To Go or Not Go . . . .

Woohoo! A GSB Night that is not on a Sabbath evening (Friday night)! Woohoo indeed! In all my years at the GSB this is exactly what I had been waiting for! A school event that does not fall on a Sabbath. 

I told my former Professor, Guy Concepcion, that the only reason I do not attend GSB events was that they always schedule them on Friday nights and Saturday mornings and afternoons (still Sabbath). 

Well, I guess this year, I no longer have a valid excuse for not going.

Also, this may (hopefully and should be!) just be my last year at the GSB. So, I guess I really should go. I would like to remember more than the academics (as if I remember that still) in my several years’ stay at the GSB.

But the thing is, I am on residency this trimester. I have not been to any of the three GSB campuses that I previously had classes at since January (to file my residency). So, I am somehow having doubts about going. Plus, the ticket costs P500. I do not usually like to spend money. I think the only things I like to spend money on are books, gadgets, and blank CD-Rs and DVD-Rs. Haha. Also, that means I would have to dress up. Cocktail. Hmmm. I prefer wearing comfortable, casual attire. That would mean I would have to dress up for the occassion. 

Well, the countdown is on. I will decide by Monday and tell my GSB friends of my decision by then. If I do decide to go, I will surely bug the others to go, too! Mwaha. 

Another Answered Prayer in the Making

I don’t want to sound presumptuous. But this early on I just can’t contain my excitement. I think another prayer of mine is in the process of being answered . . . .

This time, I think God has seen it fit for me to have my very own Nikon D80 digital SLR.    

Photography, I think, was my very first love. Starting from the moment my uncle, Noli, gave me a compact camera (using 110 film) way back in the late 70’s or early 80’s. At that time, I knew nothing of art and composition and all other things pertaining to photography. I simply knew how to load film and click the shoot button. 

My second camera (I can’t quite recall any in between), was also a gift. One from my uncle Ecy’s wife, aunt Malou. She gave me an Olympus IZM300 Quartzdate. I still have it. But it no longer works..

 Olympus IZM300 Quartzdate

The next camera I had was still a gift. My dad’s Canon AE-1. I loved this camera. It was my very first SLR camera. Unfortunately, it fell to its eternal (?) brokenness when my friend accidentally dropped it from about 4 feet above the ground. 

The last camera I’ve owned is a digital one with 2.1 megapixels, the Olympus D-510 Zoom, a gift from my aunt Aida when she came over for a visit from California. It was from this moment that I began admiring Olympus digital cameras. Compared to other digital cameras with the same megapixels, mine produced better quality pictures. Better colors too. I haven’t used it since our return trip from Boracay last July. There appears to be something jammed inside. 

Going back to answered prayers, several friends of mine have been encouraging me to get a DSLR. It’s been a long time since I’ve considered going back to a more serious type of photography (not that I’m even half as good as most). I’ve been praying about it. And I think the Lord in the midst of answering my prayers regarding this. 

Out-of-the blue, my aunt Mimi and then later, my mom, offered to buy me one. Also, out-of-the-blue, my cousin’s husband, Wilbert, buzzed me on Yahoo! Messenger and inquired if I would like him to buy me a camera in Japan. He’s been working there for about two years now and he occassionally sends Balikbayan boxes here. He said he offered to buy me one since he couldn’t fill up the next box he was sending. 

We discussed matters. He sent me the quote of the Nikon D80 kit. With a 4GB SDC and a Lowepro SlingShot 200 AW, the package costs P48,000 he says. A very good deal since the cheapest local stores around Hidalgo Street in Quiapo (Mayer’s and Henry’s) offer just the Nikon D80 kit with a 1GB SDC and a small camera bag between P45,000-46,000. Jerry Tieng offers a similar package as the one I’m getting from Wilbert for about P56,000. He calls it Jerry’s D80 Safari Special 1. I’ve asked friends and other photographers and they all say I’m getting a very good deal from Japan through Wilbert. (The Lowepro SlingShot 200 AW bag alone costs P4,500 here.)

Plus, it’s got a 5-year warranty. The con is that it can only be used in Japan. However, Wilbert says he intends on staying in Japan for at least another 5 years and promises to take care of any repairs I would be needing.

To top things off, Wilbert offered his own deal–I can pay him on installment! P48,000 if I’ll pay within 3 months. P50,000 if I pay up within 4 months.

Wow. I’m excited because I’ve asked around (and even tried looking around myself) and there’s not a better deal to be found!

So I can only conclude at this point that these are all of God’s doings. And these are all part of God’s blessings to me. I am amazed at how generous God is with me, in spite of all my imperfections and shortcomings. Thank God for that!

Is this another answered prayer in the making? I certainly hope it is! And if it is, then by the second week of March 2008 (at the latest), I’d have my very own brand new Nikon D80 to have and to hold–til death do us part! (I hope!)

Just Expressing My Gratitude

I have been using a Compaq Presario V3525TU since December 1, 2007, courtesy of my aunt, Baby.

