the first album

Corporate Lo-Fi, a sort of superband/side project, announced it's March 09 album release on their FB group. Coming from guy who has no idea how to appreciate hip-hop, I hope it says something when I say that I'm looking forward to this one.

And you know, if that is the album art, it's pretty neat work.

I got rhythm, I got music

I've never been a gamer. Well, not the hardcore type, at least. My list of games played would include the following: Mario Bros, Contra, Battle City, Galaga, Command & Conquer, Rainbow Six and, my all time fave, Sim City. I like them either mindless and easy, or slow and methodical. Also, none of these games have been in vogue for some years now. I usually let my brother get into them first and then I borrow the installer CD.

So I'm rather late on this whole Wii/Guitar Hero thing. But I got to play it today, and good God, I need a home theater because I want to buy and install the whole thing. I will get the drum kit and bass guitar too. It is awesome. It's the only way I can live out my rock star dreams.

Friends who know me know that I can't clap in beat to save my life, so playing any of the instruments in Beginner mode was already a challenge for me. But I want to play it. I know I can do it.

friday

Well, there was traffic to begin with.

And then we found out that there wasn't a single ping pong table in the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex. Which, by the way, also houses the Philippine Sports Commission.

Then we got pulled over by a cop on a bogus traffic violation.

But we got to bowl at MCS, and in between games, we had an awesome Japanese meal (my second for the day) at Little Tokyo. And I found out, after my meal and after feeling a bit warm, that my Japanese grapefruit soda was actually a beer with high-calorie content. It was on the packaging, I just couldn't read it. It might also be considered a girl's drink in Japan.

photo from this guy's drink review

Then we couldn't get enough players for a poker game.

But I got home early, found time to read, and got enough sleep. All in all, a good day.

Yes We Can!

Obama is almost President Of The World and suddenly everyone's feeling optimistic.

A bunch of former employees (op-managers, IT specialists, engineers and chemists - geeks, really) are making a bid to resurrect Polaroid, sort of. They've acquired the equipment, leased the factory, and have given themselves exactly 12 months to make something happen. They even have a countdown on their site.

They've called it The Impossible Project, for chrissake. It's hope we can believe in!

I wanted to do nothing today. I wanted to laze around and watch an NBA game. And I did. I saw Cleveland rout New Orleans, 92-78. But after the game, I decided to get off my ass and be productive.

I went for a swim.

Had a light lunch.

Edited photos from yesterday's shoot.

Fill out warranty forms online.

And I did an inventory of all the equipment I have on me. I did it on Excel, complete with serial numbers, dates of purchase, price paid and vendors. I dug up old receipts, and was focused and efficient. It was really fulfilling.

I found the receipt and warranty card of one of my favorite cameras. It was the black version of the rugged and all-mechanical Nikon FM2N. I shot a lot of my favorite photos with that FM2N, including the stuff that made it to my first exhibit, Carnival Photography, and that black and white photo at the top. I still have the camera, complete with venerable and beautiful brassings.

It was my second camera and I thought I had gotten it 2000. The receipt says I got in '98 from the Nikon Center in Mega Mall. That must've been the infamous Columbia dealership near the skating rink. I do remember that day I got it. I was nineteen and was very nervous about carrying twenty grand on myself. I got my dad to go with me. He went with me during his lunch break, made me do all the talking with the saleslady, and forked over some of his hard-earned cash.

My dad was also the guy who got me my first camera. I can't remember if it was before or after my first workshop. My dad had just gotten back from a business trip, and while on layover in Hong Kong, he got me the then ultramodern, almost-professional F90x. I was flabbergasted. It was the camera I was telling myself I'd get when I was older and better. But my dad, who was hobbyist himself, got a bit excited.

That was over ten years ago, apparently. The world's gone too fast and digital. I've since made a living out of taking pictures and it's been fun. I have (some of) the guts to carry a bigger sum of my own hard-earned money to Quiapo for new equipment. But I still remember that afternoon when my dad, in his white, respectable barong, took his first born to the mall to get his stuff.