Unexpected.

As mentioned a few blog posts back, my 1TB external HD is in somewhat of a stasis. Now recently, my camera's shutter button was failing. I managed to get in one more shoot before it almost failed to to "click" every time. I went to the service center a few days back and while inspecting my gear they noticed my kit lens was having problems as well. It was going to take a few weeks [since it was the holidays] and money I didn't have at the moment to get it fixed. I just told them i'd be back in January.

On the way home, I was contemplating to ask my sister for funds just incase she had extra cash. My younger sister came home from Singapore to celebrate the Holidays with us. Lucky for me, she knows how to save her money. Even luckier, she agreed to lend me the funds I needed and I could still use the camera [but only in Manual settings] during the New Year celebration.

Moving on...

I woke up early this morning and everything felt normal.

We had prior plans to go to Manila and spend the day with Granma and our sister and then go back home along with them but the plan changed. Due to the fact that the places we wanted to go were mostly likely jam-packed with people. We can't go around much with a senior citizen in tow. We moved it this coming sunday and hopefully we can settle on where to go.

During the time they [Mom talking to my Granma on the phone] were still talking, I turned on my PC thinking of squeezing in a few hours of time online before going to Manila.

Suddenly, something went wrong.

The screen got stuck at the "Verifying DMI Pool" screen. A few restarts later, as well as mini heart attacks, it was still the same. I borrowed my older brother's iPad and googled about the issue. It seems that something was wrong with either the software or hardware. I read a few troubleshooting tips and a few articles about the issue but it didn't help.

I was irritated, frustrated and dumb founded as to how it happened. Good thing I posted my problem in a particular facebook group of old friends from a former workplace. I knew that they had enough knowledge to help me out.

While waiting for replies on my post, my older bro also researched on the issue and was trying to help me out. He tried getting me a copy of my operating systems' installer CD as it contained a recovery program. When I read my friends' replies, most of it was the same thing. One of my more tech savvy friends suggested I take out my internal HD and try running it externally on another PC. I could've done that ASAP but I was afraid to find out if ever the HD was the one that's borked or not. My older bro suggested we wait for the CD, so I did.

Before we went about the business of trying to fix my PC, me and my siblings went out a bit and visited the nearby mall. We had my younger brother's PC fitted a new RAM and got a few things and then went home. On the drive home we came across an accident. A military man was face down on the ground, his motorcycle broken near him. A few early responders were at the scene trying to take care of him and talk to him. It seems he was sideswiped by a car [the said car and driver/passengers were still at the scene]. As we drove by, it looked like he was moving a bit and talking. We all hoped he was going to be okay.

I then realized how small my current problem was and how I fretted over something trivial. Sure it was an unfortunate and unexpected occurance BUT it could've been worse.

In the end, we found out that my C drive somehow got corrupted and we had to reformat and reinstall everything. Good thing 80% of my data is in my D drive. So it wasn't a total loss. I just hope that it doesn't happen again.

I can't take these unexpected and unfortunate events.




moving on..
~ the alansong ~

Let's talk TV: A Young Doctor's Notebook

While wandering around the net looking for things, I chanced upon a news article with the words "Jon Hamm", "Daniel Radcliffe", "Mini-series" and "Doctor". It made me well curious enough to click the link and read the article.

I was surprised to see Jon and Dan doing a tv mini-series together about the experiences of a young doctor. We all know Daniel Radcliffe from the Harry Potter movies, I haven't really seen his other works though so I thought it might be worth a watch. I also know Jon Hamm via Mad Men but I really didn't follow the series. For me, Jon Hamm's memorable performances in Saturday Night Live [especially his "Sergio!" skit] was absolutely fantastic.

...and who could resist the possibility of seeing this?

Anyway, moving on...

*cough*

The story revolves around a  certain Mikhail Bulgakov during his early days of being a doctor. Daniel Radcliffe plays a young Mikhail while Jon plays the older one.

The first episode starts with the Older Mikhail [Jon] in an office while two [what seems like Russian?] officers are either looking for something or currently confiscating everything in the room. Older Mikhail then chances upon an old black notebook which he reads and it goes into a flashback of his younger self [ Daniel] being taken to a remote hospital in the Smolensk province.

During the time, the Young Mikhail is fresh out of med school and as he mentioned got the highest of marks from his class. However as the episode progresses, he finds out that the actual real thing is way more nerve-wracking than what med school had offered. 

