The Ubuntu Philippines Local Community Team (Ubuntu-PH), in cooperation with the University of the Philippines Department of Computer Science and Engineering, invite you to a day of sharing experiences, learning, and meeting fellow enthusiasts involved in the hottest GNU/Linux distribution that hit mainstream computing - Ubuntu!

Ubuntu Love Day Manila 2008 is a grassroots effort to spread the spirit of Ubuntu. On August 23, 2008, learn and interact with fellow Ubuntu enthusiasts on how you use Ubuntu in your everyday computing needs. We invited 6 resource persons to share their experiences with Ubuntu in different areas of interest:

1. The Ubuntu 30 day challenge - Aileen Apolo (Google)
2. Ubuntu on virtualization and integrating to a Windows Network - Wallen Tan
3. Ubuntu: Saving lives (and then some) - Charo Nuguid
4. Choice is Good! Welcome to the Exciting, Productive and Wacky World of Ubuntu Derivatives - members of UP Linux Users’ Group (UnPLUG)
5. Ubuntu and the OLPC XO-1 - Rowen Remis Iral (OLPCPH)
6. Kubuntu & KDE: Contributing to an International Software Project - Juan Carlos Torres (KDE Project)

And the best part? Admission is FREE! But due to space restrictions, we are limiting this event to 50 participants. Please make sure to reserve a ticket and follow the instructions given to you upon reservation If you have reserved a ticket and for some unforeseen event you are not able to attend, please let us know so we can free up the ticket and give a chance to others who would like to attend.

Limit 2 tickets per participant, first come, first served. Tickets have no cash value as this is a free event. If someone tries to sell you one, let us know.

For the past months — no, a year! — I’ve spent more time on my offline writing career (UST and LIRA literary workshops) than the online one (blogs and web projects). Truth to be told, I think my heyday of putting up blogs and writing posts here and there is drawing to a close (or has done so already). I’m now settling into a comfort zone in the offline writing world, slowly but surely.

Still, that doesn’t mean that I’ll be turning my back on blogs. I still love blogging. It’s just the time that is scarce, not affection.

And time for blogging is what I will be setting aside on September 6, 2008, when the first WordCamp in Southeast Asia will be hitting town. From the event’s About page:

WordCamp is the premier event for WordPress users and developers. WordPress is arguably the #1 blogging platform in the world today…One of the objectives of WordCamp Philippines is to encourage more developers to use and deploy WordPress, not only as a blogging engine but also as a full-featured content management system for Web sites.

I’m one of those users who fully appreciate WordPress’ power, having deployed it on a plethora of sites, from my main website to the family portal, from a personal blog to a literary magazine. I’ll attend WordCamp Philippines not only to learn more WP stuff, but also to show support to a platform that just keeps on giving.

The WordCamp will be held at the College of Saint Benilde in Manila and is being organized by the Mindanao Bloggers group. The event is being sponsored by:

• i.PH: the Domain for Individuals
• Free Online Flash Games
• Wazzup Manila Philippines
• Real Estate CRM
• Real Estate Website Designers
• Orange County Real Estate
• Auto Insurance Quotes
• Lane Systems Inc.
• RedMedia
• Orange County Business Lawyer

See you in WordCamp Philippines 2008!

I’ll be the one of the panelists in today’s The UP Parser Writing Workshop.

The UP Parser is the school paper I edited (along with Ia) for two academic years. Not only is it rewarding for me to have the chance to share my blessings with a new generation of wordsmiths, but it’s also surreal to be leading a workshop panel only a few weeks separated from my being a workshop fellow (at the UST NWW).

The workshop programme, taken from my Multiply blog:

The UP Parser Writing Workshop 2008
1.0: News and Feature Writing

July 23, 2008
5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
UP Alumni Engineers Centennial Hall
Velasquez Street, UP Diliman

Organized by:
The UP Parser Alumni &
The UP Parser Staff for AY 2008-09

Programme

5:30 - 5:40    Introduction / UP Parser History
5:40 - 6:00    The Winning Team (by Jonel Uy)
6:00 - 6:45    News Writing Workshop (led by Phillip Kimpo Jr.)
6:45 - 7:30    Features Writing Workshop (led by Phillip Kimpo Jr.)
7:30 - 8:00    Open Forum

The Panelists

Phillip Kimpo Jr.
Head Panelist

Phillip served as The UP Parser’s Editor-in-Chief for the academic years 2004-05 and 2005-06, helping resurrect the then-dead publication. During his term, Parser emerged as the foremost publication in the College of Engineering, releasing seven issues with more or less a total circulation of 3000 copies, many of which were in full color and tabloid size. During this time, Parser’s signature line was permanently etched in DCS history: We don’t just write programs; we write.

Phillip graduated from the Department of Computer Science in 2006, and was cited as an Outstanding Representative by the UP Alliance of Computer Science Students (UP CS Network). He currently works as a freelance writer, editor, and website manager.

