The Ultimate transition

This is the most fulfilling year for me when it comes to my physical well-being. This lifestyle change or what I call "the ultimate transition" started last December when I was shooting some hoops with a friend of mine...

I wasn't really born athletic, I lived a very active childhood but I slowed down when I reached my teenage years. This period of my life was when I took the fast lane. I smoked like hell, partied until the sun goes up, and drank like there's no tomorrow.

I lived a sedentary lifestyle when I hit College, more sleepless nights, eye puffing computer hours, and brain draining write-ups.

I tried playing basketball last November but the piled up stress, free radicals, and other screwed up stuff messed up my stamina. I continued to play bad games with friends until a turning point happened last December.

My friend and I was shooting hoops one afternoon when my friend told me that he was tired and wanted to go home. I wasn't ready to leave the court yet so I stayed.

As I was about to leave, I saw another friend of mine in the nearby football field while holding a plastic disc in his right hand. It's been a while since I set foot on a football field at that time, I just felt relaxed as I inhaled the fresh air and enjoyed the view of infinite green turf. Since I got an SLR with me, I sat in the middle of the field and took some photos while my friends and his teammates threw discs all over the pitch.

Ultimate Frisbee, that's what they call the sport. It is played using a 175-gram plastic disc that you and your teammates should bring to the end zone. More like American Football or Rugby, but the difference is that Ultimate is a none contact sport, and you are only allowed to move your pivot foot when you gain possession of the disc.

I did a few sloppy throws, after a few minutes of practicing my flicks, one of them called eveyone's attention for a pick up game. I was also asked to play. I was reluctant at first but I decided to just try it out.

I had no idea what I was doing during my very first game. Sporting a pair of high-cut basketball shoes, I jogged my way towards the middle of the field as the disc flew above us towards the other team.

The players in the team that I was in were shouting a lot of Frisbee terms: "Force home!" "No breaks!" "Huck the disc!" I just ran and ran all over the field not a clue of what they were talking about.

The first point was meant to be for me, the handler threw a good backhand but I failed to catch the disc. They told me that I make a lot of "basketball cuts" and that I have to "attack the disc" every time I'm about to receive a pass.

I was panting like hell after the first point but what could I expect, I never played in a field before, not to mention having a bad stamina even in the court, but for the first time in a hundred years, I carried on and continued to play.

After an hour of gameplay, my shirt was soaking wet and my shoulders and chest rose and fell like I had eight orgasms in a row. I never felt really tired in my life.

In spite of the game's physical demands and intense nature, I promised myself to improve and one day play in a frisbee league. But I thought that I had to do something to survive in this competitive sport. I told myself that I have to play right, I have to eat right, and I have to live right...

From that day forward, everything has changed, I felt good every single day, I never get tired easily as compared in the past months, I tried working out and run a few kilometers in between busy hours as training.

I can't believe the work-loaded, school committed, College dude like me does a lot of frisbee playing on the side.

It has been 8 months now and two leagues have passed. A lot of learning, victories, failures, and teamwork happened during the passed months and I know and believe that I will still get better. I faced a lot of players who are bigger, better, taller,and faster than me but I will not give up. I know that there is a lot of room for improvement, I just have to work really hard for it since I started from nothing. And now that the seed that I planted a couple of months ago is gradually sprouting, I will still work hard to get better, until I experience the day that I, together with my teammates will be on the top, but until that day, I will keep on pushing, I will keep on dreaming, and I will keep on improving to fulfill my goal and live my ambition.

My stamina has improved, but everything is not enough, I am still not satisfied with my performance so I still have a lot of practicing to do. I can't wait to play again, I will still enjoy a pick up or a serious game whether we win or lose because for me, true victory is when you beat your limits, when you do the things that you thought you could not do. I do not find glory in beating the other team, I find glory and victory when I become better than my old self.

PUA New Year's league finals (Full article)

Click the LINK to view the full article from philippineultimate.org

I got featured in travelomo.com

Here's the link: http://travelomo.com/2009/02/11/baguio-city-in-6x6/

One-winged angels

"We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another." -Lucretius

“

My personal best for 2008

Since I've been taking a lot of photos for the past months, I decided to make another year end blog. From now on, every January, I will choose 15 of my best photos for the year.

