the madness must stop (should it?)

This toy camera fascination must stop. I am like a little girl purchasing Barbie dolls whenever I look at lomographic cameras or any type of toy camera, for that matter. Going back to old school film camera is refreshing. Don't get me wrong, I love my digital camera but toy cameras have a different feel to it. The amount of time you have to wait while you get your film developed, the spin of the wheel each time you snap a photo, and everything done manually is just different from easy digital point-and-shoot cameras. Plus, you get to see your photos in physical form-- the good old photo paper finish. It's just so exciting! I thought I'd already run of hobbies to be interested in until lomography came along. I couldn't be any happier. Sure, this new hobby is costly for film, developing, etc. but the results and the fun you have after seeing the output of rolls of film is enough for you to stick to lomography.

Joining Lomomanila.ph comes with the package of being new to the lomography scene. People are so helpful there. You can ask anything and they'll give you the answer you want and explain technical stuff like film variations in layman terms. There should be a book called Lomography for Dummies, you know. Some things can be confusing like the first time I replaced a 120 film into my Holga. So many bloopers there. HAHA! But it was fun and definitely worth it. This afternoon I was browsing posts at the boards when I suddenly remembered the article on TIME Magazine on the Chinese government who monitor bulletin boards on cyberspace just in case students and Chinese activists conspire to plot something against the government. Not only that, they have so-called "internet police" that lurk around cyberspace to monitor the activities in case a conspiracy is brewing. They also sensor websites. Yes, where is the internet freedom in that? It's supposed to be a borderless world, this cyberspace.

Back to my point. So I saw this post on a cheap actionsampler. OHMY!! I WANT ONE! So I made a post that I'm interested and all that. Then it hit me--- joining Lomomanila won't make me stop this mad addiction, it will even become fuel to the fire because everyone is like me. We feel the same way about Lomography. This is probably what the Chinese government think about bulletin boards online. Each individual is a catalyst to the burning fire of the group. Grouping together through online bulletin boards will not stop them but will only continue to be more passionate about their beliefs.

In college somewhere in my junior year, my groupmates and I picked out Cyberdemocracy for our report in POLSCI160. I learned from this that the internet is a medium for activists, conspiracy theorists, etc. to connect from all over the world sharing common grievances and beliefs. This, of course, is done both in good and bad ways. While the internet may be a medium to bring a greater cause into an action, it can also be used in a negative way like conspiring something horrible against something some radical groups are against.

Same as bulletin boards for enthusiasts like Lomography. You won't find anyone telling you to stop purchasing cameras because it's silly. The members are exactly like you and you all think alike. While family members, friends, or other people may say to stop being crazy over this and stop spending money on plastic toy cameras, fellow lomography enthusiasts understand the passion and the drive to pursue lomography as a hobby. They'll support you in any decision you make on lomography and such. It's a good thing, you know. It's sort of a support group for lomography enthusiasts. They also organize exhibits (where they construct LOMO WALLS!) and parties for lomography enthusiasts or just visitors who want to check the photos out.

It's crazy how I'm already planning my next purchases. Yes, purchase in the plural form. But should this madness really stop? It's really personally fulfilling as a hobby. So if anyone tell me to stop the mad toy camera fascination/purchasing, I'll give a At-least-I-don't-spend-my-time-and-money-on-illegal-stuff retort. Heeh.

I don't know if you see the coherence between cyberdemocracy or e-democracy and lomography. HAHA! But my point is.. when enthusiasts come together, they become even more driven than before, the passion is stronger, and they meet people who are just like them. Sort of like the Power Rangers, The Transformers, and Captain Planet. They become something BIG or even STRONGER when their powers combine.

