balanced. But what I really like to have a home theater. Yeah that's what I'm going to build when I get rich... a home theater complete with lazy boys, projector, red velvet curtain, home theater popcorn machines and soda vending machine. I'm sure my dad will love it and he'll be pretty excited setting it up. I would also put up a microphone on the stage, the big old fashioned ones, because my love just loves to sing and so that we can have fun when we have visitors. I hope I'll be able to do all of this for him soon. :)

Baileys

Let's talk about one of my favorite drinks, shall we? Baileys Irish Cream, which was first introduced in 1974, is an Irish whiskey and cream based liqueur, made by R. A. Bailey & Co. of Dublin, Ireland. Baileys is made of whiskey, cream, chocolate, vanilla, caramel and sugar. Yummy!

Here are a few ways to enjoy Baileys:

BAILEYS OVER ICE
Recipe (quantities are for one serving)
Step 1: Drop three large ice cubes into a tumbler
Step 2: Pour over 50ml of Baileys
Step 3: Serve with friends

BAILEYS SHAKEN WITH ICE
Recipe (quantities are for one serving)
Step 1: Fill a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice
Step 2: Pour in 50ml of Baileys per person
Step 3: Shake vigorously
Step 4: Strain into your Martini glasses
Step 5: Garnish with a dusting of chocolate or cocoa powder

BAILEYS LATTE
Recipe (quantities are for one serving)
Step 1: Take your coffee mug or coffee glass
Step 2: Pour in 20ml of espresso coffee
Step 3: Add 50ml of Baileys
Step 4: Fill with steamed milk
Step 5: Decorate the top with froth
Step 6: Sprinkle over the chocolate shavings

BLENDED BAILEYS
Recipe (quantities are for one serving)
Step 1: Drop 2 large ice cubes into your blender (that’s 2 per person)
Step 2: Add 50ml of Baileys per person
Step 3: Blend until completely smooth
Step 4: Pour into your tall glasses

BAILEYS CHOCOLATINI
Step 1: Drop several ice cubes into a shaker.
Step 2: Pour over 50ml of Baileys, 10ml of Smirnoff No.21® Vodka and 15ml of Chocolate Liqueur.
Step 3: Shake together.
Step 3: Strain drink into a chilled Martini glass.

BAILEYS CRUSH
Recipe (quantities are for one serving)
Step 1: Wrap some ice cubes in a clean tea-towel
Step 2: Ensure the ice is securely wrapped and hold the bundle over a stable surface
Step 3: Crush the ice cubes by striking the bundle with a rolling pin or heavy utensil
Step 4: Pour the crushed ice into a large glass
Step 5: Pour over 50ml of Baileys

BAILEYS IRISH MARTINI
Step 1: Drop some ice cubes into a shaker
Step 2: Pour over 50ml of Baileys
Step 3: Add 20ml of Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey
Step 4: Add 10ml of strong cold coffee
Step 5: Shake vigorously
Step 6: Serve in a Martini glass

BAILEYS COFFEE
Step 1: Prepare some fresh coffee in a coffee mug
Step 2: Top up with steaming hot milk
Step 3: Pour in 50ml of Baileys

* Cocktail recipes were taken from Baileys.com

If you're a little short on cash and still want to enjoy almost the same great taste of Baileys, you can try the tambay mixed up version called Ginacolait. Simply mix up gin, Magnolia Chocolait (chocolate milk drink), condensed milk and voila... your own inexpensive version of Baileys. Enjoy!

Fascination With Cars

My youngest nephew loves playing with cars. Just give him a toy car and he'd be preoccupied with it for hours. Actually, he loves anything that has a car in it, even if it's just a photo or a brochure, as long as there's a car in it he'll take a look it. For Christmas, I'm planning to give him a model rocket or model airplane to see if he'll like it also and so that he'll have more varieties in his toy collection. Of course his favorite animated movie is Cars. He has two DVD copies of cars, the first one is already scratched up a little so we bought another one just in case it won't play anymore.

Miguel's First Day Out

Today was Miguel's first day out and we went to Tagaytay, Philippines. We left home after lunch and the traffic was so heavy that we got there around 5 p.m. already. We dropped by at a gasoline station on the way because our stomachs were already grumbling. Miguel had his favorite apple pie from McDonald's... yum!

When we got to Tagaytay, we stopped by Mahogany Market first to buy some fresh beef and fruits. Miguel had fun looking at the fruits, especially the pineapples for he'd never seen so many pineapples in one place before.

