blogging Archives - Expat In Bacolod

Why I Love My Nikon

Published by Stephen Bentley on March 26, 2016

Nikon is a Popular Choice Among Cafe Blogsters Nikon appears to be the ‘go-to’ camera of choice among members of the Facebook group Cafe Blog. It is a group for bloggers that met during either Blogging 101 or 201 run by WordPress. Allow me to introduce you to four blogging members of the group. They appear in no particular order. I asked them to collaborate with me for this post. The brief was to write about their camera and/or lenses and accompany the blurb with one pic taken with that camera. First up is Robert P. Doyle of Soundtrack of a Photograph. I use a Camera-Nikon D3100 (though I also still shoot film occasionally which is a Nikon N80). My lens is a 18-55mm typically, though I…

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WordWednesdayFun: Lingua Franca

WordWednesdayFun: Lingua Franca

Published by Stephen Bentley on March 2, 2016

Lingua Franca Lingua Franca is two words I hear you say. Correct! Who said it has to be one word in the WordWednesdayFun series? Anyway, I make the rules up as I go along 🙂 I used these words today in writing an article that is part of a series to be turned into an eBook. The series is entirely fictional but loosely based on my own experiences. Sorry, I can’t tell you any more than that owing to a confidentiality agreement between me and the publisher. Oh! Doesn’t that sound grand?! 🙂 Here we go again in almost the usual format with Merriam-Webster first. I say “almost” as the Urban Dictionary, for once, has a serious entry so I will follow up with an alternative source…

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Why You May Miss Me

Published by Stephen Bentley on February 21, 2016

Miss me? I hope you do, at least, a little. Don’t worry if you are the worrying kind, I’m fine. It’s just that the blog may not be as active as usual for a couple of reasons. One, I’m changing hosting provider and that may result in some downtime but hopefully, it won’t be for long. Secondly, I’m so damn busy! Like all of us, I have to prioritise and unfortunately something has got to give. The thing that comes lowest on my list of priorities is this blog. Shock! Horror! It’s not that I don’t like chatting to and engaging with all you folks out there – I do enjoy it – but somethings pay the bills and this blog doesn’t fall into that category.…

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Word Wednesday Fun: Antipodes

Published by Stephen Bentley on February 10, 2016

The Antipodes The Antipodes is often used by us British to describe those “kith and kinfolk” dwelling in Australia or New Zealand. I had occasion to use it today in a freelance article. It was one of those moments when the word sprang into my mind and as a precaution I checked its meaning. I was correct and it was the right word in the context that I was writing. What surprised me, and on reflection I fail to understand why I was surprised, was reading the literal meaning of the noun antipode. I was so used to hearing “the Antipodes” used to describe Australia and New Zealand that I had become impervious to any other meaning. Following the usual pattern, the Merriam-Webster definition first followed by…

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FavFotoFriday: Sunsets

Published by Stephen Bentley on January 22, 2016

Sunsets fascinate most people. They fascinate me, that’s for sure. I guess it’s mostly about the colours. The sky and clouds take on a different hue, as does the ocean, the mountains and everything else the setting sun touches. There is something quite magical, mystical and soulful about a sunset. As you get older, does it remind you of your own mortality? Or, are you a believer in “another day, another dollar”? However you choose to view the glory of a sunset and no matter whether it prompts you into introspection, it surely cannot be denied that they are one of the wonders of nature. The picture above was taken with my iPhone, not the best smartphone camera, but it has captured the mood perfectly…

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“I Have a Dream”

Published by Stephen Bentley on January 19, 2016

“I Have a Dream” is possibly one of the most iconic speeches of all time. Maybe you feel the same way when you listen to the words – goosebumps! Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a man with a vision – a world united no matter what colour, creed, race, religion or any other differences that bigots zone in on. To hold hands and declare we are mankind. It was a speech set in a time of racial segregation, racial hatred and injustice. I am reminded of that speech by Danielle Des. I met Danielle through a bloggers’ group on Facebook’s “Cafe Blog.” She is a talented lady who not only writes great stuff but she can dance – and how! This is what Danielle…

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FavFotoFriday: Snow in Canada

Published by Stephen Bentley on January 8, 2016

Snow in Canada The latest in the #FavFotoFriday series, and I decided to look outside of my Flickr collection for today’s topic – Snow in Canada. The main reason no Canadian photos are ion my Flickr albums is that back then I didn’t have my dependable Canon camera and lenses. Why this sub-title? I used to visit Toronto frequently when my brother was alive and living there. The trips I made were often in the winter. As I’m sure you know, winters can be cold and harsh in Canada. I recall flying out to YYZ on a British Airways flight, Toronto-bound but then it was flying on to Chicago. On the approach to Lester Pearson airport, the British pilot announced in that typical calming voice, that it…

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Happy New Year 2016

Happy New Year 2016

Published by Stephen Bentley on December 31, 2015

Out with the Old – In with the New! Happy New Year 2016 to all of my readers no matter where in the world you are. I scheduled this to be published at 2359 hours on New Years Eve local time, so if it’s not yet midnight on December 31, 2015, where you are then it soon will be! I say that as most of you are way behind me in time (literally not metaphorically). I appreciate you visiting and reading my posts. I’m sure you know by now that they are a veritable potpourri of rants, raves and the occasional meaningful articles. Most forgive me my diatribes and even my good friend Steve Fleming of Retiring to the Philippines. fame hopefully has stopped trying to change…

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FavFotoFriday 12/11/2015

Published by Stephen Bentley on December 11, 2015

FavFotoFriday Time Again FavFotoFriday was inspired by a blogging friend Sandy of Scribbles and Musings . I wrote my first post on this theme last week. So, it’s #FavFotoFriday time again and this week I rummaged through my old Flickr photo albums and decided to make today’s theme all about buildings and architecture. Classical Architecture Please don’t yawn! One of my subjects while in 6th Form ( I think that is high school in the US?) in the UK was Art. At 6th Form in the UK, you study specialist subjects for two years for what was at that time called “A” Levels. “A ” meaning Advanced, as opposed to “O” Levels (Ordinary) which you completed at 16 years of age and comprised of all the general subjects…

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Takatuka, Sugar Beach – Heaven on Earth

Takatuka, Sugar Beach – Heaven on Earth

Published by Stephen Bentley on December 1, 2015

Takatuka Lodge and Dive Resort This resort is as close to heaven as you can get on this world. Seriously! I just love Sugar Beach and the Takatuka Lodge and Dive Resort. I mentioned it before here following a trip there back in June earlier this year with Zabrina. I vowed to return and so we did, in November 2015. I intend to be a frequent visitor. I find the trouble with many reviews of tourist destinations and resorts are that I often ponder just how independent and therefore credible those reviews are. I have no angle in writing this review, in fact, I do not even consider it to be a review, simply a case of “I must share this.” However, keep it to yourselves as I…

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