The DJ who's not a DeeJay

Toy photography has become a popular hobby among toy collectors. It's a way to show off your collection, and it's also a lot of fun. Taking photos of your toys can be a great way to enhance your joy as a collector.

Taking Photos of Toys For Fun

Toy photography has been around since the early days of film photography, with early enthusiasts using their toys to create scenes and stories. Today, toy photography has evolved into a popular art form, with enthusiasts using creative techniques to capture images of their toys.

Toy photography can be a fun and creative way to enhance your enjoyment of your toy collection. It can also be a great way to meet other like-minded people and share your passion for toys. 

In 2020, the pandemic forced most of us to stay home in lieu of lockdowns and avoid public places. The new norm forced a lot of daily dynamics to change, including clothes.

Fast forward to 2022. Most of my clothes have either been in boxes or on hangers for the longest time. And the clothes that are in heavy rotation are my home clothes. Some of them are getting worn out. But I just realized what I wore every day during the pandemic: my slippers.

And after over 3 years of using my slippers at home, even before the pandemic began, they finally gave out last month. My most comfy pair of slippers has made its last step.

It took me a while to find a replacement of the same brand or a similar design, but I finally found one. It’s not as soft as my old pair and it needs some training because the strap keeps on twisting. In time, it will know my steps as much as Google knows my location.

It is also comforting to know that my new pair of slippers can endure the toughest mountain trails, the steepest climbs, and the most extreme conditions. But the reality is that it won't leave home for its entire lifespan. So much for adventure. But I will wear you every day with love.

Walk onwards.

(Note: I actually bought thee pairs cause it was on sale.)

You run the risk of infecting others with a viral infection whether you have COVID or not. So, the best way to stop it from spreading is to isolate yourself.

Isolating in a bedroom for a few days is bearable if you have your bare necessities. For longer periods of isolation, you may find yourself wishing you had more things in your room. You're essentially making your bedroom into a smaller version of your living space, so for the upcoming few days, your room will serve as your primary residence.

In situations where you must immediately isolate yourself, it is best to identify a room in your home and arrange items there in advance so that you don't have to worry about them and can reduce contact with your family.

To minimize risks, you should have a one-way policy. Whatever goes inside the room stays inside the room. That’s why it’s essential that you have items readily available.

Based on my experience, here are some items you’ll find handy if you have them readily available.

1. Plates and utensils. - You don’t need your entire kitchen in your room, but having your own fork, spoon, and knife, plus a plate and cup will come in handy during your meals. 

2. Cleaning solutions. - You’ll need dishwashing soap and a sponge to wash your eating utensils.  If you have a bathroom, you'll also need it to keep your bathroom sanitized.

   
   
   

3. Hygienic materials. - Have a bottle of alcohol and some anti-bacterial wipes on hand.  Sprays would also be handy in disinfecting your general area. You’ll also need a supply of masks for those instances when you need to open your door to receive something. And keep several boxes of tissue in the room. These are heavily used items when sick and you'll need more of them so stock up.

4. Medical gadgets and health boosters. - Have a thermometer to check your temperature, a blood pressure monitor to check your blood pressure and pulse, and an oximeter to measure your blood oxygen levels and heart rate. For health supplements, keep a bottle of vitamins and other immune boosters handy.

   
   
   

5. Clothes. - You’ll be alone, but you’ll still need to change clothes, especially since your general area may be contaminated with germs from your infection. Prepare luggage in advance with clothes. Pack as if you’re going on a vacation because you’ll be checked into your own room for a while.

6. Cooking gadgets. - This may be optional, but it does come in handy, especially if you want a hot meal or hot drink. Having a kettle allows you to make tea or sterilize your utensils. If you have a small toaster, you can use it to toast bread or heat up food. If you have space (and an extra budget), you can also have a microwave to heat up leftover food for a hot meal.

