The Random Bibliophile

Going Green: Another Hairstory

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Sun, 28 Aug 2022 10:11:00 +0000

I've always been adventurous with my hair, but since I left for Dubai, I haven't touched it and just simply let it grow freely. I've had it grown long, I've cut it short and then grew it again.

It was a boring cycle of long and short locks, and maybe it's this spontaneous side of me but when I was scrolling through shopee, I stumbled upon Colourette's page. I knew they were popular for their affordable and quality lip products. I didn't know they have a bleach and hair dye line. I was immediately sold. Learning that their products were vegan and cruelty-free, I purchased two sets of their Bleach Cloud bleach and two colors of Sky Dye (green and violet). I splurged and it was maybe a poor decision-making moment but their products were worth it!

I received my orders a week later and I immediately tried their bleach. They were right, their bleach wasn't as harsh as all the other bleaches I've tried in the past. Theirs were gentler and not as pungent. It still stung when I bleached my roots, but not as much. It was incredible because all the other times I've bleached my hair, I've always felt my hair burning. But not with this one! So yes, I'm pretty happy I bought 2 sets for 399 pesos each. Such a steal because its regular price is 549!

Anyway, to make the long story short, I've decided to try out the green hair dye first just because. And I loved the outcome! It turned out lighter than expected but it was still beautiful.

I really liked how the Sky Dye pampered my bleached hair. The hair dye was conditioner-based so it really neutralized the drying effect of the Bleach Cloud.

After just 2 weeks of having this shade of green on my head, I grew restless because I really wanted a deeper color. So, I scoured shopee again. hehehe

I found a shop selling Herani hair dyes and they have an even wider selection of colors. I was in hair dye heaven. I got one in Mermaid's Wish - it's a blue-green color, like a deep aquamarine. It's my current hair color and I'm loving it much more than the green one.

I'm thinking of bleaching my whole head now so that I'll have a whole head of aquamarine. Maybe next month. I won't overwhelm my scalp with frequent bleaching because I don't want to stress my hair, haha!

I've been doing things more and more spontaneously these days and maybe this is a product of being just stuck at home with nothing new to experience in the past 2 years. Maybe it's just me embracing this "go with my gut" side of myself that I've suppressed for so long. Someone said I'm the kind of person who, while impulsive and spontaneous, still has a calculated side when I really think about it. And I think this is an accurate description of who I am right now. I am then reminded of Seokjin and how he shared that he lives his life how he wants it. Like he just does things when he feels like it and when he doesn't, then he won't.

Maybe I'm one in those phases where I'm just really going with my gut and then let the consequences of my decisions bite me after. Life is short. I'm going to do what I want when I still can. xx

The First Half of 2022

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 04:49:00 +0000

2022 came with the impression of being 2020 2.0. I thought it was going to be another year of being kept inside the house and having pandemic anxiety. But then it turned out that the situation got a lot better than the year before. The restrictions were not as strict, and everything seemed to be getting better.

The first half of this year flew by, and as I look back, I realize I did so many new things. My highlights for the first half of the year are definitely a variety of incredible experiences that I am so thankful to have gone through. I finally learned how to make scented candles, became a speaker for an event at my alma mater, continued on with my podcast that turned one year old last April, upgraded my work equipment, got employed full-time at a BPO company, hung out more with my friends, and, of course, spent more quality time with my family.

Scented Candles

I have been toying with the idea of learning how to make my own scented candles since I became obsessed with them last year. And then earlier this year, I finally caved in, got supplies, and started making small batches of my own. I made simple labels and printed them on matte sticker papers to put them on the jars of candles I made. The whole process was therapeutic and rewarding. I got to share them with friends and family and also sold a bunch of them. I was thinking of making them a business on the side but then I got completely busy when I got hired in this new company I'm in so my supplies are now sitting on the shelf. I hope to get back to making candles again soon. I have so many more scents I want to try!

Became a Guest Speaker

I wasn't really an active alumnus of my high school alma mater but when one of my old classmates reached out to me and asked me to participate in a live podcast for their Senior High's Career Week, I accepted. It was my first time but I wasn't really nervous because it was just happening online. I was a guest speaker along with other alumni and it was a wonderful experience. Thinking about it though, I kinda cringe a little because I may have said some things that weren't really right because I was caught up in the moment and just spoke the first thing on my mind, which is sometimes not the right thing to say. Months after this live podcast happened, I received a token of appreciation and a certificate. That was when it hit me, that little thing was something worthy to be given appreciation and it made me feel validated. Validated in the sense that maybe I did something good, that I contributed something useful to my alma mater. It felt good to be appreciated and lately, I kept thinking that being appreciated is something that can make me feel good about myself. Maybe that's the love language I appreciate the most, after all - just being acknowledged and appreciated for the work and effort I make.

My Podcast Turning One

The Single Millennial is a passion project I started last year. As I've mentioned over and over again in this blog, making a podcast has been a dream of mine, and making that dream a reality was amazing. I got to make 28 episodes to date and it's just a great way to talk about things that I have no one to talk to about. Even though I haven't been consistent with putting out new content in it, I'm still very much looking forward to making more in the future. I have so many ideas I've been jotting down on my notes and I just need to find the time to sit down and actually record them. I've been just pretty much occupied with work and work comes first for me this time. #priorities

Work Equipment Upgrade

I also upgraded my work equipment earlier this year and you can read all about it here: A Major Desk Makeover. And here's what my desk looked like last year if you're curious. I'm so happy about this upgrade. The Macbook is my dream laptop and I'm just so thankful and proud of myself to have been able to save up for it. Hard work really does pay off~

Full-Time VA

Lastly, and ultimately maybe the highlight of the first half of my 2022 is being hired as a full-time VA in a legit BPO company. It was a major life-changing event, as I have said in my previous blog, and I admit that there are cons as well as pros in it just like everything else, BUT I'm really happy with it. I'm already 3 months into my probationary stage, three more months and then I'll be regularized and I am excited to finally be granted all the benefits that this company has to offer. I am so grateful!

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Aside from these things, I've also been spending time with friends and family, and I am soooo ready to get some traveling done later this year. *fingers crossed* It’s been an eventful first half of 2022, and I am excited for what’s yet to come! xx

Life Lately: May & June

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 14:37:00 +0000

Hello, how's life? I actually miss this space so much that even though I don't have any idea what to post, here I am opening a blank page and just outright start typing words just to make an update on here. I even had to look up my last life lately post because I seem to have forgotten how I used to make these things. lol.

Anyway, I thought of writing an update just to look back at what the last two months of my life looked like.

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May was both hectic and life-changing. I got a new job and had to undergo an onboarding process that lasted up to 2 weeks. I said life-changing because it's a full-time job that requires 8 hours of my time 5 days a week. My lifestyle changed since and I have been adjusting to it in the past 2 months.

I decided to accept this job because the benefits are good and it would allow me to save up more. I still have my old job on the side though because I'm too attached to it to let go of it. And I admit that part of why this month had been hectic was because I was having a hard time juggling both.

This new job has a different vibe than what I'm used to but it's a welcome change and there are perks that come along with it. I would say that even though I have less free time than when I was just freelancing, it's something that I have to give in so that I could gain more.

June was good. BTS had a comeback and it pretty much kept me occupied along with work. I even got to unwind a little bit after having such hectic weeks before. I had a haircut and I got to hang out with my best friend.

Maybe the only downside of the past 2 months was that I wasn't able to read as many books as I intended to. BUT I read a lot of fanfictions. Ever since I fell down the fanfic rabbit hole last year, I never really got to get out from that hole. And so until today, I am reading fanfics. 😂

So, yeah. I guess that's it? I mean, July is already halfway through and I've been having urges to just fly out and go somewhere just to unwind. I've been looking at flight tickets and hotels where I can just go and relax. I hope one of these days I could push through with these plans. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. xx

“I feel like I don’t deserve compliments”

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Sun, 10 Jul 2022 06:10:00 +0000

[Start of Transcript]

I think it’s a valid feeling that each of us has experienced this kind of dilemma at least once in our lives. We feel like the good things that people say to us are not genuine. Not genuine in the sense that we feel like we don’t deserve such words of praise. I don’t want to speak for everyone but this thought was originally from a colleague. And I wanted to share what my thoughts are about it.

/music/

Hello, dear listener with an s. Listeners. It’s been 2 weeks since the last episode and as much as I wanted to push myself to make and upload content on a weekly basis, my creative juices deplete once in a while. June has been hectic and I have never been more grateful because it’s such a blessing to work in the comforts of my home. I may complain every now and then but I like where I am now. I like my setup, I like my job, and I like my boss. It’s not perfect but it gives me peace. Anyway, enough about me. I’m here to share my thoughts about this certain feeling whenever we are handed compliments that we don’t think we deserve. I thought this was just me but as I said, the title of this episode actually came from another person.

What prompted me to talk about this topic was when our company had an online event. In that event, there was a segment wherein each of the new hires was supposed to introduce themselves to the team and to spice it up, we were also asked to share the best compliment we’ve received. I got into thinking about what I should say. I don’t receive a lot of compliments and it took me a while to formulate something.

I was listening to the others speak and there was one who said that it’s difficult for him to share a compliment because most of the time he doesn’t mind these so-called compliments because he feels like he doesn’t deserve them. One also said that he doesn’t view compliments as they are because minding them might make him overconfident. A lot of people were saying that they have a hard time taking in compliments because they felt like they don’t deserve high praises because they are just doing their best.

