Live...as if you like it

Adulting 101

2019-01-05T21:30:00.000-08:00

Since this is 2019 and we are all adults here...

Nope, I am not gonna talk about something NSFW. I will stick to my somewhat wholesome, albeit sarcastic self and talk about things that matter to grown ups like you and me.

"Decluttering" - such a simple word, but the effort to make it happen is enough to make me gag.

And though I would consider myself a very low maintenance girl (I do not even have a kikay kit), I still have a lot of "important stuff" hanging around that I loath to get rid of like:

1. Love letters I got - hey, love letters are extinct and not every girl can boast of being given one so I have kept these to remind me that I was interesting to some people, once upon a time.

2. Stuff from countries I visited - boarding pass, entrance tickets, travel card, money. Why do I keep these? No idea. Only that I hate to throw them away.

3. Old books and even books I do not like and will never read again - somehow the idea of disposing a book feels so disrespectful to the author, editor and even the publisher. All their effort is enough to warrant a space in my bookshelf, good or bad book.

But is there really a "bad book"? Perhaps just one not suited to your taste?

4. Old, thick, long socks - in the event that I reach old age and will be in need of these for my leg muscles

5. Used paper bags - when I was younger and more prone to kaartehan, I will always choose to buy from stores that provide pretty paper bags and get excited when they have new designs. Shallow I know but such is the folly of youth.

6. Mugs - I live alone but I have close to a dozen coffee mugs. I don't like coffee mugs nor do I collect them, but I care enough for the people who gave them to me to dispose any of the mugs.

7. Old notebooks - I'm a writer. Not a creative one, but I like to write and make lists of things. I have notes dating back from my elementary days when I used to listen to the top 20 songs on the radio and write them down. I see these notes and they make me smile at my foolishness, so I hold on to them like mother to a child. And, in case you want to know the top 5 songs from 1995, then I have the answers.

I know I should get rid of these if I want a new and improved life for 2019...

I can either follow the Japanese "KonMari" method that states : Let go of things to make room for things that matter. Or the Swedish "death cleaning" which makes you to ask yourself: If I die now, what stuff I keep do I not want them to discover?

Marie Kondo said that we should only keep things that "spark joy" and I will admit that not all these things give me joy. But maybe it is because, it is not things that bring me joy, rather, the memories they trigger.

But still, as a show of maturity, I still need to declutter, so I just took photos of those that I could (letters, boarding pass, etc.) and then threw them all away. Pictures might not be as good as the original but as an adult who wants a cleaner and more organized life, I need to compromise.

Adulting maybe hard, but we are all in this together.

Happy 2019!

2018

2018-09-01T02:32:00.000-07:00

2018 is ending and I have yet to pick up my pace and start writing again.

I am so sorry that I was not able to deliver any contents this year.

I will try to get back to this starting today.

You will notice that the theme and topics that I will write about will be different.

That comes with old age (and laziness) I guess.

Your Disbelief Matters

2017-12-02T21:55:00.000-08:00

I do not get shocked by the news that women are sexually abused in all sorts of industries by all sorts of men.

What I am more in shock of is the reaction of disbelief by people when the accussed is someone they know to be "kind, loving and wonderful".

But kind, loving and wonderful people can be perverts too. And sometimes the reason they were able to get away with doing these things to a lot of women is because they are being protected by that same reputation.

As a victim, you cannot believe that this highly respected and loving father groped you at a party. You must have misled him. Or totally misinterpreted the whole situation.

Maybe it was an accident? Better be calm and quiet about it than confront him. Afterall, he is a loving father to his children, he gives to charity and takes in shelter dogs.

And who would believe you anyways?

So women stay silent. They smile and continue on as if nothing happened. They convince themselves that it was no big deal. That maybe nothing really happened?

Until they hear it from other women who had the same experience and reacted the same.

And the feeling of shame is intensified with the feeling of guilt, self doubt and anger.

This is what these women experience – everyday... from these men, from their peers and even from themselves.

The least we can do is believe these women. Because until women feel that they are safe from telling their stories and until we stop questioning their motives for staying silent, then we won’t hear a scream much less a whisper.

And we only have ourselves to blame.

Note: Image from http://www.parivartansandeshfoundation.com/index.php/news-gallery/our-news/244-sexually-harassed-at-work-don-t-stay-silent

The Sadness of a Salad

2017-08-23T21:06:00.000-07:00

"Yung diet ka kaya nag salad ka lang. Kaso yung serving good for 5."

There's a sadness associated with eating a salad.

When we get so much fun eating Lechon.

Does this mean that unhealthy habits make us happier?

I have always believed that whatever makes you happy is good for you. And while people can judge you all they want, just remember that at the end of the day, whoever dies happy is the winner.

Not That Close

2017-07-18T19:20:00.000-07:00

So I went home early evening the other night when I saw this guy struggling to get his things inside our building elevator.

