Have a Safe and Happy Halloween!

It's trick or treating time 2009!

Everyone be safe out there and good luck with getting good treats!

I remember back home when Halloween was just only seen on TV. But now, my home country is getting into the Halloween spirit too. Still not as widely celebrated here, but it's getting there.



Cheers! :D

Nendoroid Comic 01: "Kureha's 'Quiet' Time"

Was just talking about indoor photography, and here I am again with a new 'nendo comic' completed. With indoor photography remember that lighting is tricky and the tripod is your friend.

I guess I just have much free time on my hands that night, hehehe. Here's the link to the slideshow:

Kureha's 'Quiet' Time

Enjoy!

Outdoor photoshoot - 'Still Life'

Outdoor photography is just neat. I'm no photography expert, but for me, nothing beats the effect of natural (day) light on subjects.

The outdoors provides so many options to compose your photos. This depends on your location though, but with a little creativity, you can make even the most boring of locations look amazing in photographs.

Took advantage of a nice sunny Fall day last weekend to take a quick photoshoot at my friend's backyard. The subjects? Nature and a selection from my 'still life' collection. And I think the pics came out decent...


Kaori Kanzaki (from 'To Aru Majutsu no Index'), poised to draw her Samurai.



Miku Hatsune. It was interesting trying to set Miku on the Birch Tree, since the Nendos have small hands and feet, and a larger head :P. Didn't drop Miku though, so it's all good.


Yoko (from 'Gurren Lagann')- Yoko gets a bit hard to pose at times, specially with the rifle accesory. But it makes for an interesting pic!


Rin Kokonoe, easily my favorite photo subject in my Nendoroid lineup. I think I could've used a light reflector here though, to give more brightness on Rin's face (note for next time).


Group pic on the fence: From right to left, Nagi, Miku, Rin, Kureha, Yoko, and Zange. Immediately after I took this shot, a strong wind blew by and Nagi and Yoko fell off - good thing the ground is soft so no damage there, whew.

Photos were taken with a point and shoot Nikon S560, most in macro mode. I play around with the white balance, shooting modes, and the pre-defined portrait options. It's amazing what a small digicam can do now.

Of course, DSLRs still reign supreme, because of the better CCD, lenses and manual options.

But until I get a DSLR (if I ever do get one...), I will squeeze the most out of this S560 and push it to its limits (or to what I think is the limits at least, he he he).

So for now, cheers everyone!!

Minivan...eh?

The 'stigma' of the minivan. Some call it a curse. Some abhor the thought of owning one.

I must say I'm one of those. But in all fairness, the minivan does have it's place in society. Granted, it is one of the most versatile vehicles out there for transport. It seats a lot of passengers, has enough cupholders and compartments, and is easy to get in and out of. No wonder it is the 'mom mobile'.

I had the opportunity to assist a friend of ours in looking for a vehicle, and their needs hinged on the versatility of a minivan. And we were lucky enough to find the van of their choice. With that also came my first time ever to test drive a minivan. You immediately feel the 'bulk' of the drive, but in this particular model, it seems to keep a 'car-like' attitude. This vehicle does boast of features that are designed for long-range transportation, specially in the roominess and comfort department. Quad seating, chairs that fold to become tables (with matching cupholders), and not to mention the chairs can be removed to create a huge cargo area.

In retrospect, I must admit that it is one of the most ideal vehicles for transporting a large family.

And it does have its place in the motoring society....

....just not anywhere within a 100 mile radius of my garage...ever...period... ;-)

^-^* Sushi Adventures - Izakaya Sushi, Beaverton OR ^-^*

Konnichiwa! Here we are again for another round of Sushi Adventures!

Yosh! This time around we go to a new place in the Beaverton area:

Name: Izakaya Sushi
Location: 14605 SW Millikan Way, Beaverton, OR 97006
Type: Sushi-go-round

Izakaya sushi is nested in a new strip mall area along Millikan Way in Beaverton. It's actually not that hard to find and those of you who are familiar with the Beaverton area should have no trouble spotting it.

Outside it didn't look like a sushi-go-round place at first, and we were a bit surprised that it was. I was happy it was since it means faster food turnaround (no pun intended) and selection time.

The setting is very nice and modern. They do have some funky bar seating though, but it works. We got there a bit early but food was out fast and lots of selections to be made.

