I remember it was quite a busy week sometime ago. I was mentally and physically spent after working like a mad dog in the office. I had a long list of to do’s that seemed almost impossible to finish and at the same time kept getting longer as the day went on.

It was like getting caught in a loop of unfortunate luck that there’s no use moving backwards or forwards. A hamster on a wheel. That was what it felt like. I mean, of course, I was working my absolute best at whatever task came my way. I treated it with dedication and precision. It felt good no matter how tiring it was back then.

But then I realized that my off-duty hours were getting the short end of the stick. Come weekends or after-work, I had to double my efforts making sure that I am using my time as efficiently as possible and that I am enjoying every waking minute out of it. Well… I did, in fact, managed to do some of that. But then, truth be told, it wasn’t always the case. You see - I also had to catch up on my sleeping. In stereotypical Asian perspective, that’s considered lazy and even, to a worst extent, the subject of online shaming. An idea I really objected and rejected. So let me be the first, maybe in some ways, to admit the fact that (A) I needed my sleep and therefore entitled me to catch up on it; and, (B) I really don’t care what the opinion of a faceless majority thought about what I do or don't do. My life belongs to me.


So there I was... all glassy eyed with my book on the bed, waiting till the sleep fairy will take me someplace interesting and enchanting good enough of a story to be told and retold. Then suddenly, I started drifting away, weightless into the air – my feet barely touching the ground.

I didn’t even remember closing my eyes at that point. I suppose I was too distracted with my aching muscles that my mind took the liberty to head off to slumber land.

[To be continued… This is the first part of a two-part series. Watch out for the second part of this story!]

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Photos via Danbury Library, Florian Simeth

At first glance, it all evokes emptiness and separation, stillness and realism. It’s as if the paintings that show so little say a lot of what’s not there. But then if you look even closer – and you’ll see it. Not just in the paintings per se, although it does have the ability to affect you in the most profound manner. But it also allows you to look at yourself intuitively – on how you can relate to the art in one way or another and how it gives you the means to confront reality at its finest moments.

I first came across John Register when his work got featured in a little-known gem of a film from Curtis Hanson. It served as a mood fixture that parallels with the storyline of the lives of the characters. I wasn’t at all bothered that much at an early point – I guess perhaps, I was too engrossed with the drama that’s happening onscreen. However, after the end of the film and patiently sitting through the end credits – there it was and I saw as his name rolled by. John Register. And by that time, I was pretty sure that’s one name you would hardly forget. It really ‘register’-ed and boy did Google helped me pique my interest level several notches high.

I was mesmerized. Hooked. I admire Register’s aesthetic sensibility of showing rawness in a most minimal way. As cliché as this may sound, and you pretty much hear this all of the time but dare I say it that “less is more” resonates a lot in his body of work. An empty chair situated close to an huge impressive window makes quite an impact on how you see things that others may see differently. It creates a tangible effect that in order to simplify your life from its chaos and complications, you have to strip yourself from your worldly possessions. Be bold to take risks and be resilient to changes.


And though it is part of my bucket list to see his paintings in person sometime in the future – one thing is for sure; John Register has definitely left an imprint on me. How he managed to create an experience out of his paintings leave a lot to the senses. Like you and I along with the world, we take notice and we carry on.

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To read a full bio of John Register, check out his retrospective.

To experience the world according to John Register, visit this dedicated gallery.

Photos via Magnolia Editions and John Register: A Retrospective

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Love can be a very hard topic to write about, let alone discuss about it. The four-letter word that has us on a string, prompts us to act inexplicably and messes with our decisions. It is potent at best and disturbing at worst. The different definitions of what love is and why it matters make it compelling to share to people.

As a kid, I recognized love in its primal form… family. My parents, my siblings, my grandparents (which unfortunately – I didn’t get to have a lot of time spent with) and my extended relatives. The comfort and care that’s readily there round-the-clock, 24/7 in all its unconditional glory. Despite running into a few mischievous acts kids normally get into – my parents, while instilling in me a sense of discipline and a little bit of (ahem!) scolding, they’ve always explained to me that what they’re doing comes from a place of good intentions. That straightening me out early in life is a way to keep me well-behaved and avoid becoming a troublemaker growing up. Apart from that, the amount of nurture I get from them are immeasurable especially during sick days. The diligent monitoring of body temperature, making sure that I took my medicines in a timely manner and have eaten my meals… It’s this kind of deep-seated affection that makes me feel better quickly that even medicines sometimes pale in comparison. Through which I can gratefully say, that’s what love is for!


