What makes a piece of art exemplary?
I don't know how to start it since it's been a while since the last time I posted something here, but let me greet you with a very good day.
For this article, let's focus first on paintings. There are several ways in which a painting might be excellent. Even if you don't understand a piece of art, it's still beautiful in its own right. Even if what they paint doesn't turn out the way they had hoped, most artists' work is still excellent because they tried.
No matter how many people criticize it, a painting will always be magnificent in the eyes of its artist, regardless of what others think of it.
What, therefore, is it about a picture that elevates it to greatness?
What actually counts is what the artist believes about their work, not what other people think. People would be more likely to like the picture if it displayed more evidence of the time and effort that went into it.
The act of painting may be considered a work of art. Awe and astonishment can be further evoked when art is done correctly, which can be achieved if the artist is gifted. So, there you have it.
Moreover, art is a kind of communication in and of itself. If you stare at it long enough, you'll sense the artist's style and personality. If you spend enough time with all of the artist's works, you may come to understand who he is or what he is trying to convey.
Anyway, the most delicate art speaks to the viewer or listener, but it also gives leeway for the viewer or listener to come up with their own interpretation of the work. Great art tends to focus on universal themes.
So, what makes a painting really great? If you ask me, I believe that a great painting has the ideal balance of elaborateness and simplicity, conveys a powerful message while still leaving the viewer perplexed, and is created entirely out of passion and without regard for the opinions of others at all. Because the artist isn't anxious to be just acknowledged as an artist, such a piece was made with deep passion, and emotion, among other things.
To sum it all up, every aspect of life may be portrayed via the medium of art. When I have an idea or an image of something in my thoughts, I make it real by putting my thoughts into something tangible so that you may have an experience of what I was thinking. Art is a means to communicate one's innermost ideas and feelings to the rest of the world. The five senses may be accessed by visual, touch, taste, smell, and sound. On the other hand, artists have a far broader goal than just pondering the senses.
Now, let me ask you the same question. What makes a piece of art exemplary? I am sure you have your own answers as well, and it would be great if you let them be shared among everyone.
Thank you for reading!
What are you grateful for?
It is as if the world is meant to tumble us down. Times arise when problems comes after another problem. The difficulties become louder than our faith and we lose hope inch by inch. When pain and grief are overwhelming, our minds become clouded with negativity. I have experienced this most often in my life, and I take no judgment from other people who do not know the edge of my fights and how I battled the war inside my head. What pushed me through to where I am today, though I am not in a very good place to be so proud of but I am, is to take the chance to be grateful for the people and things who stayed, nevertheless.
Being grateful is not having false positivity which I am not fond of, it is as it is – gratitude. It’s an unforced feeling built within you. It implies the ability to recognize the details, the story. This matter helped me to appreciate myself, my small step-ups. I even had to take a picture of myself and see the changes weekly. In the midst of my depression, those times that I can’t sleep without my pills, when I can’t eat at all, I observed how I was making progress each day. But to highlight, my gratitude overflows to the few people who patiently checked up on me, lifted my spirit, gave me inspirations, listened to endless stories, and made sure I am getting up every morning. I have been fighting this for too long, and I agree when they say mental problems can hide so well. I am, until now, and I know most people does.
Right now, when things are falling quite the wrong way for me, I remind myself for the good things that I have, especially the things I didn’t asked for – unexpected blessings are big a deal for me. For other people, they have a gratitude journal. I have also been meaning to do this but I don’t think it can fit in my time. They usually start their day by writing down the things that are grateful for. This is a nice way to welcome the day; it removes the negativity the badgers the simple mishaps that may happen.
Being grateful roots for other positive things. First thing on the list is happiness. When you know that there are good things in your life no matter how small it is, life becomes easier to live by knowing there’s a possibility for more good things to come when you allow it to happen. Every step will become meaningful and the things you lack will not be a problem but an inspiration to be better.
Appreciation and gratitude is a gift. Just as I always say, it sometimes boils down to our perspective. Always see the true shapes and colors, look into the reality, have hopes but never fool yourself. Be grateful and enjoy the life you have.
Thank you for reading! Share some of your thoughts too!
Handmade Projects I Crafted
I have been busy with my school requirements, quizzes, and midterm examinations. I spent the past days having some rest too, and now I finally found my will to write an article!
Here are some of the handmade items I crafted.
Sea Shell Necklace
This is my top most favorite. I bought the sea shells in May and I’m happy to turn them into these amazing necklaces. It perfectly matches those three colors: white, orange, and coral pink. However, I’m planning to explore mixing the colors, putting gold and adding aquamarine. This is perfect for the summer and the last time I checked, the beaches scream, “summer never ends!”.
Sunflower Earrings
Took me so long to spare some time and make these sunflower earrings. I first made daisy earrings and after a thousand years, let’s give the chance to the sunflowers! I enjoyed making this one. I’ve been exploring on how to make the perfect petals that would look good. I actually can’t wear these so I’m crossing my fingers that someone will buy soon from my shop. I like flowers so I hope I could fix my schedule better. I definitely miss sitting down with my yarns and hook. I have lots of on-going projects on my box and I’m planning to buy more yarns this month.
Chipstone Bracelet
Someone reached out to me to make this bracelet. She specified the three stones: rose quartz, citrine, and carnelian. I assumed this stones are meaningful to her. The bracelet came out amusing to me and been wanting to make more of these. I bought new stones also but I still haven’t got the time to turn them into something. Well, customized orders are my favorite so I’m included this one in this article – memorable one.
Flower Chokers and Flower Coasters
As mentioned, I like flowers. The beaded chokers are orders but the flower coaster is mine, I used indophil yarn in making it. It is kinda small so I will but milk cotton yarn soon and try it out. Making these accessories are fun to me. I do these while resting or watching series during my break time with school works and household chores.
That’s it for now. I’m working on new items like pearl bracelets and phone accessories and I’ll definitely show it to you when I get them done. Since then, I feel different among the rest because I am not an outgoing person. I always prefer to stay at home and have chitchats on my consistent friends. I used to see this as my downside but now, I figured, it’s one of my strength. I could stay alone with silence and I get to learn and be productive into different things. I enjoy my own company, I appreciate the few people who’s been true to me, and I’ve been loving myself, and my crafts, much more than my dark yesterdays.
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I hope all of you had been well and I hope you’ve been kind to yourself. We reached the half of this year. Cheers to all of our small victories!
Father’s Day Gift Ideas
Days fly so fast, the month of May feels like a heavy pump of air. Looking forward, next month is the month for our dear fathers. I’ve been contemplating what to give to my papa so here are some of the ideas that popped in my mind which I thought could help you too.
**Wallet**
This is a very useful thing to them and since they use it very often, it might be the perfect time for them to have a new one. To make it more memorable, you can put a picture of your family inside and to cheer them up, you can sneak in some money too. Check for low priced wallets but with great quality. Many options are available online.
**Shirts**
The easiest option is to buy a shirt. I’m sure stores will put up sales for the month of June. There are also good discounts when you buy online. Make sure to get the right size, to be certain, check the sizes or measure of your dad’s shirt on his closet. For the color and design, you can feel what he likes. Just get the one you think your dad will be comfortable with.
**Belt**
Belt is a must for my papa and I think for your dads as well. We just got a belt for him on his birthday so I think this won’t apply to me right now but this is a great gift for them because they could use it every day. We got one from Shopee and the quality is great. Just make sure to have the accurate length so that there won’t be a problem.
**Perfume**
If your dad has a certain perfume that he uses, you can buy that one or you could also get him a new scent. I know sometimes this doesn’t look so important for them because they need to prioritize our family’s needs but they deserve these kind of things too.
**Hobby-related gifts**
Check on what your dad is interested with lately and support them with that. Every people, we have our own desires and wants. I’m sure they have too but they just don’t speak about it much. For my papa, he’s been addicted with pet fishes lately. So I’m thinking of buying his arowana fish a tank mate or maybe another accessory for the aquariums.
**Shoes**
I know my papa would love to have new pair of shoes but I don’t think I can afford what he wants yet, may be soon though. Dads love shoes so this is a great idea to make their smile big on Father’s day. If you know what they like, go surprise them with it.
**Socks and towels**
For our working dads, they need these things and it wouldn’t be so bad to get them new ones. Sometimes, they neglect buying these for themselves so we have to take care of it.
Those are the things on my mind. If you have some other ideas, put them on the comment section below because I would love to have more options. Whatever gift it is, as long as it came from your heart, I’m sure our fathers will appreciate them.
Thank you for reading!
Silly Things I Did as A Child
I am now experiencing the quarter life crisis and sometimes, I wish I could just go back being a child, not thinking about anything else other than sleeping and eating and playing. However, I am contented to where I am right now, and to the person I have become.
Since the gloomy weather visited us for today, reminiscing won’t be as bad as being unproductive, right?
Let’s start! Here are some of the silly things I did as a child.
1. The moon follows me.
I used to have two theories about the moon: first, I am the most special person in the universe because the moon follows me wherever I go. I walk, it moves, I stop, it halts. I would even go out at night just to check if it still happens. Second, each person has its own – like a shadow that follows you anywhere. Well, this is all before I have learned that there’s only one moon on Earth. Science sometimes ruins beautiful things.
2. Checked if the refrigerator light turns off when I close it.
I miss how these little things brought by technology were some sort of magic when I was a kid. My grandma would laugh and scold me for doing these but I was really curious. I would sneak my eyes as I close it to check if it really turns off or not.
3. Abroad is up on to the mountains.
They would say, my aunt rides an airplane when going to London. I was thinking why would she ride an airplane and not a bus, so I thought abroad is up on the mountains. I was so sure about these especially when I can see antennas built up on it.
4. Tried to balance the light switch.
I was curious what would happen if the light switch is balanced – between on and off. I was expecting that the lights would dim but I was not successful with that experiment.
5. Dug a hole in our backyard so that we won’t be flooded.
We used to live next to a farm so when it rains, the farm would literally look like a lake. If it rained too hard, some of the water would come close to our house. I was silly enough to think that I could dig a large hole which will serve as a reservoir of water. My tita who’s four years older than me believed too in my plan and she actually helped me.
6. Used soap as a shampoo.
There are times when my mom scolded me and I would be pushed to take a bath. Then there would be no shampoo and I would be too afraid to call my mom for help so I’d end up using the soap in my hair. I think it’s just fine until my hair became so stiff and rough, I couldn’t comb it.
7. Formulated my own lotion.
I was so proud of myself but actually, the things I used are just lotions as well, alcohol, powder, and whatever I found in the house. My mom would scold me of course because I emptied some of the bottles.
There you go! I hope you liked reading this. Thank you!
My Morning Routine
Every morning, I have to do the right things so that my whole day will fall into the right places.
I have a rule, that is to always set the mood at its finest because when my morning is ruined, most probably, my day is wasted. Before I sleep at night, I think about all the things that I would do for the day and jot them down on my notes. I have many things on my plate so I have to be organized, otherwise, my life would fall down.
**Hence, I will present now my morning routine!**
By the way, I do lots of things depending on my school and business works but these are the things I always and must do in the first hours of the day:
**Check for updates and notifications**
I can’t lie, as I open my eyes, my hands crawl immediately to catch my phone. I check if there are updates on our group chats, I check my Shopee account if there are orders or anything, I read news, and I read at least one poem or any affirmation, especially about my zodiac sign. That maybe weird but it works for me!
**Fix my bed, stare on the mirror, and fix myself**
Fixing my bed only takes a minute and I stay on the mirror for five times longer than that. I comb my hair and do all the duties my body requires. I used to have products that I use on my face but now a plain mild soap works on me better – no more serious breakouts, finally.
Visit and play with my dogs
They boost my day. Well, I have four dogs, the one stays inside the house and the others are outside. In the morning, it is mandatory to check on them and take them for a walk if I have extra time. I love them so much. If you have a pet, I’m sure you know how it feels.
**Drink water**
I don’t often have breakfast early in the morning. I eat brunch around 10am. And they said drinking water first thing in the morning has good health benefits so it’s become a part of my routine. I drink coffee at times too as long as I don’t feel like having a headache because recently, my migraine’s been a big problem to me.
**Prepare for the day**
I take a bath in the morning or else I would feel sleepy and not ready for the day. I also write down in details the things that I have to accomplish. This way, my mind does not become so heavy with thoughts. I also fix my desk and prepare for the orders that I have to ship.
Other than those things, I have chores all around me. I clean and mop the floor. I water the plants. I feed our pet dogs, fish, and bird. I also take care of my sister’s needs especially for her school activities. And as you can observe, I don’t cook. Well, actually, I do when I have no choice.
Most of the time, I don’t have enough sleep but I always have to be lively and heedful every day. Thank you for reading!
Writing Made My Life Worthy
I once called myself a writer – that was when I was in high school and I was so invested in getting better in writing because I wanted to be the person behind that certain pen name on an article that people read on the corner. I believed that it is the only thing I’m good at and it also explains my personality. I am always being separated from many and it is hard for me to socialize because of some past traumas and I also grew up alone in a neighborhood where there’s no many kids to play with.
I remember, I was in third grade when I became so amazed with my teacher – she easily constructs sentences and she makes such good introductions on our quarterly essays. We can copy that introduction that she made or if are capable of, we can construct our own. I think that’s how my love for writing started; I fell in love with words and I felt alive every time I was able to weave exactly the words sticking in my mind.
Writing took me places, I joined and won different contests, met many people, learned many things, and got inspired in many ways, but the best thing that ever happened was when it took me home – to myself. I stopped writing for a long time because I was afraid of what I would write about. I realized how I was writing for everybody else but myself. But now, I feel freedom because as I write, I am knowing myself better, I am discovering the little and the slightest details, I am giving myself the chance to reflect, and it is comforting how it became my safe haven once again.
Aside from those personal reasons, here are other matters why everyone should engage in writing:
**1. Enhances your communication skills.**
Writing serves as a good way to practice forming phrases and sentences, it improves your vocabulary, and challenges you on how you can put into words the things which inside your mind.
**2. Helps in developing a better perspective.**
When you write, your mind can go off into different places. It makes you think about anything under the sun. It makes you wonder about the tiniest matters. It makes you observant and attentive about the details and the truth. With all that, you can have a better viewpoint about life.
**3. Improves self-expression.**
Sometimes, there is no one by your side who’s willing to listen. Thus, writing should be sufficient. You are free to express any ideas and thoughts. You can write down on any sheet of paper or even on your phone. When you can express yourself, you can realize what are your weaknesses and strengths, and you can plan things better.
**4. It can increase your creativity.**
When you become friends with words, it’ll then be easy to play with it. There’s a unique feeling of imagining phrases on your mind and when you write it down, it is just so lovely. Literature is a place wherein once you got in, you can’t get out.
Not everyone can understand but what’s important is that you can understand what freedom means when you hold your pen. There is no limit, the ink can bleed forever so make it count.
Recycling: Resourceful and Creative
Many people underestimate what recycling can give to us, but I refuse to see it that way. Though the situation of the world right now in relation to global warming is already at a high risk, I still affirm myself that the small things that we can do such as recycling is a great move in helping the nature.
**Recycling enables us to be resourceful and creative.**
In every single household, we have lots of things that we thought we can no longer use or we assume that it doesn’t have benefits to us anymore so we put it in the bin. However, if we think outside the box and give some time to do recycling, we can make something out of it wherein:
***- We can save by not buying anymore the object that we can make and***
***- We can lessen the amount of garbage that goes in the dump.***
Therefore, here are some of the recycling ideas that I have made myself or I want to make during my extra time:
**For the empty bottles and containers:**
The bottles and containers that we have, usually those from food packaging, are going to have a deep cleaning. I clean them thoroughly with water and soap then put them under the sun as well and then use them as organizers inside our house. For some of the bottles like the wine bottles, we put water and plant inside of it and it is aesthetically becoming a décor.
**For the old newspapers:**
I have mentioned before that I have a small online business and since I love to recycle, I no longer buy packaging materials, I create envelopes using the old newspapers or any presentable paper I find at home. I decorate it a bit so it would be at least pleasing and write a note explaining why I needed to use a recycled packaging.
**For the unused clothes:**
At home, we have clothes that are too big for us to wear and my mom’s been fond of sewing and so she likes to up-cycle the clothes turning it for a smaller size which my sister can fit. I also want to sew because it’s been a long a time so later this afternoon, I prepared a cloth by cutting it into my size. I will sew it maybe tomorrow. Thanks God, we have a sewing machine and even though it’s already antique, it still works.
