First Project

"Architect. One who drafts a plan of your house, and plans a draft of your money."

-Ambrose Bierce

Just about a month ago, my uncle asked me if I can draft a floor plan for a 3-storey house that he's planning to build. This house will be erected just as where his current house is situated. I was already with him at that time together with my other two other uncles to buy some stuffs at Quiapo. It was actually on the spur of the moment that he sought help from me since he didn't know that a sophomore Architecture student can already design one. A moment later, we went to his house and he right away showed me their land title where the position and the location of the lot is plotted. We literally had an in-depth discussion about the spaces that he wanted to have in his house where he, his wife and his two daughters will reside. For a while, I felt like I was already a full-blown architect where my uncle was my client. As I was making a discourse with him with a pencil and a paper on hand, that great feeling that I sensed inside brought me to a pedestal where I plumed myself for being entrusted on this endeavor. Employing a licensed architect was probably not an option for him for some reasons and the floor plan of an engineer didn't satisfy him were most likely the reasons that he confided it to me.

When I reached home, I was exhausted already for having walked quite a long distance and also due to the scorching hot weather that afternoon. I hit the sack and decided to work the day after.

Without knowledge on CAD programs, I had to stick with my drafting table and T-square for the assistance. For a few hours, I sketched on a piece of paper the things that we had agreed upon yesterday. Planning was really the most vital stage than the exterior look of the structure because you need to be painstakingly careful and accurate with how you will locate the spaces on your lot; the spaces must correlate with each other with of course respect to the direction of the sun, the wind systems, adjacent structures, and all. What became a challenge was that both the right and left sides of the house should be built with a firewall which meant that windows can only be placed on the front and rear sides of the house. Eventually, after asking suggestions from a few friends, I was able to make a solution. Going back, I then laid down the paper and began drawing. The deadline of this task will be a week after and that's why it took me few days to work on it.

The day of the meeting came and when I arrived at his house, I got a call that he'd be coming late at night. I simply left the house plans to the maid and went home afterwards. I returned the next day and was surprised that revisions were already drawn and indicated. My uncle actually had a change of mind. New spaces were added and there are those that were removed. I wasn't disappointed at all since I was one of a heck very eager to do this. Besides, I was 'paid' to accomplish this task. I made the necessary revisions and another week passed and I showed it to him once again. History must had repeated itself for he wasn't there yet when I arrived. Few days had passed and I got a feedback from my father telling me that my uncle liked the second one I made. Maybe few revisions are only to be made but overall, he was satisfied.

I wish to show the drawings that I made but since they were not final yet, I opted to post them soon instead. What I will show you here is the house model I made using Google SketchUp 8 which I got to learn after watching tutorials on Youtube. To make it more presentable, I experimented with 3ds Max Design even without knowledge on it. Here it is:

This is not yet the final appearance of my work which I plan to modify in the coming days.  

I am totally a noob on these CAD programs. I'm just glad that I was able carry out something by learning it by myself. I really need to practice more as soon as time permits.

Start!

So today I finally decided to compose a blog entry after exactly six months. How lame that I even forgot the address of my website. Thanks to Twitter from  where I saw my friend's post that referred to a blog and that's how I brought myself here.

It's vacation time yet I can't amply say that I'm currently devoting my time to rest or pleasure. I've been to two swimming outings already but they have long past gone. On my part, I can't look forward to possible excursions anymore for I don't have any means to afford them anyway. This is how the life of a dependent teenager goes and sometimes, I just can't help but say, "Sana pasukan na!" though at the back of my mind I only wish to be given allowance.

But then, there have been few things that I was able to carry out in the past three weeks. One of them was to finish reading the book 'The Pilgrimage' by Paulo Coelho. I enjoyed how it made me feel like I was reading a Bible since it gave me an account on how a Christian must live a good and satisfying life after undergoing such arduous journey. Also, it instilled me the importance of time that it's something that doesn't always proceed at the same pace for we're the ones who determine how quickly time passes (Seems that I should have written a separate blog on this). 

Second, I was able to learn how to use Google SketchUp for the first time! Yeah, I still don't know how to manage all of its tools and some techniques that I might know but I'm just glad that I'm learning it. Funny how boredom was the reason behind it.

What I need to focus on right now is to get myself busy. I have LOTS of plans to accomplish this summer and I don't want to leave them as they are so I should better kick my ass off and S-T-A-R-T!  

Drunken Words. Sober Thoughts.

Hindi mo malalamang totoo ito hangga't 'di mo susubukan.

               Natatakot ako dati na uminom ng alak dahil baka ilang laklak lang, mawala na ako kaagad sa sarili ko. Baka magsabi na lang ako ng mga bagay na sa isip ko lang tumatakbo. Baka kung ano na lang ipaggawa sa akin ng mga kasama ko, sundin ko. Baka gumawa ako ng bagay na pagsisisihan ko.

               Hindi ko alam kung bakit sa mga napapanuod ko sa TV maging sa mga naririnig ko tuwing kinagabihan ng fiesta, mga nagwawalang lasing ang tumatambad sa tapat ng bahay namin, sumisigaw, nagwawala, at madalas may kaaway na kainuman din niya. May napanuod naman ako sa balita kailan lang na may dalawang lalaking 'di magkakilala, nagkatinginan lang, nagpatayan na. Nakakalungkot isipin na may mga taong nagpapadala sa emosyon nila 'pag nakainom sila. 

               Hindi pa man ako dumarating sa edad na 18 ay natikman ko na rin 'yung bagay na kinasasabikan ng mga kabataan sa henerasyon ngayon. Sumunod ang paninigarilyo, ang pag-inom ng alak ang pangunahing aliwan ng mga taong gustong magsaya o 'di kaya'y gustong kalimutan ang problema.

               Ako 'yung tipong tahimik na tao, 'yung hindi agad naglalabas ng saloobin at hindi nagbabahagi ng mga pananaw ko sa iba't ibang bagay maliban na lamang kung class recitation ang senaryo. Ako 'yung tipo ng taong hindi agad nagtitiwala sa mga taong kakakilala ko pa lang, closed book, ika nga nila. Pero dumating na rin ang pagkakataon na dahil sa alak ay malaya kong naibukas ang sarili ko tungkol sa mga bagay na hindi ko normal na nasasabi. Sa panahong iyon, alam ko ang ginawa ko. Malinaw pa sa akin ang napag-usapan namin ngunit ang mga salitang nabitawan ko, tila ayaw ko ng balikan. Hindi ko lang lubos akalaing kung babasahin ko ang naging usapan namin sa FB chat ay masasabi ko pala ang mga ganoong bagay. Hindi ko ito pinagsisihan dahil nasa sarili ako noong sinabi ko ang salitang binitawan ko doon at patungo naman ito sa iisang bagay. 

               Nakakatuwa lang isipin na dahil sa alak, mas naipapakita natin ang natatagong bahagi ng ating sarili na kadalasan nating itinatago. Dahil sa alak ay mas nagiging bukas tayo sa mga bagay na pilit nating ibinabaon sa isipan natin. 

               Hindi natin maitatangging parte ang alak sa bawat okasyon sa pamilyang Pilipino. Tunay ngang nakakadagdag ito ng kasiyahan dahil napapahaba nito ang kwentuhan maging seryoso man o iyakan ang tema ng usapan. Kailangan lang nating isaisip na lahat ng sobra ay nakakasama. Magkaroon pa rin dapat tayo ng kontrol sa ating mga sarili at siguraduhing ang isip pa rin natin ang naghahari sa buong katauhan natin.

Futile Days

         This is to share how lazy I can get by not updating this blog site of mine. I made a promise to myself weeks ago to at least post a blog or two every week, and as you may see, so far my last entry was during Mother's Day. I'm detesting myself now for bumming around during the past days. I've done nothing worthwhile since time immemorial. Yes, I mean it. On certain occasions, I force myself to open a book, the only book available (the least I have since that's what my brother is majoring) is Psychology (which will be one of my subjects this coming semester), and read it starting from the authors' descriptions up to the first five pages, and from there, I stop. I can't even recall what I've read and understood; If I've understood them, well, that's still a question.

        Next Monday, on the 6th of June to be particular, I will come to class as a sophomore already. I'm expecting a lot of things to change, of course, for the better. I'm referring not to the looks of my blockmates (because I love them just the way they are, especially YOU), not also to the facilities we have, but to the subjects we would be facing, and by that, I'm including the professors: to teach as effortlessly and as challenging as their examinations are, and to be fair as the spring and autumn equinoxes are giving day and night. But especially, I'm expecting more from myself: to be productive each day and during every opportunity life's giving me. I'm hoping to improve my rendering techniques both in handling watercolor and color pencils, which for sure I will let come into being. I'm hoping also to be firm with my decisions, and not to waste any chance that will be given to me; my plan was to get semi-active on my extra-curricular activities, and to apply once more as a Student Assistant at ITC (Information Technology Center, the one that's responsible for handling and updating the PLM website and Facebook, and other matters which involves technical matters, apparently), but I'm again promising myself to be involved on the latter for this sem only. With regard to my extra-curricular involvement, I was appointed by the UAPSA former prex to be the 2nd year representative, and since I'm willing to try it, I accepted the post. I just don't know what responsibilities it will leave me but I'm just so sure that it'll be just so light that it won't interrupt my studies at all.

        This year and in the years to come, I'm gearing up to be productive as I can be, and set my direction straight by focusing on my studies. But I'm not closing my doors to that 'momentary beating' of my heart that if that comes, so be it. 

      I guess this is it for now. Tomorrow I'll be getting physical with some high school friends at Badminton City and will proceed to ITC afterwards. Uhh, my fail, I mean later. Good night!

It's All Worth It

          Today has been just one of our usual days: no spur-of-the-moment scene nor luscious food served on the table. Although I know in fact that there should be at least some sort of surprise for our mother, we didn't had the chance to prepare for that. Money could be an issue, but if you don't have it, our mothers would undoubtedly understand that. In fact, all they just wanted to hear are the simple words "Happy Mother's Day!" and "I love you" which are usually sealed with a kiss. This can already bring tears to their eyes and that's what can make their day special. I had the chance to greet her through Facebook to show my friends how proud I am to be her son as well as greeting her personally which is way more sincere and intimate. And though I spent the whole day just sleeping (When it's raining, it really feels great to catch some Z's.), I can say that we, her children, succeeded in putting her inwardness at peace as much as making her say "It's all worth it."

          Happy Mother's Day, Ma! We love you very much! :')

          Also, I want to share this beautiful work about mothers posted on http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2011/05/08/character-of-the-week-the-mother/.

Character of the Week: The Mother

by Erma Bombeck

When the Good Lord was creating mothers, He was into his sixth day of “overtime” when an angel appeared and said:

“You’re doing a lot of fiddling around on this one.”

And the Lord said, “Have you read the specs on this order?

* She has to be completely washable, but not plastic;

* Have 180 movable parts… all replaceable;

* Run on black coffee and leftovers;

* Have a lap that disappears when she stands up;

* A kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointed love affair;

* And six pairs of hands.”

The angel shook her head slowly and said, “Six pairs of hands… no way.”

“It’s not the hands that are causing me problems,” said the Lord. “It’s the three pairs of eyes that mothers have to have.”

“That’s on the standard model?” asked the angel.

The Lord nodded.

“One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks, ’What are you kids doing in there?’

“Another here in the back of her head that sees what she shouldn’t but what she has to know.

“And of course the ones here in front that can look at a child when he goofs up and say, ’I understand and I love you’ without so much as uttering a word.”

“Lord,” said the angel, touching His sleeve gently, “Go to bed. Tomorrow…”

“I can’t,” said the Lord, “I’m so close to creating something so close to myself. Already I have one who heals herself when she is sick

“…can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger

“… and can get a nine-year-old to stand under a shower.”

The angel circled the model of a mother very slowly. “It’s too soft,” she sighed.

“But she’s tough!” said the Lord excitedly. “You cannot imagine what this mother can do or endure.”

“Can she think?”

“Not only can she think, but she can reason and compromise,” said the Creator.

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek.

“There’s a leak,” she said. “I told You were trying to push too much into this model.”

“It’s not a leak,” said the Lord. “It’s a tear.”

“What’s it for?”

“It’s for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness, and pride.”

And the Mother was created – a work of genius.

Making The World A Better Place

(This is a reaction paper I submitted as a requirement for our History subject during our First Semester in First Year. This concerns our Muslim friend, Ardy, which happened to be our interviewee to clear things out which baffled our minds at that point of time.)

Making the World a Better Place

"The primary duty of the Muslim as set forth not once but many times in the Koran is 'to command good and forbid evil.' It is not enough to do good and refrain from evil as a personal choice. It is incumbent upon Muslims also to command and forbid."

                                                           -- Islam And The West, Bernard Lewis

                What oftentimes separate ourselves from others are the differences we each have which oppose our beliefs. A barrier is said to be present that builds a huge gap between the two parties—the primary cause of cultural, as well as of our religious differences. But, alter the way you think towards our Muslim friend, Ardiyah Y. Lampa, a freshman student of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, taking up BS Architecture.

