Flurry of activities

The last two weeks disappeared into eternity in less than a second. At least it felt that way. Two weeks ago I tripped and hurt my knees. There was not fracture but it swelled a bit and could barely walk for a couple of days. I was going in and out of Medical City and suffered through their slow elevators. In my last visit to the doctor, I threw caution to the wind and decided to walk 8 floors. The doctor finally said I don't need rehab and could go back to badminton in two (long) weeks (what will I do?!). Last weekend I went with some friends to the beach. The weather wasn't so cooperative and my Kiev35 decided to have more lightleaks (see above photo). This week I was also in and out of Medical City visiting a friend who had a massive cyst removed from her breast (bad business). Hopefully it is just benign. So it's back to the salt mines and trying to keep body and soul together. Business is bad. I already said that in another post and won't repeat it. Yep, business is bad.

End game

Looks like this will be our last year of operations. The print business has been categorized by some economists as a sunset industry. Unless you are in the mainstream—publishing and commercial printing—you don't stand a chance specially nowadays with prices of imported materials such as paper and ink continuously increasing. It hasn't hit me yet but one day it will, like a speeding train, only this time things will have slowed down since. No more work to report to. Time to update my resumé. Actually, I want to put up my own design studio or rent a space somewhere and sell lomography products. Maybe I'll sell some of my photos and digital art. So much uncertainties. It will only materialize when our humble 14-year old print shop folds up.

Too much internet

That's how I feel right now—I've been spending too much time in the internet and detaching myself from the real world. Ironically I haven't updated my blog. I have valid excuses. I have been made co-administrator of Digikitten, a bulletin board for graphic designers and photographers. I have also been preparing my portfolio for the launch of yet another website that will sell stock photos; hopefully that will bring in some money to pay-off some debts ;) I'm also helping another blogsite called litratista.org. It's still underconstruction but it has some basic content already. Well this week will be toxic as well. Have a couple of drop-dead deadlines as opposed to fictitious deadlines that some clients are fond of. It's a good thing I have my trusty cameras to keep me sane. Now to look for willing victims to model for me :p

It's really bad

.

That's what a client said, “Business isn't bad. It's really bad.” And this has been the economic environment for the last two years. Try as we might, we are just breakingeven. We have applied all cost-cutting measures imaginable in this cut-throat industry (we're in the print design biz) were the cheapest bidder gets the contract. No such thing as client loyalty. The problem lies in the excalating cost-of-doing-business. So what is there to do. You tell me. We've done all we can except to try another line of services.

The journey ends

From Russia with love,
originally uploaded by Stitch.

The LC-A I ordered from eBay finally arrived yesterday. I had a bit of trouble loading the film but thanks to enzo, I got to pull the rewind knob and open the back cover. I immediately put a Fuji 400 roll and took a few shots. It's nearly like my Belomo Auto Vilia but lets see how the photos will come out. It isn't the last of my lomocams. I might still get a Kiev35 and a Supersampler but that will wait until the doe comes in.

Summer is gone

Summer came and went very quicky. I only have my Pahiyas adventure to talk about. Otherwise it was a “working” summer. Ok, I managed some badminton games before going to work but there you are. Well, there's also my quest for a lomo camera. It began with a Holga, then a Belomo Auto Vilia. It ends, hopefully with an LC-A or a Kiev35, or maybe a Holga35 MF, whichever comes first. The journey continues. As students march back to school, thereby increasing street traffic once again; and don't forget the dreaded grid-locks after a heavy downpour; I ask myself “where has my summer gone?”

Loco over Lomo

I finally got a Holga 120 and I'm going crazy over it, shooting like there is no tomorrow. My real dream of course is to get a Canon Rebel 300D or the 350D XT. It's just a dream ok and its price are astronomical so I decided to go back to film. Actually it's more life analog-digital since I scan my negs so all is good. I might get an LC-A within the month or maybe a kiev or a smena, Dunno, whichever comes first. Only the LC-A is available locally. Ok, I'm rambling. later...

Los Banos

A week ago, the whole office went to Los Baños for a “problem-solving session” and a bit of R&R. Of course I brought the camera along. Shooting nature was perhaps the most enjoyable part of the trip, second to the beer and chips hehe

Pope

Just wanted to say that I'm glad we finally have a Pope. Cardinal Ratzinger's election prompted me to buy his book Ratzinger's Report. I want to know more about him. He is a worthy successor of Pope John Paul the Great. I consider this a period of continuity. Pope John Paul II has done great things for the world and for the Church but I'm sure Pope Benedict XVI will be able to take-off from where he left of. And with the help and prayers of 1.1B Catholics, I think he will do wonders like his predeccesor.

Good grief!