It has the following specifications: 

• Intel® Centrino® Duo Mobile Technology
• Intel® Core™2 Duo T5450 Processor (1.66GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 667MHz FSB)
• Mobile Intel® GM965 Express Chipset
• Intel® Graphics Media Acceleration X3100
• 14.1" WXGA High-Definition BrightView Widescreen Display
• 1GB DDR2 667MHz
• 120GB SATA
• LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD-RW w/ Double Layer Support
• Built-in 10/100 Ethernet LAN w/ Bluetooth
• Built-in Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945a/b/g
• Built-in 5 in 1 Digital Media Reader
• Altec Lansing Speakers
• Windows Vista™ Home Premium

Although, recently, I changed the operating system to Windows XP (I’ll reserve the story about this for another blog). 

My aunt accompanied me to Virra Mall in Greenhills Shopping Center to buy me the laptop I picked out for myself. It was a complete blessing having been given this laptop. And to think I didn’t even ask her for it. Out of the blue, she just told me that I should canvas for one ASAP because she’ll buy me one. She was just here on a short visit from New York.

I had been praying for a laptop. But I kept silent about it. I told God that I would silently pray about it, not telling or asking anybody for one. I told Him I would cling to His promises, knowing full well that He IS able to provide everything that I would ever need. 

Well, I’m very grateful to God for answering this particular prayer with a "yes." And, I’m thankful to my aunt for allowing God to use her as His instrument in sending me this laptop.  

I will continue to pray that I will use this laptop only in ways and means that will give glory to God.

Death, Dying, Time, The Purpose Life, and Life Eternal

As you may have noticed, I’ve been thinking a lot about death, dying, and the meaning and purpose of life since Heath Ledger’s untimely death. 

Recently, a friend of mine had been crying her heart out after learning that her younger sister had a relapse of breast cancer after 8 years of successfully getting it out of her system. She was told that the cancer has already spread to her neck, lungs, and liver. 

I have also learned just yesterday that a so-called hypocritical, accuser-of-the-brethren head elder of a certain church suffered a mild stroke some time ago. Lucky for him it was just mild. It must be God’s way of giving him another chance to right his wrongs and to make amends with people he had carelessly manipulated, riduculed, and destroyed the reputations of. (I have heard many horror stories about him and have scene him prove them himself.)

I have also been thinking how I am going to be yet another year older come April 28. And that, so far, I have done nothing worth mentioning for the year 2008. I have kept silent, avoiding blogging for a while. I have watched too many movies and TV shows since December and I am certainly not proud of that. I feel that in the first place, that was a wrong call on my part and that I wasted much of my new year already by doing so. I did not want to add to that by blogging about every single movie I watched, even if that was tempting if only to have something to blog about that other people might actually read. I hope to blog about more worthwhile things in the future. I hope I could live up to that wish.

One thing I am happy about so far this year is this: I have FINALLY (!!!) finished reading Ellen G. White’s book, The Great Controversy, after about two years of on-and-off reading. It is a great book. A very good read. Just the book we need to read today to shake us out of "here-and-now" mentality. It talks about the things of the past; the things of the present; and the things that are to come. It is not just a book. It is also God’s way of waking us up and warning us of much, much harder days ahead.

(If anyone wants a copy of the book, just message me. I will email you a PDF copy of it.)

I do not want to sound like a fanatic zealot screaming that the world as we know it is coming to an end very, very, very soon. But I cannot keep completely silent and not even try to send out a warning to everyone I may reach.

Yes, the world as we know it is indeed coming to an end. And it may sooner than we dare to think. Things may seem to be getting better now but, there is a time of trouble coming up ahead that will caught us off-guard if we do not start preparing for it now.

The words from the Bible is our only safeguard. Let us all start feeding ourselves with its truth now, while it is possible still. 

I am hoping someday, I will be in heaven and someone would approach me and let me know that my blog was somehow instrumental in his/her finding out the truth of God’s words.  

A Life Worth Dying For

DEA Says It Will Probe Drugs Given To Ledger

Died Of Prescription Drug Overdose, M.E. Says

POSTED: 2:11 pm EST February 5, 2008

NEW YORK – The medical examiner has concluded that actor Heath Ledger’s death was an accident, and the result of the abuse of prescription medications. Now, the Drug Enforcement Administration is going to investigate how he got them.The medical examiner released results of the toxicology report Wednesday, saying Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of six drugs, including pain killers, sleeping pills and anti-anxiety drugs.

