My NFS: Most Wanted Car

An Image of You

On the line at which the sky and the Earth appear to meet, I see an image of you. My vision pictures your subtle hair, your sweet smile, your expressive eyes and the natural curves of your body, all crystal clear yet impossible for me to touch and feel.

This life-like portrait is all I have right now.

But time will pass and as it continues making yesterdays and torn calendars, I will be waiting for the day that right before my eyes your vivid image…

will turn into reality.

I'm Right Behind You

This morning, I became witness to one of the best series of events in Smackdown’s history and all non-pay-per-view shows WWE has to offer.

Here's the vid.

I know it's all entertainment, the clip of the Undertaker beating down Chavo Guerrero was taped prior to the trio’s entry to the arena, Chavo hid under the ring after the first blackout and Taz’s supposed involvement was a distraction so the audience won’t notice the Undertaker, hiding under the ring, climb up and stand behind Vickie Guerrero after the second blackout. It’s scripted but I was amazed how the sequence of events turned out. I’ve been a fan of wrestling since childhood but never in my life I have seen something so brilliant like what the staff from WWE Smackdown just pulled off.

Clap clap :)

You rest in piece Vickie.

Meepo's GeoDomination

Wohoo! I have done it!

I have finally beaten five insane level AIs on DotA's 6.54b AI+ v1.52 map!


After numerous defeats and victories against 3 to 4 AIs, I have finally bested 5 insanes in two attempts. Having to use Meepo, the match was numerically 4 against 5 but it requires efficient micro skills to unleash the character's deadly potential in pushing and slaying heroes and my enemies, Tidehunter, Lightning Revenant, Obsidian Destroyer, Storm Spirit and Pitlord, are definitely no push-overs and all have damaging AOE skills that could easily kill my clones.

It's a feat I don't consider as outstanding as beating 5 of your friends in a game by your own but still, it's an accomplishment due to the fact that these AIs are very smart and bada_s and also, it's a proof that my micro skills have improved.

Now, where's Bryan? :D

Whoa!

Lea, a dear and very special friend of mine, sent me pictures she took after her visit to a bookstore near her office. Though not taken with the most hi-tech digital camera around or as magnificent as photos shot by professional photographers, these pictures are priceless because of the thought and effort she poured into them.

She knows that I am a zealous fan of the One Piece franchise and one of my dreams is to own the series’ manga – all of them! Sadly though, they are way too expensive to collect so for now, I’ll just imagine the pic is my book rack. Hopefully I can convince her to buy every One Piece manga published for me hahaha...puleaseeeeeeee Ley ;)

As bonus, Lea also took a stolen shot (shops prohibit costumers from taking pictures of their displays) of the Wolf Predator action figure from the movie Aliens Vs Predator: Requiem. If you’re wondering why she have gone through all the trouble just to give me a pic, the cult icon is one of my favorite movie characters of all time and my costume on our Cosplay Contest, which was featured here in my blog...how sweet :)


You rock Ley! Thank you so much...mwahhh!!!

This is for Sarah and John Connor

After three arduous, tormenting and embarrassingly humiliating days without winning a single game against 3-4 insane level AIs on DotA's 6.54b AI+ v1.52 map...


I FINALLY SCORED A WIN!!!

Eat that you blasted AIs!!! I will never allow you artificial beings take over and dominate our world!

Who's your daddy now huh?!

"Look at my mole." Hahaha...Classic!!!

My friends and I have this tradition of doing weird stuffs as present whenever one of us celebrates his birthday. Before, we gave out flyers (with picture) around our campus to spread out the news, we climbed a 2-storey building through its posts, beams and trusses just to hang a streamer above our school's entrance gate and I was the recipient of a birthday surprise complete with party hats, a makeshift er bakeshift cake and balloons (those were condoms actually hahaha) at 6 am in the morning.

Now, even the four of us are already professionals and working for different companies, our tradition still lives on. Though not as wacky back then because of time and availability constraints, the effort, the thought and the fun factor will always be there, three very important things that make our birthdays so amusing, special and unforgettable.

Here's what Tambaliyok posted on Vetabz Blue's profile in Friendster, our dear friend who's celebrating his birthday today. Enjoy ;)

Man, those were the days :)

Happy Birthday Phot!!!

Fun Time with A.M.

It's been our tradition to gather up at my Tatay Carding's house every Sunday. It's the sole reason why our family is tightly-knitted, which is very important of course and why grandpa is still vibrant like a young stud even at 78 years of age (he loves seeing us, his grandkids and his great grandchildren).

