It's Complicated

You just know that there's a story here somewhere.

Speaking of which: I always thought that It's Complicated first came to use with the now-defunct Friendster. Urban Dictionary only mentions Facebook, though. I wonder why that is?

Picture taken at the Davao Convention Center Christmas Bazaar.

Guess what operating system SM Cinemas uses

Newspaper van

Now that's a mobile office.

Alien Sun

Well, no, not quite an alien sun, though it looks like one.

This is a specially-designed chandelier from Grosswood Enterprises, a furniture shop in Davao catering to hotels and restaurants. This chandelier was made of a translucent sphere within another spherical cage. And it was huge, some four feet in diameter.

The Peak, Gaisano Mall

Fireburst Optimus Prime

Found and bought at Abreeza for only P150.

Woven Lamps

Woven lamps, among the many things on sale at the Davao Convention Center Christmas Bazaar.

Sunset at SM City Davao

Sunset view from SM City Davao. I loved the massive cloud formation. It looked like a big hand propping up the sky. I wished I had a better view. But I guess you have to take the shot that's given you.

More Mannequins

Mannequin

Buy My Wares?

Christmas is fast approaching, and so the shopping frenzy rises to its crescendo. Over at the Davao Convention Center, they're holding the first of many weekend bazaars. Goods on sale are foodstuffs, toys, novelties, and of course, clothes. Plenty of clothes. Clothes like you wouldn't believe.

Not everyone's stuff is moving, though, and here's a salesgirl during a lull, looking like she wants to be somewhere else than here.

Hello Kitty Giving You the Finger

Yeah, I know, this is just Hello Kitty posing all cute-like, but somehow it looks to me like she's giving us the finger. Or that's what it looks like, anyhow.

Speaking of which...did you know there's a Hello Kitty MMORPG? Heaven help us!

The Durian Vendors

Durian is in season again, and though we haven't matched the bumper crop from two years ago, the fruits are coming out in such abundance that the vendors have taken to selling from the back of the truck.

Pictured above are some such durian vendors, plying their trade along F. Torres, Davao's food street.

Are you ready for this?

Keeping my fingers crossed that nothing will get in the way of release. By January, I hope. I hope.

Stony

Stony, my co-teacher at Ateneo de Davao University. Expect more pictures like this as I earn my chops on the Nikon 35mm primary lens.

Father and Daughter

My cousin Jan Michael, with his daughter Andrea, who had her christening yesterday. Photo taken by my wife Emily who, aside from her outstanding baking skills, also has a fantastic eye for composition.

Nikon Shop Girl

First shot with my new lens: the girl from the Nikon shop at Abreeza.

What lens, you ask? After months of vacillation, I finally plunked down the cash to buy the AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G prime lens that I've been eyeing. Why the sudden renewed interest in photography?

First of all, my Dad bestowed upon me his Nikon D60. I accepted it so I could take better pictures of Emily's cakes.

And then, I got inspired by the photos my friend Francis Gorrez has been taking. Through Francis I got to know a larger online community of photographers.

And finally, I took further inspiration from Thomas Leuthard's ebooks, Going Candid and Collecting Souls. As yet I don't have the balls (in Thomas' words) to do street photography the way he does. In time, in time.

Oh, and this week has been especially bad. Nothing like a little shopping therapy to make oneself feel better.

Dancing Spirits

Store display at Abreeza Robinsons Department Store.

CS Day Pictures

Photos of some of our students during today's CS Day celebration. These are the guys from section IT2A, in my Python programming class.

Joed in Profile

My student Joed Bengan, as she stood in front of an LCD projector that refused to work with the laptop (hence the blue screen.)

Container Ship

On the way back from Paradise Resort, our motorboat had to stop to let this massive cargo ship through.

Butterfly

From the Davao Butterfly Sanctuary.

Grasshopper

Upon coming home tonight, we saw this grasshopper sitting on top of the car. I just had to take a shot. The light was dim so it was hard to get a good picture, but fortunately, Mr. Grasshopper was a most cooperative subject. He just stood still even as I closed in on him. The last shot, taken without a flash, was the best of the bunch, so here it is.

This encounter got me reading on grasshoppers in general. I wonder what subspecies this one is.

Defend Life

Placards at a pro-life rally organized by the archdiocese.

Chess

Chess tournament at Gaisano Mall. I took this photo sometime in March or April, and only rediscovered it while cleaning up my hard drive of files.

A word about me and chess: while I've always been fascinated with the game, I could never really get the hang of it. I have an inability to plan beyond the next two moves, and always get trounced. I suppose I could improve by going deeper, but I never could find the time or the motivation.