We are all witnesses.

I'm saying no to Internet Censorship.

2012-01-18T17:50:00.004+08:00

Please remember to let your representatives know how you feel about this bill that will undeniably crush our liberty. Let your voice be heard. Let your anger be felt.

"Playground" featuring KayLim Design

2011-11-25T03:03:00.001+08:00

It’s finally here!

Featuring the amazing work of Ms. Kay Lim of KayLim Design, I present to you “Playground”, a video I made to accompany the beautiful photo set by Graphics Metropolis seen here.

Styled by Joe Lorenzo Alimagno

Hair and Make Up by Emily Morgul and Khanh Nguyen

Assisted by Chase Green and Waneska Valois

Produced by Graphics Metropolis

Starring Kathryne Rose Jansen, Joshua Kerlin, Samantha Rhodes, and Steve Trzaska

State of Joe Presents: Laurine Price (Teaser)

2011-11-01T15:00:00.002+08:00

http://vimeo.com/31416554

The stunning actress/model stars in my latest photo series, coming very soon.

Shot in a hotel in Burbank, with the help of Irvin Rivera, Mark Rosales, and Stephanie Lim-Rosales. Make Up by Tokiko Inoue. Styled by yours truly.

Guardians

2011-10-31T20:50:00.002+08:00

Na-Klectic Natural Hair

2011-10-30T16:50:00.001+08:00

I assisted and styled a shoot in Hollywood earlier this month for Na-Klectic Natural Hair Gallery and Spa. I managed to snap these portraits of our beautiful models.

Watch the Behind-the-Scenes video here!

Almost Lost

2011-09-30T11:31:00.001+08:00

(View the Graphics Metropolis version of this shoot too!)

Dear Dad,

2011-06-19T14:35:00.002+08:00

It's been 10 years since we spent Father's Day together.

Though I can't even remember if we ever spent it together at all.

On this day, I have way too much to say to you - but I'll start with these:

I know you know you were never the best father - but I hope you know that I'm still very thankful. For years, I held on to so much spite. I hope you know that I've let all of that go. You are who you are, and I am who I am. We never had that fairytale father-son relationship... But hey, maybe it's not too late to be friends.

I'm sorry I was never the son you wanted me to be. I'm not sorry though, that I am who I am. I hope that one day you can learn to love the guy who knows about cameras instead of cars, the guy who plays video games instead of sports, the guy who stays in his room and sleeps when he's upset, instead of banging chicks left and right.

You are a good person. You're honest to yourself. You know who you are and you're not afraid to show that: you're just a simple man who wants to live every bit of his life doing what he loves - damn the rest. And in many ways, a good person is all a son looks for in his dad.

So in some strange way, maybe I still do look up to you.

In some strange way, maybe I still love you.

Thank you for everything, dad. Cheers!

June 13, 2011 Photo Diary (Part Two)

2011-06-15T15:35:00.000+08:00

June 13, 2011 Photo Diary (Part One)

2011-06-15T15:29:00.000+08:00

Maybe We're Too Far

2011-06-05T07:13:00.002+08:00

Dear You.

2011-04-28T15:33:00.001+08:00

Let me introduce you to Joseton.

He lives on a farm in the Philippines. He likes to climb trees, chase chickens, and eat green mangoes with rock salt. He doesn’t have neighbors, because their vast farm land doesn’t permit him to - so he plays with the sons and daughters of the caretakers of their farm. Of course, these caretakers change quite a bit, so he’s never had any longtime friends. And for the most part, he’s only their friend because his grandfather pays them.

His dream is to become a lawyer. But tomorrow, he might want to be an architect instead. He had this brief thought of becoming an interior designer, but his father would not accept him if he was, so he forgot all about that.

He doesn’t watch tv, apart from Laurel and Hardy cartoons that come on sporadically. They don’t have cable in his far-flung farm, so he’s more accustomed to playing outside anyway. He likes music, though: Erykah Badu, Sade, Joni Mitchell - cool artists that his mom taught him to listen to. He sneaks into his mom’s walk-in closet sometimes just to sit in the dark while listening to the Walkman.

