For the past months we had been working on what could probably be one of the biggest projects we will ever undertake this school year, and that is the National CyberFair that was launched last February 2011. Being a part of this contest, I have to say, it was one heck of a roller coaster. Many nights spent working on the project, ironing out the many errors and other products of carelessness in our work, quarrels with our groupmates and trying our best to fit into our already tight schedule the things we need to do to accomplish this. These are just some of the many roadblocks we had to face in doing our project. Still, setting aside these obstacles, the times we spent making this project was quite fun.
At first, I hesitated in joining the CyberFair. I reluctantly joined, not knowing what lied ahead. However, when I got down and dirty, things started to get exciting. It was a good test where I can see how good my web development skills are. Also, I got to know more our counterparts from the regular section and got closer to them. Having chosen the category Local Leaders, the person we chose was Ingrid Payaket, who was really famous around the country. When I heard that we would interview her, I got a little excited, knowing that we would meet an actual celebrity personally, without any screaming fans around her. Haha :) We tried our best to make our site as good as it can be. So, we (we as in one of my groupmates) asked help from the former participants of CyberFair in our school for some helpful tips and tricks in improving our site. We (we as in he) used these tricks to give our site a boost up. I have to say, it's pretty good as I see it.
I have learned many things in joining the CyberFair. As my teacher often points out, teamwork and respect are very important. Both are needed if one desires a successful project, as shown here. Also, time management can be very helpful, seeing was we were already stuck with many requirements even before we joined the CyberFair. I will never forget the many fun and also not-so-fun times we had during our roller-coaster ride in the cyberFair competition. It was a very worthwhile experience for me, one where I have learned many things.
Just Another Ordinary Day
Ah, February 14. Valentine's Day, the day of Hearts, Araw ng mga Puso, whatever you call it, it's always related with love. It's the day when those with romantic relationships go out on a date and share their feelings to each other. We always see Valentine's Day from the point of view of someone who's in love. Why not see it from a single person's eyes?
Frankly, I don't care if I don't have a date on Valentine's Day. Yeah, sure, there's someone I like, but why bother asking her out when she likes someone else? Besides, I'm not yet ready to go into a relationship. I'm single, and I'm lovin' it. Haha :). To me, February 14 is just another ordinary day, same daily patterns, same routine, just like any other day in the calendar. I wake up, eat my breakfast, take a bath, do what I usually do everyday, eat my lunch, continue whatever I was doing, eat my dinner, prepare for the next day, then go to sleep. End of story. Nothing fancy, nothing special.
Yet, there ARE times when I feel like something's missing, someone I can hold on to and someone to rely on. However, there's no need to rush. After all, like I said, I'm not yet ready. Love can wait. In the meantime, I'm gonna go enjoy my time as a single guy. Happy Valentine's to everyone!
Frankly, I don't care if I don't have a date on Valentine's Day. Yeah, sure, there's someone I like, but why bother asking her out when she likes someone else? Besides, I'm not yet ready to go into a relationship. I'm single, and I'm lovin' it. Haha :). To me, February 14 is just another ordinary day, same daily patterns, same routine, just like any other day in the calendar. I wake up, eat my breakfast, take a bath, do what I usually do everyday, eat my lunch, continue whatever I was doing, eat my dinner, prepare for the next day, then go to sleep. End of story. Nothing fancy, nothing special.
Yet, there ARE times when I feel like something's missing, someone I can hold on to and someone to rely on. However, there's no need to rush. After all, like I said, I'm not yet ready. Love can wait. In the meantime, I'm gonna go enjoy my time as a single guy. Happy Valentine's to everyone!
Take Action and Unite!
The internet is one of the most well-known and most used product of technology. It is a very powerful tool of the media, government and the like. You can easily relay news to others, chat people in an instant, share gossip to your friends and make new friends online, all with a few clicks and presses. Everyday we use the internet for these trivial tasks. Why not use it for something worthwhile? That's where the CyberFair comes in.
The CyberFair is a contest which encourages students to showcase not only their skills in web development and design, but more importantly on the pride of their localities, ranging from local leaders to local culture, music and art forms. It has been around for quite a while now, 14 years to be exact. So, if you want to know when it actually started, do the math.
