Christmas shipment

Tis the busy season of packaging and shipping. TFC ad sales is busy with gifting to nearly 200 clients across the country!

And I know I can lift 30 lbs of box.

When done with packaging, I have more computer work waiting for me. I love that I get to switch up what I do... Would go crazy if I am desk tied all day!!

Apple loyalty

Now, now -- there is this perception that Apple users are hipsters and such.

You hush it, critic, there are some of us Apple users that didn't jump on this wagon just to get on it. And then to learn that they don't really like Apple or they have a hard time getting used to it. Sucks for them. That's what ya get for jumping on the wagon just because every photographer or designer seems to be on it.

But since my conversion over 6 years ago, I know I'm never looking back. Even though I still use Windows at my day job -- which I have no problem with -- I'm sticking with Apple for all my other technical uses.

What I like so much about Apple is everything from their marketing approach to overall design to consumer ease of use with their system. Would love to work for Apple's marketing team someday, but I know I am not anywhere near their standards. 

Need to get back in the photography game

It feels a lot like a whole while since I've shot for fun. Everyday I think about not having my camera with me, but it's been so busy at work that I wouldn't even have a chance to shoot during my lunch break.

With all this rain going on, I'd love to get some macros of leaves and flowers with water droplets. Been wanting to do that for so long, and I hope to be able to get started on them. Now that all the major events with work are done with for the year, I expect a more sane schedule and opportunity for me to go out on my lunch break. 

A photographer's editing style, in my opinion, is a lot like how one applies make up.
It's either too much, not enough, or it's just right.

D is for design

I really want to get back into design full swing!

Having the chance to do some design work here and there has kept me legit but I need a lot more work!! At this time, I can't quite share my most recent design works because I think they are confidential. So any client out there who may want to see my current work will get to see them in the flesh: I'll print them out for you. :)

In the meantime, I will stick to my real plan: get some independent designs done for my shirt products on Zazzle.

If time wasn't moving so fast.....

A musical affair

At this time of my life, I am happy to declare that I am once again very fulfilled to be a musician.

For a while, I lost the passion to play music. It was not in me to be interested in writing songs, learning new music and even picking up my instrument. But the more and more I got together with The Little Bits, the easier it got for me to embrace my first love back to my life.

I have never loved music the way I do now, with a very open mind and expanded ears to so many styles. I am confirming this with how I've found myself rocking out to "hipster" music. I still don't like a lot of it, but there's a handful of it I'd love to have on my ipod. When I was younger, I always made a big stupid deal about music I hated at the time.

These days, even if it's watching a movie like Camp Rock, I appreciate what it offers to kids. Sure, it's some sugary pop music, but there is dance involved and actual singing and music playing. If I saw this 10 years ago, I'd have blogged about it and expressed my distaste for the current state of music. Stuff as such no longer bothers me that much, and if there is music I don't like, I simply just don't hear it out in its entirety.

I hope from this point on, I will never fall off my music bed again. But the truth is, I needed to fall off for a bit, and to wander away and find my way back. I am glad that I stopped music for as long as I did, because now I know that it really does help to complete my identity. I am a musician, and there's no denying it.

Concentration process

I am the kind of person that needs color coding.

We Heart Weekends

I've been working really hard on trying to establish my lifestyle blog, We Heart Weekends. There is still a lot of work and tooling around to do, but I really love having this to work on. I've always wanted to run my own magazine, but having a blog is as close as it gets and in many ways it's probably better than a paper-based magazine.

A little gear buying...

How could I have slept if in my mind, I just passed up on two really good deals?

Yet, how can I sleep now knowing I just put over $1000 on my credit card?

I just upgraded my secondary monitor from a cheapy MAG I borrowed from the husband to a 19" LG display. He recommended I get this LG monitor which is great for graphics and imaging. The justified reason in buying one is because I have a cool photo printer, and I need a monitor that is true in colors. Also, I could use a bigger monitor after 5+ years of stuffing my to eyes on a 13" Mac monitor! And it WAS a great deal.

And we had been talking about getting a couple of lenses, so I finally made the leap and purchased from Canon's direct store, a 100mm f/2.8L Macro lens. I've been wanting this for a very long time now, but just couldn't find the courage to buy it. The reason for this lens is because I no longer have a lens longer than 70mm focal length. I have researched this 100mm Macro up and down (never rented), and love the fact it's a great macro lens and a great portrait lens. I need some versatility here to make up for no longer having a zoom lens, and I'm heavily biased towards primes now.

