What is it anyway? Well, the title tells it all. But for folks who aren’t familiar with it, take a quick trip to Wikipedia to learn the elements and criteria.

Here are my sample work and check out mechanics of the mini-writing contest that I’m currently hosting:

Slick as Chocolate
He takes my hand, leads me to the cupboard and motioned that I pick him up.
“What do you want for lunch, baby?”
“Okolet ek” He said, confusing me at first till I saw what he was pointing at. “Oh, chocolate eggs, sweetie?”
“Okay” He said.
Grrr. Who ever said kids aren’t slick? Heh.

A Mum’s Kibitz
Daughter: Mum, is it my fault I haven’t found love?
Mum: No, sweetheart. It’s nobody’s fault. These things take time.
Daughter: It’s just that I sometimes believe it’s a curse.
Mum: Like you’re carrying your parents’ sins?
Daughter: Well, yea. Specifically Dad’s.
Mum: Okay, you can blame your father then.

Crappy Week
He asked how I was. I responded, I’m fantastic. He agreed. I couldn’t help blushing then grow nervous when he pressed on asking how I really was. I said,
“Alright. Had a crappy week. Simply because I’ve missed you eventhough I know I shouldn’t.”
A long pause before he softly said,
“I missed you, too.”

A Wedding
There he is, the man I’ve prayed for my entire life, standing in front of me with all the love showing in his eyes. He’s letting the world know the depth of his commitment.
And I can only stand there in silence with unshed tears as he leaned down and kissed his new wife.
Never ask a scorned wife.

Quiet Desperation
He’d always been there in the shadows. Looking on her life like the moon illuminating the darkness. He’d seen everything that none has cared to know.
Yet at that moment, he saw the quiet desperation in her tear-stained almond eyes.
It became clear to him then — all the rest were never really her destiny.

The Apology
Doorbell rings, she answers it, sniffling. Her jaw dropped with what she saw.
A man holding dozens and dozens of peach roses.
“Let every petal wipe away each tear you’ve shed.”
She melted. She moved to hug him.
But he just shoved the flowers into her arms and asked her to sign for them.

Dealing with Death
She can’t believe he’s dying. Seeing him lying on there with all the tubes attached to his body, she felt weak.
“He can’t die. He mustn’t die.” Her thoughts silently screamed.
She can’t stand to watch him like this, with all the vibrance and colour gone.
So, she turned the telly off and stomped away.

A Bit of Faith
“Impossible –” she said in disbelief. Stole a glance at him, hoping it went unnoticed. He gave her a smile that baffled her.
She had harboured feelings for him from the moment she set eyes on him, long before he knew her.
He gently took her hand, “Anything’s possible.”
All was right with the world.

Finally..
It was the moment she had waited for. Memories of laughter and hope came flooding her mind. He’s finally here smiling at her just like she imagined he would. She sees the excitement in his stride as he walked up to her.
Looking into his eyes that very moment, she realised — she didn’t care anymore.

Life’s Funny Ironies v.1
I was enjoying a latte at a cafe when I noticed a woman stand up, with coffee on one hand and a cigarette on the other.
I snorted in surprise, with my drink almost coming out through my nose, as I watched her walk away.
The back of her shirt reads, “Respiratory Therapy.”

The Limit
She’s not the type who’d give up easily. She always see positive things in people no matter how badly she gets treated sometimes — including him.
He was guilty of that.
She wanted to make things right and start over but he completely missed the point so she finally was forced to say, “I’ve had enough.”

Crime and Politics
He died that day more than a couple of decades ago. Gunned down on the tarmac. Accused of killing man who then became a national hero.
He owes the country a good man in the government. But did he really?
You see, he was supposedly in jail serving time for a different crime.

It Comes Naturally
She stares at it nervously. Unsure of what to do and how to act. You can’t really learn it in any textbook or take up a course. There’s simply no formula for it.
But reaching out and touching that little hand, melted her heart. She knew then she’ll make it as a mum.

The Contract
She opens her eyes. She knows something’s changed.
She picks up her ringing mobile.
“Are you ready?” John asked. She mumbles, “Yes.”
She hangs up, leans back, and just stared at the ceiling.
“It wasn’t a dream,” she whispers disbelievingly.
She focuses her stare on her signature’s fresh ink on the multi-million dollar contract.

Reflection
Teardrop. Raindrop. They create a puddle, where she stares at a reflection.
“Who are you?” She asked.
“I’m not who you think I am.” It answers.
Taken aback, her crying ceased.
“Drama. Drama. Get out of the rain, you stupid idiot!” She breathes a sigh of relief while her mom dragged her inside the house.

No More, No Less
What Sam wants, Sam gets.
She wanted to experience the world, she lived like a nomad.
She wanted to be famous, she was the favourite topic of rumor-mongers.
She wanted to marry the ideal man, she did and now was a widow.
Indeed, it’s true. What Sam wants, Sam gets. No more, no less.

Out of the Shadows
When Simon left, Samuel was torn between rejoicing and grieving; his brother was, after all, his best mate. They did everything together. What Simon did, Samuel followed suit. He was his hero.
Now, it feels like he’s breathing easily. He can finally step out of his brother’s shadow and know who he truly is.

As A Matter of Fact
On the other side of the wall, they can hear scratching then hissing of a fire coming into life. The feeling of dread enveloped the three that’s left.
Light enters the room once again, one was taken, never to return.
Before all’s too late, one admitted to the other,
“You know… we’re a match.”

Crazy Eights
“You’re good,” he said.
“Me? Good?” she sputtered disbelievingly. “I don’t think so.”
“I’ve watched you play this hand with ease,” he admitted with respect.
“I really can’t say I’m good at this,” she just quietly told him. “You see — the fate of this last card rests on the player whose turn is before mine.”

Daddy’s Girl
Sylvie felt guilty about how she’s been treating her father these past few years. He may be wrong about a lot of things but he’s still her father after all.
She was about to patch things up with him that day. Instead, she found herself down on the floor drenched in her own blood.

Vincent, the Dreamboat
Kat loved Vincent.
She loved his quirks and eccentricities. She adored his boyish charm. She admired his many talents. She celebrated all his triumphs. She had not met a guy to match his sweetness and generosity — he’s practically a dreamboat.
Yes, Vincent was generous.
Just how generous? Kat found out she wasn’t the only one.

That Warm Feeling
Him: We’ve been friends for long time yet I still can’t figure you out.
Her: Just quit figuring me out, silly.
Him: How else can I know how you’d respond when I ask you to be my girl?
Her: Let’s just keep walking.
Pulse racing, she cleared her throat. She’s finally experiencing that warm feeling.

Wrong Turn
She tightly gripped the steering wheel.
“But the road —” She sputtered, “the signs —”
She’s all alone in the dead car.
“It felt so natural to turn left back there,” she said.
The wonderfully paved road led her to a dead end in the middle of nowhere.
“I knew I should’ve turned right instead,” she muttered.

“I like you.”
“It’s a bit ambiguous, don’t you think?” He asked with a touch of cynicism.
“Depends on how you use it, I guess,” she quietly answered.
“What do you mean when you said it?” He pried further.
“Let’s just say that my interest goes beyond platonic.”
After a long pause, he finally said, “Do you smoke?”

Reverse Psychology
“Don’t fall for me,” she warned him.
“Eh. I’m not in any danger of doing such a thing,” he chuckled, “so, no worries.”
“I’m just saying so everything’s clear between us.”
He laughs out loud but as soon as the laughter died down, he slowly begins to wonder about this sweet, crazy, unpretentious, beautiful girl.

Cold Break
“Don’t leave…” he cried desperately.
Her steps faltered for a moment but she knew that he was watching her as she was walking away. She also knew that if she turned around, she would see eyes filled with hurt — a man in pain. It would’ve been a sight enough to melt even a stoic heart.

I know there are a couple that’s not mine (we had opened the blog for occasional contributors) but I can’t remember which ones. Anyway, to make this more fun, I’d like to invite you folks to vote which of my samples you like best (you only get to pick one!) and, of course,to try it out. Write something that will qualify as 55 fiction and leave it on the comment area below or you can blog about it but make sure to link back to this post and leave a comment so I’d know where to look!. You can only enter once!

