Days and Confused: Series #4

Days and Confused is a personal photo series I started in 2014. Basically, it's an attempt to sort out or make sense of the days (mostly for my sanity's sake) by capturing them into short stories. 

These seemingly random incidents make their way unnoticed, weaving themselves in this narrative we consider our life story. Not necessarily linear; some things just make sense through time. 

As suggested by the photos from my phone, October was all loopy (as with every month). For the fun of it, I made an attempt to connect the dots from the time it started, and I mean really started, to the moment where I'm looking at the photos and wondering- wtf?.

Maybe things really aren't so random after all. This is series #4 of Days and Confused.

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2007: Wildly and weirdly excited for college, I took on the challenge of studying in a farther campus, UP Los Banos, out of curiosity and for the chance of learning how to be more independent. From  attending classes in 'pambahay', mini fieldtrips to IRRI, feeding cows in Agri, to surviving crazy school days in a dorm where I met these 2 lovely ladies! It remains to be one of my best self-dares to date.

Now: We grew up to be fine Tita's, catching up over coffee and always finding our way to new places like Bean and Yolk in Poblacion.

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2008: Although UPLB would've been the best campus for me, it was also a whole new experience transferring to UPD. Most of my batchmates in Broadcast Comm wanted to be be reporters, pursue broadcast journalism, or be in advertising agencies. Growing up, I've always dreamed of making travel shows and documentaries like those I see on Nat Geo and Discovery Channel. The college only offered 5 special tracks but unfortunately travel journalism wasn't one of them- so my adviser let me  just "create" my own path, literally.

Now: I've started (and am continuously learning) how to make good travel shows.Together with some of my batchmates, we did a mini homecoming and I'm so proud to share that Kevin's now a TV reporter, Joseph's an Executive Producer in CNN, and Jen (Iligan) visits beaches for a living as Agoda's Marketing Manager.

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2011: It was in one of those sunsets when I was on a surfboard beside King, my instructor. I really wanted to learn how to surf. 

My hands dangling in the water of gold, turquoise, and salmon, I told him how beautiful it was to experience sunset that way. He told me that's how it's like for them every day. I asked him if he ever had thoughts of leaving Baler. He said as long as there are waves there, he will never leave. 

Now: I still can't get over the fact that it's been 5 years since then. Baler has been my adopted hometown and we've all become part of this family. I posted about it a few weeks ago here: All is Swell

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2012: Days after my breakup, my bestfriend (Chynna) dared me to "borrow a lighter" from a group of guys. I practically have flirting skills the size of sand molecule cut into half. Really hesitant but up for dares, I ended up having a great conversation with this guy...

(Now) ...who eventually became one of my best gay friends ever! (R) :D 
Angge, on the left, deserves her own anecdote for another post. Love you both! <3

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2013: One of the owners of Culture Shock Prod'ns invited me to become their prod'n manager. I had zero idea how to be one but when you're in your rock bottom, anything's a fantastic idea, so I took the plunge. It wasn't a coincidence that John (our brilliant writer) and I entered the company the same year because...

(Now) ...we'll never have survived this intense industry if we didn't have mini breaks together like thrift-shopping and Pares dates. He also turned out to be one of my best gay friends ever! <3 Life is generous.

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4 Months Ago: It's on my list of resolutions at the beginning of EVERY year. I finally quit making excuses and actually started taking yoga classes. 

Now: I'm vegan and into crystal healing. Just kidding! I'm really enjoying the classes and planning to continue doing this for the next years. I also noticed that I'm more chill than ever. I think.

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A Few Weeks Ago: I've always been a huge advocate of not taking yourself too seriously. I had a really great time watching 'Corny Norte', an Improv show by groups from Third World Improv- Lipstick Therapy and 6pm. 

Now: I'm low-key thinking if I'd dare myself to take the workshop. Hehe

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It's been a knack of mine to purposefully put myself in uncomfortable situations just to watch how I'd react to them. Some sort of lifelong personal social experiment? This blog is actually one of them. In the end, I just really enjoy myself, regardless of the outcome.

And I can't help but think how these small 'dares' we accept from other people or ourselves eventually play a bigger role in life. How decisions (no matter how casual they seem), actually move us forward, bringing us to where we are now. So, what are you up to today? :)


*All photos in this post taken with the Samsung Note 5 camera phone