Wanting to feel this kind of happiness, ASAP!!

I've been MIA for a while now since life happened. You know, life... So anyway, I don't know if it's my hormones talking but I feel bad about how my life's going on lately. I feel stressed with simple things that should not bother me. I feel sad knowing that there are issues I cannot solve, and are getting worse than I expected.
Every morning I tell myself that my day should be good. But this time, even how many times I tell myself to 'have a good day', I always fail. So today, I promised myself that OCTOBER 14 BETTER BE NOT LIKE THE OTHERS. I decided to try to see the good in everything; and that I'll try to solve all these issues I'm going through. Let me go through my so-called 'issues'

Being catcalled.

The bad: Catcalling is an act of whistling/ shouting/ or commenting of a sexual nature to a woman (or maybe men) passing by. This happens to me a lot. Not that I'm proud of it; I actually hate these instances. Whenever I'm getting catcalled, I don't actually feel good of myself but rather scared. Praises, greetings or whistles (that you know have other and deeper intentions) like these are actually not flattering. It makes me be conscious of how I look like, do I look like a whore? is my skirt to short? do my pants look fitted? is my bra showing? And it feels bad. It's also scary because what if he drags me somewhere? is he a rapist? they're so mean. And I can't even easily share it to anyone because obviously they're just going to make a joke out of it "wow, ikinaganda mo yan!"
The good: I can now share these issues with my friends because it's an impending concern; they too are experiencing it!! (not really a good thing tho, hehe) There are also a lot of rants and posts in the social media about this issue. I'm glad that finally someone spoke up about this matter. I can now also confide this to my brothers and tell them they should not do it to other girls, too. Think they listened to me! So a while ago, on my way to the office, when my usual cat-callers 'meow-ed', I just thought that at least, someone's wishing me a good day by saying "Hi ganda, ingat ka ha" and "Good morning, Ms. Ganda, kelan mo ba ako papansinin?"

 On a lighter note,  check THIS funny video from Buzzfeed. HAHA

Unexpected trial.

 The bad: Last month, my uncle had stroke and was on a critical condition. He was admitted in the ICU for more than a week, undergone brain surgery because 70% of his brain's already covered with blood clot, and majority of the clot was not removed during the operation due to some complications. His ability to speak and walk was affected, and the right part of his body cannot function and feel. We're also bombarded with almost a million on hospital fees. This, by far, is the most challenging thing that happened to our family after the death of my father in 2008.
The good: God really provides. We were so lucky that we have the resources to pay for the bills, however this affected a huge chunk of the whole family's savings. But then again, my lola always tells us that money can be easily earned with hardwork but the life of our tito isn't. Also, this trial brought our families closer than ever. My Tito's already out of the hospital since last week, and we're taking turns on watching over him. He's quickly recovering as per his therapist, and we can see that he's really working hard for his immediate recovery. With continued prayers and therapy, he'll be regaining his strength and abilities in due time!

Friendships and conflicts.

 The bad: I've been enduring these 'friendship issues' for quite some time now. I tried to be neutral, to not choose sides, but it's really hard when you know both sides of the story. You see both their rights and wrongs, and it's quite harder to manage. You really can see a person's true identity when you're all faced with certain circumstances. And I feel bad that now, tho I tried not to have my bias, I'm getting distant from my middle position, from my uncommitted judgment. I want to regain my stand, to not choose sides, but it's hard when you really can't see the other's point. And I'm the type of person who's usually ignorant of other people's issues. I often don't interfere as long as I'm not involved, especially if it will just cause bigger trouble. But this matter is really really concerning. I don't want to be in a place where there are factions and a lot of backstabbing.
The good: I'm starting to unwelcome all the gossips that I'm hearing. I'm rejecting the intriguing stories, which may all be true, but will just cause me another dismay. I'm also planning on talking to this 'other party' so as to end this ridiculous war. I hope I can do this within the week and may we both have open minds!

