When I got sick this week I was hopeful it's just the common flu because I got all the symptoms, most specially vomiting which looks like a distinguishing one. But right now I'm almost sure I got Omicron because I just realized I've been having night sweats recently. I mean they don't really happen at night but I've been randomly sweating a lot lately haha. Also this is the worst case of sore throat I've ever had and I didn't even eat too much sweets. I heard Omicron likes to rest on the throat so maybe it's what's causing this much scratchiness and pain.
Of course I wanna be wrong. We just got swabbed earlier and we're hoping for the best.
I wasn't able to get a good sleep last night cos it's hard to breathe when my nose is clogged and every time I breathe through my mouth my throat stings. Argh. Plus I'm sleeping with my head on the other end of the bed so that Jeckie and I are sleeping with our faces as far apart as possible in our one bedroom situation. It's hard, I couldn't get my head positioned right, I kept tossing and turning and changing pillows until a headache joined along. Also, I was busy securing a same day swab test for the both of us so I was kinda anxious too.
I've been marked covid suspect at work and therefore unfit to work for the duration of time I needed to rest (which depends on me). Thank God I don't have anything pressing to attend to at work, and that my boss is very kind and supportive while I'm gone. I'm also being monitored by our company nurses and doctor through viber, just checking on my daily stats and general feeling.
Here at the condo I've notified our PMO about our state of isolation and I'm enjoying that they've been collecting our trash every day and dropping off our shopee and grabfood deliveries to our doorstep! Urgh, wish we could have this all the time - without being in isolation of course. Kulang na lang laundry and housekeeping and we're golden! Hahaha
Yeah I guess that's it for now. I've been tired the whole day. I cleaned a bit, worked a bit (despite being on sick leave), and now I have a headache. Whew.
What a start of the year. Seems like everyone's got covid-like symptoms. Mine started two days ago with mild fevers and headache. Then followed sore throat, cough, colds, body pain, and some vomiting. Thank God we have a dedicated clinic available for teleconsult so I got my prescription and RT-PCR test recommendation immediately. My husband though, who's my HMO dependent, has to go through other channels. And man was it so hard to reach any telemed representative. Lines are either dead or busy. Intellicare, Medgate, Aventus, none of them are reachable. I'm suspecting they're all understaffed and super swamped. I feel like the whole country is in a fever frenzy right now, even doctors are sick.
Thank God though cos we were able to connect with a physician who's a neighbor, so Jeckie was able to teleconsult through him. And now that we both have our prescription and RT-PCR test endorsement, next step is to get our meds and get scheduled for a test. Easy peasy right?
Oh my gosh no.
I've sent out our prescriptions to multiple Mercury Drugstore branches through viber and most of them are out of stock. Thank God though cos we still have enough Neozep and Bioflu for our Paracetamol needs, and we still have a lot of Kamillosan spray and a pack of Strepsils for our sore throat. Nothing urgent so far. But man was it such an ordeal navigating the internet for resources when you have a bad headache.
After a while, I finally got to ordering our meds online from Southstar Drug (appreciate the clean UI and how easy it is to navigate until checkout) but there's no telling when our meds will arrive cos they're also facing a surge of orders. Here's to hoping they arrive within a day or two at most. Or that we recover without needing to take our prescription meds at all.
Meds done, now the RT-PCR test. We wanted something urgent but all of the home service providers we've come in contact with only issue sales invoice, and we need an official receipt so we can reimburse it. Our doctor neighboor, who we teleconsulted with earlier, offers the same, and we had to cancel because we needed an OR. Now I'm in communication with Lab on the Run, who says they can issue OR and can schedule us later this evening, but nothing's final yet. They haven't returned to me when I said we'd like to continue with the booking. Which kinda makes me anxious because I already cancelled with our doctor neighbor. But oh well, worst case is we get tested on Thursday instead and get the results on Friday.
We just really need to get the results before the weekend.
I'm feeling a lot better now compared to yesterday. I still took the week off because my body is still in all sorts of pain, and every word I utter threathens to split my throat open. Thankfully my annoying headache has gone away. I think it's after getting prayed over by my mom, taking a long hot shower, and drinking coffee. I don't know which one did the trick haha. Anyway, it's a good thing that I'm gradually feeling better (meaning I can work the kitchen now) because now it's my husband who feels awfully sick. I'm just glad we're not both down at the same time cos oh my goodness who's gonna do the dishes, whew!
If you're sick as well, praying we'll get better soon! 🙏
I think I've always been someone who's easily stressed, but the pandemic just made me more aware of it. I'm still twirling my hair compulsively like a madman and while it drives me crazy knowing there's something mentally wrong with me, I haven't even taken the first step into identifying what the fuck is causing me to break my hair so much. I'm pretty sure it's stress related, more specifically, work related. I got a promotion this year and it only feels more damning knowing I have to perform much better, right when I was already okay with my performance level and would like to keep it that way for my sanity's sake. The promotion was surreal though, and I'm grateful for it, as it finally placed me on my dream income bracket. It's a dream come true, but it's also fucking fleeting. Like wow I'm finally here huh? So this is it? What changed though? Cos it's not like I got a big leap, I was already inching towards that number, slowly but surely closing the gap. And when it finally came, somehow it didn't strike me as much. Like I said it's not a big leap and it wasn't such a big jump that would afford us to move to a bigger apartment, so somehow it didn't feel like such an achievement. Which is actually a good thing. Slow progress like this allowed me to focus on my growth. Instead of running after a number, I've learned to work towards increasing my worth, so the number just came naturally.
I thank God for a lot of things this year, despite all the work stresses, I consider 2021 quite a fruitful one. I got a promotion, I'm getting a good annual increase next year (my biggest yet), so far I've read 12 books, watched 42 movies, finished 50 seasons (I'll try to make a roundup post for this list), got monetized on Youtube, reached my set threshold in less than a year, and never got hospitalized. I also started going to the gym.
Today...
...is the 28th day of December and we're currently in an airbnb in a private subdivision in Tagaytay. It's extremely cold, the wind has been howling violently for hours, and it's freaking stressing me out. I think it's mostly because our car is parked outside by the gutter and for some reason I'm afraid it would get flown away lol. Well last night it didn't so I guess I have to dial down on the anxiety. But still, it's been shuddering the windows that this house is unfortunately so full of so I don't think I'm sleeping well tonight.
Speaking of anxiety. My husband knows how much I despise being with a lot of people, and for the whole of December we've been meeting people non-stop every weekend. I wanted to take a break from socialising and maybe finish a 13th book this year, but I also wanna give it to him cos he likes being around people. It's just one month anyway and after the festivities are over I could go back to cowering under the sheets with my Kindle and lo-fi jazz playlist. As an introvert with a self-diagnosed high functioning anxiety, I think I've done pretty well managing my awkwardness this season. Well, my hair has been the receiving end of all my stress lately but thank God it's not balding yet. I should be worried.
Time jump!
I was writing all of the above earlier when we were still in Tagaytay. Now we've driven out and I'm back at my desk, marveling at my new set of keycaps.
Hopefully I don't replace this anymore but who knows. As a mechanical keyboard fan I'm just not too deep into the hobby yet to try other types of mods. I'm fine with just switching the keycaps. It's already troublesome enough having to pull out the caps one by one lol haha and I think that's the best effort I could give my keyboards for now.
Sometimes, no matter how good your clothes are, accidents and malfunctions still happen. It is indeed stressful when you catch yourself off-guard and do not know what to do in times of emergency.
But, there is always an acceptable difference between knowing what to do in unforeseen events and avoiding them beforehand. The latter will always be the wiser choice.
Aside from clothing malfunctions, women also note the key points on how to hide their body rolls. These slight unwanted traces of cellulite are one of the biggest insecurities of women today. Hence, it is indeed a blessing to have these body-slimming undergarments in the closet.
You would probably agree that it is not enough that you know how to respond to these stressful circumstances in your fashion. So, it is best to learn how to avoid them in the first place. In line with this, take note of the following suggestions.
Choose The Right Undergarments
To avoid clothing malfunctions, it would be best if you had the proper undergarments or shapewear. Most wardrobe incidents happen because of the inner clothing that one wears. Remember that not all shapewear that is available within your reach is good for you.
When you immediately grab any undergarments available, you would most likely stress yourself with unnecessary bulges, skin issues, fabric defects, and whatnot. Do not think that you can always be complacent with your move and your overall get-up just because you can cover it with your main wardrobe.
You may be thinking of ways on how to get the right shapewear for you. First, you have to consider your need. Which part of your body do you want to emphasize? You also have to consider your skin because other shapewear has this fabric that is not friendly to your senses.
Knowing your body better can lead you to the right shapewear because you know the measurement of your waist and hips and the length of your torso. In this way, you can pick the best shapewear for you.
Waistdear offers a line of wholesale shapewear which promises you convenience and comfort. Plus, you have a wide range of options, so you can choose the design and color of what is best for you.
Go With Reliable Features
After your thorough inspection, you may have run through the list of things you want to expect in your wardrobe. You probably have considered their features and seen yourself wearing them. Most waist trainer manufacturers, such as Waistdear, make sure that these features are reliable enough to avoid wardrobe malfunctions.
For instance, many women go for shapewear pieces with belts such as those from Waistdear because they enhance your body shape, lift your butt, and promise an excellent compression around your waist. In this way, you can avoid exposing your insecurities which involves that unwanted rolls in your tummy.
Furthermore, you can never go wrong with a simple overall because you do not have to worry about your undergarment's other fringes and features. Besides, most people prioritize their comfort before styles because they can do almost anything when they are comfortable with what they are wearing.
Put Some Add-Ons
Make sure that you carry along with some add-ons to avoid clothing malfunctions. For instance, denim jackets can be a lifesaver when you accidentally rip your blouse with thin fabrics. Your jacket will instantly rescue your overall fashion statement as you cover the unwanted holes and scratches of your primary garment. Imagine the wonder it can make that it covers the flaws and body rolls and gives you an instant fashion upgrade.
Your shapewear can also serve as your add-ons; in fact, it can be your primary outfit. All you need to do is look for a perfect match that can add to your glam. For example, tuck it in with fashionable shorts. It is a highly-suggested style to avoid clothing malfunctions.
One of the best things to do to avoid wardrobe malfunction is to inspect your wardrobe first. For example, if you choose wholesale shapewear, it would always be best to research the product and the manufacturers. It may be a silly thing for some, but most people realize that knowing the virtues and integrity of a company can benefit the consumers in the long run. Besides, who would not want to wear a product that comes from an honest manufacturer? Who would not go for a company with the reputation of putting consumers' welfare ahead of their own?
Secondly, it would help you avoid wardrobe malfunctions if you inspect the fabric, the straps, and the crotches to look ahead to the possible downtimes of wearing them.
Go For Lightweight And Simple
You would most likely free yourself from the hassle when you go for a lightweight and simple wardrobe, particularly when it comes to shapewear. Most shapewear companies consider creating straightforward undergarments to pave the way for more convenience to their consumers. Indeed, the lighter the product, the less chance of wardrobe malfunctions.
One of the best shapewear pieces from Waistdear is the Big Size Body Shaper Tummy Control which shows a simple package that anyone can quickly wear. It is suitable for any clothing, especially tight-fitting ones. It also features removable straps so that you can go for a tubed dress or a backless top.
In the world of fashion, it is not enough that you look good. It would help if you also felt good and comfortable about your style. This kind of comfort rarely happens when your wardrobe is prone to malfunction and to expose your unwanted feature on your body.
Hence, it is always wise to look ahead and know how to avoid that kind of unforeseen event in your clothing. Although accidents happen in ways you do not expect, it is always good to do your best not to take that path.
I started going to the gym on December 1 on my husband's behest hahaha. He wouldn't grant me my choice of birthday gift, instead he enrolled me in a nearby gym where he started a month earlier. I didn't like it at first but it really helped me feel better about my health. I want to be stronger and more fit and be able to do pull ups one day haha. I'm also grateful for Jeckie cos he's always looking out for me. This is probably my favorite birthday gift hehe.
I got injured three days ago but I'm doing much better now. The trauma though is something I need to work on. I was crying when coach was stretching me earlier because I was too afraid to fold my knee. I'm afraid it would snap, or twist, or whatever, leaving me in permanent disrepair. But it's all in the mind, I gathered after surviving that session. I was never hurt the whole time, I was just anticipating it. And fear, when held on for too long becomes too real. In my case, it's pain. For others, it could be more damning.
Usually it's my right knee that gets injured more often, leaving my left leg to compensate. Now that it's the other way around, I hope they finally get even?? Hahaha does it even work that way.
For some reason I enjoyed coming to the gym. Maybe because every day is a new set so the workouts vary and I don't come to dread the routine. One day it's upper body, one day it's core, another day it's footwork, etc. I'm enjoying the variety because it allows my sore body parts to recover while working on other target areas. Also, having a coach to guide and push me means a lot!
My Miniso coffee maker broke this weekend and I was devastated. I have a pour-over and french press as backup but nothing beats the speed and convenience of an automatic coffee maker. I'm the only one who drinks coffee in the house and I drink at least 2 mugs and I love it when I can just pour myself a hot cup when I want to.
I got the Miniso coffee maker from an exchange gift with my cousins two years ago. After it broke, I looked for the exact same coffee maker to no avail. But I did get something that's built exactly the same, except that it's black and is from a different brand. I figured it's the perfect replacement haha. Same size and parts, even the carafe fits. And it's less than 1,000. Jeckie got it for me as a Christmas gift! Thank you! ♥
I was actually eyeing this automatic drip coffee maker from Delonghi but after looking at the specs, it's too tall for a 5-cup coffee maker and I didn't like the glossy white hehe.
The year is coming to an end and I'm feeling hopeful that things would turn out better next year. We're all fully vaccinated in the family so that's good. Jeckie and I will probably be summoned back to the office to work soon. I know I need to get back to the office to regain my uhm motivation but I also dread that day because it means I need to get up super early if I wanted to go to the gym, plus I have to spend more for transpo (ie. GrabTaxi) because the EDSA carousel removed the nearest bus stop from our condo and Ortigas and Guadalupe terminals are too far to walk to! Arrghh. I usually only spend 15 pesos going to the office by bus, now It's gonna cost me 180 urgh.
Haha anyway. Will be on a staycation with my family tomorrow! Looking forward to it! Gotta sleep! :D
I learned a bunch of new keyboard shortcuts today hahaha it's the shortcuts for ♥, ♦, and • respectively. That's a heart, a diamond, and a bullet point. I can't believe it took me this long to discover the correct alt codes for them. They're ALT + 3, ALT + 4, and ALT + 7 respectively yeheyy.
If you're wondering why it matters, they're my most used symbols when writing Youtube descriptions. And all these (two) years, I'm freaking copy pasting it from Google or from my old descriptions. So yeah, I'm pretty happy about it! And to make it easier to remember, the ♥ already looks like a 3 as in the <3 emoticon, a ♦ has 4 points, and I don't know about the • I guess the 7 looks like a gun or something, so may bullets haha or maybe connect the dots? Idk I think I've thought hard enough to not forget about it haha.
(I just used the kb shortcut for ♦ I'm so happy wahahaha)
I've never read anything like this before. One thing I liked about it is the perspective it gave me on domestic violence and abusive relationships. How it's not that easy to leave immediately once you start getting hurt physically. It starts once, then you forgive, because maybe it was an accident, or he was so sorry about it and promised not to do it again. Then it happens again and he's more sorry and your heart can't take it. You're bruised and confused but your love and compassion keeps pushing your limit further and further 'til it disappears into the brink of tolerance. Then one day you get slapped and you think you're lucky you just got slapped. It's awful. This book made me feel really hurt about the reality of such relationships. And the fact that it's drawn from Colleen's mother's personal experience only fleshed it out even more. It's a painful tale which ends right. I can't say it ends happily, but the ending is right and makes sense. I actually love it.
What I didn't like though are the characters. I didn't really care much for them. I struggled to read the first half cos it's fucking smut and I usually don't mind tropes granted they're explained well and makes sense. This book exhibited tons of it but it's super boring and cliche, there's insta-love, a love triangle, I'm-not-like-most-girls, and lots of sex I want to throw it off fanfiction.net.
It's my third CoHo and now I'm getting used to her style. She likes to mix young/new adult tropes with traumatic backstories, if only to make the plotline more emotional unlike most YA's. I actually like it as it's more psychological than fantastical and her storytelling tugs more at your feelings than your imagination.
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Yeahhh so that's my life lately? Keyboard shortcuts and a book? HAHAHA daming ganap no but I hey i just uploaded a new vlog, check it outt
PS. I was supposed to work for real today but guess what huhu please pray for me. Half the time I think I should go work in the office already to regain motivation but I'm not ready to commute again huhu
Heya! Before you dive into this lengthy post with me ranting and raving about our Okada stay... here's a video I uploaded on YouTube about my birthday celebration...
Soon! Okada Manila Tour - Deluxe King Bay View, The Retreat Spa, In-Room Dining
I turned 31 on Tuesday and Jeckie and I celebrated it by spending the weekend at Okada Manila and having Omakase dinner at Nobu Restaurant. This post is just gonna focus on Okada. We stayed for 2 nights starting November 13, 2021.
First of all, I was never attracted to Okada Manila. Specially with how it looks in photos. With the obnoxiously pink lobby and the amount of drapes covering the wide columns, it's totally unrelaxing and kinda overkill. For me ha. Had they picked red for a motif, then it's a circus. And it's even more stressful in person cos the lobby is actually smaller than it looks in photos. I'm both overwhelmed and underwhelmed at the same time hahaha.
Nevermind that they placed an enormous Christmas tree at the center, it's all washed out by the glaring pinkness of it all. It's a Casino complex naman daw and not really a hotel per se so every garish design decision at the lobby is probably science-backed to invite as much high rollers as they can.
Alert Level 2 situation yikes
Anyway. Ako lang naman to and it's not like tatambay kami sa lobby wahaha
To my slight dismay the deluxe room is yet another splash of pink.
Good thing there are some muted elements and half the room is occupied by the bathoom which has warm marble tones so yes to familiar elegance!
Oh, the hallways are beautiful too and a far cry from the agressive fuschia lobby. The Retreat Spa is also very very relaxing. I wish they designed it more cohesively. But after learning that Okada is patterned after Macau, the arresting lobby suddenly made sense hehe.
Sorry I'm overreacting. But you know, part of me kinda regrets this staycation decision cos we could've booked somewhere quieter, less busy, and cheaper too... but I must admit, the jacuzzi with an ocean view kinda snagged my attention. At least now I can say I've stayed at Okada!
Enough about how I hated the lobby hahaha... let's move on to other things I hated about our stay hahahaha. Actually there's just one thing but this very basic thing affected our entire stay and that is...
Very high turnaround time...
✖ Checking in? Wait at least 30 minutes in line... ✖ Request for bay view room? If there's none readily available, prepare to wait for another hour... ✖ Wanna call the operator? Wait at least 5 minutes on queue... ✖ In-room dining? Wait 1 hour for your food... ✖ Want extra pillows? They're complimentary but you gotta wait 5 fucking hours for it. I'm serious.
That's how understaffed they are. I guess.
This is the most expensive place we've stayed at (so far) but the response time beats that of cheaper hotels. I'm entitled to feel this way but I also can't get mad at the people because I know they're just trying to deal with the chaos one guest at a time. And I felt that, cos once it's finally our turn to be attended to we were treated professionally and with empathy naman so it's hard not to simmer down.
They knew their guests are struggling with impatience so I appreciate that they don't rush to get to the next guest and is proactive with meeting our needs. Placing requests is a breeze. But it's the eternal waiting that gets to you talaga hahaha. It's just that they're faced with an overwhelming amount of guests, hello Alert Level 2, and they're pretty darned understaffed. That's the only explanation I see fit, otherwise why would my fucking pillows take 5 hours to get delivered lol.
There's nothing 5 star about having to wait too long for a service but I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt because we're still in the middle of suriving a pandemic and every ounce of consideration goes a long way. Plus, they just pretty much reopened after alert levels went down so maybe they haven't fully adjusted yet, what with the sudden surge of overexcited guests (like us haha).
Now that the negative things are out of the way... here are my favorite things about this staycation...
