artography for the masses

Marvin

2011-12-14T13:19:00.005-05:00

our paths met about 4 years ago while i was working at a kiosk in MacArthur Center mall. he was part of the service staff that emptied out the trash cans there. he saw that i had a ladybug tattoo and has called me "ladybug" ever since. all these years he has never asked what my actual name is. a reason for that is because he can't read or write. he can remember sounds of words and he gives people nicknames from what visually inspires him at that moment.

he showed me a composition book he was filling up with rendered drawings he did of charlie brown cartoons. the book is for his young son as a gift. marvin will look at the small comic frames printed in the newspaper and then draw them larger. he's very proud of his ability to be a human "copy machine."

a few months ago he asked me to get him a "campus". i didn't understand at first what he was referring to until he described wanting to put a picture on it as a gift. so then i was thought, "OH! A CANVAS!"

He surprised me with a drawing of Garfield as a holiday gift and he had me fill in the talk bubble for him.

i saw he wrote "STAR WARS" on the above picture he rendered and i asked him how'd he know to put that on there since he can't read or write. his response was, "someone just shows me what to put and i copy it."

i asked him why he hasn't learned how to read or write and he said "some people know how to drive really well. some people know how to get jobs." I offered to teach him and he said, "thank you but everything is fine just the way it is. let's just be friends." and gives me a small bow and big smile.

his spirit is strong and i'm grateful for the lessons i'm learning from our friendship.

Fall Festival

2011-11-22T23:54:00.004-05:00

Freshly pressed apple juice.

Pirate story telling and artifacts.

Pumpkin painting

Local honey tasting.

I volunteered to be the photographer at the annual Fall Festival for First Landing State Park. It is the biggest event they organize. For the park staff, it signifies preparations for the closing during the winter season.

Photography/ Creative Writing Workshop

2011-10-06T12:40:00.004-04:00

Thanks to my wonderful friend, Dr. Crystal Leigh Endsley, I will be hosting a photography and creative writing workshop at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY near the end of this month. A big "Thank you!" also goes out to the students for making the above flyer!

my motion picture adventures begin...

2011-09-21T18:55:00.003-04:00

many many many moons ago a good friend of mine told me i should try my hand at film since it's just a camera capturing motion and i'd be good at it. a month ago i upgraded my dslr to one that also shoots HD video. this change was meant to be.

i've made it my mission to document and share the spirit of community, culture, music, art, spoken word and dance wherever i may encounter it. why? because it's love in it's most creative form and i hope to inspire others to continuously explore and expand their creative self.

i am a citizen of the world. i am here to share the goodness that comes from it.

Art Portfolio: Bonn Duong

2011-08-15T12:35:00.005-04:00

Fine artist,Bonn Duong, from Annandale, VA, poses with her pastel creation. I met up with her at the Union 206 Studio recently to help archive her art work digitally.

We had some technical difficulty figuring out how to hang her largest piece. Just to give you an idea of how large it was, Bonn stands at about 5'3.

Bonn's self-sculpture. I think she tried to ride the HOV with it that day... I kid :)

musical musings

2011-08-12T10:46:00.004-04:00

this summer 13 year old abby, has been playing covers of today's popular song hits at local cafes such as cafe moka in chesapeake.

mike and michelle watch their daughter, abby, play an acoustic set at borjo's in norfolk, va.

i am a proud auntie.

vocabulary of a gadget girl

2011-07-04T23:12:00.002-04:00

Pia, who just turned three years old today, says, "Dada, download a new game."

The Draft Lottery 3

2011-07-02T12:37:00.002-04:00

reasons why i enjoy photographing b-boys and b-girls.

animal spirits: praying mantis

2011-05-11T12:17:00.004-04:00

one morning I decided to finally pull all the crab grass that took over the lavendar plant and to give the lavendar a trim so the walkway to the house was clear. I came upon a praying mantis in the lavendar. with fascination, i watched it be still during all the commotion of pulling the grab grass. The following morning I saw another praying mantis on my car and thought "this is a message!" and looked up its symbolism.

http://www.whats-your-sign.com/animal-symbolism-mantis.html

Praying Mantis Meanings in the Realms of Animal Symbolism

The mantis comes to us when we need peace, quiet and calm in our lives. Usually the mantis makes an appearance when we've flooded our lives with so much business, activity, or chaos that we can no longer hear the still small voice within us because of the external din we've created.