After having his picture taken at the pile of pineapples, we just stayed in the car with the kids while waiting for my mom to finish buying food. While waiting, we ate fresh jackfruit from the market, peanuts and dirty ice cream.

From the market, we headed on to Dencio's Grill for dinner. Miguel wasn't able to see a glimpse of the volcano anymore because it was already dark. But he still had fun at the trip and I promised him that next time he'll have his picture taken with the picturesque Taal Volcano.

Titanic

When Titanic was first shown on movie theaters, I watched it like three times with best friend. Imagine sitting on a movie theater seat for more than three hours, it was very uncomfortable yet we did it three times. Titanic is one of my favorite movies and I won't get tired of watching it again and again. In fact, just last weekend, my nephew and I watched it again. Even though I've seen it many times already, the thrill is still there every time I watch it. And if I will be given the chance to visit the US, I will definitely not miss a visit to the Titanic museum in Branson Missouri. I'm just amazed how they were able to replicate the whole ship, it will definitely be an unforgettable journey into the past.

Flash Drive

I'm thinking of buying a flash disk because my friend is proposing a business and if it pushes through then I'll be needing one so I can bring my work back and forth the office and my home. There are a lot of unique designs available and I'm going crazy just looking at it... I want to have it all! I even saw one on TV which can be worn as a necklace. And it doesn't even look like a flash disk at all, it looks like a silver pendant with colorful and unique designs. But this one is my favorite:

Planning the Itinerary

While my best friend is enjoying her Orlando vacation, I'm busy surfing the net for our trip to Coron, Palawan next year. Our plan is to go there June 2008... I know it's about 10 months away but we're really excited. We've been planning this trip since 2004 and it's finally coming true. Research is hard because only very few resorts have a website and most of their rates are too expensive. I have a couple of Lonely Planet travel guides but they're also useless because they have very little info about Palawan's Calamian group of islands. So far what I have in my itinerary is a 3 days, 2 nights stay, a whole day island hopping around Coron island, and a day tour to Calauit Wildlife Safari. My friend also want to go to El Nido but it'll be very expensive and will be time consuming so I'm not yet sure about that.

Crocs

I'd love me some Jibbitz and of course an Off Road Crocs. This will be on my "to buy" list prior to my trip to Palawan with my best friend next year. It'd be perfect for my Palawan trip because we will be doing a little hiking going to Cayangan and Barracuda Lakes and exploring the Calauit Wildlife Safari. I'm so excited!

Insurance

A friend of mine works for an insurance company and she's planning to get whole life insurance for herself. Not only that, she's also encouraging us to get insured too. I'm actually thinking of getting one myself because I like to travel and I'll never really know what's going to happen next. But I'm also having second thoughts because I really could use the money for some other things that I want to buy. Especially here in the Philippines, life insurances are definitely not cheap. Maybe I'll just get one in the near future when I'm more stable financially. And for now maybe I could get those travel insurance that insures you for a particular travel that you're going to do.

Banawe Adventure

There's this street in Quezon City, Philippines where car and truck accessories are sold. The street's name is Banawe and the mere mention of it will mean stores which offer anything about vehicles. It is dominated by Chinese-owned businesses where you can get your car windows tinted, you can buy replacement parts, accessories, etc. And anything you buy there is definitely cheaper than anywhere else you can find. My Banawe adventure was a funny one. My friend and I went there one time because his side mirrors were stolen and we went there to have it replaced. The guy we talked to asked us to park on one of the eskenitas (small street) perpendicular to Banawe and told us to wait for him there. We waited for almost hour an hour that we were thinking that maybe the guy we talked to was still stealing the side mirrors that he's going to sell to my friend. Funny but it could be real. The moment we slowed down the car, people ran beside our moving car, offering us different car accessories and services. It was pretty scary because if you're not careful you might end up running or bumping onto one of them. It really is an adventure when you go to Banawe.

Polarizing Filter

According to a photography book that I read, light travels along ray paths with a wave motion similar to waves on water. But unlike water waves which move only in up and down directions, light waves can move in all directions perpendicular to their path of travel. Unpolarized light vibrates in all directions while polarized light vibrates in only one direction. Light becomes polarized when it is reflected by most surfaces and some of these surfaces include water, windows, picture frames and painted surfaces.