Phillip is a member of LIRA (Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika, at Anyo), an organization of poets writing in Filipino under the aegis of National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario (a.k.a. Rio Alma). He is a founding member of KATAS (Kalipunan ng mga Taga-Sining para sa Lipunan). He was a Fellow for the 9th UST National Writers’ Workshop and the 2007 LIRA Poetry Clinic. He serves as a staffer for the Bulawan Online literary journal.

In his high school and grade school days, Phillip won 1st place in newswriting in the national, NCR, and Quezon City levels of schools press conferences.

Phillip is currently finishing his first book of personal essays, Corsair of Cordillera Street. Visit him at www.phillip.kimpo.ph.

Sophia Lucero

Adelaida Sophia Marie Lucero, or “Ia” for short is an accomplished web designer, editor, and freelance writer. She graduated cum laude from the Department of Computer Science in 2006.
Ia served as The UP Parser’s Associate Editor for the academic years 2004-05 and 2005-06, and was more than an integral part in the publication’s “resurrection years.” She was also cited as an Outstanding Student Representative by the UP Alliance of Computer Science Students (UP CS Network).

Ia is one of the Philippines’ emerging web designers, having crafted masterpieces for Praise Music Philippines, Bradford Shoes, and around a dozen sites for the UK-based Splashpress Media network.

Ia is the web designer and a staffer of the Bulawan Online literary journal. One of her WordPress themes won runner-up honors in a recent international design contest. Her personal and portfolio site, Stellify.net was a Finalist for Best Technology Blog in the 2007 Philippine Blog Awards.

In high school, Ia represented the National Capital Region in the National Schools Press Conference, having won 2nd in copyreading in the regional level.

Aside from web designing, she currently manages, edits, and writes for several of Splashpress Media’s and Toronto-based Enthropia Inc.’s major websites.

Jonel Uy

Jonel is the co-founder of The UP Parser back in 1999. He also served as its Associate Editor and Business Manager among others. He worked with different software companies in the IT industry until 2007. He is now into freelance web & software development/consulting. He does this while juggling a lot of things like stock trading, starting a business, surfing, blogging (travel, food, photo), and helping out in giving Parser another push. =)

Erica Mae Abbass

Erica Mae (“Cai”) served as The UP Parser’s Editor-in-Chief during AY 2007-08.

Fellows to be Workshopped

Contreras, Paul Vincent   
Dag, Olive Ruth A.   
Francisco, Peter John   
Kam, Kathleen   
Lacandazo, Apryll   
Ortiz, Josephine Ann Gabrielle   
Samson, Gian Paolo   
Sy, Jose Paolo M.
Tan, Ava Marie   
Tanyag, Ruzette   
Tiojanco, Jase Nathaniel G.

Other Participants

Camarao, Crystal Beatrice
Garais, Audrey C.
Lacanilao, Arturo III

Remember my recent post on laser engraved moleskines? Well, I just got mine earlier this week, and it’s a beauty.

Playing on its coffee steam design, I’m naming my second moleskine notebook “Katas” (Filipino for ‘juice’ or ’sap’). KATAS is also the nickname of a small literary organization I helped establish last year, the Kalipunan ng mga Taga-Sining para sa Lipunan (Society of Artists for Society).

I was especially enamored of this design because 1) I love coffee, and 2) I have a strong interest in cities and urban planning. Not to mention that I interpret the union of coffee steam and city as the (rightful) merger of art with society.

I know some people, especially fellow writers, frown upon the use of such luxurious instruments of the art. A few of my peers have even been vocal about it. But I don’t see it as a big deal — I know that I’m a good writer, and I know that I don’t throw away my hard-earned cash (for most of the time, that is). Outside of books and my airplane minis hobby, my salary goes to savings and family bills.

As I wrote the last time around:

Modofly’s Coffee Steam moleskine, a portrait of the city in a whiff of coffee vapor. Hard and flowing, real and absurd, elegant and gritty…After all, I’ve just filled my first moleskine (named “Karimlan”) to the brim. The new caffeinated notebook will serve as its replacement. It will also be a reward for all the little milestones in my literary career (no quotes surrounding ‘career’ this time), as well as an inspiration to finish the last five essays or so for my first book.

First book? Care to share a bit more, Mr. Kimpo?

That will be for another post in the near, near future. Wink, wink.

And yes, I plan to finish the last few essays by August so I can submit it to Dr. ____ for consideration. (A third wink goes in here.)

Two more pics of my new moleskine:

Katas just out of the package. It set me back around $45, overseas shipping included.

The old and the new. The wear and tear on Karimlan (bottom moleskine) is evident. You served me well, my friend. Thanks for all the poems, essays, stories, and other magical words.

After years of waiting, a third Diablo game has been announced.

Damn.

Last year, it was StarCraft II. Now, this industry-shaking news. What more can I, a Blizzard fan, ask for?

I’ll spare you from a litany of how much I became engrossed in Diablo II, and I’ll instead point you toward the official D3 site, where you can get all the game info to your heart’s content. But for those who don’t have the time (or net speed) to view the Diablo III cinematic trailer, here are some vidcaps I took:

Blizzard kicks ass.

Hmmm. New location?

The desert jewel of Lut Gholein, it seems.

