Remember to be courteous and diplomatic and follow these nine guidelines. How to Give Feedback: 1. Help people save face.
Don't mock or attack someone for having made a mistake (even as a joke). Instead, point out the mistake, offer suggestions for fixing or improving it, and move on to the next area of concern.
2. Focus on specific, observable behavior-not judgment or personality.
Instead of making a statement of judgment, like, "You suck," or "This blows," point out the specific problems a given photograph has. For example, "Since you're shooting something in such a dark environment, you might want to try using a tripod to reduce camera blur and make the focus sharper."
3. Don't generalize.
General comments may show that you caught a mistake, but don't say exactly where it is or offer any suggestions on how to fix it. Instead of "This is out of focus," try, "You seem to have a really limited depth of field in this photo. For instance, the center of the photo seems to be in focus, but since you're shooting a group of people they all need to be sharp. What if you tried…"
4. Tell people when errors exist.
Don't be afraid of pointing out mistakes. If you don't tell people when they've done something wrong, how can they do it right the next time?
5. Avoid nitpicking.
The objective is to teach with a thoughtful comment-not to humiliate or discount people and their work. If you honestly can't find anything too important to say to help out the photographer, then point out the specific aspects of the photograph you do like. I'd categorize a nitpicky comment as something like, "The pixel in the very right bottom corner is just one shade too bright in relation to the surrounding pixels," and not "You seem to have a really large hot spot in the lower right corner."
How to Receive Feedback: 1. Don't be thin-skinned.
The individual offering feedback is not attacking you personally, they're trying to help you create a better photograph. (This only applies to honest attempts at criticism. While you should still try to avoid being thin-skinned since you're putting your work out there for everyone to see, there are also going to be times when people simply say idiotic things in order to prove themselves morons. Know this and try to ignore it.)
2. Ask for clarification.
If you don't understand a point being made, or if it is too generic to offer any real help, ask for additional information or possible solutions to help you better understand what the person is trying to say.
3. Acknowledge your mistakes.
The guy in the background has a tree growing out of his head, you didn't see it yourself, and someone else pointed it out. Note the error, fix it if you can (don't fixate), learn from it, and move on.
4. Assume best intentions.
A comment from another may seem nitpicky to you, but if the other person points something out, they thought it was important enough to mention. Treat it as an important item, even if you decide to ignore it.
As one of the many serious photographers of this community, can you describe how you execute your digital workflow?
Here's mine:
1. I first create a folder in my PC (i'm not a Mac user). Naming it the date i shot the photos (mm/dd/yyyy) + the location of the photo taken. eg. 082208 Hacsa Macau.
2. I plug in my Canon 40D into my PC. I look for the drive that indicates where my photos of my cam are located. Notice that i didn't use a card reader because it is fast as it is than through cable. It last around 5 minutes for about 200 RAW picture files. And then I copy or drag them to the folder i created.
3. Then I open my DPP (Digital Photo Professional) software to view my RAW picture files.
4. I delete garbage photo. Garbage photo includes out-of-focus, unrepairable over exposed & under exposed shots, blurred photos, etc.
5. Rotate vertical shots. Select em all non vertical shots and click rotate in one motion.
6. Select best photo one by one. I PP them straight in my DPP. Correct exposure, white balance, sharpness, saturation, crop, resize, noise reduction, etc. And then convert and save as high-quality JPEG on another folder (JPEGs) inside the first folder i had created.
7. I open JPEG files in PS CS3 for digital watermarking for the worthy pictures. For the not-so-worthy, I leave them alone. Sometimes I polish some kinks in PS but no heavy PP.
8. And then i copy the folder JPEGs to my external hard drive and rename it the same as the folder i created in my PC.
9. Upload it to my Flickr, Multiply, Photobucket and Friendster ofcourse.
10. When i have the time and money, I go to the local digital print shop and have a 5R print. (i know, i have to work on my CMYK colors).
That's it folks! How about yours? It's not that refined but i'm working on it. Peace out!
This is a repost from Pinoymountaineer (by Sir Gideon) of glossary of Philippine mountaineering terms. I've been climbing mountains in the Philippines since 2003, but i never heard some of these terms. Hilarious! hehehe. Nakakamiss magclimb. Haaaay! Please feel free to add some terms you know didn't pop up in this dictionary. 4-wheel drive - climbing with your hands and feet, as in G2's Peak of Deception
6-wheel drive - crawling on your knees, as in the Napulauan mossy forest where you have to go under the trees
adidulas - shoes with no traction, shoes not fit for climbing.
akiki - synonymous with steep trail
altitude gain - the difference in elevation between jump-off point and destination
ambangeg - synonymous with easy trail
assault - the steep final leg of the trek leading to the summit - usually connotes difficulty
break camp -to disassemble tents, clean campsite, and prepare to leave camp
backtrack - going back and looking for trail signs when a party is lost or in doubt with path
basagan ng tuhod - steep and lengthy climbs (particularly descents) that take their toll on the knees
basecamp - place where mountaineers set up camp and leave things for assaults/explorations
beachineering - simply means hitting the beach but often used in the context of a group of mountaineers going on a beachtrip instead of climbing
bladder - water reservoir or hydration packs
bloated - an IT that gives a generous time allowance to reach a target, usually to accommodate slower climbers
BMC - basic mountaineering course
bundok - mountain
campingers - undisciplined people who climb mountains without following rules
cardiac trail - a steep trail, usually at the onset of climbing
cathole - what you dig with a trowel when you have to go in a major way (see major)
caving - spelunking
chorva - major product, must be buried in a cathole
Chowking - meeting place for Cordillera/Tanay area climbs; 24/7 restos off Session Road/EDSA Crossing to buy packed lunch and have early breakfast
coño (read as konyo) - 1. someone English-speaking 2. someone whose juxtaposition of English and Tagalog terms becomes a source of laughter and joy among the group. <"Sir, ask ko lang, what time na po now?"
cultural/gender sensitivity - comporting oneself in a socially acceptable manner, avoiding making comments like "it's so faggy up here" that may construed as homophobic, sexist, or offensive to the culture of the host community
dayhike/dayclimb - a climb performed on a single day regardless of major/minor classification
D2 - mt. Dulang-dulang in Bukidnon, after G2
dede - bladder and suction
e-camp - emergency camp if party could not arrive in target campsite
earth pad - serves its dual purpose of being a bag wraparound and sleeping pad
ETA/ETD - estimated time of arrival / estimated time of departure
exaj - shortcut for exaggeration; blowing up a story, like "nung kami nasa pulag, below 0 yung temp!"
executive trail - easy trails for non-mountaineers on a one-off climb
explo - a small climb group that seeks to blaze a new trail. can also refer to the climb itself.
extrang tuhod (extra knee) - hoped-for by mountaineers after an arduous climb.
freelance - adjective used to describe unaffiliated mountaineers
fun climb - climb conducted at a relaxed pace, usually but not always involving a mountain of minor or moderate difficulty
G2 - mt. Guiting-Guiting in Romblon
gaiters - tear-resistant, waterproof sleeves that you wrap around your lower legs as protection from limatiks, lipa, niknik, snake bites, sharp rocks, mud
gerbaks - solid waste; can also refer to the act of unloading (jumerbaks), synonymous with jumebs and major
GoreTex - fabric material with waterproofing and good ventilation
gram counter - somebody who saws off the handle of his/her toothbrush to save weight
groundsheet - syn tarp; fabric or material placed beneath a tent.
group equipment - tents, stoves, cooksets, camp lamps, ropes, which are shared by members of a climb party, as opposed to personal equipment like shoes and packs
hardcore - a speed-, pain-, and danger junkie who seeks out the most difficult mountains/trails and who eschews creature comforts
Harry Porter - a climber who pays a porter to carry his/her backpack
induction climb - culmination of application process in a mountaineering club; may have ceremonies to go with it
IT - itinerary
jumpoff - place where transportation ends and climbing begins
kalabaw - (Eng: carabao or water buffalo) an exceptionally strong, seasoned climber
kapatid - NPA (see Nice people around)
kapuy - tired
kaskasero - someone who is trekking far faster than the normal group pacing, either to just act out or has real great stamina or physical vigor
kernmantle - a colourful, heavy-duty technical rope used for climbing, but which is more often used as a guy line for tents or clothesline to hang soiled trek clothes on at the campsite. also an emergency shoelace
killer trail - particularly refers to the steep ascent up Pulag via the Akiki Trail; can be used to refer to any difficult leg of a trail
KK - Kota Kinabalu; usually refers to Mt. Kinabalu
knife edge - jagged ridges in Mt. Guiting-Guiting and Mt. Halcon
lead pack - group that is of a climbing party
limatik - blood leeches
LLA - latitude, longitude, altitude acronym used in PinoyMountaineer
LNT - leave no trace principle pack in, pack out - what you bring up the mountain you must take down with you
load - team/group leader's command to resume trekking after rest/meal stop
load distribution - the manner by which group equipment and food is apportioned to each member of a climb group that is based on equity (strength, experience, gender) rather than equality
lord of the rings - a place that resembles the ambience of the LOTR movie sets. An example is the mossy forest of Mt. Dulang-Dulang
major - to unload solid waste; a euphemism
Maktrav - Traverse climb of Mt. Makiling
mam/sir - title prefixed to mountaineers' names as a sign of respect and camaraderie
MASL - meters above sea level
MFPI - Mountaineering Federation of the Philippines, Inc.
minimalist - climbs with the barest minimum requirements in terms of shelter, clothing, and other equipment (excluding food, which would be suicidal), sometimes at the expense of comfort
minor - to pee; euphemism or response to "What are you going to do?"
nalaspag - ran out of stamina, courage and drive to continue doing things especially physical activities
Nalgene - water bottles for mixing cocktails or chasers
newbie - also noob, a first-time climber who uses the camp water to wash the rice before cooking, or who packs the electric plug and the hot pot with it when asked to bring a rice cooker
nice people around- euphemism for insurgents, particularly members of the New People's Army
OT - permission to pass a struggling climber (from 'overtake') <"Sir, OT lang po...">
paexperience - a more casual way of asking for something. <"Pa-experience naman ng trail food!"> May have other meanings also.
pags/pog - Tagalog for fog or low-lying clouds
pasaway - climber who doesn't follow the rules
PASU - park superintendent; this is an official designation
peteks - taking it easy / trekking in a relaxed manner
postclimb - meeting of climb participants after a climb
poste - a group member who stays at home to receive reports of a climb's progress and summons a search and rescue party, if needed
preclimb - meeting of climb participants before a climb; some groups require preclimb attendance as a requirement for participtation
ragtag - a group with inappropriate or insufficient gears and equipments.
raksido - alcoholic drink
ramps - stair-climbing training to build up the principal muscle groups involved in mountaineering
ratrat - to trek at speed, in order to link up with the rest of the climb party, to get choice spots at the campsite, to be first on the queue at the washup area or water source/sari-sari store/bus. The collective act of hurrying is likewise called ratratan
rebound - a warning given to the climber/s behind you to watch out for swinging branch/es of trees and bushes
redap - registration holdap .
rollo - plastic used to wrap your plate when eating, so you don't have to wash it later
saddle/pass - gap between two peaks, as in Tirad Pass(this one's an oxymoron though) or a plateau before the mountain's main peak.
scribe - someone who documents the climb
Shaldang - refers to Mt. Halcon in Mindoro, particularly its summit
sibilisasyon - first sight of a house or manmade structure after a long time in the mountains.
