Me and the Computer

How fast time flies. It's been so long since I wrote on this blog. Years? This blog has been a personal technical reference for me in the past. I wrote here so I could remember solutions to some technical problems I encountered while going about my work. I also wrote here updates and observations about the gadgets I happen to have my hands on, software development, and other things related to technology. A lot of things have changed since then. I think one of my favorite technology, Adobe Flash, is almost dead.  It's been replaced by a combination of HTML5, Javascript, and CSS.  I wonder if anybody is still using it for animation. Anyway, I have decided to be active here again. I think I need to update the layout. Because this current one is not good for mobile devices. That has been one on the big changes that has happened in the past couple of years. These days more people are viewing websites on mobile phones than on desktop computers. I will get around to it. U...

I did some housekeeping on this blog today. I decided to make the navigation simpler. Cleaning up a blog is not much different from cleaning a house. You will accidentally unearth some things that you have already forgotten and they bring back memories. I wrote several personal entries on this blog a couple of months and a few years ago. It seems only yesterday. Anyway, I think it is time for me to work this blog again.

I wish I could write you a proper tribute. But how do you find the words for all the good things you represent. Perhaps if I borrow other people's words it will be good enough. Somebody said you were God's gift to the Philippines. It was no less than Sister Lucia of Fatima . A lady said you made her part of history . A guy said that you were the conscience of our nation . He was a former Atheist. One of our countrymen explains the reason why you died on the first day of August . And personally, I don't think I can look at a yellow ribbon the same way again. It pays to be good. Honestly, I did forget. Evil men thrive for a while (just like the corrupt politicians in our midst). But in the end it pays to be good. The outpouring of love as your body pass by Ayala is a testament to that. And that's you. For me that is your legacy. Thank you.

July 22, 2009 partial solar eclipse in Manila. I used a filmstrip to filter the sun's glare. This one was shot using a neighbor's lung x-ray as filter. Hehe.

I noticed that most of the visitors I get here are from the US and European countries. If you are near retiring or perhaps planning for the future, it might be wise to consider my country. With the global economic crisis upon us and no clear end in sight, you'll never find a better place to get more bang for your buck. Check out this blog, Retire in the Philippines , to help you make a decision.

You might think that my activity here starts and end with each post. Actually, it is just a start. I still do a lot of other things after I have posted. I wait and observe different variables . I experiment what type of post gets visitors. And those that don't. I experiment which types of promotions are effective and lasting. And those that are not. I think I have already figured out what I need to do. And so it is time for me to apply what I learned into practice. In the past I tried to limit this blog to technology. But now I will no longer do that. I will still post articles about technology but I wont limit myself to that as consciously as I have done in the past.  Actually, you might have noticed that I have been doing that since a couple of days ago. My recent post were mostly about opinions. To give you a hint of what I learned: The hardest promotion to work for is the social media kind. It can give you a burst of web traffic but it only for a very short while...

I just want to congratulate my favorite team for winning the 2008-2009 Championship. Wooohoooo!

Happy Independence Day every one! Oh and thanks Google for making us this doodle. We really appreciate it.

Thank you to all of you who sent your message, visited us during mother's wake, or were with us during Mama's burial. Your support is very much appreciated. Tomorrow the family will start life without her physical presence but we will be strong out of our love for Mama. And because that is what she would have wanted. For me, Mama did not really die. Infact, she is very much alive and well - cured of all her sickness. For us and Mama, there are no goodbyes but only 'see you later'.

Today I woke up and hoped that yesterday was just a dream. But as I stood up and looked at our house, the same lights and burning candles were there. And you were not there to remind me that I should eat my breakfast before it gets cold. My sister told me that your grandson, who is just over one year old, went to look at you. He tapped the glass of your coffin like he always tapped your cheek to wake you up in the morning. But he seemed to be puzzled because you were not stirring. He tapped your coffin a little harder and even seached for a way to open it because you were not moving. And in his little mind he wanted to wake you up like he always does. Because he knows that when you wake up, the very first thing you will do is smile at him. But today and yesterday is very different. Some things have changed and will never be the same.

Let me she share to you something about my mother. And show you how selfless she is. My mother had a lot of sacrifices for us while we were growing up. And she really made sure that we will be able to finish our studies. Even though it would be hard for her. She really fought for us so that we would grow to be responsible adults and citizens. My mom, one of the best moms in the world. For her final act, my father's sixtieth birthday was approaching. And she promised that she would give him a very memorable present. She fullfilled that promise yesterday. Her task started around 7:30 am and was completed at around 2:30 in the afternoon. You see her gift to my father was an unforgettable birthday party. My father will have atleast five days celebration where all the neighbors are invited and she made sure that even our relatives would come. And there will be plenty of food. But she planned a coffee party. So we expect to have coffee, milk, biscuits, and some nuts to fight ...

Forgive my site for looking horrible right now. I'm in the process of updating my template. This might take me the whole week.

Wow. I leave for couple of weeks and the traffic has dropped 75%. Lol. I guess blogging is kind of like office work. In the office you are slave to the bosses. With blogging we are slave of our readers and the almighty search engine - Google. Google show me some love please. Bring back the precious traffic. I promise I will try to update as often as I can. Please. Anyway, kidding aside, where have I been? I would like to tell you that I have been hauled in the basement for the past weeks. The only problem is we don't have a basement. So let me just say, I have been busy with something. Here is an article about  Flash Game Development to give you an idea. Programming games is what got me interested in computer science in the first place. It is something that I always wanted to do. It has not been a viable profession years ago unless you live in the US. Not until the past two years. Thanks to the internet, now anyone can enter this industry irregardless of where you are...

Ugh. 2008 has been bad for me. I know it has been bad for a lot of people because of the financial crisis and all that. But it has also been bad for me personally. I never had a worst year in my life like 2008. And now 2009 has begun. Thank God. Like every year a lot of psychics and Feing Shui expert are saying it will be the year of the Ox. And it's going to be bad for people born on certain years. But I don't subscribe to that. When a year begins it will neither be good or bad. It depends on our behavior and the choices we make throughout the year. If we slack off and constantly make poor decisions as the year progresses then it's going to be a bad year. But if we are constantly industrious and wise, it will turn out to be a good year. So here is to you all making good decisions and working hard this 2009. Happy New Year!

A week ago this blog mysteriously disappeared along with the entries I made here for the past several months. I did not know if I accidentally deleted it or what. I reported it but until now Blogger has not replied. Somehow this make me think twice about hosting my blog here. But it is a rare case since my other blogs are okay. Anyway, there is not much to do but to begin again and hope for the best. Related Link: How to Backup your Blogspot Blog