In My Own World

Here we are, standing at the doorstep of 2025, and honestly, I’m not quite ready to open the door yet. If 2024 were a person, I’d probably hug it awkwardly, say “thank you,” and then stall with small talk just to delay the goodbye. This year? It’s been a delightful whirlwind—packed with surprises that left me equal parts amazed, grateful, and occasionally wondering if I was the punchline to one of God’s jokes (the good kind, though).   To say 2024 was a year of surprises would be putting it lightly. You know those moments when life suddenly veers off-course, and you think, “Well, that’s unexpected!”? That’s been my year. But the beauty of it all is how those unexpected turns led to some of the most precious blessings. Truly, God moves in mysterious ways, and this year was proof of just how intricate and thoughtful His plans can be.   And so, I find myself clinging to 2024, not just for its blessings but for the hope it has rekindled in me. There’s something bittersweet about s...

So, it’s Christmas—Jesus’ big day—and let’s just take a moment to appreciate how wild this whole thing is. It’s His birthday, yet we’re the ones getting the gifts. Think about it: we’re over here unwrapping socks, gadgets, and whatnot, while He’s like, “I just came to save the world, no big deal.” Honestly, what a King.  But seriously, it’s moments like these that hit me right in the feels. God gave us His Son, and instead of us giving Him anything back, He keeps blessing us. And not just the usual “here’s some air to breathe” kind of blessings—He goes all out! Family, friends, opportunities, even those little unexpected moments that make life sweet. Sometimes I look around and think, “Wow, God, You’re spoiling me. I don’t deserve all this, but hey, I’m not complaining!”   This year, I’m extra thankful. Every single day, I wake up and realize how much God has done for me—way more than I could ever earn or repay. And while I try to be grateful, let’s be real: sometimes I mess u...

The workplace, at its best, is a space of mutual respect. Employers provide jobs, employees offer skills and service, and customers complete the cycle by bringing in revenue. But what happens when one piece of the puzzle shifts—when employees lose sight of the purpose behind their roles?  In today’s fast-paced, often transactional world, it's easy to see how people might feel disconnected from their work. Many employees take jobs out of necessity, not passion, and while that’s understandable, it’s not an excuse to treat customers poorly. Jobs in customer service, for example, are about more than just fulfilling tasks—they’re about creating an experience, fostering relationships, and being the human face of the company. But when employees focus solely on the paycheck, the heart of the role is lost. The result? Long wait times, cold interactions, and a general sense of indifference. But when I think of it, not only employees feel entitled. Some people in general feel so entitled—like...

Thinking back, I realize that All Saints' and All Souls' Day might just be my favorite holiday. When I was younger, especially in high school, these days meant heading back to the town where I grew up. It wasn’t just about visiting my grandparents’ grave—it was also a chance to see my cousins. We’d be together for a few days, playing, laughing, and just enjoying each other's company. Those memories are some of my favorites. We’d spend hours just being kids, catching up, and making each other laugh. It was a break from school and routines, and we got to make the most of every minute. I didn’t know it back then, but those simple moments would end up meaning so much. Now, whenever this time of year rolls around, I think back on those days. If I had a time machine, I'd go back in a heartbeat to those little reunions with my cousins.  But things have changed. We’re all grown up now. Some of my cousins have families of their own, and we all live miles apart. We don’t go back ...

As I sit down to write today, I’m filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Despite the storms that recently passed through, we are safe—our family, our home, even our beloved dogs. In times like these, it’s easy to focus on the chaos around us, but today I choose to reflect on the blessings that remain. Each storm brings uncertainty and fear, but as I look around, I realize that we have come through safely. Our family is intact, and our home, though tested, still stands strong. Our dogs, who sense every rumble and tremble, are by our side, reminding me that even in times of turmoil, love and loyalty endure. For all of this, I am deeply grateful. I don’t take this safety for granted, and I thank God for His protection. While we weathered this storm, I know others are facing harder realities. My heart goes out to those who were deeply affected—the families who have lost homes, the communities left in disarray. I pray that God will provide them with strength and comfort in these tr...