Ah well. You do the analysis. :)

maiden shots of my Holga

Larger versions sa Multiply.

the TY bears from mcdonald's. kulang ng brown!!!




ala is a natural! :D one of my favorites of the bunch!


pose kung pose! this was in Makati in front of a gate of someone's house. hehe.


dar and cara. i don't remember where. sa apartnment yata ni ewie.


favorite ko 'to. double exposure. it happened accidentally of course! :D but it turned out really well!


first photo of the Holga ever! haha!


the stuffed duckie my sister and her boyfriend gave me. it's a saisaki stuffed toy.


part of the duckie collection on my bookshelf and a blurry version of my rainbow colored bangles that i always wear.


ay mali. masyado malayo. :/


again. blue againnn!!!!


these photos were brought to you by yours truely!

Thank you, Alej for the scanning. :)

Sneak Peek

A tall white chocolate mocha is the culprit for my being awake at this hour. 1AM is usually my bedtime.

I had a great day. Actually, let me correct it-- the last two days were awesome. I've been hanging out with friends and with Alej because he's going back to the province tomorrow night. Dar and Cara live five minutes away from home so they drop by often to hang out with me. We had a whole pizza the other day at Pricesmart and browsed strangers' Friendster and Multiply accounts (we're pathetically bored, you know).

I also got my first roll of 120 film developed and printed. Yeheyy! Too bad my scanner is broken. That shiney three-in-one printer that I love so much. It's unrepairable, the HP authorised repair shop said. :'( So I'll have to wait for Alej to scan them at his house and then email them to me. This is just a sneak peek. HAHA! I'll wait for the email of my Holga shots and then upload it on Multiply. Hurray for DSL! :)


I feel sad because Alej is leaving again. We don't know when he's coming back because the funeral is still tentative. But I had fun today-- pigging out at Pancake House and then coffee. For the first time we sat outside the coffee shop at the tables usually occupied by smokers. Usually, we sit inside where there's airconditioning because none of us are smokers. We watched cars swoosh by and talked. I love it when we talk and today he was most open with what he was thinking. And I love that. I love him.

Ahhh, enough drama.

Bleh. When I try to be not too wordy, I end up ranting. Maybe I am naturally wordy. Not only in written but in spoken words too. Maybe my mother swallowed a book or a newspaper when she was having me in her belly.

Winston and Mark's Birthday Party

It was Winston and Mark's joint birthday party celebration yesterday. It was an overnight thing so my Abu Dhabi high school friends and I slept over at Winston's place in Paranaque. It was so much fun. I can't believe that it has been a good year for us because we keep on having these awesome get-togethers. We're closer than ever! I love my brothers and sisters. Hehe!

We hardly slept because of too much laughing and reminiscing about our high school life. Raiza and Jern showed up! We hardly see them. PJ and Paolo too! Kulang nalang si Anna plus Daivy and Mac who are in the States. Ron din pala!

Sunday afternoon, Dar and Cara stayed at my place for a couple of hours after we had lunch near AKIC. After a long time I tried one of Becky's cakes-- Swiss Chocolate Cake. I don't like the crunchy stuff inside but it's pretty good. Oh, and Dar and Cara are in love with Ala. HAHA! :)

Highlights:
- Laughing so loud with Raiza and Jane. Na-miss ko 'to!
- Mind games ulit. Panalo.
- Walking to Burger Machine at 2AM in the morning for a Bulilit Burger and a can of root beer.
- Sexy poses. HAHAHA!!!
- Raiza twisting her ankle because she got scared of a dog.
- Leigh being a director for posing for the camera(s) haha!!!
- Raiza, Jane, and me brushing our teeth with just a jug of water for us three (!!!)
- Raiza, Jane, and me whispering and snickering in the room when we were supposed to be asleep. When Omar and Mabelle woke up and left the room we got scared because we thought they got angry. Moved to the living room downstairs and joined the guys and Leigh.

There are so much more but like they say in the military: What you see, what you hear, when you leave you leave it all here.


There are no words to describe how much I love my friends.

Here are pictures (you know the drill, click on a photo for larger view):









More at my Multiply.