This is one of the sushi-go-rounds though that I noticed so many drinks on the sushi trays (mineral water, energy drinks, juice). Which is actually neat I think, since you have a quick-drink selection on hand and ready to grab at a moment's notice.

The food is good too, nice selection. They have this 'sushi pizza' which was a good concoction. They allow for customization of the existing selections to cater to your needs. In our case, one of my good friends is allergic to salmon, but she wanted the sushi pizza. Our server immediately mentioned to us that they can have one made without salmon, and so my friend ordered that. It's nice of them to offer information like that, so that people get to be aware of such an option available.



They also have a wide plate/price selection, from $1.00 up to $3+. Serving size is typical and fresh.

But again, our ever elusive Takoyaki is not to be found. We were told that they did have them at one time but then it didn't catch on and some of the customers (not familiar with Tako) thought they were creme puffs and of course to their surprise, it ain't.

So far with the sushi-go-round places I've been, only two serve Takoyaki - Marinepolis Sushiland and Sushi Train (both of which I will do a writeup in another blog).

To summarize the Izakaya Sushi experience:

Food: 5
Quite good. And fresh. Satisfied customer.

Price: 5
Another sushi-go-round with a wide price/plate selection. Good for budget-conscious folks!

Selection: 4.5
The variety is there - don't forget to try the sushi pizza! (But alas, no Takoyaki...again...)

Service: 4
Service is good. We did come at a 'non-peak' time, but we were attended to promptly and courteously.

Appearance/Presentation: 4.5
Another modern looking interior design. Their conveyor has an 'aluminum' motif which adds to that overall modern look. It was making a 'squeaking' sound though at times, at our corner of the bar.

Overall: 4.5
Recommended for all sushi fans to try!


Itadakimasu!! :-D

Measure twice, cut once - make a prototype!

The saying 'measure twice, cut once' is definitely a good thing to keep in mind, specially when doing projects. Specially those of the 'furniture' kind.

I had an idea of making a 2-tier display stand to augment my anime figure display shelf and allow better use of the shelf height. This particular stand is for the Nendoroids though, since they're quite short and it's better to have them displayed in such a manner.

So I got the specs/measurements from the paper design, got some spare cardboard, old boxes, and cut the pieces as planned to make a 1:1 prototype/mock-up:



Not bad, don't you think? Considering all materials are recycled, and that it is being held up by clear/invisible tape.
It even held up a couple of my Nendos (though I had to take the pic quick as the mock-up was getting wobbly):



I'd like to add to that 'measure twice, cut once' - prototype if you can and have time. It doesn't have to be scale, but it gives you such a better idea as to how you want your project to look like.

Do you watch 'Mythbusters'? If you do, see how they do 'scaled-down' versions of big experiments first to get a better idea of what they will be doing on the actual scale experiment. And it helps a lot in the end.

Even in grand projects, like buildings. Architects do mock ups/models and show them out first so that they have a better perspective of the design. It also gives a sense of fulfillment, and also an actual object to be brainstorming or debating about.

Same with car manufacturers. Now these guys prototype a lot (and they should), since their design hinges on the quality, performance, and safety of a vehicle. Not to mention the overall looks (Note: I guess with the Pontiac Aztek, everyone in the design phase decided to pitch in and someone forgot to filter out the essential designs. There's also a saying, 'too many cooks can spoil the broth'....).

Granted, prototyping/making a mock-up wouldn't be applicable to all projects, but for those that it is applicable too, it will sure open up more ideas and thoughts to make your actual project be better and a lot 'cooler'.

So next time you have a project in mind, maybe think about making a prototype/mock-up of your idea, should the time and resources permit.

In my case, this 2-tier stand mock-up showed me what I wanted and was even able to try it out. With it I can also share the actual design with a good friend, who will hopefully be helping me with the actual project.

As for what kind of wood...and what color...hmmm.... ;-)

4-day work week?

I think this is a good idea. A 4-day work week, and then telecommute/remote access option for a day. Companies are looking to save, so this might be a good idea.

I think some companies are trying to pilot something like this. The savings are obvious, for both employer and employee. As long as they already have such access in place I guess. Otherwise, setting up the remote access might end up costing more - but then again in the long run it could be worth it.

Do you care for being able to work from home?