Friday, July 27, 2007
Turning Japanese: A Postscript
After a rigorous re-test to improve my japanese scores, I was finally able to make it scoring 101 over 107 katakana characters. But moving ahead, we are braced with yet another challenge - familiarizing the Hiragana whose strokes are more fluid thus more difficult to commit to memory. Nevertheless, I find it lovely to bump into japanese characters surprising myself that I am able to read them. "Ju - ti - fu - ri" I sluggishly read the japanese translation at a local Duty Free shop. Lovely indeed.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Japanese 101
Several sessions into our Japanese Language Class, I was forced to memorize the katakana due to an impending test. It wasn't a breeze. Finding myself suddenly studying after more than 8 years of hiatus was more challenging than expected. Then the exams came - I was writing 107 characters all completely foreign to me til this day. It was delightful; I got a score of 88 but before i can even render "omedetou" to myself, I was told by the sensei I have to get 7 more items right to pass. Whew! 
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Rediscovering the Cheese
I got the "cheese book" years ago at the height of its hype. It discusses an inevitable fact 
- change, in the most lighthearted way through the little characters of Hem and Haw, Sniff and Scurry. My cheese had been moved several times over after I read that book and though I had been able to adapt pretty nicely ( in my judgment ), the cheese book and the principle it advocates simply got off me. In hindsight, I hopped and immersed in all four characters at different points in my journey and may still assume different characters in certain situations now but my never ending quest for new and interesting cheese remains. Interestingly, not only one but a variety of cheese would I want to explore - now!
- change, in the most lighthearted way through the little characters of Hem and Haw, Sniff and Scurry. My cheese had been moved several times over after I read that book and though I had been able to adapt pretty nicely ( in my judgment ), the cheese book and the principle it advocates simply got off me. In hindsight, I hopped and immersed in all four characters at different points in my journey and may still assume different characters in certain situations now but my never ending quest for new and interesting cheese remains. Interestingly, not only one but a variety of cheese would I want to explore - now!Friday, July 6, 2007
crash, boom, rain...
Gray skies looming... soon rain will fall again. Writing here amid the rampage is no easy feat - it's akin to going in and out of consciousness. Good thing today is rest day, i can curl up, enjoy the chaos, perhaps read and seize my day.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Sumilon Diary
(published in the July 07 edition of a company newsletter)
May 5, 2007
7:30 am
The morning sun shone as usual but today its rays gloriously splashed our sun screened skin as we boarded the waiting bus at IT Park. Along with the swimwear and stuff in our backpacks, we carry with us the hope that catching the island sun in Sumilon would provide not only a gleeful experience but also renewed enthusiasm as we resume our respective roles at iComm after two days.
11:00 am
Lunch stop is at postcard town Boljoon. Discovering the quaint church fronting a fine seascape complemented the easily prepared meal distributed to teams by the energetic marshals such as Emman. Later, as we are whisked to embark onto a banca, Sumilon Island looms in the background. The beautiful island which seemingly sat lazily atop the ocean beckons with its appealing sand bar, frantically lined Ypil-ypil trees, infinity pool and a picnic grove in between a green lagoon and an inviting sea.
1:30 pm
The sun’s raging and so were our spirits. Starting off with the team jingle, the engaging activities keenly prepared by the games committee led by Luida made teams hop hastily from one key point to another – from the beach to Yamashita cave, the age old baluarte to the lighthouse. The trek downhill was never easy for competing team members like Tomas and Jenilyn, and as the rest lorded over their sand creations some simply adored the charming scenery.
3:45 pm
In our individual frenzy, we pursued various activities like trekking, swimming, snorkeling and kayaking on the beach, or lagoon. Mike T., we realized is not only skilled in double geeking but in snorkeling as well. As we basked in the sun, we likewise soaked ourselves with laughter and great memories.
6:30 pm
The sumptuous dinner consisted of seafood soup, grilled squid and pork, lechon and pancit stuffed us to last the night. Apart from the announcement of game winners and special awards, among the night’s special discoveries were Alex’s hosting talent and Irish’s soothing voice in her acoustic rendition of “Crazy for you”.
