Going Home...

It's really nice knowing that I'll be starting a very good post at the very early first day of the month. This is starting the month not only right but perfect. Full of excitement, overflowing happiness and unexplainable feeling of being swayed in the air...

Yesssss!!! This is it! At last, after months of waiting, I'm finally going home, TODAY!!! Probably if you can hear the shouts in my heart in this blog, you wished you were wearing earplugs. And if you can only see my heart jumping around too, you might get a pain in the neck or probably get dizzy now by watching it.

To those people whom I can't meet, I guess you'll be missing me here in days. I've got to be where I should be. I'll be back as soon as I can and probably by the time you'll see my next post, that would be written at home.

Wish me luck guys, the flight's gonna take a while! I'll see you soon!!!

Oh lastly, thank you dear Lord for answering my prayers!!!

Remembering Oktoberfest...

I'm actually catching up to write about this before this month ends. Aside from getting ready to go home, there's a lot of stuffs to be busy with... So, this might be the last post of the month before i fly and the next posts would be written back home.

When this month started, the thoughts of Oktoberfest back home just wouldn't escape my mind. Probably, I miss the all-out fun that I had with my band and many other bands who joined every event. I could say that was a start of meeting new people, individuals who I never expected to meet and befriend. That was fun...

I could still remember the first time we joined it, during the kick-off, we were the first band to perform and then the preceding events, when we were already recognized, we then were placed at primetime. Yeah, Oktoberfest was one of the few who helped our name be established in the metro, courtesy of SMB!

From that time on, after every performance was satisfying and fulfilling to my soul. Being able to make a crowd happy and wild was just incomparable. But then after three consecutive years of being part of it, our time has to end. We all know, that life's a wheel... "Change" has been always permanent. Now, I'm here sitting on my bed or perhaps playing in a fancy bar when suppose to be I'm rockin' outside. But who knows?!? The wheel will always keep on turning....

Even though I'm not a part of it anymore presently, I hope that by reading this post you can also put yourself in that situation back when you were once electrified by the Electrifying Livewyre...

Cold Season...

They say when it starts to "fog inside the glass around your summer heart" then its autumn. Loneliness! As to what I'd describe to that quoted phrase. And as the cold season starts, there's the feeling of emptiness, incompleteness and sadness of being far from home. At the same time the feeling of restlessness of waiting to go back home.

That "fog" is covering my happiness making it ambiguous to see the light outside. I can't stand for too much cold anymore, I've had couple enough of that. Now, autumn has caught me again but I know I'll be home before the winter comes so might as well start wiping out the moisture that the fog left inside the glass around my heart.

I'll be home really soon...

Friendster...

The blog site is done, then there's Multiply... So, I guess you'd know what comes next. Yeah, the title says it. Visit my site:

http://profiles.friendster.com/richardonline

Feel free to add me up.

Thanks!

Multiply...

Hi Guys!

I just made my own account in this site. Had a hard time editing it though but I hope you will enjoy browsing it. If you're lucky to be a member, you're free to add me up and leave some comments: http://richard1278.multiply.com or click the title of this post.

for it was said, "Go out and multiply!" Haha! Am i suppose to say this?!?

Couple New Gadgets...

Call me a gadget freak, I won't argue... That's just me!

And these would be the addition to my collections:

First off, the Canon IXY Digital 90 digital camera. It features 7.1 megapixels(I won't be needing a higher one at the moment), a large 3" lcd which I'm very impressed and Canon's new technology, the Digic III. Furthermore, I'm satisfied with its features and performance. Taking pictures is a new hobby so when I get to master things in time, might as well grab an SLR.

You can check some of my sample pics at: http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/free/gallery.asp?memberID=252164

Next on the line is the AKG K 234 P Chrome High Performance Earphones. Full Spectrum sound, deep bass, crispy highs, clear mids and detailed instrument sounds. It's isolated so you'll get a high level of acoustic attenuation of ambient noise. Well, I'd say it all sums up to CLARITY!

Time for a boozer...

Logitech G7 Laser Cordless Mouse...

A new member of my workstation with the G-Zone Gaming Mouse Pad...

Optical Illusion in My Blog...

I just discovered it today. I was running through some posts, perhaps 2 or 3. Afterwhich, for no reason at all, I looked away from my monitor and saw these white lines on a dark area of the wall. Seems like venetian blinds but i know this is what they call an optical illusion (check Wikipedia about this to learn more).

You can try this one... Just try reading maybe a couple of my posts continuously and when you're done, try looking away from your monitor and aim your sight-I'd prefer on a dark space around you. Then you'll see what I'm talking about. Perhaps tell me if you'll see an eye behind it peeping and looking at you. Haha!

Interesting?! Simple, I'll say it again... my blog has a LIFE!!!

Bittersweet...

