It’s been 2 months since he fell but my dad’s back at our place being nursed to health after POOR NURSING at Cardinal Santos Medical Center San Juan left him with bedsores. Did all the good Filipino nurses migrate already?

Since then I’ve done color work for IDW Publishing’s Speed Racer: the Next Generation, Alp Altiner’s Team 14, and other work from artist Joe St. Pierre. Not to mention 16 out of 32 pages of Robotika Rubles #3 pages and even some rotoscoping work from video artist Paul Pfeiffer.  (Yes I finished a short course on Adobe After Effects too.)

I even have old friends Gian Fernando and Valentine Whittaker get in touch with me again to do work they’ve mentioned before to me.

Apart from that, there’s are the Pixel Pintura workshops.  Congrats to our first Summer 2008 graduate, Mr. Lu, for successfully completing Digital Coloring Pro.  I will not mention your first name for fear of your mother’s chastising.

Hotoccassions.com has a feature on Pixel Pintura, by the way. ABS-CBN’s Rea Tiama also did one on me for Salamat Dok’s ASTIG feature… still waiting for the video on that.

With so much to do, I am looking for people who can learn the systems I employ in digital coloring for comics.  They must at least be high school graduates, and willing to to work on many of these projects - and more to come.  If you or anyone you know is interested, let me know.  Photoshop experience required.  Character illustration portfolio is 3 points, graphic design portfolio is 2 points, Vector illustration or tracing is 1 point . I consider punctual, energetic & curious applicants willing to work in Mandaluyong highly qualified for this;  nevertheless, tardy, lazy, and know-it-all telecommuting freelancers may also apply.

If you google “Illustration” and “Pinoy” you’d probably find my site as one of the first entries… but that will soon change! (And it’s my fault.)

IllustrationPinoy is a group blog for Pinoy illustrators and the Philippine illustration scene.  It features news, events, jobs, gigs, opportunities, inspirations for the would-be and professional Pinoy illustrator.  Have a look and tell your friends!

My internet connection and landline were restored March 10. I had called from day one (February 11) of the disconnection and the Globelines service people only arrived March 10 even after I had phone their service people. Apparently I had to CANCEL an OLD REPORT & FILE A NEW REPORT instead of having their call center people make “followups.”  Oddly I am still being told to pay Globelines 3/4 of the bill when for practically 98% of the time I had no dialtone or  connection.

In the meantime, my dad has been in the hospital since March 3.  First because of a fractured femur, then for complications which include bleeding in the brain, blood infection, pneumonia, and now anemia and bed sores.

Cardinal Santos charges way too much.  Meronem, a drug prescribed to my dad costs 3000Php at a drugstore - at Cardinal Santos they have it at 5000Php!!! Not just that, but even the price on items such as syringes and gloves are ballooned exorbitantly!  It’s nice that they have nuns visiting patients, but not whilst the hospital sends your bills to heaven!!!

It made me think twice whether I’m making enough money.  Whether or not what I’m working on now is going to support me in my old age.

Many people had to chip in and continue to chip in for the biggest expense of my father’s  (very expensive) life.  Me and a pair of my cousins have already donated our blood to the hospital blood bank to drop costs down for my dad. As of this time, we’re looking for 6 more guys below 50 to donate!

I try to busy myself with work, but such a traumatic financial experience has me asking myself & God a lot of questions.