Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Stories And My New Life In Cebu



I SAT IN FRONT OF JAN YANEHIRO IN HER 79 New Montgomery office at downtown San Francisco. She's dressed in a yellow wool jacket over a black top and long pants. Her gently parted bangs and lilac-colored eyeshadow struck me first as I stare at her.

“Crystal, your voice tends to fall off at the end of your sentences. Project like this.”

She proceeds to say a few words. I follow them. 

“Yes, better. Keep practicing.”

Jan is an Emmy-awarding winning journalist. As the Director of Multimedia Communications of Academy Art University, she had been the first person to encourage me to study production. When I was a scared, stressed, teenage girl looking for a scholarship, she welcomed me in open arms saying, “You’d flourish in my department both as an athlete and a student.” And I believed her.

Four years later, I graduated with several awards, one of them an NCAA Woman of the Year nomination. Not only my US education will enable me to provide for myself, I was also exposed to an environment that proved I could live a creative and meaningful life. A private art school education. Traveling the whole U.S. with artist friends while playing competitive golf. Living in downtown San Francisco -  melting pot of wealthy, artistic, free, environmentally and historically adept people and ideas. My brain, my physique, my soul — all expanded the best way possible any young woman could ever wish for.

That bright afternoon, Jan and I had been working to produce a singing show. It will be our last class together. Although I’m thankful for her kind mentoring, at the same time, I was also feeling nostalgic about the near end of my college journey. It’s graduation soon. It was almost goodbye.

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After graduating, I moved to San Diego, California. The weather is described as semi-arid, mild and sunny throughout the year. It’s essentially all-day long perfect, the kind that would guilt you if you’re not outdoors.

I’ve been driving for almost an hour now, even turning off the radio so I could focus on the directions. But what I could not find is the entrance to Elfin Forest in Escondido, California. I’m right here, but as with most state parks, looking for the “staging” area (the place where the hike starts), is the hardest to find.

One mile from destination,” the GPS voice cries in unison with the hazard light clicking. After a U-turn and an illegal left turn, I finally found the gate.

The Elfin Forest hike boasts of several trails that vary in difficulty. As a moderate hiker, I aim for maximum three to four hours in the mountain. Asking for more might be a push for a young woman wandering alone.

Fake alone, I would call it, because you're never truly by yourself in nature. I’m walking on half-sand/half-dry soil. Hundreds of miles of it spread in front of me, sometimes wielding like forks into deeper parts of the woods. I learned this thing in college training where we load our butts and thighs and tighten our bellies for every lunge. My trainer advised it’s best for protecting knees, so I used that in my new hiking hobby. That, and breathing in rhythm, made me fall in love with hiking more.

Up in the mountains, mansions in Escondido peaks looked like tiny cars. California is experiencing its worst drought in years. So right now, a typical California view is like an old pastel painting —  brownish, greenish, bluish — real but faint. Slowly rolling mountains but never too small like hills or staggering like the Grand Canyon’s. And there’s always a body of water, this time the Olivenhain Municipal Water District.

Since moving to San Diego, I learned to relinquish the outdoors. My work ends early so by afternoon, I’m free to sleep under the sun. Without any friends, school or social obligations, I’m living in melancholy, peace and solitude. 

“Aloneness is not the same as loneliness,” one of my favorite quotes would say. The San Diego life, paired me down to what really matters to my core - a purpose (my first employment after school), nature (hikes and coastal views), books (to feed my brain) and lots of reflection time. 


When my working privileges ends, I’m moving back to my home country, the Philippines. My VISA is expiring soon. It’s almost goodbye.

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And now here I am in Cebu living an entirely new life.

Two weeks ago, I left my siblings in Cavite to move to Cebu permanently. I bawled on the plane until I got bloodshot eyes over missing the three little people I love the most. 

"Why do you want to drop me off at the airport?," I asked my nine-year old sister Ace. 

"Kasi wala na akong ate (Because I will no longer have an older sister)," she said so straight and emotionless, I wanted to crumble inside. A notable hurdle in this new life: Leaving my family. 

A week ago, I sat on the bathroom floor away from screens and noise. My future husband had to rescue me, probably thinking I just went mad. But I needed the space to internalize my losses. I’m waking up everyday depending on one person. I have no place to go or nothing (not even household chores) to do. A notable hurdle in this new life: a loss of a purpose. No work, no dignity.

Two hours ago, Jovi and I, were being toured by a sweet lady around Radisson Blu Hotel. I could not follow her words because she’s speaking in Bisaya — the dialect of Cebuanos. I’m born and raised Tagalog and adopted English from my college days. Bisaya is spoken fast and there are still many words I don't understand. A notable hurdle in this new life: language.

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I went to school in San Francisco for four years, then I moved to San Diego for a year. That’s five years of building a life — the first time I would call my real “own” life without much of anybody’s help. I decided to pick my major. I cleaned, slept, cooked, washed and ate in an apartment I chose. I hosted breakfasts with my own adult friends. In those five years I grew up, not only in age, but in a hey-I-can-survive-alone kind of empowering way. 


Goodbye to my independent U.S. life, artists friends in San Francisco, to the crazy mornings of waking up beside my nine year-old sister, or even just the familiarity of my Cavite home or the San Diego freeways. I don’t think a husband is enough to replace all that. And that’s okay. Because when I sleep at night and wake up in a this new life of uncertainty, only one strong, ironic and quizzical thing hits me. The eliminator of all my notable hurdles: Gut-wrenching joy.



