#heyitstords

[heyitstords]

Grounding Gratitude No. 01

Back when I was very active in blogging, I remember making something like this under the name “Thank You Thursdays”. During these stressful (underrated adjective, to be honest) times I think it’s a good grounding exercise so that I can personally remember the many blessings in life in spite of everything happening around me. This is not to completely disregard or invalidate the truth of alarming things around me, but mainly to remind myself that despite these aforementioned Bad and Alarming, Scary Things, there are still everyday small wins that we tend to overlook; a new song that makes you bop your head, a new video that makes you laugh - these are tiny pockets of gold that make life worth living. I want to take note, immortalize almost, these moments in my life so that I may never forget this present version of me in this present time, being thankful for certain things that keep me anchored in this rollercoaster called Life.

Family dinners - ordering in, sometimes making our own meals, sometimes with chika, sometimes eating in comfortable silence. Desserts are varying. Latest family obsession for dessert right now is when we revived our makunat na Tostitos chips using the air fryer. We are also currently in our lemon-infused water era, thanks to some lemons that the friendly vendor gave us when we hoarded a bunch of vegetables during our visit to Baguio.

Discord calls during studying - Since I started the year with two (!) heavy exams, Discord has always served as a lifeline since it helps me to study with my friends. Studying alone, especially during the pandemic, really forces you into isolation. As a self-proclaimed introvert, isolation is okay, but studying in isolation (after so many semesters of not seeing classmates), could nearly drive me insane.

Playing a bunch of games with friends every night! - I’ve been allotting my evenings to playing a bunch of games with friends! It’s been a great time to reconnect with my friends, both from undergrad and medicine, and it has greatly helped me in terms of my social interactions. I’ve been playing Phasmophobia, League, Jackbox, Crab Game, and Overcooked 2 with friends!! Super fun hahaha am I a gamer girl now?! Eme!!

More new music to keep my head bopping - I’ve been playing Bibi’s The Weekend on repeat, non-stop this week. Whenever I’m doing my afternoon bike routine, I listen to this song and it makes me feel like the main character in a movie. Highly recommended practice. We all deserve the boost :)

Teaching our dogs how to sit and fetch! - I’ve been full on dog mom, buying them treats and snacks and getting them all to learn how to sit. Our babies and even our veterans, motivated by the promise of a dog biscuit/treat upon good performance, have been responding well to my training! I’m super happy to see them retain the learnings hehe. Super fulfilling to see as a dog owner <3

Calypso’s silent company - I love Calypso so much! She may have a cattitude HAHA but deep inside I think she loves me and my family. She joins us in the room, and she always snuggles up next to us whenever we’re about to sleep. She’s very malambing in her own way and I can’t expect that I am now also a cat mom.

KAI - Can I just say... HAHAHA I can’t even express how Down Bad I am over Kim Jongin hahuhu I swear! His Peaches era has been my awakening. The visuals and concept are so good! Super lovely and he has a great personality. Giving me pseudo-jowa vibes talaga.

Succession - This show is full of drama oh my gosh I’m so invested. I’m so happy I finally have the time to watch this show huhu I just finished season two yesterday and oh my gosh it was amazing. As in shookt to the core!! I can’t wait to watch season three hehe. (My to-watch list is so long oh my goodness, the backlogs are real)

Late afternoon biking - During this break (after my two exams), I’ve been really attempting to bike around the subdivision, even for just 30 minutes, to really take a break and be outside the house for once. It’s been a really great exercise, because it also gives me reprieve and peace of mind. Aside from that, I also get to watch the sunsets and the beautiful skies.

At the end of the day, I think we really just cling on to these certain moments, because they give us a feeling that the time we spend on this Earth is worth it. Till the next!

