Arnel Pineda is now Journey's New Vocalist!!

It's amazing! At last, a San Francisco based melody rock band Journey, announced officially on their website about their new vocalist. It's no other than "Arnel Pineda".

Arnel Pineda who? He's a Filipino singer from Quezon City Philippines, who happens to be a vocalist of Manila based band called "The Zoo". He's been rocking in Hong Kong for a decade, before he left for good to form another band in his hometown.

Neil Schon and the band, noticed him in youtube, invited him in US to audition, and the rest is history.

Arnel Pineda's story will hopefully open doors of great Filipino voices to the whole world.

It's really amazing. Way to go Arnel! Don't forget us here in Hong Kong!

cheers!

Rainbow Trek 2007 in Hong Kong Trail

Rainbow Trek is an annual trek event organize by Rainbow Project to raise money for an organisation that educates Autistic children in Hong Kong.

Wheeew! we did it! We joined for the second time around the same event we had two years ago, where we won third place on 25K race.

Participants mostly students from HK island, and some corporate people competed in teams of four and aim was to complete the trek in less than twelve hours. Each team committed to raise a minimum of $12,000 for the Rainbow Project.

This time, our team is composed of William Caluza, Errol Labuguen, Warren Santos and yours truly. Our team paid HK12000 dollars as entry fee, sponsored by QuestNet, generous company of William's wife.

We only finished 25K race in 4 hours. Unbelievable! Right. We actually didn't go thru the whole trail, but instead, we took a short cut. We've walked only about 15 to 18 kilometers. Not bad actually, although big brother William got cramps in the last 3 kilometers of 25K trail.

The weather was perfect, the air is cool and the sun is up. Yet, we still felt the heat in the last few kilometers. The best part of our trail is when we stopped at around 11am and have a rest while we eat Adobo and rice. Boy, we had that good time.

We all decided to take this event every year. Next year, we will probably complete the 50K race.

Here's some pictures of us in action!

Team Philippines: Front is Errol and William, me and Warren (hidden)


View of Aberdeen


One hightly competitive young team that overtook us


Unforgettable adobo moments


Cool weather and the sun is up


Another shot in the last one kilometer


William having physiotherapy right after crossing the finish line.


Funny, these young team came half hour later. Didn't they overtook us?
Click here for more pictures of our trek

Picnik.com - Awesome Photo Editing Site makes you professional

I just want to share another interesting site I stumbled upon recently.
The site is called picnik.com. It's a web based photo editor, and you can join for free or premium account.

Now, let me tell you that I'm impressed with their simple, user friendly interface. In no time, I was able to transform a boring picture into a stunning piece of art.

Here's the original picture I uploaded. Click it to see the larger view.


Inside, I clicked on Edit tab, where you can use the edit tools like Auto-fix, Rotate, Crop, Resize, Exposure, Colors, Sharpen and Red-Eye.

On my photo, I didn't use any of it so I went striaght to Create Tab. There you can find Effects, Texts Shapes, Touch-up and Frames.

I clicked on Effects, chose the black and white, and Soften, applied to it. Then I chose the area on the the lower part of Enzo, to focus on rubicks puzzles and his multicolored converse shoes, then applied the Focal B&W.

Then I clicked on Text tab to add the annotation "Enzo&Gian Rubicks Cube Competition" Note that the texts are separated individually, because I can't change them in different colors.

Finally, I clicked on shapes, chose the square, and add them in different colors.

Ooops, before I forgot, the last thing I did was the frame with round edges
effect, which I added under the Frames tab. That's it.

Here's the resulting image. Click it to see larger view.


What do you think? If you want to try, just go to this site and join. If you want to give the premium service a spin, Picnik is offering users a one-week free trial. and you'll be able to sign up for it on Picnik's front page.

Oh, here's another version of the photo I edited.

Thinking boy

Thinking boy
Originally uploaded by tonychel

Shot of Enzo while inside the double decker bus
on our way to Sham Sui Po to attend Primary
School briefing at St. Margaret.

