Four Legged Love

Who wouldn’t one to come home to excitement and 100% missed you attitude?  Your pet dog can definitely strike that feeling in you.  Truly, dogs are man’s best friend because they never answer back and they tolerate pretty much every silly bone in your body.  But raising a dog is not limited to just feeding it; it should be accompanied by love, respect and monthly vaccinations. For dog lovers, it’s important to know your dog’s behaviour.  Most of the time they’re like children, they need attention. Well, our pets are receptacles of all the different kinds of attention. For their tolerance let’s always reward them with hugs and pats on the head; and of course lots and lots of doggie biscuits.  This is a shot of my favourite companion Tequila, who patiently sleeps at the foot of the bed. My security blanket chasing my nightmares away. Just got to love dogs.

Innocent Delight

Perhaps summer is the most exciting season for every child. No scholarly demanding work and all the free time in the world to play and wear a carefree attitude.  For a child who has yet to learn the practicalities of language and is dependent on the unconditional love of parents, every season is a summer vacation.  To watch a child find joy in the simplest moments like eating an ice cream is a delight in the eyes and in the senses.  It’s a reminder to our maturing and tired heart that indeed the best things in life are free; that the simplest and purest of joys can be experienced by living the moment and knowing that life will always open doors for you at the most unexpected of times.  The boy eating an ice cream is a true testament that indeed the simplest actions can bring utmost joy.  Nico is indeed wise even in his toddler age.  This photo is taken in Jotay Resort stationed in the magnificent beach of Sta. Ana, Cagayan. 

The Tie That Binds

This image shows 5 men from the Joson family pulling a vehicle size cart or what is known in the Philippines as karosa during the celebration of the Lent season. The karosa carries a life-size statue of Saint John the Apostle, the patron saint of the Joson family. These 5 men pulls the karosa in participation of a procession where different life-size statues of saints are likewise paraded all over the town of Sta. Isabel. In this procession, some of the devotees pull this heavy karosas while others pray in celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The image captured the staunched dedication of the Roman Catholics to their faith and beliefs and the devotion of a family bounded not only by faith but also of love. This photo was taken during a procession undertaken every season of Lent in the town of Sta. Isabel, Malolos City, Bulacan, Philippines. 

Wasted Gold

The proliferation of tourists in one place also means the increase in the problem of garbage disposal. Most tourists do not have environmental etiquette and would just indiscriminately leave their plastic bottles and food wrappers along the beach. This is the reason why the local government implements a strict garbage waste disposal policies on hotel and accommodation establishments. However, not all people see the existence of garbage as a nuisance. Seen in the picture is a man scavenging for plastics floating along the beach in the early morning where the heat of the sun is still tolerable. The man gathers these plastic bottles and cans and sells them to the local junk shop as means of earning extra income. The picture is a solemn image showing the resourcefulness and cleverness of a man when it comes to profit-making activities. This image was taken along the majestic beach of Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, Philippines. 

THESAURUS

I’m on a mental block. Spending my Saturday nights alighted by a fluorescent light and feeding my veins with caffeine and alpine instead of enjoying the humid breeze of a bar atmosphere and calming my nerves with a cold beer, all for the purpose of earning an extra buck.

But surprisingly what I find soothing is the tap of my fingers on the confines of my little netbook still on loan while watching a movie on cable.  I’m staring on my computer screen like a love struck doxy staring at her lover.  But night will come soon and the call of duty would soon force the sun to rise and another week of slave driving will claim my time.

For times like this when I find nothing better to write than my idle thoughts about life, I long to go home and feel the provincial air and be euphoric again about the carefree days of my youth. But life has its bipolar moments. Sometimes it surprises you with Christmas gifts moments and suddenly pulls the rug under your feet.  The only solution is to pull yourself together and catch that curve ball.

 Even complaining I find takes effort, so the rebel in me would rather choose to spend my sarcastic efforts sleeping and looking up the thesaurus for another meaning of most common things in life. Then I therefore conclude that when life gets boring, just open the thesaurus of life and find another meaning that works.

When tired of the monotonous office life, take the weekend off and travel to the pristine beach of Sta. Ana, Cagayan.  This shot was taken in the sunny sand stretch of Anguib beach. Although, the access is quite unpredictable because of the casino being built in the area, it is still a must-see place to visit. 

The Fire of the Lenten Season

This image captures a boy looking at the flames of an after-concluded Christian ceremony for the celebration of the Black Saturday during Holy Week or the season of Lent. The ceremony involves a short program depicting a ball of fire falling from the heavens symbolizing the coming and resurrection of Christ. The celebration of the Lent season is a solemn affirmation of the people’s unwavering faith.  A testimony that religion is an institution in some countries.  In this picture, the boy stares at the remnants of a fire blessed by the priest, no doubt recalling the activities of the program. This image captures our capacity to reflect on the symbolisms of our traditions and the meaning they impart on us. This picture was taken at the grounds of the Sta. Isabel Church, Malolos City, Bulacan, Philippines.