From the looks of it, he seems to be moving in - alone.

The good girl in me surfaced and I said: I'll hold the door for you.

When he got all his things inside, I asked: What floor?

He looked at the blinking lights of the elevator buttons and said:
Nice, 8th floor din ako. 8** ang unit number ko.

And the sarcastic side of me can't help but blurt out: Ay nagsasabihan na tayo ng unit number?

Really, my life's exciting sometimes.

Yes, this is a drink

2017-04-28T20:32:00.000-07:00

People at the office sometimes go for a drink during Friday nights as part of our bonding sessions.

And since we will be having our Friday off, we scheduled an after office get together with our newly formed SSC barkada.

This time we decided to visit a bar outside Malate area to keep away from the younger crowd.

I was surprised that they had a drink called:

I look forward to more night outs, maybe this time with some "good vibes" cocktails :-)

Sadness - A Reality

2017-04-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a sad reality in life...

Now that I have the money to buy books, I have no time to read them.

So I have piles of unread books waiting for me to get unbusy.

Lucky for me, books are patient. They never complain.

They are like unobtrusive great friends, who are ready to entertain when needed.

If only every time I buy myself a new book, I can also buy some time to read it

Loveisms #21

2017-03-30T18:37:00.000-07:00

Women's Month

2017-03-26T22:05:00.000-07:00

Let us be good sisters to each other.

Although I have always been regarded as one of the boys, I have also been blessed with great girlfriends who have eaten fire and dirt with me.

These girls, which I have known since our pimple filled high school days have been a great influence in my life.

They have taught me the need for patience, acceptance and a dash of kaartehan.

They have stood by me when I was being difficult (as always), impatient and temperamental.

They have waited for me countless times when I was late, understood my need for space and called out all my bullsh*ts.

In short, these girls made my life entertaining and sweet.

And for a bitter, sarcastic girl like me, I need all the sugary sweetness.

Thank you ladies.

When Writing Is Your Friend

2017-02-11T21:52:00.000-08:00

No I did fall out of love with writing.

I just got so busy with life that I forgot myself and what I love.

But since they always said that we should always find time to do what is important to us….

Here it goes….

Writing has always been a sort of therapy for me. It is what I do to relax and get away from stress and all this craziness we call "life".

So I have always been careful to separate this from work.

In the past, I have been asked to write about a lot of things. Some friends have begged me to blog about their products and businesses. Even strangers have contacted me about moneymaking ideas with my blog.

I have refused all these because writing is my hobby. Yes, feel free to call me crazy or a hypocritical b*tch.

But here's my reason(s):

Writing is what I do when I am stressed about work.

It is what I turn to when I need an outlet when things do not go well and I need to vent it out.

If I start to impose deadlines and required content on my writing, if I start to get money and earnings from this, then writing would feel so much like work and then, what else would I have?

Writing is my hobby and the joy and relaxation I get from it is priceless.

In my world, pleasure over business anytime.

February Dreams

2017-02-01T21:52:00.000-08:00

As we usher in the love month, I want you all to dream of being smothered by all things (and non things) you love...

Find Your Own Contest

2017-01-30T19:17:00.000-08:00

Why have we made it our business to look down on people who cannot speak good English?

I am proud of what Maxine has accomplished. That she was able to do that amidst all the bashers who think they are better individuals than her, is a source of pride in itself.

My message to all those bashers (please note that I am being liberal in using the word "might" here):

You might be smart... you might be good at speaking a foreign language... but Ate, you are lacking the height, good looks and poise to compete head to head with all these global beauties. In short, this is a beauty contest and all you have is your beautiful English and you won't (and can't) win with just that.

Out of the Box and Into Our Hearts

2017-01-29T10:29:00.000-08:00

If there's such a time when we needed more videos to remind us that the entire humanity is made up of people with hearts and heartbreaking stories, then this is it.

This made me smile, it made me cry and it made me believe that acceptance is easy once you learn each other's story.

Wonder and Wander 2017

2017-01-12T21:47:00.000-08:00

Writing is one of my passion.

And I will continue to write until I can make a sense of the world which continues to be an everyday wonder.

Yesterday, I woke up feeling so happy thinking it is already Friday.

And while I have no particular reason to hate any days of the week, I am a Friday lover because that is the time when I can forget to sleep and stay awake all night long without feeling guilty.

And Friday ushers in the weekend where I can spend time in bed all day long.

Yes I am a simple, boring, lazy girl and I'm proud of it.

Then I realized it was just Thursday. So I went to a coffee shop to buy myself some glazed donut and overpriced coffee to block my disappointment.

Yes, I'm a food obsessed, irrational girl and I'm not proud of it.

One thing I am happy about is that I recently discovered Spotify. This music streaming app is as valuable to me as food - I cannot live without it.

If you live alone, music is your friend. It drowns out the loneliness of living alone and prevents you from talking to yourself out of boredom.