**For the plastic bottles:**
We use the plastic bottles as plant pots. Mom and I cut them into half and then put holes underneath. Pots became too pricy when plants became hit a high demand on the market. We were kind of addicted especially during the pandemic so we resourced for materials that we can use in order to propagate the plants. We were able to sell some too which helped us financially.
There are many ways to recycle, ways that are bigger and better than those that I have mentioned. With this, I encourage everyone to do your part and just put it in your heart that we owe the future generation the nature that helps us live today.
Let’s be resourceful and wise. Everything is anchored to the nature.
Thank you for reading!
Planting Vegetables on Our Lawn
The last time I checked, I only adored nurturing ornamental plants. However, due to my busy schedule, I wasn't able to put enough time for them and recently, I just had a new achievement when I was able to grow vegetables in our lawn.
To tell you honestly, one of my biggest dreams is to have my own farm. I think it emerged when I was young and playing FarmVille. I liked the idea of growing different fruit bearing trees and turning them into various products. I love the idea of harvesting early in the morning to have something for breakfast. It's a silly idea but I want my life to be as simple as that.
Going back, I'm writing this article to show you my mini vegetable garden, if I could call it that, but please, allow me. The first ones that we planted with my mom are the eggplants and sili. Of course, we cultivated the land first. We removed the dried grass and the rocks. After a few weeks, our plants had flowers then comes next are the vegetables!
The sili came early, I was so glad even though I don't like to eat sili. My parents did enjoy them. When the eggplants came out, I was so happy because I didn't expect that they will literally grow in our yard. Some of them are big and some are small. We cooked omelette, poqui poqui, and pinakbet out of it. It is a little hard to make time in watering the plants because I have classes in the afternoon until night on weekdays. Plus, we still have other plants to manage.
Morever, we also have stringbeans. They are now climbing on the wood which my mom fixed. Hopefully, stringbeans will come out soon. I'm excited for it and I'll promise I will share it to you once again when it happens. Before the stringbeans, we planted pechay but unexpectedly, they died maybe because of the heat of the sun, the soil, or the seeds aren't just okay anymore. We also have a tomato but it's still growing. Tomatoes will be once again costly when the rainy days come so I hope it will bear tomatoes real soon.
Realizing that I am privileged to experience this little flutter of a heart experience makes me grateful that I was born and grew up in the province. We are surrounded with farms; I continuously see the farmers grow crops – corns, rice, peanuts, onions, and vegetables. I appreciate the simplicity of life with this and it saddens me how agricultural sector in our society are being dragged down just because they aren’t titled to be educated. Widespread agricultural lands are also being turned now as commercial or residential lands. I wish our government would focus on implementing better urban planning programs, preserve the lands that feeds us fresh food, and provide a spotlight for our farmers who makes it possible.
My writing is getting long now and I feel really sleepy already. I’m exhausted for this week; I can’t explain why. I’ll see you in my next one! Thank you for reading!
My Recent Shopee Purchases
One of my stress relievers is online shopping!
For today’s article, I will be showing you some of my recent purchases on Shopee. I buy random items which are listed on my wants and needs. I am grateful for the blessings I have been receiving which allow me to buy the things that make me feel excited about life.
Without further ado, let’s jump on the first one!
**1. Basic t-shirts**
My school announced for the F2F class schedule already, though I’m still contemplating about going or not, I bought these two shirts that I may use on going out. These two are only cheap, I paid around $3, shipping fee included. The quality is already good for the price and I like the design. I initially wanted to buy two blacks but I thought about having white shirts too because I have many blacks already. I’m planning to buy from the shop again soon.
**2. Water bottle**
Once again, this is in preparation of me going back to school but I am already using mine at home. I got two: mine is the light blue and the pink one is for my little sister. It’s actually small given the fact that I am always thirsty and when I’m nervous, I drink a lot. I think this wouldn’t be enough when I use this to school but we’ll see. It’s good for its price anyway plus it looks aesthetic so it’s still a good buy for me.
**3. White boxes**
I have lots of things in my room so I needed more organizers. I only bought two pieces because I wanted to see its quality and size first before buying many. I am satisfied with this product and it suits how I intended to use it. I was worried at first because it was cheap but it’s such a steal and useful item. The only thing that stressed me out is when I was assembling it but I got the strategy and it became easy already. I ordered four more pieces anyway. Lastly, the white color just brightens my room and matches my wall paint color.
**4. Watch**
I wanted to buy a branded watch for myself as a birthday gift but I had to be practical. Even though I deserve it, I think it’s being wise to prioritize more important matters first especially in my age that nothing is quite permanent yet. It doesn’t hurt me though because I actually like to buy cheap items which are beautiful and with high quality. For these watches, I am already satisfied because it costs less than $4 including the shipping fee. I got two just in case the other one doesn’t match with the color of my shirt. It serves its purpose and I like its colors so overall, I am satisfied and happy with this purchase.
**5. Shells**
This item is for my business. It looks aesthetic and boho designed. These are only fake ones though. I hope I could make something out of it real soon. It would look great on a necklace or anklet.
That’s all for this article! I hope you had fun reading this article. I am sorry for being inactive for many days because I got busy with our midterm exams.
Do well and be kind always!
Old Songs Bring Us to Life
I was born in the 21st century and I am included to what they call the Generation Z, but, its undeniable that I truly and deeply love the songs that was released 20 years before I was born.
**Old songs are gold.**
Whenever I listen to old songs, I recognize pure talent and compassion. These songs have soul in it. It tells a story that listeners could easily relate with. The more they are getting old, the higher their value becomes. Even though these songs are released so many years ago, I think these are timeless and outstanding still.
**Old songs are nostalgic.**
It may be weird but I feel nostalgic when I hear old songs. It’s like I have, sentimentally, a deep attachment with it in my past. I love the days when we have a family get together because that’s how I started appreciating old songs as I grew up – I heard it from my papa and lolo, aunts, and uncles. They like to sing in the karaoke, I’ve been deprived of the talent to sing though.
Some of the artists I listen to are:
**1. Michael Learns to Rock.** MLTR is a soft rock and pop rock band and I super love their songs. It may seem simple but it’s the kind of songs you would sing to relax and any time between your ordinary days.
**2. Air Supply.** I know many people in my generation who love them as well. All their hits are magnificent and popular.
**3. Kenny Rogers.**
**4. Bee Gees.**
**5. West Life**
*Which is better between old songs and new songs?*
I believe that music is an art and I don’t agree that art should be compared from each other because in fact, each song came from something – it may be transpired from a story, a person, a feeling, a memory, a place, etc. Old songs hit different but so are new songs; it is just that the new songs being released nowadays kind of have things in common and some are now being generated with some developed technologies. However, old songs sold better than the new ones and there are varied reasons for that.
In short, one person can’t objectively point which music is better because judging the quality of songs requires the use of our personal context and beliefs because as we all know, songs represent life and deeper meanings of stories.
All songs are good for the soul; it just depends on our music taste and the present emotions or situation we’re in. I couldn’t imagine my life if music is non-existent. There are songs that pull me into nothingness but I could assert that most songs make me feel things that nothing else in the world could do.
Thank you so much for reading this article. This day went by so fast; I didn’t have any synchronous class but I still feel tired because I assisted my younger sister with her class.
Good night!
My Saturday Looks Like This
I admit, I have a love-hate relationship with Saturdays because I get excited when weekends come, I would imagine staying in bed all day, however, that is not the reality. My Saturdays are fun, tiring, exciting, and everything in between. To know more, this is what my Saturday looks like.
`YESTERDAY: April 23, 2022`
I woke up early as expected because I slept early last night, I wasn’t even able to finish one episode of the series I’m watching. I would’ve loved to stay long on bed but my papa saw me scrolling on my phone and teased me about it.
Saturday is my papa’s day off from work so we are happy during Saturdays among other days in a week. First thing in the morning and he told us that we’re going to find the bakery that sells hopia, which according to my mom, is delicious. This is a simple gesture but I notice and appreciate it so much. After which, he told us about the bulalohan in the neighboring town and we decided to have our breakfast there.
An hour later, we arrived at home safely and it’s time for me face the reality. I started to do the laundry and finished it right on time because I still had time left for my pets before lunch. I changed the water in the fish tank. I have gold fish anyway. And then, I took one of my dogs to bath because she should be bathed twice a week but sadly, I barely have time so I only do it at weekends.
