This one reminds me of my univesity days... studying at all hours, early in the morning... sometimes late into the night... I tell you, I don't miss those days very much (I have since become much lazier of a personality) but it was a high in itself to be on the edge of such a vast array of knowledge. Even to have an understanding of a sliver of our subjects was a reward in itself. Those were great times.
Here is a little something for everyone.
2005/12/27
Tsunami
In some parts of the world the threat of a tsunami, a natural force from the ocean hangs over everyday life.
In 2004 the month of December, a massive tsunami hit southern Thailand and most of the nearby, coastal cities on the Asian continent. This photo was taken at Kerala, India.
The damage and the death toll was unbearable for the people of these countries. Thousands had died when the initial tsunami hit - many more in the ensuing aftermath with contaminated water supplies and the spread of disease from the dead bodies of humans and animals left behind the wake of this deadly wave.
I remember blinking in disbelief when I first heard news of the disaster. It was only a month before that I was in the same country, although touring in the distant, northern reaches of Thailand. I even had a friend who was touring in Phuket only days before the tsunami hit - she also avoided the tsunami by what I can only call sheer providence.
A year before this, a tsunami struck the coast of Aceh, Indonesia with destructive force. The view of the land following this is in the picture below.
May the memory of the departed continue on long after the anniversaries of tragedies as these.
Photo Credit: "Tsunami", first uploaded by: RNW.org on Flickr
Used with permission by a Creative Commons license (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Originally posted: 12/27/2005
In 2004 the month of December, a massive tsunami hit southern Thailand and most of the nearby, coastal cities on the Asian continent. This photo was taken at Kerala, India.
The damage and the death toll was unbearable for the people of these countries. Thousands had died when the initial tsunami hit - many more in the ensuing aftermath with contaminated water supplies and the spread of disease from the dead bodies of humans and animals left behind the wake of this deadly wave.
I remember blinking in disbelief when I first heard news of the disaster. It was only a month before that I was in the same country, although touring in the distant, northern reaches of Thailand. I even had a friend who was touring in Phuket only days before the tsunami hit - she also avoided the tsunami by what I can only call sheer providence.
A year before this, a tsunami struck the coast of Aceh, Indonesia with destructive force. The view of the land following this is in the picture below.
May the memory of the departed continue on long after the anniversaries of tragedies as these.
Photo Credit: "Tsunami", first uploaded by: RNW.org on Flickr
Used with permission by a Creative Commons license (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Originally posted: 12/27/2005
2005/12/26
Blue
When I think of colors, I also call up emotions, feelings and memories. This one captures a sense of the color *blue* for me. A cold, rainy day and being outside in the elements while the rest of the world watches on from the inside.
simplicity
A nice way to start the week...
Note the reflections and their patterns formed on the water droplet.
Note the reflections and their patterns formed on the water droplet.
2005/12/24
1 down 5 to go..!
Hehe. this one makes me think of my sister. She's a very ambitious painter. She gets commissioned to do paintings quite frequently and I often am with her when she freaks out from all the assignments... "OMG. It's 1:30 AM and I've still got three more paintings to make...!" (overheard)
For me, art isn't a factory... it takes time and inspiration to put them out. Anyways, her talent takes her way beyond my puny mentality. Lil' sis can crank out excellent paintings in the blink of an eye, fueled by her raw inspiration.
For me, art isn't a factory... it takes time and inspiration to put them out. Anyways, her talent takes her way beyond my puny mentality. Lil' sis can crank out excellent paintings in the blink of an eye, fueled by her raw inspiration.
Smile!
Ah, it's past 1 AM and I'm hooked on flickr. Here's a cute pair of smiles that seem to beam sincerely from within.
2005/12/22
A Christmas Wish
This is a Christmas tree decorated by hundreds of tiny origami animals. This reminds me of a legend from Japanese pop culture.
The story begins with a sick child with a terminal illness; his friends and schoolmates decide to make him origami cranes as a sign of their support and wishes for him to get well. Apparently other children in other schools hear about the project and decide to participate as well. Before long, there were thousands of paper cranes delivered to this boy's hospital room.
The sad part is that the boy still died from his illness, but the from the story lingers an urban legend - if you can make a thousand paper cranes, you can make a wish and the wish will come true. Perhaps the cranes did not come in time for the little boy in the story, but there also is a strong cultural belief in cranes as a symbol of good fortune and good luck.
