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Classroom Scenario

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:03:00 +0000

I've been blessed with passionate instructors this semester. I think I'm going to love hanging out in their classes (subjects: Planning 1 and Theory of Structures) more often. My friends do not seem to agree with me that much. I was completely surprised that they think all that talk and discussion is boring. Hah!

I'm so fired up I promise to get a grade not lower than 2 on those subjects!

The Wisdom Wall

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:29:00 +0000

Photo taken from julielenzerkirk.com

Described as 'a place where you can share the lessons you have learned in life,' the Wisdom Wall is a cool site that tries to collect as much advice as it can for everyone to learn from. I make sure to drop by every now and then in this blog to read about positive, refreshing and inspirational words from other people. Talk about everyday chunks of wisdom!

MadMusic: Seishun Kyousoukyou - Sambomaster

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:12:00 +0000

From left to right: Yasufumi Kiuchi, Takashi Yamaguchi, Yoichi Kondo

One of my favorite tracks in the hit japanese animation series, Naruto, I just can't stop singing it in my head! It's the perfect Last Song Syndrome!

...

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:50:00 +0000

Photo from www.paulbradley.ca/work/

Forgive me Lord for I have sinned... :(

Smart Choice

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:22:00 +0000

I'm afraid that I'm not making really smart choices in this phase of my life. When will I cease running in search of hollow meaning?

Cirque

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 07:20:00 +0000

Event Overview

Cirque is an event brought to you by UP Adhere and QTV ch.11. It is the event that UP AdHere planned from the Events Inc. Top Party School competition and it would now be mounted on Oct 9 at One esplanade, SM mall of Asia complex, Pasay city.

Mission

Cirque has two main objectives which are simply to entertain and of course, to advocate. Cirque will aim to be a unique avenue of fun and entertainment for the youth of today. It is achieved to make the youth aware of the ill consequences brought about by vices and introduce a new perspective of "underground fun" which the youth sees as hip and cool that has been most often than not associated with vices. Its ultimate goal is to make the youth realize that socializing doesn't need booze and drugs to make it an extremely enjoyable thing to do.

Aside from the advocacy towards the youth, it would now also be an event that would benefit the victims of the typhoon Ondoy, seeking to help in some way to the youth that has experienced the tragedy.

Contact details

For inquiries, please call or text (63 906) 317-6127 or (63 923) 626-0274

Or email us at: nancy_ortega_18@yahoo.com or cirque.adhere@gmail.com.

The Wrath of Ketsana

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:28:00 +0000

Floodwater entering our house...

Floodwater at its highest...

After the floodwater had receded...

Yeah, I know this is nothing compared to the thousands of pictures you've seen about the damage tropical storm Ketsana brought in the Philippines. Nevertheless, I just wanted to show everybody what happened to the ground floor of our apartment when a month's worth of rain poured in just half a day. We were terrified because what happened really was very unusual.

My heart goes to all the fellow Filipinos out there who are still in need of so much help. The storm may be gone but the damage it made on everyone psychologically and emotionally might take a longer time to be healed.

Lazy

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 07:29:00 +0000

Am still struggling with my weekend laziness syndrome...

Keep the Passion Burning!

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 06:58:00 +0000

Internet connection at home's super messed up but that's not the reason why I'm not been updating this blog for the last many weeks. Lol. I can just go to an Internet Cafe if I wanted to but I just won't. I guess I'm just just happy to be living' my life without that tendency to stalk on myself in cyberspace.

Anyways, I enjoyed our class today on History when Archt. Rivera-Lutap ate almost half of the session sharing personal experiences on the design and construction industry, about being a professor and a mom, and what and who she was back in her college days as a humble architecture student. She surprised most of us when she turned off her laptop and gave her lesson the 'unconventional' way.

I've never seen her so motherly and I really liked that she opened herself in front of the class the way she have never been before. I was moved about everything she said and her words really made me think about the path I'm taking as an architecture student. One thing I noticed about all our professors now in my junior year was how they fast-forward things when they talk about on-the-job trainings, thesis in our last year, work and finally taking the Board Exams.

