Keep Calm and Love a Bass Player

Image Credit: Bassplayer from Vector.me (by ashtra.com)

Playing a bass guitar does not entail doing the same kind of plucking or strumming with every performance. These artists come up a unique style every time. The secret is in the kind of strings they use. Guitar players need to be "attuned" to their strings whenever they get a new set. Some mix and match different strings until they get the feel and sound of it.

With that being said, bass guitar players don't just need a good guitar, they also need good strings that suit their music genre. The market is full of different kinds of guitar strings which could make a neophyte musician's head spin. However, the selection process could be shortened by choosing any of the fender guitar strings at Guitar Center. My personal choice would be nickel long bass strings which give me a smooth feel, and provide clear distinct tones with every performance. 

For a minimum investment, you can pluck, strum, and thump your way to success!

Sunny days and Sundays

Sunday is my Laundry Day.

I try my best to do it during weekdays but I am just too tired to do so. My tension rises every time I pass by the laundry basket and see how fast it piles up. My youngest son used to help me with this "dreadful" task, however, he has to be in school by noon and since he gets up at 10 am, then I guess I have to take ownership of this task.

Sorting the clothes is my first activity on a Sunday morning (after I had had 2 cups of coffee and watched the morning news). Whites, colored shirts, underwear, jeans, bath towels, bed sheets and pillow cases. After that is done. I stare at them and let out a sigh. 

Oh well. So I load up the washer and start my day listening to the hum of the machine. My children always tease me about the sun hiding in the clouds after the laundry is done. Its true! Whenever it is time for me to hang the clothes out to dry, there is no more sunshine. It is just suddenly cloudy. I think I'm cursed. Haha. 

Here are pictures of my first activity on a Sunday morning. Thank God there are no bed sheets today. 

The dreaded pile of clothes

The completed task. Whew!

One task done for the day. A gazillion more awaiting completion. Happy Sunday!

Leveling Up from Gigs to Concert Performance

So now you're thinking of taking your guitar playing to the next level. You have a good guitar, a group of friends who play musical instruments, a lead singer and some equipment. What else would you be needing then?

You need an amp cabinet. You cannot play an amp head without a cabinet. That's a fact. So now you have to go into the detailed selection of a good amp cabinet compatible with your amp head. First thing to consider is the resistance which is measured in ohms. Your amp resistance must match that of the cabinet you choose. The fender cabinet from musicians friend offers different models to match your current amp. They are compact and rugged to enable easy transport, hence, it is perfect for taking along with you on your gigs. 

A good guitar player armed with a compact, rugged amp cabinet producing great defined tones is what turns a gig into a concert level performance. 

An Unusual Day at the Market

8 March 2014. I got a day's leave from work. After a very good night's sleep, I decided to go to the market for fresh meat and produce. I took my shopping bag, stuffed my pocket with my cellphone, my handy digicam, and of course, money. 

When I got to the market, I noticed that there were more people than usual this morning which made me think, "Is there an upcoming holiday? Why are there so many people in the market today?" What I saw got me excited. Good thing I always have some gadget with me to capture pictures.

Today, the market was full because a "Timbangan Ng Bayan" was installed and inaugurated by the Congressman, the City District Councilor, the Baranggay Chairman and the Market Administrator. A "Timbangan Ng Bayan" is a calibrated weighing scale that the public can use to check if their purchases are weighed and priced accordingly. It is a way for the government to protect the consumer from unscrupulous businessmen. 

Thank God for my trusty little digicam. My intent to buy meat and vegetables turned out to be an article for a blog post. Sharing with you pictures of the event.

Councilor Gian Sotto (2nd from Left) and Congressman Bolet Banal (Right with microphone)

Ribbon cutting

And now, I will take you on a picture tour around our public market.

The rice stall

The meat stall where I get my choice cuts of beef, pork and chicken, sometimes sausages too.

The seafood section. Fresh catch of the day - mussels, clams, squid and shrimp.

Fresh fish of all kinds and sizes

When you get hungry while shopping, you can always have fried plantains, skewered and covered with caramelized sugar. Yum!

This is my favorite vegetable stand. The old lady always gives me a discount or a freebie (an extra onion or a head of garlic.)

This is where I get my green leafy vegetables.

Dried fish, anyone?

Smoked fish and shrimp fry

Coconuts! The basic ingredient for making rice cakes and creamed fish or meat. Curry won't be curry without coconut milk.

The dry goods stand. They have everything houseware - from pots and pans to flower pots, plungers, clothes hangers, brooms, trash bins, etc.

Clothes and slippers store where you can get shirts, shorts and sandals at a very low price.

Seems like we got everything covered, right? All you need in one trip. The bakery is just across the street together with the drugstore and fruit stand.

I love living here. All I need is just a stone's throw away.

Preparing for the Debutante's Big Day

Its almost summer! Uh-oh. I think I just lost myself there in a dream.

