December 2006 Archives

From Paul Dec 28, 06

...no internet here in Asia due to Taiwan underwater earthquake...I will resume pRice asap when its fixed

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/29/asia/AS_GEN_Asia_Disconnected.php

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/640s f/2.8 at 14.0mm iso100

I have to hurry this post, as I've been replying to emails from my Family & from Martijn Ros in the Netherlands, who I owe 2 more images too, for his brochure for www.pasukfoundation.org - so please bear with me as the past few days have been tough.

Another Cyclone blew through a few days back when I had to go to Bogo for business - it was pissing rain again & the winds came back, so riding the motorcycle & carrying my laptop to this net cafe is impossible when that occurs.

Yesterday I spent the entire afternoon trying to fix my WACOM pen tablet (I use this instead of a mouse for editing images in Photoshop), as it went completely berzerk drawing all sorts of square shapes on my desktop background while I was trying to use it, and it was opening 5 to 10 different programs on its own when I was just tring to open image files....t just failed, the pointer tip has failed, as well as the side-click buttons, and probably the tablet itself has failed.

I un-installed it & re-installed it & the correct drivers, to no avail.

I even did a WINXP system restore, back to Dec.18th, and that didn't bring the WACOM tablet back in working order either....its fried.

It even opened Photoshop 8 times, on my taskbar, before I had to pull the plug.......its done, dead in the water.

That also means I can not edit my photos on my laptop until I get that issue resolved....I have been trying to use a mouse, and/or the laptop touchpad, but making complex selections of an image in Photoshop is absolutely maddening, completely frustrating, and nearly impossible using these tools - that's why photographers & grapic image professionals use a pen/tablet, as its extremely precise, rendering a touchpad/mouse obsolete - and speeds up the workflow dramatically.

I do not have a replacement for the one that failed here (its out of warranty at 18 mos +) and next year I know that I will need to bring 2 tablets for the workstation.

Mine's dead now & tomorrow I have to try to get an email out to WACOM.com and beg them for a replacement, as there are no Malls or computer stores on small Islands, and I absolutely don't have the $300.00USD needed to get back to the mainland, get a 3 hour bus to Cebu, grab a flight to Manila, get a hotel for a night or two in Manila, and locate a $50.00USD WACOM graphics tablet at one of the huge shopping Malls there (I'm sure Manila's tech stores would carry them).

Are there ANY photographers or Graphic Designers here reading this, who might have an extra WACOM or AIPTEK pen/tablet they could part with and ship to me here on the Island? (refurb's would be perfect; it would not need to be new)

If anyone with info on that matter could text or call me on my cellular here, I'd be in your debt.
+63-921-331-4395 (as dialed from anyplace outside Philippines)

From within Philippines, dial: 0921-331-4395

Thank you all for reading, Thank you to Steve Griffith who did an absolutely miraculous, last-minute wonderfull thing to save Mama Helen's small plot of land here on the Island, from the local Bank who was about to take it as re-payment for a $300USD debt - and I'll be posting about that tomorrow.

Best Regards,
PJAMES

ps: yes I fell in the above picture; it was my own fault for not having my light out while navigating my steps here, and man did it hurt - felt more like gasoline buring on my leg, to tell you the truth, and yes it's healing up now.

As Coca Cola Steve says to me: "No Worries"

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/125s f/3.4 at 49.0mm iso200

I finally photographed Bonita yesterday when she sat & ate with us, and although I still feel a bit black when I see her - I thought to myself "what's done is done; I can't change what's happened to Chin Chin...and I have to start to get beyond that"

I won't ever forget about it, but it's time to begin to get beyond it.
...what else am I gonna do - stop buying her food when she's hungry, because of what's hapened?

I thought about that.

I still tell the BBQ chicken stand where we always eat Chicken & Rice to give her food when she comes by, and to give me the bill the next day.

PJAMES

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/60s f/2.8 at 14.0mm iso400

Cebu Philippines, this morning: Annabel enjoys the sunrise at 5:45am

It's back to being incredibly calm & very tranquil in the early morning hours - good for being Thankfull, for planning your day, and for just enjoying the quiet & the colors.
...here's today's Sunrise:

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/640s f/5.6 at 54.0mm iso400

Our neighbors, Annabel & Jim are always up early each day for this - we all just cooled out this morning after banding together to help each other out during the Typhoon; none of our Tribe got separated and we all came through just fine.

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/320s f/3.5 at 31.0mm iso100

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/500s f/3.5 at 43.0mm iso100

Good Morning from the Island,
PJAMES

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/320s f/3.5 at 14.0mm iso100

The main road in town the morning after the Typhoon - actually not too bad for the people right around the area of this image; other parts of the Island were hammered much harder.

