(Bata palang ako mahilig na akong magpa-picture )

My mom named me Avigail” because it means “source of joy”…and then according to the Bible, my name means “The Father rejoices in thee”. Other than the fact that I became the source of my parent’s joy when I was born, my mom also wanted me to be named “Avigail” because she wanted me to be a happy person. Oo nga naman, paano ako magiging source of joy kung ako mismo hindi masaya diba?

But naming me such kind of worked to my advantage. With the way my parents disciplined me and instilled their values in me, I grew up to be a generally happy person. They taught me how to be hopeful and positive in any adversity I face, that reality will have its ups and downs but I must always be proactive and never compare myself with others.

They also taught me how to live independently even if I was their only child. I grew up thinking that I was born to be responsible for myself and for others. That I should survive on my own no matter what happens.

Although, loka-loka din naman ako (may topak din ako minsan and I never spared myself from doing “kalokohan” when I was in my teenage years) pero I make sure na alam ko ang consequences ng ginagawa ko. At pinaninindigan at tinatama ko kung ano man ang mga mali ko.

A few days back, my mom commented “So okay naman pala ang pagpapalaki namin sayo”…and all I said was “Oo naman mommy, okay na okay talaga ang pagpapalaki nyo sa akin ni daddy and I’m always grateful for that.”

Anyway, this one below is something I got from the internet. Wala lang, I was just curious if what the hidden meaning of my name according to http://www.blogthings.com/ is true. And I think the ones written here are mostly true, even the negative ones hehe.

P.S. Question: Ano yung “Type A” personality????? Can somebody tell me what that means??

***What Avigail Means***

You are usually the best at everything … you strive for perfection.
You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.
You have the classic “Type A” personality.

You are very hyper. You never slow down, even when it’s killing you.

You’re the type of person who can be a workaholic during the day… and still have the energy to party all night.

Your energy is definitely a magnet for those around you. People are addicted to your vibe.

You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It’s easy to get you excited… which can be a good or bad thing.

You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don’t stick with any one thing for very long.

You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start.

You are deeply philosophical and thoughtful. You tend to analyze every aspect of your life.

You are intuitive, brilliant, and quite introverted. You value your time alone.

Often times, you are grumpy with other people. You don’t appreciate them trying to interfere in your affairs.

You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow.

You are light hearted and accepting. You don’t get worked up easily.

Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is.

What’s Your Name’s Hidden Meaning?
http://www.blogthings.com/whatsyournameshiddenmeaningquiz/>

*DSLR-ing is my shortcut for the phrase “using a DSLR camera”.

I’m a novice in photography. And I’m actually not so high-tech (as in knowledgeable about gadgets). That’s why I was very scared to try to learn DSLR-ing alone. Alone, meaning without my husband.

Although I may know something about the world of photography because the husband and our friends are into it and I somehow know how to critique because I read and study, but working with a DSLR camera is something I’ve never really done til my DSLR came into existence 12 days ago. Yeah I’ve tried husband’s camera a couple of times, but I never really took it seriously.

And so after 12 days of DSLR-ing, what can I say?

The experience of unraveling the camera is not so bad as I thought it would be. Medyo na tarantated lang naman ako kung ano ang uunahin kong gawin nang buksan ko ang box! hehehe. Minsan, lumalabas ang pagka-girl ko sa mga ganitong sitwasyon eh. Overwhelming kasi ang excitement at nerbyos na nararamdam na parang may bago akong laruan.

I realized that I have a lot to learn!!!! Hindi pa talaga enough yung mga pagbabasa ko nang isang buong taon dahil wala naman akong hands-on. Although the tips I have somehow remembered in my heart and soul (naks!) but still it’s different when you put it into practice. And in general, there’s really a lot to learn about photography. So happy learning to me forever and ever!

After one week of DSLR-ing, I feel (take note: I feel, meaning feeling ko lang ito) that I’m not that bad (as in super duper bad) in terms of achieving good shots. I’m slow, I admit, but I have shots that are “passable” (as in pasado/pwede na/matino kahit papaano). I send my photos to the husband and according to him I may be amateurish but I’m able to capture what I want to express. And with that comment, I’m truly satisfied because at least, I’m on the right track.

Photography is tiring!!!! Tiring for me because I’m only starting to learn. Because when I take a shot, my brain, my hands and my eyes are working. Mapapagod ka pala talaga pag nagsa-start ka kasi sobrang concentration ang kailangan kasi nag-iisip ka tapos nagfo-focus ang mga mata at mga kamay mo. Pati pagtayo at pag-breathe mo kasali sa equation para makakuha ng magandang shot. Now that I’ve experienced that, I apologized to my husband. Because at the time that he was still getting used to his DSLR, I kept on asking “ba’t ganun ang photo?”, “ba’t ang pangit?” hehehe. Feeling ko pag nag-DSLR ka, automatic na maganda ang mga shots mo, pero you work on it pala talaga. Camera + Your Skill = Good Photograph. But I know in time, it won’t be so tiring anymore–I’ll get used to it when I learn more skills in time.

I have so many mistakes!!!!! But when I saw how my photos turned out, I just laughed. I tell my husband the bloopers I’ve made recently and I was laughing while talking to him. At one point, I wasn’t even using my one and only lens “properly” coz it was turned off (nge!!!). Anak ng tokwa talaga! =P

I’m having fun. Whether I’m having difficulty learning because the husband is away (he lectures over the phone while I take down notes) or having difficulty finding time to sit down, learn and do photoshoots—it’s all fun! I’m learning and when I’m learning something new or something that interests me, that keeps me happy.

My camera is my most prized-possesion right now and if you’re gonna ask me what are the 3 most important things in my life right now, it would be Chris, my parents and my camera–in that order hehehe. I never thought I’d be able to say this because I never really understood Chris when he told me before that next to me, his camera is his most prized-possession. Now I totally understand him.

So there, my in-a-nutshell feelings about using a DSLR camera. And to sum it up: I love it!!! The fulfillment I felt when I was using a Point&Shoot has now been doubled with the experience of using a DSLR camera =)

Some tips to help us create a charmed life for the year 2008.

Everyday Living:

  • Start your day with a prayer, meditation or 10-minute silence. These activities guarantee a strong and centered spirit.
  • Never leave the house without making the bed. Tidy up the bed as soon as you wake up and it will surely give you a sense of accomplishment knowing that the first chore of the day is done.
  • When you wake and look in the mirror, decide there and then that you are beautiful. Believe it and you will look it.
  • Never skip meals especially breakfast. It’s not worth having ulcers or any other internal bodily disorders just for the sake of looking sexy or skinny. Moderation to eating is always the key, not starvation to death.
  • Exercise! Physical activities assists in blood circulation and releases a neurotransmitter called Endorphins which aids in lowering the blood pressure and has been implicated in the fight against cancer.
  • Start the day with happy thoughts. If feeling a little flat or low or not-so-good, TRY, it will ease the gloominess somehow.
  • Write a journal emphasizing on two things: (1) Things I Learned Today and (2) Things I am Grateful For Today. When you have days when you feel depressed or sad, just read on your past entries and it will surely make you realize that given unhappy circumstances, you are still blessed.
  • If feeling depressed or sad can’t be help, just accept that there are days like these and you just have to go thru it as gradually or as fast as you can. Give yourself some time to get things over with, however, it is not advisable to wallow for a long time.
  • Be friends with everyone you interact with–or at least be friendly (no need to be a snub). Everyone refers to people in your neighborhood, the waiters/waitresses of the restaurant you dine in, the attendant in the department store, etc.

Travel/Recreation/Leisure:

  • Travel once or twice this year, alone or with family or friends. Not only will you have a chance to relax but it will also give you the opportunity to re-connect with yourself (if alone) or your family or friends.
  • Learn something new. Attend pottery/art/photography/dance/coffee making classes–or whatever interests you. You may also want to learn a new language in preparation for your upcoming travel (i.e. a friend of mine enrolled herself to learn how to speak German in preparation for her travel to Germany).
  • If you can’t travel, read travel books…this activity will help you enlarge your world.
  • You need not travel far in order to relax. You may also spend a weekend at a nice hotel and just hang out the by swimming pool to de-stress. This will also be a good time to avail of the hotel’s spa services.

Maintaining Relationships:

  • The key is to spend time with family and friends and most importantly with yourself.
  • Have weekly or monthly dinners with friends.
  • Have weekly dates with your significant other.
  • Celebrate little milestones. It doesn’t necessarily have to be an expensive dining out experience. Little milestones can be celebrated by having pizza night or sushi night. Or you celebrate by giving each other back massages.
  • Be there for family, relatives and friends by attending their parties (take note: you should be invited of course hehehe)
  • Never ever leave a sour note with a loved one. End fights as soon as possible. Time is precious and it’s never wise to spend it angry with a loved one.
  • Tell your loved ones that you love or miss them. Even if action speaks louder than words, our loved ones would still appreciate it if they hear us say the words “I love you” or “I miss you”.
  • Let our loved ones know that we appreciate them. Always always say “Thank you”.

Financial Aspect:

  • Save, save, save. Need I say more?
  • LIVE SIMPLY. Live within your means and always be practical when acquiring things you want.
  • Aside from putting some of your money to savings, you may also opt to set up funds like a Christmas Fund, Birthday/Anniversay Fund, Travel Fund, Emergency Fund, etc.

There you have it, some tips to help you go thru your 2008 with a little ease. I hope some of these tips will help prepare you to a busy and productive year. Remember to FOCUS on the positive side of things and always treat challenges as an avenue for learning.

Let’s all have a charmed life!

Double birthday celebrations at the Mendozas last night as Ayie turned 21 last 10 Jan and Lawrence turned 15 today.
Lots of happy faces, food, booze and cameras clicking (3 of us were 400D users).

We also improvised an acoustic night as the girls brought out the guitar and some of us took turns in singing “on stage”. I had an impromtu number and sang Freestyle’s “So Slow”.

Photos taken by my Sony P&S and Canon DSLR.
With Ayie, the birthday girl

With Lawrence, the birthday boy

Happy Birthday!!!!

More photos here: Ayie and Lawrence Birthday Celebrations

Presenting my new website entitled “Say it with Photographs” where I’ll be exhibiting all my photography what-have-yous and what-nots. This will mostly be photos as I want to see how my skills in photography will change with time. This site also holds a lot of links to all my photography references. Feel free to comment on the photos–I would greatly appreciate it.

URL: http://ibyangsanchez.blogspot.com/

Please link me up, bookmark me or include in your list of Favorites.
Hope to see you there!