This will be a good way for me to look back at the places, people, and events that I've encountered last year. After shedding my budget to purchase cameras and exposing dozens of films, I guess it is all worth it.

So here it is, my top 15 personal best photos for 2008, enjoy the story behind each images:

15.) Dusk at the Villa
The sky was turning pitch black at Villa Escudero in Tiaong, Quezon. The tourist Jeepney was about to fetch us when I pointed the LCD screen at the trees. The color of the sky perfectly matched the tree's patterns so I snapped away.

Sony Cybershot
DSC-W70

14.) Lovers by the bay
This is one simple yet challenging photos I took during my basic Photography class last January. My first ever SLR did a good job even with a broken shutter adjustment. Its only working shutter speed is 1/60s so I didn't have any choice but to take photos with only one speed. With limited adjustments, I pointed the camera at the sun to get a lens flare, and the result was dramatic.

Minolta XE-5
Fuji Superia 400

13.) Hero's final steps
This is my first time to use black and white film in a pinhole camera. It was hard to take long exposures without using a conventional lens but it was fun.

Taken in Fort Santiago Intramuros, Manila, the photo dramatized Jose Rizal's final steps during the day of his execution. The treatment of the film contributed to the mood of the event. Rizal's sadness and fear can somehow be felt here. And also the grainy, blurry, and dreamy effect takes us back to 19th century Manila every time we look at the photo.

4M Kidzlabz Pinhole camera
Lucky BnW 100

12.) Down Periscope
Here's another innovation. A friend of mine brought his camera with him and I borrowed it. I had my Holga color filter set with me at that time so I tried mounting it with his kit lens, and the result was very surprising!

No editing, no manipulation, just plain filter! He was nice enough to send me a copy of this shot...

Nikon D60
Mounted with a Holga adapter and color filter

11.)Radio Production
During the first semester, we had a radio production class. We had four groups which used only one studio. Unfortunately, we were the last group to use it, forcing us to go home every night time. Good thing I always bring my SLR with me to kill the boredom.

This is one of my most challenging compositions due to the room's low light and an average film speed. I took my chances and made this photograph.

Nikon FM
Solid gold 200

10.)Coffee and Impreza
My top 10 is this double exposed shot of Starbucks Intramuros and a Parked Subaru Impreza near the Immigration office at the same location. As what the golden rule of Lomography says: "Don't think, just shoot." And the result was surprising...

Holga 120fn
Kodak Elitechrome 100
cross processed

9.)Chopper
I've never tried riding in a helicopter before, I guess it would be a great experience.

Shot in the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City, I find this photo appealing to the eyes due to its soft green color rendition, the dramatic angle, and the subtle vignettes. I just love the way its propeller extends to the right most part of the frame and the reflection of the clouds in its windshield. It makes me want to fly again.

Holga 120fn
Fuji Provia 100
Cross processed

8.)Flood fight
Rainwater overflowed in some parts of Rizal Park during this time. I saw these kids playing not a care in the world as people walk past them. Their carefree attitude makes me want to be a kid again.

Nikon FM Solid Gold 200

7.) Mini Stop
Everyone deserves a stop over during a long travel.

This was taken last summer on the way to Baguio City. The long exposure at f13 with an ISO 50 film rendered a soft image and a glowing effect due to the street's wet surface, reflecting the city light.

Holga 120fn Fuji Velvia50 Cross Processed

6.) Free child
As a sovereign people of our country, we all have the right to be free, it is even written in our constitution under the bill of rights. But what we also need is freedom not found in any written documents but freedom from within mostly found in children. The freedom to play, laugh, run around, and be child-like in general.

We are so busy nowadays that our routines are sometimes taking the freedom out of us. Our freedom to go to church, freedom to play with our sons and daughters, freedom to talk to our parents, freedom to laugh with friends. I wish that we could all be like children: carefree, worry-free, playful, faithful, and high spirited. Even Jesus himself told us to be like them.