My school, Saint Louis University Laboratory High School (or SLU-LHS for short), has been joining both the National and International CyberFair for 2-3 years (sorry, I forgot the exact time span). Our fellow 4th year schoolmates garnered the Platinum Award, the highest award that can be given to participants, in the 2010 International CyberFair when they were 3rd year. Now, it's our turn to continue what they've started and try to accomplish what they accomplished (Emphasis on TRY, it's not as easy as it sounds).
This year, our class, along with another class, decided to team up and join the 2011 National CyberFair to be able to reach and maybe even raise the bar that our fellow schoolmates did before. The two classes was divided into 8 groups, 1 for each category. My group chose the "Local Leaders" category, having chosen Ms. Ingrid Payaket as our "local leader".
At first it was all good. However, once the real work started, it became a roller-coaster ride. Hectic schedules, tons of quizzes and assignments, many academic interruptions, etc. Working on this project was no joke, but I ain't complaining. Despite the many ups and downs that we faced and will face this coming days, we have learned many things. We became closer to our friends not only in our own class, but also from the other section. We improved on our teamwork. Most of all, we had fun. Still, we're only almost halfway done with our work, so, until then, we'll be pretty busy up to the submission of project. I can only hope we can make to the international level. Hehe
The CyberFair is a contest which encourages students to showcase not only their skills in web development and design, but more importantly on the pride of their localities, ranging from local leaders to local culture, music and art forms. It has been around for quite a while now, 14 years to be exact. So, if you want to know when it actually started, do the math.
My school, Saint Louis University Laboratory High School (or SLU-LHS for short), has been joining both the National and International CyberFair for 2-3 years (sorry, I forgot the exact time span). Our fellow 4th year schoolmates garnered the Platinum Award, the highest award that can be given to participants, in the 2010 International CyberFair when they were 3rd year. Now, it's our turn to continue what they've started and try to accomplish what they accomplished (Emphasis on TRY, it's not as easy as it sounds).
This year, our class, along with another class, decided to team up and join the 2011 National CyberFair to be able to reach and maybe even raise the bar that our fellow schoolmates did before. The two classes was divided into 8 groups, 1 for each category. My group chose the "Local Leaders" category, having chosen Ms. Ingrid Payaket as our "local leader".
At first it was all good. However, once the real work started, it became a roller-coaster ride. Hectic schedules, tons of quizzes and assignments, many academic interruptions, etc. Working on this project was no joke, but I ain't complaining. Despite the many ups and downs that we faced and will face this coming days, we have learned many things. We became closer to our friends not only in our own class, but also from the other section. We improved on our teamwork. Most of all, we had fun. Still, we're only almost halfway done with our work, so, until then, we'll be pretty busy up to the submission of project. I can only hope we can make to the international level. Hehe
A Shot at Photography
Last December, my dad bought a DSLR camera, a Nikon D90 to be exact. When I first saw it, I thought to myself, "Heh, what a waste of money." I knew it was quite expensive, so I tried to ask Dad how much did it exactly cost, but he refused to say the price. (Maybe it was because my mom, who was listening at the time, would get a heart attack when she found out how much it cost.) Remember my statement about it being a waste of money? Well, I stand corrected.
One day, I borrowed the cam from my dad, just to give it a try. I took a few shots here and there, but soon, I got addicted. Heck, I enjoyed using that camera. I even tried doing those tricks professional photographers use (to no avail, hehe). Seeing my interest in photography, one of my dad's friends gave me a few basic tips on taking good shots.
To be honest, I'm not really that good since I just started. Photography is only one of my hobbies, something I do when I'm bored. Here are some shots I've taken with my dad's camera. I hope in the future my skills will improve. :)
(Note: This is a continuous blog; meaning, I will continue to add more pics if time permits.)
One day, I borrowed the cam from my dad, just to give it a try. I took a few shots here and there, but soon, I got addicted. Heck, I enjoyed using that camera. I even tried doing those tricks professional photographers use (to no avail, hehe). Seeing my interest in photography, one of my dad's friends gave me a few basic tips on taking good shots.
To be honest, I'm not really that good since I just started. Photography is only one of my hobbies, something I do when I'm bored. Here are some shots I've taken with my dad's camera. I hope in the future my skills will improve. :)
(Note: This is a continuous blog; meaning, I will continue to add more pics if time permits.)
Let's Learn Some Engrish!
English is one of the most spoken languages in the world. A vast majority of the earth's population knows how to read, speak and write in English. It seems that you can't go anywhere without seeing or hearing a bit of English. However, I must admit there are times when our English is not that, err, good.