[heyitstords]

Finding Faith in the Silence

My year in quarantine has really given me the silence and clarity that I needed. Once the busyness of everyday life has dwindled into an almost deafening silence, I found my faith in the Lord. This was newfound faith that I found by myself, completely different from the faith taught to me back in grade school and high school. Apart from learning about Christ's passion, death, and resurrection in class, praying the rosary every October before the start of every subject, attending Friday mass, this faith felt different. Vulnerable. Real. Personal. There was forgiveness that I found in Him, and I felt that the Lord was waiting for me patiently, ready to welcome me with open arms. Cliche as it sounds, I really felt like the prodigal son, coming home tired and weary, my regrets and sins slung over my back, like Atlas carrying the weight of the world. The Lord showed me the light, He redirected me to the right path, and He forgave me. Not once did He ever gave up on me, and I realized it with such intensity that I literally cried upon this realization.

During times of trouble, when I felt that the world would collapse underneath me and there was no way out, there was the Lord. Attending mass every weekend felt like my time to converse with Him. I would listen to the Gospel, and the homily would always always hit the spot, kind of like the Lord was talking to me directly. Lifting everything up to Him gave me a sense of peace that I cannot quite describe. All I know is that it freed me to know that the Lord never lets me walk alone, that He is always by my side. The verse I wrote and placed on my table is from Proverbs 3:5-6, and it remains to be one of my favorite verses to date.  It reads, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding." Grabe. It gives me chills every single time. The hurdles in front of me would seem hard and impossible, but I always remember that verse and I am instantly reminded that the Lord is with me always, guiding me, making sure that I emerge a better person after everything. He has a plan for me, and He has placed such amazing people in my life to make sure I never walk alone in this journey.  Wow. The Lord has sustained me and protected me in so many ways, and for that, I will always always be grateful. Truly, with the Lord, nothing is impossible. He has shown me countless times (both in and out of med school) that He has a greater plan for all of us.

At the start of my second semester, I joined UP Agape. It was a student organization focused on discipleship with God, and I joined it in the hopes that it would help me bring closer to the Lord, and that it would also help me meet people who see the same way. Few weeks later, it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I found lovely people I am proud to call my new friends, and we meet every few weeks to pray for one another and talk about the Word of God. It's truly lovely to be surrounded by such a positive, God-centered community. I'm gushing (LOL) but I'm really happy to have found my faith, to have found my place with God. I can tell that I have changed (for the better), my perspectives have shifted, and I know that this all would not have happened if it weren't for the Lord. I know that there is still a lot of work to be done, but it gives me nothing but joy to know that He is always here with me.

[heyitstords]

As an attempt to fulfill my resolution to blog as much as I can, I’m now introducing W.I.P.: Weekends in Pictures, a combination of words and pictures, showing how my weekend went. Enjoy!

After swimming (no pictures of the pool during the first day since my phone was borderline dead [5% is my phone’s usual battery percentage - I know]), we went to my parents, who already booked a table at Wee Nam Kee. Their laksa is A++++. If there was a letter in the English alphabet before A, that would be my grade for their laksa.

Grabbed some churros at La Lola for dessert! They were really hot and fresh; La Lola is not playin’ around. 

I mean. Come on.

Sonja?? Selling doughnuts?? Instant no-brainer. My dad and I immediately went inside the store and gaped at the different doughnut flavors. We got them to-go since we were still stuffed from lunch. 

(Note to self: Must try their olive oil & basil doughnut next time we swing by. It sounds like it’s going to be a wild ride.)

We separated after eating dessert since mom wanted to go to Market! Market!, my sister & dad were sleepy, and I wanted to go buy a few items on my shopping list. I went to Typo to look for a laptop bag (scored a pretty one for 50% off - miracle), but instantly gravitated to the shelf full of badges and keychains. Too bad they were extremely overpriced, though.

This one deserved a special picture though, just because I’m a sucker for cute things that rhyme. 

Went here just because. Well. Lush smells amazing.

It was such a great day for a stroll, too.

My favorite place to be in BGC is, and will always be, Fully Booked. It’s you, it’s always going to be you. 

Read Bo Burnham’s book ‘Egghead’ for an hour (I was lucky enough to score a chair a.k.a. one of the best feelings in the world), and boy, it got weird. 

I mean. 

When my mom returned from the mall, it was finally time to cook dinner. We cooked dinner for an hour and a half, and it was honestly really fun to just watch and listen to her cooking tips and recipes.

While waiting, though, the little one was doing... that. 

For dessert! (from L-R: Creme Caramel, Gianduja (milk chocolate + hazelnut; my personal favorite), Chocolate, and Vanilla Bean)

Tonight’s dinner: Chicken and Pork Adobo, Chopsuey, and Shrimp Gambas (Mom makes a killer adobo - we all got seconds). We capped off the night with Legally Blonde, which was such a feel-good movie. 

Breakfast was a silog party, and I was in heaven. (The key to my heart is anything silog.)

We went to mass after breakfast, and swam a few minutes after that! It was such a good day to go swimming, and I really couldn’t resist, even though I already swam the morning before.

Such a peaceful place to be, honestly. 

Little nugget wrapped up in a blanket, not quite ready to let go of the water just yet. We call her Little Moana since she just loves the water so much.

That wraps up my weekend, and the first installment of W.I.P.! I hope I get to commit to blogposts like these, because they’re honestly so much fun to write. 

Here’s to more wonderful weekends spent with loved ones! ‘Till the next! 

Tords <3

[heyitstords]

I'm baaaack!

It has been a loooong time since I last made a blogpost, and honestly, I miss it so much. There was this time wherein I was just itching to type and blog and just ramble, basically. Recently, it has just been difficult to balance my academics and my social life. But yes, enough about that! I was planning to make a New and Discovered post for last August, but since it's pretty much the last week of September, might as well make a September Favorites post.

Without further ado, here are the few things I am loving this month. Enjoy! 

DOWNLOAD

1. HEADSPACE - Headspace is an app that provides guided meditation sessions and mindfulness training, and it’s honestly amazing. You can try their Take10, wherein you meditate for 10 minutes every day for ten days straight. If you want to go beyond that, you can go for a subscription. Since I never actually developed a love for meditating before, I was honestly surprised that I loved it! It's so peaceful and relaxing, and honestly, I can keep talking about how amazing this app is, but then I would rather that you try it for yourself.

2. DO! - This is a really simple app for organizing the things on your to-do list. It's simple and straight to the point. PS: I really like the minimalistic design, too!

3. MUCHO TACO - If you had fun playing Bitcoin Billionaire, then you will definitely enjoy Mucho Taco. Imagine it as the offspring of Bitcoin Billionaire and Disco Zoo. With a side of delicious tacos!!! Who would refuse a game involving tacos? (A: No one. No one refuses tacos.)

READ

1. WHO’S THAT GIRL? by Alexandra Potter - This book is absolutely adorable. Honestly, I couldn't stop smiling while I was reading it. It also made me realize a lot of things about how I live my life. All in all, if you're looking for a light read, then this book is the one for you!

2. THE HEART DOES NOT GROW BACK by Fred Venturini - Contrary to Who's That Girl, this book destroyed me. It was depressing, and that's pretty much an understatement. I saw this book in a random shelf in Powerbooks, and I thought that the cover was beautiful, which is why I took note of it. I honestly expected the book to be funny slash romantic and boy, was I blindsided. Despite the dark mood and characters, the book was gorgeous. Fred Venturini just has this ability to weave such beautiful sentences together, and honestly, I loved it. If you're looking for something pretty serious, then I recommend this to you. 10/10. (Fred Venturini is a genius.)

3. SPOILED BRATS by Simon Rich - Just like Fred Venturini, Simon Rich is someone special. His short stories can go from funny to heartbreaking to hands down weird real quick (and I mean it). What I really love about the book is that the stories are from the perspectives of totally random and unexpected objects (and people), yet he was able to make them real. (Really, though. An Elf on a Shelf? A condom?) Honestly, he's an amazing writer. His wit and humor is so on point that when you're not getting your heart broken, you're absolutely laughing while reading. 