                Ardy or Ate Ardy, as what we fondly call her, is no doubt a Filipino Muslim. I have to admit that I was surprised during the first week of classes that I have a blockmate who is a Muslim woman, together with a Protestant, Adventist, and name all those other Christian sects, all contained in one block (This was the time when 11 of us still share in the class of Block 1; now we are transferred to the other block.). Having been from a Catholic institution for 12 years, starting from Kinder to Fourth Year high school, makes me unaware of the side of the Filipino minority especially when dealing with them including our Muslim brothers. Studying in a university like PLM is like a new world has opened for me, a vaster one, uniting individuals from all walks of life and culture in a single campus.

                We set a schedule for Ardy to be interviewed and it transpired during our free day which was last Tuesday, July 13, 2010, in order not to have conflicts with our time since we only used to be blockmates. The scorching heat of the sun and the high level of humidity inside the Puerto Real Gardens in Intramuros did not bring us to a standstill and still pursued our interview with our friend. The shade of the wide, old tree has been helpful in conducting the said activity. Several questions were asked to our interviewee such as “Have you experienced discrimination?,” “Why a Muslim man is limited to have four wives only?,” “How does your daily routine as a Filipino Muslim happen?,” and the like changed our impressions towards our Muslim brothers. (I need not to state the answers we arrived at since even as a Catholic, I somehow already knew the answers to these questions, having a background knowledge and reading articles beforehand about Muslim people.) However, what struck me most about Ardy were not the words coming from her mouth but rather the way she acts and gets along with her non-Muslim friends that truly makes her profoundly different from others.

                Far from the perception we have towards the Muslim community particularly those in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and in our very own Mindanao, our Muslim brothers are not in truth dissimilar with us, Christians. In fact, they are much disciplined individuals for strictly following rules stated in their Qur’an especially with regards to their manner of clothing and for not eating forbidden foods such as pork. Muslims need not be frightened off just because terrorists in the downside of our country belong to the same group. Just like anyone of us, we must embrace every culture comprising within our country. It is a God-given blessing and should be accepted with deep discernment. In the long run, what beyond doubt separates a group from another is not with the impact a difference brings to the other, but with our lack of will to understand and give each one an opportunity to prove oneself.

           Ardy is just one of those few fortunate Muslims who are treated fairly regardless of their religious background. Just her implicit way of lending her time to us is an enough reason to show good treatment not just to her but to all of our Muslim brothers. Let not the bad news we hear alone lead us to make an unfair judgment. It pays to know them personally and there we can find that they are not all the same. We must always remember that a Muslim is not anything if not a Filipino.

  It is through with our constant communication and showing respect to other individuals which make a big leap of difference and peace. It is through with our open-mindedness and ability to accept divergence within the people which make the world a better place.

  

Seña, Daniel Franco B.                                                                                  

BS Arch 1 Block 2                                   

2010-20442

From Resentment to Delight

     What supposed to be a jogging session today turned out as just plain "walking" around the UST field. I headed to Riza's house upon receiving Kim's text message to drop by there first. It was around 5:45 PM when I came; the picture was totally happy as the whole Evangelista clan was there, together with Kim, Kevin, and Bettina. To catch up with their "light" drinking session, I took a shot of tequila, aided by lemon squeeze, and a pinch of table salt. It was refreshing! Without the lemon, the taste, I deem, would be totally dull (I'm not a heavy drinker.). A few minutes later, I and Bettina proceeded to UST, and met up with her friends Abbey and Meinell. Abbey is a schoolmate of ours in PLM while Meinell is a Nursing student from UST. The three of them were batchmates way back in high school. That time I was one of a heck excited to jog, but with their personal reasons behind, we instead opted to just walk around the field. I felt sorry for myself leaving the original plan behind, but I guess that was lame to discuss for walking is a "form" of work-out, too. What consisted of our "walking work-out" was their unending talk of their own crushes, their similarities with each other, and so on. I was like giving only a nod and smile to agree with them. Finally, we bade goodbye to the two ladies and I was again with Bettina to head back to Riza's place. Her cousin, Carlo, joined the picture. We ate pizza and continued with our shot-squeeze session. Too bad for me for the bottle was about to be finished; it was worth it, though. That also calls for a repeat, and by that time, I'll come a little earlier. With much resentment to the jogging plan, we decided to just walk on our way home. Well, first to her house, and still not being contented, I continued to walk on my way to mine. It was a little exhausting, but that was the part I really enjoyed. As you see, I still have energy left to share this encounter of mine. Let's call it a day! =))