worn & aged

last night i had a chance chatting up with a known personality here in cebu, it’s been our 2nd chat session and i got to know him better, or so i think. anyway the topic shifted from different directions and i got a better understanding as we progressed. he’s young, ambitious & mighty talented. someone you can consider an idol. he’s way younger than i am but he’s already making a name for himself. i salute him though coz he’s probably one, if not the best fotog here in the city. i have seen him in person but we haven’t talked yet. i am in awe and a bit shy bwahahaha! yeah of course it’s intimidating to say the least and i told him that. but he’s got no air in him, and oh well the next time our paths crosses then i could at least say hey, it’s me! sometimes it’s very refreshing to meet someone who’s very grounded. it’s motivating & challenging. i dunno maybe it’s a sign? been really excited to make a comeback. it’s always a great feeling doing something you really loved. it would be a dream come true if we can shoot together haha!

here i am, sitting in my lonely cubicle–blogging about the effects of my adventures & misadventures. come to think of it, my life in the city is the exact opposite of my life in the province. i love the feeling of being always on the go, and never even stopping to catch my breath. life is boring i guess–if you stay in the confines of your cube. there is a world out there–waiting to be explored. so what the hell am i doing here? sitting and staring at my monitor–huh! now that a good question.

friday night we boarded the boat bound for dumaguete. it was a 6 hour ride. didn’t sleep well coz the a/c was blastedly cold & my bones shivered until morning. when we docked at dumaguete, i felt hungry–geez i wasted my energy so i need to refuel. the only place i know that is open 24-hrs is dunkin do–so we went there around 4 am and had a hearty early morning meal. we strolled along the boulevard on our way back to the pier. the lights were great in the dark, and a lot of peeps were up and about. we got our stuffs & headed for the delta office to buy tickets. we were all excited to catch the first trip bound for siquijor. when we reached the port of siquijor, i was looking around, trying to see familiar faces. tata wasn’t able to greet us coz he had a scheduled dive that day, so he’s deputizing his crew to fetch us at the pier. i dunno who he sent, so it was hard to identify. luckily i didn’t have to, we were approached by somebody & huh! what a relief. but of course i am not worried coz i know where the place is, but i just don’t know how to get there. dropped us off at the resort, and told him to collect us after 2 hours coz we need to freshen up & eat. we inspected the place, and took some photos (pang friendster ni bay!) according to one of my companion. so anyway, we enjoyed the early morning breeze while sitting on the veranda ala italian style. it was life in luxury so to speak. we just finished unpacking when our guide fetched us. when we arrived at the shop, i took some pics. we have no clear iterinary for saturday, as we were dependent on tata, but since he was out somewhere, we made our own plans, and had a tour around the island. it was super fun, we all had a blast. we went to mt. bandilaan–the highest point in siquijor, we also visited the famous cantabon cave. we didn’t go in though–you have to pay for the entrance fee & the guide before you are allowed in. we are a bunch of penniless travelers, so we opted not to go… before you reach these destinations, you have to pass by brgy. san antonio—the place was very still & seemingly cold. i haven’t seen a single soul when we were passing by.  it was an awkward moment for all of us coz we were just entering the zone, we can feel some intensity but couldn’t explain why. it was only after the driver told us that barangay is the central for witchcraft & vodoo that we felt really scared. it’s like something is up there, good thing we didn’t stop by & took pics. next stop is cambuhagay falls. it’s not as big as the falls i’ve seen, but it was cool. ivan had a freak accident on the way down. he brushed his hand on the bamboo railing and there was a caterpillar or so we thought, it has some thorns like that of the cactus, and man, he had a real fit! it was very painful, and we have to get each thorn coz the longer it stays in his hand, the more painful it gets. i took about a hundred or so, no one wants to help him coz they were afraid it’s contagious, i gave him some anti-allergy tabs so it won’t kill him. so after the freak accident, we went swimming in the falls. the water is very refreshing & cold but it was nice to dip in. the falls look very inviting so we swam towards it. we wanted to feel the surge of the water so we climb and had a shower–it was fun at first, then i swear i felt the rush of the water going strong. i thought i was the only one, when i told them what i felt, they said they all felt it. so it wasn’t my imagination at all. we acted like nothing happened & continued swimming. it was getting dark so we decided go, then i glanced back & noticed that the water was again flowing slowly. well, i’ll be damned! so we continued our journey & the driver took us to salagdoong beach–it’s a public beach–entrance fee is only 10php/person. we saw a lot of picnickers there. the smell of sinugba made us really hungry. but we didn’t bring any food, so we have to contend with it. dusk is finally setting in, took some sunset pics & we wandered for awhile. there was a band playing that night, but the place is so far from where we are staying so nothing we can’t do about it. time to go, but pitstop first to the nearest carenderia. our driver took us at manukan. we ate at our heart’s content. and we went home full & very contented. we decided to relax and had a beer at the seashore. shared some ghost stories & ended up talking until it was already very late.

