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
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
Hi everyone! I know I haven’t blogged here in a while—life has just been so busy these past two weeks! But I’m still here. As I’ve shared before, my kids and I have recently developed a love for nature walks, where we observe birds and try to identify different trees wherever we go. Luckily, the… Continue reading Balik Tanaw: Returning to Nature at UP Diliman
Working as a geologist in the industry has given me access to places in the Philippines that most people will never set foot in—areas classified as "red zones," off-limits to tourists, and often overlooked on maps. For nearly five years, I was stationed in Mindanao, where some of the most remote and geologically hazardous sites… Continue reading A Geologist’s Journey into the Red Zone
A friend invited me on a road trip to Pagbilao, Quezon, to buy Philippine native trees—part of a project to green our institute’s grounds and introduce students to local tree species. I immediately said yes, not just for the cause but also because I wanted to browse for indoor plants and, if I was lucky, find some moss for our terrariums. At first,… Continue reading Road Trip Adventures: Native Trees and Pottery in Quezon
A caldera is a large, basin-shaped depression. It forms when a volcano's magma chamber empties during a massive eruption. The overlying land then collapses into the void. It is different from a volcanic crater. A volcanic crater is a smaller, bowl-shaped depression. It typically forms by the explosive release of gases at the surface. The formation of a… Continue reading A Dry Volcanic Caldera in the Philippines? Yes, we have one!
Yesterday, we went grocery shopping and found the store packed with people—it’s the holiday season, so it was to be expected. Normally, we head to the grocery as soon as it opens to avoid the crowd, but this time we went later than usual since we had just returned from a local trip and took… Continue reading How to Foster a Reading Habit in Children
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