7. Extra food. - Snacking foods like crackers or tea bags is easy to store and has a longer shelf life. They come in handy when you find yourself inside a room feeling hungry. If you have a mini-refrigerator, that could also be handy but it’s not a necessity.

8. Trashcan. - Not all rooms have a trashcan by default so better to have one handy. This also includes trash bags and possibly gloves in case you need to manage and compact your trash. 

9. Writing materials. - Have a notebook and pen ready to log your vital stats. I found it useful in writing down the dates and times I should be taking my medicine. When you’re sick, you’ll have more than the usual number of tablets to take and it may be confusing. 

10. A webcam. - This helps your family monitor you remotely for any reason at all. Some webcams, like ours, have a two-way speaker, which allows you to talk and converse. It also gives your family peace of mind when they see you’re doing ok.

Other things can help you cope with isolation, but you can prepare these beforehand so you won't have to worry about it and can focus on getting well.

I hope this helps. 

Take care.

One of the types of videos I like watching on YouTube is those of travel bloggers. Even before the pandemic, I would watch to see places I haven't visited or discover their experience in a place I may have visited in the past. Traveling also requires time, money, and effort. So these travel vloggers sharing their experiences are a great way to enjoy these destinations from the comfort of your own home.

There are a ton of travel vloggers and the types I like are the ones that don't treat their adventure like they're part of an "Amazing Race." The relaxed type of sharing is what I prefer. After all, I watch to relax and enjoy, not get stressed. Here are five travel vloggers I regularly watch and follow. 

Since the start of the pandemic, chances are that testing positive for COVID is probably among the top fears on anybody's list. My family and I have actively made efforts to protect ourselves from the virus and take strict measures to ensure our health and safety.

Adhering to health guidelines, knowing how to safeguard yourself, and monitoring developments are things we've done to minimize any risks. There are just so many uncontrollable factors and situations that make the possibility of getting infected high.

When you get it, a sense of panic will immediately sink in. As for me, I felt like a thousand thoughts and emotions rushed into my mind the moment I discovered I tested positive for COVID. 

When you've accepted the fact and regained logic, your strategy suddenly shifts from defensive to offensive. Defending yourself from catching the virus ends when you're infected and you shift to offensive to combat the virus. It's not like other illnesses where you take your meds, rest, and wait till you get better. COVID attacks your body from different aspects and you'll find yourself battling coughs, colds, sore throat, and fever at the minimum while taking the right combination of medicines and constantly monitoring your body for any irregularities.

I'm on Day 5 of self-isolation and Day 3 since I tested positive for COVID.  I am past the initial shock of discovering I tested positive and actively thinking of everything I can do to help myself recover. I was also shocked when I learned that our son also tested positive one day after me. I have to be emotionally strong so I can support my son and though I've only been infected one day ahead, I can use that experience to provide insight, guide him, and still help even while isolated and recovering.

But for now, I need to rest my body and let it heal.

More on my experiences in the next blog post.

Reflection:

Handling COVID is no walk in the park. Reflection and prayer help to clear your mind of negative thoughts and focus on a positive outlook. What is assuring is that even though I am in isolation, I am not alone.

Even in isolation, I know You are with me. Please give us the power to heal and cast away our uncertainties as we face this infection. 

March had more days than February but it still felt short. It's probably the feeling when many things are happening in life. In my planner, I've basically split my daily list into two, offline and online tasks.

The offline tasks are pretty much standard and deal with house chores like doing laundry, folding clothes, throwing the trash, sweeping the lawn, and trimming the trees. Other offline tasks include helping out my mother-in-law. 

As for online tasks, most of it is managing utilities and online accounts. One thing I miss though is receiving more emails. It somehow provides an easier sense of what you need to know or do in one consolidated.

So in no particular order, here are some things that happened during the month:

1. I discovered that the nearby park regularly sells fruits and veggies twice a week. I get to buy apples, oranges, pomelo, bananas, melon, watermelons, lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber. Now it's more convenient to buy healthy food. 

