It has been too long! Its the second half of 2020 and I must say that the past 6months felt like it had already been a year!

How are you? How are you feeling? How are you holding up? What are you up to? What have you been thinking lately? Has the number of COVID cases in your country improved? What's it like in your area now?

Here? 🙄 Idk. I dont even want to talk about it. There are a lot of issues that the Philippines is facing right now aside from COVID. Sometimes I feel like the pandemic might be feeling a little left out from all the issues!

The world is in a tough situation right now and it is so easy to feel alone and scared. A lot of us are struggling and it is okay to feel like you are even more lost than when the pandemic started. Its okay. You are not alone. I do hope that wherever you are right now, that you and your family are doing well and that you still have the means to provide them bread and butter. Let's continue to hope for better days, wear our masks, and do social distancing... Im positive that we will all bring home the bacon soon! 

Stay healthy and safe, everyone!

These past few weeks, I had been watching MCU movies that I was not able to in the past.  As we all know, the End Game is about to be released tomorrow and I don't want to go to war empty handed.  I haven't read a single Marvel comic in my life even when my brother had them.  As a kid, I'd just run through the pages looking at the pictures.  As for the series, all I got in my belt are just Iron Fist and a few episodes of Jessica Jones and Luke Cage.  Which isn't really connected with the Avengers movie.  Its not, right?

There has been a lot of talk going around regarding Hawkeye turning into the Ronin.  I think that this is going to be true, because of the costume change, which I have read is similar to what other character's use when they use the Ronin persona.  Its interesting to know that they are developing Clint Barton's character which I kind of am looking forward to.  I wonder if there will be a separate movie about him and Romanoff. 🤔  I'd love to see that.  

Okay... so last night I took a break from Marvel and watched Wind River starring Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen.  Still the Avengers' stars eh? hahaha  If I could use one word to describe this movie it would be this - heavy.  The last film that I had a similar reaction to was 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi.

A great poster made by @RicoJRCrea

Wind River really struck me deep so I decided to write my reflections and look in to a couple of things.  I don't know much about the United States so I was not aware of this prior to the movie- Wind River Indian Reservation is not a fictional place.  It is in Wyoming where some Native American tribes live.  There has been severe impacts on transportation, agriculture and the likes due to severe weather and it can be seen in the movie how harsh the conditions in Wyoming can be.

Jane Banner,  Elizabeth's character, is an FBI agent sent out to solve the death of an American Indian, Natalie Hanson, in Wind River.  Personally, I think that it really is important to do a little bit of research before going to a different place where culture can be different from mine so I can avoid offending others.  I guess she did not have time to do it since she went there in a hurry and even went without having weather appropriate clothes.  So for travelers, wherever you go take time to get to know where you are going, what the people are like and how the weather is going to be when you get there.  At the start, I can say that Jane was somehow ignorant of other people's feelings (and a couple of other things too, like the shootout could have been avoided if she listened ) and just wanted to get her job done.  She did a good job in disrespecting Natalie's father.  She somewhat finds herself in a situation where she realizes that it is more than just a case.  Overall, I think Jane is pretty hardcore despite of how her character started in the movie.

All along, I thought that Natalie's boyfriend, Matt Rayburn assaulted her and tried to kill her, that is why she ran away barefoot in the snow and died as her lungs gave out due to the extreme weather.  But the reason of her death was later shown in a flashback when Jane wanted to investigate the sleeping quarters of Matt.  I am not going to go deeper in to this as there might be some of you are probably reading this without having watched the movie yet so I am not giving it all away ;)  Other than the history of war and concentration camps,  I realized in this flashback that isolation can be a part of a recipe that can turn people into ravaging animals.  I remembered the news on how people became zombie-like and stole whatever they could when Yolanda struck Tacloban, a town in Visayas here in the Philippines.  It is because of Natalie's death I became more aware of the importance of letting our parents in.  I'm not a child anymore (sometimes childish tho) but I still think it is.  It is not just about letting them know who we are dating, where they work and live, but it is more about being safe and well.  

And now to Cory Lambert,  Jeremy's badass character.  I really admire how calm, collected and confident he is in his skills.  He could have solved the case single-handedly without anyone dying at all.  But the fact that he was not even a police officer and was able to close in on the case because of his excellent tracking skills is amazing.  I think that his troublesome past also paved the way for him to want to help solve the mystery of Natalie's death.  With it, it felt like he was also honoring Emily's death too.  You'll find out who she is when you watch it ;)  The near ending scene where Cory was comforting Jane is somewhat similar to the Age of Ultron part where Hawkeye was telling Scarlet Witch "it doesnt matter what you did, what you were... If you step out that door, you are an Avenger."  Still goes down to the Avengers, eh? hahahah 

Lastly... I just felt the need to point this out.  The Asian American movement is becoming strong and people are telling more stories about the Asian culture and how they are being perceived in the world are opening the eyes of many.  But it is really sad to know how overlooked the Native Americans are, and this movie is delivering that message very hauntingly.  I think that it is very critical that Taylor Sheridan wrote this story and made this film to let it be known to us that missing and murdered indigenous women (MMIW) has become an epidemic.  This is not only affecting those that are in the US but in Canada as well.  I certainly do hope that government leaders look more into this grave issue.  

