Canon EF 28-105 mm f/3.5 - 4.5 II usm

i got misself this over at hongkong last week, is it any good?

Don Miguelito, a kid again . . .

Don Miguel, at HongKong Disneyland . . .

to be a kid once again . . .

A Bug's Life Indeed

Mr. Bug
goes up and about
his own hurried little way
buzzing from leaf to leaf
every single Day

Of his short life
which to us is hardly a lifetime
Keeping up with the daily grind
with his own thoughts and cares
taking up much of his mind


I know we think
Mr. Bee lives such an insignifant life
but it hardly is for Mr. Bee
and his family
everything, that he has to take care of
in this charmed life

A bug's life indeed. . .

at the Marco Polo Lounge now in HK

konti nalang and am back home. I'll probably be posting less when am at home i'll go on photography sorties, spend time with my mom and dad, paly with the doggies . . .

nah, i'll probably find time to connect still haha.

I hope I won't miss my flight. the lounge is right beside my gate, anyway. it's 8:32am and my flight's at 9:10. the lcd monitor still isn't callling boarding . . .

see ya

arrivederci!!!

One Happy Seatmate

Of all the possible seatmates I could have had of about maybe 300 something passengers in my flight, i get to sit beside this one happy Vietnamese guy (in his mid 50's or 60's - with us asians, you'd never know for sure).

Why happy?

Well, we were served drinks upon take off, champagne, wine, soda, whatever . . . and he handily ordered 2 glasses of wine. hahaha

Then, not so long after, ipod plugged and ablast, he started to blurt out into song - some Vietnamese song, just one right after the other . . . and out loud. He was doing the entire redition of a cultural / traditional vietnamese song

I panicked and made faces a tthe aussie mom and son tandem across from us, I wanted to get a different seat and looked around frantically.

I stood up, talked to the flight attendant and he told me full flight today, instead he gave me earplugs.

then he and his daughter (i suppose, she looked less than half his age) tried to figure out how to put off their overhead lights. I was in the middle of watching Beuwolf (did i get the spelling?) and all of a sudden, he started to reach out to my control panel and pushed pushed and pushed away at the stop button stopping the movie I was watching. I gave him a glare and a "Hey what's up?" look with two my hands up in bewilderment, not mad though, how can you get mad at this really funny old man. I started to giggle instead. the guys in my row all started to laugh too.

And then in the middle of the night lights off,, through my earplugs and headphones in ful blastl I start hearing a melody, maybe something that went like this

Bao Giờ Biết Tương Tư

Sáng tác: NA Ngày nào cho tôi biết biết yêu em rồi
tôi biết tương tự..
Ngày nào biết mong chờ
biết rộn rã buồn vui đợi em dưới mưa
Ôi, biết đem tim này vắng như lòng giấy
Tình yêu lấp đầy
Rồi biết quên câu cười
biết cho đôi dòng lệ rơi
Tình yêu đã trở lại
đôi mắt đêm ngày vơi hết đọa đầy
Tà áo em phơi bày,�
ngón tay em dài, tiếng yêu không lời!
Ngày nào lòng tôi đã biết vui biết buồn
Ôm mối tương tư
Ngày nào cánh thiên đường đã mở hé
Tình yêu là trái táo thơm!
Tôi ghé răng cắn vào miệng môi ngọt đắng
Tình yêu cuối đường
là trối trăn cuối cùng
giấc mơ não nùng...vợi tan...

Don Miguel, grubby, tired . . . and 6500 miles to go

yup yup, don't dig it in. eyebags are overpacked and i look really stressed. what can you expect? i didn't sleep a wink and took me an all nighter to pack 30 kilos into my luggage.

i hate packing grrrrrr, but hey, not bad, we got some cool food here at the cathay pacific lounge in the airport. just about one of the comforting things here in Heathrow, ugh!

Don Miguel in Transit

in Heathrow Airport in London at the Marco Polo Lounge.

I dunno why but I really hate Heathrow, no matter how they try to fix and window dress it, it still feels . . . well creaky, and geeez you'd think your trying to figure out a maze of ornery just trying to get from point A to B means from point A go to point Z then from point Z go to point M, double back and go up to Point F then walk backwards three steps to reach point B.

And the people in the services, well not all, are not helpful at all, some are haughty and arrogant, some are just plain . . . ugh

I shouldn't say this, i might get deported.

32 more minutes . . .

and the driver will ring my doorbell, to bring me to the airport back to Manila.

My last day in Brussels was uberly hectic indeed. At 2 pm I still had to meet the director for international trade of brussel's chamber of commerce . . ., before that I was busy writing up memos and reports and info kits . . .

When we were on the way to the meeting, my colleague Marivic who was assisting me, stuck her key in the inside part of the key hole, and forgot about it. Now here, the doors have key holes from the inside and from the outside. If you lock the door with the key from the inside, no one can open it from the outside. Kablag! she went all pale. She asked for my key and tried to open the door. I almost got this close to swearing because all my documents and some important things are in my suitcase in my office. waaaaaaaaah, and I was to fly early the next morning.

Anyway, we called my other colleague Borj, who was out for lunch to go get the locksmith . . . aaaaaaaaaah panic panic paniccccc!!!!!! to make the long story short, and thank God indeed, we managed to have the door opened.

Up till around 6pm, i had this feeling. I guess you all know that gnawing feeling at the pit of your stomach that you forgot something? I guess i'll always be this unready everytime I travel, even if I've actually clocked lots and lotsa miles in my lifetime to date.

so now, i haven't slept a wink, even if I tried to, I couldn't. Instead I tried to pack my luggage and all that.

I'm changing now, the driver's almost here.

:D

see ya!

In a few hours!

am flying to Manila!!!!!! then Roxas City the next day!!!!!!!!! whopeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who the f*ck is that????!!!!!!!! bwahahahaha

I put an analog clock widget that tells my time here in brussels in my blog . . . .

But just now, in place of the clock, when I checked I saw this . . .




Bwahahahahahaha!!!!!!

Who the fuck is that? hahahahaha

am not yet removing it for everyone to see hahahahaha quick quick!!!!!!!!

Sorry - no hate here

to that anonymous person who posted google's archived links of Brian Gorrell's DJ Montano blog in the comments sections in my multiply account, (it means that even if the owner already deleted the posts, they are still somewhere in cyberspace with Google's Cache), sorry bro.

I had to delete the links because I can not stomach the hatred that many of the readers of Brian's Blog have been posting. It's one thing to be the victim of an $80 thousand dollar rip-off and be heartbroken. (Although I personally do not agree with all the character and personality genocide that the writer did) and it's really some other thing to be just a blog reader bystander and post some really hateful, remarks about certain personalities, some were even fishing for dirt. mudfish expedition galore.

Geeez.

So sir, whoever you are? I am so sorry, not in Don Miguel's blog.

Sudden Surge

All of a sudden Don Miguel, il Signorino's blog experienced a sudden spike in viewers and visits. Geeeez LuiZZZZZZZZZzzz

I bet y'all know why.

and I'm even here in faraway Belgium!

Delfin DJ Montano-Brian Gorell Saga Continues: It ain't over after all

hahaha check out the 'IT" blog of the moment folks, after everyone thought it was all over finally, it's back and with a vengeance.

This time it's hitting on the entire family of DJ Montano.

(A cute family picture is even splattered on the blog)

I guess this DJ guy really got the money, maybe the family should shoulder this big rip-off to end it all and save their name.

I guess this time the blog only shifted the target a little bit closer to home.

Wow Philippines: Lo que no saben algunos

in response to that Metro de Madrid Ad I posted a while back, i'm posting this to debunk the impression it might generate that the Philippines is all rural, the setting of the ad being in some remote barrio called Madrid, Filipinas. 

Wiki/Bio of the Day

click click click for the Wiki/Bio of the Day! click click click!

Quote of the Day Quote of the Day!

Her tip for those who'd like to live on their own> “Say no to drugs and fluorescent lights!” - Celine Lopez

- magazine

http://www.koleksyon.com/showbiz/news/jan_wk1_06/celine_lopez.asp

Manila High Society Saga: The End

The guy finally got to his senses, got scared too when he realized all the hate his rage has generated, judging from all the comments in the blog. comments that are waaaaaaaaay out of line, maligning everyone in site.

I Hope everyone recovers, I hope Brian gets his money back, I hope the criminal goes to jail.

Peace people!

=====================================
here's Brian Gorell's last piece. (hopefully)

The End

I have decided to end this blog.

I will close the comments section in 24 hours.

For many reasons. It became bigger then me. Much bigger.

At the moment, I have to focus soley on my health and happiness. My Australian friends and my animals. My future move to Canada.

I am tired of the sadness and regret. The anger and the angry words. We are all better then this. Shattered from all the pain. Mine and others. Everyones.

Its taken its toll. On us all. And for that I am sorry.


I have cried many tears since this excercise began. Tears for myself, but more for those I have hurt through my selfish self serving entries.

