The Mystery of the Shrunken Clothes

When I was young, I had a favorite top that I liked wearing. One day, my mom said that it was already small and it doesn't fit me anymore. In my 4 year-old mind, I honestly thought that clothes shrink and shrink until they disappear. I wanted to know where clothes went when they're no longer visible to the naked eye. Could they be in the same place where all the lost things are- the items never to be found again?

I turned a year older a few weeks ago. I am now 25.

I suddenly remembered my weird childhood theories and the mystery of the shrunken clothes. Of course I now know that clothes don't get smaller, instead we grow bigger.

But my now 25-year old mind still has a lot of questions. I wonder, what about memories? Where do memories go- those never to be remembered again? 

Through the years, I've learned to really put value in moments. Moments that eventually turn into compiled short stories that define us. 

So for fear of forgetting, I'm stitching together 25 photos from my 2015 into new narratives that somehow make more sense to me. They've come to evolve into these humble crumbs of "wisdom", that I've picked up along the way.

Days... and Confused (Series #1)

As a magnet to random and frenzied experiences- both intended and impromptu, it's nice (and sometimes confusing) to find oneself in varied settings. From strangers' homes, to barber shops, to film sets lit by kino flo's and 2K lights, to the middle of the sea- sometimes all in just 1 week. There's this small yet tugging voice that begs me to document these days. And so I heed.

Every once in a while I meet up with my friend, Kel, to have our usual Life Update. When our personalities combine, the weird-o-meter just goes way up and it explodes into many possibilities.

Our go-to spot is a sidewalk curb, hands both clasping on a 5-peso cup of coffee from a vendo machine. Thank god for these things, we do not have to pay for a hundred and fifty just to sit down and talk. Although I appreciate a "good cup", most of the time it's not so much the coffee as the company.

Last "session", we threw a dart at our imaginary map and it landed on the hand-painted sign of Ailynn's Beauty Salon. If you've found yourself (drunk or sober) in Cubao X, you've surely noticed the quaint parlor at the back corner. Or maybe you haven't. It's just there, minding its own business and doing a great job at it. 

This is Not a Hopeless Case

So my cousins and I were by the lake. Out of the blue, a raft presented itself to us, complete with paddle. Of course, we said yes to the invitation.

We drifted until noon along with the prayers in Filipino broadcasted from the church nearby.

"Aba Ginoong Maria, napupuno ka ng gracia..."

Weekend Project Meets Japan!

A lot of things are happening, and I'd like to see this as a good sign. I'm writing this in between packing my bags for another trip, running errands, in between shoots, coffee breaks, and catching up with good friends.

As with everything and everyone I want to remember, let me at least give this a shot so I could make sense and sew together seemingly disparate stories. There are moments that you just want to pause and live in, to capture as they happen in order to believe they actually did. 

I look at the calendar and it's been a month since this happened- just an exhibit of how this "time" thing has a funny way of somewhat making us feel guilty.

An Ode to My Kit Lens

Because I am talkative in person, pen, and (hopefully) in photograph- and since I feel guilty flooding Facebook feed with my essay-like posts, I might as well put this into better use. 

I just turned a year older several days ago and I've decided that this year, given my abnormally high tolerance for awkward and bizarre situations, I'm subjecting myself to some personal as well as social experiments. I guess this blog is one of them.

Peace, Party, Phuket

I remember thinking to myself the night before the trip, 

"Well, this should be interesting".

Vegetable Ears

Kids and vegetables do not usually make the best match (at least that's what they portray in media), but seeing this field makes me believe that growing up near the sky and in a bed of strawberries, lettuce, and flowers is one of the best places to spend your childhood.

I came across these two kids hopping around with vegetable ears... and I wanted to join them, naturally. 

I actually asked my father if I could go back there someday to be a strawberry picker. He didn't know how to respond. He knows that I'm serious when I say these things. ;)

By the Shore

I had a lot of time to wait by the shores of Baler. I even had plans of recording the sound of the waves to bring home with me (also for added effect since I'm at the beach and alone, feeling artsy and profound. ooohh. haha).

But my so-called solitude was disturbed when these kids suddenly arrived. They live near the shore and this huge rock (twice the size of this cropped photo). With immense pride, they told me they've memorized these rocks and shores at the back of their hands. This has been their playground.

What the Human Body Can

It has always been interesting... what the human body can do. 
I've always wondered to what extent will it bend, flex, break, endure.

I've recently attended this wonderful performance. 
Bodies bending in impossible degrees, twisting in ways I can't imagine, enduring pressure. 

Above all it's amazing, the amount of weight it can hold. Weight that it shouldn't, but through will, it suddenly could.

It's beautiful. And we just keep on surpassing our perceived limits. 

Kamusta Ka?

Kamusta ka?

It has been a while since I last saw you, but I still remember how beautiful you are. 

Bohol, this view of yours is breathtaking.

Where the Sky is Upside Down

We stopped in the middle of the sea. The four of us in a boat knew each other in different degrees. It didn't matter. 

At that moment, 'freedom' was risk- abandoning life vests and boat, along with my father's template words I never heed- "wag masyadong malakas ang loob at malaki ang tiwala, Jen" ("not too brave, nor trusting, Jen"). 

Bantay at Tambay (Series #1)

Bantay at Tambay is a series of photos 

of people at work, people with free time, 

people at work together with people with free time, 

and people at work with free time.

The first of this experimental series was taken in the world's oldest Chinatown, Binondo.

Within and Without

It took me several sleepless nights and over-labored tear ducts just to stretch my throat into a black hole void enough to swallow my words, my ego, and my pride. They've grown the size of galaxies probably larger than the milky way.

Let us take some time to get out of ourselves for a while.

Let this be the time.