LISTEN

1. FIRST DAY OF MY LIFE by Bright Eyes

2. HOPELESS OPUS by Imagine Dragons

3. IN YOUR HANDS by Joshua Radin

WATCH

1. BATH & BODY WORKS AUTUMN CANDLE HAUL - If you're anything like me, then you find hauls fun to watch and oddly relaxing. This specific one from Zoella is one of my favorite haul videos ever. Even though I've never experienced autumn, (summer all day, every day here in the Philippines), after the video, I just had this strange urge to buy candles, even though 1) I don't know where I would place them and 2) I actually never had a passion for collecting and burning them.

2. HENERAL LUNA - Just watch it. Watch it, watch it, watch it. It's a work of art. I don't want to say anything about it because I might end up rambling and eventually spoiling the whole movie for you, and God knows I would never do that. It's a definite 100/10.

3. MODERN FAMILY - This is probably one of my most favorite TV series. I cannot stress how much I love this so much. If you're looking for a fun, lighthearted comedy show, then this is the one for you!  I love their family so much, words cannot even. This is one of those shows wherein you can binge watch six whole seasons and not get bored.

EXPLORE

1. COMMON ROOM - This is like a local version of Typo, and honestly, I love it! Every time I go inside their store, I can't help but gape over the different things they sell. Their items range from succulents to obscene stickers to typography to inspirational coffee mugs. IT'S SO ARTSY AND BEAUTIFUL. (+ it's honestly a dream come true for someone like me.)

2. EQUATORIAL COFFEE - It's a completely laidback and quaint (and kind of hidden) coffee shop. When you step inside, you're instantly hit with the smell of coffee, which is duh, divine. The ambiance of the place, along with the different tables and chairs and smell of freshly roasted coffee screams chill. The food is aaaaaah-mazing, and for a student, the prices are not so bad! It's definitely a change from the typical coffee shops I'm used to, which is good. I honestly love it! 

3. COCO ICHIBANYA - If you're passionate about Japanese curry (like me, LOL #noshame), then I highly recommend this place! This restaurant serves everything curry. Fish, pork, even shrimp. And squid. Plus, their curry tastes amazing, with just the right balance of spice.

P.S.: I’m planning to do separate blog posts for the different stores/restaurants! Hopefully I’ll have the time to do it because I really want to discuss them on a deeper level. (My fingers and toes are crossed.)

How about you? Any recent favorites? 

Till the next post,

Tords

[heyitstords]

Here are the things I am grateful for this week:

1. Learning how to ride a bike! (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)  2. Having an overnight stay at Pampanga with dad and having the perfect I’m-a-child-again-evening: snuggled in bed in my pajamas while watching cartoons (yeah man, I'm an 8-year-old child trapped in a teenager's body.) 3. Surprising my amazing friend, Cameron, the day before her birthday! And of course, having a reunion with my sophomore year barkada. (We ran around Eastwood with colorful balloons and it was so funny because people were staring and someone even greeted Mica & I even though it’s not our birthday.) 4. Zumba classes that are so fun and entertainingly embarrassing at the same time (especially if you can't copy the complicated movements — a.k.a. me & my two left feet) 5. Enjoying the weekend at Subic with my family! (Blogpost to come! Wee. I promise.) 6. BEACH TIME. BANANA BOAT TIME. BURYING YOURSELF UNDER THE SAND TIME. SNORKELING TIME. (Yeah, I know, they’re all in capital letters. It as just freakin’ amazing.)  7. Bonfires with hotdogs and playful cousin banter. Plus, a midnight walk along the shore. Totally peaceful. I live for nights like those.  8. Going to Sandbox in Porac, Pampanga and riding the Giant Swing & Roller Coaster Zipline!!! Oh my god, the Giant Swing was exhilarating. And it totally gives you that scream-your-lungs-out feeling. 9. 2 AM adventures with my younger cousins (aka refusing to sleep because we were all hungry) 10. Watching my baby sister enjoy the beach. She literally waddled around the shore.

Now I’m finally up to date. Next thing to work on... actually posting them on Thursdays.