Total happiness!

Just wanna share my happiness...Randy is already here with me....well, that is after the 5-hour delayed flight...I was crying to death a while ago...kasi diko sya mahagilap kung nasan na sya. Thank god he arrived safely! I'm sooo happy today kahit na pinapatay ako ng kliyente sa mga pinaggagawa nya sakin...at least now, I'm no longer lonely here. Next thing, I'm looking forward? My return date to DUBAI! I miss my friends naman na...*Thank you, Floree, sa iyong gip...talaga namang pang 2nd honeymoon ito...hehehe* and also, I'm looking forward to my.....BIRTHDAY! ahihihi....

Tagged!

Well, I really have no idea how this works...but let me give it a try. I just copied and pasted the entry by Mai on which she included me as one of the four people who will answer this...oh well, here we go:

I've been tagged by Mai! Mai is a co-w@wie and we share common friends such as Wey & Dex. We were just able to know each other through our blogs.... *wink*

Four jobs I've had
1. Associate Auditor
2. Senior Associate Auditor
3. Validation Auditor
4. Senior Validation Analyst

Four movies I have watched over and over
1. City of Angels
2. Face off
3. Cheaper by the Dozen
4. Paycheck
(dami pa actually, mahilig ako mag ulet ng movies)

Four places I have lived in
1. Binan, Laguna
2. Marulas B, Caloocan
3. Makati City
4. Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Four TV shows I like to watch
(skip ko na lang to, di nako gano nanonood ng TV eh)

Four places I have been on vacation
1. Bohol/Cebu - one vacation kasi to eh
2. Puerto Galera
3. Baguio
4. US - 2nd honeymoon, kase punta si hubby dito sa Thursday! yipeeee!

Four of my favorite foods
1. Grilled bangus belly
2. Sinigang na bangus
3. Fettucini Alfredo
4. Tsokolate

Four places I would rather be right now
1. Dubai
2. Philippines
3. Dubai
4. Philippines

Four people who will answer this meme
1. Mahryska
2. Dianne
3. Jessica
4. Emtee

My 1st week in Cambridge, Massachusetts

Well, I am now here in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Like what I'd expected, I am here again...sad and lonely. People would tell me to try to enjoy and have fun here...but I can't really force myself. I can say I am not really a loner person...all I really care about for now is to have Randy here. Period. Tomorrow will be his interview for his L2 visa. After that, he will ask for a 2-week vacation to follow me here. The only problem is his alibi to let him go. Randy and I agreed to tell the truth to his company...that he's going here to accompany me because I'm getting sick already with the depression. Now, do you think his company will agree on that? Is that reasonable? My only justification for that is..."FAMILY FIRST". Tell me what you think.

I arrived here last April 17 11PM (EST). I checked in @ Marriott Cambridge. Because of the loneliness I'm feeling, I'm not really psyched to shoot...here are just some of the pictures I took @ my room @ Marriott Cambridge. Nothing's so spectacular though with my shots...just to give you some idea on how this place looks like.



These are some pictures of my room. My room is located @ 24th floor. There are 2 floors in Marriott where there is a high security requirement. Before you can use the elevator to go up to those 2 floors, you have to swipe your access card inside the elevator. That's high security, really...and guess what...my room is included to that, 24th and 25th floors. My room is supposed to be for 'elite members' only. Too good that my boss is considered one...since he made the reservation, I got his room type.



Well, here are some shots of the outside scene. When I came here, it was raining...the reason also for my 2-hour delayed flight @ JFK airport. See, how sad the scene looks like???

All hotels in the area are fully booked...so, the day after I checked in, I immediately transferred to Residence Inn Marriott. It was really hard for me to transfer from one hotel to another because I was carrying a big luggage and 2 laptops, and a DSLR camera...it was really a pain! So, when I checked in at Residence Inn Marriott, eventhough Marriott Cambridge is a better hotel, I immediately asked the front desk for an extended stay. (I was supposed to check out by April 20 @ Residence Inn and transfer again to Marriott Cambridge). So, here are some of the pictures of my present hotel...Residence Inn Marriott:


For this hotel, I got a suite room with 2 TVs, one for the sala, one for the bedroom...oh by the way, pardon me for the mess inside the bedroom...I'm doing the laundry while making this blog. It has complete amenities: indoor pool, gym, laundry room, microwave oven, fridge (not a personal one, a big one), stove, iron, ironing board, dishwashing machine, coffeemaker, sofa, office table, office chair, dining table, bed, etc. In short, some will consider it as a "home away from home". But not for me!!! I really miss Randy. Now, Im really praying hard that his company would allow him to go here for just 2 weeks. Lord, please help us...

