Pangan Thoughts

Nippori to Narita in 36 Minutes

2008-10-05T18:07:00.004+09:00

It looks like travel time from my place to Narita will be reduced by a whopping 15 minutes (!) although admittedly, the idea of saving 30 minutes (round trip) a year doesn't sound very fantastic considering I only fly abroad about once a year.

NRA Website (Japanese)
http://www.nra36.co.jp

Almost Lover (Cover)

2008-09-27T09:30:00.000+09:00

This is an old song from Alison Sudol (A Fine Frenzy). Listening to it yesterday brought back old... very old memories of a time when I thought I was in love... and brokenhearted.

Ah memories.

This is also my first complete cover song.

Tokyo Is The New Wall Street

2008-09-24T23:22:00.003+09:00

With all these Japanese banks making their advances into American banks, I predict Tokyo is going to be the New Wall Street! All the world's biggest banks will be based here and Tokyo will be the world's biggest financial center!

I told my gaijin friend this and he remarked it's "actually not nice ... it'll just flood the streets with gaijins".

No more clean subways.

We Have A Buyer

2008-09-23T09:20:00.000+09:00

After a week of stressful waiting, Lehman Brothers Asia finally has a buyer. Nomura, Japan's biggest brokerage firm, bought Lehman's Asia units.

What this means for me? I'll be again working for a Japanese company. We're no longer a Wall Street company as all connections to New York will be lost (Barclays bought Lehman Brother's US units). I no longer fear for my employment status.

Life goes on... for now.

Bring It On

2008-09-15T22:27:00.003+09:00

Yes, my company is having problems.

Yes, I'll be at work tomorrow.

Bring it on.

When You Say You Love Me (Cover)

2008-08-16T17:25:00.000+09:00

My trip to the Philippines presented an opportunity to record a video using the piano from my childhood.

We bought this piano when I was in first grade and amazingly, I believe it still sounds great. My electric piano back in Tokyo sounds very cheap compared to this almost 25-year old beauty.

The song is "When You Say You Love Me" originally by Josh Groban.

Dried Mango Alternatives

2008-08-15T20:12:00.005+09:00

On my recent visit to the Philippines, I decided to go against the flow and not go for the tried-and-tested Dried Mango omiyage.

Success.

Top 3. Pastillas de Leche. It is very popular among the Indians. It seems they have something very similar, also made from milk and sugar. It's also popular among the Chinese but not the Japanese -- they think it's too sweet. One French office mate commented it looks very suspicious.

It does.

Top 2. Polvoron. It is popular among the French and the Americans. One French office mate kept asking for more though unfortunately, I didn't buy that many. A British office mate commented that it is exotic seeing the casuy and pinipig variants.

The Winner. Drumrolls.

Top 1. Banana Chips! This is suprisingly popular. The packaging did not even say "Export Quality" like the Polvoron and the usual Dried Mangoes. The Japanese love it. I should have bought more of this.

I can start a business exporting Banana Chips to Japan.

Not a bad idea.

Highlights of my Philippine Trip

2008-08-13T22:45:00.001+09:00

Leaving the airport with nobody waiting for me. That's a first. Sister arrived 40 minutes later.
Watching "Blu-ray quality DVDs" (I still don't get how that's possible) with my brother and sister. Bonding time with siblings.
Watching local television with my dad until 10 PM. He usually sleeps at 7.
Receiving a photo album containing pictures since I was one year old from my mom. I brought it with me to Tokyo.
Lunch at SLEX Jollibee with three beautiful women dressed for a wedding. Everybody was looking at us.
Taking my family to my Makati apartment. Bonding time with family.
Beautiful hilltop wedding with amazing fireworks. Nice photo slideshow and videos during the reception.
Entering six bars/clubs in Makati in one night. "Heckel & Jeckel" in Jupiter St. is my favorite. "Ice" is too loud. "Temple" is for teenagers. "Club Havana" is for expats.
Dinner at Earl's with my sister. Bonding time with little sister.
Coffee at Rockwell Starbucks with friend from university. We can talk for hours.
Midnight coffee at Ministop with friend from Highschool. He kept me company as I wait to leave for my 7:45 AM flight.
Having to pass through a bazillion x-ray machines before I can ride my plane. I had to remove my shoes and belt at least two times. Talk about redundancy.

