Day 31: End of Day

At the end of my day, this is where I find myself.  In front of a gate with wrought iron and partially peeling paint.  About forty square meters of personal space.   I've lived here for close to four years now.  Two years of which, on my own.  Yet it's still a work in progress.  Sort of like myself.

Living on my own was something that just happened for me.  It was never really planned.  That's probably why I'm just realizing that I should start properly furnishing my apartment.  I should have more than my poor excuse of a kitchen and an actual dining set.  I should have more than two sets of curtains and my iTunes to drown out the Sunday choir next door.  But no matter how incomplete it may seem, I would still find myself in front of this gate at the end of each day.  I would still love the collective wood, wicker, wrought iron and peeling paint.  The sunlight muted by my curtains, the church choir next door and the lack of a real kitchen.

After all, at the end of the day, This is Home (Switchfoot).

Day 30: Paper Cranes

They say that if you get to make a thousand paper cranes, you will be granted a wish.  One thousand, and not one less.  It makes me wonder what wish I would want to be granted so much that I would make a thousand of these things.  Long life?  Good health?  Wealth?  Luck?  Winning combination numbers?

I honestly can't think of any.  I'm going to sound really arrogant, but whatever I deserve, I know I will somehow get.  So, I don't necessarily need to fold a thousand paper cranes.  Who knows, though, maybe one day I may just need to get myself origami paper.

How about you?  What wish would you make a thousand paper cranes for? I Wish...

Day 29: Heroique

I've given up on playing, but that doesn't mean that I've given up on music.  Music, for me, is a constant.  It cannot not be there.  I sometimes wonder how you can put music into pictures.  That's why I put links of music to my posts sometime.  It's probably a given that I also like literature.  Reading and writing are probably the first things I enjoyed doing.  I'm an Alice traipsing in wonderland whenever I would read a story or write my thoughts.  Photography, meanwhile, is something I have learned to love.  At some point, I stopped taking pictures.  It was only recently that I picked up from where I left the habit.  The picture above is of a journal I got yesterday.  And this post, I guess, is a summary of all three interests.

Polonaise in A-Flat Major by F. Chopin

Day 28: Pretty Bright Lights

While scourging through the mall after work, I saw these pretty chandeliers at a store.  I figured this is too cute for me to pass up.  I would have bought the green ones and taken them home with me had they wanted to sell them.  It would make for good home decor.  It would make such a stark contrast to my mostly wooden furniture, but would definitely look pretty on my ceiling.

Day 27: Standing Still

I never learned how to ride a bike.  Which is a funny thing, really.  I remembered that when I saw this bike parked outside the building where I live.  It was just there, standing perfectly still.

There are several moments in my life when I felt like I was standing still like this bike.  Sometimes, anticipating.  Other times, dreading.  No matter how long you stand still, though, at some point you have to move.  At one point or another, you get on the seat and push on the pedal.

Eventually, you stop Standing Still (Jewel).

Day 26: The Road Home

Given the amount of payroll and taxes I was calculating, I almost forgot to take a photo today.  So, on the way home, I snapped pictures of nearly everything.  My neighbor even caught me taking several shots of my gate.  I must have looked demented. :)  Out of all of them, I liked this picture of the pavement best.

And they're Walking After You (Foo Fighters).

Day 25: On Lost Art

There was a discussion I joined recently that talked about lost art.  Then, while I was going through the other Project 365 blogs, mooncake talked about her lost art.  It got me thinking about my own lost art.  I think we all have that.  That one passion we abandoned somewhere.  It's the violin for me. 

I used to play the violin.  Used to.  I can say that comfortably now.  It was difficult for me to say that for some time, because I had a hard time accepting that I probably will not play music again.  Not that I was exceptional in it.  My level of expertise with the violin was mediocre at best.  I didn't learn it because I wanted to make a career out of it, though.  I just wanted to play.  I love music, although, music would not always love me.  My violin, though, have always loved me back.  It was patient with me, but I wasn't as patient with it.  Neither did I devote as much time for it as it deserved.  So, even if it was just there, I lost it.  I lost the art.  Unlike the others, this is probably one lost art I will let go of.