Thanks for tuning in today - you're looking at current images from the Philippines.
PJAMES

Typhoon kicks the Monkey's ASS

I'm alive & we're all doing good here after the latest Super Typhoon kicked our asses - sorry to my sister for not being able to get any emails out until today, but we just recently got power back on and the roads cleared - so this is the first chance I've had to update things here.

Got power back day before yesterday, and the clean up's almost done here now - but this SUPER Typhoon rolled in farther south than we thought, and we got hit hard - trees & power lines down everywhere; some roads in Madrejos were nearly impassable, at the top of our Island.

The evening of the Typhoon, Coca Cola Steve & myself got into his truck and took a run up the coast while it was still ok here, and by the time we got to Madrejos the shit was hitting the fan, with big seas slamming into the tiny shacks along the coastline, and all boats comming to & going from the Island were cancelled, and just started up again yesterday.

In town they had no power, and I had to roam around a bit looking for a load for my phone, and I did find a flooded out place that was open - but I brought a GoreTex raincoat & baseball cap with me & stayed reasonably dry.
...the main strip was like a sene from Night of the Living Dead - no one out, totally BLACK - totally deserted.

So we get back in the truck (actually a type of mini van, a Mitsubishi Adventure) and head back down to check out Bantayan Town, and it's the same deal - nearly deserted, and rightly so - the winds were massive and quite dangerous to be out in (yeah, I know: 'what the hell were WE doing out?')

Steve wanted to stop at Burger Junction for a Monkey Burger (they say it's "beef" but we know it's questionable at best, and monkey actually tastes pretty OK) - and yes, BJ was actually OPEN during all this chaos; the 2 waitresses there carrying on with business as usual - incredible.

2 Monkey burgers later, we head out to Banelco, the Island's power supplier, to get a better grip on what's going on (no one had power, just those with generators) and we roll in the driveway & hear a gunshot-type blast right beside my right ear, then I see a bright flash right out side my window, and I bring my hands up to cover my face as a transformer blew out in a huge blast, about 8 meters from the car!

That's when we knew we had to get the hell out of Dodge & back to our place by 8pm and we all stayed together playing cards by candlelight on the 2nd floor, as I looked out over the roaring seas, and together with what the winds were doing (gusting to over 150Kilometers PH at that point) I was getting a bit scared, and I'll tell you the truth, nothing much really manages to scare me these days.

I got a phone text out to webmaster Steve Griffith in San Francisco, and asked him to call my Family in the USA & tell them we were ok for the time being, and asked him to keep me updated on where this Monster was moving, cause our SAT TV in the main building was out of course.

Once the tables on the patio started blowing around in the winds, we turned them over, and glasses & bottles were just crashing all over the place, and the sounds the trees were making, crashing onto out roof was defining.

I decided to try to make the trek out to my cottage, and a blast of wind came around the corner & nearly knocked me over (I'm 220lbs) and that's what scared me, but I managed to make it out when I realized I had water inside the cottage, all over the floor (I'd forgotten to break down the laptop workstation), so I spent some time packing it all away & getting the power bricks up from the floor, etc.

As I went to bed at 10pm, I put foam earplugs into my ears - the sound of the trees & winds smashing into my cottage actually sounded like King Kong was jumping on my place; one of the scariest sounds I've ever heard, I swear to God.

I was really worried about Mama Helen's little bamboo shack on the beach, but I couldn't get out to check on them even if I wanted to, as it was too dangerous to go out again with trees & power lines falling everywhere, and earlier we just barely managed to make it back to our place.

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/1600s f/3.5 at 14.0mm iso200

Mama Helen's house; this Typhoon ripeed its roof off and until its repaired, they have no protection from the elements

(if anyone would like to help out with repair costs, please contact me - this wonderfull family is really in dire straights now and in serious need of help, and I do not have the funds to assist them with this)

The Typhoon also destroyed their food supplies (fish they sell for income, & Rice)...I just replaced the Rice yesterday with another 26Kilos, as I discovered last night when I saw the children sitting outside huddled together, and found they had nothing to eat, and nothing to cook.

I immediately took one of the sisters with me to the Mercado & bought 26kg in a sack - they had clean water to cook it in, so I was able to breathe a sigh of relief that I was able to check on them as soon as the roads were cleared.

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/200s f/3.5 at 14.0mm iso200

PJAMES

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/250s f/5.6 at 54.0mm iso200

From the Island: Mama Helen photographed last night at home on the beach.

She loves her Children & Grandchildren....and she's been running a fever this week and not feeling well, so yesterday I went & got her some medicines from the local Pharmacy with Coca Cola Steve, as Mothers are never allowed to take a 'sick day' off, especially with a large Family.

