Marcus Can Blog

Recently, I’ve been using photos by other people for my blogs. These are photos filed under Flickr’s Creative Commons (or CC) and have been allowed by its owners to be used by other people for free depending on some conditions.

Creative Commons uses the following symbols:

1. Attribution means:
   You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform your copyrighted work – and derivative works based upon it – but only if they give you credit.
   
2. Noncommercial means:
   You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform your work – and derivative works based upon it – but for noncommercial purposes only.
   
3. No Derivative Works means:
   You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform only verbatim copies of your work, not derivative works based upon it.
   
4. Share Alike means:
   You allow others to distribute derivative works only under a license identical to the license that governs your work.
   

The creation of Creative Commons is very useful. At least this time, someone like me won’t feel guilty about grabbing someone else’s photo and use it for whatever purpose just as long as it is within the aforementioned conditions. I can’t remember exactly how many photos I’ve used but it occurred to me anyway (while reading a blog comment from Dencio, a very good photographer as well), why not use photos coming from my multiply.com friends/contacts instead. This way the exchange will be (or could be) win-win: I use their photo. I give them credit (and exposure) in my post. I just don’t know though if multiply has a way of tagging photos under CC.

By the way, just in case you wonder, I still make it a habit to contact the owners of the pictures first before I use it in my post to avoid any surprises. Besides, it’s just the right thing to do out of respect to the photographer and his intellectual rights. So far, I haven’t got any rejection. Nice, huh.

***

Hopefully, I’ll have more Filipino contacts who’d file their photos under Creative Commons. If I remember it right, I’ve only used one CC photo coming from a Filipino – Michael Gomez. It was a shot of Ateneo Rockwell’s chapel.

I now wonder if I can find something in Flickr that will show an ecstatic person, walking with a cellphone to his hear while trying hard to hold an outburst to shout in celebration. If yes, I can use that. It will perfectly match my mood yesterday afternoon after I learned that I pass the Ateneo entrance exam. Hahaha. MBA world, I come.

Mood: 1/10 Honks!

Photo by: Marielle

March 30. Thirty days from now, I’ll be among those leaving Intel for good. There will be no turning back. If a decade seems to zoom by, this one for sure will be very very quick. The only thing that will make this period drag is the absence of work but I’m quite sure that the daily interactions I will have with my peers, friends and even bosses in the next days to come will be cherished more than before.

Like someone on a bike, the sight of a sloping down road sends mixed feelings. There’s the feeling of celebration, excitement, anxiety, happiness and relief. Yet despite all that emotion confusion, it’s what and where you finally set your focus during the descent that will determine how everything around you will matter. It’s either you curse the rough road and quiver at the seemingly frightening speed; or you appreciate the rush of the wind and enjoy every beautiful scenery as you pass by. It’s all your choice. But whatever that is, it’s really all downhill from here.

See you all at the bottom. Hopefully, we’ll all be drinking lemonade by then.

Mood: 4/10 Honks!

Photo credit: Marielle

It’s just two and half, and yet almost everything has happened so fast.

Friday. We went to the beach – it was Marcus’ first. The weather was crazy as it was forecasted to be one hot sunny day. It indeed looked like it in the morning but just before we left the weather changed. It shifted from sunny to gloomy. Fast.

We pushed through anyway. And just more than an hour later we were at Munting Buhangin beach in Nasugbu, Batangas – 80 km. away from home. Quite fast considering I was driving defensively. It may be because of the well paved road – at least just before Munting Buhangin where it was muddy, rocky, and steep. Or it may be because I was expecting that some of my colleagues are already waiting for me. They weren’t.

With the absence of the group, lunch wasn’t what I expected it to be but I still had a good time – with just the three of us. Watching our little baby frolic on the sand and being with him to enjoy his first dip in the water is just worth every time.

We left just a couple of minutes after my colleagues and bosses started arriving. They’re staying overnight. As much as I wanted, I just can’t. I have an exam the following day.

Saturday. I was up very early in the morning and this time I wasn’t blogging. I was preparing to leave for Ateneo Rockwell.

By 7:45 am I was in a room sitting with a group of serious looking men and women. We’re all taking the entrance exam for Masters in Business Administration course.

The exam was in two parts. Part I was English and math. I think I did well in English. But I think I did otherwise in math. Part II was very new to me. I never had such exam before and interesting as it may seem, it was one hard, migraine-inducing 100-item 40-minute test. I never noticed the time. It flew so fast. Results will be on Monday. I’m not expecting to pass.