The story begins with a sick child with a terminal illness; his friends and schoolmates decide to make him origami cranes as a sign of their support and wishes for him to get well. Apparently other children in other schools hear about the project and decide to participate as well. Before long, there were thousands of paper cranes delivered to this boy's hospital room.
The sad part is that the boy still died from his illness, but the from the story lingers an urban legend - if you can make a thousand paper cranes, you can make a wish and the wish will come true. Perhaps the cranes did not come in time for the little boy in the story, but there also is a strong cultural belief in cranes as a symbol of good fortune and good luck.
Viva la France
If you look in the distance of this picture, you can see the outline of the famous monument, the Eiffel Tower.
I have no idea why the French have a reputation as being rude and unfriendly towards foreigners. Perhaps that's just an act the locals put on when they are approached by American tourists - God knows how awfully stupid these tourists can be sometimes.
One of my professors in college was a proud, bold little french guy. He was a filmmaker by trade and took his art very seriously. One of his lectures he told us (the students) in a thick, French accent that we "were all a bunch of sorry little fucks" because we didn't have the benefits that he (and other French people like him) have: the benefits of living a rich heritage and history... I wish I had the courage then to stand up to him and to challenge his stupid, arrogant ass. instead I sat in silence, taking notes from his lecture.
I don't know what's so special about the French. I think they're people like anyone else. If you cut them, the bleed like anyone else.
Oh well. It's a pretty photo and I still would like to visit Paris and France in general - I'll just try to ignore my built up prejudices when I start to meet people there.
I have no idea why the French have a reputation as being rude and unfriendly towards foreigners. Perhaps that's just an act the locals put on when they are approached by American tourists - God knows how awfully stupid these tourists can be sometimes.
One of my professors in college was a proud, bold little french guy. He was a filmmaker by trade and took his art very seriously. One of his lectures he told us (the students) in a thick, French accent that we "were all a bunch of sorry little fucks" because we didn't have the benefits that he (and other French people like him) have: the benefits of living a rich heritage and history... I wish I had the courage then to stand up to him and to challenge his stupid, arrogant ass. instead I sat in silence, taking notes from his lecture.
I don't know what's so special about the French. I think they're people like anyone else. If you cut them, the bleed like anyone else.
Oh well. It's a pretty photo and I still would like to visit Paris and France in general - I'll just try to ignore my built up prejudices when I start to meet people there.
Big Buildings
I really enjoy and appreciate architecture of all kinds. What fascinates me is how designers and architects make these buildings into living spaces for people to use. I like how there is a balance of function and aesthetic... though some architects do not always execute well on the sense of aesthetics. Perhaps beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
Rock Gardens
I found this pic very zen-like. It reminds me of the rock-gardens in Japan. No - they don't GROW rocks in a rock garden! A rock garden consists of an open space covered with a layer of small stones with similar color. The owner or caretaker of the garden then uses a rake-like object to till patterns in the rocks. Some gardens contain larger stones or boulders on which people can stand on to prevent from disturbing the rock patterns with their footsteps. From there, it's all very mysterious to me. I guess the act of drawing the patterns has a calming, meditative purpose...
2005/12/21
Merry Christmas Everyone
Another reason to visit New York, braving the cold winter weather... Merry Christmas one and all, wherever you may be!
Hyperspace, Chewie!
Heh. This pic reminds me of the movie, Star Wars where spaceships can travel across the galaxy at the speed "hyperspace".
My mom likes to tell the story of when I first saw the film way back in 1977 when it was out in the theaters. I was just a toddler then and I had no idea what to expect. My lolo had taken me to see the movie and I was excited to be there. In the opening sequence (title screen) when the orchestra blares out its first notes, I got scared and hopped out of my seat and ran straight for the exit. My lolo found me in the lobby somewhere hiding behind a trashcan. The family thinks it's sooo cute. I dunno. Back then, it must have been terrifying.
Ah, the memories.
My mom likes to tell the story of when I first saw the film way back in 1977 when it was out in the theaters. I was just a toddler then and I had no idea what to expect. My lolo had taken me to see the movie and I was excited to be there. In the opening sequence (title screen) when the orchestra blares out its first notes, I got scared and hopped out of my seat and ran straight for the exit. My lolo found me in the lobby somewhere hiding behind a trashcan. The family thinks it's sooo cute. I dunno. Back then, it must have been terrifying.