The running child is a representation of freedom as how I stated it above. His kite is his dreams, attempting to make it fly. We all have different kites with us, we never know when it will fly as we run in the field called life, but somehow, someway, when the wind will finally agree with us, our dreams will all come true. Someday.

Nikon FM
Lucky BnW 100

5.) Sharing Contrasts
This photo represents everything opposite: Youth and old age, wisdom and innocence, wealth and poverty, both sharing one passion. The earphones tell us that even if we are all diversified, even if we have polar opposites, even if we came from different places, we are still connected and that we can share to each other what we have, what we know, and what we are passionate about.

Nikon FM
Kodak Tmax 100

4.) "Splash!"
This is a split moment of a friend of mine demonstrating a perfect dive.

Lomo Supersampler
Kodak Elitechrome 100
Cross Processed

3.)Urban Sunset
The absence of rush hour and heavy traffic, finally! An urban scene that is soothing.

An excellent capture of a setting sun at the skyway. The red scaling (exposing the opposite side of the film) did well in popping out the warm colors of the atmosphere.

Holga 120fn
Fuji Superia 400
Red scaled

2.) Dove within the eucalyptus trees
Falling to the top 2 spot of my collection is this decisive moment captured in film. The frame within a frame technique of a dove flying around the eucalyptus tree.

Canon EOS Kiss
Solid Gold 200

1.)Foreign flag
This falls on the top spot of my list.

While taking photos on the dock of the Pasig Ferry, I noticed this guy looking up at the flag as if observing it. A different interpretation came in to my mind: "What if he is looking up at it with a sign of respect?" So I subtly captured the image.

The color produced by the cross processing was dramatic. The green and yellow tone popped out in the entire image but the red, white, and blue colors of the flag remained as if to say that the symbols of each color will never fade away just like how our fallen heroes fought for our country. We were living in a messed up place but I know that even if tragedies, challenges, and even our National security is washed away, our patriotic colors will still shine out, giving us a beacon of courage and hope that will guide us for our bright future.

Nikon FM
Kodak Elitechrome 100
Cross Processed



Every click I make with my Holga, every time I open my Nikon's shutter, and every time my Supersampler makes that noisy sound, I always get this strange feeling. I cannot explain but all my problems will be gone for a moment, my worries, my stress, any negative feelings will leave me every time I look through the viewfinder. Its like I found my stress reliever and my passion at the same time.

Another year has passed and I look forward to 2009 with more photos to come, more moments to be captured, and more experiments to be done. To all of you, Happy New Year!

Looking back at 2008 (my gratitude list)

It's January 2009! I can't believe how time flies really fast...

It is the time once again where I list down events, people, places, experiences, things, and situations that happened to me in the past year.

However, something's gonna be different in this post.

Last year's entry was called "What's hot and What's not" and I decide to make it my year end blog as to look back on the things that made me happy and things that pissed me off, but now, I decided to scrap the "Not" part as to focus more on the positive things in the past.

So this will be the reformatted version of my What's hot and Not list...

This will now be known as "The Gratitude list" for the year 2008:


Once again, these are the events, people, places, experiences, things, and situations that I am happy and thankful for:


