Aftermath

In a blink of an eye, Thanksgiving came and went, but not without leaving a lasting impression on our guts. To say the least the food was superb and the company made it even better. It is my first thanksgiving away from my own family to be with my beloved, and hopefully we'll have more days together like this ahead of us.

Another new experience to add to my list is the infamous after-thanksgiving sale. Still a bit puzzled as to why we had to get up at six in the morning to be at the stores wasn't clear to me until I arrived at the destined location (Wal-Mart and Premium Outlets). Pandemonium hardly describes what I saw, there were lines snaking all around the building, people were grabbing hoards of DVD players, PlayStations, digital cameras, computers and other electronic goodies by the cartfuls. And the most shocking part, most of these items were almost well below half their usual going rate! Crazy.

Anyhow, amidst the chaos, I was able to get some good deals for Abbie's house (a Pioneer DVD player for $70 and another DVD-MP3-CD player made by Emerson for only $20). I was also able to accomplish more shopping at the outlets which rewarded early bird customers anywhere between 15% to 70% off their total purchase (trust me I know, I was there braving the biting cold weather).

The mad rush to the malls and outlets sure indicates that the shopping season has begun (Christmas is sure to follow next — heh). I would also point out that it is yet again that time of the year when one should practice extra restraint and courtesy, especially at the parking lots where a normal joe transforms into what could only be best described as assholes.

posted at 6:50 AM |  | 2 Comments

 Idiots Breeds

I try not to read any news about the Philippines. For one, it is depressing as hell to watch a country run like hell and then go to hell. Two, the type of prevalent newscasting is, how should I put this delicately, a fucking joke. Newscasters, save for a handful, are headless (and spineless) puppets without a single thought or belief of their own. Surmise it to say, everyone there who can be seen and heard on public broadcasting mediums (such as print, television, radio, etc.) are all chumps of higher authorities who'd do anything to preserve what they want the general public to perceive. Forget the truth in journalism and politics, everything is just one big production run by actors wanting to be politicians and politicians being pseudo actors.

A fine example is aging action star Fernando Poe Junior, or 'FPJ' as his minions lovingly address him (Filipinos have this affinity for acronyms you see). And as good as an individual he may be, a good politician he is not. He did not go to law school nor has he any relevant or useful background in politics, let alone being a public servant. What he is, is a disillusioned actor who's ego has been rubbed the right way. I'm afraid the Philippines is in for another rough ride should another actor cum president take the helm. Remember ex-president Joseph 'Erap' Estrada (a person whose notoriety grew from having his mental acumen go well below par)? A lot of good he did right? In either case, the people deserve who they vote for, and if they let another presidential candidate win based on popularity as opposed to qualifications. Well. 'Nuff said.

It is just truly sad indeed, and as Lia mentions on her blog, if only FPJ really cared about his country as much as popular comedian Dolphy does. The man was asked numerous times to run for president but has humbly declined stating that he'll win the seat of course, but then what? Every actor-politician should ask themselves the exact same question.

On another note, there's fucking ants all over my cubicle! Maybe the rain drove these little bastards out of the woodwork, or maybe its just the season, whatever. They are literally everywhere — on the desk, on the phones, by the trash bins, inside cabinets — everywhere! I'm afraid that with their number growing by the thousands, pretty soon, I'll be seeing G4s and Linux servers (the ants avoid wintel boxes for some odd reason) being carried out the hallway by these little buggers!

Flogging the critters is not an option either. Bug spray, while producing this sweet lemony scent reminiscent of jelly doughnuts, are not advisable in closed quarters. There's this eminent fear of a little thing called poisonous death. So.

posted at 11:09 AM |  | 2 Comments

 iCracked

The infamous Norwegian Jon "DVD Jon" Lech Johansen (aptly named for decrypting the code for DVDs much to the chagrin of the MPAA) has supposedly managed to crack the codes for Apple's online Music Store (bypasses the DRM on the downloaded files).