After observing this creature for any length of time you can see why the symbolism of the praying mantis deals with stillness and patience. The mantis takes her time, and lives her life at her own silent pace.

* Stillness
* Awareness
* Creativity
* Patience
* Mindful
* Calm
* Balance
* Intuition

These traits have lead the mantis to be a symbol of meditation and contemplation. In fact, in China, the mantis has long been honored for her mindful movements.

The mantis never makes a move unless she is 100% positive it is the right thing for her to do. This is a message to us to contemplate and be sure our minds and souls all agree together about the choices we are making in our lives.

Overwhelmingly in most cultures the mantis is a symbol of stillness. As such, she is an ambassador from the animal kingdom giving testimony to the benefits of meditation, and calming our minds.

An appearance from the mantis is a message to be still, go within, meditate, get quite and reach a place of calm. It may also a sign for you to be more mindful of the choices you are making and confirm that these choices are congruent.

Union 206 Studio: April 2011

2011-05-09T13:50:00.001-04:00

"the world is black." - charles butler, owner of Union 206 Studio
charles explaining the science behind light falloff. i like to refer to him as "light macguyver".

the beauty dish.

photo courtesy of lori esque

behind the scenes set-up.

photo courtesy of lori esque

in front of me.

the ring flash.

slick rick

2011-05-07T13:30:00.006-04:00

the perks of shooting my friends' band performing right before the headliner = securing a spot right in front of the stage.

The Draft Lottery: 757 B-boy Event 1-29-11

2011-05-06T13:40:00.003-04:00

this exhibition of b-boys was sponsored by radioactive cardboard created by my homie ron, a.k.a. johnny breaker. we recently teamed up to promote this organization and i'm honored and excited to be part of it.

i've been an avid fan of break dancing since 1995. i took my very first photographs of a b-boy senior year of high school for the annual student gallery show. i won two awards for them. a decade or so later, me and photographing b-boys have become synonymous.

for more information about radioactive cardboard <== click there.

Union 206 Studio: March 2011

2011-05-06T13:20:00.004-04:00

this was my first time at Union 206 Studio in Alexandria,Va. i came up to hang out with my buddy rob and my old time photography partner in crime, lorimar. she introduced me to this studio and i was giddy the whole time.

behind the scenes photo taken by lorimar, the master mind behind www.lorimaresque.com

it's a playground for light sculpting.

lorimar and i kickin' it on the cyc wall.

my goal is to come up at least once a month to shoot at this studio. three words... heaven on earth.

Asa's 3rd Life Anniversary

2011-05-05T23:54:00.007-04:00

this lil' nugget is growing up so fast!

dinosaur themed party. how awesome is the cake decoration?!!

Dupre's Salon: London Punk Theme

2011-05-05T23:49:00.004-04:00

this shoot was a collaboration of hair stylists & make-up artists from dupre's salon and models from wilhelmina.

diisha

2011-05-05T23:26:00.002-04:00

she texted me one day and asked if i could take photos of her because she was having a good hair day.

she makes me laugh and she makes awesome pies crust.

www.diishahicks.com

K Scott

2011-05-05T23:16:00.005-04:00

a sneak peak from a series of portraits i created of my dear friend, k scott.

i remember the first time hearing her voice. i said, "i want to take her home so she can sing me to sleep!"

p.s. i heart stage lighting.

Art, Pizza, Music 9-22-10

2011-04-25T14:49:00.002-04:00

i like scoping out the local art shows and meeting the artists.

tiffany lin.

fernando hernandez at work customizing designs on trucker style hats.

fernando's work on canvas. it is amazing and for sale folks.

marcus johnson. portraits done in oil, graphite and prismacolor.

my hands in dirt

2011-04-25T14:24:00.003-04:00

i finally have a plant in my home office. pretty.

last week i repotted the house plants and spent the day outside getting fresh oxygen into my pneumonia infected lungs. i thought about listening to music while i worked outside but decided to enjoy the sounds of the neighborhood instead.... kids playing, birds, dogs barking, someone hammering, a lawn mower. it was nice to have my hands in the dirt instead of on some sort of digital technology for a few hours.