Favorite piece: Canon in D - Pachelbel

Day 24: Clouds and Concrete

I'm not good with landscape, I have to admit that.  It's kind of my waterloo.  I rarely get to take nice panoramic shots.  That's why I stick to a lot of still life.  They're easier for me.  This one was a whole lot nicer than what I intended to post, though.  It isn't perfect, but I like that bit of morning sunlight reflecting on the window.  Plus, the contrast between man-made and God-made.  Besides, I intended to post a picture of a calculator to epitomize the day I spent on my Payroll and Taxes class.  Would you really rather see that?

And it's Brighter Than Sunshine...

Day 23: 3-Dimensional

I enjoyed watching The Green Hornet in 3D today.  Seth Green and Jay Chou were an unlikely pair, but they worked for me.  It probably isn't anything like a Jerry Bruckheimer, but, it's good as good goes.  My favorite was probably the gas gun. :P  Overall, it served it's purpose - it was entertaining.

I now have Coolio's Gangsta's Paradise in my head because of it.

Day 22: Hot Fudge

Whoever invented ice cream deserves a Nobel Peace Prize of some sort.  Simply because it defines comfort food - it's comforting.  I don't think I can attach ice cream with a bad memory.  The fact that it can make people happy, me particularly, is a feat in itself.  After a brain-frying week, I look for comfort in ice cream. 

De-frying my brain with Again by Bruno Mars in the background.

Day 21: Paperwork

It was a long, tiring Friday.  It started with rain and pretty much got completed with paperwork.  As much as I would like to explain myself, I don't think I really have the energy for that now.  Thank God it's the weekend.

Day 20: The Art of Reading Again

This year feels like a re-acquaintance of myself with little things I have probably neglected.  One of them is reading.  One of my blue-sky dreams as a child was to own a house with a library.  I spent contless hours in bookstores getting lost in the aisles.  Then, I tried building my collection as I grew up.  Like my journals, I would hoard books.  At some point, though, I just stopped.  I don't know what happened, maybe life and living again, but I just stopped.  From finishing 3-4 books in a month, I nearly finished a year without reading anything other than my e-mails and manuals.   

That's probably why I joined a book club with the interest of being able to read at least one book a month.  Another habit to revisit this year.  This is "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein.  I'd love to write more about it, but I guess I'll save that to when I actually finish it.  I'm halfway through, which is a good thing.  Having no laptop for three days allowed me to focus on reading it.

Day 19: Journal Hoarder

I love journals.  I love them so much, I hoard them.  I've kept one since I was eight.  I do not get to consistently write in them, mind you.  It's just one of those things I never outgrew. 

When I was younger, writing was the only branch of art I felt confident about.  I couldn't always blend the right colors or draw a perfect circle.  I wasn't an exceptional musician, either.  But being always part of the school organ had to mean something.  I've always known that I can write.  When I joined the rat race, though, the passion I had somehow got pushed to the bottom of the priority list.  Things like real life and living got in the way.  Which is sad, because when I read my older journals they make me realize how arrogant and gullible I was when I was younger.  And I want to be able to read how stupid I can be today ten years down the line.  It, at least, would prove that I have grown wiser.

Day 18: I Miss My Chucks

I've been missing my Chuck Taylors.  Work requires me to come in business attire everyday, and there's no dress down day.  I rarely have the opportunity to wear my favorite pair of sneakers now, which is kind of sad.  This pair has been with me for about a decade, really.  I have, literally and figuratively, worn it.  If this pair could talk, it will tell stories of survival in the best and worst of times.  Stories, that you walk a mile to tell.

Day 17: Smoggy Monday

Monday was foggy.  Or rather, smoggy.  The view from where I work is beautiful.  However, it also allows you to see how polluted the city is.  I'd like to say it's just fog, but who am I kidding?

Day 16: Love Story

I was going through my planner, when I realized that the random stickers I placed on one week came up with a story.  A broken-hearted girl, then sharing a scarf, then a date.  Or maybe, the order is skewed.  Oh, well.  *shrug*

I put stickers and draw randomly on my planner.  Sometimes, without real thought of what I'm putting in there.  I just want to break the monotony.