*Owning 5 cameras in a year
*Hording films in Quiapo and the net
*I went to Baguio twice (Last summer and last December)
*I went to Tagaytay twice (same seasons)
*Shot tons of photos
*I got introduced to Lomography
*Meeting Glaiza de Castro in Person
*Meeting Direk Erick de Guia in Person
*Took photos with Charlene Gonzales and Miriam Quiambao
*Upgraded my PC's memory
*free game downloads
*I enjoyed the radio productions
*At least three of my prods got sent to Dubai (didn't get shortlisted but its ok)
*I joined some photo contests (I didn't win but I enjoyed it.)
*Joined a Lomo exhibit for the first time
*Free Kodak Tmax100
*My Supersampler is still working
*Got introduced to Ultimate Frisbee
*Cinemalaya 2008
*Learned basic Mandarin (though not fluent)
*Experienced riding the Pasig Ferry thrice
*Ate Bulalo in Tagaytay
*I finally got a chance to talk to the girl of my dreams
*My PC is still alive after four years of virus attacks and hardware malfunctions
*Utorrent
*Maria Ozawa
*Got introduced to fine art photography
*Film is still alive!
*Attended Wawi Navarroza's fine art photography seminar (Which I guess started it all)
*Photo trip in Laguna and Quezon
*My second time to go to Villa Escudero
*Finally got a passport
*Got a Nike Hyperdunk
*My stamina somehow increased
*Polaroid plug-in
*Photoshop CS3
*My Balikbayan friends as always
*Free ipod video from my cousin
*Free Frame One magazines
*Photography books from the 80's
*book bargains from last summer
*My Multiply friends
*Facebook
*JTG Sunday services
*Russel Peters
*Dane Cook
*Pablo Francisco
*barrack Obama
*Giligan's Sisig
*Central's Nacho Chips
*Becoming a Sports writer for The Lance
*Bo Sanchez books and videos
*Counterstrike Condition Zero
*Fifa 2003
*Grand Matador
*Multiply online stores
*Disney's Meet the Robinsons
*Pinoy indie films
*Zen moments
*Songs by Massive Attack
*I'm a non-smoker for two years now

I will not make this long... To quote from my last year's blog: "I don't believe that we lost something due to unfortunate events, instead I keep in mind that those bullsh*t stuff are lessons in making us better, wiser and mature."

I just want to add a little something for this year, I suggest that we all focus on the good things and (to borrow from Walt Disney) "never look back for so long. We all have to keep moving forward."

There will be challenges, we will get hurt, we will be put to the test, but one thing that I have learned in 2008 is to keep moving forward, seriously, these words keep circling my mind everytime I thought I was a victim of a situation, "Keep moving forward! keep moving forward!" and I believe this will greatly help us all.

Well, that's it for now! May we all have a Happy New year!

Till next time,
A Dios ser la gloria!



Keep moving forward...

The "One day old" virgin

I am currently digging in to another very unusual Pinoy delicacy. It's called a one day old chicken!

These are newly hatched chicks who didn't even see the light of day since they were immediately killed and then sold to the streets as deep fried pulutans.

Another one is the Kwek Kwek na balot. Most of us here are already familiar with the Kwek Kwek (Boiled chicken egg marinaded in orange thick flour paste) Then deep fried to get the texture that of an Okoy. Well the difference is that instead of chicken eggs, balot or duck eggs were used.

This is my first time to eat em'. I pass by the stalls (which are clean) that sell these kinds of food in the LRT station everyday but can't find time (or balls) to try em out.

Well, So far so good. The one day old tastes like frog legs. Only a bit bonier. The Balot is good with vinegar.

Bon apetite!

I want a Nike Hyperdunk!!!

Everytime I drive my way to school I always see that Nike billboard along Merville SLEX and I can't help but get amazed by the ad...

I got hypnotized by that friggin Hyper dunk, like it's telling me "Buy me fool!"

I looked it up on the net moments ago and I couldn't help but drool over my keyboard... What a thing of beauty!

Just seeing it wants me to play basketball every weekend while wearing this 13-ounce baby! Daym!

I also read that it's tougher than a bulletproof vest. Now I can protect myself when I'm being chased by Manila muggers, nice...

500 peso bill easter egg: Ninoy with a Rolleiflex TLR camera!

I was browsing lomomanila.ph when I saw a thread about Ninoy Aquino holding a Rolleiflex TLR camera. I was friggin amazed! I left the keyboard, grabbed a 500 bill from my bag and took a photo of it:

It's really amazing to find out some cool stuff right under our noses.

After reading some fun facts online, I found out that Ninoy used to be a correspondent who covered the Korean war for The Manila times. This explains why he is holding a Twin lens reflex camera in the bill. Nice!

Now I'm looking up for some archives of Ninoy's photos, I hope I could stumble upon some of them...

Henri Cartier-Bresson (August 22, 1908 – August 3, 2004)

Some facts about the father of photojournalism and by far the best street photographer of the 20th century, Henri Cartier-Bresson:

Behind Saint-Lazare Station - Paris 1932 by Henri Cartier-Bresson

- He refused to edit his images after in the darkroom and insisted they be printed full frame - his belief was in composition within the camera.