That brings me to Alessandra Monique or A.M., the girl I've been mentioning in my posts. This niece of mine is amazingly witty I tell you, she already learned a ton of words even she was still a few months old. The environment she was in contributed a lot, growing up with a bunch of grown-up folks and zero kids-near-her-age made her into this chatty and intelligent bratinella. The people who have spent time with her can attest how witty this girl is and how fun she is to be with.

This past Sunday, I was with A.M. most of the day and man, it was fun. Here are some excerpts of our conversations:

While going back to our grandpa's house after buying mangoes...

Anth: 'M, asa naman Papa Agot? (my late uncle and A.M.'s grandfather)
A.M.: (pointing at the sky)
Anth: Naa na diay sya sa langit?
A.M.: Oo.
Anth: Kinsa kauban nya didto?
A.M.: Papa Jesus.
Anth: Unsa ila buhat didto?
A.M. : Kanta El Shaddai.


While taking pictures of her...

Anth: 'M, tarunga pagpose.
A.M. : (making various facial expressions)
Anth: Pagpacute beh...o aha man ka padulong?
A.M.: Aysa, maglipshtick sako.


Her mom and my cousin-in-law, Ate Malou, retelling a conversation she had with A.M. after her trip from Surigao.

Ate Malou: 'M, nigamay lagi ako Canadian na coins sa ako purse, imo ni gihilabtan no?
A.M.: Wala Nay uy.
Ate Malou: Ngano nigamay man ni?
A.M.: Imo siguro gipliti padulong Surigao.

A Dose of Stochasticity 2

I have a new set of random things that happened since my recent blog post.

• I've had the best rest of my life so far last Saturday. I slept almost the whole afternoon and evening after going home from work to the extent that my mom shooed me away from our living room with her patented eardrum-busting, decibel-breaking voice (I love my mom so much but I haaaaate her when she does that).

• My cousin saw my ex-girlfriend (for almost eight years) somewhere in the city who is now working at UAE for a major company. I was surprised because the news came unexpectedly; she's on vacation I guess.

• My PC's performance is still low even after an exhaustive tweaking this past weekend.

• Spent time with my witty and playful 3-year old niece, Alessandra Monique.

• Had a great Sunday exchanging text messages with a dear friend.
  

• I have thoughts of getting even with my ex-gf (recent) and her new boo but I have changed my mind, for one, they are not worth the trouble and two, what goes around, comes around :)
  

Thanks Mafs for enlightening me, I owe you big time.

A Dose of Stochasticity

It's been a long time.

Almost a month has passed since my last update so I made a random list of things that happened during my temporary departure from the world of blogosphere.

• Got assigned to lead a project.

• Beaten Dawn of War's Single Player Campaign.

• Purchased Company of Heroes' stand-alone expansion, Opposing Fronts (weee I am now able to command the German Panzer Elite. I'm so delighted for I've always been a fan of antagonist factions in RTS games such as Command and Conquer's NOD, Dune's Harkonnen, Generals' GLA and the Undead race from Warcraft III).

• Sported a new image for my blog's header.

• Spent "quality time" with someone I shouldn't have wasted my time with from the get-go.

• I have moved on :)

• Got the pics (at long last) of our July 11 white-water rafting adventure (thanks to ahem… yours truly hehehe).

• Realized that I have just wasted 23 months of my life.
  

• It sure feels great to have people like my family and friends who stayed and supported me no matter what in my saddest times and lowest lows. Thank you very much!
  

My Cosplay Costume - Extended Play

It's decided.

Aside from the cash, the consolation prize includes a free domain and hosting account for a year. Of course, I'll be keeping the money, the costume I made got me drained and almost brought me to the brink of being broke, but I'm awarding the domain freebie to the individual who wore, for me, the Best Costume last Saturday.

I'm giving it to...

Yes, it's you Kim.

Omedetou! You make use of it and have fun ;)

Ciao.

My Cosplay Costume - Day 12: Final Episode

Our General Assembly and Cosplay Contest just concluded this evening and I must say that it was a total blast. We all enjoyed the theme of the program and jammed to the beat of our very own Sticky Bandits who played popular tunes from animes Bleach and Naruto.

I congratulate my friend Raffy M., who played V for Vendetta, for bagging the Best Costume Award.

But the recognition should go to everybody, for pouring their hearts out into this event, for sewing and gluing their way to attain the appearance of their favorite anime, cartoon, and silver screen characters, and most importantly, for showcasing the designers and artists in them.

I didn't go home empty-handed, for I'm one of the three finalists who were given consolation prizes.

Not bad.

Next in line for me? Probably rest, play video games, rest, play video games, rest, play video games, and rest while watching the coverage of the Beijing Olympics.