Thats it!  I really recommend that you guys watch Wind River and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.  

I always love going to Dahican, Mati, Davao Oriental despite of the 3-4 hour drive from Davao City.  The clear blue sea, sky and the peace that you just feel from being away from the bustling city always make it worth the drive.

Dahican waves.

Aside from the beach, Dahican is famous for Skimboarding.  Skimboarding is similar to surfing but the main difference is you dont need to paddle out for the wave, you wait for the breaking wave at shore.  I have tried it a couple of times before, and I have not been successful at all!  It looks so easy, but it is not.  And knowing that it could potentially break some bones, I dont think I will ever try it again.  I just enjoy watching the people do it, most especially when Sonny Boy "Bayogyog" Aporbo is around.  He is a local in Mati who won (and keeps on winning) competitions both local and international events.

But this post is not about him or about Mati and its beauty.  This is about my colleague who eventually became a friend.  Let's just call her Yuri. 

Yuri was on a weekend trip to Dahican with her friends.  She really is not someone who would typically try out something daring.  But to my surprise, she did.  She tried skimboarding.

Yuri and her friends tried to learn how to skim for hours and they were enjoying it!  She had some slips here and there, but she actually was pretty good despite of it being her first time.  However, after doing dozens of tries, she lost her balance and landed on the wrong foot.  To makes things even worse, her friends does not know how to drive an automatic, so she drove all the way back to Davao City.  Good thing it was her left foot that was sprained.  (I was not there.  She just told me what happened and showed me the clips of herself and her friends having a good time.)

So when they got back, Yuri immediately went to the hospital to have her foot checked.  To her horror, it was not a simple sprain.  She actually fractured her foot and she needed a cast for at least 6 months.

Yuri went through a lot during the first few days and weeks of wearing a cast.  She still needed to go to work, but of course she could not do everything by herself.  She was depressed, frustrated, could not sleep well and was always worrying that her foot may not fully heal or that she might need surgery.  But as time passed by, I could see that she was getting stronger.

I see her everyday.  She drives herself going to and from the office, and walks with a big smile on her face.  She somehow exudes this light of positivity as if she's not broken at all.

Each and every single one of us have our own strengths and abilities but sometimes we take these for granted by not using it in its full potential, or not using it at all.  Then there are people who are physically disabled and yet they go out there making the most out of what they have.  The irony.  I know its not that simple as I do have my fair share of not doing my all. 

I have learned so much from Yuri's injury.  Being disabled does not mean we can no longer do meaningful things in life.  But rather, we just need to look at life from a different point of view and perhaps start doing things in a much more creative way and still be positive about life in general.  We just need to do whatever that we can, have trust and faith that we can move whatever mountain that is in front of us.

Just by simply changing the first syllable of the word "disability" already gives out a more positive message dont you think?  So lets go out there and show the world of "this ability"... no matter what it is.  I'm sure you guys will be hardcore. 

Okay.  No excuses at all for only posting today so Im not even going to try to explain!😅 

Its ber-month already, literally the start of Christmas season here in the Philippines!  No kidding!  I  even started watching Christmas-themed videos last weekend.  I cant believe at how fast the months flew by.  Have you ever felt like everything seems to be playing fast forward?  I definitely have.  It just made me want to take things at a much slower pace to cherish the time spent with family and friends even more.

We are all given an opportunity- to fail, to feel pain, to learn, to love, to grow...  and it becomes overwhelming as there are times that some of these things happen all at once.  Which brings us again to the fact that we have no control of anything, except for how we react and how we look at it.  No matter how bad it looks from another perspective, always know that we are given another chance to take the next best shot and be a better version of ourselves.  

Every day is a new day.  Its cliche but theres a truth to it anyway as there is always something good in it.  Let today be the day you look for new ideas/activities to try; start looking at the different angles of life; and try to be a better you.

Earlier today I finally got me some time to review my journal/planner.  It felt good to just write new plans down and looked back on the stuff I did a few months ago.  In order to move forward and start anew, we should accept and recognize everything we did in the past and just let it go.  Trust the magic of a new day, of a new beginning and taste the sweet delicious ambiguity that life has to offer.  Lets live while were young and make today count.

Watching the sunrise with Debie 👭 | Dahican, Davao Oriental

A few days ago I wrote this birthday message to one of my closest friends ever which made me want to add more and share it with you.  Wherever you are at life today, I hope that you are happy and well.  And if its kind of rough lately, I hope this post helps.  xoxo.


You can barricade these walls and seek surrender
We'll taunt enough to turn a raging sea
But the only way we find to quench these embers is killing me
Let the stages burn and the tears turn into scowls
And if the glory of the past is all I ever see
Still the only way to quench these embers is killing me

-Live While We're Young / Johnnyswim

I love to eat!  Who doesn't?  I eat when I'm stressed, when I'm bored, and when I'm neither.  During the later years in high school and college days I didn't have much to do during summer so I am often left at the house (except when I'm on vacation and the last year in college where I had summer school).  I didn't have any money so I couldn't buy anything that I wanted to eat, that was when I started to make my own (just simple ones though because I only used whatever was left on our kitchen).