The other lenses we/I plan on getting are a Canon 10-22 f/3.5 wide lens, and a 135 f/2L lens. I plan to also sell another L lens of ours to get the 10-22 for some night sky and landscape photography. Husband is interested in doing more star trails (as am I), which he spent some time doing this past weekend during our camping trip. He was using our 5D and 50mm 1.8 lens, and it seems he got decent shots. We'll see how they turn out once he pulls them out of the card. So far, research on the wide lens points that it's usable for star trails, and we would love to have a wide lens any way! As for the 135mm, I also read awesome reviews on it. I may not need one for a very long time when I receive the 100mm, but let's just see how much I can raise to buy it.

On my agenda

I am busied up with so many things (no surprise).

For ABS-CBN, I'm/I've (been) working on visual communication graphic stuff and have my mind floating over plans for an upcoming trade event.
For PanFocus Studios, I just finished editing photos for a family portrait, doing a photobooth at Sunday Streets, editing some wedding photos from months ago, organizing photos and galleries, and improving panfocusstudios.com.
For PanFocus designs, I am trying to get started on new shirt designs! SO many ideas, so little time.
For The Little Bits, we have been doing a few events as of late, and currently on a break until September and then more shows.
For WeHeartWeekends, I am behind with updating entries so I'm squeezing that in between all of the above.

Keeping busy is what I need. Don't stop me now!

The other 2 I call "my loves"

For the past two years, it seems my summers have been busied up with music, and then photography picks up again.

Equal love for both, and for everything else I am occupied with.

Check out my latest photoblog, We Heart Weekends.

I came across this blog today:
http://www.blogher.com/frame.php?url=http://light-traces.com/newborn-and-portrait-photography-has-originality-gone-too-far/

While I am far from ever being a newborn photographer or interested in newborn photography, I don't always see the "creative" poses as ever having much aww-factor. I'm not so much into props and staging photos at all, that's why I don't do it, but with babies, I really prefer seeing pictures of them doing natural things! In their natural habitat! For sure, I get it, these prop-heavy, staged newborn portraits are supposed to show their character and where they come from. That's totally fine I guess, but I see it so much now that all these babies look the same. Surely, only the parents would really care about them. But don't expect me to go "aww" at every staged newborn photo I come across.

I didn't put both of my kids in these situations. I really just left their newborn photos as they were in the moment: freshly born, strange looking, and very pink! These are the photos I will always treasure, and didn't feel the need to pay someone to fluff up their surrounding and take nicely-lit pictures. Even if I did get them professional portraits, I would still be looking at our hospital pictures and value them much closer to my heart than anything else.

Just my thoughts.

Lenses

I've had some QT time with my latest lens, Canon 24-70 f/2.8L. I do like it, it's very versatile...but I find the reviews on this lens a bit overhyped. It's a great lens at most, I love that it's wide enough and tele enough for my uses. But I just can't get the same quality as I get with....

THE NIFTY FIFTY!

Hands down, still forevermore, Canon 50 1.8 is my favorite lens. Of course, I use both depending what I need it for.

Next purchase is a toss up between a Canon 100 f/2.8L Macro or 135 f/2L! I'd like to get both, but a decision must be made on which first to get.

On music, on life

Maybe it's because I've been gone from it for too long, but I don't miss the "band life." I do miss playing shows and writing music regularly.
-------
As I go through this major transition in my life, I'll be back to my regular programming sometime-ish.

By no means am I bragging nor am I a Photoshop expert. But please. Don't you freaking get excited about having the latest Photoshop CS if you don't know how to use it. If you can't even figure out how to make an image in black/white, or control saturations and hues, or come close to fixing bad exposure, or know what the level tool does, or any of these fun things that take time to learn, you shouldn't spend money on it. I will never claim to know Photoshop inside out, but I take my time learning how to use the tools and make my mistakes as I should.

And I've unofficially halted my project 366. I have no explanation for this.

February 24, 2012

As I drove out of the parking lot from work today, I saw a gorgeous peach sky hanging low! What a byoot.

Feb. 23

I brought my little girl to work today since I forgot her grandparents could only take her half the day. She behaved much better this time, although by 10am, she already started saying she wanted to go home.