My niece Bianca Celine

Summer will be here in a few months' time. Soon we will be saying bye-bye to the cold nippy weather and welcoming the warm (or hot) sunshine. I am excited for the summer this year, not because of the beach or the bright blue skies, but because my beautiful niece Bianca will be celebrating her 18th birthday. 

The whole family is planning a big party for her. She's my sister's only child and she wants it to be really special. I have been thinking of something to contribute for Bianca's once in a lifetime event. My youngest sister will be the one to take care of the audio-visual presentation and my brother is currently looking for a good live band to perform during the event. I was thinking of taking charge of the party favors. I have two months to plan carefully for a small memorabilia to give her friends who will attend her party.

I have always been on the practical side and I want my party favors to be something her guests can find useful and not just sit on the shelf collecting dust. Walking out at noon one day gave me answer I have been looking for. I will purchase caps! The summer sun would be at its peak during the month of May and a good baseball or cadet cap would provide protection from the glare and heat. I started looking around for dealers of wholesale caps in various designs. All those hours I put in searching online turned out to be fruitful. Shopforbags Inc. had such a wide selection of cadet caps to suit anyone's taste. After looking through their website, I have decided on these two designs - one for the girls and one for the boys. 

For Bianca's girl friends, this cadet cap with a beaded pink bow applique is practical with a girly bling. Keeps the sun out of the eyes and protects the hair from drying out in the harsh sun. Perfect for walking to the mall, going to theme parks or strolling along the beach.

This baseball cap would be best for Bianca's male friends. The perfect accessory for attending sporting events, or for doing outdoor sports - biking, hiking, or playing tennis. The unique eagle design is sure to stand out. 

Reasonably priced and ultra stylish, this is the party favor I have decided on. I am positive Bianca will love this and I am sure her guests will too.

8 Things My Parents Forgot to Teach Me

When I was growing up, I resented my parents' strict rules. Their constant push for me to learn a musical instrument annoyed me. They wanted me to appreciate the finer things in life like art, sculpture, dance and classical music. They gave me these privileges that children my age could only dream of. 

Despite my desire to just go out and play, I had to abide by their rules which were as clear as the light of day. After school, I had to clean up and then do homework. After homework was piano lessons. After piano lessons, my mom would take me to dance class. By the time dance class was over, it was almost time for dinner. Bedtime would be at 7:00. Dad would start to play classical music on the stereo - Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, occasionally there would be Mozart. Those were the last sounds I heard until I fell asleep.

Mom and Dad were the best parents anyone could ever have. My first teachers. My role models. My only regret was that they forgot to impart their wisdom on the following things:

1. My parents forgot to teach me how to kiss ass and how to be an effective brown noser.











2. My parents forgot to tell me that there will always be one major meritricious person in every organization.

3. They did not teach me to be impervious.











4. They forgot to warn me that speaking my mind can backfire.

5. My mom and dad did not teach me to favor deceit in exchange for career advancement or personal gain.

6. They forgot to warn me about people who fall into the Nugatory, Pecksniffian, Puerile and Autocratic category.

7. They did not give me instructions on how to deal with people who fall under the categories stated above.

8. Lastly, they never told me that some people never grow out of kindergarten. Mom and Dad forgot to warn me about people with a weird gait - one step forward and one mile backward.

I am forever thankful for having been born to such wonderful, mature adults who took their responsibilities as parents to heart. The only drawback was that they thought the world is all good.

I have learned to cope on my own. Life gives valuable lessons. 

The cycle ends here. 

The Rich, The Poor and The River

One early morning at work, I stood up from my desk and decided to take a quick stroll outside. I had my camera with me, as always. I walked to the property line of Eastwood City where I work. I wanted to see what was beyond the fence, across the river. Why wasn't I surprised? It was a shanty town. Collectively known as "informal settlers" or "urban poor," these people live in poorly constructed, flimsy shelters they call home. Families whose lives are in constant danger of natural disasters. In a downpour, the river could immediately swell and reclaim its banks, sweeping away their houses, their meager belongings, their dreams, their lives. 

After I took a shot of the shanty town, I swiveled my camera 90 degrees to capture the high rise apartments and office buildings that make up Eastwood City.

Below is a picture of the area (Source: Wikimapia). I was standing on the point marked "X," where I captured the two pictures shown above.

According to the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), the 2012 Full Year Official Poverty Statistics revealed that there are 4.2 million poor families in the Philippines. That figure equates to 19.7% of the entire population. In simple terms, it means one out of every five Filipino families was estimated to be poor. The study also revealed that an extremely poor family of five would need to have a monthly income of Php 5,513.00 (~US$ 123.25) to buy the minimum basic food needs. 

It is such a sad reality to have to live with this inequality. To see so much suffering and hopelessness, to see the children begging and crying for food. 

The government can only do so much to address this issue of rising poverty in the country. However, if I had some kind of power, I would relocate these people in a place complete with housing, employment opportunities, and access to primary health care, churches and recreational facilities and invest in their tenacity to survive by initiating small scale enterprise, similar to the NACIDA (National Cottage Industry) project during the Marcos' time. 

