Saturday, March 31, 2012

Araw ng Dabaw: People's Park

Second and last part of my Araw ng Dabaw posts. Part 1: Araw ng Dabaw: Kapitan Tomas Elementary School

people's park davao   people's park davao photo by nephithyrion

people's park davao photo by nephithyrion
taken by my sister

people's park davao photo by nephithyrion
we liked these kids, hence several photos :)
playing outside has never been more fun than in this technological age

people's park davao photo by nephithyrion

people's park davao photo by nephithyrion

people's park davao photo by nephithyrion

people's park davao photo by nephithyrion

people's park davao   people's park davao photo by nephithyrion

people's park davao Jamie photo by nephithyrion
my sister

people's park davao photo by nephithyrion

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Araw ng Dabaw: Kapitan Tomas Elementary School

This year I went to the city proper on Araw ng Dabaw after so many of staying at home and just watching the parade on television. Though we left late (I was with my mom and sister), we still got a glimpse of the end of the parade. What we really wanted though was to go to the free skills training at Kapitan Tomas Monteverde Sr. Elementary School. But before that, we had lunch at Merco and visited Paulines. When we arrived at the school, the beading seminar was finished, so we headed instead to the screen printing room. I thought screen printing would be easy, but it's not. There were a lot of materials needed. I'm gonna have to stick to manual stencil-cutting first. My mother waited in the next empty room, where I took the pictures below.

kapitan tomas elementary school photo by nephithyrion

kapitan tomas elementary school photo by nephithyrion kapitan tomas elementary school photo by nephithyrion

kapitan tomas elementary school photo by nephithyrion kapitan tomas elementary school photo by nephithyrion

kapitan tomas elementary school photo by nephithyrion

kapitan tomas elementary school photo by nephithyrion

As you can see, this school badly needs teaching and learning materials. That's the case in most public schools. I just hope the government would focus on that instead of increasing the number of school years.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Once

Last night I was in music video heaven. Finally, I've seen the movie Once. After that, however, I couldn't sleep until about 3AM. The title is about how we always wait for the perfect moment before doing something we want, how we wait for the right time. "Once" we have this, "once" we get that. But when is the right time? So last night, while waiting for sleep to take over, I wrote some unfinished poems and melodies --- about Tom the retarded moon man (The Stand), and straight lines (sounds ridiculous ^^) --- which I still hope to complete.

I've read another trivia about originally casting Cillian Murphy to play the Guy. That must mean he can sing, right? And he can! I wonder what he would have done for the character. But from what I've seen, the movie made you focus on the characters, their story, and the music. Cillian Murphy might have partly added a distraction. My father said it would be hard to make him look rugged and disheveled.

One more thing. Look what I found:

Sitting Bull in movie Once

That's Sitting Bull in Oirland!

Monday, March 12, 2012

Planting Dead Roses


"You and I are past our dancing days." ~ William Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet

My father planted these dead roses, hoping they would yet live.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

The Stand - Stephen King

Stu & Fran on the cover
What better way to read Stephen King for the first time than to start with The Stand, and the uncut version at that. One of the reasons I wanted to read the book was because I watched the mini-series back in high school and really liked it. I bought the mini-series tie in edition from a second hand bookstore on December 2008 and put it on the shelf. There it stayed until I finally had the courage to read 1,141 pages just this February.

From the back cover:
Imagine America devastated by a vast killer plague that moves from coast to coast. Imagine the countryside destroyed and great cities decimated as the entire population desperately and futilely seeks safety. Imagine then an even greater evil rising to threaten the survivors - and a last embattled group of men and women coming together to make a last stand against it.

For me the start was slow. I was introduced to a lot of characters, something that I'm not really fond of, because I'm bad at remembering names and had to list them down. So about two weeks passed before I got to the interesting part: most of the names died (I just creeped myself out typing that) and the mysterious dreams started. I know a lot of people might be turned off by the religious themes of the novel at this point, but that's what made me read on. I love books about good vs. evil, a fellowship going out to save the world. Yes, just like the Lord of the Rings. In fact, the book mentioned LOTR a couple of times. There's also an eye lurking around.

By the time I got to my third week, I couldn't put the book down. For two nights, I read until about 3AM, and lay down very close to my sister when I slept. That's what you'd do, too, when you get scared. M-O-O-N, that spells scared! =p

Nick meeting Mother Abagail in his dream

I finished the book on the eve of my birthday and watched the mini-series again on the 24th. The mini-series looks a little cringe-worthy now, especially Molly Ringwald's performance as Fran. Sorry. But I still feel they made good casting choices for Stu (Gary Sinise), Nick (Rob Lowe), Tom (Bill Fagerbakke), Mother Abagail (Ruby Dee) and some others. I heard they're going to make a new movie (or movies). The casting should be interesting.