Then came the painful adolescent years (and yes, let’s be honest – adolescence and all it’s raging hormones were always an exceptionally trying stage), where figuring out who I was, what was important to me and trying to fit in, were the usual norm. This is where the role of friends takes a greater slice of the pie when it comes to time and attention. My friends were the consoling force when it comes to coping with adolescent issues like school and getting good grades, personal identity, guys and relationships. We went through these pressures in the same wavelength, carefully treading through the complicated twists and turns of life the way an adolescent does. Friends were there to listen and advise, hang out and laugh with, talk and have fun with. Mind you, the attention and presence they provide is completely beyond leaps and bounds – and that was way before the age of Facebook and other social media what-have-yous. For this, I can say with all honesty, that’s what love is for!



So when maturity knocked, I opened the door with open arms ready to face the next challenges to come. I’m now a grown-up with grown-up problems figuring out some grown-up solutions. But the formula for love is still the same – it never changes, at least, the way I see it. Yet trying to dissect the anatomy of love in a guy’s perspective is no easy feat. Not even a real genius can understand the intricacy and delicateness of love between a guy and a girl in a relationship. It’s a work in progress with little room for success sometimes but enormous room for failure (sad to say!) from time to time. Being in a relationship creates the ultimate balance especially when a guy’s personality complements with mine. It’s like finding the missing part of the puzzle I’ve had trouble sorting out my entire life. The experience of sharing together similar or opposite interests and a deep friendship within the relationship leads to a sense of purpose and fulfilment. It’s almost like being inside a cocoon where both people find belongingness to each other which I think is the most beautiful thing. But then, like all beautiful things, there are beginnings and there are endings. The cocoon starts to break. What used to be similarities between two people becomes a wedge driving them apart. I’ve been here before and it can be quite difficult. Though I’m not one to bash at guys – it does help to put distance and time away from the experience and see it from a different angle. When I started picking up the pieces, I’ve learned to appreciate every moment, bad or good, of the experience. And that’s when I figured, my heart has grown bigger too and next time around, it has so much room for someone who’s more deserving of it. Yes, I can sincerely say from my heart and from my head – that’s what love is for!



So, in the spirit of the month of February and St. Valentine's Day, let love be the centerpiece of our lives at whatever we do, whoever we’re with and whenever time of day, month or year. There’s no truer emotion that makes us more human. And for what it’s worth, that’s what love is for!

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Photos via JD, Joëlle T., Makena Zayle Gadient, Leo Hidalgo

If you happen to dig modern love stories like the Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight trilogy, then I'm pretty sure that 2 Days in Paris is no exception. And with Valentine's Day just around the corner, this is the perfect one to watch!

With a fascination over the City of Lights lately, this film is an emotional and comedic mumblecore between two quirky characters. Julie Delpy is definitely pulling all the stops to create a compelling and hectic two-day film diary under her direction.

It starts with Marion (also played by Delpy) and Jack (played by Adam Goldberg) on a train heading to Paris fresh from their Venetian trip. Marion is a French photographer in New York where she met Jack, an American interior designer – each with their own brand of neurotics trying to outwit each other in their relationship.

Upon arrival, the two heads straight to Marion's apartment one floor up her parent's place. Jack tries to acclimate himself of the new environment as well as the household routines not to mention Marion's irritability, wits and utter charm. Marion, on the other hand, does her best to manage Jack's discomfort, paranoia and sarcasm especially with a relatively compact space.


Despite having a rough start during lunch with the family, he makes it a point to put up with it by offering to show them the pictures of the trip. Suddenly out of nowhere, a very incriminating photo of him is brought up in the conversation. Apparently, Marion took the photo of him and circulated it to her family. Unaware and caught off-guard, he feels awkward and tries brushing it off topic. To get away from the situation, the couple left to go around Paris sightseeing, paying a visit to Jim Morrison's grave and even meeting one of Marion's ex-lovers, Manu, along the way.

Later that evening, they made plans to go to her dad's gallery opening and a party for Marion's friends. While preparing to go out, Jack found another incriminating photo – this time – of one of Marion's ex-lovers. He then questions her for which she quickly dispels it as a running joke she does with her friends. They decided to drop the issue on their way to the gallery and party.


Once again, they bumped into Manu at the party. Jack is surprised to know that Manu had this strange idea of staying at their place in New York. He asks Marion to disinvite him and she comes up with an excuse to do so.

A series of unfortunate events ensue including a false emergency call, an aggressive tirade with a racist taxi driver, an unromantic moment in bed, a flood situation on the domestic front and a bad case of hangover.

The following morning for breakfast, Marion spots an ex-lover and acts hostile throwing words towards the guy in public. Jack restrains her but feels that her sudden burst of anger doesn't make any sense and inexcusable. He then confronts her of hiding her affair with Mathieu which he found out via text message. With their incessant argument reaching fever pitch, the two took a time out and decided to cool off for awhile.


