Conquering Mt. Pinatubo

The group met at Vicory Cubao at 8 AM and left Manila at 8:45 AM, reached Capas Junction at around 11 AM. After a quick brunch, we went to the wet market for more food supplies. We rented a jeep that brought us to where the 4x4s are. After a briefing given by the security, we started the 1 hour ride that brought us to the jump off. At around 3 PM, we started our trek. We passed by lahar mountains, and along the riverside. It took us 3 tiring hours to reach the campsite. Our itinerary says it's just a 45-minute trek but unfortunately, the skyway (which is i guess the shorter route) was closed and so we had to take the long way.

But it was all worth it when we reached the area. The site took my breath away. It’s so beautiful and peaceful. It’s hard to believe that almost 17 year ago, this same place caused havoc and so much destruction in the nearby provinces. But now, it has become one of the attractions of the province. I am at a loss for words so I’ll just let the below pictures describe our trip to that amazing place.

The gang, ready and excited.

On the way to the jump off. You'll pass through the river and the lahar mountains.

The magnificent Mt. Pinatubo crater!

Ayaw ko na! Ayaw ko nang mabuhay! Puro na lang problema! Paalam Pilipinas kong mahal!
Drama lang hehe.

Yan ang playground nila.

Nang dahil sa stress!

I had to undergo a minor surgery yesterday. I won’t go into details anymore but as per my research, one of the causes of the infection was STRESS! Huhuhu. Langya. Thinking back, stressful nga naman kasi for the past weeks. At ang nakakainis pa, yung iba, undue stress naman. Huwell! Anyway, I hope the wound will heal fast without any other complications. And right now, I have to psyche myself that I won’t be doing any water activities in Davao. Huhuhu! But I better be safe than regret it later.

Mt. Pinatubo Itinerary

Travel Date: April 26-27, 2008

Itinerary:

DAY 1 (April 26,2008)
09:00 Assembly
10:00 ETD Manila
13:00 ETA Capas, Tarlac. Lunch
14:00 ETA Brgy. Sta. Juliana; finalize prior arrangements
15:00 Board 4x4 vehicles; adventure begins!
16:00 ETA end-of-the-road; start trek
17:00 ETA crater of Mt. Pinatubo. Explore the crater
19:00 Dinner
20:00 Socials
21:30 Lights off

DAY 2 (April 27,2008)
07:00 Wake Up Call, Breakfast
07:30 Explore the Place
10:00 Break Camp
10:30 Start Trek
11:00 Ride 4x4
12:00 ETA Sta Juliana, Lunch
13:00 ETD going to Capas
14:00 ETA Capas, ETD Manila
17:00 ETA Manila

Estimated Expenses:
Manila – Capas = P280 (P140 x 2)
4x4 Ride = P600 (P3000 / 5 Persons)
1 Guide = P200 (P1000 / 5 Persons) required
Security = P600 (P3000 / 5 Persons) required for overnight stay {air force personnel]
Conservation fee = P50
--------------------------------------
Total is P1,730.00

Kaloka!

Wala ding life for the past days! Anubayun. Puro challenge sa brain cells for the past 4 days. Challenge na rin ang paggising ng maaga (biruin mo naman 8 AM ang meeting wahuhuhu) at challenge pa rin ang pagkain sa lunch wahahaha. Hirap pag walang kanin. 3 PM pa lang kumakalam na uli sikmura ko hahaha (take note: pa- 1 PM na ang lunch namin sa lagay na yan ha). Challenge din ang pag-intindi sa diction ng presenter haha. Di naman sa hindi sya maintindihan. Kakaiba lang yung way ng pananalita nya kaya minsan madidistract ka rin talaga hehe.

Basta eventful 'tong week na to. Marami akong nawitness, may nalaman ako na tinawanan ko na lang, may mga bagay na ikinasama ng loob ko at nanggalaiti pa ako sa galit pero syempre di pwedeng magwala di ba? Haha.

Kaninang bandang lunch naman, nawindang ako sa ginawa nung isa. Tuwang-tuwa pa ako kasi nakuha ko lahat ng gusto ko kahit kinailangan kong pumasok ng maaga. Akalain mong pagdating ng lunch, nagka-issue wahahaha. Hayuf talaga. Pero di naman ako galit sa tao. Naloka lang ako sa situation. After ko ngang magkwento, tinanong ako ng boss kung ano daw ba ang worries ko. Sabi ko wala. Nagvevent out lang ako wahahaha. Kaloka talaga!

Syempre may mga nakakatuwa rin naman. Good job kami sa code review namin last Wednesday. Mga big boss (from main office) ang nandon. Dami nila tanong pero nasagot naman namin lahat. Na-good job na kami right after ng presentation, na-good job pa kami nung dinner at sinabihan din ang aming big boss na good job daw kami. Akalain mo yun. They can't get over it? Ahihi. Eh paano ba naman kasing hindi magiging ok eh the night before nagpractice na kami wahahaha. Alam na ng mga reviewees kung anong itatanong namin sa kanila. May script na kami hihihi. O sikwet lang yan ha! :p

Ayun lang. Sa weekend, kakaririn ko naman paghahanap ng bagong lungga. Sana may mahanap na ako!

News Flash!

In the middle of all the troubleshooting of issues last Friday, we received this email from a colleague.

NEWS FLASH!

The Siamese twin Astec E1 and Ridgid E1 is finally separated!

Astec and Ridgid had been physically together since their creation, but as the years past, it was inevitable that they are to be separated. The procedure was done by an undisclosed Chinese practitioner, using secret methods passed down by legendary teacher, here only known as Master A.

