[itsohyo]

Quarterly Life Lately Q2 of 2025

Spoiler Alert: Q2 has been very much productive! I managed to secure 3 upskill certificate in one quarter which is insane!

April

I think I've discovered the goodness of Matcha. I don't really like it if I'm being honest but this Matcha spot in Pampanga kinda changed all of it. Now, my second go-to order in my fave coffee spot is something with Matcha. 

Learned how to do "AI Filmmaking". While I don't agree 100% with AI, I needed to learn it because of work. So yay I guess (?)

Still in my UX UI Specialist class. I can't believe it got so dragging and exhausting like it's insane to me that I need to create an app within the holy week holidays. But that's 100% my fault honestly lol

Holy Week was not as eventful as the last time as the heat was really something else so we didn't go outside that much.

Dated myself again, but this time, instead of commuting, I'm driving and it's really relaxing! 

I got obsessed with single purpose devices and started collecting. I even scored an iPod Nano 7th Gen for only 500 pesos! I had to change the battery though which costed more than the iPod itself but it's fine - some people sell these for 3,000 pesos above so all good it is steal my best steal so far lol

I also got a Nintendo DS! It is my dream console! I love it so much - started playing Harvest Moon games again. 

May 

Summer sunsets are in once again. Summer solstice has begun which is nice but I still h*te the heat sorry not sorry.

After 10 weeks I'm finally free from the UX UI course. It started to feel like a full time job with no pay that's why it felt like I was being tortured tbh. On the bright side, it's over and I can finally say that I'm a Junior UX UI designer! Hooray! I got the Certificate as well so all goooood

Being chained to the UX UI Course kinda took a toll on me and I started stress eating again so I gained the weight back again. I haven't seen my friends in weeks which I think one of the hardest part. On top of that, I started plateauing which made it more........... idk sh!t. But regardless, I started showing up again.

On another positive note, I'm now officially a Pound Pro! I can finally teach Pound! That's 3/3 certificates for this quarter which is INSANE OMG. I only started doing Pound as it really helped me with my Mental Health and now I get to share that story and inspire other people with the power of Pound Rockout. Can't wait to have my own class! Will post a separate entry for this!

June

Nothing much happened in June lol

Went to LU with my new friends! So nice to meet new people!

Had badminton with my Gym pips

Had a photoshoot for my Pound Profile

That's basically it haha! 

That's basically it - Q2 has been eventful until it wasn't anymore lol but it's okay! Also, I just want to thank the Universe for always listening to me. Thanks for always having my back babes! 💚

[itsohyo]

Life Lately | Q1 2025

Hullo! Can you believe that we already wrapped up the Q1 of 2025? It was only January literally 5 minutes ago, and now it’s April! I got so caught up with the world outside of the interweb and didn’t realize that I hadn’t updated this blog!

Anyway, here’s what happened over the first quarter.

January

Happy New Year! Spent our first New Year in our new home, and we couldn’t be happier!

Listed down my goals for the year, and so far, so good, but not perfect.

My baby Beagle just turned one! Can’t wait for her teenage years to end, honestly.

I GOT MY DRIVER’S LICENSE, Y’ALL!! Now the next thing is to drive confidently, lololol.

Started running! I used to hate it, but maybe because I only do it on a treadmill, that’s why I didn’t appreciate it.

Started going to the gym alone and not waiting for anyone to come with me - it felt liberating, tbh.

February

Celebrated CJ’s Birthday

Unlimited coffee dates with my friends

Visited UST because I felt like it was calling me. Also had a chance to reflect on the things that I have now that I used to pray for. 

Missing my Uni friends so much - my heart sank when I saw our old college building, but it was a reminder that after 7 years since graduation, I’m in a waaaayyy better place and headspace now, and I couldn’t be grateful enough.

Visited Binondo! I disliked most of the food we ate thanks to these TikTok “Foodies.” 

Visited South! Visited my cousin’s business that will be opening soon!

Had Sunday brunch at Molito - my fave place lol.

March

Started driving confidently this month. I surprised my friends that I can drive now lololol.

Had a quick weekend getaway with my gym buddies - so nice to be connected with nature once again.

Enrolled myself in a UX UI Design class! I’ve always wanted to know what and how one can design an app and a website. New skill will be unlocked soon!

Decided to go back to the derma as I’m breaking out like a freaking teenager. Sheesh.

Started collecting old tech like iPods and cameras. Scored a super cheap iPod for 500 pesos! STEAL!

Discovering new places here in Pampanga. Oh, I’m going to miss this place.

Went to Subic and I drove on the expressway for the first time!

Had a quick send-off party for one of my closest friends as he is moving to a new job in a new location. We’re really happy and proud of him 💚

To sum it all up, it was filled with good energy and I’m here for it. Thank you, Universe, for an amazing Q1!

[itsohyo]

Transformations. Intuitions. Flow

A representation of my water sign side (Scorpio). It looks sick af and I’m obsessed with it

[itsohyo]

I recently found my old camera from high school, which sparked my love for photography. I used to shoot with this thing almost everyday back then.

I was thrilled when I checked it out and discovered it was still working with the new battery I got from Shopee. I tested it with my friends the other night (and, of course, selfies), and it looked amazing. The feeling of clicking this camera’s shutter was so nostalgic.

This camera is 10 years old, but it still takes great photos, even though there’s a big dot of a dead pixel in the middle. With the recent rise of the vintage Digicam era, I’m glad I found this one because I am NOT paying for more than 2000 pesos for a camera that is 7-12 years old that is not brand new.

I’m so excited to play with this toy again soon! I’m glad I got to reunite with this little buddy because it’s so small and I can take it anywhere. And it’s emerald green, which I absolutely adore!

[itsohyo]

Started 2025 with running and I can confidently say that my running era has started. At first, I really don’t like it because my fat ass could never catch my breath. But when I tried it again, I slowly learned how to breathe properly and avoid the shin pains and all that jazz. Heck, I even bought a running earphone/bone conduction headphones to make sure that I can still lip sync while running lol. I also started making my Strava as my new “Instagram” app because it’s less distraction but basically functions the same.

Never thought I’d like running and I must say that they were right, it IS good for your mental health. I’m glad I started running!

This morning, I’ve hit my first 5K and I was soooo proud of myself! 💚

Anyway I post all of these on my dump account, @sigoryo hehe

[thatguybolin]

made this account to minimize my social media app usage. i’d like to make this my twitter, instagram, and facebook na lang instead since lowkey lang itong tumblr hehe

anyway, let’s follow each other! mwah!

[itsohyo]

hello moots! let’s follow each othaaaaaa

[itsohyo]

Quarterly Life Lately

As I close the year with my Q4 life update, I find myself reflecting on the incredible journey 2024 has been. Though the early quarters brought their share of challenges, the rest of the year has been filled with moments of joy and core memories that I am deeply grateful for. I am heartfelt in my gratitude for the experiences of 2024.

Let’s start the Q4 recap shall we?

October

The best month yet. It's my Birth Month! I can't wait what's in store for this month honestly. I’m not ready to turn a year older though lol

Started a 30-day vlog challenge (On TikTok hehe) which I failed because it took me almost 90 days to finish lmao but I still wrapped it up with grace lels. I conquered my fear of speaking in front of the camera because usually, I'm just the camera man hehe

Started working on my friends' wedding invitation as it is my gift to them hehe

Unlimited coffee nights again

Signed up in another gym! I love Anytime Fitness!

Visited Lakeshore as their Christmas Village started this month

Planned my shared birthday party

JOLLIBEE BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR ME AND MY OTHER GYM FRIEND AA! I'm so happy we did this! Best core memory of 2024!

Got my first tattoo after my birthday (Moon phase) and my second tattoo (Wheel of Fortune Card) after 7 days!

Ending this amazing month my favorite day of the year. HALLOWWWEEEEENNN! We had a Halloween Party at our Pound Class and it was really fun! So nice to see that most of them participated. I went as the Black Swan of Swan Lake and I won one of the major prizes lol (As a competitive gay, I have to win)

November

Mini family reunion because of All Saint's Day. Had a chance to visit our loved ones who have departed

Celebrated my fellow Scorpio's birthdays which was really fun! I think our group has 4 Scorpios

Joined a Yoga Class - I never thought I was THAT flexible tbh

Started loving my body even more despite its flaws - it's still me and I love me! 💖

Started canvassing winter clothes that I will bring to my next travel

Won an internal competition at work! I won $50 Amazon Gift Card! So happy! I got myself a 100w Brick Charger and a 512gb of Memory Card for my Vlogging Camera

Conquered another fear - started going to the gym alone! I always go with my friends and not everyone is always available when I want to go to the gym so I tried going by myself. Never knew it was THIS therapeutic. Love it!

Watched WICKED and omg this was probably the highlight of the month. I was SOBBBBIIIINGG so hard from start to finish. Those "For Good" notes really made me emotional every time it comes on. Watched it 2 days in a row because it's so good. Phew. 

December

JAPAAAAAAAN! I made it to Japan omg. It was so cold! Pro tip: Buy all of your winter clothes in Japan because it is waaaayy cheaper. I can't believe Japan is cheaper than the other countries I've been to. 300-500 pesos per meal? COME ON THAT'S RLLY GOOD!

Unfortunately, I got on and off fever during my stay in Japan. Not fun.

Went to Tokyo for the first few days

I can't believe I saw Autumn in real life. I was in tears. I LOVE AUTUMN SO MUCH MAN. I've never seen trees this red and golden. My heart was full and my inner child who was obsessed with Harvest Moon was really happy. I'm proud of us!

Explored Tokyo's vibrant city life

I saw one of my teammates who I never thought I'd see in real life!!!

Controversial take: Disneysea sucked. Every person shouldn't be paying extra or being stressed out by refreshing their app just to get in a ride. Also, the line was INSANE. 120 freaking minutes for almost every ride. I didn't enjoyed it that much unfortunately. It was still a beautiful place.

Went to the Making of Harry Potter Studio Tour and it was impressive. I love how immersive it was. 

Traveled to Osaka

Went to USJ AND IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT. Queuing at 6:30 in the morning was so worth it! I got myself a Super Mario band and my very own magic wand at Wizarding World where I used it to cast spells on the magic sections of the park! Tried the Butterbeer and it was soooo good! I had 3 throughout the day I think lol. But I had to cut if short because I was really sick and had a really bad fever that day. But I'm definitely going back!

The Osaka Castle was so beautiful. I was in awe.

Had the best Yakiniku + Sushi on this trip!

After Japan, the next best thing that happened to me was we attended our gym besties' wedding. I never cried in a wedding until now. They're the best.

First Christmas and New Year at our own house after years of renting.

The last thing I did in 2024 is that I finally had the courage to drive our car! Dad taught me (Still a work in progress definitely) over the Christmas Break and I’m glad I faced my fears. It’s not that complicated as I thought it would be lol

Wrapping up 2024 with a high, positive energy. This year has been incredibly amazing, and I am incredibly grateful and privileged to have experienced it. I think the key to having an amazing year is to surround yourself with people who share your wavelength. My year wouldn’t have been as good if I hadn’t surrounded myself with such wonderful people. I am so lucky to have them in my life.

I thank the Universe for blessing me with this light and lovely energy towards the last quarter of the year. I can't wait for 2025's magic,

[itsohyo]

happy new year everyone 💚

[itsohyo]

At long last, I finally saw you, Autumn 💖 My heart is full and happy.

[itsohyo]

“And like the moon, you shall go through these phases of light and dark.”

For my 28th birthday, I decided to do the most spontaneous thing: have the two of the most inspiring things for me—the Moon and its phases, and the Wheel of Fortune.

The Moon and its phases symbolize that life is constantly changing. We all have our bright and dark sides, and both are necessary for our growth and evolution.

The Wheel of Fortune, on the other hand, reminds us that all of our actions have consequences. If you do good, good things are always on the horizon. If you do bad things, well, you know what’s coming. It also represents life as a big cycle of ups and downs. Always remember that the Universe is watching and listening.

Love,

Ohyo

[itsohyo]

Quarterly Life Lately

This quarter has been AMAZING! It's full of love, positivity, and support. I've never felt this energy all my life and I'm privileged to experience it. Enough babble, let's start the recap!

July

Consistently showed up for Pound class. I did not miss the twice-a-week class for 2 months straight! Also, I'm surprised that I'm good at it! The plateau of my progress has finally progressed!

I lost a few pounds and gained muscle mass, which is G R E A T. I plateaued for 2 months, I think.

Friendships blossomed on the most random days + moments.

Finally found a chosen family that will support me always, and I am grateful for it.

Discovered cafes and restaurants, but unfortunately, only one cafe stood out to us, like always—Paya!

Reunited with my work besties after 4,295,732,875 months! So happy to see them in the flesh once again. I got so drunk with the unlimited Sangria, lololol.

August

Designed a wedding invitation for my friends, and they were absolutely thrilled with it! I’m so lucky to have an eye for design and to be able to help others with their design needs.

Had a Biggest Loser challenge and came in second place! It was so much fun, and I’m so proud of myself for working so hard.

Had a blast karaokeing with Poundchillog! It was a great way to let loose and have some fun. Celebrated Ma’am Gwen, Darwin, and Liezl’s birthday at Milkfridge Greenfields!

Tried Yakiniku Like for the first time, and it was b0mb dot com. Tried my friend’s coffee shop, but it triggered my tonsilitis, so he won’t be seeing me for a long time, lol.

Spontaneous dinner with the Nicdaos (Darwin and Liezl)!! Bought a Parol—haven’t had a Parol in YEARS, like 15+ years!

Was invited to my derma’s 15th anniversary and won special prizes! Thank you, Doctora!

September

I started.... vlogging... omg. So the first 30 days of my vlog will be me, talking most of the time. This is a challenge to myself and my bestie, Rie, to be comfortable talking in front of the camera hehe. Watch my vlogs here!

Got back on my mindful walking thingy which is nice - Need some alone time sometimes hehe.

Reunited with my high school girl friends! It's so nice to see them again.

First time seeing the whole creative team in the flesh! New creatives joined last January but we haven't had a proper meet up. So happy to see them!

Switched gym - well not really. I just enrolled in a new gym! Now, I have 2 gyms! But this gym membership is being paid by our company so yay!

Overall, it was an amazing quarter for me. I didn't do a lot of overtime this week and I'm soooo that I don't get to do that anymore - unless needed of course. I love where I am right now, and I would love to keep it that way.

Love,

Ohyo

[itsohyo]

This shit sounds so cliché but I’m really proud of my progress regardless if it’s a slow progress. Yay me!

[itsohyo]

Quarterly Life Lately | 2/4

This quarter has been pretty chill honestly. It could’ve been better honestly but of course, I’m still grateful regardless.

April

Went back to Metro Manila for the first time in months for a quick lunch.

Met our new coach - Coach Joshua who is a license PT. Thank God we finally have a professional working at the gym.

Went to the Chiropractor for the very first time! I discovered that I have a lot of imbalances in my body - well my whole body is literally leaning towards the left side coz my feet aren’t equal when it comes to length.

Started attending Pound Class! At first I wasn’t really fond of it because it was HIIT exercise but I learned that you have to have fun for it to not feel like an exercise. Lot more of this later!

The heat this Summer is insane - I’d rather spend my money on Air Conditioning than hospital bills. I really hate Summer with passion.

Derma date with myself as usual

Self Care nights are back! I’ve been slacking with my Skin Care routine at night hence the shitty texture of my skin.

May

After 2 months, our house has finally been blessed! So happy!

Attended a wedding and the attire should be formal and in shades of green. It’s been forever since I last wore a suit and it feels so weird lol. I specifically chose Sage Green coz I look cute in it. Happy to meet new people!

Part of my tooth got chipped because of McDo’s french fries. My gaaahhhd can you imagine the pain from sensitivity and sharpness? Thank God I had it fixed immediately.

Started buying plants for my room and bathroom! It’s nice to see something green when I shower and when I’m working!

Got new designer specs! I got a Ray-Ban for my working glasses and a Marc Jacobs for styling (Wow??) I got both for only Php15,000 as they were on sale and it’s a Buy One Get One promo! If I got both on regular price, I would’ve spent PHP23,000-24,000! 

Mid-year plot twist happened - We adopted another doggo! We adopted a Beagle from my Brother’s boss! Her name is Beany because she’s a Beagle (Dad named her lol so corny). She was a bit timid and shy the first few days. Now she’s crazy and full of energy. She was also super skinny and looked like she was neglected. She’s only 4 months old when we got her. We happily welcomed her to the family (Except our old baby girl lol she hates her lol)

Bought a Kindle! So happy with this purchase

June

Finally finished my Chiropractor sessions. It feels soooooo good!

Met up with Angie here in Pampanga. So nice to see her again

Started going on walks with Beany so she has exercise.

Celebrated Mum’s birthday with BBQ for dinner

Got new weightlifting shoes! It’s so nice! And the best part is, I got it for 50% off 

Found new friends at the gym. A group of young and middle age people who goes to Pound Class too! Now, we have a recurring dinner every Thursday after pound class. These people are basically my life now lol. We even have our group name which is Poundchillog (Derived from Chill with a silog after Poundlol) They’re the best!

Watched Inside Out. I think I prefer the first movie for some reason.

Unending coffee dates

Brought back dates with myself. My therapist encouraged me to bring it back as it gives me peace and I agree.

Finally scored an Arctic Monkeys vinyl phew! I’ve been waiting for forever to get my hands on the AM Album. I got it for cheap too!

Discovering lots of food and coffee places because of Poundchillog

Meeting up with my work besties. It’s been a hot minute since I last saw them. We hung out at a fancy place in Tomas Morato. We had unlimited Sangria. Do we regret it? A little bit. Are we gonna do it again? Most likely yes lol. Had to travel from Cubao to Pampanga drunk. I accidentally rode a bus going to Baguio HAHAHA

Finished 3 books less than 2 months which is an achievement for me! This Kindle really helped me make this habit doable. Loves it!

I think for this quarter, I think the Universe helped me focused on improving my social life even more. I’m glad that Poundchillog happened honestly. They help me not only by being consistent and making me accountable on my workouts but they also helped my mental health. I’m really glad I have a strong group of people at the gym.

Half of 2024 has passed and it still feels like yesterday since we welcomed the New Year. Not sure what’s in store for me for the next 6 months but I have to be ready - we all do. Let’s do our best, bestie!

Your Bestie,

Ohyo

[itsohyo]

I just saw a long-time ex-friend’s post announcing their engagement. My first reaction was, "Oh, good for them!" They had a traumatic past relationship, and I’m really glad they found the right person. But for some reason, I also felt like a heartstring was plucked out of my chest.

Don’t worry! I’m happy for them though! However, it saddened me a bit because I felt like I’m no longer part of her life/adventure, which is totally okay! I think it’s best we part ways. Sometimes, we don’t realize how toxic we are to a certain person until they cut us out of their lives.

Although I miss them, I can’t really put myself back in their life anymore. I may not have been the best friend for them. My role in their life may have been a bit short-lived, I’m really glad we met each other and they exposed me to the life that I have now. I am forever grateful for them. I guess some people are introduced into our lives to make them better, but that doesn’t mean they’ll stay.

Thank you for the 12 years of friendship. 💚

[itsohyo]

2 Weeks So Far

I’ve deleted my social media apps on my phone exactly two weeks ago. Why? I found myself forming like the F word on the Facebook logo (Here’s the meme about it lol)

Thoughts so far: I’m definitely missing out on a lot of things especially news. I still open my social media accounts using my iPad or desktop or laptop. The idea is for me to destroy a bad habit, I have to make it unsatisfying and unattractive (Thanks to the book Atomic Habits by James Clear, the first book I’ve read this year and the first book I read after deleting my Social Media apps). So whenever I have the urge to open my socials, I need to do some extra steps like turning on the device, typing the website. Plus, it’s not the best experience as it’s not compact and easy to scroll.

I mentioned that I’m missing out - especially the news. Right now, I don’t have any way of knowing what’s happening in the world aside from the local TV news. Unlike in Twitter (I will never call it it’s new name sorry), I can see not only the news but the people’s opinions as well. I feel like I’m inside the discourse itself. 

