Floating Flower

taken at the fountain in the San Agustin Church

Cheers to Skywatch Friday

taken at Punta Fuego, Batangas

I took this on the last day of 2009. My relatives and I were waiting for the sunset by the beach. My dad and my Uncle Janus are clinking their beer cans to say goodbye to 2009 and hello 2010.

How has your 2010 been so far?

For more skies from all over the world, go here!

Music Makes The World Go Round

taken during an Up Dharma Down gig

I used my iPhone camera for this. :) I was being a fan girl during one of the gig's of Up Dharma Down gig, a Filipino band. Obviously, I was up front and center singing along! Come to think of it, it's been awhile since I've watched a band perform live. There's nothing like the energy of a live concert!

In the next few months, the big international bands coming over are The Killers, Paramore, Boys Like Girls, Kris Allen, and the Beach Boys (classic!). I'm glad that a lot of big musical artists don't forget our country during their Asian tours! Over the years, we've had a lot of big names come over - Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, David Cook and David Archuleta, Rihanna and Chris Brown (pre-domestic violence), Beyonce, BEP, Incubus, Fall Out Boy, Ne-Yo just to name a few! Hopefully 2010 will be a good year for concerts again.

Watched any good concert lately?

4Eyes in Shanghai

taken at Shanghai, China

I finally finished my roll of film from my Supersampler (4Eyes) and I have shots that were still from my trip to Shanghai last February 2009!! It took me almost a year to finish my film. I feel bad that I didn't give 4Eyes enough attention in 2009. Part of my new year's resolution is to take more photos so I promise I will take out 4Eyes more often!

I just had 3 rolls developed so expect me to be posting more lomo photos! Hopefully you guys will see that plastic is truly fantastic. :)

Skywatch Friday From the Vatican Museum

taken at the Vatican Museum

Took this shot with my Supersampler last October during our Italy trip. I'm really loving my lomo shots! It's fun to get surprised with the outcome of each shot. It's like opening gifts on Christmas day haha! Sounds cheesy but that's the perfect comparison. Everytime I have a roll developed, I countdown til I see them, just like a giddy kid! There is no way to correct a "mistake" but sometimes those shots can be interesting too.

Give the Gift of Education

taken at my office desk 

What did I do today? 

Today I signed up with World Vision and sponsored a child's education. All it takes it P600 ($14) a month and you are able to help a child go to school. I've been meaning to do this for quite some time now but always found some excuse not to but World Vision had a booth at the food court of our office building and it was just soooo simple to help out that I couldn't resist. All I had to do was sign up, choose a mode of payment and choose the child I wanted to sponsor. That simple. I chose to get charged to my credit card every month but you can also pay online or through post-dated checks, whichever way is most convenient for you. There's even an option of paying monthly, quarterly or yearly.

What I also liked about World Vision is that you get to find out how your sponsored child is doing through an annual progress report. You can also communicate with your child via letters! That way, you really feel that your help is going to a worthy cause. I asked the volunteers how they chose the children to be sponsored and apparently, they go through a series of interviews and surveys. They not only talk to the children but the family and community as well. They make sure that these children really have that passion to get an education. 

The child I'm sponsoring is named Mark Arvie and what really made me choose him was his story. He was abandoned by his parents and left with his relatives. Although his relatives are happy to have him, they aren't making enough to send him to school. My heart really went out to him and without any hesitation, I chose him.

My officemate said that even if she's helping, she felt that this was a selfish thing. I asked why and she said its because this was making her really happy. I completely understood what she meant because when I signed up and got my welcome kit, I was so happy and excited. I couldn't wait to hear from Mark Arvie and how he was doing in school. There was some sort of high about helping him out. 

I truly believe that education is the best weapon you can give a child to fight poverty. Education will give him a better future and help him be the best he can be. You can change a life too! Just check out the World Vision site and see how you can help out.

My World Tuesday #4

taken at Punta Fuego, Batangas

This shot is part of my first roll from my Vivitar UWS. I looooove how this shot turned out. Plastic is fantastic!

I took this on the beach beside our house in Punta Fuego, Batangas.

For more photos from around the world, click here!

Night Out for Jellybean

taken at West Gate, Alabang

I was playing around with the bulb settings of Jellybean (my Holga) one night while hanging out in front of a restaurant. I like how this experiment turned out although I was hoping to catch a car driving by so I would get those light streaks effect but none passed by! I like the dreamy effect of this shot.

Skywatch Friday #4

taken in Batangas, Philippines

 

This was the first sunset of 2010. Isn't it beautiful? :) 

For more skies, click here!

Bring On The Patron!

taken in Punta Fuego, Batangas

As I mentioned in a previous entry, our family always spends new year together in our beach house. We always have a theme for our new year's party and to welcome 2010, our theme was Spain. Our theme was inspired when my dad bought Patron tequilla! Hehehe. We had two Zorros, Frida, some Cuban dudes, Spanish chicas and a Salsa chick (that's me in the red dress ;p)

And since our drink of choice was Patron tequilla, it turned in to quite a crazy night! There was no better way to celebrate the new year!

Any suggestions for our theme for next year? :)

A Talent I Wish I Had

taken in my grandmother's house on Christmas Eve

My very talented cousin drew this anime inspired Christmas card for the family. Would you believe she drew that from her own imagination and with just markers?? No tracing, no Photoshop. Just her and her markers. AMAZING. And my cousin is only 15 years old! I was flipping through her sketchbook over the holidays and I was blown away by all her drawings. The details and shading of her anime characters are so professional that its hard to believe she didn't have any formal lessons. Yup, you read that correctly. All she did was read books on manga! Drawing is one of the talents I wish I had. All I can do are stick figures and pretty impressive smiley faces.

What talent do you wish you had?

UPDATE: You can check out my cousin's awesome works here!

My World Tuesday #3

taken in the San Agustin Church, Manila

The San Agustin Church is one of the oldest structures in Manila. Inside, its sort of like a mini museum with statues, paintings and sculptures from back during the time we were under the rule of the Spaniards. 

Want to see more of the world? Click here  

Hello 2010! So Glad You're Finally Here

taken at Punta Fuego, Batangas

Happy new year! I'm so glad 2010 is finally here. During the new year holiday, my family and I always stay in our beach house in Punta Fuego, Nasugbu, Batangas. We stay there with my relatives for about a week and I enjoy it soooo much. There really is nothing like ushering in the new year with the crazy people called my family. The picture above was taken on Dec. 31, 2009 and that was the last sunset for the year. I love this picture because it symbolizes how I feel about 2010 - hopeful.

2009 for me was a year of self-discovery. I was 25 and stuck in the middle of a quarterlife crisis. I ended 2009, not with the solution to it all but definitely wiser and my path a bit clearer. I just know 2010 will be awesome. :)

So what's in store for me in 2010?

1. I will love myself and love life.
2. Have a healthier lifestyle.
3. Be on top of my finances. It's time to start investing!
4. Take the risk. I WILL go for my dreams this year.
5. Drink moderately. Don't need to be drunk to have fun.
6. Make time for the things I enjoy, therefore I will read more books and take more photos.
7. Treasure those who are truly important to me.
   

2010 will be my year. I declare it to the universe!