We had lunch. This is our food which is one of my favorites. I prepared a calamansi juice also and sliced some mangos which came from my grandfather’s yard.
Next stop is to help my younger sister with her school activities. We’ve accomplished seven activities for today and I passed it on her Google classroom. There’s two more left and I guess we’ll do that tomorrow. I also checked her class guide for her synchronous class on Monday. I made a list of all the materials she’ll be needing so that my mom would not bother to settle these things.
I also made a list of the orders that I got on my small business. It is important to help me track those rush orders and the notes of the buyers with regards to their orders.
Our parents went home from the grocery and we had melons. My mom prepared it and then I added milk, sugar, and ice. We love this food so much because aside from it is healthy, it helps to beat the summer heat.
Papa also got us our favorite sweets: choco mani for me and gummy bears for my sister.
In the late afternoon, I walked all four of my dogs which is fun because I really love them and then we watered our plants. Papa also fixed his new plants which are orchids and guapple (a plant that will bear a bigger version of guava).
At night, I will do start my academic requirement for my Auditing class which is due on Monday and will also accomplish some of the orders.
A lot of other wonderful things happened but I guess I’ll keep it to myself. I feel tired but my heart is filled with joy and gratitude for simple Saturdays like this.
Thanks for reading!
When Excitement Meets Fear
We are always running around; meeting new people, forgetting memories, thinking of we could create a change, or most of the time, hiding under our skin because of fear. We are just a dust in this whole wide galaxy and it is often funny to think why life becomes so problematic.
I get excited about everything and my life may be viewed as boring for others but I think all of us, we have our own way of creating our own exciting moments. I like to take risk and when I’m impulsive, I really forget my limits. That is somehow where I am right now. I entered, once again, into another realm with my small bag of ideas and each passing time, my excitement’s blanketed with fear.
I suddenly want to run but this is reality. I think I need courage and I need to remind myself that nothing will happen when I keep fear control me. There are lots of possibilities, negative matters included, but at the end, I know it will only make me stronger.
**When I am terrified about something, here are the things that I often do:**
**Imagine the worst.**
This may not look helpful for others but I am not just a fan of toxic positivity so I think of the worst possible situation that I might be thrown into. In this way, I could adjust my expectations, I could learn about the matter, and I could think about the conceivable or reasonable things to do. Honestly, this part makes me strong because I can already start to accept that things may not go my way and it makes me human.
**Face your fears.**
Giving up won’t do nothing good. I firmly believe that when you are able to dream about, you can reach it, because in that particular time, you actually believed in yourself and you were your biggest fan. You can’t be the first one who will give up on your dreams because if not you, who else will fight for it? No matter how scary it is, have courage and face your fears. Be full, you’re a human, whatever the result will be, you are still you.
**Reward yourself.**
Success or not, big or small, you will always be deserving of a reward from you because out of all the people in this world, you’re the only one who actually knows how hard you are working for. This is also another way of motivating yourself to work and reach something, even if it’s just a small achievement.
Fear will always be there and feeling excitement is actually good because we need to be excited more about being alive, even if our world’s a bit messy. When these two strong emotions meet, it’s a sign that we have to be stronger than our negative thoughts and be wiser on our decisions.
It takes a long ride to reach at our destinations but it doesn’t mean that we can’t be happy on the road.
Thank you for reading!
Recommended Things to Do Before Sleeping
When we sleep, we must be in our best state of mind to rest. We have to clear our mind and relax our muscles in order to not wake up being restless in the morning. I myself have been trying to do things for me to get healthier and gain some weight.
Here, therefore, are some of the things to do, which are highly recommended, to have a good night sleep.
**1. Have a break from screen time**
We usually use our gadgets the whole day and in order to have a better sleep, we should practice putting our phones or devices down 30 minutes to one hour before sleeping. The blue light from our gadgets limits the production of melatonin, a substance that helps us sleep, in our body, which will make it harder for us to fall asleep.
**2. Read a book**
Reading a few pages before sleeping can help in relaxing our minds and reduce our stress. According to researches, it improves the quality of sleep because we all know, reading makes most people sleepy. It could also enhance our brainpower and it pushes us away from using our phones. There was a reason why children love to have bedtime stories and I think we should do that too even if we’re now grown-ups.
**3. Take a warm bath.**
It is evident that warm baths enhance the quality of sleep. After bath, our moods are elevated and it could also take away the stress and anxieties that we had for the day. It is important to take our time in quiet in order to feel the comfort of taking warm baths. It is also helpful in a way that it removes the irritations on our skin that could disrupt our sleep.
**4. Listen to relaxing music**
I often do this when I really want to fall asleep easily. I listen to the sound of nature on Youtube and it really helps because when I close my eyes, I imagine that I am in some place which is calming and serene. It is also beneficial in lowering down heart rate and breathing which can improve sleep efficiency.
**5. Meditate**
Meditation is important because this is a way of reconnecting to our inner selves and maintaining our inner peace. After doing this, we may feel lighter than before because we know there is quiet in our mind and body. I’ve been trying to put this in my habits because it is such a healthy way of detoxifying.
We don’t just need a long, sufficient sleep; we need and we deserve a healthy sleep that will make us motivated and on-going on the next day. These are just some of the ways that you may try if you also opt to have a more sufficient sleep. This kind of rest is where we can gain much strength and if we deprive ourselves of sleep, we could get serious illnesses.
Be healthy and take care always!
Never Have I Ever Bingo Card
For today’s blog, I decided to make it extra exciting. I looked for a challenge and I saw this Never Have I Ever challenge using a bingo card. I got this template from Pinterest, so no further ado, let’s just get started!
Been ice skating: Nope, I have never tried it yet. I never had a chance because we’re only living a comfortable life and we’ve never been in a mall where there’s an ice skating facility nor traveled abroad to experience this in the snow.
Had chickenpox: I have, I was in third grade back then. Almost everyone in our class had chickenpox because as we all know, this is contagious. I remember these days that I hated the most because it was really itchy. I got scars from it, by the way.
Had a massage: I have tried but not from a professional massage therapist though lately, I have been curious how much will it cost because I’ve been suffering from backache for quite a while now.
Ridden in a limo: I have never ridden in a limo and I don’t think I have seen one yet since we are living in the province.
Built a fire: Yes, I have. I really miss my scouting days. I have lots of memorable experiences and I wish I could still go camping soon with my friends or with some new people.
Ridden a motorcycle: Of course, I have. I actually know how to drive a bit but it’s just that I am afraid to do it on the main road where there are other vehicles.
Ridden a horse: I have not yet and it makes me sad because I really want to try. The next time I’ll go Baguio, I’ll make sure to try horseback riding.
Played scrabble: Yes, I have. I feel lucky to grow with this board games because now, I can observe that children are now more focused to their phones.
Spent night on a beach: I have never but this is on my bucket list. I will fill this dream soon when I will get a little busy with my life.
Had braces: I have and it was worth it I think because it fixed my teeth which also helped my speaking problems that I had growing up.
Locked my keys in a car: I have never and I still don’t have my own car.
Laughed so hard I cried: I have and it happens every time because I am really that person who laughs almost at everything and it is hard for me to get over.
Baked a cake: I have though I only used an oven toaster. It was an upside down cake with pineapples. It was yummy.
Had a pet fish: I have! I have gold fish and arowana at home. They’re growing big now.
Gotten a tattoo: I have never but I’m planning to soon when I know to myself that I have passed over a milestone in my life.
Lied about my age: I have, I am tall and it helped me get into establishments this pandemic.
Made a prank call: I am not sure but I guess I have done this with my cousin back then because we like to do silly things.
Gotten seasick: Nope, not yet.
Fired a gun: I have not tried yet but I also wish to do these kind of activities.
Plucked my eyebrows: I have tried just once but it was painful so I never did it again.
Been to Europe: I have not yet. This is my ultimate travel dream anyway so hopefully soon.
Dyed my hair: Yes, I have! Been thinking of dyeing it again but I’m afraid my school might not approve.
After looking into the bingo card, this is now the result!
Thank you for reading this and take note, you can also make this challenge!
My Ultimate Favorite Foods
Before anything else, I would like to inform you that I do not intend to make you crave at this hour. If you like the foods that I will be showing, then it’s a sign that you must treat yourself because I’m sure that you deserve it!