I know there's still a whole bunch of things ahead and though they may seem scary, I choose to remain unfazed. Where I am now is all because of Him and no matter how hard things are I'm going to take it all in. I just gotta keep the passion burning...

*******
I heard Archt. Rivera-Lutap is going to China on September to present her proposal on some stuff. Though she may not be aware of this post and how inspired I was about her class, I just wanna say God Bless and Thanks!

Neglect

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:41:00 +0000

Haven't been updating this sanctuary for a while.
*sigh*

MadMusic: DEPAPEPE

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:03:00 +0000

Introducing my all-time Japanese acoustic guitar musical duo composed of Takuya Miura and Yoshinari Takuoka: DEPAPEPE!!!

Japanese Fashion Subcultures

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 05:24:00 +0000

Images from oneinchpunch.net

My fascination for Japanese fashion and its many subcultures continues as I learn more and more by reading little bits of gems in the Net. Here's a link on an article entitled 10 Unusual Japanese Fashions and Subcultures I stumbled upon Listverse.com. The site itself is plump with various lists 'that intrigue and educate, specializing in the bizarre or lesser-known trivia.'

Personally, I found it addicting and highly entertaining.

Shutterbug - Wannabe 14: Blue Skies

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:45:00 +0000

Everything drowns in hues of sky blue one awesome Sunday afternoon along Timog Avenue near St. Paul the Apostle Parish. I took these photos after our PREX (Parish Renewal Experience) Grand Assembly slash despedida party for Kuya Gerald Moskie. I'll miss basking under the warmth of the afternoon sun when classes start tomorrow.

First Day

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 07:56:00 +0000

Classes for this year's first semester will start tomorrow. Moved by the A (H1N1) flu scare (classes in college were supposed to start last week but was postponed by the anticipated increase in number of infected among university students), I really don't know what to expect and feel. I'm neither excited nor sad that summer break has finally ended. I'm just okay.

Boy, the rain has really gotten into me. I'm bored.

Shutterbug - Wannabe

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:33:00 +0000

Moved by this wonderful urban foggy scene, I shamelessly copy-pasted this undated photo from one of my friend's album in Facebook. Haha. Many thanks to Zari for those wonderful pictures.

Weather Freak

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 01:19:00 +0000

Image from Vanilla Johnson

People think and behave differently when there is a storm. And if there ever is a word to describe that lunatic who go over excited and enthralled when the weather's totally freaked out, I'm one of them.

This morning I went over my daily newspaper route and kind of enjoyed what I've witnessed. Deserted streets, broken twigs, thousands of fallen leaves, an assortment of litter carried in by the strong gusts of wind and the eerie ambiance you feel when you know that something beyond human control is coming. I felt the trees conversing as they rustle and dance with the wind's whisper. Even the rain as they pound endlessly on our roof brought a calming trance you'll never want to end.

Maybe the lack of hustle and bustle in the city life during these times is what's forcing me to stop and take notice even the slightest of movement there is. I'm just glad that I'm falling in love again with nature...

But enough with this weird talk cause I know I'm making someone cringe. And in the risk of another blackout or the usual power trips I'm clicking Publish Post.

Rain All Day

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 04:04:00 +0000

Rainy day at KFC restaurant...

Vanity...

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:03:00 +0000

I had my first change of haircut the other day. I’m telling you it feels very liberating to have moved on from the look I had since I was a kiddo. And because I don’t want to use a picture of my grinning face to illustrate how I look (that would be so narcissistic and *ahem* this is not a vanity site…) just try to imagine somebody’s face on that example above I got from hairstyledesign.com.