He believes in himself. He loves himself. He thinks he’s king of the world.

I haven’t heard from him in quite a while.

"Must Be Weird, Huh?"

2011-04-18T05:58:00.004+08:00

This is me with my brother, Diego... And my sister, Trisha.

I never talked about it much, but I knew it would happen sooner or later. Last Friday, April 15th, I finally met my older half-sister, Trisha. She's 22 years old and she's practically lived here in the United States her whole life.

She smokes the same cigarettes I do, she favors tequila over any other hard drink like I do, and I think we're about the same height (though she might have been wearing heels, I forget.)

It was a strange feeling, and I couldn't even look her in the eye all night. But like I always say, life's about adventure - meeting new people, making new friends... And yeah, I guess discovering long lost siblings, too.

My Clothes Are On Trees

2011-03-30T07:02:00.000+08:00

On A Personal Note

2011-03-26T14:01:00.000+08:00

I'm happy. Again.

To Hold Sand or Water (Sample)

2011-03-20T11:04:00.002+08:00

As a treat for all you guys, here's a sample chapter from my graphic novel, to be published online, soon:

The Happiest Place On Earth

2011-03-16T07:37:00.000+08:00

:-)

A Beautiful Saturday

2011-03-16T07:32:00.000+08:00

So cultured, too.

At The Getty Center Los Angeles

Then at the Santa Monica Pier afterward.

Reunion at Americana

2011-03-16T04:55:00.002+08:00

Finally.

About Sunsets

2011-03-07T17:27:00.002+08:00

Beginnings and Endings.

These Mornings Are Spent Alone

2011-03-02T13:01:00.002+08:00

The sun is an empty companion.

Downtown

2011-02-28T22:23:00.000+08:00

Family time.

I went to church for the first time in years yesterday, but it was mostly because of the amazing architecture. I regret not taking photos inside!

We went downtown to check out the Divisoria-like areas there. It was a wonderful experience.

I got myself fitted for a new black suit for my dad's wedding. It's pretty. I'll post more about it after next weekend.

Sinking In

2011-02-27T19:44:00.001+08:00

This is my new home.

At around 7am we drove to Balboa Park and up the valley hills to check out the scenery. I was amazed by just how many kinds of birds I saw there, and just how many ducks were... Ducking around like the fucking ducks they are. Awesome, though.

After seeing some sights, we drove down to Hollywood to peek at the Oscars preparations. It was amazing, seeing the Kodak Theatre and the wax museum, and the Chinese Theatre and all that. Oh! And I went around Hollywood and Highland Center to check out some shopping options. Didn't buy anything yet though.

And lastly, after some In-N-Out, we drove up to some restricted areas near the Hollywood sign to see the LA basin of fucking bokeh awesomesauce.

And I got an origami dollar at the end of the day. I think this is the start of something beautiful, here in my new home. And though I think it hasn't quite sunk in yet... I sort of can't wait until it does.

I Go Through All This

2011-02-24T04:16:00.001+08:00

To Be Safe Again With You

College Years

2011-02-21T01:55:00.000+08:00

It's kind of funny to think about how much I've changed over 4 years of being in Uni, perhaps only subtly illustrated by four years of 2x2 id photos.

From varying lengths of hair, to varying amounts of fat on my cheeks, I can't believe just how different I am now. And I can't wait to see how different I'll be in the future.

Slow Afternoon

2011-02-16T18:05:00.000+08:00

Amazing Life!

2011-02-16T06:42:00.002+08:00

The most amazing person in the world, @theregoesmarty gave this to me the other day as sort of a send-off gift. It’s honestly one of the most beautiful things anyone has every done for me, if not the most.

It’s 18 by 24 inches big and ready to be posted on the wall of whichever room I’ll be in when I move, as a reminder of all the love and crazy shit I got into back home.

Seen are: Nylon Guys pages and covers that I love, my favorite Up Dharma Down album, some art I found on Tumblr, various posters of the Meiday music fest that I’ve attended 3 or 4 times in a row now, pictures with the ones I love, my favorite photo by Migs, and Polaroids of my friends including Mark, Ryan, Marty, and Jo.

