Snapshots

I love reading blogs. Be it from people I know, or people that I think I know.  It’s just interesting getting that glimpse into their lives.

Here’s a list of blogs that I normally visit by people that I really don’t know:

http://www.waiterrant.net

http://steamykitchen.com

http://baristabrat.blogspot.com

There’s a couple more that I go to, i’ll update the list when i remember them

Now here’s a post I would really love your input on.Company A wants to outsource a project it’s bidding on to company B.  Company B, with it’s head of engineering wanting to prove to the higher ups that she can do sales(from here on referred to as Voldemort, agrees to the arrangement.  So, company A  asks Voldemort to create the proposal for them.(Nope, I’m not asking why company B couldn’t just go for the project themselves)  What can Voldemort do but agree right?  So ok, everything’s fine in lala land, until the day when  a presentation was to be made to the original client.

Voldemort asks one of her engineers to go to the client and present the proposal for her. So of this little engineer goes and does her thing.  Until said client sees the schedule.  First question was, “are you sure that you can do it with the time you estimated?”.  Well there goes your first warning sign that things aren’t going quite well.  Like, com’on,  shouldn’t a client be happy that a company promises to deliver a project in such a short time? 

 (here’s a quick background on the project)  The project asks for a complete portal. Yep, the works,  basically it’s a community site, with business listings, blogs, networking, forums, and a whole lot of other thingmajigs you would normally find in a portal. For how long do you think your estimate for this would be?

  So back to the story.  Of course the little engineer couldn’t do anything but to defend what’s written on the proposal, right? since it wouldn’t be a good sign if she disagrees with what’s written on her slide. ”Sure, we can do it in ONE MONTH!” says the little engineer. Oh yes, you read correctly, 1, uno, isa, it, ONE MONTH, for four developers.  Sadly, clients weren’t convinced and asks the little engineer to go back to her office and send them clarifications on the schedule.So off this little engineer goes to report to Voldemort.  

Engineer informs Voldemort that the client isn’t convinced of the schedule presented to them and wants to make sure.  Voldemort of course says yes!  Now the little engineer, seeing the amount of work needed argues to Voldemort that the  effort needed and the schedule is a very long stretch. Voldemort and Engineer argues about this.  Until finally, Voldemort answers, “I KNOW IT’S TOO SHORT,  BUT WE CAN’T ADJUST OUR TIME ESTIMATE BECAUSE MAKING IT LONGER WOULD DRIVE OUR COST UP, MAKING OUR BID LARGER AND THUS, WE CAN’T COMPETE WITH THE OTHER BIDDERS ANYMORE.”

When I heard this, all I could say was “FUCK!!!” 

Oh yes… i’m loving this song!

All this fear falls away to leave me naked,
Hold me close cause I need you to guide me to safety,

Back story: The company that I recently joined decided that the rent for our Makati office is a bit steep, so the management team decided to look for a place to move to with cheaper rent. They decided on moving to Alabang (long theory on why they decided to go there). Of course, the entire engineering team(except for 2 or 3 people) didn’t like the idea as most of us live in the Q.C. area. The country manager started explaining why it would be more convenient for us.

1. Free parking

2. Easier commute since we would be going against the traffic of people going to makati.

3. We don’t have a choice.

well, of course it’s just stupid. Free parking you say? yes, in any other location I would be happy with this, but what about the toll fee?

as for the easier commute, i guess he failed to consider that we would first get stuck in traffic with people going to Makati, then we’d have to add another 30 mins to the commute.

As for the last part, what he said was that if we are not happy with it, they can always find replacements. hehehe

Now, our project manager(who lives in alabang) heard that most people were contemplating resigning once we move to Alabang. her reaction was: “I’m not scared, we can always find replacements”.

To her: We know that you’re not scared, we know that you can find replacements. It would also be easier for us to find jobs in Makati, Ortigas, Fort Bonifacio, or Eastwood, than it is for you to find 3 experienced Senior Java Engineers willing to work in Alabang. No I’m not saying that you shouldn’t move to Alabang, hey if that’s what you think is the best for the company.  What were saying is that what’s good for the company might not be good for us.  And quite frankly I don’t owe the company anything to put up with that shit.

Group pic from Sonya’s Garden. Not sure why i’m missing a couple of people.

missing from the pic are:
Pete
Regnard
Liza
Me (of course)

I have been amazed by the performance of my 50mm F/1.4 ever since I got it. With it’s 1.4 aperture, the bokeh was just so damn creamy smooth, and it was just amazingly fast. Unfortunately, there were times, that I felt frustrated by it’s because of it’s fixed focal length (yep it’s a prime). But with it’s performance, I knew that the only zoom lens that can measure up to it would be an L lens, and I’ve been craving for one for the longest time! Yes some of you would say, “It’s the Indian, not the pana”, but what Indian wouldn’t want a better pana? right?

So today, I dropped by Quiapo to pick up my first ever L lens(THANKS FOR THE BIRTHDAY GIFT HUNNY POT! I’m soo happy with it, but i told you that you shouldn’t have). Yep, finally got a Canon 24-70mm F/2.8L. yep, you read it right, there’s an L at the end. I got it from my favorite Quiapo shop, Mayer, since I know the shop owner. I got acquainted with the shop owner due to Paul’s lens/equipment addiction. The price wasn’t bad since he initially offered it for 10% less that what the other shops were offering. But after haggling for a bit, i managed to get him to drop the price more. I also got a UV filter for free(Yes it pays to speak chinese when shopping there).

While at Mayer’s, I saw a guy starting out with photography (absolutely no experience with SLR’s according to him). I was looking at his stack of stuff and was just amazed with the equipment Ramon was able to sales talk him into buying. He bought:

• Nikon D80
• Nikon 75-300mm F/4.5-5.6 (i think)DX
• Nikon SB-800 Flash
• Nikon Cable Release Remote
• Nikon Camera Grip (I wonder why he needs a grip for his D80? That thing’s HUGE!!!)
• Assorted batteries and charger for the flash
• and a bunch of UV filters for his kit lens and the 75-300

Grand total for his purchase was an effing PHP 120,000!!!!! What’s funny though is that he commuted all the way to Quiapo from Ortigas and Ramon offered him a ride back on a MOTORCYCLE!! yes, the cost of what’s in his box is way larger that the actual freaking motorcycle. I just hope he doesn’t drop it or something.

Anyway, of course, when I got home, I just had to try out the new lens. I took a couple of shots inside my room, and my initial reaction was just plain WOW!!! Damn, amazing lens!! I know, I know, for the cost, it better be. It totally blew my favorite 50mm F1.4 away. I can’t wait to use it for the Losers’ Tagaytay road trip next week.

Here the first shot I took with the new lens:

It’s just so sharp!

I turned 24 yesterday.  I feel so old!!!!

Thanks Hunny pot for calling me, it made my day.  Thanks for making the day special just by being you.

Thanks to everyone that greeted me.