No, this isn't Kanye West's (ft. John Mayer) new song but the chorus somehow relates to me and to all other dark black chocolate lovers.

Yes, I'm talking about a literal bittersweet chocolate. It's the LOTTE DREAM CACAO (Cacao Polyphenol Chocolate). 56%, 72% and 86% of cacao filled chocolates are on the line. Here's the thing, you won't want it but you'll need it, you hate it but you'll love it at the very same time... Bittersweet!

Oh, there's the 99% cacao filled and I call it "BitterS*!t"! Want some?

Removing Labels...

This may be an unintuitive move but for me it compliments to fairness. In my own opinion, removing the labels from my blog sets out a freedom on every posts. You see, if I'd say, ahmm.. I'd post something about sex. I can categorize it under health or perhaps in life or personal or adults section or something else. In this case, the topic itself becomes irrational to other labels present in my blog. Creates the feeling of being unfair. Some labels may complain of why they have lesser posts than the others... This way posts are loose and free! Now, they can breathe!

Sounds stupid? Well, my blog has a LIFE!!!

Peace!

Rockbox for MP3 Players

I've found this interesting utility for my iPod Video and want to share it with you. It's called Rockbox...

I can say that this really is a nice firmware replacing your players'. Themes and lay-outs are better, like the EQ's... Many people are complaining about the EQ settings of the iPod 'cause it isn't user frequency configurable, it has only its preset settings. We'll, installing Rockbox satisfied me in that and many more aspects... Also, it has a bass, treble and many more sound settings. Load of games, extras, also there are themes, icons, fonts and whatever else that you can download from their site. And it offers more capabilities that i haven't mentioned and haven't tried yet. Check those for yourself.

Currently, I'm using the Black Glass theme with a Windows Media Player 11 theme on the "Now Playing" screen. All I've yet to do is purchase a new pair of nice earphones...

Here's their site, www.rockbox.org and the screenshots above are just a few of the themes that I randomly use.

Missing An All-Out Performance

I've been here in Seoul for a year and 8 months now. Somehow it's hard to think that sometimes boredom visits you at work time. Performing in a fancy bar where almost all guys you see wear suits and girls wear these long dresses and got nothing to do... eat a li'l , drink a li'l and talk and talk and talk.... And applauds when they wanted to or when when they pay attention to you.

Don't mind the songs that we play and don't even try to ask about it, it just gives me more antagonizing thoughts. Those mind-numbing experiences onstage, wasted yawns in every single song, looking up on the ceiling with an empty mind...

Those things make me reminisce the things i can do onstage back home... I call it an "all-out performance", I miss it! I miss those plays, those ways and those days. The SMB events, the out-of-town shows and the Sinulog concerts where we used to play 3-4 venues a night for that week. Those, to name a few...

Those were the times where I can get to play all out, breaking keys of 4 Roland RD-600's, jumping, screaming, keyboards just fell off to my feet, bringing a couple bottles of Red Horse onstage and playing drunk!... Delightful in the eyes are people waving their hands up in the air to the beat of the songs, dancing, jumping and screaming the night away. Then suddenly you'll see things thrown in the air like bottled waters, liquor cans and after a while punches!!! Whew!!! Those were lots of fun!

How I just wish we could do it all again... Never a dull and boring moment...

Pavarotti Succumbs at 71...

He died of pancreatic cancer on September 6, 2007. A successful, most famous tenor opera singer of my time. Won various awards, made lots of charity concerts, specially "Pavarotti and Friends", and a Guinness World Record holder. Also made lots of records and soundtracks for movies.

Great achievements!

As a musician myself, allow me to give a heartfelt gratitude to a man who in the first place, bridged the gap between opera/classical music to pop songs, raised funds for the United Nations for various causes, hitting nine "C's" and believed that voice never grows old with age.

Lastly, I consider him a trademark to opera/classical music...

So long, Maestro!

A Cute, Wishful Song...

SHOOTING STAR
Music & Lyrics: Richard Lim

I gazed at the sky tonight
I'm waiting for a star in flight
I know there'll be another
Shooting star

City lights seem to cover you
But I know you'll shine in my view
Even though you'll be that far
Shooting star

I know tonight you'll make my dreams come true
And all the other hearts that's torn in two
We'll wish on wherever you are
Shooting Star

It's past midnight, I'm still waiting for you
I don't know, I Don't have a clue
I'd still wish on wherever you are
Shooting star

I gazed at the sky tonight
Hoping tomorrow there'll be a star in flight...

*Written last April 09, 2007, 05:30
Personally recorded at Rm. 2316, Maxwell House, Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel, Seoul, South Korea

Weight Alert...

Oh my, I can't believe this! Okay, let's rewind like two years back...

- weighing scale reads 135lbs., I was a little underweight though, 5lbs. i guess.

