Saturday photo

A burst of vibrant colors all day... every day - these days!

These days, my source of daily joy has increased in number.  As I look out of my window at our little house's receiving area while waiting for the kettle to whistle its announcement that it's ready to make coffee, I cannot help but smile as I see our fabulous Melendres plant through the sheer curtains.  The Melendres plant is a shrub that is usually referred to as the 'cherry blossoms of the Philippines'.  The round cherry-like pods of the plant turn brown by the month of April or May before bursting into colorful little flowers.  The beautiful red and bright pink flowers lined with sharp white color around their velvety petals seem to give a cheerful greeting as the plant sways gracefully with the gentle morning breeze.  It's like a

Seeing beauty through the window.

scene from animated movies for kids where every living thing around speaks merrily with the main character.  I cannot help but breathe "good morning" to our Melendres plant... and all our other plants, which are, uhm, a lot!   

In the afternoon, when I return from work, a few meters from our house, the vibrant burst of colors dangling out of our fence, swaying prettily, seems to greet me some meters from our house.  Butterflies and singing birds seem to dance with the flowers amid the equally vibrant colors of sunset... and it is, indeed, a scene to behold.  It seems to remind me of God's blessings everyday, and this, while very beautiful and joyful that it fills the soul with much amazement, is just one of the 'smallest' of blessings in the grand scheme of things where God is at the center.  It gives the most organic reason to stay still for a few minutes and cherish the many blessings of the day, and thank God for it all, through the Angelus at dusk. No wonder that Angelus is my late father's favorite prayer, and praying it was a practice that, I observed, was handed to him by my grandparents, and their parents before that.  I remember growing up watching my paternal grandmother light the candles at our altar, and gathered us around the altar as she led in praying the Angelus... and then the Rosary. 

These days, I am beginning to believe that letting one's self to be lost in admiration of the beauty of nature and paying homage to its Creator is prayer in itself. And, these days, it's the kind of prayer that I most enjoy.  I thank God for this opportunity to be in this phase in my life, and in the place where I am, to experience this daily sustenance of the soul.  Life is, indeed, beautiful; and God is, indeed, good... all the time!

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Image credit:  The featured photos in this post belong to me.  I took all of them.

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Saturday Photo

 by PAM

At Dove Dr., Ithaca, NY; East of Cornell University campus in Ithaca

I feel like I only took this photo a few days back. It's incredible that it's been almost four years already since I took this photo! That's right, four and I am seeing it again only just now.  

I once vacationed at my sister's place in the US. She and her husband took me with them in their winter vacation around The Rockies. We went on a long drive, stopping here and there... and it was exhilarating! I remember my brother-in-law commenting about the 'tons' of photos that I took wherever we went. I just can't help myself... I felt the need to document the experience, and the quickest way to do that is through photos. After taking 'tons' of photos, I usually get so overwhelmed that I am unable to make up my mind about which ones to keep and which ones to discard. I end up keeping all! And in our trip around The Rockies, it drove my sister and her husband crazy! 

Ithaca, NY is an extremely beautiful place! Well, the Fingerlakes Region where Ithaca is located is, indeed, a beautiful place! And whenever I come for a visit after graduation, I usually stay at the Eastern part of the campus where Filipino friends lived. I usually stay with a family whose house is located up a hill, right next to the Equestrian facilities of Cornell, overlooking the planes of Cayuga... and where the sunset is mesmerizing! 

The skies seem to be just a few meters above your head, and the clouds make a dramatic transition as the sun sets in the horizon, and the skies begin to darken... but only after it explodes in countless colors of utter beauty.  It takes my breath each time. And it makes praying the Angelus all that meaningful and all that impassioned. 

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Image credit: The photo in this post belongs to me. I took it.

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Saturday Photo

 

Delicate... but resilient.  And it's good.

It's been 'raining cats and dogs'... again.  Big drops of rain are pouring out of the sky, escaping the swollen thickness of air like desperate prisoners unleashing that unquenchable thirst for dear freedom.  Thunderbolt and lightning echo the rains' desperation to drench the land left feverish by summertime.  