Ay wait may isa pa palang negative but I'm not sure who's to blame. I woke up with a stye on my left eye for some reason so feeling ko may ipis hahaha. I saw a vlog where it showed there's ipis in the room eh so I can't rule it out. Pero kebs naman at least I wasn't awake to face the horror lol and I brought mefenamic so it helped with inflammation. But it ruined my birthday dinner makeup eh so grrr.
Osya ito na, my favorite things about our stay...
1. DigiValet - your in-room ipad control panel
This big and heavy ipad controls everything in your room and it's a service portal for everything you wanna request
✔ You can control the TV from it and choose from various channels ✔ They have Netflix, Youtube, and you can cast your Android and Apple device too ✔ You can open and close the curtains ✔ You can adjust the lights and AC ✔ You can order food ✔ You can reserve at the spa ✔ You can request for extra pillows, baby stuff, and PWD assistance ✔ You can settle your bill and check-out without having to go to the lobby
2. Jacuzzi facing the sunset
It's really the experience I'm after and it did not disappoint specially with the sunset view! I have a timelapse in my vlog and it's a splendid sight. The way the sun's reflection shimmers on the roof panels of Cove Manila, the slow turning of colors, haaay it's pretty romantic.
3. Drip coffee!
I brought my own coffee grounds and pourover but their coffee is also good :)
4. Built-in bidet at the toilet
You know the high-tech stuff with bum sensors and all sorts of nozzle spray options. This one even has a deodorizer and a pwet dryer.
I love it but you can't wash with soap and water like a normal person so I brought a tabo with me para sure wahaha.
5. In-room dining
The food we ordered is so good we got room service three times during our stay. Ibang level guys. I really enjoyed in-room dining because walking to the retail area can get really tiring considering how massive Okada is.
We ordered Buffalo Wings and it came with pineapple slices. It's new but it works perfectly so I hereby declare this as my new favorite buffalo wings.
We also ordered Butter Chicken. We're big Indian food lovers so our eyes literally zoomed in at the sight of a familiar dish. After confirming that it's indeed Indian, we punched in our orders and waited excitedly! Butter Chicken is served with Naan and Biryani but when it came to us the bread is actually Roti, but no biggie. Grabe to ang sarap diiiin! RICH levels Makhanwala sya guys. 100% recommend.
Comes with assorted bread
Finally, another new favorite. This wet cement looking hodge podge is the best mushroom soup I've ever had I swear it tasted so rich and heavenly I might have gotten a high from this soup. What kind of mushroom is this? o_O
6. The Spaaaaa
Dear Lord I had the most amazing spa ever. Booked Bespoke Therapy in a couple's room for Jeckie and I and we had an extremely relaxing experience. We had a massive private suite just for the two of us with a steam shower, toilet, jacuzzi, and a spacious dressing area. The massage beds are unlike anything I've ever laid on. It's reclining, heated, and there's an entertainment tablet beneath the face hole. I don't know why anyone would use the tablets though. We mostly slept during the whole session. My husband was drooling haha and I was close to sleep talking. It was that heavenly.
There are other facilities you can enjoy in The Retreat Spa like the pool and lounge which is way better than the hotel pool to be honest haha but the water is shallow like 3ft lang.
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Yeah I guess that's it, despite a lot of waiting, I can say we still generally enjoyed our stay. Grateful for the experience!
Tips in consideration of the current restrictions in place:
✔ Get the Bay View room cos the Fountain is closed and the pool is empty. You can request this upon check-in. Sea view is better than city view for me plus you get to watch the sunset colors shimmering on the roof of Cove Manila! It's beautiful! ✔ Avoid the weekends cos it can get really crowded hehe ✔ Be patient! ✔ There are currently a limited number of guests allowed at the Coral Wing Pool, so you have to line-up before 8am to get ahead. ✔ Sign up for Rewards Circle membership (it's free!) at the Casino to get discount vouchers. We got 30% off vouchers on spa and dining upon signing up. Sadly we registered too late huhu ✔ Complimentary water is capped at 4 bottles per day. But according to front desk, there's unlimited water at the Casino hehe. Actually we ordered 8 more bottles but it didn't reflect in our statement so... thank you? Hehe
If you reached this part, thank you for bearing with me!
