Social climbing in the digital age

With the advent of the Internet, it’s inevitable that even there, social classes will emerge. And, unfortunately, with social classes comes the need for some people to climb the ladders, so to speak. It’s not necessarily a good or bad thing, but it can be done in bad taste – hence, the negative connotation of “social climbing.” But what constitutes social climbing in the digital age?
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“Party 1950s Style,” by Nina Zed

Who or what is the Pinoy Millennial? Selfie

One should suppose that it is inevitable that each generation will have unique characteristics, all of which have been shaped by what has been happening in their times. If Generation X is known for its open-minded and philosophical bent (perhaps as a result of higher living standards and a reaction to the last decades of the Cold War), then what is Generation Y – The Millennials – all about?


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Archived from Instagram: Gundam Astray Noir and Regenes Impulse

Just putting up some photos of two kits that have been in my Gundam kitbash sights lately. Also posted in Mecha Toys

Astray Noir

The Astray Noir is a limited-run kit that I figured I could do some kitbashing on. In this case, i didn't bother to try and assemble the Noir pack it came with, I simply used the Noir Pack from my original Strike Noir. Also I removed the katana blades that were attached to the pistols. While the idea of a gunblade sounds good in theory, the execution was awkward. After that, I also armed it with Duel rifles, and the shield from the Strike Noir.

Regenes Impulse

Aside from the Destiny backpack and the head parts I acquired to get the non-spiked monoeye look, this is basically the old MG Impulse that I have. I've stowed the Destiny pack into storage, so here it is with a ver.1 MG Aile Pack. I have to say, it looks like the Dagger Strike in this photo.

I'll probably have more photo ops coming up, as this two-set also tested to see how my old hangar functions as a photo booth after all this time.

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

The month of January is named after the god Janus, a god who had two faces, each one looking the other way. He symbolized beginnings and endings, and was the god of doorways, gates, and passages – essentially anything that was a beginning, a transition, or an ending. Taking from that idea, one thing we should probably consider is to look back.
Seeing as we are talking about beginnings, why don’t we think about it: when was the last time you did something for the first time? And what should you do for the first time this coming year?

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“Preparing for Flight,” by Daniel Flower (Flickr.com)

Getting off the Sugar High

Around August of last year, my vision started to blur on a regular basis, and I had started becoming more thirsty and more hungry. At first, I thought it was just me reacting to the humidity of the weather at the time (a protracted summer, with the incoming rainy season mixing it up with each other).

However, it was advice from a few friends that got me to go to a doctor, and to no one's surprise, it turned out I was sick – with diabetes.

When my doctor first told me, I was in a state of shock. After all, everyone who isn't sick with a perennial condition never thinks that it could happen to them, until it does. So this, I guess, is the start of my narrative about becoming a more fit person.

In the beginning, I thought I would be able to live with no medicines for diabetes, once I became more fit. However, I've had to adjust my expectations, since being that fit will take time – I may not be able to reach that goal, but it sure as hell won't be for a lack of trying.

Photograph a few weeks before I was diagnosed with diabetes, by Carlo Casas

Part 1: The Angry Coach

What made my diabetes diagnosis more dismaying was that for the past year before I was diagnosed, a good friend of mine, Jay Lopez (who is based in the Athlete's Lab gym, for his Rx Strength fitness brand), had already offered to get me fit again.

Since I didn't want to spend the rest of my life bingeing (practically) on meds, or worse, insulin shots, I decided to take the other prescription for diabetes: getting fit, and having an active lifestyle.

It was then that I approached Coach Jay, and the rest, they say, is history. After a rather spirited sermon about how I should have taken his offer before I was diagnosed with diabetes, he started me on a fitness and exercise odyssey that I am still on right now.

And with that, I end the first part of this long narrative. Stay tuned for the next!

After a few months of training with Coach Jay. Apparently, there were also musical benefits to losing weight and becoming more fit - more on that in the future! Original photo by Fade Longboy, cropped for this article.

Lead photo: "The Gift of Life," by Melissa Johnson, c/o Flickr.com