Nowadays when I'm living alone, I am forced to always eat outside or just prepare something instant.  Sometimes I use that "alone" time to try dishes that I haven't made before so I wouldn't be embarrassed if it turns out bad.  When it turns out good I make it again for the family when they're home.

Yesterday I wanted to try and make Tuna Pesto Pasta for dinner, so I looked for easy recipes online and knew about Clara Ole's Cheesy Pesto Pasta Sauce and saved the rest of the ingredients on my phone.  But the pasta sauce wasn't available on the grocery store :(  I was already there and I didn't want to leave empty handed.  Plus I wanted to make something new really bad but the data on my phone was so crappy I couldn't search for other recipes.  I just trusted my gut and bought whatever was on my mind. hahahah

I just eyeballed most of this because I didn't have any recipe to guide me.  I didn't document the time but I was sure that I finished it within an hour.  So.. follow at your own risk hahahah  I am sharing this because my "experiment" went well - I took the rest at work and I was happy that my colleagues liked it!

Ingredients:

1. 250g penne pasta

2. 250g Italian sauce

3. Cream of mushroom - Campbell's wasn't available, I just used 1/2 of Knorr cream of mushroom soup instead

4. 1 Hungarian sausage 

5. 1 Onion - next time I'll add one more ;)

6. 5 cloves of garlic

7. 1 tablespoon butter

8. 1/2 cup cheese - a mix of Eden and Quickmelt

9. Ground pepper

10. Parmesan cheese (optional)

I hope I get to explain and break it down properly though.  Here it goes...

1-Cook the pasta & mushroom soup / prep other ingredients (est 15min)

While I waited for the pasta and mushroom soup to cook (just followed the instructions on the packet), I chopped the onion and garlic, sliced the sausage and grated some cheese.  I took the pasta and mushroom soup aside when it was done.  

2-Cook the sausage / mix cheese and soup (est 15min)

Using the same pot I used for cooking the pasta, I melted the butter, added the onions and the garlic, then the sausage.  When that was cooking, I added and mixed 1/2 cup cheese to the mushroom soup that I cooked earlier.  

3-Mix the sauces (est 10min)

Poured the Italian sauce to the cooking sausage.  Mixed it and covered it until it started to boil.  Poured and mixed in the mushroom-cheese sauce.

4-Mix the pasta and sauce / add remaining ingredients (est 5min)

I added and mixed the pasta with the sauce.  Turned the heat off, added pepper to taste and sprinkled parmesan cheese on top.

You could save time if you use Campbell's cream of mushroom

I forgot to include the butter and pepper

Finished product! Yey!

I think this is just a simple twist to when you make spaghetti, I don't know if other people have been doing this.  Friends have told me that they put condensed milk and/or cream when they make theirs.  I'm not a big fan of a sweeter taste in pastas so I haven't tried that when I make my own.  I'm not a fan of spicy food as well, but the touch of spice from the sausage is just right for me.

***I am not a chef and I don't always cook.  Sometimes when I do, it turns out bad.  But luckily this turned out to be good hahahah So again, follow at your own risk :) ***

So my phone crashed, its stuck on the apple logo.  I googled it and tried to troubleshoot it myself but nothing worked.  So I am left with having the factory settings restored and lose everything in it.  I was upset because I was going to lose all of my files!  The recent pictures that I took at the beach and when I was out of town - just petty stuff really.  But seriously... I am going to lose my updated schedule/to do lists for the remaining days of the year which I was not able to back up recently!  I remembered a couple months ago someone told me to write down my schedules when I thought that I accidentally deleted one category on my calendar, but what I actually clicked was just the hide button.tsk  Yep!  I'm a bit of a klutz.  Okay, maybe a big one.  I'm just hoping the phone isn't dead yet though the thought of it dying is already there.

So I thought... What about going back to using old school paper planners?

The planner that I used for 3 consecutive years was the Belle de Jour Power Planner. Aside from the usual planner pages, they also have other useful pages such as the goals page (which is basically at the front portion of the planner where you write down your major goals for the year), a page to plan your vacation (what to bring, how much money you need, who you are travelling with,), bills/cash flow tracker, a sort of bucket list or checklist page, menstrual tracker (which I find very helpful as I used to have bad menstrual cramps back in college) and tons of discount coupons!  I actually got it for the discount coupons because I don't like spending too much (my friends know how kuripot I can get 😉).  It was fun having a planner for many years, jotting down notes using my colorful pens. ✒️ Yep, I had tons of them!  I had this "system" where I categorize my schedule/to do lists by using those different colored pens (ex:red-urgent matters, blue-personal matters, green-school, violet-work, and black - for doodling or what not).  At the start of each month, I was able to basically see a snapshot of all the things I needed to do/get per category.  The pages after that would be the details per week.  And I would place different sizes of sticky notes either to emphasize the urgency of something or just to show the quote that I recently like.  I also doodle a lot, so there are a lot of random notes all over the place.  There are also days when I would write down what happened during the day.  Simply put its not just a planner for me but a journal as well.  What I don't like about using planners: a bit heavy and bulky to carry everyday.  Or maybe I just needed to work out. 😜

Dear Diary: embarrassed in 2013 and tired in 2014.
Its nice reading what you wrote down years ago when you barely even remember what really happened.
Its like the "memories" in facebook nowadays.

I decided 2 years ago that I no longer need those paper planners because I didn't find it necessary anymore compared to just typing all of your schedules down on your smart phone or tab which will remind you of the things you needed to do/get.  What I really like about it is that you can repeat these reminders/alarms on your calendar in a jiffy!  You can also group your activities per category using different colors as well.  For Apple Calendars, I like that I can put labels on different colored categories.  I tend to forget what certain categories are for so the labels are a plus for me.  On Samsung's SPlanner, I like that there is a function where you can enable the country's holidays to appear.  So you don't have to put it one by one.  Both things didn't appear on both devices though, or maybe I just don't know how to.  I can sync my gmail account (or even Facebook) to my phone as well (both Apple and Samsung).  So any birthdays or what have yous on your gmail account will also appear on your device as well.  Aside from that, they don't take up much time inputting new activities and you could share your calendar with family/friends!  I used to have this school app on my tab so I can be reminded on the exam schedules especially when I get too busy at work.  Its funny now that I remember it, I actually uninstalled it after one semester.  Do you really need different apps when basically it provides the same purpose - to help you plan, organize and be reminded.  What I find very useful was this savings/expense app that I had which allowed me to track my expenses from my daily transport to monthly bills.  So at the end of the month, I would know where I would need to cut down costs (if any).  What I love about planning/organizing on a smart phone/device is its convenience - I take it anywhere with me and it doesn't give you additional weight.  What I don't like about it is the fact that your phone or device could get corrupted - but you can always back it up... which I didn't. zzzzzzz

So here are some links to help you organize your Apple Calendar/Samsung SPlanner just in case you are having trouble with it.  I just couldn't find anything that is more updated for Samsung.
https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/138740?hl=en
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202337
http://www.macworld.com/article/2928281/10-gotta-know-calendar-tips-for-ios.html
https://www.gadgetdaily.xyz/how-to-use-the-s-planner-app/
https://www.gadgetdaily.xyz/s-planner-tips-tricks-and-troubleshooting/

I tried looking for my 2012 one, but I couldn't find it. 

So which one do you think is better -  paper planners or smart devices?  Or is it both?  With all of these things in mind... I prefer this time around to use both side by side.  I think I just found the "perfect" planner and then maybe I can frequently back up my devices so I wouldn't have to worry if it bugs down 😉

Check out my previous blog post about 2017 Planners that are under Php 600.00 (USD 12.25). 😉

**I am no expert on planning/organizing.  Well...  I am no expert on anything! hahahah  These are just some of the things that worked/works for me and I hope that you find it helpful :) 

We only have a few weeks left before 2016 ends!  And along with that comes the excitement of what the new year will bring.

Are you using old school paper planners?  Have you already picked out your planner for the new year?  What are your considerations when buying a planner?  Do you like colorful ones or the classic, more simpler ones?  Are you getting the same one from this year?  Does weight matter?  Do you like it personalized?

I was with my girlfriends a few days ago and the timing was just right as they were also planning to go back old school and use paper planners.  We hung out at a coffee shop and asked about their free planner.  And so the frugal side of me immediately popped out and I started computing for the total amount of money to be shelled out for a good number of coffee stickers in order to get the free planner.  After seeing the amount thats over Php 2500.00 (USD 51.16), I was like "heck no, its too expensive!"  Back in college and the first 2 years of being employed, I used to think that my planner that annually costed me Php 598.00 (USD 12.24) was too much and it was even providing me with tons of freebies and discounts to restaurants and so much more.  So I told the girls about it and showed them that there are a lot more choices that are cheaper than that coffee planner.  Sometimes when we see or hear that a certain something is free, we get overwhelmed and take hold of that free thing without even realizing that we actually paid for it.

What makes the "perfect" planner?

I know... Nothing is perfect.  It would be if we can create planners based on our needs, then choosing wouldn't be a problem at all.  I have been scouting for the "perfect" planner, the one that would seem to fit just right.  Unlike before, I am now wanting a more functional one.  Not just tons of pages that I wouldn't be using at all.

Out of everything that I've seen so far, these are the planners that caught my attention from the 3 companies: Filed, C&S Designs and Viviamo.  All of these planners are sold at less than Php 600.00 (USD 12.25) which is a plus.  I've also found undated planners that were released for 2016 that are still available and are being sold at a much affordable price now (Camper and Doodle) so go grab them while you can.

If you opt for something that you can carry everyday without giving too much extra space from your bag and is lighter than the rest, then I recommend the Camper Planner / Keepsake Planner / Scribble Planner / Petit Planner.  If you prefer functionality over everything, then I'd go for the Back to Basics Planner / Limitless Planner / Focus Planner.  If you are on the artsy side or you like those with more color and style then the Doodle Planner / Keepsake Planner / Scribble Planner / Design Your Life 2017 Planner / EIP Planner is for you.

So if you are interested in any of these planners, I have linked their websites so you could see a more detailed view of each one.  Tried getting all of the details which I think are important, but some are just not included on the websites.

FILED PLANNERS

Camper Planner on sales @ Php 295.00

~ 6" x 6"

~ Smyth sewn

 Hardbound

~ Undated

~ Finance tracker

Doodle Planner on sale @ Php 395.00

~ 8" x 6"

~ Smyth sewn

~ Hardbound

~ Undated

~ Finance tracker

Keepsake Planner @ Php 545.00

~ 7.5" x 5.25" x .75" 

~ Smyth sewn

~ Hardbound

~ Undated

Scribble Planner 2017 @ Php 595.00

 ~ 8.5" x 6" x .75"

~ Smyth sewn

~ Hardbound

~ Dated

~ Finance tracker

C&S DESIGNS PLANNERS 

Back to Basics 2017 Planner @ Php 595.00
~ 7.75" x 8.5"

~ Ring/coil bound

~ Hard cover*
~ Dated
~ Project tracker
~ Finance tracker
~ Travel planner

Design Your Life 2017 Planner @ Php 595.00
~ 6.5" x 7.75"
~ Ring/coil bound
~ Hard cover*
~ Dated
~ Project tracker
~ Finance tracker
~ Travel planner

Limitless Planner @ Php 550.00
~ 7.75" x 8.5"
~ Ring/coil bound
 ~ Hard cover*
~ Undated

~ Project tracker

~ Finance tracker

~ Travel planner

*Not hardbound covers.  One youtuber sort of described it as a cardboad-like type of cover.



VIVIAMO PLANNERS

EIP Planner @ Php 598.00
~ Smyth sewn
~ Hardbound
~ Dated

Focus Planner @ Php 450.00
~ Smyth sewn
~ Hardbound
~ Dated

Navi Planner @ Php 598.00
~ Smyth sewn
~ Hardbound
~ Dated
~ Travel Planner
~ Comes with over Php 25,000.00 worth of discount coupons

Petit Planner @ Php 320.00
~ Petit version of Viviamo's BDJ Power Planner*
~ Dated

*with finance tracker, travel planner, etc.

So have you found your planner?  I sure have found mine ;)

I hope this post helped :) 

***all images are from the planners' company websites***

But I've got high hopes, it takes me back to when we started
High hopes, when you let it go, go out and start again
High hopes, when it all comes to an end
But the world keeps spinning around

-High Hopes, Kodaline

Earlier today someone said that some company-employee relationships are somewhat comparable to facebook friends.  They decide to hire you and add you up as a "friend".  You work and please them, they give you likes, follows and sometimes even leave a comment for a job well done.  And when they are done with you, as soon as they have everything that they can get from you, they replace you and "unfriend" you.  So impersonal and detached.  

Imagine this.  An international company providing services in more than a hundred countries.  Existing for more than a century.  Ranking at the top, being benchmarked by others.  Provides excellent benefits to their employees.  Sold their own office building one day.  Sold a business entity the other.  Now the whole company is being owned by the competitor and they are now taking over its operations.  So what's next?  People losing their jobs.  At first, they are being promised that changes will take effect a year after.  But you just find out one day that you are one of the employees that the company has to let go.  You.  The top performer.  The first to arrive in the office.  The one who spent extra hours/days in the office just to get everything right.  The one who treated the company as if it was their own.  The one who stayed loyal for decades despite of the many challenges.  The one who sacrificed time with family and friends just to close the business deal.  The one who had a miscarriage a month ago.  And they just hand you the pink slip (discharge notice) as if merely clicking the unfriend button.  

The office became your second home.  Co-workers became family/friends.  You share ideas, hopes, and dreams with each other; share smiles, laughter and tears; share fears and insecurities;  you go on adventures and invite each other out to just chill and relax; you help lift each other; you became a source of strength and inspiration to one another; together you became stronger.  5 days a week you spend time with them making the 8-hour work (sometimes even more) just bearable.  You don't always get to have that.  Comfort and familiarity.  And all of the sudden it has to stop.  You have no choice.  You have to leave.

Lessons learned.  You have to keep something for yourself.  Realize that you have a life outside of your work.  Because what do they provide when a family member dies?  Flowers?  Cards?  You can never bring back the time when you should have been there for that basketball game your son had instead of taking the clients out for a drink.  Yes, you are working hard.  But I guess we just need to have a sense of work-life balance.  Do not give the company your all not unless it is your own because at the end of the day, it is your health that is important; it is your family/friends who care; it is your personal life that really matters.  At the end of the day, what matters to them is their profit and how much they are able to cut costs.  Maybe start young so you still have more energy and you don't have that much responsibility yet - learn to look for other ways to make money while on that 8 to 5 grind so that you don't have to rely so much on that one source of income.  Just make sure that it does not create conflict of interest.

Well and good if you are in a company who prioritizes their employees needs, much more if you are able to establish friendships with colleagues and bosses - cherish those moments and invest in those friendships so it continues.  But up until when will they provide you with these benefits?  What if they need to layoff employees?  What if they need to lay you off?  Some companies give ample time and give you hints at an early stage.  But what if they don't?  Learn from others and don't wait for it to happen to you.  You'll never know when its time to let go and say goodbye.

At a time like this it is never easy.  But as the saying goes... When a door closes, windows of opportunities open.  And I am quoting what I wrote on my previous post, "We may have a lot of unanswered questions and maybe some of them are best left just like that (atm).  But we have to move forward no matter how difficult/ confusing/ frustrating life gets.  This is how we understand and discover the meaningful answers to the whys.  It may not be clear now, but someday things will make sense."

If I seem distant.. Baby, I am
Words are like scissors in your hands
There's no script to follow
So I just close my eyes
That way it won't hurt so much when we say goodbye

My heart feels like a circus
Its too much to take in
Its hard to lose a love
But you were my best friend

-Say Goodbye, Katharine McPhee

The city is full of people always in a hurry.  So when it comes to food, a lot of us opt for a quick meal and go with our day.  Thanks to the ever growing fast food chains, we are now offered wide variety of meals to choose from.  Though unhealthy, they serve their purpose of filling up our tummies sometimes without spending a whole lot.  

Since last year, I've been trying out other restaurants in search of new flavors though it was a bit difficult as some are not that accessible to all.  I've tried some which I love and came back with friends in hand, some which did not satisfy both my appetite and taste buds, and a few were too expensive for what they had to offer.

A week ago, I was out with friends trying to decide where to have our lunch.  Automatically we think of the fast food restaurants in malls and what not, of course because of its convenience.  But with the thought of wanting to try out something new, I remembered the restaurant a friend of mine suggested from way back,  Balik Bukid.  I was a bit hesitant of trying it out with friends as I don't have any idea of what they offer and if they were expensive or not.  But we did anyway, and I'm glad that we did.  

Vibe
"Balik" means going back and "bukid" can be associated as the mountains, country side, province or farm.  I don't know whats the exact English translation of bukid is but I think you get the idea.  Like the name suggests, Balik Bukid offers a feeling of somehow being back in the mountains/province/etc.  I don't know about you guys, but places like these relaxes me maybe because it is an escape from the city rush.  Paintings by local artists are hung up on the wall, some table stands were old sewing machines and wooden ironing boards, baskets on the ceiling, and they incorporated plastic bottles on a portion of the front wall which helps bring in natural light and other recycled materials used as decor, etc.

Menu / Food
We got a bit overwhelmed by it and we didn't really know what we wanted to try (but I was eyeing on the Malasugue).  So we asked the waitress instead what their best sellers are and when she mentioned the Pan Seared Garlic Malasugue, I didn't have any second thoughts and ordered it while my friends chose Binalot na Adobong Dilaw and Sinugbang Baboy at Ensalada.

While waiting for our orders, we played Snakes and Ladders which housed the menu.  There were other games you could play as well.  I'm not sure though if you could use and play the Sungka-an / Sungkahan (Sungka is a traditional Filipino game, and the carved wood used for the game is called Sungka-an or Sungkahan) placed on other tables or if it was just for design as ours had what seems to be, an old iron for display.  We never really noticed how long we waited for the food as we were having fun but I'm pretty sure it was not that long.  Probably a good 15 minutes (?)  I really don't know.  Sorry.

The verdict.  Well I just won the best choice of meal for today and my friends thought so too.  My rice serving was a bit small though but eating some of the fish and veggies on its own was still good.  I had a taste of the Adobo, it was new to me, the waitress suggested for condiments but it was already good on its own.  Thats just me.  I honestly think that others would still opt to add the condiments though.  And oh, it had more rice serving than mine.  I also took a bite of the Sinugba and it was good as well.  What I wanted to try was the eggplant but forgot all bout it as I happily devoured my meal.  What made it even better was that it was fairly priced (for us, that is)!  It satisfies you without leaving a feeling that you have to save a whole lot to eat there again.

For dessert, we had the Tsokolate Islands.  3 Scoops of ice cream, a choice of vanilla or tablea, in between a pastry (?) looking/tasting food.

Meals like this leave me with a happy tummy and a smile on my face.  Happy customer indeed!

Location

Balik Bukid is located at Sandawa Park, Quimpo Boulevard, Ecoland.  Just a jeepney ride away from SM City (ride the ones that are en route to Quirino / Sasa / Roxas) or Aldevinco (ride the Toril-bound ones in Roxas Street).

Overall, its a perfect rate of 5/5, vibe, menu/food/price and location wise for me.  Though I think some people may find the location probably a bit inconvenient especially if you are from the northern part of the city (Sasa, Lanang, etc).

So if you're wanting to something different, you won't go wrong with Balik Bukid.

Notice the plastic bottles on the left side of this picture?

Before anythings else... Is it just me or are you also bummed that the holidays are over? 😞

This'll be a super short one.

Questions.  I have tons!  Have you ever tried asking for something you really like and getting it?  Or tried working and saving for months and buying that big ticket item you've been eyeing for the longest time?  Or praying hard for something and somehow it eventually happened to you?  And when it finally did, you just felt like blah... can't say I'm glad, can't say I'm sad.  Like you weren't really hyped up about it as you thought you would be.  Why?  The feeling of excitement died down because of the time you waited?  So does it mean that it really didn't matter after all that hard work since your feelings changed?  I don't know about you, but I am sure though that I will start this year by being positive about it and hope for the best despite of that mixed-feeling and see where this would go.  I ain't running.. running from myself no more.  I'm ready to face it all. 

Chasing you.

Listening to Runnin' (lose it all) cover by Bailey McConell & Leroy Sanchez and Let it Go cover by Leroy Sanchez as well while writing and thinking about all of this.  Leroy's voice. I cant even. ❤️❤️❤️  Well... I've been listening to his covers lately before this whole commotion came up.  Go and give him some love,  you guys. 😉

Happy Holidays, everyone! 🌲❄️🎁🎉🎊❤️🎅🏽

As 2015 is about to end, I'd like to take a look at how it all went... The year started off bad for me as early as January 1st and I just wished that I could repeat 2014 all over again.  I got sick more than once at the first five months this year and the first time sent me to the hospital. 😖

Things went pretty bad for me and I thought that even though theres more than half of the year left, I came to the conclusion that this would be the worst year to date!  My sleeping habits were becoming out of line.  I had to take Melatonin to help me get to sleep as I badly needed rest!  Good thing that I only used it for a couple of times and my sleep went back to normal again.  BTW, Melatonin is not a sleeping pill.  It just helps you regulate your natural hormone so that you could go to sleep.

Midyear came and things were looking up.  I had road trips and quick getaways with friends and other planned travels as well.  I always love travelling no matter how short the trips are.  I don't know if this is weird but I enjoy solo flights as I get to disconnect with everything and get to have that alone time even just for a short while.  I was able to do that a couple of times last May and I had Odezsa on playback on all of them👍🏽

School was stressing me out at some point and I had a bit of trouble juggling both school and work but despite of that, I was having a great time.  For so long (many years) I invested so much of me and yet I still go home feeling empty and helpless sometimes crying myself to sleep (a lot of times it was just due to PMS 😂).  So it was an uncharted territory for me. You know the feeling that you don't have to exert too much effort to feel happy?  I felt that and it was good!  Its different when you feel good on the inside because no matter how busy or stressed you are, people won't easily get on your nerves and you won't get sick that easily!  Aside from school, work and romantic/kilig feeling (esp that time when I unexpectedly received cake at work from someone I was dating) in between, I managed to squeeze a lot more out of town trips on some weekends and enjoyed quality time with people I love.  I just didn't have time to exercise at all so I am in a bit of a bad shape if you may say it 😁 

I did not fall short on gastronomy as well.  I am not a big fan of sour and spicy food, so when I had my first Tom Yum in Champey Restaurant In Siem Reap, it really came to a surprise that I would love it👌🏽 Actually, the whole Cambodian food trips with my barkada was so good that it gave us more reasons to want to stay a little while longer (if only we could 🙄). The Pad Thai experience on Khaosan Rd., Bangkok was also superb👌🏽Eating Curacha's while on the sea at Sibadan, Surigao del Sur; yummy sizzling spare ribs in Seagull Steakhouse and Cafe, Buda; carbonara cravings satisfied in French Baker (just in SM Lanang though 😅); discovering and loving local organic food in Echostore, Diversion road; and detoxifying all those goodies (and a lot of junk as well) with SoulKitchenCo's cold pressed juices in Torres/Mabini St.

I would have never imagined myself being able to do so many things, eating a lot of good food (esp sweet treats) and travelling as much as I did, although its really not that much for others.  Also, I never expected to be blessed with so many opportunities as well!  It was a bit overwhelming as I kept thinking if I deserve such good things but I'm really thankful that I was able to receive them all.

Nothing will ever be the same, you get some and lose some.  We celebrate newborns and we weep for those who have already gone ahead of us.  So try to reflect on the people who are always there for you no matter what situation you are in and be grateful for them and make them feel it while you can, as I have also mentioned in my previous post, Missing Out.  These are the gifts that we need to treasure for a lifetime as we get to share with each other not only happiness but comfort in times of sorrow as well.  Also, when you're feeling like the whole world has turned its back on you, always know that it wont last as everything will be okay in the end.  If its not okay, then its not the end yet 😉 Thinking about this makes me compare it to the seasons.  The leaves may fall for winter.  But spring brings in hope that better days are yet to come.

This year was nothing but complete delicious ambiguity.  I hope that you all had an amazing year as well and that a whole new set of 366 days will provide opportunities for us to feel and share goodness with everyone we love.

Cheers to the New Year!!! 🎉🍻

"But I will hold on hope and I wont let you choke on the noose around your neck.  And I'll find strength in pain and I will change my ways.  I'll know my name as its called again." - The Cave, Mumford and Sons

"Something big I feel it happening out of my control. Pushing, pulling and its grabbing me, feel it in my bones." -Something Big, Shawn Mendes

Sometimes we bury ourselves with too much work and other stuff that we barely have time for family and friends.  Others may feel like money is the most important thing in the world so they grind day and night, some even do it 7 days a week, not knowing they are missing out on much greater things.  They are missing out on the first laugh of their child or the fun times at the beach with the barkada/friends or the 50th wedding anniversary of their parents or beauty in life in general or probably missing out on taking care of themselves as well.  

It is a known fact.  We know people like this.  And it is sad that no matter how much money they have, if their body collapses, sometimes even money can't help.  Holding on and hoping that they will survive the worst...  but what if it is already? 😢💔 

No matter what the case may be, there's no easy way in saying goodbye.  A family member, a relative, or a close friend.  So maybe this season we can reflect and spend time with the people you love most.  I mean not just for this season but all throughout the days of our lives!  Spend time with people who helped you grow and especially those who stood with you thru the tough times and learn to ask for forgiveness and forgive those who caused you pain.  We never know when its our time to go.  Whether we are in good shape or not, we do not know what is going to happen a minute later.  Technology provided us a lot of ways to communicate with people that we love all over the world, so send them even a short but sincere message so they know you're thinking of them before its too late.

Life is worth living.  And it is worth sharing with the people we love the most.

My deepest sympathy and prayers to everyone who lost their loved ones.  And prayers to those who are fighting a hard battle as well. xx

Give anything to hear half your breath.  I know you're still living your life after death.
-I'll be missing you, Puff Daddy/Faith Evans-

YES!!! Finally got into blogging again!  A lot has happened in the last 2 quarters of this year and I just got to take a break from it all.  I am glad though that despite of the busy schedule (and stress) that I had for the past couple of months, I hadn't got sick! YEY!  *pats self at the back*

Still a couple of weeks left before the year ends so we still got time to check off some things on our 2015 Goals ;) I've been failing at trying to eat healthily year after year so it was a treat when I had finally tried a cold pressed juice.

I've heard about Soul Kitchen Co from my best friend but never really got to try what they had to offer until one fateful day 😋 

A close friend of mine whose overseas asked me to get fresh fruits at Soul Kitchen for his sick girlfriend a couple of months ago.  I downloaded Waze but since i have a crappy data connection, it wasn't of good use 😓 So just with their address at hand I hoped that my inner GPS wont fail me... And it did. Hahah! If your coming from Lanang/JP Laurel Ave., turn right to Torres St. The street is between the two gas stations Shell and Caltex. So just go straight until you pass by Davao City Natl High School or Mabini St. Soul Kitchen is located at the right side of the street. You'll see establishments like One Fab Pooch and Cafe Demitasse.

So I tried out one of their cold pressed juices, Cure. I've always thought that these juices would taste bland and that I would never want to try one again. But it didn't even taste one bit like that. In fact it tasted great! 👌🏽 The Cure had a mix of Watermelon, Apple and Flax seed oil (if I'm not mistaken). 

Cold pressed juices has gotten a lot of hype and I can definitely understand why. These juices are made with no preservatives which makes it so good! The juice extraction from the fruit or vegetable is done by using a hydraulic press. The vitamins and minerals from these fruits and veggies are still preserved in the juice instead of killing it in the process. So its not just good, but its also healthy. It helps your body cleanse/detoxify leaving you feeling refreshed and energized! Cold pressed juices are to be taken within 2 days after extraction (as mentioned, it does not have any preservatives).

I will definitely come back and taste the rest of the goodness that Soul Kitchen Co has :)

So last week I got the chance to serve and give back to the community with the help of the Ninerz Choir (an OMPH choir group in Davao City).  Though it was only for a very short time only as I needed to be somewhere else after a few hours, it gave me a sense of purpose and that kind of feeling that made me want to stay longer.

So just to give you a little background of our group, we are volunteers to serve God through our voices.  We are not professional singers, although some of them are :)  We sing in the 9 o'clock mass every Sunday, thus the name "Ninerz".  We are in various age groups, some already have established jobs and have their own families, some are young adults making their way in the real world (like I am), and some are still in College and High School.

Every Christmas season we try to sing carols to family and friends to raise some money to help others.  We have donated money to those who were affected by the typhoon Yolanda 2 years ago, typhoon Pablo 3 years ago, and had our first outreach in Marilog District 4 years ago.  There are also times when we get to be a part of weddings of our family and friends or of some of the members.

I admit that I'm a pretty lousy member as I've been missing a lot action of lately, but I'm hopeful that I can do better this year.  I've considered this group as another branch of my family and it feels different when I am just sitting in Mass than when I am singing songs of praise with them.

Members posing with some of the kids after giving the bags full of goodies.
Original photo is from kuya Leo.

Kids playing paper dance and longest line.
Original photo is from kuya Leo.

The kids were just so nice to watch.  They still enjoy the simple things in life like playing parlor games which I was so envious of as I still enjoy them too ;) Just standing there helping facilitate some of the games made me feel thankful for days like that.  Simple yet so meaningful.  You know what I mean?

Layout was done by kuya Leo's (the group's president) friend.

Original photos are from ate Grace.

The group was able to give out new slippers, a bag full of goodies, some food and toys, faces with smiles and hearts filled with joy to a hundred kids.

It took a lot of effort and coordination to make this activity a success.  Wasn't really able to help out in the planning and organizing, but I was lucky enough to be there on the day.  Thank you again for the opportunity, Ninerz.  Looking forward for the next outreach activities in the future!

I hope that this post inspired you to give back whatever you can to the community.