Thank you, 2012!

It is 2:34AM. Saturday. Three days before another year unfolds and I am nursing a cold. I need to speed up choosing the best 15 single images in my still disorganized files. This is me taking a break from selecting. So far I have chosen 53 from December to May. I worked my way up since I have seen a lot of "action" lately. We have been submitting assignments every week with the ongoing DPJ192 Advanced News Photography course. Single images, street photography, conflict photography, sports photography and street fashion all done in multimedia slideshows. Next year we will be playing with video. 

* break * (I got sleepy here… so I went to bed and said to continue writing a few hours later.)

Monday. 1:11PM. Last day of the year. I worked until around 4AM on the soundslide yesterday. Did not have time to proceed writing as planned and I'm still suffering from the occasional dry, rough cough. It greatly affects my voice over for the assignment. Now, I will be writing a reflection paper so I am going to cut my introduction short (was that short? I need to get my head straight.)

2012! Thank you! 

Thank you God! There is none like You. You made all things possible. And there is no perfect word to express what my heart is filled with what you have done, been doing and continue to do in life. Thank you my Saviour and King. Thank you Rya, wife, my best friend/enemy in this lifetime. You will always be the perfect gift. Thank you Ken, my best bud. The sweetest boy in the world. Thank you Kaye, my best gal. Tough, little tiger and chip off the old block. Thank you Papa Old, for being patient and finding joy to talk to your grandchildren online even for just a few minutes. Thank you Mama Old, for visiting us for a month. Hope you will visit again soon. Thank you uncle Barry and Mamalou, for the focus. Constantly encouraging and supporting us. Thank you Mafe, sister, for talking to Rya whenever she needs to talk about girlie stuff. Thank you JR & Mike, brothers, for being uncritically fond of Ken and Kaye. Thank you to Boyet, Pepsi and Sylvie, in-laws. Thank you Tomas family, uncle Ben, auntie Amy, Monet and Kevin, for your thoughtfulness and love to us. Thank you Nagum family, uncle Mulo, auntie Trining, Bryan and Harry, for your love and generosity. And thank you to all our family in Solsona. We love you all.

Photographically, things have been very good this year. I started playing with Soundslides, finally had my [raddeverala.com] (still need to update the portfolio), went back to school and study photojournalism, Rear Curtain included my "Sabong" photo story in its 2nd issue (will write about it), acquired and was gifted with photography books and an EOS 6D (which I will name, Dragon) for future multimedia projects. 

Thank you Ray Ketcham, my mentor (I'm claiming it!). I am not a formal student of his like the ones in ART or IDEAS but whenever something serious I need, he is always there ready to give an answer. He is inspirational. Thank you Sabrina Henry. Good fortune favors good people. And I always consider myself fortunate to have known you and it was a blessing this year that I met you and Ray. Thank you, Matthew Connors, Stuart Sipahigil and Brian Miller. Big brothers and also sources of inspiration. Thank you, Jerod Foster. For writing Storytellers and recommending me to the ACFJ-DPJ program. Thank you, Charlene Winfred. Badass photographer, leader and good friend. Thank you, Jimmy Domingo, Isabel Kenny, Prateebha Tuladhar, Hasib Zakaria, Ernie Sarmiento and Peter Carney, tutors at the ACFJ-DPJ program. Thank you, Alex Baluyut (whom I still need to meet), for being my final photo story consultant. Thank you, Mika Watanabe and Totomai Martinez, for the interviews. Your stories opened up new ideas. I am looking forward to future collaborations with you. Thank you to new classmates (in no particular order), Richard Dy, Rizza Mendiola, Junn Abriza, Teya Sabado, Bijoyeta Das, Nabin Baral, Soham Gupta, Dax Simbol, Amir Stephen, manong Ping Peralta, A.M. Ahad, Khaled Hasan, Pop Salahog, Daminda Perrera, Hardy Mendrofa, Jake Salvador, Manuel Domes. All thought provokers and sharers of ideas. Thank you to new online friends, A.G. de Mesa and Nats Manuel, documentary and street photographers. Thank you to old friends, John Perez, Rommel Custodio and Kid Perez, hope to visit you in Tokyo next year. Respect all. 

Whenever I am normal (not having a camera in my hand and sitting in one corner) these are the people, friends and family, I like to give thanks.

Thank you, sensei Koji Yamazoe. May God continue blessing your ministry and feed the flock here in Japan. Thank you, ate Lou Kato, ate Noemi Kamimura and Melissa Bulanggay. I've known them since the first week I set foot in Japan and until now they are still our family here. Thank you, Shela Tito-Bangloy, Asis Bangloy and the Tito clan. Friends here in Toyohashi. They remind me of how wonderful the Filipino family is and continue living the fun here in Japan. Thank you, Sam and Ester Palit-ang. Good friends, you may be in Ibaraki but near in our hearts. Hope we could visit you next year. Thank you, Neris de Ocampo, big-hearted friend. It was at her place that I crashed during the DPJ on-campus in Manila. Thank you, Goji Morofuji and Yukiko Ooishi. Supportive, lovely couple and ready to extend a helping hand. I remember Yukiko was worried when I decided to stay at the Tokyo station during that typhoon in October and offered me to stay at their place. Thank you, Jane, for allowing me to document your life. May your story give hope and empower women.

If I failed to mention anyone it does not mean that you are not special. It only means that this friend of yours is getting old and needs to buy a notebook and start writing the wonderful things and people that happens every day of my waking life. Always remember, you are all in my prayers. And we still got a long way to strengthen relationships. So, see you in 2013.

Again, 2012! Thank you very much! 

Cheers to a New Year full of hope 

and stronger bonds with friends & family. 

Good health and good fortune. 

Welcome, 2013. 

I embrace you with Love, Peace, Joy, 

Long-suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, 

Faith, Meekness and Temperance.