itssprocketscience - Tumblr blog

[itssprocketscience]

Trying to rekindle my love for photography and other interests that I was able to aquire growing up. My passion for such interests seem to have died down as I grew older and life took its toll on me. I shall start the year right by trying.

[itssprocketscience]

Just trying to recall some things today. Fragments of good and bad memories. I could no longer remember how exactly everything went; the conversations I had with people; whether I ended up having good times with said people or bad ones. But for some reason, there's fondness whenever I try to remember them.

[itssprocketscience]

Thank you, 2023 for allowing me to get a glimpse of the world. A portion of it at least.

From my first snow in Istanbul; my first time at the Manila Ocean Park; frequently eating my now favorite oyster omelette in Penang; quick family trips to Batangas, and Bataan; drinking coffee in Ethiopia; and seeing a Rhinoceros in Nairobi.

It was a good year. Now, on to the next adventure!

[itssprocketscience]

Photos from our Noche Buena. I only had the willpower to post today. It's as if my body decided to temporarily shut down in time for the holidays. Like it's telling me that I've already subjected myself to immense pressure this year that it has become unberable for my body.

Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed your Christmas. I hope you were all able to celebrate it with your loved ones or however you wish to have celebrated it.

[itssprocketscience]

One of the first photos that I took from ages ago. Suddenly remembered all the excitement and eagerness I felt when my Dad gave me a film SLR and I excitedly took it with me to a beach trip with my family. I stayed for a couple of hours at the beach front just to witness the sunset. It didn't disappoint.

I almost always do not have the luxury of time but I still wait for sunsets with the same excitement and eagerness.

[itssprocketscience]

Bones, sinking like stones All that we fought for Homes, places we've grown All of us are done for

And we live in a beautiful world

On some occassions, you end the day filled with so much gratitude -- because of the people, because of shared moments and experiences. Despite life being so mundane; despite life constantly making you feel like you are alone in a stifling room, you still try to find fragments of circumstances to enjoy every once in awhile.

[itssprocketscience]

"Cause if we don't leave this town, we might never make it out."

Bad memories. Beautiful photographs. Maybe I'll be able to share the story behind these photographs someday. But for now, these photographs would suffice.

[itssprocketscience]

What to do when you only have approximately 23 hours in Bangkok, Thailand?

First, eat some Thai fried chicken. Second, go to the nearest night market to eat, drink, and buy trinkets or whatever you want. Third, go to a nearby convenience store to have ice cream after buying an analgesic balm called Counterpain. (It sure does wonders, I tell you.)

Lastly, do not do it again. Stay longer.

[itssprocketscience]

The first time I travelled outside of the Philippines, it had been quite a feat. I was interrogated for more than an hour by the immigration and had to provide a spread of documents including my certificate of employment, work contract, and even bank statements. I was asked a number of times why I intended to go to my destination, who I was with, and why did I even choose to go there in the first place. When I think about it now, it felt as if they essentially infringed on my privacy and on my personal affairs. I wish I could say that the scenario did not happen again but I live in the Philippines afterall. 

Kathmandu felt familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. Tourists usually go there for the fabled Mt. Everest but since I couldn’t stay long enough to explore that part of Nepal, I just opted to explore whatever it is that I could find in Kathmandu. 

Every street’s laden with temples and altars where they make offerings usually very early in the morning. I tried waking up early to at least see the entire process but failed on multiple occassions. Red bricks are integrated in urban spaces to preserve the old architecture and create a semblance of harmony and visual continuity. Brick architecture is also dense in some parts of the city. 

Some of our colleagues and friends from Nepal recommended that we visit other parts of the country next time. They suggested to visit Pokhara which is the second most populous city after Kathmandu. Among other things that they suggested including a hike to Mt. Everest.

Maybe another time. Should there be a chance to visit Nepal again. 

[itssprocketscience]

Travelling to Kyrgyzstan felt like a phantasmagoria of some sorts that I wish I could go back just so I could make sure I truly went there. It’s not a country that one would perhaps think of crossing off their bucket list but that’s the beauty of it. Like an uncharted territory.

I took my camera with me to this trip. Unfortunately, the laptop where I saved everything single-handedly decided to remove all traces of photographs I’ve had of this trip (including all my work files, among others). I am still in the process of retrieving everything, against all odds. I hope I could still share those in the near future. For now, these photos from my phone will do.

[itssprocketscience]

I do open this account every once in awhile just to see how things are. At one point, I tried to raise this back from the dead but life's just too large and overwhelming.

I've been meaning to share a lot of things -- mostly photographs from trips I've had this year as well as the previous year. I wanted to share some sort of vizualization of how my life looks like now. Not that it's drastically different.

That will probably take awhile. But yes, hello.

[itssprocketscience]

Remember when moving from one place to another is almost as normal as breathing? 

I’ve been thinking a lot these past few days. I’ve been thinking of permanently moving out of Metro Manila to live somewhere else after this pandemic. There’s nothing much to miss in this congested city anyway. 

These are just some thoughts I’m having over the course of the 2-month lockdown. I may or may not act upon it. But I do miss going out and moving freely. The lockdown’s making me feel uneasy already. 

[itssprocketscience]

Hi!

I sincerely hope that you are okay amid the pandemic. Things have turned for the worse it seems and to be honest, you have the right be angry about it. I’ve been busy trying to help others in every possible way I could think of despite the imposition of a lockdown. 

I couldn’t help but be frustrated at times over the past two months because the reality is, I could only do so much. On the other hand, I’m also happy to see people helping out one another at a time when those that have the actual resources and power to do so are not and are even brazenly putting the blame on the ordinary people suffering under the pandemic. 

I’m not sure how we’ll get through with this and I wish that 2020 was kinder to us but as it is, we must never lose hope. We have to dig ourselves out of this one way or another. 

[itssprocketscience]

Take care. Wherever you are. 

This is a difficult time for all of us but we will continue to fight and persevere! 

[itssprocketscience]

One morning of this new year, I woke up suddenly overwhelmed and anxious for the rest of 2020 that I had to take some time off social media and other physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding matters. I spent a couple of days constantly reminding myself that I am capable of controlling my choices and I am capable of selecting how I react whatever life hurls at me.   

But in case you’re wondering, I feel better and more determined than ever. I guess, you just feel like you’re stuck in a rut sometimes. 

[itssprocketscience]

Be it physically, mentally, and emotionally damaging relationships or a mediocre government, let’s all stop settling for less than what we deserve this 2020.  

Happy New Year!

[itssprocketscience]

A couple of months ago I decided to fuck it all and head North with some friends to swim despite the dreadful weather. I could vividly remember how we were all laughing and were so engrossed in a conversation of sorts in the middle of the ocean while the apparent line that separates it from the sky was no longer visible; the waves started swinging unpleasantly; and the heavy rain was accompanied by harsh winds. We all wanted a respite from a strenuous situation back then that we didn’t think much of the consequences and dangers. 

Well, we were all able to live to tell the tale anyway.