Sigg - container for heavy drinks / liquor
social climber - someone who climbs mainly to meet people and socialize
socials - structured or spontaneous gathering of mountaineers while on camp; usually during or after dinner
spork - combination utensil with spoon on one end and fork on the other
spot - to beg for trail food <"Pa-spot naman ng dried cranberries!">
summit - refers to the highest point of a mountain. more specific than 'peak' which can mean any high point though two terms are used interchangeably
sweeper - group or individual at the rear end of a climbing party
system - refers to climb (as in rock climb) equipment such as ropes, harnesses, etc.
tagay - socials, with alcohol
take 5 - a five-minute climbing break; also take 'x' where x is the number of minutes
Take nothing but pictures - opening lines of the mountaineer's creed that often finds its way in mountaineers' Multiply sites and personal webpages
teka-teka - any thorny plant that snags your expensive trek clothes or digs into your skin
thermapoor - any of the inexpensive alternatives to thermarest
thermarest - an overpriced portable self-inflating foam pad for sleeping in
thermal wear - high-tech clothing for warmth
TL - team leader
TNF - The North Face
topload - riding on a jeep's roof
trailhead - jumpoff
trail water/food- easily accessible bottle of water or snacks for refreshment along the trail.
trail sign - rocks, strings, foliage, branches, or hack signs on tree trunks that mark the designated route
training climb - climbs that are taken seriously; sometimes pertains to climbs required for applicants prior
traverse - ideally refers to a climb following a horizontal trail across a mountain passing by its peak; but is used loosely to mean any climb using different trails up and down a mountain
unload - to offer food/drinks to fellow climbers on the trail in the hope of hauling a lighter load. May also be used as a synonym of major.
Vibram - durable material used in Merrell and other shoes
virgin - someone new to a particular mountain
washup area - house/hotel/river/ditch for changing clothes in at the end of the trail
wasted/wasak - dead tired
Ziplock - very handy sealable plastic bags for waterproofing valuables
When I travel, people often ask me why I live in the Philippines? Well here it is...It is the only place on earth where...... 1. Every street has a basketball court.
2. Even doctors, lawyers and engineers are unemployed.
3. Doctors study to become nurses for employment abroad.
4. Students pay more money than they will earn afterwards.
5. School is considered the second home and the mall considered the third.
6. Call-center employees earn more money than teachers and nurses.
7. Everyone has his personal ghost story and superstition.
8. Mountains like Makiling and Banahaw are considered holy places.
9. Everything can be forged.
10. All kinds of animals are edible.
11. Starbucks coffee is more expensive than gas.
12. Driving 4 kms can take as much as four hours.
13. Flyovers bring you from the freeway to the side streets.
14. Crossing the street involves running for your dear life.
15. The personal computer is mainly used for games and Friendster.
16. Where colonial mentality is dishonestly denied!
17. Where 4a.m. is not even considered bedtime yet.
18. People can pay to defy the law.
19. Everything and everyone is spoofed.
20. Where even the poverty-stricken get to wear Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger
21. The honking of car horns is a way of life.
22. Being called a bum is never offensive.
23. Floodwaters take up more than 90 percent of the streets during the rainy season.
24. Where everyone has a relative abroad who keeps them alive.
25. Where wearing your national colors make you baduy.
26. Where even the poverty-stricken have the latest cell phones , (GSM-galing sa magnanakaw)
27. Where insurance does not work.
28. Where water can only be classified as tap and dirty.
29. Clean water is for sale (35 pesos per gallon).
30. Where the government makes the people pray for miracles. (Amen to that!)
31. Where University of the Philippines where all the weird people go.
32. Ateneo is where all the nerds go.
33. La Salle is where all the Chinese go.
34. College of Saint Benilde is where all the stupid Chinese go and;
35. University of Asia and the Pacific is where all the irrelevantly rich people go.
36. Fast food is a diet meal.
37. Traffic signs are merely suggestions, not regulations.
38. Where being mugged is normal and It happens to everyone.
39. Rodents are normal house pets.
40. The definition of traffic is the 'non-movement' of vehicles.
41. Where the fighter planes of the 1940s are used for military engagements and;
42. The new fighter planes are displayed in museums.
43. Where cigarettes and alcohol are a necessity, and where the lottery is a commodity.
44. Where soap operas tell the realities of life and where the news provides the drama.
45. Where actors make the rules and where politicians provide the entertainment.
46. People can get away with stealing trillions of pesos but not a thousand.
47. Where being an hour late is still considered punctual (Grabe talaga 'to!)
48. Where the squatters have more to complain (even if they do not pay their tax) - than those employed and have their tax automatically deducted from their salaries.
49. And where everyone wants to leave the country! Filipino Store Signs!
1. A sign in a flower shop in Diliman called Petal Attraction.
2. Anita Bakery 3. A 24-hour restaurant called Doris Day & Night 4. Barber shop called Felix The Cut; 5. A bakery named Bread Pitt 6. Fast-food place selling 'maruya' (banana fritters) called Maruya Carey. 7. Then, there is Christopher Plumbing 8. A boutique called The Way We Wear 9. A video rental shop called Leon King Video Rental 10. A restaurant in Cainta district of Rizal called Caintacky Fried Chicken 11. A local burger restaurant called Mang Donald's 12. A doughnut shop called MacDonuts 13. A shop selling 'lumpia' (egg roll) in Makati called Wrap and Roll 14. And two butcher shops called Meating Place and Meatropolis. Smart travelers can decipher what may look like baffling signs to unaccustomed foreigners by simply sounding out the'Taglish' (The Philippine version of English words spelled and pronounced with a heavy Filipino such as: 15. At a restaurant menu in Cebu 'We hab sopdrink in can an in batol' [translation: We have soft drinks in can and in bottle]. 16. Then, there are sewing accessories shop called Bids And Pises - [translation: Beads and Pieces --or-- Bits and Pieces] There are also many signs with either badly chosen or misspelled words but they are usually so entertaining that it would be a mistake to 'correct' them like....... 17. In a restaurant in Baguio City , the 'summer capital' of the Philippines: ' Wanted: Boy Waitress' 18. On a highway in Pampanga: 'We Make Modern Antique Furniture' 19. On the window of a photography shop in Cabanatuan : 'We Shoot You While You Wait' 20. And on the glass front of a cafe in Panay Avenue in Manila : 'Wanted: Waiter, Cashier, Washier'. Some of the notices can even give a wrong impression such as: 21. A shoe store in Pangasinan which has a sign saying: 'We Sell Imported Robber Shoes' (these could be the 'sneakiest' sneakers); 22. A rental property sign in Jaro reads: 'House For Rent, Fully Furnaced' (it must really be hot inside)! 23. Occasionally, one could come across signs that are truly unique - if not altogether odd. City in southern Philippines which said: 'Adults: 1 peso; Child: 50 centavos; Cadavers: fare subject to negotiation' . 24. European tourists may also be intrigued to discover two competing shops selling hopia (a Chinese pastry) called Holland Hopia and Poland Hopia - which are owned and operated by two local Chinese entrepreneurs, Mr. Ho and Mr. Po respectively - (believe it or not)! 25. Some folks also 'creatively' redesign English to be more efficient. 'The creative confusion between language and culture leads to more than just simple unintentional errors in syntax, but in the adoption of new words, 'says reader Robert Goodfellow who came across a sign .....House Fersallarend' (house for sale or rent). Why use five words when two will do? 26. According to Manila businessman, Tonyboy Ongsiako, there is so much wit in the Philippines because 'We are a country where a good sense of humor is needed to survive'. We have a 24-hour comedy show here called the government and a huge reserve of comedians made up mostly of politicians and bad actors. Now I ask you where else in the world would one want to live.