In photography, you can control these reflections with the use of a polarizing filter or a polarizer. You can totally eliminate reflections and glare by rotating the filter. One example of the effects of a polarizer is when shooting through a window. Without a polarizer the photo will show more of what's reflected outside the window than what's inside. Using a polarizer will remove the reflection so that you can see what's going on inside.

Polarizers also improves color saturation. For example, when sunlight reflects from a blue wall, the blue color becomes weaker because of the sun's reflection. With the use of a polarizer, you can remove the sun's reflector and enhance the blue color of the wall. Another example is when water reflects the blue sky, the water will look blue. You can remove the sky's reflection using a polarizer, revealing the true color of the water. You can also use a polarizer to darken the blue sky when shooting outdoors.

For more info about polarizing filters with sample photos, you can visit Dr. Ching-Kuang Shene's article about polarizers.

Windsurfing in Anilao

Anilao is famous as a dive site as it is declared as a preserved marine sanctuary. It is the closest weekend paradise for those who are residing in the city. But what others may not know is that Anilao is also known as a windsurfing site. There's a small friendly community of windsurfers who go there on weekends and they even sometimes hold a windsurfing regatta. I have a couple of windsurfer friends that's why I frequently go to there on weekends too. I remember one time my friend was bringing his new board to Anilao and he had to load it inside the van because he had no ladder rack. Good thing there were only three of us inside the van and we traveled at night so I was lying down and sleeping most of the time to prevent myself from bumping into the board. Anilao has no powdery sand beaches but the marine life is something that'll will give you and unforgettable experience. I'm not a windsurfer but I love snorkeling there and just bumming around with the company of my friends. Some activities that you can do in Anilao includes snorkeling, island hopping, diving, windsurfing, wake boarding, jet skiing, and you can even go hiking in Mount Gulugod if have the energy. So head on to Anilao for a fun-filled weekend getaway.

Protect Your Camera Lens

Did you know that small particles and dusts that are not visible to your eye can scratch your camera lens. Even cleaning it can scratch the lens if it is not done properly. Most photographers use a filter to protect their camera lens. Filters a re inexpensive compared to camera lenses so in case the filter gets scratched or damaged then it is much easier to replace than the camera lens. The filter is left on the camera at all times to protect the camera lens from dust, moisture and scratches. The most common used filter for this purpose is a UV filter which is often called a skylight. It is a general purpose filter that optimizes color balance in outdoor situations. It costs less than $10 or only about P500 so it is really worth it. So what are waiting for? Protect your camera lenses now!

I will be posting more about filters in the next few days so do come back again to visit! :)

Cordless Phone Woes

We used to have a GE cordless phone but I think there's always something wrong with the cordless phone battery that we buy. We've tried replacing it with original ones and even with generic ones but nothing seems to last. After just a couple of months, the battery span lasts only up to one hour or less. It's really irritating especially when you're in the middle of an important conversation and then you'll suddenly hear the phone beeping and before you get the chance to tell the person on the other end that you'll just transfer to another phone, the lines become dead. This happened to me every time so I'd rather use a our regular phone instead of the cordless one. But now we've switched to AT&T cordless phones and everything's working well now.

Pesto

I love pesto! I love it on pasta, cheese sticks, sandwiches, anything! We keep a bottle of pesto in the fridge and when I get hungry I just whip up a pesto sandwich. Just put cream cheese or cottage on bread then add a spread of pesto, toast it and voila!

Interesting facts:
Did you know that pesto is a sauce that originates in the city of Genoa in the Liguria region of northern Italy. Pesto comes in various forms and the one that we're familiar with, the one made with basil and pine nuts, is its classic basic form and is actually called pesto alla genovese. Another interesting fact is that basil has been used as a treatment for coughs, skin diseases, and intestinal problems.

Here's a recipe that I got from Wanda. Two of my favorites together, garlic and pesto! Try it!

Garlic-Pesto Sauce

Ingredients:
3 medium garlic cloves
1 cup fresh basil, washed and patted dry
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon cashew nuts
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Chop garlic, basil leaves, parsley and nuts into small pieces and combine in the bowl of food processor. Continue processing until the mixture becomes fine (according to your liking). Add oil in slow, steady stream. Stop the machine and add cheese, salt and pepper. Turn on machine and process a few seconds to combine.

Beachy Room

I've been thinking of rearranging my room and giving it a more beachy feel. I'm thinking of earth colors with some blue and yellow and furnitures with more natural materials like wooden blinds. Then I'd decorate the whole room with shells, fishes and wavy prints. I also like those rotating lamps with blue streaks which when turn on at night makes the room look like you're underwater. I'd really love that! Then I'd put glow in the dark stars on my ceiling so it'd be like I'm star gazing every night before I go to sleep. And don't forget the wind chimes. The sound of wind chimes remind me of nights in Anilao. There nothing like the gentle sound of the waves together with the wind chimes lulling me to sleep.

