If Only

t.. the rain hasn't decided to supply us with water enough to drink for a year
.. mud was never a combination of soil and water
.. mud never saw shoes as the hottest "must haves" in town
.. we were given the chance to eat lunch
.. boat rides never meant you and your equipment have to get wet
.. we didn't have to cross an overflowing river to get to the church and back
.. we didn't have to deal with some people who has a certain attitude
.. we were treated the way our job description stated was
.. we were treated like people and not just the guy/girl with a camera
.. instructions were given in a tone that doesn't suggest ignorance
.. requests were given out in a pleasant tone and not in a commanding one
.. I was less shaky when taking pictures
.. I was able to execute the simple instructions given to me correctly
.. I maximized the opportunities to shoot before I lost them
.. the bunk bed that was left for me to sleep on was not in between couples
.. the island where we left our bags in wasn't guarded by dogs twice my size
.. getting your stuff to head home didn't require braving a litter of dogs

then, I think, it would have been one of the first experiences that would surely make it's mark on 2008. Well, it did leave a mark. Too bad, it was just on the far side of the spectrum.

There are events we attend that usually leaves a mark in your life. You're lucky to be in one. What more to be in a position that helps define it. I have always thought of life-defining events as big (even though with a limited budget), picturesque and perfect in its own right. But of course that always depend in heaven's mercy.

Some would get traumatized with what I was on. But not me. Things like these happen. I fell in love with this craft and what transpired during the weekend hasn't even dented or made me question my interest in it.

So yeah, BRING IT ON!

 

*****

 

Friend 2 (the driver): so you guys work together?
Friend 1 (the baptizer): not really. bininyagan ko lang siya..
Me: Yup! It was a baptism.. a baptism of fire and rain.. literally. :D

 

*****

 

Hey you, the baptizer.. you know who you are. Thank you for the experience. It wasn't the best (I know you'd agree with me on that), but it was surely an adventure I did not leave empty handed. Honestly, I wouldn't have traded anything else for it. :D

Dinner Invitation

Let's have dinner tonight over at ** toot **
Be there by 1900 hours.

That was my dad inviting over for dinner at some resto. Yeah, we talk in military hours at home. YEAH RIGHT!

Minsan ang sarap batuk-batukan ng tatay ko. Kung anu-ano ang naiisip! :D

MY New Year always begins with..

A family reunion.

Since time immemorial, relatives from my father side has religiously organized and attended our family reunion every January 1st. Before, it was just held at one place. As the years went by, they (my father and his siblings) decided to hold the reunion in different places thus changing the "sponsor" or the "host" for the year.

Though we get to meet every year, I still find myself lost and always in a lock down situation trying to spit out a name of a cousin or of a cousin's child which I don't really have any idea of. It's as if my cousins and my um.. cousin's children kept on multiplying.. like rats rabbits.

Our family reunion is not the only one that became the tradition. But also, some of the activities that my aunts and uncles has thought of since I was a kid -- hampas palayok and padukot sa bangga. 

As a kid, I used to love trying my luck (yes, I consider it a game of luck) in the game of Hampas Palayok. But since I never got lucky, I stopped trying. And as the years went by, I became all but a spectator of my cousins, cousins' children and even my aunts and uncles reap the bounty of their winnings..

Towards the end of the reunion, my dad would bring out his famous "banga" and ask all the kids and kids at heart to line up before him to go get as much money (coins) they could from the jar.

Well yeah, the jar only contains coins. Before, coins were a big thing. But since they have depreciated in value, my parents got a little creative with those coins -- they marked several coins inside the jar to a certain amount where the lucky kid or kidult can exchange for a bigger, heavier denomination.

 

*****

 

With the family's therapist to be

With my favorite cousin

Flower Power

The Christmas Holidays meant that our family would head out to my grandmother's house for a vacation where we would catch the Christmas Eve Mass together with all my aunts and uncles. After which, we open up all the gifts sitting by the Christmas tree which is momentarily interrupted by a call for Noche Buena.

Over the years, me and my family got tired lazy of all these. We have opted to just visit my grandparents on Christmas Day instead of our usual plans. Before, opening the gifts I receive from my aunts and uncles paint a pretty big smile on my face. This year, it was pretty different. My grandmother's garden pretty much made my Christmas when I started seeing the flowers that she has been taking care of.

And when there are flowers.. There'd always be a busy bee..

.. taking pictures and admiring their beauty.

A Brave Welcome for 2008

God knows how much my nose hates the dust and the smoke that fireworks produce. Most often than not, I end up bed-ridden on the first day of the year with all but a facial tissue and some allergy medicine as my company while my family attends our annual reunion. This is one reason why I don't enjoy New Year's eve celebrations at home. Or maybe during the ushering of New Year..

This year, I braved up all the dust and the smoke to get a chance to take some pictures of wonderful fireworks display that most of your neighbors show off to each other.. :D

Well, I really tried my best to take some good pictures. But I was too shaky and too careful not to get my nose really irritated. I managed to take some shots. But they're shots that I think would need a lot of work and practice.

But what the heck, I at least I tried! :D

My mom and dat started lighting up LUSISes at 11:45

Dad pretty much got tired holding his lusis
and started playing with it.

A few minutes more, boredom kicked in and
he started lighting up his firecrackers

Roman candles held by my sister shoot high up in air

At the strike of midnight, the sky lit up with fireworks..

...and more of em.

..and some more.

Happy New Year! Welcome 2008!!