We’ve all had moments where we see someone splurge on the latest phone, camp out for hours to grab a new gadget, or shell out big bucks for VIP concert tickets and wonder, "Why?" It’s easy to think, "That’s so unnecessary," or question their choices. Similarly, we might see collectors spend fortunes on dolls, action figures, or rare memorabilia and think, "What’s the point?" But here’s the truth: we don’t really understand because we’re not the ones living their lives. We are simply observers, and what makes sense to us financially may be completely different from what fulfills or excites someone else. When we judge how others spend their money, we often do it from our own perspective, without knowing the personal value behind that purchase. To the person standing in line for hours to get the newest smartphone, it could represent a love for cutting-edge technology or an investment in something that makes their day-to-day life smoother. To the concert-goer ...

Sometimes, we think we’ve moved on. We think the past no longer holds any power over us, and the pain we've experienced is safely stored away, a distant memory. But then, something happens. A conversation, a situation, or even a small reminder of that old wound comes up, and suddenly, we’re right back in that place of disappointment and hurt. It feels as though nothing has changed. We thought we were healed, but it becomes painfully clear that we’re not quite there yet. I’ve found myself in that position more times than I care to admit. After thinking I had left the hurt behind, it resurfaces unexpectedly, like a ghost that refuses to be laid to rest. I realize that while I've made progress, I am still affected by the same things that broke me before. It’s frustrating, because deep down, I truly want to be healed, to be free from the grip of these emotions.  What does it mean to be truly healed? For me, it means not being shaken when the same painful situations or memories resu...

Sarting a new job always brings a mix of emotions—excitement, nervousness, and a dash of uncertainty. But when that new job also involves a graveyard shift, things take on a whole different flavor. I’ve just completed my first week working from 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM, and while it’s been challenging, it’s also been surprisingly... peaceful. One thing I’ve quickly realized is that time seems to move at a different pace during the night. There's a stillness that contrasts with the fast, chaotic energy of daytime. During the day, it always feels like the hours slip away too quickly. You wake up, rush to prepare for work, and before you know it, half the day is gone. But at night, there’s a quiet that stretches time. My shift starts at 11 PM, and from the moment I settle into work, it feels like I have space to breathe. No rush, no urgency. I can take things one step at a time. The shift may be unconventional, but I’ve found it works for me. One of the perks of working at night is waking ...

Turning 33 feels like a milestone—a reminder of how far I’ve come and how much I have to be thankful for. As I reflect on this new chapter, my heart overflows with gratitude to the Lord for all the blessings He has showered upon me. This past year has been a journey, filled with both challenges and triumphs, but through it all, I have felt the Lord’s presence guiding me. I’m thankful for the good days that brought me joy and the difficult ones that strengthened my faith. Every moment, every person, and every experience has been a part of His greater plan for my life, and for that, I am deeply grateful. I am blessed with amazing people in my life—family who love me unconditionally, including our dog.  As I celebrate my 33rd year, I also acknowledge how much I’ve grown spiritually. The Lord has been my constant companion, helping me navigate the highs and lows, always lighting the way forward. His protection and provision have never failed, and I find peace in knowing that He is alwa...

I’m excited to share a significant milestone in my professional journey! I’ve just wrapped up a month-long training program that’s been both intense and rewarding. But before I start my new job, there's one final push: another week of training to solidify everything I've learned so far. The past month has been a whirlwind of learning, growth, and early mornings. I embarked on this training with a mix of excitement and apprehension, knowing that it would be a demanding yet crucial step towards my new career path. Each day started with alarms ringing. Rising early became a routine, a necessary sacrifice to make the most of the training sessions. The content was vast and varied. From technical skills to soft skills, each session was designed to build a solid foundation for the role I’ll be stepping into. The pace was fast, but the knowledge gained was invaluable. Naturally, there were challenges—complex concepts, and moments of doubt. But with perseverance, and patience, I navigat...

