Chasing Dreams: Photography

I got interested in photography when I joined a photo club way back college. It was made more intense when I took photojournalism class which was part of the Mass Comm curriculum back then. I learned about aperture and iso and shutter speed and how to compose a photograph. I always grab every opportunity to join photo-shoots outside the school. One day, Sir Bien Fernandez, our photography teacher and mentor, invited us to join a group of photographers for a photo-shoot in Camotes Island. I was around artists, the best wedding and fashion photographers in Cebu. Armed with my instamatic camera and a manual SLR, I tried my hands on this hobby. However, it was a very expensive hobby and I felt that I cannot afford to spend for the films, prints, filters and the camera.

Now, with the onset of digital photography, I am more in-love with this ART. I get inspiration from photo-bloggers who capture life’s best photographs and I keep on dreaming and wishing that someday I will be like them. At the moment, my idols are http://www.pinkletoes.com/ and http://www.aileensiroy.com/.  They’re living the life I so wanted --- one who captures life’s precious moments and nature’s best behind the lens. Everyday I drool over their photographs as well as their gadgets. Someday, I will lay my hands on this baby…

But for now, I am contented to capture whatever life has to offer using my point and shoot camera.

Chasing My Dreams

Okay, I call this "Chasing My Dreams" series. This will be a series of blog posts which will have my hopes and dreams in life. Thought about this because I heard somewhere that when you shout your dreams to the universe, the universe will listen, it will conspire. So, I'm giving this a shot coz who knows, while I'm chasing my dreams, my dreams are just right behind me and it's the one that's chasing me after all.

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one..."
John Lenon

Eight Years

"You know it's never fifty-fifty in a marriage. It's always seventy-thirty, or sixty-forty. Someone falls in love first. Someone puts someone else up on a pedestal. Someone works very hard to keep things rolling smoothly; someone else sails along for the ride."

Jodi Picoult

It's hard to believe but Earl and I have been married for eight years. It's been eight years of not-so-pure bliss. We had lunch together today (which is really a rare occasion) over chinese lumpia and mineral water while sitting on plastic chairs at an uptown supermarket --- ain't that sweet? We don't really make a big fuzz over milestones. Well, I do but he doesn't so I let that quote up there work.

But seriously, that quote really struck me hard as it is a reflection of what my marriage has been for the past eight years. We do our share in making this marriage work but it's not always equal. It's either I give more and receive less or the other way around --- which I believe is really healthy.

So, today I wanted to thank my husband for being awesome in so many ways. The past eight years has been difficult yet we were able to pull it through. I look forward to more years, more adventures, more love, more respect of each other's differences, more dreams to chase, more dreams coming true, seeing our children grow and spending the rest of our lives together.

It is still one long journey ahead but as long as we have each other, it will be worthwhile.

Blogging from my new HP Mini

...because owning a netbook for the first time deserves a blog post.

Presenting my new HP Mini pink chic... well, I'm not one who attaches names to their gadgets so this baby got no name.I've been wanting to have one since time immemorial but due to other priorities I just set this dream aside. I was just contented to check my facebook and do some blogging through internet shops and borrowing my sister's laptop. Yeah, such a shame!

Anyway, it's been with me for almost a week now and so far, I have been enjoying it pretty much. What I love about this is the size --- it's so small and ultra-portable that I can just stuff it inside my bag without giving hints to snatchers that I'm bringing one. And I so love the sassy design and pink color. It's so kikay --- although I'm not kikay myself but it still suits me nevertheless. I've been challenging (more like a dare) the hubby to bring it with him to coffee shops and flaunt it--- to see if he gets those "you're so gay" looks. Haha!

So, my blogging journey continues and of course, some facebook-ing and a little online business on the side.

Another Baby in the Family...

No, it isn't me, silly... not again!

We recently discovered that my younger sister A is pregnant and that she’s been keeping it from us for 7 months now. At first, I was fuming mad and I felt betrayed. How could she keep it from us all these time? What made it worst is the fact that we didn’t even get to meet the father --- hell, we didn’t even know she has a boyfriend. But then, after finally seeing her two days ago, what I felt was more on empathy. I was once like her --- I got pregnant at the same age as her and I was keeping it a secret not until after I walked down the aisle. I could just imagine the burden of hiding your bulging tummy and the different emotions and discomforts that goes with the pregnancy.

We had a hard time telling our parents especially our father. But then, we cannot just hide it from them. They need to know. We were able to blurt it out to Mama first and it wasn’t easy. She didn’t cry but I can see that she’s hurting. We gave her the burden of telling Papa. I wasn’t there when they told Papa and Magee just informed me that Papa cried really hard. Sister A has always been Papa’s favorite, his pride and I know it will break his heart learning about her predicament.

Well, there’s nothing we can do but to embrace and support my sister in any way we can. After all, that’s what family is all about.

Photo Courtesy: www.istockphoto.com

Big School

Dear Alex,

Today, you started big school. I tried to hide my paranoia by putting up a happy face. Truth be told, I was scared of letting go of your hand as you face big school. It's a whole new world for you --- new classmates, new teachers, new environment. It was not so long ago when you entered Nursery and Kindergarten and you never have those separation anxieties. You were a brave girl and you've even made me proud in many, many ways.

I know for the past days, you have been very excited for this milestone in your life checking on your stuff from time to time and grinning from ear to ear whenever I ask you if you're excited for school. And for the past days, I also tried to recall what it was like during my first day in school way back. But my memory fails me as it was so long ago and things have changed.

Indeed, things have changed a lot these days. And I want you to be ready for whatever big school has to offer. Be ready to embrace every lesson as you go along... some may be fun and some painful. Rest assured, Daddy and Mommy will always be there to support you.

Here are some thoughts for you to remember...

Always do good in your studies.

Be nice to everyone. Be a friend.

But choose your friends wisely.

Show respect to your teachers.

Always listen.

I love you, anak!

Mommy

G1bo is the man

While the rest of the Filipino nation is queuing up at the precint polls today, I'm stuck in the office to work. As always, the company (being an American firm) doesn't observe Philippine holidays but then again, the reason why I'm in the office is because I cannot cast my vote. I miss one election then on the succeeding election, my name is no longer in the precint where I was suppose to vote. And I didn't get to register again when we moved to Lapulapu City. Shame on me!

Nevertheless, this didn't stop me from supporting one presidential candidate whom I think deserves every Filipinos vote. Weeks before the election, I have been campaigning for Gilbert Teodoro Jr. through Facebook. Why him? I say, why not him? A lot of reasons actually...

I have been following some of the debates sponsored by some television networks and I have seen how Mr. Teodoro answers the questions compared to other candidates. He is the total package of what the president of this country should be --- intelligent, clean and God-fearing, notwithstanding his track record in the government. I think, it has been forwarded and reforwarded in FB, blogs, emails, twitter the reasons why G1bo is the man for the highest position in this country.

Let me quote Daphne Oseña as she said in her blog "I'm not choosing the lesser evil. I am choosing the best person for the job at this point."

I hope and pray everyone makes the right choice today --- a choice that is not be based on personality and mudsliding.

hello Mr. President