Then when I was in late high school, my parents bought me a digital camera as a price for my achievement. I was happy about that. It feels good to have one, knowing that it is not yet common in our place that time. I took pictures all the time, experimenting how to get good photos out from a simple digital camera. By the way, again, it was a simple camera- no manual mode or even scene modes. As if I cared. All I want that time is to take pictures: blurry photos- mean good shots, not-so-good-framing photos- mean better shots and beautiful photos- mean best shots for me. That was the time I get to explore what photography really is, how it is done, what is it for, and its technicalities. I have slowly learned what exposure means, as well as ISO, f-stop, compression and all sorts. I have continued exploring photography until my sister acquired a new camera for our family- Canon A590 IS. At last! A compact camera with a good set of features for beginners and intermediate users like me. It can operate in AUTOMATIC or MODE mode. Yipee! New camera means new things to explore. I get to enjoy spontaneous picture taking in automatic mode as well as the purposely taken pictures in manual mode. For those who doesn’t know what automatic mode and manual mode is, in automatic mode your camera does all the settings for you in taking a picture (it is you worry less) while in manual mode you are the one who decides what to set (more job for your brain and fingers). It sounds something technical but photography isn’t just about that- there are also other elements in taking a picture that should be considered in order to produce a beautiful photo.

I know that there are still others like me or has less experience in photography as I do. Some would just buy a camera and start point and shooting while others would want a little bit of expertise. That is why, I have made some few tips about taking a picture which is only based from my experiences. Too much for the chitchats, here it goes:

[D-SLR users may not find this VERY helpful, but I still hope they can still learn something out from me.]

1. Know your camera. Know it very well. Determine its limitations- what features it has and and understand every feature of camera. Example: Image Stabilization (IS)- there are two general types of image stabilization, digital and optical. The latter is the true IS since the optics (lens and sensor) is being used in “stabilizing” your photos while the first one usually just improves your sensor’s sensitivity (ISO) which may introduce a lot of noise it the picture (small annoying speckles).
2. It doesn’t have to be a professional camera in order to have the best shot of the day! Most of the times, it is in the one who takes the picture not his tool. So don’t get intimidated with others who have a larger tool.
   
3. Take photos with a reason. Have a purpose and objective. Is it for capturing once in a lifetime moments? Is it because of the subject? Do you want someone to know what you really meant through the picture you’ve captured?
4. Do learn some basic photography lessons like the “Rule of Thirds” and “Against the Light Rule”.
5. If you want your photos to be appreciated as how it was taken, avoid over editing your photos. It might look unreal.
6. And last, as of this time, enjoy photography- enjoy taking pictures!

These are just few tips that I hope you may find useful sometimes. I’ll add more if I can remember the other tips which you might need. Good luck on your next picture taking!

To get a taste of what do I mean of photography, here is an example of a photo which I took when I was in Manila (I forgot the name of the place but it is full of restaurants and is near the Manila Bay). I took it using my Canon A590 IS in manual mode. By the way, I’m not using a DSLR since I don’t have one.

Getting scores like 60% , 70% or 80% per test is hilarious for an academic student. But for me, even if someone would tell me that I could have better results, nothing is going to keep someone from looking dumb in the class but your carelessness. I mean, what’s the use of a 175 I.Q. if your too stupid not to right your answer in all caps as stated by the instructions, right?

On the other side of the story, while classmates are busy thinking what would probably be their grades, I can hardly keep my focus out of the lame results of my badminton games during the previous weeks. Would you laugh if I tell you that I had four (4) straights, four straight defeats, I mean!

Damn! Is it my fault to be physically incapacitated (just a review, I’m a guy with complete arms and legs, skinny but enough not to be called malnourished)? Would you blame my stupid reflexes that hit the bird (shuttlecock) at a point that my opponent scores? Yes, practice is a virtue, yet I’m not ready to be virtual with Badminton. Not that I enjoyed playing the games, it is just that I’m too lame to hope for a brighter future with sports. Now again, while others are praying for any miracles to happen with their psyching Physics problems, I am on the other hand contemplating to myself why I could not do sports.

In some ways, I think this does not plummet down my id, ego and super ego. In fact, even my “evaporated ” pride is too viscous to totally dry-up. Although masculinity is well-defined in our culture and tradition, so what, if you ask the other players who are so good about Badminton to solve and show their solutions on the path of trajectory, horizontal and vertical velocity, acceleration, object’s position on a certain time, range, initial angle and the amount of force applied of the shuttlecock, let us see if they will last even a second for that traumatic and nauseating event without having an epistaxis (nose bleed). Bleh!

All in all, Physics is still Physics and Physical Education is still Physical Education. No matter what you do, without submitting yourself for the subject, it will still haunt you down. Awoo!

On Semptember 18, 2008, I had opened my very first account, I mean, my very first accounts. Imagine, for almost five years that I have been longing to have my own personal account, that day was the fulfillment of my dreams.

As I have said, I have opened accounts. To be specific, I have opened two accounts: the personal savings account and the other one is a capital share account (Yeah you’ve heard it right, I’m now a share holder! Could this mean something elite? Ha!).

Actually, I was tempted to open an account for that specific bank since it has good offers to me such as “NO” ATM Link (Therefore, I couldn’t just spend my money unwisely.), a five percent (5%) per annual interest, and finally, it’s near to my school (So I don’t have to spend my precious golden galeons for a ride!). By the way, that’s for the savings account.

Now, for the share capital account, I don’t have much knowledge about this but one thing’s sure- it does sound good. Well, there’s no harm in trying for a mundane simple living mediocre college student belonging to the pseudo-average Filipino family.

For me, in this very simple way, I think I’m slowly becoming a Tycoon (Oh please! Its just intended to be a pun, ok?). Tycoons personas belonging to the families such from Ayala, Cojuanco, Gokongwei, Lopez and Santos, watch out for me surfacing- from rags to riches.

In this year, the said gathering will be hosted by the Province of South Cotabato in the region of SOCSKSARGEN starting from the 18th of February until the 22th.

As of now, the contests are still going. Everyone has yet to know who will bag the gold medals- those who will bring home to their respective regions the bacon.

Update:

I was not able to properly follow the event so I could not provide you the details for the conclusion of the national event. In consolation, I would like to congratulate everyone who have participated in the said event especially to the winners who have bagged the prize for their success.

Before, when I was in highschool, I used to use backpacks. But when I entered college, I thought that I was too mature to use one- especially that the university where I am enrolled changed the school uniform for boys (it kinda looks like a typical highschool uniform).

As my college life progressed, I noticed that small bags couldn’t anymore carry what I was required to. So, I made a decision to buy a “real” school bag.

Hehehe, and here it is, a Kamaru (11 kgs. capacity) bag.

See, isn’t it normal. I mean, it really looks like a bag. And it also does what a bag can- it could carry all the things I want!

I don’t blame other for my shortcomings as I admit that it is really my fault. Who would expect grades of 99 after taking examinations unprepared due to not studying because of chechebureches?

Well, what else can I say. I suck!

This had really a great learning experience for me and I hope that it could never happen to me again. Promise.

1. You’ve started to become forgetful.

2. You do not pay attention.

3. You are becoming more and more careless.

4. Your grades are falling drastically.

5. And now, you are thinking that you’re becoming stupid.

All of the above mentioned are based from personal experiences. Any damages had it afflicted is [SIC].