Crunch time~

Dammit! It's already August >.< That means I have less that 90 days to get ready for the board exams... time to cram!! >.<

This is also a great opportunity for August break- since I can't really spend too much time blogging.
I bid blogger adieu (sort of) with this shadow shot. I am really in love with this decrepit of a cathedral. I blogged about this last month but here it is again.

Happy Sunday!

*back to cramming*

My Manila

 I did not know what to do with this one so I just went crazy when I was editing it. haha  So uhm... awkward criticisms will be tolerated. lol Y_Y

Seen in the photo is a rare moment of light traffic in Manila. You might notice the public jeepneys--  I previously talked about the jeep experience here.

I took this using my camera phone, edited it in picnik (because I'm getting too busy for photoshop).

Visit Sky Watch Friday for more sky shots (WAY better than this one, lol)

Magda-drive ako...

Guest Heart challenge!
I think the heart is a little harder to find here (OR NOT, some are seriously experts), but if you find it, I assure you, it is pretty. <3

EDIT: Some heart experts already found more that one heart here (I thought there was only one >.<) So if you don't want spoilers, don't scroll down to the comments :)
Have fun heart people! *hugs*

Happy Guest Heart Thursday!
For more hearts, visit:
Guest Heart Thursday hosted by Clytie

Postcard perfect: Beat this card!

It's circular, people. and look at that cancellation mark! So pretty! <3

Woot, can you show me a more unusually shaped card in your collection? ^__^

Beat me and I'll make you a badge! <3 

Happy postcard perfect wednesday and  Thank you to the amazing Lin of Taiwan for this unique card! 

Linking to:

Postcard Perfect 

Dreaming of photos

I have been literally dreaming of taking great photos. A few posts earlier I wrote about it right after I woke up so I won't forget what pictures I took in my dream. That same day I had a spontaneous photo walk that I talked about here.

I just felt assured that I am doing something I truly love, something I am passionate about--- minus the REAL camera. These are all from my camera phone (all 3 megapixels of em!!! ^__^) Someday maybe, when I finally get a real job (that I will most likely hate), I will work my ass so I can snap great photos and do something I really enjoy.

Sigh, I am one confused chick, and I am not getting younger. Hopeless. For now, off to study for the freakin' board exams.

Some other photos can be seen on my previous post. I used my camera phone, and edited the photos in Picnik. Picnik is awesome.

Linking this to:
Creative Exchange hosted by Lisa Gordon
Macro Monday hosted by Lisa'sChaos

Turning lemons into grapes--or something like that.

I had an appointment last Thursday at the Manila City Hall (No, I'm not in trouble, unfortunately. Shame, that  would be a more interesting blog post), but then someone screwed up and I was told I had to go back some other day (uhh, the usual).

Normally I would be pissed and this entry will be a really ugly hate post. But then I did something that very few disgruntled people at a government building would do: I looked up. Literally (this is not a Jesus post either).

And tadaaa, Eureka! My failed lakad turned into a full blown photo walk. Took almost a hundred photos of so many random things, I had so much fun.

Shadow Shot Sunday

More than a few people gave me the weird look. Others were simply too busy to notice (or they just chose to ignore me because I looked too lost). I gave the folks at the License Division a short break from their *really boring* office work. They had a few laughs when I stopped by to capture some unusual ornaments they have on display. They have a freakin' cannon and two life size moriones (or something)-- strangest office I've been to.

Does your office have a cannon? (not the printer, silly.) Or these, whatever these are:

 

Yes I know I screwed up the lighting and stuff. I was too busy being embarrassed to care.

The rest of the photos will be saved for other posts. lol. All photos were taken with my Samsung F400 camera phone (haha) and edited using the AMAZING Poladroid, except for one where I used picnik. I have no time for photoshop anymore. :(

Links:

Shadow shot sunday hosted by HeyHarriet

The Creative Exchange hosted by Lisa Gordon

Dammit.

Right now I want to rip off a neighbor's head for shouting on the mic. How loud and stupid can you get?

Calm me down, polaroid.

Light

First off, this photo is not mine-- but isn't it just fudging awesome?!? Love.

All credits go to my girl Karen! <3

Y: I love you, but you are getting fatter-- in fact you are in your fattest these days.

X: Shut up.

Y: I won't shut up until you cry yourself to sleep. And then, when you wake up, you decide to work your butt off. Literally.