I was home just past noon. By the afternoon, we were out. After dropping wifey at Intel, Marcus and I were left to our own devices. Out of the blue, I decided to pay his godfather a visit for the first time. Luckily, he was at home but they’re preparing to attend mass. At least, he and Marcus met albeit short and fast.

After killing time in front of the Jollibee statue of a nearby mall, and wondering the whole time if Marcus was having a conversation with his current favorite figure, we headed back to pick up wifey. We then headed to the mall. Marcus needs new pair of shoes. He has damaged his third footwear and the new one was of a bigger size. He’s growing. Fast.

On our way out, we dropped by a computer shop to check the HP Mini. They have slashed its price from approximately Php 21,000 to Php 18,000. In a matter of weeks it has gone down. Fast.

Sunday. Today is the first F1 race for 2009. It’s in Australia and we’re now watching it live on TV. Now this is fast.

Mood: 4/10 Honks!

I was attracted to this thought-provoking blog and my curiosity got me reading it. Despite being a self-declared environmentalist and a greenpeace wannabe, I seem to understand where the blog’s author is coming from – she’s fed up with all the hypocrisy and hype. What I find funny though that after reading the blog I noticed an unlikely ad that should not go along with the radical post:

Say what?

Ads are insensitive, huh?

***

Last year, I supported this campaign. The only thing left at home with the power ON during the 1-hour period was our refrigerator – having spoiled food is anti-earth, just in case you don’t know. This year (or tomorrow), I’ll commit to support it once again. I still believe that instilling awareness bit by bit by to everyone is a good start to saving our beloved Earth because we actually don’t have a choice, do we? It’s way better than doing nothing. As one line goes, “let’s change, or the climate will”.

***

I have one guilty pleasure which I’ve been wondering if it’s anti-earth – watching F1. And a day after the Earth Hour is celebrated is when the F1 season begins. Isn’t it ironic?

Mood: 2/10 Honks!

My abundance of nothing but time has made me a sucker for social networking sites. And when I saw this morning the article 10 Ways to Build Your Blog Community with Twitter my mouse led me to it as if it was an Ouija board pointer. I was in Twitter.com in seconds. Soon enough I was reading, “What is Twitter?” which was followed by a very brief no-brainer description and the very last line states: what are you doing right now? Hmmm. Here I go again.

I don't know who else can't answer the question.

As simple as it appears, being asked what am I doing right now, has the same effect to me as when cops order their suspects, “Freeze!” That’s because it makes me pause for a bit or so and would actually think if what am I really doing. Or worse, am I really doing something in the first place? For me these are tough questions. 35 days from now, it will be tougher.

I’m one of those people who consider the word doing as something being done with an effort and to give answers such as “I’m surfing the net”, “reading blogs”, “watching TV”, “drinking coffee”, “watching paint dry” or “I’m killing time” gives me guilt – I can obviously do these without even thinking. And then social networking sites entered my life.

Weeks have passed by and I’ve been a regular facebook crowd. So far I’ve gathered a large group of friends, most of which are my colleagues and some are schoolmates. Others are my mafia – if you know what I’m talking about. I’m now one of those itching to type something in the “What’s on your mind?” field. I just don’t know if I’ve sleepwalked just to fill in something new. Hahaha. Needless to say, I enjoy just hanging around. In fact, I love being there that I cancelled my Friendster account at last because I never liked it to begin with.

Today, I find another good one – Twitter.com. I’ve been receiving invites in the past but just like facebook invites last year, I’ve ignored it. It’s the catchy article that got me hooked since I know that I’ll be in the blog world most of the time starting on May. That is, if our energetic baby will allow it; which reminds me by the way that I’m a full time Dad today. Now, if that doesn’t answer the question: what are you doing right now? I don’t know what will. Believe me, to say that it’s done with an effort, is an understatement. Shhh…he’s waking up. Bye for now.

“Cris is now keeping a close watch of the baby.” Ti abi.

 Mood: 3/10 Honks!

“There are no menial jobs, just menial attitude.” – Francis Kong (March 15, 2009)

“Globalization and its effect are caused in part by Intel’s product.” – J.

