of scholars and workshops

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See the full gallery on Posterous

a bit blurry, but they're one of my most treasured photos from now on. <thanks tata and your reliable phone! :)>

a few weeks ago, i went to guinsaugon, st. bernard (southern leyte) to shoot an AVP about the scholars we have--a sort of thank you gift to our donor, Children's Hour, for helping us in funding their education needs. we went to these young surviors of the 2006 landslide, whose parents, siblings and other close relatives were buried along with the onslaught of mud and rain. one could not fathom how much pain these little angels had felt then (i couldn't even fathom it myself). but with helpful and caring agencies, they were able to pull their selves together and move one, because hope can not be buried. Children's Hour, specifically, assisted us by committing to help these 56 survivors finish their education (until high school) for 11 years.

at the end of the two-day interview and shoot, i begged my co-worker to allow me to conduct a workshop to these kids, who in a span of days easily became my friends (and partners in crime...but you do not need to know that). it was a sudden urge i have, like some sort of subconscious would not let go of me til the last minute until i finally say, "ms cecille, cap, can i use your office so i can hold a workshop for these kids?"

two liners

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google nerd

nutsy pansy

carbohyrdate addict

directionally challenged

anime freak

dessert junkie

stupid girl

amateur baker

creative genius

and the list may go on.

...or not.

(what can you add...?)

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boxes

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Twenty-four years ago, I ran my life in boxes. The most prominent from these boxes were the ones I labeled ‘Work’ and ‘Personal’.

Twenty-four years ago, I moved heaven and hell to make sure that ‘Work’ did not take hold of ‘Personal’. My personal life remained personal, and nobody from my ‘Work’ box had anything to do with it. Consequently, whatever happened on my professional plane must stay there. They did not mix and strike an imbalance on my system I had learned to build and protect over the years.

Twenty-four years ago, I never believed in the philosophy behind Google Plus’ Circles or the concept behind the Venn diagram. There were only two shades of people in my life, and they never, ever intercept. One could only be white or black, and I chose where they fit in my black-and-white world.

I never mixed business with pleasure. I had officemates, and I had friends, and my life was as simple as that.

(Yes, Gabriel García Márquez was right: we have three lives—the public one, the private one and the secret one.)

Thus, it never came as a surprise to me how officemates would only know me for my work. And my friends would know me for who I really am—and that would include how an idiot or a genius I can be, depending on the situation.

(I do not have what you call a quasi-friend or a real friend, because I may be civil, funny and open to you, but you will never be my friend unless I tell you the deep, dark and horrid secrets of my life.)

ode

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 ode

 

I shall flee to the heavens

and fall in its glorious abyss;

The stars shall possess me

Me with my own heart aglowing.

 

I shall travel through Eternity

and there’ll be no now, no had, no maybe;

I shall think of nothing but infinite bliss

Bliss I hoped I’ve brought to thee with a kiss.