As I enter my fifth week of training, I can’t help but reflect on the whirlwind of emotions and experiences that have characterized this journey. It’s been a blend of stress, adaptation, and unexpected joys—each day offering a new challenge and a new lesson. It’s also been a period of personal growth, though not without its sacrifices, including the unexpected hiatus from my blog. The first three days of training were nothing short of overwhelming. I felt a mix of anxiety and uncertainty that made even the simplest tasks feel monumental. My appetite vanished; food lost its appeal as I grappled with the pressures of starting something new. The workload seemed unrelenting, and the steep learning curve was a daunting obstacle. Adding to the mix was my struggle with waking up early. I’ve never been an early riser, and adjusting to this new routine was like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. The mornings were particularly brutal; I found myself fumbling through my routine, battli...

When you were a child, what were the things that you believed were facts, but then you grew up and realized they were all lies? Like the way you believed that Santa Claus existed. Or when you believed your best friend when she told you that you'd be friends forever. Or that time when you believed that your crush didn't have any flaws and that he's perfect. Or that the clouds were following you wherever you went. But then you went to school, and your science teacher told you everything about gravity.  When I was a child, I thought that when someone grows old, his or her name changes. Like, someone's name as a kid was Lily. So, when she grows old, it will turn into something more mature, like Penelope. Well, I know some people do that. When they move to a new city, they change their name. But when I was a child, I had no idea that birth certificates existed. I just thought that someone could easily change their name with just one click. But aside from that, I can't re...

These are the songs that instantly make me happy once I hear them. Can't Fight This Feeling by REO Speedwagon This is one of my all-time favourite songs. Every time I hear it, it instantly makes me happy. And every time I hear it, I always have a last song syndrome. I know this song by heart. I didn't memorise it, but I can sing the whole song without even looking at the lyrics.  It Will Rain by Bruno Mars I know that you don't see this as a "happy song," but every time I hear it, it instantly warms my heart. For some reason, this song brings me joy.  We Are Young Fun ft. Janelle Monáe Hearing this song makes me happy because it brings back memories. Memories from the time when I was at my happiest and, at the same time, lowest point of my life.  Jet Lag Simple Plan ft. Natasha Bedingfield  This makes me happy because of the same reason why I love We Are Young.    My Universe by Coldplay X BTS This makes me happy because every time I hear this son...

There are two types of people you are going to meet as you navigate this road called life. The first type is the type of person you wouldn't want to be. The second type is the type of person that you want to become. The people you don't want to be. Whether they are a stranger, a friend, or even a family member, they have the qualities of a person that you don't want or that annoys you. Or those traits that make you want to punch them in the face. They are hot-tempered people and easily angered. They are the ones who easily get mad when something goes wrong. They would get mad at the waiter when the food that they ordered took so long to arrive. But who wouldn't get mad when something like that happens anyway? But at least try to consider different factors first. Consider the time, whether it's a peak hour or not. Try to look around you and check the number of people. Consider also the food that you ordered. Some foods take longer to prepare than others. These are al...

For today's blog, I'm going to share with you how to get legal documents, particularly NBI clearance and Pag-ibig's Members Data Form. These are only two of the necessary documents that you need to have when applying for a job: your TIN number, SSS, and PhilHealth. Well, as far as my country is concerned. NBI CLEARANCE Pre-pandemic, you need to go to your nearest NBI office as early as possible because there are always lots of people getting an NBI clearance. But now, you can already book an appointment online to avoid a long queue. You just have to fill out the necessary information  on their website .  Of course, you need a valid ID. Then, after filling out the needed information, you have to select which NBI branch you're going to get your clearance from. Then you have to select your preferred schedule. What date and whether you want it in the morning or in the afternoon? You're lucky if your preferred date and time still have available slots. After that, you wil...