A Love Song (Five for Fighting) for a love story.

Day 15: All In This Together

It was great seeing my former team tonight.  Seeing them and hearing them talk made me realize that they have all grown exceptionally well the past couple of months.  Probably more than I expected, which makes me so proud of them.  What I'm exceedingly happy about is the fact that despite the challenges and the differences, they're all singing the same song.  This is my team, and this is my responsibility. 

I remember people telling me before that I'm good at what I do.  I honestly think I'm no better than the people I work with.  It's just that, it's impossible to lag behind everyone else.  You cannot be the dead weight.  And when things get stressful, you cannot waste your time finding the person who didn't do their job.  The first person you really look at, should be yourself.  So, what if they didn't do what they're supposed to do?  What did you do? 

So, what did I do?  I took the shot with them. :)  To TCQ, I'm so proud of you guys!

Let's see How Far We've Come (Matchbox Twenty).

Day 14: Columns

White columns.  Clear glasses.  Goodbye for now, work week.  Let's see what this weekend will bring. :)

No mood music, TV's playing.

Day 13: One Way

I've been taking pictures of street signs ever since I started this project, and somehow it's the "One Way" sign that I always look for. Maybe because in my city, there's a whole lot of them. Or maybe, because I think that no matter how many roads you try to take, all of them would just have "One Way" signs on them. There's no going back. This time - right now - I cannot waste it, because I will not be able to go back to it. In the same way that I can look back, but I cannot linger. No matter how good a moment is, or how bad an experience will be, it will all pass. After all, if you think about it, we all just move forward.

And watch the Ants Marching (Dave Matthews Band).

Day 12: Pop

I avoid drinking soda. However, I love Coca-Cola ads. I remember growing up and looking forward to seeing the "Holidays are coming" commercial in the Christmas season. Or memorizing that hand gesture routine, complete with jingle, with my friends in high school. And finding amazing ways to symbolize life using Coke products in the "Para sa lahat" campaign. I guess, you can say that it's iconic in such a way that in this side of the world, Coke means soda and vice versa. A symbol of pop culture.

Fizz happy: Sugar, Sugar - The Archies

Day 11: An Apple a Day...

...keeps the doctor away. Or so the adage goes. I decided to take a picture of my daily fruit dose before I devour it and fall into a deep slumber. Almost like the fairy tale.

Bedtime story: Dancing - Elisa

Day 10: Broken

My favorite set of pencils got broken today. This was a set I bought at a bazaar early last year. It had smiley face heads in different colors. The pink one got broken today. Her smiling pink head can no longer set itself upright without rolling over the surface. To keep it upright, I had to set it upside down. Which, of course, turned her smile into a sad one. Oh, well. I find myself an excuse to buy more pencils then.

Listening to: The Technicolor Phase - Owl City

Day 9: Comfort Food

Champorado is one of my favorite comfort food. I crave for it whenever the weather's cold, just like Sunday was. I ended up having Tapa King deliver champorado to my doorstep.

The best champorado I've tried was from Max Brenner. Unfortunately, they stopped serving it for some unknown reason. I went there with my sister last month and the lady I ordered from looked very weirdly at me when I asked for champorado. You know what it feels like when you look forward to tasting something and finding out you never can anymore? It was frustrating. I think I spent several days after bugging my friends about my craving. I finally got my champorado fill at Tapa King before the end of the week. And they deliver! Don't that beat all!

Staying in music: Feeling Good - Rebecca Ferguson

Day 8: Happy Buzz

I went to Salcedo Market with friends today. It was fun returning, since the place is a haven for photo opportunities. I've always thought that markets were wonderful places to find something beautiful to freeze in frame. I seriously had trouble choosing which picture to post. I, obviously, took a lot.

I finally picked this photo of wine bottles. I pretty much decided on this because I love wine. That, and the fact that the time I spent with my friends earlier gave the same kind of buzz. We didn't drink any, mind you. It was really just getting drunk on good food and great laughter. I believe everyone should have that. An opportunity to enjoy the little things that'll give us a happy buzz.