In all those waves of mother nature's emotion, what called my attention was this little sulfur cosmos (cosmos sulphureus) flower at our backyard that was gracefully braving all that deluge of nature's anguish.  One might think that after hours and hours of rain, the poor little flower would be falling apart from carrying the weight of all the raindrops on its petals... but it did not.  It stayed upright, it remained pretty.  It swayed with the wind, sometimes dodging a gigantic raindrop in the process, but it held on steadfastly.  Its color remained sunny and cheerful... all eight petals unruffled and the pretty orange disk floret remained intact, punctuating the cheery color of the petals in contrast of their own that was quite fiery.  And the flower is surrounded by the lush green leaves of the cosmos plant.  

This resilient little flower is a beautiful reminder that no matter what the situation is, no matter how harsh and challenging, one's natural goodness can remain intact.  And, when we focus on that goodness, we can remain good... no matter the relentless waves of emotional challenge around us.  This is because our goodness is from God... God who is the being of goodness.

And, as we embrace our goodness - God's goodness, we can be beautifully delicate and vulnerable... but beautifully resilient, too... amid harshness.

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Image credit:  The photo in this post belongs to me.  I took it using my old Samsung Galaxy Note 9.

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Happy CHRISTmas!

Christ with us... Emmanuel.

Our King - the King of Kings - is born!

Gloria in excelsis Deo!!

Christmas is here!  The glitters, the twinkling lights, the colorful decor, the beautiful carols, and all the magical merriments... indeed, "it's the most wonderful time of the year"!  Good cheers fill the air, and there is much merrymaking all around.  It's that season when hearts open up to give and receive joy... sometimes in the form of gifts wrapped in colorful boxes and made so pretty by bows or sparkling little ornaments, or in the form of heartfelt wishes that seem to magically light up our world with much beautiful emotions that only the heart can define. 

But for our family, Christmas is always been about Him - Christ.  Christmas is all about Him... the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and the greatest love that made it happen.  I feel fortunate that, over the years, God has used me as an instrument of giving love to our family on the day of His only Son's birth.  My nieces and nephews and their parents saw how Christmas became a tradition of a special day to express love, care, and familial affection.  Over the years, they have started building their own families, and it is wonderful to see them keep the tradition in their own families.  Most of them remember....

...and they come to visit on Christmas day to show their love, and it just absolutely warms the heart.  

This year is very special because it is our first time to celebrate Christmas day at our new 'second home' in a City about 45km south of our 'primary home'.  Of course, we spent Christmas Eve and had our Christmas Eve dinner in our primary home after attending Misa de Gallo.  We then traveled to our second home on Christmas morning where my siblings and our nieces and nephews came to celebrate Christmas with us.  It was only for a few hours of merrymaking as they have their own plans, too... but it was more than enough.  It was enough to make us feel how blessed we are... and how God's love is in everyone's heart in our family - happiness, indeed!  And we so love that little babe in that magical manger!

From our family to yours, HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!  May God bless us all.   

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Image credit:  All photos in this entry belong to me. 

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Saturday Photo

 

'The best things in life are free...'
Nature's unadulterated colors are simply the most naturally breath-taking.

These days, I feel that I am on my way to striking a balance between life and work... with life gaining a bit more of its lost ground to work in the past years.  This is because I am spending more and more time in my 'second home' - close to my 'new work assignment'.  

Traffic is almost of zero consequence here in my 'second home'.  Although the distance between my 'primary home' and my 'older workplace' (I have two offices) in Metro-Manila is almost the same as the distance between my 'second home' and my 'new work place', the time I spend in traffic these days is nothing compared to the traffic that I endure when I am in Metro-Manila.  I can leave home 15-20 minutes before my call time at my 'new workplace', and make it there on time, unhurriedly.  The same when I go home, I only need about 15 minutes to reach home.  In Metro-Manila, I allot 1 to 1.5 hours for traffic on my way to work, depending on the time of day.  In the afternoon/evening, when I go home, travel time is usually 1.5 to 2 hours even when I leave my workplace at 8:00 in the evening!  It has become so ridiculous and senseless to live in Metro-Manila, especially if there is a better option.   

So, these days, I have time to sit by the patio, take a deep breath, read a little bit (that's leisure reading, mind you!) while JungKook sings in the background, and take notice of and appreciate how beautiful the skies are in this part of the world... well, my entire surrounding actually.  Time affords me this 'luxury', and this new place affords me time without sacrificing the comforts and convenience of an ultra-modern life... and I am, indeed, grateful. 🙏

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Image credit:  The photo above belongs to me, I took it.

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Saturday photo(s)

The dramatic skies and the lush vegetation

in my 'second home' and in my 'other' new workplace.