Have you ever been in a challenging situation and then remembered or saw something funny? So you totally forgot your current situation. You just began to laugh at the thing you remembered or saw funny. For a while, you forgot your problem. You took a step back for a while, and when you got back, you were never as worried as when you first approached the problem. Perhaps you didn't find a solution to your problem, but you took it lighter, and you can laugh at it and realized that you're worrying so much. Sometimes, when we are in unfortunate circumstances, we tend to focus too much of our attention on them. That is why we think that the problem is getting worse and worse. We couldn't find any solutions. It would seem like it's already a lost case. We tend to lose our minds when solving that problem. But more often than not, all we really need is a good laugh, and everything else disappears. Of course, it's totally inappropriate to laugh, especially in a serious situa...

Sometimes our plans don't happen just the way we imagined them. Things happen that we have no control over. We tend to rely on our present circumstances. We forget that what will happen tomorrow, or even an hour from now, is totally beyond our control. We can plan everything that we want to happen in our lives. What do we want to be five years from now? Where do we want to be 10 years from now? Who are we going to marry? Name it. But at the end of the day, we all know that some plans don't work out just like that. Plan all you want, but there's no guarantee that it's going to happen. You can write in your planner everything you want to accomplish within a year, a month, a week, or a day. It's so easy to write. It's so easy to plan. But some unpredicted events occur. The truth is, we have no idea what's going to happen tomorrow. Of course, we want to be optimistic and hope that we can execute our plans for tomorrow. But life doesn't always go that way. Th...

Unlike my mother, who I have been living with for almost my whole life, me and my father didn't have the same longevity living together. Not because of anything, but because my father only wanted to give us the most comfortable life that he could possibly give. My father was a seafarer. Most of his life was spent on the boat. He goes home more or less every 2 years. With a vacation of not more than 3 months. The way of communicating back then wasn't as high-tech as now. I remember that he would send my mother snail mail that sometimes had his voice tape. And in return, my mother would send him letters and sometimes greeting cards for his birthday and for Christmas. Of course, they would read them late, or in advance, because of the time it would take before receiving the mail. I also remember how my mother would urge me to write letters to him to let him know about my grades in school. Sometimes my mother would send him my picture, and she would tell me to write a dedication at...

Happy Pride Month to all the members of the LGBTQIA+ community. I am glad that you have the courage to be what you want to be. In this world full of judgement, coming out is truly an act of bravery. It just goes to show that you're not afraid to be judged by other people. Not everyone has the same fearlessness as yours. But let's be honest, not all members of the LGBTQIA+ community have come out already. Some are still trying to figure things out. While some are still confused about their real sexual preference, on the other hand, there are those who are afraid to come out. Probably because they have a reputation, they don't wait to taint it. They think that once they come out, people will judge them and won't respect them anymore. And, I guess, that's one of the worst places to be. Being confused and afraid about what other people might say or think. Because, truthfully, not all members of the LGBTQIA+ community are given proper respect. Others see them as weak, so...

If I could reside in another country, I would choose to live in Scotland. I haven't been there, but I hope one day I can go there to personally witness its beauty. To be honest, I don't have much idea about the country. I don't know about their culture, their cuisine, or even the language that they speak. I just saw it on social media, and I am mesmerized by it. Every time I see pictures of it, I want to immediately book a flight and go there. I find the place visually appealing. All of a sudden, I want to pack my bags and live there every time I see videos of it. Unlike other countries, I find Scotland slow-paced. Like, you wouldn't feel the need to rush. You can simply take your time in the morning while going to work. And after work, you can enjoy the night peacefully. The tranquility of the place is incomparable. The way I see it, it seems that it has a small population. The tourists who go there are few, or at least that's what I think. I just love that it'...

Being alone doesn't mean being lonely. Someone who eats in a restaurant all by herself doesn't mean that they are lonely. Someone who chooses to travel alone doesn't mean that she is sad. Someone who chooses to watch a movie in the theater by himself isn't lonely.  There are probably some people who choose to travel alone because they want to get away from a painful situation. They want to breathe some fresh air. But not all people choose to do that for the same reason. There are people who would rather go alone than wait for other people to join them. Simply because they enjoy doing things alone. They don't need someone to be with them because they are perfectly okay by themselves. Watching someone eat alone in a restaurant might give others a feeling of sadness, but that's not how it truly is. There are some who choose to eat alone because it's their way of destressing. But not all who eat in a restaurant alone have the same reason. Some people prefer to g...