These issues may not be a biggie for others, but for someone like me who's emotionally weak (chos) I'm really losing a peaceful sleep (and for others who personally know me, they know how I love to sleep HAHA); maybe that's why God's not granting me a boyfriend yet because He thinks I still cannot manage the pain. HAHAHA So anyway, if you're reading this, please have a good day! Because good days are rare as you 'adult' :( :)

Just last month, Pixar released an awesome movie entitled Inside Out. At first I thought the movie would be the typical Pixar film that would melt our hearts, turn everything into life lessons, affect us in different ways, and eventually forget the story as if it didn't touch our lives; but it was more than that! Well, Pixar's Pixar! We'll never know what they're up to! And kudos to them, they again messed up with our minds (and my life, actually)! Through the movie, not only did I realize that there's really so much going on in our/my subconscious (although the human emotions and brain action were well-taught on our sciences subjects way back elementary and high school, but who would even remember all of that? lels); it also made me reflect and ask the questions what my personality islands were and what were crashing/ had crushed/ were prone to crashing; what are my core memories; who probably is the lead emotion in my mind; and basically my whole life was bothered! Up to now, I think I'm not sure what are the answers to each of my questions, and I'm still thinking about it. I just felt sad that at my age (well, 21's not that old and is still the period of self-discovery), I'm still having no hint on who I really am/ what I'm really good at.

So I've decided to use the movie's characters Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Fear and Anger as headings of my monthly life updates, instead of just merely enumerating the things that happened to me the past month. By this, I would know what are the usual emotions I'm feeling! :)

Joy
I'm happy and excited for our HK trip three weeks from now! I've not yet polished our itinerary but who cares! I know our trip's gonna be fun, especially that we'll be celebrating my mom's 50th birthday there!

Sadness
Last September 6 was my father's birthday. He would have been 50 too! I'm sad that he's not with us as we celebrate his birthday, but I know he's already peaceful wherever he may be. I'm just bummed that he's not visiting me in my dreams anymore (that I remember of), unlike the previous years where he does occasional visits and we bond just like how we used to. I miss that kind of feeling when I know I had a good sleep because of him!

Disgust
This category is not limited to me feeling all icky or disgusted about something. This also includes some events that I'm turned-off at, and even disappointments I've encountered. And the disappointing event I'm talking about was during my interview at a known corporation in Manila. I was upset that it didn't turn out as expected. Since it's a known corporation, I thought it would have more distinct goals.. Just to summarize my experience, I think this opportunity is not for me, and they should define more what they want their prospect employees would eventually do. So anywaaay...

Fear
My contract here in my present organization is about to end. Although my renewal's already ensured, I'm still looking for new job opportunities which offer a regular position. I'm eyeing this another agency for a while now, and I'll be sending my application within the week, but I'm scared on all the possibilities on this application. If I get in, I would be really glad for the new opportunity but at the same time scared of leaving the agency I initially loved and got comfortable with. But if I won't be fortunate to get the job, it would also be disappointing and I'll be back to square-one. I don't know what to feel right now!! But I'll follow my gut feel and send in my application, just for a back up plan. It's better to have an option than none!

Anger
Fortunately, I haven't felt any anger or hatred lately.. I never wish to feel such, tho! I know anger's a heavy emotion and I'm not the kind of person who can handle it well! Please ignore my previous statement! Got stranded in the office due to heavy floods and intense traffic! Grabe talaga, even got late the day after since I can't book any taxi/car! Manila traffic's getting more unbearable... Hope this be resolved as soon as possible!



August is considered as the "ghost month" because it is the seventh month in Chinese lunar calendar. Traditional Chinese folks believe that this month is unlucky especially in terms of traveling, on investments, and businesses. No wonder sales and promos of different establishments fall during this month! Although considered the ghost month, I don't believe August will bring lesser luck!! It'sjust half-way through the month and I feel like I'm becoming more blessed! <3