CONGRATULATIONS BOSS RICKY FOR A JOB WELL DONE!!! LEIGHTON MACAU IS SO PROUD OF YOU!!! (Boss Ricky Zafra (my admin boss) photo of the Macau redition of casinos is included right smack in the front cover of the Philippine Airlines first in-flight magazine for the air carrier first flight destination to Macau.) 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21580028@N02/2474898951/
 A friend of mine from Dubai just sent me an email telling a story of a friend of a girl who just died recently last Holy Week in Anawangin beach in Zambales. This is the first time i have read a story like this happened in Anawangin. If you don't know where Anawangin is, it is a cove located along the southern coastline of San Antonio Zambales through a 20 minute boatride from Pundakit beach. The beach is so secluded that no locals there were'nt able to stay long enough for a living.
As of what i know (correct me if i'm wrong), the beach was discovered by mountaineers and/or adventure seekers who likes to explore places that has never been alienated by huge volumes of ordinary beach people. And thru word of mouth from the adventurists community, thus the Anawangin beach got popular. It got so popular that the beach is often featured in documentary shows on TV. Yes... indeed, to me, it is one of the most beautiful beach found in Zambales or maybe considered one of best in the eastern coastline of northern Luzon. But why such a tragedy like this happened to this beautiful place?! Why? BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE PERCIEVE THIS BEACH AS SOME SPLASH ISLAND OR SOME BEACH IN PUERTO GALERA! PLEEEEEAAAASE! Folks, before you go to a place like this, please understand and consider the geography of the place. Like asking to yourself.... IS IT SAFE OR NOT?! And if NOT... then you know what to do. Take necessary precaution and don't be a "pasaway". Always carefully plan your trip and bring along someone whose familiar with the place. Expect the unexpected, and don't expect things always happen in your way. LIFEGUARDS and DANGER SIGNS can only do so much when you're arrogant or you're not in your right state of mind. WAIT!!! LIFE GUARDS & DANGER SIGNS?! WHERE THE HELL WILL YOU FIND THESE IN AN ALMOST DESERTED COVE? C'mon folks! Give me a break! I sympathize to friends and relatives of those who died in Anawangin. But please don't make Anawangin beach cast a bad image on the public just beacuse an isolated case of misfortune happened. Don't blame this beach for the lack of safety and security elements because as you already know, the beach is at least an hour away from civilization. Nobody wants this to happen. When you know that you are in a situation or place that you have no knowledge of, try to understand the repercussion on every intelligent and "stupid" move you will make. It is you who should adjust to the environment and not the other way around. If this happend to me (knock on wood), there is no one else to blame but me. So sa susunod mga folks na pumunta kayo ng Anawangin... magiingat kayo! HINDI YON BORACAY NA MAY LIFEGUARD AND DANGER SIGNS!!!! Behind the Beauty Of Anawangin!! THIS IS A TRUE STORY!!
(a forwarded email)
This is the story behind the death of our dear officemate "Architect Melvin H. Maxino".....
Si mel happens to be a friend of my husband kaya close kami,mabuti syang kaibigan,magaling sa magic tricks, kenkoy, magaling makisama kaya lahat sa office vibes nya....wala kang perang pang-load...loloadan ka nya, everytime dadaan ako sa table nya, he would always ask me "Ate len gusto mo ng biscuit?candy?,kahit ano na meron sya."Si mel din ang YB partner ko sa office.....pero ang talagang kinahangaan ko kay mel ay ang pagmamahal nya sa magulang at kapatid nya,iniisip nya palagi kung paano nya matutulungan ang mama at papa nya...kaya pati pagtitinda ng chicharon sa office namin kina-career nya (pero in fairness ubos agad kasi masarap at mura pa) sigurado mamimiss namin ang chicharon ni mel.Sayang nga lang maaga syang nawala....alam kong sa kabaitan nya, marami pa dapat magagandang bagay na darating sa buhay nya....pero eto na nga iniwan nya na tayo....his back in the hands of our creator...at tanging ang diyos lamang ang nakakaalam kung bakit kailangan mangyari ito..but i know GOD has a plan lalo sa mga naiwang mahal sa buhay ni mel. Sa'yo mel mami-miss ka namain lahat...we pray that you may rest in peace and you will always be remembered in our hearts......
ETO NA PO ANG KWENTO:
Behind the Beauty of Anawangin
Holy week,..long weekend ng March, nagkasundong mag out-of-town ang sampung magbabarkada. Ang napiling lugar, Anawangin. Para medyo malayo naman sa polusyon ng Maynila at ma-relax naman ang mga utak mula sa araw-araw na stress ng opisina. A week before pa lang nakapagpa-reserve na kami ng tickets sa bus, seat # 1 to 10 pa nga kami,ganun ka-excited. Wednesday 12midnight ang byahe namin, mabilis at maluwang naman ang kalsada kaya alas-tres pa lang ng madaling araw ng huwebes nasa SanAntonio na ang grupo. Ang San Antonio ay isang bayan sa Zambales na jump-off para papuntang Anawangin.