If life is short, then why don't we dance like no one is watching? If life is short, then why don't we sing like no one's listening? If life is so short, then why do people wait for Friday to have fun? If life is short, then why do people still make plans instead of opting for spontaneity? If life is short, then why do we wait until we're ready to do something? If life is short, then why do we wait for our friends to be available instead of just going solo? If life is short, then why don't we just eat what we want without counting the calories? If life is short, then why do people choose anger over forgiveness or bitterness? If life is short, then why do people want to prove that they are right? If life is short, then why do people choose to hate instead of love? If life is short, then why do some people choose to argue and fight? If life is short, then why don't we just choose to be kind? If life is short, then why don't we just do the things that we love? ...

Unlike my father, I had a lot of memories with my mother. I practically lived my whole life with her. In her house. So, we've seen each other's good and bad days. I can say I've witnessed most of her highs and lows. But I'll tell you, if you're going to ask her about me, she'll probably tell you that I am the kid who doesn't care about her, or basically about anything. Well, that's what I'll always be in her eyes. Someone who doesn't give a damn. 😊 Because I have my own world. 😂 Anyway, as I've said, we have a lot of memories together. But there's this one unforgettable moment I had with her. This happened back when I was in high school. If I remember it right, it was during my freshman year. When I was still studying, I never needed an alarm clock. My mother served as my alarm clock from elementary to college. She would always wake me up every morning. My class starts at 7:00 a.m., but she wakes me up at 5:00 a.m. To think that the sch...

During one of the job interviews that I attended, an interviewer asked me about the biggest mistake I made when I was in college. The question shocked me because I never expected it. I mean, it's not one of the questions I was expecting. It's far from the "How can you see yourself 5 years from now?" type of question. But, of course, I had to answer it. I told her that not enjoying my college days fully was the biggest mistake I made back in college. It was what popped into my mind in that moment. I focused more on my academics and didn't enjoy my time, I added.  It was just recently that I read on social media some news about a graduate student who said almost the same thing during his speech at their graduation. If my memory serves me right, he's a Magna Cum Laude. And if I'm going to give any advice to students, I will tell them to take it easy and not to put too much pressure on themselves. Because getting high grades in school won't guarantee you a...

So for today's blog, I have here a list of some Batangan words that you've probably heard someone say but had not even the slightest clue what that word meant. These are just some of the most common words widely spoken here in Batangas. And as far as I can, I'll try to explain them to you so that the next time you hear them, you won't wonder what they just said exactly.  Aba nga naman-  This is an expression that means absolute amazement. You couldn't believe someone did such an amazing job. Or you couldn't believe that something beautiful came out of nothing. We don't say, "Good job." Instead, here in Batangas we say, "Aba nga naman."  Aba'y awan-  Here in Batangas, we don't say, "Hindi ko alam. / Malay ko." Instead, we say, 'Aba'y awan. Hindi ko alaman." ala-  This word implies disapproval. When someone says something and we don't agree, we don't say, "Hindi. Mali ka diyan. / Ayoko niyan....

"I'm still alive, but I'm barely breathin'."  This is a famous line from one of The Script's songs, Breakeven, and there's no better line that could possibly describe my current situation than this. I am running out of reasons to stay alive. Every day has always been the same as the others.  It was just a few weeks ago when I thought that things would finally change. But what I thought was true turned out to just be an illusion. The bubble that I'm in suddenly burst. Nothing has changed. I'm still here, feeling stuck and miserable. Good thing I have our dog. He's my ray of sunshine.  I'm so sick of feeling this way. I hate feeling like a failure. I hate the feeling of losing that tiny hope that I'm holding on to. I hate that I have high expectations. I hate that I couldn't make things right. I hate the feeling of not being good enough. I hate feeling that I am not capable of doing anything. I hate feeling lost. I hate being clueless...