My photography is about found stuff. I like walking around, in different places, taking pictures of things that evoke a feeling. I also like movies that give meaning to our every day existence. Nothing like finding beauty in a floating plastic bag, but everyday things people obsess about - love, work or family. I enjoy sports and war movies or books because they're about real people who lived interesting lives. A lot of things I enjoy revel in the glory of the here and now.

But there's also a part of me that enjoys the mind fuck. It's usually visual, and has the ability to blow my mind away. Like that giant robot by Rob Sato in the past entry. Click on the image. See a bigger image of that rusting monolith. Look at that world and say the title in your head. In the future's past there was a world-ending war waged with giant robots. But all that's left are these remnants, slowly being swallowed by a greening earth.

It reminded me of childhood favorites, Macross and Nausica, and how those cartoons exposed me to fantastic worlds. Worlds that were ending, and creatures, spaceships and giant robots abound.

I like to remember the feeling of how all these things were freakin' wonderful, and I hope I never forget.

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I also like funny TV shows, or talky shows about politics or crime. But now that shows are on break, I've returned to sci-fi/weird shows. I've restarted Fringe, and marathoning Lost. Let's bring fantastic back.

"Peace At Last In A Future Past"

by Rob Sato

via Ramon

Ode to PNP 132

I inherited the car I drove in college from my mother. By then it was probably eight or nine years old. It then got handed down to my brother, five years my junior. If Gino and I were to write our biographies, the years of driving that '89 Corolla would make up the character building chapters.

I remember that the car used to overheat often. Until one of my uncle's mechanics discovered that the previous mechanic installed the fan the wrong way. It was blowing air away from the radiator. The car also had a knack of locking people out. Somehow the lock had gotten loose, and even if you just closed the door lightly, the lock would come down. It taught me to never leave my keys inside.

One time, while driving in the rain, Gino had to stop the car, get out, and wipe the windshield. In his rush to get out, the door half closed. The lock dropped. And Gino was locked out. Since the door was only half closed, Gino figured he could push it to close completely and the lock would pop back up. Illogical, yes, but standing in the pouring rain, on a busy street, his cellphone inside the car, he was out of options. He muttered a quick prayer and gave the door a hard shove to close. The lock popped up and Gino was never so happy.

Why did Gino have to step out to wipe the windshield? Because the wipers' rubber were torn and I couldn't afford to replace them.  Even when I eventually replaced them, I still waited until visibility was nearing nil before flicking that wiper switch. I was conserving the rubber. That's habit that carries to today, even I've finally gotten a relatively newer car. I have to be driving to an absolute downpour before I even begin to think about wearing out the wipers.

I'm only writing about this now because I had new wipers installed today. Ahead of the coming rains, and before the rubber's completely worn out. I got reminded that problems usually sort themselves out, that we get to better days, and that the bad days are still worth a laugh.

I can't wait. They'll be in Singapore on July 27 and I'll be there. Unless Intersect brings them in. Do it!

moved in

It's been a while since I've been able to write here. Lately, time's been split between work (with some out-of-town shoots mixed in) and house stuff. By house stuff I mean all the work that's involved in moving into a completely bare apartment. I don't think I've ever spent so much in my life. Sincerely, my bank account is fucked. But it's cool. It feels very grown up, picking out my own chairs, bed mattress, lights, etc. Past weekends, I've been supervising the handyman, the plumber, and the electrician. I have tons of bulbs from when I experimented with the lighting, haha. So far, I've got most things; most lately, a microwave oven.

Speaking of appliances, I've learned, in this past month, that the idea of plugging appliances into automatic voltage regulators is obsolete. So is grounding them by attaching a thin wire to the ground or the wall. My knowledge of electrical issues is apparently stuck in the 80s and 90s, in the era of varying voltages and intermittent power outages. I now know that I no longer have to have footwear on before touching the refrigerator.

Now, if you're Asian, you know that moving out of the family home as a single guy is a bit of a thing. There's a bit of guilt that plays into the decision and no one is a above emotional blackmail. So it's good to know that my parents have been quite cool about my decision. In fact, they've been absolute darlings.

Before moving out, I was quietly thinking about oral hygiene. Leaving the family house also meant leaving behind our electric toothbrush contraption (base charger, water pick, the works). But the week of my move out, I found a gift-wrapped box on my desk. Turns out my mom got me my very own electric toothbrush system.

My dad called to ask me about my home theater system. I said I was happy to have my brother's tube TV handed down to me. He was after all upgrading to one of those LCD types. I believe  they're called flatscreens. My dad quickly volunteered to spring for a flatscreen as his house warming gift. Not only that, he said he'd send me one of his unused microwaves. People apparently gift him with these things. This morning, as I picked up the microwave from his office, I found out from his secretary that he sent her out to get me a new one but to pretend that it was something he already had on him.

My parents. What can I say.

Anyway there's still stuff to be done around the house. I still have about a dozen boxes in the "work" area as I wait for my work table and shelves to get made, or get bought. The toilet's water closet needs a bit of tweaking. Some kitchen tiles need to be replaced. Hooks need to be installed and I have to get the wifi router set up so I don't have to be doing this hunched over the low TV console where the broadband modem is on. But so far, I'm in my home away from home.