Cheap Microsoft Office

2008-06-28T13:12:00.002+09:00

I just got the DVD installer of Microsoft Office:mac 2008, which I bought for 3,150 yen through Microsoft's Home Use Program and I'm not even excited to open the box!

What's wrong with me?

Microsoft does not excite me anymore as it used to. I remember when Windows 3.1 came out or even Windows 95... I'd do anything to get a copy. I even have body scars to prove it.

Hehe.

Now, I think I get more excitement from Apple than I do from Microsoft. The tide has turned.

My Japan Story

2008-06-19T00:00:00.003+09:00

8 years ago today, I took a plane from the Philippines to Japan.

Who would have thought I'd still be here 8 years later. Of the 9 people I was with on that plane, only 2 of us are still here and yes, we still work together, seated almost next to each other.

Here's my story to the tune of "The Time Of My Life" by David Cook.

It's been a blast with its fair share of ups and downs.

Mostly ups.

I'm a Frustrated Architect

2008-06-12T00:15:00.008+09:00

I always wanted to be an architect. Architecture was the first thing that came to my mind when I first applied for University. "There is no money in Architecture" was the common reaction I get when I consulted my family and friends during those times.

If I were not an IT professional now, I would most certainly have been an architect. This also explains my love for Engineering Drawing when I was in University. My sister's an architect. I also have at least one cousin who's an architect.

It's in the blood.

Thank Google for SketchUp, I can still live this dream... at least during my free time.

Here's something I've worked on today - a typical one-bedroom apartment in Tokyo. Maybe I can get real-estate companies to pay me to make these models and prove my friends wrong.

Hehe.

With You (Cover)

2008-06-06T21:01:00.003+09:00

I'm posting another video of me singing.

I know.

My intention is not really to be noticed or discovered or anything. I'm too old for that. I'm posting videos of me singing for the same reasons I started writing blogs in 1999 -- so that people would have something to remember me by when I die.

Morbid? Yes but true.

This time, I decided to do a cover of "With You" by Chris Brown. No pianos in this cover but am using a karaoke video I found on YouTube.

Until next time.

Dancing Shopping Singing

2008-06-06T01:12:00.005+09:00

Was googling for Philippine Independence Day Celebrations in Tokyo and this is what I found.

Dancing Shopping Singing -- Sounds like fun.

See you there! I hope it doesn't rain.

Expanded Seatbelt Law

2008-06-04T19:05:00.002+09:00

The Japanese seatbelt law was updated last Sunday (June 1st) to also require back-seat passengers to wear seat belts! Violators will be given penalties.

Be warned!

It looks like thousands were given police warnings on Sunday the first day the rule was implemented.

Where Hibiya Parks

2008-05-27T21:35:00.008+09:00

Where do all the Hibiya line trains park?

No, not in Hibiya Park (corny!) but in Minamisenju. I found some of them lined up beautifully next to each other in Minamisenju.

By the way, one of these buildings is going to be my next home.

My Musical Influences

2008-05-25T21:04:00.006+09:00

A friend asked my who my musical influences were and I decided the answer to that question deserves a whole blog in itself.

I cannot readily name artists who actually influence me but I do remember the type of music or the albums I was listen to, ever since I was younger.

When I was in Gradeschool, I don't buy my own tapes, to I mostly listened to the ones we already have at home. I remember listening to a lot of Beatles, Elvis Presley and Broadway. I listened to a lot of Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables and Miss Saigon. I particularly like Miss Saigon's "Bui-Doy" by Peter Policarpou. I know this is so unknown but I really loved the power of this song.