saturday–the big day. i was very excited coz it’s dive time! tata picked us up at around 8 and we had breakfast together. after filling in our tummies, we went directly to the shop to get organized. tata surprised us all by telling us that he’s treating everyone for a dive. wow we were all thrilled. he told my friends that they can do the taiken or the discover scuba, coz he wants all of us to experience the joy of diving. we watched the video and after that it was gear up time! cio didn’t dive though, she’s not into diving, she assured everyone she’s just gonna take our pictures. it’s been almost a year since my last dive so i had super fun. we’re done diving at around 3pm, didn’t even notice the time, can’t believe it’s that late. took our gears & had lunch at yanz. the food was great & it was fun! after eating, we had some halo-halo somewhere & then headed towards the pier to buy tickets for lui & angge. hmmm looks like someone is going home tonight! oh well, they don’t want to go yet but they have no choice, they have work on monday. anyway after bidding them goodbye, we went back to the resort & freshen up. tata said he’ll be there for dinner, so we waited up for them. it was very late when he arrived and the bar was closed. had to look for some place to eat coz we were all hungry. we scouted the place by scooter and finally there’s one place that still open in san juan. the owner is a good friend of his, also a dive instructor. he welcomed all of us there, and we ordered. while waiting for our food, got a chance to talk with our companions. tata had some foreign guests and it was time for socials. there’s a french guy who travels the world but couldn’t stand to eat balut. ugh! then there’s the french canadian couple who owns 20 companies. they were with their bratty daughter who hooks up with every guy she sees, but the guys are all scared & intimidated with her. and then there’s the owner, a german who lives there now with her family. it was sort of an international gathering. after having dinner, it was time to go. we have to travel back to siquijor and it takes about 30mins to get there. cio & galu rode with holly the german guy in their easy ride, while i am left with ivan coz he doesn’t want to ride alone in the scooter & it was past midnight. we were travelling very fast, we had 90 max & i was crying coz the dust was getting in my eyes. it was a scary ride coz it was dark & we don’t know exactly where we were, holly was driving so fast, i guess he was driving at around 110–beat that! i had my apprehensions too coz we were very low on fuel. i was scared that we’ll run on empty & there’ll be nobody to help us. thankfully we arrived home safely.

monday–attempting to get more sleep but we have to be up at 5 so we can be at the diveshop at around 7. arghhhhhh! we all want to go to apo island, so have to sacrifice our sleep. we were all up and about & ready at 7. when we arrived at the shop, the guys were getting our things ready & we had breakfast while the other divers were being picked up. i was a little nervous coz the sea was not calm. siquijor is known for its roughness but it was different that day. anyway we finally managed to board the boat & we headed for apo island. it’s an hour ride of pure roughness. i did enjoy watching the waves, as it splashes our banca. i love the sea, i think i am a sea-nymph. i’ve never been sea-sick so i guess i belong there. we were nearing apo, and i was in awe. the place is so marvelous! it was like being in a remote island. it’s different. not something that i’ve imagined and i was totally at a loss for words. then it was dive time. now i experienced diving, the apo style–the current is very strong and it takes a lot of guts really to manuever your way around. apo is hailed as one of the best dive sites in the phils & in the world. but not everyone can dive apo, it’s too expensive & you have to have a lot of experience before you are allowed to dive coz the current is very strong and divers call it the “crazy current”. it was an experience & someday i’ll be back to dive the other sites too. dive is over & time to go home. we opted not to go back to siquijor & just catch a boat ride to dauin. hitched a ride at another boat bound for dauin. again the waves were very big and strong. it was an hour ride of pure exhilaration. we landed at puro vida in dauin & took advantage of the facility. had a quick shower coz che was already waiting for us. we asked him to pick us up. chino’s brod invited us for dinner at his place–wow everyone is so hospitable! we went there & ate a very delicious meal. we thanked him for taking us in & we all headed to hayahay—the place is famous for their pizza. there we were introduced to more of chino’s brods and we all had a beer & killing time. our boat bound for cebu will leave dumaguete at around 12 so by 11:30 they all went with us to the pier and bid us goodbye. we were all tired & sleepless, so we wasted no time in catching our much needed sleep. when i woke up, it was already morning & we are nearing cebu.