This could be a very bad thing. Or not.
(link via yayhooray)

posted at 12:20 PM |  |

 Apple's Dirty Little Secret

According to the Neistat Brothers (who did their share of homework to come up with this accusation), iPod's unreplaceable battery lasts only 18 months. So after eighteen months, what the heck are you supposed to do with your dead iPod? Use it as a paper weight? Hurl it through one of Apple's showroom window perhaps? Or pawn it off at Ebay to some unsuspecting soul? The possibilities are endless. (link via onepointzero)

posted at 1:16 PM |  | 6 Comments

 Busy

We spent the entire weekend over at my sister's brand new house in Vegas (west of the strip). The wind-chilled weather only helped enforce the notion of staying indoors, opting instead to prep and furnish the house in time for the holidays. In between cooking, cleaning, and assembling furniture, the fiancee and I crisscrossed the town doing multiple errands. It was also amusing to observe the dropped-jaw awe of customers and employees alike from this one Target store when we walked out with three cart-loads full of small appliances and other house knickknacks all purchased within a span of an hour to furnish the new, albeit empty house.

Starting this coming wednesday evening, I'll be driving back to Vegas for Thanksgiving to be with my beloved. And for the rest of the weekend while she toils at work during the day, I'll keep busy by repainting the numbingly bright-white interior walls of Abbie's house with something more warm and vibrant. The infamous after-thanksgiving sale extravaganzas will also be watched with a keen eye. You never know when a flat-screen plasma TV might get thrown into the sale isle.

But first things first, we'll see how far I can get with the painting bit.

posted at 1:21 AM |  |

 Forevermore

You were just a dream that I once knew
Never thought I would be right for you
I just can't compare you with anything in this world
You're all I need to be with forevermore...

posted at 10:32 PM |  |

 Raining Horseshoes

After several months of planning, scanning, coding, revisions and more revisions, the freelance project is finally completed. The fact that the client was thoroughly satisfied with the end results (despite the long wait), made all the efforts worthwhile.

posted at 7:33 AM |  |

 Cellular

Having just arrived with the fiancee from a concert hosted at LA's Grand Auditorium (Side-A and Freestyle), I'm still reeling from what I saw. And its not the band's awesome showmanship and musicality that made it memorable, but rather the audience. You see, while the band was crooning one of their more popular romantic ballads, the audience who would traditionally wave their hands in the air with lit lighters, whipped out their cell phones instead. To watch the entire concert hall illuminated by a sea of cellular backlighting was just too amusing. It certainly made the lead singer beam with awe and pride and the hallway blinking like starlights (sans ringtone).

posted at 1:07 AM |  |

 Ballmer's iPod

This is so wrong in so many levels. (via whatdoiknow)

posted at 7:40 AM |  | 1 Comment

 Much Ado About Software

Apple has launched an update (v10.3.1) to Panther (OS 10.3) purportedly addressing issues such as FileVault's file corruption, FireWire frying external drives into early retirement and updating other services and technologies which enhance functionality overall.

I've yet again blindly put my trust into Apple's hands by updating my system as soon as it was offered-up via the built-in auto update feature in OS X. From the looks of it, the Mac seems to be humming along just fine sans the aforementioned hiccups plaguing the latest OS release. A watchful eye will be kept in place though.

...

Okay, not much excitement going on right now (compared to this past weekend's shindigs) hence the techie posts. So back to work or to the mundane activities available after work. Counting the days 'till the weekend drops I suppose.

posted at 5:37 PM |  |

 It's 3 AM

All day staring at the ceiling
Making friends with shadows on my wall
All night hearing voices telling me that
I should get some sleep
Because tomorrow might be good
For something
Hold on feeling like I�m heading for a
Break down and I dunno why
I�m not crazy
I�m just a little unwell
I know right now you can�t tell
But stay awhile and maybe then You�ll see
A different side of me

— Matchbox 20

posted at 3:00 AM |  |

 Couple Of Things

She'll be flying out here for the weekend today, and the weekend schedule looks to be packed tighter than a can of sardines. First, this evening, we're planning on catching the cinematic conclusion to the epic Matrix trilogy at the Universal Studios City Walk (Hollywood). Maybe then we'll finally get the answer to that eternal question — what is the Matrix? After the movies (and if weather permits), we'll head on out to that famous LA hotdog stand called Pink's for weiner-dinner.

