It has been a while since my last post; about 7 months now. Well, I was busy for quite some time figuring out things for my future. So here I am an expat in the land where Frodo was walking miles and miles to Mordor to destroy the "precious". Yes yes you guessed it (I knew you would)... New Zealand!
I've stayed here for a few months and I am enjoying it. I went to a few places and I am in awe at how beautiful this country is. So far, I have lived in 3 cities-- Dunedin, Invercargill, and Christchurch in less than six months. And I spent a few days at Auckland. Which is a good coverage in a short period of time if you come to think about it.
The beginning of my New Zealand life in snap shots:
Auckland
Dunedin
Invercargill
Christchurch
More to come as I move forward through this new path... Cheers!
Most times we complain when we have to meet a deadline that's coming too soon. But when we come to think of it, there's some good that results from it sometimes. We get challenged and we later find out that we are actually capable of beating the deadline. I can hear Barney Stinson saying out loud his epic line, "Challenge Accepted!"
In my case, I thought I wouldn't be able to catch up in creating an artwork especially for the upcoming art exhibit this weekend. I was already planning to submit an old piece that I made when I was still in high school. Haha. With words of encouragement, I was able to finish a drawing that's satisfactory to me. I've done my pencil work "Psychedelic Muse" in a matter of days. It's not the best but at least I've made something I'm happy about.
I dedicate this work to every woman who walks this planet and beyond.
"Psychedelic Muse" in progress:
Come visit Baji Collective's 2014 art exhibit: March 23 - April 5, 2014 Galleria Luisa, Gallares St. Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines
I'm no car enthusiast but when it comes to VW Beetle I get caught in a love bug. I've been having a crush on this cute hot wheels ever since. The whole thing is just adorable that I wish I could collect them in different colors, put in a box and play with them all day. Haha. Forgive me for sounding ridiculous.
My uncle had a powder blue Beetle which he owned since the 1970's. It was his signature ride that every time people see it driving around town, they'd know it was him. The Beetle matched his charisma, being friendly and approachable.
My uncle's restored 1972 VW Beetle (c. M. Ongcog)
This car model's timelessness makes it a darling of the crowd. Being inexpensive, friendly, and easy to maintain its worldwide popularity led it to be called "The People's Car". As a matter of fact, it is the most-produced car in automotive history.
Facing competition with modern cars, demand for the Beetle has declined leading to its last production in 2003. The very last beetle produced in Mexico was nicknamed "El Rey", Spanish for "The King", which resides in Volkswagen's museum in Germany.
El Rey rolling off the production line at Volkswagen plant in Puebla, Mexico
If given the chance to own this classic vehicle, I wouldn't hesitate at all. It would be an honor to drive this iconic car. Come to think about it, this is my dream ride... oh, yes it is.
Check out these uniquely customized Beetles you'd enjoy looking at in awe:
Vochol is a beaded VW Beetle in Mexico. The name is a combination of Mexico's term for the Beetle "vocho" and "Huichol" which is the common name of the Wirrarika indigenous group that transformed this car into a beaded work of art.
Gate and fencing Croatian company MG Vrbanus stripped the VW Beetle and applied wrought iron sections. This is their way of displaying their quality craftsmanship. The company thought of using the Beetle for such advertisement since most people identify with it being an iconic vehicle.
Mr. and Mrs. Bojic from Bosnia and Herzegovina tiled up their Beetle with wood. The couple carved each wooden tile in their own garden workshop. Before being applied on the car, each tile underwent 23 separate procedures like cutting, beveling and smoothing.
I've seen some videos and photos about friendship between man and lions but this one has been the most touching so far. Right when the lions (Meg and Amy) came running to Kevin and hugged him intimately, it brought me to tears. And all throughout the video I just couldn't stop smiling because I was so amused by the bond between him and these iconic predators. I get inspired by people like Kevin Richardson who see wildlife in a totally different perspective. Wild animals always have a gentler side in them. They're actually just like us, if only we know better.
Kevin, also known as the Lion Whisperer, is a South African self-taught animal behaviorist who has worked extensively with wild creatures such as lions, hyenas, cheetahs, and leopards. Unlike most animal handlers who use force and fear to subdue them, Kevin manages to build a relationship with the big cats by using love, trust, and understanding. With this approach, he is accepted by several prides of lions and clans of spotted hyenas.
He publicized this unique relationship through movies and videos hoping to raise public awareness and to educate the world for the protection and conservation of these beautiful animals who are decreasing in population year after year.
I cannot express more how inspired I am after finding out about the Lion Whisperer-- indeed, there is still faith in humanity. People like Kevin still exist and live today, striving to make the world a better place. I hope his efforts will not be in vain and humankind will pay attention to his message that these big cats should not be hunted down to extinction.
"A lion is not a possession; it's a sentient being, so you must pay attention and develop your bond like with any relationship." - Kevin Richardson
Watch this amazing video of Kevin with lions and hyenas:
I hope after seeing the video you'd help raise awareness for the protection of the wild animals of South Africa and the whole world. They deserve to exist just like us.
Just when I thought it would be ages before I can own a quality ukulele, here comes a wonderful surprise from L. One night when I was about to travel to a neighboring island, L gave me a beautiful ukulele out of the blue. You guessed it, I shed tears. Who wouldn't? But of course I was crying out of happiness. The act itself and the ukulele melted my heart... oh, the ukulele. I named her Penny-- after Penny from The Big Bang Theory and from The Beatles' Penny Lane which is one of my favorite Beatles song (this name popped out of my head while I was lying on the boat's bunk bed). I'm challenged to get better at playing this little instrument. It'd be a shame to have a good ukulele and not be good at using it. I'm soooo grateful for this awesome present! *smiling from ear to ear with sparkling eyes*
Penny is a handcrafted ukulele of Susing's Guitar, Cebu, Philippines.
Penny and me:
Even though there's a bright and shiny new ukulele, our first still remains close to my heart-- Cece (in analogue):
Just because I can't get enough of the ukulele, here are more from Pinterest.
Everybody has a dream house for sure. Some place to settle, relax, and call home. As for me, my dream home is something made out of a box. Literally. I want a shipping container house. I've been drooling over beautiful designs of these cargo boxes. There are tons of them lying around in docks around the world, hence, using them to build a house is basically recycling. Most of my readings have three things in common to say about this type of dwelling-- it's eco-friendly, durable and practical. Yup, just the way I like it. I'm psyched to get my own shipping container home. In the mean time... here's a drool fest of lovely shipping container architecture.