Goodbye, DXB...goodbye habibi

All is set...I'm supposed to leave for Boston on Sunday, 8:30pm thru United Airlines. However, my passport won't arrive until Monday...so I asked my flight to be rescheduled sometime after Monday. I just don't know if our office administrator would be able to get another flight this week. I was interviewed yesterday for my L1 visa...a very irritating interview that is! Very technical...but it's not the main reason why I got irritated...it's because of the rude attitude of that stupid gay consulate officer. Oh well, let's just leave the memories of it.

I really hate to leave DXB...I know I will again suffer (for the 3rd time)with my dreadful insomnia and depression when I get there. To get ready for that, I made it a point I have enough pictures to look at...just in case I will miss Dubai...(btw, the duration of my stay there is unpredictable as of this moment. I might be there for 2 months, 3 months, 6 months or for permanency...I dunno...). Last week, after hearing the Easter Sunday mass, we walked from Oud Metha Road up to Burjuman...a looonggg walk, really. Of couse, I did not miss the opportunity to shoot...especially now that I will be offsite for a very long time. I just posted some of the dubai shots I have:

I like this sight along Oud Metha Road:
I got intrigued with the highlights in one of the walls of Mall of Emirates:
Another shot along Oud Metha Road:
The tower of the mosque nearest to our house in Jumeirah 2:
This shot was taken when we were buying fish in the open beach of Jumeirah 2:
Sorry for the blunt skies for this picture...too lazy for now to edit. Well, this is how Jumeirah 2 (Beach road) looks like in an early morning (7am)...no cars, less people...what a good sight....
This is the road we usually take from St. Mary's going to Burjuman (see how cute this little car is...):
One of the gasoline stations here in Dubai:

These are the sights I will somehow miss...but definitely, this is one face that I will surely crave for...each day, each hour, each minute, each second...

I love you and I will miss you, honey...

UPDATE: I'm still here in UAE. My flight is later this evening...but I cancelled it. My passport hasn't arrived yet...sana matagalan bago dumating... =(

Launching my multiply account...

Well, I've been in loooonnnngggg search of a good online gallery. I have considered primarily the capacity...but haven't settled to one. Actually, I should have stayed with Flickr...for me, it's still the best...but sad to say, Etisalat think otherwise. Flickr is still blocked within UAE. I was planning to acquire another online gallery account. But then, I have this feeling that Flickr will be revived in the coming days...since 'myspace' is now up and running once again in UAE!!! So I decided to dwell for now in free online galleries...which offer a good capacity and capabilities.

I have Friendster account, which by the way, has a max of 100 photos now. But that isn't sufficient for me. After so many hours of thinking, I thought of MULTIPLY account. I had this account since last year. But had no time to update the account because I just don't feel like maintaining the multiply account...I dunno.

But now, I decided to post my shots there...for the meantime...while still in high hopes that Flickr will be up and running in the coming days...so without much ado, I am now launching my multiply account:

http://lvillanera.multiply.com

Actually, the site is still under construction. And fyi, I am not dropping my blogspot account...blogs are still to be maintained here. 'til then!

I will forever remember "April 3, 2007"

April 3, 2007, 1:58AM - I was awakened by a text message: "Te, nasa perpetual si Pa2, ICU. Na-stroke."
That shakened me for a while...I hurriedly called my mother. Asked the whole story. Yes, as I've said in my previous post, my father was rushed to the hospital due to sudden numbing of the right portion of his body including the arms and legs. I was supposed to wake up @ 4am then to get ready for my interview with the US Consulate for my L1 visa. But the news I received that midnight did not let me fall asleep until the clock struck 4am.