I’ll be choosing the best of the lot (plus I’ll be inviting 2 more judges) and the winner will get one (1) Ruled Moleskine Notebook, a simple way to thank you for participating and to encourage you to write more! I’ll be running this all through the month of January — strict deadline: 31 January 2011, 11:59pm — and I’ll announce the winner on the 1st of Feb.

Can’t wait to read your entries!

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I have to admit that I’ve considered that option — not blogging anymore. Yes, after 6 years of doing it, I was thinking of completely dropping it. What a sad, sad, thought. Then I knew I just can’t do it. Not just yet perhaps. I couldn’t really imagine myself saying good-bye to my personal blog The-Parody.com, my very first fashion blog Tops II Bottoms, my photo journal SashaManuel.com, and my local fashion & beauty blog Style Manila. Can you?

Writing has played a huge role in my life. I refuse to accept the idea of giving it up for the world. Stumbling upon the social web a good decade ago had been an important turning point, wisdom only came as I began to see the path that I had chosen to take a whole lot clearer. The opportunities that I had chosen to grab had been influenced by these passions, those and my fascination with technology , both software and hardware. From a computer and internet n00b to a full-pledged social web person, throw in the bit on web planning and design. Believe me, it’s been quite a ride.

Making that decision to maintain a work-life balance, never forgetting what had caused me to prod on, what sustained me and helped me stay afloat, what inspired me — I knew I needed to make things happen instead of simply waiting around for things to change. Taking and managing risks will leave a promise of better things, greater opportunities.

I’ve marked this major decision by welcoming the very first laptop I’ve ever bought. Yes, at age 32, I’ve finally made one of my dreams come true. Which dream (since I’ve got many on my list)? Twas to get myself a MacBook Pro; that I now fondly call MrBoo. Twas a Thursday, 08 April, when MrBoo and I officially met. The 15.4″ gorgeous hardware had me intimidated but no one and nothing could ever wipe off the widest grin on my face, dim the brightest sparkle in my eyes nor keep me from skipping all the way back to my office. The experience was surreal.

Beauty runs deeper still. Since we’re talking about work-life balance, let’s highlight that MrBoo’s equipped with iWork and Aperture on top of the standard software. Balanced, indeed.

Keeping MrBoo company is Magic, the Magic Mouse that’s made of awesomeness.

Was never considered to be the geeky type but I’m finding that I don’t mind fitting into the mold. Esp since the primary medium which I utilise involves a lot of gadgets and mastery requires a bit of that nature so I can thoroughly exercise my passions.

Eve has definitely bitten into the apple. It’s a whole new chapter now. So, folks, how’re things? Found new ways to motivate yourselves? Also, I’d love it if you’d say hallo.

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I reckon this makes me grateful for technology adapting to specific needs. Particularly in the form of something as handy as a mobile phone.

Moving

Taken using my Nokia E71 whilst cruising along SLEX on our way back to Manila. A moment I had wanted to capture and would’ve missed had I relied solely on my Canon DSLR which had run out of battery.

Thinking

I find myself thinking whenever I read and one of the more recent books I’ve read had given me much inspiration was this book by Jesse Berst called The Magnet Effect. Took a photo of the page simply because I wanted to capture the moment and remember.

Writing

Taken during one of my many solo coffee breaks at Starbucks, the Grove. An afternoon filled with plans and hopes and little joys at every sip from my Iced Venti Soy Latte. This serves as a reminder on how important these afternoons were. It helped me write more.

Whenever I step out of the house, I’d often expect that something will happen which will move me to think and write. Finding myself mobile may prove to be tricky so I appreciate handy gadgets and useful applications that will help me share what I have. Discovering that I can actually upload photos taken using my phone onto an Ovi account is something worth celebrating. I can now truly optimise what my phone can do and customise it according to my tech needs.

Now, not only will I be able to timely jot down (and take photos of!) thoughts and inspirations, I can also stretch my photography skills to include using a mobile phone camera.