Hi, there! I am here once again writing about something that I am passionate about which is FOODS! I may look thin sometimes but I like to eat, though I easily get full I don’t know why. I think one of my biggest dreams is to taste as many food as I can especially the specialties of other countries.
For this blog, I’m going to present my ultimate favorite foods!
**Carbonara**
I love carbonara so much. I like all types of pasta but this is just something so different. I love the creaminess, the mushrooms, the bacon, and of course the cheese! But, even if that is just from a simple canteen with incomplete ingredients, I would still eat it all as long as it’s a white spaghetti. I think I could eat carbonara for the rest of my life.
**Cookies and Cream Ice cream**
I don’t have a sweet tooth, I could hardly ever finish a box of chocolate but when it comes to cookies and cream ice cream, then we could talk about addiction. I like it especially when I put it in a bread. Maybe it’s because I really love milk. I also like other flavors of ice cream like cheese and avocado but not as much as I love cookies and cream.
**Adobong Manok**
This is my most favorite dish being cooked by my mother. I could really it this viand with tons of rice and I would never get tired of eating this. I am still not knowledgeable about cooking but soon, I will make sure to get my mom’s recipe of this.
**Ramen**
I have only tasted the cheap type of ramen but I really like it. I hope I could try to eat more of its kind soon. The soup and the noodles matches perfectly well and it’s like a comfort food for me. I haven’t eaten ramen for a long time already but deep down in my heart, I am craving for this and I hope I could find real soon an affordable ramen place near my area.
**Waffles**
Not many people pay attention to waffles but I really love waffles plus many whipped cream. I used to eat a lot of waffles in milk tea or coffee shops but now, I barely go out of our house. At this moment in time, I’m thinking of buying a waffle maker so that I could eat waffles every day as long as I have ingredients. I know it is weird but I would rather eat waffles than any kind of cake.
These are my top 5 ultimate favorite foods. I actually have a long list but maybe I’ll just make a second part next time. I also love sinigang and chicken wings, I feel guilty not being able to put it there.
Do you like these foods too? Comment down below your ultimate favorite foods so I could see if have something in common!
Thank you for reading!
What’s on my Memory Box?
This may be weird but I keep memories more than what is necessary. I am that kind of person who would slip the receipts or tickets of a normal or extraordinary day in my bag and keep it in my memory box. I like to have something to hold on to though according to my mom, this isn’t healthy because it would make my life heavy or it would make it hard for me to move on.
For today, I’m going to show you some of the things inside my memory box!
1. Letters
I guess I really don’t have to explain this because many of us keep letters, it is just so special that these are hand written. In this times, handwritten letters are now rare so I really kept these. Many of these letters came from our relatives in the US and some are from my closest friends. I am lucky to have friends who would slip notes in my bag, encouraging me and uplifting my faith every after a challenge in my life.
2. Park tickets and receipts
Whenever you enter a park, they sell tickets and I kept them. Those days must be ordinary for others but I like normal days. Usually, we don’t often give importance to these days but it has its own way of being special. I also kept receipts which are usually from fast food restaurants, from the bookstore, and when I bought someone a gift. I can’t really explain much further but I like to retain something from those simple yet exquisite moments of my life.
3. Things from events, activities, and contests
During my junior high school years, I attended many activities and contests. This enabled me to go to different places. I treasure these rare opportunities so I kept my IDs, certificates, booklets, and many other things that would remind me of those events. Many delightful memories are kept in these things. I didn’t have a camera or a good working phone back then so I wasn’t able to keep such good photos.
4. Pencils and ball pen
Like the other things, I keep these because they played an important part in my life. The most important pencil here is the tiniest one which I got from a kid when we were doing a feeding and Christmas program in an elementary school in the province. We brought gifts and the kid got my attention. I gave him a new one and it really broke my heart to see young dreamers who are being neglected of their needs. This inspired me to work harder and give off to people who are needing.
5. Photo albums
Back then, it is a must to get the photos printed. Mostly, these are pictures of me and my parents during school recognition days. I also kept in here photos of my friends, even though most of them are strangers to me once again.
I still have a lot of things in here like sea shells that I got in the beach whenever I go there, coin purses, notebooks, letters I wrote that never got to them, and many other more.
I am a memory hoarder and I don’t see that as a weakness, unlike what other people say. I treasure memories, the good and the bad.
Thank you for reading this!
Skills That I Want to Develop
I do a lot of things in my life but in the other way around, there are also lots of things that I cannot do and I wish that I could do. For this blog, I decided to write about the skills that I want to develop and the reasons why.
**Driving**
I know how to ride a bike and I also know how to drive a motorcycle just a little bit but I am just really afraid. I am a person who easily gets nervous and I can’t imagine myself driving on the middle of the road with all the other vehicles. I have never been into an accident and I am terrified to be in one.
Maybe, I’ll have the will and strength to do this in some future time because this is such a really important thing. Commuting is hard and costly.
**Cooking**
I know how to cook but just the basic foods. I want to be good in cooking because I want to cook for myself and for the people that I love. On the other hand, I just want to reiterate that women should never be obliged to cook so being not able to cook doesn’t make me less of a woman.
Maybe in the near future, I will have a budget in learning how to cook because for now, I still can’t afford to practice on foods that could possibly go to waste.
**Baking**
I have tried to bake when I was younger and I swear it is one of the most therapeutic things I have done. I badly want to bake right now but we don’t have an oven, the needed tools, and the ingredients. It is expensive but I think it is a good investment because you can bake pastries during occasions or for snacks and you could also start a small business with it.
There are many tutorials and recipes about baking on the internet but for me, it is something that should be practiced on many times in order to make the result perfect.
**Photography**
I was passionate about photography when I was younger. In finishing my Junior High School years, I would have asked my papa for a camera but in my tenth grade, my little sister was born so I had to sacrifice my wants. I am still drawn into photography nowadays but I barely have time for it. Soon, when things get better, I promise to buy my own camera and practice taking nice pictures. I used to take a photo of every small detail back then and I kind of miss my old self.
Marketing
I want to invest more on my small business and good marketing skills would be advantageous. Little by little, I am trying out on to different forms of marketing and honestly, it is harder than it sounds.
I still have lots of other skills that I want to develop but that is it for this article. I think these are the most important for now that I am on the adulting stage.
Let’s make every step count and always be greater than our yesterdays. Thank you for reading this article!
Currently Watching On Netflix
I love to binge-watch series because it is my way of taking a rest from work and my responsibilities. I enjoy connecting to fiction and I literally watch almost every genre. It is not a secret that I am a multitasker and as weird as it could be, I also watch the different series at the same time depending on my mood.
Let me show to you what I currently watch on Netflix. I just started some of these during our academic break while for some, I’ve been watching them for like months.
**How to Get Away with Murder**
If my memory serves me right, I began watching this series last year in December. At the present, I am now on season 5 and honestly, the story and plot twist is heavy once again so I stopped just for a while. Don’t get me wrong, I like this series a lot. I love how it highlights the true issues in our society right now especially racism and gay rights. I love how it shows the true situation of our legal system and the real essence of justice in the lives of every individual.
I bow down to all the actors because they have been so powerful in portraying their characters. The subtle twists and turns of their lives in learning who they are and achieving their goals is exemplary. This show gave me horror and heartbreaks but it also widened my perspective on how cruel this world is, and that is the reason why we need people who are brave enough to speak up for nothing but the truth.
**Business Proposal**
I have seen many readcashers watching Business Proposal so I started this kdrama series last weekend and I am now on the eleventh episode. It just came to me that I wanted to watch light and funny series so I came into this. I laughed a lot and it gave me good vibes. After this, I think I’m going to continue 25 21 because my friends recommended it. I also added on my list the kdrama entitled Uncontrollably Fond – they said it is a heartbreaking series.
**The Good Place**
I just started this series yesterday because I missed watching sitcoms. I was actually choosing between Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Good Place but I think I’m going to watch this one first since I am already summed up with crime series. My favorite sitcom is Friends and I’m hoping I will love this series as well. The story goes around the character of Eleanor who, mistakenly, was set at the Good Place. If you’re interested about it, just watch it too. I’m hoping I’ll have the right humor for this.
These are the three series I am watching at the moment. I temporarily stopped the others and I’m waiting for the urge to continue them. I am not fond of watching anime but I am also trying to watching Attack on Titan. I will give an update when I’ll be successful on that matter.
Last weekend, we also watched two horror movies with my friends. Watching with the people you love makes the movie or the tv series a lot more special.
That is it for now! Thank you so much for reading!
Reasons Why Crocheting is a Good Hobby
I grew up watching my mom crocheting on the corner of the room – she would have that yarn rolling over on a box and a hook on her hand. We had crocheted table covers and placemats in the house and I would go to the school with a crocheted sling bag and purse, my favorite one is color purple and it is still with me up until today.
I wanted to try it but it was really hard for me so I opted in cross stitching. They gifted me my first cross stitch set when I was 7 years old – it was a bucket with flowers. I think I was able to finish it but we weren’t able to frame it because it is costly.
Just last year, I saw lots of inspirations in Pinterest and my urge to crochet just sprang out of nowhere. I bought four yarns, I didn’t buy hooks anymore because my mom has all the sizes. I watched on Youtube for the tutorials but I admit, it was hard for me to follow because I immediately wanted those projects which are not beginner friendly.
I got tired and kept them in a box but just a few weeks after, I bought yarns again and I just tried and tried. Absolutely, it was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life because crocheting is just a fantastic hobby, and here are some of the reasons why:
**Crocheting is relaxing, it is as good as therapy**
This hobby is a perfect thing to do on your free time. It is a good distraction especially when you have a hectic schedule and you need to be productive elsewhere. You can create a list of the projects that you want to do and one way to make this fun is to dedicate your works by giving it as a gift. If I were to receive one crocheted item, I would keep it forever, I swear.
**Crocheting boosts serotonin level**
Serotonin is a chemical substance capable of boosting a person’s mood. Crocheting has a way of boosting serotonin which makes a person character lighter and happier. If a person has a good level of serotonin, it is likely that he or she will have a better sleep and won’t experience too much anxieties.
**Crocheting lifts creativity and passion**
In crocheting, your mind will grow ideas and your imagination will expand. That will push you to do more exquisite projects, even those things that you never thought you are capable of. One thing I like about crocheting is when I get to choose yarn colors. Actually when I see one color that I like, I immediately add it on my cart and hope that I’ll have extra money to buy it.
**Crocheting lets you become part of a friendly community**
You can have new friends who are also crocheters. It is nice to have someone to talk to about crochet patterns, crochet stitches that you are not familiar with, kinds of yarns, and many more.
If you are looking for a hobby, crocheting is an inexpensive thing that you can try. You can buy a yarn or two and get also a hook then you can already make crochet items that you can use.
Free tutorials are accessible online so do not worry too much!
That is all for today. Thank you for reading!
Home Styling: Interior Designs Guide
All of us dream of a perfect home – a place where we can be ourselves, where we can grow, where we can feel safe and sound. As a lifelong dreamer, I often look for home inspirations and I swear to myself that one day, at the perfect time, I will design my own home.
There are many interior designs that one could choose from. Decorating is really one of the things that excite me so now, I am going to write this article which is about home styling. I will present some interior designs that I myself is being fascinated with.
**Bohemian Style**
This is my favorite interior design because my heart just truly goes with everything connected to Earth. I like to see handmade items, I want to live in a house embedded with culture – this style for me is full of life and passion. As an indecisive person, it is hard for me to choose decors, but with bohemian style, it doesn’t become a problem because I could mix and match different patterns or textures.
This style also highlights extra special pieces which are made of woods like chandeliers, lamps, mirrors, and chairs. It is fantastic to see items that are made out of talent and patience – it is an art. It would be nice to change the rugs and frames on the wall with various concepts. Lastly, I am indulged with macramé and back then, I really wanted to enhance my skill with it, maybe soon.
**Minimalist Style**
Don’t get me wrong, I also want this style because it looks neat and maybe this will stop me from overspending my money on lots of things because I will be forced to maintain just a minimal amount of objects inside the house. Dealing with minimalist style is challenging for me because it means I’ll have to choose just the perfect pieces that will fit.
When planning to have a minimalist style, you have to choose the right base colors and stick with your theme. You also have to plan things ahead of time to make sure that every item will be perfect for each other. Choosing furniture is hard but once you had the outstanding piece, everything will become easier.
**Scandinavian Style**
I also consider this interior style because it emphasizes light. Scandinavian is kind of hard to explain but to put things better, it is a mere combination of beauty and simplicity. This design originated in the Nordic countries such as Denmark. What’s good about Scandinavian is that you can choose decors with wood designs and you can also add items with pops of color but the whole thing remains to be simple and warm.
That’s it for today’s blog. I hope I gave you some idea on how to design your homes with these three styles that I’ve presented. Picking furniture and home decors are therapeutic for me so let’s continue to aim for greater things.
Remember as well that how the house looks like is only a secondary matter, the people and the love of the people who stays there is what gives off the true warmth of a home.
Sharp Words, Wounded Pride
Words are so powerful that they could even break strong armor or barriers. Beware, because anyone can have a tongue as sharp as a knife, which can inflict pain and leave a scar on anyone—something that might remind them of you for the rest of their lives.
Sometimes, those people who often say hurtful words are the ones who always receive the same treatment from others. Like some other bullies, they bully because they have experienced being bullied too. But that is not always the case. The best thing that anyone should really do is to watch their words and focus on controlling and resolving their anger issues. Because this is also what makes people throw painful words sometimes.
Why do mean words or phrases hurt us?
We are harmed by words flung at us because they induce us to question our beliefs, our abilities, our morals, and our overall acceptability. They are just said verbally, but the way we say it to someone else could stir and inflict a direct pain in the heart of the receiver. Insinuations hurt because we are unable to let them stand and maintain our self-esteem. As a result, we, as the person being told by hurtful words, are unable to stand up for ourselves because we are afraid of what the other person will think of us. We are afraid that the other person is right and that we are wrong.
Even if it's just in our minds, we need to have the willpower to reject its reality. For the simple reason that we all identify pain with certain phrases, some individuals utilize this to their advantage. It hurts when someone attempts to damage us using words that we've associated with bad memories, and when that happens, it's a lot worse. Punching someone in the face isn't enough. The pain is far worse than that.
Our self-images are challenged when we hear hurtful statements. It may be too damaging for our pride, but we must learn to understand the situation so we don't make it worse. They're a danger to us, but if we have a strong sense of self-worth, we are able to quickly dismiss any negative thoughts. When our confidence is low, though, they may cause serious harm and even lead to physical or verbal abuse.
Overall, people communicate by using words. The other methods are nonverbal in nature. We might be physically and psychologically disturbed by harsh words, but just because we experience it doesn't mean we have to do the same.
I suggest that we should pause and consider our words before saying anything absurd. When someone yells at us, the harsh and piercing words that come out of their lips pinch us. Similarly, when we speak to someone in a manner that is mocking, harsh, or pin-pointing, they feel humiliated. So we really have to watch out our words and learn to adjust in situations. Not all are in the same page as yours so choose to be kind instead.
*Physical pain fades, but pain inflicted verbally leaves a scar in the heart and mind.*
Newly Made Crafts and Accessories
A few months back, I wrote an article featuring my handmade items. I am a proud hobbyist and I do make crafts and accessories as a hobby and a source of income. For this blog, I will once again show you some of my recent small projects. These items are not grand but I appreciate my own work and I am happy that there are people who liked it too.
**Dainty Necklaces**
First of all are these white dainty necklaces or chokers. White is the base color which proves that white is the most eccentric piece that a person could wear because it gives such a different kind of vibe and it could follow with whatever outfit you have. I accept customized items like that one with initials and the other one with name. People nowadays wear necklaces in layers because it looks better in that way, so, I also customize its length depending on the customers’ size.
**Daisy Necklaces**
It’s already summer so I think these daisy necklaces are perfect for summer outfits. I also enjoy making these items because daisy is just a kind and simple flower – it is satisfying when I finish one daisy necklace. I will try this design to other base colors as well to see how it will fit. One thing I love about bead-making hobby is the endless possibilities I have when playing around with colors.
**Crochet Headbands**
This item is just super easy to make and it is enjoyable too. I haven’t been able to crochet the past weeks because I am busy but I hope I can make new crochet items this break. Going back to the picture shown above, these are perfect for the summer too, it looks perfect when worn at the beach. I am also planning to make these item in other colors but for now, I specifically chose those three because it matches well with black hair. I think I’m going to use these headbands when going to school next month.