I also loved a lot of church songs - a specific version of "Ama Namin", which we sing in our local church and a specific version of "Take and Receive", which we sing in school.

When I was in Highschool, I remember listening to a lot of OST -- Lion King and Alladin. I also have the Titanic OST, which I love mostly because of the operatic and dramatic instrumental music. I love the music they were playing when the ship was sinking.

In University, I remember listening to a lot of Chicago, Buklod, and the Eraserheards. I think this is also the time I started listening to a lot of Eminem when I'm driving and Enya when I'm studying.

When I moved to Japan, I started to listen to a lot of J-Pop - Def Tech, Southern All Stars, Ayumi Hamasaki, Rip Slyme, Chemistry and Hirai Ken. For a good number of years, I was detached to music outside Japan.

Recently, I've been listening to a lot of Linkin Park, Timbaland, Simple Plan, Black Eyed Peas and more recently, American Idol music, and some Chris Brown, Ne-yo type of R&B music.

Looking back, I just realized the variety of music I listen to from Church Music all the way to Eminem.

I love music.

Apologize (Cover)

2008-05-24T10:55:00.008+09:00

This was a song I already used before for my (ehem) ex but after watching Ryan Tedder of One Republic sing this live on TV, I knew I just really really love this song, with or without the background story of when I first used it.

Ryan Teddy has mad vocals. I think he even outsang the singing prodigy that is David Archuleta. Both were very good though and their voices blended quite well especially near the end.

Apologies for having to cut the video in the middle of the second verse. That off-note was just too horrible. Hehe.

Eleanor Rigby (Cover)

2008-05-13T22:27:00.002+09:00

I'm not content with letting you listen to my voice when we're at a karaoke bar. I will still haunt you wherever you go wherever there's an internet connection. Hehe.

When I recorded this, I swear it was on time. Something got screwed up with the site I used to record this it appears I am a few milliseconds delayed.

Oh well.

My TV Debut

2008-04-14T20:44:00.003+09:00

I've always wanted to be on TV.

But not like this! Hehe.

Three Famous People

2008-04-09T22:00:00.005+09:00

We met three famous people in Tagaytay this morning.

Tim Yap, Raymond Gutierrez and KC Concepcion. :D

How My Brother Sings

2008-03-31T08:36:00.001+09:00

Wanna watch/hear how my brother sings?

Click here.

Proud of you, big bro! That was very very good!

HALLELUJAH Cover

2008-03-29T12:34:00.004+09:00

First heard this song from Jason Castro. Didn't like it at first thought it was too dramatic. Now, after listening to it several times and seeing covers on Youtube and buying the Rufus Wainwright original on iTunes, I love it now.

Love it so much I am even doing my own cover. :-)

I'm a Graphical Person

2008-03-12T23:27:00.011+09:00

I'm a Graphical Person!

In Highschool, I always preferred Geometry and Trigonometry over Arithmetic. I also took painting as my elective instead of the more popular computer programming (that was 1994).

In University, I breezed through Engineering Drawing a.k.a. ES1 even though most of my friends were happy just to get a passing mark. Secretly, I believed I was the best ES1 student my University ever had. Serious. ;-)

At work, I enjoy drawing flowcharts and UML diagrams so much more than actually writing the code. I love looking at graphs and charts so much more than looking at actual numbers and tables. All my Excel sheets are colorful and need I say it, graphical.

Come to think of it, I'd rather watch the movie than read the book.

Why am I talking about this?

Beats me.

Why Not Just Speak in Filipino?

2008-03-10T21:18:00.003+09:00

Janina San Miguel would have looked smarter if she just spoke in Filipino.

Then again, this is more entertaining. She also wouldn't have made it to the list of YouTube most viewed videos and people wouldn't have talked about her.

Good for her!

David Archuleta - Imagine

2008-02-28T21:00:00.009+09:00

This kid is gonna make it big. Really really big.

I would have posted my own rendition but on second thoughts, I wouldn't want to steal the spotlight from him. He deserves all the attention.

He really does.