2.  I revived a 12-year-old desktop that belonged to Aileen. This was a challenge I was excited about as it's been a while since I've been able to tinker with computers. Unearthing decade old apps also felt like bringing back a time machine. I was successfully able to upgrade this desktop from Windows 7 to 10. 

3. I gave an online training workshop on social media for Peace Corps Philippines. The last time I conducted training was around 5 months ago and it was just for one hour. This time, I had to prepare a workshop that would last for 8 hours spanning three days. It challenged my skills both in social media and presenting. I'm happy to say that I got good feedback from the participants and glad to know the tips and takeaways were handy for them. 

4. My toy photography-themed Instagram account has taken off to a very good start. It's also a great testing ground for me to try out the social media strategies I learned. Check it out at https://instagram.com/transformersAD

5. I won a few freebies just by posting on Instagram. One was a voucher for Philippine Presko coffee, and the other was for a Korean kimchi sauce called bibimbud.  Nice to have these unexpected surprises pop up.

Even if I've been professionally using social media and providing content, strategy, analytics, and management, I'm back to studying online, striving to learn more about everything on social media.

So that's March. Warmed up and ready to sprint.

To sum it up: it was short!

Technically. all Februaries are shorter, even during a leap year. But I guess I felt that with a lot going on, I wished there were a few more extra days to February so I wouldn't feel I needed more time.

First off was that I was able to secure some legal documents like a certificate for a new residence. Changing addresses though also requires updating a lot of info associated with your address so I'm doing that little by little.

I also terminated our cable TV subscription. We heavily use YouTube and Netflix, plus we're also subscribed to other streaming services like HBO, Hulu, and TFC (The Filipino Channel). The only thing I think I'm gonna miss on Cable TV is the aquarium channel.

I've also been assembling different furniture and storage items. Assembling a desktop computer from scratch excites me. I don't have the same enthusiasm for furniture, especially if the instructions are in Chinese. The peak of my excitement is when I'm done assembling it. I'm proud to have assembled two metal racks, a rotating bookshelf, two bedside tables, and a few small tables. Did I mention that I have a backlog of more things to assemble? 

Workwise, I'm happy that I will have the opportunity to teach an organization the ins and outs of social media. I'm excited to share the years of experience I've gained and I sincerely want to help them by being an effective instructor. I also realized I haven't been using Zoom in a while and I'll need to practice hosting along with switching windows, slides, and engaging. 

Healthwise, I'm more actively and aggressively monitoring my food intake. Taking in less sugar, avoiding non-healthy foods, and doing household chores as my exercise. I hope to get healthier each day.

And finally, I got to visit mom. As February's pandemic cases decreased, it gave me a chance to visit mom at the cemetery. Unfortunately, it was raining while I was there and it took me 10 minutes to look for mom's tombstone. I actually thought mom was hiding from me for not having visited her for over two years. I was so happy to finally find mom and we have a long moment. I had a lot to say. 

The first few days of 2022 mainly set the mood for the rest of the month and it wasn't as I and many others expected. People who tested positive for COVID-19 skyrocketed to the thousands daily in the Philippines. It was apparent when it also appeared on my social media timelines of friends and acquaintances sharing their unfortunate health status and hoping to recover. It makes the scare personal given people you know are a part of the growing number of cases.

The dynamics of serving quarantine in a hotel are completely different experiences from staying in a hotel for a vacation. From spending our first few days in quarantine, my wife and I prepared a few things we thought would make our quarantine stay more comfortable. One thing I learned that may be useful when the country you are transiting to requires a mandatory stay at a hotel for a few days is bearing this in mind:

Caution: Vanity post. (I have one every few years)

During the first few months of the pandemic, most of the world was in a state of lockdown or some sort of directive to stay home. On my social media feeds, I saw friends either cutting their own hair or having someone cut their hair in hopes that it could possibly resemble a decent haircut. Some have succeeded. More have failed and are just relieved they don't need to go out and be seen.