These days, I am getting used to waking up in the morning with the view of the skies about to let go of of the gray colors of dawn in anticipation of the arrival of sunrise.  It's such a beautiful scene... that sometimes, I stay transfixed on my bed staring at the scene in the window by my bed with nothing but the sound of my own breath and the happy chirping of the birds - so serene... until the sun finally burst in the horizon, slowly makes its way to the sky, brightening and intensifying the hues of the colorful surroundings, slowly spreading its fingers on the green, green grass visible in the opposite window until the last drop of mist disappears into the thinning air.  I cannot help but be filled with awe... and, everytime, it makes me wonder what magnificent luck life is about to reveal to me in the horizon of the day that just began.  Such wonderment puts a spring on my strides... and I go about my day with such excitement amid the serenity around me. 

The sky as it welcomes the sun
at sunrise - viewed from my bed
through my window

The trip from my new (second) home to my workplace is about 6km but I am, usually, able to cover the distance in only 10 minutes or so, regardless of the time of day... usually, it just takes two BTS songs.  From my new workplace, I am getting used to switching off my work gadgets as the air gently sways outside, making the branches of the seemingly countless trees and thick bushes around the building sway rhythmically as the chirping of the birds heightens, and the sound of crickets slowly blend in.  I make my way out of the building where I work while the skies make play of its fast-changing colors... from blue to various shades of orange as the sun makes its way into the depth of the horizon... or red, if the skies are generous enough to promise a beautiful day by the next sunrise.

My new workplace will be the seat of the 'highest' of high-technology to be developed by Thomasian scientists and innovators in the future.  It will be a buzzling place for interdisciplinary research for my University with its partners and stakeholders.  As we have a highly comprehensive University, just thinking about the extent of interdisciplinarity of our research and innovation activities in the future graces my imagination with a bonfire of ideas - very exhilarating!  But, of course, I make effort to rein in the excitement lest I resort to 'counting the chicks before the eggs hatch'.  So, I continue to work hard and persevere with my awesome Team in transforming that vast space that we have into what the future needs.

One day... nature and technology shall come together in a beautiful harmony that attempts to sketch God's generosity and wisdom.  The attempt shall fail, of course, as God's generosity and wisdom are boundless, and our attempt is merely to narrowly estimate... but the attempt shall be our way of expressing gratitude... and commitment to keep trying as we make ourselves worthy of, one day, seeing God's kingdom where the true beautiful harmony can be experienced... and not just estimated.  

Until then, we dream, we persevere... and we bask in the beauty of the experience.

***

Image credit:  All the photos in the collage above and the individual photos belong to me.  I took them all.

Saturday Photo

 

I heard that quote in the photo collage above sometime ago.  I'm not sure from which movie but I'm pretty sure it was a Hallmark TV movie. As I said over and over in the past few entries in this blog, my 'film-critique-wannabe' days are over.  I watch movies to relax and be entertained these days... and TV movies are now 'my thing'.  Anyway, I got reminded of that quote because, today, I felt that I saw 'soul and perfection' in what was otherwise 'common and familiar'. 

Today, I spent 12 hours with the elder of my two nephews.  We did what we love doing: long drive, eat good food, talk - a looot, and laugh our hearts out.  We used to do this a lot with his siblings and cousins when he was growing up.  We spent many days and hours going around nearby cities and vacation places - to relax, unwind, learn new things, go on adventure, go on foodie spree and shopping spree, just to be together... just making sweet memories.  The only difference is, we used to be driven around by our family driver.  This time, my nephew did all the driving... especially that when he let me take the steering wheel, our car flew from the street to someone's backyard! 😬😳😅

As I am 'partially' moving to a new little house outside Metro-Manila (for work), he helped me take care of a few chores such as furniture and appliances shopping, supervising and helping out as the builders add finishing touches to the new house.  I think I will need another year or so to get the house in the shape that I need it to be but, for now, given the urgency of the need for me to be working in the new site, the mere essentials are good.  To run errands for the home is merely an 'excuse' for me.  What I really looked forward to doing today was spending time with my nephew... which I hadn't done in such a long time.  So when he sent that one-line message, "I'll see you on Saturday, Tita," without any sort of introduction... I think anyone can hear my smile from ear to ear in my own one-liner: "Alright!"  Well, uhm, I had to play it cool, y'know.

I missed my nephew.  He is more handsome than I remember - very tall and good-looking in a very casual and relaxed way... and very articulate, too. I didn't realize how mature he has become at merely 25 years... he has a good job, a very good relationship with a wonderful young woman that he loves and who loves him, too... and by all the stories he told me, it seems that his heart is still in the right place - despite his success and a sweet young love that turns a new leaf everyday and that so many people of his age can only dream of.  I am a very proud aunt - totally!  

Sometimes, I think of the days that I might have spent for 'my own personal happiness', which were spent in another way in order that every member of my family would realize their dreams. In days like today, I realize that this is my personal happiness... seeing my loved ones, such as my nephew, enjoy the happiness that they so deserved.  I am just too happy and grateful to God that I could feel this incredible feeling of having my heart swell with so much love, joy and pride.  It feels like an ordinary day turns into something special - soulful and just perfect!

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Image credit:  All photos in the collage above are mine.

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Saturday photo

 

Stunning...

Yep, 'stunning'. That is all that I'm gonna say to describe how I feel about this photo. The view certainly left me speechless, I just had to capture the moment from where I was standing... at Diamond Hotel Manila. I was there for a week - for work. And, this view gave me the most compelling reason to limit work strictly until 5:30 pm. I just had to watch this view unfold right before my eyes.

The Manila Bay sunset remains to be one of the most spectacular scenes one would ever find in this part of the world. Too beautiful for words! But the fact that it took me nearly two months to share this here indicates how work has once again taken over my life, and it's absolutely ridiculous! Nothing beautiful about that to be sure... and yet, these days, I feel I have no choice. But right now, this very moment, I just had to free myself from the bondage of work and reconnect with 'my soul'. And so, here I am. Ah, stunning!

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Photo credit: I own this photo. I took the shot and did the processing with very minimal color enhancement to remove the glare from the glass window.  This may not be used for any other purpose.

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Tiny mini break with "the Queen"...

 ...because it's badly needed.

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by PAM

Relaxing at my sister's 'plantita' haven...

'no place like home', indeed!

I spent the last three weeks or so mostly 'imprisoned' in my 'little office' in my bedroom - working on a number of tasks and a 'major, major' deadline, which I, thankfully, beat last Friday.  

I still work from home most of the week.  My real office at home is located at our attic... but I've been too 'in the zone' lately to even climb the attic.  The ideas come rushing early in the morning... by 4:00 a.m., and I feel that climbing the spiral stairs to the attic would 'spill' the ideas from my head. Hahaha... So, after my morning prayers, I immediately move from my bed into my office chair, and allow my keyboard and little notebook to catch the ideas... first, as jumbled words that make no sense.  By noon, and after three mugs of coffee and a quick breakfast bite though, the words 'rearrange themselves' in sentences and paragraphs that make some sense that they actually excite me!  The excitement usually burst to a surge in energy that I usually dissipate to a 20- to 30-minute exercise... with BTS music, what else!  Haha...  After breaking a sweat, I go for a quick trip to the shower.  All that make for my noontime break... and then, I continue working with a refreshed mind.  This time, I let my imagination guide me to organize the burst of ideas in the morning... and transform them to a professionally composed material that is worth-sharing with colleagues at work.

And then, the evening comes... by then, I'd be too exhausted to do anything else but eat, browse the www for a little bit... and fall asleep.  The whole cycle repeats itself.  Today, however, it's different.  I woke up early in the morning, and went for the 6:00 a.m. Sunday Mass as I usually do.  And, I resolved to NOT DO ANY WORK!  So, after Mass, I had a good breakfast with my sister, and just spent the whole morning hanging out at our front yard. My sister is a 'plantita' (a person with green thumb and uses it to grow plants with much gusto).  I enjoyed the cheerful chirping of the birds atop the tree, and just soaked up the sun 'peeping shyly' from the thick dark clouds and the cool after-rain breeze.  It was good!  I felt that my mind got refreshed. If the bounce of my hair is any indication that the 'tiny mini break' did my body well, then, the whole decision to abstain from work is very good! 

Sometimes, you just need to say 'no' to the constant 'nagging' of work in your brain.  Just because you work from home does not mean that you need to work yourself to death lest others think that you are not working hard enough.  At the end of the day, it's your output and the outcomes of your hard work that matter and the real indicator of your efforts.  No matter how much we enjoy our work, rest is still necessary.  We can work very hard to our heart's desire, but we also need to give ourselves time to recuperate.  This is what the weekend is for.

And so, today, I will continue indulging myself to things that make my soul sing.  The songs from a previous post (on BTS, who else?) still hum in my head, especially "Spring Day".  So, today, I take advantage of my new-found empowerment against the bondage of unchecked enslaving passion for work by enjoying more of BTS's music.

♫ "You know it all, you're my best friend... 

the morning will come again

No darkness, no season can last forever."🎜

 

That music video (MV) afforded BTS the 2017 Mnet Asian Music Award (MAMA) for Best Music Video.  This is their first win in a five-year winning streak: 2017- "Spring Day", 2018 - "Idol", 2019 - "Boy with Luv feat. Halsey", 2020 - "Dynamite", 2021 - "Butter"; and their second nomination in the same award category.  Their first nomination was in 2016 for the "Blood, Sweat and Tears" MV.  To date, these make BTS the winningest group in the history of MAMA in this category (5 wins), and they have garnered the most number of nominations (6), too, in this category.

Personally, "Spring Day" reminds me of my "birthday post" in this blog from July 2020 - at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.  In that post, I let off steam from the pandemic-induced stress, and I also spoke about the promise of spring.  It turned out that that was the last birthday that I celebrated with my father. He passed in December that year. He was not afflicted with COVID-19 but his old age-induced sickness was aggravated by the limited access to health care that time due to the pandemic. After my father passed, I became very attached to this song by BTS. While it is quite sad for me, I continue to listen to this song... especially when I am under a lot of stress and I need to dwell in the warmth of my father's love to keep going such as in my recent post here. 

The song almost accurately describes the longing for a loved one... and the hope that someday, such longing will be soothed by eventually meeting that loved one once again. The superb rendition of the group of the beautiful lyrics, on an easy-on-the-ear melody, is remarkable. The blend of the melancholic singing of the vocal line that exposes raw emotions and the moody rendition of the rap line of verses that attempt to mask pain with toughness grips the listener's longing heart in a tug-o-war between vulnerability and emotional resilience.  If one listens to the song, one will be left in emotional pieces... but when one watches the video, one will find solace in its hopeful theme.  The group conveyed hope effectively, and it is amazing!  This is probably the reason why the group won the MAMA Best Video for this one - very well deserved, indeed!      

So, I thank BTS for this song, especially the brilliant RM and SUGA, and their music industry 'father', Bang Si-hyuk (or "Hitman" Bang), for composing and producing this song.  As of this writing, the song has not fallen out of the Melon Music Top 100 Charts since its release as the title track of the BTS album, "You never walk alone" in 2017.  As such, ARMY fondly refer to it as "the Queen"... and rightfully so, too.

Alright, my 'tiny mini break' is over... time to start getting into 'work mode' again.  Let's go!

***

Photo credit:  All the photos in the collage featured in this post belong to me.  They may not be used for other purposes.

Video credit:  The owner of the video featured in this post is indicated in the video itself, Hybe Labels. Thanks, YouTube, for the video link.

References:  MAMA website, Melon Music Chart and BTS Official Website.

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Saturday photo, er...

 ...I meant video!  Okay... and some photos, too.

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by PAM

Beyond the backyard...

The horses at the stable located at the 

Baker Institute for Animal Health

of Cornell University

One of the things that I love about living in Ithaca in Upstate New York is how one can be very close to nature.  There is always an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of nature whatever time of year... although winter can be truly harsh.  

An assortment of blooms in the 
Cornell campus in Ithaca, NY
during spring time.

This is the beauty of studying at Cornell University, too, specifically in its Ithaca campus.  Aside from it being an Ivy League... and, therefore, the quality of education is topnotch, the Ithaca campus is surrounded by nature in its unadulterated beauty.  The campus itself is beautiful:  dramatic in Autumn, surreal in winter time, deliciously pretty in spring, and totally smashing during summer time.  More than anything else though, the company of brilliant and fun students, and awesome mentors, was totally wonderful and unforgettable.  I spent five years in the Ithaca campus of Cornell as a PhD student in the mid 2000s.  I thank the Fulbright-Philippine Agriculture scholarship program endlessly for the opportunity... because those were some of the very best years of my life!      

So, in AY 2021-2022, I had the opportunity to return to Cornell.  This time, I return as a Hubert H. Humphrey (HHH) Fellowship grantee.  The HHH Fellowship Program is under the Fulbright Scholarship Program of the US Department of State.  It is a highly competitive program that is usually awarded to professionals in their mid-career or leaders who are ready to move up to more influential leadership roles in their field of work.  In my Humphrey Fellowship, I was primarily hosted by the Penn State University in State College, PA but I chose Cornell as the venue for one of my two six-week non-local Professional Affiliations. The other one is Boise State University in Idaho.  I couldn't be any happier! 

Enjoying a lovely spring time
evening, walking around East Hill
area of Ithaca, NY.

In Ithaca, I stayed at the eastern side of the campus... up a hill, towards downtown. The house where I stayed this time was the same house where I lived on my last year as a PhD student in Cornell.  Its location is adjacent to that of the Baker Institute for Animal Health of the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine, which is recognized as one of the very best Vet Schools in the world.  The house has among the most beautiful views of Ithaca sunset, which gets dramatic during spring time because of the usually thick dark rain clouds that contrasted with the burning red-orange color of the sun as it sank in the horizon among the tall trees on the hills. It is absolutely lovely!  

Every single day, I was motivated to start the day well by the cheerful tweets of birds outside my window... and the gentle fingers of the rising sun that knocked on my window with its comforting warmth.  They brought smile to my lips as I prayed for that beautiful day that beckoned.  All day long, the horses at the stable of the Baker Institute grazed around the hills, and they usually wandered at the house's backyard.  I enjoyed watching them, especially the two most active ones who loved to run around.  They are the ones featured in the video above.  

Towards the end of the day, I put all my concentration on my work so I can eat dinner early with the kind family who owns the house... and relax as I watched the beautiful sunset at the backyard.  In the evening, I put on my walking/running shoes, put on my earphones, and pull down my favorite playlist on Spotify - mostly BTS music, of course!  I then joined some of our neighbors as I walked/ran a minimum of 4km, chasing the colors of the sunset fade into the night.  Perfect day for Namjooning, indeed!  

I usually went to bed every single night satisfied with my day... and happy that I got to rest well as I anticipated another lovely day to come my way in the morning.  Looking back, those days that were full of hope reminded me of my favorite line in one of the newest BTS songs, "Yet to come".  The line went, "dream and hope, and go forward - we're so about it!"  Yes, I am so about it, too!

Ahhh... Ithaca!  Take me back!  

***

Video credit:  The video featured in this post belong to me.  I shot it for the sole use of this post.

Photo credit:  All photos used in this post belong to me.  I took and processed them for the sole purpose of this post.

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Hello, July!

Nice to see ya again, old friend!  I've been dyin' to see ya... aah, ya have no idea!  

So... let's start with a vacation, shall we?  Let's!

'Staycation'... a matter of figurin' out priorities.

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Photo credit:  I took the photo by the patio of the lounge of a hotel in Quezon City, Philippines.

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Saturday photo

Finding beauty... beyond ugliness.

Whenever an opportunity comes to enjoy having the luxury of time, I usually spend it just staying in the house to read or listen to music... or traveling.  Traveling re-boots my mind, giving it a fresh start.  And, if I have a choice, I prefer traveling by land.  I like taking long drive a lot.  It gives time to be away from it all... think, reflect... and gain freedom from the 'slavery' of work without feeling entirely disconnected from the world.  Unlike traveling by sea or by air, traveling by land gives you the choice to stop and enjoy the sights more... it allows spontaneity, it gives meaning to randomness, and it allows one to stop and rest as needed.  Yep, it gives one the feeling of truly on vacation.  But what I like most about long driving is having a variety of views on your window that seems to go on and on... forever.   

A few months ago, my sister and I traveled by land to IIocos Norte, which is about 500 km north of Manila, or about eight (8) hours of travel time.  The road gave the feel of the vibrant beach life on the left side of the road, and the serene ambiance of living on the foot of the mountain on the right side.  At some point, I noticed a row of tattered structures on the street amid dry grass, and they seem to go on, mocking the vacationers who are looking to be allured by the beach... but I also noticed a hint of blue through the holes of the tattered structures.  So, we decided to halt, park... and walk through the ugly dried grass.  What we found beyond the 'ugly' view took my breath away!  It was the blue sea, made to look even bluer by the green mountains that line it close to the road.  My sister and I stopped, and sat there for a some minutes, just admiring the view... and I thought, "ah, vacation, this is what you are all about - gorgeous!"