Rush Now! - An Awesome Blog Script!!!

If you haven't heard the buzz lately, you need to
read this. Just recently a new site which gives a
tool that will make almost all bloggers happy,
was launched.

And for the first time ever, you can add relevant
content to your blog and each time you do so, you get
to advertise your blog on someone else's blog...

Isn't that sweet? Not only that,
this amazing tool will:

-bring traffic to your blog. Who doesn't need
traffic?

-add relevant content to your blog

-add new and constantly changing content

-makes your visitors happy and of you get happy too

This tool is 100% Free, easy to use, all you need
is a blog or website and there's no upsell
or aftersignup offer.

I'm sure you want to get straight the site.

Here's the simple steps to follow

#1 - Go to site (see link below)

#2 - Watch the awesome video

#3 - Sign up in 26 seconds

#4 - Place Blog Rush on your site

#5 - Tell Others

#6 - Watch Blog Rush get your F.ree Traffic!

Get started on Step #1 here....

http://www.BlogRush.com

My Dream Gadget is Out

My dear Chelzsky asked me to reset her iPod Video because
Gian our 2 year old super duper active kulet son played on it.
He listens to High School Musical hits. Now, she can't hear
the music.

Hmm, I did a backup first and tried to reset it back to original
factory setting inside iTunes. Then I copied back all of 300
photos inside, put some few CD albums and hand it back to her.

As I was browsing the net this morning, I learned that the new
generation iPod called iPod Touch is out in US. Also, according
to Apple, this new model, which is excatly same size as iPhone
but thinner, will be shipped in few weeks worldwide.

Come October and November, Many Hong Kong peeps will surely grab
this toy. I think iPod still has the most number of users here.

Wanna check out this cool gadget? go to apple.com

Three O' Clock Incident

I would like to share you an article I wrote last May 2002 for
Couples for Christ site at http://www.cfchk.org/.
I sometimes share this story on CLP (Christian Life Program)


Three O' Clock Incident - May 2002

We've been in CFC for about 2 years now. Rachel was 3 months
pregnant when we first attended the Christian Life Program of
Couples for Christ in Tsing Yi.
Before we finish the CLP, Rachel lost her baby and we graduated
CLP without our first baby after 2 years in marriage. It was
really a sad experience to us. A month after, I lost my job .
I didn’t understand why all those things happened after we
decided to follow Jesus and be of service to God our Father.
Little did i know that God was slowly changing me. Little by
little He put all those things in order. He then gave a
better job, which I really like. We moved from Lantau to
Sham Tseng, close to my site office. We enjoyed more especially
during household meetings because we didn’t have to travel to
Lantau for hours. Household meetings become our routine and
there we become more attached to other members. Little by little
we grow in faith together.We tried to live as Christian couple,
but there's still something missing.

Last year, Rachel got pregnant for the second time. We were
so happy that God answered our prayer. That was His own time,
that Rachel will soon have her baby boy. She stopped working
to have more time to take care of herself.
I let her take time to enjoy her prenatal period without having
to wake up early and get off to office. She had her periodic
checkup in Chai Wan. It was in her third trimester that her
sugar level rose to above normal. She had her gestational
diabetes, the reason why we lost our first baby. First week
of January this year, she was confined in hospital to monitor
the baby and to lower her sugar to normal.

And for the first time, we slept on a separate bed at night.
She was in the hospital while I had to go back home and sleep
alone. Those were the lonely nights I had. Master bed suddenly
became too big. Every night, after 6, I had to rush to Pamela
Youde hospital in Chai Wan for an hour. We’re expecting she’ll
be fine in few days and one week is long enough. But days went
on. Yet, insulin didn’t help. Not only Rachel and me got really
worried, but also the doctors. They didn’t understand why her
sugar level won’t get to normal just like other pregnant patients.
They’re worried about our baby, which will be affected. The
other concern was that our baby has an enlarged or dilated left
kidney. We’re still so lucky we are in CFC.
Brother and sisters didn’t stop praying for Rachel and our baby.
Brother Joel B (Sikatz) arranged a household meeting in Chai Wan
just to pray and be with Rachel. Some elders went also to visit
and pray over for her.