Hearing these thoughts made me think about how hard we can be on ourselves and it made me think about how I treat myself as well. Am I having a hard time, too, because I don’t take compliments myself? I mean, how hard could it be to think of something good that someone said to me? Time was running out and I had to think of something to share. I scanned through the hidden files in the compartments of my brain and finally remembered some good things that I got from online friends.

Truthfully, if it wasn’t for this podcast, I wouldn’t be able to share anything. But because I have wonderful listeners, I received the best compliment that I could think of. And sharing that piece of good words that somebody else said about me made me feel good about myself. It made me see myself from a third person’s point of view and maybe that was how other people see me.

For a moment, it was a great thing because who wouldn’t like feeling good about themselves. Maybe sometimes, we just have to take things by themselves. By not overthinking and dissecting things that aren’t there in the first place and just taking others’ words as they are.

Maybe sometimes, we do deserve compliments genuinely said by others to us. And while some had good points in saying that not minding compliments keeps them grounded, it’s also a good reminder that once in a while, we can indulge in them just to build our self-esteem.

/music/

And those are my pieces of thought. It’s always a wonderful journey to go deeper with things that have been said and moments like this make me appreciate life more.

Thanks for listening to this week’s pod episode. I hope I got you thinking about things and I hope you enjoyed listening to it. If you have any thoughts, opinions and violent reactions about today’s episode, you can message me and interact with me on Instagram @thesinglemillennialpodcast. Have a wonderful day everyone, stay healthy, wealthy, and happy. See you on my next one, byee~

[End of Transcript]

Take the time to slow down and smell the flowers

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Sat, 25 Jun 2022 13:41:00 +0000

[Start of Transcript]

Take the time to slow down and smell the flowers. I have heard and read this passage so many times in my life and I have always reminded myself that it’s okay to slow down and take a break sometimes.

In this fast-paced world we now live in, it's normal to have everything in an instant. Instant food. Instant drinks. Automatic washing machines to do the laundry instantly. Instant info of any kind thru google. Just a few clicks and voila—you can have all the answers you need because the internet is stocked with a plethora of knowledge available to the public. Instant payments online. Everything — or at least almost everything—can be done in an instant. That’s the life that we have been striving to have, to move on from the tedious things and have the conveniences that first-world countries have.

It's great actually and I love how these conveniences are made possible for us to focus more on the more important things.

I was riding the ferry a month ago. I went to the city for an errand and on the ride home. I was just looking at my phone, playing a game and just waiting for the ferry to arrive and bring me home. I got bored with the game and when I looked around me, all the people were doing their own thing like me. Some were also on their phone, some were sleeping, some were talking, and some were looking at the sea, soaking in the view before returning to their hustle.

When I think about it, the ferry ride was a chance to refresh the eyes, a chance to think and mull things over, and also a chance to reflect on things you want to reflect on. And I almost missed it because I was so into my phone. This screen of only 6 inches managed to suck up all my attention and made me forget that there are other things I can do than just scroll down and look and read stuff.

I’ve always thought that I would live my life consciously, that I would have already figured out a balance to things but then sometimes, I get sidetracked and distracted. Things like work and hobbies and social media just take all of my time and at that moment in the barge, as I looked up from my phone, I realized that I need to learn how to take things slow. I need to learn how to just be in the moment, without minding any distractions and just soak in what was happening around me.

It was a moment of epiphany. A fluttering sensation. And I just thought I’d share one of my scattered thoughts here. What do you think? Do you also have these moments of realizations where you just sit and ponder about something that suddenly came to your mind? Or am I the only one?

[End of Transcript]

What Am I Good At?

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Fri, 27 May 2022 14:04:00 +0000

[Start of Transcript]

It’s not often that I get asked this question. And while it's a fairly easy one, I found it hard to answer it the more I think about it.

Hey folks, Alexis here speaking and this is The Single Millennial podcast. It’s the middle of May and here’s another thought-provoking episode that I’d just like to throw at the universe because it has been bothering me since last week.

[music]

So, I was going through the process of orientations and training and all that onboarding stuff in the past 2 weeks because (share ko lang) I got a new job and it's something permanent and more stable and I am so happy and grateful and blessed to be hired in this company. In the long onboarding process, I came across a question that I got stuck with for about 10 minutes (?)

It was one of the many google forms I had to fill in and all the other questions were easy to answer. Recalling it now, I think it was some kind of a skill assessment questionnaire. There were some questions about my work experience and personal growth stuff, and then at the very last part, I was asked to complete the sentence: I am good at ...

At first thought, you’d think it’s super easy to accomplish because you just have to say what you are good at. Well, for me it wasn’t. I sat there, staring at my screen trying to come up with words on how I should continue with that sentence. What was I good at? What? At that time, I just couldn’t think of anything.

I thought about the skillset I have for convincing them to hire me, but I couldn’t say that I’m particularly good at those because as I have always ingrained in my mind - I am a work in progress and I am still learning every day. So I couldn’t cement things by saying that I’m good at this technical stuff when I am still learning things throughout the way.

So, I thought about the many hobbies I have and mind you, I have a lot. Over the years, I’ve been hopping from one hobby to another. And still, I couldn’t come up with a solid continuation for that sentence because a hobby is still just a hobby. I couldn’t really say I’m good at reading books. Or I’m good at playing the guitar - which I’m not.

For a long time, or maybe it was just 10 minutes, I sat there contemplating what to write because I had to submit that form asap to move on to the next steps.

Don’t you just have these moments when you just become introspective and reflect upon your own capabilities? And maybe there was a little feeling of discouragement on my part because I couldn’t think of anything I’m good at. If I dive into it more right now, I would just feel depressed because I would then wallow in self-pity because that’s just how my brain works. That’s why I decided to share that piece of thought here because maybe I am not alone in feeling this way. That maybe by voicing out these thoughts, I would reach the right ears who need a companion who also feels the same way I do.

It was a few minutes of pondering that just had an impact on me and it will be something I’ll be thinking about time and again. I do hope though that I’d reach the point when I can confidently say that I am good at a particular thing and not doubt myself anymore. Because that’s what pulls me back eh, that feeling of doubt. That uncertainty. It manifests in me because then I would sabotage myself by thinking that I’m not good at what I do. And that’s another thought to think about.

What about you? What are your thoughts? Do you also doubt yourself at times? Do you also have these moments of uncertainty? If it was you who was asked the question, how would you complete the sentence? What are you good at?

[music]

That’s all folks! Thank you for listening to this week’s episode. That took a turn that I wasn’t ready to address but whatever. And if you are curious about how I completed that sentence. Well, I just said I’m good at eating. Because who isn’t good at eating? And I love food. HAHA

Okay byeeee. Don’t forget to hydrate! Stay healthy, wealthy, and happy! byeeeee~

[End of Transcript]

A Major Desk Makeover

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 02:00:00 +0000

I had the Lenovo Ideapad 14-inch laptop since 2017 and it worked well. It did its job for the past several years but its performance has declined ever since. Last year, it showed signs of giving up and I went into a bit of a panic because it's the only tool I'm using for my work. That's when I decided to start saving up so that I can afford a replacement.

The MacBook has always been my dream laptop and after reading and watching reviews, I was convinced that it was worth it despite how expensive it is.

I saved up the whole year and planned to buy the laptop in January this year but circumstances didn't allow me to. Fast forward to a few months later and my old laptop acted up again and I just couldn't wait anymore.

I went to CDO first but all the authorized sellers were out of stock and so I settled on just buying it online. It was anxiety-inducing but then the gadget arrived a week later and I was ecstatic. I bought a bunch of other accessories to upgrade my work from home setup and it's finally complete.

I made a video to document it all and it's up on youtube. You can watch it below. 😊 xx

Journaling and the Peace & Joy it Gives Me

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Sat, 23 Apr 2022 14:40:00 +0000

[Start of Transcript]

I think somewhere along with my episodes here on the pod, I’ve mentioned that one of my many hobbies is keeping a bullet journal. And so I thought for this episode, I’ll talk about that.

Hey everyone, this is Alexis. Welcome to the Single Millennial Podcast. A podcast where I talk about books, movies, music, and general life lessons that a single millennial - aka me - has gone through. In this episode, I am going to talk all about my bullet journaling experience. When I started, how I got started, how I’ve fit it into my life, and how it gives me peace, joy, and a sense of control.

[music]

I have been keeping a diary slash journal ever since I was in high school. I think the fascination with documenting your life came to me when I saw The Princess Diaries, as far as I can remember. It made me want to also keep a record of what happened to me every day, my thoughts and whatnot. And so, in my second year of high school, I got a notebook dedicated solely to being my diary. I loved that notebook and I religiously filled it with my deepest, darkest thoughts every single day and I think I managed to fill it up in a year. I would love to reminisce back to its entries but sadly I don’t have the said notebook anymore. In between so many moves I had from one place to another, I think I lost that diary.

From then on, I would always have a separate notebook just to write down my feelings and thoughts. I didn’t know back then that what I was doing was journaling. When I came across the term bullet journaling in 2016, I was fascinated. For me, it was a new system of documenting your life on paper. A Bullet Journal is an all-in-one journal, meaning you could write down your tasks, your to-do lists, your events, and your thoughts for the day. It’s a notebook where you can also track your habits, your expenses, and your savings. You can also decorate it all you want or keep it simple and minimal. It’s a notebook that you can customize in whatever way that fits your need. And it was just life-changing for me.

I got myself a blank notebook in 2016, I think it was September or October? I watched a lot of videos about setting up your bullet journal on YouTube and I admit that at first, I was a little bit intimidated because what I saw were beautifully doodled pages and very crafty bullet journals and I didn’t know if I could do it like that.

One Bullet Journal Youtuber that I adore until this day is Amanda Rach Lee and it was through her that I overcame that fear of making mistakes. One advice that every bullet journalist would tell a newbie is to JUST START. Don’t let your fear consume you, JUST START. And so I did and I have been bullet journaling since.

I started with trial and error. When you get into bullet journaling, there is a system you have to learn. There’s this term called “key” that’s basically the signifiers of your bullet journal entries. You develop your KEY over the years and alter it into what works best for you. As for me, mine consists of a hollow circle denoting every task and then I fill the circle in when I finish that task. When I fail to do that task, I draw a line, crashing out the circle. When I did the task but did not finish it, I just fill the circle in half. Those are my KEYs, but you can create any signifier that will work for your system.

When you begin a new bullet journal, there are certain spreads that will be helpful when you have them at the beginning of your notebook. The typical spreads are the table of contents or the index and the future log where there’s an overview of the whole year. You can then add in your other spreads. In mine, I have the gratitude page, a goals-for-the-year page, and a movies-I-watched and books-I-read for the year page. And after that comes the monthly spreads and the weekly spreads. Some even have daily logs, but I don’t do that. In the monthly spread, I have a calendar of the month, a habit tracker, a goals for the month, and also expenses and income for the month.

Basically, I have everything in my bullet journal. I have my daily tasks in it, I have journal entries whenever I wanted to write down my thoughts for the day. I have a brain dump page. I have a page for jotting down my ideas for this podcast and also my ideas for work. I use my bullet journal for everything and it has really given me a sense of control over my life because it’s something that keeps me together. Does that make sense?

I’ve been bullet journaling since 2016 but there was a time - I think it spanned months when I didn’t write in my bullet journal. It was a time when things were difficult for me and I lost motivation of all kinds. I lived on autopilot and it was a time I wouldn’t want to go back to. What I felt at that time was chaos. I was feeling so many feelings and I had no outlet whatsoever. I didn’t write in my notebook, I didn’t write on my blog, I didn’t write anywhere. And writing was my release. I felt so lost and troubled.

When I slowly got out of that hole, I went back to my bullet journal and began writing in it again. That’s when I learned that I needed a system to keep me together. And that system was bullet journaling. It’s a tool that lets me make sense of my life. And I don’t know how else to explain it but all cliches aside, bullet journaling has in one way or another saved me from insanity.

In our digital age today, maybe you’d ask me why I didn’t go digital with my journaling. Well, I’m an analog kind of girl because when I tried going digital, I just couldn’t grasp it. I needed something tangible. I longed to hold a pen and write. Because the act of writing itself was therapeutic for me.

I have friends who also tried to get into bullet journaling and I was excited for them. But it didn’t work for them. And maybe I was just wired differently. Because they didn’t have the connection that I had with my bullet journal.

Bullet journaling is amazing, at least for me. And if you want to start one, there are a lot of helpful videos on YouTube that you can watch to guide you. I highly recommend AmandaRachLee. I also sometimes watch Hedda from Mochibujo, her spreads are so cute and her videos are relaxing to watch. There are also a ton of inspirations on Pinterest and Instagram. These days, bullet journaling has become so popular that there’s no shortage of content about it.

So yes, that was a pretty long time to just talk about bullet journaling and I think I have to stop now.

[music]

Bullet journaling has made such a change in my life and I wouldn’t really be where I am today mentally if it wasn’t for my bullet journal. And so if you are interested in bullet journaling, I highly recommend you just start and try it out if it would work for you.

This would be all for this podcast episode, thank you so much if you are still listening until right now. I highly appreciate you. Thank you for listening to me babble about this hobby of mine. And I hope that you would visit me again on my next one.

Until then, stay healthy, wealthy, and happy. bye~

[End of transcript]

Links to Love | 04

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Sun, 17 Apr 2022 06:27:00 +0000

Hi! How are you? I hope you're healthy and doing well. It's Easter Sunday and I hope you are celebrating it with your family as I am.

It's been a while since I blog hopped and now that I have a free day, I visited some of the blogs I read. It's been a busy month since my last links to love post and a lot of things happened. I'm planning to go back to blogging again but I'm making no promises.

A little update: I'm back with producing new podcast episodes! I took a little hiatus at the end of the year last year but I'm making the effort to be consistent again. The podcast is turning one year old at the end of this month and I am just shocked because I didn't know it's been that long already. If you wanna listen to my podcast, the link is on my Nav Bar!

Anyway, here are some links you can shower with love if you're in the mood to read blogs. 😊

"Don't Look Up" - a reflection of 2021 and the current media landscape by Nicole Isabela
What I Wish I Knew Before I Started Bullet Journaling by Lenne
On age and adult friendships by Anna Jo
even the ugly is a part of me by Elise
Things to feel bad about by Seth Godin
The Lesson My Mother Taught Me Before She Died by Cup of Jo

Enjoy! And Happy Easter! xx

Invest in Yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Sat, 16 Apr 2022 08:22:00 +0000

[Start of Transcript]

The first time I entered the freelancing field, I was in the middle of reviewing for my engineering licensure exam. I was 21 and had just graduated from University and I had a crisis. My phone broke and I needed to have a functional one. I didn’t want to ask for money from my parents because we were just making ends meet then and a new phone was something we couldn’t afford. So I thought up a plan to earn money for it and I had a laptop and an internet connection and that’s when I decided to find a job online.

As a rookie in the online job world, I didn’t know where to start. I researched and asked friends for help and advice. I created a profile on onlinejobs.ph and that’s when I started building my online portfolio. I offered my writing skills and was hired by a publishing company that translated books. It was a job with meagre pay but it sufficed as it abled me to raise the amount of money I needed to purchase a new phone. I was amazed then that I could make money, actual money using my skills over the internet.

And that was actually the start of my online career. I went job-hopping a few years in between but ultimately, I ended up solidifying my place as a content writer and built my skills around that over the years.

There are a lot of things you can do should you decide to find work online. Whatever skills you have, you can hone them and offer them to people who need help.

As a writer, I needed to learn how to write for sales and marketing’s sake. I needed to learn new things that I can put into my pieces so that they will persuade people to buy and actually convert potential customers into actual buying customers. And I did that slowly and gradually.

I took online courses, watched a lot of skillshare videos and listened to relevant podcasts to stay updated with the field I’m working in. There is so much to learn and if you really want to upskill, you can. Because in this day, the resources you need are available online, you just have to find the right ones for you.

And this applies to everyone, not only to those who are working remotely like me. This applies to people in every field. Singers take vocal lessons to improve their singing, actors attend boot camps to hone their acting skills, engineers attend workshops to upgrade their knowledge, and so many other professionals attend trainings and seminars to review and learn more about what they do.

Learning is never-ending and this is where I say that in order for you to improve and take yourself to the next level, you need to invest in yourself.

Investing in yourself does not only mean buying the latest gadgets to have better tools to do your work, although that’s part of it. But also, investing in yourself means allotting time and effort to upgrade your skills. Take the time to consume educational and informational content you can find online, whether they be videos or blogs or books. Take the time to learn more. Be teachable because you improve when you allow other people to teach you things.

I’ve always been self-sufficient and though it took me far, I realized that I also need help from the outside as well if I want to make more improvements in myself. I realized that one of the most impactful ways that I can be taught, that I can learn, is by hearing other people’s feedback towards my work. I like feedback, they are like a meter of sorts. Something measurable that I can tweak.

So yeah, the whole point of all my babbles in this episode is just to remind you that there is always room for improvement, that you can always improve. If you want to be better at something, learn more about it. Study and find more resources to back you up. Watch helpful videos about it, read books about it, and attend workshops and trainings. Maybe even pay for online classes. Or attend events. You can go so far with the knowledge you have. After all, this knowledge is something we always use to go through life.

[music]

Thank you for listening to The Single Millennial, once again this is Alexis, your host. It’s been a while since my last update but things have been busy and motivation has come and gone. But I’m here now. Thanks again for giving me your time to listen in on this episode, I hope you had learned a little something from me. Till next time. Stay healthy, wealthy, and happy. bye~

[End of Transcript]

Renee's Sunday Currently Vol. 14

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Sun, 06 Mar 2022 05:29:00 +0000

Happy Sunday, dear reader! I hope you are doing well on this fine, rainy day. It's been a while since my last Sunday Currently update and I kinda missed doing it. Not much happening to me lately aside from getting back to doing podcast episodes and reading books to fill in my yearly reading challenge and of course work.

My life's been pretty much a routine again but this time around, I don't feel the pressure to change it. I don't feel the need to alter anything. I don't feel the urge to do something new. In a way, I'm content with where I am at the moment. But then, being someone impulsive and indecisive, I might feel differently tomorrow or the next day. Nevertheless, I'll be savouring this feeling of satisfaction until then.

I AM CURRENTLY:

READING The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. This book has been on my TBR list since last year and I have finally picked it up yesterday. One chapter in and I was intrigued! I can't wait to read more about the story.

WRITING the transcript of my next podcast episode and this blog, hehe.

LISTENING to Christina Perri's Arms in my Mixtape 4: it's raining playlist. Check it out!