I'm trying to keep the Family in 20kg's of Rice per week, and so far so good.

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/200s f/5.6 at 54.0mm iso200

Regards,
PJAMES

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/2000s f/3.5 at 14.0mm iso400
Coca Cola Steve's silouette, photographed from the crows nest, the night before last.

After all the bad & sad news this week, my trusted Friend & Landlord Steve (rarely seen at night without a liter of his favorite beverage; hence my nickname) have been hanging out in the crows nest at 5:15pm everyday admiring & photographing the sunsets here.

We're up there until just past 6pm, and I always learn to appreciate so much, the little details he speaks about the clouds and stars; the weather, and Nature as a whole, as he really loves it here, and I really needed the chance to cool out after all that's happened this week, and Steve let me bounce it all off him this week.

With all the quiet, and the sky lit up by a full moon this week, we had a beautiful display 2 nights ago when I shot the sunset below with it's spectacular rays of pink shooting out from below the horizon - the humidity had all but disappeard and the breeze was not warm; not cool - it was just perfectly mild, with a sky full of stars and at midnight I was wide awake and wanted to take the motorbike out for a ride in the moonlight, and I got back around 3am (I never stay up that late here), but I really need to cool out.

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/125s f/3.2 at 14.0mm iso400

Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES

Concha at TULAY (her website link is down on this page, on the right side) has emailed me today about the baby's death:

"I am so sad, I am so sad...I am so sad"

My dear PJ,

I had a badly prefeeling with ChinChin, in my wise heart that
something
bad was going to happen to her.

I feel so much that since I have read your mail I have tears in my
eyes.

Sure that I will say a prayer by her, by her and Bonita and its other
daughter, already you know that something unites me to Bonita and I
feel as
if somebody of my family had died.

a strong hug and love always

QK

Concha y Kyle (Febrero 2001,Asilo de la Milagrosa,Cebu,Filipinas)
en casa desde Febrero 2005.

sobre Filipinas y adopcion mira en TULAY

The very first time I met Chin Chin - photographed on January 7, 2006

The details are in the post below, and needless to say I am quite saddened & upset about this.
PJAMES

Olympus E-1 ,Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/400s f/3.4 at 48.0mm iso200

Bonita & Chin-Chin Photographed January 7, 2006 on the Island

I was told a few days ago that Baby Chin Chin has died.

Last Friday night when I was struggling with my headcold, I tried going to bed early, but couldn't sleep and ended up taking the motor out for a spin, and ended up at Melo's restaurant in town where I found Bonita for the first time since I left in March 2006.

She was smiling but still just talking jibberish, and 5 minutes into the conversation I asked how baby Chin Chin was doing, and the waitress spun around to me & told me the baby died a few months back, and I almost fell off my chair - I was completely stunned and very much saddened.

I told Bonita I was so sorry, and Bonita began asking me "where's my baby..."?

I didn't know what to say, and waitress Sheryln quietly told me the baby died of malnourishment - and tears came into my eyes, and I found myself angry at the same time, but I didn't say anything to Bonita (she's mentally ill)

I excused myself & drove home, and the next day I was told by others that Chin Chin did in fact die like that, and later that night I opened my laptop & went into the baby's image files from last January when I shot dozens & dozens of frames - I had Phil Collins "We wait & we Wonder" music playing & I remember crying as I got Chin Chin's images into Photoshop to edit for this post....I would look at his image on the monitor, shake my head & say "I'm sorry baby, I'm so sorry..."

I has tears in my eyes for the next 2 nights about this, and you have to remember this is a baby we bought Rice for, bought baby clothes for last December for Christmas gifts (the baby had nearly nothing, so we went to the Mercado & got clothes & hats (Bonita never had a hat for Chin Chin & just covered his little head with underware) and even bought some dresses for Bonita, and we found both of them in Church on Christmas Eve and I was so happy to give them their special package, etc.

Now I find myself angry, and who do I get angry with - and is it really any of my business anyway?
...I've seen Bonita in passing 2 days this week, but did not stop to talk to her; I'm not sure how I feel about speaking with her now - I've got to get more information on things before I can sort things out in my head where it concerns her, but I'm still (explitive deleted) ******* angry, and I'm just trying to deal with knowing a sweet child I looked forward to seeing, buying food for & photographing again this month has now died.

Rest in Peace Little One - I miss you now.
PJAMES

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/640s f/2.8 at 14.0mm iso200

Auntie Helen (LittleFish & Sandman's Mama) has always been so good & hospitable to me whenever I stop by, and has frequently invited us to dinner at their simple place, eating whatever the catch of the day there is.

