003 | 360 Cambridge

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This part of my life, helped define who I am and helped me learn some real life shit. Put yourself in the shoes of a 10 year old kid, waking up at 5AM to catch a bus, the 54-Felton, 30 minutes later to travel from San Francisco to Daly City to get to school by 8AM. 360 Cambridge was home for the next year and a half, as I finished out elementary school at M.H. Tobias. Home, was a 1 bedroom space again shared between the family, so the spatial struggles continued. I don't recall ever taking a photo inside that space, mainly because I don't recall my family wanting to relish those moments. I was oblivious to this as all I cared about was finally being able to traverse different parts of the house and different parts of the city.

This house was home to several tenants, each bedroom occupied by other families. In this case, I met some other kids along the way, though none really my age at all. It was hard to relate at first, they were second generation, Filipino-Americans with American sensibilities. I was Filipino, attempting to assimilate and learn as much as I could beyond the music videos I saw on MTV and BET. Note that rap videos in the early 2000's had a huge impact in shaping my musical tastes down the line. Big Tymers and Cash Money + Ludacris and Nelly were very prominent artists in those days. Naturally, I became friends with the neighbors through basketball and video games, commonalities I was familiar with. But what they did for me next was open my eyes and broaden my horizon. They introduced me to skateboarding.



I was aware of skateboarding and what it was through school and other kids. However, my neighbors, Allen and Ken, introduced me to skateboarding from the ground up through the streets and sounds of San Francisco. I learned about local skaters, pro skaters, skate spots, what type of set up to get and anything and everything that revolved around skateboarding. It was an accelerated in depth tutorial on the world of skateboarding and I was progressing just as fast, zooming by benchmarks left and right as a 11 year old kid. Learning how to ollie, then kickflip, then start doing those tricks off of 2 stairs, 3 stairs, big gaps. Skateboarding was my escape, from the tiny 4 walls of our 1 bedroom home, and quickly began exploring San Francisco via my first Copeland Board Sports Complete Skateboard- cruising downhill, hitting up ledges and famous skate spots - 3rd and Army, Pier 7, 3 up 3 down and more. I covered the 7x7 on 4 wheels and learned the Muni system by heart from a young age. Skateboarding gave me a new perspective on life that allowed me to really ignore the troubles at home - being poor, being illegal, and having an alcoholic for a father.

My favorite moment in this house was spending my 12th birthday, getting $80 as a gift from my mom (which I know we couldn't really afford but deep down she knew it meant more for me) and skating down to Market St. and going to DLX SF and copping a REAL Skateboard deck (local brand) all by myself. It felt like a big boy moment. You have know idea how happy and elated I was quickly getting back home and setting up my board with brand new griptape. It was the best of times.

002 | 76 Christen

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It was August 5, 2000. We landed at SFO, coming from the Philippines. I was 10 years old. It was the first step of our journey of moving here to the states. My first meal after landing was at Thai BBQ in Westborough (now currently located at Fairmont Center in Pacifica). I ordered the classic S-2 (pork ribs) which I still order till this very day (ask for extra sauce). This was home for the first 3-4 months, 76 Christen Avenue, just a few blocks from Classic Bowl and Manila Oriental Market. I knew that it was foggy in this area, but something about that day landed sticks with me as we drove down Skyline on 35, seeing how thick this layer of fog was, like it was cotton candy.

We were a family of 5 sharing a tiny little one bedroom space. On the floor was a small little television broadcasting the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics. Just a few feet away, scattered pillows and blankets where we slept. It was a rude awakening, but for me as a 10 year old, all I had was the prospect of hope and curiosity. I wondered, we came from living in a house with many rooms in the Philippines and now, becoming relegated to this tiny little bedroom with everyone. Was this temporary? and who else was living in this house? As I had many questions running about in my mind, I couldn't help but notice a sense of unknown and fear and shock coming from my mom's face. It didn't really register with me then but now, it all makes sense.