X: Good luck with that.

Y: Do you realize that I told you this so many times before, that if I had been talking to a wall it would have been jogging by now.

Chasing Pavements

X: Ok, your turn! Are you sure you're up to it? You can quit now.
Y: You know I never back down from a challenge. Bring it on, dare me.
X: I dare you to love me.


Linking to:

Adele has been speaking to my soul these days. She is such a potent, yet fragile piece of art. \

See for yourself here.

A quickie

I have to be getting ready for the day now but I just have to say this:

I had the weirdest dream this morning--- I was taking BEAUTIFUL photos using my camera phone. I cannot even begin to describe them, but I was rolling, those were gorgeous pieces of art. I was snapping photos of a purple-orange sky, of a majestic dog (a chow chow, no less). I was photographing sheep and cat and the beach, and my little brothers laughing and running along a meadow....

darn I should really be a photographer. lol.

Because...

Why do I have this photo?

Because I was bored, I was lying on the couch and had my camera phone at hand.

shadow shot sunday

a splash of blue

This post is TOO BLUE even for me, and I love blue. sigh. Oh well. Here it goes:

Ok, heart people, I know you can see it! Happy Guest Heart Thursday! :) (ok, here's a clue: it's white)

AND this next photo is my entry for this week's Sky Watch Friday. Har har, err. yeah.

So these shots were done last summer (summer for us is April-May, the rest of the year is..well, rainy season.) at Twin Rock Beach Resort in my lovely hometown of Virac, Catanduanes. Our family has made it a tradition to spend a weekend here each summer, and we always have something new to try. The resort itself is far from perfect-- a quick google search led me to someone's harsh review of the place. I was a little offended, and I felt it my obligation to write a little something about our little island in the Pacific.

I grew up in a province easternmost of the country called Catanduanes. It's rural and mountainous and surrounded by white beaches. Whenever a tropical typhoon from the pacific enters the Philippines, we are the first to welcome it. When it leaves, we pick up the pieces and start again. More than the tourist spots, we take pride in the fact that we are a resilient and joyful people. A people of the Land of the Howling Winds.

Right now, there are *more* obvious efforts to promote tourism in the island-- it's beautiful, after all. When I was a kid, there wasn't a single hotel or B&B in town. The beach 'resorts' back then were rugged and virgin, save for some makeshift nipa huts that families or group of friends can use for their Sunday excursions. But I do not ever remember a single time that we complained about 'lack of amenities' or 'poor service'. A small spring leading to a beach cove was already enough fun for my cousins and I. We live simply, so we appreciate the small stuff-- and usually a weekend with good food and lots of laughter is more than enough. 

Our island province is not postcard perfect, but I love it that way. We may not be the next Boracay, but we are definitely going somewhere. I just hope that people will stop expecting every island to be a paradise out of a travel book, and start seeing beauty and adventure in unexpected places, people, or way of life. 

For me, traveling, more than anything, is a learning experience. Adding a new, vibrant leaf to the pages of your life, meeting people you would never get to interact with under normal circumstances, and appreciating the world in all its diversity.

Of course, I cannot ever impose my own opinions to somebody else, but I hope that people visiting my town--or any other town for that matter, will take on the attitude of childlike curiosity and joy.

Oh, and these are the rest of the photos. ^_____^
That's my sister and baby brother.

partying partying yeah

[Postcard Perfect]

Manila night lights along Pasig River postcard (1967 JMC Press) Retro reprint [??] 

Ah, the sixties-- the era of neon lights and disco fever! I adore this postcard mainly because of the bright pink and the reflection on the river-- *GASP* they used to have a night life along the Pasig river! I can't imagine that happening anymore. I would love to go back and experience disco back in those days-- the fashion, the music, the partying mayhem. That would be something.

Speaking of parties, I went out for the first time in a looooong time (and I am not even exaggerating) with the best party people in the world (and best friends ever) that I know-- who else but high school friends! Yay! 

I actually LIVED with these people (ok, just the girls) for four years-- breathed the same air that they breathed, ate the same horrid things they fed us back then. We had the ups and downs of teenage life together, 24/7 (ok, for some just 24/5 since they go home on weekends). We even know each other's sleeping quirks for christ's sake, so when we get together, we just KNOW each other-- no pretensions or judgement. Back then, when we party (illegally of course) we PARTY HARD. Like crazy drunk ass hard. Those were the days.