- He was one of the very first photographers to work in 35mm - his chosen format because the Leica rangefinders he loved were light and easy to carry and use quickly - never used SLR cameras.

- Used 50mm lenses constantly except for rare landscape shots - prefered the 50mm prime to any other lens.

- Never used flashbulbs - "Impolite...like coming to a concert with a pistol in your hand." was his response - available light was his thing.

- Hated publicity, believed the image was the key not the photographer.

- Fought with the French Army at the outbreak of World War II and was a prisoner of war for 35 months captured in 1940.

- Worked as an active member of the French resistance during the war and used his camera to document the German occupation.

- Founded the Magnum Agency with Robert Capa, David "Chim" Seymour, Bill Vandivert, George Rodger in 1947 as a Co-Operative - members dont work for magnum they are invited to join - the agency has produced some of the definitive work of the past 50 years and is considered the agency for photo-journalists.

- Covered the death of Ghandi in 1948 and the fall of the Kuomintang in 1949 - capturing images of a world in change that are some of his most powerful.

- Always considered his firs love to be painting - not photography : in the 1970's he said "All I care about these days is painting—photography has never been more than a way into painting, a sort of instant drawing." - exhibited collections of paintings in the 1970's.

- Died in France, August 3, 2004 at 95 years of age.



"To take a photograph is to hold one’s breath when all faculties converge in a face of fleeing reality. It is at that moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy."

Cartier-Bresson foundation : www.henricartierbresson.org/pres/home_en.htm
Magnum Photo : www.magnumphotos.com/

Funny pinoy signs

Here's a list I borrowed from King DJ Logan...


1. Parlor in San Juan is named "Cut & Face"

2. Wholesaler of balut in Sto.Tomas, Batangas:
"Starduck"

3. Fast food eatery in Nueva Ecija: "Violybee"

4. Internet cafe opened among squatters named "Cafe
Pindot"

5. In Manila , there's a laundry named, "Summa Cum
Laundry"

6. Petshop in Ortigas: "Pussies and Bitches"

7. A pet shop in Kamuning: "Pakita Mo Pet Mo"

8. Bakery: "Bread Pit"

9. Bank in Alabang: "Alabank"

10. Restaurant in Pampanga named, "Mekeni Rogers"

11. Restaurant in Pasig : "Johnny's Fried Chicken:
The Fried of Marikina"

12. A boxing gym: "Blow Jab"

13. A tombstone maker in Antipolo: "Lito Lapida"

14. A copy center in Sikatuna Village called "Pakopya
ni Edgar"

15. A beerhouse in Cavite called, "Chickpoint"

16. Laundromat in Sikatuna: " Star Wash : Attack of
the Clothes"

17. Internet cafe in Taguig named, "n@kopi@"

18. Name of a kambingan, "Sa Goat Kita"

19. A salon somewhere, "Curl Up And Dye"

20. A lugawan in Sta. Maria, Bulacan: "Gee
Congee"

21. A water refilling station in Dapitan named
"Wa-Thirst"

22. A store selling feeds for chickens:
"Robocock"

23. Shoe repair in Marikina : "Dr. Shoe-Bago"

24. Shoe repair store along Commonwealth, "SHOEPERMAN:
We will HEEL you!
save your SOLE, and even DYE for you!"

25. Petshop: "Petness First"

26. Flower shop: "Susan's Roses"

27. Taxicab: "Income Taxi"

28. A 2nd hand watch store: "2nd Time Around".

29. A squid stall in a wet market: "Pusit to the
Limit"

30. A shrimp store: "Hipon Coming Back"

31. A gay lawyer's extension office: " Nota

32. A ceiling installer: "Kisame Street"

33. A car repair shop: "Bangga ka 'day?"

34. An aquatic pet store in Malolos: "Fish Be With
You"

35. A fishball cart named, "Poke Poke"

36. A beauty salon: "Saudia Hairlines"

37. A bakery: "Anak Ng Tinapay"

38. A resto along Mayon road in Manila: "May Lisa
Eatery"

39. Laundry shop: "Wash Your Problem"

40. This mobile massage business name isn't funny, but
their slogan is: "Asian Mobile Massage Service: Massage
only, God is watching"