In the Internet, one internet meme (a concept that spreads via the Internet, e.g. viral videos) has been around for quite a while. It's called Engrish, and it shows the unfortunate, albeit humorous, effects when one tries to...uh, how do I put it, express one's thought in English. As shown in the picture above, Asians seem to be the most common users of Engrish, although I'm not saying they're the only Engrish users out there.
Below are some pics that show the funny world of Engrish. Have fun!
(Photos courtesy of Engrish Funny)
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| Such as this one. (Photo courtesy of Mr. Kenneth Flores) |
Below are some pics that show the funny world of Engrish. Have fun!
(Photos courtesy of Engrish Funny)
What Do You Fear the Most?
"The thing I fear most is fear."
- Michel de Montaigne
Fear is something we all have, whether it be a fear of heights, a fear of death, or a fear that somewhere, somehow a duck is watching you. Fear spares no one. Every single person on this earth has a fear. No one is safe from fear's grasp. You cannot avoid it. You cannot escape it. All you can do is to either succumb to fear, or face it and overcome it.
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| Or you can give it the finger, spit it in the face and then "run like hell". (Image courtesy of Very Demotivational) |
Just a few moments ago, I read the blog of John Maxwell. One of his blog posts was on fear. He said that fear was "universal" and that it "crosses all boundaries of race, culture, religion and generation". This is true, yet we see soldiers on the frontlines with seemingly no fear, even when they're in the face of death. That is because, as Maxwell said it, they have overcome their fear. However, no one overcomes their fear just by lying down and thinking about it. We have to do something to overcome it. John Maxwell listed some methods on how you can overcome your fear. Here they are.
- Discover the foundation of fear.
- Admit your fears.
- Accept the frailty and the brevity of life.
- Accept fear as the price of progress.
- Develop a burning desire that overcomes fear.
- Focus on what you can control.
- Focus on today.
- Do it now.
The more I read Maxwell's post the more I see why my teacher admires him. He is an excellent writer, no doubt about that. This post inspired me to do the same, to overcome my fears. For me, fear is merely a small obstacle to the path of success. Once overcome, this road will be easier to traverse. He who overcomes his fears can be deemed successful.
Through Thick and Thin
Whenever you're feeling down, whenever you feel hurt, need someone to cry on or just want to have some company, who are you gonna go to? That's right. Your friends. Nothing beats the time you have when you're with your true friends. They're with you through thick and thin, no matter what may happen. They'll always be with you, whether it's doomsday or you're just helping each other kick the opposing team's butt in a Call of Duty multiplayer game. Ah, memories. Heck, I even remember the moment I gained a new friend in one of those matches. Believe it or not, he's from Russia. I'm not kidding. Hahaha XD
Anyway, enough reminiscing. Having friends is a very important part of someone's life. No one, not even the coldest, most stone-hearted person, can live alone. We all need someone to support us, someone to cheer us on, someone to help us get up whenever we fall down. I'm pretty sure everyone of us has someone whom he/she holds dear. Am I right?
Just moments ago, I was listening to Queen on my computer. I heard this song entitled "You're My Best Friend", and I immediately liked it. It's short, simple, and it's a got a nice beat to it. More importantly, it has a really nice message. Just like the title implies, this song talks about friendship. Like the song says friends "make us live, no matter what this world can give." It means our friends will help us beat any odds. Just listen to it, and you'll see what I mean.
So, if any of you wants to share an unforgettable experience you've had with your friends, just leave a comment. 'Til next time!
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| Yeah, that's right. Kittens. So what? |
Anyway, enough reminiscing. Having friends is a very important part of someone's life. No one, not even the coldest, most stone-hearted person, can live alone. We all need someone to support us, someone to cheer us on, someone to help us get up whenever we fall down. I'm pretty sure everyone of us has someone whom he/she holds dear. Am I right?
Just moments ago, I was listening to Queen on my computer. I heard this song entitled "You're My Best Friend", and I immediately liked it. It's short, simple, and it's a got a nice beat to it. More importantly, it has a really nice message. Just like the title implies, this song talks about friendship. Like the song says friends "make us live, no matter what this world can give." It means our friends will help us beat any odds. Just listen to it, and you'll see what I mean.
So, if any of you wants to share an unforgettable experience you've had with your friends, just leave a comment. 'Til next time!