I, on the other hand, took this opportunity to grow my hair long... a.k.a. pandemic hair.

The last time I sported long hair was way back in college. I only had a few photos as proof, and I can't quite remember how I looked. I do remember making the mistake of going to a beauty salon for a hair relaxing treatment (cause I had wavy hair.)

This time around, I had different reasons for letting my hair grow for the past one and a half years, and I wanted to share why.

1. To see how wavy my hair really is. My hair was straight when I was a kid and started becoming wavy when I turned 9 years old. Every time my hair grew an inch or two longer, it would go haywire. One of the ways to prevent my hair grow in different directions was to maintain short hair. So what did I recently discover? I discovered that my hair would curl naturally when long. 

2. Reminds me of my mom. I probably inherited my mom's wavy hair. Having wavy hair reminds me of how mom would always say I also had curly locks, and it runs in the family.

3. Staying at home. Staying at home and working from home meant that I didn't have to meet people in person. Meetings were virtual, and I could easily tie my hair to hide it and make it neat. This also meant that getting a haircut last year was close to impossible, which was totally fine with me.

4. Trying out different hairstyles. There aren't that many you could try out when your hair is short. So far I got to try the ponytail, the full-bodied teased up hairdo (which actually is my fancy term for the look when I just woke up) and spiked hair (with a ton of supergel.) Spikes don't work on curly hair and any possible pointed hair strands turn into a doodle (or scribble) like form after a few minutes. 

5. Thinning hair. When your hair is getting thinner, you'd want enough hair, hopefully to compensate for the balding areas. Having long wavy hair helps in covering thinning spots and gives the illusion that I still have a decent amount of hair... but not for long. 

6. Last chance. You can't grow long hair if you don't have any hair, to begin with. And looking back at the last decade, my thinning hair is not going to grow as much as hair as it used to.  

7. Pandemic. I had an ideal plan to get a haircut when the pandemic ends. But we all now know that the virus is here to stay for the long run. So scratch that plan.

Overall, it was both fun and challenging for my scalp to support more than it's used to.

To all who's visited my previous blog posts despite not having updated for a few months, thank you, especially to those from Indonesia which my blog had a surge of visitors from last September.

I'm on my last week being a content creator for an employer. I'll soon be shifting my content creation efforts back to my blog and other online platforms. 

Opening doors soon leading to new realms.

Looking forward to reconnecting with everyone here and on social media.

It's been a while since I've written about Original Pilipino Music (OPM). Even if I haven't been in direct contact with the Philippine music industry in the last decade, I've been following OPM hits and listen to Filipino songs whenever I can.

That's why it was a joy to learn that my good friend Adjeng Buenaventura is releasing her first solo single. I fondly remember Adjeng as part of the bands Sipol and Wink, which I still listen to till today thanks to Spotify. I clearly remember Adjeng having a soothing and distinct clarity in her voice which didn't need to hit the highest of notes (birit) to demonstrate power. It's definitely welcoming to know she's back in the music scene.

Listening to Adjeng's single "O Sige Lang" for the first time gave me the vibe of an 80's feel-good pop song. The upbeat tempo and catchy chorus strike you immediately before you realize that it's a song with a hopeful outlook on love expressed in the form of a dance. 

What's noticeable is that the lyrics are purely in Tagalog. It's not common to hear lyrics like "nasasabik sa udyok ng ating galaw at tiyempo" and "nais ko sana ang tanging kasayaw mo" but the poetic lines fit the melody.     

Follow Adjeng on her official Facebook page for updates.

Have you ever had the feeling that you want to help someone so much but can't? Not because you don't want to, but because you don't have the capacity to do so. These are my sentiments and maybe yours too when your capabilities aren't the right ones to help the ones you love. 

But if I had these powers, I only have one answer for my beloved wife. 

If I could walk those steps so you won't need to break, I would.
If I could digest what you can't eat so you can taste, I would.
If I could shed your tears so you won't need to weep, I would.
If I could offer my arm so your veins won't bruise, I would. 

