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Finally, I’ve successfully transferred this blog to a new web host. I’ve had enough of Philhosting!

It was last December when my websites started to experience frequent downtimes and database connection problems. It certainly wasn’t the first time we had extended downtimes with them, but this time, it has dragged on for way too long.

I’m not alone. I personally know two other people and dozens of other bloggers with the same exact problems. Just search Google and Google Blogsearch. Read the rest of this entry »

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I’ve been trying to compose a Christmas message for this blog but I just couldn’t find the right words. While  I continue to try, I’ll post my first video on the keyboard playing part of Hark the Herald Angels Sing.

Please be kind. I don’t know how to play the piano/keyboard correctly so I just memorized the keys to press using muscle memory. Someday I’ll learn to play it right.

May this short piece of music convey the TRUE and ONLY essence of CHRISTmas.

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I just so love Google Map Maker! This cool web application is some sort of Wiki Map that allows internet users to define administrative areas, natural features, buildings, roads, and business listings on top of satellite imagery in select countries. To ensure accurate and up-to-date data, users moderate each others edits before they get published. Google says the data generated from Map Maker might eventually make their way into the already popular Google Maps.

Map data over at Google Maps is still very coarse in most countries. With  Map Maker internet users are empowered to  easily create detailed maps of their communities. All you need is a high-res satellite image and good memory. No need for GPS.

I needed to trace the edges of Taal Volcano since, surprisingly, it doesn't show up on the map layer

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Last night, after watching a CBF Christmas musicale, I met someone I haven’t seen for 10 years. I was about to ask him if he remembers me from his Sunday school class, but to my great surprise, he greeted me with my name as if we only met yesterday. To my greater surprise, he even knew what I’ve been up to in the past few months! So I found out from him that he’s been reading my blog and browsing my photos at the Iloilo Photoblog. Wow. I never thought people are actually following my photos and blog posts. The musicale was wonderfully moving, and meeting my former Sunday school teacher was truly rewarding. Now I also have more motivation to update this blog more often.

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Good morning! Our hotel room has a nice view from the 30th floor.

I was determined to see a volcano in Hawaii. However, going to Big Island will take too much time and money so I psyched myself to be satisfied with seeing an extinct volcano on the island of Oahu. The Diamond Head crater is one of the few reminders of the ancient volcanic activity that formed Oahu millions of years ago. This volcano is at the southern end of the island and two bus rides from our hotel. Read the rest of this entry »

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Free to roam Honolulu at last!

After wasting two hours being held by immigration, I and my mother were finally allowed to leave the airport and freely roam US territory.

We immediately felt the pinch of spending dollars when we had to take the bus to our hotel. The fare was $9 per person for the 11-kilometer drive (That same amount will carry me more than 400 kilometers back in the Philippines!) A bold sign in the bus also said “Your bus fare does not include the driver’s tip.” I’m not sure what that meant but since our driver happened to be a Filipino so we gave him a $1 tip anyway. Haha!

For our 2-day visit we will be staying Ala Moana Hotel which is right next to Honolulu’s largest and most popular shopping destination, the Ala Moana Center. It is also dubbed as “the world’s largest open-air shopping mall.”

My body clock says it is still 5 AM but all other clocks in Honolulu insisted it’s already 11 AM, so despite the jet lag, we went out to window-shop. Read the rest of this entry »

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There was an extraordinary amount of security at the Honolulu Inter national Airport. When the aircraft door was opened, passengers were not immediately allowed to disembark. A security officer announced over the PA system that all passengers should be ready with their passports in their hand, “This is a passport check!”

Security personnel kept an eye over passengers as they entered the airport as if someone would dare sneak out of the tube. Inside the airport, security reiterated each passenger should have their passport in their hand. Behind my head I was wondering why they can’t just wait until we get to the immigration counters. There were at around six immigration officers checking passports.

I stepped ahead with confidence and handed my passport to two immigration personnel with the visa side up. I was thinking the worst thing with my documents is the picture on my visa which was taken almost 10 years ago. They looked at my visa, then scrutinized my passport, and asked me to step aside for some questions. It turns out that all the immigration officers were specifically looking for me!
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Popularity: 6% [?]

So far, everything is going as planned and we’re now 10,700 meters above the Earth and 6,800 kilometers away from the island of Oahu. The temperature outside is -43°C and we’re traveling at over 900 kilometers an hour. The flight will take a little over 10 hours and I’m trying to enjoy every moment of it.

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If everything turns out right, I’ll be on the island of Oahu tomorrow. Unfortunately, I’ve been so busy at work the past weeks that I didn’t have time to be excited about this trip. I haven’t even planned how to spend my 4 days there yet!

For sure I want to see some lava flows and the observatories on Mauna Kea. Unfortunately those are on “Big Island” which is another plane ride from Oahu and I’m not willing to shell out $500 for that! Perhaps I’ll be contented with the museums and aquaria on Oahu, and since I’m going with my mother and aunt – spend a lot of time (window)shopping.

Well, who knows? I might still find a cheaper way to touch the snow on top of the world’s tallest mountain and see some real lava flowing.

For now, lunch break’s just ended. Better get back to work so I can have peace of mind tomorrow!

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One by One

After two months of practice, we finally went onstage to challenge the congregation. It was the Missions Musicale and we were the Missions Choir.

It was last August when we started our practices. Althea was invited me to join the choir and while I was in the process of explaining “I don’t sing” and “I’m not sure if I have the time,” she has already introduced me to ten choir members including the conductor. Before I knew it, I was standing right beside the grand piano learning the notes of Go Forth and Tell! With that song, I knew I had to attend the next practice. Read the rest of this entry »

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