i had a blast. i never expected it to be this much fun. it’s so surreal, i can’t wait for my pictures to get developed though. i dunno what to expect from it. i was just shooting using available light. i’ll post pics when i have time.

i wonder why some people asks for my opinion, or for anything else for that matter. hey i’m no walking encyclopedia, neither do i work the entertainment circuit nor the yellow pages. maybe they think i’m an information booth or something. just recently someone asks if he can have the contact # of a friend. geez it was a good thing i have it in my phonebook. why i hate to be a backseat driver? coz i don’t have the luxury of enjoying the scenery, one is bound to ask which way to turn, should we go this way, or go the other way, is this street one way? can we park here? oh my god, endless questions… one time we were heading out to lunch, they asked me if there’s a typhoon coming. c’mon, do i look like i work for pagasa? geez, much as i love physics, i’ve been trying really hard to keep away from anything that has something to do with science. but i suppose i have to answer the question, right? and so i did, and i said, there’s none coming, not that i know of anyway (sometimes it pays to read the papers shhh). it amuses me, but it is also annoying the hell out of me. this morning for example, i got an unusual email from a former officemate. she asked if i knew who were the godparents of another former officemate’s daughter. i told her i had no idea, i don’t even know the kid got christened. tsk tsk tsk. am i really that chismosa? that i know everything that comes around hmmm. she told me the mom was asking all the godparents gifts for her daughter. whatever! i didn’t even asked her yet what’s going on & she spilt the beans… but of course, if it has something to do with work, or something that i am very well versed, i’d help in whatever i can, i’ll volunteer the details even if it bores the hell out of you. but come to think of it, it’s rewarding in a sense, sometimes you ask yourself, why are they asking me these Qs? is it because they know they can depend on me for an answer? or they are just plain lazy? they just want to dig out the info instead of going through the usual research stuff. i’d rather keep away from the rumor mill, i’d much rather discuss the weather, thank you. i know i’m talking senseless. it’s been raining here for days and i am rather eager to feel the sunshine again. the office is bitingly cold & it’s just too much for my boney build. oh well the truth is i’m bored & i’ve got nothing to blog about… bottomelime–blame the rain for my odd behaviour.

we have four-days to kill! yeah four freakin days! the company is happy we hit our goals last year and so they are giving all the employess a chance to unwind & relax for four-days! yipee! i’m so happy i could cry. i am already making plans but it could change anytime. i’m so excited i can barely concentrate. would have been great to take a long vacation after the holidays, but i just can’t afford it right now. sigh sigh sigh

i am broke– a sad but very rewarding tale, huh! oh well, i kinda like the idea of playing santa, just for once. i went shopping-frenzy for the few hours that i was able to spare. it was kinda hurried sort of shopping, mostly done by running and lining up in the cashier’s section. but i was very happy with my finds though. i didn’t buy anything for myself (for the most part), surprisingly true! i was actually planning to buy a new pair of jeans & boots & a lot of shirts for work, but i was thinking—why buy when i still have good ones. i actually got 2 new pair of shoes, one of which i haven’t worn yet. and before xmas, i couldn’t resist buying a pair of sandals, so it’s actually not a big deal. then gifts poured in, i got this really cool camouflage bag for xmas–and i got some cool stuffs too. a friend gave me a new mask, i also got a nightmare before xmas keychain, and i got a new sketchpad–oh well not really a sketchpad, but i was thinking of using it as one. then there are stuffs i am still waiting in the mail. of course some cash, and what could be more important than love? yes, i’ve gotta whole lotta love this christmas. it’s not everyday that you feel you are loved. but i did buy a new sling bag (bwahahaha) they were giving discounts on all northface products, and i sort of lost my head. it was expensive, i soon realized but i deserved it. i really do. so there goes my christmas tale~

fay on Nov 8th, 2006 said:

about:

love… and why it is such an “important” thing
friendship… and why it can be so fragile
family… and that no matter how we take them forgranted, they are really all we have