My mind gets gloomy as days passed by. I was not able to
concentrate on my job. There were lots of work to finish but
my boss understands and let me go and not to take overtime .
I had to call overseas to Manila everyday to update our relatives
of her condition. Three weeks passed and Rachel didn’t get well .
Although I’m scared I didn’t lose my hope. There were times that
I was crying while talking to Rachel and saying everything will
be all right.

Yes, sweetheart, God will never let us down again. He loves us.
Our baby is a gift. I put all my trust in Him and let Him take
charge of the situation. I prayed sang, praised and thanked Him
for everything, for giving Rachel again this baby and for those
difficulties we're having that time.

We decided to go back to Manila. We ask permission from the
hospital to let us go. The Director of OB Dept. supported our
decision and gave us all her records and permit to fly. Rachel
was 8 months pregnant, so we had a hard time getting in to
plane. Rachel stayed home in Tondo and continued injecting
insulin and monitored her sugar by herself. We went to see her
OB and had her check up. I flew back to Hong Kong and get myself
busy, working after 6 till 8pm. I called her everyday.
She had her weekly checkup and later found out that 2 kidneys
of my baby were both dilated. It wasn't alarming but it added
up to my worries.



to be continued....

Three O' Clock Incident continuation....

One Tuesday night, I had fellowship with Bro.Bob and Bro.Jong
in Tsing Yi and talked about anything as well as our plans
and dreams. We stayed till midnight and went home separately.
I reached home at about 1 am and slept.
An hour later, phone rang and immediately woke me up. I knew
it was Rachel. She had fluid discharged and will be taken to
hospital. After saying goodbye, I prayed. I can’t sleep so
I prayed till 3:00 am, same time Rachel was admitted. I woke
up at about 7am, called up Rachel, she was already in the
labor room. I prepared my clothes and rushed to office. I ask
permission to my boss that I ‘ll leave for Manila. I went to
Central to pick up my plane ticket and OEC. After that I went
home, and called her again. I wasn't able to talk to her.
My sister-in-law said she’s still in the labor room. I started
packing up my stuff and finished at about half past 2pm. I
still have a lots of time and during that time, I started to
worry, and got scared. Rachel should have normal delivery.

Then my mobile phone rang. It was 3:00 prayer alarm. I stop.
I paused and started praying the 3 o’clock prayer. While I
was praying, I can't stop those tears falling from my eyes.
I lifted up all my concerns to God, and ask for safety of
Rachel and my baby. After that, I was relieved. I closed
my luggage and locked and prepared myself to leave. 15 minutes,
later, phone rang. It was my sister-in-law.

Rachel had given a healthy 8.5lb baby boy by normal delivery.
Rachel was fine as well as my baby.

YES!, PRAISE THE LORD!!! I shouted.

It was 3:00pm when my little boy got out of Rachel’s womb,
the same time when I was crying while praying. And even
though I wasn’t there, my heart, my mind was there, but one
thing I knew for sure was that Jesus Christ was there. He took
care of everything. Doctors and nurses were amazed with
Rachel’s will and determination to deliver her baby
in normal way. It took her almost 12 hours in labor.
I was really so overjoyed that time and immediately called
Bro.Jong, but he wasn't there.

