Exactly a month from now, it is my mother’s birthday.

I know that lately, I’ve been so detached from home because of school work and my other commitments outside of school, but for her birthday, I am planning on getting her something nice.

Because nothing beats the heartwarming feeling of making your mother smile through small gestures and sporadic acts of endearment.

As of now, I am considering getting her western handbags because I know that now her doctoral degree is in the offing (fingers crossed here), she will be needing more handy bags that she can use to keep all her files and important documents.

I am also contemplating on having an old family picture blown up by one of the local imaging shops here, have the picture framed, and surprise her with that. But I am still thinking hard about what to give her and what to do, because I also need to factor in my availability in the coming days.

What do you guys think is the best gift for a mother during her birthday?

Hello friends!

It’s been a long time since I’ve been here, and it’s primarily because of school. Since my last post, I have been doing nothing but chugging down cases after cases in practically all of my subjects. All the hard labor has made me question the career path that I’ve chosen — but I’m certain that this is merely a momentary manifestation of my human frailty. Because in no time, I am sure that I will be back to my old resolute self once again.

A few days back, I was actually thinking of writing about the euphoria that engulfed Cebu the week prior. If you are familiar with Cebu and what it is most popular for, then you must have heard about the Sinulog Festival.

Sinulog is, without a doubt, the Mardi Gras of the Philippines.

For three days straight, the busy city streets are transformed into an expansive area filled with makeshift stalls, with overflowing booze and thunderous speakers in every strategic corner. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is drawn by the celebratory mood that simply permeates through the once busy and bustling streets of Cebu.

When I was taking part in the festivities (this originated as a tribute to the child Jesus by the way, by means of an annual street dancing), I marveled at how simply breathtaking the images of people dancing were.

Then I figured: if only I had a panhead with me, then I could be learning the ropes of being a good photographer in no time. I don’t know about you, but a lot of people have been obsessing about photography lately, and I really can’t blame them.

Nowadays, it’s so easy to get a good camera and start clicking away on beautiful sceneries and cherished moments with friends.

But on a personal level, if ever I will be in photography, I will only settle for the best equipment — because the old saying about photography aptly describes how ‘two photographers may take  picture of the same beautiful flower, but certainly, the photographer with the better equipment will have a more crisp and surreal picture.’

Wish me luck with my new obsession and in parting, take a look at how euphoric the Sinulog festivities had been for this year: