Skewed perspective

Most people follow a straight line, not only to conform but I’d like to think that it’s more of a human instinct—following standards and rules. That is not to say, we are being prohibited to do otherwise but again, as human beings, we tend to be conscious of the implications of our actions. We think before doing anything. That is by far the most rationale thing to do. To me, daredevils are more of an exception to the rules. Life is not an experiment but we are allowed to make mistakes not to repeat but to learn from them.

I hate saying it but I am (mostly) a conformist. I follow the rules, I follow the standards. I feel guilty when I've violated a rule or did something to pre-empt such anticipation. I follow conventions not because it’s the right thing to do but because it’s safer. For that, I am questioning myself every now and then.

One day, I'd like to be on the otherside of the pole. Not minding the consequences. Ignoring what will be the implications. As the Nike ad says: Just do it.

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Momentous

It wasn't really much the words you said or the actions that you've been trying hard to put up...rather those little actions such as a brief smile or an instinctual frown that make all the difference. I must tell you, I am no good in reading between the lines. So please, if you need to tell them in words, stop winding and just say it

PHOTO: I love this photo. Just because it reminds me of the word "momentous". I don't need to further explain do I? Yes, I am a sucker for those little, meaningful smiles. :-D

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[postscript:]

ang hirap palang mag-maintain ng expectations. lalo na kung ang expectation ay masyadong mataas. pero higit na mahirap yung expectations na sinet ko sa sarili ko pero hindi ko na-meet. ayaw kong sabihing "wag na lang mag-expect para di ma-disappoint" kase hindi naman ganoon ang buhay. kahit ayaw mo, mag-eexpect ka at magse-set ka ng mga standards. hindi totoo yung "taong walang expectations" siguro yung iba, masyado lang "realistic" kaya madaling ma-meet. pero siguro mas mabuti nang mag-expect at masaktan kaysa maging safe habang buhay.

may nagsabi sa 'kin dati. "alam mo Rayts, kapag lagi kang bumabagsak, may time na di mo na mararamdaman ang sakit. pero pag nakabangon ka at nagwagi, ang sarap ng feeling kase mas na-aapreciate mo yung achievement mo gaano man ito kaliit." hmmm. may punto siya.

Lake Bulusan: Vastness in its various angles

I’ve talked about the local people I’ve seen and observed while we were in Lake Bulusan but I haven’t posted anything that would give you an idea of how “vast” this lake is.

Nature lovers dubbed this lake as the “Switzerland of the Orient" due to its rich vegetation and idyllic mixture of the wildlife. The area retains much of its pristine environment since 1962 wherein it was first developed as a tourist center. Geologically, the lake is estimated to be 374 years old. Swimming in the lake is discouraged due to schistosomiasis (parasitic disease), but many of the locals there didn’t seem to mind at all.

View of the lake from the main dock. Tourists can actually rent these colorful kayak boats and row around the lake. Oki and I tried it and it was exhausting. But it was fun. A closer encouter with the lake, I get to see and feel its 'vastness' on the dot.

View of the lake from the otherside, 1003 meters from the dock. In this part, I notice a lot of yellow leaves floating on the water.

View of the lake from the side, the same spot where I sat and observed the boy on his raft and the shrimper.

View from the left side of the lake, a few mire walks to the center of the perimeter.

This is my favorite spot, somewhere at the right side of the perimeter where the vegetation is so rich and thick that I could hardly find a nice spot to see a portion of the lake. But the vegetation sure did provide a nice frame for this shot.

To appreciate the lake more, we decided to walk around the lake. This lake has a circumference of 2,006 meters and it took us a 45-minute walk to finish the whole perimeter. The walk was enjoyable because of the cold weather and the lush forest containing orchids, ferns, and flowers which we saw along the way. I felt some drips of water coming from the trees which was so refreshing.

I was often being left behind the pack simply because I need to stop and take pictures in moments where I find some astounding view of the lake. The rich vegetations just provided the nice framing for my shots.

"Shrimper"

Inside the Bulusan Volcano Natural Park in Sorsogon is the famous Bulusan Lake with its vast 0.16 sq.km area. It was designated as a national park in 1935 and later a natural park in 2000.

When I got to the lake that day, the first thing I did is to stand at the front of the lake and enjoy its vastness. The water is green which did not look friendly to me. It reminded me of those movies featuring a murky lake inhabited by anacondas and other creepy creatures. There’s reason why the lake look scary, its maximum depth is 21 meters.

According to the legends, a village once stood where the lake is currently located. The lake is surrounded by a dense forest that houses a variety of flora and fauna. It is home to tilapia, carp, pla-pla, snails, and shrimps.

From the edge of the lake, I saw this man catching shrimps using an improvised spear and cast net. He stayed in the lake for more than an hour plunging and impaling into the green water with his goggles. He was plunging into the water so smoothly that it would create subtle ripples around him. He was fun to watch. The good thing about it is that, he would let me take photos of his every action.

Often than not, we sail where the wind takes us

I thought I knew you. But I guess it's easier to see what we want than to look for the truth. You think you know me but you don't. And that means you don't know what I can do. You see me as someone popular and has all the answers but that's not true. I may not always know what I'm doing but I'll try to make things better. And when I make a mistake, because face it, we all do, I promise I'll ask for your help. I can't do this alone, but if you'll take a chance on me, we can do great things together. I promise if you believe in me, I'll find the courage to reach for your every dream.

~ quote from "One Tree Hill"

You guess it right. I've been watching too much of this series lately. Not so much for the plot and the characters but mostly because of the "music and the quotes".

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When we were in Lake Bulusan in Sorsogon, I have taken the time to observe this boy whom I caught fishing from afar. Being alone on a raft caught my attention, his skills in fishing made me decide to watch and observe. He caught a few fishes I think, but he was just too far from my place to count. There's not much people around, mostly local kids and this man catching shrimps from a shallow part of the lake. The other tourists who were with us have already left. Honestly, the vastness of the lake and its color scared me. Not this boy.