Words and Windows

2011-02-14T22:22:00.000+08:00

Let me tell you about Emily Dickinson

She never married. She almost never travelled and almost never published. She lived a life of isolation and renunciation refusing to be seen by anyone but her family and closest friends.

But her detachment and seclusion form the world has indeed proven to be a gift.

“She demands the safety of a door she can shut, but also the open invitation of a world she can see in the frame of a window, and paint in the frame of a poem.” (The World in a Frame by Christopher Benfey, describing Emily Dickinson)

Within the confines of her room, with a view through her open window, she wrote about landscapes, butterflies, shadows, storms, and sunsets. “How the old mountains drip with Sunset,” She was almost painting them, maybe even like a thick impasto on canvas, with her chosen words.

Whether it be Dickinson’s fondness to sit by her window or her trademark to use small, rectangular stanzas - it is beholding the world through a frame.

The Artist’s Reception is on Friday, February 18, 6pm, at the Galerie Hans Brumann in Greenbelt 5. I’ll be there, and you should be too.

The exhibit runs from the 18th til March 8th.

I Mean Those Little Words

2011-02-14T16:13:00.000+08:00

I wrote you a simple letter for Valentine's Day, coupled with the cards we fell in love with from Jose Jose. I didn't really know what else to do. I feel like we're in some kind of quicksand where the bigger our actions, the more painful it will be to lose each other.

And we're both very much afraid.

But in any case, I mean what I said... Fuck perfection. If you're working on us, I'm working on us.

What I Was Apparently Doing

2011-02-14T08:44:00.002+08:00

My friend Divine (@divinest) posted some random photos from 2010 on Facebook and I've now come to the conclusion that all I ever did last year was wear plaid shirts and text/Tweet on my phone.

Accurate.

The year really started in February for me in 2010, and I guess it does again now.

To a new year of less weight, but more substance. Cheers!

I Had A Lovely Afternoon.

2011-02-03T00:09:00.000+08:00

Salt Water

2011-02-01T18:57:00.000+08:00

FREEWAY FIRECRACKER (by stateofjoe x theregoesmarty)

2011-01-03T06:28:00.002+08:00

White Ass Badass

2010-11-29T21:33:00.000+08:00

Stuff I Found

2010-11-19T17:34:00.000+08:00

The last one's taken with my Blackberry.

Philippine Fashion Week (Spring/Summer 2011)

2010-10-28T00:57:00.000+08:00

Bum Life

2010-10-26T00:58:00.001+08:00

So I've been lying in bed all day, thinking...

2010-10-25T22:56:00.003+08:00

What the hell is wrong? I'm doing everything right: I've been watching Modern Family all day, and consequently laughing all day, I've been eating great food since my mom is back in town and all, the weather is lovely, there's nothing too pressing to be done...

And then it hit me: I've been lying in bed all day, without you.

It's funny how people can get so attached to things without even noticing: like how beautiful it feels to feel the pillow curve a little because your head is next to mine; like how wonderful it is that the deafening silence is broken every now and then by the sound of you, breathing.

I hate it when you're far away. I really do.

Help me out here. I'd really appreciate it.

2010-10-25T03:50:00.002+08:00

I need your votes for National Geographic Channel's "Great Migrations" photo contest! Like the Page (http://on.fb.me/aejM9o) and then Like my entries (http://on.fb.me/cjQWz1, http://on.fb.me/9uI4Z8) to vote for them. Pleeease :D

We're Indestructible

2010-10-16T14:42:00.000+08:00

Dymo Label Blaster

2010-10-06T18:07:00.000+08:00

A 5AM Romance

2010-09-25T07:17:00.000+08:00

Lately I’ve been smoking outside our house at around 5 or 6am and I’ve noticed these two pigeons atop a telephone pole right in front of our lot.

They’re always there.

And they’re always together.

Though they may fly off to far away lands during the rest of the day, every morning, without fail, I see them there. Just… Being with each other.

Without You

2010-09-25T07:15:00.001+08:00

The mind churns

The heart yearns

Well Except for A Few Small Bruises,

2010-09-23T16:21:00.002+08:00

I'm fine.

Shelter (2007)

2010-09-23T04:37:00.002+08:00

Shielding

2010-09-21T01:12:00.000+08:00

Let's Pretend Like It's All Alright

An Out-of-Sight Hello

2010-09-19T07:04:00.003+08:00

"I'm almost always too close to you."

A Few Favorite People

2010-09-19T06:09:00.000+08:00

It's hard to stop missing them.

The deadlines, the gossip, the stress, the laughter. I love these guys, and though Mark and Anton weren't really part of the org, I love them just the same for being awesome. Haha.

It's sad that we only really came together for the fact that Davey is leaving.

There's something about departures that makes us pull each other closer, huh?

Footwear Feelings

2010-09-15T04:47:00.002+08:00

A wise man named Paolo Nutini once said, "Hey, I put my new shoes on and suddenly everything is right."

I need new shoes, I guess.

Have You Ever Felt It?

2010-09-15T00:30:00.002+08:00

That sharp, violent stab of loneliness at the end of a cigarette.

That feeling that your most faithful best friend has just left you. That palpable silence.

It's painful.

So you light up another one.

A New View

2010-09-14T21:45:00.002+08:00

3AM Insecurity

2010-09-14T02:57:00.001+08:00

I know I'm not the perfect guy you've always wanted. I'm different. I'm complicated. I tend to self-destruct on most moments. I create tidal waves and tempests in teacups of various sizes. I'm the epitome of a difficult person to handle, and I guess that's why I prefer to be alone at times. I don't like burdening people with... Well, myself.

I wonder if I'm really worth it.

I wonder if someone uncomplicated, amazing, and not-to-mention actually good-looking strolled along, you wouldn't just drop me in a heartbeat.

It's completely possible, you know. I've seen it a million times.

I could be your greatest mistake.

The Things We've Lost

2010-09-14T00:45:00.000+08:00

Are Frightening to be Found Again

Mother walks into my room and sees the Dunhill Frost on the table. "Wow, Dunhill Menthol. Just like your father." And she goes on about how she wants to start smoking – anything to shake her from her "zombie-like state."

I start to wonder if I've ever felt that way – not just dead, but undead. Like someone with no feelings aside from hunger. No other feelings at all.

I'm afraid of what I'll realize.

By Haruki Murakami

2010-09-11T23:41:00.000+08:00

"Anyone who falls in love is searching for the missing pieces of themselves. So anyone who's in love gets sad when they think of their lover. It's like stepping back inside a room you have fond memories of, one you haven't seen in a long time."

Photo by Martin Allen Claudio

2010-09-08T09:22:00.001+08:00

I Should Make A Difference When Someone Loves You

2010-09-07T01:31:00.002+08:00

Shouldn't it?

We Are The Wasted Youth, Kicking it Real Nice.

2010-09-05T18:58:00.000+08:00

*Director's note: This is a short film, not a documentary. The clips shot and edited do not necessarily reflect the real events.

Questions and More Questions

2010-08-27T01:33:00.000+08:00

It all feels like nothing will ever be answered.

"How long could this last?"

"How much has changed?"

"Where are we now?"

And most importantly,

"Where do we go from here?"

A Cultured Life

2010-08-21T02:34:00.001+08:00

Let's try it for a day and see how things go.

Long story short, we ended the day with some Red Horse Beer at a Sports Bar. Haha.

You Say I'm Different Now

2010-08-19T22:17:00.001+08:00

In what way? I wonder. Better, I hope, but we can never be sure.

Let's Document

2010-08-18T21:24:00.000+08:00

These days of being wild.

So we won't forget

just how crazy we can be;

how immature if we wanted to,

how wise when we really feel like it,

and just how beautiful remembering is.

In An Effort

2010-08-18T20:54:00.000+08:00

To become more productive, I have reorganized my room and made a new work station. I love it.

I think every day is an adventure.

2010-08-16T22:01:00.000+08:00

It's just about perspective.

For You, Who Sleeps; From I, In Waiting.

2010-08-16T01:59:00.002+08:00

It very much disturbs me to find that sometimes, even we're together, I feel myself missing you.

Sometimes, even as I hold your hand, I'm still looking for it. As I kiss your lips, I'm still trying to find familiarity. As you and I hold each other close, I feel empty.

I know that this will frighten you, so I have chosen to write this here as you lay deep in slumber.

Where has the time gone? Two months and a few days since that night. Seems like such a short time, and it still feels that way, too. Especially since you talk to me about the prospect of forever quite a lot. Did I mention I still don't believe in that? Yeah I'm sure I did. 'Reality' and 'right now' are my key words, all the time.

Right now, what I feel is distance, and yet, for the lack of a better term, boredom. We've let ourselves take the backseat and just let this all go by us without thinking that maybe, just maybe, nothing bad is going to happen.

But I don't think so. I miss the old us. The us that had fun – drank beer in skate parks and got high in all the strangest places. The us that talked to each other – really conversed instead of just telling each other how their day was. I miss the craziness of our love.

Fuck stability. Let's rock the boat.

I'm a traveler. I'm a dreamer. I'm a maniac. But lately I feel... Normal. And didn't you say that normal is boring? Fuck the time, fuck the system, fuck the schedules. Let's run away!

It very much disturbs me to find that sometimes, even we're together, I feel myself missing you. But what disturbs me even more is that I feel myself missing me.

It's My Duty

2010-08-15T20:55:00.013+08:00

To make her look good.

Even if sometimes she makes it hard for me to want to do so.

Bedridden

2010-08-14T00:26:00.001+08:00

But not for long.

Wishful Thinking

2010-08-13T09:48:00.001+08:00

Pretty much everyone else has done it, so I might as well give it a shot, even though in reality all I have is the Sharpie and the Pilot. HAHAHA.

Battle Scars

2010-08-11T16:13:00.000+08:00

We all dream of being David and tearing Goliath into little pieces. We all dream of being that great hero who can finally beat the ogre who's been terrorizing the hometown for years. We all dream of being victorious.

But in reality, David can lose. The hero can get eaten up, and chewed apart. People fail.

But it's okay – winning isn't everything, and losing isn't everything either. It's about getting back up and fighting again, when you're stronger and wiser than ever.

I'm a fighter, you see, and a smart one at that. I may have lost this battle, but my head's still in the game, and I'm determined to win the war.

So to everyone who expected, hoped, and supported me throughout this journey of mine, thank you, and I hope you can wait a little longer. You see, success – it's like holding sand or water. You're never sure how you can hang on, or for how long, but once you do, the feeling lasts forever and it's definitely worth the wait.

December 2010, I can't wait. It'll be the best birthday present ever!

Looking Back at You

2010-07-24T03:21:00.002+08:00

Don't we all miss "the good old days?"

Those days when nothing, and everything, mattered. Those days when we could just take it all in stride.

They say that when you grow up, your heart dies. You wake up one day and you're so far from what you were, and what you've always wanted to be, too. You're just... Different.

Sometimes better, often worse.

But the thing about growing up is that it never ends. We just keep changing. And it's never too late to be who you've always wanted to be.

So smile for the camera, and move along.

Hearts don't die when you grow up - they just get covered in dust and grime. And just like old photos, we can clean them up and pretend they're what they've always been, or appreciate the dirt and damage and call it "character."

A Paper Wallet

2010-07-23T12:25:00.004+08:00

No, it's not some metaphorical title.

I literally made a wallet out of paper. In like, 5 minutes.

This is the one I'm actually considering using. Awesome! Check out Lifehacker for a link to help you make your own!

Under Attack

2010-07-21T22:31:00.000+08:00

This morning, as I was walking out of my village subdivision, I was listening to Love the Way You Lie by Eminem, featuring Rihanna.

I started crying uncontrollably.

I haven't been that affected by a song in 3 years. I was in shock.

