Topgainer Shoot

A few months back, I was given the opportunity to shoot for the 2010 catalogue of Topgainer, a local men's clothing company.  Here's your first look:

From Backpacker to Briefcase

I'm back! Sorry I haven't been able to blog the last couple of days.  I just recently started work again after a year and half of hiatus from the corporate world.

I'm now part of the country's top telecoms company.  And while I surely miss the family friendly atmosphere of working for a health and wellness corporation, it's starting to get really exciting now especially with all the new developments that we're about to come out with. So I do hope you forgive my absence for almost a month.

But upcoming post shall include: bobbing to Usher's music in his recent concert here in Manila, how Cebu Pacific sucks big time and how incredibly fantastic Inception is!

Looking Back: One Surreal Week

I'm feeling a bit sentimental. Hence posting some of the behind the scenes pick from our Kick-off. Unfortunately, I can only post a few and censored ones at that. Don't want my batchmates to go up and arms and haunt me down, which I am 100% sure they would do if I start uploading our umm oh-so-embarrassing-but-memorable-pics.

Right after the kick off. Suite 1427. Keeping the party going.

"Comfort" room. Die hards trying puff some air

After the day after. Everyone was pretty tired already...

But everyone was still suffering from some separation anxiety.

I will forever miss you guys!!!

Looking Back: 2009 National Sales Kick Off

Just got back from an overnight trip at Pampanga with some friends. So far I am loving February - nothing but adventures and vacations. Serious work will soon haunt us down but for now, we’re enjoying our last few days of surrealism.

On Sunday, the batch would be flying to Dumaguete for our much needed R&R. The yearly tradition of CMT graduates after every kick-off.

I mentioned the last time around that we were the organizing committee for this year’s Sales Convention, here are some snippets of the behind the scene preparation.

What: MAVP Shoot
Where: Abandoned Alabang Factory
Wear: Our Kick-Ass Adidas jackets




What: Teambuilding Simulation
Where: Le Pavillion, Café Adriatico
Wear: Athletic “gear”

What: Teambuilding Proper
Where: Le Pavillion

This is the event I co-championed with Kaka and of course our main man Carlo. Dear friend Jezer took care of all the production requirements. A lot of blood, sweat and thankfully no tears were shed during the preparation for this day. Definitely a fun fun time for the three of us. Something we all would be looking back at when we are assigned our permanent post.

Sigh I really need to sleep early tonight. I unwittingly agreed to go on this trekking trip. 4:45am call time?!?! Wishing I can back out now!

End of an Era

Definitely an exaggeration from major drama queen, but it does feel like the end. Anxiety creeps in all of a sudden. And you feel like it’s the last few days of high school all over again. There’s this exhilaration from finally completing an excruciatingly challenging program, yet at the same time it’s coupled with this gnawing pain from knowing that in just a few days it will all be over.

21 months. 21 months that have turned 15 (then 25) strangers from mere colleagues to something worthy of more than just a Multiply shout out (hmm hence the R&R to follow!!!). And in less than 12 days you guys will all go your separate ways. Fortunately or unfortunately, uncertainty keeps you from thinking about that in the meantime. For now, the high from last week’s adrenaline-pumping-zero-sleeping back to back events is still lingering in the air. And yes a whole day is STILL not enough to earn those lost shut eyes back!

Rock and Roll Christmas

Now this is my kind of party. Cool music from the 90s! Definitely my generation! From Nirvana to GnR - the band played some really rocked out tunes that made everyone jumped up and danced.

The theme was rock and roll but unfortunately I was unprepared for it hence i was dubbed as the band manager

Where: Rockpoint, San Pablo Laguna

When: December 15, 2008

It's Party Time...

Sigh... I finally found time to do some blogging. The whole week has been crazy. The craziness of which will probably echo throughout this week from the looks of it..

Nestle Christmas Part at Sofitel

Fantabulous time. A night filled with music and so much more. Everyone was glammed up as usual. Loving what Pones was wearing! Rocker Chick talaga!

The night ends at Cuisine with lucky Casino winner Nikki treating us for a round of drinks.

Just another random day at Work

I have failed my parents. 12 years of studying Chinese apparently gives me ZERO edge in the real world. I am sorry dear mom and dad.

I needed to send out a fax message to my workmate in China.

Ring Ring…

Chinese Mystery Man: “Wey”
Jakers: Fax tone please!
Chinese Mystery Man: “Wey?”
Jakers: F-a-x..T-o-n-e-?
Chinese Mystery Man: Gibberish Chinese Sounds
Jakers: Tway pu-chi, wo ting pu tong (I’m sorry, I don’t understand) - ahhh after 12 years the only phrase I can say with utter confidence.
Chinese Mystery Man: More Gibberish Chinese Sounds
Jakers: FAAAAXX TONE! FAXXX TONE! FAAAAAXX TOOONNNE!

