Reading/Drawing/Styling

If there's anything that can be done one day at a time, it's learning. I advocate the thinking that anything can be learned, even skills that people insist are dependent on talent, like singing, dancing, and writing. Sure, talent makes it so that there is a predisposition to a skill, but with enough attention to the right procedure and plenty of practice, I think every skill can be developed. 

I've always envied visual artists, those that can replicate the world around us, and especially those that can transfer their own imaginings onto canvas. I've often wondered how it would be like if I could just draw or paint all my thoughts! Wild. 

I don't think I'm terrible at drawing, in fact I can draw enough to give semblances to my target images; but I have obvious problems with proportions and depth (and, well, patience.) Last weekend, over sandwiches and beer, my friends and I got to talking about arts and crafts. I somehow had shared that I wasn't good at visual arts, and was frustrated by drawing. Chris started to excitedly describe a book, whose author supposedly guarantees that everyone can learn how to draw, and draw well. He gave a very rough gist, but enough to pique my interest, because here I am two days later, on the third chapter.

After a short introduction on the basis of the teaching technique (which read like a research journal or some other academic paper,) it went on to listing the materials needed for the drawing exercises. The first exercise, however, only needed a pencil and paper. I had to draw a 1) self-portrait, 2) a person from memory, and 3) my hand, to serve as a point of comparison when tracking my progress (a ka, "before" drawings. Forgive the scans, I recycled lyric sheets from past productions.)

Self-Portrait: It looks like a person, but it doesn't look like me

Person from memory: Ryan, who ended up looking like Marcos =/ So bizarre, I'd just seen him minutes before, but I couldn't remember a single detail vividly when I tried to bring his face to mind

My hand: strangely disfigured

I think I've proven a point about my drawing skills, or obvious lack of it. I'm hoping I belong to the demographic that this technique works on, and that I'll actually see improvement in my "after" drawings. In the meantime, I'll document this entire project for posterity. 

I've been consciously working on my visual creativity lately, and I mentioned having dabbled in food styling a few weeks ago. Here is the first finished product, as posted on the Chef's Classics Facebook page. It took a leap of faith in myself to accept that project, long hours in the kitchen studio to get things right, and what a great feeling to see it come to fruition. I have so many things to refine, like my taste and my eye for composition; but what's important is I tried it, I learned from it, and I'm willing to do better next time.

Cooked and styled this one-pot Chicken Pilaf to show off @chefsclassics cookware with detachable handles 👌 Entirely new skill set for me, but the guys of @videobybelle made it enjoyable! #LetsCookPH #food

A video posted by Katherine (@kaichypoo) on Oct 5, 2015 at 5:18am PDT

#BilangPilipino

We can still keep hoping, and working together, for a better Philippines. Praying for a wiser electorate this 2016, and a leader who will have the country's best interests as his/her top priority, and not selfish ambitions.

United for the flag Beautiful capture by @BilangPilipino on Twitter
Posted by The Ryan Cayabyab Singers on Tuesday, September 8, 2015

I felt privileged to have been part of the launch of #BilangPilipino this morning, TV5's media campaign that encourages awareness through high-tech and accurate coverage for better discernment. It's been a while, but I got choked up singing our arrangement of Bayan Ko and Impossible Dream. I love this country so much, I hate seeing it/us in self-destruction. Praying for bigger and better futures for us all!

Found this picture on Twitter from @BloggerManila
Posted by The Ryan Cayabyab Singers on Monday, September 7, 2015

It was also our first gig with Anthony :)

We Live Life By Days

I've put off doing so many things for "someday," because "someday" was always so safely vague and faraway. I set some dreams aside in this giant box of "someday," collecting them like precious artefacts, taking them out for a dusting once in a while, but mostly keeping them tucked away. I imagined, and maybe half-expected, that those dreams would naturally and eventually be fulfilled; that I would see them realized given enough time. When I got older. After I graduated from high school... no, college. When I started earning my own money, or maybe when I had my first million. When I'm ready. Only, what if it's like having a baby? My mommy-friends say, "you'll never be ready," or at least until you've given birth, then you just make yourself ready.

Suddenly, that faraway "someday" is now, staring me in the eye with a raised brow, tapping its toes impatiently. What now? I figured: either I continue curating this dream museum of mine, where my dreams are kept mint but useless, or I make myself ready to breathe life into those dreams, one day at a time. I've chosen the latter; and in this space, I hope to be reminded to continue to choose the latter by documenting how great it feels to have a dream fulfilled. I want to keep track of all the things I've done to make me proud of being me, and acknowledge even the small triumphs, like experiencing something for the first time. I want to write about the things I enjoy doing, and maybe it'll encourage other people to try them out, live their own dreams, too.

I'll have them good, and I'll roll through the bad; but one thing's for sure, we live life by days.