february is just the beginning.


reading the last question of this article about marvel studio's visit to the country in the hopes of looking over expansion possibilities in the country, caught my eye and reminded me of how challenging it is to collaborate with another person on a writing project.

you see, in co-writing a story there are so many elements that come into play -- plot, characters, consistency, coherence, differences and agreements and the worst -- other priorities and obligations. i can just imagine the enormous challenge these two guys had in weaving good omens into a modern literary classic.

but collaboration isn't the exception to the rule in writing great stories, nor in music and art. musicians and songwriters ian zafra , jude gitamondoc and cattski know what it means to collaborate -- the challenges, suprises and ultimately, the satisfaction it brings.

i'm not really sure if rob does any work with his brother john , but just imagine the possibilities there. and if proof of the partnership is in the blooming, strawberry is an apt example of how alexa and jude's collaborative journey has borne much fruit.

february is just the metaphor we use for remembering the romantic partnerships we have with loved ones. as the month ends, so does our celebration of social, artistic and cultural partnerships, collaborations and everything in between, begin.












penumbra uno: thank you for the use of your photos in this post -- alexa, jude and ysai perez by way of ian z. . salamat kaayo! :)

penumbra dos: coming in from a desk job and taking on freelance work full-time is not easy, let me tell you. in the last ten months, i've crashed and burned so many times, that in every single day, i'm praying and hoping for a miracle. every single day, God provides. thank You for the lifelong collaboration.