As I am reminded by my Google Photos app of Hong Kong -- it being the place where I was a year ago today -- it becomes immensely real to me how much our little corner of the world has changed in only twelve months. I have spent my life primarily in three cities: Manila, Singapore, and Hong Kong. These, plus San Juan, La Union are my home. Now, while they are different countries and vastly different culturally, it does not escape me how small a part of the globe they actually cover. And yet just in this little bit of earth, over only about three hundred days, we as humanity have been Read More

Summer tells me that it's the first time she ever saw me cry. 2019 has been such a mixed bag. Losing Kendo, but also having a killer ending party. Building my favourite art installations of all time, seeing people engage with them, but also not being able to complete some concepts I've been planning for ages -- specifically, the return to print media. Building the coworking space I've been planning for 2 years, but having a contractor that's had us in a limbo of back work for half a year now. Honestly, I feel somewhat bled dry. It is what it is? Perhaps. Time is a very interesting dimension. Read More

Its been a pretty wild year. Two months to go, and these 2 photos kind of show how far we've come already. Scroll to the bottom of this post to see what the place looked like in January. Since then, we've built up the space, grown the company with an awesome community team, launched 2.5 online magazines, managed to host both the Philippine Aeropress Championship and NAPCON board game convention, and -- of course -- design and build a line of our own workplace furniture too, together with collaborator, Artesania. I just came from a meeting with our partner, Injap and we finally have set a Read More

It's a major problem with "being yourself." Happens all the time, happens every day. And it's really nobody's fault. Nothing about it is controllable on any large level that might matter. Or is it? The problem with being yourself is that it takes so long to figure out who you actually are. There's this myth that you're supposed to have it figured out by the time you're around 30 -- a totally arbitrary number. For most people, this will be a lifelong search. You'll find yourself looping back into things you thought that you had graduated from already or cresting hills you simply cannot see Read More

I wonder if they'll remember this? So much importance is loaded on the cliché watershed moments of our family lives. Graduations, birthdays, weddings. And while all those things are indeed special, and while I do have very complete memories about my father's 40th birthday barbeque or new year's eve, I equally remember the times we were simple hitting the Burger King or Circle K after dark with my folks. In our little family, our lives are changing again, and this has made me think a lot about the places that I spent my childhood and how they influenced me and my thoughts. They let me know Read More

At the end of a pretty intense week, I think I had a pretty perfect lazy Sunday. Slept in, spent time with my family, fed my wife sushi, talked with the kids, and even squeezed in a couple cafe visits for www.dailydrinkmag.com So yeah, maybe not a real day off, since that last one is technically "work." But I realized that I don't really have very many hobbies anymore since I have a habit of converting my favourite things into new facets of my career. Drinks, board games, photography technology, comics, design and art have all found a place in my somewhat professional existence. Oh, and Read More

9 years ago tonight, I went to a bar by myself. Over couple of Estrella Galicia 1906 dark lagers, I contemplated my existence until closing time, which was past 2AM. My mom was texting me a lot, asking where I was and if I was ok. 2AM is not "late" by Manila standards, and mom knew that I regularly stayed out much later than that. But that night was different. It was different because I'd need to wake up early the next day: my wedding day. That next morning, wedding photographers would come to my home where I was getting dressed, and ask me why I was so relaxed, with no jitters. This night Read More

After a real busy crunch through 2018's Q4, it's great to have time with this crew and be 100% with them. It's a really interesting time for them, now that they can all communicate and try to be friends. It's a privilege to be able to observe that. I'm thankful for this. As things ramp up through 2019, I want to be sure to have days like these. Read More