Aside from that, he also has to surpass the certain stigma that his predecessor has left behind. It seems as if the previous doctor did things the right way every time and the staff never lets him forget it. And also trying to convince the medical staff that he really was a doctor [the staff mentioned he was either too young..or too small] and a good one at that.

A nice thing they did was that the Older Mikhail shows up in the flashback as some sort of spirit guide for his younger self. He can only be seen by his younger self and converses and interacts with him.

Overall, it was a very fun first serving of this mini-series. Daniel Radcliffe looks more rugged than usual but during some of the more goofy and awkward moments, you can't help but see a little HP sometimes. Either that of HP really has been imprinted on me that much. It's nice to see Jon in a more relaxed and comedic role [at least not too comedic like in SNL]. 

It's a bit sad that there will only be 4 episodes and [if we use the first episode as basis] that each will only last 30 minutes. Still if it's going to be as interesting as the first episode than it'll be worth it.

Besides, who cannot resist watching these two together on the TV screen?

It's been awhile..

In retrospect, the past 3 months hasn't been that great overall. It had its moments for sure but overall it was just so-so.

Working for my Mom hasn't been that...err...productive. I haven't really given any work as of late. Even i i'm not spending money and such, it would be nice to have some stable flow of income....especially this December.

~

It's funny how the internet connect people nowadays. You would be having conversations with people you haven't really met yet or talk to people you thought wouldn't get a chance to talk to. The downside of that is, when you get to meet them in person....things get a little awkward.

That's what I am currently experiencing. In my case, an event being held by a group of talented people [Spidersilk] will be having their 1st Anniversary gathering this weekend. I've only attended one of their gatherings along with my girlfriend [who was real-life friends with one of the girls of Spidersilk]. Unfortunately, we haven't gone to the rest of the subsequent gatherings afterwards.

I've known one of the girls from the group albeit only online but I did meet her once during a convention. I doubt I left a lasting impression [trust me when I say that I don't]. But i've been sort of conversing with the Spidersilk founders via Plurk and such, so at least I get to talk to talented people online.

With their coming gathering, I was kind of thinking of going. Sadly, i'll be going alone since my girlfriend is still in Australia. But...I'm afraid that if I go I won't really know anyone per se. I would possibly "know" a few people but only thru the internet and online conversations. It's going to be awkward for me introducing myself to people there. At least if my girlfriend was with me, we can be both awkward together and I can have someone to talk to.

Also if I did get to go, I wonder what i'll be doing there...hahaha...I'm not that talented enough to paint or draw. Geez, this feels like highschool again LOL.

Anyhoo, here is their awesome poster for their event.

~

Time flew by so fast...well, sort of...and it's now December.

It felt like only yesterday when they were announcing that it was still 90+ days till Christmas.

I'm not sure what kind of Christmas it's going to be like. Sure I won't have much financially to fully splurge on gifts for me and my family but ever since that fiasco that happened at my previous workplace, I have already told myself that it's going to be another pocket-pinching Christmas...at least for me.

It's going to be the first Christmas [hopefully last] me and my girlfriend will spend far apart...literally. Although we didn't spend our first Christmas two years ago together [at least on Christmas eve] since I was on the graveyard shift, we were still able to spend Christmas day together. The Christmas after that, I was lucky enough to get the day-off on Christmas Eve but my girlfriend was spending it with her family in Tarlac. Hopefully next year will be a bit different. :]

I think this coming Christmas will be also the first time the family will be together since my younger sister will be coming home from Singapore and my granma will be coming and staying over. It'll be a full house in a few weeks time, so i'm a bit excited because of it.

~

Slowly but surely I've been hauling my stuff from Manila to Pampanga whenever me and my bro go there. It's much more convenient with a private vehicle. I haven't really hauled most of my clothes since sometimes i'll be staying over there.

The transition of moving back home has been a bit smooth. It's also sad since most of my current friends are in Manila and most of the friends I know in Pampanga have moved or migrated.

I also can't go to events as much and I also can't go deal with other people hence it seems like my toy-collecting hobby will be on hiatus.

I can still go to shoots though with accordance to schedule and the current financial state i'm in.

~

With the year ending, I am hoping to hear some good news.

Lord knows I need it.




forward and onward!
~ the alansong ~