1. Not my own luck but my friend's. After more than a decade, my childhood friend, Dedeth, will finally see and be with her parents in the states!!! I feel so happy that she'll finally fulfill her American dreams, study abroad, and catch up with her parents at the same time!! She had a #dethpedida more than a week ago, and instead of feeling sad that we won't be able to see her for at least 5 years, we all felt happy and proud for her! I think she's not just lucky but indeed blessed! Hooray for reunions! We'll definitely miss her because she brings sunshine to our group, but we know we can still see each other again soon! :)
Epic #dethpedida! I think everyone got drunk! HAHA
2. For the first time, I was able to watch an actual shoot of a TV show! I was one of the audiences in Chef Boy Logro's cooking show, Idol sa Kusina. Our episode will be aired on 23 August, and I think I'll always appear in the background! Haha. At first I was not included in the list of audiences from our company, but thanks to Sir Al, he gave me his slot!! HAHA


 Update:
I did appear frequently on the background! HAHA It was awkward watching my awkward self trying to smile all the time HAHA Nakakahiya :)) But I had the most supportive friends and relatives ever!! Kala mo ako guest eh! hahaha. :D


3. For almost a month now, I've been on my no-rice diet. I'm getting used to it, and thank God I'm not craving for rice! But I think I've been eating too much sweets HAHA Anyway, I noticed that some of my pants fit kinda loose, as well as some of my shirts. Based on my record, I've lost 2.5kg in three weeks! But it doesn't physically show yet, of course. And I don't want to feel confident about it! The more confident I get upon this weight loss, the less stricter I can get in terms of my diet. So, I'll just continue this habit, more frequent zumba sessions after office, and less lounging during weekends! My progress may be slow, but I can get there!!!! (Side chika: I was happy when our masseuse noticed that I'm losing weight! She even asked if I got sick. HAHA)

4. Experienced yet another first time and 'lucky' moment when I had a staycation in Taal Vista Tagaytay! Already blogged about this experience, check it out here! HEHE

5. I'm really saving up for our family's incoming HK trip. I'm thinking of other means of having extra money, and I thought of selling my old, pre-loved clothes! My mama and I have been doing this at least once a year, and spend the earned money in buying school supplies or necessities of my cousins Carla and Noreen. But this time, I'm the one in need so the proceeds will go to our HK shopping money! HAHA. So, I created an IG account where I'll sell my pre-loved and brand new clothes/ other stuff. Check it out!! :)
Will be selling some of the YS flats I bought (as featured in one of my previous posts) since my mom doesn't approve of the design; thinks these may be too age-inappropriate for her and my tita's. Should've bought the larger sizes for me instead!!! choz. BILI NA GUYS!!

6. Recently received a job interview invitation from one of my dream companies!! Yay! I feel so blessed! <3 My college professor recommended me to her friend in that company, so I'll be having my interview on the 3rd of September!!! Just in time since my contract will *expire* by the end of September. Although I was planning to extend *here* until December so I can get Christmas perks and bonuses! HAHA But if this opportunity would be great, I'll forget about the bonus (bye Go Pro) and take this job!!! :))


And since this post is about all the luck I've gained this month, I'll be ending my post with a quote, "The amount of good luck coming your way depends on your willingness to act." -Barbara Sher



Had a different Friday last week since I had a mini vacation in Taal Vista Hotel in Tagaytay! Thanks to my generous aunt and uncle, I tagged along with my Lola before she goes home to Batangas from her 3-week vacation/rest in Manila. So, yay!!

It was my first time to stay in Taal Vista, and I just loved everything there! Besides the perfect bed weather in Tagaytay, this hotel has a very homey ambiance! Too bad I wasn't able to swim or jog around the oval since it was raining that time. Anyways, all four of us just bummed and relaxed the whole day, the perfect "staycation."

Before heading to the hotel, we passed by Josephine's Restaurant for lunch. Everything was delicious, especially the Crispy Kangkong, I almost finished the whole basket! HAHA But I can redeem myself by telling you I'm currently in my no-rice diet, so the Kangkong served as my carb source! HAHAHA

Sumptuous lunch at Josephine's
As soon as we arrived at the hotel, I told my Lola not to touch anything since I'm gonna take photos for documentation first! Hahaha. She agreed, and even posed for the photos.