Glen (Ray Walston), Larry (Adam Storke), and Ralph (Peter Van Norden) out to make their last stand

You can't write about a book without mentioning some favorite characters. And here's mine, with their best qualities: Nick and his integrity, Stu's quiet courage, Larry's repentance which developed in him a sense of duty, Tom's innocence, loyalty and bravery, Glen's wisdom, Ralph's simplicity, and Mother Abagail's faith.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Crochet Toy Car (Free Pattern)

crochet toy car

I started to make this last January. It took long to finish because, well, I've never made something like this before. This was supposed to have a "Just married" text at the back, but I decided not to include that in case my friend who ordered this doesn't want it now. It's my fault anyway for not completing this early. :(

But anyway, I like the way it looks. My younger sister (who's too old to play with stuffed toys) even played with it and her teddy. There are parts that obviously need improvement. I just hope I'd make better ones next time.

Update: My friend's getting it for his son :) I'll just have to add an embroidered name.

crochet toy car

UPDATE 03/23/2012: As requested by Athens, I have transcribed the pattern for this toy car. This is my first time to make a written pattern so I really do hope the directions are understandable, and that the results turn out fine.

Dutch Translation at Een Mooi Gebaar

Crochet Toy Car Pattern


CAR SIDES (Blue. Make 2)

Chain 28
Row 1: sc on every chain, ch 1, turn (28 stitches)
Row 2: 2 sc on first st, sc on next 26 sts, 2 sc on last st, ch 1, turn (30 sts)
Row 3-8: sc on every st, ch 1, turn (30 sts)
Row 9: sc on the first 28 sts, sc2tog, turn (29 sts)
Row 10: sl st on first stitch, sc on the rest, ch 1, turn (28 sts)
Row 11: sc on the first 26 sts, sc2tog, turn (27 sts)
Row 12: sl st on first 2 stitches, sc on the rest, ch 1, turn (25 sts)
Row 13: sc on the first 22 sts, sc2tog, turn (23 sts)
Row 14: sl st on first st, sc on the rest, ch 1, turn (22 sts)
Row 15-16: sc on every st, ch 1, turn (22 sts)
Row 17: sc on every st, turn (22 sts)
Row 18: sl st on first st, sc on the rest, turn (21 sts)
Row 19: sl st on first st, sc on the next 18 stitches, sc2tog, turn (19 sts)
Row 20: sl st on first st, sc on the next 16 stitches, sc2tog, turn (17 sts)
Row 21: st st on first st, sc on the next 14 stitches, sc2tog (15 sts)

CAR TOP (Blue)

Chain 18. Then 60 rows of sc.

CAR BASE (Blue)

Chain 18. Then 33 rows of sc.

WINDSHIELD (White)

Chain 16. Then 7 rows of sc.

SIDE WINDOWS (White)

Chain 8. Then 6 rows of sc. Or it's up to you.

WHEELS (Orange and Brown. Make 4)

Start with orange.
Magic ring.
Row 1: ch 1, 7 sc, sl st with first sc (7 stitches)
Row 2: ch 1, 2 sc in every st, sl st with first st (14 sts)
Change to brown.
Row 3: ch 1, 1 sc, 2 sc in next st, repeat until last st, sl st with first st (21 sts)
Row 4: ch 1, 1 sc, 1 sc, 2 sc in next, repeat until last st, sl st with first st (28 sts)
Row 5-7: ch 1, sc in each st, sl st with first st (28 sts)
Row 8: ch 1, 1 sc, 1 sc, sc2tog, repeat until last st, sl st with first st (21 sts)
Row 9: ch 1, 1 sc, sc2tog, repeat until last st, sl st with first st (14 sts)
Fill wheel with fiber.
Repeat Row 1-2 using brown color. I sewed this into wheel to cover the hole.

ASSEMBLY

Sew car top to the car sides. I used single crochet.
Attach/Sew windshield, windows, then wheels.
Sew car base. Fill car body with fiber before completely closing the base.

NOTE: This free pattern is for personal use only. Please don't sell or post this pattern as your own, unless you are making a translation to another language, but with a link to this post. Thank you!

If you found this pattern useful and would like to give back, consider buying me a coffee: