Slow months leave me out of whack for some reason. I've been a freelancer for 5 years now and I've noticed that projects dip and rise at certain months of the year. January is especially slow and although slow months give me more time to focus on other things like studying and getting other things done, there's still a part of me that itches to write just the right number of pages to make me feel like I've completed my day. It's harder to do that in slow months, which is the reason why I often do not feel like doing anything else. I'm not the only one who feels the pain of slow months, apparently. I was searching for reasons for this when I stumbled on this post and it somehow brought a small amount of comfort knowing that other freelance writers around the world have felt the same thing (it wasn't me after all, LOL!).  The great thing about Jen's post is that she listed things you can do during slow months like: 

 --finish projects

--start new ones 

--STUDY! (added this myself, since midterms are coming and I remember ZERO from my lectures)

--finally do things that you've been putting off during the busier months, and 

--just enjoy the downtime

 I realized that I've been missing the blessing that comes with slow months and needed to stop stressing over the things I couldn't do and instead focus my attention on the things that I could get done. Pretty standard realization but there you go. 

I also used today's downtime to finally take photos of the tea set my aunt lovingly sent from the States. She and I are avid green tea drinkers and she is one of the two people in the world who gives me my supply of green tea.

Thank you Tita Del for such a thoughtful Christmas gift! 

This is the last shoot I did before we made the big jump from 2013 to 2014! The last time I shot the Tagos for their annual family portrait was two years ago with my good friend and fabulous photog Kat Banay, and I didn't realize how much I missed shooting this family until the afternoon of this shoot, when I saw how great they looked. They even brought Yoda, their newest puppy! 

The Tagos know how to take portraits, and they should! They've been doing this since R and R were still dating and now with a cute little boy in tow, their annual photo sessions are as lively as ever. 

Six frames! 

And thank you for a house full of people I love. Amen.

-Terri Guillemets

One word: FUN! That's the Diaz family for you. When I met them  I was treated to inside jokes and playful banter that immediately made me feel at ease even though it was my first time to meet them. J, a former schoolmate from high school, told me that they want portraits done since the family does not together too often, with some working abroad and J and her family living the city while the in-laws live a few hours away. As I was shooting them I was reminded of how my own family desperately needed to get  itself at least one proper family portrait! This is one good-looking family, and it doesn't take a lot of persuasion for them to stand and pose, and pose well, I might add!

Our house is filled with smoke and I can hear the screech of firecrackers in the distance. I took the photo above from the window, a few minutes before the clock struck 12, before we made the big switch from 2013 to 2014. The dogs are tulala, especially Pip who is having his first New Year in Dumaguete. But all is well, I am here with family, and blessed with all the good things that make my heart fat and full. This year has been filled with so much happiness, lessons learned, new experiences, joy, sadness, light and love. I hope you are looking back at the year that was with joyful eyes too. 

You were great, 2013! 

A big HELLO to you, 2014!!!