Guitar Hero World Tour (Wii) vs. $100 Best Buy Gift Card

On October 20, I went to Best Buy to reserve a copy of Guitar Hero World Tour for the Wii since my friends pooled up money and issued a check to me for my birthday. So simple as that I go in and reserve a copy by depositing $5 that will be used towards the purchase of the game.

Come October October 26, the release of the game [odd that it was out on a Sunday since games/movies/music come out on Tuesdays]. Anyways, I go in and present my receipt that I reserved it and they [customer service] tells me that they don't have the complete set for me. I see clearly there are 2 complete games in the side but the employee tells me they are online orders and that they are "different."

"So uhm, where's my copy? I reserved it, yea?"
"Well, we have limited quantities," she says.
"Ok, but doesn't it mean that when you 'reserve' it, you're like guaranteed to get it right?"
"Yea, sorry... we just had limited quantities. And it was a first come first serve basis too."
"?? That doesn't make sense.. 'first come first serve'? I reserved it.. so there should be one despite a 'first come first serve' basis, right? Well, that's fine, can't do anything about it. I'll check in next time."
"Yea, sorry."

And now today, I go in by 10:20am and again Best Buy tells me they don't have a copy for me when there is one [and the only one as of this moment] off to the side of customer service but again it's for an online order.

"Look, I don't want to be such a beezy about this situation. I mean: it's a video game, ya know? And I don't want you to be hearing all this from me, so if there's a manager available I'll gladly to talk to him or her."

I said this to this young petite Filipina who told me all she can do is get my info and contact me.

Here comes the manager and asks me what's wrong.

"Well, I was told there'll be new copies in today when I checked in on Sunday for the game. And there's no game here. I do see there's a copy there and so how about I get that game and when your new shipment comes in, you can give the new order to that customer. I was told yall go by a first come first serve basis: I'm here for the order and that customer isn't."

He checks in with other employees asking when the next shipment is coming and in the end none know when it'll come.

"Ok Boss, you have a choice here. You can either walk out today with that person's copy of the game or I can give you a $100 gift card for your inconvenience."

"Hmm.. it's like Deal or No Deal," I chuckle but he doesn't.

"I'll take the gift card."

For Sale: (2) Minolta 3600 HS (D) for Sony Alpha System!

I am selling two (2) of my Minolta Program Flash 3600 HS (D) since I've upgraded to the Minolta 5600 plus the Alien Bees strobes now.

Both units, one is brand new, the other is used, are in real great condition.. that's why I'm only showing one of them since you [or I] can barely distinguish the used from the new. The new was bought as a back up but never ran into problems with my first one.

Each unit comes with its original packaging: Minolta 3600 flash unit, case, original warranty card, manual, wide angle adapter--PLUS! The flash will be sent wrapped in its original plastic wrapping! [That's how good I take care of my equipment! =) ]

They're both listed on eBay:

Minolta 3600 HS (D) - NEW: Starting Bid: $135.00 [Buy It Now: $179.99]
Minolta 3600 HS (D) - USED: Starting Bid: $100.00 [Buy It Now: $150.00]

Shipping for either item is only $8 flat.

RETAIL PRICE FOR THIS FLASH UNIT: $199.95. A definite save!

Publishing Class @ USF: Obama: "Change"

Photo of Barack Obama courtesy of AP via CNN.com
design by jj casas

For my Publishing Class at USF, we're currently learning how to use Adobe InDesign inconjuction with Adobe Photoshop and learning how to export using Adobe Acrobat Professional.

For today's class, our instructor had us do a political poster featuring either presidential candidate Obama or McCain. I chose accordingly and here's my poster for the class.

The image was taken down after a google search of "Obama". I knew that I wanted to use his main theme of "Change" so I decided to somehow portray that change.. the movement that has rocketed him to be the democratic nominee. I simply extracted his head and removed the black background from the original image--that also took out the backside of his head but it turned out fine. I applied the cutout filter in photoshop ensuring that detail was still intact and duplicated two times. For the two other layers "behind" the main image of Obama, I tinted it red and blue and turned down the opacity of the image so it would bleed in together.

To me, it's simple and his message is presented clearly.

I know there are many artists out there with their own renditions of their Obama posters and this got nothing on them.. hahah True talent out there being used to raise awareness. Nice.

Bathing Iso

So after adopting my pet cat I named Iso, my mom has said she wants to give him a bath at least once a month. I for one think that cats clean themselves and am always sure that they are finicky when it comes to water. But Iso is strangely different--he likes water from the tap and actually doesn't mind my mom giving him a bath with warm water and soap.

Here's my mom's workstation. She says she doesn't put soap on his head since it might go to his eyes--good call.

Iso all wrapped up and most likely feeling a chill after the bath and stepping out of it.

On low setting, my mom blow dries him off for a couple of minutes [cats' coats absorb ALOT of water.. so I helped by towelling him off as well].

After a few whines here and there, he stuck with it and my mom gave him some treats as a reward.

It is pretty cool though he tolerates water pretty well. Plus, he's fresh and clean. Nothing wrong with that.

Moleskine Notebooks: Notebook #3

My latest Moleskine now has the Hulk on its front--my favorite Marvel character.

So why these notebooks? Aesthetically, these notebooks are real nice. Very sturdy--its stitched pages really hold up unlike other pocket notebooks. Also, the pages itself are very pleasing to write on. Other notebooks have very thin pages and ink bleeds easily.

And because of its "past user," [Van Gough, Hemminway], it makes you want to write something worthy.

So for me, I put down concepts, sketches of those concepts, quotes, things I did photographically, magazine excerpts [I have a lot of subscriptions.. so I write down a lot of photographers I like and any tips I've learned] and just like any notebook, keeping track of thoughts and ideas.

My new quote to fit the Hulk's strength:

"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will." - Mahatma Gandhi.

Yea, tell that to the Hulk. hahah

Moleskine Notebooks

If anyone knows me, I am a true advocate for Moleskine branded pocket notebooks. They're basically high quality, hardcover pocket notebooks [that really does fit in my back pocket] that have a cloth bookmark and neat little pocket in the back. They come only in black [but do have red ones.. but they were limited] and they do offer larger versions as well.

While they are black, I've taken the liberty to draw on them to make them more personal. My first one on the left is a portrait of Frida Kahlo, my favorite artist, and the one on the right which I just completed/filled up today has an iPhone drawn on the front.

I also bought a yearly planner that's not pictured and I used it as a journal to write down what I did each day of the week. I usually take 5 minutes on Sundays to write out the things I've done during the week referencing to my Palm Treo which has all my appointments and things I've done (events, daily happenings, etc).

Here's my two Moleskines: the bottom one was started on 04/04/07 and filled up on 11/02/07. The one I just filled up today was started on 11/08/07.

I placed a quote on my first moleskine [that usually matches the drawing on the cover] and did so on the ones succeeding it. The first reads:

"I never painted my dreams. I painted my own reality." - Frida Kahlo

The second one reads:

"Self expression must pass into communication for its fulfillment." - Pearl Buck, The Writer's Block
And now... my new Moleskine to start another collection of ideas, thoughts, and things to remember.

I'll go more into detail of what goes in and what I take from journaling, buying tips (Retails for $11.99! To me that's expensive for a small notebook) and also post up my newly drawn Moleskine.