Photographing Moving Subjects

One technique that I've been taught when I took my basic photography class is photographing moving subjects by panning. Basically, what you do is that you pan or follow your moving subject with your camera as it moves. The end result is an action shot with a relatively sharp subject against a blurred background, giving you the impression of movement.

First thing you do is to position yourself so that you are parallel to your subject. Avoid using a tripod but if you need to then use a monopod so you can be free to move. Use a slow shutter speed like 1/60th second or 1/30th second. Start following your subject as it move before pressing the shutter. Then when you press the shutter, avoid shaking your camera and continue panning even after you've released the shutter.

So there you go... hope you learned something today. Don't forget to experiment and be creative! Remember that there are no rules in panning.

Florida Sunshine

I've always dreamed of going on vacation in the USA. If I ever get the opportunity then I'd surely won't miss to visit and experience the famous Florida sunshine! I've already mentioned lots of times that I love beaches and I'd surely not miss this one. I'd avail myself an Orlando vacation home rental then head on to the white sandy beaches and soak myself in the sun! Of course, I won't miss Florida's numerous amusement and theme parks. Bet it'd be a wonderful and unforgettable vacation! I just wish this dream will come true in the near future...

DIY Camera Protection

I'm planning to buy a DSLR and I was surfing the nets for reviews and tips when I bumped into this do-it-yourself protection for cameras at Instructables. Coincidentally, it involves one of my must-have item when traveling: ziploc! Yes, another practical use for ziploc and a such a clever one too. This one instructs us how to use a ziploc to protect your camera when shooting on a dusty or wet environment or situation. It is very when shooting a kiddie pool party or shooting when there's a drizzle. Some even tried using it for shooting underwater but I don't think I'd do that. So here it is... have fun shooting and hope you find this useful!

Camera Zip-lock

Dream Furniture Shop

My best friend and I dream of owning a furniture shop someday. And we don't want to just sell furnitures but we also want to design it and if possible even build it ourselves. I bet it'll be fun, especially using a plasma cutter... just imagine all the custom shapes you can create using it. Maybe we can also create and sell modern art sculptures. We also both want to become interior decorators and once planned to enroll at an interior decorating school. But you know real life gets in the way and we just have to keep on dreaming and hoping that one day we'll be able to fulfill these dreams together.

Ziploc

I love ziploc or any zipper bags! For me it's a must when I travel or when going on outdoor trips. When I was in college I was active in our school's outdoor organization and whenever we go on trips, we should be prepared for the worst so they got us into the habit of waterproofing our stuff. What I do to waterproof my bag is I put a huge plastic bag inside, sort of like a lining, then I put all my stuff inside the plastic bag and close it using a rubber band. For an added extra, I put my clothes inside ziploc bags so I'll be completely worry-free in case it rains or when on a bumpy boat ride.

On my other travels, I put my clothes in ziplocs to organize my bag. What I do is I pair my clothes first (e.g. shirt and pants) before putting them in ziploc so that when I'm going to use it, I don't have to rummage through my bag just to find that pair. And when coming from the beach, I just put my wet suit in a ziploc so I don't have to worry about getting my other stuff wet or I don't have to wait for my suit to dry first before I can pack my bag.

Another practical use for ziploc is for packing my snacks, like chips, cookies, veggie sticks, etc. I transfer my snacks to ziplocs so it won't be so bulky inside my bag and I can seal it again when I have leftovers. And what I like more about ziploc is that you can use it over and over again. Have I told you already? I love ziploc!

Diet Diet Diet

Are you familiar with hydroxycut? According to Wikipedia, it is a nutritional supplement designed to help lose weight by increasing metabolism and reducing hunger cravings. I am on a constant hunt on ways to lose weight and I've already tried a number of diet pills but nothing really worked. A couple may have worked but it has side effects like palpitation and excessive perspiring, which are both uncomfortable. But I noticed that when I don't eat dinner or have it earlier than usual, my tummy feels smaller the next day. I once heard somewhere that if you want to lose a little weight then you can eat anything you want for breakfast and dinner but you should stop eating 8 hours before you go to sleep. Now I'm really not sure If I'll last that long. Right now I'm sticking to eating more fruits and veggies than I used to, also eating more fish than meat. And when I get hungry in between meals, then I eat a fruit or salad or crackers. And I'll start jogging again soon so I'll be in shape when I go to Palawan next year!