At 4am, Randy and I took a shower already and hurried off to the US consulate. On our way, I called again my mother...another bad news hit me.
Mama: "Wag mo muna kami isipin, magconcentrate ka dun sa interview mo. Kasi medyo mabigat tong lagay ni Papa. Pagkatapos na nung interview mo, saka ko sabihin."
Lei: "Sabihin mo na, Ma...di rin ako matatahimik."
Mama: "Eh kelangan daw operahan sa utak si Papa..."
At that moment, I wanted to stop everything in this world...I wanted to scream. But instead, I just cried and prayed. I thank Randy for being there...he's always there.

At 5:30 am, we already reached the Dubai World Trade Center where the US Consulate is located. I was interviewed by 7:45 am..I was the 1st one to be interviewed...and also the 1st one who got approved!!! It was supposed to be a good news...but I can't feel any excitement at that moment. The world remained still.

Because I haven't slept that much, Randy & I decided not to go to work on that day. On our way home, I called again my family. My elder sister told me,:
Ate: "Te, P200,000 ang hinihingi nung neuro-surgeon na mag oopera kay Papa..professional fee pa lang yun.Merong nirefer sakin yung madre sa Mater na doctor sa PGH. Mas mura sana dun, kaso ayaw magpakausap nung attending physician ng Perpetual.Kaya di pa namin mailipat si Papa."
Lei: "Eh bakit ayaw magpakausap?"
Ate: "Ewan ko. Ang huling sinabi nya lang, di pwede itravel si Papa baka mamaga yung ugat at pumutok.Gusto sanang kausapin nung Doctor sa PGH, ayaw naman magpakausap nung doctor dito sa perpetual."
Lei: "Grabe naman sila! PERA-petual talaga yang mga yan!"

So that's the gist of our conversation. I was fuming mad then. When we reached home, I called again...my sister's husband told me: "Te, medyo makakahinga ka na...hindi na ooperahan si Papa. Nagrespond sa gamot yung utak nya...so dito na lang sya. Baka malipat na sya sa Ward."

Then I started to cry...it was really an answered prayer. Though my father is still sick, I am somehow relieved knowing that my father will no longer undergo an operation. I then called our relatives in US...told them the bad news about my father and at the same time good news (but still bad news for me) that I would be able to visit them in just a matter of days.

After a few minutes, I received a call from our office administrator. She told me that my boss called up to inform me that I might be leaving for Chicago on Thursday or Friday, depending on the arrival of my passport with visa stamp. Another bad news, that is!!!

Some people would do everything just to reach the soil of the United States (some would react to this, I know...but let's face it. People see "USA" as the solution to every single problem in the world!)...but ever since, I am not that eager to go there. First reason, I don't want again to be separated from Randy even for just a single day. I have experienced that twice already. Second reason, at this moment, I still need a shoulder to cry on...because of my father's condition. And to be in a strange land during these times would be harder for me. I am not sure if I would survive all alone feeling depressed every single day. Third, I don't want a complicated life...talking about visa approvals, visa changes, petitions, etcetera, etcetera. Fourth, I hate TAXES!!!! Here in Dubai, I enjoy each centavo, rather fils of my hard-earned money. I can buy stuff without worrying too much about the tax to be imposed. Fifth, the airfare of going back to Pinas is very much cheaper...(right now, the Singapore Air is offering Dhs1390 for AUH-MNL-AUH flight...great deal! if only I have enough leave credits). So I prayed very hard that my flight be postponed even just for 1 week.

Thursday, just after lunch...I again got an answered prayer! My passport arrived already...but lo and behold, instead of having an L1 visa stamp, I got a B1/B2 visa!!! It was a mistake! To cut the long story short, I need to appear again to the US Consulate and apply for my L1 visa. So, I scheduled an appointment...and guess what? the earliest available date is April 22nd. So that means, I won't be leaving until after the 22nd! yey! I still have more time to cope up with my life...and with Randy. But wait, I think that would mean I will again celebrate my bday out of the country...and without Randy...sigh...when will I have peace of mind? When will the problems disappear completely? Now, tell me...please.

I need everyone's prayer...

I just want to take this opportunity to solicit prayers from you, my readers. Because of the severe hot weather in the Philippines, my father was rushed to the hospital last midnight. He was admitted @ the ICU of Perpetual Help of Laguna Hospital. Supposed to be, he would be subjected to an operation...a brain operation, super delicate...but through the God's goodness, just this morning, we were informed that his brain responded well to his medicines. We're praying very hard for him to be transferred na to 'ward' from ICU. Aside from the worries we have for my father's condition, the ICU expenses are really giving us a hard time in recovering from depression...