When interviewed, Astec said excitedly “Finally I can customize my own things!” Astec is currently undergoing physical therapy at http://phmnl5dev002:1111/E1Astec_new/default.aspx in order to prepare her for the living world. She will be staying at IS Newton Unit/$E1-Astec.

IS DAILY

What a creative way to announce something that is so technical! Aliw :)

Lovely couple

A friend (who is also an ex-officemate) and his GF are here in Baguio for this weekend, and it so happened that I’m here for family affairs. The moment I learned that, I suggested that we meet up for dinner tonight. We haven't seen each other for a long time and of all places to see each other again, dito pa sa Baguio haha. Actually, siya ang nagpromise months ago na gimik kami after ng US trip nya pero nakabalik na't lahat, di pa rin uli kami nagkikita. Nabalitaan namin na may nililigawan sya until maging sila. Kinulit namin na ipakilala naman sa amin pero wala pa rin hehe. But tonight, I’m glad to have met her at last. Bait na bata.

I remember chatting with him months ago and I was kidding him about destiny and his answer was "if that's what you call it, then maybe it is”. After hearing about their love story, I can't help but believe that it really was destiny for them. But I’d like to personally call it serendipity-fortunate accident. He first saw her in high school and it was instant crush for him. She knew him as her co-student council’s brother and calls him kuya. They parted ways as he already graduated form high school. They chat but only once in a blue moon. When Friendster came, she was the one he first looked for. One time he passed by her tito's office on his way to school and she was there, she recognized him. He was looking for better opportunities and had an offer from two different companies. He accepts one of those offers. Months later, she was starting her life in the real world. She had several job offers, one of which from where he was already working. As fate had it, and without them knowing it, she accepted the one from the company where he was. On her first day at work, he recognized her and talked to her right away. She called him kuya. Hihihi. And so their love story unfolds (or should I say continues since it might have started long ago without them knowing it?).

They are sweet to each other pero hindi ka maiilang because what you see is their genuine love. You can't help but smile and feel happy for them. He says God must have prepared them for this. She agrees. They do a high five. What a lovely couple. May God bless their relationship and of course may they stay together forever.

Kung kailan...

Friday, saka nman kami pinutakti ng issues. Halos 12 oras sa opisina, puro yun lang ang inatupag. Lahat considered emergency na. Naayos naman. Natest namin. Nakausap ang mga dapat kausapin para sa panibagong prosesong susundin. Gumagana na lahat sa dev so deploy kami. UAT na. Pinakahihintay ko na ang email ng end user na ok na. Pero ayaw pa rin daw!? Hiningi namin ang sample data. May kutob na akong maling template ang gamit ng isang ‘to. Ayaw ko pa sanang tignan kasi alam kong ikakainit lalo ng ulo ko pero no choice dava. Pagcheck ko, maling template nga. Fok. Sa paanong paraan ba dapat ipaliwanag sa kanila?

Pangalawang kaso, tama na ang template. Latest exe na ang gamit pero ayaw pa rin. Buti na lang may net meeting. No choice but to do code trace. F8 hanggang umabot sa kung san man may error. Makalipas ang ilang saglit lumabas ang cannot insert null in blah blah blah. Wat da?! Primary key yan eh. Di ko kailangan magpass ng value. Auto increment yan waaa. Alt-tab agad lipat kay SQL para icheck ang design ng table habang nakikiusap sa kateam na hagilapin ang DBA. Select table-right click-properties. ‘La na ako access sa design view. Malapit na akong magwala. Sabi ni teammate umalis na rin si DBA. Ayus na ayus! Sabi ng isa pang teammate, iba na nga raw ang settings ng table. Gumuho na mundo ko. Tinawagan si DBA, sabi nasa ofis pa ang boss nya. Tanungin na lang daw sya so tinawagan si boss ngunit sinama pa rin si DBA sa concall. Pagkatapos ng pagpapaliwanag sa nangyari, tanungin daw ba kami kung paano na yun. Waaa. Arggghh!. Yan trabaho mo di ba? Dapat alam mo! Unang kita pa nga lang namin sa error alam na namin gagawin e. Langya. Kung kaharap nya ako kita na nya ang aking pag-close-open at baka umabot sa kanya ang suntok ko. Har har har! Unang usapan, hihintayin namin syang makapunta sa WiFi spot sa MALL at makapag-online pero dahil atat na kaming tapusin, humingi na lang kmi ng permision na kami na ang gagawa. At pagkaraan ng isang siglo, natapos din kami. Nakapagconfirm na si end user. Whew! Praise the Lord.

Time check: 9 PM na. Kumukulo na ang sikmura ko so kain muna. Balik din agad para tignan naman ang isa pang issue. 10:15 PM natapos ang initial checking. Tama na! Hahabulin ko pa ang byahe pauwi. Goodbye issues. Saka na tayo magtuos next week. Hmp!

Gustuhin ko mang makauwi agad, traffic! Sus. Gabing-gabi na e. Pagdating sa bahay, empake na ng mga dadalhin. Bahala na kug may maiwan.

12:30 AM nasa terminal na ako. Wow! Sarado na ang ticket booth. May mahabang pila ng chance passengers. 8 AM na ang next available trip. Ayos talaga. No choice. Pila na. 9 AM ang kasal. Sa bundok un...good luck dava! Bahala na kung may maabutan pa akong pupunta. Kung wala itutulog ko na lang.

Panglima na ako sa pila pero wala naman nang bus huhu. 3:30 AM na ba ang next trip? Waaaaa. Sana naman hindi. Saklap. Hayz. Yamot!

Muni-muni muna.

1:50 AM. may bus biyaheng 2:00 AM. Wow! Nagbebenta ng isang ticket si ate guard. Grab na. All set. Byahe na. Yifee. Good night world! :)