Yesterday, I ended my 3-day Career Continuation Workshop (CCW) session which is just one of the transition training provided by the company for those leaving, involuntarily. Unknown to most, especially to my new group, it was actually my second time to have such training. Last year I stopped attending after I applied for an internal position and eventually got accepted. This time it’s different. This time there’s no way but out. And with that realization, I became more serious and participative during the training despite the familiarity.

Another thing that’s unknown to some of my colleagues and co-employees, being retrenched for me is a familiar thing already. I left my previous company going through the same process but of course a whole lot different especially on the aspect of preparation. Back then, even if I have a hint that in a matter of days I’ll be retrenched, I was clueless of the exact date. The good thing about it though is that I was already hired at Intel but negotiated to report to a later date and was granted a 2-week allowance. Waiting for the D-day was like freefalling in the dark not knowing when impact will happen. I can’t exactly recall how the news was given, but everything happened so quickly. It started one sunny morning just when everyone was coming in to work. We were instructed to gather at the outdoor basketball court, listened to the brief announcement and were told how to go about the whole process. Just approximately two hours after, I was technically jobless. I can’t imagine how awful it would have been if it happens to me today (or last year). And this is where Intel made a difference…very significant difference. It hired DBM.

DBM which stands for Drake Beam and Morin, is an outplacement consulting and career transition services company with a very interesting history. It was founded on 1967 by two psychologists, Drake and Beam after they saw the need to help soldiers after the world war. They realized that since most of these soldiers have been taught about nothing but to fight (and probably to shoot and kill in the process), the moment the war ended they basically doesn’t have anything capable doing with the current skills they have. So in order for them to fit in to the post-war environment and make a successful transition, these two shrinks decided it was time to intervene. And the rest was history (Morin, came to partner with them later).

Last year, when I was identified as one of the affected employees, I actually had some reservations about this whole DBM training because I was thinking what training could I have had possibly missed at Intel? I’ve attended technical training, soft skills sessions, people management, time management and any other management-ending training…except maybe for the one starting with anger. Hahaha. That being said, I felt prepared enough to leave in three months time. I was wrong.

The DBM sessions opened my eyes and mind to a wider unexplored concept. It introduced me to things which I will surely regret had I stuck to my pride and stubborn self. I learned about things that could help me cope up with the outside world – a fitting term, having been “isolated” inside Intel for a decade or so (and to think that others spent more time).

DBM’s well-prepared, structured and interactive training presented me with so many questions. “What is an informed decision making process? What are my skills? Or do I have other potential skills still waiting to be discovered? How do I put these in my resume? What’s the employment trend now? What are my options? What is my net worth? How will I prepare for this change I’m facing and deal with the transition that follows it?” But thanks to our persevering, patient and professional trainers (and their staff) I already have my answers for each one. I’m quite sure that the remaining 176 days of DBM engagement, I’ll learn more.

Just before the CCW ended, our facilitator led the familiar retrenchment prayer. I silently prayed it last year but with the high hope that I’ll be able to still continue my Intel employment. It happened. Yesterday though was a different matter. With my head bowed down, I still sensed that among the other participants is someone with a lump in his/her throat, heavy with emotion as each word in the prayer sinks in. I was one of them.

Mood: 4/10 Honks!

“How do you spot a Filipino among the crowd? He is staring at your mic.” – Russel Peters

Hallelujah! It’s an unlikely declaration but I’m now among the thousands of Filipinos rejoicing right now after watching the evening news. At last something sensible came out of the Philippine congress when one of those we used to tag as pork-barrel-hungry-politician finally proposed a bill to ban the videoke and other noise pollution sources.

I’ve blogged about it for a number of times already. In fact, I mentioned about it once again yesterday. Every time I hear one from afar or worse coming straight out from a neighbor’s house, I freak out; it always test my patience and tolerance and often times I can’t help but curse whoever invented it…including the one holding the mic. Now, my hope and wish for banning this ubiquitous gadget is at least coming to reality. Although to be honest, I never expected that redemption will come from our government’s legislative body; I’ve got used to seeing them bickering about anything but for the common good. At least, they’re now working (but why do I have this feeling that election time is just around the corner).

Don’t get me wrong though, I’m not for the full annihilation (the best word I can get) of this infamous musical box. On the contrary, I’d like to have it retained but under several conditions since I know a lot of people and friends who can sing with it fairly well. And as much as I hate to accept it or agree with most of its supporters, parties will indeed have that uncomfortable void without it. That’s because most of us Filipinos have this penchant to sing; unfortunately, even those who can’t even produce a decent tune. This love of singing has made the videoke become a necessary party tool and it is loved by everyone from all walks of life: from the hotels to the very unlikely corner of the slum areas, one will find this iconic box whether one likes it or not. And this is when I think the problem begins. It is all about location, location, location.