My sister asked me what made me decide to check the place out when it looked scarily ugly from the other side.  I said, "I'm a teacher, remember?  This is what we do... find beauty when there seems to be none, convert a rough stone to a precious gem."     

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Photo credit:  I took the photo.  It was taken between Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte along Manila North Road.

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Picture of the Day

I looked up to the skies in exasperation earlier this evening, between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., as I gave up chasing our doggie, who enjoyed his "freedom", carelessly running around outside our premises without a leash, ignoring speeding automobiles and motorbikes... and then I saw something extraordinary in the night sky that made me gasp for breath.  The full moon was shining unusually bright with a rainbow of vibrant colors around it like a multi-color ring.  It was beautiful... and eerie at the same time.

I raced inside the house and grabbed my point-and-shoot in my purse, aimed it at the moon... but could only manage a faint representation of what I was actually seeing.  I'm not sure why the moon looked the way it did, except that we are supposed to expect the "supermoon" on the 9th of September this year.  

Well, I thought I'd document this day with a post.  So, there.

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Saturday Photo

Break of Dawn

If only for this photo, sleeping at 12:00 midnight and getting up at 2:00 AM for a 4:55 AM flight is so worth it.  I got to my destination two-and-half hours later, and then had less than an hour to eat breakfast before getting to serious work. I walked around sleepily all day, of course, but hey, who said that this life's not all about trade-offs? :)

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Saturday photo

Seeing double

I like the way how the Petronas Twin Towers seem to float in my hotel room with this photo through the window... the illusion is amazing. 

And, speaking of 'amazing', Malaysia's progress is going at such an amazing rate... it's almost incredible, and it's very good to see. I can only imagine what 2015 is going to be like, with ASEAN Integration happening late that year.  

Go, ASEAN!

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Saturday photo

The promise of sunset:
Into the darkness now... and out of it - tomorrow.

I know... "not again", right?  Another sunset photo.  Sorry, I can't help it, I just find sunset's beauty irresistible.  To me, one lifetime is not enough to pay tribute to the One who came up with the "idea" of sunset. This is why I do my best... by expressing my appreciation often enough.

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Location:  Taal Lake in Talisay, Batangas, Philippines.

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My first attempt...

...at HDR imaging.
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by PAM


Sixteen hours at work and doing work-related stuff daily - for the past three days.  My brain is bleeding.  I'm so tired.  :(  I need a break - I really do!  

Therefore, let me talk a bit about one of my other 'passions' - photography.  Unfortunately, I have not updated my 'toys' yet.  I still use the Canon EOS Rebel 2000, which is a 35-mm SLR, bought in... uhm, 2003 - just before the digital boom erupted - big time.  It was okay in the beginning until about five years later.  

The boom didn't hurt me much 'cause I was lucky to find my prized little toy, Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS Digital ELPH, while strolling along Michigan Ave. in Chicago about three years ago on its first release.  It was the most reliable thing... with its great functionality and awesome features.  It was so sleek... small, thin and light, I can keep it in my pants pocket, unlike my old Rebel, which needed a bulky bag. :)  Therefore, I can capture a scene discreetly and randomly in clear and crisp images (and videos).  My dear SD1400/ELPH took lovely HD (14.1 Mp) photos with its 4x IS lens, capturing images in wide angle, and letting me view and appreciate them more on my widescreen TV via HDMI.  The photos it churned didn't look like they were taken by a point-and-shoot.  I loved it, but... yeah, it died a 'natural death' recently. :(  

Now, I use the less powerful and bulkier Canon PowerShot A810 HD with 5x optical zoom lens (16 Mp) for my day-to-day photography fix... and it's worlds apart from what my 'late' SD1400 IS could do. :(  Unfortunately, the SD/ELPH series doesn't seem to be available locally... stores (at least the ones I visited) have the PSA/HD series only.  Why, oh, why, Canon??  :(  Oh, well... I have to go with what I've got.

Therefore, I keep taking photos with my PS A810.  Since about three years back, I've been drooling over High-Dynamic-Range (HDR) Images on photography magazines.  But time is too stingy to give me some to spend for my 'other passions'.  So, I can only admire... and not really able to experience taking photos and processing them as HDR.  However... yep, I finally took the plunge using my PS A810... and processed the photos HDR-ish.  And, it's very cool!  Take a look...