How about you folks? What role does technology play in your life? What sort of gadgets do you rely on?

P.S. If you’re a Nokia user, I would suggest that you sign up for you own Ovi account. Apart from storing and sharing photos, it’s useful for contacts, calendar, and notes back-up.

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In the middle of finding something to jumpstart the thought-process needed to bring that pen to touch the paper and effectuate thoughts to materialise, I thought it’d be useful to list down the things I’ve been doing to find inspiration and share them with you folks.

Separating yourself from your workspace. If you’ve been cooped up inside your office or wherever you work, it’s good to consciously create some physical distance from it. It doesn’t have to be far, just make sure that the separation will indeed allow you to forget about work for a while.

Get out of the house. Go jogging, take your dog for a walk, or simply just spend your afternoon sitting out on the porch watching the sun set. Spending time to enjoy a bit of outdoor activity will help stimulate the thought process.

Take a short trip. Going out of town will surely do you good. Spending a day on the beach always rejuvenates me. Spending time away from the urban jungle is a great way to rest and relax my mind, thus, allowing it to be more receptive to ideas and conducive to stringing thoughts together.

Read books, watch movies, listen to music These are some of the most immediate things I do when I need some form of inspiration. Immersing myself in stories through novels and films trigger the generation of ideas. Emotions are tapped in, imagination exercised and oftentimes, out of sheer enjoyment, they bring me to this happy place where caustic optimism would effect thoughts that are easily transcribed into words.

Stillness. Unconnected. Silent Darkness. With my eyes closed, I would simply listen to the wind, sounds coming from outside the house and somewhere in the distance. My thoughts are suddenly amplified. Feelings so colourful that I can paint a mural. Awareness so alive that you end up restless. I still have to work on this bit. It’s actually a very useful practice if only I can find a way to bottle everything up and produce something. Still unorganised and very much raw.

One of the other things that brought me to write about this is the realisation that some folks who’ve been reading my blogs have failed to understand about me, I do keep a number of blogs but these blogs offer different things, hence, the need to find ways to push myself to write. All these blogs are active, though some are less frequently updated than others. I try to offer variety of content in all my blogs and I’d like to think that I have indeed established that.

The Parody is and will always be my personal blog — it’s my online diary if you may. If you want to keep track of what’s happening on a more personal level, this is the place to find it. If you want to share stuff about fashion, beauty, shopping, street style and events that I go to with me then you can enjoy Style Manila. But if you’re looking into having conversations about life in stills and words then SashaManuel.com is where we can do that. Of course, if you truly wish to get to know me, you have the option to check out all three.

I reckon it just made me feel a little sore about having to answer the question on which of my blogs this individual should subscribe to. It’s like telling me, “I like you but not all of you”. Know what I mean? I do appreciate that this particular person likes even just one part of me though. I guess it’s better than nothing, yes? Hehe.

Anyway, how about you folks? Where do you blog? How do you find your inspiration for these blogs? Share!

Photo © 2009 Sasha Manuel

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A perennial note-taker, an avid journal writer, a lover of the arts, and having a general fondness for literature. How else can I describe the stuff I busy my hands with outside the usual tapping on the keyboard and fiddling with the camera? I guess I’ve most of them covered.

Notes
Writing is my friend. I can’t imagine myself without it. I still love the smell of paper and watch words form as the ink touches the parchment. Life is poetry waiting to be transcribed, though I’m more of a story-teller than a poet. That’s probably why I’m more into notes. Notes that will help me form a full thought. Thoughts that fill my stories.

Doodles
Drawing, painting, illustrating… these are not my strongest points. I guess that’s why I prefer to call my scratches sketches, doodles. I doodle. There’s no complete thought nor emotion in the stuff I create. Just fragments of a thought. Half an idea. Nothing concrete. All passing fancies. Yes, you can say I’ve never even dared master it.

Scrapping
I’m a pack-rat. Er, sort of. I like keeping mementos with the intention of compiling them in one “scrapbook” but never (and I mean EVER) gotten around to doing it. I hold on to pieces of history like a leech but the sheer silliness of it pushes me to throw them away later on. Silly, silly, silly.

Stories
As much as I like telling them, I like reading them more. They take me to places that I’ve never been but have always wanted to go, meet people I’ve always wanted to meet, explore a period in time that’ll never, ever find myself in, and watch events unfold without having to wait and age.

To nurture these things, I treated myself to a Moleskine shopping spree over at Avalon.ph. I bought myself three (3) new ones to almost complete the large notebook collection. I already have the Ruled Notebook. New ones include: the Sketchbook, the Ruled Reporter Notebook, and the Squared Notebook. Honestly, now that I have these Moleskine notebooks in my hands, I can’t — for the life of me — figure out what to do with them. For fear of ruining its pristine, oh-so-new state. Dear me.

I decided to throw in a book, The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides, on checkout. I stumbled upon it while trying to finalise my order.

Shopping online, I find, is highly, highly convenient esp if the local online seller accepts PayPal. As much as other payment options like GCash or bank deposits are acceptable, it’s more efficient to use the method that wouldn’t require you to handle any other electronic equipment or leave the comfort of your own home.

Moreover, if you find a great online seller like Avalon.ph that offers great prices — I bought the Moleskine notebooks and the book at almost half the regular price plus my experience with them have been tremendously pleasant, it felt like I was actually transacting with a real person — you’ll realise that your money can actually go far and that you didn’t have to spend extra on gas, parking, toll fees and all those extra spending if you find yourselves in a mall.

What about you guys? How do you feel about online shopping? Have you ever tried it (online shopping using PayPal payment method in particular)? If you were to shop online, what sort of things would you normally buy? Ever tried Avalon.ph?

Photo© 2008 Sasha Manuel

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For amateurs and hobbyists alike, here’s an opportunity for you to introduce yourself to the idea that you can indeed live by your pen.

Freelance Writing for Dummies is a two-day workshop which aims to take you through the whats, whys, whens, and hows of freelance writing in the Philippines. It’ll help you discover the possibilities and rewards of making this “hobby” into a full-time career.

Workshop will be held on these dates: Tuesday, 04 November 2008 and Thursday, 06 November 2008. It costs Php 1,200.0 per participant and the session can only accommodate 25 people. Download the workshop details to learn more about it and you can register here.

About the Facilitator

Niña Terol, a full-time freelance writer, communications consultant, and emerging social entrepreneur who writes for a living and writes because she loves it. She is a regular contributor for MEGA Magazine and has also written for Philippine Daily Inquirer, myHome, Entrepreneur Philippines, Smart Parenting, Cosmo Philippines, Pinoy World, and Starfish, among others. She has also worked with a large number of corporations, enterprises, non-profit organizations, and government agencies—allowing her to immerse fully in her craft and all its nuances.

Since we’re on the subject of workshops, I’d like to take this opportunity to put the invite out for those interested to further their skills in Cartooning. Jonas Diego of Robo Monkey Pixel Fighters, together with partners Euphony Music Studio and St. Vincent Tutorial Center, is currently holding two sets of Cartooning Workshops on weekends. Full details of the workshops can be found at LifestyleGlitz.

Note: This is a way to help spread the word for friends.

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We all have dreams and wants in life that seemingly fuels our drive to wake up each morning and do the things we ought to do for the day. We may wish for small things and, sometimes, we dare to dream big. The important thing is to never stop dreaming and, of course, chasing after those dreams.

I’ve always been the type who’d set goals and establish a list of wishes that leads to the achievement of the goal. It often feels like I would always prefer to go for the bigger fish but would still find joy in a school of little fishes that can somewhat be likened to getting the big fish, know what I mean?

Anyway, here are seven (7) of my dreams that had been fulfilled, not last week, but during the course of my lifetime. Comes with the memory is a reminder of what I am thankful for this week:

1. Live independently at 25. Ah, freedom! Even when twas just for only a year. But I lived it! On my own, no allowance. No running off to mummy when you need a decent meal or money when the month’s utility bill comes. Not even going home on weekends. I was definitely living independently. My reasons for moving out was nothing to be proud of, though. But I reckon that’s how I often learn, eagles do push their young off the nest so that they can learn how to use the wings they were born with. I’m now back living with my mum but not because I need to but because we need each other. I’m thankful she allowed me to have the same amount of freedom as when I had lived on my own.

2. Own a car. Technically it wasn’t mine yet. I was still paying it off but it was very much for my own use. I love cars. Owning that car allowed me to learn how to fix certain things, i.e. what to do when the car won’t start, but I have yet to change a flat tire. Anyway, twas a white 95 Corolla GTi, 16″ wheels with chrome rims, turbo-injected and that vroom-vroom muffler. Oh, yea. You’d think it was a guy’s car. LOL. Too bad I had to say goodbye, reason? See #4.

3. Become a model. I know. I know. I wouldn’t even dare say this out loud had it not come true. Whatta embarrassment. LOL. But, to my surprise, it did. Life is filled with one cliché after another and this one is no different (was approached by a scout in a mall! LOL). After a series of ramp gigs during the initial months, got signed by a modeling agency in Makati, approached by a free agent, attended numerous VTRs and cast calls, appeared as an “extra” in some nondescript beer commercial back in 2004 (Nyahahaha!). I’m so glad to see this chapter of my life closed. But I do sometimes miss the photoshoots. Ah, well. See #7. Ha.

4. Travel. Who has no dreams of going abroad? Growing up with parents, my mum in particular, who loved to take their kids around, had let in the travel bug to infect us. I’ve always wanted to travel and see the rest of the world. Initially, I had dreams of conquering Asia first. But I had wanted to be different. While most talk about going to Hong Kong, my first trip outside the country landed me on Singapore (back in 1999 then again in 2001). Then this early year, I had been to Vietnam and Cambodia. Yes, I still haven’t been to Hong Kong. LOL. Then this reminded me of my plans of visiting a “Western” country next. As usual, everyone is talking about going to the US, I had found myself taking a two (2) 3-month sabbaticals in Australia. Yes, two! September to December 2005 then January to April 2006. True to His word, he had given me the opportunity to have a different travel experience. It’s kinda’ awesome when you think about it.

5. Local trips. Where do I even start? One of the things that makes me proud as a Filipino is that we do live in a gorgeous country. From vibrant cityscapes to amazing stretches of untouched shorelines. If you’re able, let it be part of your life’s itinerary to visit the different Philippine locales. I’m glad to have had the opportunity to experience places like: Boracay, Cebu, Bohol, Tagaytay, Punta Fuego, Vigan, Puerto Galera, Zambales, Subic, etc. AND, of course, the place that occupies the top spot in my heart, Palawan.

6. Sustainable lifestyle. From that day I wrote it down on my journal, I’ve been daring myself to try new things. Grabbing opportunities to experience things that I haven’t thought of doing. Now, I’m able to confidently say that I’ve learned what I sort of lifestyle I would love to keep. I take simple joys from quiet walks, coffee breaks, thrifty and splurge shopping sprees, economy flights, modest accommodations, or a luxurious home. Actually, I’m not entirely done yet. I still hunger for a certain balanced lifestyle that suits my personality and needs but I’m taking my time. There’s no rush. I’m simply thankful that I’m fortunate enough to continue seeing and making full use of opportunities that nurture and even stretch it.

7. Find a passion. Getting to enjoy my current work is awesome. It has allowed me to exercise certain things that I didn’t imagine I’d be passionate about, writing and photography. I’m able to enjoy fashion, styling and beauty almost everyday. It paved a way for more opportunities to come into my life. Oh, I’m so excited about the new ones that seem to be drawing my online work offline! I can’t wait to tell you guys about it. Soon!

Thinking of these things made me realise how one can be undeservingly fortunate. I’m overwhelmed by the wonderful things that had happened in my life. It’s such a delight to be reminded of the fact that dreams do come true. They may not come in the exact form as you may have imagined it, the important thing is that they came and they were all for you.

So, what about you guys? Have any of your dreams come true? What dreams are you thankful for this week?

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There are small things, out of the ordinary, silly things, or grand. I’d like to think that no matter what it is, or how I’ve felt during these events, the intensity of how they add on to my life will prove to be equal. They are parts of a whole. Everything plays a part. All of them relevant.

Here are 7 things I’ve done, is doing, and will be doing that I’m thankful for this week:

1. Red Light Party. I’m glad I gave in to a friend’s request on going to this party (happy birthday, M!). I’ve met some pretty interesting characters (from uber down-to-earth rich kids, half-Germans to Koreans, a very diverse crowd) and had a blast with overflowing Sunset Mojitos and reds. Seeing Central BBQ Boy’s owner wolf down barbeque after barbeque that are not from his menu was one for the books. LOL.

2. Taking photos. It’s been over a month since I last touched my camera. (Funny cuz I’ve been daily updating my photo journal, eh?) I have to admit I’ve missed it a whole lot. It seems like I’m getting to know it all over again but good thing, it’s like riding the bike, I know I’ll get my groove back. Nothing beats seeing the photos I’m able to capture. I know this is one thing I wish to do for the rest of my life.

3. Reading. I’ve always cherished the moments that I can hold a book in my hands and discover the things that the author has in mind for the book. At present, I was able to devour two (2) books and am now on my third, the first book of the Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, Inferno.

4. Dismantling the flat. It’s weird seeing the place I’ve lived in for the past couple of years being slowly dismantled. I had thought I would stay there longer than I have. I guess this is what they mean about certain things in your life that will come for a season. I had needed to be there during that period of my life and now, I’m meant to go some place else. A place where all things had started. The place where everything else will come to its rightful place. I’m excited.

5. My photo journal and other online stuff. I still can’t believe that I finally have my photo journal up and running. I’ve been faithfully updating it daily, too! I had doubted on my ability to keep up with the frequency but I’m thankful that I still have the energy and inspiration to stick with what I had promised myself to do. I’ve also been fortunate to have time to take care of the other online (and offline, too!) projects. And I’m quite excited with all the new ideas and opportunities that seem to have seemingly come out of the blue.

6. My (sort of) daily coffee dates. I’m such a creature of routine. Sometimes, when I find myself doing something that I liked one day, you’ll find me doing the same thing the next day. Due to that, I’ve been frequenting a coffee place nearby at dusk. It’s simply to enjoy time listening to music, reading, and writing. Yea, lots of writing and thinking takes place during these coffee dates. It’s just an iPod, my journal, a book (on occasion), and myself.

7. Writing. A thoroughly satisfying endeavour. I’ve always loved the moments I am able to write. Though there’s a certain satisfaction in blogging, there’s a different sense of fulfillment when I have a pen in my hand and I feel parchment on my fingertips. Seeing my handwriting on my journal makes it more personal even when the very thing that’s written down is most personal in itself.

‘Thoughts disentangle themselves when they pass through your fingertips.’
— Dawson Trotman

It always feels good to sit down and think of the things that you’re thankful for. It helps you realise that as another week starts, you can look forward to new things that will happen in your life which will make you feel grateful. It will make you see that this life you have now is an amazing life.

What about you guys? Have you thought about the things you’ve done this week? What are you thankful for this week?

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Photo credit (L-R): Sasha Manuel, Jal Manuela, Abe Olandres

From that moment I held a camera in my hands back in 2005 and saw the photos I took, I was hooked. It stirred an unimaginable fiery passion that I didn’t know existed. I just knew I wanted to keep doing it. I didn’t own a camera back then. I only borrowed from friends or family. I fiddled with its settings, took photos at crazy angles, learned how to use Photoshop all on my own. I struggled, stayed up late, and kept at it till I thought I was going to get sick of it. I also browsed the web and looked at photos by other photographers. Then I had dreamed of buying a camera of my own so I get to the bigger dream — photography.

And I eventually did. I bought my very first camera two years later, February 2007. It was a realisation of one dream, taking me several steps closer to the other. The bigger dream was now within my grasp, literally.

I have to admit that during the early stages, I was struggling with handling a complex equipment. I already knew what sort of photographs I want to take but I didn’t know how to use my DSLR. I had often wondered if I had taken on more than I am able to. I was close to giving it up altogether but someone simply told me, “don’t rush it, you’ll get there”. That’s why I kept at it. I didn’t give up. And I’m glad.