Alcohol and videoke does mix. At least if done in resorts...and hopefully this picture doesn't get through your wife's facebook.

I haven’t listened intently to the news about it as I was almost in nirvana the moment I heard its introduction. I actually thought for a moment if I was dreaming about it. But yes, one congressman finally opened his ears and listened to the rising sentiments against the videoke. This musical box composed of a monitor, player, microphone and an array of large speakers is now very much available that one can even rent it for Php 500 (USD 11) and can already torture his unfortunate neighbors for 24 hours. It’s times like this that I can’t help but compare the videoke to a gun – in the wrong hands it just can do unnecessary damage. So just imagine how many peace loving people cheered (and kneeled) when they heard the proposal to ban it.

Last week, I heard the head of the senate proposing to have additional congressman. I was among those who reacted, “What the….?” But hey, what if it was part of the plan to have more pork-barrel-hungry-politician to back up the videoke regulation bill? Well, if that’s the case, get more of them now, feed them pork and I won’t even care…as long as they pass this bill soon.

***

I can’t get enough about this videoke thing that I actually have some wild ideas to control it (which I made up just yesterday after hearing our neighbors desperate covers):

1. Like driving, possession or rental of a videoke should be licensed. Those applying should undergo test in front of demeaning judges like they do in the American Idol.
   
2. Testing will include sobriety test. But this time instead of testing if the applicant is drunk, here he will be required to drink alcohol. And if the applicant shrieks once he/she hits the high note, he/she automatically is rejected and will have to retake the exam after a year.
   
3. Homeowners association should not allow any parties with a videoke.
   
   1. In case a homeowner insists to have one, he/she will be required to soundproof his/her house and that singing will be strictly done indoors;
      
   2. His/her neighbor in turn will be given a 24 hour gun permit-to-carry with a clause that allows him to fire at will if soundproofing is breached and ignored.
      
4. Makers of the videoke will be required to have a stringent scoring software installed. It should sense a bad singer even just midway of the song. If the singer incurs two successive low scores it will automatically disable the whole machine. In case of attempts to enable it, the videoke will dial the nearest police desk for immediate arrest.
   
5. Makers of the videoke should include a remote control which will be distributed to all neighbors within the 50 meter radius where the party is being held. Each neighbor can then anonymously push a button to score the singer. Each remote control however should have a mandatory shut off button – in case one gets tired of scoring and have decided to have an uninterrupted sleep instead.
   

***

Happy singing everyone…but please sing responsibly!

Mood: 2/10 Honks!

The long list of Facebook invitations in my personal email’s inbox finally made me to open my Facebook account which has remained static for a year and three months already. Friendster didn’t succeed but really this time Facebook had me join the millions of those who got hooked to social networking. Thanks to the big void at work, I have no choice but to face it – online.

Since then I’ve been more active online and has been in culture shock once more. It’s funny but the last time I used that term to describe an experience was when I transitioned job coming from a subcontractor semiconductor company to a multinational company – and to mention it’s one of the top back then. But hey, that’s another story. Let’s talk more about it after a month or so.

I’m so amused with this recent experience as I now have at least another medium to keep in touch with schoolmates, long lost friends, colleagues and the majority of our company’s badminton players. I’ve become a fan of Facebook’s wall which is like Friendster’s shoutout but is way better in aesthetics, speed and interaction – you now have a hint how I hate Friendster. And what I find fascinating about it is the number of online applications available to keep one occupied during the 8-hour shift. Go figure. Since I (re)started a couple of weeks ago, I have received weird request to answer weird quizzes, I’ve received virtual snacks and would you believe, I’ve even mugged someone online. Thankfully, it’s all just for fun (though I’m quite sure elders will find it anything but funny). And that isn’t the whole gamut of what is possibly online, yet.

This Sunday, I was once again tempted to buy a newspaper not because I was already awake very early in the morning and was lured to reading online Ting-ting Cojuangco’s Beauty and the Breast article. Good thing it wasn’t what I was expecting it to be or I’ll be truly guilty reading it on a Sunday morning. It’s just because I’ve become so addicted to holding one while just passing time at home. Besides, what’s twenty pesos if I can read side by side with my wife at the sofa and with our little boy trying to split the newspaper into half because he’d like to play at the same time? Newspaper, Php20. Reading with wife and kid, priceless.