The Silver Lining LP Release Party: 8-3-10

2011-04-25T14:16:00.000-04:00

j.pharaoh released his first LP and threw a party at 45 degrees martini lounge in chesapeake, va.

j asked if he could include some photos i took of recent performances in the CD insert. this was the first time i got photo credits on a CD!

marco got to play DJ.

j had special performances which included my favorite local ladies band astronaut mike dexter.

j and marie hill.

hen & k scott showin' j some love.

always rockin' the crowd!

wack remix featuring intalek, hen and keynote speaker.

get your copy of The Silver Lining LP at the next show!

Songkran 4-17-11

2011-04-24T15:08:00.000-04:00

i recently went to the wat thai in silver spring, MD for the annual songkran festival. as a ritual, thai people show respect to buddha by sticking gold leaves on his statue.

dousing water on a golden buddha statue is also a ritual at this festival.

every year the attendance grows as the smell of grilled chicken and the thought of sweet ripe mango over sticky rice beckon all to come.

i felt like anthony bourdain curiously checking out all the food vendors.

cultural dances were performed by local youth groups. i caught them getting all blinged up before they went out on stage.

Sentara Rehab Facility

2011-04-23T13:34:00.000-04:00

my first commercial gig! sentara needed photos to exhibit the size of their new rehab facility.

it was a fun stitching and editing challenge. i'm game for more!

SULU Series NY: 8-15-10

2011-04-23T13:10:00.001-04:00

guest host koba sounds.

marco mercado on the mic! VA made a presence at this particular show.

alex cena, originally from va Beach, currently resides in DC and hosts the Sulu Series for DC.

757s intalek and dj lockdown.

dr. crystal leigh endsley settin' the stage on fire.

musician jay legaspi.

performance artist kilusan bautista.

excerpt from Sulu Series facebook page:

From September 2005-2010, Sulu Series was a monthly showcase of emerging and established Asian American artists locally and across the country.

Hosted by Regie Cabico, curated by Artistic Director Taiyo Na, with music by resident crowd mover DJ Boo, and brought to you by the Sulu Artist Network, the Sulu Series, named after Sulu of Star Trek - the first Asian American character to venture into unknown galactic quadrants - and a remote island in the Philippines, features Asian American performers in music, spoken word, video and multidisciplinary performances from the local and national scenes.

Regie Cabico, the series co-founder and host was inspired to start Sulu because New York lacked a gathering of emerging and established Asian artists. "When I started performing my work in the Nuyorican Poets Cafe 13 years ago there was no community or support." He is currently Artist-In-Residence at NYU's Asian Pacific American Studies Department and a Poetry Slam Icon having won top prizes in the 1993, 1994 & 1997 National Poetry Slam and has appeared on HBO's Def Poetry Jam.

"I was really impressed with the growing Asian American Renaissance in all of the major cities but realized that there was no center where we could gather at least on a monthly level. We, a collective of Artists at the Asian Spoken Word summit in Boston, gathered New York artists and did a Katrina benefit at Galapagos and at the ImaginAsian Theater. The energy was so good I wanted to keep it going. This is the only performance showcase of its kind with this scope."

"There are mostly Asian nights in New York comedy clubs but this will mix comedy with a strong political backbone and artistic styles. The fact that this series isn't named after a fruit, a beverage or anything edible in the Orient is already taking us light years ahead."

For Artistic Director Taiyo Na, Sulu is about creating a base. "Sulu is for keeping the community inspired through the arts and keeping the artists community-minded. You always need a hub where younger artists connect with older ones and vice versa. You always need that space where you feel a sense of community and legacy and remember to stay a part of it no matter where you go."

K Scott 8-11-10

2011-04-23T12:02:00.001-04:00

sometimes it's about what i hear that inspires me to take a photo.

blue trumpet

2011-04-22T16:06:00.001-04:00

jesse's trumpet. neat.

Lynnhaven Underground: Props to the DJ 8-26-10

2011-04-22T16:00:00.001-04:00

local DJs bumpin' awesome music. a marco produced event.

and all the dancin' we did got me hungry for crispy fried lumpia! nom nom nom!

special guest emcee, intalek.

good times!

Last Tuesdays: 7-27-10

2011-04-22T13:29:00.000-04:00

an exhibit of my photography during a Last Tuesdays event.

marco posted a thank you note to my wall.

