tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75103122024-03-15T16:33:41.692+13:00nickballesteros.comA hobby blog (and then some)Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.comBlogger982125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-1619109119962805082024-03-15T16:32:00.004+13:002024-03-15T16:32:42.525+13:00Is this the place we used to love? Is this the place that I've been dreaming of? Today, the 15th of March, marks the 5th anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks.New Zealand is as isolated as you can get geographically. A group of small islands relatively inconspicuous that it's sometimes mistaken as part of Australia, or even accidentally omitted in world maps. Being physically far from everyone else, one would have thought that this country would be spared from Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-75412526571913063502024-03-06T12:47:00.002+13:002024-03-06T12:47:16.503+13:00We'll always be together, together in electric dreams
We did something awesome over the weekend. We watched a concert! It's something I haven't done in years. I think the last time was in the 90s. During that period I sat in a stadium for a Corrs concert, I stood amidst a rather hyper crowd of Incubus fans (to be honest, I thought I was the oldest in that crowd), and jammed with Parokya ni Edgar in a more intimate outdoor venue in Cebu. Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-33444198430010452942024-02-25T21:46:00.004+13:002024-02-25T21:46:49.776+13:00Doors, why do there have to be doorsLast 12th Feb I recommended The Good Place to a friend. It's one of my favourite shows on Netflix and I'm sure he would like it too. But like most movies or series that I watch only once, I would have forgotten what happened between the start and the end. And so I decided to have another go at all 4 seasons.I just completed the series Last Friday (23 Feb) while on my way back home from work.The Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-45477114867376496652024-02-21T14:38:00.001+13:002024-02-21T14:38:11.269+13:00'cause life's a constant change, and nothing stays the same
It's 2.30pm. I'm in my son's room, counting the minutes til he comes back from Uni, counting the hours til I fly back to Wellington. I can't help but think how time has flown. I can still remember cradling him in my arms while I read the latest Harry Potter book. I loved giving him rides on my shoulder whenever we were out and about.And now here he is, moved away from us to pursue hisNick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-58930866788491548502024-02-16T19:20:00.001+13:002024-02-21T14:29:01.241+13:00If I could save time in a bottle, the first thing that I'd like to doThis week was quite a roller coaster.Last Tuesday, my daughter went off to her Year 8 camp. Then yesterday I accompanied my son here at the South Island where he will be flatting as he starts his first year of University, and his first time to be away from us.I didn't know if I should feel happy, or sad, or angry. At one point I felt anger was the best way to cope.But as I sit here in my son's Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-21505596206053750592024-02-05T14:27:00.000+13:002024-02-05T14:27:58.426+13:00Where seldom is heard a discouraging word, and the skies are not cloudy all day
I'm starting at a perfectly blue sky today and this song just snuck its way into my head. 'Home, home on the range' must be as old as time itself; I learned this song when I was in grade school and was taught to me by a friend. And it' such a simple and fun song to sing to!Miranda had reminded me of how awesome pets can be, especially to those who feel down in the dumps. For some Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-32716368977614701762024-01-26T22:55:00.001+13:002024-01-26T23:01:03.528+13:00These are a few of my favourite thingsThe 'task' I chose from Miranda's book today is to list down five things I'm grateful for today.As I stare out the window of the bus on my morning commute, I actually started getting anxious about completing the list. I mean, five things? That's a lot isn't it?
But just then a family with kids scrambled onto the back seats and the mum exclaimed 'we're going to have a fun day today!' Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-72240793427542795792024-01-19T15:41:00.004+13:002024-01-19T15:41:47.754+13:00I see trees of green, red roses too.
One of Miranda's daily tasks was to watch It's a Wonderful Life (or re-watch if you've seen it already). In other parts of the world, you can call this a quintessential film for the Christmas holidays. Not so much in the Philippines and here in New Zealand, though. My go-to film would have to be Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer from Rankin-Bass.But I've seen this movie 'advertised' in Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-77521909237073760252024-01-12T16:38:00.000+13:002024-01-12T16:38:30.930+13:00All right stop, collaborate and listenYes I know, I know. I haven't posted what I have done from Miranda's book the past few days. I found a number of the tasks a huge challenge, actually. Like getting my fellow commuters to sing (I might do a solo in the car instead), or pay for someone else's meals (I'm not a talk-to-strangers person, to be honest).So in a sense, I'm actually missing the point of the book, which is to try somethingNick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-62085218990396982652024-01-08T22:50:00.003+13:002024-01-08T22:50:30.300+13:007 & 8 Jan with Miranda Guess what. We found the perfect place to gallop. At the Castle Hill in Canterbury!I asked some kids who were with us to join me in this frivolity and they heartily obliged, as you can see in the video! Some trampers were actually coming our way and were bemused by the gallopers approaching them. Such fun!For the tasks listed for these two days, I chose the one that requires me to give a Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-55985997175184336932024-01-06T23:50:00.001+13:002024-01-06T23:50:55.608+13:005 & 6 Jan with MirandaDo I see a trend here? I'm trying to catch up every couple of days with my reading. Miranda might not approve... or would she? Barely 20 minutes til the next day starts and here I am writing about my daily 'tasks'. Well... for the last two tasks I have at least completed one, so that's a 50% personal success rate!Today's task is to listen to Shonda Rhimes' TED Talk of 'My year of saying yes to Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-28733580486370430392024-01-05T12:00:00.001+13:002024-01-05T12:00:20.370+13:003 & 4 Jan with Miranda Such fun! Actually we are still on holiday while a number of people have already started work. Miranda would be proud!The third of January requires us to have a banquet. We don't really eat out much as a family so I hope this one will suffice. We had a late lunch in a nearby restaurant.As for the 4th of January, I need to do something interesting while on a zebra crossing. Will skip and hopNick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-57087259908387302532024-01-02T11:59:00.000+13:002024-01-02T11:59:27.258+13:001 & 2 Jan with Miranda Well, I've gotten off to a fine start with the book! New Years Day was interestingly busy, and when I realised I had to start with the book it was already 11.55pm and I was in the middle of posting a new year message on Instagram! Same with the day after New Year's; yesterday we were outdoors most of the day and returned home at nearly 10pm.But better late than never! Although... I don't Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-25212571575833989032023-12-14T17:38:00.001+13:002023-12-14T17:41:13.368+13:00Such fun!