Madilim pa ng mga oras na yun kaya tambay muna kami sa plaza ng San Antonio, kwentuhan at kulitan muna habang nagpapa-umaga para makabili sa palengke ng iba pang madadalang pagkain, habang ang iba'y nakikipag-negotiate na ng tricycle patungong Pundakit (shoreline para maka-arkila ng bangka patungong Anawangin. Very entertaining ang mga tricycle drivers (dahil kikita nga naman sila sa amin), halos lahat nag-aagawan para lang kontratahin sila, nakilala Ko dun si Kodz, siya yung pinili namin kasi siya yung mukhang mas informative, yung iba halatang pera lang ang habol. Ayon kay Kodz lagi siyang naghahatid dun, marami na rin daw siyang suking manilenyo at labing-isang beses na daw siyang nakapunta sa Anawangin mismo. Sa tagal ng kwentuhan namin wala siyang nababanggit na delikado o sakunang pangyayari sa lugar, pawang kagandahan lang ng lugar, binigay pa nga niya yung cell number niya para ma-text ko raw siya kung pupunta uli kami dun.
Mga 15 minutes from San Antonio to Pundakit, pagdating dun negotiate na kami ng bangka, nakilala namin si Vic, isang bangkero sa Pundakit, wala kaming ibang usapan kundi kung magkano ang kontrata sa kanya at kung kailan kami muli susunduin mula Anawangin.
Around 7am nasa Anawangin na kami, hanap agad ng magandang camp area sa gitna ng matataas na pine trees, di ko ikakaila na maganda ang lugar, tahimik at relaxing. Habang nag-aayos kami ng mga gamit at nagpi-pitch ng mga tents, lumapit ang isang ale sa amin, maganda ang ngiti at mukhang mabait, malumanay ang boses niya ng sinabi niyang siya ang caretaker ng isla, siya daw si Aling Ligaya. Umalis saglit at bumalik na may kasama pang isang babae, buhat nila ang isang maayos na papag na gawa sa kawayan, binaba nila sa gitna ng area namin at sinabing patungan daw ng mga pagkain o anumang gamit. Sabay alis, walang ibang sinabi kung may bayad man yun o wala, pero napagtanong namin sa mga katabi naming naka-camp na dun na P50 per head at per day daw.
Habang nag-aayos ang grupo may mga nagluluto na ng pancakes for breakfast, set na din ng tripod ng camera at picture taking na agad, halatang sabik ang isat-isa sa muling pagsasama ng tropa, matagal na rin kasing walang get-together dahil puro busy sa trabaho at kayod talaga para sa mga magagandang plano sa pamilya.
After breakfast excited na ang lahat lumublob sa dagat, kanya-kanyang labas na ng mga snorkel, goggles, vest at fins, makikita sa mukha ng bawat isa ang excitement na i-enjoy at i-explore ang lugar. Di alintana ng lahat ang lamig ng tubig basta sige lublob, kwentuhan, tawanan, halos wala ring pahinga ang mga digicams sa kakakuha ng pictures. Enjoy ang lahat, walang kj, lahat nakangiti, nakatawa, masayang-masaya ang tropa, ang tropa na walang ibang hangarin kundi ang i-appreciate ang ganda ng Anawangin.
Kinagabihan, set-up na ng lamp, habang nagluluto ng dinner ang ilan, nakapalibot naman ang iba sa kamustahang kwentuhan, bumangka si Mel, tropa ko since college na arkitekto na, bumanat na naman siya ng mga magic tricks niya kasama ang isa pang tropa na lagi niyang nililibang, kami naman kahit bilib sa ginagawa niya di na lang naming pinapahalata. Natatandaan ko pa nun na nagbilin ako ng pasalubong kay Mel kasi naka-line up na siya sa opisina nila na pupuntang Hawaii. Natapos ang gabing yun sa malalakas na tawanan at masasayang kwentuhan.
Kinabukasan, Biyernes Santo. Snorkling uli ang ilan sa tropa, explore uli sa islang may magagandang corals at makukulay na isda, halos di mo mamamalayan ang oras sa sobrang pagkalibang. Pagdating ng Lunch time, sabay nagsalu-salo ang buong tropa sa pagkain, pagkatapos yung iba umidlip sa pagkapagod. Bandang hapon ng nagkayayaan yung apat pa naming kasama na mag-swimming uli, dalawa sa kanila ang naka-vest kasama si Gwen, girlfriend ni Mel. Di naming akalaing may naghihintay na sakuna para sa kanila ng mga panahon na yon. Habang nagpapahinga kami sa camp site, bandang alas-kwatro ng hapon, nagulantang ang katahimikan dahil sa pagdating ng isang kasama nila Mel galing sa dagat, tumatakbo't hinihingal habang sinasabing "nalunod si……nalunod si……"…..di pa man din siya tapos sa sinasabi niya agad naming dinampot yung natitirang vest at snorkel, dahil sa pagka-intindi naming nalulunod pa lang siya ng mga panahong yon.
Hinihingal sa pagkakatakbo ng pagdating namin sa lugar, marami ng nakapalibot na tao. Pagpasok ko sa loob, nakita ko ng umiiyak si Gwen sa tabi ni Mel. Si Mel walang malay at langtang gulay habang sini-cpr ng dalawang lalaking di namin kilala, yung ibang kasama naming nangontrata na ng bangka para madala agad si Mel sa hospital. Habang nasa bangka kahit walang malay patuloy naming kinakausap si Mel at pinipisil ang mga daliri sa kamay at paa niya. Halos paliparin ng bangkero ang bangka laban sa mga malalakas na alon ng hapon na yun. Bawat minuto parang ga-oras ang tagal ng byahe namin dahil sa layo. Tinatanong naming ang diyos kung bakit, mabait naman si Mel, mabuting anak sa pamilya niya, matulungin sa tropa, kwento pa nga ng girlfriend niya may ipon siya para sa pagpapatayo ng bahay para sa nanay niya, marami pa siyang gagawin….bakit si mel?