Learning photography has become a source of happiness. With every small thing that I achieve — discovering a new technique, capturing a good photo, learning terms and such — gives me a certain high that no other thing in this world could ever give. It’s priceless.

Photography has allowed me to create, to express, and to remember. Seemingly like how writing is to me. These two have become mediums for me to communicate and process the things that my senses pick up about life.

SashaManuel.com is a photo journal. It’s a place where I keep photographs and prose. I mean to talk about my journey in life through photography. It’s my way of celebrating this life from where I stand. I am where I should be. Here. Now.

Here are the first few posts I have up:

Hello world!

Life is Sweet

Inside, Outside

Under the Peach Light

The Ring That Binds

Starting Over

It’s the Journey

Light & Colour

Fascination, curiosity and the perennial need to see and remember the art in life.

Never fully understood why there’s this burning need to be creative. Discovering mediums like words and digital photography have made satisfying it easy. Writing sets my mind free and photography lets my soul breathe. It’s amazing.

If you’ve reached the point that you’d rather be behind the camera than be the subject of the photograph then you’ll know it’s the right time.

Every photo defines me. ‘Tis like leaving traces of who I am. They’ve become proofs of my existence. Photography is my way of encapsulating life in all its glory, sharing it with the rest of the world.

That’s why I’m here. That’s why this photo journal exists.

This is life the way I know it.

Life in stills and words.

[Photographer's Reflection, 5th July 2008, SashaManuel.com]

Yes. I’m a photographer simply because I take photographs and love everything about it.

I’m quite excited about the photo journal. I’m looking forward to seeing it grow. I hope you can visit me there from time to time. Feel free to subscribe to the SashaManuel.com Feed or via Email. I’d love to hear your thoughts too, so, do say hello.

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Alexei asked me a question earlier, which I made me pause for a bit so I can give it my full attention. Let me paraphrase it,

“What should a blogger do to keep a blog interesting?”

Apart from the aesthetic appeal of a blog, i.e. templates, fonts, etc., we’ll always put weight on the content, right? So long as you create good content, the blog will always generate a certain amount of interest from readers. Quite a safe assumption, I should say. We then go on to dissecting the content being created.

Personally, I always keep in mind the following: conversation, stories, use of image (and its quality) and keeping things light and personal.

The blog and the blogger

A blog, for me, is something personal. It ought to reflect your own personality. The more personal and honest-sounding it is, the more your reader can actually relate to it, hence, keeping his or her interest.

I do believe that a blog is about the blogger cuz it is the blogger who creates the content and there lies the quality. There are readers who read the blog specifically for the content that this blogger creates and there are some who read the blog for the blogger, regardless of the content. Change the blogger and the blog will take on a different personality altogether.

Frequent posting

Another thing I’d like to talk about is what most bloggers, who do this for a living, go through. Maintaining quality with frequent posting. This can cause burn outs, you see, and a certain amount of sacrifice — giving up quality for quantity. I’m still finding the perfect way to balance this thing out myself. But one thing I’ve learned through the years — I learned this from Liz Strauss, actually — is if you condition yourself to thinking that you are talking to just even one reader, you will be able to write something interesting that’s specific to him or her. This effort will not go to waste since it can reach people with similar interests without consciously trying. Know what I mean?

Coffee conversations

I just liken every post is to conversations you have over coffee. People love stories, and the more visual or animated you are in telling this story, i.e. using quality images in the case of blogs, the more appealing it’ll be. If you write in a manner that’s un-intrusive or not overbearing, there’s a lesser possibility of turning readers off.

Blog with passion

Lastly, write for yourself. If you like photography, blogging, fashion, travel, or food, write about anything and everything about these things. If you continue blogging about the things you’re passionate about, the blog will always be interesting cuz the blog will reflect that passion.

So, what about you guys? What should a blogger do to make a blog more interesting? How do you capture the interest of your reader? What drives you to keep coming back to the blogs you frequent?

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