And good music is like a non judgmental, dependable friend.

Let me repeat, I'm a simple, boring, lazy girl and I'm proud of it.

And now it is Friday, my favorite day of the week and I am writing and my Spotify is filled with good music so all is well and life is wonderful.

Don't you think so?

Loveisms #20

2016-12-10T19:44:00.000-08:00

2016-12-04T19:44:00.000-08:00

For a want of a less complicated and more simple life, my team and I are embarking on a project this December.

These are the instructions:

1. Keep only what you need, use and love.

2. Categorize all others and take action:

- Sell?

- Donate?

- Throw away?

- Recycle?

Let us try the "Live more with less" philosophy and see how we enjoy it.

Silver Is Almost Gold!

2016-08-08T19:01:00.003-07:00

I woke up this morning with a wonderful news that a Pinay weightlifter just showed the world...

Congratulations for bringing pride to the Philippines!

Note: Image from abante-tonite.com

Loveisms #19

2016-06-29T19:40:00.000-07:00

I'm Looking For My Brain

2016-06-18T20:50:00.000-07:00

I once read of the paradox that the more powerful a woman is, the more we obsess about how she looks.

Michelle Obama

Kate Middleton

Amal Alamuddin

As we all know Michelle and Kate, let me tell you more about George Clooney's wife, Amal.

Amal is a lawyer, activist, and author. She worked at the International Court of Justice in international law and human rights. One of her high profile clients is the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

She has also been a part of several United Nations commissions and tribunals. She has contributed to the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict initiative, which works to defend the rights of women in war zones. She is also a lecturer on criminal law at the University of London and the Hague Academy of International Law. At present, she is a visiting faculty member at Columbia Law School’s Human Rights Institute.

And here is the interesting part. Google her name and these are just some of the things that will appear about her:

Amal Clooney: Best Looks

Amal Alamuddin Style

Amal Alamuddin's Evolving Style

Really?

We have a woman who represented the former prime minister of Ukraine and former Libyan intelligence chief. She is appointed at the Public International Law Panel of Counsel in the Office of the UK Attorney General. She worked on the Cambodian-Thai border dispute regarding claims of ownership over the Temple of Preah Vihear that went before the International Court of Justice at The Hague.

How many of us can boast of such credentials?

This is a woman who makes George Clooney a poster boy for trophy husbands.

And internet are full of these pictures:

Here we have a smart, hard working, influential woman and we are more interested in her daily outfits.

What a puzzling world we live in.

Read: Never Again

2016-06-05T21:58:00.000-07:00

How can we, as a nation, forgive and accept the pain of Martial law?

Let me explain it to you in simple words:

Murder

Rape

Dissapearance

Sexual assault

Electrocution

Strangulation

Water torture

Solitary confinement

Sleep deprivation

Amnesty International estimated that during martial law, 70,000 people were imprisoned, 34,000 were tortured, and 3,240 were killed.
That you were not one of them should be enough to make you think.

My Stupid, Funny Self

2016-06-01T21:12:00.000-07:00

This picture made me remember a crazy conversation at the office:

Boss was talking about weeds from his garden and I was like...

Me: I have never seen a weed before. I'm very interested in having one.

Boss: Weeds? But they grow everywhere!

Me: Oh, that weed. I thought the illegal ones.

Boss: (shakes head... and probably thinks, "time for some random drug test for this lady")

Loveisms #18

2016-05-26T22:41:00.000-07:00

Third Party

2016-05-21T21:18:00.000-07:00

Of course I wanted to go back...

To a time when our eyes understood each other.

When a secret smile would mean a hundred meaningful words.

And a simple touch would turn into an explosion of mutual delight.

But we're two different people now.

You have lines on your face that says you are tired of the present.

While the dark, under eye spots I have gained are of longing the previous "us".

You once said, "this won't change anything".

But it did.

Because those moments that once belonged to us are now shared by three.

Me, you and her.

And that changes everything.

Read: Alphabet Weekends

2016-05-07T18:51:00.000-07:00

Just had some light, summer reading with this book.

It's about 2 friends who decided to spend twenty-six weekends together, indulging in twenty-six different activities from A to Z. The catch? Guy is in love with the girl and thinks that at the end, they would fall madly in love with each other.
Except that love—and life—is never as easy as A, B, C . . .

This turned out to be something I'd love to do in real life.

The Power of Saying "No"

2016-05-02T23:14:00.000-07:00

Like a lot of women out there, I had problems saying NO.

I grew up thinking that I need to accommodate people's needs to be able to live a rich, fulfilling life.

That I need to be selfless and kind.

As a grown up, I realized that to be able to live a satisfying existence, I need to prioritize myself before I can give to others.

They said that sometimes when you tell other people "No", you are actually saying "YES" to yourself.

And there is nothing wrong with that.

Do not believe otherwise.