This is probably the before and after shot! HAHA
Restroom
Day and night mirror shots with the bathroom door and desk!
We stayed at connecting rooms, 320 & 321
For dinner, we dined at Taza Fresh Table located at Taal Vista's hotel grounds. Initially we thought Taza's just an ordinary cafe, but obviously we were wrong. It was a fine dining restaurant, offering international cuisines! They were also proud to tell us that they use only organic and fresh ingredients! It did not disappoint, and everything we ordered were perfect and delicious! We were also fortunate to have met the chef, Chef Jayme Natividad, who happens to be Ninang Sarah's Sister's friend. He even gave us complimentary pita bread and Spinach with Bacon Jam (the bacon's homemade!!) Check out Ms. Patty Laurel's blog post. Her photos justify more how nice the food and the place was! :)
What we had for dinner:
Pork Cheek Ravioli, Pita bread and Spinach with Bacon Jam, Moroccan Chicken and Hummus, Lobster Fetuccine, Pan-seared Chicken, and Spinach and Kale Soup (last two not in the photo).
There were also some funny convos during our dinner!
BTS 1:
Ninong Nani: Nay, gusto nyo 'yung pan-seared? (pertaining to the pan-seared chicken)
Lola: Ha? Ayoko na ng pansit!
BTS 2:
Me: I'll have Pork Cheek Ravioli..
Ninong Nani: What? You have enough cheeks already!

Evidently the puns and jokes were brought to you by my Ninong and Lola! It definitely runs in the (our) blood! lels

So the following day, we had our breakfast at Cafe Veranda for the complimentary buffet. Afterwards, we strolled around Taal Vista Hotel and checked out the view of the Taal Lake. Unfortunately, it was quite foggy and we were not able to see the lake clearly! My Lola and Ninong also didn't want to walk around since "mahamog" daw. HAHA!

I was still 'preparing' when this photo was taken! Haha! 
Don't mind the fog, the view's still perfect <3
  


I was happy that I got to rest for a bit in a different environment. The cold breeze in Tagaytay was definitely one of the main reasons why I love there. Hoping I could stay longer in Taal Vista next time! :)



It was my first time last year to do Christmas gifts shopping for my loved ones using my own hard-earned money. Since I'm already earning, I decided to give something symbolic to my relatives unlike before when I depend on my Mama in thinking of perfect Christmas gifts for everyone.. However, I didn't know that shopping for gifts can be really hard (but fun at the same time!). Not to mention that I crammed my gift shopping, 4 days before Christmas day! Good thing there was a bazaar going on that week! But I think I got too excited that I ended up overspending. HAHAHA lelz.


This was the end result of my panic buying HAHA I also got too excited to wrap them all! Look at the beaut <3

So anyway, I've learned my lesson! This year, I plan to shop for Christmas gifts way ahead of time to avoid spending too much all at once. Howeveeeer, it's already July and I haven't started buying gifts yet!!! Besides the fact that I'm saving up for my HK trip on September, I'm the queen of worse timing when it comes to clearance sales on different malls! HAHA HUHU But thanks to some websites like Manila on Sale and Manila Shopper, I'm quickly reminded of the upcoming sales and promo offers of different malls, outlet stores and establishments! That's where I discovered that Yosi Samra is finally on sale!!!!


This was just a sneak photo so I apologize if I cannot feature the designs on promo.. But hey, look at all the shoe boxes displayed!! However, majority of the latest designs on sale were sizes 9 and 10 which were too big for meee. Huhu!


I see YS whenever I do my weekly visits at SM Aura. But since I'm really not a fan of doll shoes, I opt buying sneakers or slip ons instead. However, work may really demand office-appropriate footwear especially during conventions and seminars. I've tried buying more affordable flats, loafers, and sandals that promise comfy soles; but after series of trials and errors, I've already spent a fortune not getting satisfied with its fit! That's when I've finally convinced myself that it's alright to buy a pricey shoe, given that it should really provide the comfort I need! So when I tried YS, I instantly fell in love with its comfy-ness! Not to mention its elegant designs and convenience (it's foldable, btw)!! And thanks to the gods and goddesses of sales, they heard my plea! I was able to buy myself a pair!!!!