The six drugs found in his system were oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine, the medical examiner’s office said.A law enforcement official said the DEA is now investigating whether any of the drugs given to Ledger were illegally dispensed. The official said the DEA is issuing subpoenas to the Medical Examiner’s office to obtain the toxicology report and has asked the NYPD for cooperation and information as part of this DEA investigation.Medical Examiner spokeswoman Ellen Borakove said she couldn’t confirm receipt of a subpoena from DEA. She added the office routinely gets requests for information from law enforcement agencies. An NYPD spokesman said he has not been told of such a request at this time."As DEA we are thoroughly dedicated to investigating any illegally dispensed narcotics," New York DEA spokeswoman Erin Mulvey said. She would not confirm or deny whether subpoenas were issued on Wednesday. NYPD officials have said three of the drugs were apparently prescribed in Europe. Experts point out if Ledger saw several doctors and pharmacists, they might have been unaware of other drugs he had been prescribed.The drugs are the generic names for the OxyContin painkiller, the anti-anxiety drug Valium, Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, and the sleep aids Restoril and Unisom. Hydrocodone is another name for the better-known Vicodin.

Ledger was found dead in his Manhattan apartment on Jan. 22.

An official familiar with the autopsy results said the combination of drugs likely led to respiratory failure.The official said the death was ruled an accidental overdose not because he took a large number of pills at once but because of the cumulative effect that taking numerous drugs had on his system.The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said there was no evidence of alcohol or illegal drugs, like heroin or cocaine, in his system.In a statement, Ledger’s family said the results "put an end to speculation, but our son’s beautiful spirit and enduring memory will forever remain in our hearts.""Heath’s accidental death serves as a caution to the hidden dangers of combining prescription medication, even at low dosage," the statement said.The actor, 28, was found face down and naked on his bed at 3:26 p.m. by his housekeeper.His housekeeper had entered Ledger’s room to let him know that a masseuse had arrived for an appointment, police said.Police sources said investigators found two bottles of sleeping and anti-anxiety pills at the apartment.While not a marquee movie star, Ledger was a respected, award-winning actor who chose his roles carefully rather than cashing in on his heartthrob looks. He was nominated for an Oscar for his performance as a gay cowboy in "Brokeback Mountain," where he met Michelle Williams, who played his wife in the 2005 film. The two had a daughter, now 2-year-old Matilda, and lived together until they split up last year.The death was a shocking and unforeseen conclusion for one of Hollywood’s bright young stars. Though his leading man looks propelled him to early stardom in films like "10 Things I Hate About You" and "A Knight’s Tale," his career took a notable turn toward dramatic and brooding roles with 2001’s "Monster’s Ball."

Investigative reporter Jonathan Dienst contributed to this story

source: http://www.wnbc.com/news/15224103/detail.html

Heath Ledger Autopsy Results Show Accidental Overdose

by Rob Walker | February 6, 2008 at 11:11 am

The NYC medical examiner has released the report on Heath Ledger’s autopsy results, which show that he died of an accidental overdose of prescription medication.
Previous NowPublic coverage here.

The New York City medical examiner has ruled that actor Heath Ledger died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.
Ledger was found dead in his New York apartment two weeks ago.
Toxicology tests revealed pain killers, anxiety medications, and sleeping pills were all present in Ledger’s system when he died.

Source: wcbd.com

The Australian actor was found dead in his rented New York apartment on
January 22 with prescription sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medicine
drugs nearby."Mr Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine," the the New York City medical examiner’s office office said in a statement.

Source: itn.co.uk

The Gothamist has a good article up.

Just a little over two weeks after his death, and as his family prepares to bury him, the NYC medical examiner has given the results of Heath Ledger’s toxicology report.
 
The official word is that the actor died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. A lot of prescription drugs.
 
The ME’s spokeswoman, Ellen Borakove, made the following statement: "Mr. Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine.'’ These are generic names for OxyContin, Valium, Xanax, Restoril, Ibuprofen and Unisom.

Source: gothamist.com 

source: http://www.nowpublic.com/entertainment/heath-ledger-autopsy-results-show-accidental-overdose

A Life Worth Dying For 

Fame, fortune, and all that come with them. Were they all worth dying for? At any age? I think not.

Heath Ledger was in demand. And he must have lived his life at such a frantic pace that he needed all those medicines to quiet things down at the end of his long day.

He was such a talented actor. I liked him from the moment I first watched a film he was in (10 Things I Hate About You). Yes, he did indeed showed great potential even then.

I agree with what everybody else had been saying. His death was indeed such a waste and misfortune. And it was all ACCIDENTAL, too. All because he had too many things going on in his life to give his body the proper rest that it needed at the proper time it should have it.

I hope we will all learn from his death, for there are many lessons to learn.

We live on this earth briefly. When we die, people forget about us–even the greatest, richest, most powerful, smartest, and best of us. That’s just human nature. We may do things to keep us in their remembrance but in the end, they will all be forgotten. 

I hope we realize that whatever is in this life is all to pass away. Soon. Very, very soon. May we determine to live life with the eternal in mind–to look beyond the pleasures and joys of the here and now. There are two roads to choose from: 1. the straight, narrow, and obstacle-ridden path and 2. the thick, pleasure-filled, easy road. Only one will lead to life everlasting. Only one will bring true peace and true joy in the present life. 

Which path will you choose? 

source: M.E. (www.malouescasa.i.ph)