Canibus Show: 7-30-10

2011-04-21T00:54:00.001-04:00

the highlight of the canibus show were the local emcees/artists/DJs that opened up at 37th and zen in norfolk, va.

so they were just sitting there and i went up to ask them if i could take a photo of them just chillin' because they totally matched their environment and held a presence that had me wanting to know "who are these guys?" meet the super fantastic force brothers: jon bibbs (on the right) and derek 320 (on the left).

disko dave.

dicap.

ced hughes.

dj bee.

jon bibbs and derek 320

m-eighty holds the record for the longest freestyle rap

canibus.

Mink & Cheef's Electric Band: 7-3-10

2011-04-21T00:06:00.000-04:00

your new favorite band playing live at the gosport tavern in portsmouth, va.

cheef.

mink.

DP.

lizar

they even jam out with students they teach.

they rock!

crystal leigh

2011-04-20T15:56:00.000-04:00

a portrait session with an amazing friend.

"We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot."
-- Eleanor Roosevelt

thank you lady friend, for your fearlessness.

one early morning...

2011-02-03T13:53:00.001-05:00

why fret when you can create music?

lynnhaven underground: 7-1-10

2011-02-03T13:39:00.000-05:00

self-expression. it's in what we wear. it's in what we say. it's in how we sing a song or rap a verse. it's in our dance moves. it is LOVE.

Meet Maddox

2011-02-03T13:28:00.001-05:00

i've often heard "our children are the best of us." if that's the case, we all better be working on being the best of who we create ourselves to be.

tatay

2010-10-04T20:04:00.002-04:00

this is my maternal grandfather. this photo was taken last year in june.

instead of calling him grandfather or lolo (grandfather in tagalog) i call him tatay (tah-tie). it means father in tagalog but in my family even the grandkids call him that.

yesterday my uncle called and left me a message that tatay passed away. he didn't. it was miscommunication. i'm glad auntie called just right before i was going to post about it letting the world know how sad i was. so... yay! he's alive!

one of my favorite memories of my tatay goes like this....

i was young gal in my single digits. maybe 8 or so years old. he had just moved to the U.S. from the philippines.

tatay: "neleh, can you whistle and brush your teeth at the same time?"

me: "no tatay. you can't do that."

tatay: "yes. wanna see?"

we go to the bathroom. he takes his dentures out of his mouth and starts brushing them while whistling.

the man cracks me up til this day.

anne k

2010-09-10T15:34:00.002-04:00

i had the pleasure this summer to do a portrait shoot of anne k, an awesome friend of mine. she's also a very talented photographer and graphic designer. she and i go way back. i used to model for her when she took photography courses many moons ago.

Day #80: to the blue bin

2010-09-10T12:10:00.000-04:00

Day #79: reincarnated

2010-09-10T12:08:00.001-04:00

Day #78: sun drying

2010-09-10T12:00:00.003-04:00

since snow gloves soak up so much water when you wash them, i decided to hang them in my car in the sunlight heat instead of in the house.

Day #77: change collecting

2010-09-10T11:36:00.002-04:00

i reused an empty lemonade powder mix container to collect my coin change. i also put stickers on the outside of it to make it look cooler.

Day #76: every little bit helps

2010-09-10T11:35:00.002-04:00

recycle your paper scraps.

Day #75: remember to rinse

2010-09-10T11:35:00.001-04:00

Day #74: remember to remove

2010-09-10T11:34:00.001-04:00

Day #73: air drying

2010-09-10T11:32:00.001-04:00

Day #72 crafty cutting

2010-09-10T10:00:00.000-04:00

circles galore! think of the endless things you can make with paper toilet and towel rolls. i'll show you in another photo an art project that was made. stay tuned...

in a box

2010-09-04T08:48:00.002-04:00

the money penny

2010-09-03T22:10:00.004-04:00

ms. money penny is about 80 years old in cat years. if she could talk, she would tell us what she really thought about the dogs living in the house.

oreo

2010-09-03T22:01:00.003-04:00

our backyard neighbor.

he likes to bark.

hello kitty.

2010-09-03T21:41:00.003-04:00

mao mao asked me to do a photo shoot of her one day and i complied.

treat yourself

2010-09-03T21:19:00.002-04:00

one day i was at the grocery store and saw my favorite flowers in pots. so i treated myself and took one home with me. thank you, me.

yellow

2010-09-03T15:32:00.002-04:00

i took this photo last fall. in a series of trees planted along a busy street near where i live, this was the only one that hadn't lost its leaves after a storm passed the day before. it stood oddly bright and brilliantly showing it's yellow in the sunlight. my best friend believes it's a sign from her beloved min pin, scout. scout died after being hit by oncoming traffic while running across the street to this very area.

barrelman & fil-am friendship day

2010-07-10T14:42:00.000-04:00

barrelman made an appearance at the annual filipino american friendship day held at red wing park in virginia beach.

customized hand painted hats by fernando hernandez

CEO of barrelman, marco mercado

good people

2010-07-04T20:11:00.003-04:00

dan tres hit me up and said he and the family were in town for 4th of july weekend. he is one friend that i admire and has been inspirational in learning, living and loving life passionately. i had the pleasure of meeting them at a friend's house for bbq. it was a perfect time to snap a photo of this beautiful family. i am thankful to know such good people.

Marie & Ronnie

2010-07-01T15:02:00.001-04:00

here's a glimpse of the wedding book i created for marie and ronnie's wedding.

this couple was serious about having some fun on the dance floor at their wedding reception. they even did some ballroom which you seldom see young couples do these days.

Last Tuesdays: 6-29-10

2010-06-30T16:07:00.000-04:00

marco, the host

angeline boyd

dj illusionz

j pharaoh and the manhattan project

the musical musings of k scott

Mink & Cheef's Electric Band

2010-06-25T12:09:00.000-04:00

meet the members of mink and cheef's electric band.
from left to right: lizar, mink, cheef and DP

cheef hit me up one day to take promo photos of the band to have images ready for their new CD and website use. i set up shop at the famous hungus estates and the fellas showed up with a few different outfits. we all had a blast during the shoot.

view more photos on their website at:

www.minkandcheef.com

if you're in the 757, you should definitely check out when they play. why? because they're your new favorite band!

... and you may just run into me taking photos of them at the shows :)

Tallwood High School Prom 2010

2010-06-18T23:03:00.005-04:00

my cousin kristen also asked if i could take photos of her and her friends for their senior prom. seeing the couples all dressed up with corsages reminded me of my own prom and how excited i was to get all dolled up for the night.

i told this gal that i was going to take a photo of the back of her dress so she would remember how hot it looked on her.

thanks anne k. for helping out.

such adorable couples.

kristen's senior class portraits

2010-06-18T22:35:00.006-04:00

i was honored that my cousin asked if i could take her high school senior class portraits. goodness, she's all grown up! here's a sample of the many shots i took.

and this is us having fun!

lynnhaven underground: 6-17-10

2010-06-18T15:36:00.000-04:00

marco hosting the show

steph love spittin' spoken work

zombie skwad

local b-boy crew tuff city rockers

dicap

customized hand painted hats by fernando hernandez

intalek

dj lockdown

louie valles

breakin' bread 2010

2010-06-15T15:24:00.001-04:00

this year's breakin' bread event included a tournament style battle, local vendors and art work. proceeds also went to the Academy of Music, which is a non-profit community music school in norfolk, va.

these mini b-boys are ahead of the game.

b-boy linx tearing it up on the floor.

local artist fernando hernandez painted customized designs on hats.

this was the first time showcasing my first b-boy photos taken in 1996.

art by dave aujero.

art by fernando hernandez.

these seedlings got inspired to try some moves.

b-boy linx won the battle

the event raised a little over $1000 for the Academy of Music.

to see more photos from this event, visit my facebook album series entitled "breakin' bread 2010"

the chalking of Ghent

2010-06-06T13:36:00.004-04:00

on this blazing hot day in the Ghent area of Norfolk, VA, folks were chalking up the sidewalks in an effort to raise funds for the Ronald McDonald House Charities. i ran into my friend cheryl, who created a awesomely fun hopscotch board for all to try.

a group of hula-hoopers were out enjoying the sunshine nearby.

caught some creative chalking walking down Colley Ave.

Dr. Ellen from Colley Avenue Chiropractic and Bodyworks drew her business logo right outside her office. she served ice cold refreshing cups of water with peppermint and other herbal goodies.

i was entranced by the musical talent of narissa bond. she played right in front of Dr. Allen's office.

once i found a nice shaded area, i busted out my sidewalk chalk.

"chuck" is one of my favorite tv shows so i chalked the logo.

there were a few interesting characters that perused the streets while the event was going on. this guy definitely caught everyone's attention.

my good friend, anne k., was out and about taking photos for AltDaily to cover the day's event. her nephew joined in on the chalky fun.

good times were had by all that came through.

Last Tuesdays: 5-25-10

2010-05-31T19:11:00.000-04:00

let me introduce you to an ambitious and talented friend of mine, marco. he started hosting "last tuesdays" and "lynnhaven underground" to help promote local musicians, spoken word artists and other creative individuals. for me, this was the beginning of documenting such talent.

just in case marco should run for congress. haha.

steph love spits fiyaaaah with some spoken word.

marco rocks out with J Pharaoh & the Manhattan Project.

Rina singing sweetly.

K Scott blesses the mic.

The Benny Hafla

2010-05-30T13:48:00.007-04:00

A friend of mine is taking belly dancing classes at the Hipnotic World Dance Center. She sent me an invitation to an awesome event:

The Benny Hafla: Where You Can Let It All Hang Out!

Comedic Belly Dance Variety Show - Never been seen avant-garde acts, risque humor and seriously good dancing!

Bring your sense of humor, your wackiest skits and costumes. Leave the kids at home and come out to Hipnotic World Dance Center.

May 29th 8-10pm
www.hipnoticbellydancing.com
www.serenitytribal.com

i had the privilege to be the only one to take photos. due to the adult content of the show, i am limited to what i can post. hehehe. low lighting no flash action shots was the challenge of this event.

Mab was the emcee for the evening and man can she host a show! she does performances up in the DC and MD area. click on her name for more info.

good times.

art | everywhere

2010-05-02T12:20:00.000-04:00

i was really excited to hear about the art initiative event in norfolk called art | everywhere. what better way to fill up empty store front windows and bring foot traffic to the downtown area than with local art work and other fun stuff like free mini cupcakes!

just cupcakes was one of many businesses that supported the cause.

a latte cafe provided a venue for musicians to perform. these ladies did a reunion duet cover of 4 non blondes' "what's up". they totally rocked it!

right outside the cafe the ladies of 7 city crafters created this awesome exhibit. it was a cityscape of little handmade treasures.

"this next song we would like to dedicate to.... (looks out to people passing by) hot photographer chic!" haha! these guys cracked me up.

like magic.

pretty cool to see colorful work and techniques used.

there was even live art going on.

i left a bread crumb of sorts. hehehe. the sign did say "draw here."

are you thinking what i'm thinking? my collection of tabs has a new purpose...weeee! this guy also created the free photo booth stand.

i dig clotheslines.

stalactites.

this was just a glimpse of what went down opening night. if you happen to be in the downtown norfolk, va area check out granby street. the installations will be up til july 1st.

Tree Army

2010-04-25T18:30:00.005-04:00

"First Landing is facing a crisis related to the destruction of the park's natural forested area due to prohibited off-trail use and the creation of cut-throughs, short-cuts, and unofficial trails.

Trails are specially designed to minimize impacts and erosion. Trails are routed to avoid particularly delicate natural areas. When hikers go "off-trail", ride bikes on hike-only trails, or create cut throughs, it can cause safety issues, damage the ecosystem, and cause other people to get disoriented." -Staci Martin
(excerpt from article posted HERE)

On Saturday, April 24th, volunteers from all ages came out to Virginia Beach to join the First Landing State Park Tree Army. Their mission was to plant new trees in the unofficial trails. By the time I heard about the event they had more than enough help so I contacted the volunteer coordinator and asked if I could volunteer to document the event. Photos of the event were needed for the American Forest Grant that aided in funding for supplies.

Despite the gloomy sky and intermittent rain showers, we all marched on to complete the mission.

In addition to planting new trees, the army also had to cover up the unofficial trails with branches, leaves and other plants to hinder people from hiking or riding through them again.

Dibbles were provided to aid in digging holes for the saplings.

After planting the saplings, blue painted popsicle sticks were placed next to them to prevent accidental harm.

It was awesome seeing over a hundred plus volunteers, especially the youth, come out on a Saturday morning to help rebuild our park.

According to the park guide I hiked along with, this one day event only covered maybe a third of the unofficial trails and they're hoping for another opportunity in the Fall. Also, they will need help watering the new trees that have been planted.

Volunteer opportunities are available at First Landing State Park. Click ===> HERE for more info.

Bond FAYA Workshop:8-7-10

2010-04-22T15:08:00.001-04:00

i was assigned to run workshop II. i couldn't help but play the role of historian for them as well.

Ray Obispo prepping for his workshop "No history,no self. Know history, know self"

sharing books pertaining to filipino american history.

sharing is caring... and carrying a kubing around in your hat is cool!

my turn! a free write workshop to learn more about self and to alleviate creative blocks.

shared one of my favorite quotes.

my buddy, Marco Mercado, doing his workshop on entrepreneurship. check him out at marcospokenword.com

marco teaching about balagtasan which is a form of "poetical jousting". i googled that and i kid you not that's what one of the links referred to it as. i like it.

a glimpse of a skit created by one of the youth groups.

a skit performed at the end of the event.

i'm glad i can be there for the youth.

abby & keith: eat. drink. be married.

2010-04-19T12:17:00.000-04:00

abby & keith invited family and friends to attend their engagement party. as a surprise for their guests, they actually decided to get married that day. the newlyweds wanted everyone to just have fun and enjoy the day with delicious food, drinks and cornhole! their wedding was one of the most memorable i've ever been a part of.

What's the 411?

2010-04-12T10:07:00.004-04:00

on sunday april 11th, marco hosted a fundraiser at our philippine cultural center. my mission was to organize an exhibit to showcase works of local artists at the event.

i was able to exhibit my "sampayan" series.

there was also a variety show featuring many talented youth from the community that sang, danced and performed spoken word and skits. the crowd was so diverse. it was exactly how marco envisioned it... all ages and all races.

the program closed with our local b-boys in a cipher and of course i couldn't help myself to some photo taking.

sometimes all it takes is natural stage presence to get the crowd going. hehehe.

support your local artists and talent!

Day #71: packaging

2010-04-01T14:44:00.000-04:00

battery packaging is made from paper. recycle!

Day #70: save the landfills

2010-04-01T14:06:00.000-04:00

by reducing the amount of trash in the landfill our unwanted items will have a second life. we're donating them to the disabled american veteran's foundation.

Day #69: cans

2010-04-01T14:04:00.000-04:00

these cans will be reused and then recycled for an upcoming art project. stay tuned!

Day #68: envelopes

2010-03-23T14:02:00.000-04:00

i recycled the inserts and saved the envelopes to reuse later.

Day #67: food containers

2010-03-23T14:00:00.000-04:00

reusing food containers from take out orders.

Day #66: powered by recycling

2010-03-23T13:59:00.000-04:00

snowboard powered by recycling! i finally put the sticker justin made me on my board. spreading the message while i hit the pow!

Day #65: another rescue

2010-03-23T13:04:00.000-04:00

rescued and recycled misprinted rebate forms from work that a coworker pulled out from the trashcan. R3 props to my coworkers!

Day #64: cardboard

2010-03-23T13:03:00.000-04:00

reuse cardboard for art projects. my work place has lots of cardboard goodies from all the packaging the posters come in.

Day #63: rescued

2010-03-23T13:02:00.000-04:00

rescued and recycled unwanted paperwork given to me by coworkers.

Day #62: movie stubs

2010-03-23T12:52:00.000-04:00

Day #61: the big blue bin commandments

2010-03-23T12:50:00.000-04:00

i never noticed it before.

Day #60: cardboard

2010-03-23T12:47:00.000-04:00

cardboard is so useful. i've been reusing this cardboard piece to fold laundry on my bed. i think i've had this for over a year. the kitties love to sleep on top of the bed so using the board totally keeps the fur from clinging on the clean clothes.

Day #59: pharmacy paperwork

2010-03-22T12:44:00.000-04:00

into the recycle bin it goes!

Day #58: reducing ignorance

2010-03-22T12:38:00.001-04:00

reducing ignorance by spreading the message of recycling. the sticker is placed on my snowboarding helmet so people see it while waiting in line on the lifts.

Day #57: price tags

2010-03-22T12:34:00.000-04:00

some price tags are made of paper too.

Day #56: orange you glad you recycle

2010-03-22T12:31:00.000-04:00

Day #55: light art

2010-03-20T12:26:00.000-04:00

recycling my plastic soda bottle but reusing it first as an art concept for this image as i hold it to the light.

Day #54: the blue bin

2010-03-10T12:25:00.000-05:00

feed it your recyclables.

Day #53: twisty ties

2010-03-10T12:23:00.000-05:00

i save twisty ties to reuse them for fastening things like power chords or free cat toys.

Day #52: junk mail

2010-03-10T12:20:00.000-05:00

recycle it.

Day #51: bambooooooooo

2010-03-02T23:46:00.000-05:00

i purchased this bamboo foot file made by ecotools. all the ecotool tags come with a green tip. the one on my tag said: "wrap gifts in old sunday comics instead of store-bought wrapping paper." sweeeeet! i do that already :)

ecotools also participates in the 1% For the Planet program that donates 1% of sales to environmental organizations.

here is also an awesome link about bamboo:

click here ====> Bamboo Central

Day #50: aluminum cans

2010-03-01T03:37:00.000-05:00

read about aluminum recycling facts ===> HERE from earth911.com

pickled papaya & milkfish

2010-02-28T14:20:00.008-05:00

here is one of my favorite front page newspaper images i saw when i was in the philippines last summer.

that same day i went with my parents to the local school of fishery. dad wanted to get the homemade atsara (pickled papaya pronounced ah-cha-rah) canned so it could be brought back to VA.

the atsara was placed in small plastic bags and then manual seamed into steel cans.

while that was going on, i was scoping out the room and learned more about deboning bangus (milkfish pronounced bawng-oos). dad tells me the bones have to be removed using tweezers. such a tedious task but so worth the taste.

the secret to a profitable bangus business was posted on the wall. $toring is where it's at!

the principal of the school asked one of the grounds keepers to give us a tour so i could take pictures.

MISSION: To develop positive work values and provide quality Basic Secondary and Technical Vocational Education and Skills Training.

VISION: To become among the region's Center of Excellence and leading Training Center for Fishery Technology and Entrepreneurship.

positive messages were posted on the beams.

make it a betterway to have fun while learning or joining sch. organization.

if there is purity in the heart, there will be righteousness in the character

our tour guide wanted to show us where they dry the fish out in the open sun to make tuyo. it was by the shoreline. he pointed to this really narrow path that i would have to walk on to get there. it had water on both sides. i didn't feel risky that day so i admired the view from afar.

break time.

the gate to the fishery school.

surroundings on the way to the school.

stay tuned for more sporadic blog posts about my adventures in the archipelago.

the set up

2010-02-26T20:30:00.003-05:00

NOTE: no bacon was harmed in the making of these images.

Day #49: reusable gift wrap

2010-02-21T03:34:00.003-05:00

i used tissue paper from the gifts i received for my life anniversary last month to wrap gifts for a friend's born day this month.

Day #48: recycling rescue

2010-02-21T03:29:00.002-05:00

i saw a plastic bottle stuck by my car tire and brought it home to recycle.

the end.

Day #47: upstairs recycling

2010-02-21T03:24:00.002-05:00

the upstairs recycling container i designated last month sits conveniently near the top of the stairs. the big blue bin is happy to be even fuller when recycling day comes.

Day #46: paper bags

2010-02-21T02:28:00.004-05:00

reuse them.

hand puppets. textbook covers. lunch bags. drawing paper. gift wrap. grease trap. bird cage liner. stationary. the list goes on.

Day #45: presentation

2010-02-15T01:10:00.000-05:00

this valentine's day marks six years of the hubby and i being married. even though we said we wouldn't do gifts this year, he got me something anyways. he even tied a newspaper ribbon around the box! i give my hubby R3 props!

Day #44: thrifty shopping

2010-02-15T00:48:00.004-05:00

i finally found a cute winter black dress coat! i found it at thrift store city, one of the largest second-hand stores in the tidewater area. it cost me a whopping $10 which is kinda expensive for thrift store shopping but totally saved me some money in buying a brand new coat that i'd only get to wear maybe two or three times every winter season. shopping in thrift stores is also helpful in reducing landfill waste.

Day #43: can you read me now?

2010-02-14T14:57:00.004-05:00

trader joe's makes sure their recycling message is not teeny tiny like on soda cans and plastic bottles.

Day #42: ready, set, recycle!

2010-02-14T14:44:00.002-05:00

rinsed and ready to be recycled.

READ HERE FOR USEFUL INFO ===> Should you rinse your recyclables or save the water?

Day #41: my buddy

2010-02-14T14:27:00.006-05:00

so far, this lil blue klean kateen has been reused many times over the past month to carry my agua. i bring it with me almost everywhere.

trying to reduce the amount of plastic water bottles being purchased as well as my high fructose corn syrup intake.