I almost bought all the available designs left on size 8. But I thought of the need to save up for my upcoming trip so I was able to resist the shoe temptation ("SHOEmptation" CHOS HAHAHA). And in relation to my previous story (on buying gifts for my relatives in advance), I bought 3 more pairs for my Tita's for Christmas day!! :)) I think this is a relatively good deal since I was able to buy 4 pairs, all on 50% off! So, yay!! :)) However my Mama thinks that this was again a panic buying situation.. Haha. Oh well, I better musn't miss this sale or else I'll still be on zero progress on my Christmas gift shopping.

And as the saying goes, "Good shoes take you to good places." I'm hoping my YS pair (and also the pairs for my Tita's) would lead us somewhere nice and grand! :)

I'm not a fan of Grab Taxi before. Besides its wifi requirement upon access, it has an additional booking fee of P70. But I cannot deny the fact that it's very accessible since there's free wifi almost everywhere, and the booking fee may guarantee a safer and less hassle trip! So whenever necessary, and ofc if there's available grab taxi nearby, I allow myself to spend more of what's allotted for my transportation allowance. lelz

But just recently, my friend introduced me to Grab Car. Since I'm pretty close-minded in using the Grab Taxi app, I also am not able to explore all of its features. I knew from the news that Grab Car's finally registered to LTO, but what I didn't know was that there are promo codes I can use whenever booking to avail a discount! So thanks to my friend, Trina, I became a Grab Car convert. HAHAHAHA

So, when you use Grab Car, any private vehicle will pick you up. Its booking procedures are also the same with Grab Taxi, so there's pretty much no adjustment needed for the non-techies out there. Haha. One time I experienced that a Fortuner picked me up at SM Aura! I was so shocked that I even asked the driver if I can enter HAHAHA

Anyway, yesterday (28 July 2015) I booked a car going home from Market! Market! It wasn't very late (9PM, to be exact) and I decided to book a car since lines on the FX were definitely very long by that time. The driver, Jimmy Pajaron, was very friendly and talkative. He said it's his 4th day in business and I should bear with him if ever he asks for directions going to my destination. Personally, it doesn't matter to me when taxi drivers ask for directions whenever I'm going somewhere, as long as I know the place I'm going to. (Fact: Grab drivers use Waze app as their guide). So I asked him if he had previous experiences with rude passengers. He seemed delighted with my question and shared his story: *non-verbatim*

"Buti nga mam di ka maarte eh." He mentioned this because I was the one who went to his destination (near Market lang din naman, btw) since he was stuck in traffic. "Yung ibang pasahero, 'kala mo kung sino. Nung isang beses, nag-sundo ako sa Megamall. Eh di ko alam kung alin yung Building B, medyo natagalan tuloy ako. 'Pag sakay nung babae (pasahero), sinigawan ba naman ako. Kung ano masasakit na salitang sinabi. Muntik na nga ako maiyak eh. Inisip ko na lang baka matandang dalaga sya." 

That's when I realized how rude someone can really get when upset. But of course, that cannot be a valid reason to be disrespectful to others. Upon listening to Kuya Jimmy, even though he delivered his sentiments with some side-jokes, I knew that he was hurt with that experience.

I also asked him if they still have profit when a passenger books with promo, since P100 discount will be given upon entering the promo code. I was surprised that he shared how Grab Car works.

"Ahh yung bayad nyo naman samin Mam eh saktong pang-gas lang. Ang habol lang namin ay yung points. 'Pag inenter nyo promo, may points kami. 'Pag naka-ipon na, may corresponding incentive 'yun samin. Tsaka mas gusto ko nga pag customer ng Grab eh. May feeling ako na maayos yung pasahero, na hindi ako mapapahamak sa kanila kasi may mga cellphone na sila. Kaso minsan 'pag madaling araw, mga mayayamang lasing naman sumasakay. Ineexpect ko na [na] sisigawan nila ako o mumurahin. Pero pinagpapasensyahan ko na kasi 'yun nga, lasing."