Pagdating ng Pundakit, ang daming tao pero kakaunti ang nagkukusang tumulong, kailangan mo pang murahin para tulungan ka sa pagbuhat. May nurse na lalaking lumapit he knows cpr daw, kaya bomba uli kami kay mel habang hinihintay yung ambulansya na pinatawag ng pulis na nakatalaga dun. Ilang minuto din bago dumating yung ambulansya. Kinailangan pa naming buhatin ang mabigat na katawan ni mel papunta sa gate ng resort para maisakay siya sa ambulansya, tantsa ko nasa 20 meters din ang layo. Dun namin na-realize na ganun kalayo ang tatahakin sa tuwing magkakaroon ng sakuna sa Anawangin.
Pagkarga kay Mel sa ambulansya, salpak agad ng driver ng oxygen kay mel, akala naming magiging ok na ang lahat, tsaka namin nalaman na ibabyahe pa sa kabilang town (San Marcelino), dahil wala raw hospital sa San Antonio,..Ang tanong, Bakit walang hospital sa San Antonio? Ang nagpapalakas ng loob namin ay yung maayos pa ang kulay ni Mel at may pulso pa siya , alam namin na aabot siya kung madadala lang agad sa Ospital. Pero sadyang ayaw makisama ng tadhana ang tagal na naman ng byahe namin bago makarating sa Ospital. Pagdating sa San Marcelino Hospital, ilang minuto lang ng mailipat si Mel sa kama ng ospital, dun na sinabi ng duktor na din na niya kinaya…wala na si Mel..Ganun kabilis ang pangyayari..Di man katanggap-tanggap.
Pagsunod ng ibang kasama namin sa San Marcelino Hospital, dun namin sila nakausap tungkol sa pangyayari. Ayon kay German, (isa sa apat na magkakasama), tahimik at mababaw ang tubig, umabot man ng ilang metro mula sa pampang ang babaw pa rin daw. Nung nagsi-swimming sila, medyo may distansiya si Mel sa tatlong kasama, nagulat na lang sila ng biglang nagpupumiglas at sumisigaw si Mel na para bang may puwersang humihila sa kanya na sadyang di niya makayanang labanan. Magaling lumangoy si Mel, at lalong hindi siya lasing, wala sa sampung magkakasama ang nakainom, kaya nagtataka sila kung bakit di niya magawang makalangoy. Sumaklolo si German pero paglapit niya kay Mel di niya akalaing ganun kalakas ang pwersa ng current sa ilalim ,gayung tahimik naman ang tubig ng lumusong sila. Parang may halimaw sa ilalim na gutom sa pagkuha ng buhay ng tao.,..di kinaya ni German kaya pinilit nilang makaahon agad para makahingi ng tulong. May sumaklolo pero di rin nagtagumpay na masagip si Mel, nung may pangalawang sumaklolo tsaka lang daw nakuha si Mel na wala ng malay. Ganun daw ang pangyayari. Paano pala kung walang kusang tumulong?..malamang pati katawan ng biktima ay din a makuha.
Walang "Danger" signs sa paligid,..wala ring Lifeguard,..wala ring salbabida man lang na pwede mong ibato sa nalulunod. Para saan yung sinisingil ng caretaker ng isla?...ano lang ba yung maglagay man lang sana ng signs para aware ang mga tao na ganun pala ka-delikado sa lugar nila. Hindi kapakanan ng mga campers ang priority ng caretaker.
Lahat ng ganda ng Anawangin ay nabura dahil sa pangyayaring yon, wala ka ng proteksiyon sa isla ang layo pa ng hospital na pagdadalhan sayo kung may sakuna. Sabi pa ng isang nurse sa hospital na nakausap namin, di lang minsan may ganung pangyayari, dati daw may pamilya pang nalunod, meron din daw isang case na swimmer pa yung nalunod, Puro dayo daw yung mga nagbubuwis ng buhay, halos taun-taon daw. Bakit di man lang nababalita?..maging sa internet walang ibang balita kundi kagandahan ng lugar.. Kaya pala tahimik lang ang mga locals, mga tricycle drivers at mga bangkero dun, kasi pag kinuwento nga naman nila masisira ang
hanapbuhay nila. Hanapbuhay nilang pagsasakripisyo ng buhay ng ibang tao.
Kung mahal mo ang kaibigan mo o pamilya mo, huwag mong ilapit sa mapanuksong ganda ng Anawangin, marami pang ibang magandang lugar. Gawin nating si Mel na ang huling biktima, at sigurado akong ikatutuwa ni Mel na makatulong tayo sa ibang tao na malayo sa sakuna. "Don't be a victim behind the beauty of Anawangin!!"
At para sa'yo Mel, ang pagdarasal namin para sa Mapayapang Paglalakbay. Habang-buhay kang nasa puso namin. May you Rest in Peace.
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Maganda mang tignan ang lugar ng Anawangin, pero may multong nakatago sa gandang nakikita natin. Huwag na po nating pabayaang may madagdag pa sa mga buhay na nawala sa lugar na iyan, huwag nyo pong isapalaran ang inyong mga buhay! Magandang pakikisama ng mga nagpapatakbo at nangangalaga ng Anawangin lalo na
ni Aling Ligaya hindi po matutumbasan ng buhay na lalamunin pa ng isla ng Anawangin!!!!!
Mel, maraming salamat sa iyong kabaitan hindi mo pa man oras ngunit kailangan naming tanggapin ang katotohanang binawi ka na ng Maykapal. Marami ka ng taong natulungan, marami ka ng mapasayang tao, mahirap man sa amin pero kailangan mo ng tumuloy sa iyong pupuntahan. Alam kong nasa tabi ka ng Diyos na Maykapal, at alam kong magiging masaya ka dyan. Huwag mo na kaming alalahanin dahil binigyan mo na kami ng mga alaalang hindi namin malilimutan, napakabait mong kapatid, tito at lalong lalo na bilang anak sa mga magulang natin. Humayo ka na at matahimik sa kandungan ng Panginoong Diyos. Maraming maraming salamat kapatid ko!!!! Mahal na mahal ka namin!!!!