Adventures of Miguel

I would like you all to meet San Miguel Bear, Miguel for short. He's a small version of my teddy bear Miggy and he'll be sharing his adventures with us here in this blog.

I used to collect teddy bears but realized that it takes too much space. So I've decided to start a new collection, it's still teddy bears but smaller ones only, not bigger than my hand (and I have such small hands). So far I now have about five in my collection, including Miguel who's been with me for more than 10 years now.

Below is his photo, just ignore my chubby little hand... isn't he cute? I think he looks so fine in that vest and green bow! So say hello to Miguel and watch out for his adventures!

Skorts

I'm not much into sports but I love wearing sports wear when I travel, especially those golf apparel ladies wear. I just love how feminine it looks, especially the skorts. I love wearing skorts because they make me look more lady-like yet still feel comfortable and I can still move around without having to worry that I'm wearing a skirt. And it doesn't make me look like one of the boys. I also love how playful they look especially when it comes with floral prints or stripes. They are definitely more fun than a pair of plain old shorts.

DIY Camera Pouch

I love going to the beach! And when I do I always take the time to take a stroll along the shore and take a few shots of anything interesting I can find. I always carry a cloth or bag with me to protect my camera from sand and sea breeze. Somebody told me that you should protect your camera especially from salt water because it may rust your camera in the long run. Anyway, I found this tutorial from the Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories on how to make a cozy bag to protect your camera. It looks so pretty and very useful especially for those strolls I make on the beach. I just wish I know how to sew... maybe I'll ask my sister to teach me one of these days. Anyway, hope you find this useful too and don't forget to let us know if you've done one yourself.

Make A Camera Cozy

Think About This

Here's a thought... have you ever been on the road too long that you've wished you were wearing an adult diaper? I know it sounds silly but I've thought of this once or twice because I'm very picky when it comes to restrooms. My friend also thought about this one time when she got stuck in traffic for a couple of hours and she couldn't go out because it was raining and there wasn't any public restroom nearby. So now she brings a pack of adult diapers in her car for emergency purposes. Think about this! :)

PhotoHunt 72: Dirty

PhotoHunt

This is a perfect picture for this week's photo hunt. This was from my trip to Sagada, Philippines on April 2000. This photo was taken after 9 hours of spelunking and exploring Sagada's series of caves. Interestingly, the last leg of our spelunking adventure was a part of Sumaging cave called pig pen. The rock formations make it look like a pig pen and then we came out of a hole covered with mud, like dirty pigs. LOL! It was a fun adventure! By the way, that's me, the dirtiest girl in the middle!

Experience the Mountains

If you're planning to go on a vacation in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee then check out the log cabins by Carey Cabin Rentals. They a number of private cabins on prestigious locations with luxurious amenities and the comfort of home. Their cabins even have full wall windows giving you a view of the mountains. Imagine the breathtaking view of the mountains and the smell of clean air, very relaxing isn't it? The resort also has a large heated pool for some swimming fun. So next time you plan a vacation, why not a consider a very relaxing trip to the mountains and a Pigeon Forge cabin rental.

Drawing With Light

Did you know that the word "photography" comes from the French word photographie which is based on the Greek words φως phos ("light"), and γραφίς graphis ("stylus", "paintbrush") or γραφή graphê ("representation by means of lines" or "drawing"), together meaning "drawing with light."

Plasma Cutting

Plasma cutting is a process that is used to cut steel and other metals (or sometimes other materials) using a plasma torch. If you're looking for a high quality and superior plasma cutter then check out Kaliburn. They offer a wide range of plasma cutting systems that comes with a competitive price and a warranty that is the best in the welding industry. Kaliburn provides you with superior products and quality services.

Night Photography Chart

Night photography really interests me because of all how beautiful the attractive lights look against the dark of night. I haven't had the chance yet to shoot at night but as soon as I get my own DSLR, you bet I'll be doing some serious night photography. Anyway, I just want to share something that I learned from my basic photography class. It's a chart of what shutter speed and aperture to use on some specific ISOs when shooting night scenes. The lecturer gave us this chart as a guide for night photography. Hope you'll find this useful somehow. Another tip for doing night photography is to use a tripod and a wireless remote or shutter release cords to prevent blurry photos.