CHAR!!!

oh, di ba?

my thoughts on:

love: i am such a hopeless romantic, i believe everything revolves around love. we may not admit it but consider this—why do we make sacrifices? it’s because we love our jobs, we love the world, we love the person, that everything is worth the sacrifice. though for selfish reasons there is always an ulterior motive but despite that, what keeps us going is love. love is not just for the romantics, it’s for everyone else, and it’s free so why waste it?

friendship: and why it can be fragile—first, i think that kind of friendship is just skin-deep. or maybe it isn’t friendship at all. we are blinded with the fact that it is. i’ve had my share of friends, they come, they go but despite the distance, the closeness remains. friendship has no boundaries, as long as you are being honest with each other, your friendship goes a long way. it’s a common misconception that when you hang out often, you are the best of pals, maybe it holds true for some, but i had my bitter share. now i know better. how can you call someone a friend when he/she can’t even explain why she’s acting that way? someone who doesn’t even know why you acted that way, why you are upset? why are you happy over a very shallow matter, or why you just wanted to act that way. i guess being a “real” friend means understanding you, even if you’re acting strange, but most of all, the most important thing is, being honest enough to tell you if you are wrong, even if it hurts. i guess sometimes familiarity breeds contempt.

family: they’re all i have! yes although at times we do not agree with our family, we are there to support them, i guess it’s really hard to fathom that, but it’s so true, as they say blood is thicker than water. but i guess bottomline is, our family has no choice—they can’t just leave us behind, they must love us so much that they are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice just to make us happy.

if there’s one thing i am so passionate about, it is taking picture. my fascination started when i was very young. we don’t have a slr back then, we couldn’t afford it, and nobody had a use for it. what we had was a 110 point n shoot camera and then there’s the 135. film was never cheap, so we save our kodak moments for special ocassion such as birthdays, end of schoolyear or xmas. i remember they used to take my picture when i had a new dress or when i had a new hairstyle haha. sundays were always special back then when our whole family would hear mass at the cathedral and pose somewhere in the small plaza inside the church. those were happier days, and that started my love for photography. it came to a point where i no longer wanted to be a part of the picture but would volunteer to take the picture myself. my father taught me the basics, i made a lot of mistakes a long the way but i am grateful they didn’t prevented me from taking pics. though at times popsie would tell me to stop taking unnecessary pics coz developing is so expensive. i dreamt of having my very own cam, i can’t ask for such an expensive gift from my parents. Later when i took up photography class, i had an excuse of demanding for an slr cam, and that’s when i got serious with my craft. I learned the dark room technique and i got hooked. I also started to travel within the region, and shoot to my heart’s content. i had a lot of good photographs way back but my friends borrowed it, and i had a hard time tracing where they are. for a while i got busy with work and my desire to take good pictures waned. this year i got reunited with a fellow club member and we talked about photography, and that’s when we decided to revive our dying hobby and form a new group. i guess i am active again, and i’m excited about it.

like they say, everybody can take pictures but not everyone has the “eye”. i don’t claim to have it but my pictures speaks for itself.

got a postcard today!

it sounds so oldschool but the thrill of receiving a snail mail other than your monthly bills is elating. i have to thank my friend though for being so thoughtful. It’s a postcard to be happy about, it’s actually a painting by mary cassatt, which she bought when she visited the art institute of chicago. i have been dreaming of visiting the institute but i guess i’m just too far… it was interesting coz she wrote that the painting reminded her of me and more of my style for that matter. i guess those museums don’t vanish in thin air, so there’s a big possibility of it staying there for a long time…