Its not just about money. Its about self esteem, and a sense of worth and validity. I lost those for a while because of another human being. It sets you back. Breaks your spine. In half.

Please forgive me. I was clouded with rage. Real deep rage. I beg forgivness from Jackie, Wendy, Marco, Tina, Tim, Emily, Robertito and Celine.

Anybody else who was involved through the comments section, I am deeply panged with regret.


I don't know where that Brian emerged from. I really don't.



Please ask your friend to pay me back. Anyone? Pease. Just ask him. At this point, I'll cut the total in half. Thats how desperate I am to end this without having to go to court in your country. I just can't do it. No way.

So unless my ex boyfriend pays some amount, any amount, I will not get my money back. Its as simple as that.

And every other person who was brought into my battle. I beg for your understanding and forgivness. Please do not hate me forever. I know you do now. But it will pass, like my rage is now.

You see, I'm not rich, so it came as a shock to lose my savings.
It has frightened me. This will never go away for me. Because I will never get my money back.

I will go back to work again. Save more money. But I will protect it from now on.
Because I am forty years old. I can't afford to lose anything else.

I will contact people personally to say sorry and plead for your understanding. If you are not prepared to give it. Well I will understand. It may take me time to pluck up the courage. Tell me to fuck off if you want. I can cope.

Bless The Philippines. Gods gracious country. His people are great, and humble, and deserving of everything they dream of.

We must all learn to share. Share our knowledge. If you see someone on the rails. HELP THEM.
Don't stand by and say nothing. Call your friends on dodgy behaviour, involving money or the heart.
Keep your friends safe. Party, ok. But give back. More then you are now. Please.

To every person who read my blog. Thank you. I know people will not understand why I have shut things down.
Please put yourself in my place.The anger and hatred became too much for us all I think.
Thank you for the clever people who broke through my fire walls, to give me such brilliant advice.
My heart is already repairing itself.
I hope the people I hurt through this blog... well i hope they heal too. I'm sorry Jackie. Really. The pain I have is horrible. I want to die for hurting you so. Please Jackie, forgive me. You deserved better. I'm begging. My heart is fucked now because of what i did to you dearest. I hate myself so much.

And with that said my friends and comrads,

I hope this blog achieved something for someone.

Started a conversation.

Thats all I hope for now, besides

Peace and Love for us all


ps. Oh Yeah, have a great time tonight at your "Fuck Brian" party. I only hope there is a charity involved.

Thats all.

Is this the End of the Manila High Society (?) Saga/Scandal ?

Are we finally seeing the end of the Manila High Society Scandal blog? Is Patrick saved?

What got really creepy were all the hate comments the blogger got from the readers. Really really big time on hate overload there.

I mean, this Brian guy had $80k dollars ripped off from him. For pete's sake and back!

The readers who posted those sordid comments about the objects in the blog, what did they lose? Why are they equally so mad, very mad and very very hateful.

These people are people too. Some have no part in the rip off at all, except that they were friends with the culprit. So what if they snort coke and if they shoot up? it's their lives they're ruining not yours. It's bad, but hey, it's none of our business really.

Prime example of crab mentality people. Drag everyone down. drag the country down?

Disgusting!

here's what the blog owner recently posted:



********* ATTENTION ***********

I have taken some advice from some very good friends in Manila. Real friends indeed. Real great advice. Thanks guys. I love you very much for your care and concern.

Exposing Patrick for certain things is no longer on my agenda.

There is no point. I am tired of hurting others. Its not who I am.

I have turned a corner.

The rage is settling down.
I am calmer now on my farm.
With my dogs.

Thank you to my friends.
Who truly want the best outcome for me.
You forget yourself sometimes.
Anger takes over.
I am changing my direction.
Please bare with me.

Enjoy your life Patrick.


ps. I am sorry if my readers wanted more dirt.
I just can't do it anymore.

I fell asleep . . .

last night. . . and woke up at 6:39am just now

laptop beside me
all the lights in the living room the hallway and the foyer are still on
even the light in my room
good thing i switched off the tv
before i conked out
zzzzz
sarap matulog!

... and am flying back home saturday!

yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

Don Miguel is coming home!!!!!!!!!!!!!

whopeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!

Home sweet home!

i miss my bed, i miss the sea, i miss manila traffic, sinigang, bulalo, movies at powerplant and eastwood and greenbelt, i miss my dear friends, i miss all about home!

and I AM coming home soon haha.