I deserve it. Having exhausted almost PHP 900.00 for my cosplay costume and spent 6 hours in the morning and 2 hours when I get home after work in the evening for 11 1/2 days, not even my birthday got spared, so there's no one in this world right now who deserves a rest more than I do.


And as for my costume, I'll preserve the helmet and the wrist blades in a glass encasement as testament of my hardwork and my love for art.


This is it, I am now ending this series of posts. I thank everyone who followed it, who curiously and persistently asked me what I'm going to wear, who lauded my costume, and who rooted for me.

Thank you guys and...

My Cosplay Costume - Day 11: The Dreaded Dreadlocks

I am now in panic mode. With only one day left before the big event, fate seems to be having fun in giving me a hard time to find a suitable alternative to my character's hairdo.

Darn.

My Cosplay Costume - Day 10: An Alphabet of Plans

Not all things will go your way.

Last night, this humbling fact smacked me again right in the head after my plan of using certain materials for my hair and suit looked too complicated to pull off. Good thing my impromptu back-up plans saved my arse and my costume.

Another problem bugged me this morning, when my costume malfunctioned while fitting it. I anticipated it before, however, I forgot to mention it to my mom. Gladly, she obliged after kindly asking her to fix it up.

I have evaded disaster after disaster, thanks to letters A to Z and M-O-M.

2 days more to go. I can't wait to see Fred Flintstone and his wife, Wilma in their flesh this coming Saturday. It'll be fun.

Ciao!

My Cosplay Costume - Day 9 : It's a Family Affair

3 more days before our company General Assembly and Cosplay Contest.

3 more golds for Michael Phelps to surpass Mark Spitz's Olympic record of 7.

As headstart, I got up at 5:30 am to continue on my costume. I immediately jumped on the working table then did detail painting on my "upper body suit" while watching the live Beijing 2008 coverage. Keeping me entertained while I go on the tiring feat of finishing my costume before Saturday were the basketball match between China and Spain and the much-awaited finals of the Men's 200 meter Butterfly and the 4 x 200 Freestyle Relay, both featured the American swimming sensation, Michael Phelps. His quest for history energized me and amazingly, did the same to my mom and my brothers for they helped me make my costume. My mom already lent her hand yesterday after asking her to do the sewing (I don't have the patience for it) then this morning, two of my brothers gave assistance in making the props. It's a great relief, thus easing my burden as crunch time nears.

My decision not to disclose my costume prior to the event is intended to dissent from the usual for most of my colleagues already revealed the characters they are portraying and some preferred confusion by giving different answers when asked. For a change, I chose to make it top secret as possible...ei, surprises are always fun.

What I can offer are teasers, which are featured below:

My Cosplay Costume - Day 7 and 8 : Happy Birthday and My Return To Duty and Blogging

I took a leave from work yesterday as well as a breather from blogging. I went to church then picked-up some groceries for our small gathering and raw materials for what else, my cos(mic) play costume (according to Amidalea, haha that gets me everytime...thanks for the comment).

I celebrated my 2__th birthday yesterday with my family and relatives, got stuffed (as special request, my mom cooked Chicken Afritada for me hmmm yummie) and watched the coverage of the Beijing Olympics beside my beloved Tatay Carding (my grandpa). It was simple but sharing it with the people closest to your heart never fails to make the simplest birthday parties wondrous.

That's my Tatay Carding, the best grandpa in the whole world

My cute niece A.M. doing the popular Angelina pose from Bubble Gang

After they left, I continued working on my costume. Almost all of the vital components had their paint jobs done yesterday morning so I only applied the finishing touches and the necessary details to give them this realistic look...


Oh, I forgot to tell you that I won't reveal my costume yet :P

For my dearest friends and SMSI colleagues, thank you for the heartwarming greetings. Ichi, I thank you for greeting me at exactly 12:00:01 of August 11 (you're the first one, I appreciate the thought and the effort), Ann, thank you for the Durian Pastillas, and Leo James aka Tambaliyok, thanks a lot for giving me a copy of the classic Dune 2 game, man you never cease to amaze me of your sheer resourcefulness. My fellow Stickymedians, I will top the ice cream treat next year, I promise you that.

Again, Domo arigato gozaimasu!

My Cosplay Costume - Day 6: Six More Days

Frankly, I just can't find the groove to update my blog right now. It's been a looong day, did maintenance check-ups on my PC this morning then had our weekly family gathering on my grandpa's house. Thankfully, my costume's head gear, breast plate, and weapon now only need their finishing touches. I feel fulfilled for such accomplishment, however, beneath me is this void, this feeling of incompleteness.