Buzz Beat: Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

Day 7: Stick and Stamp

One week down! I really enjoy doing this project. It allows me to look for something good everyday to chronicle into a memory.

Here to mark off the seventh day, is a tin box containing a few of my favorite things. Not entirely personal items. Layers of sticky notes, stamps, and tapes. I don't know when I started hoarding stationery items, but I just woke up one day and realized there's a lot of them. This is not even the entirety of it. I also have tons of stickers, pens, markers, highlighters, colored paper, notebooks, and all that jazz. I don't get to use all of them, to be honest. I still buy them, nevertheless, because they're just too pretty to pass up. Kind of like shoes. :)

Art attack mood music: Shake It - Metro Station

Day 6: Cleaning Up My Plate

I couldn't resist it. I went back to KopiRoti today. I wanted to take a photo of the soft-boiled eggs. Unfortunately, I ate everything before I had the chance. So, what you see here is a photo of what's left. Which is, more or less, just the spoon. :)

Soundtrack: Day Too Soon - Sia

Day 5: I ♥ Breakfast

It was my first time to eat at KopiRoti today. A friend introduced me to Set B. Soft-boiled eggs, Kaya toast, and Milo Dinosaur. It was a lovely experience. The first sip of Milo Dinosaur was love! It felt like being transported back to my childhood. I can almost hear the jingle, "Great things start from small beginnings..." Kaya toast was like a reinvention of French toast, and paired wonderfully with the soft-boiled eggs. Yum! I loved this breakfast. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, but I rarely get to take it. Whenever I do, though, it always seems perfect.

To Set B, it was so nice to meet you! I hope to see you again soon! :)

Breakfast Song: Haven't Met You Yet by Michael Bublè

Day 4: Night Shift

I'm nocturnal. I'm not trying to be poetic, I just really am. I've been living most of the last six years wide awake during the night. So much so that when I spent a month working during the day, I felt completely misplaced, as if I was transported to a different timezone. Seeing daylight was a bit fascinating for me. Fascinating and weird. I have always felt more productive at night. The world seems more introspective after twilight. Add the fact that I like watching lights flicker on velvety black background.

It's also strange that one thing I probably like best with working in the night, is going home in the morning. Morning light is always refreshing. No matter how stressful work is, walking home in the morning always makes me feel there's something good to look forward to.

Soundtrack: Enchanted by Taylor Swift

Day 3: Fuel for Life

Coffee. What do I do without you? I am one of those who cannot start their day without coffee. My former housemates would not even talk to me until I had a sip. They say I'm a bitch without it. There's a certain truth to that, I guess. I sincerely feel only half-human until the time I take my first dose of caffeine. After the first sip, I'm fine to go running. Before it, just stay away from me for a bit. I don't even care if it's gourmet coffee or not. It just needs to be the right flavor to jumpstart my system. My own fuel for life.

Day 2: A Basket of Pegs

I realized that in EST, I'm actually on time for this project. :)

Anyway, here's my Day 2 photo. I saw this basket of pegs last month while doing grocery. I'm not sure if anyone uses them anymore. Most people would have the plastic variety now. I did not even buy them for my laundry. I bought them because they looked pretty. :) They would also be useful for craft works. I have already used several as gift tags during the holidays. I also think that an entire basket of them makes a pretty neat accessory at home.

Day 1: Pencils

I'm a pencil freak. I'm also a pen freak and a journal freak. The consistent idea in all of them is that I'm a freak. Which doesn't really give me a very good introduction, if you think about it. Nevertheless, I decided to take a photo of my newest set of pencils because I needed something to start with. And we all started with pencils, didn't we? I suppose, this can be a good allusion to the start of the year. I'd like to start it like brand new pencils. Fresh, neat, sharp, and strong. This set happens to be eco-friendly, too. Which, I think, I have slowly been driving towards for the last couple of years and would like to continue doing.

I started out with this project a day later than the start of the year, but I'll keep it at 365 still. Thanks to gwacie of GT for the idea. Thanks to Heatherette for supporting this. This 2011 will be a year in pictures.