My trip to back to Manila was the longest journey I had.
I can't really wait to see my dearest Rachel and my baby boy.
If I could only snap and bring myself instantly there, I will
do. I arrived in Manila and my brother took me straight to
Medical City. I hurriedly rush to Rachel's room.
The moment I saw her, she has the happiest smile in her
haggard face and I kissed her while laying in bed.
She was just fine and felt better. The doctor said her sugar
level stabilized and went back to normal. She said that my
baby’s in the nursery room. After several minutes, she let
me go to see my baby boy. Excitement grew stronger as I
went down through the stair to 2nd floor. The viewing window
was closed and I went straight inside. I just found myself
in the middle of the room surrounded by many babies in
their tiny boxes. Nurses pushed me out and said that I’m not
allowed to go inside. Of course I’m not. I know I could
smell EDSA smog in me, but I really wanted to see my baby.
They opened up curtain in the viewing window.

Rachel was discharged after 2 days but my little boy had
to stay for further examination. He was vaccinated.



Ultrasound result showed that both kidneys were back to
normal size. All other test showed that everything were
normal. God has healed my baby boy. After 5 days in nursery,
we went home in Rachel’s uncle in San Mateo. I stayed with
them for 2 days and went back to HK.

I went back to Manila for the third time since January to
attend my baby's baptism. Last May 1, we came back to
Hong Kong with Rachel , my baby and my Mom. Franz Kristoffer
which means bearer of Jesus Christ is the name given by Rachel.
He is now 2 months old, getting bigger and more active. He is
also the reason now I’m always late to work and rush
home after 6pm.

Once again, God proved to me that He is a loving God. He
will always keep His promise to us that He will never leave
us nor forsake us. In His own time, He gave us this precious
gift we’ve been longing for. In times of trouble, in times
of suffering, we often think that God has left us, but he
hasn't. God brings us to these kinds of circumstances
because He loves us. He wants us to draw closer to Him and
believe in Him.

tonychel
May 2002


Here's the recent picture of my family taken in Tsing Yi 2 months ago
L-R>> 5 year old Franz "Enzo", me, Rachel and 2 year old GianCarlo

50 Things About Me

1. Been with Rachel since 1992. She's the best thing that ever happened to me.

2. Six years later, 1998 we got married in Hong Kong.
in a civil wedding, a ceremony that lasted for 5 minutes
only.

3. One year later, we went back home in Manila Philippines
and got married again, but this time in church at Paco Park, Ermita.

4. Rachel got pregnant but lost the baby after five months.

5. came to Hong Kong and worked for a local Chinese architectural firm
for half year

6. then I transfer to a one of the top hotel interior design consultant for 2 years.

7. currently working for a Japanese construction firm here since 2000 so I'm now bored.

8. used to draw and paint, joined several on the spot art competitions, won some.

9. When I was in grade one, I was shy and bullied by naughty boys.

10. started to get crush on my seatmate when I was in Grade two but she didn't like me.

11. I am a right handed, and want to get used to left hand too.

13. I love basketball, but basketball doesn't like me.

14. So does music.

15. can't sleep without Rachel beside me.

16. have compelete episodes of Voltes V in my DVD collection

17. played amatuer and small tournaments for tennis, bowling, bastketball.

18. want to play soccer in the future and kick some balls

19. a simple man with simple dreams in life.

20. business minded person

21. likes reading readers digest, newsweek, fortune, time.

22. love nature and get excited climbing up mountains

23. member of Couples for Christ here in Hong Kong since 2002

24. i love my 2 kids Enzo and Giancarlo.

25. One of my previous gilfriend's parents have similar names as mine.
it's gonna be funny when printed in wedding invitation

26. don't smoke and I hate it. No one smokes in our family.

27. I drink a little occassionally,

28. at this time of writing, my father is 79 years old.

29. started writing blog last year 2006 in blogspot.com

30. when i was young, i've been dreaming of going to Disneyland in LA.

31. I love japanese cuisine, so does Rachel.

32. went to Disneyland Hong Kong three times this year...my wife and kids went 5 times already.

33. was short, skinny, dark and ugly before

34. now i'm still short, dark and ugly.

35. Rachel Loves me very much, as much as I love her.

36. what else?

