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EDITORIAL CHRISTMAS DAY 2008
Merry Christmas to you and yours! Thanks for stopping by my web site and for reading this blog. I apologize if I missed sending you a Christmas card. With all my busy-ness, it would have been quite a feat to pick cards, write on it, address and seal the envelopes, stamp and then take it to the Post Office. Besides, what is the Internet for? I figured I'd use its maximum potential! What it may lack as far as personal touch, I hope to make it up by giving you plenty more than would fill a card, that is if you have time to really spare with all my musings. In a way, this eChristmas card took a year in the making! ~ It is Christmas day, 2008. I awoke much earlier than my girls despite getting home around 3AM after spending Christmas Eve (Noche Buena) family gathering at my sister Marily's house. My sons Michael and Russell where also there when I arrived. I got there much later in the evening because I was shooting for about 5 hours videos/stills at the Livermore Hindu Temple, the second invite to shoot the Ayyappa Mandala Puja. Perhaps Lord Ayyappa would give me the blessings and grant me fulfillment of my personal desires and wishes for the hard work. If you are curious, check out five (5) videos I have posted on YouTube of a work-in-progress project: Livermore California Ayyappa Mandala Puja - Part 1 Livermore California Ayyappa Mandala Puja - Part 2 Ayyappa Mandala Puja in Livermore California - Part 3 Ayyappa Mandala Puja Thalapolli in Livermore California- Part 4 Livermore California Ayyappa Mandala Puja - Part 8
~ Earlier, I spent time taking care of IT business prior to Christmas at Formfactor. Photos from our IT lunch party was made into a Picasa 3 (a free Google product) movie posted on my YouTube channel. ~ It was a stormy Christmas eve and morning in the Bay Area. Good thing the AWD on the Mazda CX9 took the slick and wet roads quite well. A cup of coffee at Marily's (must have been Norma Jean's) made sure I was awake during the wee early morning drive.
~ As I look at the window while working this blog, I find it is still windy and drizzling outside! But alas, I am comfortable inside and it does feel good to be at home for Christmas. However, I thought about my last year's Christmas Day where I flew to the Philippines arriving early Christmas morning. I was contemplating on the contrast between the two Christmas a year apart. For those who have not seen my personal favorite video from last Christmas and have 10 minutes to spare, grab a hot coco, tea, a neat unblended Scotch whisky, port, Swedish glog or your favorite comfort drink -- and settle down at your multimedia computer station with the stereo speakers on, and check this out on YouTube: A Christmas Morning in Manila. ~ Last Sunday, I took the girls to the City (San Francisco) by BART to see the Union Square Christmas tree and do some quick frenzied shopping and a dinner of corned beef plates at the landmark Lefty O'Douls (one of my "secret" SF comfort dining spots with very reasonable price). This is Christmas in San Francisco indeed. It sure has been a wonderful year, with plenty of new memories mixing with the old. I have been blessed and I count them all, particularly the people I have crossed paths this year. Family ties are all still going strong. I have re-acquainted with long time friends, and met new friends. Among them, Suma (IT specialist) and C.Vinoth (music composer) in India; Pegasus, Gilda, Tita Vi, and Lapu-Lapu, Knellsky (Mr. Arnel Pineda himself, new Journey frontman) from the Arnel Pineda NING site. Lapu-Lapu and I even hooked up at Las Vegas while I was there for an IT conference and made the most of covering and experiencing the "Manny Pacquiao vs. Oscar de la Hoya Dream Match" week at the MGM Grand. Despite all my attempts to get a proper press credentials and attempted courting of a couple of Philippine Government officials (either corrupt or not), I did not get to shoot the actual fight on Saturday night, but I enjoyed it much, thanks to Lapu2's knowing Vegas both in and out! I got to meet boxing prompter Mr. Bob Arum, trainer Freddie Roach, Ricky Hatton, and other boxing fighters. As a consolation, I was able to get some rare photos of Pacman during the weigh-in and also regulars at a Filipino turo-turo restaurant off-strip Vegas. For photos, see my Boxing URL.
~ Two concerts in 2008: Seal in Treasure Island, SF and latin-music legend Pete Escovedo in Dublin
My son Zachary playing MACHINES ON THE LOOSE. He's doing quite well post-car accident. Thanks for your prayers and good wishes.
Other URLs to check out:
A Spoof on a Chef's TV show impromptu skit with my son Michael and niece Michelle in Mike and Michelle's Kitchen shot during my niece's Stephanie's 18th birthday party in Redwood City.
A unrehearsed short video clip of Michael's YOUR NEW SECRET band warming up prior to their December 19th show at the Danville Village Theatre in It's Showtime Son! They played six of their new songs for an upcoming CD release including "Green Means Go"
Hitting two birds with one stone in Vegas: Las Vegas 1, Las Vegas 2, Las Vegas 3, Las Vegas 4
Two Disneyland Trips: July 2008 and May 2008
At dockside and at the new Harbor quarters: At South Beach Marina, SF
Another Glam workshop with Mark Daughn in Los Angeles
A salo-salo with ol' Bechtel Pinoy friends and collegues: FIBE
And to wrap the whole year, photos from Last Christmas and New Years in the Philippines
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HAPPY NEW YEAR! New Year's Eve 2009 Part 1
More to add... later. But if you can't wait, just go to www.youtube.com/tbombon and go through the 45 or so videos now posted. If you want to, subscribe so you get automatically noticed when a new post is added. Stop by again, when you have the time. May the best of the best come your way in 2009...
Cheers! Tommy
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