THINKING about what I should do this afternoon. Should I watch a movie or a series? Should I keep reading? Should I paint? What to do ... hmmm...

WEARING a white shirt (typical) and green shorts. My hair is in an updo and I have my glasses on as always.

HOPING the weather would clear away to sunny skies in the coming days so that our roof repair would commence and be done once and for all.

LOVING my BTS SG 2022 calendar. Jimin is the featured photo for the month of March and it makes me kilig~ haha!

WANTING a new office chair because the one I'm currently using annoyingly moves down. The hydraulics is damaged and I am just so annoyed by it. This chair is just barely 2 years old and it's already dysfunctional, I am so annoyed.

NEEDING to get my teeth checked up. I need to get a dentist's appointment soon.

FEELING good. I'm feeling really good today. I hope this goes on. :)

CLICKING through Spotify to find another playlist to play, hehe.

This is originally an idea of Siddathornton and you can join the link-up by visiting her blog.

The Sense of Achievement and Whatnot

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Sat, 05 Mar 2022 09:54:00 +0000

[Start of Transcript]

Sometimes, I stay awake late at night thinking about what I have achieved in my life. If there's anything I've achieved at all. It's a disturbing thought and it makes me think that I am not doing enough because I can't seem to make a list of things that I can be proud of. At least not things that would quote-unquote “count”.

Hello everyone, Alexis here speaking and this is The Single Millennial Podcast. Here's a new episode that I thought I would like to speak about. Sit back, relax, and let's chat!’;

[music transition]

I was one of the alumnae interviewed last week for Brokenshire’s Accreditation, my high school institution, and one of the questions that were asked was “What are your achievements in life?” Although I’ve managed to answer the question, it still stuck with me and I can’t help but look back through my life.

I turned 28 this year. I graduated from college almost 8 years ago and I have been a working girl since 2016. I worked in the field I graduated in for a year and in that year, I had discovered and realized a huge thing about myself. The degree I studied for 5 and a half years was not the profession I really wanted to keep doing. I felt like I wasn't made for that field and I wasn't meant to be in that industry. My heart had another calling and so for months, I deliberated with myself and created a plan b. Where would I go next when I leave my job, what I would be doing, saving up enough just to keep me afloat as I look for another way to generate income. It was then that I started having anxiety. Taking the leap was scary as fuck. Not knowing if what I wanted to pursue was going to work was a gamble I do not want to lose to.

You see, my family wasn't well-off. We were struggling to make ends meet. I grew up only having enough and I didn't have the luxury to be jobless. When I graduated from college, I vowed to myself that I would get a job and be fully independent so that I wouldn't have to ask for money from my parents anymore. And I did just that. There were a few hiccups along the way but when I decided to leave my field of study, I kind of successfully supported myself to pursue what I really wanted to do.

And now, I'm happy that I'm earning my keep and I get to have some extras for savings but then I look over the things I did in my past years and I couldn't say that I've achieved something to be proud of. At least not something that other people would deem as an "achievement". I am a 28-year-old single woman who still lives with her parents, who does not have any investments to her name, who is crazy over people who do not even know she exists, who still watches animated films and cries over the silliest things. When I look at how my life goes by these days, I can't really say that this is something I imagined I would be doing at 28 years old when I was still in college. It's a far cry from what I envisioned myself to be. But life isn't predictable and shit happens all the time.

The insecurity always creeps up whenever I go to social media and see peers my age who have already done so much, and this is the very reason why I seldom use Facebook. Adulting is difficult, no? All those years we spent studying and getting ready in school, never really prepared us for all that's to come when we face the real world. At least not for me. Adulting was a whole new realm, it turned my world upside down and it slapped me hard on the face. School blanketed us so much from all the anomalies that are present in the world and when it's time for us to get out from our cocoons, we have no choice but to tackle the challenges head-on, not even remotely prepared for them.

I talked to my best friend about this not having a sense of achievement in my life and she had a different perspective that made me rethink everything all over again.

We all have different timelines. This is a cliché that I've read so many times on the internet but it never made sense to me until some time ago. It made me rethink all the things I did in the past and maybe I did some things worthy to be called as achievements that I was just too distracted by other people's opinions to ever acknowledge them as the great things that they are.

Even though I didn't continue on with the field that I graduated in, I finished college and passed the board exam on my first take. Engineering is hard and that is really something to be proud of even though I chose to traverse another path. I pursued writing and blogging and content creating and I made all of them a source of living. Someone told me that not everyone has the guts to make the leap that I did and in that sense, I realized that what I did was another thing to be proud of.

I ventured and walked out of my safe space when I went abroad and that’s another thing to be proud of. Because not everyone can just pack up and leave everything behind to start a new life. That experience did so much to me and my view of the world. It shaped me into who I am now and it gave me a new perspective. Having the experience of being an OFW opened my eyes to how much bigger the world is and how things work on a bigger scale.

Sometimes, it’s the least expected things that will really make a big (if not the biggest) impact on our lives. And I am telling you, my dear listeners, that if you feel that the things you’ve done so far in your life are worthless, think again. Don’t be too negative like me.

Achievements—in all its sense is just like success. It’s something that will mean differently to each person. And it’s fine if what I’ve achieved may not be an “achievement” to someone else. The important thing is that this achievement was meaningful to me. It doesn’t matter if it’s not as significant to other people because at the end of the day when I lay down on my bed, it’s me who will feel the satisfaction and the happiness correlated to that certain achievement and not those other people.

An achievement is something to be proud of and if as simple as successfully creating candles from scratch is something that has made you feel proud of yourself, it’s an achievement. Whether it’s something big like getting that promotion you’ve been aiming to have for years or as simple as finishing that book you’ve been reading for a month, if that something has made you feel happy and proud of yourself, that’s already an achievement in itself. Whether big or small, its scale does not matter. If it’s something that you’ve put an effort into and turned into something that you are proud of to have done, that’s already an achievement no matter how big or small it is. Again, the scale does not matter.

We go forward through life thinking that we have to make something big, that we have to be something big to be someone worthy. But life does not work out like that. Though yes, while some people set out to do great things that are bigger and flashier than yours, it doesn’t mean that the small achievements you made silently in your life are not worthy.

Don’t go around seeking validation from other people when you seek for that sense of achievement. Because for so long, that’s what I have been doing, and it has led me to so many sad outbursts and self-doubt and anxiety attacks. It’s not pretty, especially when you come to the point of wallowing in self-pity.

I have long since learned that all of us have our own timelines and that all of us have a unique life story. There is no specific mold to fit into. There’s no one-size-fits-all in this marathon called life. There is not one specific criterion that we all must adhere to to gain those achievements because we all run different kinds of stories. We all have different kinds of struggles and we all come from different kinds of backgrounds. The important thing here is the way we handle the challenges that are thrown into our path.

We make different life choices according to the privilege that we were given and it’s up to us to make do with what we have and make the best out of the consequences we get from those decisions.

Anyway ... I’ve babbled on for so long now regarding this matter and the message that I just really want to get across is that no matter the size, whether it’s as mundane as getting to do yoga in the morning or as big a deal as successfully building your own business at 25, an achievement is an achievement. You get to be proud of yourself, other people’s opinion does not matter. What you make of your life, of your time, that’s what matters.

Again, this podcast is an advocate of happiness and self-love, so no matter where you are in life, know that your struggles are valid and that there’s someone here who understands you.

Thank you for listening to The Single Millennial Podcast, once again, Alexis here. I hope you are enjoying your weekend. I hope I’ll see you again in my next episode. Stay healthy, wealthy, and happy. Get vaccinated. or get boosters, if you can. Byeee~

[End of Transript]

I Make Playlists

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 15:31:00 +0000

I listen to a lot of music genres and over the years, I've discovered more and more types of music that I grew to like. I go through a lot of different emotions and in every type of mood I have, I always associate it with music.

I guess you could say that music is a big part of my life and I never go through a day without listening to music, whatever it is that suits my mood. Whether I'm happy or sad or mad, whether I'm reading or doing chores, I always turn to music. It's my comfort, it's home.

Music just hits differently, you know?

Before music streaming like Apple Music and Spotify became the norm, I was the kid who owned a Walkman CD player. I had a collection of burned CDs containing my favorite tunes. I even took ownership of some of my father's albums, the ABBA and the Michael Learns to Rock ones. I used to save up a portion of my allowance to go to a computer shop and ask them to burn a CD containing the songs I listed down on a piece of paper.

Even before Spotify existed, I made my own playlists, my own mixtapes.

I would play and replay my music collection until the CDs become scratched and would skip over songs at times. Those were good times...

That's why today, it's just wonderful that we can have access to all the music we want to listen to from these streaming platforms. It may not be a big deal to everyone, and maybe sometimes we take this fact for granted, but I am just reminded from time to time that there are wonderful things to be grateful for to live in a modern world. That even if a lot of bad things happened and are still happening, there are still wonderful things that make life easier and maybe worth living.

Anyway, enough about all those mushy stuff. I'm just actually here to share with you my Spotify Playlists. 😂 At least my favorite ones because I have a lot, a LOT.

Listen to the Mixtape 15: summer roadtrip if you miss being on the road.

If you crave a chill and relaxing afternoon, listen to Mixtape 5: just relax.

If it's raining and you're feeling a little sentimental, give Mixtape 4: it's raining a go.

Feeling inspired by the butterflies in your tummy? Mixtape 19: a new beginning is the playlist for you.