If I could share your pain so you'll feel less of it, I would.
If I could free you from your sadness and anxiety, I would.
If I could do all this for you in an instant, I would.

I would simply because I would do anything for you. I would.

 

The entire 2020 is now a memory that will not be forgotten both historically and personally. The year predominantly placed the pandemic in the spotlight and made other news revolve around that. As everyone was forced to a lifestyle adjustment, we each had our own way of adapting to the new normal.

I have my own set of small achievements, memorable moments, and new things I tried for 2020. This is not a list of ground-breaking achievements or goals reached. It's just ten things I want to remember my involvement and efforts for 2020. In no particular order...

1. Work from home (for months).

The last time I worked from home was over a decade ago when I was a freelance digital consultant for social media and web. The dynamics of working at home then and now were a whole lot different. First off, working from home a decade ago didn't prohibit you from working at a cafe, or going out. It just meant that I wasn't working in an office environment. The big difference here was working from home while incorporating a corporate structure into the workflow. That meant getting used to virtual meetings, accessing everything from the cloud, executing entire projects online, and focusing on work despite the more convenient and cozier environment. What can I say? I survived.

2. Reached Level 8 on Local Guides. 

In February 2020, I finally reached Level 8 on Local Guides. A level 8 status on Local Guides means you've earned at least 15,000 points by contributing to Google Maps. It was a long way to Level 8 but I made it. The next level is making a heroic impact to get to Level 9 with the added challenge of travel restrictions. The journey continues.

3. Took toy photography to a new level.

Since I was staying at home, I took the opportunity to enhance my toy photography skills. I took hundreds of photos using tripods, lightboxes, lens add-ons, light sources, and camera tricks to come up with toy photo. I made up for my lack of drawing skills by using different apps to transform my photos into toy art. I printed my favorite works to resemble trading cards. Want to see more? I post on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/transformersad.

4. Wore shorts (with a coat and tie) to work.

I wanted to dress up for my birthday which fell on a work day. So what did I do? I wore a coat and tie to work. Work just happened to be from home so my outfit led to a mixture of the two. Hence, this attire.

5. Started a new educational social media project.

Learn a Tagalog word every hour and its English translation.

If I didn't already have enough social media accounts, I created another one. After some research on the theme, content, scripts, and automation, I created the twitter account @anongsalita, which is a Tagalog phrase for "what word." Inspired by the Twitter account @everyword that tweeted every word in the English language, @anongsalita tweets a Tagalog word alphabetically every hour. I've enhanced the tweets since it started in January. It now includes an English translation and randomly displays photos of the word or a visual representation of the word. It became educational for me when there were words that even I didn't know what it meant. Since there are over 20,000 Tagalog words in the dictionary, this will take quite a while. What's the word of the hour? Check it out at https://twitter.com/anongsalita 

6. Went on intermittent fasting for half of the year.

Staying at home slightly took a toll on my weight. Not being able to go out and exercise didn't help either. So I did some research and decided to try intermittent fasting, which in the simplest sense means to fast for 16 hours and eat within an 8 hour period. For me, the biggest change meant not having breakfast. How did I do? Here's a glimpse of how it started (I Didn't Eat For 800 Hours And Survived.) I took a holiday break which started two weeks earlier to care for Aileen but I'll resume as soon as the extended holiday season is over.

7.  Google map contributions reached over 38 million views.

In January 2020, my combined photo contributions to Google maps reached over 20 million views. Just before 2020 ended, my photos got an additional 13.9 million views. Overall, all my contributions to Google maps reached over 38 million views. I was hoping it would reach 40 million by the stroke of midnight on New Years Day but even if it didn't reach that milestone, I'm equally as overwhelmed with the number of views. Thanks to my Local Guides summit batchmates for the continuous inspiration to help and reach out to the public through the wonderful service Google maps provides. 