It's strange how much we fear hurting the ones we love, but end up driving ourselves into it because of all our anxiety anyway. We bottle up our emotions until our walls shatter. We fight our own fears until they find a way to sneak up on us.

I guess what I'm really trying to say is that sometimes, we really do become what we are most afraid of.

And sometimes, when the people we love become the monsters, we don't do a thing. We take it, hoping they'll change again.

Maybe our relationship isn't as crazy as it seems. Maybe that's what happens when a tornado meets a volcano. All I know is I love you too much to walk away, though.

A Portrait of Joe by Gibro

2010-07-21T12:27:00.000+08:00

Thanks, Mark :)

Above, a photo of myself by me. Below, Mark's artistic rendition. Haha.

Look at These Fucking Hipsters

2010-07-18T22:38:00.001+08:00

I love them.

These Old Habits

2010-07-15T01:52:00.008+08:00

They start small.

But they die hard,

and are too deadly

to keep in the first place.

Don't You Forget About Me

2010-07-12T15:53:00.000+08:00

When you walk on by, will you call my name?

I absolutely love this Yellowcard performance, sampling one of my favorite movies of all time, The Breakfast Club.

Performed at the VMA's a few years ago, if anything, this solidified my love for the band, the song, and the spirit of the great John Hughes film. It's funny how sometimes, things from more than two decades ago become so relevant in our lives now.

Hooray for retrospect.

We All Just Want To Be Appreciated,

2010-07-11T21:05:00.001+08:00

(Image from PostSecret)

Right?

Music Sounds Better with You

2010-07-11T05:48:00.000+08:00

I'd like to think I could beat Nick at his own game.

Yes, I admit: I'm a hopeless romantic. I made a mix cd of some relevant songs for me and my dinosaur to celebrate our first month together. It's silly, I know, and I've always thought I was beyond this kind of stuff, but here I am.

Because, I guess, no matter how hard or painful the fights are, and no matter what anybody says... I'm in love. And I'm happy.

And 30 days is an achievement.

You Need to Spell It Out

2010-07-10T00:33:00.004+08:00

Cause we’re gonna make our mistakes, and find out how much your heart can take.
But I know that you got my back, and baby I got yours.

Reach for the Sky

2010-07-06T23:17:00.000+08:00

We are much more capable than we are aware of - or than we are let on.

This is something I learned in class today. Religion, God, or anything else that we place above ourselves, enslaves us and dehumanizes us. In truth, we are far more powerful than any of us actually expect. We construct these deities to quell our fear and insecurity. We create them because we doubt ourselves.

We create them because in truth, we're afraid of our own power.

A long time ago, people said that man can't fly. It's something just for the gods and other creatures to have.

Tell that to Jay-Z and his private jet.

I say, reach for the sky. Because what you can imagine, you can make real. Don't let God tell you otherwise.

So go ahead, dream that dream. And when you wake up, believe that you can make it come true.

I Told You I Was...

2010-07-05T00:42:00.000+08:00

Progress, baby.

Elsewhere

2010-07-02T16:47:00.002+08:00

Someone please explain to me why I'm not living here. There is just no reason not to.

We Can Fight Our Desires

2010-07-02T03:43:00.005+08:00

(Cover of La Roux's In for the Kill, by Miike Snow)

(Cover of La Roux's In for the Kill, by Kelis)

(Cover of La Roux's In for the Kill, by Erik Hassle)

I'm going in for the kill. I'm doing it for a thrill. I'm hoping you'll understand, and not let go of my hand.

Guilty Pleasures and Pastimes

2010-07-01T23:28:00.006+08:00

(Pretty Little Liars S01E04)

You spend too much time thinking about what things mean.

Emily: Hi.
Maya: I don't know what to do right now - hug you or shake hands. I mean, there might all sorts of security cameras around... Sorry.
Emily: Don't say that. You have every right to be mad at me.
Maya: I'm not mad at you.
Emily: I was wrong to jump on you about the pictures.
Maya: Is this about the pictures, or is it about the kiss?
Emily: I like the kiss. But I don't know what that kiss means.

