Before the pandemic, cosplay events were a regular thing in the city and a cause for excitement among young and old avid dressers. I’m just glad the hype is slowly getting back in the malls. I didn’t bring my usual gears, though. Instead I brought an old camera just for fun.
I went out and headed to Poblacion today, which held the Mindanao Art Exhibit 2021, a gathering of talented artists all over Mindanao. Stunning artworks to view all over two floors.
I’ve found that there is always some beauty left—in nature, sunshine, freedom, in yourself; these can all help you.
“Rest but never quit. Even the sun has a sinking spell each evening. But it always rises the next morning. At sunrise, every soul is born again.”–Muhammad Ali
Wet market vendor in Ha Long, Vietnam © Jojie Alcantara
“Life is like the ocean. Waves will try to knock you down and push you back to where you started but once you fight through them, the entire ocean is yours.”
“Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.” ~ Pamela Vaull Starr
“Every time I stand before a beautiful beach, its waves seem to whisper to me:
If you choose the simple things and find joy in nature’s simple treasures,
life and living need not be so hard.” ― Psyche Roxas-Mendoza
“Children are happy because they don’t have a file in their minds called “All the Things That Could Go Wrong.”― Marianne Williamson
“Our memories of the ocean will linger on, long after our footprints in the sand are gone.” ~ unkown
Skimboarder at sunrise in Dahican Beach
Mati, Davao Oriental
© Jojie Alcantara
“At the beach, life is different. Time doesn’t move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides, and follow the sun.” — Sandy Gingras, Writer
“Life is a lot like surfing… When you get caught in the impact zone, you’ve got to just get back up. Because you never know what may be over the next wave.” ― Bethany Hamilton, Soul Surfer
“Look into your own heart, discover what it is that gives you pain and then refuse, under any circumstance whatsoever, to inflict that pain on anybody else.” ~ Karen Armstrong
I wanted to delve back into that world that cradled us when we were young enough to still touch it, when trolls lived under creek bridges, faeries fluttered under mushroom caps, and the Tooth Fairy only came once you were truly sleeping.
“Don’t take anything for granted, because one minute it can be there and the next minute it can’t, and it happens so quick. When the negative stuff comes around, just let it go. It all leads to the positive as long as you keep a positive attitude. Enjoy everything you get. That’s one of the most important things in life, is really appreciating it because we only get to do this once and it’s not for a long time.” ~Jay Moriarity, surfer
“Women need real moments of solitude and self-reflection to balance out how much of ourselves we give away.” ~ Barbara de Angelis
“Be confident. Too many days are wasted comparing ourselves to others and wishing to be something we aren’t. Everybody has their own strengths and weaknesses, and it is only when you accept everything you are – and aren’t – that you will truly succeed.” ~ Anon
Regatta de Zamboanga is a colorful banca race (carera de vintas) depicting colorful sails designed by the fishermen themselves and proudly displayed during the competition.
“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” -Andre Gide
“Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.” – Oscar Wilde
“Above all challenge yourself. You may well surprise yourself at what strengths you have, what you can accomplish.” – Cecile Springer
The Scene Stealer 