Please share a little prayer for my father...we really need it.

Thank you so much.

Playing around Photoshop...

Just played around Photoshop...utilizing our first prenup shoot outputs:





FYI: The Dubai skies are not sooo beautiful..so we decided to put more life!

Dubai Festival City

Friday night, March 30, 2007 -- We went to Dubai Festival City...this newly-built shopping mall is simply amazing!!! Not only that you can find Sweden's No.1 home store, IKEA..but also, you'll find this shopping mall amusing because of its magnificent interiors!!! I sooo love this shopping mall. Early last year (I think), IKEA started its operations in DFC (one of the 1st stores to open in DFC)...syempre di namin pinalagpas...almost every month, we see to it that we visit IKEA...but now, natapos na ang construction ng halos 80% of DFC...lots of boutiques...yey! Let me share some of the pictures that I took...









So far, I'm quite satisfied with my outputs since this is my 1st time to shoot in low light scene without much blur on my shots...please give me a well-deserved applause for that! yiheee...clap!clap!clap! For the previous months, everytime I shoot in low light scenes, I just feel disgusted with my outputs...either I throw those away or process those in Photoshop. I usually translate it to a monochromatic scene just to hide the blurs...but now, look at me, hahaha...most of the pictures above are unedited (setting aside the signature). But still, I know, I have much, much, much, much rooms for improvement. Next assignment...control the light rays...that's the next thing I will master...and one more thing: THE COURAGE to shoot in prohibited areas (e.g., inside the stores & boutiques)...--> I have lots of shots inside IKEA, Hyper Panda, Naturalizer, Lacoste, etc..but ended up throwing out the pictures...too much blurrrrrrrrr....probably because of my trembling hands, hehehe! Just a backgrounder, I always get caught by guards everytime I position my camera for the last few shoots I've been to...(sigh!)

The fish market...jumeirah version

Early this morning with sleeping attire still on, Randy and I, together with a friend, decided to go to this place where fishes are widely sold by indian fishermen at very low prices...I'm talking of Dhs10 for a 4-kilo to 6-kilo of any kind of fish...isn't that mouth-watering? So, we took a walk at the open beach which is just a stone's throw away from our villa. The place is not that nice, but really, the prices are soooo low. We also found other "kabayans" (as what we call our fellow filipinos here) there... What we just bought are hamour (lapu-lapu) and an arabic fish I'm not familiar with. Of course, I considered it as another photo opportunity!!!I have more pictures to post sana, kaso I'm pissed off with this internet connection! Darn! I can't post more pictures!

Then, we cooked sweet and sour fish using Lapu-lapu...hmm...tsalap!

To add more spice: Spot the "fly" in one of the pictures! heheheh... =)

When I started editing...

Ever since, I promised myself that I won't be editing any of my shots. However, I came to realize that the softwares I have would be useless if I don't put them to use especially on my shots. Plus, this way I can harness my editing skills and creativity. So last week, my "not-so-great" creativity crept into me and produced these outputs: A shot @ bohol beach club. I just edited the hue/saturation of this pic. Barry is my officemate and one of my closest friends here in Dxb. I applied some creative effects in Photoshop.
This picture was taken during our stay in Bohol. I took this shot while inside the van which will take us to the "hanging bridge" (as far as I can remember). The tourist guide-slash-driver told us that this is the only church with the "bell tower" placed in the middle...interesting, huh?!?
Taken @ Hongkong International Airport while in a 4-hour transit. The picture was overexposed due to the huge windows with strong sun rays peeping in...I took advantage of the sun rays to wipe out the background. Then, converted the pic to a monochromatic composition.

Another pic of Barry. I applied some types of blur to cover the model's blemishes, used the clone stamp to transfer a good picture from another file and used the color range select tool.

This is one of the beautiful ceilings at IBN Battuta Mall. Considered as one of my first shots...using my point-and-shoot camera (Sony DSC-H2). I didn't apply any Photoshop tool on the image itself, but just placed a border around the image.

Oh well, I know you're so tired of seeing this face now. But what to do, he is my most "on-the-game" model. In this picture, I chose the color range select tool ang played around the different effects. I also used the history brush tool to preserve the resolution of the shades as the subject. I did not use any blur tool here.