A fiery arrival at Tristram.

What terror lurks inside?

The army of darkness.

*The* monastery at Tristam.

I love massive battle scenes like this.

The who?

And he’s back.

Who’s the pretty lady? Obviously she’s going to play an important role in the story.

Thank you, Blizzard, thank you.

For the bigger part of my gaming life, Blizzard games have dominated the sleepless hours. Yet it has been, what, a year since I’ve last played a Blizzard game.

With the imminent launch of the new installments of StarCraft and Diablo, that will certainly change.

Old habits die hard. Especially gaming habits.

Reminds me of my Notable Steampunk Games article at Gadzooki!

Sometimes, writing on a moleskine isn’t luxury enough — you’ve got to write on a customized moleskine, one that reflects your personality on the outside as much as in the writings inside.

Enter the laser engraved and etched moleskines. For a few dollars, you can have your own design/photo impressed upon your black book of daily impressions, giving you another means with which to impress your friends. You can also choose from a menagerie of pre-made artists’ designs, such as the ones offered by various custom moleskine companies. Some examples:

Finally, here’s my favorite design of them all:

Modofly’s Coffee Steam moleskine, a portrait of the city in a whiff of coffee vapor. Hard and flowing, real and absurd, elegant and gritty, this design hypnotized me to the point where I clicked the Buy button, and went through with the purchase!

Well, the notebook’s already on its way now, so I’ll have to gulp down the damage to my wallet. After all, I’ve just filled my first moleskine (named “Karimlan”) to the brim. The new caffeinated notebook will serve as its replacement. It will also be a reward for all the little milestones in my literary career (no quotes surrounding ‘career’ this time), as well as an inspiration to finish the last five essays or so for my first book.

First book? Care to share a bit more, Mr. Kimpo?

That will be for another post in the near, near future. Wink, wink.

This is what Ia Lucero and I had been cramming for in the past few weeks. Quoting the popular Panitikan.com.ph site:

JUNE 22, 2008

BULAWAN ONLINE LAUNCHED

At his lecture in UP Diliman last June 19, National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario was glad to launch a new website: bulawanonline.com. He serves as chief editor while Roberto T. Añonuevo, Romulo P. Baquiran Jr., Michael M. Coroza, Vim Nadera and Fidel Rillo serve as co-editors. Phillip Kimpo Jr., Sophia Lucero, Eilene Narvaez and Ernanie Rafael are the staff members.

Bulawanonline.com gets its name from Bulawan, a refereed quarterly journal published by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts. The NCCA is also one of the major forces behind panitikan.com.ph.

The maiden issue features works and commentary by Nikka Osorio, Roberto T. Añonuevo, Ronald A. Atilano, Romulo P. Baquiran, Jr., Michael M. Coroza and Virgilio S. Almario himself. Visit the new site here: http://bulawanonline.com/.

The lit journal only accepts works in Filipino — poems, short stories, critical essays, and translations. Several important links:

• The first issue
• About the journal
• Submission guidelines

Submitted works will be reviewed by some of the most distinguished names in Philippine literature; accepted pieces will be accompanied by critiques from the editors.

The online journal’s elegant design is courtesy of — you guessed it — Ia. Now, if only she’d update her portfolio to include this latest masterpiece!

Visit Bulawan Online.

Another of my dear friend Sophia Lucero’s web design masterpieces has been featured on a top-notch venue, this time on Performancing WordPress Themes, home to “the world’s best free WordPress themes.”

The new Rubidious theme has a classy look that is sure to please lovers of the red-and-dark (myself included):

Rubidious is a three-column theme sporting deep hues of red and blue. The theme name is based on the chemical element Rubidium, which comes from the Latin term for “deepest red”.

The free WP themes site is part of the Performancing.com, a popular and trusted resource where I used to write.

You can preview and download the theme exclusively on Performancing. Also, if you will remember, Ia’s Tiffany Blue design won in a major contest last year.

SciAm was one of my favorite magazines in high school; I used to regularly visit the library archives and photocopy the best SciAm articles.

My new subscription to SciAm isn’t just a rekindling of that old interest — it will also help me in writing/researching my future, future science fiction works (I have to emphasize future, as I have plenty of cake on my plate, such as my creative nonfiction in English and poetry in Filipino).

Here’s to my read-to pile getting taller!

UP ACM, UP CURSOR and UnPLUG
invite you to attend

K.I.S.S.S 2008
Knowledge, Information, and Skills Sharing Sessions

on JUNE 21 and JUNE 28 at the UP Alumni Engineers Centennial Hall (commonly known as UP Eng’g Lib 2 and Computer Science Department)

June 21
9-12 pm - GIMP
1-4 pm - Macromedia Flash

June 28
9-12pm - PHP with MySQL
1-4pm - HTML/CSS

This is a FREE tutorial.

Registration starts at 8:30 am and 12:30 pm

You can register at our KISSS webpage.

See You There!

On a side note, it feels good that the student org I helped resurrect a few years ago (UP ACM) is very much alive and kicking today. Keep it up, guys.