Dang . . . there's a storm

over in the UK and I'm in for shitty weather here in Brussels.

Geeez

Manila High Society Scandal: When the Shit Hit the Fan

tsk tsk tsk i don't want to say anymore but hey, now we can say that we have our own filipino versions of Paris Hilton and Niccole Ricci.

Maybe the objects of this hate blog are innocent, maybe not.

You be the judge, this is one really really bad thing going around

Dear Students this is a perfect example of the expression, "when the shit hits the fan, indeed"

and let us not forget Ms. South Carolina (a repost)

I posted this a long time ago,  and in the light of Ms. Janina San Miguel's winning answer that will send her to the Miss World pageant, I remind you all of Ms. South Carolina, lest we forget about the original, authentic dumb blonde

Ms. South Carolina: “I personally believe that US Americans are unable to do so because some people out there in our nation don’t have maps and I believe that our education like such as in a South Africa and Iraq everywhere like such as and I believe that they should our education over here in the US should help the US or should help South Africa and should help Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future for our children.”

Guess whom we're sending to the Miss World pageant this year - Ms. Janina San Miguel clap clap clap

although I know I shouldn't be laughing at faults like this, it's really not the poor girl's fault.  i guess we are not so fortunate at all not having dumb blondes in our country.  We have an entirely different breed.  the blame should be on the stupid judges who must have had a heyday and decided to play a prank on the country with this, and on the organizers who had this one pass the screening.haaaaaay kakahiya. hahahahaha.  so much for our national proficiency in English.

Keys Me vs. Ken Lee - a comparative

my blogging brethren have been posting about Bulgaria Idol's Ken Lee lately. "Ken Lee, tolibu dibu douchooo, Ken Leee!!!!!!!but before all this hullabaloo we had our very own, starlet Alyssa Alano singing "professionally" the song - Key's Me. don't you just want to break out into song? "Keys Me, beat in the verdict valleee . . .swing swing . . . onto the moonlit floor . . . silver moon sparkling . . . down by the broken tree how, bring bring . . ."

Vivo per Lei - Esta cantate e por voi per sempre, vivo per voi.

vibrare forte l'anima,
vivo per lei e non è un peso.

Vivo per lei anch'io lo sai
e tu non esserne geloso,
lei è di tutti quelli che
hanno un bisogno sempre acceso,
come uno stereo in camera,
di chi è da solo e adesso sa,
che è unche per lui, per questo
io vivo per lei.
È una musa che ci invita
a sfiorarla con le dita,
atraverso un pianoforte
la morte è lontana,
io vivo per lei.
Vivo per lei che spesso sa
essere dolce e sensuale,
a volte picchia in testa una
è un pugno che non fa mai male.
Vivo per lei lo so mi fa
girare di città in città ,
soffrire un po' ma almeno io vivo.

È un dolore quando parte.
Vivo per lei dentro gli hotels.
Con piacere estremo cresce.
Vivo per lei nel vortice.
Attraverso la mia voce
si espande e amore produce.

Vivo per lei nient'altro ho
e quanti altri incontrerò
che come me hanno scritto in viso:
io vivo per lei.

Io vivo per lei
sopra un palco o contro ad un muro...
Vivo per lei al limite.
... anche in un domani duro.
Vivo per lei al margine.
Ogni giorno
una conquista,
la protagonista
sarà sempre lei.
Vivo per lei perché oramai
io non ho altra via d'uscita,
perché la musica lo sai
davvero non l'ho mai tradita.
Vivo per lei perché mi da
pause e note in libertÃ
Ci fosse un'altra vita la vivo,
la vivo per lei.
Vivo per lei la musica.
Io vivo per lei.
Vivo per lei è unica.
Io vivo per lei.
Io vivo per lei.
Io vivo
per lei.

Piso among them Euros: a metaphor

This here's a good metaphor of Don Miguel among em all here in Europe hehe.

A bit of Rural Philippines in a Spanish Primetime Commercial

hahahaha they got this entire ad running in primetime TV in Spain.  It's about a small barrio called Madrid somewhere in the Philippines and the people were dreaming of a Metro.  So they  installed the Metro de Madrid. hahahaha.thing is, hopefully, this ad won't leave the impression that the Philippines is sooooooo rural hahahahaa.- my friend Lina who is based in Madrid originally posted this in her multiply site http://morenabuena.multiply.com/journal/item/17/Metro_Madrid_Ad_starring_Filipinos?replies_read=1

Invest Philippines: Cebu

created by BigFoot, this video is a winner. Cebu is booming and only if the rest of the country followed suit . . .