Saturday, my fiancee's folks will be arriving noon-ish from LAX. They are in town to stay overnight at our house and also to attend a sunday matinee show with me and the fiancee. The tickets wasn't easy to come by, in fact we nearly missed it. Fortunately, we managed to snag four tickets to a limited-engagement showing of the Phantom of the Opera at the Ahmanson Theater, so all is well.

But first, this coming saturday evening, we're out to see the much anticipated concert of Matchbox 20 (More Than You Think You Are Tour 2003) at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim along with my sister and best man. So as you can see, we're not that busy this weekend. Not at all.


(Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty)

posted at 10:50 AM |  |

 Password Denied

Don't you hate it when you're one of the first to install new software (read: Panther) and readily accept all the good things it has to offer only to find out a week later that doing so could very well spell your own computing disaster? (That was a mouthful wasn't it? But anyway.) In a nutshell that's the sort of predicament I'm in.

I thus present Exhibit-A:

If you're the forgetful type, and maybe a little paranoid, there's a new Panther bug you should know about. Apparently, Mac OS X 10.3's FileVault security system, in the process of reclaiming disk space lost during file encryption, can damage the data in your Keychain - yes, that Keychain, the one that stores your passwords. Two tips to avoid becoming a stranger on your own Mac: make sure you know those passwords that keychain handles for you, and if FileVault offers to recover some lost disk space for you, run like hell.

Normally I take such news with a grain of salt. But considering that I do have FileVault enabled, and just this morning eagerly said 'yes' after being prompted if I wanted FileVault to recover the unused disk space, I am way past paranoid now. Sure I want that unused chunk of space back, any blockhead would, but not at the expense of screwing the database that stores important things such as the keys to my Mac!

Quoted from The Register via MacAddict.

posted at 7:43 PM |  |

 'Tis Not The Season

After work, a quick stop at the local Wal-Mart was mandated. Can't cross the picket barricades at either Albertson's or Vons, so long humdrum grocer lines typical of these gigantic mega-marts must be endured. In the meantime, while feeling droll and ponderous as to why I'm even standing in line here whilst I could have made a quick go at a nearby AM-PM, albeit fifty cents pricier, would have accomplished the same feat in half the time. But my point now, quickly; why is the store prematurely decked in Christmas decor and playing yuletide carols being sung by a piped-in choir? Did I miss something — it's only November right? What ever happened to Thanksgiving?

posted at 9:34 PM |  |

 Post Hallow's Weekend

We spent Halloween at The Venetian in Las Vegas as opposed to the previous plan of scaring the little runts at the home front. Let me just say this from a first timer's point of view, Vegas is by far the best place to experience Halloween. I mean, there were freaks everywhere ranging from a group of five lads in sumo wrestler suits led by a nun to pimp daddies and them ho's (although I wasn't quite sure if they were just costuming or working the floor), goth-looking femme fatales in tight leather outfits, hotties (in every hue) wearing (or not) next to nothing costumes such as Wonder Woah-man, (requisite) nurses and catholic schoolgirls.

And towards the later part of the evening, a commotion ensued stemming from a girl that got thrown out of the casino floor for donning a (risque) skirtless cheerleader uniform which readily revealed her thong undies — that definitely takes the cake in my book — where else but in sin city could such folks blend-in so well...

Too bad I forgot to bring a camera.

posted at 7:30 PM |  |

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