2/22

I took the day off today to take care of important personal items, and after finishing them I picked up the kids a little early from their grandparents. As I got in, I located my daughter in the kitchen but couldn't find my son. Until much later. He was sleeping on their bedroom floor :)

2/18/12

This is a couple of pages from a children's book about design. It's a back to basics book, and a good pick for a child who appears to have art as an interest.

I choose this for today's photo because the quote has relevance in my life lately. Unfortunately, I haven't made a step towards one important change yet. Although, it's because I've chosen to change some other part of my life first, which had been burdening me.

Feb 17

This is an insanely terrible picture of a sanely beautiful dusk.

I was driving -- again, bad -- and couldn't hold my phone still. Sorry. But better this picture looked like this than it was clear, because that meant I put more focus on taking the picture than driving.

Wish someone else were driving me though. This could have been a nice image.

2/16

Would you look at that. They blocked off the very middle lane of a busy street. Engineers were installing a fancy crosswalk. Not sure if that was worth delaying my commute......

A crosswalk is a crosswalk. It works even if the lines are just painted! Spend that taxpayer money on something like the libraries!

2/15/12

Every Wednesday, the Mobile Gourmet event stops by Hiller Aviation Museum near where I work. Since this program began, friends at work and I have been hitting it up, even though sometimes, I bring my own lunch as to save money. Many times, because I already do have lunch already and don't need to wait in the long lines to order, I have to go find an empty table and save it for the 5 or 6 of us. Because those lines are soooo long, quite a few other lunchers would stop and ask if they can take a chair.

I always have to say "no." It sucks! But I can't let a chair be taken....

Feb 13

I love when the evening sky turns orange like this. It gives me an artistic distraction driving home... not necessarily a good thing. Right? Yes, right. I took this while driving :(

Feb 12, 2012

We spent our first Sunday of the year NOT cleaning the house with the kids at Chabot Space and Science Center. I didn't find it too impressive, I guess.

Not sure if I would like to come back soon.

February 10, 2012

What a gloomy Friday!
We are on our way to my parents' house as I drop off the kids before I go to work, and this is the parting view we have as we leave our street.

The city of San Francisco under grey and yellow! I can only guess it's smog?! Gross.

Feb 9, 2012

I have finally weaned my kids off their sippy cups by not giving them any in bed at all. Every morning, I've put them on a routine to get dressed, and have some yummy healthy cereal with a lot of milk.

They do love their cereal! Now I don't want them to get sick of cereal, so hopefully we keep finding healthy ones they enjoy (preferably with as few sugar as possible).

Feb 8, 2012

This was my stress ball once. It had 4 layers of this thin latex material. One by one, I stressed the layer off... until it got to this point. What I really like to do with these things is destroy them, as it sorts of give me a little relief for some reason. I liked the touch of the sticky white stuff -- and no dirty thoughts please -- as it dried on my finger. It reminded me of being a kid, playing with paste, and letting it dry on my skin too. That's the kind of relief I got. I had to throw this away on the same day of this photo. It was no longer playable with.

366: February 6

I got my favorite breakfast meal from America's most hated/loved fast food place today.
I usually go to the San Carlos location on El Camino which is the closest to work. I've never really had a problem with them; in fact, it was this location where I realized how much I love McD coffee.

But today, they didn't give me the right sauce. I blindly opened the packaging without looking at it first, and when I started to spread it on one end of my burrito, I wondered for a second why it was shiny. That prompted me to look at the packaging, to see it was strawberry jelly instead of hot sauce.

Fail, McD!

I still ate it, though.

366: February 5

I must apologize, I don't know what day of the 366 days we are at anymore. So I will likely start titling these posts with the date instead of the number of the day.

We spent the 6th weekend in a row cleaning and stor(ag)ing our belongings. We have so much that it was needed to get a bigger unit. Here it is, with only half of it filled.  There is no other way to say it, but I am damn sick of cleaning! Hope this is the last time. We do an open house soon.

366: day 34

It's been long overdue, but I needed a real portfolio to show off some of my favorite photographs. Portfolios aren't cheap, and I'm pretty sure I didn't spend all that money could buy. I don't have that kind of money!

366: Day 32

Now that it's a new month, I'm going to lose count what day it is. January made it easy since I started day 1 on January 1!

