Aja?

I have a fear of letting people down. Don't we all? I hate breaking bad news, and I also hate trying and failing then admitting it can't be done. What I hate the most, is myself for letting it come to a point where I had to withdraw after spending so much time trying to make it work. Huhu

But today I have to face it all! Help me Lord!

Secrets that will Help you with your Long-Term Travel

Making the decision to pack up all of your belongings can be difficult. You may have to quit your job and you may even have to leave some of your family behind too. Luckily, there are a few things that you can do to make your experience that bit more enjoyable.

Travel Slowly

The best thing that you can do is travel slowly. If you are on the road every other day then this can be exhausting. You may feel as though you are bouncing from bus to bus and that you are also having to deal with taxi drivers far too often. The last thing that you want is to experience burnout, so spend a week or so in each town or village and don’t feel too much pressure when it comes to seeing absolutely everything. This will help you to truly unwind and take in everything around you. The longer you stay somewhere, the cheaper your accommodation will be too because you will be able to negotiate with hotels and they may even be able to give you a much better rate.

Source: Pexels (CC0 License)

Hobby

It doesn’t matter whether you want to learn how to juggle or whether you are just writing in your diary because you need to find something that will help to keep your mind active. Sure, there is nothing wrong with you lying in a hammock for a week or two if you are going on a short holiday but if you are going on a long vacation then you might get bored. If you want to really document your experiences as you travel, then one way for you to do this would be for you to start a travel blog. This will help you to stay mentally active and it will also help you to share your journey with others. You might also want to add some travel pictures too, and this is a great way for you to make sure that you are preserving memories so that they last for a lifetime.

Fresh Eyes

Sometimes long-term travel can be a curse. The main reason for this is because you are constantly seeing new places and interesting sights. This can make some places in the world seem boring, but this is not the case at all. You need to remember that every single destination that you visit has its merit and that just because you have seen something similar in another country, doesn’t mean that the place isn’t worth visiting. For example, if you have been scuba diving in Belize then you may feel as though there is no point in you going to the Great Barrier Reef. This isn’t true, and sometimes by pushing yourself to try new experiences, you can really make the most out of your trip.

Have a Day Off

It’s important that you give yourself at least one day off every single week. This will help you to recharge your batteries and it will also give you the chance to relax. Remember that not every single day needs to be action-packed, and that if you don’t give yourself the chance to relax then this could end up making the rest of your vacation feel underwhelming. Of course, missing out on something exciting can be a difficult experience, but you need to do it for your own mental health. One way for you to make the most out of your day off would be for you to have a spa day. When you do, you can easily go for a massage or even have a swim in the pool. This will make you feel as though you are still doing something, and you won’t be cooped up in your room all day. If you fancy doing something a little bit more entertaining, then go to the bar to have a drink or even spend some time chatting with people who are staying in the same hotel as you. This could open up new experiences and you never know, you might have a relaxing night that is still packed with fun and adventure.

Stop for a While

If you are going away for months at a time, then one day off might not be enough. You may feel as though you eventually become worn out and need a little longer before you set off to the next town or city. This is completely normal, and it is certainly something that every traveller goes through from time to time. You need to make sure that you have a routine and that you also find a place where you can really settle down. Find a country that you like and feel comfortable in and then stay there for a month or even two. This will work wonders for your soul and your mental health, not to mention that it will also make you ready to tackle that next part of your adventure. At the end of the day, if you want to enjoy long-term travel then you need to actually stop travelling from time to time. Find a place that you love with a good amount of things to keep you interested and return to a life of normality.

Nature

A lot of people love to be surrounded by nature. The main reason for this is because it helps to soothe the soul. You could climb a mountain, sit by a river or even go hiking in a forest. Either way, it doesn’t matter which option you decide to go with because there is nothing like a bit of nature to relax your mind and body. Another bonus of getting out in front of nature is that it can easily help you to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. You can fill your lungs with some fresh air and this can give you some real perspective. If you are an avid photographer, then you may even find that getting out in nature gives you some fantastic photo opportunities and this would be great for your travel blog.

Stay Fit and Healthy

When you are at home, you probably have a schedule and a solid routine. At the end of the day, it can be difficult for you to make time for your health when you are travelling, and you may even find that you just don’t have healthy options available too. If you want to help yourself here, then make an effort to go on an evening run instead of going to the bar. Sure, this can be difficult at first but when you get in a good routine of it you will soon find that it becomes second-nature. You might also want to make the effort to keep up with daily exercise too. This could be something as simple as walking up and down the stairs or even choosing to rent a bike instead of taking a bus to your destination. If you don’t feel as though any of this is an option then consider doing sit-ups when you wake up, as this can get you in the right frame of mind for the day ahead.

Detox

One day a week, it helps to have a detox. This is a day where you will only eat fruit or even vegetables. It also helps to have a strict rule where you only drink alcohol one or two nights out of the week. This will help you to sleep much better and it will also help you to avoid staying up too late as well.

Prepare for Everything

When you travel the world, you will be going to all kinds of different countries. This is great, but if you are not careful then you may not be prepared. It always helps to have some contraception with you and it is also a good idea for you to take some bug repellent too. In some countries it is harder for you to access pain relief as well, so make sure that you keep that in mind. Of course, it may help to pick up certain items as you travel the world, as they might be more convenient or accessible in some countries.

Taste Something Different

As you go on your travels, you may feel as though you get sick of certain meals. This is understandable, but it does help to change things up a bit. For example, if you are absolutely sick of rice and noodles then it may be a good idea for you to try something different, or even a dish that you have never heard of before. Sure, you might be worried about wasting your money if you don’t like it but at the end of the day it is a great way for you to broaden your taste and it may even help you to explore new ingredients too.

Of course, there are so many ways that you can help yourself when you are out travelling the world, and if you take the above tips into account then you’ll soon find that there are endless things that you can do to make your trip more enjoyable.

Okay, let's breathe!

Oh my goodness I'm still so frkn busy with work! I can't believe it! I mean I'm not complaining, I love what I do, but maaan it can become a bit overwhelming looking at how things are starting to pile on my lap. And it's already performance appraisal period so I got to hustle to make extra good impressions right?

Anyway.

Yesterday we attended a short internal seminar on fighting procrastination. I learned that my level of procrastination is still on the safe side and that I'm probably a combination of these types of procrastinators: The Perfectionist, The Dread-Filled, and The Lucky One (Thrill-seeker). (Source) How so?

As a perfectionist I tend to become too drawn in the smallest details that I get stuck on perfecting a component when I could've spent my time wisely to finish the project on time. Example, focusing too much on UI when I haven't even mapped out the back-end yet. Argh.

There are tasks I that are just so dreadful I don't want to hear about them. These include complex test scenarios that require coordinating with people *shudders*, and business processes that are too vague, too complex, that I don't know where to begin and what even to ask. Because I'm afraid to face them I go for the quick wins, eventually forgetting about the big scary tasks, until such a time when someone follows up... And when that day arrives, I switch to a thrill-seeker. I procrastinate until the time comes that I'm forced to do it and there's no other way but to face the beast of a task head on. Pressure. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But for the most part I end up regretting not tackling it earlier, when I had all the time to dwell on it understand it.

So you see, if the task is too easy I become a perfectionist. That or I delay it because I'm over-confident about it lol. When it's too hard, I go dread-filled. And when there's no other way, I cram.

But what have I learned, really? Besides getting a better profile of the type of lazy ass I am? I realized that I should frkn impose my own system of managing tasks. I want to go agile, even when I'm a lone developer. Organize my tasks into tickets, run sprints, be efficient! But argh, just the thought of it dreads me out lol. For now I'm good with my good  'ol to-do list. It sits on a Monokai themed Notepad++ so it's looks like code and already gives off a productive vibe hahaha.

Moving on.

It's been a month since I started doing daily devotions regularly. Regularly, meaning 5 days a week. I'm really grateful ate Jez encouraged us to do a shared devotion on YouVersion. Ever since then, I've been planning my devotions and waking up early too haha!

It's been one of the happiest changes in my lifestyle so far. I get my daily coffee fix during devotion, and I get to workout afterwards (either gym or Youtube workout video). Speaking of, my gym subscription is about to expire and I'm planning on not repurchasing another month because apparently, I only went to the gym nine times since the last month. Other days I just worked out at home. Yeaaaahhh.

That's it. Pretty much.

Still swamped with work but loving it so far. Here's to hoping I deliver them right. Whew.

What's uuuup, ang dami kong updates!

I feel kinda productive today at work, I updated some of my clients about what's happening to their projects so far (that is -- nothing lol) just to get it out of my system. I mean, not hearing anything about your project can be quite frustrating, and personally not being able to move a project to completion is stressing me out. 

I've been worrying about my work lately 'cos I feel like there's too much on my table right now, and none of them and inching to the finish line. I'm at the point where I don't wanna see my stakeholders around the office because I'm afraid they'd ask, "oh kamusta na yung project namin, tagal na nun ah?" Like OMG how do I tell you I'm not done with yours yet and that it will take a lot of time because I'm so currently swamped. Can we not see each other anymore? Char.

But yeah, being able to update them at least, that there are some delays, that we're not moving yet, it's good enough for me right now. At least I told them what's up. At least I did something and not have them wait in vain?

So yeah, while waiting for some action items, I'm here tackling another project that's been looong forgotten because of how complex it is. Lord help me!

Anyway, despite the stress I feel at work, which is all on me I know I know, I feel generally okay.

Enough about today. Let's backtrack the past weeks!

Started going to the gym regularly (since August 12!)

I've been working out consistently for the past two weeks. I signed up for a one-month access to our condo gym and have been going there to do some bike exercises regularly. I'm proud to say there was a week where I worked out 6 out of 7 days, even though I'm just striving to be active at least 3x a week. On that said week, I went to the gym 3x, played badminton 2x, and did a Drop 10 workout once. It was a freaking exhausting week but no regrets! As iiin. But yeah of course that was an extraordinary week, I'm not about to push myself too hard. My knees will give up lol. 

CR selfie!

But weeeeell, even with regular workout my weight doesn't seem to be changing. In fact I've been gaining weight huhu! Really need to be serious with dieting to complement the workout. Aja!

Took a badminton training class with my colleagues (August 17)

With Coach Martin Choi (leftmost)

Our first session was so physically draining. Warm up pa lang ubos na buhay kooo, but it was sooo fulfilling. Learning the proper way of holding a racket, getting to ready position, swinging a forehand, and doing footwork, it's a lot to take in with just one session so I really have to practice it!

Which is why the next day, I made sure to play badminton! Badminton nights are a regular thing with my in-laws every Sunday, it's just now that Jeckie and I have finally prioritized joining, after agreeing on a parentals schedule that will work for both of our families. We used to skip it because our Sundays are usually planned this way: mornings at church, lunch til afternoon with in-laws, and dinner til late night at my parents'. Most of the time we can't attend to both families in just one day so we decided to just split our weekends to Saturdays = chores and my family, then Sundays = church and my in-laws. So far so good? We're not getting too tired from moving all over QC! Haha

Watched a gig with Sunday Radio (August 18)

After our badminton game we went to watch a friend's gig near our in-laws' place. I'm never a fan of watching gigs but every time I do I always leave amazed with how different it is hearing something live vs on studio. It was awesome, I enjoyed it so much!

Holiday well spent (August 21, 2019)

Oh this holiday was so packed for me. I woke up early to get our car checked for its 30km PMS. Since we're past the three year Toyota warranty, we decided to just have our car serviced at a trusted auto clinic instead of at Toyota Service Center. Upon the recommendation of VCP members on Facebook, I drove the car to Patch Power Auto Clinic and Spa at Pasig.

Diagnosis seems fine and they were able to finish the routine check and maintenance in just around 30 minutes. I was so surprised! I thought it would take hours. The last time I had my PMS done at Toyota, it took me 5 friggin hours just to get my car back. They boast of 1 hour express service and yet didn't warn us of a freakishly long waiting time. Argh.

This PMS only cost me ₱4,450 - parts and labor included. Can you believe it? And Toyota gave me a quote of ₱7,494 for the same service. What a scam.

After having the car checked, I drove to SnR to grab some Swiffer wet floor wipes.

Well, that was the plan. In the end I came out with 1k more worth of other items mostly consisting of food! I got apple pie and rotisserie chicken and couldn't be happier! 

When I got home I did a quick workout (Drop 10!) and headed out for a full body massage hahaha. I thought I needed to reward myself because I've been so stressed and busy lately.

But actually, I just wanted to cheer myself up for breaking up with a client (first time!). I have a logo project that's been eating my design mojo lately because I just couldn't get what she wants. I ended things with her after I've already sent 3 logo studies which all failed her standards. I knew I can't let this take more of my time anymore because it's taking too long and we're not getting closer to what she envisions for her brand. Also, I've come to realize that we're really not a match and that I'm probably not the designer she's looking for. We parted peacefully naman I guess, and I offered to refund the DP. She accepted and just took half na lang to compensate for the effort made. Err, thanks. 

It hurts when your work doesn't get appreciated, and that's how I felt the whooooole time I was working on this project. That's the primary reason I had to let go.

My Saturday was packed too (August 24, 2019)

I had my last UA diode session with SkinStation, sa wakaaass!!! Here's a blog post about it which I can finally close hahaha [Review] SkinStation Underarm Diode Laser Hair Removal

After the session I grabbed something from Healthy Options then ate at Auntie Anne's. When I got home I realized I left my shopping bag at Auntie Anne's and had to drive back to Shang to get it. Sobrang hassle huhu my thoughts were running wild that time. What if someone took my bag? That means I just wasted 300++ and parking fee huhu! But thank God because the staff kept my shopping bag, and my parking fee was waived because of their 15-minute grace period. Yehey!

Cooked chicken rogan josh for the fam! (Still August 24, 2019)

I promised my parents I'll bring chicken masala for dinner but the sauce is out of stock when I went to the grocery so I opted with the next best thing, Indian curry rogan josh! Two packs of the sauce, 1.5 kilo of chicken meat, lots of onions, and 2 packs of greek yogurt and tenen!

They loved it!

Philippine Chili Festival 2019 (August 25, 2019)

My husband was so excited for this you know hahaha. He's coming to judge the hot sauce making competion and also, of course, to hoard spicy stuff. I just came to support him really. Most of the time I was waiting for him to get done with judging, buti na lang I got Netflix to keep me company! Hahaha

At first I was weirded out that there's an event so specific to chili lovers, but I was surprised at how much people came and how they all seemed to enjoy the happenings. There was a fresh Carolina Reaper eating competition, chili growing contest, and even an intiation rite for this uhm Labuyo lovers group? Grabe this niche!

And can I just say, what I enjoyed most about this event, because I'm not really a spicy lover, are the products - specifically the packaging and product presentation. 

Sobrang cool!

Galing!

After the event we went straight to our weekly badminton thing. Had dinner with the family then headed home. 

Sobrang pagod na pagod katawan ko lamoyun?! And I really had to let this all out kasi baka makalimutan ko na sila!

Will end the post here because my PC needs to restart already lol. Ciao!

Life Lately and the long weekend

Last Week

I remember worrying about work in my previous post. Well, things aren't better. It's still the same. I don't even think I'm moving forward in any of my tasks. Urgh.

And then, the logo studies I was trying to finish? I didn't make it to my deadline which is supposed to be last Friday. I got busy with work, and there's also something about the requirement that's super vague to me. I can't find out what she wants. We agreed on the pegs but when it came to the output, turns out she wants something entirely different. And I spent so many hours conceptualizing that first study you know. Urgh. And can I just say, I don't feel it. I don't feel this project at all. I want to get this over with soonest. Urgh.

Anyway. On to the good vibes.

Saturday

Since it's a holiday on Monday (Aug 12), we decided to put off doing the chores during the weekend. We went to my parent's house to celebrate my sister getting a new job, yehey! Helped cooked lasagna and chicken. It was soooo gooood! Wish I could stay longer and bond with my parents more!

Sunday

Our Sundays are usually spent at church and with my in-laws. We met at Fisher Mall for lunch. I also took the chance to shop for some office clothes cos our laundry schedule is becoming so erratic lately that my office wear (I only have 4 I rotate every week) isn't getting washed in time for the coming work week.

Also, I gained weight so I need to update. That's the real reason lol.

I didn't get the first top cos that would be excessive. I just need two new tops, and a new dress. My office wear is mostly boring, I just try to get the same style, in either black or navy blue, because I don't want to think too much about fashion when going to work hehe.

During the afternoon we went to church and stayed for dinner at my in-laws place.

Monday

It's a holidaaaaay, hooray! We had so many things lined up this day. But first,

Gym! It's our first time to try the gym in our condo. I've been wanting to get regular exercise but I'm just too lazy most of the time and my ever excuse would be that I get home too late, so the gym is already closed, and our house is too small to workout at. But yeah, this week I tried waking up early so that I could do a daily devotional, then go to the gym. Let see how far this pans out!

I just used the stationary bike and followed a cycling workout video on Youtube. The ending? I threw up after working out! Alam mo yung pagod na pagod ka tapos inom ka ng inom so sinuka mo lahat after?! Ganon hahaha. But no regrets, I'll get better! Hahaha

After that wqe headed to Capitol Commons. Did the laundry at Unimart because our community laundry is closed. As usual, there's a line. Had to wait for around an hour to get our turn so while waiting Jeckie had his hair cut, and I got a facial.

I don't really get facials often but I got curious with this new clinic. I availed of their regular facial for ₱500. A 45-minute process that includes a facial massage, masking and cleansing, exfoliating, facial hair shaving, vacuuming, and high-frequency treatment. It was okay. I didn't see much difference (huwaw haha). My pimple scars got more prominent too because they cleaned my face thoroughly. We'll see if I'll try again. But it's good to know there's a derma nearby!

After doing the laundry and the grocery, we had dinner at Tipsy Pig. New discoveryyy!