Ah, the memories.
Tech World
We live in a highly technical world. The selection of gadgets and gizmos and machines that we can use is mind boggling. Still, it is neat to live in an age where we can almost immediately witness a revolution in lifestyle and habit at the birth of a new invention.
I am the owner of an Apple i-Pod mini, a Dell DJ and a beat-up, portable CD Player. I bring along whichever contraption suits my fancy at the moment - it doesen't really matter much to me.
We also live in the dark ages of DRM (Digital Rights Management), which is the brainchild of the paranoid music industry. Apparently the ability to put music into digital form is a threat to the music recording industry.
I suspect that there is a fear of piracy and illegal distribution of music. However, if I bought a Compact Disc album in the store, I would feel entitled to at least be able to enjoy my music on my portable mp3 music player or on my computer as I work! After all, I paid for it; why can't I enjoy it? I would say this decade, the coexistence of technology and the industry that produces music has been one of tenuous tolerance at best.
I am the owner of an Apple i-Pod mini, a Dell DJ and a beat-up, portable CD Player. I bring along whichever contraption suits my fancy at the moment - it doesen't really matter much to me.
We also live in the dark ages of DRM (Digital Rights Management), which is the brainchild of the paranoid music industry. Apparently the ability to put music into digital form is a threat to the music recording industry.
I suspect that there is a fear of piracy and illegal distribution of music. However, if I bought a Compact Disc album in the store, I would feel entitled to at least be able to enjoy my music on my portable mp3 music player or on my computer as I work! After all, I paid for it; why can't I enjoy it? I would say this decade, the coexistence of technology and the industry that produces music has been one of tenuous tolerance at best.
Love Finds a Way
Just thinking of the tagline for a movie that I watched last night: La Marche de l'empereur (March of the Penguins). It was:
The producers of the film were referring to the theme, which was the mating and breeding rituals of the emperor penguin. The amount of cooperation and coordination it took in order for two penguins (the male and female pair) to raise a single hatchling was amazing. It astounds me to imagine that their efforts were behavioral and based on animal instincts. Anyways, it's an informative and entertaining documentary. I recommend others to see it too.
In the harshest place on the planet, love finds a way.
The producers of the film were referring to the theme, which was the mating and breeding rituals of the emperor penguin. The amount of cooperation and coordination it took in order for two penguins (the male and female pair) to raise a single hatchling was amazing. It astounds me to imagine that their efforts were behavioral and based on animal instincts. Anyways, it's an informative and entertaining documentary. I recommend others to see it too.
Rain Rain Go Away
Actually, I like rainy days. They add such moody, melancholy elements to my daily routine. As you can tell from this picture (taken earlier this week) it's raining here in San Francisco. On the few occaisions that I drive to work, I like to roll down my window and let the cool mist hit my face. The smell of the damp air is a fresh and invigorating jumpstart to my workday.
Colorful Venezia
Among my favorite places on the planet, I'll have to include Venice, Italy. Although having canals for streets has since become such a cliche, I still find the city filled with character and history. On my last trip to Europe in 2000, I even managed to stumble around and speak in Italian to the locals. They must have thought me amusing... most of my foreign friends tell me that when I try to speak their languages I sound distinctly "American"... hm. I wonder exactly what an American accent is?
2005/12/20
You Must Remember This
You must remember this,
A kiss is just a kiss...
A sigh is but a sigh...
This is a pic from Ouarzazate, Morocco. I really like the color composition of the shot.
Morocco is also the home to the city of Casablanca. For those of you film fanatics out there, Casablanca is also a movie - it's a landmark of American pop culture, even though it's about a place somewhere else in the world far away from here.
I used to have an neighbor who grew up in Morocco when she was a teenager during World War II. She was a spunky, elderly widower who originally grew up in France. Her late husband was a sweetheart G.I. from the U.S. Army who was stationed in her hometown. She could tell stories about her life for hours. It amazed me how keen her mind and her memory was with respect to the details spun in her tales.
I wonder how good MY memory will be when I reach her age... I usually am forgetful of birthdays and anniversaries; sometimes I barely remember what I ate for dinner the night before!