An Answered Prayer

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Thu, 28 May 2009 09:50:00 +0000

My mom's friend invited me last Saturday and Sunday to take part in a two-day weekend class called Catholic Life in the Spirit Seminar (or CLSS) at Christ the King Parish along E. Rodriguez Avenue in Quezon City. There I was introduced to The Holy One of the Lord Catholic Foundation, Inc. that has been conducting seminars for years. It was the first time I ever attended a catholic charismatic community and I was delighted and amazed to see how fired up the congregation was that kind of reminds me of a Baptist church I used to attend and take doctrinal classes a year ago. Suddenly an idea plays in mind that thankfully and finally, Catholics are learning from other Christian denominations on how to study and evangelize their faith.

One of the gifts that I received on the second and last day of the seminar was an opportunity to attend what they call the Vineyard and Pre-Servanthood Formation Program that are similar to subject courses I will take just like regular classes every Friday. I think it was the highlight of my experience since I’ve been longing to be a part of a Catholic community that will train and foster me for deeper personal sanctification so as to practice and live the Christian way of life. I mean really really live the Christian way of life.

Up till now, I still can’t believe that all these are happening. I always pray for growth and spiritual nourishment aside from the usual Sunday masses and service in the music ministry of our parish. I’m just happy (like totally!) that I’m finally undergoing a formal training and education about my Catholic faith.

Thank you Lord for this answered prayer!

Another Day

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Mon, 25 May 2009 10:17:00 +0000

I notice it's been almost a week since my last post. I don't know. Maybe I just got tired from literally spending my whole day in front of the computer screen endlessly fidgeting mindless applications in Facebook or just freely surfing the Web; wasting precious time then go to bed feeling beat, guilty and useless for not accomplishing any purposeful activity. It’s just pointless.

Anyways, my high school circle and I went over the weekend to some military residential camp to spend the littlest amount of time we could be in each other’s company before classes in our respective universities start. Yeah, I know it’s an odd location for some resort to have a quality time together, but since we’re looking for a cheap place that is not so far from the city, we decided nonetheless to continue.

Above were just a few of the many photos I took in the short period of time we stayed inside the site. It’s incredible to imagine that you’re in a remote place because of the towering trees, abandoned buildings, and deserted roads we went through though we knew all along that on the other side of the high perimeter concrete wall that accompanied us all the way was a national highway. We waited for about an hour before we could enter because of a private party reserved for military folks and their families until 5.

In the end, I came home at exactly 10PM while the rest of them spend the night in San Mateo, Rizal at one of our friend’s place after our gathering. Though a bit tired and hungry, I certainly had one of the most superb summer gatherings of my college life.

MadMusic: End Human Exploitation

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Mon, 18 May 2009 19:42:00 +0000

Radiohead, one of the world's top bands, has joined the MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) campaign, a partnership between the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and MTV to raise awareness about human trafficking. The collaboration takes the Asia MTV EXIT campaign to a global audience, reaching as many as 560 million households worldwide.

Filmed by Oscar-winning cinematographer John Seale and award-winning director Steve Rogers, the video depicts a day in the life of both an affluent youngster and a child making shoes in a sweatshop, sending a message that everyone plays a role in trafficking and exploitation.

USAID is funding the production of the MTV EXIT films for Asia. Top Asian pop and film stars, including Lucy Liu, Rain of South Korea, Tata Young of Thailand, Lara Dutta of India, Christian Bautista of the Philippines and Kris Dayanti of Indonesia have volunteered to narrate the films in their native languages and in English.

The campaign capitalizes on their images and MTV's brand appeal, transforming people's views about trafficking and exploitation and provides a platform for NGOs, governments and law enforcement agencies to prevent trafficking and assist victims.

MTV EXIT television programming is produced rights-free and is free of charge for all broadcasters and organizations. The programming is also available to be streamed and downloaded from mtvexit.org.

For more information on USAID and its programs to combat human trafficking around the world, visit www.usaid.gov.

One day

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Mon, 18 May 2009 04:01:00 +0000

A majestic visionary photo taken during our April Fool's gathering.