I may just be dreaming to make myself believe that there is an end to poverty. 

As I walked back to the office, I could not get the thought out of my mind. I have witnessed both affluence and poverty in a financial/monetary perspective. 

The river symbolizes the division between rich and poor, however the perception of "richness" and "poorness" would depend on which side of the river you're standing on. 

Open your mind.

Photo Walk: A Day in the Life of a Night Shift Worker

Sharing with you photos of a day in the life of a night shift worker - that's me!

My "day" begins in the late afternoon. 

Today I aimed my camera up to capture the airplane flying overhead.

As dusk creeps in, I start making dinner for my family.

Their "dinner" is my "breakfast"

I take a short walk to the corner store/bakery to buy a few things.

Freshly baked buns, half a dozen eggs, maybe a bottle of ketchup or a bag of potato chips. 

It is 9 pm. 

My last task for the day is to take the garbage out, then its bedtime for me.

3-4 hours is enough.

It is now 1:30 am. I leave for work.

No need to put on sunscreen. 

No need for shades.

This creature of the night just wishes for one thing...

To go back to bed and sleep.

This is how our street looks like in the wee hours of the morning. 

I have to do a 50 meter walk to the main road where I get a cab to take me to my workplace.

It only take 10-12 minutes to get there.

I have almost forgotten how it is like to get stuck in traffic.

And then I spend the next 9 hours of my life sitting on a desk, staring at a computer screen.

9 hours of listening to the agents' calls, and trying to stay awake.

It is 11 am. 

Another work day is done.

I do my grocery tasks and start the journey home.

This is the best part of the day.

The next two steps I need to make to get in the house.

Happiness.

I'm home!

"There is no other feeling comparable to the warmth of being with family."

The Beat of a Drummer's Heart

Whenever I get to see a live band performance, the one that catches my attention is always the drummer. I have always been enthralled about percussion instruments, and a good drummer sweeps me off my feet. 

Drummers have an innate ability to recognize various rhythmic patterns and tempos. They have a keen ear that recognizes different timbres and enables them to hone in to that and groove to the beat. My son receives a full academic scholarship in the university he attends because of his service to the band and pep squad. He had held the post of Head Drummer for two years in a row. He is now the Vice President of the organization. I would say he has a talent for music, specially percussion instruments. In two years time, my son will graduate and I have been looking for a gift that he would really enjoy and probably make a living out of. 

As a parent, it is my duty to provide for his needs and support his talent to take it to the next level. With this goal in mind, I have decided to get him a drum set. Him and his friends have already tried playing music together so why not get him his own set? Budget wise, it would be better than having to pay rental rates in a music studio. 

I have secretly been searching for a good set and I have decided on the affordable tama imperialstar drum. It is beautiful! It is a handsome 8 piece drum set in midnight mist color, with high quality brass cymbals. Perfect for my little drummer boy! I am absolutely positive that this is the right gift for him. 

In a few years time, I envision myself in the front row of a big concert venue watching my son. I will be his biggest fan.. maybe I could be the president of his fan club! Unless of course, a bunch of screaming young girls beat me to it.   

Parent Talk: Priceless Advice the Lasts a Lifetime

If I were to name one piece of advice that my parents taught me that still sticks today, I would name one for each parent.

My dad' advice: 

"When you marry, you will have to learn that there will be very little left to be called your own. You will share everything with your husband. Yours and his will be called "ours." There is only one thing that you should keep away from. Leave your husband's wallet alone. In a marriage, that is the only thing that a man is allowed to kept private."

Many many years have passed, and even I have parted ways with the father of my children, I still follow this piece of advice. I now have a new love of my life and I keep my Dad's advice in mind. I have always wanted to know the reason for my Dad's advice. Now I understand. It is not so much as to knowing what's in there. Its the trust you give your spouse that there should NOT be anything in there that would hurt you.

My mom's advice: 

"In a relationship, you will learn that giving is everything, but remember to always save some of yourself for you. You should also love yourself. Get a haircut, pamper your self with a new blouse, or a new pair of shoes once in a while. Take part in decision making. Do not depend on your husband for this. A partnership cannot be called such if it is only one person who does the planning and decision making. Spend a few quiet times to appreciate what you have and to thank God for the blessings. When you learn to love yourself, you will be more effective in spreading that love."

My mom had such a hard time recovering after Dad passed away. My father spoiled her to death, providing and attending to everything including paying the bills, insurances and the like. Mama was his Queen. When Dad died, we were all at a loss. We did not know how to move on. Mama learned the hard way that a woman must be given some responsibility in running the household, other than just "motherly" tasks. She learned to do things on her own. Although she misses Dad's pampering, Mama is now happy in the company of her friends. I look up to her as my source of strength. 

My Mom and Dad. This picture was taken during their 25th wedding anniversary

How about you? What priceless piece of advice did you get from your parents?