37. Rachel likes sushi and sashimi, I love them with more wasabi.

38. cheated once in examination when I was in high school (just like you!!!)

39. sold cooler drinks (sago and gulaman) in my parents store when i was in elementary
during hot summer vacations.

40. sold newspapers and cigarettes on street when I was in high school during summer.

41. came from a poor family, my father owns a small laundry shop and converted it to
small variety (sari-sari) store.

42. my youngest sister Milet is beautiful, she's the only rose among the thorns

43. Nanay and Tatay (mom and dad) raised us to become responsible and God fearing children.

44. can't eat pasta or meat without Tabasco

45. listed air diving and bungee jump on my list of things to do before I die.

46. want to kiss and hug and show appreciation to my parents today.

47. like meeting new friends of different nationalities.

48. have an American girl penpal when I was in high school

49. takes a bath everyday even in winter and even when the temp. drops. to less than 10 degrees.

50. I lied, cause there are more than 50 things I want to tell you about me.

51. I pray and thank God for all the things he gave me and for all to come.

52. Giancarlo, my second child looks like more of me....(reduced copy)

53. I ran 10KM race here in Hong Kong (Standard Chartered marathon) for 4 times

54. ran 20K race this February 2006.

55. will run 42K race on or before I turn 40.

56. will add on this list as I want to share more of me.

57. Now I'm tired, so I will stop here first...

stay tuned!!!

Airport Traffic?

I was shocked to see so many people in the airport. It was like a
an exodus from war torn place, suffocating my tiny lungs.

All check in counters have long queues of passengers waiting
to escape the boring HK when celebrating holidays.
Yes, Hong Kong people will have long weekend again to mark
the 10th year anniversary of handover of region to China.

We're booked for Manila today. 11am, Cebu Pacific pilot
announced that there will be a short delay, due to heavy traffic
on runaway. I learned that many planes are in queue as well
to take off.

My 2 kids Enzo and Gian kept themselves busy by toying the
magazines and vomit bags. Finally, they got tired, asked for food,
passed them the potato fries, and burgers but later got thristy too.
Unfortunately, our drinks were taken by immigration officers due
to tight security measure and we need to wait until those beautiful
crews start selling snacks and drinks.

Finally after 1 hour of babysitting my 2 hyperactive boys inside
the plane, we took off and found ourselves up in the air.

Of course, we we're able to quench our thirst later. Thanks to
HK$10 C2 green tea, HK$10 coke and HK$10 mineral water.

Rainy Day and Thursday

I came late today in the office, at exactly 10:31:23 am.
Everyone was busy pretending to be busy, with all their eyes glued on
LCD monitors. Whatever they're reading or browsing, I don't mind.
As I walked towards my tiny cubicle, my pangyaw (friend in Chinese)
Johnny stood up and approached me and asked me why I am very late.

I told him I went to Philippine consulate to get my new passport and
the office know that.

He smiled and said he's also late due to heavy traffic jam and rain in
Central, and he always take bus from his home in Kennedy town.

8:30am, I was in a long queue in waiting for the CityBus No.962B
in Sham Tseng. The heavy downpour of rain continues causing a
bottleneck taffic jam in an intersection in Castle Peak Road.
I'm getting hungry and the bus was stucked, and we're able to
get in after almost half hour under the rain, while my pants and shoes
were soaking wet. Yikes.

The bus and all the vehicles were crawling along the highway, so
I called up the office and told them I'm coming late, before 11am,
because I had to go to consulate to pick up my new passort. Instantly,
I was able to get excuse for being late.

When I get off the bus in Admiralty, I was shocked to see a long
queue again of people waiting for taxi. Wow!! looks like everyone
is stucked outside and it's already 9:30am.

Well. rainy days are here again and the forecast this week is of
course rainy and some thurderstorms in the next two days.
I guess it's also raining in Manila too.

PS.
I wrote this post during my lunch break, so don't think I have
the luxury to make blog and stuff like this during office hours.