I was relieved that they gain incentives from their "promo passengers." All the while I thought Grab was just generous to give discounts to regular taxi passengers. Hahaha.

After I have spoken with the Kuya Jimmy, I felt bad that we always thought of taxi drivers (or public vehicle drivers) as bad people or even criminals. Blame the news for always featuring accidents involving infamous taxi drivers. I know most of us are just taking precaution since in reality, not all drivers are like Kuya Jimmy who's so transparent. But we should always consider other people's welfare, and for this instance, the drivers who we put upon the responsibility of dropping us off safe and unharmed. We should not act rudely or as if we own the streets! Also, we should consider that not all of them memorize every street or corner of the metro. Better yet, let's save some patience whenever we go!

So, I salute all the virtuous drivers who not only see their business as a source of profit, but also a means to enable passengers to reach their homes safely. Kudos to you guys!! :))

On other news, the new promo code for Grab Car is "umbrella" ! ! ! Make sure you enter this when choosing Grab Car to avail P100 discount! I even experienced a free ride when my fixed bill was just P94! Haha! Now I have proved the convenience of this app! Hoping that there will always be promo codes! Hahahaha!

July came by pretty quick! Didn't even notice that it's also gonna end soon.. I don't even have an idea if I've maximized this month really; everything I did seem like a routine.. I hope I can come up with a productive-looking life update! Hahaha.

 1. July is Nutrition Month!!! Since I'm in a nutrition-related organization, we welcomed the month by launching the NM theme, "Timbang Iwasto, sa Tamang Nutrisyon at Ehersisyo." At the end of the event, we had a pledge board where the participants written their commitments engaging on a healthy lifestyle. My pledge was pretty simple so that I can make sure of its accomplishment. I vowed to eat healthy (come to think of it, it's not really simple after all!).

Placed my pledge on the heart of this boy <3 HAHAHA

2. I had an interview with Rappler!! :) Still in connection with the NM, I was interviewed regarding the common myths on obesity. You can read the article HERE.

 3. I was tasked to do a lecture on the Right Foods to Eat on a company in BGC. This will be my first time, and I'm so nervous!!! It was initially scheduled on 21 July, but (fortunately) it was moved til mid-August! More time to prepare and study for that lecture!!! I'm scared I'll get bombarded with difficult questions. But I always try to say to myself that I know nutrition concepts better than my 'students' HAHA So much for confidence!!!

4. I started to realize the value of true friendship. I did not literally lose close friends, only constant communication with them. And I'm happy that whenever we get to communicate again, it feels like nothing has changed. Well, sort of! Lels. Of course there are changes.. Especially with those friends that I did not have any news for years, and even thought had already forgotten me. I'm just really glad that despite the gaps and lack of communication, we can easily catch up and start over.

Reunited with some of my college BFFs! <3
Visited my alma matter to support the Batch '11 graduates! <3 #nostalgia
Chika over coffee with the Pukesa's (and also celebrated Trina's first month of employment and sweldo. HEHEHE)
Chilling at Cafe Curieux with the Halaman Congregation

5. I'm currently on the 4th day of our after-office Zumba sessions! I'm happy that we've finally pushed through with this activity. This not only encouraged us to get fit and healthy, but also urged us to get more productive and finish all the work we need to do before exercise time! I hope we can maintain this habit!


6. I'm starting to panic with all the preparations I need to do for our HK trip on September! It may not seem to be taxing for others, but for me, it's really (slightly) stressful! I'm still supposed to do our itinerary; and Mama's bugging me to consult a travel agency our relatives contacted when they had their own trip. Of course, booking with an agency will be a lot easier, but also more expensive! And we'll probably be limited with the destinations pre-selected in our package. I really want this trip to be more personalized. But if booking with an agency would make Mama happier/ less problematic, I think I'll get the offer. After all, mama knows best! Lol. hahaha.

Only 9 days til August and I don't know what to feel! Time flies soooo fast I'm not sure if I'm able to go with its pace! But I'm still feeling positive that I have all the time in the world to accomplish my dreams. Hoping for more productive days! <3

This may be a long-overdue post from my Ilocos trip last month, but I'll be posting it anyway. Hehe. I've only selected the highlights of my Vigan-Laoag-Pagudpud trip and obviously, one of which is when we dropped by Kapurpurawan Rock Formation. I'm still in awe whenever I remember its beauty.