Back at the apartment that evening, she finds him waiting for her there. Then comes the big talk, laying all the cards down as the tone of their voices gradually change ahead. Both came to realise how the span of their relationship got broken down in just mere two days and how they were off-rhythm together seeing that they are in one of the most romantic cities in the world.

"There's a moment in life where you can't recover anymore from another breakup. And even if this person bugs you 60% of the time, well you still can't live without him. And even if he wakes you up everyday by sneezing right in your face, well, you love his sneezes more than anyone else's kisses."
– Marion

I must say that the script was cleverly written and the accompanying soundtrack does its job quite well in every scene as it simply goes along with the story. It's a fresh take romance mixed with culture clashes and an insight on stereotypical behaviour. Delpy's work is reminiscent to that of Woody Allen's style of quick-as-whip anecdotes and psychoanalytical diatribes. This is definitely a must-see film for anyone who's a sucker for romantic comedies.

** This story is taken from my old blog – popcorn sessions. **

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Photos via Fandango, Tribute, World Movies DB

“… As small as the flutter of a butterfly’s wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world.” – Chaos Theory

It’s this quote I came across a few years ago that have made a profound impact on me. Though for a student during my secondary and university days, the world of science wasn’t really something that ranked high in my attention scale. For me, it was more about paying mind about those raging hormones – plain and simple. But I’ve always thought about the intrigue and controversy that’s attached to the quote from the scientific to the existential perspectives.

Hence, I’ve equated this quote to how simple unspoken gestures can convey a lot of interpretation and, maybe even, form a certain long-term impression especially to the recipient of the actions. A pat on the shoulder… a hint of crooked smile to suggest an affirmative answer… a twinkle in the eye to welcome a person’s presence… and a cotton-soft embrace that carries a feeling of generosity and compassion. I found all of these as quiet evidences of how unspoken acts held so much volume in the form of sincere and heartfelt gestures.


Or here’s another analogy. It’s the composition of these small specks of our skin that make up our entire body and in the process, our very existence – that defines who we are as a person and how we engage to those like us. A gesture of kindness and goodwill that we show to other people that leave them astounded and impressed – and emanates a certain glow from people inside out.

So it goes without saying that subtle acts of sincerity does leave lasting imprints to people – maybe not too memorable for some but can actually bring about a sense of positive effect to certain areas in life. It may not manifest that quickly right away but it’s there. And time can only tell when it’s right to come out. And I certainly think that the positive effects far outweigh the negative.

The power of gestures that even words alone can't capture. It's one amazing gift of all!

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Photos via Val Kerry and Paco CT

The 90's were the main proponent of #normcore. They gave birth to the philosophy, the ethos, and the trend even before the term entered the fashion lexicon. But then again, the people who were in the forefront, especially those in popular sitcoms and music videos, were not aware of what they were on to – the normcore that we know now was just the normal zeitgeist then. Looking back – there really was nothing special about it.

As a child who grew up in those years, normcore was typically your everyday conventional and unpretentious outerwear. I remember it so well. Those denim overalls, sports team shirts and jackets, Nike sneakers and baseball cap among others. Loose, shapeless and blah! Even in the world of entertainment, fashion statement then not necessarily ranked high when all people wanted was someone they can relate to. When Friends, Seinfeld and their contemporaries came around – everyone were tuning in because the shows were fun to watch, the characters were relatable and the actors behind them were likeable while the lives they lead were, in some ways, aspirational.


But at the turn of the millennium – the whole landscape has evolved… Even too quickly that it left no room to step back and see things from a different angle. It became a culture of individualism, consumerism and one-upmanship. It seems that every parents’ comforting advice of ‘Be Yourself!’ to their kids took a drastic turn.

And so with the oversaturation of individuals trying to stand out – then came the inevitable emergence of people trying to blend in. To paint a better picture about this logic, there’s this line in Singles by Cameron Crowe that really springs to mind –

“I think that (A) You have an act; and that, (B) Not having an act is your act.”
– Linda Powell


The line where normcore begins and individualism ends is quite hard to define. Convoluted at best. But in a world where changes take place at incredible warp speed, sometimes a little bit of slowing down is not so bad. Or perhaps because of the speed, all of us might have been forced to cut the 90's experience really short in order to keep up with the changes. Hence, it is just our romantic effort to revisit the decade and hold on to it for a little while longer.

Good thing #normcore managed to get a little bit of place in today's pop culture especially when the world is overwhelmed with too much of anything and everything. And there’s no better time to enjoy the phenomenon than now.

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Photos via Huff Post, Baeble, HITC Lifestyle and The Window