8. Learned how to perform a song live through livelooping and record it.

I had the gear. I had the equipment. I had the musical skill. I just needed to figure out how to put them all together in a nicely wrapped video. I had several tests and practice sessions and chose the best setup and strategy to pull everything off live on my own. Livelooping is basically a music technique where one person plays one instrument/music track at a time and when the melody loops, adds another instrument and more until a full beat and melody is achieved good enough to pass for a live performance. I did run into several technical challenges like using up all the space on my laptop but in the end, I'm pleased.

 

9. Attained new gaming victories and leadership.

I was way behind my gameplay status in Final Fantasy XV (A New Empire) at the start of the year. I've been playing this game since 2017, and met good virtual friends along the way. They even supported me when I had my knee surgery. I stayed because I consider them my onling gaming family. Since I missed the gameplay, I rebooted and created a new account, and founded a new guild called "Kobra Cai" (inspired from the Netflix series "Cobra Kai" and yes, the spelling was intentional.) As the new guild was slowly growing, a sudden turn of events from my old gaming family suddenly appointed me as the new leader. So now, I lead two guilds. I didn't see that coming. 

10. Sported long (uncontrollable) wavy hair.

This is the neatest it is before it goes haywire.

It was the perfect time to grow my wavy hair way longer than my usual. With the lockdown/quarantine months in play and most people were cutting their own hair or leaving the fate of their looks to someone else, I surely knew I wasn't gonna go down that route. My son had a headstart by growing his hair late last year, and I figured that this may be the last time I would be able to grow my hair long while I still have hair to grow. After nine months of letting my hair run wild, it did just that. My mom would totally understand the unruliness of my locks defying gravity as hers did too. You should've seen this mom. 

Overall, 2020 has been a standout year for different reasons. I also learned some hygenic and health skills such as wearing masks for extended periods of time, consciously distancing myself from someone who forgets how long one meter away from me is, and to pinpoint the exact location of a cough and head away from that direction immediately. 

2021 is here and I'm ready to face a new set of tasks, skills, and challenges. Let's make this year stand out for the right reasons.

Happy New Year!  

The last time I've been asked to be a brand ambassador or endorser for a product was many years ago. I totally understand because I haven't been actively blogging. I did receive some a couple of paid Instagram assignments in the last few years but turned them down. Most of them were about fashion and lifestyle, and after looking at the product, it's something I felt that I couldn't endorse or represent because it just didn't fit my personality.

So I was surprised when I received an e-mail inviting me to become an Instagram brand ambassador for a watch. I was flattered of course, but after I set that quick fuzzy feeling in, it was time to investigate.

<Decided not to respond to this e-mail>

I didn't respond immediately. I spent the day working on my hobbies since I had the day off. In the evening, I returned to the e-mail and was going to respond saying thanks for them visiting my Instagram account and considering me but would politely decline their offer.

I remember blogging about a scam involving free hotel accommodations way back in 2007 which gained over 200 comments from others who received the same offer.

I did find the e-mail suspicious, especially the part asking me to pay for shipping for something I didn't ask for in the beginning.

So I searched the net for similar invitations and found a bunch of results from other victims receiving a similar e-mail. The e-mail structure is pretty much the same with the sender's name varying in certain e-mails. Some people continued their investigation checking if the person works for that company. Not only were those names not associated with the company, but even their title seems nonexistent.

It's not worth mentioning the company as I prefer not to give them more publicity even if it's a negative one. You can just refer to the image.

If there's anything good I got out of this is that it was flattering to think of the offer to become a brand ambassador for anything, but this "time," it's time to decline and move on.

That's it. Time's up!

Do follow me on Instagram at jaydjnet.

A few weeks before the virtual Pokemon Go Fest, I noticed that on August 4, 2020, I would have been playing Pokemon Go for exactly four years. I've played games for a year or two before losing interest but then the way the game has evolved has made it interesting for me and thousands of others to continue playing.