Despite the FOMO of new information, I don’t miss it at all. I feel at peace. I’ve finished a book in less than two weeks which is amazing. I’m reading and expanding my vocabulary. I kinda have that “I should’ve done this a long time ago” moment but you know what, I’m here, I’m doing it and it’s soooo much better than not doing it.

Anyway, I like posting here on tumblr compared to Instagram. Instagram’s phony af. At least here, I get to be my true self - all the time. Would I go install all my apps again? Hmm not right now. I’m enjoying my smaller world right now!

Also, I drank Baileys for the first time and it’s amaziiing. I can’t believe I was missing out on this! My Pothos plant is also thriving! So happy! 💚

Xo,

Ohyo

[itsohyo]

Bookworm Era is finally here

I recently found myself doom scrolling once again my multiple timelines on my social media accounts. Aside from mindless scrolling I also noticed that I am slowly going back to the old easily jealous/envious me where I easily compare myself to the people I see online (even though we all know that social media kills happiness). I need to stop doing this as it has become a madness. So I decided to delete all my Social Media apps on my phone (except LinkedIn, Youtube, and Reddit because of work) and started doing something about it. I wouldn’t say it’s hard as I’ve done it before for 3 weeks but I think this time, I needed an outlet every time I feel like fidgeting. Also, I’m not totally quitting it - I just deleted the apps so that social media is not within my reach like I have to take some extra steps to turn on my laptop/computer/iPad and type the website and scroll. Unlike if I have the apps on my phone, it’s easy for me to reach and quickly lose track of time.

Instead of just having 0 social media, I thought I needed something to destress me after working hours. I initially thought of just going for walks and just watching more series or movies but I also wanted to learn something new. So I gave in and join the eReaders Club. I bought myself a Kindle. However, the challenge for my non reading ass is to read and finish a book which is something I’ve only done once in my life.

Anyway, I got a Kindle basic despite seeing reviews that the Paperwhite is the superior Kindle. Was about to get that because of the Agave color option but then I realized that I can just slap a sage/mint green skin on it. And so I did. I also didn’t need the warm light and waterproof feature as I can read while using a warm light from my lamp and I definitely don’t read while taking a shower or at the pool so there’s no need for the extra features. I also looooove the small size of it so much. I also bought some stickers to make it look more ~artsy~.

After a week of using it as my “book”, I noticed that the only time I needed to use my phone was to when I need to send message to my loved ones - not even to watch vlogs on YouTube. Also, after almost 2 weeks of using it, I freakin finished a book! I have finished reading Atomic Habits by James Clear and I think it’s an easy book to understand for someone like me who has a memory of a 1 year old child and an attention span of a goldfish. I love it so much as it gave me tips and tricks on how to build not just any habits but easy, attainable, and small but impactful habits. I definitely recommend this book.

I kinda regret not doing this earlier tbh. My colleague also shared some wisdom about reading and I quote “Everyone is a reader. You just have to find a genre that you enjoy” which is 100% true. I never got to reading books because I just focused mostly on the books available to me growing up which are mostly romance - my grandma loves these. Now, I think I know what books I will like or at least start to explore and I can’t wait to expand my growing eLibrary. 💚

P.S: Can you tell that what’s my favorite color? Teehee

[itsohyo]

What if..

While I was cleaning my desk last night, I noticed that I haven’t stored my camera away in the cabinet. With the 35mm lens in, I tried taking pictures once again. As soon as I pressed and heard the shutter, it felt… nice and familiar. And then I thought to myself, maybe I need to start picking up my camera again and bringing it with me all the time?

I honestly can’t remember the last time I used this camera for fun. Actually, I don’t do fun things anymore for myself. I’m living in a fast-paced world and I’m really exhausted.

I don’t know but what if I try to take photos again? I miss taking portraits - it used to be my forte next to ballet. I’m not sure how I’m going to do it but I’ll find a way to take my camera out every once in a while. It’s gonna be fun! Just like the old times 💚

Anyway, this is just me babbling to myself. I just had this moment last night. Enjoy the photos and a photo of myself lol