And these are my unedited shots just recently...these are the pictures I don't intend to edit...I just like the way these pictures look like...

Sometimes, we have to be open-minded. If you have something in mind like you can foresee an image to be somewhat become extraordinary by just having some enhancements, don't hesitate to do it...unless you're fully satisfied with the unedited version...anyway, truly..."beauty is in the eyes of the beholder".

Friday getaway!

Yesterday was one of our busiest days! We woke up @ 5am...arranged my gears...and voila! we went to Burj Al Arab open beach for my 1st prenup shoot! Since I started this photography hobby, this couple also started bugging me to shoot their prenup here in Dubai (though they already have prenup pics in Fujairah ... that's another LONG story). I was hesitant before, because what I only own that time is a "point-and-shoot" camera. I'm worried that I won't be able to capture the "thrilling" moments during the shoot.

But as what I have promised to them, I agreed to do their prenup since I already bought a DSLR cam. My hubby is in the learning stage of photography these days...I'm keeping my patience to teach him every single day...nung una, halos sumuko ako, kasi di nya ma-gets ang sinasabi ko, he hates reading technical terms kasi. Every night, I required him to practice using my old cam, so every night din kami nag-aaway...hehehe!

But oh boy! I was very happy...he was my back-up photographer yesterday during the prenup...his shots were sooo good! Ang tindi ng araw...there are some functionalities in my cam that I was not able to adjust...I was happy because I learned some more things about photography from this shoot. This might be basic to some pero pag nandun ka na sa shoot, a beginner might not be able to notice it or to remember adjusting it.

Another thing to be happy about is another proof of my blog description. Though you might have the right gear, if you won't be able to adjust it the proper way...it's nothing. It's better for you to use a plain camera having not much adjustable features. Just look at the shots of my hubby using my point-and-shoot camera:See...my hubby is doing good, right?!? Anyway, here are some of my shots. These pictures are unedited, pero dahil sobrang natuwa kami...(and may bago kaming natutunan sa photoshop), we're planning to edit the good shots...
I won't be posting much photos now...wait til we finish editing the shots.

Actually since I started this hobby, I promised myself that I won't be editing any of my shots. But then, after learning the capabilities of Photoshop and just recently, Aperture...I decided to change my policy...as long as I can edit my shots to somehow tickle my imagination, I will process these shots in different imaging renovations. This way, I can clearly communicate to the viewer what's in my mind...how I foresee the shot to be astonishing...and somehow to practice myself in giving "life" to dull moments captured.

Related to this, Randy & I attended the recently concluded "GulfPhotoPlus 2007" held at Knowledge Village. I booked myself & Randy a slot in the Apple & Canon Live. The lecture was great...I was able to learn the features of Aperture - a mac software for professional photographers...though I'm not a professional photog. Aside from that, I was able to meet "Mahryska" - one of the photographers here in Dubai that I look up to, naks!...nice meeting you! Since that was our first time to be in Knowledge Village, I did not let the opportunity pass to shoot & shoot...Let me just post the pictures on a new blog entry...my internet connection is sooo weak right now.

After our class in the gulfphotoplus, we proceeded to mall of emirates to again meet with rico & emtee (the couple we had prenup that morning)...and this time, to hit the gym and stretch our muscles, swim, and for the sauna & steam room! We went to Fitness First Plus in Uptown Midriff...wow! the place was sooo good. Emtee & I went swimming and also experienced the supposed-to-be-jacuzzi...then afterwards went to the steam room & sauna. While Randy & Rico did some weight lifts and some other exercise I'm not familiar of and then afterwards, joined us in the swimming pool...and steam room & sauna. The feeling was soo good & refreshing...it's been a long time since I last experienced that kind of feeling. We also had a great talk about the ups & downs of our lives...that's more interesting.

And oh...I was surprised...MAY "KAMISETA" NA PALA SA DUBAI?! Aba't syempre diko pinalampas yun...shopping ulet! Hay, I wish I could just live in the uptown and experience the priceless convenience living there!

We might go back there next weekend for our next prenup with Rico & Emtee ulet...practice, practice...hah! can't wait...

By the way, some of the pictures from the prenup are posted here: http://leivillanera.smugmug.com