**Crochet Rose Bookmarks and Initial Bracelets**
For the crochet rose bookmarks, it looks too cute and I promise I will make it using other colors as well. If I could make a lot, I will give some to my friends when I see them next month. My mom thinks it’s too big but I like it that way – when I close the book, there’s a rose on its top and I find it cute. For the bracelets, well, I just made a bracelet version of the initial necklace. It looks nice and classy when worn too. It is an ideal gift to give to your friends or family.
That is all for now. I hope you liked reading this. Leave a comment and let me know what you can say about the items that I made. I really love allotting my creative rest time with doing these crafts. I have a lot more ideas on my mind and I just hope I can put it into life soon.
Always have some time to do the things that you love. Time is the matter!
ALL PHOTOS ARE MINE.
Things I Need to Buy for F2F Classes
My school announced that they have decided to conduct limited face to face classes. It was surprising and we don’t really know how prepared everybody is but this is something out of my control so I just have to deal with it.
I need to be ready which means I also need to buy my needs. I will be going to school and I need to consider some stuff that I will use.
**Here’s my list as of the moment:**
**1. Umbrella**
I am that student who always has an umbrella, though sometimes I am lazy to use it. Walking around the school grounds would be too hot and since rainy season is coming, I also need it to avoid getting wet. I am still undecided where I will buy, if I’ll place an order online or just buy where I always buy umbrella and it’s in one of the department stores here in our city. Their umbrellas are sturdy and that’s what I need.
**2. Tumbler**
I always need water and if I’m home, that isn’t much of a problem but when I’ll go to school, I will need my own tumbler so I wouldn’t need to buy in the cafeteria. It would be a huge expense for me. I’m sure I will get tired walking around and going up to the building. I need to look for a big tumbler. I hope I’ll find something cute, worthy, but cheap one.
**3. Pants**
I have pants in my closet but I think my size is not consistent – sometimes I get too thin and sometimes I gain weight, I don’t know why that happens. I need to buy decent pants because our school advised us to not use our uniforms yet so I’ll have to wear pants during weekdays. I think I’ll go to the thrift stores to buy cheaper items.
**4. Face Masks**
The last time, I bought 50 pcs black face masks but we’ve used it all so this time, I’m going to buy again online. I decided to buy masks in different colors so that I would have something cute to decide on every single day. I added in my cart the colors navy blue, maroon, light pink, and peach. Wearing masks is still on our protocols because it’s the most basic way to protect ourselves from contracting the virus.
**5. Bag**
I am not wholly decided yet if I’m going to buy a bag because I still have a bagpack here that I could use and that is actually one of my principles in saving – to never buy if not really needed. But, I’ll see if I feel like rewarding myself or if I can adjust my budget or if my impulsiveness will jump on me.
That’s it! That is everything on my list as of now but I know that I might figure out more things that I might need. I still have around three weeks to prepare so I’m hoping to get all things done so I wouldn’t face unexpected problems. I also need to save more for my allowance. I think I have enough savings already but I really want to allot that for my investment.
I hope that face to face classes will be alright to every student, parent, and teachers. Another big adjustment but this is a step up in going back to our normal lives.
***Thank you for reading!***
Kdramas I Have Watched
I barely watch kdramas because I am more into western series than Asian and those that I watch have many seasons so I usually get stuck with them for a long time. However, I find kdramas to be so good. They have unique settings and stories. The actors play their characters very well and they know how to hook with their viewers. Before, I did not understand why many people are addicted with Korean series but now, I have a become a fan too.
For today’s blog, I am going to share four of the kdrama series that I love.
**Moon Lover’s: Scarlet Heart Ryeo**
I only watched Scarlet Heart last year but this kdrama came out last 2016. I remember telling my friend that I want to watch something that would break my heart and she recommended this to me. I immediately liked the first episode because the story travels back in Goryeo Dynasty. I like watching series with historical edge.
I laughed and cried in many parts – the plot twists are unexpected. Because of this, I became a fan of IU. I also started her another series Hotel Del Luna but I wasn’t able to finish it.
**Crash Landing On You**
I love every minute of this kdrama. I didn’t intend to watch this one. It was just a boring afternoon and I was scrolling on Netflix, looking for something to watch and I clicked on this show because of the catchy description. I think this is the kdrama that changed my perspective. I continuously watched it and finished it the next day. This one became my kdrama standard because I liked how funny and sentimental it was. Another reason is that there’s a scene which was shot in Switzerland – one of my dream places on Earth.
And, just this week, the stars of this series, the BinJin couple, got married!
**Hometown Cha-cha-cha**
First of all, I love the setting which is in a seaside village. Second, like the others, I instantly had a crush on Mr. Hong. I love this series and it helped me a lot during our tough times last year when we all got sick at home and my papa tested for covid 19. I was waiting for episodes weekly in Netflix so it also served as an inspiration for me to get through the week. I am a fan of sad endings and I quite expected it in this series but its ending is good at any rate.
**Our Beloved Summer**
Of these four series that I have mentioned, OBS is the simplest of them all but I have felt every possible emotion in this kdrama. This is one of my comfort series. The connection between the main characters is there. It revolved around being in a relationship, being an individual, achieving your dreams, keeping a family, deep friendships, and a love that was fought by two persons.
Another favorite thing about this kdrama is their OST. I still listen to the songs and all the emotions immediately come crashing on me.
I guess that is all for this article. I just started watching 25 21 and I hope I can finish it. If you have kdrama recommendations, feel free to comment them down!
My 4.4 Purchases
Several days have passed already, three days to be exact, since the 4.4 sale in Shopee happened. I tried really hard to avoid myself from buying something I added to my cart, but still, I ended up checking out several items, and these things are what I am going to present.
Well, sometimes we also need to pamper ourselves and treat ourselves to things we deserve. Be it a shirt, some materials for our hobby, food, among others.
Most of the items I bought have already departed from the sorting station and are expected to be received early next week. I have already paid for them using Shopeepay. That is why I am more excited about receiving them.
The following are the items I checked out.
**Bottle tumbler**
Since I sometimes get lazy about going out of my room and drinking a glass of water, I decided to buy a bottle tumbler which I can use to store a larger volume of water as compared to a glass. Besides, face-to-face classes at our university will soon begin, and, of course, these water bottles will be of great help to ease the tension between classmates. By the way, I bought the product at the cxye.ph shop in Shopee for only 22 pesos. As of this writing, more than 60 thousand bottles have already been sold by the mentioned shop, which has a 4.7 star rating.
**Two Books**
I have always been a fan of reading stories and self-help books ever since, so when I saw some worth-reading books recommended by my friends and others, amounting to 159 and 142 pesos only, I grabbed the chance to treat myself. The first book is written by Mitch Albom and is entitled, "Tuesdays with Morrie." The other one is "What I Wish I had known When I was 20" by Tina Seeli. I bought these two books at the Little Genius Book Mool shop in Shopee.
**Two Shorts**
Since my old shorts are going to retire soon, I bought myself two new shorts, each costing 55 pesos. I have already tried buying several shorts in the Kily.Ph online shop, and I feel glad because the quality of the shorts is superb. So if you are looking for some shorts like the ones you see above, it's the sign you have been waiting for.
**Noah's Salicylic Face and Body Wash**
This product has become a very hot topic of the town and due to the hype, I decided to try it out also as a soap for my acne prone skin. But I will just use it for my body to remove the scars or acne marks and hopefully, this will work for me. I bought it from Noah Solutions for 206 pesos and with its 4.9 average stars rating, I feel really excited to try it out.
I also bought shoe boxes and shirt but I got lazy to expand it more since I already feel sleepy. By the way, ths is not sponsored, guys. I used my own savings to buy the products mentioned.
Why You Should Get a Dog
I grew up in a household with many dogs. We treat them as a part of our family. We do our best to provide them with all their needs – enough food, home, toys, family, and overflowing love and care. Every day, I start my day with them, I take them for a walk and play with them which energizes me and boosts my mood no matter how scary that would be for me. I would also end my day with them by saying good night which calms me down and removes my worries and tiredness.
Not many people like dogs but I think, it is because they never tried to have one. For this blog, I decided to write the reasons why you should consider getting a dog!
**Dogs are the best of all friends.**
Dogs will never judge you. It might not be believable but they know how to comfort a person and they listen, they even give you their puppy eyes when you are crying which shows how concerned and sincere they are.
**Dogs are the sweetest creature you’ll ever see.**
My dogs jump on me every time I see them. They would kiss me too and they want to be always close with me. They would knock on my room in the morning when I wake up late, there are times I would be so scared because my dog would lick my foot while I’m sleeping. They also come visit me in my room when I’m having my online classes. They love it so much too when I rub their belly and their neck.
**Dogs are interesting.**
Every dog is different and each one of them has its own unique characteristic. Some dogs can be trained and they can do some serious stuff that could actually work humans but there are also some other dogs who just like to lay down all day and play with everything that they can reach. It might want to make you mad at times but believe me, at the end of the day, you’ll only love them more no matter how silly they are.
To be fair, of course I also listed down some things that you should be prepared for when you’re planning to get a dog.
- You have to buy them their needs – food, vitamins, vaccines, shampoo, soaps, powder, treats, and toys.
- You have to make time to play with them and take them for a walk because dogs also need exercise and they get said when you don’t give them attention.
- Your dogs will follow you around. They want to keep sticking with you. Be ready for them taking your bed and eating your food.
- They need to frequently have a bath. It takes time especially when you get hairy dogs because you still have to blow dry them.
Nonetheless, dogs will always be dogs and they are better than most humans on Earth. No money can suffice the happiness and comfort that they can give. So, if you are thinking of having a pet dog, this may just be the perfect sign to get one.
Important note, adopt dogs if possible. Let us help the stray dogs on the street find new homes.
***Thank you for reading!***
Managing My Impulsive Buying Behavior
I know many people would agree when I say that shopping is therapeutic. It is even one of the reasons why I work hard because I want to achieve that level of financial stability wherein I won’t have to look into the price tags of the items that I want to buy. Don’t get me wrong, I am not into luxury items. I am actually into cute and adorable stuff – that I probably don’t need.
My tita said to me that I inherited their characteristic which is being a hoarder. Some of my family members are obsessed in collecting different items. It is so random; my tita had collections of a certain stuffed toy and my tito had his collections of plants and China tea cups. Because of this trait, it is scary when I got attracted into one thing because I know there’s a big chance that I will continuously buy that same item but in different colors, designs, or types. To make the long story short, I grew up being an impulsive buyer.
Impulsive buying is the urge to suddenly, at the spur of the moment, buy an item or service. This happens even when in fact, you have no plans of making a purchase. This behavior is often provoked by strong emotions or feelings. At that given time, I do not feel any hesitation in buying despite the fact that I am a very thrifty person.
This behavior of mine was too persistent when I was in high school. It became addicting and it hypes me when I suddenly find an object that is an addition to my collections, for example, a ball pen or a sticky note. I’m now in third year college but I am still using my stocks of sticky notes.
Adulting stage hit me earlier than expected and that’s when I wanted to earn my money. When I was already having my hard-earned funds, that’s the time when I was forced to do something about my impulsive behavior. I tried a technique, which was hard at first, and it requires a bit of your patience. The technique is called 30-DAY RULE.
From the name itself, it is kind of self-explanatory. When I see something that I really want to buy, I try so hard to control myself and think about my 30-day rule wherein, I need to wait for one month or thirty days. After that long span of time, I ask myself, do I still want to buy that item? If yes, then I look into ways of buying it, but more frequently, my answer is no because the excitement of buying it only existed before.
There are negative sides into being an impulsive buyer and I feel happy that I can now manage it. This behavior could result to overspending your extra money, it could result to a great deal of regret and self-blame, and if it gotten worse, you could have a problem paying off debts.
Impulsive buys may give you a satisfaction but this doesn’t last long. As for me who came from a poor family, I need to be wise in spending my money. Being wise doesn’t mean I am depriving myself of the things that I deserve but it is about putting value to the money that I worked hard for.
If you also have a problem with your impulsive buying actions, you may try my 30-day rule and see if it works for you.
Thank you for reading my article!
Why Do People Love Coffee?
It all started when I was in high school, coffee was my life. My closest friends would know that. They know that at any time of the day, I need coffee. I didn’t eat much before because coffee was enough to keep me alive.
It is hard to weigh it down whether coffee is good or bad. As for my case, coffee helps me to think better especially when my mind is clouded with many thoughts that I couldn’t put into words. It was my way to stay connected to the world as it keeps me awake and alive.
Not many people can understand so I decided to write this article, why do people love coffee?
Coffee contains caffeine. This substance is capable of increasing the energy level of a person that’s why it will make him feel energetic and less tired.
Coffee boosts brain function. Many people are always having coffee breaks especially at work or when studying because coffee has its magic that advances a person’s memory and focus.
Coffee stimulates creativity. It helps with people’s concentration because it pulls away the unnecessary thoughts.
Coffee has lots of beneficial contents too like antioxidant. It can also burn fat so many people who aims for weight loss drinks coffee. Coffee can lower the risk of having serious diseases. This beverage has a lovely smell too. And, most importantly, coffee tastes so good.
Coffee lovers take time to drink coffee because it is relaxing and they need to take pleasure of the moment. This is the reason why coffee shops all around the world are aesthetically pleasing with its interior design. They need to match the environment with what coffee can give.
Coffee is perfect for the mornings. This is the time wherein most people drink their coffee because it’s a way of giving in for the day. It’s about having a good start by being energized and being able to think straight.
Coffee has many flavors as well. You can either spend the rest of the time trying them all or spend your whole life sticking to your favorite one – there is no in between. They can add different levels of milk, different shots of coffee, different processes, different sugar levels, and it could be served hot or iced.
On the other side of the coin, coffee can bring negative effects such as anxiety, headache, increased heartbeats, nausea, and insomnia. I have tried all of these which forced me to stop drinking coffee because maybe I was addicted. Coffee withdrawal was even harder. However, it only happened because I lost my control.
Everything in this world is about balance – right measure of the ingredients of life and it will result to a healthy and happy well-being. If you love coffee, keep drinking coffee but don’t make it an alternative to water.
Lastly, the greatest thing I know about coffee that I want people to experience is its way of making people home. Hot coffee has its enchantment of making people okay – it makes the waves calm and keeps the thoughts calm. Iced coffee gives the confidence and determination. Overall, people love to drink coffee because there’s nothing in this world that could be better than it.
That’s all for today! Thank you for reading!
Goal: To Travel Alone
Traveling alone is on my bucket list because I think it is such a good way to recognize the beauty of the world, the importance of survival, and becoming more dependent or self-reliant.
I like the idea of getting lost and having to find a course on how to get back. I would like to challenge myself on how to become resourceful and knowledgeable about the surroundings – about different cities and bizarre places.
I have not tried it before that’s why I am so curious about being alone, facing my own little mishaps and failures in a place where everyone is a stranger. I have read novels about travelers and I was inspired on how traveling alone could change a lot about one’s perspective. It has a great impact because it is like moving into a whole different world and all you can really rely on is yourself.
Maybe if ever I would do this, I’d go to a city here in the Philippines so that my budget would fit and language barrier wouldn’t be much of a problem. However, if a bigger opportunity arrives, I’d like to go to a city where English is being spoken and where the culture is rich. I would like to observe and write about the things that I will find out, I’d like to drown myself into diversities.
When you travel alone, chances are:
• **You will meet new friends**
I am an introvert so maybe there’s a possibility that I would be forced to be sociable at certain times when I am alone. For example, asking someone to take a picture of me or meet someone on the way and share some stories with them. Traveling alone is a chance to encounter different people and this is where you can adjust your comfort zone.
• **More with reality, lesser on the virtual world**
What we see on the internet is not always what the reality is all about. Traveling alone gives you the idea to embrace the truth that’s been being painted with different colors when it reaches the virtual world. When you deal with reality, that’s when you can have a deeper understanding about how our lives work. That’s a chance to see clearly what our purpose is.
• **Be more responsible and independent**
You will be left with no choice but to push yourself to be attentive with your environment. You will have to be in-charge of taking care of yourself and all your valuables. It’s a chance to start having the right amount of control because it is a hundred percent sure that you will make mistakes but as long as you can get a hold of yourself, eventually, you can think of solutions and alternatives regarding that matter.
In some future time, or maybe in my next life, I will travel alone! It is a way to boost my confidence and to feel necessarily strong. I find alone time vital to all human beings because we have to engage in our personal space too where we can be who we are and where we can reflect about what we want.
***Let us wander off!***
@Burnok