Located in the municipality of Burgos in Ilocos Norte, Kapurpurawan Rock Formation is known for its "creamy white and streamlined limestone formations" naturally sculpted by the forces of nature. Before actually seeing this rock, I wasn't at all excited or curious with what it would actually look like. Initially, I just felt like we're going to a common tourist spot, take a couple of photos, and then proceed to our next destination. But I was wrong. 


To have a perfect view of the Kapurpurawan, you need to traverse a rocky and damp road; but I can guarantee that everything's totally worth the view. I saw that it's not a hiking site since there were signage indicating such, but there were red flags which I think were left by some professional (hardheaded, LOL) climbers. Haha. Anyway, the moment I got near the rock formation, I felt that I was in a totally different world.


Sorry, my facial expression cannot justify how much I loved Kapurpurawan. Haha! But it was evident that I really got relaxed (and 'kilig') upon seeing such magnificent view. Since I was a child, I have this habit that whenever I go to a new place, I always assess whether it is an ideal venue for studying or reading books. (I'm not a nerd, btw. I just always convince myself that I don't study hard because I haven't been to the best and most conducive and study-able environment. HAHAHA) Realistically speaking, I cannot study with this kind of environment because I'll just be stunned with its beauty. Not to overreact, I almost cried when I felt how calming this place was. The gush of the wind felt like warm hugs (no joke), and every bit detail your eyes can see is just priceless. HUHU <3


The photo above looked like I was just a 3D object with a magnificent background. Hayst! Trying to remember what it felt like that day makes me wanna come back to Ilocos. This is when I have proven that traveling can really ease all your stress. For me, all the long hours of bus rides and switching of vehicles just to reach a destination can just add to the stress we hate and avoid (I know, lolahin peg). But upon seeing such amazing view, all the restlessness and haggardness encountered during the whole trip will surely be wiped away.



I'm really proud that the Philippines have these kinds of amazing treasures. This place is not new to us Filipinos, especially to those who loves to travel, but it seems like we're not appreciative enough of our rich land. My Ilocos trip served as an eye opener that we need not to develop buildings or amusement parks for a place to be called beautiful and worth-traveling-to. Mother Nature sure knows how to perfectly mold her own 'children'. As the saying goes, 
"In all things of nature, there is something of the marvelous" - Aristotle.

Subscribing at Manila On Sale fired up the shopaholic in me! With its daily updates on which establishments or malls are on promo, I became not only updated with the discounts but also became a frequent mall visitor! Good thing I also have a Herculean-frugal-soul, or else I would be paying debts for life! Chos.

So one of the updates this June was the mid-year sale of Fullybooked in BGC Atrium, Taguig. It announced that books are commonly priced at P50 to 200 only, and some are offered with as high as 50% discount! Right after knowing this, I urged my friends to go book shopping with me.





These were some of the racks with hundreds of books on sale!

To be honest, I expected too much on the discounted books. Those available were mostly on the historical genre and philosophical fiction.  I thought and secretly hoped these would include the must-grab YA books, those books by authors of this generation or even the classical ones which were only skimmed through during our high school English literature subjects.

However, I don't wanna be mistaken as a hater of this book sale. I still loved its collection!! I will definitely drop by again Fullybooked when I'm not carrying a big shoulder bag and heavy groceries! Haha.

So if you have time, go visit Fullybooked, BGC branch!! Definitely an eye-candy to all those bookworms! :D

I was having my very usual Monday mood-- feeling lazy and tired to start my week, but pushing myself to get motivated. Weird, right? So I insisted that my friends and I should meet that night to listen to each other's rants. We did, although I was a bit too early for our meet up, so I decided to kill time in Starbucks since I'm also craving for my favorite Cinnamon Danish.
The barista (whose name I forgot to ask, which is very ignorant of me) happily greeted me and asked how my day was. She even said I looked pretty! After hearing such cheerful and flattering remark, my mood got up. All thanks to the viral happy mood of the barista!

