Art and Earth Science by Grass
Grass Padrique | The Fabulous Scientist Before GPS and tablets, every strike and dip was inked by hand by geologists. It is a ritual of observation and artistry. There is a certain romance in geology that isn’t always captured by equations, satellite images, or the neat layers of a GIS map. Long before digital mapping… Continue reading Writing Like a Geologist: Field Notes, Maps, and the Fountain Pen Tradition
Looking for practical gift ideas for your commuter friends in the Philippines? From dumpling bags to mini fans and pocketable raincoats, here’s the ultimate survival kit for everyday jeepney riders that you can give during birthdays or the upcoming Christmas! Every day, thousands of us brave the wild world of public commuting. Jeepneys, buses, tricycles,… Continue reading Practical Gift Ideas for the Everyday Public Commuter
The journey to the Garmin Run 2025 began, not with focused training, but with a deeply regretted 3:00 AM alarm. My inner debate was fierce: Should I stay in my warm bed, or honor the corporate obligation that paid for this slot months ago? After preparing breakfast for my eldest son, I was on my way. I arrived at the venue… Continue reading My Unexpected 5K Journey at Garmin Run 2025
The passion for fine writing instruments often begins in solitude—a quiet ritual of pen, ink, and paper. But the annual Pelikan Hubs event reminds us that this singular obsession is, in fact, a thriving, global community. For this week, fountain pen enthusiasts all over the world met up in a gathering called Pelikan Hubs to share about… Continue reading I attended my first Pelikan Hub!
I missed a few events this year—like the Manila Pen Show, the Phuket Asian Urban Sketchwalk I wrote about recently, and the Manila International Book Festival (MIBF). Sadly, I also missed the Malaysia International Pen Show (MIPS). Between work, motherhood, and the fact that I’m still new in my workplace (which means no vacation leaves… Continue reading When You Can’t Go to the Pen Show But the Pen Show Comes to You
From August 14 to 17, 2025, Phuket, Thailand transformed into a living canvas as hundreds of urban sketchers from across the Asia-Pacific region gathered for the Asia-Link Sketchwalk Phuket 2025. Over four vibrant days, the island’s streets, heritage buildings, and waterfronts became backdrops for artists who came together to share their passion for on-location sketching. Four… Continue reading Sinours Phuket Edition: A Watercolor Souvenir from Asia-Link Sketchwalk Thailand 2025
For the past few weeks, I’ve shifted from booking Grab rides to commuting via public utility jeepneys (PUJs). At first, it was purely a financial decision. But over time, I realized that this simple shift gave me not just savings, but also lessons, habits, and experiences worth keeping. 1. A Huge Difference in Cost A… Continue reading From Grab to Jeepney: How I Save ₱7,500 a Month and Gain More
What Is Polaroid Film? Polaroid film, or instant film, is a type of film that develops a picture within minutes after it's taken. It has layers with light-sensitive chemicals. When you take a photo, light exposes the film like in traditional photography. As the photo comes out, rollers apply a chemical that develops the image.… Continue reading Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo (Brown Body) — My July Project’s New Star
Earlier this month, a fellow MS in Geology graduate who now works with the UP Resilience Institute and I discussed a bold, forward-looking idea: what if Metro Manila could reimagine itself not as a flood-prone metropolis struggling to cope with yearly inundations, but as a “sponge city", an urban landscape designed to live with water rather than fight… Continue reading How Sponge Cities Can Mitigate Metro Manila’s Flood Issues
Earlier this week, I found myself walking alone among the sunflowers lining University Avenue in UP Diliman—my alma mater, my academic home. On an ordinary summer day, the late afternoon sun might have cast a golden light over everything. But it’s already the rainy season, and the skies that day were anything but clear. The… Continue reading Walking Among the Sunflowers and A Quiet and Victorious End to My Graduate Study (for now)
The Fabulous Scientist 