But alas, times have changed and I am very disappointed. *_____* Ok just a little disappointed, I still had a a wonderful time with the people who always make me happiest. The laughs are still there, the crazy jokes, the funny mean things we say to each other... but...WE ARE GETTING SO FREAKIN' OLD. And partying starts to get... boring.

The night started with Barrio Fiesta-- it was nice, but a little overpriced. The Chicken Sisig was heaven. It was fun--especially because my ex and I were getting along really well (compared to M and B... and P... AWKWARD). It's really good to be friends with him again, we're so funny when we're in sync. ANYWAY.

By 9:30 we were off to party #2 at Dencio's. Weak service, the music was not exactly my taste. I liked the interiors though. The cocktail..hmm, good I guess. Better than what we had later that night. I was extremely bored. Mayah and I even made up games to entertain ourselves. I could not wait to get out of there... I guess we were just not comfortable in the place and there was not much to talk about anymore. :(

Light at Dencio's

Party #3 was at Padi's Point at around 12mn. Thank goodness it was dark, if not I would rate the interior 1/10. Horrible. But the people are dancing their panties off, the music was crazy, the band was good-- FOR A WHILE. More on that later. It was my first time at Padi's actually. I quickly expected to dance the night away just like we did in high school. I was ecstatic and ready to get stone drunk and party on the dance floor.

 

But then they served us this expensive JUICE. Dammit not a single hint of alcohol on the drinks we ordered. We had three towers-- THREE before we finally decided to forget about getting piss-drunk and just get on the dance floor and pretend to actually be bombed just so we could dance. By then it was already 3AM and all of a sudden-- the horror of all horrors, the band MELLOWED DOWN! I almost wanted to scream and rebel and go crazy on the dance floor to the beat of  Side A's "Forevermore". >__<

SIGH. Next time, guys. Next time.

Defeated. Boredom at its finest.

Oh I almost forgot, this is part of Postcard Perfect.

this little munchkin

.. is my dinner!! Om nom nom nom!

My squeaky little (ok, he's not so little anymore) guinea piggie, Chaddie. I may have gone all-out crazy with the editing. huff.
Taken with my camera phone (lol)


Mustering my courage to link this to:
Sweet shot Tuesday

[polaroid04] Ho ho ho

X: Do you think I'm pretty?
Y: I like your smile.
X. Wrong answer.

Links
  

[polaroid03] three stars and a sun

There can be no tyrants where there are no slaves.- Dr. Jose Rizal. Genius, martyr, hero.

Of Math and hearts

It's a cardioid!! with the polar equation:  r = 2a(1+cos(angle)) WOOT!

Blaah! It's a heart, yay!! More like a butt, actually! haha *I'm just taking a short break from studying math (again) for my weekly exam tomorrow. *

I used to really hate math. Ever since grade school I was good at anything except math. In high school I got a science/math scholarship so naturally a lot of my classmates are great in math. sigh. I once got 28% in analytic geometry. I just laughed when I got my paper back.

Fast forward to senior year, I fell in love with Physics and Electronics. And I knew I wanted to take ECE (Electronics and Communications Engineering) in college. But the first thing that came out of my guidance counselor's mouth was: "I thought you don't like Math?" As if a pageant contestant, I answered: "I'm willing to take the challenge."

Wrong answer. The entire time I was in college, I was in an constant battle to push myself to enjoy all the equations, the derivations, all the calculus and the matrices. It was math hell. All my majors were involving math, and there was no escape. By sophomore year, I was already very willing to quit, to leave engineering altogether and shift to a different career path. But to where? I had nowhere else to go. I got by, but in my heart I wished I could enjoy it all.

I graduated, and just when I thought I was through the worst, here I am again re-living all the math I have ever learned my entire life-- cramming everything in the next months as I prepare for my professional license exam in October.

