Take a Shot

a new toy...the Nikon D50


another view of Manila Bay's famed sunset


another new toy...

Photogenic Grande Island

The agreed-upon meeting time was the ungodly hour of 4:30 AM. 4:30 AM?! But I haven't spent a whole weekend at home with B since the wedding, and I wanted to spend more time with him. So it was that jetlagged me accompanied B to his company outing to Grande Island in Subic.

For 3 hours we travelled north towards Legend Hotel in Subic. Near the hotel was the pier where we boarded a boat which took us to photogenic Grande Island.


One hour later, we were at the island. Very clear waters greeted us. I can even see the jelly fish swimming by the boats. All around, there was a great view of the surrounding mountains. The white sand beachfront though was a bit small. However, the waters were still very clear...although if you go a bit farther from the shore there were a lot of menacing-looking seaweeds. We only spent the day there though, so we didn't get to experience the comfy-looking cottages and accommodations. Instead, we baked in the sun, swam in the man-made salt-water pool (with water pumped in from the ocean), and swam some more in the beach.

During our trip, there was another company outing, and lots of other Asian foreigners spending the night there. There are facilities available for jetskiing, fishing, and other water sports.

Grande Island is located at the mouth of Subic Bay. It has an area of approx. 1/2 square mile, with the highest point being 167 feet above sea level. It was formerly known as Fort Wint during the American period. Grande Island has been a natural point used to protect shipping in Subic Bay since the 16th century.

A Story About Nothing

When she wants to boggle her mind, she thinks about the origin of things.

"Ang sino mang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa kanyang paroroonan," sabi nga ni Rizal.

So we need to look back and know where we came from in order to get to where we're going. Or do we really have to?

Her story

She is grateful to be where she is right now. She acknowledges the gift of circumstance and luck. Like a boring telenovela there are twists and turns in her story, but no real drama involved. And no real desire to create drama. But she does sometimes wish to know the truth. The real truth, without the gloss of coverups and half truths and half lies. The root cause of things. Questions swirl in her head. Why? Why did they do it? Was another name given to her? Why did they agree to all that? How did they cover it all up? How did they even conceive it? All the questions which she fears will be buried in the grave and never be answered.

The tragic thing is, she doesn't know where to begin.

So she is living in limbo. She doesn't know where she starts, or where she's going to end up. She just has to resign herself to her existence. She exists, she lives, and maybe that should be enough. The fruit doesn't fall far from the tree, they say. At least she knows where the tree is. She doesn't know how the fruit fell to where it is, but at least she knows the tree exists.

She just is. And that's the truth.

A.D.D. It All Up

Symptoms of Adult ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder):

According to the site, if you experience more than 10 points on this adult ADD self symptom test, Attention Deficit Disorder is likely present.

• An internal sense of anxiety
  
• Impulsive spending habits
  
• Frequent distractions during sex
  
• Frequently misplace the car keys, your purse or wallet or other day-to-day items
  
• Lack of attention to detail
  
• Family history of ADD, learning problems, mood disorders or substance abuse problems
  
• Trouble following the proper channels or chain of commands
  
• An attitude of "read the directions when all else fails"
  
• Frequent traffic violations
  
• Impulsive job changes
  
• Trouble maintaining an organized work and/or home environment
  
• Chronically late or always in a hurry
  
• Frequently overwhelmed by tasks of daily living
  
• Poor financial management and frequent late bills
  
• Procrastination
  
• Spending excessive time at work due to inefficiencies
  
• Inconsistent work performance
  
• Sense of underachievement
  
• Frequent mood swings
  
• Trouble sustaining friendships or intimate relationships
  
• A need to seek high stimulation activities
  
• Tendency toward exaggerated outbursts
  
• Transposing numbers, letters, words
  
• Tendency toward being argumentative
  
• Addictive personality toward food, alcohol, drugs, work and/or gambling
  
• Tendency to worry needlessly and endlessly
  
• "Thin-skinned" - having quick or exaggerated responses to real or imagined slights

So what to do if you feel you're sick? Aside from the drug route, you can "find help naturally without the side effects of ADD medication treatment by incorporate diet, exercise and lifestyle modifications."

Release the Steam, Quiet the Mind:
Regular and vigorous exercise can be very helpful for the Attention Deficit Disorder adult. Attention Deficit Disorder adults tend to have addictive personalities. Exercise is a good addiction. Aside from the obvious health benefits, regular exercise is also a great way to release steam and quiet the mind. Some studies also link regular exercise to decreased depression - a condition common with Attention Deficit Disorder adults.

Diet:
The brain is a hungry organ that cannot function at optimal levels without the proper fuels. To keep the brain functioning at top performance, ADHD diets packed with brain boosting essential fatty acids and amino acids is a must. A diet high in lean protein provides amino acids necessary for brain functioning.

The ADD adult can also meet these crucial dietary requirements for Attention Deficit Disorder by taking a high-quality nutritional supplement to ensure that they are giving the brain the fuel it needs to function properly.

Restructuring the ADD adult environment:
The Attention Deficit Disorder adult should get into the habit of making lists. The list should include any and all tasks required for the day, from "Mop the kitchen floor" to "Finish the sales proposal."

Write your list with the tasks of highest priority first. Once the highest priority task is completed, mark it off and go to the next. Warding off the urge to skip around on the list will take some discipline but the sense of accomplishment at completed tasks is well worth the effort.

The Attention Deficit Disorder adult should also keep a notepad in their car, purse, coat and on their bed stand. Thoughts come and go quickly. Jotting the good ideas down will ensure that they don’t go away quickly - assuming the notepad does not get lost in the process...

The alarm clock or a wristwatch with an alarm can be a great tool for the Attention Deficit Disorder adult. If you need to pick your child up from soccer practice at a certain time, set the alarm. If you have food cooking on the stove and you leave the kitchen, set the alarm. If you have an important appointment, set the alarm.

Large tasks tend to overwhelm the Attention Deficit Disorder adult and they often put off large task as long as possible. It is not uncommon for the Attention Deficit Disorder adult to procrastinate until the "11th Hour" and then pull an all-night jam session trying to meet a deadline.

For large tasks, the Attention Deficit Disorder adult will do well to break the task into smaller, more manageable tasks and attach deadlines to the smaller tasks. If you need to finish a large project in one week, for instance, schedule specific time each day to work on a specific aspect of the project.

An adult with Attention Deficit Disorder might also find it beneficial to enlist the help of a coach. A coach is a close and trusted friend, co-worker or therapist whose specific function is to help the Attention Deficit Disorder adult stay organized, on track and focused while providing encouragement.

**Text above from mental health website article written by Jeannine Virtue.

Things

Things to love, things to hate. Things to indulge in, to be amazed at, to wallow in. Misery. Hehe.

1. Cheesecake Factory. Yum.


2. Don't you just hate it when people ask you to do something, like, now, but you don't know what exactly it is they're asking for, and you don't know what to ask because the first question that comes to mind is, "what the hell?"


3. Digital SLR. $xxx. The power of credit cards to make you think you can afford what you can't. Priceless.


4. Things your husband does when you're not aroundbok at the pits