Last Monday I picked up this book from the Op Shop for a dollar. Miranda's TV show with her name as the title has always been one of my favourite sitcoms. And my wife's too. Too bad there aren't any new episodes but reruns are always a welcome treat.Back to the book. I've just read the introduction, and it sounds like it's more of a self-help book if you are experiencing anxiety and Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-73103523079195266282023-09-27T08:43:00.001+13:002023-09-27T08:43:06.813+13:00One missed call.A close friend suffered a stroke a couple of nights ago.It happened at work. His wife recounted that at the end of the workday, he called and said he felt a bit tired and rested a bit. About an hour later, the wife had not heard back so she phoned him. The husband managed to return the call but with some difficulty. He could't move his body. An ambulance trip later, he's in the hospital with a Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-34898819933660320052022-09-09T16:45:00.000+12:002022-09-09T16:45:04.411+12:00Win some, lose someWhen I saw this chess set at the op shop last weekend, the first thing that came to mind was, "what a bargain!" It was only $5 and it was a Kasparov portable chess set. I thought, why would someone donate this? Anyway, one man's rubbish is another man's treasure as they say, so I was happy to bag this deal.My daughter had joined the chess club at school so I thought this would be a wonderful way Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-55637324192072458352022-05-24T15:20:00.001+12:002022-05-24T17:15:41.713+12:00That time when I waited on tables
Last weekend was not-so-ordinary. We had a church group activity over Saturday and Sunday, and on Saturday evening I was able to experience being a wait staff. There were only eight couples we waited on, but it gave me a rough idea of how it is like.There are two things I learned about myself from this experience -1. I am undoubtedly an introvert - I found it difficult keeping a happyNick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-29427300640688668952022-04-26T19:59:00.001+12:002022-04-26T19:59:03.840+12:00Wishy washyI was in my final year of university and we were in Manila for our field trip. It was my first time in the bustling city, and the enormity of the place was just astounding. I remember being wide-eyed while our bus made its way through the highway with the tall buildings left and right; very different from my hometown! It was also stifling hot, something that I never got used to inspite of the Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-44054606785756644062022-04-20T05:41:00.001+12:002022-04-20T05:41:36.417+12:00The glue in the friendshipI had a wonderful group of friends in Manila when I lived and worked there. It was an unlikely combo but it worked, and I've always thought it's due to our love of the great outdoors. My workmates, along with my 'neighbourhood' mates, formed a bond went beyond mere acquaintances. We all even travelled south of the Philippines together on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.But in life's twists and Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-39670179432962855882022-04-03T04:37:00.001+12:002022-04-03T04:37:04.315+12:00A mother's loveOne of my fondest childhood memories of my Nanay is when I was very sick one night. I remember tossing and turning, couldn't sleep due to the fever. Everyone else was fast asleep. She came up to me and asked if I couldn't sleep. I said yes, so she turned on the tv and we watched a children's show together.Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-11381534886516589792022-03-28T12:32:00.003+13:002022-03-28T12:33:10.711+13:00Waiting game
Waiting outside the Asian Store while my wife shopped for goodies reminded me of the times when I waited for my Nanay decades ago. Our house then was a good fifteen minute walk to the market. If there's going to be a major 'shopping spree' - think Christmas - I'm the kid my Nanay chooses to help with hauling stuff around. Not sure why, perhaps because I spend too much time in the Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-18872735168694463342022-03-07T12:41:00.001+13:002022-03-07T12:41:37.547+13:00In isolation
It all started last week when my son had to leave school early as he was unwell. The next day I signed up for a RATs test kit and promptly queued up to collect. He tested positive.We have been voluntarily isolating since. Good thing we have work-from-home down pat in 2020 so we can still earn.This is the situation that I thought we'd dodge. NZ had been doing so well keeping the virus Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-386886547628090602022-02-23T12:41:00.001+13:002022-02-23T12:41:44.407+13:00Ramen is life
I watched The God of Ramen from the Japanese Film Festival because I love Ramen and I thought it will be about cooking. Well, it was in some way. But it was more on the poignant life of renowned Ramen Chef Kazuo Yamagishi. In a lot of ways, his story strongly resonated with me. This realisation came when Yamagishi's hands were focussed. I've seen those hands before: calloused Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-61868876349695594912022-02-13T22:50:00.003+13:002022-02-13T22:50:35.732+13:00Pyjama party, anyone? If I'd be asked to tell an awkward story, this would be my go-to account. But no one's asked me this questions before, so I thought I'd just share this out there.I was new in Makati then, which is a bustling city in Metro Manila, Philippines. I was there more as a necessity rather a choice because I couldn't find work in my hometown. Luckily I did land a job in IT but as an entry-level Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7510312.post-82469573258590599242022-02-01T23:17:00.001+13:002022-02-01T23:17:39.071+13:00Time after timeI glance at my watch. 11.07pm. I pause and wonder how time just flew by so fast. I glance at my watch again and half an hour has gone. This watch counts down every hour, every minute, every second. So precise, so... clinical.How about counting the days by the season instead? We're almost done with summer. Soon the hot summer air will give way to the cool autumn breeze. The trees will swap their Nick Ballesteroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851406139825729546noreply@blogger.com0