MICHAELA MAXINO HERNAEZ
Sister of Melvin
This is so true! Lahat ng item meron ako or na-experience ko when i was young back then...o walang kokontra kasi hindi pa naman ako ganun katanda no! For those people who would not recognize most of the items listed sorry na lang kayo, it's either bata pa kayo or you balong to Batang 70's, 60's or even 50's, hahahaha. You know you're a kid of the 80's when... 1.) You have scars on your knees and elbows. 2.) You owned a bike. 3.) You had a barkada around your neighborhood (all of you had bikes). 4.) You loved climbing on your house's roof (and your neighbor's roof as well). 5.) You went inside the abandoned house in your neighborhood just to see what it looks like inside. 6.) You ate all the aratilis in your neighborhood. 7.) You plucked all the gumamelas in the area for soap bubbles. 8.) Your parents forced you to take afternoon siestas with the threat that you will not be allowed to play outside. 9.) You are never found in your house in the afternoon. You are often found playing in the street with your neighborhood friends. 10.) You loved exploring vacant lots for hidden knick-knacks. 11.) You just can't resist jumping in a sandpile. 12.) You know all the street games (patintero, agawan base, langit-lupa, etc., etc.). 13.) You owned a family computer. 14.) Your hand-to-eye coordination is terrific due to family computer. 15.) You'd rather go outdoors in the afternoon than play family computer. 16.) You gleefully boast that games today are so easy because of the character's life bar (Remember when we used to play Mario? We died the minute a goomba hit us). 17.) You know this code by heart: UP-UP-DOWN-DOWN-LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT-RIGHT-B-A-B-A-START (select-start for 2 players). 18.) You owned a superhero costume (especially a Superman costume). 19.) For the girls: You dressed up like Punky Brewster, Madonna and Debbie Gibson... For the boys: You dressed up like David Hasselhoff's Knight Rider, David Bowie or had Clark Kent's little bangs... And now you think that the 80's had the suckiest dress sense. 20.) You had a denim jacket. 21.) You had a sticker book, especially that "Age of Dinosaurs" sticker book. 22.) You were addicted to Rainbow Brite, Care Bears, My Little Pony & Friends, Thundercats, Bioman, Voltes V, Mazinger Z, Daimos, etc., etc. 23.) You played PC games like Tapper, Moonbugs, Alley Cat and Prince of Persia. 24.) Ms Word did not exist in your vocabulary but Wordstar did! 25.) You love 80's music even if you don't want to admit it. 26.) You climbed up mango trees to catch salagubang, tie a sting around its neck and let it fly around in a frenzy. 27.) You spent hours in the afternoon catching tutubi... yellow-green was the easiest to catch, blue being finicky, and red being a rare breed... 28.) You used to take Flinstones vitamins (which you didn't mind 'cause they were yummy) and Scott's liver oil. 29.) You know the cartoon show, Beverly Hills Teens. 30.) You know Kuya Bodgie from Batibot. 31.) You watched Uncle Bob's Lucky Seven Club. 32.) You used Aqua Net to fashion your 4-inch-high bangs. 33.) Your blouses had paddings. 34.) You owned wide studded colorful belts. 35.) You watched some of your favorite shows on Betamax or even UHF 17 (the channel from Clarke Air Base - or was it Subic?). 36.) You collected and swapped perfumed stationeries with your classmates and friends, but followed the unwritten rule that you never write on them. 37.) The only place you go to for summer vacation is BAGUIO! 38.) On that note, camp john hay served BEST ice cream. 39.) Most of us were brought to the EDSA Revolution. 40.) You remember what Ricky Martin used to look like back then. 41.) You think Julie Vega is a better actress than Judy Ann Santos. 42.) You get confused playing on the Playstation because of all the buttons on the joypad (Nintendo only had the direction pad, a & b buttons and the start & select keys ). 43.) You know all the Bagets and Ninja Kids. 44.) You got to ride the train ride at Greenhills Shopping Center. 45.) Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were the players at the time. 46.) You know more 80's music other than the song "Buttercup". 47.) You were allowed to bathe in the rain. 48.) You were taught to comb your hair one-sided. 49.) You collected matangpusa and mongo beans so you can have ammunition for sumpit. 50.) You know who Madam Bola and Sitsiritsit and Alibangbang are. 51.) Every Christmas you anticipated going to Big Bang sa Alabang - with the giant slide. 52.) You know the Ewoks. 53.) You had Mighty Kid shoes and Greg shoes. 54.) You know what Time Space Warp means (and you know who Fuma Lae-Ar is). 55.) You and your barkada had a specific Bioman name. 56.) You sucked all the nectar from the santan plant, hence your mother got really pissed at you for destroying the santan plant. 57.) You played with marbles and text ('yung cards ha!!!) And you counted cards like this: I-SA, DALA-WA, TAT-LO, A-PAT... walo na iyon! 58.) For girls: You wore denim miniskirts with rubber shoes... For guys: You had those bitin na pantalon which you wore with high-top rubber shoes!!! 59.) You loved Cheezels and Chickadees because of the great prizes they had! (Remember sticky hands, bear popups, and the stick-on tattoos which were "banned" due to drugs daw?) 60.) Puffy cone still existed!!! 61.) Sosy ka when you bought a Magnolia drumstick. 62.) Twin Popsies were meant to be shared with a friend. 63.) Ice Drop was the cheapest treat. 64.) You have those Disney bow biters for your rubber shoes. 65.) You know who Alf is. 66.) You're familiar with the show Perfect Strangers. 67.) Idol mo si McGyver. 68.) That's Entertainment ang "the bomb" nung mga panahon na yun. 69.) Sikat ka kapag alam mo ang Wordstar at Lotus 1,2,3. 70.) Six digits lang ang telephone number nyo dati. 71.) Tatlong .25 cents lang eh makakatawag ka na sa pay-phone. 72.) Cute pa si Aiza noon sa Eat Bulaga. 73.) Si Amado Pineda pa ang nagbabalita ng panahon. 74.) You drank chocolate milk from the Magnolia glass bottle which you kept for holding water in your ref. 75.) Brown Cow tasted better than Hershey's! 76.) Shake, Rattle and Roll 1 was the most horrifying movie for you then. 77.) The most comfortable shoes for you is still Sperry Topsiders. 