I am currently following a blogger named awindowintothewoods because of her humorous stories about a squirrel named Baldo. Not only does she blog about Baldo, she does photography and I love it. So here’s a photo tribute to Baldo for all the times I laughed.
I couldn’t help it. Today is Friday the 13th and what better way than to write about something related. Okay, wait a minute. Friday the 13 is bad luck. Okay, so I’m going to make it connect. Friday the 13th – you know – don’t do anything to attract bad luck. It is also about the movie Friday the 13th. Scary, ya sure, ghosts.. Six degrees of separation….
Though it’s not Hallowe’en, I don’t believe ghosts come out one day a year just to scare you. It wouldn’t be as eventful if we all come to expect it once a year. But it doesn’t happen that way. What makes real ghost stories scary is it happens when we least expect it, even to non-believers. There used to be a show appropriately called Ghostly Encounters which is about real life encounters with ghosts. I’m pretty sure it’s on Slice, A and E or TLC channel. On weeknights, the Bio Channel has a show called Celebrity Ghost Stories where the format is the same but with stories from celebrities. So ghosts don’t prejudice against famous people either. I don’t think they are specifically attracted to religious/spiritual people either.
I normally have photos to accompany my stories. However, ghost stories come in most unexpected ways. My cousin, Kim, does have photo of a ghost while she visited a famous haunted house. My brother’s ex-girlfriend also has a photo of her daughter with a ghost of a child behind her. The scary part is you can see some of the detail in the photo such as the girl is wearing a dress and she looks to be around four years old. These are not my photos, therefore, I cannot post them. But if my cousin should be kind to add the one particular photo in the comments area should she read this, that would be fantastic.
I have a few ghost stories of my own. Most of them nothing major but shocking all the same because I never thought I would have any kind of experience ghost related. I often wondered what psychic sees. I asked a friend once and she says I don’t want to know. Once you are open it never shuts off. Also, most times, people lead boring lives and to be able to read that is not exciting at all. I don’t consider myself open to such things, though since I started meditating years ago, I feel I have started connecting to something greater out there. This said, most people on these ghost stories shows are not into meditating nor were they open or expecting ghosts in their lives when they experienced what they did.
As a Catholic, sometimes my family would pray novenas when we have the Mother Mary statue come to our house. On one such occasion when I was thirteen, my sister said she could smell roses which meant Mother Mary was present. I wondered why I couldn’t and she could. Years later, we did the novena again and I could smell the roses.
I moved to Canada from the Philippines when I was three. I never went back until 20 years later with my family. It was a reunion of sorts. Both my mom and dad’s side of the family haven’t seen any of us for years and it was definitely a warm welcome. We stayed there for a month. This is where we managed to meet every one of our extended family and what a large family it is. My uncle, my dad’s brother, and his family came from Florida to visit at the same time.
One evening, while at my grandfather’s house in Marinduque, I started telling known haunted places around Toronto. The Cherry Hill House on Cawthra Road. University of Toronto. I didn’t get too far before my uncle told me to stop telling these stories. So I did. We enjoyed our dinner and relaxed afterwards. The evening was coming to a close and everyone was getting ready for bed. My aunt and her family went to their home just a few steps away (these houses are not that big with no basement). My sister, brother and cousins went upstairs for bed and my mom followed to check in on them, dad in his room on the main floor, and grandfather went off to his room nearest to the kitchen. I was in the one kitchen washing my dishes and my uncle was in the servant’s kitchen on the other side of the wall. During this time, we all hear a loud crash as if dishes fell to the floor. At first, I didn’t say anything and continued to finish washing my dishes. A minute later, the same sound. I figured it was someone in the other kitchen – my uncle, a servant maybe. My uncle came through the door from the other kitchen about the same time my mother came down the stairs wondering what happened. My mom asked me what all that noise was. Everyone’s gone to bed and I shouldn’t be making all that racket. I told her it wasn’t me. She didn’t believe me. Both her and my uncle gave me a weird look. I showed them there are no broken dishes and it couldn’t be me. We couldn’t figure out the source of the noise. The loudness, the impact. It seemed like it was right in that room or the next room. Yet we couldn’t figure out the source. Where the house was located, it was a bit remote. It was never discussed again. In my head, I think it’s my grandmother’s way of saying hello. My dad was the first on his side of the family to have children and my grandmother only saw us when we were children. We moved away and she died of cancer.