This house means a lot to me. I created my first email address here (still alive and kicking to house my fantasy football leagues and junk email). I learned about American pantry snacks like little debbies, ho-ho's and the almighty twinkie. On the flip side, I remember my mom vividly instructing me not to interact with the others in the house. I was also told not to go out too much and lay low. Summer afternoons were spent indoors, peering out the window seeing kids on Razor scooters living it up. It felt more like a prison than it did home. Fear of potential deportation, not knowing who to trust- this was a lot to think about as a 10 year old child adjusting to a new environment. This was 3-4 months of my life, it was a breath of fresh air once I heard we were finally moving.

001 | Adulthood

Recently spent a wholesome day with close friends in Sunnyvale along with their loved ones. The main crux of this group are two of my closest and oldest friends, Kevin and Alphonso. Simply put, in the twenty-two years I've spent living here in the United States, they've been there every step of the way. 

This essay is not about recapping this particular Saturday's events (TopGolf, followed by hours of Tequila, Swimming and Hot Pot to sweat it all out). This is about the topic of growing older with the people you met early in life. It's about the trials and tribulations, the journey spent together and being able to look back, in retrospect. It's also about the current, observing each other's moves and where they are looking to position themselves for their own futures. 

During this day, Kevin positioned himself for a bright future for his family. The South Bay will be home for the next few years, fortifying the family by building a home from the ground up and hoping to fill it with life soon alongside his significant other, Vivian. To be proud would be an understatement, but I can't say I'm surprised as I've experienced and observed this man maneuver through life and succeed each and every step. 

This day is not just about future planning, but also being active and conscious in the present. I watched one of my best friends navigate their 20's into their 30's as both a father and a husband. The ebb and flow of familial life is so apparent in his journey. Again, this part of life is about balance and as a family man, part of that balance requires taking himself out of the equation at times, but knowing when to prioritize self-care is just as important. 

Being a godfather to his eldest, Isaiah, I try to pass on and do right by him as much as I can. Most of my upbringing and ideals I learned through religion and faith. We wish to pass on the best of who we are, correct the worst of who we are and add who we are not and could not be. Along the way, of course there are expectations, vicariously living through them your own life whether it's sports or academics. This next decade will be one to look forward to as Isaiah begins to evolve as an individual, become more of a free thinker as well as learning how to challenge ideals and scratching at the curiosities of life. Here is also where I am slightly thankful, I don't have kids of my own. 

My own journey in my 30's is not just spent observing others like an afternoon spent at Starbuck's sipping on a Mocha Frappuccino. No, I have my own daily situations and items to tend to as well. The thing I do appreciate is that the decisions I currently make typically revolve around one person, me. I don't look at it in a selfish manner, the perspective I'm in just makes things simple for now. Not saying no one will ever occupy the other chair across from me, but for now decisions are simple and I am completely okay with it. I find happiness knowing I can maneuver with ease on my own volition. My own wants and motivations are as pure as it can be. My adulthood currently revolves around the person I want to become and how I want to project it on the world. Hopefully, the next few posts will reflect that. 

Starting Line | A Photo Essay

 

The goal is to eventually put enough writing momentum into starting my memoir and telling my story. To get there, I've realized I need to begin writing on a consistent basis. That is the antithesis of this project and why I've reverted back to blogging again. 

The writing contained within this space is hopefully able to reflect my storytelling tone and narrative and allow people to understand who I am. Less casual, blog based writing and more focused, complete sentences. 

I recently purchased a camera, one of my biggest investments to date (hopefully it's an investment and not a fad, we shall see). My weapon of choice, the Fujifilm X-T30 II. I'll be taking snap photos and writing narratives based on that day's frame of choice. In this case, I was on a morning walk where I'm also aiming to jumpstart my fitness journey on top of this writing thing, they go hand in hand. 

Day 1, is in the books. Looking forward to what tomorrow's muse will be. I'm also hoping that my photography and photo-editing skills improve along the way.