So this photo is from the Mobile Gourmet food event that happens every Wednesday at Hiller Aviation in San Carlos (near work). I tried to be discreet about taking this photo because I didn't want anyone to think I was taking THEIR picture like I was a stalker. But whatevs. I was in line for Nom Nom tacos, though I really wanted a Whopper from BK down the street. Haha.

366: day 31

Just got the new phone in working order. Shall we?

It's been a long time since we did an activity outside home with the kids. So it being a school night, we kept it on the downlow, and had ice cream. Nothing beats that.

366: LOST WEEK

The last week has been unfortunate because my phone is a dying machine. Come Tuesday, I will resume with this 366 project. New phone arrives Monday, and I won't be able to get at it until I get home from work.

366: day 25

This phone problem is annoying and only makes me pissed at Samsung even more for trying to troubleshoot a faulty phone instead of just replacing it -- I AM PAYING INSURANCE ON THIS.

I finally got a shot today. Kids being brats in the doctor's waiting room. Does it show?!

missed days

I am sorry to myself. I missed days 21 and 23, and now 24. I am having heartbreaking issues with my phone who doesn't charge overnight so I am left with a dead battery every morning. That means I do not have enough juice to unplug my phone to take pictures. It even has issues charging while it's plugged during the day.

Sorry.

366 - day 22

I suck. I missed Saturday's photo! I will keep goingg. Why not?

The brats in their Sunday best.
Except they're not the best at posing for the camera.

366 - day 20

Day 20 (January 20) was wet and pouring! Look at these grays at SFO. I was on my way to a shop to replace my car tires. Perfect timing. My tires were bald and cracked, and with the weather like it was, a disaster was just waiting to happen.

project 366: day 19

These are just two of many boxes we are packing. Our house is getting readied up for an open house. The first step is to de-clutter and store the clutter out. Not sure what to do with our laundry! No way we can get all of those washed....

366 - day 18

I took the day off today to take care of a couple of urgent matters, and in between, I had spent time with the family. We were killing some time before my kids had to see their doctor for an epic cough, and I just learned of a little bookstore that has been in this area for a long time. Funny. My husband had known about it but this was my first time coming here. Books, Inc on California Street is the store. It's a cute shop! My kids totally dug it.

366: day 17

It's been well over a month since my daughter celebrated her birthday at Chuck E. Cheese's. Her party balloon is still floating (had to cut the string because the kids were misusing it). Trust me, this balloon is on the ceiling. I just couldn't take a contextual angle because I don't want to expose the sloppy paint job of our wall moldings. =P

366: - day 16 (placeholder--technical difficulties!!!)

[EDITED 1/17/12] My phone is finally acting sane again. Here is the picture from yesterday!

ORIGINAL POST: No picture in this entry FOR NOW. I am having crazy difficulties emailing a picture from my phone, thus, I can not get that image here. So for the record, this entry is just text. A placeholder. I will put today's picture in as soon as I figure out what's wrong.


It was from Fisherman's Wharf, and a happy still moment from my brat son.

Project 366: Day 15

I chose this for today's photo. My two kids drive each other crazy, but when they are sharing their world together, they do this:

My son sticking stickers on my daughter's mouth.

366: Day 14

I already posted this image on Facebook, but it still counts for project 366. These are the brats of my life, and here they are having a bored dialogue as they fight naptime. This is what they dialogued about:

Gerard: I love you, aubrey.
Aubrey: yeah
Gerard: say you love me
Aubrey: ......
... Me: say you love gerard, aubrey
Aubrey: I love you

I have never heard them speak like this to each other until now!

366: day 13

There is a panoramic view of San Francisco from my house. It's nice and beautiful, but I can't wait to actually move back to San Francisco.  Viewing it just isn't enough ;-)

This is just a partial view. But the real view spans from the Pacific Ocean to Oceanview to the Sunset to the outer Richmond to Twin Peaks to Excelsior/Mission/Potrero Hill to downtown SF to the Bay Bridge and finally the east bay. Really!

366: Day 12

I brought the little girl to the office with me today. Let's just say she's not fit for a full day of work, I had a hard time with her today. But she insisted on sitting on my knee towards the end of the day, and she fell asleep just like this.