41. Ice cream parlor: "Dila Lang Ang Katapat"

42. Chicharon store: "Chicha Hut"

43. Neighborhood pizza store: "Pizza Hot"

44. A fishball cart near UST: "Eat My Balls"

45. A barbershop in Cagayan de Oro: "Pinoy Big
Barber"

46. A Resto: "The Last Supper"

47. A goto resto: "Goto Ko Pa!"

48. A peanut vendor's cart with a funny name:
"Mani ni Papa"

49. A gym in Malolos: " Gaymann Fitness Center"

50. My brother's party needs business:
"Balloon-Balloonan"

51. A Chinese restaurant in Pasig: "Lah-Fang"

52. A store selling fresh chicken, owned by woman named
Dina: "Dina Fresh Chicken"

53. An actual bait and tackle shop in U.S.: "The
Master Baiter"

54. Panaderia: "Trimonay Bakeshop"

55. Salon: "Hair Dot Comb"

Asian pride!

I was browsing through urbandictionary.com when I stumbled upon the word "Asian." I clicked it to see some definitions made by our friends from the other side of the world and here are some that I truly like:

Kind of stereotypical but not in a bad way hehe...


Asian

A person who is from a eastern oriental country such as China, Japan, or Korea. Asians are usually smart and have the following aspects although not limited to: 1. straight A's 2. strict parents 3. good at Math and Science 4. superb SAT and ACT scores 5. Ivy League college oriented 6. some can break dance and rap 7. good at video games 8. generally dominates at anything they set out to do also, asians are considered nerds, but more of a cool-nerd type. asian 1: hey, i got 2320 on my SAT! asian 2: i got 2350! asian 1: damn! asian 3: fuck! i got an A- in english. shit, my parents are gonna kill me.

Asian

a person who is more advanced and sees in widescreen hi-def, this makes asians good snipers. this is also why Jackie Chan can see anybody coming at him.

the only reason asians pwn me on halo is because he has widescreen hi-def in his eyes.

Asian

A race where a majority of them are intelligent. People who call them nerds are just sad that they get fucked up grades when Asians get A's and B's. Like all races, there are ugly people, with ugly Asians probably being the most grotesque. But the pretty Asians look the prettiest in contrast. They are the ones who invented the best of everything, like cell phones, cars, computers, etc.

The Virginia Tech thing is bullshit.
You see people of all races commiting crimes as horrible as that, but a lot of white people see 1 Korean commiting a crime as if its the WHOLE Asian population's fault. What a bunch of retards! I bet if they saw an arabian on a plane, they would think that they were a terrorrist.

Asian

	Wow. This is pretty obvious. Someone who is of Asian ancestory. Now, while some Asian jokes are funny, -and only some true- they shouldn't be taken seriously. Remember: Asians make most of the shit you use on a daily basis. So, without them America would be some stupid amish country. Someone who is Asian ..

Asian

Like Caucasian, but without the "cauc."
They've probably got bigger brains though.

Guy 1: Hey dude, I heard Kevin's got a small wang.
Guy 2: Well yea, that's cause he's Asian. He kicks your ass at tennis and math though.

My film stash multiplied... Finally!

Yeah! After a month of hording in Quiapo and the internet, I finally collected a couple of BnW, color and slide films. One thing that made me happy is that I finally found some Fuji Sensia 200s, Kodak Tmax100 and Elitechromes! Ever since last summer I've been surfing the net, looking for sellers and I finally found em! I would like to thank Whimpee and Ian of Lomomanila for the slides!

Now, my friends and I are ready for our upcoming photo-ops, I really can't wait!

"Andres Bonifacio"

"To have no heroes is to have no aspiration, to live on the momentum of the past, to be thrown back upon routine, sensuality, and the narrow self." -Charles Horton Cooley

My album cover and my number one fan...

My album launch with my number one fan Paris Hilton herself... ^^
Thanks for buying a copy! Hahaha!