Prior to us leaving, my uncle bought a couple of statues – Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mother Mary. This time, we were at one of my Aunt’s homes in Manila. We all sat around in the small living room. The statues were set on a small table. They were set facing forward. Everyone was talking quietly as I was quietly observing everyone. Someone looked at the statues about an hour later and noticed that Mother Mary turned on an angle. It was as if she was looking at my dad. We all thought it was unusual because these statues are not light and cannot move on it’s own nor would a wind be able to blow it over. Though a bit scary, everyone continued on with their conversations. My family was leaving in a few days and we were trying to make the most of our last days there. Even though I noticed earlier, someone else noted that Mother Mary moved to look to me. I was sitting across the room from my dad. So the statue would have to move about 45° in my direction. I kept quiet and wondered what it was all about.
Years later, I did experience other things when I lived on my own, from things missing and showing up later somewhere else. For example, I have a t.v. in my room and I have a specific location where I keep the remote. It’s either on the dresser, desk or my bed. One night, I was leaving for a seminar and I wanted to record a program. I could not find the remote at all. I went around my room and up and down my house for 20 minutes. I left without ever finding it. When I returned late that evening, I saw the black remote on top of the white bedsheets. I’m sure I would have seen it there earlier had it actually been there all along. I lived alone and therefore no one else could have touched the remote.
My grandmother recently passed away in December after my family returned from vacation. It did seem she waited on us so we can pay our final respects to her. Since her death, people have experienced different things from seeing shadows to hearing someone breathe. I have not experienced anything personally, but you never know.
Doing meditations for years now, I learned to see auras. Most times it’s when I’m extremely tired and I’m not thinking much. Sometimes I feel energy around me. I trained in martial arts for five years where we would meditate for a few minutes in the beginning and end of every class. As a senior belt, I came almost daily to classes. Six minutes daily does not seem a lot but add that all up for five years… Towards the end prior to me leaving the club, I started to feel very light and felt like floating at times while meditating. I wish I could go back to that feeling. I have been meditating on and off. I feel that meditating helps me to connect better to my intuition. Sometimes I dream things and they come true.
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
Reading today’s free newspaper, 24 hrs (Toronto), there is an article called What’s the Price of Fame? by Joanne Richard. It talks about how celebrity obsessed the world has become. Even in an economic downturn, sales of celebrity memorabilia is skyrocketing. Sales for West Coast Authentic in Kelowna, B.C. has increased 300% in the past decade and includes items such as sports memorabilia. Some of the more popular items would be autographed photographs and document but are not limited to just that. With the death of famous people like Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Elizabeth Taylor, items can include anything from jewelry, clothing and rare items such as a custom painted autographed guitar for Michael Jackson ($60,000, westcoastauthentic.com). Even more unusual items are not out of the question. John Lennon’s tooth last sold for £19,000 (approx. $31,000) in England on Nov. 2011 as reported by Rolling Sone. Though, in today’s article, it is quoted at $16,000.
I must admit that sometimes I get caught up in celebrity stardom. It was exciting to go out to the red carpets last year during TIFF. And given the opportunity, I may do it again this year. It was even nice to see Hugh Jackman in person during the Real Steel red carpet event. If someone gave me the opportunity to go to an exclusive party where celebrities would be present, would I say no to that? Certainly not. However, I am not crazy enough to buy such items at exuberant amounts of money. It won’t give me the same amount of high as going out and experiencing things that are fun.