"Uncertainty is where things happen. It is where the opportunities — for success, for happiness, for really living — are waiting.”


Wednesday, October 1, 2014

How I Learn By Samm McAlear


THIS SERIES IS ABOUT PEOPLE I admire answering the question: "How Do You Learn?" According to the dictionary:  learn (verb) means to gain or acquire knowledge of or skill in by study, experience, or being taught. I want, and hopefully my readers as well, to pick up lessons from individuals who are happy, socially responsible and uniquely successful. 
I started off by answering this question myself, and now it's time to pass the baton to Samm McAlear. He and I knew each other as student-athletes at Academy of Art University. Equipped with the grit of a baseball player, Samm is turning his competitiveness and drive to graphic design. He is currently working at Nike as a Product Designer intern. 

Location: Beaverton, Oregon 
Current Gig: Product Designer and Product Graphics Intern (NIKE), Student (Graphic Design, AAU)
Website: sammmcalear.com

HOW I LEARN BY SAMM MCALEAR




What inspires you?
Travel. It's crazy how you can take a 45 minute flight from one city to another and you can tell you're in a completely different enviroment. Culture is everything and I love seeing the differences between people and communities from one place to another. Everyone of us was brought up with different values and family history that contribute to who we are, and what traits we pass on to the next generation. You don't even have to travel the world to find this, you could drive a couple hours to the next state over and gain a whole different perspective on life. I've been lucky enough to be able to travel all over the world and it's definitely influenced me as a designer. Sometimes we get so caught up in doing things a certain way because it's comfortable for us and we fail to see there are other ways to accomplish the same task. 
I love talking to people who were around before technology and hearing how they created. There is an authenticity you get by doing something with your hands, and that seems to get lost in the modern technology age. Part of my reaction to this is now whenever I take photographs I shoot everything on disposable cameras. There is something about capturing a moment on a disposable that is so authentic because you can't snap off 14 frames in a row like you can on modern DSLR's. What you shoot is what you get. You capture that authentic moment and something is so real about it. 
And music. I can't work without listening to music. It sets the tone and allows me to zone into what I'm working on. 

Describe a typical day. 

Wake up. Eat some breakfast while checking Instagram. Spending 15-20 minutes sketching random things to get my brain started up, sometimes the sketches lead to other ideas, sometimes they're chicken scratch. Then sit down at the computer and log into my online classes and try and knock some HW out of the way. Once I get bored of that I'll check my usual design blogs and then get started on whatever freelance work I have. Eat lunch, Work out and shower then get back to either client work or homework depending on the day. 
On travel days I try not to get on my computer. Instead I'll either read a book or draw, but things always change depending on my workload. 



A doodle on a plane
Anything cool you're working on?
I just finished some stuff up at Nike that should be releasing here very soon, and continuing to release throughout the rest of 2014 and into 2015. 
I'm also finishing up Art Direction a national campaign for Monster Products, a headphone company based in the bay. Currently looking for more cool projects too!



How do you get news everyday? 
By watching the news in the morning, the internet, and Twitter. 


How do you share what you know? 
I use Twitter mainly to share what I know. I use Facebook mainly as a way to stay connected to old friends and family that live all over the country. 


What continues to influences your life?
Nike cap
One of Samm's design for Nike
Music and the incredibly talented people that I have the opportunity to work with. If you told me when I started college in 2010 that I would have worked for Nike, and get paid to work for and with musicians and athletes that I look up is still pretty crazy to me, and sometimes it doesn't even feel real. That alone influences and inspires me to continue to grow as a designer and never stop learning. 
An unforgettable quote.
Don't think about what can happen in a month, or what can happen in a year. Instead, focus on the 24 hours in front of you and do what you can to be closer to where and what you want to be. I have no idea who said it, but I love it!

Your Top 5 Fascinating People and what would you like to learn from them?



 Kanye West, Benjamin Franklin, Rick Rubin, Warren Buffet and Nelson Mandela
 Kanye West, Benjamin Franklin, Rick Rubin, Warren Buffet and Nelson Mandela

Warren Buffet - the man started with nothing and now he owns damn near half of the US it seems like. 
Rick Rubin - The guy has produced for everyone from the Dixie chicks to Kanye. He makes a hit album, then seems to disappear for years, then all of a sudden is back making more classics. 
Kanye West - beneath all the craziness and antics there is hints of true creative genius that I feel tends to get misunderstood just because of how passionate he is about what he loves. 
Benjamin Franklin - the way at which he approached problems and discovered solutions really fascinates me. 
Nelson Mandela - He witnessed people at there worst, and was still able to forgive and focus on the good of the greater people, changing the history of a country,  and in turn impacting the world in a way which I think he never imagined. 

What is a book or movie that changed you?



The last book and movie that really made me think were 'The Butler" (Film) and "Lullaby" by Chuck Palahniuk.
What do you know for sure?
I wake up every morning excited that I get paid to do what I love. 
Lastly, I would love for  Andrea Nieto  to answer these questions.

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Contact: Follow Samm's Instagram here.

To see the rest of his work, go to:  sammmcalear.com

 

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