Click.

Hmmm … And I wanted to live in Shanghai once upon a time. Oh-K! dream squashed!

Baguio Trip

I hate being stuck in a van for more than a few hours - so imagine the horrors i felt for being stuck there for 12 hours. CR-Break anyone?

As mentioned, last week I was at Baguio for work. On our way we had to stop at two public markets for some trade check. Not to be a prima donna or anything but I seriously abhor the smell of a market. I stayed away from the wet section because I was certain, as was happened in my last trade check, that I will get nauseated and vomit.

We had lunch at the famous pitstop along Tarlac, "Palaisdaan". I remember going there last year with friends. Someone had dared Finks to play one of the challenges. You get two pails of fishes for free if you were able to cross the plank of wood while carrying those two pails and at the same time being splashed all over by “rain”. She fell of course, too bad 'cause she was 3 quarters across already.

Yet another game you can play, Takshapo!

For the next three days we were shacked up at The Manor. Pretty swanky place. There was even a wedding on going the last day we were there. Hmm it’s raining wedding ceremonies I see. I suggest though that you get the deluxe room if you’re staying there. Superior rooms lack the cabin feel you want when you're in Camp John Hay. No terrace = no view (sad face!)

Sigh. I love Baguio weather! I reminds me of having Christmas all-around.

Monday Nights = Badminton Nights?!?

What could be more horrific for a sloth like me than to hear the words – "Mondays would officially be our Badminton night" from the boss. Que Horror! No sooner than those words were echoed that my mind started to think of various excuses I could come up with. Asthma. Sprained ankle. Brain damage. Oxygen deprivation.?!? Unfortunately none came out (was that fear i smell?) and I was forced to give out a yes.

And so with a heavy heart, last night I ventured into my first physical activity since – hmm…hmmm… it’s been so long that the memory has faded already. Surprisingly, after the activity, there were no aches and pains in the bone as I originally predicted. I must be made out of tougher stuff than I imagined.

of TVCs and Portable Toilets

Last Tuesday was pretty much the longest i've spent on official business. We were shooting for a new commercial and i had a 7am call time.(HORRORS!) As expected we ended more than 12 hours later, roughly around 11pm that night. So much for work life balance eh?! We were in the bondos of Antipolo (ok, maybe not!) but it seemed that way to me. Nonetheless, I must say... it was an exciting day all in all. I don't think i will ever look at undressed chicken in the same way again. "Everyone body wants Kung Fu fighting! Yeah!" (it will make sense, someday, trust me)

I've been on a set before, for the movie "One More Chance" (.5 sec of fame. baby!!!) so i had an inkling that setting up for a sequence shot takes forever. And if you're the client and not necessarily an active member of the crew doing the prod design, you pretty much wait around until the director screams "Action!" I never knew that so much detail goes through a commercial shoot. Imagine, even the colors of incedental props or backgrounds are scrutinized. Hand gestures, mannerism and what not become the core of heated discussions.

Since the brand/commercial concept is still being kept under wraps (i'll upload behind the scenes shot once the TVC is being aired) i just want to share the absolutely hilarious thing on the entire set. (shot is a bit blurry cause i took that when the sun is almost gone already :( )

Portable toilet - - but but look at the lower left portion - YES that's an aircon pare!

It pays to have big time actors in your set. Despite being miles away from the civilization, you get "centralized" airconditioning while doing numbers 1 & 2.

Week in Review

It's like coming home to a totally different world. Saturdays are now meant for BR activities with the gang such as having our nails done at nail spa, taking massages at urban spa, dinning at sumptuous Japanese restos - a far cry from the past five day's trucking experience *It will all be over soon - 3 more days and you "graduate" from this initiation.

April 15, 2008. After 5 or 6 sari sari store visits we chanced upon this medium sized sari-sari store. And being the over eager person that i am, i told my truck mates *yes, that's what I'm calling them now* that we should open this particular account. So walked up to the store, politely asked the owner if we could come in and proceed to enter, we did. Only... i would have never imagined that the main door would be anay-infested and apparently should not be touched much less be opened. I nudge it the first time and it wouldn't budge. Not wanting to piss off the owner by making her wait, tried my hardest to pull the door open. And then suddenly... Horrors! The entire door came crashing face down in front of me. Hmmm seriously thinking of raising my insurance coverage.