I have been remiss in updating my blog. A belated Happy Easter to all! I went to San Fernando and Angeles City to take pictures of the Holy Week processions. I got a little tired and had colds and cough for a week. I'm well now, thanks to calamansi juice. I followed closely the coverage of CNN on the Pope's death and eventual demise. May he rest in peace and may he start interceeding for us, specially the Filipinos; whom he has a special affection for. That's about it. Between work, I've kept to my regiment of playing badminton twice a week and Flickring. That somehow keeps me sane. I also have to pick up a Photoshop Tennis match to keep my creative juices running.

Lift up your hands

This is a thumbnail of a desktop (or wallpaper) I made in a Photoshop Tennis match. It has a lenten theme. We'll be visiting Churches next week, attending some processions; I will have my camera in tow but more than anything else, it will also be a time for intense prayers and sacrifice.

worn-out

I feel as worn-out as this power cord. Work in the office is endless. You can only do so much. I bring home work. I have no life nor weekends to talk about. And our sales staff isn't exactly happy with our efforts to overcome the backlog. Solution: take up badminton—to release some energy and get back in shape. You know, healthy mind, healthy body. Lemme see now. There's a court just 5 minutes away. What an ideal hideaway. Later...

Eroded Magazine

Yay! My photo contributions appeared on pages 28-31 of Eroded Magazine issue#5 on Toys. It's my first collaborative effort for an e-zine or e-magazine. I also moderate in another design community called Digikitten.com which hosts hundreds (yep, that's 100+) of my deskop (or wallpaper) creations. Well now you know what I do aside from working as graphics designer 24/7.

Hypothetically speaking

I'm just toying with the idea of buying either a Mac Mini, a digital camera (a Canon), a PDA Palm with Bluetooth or a T-630 cellphone. Hypothetically that is. After lurking in Flickr and reading an e-group exchange amongst camerabugs, I realized that photography will remain a casual hobby for me and not a serious source of extra income. I mean I'm simply loaded with print design jobs. So in the end, whatever that will help my present career will have to be the next buy and that is the Mac Mini; which ironically will find its way to my artist, who still uses an upgraded G3 500mhz beige Mac Tower. Yikes! So there it goes. Gone even before I get to buy it. Now to source out the money.

Rocking at 15

Rocking at 15,
originally uploaded by Stitch.

John (2nd from left) turned 15 last Saturday. He invited his classmates for dinner. They sang some videoke songs. At 15, John has a band, a girlfriend (wearing pink sleeves), is a badminton champion in school. What more can he ask for? Still a lot, I guess. Oh yeah, John is one of the sons of an officemate who lives next door to our office.

Happy birthday John!

kite flying

kite flying,
originally uploaded by Stitch.

I went to a small modest carnival in Angeles City last Sunday. It was suppose to be a hot air balloon exhibit. But I came late. So I ended up with pictures of kites and the carnival. Half of the crowd were children. Its nice for kids to have simple pleasures such as kite-flying and seeing and ridding a simple carnival. I should have tried that train ride through the horror booth.

Flowers for you

I dedicate this flower collage to the “women” of my life. Beginning with my mother.

Good times and bad

Even though the peso currency is appreciating, it will take sometime for businesses to feel it; and that is assuming it will continue to appreciate or maintain its current level. Well, I'm no economist so my benchmark for economic growth is actual savings of people, quality of life, support of basic needs, etc. And for the last two years, I see that the ordinary working man is not fairing well in those areas. The good thing about it is people still manage to smile and know how to have some clean fun. Take a look at the picture below of some officemates enjoying a few rounds of beer during our Christmas party last December. It was our most austere celebration; it took place in the office garage; we had a few parlor games and jokes and a raffle (even the gifts from our suppliers were very modest compared to the previous years). It was fun nonetheless and we felt a bit melancholic since another hard year has passed. We can only hope for a better year.

Undecided

relaxed,
originally uploaded by Stitch.

Anne might transfer school. She is in grade 7 and going to high school next school year. There is a good offer from an exclusive school that's nearly as “good” or better than her present school. But the decision is her's. She has to study harder; she will lose her friends; the school is in the other side of town. Well, I'm just her “unofficial” godfather and will leave the decision to her. The school in the other side of town looks interesting though.

Blaarrghh!!!

Hullo. I never used a blog before but I have a journal somewhere else. And I also post my photos in 3 different websites. I'm not exactly all over the place but I think my paper work is. I mean so many papers are scattered on my table and its so disconcerting to arrange them everyday. You see, I work in a printing press so paper is in abundance. Catch you later. I'm not much of a talker really.

Oh yes, here's a photocollage I composed today. It's for a photoshop tennis match I have in another website. Hope you like. It's to commemorate Lent which starts today—Ash Wednesday.