Wednesday, February 23, 2011

28


I thank God for this borrowed time and my mother for giving birth to me on this day 28 years ago! =)

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Rainy Days and Nick Drake

Nick DrakeIt's been raining again for quite some time. The skies are gray and the air is cold. You know what completes days like these? Nick Drake. Especially since I'm by myself at home.

I first heard (or read) of Nick Drake the day Heath Ledger died (may he rest in peace). That was three years ago. Heath wanted to make a documentary about him. Maybe I listened to some of his songs, I can't remember. I was not paying attention. But I was definitely struck by how young he died. Yet I moved on.

Then last August came. It was my own folk festival. I discovered and rediscovered music artists: from Ray Lamontagne, Damien Rice, to newer ones Fleet Foxes and Joshua Radin. And an independent artist, whose name I forgot, pointed me to Nick Drake again. This indie artist mentioned Nick as one of his two influences. I remember thinking that his name sounded familiar. When I checked him on wikipedia, I was very sure I've seen him before.

This time I listened, really listened. It was the kind of attention a lot of great and unheard of musicians need. And he stayed in my playlist at work for weeks. I later found out about the AT&T commercial. In a way, his music helped me through an otherwise uninspiring job.

After a month, I had a Mojo magazine with him on the cover and a dream to take photos like Keith Morris did. And this blog eventually resurrected.

Most of his fans might have the album Bryter Layter as favorite. It was mine, too, for a while. But Pink Moon grew on me. It was raw and melancholic, like his own soul was exposed. Melancholy is not necessarily sad. Nick's lyrics might be depressing, but his songs are uplifting. "Depressingly uplifting" may well describe his music that when I listen to them, I come back to myself. When I hear them, I am home.

Friday, February 11, 2011

What to Wear

My sister stuck in her clothes. [ My fault =) ]

Jamie - Photo by Julienne M
Jamie - Photo by Julienne M
Jamie - Photo by Julienne M Jamie - Photo by Julienne M

I had fun using GIMP's FX-Foundry for the last image. Free tools are amazing!

Nate Duval


This is the screen printed calendar I won from Nate Duval, an illustrator and graphic designer from the US. It arrived last week in a paper tube packaging and came with an interesting business card. I like it very much. What's nice with this kind of printing is that you can really touch and feel it. When the year ends, I can turn it into a poster.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Freedom

Freedom lies in being bold.
Robert Frost

For what avail the plough or sail,
Or land or life, if freedom fail?
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Freedom is not something that anybody can be given. Freedom is something people take, and people are as free as they want to be.
James Baldwin

There are two freedoms - the false, where a man is free to do what he likes; the true, where he is free to do what he ought.
Charles Kingsley

All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.
Gandalf (The Fellowship of the Ring movie)

So, if the Son makes you free, you will be really free.
John 8: 36

We are free, of course, but let not your freedom cause others, who are less prepared, to fall.
1st Cor. 8:9

The Lord is Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
2nd Cor. 3:17

Then you will know the truth and the truth will make you free.
John 8:32

Do not be conformed to the world where you live, but rather be transformed through the renewal of your mind. You must discern the will of God, what is good, what pleases, what is perfect.
Romans 12:2



Starting today, I will be working from home again.

The other day, I received my final clearance from DOST, where I got my college scholarship. As I got out of DOST's gate, I was greeted by a dove. And then it flew...