Maya: You spend too much time thinking about what things mean. A kiss, a picture... A scarf...

Emily: There's so much going on in my head right now, and I'm just trying to figure out the right thing to do.
Maya: What do you need? Right now.
Emily: A little time. Some space. Not just with you but, with my mom, with everybody.
Maya: We can get some space here. It's okay.
Emily: Thanks.
Maya: Goodnight.

Maya: I care about you. So I'll wait. You don't need to say anything. You just need to know that.

I Swear I'm Working on It

2010-07-01T01:43:00.002+08:00

This September.

Make Your Wish

2010-06-30T23:33:00.005+08:00

(One Tree Hill S05E13)

Make a wish and place it in your heart.

Anything you want, everything you want. Do you have it? Good. Now believe it can come true.

You never know where the next miracle is gonna come from, the next smile, the next wish come true. But if you believe that it's right around the corner, and you open your heart and mind to the possibility of it, to the certainty of it. You just might get the thing you're wishing for.

The world is full of magic. You just have to believe in it.

So make your wish. Do you have it? Good. Now believe in it.

With all your heart.

Our Days are Unpredictable

2010-06-29T22:06:00.026+08:00

My professor told me today that I seem to be the reincarnation of Scottish philosopher David Hume.

He believed in a world ruled by uncertainty. We can never know what happens next. Those things we think we can rely on are merely products of our constant conditioning to believe as such. In truth, we're doomed into uncertainty, and this fear forces us to hang on to things that aren't even really there.

It's a frightening thought, believing in this. Because I have freedom. I have liberty. But on the flipside, I have freedom. I have liberty.

Yes, exactly. It's a double-edged sword. You're free to create meaning in your own life, but it's all pointless in the grand scheme of things - because there is no grand scheme in the first place.

But if you really think about it, I guess that's where the magic lies: the fact that life, truly is, what you make it. And even if it's insanely hot in the morning, you can always hope for cool, soothing rain in the afternoon.

Who knows if the sun will rise tomorrow? Who cares, anyway?

Well apparently, not me. Haha!

Mondays are Always Gloomy

2010-06-28T23:46:00.004+08:00

Except when we're together.

God, Stuff, et. Al.

2010-06-28T16:23:00.002+08:00

(Image from PostSecret)

Sometimes the absence of God is all you really need to know that your life is lovely.

In Preparation

2010-06-22T01:22:00.005+08:00

All chapters end.

Nothing Much

2010-06-16T19:29:00.007+08:00

We all have our seemingly-pointless days.

Some Days Are Better Than Others

2010-06-15T19:24:00.005+08:00

It all depends on who you're with.

Tiny Treasures

2010-06-15T00:08:00.013+08:00

Today was all about the little things. The small, almost insignificant things (to others) that make me feel happy.

I found some treasures on an impromptu thrift shopping trip I had with my mom. I finally found a leather satchel that I've been lusting after for weeks now. It's amazing what you can find in someone else's "trash." What I like most about it is that I feel like it has a story to tell.

If only our possessions could talk, no? What tales they'd tell about their owners. Every scratch, nick, and discoloration fascinates me.

My friend Kris texted me, asking if I wanted to hang out and smoke with him. I opened the door to leave the house and lo and behold, I found a kitten getting cozy on our upside-down umbrella!

Little things. Little things mean so much to me.

The scent of a cigarette as it burns in the night. The sound of a lighter being flicked. The smile of a friend as you tell him about the great new changes in your life.

Little things. Tiny treasures, that in the vast expanse of life, seem to go unnoticed.

They make me happy.

Memories

2010-06-10T10:47:00.012+08:00

I've always been a sucker for mementos.

I guess I'm just the kind of guy who likes living in the past. I like remembering.

And at the same time, I like forgetting.

So you remind me to stay in the present. To savor each moment. Because honestly, each one could be our last. Each one could be the beginning or the end. We are full of questions and answers that even we may be afraid of.

Fuck it.

You ask me, "When?"

I answer, "Now."

Just... Now.