I once got a pass to see Russell Peters at HMV in Mississauga. I live no more that 23 minutes (slow) walking distance from there. I couldn’t believe it. While Toronto is known to be the first choice for any celebrity event, I would have to travel by transit to get there and experience these events with a whole lot of other people. I live in the suburbs and having Russell Peters come out to my end of town is nice. Yes, he’s from Brampton and he openly admits to growing up there and seems to have an appreciation for where he comes from. On the day of the autograph signing, at least 200 people with this pass are already lined up by 5pm. I should have known better and gotten there earlier with a sandwich and drink. I was near the end of the line. Russell Peters shows up with his family. He’s there to promote his DVD Green Card. He patiently signs autographs for every one of his fans holding a pass. He made sure that everyone got an autograph and stays beyond the 2 hour contract that is required of him. The mall is now closed past 9pm, and I finally get my copy of Green Card signed. It was only a few minutes. I gave him a photo of himself from my graduation where he was the recipient of an honourary degree at Humber College just months earlier. He gave it to his mom who couldn’t help but smile over it. That was a kodak moment for me. However, after waiting in line for more than two hours, I have to re-think about the importance of celebrities and the importance of my life. Prior to this event, my cousin said he met Russell Peters prior to Russell becoming famous. According to my cousin, he’s just a regular dude. I really got that at the autograph signing. Not that it’s a bad thing. I actually like celebrities who appreciate their families and not forget where they come from. According to someone in line at this event, Russell Peters tries to spend as much time with his family when in Canada, even if it means taking them to these events. Back to me and what I can do for myself. Well…while Russell Peters was giving a speech at my graduation, he said to follow your passions and everything will fall into place. He may have it easier because he is famous. In this economic times, I have to think how I will implement my passions into making a living out of it. But it is true. I am currently exploring choices at an employment centre and the employment advisor sees me as someone that can go the creative route instead of a regular office job. I have finally come to the conclusion that it is better to dream and achieve my own success instead of fantasizing being close to an already successful famous person.
Every year in Toronto, there is an event called Open Door where certain places open their doors to give tours to the public for free. I went and actually enjoyed some of the venues. The Flat Iron building was somewhat of a bust. While the history itself was interesting, the tour wasn’t that great. Other places I visited was the St. James Cathedral and The Design Exchange. Here, fourteen of Princess Diana’s dresses were on display prior to an auction. The collection was owned by Maureen Rorech Dunkel and she hoped to sell the collection for upwards of $6 million. The auction was held at Waddington’s June 23. Sadly, it is to help Dunkel pay off her debts. It was later reported in the Toronto Star that only four of the fourteen dresses sold. For more on this link to:
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/royalfamily/article/1052782–diana-s-dresses-didn-t-sell-after-all
While celebrities will continue to capture fans’ imaginations, this is one case where I feel like saying it was an epic fail for one person. Is collecting memorabilia worth the price?
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
Recently, I attended a fashion shoot to help build my photography portfolio. Toronto Photographic has held many workshops and events to help every day people build their work and encourage them to be creative. This event was hosted in conjunction with Creative Image Studios. Coming to this fashion shoot helps me to see how it’s really done – getting a location, finding models, having a collection from a designer, makeup, lighting and then getting creative with the photoshoot. Yes, it was fun, even if I couldn’t stay as long as I wished to. As expected, workshop #2 and #3 ran late. I had to leave for a charity event. I was shooting a fundraiser for the Richmond Hill Philharmonic Orchestra. That was a lot of fun and a success. Whether or not they like my photographs is another story. It was during this event I heard the classical song Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev for the first time. It is a narration set to music. Beautiful is all I can explain it.
Back to the fashion shoot and Toronto Photographic. I learned about how to work with models. While some needed some direction, others worked well to show off the clothes they are wearing. I also enjoyed the company of people like Dario of Creative Image Studios and Stephen James of Toronto Photographic. I was allowed to take some photographs behind the scenes like the models in the make up room.
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
© Grecel Nepomuceno
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
Richmond Hill Philharmonic Orchestra
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
Richmond Hill Philharmonic Orchestra
BEHIND THE SCENES
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
© Grecel Nepomuceno
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
Testing the lighting system
When I got started with my Nikon D7000 camera last year, it was a learning curve. In the beginning, I took several photos of the same thing with different settings to see how it would look. I have gotten better, but I still have a lot to learn. Instead of hundreds of photos of the same image, it’s now thousands of photos of different things. What I know is learning to be quick and patient at the same time. Learning to be patient so that I can get an image in focus, but at the same time to be quick to capture the moment. At last year’s Digital Imaging Show in Mississauga’s International Centre, I captured an all grown up Miss Red Riding Hood. Hello, Red. How are you? This is where I saw a seminar about lighting and ended up buying a Manfrotto umbrella and stand set on sale. It’s the best thing I could do. With the help of my friend, Stephen, I learned how to use an external flash with the umbrella and create a studio for portraits.
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
Toronto Photographic also hosts small workshops to learn the basics of Lightroom to help you edit your photographs. I have the pleasure of meeting Stephen James, one of the organizers of Toronto Photographic. We have become friends over the past year. Not only has he been a good teacher and mentor, he has encouraged me and helped me whenever he can. Most recently, I started using Flickr again to feature some of my photographs. I tried to keep the number of photographs under 200. Once you reach that number, you must upgrade to pro and pay. Well, considering my financial situation, I just can’t right now. So, to add some of my more current photos, I had to delete a few older (less popular) ones. I explained this to my friend, Stephen, who, by the next morning when I woke up, had paid for my upgrade so I can upload as many photographs as I want for at least a year. Thank you so much, Stephen. Not only are you a professional in your field, you are a good friend. I appreciate the encouragement and the help you have given me so far.
Please visit my Flickr account as well as my friend, Stephen’s:
Greceln (a.k.a. iFoxyGN)
Fashion shoot and people: http://www.flickr.com/photos/greceln_ifoxygn/sets/72157629718900211/
Photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/greceln_ifoxygn
Stephen James, digitalTouch Media
Photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/digitaltouch/
website: http://www.digitaltouch.ca/
Boots, Benny, Kikko
In a week’s time, my cats will be turning four. Four years ago, the owner of a martial arts club I trained at was looking for someone to take in one of two cats that were abandoned. Looking at the photo of the female, I fell in love. I never thought I would be a cat owner. I always thought I would have a dog instead. I decided to ask about it and in a couple of weeks, I finally have myself a cat named Nike.
Never being a pet owner, I learned as I went. I lived on my own and Nike enjoyed having all of my attention. Looking at her personality, I think she is a human stuck in a cat body. I’d call her once in a while and find she’s exploring under my bed and come out meowing with her paw out to say she’s there. Not knowing any better, I just assumed she was a big eater instead of being pregnant.
One Sunday night, as I went to sleep, she started to act real funny. I mean, she was acting funny all day not wanting attention from me at all. That night, she jumped onto my bed with an unusually loud meow. Then lays on her back to be petted. Or so I think. She keeps acting weird and I think maybe she needs to be carried to the cat litter to do her business. Weird. She normally can go on her own. We didn’t make it. When I got to the main floor, she runs to the space beneath the kitchen sink and starts meowing crazily. I didn’t know what to do. I call the 24 hr emergency vet clinic and ask what I should do. They are asking me questions and want to know if I can get the cat to the clinic. I’m not even sure because I don’t even have a cat carrier. The martial arts instructor dropped off the cat at my house a couple of months earlier.
While making my calls and asking dad to give me a lift and so on, it was all of a sudden quiet except for a smaller, higher pitched meow. OMG! A kitten was just born. That’s what all this was about. She was sitting on top of Nike. Nike turned her body slightly so I can have a better look of her newborn. So beautiful. I called work that night unsure what to say. I asked them to give me time off, whether they wanted to call it a vacation day or sick day or whatever. I don’t care. I was staying home. Surprisingly, they let me. It probably wasn’t busy at work, or they would have told me to come. The next morning, three more – I believe one wasn’t viable. It turned out that I am now grandma to three kittens. First was Boots on Sunday, April 7th, and the other two were Benny and Kikko the next morning.
The photo pictured above was taken at ten days old. Nike was extremely upset and very watchful as I took her babies into the one room for photographs. At one point, I put the kittens on an Ikea seat. Nike was concerned and had to scope it out. She saw the possibility of the kittens falling off the edge. She jumped to that side and laid on the ground to make sure the kittens would safely fall on her. That time, the kittens were slowly learning to walk and almost did fall over. I caught them with my hand. Over time, Nike came to realize that people came to see the kittens instead of her. She became jealous and it’s never been the same since.
I enjoyed watching the kittens grow. They fit in the palm of my hand and now they are all grown up. Boots of course is a Princess, Benny is a loner with some unusual habits and Kikko is living with another family. Yes, I regret giving Kikko away. All the cats are smart in their own way. Nike is still griping over how much attention the other cats get. Currently, they are at a pet boarding place. Sad, yes. I do not want to give up my cats as much as possible. I do get to visit them as much as I want.
So if you are a cat or pet lover, I hope you enjoy these photos.
Brand New Day for Benny - Just opening her eyes at ten days old
At ten days old - Benny, Boots, Kikko
All grown up…
Benny
Boots
Nike
Benny
Boots
Benny and Boots
Kikko
It’s spring time again and cherry blossoms will soon be blooming. I saw a post on our local 24 hour news station that there will be a National Cherry Blossom Festival taking place this year in Washington D.C. from March 20 – April 27. Also known as sakura in Japan, it is the flower of many trees of the genus Prunus. Hanami is the practice of picnicking under a sakura tree. People eat and drink sake. I once had a friend (I actually have a few friends) who went to Japan to teach english. This one particular friend was known to write few and far in between, but when he did, they were like novels. He did experience this tradition with his Japanese friends and in so many words, enjoyed more so the art of picnicking where sake was involved. In the words of Wikipedia, “In Japan, cherry blossoms also symbolize clouds due to their nature of blooming en masse, besides being an enduring metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life…” You can read up on it yourselves by Googling it. For now, I want you to enjoy these photos I took from last year in High Park, Toronto. It was hard to predict when they would bloom, and when they did, the weather was warm and people came en masse. Unfortunately, there is only one cherry tree in Mississauga’s Kariya Park, named after our twin city in Japan.
I live in Mississauga and for the past few years at least, something special has been going on. A landmark building right in our city. It is called 360° Condo, dubbed the Marilyn Munroe Towers because of its curvaceous design.
In November 2006, the mayor of Mississauga, Hazel McCallion, announced a international competition for the fourth tower for Absolute World. There were over 600 registrants and 92 submissions from architects in seventy countries who took part in this competition.
These six finalists were announced on January 30, 2007:
• Nicholas Boyarsky, Boyarsky Murphy Architects, United Kingdom
• Michel Rojkind, rojkind arquitectos, Mexico
• Roland Rom Colthoff, Quadrangle Architects Limited, Canada
• Sebastian Messer, Studio MWM, United Kingdom
• Yansong Ma, MAD office, China
• Tarek El-Khatib, Zeidler Partnership Architects, Canada
And the winning design announced on March 28, 2007 went to Yansong Ma, founder of the MAD office, Beijing/China architectural design firm. Absolute World Condos and Townhome Condos are situated on the corner of Hurontario St. and Burhamthorpe Rd. I see it daily. Guests who come to visit from out of town are in awe of the design. Some of those who live here think it may collapse like a deck of cards because of its twisty design. I personally think it doesn’t look as nice as the art rendering they originally posted in front of the construction site. The two towers look a little anemic. With thirty something photos, I hope you enjoy the construction of these buildings.
I did check out the sales office to see what kinds of layout and price for each unit were. The three regular towers were about $350,000+ CAD while those same units in the Marilyn Monroe towers were at least $100,000 more because of the prestigious award it received. I checked out the two-bedroom and three bedroom Townhome suites because of its accessibility to the garage, garden and street level entrance. Comfortable for someone single like me but there is no room for storage. Recently, as reported on December 27, 2011, a penthouse suite went up for sale at a cost of $3.2 million. Cost to build it: $40 million.
For more information on these buildings and amenities, please check out Absolute World at: http://www.mississauga4sale.com/Condos-GTA/90-Absolute-Avenue.htm.
Hello all. I want to announce that Sock Monkey has a new blog called Big Monkey Adventures. Please follow him as he takes his first trip through South America.
http://bigmonkeyadventures.wordpress.com/
Something’s come up recently at home. We had to do a double take, even a triple take. My family and I discussed and took pictures, and even showed those who came to visit our home. While cooking, someone came across it. Our very own “sign” if you will….our very own Homer Mr. Potato head. Judge for yourselves. I took a couple a of photos. What do you think it means? More laughter? More Simpsons shows? I don’t know. I just like it.
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
This past winter has been extremely mild in Toronto. On a few occasions, as I recall, you would never have known it’s winter from lack of heavy coats and some possibly wearing shorts outdoors. The only way you could tell it’s winter is from all the Christmas decorations. There were only a few, if any, cold weather alerts or snow. I am not complaining. I like the mild weather. This said, judging from Facebook pictures, my snowboarding friends still manage to get in a trip or two to the ski lodge. Today…in March…and mother nature decides to have a mix of snow and sunshine.
My tribute to winter is the few photos I took along Yonge and Bloor Streets. (Also, it’s because I haven’t blogged for quite a long time. I am still in the midst of editing my vacation photos and fixing all corrupt photos that I must have in my collection. Seriously….how often do I get a chance to see a Southern Crested Caracara bird and take some photos of it. Once I get those photos fixed, I’ll be blogging.)
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
© 2012 Grecel Nepomuceno