Sometimes, we venture to the dark side and feel down for a reason, so I made Mixtape 20: Sadboi Bops. Sad songs but has boppy tunes, you'll still flick your head to the beat despite the sadness. 😂

Picture this: A Friday afternoon. You are sipping the coffee from your favorite mug. Feelings are relaxed because you just finished your last task for the week and you're just savouring the feeling of being free for the weekend. Listen to Mixtape 28: A Friday Afternoon.

Need a mood booster playlist? Here's Mixtape 17: Pick Me Up

Need an extra push to encourage you to be your best self? Here's Mixtape 10: be empowered

Do you stay up late at night and need a playlist to accompany you in that silence? Mixtape 30: Late Night Shenanigans

Are you an old soul and you love the feeling of nostalgia? Mixtape 3: old but gold is for you.

Nursing a broken heart? I also have a playlist (or three) for that. Mixtape 13: heartaches & heartbreaks

Or maybe you're madly in love so here's Mixtape 12: fall in love for you.

Do you like to listen to instrumentals? I love them, too. Mixtape 21: Relaxing Piano

Maybe you like Disney, too, like me. Yes, I also made a playlist for that. Mixtape 31: Favorite Disney Songs

Lastly, here's a maoy playlist for those who are still stuck in heartbreak. It will pass in time, trust me. Mixtape 33: Maoy Playlist

I have more in my arsenal and if you want to explore them, you can just go to my profile here. What is your favorite music? And do you also make playlists? I would like to see them if you're willing to share them. It's a chance for me to discover new tunes and artists! ^_^ Have a good night ~ xx

Links to Love | 03

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Sat, 05 Feb 2022 14:53:00 +0000

It feels so good to be up and about in this space. Hi! I'm here, though I'm just passing by. I've been preoccupied last month. I got a new job and I'm trying to get used to including it in my daily schedule. Not a lot happened, but at the same time, it felt like January took its time. I kinda feel that it's both too long and too short, you know what I mean?

Anyway, it's the first Saturday of the month and I had been so productive today. Although I got out of bed past nine o'clock, I did a lot of things. I wrote an article for work, I journaled a little bit, I read, and now, I'm even making this blog! After this one, I plan to do my nails while watching something on Netflix. [Productive!] lol

Again, anywaaaay, I wrote another links to love blogpost because I wanted to share these links I've been liking lately. If you are searching for something good to read or something to listen to, I'm sharing with you some of my favorite blog posts and podcasts recently. Enjoy!

Blogs:

When You Feel Like No One Reads Your Blog by Lenne
Fear of Strangers by Seth Godin
in a world that prosecutes emotions by Élise
My WFH Setup by Anna Jo
4 Tools I’m Using to Stay Organised in 2022 by Anika
It Only Has To Matter To Me by Cae

Podcasts:

Stand Your Ground by SkyPodcast
The Power of Choice and Thoughts by Wake Up With Jim And Saab
On Grazed Hearts by the stories i wish you heard
How can we fight disinformation? by Teka Teka
How to Set Boundaries with Family + Loved Ones by Help Me Be Me
When You Feel Left Behind By Your Peers by Makinig Ka Muna With Jim & Saab

Do you blog-hop and listen to podcast, too? What are your recommendations?

I'd love to see your answers in the comment section!

As always, I'm leaving you another one of my playlists. xx

A (Love) Letter To 2021

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 15:18:00 +0000

I should have written this before 2021 ended but alas, things don't always go the way you planned them to and so even if this post is dated on the 31st of December, I am writing this on the 7th of January just because. Mmh ... 2021 ... Where do I start?

2021, you felt like an extension of 2020. Not much happened... It was a year when it felt like my life was unmoving. Every day was pretty much the same as I spent most of them in front of my laptop inside my room—either working or binge-watching series. At first, it wasn't really that bad. I have always been a home person and getting to stay in the comfort of my home while working was what I've always wanted. But then, it wasn't all that I wanted. Despite being an introvert, I still craved social interactions. Being just at home wasn't enough. Despite being an introvert, I loved going out—to coffee shops, to malls, to friends' houses. I loved travelling and that's another thing that the pandemic took away from everybody. And as the year passed by, I felt withering away inside the confines of my room.

A good thing happened by the last quarter of the year and that's when I felt a little relieved. I got to travel back to Iligan and I got to stay there for a couple of weeks. It was the breather I craved for and it invigorated me even for just a little while.

A lot happened inside my head, and I won't go into the dark details of my battles with the many bouts of anxiety attacks I experienced, but I'm still here, breathing and still kicking.

As I think back to 2021, I couldn't deny that despite the negative things, there were a couple of positive things that happened. And maybe that's just how life balances everything. That even though there are bad times and they sometimes can be too overwhelming, life grants you good times for balance.

It was in 2021 when I rediscovered my love for art. I doodled again, I sketched again, I colored again, I created collage art again, most of all, I painted again. It was a year of creating and making art and all because of a job that made me bust out my creative self. I loved how I got to paint again after years. I didn't realize how much I missed getting lost in creating something beautiful. Painting and coloring grounded me. It's one of the things I do when anxiety hits me and it works wonders on calming my messy brain.

Another good thing that happened this year was my podcast. The Single Millennial. I've always wanted to have one and one night last April, I just went ahead and created one without listening to my many fears and doubts. The idea and the podcast name came to me when I was showering (as with most of my other brilliant ideas). I've been getting questions about why I named it the way it is and the reason being was I originally didn't want to publicly share this podcast. It was a secret passion project and it was supposed to stay anonymous. That's why I named it as far-fetched from my blog and my other social media aliases. Because I wanted this podcast to be unknown. But well, being the blogger that I am, I shared it here and friends began praising me for it. Do I regret sharing it? Maybe a little bit, yeah, because now I think about what other people would think about the episodes I put out knowing that the listener will know who the speaker is. It's terrifying for me to think that people I know can listen to my deep thoughts and have preconceived judgement about me just from these thoughts. Am I even making sense now? Well anyway, yes, the podcast was a great thing that happened in 2021 and I know I've abandoned it, but I'm thinking about going back. Let's see.

This year, I also fell in love with BTS. It was a year of discovering the music, the story, and the many shows that these 7 boys have created in the span of their careers. I got a little crazy collecting their albums and some of their merch but I sort of controlled myself now, hehe. It's an understatement to say that this boy band gave me happiness, and some people might say it's shallow, but for me, the support and comfort that they brought to my life is irreplaceable. BTS saved me. These boys saved me from hysteria, from insanity, from utterly losing my mind. And this statement may be exaggerated in your opinion, but that's how I feel because that's how much they affect me. You can twist my words and say that I'm obsessed but this is not an obsession, this is the comfort I need that nobody can seem to give me.

I also read a lot (A LOT) this year. I read not just books but also blogs, articles, Reddit posts, Twitter threads, AO3 fanfics, webtoons, manga, manhwa, and more. It was a great year of reading and just as I have always said in this blog, reading is my escape. An escape from reality that, sometimes, I do not want to be a part of. I have read so many stories and discovered so many amazing writers who are so talented with weaving their words into poetic sceneries. I am left in awe because I've always wanted to be creative with my words, too. The book that left the biggest impression on me this year was The Midnight Library. Whenever I think of giving up, I think about Nora and her adventures of living her many what-ifs. Life isn't about getting to live the perfect life, it's about being happy and contented and making use of the life you have. It's a wonderful read and I hope people will pick this book up and get lessons from it like I did.

Looking back to a year that seemed to be just another year of being under the restrictions of COVID, well, it was still a year full of opportunities for self-reinvention. Oh, 2021, you were not so great but I still had wonderful memories. I hope that 2022 will be better.

To end this post, I'll just quote Namjoon here: Covid, get the hell out. xx

Life Lately | The Last Quarter of 2021

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 15:37:00 +0000

It's the last month of the year and it just struck me that 2021 is ending soon. When I try to look back to how my year went, it felt kinda nonexistent because really, I was just at home 95% of the time. The only time I ever got to go out was when I went to Iligan City last October to attend a close friend's wedding. It was a long-overdue break from being trapped in the four corners of my room for a year. It was such a relief.

Somehow, this pandemic we're still in after 2 years now has really affected my mental health tremendously. I tried so many things to cope up with the stress. I never really thought that trying to cover up the anxiety and dread I've been feeling would be this exhausting. I was bordering going over the edge the whole year and it finally caught up on me.

It's exhausting to feel so much. I thought having this much emotion is normal, but then it gets overwhelming. It wasn't like this before. I try so hard to feel okay because I just don't think it's normal to have this much noise in my head. I'm not even sure what I'm typing right now, I guess I'm just letting my hands go with the flow with what it wants to say.

I feel like drowning and my chest feels like exploding. It's suffocating and sometimes I just want everything to stop. For everything to become quiet. I play music loud enough just so I wouldn't hear my never-ending thoughts bouncing inside my head. I distract myself with stories just so I won't have to deal with my real life. I watch BTS videos to feel a fiber of happiness. But at the end of the day, when I lie in bed and close my eyes, the dread comes crashing, and sleep almost never comes.

I only get five hours of sleep at most every day now. I will myself to sleep every night but I spend an hour or so quieting down my thoughts by making up stories upon stories to tire out my overthinking brain. I'm surprised I still wake up every morning with energy to spare for the whole day.

I have the urge to vomit but nothing comes out. Sometimes, I get a strong desire to go somewhere far away to escape. Escape from what, you ask? I don't even know that myself. Maybe from responsibilities? From people? From my thoughts and emotions? From myself?

Funny how this anxiety has really tried to latch up on me. When I first met it several years ago, I thought it was gonna go away eventually. But I realized it will always be there at the recesses of my mind, waiting for a moment of weakness to attack once again.

I tried to get help, but at the last minute I chickened out. I guess I'm still in denial because I can't accept it in myself that I need help to battle these ugly things in my mind.

I'm sorry if you had to read all of those in this post. I know my previous life lately posts have been upbeat and positive. I just can't pull that part of myself now as I type this. And there's really nothing going on in my life that's worth sharing anyway, so I guess there's that.

Anyway, if you're still reading, thanks, I guess? I don't mean to dump all of these things to you, but I just really wanted to get these thoughts out of my head.

I hope you're doing better than I am. xx

RED (Taylor's Version) 11.12 ❤️ Fuck the Patriarchy

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 15:56:00 +0000

RED (Taylor's Version)

It never would have been possible to go back & remake my previous work, uncovering lost art & forgotten gems along the way if you hadn’t emboldened me. Red is about to be mine again, but it has always been ours. Now we begin again. - Taylor Swift

RED has been my favorite Taylor Swift album not just because All Too Well was born in it, but because we get different spectrums of feelings from all the songs in it, taking us from one emotion to the other and back again. A whole 360 of happiness, confusion, loneliness, devastation, liberty, and everything in between.

Nine years ago, Tay wrote a mishmash of an album, giving us Treacherous, I Knew You Were Trouble, 22, Stay Stay Stay, The Last Time, Sad Beautiful Tragic, Come Back...Be Here, and so many more gems. Each song gave off a different vibe. Some songs had us bopping our heads up and down, while some had us sitting on a corner nursing our aching hearts. The diversity of tunes we got from this masterpiece, ugh, I am just left utterly speechless when it didn't win the AOTY award.

Anyway, today Taylor released her re-record of this wonderful album and I was super excited for the From The Vault songs which included the 10-minute version of the critically acclaimed and crowd favorite All Too Well (which is also my favorite TSwift song, by the way). If you didn't know, From The Vault Songs are the songs that did not make the final track-list. So now that Taylor is re-recording her old albums, she included these unreleased gems for the world to hear.

Unlike my previous Taylor Swift Album Reaction blogs, I'll be skipping the OG album songs and I'll be going right to the Vault songs just because. Let's go!

Ronan

I loved this song since it was released as a single and as a tribute to a young boy who died from cancer years ago. My heart aches every time I listen to this song because the lyrics are just so beautiful. It captivates grief, sadness, and longing too accurately, you feel like crying every time this song plays. I even remember recording a Soundcloud cover of this because I loved it so much.

Favorite Lyrics:

What if I'm standing in your closet trying to talk to you?

What if I kept the hand-me-downs you won't grow into?

And what if I really thought some miracle would see us through? 😭

Better Man

When I learned Taylor wrote this when it was included in Little Big Town's album a few years ago, I listened to the song again and again because the lyrics just hit home. When I went through a break-up, this was one of the many songs that helped me go through the many emotions I was experiencing.

Favorite Lyrics:

And I gave to you my best and we both know you can't say that

Nothing New (feat. Phoebe Bridgers)

I know RED has a bunch of sad songs but this one is a different kind of sad when I really think about it. I feel like I'm losing something and I have nothing left to do but accept it and find a way to move forward again.

Favorite Lyrics:

Lord, what will become of me

Once I've lost my novelty?

Babe

I've been looking forward to this because I really loved Sugarland's version of this, and it's another song in my break-up playlist (LOL). And I wasn't disappointed because Taylor's version is great. The "What about your promises, promises?" part is *chef's kiss*! I loved how it's upbeat but the lyrics are contradictory. It's another sad bop but I'm here for it!

Favorite Lyrics:

we're a wreck, you're the wrecking ball

Message in a Bottle

I can't believe Taylor hid this beautiful track from us for years. This song could've been in my Chill Drive playlist for years! This might be my favorite among the From The Vault songs, aside from the All Too Well 10-minute version, of course.

Favorite Lyrics:

You could be the one that I keep, and I

Can be the reason you can't sleep at night

I Bet You Think About Me (feat. Chris Stapleton)

I love this song! The harmonica? The country twang? Taylor and Chris' harmonization??? Beautiful, just beautiful! And the lyrics, as well! "I bet you think about it me" feels like it's a continuation of I Almost Do... I change my mind, I think this is my favorite From The Vault song (aside from ATW 10-min).

Favorite Lyrics:

It turned out that I'm harder to forget than I was to leave

Does it make you feel sad

That the love that you're lookin' for

Is the love that you had?

Forever Winter

This song is such a Taylor Swift style song that when I first heard it, I was reminded of the Taylor Swift I fell in love with years, years ago. This song reminded me of her other songs like I'm Only Me When I'm With You, The Outside, Invisible, Permanent Marker, and other old songs of hers.

Favorite Lyrics:

I'll be summer sun for you forever

Forever winter if you go

Run (feat. Ed Sheeran)

It's always a pleasing experience when I get to hear Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift in one song because their voices complement each other. Apparently, this was the first song they made together and Everything Has Changed was the second. I'm just happy Taylor decided to share this beautiful song with us. I'm happy that Taylor and Ed are still friends. I love them both!

Favorite Lyrics:

And I'll sing like no one cares

No one to be, no one to tell

The Very First Night

The fact that this bop is placed before the ATW 10-min version, I'm ready to throw hands. A song with a fun beat and then devastation. The spectrum, I tell you!

Favorite Lyrics:

I drive down different roads

But they all lead back to you

All Too Well 10-Minute Version

And now the main event. Swifties have begged Taylor to release this 10-minute version for years and now that we finally got it, it left me wrecked and devastated and heartbroken and just really, really sad. I thought I was ready for it. But I wasn't. The additional lyrics? The new melody in this extended version? The gut-wrenching longer bridge? The original track was already hurtful as it is but this 10-minute version? Is she trying to kill me? I couldn't help but cry because how can someone hurt Taylor this much to make her write a full ten-minute song just to release her pent-up emotions? I could only imagine the hurt and devastation she felt and I wanted to give her a big, warm hug. There's a lot to unpack here, but to sum it up, fuck you, Jake Gyllenhaal.

Favorite Lyrics:

And I was thinking on the drive down, any time now

He's gonna say it's love, you never called it what it was

And there we are again when nobody had to know

You kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath

Sacred prayer and we'd swear

To remember it all too well, yeah

And you call me up again just to break me like a promise

So casually cruel in the name of being honest

I'm a crumpled up piece of paper lying here

'Cause I remember it all

The idea you had of me, who was she?

Just between us, did the love affair maim you, too?

I'm still on an All Too Well 10-minute version high and I couldn't form coherent sentences anymore, so I'll leave you with a Spotify playlist of her album. Stream Red (Taylor's Version)! xx

A Tribute to Friends, My Constants Through The Years

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 15:34:00 +0000

I am not so much a people person. If I can get away with it, I will choose to stay inside my room doing my business any time rather than going out and meeting anyone. When I was in grade school, I don't know how to approach people. I don't know how to initiate a conversation and so I didn't have a wide array of friends. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to have friends, I just didn't know how to make friends. I welcome people who make the effort to talk to me. I reciprocate and engage with them. I just don't usually make the first move.

Growing up, I cannot count how many people have come and gone through my life. Through the years, I have learned that not everyone can tolerate my personality. Not everyone has the patience to understand my quirks and weirdness. Not everyone can vibe with me and be with me on the same wavelength. And so, I am very thankful for the handful of friends who stayed.

Today, I only have a few people whom I can really call friends. And I just wanted to write this post to let them know how thankful I am for having them in my life.

Looking through old photographs made me feel emotional tonight. I've had this post in my drafts for years and somehow, tonight, I felt the urge to finish writing it.

I feel privileged to have met my best girlfriends. The past 2 weeks were a blast as I got to spend time again with them. I got to laugh so hard again, my tummy ached and my eyes teared up. I got to talk about things I don't usually talk about with other people. It was a much-needed reunion after being away from each other for almost 3 years already yet when we saw each other, it's like nothing changed and we just picked it up right where we left off.

We reminisced through the years. We remembered how we became friends and how we clicked together forming the bond we have right now, and I must say that I feel truly lucky to have these people in my life. These are the people who have been with me through my highs and lows, who know me inside out. I look back at us fighting and making up and having disagreements and it made me feel grateful that even though I have faults and made mistakes, these girls still chose to be friends with me.

I feel the happiest and the most at ease when I'm in their company. It's a wonder how our paths met and now that we have a history of more than ten years with each other, I think it's safe to say that this friendship will stand the test of time. I cherish these girls so much, words aren't even enough to describe how I feel when I think about how thankful I am to have them.

We've been through so much and even if I don't show it or say it often, I hope you know that I love you girls so much. Thank you for the friendship. 💖 x

Souk Madinat Jumeirah | A Backlog

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Sun, 07 Nov 2021 16:20:00 +0000

I was looking through my old travel blog posts and I realized I didn't write and share my visit to the Souk Madinat Jumeirah. I already had all the photos layout-ed and edited but I think I was too lazy to actually write the content, so here I am.

It's been 2 years since this visit so I don't think I'll do a good job recalling all the details so I'll just leave a photo dump, hehe.

This was a really photogenic staircase so I couldn't resist getting my photo taken.

The Souk Madinat Jumeirah is a collection of Arabian bazaars where you can find tons of spices, articles of clothing, slippers, jewelry, and many more. It's a more luxurious take of the Gold Souk and there are some restaurants surrounding the place. A beautiful view of the Burj Al Arab can also be seen from certain points of view in this souk and that is precisely why KC and I went to explore the place.

Please don't mind the old domain name, I didn't bother to edit the photos again 😅

I made a vlog of our adventure and you can watch it here!

Have a good week ahead! xx

A Dollop of Existential Dread

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 03:21:00 +0000

It's 10 in the morning and as I was sipping my first cup of coffee for the day, a ping sounded from my charging phone. A friend shared a Youtube video and as I didn't have plans to watch it yet, my curiosity won and I found myself clicking the video and listening to what both hosts were speaking about.

Yesterday, Twitter was abuzz from all the NFT talks because from what I've heard, Hybe is venturing to make BTS photocards into NFTs. Having dabbled a little bit in cryptocurrency myself, I can't still quite grasp the whole concept of the matter. I just don't think I have enough brain cells to comprehend all the complicated tech stuff behind this subject no matter how many articles I read. And so the video sent to me discussed it and it kinda gave me more knowledge about the matter.

What boggled my mind is that there are still a lot of things unknown to me in this world. I've been breathing for 27 years yet the things I know in my mind are quite insufficient. It made me feel stupid to not know that much. It made me think that I've been living insignificantly. For all the important things currently happening in the world, I am just sitting at home facing my 14-inch laptop screen, lazing about on my different social media platforms, reading inconsequential things, and just really getting by every day. While a lot of people are doing helpful things that contribute to the betterment of our world, it sunk into me that what I'm doing is of no importance.

I am but a speck of dust. Irrelevant. Insignificant. Unimportant. Nonessential.

This is not goodbye

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 15:14:00 +0000

Hi, blog and blog readers out there. It's me (who else?).

I've been thinking...

I've been blogging for a decade, I think? Or is it more than that now?

I've always loved writing down my thoughts and sharing them in this little space. Writing has been second nature to me, just like breathing and drinking water. I've always resorted to writing down my thoughts and feelings because it's the only way I know how to express them. I'm not big on speaking. I have incoherent thoughts and to make sense of them, I have to write them down in words and sort them out.

Blogging has been my safe space and for years, it's been my coping mechanism whenever I feel happy or sad or excited or depressed or overwhelmed. I never thought these thoughts would come to my head but here they are.

I'm going on a hiatus, an indefinite one. I feel like what I've been writing on my blog does not make so much sense anymore these days. I don't see how I'm contributing to the blogging universe and I feel like an imposter who just forces herself to write for the sake of updating her blog. I feel sad because I don't want to abandon this space, but I also feel bad if I just keep on updating it without really having my heart in the entries I write.

I guess this is me falling out of love with something I've cherished so much for so many years and I just didn't have the heart to admit it. Come to think of it, I also went on a blogging hiatus last 2013-2015, so maybe what I need right now is to take a step back and rest. Maybe a little break will give me the chance to recuperate and find the reason why I loved blogging so much.

I don't hate it, don't get me wrong. But these days, I'm not sure anymore why I still do this. I just don't see the value of me blogging. I lost the spark inside of me. The spark that always ignites when I am itching to open a blank entry and type my heart away to compose a new blog.

I love this space with all my heart. I've spent time and effort to get it to what it is today and this is me not saying goodbye to it because this blog is my baby. This is me telling myself to take a time off to think and ponder things. I'll be checking in and out for sure and I hope I'll rediscover my love for blogging again.

If you need to reach me, I'm most active on Twitter. :) You guys take care. xx

Renee's Sunday Currently Vol. 13

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Sun, 22 Aug 2021 11:15:00 +0000

Hello! Happy Sunday! How was your weekend? Mine was great. I did nothing but paint and watch Netflix shows. I've really taken my weekends to be work-free quite seriously and it's good to just laze around and take a break from facing my laptop screen. This is an exception though, coz I was itching to write a Sunday Currently post today. Let's start...

I AM CURRENTLY:

READING Chloe Gong's These Violent Delights. I've been in the worst slump for the past few weeks or has it been 2 months now? Anyway, I started this book last July for a book club read but I was not in the right headspace when I dived into it and so I found it slow, and ultimately I dropped it and just stopped reading for a while. I've seen so many raves and good reviews about this book and I really wanted to get into the hype behind it. I finished 2 books in the past two weeks and I think I'm ready to get on with this again and so I picked it up today to continue where I left it. Fingers crossed that I'd finish it soon.

WRITING this post. Haha! I journaled a little bit this afternoon and that's about all the writing I did today.

LISTENING to TXT's (Tomorrow By Together) newest single Lo$er=Lover and I've been in an LSS since it came out last week. These boys are just too cute, I couldn't resist!

THINKING about the things I need to do for work this week. I've already made my to-do list earlier and I'm just going through everything in my head again. This is my OC self working at its best.

WEARING a white shirt and black shorts. I have my fluffy hairband and, of course, my glasses.

HOPING that the COVID cases here in our area decreases. The Delta variant has entered our island and it feels like all the efforts and progress of going back to normal has become useless. *sigh* When will this pandemic end...

LOVING my book/BTS shelf! It's looking fuller than ever and I love it! My BTS album collection has been growing since I started collecting them in January and I just love looking at them.

WANTING egg pie. I have been craving an egg pie since last month. And it seems like the odds are not in my favor. I wish we have an oven so I can just make one for myself. 😭

NEEDING more focus. There were days when I just can't seem to get myself into attention. My mind wanders and my mood changes every now and then. My emotions are all over the place and sometimes it's just all overwhelming. I cannot spiral down again. I just did. And I just got back up. I can't spiral down AGAIN.

FEELING okay, I guess. Some days I'm not okay but today is not one of those days. Today, I'm feeling okay. Not good. Just okay.

CLICKING through Goodreads to update my reading progress. I'm pissed at the reading challenge though because some books are doubled. I don't know what bug this is but it's showing that I've read 3 books twice. I'm pissed. UGH

This is originally an idea of Siddathornton and you can join the link-up by visiting her blog.

What I've Been Watching | 02

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Sun, 08 Aug 2021 06:55:00 +0000

Hi. I'm back. It's been a while. Life happened again, and as much as I wanted to write a blog post in this space, I lacked the motivation and energy to make one. I also kinda took a break from making podcast episodes. I thought I would be consistent on that at least, but who am I kidding. I'm never one for consistency. I hope to be back though after I can get over all the things I'm overcoming these days. But I'll be back, I promise to myself.

Anyway, for the sake of updating this space, I thought I'd make another series recommendation just like the first one I did. This time, it won't be just Korean Dramas hehe. These are all available on Netflix. 😉

Hospital Playlist Season 2

I'm a big fan of the first season and after its last episode, I was one of the many who wished for a season 2. Now that Season 2 is here, I'm following each episode as it's released weekly. This Kdrama is a slice of life series. There's not much action or conflict that would give you an adrenaline rush so some people find it boring. But as someone who loved Reply 1988, this drama is just right up my alley. That plus the new OST's they have in each episode is the reason why I really like this drama.

Nevertheless

This is a romance drama between a girl named Nabi who fell in love with a guy with so many red flags. This drama trended on social media when it was released and I really didn't have the plans to watch it. But curiosity took over when I was browsing Netflix. I ended up watching episodes 1 and 2. Every single episode, I yell at Nabi as if she could hear me. This was one of those kdramas that you want to shake the lead character to get her to use her brain. But as I watched more episodes, I realized Nabi is smart. I can kinda relate to her. She tries her best to distance herself from a man who has a high chance of hurting her in the end, but then no matter how much she resists, the heart just wants what it wants. #marupok (I know we can all relate... or is it just me)

Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia

After binge-watching Attack on Titans, my sister and I wanted another series to watch, and this one was what we agreed to. I saw a clip on TikTok about this cartoon and I was curious. At first, it was confusing because there was a lot of Trollhunter series on Netflix so I had to make quick research before we started. Apparently, this animated series was a trilogy that goes Trollhunters, 3Below, and Wizards, respectively, then it has a full-length film, Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans that concludes the series. I was stoked by the amount of content that we are going to consume so we started right away. We are currently on to the last episode of Season 1 (Trollhunters has 3 seasons).

Glow Up

I love make-up and I have been a fan of Glow Up since its first season. I just learned it already has a season 3 so I'm just going to binge-watch it. I really like seeing makeup artists transform their faces and their model's faces into a work of art. I'm just amazed every time I watch an episode of this series. Make-up is really a skill that only a select people can master.

What are you currently watching? Any recos for me? xx

Sometimes, it's okay to let it all out

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 08:32:00 +0000

[Start of transcript]

I've always been good at hiding my feelings. Whenever I'm down, I don't let anyone see that I'm down. Especially now that I'm living with my family, I am always on my guard not to let my true feelings show. I've always been like this. I guess that's just how I grew up and was raised.

Hi everyone, welcome to this week's episode. This is The Single Millennial Podcast and my name is Alexis. It's time for another deep conversation and this time, it's all about family and mental health. Specifically, a Filipino family and my mental health.

Okay, where do I start? I guess I have to say that I have a very traditional family. I grew up with my mom who took care of me and my brother who is 2 years younger than me, and my dad was always away because of his job. I was 10 when the twins came and from then, I took on the role of really becoming the eldest child in the family.

Thinking about it now, I guess that was the time I discovered maturity and responsibility. Being the eldest, I grew up seeing my mom being the pillar of our family. I never saw another side of her, just the side of her being strong. I never saw her got lonely even when my dad was away most of the time. I never saw her catering a sad mood and I think that's how I grew up masking my own emotions unconsciously.

Our family may be tight-knit but we weren't close, at least not emotionally. And as I grew up and made new friends in college and got to see how they interacted with their families, it made me realize how different I was from them. I was not raised in a household with words of affirmation as a sign of love so I was not used to saying I love you to my parents even until now. I was not raised in a household where affectionate touches were encouraged and so hugging my parents happen very very rarely. I was raised with belts and discipline and with the feeling that I needed to always excel so that my existence would be worthy and maybe that's why I liked studying and getting good grades so that I could get their approval.

What made me grow close with my family was when I went to college and I had to live in a dorm to save up on transportation fees. I only used to go home every weekend. It's pretty ironic, isn't it? That I only got close with the people I've lived with my whole life the moment I was not living with them anymore. And I really liked it that way. I liked having my own space. I had all the privacy I wanted and I loved the independence. And whenever I visit home, I had things to say to them. I had stories to tell.

I moved out the moment I got my first job and after years of living alone, I went back home. I almost forgot how to live with my family and it sometimes made me feel like a stranger. I was very used to living alone and only looking out for myself that when I found myself surrounded by all these people, I just sometimes panic because I also have to think of their welfare now that I'm cohabiting with them. And maybe that sounds too selfish but that's how I felt.

I'm telling you all of this because this week has just been not the best. I've always maintained a happy facade in front of my family but when you live with them 24/7, you don't get to hide much because let's face the fact, you can never have privacy in an Asian household.

All my family knows is my happy, bubbly side. They've never seen the other side of me when I feel lonely, when I feel sad, when I am on the brink of breaking down, when I'm crying, when I'm hurt because I've always been secretive and good at hiding behind a smile. Whenever I'm happy and excited and beaming with joy, that's what all they see because that's what I Iet them see. And maybe the most emotions they've seen from me aside from being happy and excited is when I'm upset and irritable and they just assume then that I'm on my period.

The anxiety and pent-up emotions build up inside of me because I don't have a way of releasing them.

When I got home last year, I thought I wouldn't have these anxiety attacks anymore because I was in a very good state of mind. I'm just beginning to learn right now that maybe this is a permanent part of me and that I will never be rid of it no matter how happy I get. I will always have these bouts of panic sometimes and maybe that's just how life is.

As someone who only pours her emotions on a notebook and cries silently at night, I did something for the very first time and it felt good. Thursday night, I told my little sister how I was having a bad day and I told her I really felt like crying because I was frustrated and mad and so much more. I held her hands because I told her I just wanted to hold someone and then she told me I can cry. And that's just what I needed. Big, fat tears started pouring out from my eyes almost immediately and I did that for like ten whole minutes. I cried and laughed because she looked at me funny. I laughed and cried at the same time whenever I looked at her, you'd think I had become crazy. She just laughed at me and I laughed and cried back. She didn't ask me anything, she just let me cry. I did that for some time until I got myself together. I broke down in front of my family and it just felt good. We ended the night binge-watching Attack on Titans after I calmed down. That day was not a great one for me but it ended great because, for the first time in my whole life, I got to let go of hiding...even for just a while.

I wanted to share this story here on the podcast because maybe there are other people who are like me. People who keep things to themselves all the time. I know how exhausting it can get and I know how refreshing it feels to cry out all of those emotions, to release the frustrations, to release the anger, to release the hurt, to release the unexplainable feelings that consume you. I know the feeling of having to keep all of those emotions to yourself because you don't want to burden someone else and you don't want to make other people uncomfortable because of your emotions. I know how hard and heavy it can feel to always have to plaster a smile on your face so that other people won't have to ask you what's wrong.

I just hope that when you do find an opening to release all of those emotions, I hope you'll have someone like my sister who, even though she says she doesn't know how to comfort sad people, their presence and them just being there without any judgment why you're crying is enough and all you need at that moment.

You don't have to keep it all in all the time. Sometimes, it's okay to let it all out. And I hope that even with difficult circumstances, you get to find peace even for just a moment. Because that night, I found mine, in the presence of my little sister and I am so thankful for the comfort she spared me.

[End of transcript]

Life Lately: June and July Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Renee Alexis) — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 10:30:00 +0000

Wooh, June was fun! First off, aside from it being Pride Month, it was also BTS Month and as a Baby ARMY, this is my first Festa (a celebration of the group's Debut Anniversary and they just turned 8 years this year!).

I know it's already the middle of July and I intended this to be a June Wrap Up, but life happened (like it always does) and I didn't have the energy to write and publish this entry until today. June had been a very good month. July ... not so much. So basically, this post is just going to be about me recounting what happened in June.~

June was a super fun month. Being in the ARMY Fandom, the first two weeks was a blur of giddy fangirling. There was something new to look forward to every single day and the daily BTS content releases gave me so much excitement and joy.

The Festa was on June 13 and BTS was having an online concert, the BTS Muster 2021, dedicated for their fans - the ARMYs. This was an official event and the concert was going to be streamed online as they perform live in South Korea. The BTS Muster is the group's annual concert that is also a fan meeting at the same time. Last year, due to the COVID Pandemic, they were not able to do it. So this year, they decided to have it online. As someone new in the fandom, this was my first Muster and my first BTS concert. Of course, I had to go all out...

The concert was held for two days, the 13th and 14th. I immediately had decided that I would get the tickets for two days. I don't want to broadcast this or brag about it but please allow me this one time. Probably the craziest thing I did because of Bangtan was buying a 55" smart TV so that I could watch the 2021 Muster on a big screen. It was the biggest purchase I did to date and all because of my love for these 7 angels. What has happened to me???

Anyway, the TV was worth it. The concert was so much fun and so worth the price because you get to watch the replay the following week, which I did, of course.

And as if it couldn't get any better, the old BTS albums I ordered months ago arrived and I pulled out a Namjoon photocard!

As for my art journey, I did a couple sketches and shown in the photo is my attempt to draw Namjoon's dragon eyes. I'd like to think I got it right, although I really don't know how to do the shading. I'm too impatient to learn and I guess this is gonna be the best I could do.

Another package that arrived was my Lover Deluxe Albums. I bought this in 2019. I have a friend who was in the US that time and I asked for a favor for her to get the albums for me so that I won't have to pay for the hefty shipping fee amount. She could just bring it with her when she goes home to the Philippines. (I was still in Dubai that time). Long story short, we didn't get to meet in 2020 until today and we both forgot about it, until she remembered it and had it shipped to my address. So yes, after 2 years, I finally got a hold of my babies! This is my first Taylor Swift album and I am so happy to finally see them in the flesh!

I just got a CD player and I've been playing it nonstop! 💖

On another story, I've always been curious with scented candles, but for so long, I've withheld myself from purchasing them because I find them so expensive. I bought my first scented candles when I saw an ad on Instagram. It was BTS related and the care package came in with three candles and other BTS goodies (see 2nd photo). I was sold instantly.

When I lit the candles for the first time, I understood why people had an obsession with them. Aside from smelling so nice, they make you feel nice. The candles make my room smell so good and relax my mind. I loved the ambiance it creates and so I started looking out for more shops that sells cheap scented candles.

I happened upon this Instagram shop called Kandila Essentials and they sell a variety of scents. What's even greater is they have candles in tester sizes so that you can sample their scents first before committing to a big one. I wasn't willing to shell out a large amount of money for one big candle not even knowing if I would like the scent, so I chose the tester size (about 40g of product) and bought 5 scents.

The package came and it was divine. I had fun unboxing it and the candles in tin cans were so pretty. Everything smelled good but my favorite after lighting them would have to be Paglaom which is Fir and Pine scented.

As for bookish talk, I bought and read the Trese comic books in June. When the animated series for the same book was announced, it gained a lot of hype. When it was released on Netflix, I decided I wanted to read the books first before watching the series. So I got them at Shopee and read them.

I loved the books. The third volume was my favorite and OMG, I was just in awe after I finished it. I haven't seen that coming and UGH, it was just so good.

I watched the series this month and it was equally great. I liked how the series didn't follow the sequence of the book because it made it all the more exciting. I hope this gets renewed for a season 2!

Lastly, I made my podcast, The Single Millennial, public in June when I shared it to my friends and followers on Instagram. It was nerve-wracking because I really did not intend to share this content. But then the amount of love and support I got from friends was overwhelming, my heart was overjoyed.

The encouraging words they said to me and my podcast warmed my heart so much, I am filled with gratefulness. I was not expecting for people to actually listen to it and then like it. This podcast is honestly a very raw presentation of the random thoughts running in my head and for people to relate to what I had to say made me feel that my feelings are valid and I am not alone for having them.

It's honestly so refreshing to hear my friends say that they had fun listening to my podcast because it gives me the strength to make more and improve my recordings.

Although these days, I've been kind of in a slump, I just look at their messages to me and I am energized and filled with renewed spirit again. I hope I can create more content for this little passion project and continue publishing episodes.

And that's how my June went. As for July, well, let's just say that the past 2 weeks were a nightmare I wanted to wake up from and forget. I wasn't in a good place and I'm still trying to get back to my happy place. I'll be okay. I know I will. Your girl is a fighter.

So yep, until then. Stay healthy, wealthy, and happy! xx