366: day 11 - bittersweet irony

As I've mentioned a few days ago, I was going to start bringing my DSLR around again with me. I have been doing that but I just can't find the time or opportunity to take pictures. So I've been placing my camera behind my work monitor. I feel bad! Yet, my camera phone takes its picture as it sadly hides here.

366: day 10

I tried a new place today thanks to Groupon. I don't always get to eat Peruvian, but boy, do I love a good Peruvian dish.

Lomo Saltado!

366: day 9

Whew. I've made it to day 9! It's becoming challenging because sometimes there just doesn't feel like a picture needs to be taken. But then, atleast through today I'd find something to snap and share.
Well, today's picture is of my lunch. I've not ever eaten at Sizzler my adult life, and today was my first time since more than half a lifetime ago! I went for the soup bar (bottomless soup) which only cost me $3.78 with tax. I had already eaten a home-packed lunch but I can never turn down soup, so I went for it. I had 3 or 4 servings of clam chowder. Greatest deal for soup!

I'm going to start bringing my DSLR on the daily again and see if I can take any project 366 photos from it sometime. But my phone makes it really easier to keep up!

366: day 8

My girly daughter is also into monsters, insects and animals in general. She has this hand-me-down monster pajama from her brother, and she--like he did--loves to wear this. For some reason, I thought it was a dino pajama. I told her that she will get to wear the dino pajama tonight but she corrected me, "Monster Inc, mama!" thinking anything-monster is directly associated with the movie Monsters, Inc. I often need to lay down with her so she can sleep. Otherwise, she won't sleep. Oh, and her big hand...!!!

project 366: day 7

Tonight I helped to celebrate a dear friend's belated birthday at Fenton's in Oakland. It was my first time there, and the time was well spent.

Cat (pictured) actually has a birthday on Christmas eve, but due to the nature of that pre-holiday, she is not able to throw a party with her friends. All good though, now that we are done with holidays, we're able to celebrate with her!! I apologize I could not handle a better photo. I did bring my DSLR but managed to decide on the wrong lens (50mm). I should have brought a wider lens!

Happy birthday, Cat!

Project 366: Day 7 (January 7, 2012)

Stock photography

Finally, fotolia.com approved/denied images I've submitted from last year. I think maybe I didn't verify some information which is why it took them so long.

But I am once again excited to shoot for stock. In fact, I'm going to keep doing this on my downtime, and am in the talks of co-creating a stock photography website. I'm pretty happy about that!

366: day 6

January 6, 2011: Day 6 of project 366

Tonight I went to spend some time with a friend I used to work with. I never go out. So this felt pretty nice.

As each day passes that I do and commit to this, it's become quite the obvious that I just get to share a piece of my day accompanied by a photo. I regularly blog, but not daily. And when I blog, I almost never include a photo. But isn't it nicer to have one? :)

366: Night Lights

Day 5: January 5, 2011

These are my daughter's night lights. She doesn't like the room light on at bedtime, but she likes to see the red light (she thinks anything red, purple, magenta are pink) and she doesn't mind the green light with it. We have had these lights for a while now, and she got used to them and it helps her to sleep in the dark.

366: day 4

Day 4: The blue glow above this house (mine) is the moon. I already noticed the moon lowrise early this afternoon when I was going back to work from lunch at about 2pm. By about 6:30, which is when I got home, the moon was above my house. I do believe it will have a beautiful setting when everyone is already asleep. Too bad I won't be up to catch that.

366 photos: day 3

First day back to work (after more than a week's time off!), this thick fog welcomed me into Belmont/Redwood Shores. For some reason, I never noticed these street trees in the center of this image! I wonder if they were recently planted or if they've always been there?

366 photos: day 2

Tonight, the clouds looked like this. However, my phone camera isn't the best and doesn't really show the orange glow as well as I saw it. Here is a panoramic shot.

UPDATE: I just realized 2012 is a leap year, so I corrected this to project 366.   ;-)

366 photos

I don't really think there's a point to doing this, but the truth is, I take daily pictures with my phone. I just don't upload them consistently. I did try to start one of these on some random day back in 2009. That lasted for about 3 days. So I'll attempt this again, just for the heck of it. I decided the most appropriate space to do this is here at riogache.com which is my blogspace for all my creative endeavors. So here goes.

January 1: my silly son decided to make funny faces at a Disney store mirror