BORACAY SUNSET

Even though it's a filmed-shot photo, I still love this photo because it has a lot of good memories. Taken at Boracay Island year 2003 with my office mates. They were lined up watching the sunset.

SAN JOAQUIN'S ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE

When I visited San Joaquin last year, I was so amazed with its architectural heritage.   San Joaquin is the last town in the  first district of Iloilo.  It's church is one of the most impressive works of art in terms of architectural design indeed.  Skilled masons, famous sculptors, celebrated painters and craftsmen from Spain and Mexico were employed to translate the brilliant ideas of Fr. Tomas Santaren, the master architect.  Behind the appearance of this impressive masterpiece is a story of suffering.  Forced labor was employed in the building and gathering of materials.

These two sculptured bulls found in the plaza of San Joaquin symbolize the Pasungay festival.  This spectacular and exciting event find its origin on a hillside in one of the inland barangays when resting farmers witness for the first time the fight between the two bulls, set loose by their herdsmen.  It caught the fancy of the barangays folks and since then, has become a popular entertainment in the most barangay fiestas.  Prized bulls from the different barangays fight amidst wild cheering from spectators.

This is the classical motif architectural designs of the San Joaquin cemetery's chapel.  It was a small customary place where the dead was blessed but it's closed now.  It's a octagonal structure inside the cemetery.  It is one of the most beautiful  mortuary chapels in the Philippines.  The San Joaquin cemetery was built in 1892, by the way.

This week FSO's photo theme is Public art by Barry and Linda.

MY FIRST EVER CRUSH

I used to have a childhood sweetheart when I was 8 years old.  I still look and admire pretty ladies.  However, I can only offer them my friendship.  It was different with boys.  No brotherly love here.  I wanted something more.  There's an attraction present that isn't there with your friends.  Let's face it:  sexual attraction is what defines one's sexuality.  No matter how close we are with our girl friends or how much we care about them, there are boundaries we won't ever cross because they're straight and we're gay.

Let's call my crush "J".  J caught my attention one morning when I was in the school lobby and he was crossing the street to our school.  He was so lean as if a puff of wind would blow him away,  He was moreno and tall.  His tantalizing eyes really caught my eyes.  With the male appearance, my imagination really flowed.  But whenever I would describe a female character, the description would be brief.  And this was before I even knew what being gay was!

Back then, I became an inquisitive fellow searching everything about J and of course the first thing I wanted to know was his name.  The next weird thing I did was sending him an admiration letter.  After he received my letter (Of course I knew because it was posted in the school bulletin board.), I noticed some good changes in him.  Before he was always late.  Before he looked as if bagong gising.  Before he dressed up like walang pakialam.  The after image of him changed into neat, always smiling with matching pa-cute, and went to school early.

I continued to stalk him until I got his home address and telephone number.  Wala pang mobile phone noon.  I got the personal information in the guidance office, sa student's file.  I sent him a Christmas card but I graduated in high school that school year.  The next school year, he was on his last year in high school.  I still updated about him since my niece who is closest to me (we are close in age too.)  was a junior high school in our Alma mater.  We tried to call him for the first time but he was not yet home.  On the following night we called him again and my niece introduced herself to him as the admirer.  That's what we call poser.  We were both poser.  Bad us!  In between lines, pinapasa ng niece ko ang phone sa akin at nakikinig lang ako.  Since then, he went home early and they talked on the phone every night.  But the kalokohan cut off with this line:  "Ti ma-phonepal na lang kamu, di na lang kamu maeskwela?!"  It was my spinster sister's voice.

This is the only memory I still have and keep from "J" :-) <3

GREETING CARD FOR EDGAR

I made this card for Edgar, my online chat friend originally from Dominican Republic. He liked the black color. It was spring season that I sent this greeting card to him. I used water colors for the whole painting, a 3r sized card.

ORIGAMI

One of the most familiar forms of paper arts is origami. We do know that the Japanese were producing sophisticated forms some 1,200 years ago. The word itself is Japanese from ori(to fold) and kami (paper).

Why do people find pleasure in folding paper? Most do so because they enjoy making something out of nothing. Another reason is the simplicity. Folding paper needs no tools or specialist equipment. It is realxing, involving, and rewarding, too.

I tired to make simple origami for my self-satisfaction and art challenges.

Here's an origami I made.

moon and the six pointed stars for art challenge.