Maybe I'm just tired, spending most of the day making my costume's vital components drained me out plus the fact that I went to countless stores yesterday to purchase some raw materials for the costume or maybe because.........(sigh) I rather not discuss it here.

Tomorrow is my day. I will enjoy my one-day leave, I will celebrate with my family, I will thank the Almighty One for giving me a myriad of blessings, and I will have fun, yeah, I will.

My Cosplay Costume - Day 5: 08-08-08, 0 and 8

It's the morning of day 5.

Last night, I hurriedly went home to watch the Beijing 2008 opening rites. The work shift that I'm in made me miss much of the program's best highlights, but replays are common especially for events like the Olympics so it's not the end of the world for me yet. Also, I was so anxious to check the condition of my costume's head gear, which I made yesterday morning. I left it for the glued tissue paper to dry and using this unfamiliar art technique gave me the uneasy feeling that it might turn out into a failure.

It was not.

I carefully poked the balloon's underside where the knot is located...pppfffffttttttt...the whole thing shriveled as the cracking sound of the hardened adhesive filled my room. It was a depressing sight, minutes tick then suddenly it stopped...amazingly, the balloon detached from the toughened layers of tissue and voila, in front of me is my costume's head gear.

In case you're wondering why I entitled my post 08-08-08, 0 & 8...

08-08-08 - the start of the Summer Games in Beijing.


0 - the shape of my cosplay costume's head gear (below is its appearance after the balloon was removed).


8 - Kobe Bryant, my favorite NBA player's old jersey number (now he wears 24). I share to you a short feature on how he was received by the crowd inside the Bird's Nest Stadium in Beijing.

This was the oddity of the night. Behind the Chinese president and the entire national team, the one athlete who appeared to get the loudest ovation was none other than Kobe Bean Bryant. The moment was so odd that even U.S. journalists were looking at each other in puzzlement. The Russian, Chinese and American presidents were here, but Kobe was the head of state tonight.

There you have it. I will now return to the uphill task of finishing my head gear. It is certainly the hardest component to make but if I could pull it off, everything will be A-ok onwards our General Assembly and Cosplay Contest a week from now.

My Cosplay Costume - Day 4: Huffin', Puffin' and Makin' the Head Gear

It's Day 4.

The laziness is gone and now I'm fueled with the fixation of getting this thing started with. I got up early, my alarm was set to 5:30 am (it woke me up, thankfully). Still a bit dozy, I turned on my PC to check my towns in Ikariam and greet someone a wonderful morning and a co-worker a happy birthday. After having a taste of my perpetual addiction (spelled as c-o-f-f-e-e), I took a shot of our cute bunch of Japanese Spitzes, who gave me the privilege of capturing them sleeping together then prepared the things I need for making the first piece of my costume, the Head Gear.

(from L-R) baby Ilaga, big bro Fulgoso & hot mama Akang

This is no cooking show.

I saw this on Disney's Art Attack (I should get my own TV show entitled, Ant Attack...funny...ho ho...)

I let the tissue-caked balloon dry after four coatings. I used paintbrush and glue mixed with water (they use PVA glue on Art Attack but it's not available here unfortunately).

I hope it works. (crossin' my fingers)

My Cosplay Costume - Day 3 (cont.): The Master of Santōryū

As my favorite of favorite anime characters, the master of the three-sword style is automatically one of my top choices for the cosplay. I present you the green-haired, sense of direction-lacking, and hypersomniac swordsman of the Strawhat Crew...

3. Roronoa Zoro


Pros:

• It is an honor to don the get-up of my favorite anime character, Roronoa Zoro, for the cosplay.
• The costume is awesomely kick-a_s.
• Zoro's clothing and the props to use (swords and goggle) are easy to find.

Cons:

• The green hair.
• Talking with a sword in my mouth.

The Challenge:

• The green hair posed a problem but it could be covered with a black bandanna as part of Zoro's trademark costume of white T-Shirt, black pants, and a green obi (above was his gear during the Skypiea Arc, which is cooler).

• Learning ventriloquism. (hahaha)

The Verdict:

• My best substitute if the going gets tough. Sadly, though he's one of the most popular One Piece characters around, only few of my colleagues would recognize him for majority are Naruto fanatics, even the girls. If only they could find in their hearts that my One Piece has the best story, moral lesson, animation, and fighting sequences (pweaceeeee...).

I'll continue with the list next time, probably a day or two after this or whenever I feel lazy again.

On my future posts (clues) will be a giant robot dreaded by the former Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos and a murderous, cunning clown who loves to toy with flying rodents. As bonus, I will also feature the recipients of honorable mention awards, from the downright hilarious to the more expensive concepts of cosplay costumes. Till then, ciao!