I *heart* NY
My sister is enraptured with New York City, but I don't know why. It's cold in winter and muggy in the summer... it's crowded... there's lots of crime...
But still, it's a place with a lot of energy and life. People are constantly moving and doing things. It's a creative center for art and performance. There's also diversity there that can't be beat anywhere else in the country...
Ok. I guess I like New York City too.
But still, it's a place with a lot of energy and life. People are constantly moving and doing things. It's a creative center for art and performance. There's also diversity there that can't be beat anywhere else in the country...
Ok. I guess I like New York City too.
Spanish Architecture
This pic was taken somewhere in Spain... it makes me think back to the summer of 2000 when I travelled to the country. I absolutely adore Spanish architecture - it is somewhat edgy, like the works of Antonio Gaudi and very practical as well. The streets of Barcelona are an example of wonderful design concepts which seeked to build public living spaces as well as functional venues for pedestrians and motor traffic.
Unlike most urban cities elsewhere in the world, people usually avoid the streets and use them only to get from point A to point B. In Spain, there are places to walk or relax for a spell. There are trees, benches and large open spaces where people can meet up with one another or browse offerings from random street vendors.
Unlike most urban cities elsewhere in the world, people usually avoid the streets and use them only to get from point A to point B. In Spain, there are places to walk or relax for a spell. There are trees, benches and large open spaces where people can meet up with one another or browse offerings from random street vendors.
2005/12/19
Simbang Gabi
The alarm clock is buzzing. Just as you have drifted merrily to sleep, the clock is telling you to get up as you have to start your day. But its 3 in the morning, and the sweet allure of your bed and the enchanting feel of your pillows are simply hard to resist.
But then your senses start drumming up fast and the main reason why you had to wake up early had also started ringing in your mind: Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo.
While trying at best to stay awake amid the cool breeze and trying to listen to the Mass itself as it unfolds at so early in the morning, Simbang Gabi has become so much a part of our lives as it has been part of the Christian Family tradition.
I've celebrated Misa de Gallo with my parents on several occaisions, but now that I'm living on my own, it's just too tempting to pass on this tradition.
My wife is from the Philippines and she related to me how much this tradition means to her. It's the preparation for Jesus's coming to the world - and for that there should be some preparation and attention outside of our everyday occupations.
This year I'm going to try extra hard to get myself up for these church events. For me, the tradition would make this time of year more memorable... and considering my love for sleep, it would truly be a meaningful sacrifice made for God.
Superfriends
we could be heroes
just for one day
When I was a kid, Spiderman and Batman were my heroes. I kinda had a sense, even back then, that this whole "superfriends" thing was just fantasy. Still, one could not help but hope that somewhere out there in the world, there was some person or persons out there fighting evil and promoting justice... somewhere out there. As we get older - is it sheer cynicism that replaces this sense of wonder and hope? Perhaps the face of our heroes change, but I believe that nobody ever gives up hope that these superfriends do exist out there in the world. Who is your hero?
Flower for My Love
This flower has a lovely glow, as if there is a light flickering from within this lantern of petals.
There was a time when I also had feelings like the note left by this photographer. Long ago, before I ever had a love - and before a love ever got hold of me... This series of couplets leaves me with feelings of lush sentimentality.
What is my life without feeling love for someone else?
Is it the same without feeling love from someone else?
I feel I have an endless amount of flowers to give to my love, yet I don't know if she sees me. Perhaps I don't see her yet either.
If it had been raining this picture would still give me the same feeling - life, warmth, and love.
There was a time when I also had feelings like the note left by this photographer. Long ago, before I ever had a love - and before a love ever got hold of me... This series of couplets leaves me with feelings of lush sentimentality.
2005/12/17
2005/12/16
Winter Gates
I shiver in the icy grips of winter... though life here in San Francisco is not nearly as cold. My wife often exclaims "Lamiig!" (It's sooo cold!); I chuckle at her and quietly share in her suffering.
Stone Lantern and Maple
DSC_3667 by Marufish@Flickr
This entry was originally inspired by this work taken by photographer "LynnInTokyo"
Stone Lantern and maple 停车坐爱枫林晚
Originally uploaded by LynnInTokyo.
Though autumn has come and gone, in the winter chill I look back on my favorite time of year - when the summer warmth still lingers in the air and all the world is set on fire on the treetops.
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