I am an editor/QA by trade, something I have done for several years now. Before that I was a college professor, something that seems like a distant memory. Up till this time, work has had its way of creeping into my free time so I had little time left for hobbies, or anything else for that matter.
I took up English Studies, major in Creative Writing at UP-Diliman because I loved to write. I still do, but I haven’t had time to write anything anymore. It was then by chance that I got to discover cosplaying through a friend. All it took was dropping by a cosplay event at a nearby mall to get my imagination humming. Here was a subculture all its own that was colorful, strange, and unique—something new I can study from the inside out. I wanted to be in this world where people can be creative and imaginative, where people can have fun and get appreciated too. I was drawn to this world and now I can say that it has profoundly affected me.
Cosplaying has changed my perspective on life. There was a time when I was just too lazy, tired, jaded, or uninspired to do anything. Now:
1. I’m writing again. Sure, maybe not as a novelist or an investigative journalist, but hey, it’s a start.
2. I’m learning about blogging. Oh yes, WordPress is my friend, but I still can’t quite figure out this HTML thing. I still remember the time when my PC AND laptop were solely for playing games.
3. I’m more interested in traveling now. For the longest time I haven’t even considered leaving the 1st District of Quezon City for ANY reason, except perhaps to go to Divisoria to look for strange things to buy. Now the desire to cosplay in remote locations has taken me to the deepest, darkest jungles of Bulacan, public parks, malls, museums, Kalibo, Aklan, Boracay, and Hong Kong. I even went clubbing in a costume from 9pm to 5am the next day. Last time I was a club, they insisted I call it a “disco.”
4. I’m learning photography. Ideally, the photos for this site are to be provided by my brother, who is just too good at photography. However, there are many instances that I have to go to events alone, which is why I need to learn the art of taking pictures properly. Most photos I take are blurred, overexposed, out of focus, and in many cases, irrelevant, but hey, I’m getting there. You’ll see.
5. I’m rediscovering arts and crafts. I had lots of awards in grade school when it comes to drawing, painting and Work Ed. Now I find myself making a giant billhook cleaver/sword from the largest size of illustration board and gluing it to PVC pipe then spray painting it in chrome at 2am in the morning.
6. I’m actually making new friends. I have to admit that it’s really a lot easier being grouchy and antisocial all the time, but I’m slowly learning that things are a ton more fun when sharing your passion with others and even being friends with them.
Sure, I’m now 36 and have been told to be too old for such a thing, but this is something I can be passionate about. I actually enjoy myself when cosplaying in events and having other people appreciate the effort you put into being in character, asking to take pictures of you or with you. It makes all that effort and hard work worth it. I even manage to make some people happy too.