Invest Philippines: Outsourcing

if only we kept our heads together and stop trying to self destruct with stupid politics and corruption, we'd long been a greater nation.

Invest Philippines: Electronics Industry

I use this kind of materials and media in my job. Makes you proud you're pinoy. Don Miguel hopes pinoys become less self-destructive . . .

I won! I won! I won . . .

€ 25.20 in the euromillions lottery last friday! hahaha

dang! 3 more digits and I woulda been €15 million euros richer.

What Don Miguel is up to right now . . .

it's 12:19 am (GMT plus one) and am munching on cheese (Vieux de Bruges) cubes yummmmmmm .. .

Don Miguel loves cheese.



and is supposed to go to bed by now.

wait wait 3 more cheese cubes . . . left in the pack

Manila Bay Sunset, one of the world's best

courtesy of Joni Gutierrez

Just Imagine how it is to be a guest in the Philippines!

EEEEEEEEeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaa!!!! Philippines, here I come !!!! Home Sweet Home!

7,100 Islands of Sheer Philippines

Don Miguel is proudly a Philippine Islander!

Can't get enough of my Country: The Philippines is Wow!

Home Sweet Home

Can

Wow Philippines: More than the Usual

I hope Filipinos would love their country enough so as not to ruin it with politics and abuse of freedoms - Don Miguel

Promote Philippine Tourism!

I'm living it soon!

Don Miguel's Empty Blog

Sorry folk's it's been an empty blog lately.

• Been busy at work, meetings and meetings and with new gadgets. My new Rebel (Canon EOS 400d, a new phone (itouch htc) and the first of the macs i recquisitioned for the entire office arrived yesterday.

• Yesterday it snow/hailed here. The first for the winter. It's been a mild winter in Belgium and thankfully so.

• The other Mike left yesterday too, and then I had french class. I have french class tuesday and thursdays, (on thursday, i'm supposed to go to my french class that conflicts with an art exhibit. geeez
  

• Am flying back home (whopeeeeeee!!!!!!) in a couple of weeks and as always, there's a gazillion things for me to do. Things to buy (again) and paperwork, financials etc and ek and ek.

• I now have skype and a jabber client on my phone, maybe i can blog while mobile

• And then I've got an entire new EU GSP Rules of Origin redaction to do and cascade back home.
  

• Then on my spare time, I gotta study and learn how to work my new DSLR.
  

• Ergo: Busy Days for Don Miguel, near-empty Blog.
  

si fuera yo doble.!

Le Atomium

We went to see the atomium finally just for the heck. It never really caught my fancy, but hey it's another landmark that we had to see . . . for the heck.Hmmm the view from the top wasn't as spectacular, maybe because it was such a dreary cloudy day. . . . and the wait for the elevator, was just soooooo annoying. They had one small elevator that fit about 10 persons arrrrrggggggh.anyway, the photos from outside were much more interesting than the ones from the top. Maybe when am in the mood to post those, I will, but for now, these will do for now.

Mood Swings . . .

I can't stand mood swings, much less understand them. go swing at em logs, not me.

La Dulce Venganza (My Sweet Revenge)

Mike S. while here tries to embarras me big time by feigning-shouting what sounds like some pidgin oriental language while we're walking the streets of Europe. We being asians, people would glance at us with a frown, probably thinking in disdain how loud and crass our language is. I normally try to run away from him or pretend I don't know him. In any case, i'd really turn bright red when he does this.

click here to view the video

Kablam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i came across this first in blogger mark xander's blog. hahahahaha

Don Miguel's New Toy: Canon EOS 400d/ Rebel XTi

This is my very first self shot with my new toy in the elevator before I even got to my door today (YUP, I COULDN'T WAIT AND TOOK IT ALL OUT OF THE BOX ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE STORE). I decided I needed to reward myself so I got one. Plus I'm such a trigger happy freak with the shutter.

Don Miguel is now legit. Yes folks, I've been taking all those photos with just my point-and-shoot cameras, of course twiddling with the ISO's shutter speeds and apertures - with the electronic controls. I think my cameras will have to give up on me soon.

but now guys, I'm at a loss. This is all new to me and I've got lots of reading to do. So y'all folks who are into this addiction, help me out. (namely Haya, Ian, Ken, Bordoi, Hanibal ... etc.) Help??!!

Where I live: View from a Satellite

the thumb pin is where I live. See the park? That's park Duden, just across from my house.

Here's a closer view (courtesy of Google Earth) - googling earthling Don Miguel