This time, though, I am loving it. It took me by surprise, but now I am enjoying the math, but hating the electronics. I do not understand how, but I wish this happened earlier. Could have saved me a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Cheers to the awesome professors in my Review school for making me fall in love with math for the first time. :)

This post is part of Guest Heart Thursday

Le Clarion du Dimanche Matin

That's just a fancy way of saying "Playing Clarion on Sunday Morning". Everything sounds sexy in french. haha

As you may have noticed, I adore black-and-white, retro/vintage reprints with human subjects. They are THE BEST. And I am really extra grateful to the postcrossers who granted my wish (eherm, without getting any postcard from me in exchange. Don't judge me, I'm a struggling student and I email them long replies and countless thank-you's. har har, *defensive*)

So anyway, this post is to honor and thank fellow postcrosser Hannah for this lovely postcard. The photo was taken by Robert Doisneau, a french photographer in 1947. http://www.robertdoisneau.com/ His photos are original and out-of-the-box and it was a time when people were only starting to learn how to be less stiff and more playful in front of the lens. He also started juxtaposing social ironies and sprinkling a little spontaneity to his photos. His subjects are mostly people in the streets of Paris (pr: Pa-ree! haha) (wiki)

I don't really know much about wind instruments-- I actually did not know it was called a 'clarion'-- it looks like a trumpet to me. I played a little flute when I was young (hey, anyone can blow). My interest for it lasted at most three weeks. pfft, typical me.


Anyway, happy PP Wednesday!

Aren't FINISH postcrossers the AWESOMEST?! I love them. The Germans are great too. <3

[polaroid02] Please don't barf.

This was taken after my friends and I watched a concert last February. We hanged around this rickety old spinning umbrella thing to recharge and (because I was with a bunch of guy friends) 'chick watch'.

Patrick: Who's going for a ride?
James: Me!
Me: As if four hours of standing in a tight crowd didn't tire them enough, they also want to get sick to their stomach. Can we please sit down, my feet are killing me.

*the ride starts to spin*

Jac: Finally, air!!

Jer: Yes, better that aircon.

Bernard: This is awesome. It's like we're inhaling all those people's body odor.
Jer: Or their farts.
Jac: At least it's cooler here.
Me: Oh god, if someone barfs- it will be all over us in a second.

Whatya luukin' att, punkk??

"I may be cute but I'm not stupid. Check your spelling, punk."

Macro Monday

Yes, I do realize that I am a Meme-whore.

[polaroid01] Ladida.

X: This is beautiful. Sad, but beautiful.

Y: Yep.

X: Sometimes, sad things are still beautiful. That's a little unfair.

X: Did you ever regret that it ended? Us, I mean?

Y: Yes, for a while. 

X: You should have told me that before.

Y: We wouldn't be here if I did. I think today is beautiful.

X: Hmm, yes it is. 

That giant pink ball of a dress

Now THIS is one fabulous stamp.

WHY WHY WHY can't Philippines have more gorgeous, more hip, and glamorously modern stamps like this? 

Ritva Liisa Pohjalaisen is a is a Finnish fashion designer... that's all I got...Aaargh! It's frustrating that I cannot find much info on her in english. I think, maybe, she's really good. (doh of course she is, she has her own stamp)

The stamp is part of a set made for International Women's Day (March 8) in 2010. See the rest here This was sent to me by the awesome Pirjo, a Postcrossing.com member. I badly want the rest of the designs!! Anybody?

Just a brief background: like many girls, I am FASCINATED by the *superficial* world of high fashion. If only I could afford any of it.*sulk* My sister and I are both junkies when it comes to fashion reality shows on TV (because it's free). America's Next Top Model, Project Runway, The Rachel Zoe Project,  Launch my Line and The Ultimate Collection-- these brighten our boring school nights (when we should have been studying).

Going back to the lovely stamp and the shocking hot pink creation-- I actually adore this type of silhouette  for a dress. I have seen two dresses similar to it. Yes,  I remember most of the dresses I saw on TV. Any dress with that shape--tight and simple on the top but scandalous in volume and texture from the waist down-- will definitely leave a mark.

The dress shown above was made by designer  Carol Hannah for the Finale Fashion show of Project Runway season 6. It's definitely a statement piece, unfortunately it did not go well with the rest of her collection. It's fantastic, though, how she played with volume and structure.  A similar dress was made by Ro (Rolando Tamez) in The Fashion Show-The Ultimate Collection, but I can't find a photo of it. sigh.

All dresses are pretty , but for me, Carol Hannah's is the prettiest. Ritva-Liisa's looks regal, fashion-forward and show-stopping, but I think it's the wrong length-- or maybe it's just shamelessly gorgeous that way.

What do you think?

P.S.

Anybody else noticed the stamp edge?

Also, I am joining Pink Saturday for the first time with this entry, YAy me! 

For more Pink invasion visit: