Lately, my sister’s been bugging me to find work—specifically, something like a virtual assistant job. She says it’s ideal, I can work remotely. It makes sense, and she’s been suggesting this for a while. She even brought up enrolling in video editing and photography courses. But… I decided to take a different route.
Instead of searching for online work, I finally inquired at the Caregiving Academy about their Health Care course. She’s been encouraging me for a long time to check it out, but I guess it only really sank in now that she’s being extra pushy about work stuff.
So, this morning, I went to the academy. They asked me to be there by 9 AM—way too early for my usual schedule, but I made it. I got to speak with the Head directly. She explained the course options, including one that spans just 20 days. But the catch? An extra per day. That bumps the tuition— and that’s not even counting uniforms, apps, and other materials.
This is it. A new chapter. It feels a bit overwhelming, but exciting at the same time. I guess sometimes, taking a different path is exactly what we need.
I woke up this morning feeling inspired to write. It’s been a while since I sat down and made a blog post. Lately, I’ve found myself turning to Instagram for quick updates, but I’ve been missing the deeper connections that blogging used to bring. Remember when we used to pour our hearts out on our blogs, journaling our lives for the world to see? Those were the days I truly miss.
Life’s too short to live in the Instagram square; let’s break out the paragraphs and write our stories in full sentences.
While I’ve missed spending time on my blog, I’ve been struggling to find the motivation to keep up with everything else going on. Life seems to have ramped up its pace, and finding time for everything has become an increasingly challenge.
Anyway, let’s catch up!
This year has been whirlwind of changes and reflections for me. I’ve found myself reevaluating my life and what I want it to look like. While my “40 Before 40” list remains unchanged, I’m excited to start dreaming again about what I want my future to hold. It feels like the right time to shed the weight of things that no longer serve me and create space for the better things waiting.
My recent overseas stint has prompted inquiries about whether I’ve resigned from work. It’s not a mid-life crisis or anything like that; I’ve just been feeling unsure about where I want to go next.
There seems to be more I want to do than there are hours in the day. But I’m ready to start prioritizing and making time for the things that matter most.
As I sit down and write this blog post, I’m not just sharing updates—I’m embarking on a journey of self-discovery. I invite you to join me as I navigate through this maze called life, one blog post at a time.
Tomorrow is my last day at the LPI office for a while. I’ll be gone for 28 working days, almost 45 days in total. It’s a strange feeling; I’m not quite sure what to make of it. There’s a mix of emotions swirling around inside me.
I’m excited and thrilled because I’ll be accompanying my mom to the USA. It’s a big trip, and the thought of it fills me with anticipation. But I’m also trying not to get too excited just yet.
My sister told me that as soon as we get our passports, she’ll book our trip immediately. It’s going to be that quick! The idea of everything happening so fast is both exhilarating and a bit nerve-wracking.
As I prepare for my last day at the office, I find myself reflecting on my time here. I’ll miss my colleagues and the routine we’ve built. But at the same time, I’m looking forward to the adventures that await.
So, here’s to hoping for fantastic trip ahead. I’m ready for the change, even if it comes with a few jitters. Tomorrow will be a day of goodbyes and see-you-laters, and then it’s on to new experiences and memories. After a long vacation, I’ll be back, hopefully refreshed and full of new stories to share.
Many things happened in 2020 that were not expected. Who would have thought that this pandemic would last for several months? I thought in a month or two, things would get better, but it did not. The pandemic brought us a lot of learning. Gladly, I still have work and I am working from home. My sister got back to being a nurse. My nephew turned one. Dad passed away. Typhoon Ulysses hit us and left a great impact. And so on.
God is good.
Even though I was discouraged by the time Daddy left us, He never left me. I have learned to accept the fate that daddy is gone and he is now in good hands. He had suffered enough. He did the best that he could.
Life is unpredictable. It changes along with every individual. Today you have and tomorrow you may not have. Be thankful for the good that stays with you. – Rashida Rowe
I am thankful to my family, especially my mom. Do not give up. We can do this. Keep believing and trusting. I know we can overcome all the trials we face today.
To my sister and BIL, hang in there. The best is yet to come. We are all in this together.
To my nephew, you are amazing. Thank you for bringing so much joy to the family.
I am beyond grateful to my relatives. You are truly a blessing to us. We will never forget the tireless support, especially in times of distress. Thank you for extending your arm when we needed a hand.
I am thankful for having good company and good colleagues. I am happy with the help I have received since day 1. Thank you for your usual support.
Thank you, thank you, everyone.
Most of all, thank you self for not giving up and for striving hard in these trying times. I am so proud of you. Always take good care of yourself.
Would you ever know that I am now 36 just by looking at me? Nah, I bet. I just turned 36, and I am pretty proud of it. That is right. I do not have to be coy about my age. Not anymore. I used to lie about my age. Do not get me wrong. Lying about one’s age is regarded as socially acceptable. People often think that I am a bit younger than I am because of how I carry myself and express myself. I will never get tired of hearing people gasp when I tell them my age.
This is exactly what a 36-year-old looks like.
It is hard to believe that I am this age. I am a little past halfway through life, and I still have a lot of living to do. I am looking forward to having my own family (fingers crossed). Life requires us to keep on going.
It is TIME for the next chapter.
I thank God for making my life so beautiful. I am so blessed to celebrate another birthday. A lot of appreciation and love are sent to each of you for your kind birthday greetings and wishes. It means a lot when you send me greetings on my birthday. You made a great day even more exceptional. Hearing from you slightly lessened my despair at turning a year older.
I cannot thank you enough, Lord Jesus, for bringing me this far in my life. This may not be what I had dreamed of, but you have blessed me with a life of good health, happiness, peace of mind, and good fortune. Such presents are worth more than all the money and treasures in the world. Please keep my heart away from sadness and my mind away from worries. [
Aside from work, I have never been busy in my entire life. Although I wanted to take things slowly, I could not and I would not. The pandemic has driven many of us into our hobbies to keep us busy and sane. When things are back to the new normal, I will not be able to get back to those hobbies again. I will be juggling in between the demands of work and home. You know how busy we were at work before the pandemic.
I wanted to figure out why I was so busy, but I could not find the time to do it.
Let us take advantage of the time to make the best of it while we still can. We do not know when will this quarantine ends. But for now, just keep doing what we are enjoy doing.
Blogging
I made a lot of changes from the theme to the blog content. If you are a follower, you will notice the changes I have made. I have added some images and shortcodes to spice up a bit that boring post. It surely livens up that (dry) post, whatever you call it.
Thank you, pngtree.com, for the one-line drawings.
I enjoy sharing my thoughts and experiences with this quarantine for the time being. Honestly, I love this quarantine because I am a lot more inspired and creative. With all the ideas coming up, I think my brain is about to explode. Soon, I am going to run out of ideas and completely get stuck to that blank page again. I really admire bloggers and also vloggers who still continually share awesome content and never run out of ideas.
Exercise
I am in love with jumping rope right now. Who is not? I started to jump around mid-May when I was mentally and physically exhausted. Remember my post, Work from Home Burnout is Real, and how I managed to get out of it and cope with it. Pandemic can be very stressful. Jumping rope is a great way to escape the stresses and combat the effects of anxiety and depression. The benefits of jumping rope are better than we know and they can go a very long way.
BTW, I bought my first (speed) rope at @jumpmanila through the Lazada Platform. Check them out!
What’s Cooking: Pinaupong Manok (Recipe of My Dear Aunt)
Cooking
Cooking is more about feeding ourselves. It could also be some kind of entertainment to distract ourselves from anxieties. Ever since I started living alone, I have been cooking more and eating out less. Eating out has become a lot more expensive these days.
I love cooking Pork Adobo, Chicken Adobo, and Pork Sinigang. From time to time, I challenge myself to try some of dishes I have found on the internet. Cooking at home is easy once you have made it a habit.
On my Desk: Hobonichi Techo Weeks in Green Apple, Hobonichi Techo Original A6 in Pineapple, Kraftrina Stickers and Pilot Coleto
Journaling
I have learned that writing has the power to calm our minds and communicate with ourselves. I admit my May and June in my Hobonichi are empty. I have lost track and interest in writing my day-to-day activities. All I wanted is lie down in bed and stare outside the window.
Today, I am trying to get back into writing, filling up every page and not leaving a single empty page.
Binge Watching
I am not a fan of anime. Whenever my teammates talk about anime, I listen as if I am interested, but I am totally not. Since I have been tired of watching Korean dramas, I have given anime a chance. I enjoyed the story-line of Spirited Away, Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai, and The Classroom of Elite.
My recent favourites are Food Wars, Yowamoshi Pedal, Fruits Basket, Toradora and Himouto Umaru-chan. Next up on my list are Uza Maid, Shiro Bako and Death Note.
I would love to hear what activities are keeping you busy nowadays. I have heard many of you become gardeners and interior decorators.