That's when I realized how small compliments help in shaping one's mood. I did not instantly became happy after her remarks but I kinda wanted to smile with no reason!
So from now on, my daily goal is to 'happify' one's day by giving small compliments like "your hair looks extra good today," or "you look slim." 

 So, thanks to the lady basrista for happifying my day!
Hooraay for the happy days to come! :D

Having a spontaneous trip can be really challenging especially when you don't know where in particular you wanna go, and how you would get there! But all thanks to the internet, I have read various blogs saying that the Sand Dunes Paoay experience in Ilocos Norte is really a must! Two hours of travel from Vigan, I must say that it was all worth it!

It is in the city of Laoag, Ilocos Norte where you can find the famous La Paz Sand Dunes, which is greater than 80 hectares of pure sand and seems like an Egyptian desert. Lels! Upon seeing such fantastic view, I was amazed how the locals have thought of making a living out of the plain, sandy area, without sacrificing its natural beauty. True enough, not only does the Sand Dunes serve as a tourist spot, but also a natural barrier from risks of flash floods and sea surges. Be more amazed and read this article from the Laoag City website! :)


If you're wondering how we explored the vast land of Paoay Sand Dunes, we took the 4x4 ride! It costs P2,500, can accommodate 5 persons, and lasts for one hour of roaming around Sand Dunes, Suba beach and you can experience sand boarding! They also have other offers like a 4x4 ride for 30 minutes which costs only P800 (which I think will only just pass by the beach). But in my opinion, take advantage of hiring the 4x4 for one hour to fully enjoy the view and the sand boarding!

Riding the 4x4 was really thrilling since there were a lot of slopes along the way which made it more exciting! The whole ride felt like we were in a roller coaster ride! Haha!

Check out this cute, pink 4x4! Hehe <3
Before reaching the area where you can try sand boarding, we passed by the places where a lot of shootings of local celebrities were held. There was a commemorative statue of Nora Aunor because of her movie, "Himala," and Fernando Poe Jr. (RIP+) of "Panday."

The exact place where Nora said the famous line,
"Walang himala! Ang himala ay nasa puso ng tao, nasa puso nating lahat!" HAHA
The place where Panday defeated Lizardo! Yay!
The very trendy Himala hashtag which virtually poured us good vibes! Haha! *goosebumps!*
SAND BOARDING EXPERIENCE
Upon seeing how steep the area where the sand board would slide, I initially got scared! Haha. I was scared that I would get hurt, dislocate my bones, or probably die *knock on wood* HAHA. I even asked the kuya's there if there were cases of bone dislocation or death. They just laughed and said that nothing severe ever happened to those who have tried the activity.

The sand boarding has three levels according to the steepness of the hill. Of course I made my first trial on the least steep area! Watch my FAIL first attempt! Haha.

A video posted by Faye Calangi (@racelline) on
It may look bad but this wasn't THAT bad for a first timer! And also, Sorry for my squeals! HAHA. It was really fun!! I got a little bruised but it was really WORTH IT. I really wasn't hurt! :))

I had a successful-standing-sandboarding-attempt but was videoed using my officemate's phone so I don't have a copy! But I promise, I succeeded!!! And it was done on the 2nd steeper slide! Beat that! (Chos) HAHA

So for the steepest slide, of course I feared for my life and the kuya's also didn't recommend me to try sand boarding while standing so I just done it seated. It was really easy, but still quite scary! Haha.


SUBA BEACH
Afterwards, we passed by the Suba beach and had our photos taken! We were grateful that our guides, Punso and Joseph, were really skilled in taking photos! According to them, they're used of using iPhones and DSLRs, and they even know how to use the Panorama! :)



One hour really came by fast! Our day was just starting and this was the first activity in our one-day tour in Ilocos Norte, but it felt like we've already had the adventure we desired!!! So if it happens that you want to go to Ilocos Norte, DON'T DARE MISS THE SAND DUNES EXPERIENCE. You'll never regret it! <3