it’s almost mid january. we’re halfway through shooting brillante mendoza’s film with seiko currently titled “foster” with the magnificent cherry pie picache in the title role. i still work as prod designer for mendoza here and next month i will be looking for greener pastures somewhere mundane. im looking forward to another short break (i hope) in mindanao or a trip to batanes with tita tems, if my funds allow me. tita tems got pictures from architect-friend joven ignacio of batanes as he is doing a study in the area. the pictures are magnificent, an untouched virgin piece of land, almost nomadic in nature and totally lord-of-the-ringish new zealand quality to it. complete with goats running on fields and the ocean surf breaking the silence of the overcast afternoon. i got all that from a friggin piece of snapshot. crazy ! 😀

had an amazing vacation last christmas. dropped by dumaguete before the xmas break to visit His magnanimous faisal alih and the royal family. a fun 2 nights of unwinding and piano-playing, videoking, walking down the beach and merienda-ing at the famous sans rival cafe.

then i surprised my family by arriving unannounced in mindanao. haha. cuzins (pamangkins actually) came over mindanao to enjoy the company of the locals and the environment. cuzin ace wrote out a wonderful plan visiting key sites in camiguin for an overnight trip. our third day was spent washing clothes in the rapids of the cagayan river ergo white water rafting 😀 my first time. totally amazing, ubber fun. of course i love the water but i havent really trekked down a river in a long time (last time was when we were kids in GUSA in the 80s). exciting three days there, the next time my cuzins-pamangkins come over we’ll try going up lake sebu in cotabato.

crazy this so-called life. love it ! cheers !