11:00 pm
“That song is older than my grandma, had my cellphone not been stolen, I could have played Sexyback” cried Jefferson as the 80’s disco hits roared. Despite the lack of Justin Timberlake or Gwen Stefani in the air, the night was kept young by amusing group discussions washed with spirits in bottles of different shapes and sizes.
May 6, 2007
2:00 am
Strumming the guitar seem effortless for Jay, Jordan and Marlon as Mitchum, Wit-wit, Joeffrey, Agnes, Paul, Gerald and the rest of the guys chorused to a sing a variety of E-heads and Metallica - from “Pare Ko” to “Sad but True”.
3:45 am
Tired but never dreary, amid the singing and chuckling, the dev guys and company were the last to hit the hay – in tents, payag-payag and hammocks below the dark moon-lit sky.
7:00 am
After breakfast as we trooped to feed the fish in the nearby lagoon, fish tales were traded as bits of bread and meat were tossed to the water. “Imagine you are a fish tasked to swim all day and night”, Jovan said, “with no PTS for the spent hours”.
8:30 am
As we are ferried off for the mainland, watching Sumilon from afar brought more than just smiles and fresh exuberance; we cling to the hope that in another place and in another time we can again wallow in such sunset, party under the moonlight and hear ourselves sing.
May 5, 2007
7:30 am
The morning sun shone as usual but today its rays gloriously splashed our sun screened skin as we boarded the waiting bus at IT Park. Along with the swimwear and stuff in our backpacks, we carry with us the hope that catching the island sun in Sumilon would provide not only a gleeful experience but also renewed enthusiasm as we resume our respective roles at iComm after two days.
11:00 am
Lunch stop is at postcard town Boljoon. Discovering the quaint church fronting a fine seascape complemented the easily prepared meal distributed to teams by the energetic marshals such as Emman. Later, as we are whisked to embark onto a banca, Sumilon Island looms in the background. The beautiful island which seemingly sat lazily atop the ocean beckons with its appealing sand bar, frantically lined Ypil-ypil trees, infinity pool and a picnic grove in between a green lagoon and an inviting sea.
1:30 pm
The sun’s raging and so were our spirits. Starting off with the team jingle, the engaging activities keenly prepared by the games committee led by Luida made teams hop hastily from one key point to another – from the beach to Yamashita cave, the age old baluarte to the lighthouse. The trek downhill was never easy for competing team members like Tomas and Jenilyn, and as the rest lorded over their sand creations some simply adored the charming scenery.
3:45 pm
In our individual frenzy, we pursued various activities like trekking, swimming, snorkeling and kayaking on the beach, or lagoon. Mike T., we realized is not only skilled in double geeking but in snorkeling as well. As we basked in the sun, we likewise soaked ourselves with laughter and great memories.
6:30 pm
The sumptuous dinner consisted of seafood soup, grilled squid and pork, lechon and pancit stuffed us to last the night. Apart from the announcement of game winners and special awards, among the night’s special discoveries were Alex’s hosting talent and Irish’s soothing voice in her acoustic rendition of “Crazy for you”.
11:00 pm
“That song is older than my grandma, had my cellphone not been stolen, I could have played Sexyback” cried Jefferson as the 80’s disco hits roared. Despite the lack of Justin Timberlake or Gwen Stefani in the air, the night was kept young by amusing group discussions washed with spirits in bottles of different shapes and sizes.
May 6, 2007
2:00 am
Strumming the guitar seem effortless for Jay, Jordan and Marlon as Mitchum, Wit-wit, Joeffrey, Agnes, Paul, Gerald and the rest of the guys chorused to a sing a variety of E-heads and Metallica - from “Pare Ko” to “Sad but True”.
3:45 am
Tired but never dreary, amid the singing and chuckling, the dev guys and company were the last to hit the hay – in tents, payag-payag and hammocks below the dark moon-lit sky.
7:00 am
After breakfast as we trooped to feed the fish in the nearby lagoon, fish tales were traded as bits of bread and meat were tossed to the water. “Imagine you are a fish tasked to swim all day and night”, Jovan said, “with no PTS for the spent hours”.
8:30 am
As we are ferried off for the mainland, watching Sumilon from afar brought more than just smiles and fresh exuberance; we cling to the hope that in another place and in another time we can again wallow in such sunset, party under the moonlight and hear ourselves sing.
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