I love my AUH friends

A couple of the MANY MANY MANY photos from the two days I spent two weeks ago (?) with my high school friends from way back sunny side Emirates days. All of us slept over at Sherwin's studio apartment. At night we went to Chico's place. Chico is Darwin's friend from Mapua. And then we ate at this "pares" place near the apartment (which is just walking distance from CSB Angelo King). Crashed at Ewie's apartment, watched Saw II and fell asleep in the morning. In the morning, Cara and Darwin wanted to have breakfast WITHOUT TAKING A BATH YET! So off we went. HAHA! OHMY I can't believe I just said that here. They're going to kill me. So we had brunch at Pancake House at Harrison Plaza. Still can't believe we didn't bathe!!!! So yeah, the loose t-shirts and unkempt hair are now explained. We went back to Sherwin's place after brunch to take a shower and then Darwin drove us back to Quezon City. I went home for a while and asked my father if I could stay a one night more since it's rarely when we spend this much time with each other. He said yes so I packed my bag again and whoosh! Darwin, Cara, Winston, and Jane picked me up again and we ate at Mr. Kebab for dinner. Alej followed for dinner. Dessert of coffee and cake at Half Moon. Yummy coffee and cake. Then the rest of the high school gang followed. Went to Balcony, this bar near Mumba. Had a few drinks and then to a club to go dancing. I had fun dancing with the girls. Alej joined us too.

When I went home I was sooo tired but very very happy because I love my high school friends. They're awesome and we love each other like brothers and sisters. Isn't that cool? :)

From desert to city, this is us. Eight years of friendship! :) Click for larger photos.



















Guys, sorry, I'm still in the process of resizing pictures. They're too huge for mulitply uploading and I got sick too! :/ Will let you know right after I upload the album, sorry! :(

I'm Alive

Hi! I'm back. I did not just drop off the face of the planet nor did aliens abduct me from sleep. No, I did not go on a sunny vacation in Hawaii. No, I didn't win the lottery and decided to move to Europe basking under the Tuscan sun.

Instead, all I want to say is...

OHMYGOD! I'M REALLY REALLY HOME!!!!!

I want to hug my house. I really really would if I could! I'm just really happy I'm home after five days of being confined to a hospital bed and an I.V. stand. I can finally eat real food other than hospital food and a cocktail of antibiotics and I.V. injections of Buscopan. I can finally walk freely without pushing around my I.V. stand with me. I can move my left hand freely without trying to be extra careful I don't break the needle of the I.V. yessss! I finally walked out of that hospital room where I was locked up like a poor prisoner. Er, a prisoner in a pretty room with cable t.v. and aircon. Hehe.

While I was sick, I felt really really loved when my high school friends (from way back Abu Dhabi) visited me. Nevermind if I was already with them for two straight days and had the time of my life hangiing out with them. (This was the time before I fell sick). So, I'm going to thank everyone who visited me and sorry you had to see me in a poor wasted physical state. HAHA!

Big thanks to the following people in no particular order:
- Papa
- Mama
- Ate (of course, she stayed with me at the hospital)
- Alej (for driving me to the emergency room after my convulsion and hallucinations without panicking or crashing his car...)
- Kuya John
- Tito Lynn
- Tito John
- Nanay
- Tatay
- Tita Susan
- Jane
- Winston
- Sherwin
- Leigh
- Cara
- Darwin
- Angela
- Nana
- Raiza (for texting! I still felt loved.)
- Rasheed (for texting too)

Thank you!!! :D:D:D

Sheesh kapeesh! I'm so happy to be home you have no idea. Oh, internet and laptop. I've missed you! *hugs*

I want to tell you the story of how I ended up in a hospital in the first place and the adventure I had while I was there. But that can wait. I'm too happy to be online again. Haha! DORRRK.

the new toy taken by the other new toy.

forgive the shake. i'm just really tired and happy tonight.