Digital photo before processing...

The fascinating power of innovative photography... 
...it makes one 'sketch' in great detail via digital lenses - pixel per pixel.

Obviously, I still don't know what I'm doing... and I don't know what I'm talking about here.  ;) Ah, but, I intend to be good at this. :)  I'm inspired by one person's works.  Yes, I'm absolutely fascinated by the various works of Trey Ratcliff.  He is one of them artists who are well-known advocates of HDR Imaging. In fact, I follow his blog, which is a parade of nature's breathtaking beauty, peppered with man-made stuff, seen from Trey's lenses and expressed to us, lesser talented ones, by his great artistry.

One day, I'll follow his footsteps. :)  Therefore, I need to take care of my arthritic knees now lest they prevent me from following the 'Trey trail'... later.  

Ah, retirement, what is taking you so long???

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Location:  Club Balai Isabel in Talisay, Batangas.

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Saturday photo

Calm and quiet, inspiring reflection...
...sunset, you're all that, and so much more.

More than a week ago, I went on a three-day Retreat with my colleagues... about 150 of us.  The days invited critical thinking, lively and honest discussion - assessing where we are in our mission as educators in the Pontifical University of Asia... the sunset inspired reflection - an honest assessment of our relationship with God, and with one another.  

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Location:  Taal Lake (Taal Volcano) at Club Balai Isabel in Talisay, Batangas, Philippines.   

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Saturday photo



Ah, Windy City... I miss you.
Hope to see you... soon. :)

My first Summer getaway with my Grad School friends in Ithaca, New York happened about a decade ago.  It was a long drive from NY to Chicago.  We were in a three-van convoy - all provided by Cornell, plus a car driven by the guys who wanted to stay a bit longer in the Windy City.  We attended the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Meeting + Expo... volunteering for the event, supporting those of us who were in the various competitions, cheering on those who were presenting papers and posters among us, meeting Cornell Alumni, joining Students Congress and partying (for free) in Company Mixers, and listening to excellent, excellent lectures/presentations by our brilliant professors, scientists and industry practitioners.  It was an amazing experience!

My last Summer getaway with my former peers in Grad School in New York happened a couple of years back.  It was a looong trip from Manila to Chicago... to attend the IFT Meeting + Expo.  It was so worth it!  Some of us were the ones who were giving the lectures/talks already that time, while some of us were judges in the students competition. :)  We all attended the Cornell Alumni event - as alumni, reaching out to students.  We still partied (for free) in Company Mixers... but we had enough money of our own to dine somewhere nice and fancy. :)  And yes, we still enjoyed those excellent, excellent lectures/presentations by our former professors, scientists who are our role models, and industry practitioners (some are from our group).  

Yep, 'dorks' - that's what we were, that's what we are now... I don't think that'll change anytime soon either. :) 

Ah, Windy City... thanks for the memories.  And, yep, I'm ready for new ones!  Are you?  :)

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Hi, July! Let's work, eat, pray, sleep well...

...and live life to the fullest!
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by PAM


July is my birthmonth that's why it's extra-special - for me. :)  Whenever it comes (or goes), it brings me back to my 'happy place' - my place of meditation.  And each time, I re-commit myself to live simply, enjoy what life has to offer... and serve the Master well.

Work hard... to make a difference - for others.



Eat with gusto... to sustain the body

and experience the pleasures of eating, and eating well - with loved ones.

Pray sincerely and faithfully... for wisdom, peace of mind, humility and selflessness,

an abundance of blessings - so you may serve well.  And then believe

with all your heart that your prayers will be answered.

Sleep well... dream beautiful dreams - and live them.

Keep well... stay happy, in love, and contented.

Count and appreciate your blessings... and share them.  Love... and allow yourself to be loved back.  Turn away from negative thoughts to have peace of mind.  Keep in mind that success is all about serving well, and NEVER about power and personal gain.  Therefore, do not allow yourself to be flattered by the 'importance' of your position and your 'achievements', the glitter of your environment or the prestige of your 'title'.  These are all temporary.  What does last is the delight you bring to your Master everytime you submit to His will.  Think of Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul II, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine and San Lorenzo Ruiz, and contemplate why they were such a delight in God's eyes. 

Strive to live simply, joyfully, and in service to God.

Welcome, July!  Good to have ya!

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