78.) Dress shoes mo eh loafers pa rin. 79.) The best movies of all time for you are Pretty in Pink, Breakfast Club, 16 Candles and Some Kind of Wonderful. 80.) You showed off your pencil case which had hidden compartments that popped out at the press of a button... 81.) You had Bensia pencils which were refillable... 82.) Fiesta Carnival was the place to be (kumbaga Enchanted Kingdom sya ng 90's). 83.) Takot kang mag-year 2000 kasi baka magunaw ang mundo. 84.) Masarap ang Goya and Serg's. 85.) Nakakasakay ka pa sa kotseng walang aircon. 86.) You know the lyrics ng "Tinapang Bangus" at "Alagang-Alaga Namin si Puti" ng Batibot. 87.) You know these commercials: a.) YC BIKINI BRIEF - Remember this one? YC bikini brief / YC bikini brief / YC bikini brief for the man who packs a wallop / YC has fashion / YC has style... b.) RA Homevision - Those guys from Cash and Carry Makati couldn't have done it better. Sports. Adventure. Cartoons. Award Winners and More. Featuring the voice talent of Frankie Evangelista. I will never forget the creepy hand at the start of the ad. Parang ET na nasa spaceship! c.) Arthur's Legaspi Towers - 'Nuff said. d.) La Germania Mama Mia commercials - Ditto. 88.) Bumili ka ng caramel candy, Texas or Bazooka bubblegum, tira-tira at Tootsie Roll sa tindahan. 89.) Naabutan mo pa na korteng flower ang singko. 90.) You're familiar with this song: si Nena ay bata pa, kaya ang sabi niya ay um-ah-um-ah-ah. Hanggang patanda siya nang patanda at pabastos nang pabastos. Hehehe!
Sunday, March 30, 2008  Nikon buys Canon for 34.2 Million Euros. Nikon has announced that is competed it proxy bid purchased Canon Photograph Divison for 20 million euros and a stock swap valued at over 14.2 million Euros. This unexpected move by Nikon futher Nikons on going commitment to increase it marketshare to thccce professional photographer. Nikon has not release any office news on what it plans to do with the new Canon Line, but it is rumored that Nikon will continue to produce the Nikon line for professional and remove the Canon EOS line of professional cameras. Nikon also announcted today the D3x. It is a hybrid of both Canon and Nikon technologies that both companies have been developing for the last year. Included is a new 21.9 Mega pixel Canon sensor made by Sony, a new DIGIC IV image processor The Nikon D3x becomes the next Nikon professional D series digital SLR, although only the second of the 'x ' suffix sub category which indicates a full frame sensor. Three years since the last D2xs, the D2x, the D3x pushes digital SLR resolution over the twenty megapixel barrier with specifically twenty one point one million pixels 5616 x 3744 on its 36 x 24 mm full 35 mm frame sensor. Canon also claim to have increased the 'light gathering efficiency ' of the sensor by reducing the amount of wasted space between microlenses, hence despite the resolution increase the D3x still provides sensitivity up to ISO 320,000 with super turbo boost enabled . As well as increasing resolution Nikon has pushed continuous shooting up a step with twenity frames per second D3x. This means that at full speed the three DIGIC IV image processors are dealing with an impressive 485 MB sec. Other improvements include the larger screen, Live View, a sixteen bit A D converter and sixteen bit RAW files, SSD HD support up to 450 MB sec and a whole range of features such as dual storage slots and Picture Styles inherited from the D2xs. HAPPY APRIL FOOL'S DAY!!!!
 THOSE WHO WISH TO GO TO THE 6TH MT. UGO SUMMER CLIMB THIS APRIL 4-6. YOU CAN SEE & DOWNLOAD A SAMPLE OF THE SOUVENIR PROGRAM FROM THE 2006 MT. UGO SUMMER CLIMB.
 The spectacle of fireworks attracts millions of spectators annually. Those of us with love for photography running deep desire to capture everything of beauty we come upon. Fireworks definitely fit that description. The good news is that fireworks photography is easy. Following are some tips to make your fireworks photography successful.
1. Start with a solid tripod. If your camera is not motionless during the rather long exposures necessary for fireworks photography, the smooth paths of light the fireworks create will appear jagged. Mount your camera on a tripod and carefully level it. Generally, a portrait/vertical orientation photos are taken (vs. landscape/horizontal orientation), and is greatly influenced by additional subjects framed in the picture. Fireworks launched simultaneously from multiple locations also work well with a landscape orientation.
Also important is a remote release for the camera. Again, you want the camera to be motionless during the exposure.
Most camera lenses will work well as long as they are the right focal length or focal length range. Most camera lenses provide very good optical quality at f/8 through f/16, the apertures most used for fireworks photography. If you are not sure what focal length you need, take a couple of lenses. Zoom lenses provide the most flexibility if you are not sure of your viewing distance or focal length requirements. A scouting trip prior to the event will (as always) prove valuable.
All fireworks events take place after dark. Working in the dark is challenging even when you are intimately familiar with your equipment. A small issue such as dropping a memory card can turn into a frustrating problem. Pack a small flashlight.
2. Show up early for the fireworks event. Make sure your location has a clear line of site and that late arriving viewers cannot obstruct your view. You might setup your equipment behind your blanket to help keep the view clear. At the same time, treat others with consideration. Be sure the background is pleasant. Remember that street and other lights will become overexposed blobs that require post-processing to remove. Setting up in the daylight is easier than in the dark. Leveling the camera, setting manual focus and getting the proper framing is difficult against a dark sky. Framing may need to be tweaked after the action starts - but take a guess. Get all of these tasks out of the way before complete darkness.
Use manual everything for fireworks photography: manual exposure, manual focus ...
Setup manual focus setting prior to dark. Pick a subject that is a simila |
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