They basically have absolutely nothing, and Fish prepared on a coco wood fire grill is eaten as-is, no seasonings or spices, and everyone's ok with that - although the Fish is very fresh (they're Fisherman right on the beach) it can be a bit bland if you don't spice it up.

This day I wanted to do something special for the Family, and went into the Mercado to buy ingredients for sweet & sour Fish, so the whole Family could enjoy what I think is the best local meal around.
...bought some wonderfull ginger root, garlic vinegar, baby tomatoes, sweet purple onion, Chilies & Calamansi, etc and later that day Mama Helen prepared a dish so tasty; there's no way even in a really good restaurant you coulod ever get s&s fish this fresh & tasty - I bought enough spices for them for multiple meals so they can prepare it later this week for all 8 in the Family - even the Rice tastes so good with this sauce; I can eat a ton of it this way.

Olympus E-1 ,Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/320s f/3.5 at 54.0mm iso200

...I'm trying to do it for them a few times a week now, and it's absolutely delicious; I make it a point to insist they don't do this "just for me", but make sure the entire Family enjoys it, especially when I'm not there.

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/500s f/2.8 at 14.0mm iso200

Yes, there's no furniture except for a bamboo seat & a simple table, so most of the Family has to eat sitting in the sand, but that's the way it's always been for them.

Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/500s f/3.5 at 54.0mm iso800

I've had a few days to edit a few dozen images, and do more shooting - even some sunrises & sunsets, as I've been getting up at 5am sometimes to turn on the laptop...open i-Tunes for some music (I'm currently listening to jazz hornist Chris Boti's latest CD - easy music in the background while I work in Photoshop)

Very unusual here are 2 deaths on the main paved road in town, in 2 days - one motorcycle crash last night about 100meters from the internet cafe, when a young man obvoiusly speeding from what I've heard, just plowed head-on into a concrete barrier Sunday in front of the basketball court and died instantly.

Late Saturday night/early Sunday morning on the small paved highway going up to Bantayan Town, a man was hit by either a car or truck at a street rave/disco where the kids just spill out onto the roadway, and I was just comming back from bringing a friend home from Bantayan at that exact same time.

I remember I had to slow down on the rodway as I approached the street party, and the kids would clear a lane for me at 3mph as I eased through, and there was even a full moon out that night, and it was a nice pleasant drive home for me.

I was told that within 90 seconds to 3 minutes later after I had passed through the party, the crash occured at that exact same spot, and I was stunned to hear it; both on the trip up to Bantayan & back, I did notice a few cars & some trucks, a few of which were really going fast for that small road, and I remember some of them had their hi-beams on which made it difficult for me to keep my gaze to the right & actually be able to see my roadway - it didn't spook me but I was concerned, and you have to really drive here defensively (even with the minimal Island traffic) even though it's nothing like the nightmare or trying to drive in the main Provinces.

The Typhoon blew through Manila last week & hammered it hard according to SAT TV, but here we just got some big winds & night rains, but within 2 days it had passed, and we're ok here - the beaches are strewn with dried seaweed though & could use a good clean-up.

Please pray for the crash victims & for those Typhoon & landslide victims, especially in Luzon Province.

Good Monday afternoon to you all, and thanks for reading today.

PJAMES
...

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/160s f/2.8 at 14.0mm iso400

Manila Philippines, Nov.21, 2006

DonnieBoy holding court at the coffee shop.
...had lunch with Donnie this day ((Donnie & his friend here sit & relax here for a bit) and he took me over to show me his new sleeping place a few feet away from where I shot this image - it's just a bedroll & a small pile of clothes in a corner of an alley way, and it does have some shelter overhead from a light rain, and he's happy with it for now.

Believe me, you would not want to sleep there.

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/80s f/3.3 at 40.0mm iso400

Right after I got Donnie his lunch, this beautiful little child appeared on the left side of our table, and didn't say a word.

I think she saw me buying Donnie his Rice, and was brave enough to come over for a closer look, but too shy to ask me for anything....and I just noticed that she was trying to hold out her hand so that I would see it, and when I turned to look at her she just hid her hand.

I didn't ask her anything - I told Donnie to get over to the counter & order her some Rice & soup for take out; I knew she would not sit & eat with us, and I'm pleased that she was able to have a good meal that day.

Very humbling, indeed.

Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES

ps: I've had a bit of a headcold and have been a little under-the-weather, but it'll pass in a few days, and I'll be editing more Manila & Cebu images later today, and hope to get to post them online tonight, by 8pm my time here in Philippines.

pps: Much love & Thanks to my dear friend Ginny from the accountancy firm for Sponsoring my internet this month - I'm using my internet time wisely to control costs, and I hope everyone reading is enjoying & learning from the images as much as I myself enjoy learning from them.