We had a small gathering yesterday on a friend's place as we celebrate her 18th birthday. Even though it rained (unbelievably, this happens every year on her birthday; a rain of blessings from above!), we enjoyed ourselves with loads of talks and updates, some food, and the nonstop cracking of jokes. I missed them so much I wish we could do these gatherings more often. But I digress; we wouldn’t really miss each other that much if we would meet regularly.

I drank mouthfuls after mouthfuls (well, not really) of cool red wine and lavished myself without any guilt on those yummy chocolate cake a friend brought from Amici, an Italian casual dining restaurant in Tomas Morato where she works. It is clear that we were as idealistic as ever when we were back then. We were intermittently talking about our future plans and dreams in life; adventures and experiences in college; and yes, the more serious stuffs that mattered most to adults nowadays. You know, things that you never thought you’d talk about or even come into mind as a minor or as a naive student.

I came home at around 10. I had so much fun, had great food, and reconnected with the circle I grew with in high school. We are growing…

Around Araneta Center

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Sun, 17 May 2009 17:48:00 +0000

There is nothing like a crisp afternoon walk after a short drizzle around the streets of Araneta in Cubao. It's been a while since my last visit among its many department stores and shopping malls so when a friend asked me to accompany him, I couldn't turn him down. I hear there are lots of on-going developments in that area including the Manhattan Garden City which is an '8,500-unit real estate project housed in 20 residential condominium towers' (model units available at their showroom in Gateway Mall on the third floor), and the current facelift of the old Ali Mall.

It just enthralls me to witness all the refurbishing and revitalization effort that the Araneta Center is conducting to the places I’ve loved and associated with maturity.

*******
For more information about the Araneta Center, visit their website here and check out the latest with their interactive vicinity map.

MadMusic: Life in Technicolor II - Coldplay

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Sat, 16 May 2009 18:39:00 +0000

The British alternative rock band Coldplay has really got me this time. Ever since I heard their Viva La Vida song with it's catchy tune and lyrics (that had me thinking if they were Catholics), I can't seem to have enough from them. Conducting a little bit of research from the Net, I learned what a great group they are giving 15% of the band's profits to charity and actively supporting various social and political causes. And yes, they even give free downloads of their songs for a limited time in their official website (so be sure to click that link below!). If you go there now, you can download their free live album, LeftRighLeftRightLeft.

Wow, now that is something we could totally look up to.

Can't get enough of Coldplay? You may want to check the following links below:
*Official Website
*Short Biography

I made it!

noreply@blogger.com (Nowitzki Tramonto) — Sat, 16 May 2009 00:59:00 +0000

Image from uc.com

Yesterday I went to school to see for my own the news I've been receiving continuously since last Tuesday. And there posted on the Bulletin Board of our college truly is the list of AQE passers that made it successfully to their junior year of loads more of sleepless nights and tireless days of planning and working on their drafting tables. Providentially (see, I hate to use the term ‘luckily’), I'm one of them with an overall average grade of 80 percent. Asked by a peer how it feels to have passed the notorious exam I've been cramming and preparing for the late weeks of March and early April, frankly, though I didn't really told them this, there wasn't really any endorphin-jerked ‘I’m-on-top-of-the-world’ feeling I always observe on student-oriented shows on TV.

Sure, I’m happy to have conquered the assessment that causes delays on most architecture students in our school, but seriously, though I’m not anticipating that I would pass on the first place, I’ve always had this sense of confidence and tranquil inside that I’m going to make it. That no matter what will turn out of the exam; it is by His will always that all these things are happening.

I’ve been praying all weeks and hours before the said exam on top of my studying. And maybe, He sure heard them and guided me through. Fast-forward to the results, I guess I don’t need that ‘high’ feeling to overly express that I’m happy making it to my third year of studies. Knowing that I took that exam with all respect and dignity (ahem! you know what I mean), and that calmness that lasted even after the exam surely is enough to draw a silent smirk not only on my face but as well as inside me.