Oddly, I also have this obsession of reading just the ads that could even make my day even if I know for a fact that I can’t even buy any of it…especially right now. I love looking at the new car models and the marketing offers that comes along with it. I also enjoy looking at hardware ads which usually contains power tools sale. Athletic shoes attract me as well. And almost anything, other than the news, there is on the page, I give it time to stare at. But today, my curiosity led me to something strange, chilling and hilarious at the same time – I was staring at the obituary page. Don’t freak out yet, I’m not cheering because of someone else’s death. I just saw one ad that says “Online Burol”.

Although the funeral service’s ad has their URL posted in their banner, I don’t have any plan to google that yet. As much as I’d like to get answers on how this is done, I’m still letting some funny thoughts on my mind linger like how can some kin from abroad benefit from an online burial service? Does he click a dropdown menu and select an option such as bury my grandmother. And does a confirmation window pops out saying, “Do you really want to bury your grandmother? Please click Yes or No”. Or does it have an option to bury a videoke-singing neighbor? Hahaha. Sorry can’t help it? Just kidding.

The internet has indeed evolved. It has done so much that everyone has jumped onboard to exploit its potentials whether we like it or not. And with my recent discovery of this funeral service being offered, whether my assumptions of how it is done is true or not, I now won’t be surprise if there will be more eerie services that we will soon learn does indeed exist. Therefore, the question that we should ask now is, “what else isn’t online?”

Mood: 3/10 Honks!

Journey band with their Filipino front man - Arnel Pineda. Photo by: mde1225

This post’s purpose is twofold. First, just give tribute to the band Journey who will be performing live tonight in MOA – I just can imagine the traffic jam on all roads going to that area right now. Second, is to test one feature of Blogger that isn’t available in Wordpress – posting pictures coming directly from Photobucket (one should have an account to be able to do so).

It only requires three steps to do it:

1. Point the mouse arrow to the image of choice.
   
2. Click on Blogger’s icon.
   

   Why isn't Wordpress among the options?

3. Enter your Blogger account info (user name and password) and the title of your blog.

Calling Wordpress admins, can you do something to have that "W" icon included.

The problem here however is that only the title and image will appear on your blogspot. To post text (comments, insights, rants, etc.), the blog needs to be edited and re-published. But if you don’t mind words to come with the image, then so be it. Whatever option you take, this is still one good thing about having Blogger – I just wish there will be more.

***

There’s no question about Journey’s popularity. In fact, in my Wordpress blog alone, both of my Journey blogs are top post number 1 and 2…followed by people checking Who is the “Time-Killer”?. Hmmm.

Does this show that the Time-Killer is as popular as Journey? I wish.

 (note: This post was originally intended for Blogger)

Photo credit: mde1225

Mood: 3/10 Honks!

I slept early last night because I had one bottle of beer to go with a pizza and a bit of pasta in Pizza Hut with my wife and baby. It’s been quite some time since we ate at this pizza shop due to several reasons and one of it of course is for austerity measures sake. And with my body getting used to having brandy in the evening, which is supposed to be stronger than beer, was surprised (or more likely delighted) when some malt and yeast brew entered its system – thus, the untimely drowsiness.

Anyway, I woke up very early once again after my body clock sensed that I’ve already had 6 hours of sleep and was probably reminding me that I skipped my online session last night. Well, just like how my wife reminds me if I’m done with my surfing, followed by a smirk on her face.

While feeling lazy, sleepy and clicking aimlessly on anything with a hyperlink, I was directed from Wordpress.org to one of its suggested webhost and then finally to Godaddy.com’s blog. Upon reaching it, I looked for their FAQs but then again my disobedient mouse led me to the rightmost corner of the site with the following info:

Bob’s 16 Rules:

Once, my stubbornness and resistance to advice has made me a not-so-fan of self-help books including personal rules. But for a couple of years now I have opened my mind to read, listen and at least learn something out of it especially those coming from successful people who have walked the talk like this founder and CEO of GoDaddy.com. And after reading his 16 rules I can’t help but agree to all of it – my favorites however are rule numbers 6, 7, 13 and 16. You go Daddy!

Mood: 3/10 Honks!