We now have a new favorite restaurant! That sisig wrap is sooo good we had two servings!

Tuesday

Probably the highlight of my week. My Lazada order got delivered!

I've been dreaming of getting a Dyson but I can't afford it, so I searched for good alternatives. Here comes Dibea, a Chinese knock off that looks great, performs well, and costs 5x less than the usual Dyson. After getting home, I tried it out immediately and it's so cool! Review soon! :)

Wednesday

I feel so bad for snarking up on someone who's ahead of me on the microwave, earlier at the pantry. I was so hungry and she punched in two minutes and I'm like my gaaawd hurry up. I was making faces behind her, and I knew people noticed but I couldn't care less that time. Uuuurgh. Have to be nicer next time.

Uhm, that's it for now! Got to go home!

Tangadan Falls Adventure!

Super duper late post but who cares haha. I just don't want to forget this event 'cos it was so fun!

We went to La Union during one long weekend in December last year and our itinerary included a trip to Tangadan falls. I was actually surprised that we were going somewhere else aside from Urbiztondo beach area so I was internally freaking about it because I wasn't prepared! I didn't bring my pang-malakasang tsinelas (ie my Sandugo) and I didn't bring enough clothes. I was so dreading the thought of river trekking and wading in the waters while I'm not equipped with the right, uhm, slippers. I could die you know?!

But what have you, our biglaang Tangadan proved to be my favorite part of our LU trip. Aside from our friend's proposal hehe! It was thrilling, exhausting, and rewarding. And even if I woke up super sore from the short trek to the waterfalls, I could do it over and over again because the experience is truly worth it! Littered in this post are a couple of snaps from that super memorable trip. We were driving all the way in that we didn't notice a bunch of locals had gestured for us to stop. They chased us for a bit until they were able to catch us to inform us that they do not allow private vehicles to drive up the mountain because it's not safe.

So quick note to those using Waze or Maps to drive to the place: DON'T IGNORE THE SIGNS. We missed the checkpoint so they had to chase us hehe.

You either have to trek, or rent a vehicle (motorbike, tryke, or jeepney) to get you up there. Since we're a big group we opted for a jeepney and paid over 1k for it. We thought we were being scammed but eventually got convinced of why we had to transfer vehicles.

The trip to the falls was soooooo exhilirating. Nerve-wracking climbs and steep descends filled our short journey. And on a road just wide enough to accommodate our bigass sarao?! We were juggling between trying to enjoy the moment and praying for dear life. Kaya naman pala pagsabayin.

After the jeepney ride, we still had to trek a bit to reach the falls. And when we got there, man was it so beautiful. You can swim, dive, or just chill by the big rocks. Water is cold, the river is deep but they rent out life-jackets naman for 30 pesos each.

There are locals who can guide you during the trek too. You can even borrow a walking stick to help your knees lol. Our kuya was kind enough to lend me his and GRAABEEE sobrang hayahay magtrek pag may walking stick lamoyon?!?! Hahahaha

Can't express how much I loved this trip! I wanna go baaaack!

Looking around EaTogether Food Hall by Vikings at Capitol Commons

Chanced upon this newly opened food court one weekend while doing the laundry hehe

Disclaimer, I just looked around and didn't buy anything cos Jeckie and I already decided we'd eat at Coco Ichibanya that day. Here's what to see at the newly opened EaTogether Food Hall at Capitol Commons.

Super nice and well designed interiors, lots of dining space, and also an outdoor area for smoking.

Based from what I read from other bloggers (who were lucky to be invited to a press opening lol), transactions here are CASHLESS. You either pay through debit or credit card, or use the reloadable Vikings Rewards Card. Hmm... for now I can't say if that's a good feature or not.

There's a variety for you to choose from. There's Shabu-shabu, Chinese, Japanese, and Italian...

There's chicken and steak...

And a drinks station with cocktails, beer, juices, and bottled products.

There's even a small nook for live performances. Cool!

Will definitely try this place out next time! What do you think about this place and how do feel about the cashless transaction?

ETA after a week: We did come back to this place to eat but upon circling the place twice nothing seems to catch our attention. Not to be nega about the food hall but there's seems to be not a lot of food offerings. There's only around 10 stalls inside. Food is generic and price tag is a bit hefty. You'd have to spend 250/head for a single meal in here. The stalls have a Mercato feel to them, alam mo yun, unfamiliar but interesting. But the price tag would shoo you away talaga haha.

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EaTogether Food Hall is located at the 2nd floor of Unimart Capitol Commons

Operating hours: 11am-3pm and 5pm-11pm (is Unimart even open until 11pm?)