Edge

I am at the edge of my seat. Lately.

It's been a quite busy and interesting month for me. Three of my weekends were spent for business trips in South Korea and Malaysia. This made me long for a good weekend at home. But how to when I failed the recent medical exams and I am subjected to further tests today. I can feel that I'll be fine and that the results will be normal, if not, I may have a minor operation. And that would mean the Angola business trip is not meant for me. Or that would mean, I have been working hard lately. Or could just be stress-related.

Talking about business trips, this year seems busier than last year's. Last week was my 26th flight for 2014 and we are not even half-way yet. I may go to USA, Malaysia, Ecuador, Angola, Saudi Arabia and India this year. And I don't know how to fit the schedule within the next six months. 

Anyway, I'll think about it once the effect of anesthesia subsides later. 

/totomai 
2014/06/19

Bloomsville

It’s a wrap! Springtime’s over. And if you think that Japan only showcases cherry blossoms or popularly known as sakura during spring, think again. Japan is blessed with various flower species, which in one way or another, have the same charm and appeal as that of cherry blossoms. It’s about time to know some of them. It may be a year early but here are some of the places you should visit next spring in Bloomsville aka Japan. Again, I am not including the cherry blossoms spots.

Seven

Seven years. 

Yes, that is seven years of shooting, blogging and distilling thoughts. As you may already know, I started blogging when I was jobless. Since then, I made sure that at least I have one post per month though the number of posts per year dramatically decreases.

Photoblog

When I was featured as the Photographer of the Week in the one of the flickr groups, I was asked to describe my photography in one word. Poetic was my answer. I always thought that there is poetry in photography. I have been using the phrase, poetry in photography, since 2007 when I started making personalized calendars. The phrase may have originated somewhere, or it  may have come from me, but it doesn’t matter as I further played with the two main words and came up with a not-so-appealing PHOETRY. 

PHOETRY will be the title of my new photoblog. More photos, less words. A visual poetry.

 

The first time I used the term phoetry was in 2009 in one of my blog posts. It has been my guide in taking photos. Though I can still keep up with my one blog per month in totomai.net, I thought it’s better to have an alternative photoblog where I can post photos only with less words. PHOETRY will be the perfect venue for it. Another branch of totomai.net as it turns seven years old. Don’t worry, totomai.net will still continue to shoot, to blog and to distill thoughts. 

Give some love to PHOETRY – my new photoblog. It will always feature ten photos per post. Any subject / theme recommendations is highly appreciated. 

/totomai
2014/03/31

77th

Two years ago, I planned to surprise my mom on her diamond year but it didn't push through since I had problems with my passport. This year, however, I saw to it that I can go back to the Philippines to celebrate her 77th.

Villages

It is still winter in Japan and you still have the time to visit the the Shirakawa-go and Gokayama villages in Gifu and Toyama prefectures. These two villages were listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. I have been to Shirakawa-go last summer of 2012. I made a promise that if I can get a chance to visit it again in winter, I definitely will. That day came just two weeks ago, after joining a photography club bus tour.