Then fast forward now - to present...

- just today, scale reads 69.90Kg., that's 153lbs. Again, it's 153lbs.! And yes, 5 and 3 in the right order.

It's so surprising. In the first place, I was expecting for a 140-145lbs. scale or probably aiming for just only that. But this is- I call it an alert. An alert conjunctive to the awareness of danger. Yes, you guess it right. A danger-related-health. Imagining that in the past i was thinking that this kind of thing is likely impossible to happen but then it's happening- it happened! So there's this chance that if i won't do anything, i can get more pounds, same gain i got from 2 years back- to now.

It's just so interesting that at these times, "Mr. Hunger" visits me once every 2-3 hours. So, how in the world can I do away with food when my tummy's in the state of hunger pains? Or is it just the season?

Well, I guess I'll have to run 20 more minutes on the treadmill and add 20 more counts plus 5 more repetitions on sit-ups and leg raises. Whew! I hope I can do this (when a ham and egg sandwich is in my mind right now)...

Dream Come True

Months and months I've long waited... Patience and hard work pays I know...

Finally, a dream really came true! It's my PC/Workstation for a Home Studio, Entertainment/Media Center and Gaming in one.

An unexplainable feeling! That at first you thought you really can't have it, you'll say it's impossible but with all your hard work then BAM! It's there, right in your very own hands. You're using it now, typing with it and writing the blog with it at this very moment.

Don't stop dreaming for behind every success was that will to dream of aiming that success...

The system specs:
AMD 64 X2 6000+
Asus Crosshair Motherboard
2x Nvidia Geforce 8800GTS SLI mode
2x 1GB OCZ Nvidia SLI Memory Module PC2 7200 800MHZ
Creative Audigy2 ZS Platinum Pro
Seagate Barracuda 320Gb S-ATA Ready
LG DVD-Super Multi Lightscribe S-ATA Ready
Logitech Quickcam IM
Logitech Rumblepad 2
Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard
Logitech Premium Headset
Zalman CNPS9700NT CPU Cooler
Thermaltake 700 Watts Nvidia SLI Ready PSU
TGIC 19" Widescreen LCD
Icecube Innovation Acrylic Casing
Logitech Z-5300 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker System
1 Pair E-MU PM5 Precision Nearfield Monitors
Behringer UB502 and Xynex 802 Mixers
MXL 770 Microphone for Studio Recording
Shure SM-58 Microphone
AKG K271 and K66 Headpdhones
Shure Mic Pop Filter
HP Pavilion DV1000 Notebook

Richard...

The Keyboard Player- Nah! I don't know much on what they call theory. I play by experience and knowledge that I get everywhere. I still get nervous though but its normal I think. If I'm on my playground, show me justice and I'll show you what's your worth...

The Band Leader- Not again! You know, I'll put the thought of "acing" a little on the hard side. Members look up to you, minding every word you say, every little thing you do... My apologies, I'm not perfect at all but I'm still sane. Consider this, tiny mistakes' a big deal but every good thing seems nothing at all...

The Songwriter- I'm sentimental, straight but I'm on my best when I'm on my worst weakest side...

The Eldest Brother- It's hard pretending to be a one-of-a-kind and a good example(not perfect again!). But if you know what's right and considering consequences then you're not really far off from showing your younger siblings that you're on the right track. Then, they'll consider you one of their role models. Believe me... Thanks to my parents though...

The Father- I still may have so much to prove and probably so many things to cope up. I may have worked very hard even far away from her but i know my presence is also her one great wish. But i know, I still have lots of time...

The Husband- My being a father would never be complete if I can't consider myself a husband. A role which I consider great and challenging parallel to being a father. There's more to cope up with though. Even though I'm far from her, it's her strong and undying love that keeps me going. And in this state, the longing is the lustfully sweetest part! I love you Langga...

The Friend- Mysterious!!!...

Belated Happy Birthday Baby Rain!

This is my first post. Typically, maybe most bloggers found it easy making their first, like they have already this certain topic in mind to start with. In my case, not really the opposite though but I'm having a difficult time on trying to figure out what topic to start. Actually, it's not that i don't have any topic to start with, its just that there are so many things stuffed in my mind now... things that I'd like to write for a start.

So, perhaps i was thinking "first-times" should somehow be a li'l extraordinary.

Extraordinary!!!... Nothing just comes out of my mind but My Special Little Angel!...
My Baby RAIN!!!

Unfortunately, it's been a while that I'm far from where she's at now. I miss her more than ever as much as i miss her mommy. I could still remember the last time I held her in my arms, she was still 4 months old. Now, she's grown and just turned 2 the other day.

Belated Happy 2nd Birthday Baby Rain!!!
Mom and Dad loves you!

Don't worry, daddy will be home really soon... I MISS YOU!